#one exception feedback

[zepskies]

Omg friend, has anyone told you you're the QUEEN of heartwarming feedback? 🥹 Well you are, Wayne, and I love you for it (that and many things). 💕

Thanks for getting that early-2000s lump of coal stuck in my head, dude 🤣

LMFAO I literally had to look up 2002 hits and found this tragic forgotten angst-rock classic. 😂

(And I'm not surprised that's the first gif that came up. 🤣🤣)

WHAT?! Omg please let Joey be the one to clumsily tell her 😂

LMFAO that would've been a fantastic idea!

Honestly the best way to describe Joey lol

TY 😂 The first thing I notice about Katie is her beautiful big brown eyes.

There he is! My first love and crush 😍 Have I told you that my very first fanfic at thirteen was written about this man? 😆

That's amaziiiing. I wonder where that fanfic is, still out in the world? 😏 (I used to be on FF.net in my early fanfic days lmao) I hope I was able to do your childhood crush justice!

Oh God, Jen! Could you be any more awkward about it? 🙈

LOL this is Jen without some of the growth she got in S6, I think in part due to her relationship with CJ.

Swoon! 😍😍😍

You know me, gotta inject those sappy romcom moments beyond the teen/YA drama cringe. 😘 (A disaster indeed!! lmfao)

Ha! Russian vodka at it's finest. 🫠 Poor, silly Josephine lol.

You nailed Jen there. She'd defnitely come back with a retort like this 🤣

Ahaha thank you! I was a little iffy on writing Jen at first, but this line felt good for her. 🤣 But she was hella petty in this, wasn't she?

He really did say it like that 😂 And why Pacey went out of his way to call him out on it is such an odd thing anyway. Who does that? You sweep shit like that under the rug

Right?! But of course, he did so without meaning to stir up drama. 😂 Poor CJ.

The second one who's petty. Maybe he and Jen are a good match after all... 🙄

LOL CJ's a little on edge, salty and defensive right now (certainly ain't perfect). 😂😂

Their little moment after their fight had me legit in tears 😭 Again, you're making me like him and I really didn't want to lol

Aww, hun!! 💗 I just really love sweet hurt/comfort after an angsty fight. I think I may like it more than regular fluff, and I might have a problem. 😭😂

Omg, Zep, thank you for bringing that disGUSting memory back 😝🤣🤢

Lmfaooo Wayne, I had to. I was rewatching the episode and gagged while watching that part. 🤮🤮 Gus was so fucking gross.

WHAT?!?!!? SHE DID NOT!!!!! NUH-UH!

While I absolutely died reading your reactions (that 70s gif took me out 🤣🤣), we absolutely went there with Jen's drunk ass. I feel like out of all of them, I felt like a bit of wild-child Jen would have the audacity.

My sweet Josephine 🥰 That soothed some of my shock

Ahaha she's a bit childlike while drunk, I thought, which tickled me to write. 😂💕

I love how your readers always have that passive-aggressive fire, Zep 😅❤️‍🔥

I'm realizing this is how I must be as a person. 😂 (I have a...cat-like personality you could say.) Which is probably why unless I'm creating a very specific personality, passive aggressive tends to be my default I'm noticing. 😂 But I love that you love it!! 💞

Damn... Seriously, stop making me fall for this man 👀🔥

I will NOT!

(But seriously, thank you! 😭 I try my best to bring the heat when warranted lol. ❤️‍🔥)

Dear Lord 😂😂😂 He's just going through the whole group, isn't he? Watch out, Joey lol (Although Pacey might punch him again then)

LOL oh God, Pacey'd put him through a wall for that one. Also your comment reminded me of that bit in 70s show, I think either Kitty or Red telling Jackie, "Well you're just going through that whole friend group, aren't ya?" 🤣

“You’re my one exception,” he said.

Aww 😭❤️

Again, I'm a sap and I'm unapologetic about it! 😂💕

This was wonderful, Zep! Funny, dramatic, sweet! 🥹 (Stefon-worthy) You're really making me love this guy (and do a rewatch of DC lmao) 🫶💚

Thank you so much, Wayne, I so appreciate you!! I'm so honored that I could turn your hatred into love for this guy. Because trust me CJ frustrated me at times. 🤣 Yesss rewatch! I did a whole rewatch of S6 for this.

Thank you again for always making me smile from ear to ear (and sometimes cackle out loud) with your lovely comments on my stuff. 🥹💓💓💓

One Exception

Pairing: CJ Braxton x F. Reader

Summary: Joey has invited you to a party at Pacey’s apartment, and CJ has agreed to go, despite the contentious history between him and your new friends. He doesn’t want to be the reason you miss out on a good thing, but it also means he’ll have to hide his apprehension (and his alcoholism).  

AN: Here’s the sequel to Good Morning! This story takes place in 6.14 of the show, with a little twist.

Word Count: 4K

Tags/Warnings: Mature themes, but it doesn’t really warrant an 18+ rating. Angst, alcoholism, hurt/comfort, jealousy, fluff, tinge of spice, and implied smut.

“Nice television,” CJ remarked, noting the giant monstrosity in the middle of this very loud apartment.

“See? Told you it’d be low-key,” you said.

More like high and off-key, CJ thought wryly.

Nickleback’s “How You Remind Me” was blaring. People you and CJ recognized from school were crowded in the living room around the TV, as well as milling around the kitchen with beers and solo cups, and it was pretty much a wall of sound that already grated on CJ’s ears. Pacey had to be in here somewhere too.

You squeezed CJ’s hand and gave him a sympathetic smile.

“You okay?” you asked.

He gave you a smile to hide his nerves. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He was no stranger to parties. He just didn’t often find himself going to parties where the host had once introduced his face to a brick wall.

Before he truly got to know you, CJ had a one-time unintentional fling with your (former) dorm roommate, Audrey. She’d been spiraling out of control in an alcohol-fueled depression. He’d seen a kindred spirit in her and tried to help her. He just hadn’t known that she was still sort of in a relationship with Pacey, who had a mean right hook when he wanted to.

And then there was Jen, Audrey and Joey’s best friend. CJ felt the worst for hurting her along the way, unable to reciprocate her feelings…

And, oh yeah, you still didn’t know about that last part. 

CJ silently stewed in all of this when you led him by the hand to find your friend and current dormmate, Joey.

“Hey! Glad you could make it,” she said with her wide, doe brown eyes and a too-bright smile.

You gave her a quirking look when you hugged her in greeting. She smelled like vodka and orange juice, but you’d never known Joey to go too hard in the paint with her liquor.

She gave your companion a little wave. “Hey, CJ!”

“Hey,” he nodded with a smile.

“You guys want something to drink?” she asked, gesturing to the row of liquor bottles and various chasers behind her on the kitchen counter. You internally paused for a moment, glancing at your boyfriend, but you turned back to Joey with a smile.

“Yeah, Diet Coke would be great,” you said.

CJ gave you a curious look, but he asked for the same. Joey bobbed her head before she went to pour the drinks into some plastic cups.

CJ leaned in near your ear. “Sweetheart, you’re allowed to drink. You know I’ve been to parties before.”

In fact, you and CJ had met at a club party. One where Audrey had been led up to some guy’s room while she was drunk, and CJ had all but broken down the door to get her out for you and Jen.

“I know, I just don’t feel like doing alcohol tonight,” you told him.

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. You just didn’t want to risk making CJ even more uncomfortable than he likely already was, being near Pacey. You’d asked Joey to talk to him for you—a plea for him to not try and kill your boyfriend.

And there your esteemed host was, coming over now.

“Heyyyy, good thinking,” said Pacey. He went over to Joey’s side when she turned to hand you and CJ your drinks. He grabbed another cup to pour one for himself. 

“Hey, man,” CJ greeted politely. His hands were in his pockets, trying to mask his stiffness.

Pacey hesitated, taking note of CJ, but the beat of tension broke between the two men when Pacey graciously stuck out a hand.

“Hey. Good to see ya…not with my girlfriend,” he quipped with a smile.

CJ’s was a bit more strained, but he gave a wry chuckle along with his handshake. Joey elbowed Pacey in the ribs.

“Ah, what?” he protested. She gave him a firm look, pursing her lips. Then she turned to you and CJ with a smile.

“Hey, you guys have any whiskey?” Jen cut in, as she sidled up to Joey. “I’m not so much in a beer mood, but whiskey I could do. Maybe it’s the burn I’m craving—”

She stopped short when she saw you and CJ. Her smile thinned.

“Oh! Hey, there,” she said.

CJ offered her nod, but his insides tightened. He watched you brighten and give Jen a hug that the other woman couldn’t easily reciprocate. Jen’s eyes were on him, even while she hugged you.

You and Joey then broke off to catch up for a bit (CJ encouraged you to it), while Pacey went back to watching a football game on the mega-sized TV with Jack. CJ was about to join them when Jen’s voice stopped him.

“You guys look good together,” she said. She had a glass of whiskey in her hand and a small smile on her face. Her blonde hair was shorter now, cut just below her ears. Her black halter-style dress suited her.

But she wasn’t you.

CJ smiled more genuinely. “Thanks.”

Jen was a good person. He was still sorry that he hurt her, but he wasn’t sorry for choosing you.

You were happy to see CJ hanging out with his friend David, along with Jack and Pacey and some other guys from school. Meanwhile, you had the chance to catch up with Joey and Jen.

Maybe it would give you a chance to mend this weird rift of distance that had seemed to come between you and Jen in recent weeks.

You didn’t know where it came from, but you genuinely admired Jen as a person. She was smart, and she always spoke her mind and stuck to her principles. That was something you wish you had more of in yourself.

Now, she was a bit quiet while sipping her whiskey. Joey made up for it, with a kind of giggle-snort you'd never heard come out of her mouth before. You raised a brow, despite your smile.

"Yes, Josephine?" you teased.

"Sorry," she waved a dismissive hand. "Just remembered something. Like the fact that I really like vodka. I mean, it's clear, almost tasteless, so it's almost like drinking water, you know?"

You and Jen shared an amused look.

"Sure, that's what it's like," you said.

Joey's eyes went wide then. She leaned in close to you, leaning on your shoulder.

"Oh. Don't drink champagne though," she said, while eyeing Jen. She "whispered" loud enough to be heard over the music, and also hurt your left ear. "She once killed a girl with champagne."

Jen's mouth fell open incredulously. Your eyes went as wide as Joey's. This was some serious “girl time.”

"Wait, what?" you said.

Jen looked at her empty glass. "Well, would you look at that? Right on time."

She escaped to the kitchen to refill her tumbler, but you and Joey followed her; you out of morbid curiosity, and Joey because she too wanted more vodka than orange juice in her plastic cup.

Jen gave you a smirk as she filled up her glass.

"Don't worry, you're all safe. This is Jameson," she said.

You emitted some nervous laughter and leaned on the kitchen counter, trying to figure out where the joke was here. How the hell do you kill a girl with champagne?

“So are you sure you don’t want an actual drink?” Jen asked, gesturing at your soda.

“Oh, no. I’m fine,” you held up a dismissive hand.

“You sure?” Pacey said, coming up from behind your little group to find a beer. “I got your boyfriend a vodka soda. I can get you one too.”

Your eyes widened, though you tried to hide your alarm, smoothing your hands down your jeans.

“What?” you asked.

Pacey paused. He’d caught the surprise flitting across your face. “What?”

“Um…” Your hesitation came from trying to process information in record time. You looked over and saw CJ with David. Your boyfriend was indeed holding a different cup.

You returned your attention to Pacey. His brows were raised. Joey looked confused as well, while Jen was sipping at her own drink, in a way that hinted that she already knew what you were about to say.

“CJ doesn’t drink,” you explained.

Pacey brows popped higher. “Ah. He’s 21 though, right?”

“Yes, but he’s a recovering alcoholic,” you said with a sigh. You didn’t want to have to say that, telling CJ's business, but you didn’t know how else to explain why you were slightly freaking out.

“Oh…uh, sorry about that,” Pacey said.

“No, it’s not your fault. Don’t worry about it,” you said.

Pacey gave a wan smile and returned to the group around the TV, CJ included. You sighed and turned back to Jen and Joey.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know either,” Joey said.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” you said, shaking your said. “I’ll just check on him, if you guys don’t mind—”

Jen’s glass hit the counter, and she poured herself another whiskey on the rocks.

“By all means, check away,” she said.

“Hey, sorry man. I didn’t know,” Pacey had said to him, with a look on his face that also said:

Sorry you’re a leper. That’s rough buddy.

CJ found himself withdrawing from the rest of the guys, even as the smell of vodka wafted from the solo cup in his hand. He glanced down at it with a short sigh, but he didn’t drink it, even though his hand itched to raise the cup to his lips.

You startled him a little when your hand curled around his arm.

“Hey,” you greeted in a whisper.

“Hey,” he smiled back at you. But the worried look on your face made his smile fall.

“Wanna hang out for a bit?” you asked, nodding at a quieter looking corner of the living room.

CJ waved at David with the hand that held his cup, and he followed you over to the far side of the couch. You sat on its edge, arms crossed, while he found a seat on the sill of a large window.

You pointedly glanced at his cup. “Have you been drinking?”

CJ’s lips pursed. He took in your stance: arms crossed, shoulders tense, lips pursed, eyes deeply concerned and wary.

Are we having fun yet? he thought dryly.

“See, I’d be more inclined to answer that question if you hadn’t lured me over here under false pretenses,” he remarked. Though he did set the cup down beside him on the windowsill.

“What false pretenses?” you asked, your brows furrowing.

“You don’t want to be with me. You want to check up on me,” he pointed out. “You’re looking at me like an inmate who got loose in the psych ward.”

You frowned then. “That’s not true. I’m just wondering why you would take an alcoholic beverage from Pacey.”

“Your friend offered me a drink. It seemed rude to say no, so…” CJ glanced down at his hands in his lap. Your head tilted in concern.

“CJ…” you sighed. “Why the hell would you ruin your sobriety over something like that?”

“I don’t expect you to understand,” he replied flatly.

“Oh really?” you said. Your lips pursed in irritation.

“I just didn’t want to get into it with a stranger,” CJ said, throwing up a hand. “But thanks for telling him that I don’t drink. Now he’s apologizing to me like I’m dying or something.”

A sharper sigh fell from your lips. “I told you we didn’t have to come here. I didn’t want to make you feel pressured to—”

“Again, you know this isn’t my first house party,” he said.

“Yeah, I know it’s not. So why? Why did this happen tonight?” you asked. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been so disciplined with yourself. You have a set of rules, and you follow them.”

“Yeah, well, did it ever occur to you that maybe I realized that I was too strict on myself?” he said. “That maybe we wouldn’t even be together if I didn’t bend those rules?”

Your mouth fell open incredulously, a bit of anger sparking your blood. He knew he shouldn't have said that. It just kind of flew out of his mouth, immediately sparking his guilt.

“Okay,” you snipped. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t be bending those rules at all if this is where it leads.”

CJ's lips pursed. “What, because I’ve been sitting here, spending the last hour debating whether or not to take a drink?”

He gestured at the cup beside him. 

Your eyes blinked wider, with even more surprise, and a heavy dose of confusion.

“Wait, what? Are you telling me that you haven’t been drinking tonight?” you asked.

“Is that going to magically change all the conclusions you just jumped to?” CJ retorted.

You closed your eyes with a sharp, exasperated sigh. When you opened them again, you frowned at him.

“Uh, yeah!” you exclaimed. "Of course it does, CJ!"

“Well, it doesn’t work that way,” he said. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it. Fine. Just like I’ve been trying to find some normalcy with you here. But apparently you find that wildly insulting.”

He was getting wildly defensive right now. You sort of saw where he was coming from, but it was still frustrating. You held a hand to your chest as your heart raced with the force of your relief.

“Look, I’m sorry for assuming. I’m just…I was worried about you,” you said honestly. “I knew coming here might be stressful for you—”

“I can handle stress,” CJ said. “What I can’t handle is you looking at me like I’m a powder keg waiting to explode.”

You raised up placating hands as you glared at him.

“Fine,” you said. “Sorry for being concerned about my boyfriend. I’ll try to curb that behavior in the future.”

At that, CJ’s frustration and anger simmered down, swiftly followed by more guilt.

You got up and blinked quickly, like you were fighting tears as you shook your head. You aimed to get by him, but he got off the windowsill and went for your hand. There was no drunk excuse for his behavior now.

No, this one was all him.

“Hey,” he said, in a softer voice. He looked down at you with softer eyes too. He could see now that you didn’t mean to make him feel less than, like you had to watch him so he wouldn’t mess up in front of your friends. No, you were just genuinely worried about his wellbeing. 

You looked up at him warily. He held your hand more securely in his.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I am,” he said, when he noted your raised brow. “I’m really grateful that you care about me. That you’re concerned about me. But I’ve been dealing with this for a long time. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t be yourself either, even when we’re out here in the wild.”

A small smile twitched at your lips. You held his hand back.

“Out in the wild, huh?” you quirked a brow. CJ smiled back and brushed your cheek with his thumb.

“I just need you to trust me a little more,” he said.

You nodded, smiling when his forehead gently rested against yours. The ends of his hair tickled between your brows.

“Okay, I’m sorry too,” you said. “Next time I won’t be so quick on the draw.”

You leaned up for a kiss. CJ met you there, sweetly at first. Then he tilted his head and deepened the angle of his lips moving against yours.

“Ooh save that for later,” Joey said, loudly from behind you.

It made you jolt in CJ’s arms. You turned your head and met your friend with a wide-eyed look of confusion. She held an empty wine bottle in her hand and waggled mischievous brows.

“Come on, let’s play.”

You really couldn’t believe that Joey was making you all play Spin the Bottle. For you, it was the stuff of awkward middle school horror stories of the highest form. She’d roped in you and CJ, Jen, Jack, Pacey and their roommate Emma, and Gus, a gross looking guy who was apparently her "fiancé" of some sort. 

Gus took the first turn, and got creative with it—giving Joey a nice lick on the cheek.

That’s what you get for making us play this dumbass game, you thought as you laughed.

Joey ended up giving Jack a sweet kiss, followed by him and Emma sharing a little lip-lock, and even Emma and Jen giggling as they came together for a peck.

But when it was Jen’s turn, the wine bottle spun, and spun…and landed on CJ. A chorus of “ooohs” came from the others.

You felt yourself bristle internally. It’s just a game, you reminded yourself. Just a stupid, stupid game.

You patted CJ’s knee and tried to school your face into amusement.

“You’re up, babe,” you said.

He looked a bit uncomfortable when he met your eyes, and then Jen’s. She wore a smile, though she was a little absent in the eyes. She’d been pounding hard liquor pretty much all night.

“All right, CJ. Let’s get this over with,” she teased.

He let out a subtle breath through his nose, but he uncurled his arm from around you so that he could lean over to meet Jen across the circle. Instead of the light peck that he was aiming for, she surprised him by taking his face in her hands and giving him a kiss deep enough to make him taste the burn of whiskey.

He parted from her with a flinch. His eyes blinked wide. A quick glance around the circle told him he wasn’t the only one who was surprised, but you were the only one he cared about. He settled back next to you and felt guilty for your muted disbelief, even though he wasn’t the real perpetrator here.

CJ frowned hard at Jen. She just smiled and crossed her arms around her legs, head bobbing to the tune of the alt rock music playing.

“Damn, Jen,” Pacey said, laughing uncomfortably. “That’s some dedication to the game.”

You were still shocked into stillness. You knew Jen was a bit deep into the bottle, but was she really drunk enough to try and make out with your boyfriend in front of you?

Joey finally dropped her hands from her face (she’d been watching the scene through the cracks in her fingers). She gave you an apologetic look. She was very effing drunk as well, you knew, but not make out with your boyfriend in front of you—drunk.

You finally looked over at CJ, not knowing who you should be more irritated with: Jen for sticking her tongue down his throat, or CJ for letting her.

“It’s your turn, bro,” Gus said. Not that he cared about whoever CJ landed on. He just wanted the chance to kiss another one of the girls. Preferably Emma.

CJ shook his head. “I don’t think I—”

“Go ahead,” you said. Your tone was a challenge, as were your crossed arms, and the tight expression on your face. “It’s just a game, right?”

That last part, you aimed at Jen. She finally had enough self-awareness to avert her drunken gaze. Your teeth were grinding.

Though you had to pause when you realized where CJ’s spun bottle had landed: right on you.

“Aw, well that’s good,” Joey said, with a nervous laugh that broke some of the tension in this little circle.

CJ let out a subtle breath of relief himself. But this was a whole new challenge as he met your steely gaze. He tried to give you a smile.

Your eyes fell. So with a small sigh, he gently took your chin between his fingers and tilted your face up to him, just before he leaned in to kiss you.

He plied you softly at first. His lips dragged against yours in a slow, lingering kiss. Then he angled his head away from the circle, away from prying eyes as he brushed his tongue across your lower lip, seeking entrance. You inhaled deeply, and you couldn’t help but let him in.

You uncrossed your arms and found his cheek with your hand. Your fingers soon delved into his hair, nails lightly scraping the back of his neck. He barely restrained a shudder.

“Ah, okay then,” Pacey muttered.

When you parted from CJ, your heart was racing, and there was a fire in your belly that you could see reflected in his eyes.

“I’m a little thirsty, you wanna…” he trailed. You nodded and let him help you off the ground where you all had been sitting.

CJ’s arm once again wrapped around your waist, and he led you into the first bedroom he could find. The door shut against the blaring music, the sounds of laughter and stories and dumb middle school games.

Until all that was left was you and CJ, and the sounds of quick breaths, clothes hitting the floor, and skin against skin.

“I’m sorry about earlier. With the game,” CJ later said. “Jen took me by surprise.”

Much later, where you were tangled up in his arms and the sheets, both of you mostly naked and tucked under the covers. You felt bad that you didn’t even know whose bedroom this was.

Jack’s maybe? You could only hope so. That would probably be the least awkward situation if you two were caught in here.

But at CJ’s question, your blissful mood of moments before was wiped away. Your face dropped into a frown. You turned in his arms so that you could see his face, resting your head on his arm.

“Yeah, what the hell was that with Jen?” you asked.

CJ soothed a hand up and down your arm. He knew it was time for him to come clean with you, even though he knew it might make you look at him differently. He could only hope that it wouldn’t.

“Before you and I started talking, dating—well, you know what happened with me and Audrey,” he said, expelling a breath of regret. “Before then, Jen had feelings for me.”

Your eyes widened. By now you could’ve guessed that Jen wanted your boyfriend, but you had no idea it had started way back then. CJ looked you in the eyes.

“I just didn’t feel the same way,” he said. “Then Audrey and I happened, just the one night. But Jen…I know I hurt her, and I felt terrible. I still feel bad about that, because I never meant to hurt her. I just thought Audrey and I had a connection.”

“And then Pacey,” you supplied, realizing where this story was headed. A fight between Pacey and CJ. Audrey left for rehab in California. And Jen was left to nurse her wounded pride and hurt feelings…especially when you and CJ began for real.

You closed your eyes on a sigh. This explained why she’d been so frigid to you lately.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” CJ said. “I didn’t want to come between you guys, or hurt her more by pursuing another one of her friends…I just couldn’t help falling for you.”

At that admission, you softened. You caressed CJ’s cheek, and you brought him down to you for a kiss. Again, it was slow and unhurried, yet no less passionate.

Your lips parted from his first, so you could meet his eyes.

“I’ll talk to Jen,” you said. “But…I’m glad I fell for you too.”

You and CJ shared a quiet moment then, each of you processing, hands intertwined. It had you thinking about everything he said tonight, even before the game. 

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it. Fine,” he’d said. “Just like I’ve been trying to find some normalcy with you here. But apparently you find that wildly insulting.”

You sighed and squeezed his hand. It was comfortably trapped between his bare chest and yours.

“Just for the record, you don’t have to be ‘normal’ for me, or be what you think I want around my friends. Just be you,” you said, meeting his green-eyed gaze. “I do trust you, CJ. I trust that you want to be with me, and that you have a handle on yourself.”

CJ smiled ruefully. He ran his thumb across the back of your hand.

“You were right though. The truth is I did get a little nervous tonight,” he said. “Being here, seeing Pacey…it brought up all that drama again. I took that vodka soda from him, and I was thinking about drinking it.”

“But you didn’t,” you said firmly. “Because you’re strong. Stronger than anyone I know.”

CJ looked down at your hand joined with his, at your face, set with honesty and vehemence. You seemed to believe every word of what you were saying. That alone made him feel strong.

“Thanks,” he said with a smile.

It hadn’t been all that long, but he knew this felt right. It always felt right with you.

You smiled back at him and leaned up for a sweeter kiss.  

“Thank you for bending your own rules for me,” you teased.

CJ chuckled. He stroked your cheek and pressed another kiss to your forehead.

“You’re my one exception,” he said.   

AN: As frustrated as CJ made me at times, somehow he weasels his way back into my heart. 😂💗 If you enjoyed this, let me know!

Ko-Fi Me ☕

CJ Braxton Masterlist

Main Masterlist

CJ Tag List:

@kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007

@wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @roseblue373 @brianochka

@branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum @waywardxwords 

@deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady @leigh70

@clinicallydepresso @emily-winchester @xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy

@kmc1989 @jackles010378 @jessjad @pieandmonsters @deans-spinster-witch

@idiotdyslexic @heartlessdelusions @chriszgirl92 @peytongoose @hobby27

@waynes-multiverse @lovelyunjinn @twinkleinadiamondsky

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

I know absolute jack concerning the lore of Sonic but here I am regardless, gripped in a chokehold by it

[astramachina]

i'm sure finding a copy editor for this novella is going to be easy peasy.

[aran-morinorea]

Who is aware of the time loop? 👀

“Hey, Iris?”

“Yes, Clotho?”

“Would you do me a favor and tell Zeus that if he triggers the end of another loop, I’m going to come up to Olympus and shove my spindle up his ass? We need time to work.”

“...Do I have to say it exactly like that?”

“I would appreciate it if you did, yes.”

[its-hai-time]

for me it's "when in doubt, draw Dewiela."

[wonderinc-sonic]

I'm in such a rut of writing fear and trying to workshop my tdw ideas with myself but that bitch hates all my ideas and also me.

[euclydya]

sjsjxjajdhxjajfxjxncf

[lone-pylon]

Working on my book again feels sooooo good

[disdaidal]

So, my training ended abruptly last week after things went a bit awry with my instructor/supervisor. Decided with both my teachers that I cannot continue working there anymore and that it'd be best if I took a sick leave until the end of the year.

I have it until the 18th of Dec, might have to extend it from there but well; remains to be seen I guess.

Besides that, I called the principal of that school (where I worked at) on Monday, to thank for the opportunity and to ask for a certificate of employment. I also expressed my deepest regrets in case I had caused them any trouble. The principal assured me that he only got positive vibes from me. And that I am most welcome to join the staff's Christmas Dinner next month, even if I don't work there anymore.

So, despite everything, I feel better now. Maybe even a bit relieved.

Of course I'll still have to worry about finding the next workplace to continue my training and stuff, but. I want to relax for a bit for now, and worry about that later. Already started with gaming lol

So yeah, uh. Guess I'll have more time to make gifs now. Hopefully, writing as well. 🤷‍♀️

[lovelyrotter]

would yall kill us if we posted alter art

[flamboyant-king]

just wanna say i love ur isaac art !!! the way you characterize the characters and put them in different scenarios is super fun and adds some depth to them that we dont rlly see in the game , and your style makes me feel like im watching a cartoon about them :]

*choking up* Literally made me tear up. Thank you so much for your kind words.

I am having massive amounts of fun (despite the raging). The game's a roguelike, so that means infinite possibilities and infinite amount of material to work off of. The game and its themes are not everyone's cup of tea, but I do like to share the fun through making comics of the characters. Even though, canonically, the characters are all just a freaking child in a wig, I'm taking the creative reigns and driving this into the wall, BABY.

Just trying to make the game/jokes comprehensible to folks who don't play the game by adding my own flare and characters they can get accustomed to and like you said "adding some depth."

Thank you so so much. Mwah~

[comediakaidanovsky]

bro my lungs are fucked but this workday will drive me to chainsmoking i swear to god

[tvmblrsillyman]

jokes aside it's sad that 5 years later 8tracks failed to do what it promised to do and even struggle to capture a decent audience after their initial shutdown announcement. they could've kept that legacy but instead the people who bought the site only alienated their audience and let the platform die with no reprise or community to mourn for it's death the second time.

[volixia669]

I still can't get over how overwhelming tumblr desktop is now. Like, it's trying to be other apps, but doesn't get what a LOT of people hate about them, while trying to have old school tumblr vibes, and it just results in LOOK AT TUMBLR LIVE LOOK AT RADAR LOOK AT THESE BLOGS LOOK AT NOTIFICATION LOOK AT THIS RED BUTTON WE'RE WAVING AT YOU PRESS IT

I did give feedback to tumblr about the new layout but seriously @staff , I know you're all a bunch of folks getting paid way too little to maintain this site made out of ductape and pipecleaners but the current layout is a sensory nightmare.

A lot of tumblr folks, myself included, are a form of neurodivergent that can only handle so much stimulus before our brains nope out. This is too much stimulus in too little space.

I also know many folks who use extensions and apps to make social media apps like twitter, mastodon, and I suspect bluesky shortly, far less overwhelming by doing things like nixing "come check out this thing" tabs and widgets.

And seriously. The frog song thing and previous silly widgets? They were non-intrusive and just fun. This hexagon, which gives me no info on what it is, is just irritating. It's been waving at me while I write this post, even though I literally can't click it without losing the post. Or maybe I can. I don't know, it's not clear what it is aside, from something setting off my anxiety.

These changes to tumblr are overwhelming, and just aren't it. Please, take feedback like this into consideration so I can actually use tumblr again. I don't want to leave this site of anonymity, but I will if I'm forced off by bad UX. As will many others.

[failureofchemistry]

As a former gifted kid, who started struggling from burnout in highschool, this post is so important

I've recently found my old test results, from like, third grade. The tests were comparing students in different categories, to other students in the whole school. Fucked up

people misunderstand what ‘gifted kid’ actually means but it’s ok it’s fine it’s cool it’s good

[uwudonoodle]

That one scene I got sidetracked with? I thought it would take 1 or 2 days to write... It ended up taking like 3 weeks and became an almost 20 page chapter. I had a hard time with this one. The emotions ran from silly, to romantic, to frustrating, to devastating, to tender.

I was nervous sharing it with my beta reader because I had struggled and changed things so many times. Even though the reading took more than an hour, he said he was engaged and entertained the whole time, and the rollercoaster emotional arc felt very natural. He even laughed at a couple of my jokes, and pointed out lines he loved that were extremely in character. He only gave me a couple of suggestions, which were legitimately good additions.

It's so nice to know that after all the struggle, that I solved the problems, and made something that hit all the notes I wanted it to. My beta is getting to know my writing better too. He pointed out one spot that he said seemed less polished than the rest, and he was right. I'd spent the least amount of time on that part, and had been editing it right before I showed him. I'm so lucky to have such a good beta reader. Showing him my finished chapters is such a highlight of my writing time.