#my friendship with my roommate is such a rollercoaster

[rosicheeks]

🙄

[rwrbficrecs]

i’d take the bomb in your head and disarm it by @henrysfox (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Alex and Henry are students at NYU who randomly become dorm roommates. After a few short weeks of mutual dislike their friendship starts to grow - and could it actually be more ...?! At the end of the story, I was baffled that the two of them could be so completely clueless the whole time?! Then again, who am I to judge when someone settles for half-baked assumptions instead of just mustering up the courage and trying to have an honest conversation?! 😇 The story is so gentle, so angsty and Alex is just so vulnerable and soft - just beautiful and moving!

you are my mountain (you are my sea) by @alasse9 (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Five moments between Alex and Henry, starting with the visit to Alex's childhood home in Texas after Ellen's election victory, a vulnerable moment in the Brownstone, a vacation in Mexico City... This story isn't even close to 10,000 words, but it's so unbelievably powerful - I am still blown away! The author manages to hit on so many interpersonal aspects and delicate vibrations, to formulate soft, tender feelings and thoughts and describes Alex and Henry both so damn considerate and soulful - the author nailed it (imho), it's almost impossible to grasp!

Shatter Me by @historicallysam (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Henry and Alex are still Prince and First Son, some is canon, a lot slightly modified, but: Alex is out, Henry is not. He isn't even sure if he's gay or if he ever wants to acknowledge it - until he meets Alex and falls head over heels. The catch, on top of the homophobic Queen: Henry is engaged, his fiancée lovely, amazing even, and the wedding date is about to be set. How the author weaves together the familiar events and plotlines and their own ideas is brilliant! Not gonna lie: It was (to me) oppressive at times, really angsty - but also highly gripping!

The Consequences (of our Actions) (series) by @anchoredarchangel (book-verse)

@celeritas2997: Alex is just a Regular Guy who just happened to put Prince Henry on his 'No Consequences Sex List' and proceeds to tell him about this when they meet. Lots of sex (like, ridiculously hot sex) and feelings (SO MANY FEELINGS) ensue. I am convinced that Anchor is magic and will continue shouting about this series from the rooftops until the end of days; it is clever, sexy, funny, beautifully written and so, so, so heartfelt. ❤️

@heybuddy-drabbles: I started this when it first started and thought it was just some fun little pwp canon divergence. When I picked it up again, it was a hell of a series. I loved every last bit of it. It goes way into the whole "If cake gate didn't happen, Alex would have made himself a problem for Henry anyway" and he does in the most glorious way. I can't talk enough about HENRY in this though. It's mostly on Alex POV except the extra chapter but I'm OBSESSED WITH HENRY. How he's older. How he does things for himself like running the shelters with Pez even before he meets Alex. Anyway I could talk about Henry in this series for days but that's not why we are here for. Just, do yourself a favor and just read this.

5 Times Henry Hated New Year's + 1 Time He Didn't by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is such an emotional rollercoaster, but it's worth every gut-wrenching twist! It delves into each of the six parts so well that you feel like you're experiencing each of Henry's life experiences with him.

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you by @gayrootvegetable (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This is the cutest combination of a high school AU and soulmate AU! This fic is short but so very sweet!

if you have a garden and a library... by @glasshouses-and-stones (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is so cute! It's not technically a Cinderella AU, but it has those vibes, and the author does a great job with the setting. Another fic that's short but so sweet!

It takes a lot to know a man by dazedandconfused (book/movie-verse)

@inexplicablymine: when I tell you to mind the trigger warnings that is true, but I can also say my GOD is this fic fantastic the writing is superb and the pacing is right on and the plot is so intricately woven I am elated to recommend it everywhere I can. Talk about an in depth suspense thriller mixed with that sex club dom/sub trope mixed with a law case ~ truly there are no words to describe how much this work gripped me as I read through it

@dot524: The subject matter is heavy at times and so are the smut scenes, but also I was fascinated with the story. I didn’t expect it to end up in the intense culminating scene that it did.

Something borrowed, Something blue by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: Yes, I know I recommended this during our Wip Wednesdays but now I'm going to recommend it here for the peeps who only read complete works. Read this. I beg of you. It's so excellent. Henry's relationship with June is something so special to me in this. June and her little family, her daughter means the world to me as well. Alex and his complicated feelings for Henry, their "enemies" to lovers road is just. God I loved it so much. Henry. HENRY IN THIS. Just. Please read this.

hold on (get ready for the ride) by wilmonflicker (book-verse)

@wilmonsfolklore: a professional soccer/football AU that I binged and completely fell in love with. Alex transfers to the team where Henry is the star player, and they get together. it's beautifully written, smutty at times and perfect for sport lovers and non-sport lovers alike

check out our past Monthly Faves here ❤️

[destielbeatlesminibang]

Masterlist!

And that's a wrap! Many thanks to all the writers, artists and betas who contributed to the first Destiel Beatles Minibang!

If you haven't had a chance, you can check out all the incredible works below!

The Long and Winding Road (Explicit), written by FriendofCarlotta with art by Gemma

1970: Sixteen years have passed since Dean and Castiel parted ways — separated after years of loving each other quietly and secretly at the boarding school they both attended.

Life took them along two very different paths, with Dean drifting across the country for years while Castiel launched a career in academia at Princeton. But now, a twist of fate is set to reunite them: as teachers at the same school where it all began.

Will they be able to find their way back to each other, or is it too late to start all over again?

When My Mind Is Wandering (There I Will Go) (Teen and Up), written by rachelindeed with art by hawkland Finale fix-it: In order to save Dean’s life, Cas has to temporarily take him as a vessel. While Dean’s body heals, they decide to explore what a life outside of hunting could look like. On a volunteer trip a few towns over, they are reminded of the beauty of community. And as Cas’s thoughts mix with his own, Dean learns how freeing it can be to see himself through the eyes of someone who loves him.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Teen and Up), written by eyesofatragedy67 with art by witchy-worm

Cas’s deal with the Empty broke Dean’s heart. And no matter what they tried, they couldn’t get him out.

They did manage to take care of Chuck, though, and with him out of the picture, Dean finally hung up his gear and built a life for himself. Or whatever passes for life when the one person you want to share it with most is out of reach.

But Dean’s got his bar, Charlie at his side, and his guitar to keep him company on the nights memories pull him under.

And he hopes against hope that someday Cas will return to him.

Anna, Go to Him (Teen and Up), written by butterflyslinky with art by golby-moon

Dean arrives at a new (but hopefully last) high school, where he meets overachiever Anna. There may be something going on there…if only she would stop talking up this guy called Cas.

Close Your Eyes and I'll Kiss You (Teen and Up), written by tfw_cas with art by golby-moon

Dean Winchester has been secretly in love with his college roommate and best friend Cas for years, but he’s convinced Cas doesn’t feel the same.

When he’s offered a teaching position thousands of miles away, he sees it as an opportunity to be closer to his brother… and maybe give himself some distance from his feelings for Cas. After all, it’s not like they can’t still be friends.

But things go badly when Cas finds out, and Dean’s not sure their friendship is going to survive. And as for his dreams coming true… Well, those are just lyrics, right?

In Matters of Faith (Teen and Up), written by celestial_starlight with art by witchy-worm

After Sam and Dean burn Cas’s body, Dean walks. He leaves Sam with a devil baby he can barely stand to look at and rents a cabin near the field where he spread Cas’s ashes. He prays to Cas day and night, desperate for his faith to mean something. His calls wake Cas and bring him right back to Dean’s doorstep. Dean takes him home, struggling to sort out a rollercoaster of feelings while the three of them figure out how to raise a nephilim child.

Love You With All My Heart (Explicit), written by samanddean76 with art by hexentaenzarin

Dean is an up-and-coming musician, who along with his brother Sam, has finally started to make waves with their band, The Quarrymen. Little does he know that the perfectly innocent Omega sitting in the front row of The Cavern Club, watching him perform with an enchanting smile, is the True Mate he has been longing for his entire life.

Castiel can hardly believe his luck, when he and Gabriel are invited backstage after the show. Once Gabriel slips away with Sam, Castiel is left alone with the incredibly handsome Alpha who spent the entire show singing every single song to him. But the club is raided before they can cement their bond, and Castiel is forced to flee into the night.

Whisked away by an overprotective mother, Castiel doesn’t know if he will ever see Dean again. He seeks solace in writing his poems, and fervently wishes that one day he will be reunited with the man he loves, not knowing that destiny and fate are working to bring the separated mates back together.

Lucy In the Tank With Morons (Explicit), written by queerwerewolf with art by TwinOne

Dean Winchester, a premiere shark biologist at the Georgia Aquarium, who works with their three tiger sharks, never ever expected to find himself enamored with a newly acquired giant Pacific octopus, and more importantly, her exceedingly handsome blue-eyed handler. In a little hide-away beneath the waves, Dean will fall in love in an octopus’s garden.

[j-nipper-95]

Fic Rec (plus late Six Sentence Sunday) Monday!

Ok, so I’m late posting this, but oh well. It’s being posted!

I’m not sure if my tumblr notifications are working properly at the moment (I know I missed at least one tag last week, so if I’ve missed your tags the last couple of weeks I’m sorry, I’m not ignoring you, tumblr is acting up!) but I’m still alive. I’m back, and I have words to share!

July’s Camp NaNoWriMo has been amazing for getting words down for COTTA, and I am finally back on track with following the El Dorado plot line again! I managed to double the word count goal I had by 1am this morning, so all in all, a very productive month. So without further ado, here’s six(teen) sentences from that! Thanks for the tags @artsyunderstudy @theearlgreymage and @hushed-chorus (and anyone else if I’ve missed your posts!!)

Baz POV

“Get in the back,” he grunts, nodding at the truck. “I’ll cover you.”

“With what, Snow?”

“Just do it.”

No. I won’t leave him.

“They’ll shoot you on sight,” I say (I plead, I almost beg. Don’t make me face the thought of losing you, Simon). “I can’t get over there without your help,” I add. If there’s one thing I can count on right now, it’ll be Simon’s inner heroism.

“Bet you can,” he says, without thinking.

“Two shillings say I can’t.”

The challenge in my voice is enough to make him turn to glare at me. And knowing how much it irritates him, I cock an eyebrow and tilt my chin up to look down my nose at him.

Snow opens his mouth to argue but snaps it shut when we hear the Now Next almost at the corner we’ve just run around.

“You’re on.”

And then Jas also tagged me in a fic rec post, so here’s a few I’ve been enjoying recently!

Someone Wicked by @artsyunderstudy ([E, 53.9k, Carry On, complete]

I had the chance to beta read this fic with @cutestkilla and oh my God it was a rollercoaster of emotions and tender smut and I loved every single second of it!

Normal AU, complicated family relationships, religious guilt, chronic pain rep, escort Simon, this fic had me hooked from the second Ashton pitched it to me! It’s angsty and soft and emotional in all of the ways we’ve come to expect from her fics, and it ticks all of the boxes.

Ashton managed to tackle some really tough emotions and relationship dynamics in this one, and I don’t really want to say any more and risk spoiling any of it.

Check it out if you haven’t yet, but just remember it is explicit with plenty of on page smut/sex scenes!

More Than Friends by @fatalfangirl [E, 19.9k, Carry On, incomplete]

This fic updated today. It was a good day!

Simon and Baz are roommates, and having survived lockdown together their feelings are becoming much more than platonic. Both of them like the other, but neither is willing to compromise their friendship.

Another Normal AU, this time ‘friends with benefits’, featuring lots of unhealthy coping mechanisms, a sexually promiscuous Simon (which I for one am loving!), Baz as a writer, and some new tags that were added today (trigger warnings for mentions of past ab*se and panic attacks).

This fic is updating currently, and I cannot wait to see what Stacy has in store for the boys! (Again, it’s explicit, so minors begone!)

What Remains After the Storm by @hushed-chorus [M, 86.3k, Carry On, complete]

When I tell you this fic had (and still has) me in a fricken chokehold, that’s an understatement! I still think about this fic on a daily basis, and Demi’s writing is simply stunning.

A fantasy/historical fiction(ish) AU, with fae, curses, much pining, and plenty of cute goats.

Simon is a goatherd on the edge of a fishing town, and while he’s not entirely trusted by the townsfolk, he’s not outright despised either. He works the land, and always pays his tithe to the fae. Until he pulls something from the ocean. Or rather, someone. When Baz flees his fae captors and returns home, he and Simon have to work together to help him remember his humanity.

This fic. Oh. My. GOD! Every update had me on the edge of my seat. Do yourself a favour, and go and read this fic. Especially as Demi is considering writing more in the same AU!

Strictly Professional by @palimpsessed [E, 38.5k, Carry On, complete]

This fic completed a couple of days ago, and I didn’t have time to finish reading it until this morning, and my god was it worth the wait!

Simon is a new recruit at Baz’s firm, and he’s joined the company just in time for the professional conference. But not in time to get his own hotel room. Cue only one bed forced proximity fast burn get together!

This fic pays off so quickly in the best way possible! The emotions Pal has managed to get into such a short space of time for the boys is incredible, and had me so invested in this relationship! Baz trying to remain professional, Simon’s unabashed flirting, neither of them managing to keep their hands off each other. Again, every single box ticked!

The Selkie and his Boy by @hushed-chorus [T, 21.8k, Carry On, complete]

It’s very rare that I pick up a T or G rated SnowBaz fic. I usually go for M and above, but once again, Demi had me hook line and sinker with this one.

Every year, Baz and his family holiday in Cornwall (can I just say how much I love Demi’s writing about Cornwall? It’s so nice to see the South West represented in fic!! As a Dorset girl who holidayed a lot in Cornwall as a kid, I love this so much!). Everything goes to plan … most of the time. One year, he meets a boy with bronze hair and blue eyes that utterly captivates him, and who he expects to spend the whole summer getting to know.

But the boy never shows up the next day. Or the next. Or indeed for the next several years.

Flash forward seven years, and an embittered Baz finally meets Simon again, and finds out why Simon never came back all those years ago.

An AU where Simon is a selkie, Baz is still a vampire, and Mordelia is unabashedly sassy!

Tagging (for both SSS and fic recs): @artsyunderstudy @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @aristocratic-otter @palimpsessed @larkral @orange-peony @dragoneggos @prettylightsbigcity @stardustasincocaine @fatalfangirl @cutestkilla @ileadacharmedlife @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @ebbpettier @martsonmars @erzbethluna @hushed-chorus

[sugoi-and-spice]

So, I'm sitting here. Reading the new chapter of Play Nice rn. And I have to agree with Spinner. They are indeed the dumbest smart people and I LOVE SPINNER! I want more of Lizard boy! What are his hcs!? Why is this chapter an emotional Rollercoaster? How do you even write Shiggy so well?! I'll be back with more commentary

Ahhhh, thank you so much, this is just the sweetest message in the world - I'm go glad that you're loving the fic and my interpretations of Shigaraki and Spinner. ^_^

As for headcanons about Play Nice Spinner (CW: Racism, Self-Harm, Mental Illness):

As opposed to being a heteromorph, in this universe, I write Spinner as Hāfu - his Dad is black, and his mom is Japanese - although they gave him his Mom's last name for hopes that it'd be easier for him to fit in. (Spoiler Alert: It didn't.)

He also has some pretty bad acne scars.

Much like his canon counter-part, he grew up in a pretty rural town and experienced a lot of intense discrimination and bullying to the point that he ended up dropping out of school and becoming a shut-in.

His plan as a kid was to renounce his Japanese citizenship and go to America to join the military like his Dad, however, he ended up losing pretty much all of his drive and aspiration when he [REDACTED ¬‿¬ ]. In retrospect, it wasn't the right path for him and he's glad that he stayed in Japan.

He has depression and anxiety, but takes medication and attends regular therapy for both. He's doing pretty well on them.

He's very athletic! Really enjoys weight-lifting, climbing, and boxing (mostly shadow and with a bag). He used to surf with his dad as a kid and he'd like to get back into it.

He lives on his own in a studio apartment. He doesn't love it though and is considering finding a place with a roommate.

While Shigaraki is a Computer Science major, Spinner is a Computer Engineering major. He's just more of a physical, handy, get your hands dirty kind of guy.

I sense this question may come up, so I'll clear up right now, that he does NOT have a crush on MC. The story will not become a love triangle between them. He just would never let himself go there. If Shigaraki wasn't in the equation, he'd probably fall in love with her instantly, however, he can see really clearly the feelings and the growth they share between each other, and wouldn't dare come between that. So he genuinely does just enjoy her friendship and presence in his life.

Love the extra commentary my dude! I freaking live for it!! ^_^ And hahaha, that would be some delightful ironic justice wouldn't it? Maybe in a post-series one-shot lol. xD

Thank you for your awesome messages!

[annarellix]

THE SUNSHINE GIRLS by Molly Fader - EXCERPT

Book Summary: A cross between Firefly Lane and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a dual-narrative about two sisters who realize their mother isn’t who they’d always thought when a legendary movie star shows up at her funeral, unraveling the sweeping story of a friendship that begins at a nursing school in Iowa in 1967 and onward as it survives decades of change, war, fame—and the secrets they kept from each other and for each other. A moment of great change sparks the friendship of a lifetime... 1967, Iowa: Nursing school roommates BettyKay and Kitty don’t have much in common. A farmer’s daughter, BettyKay has risked her family’s disapproval to make her dreams come true away from her rural small town. Cosmopolitan Kitty has always relied on her beauty and smarts to get by, and to hide a devastating secret from the past that she can’t seem to outrun. Yet the two share a determination to prove themselves in a changing world, forging an unlikely bond on a campus unkind to women. Before their first year is up, tragedy strikes, and the women’s paths are forced apart. But against all odds, a decades-long friendship forms, persevering through love, marriage, failure, and death, from the jungles of Vietnam to the glamorous circles of Hollywood. Until one snowy night leads their relationship to the ultimate crossroads. Fifty years later, two estranged sisters are shocked when a famous movie star shows up at their mother's funeral. Over one rollercoaster weekend, the women must reckon with a dazzling truth about their family that will alter their lives forever…

The Author: MOLLY FADER is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets, The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season, and more than 40 romance novels under the pennames Molly O'Keefe and M. O'Keefe. She grew up outside of Chicago and now lives in Toronto.

Author Website: https://mollyfader.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molly.fader Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mokeefeauthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MollyOKwrites Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18435981.Molly_Fader

Buy Links: BookShop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-sunshine-girls-original-molly-fader/18408170?ean=9781335453488 Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335453488_the-sunshine-girls.html Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sunshine-girls-molly-fader/1140810565?ean=9781335453488 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Girls-Novel-Molly-Fader/dp/1335453482/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sunshine+girls+molly+fader&qid=1668111685&sprefix=sunshine+girls+molly%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-1 Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sunshine-Girls/Molly-Fader/9781335453488?id=8292090795540

EXCERPT:

Clara Greensboro, Iowa 2019

There were too many lilies. Clara wasn’t an authority on flowers or funerals. But, it was like a flower shop—that only sold lilies—had exploded in the blue room of Horner’s Fu­neral Home. This was what happened when everyone adored you. They buried you under a mountain of your favorite flower—in this case, stargazers with their erotic pink hearts and sinus-piercing pollen—before they actually buried you. And it was just a cosmic kick in the pants that Clara Beecher was allergic to her mother’s favorite flowers. “Clara!” Mrs. Place, her eighth-grade language arts teacher, clasped Clara’s hands in her bony grip. Mrs. Place had not changed at all. She was the kind of woman who seemed mid­dle-aged at seventeen and just waited for time to catch up. “Your mother was so proud of you. You and your sister, you were her pride and joy.” “That’s nice of you to say,” Clara said, keenly aware of her sister, Abbie, across the room doing the sorts of things that would make a mother proud. “At book club, she’d go on and on about you and the im­portant work you were doing in the city and, well, most of it went right over my head,” Mrs. Place said. There was nothing complicated about Clara’s work; Mom just lied about it so, as a former hippie, she didn’t have to say the words my daughter is a corporate shill. “But you could tell she was just so proud.” Clara pulled her hand free in time to grab a tissue from one of the many boxes scattered around the room and held it to her allergy-induced, dripping nose. “Thank you,” she said through the tissue. “Everyone is going to miss Betts,” Mrs. Place said. “So much. There’s not a part of this town that she wasn’t involved in. Church, the library. Park board. Community gardens.” Like an invasive species. Invite her to something and she’d soon be running the show. Grief is making you sharp. That was something her mother would say. If she wasn’t dead. The Blue Room of Horner Funeral Home was hot and wall-to-lily packed with people coming to pay their respects to one of Greensboro’s favorite citizens. BettyKay Beecher had lived her whole adult life in this tiny town, and the town had shown up bearing casseroles and no-bake cheesecakes for the reception after the burial, wearing their Sunday best, armed with their favorite BettyKay stories. She sat with my dad when he was dying. She helped us figure out the insurance paperwork when our son was in his accident. They were all mourning. The whole room and the hallway outside and the people still sitting in their cars in the park­ing lot. People were crying real tears, huddling, sobbing—actually sobbing—in corners. And all Clara could think was: Did they know? Had Mom, in true fashion, told the entire town the secret she’d kept from her own daughters for nearly forty years? The bombshell, life-rearranging, ugly secret she’d blurted, exasper­ated and furious with Clara in their last phone call? Would they be mourning so hard if they knew? Clara sneezed. “Oh, bless you, honey,” Mrs. Place said. “It’s just allergies.” Clara folded up the tissues before put­ting them in the pocket of her new black Marco Zanini suit with the sash tie and the sky blue silk lining. She’d thought the lining might be a bit much for a funeral, but that was be­fore she knew about the lilies. And don’t get her started on all the men wearing camou­flage. To a funeral. Were they all going hunting after this? “She’s with your father now. I hope you find comfort in that.” “I do, thank you.” It was, as it always had been in Greens­boro, Iowa, easier to lie. Another person came up with another story about Bet­tyKay Beecher. “Is that your sister?” She pointed across the room after sharing an anecdote about their time together in the Army Nurse Corps. “Abbie?” Abbie was surrounded by her friends from childhood—who used to be Clara’s friends from childhood, not that it mattered—who kept bringing her mugs that were not filled with coffee. Abbie’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright and she was half-drunk, crying and hugging and not at all bothered by the lilies. “Yep. That’s my sister,” Clara said, ushering the woman toward Abbie and not even feeling bad about it. “She’d love to hear your story.” Three years ago, they’d stood in this exact same room, mourning their father, Willis Beecher. It was hard to be home and not see him in the corners of rooms. She couldn’t drink rum or Constant Comment tea and not miss him. The smell of patchouli could bring her to tears. A sob rose up in her throat like a fist, and her knees were suddenly loose. She put a hand against the table so she didn’t crumple onto the floor. I’m an orphan. Me and Abbie—orphans. She was a full-grown adult. A corporate lawyer (about to make junior partner, fingers crossed) who billed at $700 an hour. She had a condo on Lakeshore and a good woman who loved her. Abbie had two kids of her own, a husband of twenty-five years and kept slices of homemade lemon loaf in the freezer that she could pop in a toaster in case someone stopped by for coffee. They were far from orphans. But she couldn’t shake the thought. Clara found the side door and stepped out. The wind was icy, blowing across the farmland to the west, picking up the smell of fries and burgers from The Starlite Room, only to press her flat against the yellow brick. She felt the cotton-silk blend of her suit snag on the brick. The first few days of March were cold, too cold to be out here without a jacket, but the freshness woke her up. Spring hadn’t committed to Iowa yet and the cornfields were still brown, lying in wait, like everything else in Greensboro, for the last blizzard to come hammering down from the Dakotas. Her phone buzzed. She left it in her pocket. Horner’s Funeral Home was on the other side of town from the Greensboro University, and St. Luke’s School of Nursing’s white clock tower was just visible over the trees. The univer­sity had all the flags lowered to half-mast for the week. It was a nice touch. Mom had been a student there and then a teacher and for the last twenty years, an administrator. She closed her eyes, letting the wind do its work. “Hey.” Clara felt her sister lean back against the wall next to her, smelling of vanilla and Pinot Grigio. “Hey,” she said, eyes still closed. “The lilies—” “Yeah.” “You okay?” Clara hummed in her throat, a sound that wasn’t yes or no. That was, in fact, the exact sound of the exhausted limbo the last few days had put her in. “Me neither,” Abbie said. “It just… I feel like I’m missing something, you know? Like I’m walking around all wrong.” Clara felt the same. Being BettyKay Beecher’s daughter was a part of her identity she didn’t always carry comfortably, but it was there. “Where’s Vickie?” Abbie asked, and Clara caught herself from flinching at the sound of her girlfriend’s name. “She wishes she could be here but she has a case in front of the Illinois Supreme Court.” She felt Abbie’s doubt, the way she wanted to probe and pick. “Did you have to blow up that picture so damn big?” Clara asked, before Abbie could get to her follow-up questions. All around the funeral home were pictures of the Beecher family. And—God knows why—Abbie had decided to blow up to an obscene size, the picture of their mother that was on the back of her book: Pray for Me: The Diary of an Army Nurse in Vietnam. In it BettyKay was a fresh-faced twenty-two-year- old, with a helmet-shaped brunette bob wearing an olive green United States Army Nurse Corps uniform. “Darn.” “What?” “Fiona’s turning into a little parrot, so we don’t swear any­more. We say ‘effing’ and ‘darn’ and ‘poop.’” “That’s effing nonsense.” “Probably.” Clara could hear the smile in her sister’s voice. “And yes, I did. I love that picture of Mom. She looks so brave.” Clara thought she looked terrified. “Max and Fiona don’t understand what’s happening,” Abbie said. “They keep asking why Gran is lying down.” Clara’s laugh was wet with the lingering allergic reaction to the flowers. “That’s awful.” “Denise from the hospital keeps trying to get the kids to touch Mom’s hand. So they can feel how cold she is and then they’ll understand.” “What will it make them understand?” “That she’s dead.” “That’s morbid even for Denise.” They were both laugh­ing, which felt alien but sweet. “She says it will give them closure.” Abbie reached out and grabbed her hand. Clara started to pull away, but Abbie didn’t let go. I should tell her. Part of her even wanted to. To share the burden of information like they were kids again. And Abbie, who liked the view from the perch her reputation as a Beecher in this town gave her, would tell Clara it wasn’t true. Couldn’t possibly be. That Mom had been wrong. Angry. Something. Some excuse to keep everything the way it was. That was why Clara couldn’t tell her. Because Abbie had to live in this town side by side with the memory of Mom. Bringing Abbie into it would make her sister’s life harder. “Abbie, don’t get upset but I am going to leave after the re­ception at the church.” There. Done. Band-Aid-style. “And go where?” Abbie asked. “Back home.” And here comes the look. “Chicago? You’re kidding.” “We have a new client—” “You’re leaving?” Accidentally Clara caught Abbie’s furious gaze and wished she hadn’t. She could see her sister’s rage and her grief and it felt worse than her own. “I’ll be back,” Clara lied. “Bullshit.” So much for not swearing. “Abbie—” “You know. I should have expected this. You show up last-minute in your car and your ugly suit—” “Hey!” “With your nose in the air—” “I’ll pay to have the house boxed up.” Abbie sucked in so much air Clara went light-headed from the lack of oxygen around her. “Can we please not make this a big deal?” she asked. “What did I ever do to you, Clara? To make it so easy for you to leave me behind?” The wind caught the side door as it opened, banging against the brick with a sound that made Clara and Abbie jump like they’d been caught smoking. Ben, Abbie’s husband, stuck his head out and Abbie stepped forward. Ben was a good-looking guy in a gentle giant kind of way. Constantly rumpled, but usually smiling. He reminded Clara of a very good Labrador retriever. She wanted to pat his head and give him a treat. And then yell at him for tracking mud across the rug. “There you are,” he said. “I was just getting some air,” Abbie said, with surprising defensiveness. “Is everything okay?” “There’s…” Ben glanced over his shoulder and made a face, bewildered and somehow joyful in a way that made Clara and Abbie push off the wall. It was his mother-in-law’s funeral after all. Joy was a strange sentiment. “What?” Clara asked. “Well, I think you should come in and see for yourself.” Ben held the door while Abbie and Clara walked back into the packed room. Everyone was silent now, pressed to the walls and corners in little clumps, whispering in that painfully fa­miliar way out of the corners of their mouths and behind their hands. There was a path down the center of the room right to Mom’s casket, where she lay with her arms crossed, wearing her favorite green dress and way too much blush. Standing at the casket, was a woman. A stranger. Everything about her screamed not from around here. She wore an elegant long black skirt and a pair of boots with low heels of rich black leather. A gray sweater (Ralph Lauren Col­lection cashmere or Clara would eat her own boots) with a black belt around her trim waist. Her hair was long and sil­very blond, the kind that appeared natural but Clara would put money on the fact that it cost a lot and took a lot of time to keep that way. She kind of…glittered. “Who is that?” “You don’t recognize her?” Ben whispered between Abbie and Clara’s shoulders, his breath smelling of coffee and cough drops. Something about the woman did seem familiar, polished. “Is she from the publishing company?” she asked Abbie. “I don’t think so. They sent a cheesecake.” “That morning show Mom did sometimes, in Des Moines? Ramona?” “Ramona Rodriguez died, like, ten years ago.” Clara should know this woman. But her mother’s funeral was throwing her off. “Are you kidding me? You really don’t recognize her?” Ben asked. “It’s Kitty Devereaux.”

Excerpted from The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader. Copyright © 2022 by Molly Fader. Published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

[brooklyn-alley-ratcat]

Hey 👋👋

Your pinned post about college resonated with me so much ,i feel like crying.i keep wishing i didn't move out of town for college.i really miss my friends. people i met in college are really nice tho but sometimes i can't stop feeling a bit lonely.

Sorry for the rant.you asked for serotonin and i gave you this but i needed to talk to someone with similar feelings.

Its been a year since you made that post . Hope you dont mind me asking this but how does college feel now ??

Again sorry for the rant .hope you have a nice day😚😚

Oh darling, when I made that post I had no idea how many people felt to same way as I did. Hearing others talk about it makes me feel like I’m not so alone, especially when everyone only talks about the “fun” side of college.

As you said, it has been a year since my post and now as a sophomore I can confirm it gets better but you never really get rid of the longing and question of “what if I had stayed closer?”

My amazing roommates have made everything better though and I thank every star above that we all stumbled upon each other. The friends I make, even now, are hard to keep when we all have different schedules and maybe have one class together and never know if we will have another one again. But I think that’s what college is kind of about, ya know, beyond the academic side of it. Some people make friends the first day of freshman year and keep them to graduation and others collect them slowly like Pokémon over time. It’s still hard sometimes when my high school friends post with each other and I know that I’ll never be as incorporated as I used to be in the friend group but I’m learning to accept that maybe all friendships aren’t the same and it hurts but knowing they are happy is enough. Since last year I have started volunteering at my local humane society when I can, even adopted an older cat with asthma, and going to college events if only to meet people I may never have met otherwise. The loneliness never leaves unfortunately because nothing every compares to childhood/high school friends but with the right people, it doesn’t feel so crushing.

College is still terrifying but it feels more like going to an amusement park alone, getting in the single rider line and finding others willing to ride the crazy rollercoaster alongside you.

Also, you never need to apologize. I’ll share all my serotonin with you if only to make you feel better. Hang in there darling, you’ve got this! Have a wonderful day/night and make the most of this time in your life :)

[blog-name-idk]

Everything Falls (Into Place) | 29

*Banner by the incredible @bangtansmauyeondan

Pairing: OT7 x Fem Reader

Genre: College!AU, Roommate!AU, Fluff, Humor, Smut

Summary: Your new roommates are unbearably nice and unbearably hot. Good thing you're an adult who is fully capable of platonic friendships with the opposite sex, right?

Word Count: 1526

~~~~~

Jungkook Good morning, baby

You You're right next to me

Jungkook But you're texting back And I wanted to see you blush You're just so cute :) I love you

You I love you too Now put your phone away so I can show you how much

~~~~~

Jimin Well I guess one date is enough for Jungkook's hands not to be "disgusting and unworthy"

Jin Technically not even before the date finished I'm the only gentleman here

Taehyung coughprudecough

Namjoon ?

Jimin Hyung be glad your room isn't up here

Hobi Jimin YOU of all people are complaining about the noise??? After the first night?

Namjoon Ooooohh I see

Jimin How dare he scold us When he got to take her out on a date wearing a FUCKING CHOKER

Jin Oh yeah That was Yeah

Yoongi wait what

Namjoon wait what

Hobi You're joking

Jin You mean choking? Ohohohoho

Jimin Shut up hyung

Jin How dare you I'm hilarious

Jimin She wouldn't even let me kiss her ughhhhhhhhhhhghghgh

Taehyung He's been bitching about it since yesterday Shut up Chim I'm trying to listen to our girl moan

Hobi Wait isn't that Kookie?

Taehyung Well I was still able to finish

Jin Did you really have to announce that to everyone?

Namjoon We're all going to hell

~~~~~

Jin Hey wifey <3

You Hey Jinnie <3 Thanks for waiting up for us last night! And for letting Kookie use your car, that was really nice of you

Jin Anything for my favorite girl

You Anyway, what's up?

Jin I made french toast

You !!!!

Jin So when you kids are done with your "activities" come down

You Hmmmmmm? What activities?

Jin You know exactly what I'm talking about

You I'm sorry, you'll have to elaborate :)

Jin Let me take you out tonight and maybe I'll show you after

You Sooo tempting, but I have plans sorry Maybe next time!

Jin You're killing me

You You snooze you lose babe And you snoozed

Jin Wait have you been teasing me because I wouldn't fuck you in my car?

You No Maybe

~~~~~

Hobi [Y/n]!

You Hello sunshine! :) What's up?

Hobi I can't believe I never actually asked you out properly Or took you anywhere

You It's fine! Things just kinda happened I'm not mad about it :)

Hobi No! I want to make it up to you Let's go somewhere fun soon!

You Haha okay It'll have to be after Jackson gets back though!

Hobi Okay! Is there anywhere you want to go in particular? My treat <3

You Oh actually! I've wanted to go that amusement park near us for like ever

Hobi Uh

You I love rollercoasters! I haven't been on one in so long

Hobi Okay, amusement park it is :)

You Wooooo I read that they have a new ride And it's now the second fastest in the country I can't wait!

Hobi What

~~~~~

You Min Yoongi

Yoongi that is my name

You What's this flash drive on my desk about? It's not gonna give me some weird virus is it? Omg is it so you can watch me through my webcam?

Yoongi good idea actually

You Yoongi!

Yoongi it's a song

You Couldn't you just show me yourself?

Yoongi no

You Why not??

Yoongi i made it for you

You Awww are you embarrassed??

Yoongi no just too busy

You Mhmmm okay :) I'm gonna listen to it now!

Yoongi ok

You Omg

Yoongi ?

You Marry me, Min Yoongi

Yoongi bring the papers

~~~~~

Taehyung Come keep me company at work It's so slow today :(

You Am I just your boredom relief? 🥺

Taehyung You know I just want any excuse to see you

You You are a dangerous man, Kim Taehyung

Taehyung Only for you, pretty girl

You Omg stop

Taehyung Aw are you flustered over text? Wish I could see that cute face in person

You I'm not flustered!

~~~~~

Jimin She's totally flustered It's so cute

Taehyung :)

Jimin Wtf Kookie just swooped in and grabbed her to go do something

Taehyung :(

Jimin Did I tell you how fucking unfair it is that [y/n] wore a FUCKING CHOKER on her date with Kookie?

Taehyung Only like a hundred times Including the group chat You could have at least gotten a picture

Jimin She looked soooooooo sexy you don't even understand And then she just LEFT

Taehyung Chim you've complained to me so fucking much It's like you want ME to take care of it

Jimin Huh

Taehyung ?

Jimin I… have a boner?

Taehyung Huh Now I do too?

Jimin Well

Taehyung Well

~~~~~

You Hey Joonie?

Namjoon What's up?

You So Jackson comes home this weekend

Namjoon Did you hear that?

You ?

Namjoon That was the sound of my testicles retracting into my body

You Lmao why are you so terrified of my brother? Aren't you guys friends?

Namjoon Yes That's why I'm scared

You … Of my brother The one people call Wang Puppy

Namjoon You don't understand It's not your reproductive organs on the line

You Oh my god lol Come on, he's harmless

Namjoon To you!!

You Joonie come on

Namjoon Remember that one guy who kind of stalked you your freshman year?

You Wait we didn't know each other freshman year… How do you know about that? Are YOU a stalker?

Namjoon Hah hah I heard about it from Jackson before I knew you You know he transferred schools right

You Yeah, thank god So lucky

Namjoon Yeah uh Your brother might have had something to do with that

You Wait what

Namjoon You don't want to know the details

You I kind of do

Namjoon Your conscience is better off not knowing Suffice it to say There was… coercion involved

You I have so many questions

Namjoon Can we just leave it at that for now? It's wise to fear the wrath of a gentle man So let's please focus on the current issue? Which is keeping your favorite seven roommates alive

You Ugh fine but I'm not forgetting this So we have to figure out a way to tell him that I'm not with just one But all of you guys

Namjoon He's going to kill me Or at least castrate me

You Let me think of something okay? I'll protect you Joonie!

Namjoon God you're so cute I trust you to protect our future children

You Uh excuse me At least buy me dinner first before we talk about kids

Namjoon Oh fuck I didn't mean to say that out loud I mean type it out loud I mean type it to you I just

You Lol I'm messing with you Joonie I know you were just joking

Namjoon Haha yeah totally

~~~~~

You So I know I forgot to send you a selfie But I swear I wore it!

Mina Hm What can you tell me to make me believe you

You Well I had to stop Jimin from seducing me before the date when he saw And Kookie DEFINITELY seemed to like it And when we got home Jin was staring somewhere between my eyes and my boobs so

Mina Lololololol I knew your boys had taste Alright I believe you

You Okay good I'm calling in that favor

Mina Bitch already?

You But you'll like it! Probably

Mina …

You It involves my brother

Mina Continue

You How are your feminine wiles?

Mina Are you asking me to seduce your brother?

You Maybe

Mina Why

You Maybe I just want my best friend and my brother to be happy together?

Mina Yes but I smell an ulterior motive

You Can't get anything past you Well I was planning on this anyway But recent events are forcing me to speed up

Mina Ohhh You're gonna break the news that you're getting plowed by seven guys

You Yeah, apparently Jackson is actually uh Very protective? Remember that dude who wouldn't leave me alone freshman year?

Mina Ugh fuck that guy

You Well according to Joonie My brother "coerced" him to transfer

Mina Oh shit That's fucking hot

You ANYWAY Joonie is scared they might get similarly Er Coerced

Mina Lmao it's a 7 on 1 and they're still scared? Makes your brother even sexier

You Ew So anyway my general idea is You come over before he can murder anyone And give him those sexy eyes you do

Mina Lol you really think that'll work on him?

You Probably? It's not like you ever tried on him I've never seen it fail I mean that look is enough to make me ditch my boys for you

Mina Aww love you too babe <3 So I'm going to distract your bro with something sexy And you're going to help me

You Yes

Mina Girl if it works I'll owe you two favors

You Hooray!!!! We can begin our evil plan when we get drinks tonight?

Mina 👍 Bringing any pokemon?

You I mean I should But it's also kind of cute seeing them panic Maybe we can keep their salvation a surprise

Mina Girl have I been rubbing off on you while they've been rubbing off in you?

You Why are you like this

~~~~~

Next | Masterlist

Tags: @singukieee @persphonesorchid @xmochiloverx @taestefully-in-luv @meavie @silscintilla @forpunishers @jnghs @avadakadabra93 @thesleepingmoonfox @readers-posts @teeheelittlebitch

[yandere-sins]

i just binged-read all of your BNHA works and omg... 🥲 you don’t understand the rollercoaster of emotions i just went through! can i please request a story of Kirishima noticing that Bakugou has a crush on his darling. then when Kirishima confronts Bakugou about it, things get heated/physical? keep up the good work, i love your writings! 🥰💗

Thank you so much for reading through them, I am so glad you enjoyed them! :D And thanks for requesting ♥

»»———————— ♡ ————————««     

“I don’t fucking know either!”

Loud. Terribly loud were the two voices shouting at each other in your room, the little bit of safe haven you owned, entirely disrupted by the two men arguing. It was only made worse by the fact that they were arguing about you rather than anything else, their attention involuntarily always coming back to you after every sentence.

You had long ducked away, slipped into the area between the wall and your bed, the only place you had claimed as yours ever since you were forced to live here. It was barely spacious enough for you to breathe in, but it was too small to force you out of as well, which you always appreciated. On most days, Kirishima would treat you kindly and with a strange understanding despite the situation and relationship you two had.

But just as quickly did his mood change, his tendencies to demand more than you were willing to give being a constant point of stress between you two. Hiding yourself back here was the closest to some privacy you had, and now than ever, you just wanted to disappear from this pitiful existence. You didn’t even want to hear about what they were talking, let alone witness how the conversation would go.

“Fuck,” Bakugou groaned loudly, rubbing his hands over his face. “Of all the people...”

“Yes. Of all the people, it just had to be my partner you fell in love with,” Kirishima hissed back, equally angered. You couldn’t even pinpoint for how long the two had been discussing this topic, but it left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, as it seemed. Sighing quietly as to not draw more attention to you, you buried your head in your knees.

For the longest time, you had believed those two were good people. Sure, Bakugou was a hot-headed bastard sometimes, but together with Kirishima, who shone with his kindness, you three always had a lot of fun. When Kiri confessed to you, you had been so happy! What you thought was love probably was more like a deep friendship, but you didn’t say ‘no’ and went out with him.

But then the craziness started. It was subtle at first, and you confided in Bakugou, who told you, you were just imagining things. No one seemed to notice how Kirishima started to polarize your time constantly, how, when he wanted cuddles, he simply pulled you into an embrace even if you didn’t want to. How every problem was solved with ‘Just don’t go there anymore, you can stay here! I’ll take care of everything!’

You very quickly found out you had been wrong both with him being a good person and you being in love with him. But then, of all people, he still allowed Bakugou to come over! Where he kept you locked in his apartment all day while he played hero outside, he still allowed your friend to visit whenever. Seeing that Bakugou was not going to help you, no matter how much you pleaded with him to save you, broke your heart. It completely shattered you.

Honestly, you wanted to believe that you three had been friends once, but whatever happened to make the two into what they were now, it scared you. It frightened you so much that you barely slept at night, rarely managed to eat more than two spoons of your food, and rendered you unable to focus on anything if not ensuring you were safe when things got too much to bear. And now, your body shaking more than ever, you had to witness how even Bakugou seemed to have changed sides, and that scared you even more.

You thought he was just loyal to his friend by refusing to help you, but by god, he was the same as that maniac Kirishima.

“Look, I didn’t choose that either! But you knew I liked them way before you confessed!”

At that, Kirishima only clicked his tongue, unable to say anything in return to counter this claim. So it was right, Bakugou had liked you all along. All these things about Kirishima’s and your love life must have been so painful for him to listen to in this case. However, right then, as you overheard their conversation unwillingly, you didn’t feel bad for him even a second.

“I wish it was anyone else, but it’s them!”

“Well, are you sure?” Kirishima grumbled, and you kind of understood Bakugou’s frustration as his friend didn’t seem to want to hear the truth. “Yes, I am damn sure!”

“If that’s the case...” Kirishima sighed before you heard steps drawing closer. “[Name]? Can you come out? You know it’s rude not to show your cute face to our guest.”

Even if he spoke his words in a sugary voice, nothing about Kirishima could calm you. Slowly looking up at him again, you saw him reach his hand out to you, knowing fully well that he couldn’t get you out of that gap even if he probably wanted. The mood in the room was tense and full of heated tempers. Their back and forth had only made everything more awkward and uncomfortable as it already was for you.

Inwardly, you wanted nothing more than to stay in your hideout, hoping it would all quickly pass, but crossing Bakugou’s gaze briefly, you saw his brows only furrow more, and you wagered if taking Kirishima’s offer was better as long as he still asked nicely before either of them would lose their patience with you, too.

Slipping out of the space without taking his help, it wasn’t long before Kirishima picked you up anyway. The man had as much understanding about boundaries as you had about what even was wrong with him. He sat you down in his lap on the couch, waving Bakugou over, who reluctantly took a seat on the furthest armrest from you.

“Tell him, [Name]. You love me, right? You want to be with me, right?”

Opening your mouth, you wanted to protest, but Bakugou stole the words from you before you could talk.

“Bullshit! They’ve always been complaining because you suck at being a boyfriend! They could do so much better and be with me, right [Name]? Tell that idiot!”

You felt like a dog, with both owners screaming at their furbaby to chose them and go to the one it likes more.

Their back-and-forth continued, Kirishima swearing his love to you up and down while Bakugou praised his abilities to be better in... every way. Kirishima liked to remind you how much ‘fun’ you two had together and how much he did and would do for you in the future. Bakugou liked to argue with his friend, using insults and belittling comments about his plans. Neither made a very good impression, and their voices rose to a volume again, making you wish you had earplugs to drown out at least a little bit of their shouting.

Instead, you lifted your hands to your ears, cupping them as to drown out the sounds, hoping it was over soon. Why couldn’t they both leave you alone? Why did you have to end up in this situation, not once, but twice? Why did the two best friends you had turned out to be this crazy? Crazy about you?

There still were so many questions to be answered, and you curled into yourself as you spiraled down into overthinking everything that happened. From regrets you had, to disbelieve you still harbored, to the despair you felt as you couldn’t pinpoint when this nightmare would end.

You were so inside your own head, you didn’t notice how their voices slowly calmed down, their hearts breaking as they saw you so overwhelmed by the situation. Kirishima and Bakugou exchanged a few glances, and even in Bakugou’s serious and furious expression, there were hints of worries to find that only his friends could discern.

“How about you move in with us... and maybe they can make a decision then. Not that I’d just give them to you, but I can’t watch them being sad about us fighting. You always meant a lot to us.”

Huffing, Bakugou turned his head away, hiding the flustered red spreading on his cheeks. “I won’t share with you, you Dumbass! They’re mine. They love me much more than you freak!”

“Doubt it,” Kirishima chuckled as he brought his hand to your head, brushing over it comfortingly. He had never been afraid to say his opinion openly, a trait you had always found remarkable and remarkable stupid at the same time. “Whatever,” Bakugou grunted, standing up before storming out of the door without another word of goodbye, Kirishima sighing before he pulled you close.

“I hope this makes you happy,” he mumbled, not even knowing you weren’t listening anymore. “I’d do anything if it makes you happy.”

By the evening, a new roommate was sharing the apartment with you and Kirishima. They didn’t talk, neither at dinner nor before or after that. You didn’t mind the silence, but you did mind having to hold one hand of each as they decided to watch a movie, ever so often squeezing to gain your attention and giving you grins when you looked at them. As if that equaled making a decision which you liked better, just because they had a few seconds of your attention.

But even worse were the changes. The first thing Bakugou did was move the bed. Your hideout was no longer as he decided you didn’t need it. And where you had struggled to keep Kiri from you, you now were too scared to shove away Bakugou. Perhaps, you really had it nice with Kirishima. You pondered about it all night as you were squeezed between them, their arguing going deep into the early hours before they fell asleep, snoring away into your ears.

Would it have been easier if you had just chosen one of them?

Or would it be fatal to ever choose between them?

[taechaos]

can u do more of jealous jk drabbles?👉👈

this one kinda cute but theres smut 😃

The best time of the day is when the sun is just over the horizon, taking on a blue and orange hue in the sky, not shining bright enough to blind or give a heat stroke to the crowd in the amusement park. Just enough illumination to not have to rely on the lights provided from the ferris wheel, neon titles above the rides and games you stand before.

You can't contain your squeal and shake your interlocked hands with Jungkook while bouncing on your feet, the three companies you came with much more casual about the occasion. "Where should we go first?!"

Your boyfriend shrugs, Soyeon glances at Taehyung who makes the decision: "Rollercoaster." He has a crazed grin on his face, the sparkle and mischief in his eyes matching yours. Both of you are extremely fond of these thrillers.

"A rollercoaster...? I'll wait for you guys," Soyeon sheepishly holds her nape with a smile. You coo at her.

Jungkook scoffs arrogantly, "Are you afraid too, baby? You can hold onto my arm."

You blow raspberries and clutch onto your friend's arm, "I love rollercoasters." You and Soyeon gaze into each other's eyes as you say, "Don't worry. It'll be fun if you come with me."

She blushes, Taehyung and Jungkook watching the interaction with quirked brows. How boy-friendly of you.

The seats were decided. You all bought the tickets, and it's your turn to hop on the carts. Girls sit in front of the boys, and Soyeon hesitantly places her hand on top of yours on the railing. Taehyung wraps his hands around Jungkook's arm, who is slouching in his seat with a frown.

"I'm so scared, Jungkookie," Taehyung's teeth chatter, "w-will you protect me?"

All the carts are secured as the ride slowly moves forward, slightly creaking as Jungkook groans, "Let go of my fucking arm!" Despite his relentless shaking, his best friend only holds on tighter.

"Why? Your girlfriend is having a sexual awakening with her buddy girl, why can't we?!"

Jungkook gapes at him, brows meeting in perplexity before he looks at the row across. The two of you have your heads leaning on each other, and no, that was the romantic scene he was supposed to have with you, not Taehyung who snuggles into him in whimsical fear.

"She's straight," he counters weakly, not even caring about his numbing arm from the sight before him.

The carts reach the peak of the tracks, a sense of adrenaline stirring in everyone's stomach and you squeeze Soyeon's hand comfortingly seconds before Taehyung's scream torments the whole population's ears. Needless to say, Jungkook had it the worst.

—————

Your boyfriend winces with a finger in his left ear as he follows the group with Taehyung next to him, behind you and Soyeon.

"Remind me to never go on a rollercoaster with you," he seethes intimidatingly, emitting a snort from the guilty.

"Ooh, bumper cars!" Taehyung childishly points at the competitive game. Jungkook smiles wickedly, "I'm going to give you a fucking concussi–"

"Boys against girls!" Soyeon chirps, and you gasp at the amazing idea.

"Yes! That'd be so fun!"

Upon seeing Jungkook's incredulous face, Taehyung bursts out in laugher and clutches his stomach, tearing up when he instantly goes in denial mode.

Which didn't help, because Soyeon stole you for herself once more and he is stuck with the dumbest person he's ever met once more.

"Let's beat those bitches."

"That's my girlfriend, Tae."

Those words were thrown out the window the moment the game began, because he became ruthless. Even Taehyung was getting nauseous from how violently the car was bumping against yours, the one Soyeon claimed shotgun in, rocking your bodies back and forth. It's revenge for not giving him the attention he rightfully deserves, and leaving him with who was supposed to be a fourth wheel.

No mercy, you must suffer.

When you all got off the ride, Taehyung couldn't stop stumbling all over the place.

"I'm going to throw up," he groans and pinches Jungkook's shirt.

"That settles it: I won," he shrugs triumphantly. Soyeon is quick to bite back, "You almost killed us."

"Oh no," you jump to his defence with a giggle, "he's just very competitive."

Your boyfriend smiles at your first acknowledgement of his existence, relieved as he throws an arm around you. "I'm not about to lose to a bunch of–"

"Please don't finish that sentence," you smile at him; sickly sweet with your warning.

He forces a chuckle, "–a bunch of strong, independent women."

—————

"You ever seen lesbian porn, Jungkook?" Taehyung asks as he licks up a fat stripe on his ice cream. Jungkook doesn't bother responding. "It usually begins with one girl being all shy and reluctant until the sexual tension becomes too much. Say they're studying, gossipping, whatever, the normal stuff. Then... one of them makes the first move, and the other eventually gets into it." He glances at his friend to measure his reaction; nonchalant and barely listening. "Oh, but I have a boyfriend, oh this is wrong, oh friends don't do this," he imitates in a higher pitch. "Then they fuck."

"Do you ever stop talking?" he asks, flabbergasted and annoyed. He's holding onto your ice cream after you left to the bathroom with your friend, Taehyung protecting hers and licking the melted drops to keep the cone clean. What Soyeon doesn't know won't hurt her; the flavor is too good for him to waste.

"I'm just saying man, you never know with these girls," his cheeks puff out as he suppresses a laugh. Jungkook's paranoia is easy to mess with, and he knows he shouldn't do it so often, but it's just so fun. A snort slips.

"They've been roommates for two years, I'm sure if she was bisexual, she'd know by now," he spits defensively.

"Oh my God, do you think they got drunk and kiss–"

"We're back!" you announce and take your cone from Jungkook's hand, your friend doing the same.

"Welcome back, baby," he stands up to hug you, effectively pulling you a few steps away from Soyeon with a glare. You relish in it with joy, mushing your face against his chest.

"What should we go on next?" Taehyung casually cuts into your display of affection.

"The ferris wheel, maybe? Oh, Soyeon, you have–" you point at the corner of your lip, and she mirrors the opposite side, prompting you to reach out a hand and wipe off the stain with your thumb. Jungkook blinks in astonishment. Taehyung's eyes widen to saucers as he watches his soul leave his body. His words are getting to him.

Your hand is snatched away in a flash, and you're dragged away back to the stalls where he corners you, answering your unspoken question: "Hey, just wanted to privately ask you how your date is going with Soy milk." His voice drips with sarcasm, the attitude catching you off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, I feel like I'm third wheeling in front of my own girlfriend," he scowls, and your heart drops. "You haven't done a single thing with me today. I thought we came here to spend time with each other, yet we've done anything but. Be honest, are you..." he gulps and averts his gaze, "is there something going on...?"

"Jungkook," you startle and place a hand on his chest, "it's nothing like that. Of course I wanted to spend time with you, but Soyeon's been trying really hard to mend our friendship so I thought I would reciprocate. I didn't want things to be awkward between us, but I didn't realize I was neglecting you. I'm really sorry, love."

Your explanation endears him, shoulders slouching in relief just before he murmurs, "But in lesbian porn..."

"Oh my God," you exclaim in disbelief with a laugh, "I just hung out with her."

"You know I get needy!" he frowns with flushed cheeks. "That bitch wouldn't let go of you for one goddamned second, if I didn't know better I would've dragged you away a lot sooner."

You coo at him and squeeze his cheeks before he shakes you off grumpily. "I was going to go on the ferris wheel to make it up to you."

"Oh wow," he rolls his eyes, "can't believe you found the time to think about me."

"So jealous," you tease.

"Shut up," he pushes your forehead with his finger, "before I try to mend my friendship with Soy milk as well."

"She is not your friend," you glare at him with hooded eyes.

"So jealous."

—————

"The ride is five minutes long," Jungkook blurts out of thin air the moment you step into the moving cabin. "And we're going to stop at the top." At your gasp, he continues as he takes a seat, "Yeah, I did that movie cliché and paid extra."

"Jungkook," you coo with doe eyes and lay your head on his shoulder, "that's so romantic."

"Hey, don't get all cute. You said you were going to make it up to me." He tilts your chin, "How far are you willing to go?"

His question doesn't throw you off, and you chuckle, "Whatever you want."

"Yeah? Your time is running out," he looks past the window to see how high up you are. Four meters off the ground, give or take. "You think you can make me cum before we get off?"

Oh. "Better choose fast–"

You fondle with the buckle of his belt and make quick work of your hands to pull down his black jeans that hug his thighs. You lick your lips for moisture, and after what some experiences have thought you, you know to spit in your hand before wrapping your fingers around him.

"Damn, you didn't come here to play," he releases a humored breath as he watches you get him off. As if the limited time isn't bad enough, you have to get him erect in remarkable speed as well. He shifts slightly with a deep sigh, and when his cock starts to grow, you get on your knees before him and take the head of his length in your mouth. He sucks his teeth and weaves his fingers through your hair as he closes his eyes. Thirteen meters off the ground.

Mindful of your pace, you ease his length inside by taking him inch by inch, swirling your tongue the way he likes it and bobbing your head. His grip on your hair tightens as a low grunt resounds in the cabin. "You're doing so well," he looks down at you with half hooded eyes, lustful in their gaze, "you want to make it up to me that bad? Want to please me? Gosh," he sighs.

You deepthroat him with your hand covering what you can't reach until he thrusts into your mouth. You gag in reflex, and he uses your hair as leverage to do the rest for you. It's sloppy now, and saliva drools from the corner of your mouth with welling tears. You can only hope he reaches climax in time. Twenty two feet off the ground.

When his thrusts begin to slow down, you take it as your cue to pull away and jerk him off, your tongue taking care of the tip as his breaths grow more and more shallow. You assume he's holding back moans as to not attract any attention to your cabin. Thirty one meters. You make it a challenge for yourself to make him cum by the timr you reach the peak.

"Ah, go faster," he furrows his brows, face twisting in pleasure as he leans back on his seat. Your scalp starts to sting from his strong grasp.

Your hand listens, and you suck harder on the head while teasing the slit, and he gasps louder each passing second. He's panting while forty three feet off the ground, and a few moments later, his hips lift off the seat as he groans, his release on your tongue that you swallow. It comes in stutters, so you keep your mouth on him until you've swallowed every drop to avoid getting banned from the amusement park. Calling it simply taboo is an underestimatement.

"Shit, shit," he breathlessly says and thrusts into your mouth two last times before pulling out, a string of saliva still attached to your mouth. The ferris wheel stops. "You were fucking perfect, baby," he murmurs and his head goes limp, eyes dazed from the climax. You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand and smile despite the ache in your jaw.

"Thank you," you squeak and sit next to him. His head rolls to you. "Is my face okay?"

"Oh, you wore lipstick," he laughs quietly and uses the hem of his matching black shirt to clean up the smudge, his stomach on display from the action. You sit still as he fixes up your appearance, brushing your disheveled hair with his fingers, and just to be extra, he adjusts your collar, making you giggle and roll your eyes. "Like nothing happened. I'll eat you out at my dorm to return the favor."

You blush in surprise at his words, but he dismisses it by looking at the view. The sun has set, and all the lights sparkle from under you and the midnight black sky. It's beautiful. You admire it with him.

"I can't believe I paid extra for this. There's not even fireworks."

BONUS:

Soyeon and Taehyung sit across from each other without averting their gaze from the sky, effectively ignoring the presence of one another until he breaks the silence. "This is so romantic."

"Yeah."

"If we were a couple, this would be the perfect moment to kiss."

"Um... I guess," she shrugs off his unusual flirting.

"You want to be a couple for this ride?" he suggests and looks at her with wiggling brows.

She doesn't return the stare, softly speaking, "No, I think I'd rather jump off."

He chuckles under his breath, "Jungkook is going to have a field day when he finds out you're lesbian."

"Huh?"

"I said why don't you jump on this dick."

[quincywillows]

THE FLATMATES AU 📦 An AMBITION universe created by Maggie and Ellie ( @jadenigel )

Sure, a performing arts high school sounds like a wild ride... but for anyone who has been to university -- any university -- they know that college is a rollercoaster all its own. That is the magic, misery, and mischief that attending Adams University will inevitably bring, no singing, dancing, or performing hallucinations required. And as anyone who has survived a housing situation knows, nothing can make or break your life experience more than who you get stuck living with for any stretch of time... put more simply, who your roommates might be (or your FLATMATES, as the kiwis and Brits say across the pond).

The rule of thumb is true as ever for Jade Beamon and Riley Matthews, both unassuming gals who find themselves sharing space with an interesting collection of characters (and their equally colorful cast of friends). All seven residents of suite 314 have their work cut out for them, facing challenges and adventures that range from coursework to chores-work to connections platonic or romantic... that is, if they can make it through the semester first!

To my dear pal Ellie: though it wasn’t my initial plan to make a gift for you as well this SS, I am so pleased I got the chance to! You mentioned on your list at the very bottom that you were open to “AU,” and I figured what better way to meet that suggestion than by bringing back a beloved AU we created together that is just begging to be resurrected... while sharing some fun music along the way! I love you so much friend, please enjoy this sonic journey through the world of FLATMATES... and perhaps it’ll give us the inspiration to jump back in come 2022! 💖🎀

Below, meet the seven residents of suite 314 by exploring a handful of the music you might hear when passing by their room... and bop along to the full Flatmates Aesthetic here! ✨

Jade Beamon ( 314, Room 1A ) 🎶 || Jade is the everyman who takes us into the world of suite 314, and suffice to say she is just trying to keep her head above water. Getting into the competitive and creative-intensive design program at Adams University was no easy feat, and she is determined not to mess it up. Still, she doesn’t want to entirely miss out on the social scene of her new school and even her new flat... even if she doesn’t totally get the vibes of some of her new flatmates. Do we need to have friends over every single day (Dylan)? On the flip side, isn’t it kind of rude to never come out of your room (Charlie)? And where the hell even is her own roommate, Maya Hart, who never seems to be around? Then there’s Nigel, the cute acting major who lives just across the suite... but no, no, Jade can’t get distracted. Friendship is just fine. Who has time for crushes, anyway...

Riley Matthews ( 314, Room 2A ) 🎶 || For Riley, university is going to be her fresh start. She wasn’t very popular in high school -- okay, she wasn’t popular at all -- but nobody knows her here at Adams, and she’s determined to spread her wings and blossom into the social butterfly she knows she can be. If that means that she has to be the one bringing everyone together, so be it... though might be easier said than done, since her flat is a bizarre amalgamation of personalities. Trying to win over her own roommate, Isadora, might be a challenge, since they seem blunt and busy and maybe far cooler than her... and she has to avoid getting spooked and sidetracked by Isa’s good friend, LJ, who is equal parts intimidating and unbelievably attractive.

Isadora De La Cruz ( 314, Room 2B ) 🎶 || Whatever socializing suitemate bullshit Riley and Dylan keep peddling, Isa doesn’t have time for it. They’ve got things to do, films to storyboard, stages to manage, and wasting any precious time trying to “bond” as a flat just seems like a waste of time considering a third of them seem to never be around, and the rest of them are so different, Isa doesn’t see how they could come together. Bonding with Riley seems hard enough, since she’s sweet and optimistic and had to have been the most popular girl in school wherever she came from. So what if part of it is that Isa has never been very good at making friends... whatever. They don’t care. It’s fine.

Dylan Orlando ( 314, Room 3A ) 🎶 || How the hell does Dylan Orlando already have friends? Seriously, he’s barely been here six hours, and already he’s bringing around new friends (some dudes named Dave and Nate -- loud dudes, Isa and Jade care to note) while the rest of the flat is still unpacking. He seems nice enough, social and friendly and keen to talk any time. About anything. But no one can seem to figure out what he’s studying -- even himself. And what’s the point of trying to be his friend when he clearly already has plenty to spare? Surely, he’s not worried about getting left behind... although Jade better watch out, because Dylan does appear to be strangely not busy and hanging around any time her new friend from design Asher comes around to study...

Nigel Chey ( 314, Room 3B ) 🎶 || If there’s one thing Nigel might have in common with Isa, it’s that he, too, is determined to focus on academics. He got into the prestigious acting program, and that’s his dream, so he isn’t going to let anything affect his chances to get everything out of the school he can. He has to be especially careful, since he’s on scholarship, and one misstep might send everything crumbling down... that makes rooming with Dylan Orlando tricky, because it’s nearly impossible to study lines and dig into plays when all his roommate wants to do is talk. He’s nice, and everything, but how is Nigel supposed to get anything done? Guess he’ll just go seek refuge in Jade’s room... she always lets him hang in there, she’s a good study partner, and Maya is never around anyway... he’s certainly not just ending up in there with her for any other reason...

Charlie Gardner ( 314, Room 4 ) 🎶 || If you saw Charlie, no you didn’t. Some of the flatmate friends don’t even believe he exists. It was no mistake that Charlie ended up with the single room -- it was a strategic survival instinct, because it gives him the perfect place to study and the best place to hide. It’s not that he doesn’t want to make friends, especially considering college is the first place he’s planning not to hide his sexuality, but how does anyone socialize and not make a complete embarrassment of themselves? I mean, he’s an education major. What’s he supposed to talk about? Lesson plans? No one wants to casually talk about English literature. And it’s a miracle if Charlie can even speak at all half the time, let alone when everyone else in his suite seems to be perfectly sociable and talkative and have it all under control. Who needs his input anyway... and God forbid they bring friends over, or even worse, cute friends, like Nigel’s new friend Zay... no, no, it’s better to hunker down and hide. No one probably even notices he’s gone.

Maya Hart ( 314, Room 1B ) 🎶 || Everyone’s all “where the hell is Maya?” As if it’s some big crime to not be lazing around the suite all day long. Sorry, Maya’s got places to be! People to see! She’s got big dreams, and she’s not wasting her scholarship-given spot in the music program. So if you don’t see her around, well, that’s your problem. She doesn’t have time to explain -- sorry, got a spot booked in the uni recording studio! Much love, muah, see you in three weeks! Maybe!

[limetimo]

Regulus Black fics I read this week

Brothers Black by WinterSky101 - Kreacher disobeys Regulus' orders and takes him to Sirius' flat. Complete

Choices by MesserMoon - Get your tissues ready. Beautiful Jegulus. Every once in a while I remember the tags say "Canon Compliant" and scream. WIP

Believes That He Alone by WinterSky101 - Dumbles and Harry find Regulus in the cave, conserved in time by the potion. Very nice, loved it. Complete

finally, he accomplished something by orphan_account - Regulus casts the Corporeal Patronus for the first time, Sirius sees. Complete

you can set yourself on fire by catastrofic (lycxris) - :D Complete

Remus and Regulus: Horcrux hunters by Oliivii - the writing style might feel a little clunky but the plot oh the plot ♥♥♥ Regulus is a brilliant dumbas in here, and Remus is trying to steer that rollercoaster with varying success. WIP

Heart Beat by Grey_Kenaz - Regulus survives the cave and ends up in a muggle hospital. Sirius finds him. Regulus bargains info for his safety and is dropped off in muggle London - and works in a muggle cafe that helps criminals get back into society :D WIP

meddling ghost au by Nyodrite - not a fic but a good idea for one!

Princeling by Authorship - Regulus survives the cave, decides to fake his death and runs away with Kreacher. He's such a babe I want to suffocate him with a pillow ♥ WIP

This Is Why I Hate Mondays by AtomicMint - c r a c k WIP

Ouroboros by futomomo - Upon his death Regulus gets yeeted to the night Sirius run away from home and goes on to fix his greatest regret. WIP

By Your Heart's Calm Strength by pansysnarkinson - Grimmauld's Place 12 mysteriously burned down! The Black Brothers are now orphans! They're still not talking tho, and James Potter doesn't know what to do with himself. WIP

rewrite my heart (let the future in) by secretpersona - Regulus Black and Pandora Lovegood! Pandora has a gift of magical headache that doesn't stop until she delivers a Thing to the person who needs it. Regulus is the cat about to get killed by its curiosity. Will satisfaction bring him back?? WIP

Wicked Game by PennyGalleon for MysticKitten42 - I actually put this one in Marked For Later but GUYS JUMANJI AU WITH DRARRY??????? I don't need to read a single line to know this author is a mad genius. Complete

Lost In Your Current by xjustakay - cute lil Jegulus! Complete

Call out to Your Brother, He's Calling out Your Name by pale_morning_sings_of_forgotten_things - pain~ Regulus takes a punishment for Sirius. Complete

Brothers Black by Grey_Kenaz - Regulus always knew he might have to kill Sirius one day, so he took certain precautions. And he is also a dumbass and his disregard for his own life is going to drive Sirius to an early grave anyway. WIP

when you were mine by battlehamster - Modern AU! Regulus took the blame for his family's criminal activities and went to jail for tax evasion. Sirius yells at everyone until he is released to domestic custody... And so single father James Potter finds himself a roommate with his secret high school boyfriend! :D WIP

as we endured by greatduwangs - Regulus survives the cave and goes to Sirius and Dumbledore and we're only 2 chapters in so not all that much had happened yet but it is looking good! WIP

Disconnected Connection by dottie_wan_kenobi - Professor Regulus Black doesn't know how to act around his disowned cousin's child. Cute! Complete

An Unexpected Situation by thegayagenda_tm - formating could use a little work, but cute Baby Black Brothers interactions. WIP

The Mysterious Veggie Tales of Regulus Black by ursalaminor for wickitywhack - Hufflepuff Regulus, instant interhouse friendships, very funny! WIP

burning trash out on the beach by manmademyth - look, this is so, the concept is so good, I'm reeling. Wig snatched. WIP

A Brief Moment of Brotherly Bonding by Charles_Attwater - what it says on the tin. Complete

Forever to Marry You by that_one_writer_girl - JEGULUS! CUTE!

Burning Doves by TowardTheStars - Regulus needs tutoring so badly he approaches the infamous Severus Snape. It goes from there ♥ WIP

Nightmares in the Dark by Grey_Kenaz - a really good look into the Slytherin dorms and Voldemort's anti-muggle propaganda

The Second Story of Regulus Arcturus Black by Aquarius_Black - Regulus dies and gets yeeted to 1995, WIP

License to Love (in bright red) by goldenzingy46 - *muffled screaming* Complete

Begin Anew by FiresFromOurHearts - also time travel, complete

@snarky-drabbles

[romerom]

nana and the human need for affection

Japanese cartoons can get deep sometimes

Nana by Ai Yazawa is an anime that’s generally buried under the many other mainstream anime. This comes as no surprise as the genre it falls under, Josei (anime for older women), is less popular in contrast to its sister, Shoujo (anime for young girls). However, even with its heavier and more mature themes, Nana is a show I can personally vouch for that beats all the romance anime out there.

Nana follows the lives of two Nana’s, Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu, as they make the transition into their 20’s. Nana Komatsu (or Hachiko, a nickname they gave her) is a boy-crazy, happy-go-lucky romantic who ran off to Tokyo to pursue her boyfriend while Nana Osaki is a cynical, husky-voiced vocalist for a punk band. The two meet in a crowded train on the way to Tokyo and form a bond before they become roommates. The series generally circles around their friendship and the many different events that sprout from it.

While the rollercoaster of events may leave the audience on the edges of their seats, the gamebreaker for me was how well the story portrays its characters and makes them feel so… human. From the way they speak down to the way they think, Nana’s characters all greatly portray the personalities of 20-year-olds who are in the transitioning phase between adolescence and adulthood. However, if you look even deeper between the lines, a recurring theme can be noticed—the human need for affection.

Ai Yazawa captures how different people require different kinds and amounts of affection. Hachiko is insecure because of all of her unsuccessful loves in the past and to top it off, two relationships she highly valued ended because her partners were cheating. Due to this, she seeks affection for validation as a coping strategy. On the other hand, having been abandoned by her parents, Nana Osaki has abandonment issues. These issues manifest in how she seeks affection as well as she tends to be very possessive. She gave her boyfriend, Ren, a necklace with a lock pendant to signify that he is her property and asked him if he would die for her. The show dives into the personalities of other characters and reveals their mechanisms as well.

Nana is much more than a romance drama anime—it offers an in depth look at the human condition. It's often praised for its hard take on characters and how it perfectly frames not only the speaking manner but decision making of 20-year-olds. Personally, I’ve watched the show countless times because I feel like the older I get, the more I understand the characters. Hachiko tends to a character that could get on people’s nerves on the surface but the more you watch the show, the more you understand her and relate to her. Ai Yazawa doesn't focus on making characters lovable—she focuses on making them real. anyway that was my first portfolio post! i’ll be posting more analyses and different kinds of writings so if you’re into that stay tuned!

[frodos-bizarre-adventure]

@gingerreggg think i oughta make an ao3 of this?

Heads Up- Part 13 (Joseph x Bust! Caesar)

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

"Morning, Jojo," Caesar said gently, planting a kiss on Joseph's forehead.

Joseph, still not opening his eyes, hummed faintly and gave a smile, hugging the base of Caesar's torso warmly.

"Hey...this is a nicer way to wake me up," he said with a laugh.

From the first days when Caesar sat on his bedside tabe screaming at him like some sort of glorified alarm clock, their morning routines had become far more gentle and affectionate as, bit by bit, Joseph's perception of Caesar changed.

It had been a rollercoaster of emotions since the bust first came screaming and bouncing his way into his life. From initial fear, to confusion, to fascination, to guilt, to understanding, to friendship to gentle affection.

They'd come a long way in just a few weeks being together.

Joseph stood up for breakfast, but before he left he gently lifted Caesar from his bed and gently laid him onto the floor where he was able to hop over to the kitchen. As much as Joseph wanted ro grant Caesar some independence, the fact remained that he was, after all, a living disembodied head with only the smallest piece of a torso, and no matter how much he tried there were some things he simply couldn't do.

It was a bit like having a roommate with special needs, and Joseph didn't mind giving him some assistance whenever he needed it-- though he was happy to let Caesar be when he was sure about things he could do on his own.

And Caesar was surprisingly adaptable, having lived with his unusual form for over a month now. His hopping on his neck was quite slow and clumsy as always, if now a lot more balanced, but the skill of his mouth manipulation had been astounding. Not only at painting and writing, but also in holding and using tools, operating the little lifts Joseph made to help him get up and down tables, or stacking the wooden blocks Suzi brought him into fun shapes and structures.

And, with persistent gnawing, licking and nose pressing, Caesar had learned how to, in his own awkward, bizarre way, figured out how to operate the remote of the TV, and spent quite a lot of his time bingeing soap operas, much to Joseph and Suzi's amusement.

"Morning, Suzi!" Joseph greeted, as he made his way to the kitchen. She'd woken up early and was stirring a cup of coffee, and she looked up and greeted the two in her usual cheery self.

"Morning Jojo!" she said with a smile. "Morning too, Caesar," she added, looking down at the hopping bust on the floor.

Her presence had been a near-constant in the past few days, though she did have a home a few blocks down the street. Joseph could tell she enjoyed staying with them, with the alternative having been mostly alone in her apartment with little to do now that she'd graduated.

Joseph could tell she was lonely. Especially since they previously hadn't spent much time together for a couple of years.

And now Caesar had brought them together.

Caesar hopped onto the platform and pulled at the rope with his teeth, lifting himself up onto the table. Suzi couldn't help but watch in awe-- it looked as if it took Caesar so much effort to move around, but he somehow just managed.

"It's honestly quite funny how you came to just accept all this," Caesar joked as he hopped onto the kitchen table. "You'd think that you'd take much longer to get used to me, a talking head of clay."

"Well, at first it was odd," Suzi replied.

Caesar laughed, remembering their first encounter. "You kept trying to grab me and touch me all over the first time we met."

"Well...you're just amazing," she told him.

"And getting to know you more? You're a really good person deep down," she added. "Sure, a little rough around the edges at times, maybe, but your determination, your personality, your warmth... you've added so much to me and Joseph's lives since you came."

Caesar smiled, a shy, flustered smile that would have had come with a blush if he hadn't been clay.

"Plus the way you get around is rather cute," she giggled. "You remind me of the lamp from those Pixar intros."

"Oh, don't you think I didn't get that," Caesar retorted playfully.

Joseph, in the meantime, had been making breakfast, mostly just coffee, canned beans, a boiled egg and some toast. Whipping up his meal the best as he could, him being in no way a talented chef, he piled the ingredients onto his plate and sat down onto the kitchen table.

Caesar looked wistfully at the plate. "If only I could enjoy that too." he said with a dry laugh.

Made of clay, Caesar never felt the need to eat, or drink, or even breathe. He wasn't quite sure what even sustained him every time he woke up in the morning.

At this point, it was easier to just say "magic".

"Alright, here you go," Joseph grinned. He dipped his finger into the sauce of the baked beans and held it out for Caesar to taste.

He stuck out his tongue and gently touched Joseph's finger with its tip.

"Hmmm...not bad," he said. He could taste and smell, despite not needing to eat or breathe, and exactly why, or how, was a question Caesar opted not to bother himself with.

Joseph smiled. Just the knowledge that Caesar was able to enjoy the little things in life brought him a sense of satisfied joy. Sure, there were some things that he was missing out on due to his nature as a living clay bust, but what mattered were the things that could make his dull existence just a bit brighter.

There were things he couldn't change, and realities he had to accept, but he knew Caesar could make do with whatever he did have.

Sometimes it was just better to submit to the winds than fight it, Joseph thought.

Submit.

That one word suddenly struck Joseph like a freight train.

--------

"Oh no," Joseph mumbled to himself in realisation.

Both Caesar and Suzi suddenly looked concerned at the abrupt change in Joseph's demeanor.

"What's the matter, Jojo?" Caesar asked.

"What date is it?" Joseph asked, tapping his hand lightly, anxiously, on the kitchen countertop.

Suzi checked her phone. "March 24, why?"

Joseph scratched his head in frustration. "My finals project! It's...it's due in two weeks!" He knew he had to pass his work, otherwise he wouldn't graduate his final year.

He'd completely forgotten, so engrossed he was with his strange new life with Caesar, and his long-due reunion with his old friend Suzi.

He'd fallen into a little fantasy and reality suddenly burst his colorful little bubble of joy.

Joseph's heart sank in realization. His finals project was Caesar.

Except he couldn't bear to think of him as such anymore. In their time together Caesar had become much more than an artistic masterpiece. He had become a person. He was alive. He was a companion, a partner, a friend.

Joseph loved him.

"I...I need to come up with something to submit to the gallery if I expect to make it to the end of the semester," Joseph said wearily, scratching his head in exasperation.

Suzi's usual cheer suddenly faded and was replaced with unease.

"Jojo..." she said, her voice heavy with concern. "Isn't...your project..."

Joseph sighed. "Yes. I know."

Caesar knew right away what Joseph had been talking about.

He felt an immense sadness at the realization that his very existence was a roadblock to Joseph achieving his dream.

"But...but how could I?" Joseph continued. "He's not just a project anymore, Suzi. He's a person."

Joseph shuddered at the thought of the fate that awaited Caesar, to be put on display in a glass case at the gallery. And what if they found out he was alive? What would they do to him?

"Perhaps you could still make a new project in the meantime?" Suzi asked.

"We don't have time," Joseph said. "It took me months to make Caesar to his perfection, what could I do in two weeks? What would they think if someone as reputed and talented as me passed a half-assed artwork as my final masterpiece?"

"I understand," Suzi sighed.

This was a dilemma that weighed heavily on Joseph's heart. On one hand, he had dreamed of being renowned for his talent and skill in creating art. To earn his stern, distant mother's approval. To gain recognition for his passion that he had.

But on the other hand, it would mean giving up Caesar. The little unexpected miracle that had come into his life one day and made it all the more brighter. The friend he never knew he needed. He felt like to do such a thing would be tantamount to abandoning a friend.

Caesar could see the grief in Joseph's eyes.

"I can't do this," Joseph mourned. "I can't do this to you."

Caesar could see the pain and conflict in Joseph's face, and he hurt inside too. He just wanted Joseph to be happy, and it crushed his figurative heart to see Joseph, the one single person he'd known all his brief life, in such a sorry state.

He wanted him to be happy. Whatever it takes.

A determined expression crept onto Caesar's face.

"I'll do it." he said defiantly.

Joseph and Suzi's eyes widened in shock.

"Caesar, no..." was all Suzi could say.

"But I must," Caesar insisted. "It's what you made me for, right, Jojo? This...this is why I exist. To display your talent and help you achieve your dream."

"This is my purpose," Caesar concluded.

"But why?" Joseph pleaded, looking into the eyes of his precious creation. "Why are you doing this? What about you?"

"I'll be fine," Caesar reassured. "I'm good at freezing up when people are around. They wouldn't even know."

Joseph looked upset at the thought of Caesar spending the rest of his existence in a gallery. He deserved a life.

"Jojo, I owe you everything," Caesar insisted. "You've made me live, even if it wasn't your intention. You've given me the best life you could in spite of what I am. The very fact you saw me as a person, who deserved existence as much as you, when I first awoke...for that I am ever grateful," he said. "And this is the best way I can pay you back for all you've done for me."

"Because..." Caesar hesitated.

He didn't seem sure how to say it.

"Because..."

He closed his eyes and gave a sigh.

"...because I love you, Jojo."

Was it strange that a creation had feelings for his creator? Or for a creator to feel the same?

For the same feeling had been welling up in Joseph's heart, and Caesar declaring his feelings first was like opening the floodgates of Joseph's emotions.

"Caesar..." he said, tears building up in his eyes as he gazed back into Caesar's eyes, past the polished, clay pupils and into the beautiful soul that resided within.

"I love you too," he said.

Caesar felt a warmth like never before in hearing Joseph's declaration. His brilliant blue eyes were so sincere, so full of affection, and Caesar was steadfast to do anything for him, as much as he possibly could, no matter what lay ahead.

Despite his lingering anxiety at his uncertain fate.

"So, what now?" Suzi asked, interrupting the tender moment. "How do we do this?"

Joseph, encouraged by Caesar's declaration, and his refusal to let Caesar make such a tremendous sacrifice, did what he did best.

He began to think of a plan.

"Caesar, how long can you freeze up like a statue?" he asked.

"I am a statue," Caesar replied.

"No, no, like a regular, non-living statue?" Joseph specified.

"I mean, I don't have muscles to ache or need to blink, so I guess a long time?" Caesar explained. "I've never tried how long."

"I won't let them make you have to do it forever," Joseph promised. "But I have an idea."

"Hmmm?" Caesar and Suzi hummed in unison, their interest piqued.

"There's a two-day ceremony where the judges grade the artworks," Joseph explained. "I just gotta get Caesar in there, get him graded, and take him home. He'll be up on display for two days, and then I can take him back. Hopefully, assuming he doesn't get selected for permanent exhibit..."

"All you have to do is try not to move. Can you do that for me?" Joseph asked him.

"I'll try my best," Caesar answered, now with a hint of uncertainty, as he slowly realized what he'd have to do.

"Come on, Caesar," Suzi added, realizing how Joseph's plan would unfold. "People will get to see you. They'll see how beautiful you are. Wouldn't you like that?"

"But I've never been around people before!" Caesar answered, suddenly not so sure about his decision but still determined to help Joseph.

"What if I moved and gave up our whole secret?"

"Well then," Joseph said, as he resumed trying to finish his breakfast.

"I suppose we ought to start practicing."

----------

(Previous Chapter)

(Next Chapter)

[geekkatsblog]

Grey's Anatomy season 17×06 Review

(How the f**k they just gonna leave me on read like this till March 4th)

The episode was a rollercoaster but something tells me the real ride is going to happen from the next episode.

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Maggie

I knew Winston was gonna show up in person at some point or the other. When he dropped the long distance wasn't working line and put the phone down in her ear so he could get some 'eggs' I knew he was in Seattle, good for her she's going to need him to lean on seeing that Mer freaking crashed again. At least she'll have somebody there for her because all her other support is personally attached to Meredith as well.

Besides Winston turning up, treating Tom and her being understandably giddy at Mer being awake there was also a scene where she educated Amelia on some things now I won't get into the details again but I'm just in love with the fact that Grey's isn't afraid to touch on controversial topics, they use their large platform to raise awareness and their speeches are always on point.

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Teddy/Owen

(She needed the time off more than Bailey did tbh)

My God was it satisfying when Richard literally just tore into her. She put herself in the situation and is now taking her anger out on others which is really in poor taste. Poor Helm, I hope she didn't take it personally. At this point it's her time to annoy me, I miss the season 6 Teddy, hopefully she redeems herself soon. After being torn apart by Webber's words she then proceeds to make things worst by revealing yet another big secret to Owen at work. (At least this time it was on purpose.) She just needs to take some time away and think on what she really wants and needs to reflect before spontaneously starting potentially life changing conversations. First it was telling Tom they had a chance then it was telling Owen that she still loves him and the kids while also revealing that she named their daughter after not only her best friend but also the woman that she was very much in love with. Pick a struggle Teddy at this point she's seeming confused more than anything else.

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Owen

For the past few seasons Owen was one of the characters getting on my nerves but lately he's been fine. He hasn't redeemed himself yet but his probation is going fine. Watching this show really shows how good of a person a doctor has to be in order to follow the ethical guidelines. If I had that scum bag for a patient I would have literally just pretended to fail at saving him and let the guy die, (guess that's why the Lord made me suck at Chemistry and Physics) his response to Bob about him being at the devils barbecue was badass, gave me serious season 5 Owen vibes or vibes like when he punched that guy out for disrupting the ER when he was chief, Major Hunt reporting for duty.

As for him and Teddy I can get why he was upset, her he was about to attempt to make amends at probably rekindling a friendship or maybe their relationship and she revels that your daughter is named after her lover, she could have atleast told him that when they were in the naming process, he deserved to know exactly who his child was being named after. I'm kinda a bitch but there was no way I'd feel comfortable having my child named after my partner's lover. On the other hand he should hear her out he has literally cheated twice and both times he sat and was able to share his side of the story and the woman he was with listened to his explanations. Teddy deserves as much, it might hurt but he did the same and Karma unfortunately is still a bitch.

___________________________________________

Bailey

(I just wanted to give her a hug the whole night.)

She has a really unhealthy habit of working through her grief, first her miscarriage and now through the death of her mom. I'm honestly sad that Ben had to be the one to comfort Tuck and tell him his grandmother had even died (she's always so busy, Ben is pratically the one raising him at this point.) And I'm also upset that I haven't gotten to see Ben being there for her either. I'm assuming it might be a protocol on the sets.

At least she took time off of the cases, I understand why she didn't want to go home as a doctor she has the highest risk of transporting the virus, but her mind understandably wasn't going to be in the doctoring game. I really thought they were gonna make her freeze up and accidentally kill a patient or something, but at least they didn't go down that line. And what even happened to her dad? did he take the Covid test? Wheres he staying now? Is he safe?

The conversations between her and Deluca were sweet, it's another unexpected friendship, before the only one she really disclosed any details of her life with was Richard but now they're opening her support group which is fine. I'm also glad that Deluca was able to look past the whole fiasco last season and hold no grudges. She has now fully redeemed herself completely, she's still my all time favorite character but from season 13 to probably mid season 16 she really had some storylines and scenes that irked me to watch and made me question some things, but now she's back on track at least to me.

Also I know that Richard is the chief of chiefs but how are they just gonna let him take back over the surgery unit like that again? I mean I did miss him as chief but now Bailey just basically seems like a regular old surgeon with a fancy office, idk it just seems kinda weird to me.

___________________________________________

Jackson

Not only carrying on the work and teachings of Mark Sloan but also using his boatload of cash to rescue a patient's mother from racist police who should have been the ones actually in prison. That was basically it for him though.

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Jo

Oml I honestly almost forgot she was even really in the episode. She had so little screen time. She's still in the middle of transitioning to OB. I have no issue with that because OB's still can do surgery, so we'll still get to see her and she'll be happy again plus it's about time that Grey's cashes in that Regulars card on Carina. We see her on Station 19 as an accessory I want to see the Jo and Carina tag team.

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Amelia

Not really much in this episode. No content with Link she just did surgery to save the scum with Owen. They may have made a mediocre couple but they work good as friends. Also I'm assuming she's off of maternity leave now? Did they mention that I'm not sure but she's back now.

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Richard

Not much of a storyline, he made the decision to put Meredith on the Vent and is busy running the hospital as the chief of the hospital again I guess. And also spitting the much needed facts that Teddy needed to hear.

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Tom

They're finally showing more of Tom's good side, I mean I always liked him and saw the potential in his character but they never really showed his soft side for a prolonged period like they did today. May I just say I enjoyed his and Meredith's friendly banter they have the same lowkey dark humor and at least it would have taken their minds off of being sick especially for him because he basically has no one else. Hearing him open up about his son and expressing how he'd do anything to hear him say dad again was sad I can only imagine his pain. Meredith was his reason for holding on especially after he had to witness his roommate die from Covid, the same thing he's suffering from right before his eyes and now Mer back unconscious this time with a tube down her throat I'm just really hoping that he keeps the faith, the last thing we need is a death right now.

___________________________________________

Meredith

(God damn it Mer all you had to do was stay awake.)

For a few brief moments all was right with the world Meredith was awake and everyone was happy and then she just had to go be Wonder Woman and over exert herself, but that's the thing they would have probably needed armed guards at the doors to keep her from putting someone else's life above her own, its one of her best qualities and at times one of her worst. I knew it was too good to be true when she was awake and laughing. It was giving me Mark Sloan final episode vibes. They better not kill her off that would be the worst ending for me, what about the kids? Step off the damn beach Mer you've gone through too much to let Covid take you out. On the other hand this gives us more beach scenes. It's more unlikely to have a live character return but there's still lots of dead ones to choose from, her mother is always a likely suspect, Denny loved being on the show and I think Breaking bad had its final season, Mark is a toss up based on how he cut ties with the show and Lexie is also a toss up because she is filming Supergirl in another country, however anything is possible with Grey's. I thought the beach scenes were over because she was waking up but look how wrong I was. All I hope is that they don't kill her off its unlikely because she's the main character but still its Grey's they like to go out with a bang.

___________________________________________

Deluca

I left him for last because to me he really did have the biggest storyline of the night.

Firstly I'm glad to see that at least part of the earliers season's Deluca has returned. I loved him as the passionate, badass and almost cocky guy as well but I always missed his more compassionate and softer side more. I'm glad to see it back and I'm also glad to see that he's taking his meds and resting, and I can confirm that having support is a needed factor in treating mental health. As strange as it was seeing the Bailey and Deluca chat it's good that they both have each other. They both suffer from mental illnesses and can relate to each other on a different level. They have me wondering now if they're going to use his mental health issues as a way to separate him and Mer, or use it as the reason why he pursued her, kinda like how they tried to blame Amelia's tumor for her bad decisions and then used it to break her and Owen up. I guess we'll just have to see where Merluca will go from here or if it will manifest Merhaynes instead.

Now onto the big stuff, the whole sex trafficking thing the whole episode I was literally yelling at the tv for either Deluca, Bailey or Carina to see that bitch, the moment it was connected that the kidnapper was involved in trafficking and she showed up I knew shit was about to go down. My heart was racing when I saw her with Schmitt. I really thought she was going to attack him with how sus she was being, luckily she had to go to avoid further suspicion. They need to put security on those girls' door. They've been through enough. If she goes to finish off Bob then no one cares but the girls don't deserve to go through anything else and Deluca after seeing her decided to go after him himself instead of calling the police, granted the police wasn't doing anything helpful but the last thing we need is for him to go after her himself like Superman and trying to save the day. At least Carina went with him so she can help talk him down if necessary but there's only so much she can do.

___________________________________________

There are too many damn superheroes in that hospital.

___________________________________________

My questions are:

• Will both Tom and Meredith make it out of the Covid sickness or will one or even both of them die?

• Will Teddy finally make her mind up so that the Teddy, Tom and Owen love triangle can finally have an ending?

• Who the hell is coming to the beach next? And can they tell Meredith to get her ass off of the beach and never return until she's like 80?

• Will Superman, I mean Deluca save the day without needing medical attention afterwards? Or worst yet needing a casket?

• Is Jo actually switching specialties?

• Are they going to go after the girls or kill Bob instead?

• How is it going to go with Maggie and Winston now that he has arrived in person?

• And lastly and most importantly what am I supposed to do with my Thursday nights until March 4th.

[jayparkhq]

[ SEBASTIAN “SEB” ORTIZ. 27. CIS MALE. HE/HIM ] is here! They’ve lived in Silver Lake for [ 27 YEARS (ON & OFF) ] and are originally from [ SILVER LAKE, CALIFORNIA ]. They are a [ BARTENDER AT  CAROUSEL/SERVER AT LOTUS ] and in their downtime love [ SKETCHING ] and [ YOGA ]. They look a lot like [ ALBERTO ROSENDE. ] and live [ IN OASIS APTS ].

helllooooo it’s heather with a 3rd character ‘cause I have no chill! Introducing my new child seb, who I am SO hyped to bring here! drop me a like and I’ll message you about plots ❤️

Name: Sebastian Ortiz Nicknames: Seb Age: Twenty-seven Date of Birth: 8th June 1994 Birthplace: Silver Lake, CA, USA Occupation: Bartender at Carousel & Server at Lotus Romantic/Sexual Orientation: Heteroromantic/pansexual

tw: death mention

Sebastian or Seb, please call him Seb, is a Silver Lake native and grew up causing chaos around Silverwood Terrace. He was always getting into scrapes. Climbing trees, jumping off rocks into the ocean (never checking to see if it was safe first), constantly covered in mud, practically a head to toe bruise.

He spent most of his younger years in the local ER and getting picked up by paramedics after he’d done something stupid. His mom was pretty much convinced he’d end up killing himself.

He had a sense of adventure that he would never grow out of.

In addition to that, he was also extremely clever, making money in high school by agreeing to tutor younger students for cash. He didn’t really need to, his parents are loaded, but it was something to do right?

In senior year he was accepted into Princeton University to study various sciences and moved out to New Jersey shortly after his high school graduation to explore the area.

It took only six months for him to realise that perhaps academics weren’t for him.

At the end of freshman year he dropped out, packed a bag and up and left for Australia with a plan to take a gap year, enjoy twelve months or so of travelling.

Twelve months turned into two years.

Two years quickly turned into five, he had no intention of going back home now.

After his year in Australia, he travelled to South Asia, spent over a year trekking through the Himalayas in Nepal and Tibet. That was when he found himself some company, getting as close as love as he could while on the road. They would talk a lot about the possibility of climbing Mt. Everest together one day, but it wasn’t something that was ever to happen.

They went their separate ways again when he travelled on to Thailand.

After that it was Singapore and following a fleeting stop in Fiji, he finally made his way to New Zealand, the final major destination in his time on the road. A year was spent with Hobbits and Elves before he headed home to the US.

He took six months to road trip from the East coast to the West before eventually arriving back in Silver Lake in September 2020.

Since then he’s been living out of his backpack, a habit he’s unable to break, sleeping on a mattress on the floor of his apartment.

Seb is probably the most chill guy going, he loves on everyone and refuses to argue because he doesn’t have time for it, but he will make his opinions known and can be quite blunt.

Lived:

1994: Silver Lake, California 2012: Princeton University, New Jersey 2013: Australia (various places) 2014: South Asia (Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, etc.) 2019: New Zealand (various places) March 2020: Road trip from the East coast to West coast of the USA September 2020: Silver Lake, California

Note: He’s also definitely been to Japan and the UAE, sometime during the South Asia period. He’s a bit of a rollercoaster junkie so he went on a theme park tour around that part of the world.

Wanted Connections:

- family; have a cuban or colombian fc, or have one in mind? come talk to me, let’s work something out! family connections are always my favourite. @thecamortiz​ (adopted brother)

- childhood friends; he grew up in silver lake so people he spent a lot of time with, maybe trouble makers like he was. @mateomercer​ friends who lost touch; for various reasons their friendship fell apart over the years. but they’re definitely working on making it better. @mcrganshore - high school ex-girlfriend; one of the few people he’s really cared about in his life. they were together a couple of years before graduation. @junigreen -fwb’s/hook-ups/long term hook-ups; seb’s pansexual so anything goes. - travel companions; people he’s met on the road and spent a couple of days/weeks/months with. @ronit-friedman @kaycee-dupree - finding love on the road; the girl he spent a couple of months with in the himalayas around 2015. - pen pals; people he’s written to and emailed while out travelling, they could have close relationship or not through their correspondence. @davisalaine - roommate; they live together in oasis apts. - neighbours; people he bothers on the regular who also live in oasis. - yoga buddies; he’s at classes practically every day so imagine he’s picked up friends along the way.