#like you witness someone being totally pleasant or neutral and -

[prehistoricmancunt]

you ever witness the World’s Most Innocuous Conversation between a friend and someone else and afterwards your friend is like “UGH they were so rude I can’t even believe I had to endure that” and you’re like ….. so everybody is just an unreliable narrator, huh?? can I believe the course of events told by someone else ever??

[random-mha-thoughts]

Smile (Shinsou x Reader)

Pairing: Shinsou x Reader

For anon (request)

Genre: Slight angst to fluff

Summary: Shinsou has a crush on someone in 1-B and works up the courage to ask them on a date.

Tags: @wwwwyamd​ @yuki-osaki​ @liviitehe​ @iamsoftsodonttoucheume-blog​ @bunnythepipsqueak​

Word count: 1,680

a/n: Ah, I missed writing for my tired purple boy. I just miss him in general, when I was searching for fanarts to post, I really was like “Damn I really miss Shinsou.”  How many of you agree?

So this is a request that some of you have seen already, but I don’t quite want to spoil anything for anyone who’s new, so I’ll post it at the end.  I'm glad I was able to extend this longer than I was planning, because I really only had just the one scene from the request in mind vividly and the rest I wrote as I went along.

I have 3 more requests, but I'm gonna take a break from them so I can write some of my own original ideas before starting those up again, so look forward to that!  Enjoy this one!

(Also gender neutral pronouns they/them coming through!)

Buy me a coffee?

Shinsou first saw his crush at the beginning of the first semester.  He was taken by their quirk, a pretty flashy light quirk.  From what he overheard while they were telling their 1-B friend - he was totally not stalking, Shinsou doesn't stalk people - they can control the color of the light to do different things.

"Red light is a heat laser, green light heals, yellow warms things, blue cools things," they explained, the proudest smile on their face.  "I'd say it's pretty versatile.  And the more saturated the colors are, the more powerful they work!"

Shinsou was already intrigued by their quirk, but seeing their face light up was like icing on an already delicious cake.  The sparkle in their hazel eyes, adorably smaller form that's the right right height for him to kiss their head, a smile he already decided he wanted to protect.  If only he could go over there and ask them to tell him more about their quirk, but he was afraid that his intimidating figure would scare them away.  Discouraged, he walked back to his own class to mope.  Crushes and him never worked out in the past anyway; once they found out about his quirk, they would either run for the hills or try to abuse him.

However, he still longed to be with them.  He found himself naturally searching through a crowd to find them.  Each time, they would have the most brilliant smile on their face as they chatted with their friends.  It always put a smile on Shinsou's face that they were happy being in the company of good friends.  More and more, he found himself craving them to smile at something he said, to pat their head to greet them, just to hold them in his arms for a warm hug.  It became less of a want and more of a need, but he held himself back for his heart's sake.

After the Sports Festival came and went, Shinsou had a change of heart.  He's not a villain, he will only appear that way if he comes off like that.  He won't let his quirk define him, and he'll make a much more pleasant impression so they wouldn't think of him as dark.  He took the opportunity to work on himself as a person, gain more confidence in himself so he can put his best foot forward.  He's won't let himself lack in any department, he'll only show the best parts of himself and present himself to them in a new-and-improved form.

After training with Aizawa for a while - not to mention bulking up quite a bit to improve his chances - Shinsou decides on the right time to face them.  The purple haired boy practically shakes with anticipation the entire day.  During his last class, he rehearses the words he's wanted to say since he first saw them.

"You're such a bright, shining person.  To me, you stand out among everyone else.  I'd like to get to know you better, would you mind going out with me?"

He second guesses every word and intonation, convinced that even the slightest error would throw the entire mood off and send the whole thing crashing down.  He won't let that happen.

The final bell rings and Shinsou's practically the first person to jump from him seat, throw his belongings haphazardly into his bag, and rush out the door of the school building.  Stationing himself at a nearby bench, he waits for them to come out, tapping his foot impatiently while still trying to look casual shoving his hands in his pockets.

Scanning the crowd of exiting students like a human radar, he searches for that smile he adores.  His heart practically beats out of his chest when he locks onto them, homing in on them without paying any mind to the surrounding students.  He collects himself and breathes, keeping in step behind them.  They're talking to a friend of their's, going on about hero training and homework.  He could listen to them talk indefinitely if he wanted, but then he wouldn't have the chance to confess his feelings.

Just you practiced big guy, go on.  Do it for that precious smile.  Shinsou gathers his wits and approaches just a bit closer.  Do I say "hey?'" "Hi?"  "Yo?"  Damn it, just do what's natural!  Calm down!  He bites the bullet.  "Hey."  He's proud that it sounds casual enough.

The apple of his eye turns around curiously, their smile just faltering slightly from their conversation with their friend.

Take it away big guy.  "Hey, I noticed you around.  I think you're-"

It's then he notices.  The way their eyes widen, the smile drops completely from their face, their skin turns pale, and Shinsou isn't sure why.  He's sure he didn't say anything wrong, he's barely said anything.  "Is-"

They let out a yelp and hide behind their friend, squeezing their eyes shut and quivering.  Beyond bewilderment, Shinsou's chest hurts as his world darkens.  The one person he wanted to smile at him and lighten his life plunged him into despairing blackness.  All his fear of people hating him for his quirk and being frightened of him resurfaced.  He feels naked, vulnerable, and ashamed all at once standing there frozen.

"You have to forgive them, it's not your fault."  The friend offers a sympathetic smile.

"Did I do something wrong?"  The entire ego he's spent the last few months popped in two seconds flat.

"No, it's not you, trust me."  The girl pats the frightened soul behind her on the had to comfort them.  "You see, they have a deathly fear of purple."

It almost sounds like some twisted joke, a prank the universe was playing on him for some unknown reason.  "Oh.  I see."  That's all Shinsou manages to say in response.  At least he's doing his best not to show how heartbroken he is.

"Sorry about that," the girl flashes another sheepish smile in half-comfort while his crush drags her away by the arm to escape  what anyone from the outside would think is a monster.

And the monster is him.

Shinsou is way past disgruntled once he gets home.  He doesn't know what to do now, what can he do now.  Giving up would be the easiest thing to do, especially with how dejected he feels.  The thing that hurts him the most is his sunshine who he never saw without their smile didn't smile when they were around him, all because of something else about him that he can't change.

He swiftly sits up from his laying position as an idea strikes him.  Or can he?

Two weeks later, Shinsou shows up to school so people barely recognize him.  He'd bought one of those hair coloring conditioners in black and washed his hair with it last night, and the brown colored contacts arrived shortly after he placed his order online.  Shinsou isn't the type of guy to give up that easily, and for someone he really wants to get to know, he'll make it work.  If he can temporarily change his appearance just to get to know them first, maybe he can be the one to help them get over their fear little by little.

Shinsou brushes away all the comments about his drastic appearance change; he's doing it for them and that's all that matters.  He decides this time to just approach them at lunchtime, no dramatic openers or well-timed moments; a friendly conversation is just as good an introduction as he can get now.

He approaches them while throwing away their lunch alone, tapping their shoulder.  "Hey."  He holds his breath when they turn around again, eyes scanning his figure for recognition.  "You don't know me, I'm in 1-C, we haven't spoken before."

A friendly grin spreads on their face.  "Oh, it's good to meet you!"

The boy inwardly cheers in victory.  "I'm Shinsou, your name is?"

"(Y/n)."

He rubs the back of his neck.  He wants to be honest, but doesn't know how they'll take it.  "I tried to talk to you a few weeks ago, but you were startled and ran off before I could say anything."

Their hazel eyes widen slightly before guilt morphs into their features.  "Oh, you're that guy.  I'm really sorry I did that to you, I must've made you feel awful."  They groan, a sound Shinsou admittedly finds cute, red color rushing to their cheeks, "And you even changed your hair color and everything, I'm really sorry!"

"Hey, it's okay."  Shinsou offers empathetically, "You shouldn't feel bad about things that you have no control over."  He knows that feeling all too well.  "I put the effort in because I want to get to know you better, it's not something you should feel bad about.  I think you're cool, from what I've seen.  We should hang out."

The boy can tell how taken back but grateful they are, a deep rooted appreciation shines from their eyes and more color saturating their cheeks.  "I'm not that special, but I think you're a cool guy for doing this for me."

Shinsou's heart can't help but feel captured once again by their vulnerability.  "It's what's on the inside that matters, I guess.  Can I join you for the rest of lunch?"

And finally, he's rewarded with what he's wanted to see:  His bright light shows him a beaming, toothy grin that crinkles up their eyes and puffs out their cheeks; it's a smile that's directed straight at him.  As his heart thumps wildly in his chest, the boy thinks he can die happily in this very moment.  "Of course!  Let's go sit."

It takes him a moment and a cough to clear his throat before he's back on Earth, nodding and following them back to their table.  As they walk next to him, he steals a few glances down, hoping that nothing else goes wrong.  Even if they do, he knows he'll have to find a way to work around them.  With that battery-charging smile, he knows he can figure out the solution to any problem.

So the full request from Anon was: “Hey you could take ALL the time at this but it wouldn't be sad if Shinsou's crush, the reader, is porphyrophobic. That means the reader is scared of the color purple. Have a good day!"

I hope I did it justice, it was originally gonna be just full angst, but it would only be drabble length, so I took it a step further.  I hope it made you guys feel all warm inside :3

[boonki]

Draco was not a dramatic man.

Sure, he’d given in to the stereotype over the years, laughing about it with his friends and letting them neatly label his erratic behaviors and eccentricities as such, and at times, had even leaned into it, getting away with actions and ideals because of this simple belief his friends had in him.

But the thing was, Draco was not, in fact, dramatic.

There was just a certain order to things. Things were meant to be the way they were meant to be. And as any civil and educated member of society, he trusted and upheld that those practices, ideologies, and traditions had meaning to them. That they gave way to a more poignant, established, and refined lifestyle.

Which was why, under no circumstances, he was making this man’s order.

“But,” the man practically sputtered, “I’m the customer.”

Draco hitched an eyebrow. “And I’m the owner, and I say absolutely not.”

The disbelief and uncertainty was almost comical, had it not been leading to his coffee shop’s financial decline. Well, not a fatal decline, given it was late into the evening and most of the seats were still occupied, surely assisted by the decline in weather and onset of exam week. But still, every dollar counted. To someone poorer than him, Draco speculated. But still, on principle.  

“But it’s what I want, and I’m paying you to do it.” The man pushed the money closer to Draco, as if bribery were going to suddenly peel away his sense of morality. He’d like to see this man try and break down Draco’s strict sense of self.

“You’re asking me to make you a latte with five shots of espresso and about half the bottle of vanilla to compensate. If you’re this desperate into your exams and are in need of a heart attack, I would recommend letting your marks come out and having things run their due course, no?”

Draco was impressed with this man’s persistence, if anything. His glasses hung crooked on his nose, drawing attention away from his rather startling green eyes, and Draco, though strongly disinclined to touching strangers, was fighting back the urge to smooth down his great tuft of hair. Instead, he feigned clearing a smudge off the face of the register.

“Fine.”

Draco looked up, quickly relaxing his face to veil the shock. His mouth pulled to the side, and he shifted his stance.

“So what’ll it be?”

“Just a latte then, I suppose.” The man, to his credit, didn’t look as frustrated as Draco was sure he felt.

Draco did end up putting an extra shot in, out of pity.

____

The night after, he was back.

“Okay, listen, I know it’s a bit unconventional, but I have not slept in weeks, and I need to pass this class. My friends like this place, so I can’t go elsewhere. Can I please have a five shot latte with extra vanilla syrup?” He was breathing a little harder than he should’ve been, impassioned by his short speech, his ragged flannel undulated with the rise and fall of the man’s sturdy-looking chest. Draco, although amused, was a hard man to crack.

“No.”

“Please.”

“Still no.”

The man pursed his lips, looking up at the sky. He turned on his heel, and back to his table, where his two friends, one a young woman with bushy hair and an air of efficiency, and the other looking hopelessly lost with his material, looked up at him, and then right at Draco. The young woman stood harshly, letting the legs of the chair scrape against the floor, drawing the attention of the nearby customers, and stalked over to the register.

She took a deep breath before talking. “Can I have a-”

Draco was doing his best not to smile. “No.”

She looked taken aback, eyebrows furrowing together. “But you haven’t even heard what I’m asking for.”

Draco gave her a level stare. “You’re going to ask for the drink that I won’t make your friend, and my answer is still no. It’s not even coffee at that point, just a stroke waiting to happen.”

“This has got to be illegal.” She stated, very matter-of-fact.

“If you can find the law, then I’ll follow it. Best of luck.” He countered.

She pursed her lips, letting out a sharp breath through her nose. “Fine. I will.”

He almost believed that she actually would, too.

____

The next time the man came, he came alone, and sat with his head buried in books for the better half of the night.

Draco was nearly intrigued. Why come here with no friends if he couldn’t even get his order?

The customers were fairly sparse tonight, and Draco was getting a bit tired of wiping down the same mugs and rinsing out the same milk pitchers. So, he decided to take a chance, deviate from himself for a bit. Just to see what would happen. Not because he wanted to. Naturally, he would never tell anyone about this, lest his reputation be completely ruined.

Five shots and half a bottle of vanilla it was, if that would allow him to sit across from this man and ask him what compels him to bring on his own early demise.

He made the drink, reeling with disgust the entire time, almost threw it out on two different occasions, but found himself placing it on the man’s table before Draco really had the time to figure out what he was going to say. He stood there, like a complete nitwit, while the man looked down at the cup and then back up at him.

“I’m Draco.” He said.

The man hesitated, uncertainty and confusion written clearly in the open mouth, cocked head, and wrinkled forehead. “Uh… Harry Potter.” He finally settled on.

Draco made a face he hoped came across as pleasant. “What are you studying for?”

Harry blinked at him, and then startled down to his textbooks, as if he forgot they were there. “Oh, uh, business.”

“Business, good.” Draco said, like a fucking idiot.

Harry nodded, just a small nod, and gave a flash of a smile that was really more polite than welcoming.

“Right. Well. Enjoy.”

Draco sauntered back to his counter, wanting to dissolve into the ground and melt right into hell. That was terrible. God, where did his wit go? He might as well close up shop and move locations.

Not that, under any circumstances, Draco was dramatic. This was a completely normal reaction to making a fucking buffoon of oneself in front of someone that might, objectively, be considered attractive.

____

“But  you made it last time!”

“No.”

“Then why did you make it in the first place?”

“You looked so pathetic, sitting there all alone. I was hoping the caffeine would make you do something worthwhile with yourself.”

Harry took a deep breath, the kind that is more a warning, a threat, than just a breath. “You know what? Fine. Okay. Just give me a regular vanilla latte then.”

Draco made his special drink, and said absolutely nothing of his own atrocities. God, who was he turning into?

“Here’s your latte.”

“Thanks for nothing.” Harry grumbled.

“Anytime, Potter.”

Draco watched the back of Harry as he walked away, watched his stupid sweater stretch over his broad shoulders. Maybe he should throw in some whip-cream next time.

___

“He fancies you, you know.” The bushy-haired friend was back, this time with a much more agreeable mood. She handed him her card, and he mindlessly swiped it through his machine.

Draco’s stomach muscles clenched. Why on earth would he do that?

“Why on earth would he do that?” He said, holding her card out between them.

She took it, and laughed. “I don’t know either, not to be rude," she added, after looking at his face, "but you should say something, I don’t think he will. He’ll just keep coming here and be miserable the whole time.”

“Hmm, that sounds like a personal problem.” It was an interesting development. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with the information.

He placed her coffee on the counter--"thank you"--and went back to wiping mugs, totally not purposefully avoiding looking over at his table, but rather… circumstantially always finding things to do that required the back wall.

Draco nearly-- nearly, because he’s fucking good at his job-- messed up the next drink that came through, and blamed it on the fact that he didn’t get much sleep the night before. Can insomnia cause a racing heart?

___

Draco was not a dramatic man.

He simply believed there was a way to do things properly, and that you couldn’t casually ask someone out over coffee at your own coffee shop. Things like this required dinner, maybe flowers, a candle or two, hair gel, and some confidence.

Which is how he found himself closing his shop early, turning the sign to Closed hours before he normally did, and waiting on his own front steps for nearly a fucking hour before the golden trio came trekking to his store, bags heavy and books in hand.

“What are you doing?” Harry asked, as if it wasn’t obvious Draco was waiting for someone. Harry’s scarf was hanging askew on his neck, and Draco wanted to stand up and fix it for him.

“Waiting, obviously.” Draco said, looking him dead in the eye, expression perfectly neutral.

“For…” Harry dragged out the 'r', leaving the question mark behind, waiting for Draco to finish the sentence.

“Well, you.”

Harry’s bushy-haired friend’s eyes widened, and she tugged the red-headed boy’s arm fervently, who looked altogether baffled. “We, uh, I actually need to run to the library quick. Bye, Harry!” The red-head sputtered a rather futile protest before being swept away. Draco was secretly grateful for her rather poor excuse.

“Wait--” Harry started, turning his head in between Draco and the now-vacant spot where his friends had previously stood.

Draco stood up, suddenly conscious of the empty space between them where a counter usually occupied. “If you can make it one night without studying, would you like to go to dinner?”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up on his forehead, just about reaching his daft mess of hair. He simply stood there, books in hand, scarf askew, breathing in the cold air as if Draco hadn’t said anything at all.

“Hello?” Draco tried again.

“Yes, I would… yes. Tonight?” Harry said.

“That was the plan.”

“Uh, okay. Sure. Where are we going?”

Draco smiled, just a turn up of one side of his mouth. “I know a place. You just can’t order anything stupid and ridiculous. And no coffee, god, you’re probably going to die of a heart attack.”

____

Draco was not a dramatic man, nor was he prone to making rushed decisions and leaping to conclusions.

He was methodical, careful, calculating, and did not take kindly to strangers invading his personal space. He valued his privacy, his sanctuary at home that was undisturbed by the outside world. He usually didn’t date, and would never consider adopting a pet. He liked being alone.

But he was pretty sure he was going to keep this man.

(And never, ever make him a five shot latte again, not if he wanted his boyfriend alive.)

[rottenappleheart]

DMV Cutie has moved to Canada, as I knew they were going to do from the very start. I am sad about it.

Let me share the complete utter rom-com bullshit story of how we met, so that I can focus on that and not the loss.

***

 There I am, Friday April 19, sitting in the DMV to get my new license plates (because I am never going back to Hell State.) I am capital-C Cranky with the world, because of "work party" tortures the night before. So cranky, in fact,  that I have deliberately tried to look schlubby and unapproachable, because I have Resting Retail Face (TM) that makes complete strangers start conversations and ask me for favors. I have intentionally gone out without makeup, in ratty jeans and flip flops and my Dungeon Master shirt. I have taken my number and found a seat in the crowded waiting room and glowered at my book, radiating LEAVE ME ALONE as hard as I possibly can.

I am aware of the person beside me leaving, and later, of someone else taking their seat, but I steadfastly ignore them. I can feeeeeeeeeel their wish to make smalltalk if I would only look up. I refuse.

After a while, DMV worker walks by to make an announcement, to which I do pay attention. The person beside me says - something, I don't recall, and I am obligated to respond at least briefly, so I do - and I turn - and something inside of me goes whump.

(Turns out it was my heart.)

I sincerely do not remember any details of that first conversation. Inane pleasantries about the DMV experience and what each of us are there for. What I do remember is that I could not. stop. grinning like a fool. Appleheart, you look like a loon, I told myself and tried to keep a neutral expression, but the sides of my mouth kept curling up of their own accord.

I remember that, in five minutes of smalltalk, they made an impression on me of great intelligence and wit. Enough humor, enough sly references to convince me that they would be a lot of fun to converse with for a longer time.

I remember being half distracted from what we were saying, because inside all I could think was "Oh, it's you. Is it you? It's you. How can it be you? There you are. Really? Am I going crazy? This is crazy."

I should also mention that after a 45-minute wait, I was now only 3 numbers away from being called up, and the clock was ticking. I started to panic. Our brief chitchat was hardly enough on which to base a decision, but I was somehow absolutely certain that I would regret it if I went to my appointment and ended our interactions there.

So, like an absolute weirdo, stammering and flustered, I wrote my number on my bookmark and handed it to them - [one number away now] and stammered "Hey, uh, let me know if you want to get coffee when we're both done here!" They took the bookmark - my number was called - and off I fled.

It took 10 minutes to wrap up my license issue. When I left, they were no longer in the waiting room. I went out to my car and... sat, stalling. Would they text me? Probably not, because I had behaved like a total maniac. Had they already texted me? No. Should I go home? If I do and they text me, then I'd have to come all the way back downtown, which would make this a bigger deal than I meant coffee to be. If they don't text me, and I just lurk around hoping, I'm a loser. What was I thinking anyway? Who gives someone their number in line at the DMV? Everyone in the waiting room heard that. Everyone thinks I'm a weirdo. Fine, you know what, I'm hungry. I'm going to walk... to the nearest coffee shop... and grab a bite, so that if they do text me I can casually say I'm at such-and-such and it's no big deal, and if they don't, at least I got food.

I stalled in my car for fifteen minutes like that before I got out and started walking.

***

At this time, in true rom-com bullshit fashion, let me rewind and tell the story I learned later, from DMV Cutie's perspective.

There THEY were, at the DMV, getting temporary plates for the last month before they move abroad. The place is packed and open seats are limited. They see a space next to a person with a book and a blatantly nerdy shirt, and think to themselves, "That person looks interesting."

Then the book nerd glances up (apparently), and they see her eyes, and go from "that person looks fine to sit beside" to "Oh my stars, I have to talk to her."

So they sit, and spend the next fifteen minutes trying to think of an opening gambit to start a dialogue. Do you know what it was? The first thing they said to me to try and get my attention? It was "So what number are you?" That was it. Fifteen minutes and that was the best they had. But it worked.

After I wrote down my number and ran, they did send a text right away - and HERE IS WHERE THE ROM-COM BULLSHIT GETS REAL - and turns out they can't read my handwriting, because they text the wrong number. Their polite "Hi, it was fun talking to you in line at the DMV, and yes I would like to get coffee if you're free afterwards" gets bounced back by a confused stranger.

They have no other way to contact me. I didn't get their number back. We are two ships passing in the night. Opportunity lost.

They go to their own appointment. It takes a while.

They leave the DMV.

(HERE IT COMES.)

And there I am, waiting at the crosswalk half a street up, having stalled in my car for what turned out to be exactly the right amount of time for them to have a second chance. Not a minute too soon or too late.

SERIOUSLY.

At this time, we finally introduce ourselves.

We get sushi and laugh awkwardly across the table at each other, full of goodwill and alarm. We talk about physics and the chemical properties of copper and what we've been reading lately. I manage to keep the mad grin locked down a little harder. The restaurant closes and we say goodbye, thanking each other for taking a chance and having lunch with a complete stranger. I go home beaming.

A few hours later, they text me about going to a brewery the next day (Saturday.) We meet for lunch and are still talking when the sun goes down. By Monday I am at their house making spaghetti.

We were together most evenings from then on, until they had to leave.

***

It sounds fake when I read it over. The mutual WHAM! feeling we both had - like, sure, there are a lot of people I find startlingly attractive, but not to that extent, and not immediately reciprocated. The necessary urgency of that first impression. The mistaken phone number (lost forever!) followed up by the chance second encounter (contrived coincidences are bad storytelling!) But it really happened, and to me, and I got to enjoy living out that ridiculous romance for a full month and change. That is really good. That is a gift.

I did tell them that, once - that I felt they were a gift to me. A rare pleasant surprise in my life, a reprieve, a treasure.

Of course, this means they got to follow up with corny puns about being "God's gift to women," but you know what, I'll allow them that.

So. There it was.  

[lovemesomesurveys]

1. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days? We have a decent size backyard, but I never go back there. I’m not an outdoorsy person, I much prefer to be indoors. I don’t relax outdoors unless I’m at the beach. 2. Is there a group of friends that you used to hang out with but no longer do? Why don’t you hang out anymore and how do you feel about them now? I don’t have any friends anymore and that’s completely my fault. I became very distant and withdrawn and just disappeared essentially from everyone. It wasn’t anything they did, I just fell into a bad place and I haven’t been able to get out. I’m such a shitty person for completely abandoning them the way I did. 3. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? My mom and I have a lot of shows we like to watch together, we like a lot of the same music and movies, we both love to read, and we both follow entertainment/celebrity gossip. 4. Did you ever say or ask something that you assumed was a neutral subject, but the person you were talking to became offended and you had no idea why? Not that I can recall. 5. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? There’s been several movies like that. Like for example, I always look forward to new Marvel, DC, and Star Wars movies.

6. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you got the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! Nope. 7. Do you ever feel like anyone is “out of your league” or does that concept not make any sense to you? What do you do when you’re attracted to someone but find them out of your league? I always get it mixed when it comes to that saying. Like, to me it means that I’m ugly and have no chance with anyone I’m interested in. Does that mean I’m out of their league or they’re out of mine? 8. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? Hmm. I don’t know. 9. Do you refer to yourself by any sort of fan nickname (Belieber, Little Monster, etc.)? Lol no. I’m old. 10. Do you ever just get lazy and give up on your friendships? I didn’t do it out of laziness. It happened because I’m a mess of a person and I just couldn’t handle or put in the energy into any friendships. I couldn’t even take care of myself. I didn’t give up on them, I gave up on myself. 11. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you. I had a friend who I felt made things into a competition and tried to one up me in the sense of who had it worse. Like, if I actually opened up about something and expressed how I was feeling, she’d spin it back on her somehow and her problems were always worse of course. One time she even said to me, “what do you even have to be depressed about?” and proceeded to go on about all the problems she has. 12. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? I mean, I’d like to experience love and romance and have someone to experience life with. I want that special someone. I want to do couple-y things. I want someone to get takeout and binge watch TV shows with, someone to drink my morning coffee with, someone to grow with, someone to travel with. I want all that someday. It’s hard for me to even imagine it ever happening, though. I’m almost 30 years old and haven’t found it, yet. I don’t see anything changing anytime soon, either. 13. What sort of situations make you feel most self-conscious or inadequate? Are there any people or places that just make you want to crawl into a hole? If you can’t think of anything specific, can you remember the last time (or any time) you felt this way? I feel extremely self-conscious and inadequate all the time. 14. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? I’d rather not say what it is. 15. Are there any cities near you that you’re afraid to go to because of the crime rate or its other bad reputations? I city I live in has a high crime rate and bad reputation. :/ We’ve wanted to move for a long time, but we haven’t financially been able to do so. We really want to try and do so soon, though. 16. If you went to camp as a kid, was it a pleasant experience? Do you think that all kids should be able to go to camp? If you didn’t go to camp, do you feel like you kind of missed out on something? My 6th grade class went to science camp, which was a thing a lot of 6th grade classes did at various schools in my state at least. I don’t know if that’s a thing anywhere else. Anyway, it was actually pretty fun. We we were there for a week and were out in the woods doing nature-y things and learning about that kind of stuff, but they made it interesting and fun. We went to the beach one day, too, which was really fun. We had bonfires at night and sang songs. We did fun things with our cabin mates and cabin leaders. It was cool. I also went to a Girl Scout camp for a week, which was really fun. We put on skits with our groups and did a lot of other fun activities. 17. Do you grandparents ever judge you or stick their heads in your business? If not, is there someone else in your life you dread seeing because of their unwanted input? I love my grandparents, and I know my Nana just loves and cares about me and is concerned for my wellbeing, but yes I do feel judged sometimes. There’s things she doesn’t understand. 18. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? Probably when I was younger. 19. Would you ever go on a media fast (i.e., avoiding tv, movies, the internet, and magazines for a certain amount of time, in an attempt to become aware of how media makes you feel)? Do you think that sort of thing would benefit you? Nah. That would be incredibly boring, ha. 20. Are you happy with where you currently live? If not, what don’t you like about the area and do you plan on leaving? No. I already explained why. 21. If someone told you that we live in a society that hates women, how would you respond? Okay. We live in a society that hates everything. <–TRUTH. <<< Honestly, though. 22. When was the last time you were on a boat? Whose boat was it, and what were you doing? Like 2008/2009. It was a boat that took us across to an island where we were toured Alcatraz in San Francisco. 23. Have you ever been completely blindsided by a break-up or have you sort of felt all of your relationships deteriorating before they ended? If you would prefer not to answer, what is the last instance you can remember being totally blindsided by news you heard? I mean, it shouldn’t have come as a big surprise. He didn’t want to commit and it he didn’t feel the same way I did about him. He completely played and used me, and the worst part is I let him. Then one day he decided he was done with me and it all stopped. There were times things were good and times things were bad and we were on and off, but when it finally ended for good I didn’t know it would really be over. Even though it should have been blatantly clear it was coming. What I was completely blindsided by; though, was when Ty just deleted Facebook and Instagram and fell off the grid. I haven’t heard from him in 3 years. I have no idea what happened to him or what he’s doing and I have no way of finding out. 24. Can you remember the last thing you thought and subsequently thought, “wow, I really shouldn’t be thinking that”? Hmm. Not at the moment. 25. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? I don’t think about getting married. I don’t plan on ever getting married.

[thosearcanaimagines]

Ciao! I was wondering if you could do a matchup for my apprentice? She’s 5’6, curvy, has freckles, and blood red hair. Her personality is more on the extroverted side with being quite bubbly and excitable but also has her down days where she just likes to relax by herself and paint. She’s the motherly neutral type that gets along well with very chaotic or very lawful energies. However she’s also pretty stubborn and gets snippy when she’s annoyed/upset/tired. (1/3) - 🌹

She’s pretty quick witted, passive aggressive, and sarcastic, often mumbling under her breath when someone walks away that’s ticked her off. Which takes either being a total dumbass or an asshole or both. Her biggest concern is the happiness and comfort of others rather than herself and keeps her emotions relatively well hidden. (She’s an empath.) (2/3, which is probably gonna end up being 4 parts, sorry) - 🌹

She doesn’t like confrontation and prefers to talk things out and understand the other side, if they are willing to, before resorting to less pleasant means of resolve, and even then opting to walk away instead. Her dream is to become an art teacher and be able to help and inspire young people to follow their dreams. Hobbies include drawing, painting, cooking, baking, spirit communication, sewing, dancing, singing, and learning as much as she can about others and the world. (3/4) - 🌹

She gushes over animals, sometimes even crying, because they’re so cute. She loves food and munches when she’s bored. (Someone stop her before her heart does.) As if she wasn’t crazy enough, she loves thunderstorms and the severe the better. Catch her outside running and giggling like a maniac while splashing all over the place like a toddler. Speaking of laughing, she’s the type to cry and snort when she finds something really funny and her sense of humor can be kinda dark/random. (4/4) - 🌹

I ship her with 

Muriel

While it may not be the most obvious choice, hear me out. Her extroverted personality would be a change of pace for him, but one that could help him. In return, he is very much willing to reason arguments out with her rather than fight loudly - he had enough of that to last him a lifetime. It is a welcome balance.

Also, obviously, she would get along very well with Inanna and his chickens, given the opportunity to adopt more animals straight out of the woods. Plus, thunderstorms are that much more impressive in a forest.

[suckitsurveys]

1. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days? We have a decent yard at the apartment. Our landlord had a patio and new grass and a garden put in after we moved in, so it’s pretty nice. We have a fire pit and a patio set and grills back there. I love it.

2. Is there a group of friends that you used to hang out with but no longer do? Why don’t you hang out anymore and how do you feel about them now? I mean, grade school friends.

3. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? Yeah. My dad and I like movies and baseball.

4. Did you ever say or ask something that you assumed was a neutral subject, but the person you were talking to became offended and you had no idea why? Probably.

5. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? There’s nothing really that comes to mind. I’m waiting more for new seasons of TV shows.

6. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you got the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! Nope.

7. Do you ever feel like anyone is “out of your league” or does that concept not make any sense to you? What do you do when you’re attracted to someone but find them out of your league? Nah.

8. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? You have to love Bob’s Burgers or we can’t be friends.

9. Do you refer to yourself by any sort of fan nickname (Belieber, Little Monster, etc.)? Nah.

10. Do you ever just get lazy and give up on your friendships? Nope. Not completely.

11. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you. My sister, sometimes.

12. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? --

13. What sort of situations make you feel most self-conscious or inadequate? Are there any people or places that just make you want to crawl into a hole? If you can’t think of anything specific, can you remember the last time (or any time) you felt this way? Life?

14. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? I’m fond of my Facebook name, which is not my real name but a play on it. I’m not going to share it here though.

15. Are there any cities near you that you’re afraid to go to because of the crime rate or its other bad reputations? Yo I live in Chicago dude.

16. If you went to camp as a kid, was it a pleasant experience? Do you think that all kids should be able to go to camp? If you didn’t go to camp, do you feel like you kind of missed out on something? I didn’t go to camp but Wet Hot American Summer makes me wish I did SO bad.

17. Do you grandparents ever judge you or stick their heads in your business? If not, is there someone else in your life you dread seeing because of their unwanted input? She doesn’t seem to care that much.

18. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? Maybe.

19. Would you ever go on a media fast (i.e., avoiding tv, movies, the internet, and magazines for a certain amount of time, in an attempt to become aware of how media makes you feel)? Do you think that sort of thing would benefit you? No thanks.

20. Are you happy with where you currently live? If not, what don’t you like about the area and do you plan on leaving? Yeah I love where I live right now.

21. If someone told you that we live in a society that hates women, how would you respond? Yeah we do.

22. When was the last time you were on a boat? Whose boat was it, and what were you doing? A couple summers ago my friends Lydia and Sarah went on an architectural boat tour of Chicago on the river.

23. Have you ever been completely blindsided by a break-up or have you sort of felt all of your relationships deteriorating before they ended? If you would prefer not to answer, what is the last instance you can remember being totally blindsided by news you heard? I don’t recall.

24. Can you remember the last thing you thought and subsequently thought, “wow, I really shouldn’t be thinking that”? Eh.

25. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? I had a blue dress and we got married at city hall with no one except us present. Our rings are also pretty non-traditional. 

[darksiders-scenarios]

Can we have scenarios for Death and War, where they see something that makes them think their s/o's are cheating on them but in the end it turns out it was a misunderstanding. Or, if you'd rather have the horsemen being the "cheaters" that would be totally ok. I just want some relationship angst that ends in reassurance and cuddle-fluff.

~Well… this is officially an essay that I’ve just typed. Too long to add War’s but I will make time to post it soon :) Sorry if it’s not angsty enough. I typed this late at night and um, yeah a lot of things can be wrong. I can’t really see Death as a raging type but well *sighs* I tried something *boohoo* I don’t knooooooowwwww. Here’s the thing. Now lemme go wallow somewhere…

Death

The overhead blue lights were stinging your eyes, causing them to water and prompting you to shield them with the cups of your palms. Leaning your elbows upon the counter, you grimaced at the buzz of people chattering endlessly, the combination of their voices and blasting music pounded against your eardrums, deepening your throbbing headache.

You took another shot, wincing at the sensation of the alcohol sliding down your throat, burning so much that you wouldn’t be surprised if it seared your skin. The pain was tolerable though. More tolerable than this excruciating reality.

Through your near drunken state, despite your best efforts, you couldn’t shake him off your mind. ‘Couldn’t, or wouldn’t?’ your inner voice taunted. You twirled the wine glass in your hand, feeling the cold, smooth glass caress your skin. You raised your head and looked around the pub.

Dancing under the spotlight, drinking and bantering amiably amongst one another, beautiful humans covered every space of the floor. The atmosphere was disgustingly pleasant.  Beautiful… with their perfect bodies and endearing features that fit the ideal beauty standards of your society. Bliss and enjoyment adorned their features. Outgoing. Beautiful. Perfect.

Your grip on the glass tightened so much you felt it crack under your fingers.

The same humans who admired your horseman companion, who would do anything to get close to him. You wouldn’t be surprised if he relented. Simultaneously, you knew that he would do no such thing. He never responded to their flirtatious advances nor their flower gifting nor their desire to take selfie shots with him. He had always been courteous and politely declined their advances. You could only assume that he was not familiar with the human ‘courting system’.

Although you and Death had never officially declared your relationship for one another, there was a mutual agreement that you would remain at each other’s side. But that was before humanity’s resurrection. And you were the only human back then. And with all the attention he was now receiving, you were no longer certain if that understanding was really mutual. And all it did was fuel your insecurity and catastrophising.

You remained sat on the high stool until the final orange hue of the evening light dissipated entirely. Someone nudged you in the side but you feebly swatted the hand away. You were too drained and lacked all motivation to converse with anyone.

“Y/N?” a familiar voice called. Even through your hazy mind, you recognised the person. It wasn’t him.

You looked up and saw that it was your older cousin standing over you. There was a concerned look on their face as they drew a seat and sat beside you. “How come you’re here,” they questioned. “I didn’t know you drank.” It was true. It was rare that you consumed alcohol, only drinking out of politeness with your family and friends. But lately, you found that you liked the way it disoriented you and clouded your inhibitions during depressive moments.  

You’re not sure what prompted you. Because the moment you opened your mouth, a string of garbled, incoherent ramble was let loose. Whether the sentences connected or what you said made sense mattered little. Perhaps it was the concern of another human being, or that it was a family member, you weren’t sure. Perhaps it was your intoxicated state that pushed you to do what you did next. Because all of a sudden human contact didn’t seem so bad. A hug. A sense of security. Comfort. Anything. That’s all you wanted. All you needed.

And that’s what you did. Just before you felt your consciousness fade in and out of reality. Everything was suddenly a blur and all sounds fluctuated between jarring and muffling. There was the faint sound of people gasping and scuttling away before you dimly felt yourself being slung over the shoulder of a towering Goliath. You struggled at first but your attempts were as feeble as a mouse against the bulk of a feline. And it was with a heavy heart that you let yourself be carried away just before blacking out completely.

When you woke up, you weren’t in your bed. You were lain sideways on your couch in the living room. The dim orange glow of the light bulb elicited a groan from your lips and you pushed your face into the cushion that was underneath your head.

“Too bright?” came Death’s deep voice. Groaning in response, you heard heavy footsteps before the light was switched off. You didn’t move, rattling your mind of how you ended up here and feeling your heart race when you couldn’t remember instantly.

A cool hand touched your arm. Turning your face to the side, you saw that he was holding a glass of water. He helped you sit up and you winced in pain. You glanced at Death. His amber gaze was neutral but he wasn’t staring at you. Your skin prickled at an unsettling feeling, worry escalating slightly.

When your fingers fumbled weakly to hold the glass, he pressed its edge to your lips and gently tipped your head back. You noticed that his shoulders were tense and the muscles in his extended arm were taut. You swallowed, feeling the cool liquid cleansing your sore throat.

“W-What happened?” you croaked.  

“Drink,” he commanded simply but his voice was not unkind. So you took another sip. As you drank, the memories gradually seeped into your mind; you were sitting in the pub, brooding… and then your cousin came. You felt your stomach muscles clench tightly when it dawned on you what happened afterwards. The heavy loneliness, the desperate need for comfort. The hug. Had Death witnessed it?

As he drew back, you reached out and clasped his forearm. He paused in place but no words were uttered. Your mind was a hollowed buzz as you waited. He sighed then. It was slow and lengthy. You couldn’t handle it.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered at last, eyes drawing as far up to his collarbone. You couldn’t go beyond it.

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “You did nothing that requires an apology,” the words sounded drawn. “But your referral to intoxication as a means of coping is troubling.”

You frowned. He wasn’t even asking what you’ve been doing. “Where is C/N?” you asked instead.

“To my knowledge, they remained within the building but I didn’t chance a second glance back,” he replied lightly, although you suspected there was more to his statement. “Would you rather I take you back to them?”

You shook your head, immediately regretting as you felt your brain rattle within your skull. “No,” you muttered.

“Y/N, look at me” he tried again. You complied, noticing deepening frown lines above his mask. “We’ve known each other for a long time, long enough to attain an understanding that it is no sin to shroud certain aspects about us in secrecy,” he gently pried your hand from his arm and laid it to your side. For some reason, it felt like rejection.

“However, I would strongly discourage you from adopting this unhealthy method. It’s dangerous and as I stated earlier, troubling,” he paused as you started to breathe heavily, lips pressed tightly together. “It might be wise for you to seek out a human healer.”

You slammed your hand against the coffee table in front of you. Straightening your back, you threw a heated glare at him to which he returned with that same neutral look. “That’s it then? You’re dismissing me?”

He blinked. “Forgive me,” he said lowly, leaning back and letting his hands fall onto his crossed legs. “But I was under the impression that humans sought advice from human professionals, or therapists as you call them.”

“Don’t you even want to know why I’m feeling that way?” you argued, vocal muscles protesting against the sudden strain.

He dipped his head slightly. The only sounds in the room were the clock ticking and your hurried breathing. He remained silent for a while, as if debating with himself. “You are conflicted. Fearful. Mourning,” he sighed, his amber eyes losing some of its intensity. “A growing resentment rises within you, wailing, in desperate need of something. A need to understand. A need to be understood.”

You averted your gaze to the glass in your hand. It came as no surprise. He had always been insightful. Was that… guilt that you were experiencing?

“All of these that you’re searching for,” he added quietly. “I don’t think I can give you. I am no human, I do not comprehend the human psyche as profoundly as you do, as one is expected to when bonding.”

“Death, I-”

“It is no sin to leave certain things unsaid,” he carried on. “But perhaps, that was the driving force.”

“Driving force?” you echoed to yourself, eyes instantly widening when it dawned on you his implication. Your cousin. The comfort you were seeking- missing. You sought in them. “Death,” you began, searching his eyes yet unable to read his expression as usual. “I was disoriented,” you reminded him.

“So you were,” he hummed, matter-of-factly. It made you bristle.

“But I wasn’t cheating on you.”

His expression remained impassive. The overwhelming loneliness and desperation returned with a vengeance. “I am not angry-”.

“I will never cheat on you!” you yelled, placing both hands on the table as you leant forward, panting and staring wide-eyed at the horseman. “How could I ever…” you shook your head, disbelief slamming into you. “I could never do that to you. I’m just-” you halted yourself. It’s no use, how could he understand?

“You’re just?” Death prompted, fingers curling onto the surface of the table.

“I was the one thinking you were gonna leave me,” you moaned, clenching your fists. “I’m so scared,” you added lamely.

“And that fear is keeping you in place,” he affirmed softly.

“I know. And yet, I don’t know,” you chuckled dryly, looking away. “I’ve had this fear for a long time and it’s just becoming more intense everyday. I keep thinking, oh I don’t know, that maybe you’ll get bored of me. Maybe you’ll just, just… I don’t know.”

“You have a tendency to utilise that phrase a lot.”

“I know…”  you shrugged. “Death... I don’t desire anyone else besides you.”

“And I you.”

You gritted your teeth, “I wish I could understand you sometimes,” you muttered.

Through the corner of your eye, you saw him rub a hand over his mask, making your insides churn even more unpleasantly. “Oh Y/N, come here.” You felt his solid hand grasp your wrist, nudging until you stood up and allowed him to direct you around the table. Once close enough, he snaked a brawny arm around your waist, drawing you to sit on his knee.

Despite yourself, your heart hammered against your chest at this unexpected display of affection. You have always marvelled his physique from a distant, daydreaming and wondering what it would be like to hold him or cuddle him.

“I’m not the easiest being to be with, I understand that,” he brushed a large hand over your scalp, a morose look in his eyes. “My past has always remained concealed and it will remain so for a very long time. But that is not to say that I am intolerant of your emotional needs. The Nephilim are creatures of chaos and destruction. Humans are creatures of emotions and intelligence,” he paused as he drew his other hand to your back, pushing you till your face rested on his shoulder. You let your gaze linger on his deep engraved rune.

“Death,” you murmured. “What we lack is communication.”

You felt him nod. “It was wrong of me to assume that you were in love with another human.”

“I’m sorry too.”

A quiet moment ensured as you both sat still in the dimness of the lounge, relishing in each other’s company. “Guide me Y/N,” he breathed into your hair. “What can I do?”

“Just,” you clutched his shoulders with trembling fingers. “Just hold me?”

Wordlessly, he drew his face back to stare at you, softly taking you in. His eyes creased, that morose look melting into some more affectionate. Lowering his head down, you sighed contentedly at the feel of his firm cheek gently squeezing against yours.

[foundcarcosa]

cclxxii.

1. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days? >> I live in an apartment, so no yard. I... don’t spend a lot of time outdoors, even on nice days, unfortunately. The land around here doesn’t inspire me. Considering how long I’m stuck here, I might have to make some serious attempts in trying to enjoy the few months of decent weather per year, but I don’t know how I’m going to do that yet. That annoying “Just go outside! Find something to do! It’s all mind over matter!”-esque advice, which is a dime a dozen on the internet, is completely useless.

2. Is there a group of friends that you used to hang out with but no longer do? Why don’t you hang out anymore and how do you feel about them now? >> Sure. Because I don’t live in NYC anymore.

3. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? >> We have a lot of artistic overlap, but since I haven’t seen him in years I’m not sure where else our interests connect.

4. Did you ever say or ask something that you assumed was a neutral subject, but the person you were talking to became offended and you had no idea why? >> Probably, but it’s definitely not as common an occurrence in my experience as some people make it sound. Also: not understanding why someone takes offence to something is a me problem, not a them problem.

5. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? >> I don’t know, but I was really excited about Black Panther for months, and before that I was excited for Thor: Ragnarok, and both of those movies delivered superbly and lived up to (and beyond) their hype and I’m happy about that. It’s good to feel good.

6. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you got the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! >> Aside from bayou devils and graveyard angels, which is mostly a half-formed thing with no direction, I don’t really have any ideas.

7. Do you ever feel like anyone is “out of your league” or does that concept not make any sense to you? What do you do when you’re attracted to someone but find them out of your league? >> The concept doesn’t really make sense to me, but I understand not comprehending why someone would be interested in oneself. I try not to take that feeling too seriously. If I’m attracted to someone and I feel like they would have no reason to be interested in me, then I mostly just leave it alone. Occasionally I shoot my shot anyway, but it’s not really all that important to me anymore.

8. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? >> I’m not sure, really. If they’re interested in me then we probably already have some common ground somewhere, so I promise it wouldn’t be all that difficult to get my attention back.

9. Do you refer to yourself by any sort of fan nickname (Belieber, Little Monster, etc.)? >> X-Phile was a big one for a while. I don’t remember if members of the Despair Faction called themselves anything individually. Uh.... yeah, I’m not too sure any of the fandoms I participate in now have fan names. Or maybe I just don’t know what they are.

10. Do you ever just get lazy and give up on your friendships? >> I get lazy about keeping up with social expectations. But I also don’t make friends with people who get hung up on that kind of thing easily.

11. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you. >> No.

12. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? >> ---

13. What sort of situations make you feel most self-conscious or inadequate? Are there any people or places that just make you want to crawl into a hole? If you can’t think of anything specific, can you remember the last time (or any time) you felt this way? >> I’m not sure.

14. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? >> I’m most fond of blackCarcosa / foundCarcosa, obviously. dimCarcosa is another offshoot that I like. Oh, I also have teslascrawlingchaos, which is fun, but it’s long and unwieldy.

15. Are there any cities near you that you’re afraid to go to because of the crime rate or its other bad reputations? >> No.

16. If you went to camp as a kid, was it a pleasant experience? Do you think that all kids should be able to go to camp? If you didn’t go to camp, do you feel like you kind of missed out on something? >> I only attended day camp as a child; all the actual camps I went to were as an adult. I don’t really have an opinion about camp for kids, seeing as I didn’t experience that or anything, and no, I don’t feel like I missed out. I loved going as an adult, and that’s good enough for me. (I probably wouldn’t have liked it as a child, honestly.)

17. Do you grandparents ever judge you or stick their heads in your business? If not, is there someone else in your life you dread seeing because of their unwanted input? >> There isn’t anyone in my life that I dread seeing because of their unwanted input. The closest person would be Sparrow’s mother, but that’s also why I don’t grace her with my presence, and I asked Sparrow not to divulge any details about me to her anymore. She can mind her damn business for once in her life.

18. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? >> Probably, yeah.

19. Would you ever go on a media fast (i.e., avoiding tv, movies, the internet, and magazines for a certain amount of time, in an attempt to become aware of how media makes you feel)? Do you think that sort of thing would benefit you? >> No, I don’t think that’d benefit me. I know how media makes me feel, and honestly, I think I could do a lot worse than this. I think people do stuff like this to prove a point sometimes, or to seem like they’ve got it together (”I can quit any time! See? Wow this feels so great and wholesome! If only everyone could experience this, the world as it’s ~truly meant to be~ [blah blah blah]”) and I have nothing to prove to anyone.

20. Are you happy with where you currently live? If not, what don’t you like about the area and do you plan on leaving? >> No. I don’t really want to spend fifteen minutes detailing what, exactly, about Middle America, Michigan, Grand Rapids, etc I don’t like. It feels like I do that too much anyway. Suffice it to say that I’m sure it’s a lovely place if it suits you, but it does not suit me in any way, shape, or form, and having been mostly ambivalent or begrudgingly accepting of places I’ve lived, this is a new and painful feeling that I haven’t figured out how to modulate yet. Hopefully I’ll figure out a balance eventually. I don’t plan on leaving because that would require dramatically breaking the social contract of being someone’s long-term partner, but hopefully within a decade we’ll be able to move South. I’m banking on it.

21. If someone told you that we live in a society that hates women, how would you respond? >> “That sounds about right.”

22. When was the last time you were on a boat? Whose boat was it, and what were you doing? >> Probably the last time I was on the Staten Island Ferry.

23. Have you ever been completely blindsided by a break-up or have you sort of felt all of your relationships deteriorating before they ended? If you would prefer not to answer, what is the last instance you can remember being totally blindsided by news you heard? >> I’ve never been completely blindsided by a breakup, no.

24. Can you remember the last thing you thought and subsequently thought, “wow, I really shouldn’t be thinking that”? >> No, but it happens a lot, lol.

25. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? >> I think most of our wedding is going to be non-traditional in some fashion. No bridal party, no overtly religious overtones (whatever... religious ~stuff~ that comes part and parcel with dealing with me notwithstanding), no expensive fluff like flowers and shit, a casual ceremony and reception, not inviting people for the sake of inviting them, no wedding registry, and so on. It might be traditionally New Orleanian, if we do get the second line package and all of that, though.

[beaglelinefics]

First Dates and Hospital Trips

NCT X Platonic Reader (Gender Neutral), Jaehyun X Reader

Writer: Jaime

Previous Parts: Netflix and Chill, Blanket Burrito, Stormy Weather, Alternate Coffee Universe, The Unpleasantly Pleasant

Masterlist

            “Mork!”

            The poor boy flailed as you ran up to him and slung an arm over his shoulder. He had been leaving his class when you saw him across the quad, and you needed him for something. Something very important.

            “Uh, hey, Y/N. What’s up?”

            “So you’re friends with Donghyuck, right?”

            “Yeah…”

            “And he’s friends with Jaehyun, right?”

            “Oh my god, Y/N, I’m not putting in a good word for you.”

            “Oh come on! I trust you so much more than Ten!”

            “Y/N, I love you, but I’m not getting involved. Setting people up makes me uncomfortable,” he whined. “I think it’s trauma from when Jaemin almost got killed.”

            “See, I think that’s the reason Yuta doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

            “You know he’s also friends with Jaehyun, right?”

            “Are you serious? Great! Now my chances with him went down again!”

            “Wait, you had a chance with him?”

            “How dare—yes I did!” You took out your phone and proudly showed him the contact for Jaehyun. “He said he liked me too! And gave me his number!”

            “Oh, wow, look at that.” He leaned closer to properly look at it. “Hey, do you mind if I just,” he snatched the phone from your hand and sprinted away from you, “borrow this! I’ll see you later!”

            “Wait just a—Mark! Mark Lee! You get back here!” The entire quad turned to look at you two as you gave chase, breathing heavily as you attempted to catch up. “I knew it! I knew you were working for Ten! Your innocence is a façade!”

            “I’m sorry, Y/N! He promised me ten bucks!”

            “You cheap hoe!”

            “A man’s gotta pay for pizza somehow!”

            “You, sir, are no man!” You skidded to a halt and leaned against a tree to give your screaming legs a rest and try to catch your breath. “I can’t believe you would betray me like this, Mork! I thought we were bros!”

            “Dominos before bros!” he called over his shoulder before rounding the corner.

            That bitch was disowned.

            “Taeil!”

            “Oh boy.”

            “Oh boy is correct, sir.” You slammed your hand on the table and glared at him. “What do you know?”

            “Me? I don’t know anything,” he insisted as he tried to maintain an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

            “Bullshit.” You smiled at the boy sitting beside your friend. “Hello, Taeyong, you look lovely today. I’m sorry you have to bear witness to this mess.”

            “Uh, yeah, no, it’s cool.”

            “Now, Taeil, spill. I know Ten put you up to something. If he put Mark up to something, he most definitely put you up to something. I want to know what.”

            “Y/N, I’m telling you, Ten didn’t put me up to something. I mean, you know what happened last time! I don’t want one of the little ones to almost die!”

            You narrowed your eyes at him and motioned that you were watching him. You slowly took out a chair and lowered yourself onto it. “You listen here, sir, I’m watching you. I am going to be stuck to you like a nasty ass piece of chewed gum on Doyoung’s shoe. You can’t do anything, got it?”

            “Right, okay. Just stay here and waste your time.” He rolled his eyes and focused on his book once more. “Have fun watching me study.”

            “You know what? I will.” You took out your own textbook and notebook and set them out on the table in front of you. “Taeyong, if you see anything suspicious, tell me. He’s up to something. I know he is.”

            “Um… pretty sure he’s here to study with me, but I’ll keep that in mind.”

            “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

            Taeil smirked at you over his book as you turned to start taking notes on your reading. It looked as though the plan was working perfectly.

            “No, Doyoung, I can’t get ice cream with you because I’m too busy keeping an eye on Taeil,” you snapped into Taeyong’s phone. “Mork stole my phone for Ten, and I’m positive Taeil is in on this as well.”

            You could hear your friend’s heavy sigh. “Y/N, I have a coupon for free ice cream. Are you seriously telling me that you’re going to turn this down?”

            “…I… ugh, as much as it pains me, yes. I am. I am not letting Ten go through with this plan of his, not again. Do you know how much I cried when I had to sit there waiting for Jaemin’s arm to be reset? A lot. I love that child. I don’t want any of the other little ones to suffer that same fate.”

            “I respect and admire that, I really do, but I feel like if Taeil was in on it, he wouldn’t be able to hide it from you. He has all those weird facial features, you know?”

            “You make a good point there.” You studied Taeil’s face for any suspicious activity, but couldn’t find any other than his usual suspicious expression. “Okay, fine, I’ll meet you there. I need to stop by the apartment and change. I think I sweat a lot when I chase Mark.”

            “Solid. I’ll see if I can get your phone back from Mark and Ten.”

            “Doyoung, I freaking love you. I’ll see you later for some free ice cream, alright?”

            “Yessss!”

            You hung up and handed the phone back to Taeyong, giving him a grateful smile. “Thanks for letting me use your phone.”

            “Yeah, no problem. Sorry it got stolen.”

            “Yeah… the child has been disowned.”

            “Pfft, there’s no way you could possibly disown that boy,” Taeil snorted. “You love Mark.”

            “That was before he betrayed me in this way. Ten dollars. That’s how little it took for him to turn against me.” You looked off in the distance as Mark’s last words haunted you. Dominos before bros… was that really what your love had come to? “Anyways, I gotta go. Free ice cream is calling my name.”

            “Yeah, have fun with the bunny.”

            “I will, thank you. Have fun studying.”

            You guys bumped fists and waved before you were heading off to your apartment to change. Taeil turned to grin at Taeyong.

            “Honestly this is thirty bucks well earned,” he told his friend.

            “You’re still taking me out to eat, right? I don’t like lying to Y/N. We have history.”

            “Right, the history of you two bonding over the mutual embarrassment of you roommates?”

            “Yeah. We’re kindred souls.”

            “Yeah, Taeyong, I’m still taking you out to eat.”

            “Good. Then I don’t really feel guilty about lying.”

            “Oh, look, it’s Satan,” you announce in distaste when you see Ten lounging on your couch. “What are you up to, demon?”

            “Me? Just chillin’. Mark’s gone to get some pizza.”

            “You should be ashamed of yourself. Using a child like that for your own gain.”

            “Maybe I should, but I don’t.” He tossed you your phone and grinned. “I had a great time scrolling through your messages. Who knew someone as bitter as you could seem sweet when texting Jaehyun?”

            “Learned from the best. Anyways, I’m meeting Doyoung for free ice cream.”

            “Sounds fun.”

            “Yeah, it would be, if I didn’t have to change. My shirt is still damp from when I ran after Mark because he stole my phone under your influence.” You sniffed and walked past him with your head turned firmly in the other direction. “It really is the sweet ones who are most at risk from the temptation of the devil.”

            “Um, rude.”

            “You totally deserved it,” you muttered before shutting the door to your room. “Now let’s see what your slimy hands did with my phone.”

            You frantically scrolled through all your texts and social media to see if he had written anything odd or embarrassing, but it seemed clean. Too clean. You knew he was up to something. Ten was never satisfied by simply reading messages. He was a monster of chaos. He had to have done something. WHAT HAD THAT DEMON DONE? Your panic was rising as you still couldn’t find anything wrong, but you didn’t have time for this! Doyoung texted you the details and sent you a picture showing how he was not up for you being late. That kid… so impatient. So you quickly changed to look more presentable and ran back out, landing a satisfying smack on the back of Ten’s head.

            “I’m going to find out what you did,” you told him confidently.

            “Oh, I have no doubt,” he replied with a smirk. “Good luck to you, sweetheart.”

            “Gross.”

            “Oh hell no.”

            You had arrived at the ice cream place to see no sign of Doyoung. You immediately knew something was up. He would never stand you up like this if free ice cream was involved, so what was really going on here? You got your answer when you saw Jaehyun crossing the street to enter the same ice cream parlor you were currently fuming inside. Those dicks! They were all in on it! All of them! Including sweet Taeyong. You’d trusted him. You’d trusted him, and this was how he repaid that trust.

            “Hey, Y/N,” Jaehyun greeted with a warm smile. “I’m glad you texted me. I was actually getting kind of worried considering I hadn’t heard from you for a few days. I was afraid you’d gone back to avoiding me.”

            “Haha, right. I texted you. I texted you to invite you for ice cream?”

            “You don’t sound… um, are you okay?”

            “Yeah, totally!” You grabbed his hand and started dragging him to where you ordered. “Let’s get some ice cream! This place is really good!”

            While he pondered over the flavors, you were inwardly freaking out. What was going on? What had happened? What were you supposed to do here? Why had your friends betrayed you like this? You were totally out of your element. The last time you’d been on a date was with Yuta, and that ended with a broken arm and hospital trip. You looked around wildly for any sign of the little ones, but thankfully it seemed like none of them were there. So the good news was that they weren’t in any harm near you, but you had no idea if Ten was going to have them pop up later.

            “Hey, you sure you’re okay?”

            “Hm? Oh, yeah, no totally great! I’ll have uhhh…” You squinted at the flavors and ordered your favorite amongst them. “I’ll pay.”

            “What? No way! I’ve got this, don’t worry.”

            “Jaehyun, I invited you here so I’ll pay.”

            “Alright, if you insist.” He watched as you handed the cashier the money and smiled. “I’m paying next time, though.”

            Next time? You followed him outside to a bench in shocked silence. Next time? He had said next time! Meaning he wanted to do this with you again! Don’t die, don’t die, do not die! You’ve got this. You can do this. Calm down and eat your ice cream. Everything it totally chill. Nothing to worry about here. You’ve got it all under control.

            “You didn’t send that text, did you.”

            You looked up at your date with wide eyes. “Um… yeah, no. I didn’t. Mark stole my phone, and I’m betting Ten texted you. Taeil and Taeyong kept me busy while Doyoung invited me for free ice cream. I have no idea what Johnny’s part is in all of this, but I know he’s involved.”

            “Wow… your friends are dedicated.” He laughed and shook his head. “They even got Taeyong involved.”

            “You’re not… mad, are you?”

            “You kidding? Whether or not you sent the text, I still got a date with you. I’d say this is a win for me. What about you? You upset?”

            “I’m upset they did this without telling me,” you grumbled. “But… I’m glad I’m here with you. I just hope this is the end of their meddling.”

            “Why?”

            “Let’s just say they do not have the best track record.”

            “I’d say they’ve learned from it. I mean, this turned out pretty great, right?”

            “Yeah… yeah it did.”

            You both smiled at each other, and your heart raced as you saw those damned dimples. How could one person be this perfect? He leaned in closer, and you felt your eyes start to flutter shut in preparation for what was about to happen. Your lips were almost touching when you heard the crash. Your eyes snapped open, and you looked around for the source of the noise. Please don’t be one of the guys! You zeroed in on the bicycle rider sprawled out on the sidewalk, cradling their arm.

            “Na Jaemin!” you shrieked before running over. “Jaehyun, I’m so sorry, but I’ve got to go. My idiot friends have screwed up yet again.”

            “Do you need any help?” Jaehyun asked worriedly as he saw the angle the kid’s arm was at. “Oh, shit, that’s looks bad.”

            “Just, uh, call Mark and tell him to get everyone to the hospital. I’ve got to get him there now.” You gave him an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry about this.”

            “Hey, don’t worry about it. Just, uh, tell me if he’s okay, and I’ll call you later?”

            “Yeah, absolutely.” You helped Jaemin up and gave him a very disapproving look as you dusted him off. “Jaemin, I thought we agreed you would just say no whenever Ten asked you to do something.”

            “But I wanted to help!” he complained through his tears. “He said riding the bike was much safer than the float!”

            “Oh my god I’m going to kill him.”

            “Johnny Seo!”

            The tall figure winced when he heard the shrill tone of your voice. All the guys winced as they followed him into the hospital waiting room. You looked furious.

            “What did I say?” you asked them as they came to a stop in front of you. “What did I say? Hm?”

            “To not set you up,” Ten mumbled.

            “Wow, look at that! You remembered! So tell me, why did you do it? If you remembered what I said, why did you do it?”

            “We just wanted to help,” Mark said softly.

            “I know…” You took a deep breath and rubbed at the crease between your eyebrows. “I know that, okay? And I appreciate it. But I told you not to get involved because I knew something like this would happen!”

            “I honestly thought he’d be okay riding the bike,” Ten offered.

            “Well obviously he wasn’t!” you snapped. “He broke his arm again, and now Jaehyun is going to pull a Yuta and never want to go on a date with me again. So thanks.”

            “I wouldn’t say that,” Taeil told you.

            “Oh really? You wouldn’t?”

            “He actually said he was afraid you wouldn’t want to go on another date because of what happened with Jaemin.”

            “Well if you pull this again, maybe I don’t!”

            “Look, we’re sorry, okay?”

            “No, Johnny, not okay!” You stepped forward to smack his chest angrily. “Jaemin is in the hospital again with a broken arm again because you guys got involved again.”

            “We won’t do it again, Y/N,” he promised. “We’ll stay out of the way. And Ten will never plan for Jaemin on a vehicle ever again, isn’t that right?”

            “…Yeah. That was my bad.”

            “You guys are idiots,” you muttered. “But… damn it, you’re my only friends so I can’t stay mad at you forever.”

            “That’s the spirit!”

            After a nice group hug, you all were finally allowed to see Jaemin, and that boy was still smiling. How did he do that? You rushed forward to wrap your arms around the child and squeezed as tight as you could without hurting him even more.

            “You are so stupid! So stupid!” you scolded him. “Never, ever do that again!”

            “Hey, I just wanted to help!” He looked at the others with bright eyes. “Did it work?”

            “Totally worked,” Ten assured him. “Although your crash broke up their kiss.”

            “How the hell—okay, you know what? It doesn’t even surprise me anymore that you guys stalked my date.” You shook your head before pressing a kiss into Jaemin’s hair. “You’ve really got to stop doing stupid stuff, bro. How am I going to explain to Mom and Dad that you broke your arm again?”

            “Um… Jeno dared me to do a wheelie?”

            “..That’ll have to do.”

            He grinned up at you before high-fiving the other guys. Seriously, your little brother was an idiot, but at least he wasn’t dead. The bike really was safer than the float considering he didn’t almost get run over again. Why were you friends with this group of idiots again? Oh, that’s right, they were the only friends you had. Mark better buy you some pizza, and Doyoung better take you for actual free ice cream, or you would actually disown them. Idiots…

[evelynmfoye]

Negotiating The Best Deal When Car Shopping

Almost everyone must shop for a Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA sooner or later. While the process of buying a vehicle can be fun, you are also likely to encounter a headache without any prior research, due to the fact that it’s such a large expense. This article has tips to make it a little more enjoyable.

Never let salespeople talk you into a car that is beyond your means. Some salesmen can talk you into an expensive car you cannot afford. Know that the person selling you the car is interested in commission, so when they sell a pricy car, they get paid more.

Know what kind of truck or car you want before going to a lot. You should look it up on the Internet and be more educated about what you want. Do your research to find out how much you ought to be paying for a potential Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA.

Paying sticker price is like flushing money down the toilet. The advertised price of a car is typically just the beginning point. They are priced for negotiations and this should be taken advantage of.

If you’re getting a Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA from someone privately, get a mechanic you know to look at it first. If the owners prevent this, you may want to look elsewhere. There could be problems associated with the car. You want information before you buy into these.

Look into the total price, not a monthly charge. The monthly price can be changed to suit your needs, but the overall price will still be very high. Don’t forget to check that before you sign on the dotted line. Focus your negotiating on getting the best deal possible on the total price and financing you receive. After, work out a monthly fee you can afford.

Bring a friend on your shopping trip. They can be an extra set of ears, along with being more reasonable about leaving when hearing a deal that doesn’t benefit you. Consider taking a close friend, parent, or spouse.

Prior to purchasing a used car, make sure that a mechanic inspects it thoroughly. If the seller or dealer declines, take your business elsewhere. Mechanics provide you with a neutral opinion on the quality of the vehicle.

Expect to spend a few hours in a dealership when shopping for a Volkswagen. You do not have to be rushed and go for a deal that is not good. Take the whole afternoon. If you don’t have enough time on your hands, you can always finish up another day.

Be sure to take a car for a test drive before buying it. It’s imperative that you make sure that your car drives like it’s supposed to do. You might find that there are some small things that are not the same or that there is something wrong.

If you’re looking to buy a new vehicle, try and get financing from a bank before starting your search. This is something that is good for your security. Usually the dealership’s finance department can find a better rate for you than a bank, but it can help if you find what interest rate you’re looking at prior to shopping.

Consider purchasing outside of a dealership. You might be surprised to find that the vehicle you want is readily available from a private owner or small lot. Utilize the classified ads in your newspaper, as well as social media sites, to help you find the car you want at a price you can afford.

Don’t feel locked into one dealer or dealership. You might be shocked to find the Volkswagen you want from a person selling their Volkswagen privately. Utilize the classified ads in your newspaper, as well as social media sites, to help you find the Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA you want at a price you can afford.

Take a potential winning vehicle for a spin before buying! You never know how the car is going to run, despite how it may look outside. Always take the time to test the equipment. There’s nothing that will allow you get a feel for the car like a hands-on demonstration. You might just find something you do not like about the car.

Many salespeople have monthly quotas or goals. Use this fact to your advantage by going to a Volkswagen dealership at the end of the month. People selling cares that haven’t met their quotas are really eager to get you to purchase a Volkswagen. That way, you have more leverage as you negotiate.

You must have an upper limit on your spending set before going to a dealer. Your budget should include the total amount you will spend and the payment amount you can afford. By having this information along with the car’s market value, you will ensure a smooth buying experience.

Try to plan your Volkswagen shopping trip for the end of the month. At the end of the month, dealership salesmen are usually trying to fill unmet quotas. Near the end of a calendar month, you might just catch a salesman behind on his quota and so willing to haggle you a better deal than usual.

Use the Internet to find used vehicles. You really do not have to visit an actual car dealer. Rather, you can search Craigslist, eBay, and classified ads, locally. You won’t feel pressure from a salesperson and can also save money.

Finding and buying a new Volkswagen is something that can be a lot of fun, but it can also tire you out. By doing just a little reasearch you will be well aware of how to get the best deal. There are a number of websites that list Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA prices. Using this technique will save you both money and time.

Be sure to inspect carefully any car you are interested in buying. Check the outside of the car for scratches and dents. When it comes to the interior, check for carpet stains or upholstery tears. Remember, once you sign the contract, the car is your responsibility. This will include any issues like scratches, dents, and rips.

Before going to a dealership, you should have a price in your mind. Calculate this number based on what you can afford, as well as current Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA values.

If you know you want a specific model, call ahead and ask if the dealer has one on the lot. If you visit the dealership without doing that, the salesperson will try to sell you any car that is on the lot. When your heart is set on something in particular — a hatchback, for example — you will be wasting your time by showing up at a dealership that cannot meet your needs. Give them a ring and see what’s available.

Dealerships and sales personnel vary greatly. Although car dealers possess a reputation for pushy salesmanship, this tactic is becoming increasingly unpopular. The landscape in sales is changing, as a lot of salesman are becoming kinder. Do not hesitate to walk away from an overbearing salesperson. Many pleasant salespeople will be more than happy to help you.

Not all dealerships operate the same way. While car salespeople have a reputation for being pushy, this sales method is losing ground. If you are more careful with a buyer this time, they are likely to come back and buy again. If you’ve got an aggressive sales person, don’t be shy about walking away. There are a lot of salespeople that will be eager to work with you.

Salespeople are out to generate as much income as possible. This should be obvious, though good salespeople can mask this motivation. Don’t let them tack on expensive things you don’t need. Even a bargain Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA can easily increase by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

Sort through car prices online as well as your surrounding area. The price of a vehicle may vary from one zip code to the next, so you should be willing to drive further to get a good deal. This will allow you to get the most for your money.

If you feel that you are being intimidated or bullied, make your exit. It doesn’t matter if they attempt to convince you to stay. Get out! Come up with a fib if necessary. Do not let salespeople push you around! There are many more “fish in the sea,” and you need to be happy with the people you are buying from.

Do some research before you visit a dealership. You can find online vehicle comparison websites as well as consumer magazines to help you discover a car that fits your needs. You will also find information about the features and pricing. You’ll save time and money if you know all you can before going shopping.

Before you shop, find out if any rebates are available. A lot of dealers will offer the rebate to you as an incentive for getting you to buy the Volkswagen. Dishonest dealerships may not even discuss a rebate. As a result, they’ll take your Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA back and you won’t even know.

Don’t let a salesperson’s affable attitude and charming smile take you in. Salesmen want you to trust and like them in order to make you more favorable toward them when it comes time to talk about prices. Don’t be swayed by a friendly smile. Use your wits, and stick to your guns.

When shopping for a Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA, try waiting until the last days of the month. Every dealership has a set of quotas to meet each month. These deals can save you a lot of money on your purchase. You can use that, sometimes, to find a superior price for what you want.

Don’t rush into buying a car. Car dealers will try to always pressure you into a buy. Do not be fooled by this. The vast majority of the time, you can still utilize special promotions in the future, regardless of what the salesman says.

Consider your driving habits while comparing different vehicles. If you do a lot of highway driving, consider a vehicle that is known for great gas mileage. Look at the setting in which you plan to drive your car most, then use that as you make your final selection.

Have the car you’re interested in buying inspected by a certified mechanic before signing any contract. This will reveal any mechanical or electrical problems that will affect your car. If problems are discovered, you should consider another car, or haggle for a lower price if the problems are minor.

While it is a good idea to look your best when you are visiting a Volkswagen dealership, do not overdress. If you dress like you are rich, you will have a hard time convincing a dealer that you need a good rate.

Get your car appraised, or try to know the value of your vehicle through the blue book. You are only going to get a fair trade-in value if you know what the car is worth. Knowing its value will make it easier to negotiate a fair price for your trade-in.

Lynchburg Va

Thinking about leasing your next car. Because used cars are now at a premium, car leases are less expensive because they will retain significant value even after you have driven them for a couple of years. Sometimes dealerships offer a no money down lease which sweetens the deal even more.

Do not let the idea of Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA shopping intimidate you. A little research ahead of time goes a long way towards making the whole process more fun. The article you’ve just read has hopefully provided you with all the knowledge you need in order to make the best Volkswagen in Lynchburg VA purchase.

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[nostalgiaispeace]

733.

1. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days? no yard

2. Is there a group of friends that you used to hang out with but no longer do? Why don’t you hang out anymore and how do you feel about them now? yes; they moved away and/or went to college; still my bffs

3. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? no

4. Did you ever say or ask something that you assumed was a neutral subject, but the person you were talking to became offended and you had no idea why? not sure?

5. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? Harry Potter films

6. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you got the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! no

7. Do you ever feel like anyone is “out of your league” or does that concept not make any sense to you? What do you do when you’re attracted to someone but find them out of your league yes; well i married him and i’m still trying to understand.

8. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? umm he liked harry potter and tattoos?

9. Do you refer to yourself by any sort of fan nickname (Belieber, Little Monster, etc.)? no...

10. Do you ever just get lazy and give up on your friendships? some

11. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you. yes

12. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? i’m married

13. What sort of situations make you feel most self-conscious or inadequate? Are there any people or places that just make you want to crawl into a hole? If you can’t think of anything specific, can you remember the last time (or any time) you felt this way? every situation; yes; rn

14. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? nostalgiaispeace; yes

15. Are there any cities near you that you’re afraid to go to because of the crime rate or its other bad reputations? yes

16. If you went to camp as a kid, was it a pleasant experience? Do you think that all kids should be able to go to camp? If you didn’t go to camp, do you feel like you kind of missed out on something? sometimes; if they want to

17. Do you grandparents ever judge you or stick their heads in your business? If not, is there someone else in your life you dread seeing because of their unwanted input? no

18. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? yessssssss

19. Would you ever go on a media fast (i.e., avoiding tv, movies, the internet, and magazines for a certain amount of time, in an attempt to become aware of how media makes you feel)? Do you think that sort of thing would benefit you? can i still read books tho?

20. Are you happy with where you currently live? If not, what don’t you like about the area and do you plan on leaving? yes

21. If someone told you that we live in a society that hates women, how would you respond? i’m not shocked.

22. When was the last time you were on a boat? Whose boat was it, and what were you doing? dunno

23. Have you ever been completely blindsided by a break-up or have you sort of felt all of your relationships deteriorating before they ended? If you would prefer not to answer, what is the last instance you can remember being totally blindsided by news you heard? when i was a teen i was blindsided.

24. Can you remember the last thing you thought and subsequently thought, “wow, I really shouldn’t be thinking that!”? all the time.

25. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? my whole wedding wasn’t traditional.

[idosurveystovent]

3.

1. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days?  no, our yard sucks ass. we can’t even get grass to grow because there are so many ugly pine trees

2. Is there a group of friends that you used to hang out with but no longer do? Why don’t you hang out anymore and how do you feel about them now? I don’t hang out with anyone besides seth so I guess technically yes. I don’t hang out with anyone because people suck, in general, and the only way to be totally drama free is to drop all your friends.

3. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? Mom likes to drink, and dad likes the wacky tobaccy so I guess that's a thing

4. Did you ever say or ask something that you assumed was a neutral subject, but the person you were talking to became offended and you had no idea why? probably, I'm good at sticking my foot in my mouth

5. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? I literally pay zero attention to movies these days, but back in the day when Twilight was big, I remember being really excited about that.

6. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you got the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! no

7. Do you ever feel like anyone is “out of your league” or does that concept not make any sense to you? What do you do when you’re attracted to someone but find them out of your league? <<<<<<super low confidence so ya

8. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? telling a totally awful joke

9. Do you refer to yourself by any sort of fan nickname (Belieber, Little Monster, etc.)? why would anyone do that

10. Do you ever just get lazy and give up on your friendships? YESSSSSSSSS...100% me. but they never tried to keep the friendship going so...not that good of friends after all, huh? 

11. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you. nah

12. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? not single

13. What sort of situations make you feel most self-conscious or inadequate? Are there any people or places that just make you want to crawl into a hole? If you can’t think of anything specific, can you remember the last time (or any time) you felt this way? lol its funny you should ask...I feel this way most of the time for no reason. social anxiety I guess. 

14. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? not_you_haha ive had that email for 15 years probably and the only thing I use it for nowadays is Facebook

15. Are there any cities near you that you’re afraid to go to because of the crime rate or its other bad reputations? Little Rock

16. If you went to camp as a kid, was it a pleasant experience? Do you think that all kids should be able to go to camp? If you didn’t go to camp, do you feel like you kind of missed out on something? I went to chuch camp once when I was like 13 or 14, and it wasn’t even my religion lol. it was alright. 

17. Do you grandparents ever judge you or stick their heads in your business? If not, is there someone else in your life you dread seeing because of their unwanted input? my grandma doesn’t judge me anymore like she used to. (well besides commenting on my weight, like she has done for as long as I remember, as well as the rest of my family on that side) because I guess she realized that I was beyond fixing so she gave up. idk.

18. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? Not that I know of

19. Would you ever go on a media fast (i.e., avoiding tv, movies, the internet, and magazines for a certain amount of time, in an attempt to become aware of how media makes you feel)? Do you think that sort of thing would benefit you? nope, it sounds stupid as fuck, in my opinion

20. Are you happy with where you currently live? If not, what don’t you like about the area and do you plan on leaving? it is okay. its a long ways away from both of our works and my daughters school. no, we plan on moving to the town her school is in. 

21. If someone told you that we live in a society that hates women, how would you respond? no. we live in a society where women need to get back in the kitchen and actually raise their kids so we don’t have future generations that do shit like eat Tide Pods

22. When was the last time you were on a boat? Whose boat was it, and what were you doing? 2 or 3 years ago. it was my mother in laws boyfriends boat and we were just enjoying the lake

23. Have you ever been completely blindsided by a break-up or have you sort of felt all of your relationships deteriorating before they ended? If you would prefer not to answer, what is the last instance you can remember being totally blindsided by news you heard? blindsided like waking up one morning to find that your husband had snuck out and sent you a text that he wanted a divorce because he didn't love you anymore (also because his father gave him an undisclosed amount of money to leave me lol)

24. Can you remember the last thing you thought and subsequently thought, “wow, I really shouldn’t be thinking that!”? 24/7 baby

25. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? we aren’t planning on a wedding. I would like to have an actual small wedding, or at least a rocking reception, but Seth wants to have a destination wedding. we have already missed our chance in Colorado and Myrtle Beach

[beaglelinefics]

The Unplesantly Pleasant

NCT X Platonic Reader (Gender Neutral)

Writer: Jaime

Previous Parts: Netflix and Chill, Blanket Burrito, Stormy Weather, Alternate Coffee Universe

Next Part: First Dates and Hospital Trips

Masterlist

  “It’s the strangest thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Ten whispered into his phone as he poked his head over the couch. “I’m actually fearing for my life right now, bro.”

            “Well what are they doing?” Johnny hissed over the line.

            “They’re… dancing. In the kitchen. Making pancakes.”

            “What the fu—get out of there bro! Obviously someone took our Y/N and replaced them with a pleasant one! Who knows what they’ll do next?”

            “As plausible as that sounds… I’m just gonna ask them what’s up.”

            “Noooo! Ten! You were so young! So full of potential!”

            “I’ll see you on the other side.” He hung up and resumed observing you closely over the back of the couch. “Hey, Y/N! What’s up?”

            “Just making some pancakes,” you replied happily before you started humming. “Want some?”

            “Uh… yeah? But can I just ask why you’re being so… pleasant? Didn’t you have class with cute dimpled boy?”

            “I did indeed, dear friend.”

            He frowned at the use of “dear friend.” You were never this nice. Maybe Johnny was onto something here…

            “So get this: I actually talked to him today without embarrassing myself!” He almost died right there. Was he imagining this? Was he hallucinating? “Turns out Mark was right. He found my awkwardness cute.”

            “Um, what?”

            “And,” you drawled out with a little shoulder shimmy, “I got his number!”

            “You did what now?”

            You shimmied once more. “I got his ten digit cellular mobile telephone device number!”

            He gaped at you in utter shock. There was absolutely no way you had spoken to the boy let alone got his digits. There was just no way. It had taken you like a month to even talk to Johnny! And you were living with him! And then another two months to speak a word to Ten, and it was even worse with Doyoung—wait. Doyoung.

            “What are you going to do about your thing with Doyoung?” he asked.

            “What thing?”

            “Your flirtationship.”

            “I mean, who says we have to end it?”

            “Um, your boyfriend?”

            “Don’t have one.”

            “Oh, I’m sorry, what was the whole,” he shimmied in an imitation of you, “getting his number about then?”

            “Well he knows about my flirtationship with Doyoung, and he doesn’t seem bothered by it. So I don’t think he’ll make us stop?”

            “Babe, I’m going to give you the harsh truth here: no guy wants their date mate to flirt with someone else.”

            “…But he’s friends with Doyoung.”

            “Oh my god, Y/N, just face that you’re going to have to be just friends with the bunny boy.”

            “But I am just friends with him.”

            “Please just kill me now. It is literally impossible to deal with you!”

            “…Do you want some pancakes?”

            “Oh my god, yes please.”

            “Yo, guys I’m—are those pancakes I smell?”

            You and Ten looked up lazily to see Doyoung standing there sniffing the air with his eyes closed in bliss. He looked like an idiot.

            “Yeah, I made some earlier.”

            “Wait, you made pancakes? Did, like, Ten threaten you?”

            “Uh, no, no I did not, thank you very much,” Ten replied with a glare in the other boy’s direction. “I was actually the one fearing for my life. They were humming too while doing it. I thought I was going to die.”

            Doyoung snorted and plopped on the couch beside you, shifting to let you tangle your legs with his. “Wow, I never thought I’d live to see the day Y/N willingly cooked anything for anyone.”

            “She got dimple boy’s number.”

            “Oh, yeah, they confessed last week.”

            “And you didn’t tell us?”

            “Kind of slipped my mind. We had a lot of projects to get done.”

            “…Whatever. I just hope you’re aware that this little thing has to end,” Ten told him as he gestured to the two of them.

            “Why? Jaehyun and I are friends, and he knows Y/N and I do a little harmless flirting.”

            “THE DIMPLE BOY IS JAEHYUN?”

            You and Doyoung winced and leaned back as Ten screeched in your faces. Maybe Doyoung shouldn’t have mentioned that…

            “Whoa, Ten, calm down.”

            “Wh—how could you not tell us you liked Jaehyun?” Ten demanded. “We could have hooked you up way earlier!”

            “Because, like I said before, the last time you tried to set me up with Yuta, we almost killed Jaemin!”

            “He was fine! Just a broken arm! Nothing a little trip to the hospital couldn’t fix!”

            “Oh my god, this is why I never let you set me up with anyone! Someone’s actually going to end up dead, Ten! As in deceased.”

            “I know what dead means, thank you.”

            “Oh do you? Congrats.”

            “I still can’t believe you would keep this from us! I thought we were friends!”

            “We are! That’s why I didn’t tell you! Doyoung only found out because we got coffee at Jaehyun’s shop when we were studying, and Mark… well let’s just say Mark found out in a way I really wish had never happened.”

            “Wait, Mark knows?” Ten rolled his eyes and flailed his limbs about in frustration. “Mark found out before us? What is this treachery? I am severely disappointed in you, Y/N. I thought you were better than this scheming and going around behind our back.”

            “You are blowing this way out of proportion.”

            “YoU aRe BlOwInG tHiS wAy OuT oF pRoPoRtIoN,” he mocked back.

            “What are you? Spongebob?”

            “That’s a quality meme,” Doyoung muttered. “Don’t compare him to that.”

            “How dare you insult me like this? The both of you!”

            “Oh dear, what’s going on now?” Johnny sighed as he came into the apartment and heard the argument.

            “Y/N likes Jaehyun and Doyoung and Mark knew before us and now apparently they’re both interested in each other!”

            “Wait… Mark and Doyoung are interested in each other?”

            “Wh—no! Jaehyun and Y/N!”

            “But… but I thought Doyoung and Y/N had a thing going on.”

            “It’s a friendship! A flirtationship! A friendship in which you flirt!” you clarified.

            “Ah, I see.”

            “Why aren’t you upset about this?” Ten whined.

            “Because I don’t crave gossip like you, Ten.”

            “Whoa, harsh.”

            Johnny rolled his eyes and ruffled Ten’s hair. “It’s true, though, and you know it.”

            “So… are you sure you don’t want us to set you up with Jaehyun because I really—“

            “Ten, no!” you all shouted to the boy.

            “Ugh, oh my god, fine. I was just trying to help.”

            “…No but really, are we sure Y/N and I have to stop flirting?”

            “Dude!”

            “Ow! This is important, Y/N!” He smacked your hands away and glared down at you. “We have a nice repertoire going on, and I’m sorry, but if your thing with Jaehyun threatens that, I’m pulling the bros before hoes card.”

            “…Okay, yeah, no, I’m going to agree with you there.”

            You two high-fived and settled back in to look at Johnny and Ten who were staring at you with strange expressions.

            “What is wrong with you two?” Johnny asked before turning the TV on. “You guys are just so weird, and that’s saying something coming from me.”

            “Oh, please, you and Ten have the strangest relationship here and don’t you even try to deny it.”

            “…Don’t try to kinkshame our love.”

            “Do you even know what that means?”

            “No but I’m trying!”

            “Oh my god what is wrong with all of us?”

            “Don’t pull me into this!”

            “You pulled yourself into this!”

            The four of you started bickering about this and that, and you were struck with the realization that for how odd it all was, this was how you knew you all loved each other. It was a strange way of showing affection, but you’d be worried if you all got along perfectly all the time. These guys made you safe and happy when most of the time you were so confused and ashamed in the world. You all may insult each other to no end, but when it came down to it, you’d die for each other. Well… maybe not die because that was kind of permanent, but definitely be maimed. Actually, no, because that hurt. You’d totally take a few insults, though. That was fair game. If that isn’t true friendship then you don’t know what is.