#my brain is being to chatty this week

[spaceshipsoutthepool]

Appreciate a reblog to pass it around if possible

[last-flight-of-fancy]

xion 🤝 zero

being the goth gf

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[oizilla]

I think the worst part about not being able to make friends is that I can do everything I can think of to try and meet people and form connections, but in the end it doesn't matter because I can't control whether people like me.

[ericshoney]

Party girl ~ Matt Sturniolo

Summary: Matt goes to one of Tara's party with Nick and Chris, only to find interest in the quiet girl in the kitchen.

Warnings: probably swearing, fluff, alcohol mentioned

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt didn't want to go to Tara's party, he wasn't in the mood. However, like most times, Chris and Nick persuaded him to go, and here he was, driving to her place.

"Can't I just go home and pick you both up later?" He suggested.

"No Matt!" Chris shouted.

"Come on, let's go." Nick said.

Matt sighed as he followed his brothers towards the loud and lively house. Music was blasting out and many people were already drinking and dancing.

The trio walked into the house, greeting a few people as they walked and soon found the host in the kitchen, drinking a bottle of beer. She smiled once she saw the identical three.

"Hey guys! I'm so glad you all could make it!" She exclaimed, emphasising the all, thinking Matt wasn't going to show.

"We're all happy to be here." Chris said, throwing his brother a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, fucking ecstatic." Matt grumbled, earning a slap from Nick, who was the only one who heard.

"Well there's soda in the fridge, help yourselves!" Tara cheered, rushing off to greet some more guests who had arrived.

Nick went over to the fridge and grabbed three sodas, passing them to Chris and Matt. The three quietly watched the party go on before heading to mingle. Matt followed behind Nick, throwing the odd word in here and there with a conversation.

But as Nick was chatting away to Larray, Matt glanced around, his focus soon being drawn to the kitchen where a girl sat on the kitchen counter and Tara next to her.

Matt's feet worked quicker than his brain and he drifted from Nick and headed to the kitchen. Tara noticed his presence first and smiled.

"Hey Matt, I have the female equivalent of you here." She said with a small laugh.

Matt looked at the girl who was still sat on the counter, a can of coke in her hand, a blank expression on her face.

"Fuck off." She grumbled.

"Matt this is Y/n, Y/n meet Matt, he's not really a party fan either." Tara introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Matt said, offering a hand to the quiet girl.

She silently shook his hand, a small smile making a way to her face.

"I'll be right back....Jake get the fuck down your way to drunk!" Tara shouted, running off to her friend.

Matt chuckled slightly and lent against the counter next to Y/n. The girl quietly sipped her drink, swaying her feet softly.

"So....not much of a talker?" Matt asked carefully.

"Not really....sorry." She answered.

"No it's okay. I'm the same really, only talking around my brothers." He replied.

"Too loud as well." She admitted.

Matt looked around and saw the backyard was fairly empty. He nodded his head that way, looking at the girl.

"Want to get some air?" He suggested.

Y/n nodded and hopped off the counter, following the slightly taller male towards the outdoor space. Both sitting on the sofa, relaxing slightly.

"Is that better?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, thank you." She replied.

"So, how do you know Tara?" Matt questioned, trying to break the ice.

"We've been friends for years, I just moved back to LA a week ago." She answered.

"Oh that's cool, did you move in with Tara then?" He responded.

"No, I got my own apartment down the street, but I'm here most of the time." She replied with a small giggle.

He chuckled and smiled, nodding at her reply. The two feel quiet for a bit before Y/n spoke up again.

"If your not a party guy, what made you come here?" She asked.

"My brothers, Chris and Nick. I've avoided many parties but they persuaded me to come. Now I'm here I'm actually happy." He answered.

"How come?" She questioned, tilting her head slightly.

"Cause I got to meet you." He replied, smiling at the girl.

Y/n smiled as the two continued getting to know each other. Both were smiling and laughing, coming out of their shells, not realising what the time was. Soon Chris and Nick came out, seeing their brother chatting and smiling with the unknown girl.

"Hey Matt, you ready to go home?" Nick asked, drawing his attention away.

"Oh uh yeah. Text me?" Matt replied, turning his attention back to Y/n.

She smiled and nodded as Matt left with his brothers, the three getting back in the car and driving home quietly.

"So...who's the girl?" Chris asked as they arrived home.

"Y/n, a friend of Tara's. She's really cool and sweet." Matt replied, smiling happily.

Nick and Chris both shared a look, smiling at each other.

"So, happy we dragged you to the party?" Nick asked.

"Very happy." Matt nodded.

At the start of the night, Matt was unhappy to go to Tara's party, now after meeting Y/n, he was much happier to make a new friend and maybe something more in the future.

[whereforarthur]

Being Stuck in an Elevator Never Looked so Good?

Pairing: ArthurTv x Fan!Reader

Summary: Getting trapped in an elevator with your favorite YouTuber, was not what you had planned for today

Word Count: 4.2k

Rating: PG-13

Category: Fluff/ Light Smut

*****

My heart and the elevator, a plummet inside a plummet. -Jonathan Lethem

Y/n stepped into the elevator, her heart racing from the brisk London jog she'd just finished. She was the picture of casual athleticism in her sweat-dampened tee and leggings, the chilly air conditioning giving her a welcome respite from the city's heat. As the doors closed with a soft ding, she took a deep breath and glanced at the mirrored walls, checking her ponytail. It was a habit she had, a silent pep talk before facing the world after a run. The elevator ascended, the mechanical whirring a familiar lullaby to her ears.

Suddenly, the dinging halted mid-tone, and the elevator jolted to a stop. Y/n's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as the lights flickered once, twice, and then went out. Panic surged through her, a sudden and unwelcome guest. She fumbled for her phone, her trembling fingers finally locating the screen, which illuminated her surroundings with a cold, blue light. The elevator was eerily silent now, save for the sound of her own shallow breaths echoing in the confined space. She tapped the emergency call button, her voice shaky as she reported the situation. The voice on the other end was calm, assuring her help was on the way.

As the minutes stretched into an uncomfortable silence, she heard a soft sigh from the corner opposite her. She looked up, and there he was—Arthur, the YouTuber she'd been obsessing over for months. The light from her phone cast an ethereal glow on his features, highlighting his sharp jawline and the dark circles under his eyes. He looked just as surprised as she felt, his hair a bit more disheveled than in his videos. "Well, this is a bit awkward," he murmured, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Y/n's brain scrambled to process the situation. This was surreal—trapped in a tiny elevator with the person she'd watched countless times on her laptop screen. She managed a shaky laugh, her cheeks flushing with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. "Yeah, you could say that," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. The elevator's emergency light flickered on, casting a faint glow and revealing more of Arthur's presence. He leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets, casually slouching in a way that made him seem both approachable and incredibly out of place in the stark, metal box.

"Did you know," Arthur began, his voice smooth and even, "that the chances of getting stuck in an elevator are about one in ten thousand?" The tension in the air eased slightly as he spoke, his tone filled with a mild amusement that was oddly comforting. "I read that somewhere. I guess we're both just really lucky today, huh?" Y/n couldn't help but chuckle nervously, her eyes flicking to his. She hadn't expected him to be so...normal. So chatty.

He took a step closer, the light from her phone casting a dance of shadows across his face. "Or maybe we're just part of a statistical anomaly," he continued, his smile growing. "You know, like the one where you're more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the lottery, but people still buy tickets every week."

Y/n felt a spark of connection, the kind that ignites in the most unexpected of places. She nodded, her voice finding a bit more of its usual lilt. "I suppose we could be the unlucky winners of the 'Elevator Entrapment Lottery'."

Arthur's laugh filled the small space, warming it up like a cup of tea on a cold winter's day. "Exactly! I'm Arthur, by the way," he said, extending his hand. Y/n took it, feeling the warmth of his palm and the strength of his grip. His handshake was firm, yet gentle, like he was reassuring her without saying a word.

"I'm Y/n," she replied, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice. She couldn't believe she was actually talking to him, her crush, in such a bizarre setting. "So, what brings you here?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation going despite the awkwardness.

"I had a meeting with a producer," Arthur said, his eyes scanning the elevator's control panel as if looking for an escape. "And you? You don't exactly look like you're dressed for a meeting."

Y/n chuckled, feeling a little less star-struck. "Just finished a run. I was heading to grab a shower before I met up with some friends." She paused, realizing she was still holding his hand. She gently pulled away, her cheeks burning. "Sorry, I just...you know, with the shock and all..."

Arthur waved it off, his smile genuine. "No worries. I've had worse starts to my day." He leaned back against the wall, his arms folded over his chest. "So, Y/n, what do you do when you're not getting stuck in elevators?"

Inwardly, Arthur couldn't believe his luck—or perhaps misfortune, depending on how he looked at it. He'd always been a bit awkward around girls, especially attractive ones. He felt his heart racing faster than it had been during his last marathon livestream. She was beautiful, with her flushed cheeks and the way her eyes sparkled even in the dim light. He hoped she couldn't hear the pounding in his chest. He'd always imagined meeting someone like her under more...glamorous circumstances.

"Oh, I'm just a university student," Y/n said, her voice filled with the confidence of someone who knew their own worth. "Studying film theory. I'm actually a big fan of your channel," she added with a shy smile. Arthur's stomach did a flip-flop. A fan? Here? Now? The universe had a peculiar sense of humor.

"Really?" Arthur asked, genuinely surprised. "What do you like about it?" He leaned in slightly, his curiosity piqued.

"Well," Y/n began, her voice gaining confidence, "I love how you dissect the dynamics of the couples. You make it seem like a science, but with all the drama and emotions thrown in. It's like watching a reality TV show with a psychologist's commentary."

Arthur's eyes lit up, his chest swelling with pride. "That's exactly what I aim for," he said, his voice earnest. "I mean, we all love love, but it's fascinating to see how different people navigate it. Plus, the occasional drama is just...delicious."

Y/n felt her cheeks heat up, and she ducked her head slightly. "And it doesn't hurt that you're, you know, attractive," she mumbled, immediately regretting her words. She cringed internally, expecting a cold shoulder or a brush-off. Instead, Arthur chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Well, thank you," he said, his voice warm. "But I'm just a guy with a camera and too many opinions."

The conversation flowed easily between them, their shared love for analyzing relationships and storytelling providing a natural bridge. They talked about their favorite movies, books, and even swapped a few funny dating horror stories. Y/n found herself relaxing in Arthur's company, his charm and wit drawing her in. She'd always thought he was handsome, but the way he listened, really listened, made him even more appealing.

*****

As the minutes ticked by, the elevator grew warmer. Y/n could feel the heat prickling her skin, the sweat from her run now mixing with a nervous sheen. She pushed a loose strand of hair off her forehead and took a step closer to Arthur, unconsciously seeking shade from the tiny beam of light coming from her phone. "It's getting a bit toasty in here," she said, her voice a little breathless.

Arthur nodded, his eyes flicking to her gym attire. "You're probably overdressed for this sauna we've found ourselves in," he said with a smirk. Without warning, he pulled off his shirt, revealing a set of toned abs that looked like they'd been chiseled by a Greek god. The air in the elevator seemed to thicken, charged with a sudden tension that had nothing to do with their predicament.

Y/n's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but stare for a moment before averting her gaze. "Sorry," Arthur said, a hint of self-consciousness in his voice. "It's just, I run hot."

Inwardly, Y/n was screaming. It was one thing to fawn over him on her laptop screen, his shirtless form a pixelated fantasy she could control with the click of a button, but this was real life. He was right there, his bare skin glistening with a sheen of sweat, his muscles rippling in the weak light. She felt a sudden and intense urge to reach out and touch him, to see if he was as solid as he looked. But she resisted, folding her arms over her chest instead and focusing on the cold metal of the elevator wall.

"It's okay," she said, her voice a little too high. "I mean, it's not like we're strangers anymore, right?" She forced a laugh, trying to play it cool. "And I guess we're both stuck here, so..."

Arthur looked over at her, his eyes lingering for a moment on her form in the tank top and workout shorts. The fabric clung to her in all the right places, revealing the athletic figure she'd worked hard to maintain. He swallowed, feeling his own body respond to the sight. He'd always prided himself on being professional, on keeping his personal and online lives separate, but here he was, stuck in a tiny space with a fan who was also, unfortunately, incredibly attractive.

The elevator groaned, the sound cutting through their conversation like a knife. They both jumped, the sudden noise a stark reminder of their situation. "Looks like we're going nowhere fast," Arthur said, trying to keep his voice light.

Y/n nodded, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear. "I hope they hurry," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

"Don't worry," Arthur said, his tone reassuring. "We've got each other for company. Could be worse, right?"

Y/n's heart raced as she tried to convince herself that he didn't feel the electricity zipping through the air. She took a deep breath, her eyes lingering on the shadows that played across his bare chest. The urge to lean in, to feel the warmth of his skin against hers, was overwhelming. She bit her bottom lip, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach. He was just a YouTuber, she reminded herself, not some sort of superhero here to sweep her off her feet—even if he did have the body of one.

"You know," Arthur said, breaking the tension with a lopsided grin, "I've always wondered what people do when they're stuck in elevators. It's like a trope in movies, right?"

Y/n's cheeks burned, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was hinting at something. "Yeah," she murmured, her eyes darting to his. "They usually fuck." The words slipped out before she could stop them, and she immediately wished she could take them back.

Arthur's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Is that what you had in mind?" he teased, his voice low and intimate. Y/n's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was one thing to fantasize about him in the privacy of her own room, but to have him flirt with her in real life? Her brain was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, and she had no idea how to respond.

But before she could even attempt to form a coherent thought, Arthur's expression shifted, the teasing glint in his eye giving way to something more serious. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice sincere. "That was unprofessional of me. You're a fan, and I shouldn't—"

Y/n held up a hand, cutting him off. "It's okay," she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just as much to blame for the awkwardness here." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "But...if you weren't, you know, Arthur from YouTube, and we were just two people stuck in an elevator...would you have made that joke?"

Arthur studied her for a moment, his gaze intense in the dim light. "If we weren't who we are," he said slowly, "and we were just two people, I might have been flirting for real."

Y/n's heart stuttered in her chest, her eyes locked on his. "Might have been?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Arthur's expression grew serious, his eyes searching hers. "Maybe it wasn't a joke," he said, taking a step closer. "Maybe I was just testing the waters."

Y/n's pulse quickened, her breath hitching as Arthur's hand reached out to gently brush a strand of hair from her face. His touch was feather-light, sending a shiver down her spine. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation before looking back up at him. "What does that mean?" she whispered.

Arthur leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek. "It means," he murmured, "that I've noticed you're not just any fan." He paused, his hand lingering near her face. "You're someone I could see myself getting to know outside of this metal cage."

Y/n's eyes fluttered shut, her heart racing. She'd never been so close to Arthur, never felt his breath on her skin. When she opened her eyes, she found him looking at her with an intensity that stole her words. The elevator's emergency light flickered again, casting his features in a strobe of shadows and light. She stepped closer, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

"Really?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Because I've thought about you a lot, too." It was out before she could think better of it, but the words felt right, like they'd been waiting for this moment.

Arthur leaned in closer, his eyes searching hers. "In what ways?" he asked, his voice a soft rumble that seemed to resonate through her very core.

Y/n felt her cheeks flush even hotter, but she met his gaze with determination. "I mean, I've wondered what it would be like to talk to you," she said, her voice a little shaky. "To see if you're as charming in person as you are on screen."

Arthur's smile grew, a playful glint in his eye. "And?"

Y/n took a deep breath, her heart pounding. "Well, you're definitely more charming in person," she admitted, a small smile playing on her lips. "But I've also thought about other things."

Arthur's grin grew, his eyes never leaving hers. "Such as?"

Y/n's heart was racing so fast she could feel it in her fingertips. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "I've, uh, wondered what your lips would feel like," she blurted out, her cheeks aflame.

Arthur's eyes widened, and for a moment, she was sure she'd made a terrible mistake. But then his smile grew, and he leaned in even closer, his toned body mere inches from hers. "Is that so?" he whispered, his voice a delicious caress.

Y/n nodded, unable to look away from the heat in his gaze. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, could almost taste the anticipation on the air. "Yes," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Arthur's hand reached out, his thumb ghosting over her lower lip. "Well, then," he said, his voice a whisper that seemed to resonate through her entire body, "we should probably test that theory."

Y/n's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in, her heart racing so fast she could feel it in her ears. His hand cupped her cheek, his eyes never leaving hers as he closed the gap between them. Their lips met, and it was nothing like she'd ever imagined. It was soft and gentle, yet filled with a passion that seemed to ignite the very air around them. The metal walls of the elevator disappeared, replaced by the intoxicating scent of him, the heat of his body, and the feeling of his skin against hers.

*****

The world outside the elevator ceased to exist as they kissed, each one deeper and more intense than the last. Arthur's free hand found the small of her back, pulling her closer as if he could somehow absorb her into himself. Y/n's hands tentatively found their way to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart mirroring her own. The moment was surreal, a dream come true in the most unexpected of places.

As their kiss grew more urgent, the elevator gave a sudden jolt, startling them apart. The lights flickered back on, and the mechanical sounds of the elevator resuming its ascent filled the space. They both looked at each other, eyes wide with shock and excitement. "Well," Arthur said, his voice husky, "that was unexpected."

Y/n couldn't agree more. She felt like she was floating, her knees wobbly and her heart racing. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "But not entirely unwelcome."

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the next floor. The doors slid open, and the cool air from the hallway rushed in, a stark contrast to the heat between them. Arthur's hand lingered on her cheek, his thumb tracing small circles that sent shivers down her spine. "I guess we should get out of here before someone sees us," he said, his voice tinged with regret.

Y/n nodded, her legs feeling like jelly as she stepped out of the elevator. Arthur followed, his eyes never leaving hers as they moved into the corridor. She could feel the weight of his gaze, the promise of more than just a kiss in those warm brown depths. As they made their way to the elevator's control panel, she heard a crackling sound over the intercom.

"Ah, looks like you two had quite the moment there," the operator's voice chuckled, the sound echoing through the small space. Y/n's cheeks went from pink to scarlet, and she buried her face in her hands, mortified.

Arthur's eyes widened, and he looked at her with a mix of amusement and concern. "Is that true?" he whispered, his hand reaching out to gently touch her elbow.

Y/n nodded, her cheeks feeling like they were on fire. "I think he heard everything," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Arthur chuckled, a low, rich sound that sent a thrill through her. "Well, in that case," he said, leaning closer to the intercom, "I suppose I should ask you out, then." His eyes twinkled with mischief, and she could see the corners of his mouth curve up in a grin.

The operator's laugh crackled over the speaker. "That's the spirit, son!" he exclaimed. "Now don't let me interrupt your romantic rescue!"

Y/n peeked through her fingers, her cheeks burning as Arthur's grin grew wider. "I'm holding you to that," she said, her voice muffled by her palms.

Arthur chuckled, the sound rumbling through the elevator like a gentle earthquake. He stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. "We're not done yet."

With a swift movement, he pulled his shirt back on, the fabric whispering against his skin. Y/n couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at the loss of the view, but the promise in his eyes was more than enough to keep her excitement alight. They stepped out into the hallway, the cold air a stark contrast to the warmth of their shared moment.

Arthur took out his phone, his thumbs dancing over the screen as he saved her number with a grin. "There," he said, holding up the device to show her. "Now I can officially say I know a film theory student who can appreciate a good plot twist."

Y/n laughed, feeling a little more at ease now that they had some semblance of normalcy back. "And I can say I've been kissed by ArthurTv," she teased, her voice still a little shaky from the excitement.

Arthur's smile grew, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "Just maybe don't go telling people that part," he said, a little too casually. "I don't want to start any rumors."

Y/n nodded, feeling the weight of his words. She knew he was right; the last thing either of them needed was for their impromptu elevator romance to become fodder for the tabloids. "Your secret's safe with me," she assured him, her voice still a little breathless.

*****

They walked down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls. Y/n couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that their time in the elevator was over. It had been like a bubble, a private little world where she could be herself without the pressure of the outside. But the thrill of their shared secret was almost as exhilarating as the kiss itself.

As they approached her apartment door, Arthur's hand brushed against hers, sending a jolt of electricity through her. She looked up at him, her heart racing. "Thank you," she said, her voice a little shaky. "For making this...less terrible."

He chuckled, his eyes warm. "My pleasure," he replied, leaning against the wall. "But now that we're out, I guess we should get back to reality."

Y/n nodded, her hand resting on the doorknob. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice a little sad. "But I'm not sure I'm ready for reality yet."

Arthur stepped closer, his hand covering hers on the knob. "Well, how about we make a deal?" he suggested, his eyes searching hers. "We'll keep this between us, for now. Just two people who got stuck in an elevator and had a bit of an adventure."

Y/n felt a thrill run through her at the thought of their secret, the excitement of something just for them. "Okay," she agreed, her voice a whisper. "But just one more kiss, to remember it by."

Arthur's smile grew, and he leaned in, his hand cupping her cheek once more. Their lips met again, the kiss slower this time, more deliberate. It was like they were trying to memorize every detail of each other, to burn the moment into their memories. Y/n could feel the warmth of his skin, the gentle scrape of his stubble, the way his breath mingled with hers. It was a kiss that promised more than just friendship, more than just a passing encounter.

When they finally pulled apart, Y/n felt a little dizzy, her heart racing. "I'll hold you to that date," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Arthur's eyes searched hers, the intensity of his gaze making her knees feel like they might give out. "You better," he said, his voice a low murmur. "I don't want to be the guy who leaves a girl hanging, especially not one who's seen me half-dressed."

With one last smile, Y/n turned the doorknob and slipped into her apartment, the cool air of her home a stark contrast to the heat of Arthur's presence. She watched him disappear down the hallway, his form swallowed by the shadows. As she closed the door, she could still feel the imprint of his hand on her cheek, the taste of his kiss lingering on her lips.

Her mind raced with thoughts of their encounter, the way his eyes had lit up when she'd confessed her interest, the thrill of his touch. It was as if she'd stepped into one of the movies she studied, a chance meeting with a dashing hero that led to a passionate embrace. But this was real life, and she was still Y/n, the university student with the crush on the YouTube star.

Arthur walked down the hallway, his hand still tingling from where it had held hers. He couldn't believe he'd kissed a fan—let alone one as beautiful and intriguing as she was. He'd always tried to keep his personal life separate from his online persona, but something about her had made him throw caution to the wind.

Y/n watched Arthur retreat, his form growing smaller and smaller until he was just a memory in the corridor. Her heart raced with the excitement of what had just happened, the impossibility of it all. She'd never imagined her crush on him could lead to something real.

*****

Taglist~

@gvf23

[hanibalistic]

#FFFAFA | GHOST.

genre | angst, fluff, platonic relationship au, grumpy dad x eager child dynamic

word count | 2754

warning | mention of death, mention of pain, mention of human trafficking, mention of kidnapping / i know absolutely nothing about this game and this man. ​

note | i just thought his appearance and the little personality i can tell from tiktok fit the description of this scenario. also i like this trope. i apologize in advance but this thought just had to go somewhere other than my head.

“Where’s the kid.”

A stoic voice matched with an even more intimidating stance—the medic did not need to turn around to know it was Simon Riley (or Ghost, as he liked to be called) talking behind him. He calmly turned around to face the sudden speaker, and his brows raised. Despite barely healing from severe unattended injuries and dehydration, Ghost remained tall and demanding; nobody should expect anything less from him.

“Where’s the kid.” Ghost said again when he did not receive an answer promptly enough. He enunciated every word with gruff but no grit. It could be the hazy brain taking a small toll on him. He did remember the other medic recommending a timely rest that he had no plan to take. Until he could find you, that was.

The medic looked around the area, massively confused. Kid? What kid? Has Simon Riley finally lost his goddamn mind after being stranded in the desert for weeks without the proper nourishment? He was almost killed, after all! The only reason he managed to make it back was that whoever tried to kill him foolishly thought he died. Could this possibly be the side effect of the recent traumatic experience? Having hallucinations?

“Fucking hell, where’s my kid?” That sounded like a question this time around. His voice had more restlessness in it, if one couldn’t fathom him ever being frantic about anything. Ghost had taken a step forward, his hands curled into fists, and his gaze hardened to scare the answer out of an unassuming medic. “The kid that came here with me. They are about this tall. Dirty hair, really fucking chatty? You could not have missed them.”

The medic cowered a step back. Ghost has finally lost his mind this time because he has no idea what nonsense that was. Humming in thoughts in hopes to fill the silent air, the medic glanced to the side just outside the tent, hoping to see someone pass by that could help him with the delusional lunatic asking him such an unfathomable question. A child? Everyone would have known if there was a child running around this place!

Ghost could see the altered glance immediately, and for a moment, he was about to lose his temper. But, he found that his question was answered as soon as he gave the medic a chance and turned around to look over his shoulder. There you were, just standing outside the tent in your dirty clothes and bare feet, staring at the helicopter with genuine fascination. Ghost furrowed his brows in disdain after he scanned your appearance. How come nobody gave you a change of clothes?

Wordlessly, Ghost turned around and left the medic’s tent. He marched over to where you stood, coming up behind you silently until he was finally within arm’s reach. He grabbed a fistful of the collar of your shirt and pulled you off the ground, causing you to struggle with a yelp of surprise. He turned you around slowly to face him, and his deadpan eyes did not change when you smiled sheepishly upon recognizing him.

“Oh…” you rubbed your hands together apologetically and placed them near your chin in a prayer gesture, “I didn’t know you were awake.”

“I barely slept, you idiot,” he said as he carefully dropped you on the ground. “I told you not to run around by yourself.”

You scoffed at him, dusting off your clothes as if you had fallen and gotten back up without his help. “I thought this was supposed to be a safe place!”

“It is,” he clarified calmly. “But safe places can get invaded.”

“So it’s not safe,” you pointed out smugly, poking his arm as if you’ve made a point he cannot defend himself against. The only response you got was a flick on your forehead. His fingers sounded against your skull, the force strong enough to make you stumble back before he watched you gather yourself together again.

Ghost did not once tear his eyes off you. His cold heart froze over again with paranoia when his brain even raised the idea of looking elsewhere during the topic of potential danger.

This was supposed to be a safe place where the medics and his comrades were. This was where his most trusted fighters are. If an invasion was to happen, things could not go nearly as bad as if he was anywhere else. But, unfortunately, you were neither a medic who knew the risks of staying at a place like this, nor were you a trained soldier who knew how to protect yourself in a blazing war.

You were just a kid he found along the way, who had latched onto him for survival, and he had no reason to kill. Fortunately for you, he did not have to choose between you and himself during the early days of you following him in his travels. By the time danger did welcome you both in its arms, Ghost had, surprisingly, knocked down the impenetrable walls of putting himself above orders and logic. Or perhaps it was you who brought a hammer and knocked them down for him.

Who knew? Simon Riley was not an expert in human emotions; he feels them, he just never thinks about them. He knew things could go as wrong as Hell would allow it if an invasion did happen. He knew that it would have been over the second you were captured. But Ghost had no plan to let it happen ever again.

After that night, on the twentieth day of traveling. It was right after you both were offered some food by a suspicious group of travelers, whom Ghost later found out had sold information of your existence to a group of recruiters of a human trafficking ring. You were snatched away in his line of sight after you had strayed too far from him, and he has never been more enraged. Becaise you disobeyed him, and because people underestimated his ability to kill absolutely everyone in sight with his bare hands who even dared to take you from him.

Ghost had no plan to let something like that happen ever again. So, if an invasion happens, this will remain a safe place for you. Any perimeter where he exists will be a safe place for you as long as he can guarantee it.

“Hmph!” You pulled a face at him when he remained silent at your words. Crossing your arms before you, you looked up at him and scoffed, “All adults do is lie.”

“Do not frame me for something I never did,” Ghost retorted, his hands awkwardly placed at his hips because he did not know what else to do with them now that he wasn’t holding a weapon. He let them drop to his sides immediately, a dissatisfied groan leaving his lips. “I have never lied to you.”

You pursed your lips together into a knowing smirk, but your eyes spoke a story of annoyance. You clicked your tongue, giving him a mischievous shake of your head, then you began to hop on your spot to prepare yourself for landing. Ghost immediately rolled his eyes, mentally exhausted from your antics. He knew what you planned to do, and he remembered the ‘lie’ you implied he told you. He had no plans to indulge you in your self-assigned mission to take his mask off.

“Incoming!”

“Damn it–you cannot shout that here–hey!”

You jumped and immediately grabbed onto his strong arm. Your feet kicked against his shin for momentum, which barely gave you any, but you stepped on his leg to use as leverage to climb up his body, so all was well. He struggled against you as you grabbed onto his shoulders and hoisted yourself over one side of it, letting yourself dangle and threatening to fall face-first onto the ground. He clumsily—ha! as if!—placed a hand forward to catch your reckless self just in case, while his other hand pressed against your middle back to keep you on his shoulder.

This was not the first time you have climbed him like a tree, paying his physical boundaries no respect as you stepped and kicked against his body to reach his shoulders. But he found himself catching you whenever you decided to fling yourself to the ground like a carcass, and he found himself holding onto your ankles when you thought it would be fun to fling upside down on his back as he walked. It was never a good idea; you always ended up feeling nauseated, and you liked to blame the heinous smell of his sweat.

And you had made a habit of stacking your body atop his when you slept so you could feel all of his movements, and you would know if he ever tried to abandon you again. He had a sickening realization that he had not felt that familiar body weight in several nights.

“Hey! Listen to me!” Ghost whisper-yelled at you, but you paid no attention to him. “You cannot be yelling stupid things like that!”

You scoffed with a childish smile. “Don’t worry, Ghost! Nobody can hear me but you!”

“With that high-pitched screech, they can hear you all the way from the moon,” he said.

“Oh, that’s where I’m going next! To the moon!” You giggled as you raised your torso and slapped a hand to his face. However, interestingly, you did not attempt to peel his mask off. You only looked at the helicopter in front of you and pointed at it. “Maybe I can get there in a helicopter!”

“You need a rocket ship for that,” Ghost said as he slowly helped your sliding body off his shoulder and onto the ground.

“A helicopter can be a rocket ship if I wanted it to. This is my world now,” you mused as you looked up at him. Your smile shifted a little when you saw how he looked at you—stoic, cold, but not without kindness and, hidden somewhere, remorse he was unwilling to process. You frowned gently at him; Ghost was still delusional. “Do you remember what you promised me about your mask?”

“That I will take it off so you can see my face,” he replied.

You tilted your head and widened your smile slightly. Your brows furrowed with a sorrowful tint as you whispered, “That’s not all.”

Ghost could remember. He didn’t think he had ever forgotten anything important, and a promise with a child he had unknowingly bound himself to would never be abandoned by him. He just had a hard time acknowledging it—thinking about it was unsettling for him, almost like an eerie itch along his body he could not scratch off. He was being avoidant because he was so helpless about it.

“I promised you that I would take off my mask and let you see my face…” he repeated, and choking down the knot in his throat, he continued, “if that is the last thing you’ll ever see of me.”

You smiled. You knew he would remember.

“But that will not be until years later, so there is no bloody reason why you are bringing it up now,” he added urgently, even though his voice didn’t show it.

You played with your fingers, unsure of what you could say.

There was no way that could happen years later because you were already dead. And Ghost knew that because you died in his arms.

“You cannot dream for years, Ghost,” you whispered. “You have to wake up.”

Just like that, suddenly, everything was gone. The tents, the sky, the helicopter, the clouds, the guns and ammo, the wind—everything surrounding you were gone. You looked around at the scenery change; the dream was re-wiring itself according to Ghost’s memories and control, including yourself. The bloodied spot on your chest grew big and wet, and the sky was dark with visible stars, and there was the knife he had pulled out of you after someone threw it toward you as a last desperate attempt at revenge.

“I don’t like the blood stain.” You frowned at yourself.

“Okay.” It was gone.

Ghost stared at you, his emotions thoroughly mixed up. He has been through this before. He has undergone trauma before. This was nothing extraordinary, and it should not be. He understood it. Death, dying, trauma, killing, blood. He understood it all. He has been hurt, pierced, shot, tortured. He understood it all. His father’s cruelty, his father’s abusive hands, his father’s degeneracy. He understood it all.

But did he truly understand this?

Pain comes in various forms. Pain can stem from different causes. The explosion of a bullet inside his body or the blade across his flesh. He knew what it felt like to be hurt by the names in red, to be hurt by a father. But did he know how to fathom it when his pain landed on somebody else’s skin? Did he know what it was when his pain choked through him in the form of another’s lifeless body? Did he understand the agony that happens when a child that has bound themself to a parent, abandons them by death?

He experienced it, but he did not understand it.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” you muttered. “I tried to hold on, I did. But my chest hurt.”

“I am not mad at you. I won’t get mad over something you can’t control,” he said. “I should have protected you better.”

You jumped faintly, standing on your tip-toes and rocking your heels back and forth. “You did!” You cheered quietly. “You kept me safe all this time.”

“You died.”

“I did.” You frowned in feigning sorrow. “Bummer.”

Oh, but he did understand it. He understood it very well. The consequence of your death blatantly presented itself to him in this dream. You were a dream. Your being safe was a dream. Your being alive was a dream. You climbing him like a tree, you talking about getting on a helicopter and flying to the moon, you sleeping on him so he would not leave you, you talking back to him, you shouting in his ears—it was all a dream he struggled not to wake up from.

In here, he gets to keep the kid.

In here, he gets to keep you.

And he gets to take you to the moon on a helicopter that functions as a rocket ship. Because he wires his dream according to your childish desires. Because he will give you whatever you want. Because he had given himself the role of a father he never thought he would fill.

How did it feel when you died? Agonizing and staggering. Like he failed at a job he knew nothing about but was doing his best in. Like he was full of nothing but anger and guilt because everything that could ever happen to you directly links back to him, because you were his responsibility. Like someone reached between your ribs and found his heart there, and they ripped it to pieces and left the shards lying inside of you.

How did it feel when you died? Like a dad just lost his baby, and he remembered once again how cruel this world could be when innocent children cannot be above adult hatred and violence.

“I’m sorry,” he uttered. “I did all I could.”

You grinned as you approached him and took his hand. You took off his glove, pressed his palm to your face, and nuzzled against it, feeling the callousness of his skin that has held more death than life, more blood than skin. “You did for me. Thank you.”

He wished to caress your cheek, but his joints remained frozen. He wished to smile, but he found it hard to quirk his lips when he realized the dimming of his consciousness. Beneath the skull mask, he managed a light-hearted smirk, and, if one could fathom it, his gaze softened with unswayable care, curated by the one thing greater than human tragedy—love, supposed. But that would be too cliché, would it not? Besides, this is Simon Riley!

“Do you still wish to see my face?” Ghost asked, “I’m giving you a positive.”

You squinted your eyes joyfully at him, willing that he not be defined by the tragedies he endured and that his heart could remain soft. Perhaps if you put a little bit of yourself in him, he would.

“You made me a promise!” You said with a nod.

That he did.

[satoruxx]

omg so like i saw ur event open and uhm what afe akaashi + this side of paradise by coyote theory 🫶

pairing: akaashi keiji x reader | 2.1k+ words summary: college au, student akaashi, pining (ofc), basically reader monologuing about her crush on akaashi for 2k words (i mean same), both of them are introverted af tho, which means they're both idiots (i'm speaking from experience hehe), nerds being nerds, overall just lots of fluff and overthinking !! a/n: AKIIIII hello hello <333 ty for sending this in lovely !! can you believe this is my first time writing for a haikyuu character?? and it so happens to be akaashi skhfkdjds i adore him !! this was so cute to write i was kicking my feet and giggling. i remember being obsessed with this song a few years ago and now that i wrote this i've been listening to it on repeat !! anyways i hope you enjoy this hehe <3

literature class was by far your favorite one of the day. you liked the stories you got to read, because it meant that you could fall into a world of your own and let your mind race with ideas. you liked how kind the professor was, passionately speaking about a subject only few could teach. you liked that it was an afternoon class, not too early for sleep to still be clinging to your eyes and yet not too late for the day's exhaustion to hit your body.

and you liked the way akaashi keiji looked as he intently listened to the lecture.

it was an accident at first. you'd gone into the lecture hall on the first day as early as you could, just so that you could scope out the corner most seat. the one away from the front where all eyes rest, but close enough from the far back so you could still pay attention. it was a fairly unpopular place to sit, so you wouldn't have to worry about any chatty seatmates trying to pull you out of your comfort zone.

only after a week of class, during one of the more boring lectures when your focus was waning and your eyes were wandering, did you notice him. akaashi keiji sitting in the row in front of you, closer to the other side of the room but angled in the perfect position for you to see his side profile.

his fingers curl under his chin as he rests his face in his palm, glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose precariously. he doesn't seem to mind though, eyes roaming over the board before settling on the professor again. occasionally, he'll look down at his notes to jot something down and then fidde with the pen mindlessly.

you just think he happens to look very pretty.

not that you'd ever tell him that.

no, you'd much rather stay hidden in your quiet corner of the lecture hall, where you can simply observe from the side. where you can avoid opening your mouth because oh god you know if you ever spoke you'd make an absolute fool of yourself.

it's better for you to remain alone, because that's how you've always preferred it to be. that's how you like it.

you think maybe that's why you're drawn to akaashi keiji.

he reminds you of yourself. always alone but never unhappy. he seems to enjoy solitude, just like you do. even when you manage to catch a glimpse of him around campus, he is by himself, nose buried in a book or pencil dragging against sheets of paper. he'll occasionally have headphones plugged into his ears, drowning out the world in a way you know all too well.

you like that about him, how similar he is to you. sometimes your friends will tell you that you need to socialize more, because human interaction is healthy and required and oh so important. they're right, but they don't understand how difficult it can be when you're so used to your own company. or when your brain is constantly conjuring up ideas on how strange you must look or sound. you think you'd much rather wait for the opportunity to socialize to fall right into your lap, not seek it out yourself.

so yes, in your opinion, it's completely acceptable to settle for just admiring akaashi keiji from afar. every time you sit in literature class you're grateful enough to just get the chance to see the small things he does. which pen he'll choose to write with for today's lecture, or whether he'll forgo paying attention to instead bury his face in a novel. that's enough for you.

but right now you need to push thoughts of akaashi keiji out of your head. you need to focus on finishing your reading assignment for literature class. and you want to focus, but it seems like every where you go someone is intent on making it as difficult as possible for you. you head to the library, and it's oddly loud in there. you try to find an empty classroom, and they're all filled with students. you just need a quiet place on campus where you could be alone and focus.

but you can't find any. you're about to give up and head back to your apartment when you spot a small alcove in one of the campus gardens, hidden by stone walls and leafy vines.

you send a quick thanks to the heavens and take a seat, making yourself comfortable and pulling out your book and notes. you don't know how long you sit there, cut off from the outside world as you read through pages and pages of the story, occasionally taking notes and rereading passages. you're only aware of the way the sun travels across the sky, indicating that time is indeed moving. you like it here, in this little space away from the rest of society, and you think you could remain here for so much longer.

"what do you think of it?"

you look up and your stomach drops as your eyes take in akaashi keiji standing over you, his bag slung over his shoulder. you only gape at him, not having enough time to prepare yourself for this sudden interaction. all you can manage is a stupid "huh?"

"the book. what were your thoughts?" he asks again, pointing down at the novel laying in your lap. you have to force yourself to stop staring at him and open your mouth.

"it's ridiculous." you answer lamely and akaashi's lips quirk upwards.

"it's a shakespearean tragedy..." he says and you suddenly think that your answer might've been a dumb one, but then he's nodding in what seems to be agreement. your breath catches as he bends down to take a seat next to you. "...of course it's got themes of ridiculousness."

the soft fabric of his sweater brushes against your skin and you almost choke, because your palms feel sweaty and your heart is racing and you think you might be breathing too loudly and-

"i felt the same way." he says, his finger coming to rest on one of the sticky notes you've put in the margin, where your summarized thoughts are scribbled down. "though i firmly believe desdemona was the true victim of the play."

you're still blinking at him owlishly, and you can practically see the way his shoulders drop as he attempts to withdraw his forwardness. "i'm sorry i shouldn't have-"

"i agree," you say hurriedly, effectively halting his words. "she deserved better than what she got. if i were her i would've blamed him for killing me instead of myself."

akaashi blinks, before a light smile graces his face, and he's nodding along with you. "for sure. leave it to the male main character to make the ending all about him."

you laugh before you can stop yourself, fiddling with the corners of the page. "i think we're dumbing it down a little too much."

"we probably are." akaashi muses, his fingers coming up to nudge at his glasses before they slip down his nose. he pauses for a second, glancing at you carefully before speaking again. "you...sit in the row behind me, right?"

oh no, has he noticed the way you stare at him? does he think you're creepy? you don't even want to hear what he has to say next. what if he-

"this is usually where i come to read alone. i've never seen anyone else here before." he continues, looking around the hidden little alcove.

you panic subsides and you immediately feel guilty. "oh shoot, i'm so sorry. i was looking for a quiet place to finish the book and i passed by here. i didn't mean to-"

akaashi is shaking his head immediately, hushing your apologies with a laugh. "no no, it's alright. i didn't mean to make you think i was angry about it. i don't mind sharing this spot. it works wonders when you need some quiet time."

maybe it's the tone of his voice or the way his eyes shine behind the frames of his glasses, but you find yourself relaxing before you can process it, giving him a half smile and a small shrug. "that's nice of you. i just...know how annoying it can be when people invade your space. especially when you want to be alone."

akaashi pauses, giving you a curious glance before his faces eases into a warm smile. he nods just slightly before shrugging. “that’s true. but…i don’t find myself all that annoyed right now.”

it’s obviously not meant in any other way but friendly, but that doesn’t stop his words from making your heart race. you only give him a shaky lopsided grin and try to take a leap of faith.

"well how did you feel about the ending monologue?" you ask, and akaashi chuckles, easing into the wall behind him as an invisible weight is lifted from his shoulders. he begins to answer your question, and a slight feeling of pride bubbles in your stomach.

you're actually talking to akaashi keiji. you took the leap of faith.

and it pays off because akaashi remains there with you for hours after that. you both take turns ranting about the novel, eventually drifting off into other topics that have the two of you easily conversing like you had been friends for years. by the time night has fallen and you both are packing your things, you're wondering why you were ever nervous to begin with.

“i’m glad that you found this place. it’s really peaceful.” you comment with an easy going smile and akaashi returns it almost immediately.

his tone is light when he speaks up. “you’re welcome back here anytime.”

you end up taking him up on the offer many times afterward.

a part of you worries that maybe he might find you annoying. but he always just gives you that soft smile, patting the ground next to him as he allows you to invade his space over and over again.

besides you don’t know this yet, but he only allows this for you.

because truthfully, akaashi keiji has thought you were pretty since the moment he first saw you in literature class. he’s not prideful enough to deny the way his eyes have drifted over to you during the lectures. to watch the way you tap your pen against your lips or to gaze at you when you doodle on the corner of your notes.

but he figured these feelings were something he'd keep to himself because god knows akaashi was nothing if not introverted. he would never have even dared to approach you and open his mouth since he knew in his gut that he would somehow fumble his words once he was in front of you. so why would he risk it? he wouldn't, he decided. he had made up his mind.

but then you're in front of him, curled up against the stone walls of his reading spot, all immersed in your book and his legs are carrying him forward before he can even process it. and then he's blurting out all these words while cursing himself internally because he can practically see the hesitation in your face as he basically forces you out of your comfort zone. why did he do it? he loved seeing you in your own little world, an easy smile on your face as you enjoyed your own company. now he's shattering your peace, dragging you out of it by the ankles and he wants to kick himself.

but you're always such a pleasant surprise, welcoming him into your space like it's nothing. and he knows it's not nothing. if there's anyone who can understand what a struggle it is to reach out a hand to someone, it's him. but he's grateful you built up the courage to continue a conversation with him. because now he finally has his foot in the door, and it's given him a confidence boost he sorely needed.

now that he meets you almost everyday in your shared little corner, talking about the most mundane and trivial things like it's always been a thing between you two, he feels better about what's to come. because he's dragged you into his space too, and you've become so integral to it that he can't imagine what it was like to be lonely in the first place.

but hopefully, you like being lonely with him too. because soon enough he's going to blurt out his true feelings in the form of a shaky jumbled confession, and all he can do is hope and pray you feel the same.

[rokishimizu4]

Nightwing’s Big Brother adventure

(Sorry for the long wait, I’m moving to a new place and starting a new job, so very busy with that. Also, I’m writing stories-BatFam, Yautjas, Undertale AUs, Homer (Odyssey) x Gods/Goddesses, Hetalia Nordic 5, etc.) This one is gonna be dialogue heavy, because I see Dick & Jason being chatty when especially nervous. (Aka there is a child that Jay told me threw up brains and powdered meth and it’s staring at me from across two buildings on top of a fucken roof) Enjoy!

Warning: Todd being Todd, foul language, in a bad mood Nightwing

The months leading up to Nightwing traveling back and forth from Blüdhaven to EVERYWHERE else was one of with a sharp decline in villain activity in his claimed city as he was not in the mood to be nice.

Especially when he learns that there may be a organization out there that’s probably experimenting on people that NO ONE can find and a child out there that Jay says “threw up a bunch of meth users’ brains and got so sick that I was ready to call dad and beg him for help”.

That shit does not fly by Dick Wayne Grayson, especially when it comes to children that might be experimented on.

So, cue Nightwing prowling across Blüdhaven from when the sun starts to go down to as soon as the sun is high in the sky with his team. He barely goes to bed before he decides to head over to Gotham to help out with whatever he can.

However, this night was far from his ‘normal’ routine as he was in route to a bank robbery when he notices that the next roof he was ready to jump onto had something strange sitting on the ledge, glowing purple in the flashing lights of the fuck ton of cop cars down below. (Dick let the cops have a head start cause he was feeling nice)

The thing reminds Nightwing of a being made of oil, slime, and water, and/or some type of clay. But, seeing the goop moving in the flashing lights like a living, breathing, human did something to his brain that reminded him of when he first met Jason Todd.

“Hello there, a lot of noise here huh? What are you doing out here so late at night? Do you need some help? Are you hungry? Thirsty?” He asks in a soft tone, trying not to scare the mysterious child, who was smaller than Jason before his death and maybe even smaller than Damien when he was dropped off at Wayne Manor.

However before Nightwing could ask anymore questions, a beeping from his com renders him speechless. He quickly puts a hand up towards the figure, while his other hand goes up to his ear and presses a small button.

“Go for Nightwing.” “Hey Wing, just heard from your girlfriend that you haven’t been fucken sleeping dick head!” “Hood, I really don’t have the time for this.” “Oh no, the famous Nightwing doesn’t have the time to take his own god damn advice! Fuck you Wing, I’m gonna come over there and beat your ass til you can’t get the fuck out of bed for a week.”

”Hood, I really need you to watch your language at the moment.” “Why, you gonna come over here and wash my mouth out with soap? Too bad, I had worse. So try me bitch!”

”Jay Bird,” Dick could tell that Jason was now actually listening, “I have a goop child sitting a full roof top away from me that is staring at me and tilting it’s head side to side like it can hear you and understand you. So please, little brother watch your language.”

”Please tell me you’re joking. Dick, please fucken tell me you’re joking.” “I wish I was, because there is currently a robbery in progress and while the cops are there already, the still flashing lights do NOT fill me with confidence. And, from what you told me about this child, I refuse to leave them alone.”

”Where are you? Please tell me where you are NOW.” Jason growls and Dick did not need to hear Jason to know that he was rushing through his house/hideout getting clothes on and tripping his own feet to make it to Dick’s location.

”Blüdhaven, the biggest bank. Please hurry, cause I don’t know what to do yet.”

”Do you have any chocolate or anything like that on you? Yes, I’m being serious, cause the kid ate a shit ton of chocolate once it got all that shit out of its stomach.”

”How the fuck…” Dick’s jaw threatens to drop in confusion as he remembers that the backpack he was carrying was full of different types of chocolates and candy to make up his absences from date nights with Kori.

“Don’t fuck tell me that you have chocolate on you.. Pfft!” Jason busts out laughing as he realizes that the kid probably followed Dick because he has fucken chocolate!

”Jay, please shut your mouth. I’m gonna give this kid some chocolate and if you’re not here in the next 10 minutes, I’m gonna convince Kori to adopt this kid with me.”

”Hey! Fuck off! I called dibs first!”

Dick cuts Jason off with a double beep, which closes the conversation, and places some chocolate bars on his combo sticks and balances it over to the building roof in between the two of them, and slides it onto the roof. Then retracts so the kid could grab and go if they wanted to.

Which, to the disappointment of Dick, and Jason, who just landed on the same roof of Dick’s building, is exactly what the child did.

In a blink of two pairs of eyes, the goopy child grabbed the small stack of chocolates bars with a pair of tentacles and then jumps off the FUCKEN BUILDING, only to disappear into the mass of flashing lights like mist.

“WTF?” “Did you?” Two coms beeps-“Wing/Hood to Oracle!”

[johnslittlespoon]

also little (ok not so little. at all) personal thing as a way of mass–apologizing in advance to friends/moots for being slow with replies/not super interactive for a bit (possibly? always hard to predict) but pls god feel free to ignore this <3

i hate talking ab not–fun personal stuff on here (if it's not hidden deep in tags LOL), but i feel so so guilty for being so slow at replying to messages here/on discord and i would never want any friends to feel ignored or like i'm not enthusiastic to chat bc i genuinely have the most fun yapping together in the wota server and it's been such a joy making more friends here and getting closer with some ppl 🥺 it's just eating me up even tho ik i don't have to apologize/explain myself and i'd never hold it against someone else if the roles were flipped!! it's just to put my mind at ease so i can feel less guilt/pressure :')) and i am Uncomfortable talking about bleh emotions so it's easier to just plop it here and not have to explain myself one on one lmaoo tbf i may delete this in a few hrs bc just typing this up might give my brain some relief anyway and then i won't feel like this is necessary!

but sam lore the quick of it is i have # bipolar and i've been in an originally manic, then hypomanic episode essentially since around the time i started this account? it's the longest 'up' episode i've had but it's also the first one i've been off bp meds for so that might be why (long story dw i see my dr monthly <3 sorting life out rn) and i think starting stimulants back in may prolonged it a bit bc yk. meth LMAO but it finally petered off a few weeks ago and now i am entering the Big D (and not the fun kind) so some days i just do not have any energy for anything other than survival mode and when i'm suddenly super chatty or active, 99% of the time it's bc i just took my adhd meds and downed an iced coffee lmaoo genuinely so grateful i have those meds to keep me from fully sinking deep into a bad episode for now at least. so tldr; not trying to be antisocial or ignore anyone, just tryina truck thru :-)

i'm so thankful for all the cool ass friends i've met thru mota and i have been rly scared since i felt myself swinging to the other side of the bp spectrum last month bc i've been very up since i joined tumblr and i don't want a sudden change in vibes to be taken personally or for it to seem like i've lost interest in fandom!! i also get scared i'll just be dull and boring to friends now who have only known me while i'm manic which is understandable bc it's a big switch up but i think over text it shouldn't be as jarring bc yk i have time to think ab my words more and all. i am a little surprised actually that if anything, my motivation for writing has only intensified in the past month, but i think it's the first time i've had a healthy form of escapism in an episode and my brain has definitely latched onto it to get me thru that and a lot of shit stuff that's been happening irl this summer, so i'm unbelievably thankful that this fandom dragged me back into fic writing as hard as it did <3

but as sometimes happens with depression as i'm sure most of us have experienced, motivation/energy loss can hit even our biggest passions and i'm Terrified and hoping so very hard that it doesn't, but if fic updates do abruptly slow down as i ride this episode out, that's likely the reason. can't see myself losing interest in mota anytime soon but ik that if someone's usual writing pace suddenly slows down, ppl often jump to that conclusion (myself included lol) and i just want to make it clear i will Not be abandoning my fics and as of now, i'm still plowing ahead on all of them. AND THAT'S ALL FR BACK TO MY GOOGLE DOCS fuck do i think this is a journal?? jesus christ my bad

[felixcloud6288]

PMMM Episodes 1-4 recap

Before I continue watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, I want to gather my thoughts so far.

I think it's worth pointing out that I knew the basic premise going into the story and I know it's a deconstruction of the Magical Girl genre. I also know Kyubey is not a benevolent being. But I don't really know anything else.

I've seen a lot of fanart of Madoka in her magical girl attire so I'm genuinely surprised the series isn't her taking the deal on day 1 and going on magical adventures. Instead, the conflict seems to be Kyubey trying to get Madoka to become a Magical Girl while Homura tries to stop her from doing so.

The song that was playing during the cold opening in episode 1 is also the second ending theme, so I'm expecting that scene is near the end of the series and Madoka still hadn't become a magical girl.

I kind of think Kyubey is full of shit when he talks about granting wishes. He made his offer to Mami when she was about to die in a car crash and tried to get Sayaka and Madoka to make a contract when Mami was killed by a witch. These were situations where they had nothing to gain but everything to lose if they didn't accept his contract (By the way, the technical term for this is a Leonine contract).

He does have magical abilities as proven when he healed Kyosuke's arm but he seems to try putting his targets in situations where he effectively doesn't have to do anything for them.

I'm also curious about those soul gems. Anything called a soul gem is obviously bad. And magical girls need to constantly recharge them using grief seeds. So do they have their souls placed in those gems and they die if they run out of magic? Also, the animation when Mami used the grief seed showed something flowing OUT of the soul gem. So does using magic cause some sort of negative buildup in their souls?

I'm kind of curious what those witch runes all say. At the very least, the witches are all using the same alphabet though they're all using different fonts. The witch in episode 4 is exceedingly chatty compared to the previous ones since there's tons of writing during its scene.

But since I don't know what language everything is supposed to be in, it would be hard to transcribe everything. For all I know, everything is in German.

And speaking of the witches, each of them has a different theme about their domains, personalities, etc. But they all seem to have an obsession over something.

The one from episode 2 seems obsessed with flowers and gardening. It got really upset when Mami damaged the flowers.

The one from episode 3 is obsessed with food, especially desserts. Strangely, its familiars look like mice. Not really sure how they tie into the food theme.

The one from episode 4 has the least cohesive theme but I want to say they have an obsession with dolls and games. The gameboy directional pad is a recurring pattern in their domain and several background elements had an NES/SNES sprite design to them.

I guess my last thoughts so far are going to be toward the art and music. PMMM has a very distinct art style. If you know what PMMM is, you'd definitely recognize any screenshots or fanarts that it is PMMM.

Most of the budget probably went into the witches. The animation tends to be a little off-model from time to time. But the animation team knew where to put their focus because motion is wonderfully fluid.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned rewatching .hack//SIGN and realizing that that anime was very formative in the kind of media I like, and this show is hitting the same brain chemicals. If I were ten years younger, I can imagine watching this show and it being what forms the basis of what I like in story-telling media. I love the music (Yuki Kajiura made the music for this and .hack//SIGN), I love the disorienting animation style with the witches, and I love how there's clearly so much more to this story and it would require a second rewatch to fully understand everything.

I get why this is such an iconic anime despite it being so short.

back

[k-femdove]

First Love : Day 1 || H.RJ

pairing :: sub!renjun x afab!reader 

warnings :: first love au, light kissing/making out, drinking, light profanity

word count :: 2k | not beta read

sypnosis :: In a world where your family can see who their first love is going to be, you are unable to love anyone until you end up with that person. Not a big deal, right? The only problem is that your first love is moving and you only have a week to make him fall in love. 

or; my take on the soulmate au

playlist link here! or listen to ‘lover’ by taylor swift

prologue, day 1

You looked up from the table. Sitting across from you was Renjun. He quickly avoided eye contact, looking down and fidgeting with his thumbs. You looked back down.

Despite your seemingly confident manner, you were never the most social person. If you were being incredibly honest, most of your friends were people that had been introduced to you.

Then there was Chenle. Chenle had been your friend for years now. You could remember the day he moved here perfectly.

It was a hot summer day, and your AC was on full blast in your home. Being a young teenager, you were more than bored. The older kids would play basketball under the scorching sun, laughing over god knows what. The small kids would play in the community pool, their colorful floaties and chatty parents crowding the area.

You had only moved a year before and had yet to make any friends. No one in your neighborhood was around your age. You were too old to play with stuffed animals, but not mature enough to hang out with the others.

You sighed, glancing outside the window and shielding your eyes from the sunlight. A loud ding suddenly interrupted your thoughts and you ran to the door.

When you opened it, you were met with the sight of a young boy, only a tad bit shorter than you. He smiled, reaching a hand out to you.

“Hi, I'm Chenle! I'm 13 and I just moved next door. I heard you were my age, so why don't we hang out?”

Ever since then, Chenle and you were stuck together like glue. Not only that, but he constantly dragged you to places with him, resulting in a lot of interesting encounters.

That's why you and Chenle had a very similar friend group. He introduced a plethora of people to you, and they just so happened to vibe with you.

You usually weren't awkward with potential friends because Chenle was there, which made interacting with Renjun even harder.

Your embarrassing cycle had been repeating for a good 5 minutes. The silence was painfully awkward.

You cursed under your breath. The day began when Chenle invited you over. He claimed that Renjun wasn’t home, and he wanted to talk. It’s fine, right? Wrong.

The moment you walked into the apartment, you knew Chenle had lied. He wasn’t even home.

So here you were. Renjun was sweet, so he couldn’t bring himself to chase you out. He regretted that decision now. After he saw you yesterday, he was hoping to avoid any confrontation.

Not only that, but he felt ashamed. He was looking forward to meeting you, but now he was acting like a child. So what if you were fucking his best friend? As inexperienced as Renjun was, he knew that wasn’t something to shame people for.

You could practically hear his thoughts from across the table. Sighing, you spoke up.

“I didn’t fuck Chenle.”

Renjun’s head shot up.

“It’s a long story.” You continued. “I know you’re thinking about it. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have sex on your couch- I’m not that reckless.”

“Oh,” Renjun muttered, embarrassed. “If that’s not it… then why are you here?”

Well shit. You couldn’t tell him the truth. Racking your brain for ideas, you tried to remember what Chenle had told you about this guy.

“Uh…” you said, attempting to pull something out of your ass. “I heard you’ve never been to a proper party before?”

“Uhm, yeah, I haven't,” Renjun replied, a puzzled expression on his face.

“Well, one of my friends is throwing a crazy one tonight, but he says everyone has to bring a friend...” You explained slowly, gauging his reaction. When he didn’t show any signs of discomfort, you continued. “And I was wondering if you’d like to come with me? You know, just for fun”

He didn’t reply quickly, but you could hear his unspoken words. “Why me?”

You didn’t want to come off too strong, so you tried to clarify. “I would’ve asked someone else, but nobody I know is up for it.”

Luckily for you, Renjun believed your explanation.

“Are you sure? I'm not the biggest party person.” He explained sheepishly.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun! You don't even have to stick with me the whole time- I think most of your friends will be there.”

Renjun thought about it before hesitantly agreeing. Besides, he had nothing better to do.

The rest of the meeting went smoothly. Renjun thought you were just bored, and you grabbed his number.

Chenle called you around an hour later, your phone ringing for at least 5 minutes before you felt like picking up.

“God y/n. You need to pick up my calls!” He scolded. “Anyways, have you explained things to Renjun?”

“Even better,” you replied. “I got his number.”

You heard shocked silence on the other line before Chenle let out an odd but excited sound.

“Really? You're surprisingly good at this. Tell me what happened.”

Chenle laughed when he heard about the conversation, his dolphin-like laugh just as loud through the phone.

“You invited Renjun to Haechan’s party? You know those are crazy as hell.”

“Don't make fun of me!” You said as Chenle was practically busting a lung. “You're turning into Mark right now.”

“Oh, shush.” He said, still giggling. “Continue with the story?”

Once your story finished (and Chenle stopped laughing), he finally got a little more serious about it.

“I'm surprised that you got him to go, though. You do know that I would’ve gone with you, right?”

“I don't know about that,” you replied. “You wouldn't say no to Jisung.”

“I mean,” Chenle said, “that's different! Don't act like you wouldn't choose Mark over me!”

Then you heard another voice over the line.

“Ooo, would you choose me over Chenle?” it said, a teasing tone underneath the amusement.

The next thing you heard was Chenle’s exaggerated groan.

“Shut up Mark!”

You texted Renjun at 12 with the details for the party. 10 pm, casual. You insisted on picking him up; besides, you were already stopping by for Chenle, Jisung, and Mark.

It was only 9 when Renjun became annoyed. Chenle was chatting his head off and Jisung was dropping everything in their kitchen. Renjun always wondered how things turned out like this. He loved all of his friends, but they were all a little annoying sometimes.

Speaking of his friends- Renjun was shocked by the number of friends you had. He originally thought that you were only friends with Chenle and just a casual talker with the others. He was wrong.

When he mentioned that he was going with you, he was bombarded with questions. According to Mark, you were one of his close friends. Jisung knew you as well; you were so close with his family that they took you on vacation with them and a few other friends.

As if it were on cue, you rang the doorbell. Mark hurriedly answered the door and tried to dap you up, but was beaten by a hyper Chenle.

You let the others talk on the way back to the car, walking with Renjun.

The car ride itself was great. Renjun sat in the passenger seat as you drove, the other three squeezing into the back.

You turned on the radio and listened to their singing, which never failed to amaze you. Chenle’s voice was beautiful as always, and Mark’s Khalid impression was just as bad as the first time you heard it.

Street lights reflected on the windows as you cruised through town- Haechan’s parents’ house happened to be a little far from yours. They were out on a trip, so he was holding it there.

Due to the cool weather, the sky was already dark when you got there. There were tons of people; Haechan outdid himself this time.

He greeted you enthusiastically when you arrived, hugging you until it was hard to breathe.

“Renjun!” He exclaimed, jumping onto the boy. “You came!”

Renjun laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “Hey, Hyuck.”

You led the boys into the house as Haechan went off to socialize some more, dragging Mark off with him. Soon enough, Chenle had swept Jisung away, and you were left alone with Renjun.

The house was dark, the only light coming from bright and colorful lights. The ambiance of the place was strangely comfortable, complete with a pink tint.

It was crowded, people swarming the halls. Loud music blasted throughout the house, providing a pretty good dance floor.

Renjun looked at the crowd hesitantly and turned back to you. You could feel the awkward energy, so you led him to the kitchen, which was surprisingly empty.

“What do you want?” You asked, already rummaging through Haechan’s cabinets.

“What?” Renjun asked back.

“To drink.” You answered, already pouring your share of tequila and soda into a red cup. “I can check the fridge for soju too.”

“Oh, I don’t drink much.” He replied, leaning onto the countertop.

You hummed softly, sipping your drink.

Turning back to Renjun, you smiled. “Wanna get out of here?”

You led him into the main room, drinking with Kun. After mingling for a while and talking to your other friends, you spotted Renjun laughing with Doyoung. Doyoung saw you from across the room and flashed his sweet smile. Renjun made eye contact and made his way toward you.

He followed you through the crowd until you found a distant corner, away from prying eyes.

“This was… better than I expected.” He admitted.

“And you said you weren’t a party person.” You said, smirking. He laughed.

There was silence. Renjun looked into your eyes, admiring the way that they glowed. You looked into his. The noise was reduced to nothing but a quiet buzz. Soon enough, your gaze traveled to his lips.

You walked closer to him until you were only inches away from his face.

“Can I kiss you?” You asked quietly.

Renjun hesitated. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”.

“I’m serious.” You answered, inching closer and tracing his jaw with your fingers.

He looked at you, the blush on his cheeks barely visible in the dim light.

His heart began to beat faster as you cupped his chin and led him closer, lips meeting against one another.

Renjun’s eyes fluttered shut as he melted into your touch, back pressed against the wall. He pulled you in closer, deepening the kiss. You nibbled slightly on his bottom lip, slipping your tongue into his mouth lightly.

You tasted bittersweet, the peach-flavored tequila still lingering in your mouth. Renjun’s lips were soft and pillowy, melding against yours perfectly.

The kiss was sloppy and inexperienced, clashing in a somewhat awkward manner. Neither of you knew what you were doing, but everything felt so right.

It was short and sweet. You pulled away, heart hammering in your chest. Renjun looked bewildered by what he had just done, face flushing a deeper shade of pink, the taste of alcohol still prominent on his tongue.

“I thought you didn’t drink?” You teased, surprised by his eagerness.

“This is an exception.” He whispered breathlessly, still gazing into your eyes.

The moment was interrupted by a crazily drunk Jisung, falling on to you and knocking you off Renjun. Chenle was just as drunk, wrapping an arm around Renjun. You rolled your eyes, pushing Jisung off of you, but supporting his body.

You saw Mark hurry over apologetically, offering an awkward laugh.

“Sorry, y/n. Do you mind taking them home?”

“Yeah, sure.” You said, turning to Renjun. “Let’s get out of here.”

One car ride later and two wasted friends forced into bed, you bid yourself goodbye. Just as you slipped on your shoes, Renjun stopped you at the door.

“I had fun.” He said, hands in his pockets. The look in his eyes told a thousand words, but nether of you were ready to say them.

“Me too,” You replied. “I’ll look forward to next time.”

That night, you both went to bed with a smile on your faces, the kiss replaying in your heads.

a/n: day 1 is here! It’s a little fast paced. Renjun is very confused about his emotions rn so give him some time! 

tagging (taglist open): @canigetaglassoffullsun​ @cathy-1997 

[atwooozi]

gojo x original character

Chapter 10: Unwoven Threads

summary: After meeting Megumi, Ai dives into her research, determined to uncover more about Gojo Satoru. She finds herself more captivated by Gojo's hidden complexities and his connection to his past. Her discovery of an old photo only intensifies her curiosity.

genre: modern AU, slice of life, comedy, eventual romance, eventual smut, some angst

A/N: This is a bit of a shorter chapter but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I don't like when works are longer just to meet a certain length/word count. The song I chose to go with this chapter is Babybaby No Yume by Tanuki. It's a more uplifting song to contrast with last week's more down tempo one.

READ ON AO3

When Ai went home after her meeting with Megumi, she immediately went back to her laptop like a woman possessed. She needed to know more and she was going to find it. 

She wasn't sure if she was going to find anything that would go in the article, but it at least helped her feel like she was getting closer to finding out just exactly who Gojo Satoru was. Readers would love a sweet story about a young man selflessly raising not just one child but two children all on his own, but was that the story that Ai wanted to write? Honestly, no. She couldn't deny that his history was fascinating. Sure, it could be an aspect but she didn't want to use Fushiguro's past as a way to boost Gojo up as a person. 

“Fushiguro Toji…” Ai's brain halted as she looked at the picture staring back at her. It was a man in his late twenties to mid-thirties, a smirk on his face and an award in hand. Standing next to him was a young Gojo Satoru, beaming as he looked at the camera. She stared at her screen, floored–Megumi was the spitting image of his father. It was almost uncanny. Aside from the scar on Toji's lip, they looked practically identical. 

She saved the photo and sighed as she thought back to what Megumi had said earlier. 

“My family kind of fell apart…”

Ai frowned as she tried to remember Megumi’s tone of voice. It felt so distant and devoid of emotions. It begged the question, though, what the hell happened that Gojo of all people ended up with two kids? Not only that but why did he take them in? She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Who in their right mind would let an eighteen-year-old take care of two young kids? 

He was just a kid himself…

Her heart clenched at the thought. She couldn’t imagine taking on so much as a kid. Ai still felt like a child at times. Her mom would still schedule doctor appointments for her occasionally. The thought of being a guardian to two children while trying to get through school seemed like an impossible task. It made Ai wonder how Gojo even managed that while excelling everywhere else in his life. Just how heavily did the world hang on his shoulders?   

Based on first impressions alone, Gojo seemed like nothing more than the goofy character he portrayed on screen. How much was he hiding behind his fun-loving persona? And why was he hiding it? The more she seemed to learn about Gojo, the more questions she seemed to have. It was strange to her, Gojo was so chatty that she was surprised that more people didn’t seem to know about his relationship to Megumi. Just how in the world was he able to keep this under wraps for as long as he had? Then again, all the stuff known to the public about Gojo was trivial information to begin with.

Ai leaned back in her chair and sighed, she was conflating the person that was Gojo Satoru with the celebrity persona. While he seemed impulsive, reckless, and stupid he was anything but that though he still liked to act stupid a majority of the time.    

Ai glanced over at her phone. She was tempted to call Gojo. She had so many questions for him that she felt like they were going to bubble over if she didn’t say something, but it wasn’t the right time. She wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it. If she bothered him now, she felt like she would ruin whatever relationship they had built up because of her impatience. Besides, there was still more research that needed to be done before she could bombard him with questions.

She had a bad habit of acting without thinking things through completely at times. It was a bit of an enigma to her since she loved to plan so diligently, but when excited, she couldn’t help herself. As much as Ai wanted to fire every question that was rolling through her head at Gojo, she needed to calm down. She needed to tread carefully, given how hard that tree-like man had made it up to this point. She couldn’t throw all her hard work away because of a lead.

Ai continued scouring ‌the internet for any information on Toji, but from what she gathered he either worked under an alias or did mostly uncredited parts. She was able to find a few mentions of him for different competitions. He was even a contender to represent Japan at the Olympics, but then he just seemed to disappear from the press completely around the time Megumi was born.

From what Ai was able to piece together, she figured that Toji stopped competing on a serious level when Megumi was born. But the jump to stunt work didn’t make much sense to her. Was that truly a more stable form of work for him and his young family as opposed to being a professional athlete? She wasn’t sure how viable either career could be, to be honest.   

Ai once again found herself wondering if any of this mattered. It mattered to her–but in terms of the story? No. The Fushiguro family was interesting, but that wasn’t the story she was supposed to be writing. As interesting as she found Toji, she couldn’t just shoehorn him into a Gojo Satoru profile piece. 

Ai leaned back in her chair and groaned. Her eyes stung from looking at the screen. She sat up in her chair, her neck and shoulders aching from her awful posture. Carefully, she raised her arms over her head and rolled her shoulders which gave a satisfying pop. 

When Ai glanced at the clock on her laptop, it was past midnight. She knew her body needed sleep, but her mind was racing. As much as her body begged her to rest, she just couldn’t turn her brain off. 

Ai reluctantly got up from her desk chair and debated whether or not she should make herself some coffee. It was something that she imagined most writers would do when they hit a breakthrough–they wanted to keep the momentum going. If anything, they would support her bad decision. As tempting as it seemed, she ultimately decided against it. 

Instead, Ai grabbed a hoodie, her keys, and her phone before putting on her sneakers and heading out the door. What she needed was some fresh air to clear her thoughts. Sitting inside alone with all the questions swimming in her head was just too much right now. At least this way, she’d get some fresh air and move her stiff muscles a little.  

Ai threw her hoodie on and put her hands in her pockets. She truly loved the city at night. The lights, the atmosphere– it felt magical. The city somehow felt so big and so small all at once. There were only a few people on the streets, but she knew that the city was still brimming with energy. It felt electric as if it were alive. 

 Ai slowed down as she walked by WcDonald's. The smell of salty fries and greasy burgers caught her attention as she made her way through the streets. As she looked through the windows of the establishment, she saw a fairly empty lobby lit up with bright fluorescent lights. She swallowed dryly as her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since early that afternoon. She was so focused on work that she had forgotten to eat...again. 

Ai clutched her empty stomach and walked inside the quiet restaurant. Aside from the few employees and one or two other customers, no one else was there. The only sounds were coming from the small kitchen and the music that played throughout the front end of the place. It almost felt eerie with how peaceful the place was, but she didn’t mind it. The quiet atmosphere gave her overtired brain a break.  

Ai ordered herself a burger and a medium cola before sitting in a booth near a window. She looked out the window at the twinkling lights as she sipped her soda. She wondered if the younger version of herself would be proud of the woman she was now. Her heart tightened at the thought. Although she knew the answer, she didn't want to admit it.

She felt like a hack. She couldn't even form a cohesive narrative. Worst of all, she liked the person that she was supposed to be writing about. It felt like something out of a cheesy romance novel.   

Based on Ai’s recent track record, it all started to make sense that she ended up here at a WcDonald’s at one in the morning. Though if she were at home she imagined that things wouldn’t be much different. Ai would most likely still be at her desk scouring the internet for information about Toji. She was using him as an excuse to keep avoiding writing this cursed article. The only difference between being here and being at home was that she was curled up in a booth with a burger, instead of huddled in front of her computer with bad coffee. Either way, she was still avoiding her work.

 Ai sighed and unwrapped her burger, taking a bite of it. 

“Amada-san.” 

Ai nearly choked on her burger. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the presence right next to her. Trying to control her coughing, she took a swig of her drink before looking up. It was Nanami Kento, the man that she idolized since she started her copy editor job.

He stood in front of her, still dressed in his usual work attire of a blue button-up, funky tie, tan slacks, and signature glasses. 

 She wanted to reach out and see if her hand would pass through him. She could never picture someone so sophisticated as him being here, at this time of night, talking to her. 

Ai had shadowed Nanami when she first started at Hollow , but they were never that close in her mind. She always pictured him as a more mythical figure, not god-like, but like a sorcerer with the way he was able to weave words together so seamlessly. Ai swore that Nanami could get the most tightly wound person to open up to him within the first few minutes of an interview. He had an almost uncanny ability to ask the right questions, ones that pierced through the surface and easily got to the heart of the story. It was amazing. He was amazing. 

Nanami was an outstanding journalist and in a kiddish way, Ai wanted to be just like him. He had a magnetic aura; he commanded attention without demanding it. In their office, amidst the clattering of keyboards and the murmur of quiet conversations, Nanami exuded so much calm and authority. Ai often found herself in awe of him, watching him transform the most mundane topic into something compelling and profound. 

And despite all his talents, Nanami was unassuming. He never boasted about his accomplishments, yet everyone who cared about writing knew about how great he was. His name was synonymous with excellence and integrity. At least, that’s what Ai thought about him. In her eyes, he represented the pinnacle of what she aspired to be–a storyteller who could capture the human experience in its most real form. She just hoped that one day that she could step out of his shadow and shine in her own right one day.       

“Nanami-san,” Ai cleared her throat and sat up quickly. “What are you doing here at this time of night?” 

Nanami slid into the booth opposite her and took a bite of his sandwich, chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. “Overtime.” 

Ai nodded as she stared at him in disbelief. “I see…” 

“And you?” 

“Huh?” 

“...What are you doing here?” 

Ai glanced at her lap before looking back up at Nanami. “Oh, uh, sorry. I can't sleep so…” 

Nanami's gaze was unwavering. It made Ai want to sink into her booth. She felt like he was going to burn holes in her skull. 

“Is your article giving you trouble?” 

“Something like that,” Ai sighed before taking a sip of her cola. 

Nanami nodded and took another bite of his sandwich. “It's easy to get lost in the details. I imagine it's even harder when it's concerning someone like Gojo Satoru...” 

Ai nodded as she listened. She didn't realize how tired she actually was until she heard Nanami's words. They cut through her thoughts so easily. 

“Yeah…” Ai rubbed her eyes and tried her best to suppress a yawn. “I just can't seem to piece it all together. There are just so many threads but none of them seem to form any coherent narrative.” 

Nanami leaned his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. “Good stories often come from nowhere, Amada-san.” He held up two fingers. “Two unrelated ideas can come together and make something new. It’s our job as writers to be able to recognize when this happens.” 

Ai ran through what Nanami said in her head several times. Maybe it was because she was so tired, but it was hard for her to truly absorb what he was saying. After she finally put it together though, she knew he was right. She was trying too hard to find her story too soon. She still had two more weeks to go with the guy. Trying to force herself to get everything together now was just holding her back. 

“Is that all that’s bothering you?” 

The question caught Ai off guard and she tried her best to sit up straighter. “Um…”

“I only ask because you look like you have a lot more on your mind,” Nanami stated as he adjusted his glasses. 

Ai brought her soda back to her lips and took another sip, trying to buy herself some time to come up with an answer. She knew she was stressed to put it lightly, but she didn’t realize that it was so bad that people around her could easily tell that something was wrong too. 

“I, um, I’m okay.” Ai did her best to assure Nanami. She gave him a tired smile. “I’m just tired from the weird sleep schedule.” 

Ever since she took on this article her sleeping had become worse. She knew Gojo was to blame with his insane call times during the reshoots, but even with her past jobs that required her to follow talent around it was never this bad. Ai was starting to believe that Gojo might be the death of her.

“Hm…” Nanami hummed as if debating whether or not to say more.  

He studied Ai’s expression but nodded his head, accepting her answer. Although diligent in his reporting, Nanami was never one to pry when it came to his coworkers and Ai was especially thankful for that.    

“Thank you, Nanami-san.” Ai smiled up at him gratefully. “I needed that.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Nanami's lips. “Anytime.” He stood up, bussed his tray, and left the restaurant without another word. 

Ai still wasn't sure if she had actually talked to Nanami or if she had just imagined it all in a sleep-induced delusion of the man. The idea of it being the latter was very concerning to think about, so she prayed to whatever god would listen that it was the former instead.  

Shortly after finishing her meal Ai took herself home. When she arrived she practically collapsed in bed. Her story was there, and it was continuing to unfurl. She just had to trust the process. But right now she just needed to sleep. 

[lizaluvsthis]

What got you to start drawing the boys do you take requests? Cause I like the cafe au

IT MIGHT SEEM CRAZY ON WHAT IM BOUT TO S-

When I said I've been a SMG4 fan for 4 years, I left the channel for i dunno how many weeks or months has it been. Then one day I saw WOTFI 2023 recommended in my youtube page and was.

"Wotfi 2023? But I thought- wait- who are these characters again?"

Turns out I forgot that Ive only seen SMG4 and SMG3's (cocomelon ass) designs during wotfi 2022 where it was both of their first redesigns from the movie. I stopped watching for a bit cuz I got busy.

Then I came back to see they were both redesigned in a better version now. Now that I thought about "where was their second redesign then?"

So I knew that I had to binge watch every single episodes from smg4's channel right after wotfi 2022

I then saw how much Three has changed ever since after the 2022th christmas episode.

If I were to be honest, watching igbp for the first time in my life even Mar10 day. I was about 85% sure that Smg3 worries too much for Smg4's sake.

They both are cosmically linked and three can feel what the other of his partner is feeling soooooo?

*circles both of my hands*

Three's gay. He looked fruity he felt fruity. During the movie and during right after he helped four's ass to get his channel back from running again.

It suddenly gave me some time for my brain to tell me "DUDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS COULD BE A HINT- THIS IS MAYBE AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS!" I responded to my brain like- HELL YEAH I'M NOTING THAT DOWN.

Cuz I cant just sit here and just "watch the movie without sayin nothin" I HAD to do something AND make analysis about it because thats what I do when I notice simple details!

So when smg3 confessed those feelings of his to Smg4 and even running to save his life back again and even after saying "we're friends!" This gave me a bit of a shock. Three. Did you know what you did? Did you realize how much it meant for smg4? Did you FORGET- that you said you and him werent friends during the 2020th wotfi?

So then after all of this time... that means smg3 has been the one and always a tsundere to smg4

Even after the castle disappeared, him and three's chemistry started going into an actual progress from both of their chemistry from the relationship.

Thats a dedication for me right there. I do it not only for fun, I do it for my wants, have, and needs.

I know its funny for a minor like me to do all of this dedicaded in just a simple job, I have all kinds of specialities to include my works and skills and use them for this fandom again from how I did to the past ones. (But those past fandoms are dead-)

Ahem- what was I talking about again? Oh right- 3 and 4... sorry got a little bit too chatty-

So I noticed even more about Smg3's notebook and was like- "gahd damn- three had his own personal notebook this whole time?! Whats even inside of it? I'm curious..." so yeah-

Now jumping to where I watched 2023 of wotfi again (twice now) to see its context about it- I was flabberGHASTED in after the "drawing" and also the mysterious tv guy whose also appearing on as the final antagonist in the modern era and a new one from the new era.

"Holysht. This is about to go bonkers for the fans making up stuff about those 'what-ifs' that smg4 made from the previous video back then. (The part where waluigi won or desti being alive)

I'm curious enough to see what happens and even if its about tv adware. Yes too.

(THERE. In November I started to become quite more invested from the fandom and decided to drop in my luggage and load out all of my junks called Info-Analysis?)

So- hello! (Again-) :D it was a pleasure meeting every and one of you all- I stopped in just to come back from the fandom that I never made commentary about but now I can ^^

I started with doodling and knowing basic anatomy and shapes of SMG3 and SMG4's design (the new one) so that I could start on doodling about them. But what I didnt expect for myself is that I had created a long time chapter of "Indigo Secret" that wasn't supposed to be there on purpose.

It was just supposed to be a "silly" comic about it from where ■■■■■■■■ to ■■■■■■■ about the problem and then the part in this that came into ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ from ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

*BEEP*

I took myself a big motive after my blog gained 10+ followers and more notes. I thought working here 24/7 would make me feel something more for destiny and the trip!

So- yeah. Work. :) even when I'm at school I also complete my assignments and all of the shts and after that I can continue on with continuing the pages and with some cute doodles with the boys from a scenario playing through my head.

Now you have me making all of this and that ^^

Thats whay I'm popular for :)

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2nd answer...

Thank you for liking the cafe au! It means so much to the both for me and shay from the collab to move on!

I did say from my boundaries I take free art request 1 at a time only- and I could allow a second art request if I do have the time ^^

Yes I do take art request :)

(Except for-

oc-shipping with SMG3/SMG4 cuz they're both together in the au

NSFW

Some stuff that I can't approve on-)

Ask away :)

Thanks for asking me stuffs anon I really enjoy talking ^^

[toomuchracket]

i was out for lunch with my friend today and this cute little baby was waving at me and when i waved back he started babbling and smiling 🥹 so now I’m thinking about having that interaction in front of matty and him being like in awe of you and then that sparks the conversations of you trying for a baby

STOP i ALSO saw a cute baby when i was out for lunch today (but it was like a 2 week old and he was crying softly and everyone in the cafe was like 😢 when we heard him)!! but let's say you and matty are out having a cute little date day, it's a friday in london in springtime and the sun is shining and the schools are in session so it's not as busy as it could be. and you've spent the past three hours in bookshops and record stores (a proper haul) and you're planning to do some shopping for new housey bits and trinkets because you're redecorating, but matty's like "come on, we'll go and get lunch, my treat" (he literally has not let you pay for anything the whole day. nightmare of a man. but so cute), and you end up in this cool little independent cafe down a side street. and you've ordered your toasties and you're having a little iced coffee each, enjoying sitting near the window to see the sun, just chatting and being all cute, when this family are seated at the table next to you - a couple who don't look too much older than you and matty, and their little boy, who must be around 1. and the way the tables are, any time you turn towards the window, you're looking directly at this little baby in his highchair, and he's SO CUTE - just all happy and smiley, not too loud, and he waves at you when you turn around. and you giggle and wave back, interrupting matty talking; he turns around to see the baby and smiles and waves at him too. and the baby just smiles even wider and starts babbling at you both, and i think it would be matty who speaks to him first like "oh, someone's chatty today! what are you saying to it then, mate?" and doing that thing where you pretend they're speaking perfectly and intellectually (which is very good for their brain development!), while you're laughing with the parents. and the mum is like "oh he really likes you guys, he's not normally so talkative! sorry!" and you're like "don't be daft, he's lovely? how old is he?" and then you have a little chat about the baby with her and her husband before you start talking to the kid too - and this little boy is just totally mesmerised by you, for whatever reason, just giggly and chatty and smiley. adorable vibes! anyway, the family go once they've had their coffees, and once you've bid them farewell with "bye, darlin'!" to the baby and a "take care" to the parents, matty just turns to you and smiles sweetly but conspiratorially. you're like "what?" and he's like "you were so good with that baby. like it was genuinely so cute. and asking all those questions about him and babies in general - you seemed really interested", and you go a bit sheepish like "oh, no, i was just being polite". and matty's like "hey, look at me, sweetheart - if you ARE interested in babies, it's not a bad thing. quite the opposite, actually", and you're like "... really?" and matty nods and says "well, yeah, i think about us having kids sometimes. might be nice, you know, having a little family". and you're a bit gobsmacked because it's never really come up before, but you're like "i think about it too, to be honest - kid with your hair and my... something, running around", and matty laughs and he's like "don't know if i'd wish this mop on anyone, babe, but i think a tiny combination of the two of us sounds nice. i'd be up for it, at some point", and you kiss his hand and you're like " maybe not right now, what with us redoing the house, but in the future absolutely". and matty smiles and kisses your hand back, and the convo moves on, but it lingers in the back of your minds - the seed of a decision to start trying for a baby is definitely planted <3

[khruschevshoe]

Black Pete and Jim Jimenez

I see you tugging on your shirt

Trying to hide inside of it

And hide how much it hurts

Let 'em laugh while they can

Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind

I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends

And the joke's on them

-Brandi Carlile, The Joke

Pete shrugs. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm not friends with you because you're the chatty type."

Jim adjusts their hat with a smile. They remember Pete catching their hat at the wedding like it had been a bouquet thrown by a bride on land, the way that Jim had hoped that it meant that soon enough, Pete would get to have the same glorious moment that they had. That Jim had hoped that Pete would get to feel loved and cherished and held tight by those that loved him most. 

Pete has had a special little place in their heart for awhile now. Sure, they have friends now, consider every crew member a part of the family they never got to have as a child, but Pete's different. Yes, Olu was their first friend ever, but their relationship evolved into something different, something that involved wanting to be touched and adored and worshipped.

Jim never wanted to kiss Pete. They never wanted him to be anything more than just a friend.

But they care about him deeply. As much as they love Olu and Archie, cherish and adore them with everything they have, they will always have an understanding with Pete that they don't have with anyone else. A connection to the power of creation, of change, of being so determined to make your body fit your soul that you remake yourself, until your clothes and body and life and name are right.

Pete is something good. Something precious. Just because they are not married to him, do not want him in that way, doesn't mean that they don't love him.

-aletterinthenameofsanity, love the one you hold (watch me as I tumble homeward)

Guys. GUYS. The galaxy-brained relationship between trans Black Pete and Jim is the best thing I've ever read, especially after the recent update regarding Jim's top surgery. This friendship has been living in my brain rent-free for WEEKS now and it will stay there for a very long time. I adore their dynamic so much!

@polikate @yuenity @possumsmushroom @angxlwiings @bricksbloggyplace