#mutual therapy session that is ALSO first date.

[witchering10123]

what taylor swift album each of the gaang would fuck with

(in my not exactly humble but ultimately correct opinion) you're in for the long haul so it's under the cut :)

aang: fearless and lover, don't get me wrong, he loves the sad songs, the heartbroken songs, the angry songs just as much as anyone else, but he just connects with like, the slight naivety of it all? like he's def matured since his first few crushes but it's the joy of that first love that really sweeps him off his feet ya know? and then the lover album is a more mature perspective on like a loving relationship ("cornelia street" who???) and he just loves it - OH and 1989, he and suki FUCK with 1989

katara: she's a reputation girl no doubt about it, "don't blame me" is literally her song, she owns it thank you very much, and she and zuko are reputation besties who have all the merch and they scream all the lyrics and wholeheartedly believe that rep tour is the best tour of all time HOWEVER she loves loves loves "marjorie", "don't you ever grow up" (balls her eyes out at the pair of them, but when she first heard dyegu she was sobbing -) and while they're not her fav albums, she loves singing fearless and lover with aang

sokka: ok, sokka is one of those fans who you don't realise are that intense until they are screaming themselves hoarse at folklore, mkay? I'm talking, it's not just hakoda and bato giving him the worried side-eye, it's everyone AND their mother (well, not everyone's mother but ya know) cause like, sokka was DEF involved in this major college cheating scandal and got his heart uber uber broken and had no support system because he just... didn't tell anyone because he didn't want people to worry and so screaming folklore is his therapy session. oh, and when he was dating yue their album was speak now, they literally did their homecoming king and queen dance to "enchanted" they were that couple, and he still loves the album so much but he just... can't speak for hours after a folklore song pops up, and couldn't speak for a week after the eras tour (in a similar vein, he's a big "the archer" fan, he and toph vibe with it so hard)

toph: she loves reputation (NOT for the same reasons as katara and zuko but they all still vibe with each other) because there's soooo much happening and she can literally feel the beat in her bones and the songs slap so hard and she can rage in peace :))) also she fucks so hard with "picture to burn", the harry styles saga (style, ootw, iion, wonderland, etc), "holy ground", "miss americana and the heartbreak prince" and "the archer" (and believe me she will go OFF at anyone who doesn't like the archer because "the beat's not supposed to drop, that's the whole point -)

zuko: reputation reputation reputation. all the fucking way y'all. is it shocking that "I did something bad" is his song, not his favourite (his favourites are the speak now vault tracks, "that's the way I loved you", "message in a bottle", and "wonderland" but that's neither here nor there) and no one, NO ONE gets in the way during the line "if a man talks shit then I owe him nothing" like sorry taylor, that's zuko's line actually. also he thought he was going to love folklore but then "seven" came up and he literally could not cope, and when he heard evermore was going to be in a similar vein he refused to listen to it too - he did eventually listen to the albums when he got into a better headspace for them and now really does likes them, but he avoids "seven" like the plague

suki: suki loves the breakup albums, red and midnights, and everyone, including suki, is confused because no offence to my girl but she's had one break up and that was with sokka, and whole it was sad, it was mutual and nothing bad happened they just decided they'd be better as friends, but she loves the albums so so much, so who is anyone to deny her that? also, she didn't like "me!" at first and thought it was so so cringe, but now she loves it and hates that she used to hate it and hates that taylor doesn't play it on the set list at concerts due to people hating on it (even though suki would never tell taylor that she hated on one of her songs, she still feels guilty) - btw, she and aang are besties and they work at the same place and it takes them like forty minutes on a good day to drive there so they blast 1989 the whole time and it's such a bop

yue: speak now girly, did I fucking stutter? she ate that album up when it first came out and she ate up the rerecording when that came out too, and don't get me started on the vault tracks (she feels as if a piece of her childhood was missing because "electric touch" ft fallout boy wasn't on the og track and she looooves fallout boy) "enchanted" is her and sokkas song and when it comes on they do a lil dance together even though they don't love each other in the same way anymore, they still love each other!!! but she now loves "enchanted" separate from sokka ya know? yue also loves midnights, literally because suki loves it so so much so yue listened to it for her (simp) and fell in love with it (and suki, it was truly a win win situation for her) but she specifically listens to midnights: 3am version because "paris" is her favourite and she doesn't understand how anyone (ahem, suki) could listen to midnights without listening to "paris" at least three times

azula: we all know she used to pretend to hate taylor swift but now she respects the hustle (but she's not a die hard swiftie and will happily critique her alongside katara, who azula was surprised to see critiquing taylor but katara's got her priorities in place she knows what's up) and azula loves red (duh) and evermore. surprisingly, she's not as into reputation as zuko and katara, and while she enjoys some of the songs on there, she won't intentionally listen to the whole album on her lonesome. she, sokka, and ty lee wore matching "cowboy like me" outfits to the eras tour

mai: fearless, and HEAR ME OUT HEAR ME TBE FUCK OUT I'm right. she's like aang in this regard, she grew up with all these expectations on her for corporation alliances and shit and she couldn't help but picture herself finding love for HERSELF having the CHOICE like, she will defend "love story" to the day she dies because it resonated so much with baby mai finding love against all odds and at the end her parents agreeing to it. now she's older and recognises a few, uh... interesting points about her upbringing, but she's still gonna defend baby mai's love for fearless. I know that the tortured poets department hasn't come out yet but... I have a feeling that mai will fuck SO HARD with that one too, but she's more a fan on individual songs than whole albums ("delicate", "paper rings" (ty lee simp lmao), "seven", "better than revenge", "getaway car", "endgame", etc)

ty lee: she actually sobbed when lover came out, I can't tell you how much lover resonated with her, she loved the aesthetic the vibe the songs, and like she literally had imposter syndrome from being a swiftie because while she appreciates the angry and sad songs, she's searching for the joy and a lot of swifties were like "no she's past that point so we have to be too" and she felt quite isolated BUT then taylor released lover and ty lee felt so so seen cause like, it's a happy album with sad songs and that's all a girl can ask for. ALSO she loves "bejeweled" and "slut!" I kid you not "slut!" is probably her fav song even though it's not on lover. she also loves evermore because it's a sad album with happy songs (do you see) and she broached the idea of her and azula wearing matching "cowboy like me" outfits but azula didn't respond at first and ty lee thought that it wasn't a good idea but azula didn't respond because she was texting sokka and sokka fell in love with the idea and they spent like two weeks figuring out exactly what it would look like and they brought their ideas to ty lee for the final approval and she was like "... you guys actually wanna do this?" but yeah. they all slayed

ok now onto the adults I'll be quick

hakoda screams louder but bato knows more songs, like hakoda is making himself heard what a king, but there's quite a few songs he's unfamiliar with. bato is singing like, the usual volume but he's consistent, he's singing along to every song

hakoda loves 1989 and reputation because the whole drama happened during his and bato's breaks between tours and then they got sent off before reputation came out, so hakoda was so invested and then really pissed cause he had to wait a couple of months before he got back so katara could explain the intricacies of the new album to him

bato is like sokka, he loves folklore not because he's a folklore girly™ but just because of the vibes, however bato 🤝 mai, resonating deeply with "seven"

iroh is convinced that he can ask taylor to pop over for a nice cup of jasmine tea because he doesn't quite grasp how insanely popular she actually is, but unbeknownst to zuko, who scoffs whenever iroh mentions it because "there's no way", iroh is actually in contact with taylor because when she was just starting out she got sick before a concert and iroh have her a tea that helped her maintain her voice and get her back on track and he's been on a group chat with taylor ever since

[lamardeuse]

buried my hands in saffron

911  |    Buck/Eddie   |    Rated E    |    c. 4600 words

@911bingo prompt: Mutual Masturbation

The thing was, Eddie should have been ecstatic.

Three months ago, he had ended things with Marisol and sworn off dating again – because what was the point when you were never going to get over the big, beautiful gringo you'd been stupidly in love with for years? Four weeks ago, Buck had broken up with Natalia. And last week, after a marathon therapy session with Frank and a painful kick in the ass from Hen, Eddie had finally told Buck how he felt about him. He'd confessed, put his heart on the line. And Buck – well. Buck had been a little shocked at first.

“I wasn't shocked,” Buck said, looking to Hen and Karen for support. “You make it sound like I was some fainting Victorian lady with my corset laced too tight.”

“Fine, we'll pretend I didn't have to scrape your jaw off the floor,” Eddie said, skewering Buck with a look and grinning when he blushed.

“I wasn't shocked,” Buck insisted. “I've done stuff with guys before.”

“A lot's changed in the last decade, Buck,” Hen drawled, taking a sip of her wine.

Eddie's eyebrows shot up. “A decade, really? Also, how do you know it's been that long for him?”

Hen chuckled. “I keep forgetting you never met Buck 1.0. The day he found out I was a lesbian, he made a point of letting me know he'd kissed two guys in college and gone down on this really hot truck driver when he was hitching a ride to Montana, said it was – and I quote – ‘some Jack Kerouac shit'. I threw up in my mouth a little.”

Karen covered her face with her hands to muffle her laughter. “Geez,” Buck muttered, “see if I ever open up to you again. And it's been nine years, not that I'm counting.”

“If I never hear about your blowjobs again it'll be too soon,” Hen said. Pointing a finger at both of them, she added, “Fair warning.”

“Oh, hell no,” Eddie said, “you do not need to worry about that.” Even the thought of sharing graphic details of his sex life with his friends was horrifying.

“Not that we've –” Buck started, and Eddie glared him into silence.

Karen leaned forward. “Okay, so after the shock wore off, what happened?”

Hen raised her eyebrows at her wife. “Look who's nosy.”

“Listen, they're family now,” Karen said simply.

“And that means they don't owe us the details.”

Karen rested her chin on her hand and batted her eyelashes at Eddie and Buck. “No, you're right, they absolutely don't.”

Eddie glanced at Buck, who was biting his lip to keep from smiling. “You want to know who kissed who first,” Eddie said, mouth curving.

“I mean,” Karen said, “we might have a whole five dollars riding on it, so that would be –”

“Oh please, we do not, I thought you were joking –”

“I never joke about probability,” Karen retorted. “And the odds are definitely in my favor here –”

“Uh,” Buck said, raising a hand, “I think you're both gonna end up winning. Or losing, depending on how you look at it.”

read the rest at the AO3

[alexanderlightweight]

So it seems like Alec has no actual relationships outside of his family. It’s no wonder they get away with all their toxic behavior with him. Because even with the toxicity, it’s also the only positive or personal relationships he has. He seems isolated to me and it’s heartbreaking. I just think if Alec could have some actual positive relations it would change the whole dynamic with his family, too. I don’t mean Magnus. That’s romantic. Alec deserves to see what having a real friend or family is like.

so i'm answering this only off private cause i think this is a good discussion to share and i think this is a really good mention.

i didn't read this like a prompt and i'm sorry if it was one, i've been sittting on it to have the spoons to respond in a non-prompt way tbh.

i 100% agree with your ask and tbh, it's why mirai lakecastle is so important to me as an original character because she's a trustworthy colleague for alec and those are often the most important of friends. they just come differently shaped since the relationship is grounded by work.

like hands down, best relationship i still have that started out with ne of my jobs and I have maintained is with a previous manager. my coworkers over the years have almost all been as mercenary as shit, but this one manager? we were and still are friends despite anything that happened at work (and it didn't end good) she's awesome and taught me a lot of stuff and i taught her how to make what is now her kid's favorite meal.

oh, yeah one of her niblings (she was like twenty years olde than me so they were also older than me, not creepy) was interested in dating me and when I finally explained why I was no longer friends with them, she never asked me about that friendship again or pressured me. so like, mutual respect is important. we were friends because i knew she respected me and that's a hard thing to know.

alec is 100% isolated. he izzy and jace all are, it's part of growing up like they did and while alec made it safe enough for them to make other connections and looked out for them, he didn't have that same protection or respect.

oh man so 'my, what big paws you have', alec is very emotionally mature and in tune and he's just 'wow, everyone needs therapy'.

alec is a huge advocate of therapy in that verse. hes never actually done it and it takes like 7-8 therapist before he finds one that doesn't start crying or is in shock by the time he's done with his first session, but he gets there.

alec: magnus, i need a new referral

magnus: alexander, that was the sixth one

alec with a frown: i just, magnus he started crying and i ran out of the tissues you gave me. i don't think it's a good idea to subject him to anymore of that

magnus: onto the next then! all good things come to an end darling

<3

lumine

[shall-we-go-far-away]

just finished episodes 3 and 4 like five minutes ago so here are my thoughts right after (will probably make a new post once I've rewatched the episode to properly grasp what happened):

1. omg the tension is still sooo intense I can't

2. I would've been so thrown off if I was jihyun because why do you kiss me and then stop talking to me for the rest of the trip?? so props to him for handling it somewhat well, I really liked that jihyun's curiosity for jaewon clearly won and he approached him again instead of staying distant

3. but then again, I'm still a little confused on how they "got back together" because jaewon went from acting like they never talked before to come on, let's have a date at han river like?? what happened in between? that seemed like a really weird cut to me idk

4. staying with jihyun tho, my lovely little jihyun I love him, he's so adorable.. I love the scene when he comes into work and it literally almost looks like he's floating through the bar while mopping and smiling like an absolute fool

5. I really liked that we got a little more insight into jaewon's therapy sessions because it made things that were just assumptions before clearer to the viewer

6. Taehyung?? bro, do you not realize that your "BEST FRIEND" clearly has no interest in getting back with his ex?? he was so annoying in the first two episodes already I really hope at some point jaewon is gonna snap because damn, does he really not get it??

7. Eunji? man, I'm kinda sad Eunji is made into the jealous, mean ex-girlfriend.. maybe she's getting a redemption arc later on but right now her behavior is just not it.. hated how she was behaving in the bar, basically treating jihyun like shit I was really glad the bar owner (I love her, she's great <3) said something

8. Aeri tho, I was a little confused by her behavior at first because she was really pushy (?) but I liked that she ended up clearing things up and making sure that jihyun knew she just wants to be his friend

9. the scene in the library where jihyun was showing jaewon his drawing was sooo cute I gotta admit it must've looked weird from eunji's perspective because why is the guy that just told her to work separately now smiling like an idiot? and them enjoying their ramen at the han river? very wholesome, I have to say tho when jaewon sent jihyun to get coffee I thought he would ditch him for a second because he seemed a little off but he stayed so we're all good

10. jaewon being a little hot and cold with jihyun throughout the episodes irritated me a little at first but it made sense if we think about what he said to his therapist and it also further confirmed that most of his relationships are probably on surface level and not even his "closest friends" actually know him.. so jaewon backing off from jihyun every once in a while was probably just him being scared of letting him come too close (I think?? god, sometimes I think whatever I'm saying here goes right in the opposite direction of what's actually happening but oh well, isn't this what theories are there for?)

(idk but jaewon seems like the type of person that's like "I only hurt the people close to me, so I keep everyone at a distance") -> this really makes me curious about jaewon's and eunji's relationship and how that went because he said they dated for two years

11. I also think both of them are at a point where they know there's mutual interest between them and that they're probably gonna be more than friends considering they were about to kiss again before joon pyo came to the rooftop (I mean can we talk about jaewon's cute little smile right at the end of the episode?? the man is whipped)

[forgottenyear]

I have two weeks to edit this before I go to therapy again. I decided to write this out so I will not struggle with crying again. If you do read this and see where I may be confusing, please comment. I appreciate any and all help you may offer.

[tw: rape (mentioned only, and without description)]

[under a cut for length, mostly]

--

My hope is that there may be a less harrying way to find a long-term therapist. I am not up for the harrying route, and I will not put myself through that. I can go it alone, and I have only wanted some help.

The information I have given so far has been directed toward this end.

--

Comfort and professionalism with the subject of DID will be requisite from a long-term therapist. For reasons that may become clear below, if this means I must continue alone, I will.

--

The remaining requisite pieces that have not yet been shared are:

I am not necessarily male, nor am I necessarily straight. [my partner], my wife, is not necessarily female and not necessarily straight. Our marriage is not necessarily a traditional marriage. Many of our gender-roles are reversed.

I present as male, and I accept being identified as male, only for my safety. When and where safety is not a concern, I identify as gender-fluid (to cover all DID-parts).

--

(Since this took place before fusion, italicized pronouns represent a female DID-part, Angela. I am trying to be respectful of the discomfort I thought I sensed in our first session.)

Late in 1992, from the DSM-III, I was diagnosed with Gender Identity Confusion. I was early in transition from male to female at the time.

Late in 1992 is also where ordered memories stop, and I am left with only snapshot memories until late in 1994, when I emerged in my current life with [my partner] and when ordered memories resumed (with gaping holes left in the past).

The first memories that returned in 2011, and resulted in that hospitalization, are of Angela being raped at a party in [her city].

--

I first met [my partner] in June of 1994, but she does not remember. I was still in transition, although I (non-italicized) am not sure what the status of the transition was at the time. I also remember that an older lesbian had taken [my partner]’s attention away from me.

[My partner] and I were first officially dating in October of 1994. I do not decide [my partner]’s identity for her, but [my partner] is the only person who will argue that she was not first attracted to me because I was Angela. We lost two mutual friends, men, because they wanted to date me.

--

From 1994 to 2011, my childhood was a series of Rockwellian idylls, strongly supported by a family mythology that denies anything but perfection.

I choose not to be the chaos that preceded me (that preceded 1994). You now know more about me than most people will ever know. I have been referred to as an anchor for my level-headedness. Many consider me a plain-vanilla boring guy.

[skyofstorms]

Arashi Yukihara | Request Muse

Age: 27

Fandom: Fandomless

Species: Fae/Siren Hybrid

Pronouns: She/Her

Romance: Pansexual

Face Claim: Sana Minatozaki

About:

Arashi is an only child, and had to want for nothing growing up. Her father and uncle are both high ranking yakuza members, and as such, Arashi was basically a princess among those who worked for her parents. Her mother worked as a pediatric nurse, but she also worked as the medical assistant to the family. Arashi lived a fairly cushy life until around her 16th birthday, when a rival family started moving into the territory her family controlled. Her father became very controlling and overprotective, almost unbearably so. Arashi found the situation suffocating, frustrated by the constant presence of a bodyguard. Her friends thought it was really cool, but it bothered her that suddenly she and her mom were under such strict rules. Things got more complicated when her school got a new transfer student and Arashi immediately had a crush.

The feeling was mutual, and soon Arashi had a boyfriend. While her father was heavily suspicious, Arashi defended Tsubasa whenever she could. It took over a year, but eventually her father warmed up to the male. By the time the couple were graduating college, Arashi was certain that Tsubasa would propose. Graduation was days away when tragedy struck. While on the way to a family event, the car Arashi, her mother and Tsubasa were in was hit and rolled twice. Arashi's mother suffered severe head trauma and was in a coma. Arashi needed surgery to repair damage to her spine that had paralyzed her, and Tsubasa was killed. Among the charred and bloody clothing Tsubasa had been wearing, doctors found a ring engraved with their names and the roman numerals for their first date. Her father confirmed that Tsubasa had asked his blessing and that he had given it. The loss of her first love on top of everything else was cause for Arashi to have amnesia involving what had occurred, which both made her happy but bothered her. What had happened to her mother, to her beloved Tsubasa? Why was she alone alive? She shut down for a while, and it drove her father to put her in therapy, where after many sessions, the events from the accident came back.

Tsubasa was the son of a member to the yakuza family that was trying to claim Yukihara territory. After the initial accident, Tsubasa had dragged Arashi and her mother from the wreckage despite being wounded himself, only to be met by enforcers from his own family as he wrapped her mother's head. Where he should have let them do as they pleased, Tsubasa refused to let the men hurt them. It resulted in Tsubasa's murder, and while Arashi was stunned Tsubasa had been an enemy, the realization that his love for her and her family meant more to him than his life was a relief. She decided to never tell her father all the details, but she did inform him that Tsubasa had been killed protecting she and her mother from the rival gang. Her resolve to avenge Tsubasa's murder led her to take a role in her father's business while she went to college for business and performing arts, and when she suggested putting someone into the mix, she was initially met with opposition. By the time she graduated college, she had her plan for infiltration laid out and after a very long discussion, was granted permission. With a little help from a friend she met in college, she got a job working as a dancer and waitress at a club owned by Tsubasa's family. While she keeps a usually fun and chipper demeanor, there is a dangerous kind of aura around her as well.

[grandexpertearthquake]

Fast-Monitor Your Dating

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If you're eager for answers to this very important question, this is the quiz for you. You have nothing to fear but fear itself, so go ahead and play this quiz! Since then, pioneers have slowly honed the practice of a careful and considered archaeological method. We have a dedicated team constantly monitoring this well-designed, intuitive site. Daniel Ratcliffe, 25, also did not have to wait too long before making it into The League. I have to have access to all financial information in order to feel comfortable. Well, I don't really have a BFF. Tell us all about your favorite fall traditions, preferred pet costumes, first boyfriend and darkest breakup rituals and we'll tell you what kind of supernatural boos you should be messaging. What kind of spirit animal is guiding you on your path of love? It was love at first sight in a random area. No way, I love my significant other! Facebook will generate your dating profile using information from your Facebook account.

[jeromebuckley]

Fast-Monitor Your Dating

Our high-calibre clients won’t be seen on dating apps. She earned her Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and has been seen on Good Morning America. Their good looks pulled me in like a magnet. ProWritingAid can now help you write a great dating profile, like an AI-powered wingman. They can be a bit stubborn. For example, you could ask if your partner is focusing on anything in therapy to manage or decrease their anxiety symptoms, and if there is anything you can do to help. He or she is unable to live alone and for this, he needs a partner who spends life with him. It depends on who this celeb is. נערות ליווי בתל אביב והמרכז We met through mutual friends or family. I haven't met them yet. We met at work. This is the work of the artist: to make the unconscious speak. Big player like PositiveSingles let you make your profile / photos visible only to selected people. We always make time for each other, like cuddling sessions.

Algorithms are meant to keep you coming back to the app and, eventually, make the user addicted. That means it's time to bake an apple pie, go sweater-shopping and, most importantly, find a supernaturally cute fall boyfriend! Whew. That means they won't bother me anymore. I think they have more friends. Your friends will be able to pick up on how they act around you, and whether they flinch when you call them your boyfriend or girlfriend. If you take care of a Thai girl, she will be yours forever. Oftentimes singles will shift their personalities to avoid rejection, however this will only become hard to keep up with in the long term. How do you manage to keep that 'spark' alive in the relationship? Support me to keep me going. Yes, but it's not going very well. We are constantly going on dates and surprising each other with gifts.

But which of the baes you know are actually worth binging the "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" with? I don't know much about it. Yes, but it wasn't that much fun. Which of these cute fall dates sounds like the most fun to you? Both and so much more, like their scent and the way they walked. I'm way more popular. They're way sillier than I am. You’ll never have to wonder if that Harvard hottie is too good to be true on The League, everyone must authenticate their account. Website domain. If you’re requesting the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement, you’ll need to provide the website domain (where users will complete purchases) for your destination URL. This dating profile headline tells users you’re new in town, or have a good story to tell. Not really, but I give a good tarot reading. Not really, we don't get along very well. They don't tip well at restaurants. You must approach this quiz with the ultimate seriousness since just one less-than-honest answer could totally mess up your results - with spine-chilling results. I argue that the apparent asymmetries between the verbal complex and syntactic structure must be explained by morpho-phonological, not syntactic, processes.

If you're eager for answers to this very important question, this is the quiz for you. You have nothing to fear but fear itself, so go ahead and play this quiz! Since then, pioneers have slowly honed the practice of a careful and considered archaeological method. We have a dedicated team constantly monitoring this well-designed, intuitive site. Daniel Ratcliffe, 25, also did not have to wait too long before making it into The League. I have to have access to all financial information in order to feel comfortable. Well, I don't really have a BFF. Tell us all about your favorite fall traditions, preferred pet costumes, first boyfriend and darkest breakup rituals and we'll tell you what kind of supernatural boos you should be messaging. What kind of spirit animal is guiding you on your path of love? It was love at first sight in a random area. No way, I love my significant other! Facebook will generate your dating profile using information from your Facebook account.

[sc-passions-and-pastimes]

It’s time to get this show on the road. Year Two of Passions and Pastimes is officially off to a fantastic start!

The lineup each day includes a mix of character pairings/relationships, ratings, work types, word counts, and hobbies/interests represented. With the schedule as it is now, you can expect at least 25k words and 5-6 works per day.

Before we jump into the reveals, we want to thank all of the creators who submitted works! We’ll be posting over 6 days (through Monday, Aug. 22). We’ll reveal creators on Monday, Aug. 29 at noon Eastern time.

We’ve tried to provide an assortment of works each day that vary in type, length, relationships, ratings and more.

DAY 1 REVEALS

Reservations

[Patrick Brewer/David Rose - T - 18,242]

Patrick moves to New York to fulfill his dream of becoming a Restaurant Reviewer. A mutual friend has lined him up to stay with David Rose, who has a furnished spare room just laying idle. They become fast friends over their shared love of food, and David helps Patrick realise that there might be something to his reasons for leaving Canada.

*

[Podfic] Reservations

[Patrick Brewer/David Rose - T - 35]

Patrick moves to New York to fulfill his dream of becoming a Restaurant Reviewer. A mutual friend has lined him up to stay with David Rose, who has a furnished spare room just laying idle. They become fast friends over their shared love of food, and David helps Patrick realize that there might be something to his reasons for leaving Canada.

*

candid shots

[Patrick Brewer/David Rose  - T - 5,247]

Every day when he takes the train to his gallery, David snaps a picture. One day, he notices that the same man is in every shot but when David tries to find him, he’s nowhere to be seen.

*

these feet take me where I need to go

[Patrick Brewer/David Rose - T - 2,121]

Sometimes Patrick falters as he leans into the attraction, the pull, he feels towards David. He tangles himself up, builds his courage only to find that it deserts him. For these feelings are new - exciting, yes, but also terrifying.  And he came so close; the opportunity had presented itself serendipitously but Patrick hesitated, and the moment passed. The words in his heart - ‘We could go for a birthday dinner?’ - never made it out of his mouth and their relationship has stayed as just friends.

Patrick loves walking - a chance to breathe and to think. And he's been doing a lot of walking and thinking since he moved to Schitt's Creek. Because there's someone he can't stop thinking about - his wonderful business partner and friend, David Rose. And that morning as he walks around the town that has become his home, Patrick knows what he wants to do.

*

more than a candle

[Patrick Brewer/David Rose - G - 1,674]

After David comes back from a therapy session, he and Patrick end up in a conversation about the Star Wars franchise. David knows more about Star Wars than he usually likes to admit, and with Patrick he's able to talk about emotions he's kept hidden for years.

*

Freedom

[David Rose & Moira Rose - Not Rated - 1,000]

 His aunts and their friends dress in layer after layer, changing from the people he knows well into near strangers. Clothes are donned like a confident armour, except instead of metal it's beautiful fabrics that encase them. Showcase them.

-It's 1991 and David is attending his first fashion show and meeting everyone backstage with his mom.

----------------------

NOTE TO CREATORS: If your work is part of today’s reveals, please update the posting date of the work to today’s date so it shows up fresh in the AO3 feed.

[captainshorter]

Now that im rereading all for the game i wanna discuss Andrew's and Aaron's relationship. More like i wanna explain you guys their relationship (at least on how I interpreted it)

Tw: mention of rape, abuse, drugs and death

First of all, I'm a twin myself and let's just start with the fact that i could never imagine growing up without her. It's like your own blood, a sort 'copy' of yourself though you are different individuals. I would've been absolutely furious if my parents had given her up for adoption and hiding the fact that she exists. It's not necessarily that you're missing a part of yourself but being a twin gives you some sort of connection with the other that you don't really have with a younger or older sibling

For Aaron, Andrew must have been a sort salvation. Once he knew of Andrew's existence he must of he thought that there was finally someone who he could share his burden with. (his mother) but Andrew turned out to be entirely something else Aaron expected (Andrew didn't want anything to do with him and told him to 'fuck off')

Andrew though, must have been furious, maybe even jealousof Aaron. Andrew had been put up for adoption, he must have felt like it wasn't fair. Andrew had been in the foster system, which wasn't a good place, Andrew had been abused/raped by men because of the system and he even lived in a abusive home. Those things have triggered his 'emptiness' and him being 'soulless'.

(and there's also somewhere the fact that Drake taunted Andrew abour what he would do if a he layed hands on Aaron )

In Andrew's eyes Aaron had lived a lucky life, with their mother. (that was of course before Andrew figured out their mother was an abusive bitch)

These things put an strain on their relationship from the beginning though Andrew promised to protect Aaron.

That's when there was the car 'accident' that killed their mother. Aaron mourned for her and blamed Andrew for the entire thing even though Andrew did it to save Aaron from their mother. Aaron still loved his mother even despite everything and he probably hated the fact that Andrew had no sympathy for her dead or Aaron

There was also Andrew forcing Aaron to sober up by locking him into the bathroom. (that happened right?)

These things put their entire relationship on thin ice and why Andrew and Aaron interact little to not in the first book. (Neil didn't even notice their strained relationship until the end, but that's also because Neil is an oblivious fuck-)

And when in the Raven King, Aaron kills Drake, he finally starts to understand Andrew's reason to kill his mother, to protect him, like Andrew promise he would.

From that point on i feel their relationship is getting better. They're going to joined therapy sessions and Andrew eventually let's Aaron date Kathlyn officially.

I don't think they'll never be anything like 'normal' twins but they get a mutual understanding. And i love to think that they eventually start making jokes like:

Andrew: I'm not Andrew im Aaron!

Aaron: Honestly how long do you know us now?

Nicky: Im sorry

Andrew: kidding:)

And that's what i think about their relationship

[hnnyoongs]

akai shuichi headcanons

shuichi wears a beanie all the time because he's self conscious about hir hairline .... and I mean who can blame him? id be too

shuichi saw gin when he was visiting Japan in the 10 years ago flashback and was like ooh long hair is cool AND it'll piss ka-san off flash forward 5 years later when shuichi infiltrates the BO and is like fUck cool long hair dude is a psycho

shuichi cut his hair off when he heard akemi was killed by gin he kinda went into the whole mental breakdown mode and was like fuck this shit because he started growing his hair out cuz of gin and also akemi really liked his long hair

shuichi used to be a band kid when he lived in England and wanted to pursue a career in music (much to the chagrin of Mary) but after tsutomu disappeared he was like fuck that and stopped playing until he entered the BO

shuichi has a really bad memory about things that dont have to do anything with his job kinda like BBC's Sherlock but not as bad

shuichi used to find dead bodies when he was a kid just like shinichi but it wasn't as often maybe like a dead body once a year or something

shuichi named himself dai because that's what Mary actually wanted to name him when she was giving birth she was screaming die die die and tsutomu wasn't there yet so she was like aight die sounds like the japanese name dai the only reason shuichi wasn't named that was that tsutomu burst in and was like FUCK NO

shuichi was picked on when training for the FBI since compared to 6 foot jock white men shuichi was a 5 foot 7 asian with long hair and dressed like a teenage girl who frequented Starbucks in the toxic environment of the FBI for anyone who doesnt fit the mold shuichi had it cut out for him

shuichi showed signs of multiple mental illnesses but they were all difficult to pin down so he was never diagnosed with anything since he refused to talk at the FBI mandated therapy sessions

shuichi's type is someone who is kind but could wield a gun

he used to dislike kids but being around them as okiya has made SOME kids special in his heart

before tsutomu's disspeareance he taught shuichi how to hunt with a shotgun

shuichi lived off of sports drinks and bars whenever he was single since he couldn't rely on take out due to it being unhealthy which wouldn't help his FBI styled life

shuichi taught akemi simple self defense techniques but refuses to teach her how to shoot a gun saying he didn't want her hands to get dirty

shuichi and shukichi blackmail each other for favors by using the "ill tell ka-san you did that one thing that you blamed dad for when we were kids if u dont help me out"

scotch once told him that bourbon's type was a white milf (in reference to Elena who was white and was a mother) so shuichi was scared as fuck when rei met Mary's adult self for the first time

shuichi hates being compared to his mother but the truth is they're the most similar and they both started mimicking tsutomu after his disappearance

the only thing shuichi knew how to cook before meeting yukiko was plain white rice as that was the only thing tsutomu was able to teach him

shuichi mimics an American accent while talking in America or talking in English unless he's talking to his family or he's mentally shook up and his British accent slips out

he thinks in British accented English as well (idc if the animanga shows him thinking in japanese it makes no sense that western raised people like Jodie and camel think in japanese) but he does use some japanese like ka-san and when he's trying to get deep into his okiya persona

he tries very hard to keep the polite speech patterns of okiya Subaru since as akai shuichi he's very .. rude

shuichi's sniper skills were so good the fbi was willing to overlook his disrespect of authority and his tendency to do everything by himself without consulting everyone

shuichi slips into a British accent around James if he's feeling really comfortable

he felt bad about using shiho since she was only a year older than masumi and she hadn't done anything wrong so he vowed to get her and akemi out of the BO

he had a plan to get akemi and shiho out by convincing the higher ups to grant them immunity if they testified but akemi's death derailed the entire thing

he hates to admit it but his family is the most important thing to him he may not contact them that often but he's going to such lengths to bring his father back because he cares for his family so much

shuichi didnt really know what he wanted to do with his life once he took down his father's pursuers but after akemi and scotch he decided that if he solved his father's disappearance first he'd hunt down the BO next tho once learning that Haneda Koji’s death had something to do with the BO he's back at the thing where he doesn't know what to do with his life without revenge

he promised shukichi that he'd be the one to solve shukichi's death if what happened to Haneda kohji also happens to shukichi

he isn't a fan of dates in amusement parks but if it makes his partner happy and smile he'll have fun

dating Jodie was a quiet thing most likely from an attachment maybe due to a bad case or a loss of a mutual friend depending on the agency they might have been legally allowed to date each other but it is usually looked down upon I dont think they went out together often probably spending time together at home ... doing stuff

he identifies as bisexual it was normal to him in childhood since both Mary and tsutomu talked about their past relationships to their children he never told anyone due to the fact it would affect his FBI status since it was illegal in America shukichi and Mary know he's bi but shuichi has no idea Mary knows

akemi and shuichi would take strolls in parks go shopping and go to cafes

he's very self conscious about his height and whenever he goes to Japan it makes him feel good about himself since he's relatively tall there

Mary was the one who drilled japanese into his head not tsutomu

the last time shuichi talked to Mary was when he called her up to tell her to take masumi and leave Japan for Britain after masumi cornered him and scotch him and Mary had a whole argument and after that they stopped talking to each other, not that they talked to each other much in the first place

shuichi learned jee kun do by watching training videos from vhs tapes/cds/YouTube depending on when you consider detco taking place I personally believe conan shrinks in 2018 meaning that tsutomu disappeared in 2001 and shuichi used a mixture of tapes and cds to learn

shuichi can read people really well but has a hard time manipulating people by being nice he can use people by being a jackass very well but trying to be a normal person is hard for him

Yukiko and yusaku remind shuichi of his parents before tsutomu disappeared but like more upbeat

shuichi dislikes full body hugs

akemi and shiho were both anime and romance drama fans so he knows random things about the shows and uses that info to connect with the DB and especially haibara

he considered himself British first and foremost but when asked about whether he considers himself white or asian he'll always go with asian

he started smoking soon after his father disappeared since his father used to smoke and he needed to cope but didn't wanna fall into drugs like cocaine

smoking is heavily looked down upon in America and is seen as unprofessional which helped shuichi go undercover a bunch due to him being a heavy smoker

akemi would make him stop smoking around her and shiho saying that second hand smoking was dangerous and that shuichi who was smoking constantly was going to get lung cancer but he would tell her that he just couldn't stop smoking he did stop smoking around shiho and akemi tho going outside to do it instead

as okiya it makes him go wild because he desperately needs to smoke to cope but okiya cant smoke it doesnt fit his image so he smokes a shit ton at night during his nightly drives

shuichi forced himself not to smoke during his time visiting Japan when he met masumi because he knew Mary would get even more upset with him

shuichi was terrible driving American styled cars and he got so upset that he perfected his drive-in techiuque over the years just to spite the instructor that said he was barely passing

he likes to go on late night drives and speed on the high way because he's a thrill seeking idiot

he has no social media but he created on as okiya Subaru to keep an eye on haibara's higo stan account

he takes offense to the idea that he's stalking haibara he's just p r o t e c t i n g her

he wants shiho to be happy more than anything so he's an avid coai shipper and is exhausted in Conan's obliviousness

shuichi didnt tell shukichi he wasn't actually dead shukichi just walked up to okiya Subaru one day and was like shuuichi-ni-san right? shuichi has long stopped questioning shukichi's weird ways of knowing shit he shouldn't know

shuichi is a sherlockian but he's not like shinichi or hakuba in that he does not hate BBC's Sherlock and actually enjoys it a bit

one upside to shuichi living in America is that he gets to hoard guns because he's obsessed with them he thinks they're really cool it's like conan with Sherlock he starts yapping his mouth of about them

bourbon once dangled a gun on in front of a sleeping shuichi cuz he didnt believe scotch when he said that rye was obsessed with guns and started saying incorrect shit about the type of gun he was holding and shuichi just shot up and started berating him

shuichi hates that chianti is a killer because she's the only person who's as much as a gun fanatic as he is

he tends to steal Jodie's car a lot

he likes fucking with peoples heads it's very fun to him to watch them get all worked up

shuichi hasn't mourned his father yet because he doesnt believe his father’s dead

deep down he blames his father for his mother going slightly bonkers

he didnt want masumi to be a detective at first but now hes proud of her

he drinks a lot as okiya Subaru since he cant smoke as much

he's willing to go to hell if it means he can rip gin from limp to limp

he really hates gin yall I dont think I can convey how much he hates gin

[doctorguilty]

It's funny I think, that being in a relationship with another borderline person has caused me make huge progress and even overcome a lot of my biggest emotional obstacles in relationships I struggled with my whole life and were damaging my relationships as recent as the one that ended before I met Gloomy. And while yes, over the course of the last several years as a got therapy and medication, and always been doing my homework to improve myself, I was really worried when we first started dating that my ongoing struggles would chase damage. I was out of therapy for a almost a year, and over the past 2 years since I've been in Oregon while I've had regular therapy, it's very very infrequent due to the pandemic and most of what I spend my sessions talking about is stuff related to that such as the exhaustion, depression, and isolation it causes. Not much at all, if ever, have have dedicated my short time to talking about my bpd symptoms like I would with previous therapists.

Yet.. this is the best I've ever been in a relationship. Granted like, my relationships were all kinda mutually dysfunctional for more reasons than just me, which would cause me to be more symptomatic, but still, I don't think it starts and ends at "this person isn't toxic". I think it's the level that gloomy understand me fully. I can describe to them the most niche, hyper specific bpd related feeling and they know it well. And I immediately feel less like I'm not just terrible scum unfit for love, because I know gloomy is so loveable, and yet they share the same symptoms and feelings. They also don't reprimand me for being open. I can share intrusive thoughts and urges and feelings that would sound absolutely toxic to other people, if they didn't understand the context about where it's coming from and that I'm being vulnerable because I don't want to feel that way. And they know those feelings well too. They 100% know the context.

I've never been with someone I could communicate ANYTHING without fear, and be recieved with empathy, affirmation I am doing the right thing by communicating and not keeping it bottled up, and the desire to comfort me, reassure me, and help me overcome what i struggle with.

I've never seen so much progress in myself so quickly.. many things that would regularly flare up all my life and did for a while in the beginning are practically gone. I've never felt so secure with someone. I've never felt less broken, and less alone. I guess I just never belonged with someone without the same personality disorder as me.... because that's really what it comes down to, my whole self is disordered, and it always will be a part of me, it is inseparable from who I am because that's just what it means to have a pd.

Gloomy has made everything so much better beyond words.. I've never felt so healthy with someone like this. I've never had a relationship so loving all the time and free from enormous emotional altercations. No, my "problems" end up being the most benign, easily resolved things like accidental hurt feelings. And even then I don't feel afraid of those things happening because I know I won't be reprimanded a million times for my mistakes.

It's unimportant now the whos or whys but honestly there were instances in the past where I would be gaslit into believing i was an unhinged abuser and my bpd symptoms were cited as the reason, even if all I did was casually express the feelings I was struggling with, like, just the fact that I had symptoms at all even if I didn't act on them or do absolutely anything was inherently abusive and I was a bad person. It was deliberate of course, y'know... but at the time I believed it, and at the beginning of my relationship with gloomy I can remember thinking... this will be over once they find out I'm a horrible person, all I can do is hide it for as long as I can and enjoy it while it lasts.

But no, here I am, being more loved by someone than I ever have been, and completely utterly naked with nothing I hide from them. It's so much easier to be healthy when I'm not trying to hide..

Anyway, yeah.. i love my bpd boyfriend so much

[meteorjam]

BL pairing: OhmFluke/DeanPharm (go crazy 😂), 1, 2, 4.

*grabs popcorn & settles in*

You really just gave me permission to go off huh. Okay let's see how long this takes me. I'm just going to do this for DeanPharm Trope Set

Favorite trope this couple did?

SOULMATES!!!! LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!!! Literally the draw of the entire show and I loved it so much. It was just so wonderfully done. Amazing 10/10

Trope you wish this couple did.

Hmmm see I don't think about stuff like this a lot so I really don't know. Wanted to see them get engaged. Not really a trope but I'm begging Studio Wabi Sabi for the wedding special to this day.

Trope you wish they hadn't done.

Hmm I guess homme fatale?? Like I didn't mind it but Alex literally just disappears after a certain point. Though we do get to see Pharm being really assertive and defiant in those moments so it definitely wasn't bad. I will say I could've definitely done without Dean standing up to Alex for Pharm at the end like Pharm was doing fine

What did they do the best?

Again, they executed soulmates and the idea of a first love perfectly.

Sexy Set

Hottest moment for the couple?

Torn between their first kiss or that whole sequence in their hotel room when they're off on that one swim team trip.

Favorite high heat setting for them.

Uhhh I'm drawing a blank here. It's the grey ace brain kicking in and breaking down. Pharm's room?

High heat you wish they'd done.

See I think they did a pretty full range of heat in uwma. Like from simple pecking to literally a full minute long make-out session as their first kiss among other scenes. I don't think there's anything additional I wanted.

What did they do best?

Consent within the relationship. Like their high heat moments were all consensual and mutual and just really made me feel like they were in love.

Love Set

Most romantic moment?

There are so many like literally 90% of their relationship???

-When they lock eyes at the store -That one scene where Pharm gives Dean a peck and they just stay inside instead of going shopping (Note: just rewatched this and CRIED. Mor please pay my therapy bills) -The ending scene of uwma is so romantic I want to cry all over again

What do you think their love languages are?

Dean: Quality Time, Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation Pharm: Gift Giving, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation

What kind of dates do they go on?

The cutest and cheesiest dates like all the typical tooth-rotting things. Dean wants to do everything with Pharm and Pharm loves every new experience. Rooftop picnics, surprise dinner dates, movie dates, hikes, you name it they do it all. Also later when they are married and adopt kids they do a bunch of cute things together as a family too.

Favorite kiss and/or hug.

Favorite kiss: see above peck scene but the kiss that happens directly after that Favorite hug: When they reunite again after being apart for some time like that hug just hits different

Send me a pairing + set and I'll answer it

[goddessofthundathighs]

X. REVELATION

Word Count: 2.9K

*taps mic* Is this thing on? Aight, I know I said that I’d update CS every 3-5 business months, but life happened for both me & @hearteyes-for-killmonger. Let me just tell y’all how many times I wanted to completely scrap this book, simply because for a second, I fell out of love with it. I also thought that you guys were no longer interested. For our loyal readers, thank you for sticking with us! This chapter is fairly short, but MAJOR progression is made!

It’s also late, so this is un-beta’d. Any errors will be corrected in the morning.

************

Skylar’s face turned up in a wide grin as O’Shea came downstairs with her latest flower arrangement. If Oya wasn’t good at anything else, she was a professional at wooing her. The bright yellow of the freshly picked sunflowers was a beautiful contrast to the deep red hue of the roses. She’d forgotten that she’d mentioned that they were her favorites.

“With love, from Bae,” O’Shea read teasingly, only making the smile on Skylar’s face stretch wider. “And again I ask, why aren’t the two of you officially a thing? The mutual attraction is obvious and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this wide. Like you’re really flashing all 32 right now,” she asked, placing the vase on the corner of Sky’s desk.

“Because it’s not that easy, Shea. I have walls that need to be broken down and we both have issues that we need to work through. This is why SPT is so important. I have to understand exactly who I’m dealing with before we take things to the next level.”

O’Shea nodded. She hadn’t really thought about their situation like that. She’d just assumed that Sky was still working through ridding herself of Monica and was afraid of being heartbroken again.

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that. So is she Erik’s client now?”

“Yes. He’ll be her official therapist and draw up our plan of action as far as treatment.”

“Why does she feel like she needs treatment? She doesn’t seem to struggle sexually.”

“Looks can be deceiving, Shea. Behavior is also an indication that there may be underlying issues. Most of the clients that Erik and I treat are fully functioning. Look at you, for example.” Shea pulls a face. It was entirely too early in the workday for Skylar to be coming for her edges. She hadn’t even finished her acai breakfast bowl. “Aye, we not talking about me,” she fussed, placing her hands on her hips.

“But you fit the example. Personally, I think her excessive need to be sexual is a cover for something deeper, I just have to get her to tell me what it is.”

Sky couldn’t deny the soft spot she had for Oya. Even if things didn’t work out on the personal side of their relationship, she still cared for her and wanted to ensure she received the best treatment. Regardless of past situations, everybody deserved to be loved and accepted for who they truly are.

**

A pregnant silence engulfed Erik’s office as Oya and Skylar waited for him to speak. For the last 45 minutes he had been busy typing away at his computer, only pausing briefly to think before starting again. Once finished, he leans back in the Italian leather chair, stroking his beard as he gives the therapy plan a final onceover.

“Alright, before we begin, we first need to get to the root of the problem. Oya, why do you feel you need SPT and what do you hope to gain from it, other than my business partner as a mate?”

Ouch.

Oya recoiled slightly at his brashness. She hadn’t expected to be put on front street so quickly, nor was she prepared to discuss her history so soon. She suddenly felt bare, like she had been stripped of all of her clothing in front of a crowded high school auditorium and her anxiety was spiking. Skylar took notice of how withdrawn she’d become and placed a comforting hand on her thigh.

“It’s okay, Oya. You don’t have to explain in detail just yet, we just need a general idea of what we’re dealing with so that we approach it in the best way,” Skylar explained, the gentleness of her voice causing Oya to return her soft smile.

While she knew that there wasn’t a logical reason to be afraid of Erik or his opinion, her brain had been conditioned to be critical of men ever since that fateful night in her uncle’s basement. Still, having Skylar there was comforting. Her presence made it easier to generate a Spark Notes version of her past.

“I was abused and shunned as a child and as a result, became overtly sexual. While I know that sex can’t fill the void that was left from that experience, it’s the only way to silence the voices in my head. I started looking into SPT because I saw that abuse survivors can benefit from it.”

Erik’s face softened from its usual hard line. While he’d assumed this girl had been through the ringer, his mind couldn’t begin to fathom just how deep her trauma ran.

“Here’s what we’ll do,” he started. “Since it’s obvious that you’re a lot more comfortable speaking to Sky about this, how about the two of you do dinner. If not tonight, then later this week. During dinner, Oya, I need you to be as transparent as possible. I need you to go into full detail of what happened and then Skylar will report back to me. The two of us will formulate a comprehensive 8-week therapy plan, which will be implemented starting next week. Are you okay with doing this?”

Oya nodded, finally allowing herself to completely relax.

“We’re gonna get you right, Ms. Ramirez. Over the next 8 weeks you’ll watch yourself become a new woman, I guarantee it,” Erik smiles, offering her his hand to shake.

She accepts the invitation, returning his smile in the most infectious way before turning to Skylar.

“I know SPT doesn’t always require sex, but we can still implement some BDSM therapy, right?”

Sky laughs in response. Leave it to Oya to bring sexual humor into an otherwise serious situation.

“Baby steps, Ms. Ramirez.”

**

Oya's salmon arrived on the table and she licked her chops, having been out all day without eating. Why Sky had inquired about her level of hunger, Oya stated that her radiant smile was enough to fill her, however, the angry cry of her stomach told a different tale.

The pair opted for a Friday evening dinner, an excuse for Skylar to have a drink or two and not worry about having to work the following day. She sips her Hendricks and tonic slowly, savoring the crisp taste of the cucumbers she requested be added to the concoction.

Oya slammed face first into her plate effectively scaring the shit out of Sky who was currently rethinking a few things in regard to diet based on Oya's uncouth and grizzly attack on her fish. 

"Well. She eats fish like I eat pussy," Sky sighed, brushing it off. Still, she found herself keeping her eyes down to her own plate.

"I wasn't that hungry," Oya belched, wiping her mouth with her stained paper napkin. "I'll take another one still."

After her second fish, Sky was appalled at the way Oya had violated those salmon. She decided that she would also train Oya to eat like a human being and they would practice on a sushi date, since they require smaller bites.

“Alright fish murderer,” Sky finally chirps. “You’ve avoided the inevitable long enough, it’s time to talk.” Oya lifts her head slowly, much like a dog who has just been scolded for peeing on fresh carpet.

“Do we really have to talk about this? Like is it honestly necessary?”

“Yes, Oya. With all due respect, we can’t treat you if we don’t know what we’re treating. You gotta give us something.”

“I gave you something earlier,” she snaps defensively.

“Yes, but that’s not enough. There are several forms of abuse, Oya. Just saying you were abused doesn’t really tell us anything. We can’t use verbal abuse treatment methods to treat a victim of physical abuse. You understand that, right?” Sky asks incredulously.

Oya pinches the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She was beginning to regret even bringing up the whole thing. While she thought she was ready to expose this part of her life, fear and her anxiety were getting the best of her. She was beginning to close up again.

Just tell her, her psyche coaxes. 

“I was raped by my mother’s brother when I was ten. It happened nearly everyday for 6 months. It took everything in me to say something to my mother about it, but when I finally did, she accused me of lying.”

A lone tear slid down Oya’s cheek at the memory.

“From that point on, I haven’t been able to trust or fully commit to a man. Which is why I couldn’t talk to Dr. Stevens earlier. I know he means well, but --”

“It’s a work in progress, I understand,” Skylar interjects.

“To this day, she refuses to acknowledge what that man did to me, even though he’s currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for pedophilia. From that point on, sex was my escape. I know it sounds oxymoronic, but it helped fill the void and silence the pain. Even if the gratification was short lived.

Skylar takes her hand, offering a napkin to wipe the fresh tears that slid down her face.

“I think we should start slow. I’ll get with Erik, but I feel like our first few sessions should be meditation and sensate focus. I want you to be comfortable with touching and being touched in a nonsexual manner before we move onto more advanced methods. Are you ok with that?”

“I think so,” Oya admits. “I’ve been using sex to run from my demons for majority of my life. I don’t want to hide anymore.”

“And when this is all over, you won’t have to,” Skylar smiles.

“I still wanna be your sex slave at some point, though,” Oya jokes.

“Check please!” Sky laughs.

**

After several back and forth debates as to where the session should be held, the doctors finally decided that Oya’s house would be best.

“It’s somewhere that she feels comfortable, and therefore, it should be easier for her to open up,” Erik said once the final decision was made. Sky nods her agreement, texting Oya to alert her of the plan.

Sky: Instead of coming to my office, we’ll be doing the session at your house. Is that ok?

Oya: Ooh, I get the good doctor all to myself. Say less. Here’s my address

Skylar chuckles at her eagerness, adding the address to her Maps app for later access.

“She seems excited,” she tells Erik, pocketing her phone.

“For now,” he says, sliding a manila folder towards her. “She’s flighty, so her nervousness can come back at any moment. Make sure you keep her relaxed the entire time.”

“Why you talking to me like she’s my first patient?”

“Just making sure your head is in the right place. You’re typically behind the scenes. Patients like Oya can be tricky.”

“I got this, dad,” Sky groans, swinging her bag over her shoulder as she stands to leave.

“You better stop. You ain’t called a nigga Daddy in a minute, Nola.” 

“Goodbye, Stevens! I’ll let you know how things go.”

“Text me. I promised the baby brat we’d go to the carnival later. She’s been dying for a funnel cake and a new stuffie.”

“Aww, how sweet,” Sky beams, armed with new ammunition to tease Shea with once they were back in the office. After reading through the therapy plan for herself, she rests the folder and her bag in the passenger seat and heads home. She would need the rest of the night to prepare for the next day’s session.

**

The California sun beamed brightly as Skylar made her way to Oya’s apartment. It was a beautiful three bedroom, three bath unit in Playa Vista, not far from the beach. Skylar was immediately drawn to the brightness of the space, the white walls with soft marble and gold accents adding to the feminine charm.

“I was thinking we could do this in my meditation room,” Oya said once Sky was done with her exploration.

“Ooh meditation room,” Skylar squealed, following her into what would become her favorite room in the entire unit. Behind the curtain of strung selenite crystals lay a spiritual oasis. Two black Buddah statues sat on both sides of the entrance while pink, orange, and yellow pillows decorated the floor. They looked to be from Bali or some other spiritual region. On the east and western walls were sun and moon appliques, subtle nods to the orishas Yemoja and Oshun, while chakra posters and decorations line the southern wall. On an inverted bookshelf near the front facing wall lay her crystals, sage, and a small altar Sky could tell had been used recently.

“Okay, I already loved the rest of the house, but this room is a whole vibe,” Skylar compliments, pulling out her notebook and video camera. “It’s standard practice that these sessions are recorded, but if you’re uncomfortable being on film, I have a tape recorder.”

“No, the camera is fine,” Oya assured, taking a seat on the pink pillow. She sat Indian style with her palms resting on her knees. Skylar placed her camera between two rose quartz cathedrals, taking a few test shots to ensure the angle was perfect. Once done, she mimicked Oya’s stance on the yellow pillow across from her.

“It is the third day of March and the time is 3:33 pm,” Skylar says, beginning the recording.

“I see you, Universe,” Oya muses to herself, allowing herself to be consumed by the feeling of divine protection.

“We’re going to start with simple breathing exercises to get you relaxed and comfortable, okay?” Oya nods in response. “First I need you to sit up straight, but keep your shoulders and neck relaxed.”

Oya complies, rolling her neck to the sides to release some apparent tension.

“Now, close your eyes and visualize your happy place. It could be the beach or your bed, just wherever makes you feel the happiest,” Sky instructs, doing the same. “Now, breathe in deep through your nose, hold it for about five seconds, then release through your mouth.”

The two repeat these steps about five times before Oya is finally allowed to open her eyes. Skylar makes note of the sated look in her eyes.

“How do you feel?” she asks softly.

“Surprisingly, I feel really good. I do breathing exercises often, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this relaxed before.” “Good, that’s what we want. Now, we’ll move into sensate touching. I’ll need you to remove your jewelry and as much clothing as you’re comfortable with.”

Oya’s face turns up into a sly smirk.

“Are you getting fresh with me, Dr. Greene,” she teases, slowly removing the white Nike crop top.

Sky chuckles before answering.

“Quite the opposite, Ms. Ramirez. In sensate touching, participants are typically nude and free from jewelry. The method we’ll be practicing this afternoon is non-genital sensate touching, which means that I will touch every single part of your body except your breasts and your vagina. While sensate touching may cause arousal, it is important that you remain professional and focus only on your own sensations while being touched, understood?” 

“Aye, aye, captain,” Oya responds, saluting for emphasis. This makes Skylar giggle.

“I can already tell you’re not going to make this easy for me, Ms. Ramirez.” “I promise to be a good girl, Dr. Greene. You have my word.”

“Alright. This first session will be strictly me touching you with my hands. If this goes well, then we can introduce other elements, such as feathers, scarves, and even oils. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or sleepy, let me know and we can continue another time.”

“I’m not allowed to fall asleep?” Oya questions.

“No. It’s important that you remain awake and conscious through the entire experience,” Sky responds, positioning herself behind Oya. Slowly and deliberately, Skylar rubs her hands up Oya’s arms, starting with just her palms. She moves up to her shoulders and neck, alternating between firm and subtle pressure to the pressure points there.

“Mmm,” Oya moans softly. “You should consider massage therapy,” she coos, allowing her head to fall slightly.

“You think so?” Sky asks with a grin. “Yes ma’am. Your touch is very relaxing, Dr. Greene,” Oya shudders as Skylar’s fingertips dance up and down her back.

“Well I’m glad you think so, Ms. Ramirez.”

The session continues for exactly 33 minutes before Oya’s eyes start to droop. “Okay, I think we need to stop, otherwise, I’m gonna be asleep in your arms,” Oya says, her voice audibly more soft and relaxed than when they first began.

Skylar shuts the camera off and makes a few more notes in her notebook before putting her things away. Without thinking, she sits down beside Oya, pulling her so that she was cradled against her supple bosom.

“I don’t think I’d object to that much,” she beams.

Oya bites her lip softly before staring up into Sky’s big green eyes. She could see herself getting lost in them for days.

“You think you’re capable of fixing me? I’m damaged goods, Dr. Greene.” Her voice came out just above a whisper, her tone laced with vulnerability. Skylar smoothed her hair, tucking a stray curl behind her ear before delivering her heartfelt response. 

“A smushed Reese’s cup is still a Reese’s cup, Ms. Ramirez. And I happen to really like Reese’s cups.”

Oya’s smile spread across her whole face, a soft twinkle dancing in her eyes.

“I’ll be your Reese’s cup.”

**

@vikkidc @thadelightfulone @sydneebleu @blktinkerbell @madamslayyy @chaneajoyyy @jozigrrl @thehomierobbstark @ @iamrheaspeaks @mareethequeen @forbeautyandlife @whatmoredoyouwantamericaa @blowmymbackout @wakanda-inspired @yaachtynoboat711 @nickidub718 @heyauntieeee @princessstevens @bakarilennox @xaviera108 @alexundefined @raysunshine78 @dameshaemonique @laketaj24 @youreadthatright @theogbadbitch @bugngiz @amirra88 @post-woke @im5ftbutmythroat66 @blackpinup22 @maya-leche @blessyd-bthyname @unholyxcumbucket @eclecticblkgirl @kissmyafropuff @rick-sosa @jennajai @allhailqueennel @killmongersbaby @eye-raq @thickemadame @soulfulbeauty19 -

[a-lockman5]

Dirty Little Secret {Devi x Paxton}

A/N: Hooray! So after about 8.5K, I cut this one off. I like the way it ended, and it was fun to imagine a future Daxton. Thank you so much to the person that requested it! I am throwing around the idea of working on a part 2, so if I get at least 5 “upvotes” for a part 2, I will take it on.

Summary: Devi wasn’t interested in dating anymore. She wasn’t hurt or messed up from a previous relationship. She just wanted to meet a guy that made time stand still. It just didn’t happen. That is, until a man from her past walked into her office.

Warnings: Fluff, drinking/alcohol abuse, time-jump (Devi and co. are in their late 20s), forbidden love, taboo, mild burns, sexual themes - nothing explicit

Don’t forget, request/ask is open!

And check out my MASTERLIST

“Debbie, you have a new patient today,” the office manager, Barb called out, thrusting a folder into the air.

“It’s Devi,” she swiped the folder from her, “you know, like that grandson you’re always going on about.”

“Oh, sorry, dear. I keep forgetting.”

“It’s alright, Barb, thanks for grabbing this,” she turned away toward her own desk. I’ve only been working here for two and half years. Why should you have caught on by now?

Devi Vishwakumar didn’t know what she wanted for the future when she graduated nearly nine years ago. She had spent her high school career with two things on her mind: having a love life and getting to Princeton. She’d managed both. After dating Ben Gross for the entirety of their junior year, Devi and he ended things amicably largely because being friendly rivals was much more fun and somehow resulted in less legitimate fighting. Senior year, she enjoyed the company of another classmate named Tyler Herron. He was academically minded, but still a jock in his own right. He played for the soccer and basketball teams, and Devi found she received common invites to parties that previously she thought only came from her friendship with Paxton Hall-Yoshida. Eleanor and Fabiola continued to prove they were the best friends anyone could ask for, but she also learned to love Shira and Zoey. Though they often seemed more superficial than Devi thought to care for, their aspirations were just as real as Devi’s and they had minds made for business and marketing. When time came for graduation, Devi felt more seen and cared for than she ever thought she could, and that’s what she said in her valedictorian speech. She also couldn’t help throwing a jab at Ben for beating him out, but to be fair, he insinuated letting her win in his own speech.

When she arrived at Princeton the following fall, Tyler forged his own path to MIT. Devi had no intention of bringing a boyfriend into college with her and was not at all hurt when Tyler felt the same way. She did wish she’d beat him to the punch, but at least they too split mutually and were able to be friendly on social media. Being single gave Devi the opportunity to focus on what was most important – her future.

Her mother made it very clear to her, she was to pick a college major before arriving for her first semester. Not having a plan is lazy. Are you lazy, khanna? Even when her mother was thousands of miles away, Devi could hear her loud and clear in her head. Though, she found she was right. Devi had to be prepared to make decisions for herself otherwise all the work she’d put in to get to Princeton would be for nothing. She chose Biology and pursued it relentlessly.

By the time she was graduating with her bachelor’s in biology, she’d made plenty of friends during that time who helped her choose to further pursue Physical Therapy. It was funny, she often thought, how she spent so long working to move across the country for her favorite Ivy League school to then end up back in her backyard for graduate school. The University of Southern California had one the best PT programs in the country, and Devi was proud to have studied there. Her final fieldwork was assigned at OSMC, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Calabasas. After a thrilling experience, and impressing her Clinical Instructor at every turn, she was asked to stay on after graduation. Naturally, Devi accepted.

OSMC was not only the most exclusive orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation practice in Southern California, but it was also where she felt most at home. Outside of having a coworker who passively refused to learn the correct pronunciation of her name, she was in her element every day. Plus, she got to meet some really cool people. Professional athletes, actors, stuntmen, they all came to OSMC for physical rehabilitation. Legally, she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone else that she’d personally worked with Dylan O’Brien, Diego Boneta, and Mookie Betts. She liked to remind herself of those things regularly though. Living in the LA area also allowed Devi’s relationship to improve with her mom, who finally voiced how proud she was of Devi… when she first started working. Now, she was worried that Devi would never settle down.

Devi had begged her mother not to place her in an arranged marriage when she was still studying at Princeton. The conversation actually took place at Kamala and Prashant’s wedding ceremony. It wasn’t that she didn’t think it could work – Kamala and Prashant proved that love could flourish from being set up. Devi wanted something different though. She wanted what Nalini and Mohan had. They met when they were children, and never wanted anyone else. She wanted to meet a man and feel the electricity that could make her forget her own name (like Barb seemed to do every day). Heart softened by the reminder of how Mohan had swept her off her feet, Devi’s mother agreed. That was six years ago. More recently, Nalini reminded her daughter regularly that all of the handsome driven Indian men in her age range had already been swept up, so she was on her own. She also made it very clear that grandchildren were to be in her future.

Did her mother’s constant badgering sour Devi on dating? Maybe a little bit. Did she get guys to buy her, Eleanor, and Fabiola drinks when they out only to ditch the same guys at the first opportunity? Absolutely, but what woman hadn’t done that? It had been a long time since Devi saw a man that made time stand still, and Mehcad Brooks was treated in her therapy gym.

No, Devi was not the romance obsessed teen she once was. Honestly, it’s better this way. Now, I can focus on my career, she thought. She pulled up her schedule on her laptop and noticed she didn’t have an appointment for three hours. “Hey, Barb? What time is that eval coming in?”

“Scheduled in thirty minutes!” She called back.

“Who ya got, D?” Amir, one of the physical therapy assistants, asked. “Someone rich or someone famous?”

“Go ahead and take a look, you’ll probably be seeing them next week,” Devi replied going to grab a mug of coffee.

“Hey, another Olympian. Paxton Hall-Yoshida!”

“Devi, oh my gosh, are you okay?” Hannah’s voice sounded like it was a hundred miles away. Devi didn’t come back to reality until she felt a damp towel being pressed into her arms. “Here, there’s coffee all over your leg. I don’t want you to get burns.”

Hannah was their rehabilitation technician. She helped keep things picked up, sanitized, and would provide physical assistance if they needed another set of hands during a session. At the moment, she was saving Devi from second degree burns, and cleaning up the broken ceramics from the coffee mug she’d just dropped. Hannah was right too; Devi chose the wrong day to wear a skirt and had drenched her right leg in hot coffee.

“Hannah, I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me,” Devi told her pressing the towel on her knee and calf with one hand and crouching down to help pick up the pieces of her mug with the other.

“Devi, I love you, but please don’t help. We don’t want you to cut your hand open,” she laughed. Devi was known to be a little clumsy. “I have a pair of scrubs with me if you want to wear them today.”

“You are a lifesaver, Hannah. I don’t care what Amir says about you!” she called over her shoulder, heading into the locker room to change into Hannah’s scrubs.

Okay, Devi, get your shit together. Maybe it’s not even the same guy. Except, of course it was. How many Paxton Hall-Yoshida’s were Olympic Swimmer’s for the US team? One. There was one. One Paxton Hall-Yoshida that Devi had routinely made a fool of herself in front of when she was in high school. Paxton Hall-Yoshida that gave her the best first kiss a girl could dream up. Before she started dating Ben, Paxton was all she thought about. Now, she was supposed to treat him? God, I feel like I’m fifteen again! she thought, kicking the lockers angrily. She had to get a grip. She had exactly twenty-two minutes to handle the situation.

After changing quickly into the burgundy colored scrubs, Devi found herself in her boss’s office. “Makayla, is there any way I can give my eval to one of the other therapists?”

“Why?” She tapped her acrylics on the desk impatiently. Makayla was notorious for being in all the gossip of the clientele in their practice. Devi knew she had to be careful telling her too much. If she knew Devi and Paxton went to high school together, the questions would never stop until Devi ended up with word vomit about both of their personal lives.

“Uh... I just spilled hot coffee on my leg, and I am feeling pretty tense from that still.”

“Alright, Devi, I’m going to level with you. This particular client asked for you specifically. Apparently, he knows one of your previous clients, and they were a satisfied customer. He will not be happy if he works with another therapist. Are we going to have a problem?”

Devi swallowed her argument about conflicts of interest and gave her boss a tight-lipped smile. “No problem. I’m flattered, obviously. Thanks.” She rose from her seat and began to back out of the office. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help,” she gave a small wave and didn’t notice the way her foot caught on the door frame until it was too late.

She screwed her eyes shut, waiting for impact. It’s a reflex to reach your hands out toward the ground when falling in order to protect your head, but instead it often results in one of the most common fractures. Devi knew her bottom and back could take a fall and so she resisted the urge to catch herself, but that didn’t mean she was looking forward to meeting the floor.

Except she didn’t hit the floor. “Woah!” she heard man’s voice shout before she was caught by a strong arm. “Good thing you got my good side.”

When she opened her eyes, there he was. Holding her in mid-air with one arm, Paxton Hall-Yoshida smiled down at Devi like Christmas had come early. He gingerly aided her back to a standing position, and she tried to ignore how he bit his lip and smirked at her. Man, he had not changed a bit, except that somehow, he looked stronger and more handsome than the last time she’d seen him.

“Oh, thank goodness. We didn’t need Danni getting hurt again!” Barb giggled from behind the front desk. Devi opened her mouth to correct the office manager again but didn’t manage to get the words out before Paxton.

“It’s Devi,” he told Barb. “D-e-v-i; it means goddess.”

“Oh!” Barb smiled like it was the first time she’d heard Devi’s name. “Well, thank you, young man. This goddess is your physical therapist today.”

“Lucky me,” he grinned. “Lead the way, Dr. Vishwakumar.”

It was all Devi could do to stop the heat from coloring her cheeks as she led Paxton through the therapy gym to one of the exam rooms in the back. No one interrupted them or disrupted their course. That was an expectation of working in an office with so many VIP clients. Professionalism came first, and Devi kept blasting that in her head. Be professional. Be professional.

Once they reached the exam room, she stopped at the open door and gestured for him to enter ahead of her. She tried to stop herself from checking out his backside, but the high school sophomore in her won the battle. And just like when they were in high school, this boy – nay – this man had an amazing way of filling out clothing that would otherwise be loose fitting. God, he looked good.

When she looked up, she was glad his back was still to her. For the first time, possibly in her entire life, Paxton didn’t catch her in an embarrassing moment. “So, Mr. Hall-Yoshida, why don’t you take a seat and” –

She was cut off by his soft laughter. “Come here, Devi,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

She found herself returning his embrace, and it actually helped her relax a little. “It’s good to see you too, Paxton,” she told him when she pulled away a moment later. “How long has it been?”

His eyes squinted over her shoulder as he thought about her question. “Ben Gross’s Christmas party 2022, right? Eight years?”

Somehow, in that moment, it felt like yesterday. “Yeah, that’s right. The one party at Ben’s that didn’t end with me in the deep end of the pool,” she grinned.

His eyes raked over her for a moment, so intense that she chose to turn away and grab his chart to distract herself. Then he laughed again. “At least sometimes it was on purpose.”

“Yes, not all of us are as graceful in the water as the Paxton H.Y.” she smiled up from his paperwork. “Alright, we could catch up for hours, but we have to get your evaluation done. Tell me what’s going on with your shoulder.”

Paxton smirked, but nodded and did not argue with moving on into the session. He explained his sudden onset of pain during a training session. Sharp pain. He noticed more during strokes or overhead activity. It was difficult to sleep on that shoulder, but otherwise, if he wasn’t using it, he didn’t have pain. Everything Paxton told her confirmed what the orthopedist had diagnosed: shoulder impingement syndrome. Just to cover her bases, Devi confirmed positive results for Neer’s and Hawkins’ tests.  He demonstrated mild weakness in the affected shoulder, and pain seemed to onset just at approximately 100 degrees of flexion.

“Okay, looks like you saw Doctor… Matthews? Did he explain this to you?”

“Not really… he said I’m pinching a muscle in my rotator cuff?”

“Kind of, more like a tendon,” Devi said grabbing a model off the counter. “So, you know how this is a ‘ball and socket’ joint so to speak. Normally, you have full range of motion and the ball rotates in the socket without any pain or stiffness,” she explained demonstrating the normal range of shoulder flexion. “Right now, you have some inflammation in the space between the ball and socket, so whenever you raise your arm above shoulder level, there isn’t enough space for the joint to rotate normally. Because of that, you pinch that tendon, it hurts and causes more inflammation, and then the next time you raise your arm, you’ll pinch the tendon, it’ll hurt and cause inflammation, and so on.”

“So… every time I raise my arm… like on every stroke, I make it worse?” he asked, his forehead furrowing.

“Not really, but you’re not making it any better. Every time you raise your arm above shoulder level, you’re basically reinjuring it. Don’t worry though, we can fix it.”

“Dr. Matthews didn’t think I would need surgery.”

“Oh, god no, and I would never do surgery. A – out of my scope of practice, B – can you imagine me with a scalpel and a living, breathing person? Bad idea.”

She smiled when he started laughing. This was Devi’s favorite part of her job. She had many A list clients walk into her office, and there was always a level of fear that they wouldn’t be able to reach 100% again. Sometimes, it was true. Devi liked being able to alleviate that fear and make people as comfortable as possible though. Paxton was no different. He’s just another client, she told herself, and continued in her explanation.

“See the reason it keeps happening is because you’re not giving the inflammation a chance to go down. Between swimming, lifting, and day to day activities, your arm goes over your head a lot. First thing we have to do is, limit that.”

“So, I can’t swim?”

“Not unless you can do it with your left arm by your side,” her head tilted in sympathy. “It’s not forever though. I want you to keep your arm below 90 degrees of flexion – below shoulder level for four weeks and I want you to complete these exercises every day, two to three times per day,” she pulled her pre-assembled shoulder impingement program out of a binder. “I want you here twice a week and we’ll follow up on your progress.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “If you seem like you need more attention, then we’ll add a session weekly. Honestly, Paxton, this is a really common injury, especially for swimmers. It’s known as ‘swimmer’s shoulder.’ You’ll be back in the pool in plenty of time to qualify for 2032.”

He smiled warmly at her, and she could see his stress deflating. “Thanks, that is really good news.” He stood from his seat and advanced toward her before catching himself, “Can I hug you again?”

She grinned. “As long as you keep your arm below 90 degrees.”

She saw a spark in his eyes as he thought of a retort, but his expression changed to his easy smirk and he nodded. “Deal. Thanks, Devi,” he said as he pulled her into him.

“So, we’re done, and I can go?” he seemed nervous.

“Yeah, I have another patient in,” she glanced at her watch, “thirty minutes? Wow, I thought this was a quick one.”

“What time do you get off?”

“My last appointment is from 4:00 to 4:45 this afternoon.”

“Let’s get dinner tonight. Are you busy?”

Was he asking her on a date? No, just as friends to reconnect. Still, she had to keep things professional. Dot the T’s, cross the I’s – “What?” Nailed it.

He exhaled in a gentle laugh, his right arm reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. “I, umm, I asked you to have dinner with me.”

“Like a date?”

He stared at the floor, another laugh escaping him. “Yeah, Devi, like a date.”

To be honest, she was a little angry with him for this. “Paxton, I can’t.”

“Devi, come on. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It doesn’t even have to be a date! Just two friends, catching up.”

She opened the door, attempting to usher him out. “That would be hugely unethical, Paxton. If you wanted to ask me out, you shouldn’t have handpicked me to be your therapist. I can’t date one of my clients.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it again with a nod. “You’re right, I’m sorry, Dr. Vishwakumar. I didn’t mean to offend you. Thanks for all your help today. I’ll see you next week,” he told her. It would have seemed respectful or sincere if he hadn’t smirked the whole time. He was already at the front desk, presumably scheduling his next appointment when Devi reached her desk. He turned, his eyes settling on her immediately. “Oh and, Dr. Vishwakumar, you look good in that color,” he said with a smile that made her knees weak.

“Devi, he was flirting with you!” Hannah rushed to her side once he was gone.

“Lucky me,” she grimaced, pulling her phone from her desk drawer.

*We’re getting drinks tonight.. Actually we’re going out. Get hot.*

***

“So why are we going out tonight?” Fabiola asked, pouring shots of tequila in her kitchenette.

Fabiola had a cozy apartment in Koreatown. After receiving her degree in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley, she received an entry-level job at Aldrin Corp. Within a few years, and some well-timed retirements, Fabiola was promoted to Senior Project Engineer. It was a job that was made for her. She often said she felt she was more hands on than previous SPE’s she’d worked for, but it also gained her the respect of her subordinates and made meeting deadlines that much easier. Her salary allowed her to not only afford this apartment near downtown LA, but to keep saving. Devi thought even with Eleanor climbing the ranks in her own field, Fabiola would be the first to have a suburban home like they’d all grown up in. For now though, she’d have the apartment closest to the clubs, and would be their pre-game hub.

“Yeah, you’re lucky you picked tonight. I had an early table read this morning, but I don’t have to be on set again until Sunday,” Eleanor agreed, touching up her eyeshadow.

“You will not believe who walked into my office today,” Devi groaned, leaving the bathroom to meet Fabiola at the counter. She swiped a shot off the counter and downed it with a wince.

“What about the salt and lime?” her friend asked in outrage. “I cut fresh lime for you!”

Devi grabbed a wedge and bit the flesh out and Fabiola nodded curtly. “I’ll use the salt for the next one.”

“So, who was it?” Eleanor asked, gliding out of the bathroom to join them. “Was it Sebastian? I know he’s almost 50, but I don’t know how you didn’t go home with him at the last premier party.”

Eleanor was a successful actress. She wasn’t a leading lady yet. She was gaining a lot of clout though. Enough clout to be at premier parties with Sebastian Stan… and Amandla Stenberg… and Tom Holland. Her phone was full of A-list stars and she was not legally obligated to keep her mouth shut about any time she spent with them. She very thoughtfully brought Devi and Fabiola to her premier parties as her guests, and that meant that they met a lot of A-list stars too.

“It was not Sebastian Stan,” Devi rolled her eyes, “and I’ll remind you, he texted you the next day asking you to thank me for calling his driver to come get him, remember? He was plastered and did not need to wake up with a stranger in bed with him.”

“Yeah, he’s really shy and private about his personal life. That fruit basket he sent you was intense.”

“Hello, losing focus,” Fabiola redirected while refilling Devi’s shot glass. “Who came in today?”

Devi groaned as she remembered her obligation to patient privacy. “I can’t tell you. Stupid HIPAA. What I can tell you is, he asked me out at the end of the session.” Eleanor and Fabiola grinned at each other before turning their grins on Devi. “What?”

“You wanted to say yes!” they said in unison.

“What? No, I didn’t. I’m dreading seeing this guy again next week.”

“No, you’re not! You’ve told us tons of stories of your patients flirting with you and your coworkers. Never once has it prickled you to the point of wanting to go get hammered in a nightclub.”

“Fabiola’s right! You’re fantasizing about getting with this guy in the exam room like on Grey’s. God, will that show ever not be relevant?”

“The point is the reason this has you tweaking is because you know you can’t do it.”

“Shut up, you guys suck.” Devi said, preparing a salt strip on her wrist for another shot.

“So, give him to another therapist so he isn’t your patient.”

“I tried before he even walked in, but Makayla said he asked for me specifically. She said something about how he knew another satisfied client.”

“Why is your job so sexual?” Eleanor laughed to which Devi glared. “Sorry, I’m sure all of your clients are satisfied.”

“You’re the worst,” Devi laughed, grabbing a lime wedge and thrusting the saltshaker into Fabiola’s hand. “Now are we pre-gaming or what?”

After more than enough shots resulted in finishing off the bottle in record time, Eleanor called for a car. The girls piled in, giggling a lot more than they had been a half hour prior. Fabiola insisted on controlling the music, though no one argued. Fab had an excellent knack for reading the energy and picking the perfect soundtrack. At least normally. This time, what she thought to be a great throwback jam, took Devi back eight years to a time that would only increase her anxiety to think about.  2022, Ben Gross’s Christmas Party.

***

“Coyote girl!”

“Hey, Trent,” Devi smiled meeting him and Paxton by the punch bowl. “You didn’t dip your balls in this again, did you?”

“Come on, Devi, I’m in college now. Would I do that?”

She looked between Trent and Paxton: Trent attempting to look way too innocent, Paxton analyzing him just as much as Devi. Suddenly, he turned to Devi. “You know what? I brought a bottle of Jack. It’s in the fridge. I’ll share with you.”

Devi smiled in gratitude as Paxton led her inside. “So, you’re drinking?”

He smiled. “We get a break from meets during Christmas break, so I figure once or twice won’t hurt.”

“David!” she heard as soon as she and Paxton entered the kitchen. The moment they started dating, Devi told Ben that the ‘nickname’ bothered her. He almost never used it anymore, but he was obviously drunk. “Wait, no sorry. Devi!”

“What’s up, man?” Paxton fist bumped Ben. “I don’t trust Trent, so Devi is drinking my stuff. Cool?”

“Cool, man, and thanks for the heads up. If you don’t trust Trent, I don’t trust Trent.”

Ben and Paxton had reached a relationship of friendly acquaintances by the time Paxton graduated. It had been a necessity when Ben tutored Paxton in order to meet the requirements for his swim scholarship to Stanford. At the time, it brought Devi mixed feelings. Being a few years removed from the drama of her sophomore year, it was nice they could all just hangout without it being weird.

“So, Ben, I gotta know. Why are you having a Christmas party?” Devi asked. “You don’t celebrate Christmas.”

“True, but you can’t throw a party over winter break without accepting that people are going to call it a Christmas party, and expecting half the guests to wear ugly sweaters whether it’s required or not,” Ben explained, only slightly tripping over his words. “I just steer into the skid.”

Devi and Paxton grinned at him before laughing. “Hey, whatever. It’s a dope party, and you guys are just too sober to appreciate it,” he accused good-naturedly, pulling a bottle of Jack Daniels out of the refrigerator. “Get moving and come find me when you’re on this level. Unless I’m with Emma, then come back later.”

“Emma?”

“His girlfriend. She’s wicked smart, and she even convinced his parents to be at parents’ weekend. They’ll probably get married,” Devi told him as Ben went back outside.

“I’m sorry, do you go to school in New Jersey or Boston?” he teased.

“What?”

“You’re turning into a New Englander, Vishwakumar,” he told her, taking a pull of the Jack. He stepped in close enough to her that she could feel the heat radiating off him.

“I am not,” she laughed taking the bottle from him and taking a pull of her own. She coughed a little as it went down causing him to smirk. “I don’t usually drink whiskey.”

“Here,” he turned to the fridge and grabbed a soda. “Chase with coke, it helps.”

Just as she went to open the can, a group of people came in, immediately crowding them because they were going to use the island for a game of quarters. At least, that’s what she was able to glean from the drunken shouts of her old classmates. She felt an arm wind around her waist and looked up at Paxton – her chest practically pressed against his.

“Hey, you want to catch up to get drunk or catch up with a friend?” he leaned down to speak in her ear.

“How about both?” she smiled, grabbing the bottle of Jack and slipping through the crowd with Paxton close behind.

“Devi, come on! Catch up!” she came back to reality to have Eleanor thrusting one of the mini fireball bottles she’d shoved in her purse into Devi’s hand.

“I hate fireball,” she groaned.

“Fireball!” her friends shouted, and they all downed a bottle.

“Ladies, we’re here.”

“Okay, okay, one more for the club,” Devi insisted.

With a cheer, all three girls shot another small bottle of fireball. After tipping the driver, Eleanor led them past the line and walked straight up to the bouncer.

“Ladies,” the man smiled. “You on the list?”

“Eleanor Wong,” she stated her name with a flutter of her eyelashes.

He was silent as he skimmed his clipboard. “I don’t see it…” he trailed off, looking up at Eleanor, “but hey, aren’t you in that new spy thriller with Michael B. Jordan?”

Her eyes lit up, “Yes! Shot for Death! Tom keeps saying I’ll get used to being recognized, but it’s such a rush! Oh, here he is now,” she held a finger up to the stout but muscular man as she answered a phone call. “Hello darling,” she said with a flourish. “We’re outside, but he says I’m not on the list. Could you?”

Within seconds, Tom Holland popped his head out the door. “Mal, they’re with me. They’re under my name.”

“My apologies, ladies. Head on in, and I can’t wait to see you on the big screen again, Ms. Wong.”

“Thank you!” she blew him a kiss as the girls hurried inside.

Tom and Eleanor greeted each other with a hug as Devi and Fabiola wandered over to the bar. When Eleanor first made friends with some prominent stars, Devi was star struck regularly. As she got more into her career, and treated more and more celebrities, she began to get used to being in their presence.

“Drinks or shots?” Fabiola shouted over the music.

“Shot for me and then I’m going to dance.”

“Yes, girl!” Fabiola pounded the bar, gaining the attention of one of the bartenders. “Can we get three B-52s?”

“Make it four and put it on my tab,” a man’s voice called from beside Devi. Her initial thought was that Eleanor and Tom had caught up to them, but it clicked almost immediately that the accent was distinctly American. And then it clicked again that she would recognize that voice anywhere.

“What are you doing here?” she wheeled around on him.

“I’m out with some friends. What are you doing here, doctor? Are you following me?”

“Paxton?” Fabiola caught his eye past Devi.

“Hey, Fabiola,” he grinned. “Good to see you!”

“Same,” she smiled back. “I didn’t know you were in town?”

“Yeah, I’m home for some physical therapy,” he shouted gesturing to his shoulder.

It took Fabiola exactly no time to connect the dots, and Devi could feel it. Instead of looking at either of her current companions, she accepted the shots from the bartender with as much gratitude as she could muster. Devi carefully pushed a shot to her left and then to her right, clutching the remaining shots tightly.

“I’ll go give Eleanor hers.”

“Nope,” Fab cut off her escape and plucked the extra shot out of her hand. “I’ll do that. You take yours and go dance!”

“Oh, I’ll cheers to that,” Paxton said, leaning forward so she could hear him. “Come dance with me.”

Maybe it was alcohol from their successful pregaming clouding her judgment, or maybe it was the way she could lose herself in Paxton’s gaze just as easily as when she was fifteen years old, but Devi couldn’t stop herself from nodding and clinking her glass against his as they downed the shots in unison. He smirked at her, grasping her hand gently and leading her to the dancefloor.

It was crowded already, but so many of the people here loved that paparazzi never got in, and they could cut loose. Devi loved that atmosphere. Under the flashing lights, music pumping so loud you can’t hear anything else, dancing with friends, or a guy she would be way too nervous to talk to otherwise – it all just made her feel alive.  She felt that same adrenaline as Paxton kept his left hand firmly on her hip but did not pull her into him. Instead, he left just enough space between them for things to be innocent.

As the beat dropped on a new mix, Devi felt Paxton’s hand like an anchor. They locked eyes for a moment, and she swore she could feel the energy crackling between them. The corner of his mouth quirked up, gaze never leaving hers. This man asked her on a date that morning. The man she’d so desperately wanted as a teenager – the man that she nearly idolized and seemed so unattainable in her youth was the same man in front of her, the one looking at her like pure sex. The thought had a laugh bubbling up in her that she couldn’t stop. Full belly laughter overtook her as she bounced and swayed to the music and just lost herself.

She wasn’t sure how much time past, but at some point, Eleanor and Fabiola joined them. The music had shifted from EDM to a mix of the most beloved hip hop music from ten to fifteen years ago. As intended, that shift had more people pouring onto the dancefloor, and having any space to breathe was impossible. To Devi, it was perfect. The beat was pulsing so loud, it felt like her own heartbeat, and the familiar music was lending to everyone’s closet-love for karaoke as people around her belted the lyrics. Then she felt two hands at her hips pulling her slightly backwards to dance against a man’s chest. Normally, she didn’t mind dancing with strangers. As long as they didn’t get too handsy, she didn’t even mind the approach this guy took. Tonight, things felt different. Her eyes flew open, and immediately met Paxton’s. His look was calculating. He wasn’t going to stop her if this was what she wanted.

The thought brought an easy grin to her face as she reached a hand out toward him. His lips twitched into a crooked grin, but he met her hand and spun her into him. In that moment, time stood still. Devi didn’t notice who had approached her before Paxton’s rescue. She wasn’t sure if Fabiola and Eleanor were still on the floor with them. All she knew was that her back was pressed against Paxton’s chest, and it felt like she belonged there. They swayed to the music together, and she felt his left hand rest on her hip again. His other hand swept the hair off her right shoulder, and she felt him press tighter against her.

“What do you want from me, Devi?” he asked, his breath hot on her neck.

“You’re not dating anyone?” she asked disbelievingly. “Not at all, not even one-night stands?”

They were sitting in Ben’s theater room on the floor passing the significantly less full bottle of Jack between them. It was nice. It was easy. The awkwardness of what happened in high school long behind them.

“Hey, I have never had a one-night stand,” he pointed at her. “Have you?”

“Well, no, but I’m me and you’re you,” she laughed.

“What does that mean?” his eyes narrowed at her good-naturedly as he took another pull from the bottle of Jack and passed it back to her.

“I just mean, one of us probably has people lining up to sleep with them, and the other one is me,” she shrugged.

“Why would you even say that? Have you looked in a mirror?”

“Come on, stop, I didn’t mean” –

“I’m serious, Devi. You are a very weird girl, like that’s your brand, but it’s hot. You’re hot. If you really think guys aren’t interested in you, you’re not paying attention.”

“Stop,” she waved him off, cheeks burning hot red. “You don’t have to do that.”

He was scooting closer to her until their thighs were touching, and his gaze was searching hers looking for any hesitation. “I know. I don’t have to do anything. You know what I want to do?”

Her skin tingled under his stare, and she shook her head ‘no.’ Her stomach somersaulted when he reached a hand up to cradle her jaw. “I want show you how beautiful you are.”

Devi turned in his embrace, draping her hands around his neck. Paxton’s head immediately fell to the crook of her neck, and she played with the hair at the nape of his neck as she leaned into his ear. “I want you to show me how beautiful I am.”

His head snapped up and he pulled back to look her in the eye. His jaw had gone slack, and he was looking at her with such curiosity that it made her second guess herself. Maybe he wasn’t interested after all. Maybe he’d just been swept up in not seeing her after so long that morning. Maybe he just wanted to see if he could still get her to fall at his feet. Maybe this was just a game to him. She started to unwind her arms from him to escape her embarrassment when he pressed one of her arms down to stay in place around him. His other hand was firmly pressed against the small of her back.

“Let’s get a drink,” he suggested, waiting for her confirmation. When she nodded, he took her hand off his shoulder, pressed a kiss against the back, and led her from the dancefloor back to the bar.

“What are you drinking?”

“Whiskey sour,” she told him.

“Thought you didn’t drink whiskey?” he grinned.

“Things change.”

When their drinks were made, he nodded to a staircase, and she set off toward it with him close behind. The upper room was a quieter atmosphere. Tables and chairs, booths, a pool table – it was a great offset from the chaos downstairs. He placed their drinks down on a booth, and she slid into one side expecting him to slide in opposite her. Instead, he slid in next to her.

“Paxton, look I’m sorry if I misread things, I just” –

He placed a hand on her knee. “No, don’t do that. You didn’t misread anything. Just tell me why you said that exactly?”

***

Devi woke to the feeling of a hammer slamming against her skull. She could feel the sunlight piercing through her eyelids, making her roll over and press her face harder against her pillow. She heard a toilet flush, and that prompted her to inspect her surroundings a bit more closely. Blearily, she moved to a sitting position as the faucet in the bathroom ran. It was her apartment, that much she could tell. Maybe Eleanor and Fabiola decided to come back here? Fabiola lived closest to the club. That was why they pre-gamed at her place. Why would they come back to her place? Was she the only one coherent enough to call for a ride? With the way she felt this morning, that was unlikely. No, so who was using her bathroom and whistling as they walked down the hallway?

She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and unplugged it from the charger. She had a few unread messages in her group text with her friends.

*Let us know when you wake up this morning, we want to hear all the dirty details!*

*Also, avocado is a great hangover food!*

The dirty details? What did Devi do? So much of the previous night was a blur. At least she has clothes on – one of her dad’s old t-shirts and a pair of pajama shorts. That had a to be sign that she didn’t do anything too stupid. So, who was out there?

Only one way to find out, she thought, hoisting herself out of bed. She stepped out of her bedroom, and immediately smelled eggs. Devi padded down the hallway to the kitchen, and there was a steaming cast iron skillet sitting on a hot pad at the breakfast bar. No one was in the kitchen though.

“Hey, you’re up!” a voice cheered from behind her. Devi whirled around to the living room, to see Paxton on her couch carefully stretching one arm over the other shoulder.

“Jesus! Paxton, what are you doing?”

He tilted his head at her with a quizzical look. “I’m doing my shoulder exercises. You’re the one that assigned them.”

“Not that!” she couldn’t help but holler at him. “What are you doing in my apartment?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it again. His arms fell to his sides. “You actually demanded that I come here.”

“What?” her eyes went wide as she did her best to recall the events of last night. “Did we…?”

He started laughing as he stepped past her and behind the breakfast bar. “I knew you were too drunk to remember. No, we did not have sex. You were mad at me for that last night by the way.”

“No…” she trailed off taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

“Oh yeah, I told you I was going to take the couch, and you said you’d been waiting like ten years to see whether or not I stuff my swim briefs,” he smirked. “I don’t, in case you’re still wondering.”

“Oh my god,” this new information and the headache still throbbing against her skull was enough to make her vomit. Instead, she just dropped her head to the counter, the pressure soothing against her forehead.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. It was cute… in a very Devi way,” he brushed her arm gently. “Sit up, you need to eat.”

She shifted her head slightly to meet his eye. “I yelled at you for not showing me your dick, and you stayed the night and made me breakfast.”

“Yeah, I had to make sure you were okay,” his eyes warmed to hers. “Now, sit up and eat.”

She obeyed and smiled when he pushed a loaded plate toward her. “This looks awesome.”

“Yeah, I had to work with what you had, but I call it a southwest sweet potato hash,” he told her proudly. After loading up his own plate, he came around the breakfast bar to sit next to her.

“So, anything else I should know about last night?”

“Well,” he paused to swallow a bite of food, “what’s the last thing you remember?”

She thought about the events of the previous night, as Paxton hopped up again.His energized movements distracting her, she asked, “Are you not hungover at all?”

“Based on what you told me, I had a lot less to drink last night than you did, so no, I’m not,” she heard him reply. She was staring at her plate because too much movement made her nauseated.

“You didn’t happen to make” –

“Coffee,” he cut her off happily, placing the mug in front of her, “and here’s some Tylenol. I was looking for blowfish or something but doesn’t look like you have any.”

She gratefully took the little pills from him and threw them back with a swig of coffee. “I used to. I stopped getting hungover for a while too.”

“Why’d you go so hard last night?”

“I think you know why,” she said with a glare.

He pursed his lips in a pout before choosing to ignore her implication and coming back to sit with her with his own cup of coffee. “So, what do you remember from last night?”

“I remember dancing with you on the dance floor.”

“Anyone else? Eleanor, Fab, some dude that I’m pretty sure was Lucas Hedges?”

“Okay, yeah. Some guy started dancing on me, and I wanted to dance with you instead,” she replied casually, continuing her breakfast.

“Nothing else? You don’t remember going to the upper room to talk about what happened at Ben’s party?”

“We talked about Ben’s party?”

“Well, yeah, funny thing is, I didn’t remember that,” he told her with a nostalgic grin. “Like I remembered it, but I thought I dreamt some of it.”

“What? Like what?”

“Well you were gone when I woke up, and never said anything about it so I thought…”

“You thought you dreamt making out with me?”

“Well, see so that’s all we did? It’s hard, because when I’ve dreamt about it since then…” he trailed off, the tips of his ears turning pink at his own admission.

“You’ve dreamt about it since then?”

“Not like a ton… it’s not like I’ve dreamt about you every night for the last eight years, that would be kinda creepy probably. Just any time something reminds me of you, it seems to come up… high school, something about Gross in the news… seeing you on social media… it’s not that weird.”

“Paxton…”

“I mean, whatever, I know I’m going to dream about last night for a long time,” he winked. She didn’t understand how he could have so little shame. Then she remembered she had enough to go around. “You made it your mission to remind me of every dirty detail of that night at Ben’s.”

“We made out last night?”

“We started to, yeah. Instead of getting hot and heavy, you ran off to the bathroom, and I found you with your head in a urinal. That’s when it was time to go home.”

“And that’s what you’re going to dream about?” she scoffed.

“No, I’m going to dream about you pawing at my zipper yelling about pringle cans.” He settled into a close-lipped smile, but it didn’t hide the mirth in his eyes.

“Oh my god,” Devi groaned, slipping off her stool to flop over onto the couch.

She could hear Paxton laughing. Soon, he was settled on the couch with her. She turned her body just enough to catch his eye, and he patted his lap. She rolled her eyes but stretched out so her head was on his thigh and she was looking up at him. His features were soft, gentle, caring.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” he told her softly, one hand carding through her hair. “I don’t mind when you act like you like me.”

“I’m not acting,” her eyes fell shut, feeling his fingers stroke her scalp could lull her to sleep.

“Yeah?”

She hummed an affirmative. She was pretty sure if he kept scratching her head like that, she’d say yes to anything. And of course, she liked him. She was never able to truly deny that fact. Even when she’d had boyfriends, she’d be lying if Paxton wasn’t always lingering in the back of her mind. How could he not be? His appearance was god-like. He was beyond hiding behind words – if she was honest, that was her favorite part – he wasn’t afraid to be real with her. And he never gave up on her. As rocky as their friendship had started, as often as they lost touch, here he was telling her, he still thought about her.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she almost whispered.

“Me too.”

She felt his hand trace the edge of her face, and couldn’t stop herself from leaning into his touch, and pressing a kiss to his palm. Somehow, it was comfortable, intimate. She felt like she was born to be here. The same thought she had eight years ago came back to the forefront of her mind: It’s always been Paxton. At that realization, her eyes popped open. He’d leaned his head back, eyes closed; he looked as close to dozing off as she felt moments ago. His lips formed a peaceful grin, just slightly curved upwards, and his two small moles pinning opposite corners of his mouth were barely shadowed by the growth of his facial hair overnight. His long eyelashes curled naturally in a way, Devi thought, women would kill for. She always knew he was hot, but she never really took the time to notice how beautiful he was.

Before she could stop herself, before she could think twice, Devi leaned up and pressed her lips to his. And time stood still. Just as she was going to pull away again, his hand found hold in her hair, and his lips moved over hers with fervor. She wasn’t sure who opened to the other first, but in a flash their tongues were dueling for dominance. Instead of admitting defeat, Devi pulled his bottom lip between her teeth and bit down. He, honest to god, whimpered in response. She smiled against mouth before he swallowed her smile with one, two, and then three slow languid kisses. He pulled away, pressed her to his chest that she could feel was heaving. When she looked up to meet his eye, they were closed again, but he wore the most breathtaking smile she’d ever seen.

“Mm... I want to take my time with you,” he told her, pressing another kiss to her lips. She blushed at his implication. “God, I am not going to forget this any time soon.”

“Mood, my guy. Big mood,” she agreed, sitting up next to him.

He turned so he was halfway facing her, and his left hand took refuge on her thigh. “Can I ask you something?” he asked, waiting for her nod before continuing. “Okay, I don’t want to pop this, like, bubble we’re in right now, but… what does this mean going forward?”

“Paxton…” her eyes softened. She knew what she wanted, but with her job, how could she…

“Devi, listen. I know it’s my fault that you’re my therapist. I know that I made this difficult, but I really just wanted to see you, and now? I know one thing for sure, I really don’t want to wait another eight years to kiss you again.” he sighed, and repositioned again so he was fully facing her, clasping her hands in his. “I’ll wait for four weeks if it’ll make you happy. I’ll be your dirty little secret if that’s what you want. Just don’t turn me down. Let me take you to dinner, bring you flowers, make you soup when you’re sick. Give me a chance to sweep you off your feet.”

“Honestly, I’m stuck on ‘dirty little secret.’”

He smirked. “Lingering looks… shirtless assessments… secret dates… secret hookups,” he told her sensually, pausing between each suggestion to press a kiss first to her lips, then the corner of her mouth, her jaw, and finally ended by sucking her earlobe into his mouth and dragging his teeth over it. She shuddered under him, and felt him smile against her neck. “Do you like that idea?”

“Oh, fuck yeah.”

[xoteajays]

▸ relationships: suzy + the hargreeves siblings.

suzy + luther:

mutual dislike. she was very possibly influenced by diego in the beginning when she didn’t even know luther, but the two didn’t get along even when they were introduced.

he annoys her, she snaps at him.

being particularly protective over klaus and vanya, his actions towards them bring out a kind of aggressive part of her.

she makes a small effort to comfort him sometimes, specifically when it comes to his dad, because she hates reginald more than she dislikes luther.

she’s the first to oppose his plans to harm vanya.

suzy + diego:

they’re close friends (and mutually pining).

she’s had a crush on him since eudora introduced them to each other, but suzy kept it to herself because he was dating eudora at the time. she’s not the insecure type, but she doesn’t think diego would ‘like-like’ someone like her.

he tries to get her to work out, she complains and would far prefer to just watch him instead. she goes to watch his boxing matches.

he comes to her to get patched-up after particularly rough nights. she was the one who stitched up his head.

she’s grossed out by his raw food diet, specifically the ‘eating raw eggs’ thing, and is desperate to cook him an actual meal.

suzy + allison:

she likes allison. she likes allison’s movies. she’s definitely cried over allison’s movies and it was most definitely one of the first things she gushes about upon meeting the actress.

their plans usually coincide when it comes to wanting to protect vanya.

they both have pretty big personalities and don’t shy away from speaking their minds, however they sometimes clash. they are, also, pretty feminine and tend to be the type to have more self-care type days with each other.

suzy wants to help and support allison in any way she possibly can. she tends to try and push allison to take the therapy sessions she’s been avoiding.

suzy + klaus:

they met at a club. klaus was high and drunk, suzy was just drunk. they got along quick and bonded over shots.

after they got closer, she’d let him sleep on her couch after long nights. it, at least, gave her pretty decent muscles after having to haul drunk & half-asleep klaus up the stairs to her apartment.

they’ve both spilled childhood stories while severely drunk; the mornings after, they sometimes remember and sometimes don’t. either way, they usually don’t bring it up while sober.

she tried to help him get clean once, but it didn’t end up well and they both quickly broke. she’s offered to help him again if he wants to try, but doesn’t want to push him into it.

klaus is her official taste-tester when she experiments with baking.

suzy + five:

she knows he’s not actually a teenager, but she can’t help but think of him as one. much to his disdain, but he overlooks it for her excellent coffee-making.

while she, at times, finds him amusing, she also thinks he’s terrifying. he sometimes lets things slip that horrify her into silence.

he was the first of the hargreeves' to find out about her powers, giving her the ultimate fright when he teleported into her apartment, not to mention feeling like her privacy was invaded. she’s demanded he never just teleport into her apartment like that again unless it’s an emergency.

they get along fairly well.

suzy + ben:

since ben had died before suzy had met any of the hargreeves’, she doesn’t know him personally; but from what she’s heard, she thinks they’d get along.

ben, on the other hand, has been around since she first met klaus. he appreciates her for helping klaus when she can.

suzy + vanya:

while not having finished it, she did pick up vanya’s book and read bits of it.

she felt rather sorry for vanya and ended up rather protective of her.

they bonded over coffee, crummy childhoods, and similar music tastes.

between her, vanya, and klaus, they make up the trio of ‘we were locked up in a dark claustrophobic rooms for extended periods as children and now we're traumatized’.

wasn’t big on the ‘vanya needs to die’ plan. actually, she was completely opposed and tried to convince the others to change their minds.