#like if you're going to tell me my interests are lame you're not worth my time

[songmingisthighs]

Pitiful, You're Pitiful

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ch. iii

group : ateez

pairing : aged up!wooyoung × aged up!reader

genre : angst, mature

word count : 2.5 k

warning : adultery, cheating, medical condition (?), mentions of loss/miscarriage, negative depiction of wooyoung

a/n : I'M FINALLY UPDATING THIS HOLY SHIT i would like to thank stress and my manic episode for making me abandon sleeping at 4 am and just went nyoom with this

a/a/n : btw happy black day 🫶🫶

buy me coffee ?

The three weeks that passed after Wooyoung's incident was rather hard on you but it was severely... bland.

Mind you, there was nothing in particular that happened but between finding out you were pregnant with a child you didn't even know how your cheating husband would feel about and finding out the person your husband cheated with was his staff member, you couldn't tell if your morning sickness was mostly caused by your pregnancy or as a physical reaction to your current marital situation. Not to mention your daughter had been severely opinionated regarding your care of her father.

Despite everything, you still took care of Wooyoung well. That day you left after finding out that Wooyoung was with a bitch who had some audacity to make big claims about her status, and you came back not two hours later with Wooyoung's things. Upon your arrival, Wooyoung was visibly tense, as if he was being wary and you assumed that the nurse said something about the whore he was with not being his wife and he panicked because how was she supposed to know that? You didn't make things easier for him either when you showed up all calm and collected unlike how a wife usually would react upon finding out that her husband had been hospitalized. He knew how you would usually fuss over him when he was ill so your behaviour struck to him as abnormal and concerning. Or well, something to be concerned about, it's not like he would be concerned over you at this point, right? Though, you excused yourself as being out of it and he just bought the lame excuse. Luckily, his mom soon came and later when you brought your children to visit him, your behaviour became less of a concern and the next two days he was under observation went by smoothly.

But still, the turmoil you felt didn't die down, it stayed stagnant within you and you were at a point where you were feeling too much but couldn't exactly let anything out. Except for puking, that's non-negotiable.

"You need to check that stomach bug out," Wooyoung said as he poured himself a glass of coffee upon hearing your footsteps nearing the kitchen. You had gotten into the habit of ignoring him because you didn't know what you would do or say to him if you opened your mouth. So you simply let out a hum of acknowledgement, not even bothering to answer him completely, not after you just emptied your stomach. "Did you drink any wine last night?" Wooyoung asked, now leaning on the counter to look at you who had situated yourself on the stove to prepare your children some breakfast before they had to go to school. But of course, you simply shook your head whilst turning the electronic inductor on and placing a pan over the surface.

It seemed like Wooyoung had taken note of your odd behaviour and while normally you would be glad that your husband had taken interest in you, all you felt was just sick to the pit of your stomach. It was as if his attention no longer mattered knowing that he shared that with someone else. Someone who hadn't done anything for him for years only to be betrayed yet someone worth risking his marriage and vows to you for.

Wooyoung huffed and pushed himself off the counter to go over to you, leaning on the countertop close to you to take a good look at your face. "I'm worried. You seem like you haven't been yourself for quite a while now," boy did you want to whack him and claw his eyes out for saying that because how dare he act like he cared when you knew he had something going on with a cheap side piece. But you held it in as best as you could, balling your hands tight that the spatula in your hand almost snapped and just shrugged, "d'know what you're talking about," you muttered lowly, trying to avoid as much interaction with him as you could. With a sigh, Wooyoung tried to push some hair out of your face but for some reason your body moved involuntarily out of the way as if revolted by his touch which surprised Wooyoung who stood aghast, staring at you with wide eyes as you stared him back with nose twitching. Knowing you (ironically), you would not avoid his touch or act as if he was going to hurt you because (to his knowledge) he had never hurt you nor does he have shown any inclination that you should be afraid of him. Both of you just stood there in the kitchen, Wooyoung in surprise at your reaction and you in annoyance and once you finally took a good look at him, you glared at him in anger and boy did Wooyoung took notice of that.

"What?" He asked, stupidly, you might add. "What?" You answered back, returning to scooping breakfast to your children's plates. "Okay, sure, act like you haven't been avoiding me these past three weeks, (y/n). Did something happen when I was in the hospital?" yes, you got hurt but you were as fine as a peach because your mistress was there, "Are you mad that you had to take care of me these past three weeks?" no, but I am mad that your whore claimed to be your wife to the nurses and even had the gall to visit you while I was right there against my will, pregnant and all, "Did I do something wrong?" and that was when you snapped your head and crossed your arms at Wooyoung, "I don't know, Wooyoung, you tell me. Did you do something wrong?" though he wanted you to answer him, the tone of your voice surprised him greatly to the point that he straightened up. "Hm? Tell me Wooyoung, is there something you think that you know is VERY wrong that you wish to tell me right here right now?"

How you wished you had a camera to capture just how stupid Wooyoung looked. It was obvious to him, or made obvious to him, that you knew that something was up but there was no way Wooyoung could confirm that you knew that he had been cheating on you with his subordinate out of all people. As much as it was the most logical answer to your sudden hostility, Wooyoung didn't want to accidentally confirm his suspicion much to your dismay.

The moment he heard footsteps rushing to the kitchen was the moment Wooyoung believed that God existed because he knew the conversation was coming to an end. "Morning!" Woohyun chirped, throwing his book bag by the doorway before rushing to give you a hug, completely unaware of the tense situation or even the stare-off you were having with your husband. With one final glare, you shifted your attention from the cheating bastard Wooyoung to Woohyun, smiling to cover up your annoyance, "Morning Woodonnie," it had been a while since Woohyun grew out of his lisp phase but the nickname stuck and he liked that you had a special name for him, "Slept good?" he nodded with a wide grin, "Want food?" his grin widened and his nod was firmer. "Dayoung, do you want food?" you asked your daughter, who was too busy grinning on her phone to actually look at you, "Hey, Dayoung?" You called out again, sighing after carefully handing Woohyun his plate of eggs and half a toast.

Realizing that Dayoung was ignoring you, Wooyoung huffed and snatched Dayoung's phone, causing her to let out a 'hey!', "Your mother was talking to you, Dayoung," he stated, unimpressed with his daughter's blatant disregard for you (for once). Dayoung rolled her eyes and turned to you, "Yeah, I want breakfast, if not I wouldn't have come here now, would I?" Wooyoung was about to scold her but he was stopped when he saw you visibly gag, halting everyone's activities. Then you gagged once more before dropping the spatula on the counter and rushing to the toilet without saying anything else.

"She hadn't thrown up on those eggs, did she?" Dayoung asked, cringing at the thought of you doing something to her breakfast. Wooyoung snapped his head to Dayoung and glared at her, "Can you not? Your mom is sick and the last thing she needed was for you to act disrespectful to her," he scolded which surprised Dayoung because, to her knowledge, Wooyoung hadn't been that defensive of you for a long while.

"Is mom okay?" Woohyun asked, worry visible on his face and he was about to get off his chair to go to you when Wooyoung patted him on his head, "Don't worry about mom, okay? She'll be fine and she'll be even finer if she sees you eating," he smiled, trying to assure Woohyun which thankfully work as Woohyun began eating his breakfast with so much gusto Wooyoung had to tell him to slow down.

When Wooyoung got to you, you were getting out of the bathroom, looking pale and sweaty. He immediately approached you with a small towel he grabbed from the linen closet when he was getting to you, "Really, (y/n), you need to go to the hospital and get this checked out. I'll go with you today, okay? You definitely can't go anywhere yourself right now, I-" you simply snatched the towel from his hand and pat your mouth dry, refusing to look at him as you turned away, "I'm fine, Wooyoung, I can manage myself," it was the first time that you hoped he would just shrug and go back to not caring but of course, Wooyoung didn't come through when you desperately needed him to. Instead of leaving you be like you wanted, Wooyoung grabbed your shoulders gently and turned you around, "(y/n), please stop being stubborn and let me help you, okay? You're clearly unwell and whatever it is, we can get rid of it and you'll be better!"

You knew that he didn't mean it like that because you knew that he didn't know about the growing person inside of you. But still, with your current state both physical and emotional, you were hurt and you couldn't help but think that his words meant that he didn't want the child that he helped create.

Balling your fists, you used the tension in your hands to stop yourself from rushing over and punching Wooyoung in the face. Instead, you pushed his hands off of you. "Like I said, I can manage myself. Shouldn't you be worried about work? You know, with people at work that you need to give more attention to?" you tried pushing past him to tend to your children but he effectively blocked your path with his body, frowning down at you, "What's with you? I'm trying to help here, (y/n), I'm worried about you!" "Well, maybe you've been ignoring me too much too long to the point that right now I'm so used to doing things myself without your help, Wooyoung. You've been very absent from me and I'm sorry to say this but it has come to the point that your presence is actually making me feel annoyed and I don't know if it was because of you in general or if it's because of this very uncharacteristic shift in your behaviour that's making me wonder if you're compensating for something or if you genuinely want to be there for me now."

Though you had managed to not physically hit him, your words stung worse than any slap you could deliver to him. Wooyoung was painfully aware of how distant he had been with you since your miscarriage and what he thought was his attempt to give you space had instead caused a rift in your marriage. He never meant for things to go this far, heck he never thought that he was capable of cheating on you but when another woman approached him when he was crying in the practice room to offer him a shoulder to cry on, he felt like his own pain was being acknowledged. After all, the loss didn't just happen to you, it happened to him too. While you were in your zombie state, Wooyoung manned the ship and put himself on the back burner, not even letting himself falter and stupidly not letting himself process the pain. He wasn't justifying his infidelity whatsoever, he knew that it was beyond wrong and he was disgusting for committing to it for so long. But it felt nice to let his vulnerability taken care of even if it ended up with him using someone he had no affection for as a mean to get some form of twisted connection because he was too ashamed of himself to touch you again.

Wooyoung stood there silent, not knowing how to react, or more like not knowing what to react to first. So you simply shook your head and walked past him, this time successfully.

Soon, Wooyoung heard Dayoung and Woohyun saying (yelling) their goodbyes which was then followed by the front door shutting.

When the silence of the empty house settled in on him, he found himself slumped on the couch, emotionless as your words kicked him all over. His chest burned with hatred for himself and his fingers became tingly from anxiety. He couldn't help but think of the ways he had failed as a husband and perhaps as a father considering how his daughter treated you. It dawned on him how mad he was when Dayoung disrespected you earlier, how he hated seeing you, who had always treated Dayoung with a lot of consideration, to be treated that way. And while he felt justified for chastising his daughter for her action, it was almost laughable how he didn't do the same when what he had been doing was a hundred, if not a thousand times more disrespectful. He was a hypocrite. You didn't deserve this.

Negative emotions welled inside Wooyoung, creating turmoil that almost made it hard for him to breathe.

Unfortunately, despite his realization, Wooyoung found himself driven to an action he had repeatedly done like a sick act of compensation when he was feeling bad. His hand fished the phone out of his pocket and his fingers moved as if on their own, immediately finding the contact that he didn't even bother to fake because he trusted that you wouldn't snoop because you were not that kind of a person.

"Hey, I know you're not busy until later in the evening, can I come?"

And the self-hate repeated itself.

But how much can he hate himself when he is being distracted by shallow, unfulfilling "pleasure" instead of dealing with his true feelings? How much more pain should he give you before he could finally take the first step to stopping and coming clean?

Maybe this was the last time he did it.

Maybe.

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[authoralexharvey]

INTERVIEW WITH A WRITEBLR — @wordwizards

Who You Are:

Buddy || He/it

My day job is at a dental implant laboratory, which I really enjoy, but I also have the passion for writing that I like to keep on the side. I'm also a bit of a lame college dropout.

What You Write:

What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?

Horror, paranormal, and sci-fi. New adult and adult.

What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?

I think I would stick with science fiction since I like coming up with rational in-universe explanations for the fantastical things that exist in my stories. But honestly, I wouldn't like being stuck with one genre.

What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?

Oddly enough, as much as I like reading historical fiction, I don't like writing it because I can't stop myself from overthinking the historical accuracy of what I'm writing…even though I know readers wouldn't care. Just hard to focus on the story when I'm spending all my time worrying about which slang terms existed in the time period!

Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?

I definitely write with the intended audience of people in my age group, but I could see why someone much older or younger than me might read my books. It's not just about relating to the protagonist's age, or relating to the protagonist at all. Well, I read many books where I'm definitely not in the target audience, and I do have moments where I have to think, "Okay, I can tell this is not for me," but I also find it interesting to get other people's perspectives through the things they like. (And I'm kind of just over-analyzing because that's all I do with fiction now.)

What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?

When it comes to specific tropes, I like working with ones that I am currently interested in researching. For example, my latest interest is '50s alien invasion movies, so I like researching things common in those films and using them for my current project. As for themes, I've noticed that family is a big one, of course focusing less on "blood is thicker than water!" and more on things like how your parents affect your adult life and how to find who you consider your family. And since I have fairly character-driven stories there are usually themes of things like self-worth, figuring out your identity, or stuff like improving on yourself.

What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?

One that really gets on my nerves is when authors just randomly pair up side characters for the sake of a happy ending to the story, even though you have no reason to care about the characters dating. I find it annoying because I know the author is thinking to themselves that there has to be romance for the ending to be happy, but I don't see why that's the case! I've known many people unhappier in relationships than single, and seeing that in fiction is a reminder of how irritating people can be when you're happy to not date.

What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?

My main project is a story called Technophobia. Technically, I made the main characters in high school, but I kind of ping-ponged them around a few story concepts before coming up with an actual thing to write with them more recently.

Why do you write? What keeps you writing?

I just enjoy trying to translate things in my brain. I think it's good practice for if I get around to telling people how I'm feeling. And I keep going because I daydream constantly when I'm bored, so I come up with proper stories for them later.

How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?

I started writing for my creative writing lessons in the fifth grade, but I thought it was great and kept going after that. I liked reading a lot as a kid, I mean a LOT, and I also liked to daydream stories to help myself sleep. I didn't think much about proper story structure or writing techniques, but I had plenty of ideas, and it felt good to get it written down.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?

I think definitely from reading, and I'm not just talking fiction, though that's obviously very helpful in learning more about writing. But also nonfiction helps with writing a lot, and I think research is where I get most of my inspiration. It's nothing too fancy, but sometimes I'll spend a lot of time reading about something like radios, and I think, "Okay cool! What do I do with this?" and suddenly I'm writing a story about a person who's obsessed with collecting shortwave radios!

What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?

Probably my latest rough draft just because I struggled to keep motivated with it and I'm very happy that I was able to finish the first version of the story!

Have you published anything? Do you want to?

I haven't, but I keep going back and forth about whether I want to or not. I'd definitely like to share my finished projects somehow.

What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?

Honestly, when I consider publishing, it's usually because I'm concerned about money and wonder if monetizing my main hobby would help me out. And that's great, but that's also my concern - like when you see people avoiding the things they genuinely like to focus more on what makes them money about it. I don't want that to happen, but you know, bills!

What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?

I love starting stuff when I first have the inspiration and motivation, and the idea is all "shiny new". But finding out when to be finished is so hard for me because I keep overthinking it! Eventually I just need to tell myself, "Okay, it's done, it only looks bad because I've been reading the same passage all day. Leave it alone!"

Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.

I feel like calling it a "process" is a little too formal for my mess, but usually, I go to the desk in my bedroom and listen to music loosely connected with whatever I'm writing (the current project involves a lot of '80s hair metal) to write. I'm also fond of writing in Comic Sans to make it seem less serious (and then switching it to a fancier font that I prefer later), and if I'm extremely worried about getting embarrassed by what I'm writing, I'll use the Wingdings font. I also keep an Excel Spreadsheet where I track my writing periods. I put in the start and end time and the word count change, and I have a variety of formulas going to keep track of what I'm doing daily/monthly/yearly. For the first draft I like to just start writing whatever, and I tend to keep it very short, like maybe 10k words. After that I start doing a proper story outline and I keep a lot of notes of things I liked and disliked about the first little story I wrote. I try to get as detailed as possible to help myself out. I have a bad habit of constantly rewriting the first scenes so I'll often just write "PUT A BETTER INTRO" which is also what I do for school essays.

Your Thoughts on Writeblr:

How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?

Probably 2 years. I had a sideblog and then I wanted to make a new blog so I just made it my writeblr. I got tired of the other stuff I was posting on social media and I decided that I should just focus on the stuff I like, which is my own projects, so now I have that.

Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?

Man I love all my mutuals!! I've been in a writing server created by @writing-with-melon and it's a really positive experience. Also I read the first draft of @lady-grace-pens 's story and it's awesome!

What is your favorite part about writeblr?

I just think it's cool that you can see a bunch of different people at wildly different stages of their projects. I like to go into the main tags and see one person talking about getting published, immediately followed by another person talking about how they're just getting started. I also think that helps you feel less guilty about where you "should" be in writing.

What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?

Personally, I find it very annoying when a blogger is saying that no one shares their posts, but they rarely share other people's posts. I think people are scared of burying their own stuff, but now they're all too afraid to interact with one another! I don't know how to fix it but I do keep separate tags for my writing and stuff I'm reblogging, so that might help, or reblogging your own stuff multiple times? I don't know, but I just try not to be bitter towards people on my blog.

How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?

I like to go into the main tags to queue things on my blog often. I do also try to tag commentary when I'm sharing someone's story, but I feel like I ought to be more detailed with those, and I definitely want to send more people asks - especially when they share ask games.

What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?

Love sharing short stories or snippets people post! I just like reading all that.

What kind of posts do you most like to make?

I keep dropping random lore about my stories when I feel like it.

Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?

I'm not really anywhere else, but my personal sideblog is called @thehauntedbeach, and my Pinterest page is under the username wordwizards as well.

[alexbrunn]

You're pretty damn good at making comics. How did you develop such a skill?

As cliché as it sounds, I think it's a matter of practice here. I'm not an avid comic book reader, I always prefer anime to manga (I read manga 2 times when I was eager to know the sequel, but I was well aware that I just couldn't wait for the anime adaptation). I encounter this kind of art only occasionally on the vastness of the internet and never emphasize too much to gain experience or anything like that. And if I learn, it's only from my mistakes. (Maybe that's why I still can't master the dynamics of lines when moving something, because I don't have much exposure and understanding of how it works)

If telling it from the beginning, my journey started with what could be called "art with text". That's a long period from late 2018 to early 2021. I didn't take drawing and drawing comics in particular seriously enough at the time, but as a first step to what I have now it's worth talking about. I just draw the art (at the time I didn't care about the background, which gave me some room to add text) so that it appears to stand alone and without text next to it, and write the text in the remaining space. There was no hint of separate panels or dividing the canvas into multiple parts. The composition and perception suffers from this, but because the character in the picture itself is elaborated I thought that everything looks even good. Also, as for me it is important to say that I always had an incentive. Question format. People ask a question of a character, and artists answer that question by drawing a comic. I had a deadline that I always had to meet, which in a lot of ways kept me evolving and moving forward.

At the beginning of 2021, I'm doing similar things in the same way, but there is some kind of turning point. Perhaps I had grown older and perceived the world around me a little more maturely, perhaps the subject matter of the issues seemed more interesting, because now I wasn't just talking about my favorite character that anyone in the fandom who knew that character could talk about, but about the interaction between two characters close to my heart. The fandom wasn't set up to think about their relationship. Probably half forgot one of the characters existed or turned it into a silly joke. But I found something different about them that no one else saw. I saw in them a very touching father-son relationship that in many ways helped me through some of the moments of this life as well. Faith, help and support was the outlet that I was anxious to develop between them. And it was exactly what I wanted to show the world around me, because it had already happened in the fandom, but with characters who couldn't do that in canon, and people didn't even notice such a great option that I found.

That's why I went from light and non-committal comics to something heavy. There appeared full panels and division into several plans and characters that could go beyond the panel. But the composition was still lame because of the perception of the comic as a set of artwork. The bubbles were inserted anywhere, they were transparent, which made it uncomfortable to read. The pages were also time-consuming, because I wanted to put all my efforts into them and to make the audience feel at ease, if not with high skill, then with dedication and hard work. I almost always drew the background, although I blured it so that it did not stand out in the foreground, drew all the dialog, even those that did not make sense.

I think I did about a hundred pages between early 2021 and mid 2023. That's not a lot, but considering I'm still learning and it's periodically time-consuming, I think I can be understood. However, it's been enough to gradually progress. To learn composition (not to try to make the largest possible portrait of the character, and already in the sketch to lay a place for the text, In general make the text small and leave empty air space for it in the bubble). Then the background started to appear not on all panels, but only on the key ones. I think it’s stylish?

I even tried to make a manga, but it didn't succeed. After all, I've been drawing in color all this time, and the ability to handle screentones is a whole other direction that also needs to be learned. And of course the dynamic strips... That's how it stopped at 5 pages.

I came to what I have now around the fall of 2023 after a bit of a break, moving to a different fandom, switching to an iPad from a computer. I'm just as driven by the desire to show the fandom something it hasn't seen yet, but already talking about Marcoh, Pav and already their interactions. I still have a lot to look forward to and I think this won't be the last post about my milestones.

Thank you so much for this question! I apologize for taking so long to reply. I tried to find some old works to show them, but unfortunately I deleted everything, so I had to tell everything in words.

[walkawaytall]

If you’re up for it, tips/faves from your Disney visit?

Okay, so I'm not expert, but here are some observations from my Walt Disney World trip in no particular order:

First off, I can't speak to other food sensitivities, but I can't eat even a little bit of gluten without becoming ill in such a way that half of my trip would have been ruined, and I was able to eat pretty easily. Ordering quick service meals through the My Disney Experience app, it was usually pretty easy to tell what I could and couldn't have, and for the table service meals that we had, the staff was incredibly knowledgeable about what either was already gluten-free or could be made gluten-free. For anyone who doesn't have food sensitivities, I don't know how to explain how much of a relief this was. Food is always such a cumbersome thing for me in general, and it's even worse when traveling, so having people who clearly knew what they were talking about go over menus with me was really reassuring, and I didn't get sick at all! Foodwise, highlights include: the churros at the Nomad Lounge in Animal Kingdom, which are GF, the GF beignets at Scat Cat's Cafe in the Port Orleans - French Quarter resort, and the Citrus Swirl at Sunshine Tree Terrace in Magic Kingdom. Also, we ponied up the cash for the Be Our Guest dining experience at Magic Kingdom, where you get to eat in Beast's castle from Beauty and the Beast, and the food was excellent. It's not a cheap meal, but, honestly, I think a similar-quality meal outside of WDW would cost about the same. And, whoever our host was is truly living his best life, acting like he's a straight-up cartoon character and clearly enjoying every second of it.

We had someone with some mobility issues who needed to sit or stop walking frequently, and some lessons learned from that: first off, if you're looking at the parks in terms of the amount of public seating with shade, Magic Kingdom is the best for that, followed by Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are tied for the worst. EPCOT is just...so dang hot with all the cement, and HS...okay, Galaxy's Edge does at least have some shade, but they didn't install as many places to sit as they really could have, and Toy Story Land is almost entirely roasting in the sun. If either of those areas had had a bit more seating/shade, we probably would have spent longer in the park, but as it was, it was sort of a half-day park for us.

If you're staying at a resort on-site, staying at one of the ones that the skyliner hits is super convenient, and way less crowded than the buses. The skyliner only goes to two parks, but still...that's two fewer bus rides.

Because of the way Disney has set things up, if you have any interest in the more popular rides, it is almost imperative to pay for Genie+ and occasionally Individual Lightning Lane passes. It's stupid, and I hate it, but if you're trying to maximize your time there, it's necessary to avoid standing in line half the day.

On that note, though, don't be afraid to ride the "lame" rides. Two of my favorite rides were the PeopleMover and the Carousel of Progress -- both of which I never would have checked out had I not seen Jenny Nicholson's "Top 10 Lame Things To Do At Disney World" video, which I also highly suggest (I actually love all of Jenny's videos, and she has several good ones on theme park stuff. This is one of the shortest ones).

Also, because of the way Genie+ and the Lightning Lane passes work, sometimes it's really easy to get caught up in the game of scheduling the day, and just hopping from one ride to the next without lingering in the parks and checking out the different areas. This is, in my opinion, a huge downside to this system. The parks are all highly themed in various ways, and there are cool things to look at and be around nearly everywhere. If you're constantly rushing from attraction to attraction, you miss some of that. So, try to take some time to linger. It really is worth it to do so.

If you're going to all four parks over the course of several days, I highly suggest having a rest day in the middle of the trip where you don't go to a park if you can. We had originally planned our not-park day for the end of the week, but ended up swapping it around with the last park day because we were just exhausted.

Unless something seems in danger of selling out throughout the day, save buying souvenirs til the end of the day. Spending a bunch of mental energy trying to make sure you don't spill something on your cool new bag or lose your cute Chewbacca plush is silly when you can probably just run through whatever stores on your way out. Ask me how I know this.

Don't be afraid to really examine whether the juice is worth the squeeze. I had been told we had to ride this one ride at Hollywood Studios, and even though I seriously grabbed a Lightning Lane pass four minutes after they were released, our time wasn't until like 7pm. By like...4:30, we had more than exhausted what we wanted to do at the park, were grumpy, and dreading waiting around for another 2.5 hours just to ride a roller coaster...so we didn't. We probably could have gone to the hotel and then gone back to the park, but we were just tired and kind of over it at that point, so we left for the day. And, honestly, I do not think any roller coaster would have been worth getting increasingly grumpy and sunburned over the course of a couple hours. Maybe if it had been a ride we were really looking forward to, but this was one we didn't even know existed until someone told us we had to ride it. So...examine what's actually worth the time/energy to you and base your decisions around that instead of on what other people say is a must-ride, must-do thing.

[the-smallest-star]

"....."

"Didn't realise there was a pool on the roof... thats kinda cool."

"...."

"I mean my roof just has a clothes line in case the dryer breaks, maybe I should get an inflatable one up there?"

"Mmm... maybe."

"... So... uh... I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"...."

"Do you really think that? That people only noticed you when you made the deal?"

"... sometimes. People think the deal only started when I admitted to being G-Force, but it was before that. Back when everyone hated me, would make threats at me for being a piece of shit."

"When you streamed games?"

"Yeah."

"Were... you really gonna... if Vox didn't... y'know."

"Mhm."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"You had your own life, your own family with Bones and Roz. I wasn't gonna mess that up for you. And why I didn't tell you a lot of shit."

"Is that why you avoided me back then?"

"Yeap... and cos I was mad... and jealous."

"I remember you saying. I know you were desperate but I didn't know it was... that you'd of...."

"Didn't want you to, if you had you'd of stopped me."

"How'd you know Vox would see you?"

"Valentino."

"Huh?"

"We bumped into each other, he said he'd heard of my streams and said Vox was interested. Handed me Vox's card, and then I went to see him."

"Don't know why, don't think I want to know the why. Figured didn't have much to loose, everyone else already hated my guts. May as well be worth something to someone than waste a fuck load of drugs and let them finish me off."

"Gritt...."

"I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I knew I was being a prick. Learned from it."

"Do you still feel that way?"

"Not really. Feel rotten about other stuff about me but... yeah. I'm good. Least people want to be around me these days, even if its cos I'm fucking gold."

"Oh....."

"....."

"Well, I'll have to try not to vomit when I say thank you to Vox and Valentino."

"Thank you?"

"As much as I don't like the fact you're under contract, it did stop you. And if it hadn't... we would of never had the chance to rebuild our relationship."

"Lucifer you sound so cheesy."

"Yeaaaaaah, but its true. In a weird fucked up way."

".... guess so."

"Promise me if it gets that bad you'll talk to me?"

"I don't-"

"Its either that or I put a baby monitor in your penthouse."

"Okay okay... I promise."

"Is that a Gritt Guarantee?"

"Its a Gritt guarantee you dork."

"Good! And I Patch Promise to whip you up your faaaavourite spicy chicken wraps when we go back downstairs."

"You're so fucking lame."

"Yeap! And you're fucking short."

"You'd be shorter if I stole your legs."

"GASP you wouldn't dare!"

"Maybe I'll take an inch off of them."

"Nooooo, you jealous bastard!"

[longinglook]

happy to see you back (sorta) and that you are ok! I'd love to hear your thoughts on shows and what you're looking forward to, but no pressure :) whatever works best for you

HIIIII hello happy to be back (sorta)!! I have about 9 months worth of show to review so I'll give them a grade out of 5 and I'll try to be brief with any comments lol I haven't scrolled through my dashboard on here in ages so I have no clue what everyone thought about them!

Under a read more because it's literally an essay

WATCHED (in some sort of chronological order)

-To my star s2: 3.5/5

I think I need to rewatch it already and binge it because following it weekly was extremely frustrating to me and I feel like I might have been too harsh on my judgement. Everything about Jiwoo's choices and actions seemed extremely irrational to me and it was a struggle to watch. It might make more sense if I watch all of it at once again though. It was still well made, well acted and well produced so at least there's that.

-Roommates of Poongduck 304: 5/5

I am EXTREMELY biased about this show because I've been obsessed with this pairing since Kissable Lips (camp masterpiece, I feel like nobody gets it the way I do) and I was sooooo happy to see them again with different characters. I honestly loved the show, I feel like it was using a lot of common kdrama tropes as opposed to the usual bl tropes and it was so fun to me. The pace felt great, the characters and their motives made sense, the chemistry was so great... That said I need everyone to go vote for Jiwoong on Boys Planet because being an idol has been his dream and his goal for ages and he finally deserves a GOOD chance

-Triage: 4/5

I had started this back when it was airing but I was missing a few episodes and I have to say I am pleased with it. It had some weird pacing issues and that's why I wouldn't give it a full 5/5 but the plot was very interesting and engaging. I would definitely recommend it.

-Love mechanics: 4.5/5

I was very unfortunately a love mechanics (2020) enjoyer and veemark have a hold on me so I had to watch it and it was definitely better than the original one. They fixed some of the plot issues and the longer run time allowed them to give the characters more depth. It did feel slightly repetitive or slow at times but the actors are so good that I didn't even mind.

-Vice versa: 3/5

Very cool concept, I was a bit worried about it at first but I enjoyed the plot. My main issues were with the pacing (it felt way too slow at times) and I wasn't completely sold on the romance/chemistry either. The way the parallel universe rules were explained felt a bit lame, having someone just straight up tell them how it works while I was hoping they'd have to figure things out together. I have to say i LOVED the small details they used to define the other universe like the transparent paper or the different food, it was a fun extra element that highlighted they were strangers there. I honestly don't remember too much else of this show which means it wasn't a standout to me.

-The Eclipse: 4/5

THE ACTINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG I was so obsessed. The plot got a bit lost but wow I loooooooved the brainwashed school prefect slowly realizing he's being manipulated by the people in power. That was GOOD. I liked the characters more than the plot they ended up with. The trailer was overpromising in that regard, I was expecting a full on mystery/possible scifi elements but it got sidetracked and lost itself. The final episodes when they're shooting the movie make no sense to me. It still gets a 4 because of the main couple, both characters and actors.

-Kieta Hatsukoi: 5/5

I had not seen this before and I finally caught up and wow it is as good as they say. Genuinely heartwarming and wholesome, i LOOOOOOVE the friendships, the OST is so good omg it was so sweet and funny. I already want to rewatch it, it's in the same category as Light On Me for cute slowburn with wholesome friendships

-The director who buys me dinner: 1.5/5

Honestly it's a 1.5 because the plot is somewhat interesting but it did NOT deliver at all. The short episodes might have been the first hindrance to fully developing the storyline but the weird idol with a bad attitude side character subplot took up way too much time. The flashbacks felt rushed and hard to follow, I think Tinted With You had tried something similar but in my opinion they had managed the pacing and plot way better. This is one of those webcomic adaptations that gets destroyed by the short running time and low budget unfortunately. If it ever got remade properly I'd be interested though.

-Cutie Pie 2 You: 2.5/5

It started out better than s1 and then I sort of lost interest and remembered why I didn't like s1. SO much wasted potential. I only tuned in to see Nuer and Syn and they did not disappoint (I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED their spicy scene, god it was so awkward and honest and true and still managed to be hot) but I wish they'd gotten more screen time. Please give them a spinoff! The whole wedding fiasco was so boring, the comedy did not land well this time, how do you manage to have so much filler content in a 4 episode special is beyond me

-Between Us: 4/5

Oh the UWMA nostalgia hit so hard with this one. It was exactly what it should have been and slightly better than I was expecting (I think New's directing has improved over the years). Seeing Pharm, Team and Manaow together again made me so happy, my best friends. When the original ost started playing at the end I might have sobbed. I spent the whole time screaming for Team to get theraphy and stop trying to actively trigger his PTSD but he wouldn't listen. I had read the novel and I was a bit worried about the adaptation but I think they managed to capture the sense of comfort and safetly that Win provides to Team very well. Even the misunderstandings and the repressed feelings weren't too frustrating except for one or two instances. I even managed to enjoy the new side couple, Prince is SO CUTE!!!!!!!!! Man I just love characters who are sure about their identity and have been for a long time.

-The New Employee: 3.5/5

Cute. Nicely acted. Adored the flashbacks to university and the friendships. Plot wasn't anything too exceptional and it seems like they ran out of it 4 episodes in. Just okay

-Individual Circumstances: 2/5

The past few months have not been a happy time for kbls. They seem to be going for quantity over quality and they've been falling flat. I think the parallel between the story and the novel being written are the only interesting thing about this show, but they're also so obvious they don't really help saving it. I zoned out so bad I can't even remember why they had broken up in the first place. Were they even together? The low budget was also a heavy weight here, it just wasn't good.

-Gap: 2.5/5

I struggled rating this because it has some high highs and some low lows. I just wasn't vibing with the plot, i know the title is literally GAP and the show is about the gap in age, power, etc between them but god it got so repetitive and frustrating I couldn't really take it seriously anymore. Things I liked: Freen's acting, i think she did a great job portraying Sam. I liked Sam's character a lot, her awkwardness and apparent coldness and how she tried to break free from the manipulative power her grandma had over her. I think she was very interesting and layered and well acted. Another thing I liked were the intimacy scenes. I wasn't expecting much but I found them to be very well done, the chemistry was good and they felt very realistic. I don't think they were overdone and honestly we needed some lesbian sex to restore the balance after 5000000 bls. Cons are literally everything else, the people at the office and Sam's friends all felt like comic relief caricatures with no depth, Kirk was absolutely unsufferable. I'm only saving Tee and Yuki who I am hoping will get a spin off because I SAW THEM... I heard that baby in the last episode... How did they sacrifice such an interesting side couple for what? 10 minutes of extremely pointless Saint screen time? As a lesbian, (this is my excuse as to why this got so long)

-My school president: 5/5 10/10 1000/1000 <3/<3

WOW!!!! I was expecting less than nothing because the trailer had not prepared me. I thought it would be yet another boring high school slow burn with unexperienced actors but instead we got this amazing gem. I am SO happy I gave it a chance, it had my attention right from episode 1 and it was my motivation to get to the end of each weekend. Gemini and Fourth are incredible!!!! It was such a wholesome show about frienships and growing up together and being supportive. I loved every minute of it. THE MUSIC!! oh my god the music!!!!!!!!! Both the original songs and the bgm were so on point, I am so obsessed with all the tracks. I am usually not a fan of slow burn but if it's like this then I am all for it. The characters are clear about their feelings a few episodes in already and then it's more of a self imposed boundary that they keep pushing and pushing and that tension is just so much fun to witness. Honestly GMM was on fire these past few months, all my favorite shows were from them and it seems like they've been listening to some feedback unless it was a coincidence that all the good shows ended up airing at the same time lol

-The warp effect: 4/5

I am so confliced about this show. Everything about it is a full 5/5 for me except for Alex's character (and Army not shutting up ever). I'm trying not to spoil the ending because it's only been a week since it aired but it's hard to explain what I liked and what I didn't like about it lol. I guess I liked how the time skip worked but, while for most of the show it felt like it was an ensemble cast narration, the ending really does remind us that after all Alex is the main character. The side characters and their subplots were all interesting and varied and felt very refereshing for GMM standards (except for Army constantly outing Joe, I get that they were trying to portray him as someone very sure and proud of his identity and a bit slow at understanding others but man... they were really forcing his character to get some drama between them). Spent a solid bunch of time rooting for a Jean/Kat couple only for it to get adressed in canon and get laughed at so I quickly and bitterly gave up and accepted they were never going to be anything but straight. The more we found out about Alex and Jean's first time the more horrified I was, I did NOT want that Alex to ever be dating her so I was scared they'd put them together anyway since they're main leads. The actual ending was a compromise I can accept but still... Not ideal. If only there was a magical camera to send all idiots forward in time to witness the damage they've done...

-Moonlight Chicken: 10000000/5

A masterpiece!!! Legendary!!!! Everything I've ever wanted and more!!! There was nothing I didn't like? Not a single thing I can think of? Maybe just Alan being overly bitter and mean but oh well assholes exist everywhere. I went in with zero expectations because the trailer had made it seem like it would be all about cheating, as soon as I found out there would be no cheating involved I dropped all my reserves and was on board 100%. EarthMix were perfect and delightful, they're just so good together and their characters worked very well as a pairing. Surprisingly slow burn seeing how ep 1 part 1 starts. I like that Wen's job is shown a lot and he actually has real tasks to do that someone in his position would do (him answering emails at the temple really got to me lol). The atmosphere the setting the lighting the colors... Just gorgeous. AND THE SIDE COUPLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE don't even get me started on Li Ming and Heart. Wow. Getting double GeminiFourth for a few weeks was such a treat, 3 days in a row of them delivering incredible performances (their first kisses lining up on the two shows was just adorable).

-Never let me go: ?/5

I sort of dropped this one? I was following it weekly up until ep 4 or 5 and then it lost me. The pacing was way too off and they had weird audio issues. The editing as well was bothering me, with really long closeups with nothing happening and similar issues. The plot wasn't interesting or new enough to keep me interested. I might finish it now that most of the shows I was following have ended.

CURRENTLY WATCHING

-Bed Friend:

I started this for two reasons: I will be tuning in for its spinoff since it's TutorYim AND I've been hearing about this show possibily getting made for the past 3 years. I remember when people wanted it to go to SaintZee (rip) so I wanted to check it out and I see what they meant. James has Saint energy, I won't elaborate. It's definitely as explicit as a show about friends with benefits should be lol I hope they can develop the romance aspect nicely and I hope it won't stem soley from King trying to "fix" Uea. The flashbacks to Uea's past are rather alarming (another instance of me screaming GET THERAPHY at him every time he's on screen) and I'm hoping there won't be too many more insances of them. As if the abusive mother wasn't enough? It feels too tropey to send all these bad "punishments" his way because he's an explicitly gay character.

-A Boss and a Babe:

Here comes another fully biased review, I couldn't not watch this as an avid ForceBooker. Only one episode in so there is not too much to say but honestly I am on board with ANYTHING from them. It's directed by New so I am prepared to be let down at some point but they could seriously just show me 60 minutes of Force's face and I wouldn't mind. I'm excited because it did not look slow burn-y at all and that fills my heart with joy. I like office romance comedies so much what can I say. I KNOW Cher looks like an absolute dumbass but I know there's a brain in there. He's so cute he'll never get on my nerves. I will fight every single person on MDL to defend Book and his acting, I don't care.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

-Our Skyy 2: STACKED LINEUP. More PhuTian and more PatPran are a dream come true, a blessing, a gift etc. Please air soon I need to water my crops. I am honestly excited for all couples (I just need to catch up on never let me go I guess), give me that little extra content to boost my serotonin and PLEASE BE GOOD

-23.5: MILKLOVEEEEEEEEE I also really really want this to be good because it has so much potential please please please. Happy about more GeminiFourth as well, and Ford too! He did so well on My School President, I need to see more of him.

-Middleman's love: TutorYim. TutorYim. TutorYim. TutorYim.

-Only Friends: I am hoping this will be a BL version of friend zone with a more grown up writing. Stellar cast again so I am very intrigued. (I've been affectionately referring to it as the gmm horny show)

-Last Twilight: could be a big hit or a big miss depending on how they handle it. I am very curious and a bit hopeful after seeing Moonlight Chicken

-The Next Prince: I think I'll end up hating this one but the trailer was so dreamy, straight out of a royalty AU. The truth is I believe Nunew should be the next global idol and singing a few OSTs for his bls + the occasional youtube cover isn't the way to go. (I am sort of joking, of course if he's happy doing this then it's not an issue at all) (IDK why Wabi Sabi sent their actors (Yacht especially, wtf) on a Korean survival and Nunew is still shackled to Zee)

-Absolute Zero: I feel like this will be a disaster. It sounds interesting on paper but I have zero faith they'll do it justice. Please prove me wrong

-The Korean Why R U remake: I feel like I am contractually obliged to tune in since the original show is what made me who I am today as a person. I have serious doubts this will work the same magic on me.

-About a hundred new Kbls (I truly can't keep up and I end up skipping most of them unless someone I trust really recommends me one at this point)

-Rumored season 2 of blueming? Rumored season 2 of Kissable Lips???????

I think that's all for now (lol) I swear to never take another 9 month break because this recap took me 2 full hours to write

[happycricketbox]

I did it… I finished Persona 5 Royal!! Here's my unfiltered thoughts on it (a.k.a me entering my Hater mode)

That was so long!! WAY longer than it needed to be. I sorta dicked around but not much, and ended up with around 150 hours of playtime. Ultimately i think this is my least favorite aspect of it. Of course, i wouldn't mind playing as long as i need to, if the story warranted it. But it's not!!!!!!! I almost quit multiple times towards the end because i've grown weary of it and i'm sure whatever awaits me by the end will not be worth it. But i pushed through! Yaay.

That brings my second least favorite aspect.

Even before playing it, i already have reservations about the main theme of the game (society bad?? 😲). And playing it made it clear about how oh so apparent that theme is. Almost every single villain is a mustache twirling saturday morning cartoon villain. Maybe i am getting too old to appreciate this kind of story, but i couldn't stand it (and the cutscenes we got of Ann's wet thighs and Ryuji ogling at her boobs in the desert makes me believe that this game is targeted towards teens... i'm honestly still baffled, they're insane for that one) The way they insists how Phantom Thieves are so edgy and genius and cool. How they kept calling us the ""trickster"" of this world or whatever. It is so simplistic yet so pretentious. The story addition in Royal is a nice surprise though, but it feels like a somewhat alright arc in an anime i feel nothing about, lol. Main story aside, i also have problems with the side stories (individual confidants) in general.

At first i liked and appreciated the variety of characters we get to bond with, but after spending time with them it became apparent that a lot of these go towards pretty much in the same direction (we met > we learn about Problem > we solve it by defeating the Problem Source in mementos > Problem solved!). It's just... kind of lame? Like the characters didn't need to work to solve their problem. I wish they had more depth than just a poor soul tortured by the Evil.

Actually i do have a dozen other problems with it (like how the events are all HORRIBLE + the characterization of our teammates + pacing and what nots) but i'll cut this rant short because i'm tired lol. The best aspect of it really is the visual, as i'm sure many have pointed out, and i enjoy the gameplay elements a lot. I also appreciate the amount of supplemental things you can do in your free time (even though i'm supposed to ignore them for confidant grinding).

It's a game with eons of flaws and i can see why some would call it the worst of the bunch. I don't regret playing it, though. But i will NOT be touching it again. Feel free to check it out if you're interested in the Persona series, but honestly if you ask me, if you have 150 hours to waste i'd just tell you to read Umineko instead.

Thanks for reading :]

[icanbeyourgenie]

“ Tell me the truth, brothers; is she prettier than me? Yasmeen, do you think she's prettier than me? You all can say the truth I won't throw a fist. ” – Calypso to Blue and Malachai, then to Yasmeen about Zelda

Yasmeen shared a look with the brothers, who both seemed confused and taken by surprise by Calypso's question. She knew Calypso's brothers for long enough to know that, out of the two, only Blue could give an actually reassuring answer to his little sister. However, Yasmeen wouldn't count too much on it today. Ever since Zelda presented herself at court, Blue couldn't take his eyes off her. He seemed intrigued by her. Even at this moment, where the four of them were in a corner of the palace room, looking at Zelda talking with Aeron in the distance, Blue's eyes went to the claimed lost fae - Yasmeen didn't fully believe her. Something wasn't adding up. She didn't know why but she for sure would do a little digging and spying later.

"Hum, Blue ?" Kai asked, clearly not planning on his little brother's lack of response.

"Yeah? Oh right... Hum, you're both pretty I guess."

"What does that even mean?" Calypso protested, her voice rising. Even Yasmeen had to admit that this was a lame response - but in Blue's defense, he was busy fighting with his memories at the moment. Or rather his lack of.

"What our brother is saying..." Kai corrected, clearly pissed at Blue to have to be the one to find the right words to comfort Calypso "Is, why is this important to you?"

"I don't know. Just look at her. Ulla let her present herself as her daughter. She barely doesn't even admit we're family! What's so special about that girl?"

That was part of the problem of course. But Yasmeen knew that Calypso decided to omit the fact that she was equally annoyed by a certain fae prince freely laughing with that blonde girl, just a few meters from them.

"Just forget about Ursula already." Blue chipped in, his anger against the sea witch strong enough to make him forget about Zelda for a second. "She betrayed you in the worst way possible. She's not worth your affection."

"I know, but..."

"And look." Kai added, seconds away from regretting his input. "Your trash husband seems all over her. If he likes her, she can't be that pretty or interesting, right?"

"Wow. You're both completely useless, thanks!"

Calypso didn't even let them the time to react that she was gone, probably in the direction of her chambers. Kai seemed completely surprised and lost by this reaction. Blue too, but he quickly gathered himself to go talk to Zelda.

Yasmeen tried to hold back her laughter at the view of a completely confused Malachai, but she couldn't. He seemed to remember her presence at this moment. She had that effect most of the time, she was so silent that she could almost disappear. It served her a great deal, mostly to collect secrets.

"Did I say something wrong?" Kai asked her, clearly lost, which made Yasmeen laugh even more.

"Oh yes. But it was an honest mistake. You can't predict the effects of jealousy."

"That doesn't make any sense. Does she think Ulla chose Zelda because of her looks? I know my sister and-" Once again, he was cut by Yasmeen's laughter. "What is it??"

"Nothing. Men are so clueless, that's all."

"Well then tell me!"

"I'm sure you can figure it out by yourself. Right now, I have your little sister to comfort, since you both did such a terrible job."

With these words, Yasmeen left Kai to his confusion and went back to Calypso's quarters. She wondered if the mermaid was even aware of her own feelings for Aeron. She also wondered if those feelings were a good idea. Regardless, she knew deep down that there was more about Zelda that she let on. And she'll figure out the truth soon enough.

[measuringbliss]

Spider-Man Read-Through 020: The Dark Wings of Death (ASM 126-128)

MASTERPOST

In this set of issues, we see fun crumbs of upcoming stuff, a very interesting mystery plot (if you're reading 127-128 for the first time, do try to solve it!), and secret lesbians (maybe, nobody's sure).

That's a mood whiplash if I see one.

This batch begins with the totally not-goofy-nor-lame Kangaroo, who this time has SUPER-POWERS (the cover says so)!

See?

Some producers ask Spidey to star in an ad, and if you're an old-time reader you'll remember something similar happened before and didn't go so well. He's not tempted either. Meanwhile, the Kangaroo (who last appeared ish 81) meets up with Jonas Harrow (who we saw in 114, he's the one who experimented on Hammerhead).

On campus, Professor Warren pops up to tell the readers that he's totally not about to become an important character, and Peter is an ass to MJ and Flash. Oh, what else is new!

Our dear old Jonas is clueless because as soon as the Kangaroo gets powers, he leaves to deal with Spidey instead of listening to him.

Spidey accepts to do the car ad and requires Johnny Storm's help. I always thought he had the pose of a naked anime girl in any opening ever. I'm curious about the new costume, though. I wonder when it came to pass... Oh, but the Internet has the answer! "From 1973 to 1975, Johnny incorporated a red uniform into his wardrobe in an homage to the original Silver Age Human Torch." And I get more information here: "As a child, Johnny Storm had read comic books about the World War II Human Torch and idolized him. After gaining similar powers and taking his name, Johnny decided for a short time that he would take on a costume similar to that of his android hero."

As shown in the preview of this post, while Spidey's about to discover the greatest invention of last century, Jonah's son is hanging on (continuity, nice!).

So the Kangaroo dies by radiation, anyway. It would be tragic if the character wasn't such a buffoon.

And MJ tries her best, as usual, but Harry ignores her...

Because he's too busy pretending his father's contempt for him was ever worth anything. Anyway, I love how those boots are drawn.

Classic Sunset Spidey!!!

In the readers' letters, we get a very interesting (and funny in hindsight) comment from the writers.

I can finally feel than the bigger number of pages is great. The story's allowed to breathe, we both get a lot of fight AND some drama. It's good!

That's kind of an iconic cover! The questions (although we already know for Harry...), MJ's wild outfit (her pants!!!)... It's a great cover.

In this issue, Peter looks a bit too much like an 80s rugged hunk to my taste.

Okay Mr. Schwarzenegger. Whatever you say.

So Peter keeps being an ass, almost to an absurd degree. Boy, you need to learn empathy and compassion. I do appreciate a good undressing though so keep going please.

The Vulture is the murderer but Peter's wet dreams about Johnny Storm are much more interesting to me.

Because things aren't getting better any time soon on the Parksborn front, you know.

Peter gets him and Flash into an accident because he's a menace (it's actually because the Vulture just took MJ away) and thus, the Flash whump continues (I'm into that!).

The hero and the villain fight, Spidey saves MJ, they get in a lab...

I love her design, don't know why.

WHAT AN ICONIC MOMENT.

The Vulture wants to make Spidey his boytoy, and behind a tree...

Those panels of Harry wishing Spidey's death have stayed in my mind ever since I saw them the first time. Incredibly striking, and exciting for the reader who can't help but want a fight between these two--for the Green Goblin remains a delightful villain, even with Harry's traits.

Anyway, I was checking a certain website to see reactions (because comicdom is so sparse that it's hard to see reactions to specific issues)...

6 years ago!!! And under that, the comments are just as shocked.

I should check THOSE comments more often because they're also pretty funny.

Meanwhile, in the readers' letters...

The next and last issue of this batch (128) opens with Spidey falling from the sky, too high to shoot webs at a building. Once again, incredibly iconic.

Also, welcome to 1974! What a way to start the year. The last year I've read fully! But I read a whole bunch of 1975 so we'll see what new material we get there...

So Spidey gets out of the predicament in the usual fashion (if you can't swing, web up a hammoc) and goes back to the lab where the shadiest character design I've ever seen in this magazine also coincidentally is there.

They keep mentioning coke, which wasn't the case when "Stan Lee" (and whoever else helped...) wrote the lines.

Another gorgeous character design.

So are they lesbians or twins? Or both? You decide, Pete.

Ned Leeds hasn't had a role for a while (just you wait, honey) but he's sure looking like a stud right there.

Peter is still being an ass to MJ.

And Spidey eventually susses out everything and tells all, like Professor Layton would. This is actually quite an experimental story, given than the reveal that Dr Shallot is the new Vulture is just as bonkers as me just revealing this that way.

I had completely forgotten about everything, but goddamn, what an interesting set of issues. I'd say the plotting is masterful because the magazine really never expects its readers to be that smart. Hmm.

(I was convinced the victim was her twin though... What's up with them swapping outfits? Was that intentional, on whose part? Since they're not twins, I will assume lesbians.)

Let's check the comments :-)

I can't post any picture since I reached the limit (would you believe it!) but I CAN copy/paste!

"Brace yourselves, the Jackal leads to some of the really weird and convoluted plots."

YES. Very compelling though.

In the next batch: The Punisher and the Jackal are introduced, and we also get a long-awaited wedding! The 70s just keep on being iconic, it never stops!

[the-firebird69]

Ellen Trump brought up on charges of Sky Sam the guy Sam for messing with the phone and bring his in here. I also think it should be pointed out that myself and my people so you can't really find enough to be claimed for these idiots declaring war on us and Breaking every rule in taboo of your culture when they are incompetent fighters and people you necessarily cannot bow to We're not to be penalized for what you're stinking traders are doing they make it look like we encourage them for a different reason at this time in their demented slow pig brain they're still trying to say we inspired them to revolt they have us doing this stuff when it's merely them trying to rope us in to do what they want. Lousy manipulation is very very lame at almost nonexistent they have a plan that's part of yours For one reason or another usually their mental illness in their lack of intelligence they whittle away at. I'm one of the most valuable people on Earth to both kinds I have come kind of a game this **** next door is rancid with what seems like hatred of me or envy or I can't pinpoint it but he won't leave me alone and he won't go away and if there's any crime I've done you should investigate this bozo as he's probably having it done'cause that's what they say they do for the most part the mental health industry I was stuck in was run by these ignoramuses I'm saying in the mental hospital listening to dribble that evil **** how they gonna get rid of everyone including their own people and the demand that I do it for them with not so much as a valid reason except they suck themselves in their monsters themselves. It might've been seen by mom and dad or on the other side of the tracks but no way do they look like monsters compared to these assholes here What I'm saying is you don't know what their plan is and what their game is some Macs are pretty close it's a petty pretty damned awful 0 sum game they want for Earth and probably have no ability to carry it out a ratting on everybody else's Modis and motif and plan assets locations to try and carry it out they're not interested in these huge ships they don't care about big Giants and I guess I can make them do it you know try and blow the caverns and we don't want that but I'm telling you you're missing the whole boat these people are the drugs of the dregs of dregs. low lifes nd There are many that are helping me but but a lot of them are completely gone then with the ones in the mental hospital and Trumpsters once of them are totally stupid but stupidity is not what it is it is t it is deep unchecked and not controlled or monitored well enough psychotic homicidal behavior their children and there's a few of them here or that out of control and they're sick enough and insane and they're going after the max and they're having people do that the max plane is not working and the max here are even telling me what do we do'cause I don't know if they don't blow everybody up and they hate them I encountered this years and years ago no people don't remember it you don't wanna remember it you say it's the staff answer motif to hold you there it's not this guy is as crazy as Woodall he doesn't know what what ends up all day long is dragon his people into the state of complete oblivion not only did a lot of people miss labeling him as a Class A terrorist meaning if we let up off him we're in trouble but because of his psychosis and some of the others like trumpsters he's also a very sick person and a loose cannon on dead and I'm like Mitch mcconnell it looks like it cares about his life this man trump seems to be a professional nihilist and another type of massive psychotic mass murderer is Tommy app I don't see how your master and control when they did the purge ohh and Holocaust and they hit plenty of you and plenty of people that are worth something they were seeking out in Intelligentia and they're making up all these things starting into a docudrama we do this because of that then he throws his hands up in the air it is spoiled **** and so after issuing threats everywhere

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

Hi! I’ve been seeing a lot of your spn posts and I’ve kinda been getting sucked into the drama. I heard about spn a few years ago and considered getting into it, but now with how the last episode (I think it was the last episode?) played out, I’m not sure. What do you think? Even with everything going on, all the drama surrounding the last episode, is it worth getting invested it? Or am I just going to end up with my heart broken in the not-fun way?

i had to sit back and think about this for a while, because it's genuinely a difficult question to answer.

i don't regret the 8 years i've spent in this fandom, but it has caused me a great deal of pain. i've never had a fandom experience this amazing, but i've almost quit a few times from overwhelming frustration and anger.

after considering it, i'm going to say that i think this is the lynchpin: you need to watch a few episodes and see if you actually enjoy it. because while i rant and rave and cry about the greatest love story ever told, unfortunately TGLSET takes up precious little actual screentime. if you don't actually LIKE watching the show and enjoy its premise, it won't be worth it for you.

watch a few episodes of season one, see if it compels you. (lots of people want to skip to season four when cas enters, but honestly, if you find nothing about sam and dean enjoyable, you're not going to enjoy the show enough to watch it for cas.) if you watch those and say, "this is alright, i'm kind of interested, but does it get better?" then try watching the first three or four episodes of season five. if you don't like season five, you don't like supernatural.

it's important to understand that spn is a wild patchwork of content, changing enormously from beginning to end while also staying maddeningly the same. it's hilarious and it's terrifying, it's stupid and it's brilliant, it's beautiful and it's repulsive, it warms your heart and it makes you want to scream.

it's misogynistic, racist, and homophobic. it's also a wonderful story of found family, defying destiny, choosing free will, and love saving the world.

some of the episodes are so, so fucking stupid you can't believe they aired on television, while some rival any oscar-nominated film for the quality of their writing, directing, and acting. it's boring as shit but also the MOST show you'll ever watch. sometimes you wonder if the writers watch their own show, and yet miles of meta have been written about how a choice of wallpaper and the arrangement of a lamp reflects a character’s inner turmoil. they chase their tail by repeating the same lame plots over and over, and for their fifteenth season they came up with the freshest, most interesting and meta concept i've ever seen. there is a scooby doo episode.

they captured lightning in a bottle with castiel, and then spent twelve years wasting his potential. they created the most utterly breathtaking love story on television, mostly by accident, and then gaslit the fandom about its existence while simultaneously exploiting them. they wrote a story about two brothers that managed to touch millions of people's hearts, and then they poisoned themselves by refusing to ever allow the relationship to grow or change.

in their fourth- and third-to-last episodes, they reveal that an angel invented free will through the power of choosing to fall from grace because of the love he felt for the man that he rescued from hell. and then... something terrible happened at the network, whatever was originally planned was cut, and something shallow, empty, boring, flat, and pathetic was inserted as the finale.

in the end, the only peace and satisfaction we have is what we make for ourselves. in the end, we have to reclaim the story and finish it with our own hands. but in a way, that’s weirdly appropriate for a show that is, canonically, about ripping up the ending you’re given and writing your own.

i can’t tell you, or anyone else, if watching it is worth it, because that depends on how much you get out of it. you have to decide if you’re willing to watch it to see if you get enough out of it to continue watching it.

if you decide the answer is no, you’ll get no judgment from me. if it doesn’t float your boat, that’s fine, you’re welcome to still like the gay angel and reblog drawings of him kissing the pretty hunter. 

and if you do decide to the watch the whole thing, i’ll offer a couple pieces of advice. first, expect to be disappointed; that makes it a pleasant surprise when you’re not disappointed. and second, stop at 15x19. the second to last episode serves as a lackluster finale, but at least it’s not a finale that shits in your mouth while you weep tears of hate.

so uh... take that as you will, and good luck. ⛤

[folkwhorerain]

Jealousy, Jealousy (Wanda Maximoff x fem reader)

pairing: Wanda Maximoff x fem reader

Summary: reader is a shy and insecure Avenger whit a crush on Wanda, but she never made the first move on the sokovian. What if, during a party, finally something happens between the two of them?

Warnings: angst, reader being insecure, language (I think?), alcohol and sexual tension (feel free to tell me if I should add more).

English is not my first language, so bare with my grammar please, lol. This is my first fanfiction ever so forgive me if it's not anything special or it is lame.

I got inspired by "Jealousy, Jealousy" by Olivia Rodrigo, so I suggest you listen to it while reading, if you want.♥️

You hated them. You hated Tony's parties.

Don't get me wrong, you enjoyed the Avengers company, but parties were definitely not your thing. You always felt... out of place.

You were fine with chatting with the team during this day when you spent some time together, but when parties where that huge like tonight's one, all you wanted to do was staying in your room.

The fact is that you can't help but compare yourself to the others. You never felt enough and you were intimated by Tony's friends and the other heroes. You were just... You. No one special with no cool superpowers, you were good at hand to hand combat and you were really smart, but that was it; you always thought that was lame. Like that wasn't enough, you were the newest recruit in the team. The Avengers all welcomed you well and you grew attached to all of them, especially Natasha, but still, you didn't feel like that was enough for you to be considered "the cool Avenger", and you were still private about your feelings and emotions; when something was wrong the only answer that you had when they asked you what bothered you was "it's nothing". But it wasn't nothing. You felt an outsider in the team, you felt like you weren't enough for them and the worst part is that you knew it was all in your head, but you couldn't help it.

The first person that always comes to your mind when you think of someone cool is Wanda. Her powers affascinates you and you loved her determination. You can't say you two are close, but she always treated you well and she respected your boundaries, that's why now you have a crush on her and that's part of the reason you didn't want to go to the party. Seeing her well dressed while smiling to people who weren't you and while Vision was trying to get her attention would only make it worse.

You considered staying in your room while scrolling your social media, not having any strength to get up and get ready, especially when you were still in your bathrobe and your thoughts were only about a certain witch. However you knew Natasha would've dragged you out of the room if you wouldn't come so, after a few curses and annoyed groans, you threw your phone on the pillow and started to get dressed.

You didn't want to get the attention to you, people would start a conversation and tonight you weren't into it at all, so you opted for a green skirt and a black, cropped sweater and a little bit of makeup. Nothing more.

I'm already so sick of this bullshit, you thought to yourself, then you took a deep breath and went downstairs.

–

As you expected, the biggest room of the Stark Tower was filled with people you didn't know, but you were sure they were mostly Tony's friends.

They were all so confident with their drinks in hands, perfect combed hair and fancy dresses worth millions of dollars.

You weren't nothing like these people: you didn't get why people would spend millions for pieces of cloth. It was a waste of money, but how you wished you saw it differently, maybe you would be one of these apparently happy people with a lot of friends, and not the weirdo of the group with a lack of confidence so evident you couldn't even enjoy a relaxing event.

A few tears tried to escape your eyes, but you wouldn't let them. Steve was watching you and, from the look he was giving you, he already sensed something was off with you; so you did what was best and faked a smile, which he returned gladly before he went back to his conversation with Bucky.

You felt like a creep standing in the corner of the room doing nothing, so you started looking around searching for Nat. After a few second you saw her talking, or better, flirting with Bruce at the bar while she had a Martini on her hand.

You frowned sympathetically. Cute. He really likes her a lot, you thought seeing Bruce embarrassed and intimidated by the widow.

Suddenly a waiter asked you if you wanted a glass of wine and you accepted, maybe a little alcohol would help you get through this more easily. You took a sip and enjoyed the feeling of the wine in your throat.

“This is ridiculous.” you whispered.

“What is ridiculous?” you heard someone ask you.

You turned to see who it was and that's when you saw her: Wanda was smiling at you with a curious expression on her face.

You blinked a few times, amazed by the girl in front of you: she was wearing a short, black dress, and her ginger hair was loose on her shoulders. She decided to put on a little bit of makeup and a red lipstick. Not like her typical style, but you liked her anyway. She was always so beautiful.

You shook your head, realizing she was waiting for an answer. "Uhm, parties, I guess.” She nodded. “I mean, Tony's events are always too exaggerated.” you added before biting your lips, clearly embarrassed.

“I know how you feel.” Wanda agreed. “I always have to try so hard to fit in during things like these.” She chuckled while looking around the room.

“Well, at least you're trying.” You said before giving her a dry laugh, looking down at your glass.

The ginger tilted her head sympathetically. “Well, maybe that's the problem.”

You frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean... trying too hard is the problem.” She explained. “If you feel like you have to try so hard it becomes unbearable, maybe that means that the thing you're doing is not good for you.” She added before biting the inside of her cheek.

You simply hummed in agreement and took another sip of wine, too intimated by her beauty.

Don't think something awkward. She can read minds. Don't think how beautiful she is- shit. Stop thinking.

“If you'll excuse me, Vision is looking for me.” She said with a smirk on her face before leaving you alone again.

You watched her walk away, analizing her every move. God, how you wanted her to be yours. She was not, of course. Why would she be with someone like you? She could have Vision and every other man in this room, so why would she choose a girl like you? Speaking of the devil, Vision approached her with a few guys and she gave him her brightest smile.

You watched all the interaction, still in the corner of the room.

He was so confident with his perfect posture and his good manners. He would be the best for her. He's the kind of man, or synthezoid, or whatever, that could always reassure her and find the perfect words to make her feel better. He would try and cheer her up and find the better jokes to tell, just like he's probably doing right now. In fact the sokovian was laughing at something he said and her beautiful laugh echoed through the room.

You felt jealousy rush through your veins.

“I wanna be him so bad!”

All the people in the room turned to look at you with puzzled expression.

Your eyes went wide when you realized you practically yelled what you wanted was just a thought so, without a second thought, you rushed out of the party and went straight to your room.

You slammed the door and let the tears escape. You took off your make up and headed straight to bed, overthinking what just happened, screaming in your pillow.

I always ruin everything!

You didn't expect you would've said that out loud and right now you didn't expect to hear someone to knock on your door. You didn't answer, though, you kept your head buried in the pillow. It was probably Natasha who wanted to talk about what happened and you definitely weren't going to say a word.

The door opened anyway and you groaned in annoyance.

“Listen, Nat-” You started to say but stopped immediately when you saw it wasn't the russian spy, but Wanda.

“Hi.” She greeted you with a shy smile. “May I sit?” She asked pointing the bed.

You composed yourself and nodded shyly. “Yeah.”

Wanda gave you a swift smile and sat next to you, crossing her legs on the bed. Your breath itched when you felt your knees touching. You two have never been this close and the situation was making you nervous, thing that didn't go unnoticed by Wanda considering the fact that you were playing with the ring on your index finger.

You never noticed but Wanda knows you very well. She knows your moves, the way you play with your hands when you're nervous, the way your eyes shine when you talk about your interests or the way you are quieter than usual when you're sad.

The truth is that Wanda liked you very much and she knew you liked her too. She didn't want to tell you 'cause she wanted you to take courage and say it first and, to be fully honest, she was scared. What if your crush was temporary and you would eventually get bored? What if she loses you just like she lost her parents and Pietro? She would never, ever accept it.

“So... Why did you run away?” She asked like it wasn't obvious you just yelled in front of everyone.

“Are you seriously asking, Wanda?” You snapped before you could stop yourself.

She looked at you with sad eyes before looking down at her hands. “Sorry…”

“No, no... Don't apologize.” You whispered. “You have nothing to apologize for. I shouldn't have… God, I'm pathetic.”

You threw your head in your hands and sighed. I'm so sick of myself!

“Why are you sick of yourself?” The sokovian asked you before placing a hand on your knee.

You looked at the hand and then at her.

“Sorry, I shouldn't have read your mind, but sometimes your thoughts are really loud.” she chuckled, starting to rub her thumb on your knee. You were speechless, all this interaction was making you crazy. You craved more of her touch and now, more than ever, you wanted to kiss her. However you pushed those feelings aways and started to open up to avoid thinking about something inappropriate. “I'm just… me. I mean, I'm not special.”

“Why do you think that?” She asked raising an eyebrow, her hand never leaving your skin.

You took a deep breath. “Wanda, come on! Tony's friends are so cool, he's loved by everyone, Natasha is a badass russian spy, you have these amazing superpower. Thor is literally a God, for fuck's sake!”

“You compare yourself to the others too much. It's not healthy, Y/N.” She sweetly stated wiping away a tear from you cheek.

You closed your eyes for a second, enjoying her touch, but then you came back to reality. “I know, but I can't help it. The others seem to be so confident and happy, and all the girls at the party... Fuck, they're so pretty-”

"Beauty is not your lack.” She interrupted you smirking, her hand still on your cheek.

“I- I just wish I was them... I wish I had the courage Vision has.” You admitted, looking down.

“Why him?” The ginger asked placing two fingers under your chin, forcing you to look at her in those piercing green eyes.

“Because I'm so jealous he gets all your attentions and I don't just because I'm too insecure.” You said it in a whisper, almost inaudible, but Wanda heard you and you knew judging by the smile on her face.

“You want my attentions?” She asked leaning in.

Her face was so close to yours that it was hard to breathe. You could smell her perfume and that alone was making you want her more. You had the urge to kiss her and touch her and taste her, but right now Wanda was waiting for a response so you simply nodded, not trusting your voice.

“You already have them.” She admitted, making you frown in confusion. “There might be a hundred people in the room, but I would always notice you and only you, Y/n.” You were speechless, partly because of her confession, partly because she was so damn close to your face it made your heart race fast, and before you could realise, she kissed you.

Her lips were so soft against yours and her hands were in the right places. However, after a few moments, you realized you froze and didn't reproached the kiss. Wanda broke the kiss, a disappointed look on her face.

“I'm sorry, I thought you liked me t-”

Before she could finish her sentence, you kissed her. You kissed her with so much confidence it surprised both you and Wanda.

Your right hand was on her neck and the other was on her waist, pulling her close.

You felt her smirk on the kiss and the hand that before was on your knee now was up your thigh.

“God, this skirt was making me crazy the whole night.” She breathed out, making the hand go higher and higher where you needed it the most.

Before you could realize you still had your party outfit on, Wanda started caressing slowly your inner thigh, making you gasp. Hearing the affect she had on you, the ginger bite your lobe before whispering something that made you shiver.

“Let me show you all the attentions I have for you, babygirl.”

alright, that was it. I know it's not good, but I had this idea the other night and I just had to write it.

Feedback is appreciated. <3

[xreaderbooks]

Paradise On Earth (7)

Chapter: 7. Dead Calm

Pair: JJ Maybank x Routledge! Reader

Warnings: Language and Violence

Summary: This is an X Reader insert rewrite of the series Outerbanks, following the plots and events of the series, with certain twists to fit the reader into the story and to make things interesting.

A/N: Y'all are either gonna hate me or love me for this chapter... I guess we'll see. Thank you all for the comments it means a lot to hear from you guys, please Comment or message me to be tagged :)

Also available on Wattpad and AO3

Chapter 6 - Series Masterlist - Masterlist - Chapter 8

The day after your grand adventure where you almost got murdered, everything hit you. More like your body, it felt like you were sore from working out, and in some ways you did. All the climbing, jumping, running for your life finally caught up to you. You wondered if the other felt the same. You got your answer soon enough when Sarah busted through your bedroom door with a cheery smile. "Good Morning, sleeping beauty!"

You groaned at her energy, you thought of throwing a pillow her way to ward her off but didn't think you had the strength to.

"It's not a good morning, it's a very bad morning," You shifted to the other side so your back was facing her.

"Is it really? Did you forget about the very expensive bar we almost died for yesterday?" She sat on the other side of the bed with a bounce. "John B and Pope made a plan to get the rest of the gold, unfortunately, my dad wants to hold John B hostage for the day we originally had planned--"

"See, already a bad start to the day," You used that as a lame excuse to stay in bed all day.

Sarah pulled the bedsheets off you, "Get up, buttercup we have things to do."

"What happened to nice, Sarah?"

"Oh she's there, you just need to work with her so we can live happily ever after with a shit ton of money."

You sigh, "Fine I'll get up."

The moment you were changed you were being rushed into the twinkie and off to meet with the rest of the pogues. You were at the chateau for a short while as Kie melted the three gold bars in an old pot with a torch. Your next stop was the pawnshop.

"Hell, of a job on the melting Dr. Frankstein," JJ judged Kie on the gold bar that now looked like a puddle with the wheat symbol still engraved on top.

"Like you could have done any better," She retorted.

"Yeah, I could have I took a welding class-" He started, John B calmed them down before they could get any louder.

"How did I get this job anyway," JJ complained about being the one that had to pawn off the gold.

"'Cause you're the best liar," You snorted.

"That's hurtful, Princess."

"Only because you know it's true."

JJ opened the door to the pawnshop, the bell on top chimed announcing your entrance. You and Kie strolled casually around the small store.

"Think this will work?" You whisper to Kie while pretending to admire the artifacts displayed around.

"Guess we're about to find out," She shrugs. You follow her line of sight to the lady at the cashier pouring some liquid on top of the gold, you assumed something was supposed to happen to prove it was fake or something. The lady inquired where JJ had found this, he fed her some lie and played his part well, you couldn't tell if she believed him or not. She left and came back quickly from another room.

"I talked to my boss, and this is what I can do," She places a piece of paper down on the glass counter.

"Fifty thousand? Do you think I walked in here not knowin' the spot price? Ma'am, I know for a fact this is worth 140 at least."

"Baby, this is a pawn shop, not Zurich, do I look swiss to you?" The lady made a point, you couldn't expect a small shop like this could afford 140 grand. JJ negotiated the price, he had to settle for 70 so the woman wouldn't go to the police.

You had grinned at each other, trying to not make it obvious at the excitement. Here came the rough part, "Here's the snag, I don't have that much denominated here, I can write you a cashier's check."

JJ made an argument, "Ma'am I want the money in cash, that's what that sign says" He points to it, "that's what I expect."

"Well, I have to send you to the warehouse, I have the money there. Is that all right?"

"Where's this warehouse?"

Next thing you know you're on the way to the disclosed location the woman gave. There was something about this that was off, how could you trust that the lady would actually send you to a warehouse to receive the money? As much as you didn't believe there could be that much money at the pawnshop, it was a pawnshop, they had to have that type of money.

Either way, you and the rest of the group sat in the twinkie heading there anyway, you all voiced your suspicions on where they kept the money. You were on the cut, part of the address was a name 'Resurrection drive'. If there was any place you would think they'd have the money is figure eight, but here you were going to a place none of you had ever heard of.

"There's nothing but weeds out here," Kiara peered out the windows. The road was long with greenery on either side. The sound of a police siren signaling John B to pull over.

"Cops? Out here?" You spoke alarmed.

"God, are you kidding me?" JJ exclaimed.

"What did we do?" Sarah asks aloud.

"Stash that," Pope commands. You all look at each other in confusion, John B asks JJ if he brought the gun, he said no so that was one less thing to worry about. JJ rushed to put the gold and the weed in his bag, stashing it all away in a seat's hidden compartment.

You heard a gun cock and whipped your head to the driver's seat, the window was open and there was a guy holding an automatic weapon to your brother's face.

"All of you, hands in the air, right now!" The guy with a skull mask covering the bottom of his face shouts. "Out of the car! Let's go!"

John B gets out of the driver's seat with his hands in the air, the guy shouts out demands to let you all out of the car. Sarah gets out second, Kie third, you fourth then Pope and JJ. Though the anxiety of the situation began to kick in, you felt tired of the constant fear for your life since this whole thing started and all you could think of right now is how you should have stayed in the comfy bed of yours in the Cameron house.

JJ began to speak but was shut down by the voice with a gun, shoving you all back and telling him to shut the hell up.

"Lay down in the ditch! Lay in the ditch!" He points with his shotgun. The six of you follow in his command kneeling down, then on your stomachs, with your hands behind your head. You feel your heart pounding through a reflection of the ground.

"Don't let me see you with looking at me!" He walks away from you backward and with his gun still pointed at you all. You could think of any scenario in your head right now where you could escape this alive without him getting away with this, but he had the gun and could easily kill you all right now. Your breath was shaky and your eyes watery, this would not be a cool way to die. And it was all because of the lady at the pawnshop.

"This is a setup guys!" You say, shakily.

"That old bat shanked us," JJ's anger radiates next to you, he punches the ground with a string of curses.

You turn your head hearing Sarah's pleading whimpers, John B got up from his position on the ground. You stare at him wide-eyed, whispering "John B get back down, please."

He puts a finger to his lips and sneakily makes his way to the cop car. He hops in the backseat of it and at this point, you're ready to kill him yourself. You wouldn't be able to handle it if something happened to him because he decided to play hero, you pray he doesn't get caught.

"All right, you all stay just like that, unless you want your brains blown out all over this road. Don't move your goddamn heads, okay?" The guy comes out of the van barking out orders again. John B was still in the cop car, you hoped the man wouldn't notice his absence. He got into the driver's seat of the car, then came the grunting.

JJ ran to them and the rest of you hastily got up, right after JJ delivered his blow, you threw one but were shoved. John B who had the gun, clocked him in the back, he was down on the ground with you, Kie, and Sarah kicking him in the stomach.

"You son of a bitch!" Sarah yelled at him, John B pulled down his mask and JJ was quick to identify him.

"I know this asshole! He's a basehead, he sells coke to my dad."

"He probably knows my brother," Sarah mentions. You internally roll your eyes at that, great.

"Listen, I couldn't hurt any single one of y'all--" He begins but JJ smacked his face with the butt of the shotgun. He digs into his pocket and checks his ID, "We got one last stop."

JJ shoves everyone out of his way, "Let's go see where this son of a bitch lives."

You walk right behind him, ready to leave the asshole who threatened your lives. JJ was furious, more so than any of you all combined,~~ and frankly, you didn't blame him. Not that you thought the others did but they thought jumping him was enough, you didn't you wanted revenge. What was supposed to be a peaceful and happy day where you just get the money you worked so hard for, turned out to be just another day you almost get shot at. You were over it.

~~~

"Welcome to crackhead wasteland," You observe your surroundings. Trash was littered all over the front yard of this guy, Barry's, trailer home.

"I don't know about this, man," Pope speaks cautiously. JJ turns the ignition off when he reaches the front.

"Dude, why are we at Barry's?" John B asks.

"This'll only take a second," JJ steps out, you step out with him.

"Y/N, what are you doing?" John B questions you.

"Probably the same thing JJ's about to do," You answer, hurrying after JJ. John B warns you to come back to the van, you flip him off, walking into the wrecked home.

"What are we looking for?" You pipe up as you watch JJ rummage around the kitchen.

"His money stash," He mutters. "I know you got some around here somewhere."

You search with him, moving things around where you think he might've hidden it. Once you've done your assessment you move to the next room leaving JJ behind. You look under the bed, then the closet, and bingo!

A duffel with wads and wads of cash, you slip one in your back pocket then call out for JJ.

"Holy-- fucking amazing!" You didn't know whether he was talking about you or the money but you blushed anyways. He rubs his jaw and stuffs a good amount into the bag leaving around four rolls on Barry's bed.

"What are you doing?" You hear your brother's voice from the kitchen.

"Getting even!" JJ responds. You walk out with JJ who's holding the duffel, "All right, took care of business."

John B grabs ahold of JJ biceps, staring directly into his eyes, "Hey, look at me if you keep going down this road you're gonna end up just like your dad--"

JJ slams John B into a pantry door, "Watch your mouth, man."

"Whoa, JJ, calm down!" You look at the position JJ and John B are in.

"It's fine, Y/N," JJ assures then goes back to John B. He said it was fine yet still has your brother pinned by his collar, "Aren't you tired of being messed with?"

"That's not the point, JJ," JB answers. JJ releases John B and walks out, the two of you left standing there trying to process what just happened. You just wanted to get something out of another life-threatening situation the next your brother and the guy you're in love with are about to fight.

"And you, what the hell are you doing?" John B looks at you disappointed.

"I'm just trying to live my life, John B," You sigh.

"This is not living your life, Y/N, you-we don't need any more problems. And you following in JJ's example isn't helping, I can somewhat understand what he's trying to get at but you?"

"What about me?"

"This isn't you, yeah you can do some stupid shit sometimes but going into some drug dealer's house to rob him, isn't."

"Desperate times, John B," You try to defend.

"Not this desperate, Y/N. And you're doing this for what? A silly little schoolgirl crush." He walks out on you shaking his head. You stood there in shock at what he just said, it wasn't true, mostly. You were doing this for you making decisions on your own without his lead which is what you always do. This wasn't the right thing to do but then again none of what you guys are doing is normal. Running from bad guys, chasing after hidden treasure, living in a dump, and now in a mansion? How dare he?

When you finally walkout, the others are giving JJ shit for stealing the money, Sarah's announcing her fear of Barry coming after you all again and Pope's worried it might some rivalry you don't need.

The bottom line was Barry already came after you, he knows you have the gold and even if he didn't care about the gold, you all jumped him so when he sees you most likely it's gonna be on sight. There's no point in preventing shit now when shit already went down.

"J, Relax."John B tries to calm him down but ends up getting slammed up (again) against the van.

"You feel like a tough guy now, huh?" John B yells at him. "What're you gonna do when comes after us?"

"Punch him in the throat."

"Yeah, good fuckin' idea, JJ."

"I'm not putting it back," JJ states and steps into the twinkie. You stand there awkwardly with the rest of the pogues who expect him to go back and return the money. The stack of it that you planned on using for groceries and other necessities burn in your back pocket, it was hidden behind the printed shirt you borrowed from John B.

"You guys getting in or what?" He calls out to you all. He waits for a second then walks out again waiting for you all to say something.

"We're sick of your shit," John B expresses.

"Oh, my shit?"

Kie chimes in, "Yeah, your pulling guns on people shit."

Then Pope, "You acting like a maniac--"

"Pope, I took the fall for you, man! Know how much money I owe because of you?" JJ brings it up.

"I'm gonna pay you back and I didn't ask you to do that!"

"I just did! Pay it back right here, right now, with Y/N's help but pretty much by myself." He glances at you then the others, "You know what, that's exactly what I'm gonna do, go off by myself."

"JJ," You go after him. John B holds you back, "Just let him go." You hear Kie say.

"Are you guys serious?" You shout at them, "He just went to jail for Pope, and yeah you said you were gonna pay him back but he's doing this so you don't have to!"

John B shakes his head at you while the others just stare, "I know you guys, think this is stupid as hell but we almost lost the gold because of Barry. What would we have do then, huh? 'Cause I know my shifts at the country club aren't gonna cut it."

"I'm gonna get a job--" You cut John B off, taking out the stack you took.

You rip a couple of twenties from the rubber band and shove it in his chest, "There's your paycheck."

You stalk off in the direction you assumed JJ went.

~~~

Thirty minutes and you had no sight of him, you should've left when he was still close by. You weren't lost which was a good thing but you were not in the best neighborhood either. The sound of a motorcycle drove past you which had you paranoid especially since you didn't hear it drive off in the distance. Instead, it made a U-turn and made a stop right next to you, you cursed silently hoping whoever it was, wasn't dangerous.

"Y/N?"

You breathe a sigh of relief, it was Rafe, not as dangerous as a stranger that you couldn't handle.

"Hey," You walk up to him despite your brain warning you not to.

"What have you been up to, why are you out here alone?" He asks as if he cares. The thought of him being concerned has your body lighting up with hope.

"Uh, not much," Maybe you could use him for a ride to the chateau but think no, I can't the others are not gonna be happy. "Do you think you could give me a ride to your house?"

"My house?" He smirks.

"Yeah, I kind of live there now..."

"Don't you have other things to do, like escape drug dealers?" He quirks a brow, how the hell did he know about that?

"W-what no," You stutter "Where did you get that idea?"

"Barry came by the club and he was not happy," He shakes his head.

"Well, I have nothing to do with that, and if you're not gonna give me a ride I better keep walking."

"I know this is the kinda thing you, your brother and your friends do but dragging Sarah into this?"

"This kinda thing? What do you think we do, Rafe?" You glare at the boy, "Maybe you find this hard to believe but unlike you, we have better things to do than rob dealers."

"Not from what I heard, passed by John B and Sarah by the way," He pointed to the road he just drove from.

"Listen, you have no idea what's going on so you can't talk shit about things you don't know about."

"Maybe not, but I know Barry and he's gonna come after you all," He pulls up his sleeve. "If you don't wanna believe how dangerous he is take a look at this," He shows you a well-sized burn on his forearm. You trace the edges of the wound carefully, "Jesus."

"All I'm saying is try not to dig yourself a deeper hole, whatever ever shit you're in to get the hell out of it, and try not to bring Sarah down while you're at it." You roll your eyes at his form of a warning.

"Thanks, seems like your brother of the year but she's fine where she's at. Now all I asked for was a ride and since it doesn't seem like your gonna give me one I'll be on my way."

"Angel, come on." He calls after you then hops on his bike riding it to where you were, he takes off the helmet passing it to you. You stare at it skeptically then concede, slipping the helmet on sitting behind him.

"You have to wrap your arms around me so you don't fall off."

"You'd like that wouldn't you," You murmur but wrap your arms around his middle anyways, you don't see the smile Rafe has planted on his lips.

"What was that?"

"Just drop me off at the wreck," You make up some other words rather than repeat yourself. You assumed that's where your friends were going to be.

~~~

You tell him to pull up by the back, you couldn't risk being seen on the back of his bike with him of all people. You pull off your helmet and step back from the bike.

"Thank you," You turn to leave him but were stopped by him stepping in front of you.

"Whoa, I think I deserve a better form of gratitude," He holds you by your biceps.

"I think thank you was enough," You go to move again but was held steadily.

"Really, Angel?" He speaks softly a tone you never thought to hear from him, ever. He leans down to kiss you but you release yourself from him, jogging away.

"I gotta go."

You open the door to the wreck and were greeted by the cool air inside, it helped cool your blushing cheeks. Pope, Sarah, Kie, and, John B were sitting around an empty table talking.

"It's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal," Pope paced around. "So our best bet is to go down there and get the rest of it."

"So then how are we gonna get the actual cash," You spoke as you walk towards them.

"Where'd you go?" John B asked. Kie looked at you hopefully, "Did you find JJ?"

You ignored John B's question and avoided his gaze but answers Kie, "No, unfortunately."

Her face falls and Pope continues his rant, "Bring it all up at once, put it in a safe or a vault or something. I don't know just until we can find someone who won't rip us off. I can figure it all out tonight and be ready by tomorrow morning."

"All right, let's do it," John B agreed.

"What about that thing with my dad?" Sarah asks you look at John B questioningly.

"I have to go fishing with Ward."

"You can't get 400 mil 'cause you're gonna go kill fish?" Kie looks at John B with a seriously? face.

"I have to!"

"Blow it off, it's 400 million in gold!" Pope tells your brother.

"I have to, okay? he saved me and Y/N, if it weren't for Ward we'd be in foster care so I have to go, plus it'll be better to do it at night." He excuses.

"Like you said he saved us but you don't see me going fishing with him," You shrug.

"Just let him go fishing, at least JJ will probably have washed up by then," Kie tells you.

"We should hunker down here for the night," You say getting out of Heyward's truck. The group separated, John B took Sarah somewhere while you, Kie, and Pope took off in Heyward's truck at the Chateau.

Lights surrounded the yard and a jacuzzi sat in the middle, JJ was in the bubbled water with a bottle of champagne. Mini inflatable swans swam around JJ who wore what looked like an expensive pair of glasses.

"What did you do, JJ?" Pope spoke incredulously.

"I got a jet going straight in my butt right now," JJ chuckles. You look him in the face from where you're standing and his already busted lip looks open again. "Y'all should get in immediately, you hear me?"

Pope and Kiara stood in shock trying to process how JJ must've spent his restitution money. Something clearly happened and he was not okay, JJ was drunk off his ass already, pouring champagne in the water trying to pour it in a glass.

"How much did this cost?" Pope asked demandingly.

"Uh, with the generator, the petrol, and oh hey express delivery... pretty much all of it, yeah" He slurred out the words cheerfully.

"All of it?" Pope shouts. "You spent all the money in one day?"

"Yeah, burned a hole right through my pocket but I mean like come on guys, look at this finest in jet-based massage therapy, that's what they told me." He spouted out, waving his arms around like you guys couldn't see all the luxury you had now. "Kie, what? Can't a man have a little luxury in life?"

"C'mon all this scrimpin' and scrapin', Princess, you see all this right? I know you'd enjoy this." He looks at you with his eyes all puffy, your eyes soften at the vulnerable look of him. "You only live once, right? enough of this emotional shit, get in the cat's ass. Come on." He beckons you all forward but Kie just asks "In the what?"

"In the Cat's ass, that's what I named her, oh I almost forgot," JJ flips a switch, and a disco ball that hung on the tree above begun to spin, and more water spouts out like a fountain. "Disco mode, that's right baby!"

"Are you kidding me? you could have paid for restitution!" Pope yells at him.

Kie joins him, "Or literally given it to any charity!"

"Or better yet you could have helped us buy supplies to get the rest of the gold out of the well!"

"Guys this isn't helping!" You shout back at them, "What's done is done."

"Baby, it's alright because you know what, I got a hot tub!" You whip around at the word he just called you but quickly all thoughts of your feelings were masked by the large bruises on his abdomen. "For my friends, I got a hot tub for my friends, you know what no screw friends, I got a hot tub for my family!"

He speaks the words through sobs and wet cheeks, "I got this for you, look what I did for you!"

"JJ," You take a step toward him.

"No, stop being emotional, it's fine okay?"

"I mean it's sweet right? everything-- just get in." You were already up there with him wrapping your arms around him letting his head fall on your shoulder, "I just couldn't do it." He sobs and reciprocates the hug. "I can't take him anymore, I was gonna kill him."

"Shhh," You rub his back and soon Pope and Kie join in for a group hug.

"I just wanna do the right thing!"

"I know, I know," You say softly.

~~~

"You could stay in here with me if you want," You offer JJ once everyone had calmed down, Pope and Kie knocked out on the couch and pullout. You didn't think JJ would wanna sleep alone tonight.

"Yeah alright," He sniffles slightly.

"JJ you don't ever have to go back there again," You tell him as you lie next to him. "You could stay here even when John B and I are at the cameron's"

He nods, "Thanks."

You shift to turn your back to him, you felt an arm snake around your waist, JJ pulled you to him so your back was against his chest.

"Is this okay?" He made sure.

"Yeah, yeah whatever you need."

Whatever you need? God, you needed help.

Now you didn't know if you would be able to sleep, being so aware of him. The tank top you wore and shorts because of the lack of A/C in your home being this close to him gave you anxiety, you had slept in the same bed before but this was more intimate. He was vulnerable and had just broke down in front of you, in front of all of you. Not to mention he called you baby during said breakdown, you couldn't think about that right now, nope he didn't need you in that way right now.

"Y/N?" He whispered in a small voice.

"Hm?"

"Did I tell you that I got fired from the club?"

"What!" There goes your sanity during work.

"Shh, geez didn't think it was that serious, Frank fired me for the whole crashing Midsummers thing."

"What a dick," You huff. "Now what am I gonna do without you there?"

"Do your job," He chuckled "We got a little too distracted when we were together anyways."

"I think we were the perfect amount of distracted, we still got shit done didn't we?"

"Yeah, you're right," He paused. "Guess what I meant was that I got more distracted around you." You tensed, what the hell did he mean by that?

You had to think of something before he drops it, "I should've gotten fired with you then."

He squeezed your waist, "Nah you're great at what you do."

"You mean waitressing?" You snorted, "Sure."

"What I mean is you're doing great without me holding you back," His small voice came back and your heart broke for him.

"JJ, you could never hold me back if anything you push me to do things better, smarter."

"Why'd do help me with the money?"

"Same reason you did, I'm tired of getting pushed around, I know you guys think I'm an advocate for certain kooks but there's a line. A line that a lot of people even pogues that are supposed to be on our side, push."

He cuddles you closer, digging his head into your hair "I just don't want you to stoop down to my level so much that you get in trouble."

"JJ?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

He laughs, "Okay Princess."

~~~

The next morning you get up and head to the Cameron house where you have your things, you couldn't exactly do what you needed to do today in what you were wearing from last night. Kie didn't bring extra clothes so she offered to drop you off before running wuick errands for her parents. Thankfully nobody was home or at least Rose and Ward weren't home so you didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of it all.

You rush into 'your room' searching for any clothes you might've left around, looking around quickly then step out closing the door behind you.

You didn't notice when you bumped into a hard chest, ready to apologize to whom you thought was Ward Cameron but was actually his son.

"Jesus, Rafe you scared me," You press a hand to you chest.

"You don't live here alone, Angel."

"Your dad's out with John B and I don't know where Rose is and What are you even doing here? I thought Ward kicked you out," You just remembered what Sarah had told you yesterday.

"We weren't finished earlier." Rafe ignored your question and stepped closer to you, closer than he's ever been before, it scared you to think of what you might do in this position.

"That's because I had better things to do than be around a coke whore," You spat at him to push him away. It didn't work, despite his quick temper he ignored you and came even closer.

Not too long ago the boy you love was crying in your arms and here you were in the arms of the enemy a centimeter away from his lips. The hunger in Rafe's eyes as he towered over you made your stomach flutter, this was not something you wanted. This was the opposite but a part of you, a part that you normally kept hidden, yearned for him. He's not the kind of guy you should be with, his history with your friends serving as evidence, but he was different with you, and if only you had more time.

If you had more time he could change, he could be the man he desired to be, one that his dad would be proud of since that is what he so badly wished.

You were pulled of your thoughts by Rafe's head leaning down, your eyes suddenly feel heavy and you could see that his was as well, your faces were mingling close to each other. One move and your lips would touch, your prayers were answered and next thing you knew his soft but slightly chapped lips closed in on yours. He places both of his hands on your cheeks to deepen the kiss and you wrap your arms around his waist bringing his body closer to yours. You both stood in the hallway of his house lips attached with hearts pumping, you pull away what felt like too soon.

"I can't do this," You softly push him away. He doesn't let you go leaning his forehead against yours.

"You just did baby," His words made you freeze. JJ, you forgot about JJ. He called you that just last night. You weren't together but this felt like a betrayal, just last night you were cuddling and now you were here with a guy he hates.

Helping Rafe see the error of his ways by spending time with him was one thing but making out with him was way different. The worst part was you didn't regret it, not one bit.

"Rafe-" He cut you off with a kiss one which you returned, you didn't hear the small footsteps of the youngest Cameron around the corner. Nor did you hear the camera click as you pulled away from him one last time.

And just like many times before you leave him there, "I'm sorry, I have to go."

Chapter 8

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[aeempress]

Apritello Express Evidences, part 1

Greetings, Apritello enthusiasts and attention! Here comes a loong post is written by totally nerd. You've been warned. Here we go.

The thing is that Apritello is a double-edged sword. The series shows us established friendship of these two, give us a lot of content with them. We can see development of relationship through interaction between the characters, their reaction about the situations they are put in. We can sense their synergy and bound through the show.

Donnie and April have incredible chemistry, and both options, brotp and otp seems fine to me.

But let me tell you why I ship them.

Apritello is the kind of pairings, which consists of small details, hints, that's hidden, but if you're sharp and attentive one, you will notice that. Apritello has a strong foundation: the best friends trope.

And from the very beginning, it works as planned.

When I start watching show, I could say that April and Donnie are best friends. It is worth noting that April is like an older sister to the other brothers, more of a sisterly figure than a friend, but with Donnie she behaves somewhat differently, namely, as best friend. Obviously, she sets him apart from his brothers, although girl tries to pay attention to all of them equally. And Donnie behaves as well.

Dee's battle shell designs for April needs as well as his. His shell transform into comfy spot for taking ride for April. Special and only for her. Because his bros are not supposed to use it (at least, he carries no one on his back), Donnie carries them by his techno-bó or his limbs.

This tiny detail shows his special treatment to her. April is a very, very special occasion to D. Don does care about her comfort, he accept the way she is. Donatello does not try to prevent her from participating in their affairs because he respects her decisions and is pleased that April can be shoulder to shoulder with him.

D is glad to be at her service.

Yeah, Dee's still playing cool, he has image to perform as tough and coolheaded guy. So Don doesn't show his intentions, interest and feeling to other people (he's tryin', but fails). Because his actions matter. They are always small, hidden, but meaningful.

April, in return, trusts Dee and depends on his tech, even knowing what his inventions are the opposite of success (usually).

Go on. Look at Donnie's facial expressions and body language when April is near.

Donnie seems more relaxed when she's around, happier. His emotional response is always different from his brothers ones.

Oh, and look, he wanted to be first to give her a high three.

They worry about each other. Look at Don. He does worry about her way more than his brothers. Yeah, they all want to protect her, but Donnie is more expressive.

Mayham has no particular sympathy for the brothers: he is afraid of Raph and behaves aggressively, he is indifferent to Leo and Mikey. Mayham immediately takes a liking to April. And then the details come back: he let Donnie touch his neck. The most vulnerable place for any living creation, for a second. Let him to study an important vial without any hesitation. Mayham depends on April trust for Donnie. When everything goes wrong for Don, the little doggie comes to his rescue, just as April would have done. Is the hint transparent enough?

We can see links with "A mystic library", wherе Donnie begins to look for solutions to save April's pet. Yes, this may seem like his next leap, "sit down, I'm smart, and now I'll solve all the problems, watch and learn," but Don says one phrase that opens up the veil of the second plan, what happens behind the scenes. "My illiteral colleagues and I was conducting a mustic research, with a life of the beloved pet, hanging in a bounce".

Strange wording, Donatello. Beloved pet? Not yours, as we can see. I can say, that everything in this sentence is true, but Donnie and Mayham has something more.

Continue. Next episode "Origami tsunami". Interactions are kept to a minimum, as April herself appears for a maximum of 5 minutes in the series itself. But devil is always in the details, dear friends.

When April was attacked and hung up, the only one who excitedly called out to her was Donny. Raph is furious that the thieves have escaped, Leo is frustrated that their plan has failed, and Mikey is worried about the salami.

Yeah, we didn't see his worries about her when she fell, because Donnie is on the mission and must be coolheaded turtle, and second, he's calm because now April life is safe and sound, out of the danger.

Dear passangers, Apritello Express arrives to the next station - episode "War and Pizza".

Bare facts:

1. April has Donnie's number on an emergency call.

2. "Anything for you"

3. Donnie is the reason why Alberto knows April's name.

No one calles April by her name (except for Donnie, while phone call, but Alberto wasn't nearby) it was "Captain O'Neil" by her chief, her badge seems blank. And yeah, you can say, that's just economy of budget, but I assure you: in the first episode we were shown the name of the delivery guy. The animators were not lazy bones and wrore "Stewart" on his badge. So if something isn't there, then it either shouldn't be there, or it really isn't, that's how this show works.

So, the reason explained in the episode. When Al has short circuit, parts of its new code flashed through its mind.

Info about April was in its memory, in its code. Alberto was a lame animatronic, and it seems somewhat outdated. I do really doubt about Alberto is being something smartass machine with complicated AI like Freddy's Pizza's ones. Quite questionable. Donatello fix Al's brain and wrote code, synchronize with his remote control. He put information about Cap O'Neil into animatronic's head. All this pictures are kind of massage: "You was created for birthday celebrations. You are machine, and there concepts of "life" and "birth". Do great party for this birthday kid and April won't be like this". Or, something like that.

So Alberto did - do a memorable party. And he do what his creator programmed him to do, but in his way.

4. In other words, Alberto was a tool to impress April. Don flaunts himself in front of her, stating how he did the upgrade while doing the upgrade, even though April is fully aware of his tech wizard. And his abilities supposed to help Cap O'Neil to finish the birthday party, so she will stay at her job, not fired. All thanks to Donnie and his upgrade Alberto. (Or not)

By the way, Donnie was the last to leave April in ruined "Alberto's". And it's not an isolated case, it is a pattern.

5. They understand each other without words.

First, Donny came at her at the speed of light. Second, she hadn't even finished speaking before Dee was taking Al apart. Third, their chaotic, well-coordinated work? Donnie was a distraction (although he wanted to just take a break from the battle or let Alberto's guard down, while April just knocked him out). Donnie and April are great team, and sometimes the DonniexApril team is much more precise, coordinated, and interdependent than the DonniexBrothers one.

D&A feel each other and anticipate each other's actions, their skills complement each other, creating an incredible synergy of their interaction. They act as a whole, while it's not always possible with his brothers, even though they're family and know each other the way more Donnie know April. And Dee hasn't trained with cap O'Neil.

Donatello didn't show his crush for April. No puppy, loving eyes, no lovey-dovey speeches, no planning schemes (at least, the audience don't see one) . He just want her attention, but stays cool and hidden. D is already her BFF, but still.

The same thing is claimed in 5B episode - Mascot Melee. Donnie has no problems with interaction with idol of his childhood - Atomic Lass. She'd put Leo in a stupor, but Donnie? He playfully challenges her to a dance duel. Yes, he adores this character, who may have become his measure of the attractiveness of others to Donatello, determined his type. But still, he's playing all cool and confident guy, he's really smooth with girls, so you will never see a puppy loving eyes from him. Only two things can betray him at this point: his voice and his body language. Remember, how's soft his voice became for Atomic Lass? Now I want you to remember the scene before, in turtle tank, when April sent guys a meme.

D is the first to respond to the message, despite the fact that Mikey is sitting closest to the screen. And the responding is a little too emotional for this situation, don't you think?

And this face of his. And he comments it. He likes her sense of humour.

The only difference between April and Atomic Lass is that the first one is a real girl who is a friend of their family, practically a member of it; and the other one is just a fictional character. It is easier to say about love for a fictional character, because it brings less problems for a teenager, especially when he is living with three brothers and a father who likes to tease as well. Donatello needs to be careful and outline the area of emotions he could show, so that he does not get hurt.

Now, dear passangers, we are returning to the previous episode, shall we?

Donnie presents to his brothers his precious Turtle tank, but she's gone, and it's really necessary to find out, who has taken her. And the first person to suspect is April.

Something is odd, don't you think? Yeah, Raphael has taken tyre for their "Midnight special", Leo claimed that Donnie's stuff is common, but they are D's beothers. It's natural for family to borrow(stole) stuff of each other. But this trend was not observed in April. She would never steal anything from Donnie, much less steal anything from him.

Actually, there is a good, logical and solid explanation here. April was number 1 in Donatello' suspect list, because he simply told her about Turtle tank. His brothers didn't know he were working at Moon buggy, except Mikey (Orange helps Dee get the vehicle from Repomantis), but they didn't know what exactly Donnie was working for. They didn't know he build the Turtle tank, he kept it a secret, to surprise his brothers. But April knew.

- Alright you! Where's our turtle tank?

- Hi, DONNIE. You have 9 seconds to say, why are you just broke my door.

- Someone's stole Donnie's turtle tank.

- Haha-ow, I see. As your best friend, you naturally suspect me.

- She gets it!

- Oh-ho, don't give me that! You're the only one could taken it!

The only one, because she knew about it.

As Splints said in this episode - "April is not a snitch"

Donatello does trust April and share with her both, sorrows and joys. But we are not shown this directly. We do not see the action itself, we do not see their calls and conversations on the phone late at night, we only see the consequence. We have no choice and take it as a given.

And the way she cooled him down? Fast, efficient, and Donnie seems to used to it. Moreover, she slapped everyone, but still, she throw Don out of window the last. However, why such a large time delay between him, being slapped and him, was throwing out of the window?

And my favourite scene. It was obvious that Donnie had taken the hardest hit (judging by his scream and the way he was putting his knuckles back in place). Don then claims that their inner circle is secure, Mikey tries to make amends for everyone, and April agrees, blowing them a kiss and closing the window. Cute and mean, isn't it? (You're cute! but mean! why do I always go for your type?! - ep. War and Pizza)

Nota bene: Donnie wouldn't apologize to April. Tough, not caring badass boy image, remember? Even to best friends. It's hard to him to express his feelings by using words, he cannot do it in proper way. But he has Mikey, who is so alike inner him. Michelangelo apologizes not only for himself, but for D mostly, because D starts suspected April.

Let's continue: the episode 8B: Hypno Part Deux

• Donnie put "Donnie's blocker" at April's phone to protect her.

It's common thing that your friend install some programs or apps on your device. But you will always ask your friend to do such a favour, and you will always know about what, when and where were installed on your phone.

And April didn't know Donnie had done something with her phone. It was a real surprise for her, to see blocker with "Donnie says no-no-no".

And you know, the interface of his app. The way he tell this current phrase. Donnie could put a huge banner "THE APP YOU WANT DOWNLOAD TO IS A REAL PIECE OF GARBAGE", as usual antiviruses do. But no, voice interface. It makes the app more personal and thoughtful. Because when Don made gifts for his brother, the program was voiced by a computer-generated female voice. Yes, the tank's interface is voiced by Donatello himself, but his voice sounds more like Google than the real Don. And, we talking about HIS BABEY, for a second. Bit still, the point remains.

• Also, Dale.

Dale is nerdy boy in purple, wow, how convenient for making a parallel with certain purple turtle.

But thing is, April doesn't like Dale. He's clingy, remora guy, who has a little obsession with April, even he's not harmful, still, such behaviour freaks girls (and not them only) out. Her classmate is usually tell her what April O'Neil is "his favourite person" and he loves her. There is little that is attractive about this behavior.

So, there is nothing new and unpredictable here that Dale was rejected. Because April didn't, doesn't and won't like him because of his lame personality and strange behaviour. Our girl in yellow do right thing: she clearly sets personal boundaries and does not allow any dubious personalities to invade them. So that's the reason she refuses to go on a date with him at the end. He's weird, obsessed, and she doesn't like him.

Donatello, as far as I concerned from different versions of TMNT, was always a little obsessive with some things. And, you know, putting a blocker inside your best friend's phone seems a little weird, because it's, in simple words, violation of privacy and personal space. And there are people who may regard this as stalking or sorta.

Yeah, for the most part, he gets away with it, not only because April's focus is in a different area, but also because their bond is stronger than April's with anyone else at school.

She has known him for years. Donnie is her best friend. I can't say that it's fine to her when Dee violates her personal space - her phone, but April can accept Donatello's personality in general.

And he does really have good intentions. Donnie installed this blocker, developed by himself only for one reason: to protect personal space April from fishy apps from nowhere, from being hacked and etc. Don knew her too well, how much she depends on stupid apps that will distract her. He also knew well, that he can't be with her 24/7 to fix problems with April's phone, so Dee put a part of himself to prevent any harm in the future.

And again, "Donnie's gifts"'s vibes. Donatello genuinely cared about April, because he wrote, coded, developed, designed, and dubbed it, turned on the database, and installed it all on April's phone. 'cause, you know, writing programs in general is a bit of a hassle, but writing an antivirus is much more difficult, because viruses are changing, and questionable applications are finding ways to bypass. Do you feel how much effort Dee put in for her?

But Donatello didn't mean to fix April, as he tried to do with his brothers. Purple turtle accepts this girl the way she is, and tries his best to play smoothly with April, by adjusting, not being passive aggressive jerk. It's his outstanding way to show his caring nature, soft side.

Remember, small but meaningful actions.

Maybe, Donnie also can foresee that April may be forced to download some suspicious program, but still, it work: he managed to prevent April being hypnotized, even if couldn't be physically with April at the this moment - Dee was working for Repo Mantis, building dog's paradise for Todd. That's why, by the way, Leo and Raph were dragged into this whole situation. Mayham would teleported literally anyone to help his hostess. Donnie just wasn't at the Lair at the moment.

And on this note, we'll take a break for now. Stay tuned, expect parsing of the series, there's a lot to discuss.

Part 2

Part 3

[sebstanseabass]

Afterglow (A Bucky Barnes AU fan fiction) - Chapter 16

Afterglow chapters

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The sun glared through the thin sheet of the tent, making your listless self stir beneath the blankets draped over your naked body. Cautious not to wake Bucky, who had his arms wrapped around you, you carefully buried your face deeper in his neck but he wasn't that much of a deep sleeper as you thought he would be.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." He said, pulling you closer.

"G'morning." You replied, smiling against his skin. "Have you been awake this whole time?"

"Yes. I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful sleeping."

"Someone tired me out last night."

Bucky chuckled, sending a low vibration on top of your head. "Hmm, how was he?"

"He's pretty good in bed." You chuckled. "But pretty creepy when he refers to himself in the third person."

You stayed right there for another hour — in each other's embrace, in heat, in thin sheets, in profound silence, still taking pleasure in the afterglow of what had transpired last night: the intimacy in each other's skin, of each other's mouths, of each other's everything. A kind of intimacy you never dared share with anyone, not even with your serious ex-boyfriend.

Before the both of you got up and headed down the fire escape and then to the apartment, you had looked at him one last time and asked yourself the same question you had asked Bucky the first time you were here on the rooftop:

"Have you ever felt that kind of feeling?" You asked.

"What feeling?"

"The afterglow feeling."

Was this the kind of afterglow you sought after?

You shook your head, suddenly feeling ridiculous. Perhaps it was the sex; just that. The most amazing, mindblowing sex I ever had in my life, you thought. The more you described it that way while descending down the stairs and entering the apartment through the window (while wearing Bucky's shirt which looked huge on you, by the way), the more you believed it was just because of that. Besides, it was something that had given you sweet, sweet pleasure, something that made me feel like you were high on drugs, something that made you feel alive, something that made you feel things you didn't even know you could — the after of it all, of course, was worth so much more.

You both went straight to the bathroom to wash your faces and brush your teeth as soon as you got in. Of course, you took way more time than he did. He soon went to the kitchen to prep breakfast. You approached him afterwards, his bare back exposed to you while cracking some eggs into a bowl.

Without any hesitation at all, you wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your head on his back. You caught a whiff of his scent, even though he reeked of sex, the vanilla-lavender hint never faded.

"Whatcha cookin', good-lookin'?" You asked, taking a peek on the table.

"I was thinking of making you Japanese omelettes today." He stopped whipping for a second to face you. He placed a finger on your chin, tilting it upwards, and proceeded to kiss me.

"Have I told you you have the softest lips?" He whispered after.

"Yes, you did." You laughed, wrapping your arms around his neck. "And you kept reminding me last night."

"Good. You should be reminded of all the beautiful things you possess." He rested his hands on your hips. You wanted to shy away from the mention of the word beautiful but you didn't.

You have always received compliments, yes, but you never learned how to respond to them unless they tell you how to: "Oh for god's sake, just say thank you." Most people compliment you just because they have to, because social convention dictates them to (especially when you're at a party). Some, perhaps only five percent, genuinely compliment you.

But the spontaneity of last night — all the compliments Bucky kept giving you, all the "beautiful" being said over and over and over, were playing in your head like a broken record. Even after he saw all the folds, the rolls, stretch marks, scars, and acne marks.

It wasn't just that. He admired every single one of your photos down at the bar, photos you worked hard for, photos people kept neglecting. He talked about them like how you imagined someone actually talking about them. He talked to you about the beauty of art like how you wanted to talk to someone about it (Weirdly so, you picked friends you had nothing in common with: Nat just wanted to gossip, Steve preferred to be mysterious, Peter was all about business, Wanda was the one person you could talk to about these but you chose not to anymore, and Nick... was just Nick). It was like reading each other's minds.

You treated each as a compliment.

The five percent you were talking about? Bucky was it.

He pulled you out of your thoughts by sliding his hands to your ass, squeezing the cheeks for a bit, then placing them on the back of your thighs. You smiled then jumped, wrapping your legs around his waist. He placed you on top of the counter next to all the ingredients he had prepared.

He grabbed your face and continued to make-out, leaving the eggs on the bowl raw and unwhisked.

"You should," you said in between kisses, "go back to cooking. I'm starving."

"Y'know, you could just eat me."

"Sorry, I want cooked eggs."

He pulled away from, yet his hands stayed on your waist. With a cute pout on his face, he said: "Mean."

You broke into laughter after that and you watched him cook this Japanese omelette he kept talking about.

"I would make you the most amazing Japanese omelette — and the most complicated one, by the way. It took me months to perfect that — but I'm too lazy to prepare the rice." He chuckled, grabbing an apron. "So, I'm just going to make you the normal one. It's called Tamagoyaki."

"Hmm, interesting." You commented. "I just do mine sunny-side up. Crack an egg on a pan. That's it. It's an underrated hack, really."

He laughed. "It's a good thing I'm here then." He proceeded to heat the pan, and throw some butter on it once the heat was good enough.

"You told me you only know how to cook breakfast, right? Why is that?"

"The same reason why you cook your eggs sunny-side up."

"It's easy?"

"Not just easy." He replied. "It's the easiest of all meals! Toast, eggs, bagels, bacon — see, they're pretty easy."

You frowned, tilting your head. "You know, most times, you say the most profound things but you do say the weirdest, silliest things sometimes."

It was like two people were fighting against each other inside him: the child, and the man.

He laughed at your comment and said nothing further as he concentrated on cooking. You watched him move around the kitchen as the minutes passed by. And while you talked about the small things in life, you couldn't help but wonder how this Bucky, standing right in front of you, kissing you, holding you, was much more different — way more different than the Bucky you knew in Peter's stories.

The thing you liked about it though, was that both versions excited you. You longed for spontaneous adventures, ones that you’d keep forever, ones that would remind you of the days of your youth, ones you too stuck up to do, and you longed for conversations like this, and the ones you and Bucky have had before, conversations that made you see more of life's beauty and appreciate it.

That same afternoon, you spent it lying down on a couch in each other's arms, watching a movie he guilted you into watching: Roman Holiday. You made side commentaries while you watched, how lame the lines were, how cheesy they all sounded, but at the same time, amazed at how things have changed since then.

"Ugh, I love me a vespa." You said, watching the vespa speed away on the streets. "I would just love to ride around New York city in a vespa and just pull off some Roman Holiday in this bitch."

"I have to admit, that does look fun."

And somewhere halfway through the film, when Bucky was making small circles with his finger on your waist (igniting fire within you, and at the same time, making you weak on your knees), you ended up making out, grabbing and touching each other beneath your clothes, and taking them all off, sending them flying all over the living room floor, and repeating what you did last night — except it was in broad daylight and Bucky dominated over you, over and over and over, flesh on flesh. You kept screaming each other's names. He kept fucking you into oblivion, taming the mad woman in you.

You laid there on your back, pulling down his neck with your right hand, making your foreheads touch, locking your eyes together, telling him to go "faster, deeper", digging deep and scratching into his back with your nails, making him hiss out your name, and at the same time, crying out his name repeatedly like a chant, making you forget your own.

You felt the droplets of his sweat on your skin, mixed with your own. You watched him ravish you, watched the pleasure consume him wholly, and watched his eyes roll back as he came inside.

"I really can't get enough of you, babydoll." He growled, and kissed you one last time before you showered and headed down to work.

-

"You look different." Nat observed, sitting on one of the high stools across you. "Did you do something with your face?"

"No, I didn't." You grimaced, shaking your head.

"Then, why are you glowing?"

"Quit staring."

She chose not to listen to you and kept on following you with her eyes as you moved around the counter. "Oh my god, I know what it is — "

"Goddamn it, Nat — "

" — you had sex!"

She cackled, gesturing you towards the booth with a sharp tone: "Booth. Now."

You followed suit. It was crystal clear in that moment that you had no other choice, that she held the upper hand in this friendship. You were starting to think that perhaps this friendship you were pursuing with Nat was a mistake as she kept on berating you about the information she just acquired.

"There's no way in hell I'm telling you all about it." You huffed, sitting across from her.

"I'll tell you one thing, though," she said, "I'm a fucking prophet."

"Don't be such a smug bitch." You rolled your eyes. "No one likes a smug bitch."

"What did I tell you about this Bucky thing, huh?" She smirked, ignoring you. Again. "Come on, spill the beans! I wanna hear everything!"

You shook your head unamused. "Nope. No way."

She groaned. "Please? Nothing exciting is ever happening in this bar but now I have this! You!"

"How about you and Steve humping each other like bunnies?" You bit your inner cheeks to prevent your lips from smiling. "That's gotta be exciting."

"Let's not talk about me and Steve."

"So, it's okay if we talk about my sex life but not yours?"

"Exactly."

You frowned. "You're a weird friend."

"No." She leaned in. "I'm a miracle-worker that happens to be your new best friend, by the way — "

"Parker's my best friend — "

" — and you should at least thank me. I am more than welcome, by the way."

"Nat, if you don't stop I swear to God I'm gonna out you and Steve to the whole ass bar." You groaned, knocking your forehead against the table. Coincidentally, you could actually out them of the closet knowing they were actually doing it in one of the closets here in the bar (yes, you found a condom wrapper lying around one time. Knowing what had transpired in that small space, believe you me, you sprinted the fuck out of there).

"Ugh fine, fine." She said, making you stop banging your head and forcing you to look at her. "Just tell me this... Was it good?"

You rolled your eyes. "Fine, yes, it was good."

"Just good?"

You sighed in defeat, leaning back on the cushioned backrest of the booth. "It was the best I ever had." Nat bit her lip, hiding a squeal. "There. Ya happy?"

"Now, I'm curious! Please, y/n, you have to tell me. I gots to know! Okay, tell me, how big was he?"

"What?! No, I'm not gonna tell you that."

"Come on, I'll trade you Steve's."

"Ew, Nat! Gross!" You cringed. "I don't wanna know that!"

Then, she proceeded to move her hands in the opposite direction slowly, "tell me when to stop." You shook your head and just watched her in plain amusement as she continued to do it. Her jaw dropped. "Oh my god, this big? Seriously?"

"I'm not telling you anything."

"Come on, you told me about the time you kissed!"

"That's different." You scoffed. "This one's... intimate."

"Ooohhh, intimate. Well, I've never heard anyone describe sex that way."

"It was just different, okay? Good different." You replied. "And that's all I'm telling you."

She heaved a sigh, finally accepting the fact that you won't go anywhere past what you just told her. "Okay, at least you gave me something. Do you mind if I ask you something real, though? I swear this is the last time. It's not about sex, I promise."

Convinced, you nodded. "Go ahead."

"So, are you guys dating now? Or is it just, ya know, fooling around?"

You sat there, undoubtedly floored by the question. You had never even given it a thought. It never crossed your mind until Nat just made you realize the consequences of yesterday, last night and this afternoon, the inevitable. Were you dating? Will you ever talk about it? Is he even considering it? Or will you just continue to have sex without ever talking about dating?

"I, uh, I don't know. We didn't talk about it."

"Well, clearly there's gotta be something, right? That it's not just fooling around. I mean you said it was intimate, that it was good different — whatever that means." said Nat. "There's gotta be something deep?"

You looked at Natasha with astonishment, baffled by the things coming out of her mouth. Apparently,you were still on cloud nine to think about any kind of repercussion, to think about what could happen next to afterglow.

"I guess?"

"Do you like him?"

"Clearly, I do."

Unlike Nat, you were stunned by your answer. You answered that question faster than the speed of light.

She smirked at you in response. "You are so gonna fall in love."

"Shut your hole, Nat."

The door flew open suddenly, revealing Bucky and Sam, which got you up your feet. Instinctively and ignoring Nat, you approached him halfway and greeted him with a kiss which he gladly reciprocated, all the things you and Nat just talked about disappearing into this sweet, sweet kiss.

"Hey you." You breathed after pulling away from his lips.

"Hey, babydoll."

"Oh hey, Sam."

"Hey, babydoll." Sam mocked, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's a cute name. What is that? French?"

Bucky smacked his friend on the stomach, making Sam groan and glare at him. "So, it's not French?"

"Sam." Bucky warned which Sam only found funny.

Bucky kept his hand on your waist as you approached the booth, with Sam behind us. Nat, who was still sitting on the booth, cocked her head on the side and eyed Bucky up and down. "Bucky, Sam... This is Nat from the night before." You introduced them to each other before you made them sit in the booth.

"Do you boys want anything to drink?" Nat asked.

"We'll have scotch." Bucky replied, giving Nat a friendly smile. "On the rocks."

"Actually, I don't know how to make drinks, I just asked to be nice."

You rolled your eyes at Nat, laughing lightly. "Don't worry, I got them." You approached the counter and prepared the drinks while Nat followed your trail.

"Babydoll?" She asked. "Steve doesn't even have a nickname for me."

"Okay, I have to ask this since you already did it to me anyway." You said, pouring scotch on the glasses. "Are you and Steve dating? Or is it just, like you said, fooling around?"

"We're friends... with benefits."

"So, just fooling around then?" You asked.

"Yeah, you can put it that way."

"Aren't you worried he might want something more than that? Like a relationship? He does seem like a man who wants to settle, y'know."

"Aren't you worried your new boy toy might want something like that too?"

You fell silent just as you were about to finish the drinks. You weren't worried about that, no. You were worried about you, wanting something more, something you haven't had in a long time, something Bucky hasn't had.

"The chances of me and Steve getting even serious are very slim." She whispered. "But you and Bucky? Now, that's a big fat chance. It doesn't even matter how long you guys have known each other. If there's chemistry, then you can't do anything about it, and the way you described your whole thing with him? Babydoll," she smirked, proud of herself, "if that's not chemistry then I don't know what is."

"As far as I can remember, you're the one who told me to just 'go where the river takes you' and now you're confusing me with these things!" You hissed, looking over at the booth and making sure Bucky won't hear your little banter.

She rolled her eyes at you. "Okay, okay, okay... Allow me to paint you a picture, y/n."

"Paint me a picture — ?"

"Do you know where the river takes you? A waterfall." Nat cut youoff. "Now, right now, you're still on a boat, just gliding through the river, going where the flow takes you. Then some time now, you're gonna hit a fast stream until boom, waterfalls, and when you reach the top of the falls, inevitably, you're gonna fall... fall in love, that is, with the hunky rich man over there. See? Painting a picture. I can be smart too."

You kept Nat's words in the back of your mind until you gave Bucky and Sam their drinks, saving them for later. Nat had to go out for a while to smoke outside, leaving you, Sam and Bucky in the booth, discussing the project you had with Sam's line, updating you with all the dates and details. Seeing as you'll soon be leaving the bar by the end of the week, you offered to start first thing next week.

"But I could actually give you a little pitch presentation just before we start shooting," you added, "idea decks we can work with, like styles, and some mood boards that fit your whole apparel aesthetic. But first, I need to know your brand bible, like your target audience, the tone of your business — stuff like that — just so I can prepare for the presentation."

"Wow, you know a lot about the business industry." Sam replied, amused.

"I used to major in business and finance." You sighed. "It does come in handy with my photography."

Under the table, Bucky reached for your hand, interlacing your fingers together and squeezing your hand three times which elicited a smile.

"Oh, I can give you a tour!" Sam enthusiastically said. "We can go to the office and to some of the stores; maybe the one in Fifth Street. We've actually received the shipment for the new designs. We could discuss everything then. How does tomorrow sound? Bucky can come with ya."

"Tomorrow works, yes! Tomorrow's perfect." You agreed.

You broke out in a smile, leaning on Bucky's side who was more than glad to see you discussing with Sam about the project, squeezing you hand once more, three times.

"Then, it's settled!" Sam boomed. "Now, where's the toilet? I think I got a little too excited."

You threw you head back, laughing. "Right down the hall over there." You pointed.

As soon as Sam was gone, Bucky turned towards you and held your face with his hands, planting a soft kiss on your lips. "You sound so hot talking like that."

You chuckled, sliding closer towards him, your thighs brushing past each other. "You and your weird mind, Bucky I swear to God."

With his lips pressed on yours, you didn't even notice the door open, didn't even notice Steve walk in. You pulled away, hearing Steve clearing his throat. With your hands still on Bucky, you turned towards Steve, who was clearly entertained, and sent him a huge smile.

"H-hey, Rogers." You chuckled nervously. "You remember Bucky."

"Mr. Barnes." Steve nodded at Bucky.

"Mr. Rogers."

You frowned at their formal exchange. "Bucky's actually here with his friend, Sam Wilson. I'm starting a project with him for his business that'll start next week. We were just, uh, discussing the details."

"In his mouth?" Steve smirked.

"Steve." You hissed. "Not cool, man."

"So, where's this Sam Wilson?" Steve asked, looking to his right.

"On your left."

Steve turned around on his left at Sam's voice. Both men stared at each other for a while before introducing each other and shaking each other's hands. Weirded out, you turned to Bucky and asked if they knew each other, if the three of them knew each other (as you now remembered that time when Bucky and Steve met here in the bar).

Bucky shook his head no. "Maybe he's just one of those familiar faces you see on the street." He whispered, but as Steve went straight to his office, and as Sam got back in the booth, a weird tension surfaced that was cut off by Nat entering the bar, together with some customers who were more than happy to be the first ones here.

"That's my cue." You sighed, standing up and letting go of Bucky's hands before going to the counter and greeting the customers.

You felt your phone vibrate against your back pocket after a few seconds. You opened it, and on the screen was a message from Peter:

Sorry couldn't get to you sooner. Lost my charger on the way to the cabin! Schmidt didn't want me to borrow his until I did everything he told me to. Everything's great! I'll send you pictures when I can.

Hope Bucky's taking good care of you. Miss you, y/n. I'll see you in a few days!

Your fingers hovered on the screen as you glanced at Bucky who caught your eyes. He winked at you while taking a sip from his drink and licked his lip afterwards, eyeing you up and down.

Tell Schimdt I'll beat his ass when he comes back. See you in a few days, Parker!

A series of what happened between you and Bucky flashed in your mind, making you bite your lip.

And don't worry, Bucky's taking good care of me.

... such good care.

[kimnjss]

groupie love | jhs

⤑  series: groupie love

⤑ genre: angst, rapper!hoseok x youtuber!reader, idol au.

⤑ rating: pg13.

⤑ word count: 3.1K

⤑ warnings: unresolved problems with a very simple solution.

⤑ A/N: first, hi :( you guuys, there’s only one more update left until the end of this! (this was a mini series, idk if i said that) but oomg, i can’t believe it! im also a tad bit female sick (monthly) so my brain has been all over the place, so real sorry if this chapter follows that example :/ - either way, let me know what you think!! x

A full week had passed since you last spoke to Hoseok. To be completely honest, you had stopped being upset with him... all it really took was for Jimin to make you realize that you were being a tad bit irrational and should've given him a chance to speak. You couldn't see that at the moment, too wrapped in the thought of him leaving for six months right when things were starting to get good between the two of you.

 A relationship barely started and now you were going to put it to the long-distance test? A test that many couples... who have been together longer than the two of you have, did not survive. No matter how much fun he thought it would be, going along with him wasn't an option either.

 Joining him on tour meant abandoning your responsibilities here to trail behind some guy so he could achieve his dream. The fact that he even asked you to do something like that put a sour taste in your mouth... until you were quickly realizing that wasn't his intention at all.

 In realizing that you were quickly seeing that you didn't know him as much as you thought you did. Relationship still so new, there were many things that were left in the dark when it came to each other's personalities and thought processes. So whisking off behind him on a tour... for six months... when you barely knew him?? definitely off the table.

 Long-distance would have been your best bet because there was no way you were going to throw away the whole relationship. Hoseok was different from the other guys that approached you. He saw you in ways you had never imagined and made you feel comfortable being yourself... no way were you going to just give that up. You two haven't even got to the good part yet.

 So, yeah you weren't mad at him anymore... stopped being mad at him literally a few hours after hanging up the call. Why then did a whole week pass since the two of you had last spoken? You had expected him to call you back after you cut the call short, he didn't. And at the moment you didn't want him to.

 But when the anger was disappearing, you were kinda hoping he'd fall into the chase. Give you a call and try to calm you – not as you needed it. Good thing too, because it never came. Chopping it up to him being busy, you went to bed... hoping to wake up to a missed something from him. And when morning came, the only thing lighting up your screen were emails from past subscriptions you always ignored.

 The entire day passed without contact and you hoped that maybe in this hour he would message you, call you... check-in to see if you were alright!? Nothing, absolutely nothing and you felt like you were going insane checking your phone every fifteen minutes.

 Why not just contact him, right? That would be so much easier and save a bit of your sanity, but that's not how it was supposed to work. You were the one that was upset, therefore, he had to contact you and apologize that way you could tell him that it was okay and everything could go back to normal. That was how it should work, right? Right!?

 Wrong.

 To pile on to your many mistakes in the past seven days, you kept your dry phone stress from Jimin. Not intentionally, entirely... he was busy too (mostly with Yoongi) and it didn't really slide into conversation well. If you had told him sooner, he would've been able to explain to you why your theory was crazy and you should probably just call the man instead of waiting around for him to make the first move.

 It wasn't until you two were hanging out and he was able to notice your frantic glance each time your phone lit up. “He probably thinks you need space,” Jimin told you, the idea never dawning on you... was Hoseok waiting for you to call him? Checking his phone every fifteen minutes as you had been? Because he thought it was you that was supposed to make the call?

 So you called him, that night after Jimin was leaving. Hummed along to the dial tone as you waited to hear his soft voice on the other line. “Why are you calling?” It wasn't him, your heart sinking into the pits of your stomach at the sound of the woman's voice on the other line.

 Maybe, he wasn't waiting for your call... maybe he had followed your anger charged advice to find a different groupie to take on tour with him. Maybe you didn't mean anything to him at all.

 “Hello?” The woman repeated, growing impatient with your silence. Half a mind to hang up the phone and never talk to him again, but you needed answers. Needed to know who this lady was but refused to hear it from anyone but him.

 “I need to talk to Hoseok,” You replied plainly.

 “Obviously, this is his phone. What do you need?” Wow, this woman was rude. Did Hobi know that she was so sour? Surely, he couldn't be interested in someone with such a d-list personality, it didn't match his happy.

 “Excuse me, but I-,” Your words were being cut off by the words overlapping yours, a breathless Joon speaking into the phone. “Yn!?” Namjoon was there too!? What? And breathless? Were they... all three of them!? “Where's Hoseok?” Ignoring the surprise in his tone when he first answered the tone. Your patience was wearing thin.

 “Studio, he left his phone in the practice room. I'm walking there right now.” He let out a huff of breath and you heard some shuffling on the other end. “So... where you been? Haven't heard from you for a while,”

 Maybe he was waiting for you to contact him first. If he hadn't been, surely his best friend wouldn't be asking you where you've been... right? “Yeah...” You reply lamely not knowing what else to say. Not really feeling like you owe Joon much of an explanation, especially if your boyfriend hadn't even received on yet.

 There's more shuffling, a murmured conversation being had away from the phone so you can barely make out what they're saying – but you don't doubt that they're talking about you. A minute passes before the phone is being handed off and you're finally hearing Hoseok's voice.

 “Hey,” He did not sound happy to hear from you. “You good?”

 A little caught off guard you spare a moment to think over what he's asking you. Were you good? Had you been 'good' at all this week? Was it possible that you were so not good without hearing from him that just the sound of his voice instantly had-

 “If you're good then...” He's trailing off, obviously impatient with your silence. Wouldn't be the first one today. It was like you couldn't find the right words, only now realizing that this was all your fault and you had no idea how to fix it.

 “No, wait,” Your words are rushed with the fear that he's going to hang up the phone any second. “I...I should've called you. Like before now. But, I want to talk? Is it alright if we meet up to talk?” Maybe if you were able to see him in person, it would be easier to explain yourself... you always felt at ease when you were with him.

 “I'm a bit busy right now but-,”

 “Oh, right! Yeah, you probably have a whole bunch of things to do... I guess, then-” A laugh was slipping through his lips, a sound you had no idea you missed so much until this moment.

 “-But, we can meet up tonight. I'll be done around here at like nine.” So sure he had decided that he didn't want to talk and was using being busy as an excuse... you really had to stop interrupting people. Something to work on. Your heart was fluttering though, at the thought of seeing him again. Being able to touch him, kiss him, talk to him, and see that bright smile on his face.

 If you were able to make him smile... you had a lot of things to work through, but you were hopeful. “Okay, yeah. Tonight works, that's good.”

 “Great, I gotta go... working, you know? But I'll stop by tonight.” You're agreeing, saying goodbye quickly before ending the call.

 Not as horrible as you thought, you were going to get to see him and everything was going to work out. With a quick glance at the time, you were just now realizing that nine was only a few hours away. The need to speed clean your house, getting rid of the evidence of a week worth of moping as quickly as you can.

 You tried to think of all you wanted to say as you cleaned, no idea where to even start... all you knew was you missed him and couldn't wait to see him again.

 You tried to act natural, not put as much weight on seeing Hoseok again as you normally would. Wanted to act like you weren't nervous for his reaction, scared to tell him that you were sorry and the reason why... how childish he might think you after explaining you had ghosted him because you had been waiting for him to contact you first.

 Even despite you wanting to keep your cool, that didn't stop you for getting ready for his arrival as if you were about to be whisked away on some magic date night. After a quick cleaning of your house, you spent the rest of the time waiting for him making sure that you looked good for him.

 You had done your makeup the way you knew he liked, wore something that you were positive would grasp his attention. Your hair was even done to his liking, noting how he preferred when you wore it down more than anything. All of this, done in hopes that he'd be so mesmerized by you that he'd forget how stupid you've been acting for the past seven days. One could only hope.

 It wasn't until there was a sharp knock at your front door that you were putting the finishing touches on your look. Might've even stayed in the mirror longer if it wasn't for him showing up at exactly 9:18.

 With a deep breath, you're making your way to the front door. Hoseok stands on the other side, hands shoved in his pockets and teeth nibbling at his lower lip. Just seeing him and all you want to do is wrap your arms around him and pull him close, not realizing how much you had missed him until this moment.

 His eyes are on you the moment you're pulling the door open, a small smile spreading on his lips. “Hi,” His voice is soft and you return his greeting before moving to let him in. He turns to watch you push the door closed and you feel the awkwardness begins to settle in your chest.

 Were you supposed to talk first? Get out an apology before the time rattled on. How were you even supposed to start this? You knew exactly what you wanted to apologize for, wasting the little time the two of you had left with your petty thoughts. How were you to come out and say it, though? It was like the words were stuck in your throat.

 “Look, so... before you say anything,” His voice was breaking you from your thoughts, eyes lifting to look in his direction. He looked nervous like the roles had been reversed. “I wanted to apologize to you... I wasn't thinking when I asked you to come along with me, you know? I just thought it would be fun, but obviously, I offended you with the offer... so I'm sorry,”

 He was apologizing? He felt bad? There was nothing that he needed to apologize for and there he was because you had been too busy with your inner monologue to get on with your apology. Now you had this boy standing in front of you looking sheepish for no reason at all.

 You had to fix this.

 “No, you don't have to apologize, honestly. It bugged me at the moment, but only because I didn't properly think it over. I know why you asked... and I should've thought more about it instead of blowing up on you like that,” You took careful steps in his direction, taking your time with closing the space between the two of you.

 There was confusion riddled in his features as if he couldn't understand why you were the one that needed to say sorry. He had been so focused on how he had made you felt, he didn't even take the time to think that you might've been in the wrong. The blame game wasn't something he liked to play.

 “I'm also sorry for the way I ghosted you... I was ready to talk to you the day we got off of the phone but I had been waiting for you to contact me first... I know it's stupid, but I just felt like you should've? Since I was the one mad at you... I wanted you to check,” It sounded even more stupid when you were saying it out loud.

 Embarrassed tinted your cheeks pink, but Hoseok didn't seem to notice. Even if he had, he was ignoring it. “You wanted me to call you?” You nodded, avoiding his gaze. No doubt he was pinning you with the same furrowed brow look Jimin had given you when you first told him.

 You're caught off by the laugh that leaves his lips. Gaze lifting to find him shaking his head, shoulders shaking as he lets out laughs. Now it's your turn to look confused, face contorted as you stare at him. “What's funny?” You're asking as he takes deep breaths to calm his laughter.

 “I just... I had been waiting for you to call me. Wanted to give you space or whatever and figured you'd call when you weren't mad anymore... you weren't even mad to begin with, though? That's hilarious to me.” You didn't get it, but he was smiling that pretty smile of his so you had no choice but to agree. His laughter is slowly dying down and he's looking at you, reaching out to grasp your hand. “Come here,”

 Hoseok easily pulls you into his chest, arms wrapping around you in a warm hug. He tried to ignore it, but in the week that he couldn't see you – he had realized how much you started to mean to him. Simple things like holding you close, he was yearning for and not much could make up for it.

 “This fight was stupid,” He's declaring, leaning back so he could get a good look at your face. His hand lifts to push the hair from your forehead, pressing his lips against it afterward. “I'm leaving soon... we shouldn't waste time like this,”

 Arms lifting to wrap around his waist, you're nodding your head, cheek resting against his chest. “God, I missed you so much...” He's trailing off, fingers toying with the ends of your hair.

 You had missed him too, and you tell him. Not being able to mask the sadness in your voice. A whole week passed without seeing each other and you were like this. Would you be able to survive six whole months without him? It hadn't even been long, but he had become such a big part of your life.

 “I think I'm gonna miss you too much when you leave...” He's pulling back at the sound of your words, nodding his head as his hand cradle your face. Hoseok stands there looking at you for a while, taking in your sad eyes and tiny pout. The look squeezing his heart but only making him that much more determined to make things work for you.

 “Be my girlfriend,” The words tumble from his lips so smoothly, you're not even sure you hear him right. He's continuing before you have a chance to answer. “I like you a lot, Yn. And I know the next six months are going to be hard... but I think they might be a little easier if I know I have my girlfriend waiting up for me, don't you think?” He's smiling big and you're sure yours matches his.

 Girlfriend. Not fuck buddy. Sidepiece. Groupie. Hoseok's girlfriend. Which came with so much more. Pushed all your insecurities away, solidified things. Just a label, but it came with such security, something that you had no idea you needed so much until you were entering this situation-ship with this man.

 “I'd love to be your girlfriend,” You were grinning hard now, it is covered by his soft lips. His large hands slipping into your hand, tangling in the loose strands as he held your lips to his. Kissing you softly and slowly, as if you two had all the time in the world to enjoy each other.

 You really wished you did.

 He's pulling away all too quickly, but not before leaning down once more to press a gentle peck to your lips. “Things are going to be really hectic these past few days... but we'll make it work.” He sounded hopeful, you were too. “And I cleared my schedule for tomorrow... might set us back, but I wanted to spend the night with you.”

 Despite having zero knowledge of how this conversation would go, Hoseok held a lot of faith in you... in your blossoming relationship. Felt like things would work out for you if the two of you made sure to work together on things. It would be a bit of a learning process for you, he could tell but he was willing to work at it with you.

 “I'd really like that,” You say, leaning up on your toes to press your lips back onto his. Ready to make the most of tonight, no matter what you did. Just wanted to be with him and make up for lost time.

 Stock up on all the smiles, the hugs, the kisses that you could because in a few weeks. Your six-month challenge would be starting, you needed to memorize what his lips felt like while you still could. Ready to cherish every moment until he was getting on that plane.

– he’s ½ of the famous rap duo, the 94′s. when stumbling upon a pretty youtuber, he’s quick to decide he wants to have her. but one night with her just doesn’t seem like enough.

⬿ masterlist ⤳

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A/N: timestamps are important throughout the fic!! if you want to be added to the taglist, send me an ask! also if you asked to be on the taglist and aren’t on there, it’s because tumblr sometimes doesn’t let me tag ppl for some reason.