#subject matter brainstorm

[wigglebox]

Suptober - Day 1 || Liminal [x]

[leaderwonim]

MR. FUCKING BRIGHTSIDE

pairing. slytherin!jake x hufflepuff!fem!reader

summary. although sim jaeyun constantly surrounds himself with douchebags and looks like he could stomp all over a girl’s heart; you knew the real him that was deep inside. but did you really?

genre. hogwarts!au, ANGST, bits of fluff, right person wrong circumstances, forbidden/secret love

warnings. jake can be a bit of an asshole, the insult “mudblood” is used, slytherin gets shitted on as a house (dw, i’m a slytherin 😭)

Sim Jaeyun, or everybody knew him as Jake, the sixth year Slytherin, seeker of his house’s Quidditch team, and nevertheless, charming to every girl that has stepped foot in his proximity.

Half of your friends would disagree—that he was not charming but rather just another slithering snake in the worst possible house at Hogwarts.

Jake’s friend group consisted of three people: Draco Malfoy, Blaise, and Pansy Parkinson. They just so happen to be an insufferable lot, maybe except Blaise who minded his own business half of the time.

“Today you will be working in pairs.” Professor McGonagall states, fixing her glasses as she holds a stroll of paper. “I’ve already decided them, absolutely no changes.”

There’s groans that fill the room, one of whom you recognize as no other than Jake.

“Seriously? I wanted to pair up with Blaise!” He whines, earning a glare from Draco. “What? C’mon Dray, we both know you and I don’t get anything done.”

“Alright,” Professor McGonagall clears her throat. “Blaise Zabini with Nancy Drumswell, Aidan Callaghan with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter with Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson, and finally, Jaeyun Sim with Y/N L/N.”

You don’t blink when you realize who your partner is. Rather, you just sigh a bit in defeat, coming to the conclusion that you cannot do anything to convince McGonagall to change partners.

“Hey.” Jake plops himself down on the seat next to you, laughing as Draco gives him a shove on the way to his own table.

“Hi.” You murmur, suddenly finding your yellow robe more interesting than him.

“I’ve never been paired with a Hufflepuff before.” He grins, the shit eating grin that weirdly captives your senses. “Are you guys as nice as you claim to be?”

“I don’t know Jaeyun, you tell me.”

Jake’s eyes widen before he lets out a giggle. “Jaeyun? No one ever calls me that anymore.”

You shrug, sliding him the piece of paper with the instructions to your project. “You can stop by the Hufflepuff dormitories at 8, I’ll be done with dinner by then and I’ll open it for you.”

“Sounds like a plan sweetheart.”

You cringe at his words, the obvious disdain on your face makes him laugh even harder.

“I’ll see you then.” He whispers, and just like a movie, stands up as soon as McGonagall dismisses the class, merging into one with his friends.

♡;

Just as the clock struck eight, you heard a knock. Your books, pens, and parchment were spread out in front of you, eagerly waiting to be used.

As you slowly get up to open the door, you’re met face to face with Jake, who entered the room with a confident stride

"Hey there, Y/N," Jake greeted, flashing you a charming smile as he took a seat across from your side of the table.

"Hey," you politely turn his smile. "Ready to tackle this project?"

"Absolutely," he affirmed, pulling out his own notes and spreading them out on the table. "I've got some ideas already. How about you?"

You nodded, slightly impressed by Jake's readiness to dive into the work. "I've been brainstorming as well. Maybe we can combine our ideas and come up with something great."

As the two of you began discussing your approaches to the project, youcouldn't help but notice how articulate and intelligent Jake was when he wasn't surrounded by his usual group of friends. His confidence shone through, but it was paired with a genuine interest in the subject matter that caught you off guard.

"You sure sound different when you’re not around Draco," You remarked.

Jake only chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. "Yeah, well, I guess I don't always show this side of me around my friends. They have a different idea of what's cool."

You can only nod in understanding, realizing that Jake was more complex than you had initially assumed.

As you continued working, you couldn’t help but find yourself paying closer attention to the small details about him—the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the soft lilt in his voice when he explained a concept, the way his eyes sparkled with passion for the project.

"Thanks for coming, Jake," you say, offering him a genuine smile. "I really enjoyed working with you."

Jake returned your smile, his eyes meeting yours with a warmth that sent a sudden flutter through your heart. "Anytime, Y/N. I had a great time too."

As you bid each other goodnight, you couldn’t help but suddenly miss his presence, something you didn’t expect to happen with just one session with him.

♡;

In your second studying session, you and Jake found yourselves engrossed in their project once again. This time, you two decided to move to a quiet corner of the library, away from prying eyes and distractions. The Hufflepuff dorms were too crowded, and you knew you’d rather die than step into the Slytherin dormitory as a Hufflepuff.

As you discussed your research findings, you couldn't help but notice how Jake's demeanor had softened since your last meeting. He seemed more relaxed, more open, as if he felt comfortable letting his guard down around you.

Jake suddenly reached across the table to grab a book, his hand brushing against yours in the process. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a jolt of electricity coursing through your veins, leaving you quite literally breathless for a moment. “Here Y/N, I heard this book was good for this particular topic.”

Your eyes met briefly, and you felt your cheeks flush with warmth.

“Thanks,” you murmur, looking down slightly.

Jake smiled back at you, seemingly oblivious to the effect his touch had on you. For a person who charms so much girls, you’d think he know how much his advances affected others.

“No problem, seems like we got a lot done within these 2 days huh?”

"Yeah, it seems so," you reply softly.

Even though it had only been 2 nights, in those quiet moments, away from the prying eyes of their classmates, you had realized just how much you actually enjoyed Jake's company. He wasn't just the annoying Slytherin she had initially pegged him to be—he was kind, intelligent, and surprisingly easy to talk to.

"I guess that's it for tonight," Jake said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Can’t believe they only allow Prefects in the library past ten.”

"Yeah," you groan, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of saying goodbye. "But we'll see each other again soon, right?"

Jake nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Definitely. Let’s just hope Malfoy doesn’t ruin it.”

♡;

As you made your way through the corridors of Hogwarts with Hermione, you spotted Jake surrounded by his Slytherin friends, including Draco and Pansy. Suddenly feeling the wave of confidence at the sight of him, you decided to muster up the courage to approach him.

But as you drew nearer, you noticed a subtle shift in Jake's demeanor. His usual friendly expression hardened, and a smirk spread across his lips as he turned to face you and Hermione.

"Look who it is, boys," Draco says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Little Miss Hufflepuff herself."

Jake and Pansy chuckled, exchanging knowing glances with Draco as if they were in on some inside joke. Your smile faltered, confusion and hurt swirling in your chest as you struggled to make sense of Jake's sudden change in attitude.

"Um, hi, Jaeyun," you replied, voice barely above a whisper as you fought to keep her composure.

"Seriously? Jaeyun? That’s hysterical.” Pansy laughs, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

“What's the matter, Y/N? Can't find anyone from your own house so you bother our Jake here?” Draco continues to taunt you, his words like daggers aimed straight at your heart. “Or should I say Jaeyun?”

You felt your cheeks burn with embarrassment as the laughter of Jake's friends echoed in your ears. You had never felt so small, so insignificant to the group in front of you.

“I was hoping to discuss our project.” You say quietly, looking at anyone but Jake.

Hermione could sense your hostility, pulling you close to her side as she gave Draco a snarl.

“Listen Y/N,” Jake says, “all that crap you Hufflepuffs preach about loving each other and expressing feelings is a lie. No one really cares about what you have to say.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Hermione says, shielding you by putting herself in front of your frame. “What has gotten into you?”

But Jake just shrugged her off, his smirk widening into a sneer. "Mind your own business, mudblood. This doesn't concern you."

Feeling the sting of tears threatening to spill from your eyes, you quickly turn on your heel and fled down the corridor, desperate to escape the humiliation of Jake's cruel words.

Had you really been so stupid to place your trust in Sim Jaeyun knowing full well his reputation? By the looks of it, all answers pointed to yes.

♡;

By 7pm, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the surface of the Black Lake just in front of the Slytherin Common Rooms.

“Y/N?” Almost as if he knew exactly where you were, Jake shows up in front of you, making you give him a glare.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," he murmured, his voice tinged with remorse as he avoided your gaze. He takes a seat next to you on the grass, his fingers tracing patterns across them in nervousness. "I messed up back there. I let my pride get the best of me, and I hurt you in the process. I should have stood up for you."

You sighed, your heart heavy with disappointment but softened by Jake's sincerity.

“I don’t get it,” you say. “One moment you’re all kind and sincere around me, and the next, you say all these things like I’m worth nothing.”

The two of you sat in silence for a moment, the air filled with the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant calls of birds. Then, Jake spoke again, his voice hesitant but earnest. "I guess my friends just have an influence on me that I can’t control. I’m sorry for what I said earlier, you’re one of the kindest people I've ever met, Y/N. I admire that about you."

You slightly smiled, a warm flush spreading across your cheeks. "Thank you, Jake. That means a lot to me."

As the sky darkened and stars began to twinkle overhead, the two of you continued to talk, laughter mingling with the night air.

♡;

The next night was one of the more important nights at Hogwarts. Everybody had finished their exams—and the Ravenclaws decided to throw a party at their Commons.

The music throbbed as you entered with Ron Weasley, who, at the sight of his twin brothers, ran towards them. You roll your eyes at his behavior, and start pulsing through the crowded room, a plastic smile plastered on your face.

You notice Jake in the corner, sipping on what looked like a bottle of beer. He exchanged nods and greetings with those around him, his eyes scanning the room for something—someone.

But before you could gawk at him any longer, Draco cut in smoothly, his tone laced with mockery. "Oh, look who decided to show up. Did you bring your Hufflepuff friend to the party, Jake? How charming."

Pansy giggled, her eyes glittering with malice as she looked at you up and down. "I didn't know us Slytherins were into charity work."

“Guys, seriously? Cut it out,” Jake gulps, eyes directly meeting yours.

“He’s right,” Blaise says, and you swear it’s the most you’ve ever heard out of him. “Don’t ruin the party.”

“Whatever.” Pansy throws her hand in mock surrender. “Wouldn’t want to make the Hufflepuff cry.”

Hermione comes to your rescue right after Pansy throws you a glare.

“Piss off.” She says, interlocking her arms with yours.

“Thanks ‘Mione.” You thank her softly as you’re lead away from the lot. “For saving me back there.”

“Always,” she smiles. “Now cmon, I heard Ron’s already drunk!”

You two giggle at that, you letting Hermione lead the way into the crowd of people.

♡;

It’s about 2 hours later and the Ravenclaw party is still loud as ever, filled with with laughter and music.

Despite the Weasley twins making a full ruckus of themselves, your eyes were drawn to a figure slumped in a corner. It was Jake, only this time, he looked uncharacteristically vulnerable, his face pale and contorted with some type of emotion you hadn’t seen before.

Concern etched onto your features, and your body felt itself navigating through the crowd of people until you’re knelt beside him. "Jake? Are you alright? Where’s Draco?”

He lifted his head, and you swore you felt your heart clenched at the sight of his glassy eyes and trembling lips. "I'm fine," he mumbled, but his voice betrayed the lie.

"No, you're not," you reply softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Jake swallowed hard, his gaze flickering with a mix of emotions. "It's... it's nothing," he slurred, but his words lacked conviction.

You stayed silent, sensing he needed to unburden himself. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice raw with emotion. "Do you think I’m good for nothing?”

"What?" You asked gently, your heart sinking as you watched him struggle to form his thoughts.

"I mean look at this, look at me," Jake gestured vaguely, gesturing to the party around the two of you. "This charade I constantly put on. Pretending to be someone I'm not."

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Jake trailed off, his breath hitching. "Was it all worth the six years of be pretending to be who I wasn’t? Pretending to be the egoistic charming Slytherin everyone claims to know so well?”

Jake pauses before looking up at you, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. "You know I care about you a lot, right? I like you, a lot.”

“You do?” You say quietly, brushing a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes.

“But we just can’t.”

“What?”

“Why not?”

"Because,” Jake's voice cracked, and he looked away. "Because I wish you were in Slytherin."

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces at his words. You almost knew it then, with a painful realization that you could never compete with the loyalty he felt towards his house and the expectations placed upon him by his housemates.

Tears stung your eyes as you realized there was nothing she could do to change his mind. With a heavy heart, you rose to your feet.

“Well I’m sorry then, Jake.” You say, turning around so he wouldn’t see your tears.

And as you walked away, the echoes of his confession lingered in your mind, haunting your thoughts with the bitter realization that sometimes, love simply wasn't enough.

[lostiolite]

hii can you write something about monoma having a crush on a 1-A reader who has a personality like him but a little more nicer? have a great dayy

Everyone is better than me

Monoma x reader oneshot 0.6k words

You’ve always felt like a side character, worthless, expendable. it's something that kind of haunts you. You were surprised when you got into U.A. 

But, oh, your classmates. they were the best people on earth (except Mineta). Midorya went through so much to improve. Bakugo, despite being an asshole was talented, he had every right to brag with a quirk like that. Ururaka’s bubbly persona never failed to lift people’s spirits. Mina and Kirishima were the best people to give you motivation. Momo always tried to get you to understand your worth but you didn’t seem to budge.

You were kind of overwhelmed to be surrounded by such awesome people. They were practically shining stars, so much so that it blinded you. You wish to shine as bright as they do but you know you never will. Despite feeling inferior to them,  you couldn’t be more thankful to them.

Your class was your lifeline and you always praised them. Your classmates have been targeted and come out triumphant every time. Why wouldn’t you be proud? You would praise your classmates, obviously not in an obnoxious way like a certain someone, who always seemed to try and 1-up you when you talked about them.

You were always talking about them– not yourself, which caught the attention of Kendo, who recently worked with Momo. 

You were eating lunch with Mina in the cafeteria. You two were brainstorming on a class project and decided to sit away from the rest of your friends because you would get distracted. 

Unfortunately, Mina had to use the bathroom, leaving you alone. This is when Kendo came up to you, asking you about school. 

You started talking about what the rest of your class was doing in detail, making sure to praise them. Monoma who was in the area noticed, he tried to one-up you like always before Kendo karate chopped him. Kendo then cocked her head, returning her attention to you.

“And, what about you?” 

You were stumped. You just assured her that there was nothing interesting going on with you. She stopped you, asking why you didn't wanna talk about yourself. You were kind of stunned at her bluntness, she went straight to the point. You sighed,

“Because I'm not as amazing as them, and I probably never will be. But, I don't think that matters, because being able to support them is enough for me.” 

She gave you a somber smile. she didn’t really know what to say, which was new. She usually knew how to cheer people up. She’d have to get back to you later, her focus was now on Monoma, whom she half expected to start dogging on you. He didn’t say anything though. 

She waved you bye and retreated back to her table.

That's when everything kind of clicked for Monoma. 

He was usually intellectual and able to grasp others' emotions and feelings, but when it came to class 1-A and by association, you, he went on autopilot. His main objective was to dogshit on 1-A to bring light to 1-B accomplishments and that they were just as great as 1-A. 

Ever since then, he’s seen you in a different light, maybe even developed a fat fucking crush.

Mentioned before, but he goes on auto pilot when around class 1-A, so he doesn’t realize when he says things like–

“Maybe take a note out of [name]’s book and be more humble, because you look like a fool” he’d say taunting Bakugo.

One time bakugo called you an extra when you offered him help in a subject he was struggling in (which is rare for bakugo), and suddenly Monoma appeared behind him.

“Maybe that’s why you bombed the test, you think you're better than everyone huh— your fragile ego can't take a hit so you have to take it out on [Name]! Be grateful someone like them is even offering help to such a lowlife braindead creature such as yourself!”

That's when Deku caught on.

Monoma not-so subtly praising you is something most of 1-A doesn’t really take note of, but Kendo and Deku are absolutely appalled.

[hyunnie04]

muse

hwang hyunjin x reader, fluff | m.list

wc: 2.1k

synopsis: you can't decide what to give hyunjin for his birthday. a/n: very self indulgent theme/fic!! i like to draw myself so i thought i'd write about it for his birthday :> i apologize for being a bit late, irl obligations have been kicking my ass lately i'm sorry my hyune but i hope you guys like it! T-T

march was a month full of new beginnings. the year was only starting, january and february flying by like a breeze. remnants of winter still clung in the air and on the branches of the trees, pillowing them with the softness of white snow. it was also getting warmer, the chill no longer having its harsh bite and welcoming the inevitable pinks and greens of spring to come. and for you, new beginnings also meant taking on projects that you never thought you would be able to do. 

hyunjin's birthday was only a few days away, just a little less than a week from now.

you've spent the entire afternoon in a panic after the realization, racking your brain for any ideas, thinking what you could possibly do for his present only to come up empty handed. buying a gift for him is certainly the easier option and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, seeing as hyunjin was the type of person to appreciate whatever you give him, be it big or small, expensive or not. it was just the matter of wanting to surprise him with a gift that he most likely doesn’t already have.   

you sigh and rest your head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling in thought. your eyes silently wander towards the painting that hung on the wall of your tiny apartment.

it was painted by hyunjin himself, a bouquet of your favorite flowers that he had given you for your own birthday. you always loved staring at it, earning a place in your favorite corner of the room.

you often stare at it, delving into the intricacies of each brush stroke, how the colors come together in harmony, the symbolism and sentimentality behind it all, and just how much love was poured into making it. hyunjin truly had a talent in capturing the likeness and essence of his subjects, even the simplest ones.

it was almost tradition, how he makes his closest family and friends paintings when it was their birthday or when there was a special occasion. he used his oil paints that you've become familiar with, the dozens of tubes and pots of color messily strewn all across his little studio back at his dorm.

it was a such thoughtful gesture, painting that was. taking his time out of his day to make something out of nothing, showing that he truly cared about the person. whenever you would visit him on his days off, he was always immersed in his craft. adept fingers swiping over charcoal, hands dipping into paint, a sight you always love seeing. you still remember the photo you took secretly of him in his studio, blissfully painting the night away.

you drum your hands on the arm rest, returning to brainstorm for ideas, still in deep thought. and then it all suddenly clicked. 

you have always admired hyunjin and his work, so why not make him one in return? 

he was always giving others gorgeous pieces of art, he certainly deserved to have his own. you were no picasso and certainly no hyunjin, but the act of gift giving has always been your favorite way of showing your love.

you had a basic grasp of how the medium was used, having watched hyunjin more than enough times. the techniques he had taught you during one of your art sessions together might come in handy as well. the one and only problem was that it left you with such little time to finish it. oh well, it was better to start late than never.

the next day, you picked up and gathered the necessary materials from the art supply shop you knew hyunjin frequented, recognizing the different kinds of paints, sizes and types of canvases, and brushes that he likes to use. you laid them out on your living room floor upon arriving home, finally starting on your little project. 

the remainder of the days leading up to his birthday were spent awake during ungodly hours into the night, full of endless trials and errors, scrapped ideas and tons of caffeine. your living room became your makeshift studio, a tarp laid down the center to catch the unavoidable mess you surely would be making. learning a completely different and unfamiliar medium from what you were used to was difficult, but you were determined and your mind was set.

-

hyunjin was getting worried. it had been a few days since he last saw you, nonetheless heard anything. he understood that the two of you were quite busy people, not always finding the time to talk. but after five missed calls and maybe a dozen texts over the span of two days and no reply? he was ill at ease.

maybe he was overreacting, but he knew that you would've at least sent something to acknowledge his texts. he decided to ask his friends about your whereabouts, asking if anyone had contact with you, only earning head shakes in return.

"have you tried going to their place?" chan asks the ravenette, leaning his back on the dance practice room’s mirrored walls. hyunjin huffs, mouth forming into a slight pout, shaking his head no. practice was getting more challenging as the comeback and schedules started to pile up, his attendance becoming crucial.

"you can go later, we don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow." his hyung removes his cap, fluffing his curls underneath. hyunjin breathes out a sigh of relief, sending him a quick thank you.

the older of the two nods in understanding, reaching a hand out to hyunjin upon standing on his feet. back to practice they went.

it was the night before his birthday. getting stubborn paint off your brushes was the worst, is what you've learned these past several days of non-stop painting. even with the appropriate solvent, the paint can and is still clinging stubbornly onto its fibers; leaving you in the bathroom sink to scrub them tediously under soap and some warm water.

your hands start to ache with all the scrubbing, perhaps growing tired as well from the painting, but you'd like to think that the momentary pain was worth it. the composition of it was finally starting to come together. the work flow became easier once you figured out a concept and a theme you were happy with, inspiration and motivation coming in effortlessly now. it only needed some last few touches, you could only hope he would like it as much as you ended up liking it too.

after the brushes were cleaned to the best of your abilities, you pat them dry, leaving them on the counter for the time being.

"y/n? are you home?" your hands still at the sound of the front door opening. it was undeniably hyunjin's voice. 

you and hyunjin lived apart despite dating for quite a long while. it was a mutual agreement that it would be more convenient for the two of you to live separately, his job requiring him to live closer to his place of work. you gave him a spare key so he could come by whenever he liked, but you didn’t expect him at all to drop by today.

you originally thought nothing of it for a moment, even brushing it off. but then the panic started to set in. he would see it right away, the canvas sitting right in front of the living room with no cloth to cover it. if you go out now, you might have a chance of covering it up before he finds out.

rushing out of the bathroom after wiping your hands dry, you've quickly noticed how it had suddenly gone quiet. you peak around the corner, seeing him standing idly in the middle of your living room, still unaware of your presence.

it was too late. you see the familiar ebony locks greet you upon arriving. his mouth practically hanging open as he stares at the easel facing him, winter coat slung heavily on his left arm.

"surprise?" you flush upon seeing his head whip towards your figure, leaned against the arch of the doorway. it was also a little embarrassing, not having the time to clean up. 

"is...that me?" he says in quiet disbelief. you can’t quite decipher if his reaction was good or bad but you nod, coming up to stand beside him. he stares at the canvas once more, no doubt taking in the details of it. you start to feel a little anxious under his gaze, silently wondering if he likes it. 

"it's not done yet, that's why it looks a little rough." you pause, hesitation lacing your voice. he would eventually find out, having already seen it. “it was supposed to be your surprise birthday present.” is what you ended up saying, speech meek and low, barely audible. 

his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline as he turns his eyes back to you. a noticeable redness staining his cheeks.

“wow,” he breathes out, tilting his head closer to gaze on the finer details. hyunjin pauses for a moment before replying. “this is beautiful.” his voice light, feathery. his fingertips, slender and lithe, hovering above as if to trace it. relief washed over you hearing him say it, your nerves easing and cheeks warming in return.

“you think so?” you purse your lips before smiling gratefully at him, noting the masking tape still plastered on its borders and small parts of it still unblended but thank him earnestly nonetheless. 

“i figured since you always make people art on their birthday," you took to move to the couch, the ache in your body starting to take its toll. "i thought i'd give back and make you one too." 

hyunjin was, in short- moved. the portrait was of him sitting in his art studio, the sun falling and spilling on his form peaking through the windows. although his elegantly curved back was turned and it was impossible to see his face, it was unmistakable that it was him.

he was truly not expecting anything, he was just happy with the prospect of just being with you on his special day. the thoughtfulness, sentimentality, and affection that came with making gifts with him in mind, he didn’t think it was possible to love you more than he already did. his eyes are lost in yours, the contours of his handsome face highlighted by the dim lights of your living room.

“i know it's bad but-”

hyunjin doesn’t let you continue, pulling you into a sudden kiss, throwing his coat on the couch haphazardly. your immediate response was to wrap your hands around his neck, hands wandering up and towards his hair. you could feel his smile on his mouth as he kisses you, grabbing the nape of your neck to steady your form. the kiss is intoxicating, feeling the love upon his soft movements, his warmth contrasting the chill from outside.

when he parts from you, he’s giddy, and jumping around like the happiest ferret you’ve ever seen. the wisps of hair fall to his temple, framing his beautiful face. “thank you, darling.”

“even if it’s not done yet- i love it,” he presses another kiss to the side of your mouth. “so much.” you could only laugh in response, completely flustered and enamored by his reaction.

hyunjin pulls you towards his chest, both arms locking around your shoulders. you could smell the perfume he always likes to wear. “is this why you weren’t picking up your phone?”

“my phone?” you pat your pockets in search, only to find it missing. your mind must’ve slid away, not knowing at all where it was but you could search for it later. “oh, yeah. m’ sorry.” the apology is muffled by the fabric of his shirt. he hums, his worries fading. you thought he was going to let you go, but he retaliates by resuming to press more kisses into you.

“okay, okay! thank you. i’m glad you like it.” you untangle his long arms from your body in order to stand up while hyunjin watches you do so, curiosity in his eyes. you already miss the warmth he radiated. 

“but, technically-” you start by grabbing the easel and placing it near the wall and out of his view, grabbing the stray tubes of paint off the floor and putting them away in their basket. “it’s still not your birthday.”

his plump lips form into a pout as he continues to watch you clean up. “and i’m not quite done with it yet so you have to wait.” placing a quick ‘boop’ to his nose, you head to the bathroom to freshen up for bed.

hyunjin checks his wrist watch as he follows you suit, his white teeth poking out. his arms catch you once again, wrapping you from behind. "it's 12."

amused by his antics, you let out another laugh before turning around in his hold to face him again, pressing a kiss on his soft lips.”in that case, i’ill finish it as soon as possible and-”

"happy birthday, my dearest."

-

please reblog or leave a comment if you like my work! it motivates me to keep writing ♡ all works are written by hyunnie04, please do not repost on other sites.

[stringsbasement]

May we get a bit more about UFY!Dalv? (Also ig in extension corn yaoi as collateral)

apologies for the Late Reply!! I've been brainstorming What To Say to this ask for days, since before this i didn't think about dalv/vlad all that much. so here's a hopefully Cohesive peek into his (and martlet's!!) character and backstory + some doodles!

(i have plans for a bigger piece that ill start Later On when i have the Time.)

i do want to bring vlad a more active role to the story in yellowfell compared to uty. but like the au itself, he and martlet are still a work in progress, so dont be too surprised if things change in the future.

one day, vlad met this strange, spunky teenager named martlet and now she Wont Leave Him Alone. she tells him she sticks around because she likes the fact he didn't try to attack her at first glance, to which she took as a cue to attach herself to him and now they're somehow on friendly??? terms? (the same thing that happened to chujin. its pretty effective, apparently.)

vlad would never admit he likes her company, if only because she wont stop bullying him about being a "lonely, sad adult who's only friend is a homeless kid," (she's right)

his response was, "if it wasn't for those stripes, you'd be fried dust," except, he didn't say that out loud because his social anxiety Wont Go Away even in the presence of a dumb teen

okay, now for the major plot divergences: kanako wasn't involved in the snowdin attack. rather, it's Vlad and martlet.

they do get hurt— vlad mostly, the scar never really healed— but luckily chujin was at the scene and chased the human away to waterfall with axis (and proceeded to Not kill them)

of course, chujin wouldn't want to get reported for hiding a living child away to poke needles at (politely), so for a while, Vlad and Martlet are made to believe they Did (indirectly, but still in some way,) caused the death of a child.

a human, but Still a child.

they try not to think too much about that, or how they could've died that day.

(it doesn't work that well)

(martlet is suspicious, but she wouldn't dare question chujin.)

then, it comes time that chujin needs a subject. he needs a monster's soul, from someone "pure" and "uncorrupted".

but no, Chujin couldn't ever touch Kanako or Ceroba. Not himself either, his family needs him; he can't be reckless, no matter how much he wants to Help Everyone. he hates hurting others, he truly does, but in this world, he Doesn't Have A Choice, does he?

he needs somebody Nobody Will Miss if they were to one day disappear.

so, he visits snowdin. he finds Vlad, already packing up to shamefully retreat into the ruins. He... "convinces" him Not To. he gives him the Opportunity to be a savior, to be greater, to be somebody other than himself. All he has to do is to come with him instead. start a New Life, somewhere far away from snowdin and those ruins.

offer up his soul because then, and only then, will his Sins be Forgiven.

possible amalgamation form?

vlad agrees, because it's easier to believe someone else's words about you serving a Greater Purpose rather than accept that you are nothing. so, he moves into a little town far east and meets someone very, very special :)

[soberpluto]

Astrology of Personality: Planets in 1st House

Brainstorm on the influence of planets in your 1st house!

Sun: You are outgoing, warm, gentle. People see you as bright and bubbly, a natural leader. But you can seem overly proud or arrogant at times. You are transparent and very coherent with how you present yourself to the world. What you see is what you get. You lead with example. You inspire others from your core. A lot of vitality and vigor. You are in charge of your own life. A lot of self-love and self-esteem as you grow older. You are brave, loyal and generous. Image reflects your amazing will-power and authenticity. Can have a nice and chiseled upper back and strikingly beautiful hair.

Moon: Can't hide your emotions. High intuition, even psychic abilities. Others can see the depth of your feelings, like it or not. Your presence is soothing, compassionate, kind and nurturing. Your physical may go through a lot of changes, as your body is tightly connected to your feelings. Your inner world may be overwhelming, and it can stir your life out of control. Sensitive and healing to others. May be an empath, someone who can read your surroundings and be affected by them profoundly. A very loving and feminine presence, no matter your gender. Can give large breasts (if female obviously) or a curvy or plump body type.

Mercury: Others see you as talkative, witty and interesting to be around. They consider you highly smart, a smooth communicator. May need to travel or move constantly and change continuously to feel alive. You engage life through your brains. Leadership comes from your mind. You conduct yourself through thought, logic and reason. A very curious and restless persona. You can be easily distracted, be hyperactive and eager for endless stimulation. You may be passionate about learning. Can be very popular and have a wide range of friends and acquaintances. Mercury here usually gifts high intelligence, an attractive smile and slender limbs.

Venus: A very charming and gentle personality. You are quite pleasing to be around. Physical beauty is given almost by rule. You attract others so easily. Can be way too compliant, with people-pleasing tendencies, however. Others are eager to help you or be around you. You may be very appealing to and popular with the opposite sex. Likes to draw attention through aesthetics, fashion and makeup. Your presence is very soothing and enjoyable. You may get judged on your appearance a lot. Can be subject to envies and jealousy more easily than other people. You can have a very sultry or charming voice. Your body can be that of a sex icon. Very creative and self-expressive too. Relationship oriented. Music and art will be of special importance.

Mars: Go getter. Sex is on your face. You are someone who has an inexhaustible amount of energy. Military, exercise and sports definitely will catch your attention. May be a bit of a bully too. A dominant and masculine aura. You appear as very energetic, adventurous, assertive and sometimes aggressive. You may suffer from cuts and burns. You are competitive by nature. Very vigorous health and long-lasting stamina. You engage the world through instincts and desire. Can be quite confrontational and irritable. You have a pioneer spirit and will hardly back down from fights. Super independent. Red is your best color.

Jupiter: A humorous and candid person. You are recognized by your sense of justice, ethics and high morals. Can be disorganized with or unbothered by physical appearance. You are seen as good-willed and kind. Can have issues with gaining weight. Can suffer from health ailments due to lack of limits. You hate restriction and need to expand, travel and find your own truth. You love learning and others see you as a teacher, a guru. Your vibe is altruistic and charitable. You may have really aesthetic feet, buttocks and/or legs. You love comfortable clothes. You are pulled to other cultures.

Saturn: Firm and resistant body. You are seen as serious, diplomatic and very mature. You are the adult in the room even when being a child. Maturity comes much easier to you. You are responsible and dedicated to hard work. Others may see you as detached and cold at times, even unemotional. You can be shorter than average, but with elegant facial features. Your teeth may be really attractive, which gives you a great smile. High cheekbones. You may feel life is tougher on you than on others, but with time, you succeed because of your patience and constancy. You like sober, solid and/or traditional looks.

Uranus: You are often misunderstood because you are ahead of your time. People see you as disruptive and unpredictable. You need a lot of stimulation, change and independence to feel happy. Others see you as a rebel, someone who's not afraid to speak their truth and do as they please. Very stubborn and liberal. You can strike others as a genius, a very brilliant person. However, you can also appear as unstable and unable to root. Your outfits or makeup can be really quirky, unique and eccentric. You may become bored quite easily. You may wish to live abroad or be subject to wanderlust.

Neptune: You have a gentle and spiritual presence. Psychic capacity. You absorb your environment like a sponge. You are a chameleon. Nobody actually understands you. You may feel lonely or alienated at times. Others project fantasies unto you and feel you have deceived them once they realize that's not who you are. Very empathetic and sensitive by nature. Your sixth sense is very lively. You dream for the perfect physique. It may be hard for you to have realistic expectations about yourself. You are seen as an enigma. Your aura is otherworldly and magical. People may complement your eyes a lot because they have a dreamy spark. Can have the ability to "see" things beyond the physical realm.

Pluto: A powerhouse. Super sexual. You are very threatening or magnetizing to others, even if you don't intend that. You appear as overly secretive, mysterious and intriguing. You move cautiously and don't give too much information about yourself. You are so passionate, to the point of being obsessive. You are very resilient and recover from crisis much quicker than others. Your strength and courage are your trademark. You may be subject to power struggles. You command a room with your presence. Can have scars or birth marks in the face. Others may think you are darker or more dangerous than you truly are. You discover everyone's secrets. Others want to know you but they are afraid of you. You destroy or extra-limit your body to become a new version of yourself. Addicted to physical changes or interventions. Your eyes say it all. Your gaze is powerful and heavy. Extremely resistant health.

*No single placement in astrology can determine your overall profile and life tendencies, but the first house is a good starting place to understand what you are made up, as its the house of appearance, self-image and projected personality.

Hope you liked it and thanks for reading! 🥰🪐🌟

[sleepyghostuwu]

The Artist and the Gem (Part 2, rewrite)

Synopsis: You start brainstorming about your mysterious client's request and begin working on it. Unfortunately, that means finding a way to get your unconventional art subject to cooperate with you, whether or not he knows about it.

Notes: (Edit: I wasn't too happy with how it turned out and it was bugging me a fair bit, so I had to redo it for my own peace of mind.)

Fem! Reader POV will be used in this series as it is what I'm most comfy writing in ^^ Also it's really lengthy lmao (I got too excited writing this) so get ready-

Previously: Part 1

It has been a good number of months since you've received the mysterious client's commission.

You've been finding yourself becoming increasingly productive in both your white collar and artistic jobs, presumably from wanting to rid yourself of as much work as you could to work on Aventurine's portrait. It has gotten to the point you even managed to send out most of your commissions to your other clients, even the impatient one who had been living on your nerves for what felt like an eternity. What made you want to get his portrait done and over with so badly? That was a question you were too afraid to find answers to.

Speaking of Aventurine, you have a slight problem: while you knew how he looks like very well, you had no clue how to draw him that well. The fact that the both of you work in different departments and hence very rarely see each other made your task of observing his appearance better all the more difficult.

With all possible odds pitted against you, only two solutions remain: you could either spy on Aventurine during your lunch and tea breaks and sketch him in secret, or directly ask him to pose for you for a few minutes. Given your current ranking in the IPC, you have a slightly better chance at the former. As the clock strikes at lunchtime, you quickly grab your tablet and head for the first place you can think of: the lounge.

-------

"...Don't worry, I'll be sure to send you the updates as soon as I get them," Aventurine's carefree voice echoes like a chime as he and the other Stonehearts leave the meeting room for their break. Your breath hitches and you quickly crouch behind the nearest potted plant you spotted in the vicinity, peeking through its leaves cautiously.

"This is the worst idea I've ever thought of..." you curse under your breath as you stabilised yourself against the wall. You have passed by Aventurine during work before on several occasions, and rarely ever get to briefly speak to him about work-related matters, so seeing the man himself with your eyes was not something unfamiliar to you. However, what left you the slightest bit horrified was the next thought that entered your mind.

Aventurine is stunningly handsome.

His sandy hair, which was slightly tucked behind his left ear, flowed down his neck like sand in an hourglass, and his eyes were as vibrant as stained glass windows in the sun. The deep green and gold coattails trailing behind him reminded you of a brightly coloured bird as he strode across the hallway, always seeming like he had people to show off to in every corner.

(Y/n)! Focus! You frantically shake your thoughts out of your hand and ready your tablet. It's your only chance at this, so don't mess this up! Propping yourself against the wall as you continue crouching behind the potted plant, you whip out your stylus and begin drawing furiously.

The first few attempts you made were a little sloppy (by your standards, at least), but in a short while, you manage to fill the better half of your drawing spread with surprisingly good sketches. The fact that Aventurine was perfectly still as you drew each pose made your success feel too good to be true. As you watch Aventurine leave the vicinity with a few cups of coffee in hand, you heave a sigh of relief and stood up, propping yourself against the wall as you wait for your legs to recover from crouching on the ground for so long.

And it's still lunch hour, too! You smile to yourself as you turn to leave for the office cafe. Everything went according to plan. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong after this-

"Oh, (y/n)? I didn't expect to see you here."

A chill runs down your spine as you slowly come face-to-face with none other than Aventurine himself.

-------

"H-hello, sir," you squeak, clutching your tablet in a tight embrace as you desperately tried to hide its contents. Clearing your throat, you add, "I was just going to the lounge to...well, take a rest."

"Hmm..." Aventurine stares intently at you before checking his watch. Then, he looks up at you again and chuckles. "Really? With that tablet of yours, too?" He raises an eyebrow at the tablet in your arms. "I'm pretty sure doing extra work isn't something a person would be doing to take a break."

Damn, he's catching onto me. Embarrassment and fear kicking in, you avert your eyes from his. Aventurine tilts his head to the side in feigned curiosity. "What are you doing here anyway? Are you...hiding something from me?" His eyes shift to the tablet in your hands.

"No..." You cling to your tablet tighter as the voices in your head scream for you to run before he does the last thing you want him to do. However, Aventurine swiftly swipes the tablet (which, much to your dismay, was still switched on) from your hands before you can physically react.

"Well, well, what do we have here- oh?" Aventurine's smirk gives way to a more surprised expression as he gapes at the canvas of digital sketches of him. "Oh my. Is that- is that me?"

You feel the heat rising in your cheeks as your worst possible outcome unfolds before you. Frantically, you attempt to snatch your tablet back, only to have your hands flail in vain as he kept moving it out of reach, only relenting and returns the tablet to you after a good few minutes.

"Oh, relax, (y/n). I didn't mean anything negative by that. Those sketches of yours are quite majestic, really. I'm just...pleasantly surprised, hehehe~ Though, I have to ask..." He leans slightly closer to you, his iconic sly grin now back on his face.

"What exactly are they for?"

[foxglovegames]

DEVLOG: AUGUST 2024 🦇

It's already time for the August wrap-up??

Demo Progress

It seems no matter how much we get done, there is always more work to do haha! That said, August has been a good month and we have made a lot of exciting progress on the demo for BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL. :)

Programming

Please welcome Renbie to the team as our lead programmer! 🙌

The past week have been spent prepping sprites and setting things up in Ren'py. Although we still have a long way to go, the game feels more real than ever now which is both exciting and scary!

If you followed the development of Trouble Comes Twice, you might already know that programming was a big hurdle for us and a major source of frustration. ;( Now that we've got some more experience under the belt thanks to Trouble Comes Twice, we already feel a lot more confident but having a dedicated programmer on the team is going to be a massive help both time and quality-wise. As a bonus: Renbie's also super lovely to work with, so we're super happy to have her onboard!

Art

We mostly made progress on promotional assets. We decided on a sketch for our key art (check out a little sneak peek at the top of this post) and received the first sketches for some of our merch designs! They're looking super cute!

Writing

With the demo script done and dusted, most of August was spent outlining the main game's six romance routes. The routes (subject to change) have five chapters each and various longer endings and shorter 'bad/death' ends based on your decisions.

BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL has dual protagonists, so similarly to Trouble Comes Twice, we're two writers in charge of one MC each (and the MC's respective three routes). Unlike Trouble Comes Twice though, the cast here is a lot larger and not as (directly) connected.

So, how do we outline our routes? First, we wrote shorter summaries of each route - including important themes, character motivations, etc - which we then go over together. Although the plots of the two protagonists are very different, we have to make sure we keep the same 'themes and vibes'. We also need to be careful that the pacing and the scopes of the routes aren't too wildly different!

With the feedback from the shorter summaries, we move on to write the detailed outlines. (Here, we regularly reach out to each other and get feedback on minor elements and sometimes run brainstorming sessions when one of us runs into a wall.) Once these are done, we're going to have another review and write as many drafts as it takes until the routes are ready to enter the writing phase!

We're super excited about a lot of these scenes we've got planned and though you guys don't know much about the project yet, we think you're going to love the ideas we've got once it's time to learn more! We learned so much from Trouble Comes Twice that we can't wait to apply to this game! 🖤

Goals for September

There's too many little goals to count! But the major ones are:

Start looking for music composers, item artist, visual effects artist - we're not doing a public post for these, but if you or someone you know might be interested in one of these roles, shoot us a DM! ;)

Making as much progress as possible on the remaining UI screens

Making as much progress as possible on the merch designs

Continue working on the detailed outlines

Continue programming yay

Fingers crossed, we can get the key art done and dusted!

There's still so much to do, but we really look forward to the next couple of months!

[b4tasquad]

DATING NIKO OMILANA WOULD INCLUDE:

Request this is more of how he is in a relationship rather than the relationship in itself so I’m sorry😭

Authors note: remember this is just for fun, and completely pure fiction! I don’t know how Niko is in a relationship or as a person really. Hope you enjoy, and let me know if I should make some for the others🫶

…

Getting violated on a daily. You could literally do nothing, just go on about your day and Niko would still violate you to prove some point on how he’s “funnier than you” and it’s totally unprovoked every time.

Helping him brainstorm ideas for videos. You often found yourself in this position. Up in the early hours of the morning, running on no sleep as you sat with your boyfriend. He would shake you awake every time you fell asleep, begging for you to help him find a new idea for YouTube videos. You would get annoyed, and ask him why he couldn’t do it himself and he’d reply “your opinions matter to me” knowing it would eat you alive if you didn’t help him now.

Him teasing you. It didn’t matter where or under what circumstances, Niko was the biggest tease ever. It could be as simple as just sending you flirty and suggestive looks, but also as aggravating as running his hand up and down your exposed thigh during dinner with friends. He knew how you felt for it every time, and his tactics came in handy whenever he wanted you worked up so he could be the one to relieve you.

Immediately becoming best friends with Aj. When you started seeing Niko you had no idea what you were getting into when it came to his best friend. Sure he had briefly mentioned the fact that he shared a home with his friend, but not that his friend was an energetic YouTuber making ever moment of his life a chaotic mess. Instantly, you thought you wouldn’t get along well, but upon meeting you were proven wrong. You formed a great friendship where he remained crazy and all over the place, while you were the calm one always having to clean his mess up.

Reassurance that you were the only one for him. With the work Niko did, you knew he was surrounded by women all day. Women that spent their days doing something he liked and that you could never relate to. You knew Niko loved you, but it was hard to push down the insecurities and look past it. Once learning of your hesitance, Niko immediately sat you down, telling you everything your heart desired to hear. Ever since, he made a mental note to always tell you how much he appreciated you, not like he didn’t do that before tho. Now he was just sure to say it double as much.

Crazy movie nights with the Beta Squad. Being Niko’s girlfriend meant spending a crazy amount of time around the guys, also known as his best friends. You had been subjected to the most craziest things of your life during your time with them, but always finding a smile on your face. Realising you were a more quiet and relaxed person, they were willing to compromise and make sure to have a movie night once in a while. The effort was there, and it was nice to just be there together. That was until Chunkz made it his mission to lift the “dead mood” he went around slapping everyone on the back of their necks which would always start an argument. Ever since, everyone has been wary only keeping on eye on the movie to make sure they wouldn’t get slapped.

Neck kisses. You didn’t know when or why, but sometime in your relationship, Niko became overly obsessed with kissing your neck. It was silly, really. How he was so comfortable with just leaning down, peppering the area with either the smallest of pecks or the most starved kiss, you didn’t understand. It wasn’t a problem until he started doing it everywhere. At home, in public. Whenever you two were together. You told him to stop and behave but he never listened, instead silencing your words with kisses that made your cheeks heat up.

[sirfrogsworth]

The Babylon Bee School of Comedy

Have you ever wanted to make Elon Musk reply to you with a double cry laughing emoji?

If you crave that sweet billionaire validation you need only follow this carefully crafted conservative comedy content creation course for that powerhouse of online satire... The Babylon Bee.

Soon you too could be bootlicking billionaire balls with the rest of The BBee writers.

Are you ready to get your learn on?

Let us Bee-gin.

The number one most important rule that all The BBee writers must internalize to their core...

Conservative comedy abhors effort.

Brainstorming for hours on end to craft the perfect premise and punchline... is for the Libs. Check out this Facebook meme that got 10,000 likes.

Can you order Starbucks from a bar? Doesn't matter, it's a snowflake drink for a snowflake Lib.

Does this joke not have an actual punchline? Doesn't matter, get lost you stupid Lib!

Is this technically a joke by definition? Doesn't matter, if you believe it is a joke, then it's a joke! Just like modern currency.

If you put too much thought into a joke, it might grow in complexity. That could be confusing! The death knell of any conservative joke are the words, "Hmm, that's a thinker."

This brings us to rule number two...

NO THINKERS!

Let's take this Ben Garrison comic as an example.

Spell everything out! Label everything! Don't leave anything to the imagination! If your audience has to figure something out or draw their own conclusions, what fun is that?

Conservatives want to hear things that are familiar. They want their beliefs parroted back at them. You must regurgitate those beliefs and then just make it *sound* like a joke. Don't break new ground or introduce new ideas. Don't get all caught up in interesting wordplay or clever puns or subverting expectations.

All expectations should be fully verted.

That is definitely a word because I saw someone use it on Facebook. End of research.

Here is a helpful tip. If you can't imagine the joke coming out of the mouth of late night comedy genius GUTFELD!, then you need to dial it back a bit. Do not surpass GUTFELD! levels of humor. GUTFELD! is your touchstone.

Oh, GUTFELD! I laughed so hard I FELD it in my GUT.

See, I went too far with my fancy pun. That is not the GUTFELD! way.

But what happens if inspiration is fleeting and you can't pay attention to your comedy writing task because you don't believe ADHD is real and thus you are unmedicated?

Don't you worry. If you do happen to get writer's block or are distracted by a funny Pepe meme or a shiny object, just call your racist uncle and say the magic word... "Bidenflation."

As the ensuing unhinged rant darts from subject to subject without any kind of connecting theme, just start writing down every right wing buzzword you hear. Then just insert those buzzwords Mad Libs-style into a derivative joke format.

Let's practice!

Ex. 1: Why did the PRONOUNS cross the BORDER? To get to the DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR!

Ex. 2: How many GENDERS does it take to GROOM a lightbulb? Two! One to hold the BUTT PLUG and one to GO WOKE, GO BROKE.

Great start! I'm sure with a polishing pass those will make more sense. Or not. The bar is pretty much "will it get clicks?" so we're not too worried about coherence.

Heh... Mad Libs.

U MAD, LIBS?

Get it? Cuz Libs are always mad? About the normalized bigotry and whatnot.

Jokes are always better when you need to explain them.

Oh! That's another rule. Write that down. Wisdom like this is why I am teaching this course, of course. Hah, that's like that horse show song. I got jokes coming out the wazoo. Wazoo is my butt, right? Siri, is wazoo a butt? Oof, I'm kinda spacing on what the next lesson is.

I really wish Matt Walsh hadn't flushed my Adderall down the crapper.

Can I get a second opinion? Top Gun was so good. What does Tom Cruise think about ADHD? He always has good takes on stuff like this. Did I leave my oven on? Shazam, what song goes doodoo doo doo doooooo? Can you vacuum a yard? Has anyone tried that? That sounds more like a marijuana thought than an ADHD tangent. I should double check the THC content of that cotton candy vape juice.

I'm flyin' off the rails over here.

Matt, are you super duper sure it's not real?

Okay, fine. I'm an "energetic boy."

I hope whichever fish absorbs my meds is extra focused on whatever fish shit he needs to get done.

COMEDY WRITING!

Sometimes it is best to learn through observation. Let's eavesdrop on an actual The BBee writer's room to see how the sausage is made...

"So what did your racist uncle have to say?"

"Well, first he texted me a cameraphone picture of Trump as an astronaut that he wants me to print out cuz he doesn't know what a crypto wallet is... but then he said all the woke schools are turning kids into a bunch of gay commies."

"EUREKA!"

Classic! The BBee writers strike again. I mean, they aren't striking. There is no commie clamoring for a union at The Babylon Bee. That's for damn sure. FOCUS!

Do you get the joke though? With the kids and the gay and the communism?

Because all of those woke schools totally cover complex economic theories in 4th grade and all it takes to turn gay is a little persuasion from a teacher with green hair. Libs of TikTok wouldn't lie about that. End of research.

Look at this public school teacher!

I mean, you knooow she has a litter box in her classroom. I can just sense it. End of research.

Sure... it is just a context-free picture of a person with green hair in front of a flag and you cannot actually judge the quality of their teaching ability from this. But yoouuu knoooooow she is skipping right over grammar lessons and giving detailed instructions on how to turn gay.

Step 1: Look at a bunch of butts. Step 2: Touch a bunch of butts. Step 3: Gay sex a bunch of butts.

(Replace butts with cooches for lesbians.)

Grooming accomplished.

And you definitely shouldn't look up that green-hair'd, nose ring'd educator and research her any further. Extensive research is for the Libs, bro. Because you definitely don't want to discover she is a passionate high school English teacher who makes fun content on TikTok in the hopes that people will buy things off her wishlist so her students will have a better learning experience. I mean, caring about her students? That's so gay.

YoooOOOuuuUUU knnnooooooOOOw she is a bad teacher because she has green hair and a flag. End. Of. Research.

So... you have your gay communist headline that is perfect to get all of those sweet conservative clicks. But you still have a full webpage to fill out with more words and stuff.

Now I want to see if you learned anything from my perfectly focused and informative teachings. I want you to write some jokes about kids becoming gay communists.

Ready? GO!

Joke #1 Little Billy has wealthy parents so all the students will share his cookie at snack time.

Joke #2 At the beginning of the day, students pick a new gender out of a hat but all the kids fight over Attack Helicopter.

Joke #3 At lunch, the students have to stand in a peanut butter and jelly bread line.

Joke #4 The teacher makes the kids take turns combing each others' hair for a grooming session.

Wait a sec... are those... THINKERS?

No no no no no! You made my brain all confused and thinky!

You need to calm down, you overachieving silly billy. You forgot the first rule... NO EFFORT.

Just make the same joke over and over again with slightly different wording. EASY!

Remember the classic final rule of comedy...

Jokes always get funnier the more you repeat them.

Anyway, that's probably enough... joke.

Now let's close this article out!

Maybe we can drop the pretense this is comedic satire and just do some hardcore pandering. Gotta own the Libs, amirite?

Gender theory and drag queens and guns, oh my! That is pure pander-monium.

Just shove those factless tactless Tucker talking points straight down their gullet. They'll forget this was supposed to be funny and shake their fist in the air with exaltation. And it's definitely a great idea to put the thought of gunning down drag queens in their heads. That won't backfire in any way!

Congratulations! You are now ready to "write" for The Babylon Bee.

Please purchase this official Trump NFT certificate for $99 that acknowledges that you have completed this course and have a very poor understanding of what satire actually is.

End of research.

[gamesbyalbie]

The Cursed Journey

The Cursed Journey is a work of short fiction I'm in the process of writing and releasing. Entries are treated as drafts (and thus are subject to change). Below the cut you'll find links to all the entries, release dates, and a list of changes I've made to the story.

The Cursed Journey: A Summary

The Cursed Journey is about a world where writer's block kills. Those who fall victim to the Writer's Curse enter a catatonic state and are kept alive at The Ward—if they can afford the treatment.

Ody Specter is one of the few remaining authors, though they can feel the curse breathing down their neck. They can't write forever, no matter how hard they try.

No one knows what writers experience once they've been seized by the curse. Some remain peaceful. Others twitch and murmur. Most thrash and scream until their bodies give out. But why? What's happening to them?

And what will happen to Ody?

Read the Cursed Journey...

PROXY (released March 14, 2024)

INTERVIEW (released March 14, 2024)

DEMIGHOST (released March 16, 2024)

DELIVERED (released March 14, 2024)

BRAINSTORM (released March 30, 2024)

BEDSIDE (released March 29, 2024)

SUMMIT (released March 30, 2024)

MOTIVE (released March 29, 2024)

GENESIS (released April 3, 2024)

DESCENT (coming soon)

TRIAL (coming soon)

ZOMBIE (coming soon)

DISTANCE (coming soon)

PYRE (coming soon)

UNREAD (coming soon)

REWRITE (coming soon)

Changes

Motive (now part 8) was originally released as part 6. This changed to part 7 on March 30th, 2024.

Order of entries changed March 31st, 2024 (flashback sequences with Minjoon were all moved up by one).

Images from Unsplash

[bettsfic]

This may be a strange question, but as someone who has never gotten the hang of using notebooks in my day to day life (unless it's once in a while to outline something specific like a project for work), what are the kinds of things you write down in them?

for journaling, that's complicated. youtube always recommends me these "journaling will improve your life!" videos and i think they're very funny because i've kept a journal for 20 years and it has made me a worse and more miserable person. so i will not be writing any "how to journal" posts any time soon.

my commonplace notebook, however, is where i keep everything. every morning i write down the date, the hours i slept, and my weight. occasionally i track my mood and mental state, because when i meet with my psychiatrist i like to have cold hard data to give her. then beneath that, i write out my to do list for the day.

it's kind of a reverse bullet journal in that you fill it up with all the random ephemera of your life and then label the important bits with a highlighter and index it later.

more specifically i keep:

the books/movies/shows/etc that are recommended to me.

notes i take at the doctor's office, or when i do my taxes, or get my oil changed. i'm a compulsive note-taker. in fact i started a commonplace notebook because it calms me to have something to write on and with even in situations where that's weird. i'd rather look weird than be anxious.

ideas for fanfic, original work, newsletters, craft thoughts, workshop models, etc.

brainstorming/planning/prewriting stories.

tracking my WIP cleanout and annual goals.

doodling!

i think sometimes we get caught up in building spaces for things to keep them organized, like that's the whole point of bujo. you create a page layout to do a specific function and then you fill it out. but that doesn't account for the stuff you haven't made a page for, stuff that would be blight in a bujo. we also think that a whole page needs to be devoted to a specific thing, or a notebook needs to be devoted to its subject. but you an also just...not do that.

it's a lot of work to setting up a bujo. work i would love to have the energy and aesthetic inclinations to do. but i don't. so i do the next best thing which is fill up every page in the most chaotic way possible.

poorly scanned example pages under the cut:

these are notes i took during my rewatch of Mockingjay in preparation of writing Wind of the New World.

notes about leveling my Genshin team, and notes about a story i was working on. and a to do list.

working through a plot knot in Skinless.

Stardew Valley farm planning. and a grocery list i think.

i don't recommend this method for everyone. i think if i were to have read this post 2 years ago my thought would be, "what the fuck is wrong with you." but it works for me and makes me happy, and as long as all the important information is safely indexed and retrievable, it doesn't matter how messy the pages get.

[dearestkong]

get up challenge 🐇

🐰🐰a 6 day newjeans-themed productivity challenge, where i’ll be centring each day around a song from their 2nd EP♡

not so subtly inspired by @zzzzzestforlife , @megumi-fm , and @winryrockbellwannabe ... seeing everyone work so hard is giving me fomo

DAY 1 // NEW JEANS

🎶new hair, new tee, new jeans, do you see: wear a new outfit and step out of my comfort zone~

🎵make it feel like a game: have fun while studying by playing revision games

🎶we’ll go on til the end: finish all the tasks on my to-do list no matter what

DAY 2 // SUPER SHY

🎶i wanna tell you but i’m super shy, super shy: speak up in class and strike up a conversation with someone i don’t normally talk to.

do NOT be super shy today

🎵you’re the top, babe: challenge myself to go above and beyond: 4 hours of fully-focused studying^_^

DAY 3 // ETA

🎵don’t waste it, your time’s a bank: below 90 mins of screen time..

🎶all I need is you on my side: connect with friends I haven’t spoken to in a while~~

DAY 4 // COOL WITH YOU

🎵and I think I like your point of view: think about my research project from a different angle… 60 mins out-of-the-box brainstorming!!

🎶it feels cool with you: spend time with my friends and do something fun!!

DAY 5 // GET UP

🎵get up: wake up early (5:30am) to start studying!

🎶i don’t want to fight your shadow: atp in the challenge I predict that I might be getting tired.. a reminder to keep pushing against inertia and laziness.

DAY 6 // ASAP

🎵hurry up, don’t be lazy: challenge myself to get in 4h of fully-focused studying

🎶so much to do and lots to see: revise all of my subjects and don’t neglect a single! Area!

🎵just for a minute: take a breather by doing a mindful meditation^^

🐇interestingly I'm not that huge of a tokki but this idea has been rattling around in my brain for ages.. I'll do my best!!!!

[lannasroleplaymemes]

Roleplay Tips: "Actionable Responses"

We have all experienced, or will at some point in the future, a thread that feels like it is going nowhere. It's that feeling of reluctance to pull up the draft, of realizing it's the third or so time of experiencing dread when you see that other person respond.

You're bored with the thread. That, or you want to continue and just can't seem to think of what to do next!

There are a number of reasons why this can happen, but one of the most common ones is a lack of an actionable response from your partner. In most cases, deciding to wrap up the thread is the best thing to suggest...but most of us are just too "polite" to do that, huh? 😉But that's a post for another time.

So, what is an actionable response? Simply put, it's a reply to a thread that manages to give direction to your partner. This has NOTHING to do with matching length of post! It's just a matter of being aware that this is a collaborative effort.

Here's an example:

Character A: "I think we should invite our friends out to a party." Character B: "That's a great idea!" Character A: "It'll be a formal party. I'm going to work on the invitations tonight. I'll really go all out and make it fancy!" Character B: "Oh, I can't wait to see what you come up with! I'll be sure to wear the red dress I got over the weekend." Character A: "I'm sure it looks stunning on you. I don't know what I'm going to wear yet. I think I need to figure out the venue and the details first." Character B: "You are going to knock it out of the park! You're always so good at organizing everything!"

So, what happened? The conversation above isn't bad! However, there was "burden" placed on the writer of Character A each time. The writer of B has responded each time in similar length, but gives A little to no idea how to continue the conversation. Each reply made it the responsibility of the writer of A to come up with the direction for the conversation. Here's the breakdown:

A: Starts with the opening prompt (the party)

B: Agrees with idea

A: Elaborates on prompt

B: Enthuses about prompt, brings up new subject (dress)

A: Compliments B, brings up new subject (uncertainty)

B: Reassures A

Sometimes your character requires noncommittal responses, and this is OK to do once in awhile! But think about this in real life: If you met someone who was only this reactive to your comments and never really asked about you or your actions... Wouldn't it get a bit exhausting to talk with them? At the very least, they would appear polite but uninterested, and interactions would tend to be short.

Here's a better example for the above, one with actionable responses from B.

Character A: "I think we should invite our friends out to a party." Character B: "That's a great idea! Which friends, though? The ones from work or school?" Character A: "Why not both? I think it'd be cool to combine our social groups. Unless you think they wouldn't get along…?" Character B: "Well, you know how wild I get around Stacy on the dance floor. I wouldn't want it to reflect bad on my performance review …" Character A: "That's true, you two can get pretty unhinged. But I was thinking of theming it up to be more of a formal party. Like, make fancy invitations and everything!" Character B: "Oh, that sounds amazing! And less likely I'll start twerking, although the possibility isn't zero. Do you need any help with the invitations? Or anything else?" Character A: "I should have the invitations under control, but I'd love it if you could brainstorm the decorations. I want to go for a vintage 1950's vibe." Character B: "I am already making a Pinterest. This is going to be great! Oh, and I just bought the cutest red dress that'll work perfectly for the theme! Do you know what you want to wear? We can go window shopping later if you want!" Character A: "That would be great! Do you have pics of the dress?"

The above interaction isn't just more equal in engagement, its flow and dialogue is far more natural and prompts more detailed responses! Here's the breakdown for this one:

A: Starts with the opening prompt (the party)

B: Responds asking for more details, prompting a new subject (guest list)

A: Answers, asks for B's opinion

B: Answers, brings up a third party that A can comment on

A: Makes a comment, but chooses not to pursue subject at length; brings up new point of discussion (formal party)

B: Gives opinion, offers help

A: Accepts help, provides further prompt details (party theme)

B: Gives opinion, offers up another subject of clothing, offers up potential next direction/goal of thread (shopping)

There is a lot more "work" involved on both sides in the above example. And this is just with dialogue alone -- using descriptors and physical actions (i.e B could pull up their phone and show A the photos of their dress, or A could have started to playfully mock imitate B's dancing) also gives the other character something to respond to. This works great for Muses who canonically don't say much or are generally quiet in certain scenarios!

The ultimate goal of writing Actionable Responses is to share the responsibility of the scene, so that one writer doesn't feel burdened with directing everything and eventually associate your threads with fatigue, even subconsciously. Communication also plays a big part, too! Your responses may be actionable, but if the other writer isn't picking up any of them, it's time to pause the thread and communicate ooc and see what's up!

"Oh no! I realized I don't write a lot of Actionable Responses! Does that mean I'm a bad writer/horrible person? Do all my partners secretly hate me? Is this why I don't get any responses?"

NO. Realizing the above only means you're learning something new right now, and it is up to you if you want to employ the above suggestions or not. This thread is not meant to shame people -- it is meant to educate, and maybe even put into words what other writers feel, so that they can share and point to it when they feel responsibility is unbalanced in a thread.

[gretavanfleetposts]

Fire in the Water: Chapter Five

Summary: You had thought dating a vampire would be the most complicated thing you'd ever done. But as it turns out, becoming one is even more complicated. The boys are determined to make your transformation as smooth as possible while each fighting to maintain the relationships they once had and those they now lust for. Author's Note: As always, I'd like to thank the lovely @gretasmokerising for inspiring me and encouraging me and @earthlysorrows for editing and helping me piece everything together/brainstorm Content Warnings: swearing, brief mentions of suicide risk, talk of blood, oral sex (m. receiving), penetrative sex (18+ minors do not interact) Word Count: 9.3k

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You'd been lingering around the greenhouse more and more as the days went by. Things with Josh felt strange, things with Jake even stranger. So instead of facing either of them, you preferred to hunt with Sam and hole up with the plants in your free time. It seemed like a good balance, despite being the cowardly thing to do.

It wasn't just the tie, though. On your hunts with Sam, you never really felt any true remorse for the things you did. The person you became when you were hungry. And more and more, it seemed you were that person regardless of your state of hunger. You weren't entirely certain Sam didn't regret signing up to teach you. He was a good teacher, you just weren't a very good student.

You ran cold most of the time but on a moment's notice, you'd thaw hot. Sam was getting more used to it the more time you spent together. He used touch to bring you back to him. It was the only thing that seemed to ground you without pulling you too far in the opposite direction. But really, it just distracted you. It was no true remedy. Sam assured you it would just take time. You weren't so sure.

The truth was, the longer you spent apart from the twins, the more you came into yourself. You were finding yourself in that forest, even if what you found wasn't very pretty. It was a whole other thing entirely to contend with but you were set on understanding yourself better. At least you could make progress on something while you formulated a plan to miraculously fix your love life.

You and Sam never spoke of your love life, not after that first day in the woods when he had confronted you on the matter. You suspected he knew sometimes. It wasn't as though your thoughts were devoid of the subject completely. But if he did know, he never let on. Silently, from the confines of the greenhouse when Sam was nowhere to be found, you sometimes wondered if he didn't bring it up because he didn't want to think of you that way, having hurt his brother the same way Adele had hurt him. Maybe he didn't bring it up because he didn't want to know if he was right. Maybe he'd have no choice but to look at you differently if he knew.

You didn't tell him for those same reasons. If Sam were to turn your back on you, you felt certain you'd wander into the forest with no intention of ever returning. You'd grown to need him, in your own way. But even so, you seldom let yourself hope he needed you back.

He was getting used to your routine, so much so that one night, when you had emerged from his shower after a particularly brutal hunt, you'd wandered into the greenhouse to find a makeshift pillow fort amongst the plants. It was nestled snugly in between tables that looked recently cleaned and the stringed lights that illuminated the little glass house looked fresh, like they'd been replaced. You'd even noticed the paper garland that now hung in tandem with the lights, tiny gold foil stars that reflected the twinkling sparks even better than the glass did. You never thanked him out loud for it. But he had heard what he needed to hear.

It was such a beautiful place to hide out. It almost eased the guilt over the fact that you were indeed hiding. You weren't even sure who you were hiding from more: Josh or Jake. With Josh, you ran the risk of saying something you couldn't take back, maybe even recoiling from a touch that would leave a scar deeper than anything your gifts were capable of. But with Jake, you ran the risk of doing something you couldn't take back, something that would lead to more. And you weren't exactly good at stopping when it was more that you wanted.

So it was the greenhouse that comforted you while Sam was busy doing whatever it was he did when he wasn't hunting. It was the plants that you confided in. Grieved with. Even sometimes laughed with.

Actually, maybe you were just going crazy from lack of interaction. That was a possibility too.

Regardless, you were beginning to lose time. Days blurred together when you didn't sleep and hardly noticed the cadence of the sun and moon alternating in the sky. So when Danny showed up amongst the glass walls, it almost startled you, and the five o'clock shadow on his upper lip seemed to be the only indication of passing time.

When you heard him enter, you sat up and folded your legs underneath you. He moved silently to sit in front of you, pulling an unused pot to the edge of your blanket and overturning it to use as a makeshift stool. You'd half-expected Adele to be glued to his side, had barely seen them apart since you'd arrived. But he was alone, his usual soft smile adorning his lips but looking much less mischievous now that his other half was elsewhere. Maybe Josh had sent him to come find you.

"Where’s Adele?" you asked, not meeting his eyes but instead casting yours downward to fiddle with a fray in the hem of a purple velvet blanket you'd been using. If Josh had sent him, you'd rather not see that hurt on Danny's face, a message from his brother.

"She likes to take advantage of the heavier storms and walk along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Only makes me a little nervous," Danny chuckled lightly.

"Do you ever go with her?"

"No, she needs her alone time."

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel the same," you mumbled under your voice.

You brought your knees to your chest and rested your chin against them, ignoring the beautifully sympathetic laugh Danny let out.

Him and his perfect match. Danny and Adele made everything look so easy despite the messiness you'd heard tales of. You'd still only seen remnants of the aftermath. If you didn't know any better, you would have said it had gone smoothly, that they were always meant to be. Even knowing how it had happened, your human self would have agreed. Danny and Adele were always meant to be. But you'd seen the memory Sam had shown you. You had seen the way Adele had once looked at Sam instead of Danny. How they managed to waltz about the house and ignore what they had done, you weren't sure. Maybe one day you'd understand but it wouldn't be understanding born out of your own willingness to give in to it. In fact, you quite hoped you'd never understand. You couldn't bring yourself to put Josh through such hurt.

"How's the super hearing?" Danny interrupted your thoughts and pulled you back to the physical walls surrounding you.

"Pretty annoying to be honest," you admitted, "although it's not so bad out here. Mostly just hear the forest."

It was secluded enough to make you feel mostly alone, only a glimpse or two of the noises of life carrying on inside the home audible when you let your focus wander away from the forest.

"It takes a lot of work to tune it all out but it’ll happen eventually."

You might have rolled your eyes but truthfully, it was hard to be annoyed with Danny. Even for you.

"I’ll have to take your word for it," you said instead, earning another laugh from him where he sat now leaning down with his elbows on his knees to bring himself closer to you, make himself a little smaller.

"When Jake turned, it was almost too much for him. There was a stretch of time where we thought he was going to…well, try and die for real." There was a sense of reminiscence in his voice as he recalled it, his fingers absently fiddling with a rope bracelet slung around his wrist and pulled taught. It must have been a painful memory for him; he almost winced as he remembered it. "With the hearing and his gifts, he could barely even have a conversation with someone sitting right across from him. It took time but he learned how to focus on one thing at a time. Just feel something or hear something, and focus on that."

You couldn't imagine Jake as anything other than what you had seen so far, the picture of control. Even the glimpse you'd stolen of him with his women had painted an image of a vampire who had mastered his own urges and kept them under tight rein in order to live the life he wanted. He couldn't afford to be careless and lose control. But knowing that there had been another version of him, and one who had struggled so greatly with his own control, admittedly you felt a little less bad about your own lack of it. It didn't make your current circumstances any more favorable, but at the very least, it made you feel a little less alone.

Although loneliness wasn't exactly the issue. When it came to Jake, there was an entire chasm of problems to venture deep into. Not that you were feeling adventurous.

You cleared your throat and moved the topic from Jake to the brother you'd now spent far more time with.

"You and Sam. You don't talk anymore?"

Danny sat back off his knees, putting unmissable distance between you as he sighed. You knew what that meant. It wasn't an easy topic for him to discuss. But he answered your question with a resigned shake of his head that sent his curls bouncing in their place.

"Not the way we used to," he said simply, a rather quiet resolution to the mess that you felt every time you entered a room with Sam or Danny.

"Do you regret it?"

"There's nothing to regret. It wasn't a choice I really made. I would do anything for Adele, no matter the consequences and how badly they hurt."

You weren't all that sure you felt the same, although supposedly that would change. It was those consequences and that hurt that drove you away from the idea of it altogether.

You sighed heavily as you continued to pluck at the fraying edge on the blanket, effectively worsening its state. "Do you think you'll ever fix things?"

"I hope. Losing him was the hardest thing I've ever done. He's just a ghost of who he was before." A smile grew on his face, no doubt at some memory of Sam that he was recalling. "You would have loved him."

He hadn't meant it in any bad way but you couldn't help but feel it was unfair. You didn't dislike Sam, not even close. Even if he was different from how he'd been. Of course, it probably helped that you'd never known him before. But in your time with him, hunting and talking, learning and listening, he had been gentle. He had warmed to you like a cat resting on hardwood floor in the only sun spot it could find. And as a vampire now, you'd drawn to him like moth to flame. You were one in the same, forever changed by things outside of your control. Forever angered by those things.

It made you think about your own losses, the ones that still burned in your throat and clawed at your chest when you weren't looking.

"I'm not very good at losing people," you offered out of the blue.

Danny stood from where he'd been sitting on the overturned pot, catching your eye as he stepped onto your blanket and folded his legs beneath him the way you had situated yours.

"I think you handle yourself better than you think you do. Maybe present situation excluded."

His eyes shone brightly and you couldn't help but chuckle with him at his comment.

You shook your head, remembering back to how deep you had fallen after your parents and how desperate you'd been for a reprieve when you had met Josh. He hadn't fixed you by any means but he had distracted you from the harsher realities you hadn't quite been ready to deal with. Realities you now had no choice but to face, despite the way you still fought it.

"I pushed it down when I was human. I don't think I'm capable of pushing anything down now though."

"Everything will bubble to the surface eventually. But the good news is, you have a lot of time to learn to manage it all."

A lot of time. That was hardly the half of it.

"I know you're struggling," Danny started again. "You've been out here for three days. Josh is starting to worry. Hell, we're all starting to worry. Sam keeps reassuring us you're doing okay but…"

God, had it been three full days since you'd been in the house?

"I don't want to be around anyone right now. It's better that way." You held your knees tighter to your chest.

"You don't deserve to go through this alone," Danny answered softly. "I've been where you've been. I didn't go through it alone. I wouldn't have made it if I had."

When you met his eyes, you saw a glimmer of recognition, like he knew more than he let on. Maybe he had seen it already, something within you that he recognized as being within himself. Maybe it was the look you had given Jake that had given you away. Then again, maybe he hadn't seen anything and this was all just a recon mission for Josh. Surely if he knew, he'd have said something about it by now.

Regardless, he knew better than anyone what you were going through. Well, anyone other than Adele, that was. But maybe he had some wisdom to impart that would make your world seem a little less foggy to you.

"I…I've been feeling something…strange." You struggled to form words despite Danny's kind eyes resting on your face ever so gracefully.

"What is it?" he asked softly, encouraging you.

"I'm different…I mean, I feel different…" You trailed off. It was a hard thing to admit, the feelings you suddenly had for your boyfriend's twin. How could you say that out loud?

"That's normal-" Danny started but you quickly stopped him.

"No, not just the normal different. And not just the…the crazy mood swings and the anger but…"

He noticed your hesitation and cocked his head to the side, his brows furrowing in harder the longer you rambled. Finally, with a sigh, your shoulders sank.

"I feel like such a bad person," you admitted in a whisper.

Danny's hand found yours where it hugged your leg, prying it away just enough that he could take hold of your fingers in his palm.

"Whatever it is, I promise you I will never judge you."

He knew what it was, you were certain of it now. Just the way he looked at you made it evident without him uttering so much as a single word on the topic. But he clearly wanted to hear it from your mouth before he lobbied any allegations.

"Things haven't felt the same between Josh and I." You stared at him intently as you spoke, bracing for any sign of judgment. "I'm worried…that I might have…tied-"

It was the image of Jake suddenly appearing in the doorway of the greenhouse that cut your words off sharply, your eyes darting over to him and Danny's following suit.

“Am I interrupting?" Jake asked. He looked even more disheveled than usual, the bags under his eyes having deepened in color since the last time you'd seen him.

"Clearly-" you started, but Danny spoke over you.

“Not at all, we were just talking about super hearing.”

Jake looked past Danny as if he weren't even there, addressing you only when he spoke.

“We need to talk.”

You said nothing, watching silently as Danny glanced back and forth between you both once before standing to his feet and wiping his palms on his jeans.

"Adele will be back soon so, I'm just gonna…" He gestured with his thumb toward the door, signaling his exit.

You watched him leave with a disapproving look melted into your face, freezing there for Jake once the two of you were alone.

"Do you plan to hide out here forever?" he asked finally after a long tenured silence.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” you said flatly, turning your eyes back to the tattered trim of the blanket in your lap.

“Don’t do this, don’t hide from me.”

“I’m not your little human anymore, I can hurt you now."

He shook his head. “You were always capable of hurting of me.”

You stared at him incredulously, disbelief now crossing your features. It felt like this was all some sort of cruel joke that wouldn't end.

You stood to confront him, crossing the greenhouse and weaving around plants simply so you could cast your judgment over to him instead, pushing your finger into his chest hard enough to leave a dent had he been human.

“You did this to me," you accused angrily. "This is your fault.”

"Yes, this," he gestured to you, "this is my fault. But this?"

He reached his hand up to cup your face gently, staring into your eyes like he was staring into your soul. When his fingers wrapped around to graze against your neck, you felt the immediate draw, that immediate yearning to pull yourself into him and let his lips glide against yours.

"I didn't create this," he whispered.

It must have been stronger for him, feeling his own desire and his own attraction as well as yours. It must have been twice as hard for him to stay away from you, to ignore the fact that you'd been staying mere feet from him in the greenhouse. He hadn't even had another woman over since you'd hunkered down there, maybe since you'd tied at all. And when he touched you, you remembered why. It brought back the strength of the feeling that had dulled in his absence.

Your eyes felt heavy as he stepped closer, dragging down to his lips where they sat plump and pink, like they were pillow soft and waiting to prove it to you. He seemed just as fixated on your own when your gaze flickered back up to study him, to watch his movements carefully.

It was an attraction that you could feel growing stronger by the second and how you would ever deny him one day, you weren't sure. Even now, after only a few measly days, you wanted to crash your lips to his. You wanted to taste him, to be tasted by him.

The feeling was strong. But for now, you were still stronger.

"Enough. I get it," you broke the tension quickly, physically pushing him off of you to sever the contact. And when you did, that feeling dissipated almost instantly and dwindled down to just a mere spark, one akin to what you had felt for him as a human. It was only a matter of time that it would exist that way, but it bought you time to figure out what to do. If there even was anything to do.

"You need to stay away from me," you reiterated as you turned from him to gaze at the plants you'd taken in as your own, left in their solitude that now comforted you.

"It won't matter, not for long."

Your fingers dug into the table in front of you and your eyes wound shut while you tried your best to hold your composure close. He was right and you knew it but that didn't make it hurt any less. And it didn't do anything to subdue your anger.

"Josh cannot find out about this," you whispered in a tense hush, your teeth gritting and grinding against one another.

"You can't even bring yourself to see him."

It was the thought of Josh that incited moisture to spring up from your eyes, the thought of leaving Josh and living without him while he led a life as miserable as Sam. You couldn't bring yourself to do it to him. You couldn't condemn him to such sorrow.

You turned sharply back toward Jake. "You can fix it, you can take this away."

He stepped toward you slowly despite being the only one mostly shielded from your gifts. Not that he could avoid feeling your hurt as easily.

“I can’t-” he started, brows furrowing in on that sympathetic look he seemed to always be wearing around you now. It infuriated you, seeing him that way. Acting helpless, like this was just something he was going to accept.

“Bullshit, you can't,” you screamed back, the sound piercing the air and sending birds which had previously been resting comfortably in the surrounding trees scurrying up into the air to flee.

He looked devastatingly helpless. Maybe he'd never encountered a feeling he couldn't fix or tinker with just enough to make the person feeling it feel better. But you couldn't forget that he would feel Josh's hurt at the end of it all too.

"It'll only be temporary," he answered reluctantly as he met you where you stood. It must have been the tears now cascading down your cheeks that prompted him forward as you pressed the heel of your hands into your eyes.

"I'm not supposed to want you, I'm not-" It came out as a choked sob now, having crept up on you the way it usually did. You were quick to anger, but the hurt that drove you to tears? That one hunted you in the night, stalked you like a silent predator and only attacked when you realized you were backed into a corner.

You didn't see him wrap his arms around you but you felt him there and instinctively buried your face into his chest as you cried.

"I know," he attempted to soothe you with his hands cradling the back of your head, letting his fingers dig into your scalp to hold you tightly, like a weighted blanket engulfing as much of your body as he could. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did this, I'm sorry I turned you. I couldn't let you die, I couldn't."

"Did you know?" you choked out against his chest in between muffled sobs.

"No, of course I didn't know." He sounded almost offended by what you had accused him of and suddenly you were pushing him away again.

Always so hot and cold.

"Is that why you were taking me out to dinners? Staying up late at night talking to me while Josh was out-" The accusation burned in your throat, scalding him on the way out as he shook his head vehemently in his defense.

"I was just trying to make you feel like you had a family again-"

"And now you're taking it from me! The thing I wanted so badly and you snatched it up like it belonged to you! You knew! I know you knew!"

Maybe it had been a baseless accusation before but when you watched him go quiet and saw the pained look fold in his brows as his lips pursed into a tight line, you suddenly wanted to hurt him. It made you rethink those nights you had spent together, him cooking for you, playing games with you, talking and listening to you, all while Josh was out feeding. That last night especially, the memory of it warped in your mind until it was unrecognizable.

"Say it!" you all but screamed through your tears and your anger.

"Danny always saw Josh turn you," he said finally, much more calmly than you. "But even then, he never saw anything past that. We never really knew why. Sam was trying to talk him out of doing it just in case. And then after I met you, I…I don't know. I wondered."

It was embarrassing how heavily the tears began to fall, even if the admission made no difference in the way of inevitability.

"You should have just let me die," you sputtered.

He shook his head in disbelief. It was the most wounded you'd ever seen him.

"You'd rather have died than be tied with me?"

"I'd rather have died than become what I am! I cannot deal with losing myself and Josh too!"

"Josh will understand. It isn't your fault-"

"Get out!" You finally snapped. Too many mentions of Josh, too much dwelling on the circumstances that you begged the universe to change. You could barely look at Jake. "Can't you feel how badly I want you to get away from me?"

"Baby, please just talk to me-"

You couldn't argue with the tingle that pet name sent surging through your bloodstream but you could brush it off and pretend it never happened. Even if he had felt it.

You pushed past him in an angry huff. If he wouldn't leave, you would.

"Where are you going?" he asked from behind you.

You knew he longed to grab your wrist and pull you back into him and with one touch, you would have caved in his arms instantly. But he didn't reach for you. He let you go.

"I'm going to make things right," you called back to him as you went. "And you might want to pay real close attention to what you're about to feel because it's what I should be feeling and what I will be choosing to feel."

It was your rage that carried you through the house, up the steps and down the hall until you pushed open Josh's bedroom door to find him nose deep in a journal on the bed he'd bought for his human girlfriend.

When he caught sight of you, the worry that had creased his forehead and sent his fingers buzzing with restlessness was suddenly a thing of the past. He practically jumped off the bed to greet you with arms open wide.

"Danny knew he'd get you out of there. I was going to send Adele in next-"

It wasn't a hug you wanted. It was Josh. Some tangible proof that what you'd had before still existed between you. So you said nothing, only crashed your mouth against his. He accepted you instantly, his hands finding your body the way they always did. He pulled you into him like he wanted to become one with you.

You moaned against his mouth when his tongue slipped past your lips. He was eager. You couldn't blame him; you'd been avoiding him for days. But his eagerness was exactly what you needed. He couldn't hurt you anymore, at long last. You'd take his eagerness and devour it.

You weren't gentle when you guided him backward and pushed his back up against the glass wall framing his room, sending a dangerous crack splintering through the glass at the impact. A whimper started deep within his chest and worked its way up through his throat until you were swallowing it down like it was your communion for some unholy ritual you were performing with him.

His mouth worked against yours, never once pulling away even as your hands moved in a frenzy to tear at the material of his shirt, letting it fall away in tatters. You moved to his pants next, his usual khakis with his belt looped through. Too many obstacles to get to him. But his hands wound around your wrists, holding them still as he pried his mouth away and struggled to speak with your mouth now against his neck, never missing a beat.

"What is this?" he whispered, his breath catching in the end when you nipped at his skin hard enough to send a shot of pleasure up through his body but not hard enough to break skin.

"I just need you," was all you replied.

It seemed to be enough for him because he let your wrists go without any further questioning and took your hips in his hands, pulling your pelvis into his. You each moaned at the contact, feeling the other so close and tempting the control the other had. But you needed more. You needed him fully to assure yourself you still had a choice, still had some say in what happened to you and who you'd spend eternity with.

He practically growled against your mouth when your hands teased his erection through his pants, rubbing painstakingly soft lines up and down his shaft straining in his tight khakis. He was so mouthwateringly big. Surely your desire for him could never change.

Your own passion seemed to ignite that same Josh that had demonstrated himself the last night you'd spent with him as a human, only now, there was nothing he could do that would hurt you irreparably. He could be himself with you, fully, finally. He could use his strength without worry, drink from you without worry, encompass himself in you without worry. And you hoped he would.

His hands weaved their way into your hair, pulling your head back sharply the way Jake had the night at the bar. It seemed like such a distant memory but it was that memory that the sensation brought back to the forefront of your mind. How dark his eyes had been. How badly you'd wanted to give him a hard time even when your breath had failed you.

You tried to shake the memory of Jake from your mind as you took in his twin now, eyes almost entirely black with lust and need. He was practically gone, only a shell of your regular Josh, replaced almost fully by the creature that he was. That you both now were.

You couldn't help the almost evil smile that spread on your lips as he held your head back, not letting you near his lips where you wanted to be.

"Don't hold out on me." You whispered the tease.

He smiled back, a devilish smile that overtook his face.

"Never," he answered.

He pulled your face back into his, this time biting your lip and drawing blood when he felt your fingers tease the imprint of the head of his cock still sheathed in his pants. And the moment your blood touched his tongue, you couldn't help the moan that escaped your body. It wasn't like being drank from as a human. When he had bitten you before, it had hurt. But this time, there was no hurt to be found. This time, when he drank from you, you felt like you'd taken ecstacy. It heightened every sensation within your body. Every touch that was electric before now seared into your flesh. It numbed your mind into an almost orgasmic-like state despite how little you'd even done up until that point.

You could only imagine what it would feel like to have Jake's lips in his place, his fangs instead of Josh's puncturing your skin. An already strong feeling in and of itself, he could make it feel like more.

Your mind did a dangerous dance between the two brothers, your body lusting after the one who now touched you while your mind lusted for the one who didn't even need to touch you. But each time you felt your mind wander to Jake, you fought harder to suppress it. It wasn't anything real, after all. It was a chemical reaction created by some ancient ritual that you really knew nothing about.

It wasn't real.

You maneuvered Josh until his back was pressing into the mattress. There was something to be said for the integrity of the bed frame, too, groaning uneasily under the weight of the force you used to push him backward. He tried to pull you down with him, urging you to put him out of his misery and straddle his cock already but you splayed his arms out on either side of his head, using your strength to hold him down by his biceps as you indulged your tongue in a delicious path down the icy skin of his torso.

You only moved your hands when your chin met the waistband of his pants, giving him a stern enough look to hold him in his place while you ripped the belt loops of his khakis removing his belt and tore the remaining fabric down his thighs. He looked lost in his lust as you stared down at his cock, having sprung up from its confines and now bobbing eagerly against his abdomen. Waiting for you.

When he lifted his head to watch you and you met his eyes, for a fraction of a second it was Jake you saw, casting his lustful eyes down at you as they practically pleaded with you to take his cock into your mouth. But almost as quickly, the image of Jake evaporated and left you staring a little too intently at Josh.

You blinked it away, trying to bring yourself back to him, trying to focus.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked softly from above you, the eagerness and desperation melting away the moment he became concerned for you.

You shook your head to ease him back into it.

"Nothing." You gave him a smile, one you hoped was convincing, and dipped your face down without another word to press a light kiss against his thigh.

His skin was so soft and plush, even where the muscles laid taught just beneath the skin. His body always begged to be touched. It was made for it.

Your lips worked their way over to his hardened length leaking desperation. You had always loved teasing him but now it served another purpose. The lingering touches, the whimpers they elicited from Josh's lungs, it helped ground you. It kept you there with him while your mind fought to float out and find his brother.

You don't want him, you told yourself. You repeated it back in your mind, over and over. You wanted Josh; you were sure of it. You would always want Josh.

You did away with the teasing to finally take him down your throat, noting your lack of a gag reflex as you nuzzled your nose against the soft hair tickling his pelvis at the base. And his moan in response was loud, maybe louder than you'd ever heard him. He was letting himself go. He was moving without worry, feeling without caution. Every movement freed him a little further. But to you, it felt like each brought you closer to the entanglement. Each movement brought you closer to something you couldn't avoid.

You focused on the way he tasted resting heavy against your tongue, the way he sounded, too. Those sounds which were distinctly Josh. Not needing to breathe was a nice addition; you could pump your mouth around him forever without any breaks, working him up faster than you ever could have as a human.

He leaned up onto his elbows to watch you take him, each bob of your head taking him deep into the back of your throat before you retreated to swirl your tongue around the head. He tasted like Josh, a beautiful mixture of salty and sweet that laid so nicely on your tongue. He felt like Josh, too, thick and pulsing against your tongue. And he sounded like Josh, whimpering in that way that he did that made it sound like he'd do absolutely anything you asked of him, if only you'd keep going.

Everything was right and yet somehow it all felt so wrong.

"You take me so well," he whispered as he watched you, in awe of the way your tongue lapped along his shaft as you suctioned your mouth around him, the head of his cock hitting that soft tissue at the back of your throat with each downward movement.

You wanted it. No, you wanted to want it. Was Jake paying attention? Was he jealous? Was he out there with his women, paying no mind to what you were doing?

Your rhythm faltered and you pulled off of him quickly, moving to straddle him instead.

"Such a rush…" he whispered.

You knew Josh preferred slow but he was certainly never one to complain. And you would have happily gone slow with him if it weren't for the fact that you now felt you were in a race with your thoughts as they devolved into something you weren't proud of.

Josh helped you out of your jeans at the pace you had wanted, his hands making quick work of the material of both your top and bottoms to leave you in only your silky undergarments. Neither of which you bothered to remove. Instead, you simply yanked the material of your panties to the side and slid down onto his length with a sigh of relief. He was where he belonged.

He still felt good; at least there was that. His cock buried deep inside of you still felt as mind numbing as it always had, and even more so when he lifted himself up to let his fangs sink into the spot just below your breast.

You drew in a sharp breath when you felt the pull of your blood from your body into his mouth. You didn't realize that part would be different as a vampire, the cold blood stagnant in your veins and probably not satiating but somehow incredibly sexual.

You used his hair as your anchor, holding him close to you while you began to raise and lower your hips.

"Oh my god," you gasped. You could have spilled tears at the sensation of riding him while he drank from you.

Josh's mouth pulled away from where he had latched onto your skin to kiss lower, bending his torso to bite further down.

"Fuck, Josh!" you gasped at the way the feeling had dissipated and suddenly resurged through your body.

You rode him faster, taking advantage of the enhanced muscles in your legs to work up a pace that would have incited the meanest of burns in your legs as a human. But as a vampire, it was easy. It was easy to ride him into oblivion as he struggled to keep it together.

He pulled away from your body again to bring his lips up to your ear, one arm still holding him upright while the other curved around your back and pressed you closer to him.

"I don't need the soul tie," he whispered. "I have you. That's what matters."

It hit you all at once, the weight of the lie you were keeping from him. Your hips faltered and an intense shame pushed through your body like it owned you.

"I'm sorry, I can't-" you sputtered, pulling yourself off of him and practically flying backward until your back hit the wall behind you and he was left lying on the bed, confused and concerned.

He stared at you stunned for only a split second as the tears began to fall down your face before he was at your side, pants pulled back into their place and crouching low next to you where you had sunk against the floor.

“Hey, what’s wrong? What did I do?” Concern dipped his forehead, creating lines of worry deeper than his face usually held. Although that seemed to be a trend, as of late.

“I don’t-I don’t even know how to-” You stuttered, unable to form your thoughts into words and further unable to say what it was you clearly needed to say.

“It’s okay," he urged in that soft voice of his that had talked you out of one of the darkest times of your life, "you can talk to me. I'm sorry for whatever I did-”

“You didn't do anything. I’m just…I’m different, Josh.”

You were different. That was really all you could get out? That hardly explained the half of it.

But he nodded confidently. “I know, sweet girl, I know.”

It made you sigh, suddenly frustrated that he wasn't understanding even though you weren't giving him anything to understand. You were still hiding from him. And now it felt like you were flat out lying to him.

“No, no, I’m not…” You trailed off, burying your face in your hands and hoping the disgust didn't seep through your fingers for him to see.

“What?” he urged lightly.

You didn't know how to say it. You weren't certain you could even bring yourself to say it if you did. So instead, you opted for the next best thing. And it was just as truthful.

“I don’t deserve you, Josh. I’m not…I’m not good.”

His concern only deepened.

“What are you even saying?”

You struggled to meet his eyes, afraid he might see more of the truth there than you meant for him to. Afraid he might even coax it out of you himself with only the sadness behind his own. He could always shake you with just those big brown eyes. Of course, he never really needed to. You'd always just been putty in his hands and happy to be it. But things were changing.

“I’m not who I was and I don’t know why things are so different but they are.” Just enough to tell him you were changing but not enough to really explain anything at all. You'd look back on this conversation and regret holding him at such arms length.

But to your surprise, he nodded. And he looked like maybe he actually did understand, although how deep that understanding went, you weren't sure.

“You think I don’t know things are different? Trust me, I know." He chuckled but it wasn't a happy sound. More defeated than anything else. "I know you’re going through things you don’t want to talk to me about and I’m trying not to pry and give you your space but maybe I haven’t done the right thing. Fuck, I almost asked Sam earlier to tell me what you've been thinking but I couldn't bring myself to." He chuckled again, shaking his head as he stifled his rambling.

"Has he…said anything?" you asked cautiously. There wasn't much that Sam knew either but you weren't exactly careful with your thoughts, especially not when blood was involved.

"Just that your hunts have been going well and not to worry."

It was your turn to shake your head, your hand smearing against your forehead in exasperation. You might have had a headache if you'd been able to feel that type of pain.

"Maybe you should be worried," you whispered.

You hadn't even meant to say it aloud but once you did, you couldn't take it back. He had heard it and it set those lines deeper into his forehead. They'd be permanent wrinkles before long if you had anything to do with it.

"I just mean I can't control the things that I'm feeling…" It wasn't exactly a save by any means but it did seem to ease him a little.

He settled into a sitting position on the ground in front of you, like he was hunkering down there for as long as he needed to. He let his hand rest on your knee, careful not to go any further but keeping the contact to assure you that he was there, in whatever capacity you needed him to be. It should have made you better but it only caused a swell in the feeling of dread that seemed to have nested a permanent home in your chest.

"What do you need?" he asked softly, his thumb grazing along your skin. You knew that if that little finger had the power to ease all of your pain, it would. "I'll give you anything you need to get through this.”

There was no doubt in your mind of that. You only doubted what it would be worth in the end. If he would regret ever giving himself to you fully. It would cost you a lot but for him? It would cost him everything.

“What if I don’t get through it?” you asked just above a whisper, not meeting his eyes but instead fixing them to the movements of his thumb, movements that once would have incited fire deep inside your belly.

“I’m not going to leave you behind. Never.”

Never. It was like Sam and Adele's forever. He meant it now but he wouldn't mean it for long.

“What if…" you gulped hard, forcing yourself to continue. "What if we don’t get through this?”

You placed the emphasis where it was due and braced yourself for an overly supportive boyfriend, insisting that wouldn't be the case. It might have been the worst thing he could have possibly said in that moment but you should have known Josh better than that. You should have given him more credit for the things he saw, even when no one would give him a straight answer.

He pursed his lips hard, forming them into a tight line that they hardly ever agreed to. You were testing out his ability to frown, to morph wrinkles into his perfect skin, to look anything other than how he had been born to look: happy.

No, he didn't look happy. He didn't look like the Josh you were so familiar with. But he at least looked sincere. He was never capable of looking anything less than that.

“You are a part of this family now," he answered. And this time, the concern in his brows seemed to be concern that you may not believe him. But he pressed on. "That will always be the case, no matter which path you choose. And Jake…Jake can help you, you know. Help you control what you're feeling in a way the rest of us can't.”

Control. Would you spend the rest of your life without it? Eternity was a long time, surely you'd learn how to better manage. But the idea of someone else controlling you, even if that someone were Jake and his illustrious gifts, left a sour taste in your mouth. You didn't want to leave your fate up to someone else, constantly experiencing life through a haze of emotions you didn't create. It might have sounded appealing when you were a human but now that everything was intensified and you took pleasure in the things you shouldn't have, you wanted to be the keeper of your own emotions, erratic as they were. If it was manufactured chemicals you wanted, you wanted to choose it. And if it really was Jake you wanted, you wanted to choose him too.

You said nothing but after some time spent on the floor, the top of your head pressed into his chest while you slumped over on yourself, he picked you up quietly and carried you to bed. Not to sleep but to hold you.

You knew it was likely to be the last time you'd find any comfort in his arms the way you once had. And silently, against the cover of his chest, you mourned the loss of it.

—

At some point when the sun broke over the horizon and signaled dawn, you slid out of bed while Josh refreshed himself in the shower, aiming for the bottle of aged whiskey Jake kept in the liquor cabinet tucked away in the kitchen. Something to keep you company throughout the day, you had decided.

You heard Sam descend the stairs and enter the kitchen as your fingers found the familiar curve of the bottle.

"I'm not hungry." You didn't even turn to look at him as you straightened and uncorked the bottle, taking a swig directly from it. It didn't burn the way it might have as a human but it still tasted like gasoline. You weren't entirely sure how Jake stomached it. Maybe that was his version of self-inflicted torture.

“You’ve practically been screaming your thoughts to me,” Sam said as he settled with his hip jutting into the counter next to you.

You could feel the lecture you were about to get and it angered you before it even graced his lips and fell upon your ears.

“You and Jake. Making sure I'm never fucking alone.”

“I like to think I've been a little kinder about it than Jake.”

He had been. But you were keeping more and more secrets with each passing second and you were struggling to want to admit that to him.

You slammed the liquor cabinet door shut, closing your eyes and breathing deeply as your fingers sank into the wood and left little crescent moon dents in the surface. You were working on your anger. It wasn't going all that well.

"Oh so now you're coming to cash in on all of those moments you could have been shitty to me but chose not to?" you accused. "How noble of you."

"I'm flattered by the incredibly low opinion you have of me so why don't I make this easy for you. You tell Josh or I will."

You had known it was likely he had heard your thoughts the previous night, the breakdown you'd had in Josh's room despite it being the first time you'd faced him in days. Of course, you had hoped Sam would continue on in his silence. There had been nothing other than your initial look at Jake to give you away. If you had only stayed put in the greenhouse.

You tell Josh or I will.

It made your blood run cold.

“What did you just say?” You turned to him in utter disbelief, praying you had somehow magically heard him wrong.

"Do I really need to say it again?"

“You Kiszka’s and your invasive fucking gifts, throwing around judgment about things that are none of your business.”

“You have to tell him, honey." He said that word, honey, with such disdain. "You have to tell Josh the truth.”

“There’s nothing to tell, Sam!” It was a quiet whisper but spoken without any hint of calmness as he unraveled the tale you had woven so delicately inside of you, keeping your relationship carefully held together with threads criss-crossing every which way.

“There is and we both know it," he spat back. "Jake knows it too. Even Danny and Adele fucking know it, Danny could see it on your face the second you turned and laid your eyes on Jake. And now you have no choice, isn't that what they say? It's inevitable?”

You could have hit him for making you face it.

"Maybe it's not!"

"Then why did you want it so badly with Josh?" He saw through your paper-thin lie instantly. "You're telling me now you're choosing not to believe it has to be this way?"

"Nothing happened, Sam. Stay out of it." You struggled to keep your voice down but Sam didn't even seem to be trying.

"You told me you didn't know what happened. I believed you."

"Sam," you warned dangerously, feeling that familiar spark of anger that flowed through you so deliciously. You didn't want to hurt him again, not if you could help it.

He leaned in closer, speaking his words in a hushed but urgent whisper. "I can't ignore this any more than you can."

"Yes, you could," you pleaded, "if you would just please-"

"You're not hearing me," he snapped, the words almost silent as he grabbed your arm and pulled you into him.

You didn't fight it. You only met his eyes, the anger having subsided for the moment as you took in his face. You realized it in the honey brown of his beautifully droopy eyes, always so filled with expression you could never distinguish until now. He was hurt.

"You're going to give up everything for him anyway so just do it already," he breathed. "Make this less painful than it has to be. Please."

You weren't sure what you would have done had Jake not entered the kitchen to see Sam's hand holding your bicep with a bruising force, even for all your strength.

"What the fuck is going on?"

When he heard Jake's voice, Sam's hand fell back to his side and he retreated several steps. His face turned expectant as he waited for you to give the answer he knew Jake didn't need. It was like he just wanted to hear you say it but not the way Danny had. It felt vindictive.

"Nothing." If it hadn't been for the super hearing, your single word answer might have been impossible to hear. But the scoff Sam let out in return was far less quiet.

"Everyone in this fucking house seems to think they can keep secrets from me."

"Sam," his brother let out a warning similar to the one you had uttered and it seemed to exasperate the youngest.

"Oh what, you don't want to talk about it either? At least Danny had the fucking decency to not try and hide it from me."

His eyes were scathing on yours and you might have cried had the anger bubbling up inside of you not prevented those tears, effectively evaporating them before they could cascade down your skin.

"Sam, that's enough!" Jake held his arm out to his brother, his palm resting on his chest like he was holding him back from leaping at you.

That was the scene Josh had walked in on, dripping wet from his shower cut short. It was a scene impossible to explain away without being honest.

“What is happening?” he asked. He already looked concerned and part of you wondered how much he had even needed to hear to piece it together.

Sam and Jake exchanged a glance, and you were caught looking between them, hoping no one would say anything.

When Josh received nothing but silence, he spoke your name. Your eyes snapped to his, brimming with hot tears, but still you said nothing. It was like your mouth had been taped shut. You couldn't bring yourself to say it.

“Somebody tell me what’s going on now," he demanded finally, looking irritated and like he was losing composure by the second.

And finally, it was Sam who broke the silence.

“Jake has found himself his soul tie.”

“That’s not funny, Sam,” Josh answered without any pause.

Sam kept his eyes on you when he answered.

“No. It’s not.”

He looked at you the same way he had the first day he had met you. Loathing.

“It’s not true,” you whispered.

God, you couldn't even grace Josh with a look. Instead, he turned to Jake, pleading with him.

“Please tell me it’s not true.”

Jake met him with the same silence the rest of you had practically bludgeoned him with. It somehow knocked you out of your staring contest with Sam. Josh was your boyfriend, after all. Didn't you have any fight in you?

“Tell him it’s not true," you suddenly pleaded with Jake, turning to grip his arm. "Tell him I don’t feel anything for you!”

When he met your eyes, desperation-filled, he only looked sympathetic.

“You may not now, but you will.”

“No. No, I won’t. How dare you. How dare you-” The first was directed at Jake but the second was directed at Sam.

You flung your body at him, the physical urge to hurt him, not with your gifts but with your own two hands, overwhelming. It was Jake who caught you and stopped you, Jake who flooded your body with a fatigue you hadn't felt since you had been human, and one that lulled you into a sleep-like state in his arms and against your will.

Taglist: @gvfcinema @jakekiszkasbuttsweat @hippievanfleet @crossczeched48 @cassiesgreta @sunfl0wer-power @abby-gvf @joshkiszkasfoot @joshskittytickler @lightsofthe-living-gvf @i-choose-the-road @am-bam @alwaysdaydreamingoffiction @themoreyou-love @bumblebeewrites @coolmedown @sacredthesin @jonch-gvf @justdamnpeachy @fallenstar1708 @vanfleeter @laurengvf8 @allybtj @watching-over-hypegirl @hr33gvf @kaitburb @threadofstars @jennasometimesreads @samiiijones @ jakekiszkasmommy @lallisonl @therobynsworld-blog

@sparrowofthedawnsworld @demonrat444 @malany-gvf @myownparadise96 @capturethechaos @st4rdust-ch0rds @montenegroisr @sacredjake @notthedroidz @sinarainbows @kissingthegoat @eraofstardustchords @cherryflo @blacksoul-27 @lyndz2names @earthgrlsreasy @gvfmarge @carlyfleet @thetroublegetssoloud71 @withlovegvf @suzi107 @gracev0609 @objectsinspvce @kissakiszka @amorlizette @stardustcatcher @notsostrangerthing @brokebellsgvf @sweet1squash @imleavingyoufornewyork @lipstickitty @ageofhearingloss @zoe-tally06 @mavvanfleet

[sighonaraa]

Any of your WIPs that you weren’t asked about that you want to chat about? Or anything else you want to share about one you were?

YES I WOULD IN FACT!!! so this one is one that is not on the list because i actually just brainstormed it up today while shouting about de-aging fics with the wonderful @asteria-argo and now i must subject all of you to hearing about it as well:

the ending where you finally find your way home (tentative title)

AKA the fic wherein, in the middle of a 33-year-old jamie tartt's retirement party, a fuckery of the universe occurs and in the space between one heartbeat and the next, 23-year-old jamie is standing in the place of his older self. and he hasn't got any memories of the last ten years at all.

everyone panics. jamie panics the most and pretends he's not by lashing out at anybody who gets close, but especially roy, who for some reason is nearing 50 and seems to love 33-year-old jamie a hell of a lot for someone who's professed an undying hatred for him multiple times. actually, scratch that. the entire team seems to love this 33-year-old jamie a hell of a lot. and no matter how mean 23-year-old jamie is to them now, how much he bites and kicks, they just. keep. being. kind. and colin's got a husband? and isaac has two daughters? and there's this dani rojas character who keeps wanting to hug him? it's a lot. it's weird. but it's also... nice. in a way. he supposes.

oh, and also? apparently his 33-year-old self cut their dad out of his life a long time ago. but that can't be right.

tl;dr: this is the fic wherein a 23-year-old jamie gets all the love he deserved to have at that age, and it's all because of the life he managed to build and choose for himself.