#studying a language doesnt need to feel like studying

[benkyoutobentou]

How to study languages without studying

Whether you're just starting out and have had bad experiences with textbook learning in the past or are getting burnt out from prepping for the next proficiency test, it's never a bad idea to put the textbooks away for a time and just enjoy your target language. If you're new to the world of immersion, here are a few ways to get you started.

Follow along with the lyrics of a song. Spotify's not-so-new-anymore lyrics feature is great for this, especially since it has timed lyrics, but it doesn't have every song.

Expert mode: Write out the lyrics and underline/highlight/make note of all the words and grammar structures you don't know. Learn these unknowns until you can understand the whole song!

Extra challenge: Translate a song from your target language. I usually tend to stay away from translations in my study, but for those of you who aspire to be translators (or already are!), the poetic nature of song lyrics can be a fun challenge.

Watch a show or movie. Netflix has now introduced a feature where you can sort by language! If there's nothing made in your language that you're interested in, it also gives the option to sort by shows and movies that have the audio or subtitles available. Internet Archive also tends to have lots of foreign films that I'm looking for.

Easy mode: Watch with English or your native language subtitles. When doing this, try to still listen to what's being said and pick up on words and phrases that you know, or match new words with their translation in the subtitles. Note: reading one language and listening to another is a skill in and of itself! Don't be discouraged if you can't do both at the same time yet, you're brain is still making the connections in intonation and cadence of the language.

Hard mode: Watch with captions in your target language. This helps you connect listening and reading, especially in languages where the spelling isn't exactly phonetic, or it uses a different alphabet than what you're used to.

Expert mode: No captions or subtitles! But who knows, maybe you're better at listening comprehension than I am. Make sure you're getting comprehensible input here; some shows and movies are much harder than others. But above all else, watch what keeps your interest. A movie where you can catch half the dialogue but is super engaging is better for you than an "easy" movie that you're going to spend your time ignoring.

Polyglot mode?: Watch something in your target language with subtitles in a different target language. This adds just one too many layers of obfuscation for me, but if you're into the challenge, more power to you.

Watch YouTube. You can change your language preference on YouTube, and with that, the Explore section will give you recommendations in your target language. Going into the trending tab with your target language can give you a good idea about what people are interested in in the countries where your target language is spoken.

Read something. It can be a book, it can be a comic. There are plenty of webcomics out there in a number of languages! There's also probably an English language listicle with recommendations of easier to understand webcomics for learners, too.

If you're just getting started in immersion, you can choose whether you focus on intensive reading or extensive reading (this actually goes for all kinds of immersion, but is easiest to control with reading since it happens at your own pace). Intensive reading is reading with the goal of understanding everything 100%. If you don't understand a word, or a grammar point, or the reading of a character, look it up. Extensive reading is reading just to get the gist of things. Look up words and grammar points only if they stop you from understanding the general meaning of the sentence or section. And of course, the more you immerse, the less you'll have to look things up, but remember that difficulty varies between materials, even within books of the same age range, genre, and medium.

A small digression: If you decide that you never want to open a textbook on your language learning journey, more power to you! It can be done and I know people who have gotten to proficient levels of their target language without textbooks. If you want this to be you, extensive immersion is your best friend. You also might want to get comfortable with the flashcard program anki, because, if this is your goal, all those unknown grammar points and words will probably end up there. But at the end of the day, language learning is an intensely personal journey, and what works for others won't necessarily work for you. Finding what works for you is just part of learning a language.

Play a game. Lots of games are region locked (hint: Pokemon Sun/Moon isn't! If you start a new game, you can choose which language you want to play it in), but there are plenty of free online games still lurking in the corners of the internet. With a bit of googling, you can probably find something in your target language. Just the other day, I went out to find one of those hidden item games in Japanese and ended up finding an entire site dedicated to user made browser games.

If you're learning Japanese or Korean, picrew might be fun to look through as well. I noticed that plenty of picrews have basic anatomy vocabulary. I'm not super familiar with picrew myself, but the ones I've seen tend to be in Korean and Japanese

And lastly, don't fully give up on textbooks before trying them out. Don't be discouraged if textbooks truly aren't your thing, but studying a language on your own time can feel much different than studying for school. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and just have fun with your language. Additionally, if you'd rather learn in a video format, many languages have full courses uploaded to YouTube for you to try. Finding these can be difficult for some languages though, so don't hesitate to reach out to other learners and see what they recommend!

Got your materials ready? Great! Now go forth and immerse!

[hinamie]

playing around w slightly different hair renders

[3liza]

after meaning to get around to it for years i finally listened to almost the entirety of Sold a Story and it is as groundbreaking as everyone says it is. it's also the most confusing, to me, single event in American culture in my lifetime and my reasons for thinking that are pretty complex so im not sure theyre fully formed yet. there's a list of shit in this podcast that made me feel like i was going insane

i KNEW something was going on at a population level, i've been noticing it for years, people kept telling me i was imagining things, but i was RIGHT, two generations of kids have been reduced to barely-literate levels of language function because of this shit and you CAN see it and hear it while talking to people in the world!

the entire adoption of the Calkins programs in the first place were based on the majority of people responsible for American child education deciding basically overnight that "children don't need to learn phonics in order to become strong readers" which is literally and not figuratively equivalent to saying "children can learn algebra without learning what numbers are". it is so self-evidently false i dont even know how to respond to such an assertion. you have to be fundamentally devoid of common sense to think this is true. language is comprised of sounds (phonemes), sounds are represented by letters, letters make up the alphabet, the alphabet makes up words, and words make up sentences. you cant just skip over the parts of this you dont like, it's the basis of our entire civilization. "i dont need to learn individual notes i just want to play to saxophone" okay well. too bad? you cant

american primary education apparently has no communication whatsoever with the scientific fields of human behaviorism, pediatrics, neurology, linguistics, the science of learning generally, and there is next to zero communication between teachers who are actively responsible for educating children and the entire research field of educating children. they just dont talk to each other, at least in huge swaths of the country. in retrospect this is obvious, i just have been assuming incorrectly this entire time that maybe, surely, some aspect of how our public schools are administered is in some way being guided by scientific evidence and research. this has apparently not been the case for 20+ years. Lucy Calkins herself claims she "didn't know" that the research on how children acquire language had been essentially settled by the 1990s, she just wrote her stupid book based on her own self-assurance that what she THOUGHT children were doing when they learned language was correct. she ddin't check, she didnt ask about research or studies, she didn't test her hypothesis, she just told everyone she had figured out how to teach kids to read based on nothing but her own untested assumptions. and everyone was like "okay sounds good". every single person involved in this process is or was in a position of responsibility for educating american children. and almost none of them thought to ask "okay, but have you tested it? does it work?" because they didn't test it, and it doesnt work, and for some reason that was never even brought up

teachers kept being interviewed on this podcast who kept saying things like: "they never taught us how to teach children to read" and "they didn't teach us how children learn so i had no idea how it worked" and then explaining this was why they were so easily hoodwinked by the Calkins program. i don't understand this. what is actually taught during the two year degree programs at teaching colleges? if it's not child psychology, pedagogy, neurology, and actual techniques for teaching children, what are they teaching you to do there? one of my friends who went to a teaching college told me they mostly provided classes on lesson planning.

individual teachers apparently are not reading books or articles or papers on any of these subjects either. so having graduated from a teaching college knowing nothing about children, teaching, or even basic english literacy ("i didn't know how to teach phonics and no one told me" is another thing actual teachers kept saying on the podcast. girl, SESAME STREET can teach basic english phonics, and it does), almost none of them actually do any investigation on their own. they just show up to their workplace (the school) and "teach" whatever admin hands them. ?????????????? how is this possible?

i realized last night in a fugue of post-exertional malaise that the three-cueing method of teaching reading is training children to approach language very similarly to how a large language model does it. they laboriously instruct the children to guess what the next word in a sentence will be, often by actually covering the word with a post-it note and then cajoling and badgering the child until he guesses the word under the post-it, based on the vibes on the sentence he's reading. this doesnt teach you to read, it teaches you to act like youre reading

this isnt directly addressed in the podcast but we used to just teach everyone english like it was an actual system that has parts and rules and structures, because that's what a language is. everyone would start with phonics and the alphabet, then later do stuff like sentence diagramming and grammar, neither of which have been taught in primary schools in decades. i think i was probably the very last generation of kids to get ANY of that stuff unless they went to an exceptional school, and it was only because my 8th grade teacher knew it was important and went against school admin's instructions in order to teach it. the couple days of sentence diagramming and grammar he gave us, out of SPITE, have been more useful to me in reading and writing than the entire rest of primary english education i received in public school, and i didn't even go to a school that had adopted three-cueing stuff yet.

[bluegiragi]

ok im going to be brave and not be on anon for this because i need to send screenshots as i rave about how INSANE ABOUT THE REDRAW IS. IM NOT OKAY. HOLY SHIT IT WAS SO GOOD. i went frame by frame to compare and im losing my mind because the two year improvement is so OBVIOUS and im like. balls to the walls insane. (i hope this was okay i'm so normal i swear but this was just SO COOL. and showed so much growth i need to speak about it because it was so cool and i was very inspired hi) first off, i didnt even REALIZE it was a redraw. the original was just that good in my mind. i saw it, saw your style and didnt even QUESTION the jump in quality cuz "ah yes ofc thats always been how i saw it in my head" anyways. i have things im literally clawing at the walls for. first things first! GOING INSANE AT HOW OBVIOUSLY YOU IMPROVED IN ANATOMY UNDERSTANDING

LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS SO COOL. THE DETAILS. THE IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS SO INSPIRING. IM GOING INSANE. when i read the og i LOVED the way the hands moved, but the change makes so much SENSE. i love how theres less tension in the redraw, it feels like he's being casual about it. he's calm, he's not kickstarting his engines like he's eager to rock konig's shit!!!! his body is more serious and relaxed, it feels less flirty and more a genuine lesson he wants to teach konig to help the guy out again, the ANATOMY UNDERSTANDING!!!!!

improvement goes SO hard im staring im staring im staring but also haha i see that you drew the right hand this time its not cut off heehee BUT ALSO THE BODY LANGUAGE. in the og he doesnt look tense he just looks uncertain, in the redraw he looks like a startled meerkat standing at attention and again AUGHHHH IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE IN CONTEXT OF THE PLOT HERE. CUZ YEAH HE JUMPED TO ATTENTION WHEN GHOST CALLED HIS NAME YOURE SO CORRECT IM GOING INSANE AT HOW YOU MANAGED TO CONVAY THAT IN THE REDRAW. but also slay you kept his slutty little waist yippee we never stray far from the source material HUIEHFDIEURFIER ugh i LOVE the soap redraw

in the redraw they feel so much more weighted and aged and grounded and im clawing at the ground CUZ WHOA LOOK AT THAT JUMP IN UNDERSTANDING AT LIKE THE PLANES OF THE FACE AND STUFF WHOAAAAA YOU CLOCKED IN FOR THESE TWO YEARS I LOVE HOW IN THE REDRAW HE TILTS HIS HEAD UP he looks so SMUG and sure of himself it shows off so much CHARACTER UGHHHH HIS EXPRESSIONS FEEL UNIQUE AND BELIEVABLE FOR HIS CHARACTER also heehee i see hand improvement (slay!) i LOVE the head swivel cuz it feels like his eyes are!! leading!! us!! to where!! we should be looking !! next!!! UGHHHH THE IMPORVEMENT.

it adds movement IT FEELS SO ALIVE!! IT FEELS SO MUCH MORE IMMERSIVE!! SHEDDING REAL TEARS!!! AUGHHHHHHH THE ANATOMY IMPROVEMENT (i scream for the millionth time) but also HEEHEE HAND IMPROVEMENT !!! I SEE HAND!! AUGHH IM SO INSANE ABOUT HOW MUCH THE HANDS IMPROVED THEY CONVAY SO MUCH IM STUDYING HOW YOU DRAW THEM SO HARD

also i saw the redraw and went "heeehee he's so burly omg" before i realised it was a remake and now im insane over how much you beefed him up. thats so real and correct of you actually. OKAYYYYY WE'RE GETTING TO THE ACTION. WOW I HAVE SO MUCH TO YAP ABOUT.

LOOKAT THAT IMPACT. UGHHHHHHH LOOK AT THAT ANATOMY UNDERSTANDING AND HOW IT FEELS LIKE REAL MUSCLE HITTING THE GROUND. UHGHHHH IM SO INSANE THAT LOOKS SO GOOD IT LOOKS SO AUGHDYRYURRJHEHBFHFEVHBEH im doing laps. i love how you hint at existing muscle im studying your art under a microscope. THIS SHOT. THIS PIN. its almost the exact same pose but UGHHHH THE IMPROVEMENT.

i love how theres so much more tension in the way you draw figures. it feels so purposeful. i love the bunching of muscles as they interact with each other and the slight camera angle change that makes you FEEL the weight of ghost pressing down. i love the change in expressions too!! it feels like konig is taking this seriously and actively struggling against ghost's grip and IUGHH i could go on forever but also HEE HEE HANDS!!! HANDS WERE DRAWN!! HAND UNDERSTANDING IMPROVED!!! (i love. so much. sorry i keep pointing it out) THIS. IMPACT. GOES SO HARD UGHH.UHEWFHIUFIUHFRDF. i love LOVE the experience that putting FORCE into the movement speaks to

i LOVE HOW DYNAMIC IT IS I LOVE THE SLIGHT ANGLE OF THE GROUND TO REALLY FEEL HOW IT REELS TO HAVE YOUR FACE SMASHED INTO THE GROUND LIKE THAT hehe i love hand i LOVE hand i love how you draw hand THIS SHOTTTTTT THIS SHOT THIS SHOT THIS SHOT (i say. but i am fully aware ive just been going frame by frame)

I LOVE THE CHANGE IN ANGLE I AM SCREECHING I AM FROTHING AT THE MOUTH I FEEL SICKKKKK. THAT PERSPECTIVE CHANGE IM GOING INSANE ITS SO DYNAMIC IT FEELS SO GROUNDED i love how your character interact with each other and the way you draw the give of flesh and cloth is so :((( IS SO. IM STUDYING OKAY. IM LOOKING. IM STARING SO HARD. but also the redraw really makes you feel what its like from konig's perspective and and how ghost is looming over him and you feel it so much more keenly cuz he feels like he's looming over US (the audience) and and THE COMIC MAKING SKILLS SHOW THEYRE SHOWING THEY SHOW I SEE THEM I SEE THE SKILLS love the weight of his knees hitting the floor. love how CLEAR you made it in the redraw even though it was totally understandable in the og love how you panel things you make it look so easy and i KNOWWW its not and its just so AUGHHH

love the perspective change again love how CLEAR AND CLEAN IT IS TO REALLY FEEL KONIG BEING CHOKED (slay) AND THE NEW PERSPECTIVE CREATES SO MUCH TENSION IN FORM AND ADDS SO MUCH TO THE STORY AND AND i love the slight change in konig's pose cuz he's still trying to break free and in the redraw its like a show of ghost's strength and skill that he's not budging even when konig is making a genuine effort AND AND IM. IM SO. UGHHH ITS JUST DONE SO WELL OKAY. HEEHEE THE HAAANDSSS i love how you posed them a little differently to give the readers clear view of what theyre both doing while still keeping pretty much everything the same

BUT ALSO THE BODY LANGUAGE. in the og (i loved this shot of the og btw it still goes hard) he looks slumped over, it feel passive, its like he's defeated and just letting ghost whammy him into the ground over and over which is real but the redraw adds so much DETAIL AND STORY OKAY ITS SO AUGHHH LIKE LOOK AT THE LITTLE WORD ADDITION I FORGOT THE NAME it makes it feel like he's trying to catch his breath and also like he's moving instead of being slumped over and it shows he made an EFFORT in the spar like lOOK HE'S BREAKING A SWEAT HE DOESNT LOOK DEFEATED IT JUST LOOKS LIKE HE'S STRAINING WHICH HE SHOULD BE CUZ HE'S PARTICIPATING IN THE LESSON ITS SO REAL ITS SO IUERHFIUREHFGIURFGRIUGIU ITS SOOOOOO. but also heeehee ghost is so burly in the redraw i love how you gave him a little bit of pudge but thats not the point here sorry i got distracted AUGHHH THE HAAAAAANDS sorry ive been struggling with hands recently and seeing you draw them so well is making me spin circles in joy

BUT THIS. THIS SHOT. UGH. I LOVE HOW HE HAS HIS HAND BRACED AGAINST THE GROUND AND ITS LEANING BACK IN THE REDRAW. he looks shy and startled instead of nervous and uncomfortable AND THATS SO. ITS SO STORYTELLING ITS SO PEAK POSING ITS SO IMPROVEMENT ITS SO. i really struggle with having characters interact believable with the things around them and the redraw just shows how weighted and grounded your art feels and and its so inspiring actually sorry if i keep using the same words but its TRUE love the realistic change of the mask being yanked from the chin instead of grabbing ghost's face and also i love how much more real? the fabric looks bunching in his hands AND ALSO EEE the HANDSSS

but also i cant reall say anything here that i havent said above so instead is repeating myself like a freak i will scream and shout into the void unintelligibly AUGHHHHHH THE POSES THE HANDS IUIE3RIHFTRIUGTUG EEEEEEEE THE ACTION LINES I DONT KNOW WHAT THEYRE CALLED BUT AUGHHH THEY ADD SO MUCH LIFE AND MOVEMENT AUGHHHHH. HEEE HEE HANDS but also i love how he looks angry/intense here instead of shocked like the redraw. its a lovely reminder he is, at the end of the day, a dangerous violent guy in a violent profession. very cool 10/10 change

skipping over ghost being pinned cuz i have nothing better to say than "heehee. nice." and im getting dangerously close to the 30 picture limit ugh i LOVE how you draw ghost looming every frame he's in. he's such a solid undeniable presence that feels so correct with his character. i love how he's so looming he's covering most of konig which adds to the feeling of konig scrambling back like YES. THIS IS SO CORRECT. i love how in the redraw konig's hands are tucked to his chest instead of waving like he's trying to make himself smaller and less of a threat. VERY COOL. very sick. very nice.

to end it off, i love how smug you redrew johnny. like look at that fuckass smile. look at that SMIRK. that eyebrow raise johnny i know what you are. i also love how the long mullet propaganda from the monster au came back to haunt the redraw 10/10 excellent wow that took so long to put together holy shit. IN SUMMARY. dude. i'm sure you dont need me to say anything. dont look at me. but i've been following your art for half a decade (only found this account last year by accident but i've been on the other one) and your improvement is so incredible and its so inspiring and i've been looking up to you since i first started drawing (this is not an exaggeration) and i love your comics and you've always been such a pillar in what i strive for in my skills and I DUNNO MAN YOUR IMPROVEMENT IS SO OBVIOUS AND IM ALSO VERY EMOTIONAL AND ITS SO COOL and i love your art and LIKE AGAIN, ME SAYING THIS MEANS NOTHING BUT like. i know deeply how much WORK goes into skill like this and its so ugh i know ive used the word inspirational like 30 times BUT I DONT HAVE A BETTER ONE and yeah. love your stuff. perceive your skills. sorry i went insane in your askbox i really hope you done mind. i also hope you know how cool you are. <333 have a nice day! :)

"me saying this means nothing" it means everything jelly...(i hope its okay i call you jelly, i went to your blog to see what you like to go by bc after such a long and thoughtful message i felt like i couldn't not refer to you by your name). ive been having a real tough time for a while struggling with my relationship with my own art and my stamina and how things that used to come so quickly and easily seem to come so much slower and. just the fact that someone out there feels so much about my work that they'd sit down to write such a long message (with screenshots!!!!) means so much more than i could put into words...like you interpreting all the little things like slight alterations in posing or angles and even the shading like...the care....im just so touched

im really so unbelievably grateful and happy over this message, it made me genuinely grin from ear to ear seeing you appreciate all these little details and my art improvement and god, you saying you've been watching my work for half a decade is OOFT but so, so humbling and kind. and. yeah uhhhh thank you so much? for all of this? and being here still, somehow? i just. yeah. im kinda just lost for words. thank you so much. what a wonder it is to be perceived...

(also, idk if you ever stop feeling like you don't know how to draw hands, im definitely still in that boat looking at some of my peers!! which isn't to deter you or be condescending and i hope it doesn't come off that way, just that it's a relatable feeling and I definitely know how you feel some days ;_;)

[ivhmavie]

think I need someone older

hwang in ho with a younger s/o

first of all, just a little advice that english its not my first language! be kind

-you would be so spoiled by him

-like to finance trips to the most famous tourist attractions, take you to shows, restaurants that are the hyped ones on internet, everything he didn't have the opportunity to try when he was younger

-he’s not really connected on the social medias, so he doesnt get all the jokes you do or the slangs you use

“mamma, a girl behind you.. S/o, what does it mean?”

-wouldnt care to the looks people give you two in the places, most probably he would be proud of be showing you off, his beautiful and young girl

-would call you his wife

-this man wouldn't be ashamed of anything, he would most likely make you feel ashamed. Always having one hand on your thigh, even if it's under your dress or skirt.

-would like to watch the games with you. You both comfortably sitting on the sofa, your legs on his laps, while he pours drinks for you two

-during the games he would caress your legs, at the end you would be on his lap, you two kissing, his hands on your hips and with one of your hands on his face, the other passing through his hair

-I mean, theres no way to resist him. He’s all fine with his drink in his hand, a serious expression on his face. Raww, next question.

-sex with him would be a experience every time. He’s obviously a dom. He’s used to be in the control in every aspect of his life, this wouldnt be different.

-he has experience, so even if you dont, it wouldnt be a problem. He would be happy to teach you, for him that’s exciting

-has a size kink. Your age gap is also something that excites him. He like to think about how naive you are compared to him

-not jealous, but possessive

-like to spend most part of his time with you, even being the frontman he would always give his way to be with you. You would be with him while he fulfills his obligations

-he’s not demanding of you, would like if you spend your time doing things that you like. Whether it was studying something or taking care of yourself.

-wouldn't mind if you were vain, would like it actually. He think its adorable see you doing your hair, putting on makeup, painting your nails or reading a magazine. Everything you do, even if its not one of his customs because they are typical of youth, would delight him. He absolutely adore you

[rinnstars]

all sides of you!

the five love languages rin shows to you

itoshi rin x reader: fluff, hcs/drabble, not proofread, likes n reblogs are appreciated <3

words of affirmation

- at the beginning, i think hes a lot more averse to saying romantic stuff so its more of in a long term/after months of dating

- mainly leaves sticky notes/passes notes during class/at home with what he wants to say ar rhe beginning

- after a while tho, he’ll try to at least praise you/compliment you irl then slowly tell you he loves you (altho rarely at the beginning)

- has a bunch of scribbled notes he never passed to you all filled with confessions/ things he wants to say that he eventually says at the back of his closet in a box (because he thinks its sentimental)

- a lot better at expressing his feelings and can say them without freaking out internally or stuttering before giving up and calling you a mean nickname to neutralise the compliment

- believes in a speak not tell but he knows communication is key so he’ll try his best so bear with him

- slowburn moment for this but its 100% worth it when he comes home from competition and all he can say is repeatedly whisper i love u into your ear as he pulls you closer into his embrace

physical touch

- again, at first hes a bit touch averse / awkward with hugs/kisses but after a while of dating..

- 100% super clingy esp after coming back from competition/bllk : his hands have to be somewhere on your skin, doesnt matter where hes not picky

- has to sleep with you, hugging you like youre his plushie (drools a little too btw)

- links pinky when you guys walk together doeznt matter where “you’ll get lost” excuse except his entire face goes pink at the touch of your hands

- really likes kissing your neck, he thinks its rlly cute when he can hear you & esp if it leaves a mark :p

- has piggy-backed you before even when youre not lying about your shoes hurting or being tired to be carried by him

- enjoys being babied ngl like he loves it sm when you pepper his face with kisses while he just lies there or when you comb his hair with your fingers: he feels like hes in heaven esp after stressful days

quality time

- tries to see you everyday : either through school/going to yours/his house, dates, or even facetime call

- calls you every night when hes overseas btw and during breaks he’ll try to text you back n reply to your messages

- the type to make up excuses just to hang out with you like “oh i need to get new shoes, come with me” even though he has 2038839 different pairs and then have to huy another one because he cant be caught (you can tell)

- wld go on “study” dates where he just stares at you 3/4 of rhe time and actually doesnt finish any of his “assignments”

- has gone on hangouts where both of you just chill in silence n rlly likes it because theres no pressure to do anything and its kind of calming/relaxing esp after having to deal with teammates n whatnot during work

- wld watch you play games/do anything while he sits beside you, just enjoying your company even if he craves a little more but thats alright by him

acts of service

- lowkey such an act of service guy like even pre-relationship even if he makes excuses for him bc hes trying to be #idgaf

- the type to rush to your home with meds/food/everything if you text him youre sick after missing school

- i feel like. he just kind of enjoys the peacefulness of like cleaning and would do it whenever hes stressed (ignoring the loud music he listens to)

- would bring your necessities sometimes, and ends up at some point lending a hairtie to reo (he has a pack of hair ties bought for you at all times)

- anytime he goes out to get food/on the way home, he’ll always get a portion of what youd like just in case, and doeznt mind just eating it as leftover if you dont want it

- has a notepad on his phone on your favourite orders (drinks, meals, desserts etc)

- if youre forgetful, he’ll text you to remind you : whether that be to attend events/eat lunch at proper times/buy something

- would go back to the store if he didn’t buy what you wanted/if you wanted something else without any hesitation as long as it makes you smile even if he doesn’t admit it

- would learn how to take pictures for you on his own accord : you didn’t even realise until one day you pass him your digicam and suddenly he was an expert photographer compared to just months ago when. you started dating where his hand was blocking the camera

giving gifts

- has a matching necklace with you at all times and its his lucky charm and he’ll 100% kiss it before a game / when he wins the game

- shared wishlist on online stores except he stalks through yours and buys them for you randomly to surprise you

- if you have something spoiled/doesnt work as well, doesnt matter if its a home appliance/jeans that don’t fit etc, he’ll buy one for you without any hesitation when he goes out/on his phone

- gets you trinkets/keychains/stuff that reminds him of you including any sanrio/anime/designs you like / even your favourite food ie. chocolates/candies/chips from different countries he goes to for matches

- would notice if you wore his gifts or not and try to buy more things that you like more ie. if you like silver accessories more, he’ll buy more of those

- even during school days, he would 100% blow his money on arcades if you like to play claw machine/those rhythms games and watch you play and sometimes if you don’t get it, he’ll try to get them after his football training for you and pass it to you as nonchalantly as you can the next day

- always buys matching things: that bracelet he bought you? yup he has an exact pair in his drawers, feels its more meaningful and intimate

- if you ever ask for anything, just know he’s willing to give you that and the whole world and even the whole galaxy

-

[hereforuconnwbb]

The Study of Us - CHAPTER 1

paige x azzi (pazzi)

au fic!

word count: 5.4k

warning: language

hey yalll i finally got some motivation to start a new lil series 😭 as u can see it’s another au fic, paige is just her normal self but azzi’s a regular uconn student, doesnt play on the wbb team, and is super smart and all that. not sure if this series will actually be good but i just felt like writing sooo yurr enjoyyy 🫶🏽

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The sound of sneakers squeaking against the gym floor echoed in Paige’s ears as she made her way through the corridors of uconn's campus, her bag slung over one shoulder. Her breath was still heavy from the intense workout, the lingering burn of the suicides she’d just finished working through. Coach Geno had pushed them hard that morning way harder than usual, and now her body was begging for rest. But her mind? It wouldn’t slow down. It was racing, trying to shut out the feeling of impending doom regarding her classwork.

She was running late of course and could feel the weight of it pressing down on her with every step. It was hard to ignore the fact that she hadn’t been giving her best in school lately, and it gnawed at her, especially on days like this. But there was no time for that now.

She caught up with Aubrey and Caroline just outside the hallway of the lecture hall. Aubrey somehow barely seemed to break a sweat, even after the grueling workout. Caroline, on the other hand, looked just as tired as Paige, but still pushed through it with her usual laid-back charm. The three of them had become accustomed to the hectic routine of balancing basketball and class, even if it didn’t always work out in their favour.

“Ready to pass the hell out in class after that workout?” Paige asked, adjusting the strap of her bag as she fell in step beside Aubrey.

Aubrey shot her a knowing look, her pace hardly faltering. “You mean, you’re ready to pass out? I’m good.” She gave Paige a teasing nudge. “You always act like it’s the end of the world. You’ve got this.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” Paige muttered, her mind still on the fact that she hadn’t even looked at her notes for the upcoming quiz in this class. “I’m barely keeping my eyes open.”

As they reached the door of the lecture hall, the three of them slid in quietly, though it didn’t do much to mask their late arrival. The class was already settled, and the professor’s eyes flicked toward them with a tired, knowing look.

“Bueckers, Griffin, and Ducharme,” he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he spoke, but it didn’t soften his words. “I’ll let it slide today, but just so you know, this is the last time. I don’t care if you’re shooting hoops or just playing around in the gym, you need to be on time.”

“Thanks Prof” Paige mumbled, feeling the heat of her cheeks flare up as she made her way to her seat. She could feel all eyes on them as they entered, the subtle shift of attention following the trio of athletes like a spotlight. It didn’t matter how much she tried to blend in, the minute she walked into any room, she knew people were watching.

Aubrey slid into her seat next to Paige as always, while Caroline made her way across the room to sit next to Azzi, who was already seated in her usual spot—quiet, composed, and looking entirely unbothered by the fact that three basketball players had just walked in late, one of them being her best friend. Paige watched as Caroline settled into her seat next to Azzi, leaning in with a smile as the two exchanged a few words, easily falling into their usual dynamic. Best friends—inseparable, even in class. Paige couldn’t help but notice how effortless it was for them.

Paige sat down and tried to focus on the lecture, her mind still buzzing from the workout. It was hard to concentrate, the professor’s voice blended into the background as her thoughts wandered. She pulled out her notes, trying to appear engaged, but it felt like she was just going through the motions. She knew she wasn’t really getting it. Not today. Not this class.

Across the room, Azzi who was sat in her seat, calm and collected, completely absorbed in the lecture. Paige couldn’t help but glance over at her every so often. She was a mystery, someone who didn’t care for all the noise and attention that followed athletes like Paige, someone who was all about her academics and didn’t give a single crap about the hype surrounding the team. It made Paige feel a little out of place. How could someone like Azzi be so unfazed, so effortless in everything she did? Paige envied her focus, even if she didn’t admit it out loud.

It was the kind of class where Paige usually let her mind drift, her attention pulled in a hundred different directions such as her upcoming games, her academic struggles, the pressure to perform both on the court and in the classroom. But today, something felt heavier. She felt like she was sinking, the weight of it all pressing down on her. The thought that she might actually fail this class, that she might not get back on track in time, it felt like a real possibility.

Before she knew it, the lecture was almost over, and the knot in her stomach had tightened. Nothing had stuck. Not the lesson, not the material. Her notebook was full of scribbles, but nothing made sense. The professor’s voice was distant as he wrapped up the class, calling it to a close with a tired finality.

“Class dismissed” he said, the words practically blending into the background noise as Paige packed her things, her heart pounding a little faster. She wasn’t ready to face this.

She stood up, gathering her stuff quickly, ready to escape the classroom as fast as possible. But just as she was about to head out the door, she heard the professor’s voice again.

“Bueckers, could you stay for a moment?”

Her heart dropped. She hadn’t been able to shake that feeling of dread all through class, and now it was here, right in front of her.

She hesitated for just a moment before turning back, the door swinging shut behind her as she walked to the professor’s desk. Aubrey and Caroline were already gone, leaving her to face the consequences alone.

“I’m not sure what’s going on with you lately,” the professor said, his voice surprisingly gentle, though there was an edge of concern there. “You’re clearly capable, but your performance in this class is slipping. You’re at risk of losing eligibility for the team if this keeps up.”

Paige’s stomach dropped. The weight of his words hit her like a slap to the face. “I’ll catch up. I just… I’ve been kind of distracted,” she admitted, hating the way it sounded. It wasn’t just the class, it was everything. The game, practice, and that little voice in her head that wouldn’t let her rest.

The professor nodded slowly, his face softening. “You need help, Bueckers. Don’t be afraid to ask for it before it’s too late.”

She nodded, trying to hide the frustration building up in her chest. She hated feeling like she was failing, especially with something as simple as schoolwork. She had everything she needed to succeed, but for some reason, she couldn’t pull it together. Not this time.

“I’ll figure it out,” she muttered, her voice low. “I’ll catch up.”

The professor gave her a small, understanding nod, as if he knew she was capable of more than she was showing. “I’m sure you will, Paige. Just don’t wait too long.”

With that, Paige turned and left, the sound of the door closing behind her echoing like a quiet reminder of the pressure that was mounting. She wasn’t sure how she was going to make it all work. But she knew she had to. There was too much riding on it. Too much at stake.

Paige exhaled hard the second she stepped out of the lecture hall, the cool hallway air hitting her skin like a slap. Her brain was buzzing with the professor’s warning, her legs still burning from the intense workout, and now all she wanted to do was slam her forehead into a wall. She wasn’t used to feeling this out of control, on the court, she could read a defense like a book. Off it? Shit, she was barely holding things together.

She spotted Caroline and Aubrey just down the hall near a cluster of vending machines. They were leaning against the wall, laughing about something, and Paige picked up her pace toward them.

As she got closer, she noticed someone standing with them, someone she hadn’t expected.

Azzi.

The quiet girl from class. Neat notebook always open, never missing a beat. Always had that unreadable expression on her face, like she was tuned into another frequency. And now here she was, standing next to Caroline, sipping from a bottle of water, looking way too good for a girl who supposedly didn’t care about attention.

“Yo,” Paige called out, trying to sound casual even though her stomach twisted with nerves. “Prof just chewed my ass out.”

Caroline turned with a smirk. “I told you he was gonna say something soon.”

“What happened?” Aubrey asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Said if I don’t get my shit together, I’m risking eligibility for the team” Paige said, dragging a hand through her hair which was still damp from practice. “Like, he knows I’ve got practice, games, all that. But no, I need to be some academic weapon too.”

“Well, he’s not wrong,” Caroline shrugged. “You’ve been slacking.”

Paige shot her a look. “Gee, thanks.”

Caroline gestured to Azzi, who stood quite beside her, gaze flickering between them like she wasn’t sure if she should speak. “This is Azzi, by the way. Azzi Fudd, my best friend since, like, freshman year. She’s in this class too as you probably know. She actually takes it seriously.”

Paige turned to Azzi properly now, taking her in fully for the first time up close. and... damn.

Azzi was pretty in a way that snuck up on you. Her curls were pulled back in a loose bun. Her eyes were soft, and her lips twitched like she was trying not to smirk. There was something calm about her. Like nothing rattled her.

“Hey,” Paige said, shifting her bag on her shoulder, sticking out a hand. “I’m Paige.”

Azzi reached out, her hand steady. “Azzi. Yeah, I know.”

Her voice was smooth. Almost bored, but not rude. Just unbothered. Paige didn’t know why that made her heart beat faster.

Caroline stepped in again, glancing between them. “Paige, I was actually telling Azzi earlier, you could use help in this class, and Azzi’s a genius. You should let her tutor you.”

Paige let out a short laugh, stepping back, trying to hide the heat in her face. “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”

But her gaze drifted back to Azzi, just for a second. Up close, she looked even more stunning than Paige remembered from her usual seat across the room. She smelled like vanilla and clean laundry. Her skin was glowing and then Paige was suddenly very aware of how sweaty and gross she still was from the workout.

“You sure?” Caroline pressed, glancing at Azzi, who stayed silent but didn’t seem to mind.

Before Paige could answer again, Aubrey had leaned in and whisper in her ear, low enough for only her to hear.

“You think she’s cute, ay?”

Paige’s head snapped to her with narrowed eyes. “Shut the fuck up,” she muttered, her voice sharp but her cheeks betraying her with a flush of heat.

Aubrey grinned like the devil.

Azzi tilted her head, clearly catching the whisper but pretending she didn’t. Paige looked back at her and cleared her throat.

“I mean,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck, suddenly awkward, “maybe I’ll need help eventually. Just in case… could I get your number?”

Azzi blinked, surprised, then shrugged and pulled her phone from her pocket. “Sure.”

Paige handed her her phone, trying not to look as flustered as she felt. Azzi typed it in calmly, handed it back, and Paige swore her fingers tingled where they brushed.

“Thanks,” Paige said, pretending to be cool about it.

Aubrey, never one to let anything slide, coughed under her breath. “Smooth.”

Paige shot her another glare, but couldn’t stop the small smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

Azzi’s number was now saved in Paige’s phone under Azzi📚, because apparently Paige had no chill, and also because that was the only emoji that made sense for someone who radiated “I do my homework the night it’s assigned” energy.

She tucked her phone into her hoodie pocket, trying to act casual, but everything about her felt on edge now. Not in a bad way, more like she’d just come off a full-court press. Heart racing, breath uneven, head spinning.

Azzi stood there for another beat, her gaze unreadable, before giving a polite, “See you around,” and turning to leave with Caroline to go to their next class.

Caroline looped her arm with Azzi’s like they’d done it a thousand times and they probably had. There was an ease between them, the kind that came from knowing someone since forever.

Paige watched them go, and she tried not to stare too obviously but Azzi had this calm kind of confidence that made it hard not to. She wasn’t flashy or loud. Didn’t carry herself like she needed anyone’s attention. That only made her more magnetic.

Just as they were a few steps down the hall, Caroline turned her head slightly, just enough for Paige and Aubrey to catch the raised eyebrow she threw over her shoulder. A look that screamed “So you think my best friend’s cute huh?”

Aubrey caught it and immediately raised both eyebrows right back, exaggerating the expression like a damn cartoon character.

“Oh my gosh,” Paige groaned, dragging both hands down her face. “Here we fucking go.”

“Don’t ‘here we fucking go’ me,” Aubrey said, grinning so hard. “You definitely got a little lightheaded when she smiled.”

“I did not.” Paige was already turning toward the opposite hallway, trying to escape before this spiraled.

“Oh, yes you did,” Aubrey sing-songed, trailing her like a shadow. “It was like, Azzi, ‘hey.’ then you, ‘‘does anyone else feel that? is the earth shaking? is this love?’”

Paige shoved her lightly in the shoulder. “You’re actually the worst bro.”

“I’m observant,” Aubrey shot back, still walking alongside her. “Also, P… the way you were looking at her?”

“Okay, relax,” Paige muttered, but her ears were burning.

“She shook your hand and you looked like you were about to propose. Be so serious right now.”

“I was just being polite.”

“You were staring at her like she was a human sunset.”

Paige let out a dramatic sigh. “Bro. Stop.”

“I will not stop, because I’m proud of you,” Aubrey teased, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Finally using your gay little brain cells for something useful.”

Paige rolled her eyes but didn’t push her off. “All I did was ask for her number.”

“Exactly,” Aubrey said, eyes wide like it was the most romantic thing she’d ever seen. “You, Paige Bueckers, asked a girl you barely know for her number. And it wasn’t even to flirt, it was for academic help. That’s basically the sapphic equivalent of writing her a poem and sending flowers.”

“Geez that don't even make sense bruh.”

Aubrey leaned in again. “You gonna text her tonight?”

“Fuck no.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t need help. Yet.”

Aubrey raised an eyebrow, not believing a word of it. “Mhm. Just say you wanna see her again.”

“I literally just met her.”

“And you already saved her number.”

“Man shut up” Paige groaned, but she was grinning now, despite everything.

“Can’t believe it,” Aubrey said, eyes twinkling. “The stone-cold killer of the Big East, brought to her knees by a girl with a cute dimpled smile and a perfect GPA.”

“She’s not—ugh, stop saying shit like that.”

Aubrey made a heart shape with her hands and skipped a little ahead. “I ship it already. What should the ship name be? Puzzi? Azige? ACTUALLY PAZZI FO SHO”

“Puzzi sounds like a venereal disease.”

Aubrey laughed so loud it echoed down the hallway.

“You’re impossible,” Paige said, but her voice was light, almost giddy. She hated it. Well, not hated. But she didn’t like that her brain kept flashing back to the exact tilt of Azzi’s head when she handed her the phone. Or the calm way she said “Yeah, I know,” like she hadn’t just thrown Paige off her entire axis.

She really didn’t like that she was already thinking about when she’d see her again.

And okay maybe Aubrey was right.

Maybe she did think Azzi was kind of cute.

…Fine. Really cute.

But she wasn’t gonna admit that out loud.

Not yet, anyway.

—--------------------

Caroline and Azzi stepped into the stairwell, a few steps ahead of the rest of the group, when Caroline couldn’t resist any longer. She leaned into Azzi, her tone light but teasing. “So… what do you think of our Paige Bueckers?”

Azzi shot her a look, and Caroline couldn’t help but grin at the way Azzi’s brow furrowed, clearly caught off guard by the question. She’d seen it before, a slight tension in Azzi’s posture, a moment where she tried to figure out how much to reveal.

“Uh, she’s… cool,” Azzi said cautiously, glancing back over her shoulder like Paige might suddenly appear. “I mean, I guess. She’s just really different from how I thought she’d be.”

“Different how?” Caroline pressed, loving the genuine curiosity in Azzi’s voice. This was exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for. She could feel a laugh building in her chest at the thought of how confused and flustered Paige probably was right now.

Azzi shrugged, looking thoughtful. “I don’t know. Some people make her out to be this… bigger-than-life person, but she’s actually kind of, I don’t know, down to earth? At least when we talked. Not like the ‘star’ everyone talks about. Like, she seems like she’s struggling, you know?”

Caroline smirked, leaning in a bit closer. “Oh, I know. I’ve never seen her like that around people. Usually, she’s all jokes and confidence. But today? Totally different. You might’ve just cracked open a whole new side of her.”

Azzi’s eyes widened a little, and she shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No no, I didn’t mean it like that,” Caroline said quickly, realizing she was making Azzi nervous. “I just mean, you made her feel something. You made her feel something. People can’t even get through to her sometimes. Trust me.”

Azzi looked down, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, but Caroline wasn’t letting up. She nudged her with her elbow, her teasing smile widening. “And you didn’t answer my question. What do you really think of Paige?”

Azzi hesitated, glancing up at Caroline through her lashes. “I mean, she seems… nice?” she said, more like a question than an answer. “I don’t know. She’s a lot more… well, more human than I expected. I think that’s why it’s kind of weird being around her. It’s just… not what I thought it would be.”

Caroline let out a small laugh, folding her arms. “Human huh? I like that answer. She definitely has this whole ‘I’m superhuman’ vibe going on, but she’s definitely more complicated than she looks.”

Azzi nodded, still processing. “She’s got a lot going on, right? I mean, it’s obvious she’s really stressed.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Caroline replied, her voice dropping slightly. “Being in her shoes? Total nightmare. People see the highlight reels, the big moments, but they don’t see the sleepless nights or the pressure to always be perfect. It’s a lot for anyone to handle. And she’s—well, she’s been kinda stuck with that image for a while.”

Azzi didn’t say anything for a beat, looking like she was really chewing on Caroline’s words. Her eyes softened a little as she thought about it. “She’s still just a person though, right? Not some… celebrity.”

Caroline’s smile softened, a knowing look in her eyes. “Exactly. That’s why she’s so hard to reach sometimes. She wants to be more than just a ballplayer to people. You’d be surprised how few people really try to see the person under all that.”

The air was still light, but the conversation had shifted into something deeper, something that Azzi had, for the first time, actually started to understand.

“So, you think you’ll help her?” Caroline asked lightly, but she was watching Azzi carefully.

Azzi looked a bit hesitant, trying to figure out what she was really feeling. “Yeah, I mean, I guess. I don’t mind. She asked for my number, so… I’ll just wait and see if she actually needs help with anything.” She shrugged again, but there was something in her voice that suggested she was already reconsidering her own reservations.

Caroline looked sideways at her with a grin. “Oh you’re in deep already. Look at you being all considerate and shit.”

Azzi flushed slightly and nudged Caroline with her shoulder, making her laugh.

“I’m just saying,” Caroline continued with a wink, “she’s pretty damn into you. You noticed, right?”

Azzi blinked, caught off guard by the comment. “No way.”

Caroline gave her an exaggerated, knowing look. “Dont even try to play it off. I’ve seen that look she gave you after you gave her your number. The ‘I’m trying to be cool but I totally think you’re cute’ look.”

Azzi froze, a little shocked at Caroline’s bluntness. “She—nah. No way she looks at me like that.” She shook her head, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

Caroline smirked, her tone light but full of mischief. “Okay. Deny it all you want, but I’m telling you right now, I reckon that the Paige Bueckers is way more interested in you than she’s letting on. You’ve just gotta figure out how to deal with that, because trust me, it’s not going away.”

Azzi’s mind raced for a moment. She had no idea what to say to that. The idea that someone like Paige who is a star, someone everyone fawned over could be interested in her, was… a lot to process.

“I don’t know about all that,” Azzi said, trying to play it off as cool as possible.

Caroline laughed again, a soft, teasing sound. “You’ll figure it out. But for now, don’t be surprised if Paige starts showing up at your dorm, asking about math homework or something. She’s definitely gonna come around. She’ll act like it’s for school… well yeah... maybe it is but we both know better.”

Azzi had no idea what to think. The idea of Paige coming around, looking for help, it felt strange. Unbelievable, even. But Caroline was pretty damn sure of herself, and Azzi couldn’t shake the thought that maybe Caroline was right. Paige had that way about her, where she made you feel like you were the only person in the room. And it made way more sense now why Caroline seemed so protective of her.

“I guess we’ll see,” Azzi said, her voice quieter this time, and she followed Caroline into their next class.

—--------------------

The sound of the gymnasium echoed in Paige’s head as she sat in her dorm room, textbooks and notebooks scattered across the desk. Her mind was still buzzing from practice earlier, her muscles sore from the draining workout. She had given it her all during shooting drills, but now, sitting here, the words in front of her seemed like a foreign language.

She looked at the clock on her wall. It was 10:30 pm, and the silence in her room was deafening. The weight of her responsibilities hung heavy over her, and despite the fact that she had promised herself she would get her grades up, she was no closer to making sense of it all. She flipped open her math textbook and tried to read the first page again, only to find herself staring at the same problem for the tenth time, feeling like she was drowning in a sea of numbers and random letters.

“Oh my days this is fucking impossible,” she muttered to herself, tossing the pencil onto her desk in frustration. She rubbed her eyes, her head pounding as the stress from practice merged with the looming pressure of her grades. If she didn’t get this shit together, Coach Geno would have her head. And, of course, her team would notice too. They always noticed everything.

Paige hated feeling this vulnerable. She was used to being the one who had everything under control, who was always one step ahead. Basketball was her thing, the one place where she felt like she belonged. But this—math, school, it felt like a constant battle she couldn’t win. Her grades had been slipping steadily over the past few weeks, and she’d already had a conversation with the professor earlier that day, who had made it clear that if she didn’t pull it together, she might not even be able to play for the rest of the season.

“Not gonna happen,” she whispered to herself, but the words had no power. Paige had always known she couldn’t rely solely on her basketball skills to get her through everything, but the reality of failing in something she was supposed to excel at academically was like a punch in the gut.

She leaned back in her chair, running a hand through her messy hair. Why was this so hard? She had always been good at learning new things, whether it was basketball or not. But math? She just couldn’t get it to click. It felt like everyone around her, even her teammates, had their shit together in a way she could never seem to match. She bit her lip and sighed deeply, trying to push past the mental fog.

Her eyes flicked to her phone on the desk, but the screen was dark, no new notifications. Paige sighed and leaned back in her chair, dragging a hand through her hair. She knew what she had to do, even if part of her hated it.

The exchange had been brief earlier in the day. Paige had been caught off guard by how easily Azzi had agreed to give her help, even after Paige tried to brush it off. But now, sitting here in her dorm room with the pressure of her grades breathing down her neck, the idea of asking Azzi for help seemed like the only logical thing to do.

She hadn’t thought too much about it after their brief interaction, mostly because she’d been too caught up with practice and keeping up appearances. But now, the idea of continuing to struggle in silence felt ridiculous. Azzi wasn’t just some random student—she was smart, grounded, and outside the noise of UConn athletics. She wasn’t part of that world, which honestly made Paige feel like she could actually breathe around her. Azzi might be exactly the perspective Paige needed.

Azzi had never been part of the noise. She was a quiet presence. Paige admired that, in a way. In a world where she was constantly being watched and analyzed, Azzi seemed like the one person who would treat her like a normal student. Paige needed that.

She stared at the screen of her phone for a moment, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. She could feel the weight of the message she was about to send, the vulnerability that came with it. But she didn’t have time to sit in uncertainty. She needed help, and if that meant swallowing her pride and asking Azzi, then so be it.

Taking a deep breath, Paige started typing:

Paige: hey azzi, its paige. ik we talked earlier and i wasnt sure if i was gonna need help but ive been sitting here for hours trying to figure this math shi out and icl im pretty stuck. if youre still up for it, i could really use some help.

She stared at the message for a moment, reading over the words. It felt odd to be so open, especially with someone like Azzi, who was still a bit of a mystery to her. But Paige knew this wasn’t the time to play games or pretend like everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t.

With a sigh, she pressed send.

It’s fine, she told herself. You can do this.

As soon as she hit send, a small wave of nervousness washed over her. What if Azzi didn’t want to help? What if she thought Paige was a lost cause? The whole point of this was to get herself together, and Paige didn’t want to be the type of person who leaned on someone else for everything. But, right now, it was either this or fail miserably.

There was no turning back now.

Paige set the phone down on her desk and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. It was late, and she knew she should probably get some rest, but her mind wouldn’t let her. She’d done it. She’d asked for help.

Now, it was just a matter of waiting to see if Azzi would actually come through.

She sat there, staring at her phone like it was an object of her greatest hopes and fears. The seconds seemed to stretch into eternity as she waited for Azzi’s reply. The quiet in her room only amplified the tension in the air. Her mind kept racing with what-ifs. What if Azzi didn’t respond? What if she thought Paige was some kind of lost cause?

She let out a frustrated breath and picked up her pencil again, trying to focus on the math problems. It was pointless. Her thoughts kept circling back to the message she’d just sent. The text was simple enough, but something about asking for help from someone like Azzi made it feel… personal. She wasn’t used to letting her guard down like this, and for a moment, the whole thing felt ridiculous.

Just as she was about to close her textbook and call it a night, her phone buzzed again.

The notification popped up: Azzi📚

Paige’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately grabbed her phone, swiping to open the message.

Azzi📚: hey paige, no worries ! i’m up for helping u out. i’m free tomorrow after class if that works for you? just let me know what time and where.

Paige stared at the message for a second, letting the relief wash over her. Azzi wasn’t just willing to help; she was being casual about it, like it wasn’t a big deal at all. It was a huge relief, but at the same time, it made Paige feel weirdly nervous. She had no idea what this was going to be like, or what kind of person Azzi actually was beyond the quiet, studious girl who sat at the back of class.

But before typing back, she paused, tapping into Azzi’s contact and deleting the little book emoji she added next to her name when saving her contact this morning. It felt dumb. Cleaner without it, she figured. Then she quickly typed back:

Paige: tmrw sounds perfect. how abt the library around 3 ?

She pressed send before second-guessing herself, but a part of her felt confident. Azzi was down to help, and that was all that mattered. The message came through almost immediately.

Azzi: perfect, i’ll see you then !

With a small smile, Paige set her phone back down. The anxiety that had been building up all night started to ease, replaced by a new sense of purpose. Tomorrow, she’d get through this math thing. And maybe… just maybe, she’d get to know Azzi a little better.

Paige glanced at the clock—just after 11 PM. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t excited. Azzi wasn’t just the girl who was going to help her with math; she was someone Paige had started to notice in a way that went beyond the classroom. She wasn’t sure what to make of that yet, but it felt like the beginning of something—something that made her heart race a little faster.

With a deep breath, Paige grabbed her study materials again, determined to make the most of the time she had left before meeting Azzi tomorrow. If she was going to spend time with her, she at least wanted to seem like she had some idea of what she was doing.

As the night dragged on, Paige managed to get through a couple of practice problems before finally calling it quits. She knew she needed rest for tomorrow. She had no idea what this tutoring session would be like, but she was sure of one thing, it was going to be a whole lot different than anything she had ever expected.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[rotthepoet]

Need theo and lorenzo head cannons 😔

Good morning sweet pookie, i gotchu!! I needed a little break after that threesome so I did some random, some silly, some fluffy, and some smutty, kay? It’s really just a big brain dump on how I characterize the boys <3 Hope you enjoy, love ;)

P.s. if I have any reoccurring anon’s, if you want me to differentiate you, please feel free to assign yourself an emoji <3 unspoken rule i thought i’d say out loud

Theodore Nott

I agree with literally everyone on this app, he is a smarty pants, but i refuse to believe he sits down and studies

It’s not that he doesn’t care about his grades, he just doesn’t have to try to get good marks. Queen absorbs information like a sponge and retains that shit forever. Doesnt have to waste time with a boring textbook because he commits everything to memory.

That being said, he will remember everything about you. Your favorite movie you mentioned in passing, he saw you eat something particular multiple times he can infer its your favorite and will buy it for you often, he knows your habits, your aspirations, your desires. All of it. Does it for his close friends and lovers <3

Huge smoker. Like. Oral fixation final boss. Needs to have something to smoke or at least chew on at all times

I mentioned before how I think Mattheo and him laugh at people who vape, but Theodore Nott is a two faced LIAR and actually keeps a menthol alto with him at all times. For convenience sake. If you ask him, it’s different because its not a fun lil fruity flavor.

Speaking of Mattheo, those two are best friends. Like ride or die. Like. These two are bread and butter, inseparable and delicious.

Will internalize everything. This is why he gets so worked up and fights people. It may seem like him getting pissy over nothing, but this boy has some unresolved trauma and unmedicated issues.

Theo has ADHD prove me wrong and fuck you for trying(jk love you, but i will die on this hill.) severe anxiety issues, def some depression going on, hes working through some shit.

Theo can process a lot of stimulus at the same time. Watching him hold 3 steady conversations while reading a novel at the same time is a sight to behold.

Smokes weed a lot too. Mostly bud, but he’s smart and keeps a cart on him too for quick bathroom breaks when he needs to chill tf out. It slows down all the thoughts racing around his head. Lets him relax. Lets him feel peace. Let him feel comfortable. He’s been searching for that feeling his whole life.

Mommy and daddy issues check?

Anyways!

Theo is a player, and its not even because he tries to be.

Girls flock towards him, and he needs an outlet.

Sex is a good outlet.

Sex and drugs? Now we’re cooking

He doesn’t care much for the dating scene, didn’t think he was cut out for it. Bad home life. No mom. Depressed and emotionally distant evil dad. Friends and his family are all death eaters? Causes some bad views on relationships as a whole.

Omg but when he falls in love it takes forever but its so hard. Its so devastatingly hard.

It goes from “wow they really make me happy” to “omfg i need to marry them they make me feel complete and comfortable and it feels like i can finally be myself around someone this is the feeling i have been searching for my whole life” really fast when he falls

He’d never love at first sight. Refuse it. He might think someone is pretty or handsome, but he won’t ever describe it as love at first sight.

100% friends to lovers

He’s a quality time kinda guy i think

Just likes co-existing really

Stay in the room with him in silence as he reads and hes so golden

But that will bump up several notches and enjoy every other love language too

He wants to make you love him. He’ll do anything for you. Buy anything for you. Tell you everyday how wonderful you are

He’s being so genuine too

His friends would know

He never shuts up about you

If you had never spoken to his friends, never met them, they’d be able to come up to you in a grocery store and say “oh. You’re <you>, right?”

And dear god he genuinely cries a little in relief when you finally say yes

He’s buried his face in your hair and hugging you so tightly and he tries not to cry because he finally has everything he needs in his arms

He’s such a good boyfriend

Will never question you(at least not at first or without good reason)

Literally worships the ground you walk on

Will apologize first immediately after every meaningless petty fight

Thats different about real fighting though. Stubborn ass bitch

Anyways

Dotes on you everyday

Calls you so many sweet names in Italian

Has an Italian accent but sometimes tries a British accent to throw everyone off.

Argues in italian

Lowkey hates snow

Runs super cold so loves lovvesss hot weather

Will take you to Italy over the summer

Demands you go

Fucks you on the balcony of his family home

Fucks you stupid on the beach

Sorry where was I going with this

Ah yes anyways

Runs super cold so like is a big fan of cuddles. Lots of sweaters for you to steal

He likes turning cuddles into more slow and intimate things

Slowly fingering you as you spoon

Cockwarming in the morning or late at night<3

So much worship.

So much

Just adores you.

Loves fast rough sex but honestly could go on about slow love making for hours

Literally cant stand American reality tv

The biggest kardashian hater

Knows all the gossip because he’s quiet and listens

Doesnt care to share it though

Lorenzo Berkshire

Bitchboy extraordinaire

If I met Lorenzo Berkshire he would become #1 on my shitlist so fast

I called theo a two faced liar as a joke

But Enzo actually is one

Literally puts on the nicest mask for pretty girls, but every ex, and every guy in hogwarts knows he’s a conniving bitch behind closed doors

One of the richest in the group and it shows

Flaunts his money everywhere he goes

His ears are pieced

Also he likes having his ears bitten it can make him hard as a rock in seconds

Dates, but it usually only lasts a month and Hes the worst boyfriend ever

Dumps them whenever he gets bored

But omg when a person gives him his attitude back

Well first he gets even meaner

But also he likes you so much like… that was hot

And if you ignore his existence? On you like a moth to a flame

Craves attention

Such an attention seeker

Still will fight, isn’t very good, but will try

100% a prefect

Showers his pookie with so much love and attention

When he finally gets the person he wants, hes on top of them 24/7

Never a hand straying to far

Literally obsessed

Big fan of exhibitionism

Will fuck uou on the train, the bathrooms, the common room, the classroom

Its all fair game

Would love to see you all tied up in pretty ribbons for his birthday

Ass man 100%

Likes to just get a fistfull while you hug or cuddle

Mattheo and him are the biggest gossipers

Has like 4k followers on instagram because hes so pretty

Father and mother are hirh death eaters. Does anyone know Berkshire lore because i def dont

Like fr can someone explain him to me

Pairs well with anyone in the grouo, really

Gets along especially with Theo or Mattheo

Amazing at card games, and says he’s amazing at chess too. Hes not.

Literally refuses to snack, says it’ll ruin his physique

On the quidditch team much like everyone else he’s friends with

Slays at herbology

Maybe a bit of a smoker? Not often, and def more weed than tobacco

Light weight for reals

Like severely light weight

He’s the laughingstock of the friend group for it

Him and Mattheo have a running bet on who can fuck the most women

Omg omg omg because they so do the alphabet challenge im so sorry but its factual

Lorenzo is currently winning with 15/26 letters in the alphabet but Mattheo isnt too far behind

Its because Lorenzo is so charming and Mattheo…. Is himself.

Anyways back to being his significant other

Will spoil you

Relentlessly

Lowkey expects head in return but that will wear ofd eventually

109% more likely to start a fwb situation than anything else

Treats you like a girlfriend this whole time

Kisses you sweetly, holds uou close when you sleep, mumbles about how special you are

Just being a girlfriend without the title because then it gets too weird

Loses his shit if you get tired of trying and break it off

Genuinely ballistic if he loses you

Will pull as many favors and as many strings as he can to get yiu back

Seriously considers murder for a while

Anyways he gets you back baby<3

Speaking of babies hes super good with kids

Look at that face

Amazing dad face

Scared of marriage lmao

Bad parents. Fucked up views on relationships

Its a thing for all of them tbh

[saebyeokbliss]

could u do a fic of saebyeok in college, but she sells drugs. Only cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy. She does it so she can take care of cheol ofc. Saebyeok is also known to be a hoe. Constantly flirting with girls around campus so they can buy wtv drugs she has, sleeping w girls and then treating them like the don’t exist the next day. Yet saebyeoks fast life came to a complete stop when she met you. A shy girl who’s very clever. Saebyeok noticed a guy hitting on u w u visibly uncomfortable so saebyeok came to rescue you. After she asked if u had any money to buy some drugs off her to which you said you did’nt. Saebyeok asked if u smoked. The truth is you didn’t, you hated all drugs. It was embarrassing ur a 21 yr virgin hanging around saebyeok who has had her head in between a fair share of womens legs. Any ways you and saebyeok become fwb (friends w benefits). She acts like she doesnt like you,she says you guys are only using eachother to get off. She’s not entirely wrong but what happens when u both start developing feelings and saebyeok tells u a bit abt her personal life when shes high?

(Can we pretend saebyeok is 22 and reader is 21 🙏)

-💝( still dk if ur doing emoji anons it’s ok if not! No pressure)

ALL THE STARS

pairing: dealer!college au!kang sae-byeok x fem!reader synopsis: kang sae-byeok had a reputation around your college. the dealer, the girl who could get anyone she wanted. however, just like anyone else, she had a past and a life beyond what people called her. and you just happened to be the one to change her. warnings: angst, language, mentions of violence, illness, past trauma, drug use (past), recovery themes, slow burn, emotional moments, hurt/comfort

a/n: had this one brewing for while hehe

The red ink on the paper burned into your vision, each stroke of the professor’s pen a reminder of your failure.

72%.

It wasn’t failing, not technically, but for you? It may as well have been. You had always prided yourself on your intelligence, on your ability to stay ahead of the curve. But this? This was unacceptable.

Slumping in your seat, you shoved the paper into your bag, avoiding the pitiful glances from classmates who knew how much this would bother you. As soon as the lecture ended, you all but stormed out of the hall, only stopping when a familiar voice called after you.

“Hey, hey, slow down.” Ji-min grabbed your wrist gently, pulling you to a stop. Her brows furrowed as she studied your expression. “What’s wrong?”

You exhaled sharply. “I bombed the exam.”

Ji-min blinked. “Wait—bombed?” She scoffed. “What’d you get, a 90?”

“…72.”

Her lips parted slightly in surprise before she quickly schooled her expression into something more neutral. “Okay, so not your best, but it’s not the end of the world.”

“It feels like it,” you muttered, rubbing your temples.

Ji-min sighed, looping her arm through yours as she led you out of the building. “You need to relax. You’ve been overworking yourself for weeks, and it’s catching up to you. It’s just one test, and you’ll bounce back—like you always do.”

You didn’t respond, letting her drag you along as you sulked in silence. Ji-min was probably right, but that didn’t make you feel any better.

“Which is exactly why,” she continued, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “you’re coming to the party tonight.”

You groaned. “Ji-min—”

“Nope. No arguing.” She tightened her grip on your arm. “You need a night to unwind. And don’t even try to say you have studying to do.”

“I do, though,” you huffed.

“You always do.” Ji-min shook her head. “But just this once, let yourself breathe. Have a little fun. You don’t even have to drink—just come, dance a little, talk to people. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone.”

You rolled your eyes. “Because that’s exactly what I need right now.”

“Yes, actually.” She grinned. “A distraction.”

You frowned, hesitating. The idea of going to a crowded, sweaty party wasn’t exactly appealing, but… maybe Ji-min had a point. Maybe you did need a night to forget about everything—just for a little while.

“…Fine,” you relented, sighing.

Ji-min squealed in victory, squeezing your arm excitedly. “You won’t regret it.”

You had a feeling you just might.

You stared at your reflection in the mirror, second-guessing every single choice you had made for the night.

The black miniskirt hugged your waist just right, and the red lace top was a little more revealing than what you usually went for, but Ji-min had insisted that you “embrace your hotness.” Paired with delicate white lace socks and Mary Janes, you looked… cute. Maybe even really cute.

But was it you?

A knock at your door interrupted your thoughts. “Come on, let me see you!” Ji-min’s voice rang through your small apartment.

You sighed, smoothing down your skirt before stepping out. Ji-min’s eyes widened the moment she saw you, a grin stretching across her lips.

“Oh my God.” She grabbed your hands and spun you around. “You look adorable—but also kinda sexy? It’s giving ‘innocent but could ruin lives.’” She wiggled her brows suggestively.

You rolled your eyes, heat creeping up your neck. “You’re being dramatic.”

“No, I’m being correct.” Ji-min smirked, looping her arm through yours as she led you toward the door. “Come on, let’s go before you change your mind.”

The party was already in full swing by the time you arrived. The bass of whatever rap song was playing vibrated through the walls, and the air smelled like a mix of alcohol, weed, and sweat. People were packed into the house, some dancing, some making out in corners, and others just drunkenly shouting over the music.

You hesitated in the doorway, already overwhelmed.

Ji-min, on the other hand, was in her element.

“Alright, I’m gonna go kick some ass in Apateu,” she said, referring to the drinking game she was obsessed with. She gave your hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll be fine, yeah? Just get a drink, talk to people. You look too good to be standing alone all night.”

Before you could protest, she was gone, disappearing into the crowd with a wave.

You sighed, crossing your arms as you leaned against the wall, feeling out of place. You weren’t much of a drinker, and you weren’t interested in hooking up with some stranger, so what were you even doing here?

Lost in your thoughts, you barely noticed when someone stepped into your personal space.

“Hey,” a voice drawled.

You blinked up at the guy standing way too close to you. He was tall, decently attractive, but the cocky smirk on his face made you uneasy.

“You here alone?” he asked, his eyes shamelessly roaming over you.

You shifted uncomfortably. “No, I’m with a friend.”

He chuckled, taking a sip of whatever was in his red cup. “Haven’t seen you at one of these before. You new?”

You shook your head. “Not really. Just don’t go to parties much.”

“Makes sense. You seem… different from the usual crowd.” His smirk widened as he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. “In a good way.”

You forced a polite smile, wishing Ji-min would miraculously reappear and drag you away.

“So, you wanna dance?” he asked, stepping closer.

You took a step back, your heart starting to race—not in a good way. “I’m okay, thanks.”

“Oh, come on.” He reached out, fingers brushing your arm. “Just one dance.”

Your stomach twisted. You weren’t scared, not exactly, but the way he was looking at you, like you were something to be convinced, made you uneasy.

And then—

A voice, smooth and slightly amused, cut through the tension.

“She said no.”

You turned your head, and there she was.

Kang Sae-byeok.

You had seen her around campus before—everyone had. She was infamous. Mysterious, sharp-eyed, and always carrying that lazy smirk that made girls fall at her feet, only to be discarded by morning. She was trouble, the kind of trouble that came wrapped in leather jackets and cigarette smoke, the kind that left a mess in its wake.

And right now, she was looking at the guy in front of you like he was something stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

“She said no,” Sae-byeok repeated, her voice firm, yet almost bored, like she had dealt with this kind of thing a hundred times before.

The guy scoffed, his grip on his drink tightening. “And who the hell are you?”

Sae-byeok tilted her head slightly, her dark eyes glinting under the dim party lights. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is that you back the fuck off.” She took a step closer, her presence alone enough to shift the energy in the air.

The guy hesitated, glancing between you and Sae-byeok, clearly debating whether it was worth pushing his luck. He must have decided against it because he let out an annoyed huff and muttered, “Whatever,” before disappearing into the crowd.

You exhaled, realizing you had been holding your breath.

“You okay?” Sae-byeok asked, her gaze flickering to yours.

You nodded quickly. “Yeah. Thanks for that.”

She studied you for a moment, then smirked. “He bothering you before I showed up?”

“Kind of,” you admitted, shifting on your feet. “He wouldn’t take the hint.”

Sae-byeok hummed, like she had expected that answer. “Guys like him are everywhere,” she muttered. Then, her smirk widened slightly. “Good thing you’ve got me, huh?”

You blinked. “I—uh—”

She chuckled, clearly amused by your flustered expression. “Relax. I’m just messing with you.” Her eyes flicked over your outfit, and she let out a low whistle. “Didn’t know girls like you came to these parties.”

You frowned. “Girls like me?”

She shrugged. “You just seem… different.”

You weren’t sure if that was a compliment or not. “Ji-min dragged me here,” you admitted.

“Ah.” Sae-byeok nodded knowingly. “That makes sense.”

You raised a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She smirked. “That you don’t really belong here.”

Your lips parted slightly, caught between offense and curiosity. “And you do?”

Sae-byeok chuckled, but there was something unreadable in her expression. “More than you think.”

Before you could ask what she meant, she leaned in slightly, close enough that you caught the faint scent of cigarettes and something sweet—maybe perfume, maybe something else.

“You got any money?” she asked, voice low.

You blinked, confused by the sudden shift. “What?”

“For a little something to take the edge off.” She smirked, tapping her fingers against her thigh. “Coke, weed, molly—I’ve got whatever you need.”

Your stomach twisted. You didn’t do drugs. You didn’t even drink.

“I don’t—” You hesitated, suddenly embarrassed. “I don’t do that stuff.”

Sae-byeok raised a brow, clearly surprised. “Really?”

You nodded.

She studied you for a second before her smirk returned, this time softer, almost teasing. “Cute.”

Heat crept up your neck. “I—I should probably find Ji-min.”

Sae-byeok chuckled, stepping back slightly. “Go ahead.”

You hesitated for a moment before turning to walk away, but you barely took two steps before her voice stopped you.

“Hey.”

You glanced over your shoulder.

Sae-byeok tilted her head, her dark eyes flickering with something unreadable. “See you around, yeah?”

You swallowed hard. “…Yeah.”

And with that, you disappeared into the party, your heart pounding for an entirely different reason than before.

The children’s home was always quieter than you expected.

You had been coming here for nearly a year now, visiting your little sister, Yu-jin, whenever you could. And yet, every time you stepped through those doors, the sterile stillness of the place made your chest tighten.

Yu-jin’s face lit up the moment she saw you, her small frame practically tackling you in a hug. “Unnie!”

You laughed softly, wrapping your arms around her. “Hey, baby. Did you miss me?”

She pulled back just enough to pout up at you. “Obviously.”

Your heart ached. She was only eight, still too young to really understand why she was here, why your parents—if they could even be called that—had decided she was too much to take care of. But she understood enough to know that you were the only one who still came back for her.

You spent the next hour with her, playing board games, helping her braid the hair of one of her dolls, and listening to her ramble about the latest school drama—who stole whose eraser, who got in trouble for talking too much, and how she definitely deserved extra dessert at lunch today.

It was a small escape, a moment where you could pretend things were normal.

But eventually, visiting hours started to wind down, and you had to say goodbye.

Yu-jin clung to your waist as you knelt in front of her. “You’ll come back soon, right?”

You smiled, brushing some hair out of her face. “Of course. I’ll be back before you even have time to miss me.”

She huffed. “Too late for that.”

Your chest tightened again, but you just pressed a kiss to the top of her head before gently prying her arms from around you. “Be good, okay?”

She nodded reluctantly, stepping back as one of the caretakers came to usher her inside.

You watched until she was out of sight before turning to leave, your heart heavy.

And that’s when you saw her.

Kang Sae-byeok.

She was walking down the hallway, hands shoved in the pockets of her oversized hoodie, her face unreadable. But what caught your attention wasn’t just her—it was the fact that she had just come from the same visiting area you had.

For a moment, she didn’t see you. But then, just as she was about to walk past, her dark eyes flickered up and met yours.

Recognition flashed across her face—followed immediately by something else. Something guarded.

You opened your mouth to say something, maybe a simple “hi,” maybe a question about why she was here, but before you could get a word out, she brushed past you without a single glance back.

No smirk. No teasing remark. Nothing.

Just silence.

You stood there, stunned, watching as she disappeared through the exit like she couldn’t get away fast enough.

And for the first time since meeting her, you saw a version of Sae-byeok that had nothing to do with her reputation, with the confident, untouchable girl who flirted with strangers and sold drugs like it was second nature.

This was something else entirely.

And you weren’t sure what to make of it.

You really needed to start saying no to Ji-min.

Another party, another night of being dragged into a place where you didn’t belong. The music was loud, the air thick with the scent of alcohol and weed, and bodies moved together in a sweaty, chaotic rhythm.

You sighed, nursing the same half-empty cup of soda you had been holding for the past twenty minutes. Ji-min had already disappeared into some drinking game, leaving you to lean against the wall, watching the party unfold around you.

And then—

A familiar voice, smooth and teasing, cut through the noise.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here again.”

You turned your head, heart stuttering for half a second.

Sae-byeok.

She was dressed in her usual effortless way—baggy jeans, a fitted black top, and her signature leather jacket slung over her shoulders. But it wasn’t just her presence that caught you off guard.

It was the fact that this time, she was actually talking to you.

“I could say the same about you,” you shot back, raising a brow.

Sae-byeok smirked. “Pretty sure that’s not true.”

You rolled your eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it. “What do you want?”

She tilted her head like she was considering something, her dark eyes scanning over you in a way that made your skin heat. “Maybe just some company.”

You blinked. “You? Want my company?”

She chuckled, leaning against the wall beside you. “Yeah, why not?”

You hesitated. After what happened at the children’s home, you half-expected her to keep avoiding you. But now, here she was, acting like that moment had never happened. Like she hadn’t practically run past you without a word.

Maybe it was better not to ask.

So instead, you shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Fine. But I’m not drinking, so if you’re trying to—”

“I don’t care about that,” she interrupted, smirk still in place. “Just talk to me.”

And so, you did.

You weren’t sure how it happened, but somehow, you and Sae-byeok ended up spending the rest of the party together. She wasn’t as closed-off as you’d expected—she was sarcastic, quick-witted, and had a way of making you laugh without even trying.

She also had a way of making you nervous.

Because the longer you talked, the closer she got. A hand on your waist as she leaned in to hear you better. Fingers brushing against your arm, her breath warm against your ear when she made a teasing remark.

By the time you realized what was happening, it was already too late.

You wanted her.

And she knew it.

Which was probably why, an hour later, you found yourself pressed against your apartment door, Sae-byeok’s lips hot against yours.

You barely remembered how you got there. One second, she was murmuring something about leaving the party, and the next, her hands were on you, her jacket discarded somewhere on the floor as she kissed you like she had been waiting all night for it.

Your fingers tangled in her hair, a soft gasp escaping you when she pressed her body flush against yours. She tasted like cigarettes and something sweet, something undeniably her.

“This okay?” she murmured against your lips, her hands slipping under your shirt, warm against your skin.

You nodded, breathless. “Yeah.”

That was all she needed.

The rest of the night blurred together in a haze of soft moans and tangled sheets, of Sae-byeok’s lips against your skin, her hands exploring every inch of you like she was mapping out something she planned to return to.

And when it was over, when you were both spent and lying in the quiet of your room, you half-expected her to leave.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she lay next to you, her breathing steady in the dim light. Not touching, not speaking. Just existing in the same space.

It felt like something shifted in the air between you.

Something unspoken.

Something neither of you were ready to acknowledge.

Not yet.

The thing about sleeping with Kang Sae-byeok was that it didn’t just stay in your apartment.

It bled into your everyday life—subtle but unmistakable.

At school, it was the way her hand would brush against your waist when she passed by in the hallway, her fingers just barely ghosting over the fabric of your skirt before she was gone. It was the way she’d smirk at you across the library, eyes dark with implication, as if daring you to recall exactly what she had done to you the night before.

It was in the stolen moments between classes, when she’d pull you into an empty classroom or an abandoned stairwell, pressing you against the wall with her lips on your neck, her hands slipping under your shirt just long enough to leave a mark—something only the two of you knew was there.

Yet no one ever caught on.

Not Ji-min, who still dragged you to parties without realizing you had already found the ultimate distraction. Not your professors, who had no idea that the reason you were sometimes a little dazed in class was because Sae-byeok had been between your legs just an hour before.

And certainly not the girls who still fell for Sae-byeok’s effortless charm, unaware that no matter how much she flirted, no matter how many lingering glances she gave them, she always ended up in your bed.

But if anyone should have noticed, it was Chae-won.

Chae-won was one of Sae-byeok’s old hookups—one of many, from what you had heard. She was also a regular customer, which was probably why she was currently pressed up against Sae-byeok outside of one of the campus buildings, whispering something in her ear.

You weren’t close enough to hear, but you didn’t need to.

You could tell exactly what was happening.

Sae-byeok, however, looked… bored.

She handed Chae-won a small baggie—probably molly, maybe coke—and took the cash in exchange, slipping it into her pocket without a word.

Chae-won, clearly expecting more, leaned in closer, her fingers trailing down Sae-byeok’s arm. “Come on, babe,” she murmured, her voice just loud enough for you to catch. “It’s been a while.”

Sae-byeok didn’t even hesitate.

“No.”

Chae-won blinked. “What?”

Sae-byeok sighed, stepping back slightly. “You got what you wanted,” she said, nodding toward the baggie in Chae-won’s hand. “Now go.”

Chae-won’s expression twisted into something almost petulant. “So that’s it? You’re just done with me?”

Sae-byeok’s gaze was flat. “Yeah.”

For a second, Chae-won looked like she might argue, but then she scoffed, shoving the drugs into her pocket. “Whatever,” she muttered before turning on her heel and stalking away.

Sae-byeok watched her go, her expression unreadable. Then, as if sensing your gaze, she glanced up—directly at you.

You raised a brow.

She smirked.

And just like that, she was walking toward you, slipping her hands into her pockets like nothing had happened.

The room was quiet except for the occasional hum of traffic outside your window and the soft rustling of sheets as Sae-byeok shifted beside you.

She was staying the night again.

It had started as just another hookup, another night tangled in each other, breathless and flushed against the sheets. But now, hours later, she was still here, lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling as she took another hit from the joint she had rolled earlier.

You watched as she exhaled slowly, the smoke curling lazily in the dim glow of your bedside lamp.

“You’re gonna stink up my room,” you muttered, but there was no real annoyance in your voice.

Sae-byeok smirked, turning her head to look at you. “You say that like I haven’t already.”

You rolled your eyes, but she wasn’t wrong. The scent of weed mixed with the lingering traces of sweat and sex—of her—was all over your sheets.

You expected her to just enjoy her high in silence, like she usually did. But tonight, something was different.

Because tonight, Sae-byeok started talking.

“You ever think about how fucked up everything is?” she mused, her voice slightly hazy from the weed.

You blinked. “That’s… vague.”

She chuckled, but there was something bitter underneath it. “I mean life. How some people just get fucked over from the start while others have everything handed to them.” She took another drag, then exhaled. “I used to think I could change that. Like, if I worked hard enough, I could make things better.”

You stayed quiet, sensing something deeper in her words.

Sae-byeok let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. “But that’s bullshit. No matter how hard you work, if you’re born at the bottom, you stay at the bottom—unless you’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

You swallowed, watching the way her fingers tightened slightly around the joint.

“That’s why I do what I do,” she continued, staring at the ceiling again. “Selling, stealing, fucking people over if I have to. Because no one’s ever given a shit about me or my brother, so why should I play by the rules? The rules were never made for people like us.”

Her voice cracked slightly on that last part, and your chest ached.

You had known—or at least suspected—that her life wasn’t easy. But hearing it from her, hearing the raw frustration, the exhaustion, the pain in her words… it was different.

You hesitated before reaching out, gently taking the joint from her fingers and setting it aside in the ashtray.

She turned her head toward you, blinking slowly, her pupils blown wide from the high.

“Why are you telling me this?” you asked softly.

Sae-byeok scoffed, but it lacked her usual sharpness. “Maybe I’m too high to shut up.”

You studied her for a moment before murmuring, “Or maybe you just don’t want to be alone with it anymore.”

She didn’t say anything, but the way her jaw tightened told you enough.

You moved closer, hesitantly brushing your fingers over hers. Her breath hitched slightly, but she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she turned onto her side, her dark eyes searching yours, something vulnerable flickering beneath the usual guardedness.

Then, suddenly, her lips were on yours.

It wasn’t like your usual kisses.

This wasn’t rushed, wasn’t just a means to an end. This was slow, deep, desperate in a way that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with something neither of you were ready to name.

You kissed her back just as fiercely, your fingers threading through her hair, pulling her closer, grounding her.

When you finally broke apart, your foreheads rested together, your breaths mingling in the quiet.

“I’m here for you,” you murmured. “Not just for this. For you.”

Sae-byeok tensed slightly, like she wasn’t sure how to process that.

But then, after a long moment, she exhaled and pressed her lips to yours again—softer this time.

The children’s home always had a certain stillness to it, but today, it felt different. Heavier.

You had barely stepped through the doors when the head caretaker, Mrs. Park, approached you, her expression unusually serious.

“Ah, you’re here,” she said, folding her hands in front of her. “I was hoping to talk to you.”

Your stomach twisted. “Is Yu-jin okay?”

Mrs. Park hesitated, and that hesitation alone was enough to make your heart drop.

“She hasn’t been feeling well lately,” she admitted gently. “Nothing too alarming, but she’s been fatigued, hasn’t had much of an appetite, and she’s been getting a lot of bruises.”

You frowned. “Bruises?”

“She says she doesn’t remember how she got them,” Mrs. Park continued, concern etched into her features. “Normally, I’d assume it’s just roughhousing with the other kids, but… I think it would be best if you took her to a doctor.”

Your breath caught in your throat.

Yu-jin was small, but she was tough. She rarely got sick, and when she did, she never complained about it.

If she was acting off, then something was really wrong.

“I’ll take her,” you said immediately. “I’ll call around and see if I can get an appointment for her soon.”

Mrs. Park nodded, giving you a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “She’s in the playroom. She’ll be happy to see you.”

You forced a smile, but your mind was already racing.

You didn’t have much money. Your parents had made sure of that when they dumped Yu-jin at the home and left you to fend for yourself. You could probably scrape together enough for a basic check-up, but if something more serious was going on…

You swallowed hard. You couldn’t think like that. Not yet.

Taking a steadying breath, you made your way to the playroom.

Yu-jin’s face lit up the moment she saw you, but as she ran toward you, you noticed it.

She looked pale. Too pale. And when she threw her arms around you, she felt too light, like she had lost weight since your last visit.

“Unnie!” she chirped, but her voice had a slight rasp to it.

You pulled back slightly, trying to keep the worry off your face. “Hey, baby,” you murmured, brushing some hair out of her face. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

“Mrs. Park said you’ve been tired a lot,” you pressed gently.

Yu-jin pouted. “I just get sleepy. And my legs feel weird sometimes.”

Your stomach clenched.

You needed to get her to a doctor. Soon.

But how the hell were you going to afford it?

And Sae-byeok wasn’t stupid.

She noticed things.

She noticed the way your smile didn’t reach your eyes when you greeted her. The way your responses were shorter, more distant. The way you barely reacted when she slid a hand along your waist in the empty hallway between classes, when normally, you’d roll your eyes and tell her to behave.

At first, she didn’t say anything.

She just watched.

Waited.

But when you barely looked at her during the entire party Ji-min had dragged you to, she had enough.

The moment she got you alone—outside on the balcony, away from the swarm of drunken students—she pressed you against the railing, her hands bracketing you in, her dark eyes scanning your face.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked bluntly.

You blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You’ve been weird all week.” Her head tilted slightly, searching your expression. “What’s going on?”

You swallowed, avoiding her gaze. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”

Sae-byeok didn’t buy it.

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “You never get tired of this.” Her fingers brushed against your hip, her touch light but suggestive. “So what is it?”

For a second, you almost gave in.

Almost let her kiss the thoughts out of your head, let her hands distract you from the weight sitting heavy on your chest.

But you just… couldn’t.

Gently, you reached down and pushed her hand away.

“I’m just not in the mood,” you murmured, barely recognizing the words as they left your lips.

Sae-byeok froze.

It was small, barely noticeable, but you felt the way her body tensed for half a second before she pulled back.

She studied you, her expression unreadable.

Then, she scoffed lightly, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Huh.”

You frowned. “What?”

“Nothing,” she muttered, glancing away. “Guess I’ll see you later, then.”

And just like that, she was gone, disappearing back into the party without another word.

You exhaled, gripping the railing tightly as you shut your eyes.

You knew she wasn’t mad.

But you also knew that Sae-byeok didn’t do feelings.

And for the first time, you worried that she might take your distance as something it wasn’t.

That she might think you didn’t want her anymore.

When really, she was the only person you didn’t want to push away.

Sae-byeok hadn’t planned on staying long.

She never did when she came to visit Cheol. The children’s home always felt too sterile, too full of things she didn’t want to think about. But she came anyway—because Cheol needed her. Because she was the only one looking out for him.

But today, something was wrong.

The moment she stepped through the front gates, she noticed the emergency vehicle parked outside, its flashing lights casting eerie reflections against the windows. A group of caretakers stood near the entrance, their faces tight with concern as paramedics wheeled out a small gurney.

A child lay on it.

A little girl.

Sae-byeok barely spared the scene a glance. Kids got sick all the time. Accidents happened. It wasn’t any of her business.

She walked past them, slipping inside the building and heading toward the playroom where she knew Cheol would be.

When she found him, he was sitting on the floor, his coloring book open in front of him—but he wasn’t coloring. He was just staring at the page, gripping a crayon so tightly his knuckles were white.

Sae-byeok frowned, crouching down beside him. “What’s with you?”

Cheol glanced up, his face unusually serious. “Yu-jin got sick.”

Sae-byeok blinked. “Who?”

“My friend.” He pointed toward the door, as if she should’ve already known. “She was here with me. We were coloring, and then she said she felt dizzy. She tried to stand up, but she just—” He hesitated, swallowing hard. “She fell, noona. She wouldn’t wake up. The teachers called the ambulance.”

Something in Sae-byeok’s chest twisted uncomfortably.

She exhaled, ruffling Cheol’s hair in what she hoped was a reassuring way. “She’ll be fine,” she muttered. “Hospitals know what they’re doing.”

Cheol didn’t look convinced, but he just nodded, his small fingers still clenched around the crayon.

Sae-byeok sighed, about to change the subject—

Then, movement outside caught her eye.

She turned her head, glancing through the window just in time to see you rushing toward the caretakers, your face pale, your breathing uneven.

You were crying.

Sae-byeok went still.

You barely even spoke before one of the women gently grabbed your arms, trying to steady you, trying to explain something.

And suddenly, everything clicked.

The little girl.

Yu-jin.

Your sister.

Sae-byeok’s stomach dropped.

She had never asked much about your life. Never pried, never pushed. But she had seen you at this home before. She had known you were visiting someone.

And now, she knew exactly who.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched you wipe at your tears, nodding shakily to whatever one of the caretakers was saying before turning toward the emergency vehicle.

Sae-byeok wasn’t sure what she was doing before she was already moving.

Sae-byeok barely spared Cheol a glance as she stood up.

“I gotta go,” she muttered, ruffling his hair quickly before heading for the door.

She ignored the way he called after her, ignored the way her own pulse pounded in her ears.

Because right now, nothing mattered except getting to you.

By the time she stepped outside, you were still standing near the emergency vehicle, your hands shaking as you wiped at your face. The paramedics were already inside, shutting the doors, preparing to drive off.

Sae-byeok barely hesitated before striding up to you.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice sharp but not unkind.

You startled slightly, turning to her with wide, tear-filled eyes. For a second, you just stared at her, like you couldn’t believe she was actually here.

Then, your face crumpled, and you exhaled shakily.

“It’s Yu-jin,” you murmured. “She—she’s been sick for weeks, but I thought—” You swallowed hard, gripping your arms as if to hold yourself together. “She collapsed. They think it’s aplastic anemia.”

Sae-byeok frowned. “What the hell is that?”

“It—it means her bone marrow isn’t making enough blood cells. She’s been pale, getting bruises, getting tired easily…” You inhaled sharply, shaking your head. “I should’ve taken her to a doctor sooner.”

Your voice broke on that last word, and Sae-byeok felt something clench painfully in her chest.

She wasn’t good at this. At comforting people. At knowing what to say.

But fuck, she hated seeing you like this.

So she did the only thing she could.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing your wrist firmly but gently.

You blinked. “What?”

“I’m coming with you.”

You hesitated, your lip trembling. “Sae-byeok, you don’t have to—”

“I know,” she interrupted. “But I’m still going.”

You stared at her for a moment, like you were trying to find a reason to push her away.

But then, something in you gave in.

You nodded.

And without another word, the two of you got into your car and drove to the hospital.

Sae-byeok didn’t let go of your wrist the entire way.

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and something sterile, something cold.

You hated it.

You sat in one of the stiff plastic chairs in the waiting room, your knee bouncing anxiously, your fingers twisting together in your lap. The fluorescent lights above you buzzed faintly, but everything else had faded into white noise.

You could still see Yu-jin in your head—too pale, too small, strapped to a gurney with an oxygen mask over her face as they wheeled her away.

Your stomach twisted.

Beside you, Sae-byeok sat silently, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

She hadn’t left your side since you got here.

She hadn’t said much either—not since the nurse had told you that Yu-jin was being stabilized, that a doctor would come speak to you soon.

At first, you weren’t sure why she had come at all.

This wasn’t her problem. She didn’t do emotional support. She didn’t do waiting rooms or hospitals or sitting next to you while you tried to keep from falling apart.

But she was here.

And when your breath hitched, when your fingers clenched into fists against your thighs, she moved.

Wordlessly, her hand slid over yours, her fingers prying yours open, threading through them.

You swallowed hard, your throat tight.

“I’m scared,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

Sae-byeok exhaled softly, her thumb brushing over your knuckles. “I know.”

You turned to look at her. “She’s all I have.”

Sae-byeok’s jaw tightened slightly, her dark eyes flickering with something you couldn’t quite place.

Then, after a long moment, she squeezed your hand.

“No, she’s not.”

Your lips parted slightly, your pulse stuttering.

Sae-byeok didn’t elaborate.

She just kept holding your hand, grounding you, keeping you tethered to something solid as the minutes dragged by.

The waiting room had never felt so suffocating.

Every second that passed felt like an eternity, stretching thin over the weight pressing against your chest. Sae-byeok’s hand in yours was the only thing keeping you grounded, keeping you from spiraling completely.

Then, finally, the doctor arrived.

She was a middle-aged woman with tired eyes and a clipboard tucked under her arm. She gave you a small, professional smile before sitting down across from you.

“You’re Yu-jin’s guardian?” she asked gently.

You nodded quickly. “Yes. How is she?”

The doctor sighed, folding her hands in her lap. “She’s stable for now, but her condition is serious. Aplastic anemia is rare, but it can be treated. However, it requires aggressive management—blood transfusions, medications, and in severe cases, a bone marrow transplant.”

Your stomach twisted. “A transplant?”

She nodded. “It’s the best chance for a full recovery, but it’s not easy to find a compatible donor. In the meantime, we’ll need to start her on immediate treatments to manage her symptoms.”

Your pulse pounded in your ears. “And… how much will that cost?”

The doctor’s expression softened, as if she had been expecting that question. “That depends. Do you have insurance?”

You opened your mouth—then closed it.

Your fingers curled against your jeans, gripping the fabric tightly. You could feel Sae-byeok watching you, waiting for your answer.

But you didn’t have one.

Because you already knew the truth.

You had nothing. No insurance. No savings. Just barely enough money to scrape by, let alone pay for something as massive as this.

But you couldn’t say that.

Not out loud.

So instead, you swallowed past the lump in your throat and forced a small, polite smile.

“Thank you for your help, doctor,” you murmured.

The woman hesitated, her gaze flickering over you, as if she could see the weight of what you weren’t saying.

But she just nodded. “Of course. I’ll have a nurse bring you the paperwork soon. In the meantime, you can see Yu-jin once she’s moved to a room.”

You nodded stiffly, watching as the doctor stood and walked away.

The second she was gone, you felt Sae-byeok shift beside you.

“You don’t have insurance,” she said flatly.

You inhaled sharply, keeping your eyes on the floor. “I’ll figure something out.”

Sae-byeok didn’t respond right away.

Then, quietly—

“You can’t pay for this, can you?”

Your throat tightened.

You couldn’t look at her.

Because if you did, you’d break.

So instead, you just squeezed your hands into fists, forcing yourself to take a deep breath.

“I’ll figure it out,” you repeated, but the words felt empty.

Because you had no idea how.

Lunch at school was usually loud—full of chatter, laughter, and the occasional shouting match over stolen food.

But at your table, it was quiet.

You barely touched your tray, pushing food around absentmindedly with your chopsticks. Your mind was still at the hospital, still stuck in that suffocating waiting room, still haunted by the sight of Yu-jin lying in that hospital bed, too small, too pale.

Sae-byeok sat across from you, watching.

She had been watching you all morning.

And when she finally spoke, her voice was calm. Steady.

“Here.”

You blinked, looking up just in time to see her slide something across the table toward you.

A thick envelope.

You frowned. “What is this?”

Sae-byeok didn’t answer right away. She just leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

“Take it,” she said simply.

You hesitated, fingers hovering over the envelope before finally picking it up and peeking inside—

And your breath caught.

It was cash.

A lot of cash. Stacks of bills, neatly bundled together, more money than you had ever held in your hands before.

Your stomach twisted. “Sae-byeok…”

“For Yu-jin,” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

You shook your head immediately, pushing the envelope back toward her. “No. No, I can’t take this.”

Sae-byeok’s jaw clenched. “You don’t have a choice.”

“Yes, I do!” Your voice was quiet but urgent, pleading. “Sae-byeok, this is your money. You worked for this. I can’t take everything you have—”

“I don’t need it,” she interrupted.

You swallowed, shaking your head again. “Please,” you whispered. “Don’t do this.”

For the first time, something flickered in her expression. Maybe frustration. Maybe something else.

But after a moment, she exhaled, grabbing the envelope and shoving it back into her bag.

“Fine,” she muttered. “I won’t force you.”

You sagged with relief. “Thank you.”

Sae-byeok didn’t say anything.

She just nodded, finishing her food in silence.

You thought that was the end of it.

You thought she had listened.

But you should’ve known better.

Sae-byeok skipped her afternoon classes.

No one stopped her when she slipped out the back of the school, her bag slung over her shoulder, her hood pulled up.

She had a job to do.

Getting to the hospital didn’t take long. She had been there before, knew her way around well enough. And it wasn’t hard to figure out where to go—she had overheard the doctor say Yu-jin’s name, had seen the forms in your hands.

Kim Yu-jin.

When she reached the billing office, she didn’t hesitate.

The receptionist barely glanced up. “Can I help you?”

“I’m here to pay a bill,” Sae-byeok said smoothly, pulling out the envelope of cash and setting it on the counter. “For Kim Yu-jin.”

The receptionist blinked, clearly surprised. “Are you a family member?”

Sae-byeok didn’t even flinch. “Yeah.”

The woman hesitated before nodding, typing something into the computer. “Alright. The family still has a significant balance, but this will cover a large portion of the immediate treatments.”

“Good.”

The receptionist paused, glancing at the cash before looking back at her.

“No questions?” she asked carefully.

Sae-byeok met her gaze, unblinking. "Nope."

You knew something was wrong the moment you walked into the hospital.

The nurse at the front desk greeted you with a polite smile, the kind that only made your stomach twist.

“Good evening, Miss Kim,” she said. “We wanted to let you know that a substantial payment was made toward Yu-jin’s treatment earlier today.”

Your breath caught.

“What?”

The nurse nodded. “Yes, a young woman came in this afternoon. She said she was family and paid in cash.”

Your fingers curled against the counter.

A young woman.

Cash.

No.

No, she wouldn’t—

Your heart pounded as you spun on your heel, barely muttering a thank-you before storming out of the hospital.

You already knew where to find her.

Sae-byeok was leaning against the gate in front of the school when you found her, hands stuffed into her jacket pockets, looking like she didn’t have a care in the world.

But the moment she saw your face, her expression shifted.

You didn’t slow down.

The second you reached her, you shoved at her shoulder—hard.

She barely stumbled, just blinked at you, unimpressed. “What the hell—”

“What did you do?” you hissed.

Sae-byeok exhaled, rolling her eyes. “You already know.”

Your hands clenched into fists at your sides. “I told you not to—”

“And I told you that you didn’t have a choice.”

Your chest tightened. “That wasn’t your decision to make!”

Sae-byeok scoffed. “Yeah? And what was your plan, then? Huh?” She took a step closer, her voice low but sharp. “Just sit around and hope the money magically appears? Let Yu-jin get worse because you’re too fucking proud to accept help?”

You flinched, your throat tightening. “That’s not—”

“She needs treatment,” Sae-byeok snapped. “She needs money. And you don’t have any.”

You swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. “And you do?”

She didn’t answer.

But she didn’t have to.

Because you knew.

You had always known.

Sae-byeok didn’t have a normal job. She didn’t come from money. The cash she had given you—it wasn’t clean.

And she had spent it all on you.

Your eyes burned.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” you whispered.

Sae-byeok’s jaw tightened. “Yeah, well.” She looked away, exhaling sharply. “Too late.”

Something in you cracked.

Because this—this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. You weren’t supposed to need her. You weren’t supposed to owe her.

But now, you did.

And you had no idea how to handle that.

So instead, you just inhaled shakily, shaking your head. “I don’t know how to repay you.”

Sae-byeok studied you for a long moment.

Then, quietly—

“I don’t want your money.”

You swallowed. “Then what do you want?”

She hesitated, her fingers twitching slightly in her pockets.

Then—

“You.”

Your breath hitched.

But before you could even begin to respond, she turned away.

“Come on,” she muttered. “I’ll walk you home.”

And just like that, the conversation was over.

But the weight of her words stayed with you the entire way back.

[lesbomaticlove]

ive talked about it before but i wanna talk about it again and that's

body types in drawing especially in terms of one piece characters

and i know its because official art presents them all the same but it just does not feel right to me, y'know? especially when i look at fanart and it looks like they just drew the same body multiple times with different faces (talent in that yes but god change it up a bit PLEASE)

like with my style i like to draw semi-realistic cartoon type beat, and that means im thinking about an abstract of shape language in the way that i present the characters. i consider their fighting styles and workouts when i think about what their body type would be, not just for op ive done this with mha and jjk characters too because god dammit gege, maki deserves bulkier muscles for her efforts

so here it is. my analysis of more semi-realistic designs for these characters. all my opinion and not meant to be a call out to anyone.

also, not including the women because we all know how unrealistic they look and i dont need to explain that to you im begging just use reference.

LUFFY

rubberhose arms are ESSENTIAL in his design so when i draw him, i never put too much definition in his muscles. real definition should be reserved for gears that alter his muscles

noodly arms and stick ass legs that is his Charm thank you i dont need super definition

ZORO

on the opposite end of the spectrum, zoro.

though, i see many people draw him more bodybuilder silhouette when he should be powerlifter silhouette, youve SEEN how this man works out. stereotypical bodybuilder physique that's all muscle and no fat is EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY TO MAINTAIN and you know theres no damn way sanjis letting someone on the ship watch their weight for the sake of visuals. he should be defined and bulky, but softer edges on the abs.

USOPP

Speaking first on pre ts, what does he excel at most? long range weapons and running.

obviously he gets proper strength training during timeskip, but i really think the best representative for him is olympic sprinters

muscular, but still pretty skinny

SANJI

hear me out. ballet physique.

i see him drawn w the same physique as Zoro and it just feels so wrong. he doesnt train his upper body, so most of his definition would be in his core and legs. not to mention his flexibility tracks with that.

maybe ill come back with a figure study on these later to fully show how it translates into my drawings but. for now. tumblr wont let me add any more images to this post

[midnightdahlias]

First Impressions

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summery - (based on pilot episode) you meet the boys for the first time, and it doesnt exaclty go smoothly word count - 1.1K cws - fem!reader, mentions of a gun, very very slight threat , mentions of john winchester (horrorfying ik), lmk if i missed anything a/n - Hi so this is my first time writing, hope you like it. I apologise if it's not the best, english isn't my first language. BUT I hope you like it either way and any feedback is appreciated !

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“Dean. Something is starting to happen. I think it’s serious. I need to try and figure out what’s going on… [muffled voices]… If you don’t hear from me, call the number I left you. Be very careful, Dean. We’re all in danger.”

After running it through EVP software, neither of them was any closer to figuring out what the hell John Winchester had gotten himself into.

“What about the number he mentioned? Have you called it?” Sam asked, his brow furrowed as he replayed the message in his head.

“Tried it twice. Straight to an automated voicemail both times. Whoever it belongs to doesn’t seem keen on answering,” Dean sighed, frustration creeping into his tone. He had assumed it was a contact of their father’s, someone John trusted, but the silence from the other end only deepened his suspicions. Maybe something had happened to that person, too.

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Working odd jobs was your way of staying afloat between hunts. Running scams and hustling drunks at bars could only get you so far. As much as you hated working in crappy diners, the little bit of honest money made you feel better about yourself—well, slightly better. Hunting wasn’t exactly a glamorous life, but knowing you were helping people survive the creatures that go bump in the night gave you purpose.

You were just wrapping up your final shift at a shitty diner, ready to head out of town, when your phone rang again. Unknown number.

This was the third time today, and you were getting sick of it. The first call, you’d been asleep and missed it. The second time, you couldn’t pick up because you had a customer at the counter. But this time, you were free to finally figure out who was bugging you. You weren’t used to calls like this—you could count on one hand the amount of people that had your number, so to call this weird was a bit of an understatement.

But before you could even answer, the call cut off after just a few seconds. Weird. You almost didn’t bother calling back, but as you started to switch your phone off, it buzzed again.

You didn’t hesitate this time—just hit ‘answer’ and pressed it to your ear.

“Who is this?”

All you heard was some muffled noise on the other end before the call dropped.

It wasn’t exactly paranoia that made you hesitate to call back. More like years of experience dealing with sketchy things that were best left alone. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right, so you stuffed the phone in your pocket and started walking back to your motel. The day had already been stressful enough, but as you made your way down the empty street, a prickling sensation crawled up your spine. You were being followed.

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“Where’d she go?” Dean frowned, looking around. She had been just a few feet ahead of them, and now she was gone.

Sam didn’t even get a chance to reply before Dean’s body slammed into his, knocking him to the ground in a tangled mess of limbs.

“Who are you, and why are you following me?”

The voice above them was calm but carried a dangerous edge. Looking up, the brothers found themselves staring down the barrel of a gun.

“You’ve got about ten seconds to answer,” you warned, your grip steady as you studied the two strangers.

Dean raised his hands in mock surrender, trying to defuse the situation. “Hey, hey, how about we put the gun down and have a nice, calm conversation?”

“You didn’t answer my questions,” you countered, cocking the gun for emphasis. “Who are you, and why are you following me?”

“Okay, okay,” Sam said quickly, his voice trying to calm the situation after his brothers failed attempt. “My name’s Sam, and this is my brother Dean. We’re the ones who called you.”

You narrowed your eyes. That answered part of your question, but it only left you more confused.

“What?” you asked, confused, but not about to lower the gun just yet.

Dean blurted out, “Look, we’re looking for our dad. He told us to call you if we couldn’t reach him. We saw you pick up at the diner, and we got curious.”

“So you followed me like a couple of creeps instead of just talking to me?” you shot back, irritation creeping into your voice.

The brothers exchanged an awkward glance, clearly realizing how bad it sounded, trying to come up with a defense that made them sound less like creepy stalkers.

“Wait, who’s your dad?” you asked, cutting off whatever pathetic excuses that were about to escape their mouths.

“John Winchester,” Dean offered plainly. Glad of the change in question.

The name hit you like a truck. You’d crossed paths with John only a few days ago, working separate cases in the same area. You hadn’t thought much of it when he disappeared; you’d assumed he’d wrapped up his hunt and moved on. Clearly, that wasn’t the case.

“You’re John’s sons?” you asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question. “Well, that makes sense.” You sighed to yourself, eyeing the two.

You lowered your gun and holstered it, extending a hand to each of the boys, helping them to their feet while silently offering an unspoken truce.

Dean accepted your hand, brushing himself off. “You know him?”

“Yeah, I know him,” you replied, the faintest hint of distaste creeping into your tone. Sam caught it, his lips twitching in amusement, though Dean didn’t seem to notice.

“He’s missing,” Dean said, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

John Winchester missing? That didn’t sit right with you. Although a right ass, the guy was tough as nails, one of the best hunters you’d ever met.

“He was hunting something out here and just vanished. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

You thought for a moment before answering. “I saw him a couple of days ago. Last thing he said was that he was heading to Sylvania Bridge to check something out.”

Sam stepped in, his voice hopeful. “Would you help us find him? If he told us to call you, he must’ve thought you could help.”

You hesitated. You weren’t the type to work with others, especially hunters. They were usually more trouble than they were worth. But there was something about these two that made you pause, something that felt like you were meant to help them. Not that you believed in fate or anything…

“Fine,” you said with a sigh. “I’ll help. But don’t make me regret this.”

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masterlist

[listofwhyyouloveher]

Gang x reader who is latina that talked Spanish in front of them for the first time. For example, the reader asked them to bring them something in Spanish and they didn't understand?? Also I love your works

Summary: The reader speaking spanish with the gang for the first time. Warnings: none Author's Note: short today, something bugging out w tumblr... oops PONYBOY CURTIS Pony actually asked you to speak spanish with him before he heard you saying it naturally. He needs to study for his spanish test and asked you to help him with pronounciation. Because of this you're now helping him everyday and testing his knowledge by asking him random questions. He thinks its super cool that you can speak more than one language and finds it really attractive because he really values intelligence. JOHNNY CADE Johnny isn't all that smart when it comes to different languages. He'll pick up on the basics like "hello," and "i love you" (which he never says in spanish because he feels like his american accent might make embarrassing) But everything else that you've tried to teach him just flew over his head. One day, you were completely zoned out and thought you were talking to your parents and asked him for a glass of water in spanish. He looked so confused and you had to explain it to him. he made more of an effort to learn your language after that. SODAPOP CURTIS

Soda took spanish in school too, but he has the most god-awful accent and he rarely uses it so he's lost most of his knowledge. He refrained from speaking spanish with you because he thought he'd mess up and say something wrong or embarrassing. He only started after you initiated it. He vaguely understood what you were saying and completed your task accordingly. You praised him for his understanding and he really enjoyed having you proud of him. he started learning just so you could smile and say that he was doing good. STEVE RANDLE Steve also took spanish with Soda, and he didnt goof off in class, he actually paid attention!! He's pretty good at spanish, he can hold a conversation on his own, which is technically how he met you. But he hasn't heard you speak spanish in a while, so when he does hear you ask for something in your native language he's so happy that you're comfortable speaking with him. He tries to initiate more conversations in spanish and also gets you to teach him a lot more. TWO BIT MATHEWS Two Bit took spanish but he was always goofing off in class and crumpled and threw more papers than he wrote on. He knows the most basic of the basic words, but other than that he's totally clueless. Especially when you talked to him in spanish because you can speak kind of quickly. He's a little ashamed that he cant understand you, and he's afraid to admit it, but you understood and just repeated yourself in english. He made it his goal to learn a little more basic phrases and actually understand you a little bit. DARRY CURTIS Darry's grades had always been at the top, that includes his spanish class. He was really good and could understand a lot. He was pretty keen on trying to be fluent but those plans fell through. He's not kept up his practice so he thought you would help him once and a while, but he's too shy to ask you to start speaking your native language with him. He waits for you to say something in spanish by mistake to respond and make it known that he's actually pretty damn good at spanish. After that, he's always trying to talk to you in your mother tongue! DALLAS WINSTON This man doesnt know shit and you know it. He never showed up to his spanish class, and when ever he did he'd just write obscenities on the chalkboard. The only spanish words he knows are "hola, chica" which he uses to very crudely pick up girls with that DAMN NEW YORK ACCENT. and cuss words, he knows a lot of spanish cuss words. Just to get on his nerves he'll just spew random cuss words in spanish when he feels like it. He once got you soooo pissed that you just started yelling at him in spanish. (do you guys remember that one clip of the goth girl yelling at this white boy in spanish at school or is it just me) he thinks its lowkey really cute and he'll rub it in your face that you don't 'scare' him. HES SUCH A DICKHEAD WHY IS HE SO CUTE RAHH

[skatingbi]

So hear me out on my headcanon guys:

Sanji with heterochromia (i cant spell that fuckin word man..) where one eye is blue and another is brown. He always hides the blue eye.

The first one to notice is Zoro, who is immediantly like "holy shit youre eyes are pretty" and sanji is like "what the FUCK"

Actually fuck it im gonna write about this nobody can stop me.

Sometimes, on lonley nights in the gallery, when Sanji is busy prepping, he looks in the reflection of his knife. Underneath the frizzy mess of a fringe that is part of his hair reveals the blue eye he struggles looking at. He stares, scrutinizing that light blue in the gleam of his knife gripped tightly in his hand. He looks away to force his attention back on prep work. His hands are always slightly unsteady after those moments. He always ends up with a cut on his hand one way or another on those nights.

When Sanji was a kid, his brothers would use his heterochromia as a weapon against him. He was the freak with two colored eyes. They would say his blue eye was creepy, too. Not only was he weak but also too different to be called their brother.

When you're a kid, you take these insults to heart. Eventually, when you're barely into adulthood, they'll still plague you. They become a part of you, just like how Zeff's teachings became a part of Sanji.

Judge looked at his eyes with disgust masked by indifference. It was another reason for Sanji to assume why he was the failure. The outcast. The runt of the litter.

His mother had blue eyes. She always claimed Sanji got his blue eye from her because her father had heterochromia, too. That was the only time little Sanji felt normal. When she died, Sanji started to grow out his hair to hide the only thing he had left of her: her eyes.

Now, Sanji still hides her eyes from view. Realistically, Sanji is fully aware that none of the crew would give a rats ass what he looked like. Regardless, old habits die hard. He feels safe under the mask he made for himself. As he goes about preparing lunch, perhaps grilled sea king again with how luffy is always eager to fight those things, he lets his mind wander to his eyes more. While hands expertly move through his knife like an extension of his body, he thinks about the mess of blond hair that's always in the way. He'd never admit it out loud, but his hair actually bothers him. Since it started growing out, it gets everywhere; his mouth, in his eyes, and tangled in the buttons of his shirt. Is sanji happy with his longer hair? Absolutely. It's a nusiance to leave it down constantly, though.

As he's thinking this, he's blowing the fringe of hair covering his face out of the way every so often so it stops tickling his nose. He continues to evenly slice through a portion of sea king meat until somebody, Nami he realizes immediantly, speaks up.

"Do you need a hair tie, sanji?" Nami asks sweetly. Her smile is radiant, as always, while she looks up from the map shes been studying. Sanji didnt even realize Nami came in and made the kitchen table into a study until now, but he doesnt dwell on it. Nami is welcome in his kitchen, after all.

"Oh no, thank you, Nami-swan! I think I just need a haircut soon," Sanji lies as he's moving through the kitchen. He gives Nami a quick smile before turning back to the meat on the cutting board and avoids Nami's gaze under the disguise of being busy. His lie wasn't as believable as he wanted it to be, especially when he's stumbling over his words while he is usually eloquent with them towards Nami and Robin.

"But until then, you should take one! I probably have hundreds lying around my room anyways," She says. It's a peace offering designed to be in Sanji's language of communication. It secretly says he's getting that hairtie whether he wants it or not, and Sanji is weak enough to accept the offering. He takes the hair tie with a grateful smile, wrapping it around his wrist and going back to his current task. Nami and Sanji work in comfortable silence after that, but the hair tie weighs on his wrist like a weighted bracelet.

A few days pass by. Through every single one, he stares at the hair tie in the morning. He really should tie his hair back. It reaches his shoulders for gods sake, and it keeps getting in his mouth - but that small part of him that clings onto grief like its all that he knows refuses to. He doesn't think he can bring himself to share the only part of himself that he truly loves deep down. What if the crew really thinks it's weird? What if his brothers are right?

These what if's roam in the back of his mind. They lurk just beneath the surface like an unknown predator hidden in murky water. He ignores it along with the anxiety that crawls up his throat every time he looks at his wrist.

Then, a week passes by. Now he's in his kitchen making a simple breakfast for his nakama. Franky, in particular, will enjoy this since his tastes lie within American style food most of the time. He focuses on seasoning the eggs, some of them cooked differently to cater to everyone's tastes. While he goes through the familiar and therapeutic motions of cooking, the door opens to reveal an annoying head of mossy hair and the steady noise of three swords bumping each other at the hip.

" Oi, go to sleep in your own bunk. I dont need you stinkin' up my kitchen while im trying to work." He utters without looking up from the stove.

"Why can't I just sleep here shit cook?" Zoro grunts. Sanji hears him shuffle around on the gallery's couch behind him. He's probably lying down, or maybe he'll sleep sitting up again, or maybe he'll watch Sanji cook. That's the most irritating one, which usually ends up with them fighting out on the deck one way or another.

"Because youre fuckin' annoying, get out."

"The hell I am, I'm taking a nap here."

"Oh my - You know what?" Sanji whips around to glare at Zoro, making sure the knife he was using is now in his hand to point at the source of his ire, "Fine, but if I hear a single snore out of you I'm kicking you into the ocean!" He threatens and turns around to finish up with breakfast. By now, all he has left is pancakes. The batter was prepped earlier, so now it's just focusing on pouring evenly. It's task that's menial but still important to him regardless.

His hair is covering his face too much. He tries to shake his head to flip it to the side. It falls back to where it was before he can pick the bowl of batter back up. He brushes it over his shoulder, and it simply flows back over it. He blows his hair out of the way, a classic move, but not even that works and he's slamming the bowl down on the counter before he can even stop himself and walks away from his work to grab the hairtie from around his wrist. In a few fluid motions, he ties his hair back haphazardly into a poor attempt at a low bun, but it's out of his face, and now he can focus.

He's too deep in concentration to even remember that he has heterochromia in the first place. Cooking lowers his guard unlike anything else in the world. The gallery acts like a safe space and cooking is his comfort. He still forgets, too, while calling for Zoro to get his lazy ass up to help since he's decided to loiter in his kitchen.

"Hey moss, if you're gonna laze around my kitchen, set the table for me." His request demand is met with a middle finger, which Sanji gladly returns as he walks over to the couch to kick Zoro on the stomach. The half asleep annoyance is now suddenly alert and glares at Sanji for a moment before it's quickly replaced with a look Sanji has yet to add to his mental notes he likes to call "Marimo Dictionary". Zoro's eyebrows are slightly raised, and his eyes glitter with something Sanji rarely sees. He's never been able to place a name on that look. Now he's confused. "What? Dont give me that youre tired crap youre not fuckin 10." He says.

Zoro is still looking at him, though, and now Sanji looks back with confusion because what the fuck is he-

Oh. His eyes.

Shit.

Sanji rips the hairtie out of his hair at light speed, probably pulling a few strands out by accident in the process but he could honestly care less when theres something more important. Like whatever the fuck just happened.

Before he can turn away and go set the table himself to distance himself from the marimo, Zoro's hand moves suddenly to grab his wrist, stopping him from running away.

"Wait, wait, hold on," Zoro pleads. And what the fuck. Zoro has never said anything like that and its fucking with Sanji's head because what the fuck. "You...uh." He continues in his signature graceless way. "Your eyes..." He pauses after that, sitting up and looking at Sanji, but not just looking, he's looking.

"Marimo," Sanji's own voice is riddled with anxiety with how shaky it is now. "Let me go dumbass," He demands but it could have been mistaken for him begging with how much he's struggling to keep himself together.

He's anticipating the worst. He knows what he's expecting. Sanji has experienced it countless times before, and he's aware he will again right now while a pancake is probably burning on the pan for all he knows.

It doesnt.

Zoro is looking at him still, maintaining eye contact but also darting between both eyes. He's looking at him like those golden eyes are looking into his soul and its too much.

It's too much because Zoro's response is uncharacteristically soft in so many ways. Zoro speaks to him like he's speaking with reverence, "Your eyes are beautiful."

Sanji shatters on the gallery floor there. His soul is bare for Zoro to see suddenly and that terrifies Sanji. Nobody has ever told him he's beautiful. Especially his eyes. He yanks his wrist from Zoro's grasp and speed walks to the stove to turn it off and remove the burnt pancake from the pan. He doesnt respond. He cant, not when his heart flutters when it should have been anchored down by rejection.

Then, Sanji walks up to Zoro, grabs onto both his shoulders, pushes him out the gallery door with surprisingly little resistance, and slams it shut. He leans against the door, sliding down until he's sitting on the floor with his head tucked between his knees. His face is burning and his face is probably red like a tomato right now. He stares at the ground with wide eyes and a weirdly giddy feeling in his chest and stomach nearly akin to happiness but also dangerously close to feeling freaked the hell out.

"What the fuck."

[k4ychiko]

How would look cultists (Old faith) Look in your Cotl band au? And bishops? And how they Role change?

I NEED ANSWERS

Heres their full ref sheet!

Ive made a bunch of doodles and art (under the #cotl band au tag) but i'll be planning to make more art of them! Theyre very dear to me..

I'll write some stuff down here about the characters

Keep in mind this au is not related to scott pilgrim 😭😭 just cus i drew lamb in that poster doesnt correlate to the show pls thank you!!

So since its a modern au, Some stuff might not be similar to the original lore in the game such as the bishops injury and what not lol

-

Shamura - multi purpose

They learned to play a lot of instruments at a very young age, and passed their talent to their siblings. Shamura thought of teaching them only as a hobby, not fully knowing well that they'd form a band.

Shamura couldn't finish their education because they needed to be the one providing for their younger siblings. They work as a tailor.

But despite it all Shamura is still very wise and smart.

Shamura is 31.

-

Kallamar - keyboard and backup

kallamar's voice has always been my favourite because of how soft and melodic it sounded in the game. So not only is he a keyboardist, but also a backing vocalist too.

He's in a polyamorous marriage. Two wives and 1 husband. (Kallamar also has a son.)

And because of his family, kallamar couldn't attend in majority of their band practices

He's hard of hearing. Knows sign language.

Kallamar is 27.

-

Heket - bass

Heket can speak, but prefers to appear mute to the audience.

She speaks using sign language. Everyone in the band knows sign lanuage.

Heket is currently in college learning mechanical engineering.

She's bisexual. And currently dating someone. (Not revealing who just yet)

Sozo and Heket are very good friends. Enjoying tea time together and talking a lot of things. Mostly about mushrooms and family.

She's 22.

-

Leshy - drummer

Leshy and yellow cat (named Fian in this au) are dorm roommates and best friends. Some believe they are more than friends.

All his chaotic energy and anger goes to banging on those drums. Shamura thought it was meant to be.

Leshy studies biology. People didnt believe him when he revealed he's one of the top students in his college.

He has a really good memory. Memorized the drums layout immediately after losing his vision.

Hes 20.

-

Narinder - lead guitarist

Dropped out of college to focus on the band. Bad decision really.

Aym and Baal were the only nerdy fans to get close and have a sweet relationship with nari. Like he's their uncle.

Narinder and Lamb used to date when they were 20. They broke up because of miscommunication (and many more reasons). they are in good terms 3 years later.

Lamb had moved on from their relationship, but nari hasnt.

-

Lamb - Lead singer

Lamb can do a death metal scream, dont let that innocent look fool you.

They were recruited in the band by narinder and became the leader.

Ratau adopted Lamb

Lamb's songs are somewhat religious and has a cult vibe. But sometimes they focus about relationships and struggles.

Lamb and Goat are really great best friends. Maybe even more than best friends.

-

If u guys wanna know more feel free to ask me!

[mochinomnoms]

placing a trail of sweet treats

oh no i hope someone with a tweel addiction and a shit ton of kalim headcannons doesnt follow me and share some

blinks my beady little eyes at you

MWAH 💋

~💋 anon

*grabs sweet and shoves in mouth* kalim actually thinks poisons are kinda cool from the many years of attempted assassinations. he's fascinated by the immunity he's built and curious about how they're made. while he messes up in potions class quite a bit, he's eerily familiar with them when the class gets to the point of studying and making poisons.

*shoves another snack in mouth* kalim's giving love language is gift giving, which isn't much of a surprise. he just wants to make sure you're never in need, and he is so easily able to provide, so why shouldn't he? But his receiving love language is physical affection, which is really no surprise. He craves the feeling of another person on him, whether it's a brush of their fingers or a full on hug, he loves the swell of his heart when he touches you.

*shoves final piece of snack* whenever kalim goes back home, his siblings will cuddle pile him at bed. he likes it, and the pressure of all his siblings on top of him is very comforting.

[biibini]

modern!mizu headcannons

a/n: my brain has been nothing but her so it’s ab time i write ab her. i’ve read a bunch of modern!mizu headcannons ab her but i need more !! it becomes a drabble at the end but my girl deserves peace and happiness pls

i’ve read a lot of hc w her in uni so i’ll prob stick to the similar things ive read + more

modern!mizu would def be in university studying mechanical engineering

ik this is specific but pls hear me out it fits bc shes a smartie & her adopted dad (master eiji) was a very technical person when she was growing up

she’s also in uni due to an engineering scholarship

modern!mizu is usually at the gym if it wasn’t for classes and fixing her bike

yes she has a motorcycle. i stand by this hc and many others who share similar ideas.

prob a kawasaki ninja but decked out w her own alternations

modern!mizu is a gym rat but is too stubborn to admit it, esp after taigen pointed it out once

likes to go in the early morning for the peace and quiet

she typically goes in for cardio and weights to keep her healthy and in shape but has dabbled in calisthenics before

taigen used to fence w her before he got into other sports such as basketball

(random thought but he just looks like he would play basketball player)

modern!mizu is very smart… but has a slight huge problem with procrastination

akemi has tried many studying techniques with mizu but it ends up her procrastinating and finishing alone

she prefers studying alone in the library or at her desk, until you came along

(ill elaborate on mizu & reader another time)

modern!mizu cannot cook for shit i’m sorry

she can kinda chef it up but it’s taken her a while she nearly burnt the kitchen and has repeatedly turned on the fire alarm and now ringo has ptsd

usually ringo will cook something or help her cook

speaking of ringo

her and ringo are roommates in off-campus housing 2 bed 2 bath

at first, dad eiji was a bit hesitant since he was helping mizu move in but warmed up to ringo once he cooked them dinner (his mom’s soba recipe)

mizu swears she saw a tear roll down her dad’s cheek that day

modern!mizu usually dresses more casually and comfy but still likes her dark blues

not to self indulge but she would like the baggy acubi look that she can move in

(i know this is so inaccurate of others’ headcannons but pls the baggy button up + slingbag combo would go crazy)

ik she got a uniqlo drawstring sling bag

or just any sporty crossbody sling bag

hear me out pls

it’s easier to get on and balance on her motorcycle with comfy clothes and a secure bag

on mizu’s and ringo’s move-in “anniversary” (as ringo like to call it), he got her a lil keychain for her bag with a jingle on it as a joke to her initial move-in gift to him: a bell for being so silent

modern!mizu usually keeps to herself and her friends

after her ex bf m*k*o (yes im censoring his name he doesnt deserve to be typed out) , she’s very cautious of who to trust

thankfully, ringo, akemi, and taigan (as much of an ass as he is) has taught her to open up and be okay with who she is

but there are days when she prefers to be alone and sticking to her own business in peace and quiet

headphones on locked in 🎧

modern!mizu likes to wind down before bed with some chamomile or lavender tea

her temper used to control her feelings, especially when she was much younger

having a small routine at night keeps her calm & well rested

eiji initially started this routine after their long days of welding in the backyard

she can’t cook but give her a teapot and tea leaves, she will make it right

(ok im done imagining her life lets get to the good stuff)

modern!mizu loves little touches

whether it’s holding u by ur hand or shoulder or waist, her hand will always be there

her main love language is physical touch

the more comfortable she gets with u, the longer she’ll leave her hand on u

whenever u and her are out at a party or gathering, u implemented the secret squeeze if either one of u wants to get out

u haven’t used it before but mizu did a few times

it was when she just wanted to be closer to u in the comfort of her own bed

modern!mizu enjoys shopping w u

she kind of knows her style: comfy and light

but she never explored how to pair clothes together until u showed her some basic pairing

when she first met akemi, she was uncomfortable with more feminine styles and shopping for going-out tops with her

it mainly stems from just not knowing a lot of trends and seeing a wide range of items

she got accustomed the items but seeing u have fun trying new tops

totally not sneaking into the changing room and stealing a few kisses many kisses

modern!mizu also enjoys holding ur things for u

she won’t say it explicitly but she is silently expressive ab it

u need someone to hold ur drink while u fix ur shoes? she got it. need someone to hold ur bag while u go to the bathroom? she got it.

need someone to get a glass of water even though ur all comfy in bed? she will get it (for a price aka some extra cuddles & kisses)

she’s also the type of put ur hand behind ur back when ur in a crowd

ok thats all for now but hope u enjoyed ♡