floral-ashes

[ask-serendipity-sky]

Atomes Crochus

I just learned about this French term which literally translates to "hooked atoms" and it means to have chemistry with someone.

As a chemist, I am fascinated by atoms. To know that we all came from the same place and are made from the same things. And it's fascinating to me how you can meet people but somehow you only stick to certain ones.

I always thought there had to be a scientific explanation for this but I came across atomes crochus this morning and I fell in love with the concept.

I think of jikook and these past 10 years. The moments that they've shared with us that give us a glimpse of their story together:

Despite time, their careers, rough periods, and issues surrounding them...I believe their atoms find a way to each other.

Ten years have passed and they hover. Never directly telling us anything but showing clear satellite behavior. It's like they are in each other electron cloud.

If they are not on screen together like we used to see them:

We still see signs that point to their closeness:

They are those people that keep coming back to each other. And while a lot of people don't understand how things like that happen, I think we've all been or seen this situation in real life.

It's not unheard of. It's not impossible.

It's just two people together. Maybe it's the red string of fate, or their atoms hooking on to each other and not wanting to let go, maybe they knew each other from previous lives.

Whatever it is, it's impossible to deny that it's there.

[kyouka-supremacy]

Hello there 👋

Can you talk about why you feel the way you do about the female bsd characters? (including the female characters you like) and while I don't think the author doesn't know how to write female characters I think the biggest problem with the female characters is that they're underutilized and barely have much screentime ( the most one we saw recently having screentime currently in the manga is teruko)

Hi!! I love you all SO much but seriously I don't have the mental stability to talk about why the bsd female characters are badly written ahah. Here's my best attempt at it:

I hope it's enough for me to say there's a female / male characters proportion of like 1:10, and no female character has any real repercussion on the plot– literally. Besides from Kyouka and Lucy and maybe Yosano? you could hypothetically erease every other female character and... Realistically, nothing would change. That's just how much irrelevant all but three female characters are, and there's already very few compared to the rest of the male cast. The four main / most popular characters are all males. Dazai is openly sexist and it's just kind of there never to be addressed. Akutagawa is repetedly violent with his female coworker and it's treated as a gag (like you DO realize how repulsive it is to write a character who is obsessed with her abuser and never be intentioned to elaborate on that because I guess that's what women are supposed to do according to author? Like. okay). But honestly the main issue for me is how each of them literally gravitates around another male character. God, it's SO annoying. And I mean every single of them!!! Every. single. Every single!!!! I struggle to come up with even one exception to the pattern. Kyouka has Atsushi as her savior, Lucy has Atsushi as her savior, Higuchi is obsessed with Akutagawa, Naomi is obsessed with Jun'ichirou, Gin literally exists because of Akutagawa, Alcott is just there to aid Fitzgerald, Margaret's only role in the story is to save Hawthorne, Elise is just expression of Mori. Teruko is a person in the body of a child who literally drools over her 50-something superior, like we hadn't as a society come to the common agreement that the “not as old as she looks” trope was disgusting pedophilia apologism like ten years ago (but it's okay though, because pedophilia was established to be okay in this manga at like, chapter 15 or something) (is this the good time to bring up that time Aya asked Kunikida out? No? Okay let's just collectively pretend that never happened). Do I need to go on? I haven't read Gaiden, but do I really need to read it to know Tsujimura gravitates around Ayatsuji? Oh wait, I was just remembered about Gaiden's full title: Bungou Stray Dogs Gaiden: Ayatsuji Yukito VS. Kyougoku Natsuhiko, and if that doesn't speak of the consideration author gives their female characters, I don't know what does. It's just– no female character is ever going to have their own novel. No female character is ever going to be protagonist. They'll just keep being treated as they've always been so far, like flat and personality-less disposable plot devices.

Now. I love Yosano's backstory, I really do- I think it was the best executed arc of the manga, reading those two chapter still gives me chills. But you do have to acknowledge, Yosano herself has no agency in the entire arc development. It's okay, she was eleven, it's natural; but she is just tossed one way to the other by other characters. That, and I can't stretch it enough, is not a bad thing on its own; not all stories have to scream #womanpower to be good stories. It's a good story. But you need to acknowledge it does nothing to empower female characters' role in this manga; it just speaks once again of it being a systematic problem, how author can't write female characters like they were masters of their fate if their life depended on it. And it's not that just because there's one (1) mini arc that happens to have a female character as its protagonist, author knows how to write female characters with depth, or agenda, or an objective, or personality, because... They clearly don't.

Like. I probably became annoying by now but like. When was the last time you found any bsd fan whose favorite character was a woman? When was the last time you found people describing themselves as a Lucy kinnie? If you ask me, it's not a matter of fans' fault for overlooking female characters; the female characters in this franchise are meant to be overlooked, because they're abysmally less stretched out and complex compared to their male counterparts– because male characters are distinctive and unique, while author can't go outside the range of one-dimensional femme fatale, letal woman (Yosano, Kouyou, Teruko, Christie, Gin / Lucy / Elise too to an extent) and woman who's just there to obsess over a male character (Alcott, Higuchi). But do not fret, because author will sometimes go outside that scheme by making a letal femme fatale who also obsesses over a male character! (Naomi). Also this

(Have you ever wondered why I never talk about Beast Gin? Yeah.)

Okay but you see the problem here? You see how it's impossible to make the same kind of argument for the male characters, because they're all diverse and various and multilayered as much as their little screentime allows? Higuchi doesn't exist outside Akutagawa, Lucy doesn't exist outside Atsushi; but it's not like you can say the same goes the other way round. That is, crossing out the various parallels drawn between male characters, but that only speaks more of how precisely curated male characters are, while all female characters... I'll be honest, aren't written as people. Author really sounds like your average Washington Post best selling psychological thriller author of the week that writes women like an alien species from another planet. It would have spared me having been writing this whole post for an hour (two hours? Which is definitely not the time I wanted to spend on this, man) if only author would have formed the thought, at the start of the serialization: “perhaps! Perhaps I should write women as people instead of writing them as female characters (whatever that means)”. Alas, we ended up with the infamous Naomi description from Untold Origins (what the fuck. who in their right mind would ever think of writing something like that. what the fuck.)

Now, I know if you're here reading this you most definitely like bsd. It's okay, really. Unpopular opinion, but people are perfectly allowed to like things that are flawed (and this is a big flaw). What's extremely important, seriously, I'm on my knees begging you, is to be critical of the media you consume. All kinds of media. Even if you end up disagreeing with me on this matter, really!! Just be able to tell apart the things that make appealing a series for you from whatever kind of agenda / worldview the author is pushing through, and peacefully acknowledge you can like something despite it having issues (because bsd has issues). I don't know who needs to hear this, but someone definitely does: “I love s/kk!!” “the bsd storytelling has many compelling aspects!!” and “I recognize the bsd writing has flaws some of which actively harm an already disadvantaged part of society” are statements that can and should coexist, and if anything - and I know you hate to hear this, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - it should be kept in mind when deciding to support the franchise by buying its products.

One final note is that like... I'm sorry if this comes off as pretentious but I seriously feel like people have NO idea what media with well written female characters look like, because for people to even question bsd being sexist is just insane to me (in the way: do we really need to to talk about it, isn't it obvious like ten seconds in the show??). And this is probably the least good place to advertise things, but please do yourself a favor and read The Promised Neverland and learn what well written female characters read like.

[souporwholock]

Something that brings me great joy: birds can literally be dragons if I want. Dragons can have feathers. Dragons can have a beak. Dragons... can just be birds... and they come in lots of colors and sizes. some live in cities. some hunt. some are super smart. some are fluffy. the world is such a magical place*

🥺 💖 ✨

*This is sounds crazy, and I can barely put this thought into words, but its so real to me. magic is real, but people learned how it works, so its science.

what if we could understand magic and still have it feel special? life is so rare, and im here to enjoy it all (100% not disregarding science, love science, im just saying its so SPECIAL you know??)

Reblog this so people actually see it, I feel like it might be important. Dire even. To know.

[maryrouille]

Toxic romanticization of studying

In a word of introduction, my profile partly shows that studying and exploring is wonderful. But as a person involved in science*, I would like to show healthy and true patterns of this beautiful adventure in acquiring knowledge.

The inspiration for writing this post this time was not the phenomenon from Tumblr (although you can also observe it here), but from Pinterest. There you can come across cycles composed of quotes and photos whose aim is to motivate young girls to learn, succeed and get good grades. These images often also show examples of characters from movies, TV series or real life that you can aspire to be like. Overall, I have to agree that it really works! But I would like to draw attention to certain elements that need to be verified.

1. You shouldn't get up at 5am

First of all, the correct amount of sleep is one of the most important factors affecting the proper and effective functioning of our brain. During sleep, nerve cells regenerate, organize information acquired during the day and consolidate memory traces, which is directly related to learning. Lack of sleep increases impulsivity, deepens negative thinking and slows down the body's reaction time!

2. You can be a genius without good grades

Of course, good grades are a pleasant confirmation of our knowledge and praise for hard work. However, sometimes it is worth considering whether the structure of exams themselves, especially those with closed questions, affects the results. We often study for one specific exam, the knowledge of which may be very… limited and sometimes not useful, so it is worth prioritizing the topics that we study hard.

3. It's not cool to think you're better than others

We are different and have different priorities in life. It is also worth considering how many people escape from the rat race and start a slow, stress-free life. So we have to agree that judging people based on grades or responses under stress (sic!) is not cool.

The good thing about romanticizing studying

As I have already said, these types of collages are really motivating. So let's talk about what's great about them and what's worth highlighting and saving for later.

1. Knowledge is beautiful, but your outfit and surroundings can also be

We know that we should never judge a book by its cover, but… the issue of social perception painfully confirms that we do and will continue to do so because this is how our brains work. And isn't it nice when someone looks at us and thinks this girl is so classy?

Moreover, a nice outfit that makes us feel good gives us a lot of self-confidence. There are also many studies confirming the positive impact on motivation and concentration of a neat and aesthetic workplace.

2. Not just cramming, but also discovering

Broadening your horizons is easier with passion and real commitment. And to achieve this, the topics must really interest us. Not everyone has yet found something that they are extremely passionate about in science, so that is why you have to dig deeper and discover different areas.

3. Don't be afraid to use your knowledge in practice

Schools and universities, unfortunately, have their own rules and they do not always allow you to show your 100% potential. Thus, share your knowledge with others externally, write essays, blog and social media. This form of activity also makes you learn things faster and easier. In addition, contacts with others will expand your knowledge.

Therefore, I must say that it is worth choosing your inspirations carefully. Nothing helps you enjoy studying better than a clear head and lack of prejudices.

*This post was inspired by my own experience with studying. If anyone is interested, I think I can share my mistakes that did not help me in an academic adventure :)

[wraithdance]

Do you have any advice when it comes to dating straight men?

Short answer? Don’t. Long answer, under le cut we go for Calvary’s survival guide to dating men🙄

Actually curious why you want advice from my emotionally bereft ass but lmaooo. I’ll give you the advice I give my male dating family members and friends

1. Do not go into dating men desperate

you need to have at least the barest amount of confidence in who you are and what you want before dating a singular man.

Like I mean that shit, I’m not kidding. You don’t have to be self confident enough to write a self help book, but you need to be able to feel as if you can walk away when you are disrespected. no matter what fantasy you have of love, you WILL be disrespected babe. Learn early how to identify it when it happens and walk the fuck away with your self respect when it’s too much for you to ignore.

2. Do not let being ‘nice’ keep you from finding your dream partner

Start off with a working list of what kind of man you want and be as detailed and insane about it as possible. I mean everything down to what color underwear he wears if that’s something that might be a point of contention with you.

After you have that list write some hard rules for how a man is allowed to speak/act towards you and use that as a litmus test for if you continue a relationship. It is a privilege to be near you not a guaranteed right, so reinforce that or get walked over

3. Masturbate frequently and have your options open

Legit work out any hang ups surrounding sex and consider dating more than one person at a time so you don’t get stuck romanticizing one man.

No, that doesn’t mean you have to fuck all of them, but getting used to going on dates helps with nerves and prevents you from making the mistake of thinking you found ‘the one’ because you’re seeing the same dude. Please invest in a sex toy or 3. Being horny will get you into trouble!!

4. Do not trust a man’s word over your own senses

People lie. Don’t believe shit a man says unless he backs it up with receipts. He says he has a condo in France? ask to see the deed. He got his std labs done last week? Ask him to go with you to your regular doctor for a new screening.

Protect yourself always and if he gets mad that’s a red flag. Do not pass go because it’s life or death out here, babes. Which leads me to

5. Be a bitch. Be the biggest bitch you can be

Legit fuck every single thing anyone ever told you about being nice to a man. Work on getting comfortable with being an asshole and calling them out or you will be pushed over. This honestly goes for any gender like be a literal cunt when the time warrants it.

Someone pushy about you not letting them back to your place? Be loud and tell them they’re making you uncomfortable. Someone negging you? Look them in their eye and lean close, tell them “you know, when I first met you I thought you were a lot smarter. I guess not, since you had the nerve to say that to me without any regrets.”

Don’t like the date? Leave. That simple. It’ll save you heart ache and sometimes save your life.

Uh if you have more specific questions you can follow up but those are my top five rules. Men aren’t some scary mythical creature or hard science experiment. It’s all about setting yourself up to get what kind of love story you want. Good luck babes you’re gonna need it!!

MWAHH 💋💖

[thequietkid-moonie]

The diference between love and obsession

[ YANDERE COMPARISON ] [ Ruan Mei ]

[ Honkai Star Rail ]

⚠️ This contain spoilers about her backstory

⚠️ Yandere, I don't support nor try to romanticize this toxic behaivor, is just for entretaiment

I love Ruan Mei, she is beautiful and powerful, and for some reason she has being wandering my mind (maybe because im playing with her a lot again) so i thought this may be the perfect time to write for her <3

Ruan Mei's love is interesting and quite schemer, Ruan Mei has never being able to fully understand how it is to be human, she struggles with understanding morals and normal feelings so falling in love will make her quite curious about it

Despite not knowing much about feelings or how to handle nor express them Ruan Mei can see falling in love as a good opportunity to learn, indirectly offering you a deal where she can learn about her feelings by spending more time with you and experimenting with new things with you, in exchange she'll give you a reward (wich she'll have to think on what to give you)

Even if she grows to feel affection and love for you, Ruan Mei is still unsure about the whole situation, she doesn't want to lose someone else and feel that pain and emptiness in her heart, so she tries to fight back as much as she can those growing feelings, remembering herself that there will be a point where you two will part ways and time will make you forget her, but not matter how much she tries to stay away and don't grow close to you she just can't stop herself from turning around in your direction whenever she has the opportunity to take a glance of you

Ruan Mei loves is what lead her to wish to learn more about human relationship and interactions, to learns what are all those feeling and to what extent she can get, but with you and only you; her love is what lead her to convince herself that this may be an experience with great academic value, even when she can't fool herself and deep down she knows what she is doing she doesn't care much

Ruan Mei love is what lead her to think constantly on you even when working, is what lead her to think on what could be your opinion of her new experiment or even make her think on you by trivial things, like her now innocent wish to share some tea and cakes with you or wanting to show you the embroidery she has being working on

Ruan Mei love is something that lead her to feel more human, what inspire her as much as her mother's letters does, is what lead her to think that maybe interacting with others may don't be too bad, but at the same time lead her to want to just be with you and share new experiences with you

Ruan Mei's hurt heart lead her to remember constantly the posibility of losing you, of you just going away in your own path but is her love what make her doubt about that being a bad thing, the time you two share holds great value and even if it will hurt if it happens maybe she can do something to preserve the memories a little longer

Ruan Mei's obsesive love is troblesome for both parts and it can even reach dangerous limits, Ruan Mei has never being able to fully understand humanity or feeling in a proper way, she always had troubles understanding simple things that has to be with morals and since she was a child she was instructed to science, for her everything should be analytic

Ruan Mei's obsesive love it is at first sight, she barely leave her lab, let alone think on something that isn't her investigation or goals, so there are little chances that you two get to met, but when she finally lays her eyes on you it will have such impact on her that she will not be able to stop thinking about you

Despite having an inmense love and desire of you, of getting to know all of you, Ruan Mei still have problems understanding what she is feeling, when it reach a point where it becomes quite troublesome she will finally sit down to clear her mind, coldly analysing what she feels before finally deciding that, somehow, what she feels is an inmense scientific curiosity and she, as the respectable scientist she is, will follow her desires and get what she wants

Ruan Mei's obsesive love is what make her see you as an perfect specimen, someone who holds great academic value, someone who could have the key to help her understand what she have never being able to understand because you make her feel with such intensity and need that could only be attributed at that humanity she always felt so far from her

Ruan Mei's obsesive love is what will lead her to be desperate to preserve you in any way posible, going from simple ways like embroidering beautiful desings in your honor to even taking part of your DNA and making as much creatures as she can with your DNA, hoping that one of those creatures will be even just a little close at the perfect real one

Ruan Mei has being betrayed by her parents when they left her alone and she will not be able to handle something like that happen again, and she will not even take the risk, so is her obsesive love what lead her to performe experiments on you, trying to find a way to make you stay with her forever, even going as far as making you unable to talk with anyone else if it is need it, you are just too perfect and to valuable to lose

Ruan Mei's obsesive love is what will lead her to give you Yaoishi's fruit to gift you the inmortality, so when she manage to achive her goal and become an eon you'll be able to be there with her too, staying together for the eternity

[finisnihil]

I'm thinking about Sunday again and how we're shown that Robin is his weak spot over and over and really he probably wouldn't have slipped up if not for the people trying to exploit her death.

In 2.0 we see them hanging out together and the like but we don't see them interact much, Robin very obviously cares for Sunday but Sunday maintains a quiet atmosphere and professional facade and as such one could wonder how much he actually cares about her as his sister.

But then at the end of the quest we see the cracks start to show a bit. Sparkle pretends to be Robin and Sunday becomes enraged. Until then he's pretty subdued in his behavior in the aftermath, but the mockery of his sister's death is too great a slight and when Sparkle offers to pretend to be Robin so nobody gets suspicious, Sunday tells her to stuff it and go away which she does. It's a really telling scene that when Robin is involved his careful mask cracks down the middle and he begins to not think clearly or strategically because later in 2.1 it's noted he went back to accept the offer.

Aventurine notes that Robin's death is an entry point for the IPC to exploit but not for the overall Family, just for Sunday. Sunday is reeling to find control with the other heads pressuring him and the IPC closing in like a pack of hungry vultures. Sunday was always alone except for Robin and they're both pretty aware of the corruption as Sunday is desperately trying to root out the traitor while Robin left and is helping him research Death. Aventurine knows this and he knows Sunday is off balance and prone to overlooking things in his rage and grief that's potent in everything he does after 2.0's quest. Sunday went to Ratio for informatiom because he understands Aventurine's a threat needing to be taken seriously and he needs to handle him quickly and efficiently and that makes him sloppy enough to get duped by the Jade cornerstone.

When Welt and Acheron investigate his office they find all the letters and lists and investigations into the problem but they also find a beloved lightcone of a young Sunday watching his sister preform on a toy stage. Robin is noted as finding this preformance her favorite and most cherished one. Is Sunday clapping to applaud her or is he keeping time for her? Sunday keeps things running himself so she can free to persue her dreams. He does care about Robin, they really only have each other.

Finally... Gallagher. You really see the persona Sunday puts on finally shatter all at once. This is the man who murdered his sister and who's caused him so much trouble and stress. Nobody's around to fool, nobody's around to witness, and you finally see all his pent up rage and grief spill out. That's his mistake, he's so distracted letting out his bottled up feelings Gallagher's able to get him before he can even react.

Small side analysis, Robin's name and signature song come from the Emily Dickinson poem of the same name. She's an American Poet who mostly wrote works of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. We haven't see much of Robin but she seems to match Romantacism, a literary movement that focused on emotion and individualism with no regard for logic. Sunday seems to match Transcendentalism, a literary movement that focused on the relationship between humanity, the divine, and nature with little regard for science. The three aspects of Transcendentalism also match Xipe's motif of threes, like their three heads.

[bigtreefest]

Chapter 2: Cooks in the Kitchen

From: The Rainmaker Series

Pairing: Mob! Steve x Forensic Scientist! Reader

Summary: Everyone hates a backseat driver. And a surprise guest when you’re not at your best.

Word count: 3,234

Content/warnings: TW: dead body and all you would expect in forensic science, I tried to make this not graphic, mentions of bruising, mentions of torture and abuse, sassy and borderline mean reader, awkward Steve who overthinks, reluctant? flirting, allusions to and mentions of murder

Author’s Note: For my dearly beloved @krirebr please know that you’re loved and appreciated by us all. I hope this helps, just a little bit. (Extra angsty, hopefully to your tastes)😘

What I’m gonna say is Decks seems very on edge compared to how she was before. Her guard came up out of ‘nowhere?’ Hm, that’s weird… or is it?

Anyway, these are Loupe glasses, if you’re wondering. They let you see tiny things up close and at a better angle.

Comments, reblogs, asks, and any feedback is so welcome and appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

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After your weekend at the farm, Steve drove you home to return to your normal life. As much as you loved being out in the country, city life was definitely more your speed. You immediately went back to work and were happy to keep your busy routine going. Sure, a weekend away from screens and solvents was a breath of fresh air, but this was where you thrived.

Despite the way there were new, more outlandish cases to deal with, the days were surprisingly routine. Come in, visit a crime scene, run some tests, go home, do it again. You lived for that sort of zen. The detachment of simply putting your head down and getting to work was what you were used to, and then once you were home, it was like a sanctuary. You could lounge, pick up another hobby out of the thousand you’d already started, and crawl into your fresh sheets.

It’s not like you were entirely a hermit, though. You got along with your coworkers and would commonly joke around with them, but first and foremost, you were a proper worker, doing your job. When something really needed done, you’d lock down in the lab, music blasting, and crank out results.

Steve was the same way. He tried to keep his days as routine as possible, despite the way work brought something new everyday. Rival gangs needed monitored and law people needed bribed. Shipments and production needed to be kept on a tight schedule and up to pace with increasing demand.

There wasn’t much time for it, but he’d found certain images and memories start to take hold in his mind. They were different from the grade school ones of Bucky, or his times learning the ropes of his trade, or the first suit he’d ever worn. They were new, they were…warm? Lacked that same rigidity? They were of you. Driving his car effortlessly, petting a baby goat as it bleated happily, teaching him to dance…small, little moments that he couldn’t let go of, but he didn’t have time to replay enough.

He did his best to stay proper in his business dealings. Steve was known for his gentlemanly demeanor, truly a golden boy of the underground, or…at least as much of one as an individual could be given the legality loopholes he was constantly trying to jump through.

On the outside, he was smooth as a beach. Fluid with the crashes of waves this industry threw at him. He’d gotten good at rolling with the punches without a single blond hair out of place. But inside? It was a hurricane. The wind raged and echoed in his ears, putting him on edge. It was sensory overload.

Everyday, he found his attention wanting to wander more and more to that simpler time, not romanticizing it for the lack of pressing responsibility, but for the fact he spent genuine moments with someone who was unlike those in his world. Unlike the men so obsessed with maintaining their place on top or squashing others to get there. They were all about the money, but you were working for the people, and for the betterment of the city. To solve cases and give peace to families. And Steve knew he was all too often on the other side of that, even if he prided himself on only taking out the worst of the worst. The ones who deserved it. They were the ones endangering women and children, who to him, were the distastefully vulnerable and undeserving of wrath, despite the fates they were met with from the awful men Steve rid the world of. He wasn’t breaking his set of morals and rules, he was just breaking the law sometimes. Steve was a good man, he just happened to make his living doing bad things.

He didn’t have time to reflect on that right now, though. Things had seriously picked up in recent weeks. Bucky was soon to return, but it didn’t help that Steve felt like Lloyd was unrelentingly on their asses. Leading the organization when it came to the normal stuff was fine, but the extra protections Bucky was making him run, along with the extensive research and monitoring was already taking its toll. Steve was used to a lack of sleep, he basically lived on adrenaline and black coffee, but another night where he was fielding calls and sending out directives without a wink was causing his emotional guard to fall.

It was early morning as Steve sat at his desk. He’d ordered Sam to head out hours ago, but as the sun was cresting over the horizon, not even that searing glow could keep Steve’s tired mind at bay. The levees against the flood were weakened beyond belief. The hurricane was about to make landfall.

Just then, the phone rang. It was one of his contacts down at the police station. That wasn’t new, but the specific news was and Steve wanted to be there in person to get every bit of information he could... and perhaps catch a glimpse at the one person who could scratch that new itch in his brain. Maybe, finally, at least he could catch a nap in the car, as Steve called Gio to drive him over.

Over the couple weeks you’ve been back, you couldn’t help the way your mind wandered constantly, either. Even your favorite playlist couldn’t keep you on track, so you opted for silence, the scenes replaying of your time on the farm doing plenty to help you block out your surroundings.

You were working on a particularly difficult case currently. There was no time for distractions. The overcast sky just added to the ambiance of the feeling that something unusual was looming over you. You pulled yourself out of your thoughts, along with the keys from the ignition, and took a deep breath, letting it out sharply to get yourself ready. When you’d gotten out of the SUV and to the crime scene, Detective Lang greeted you.

“So I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

He guided you along the River walk and down the rocky shore where a victim laid, waves still lapping over her feet as photographers and cops gathered around the scene, surveying it for evidence. A small crowd had gathered along the pathway, held back by barricades and uniformed officers. At least you were here before the news crews.

“Bad news first, always. You know that.” You spoke with a purpose, slipping on your gloves after pushing up the sleeves of your department-issued windbreaker and cuffing your pants so they wouldn’t get wet.

“So far, looks like it was blunt force trauma with a side of torture. Very little evidence to go off of, especially considering there are no open wounds and the tools used for this kinda thing could be in any household.”

You crouched down by the body and immediately took note of the bruising. You hummed in acknowledgement and looked back up at the detective, his head framed by the cloudy, gray sky, the rising sun now hidden. Fitting for a tragedy like this. A woman your age subjected to that sort of an ending…

“And the good news?”

He sighed, looking up at the sky, hands on his hips, before he dropped his head back down towards you.

He winced. “Body’s fresh? Disposal doesn’t appear very well thought-out.”

You nodded and looked around for any piece of evidence that hadn’t washed away. He was right, it was gonna be difficult to pull many testable elements.

“Well, I’ll do the usual work-up, then, and let you know when you’re good to get everything over to the medical examiner.”

He curtly nodded and turned on his heel to speak with the witnesses before you began to pull out your kit, swabbing for anything of note.

After you finished collecting everything you could, you carefully slipped back through the background and away from the slew of reporters now blanketing the scene. Ugh, you hated those block heads. Especially Lucas Bell, the weird little ray of sunshine you went to school with growing up. For some reason, he thought the two of you were actually friends, despite never having even given him the signal you appreciated his presence. The worst part: you could tell he wasn’t hitting on you. He would genuinely seek you out at crime scenes, that gross happy smile on his face, calling you by the birth name almost no one used anymore in favor of your college nickname. Every time, it was, “hey, remember me, old pal? Great to see you! Any information you’re willing to share?” Who the hell was so chipper when their job was literally to report tragedies?

You bobbled your head as you mocked him to yourself and got back into your work SUV. Ugh, you hated that guy. And all the other reporters. You didn’t wanna be on camera. What if you wanted to work for the FBI one day? Huh? What then? Can’t have your face out there all willy nilly and then expect to be doing covert ops. Nope. You prepared to race back to the precinct, ready to drown yourself in an afternoon of attempting to suck evidence out of a cotton swab caked in river grime and essentially, air, if you could count that as evidence.

You drove back through the pouring rain. Another thing to be annoyed by. First, the longing for your simple weekend once again, then the intrusive thoughts about annoying little reporters, and now, the near-flooding on the roads. You could hear her in your head now, Bee saying “rain makes corn. It’s a good thing.” You rolled your eyes, to be honest, you liked the rainy atmosphere, but you know what rain also makes? Bad drivers. At this point, it was just best to get back to the lab, buckle down, and stay there, where no one could possibly bother you.

You were hours in to your intensive testing. Your spectrometry readings gave the smallest peaks, hard to say if the readings actually were something or just background noise. You were happy to put in the time, but something just felt…off. It was infuriating and not helping your mood, but you tried your best to keep it separated from work. It wasn’t perfect, but it was your best. Another small thing going wrong could push you over the edge, though.

You opted to just look at a small fabric sample, deciphering if there truly was some thread of note caught in the weave. You just needed to concentrate and you knew you could find something. You were purely focused and zoomed in, using your Loupe glasses, paired with several lamps overhead, with the highest hopes of even a shred of confirma-

“Decks? More like Specks.”

The sudden voice that echoed through the lab startled you, causing your head to shoot up and bump against one of the metal lamps.

“Ow!” At that same time, the forceps and piece of fabric flew out of your hands and onto the floor. It didn’t help that you knocked into your instrument tray on the way, sending all those onto the floor, as well.

Great, now you had to go to the stock room to find a new package of sterile ones. This was the last set left in the lab. You looked up from where you watched the evidence fall, rubbing your forehead with the back of your gloved hand, eyes narrow at the business man in a suit who was previously leaned against your doorway, now tentatively walking towards you to crouch on the ground.

“Steve, what the hell?” You trailed off for a second. “You and Bee really do have the same sense of humor. I thought she just told me that as a selling point.” It came out as an irritated growl. You rolled your eyes as you squatted down to start cleaning your mess.

Steve laughed. Selling point? Bee talked to you about him? And tried to make him appealing? He wasn’t sure why, but he felt a certain warmth in his stomach at that. He pushed it down as much as he could. Either way, he truly did get along well with her.

“Well you know what they say, birds of a feather and all.” He joined you near the floor after having grabbed a glove, picking up some stray instruments and placing them back in the metal holding tray.

You muttered lowly as you finally stood up and turned away from him, after grabbing the fabric off the floor gingerly and placing it in a plastic protective case. “More like wasps of a stinger.”

Steve disposed of his gloves and looked over the results on your computer. You quickly hit the keys to lock the screen, sure to cast him a nasty glare. The last thing you needed was to get accused of leaking evidence.

What was he doing here, anyway? With those broad shoulders and that skinny waist. What did he even need shoulders that big for? How did he even shop for clothes? You swear his waist was literally the same circumference as your thigh. They don’t carry stuff like that in department stores.

Steve looked at you with a confused glance as you removed your gloves and washed your hands. There was a hint of humor in his voice, but it was mostly filled with caution at your attitude.

“Um, I don’t really shop for clothes? I’ve got a tailor. He’s pretty good.”

After your hands were dry, you facepalmed harder than ever before. You couldn’t believe you said that out loud. Maybe you did need to interact with more people outside of work. You were too comfortable talking to yourself. You took a deep breath before turning around and looking at Steve again. His face now mostly held tentative kindness, and that was a nice change to the anger that was sitting in your belly all day today. You still couldn’t help what you spat back, though.

“You have a tailor? In this economy? Of course you do…rich prick.” The last part was grumbled under your breath, but Steve still caught it. Where was this hostility coming from? He thought the two of you had gotten along great before. What changed?

Steve’s hurt caused him to fire back, albeit much nicer than you had. “You’re calling me rich? Decks, I’ve seen your apartment, it’s nice. Especially for this city. Way nicer than my first place.”

First off, what was that supposed to mean? You were still suspicious about exactly what Steve and Bucky did for a living. You knew they made a lot of money. Steve wore designer suits, if he could help it, and you assumed Bucky did, as well, but what business did they have being this built?

You let go of that, though, wanting to just get back to work after the disturbance, but why had you been disturbed in the first place?

“Steven, what are you doing in my lab?”

He was taken aback. Woah, full names. He knew your full name, but didn’t dare to find out what would become of him if he used it. It didn’t seem like many did. He wanted to go about this the right way. He didn’t want abuse his delicate position as a friend of a friend when you were so close to the law…yet.

He stood upright and pressed his shoulders back. Right, he was here on business. He had to remember that. It wasn’t a personal call and he had to stay professional.

“I was actually meeting with Scott, er, Detective Lang. He called me about the new case that came in this morning.”

You nodded slowly. “You knew her?”

Why did that make you nervous? Of course Steve knew women, like, duh, but something burning rose in your chest in anticipation of his response. Why did you care? You didn’t even want him here. Right?

He shook his head lightly. “No…well, sort of? She was an employee of one of my businesses. A salon.”

One of his businesses, of course. A salon was…interesting… but you guessed not out of the question with how perfect his stupid perfect hair always was. Whatever, just because he was here for some questioning, doesn’t mean he had to pay you a visit.

“Okay…so why did you come in here?”

You looked up at him from the odds and ends you were shuffling around your work bench out of nervousness.

“I actually wanted to see you, maybe help out a little?”

You eyed him skeptically, ignoring the way your chest sent a tingle down towards your fingertips. “You know when someone offers to keep close to a case like that, it usually means they had something to do with it, right?”

Steve put his hands up in surrender. “I swear this wasn’t me. I just genuinely care for my employees. Did you check under the fingernails? Maybe there was some DNA there or something?”

Your gaze became even more burning towards him. “Yes, Steven. I checked under the nails. That’s like, the first thing you do in cases like this. But why would you know that, anyway? And how can you say you care so much about your employees if you didn’t even know the girl?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. He was usually much smoother than this. How did you intimidate him so much so suddenly. Oh no…Is that where the name ‘Decks’ came from? Were you gonna hit him? Deck him? Did you have a pension for beating guys up? If he made a wrong move, would you literally punch him? Give him a black eye? Sure, much worse had happened to him before, but he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to emotionally recover if the damage came from you.

Either way, Steve didn’t want to find out, so he continued quite cautiously and uncomfortable within your domain, lacking the confidence that came so easily to him in all his usual business dealings and the quasi-leadership role he found himself in.

“I um…I watch a lot of CSI shows?” He hoped that was believable, but he knew it came out like a squeak, almost. He may as well be a little kid losing fights in a back alley again. He cleared his throat in an attempt to get his voice back to normal. “I do care for my employees, though. And my reputation, and the ability to make sure nothing like this happens again to anyone involved with me.”

You sighed at that. You can understand the want to prevent future disasters, especially when it came to someone working so low at the bottom of the food chain for such a major company. As you slipped your Loupe glasses back on and readjusted your lamps, you gestured for Steve to take a seat in your computer chair while you moved to a stool by the lab bench.

“Okay, fine. I’ll let you hang around, but don’t tell me how to do my job.”

You couldn’t help the way the corner of your lip turned up, just out of Steve’s sight, as he strutted over and plopped down into the rolly chair, watching you with a smile and his fingers laced behind his head.

Next >

Bonus A/N: I’m very excited for what’s going to grow between Steve and Decks. She’s a lil independent thing and he’s just so “idk what to do bc I’m supposed to be in control but I’m doing everything on her terms” and I love it. Lmk what you think!!!

Series Taglist:

@evie-119

[taintedcigs]

it is always so interesting to me the colors taylor associates with love, it’s red. at first. she believes its what love should be like; tumultuous, exciting, never-ending passion. but as she enters into new relationships, phases of her life, she realizes love isn’t burning red, there is never going to be that endless passion, there are going to be times where its just calm and you feel fine. and that’s what she desperately seeks, a love that is not going to be a full upwards experience, nor a downwards one. it’s going to be stable, and then not stable, then boring, then possibly fun, and then repeat: love is unpredictable and doesn’t stay in just the confinements of one thing or another.

she realizes this during the red era as the prologue states: ‘real love shines golden like starlight, maybe I’ll write a whole album about that kind of love if I ever find it’. after this, we can slowly start to see how taylor shifts from the idea of love being red, into the idea of love being golden; we first see this gold association clearly in the reputation album, in dress; 'made your mark on me a golden tattoo' and in dancing with our hands tied; ‘deep blue but you painted me golden’

then she explores this idea of love being associated with gold much further with the muse in lover, the love she saw as starlight during the red era has fully shifted into daylight, she now views starlight as something that ‘combusts’ and 'fades’ while she sees daylight as getting out of that darkness, and seeing the bright side. ‘i once believed love would be burning red, but it’s golden.’

we see this theme in a LOT of the songs in reputation and lover. HOWEVER, i feel like this idea of love as gold fades when we get to evermore.

im one of the ppl who will argue to death that folkmore for sure isn’t entirely fictional, especially evermore. i don’t think taylor fully realized how much her personal feelings & experiences were integrated into it when she wrote evermore, but it’s clear as day with everything that transpired after midnights was released and with 2023. and i think she realized it later on too, during 2022-2023, which was the time she started writing ttpd.

‘gold rush’ BREAKS her idea of love being gold, ‘i don’t like a gold rush’ is a direct reference to the muse in reputation and lover era. later on in the midnights album, i feel like she realizes this further, how the idea of a 'golden love' is also a mistaken belief, like the red love was.

‘question…?’ reflects this further, ‘'cause I don't remember who I was before you painted my nights, a color i’ve searched for since.’ yet, i feel like, she is still in denial here, believing that golden is the color she's been searching, therefore, refusing to stop believing in this color association.

now, moving onto the tortured poets department, which i know, is a an album that isn't out and we haven’t heard the song, but let's talk about the alchemy!!! the word alchemy is by definition about the chemical science and speculative philosophy with the aim of transforming base metals into gold. i think this song is about her fully realizing that the ‘golden love’ is just a fallacy like, ‘red love’ was. and depending on how the song will play out, i feel like it could be about whether her realizing that associating colors with love is just another way to romanticize and create this impossible, inachievable goal in her head, like she did with red, or she still associates love with golden, which could be the case, since i think taylor has seen "golden love" as the most precious, safe and happy; e.g. the best day (gold associated with her mom), and her muse in previous albums wasn't the golden love she believed to be, thus, she couldn't transform it into one! 👀

all that blabbing about a song ive never, listened, yes. but i love desperately analyzing taylor songs, it is very annoying, i cannot stop myself. I AM SORRY.

[minaloywhore]

hey, it's been a minute, but let's talk about dark academia that isn't as euro-centric cause i'm like, really sick of it lmfao

(also, i'm white and live in the US! people who aren't white and who don't live in the us, lemme know if there's anything I'm missing!)

yeah yeah, dark academia, learn a dead language. latin is good because of science, but have you ever considered learning arabic? lots of our math stuff comes from arabic and the scholars in the baghdad house of wisdom (hell, al-gebra)

or maybe learn sanskrit! like latin is an "academic language" in the west, sanskrit has similar connotations in the indian subcontinent, with many historical records having been written in sanskrit

hell, if we're talking liturgical languages like latin, why not try church slavonic or coptic?

please stop romanticizing only european architecture. its beautiful and stunning, and so is architecture from all over the world! just as a couple examples:

st michaels golden-domed monestary

 the bibi-khanym mosque in Uzbekistan

the tomb of askia in gao, mali

machu picchu

the iron pagoda in Kaifeng, china

etc etc etc!!

read academia from all over the world!! there are scholars in india and china and kazakhstan and south africa with wonderful writing about their own histories and cultures, you just have to do a little google scholar search to find it!

look at oral histories and folklore from all over the world! like blue from osp said, if people consider the witcher (which is just medieval poland) as exotic, what will they do when they read gilgamesh or the monkey king? look at the wonderful parallels between our bodies of folklore and mythology and oral history, like the floods in the bible and in gilgamesh!

that being said, look for sources written BY the people who are telling these stories. outsiders have their own biases and agendas, so read anything about different cultures than the author (especially ones that no longer exist) critically and biographically. looking at you, snorri

be more chill about people with bodies that you dont think are normal. be more chill about people with bodies that you don't think should be wearing DA clothing, or that you think are doing it wrong. they have every right to wear DA clothing, and they're doing it better than you are.

understand that if you're in a position to be enjoying DA, you're probably privileged. use that privilege for good, fight for what is right, and listen to marginalized voices. if you fuck up, acknowledge that you fucked up and work to right the wrong and not do it again, but don't take someone telling you you fucked up as a personal attack. it's not.

i acknowledge that the land i live on was originally stewarded and lived upon by a native american tribe that no longer exists because of european colonization. i acknowledge their (and the tribe that survivors of the colonization in my area went to)'s right to the land.

[wrightingdungeon]

Caught on Replay 4

Honestly had so much fun with this.

Please look up "It takes two" the video game when you have time because this is mashing two IPs together

MDNI Pt1 / Pt2 / Pt3

Looking down at the "Book of Love" he had checked out from the library, Harvey settled onto his couch with a sigh, adjusting his glasses. He had some time to burn before heading to Your place, so why not skim through a few pages? The day had been nice at the library, but he did need a moment to recharge, he was looking forward to a quiet moment to himself. Flipping through, a chapter caught his eye: "Love is Work." Harvey nodded to himself slightly, agreeing with the sentiment. Love wasn't a fifty-fifty split as everyone believed; it required both partners to give their all, constantly and unconditionally.

"What is love? Love is work. Hard work," Harvey mumbled the first words to himself, feeling the weight of the statement. As he read on, he found Dr. Hakim's points to be quite insightful. The doctor's words were somewhat romanticized but still held true.

He yawned slightly, closing his eyes for a moment as he stretched, his muscles relaxing into the plush cushions of the couch. "I wish love wasn't work," he murmured softly, leaning his head back and staring at the ceiling, the thoughts swirling in his mind like a gentle storm.

He allowed the silence to envelop him, the ticking of the wall clock the only sound in the room. His thoughts drifted, past mistakes, future moves, just as he was about to lose himself in his reverie, a voice broke through the quiet.

"What fun would that be?"

Harvey nearly jumped off the couch, his heart racing. He looked around wildly, searching for the source of the voice until his eyes landed on the coffee table. The book... The Book of Love had a face... and arms... and a FACE, a purple mustached face!. Harvey stared, wide-eyed and incredulous, at the animated object before him. The book's eyes blinked, and its mouth moved as it continued speaking, a cheeky grin spread across its cover.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be! Love works in mysterious ways, my friend."

Harvey lifted his glasses to rub his eyes, half-expecting the strange apparition to disappear. But the book remained, grinning up at him with an almost mischievous glint in its eyes. Taking a deep breath, Harvey tried to steady his racing thoughts.

"This can't be real," he muttered to himself, but the book only laughed again.

"Real or not, I'm here to help you understand love better."

"This is insane," Harvey groaned under his breath. "A talking book. I must be going crazy." He paused, staring at the book's eager face, almost too eager.

"Worldwide best-selling expert in love, Dr. Hakim will help you!" The book declared, and Harvey's mouth fell open as it ripped a page from its body and held it up. "Chapter one: Fix your relationship!"

Harvey hesitated, his logical mind struggling to come to terms with the absurdity of the situation. Yet, curiosity gnawed at him. He always had been a man of science, seeking answers and understanding "Fix my relationship?" He echoed, feeling a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

The book nodded enthusiastically, its pages fluttering. "Yes! Every relationship has its ups and downs. The key is to understand and work through them together," Dr. Hakim's voice was full of encouragement and playful wisdom.

Harvey sighed, feeling the weight of the doctor's words. He glanced at the clock, realizing he still had some time before he needed to leave. "Alright, Dr. Hakim," he said, settling back into the couch, "let's hear what you have to say."

Listening to Dr. Hakim, Harvey felt like he should be taking notes. Collaboration, working together, and making sure communication flowed clearly. Challenges that add stress but also make you grow together. He thought about you and the moments you both had shared, the silence that grew into a bigger issue, and how he could try to bridge the gap.

"I think I will need to work a bit harder to bridge the distance between us…" Harvey sighed, looking down.

“Where there is love, no distance is too far!” Dr. Hakim yelled out, rolling his… shoulders… do books have shoulders? Wait, books aren't supposed to be alive.

Harvey chuckled despite himself, feeling a strange sense of comfort from the bizarre situation. "Ok, Dr. Hakim," he said, "you win. I'll give it a shot."

"That's the spirit!" Dr. Hakim cheered, its pages fluttering with excitement. "Remember, love is a journey, not a destination. Every step you take together, no matter how small, brings you closer."

The book hopped up, floating toward Harvey's face. “Hasta la vista and good luck, Harvey!” Dr. Hakim called cheerfully before poofing away in smoke.

Jolting awake, Harvey looked around and back to the coffee table, seeing the book gone. Sitting up, he blinked when the book slid off his chest and hit the floor. He had fallen asleep. It was all a dream��� Right?

He rubbed his eyes again, reaching down to pick up the book. The cover stared back at him, ordinary and lifeless, with no mustache or arms. Harvey chuckled nervously, shaking his head at his own vivid imagination. Maybe he was more tired than he thought. He glanced at the clock again, realizing time had flown by while he was asleep and he only had a few moments to get ready.

Jumping up, he quickly whirlwinded around the house, trying to look somewhat presentable for you and not like he had just been asleep for the past hour. Wetting his hair with water and brushing it, changing his now wrinkled shirt. As he bustled about, his mind kept returning to the surreal encounter with the animated "Book of Love."

Putting on his shoes with a final glance at the clock—barely managing to get ready in time—Harvey grabbed his coat and headed out the door, stopping for one second to glance back at the book lying on his couch. “Thanks,” he mumbled softly before shutting the door.

As he walked down the familiar path to your house, the cool evening air did little to calm his racing thoughts. The sun was setting as Harvey reached the familiar wooden fence that marked the entrance to your property. Approaching the door, he took a moment to catch his breath, straightening his coat and adjusting his glasses before knocking. A few seconds later, the door swung open, revealing you, Harvey was glad to see your face breaking into a smile.

"Hey, come on in," you greeted warmly, stepping aside to let Harvey into your home.

Harvey stepped inside, his eyes taking in the cozy atmosphere seeing the table was already set for dinner, the fireplace flickering softly, casting a warm glow across the room. A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.

Over dinner, the conversation flowed between the two of you. Talking about the latest happenings in town, planes, and the farm. Harvey found himself stealing glances at you throughout the evening, his heart swelling with gratitude and affection. He marveled at how much he had missed your presence and how wonderful it felt to be here with you.

After dinner, you both moved to the couch, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. You settled in together, letting the wine flow. The evening stretched on, with the gentle hum of conversation filling the room. Time seemed to stand still as you both lost yourselves in the moment. There was a sense of intimacy and connection that had been missing for so long, and it felt incredibly healing just conversing together, because after all, a little more conversation couldn't hurt, could it?

[gregorovitch-adler]

Romance

After Holmes had arrested Jefferson Hope, and I had had a discussion with him that I was going to publish the story in The Strand - to let everyone know who had really solved the case - Holmes had agreed.

A better explanation would be that Holmes did not care. It did not matter to him who received the credit for solving the case in the newspapers. However, it did matter to me. Very much, in fact.

In what world was it fair for the police officers at Scotland Yard to take help from Holmes to solve the case every step of the way and not even thank him publicly? It simply could not happen. Not on my watch.

After having published the story, I decided to show it to Holmes. I was quite enthusiastic about it.

However, I had not expected Holmes to react so badly.

When I brought up the conversation, whilst he was consuming his damn cocaine - with his long and thin legs stretched out on the coffee table - he shook his head ruefully.

“I glanced over it,” said he. “Honestly, I cannot congratulate you upon it. Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. You have attempted to tinge it with romanticism, which produces much the same effect as if you worked a love story or an elopement into the fifth proposition of Euclid.”

“But the romance was there,” I remonstrated. “I could not tamper with the facts."

I had feared that this conversation might be going in a dangerous direction. Holmes was not insinuating the obviousness of my feelings for him - that had developed over time - was he?

Well, if he decided to spell it out, I would not hesitate to remind him about how much he had blushed after listening to my compliments about his detective work.

I could not say anything for sure, but as time passed, I had a feeling that there was something between us. A connection, of sorts. One that went beyond what a couple of flatmates usually had.

Holmes may have a habit of pretending that he preferred to be unemotional, but I was his closest friend. I lived with him. I might not be as brilliant as he was, but I could tell that he did not mean it.

"Some facts should be suppressed, or at least a just sense of proportion should be observed in treating them. The only point in the case which deserved mention was the curious analytical reasoning from effects to causes by which I succeeded in unraveling it.”

I was annoyed at this criticism of a work that had been specially designed to please him. Moreover, I was hurt to know that he would deviate this much from the truth.

Maybe I had miscalculated. Probably it was only I who felt the connection between us. Not him. I frowned at the thought and swallowed as I stopped pacing and took a seat on my armchair across from Holmes in the sitting room.

I was willing to speak up this time, though.

I inhaled deeply and held my breath as I spoke. "And why, pray tell, do you want to suppress the facts, specifically about romance? Is it because the same facts hit too close to home?"

Holmes came out of his dazed state, dropped his legs on the floor, and sat up straight with his grey eyes widened.

"What are you getting at, Watson?" asked Holmes cautiously.

"We have not been friends for that long, but for what little time I have known you, I've developed a profound respect for you and your work. There is more to it, however. I have grown to have feelings for you. Romantic feelings, in particular."

Holmes leaned forward in his chair and pinned me with an intense gaze. Fortunately, he did not try to interrupt me.

"I think that you have, too. Although I could be extremely wrong on that part, it makes little sense for you, of all people, to want to suppress the facts and events that happened for real. So, I want to know: Am I right about the real reason or not? I would certainly understand if I am completely off the mark and you do not feel the same, but I need to know."

I breathed deeply after having blurted all that out, hoping to dear Lord that I had not messed up everything and ruined our friendship.

"Oh, dear Watson," Holmes breathed. His long and thin fingers were tapping on his sinewy lap vigorously. "You are so exactly on point sometimes. Everything you said - all of it... I feel the same way."

My heart fluttered with excitement and happiness. A ridiculously wide smile spread across my face. It looked as though he wanted to say more, so I let him.

Holmes continued. "And yes, I do not wish for the whole world to know about it through your stories. I see I was a bit too harsh about it, moments ago. I apologise."

Holmes got up to make sure the door was shut and the window curtains had been drawn. They were. Holmes then walked across the room to approach me. I was still sitting, so he looked down at me with the same intensity as before.

I looked up to meet his gaze and locked my eyes with him.

He held out his pale hand to me in an offer.

My heart pounded as I took that hand and got up to meet his eye level.

His eyes were filled with longingness and pain. His brows were furrowed. "The world will never forgive us. They will never acknowledge that we are just two people in love who happen to be men."

He was right, as always. My eyes welled up as I gulped. I was still holding his hand, which felt warm and dry in mine.

"I know. Do you think this is a bad idea, then?" I tried to be prepared for the worst. 'Tried'.

Holmes placed his other hand on my waist and pulled me close. Our faces were just inches away. "I never said that, Watson. I was never the one to go with the rules, was I?"

We both shared a short laugh. Without another word, we leaned in and I captured his bottom lip with my mouth.

He made a desperate sound and we deepened the kiss with our arms wrapped around each other tightly. The dam had broken, and we were unable to let go for a whole minute.

I pulled away reluctantly. "Holmes, I-"

"Sherlock."

My ears had been aching to hear that correction. "Sherlock, I was saying that we need to deal with this in a practical way as well. I will not forgive myself if we were to be arrested because of this," I said with my brows furrowed.

"You are right," he said, holding my face in his hands.

"I suppose we would have to confine our relationship to the rooms of this flat." My heart was heavy.

My lover's ethereal grey eyes lit up with a mischievous glint in them. Christ, the effect those eyes always had on me.

"I have a plan."

Of course, he did. I was now looking at him with expectation and pride.

"You are going to have to marry a woman."

"What the deuce are you -"

"Shh." Sherlock placed a long finger on my mouth. "Just listen. That woman is a distant relative of mine. She is going to be our next client too. Her name is Mary Morstan."

I still did not get what was going on. Was he already pushing me away?

"For God's sake, do not look so heartbroken," he said and pulled my face close by my chin to press another kiss on my mouth.

"Her situation is just like ours. She has fallen in love with another woman too. Only I knew about that until now. She is in a constant state of having to look over her shoulder, trying to keep the prying eyes of this cruel world away. It occurred to me just now that if you married her, we would not have to worry about society anymore. It would be helpful for all four of us."

I sighed in relief and gave this whole thing a thought for a moment. "Excellent plan, Sherlock. This is brilliant!"

Sherlock smiled and looked down as he blushed.

"Just remember to never be on a first-name basis in public. John."

I grinned from ear to ear like an idiot, before pulling him in for a slow, drawn-out kiss again.

I knew what I had to do next. I just had to twist the facts in my next story to make it look like I was in love with Mary or whatever her name was.

Now, nobody would speculate a thing about Holmes and I, would they?

***

Sherlock September Challenge

Prompt Romance by @onesmallfamily

Tags: @helloliriels @topsyturvy-turtely @gaylilsherlock @lisbeth-kk @keirgreeneyes @lookingforlifeoutthere @clueless-mp4 @missdeliadili @curlyjohnlock @a-victorian-girl @peanitbear @kettykika78 @calaisreno

[z-and-the-space-child]

my head is all currently midnight burger podcast so here's everything i like about this wonderful piece of media:

it's pretty fun and very funny!! i smile like an idiot on public transport and on my way to class at least once a day listening to this.

the characters are so. idk how to describe them but theyre so full of life and you can tell that they are loved greatly by the creator(s)

the WRITING. i could seriously pluck a quote from damn near every episode to carry me through the day. i don't need affirmations i need gloria to talk me through my problems.

i was doing a lil analysis of the themes in this show and i came up with "the best thing you can ever do is the best thing you can do right now" and it is FUEL, babey.

The el triste monologue. also just gloria being a POC and being proud of herself and her culture. there's a lot of cultural mish-mash in podcasts, so this is very refreshing.

It's very, very sweet and heartfelt. kind of like wolf 359 if they communicated more instead of dodging their issues until they came to a peak (love them for it.)

the PHYSICS of it all. i'm a physics/astrophysics major because i think space and looking at the stars is my lifeblood so i won't shut up about it. i don't want ava and leif (certainly ava) to shut up about it ever. HOW much reasearch did they have to do to get this kinda grasp on it. im in awe, i'm LEARNING actual things from them. i could go on. the gravity waves, the stellar nuclear fusion, the time dilation of it all. and all without using over-flowery language!!! i can actually follow a good chunk of the time. are we sure ava didn't take one of those science communication seminars. maybe 5 phds does it. when she and leif talk i vibrate like an electron in a lazer. wonderful.

star sequencing??? stellar nucleosequencing??? right up my alley. thats my kinda stuff. the romanticization of space, i've seen. the romanticization of physics, however, is not something i haven't seen in such a beautiful modern fashion. (Ie, not oppenheimer or even richard feyman)

and it's not too science-y to the point that they think they can't have fun. yes they discuss the implications of gravity waves and wax poetic about space and pulsars. (it beats for you, berts) but they have FUN! they meet their parents because they can. they get a plant drunk. there's an atmosphere(?????) around the diner that allows them to fly around and mind-numbing speeds and look at the curvature of spacetime and also sit on the roof. (I imagine the entire place is the temperature of a summer night.) they have a whole wild west planet. leif builds things inexplicably. how? where does he get the materials??? shhhhh don't question it just let him have the gravity wave detector. nobody actually knows what engineers do, not even engineers. let him be. also time crystals??????

ALSO ava being a woman in stem and being so blunt yet covert about it. she's been dealing with it for so long. why are all (recognized) physicists a)white b) men c) both. it's such a sucky thing to work into because of the outward appearance. ava is a proud mad scientist which i aspire to so much. i am keeping her in my little arsenal of people to think about when i don't want to study. (picture the do it for her meme but it's pics of ava) I don't think i aptly put how much i love her. i'm not all the way finished yet but i've heard she was forced to marry someone? i think it would be a thing for sure if she cheated on him. so many physicists cheated on their spouses (wives ): ) and i think ava should also do it. as a treat. if that's what she'd like.

when people have done bad, bad things but show/are capable of redemption upon reflecting on their past/current shortcomings is just something that gets me so much directly in the heart. the hiddenness of people. the tragedy. we contain MULTITUDES and this show demonstrates that so well. how they support each other! they are everchanging and that's good for them. Leif the engineer the ex criminal the diner cook.

leif exploding a man in cold blood. if i could draw i'd draw that. maybe i will anyways.

food as a form of affection/way to bond. grief. doing your best. making amends. using the time you have. death is inevitable but that's okay.

And if time and tide roil you too harshly, or diurnal courses leave you with no safe havens, just remember we’re out there, somewhere, lookin’ for ya’

they open at six

[rainyweeds]

~Romanticize

— Welcome to Hell

Masterlist | Previous | Next

As much as you wanted to run away and skip on your first day, you dragged yourself up the front steps of Pandora high and into the office.

“Ah yes. (Y/n) correct?” The principle looked at the file in front of him. Eyes switching from the picture on the paper to you standing in front of him.

“Yes sir.”

“Wonderful. Here’s your schedule and if you need anything, feel free to ask.”

“Thank you.” You take the sheet of paper from his hand and leave the room. Walking down the halls to find your locker. Kiri had requested for the two of you to have lockers near each other so she could help you get adjusted to the school. But since she lives half an hour away and with two teenage brothers, it takes a while.

You finally find your locker, grabbing the lock and twisting. After a little bit if struggle, you manage to pop the lock and access the inside if your locker. You put your jacket inside and shut it. As you slam the door closed, you turn to walk away, but bump into someone.

"I am so sorry!" The girl picked up your papers. "Oh! You must be the new student!"

"Ah- yes my name is (Y/n). Sorry I didn't expect anyone else to be here so early." You take your schedule back.

"Usually it's just me and my brother." She smiled. "My name's Tsireya."

"Nice to meet you."

After the small encounter, you started walking with the girl. She led you through the halls and helped point out all of your classes for you, making comments about all of the teachers and how to stay on their “good side.”

You were thankful that a majority of your classes were close to each other. With the school campus being as big as it was, if your classes weren’t near each other, you would have to sprint to each class.

Tsireya walked back to the lobby with you as you spotted Kiri entering the building, her brothers following closely behind.

"Oh! Hey Tsireya." Kiri waved to the two of you.

"Hey Kiri!” The girl beside you waved back. “Hi Lo’ak! Neteyam.” You noticed her cheeks turn pink at the sight of Kiri’s younger brother.

Lo’ak, Neteyam and Tsireya all headed down the opposite direction as you and Kiri, everyone needing to go to their lockers and prepare for class. Your first class was science. Not the best way to start your day.

Kiri glanced at your schedule, looking at all your classes and teachers. “Oh sick we have a bunch of classes together.”

"Thank Eywa. I would've died." You let out a sigh of relief. Before you knew it, the bell rang, indicating that classes had begun.

You slowly made your way to your class, accidentally stepping into the wrong one a couple of times before you finally found the right one. When you arrived you saw everyone else was already seated except for two seats, one of which, you assumed was yours.

“You must be (Y/n). Take the empty seat with your name on it and we’ll get started.” The teacher spotted you before you even stepped into the room. Suddenly, several pairs of eyes were on you as you walked past the rows of desks, taking your seat.

Morning classes thankfully ended quickly and you packed your belongings quickly, finding Kiri waiting outside for you. Spotting Tsireya when you entered the cafeteria along with a couple of other guys lined up.

“You’ve met Tsireya. This is Neteyam and Lo’ak.” Kiri gestured to each person respectively.

As soon as you see her younger brother, the first thing you say to him was; “Stop taking so long every morning you skxawng!” Which causes the whole group to burst into laughter.

“Damn you really are Kiri’s friend.” The boy grumbled.

You all quickly grabbed lunch trays and shortly after, found a spot to eat. Everyone took the time to get to know you, granted there were only three of them but it was still a nice experience.

Neteyam. Kiri’s older brother by a little under a year. He’s the one taking all the advanced classes and definitely has better grades than Lo’ak. You heard a lot about him from Kiri, responsible, mature and popular-ish. After a brief interaction on call one time, you were able to confirm her descriptions.

Lo’ak is the same age as you and Kiri. Pretty much the definition of a rebellious teen. Piercings, long braids tied back into a ponytail, a side fade, and the one who skips whenever he wants to. You’ve seen him in the background on call a couple of times but he seems like a chill guy.

And Tsireya. Although you only met her earlier that day, she was sweet. You found out from Kiri that she and her brother were the principal’s kids. But despite her father being head of the school, Tsireya preferred to stay with her few friends rather than with a large group of people.

You only just met the group but you already knew that they would make your life so much better in your new town.

One class left for the day. English couldn’t be that hard. You sat down in class as the teacher explained how the period would go. When suddenly, you heard the door open, and in stepped a boy.

“Young man. Would you mind telling me why you’re late.” The teacher paused the lecture.

“Sorry.” Was all he mumbled.

“Just go sit down.”

The boy simple nodded and walked over to the only seat available. Next to you. He dropped his bag on the floor and slumped into his chair.

You eyed him carefully before returning your attention to the board, zoning out after 10 minutes.

“Take the rest of the period to do the worksheet I’m handing out right now.” You watch as the teacher grabs a stack if papers off of her desk. “You can work with the person next to you if you want.”

The teacher then walked over and placed two sheets if paper in front of you. Taking one for yourself, you had the second over to the boy next to you, only to find his head down and very obviously sleeping.

Looks like your doing the assignment on your own. At least it was the last class of the day.

To your luck, they boy shifted beside you, stirring himself awake. He lifts his head up, looking at the paper in front of him and then to you.

“Morning.” You mumble, not looking up from your worksheet. “Assignment’s due tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” He responded in a groggy voice.

Oh Eywa please make this school year tolerable. Maybe you should find a better seat next time.

“I’m sorry if I seemed rude. Do you want to work together?” The boy grabbed your attention once again.

For the first time all class, you looked him in the eyes. Brown eyes, black hair, a mask. Despite half of his face being covered, he was undeniably attractive.

“Yeah that would be great.”

New characters unlocked! ↳ Tsireya ↳ Neteyam ↳ Lo'ak ↳ ???

Taglist: @yawntutsyip @aonungsmate @cumikering @fukingsad @divineei @azaleaniath @ilovejakesullysdick @sheluvseren @universal-s1ut @exactlyhappyflower @ash-mcj @httpsdotlaradotcodotuk @neteyamforlife @il0veheartz @toltyyy @c4rn4ge444 @syulangg

(Comment or dm if you wanna be on the taglist! But also check out my taglists post to see my other series to be tagged in!)

[all-about-kyu]

Pairing: literature major!Mark x science major fem!reader Genre: fluff, friends to lovers, college au Rating: PG Warnings: mentions of academics, language, a little crying, two kisses Word Count: 2,119 Note: for @moonctzeny​ Merry Christmas, my dear!! I hope you’re having an absolutely phenomenal day <3 thanks to @kthpurplesyou and @daeeun-toikiii for proof/beta reading (I’ll cite all the poems used in this story at the very end) 

I know we're only friends, but as we grew closer and I got to see all the small things there is to love about you, I could feel myself falling for you. I love the way you smile when you see me, and I love the way you crinkle your nose when you laugh. I love the way your eyes sparkle, and I love the little thoughts you let me in on, as the night turns to dawn. - BGT

“I have another poem for you!”

Your best friend bursts through your apartment door as he speaks. You’d just been studying for the hell that is your Biological Chemistry course. So naturally, Mark scared the shit out of you. Since starting his romantic literature course this semester, he’s been reading random poems to you. Every time you find them either too romanticized or too dramatic, Mark rants about how it’s meant to be that way.

“You could’ve warned me! I’m studying Krebs cycle right now… can you come back to me in, like… a day or two. This shit has me going insane.” you whine.

“How about a break while I read you this.” he offers.

“Fine. Hit me.” you sigh, leaning back in your chair.

He pulls a small, leather-bound book out of his bag. It has a plain cover, something you assume is an artistic choice made by the author. Mark clears his throat as he looks at you and you nod, letting him know you're ready.

“You and I are like the tributaries of a river. We look alike, flow differently, and yet together, complete each other.” he starts, “You add to my strength, and together, we strengthen our growth. You’re my best friend in the truest form, and together, we shine in the brightest form.”

His eyes meet yours again, and he smiles brightly, waiting for your analysis. You’re deep in thought. It’s been a few times since he’s read a poem to you that makes you think a little deeper. You aren’t sure if the poem is meant to be inherently romantic or platonic. In all honesty, maybe you’re listening to it wrong.

“It sounds platonic.” you state frankly.

“Not all love is romantic..” he says as if it’s common sense.

“I know that! I just was expecting a direct romance in a sense it’s typically put.”

“Romantic literature is always relationships… it’s romanticized writing…”

“Mark, we both know I’ll never understand that shit. There’s a reason I’m a biomedical major.”

He laughs lightly and closes the book again before putting it away. Mark takes it upon himself to dig through your kitchen to find something to eat. You’re far from bothered by it. It makes you happy that he’s comfortable enough to be at home here. You pull your textbook back into your lap, hoping to get at least a little more studying before Mark inevitably drags you out of the apartment. As you look at the page, you know you won’t be able to force any more knowledge into your brain, not right now, at least. You toss the textbook onto the table in front of you. It makes a loud thud as it lands. Mark lets out a slight noise of surprise when it happens, making you giggle. No matter how long you’ve been friends, you’ll always adore his little habits and quirks.

It was cold out. Unnaturally cold for where you are. Even with a heavier coat, gloves, and a hat, you feel like you’ll shiver enough not to need a workout later in the week. You keep questioning yourself for leaving your home when there was no real reason to. The whole reason you’re outside is purely because Mark wanted you to come over and hang out. He said something about studying together despite not sharing any courses. You’ve always caved when it comes to Mark, though. You’ve never been able to pinpoint what it is, but you just can’t tell him no about most things. Being around him helps you think more clearly. You’ll never be able to describe how it helps in words, but it really does. Mark’s apartment complex isn’t far from yours, but with the weather, it feels far away. When you get into Mark’s apartment, you make a b-line for the spare bedroom to grab any possible blankets to wrap yourself up in. You stop dead in your tracks when you hear Mark on the phone. Something tells you that you should not hear the conversation. You find yourself listening in still.

“How am I meant to get her attention, though?” Mark whines, “Hyuck, listen to me! I don’t know how to tell her I’m in love with her, okay? I’ve been friends with her for too long to risk losing her– No! This is different! I’d rather have a shitty unrequited crush than not have her in my life at all.”

You feel your heart drop to your stomach. You don’t know who he’s talking about, but part of you wants him to be talking about you. You decided it was best to act as if you had never heard it and announce your presence as if you had just arrived. Mark quickly hangs up the call and steps out of his room. He gives you a tight smile but still wraps you up in a hug.

“Did you happen to hear any of that call I just had?”

“No,” you lie, “why was it someone special?” you poke.

“I don’t think Donghyuck constitutes someone special.” he laughs, “Anything, in particular, you need to study today?”

“Abnormal psych… I still don’t know why they’re making me take it if I’m a biomedical science major.”

“Um… the brain controls everything?”

“I know that, Mark! But do I really need to know disorders of the brain?”

Mark just shakes his head at you before making his way out to the living area. He commented that he’d be working on a creative assignment for his romantic literature course. Something about having to write a romanticized poem of his own. You make yourself comfortable next to Mark, your head resting against the couch while you listen to the podcast your professor assigned you to listen to. As you listen, you start to understand why it’s so important that you took this class. Maybe your professor heard you whining about it not pertaining to your major and found this to listen to. You can’t entirely focus, though. Mark keeps sighing dramatically and shifting next to you. You look over and see his eyebrows furrowed together in thought and softly mumbling a few words to himself every few moments.

“Writer’s block?”

“You could say that…” he says while gnawing on the end of his pen.

“Stop that!” you chastise, pulling the pen away from his mouth, “You don’t know how many germs are on that thing, and then-”

He chuckles, “You’re cute when you’re concerned about me.”

You look away, “What do you mean by that? Of course, I’m going to worry about you! You don’t know how to properly cook anything, let alone have a stable sleep schedule!”

“I don’t mean a thing,” he muses, “mind listening to a few inspiration poems I have?”

You nod.

“Can you hear my heart? Oh, but I can tell! We are twin stars with different births. My caring shadow– It has your face. The voice of my soul knows your name. Tell me, can you hear my heart? Oh! How I love you, my best friend.”

You hum, “Sweet, but it seems vague in some way. Don’t ask me how. I won’t be able to describe it.” You stand up and enter his kitchen to find some snacks. “Continue, though!”

“What’s a friendship, my love? It’s when you promise me your company and keep your promise. It’s when we joke about each other and laugh at ourselves. It’s when we know we’re not perfect and accept each other as we are. It’s when we value each other’s friendship above all else.”

You hear his words, and suddenly your heart starts beating faster. Something feels different about the atmosphere of his apartment. It’s warm and comfortable, but something has definitely shifted. You don’t hear him talking, and part of you is scared to respond to the poem he was just reading.

“Hey, you okay?” you hear him call.

“Y-yeah, um, that one was adorable, actually.” your voice comes out slightly shaky.

“Is that your whole analysis? No gripes?”

“Nope!” you insist, “What’s the next one?”

Mark walks into the kitchen and sees you standing there, staring blankly into one of the cabinets. He chuckles and reaches for your hand on the counter.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem out of it.”

You look over at him and immediately meet his eyes, “What’s the next poem you have?”

He knows you’re avoiding his question, but he opens the small leatherbound book again, “I love you more than just a friend. Although this may be wrong, my feelings that I have for you are real and true and strong.” he stops, letting out a shaky breath before continuing, “I won’t deny the love I have. I cannot tell a lie. I’ve loved you since we met, the days that followed by; I love you still I think of you each passing of each day. I yearn to be with you again, to tell you it’s okay. I love you more than a friend, and we may never be together walking hand in hand-” he cuts himself off again with a choked noise, “Just you, your love, and me.”

Again you can’t meet his eyes, you can feel his boring into you, but you just can’t. You’re scared. Your heart is beating out of your chest, and your mind is running a mile a minute with a million different ideas. Mark reaches for your hand again and squeezes it. When he calls your name, you nervously look over at him. His eyes are wet, nearly about to spill over with tears. He looks just as scared as you are. Neither of you talks for a few moments. You just hold eye contact and hope the other speaks first.

“Do you want to know something?” he speaks softly.

“Hmm?”

“Those last two… aren’t assigned readings.”

“Mark?” you question.

“I wrote those last two…” he admits, “I didn’t know how to tell you and-”

“Mark,” you stop him from rambling, “you wrote those about me?”

He nods, and you feel warmth burst through your chest like fireworks. A few tears fall from your eyes unexpectedly from sheer happiness. Mark searches your eyes, trying to figure out what to say next. He opens and closes his mouth a few times with the hopes of words coming out, even though they never do. You can’t think of any word, either. The only thing your can think to do is lean forward and press your lips against his. Mark squeaks out a small surprised noise but quickly accepts your actions. This was absolutely not how you were expecting to spend your day. You wouldn’t have changed a single thing if you could, though. Mark has always been your home. Some people have a place or an item as their home. Yours is a person, though, a person who’s been there for you through everything, someone who you know will always support you no matter how crazy you sound. Standing here in the middle of Mark’s kitchen, kissing him for the first time, feels like home more than anything else. You had no idea your home could feel more comfortable, yet here you are. When you pull away, Mark immediately bursts into a smile and wraps his arms tight around you. You laugh lightly and reciprocate the hug.

“You wanna know something else?” he laughs.

“Sure.” you smile brightly.

“I wrote another one.”

“Tell me.” you request in a dreamy tone.

“As I think of our friendship, I begin to see mere words can’t describe what you mean to me. When this cold, hard world has me lonesome and blue, I look up to see my angel, my sweet angel, you. You dry the tears that fall from my eyes. You bring me sunshine to brighten my sky. You rescue me when I’m scared and alone, and take my hand to lead me home. No matter the miles that keep us apart, we’re always together in each other’s hearts. Sometimes we take for granted, I fear, the ones who are so close and dear. We get so caught up in life and the things we must do. Sometimes we forget to stop and say I love you. If ever you felt I forgot or didn’t care, let me stop right now; my true feeling I’ll share. You’re the sun in my sky, the bed where I lie. You’re the home where I’m safe, the field where I play. You’re everything I am, everything I do. So, what I am saying is–” he pauses and places a soft peck against your lips, “I love you.”

“Mark Lee, you’re starting to sound like a dramatic poet.” you tease, “I love you too.”

COPYRIGHT STARLITMARK 2023© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — reposting/modifying any fic or piece of original writing posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations are not permitted. 

Networks: @neowritingsnet​ @kwritersworld​ @k-vanity​ @nct-writers​

Tag List: @jaehunnyy​ @its-taeil-time​ @brattybunfornct​ @notbeforelong​ @n0hyuck​ @roseforseonghwa @spiderrenjunfics @umbralhelwolf​ @ericssmile​ @honeyhuii

Poems used (in order of apperance):

You and I by Astuti

Twin Stars by Claire Estevez

Friendship of Love by Peter Stravropoulis

I Love You More Than Just A Friend by Bradley Lester

Our Friendship by Marsha M. Griffith

[kulemiwrites]

i desperately need more of your reina headcanons. i am FAMISHED.

I HIGHLY doubt this was what you were looking for but I saw an opportunity and I took it. Might I interest you in some Reina Lore?

BACKGROUND

- She was born to the very affluent Hattori family in Kyoto but at some point in her elementary school years, her family moved to Tokyo so that her father was closer to his work.

-She was an only child. Her mother raised her using a very firm mother/child distinction and her father spent more time in his offices or on the road than at home. So, to say that she grew up feeling sort of lonely is a bit of an understatement. 

-Her parents were pretty traditional and they prioritized grooming her to someday become the model wife and mother, rather than teaching her how to be an individual. At some point in her teens, she realized that her parents had her out of obligation, rather than love (or as a happy accident.)

-Even so, she lived the majority of her youth always striving to keep them satisfied with her (happiness seemed too distant a possibility but satisfaction kept them off her back.)

-She went to all-girls private schools her entire academic life, including university (let’s put a pin in that).

-She was a good student and genuinely enjoyed studying. Her favorite subject was science– chemistry, to be exact. 

-Her parents never really meant for her to attend university. They only wanted her to finish high school so that she could get that social experience but once she graduated, she was meant to be married off to the man of their choosing.

-She wasn’t a fan of the idea. She romanticized the idea of storybook romances and there was nothing romantic about being betrothed to some stuffy, bespectacled man who was only in it for the promise of wealth longevity.

-Since she excelled in her academics, and genuinely enjoyed studying, she pleaded with her parents to allow her to attend university. She allowed them to even choose which school and with the promise of not fighting against them when it came time for her to get married. It took some work to convince them but they ultimately decided and chose yet another girl’s school for her to study at, thinking that it was the better decision. In their minds, all the extra freedom might have given her the wrong idea about seeking out her own husband…

-When approving this, her parents gave her a stipulation: she was required to get married no more than 3 years post graduation and she agreed.

SOCIAL LIFE

-She was well liked during the entirety of her academic life, some might have even referred to her as popular but she was never too fond of the term. 

-She participated in as many activities as she could have over the years. She’d been a part of the student council and she’d been in a handful of clubs. The truth was, it was less about genuine interest in many of these things and more so the desire to fill her empty, free time around others rather than spend it in the loneliness of her home.

-Many people believed that she was lucky to be as charismatic, attractive and well-off as she was but for her, it felt more like an airtight bottle that she was shoved into and suffocated in. No matter where she turned, she felt she was meant to perform/behave the way other people wanted in order to meet their expectations.

-She had many friendships growing up but a lot of them felt very surface level. It was rare for her to find people willing to dig beneath the pristine facade she painted on every morning.

-She tried her hand at dating too (behind her parents’ backs) without much luck. She’d met guys on outings with her school friends and while some of them seemed nice at first, they either turned out to be jerks or they were perfect on paper but she couldn’t bring herself to reciprocate feelings. Her mother had taught her since youth that romantic love was a skill that one learns, rather than a feeling you experience and after several heartbreak, disappointments or trial errors she came to admit to herself that her mother might have been right.

-It took her reaching university, moving away from her parents and really getting to know herself that she realized something very, very, very important about who she was… And it horrified her. She even continued late into her adulthood denying the truth. 

-The family of the man her parents settled on her marrying fell on hardship and the Hattori’s decided that “the merger” wouldn’t have been mutually beneficial anymore. This dissolved the 3-year post grad requirement and she couldn’t have been more relieved. 

-Reina never had any interest in her family business, and since she was never intended to directly be a part of it she always daydreamed of ways that she could simply separate herself from all of it. 

-She’d even run away once, telling herself she would start a new life elsewhere on her own but her father immediately had her found and returned. 

-Upon graduation, with the confidence granted to her by the dissolution of the merger agreement, she confronted her parents with her desire for full independence and made it clear that she was willing to go to hell and back to get it. By this time, her father had grown extremely close to his nephew and was practically set on naming him the primary heir to his legacy anyway, with or without a merger.

-When informed of her plans, her father practically laughed in her face and sarcastically gave her the greenlight to “try” but told her that he expected her to run back home in tears with her palms out when it didn’t work out and when that time came he was “certain” he’d have a new merger secured. 

-Sarcasm or not, she took the chance and she left her family home at 23, just a year after graduation. Using the savings she’d started in middle school, she paid for and furnished her very first apartment on her own. 

-She looked into careers that would allow her to put her degree to use but not much screamed out at her. She didn’t think working for someone else would have been enough to prove her father wrong.

-The idea to open Serena came when she was out on the town with a couple of friends from university. 

-She’d always had a bit of a fascination with mixology anyway, despite not being much of a drinker herself. So, from there, she looked into making it a reality.

And the rest is history…

[Like I said, I know you were probably expecting something different like, spice and cute relationship stuff and I can totally do that but I have been wanting to talk about my backstory for Reina for a few years now and I leaped at the chance jkhdsfsd. If you're not happy with this, the ask box is closed BUT for you? Feel to come back and request something a little more specific so I can stay on prompt for you! Also, I can tell you, there is an NSFW ATOZ for Reina in the works. There I intend to touch on something that got hinted at here 👀]

And if you're just dying for something steamy, I recently drew (very badly might I add) something of her. Have a looksie~ hehe.