#tension was so real!! I want to keep adding bodies to the list to stack odds against Xavier yhhhhgg Yoko you’re up let’s go girl

[ziracona]

I love that I originally assumed ‘it doesn’t matter who wins as long as Xavier loses’ would be a niche Wednesday take, but there’s apparently a devoted tag full of it

[spencessmile]

Enough Is Enough

Pairing - Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Summary -  Spencer has had enough with you putting your life in danger.

Warnings - Angst

Word Count - 2,365 words

And all imagines/fanfics/blurbs are written solely by me so please don’t steal my work and post it without my consent.

Feedback and Comments are welcome. Happy reading!

Requests are CLOSED!

**

“Jake, just take a minute to think about what you’re about to do. I’m not going to tell you that it’s going to be okay because you and I both know that’s a lie. But I just need you to put the knife down, can you do that?” You slowly lower your gun. “Okay, I’m going to lower my weapon,” You slide your gun back into its holster.

The room is eerily quiet and you can sense the tension.

“Y/n, what are you doing?” Morgan called out from behind you. You ever so slightly shook your head, not wanting to take your eyes off from Jake. You move slightly closer to him.

You can see Jake gripping the knife tighter, “Jake you hurting yourself isn’t going to help anyone. Just talk to me. I’m right here.”

“NO! NO ONE EVER LISTENS!” He shouted back.

“I’ll listen. I promise I’ll listen to everything you have to say,” You respond. It was at that very moment that you noticed Jake’s facial features change.

“I want your partner to kill me! He has an aim, doesn’t he?”

“My partner isn’t going to do that,” You reply, standing a foot away from Jake.

“Make him do it! Make him,” Jake yells, as he cries, his shoulders slump. You notice that Jake drops the knife as she continues to sob in front of you.

“Adding another name to the list isn’t the way to go Jake. You and I both know that” You speak as you slowly but with caution move closer and closer. You knew what you were about to do was risky but you didn’t have much of a choice, so you were going for it. You quickly reached up and grabbed Jake’s wrist as you bent down, your hand reaching for the knife. Jake’s eyes meet with yours as he realizes what you’re doing.

“NOOO! NO! NO! LET GO OF ME!” He yells at you, pulling his arm back but he pulls back with a force that you went with him, you feel the cold metal of the knife slice into your left torso.

“Y/N!” You hear Morgan yell.

“Morgan, do not shoot! Do not shoot,” You say as Jake pulls you in, again.

“Shoot me now. Shoot me!” Jake said to Morgan. “Take me out while I have your partner!” As Jake is talking to Morgan you notice you have an opening so you go to grab the hilt of the knife. “Watch it! Otherwise, I’ll kill you first!” Jake yelled, as he fought for the knife, you and him going back and forth until you felt a sharp pain shoot through your right hand.

You muster all the strength you have and turn your chest to this back and kick his legs, watching him falling to the ground as you pull out your gun. He tried to fight you as you put your right leg on his chest, keeping him down.

“It’s over! Stay down!” You yelled as the pain in your left torso increased every single second as you applied pressure with your leg to keep Jake down to the floor.

As you keep your gun pointed to him, the next couple of seconds are blurry until you see Hotch and Morgan running up to you.

You holster your gun and take a step back, holding your torso. You feel something wet when you look at your hand; its blood. Your back hit the wall as you slid down.

“Agent down, we need a medic!” You hear someone yell through your earpiece. “Y/n,” With hazy eyes you look up and see Morgan bending down to your level.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” You breathe, as the pain is starting to take over your body.

**

“This is a bit deeper than a flesh wound. I’m going to have to stitch your torso and right hand,” The EMT tells you while examining your wounds. As you’re sitting in the back of the ambulance you can hear multiple footsteps making their way closer, you look up and see Spencer running towards you. Spencer stops himself before he can fully reach you.

“This is going to hurt a little, are you sure you don’t want any morphine? You can also tell me to stop at any time,” The EMT said, cleaning your wound

“I’m okay,” You reply as Spencer scoffs at your answer.

“Oh, she’ll be fine. She throws herself into dangerous situations all the time. Break? She doesn’t need a break. She never stops! But guess who does need a break? Me, I need a break!” You were taken back from Spencer’s reaction.

You’d never seen him like this. He was yelling. He never raised his voice at you or as a matter of fact at anyone.

“Spen-”

“I need a break from your stupidity! You fought a teenager who was far past his mind, he was holding a knife. Not only did you put your gun aside but you told Morgan to stand down. Why do you do this type of stuff? Does this stuff excite you? Can you not do this job unless you’re on the edge? You went real far today. I ca-” Spencer stops when Emily puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Reid, she’s ok-”

“I know she’s okay,” He breathed, looking at Emily. “But why can’t she just try to do this damn job without getting herself killed or put in danger every time we’re on the field?”

“Spence,” Your emotions were all over the place, you felt tears pressing but you pushed them aside not wanting to cry in front of the team. “I didn’t have any other ch-”

“There is always another choice other than throwing yourself in danger.”

“Spencer!” You say, catching his attention. “Look at me, please. I’m okay. I’m in one piece,” You assure him.

“You are today, but if you keep making stupid decisions and putting yourself in danger like this every time then someday you won’t be!” He snaps at you.

“Spen-” You try to reach for his hand.

“Please sit still,” The EMT said, holding down your hand as you groaned in pain. “Spencer! Spencer, just lis-” Spencer just turned his back to you as he pushed past Hotch and Rossi.

“Kid!” Morgan calls out.

“Reid,” Emily said, turning back to go after him.

“Em,” You call out as she looks at you. “Let him go,” You say as you watch Spencer walk away.

**

“Alright, you’re all good to go. No heavy lifting or putting any pressure on your right hand. You’ll probably be off work for a couple of weeks until your left torso stitches fully heal. I’m prescribing this medication, take it as instructed and you should be good. Also, follow up with your doctor in a week,” The EMT said, handing you your prescription, that Morgan quickly snatched from your hand and put in his pocket.

“Alright let’s go,” Emily said, pulling a wheelchair towards you.

“Seriously?” You raised your eyebrow.

“It’s just from here to the car and then I’m sure Morgan wouldn’t mind picking you up,” She laughs as Morgan chuckles.

“Did Spencer leave?” You ask.  

“He uh- he rode back with the Sheriff. Rossi, JJ and Hotch just left.”

“Oh,” You understood that he was upset at you but he never left without you.

“He just cares for you Y/L/N, that’s why he’s just upset. The kid can’t stay mad at you for long. He’ll run up to you as soon as we get back.”

“I know,” Morgan was right, no matter how upset Spencer was at you, all it took was one glance of yours. Spencer was a softie, which is one of the million reasons why you loved him.

**

Emily held the door open to the station as Morgan helped you inside, JJ took notice and quickly pulled out a chair for you.

“Agent Y/l/n,” You looked over at the Sheriff. “That was one hell of a tactic. Great job,” You shake his hand as you notice Spencer shaking his head.

“Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?” Rossi asked.

“I’m okay,” You answered but, to be honest you weren’t going to be okay until you talked to Spencer. He was on the far end of the table with Hotch, wrapping up the files. He glanced your way and you sent a small smile his way but he just ignored you.

You sighed, grabbing the stack of files until Emily grabbed them from you, giving you a stern look.

“What are you doing?” She asked, putting the files aside.

“My paperwork.”

“Y/N, you’re hurt. The paperwork can wait,” She tells you.

“Don’t stop her Emily, she may be injured but she’ll probably fight you too,” Spencer says and you snap your head in his direction giving him the ‘are-you-being-serious-right-now?’ face.

“Guys,” The team looked up at you. “Can Spencer and I have the room for a minute?” They nod, leaving you and Spencer all alone, sitting on opposite ends of the table.

“Why are you so upset?” You ask as Spencer continues to shuffle through the files.

“You should know why.”

“This is our job, Spence,” You reply, as Spencer turns the corner you muster all the strength you have and stand up, grabbing his arm. As soon as you do, pain shoots right through your hand and wince in pain, retracting your hand.

“Are you okay?” Spencer asks, immediately dropping the files and lightly holding your arm. He pulls the chair and helps you sit down.

You look at Spencer and notice how instead of now being upset he was worried about you.

“I’m okay.” As you looked at him, Spencer grabbed his files and turned his back to you, walking away.

“Spencer,” He didn’t turn around. “Turn around please.” You heard Spencer sigh as he walked over to you and crouched down meeting you at eye level.

“Do you like doing this to yourself?!” He was still really upset.

“Doing what?”

“Always getting hurt? Does it give you some sort of adrenaline rush?”

“I made a decision.”

“It wasn’t the righ-”

“If you were in my position you would have done the same thing.”

“I would have thought of something else, Y/n!”

“No, no you wouldn’t have.”

“Y/n, I’ve had enough with you thinking that you can save everyone while doing this job. You’ve been doing this job for a long time and you know it doesn’t always work that way.”

“I know how this job works Spencer.”

“Do you really though?”

“What does that supposed mean?”

“You don’t think through your decisions.”

“Are you being serious right now?”

Although you were upset that Spencer brought it up, somewhere along the line you knew he was right. You didn’t always think your decisions through. If there was anything you learned while doing this job it was sometimes you had to make rash and fast decisions; and they won’t always be safe and easy to make.

“You can’t keep putting yourself into situations in which I might lose you.”

There it is.

“I’m sorry,” Spencer shook his head. “I know that this is our job but sometimes it sucks when we have to put ourselves on the front line not knowing what can happen.”

“There is a reason why we go through so much training, it’s because it prepares us for situations like this.” “I’m sorry for yelling at you in front of the team, I just saw you and I ju-just don’t know what came over me,” He breathed, you grabbed his face.  

“You were just worried and I don’t blame you,” Spencer looked at your bandaged right hand and you nudged his shoulder. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“You’re just saying that. Why didn’t you take any meds for the pain?”

“Because I didn’t need them.”

“Can you promise me something?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Can you promise to stop making stupid decisions when we’re out on the field?” You sat on Spencer’s words for a bit.

“Spencer you know how th-”

“I know I should trust you when you’re out on the field and you make decisions and I do but I’m always so nervous that I’m never going to see you again,” Spencer spoke honestly. “The thought of never seeing you again is abso-”

“Hey,” You whisper “We do a pretty intense job for a living, I won’t promise you anything but I will try to be more careful and make less stupid decisions.”

Spencer nods at your words. “But I am upset at you for one thing,” You said.

“What?”

“Back at the crime scene, you left without me.”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that. It’s been weighing down on me ever since I got back with the Sheriff,” Spencer said, his voice laced with an undertone of sadness.

“I’m kidding Spence,” You said, throwing him a small smile. “I just don’t like it when you’re mad. You seem like a whole different person.”

“I know.”

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you by any chance have ibuprofen?” You ask, shyly.

“I do but you said you don’t need them.”

“Well I didn’t, but you’ve been squeezing my hand for the past 3 minutes and it’s starting to hurt like a cheese stick,” Spencer lets go immediately. You can tell that he tensed up. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” You assure him.

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” Spencer gets up but turns around and faces you again. “Hey,” You look up at him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Enough is enough; no more hurting yourself. Just don’t want to lose you,” He said, leaning down and kissing you. “I love you.”

“I love you,” You reply, pecking his lips again. “Also any unsub is going to need more a kitchen knife to take me out,” You joke as Spencer just shakes his head at you.

**

Sometimes making rash decisions can be the best decisions you ever make - Unknown

[nctxnation]

A Haunting in Neo City

➳ Pairing: Renjun x Reader 

➳ Genre: Romance | Buzzfeed Unsolved AU

➳ Word Count: 4.8k

➳ Warnings: Mild Language

➳ “Of all the problems and complications in my life, I had not expected love to be one of them.” ― Stacie Evans

You spun around in your chair, eyes tired of seeing the screen after finally finishing another article. The coffee mug next to you, empty, and your brain still sleep deprived and sluggish.

“You look like shit.”

You groaned, pressing send on the computer and turning to see your partner in crime, or more like partner in the occult and crime. 

“Hello, to you too, Renjun,” You flicked a paper clip at him and he rolled his eyes as it bounced off his chest. “I’m just tired. Yeri and the girls’ invited me out for dinner last night.”

“Fun,” He grinned, jumping onto your desk, knocking papers to the side. “All I did last night was see how many pens Jisung could stuff in his mouth, nine, by the way.”

“I’m guessing you have some news for me,” Your eyes zeroed in on the stack of papers in his hands. “Let me guess a cursed doll that terrorizes its owners?”

“Been there, done that, remember?” He smiled down at you, eyes brightening at the prospect of a new adventure. Your heart fluttered at the eagerness in his tone and the sparkle of his eyes, “We’re going out to Neo City to scope out the Evermore Woods, aka the Haunted Woods of Neo City. There’s supposedly haunted cabins and we might just end up possessed, you in?” 

Of course, you were in. You’d follow Renjun anywhere, he didn’t know that. You sure as hell didn’t want to submit to the sheer embarrassment and awkwardness that would ensue after disclosing your romantic feelings to your coworker and closest friend. 

“Do I have a choice?” You grinned snatching the prints of research out of his grip. “We’re not gonna end up possessed, it has never happened.”

“You never know,” He was positively buzzing with excitement and it made you beam at how adorable he looked. “I have a feeling this one is gonna be a good episode though.”

“You always have the craziest shit up your sleeve,” You noted, glancing through rumored sightings of ghosts and wild stories that spurred from college students partying in the woods. “This is no exception. Sounds like a fun roadtrip to me.”

“Wait ‘til you read about the Ghost of Jieun they saw there, it’s some crazy shit I kid you not!” 

Renjun went on the full blown spiel, trying to persuade you that the woods were indeed haunted and it wasn’t just a hoax. He did this all the time, seeing as he was the one who fully believed in the paranormal between the two of you. You were the one who decidedly followed him throughout his supernatural investigations sprinkling witty commentary as you weren’t as sold in any stuff like that. 

You were often the cause of Renjun’s constant hysteria as you seldom kept quiet and continuously egged and taunted any ‘spirit’ that might be lurking. It got to the point Renjun would keep a small bottle of holy water in his car and occasionally spray you with it just to make sure you weren’t actually possessed. 

A long ass story about some ghost later, Renjun was summoned by Jeno who needed help as Haechan had gotten his hand stuck up some tubing they were filming a video with. You took that as your cue to refill your empty coffee cup, to regain some life and have at least a semblance of a normal, functioning human being. 

You however didn’t expect yourself to be cornered by Yeri and Yuta, who were looking far too devilish. Their evil smirking were making you want to add them to the list of possible people to perform an exorcism on, part of Renjun’s never ending list.

“So, you and Renjun looked pretty cosy there,” Yeri commented, subtly glancing at Yuta whose face only darkend with mischief. 

“We’re partners on this ongoing project,” You deadpanned, pouring in some burning hot liquid into your mug. The steaming zest of life. “He literally has no choice now, the loser is stuck with me. We ordained it with a blood oath which is pretty on brand for us, I guess.”

Yuta cackled heartily, “No wonder you guys’ are in love. You have the same sense of humor.”

“Thanks,” The words processed in your brain slower than Internet Explorer. “Wait--what? In love? Renjun and me?”

“Am I speaking in Japanese?” Yuta winked at you, sipping his coffee so smugly you wanted to slap him. “So, when’s the wedding?”

“It’s not like that,” You began to feel uneasy, their staring was predator-like. “How many times do I have to spell it out to you guys? Renjun and me, we’re friends and co-workers, nothing more. So, we share a room every once in a while and have inside jokes, you and Winwin do too.”

“Mhmm sure,” Yeri shrugged it off, “One day we’ll get you to admit your love for each other.”

“Not gonna happen,” You gritted out, taking your mug and walking away as fast as you could so they couldn’t see the intense blush coloring your features. 

“You better send a wedding invitation!” Yuta hollered as you rounded the corner and saw Renjun and Haechan laughing about his incident.

Your heart warmed as Renjun’s eyes met yours and you could have sworn you saw a fondness in his eyes that was only reserved for you. A small sliver of hope slithered its way into your heart, but you crushed it easily on account of it being your sleep deprived brain creating scenarios in your head that weren’t real.

Unbeknownst to you, Renjun sighed in aggravation. His little frown catching Haechan’s attention.

“You might as well tell Y/N you like them,” Haechan said as he watched your retreating figure. 

“It’s not that easy,” Renjun admitted, “Y/N and me are a team, we have our own series and its doing really good. I don’t want to ruin any of that knowing they don’t feel the same.”

“You sure about that?” Haechan snorted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Renjun snapped, ready to put Haechan in headlock at any given offense. 

“I mean the supernatural isn’t the only thing your blind to,” Haechan patted his friend’s shoulder and left, leaving Renjun more confused than before.

Renjun thought it was easier to be cornered by ghosts, demons, serial killers, and bizarre monsters than having to ever come close to admitting his feelings for you. Your friendship ran deep and he didn’t want to derail the dynamic he worked so hard to upkeep. Plus, he didn’t think you’d like him, you got along swimmingly due to the fact that you two instantly clicked. You were his best friend, in his eyes, telling you he wanted something more was severely scarier than facing ghouls. 

The matters of the heart were always something terrifying.

Renjun placed his folder of information neatly on the table, eyes bright as he faced the camera. You sat next to him trying your best not to stare too much at him. You failed of course and you hoped your audience thought none of it. The comment section had a few comments littered about they way you looked at each other. The last thing you needed was your full blown heart eyes for Renjung to be the one thing your viewers discussed. 

“This week we will be exploring the haunted cabins in the Neo City Evermore Woods.”

Gosh, even the way his voice went into professional mode was starting to sound immensely attractive to you. 

“Do you think we'll see bears?” You asked, smirking at the frustrated sigh he let out. The edges of his lips turned upwards and that in itself was enough to have you glowing.

“The woods are crawling with ghosts and demons and you're worried about bears?” He chuckled, it was so like you. It was one of the many things he liked about you, even when it clashed with who he was. 

“I just don't want to take my chances.”

“But you'll be okay with being possessed?” His eyes bulged out of his face and you giggled at how comical he looked. 

“I'm being realistic. I guess we can trace a circle around us.”

“Of salt?”

“No, dirt like with a stick. For the bear, Renjun. Not the ghosts.”

“Isn't that from Spongebob?” He regarded you with sparkly eyes full of amusement. 

He loved the way you made the tension in his body release, the way your eyes crinkled when you laughed at your own stupid jokes. He was seriously gone and he hoped it didn’t get captured on camera. 

“Yeah that's where I get all my educational information from.”

He started wheezing and you joined in laughing at how silly you sounded. That was your role in this dynamic duo, he took everything regarding the supernatural seriously and you joked about it. You two were like yin and yang in a sense, you balanced each other out. 

“Well, I get all my educational information from reliable sources,” Renjun began addressing the timeline of the Disappearance of Jieun, to telling about her murder and the hauntings of the lake and cabins.

You added your own commentary, smiling when the camera turned off and Renjun excitedly high fived you. Yup, you were way too deep. 

“You were really funny out there,” He said, shuffling all his papers back into his folder, “Great stuff. I think I’m going to need an inhaler or something.”

“Nah, I think I sounded cringey,” You waved off his immediate protests, “I just wanted to take the time to say that you really put a lot of work into this series and it shows. You’re doing amazing, Renjun, and you deserve to know it.”

“Couldn’t do it without you?” He was too sweet, he was going to give you tooth decay.

“I don’t think--”

“No, of course you don’t see how great you are,” He interrupted you, placing a small warm hand on your shoulder. “But I see how great you are and I think you should know you make this series worth doing.”

“Renjun…”You swiped an imaginary tear off your cheek, ignoring the actual tears building up. “You really are the sweetest person in the office, don’t tell Jungwoo I said that.” 

The weight of his compliment and your lack of though, had you wrapping his frame around your arms. He froze, but then melted into your hands. 

“I’m serious you make the other half of Spooky Duo,” Renjun’s warmth blossomed a new kind of warmth in your heart, “I love you, Y/N...I mean, you’re the best partner in crime money can buy.”

“You threatened me to join you,” You sniffled, ignoring the fluttering feelings the eight letters he murmured brought you. “I had no choice in the matter, but you’re a great partner in crime...I love you too, Renjun.”

The love you felt was different than the love he felt that much you knew. No lack of sleep or caffeine rush was going to lull you into a false reality that you made up in your head. He didn’t feel the same. 

There was beat, in which you both stood, arms tangled and breathing rough, staring into each other’s eyes. The moment was broken when Yuta and Yeri stumbled into your work room claiming a group meeting. You scrambled away from each other, your eyes having totally not been hyperfixed on his lips. Renjun cleared his throat and fist bumped you claiming you as the best friend he could ask for, before he went on his merry way.

You sighed, not trying hard enough to hide you own dejection, but you followed behind him. This, unfortunately, only roused Yuta and Yeri even more as they began gossiping about the office, murmuring about how any day now the Spooky Duo were finally going to get together.

It was dusk, night barely stretching across the horizon when you reached the edge of the Evermore Woods. The forest was cold, dark, and dense. It was the picturesque vision of any horror movie setting, horrific and nightmarish. It would certainly allow for your mind to conjure up the scariest of things to crawl from out of the forest, had you been creative enough for it. From the look in Renjun’s wide eyes, you can tell he felt the eeriness set in too. 

The uneasiness reflected in Jeno and Jaemin’s eyes, your camera crew for tonight. Haechan and Yuta were already setting up things in the cabins. Renjun gulped and led the way down the path,  Jeno and Jaemin stayed a couple of steps behind you two, jostling through the greenery with their equipment. 

“Are you afraid of anything?” Renjun trekked through the foliage skillfully, the bright flashlight guiding him, although there was a subtle shake to his grip.

“Yeah, dying alone. Thank God I have you.” It was meant as a joke, but the weight of your words rang heavy and poignant in contrast to the eerie silence of the night.

Renjun deliberated for a moment, before following it up with a quip of his own, “I'll feed you to the demons before you even get to me.”

“That’s to say there’s even demons.” 

“Our viewers think you’re a demon.” His eyes were playful, reeling you in and effectively turning you into mush.

“I can’t confirm nor deny that.” You squashed the butterflies easily, falling into step behind him. 

“Do you think we’ll catch some real footage of something?”

“What if we see Bigfoot?”

“Wrong episode,” Renjun smiled, “Do these woods spook you out? What's that noise?”

“Do you know what a cricket is? Speaking of Bigfoot,” You poked his side and he flew up, sending you a glare, “Remember last time? Dude, you were practically crying.”

“I thought we were gonna die,” He defended, “How was I supposed to know Johnny was in a Bigfoot costume ready to scare the shit out of us.”

“That was the whole point,” You said as you finally reached the small lake where the Ghost of Jieun was rumored to be seen. “Are you down for a late night swim?” 

Renjun focused his thermal camera on his surroundings, frowning as he caught sight of nothing out of the ordinary. “Should we try the spirit box? Maybe we can speak to her.”

“Chick was murdered by a man, she probably has some deep issues,” You said, plopping down on the wet grass that covered the lip of the lake. “She probably won’t want to speak to you. Or maybe she’s hiding in the cabins back there.”

Jeno and Jaemin propped up all the filming equipment and readied the camera to start filming. They signaled Renjun to get started and he immediately launched into ‘YouTuber Renjun’. 

“We’re here at the Evermore Woods of Neo City. As you can see, we have Green Water Lake right behind me and some of the cabins that remained from the old campground. People say the Ghost of Jieun likes to linger around this general area, near the dock.”

“Wasn’t she killed by her lover?” You bounced a small pebble into the water and watched it ripple.

“Yeah, he dated her. He actually said she was too beautiful to be murdered and she agreed and used that as her tactic to live for one more minute.”

“I--what?”

“Yeah she was basically like ‘Please don't kill me, I’m too sexy for this disrespect.”

“Do you think he was like hahaha don't die your so sexy...oops sorry my knife fell into you.”

“We really shouldn't be joking about this here,” Renjun bit his lip, glancing around nervously.

“That sounds like a freaking skit from American Horror Story 1984! How am I supposed to take it seriously?”

“Because we're probably standing within the general vicinity of the crime.”

“Oh, shit.” You turned towards the cabins. “Should we go inside?”

“You want to go first or should I?” He asked, brushing off bits of grass of his pants and helping you up off the ground. 

“The non-believer always goes first,” You smiled, pinching his cheek, “You, my dear, are last because you’ll most likely freak out and that will be great footage.”

“Please don’t summon anymore demons from the pits of hell.” Renjun begged, although you caught subtle lilt of amusement in his voice. 

“Can’t make any promises,” You took the spirit box and thermal camera from him. “It’s not like anything exciting ever happens anyway.”

“Be careful.” 

The words were simple but the way he said them, dripping with concern. You almost turned around to see his face, but you knew that if you didn’t stop walking towards the cabin, you’d kiss him then and there. Your feelings were growing and him being the sweet, caring person he was, wasn’t helping your case. 

“Honestly, Renjun, is probably pissing his pants right now.” You told the camera Jeno was pointed at you, he agreed silently with a grin. “He’s always terrified, but is like an eager puppy wanting to catch anything.”

“Y/N probably raised hell in there, but what's new.” Renjun called out, opening the door to one of the cabins. 

“I did no such thing...just told the ghost to screw itself for not singing Fergalicious to see if it's real or not.”

“Fergalicious wasn't even a thing back then.”

“Fergie withstands the fabric of time, it's all an illusion, Renjun.” You walked up to him and he made room for Jeno and you to enter. “Maybe something will come out if there’s more of us. It could want variety in its selection.”

The door closed behind you and all you could hear was the heavy breathing of everyone in the room. There was a freakish vibe to them, more so than when you were alone. Jeno swept the camera around the room, catching every cobweb and dust particle within view. Jaemin focused his camera on the Renjun and you waiting for some action.

“Okay, if there’s anyone--Jeiun or any other ghost can you say something to let us know you’re hear.” Renjun flipped the spirit box on and the room was flooded with static noise and the occasional gurgle of something possibly otherworldly.

“My name is Y/N and this my buddy Renjun,” You licked your lips, feeling the chill of the night creep up on you like a frosty hand. “For his sake, can you say something? Is it like in Ghost Whisper, that you have unfinished business and that’s why don’t cross over?”

“Ren…”

“Oh, fuck,” Renjun began to blubber.

“Y/N….” The voice was barely audible above the static, but still managed to erupt a trail of goosebumps down your arm. It clearly sounded like the voice of a girl. “Ren...jun…”

“Oh, hell no,” Renjun looked on the brink of a breakdown, he clambered towards the exit but Jeno blocked it. “Jeno, what the hell!”

“I...am...Jieun…”

A shrill noise pierced the ear and the static of the spirit box became muffled right after. Suddenly, Jeno began to move frenetically, casting the camera aside on a wooden table. His eyes were twitching and his arms waved in the air as if he were possessed.

“Jeno?” Jaemin’s voice was hoarse, he gently shook Jeno.

His eyes widened as Jeno glared down at him and then smacked him on the side, knocking him straight down. Jaemin whimpered from the brute force of his hit and recoiled as Jeno wailed violently and incoherently.

“J-Jeno?” Renjun grabbed your arm and shoved you behind his body, shielding you from any harm Jeno may cause. “Hey, man, if this is about you not getting to pick the location, we can work this out?”

Jaemin got up and quickly grabbed a hold of Jeno whose eyes were rolling back, his whole body contorting under the hold of Jaemin. Renjun pushed you back, slowly stumbling into the small closet in the corner of the room.

“I think he’s possessed!” Jaemin shouted, pinning Jeno down and waving you two off. “Take cover somewhere, I don’t think I can hold him down for much longer.”

Renjun hesitated, not believing his eyes. You pulled him back and ducked into the small closet, the only thing you could hear was the violent rustle of the wind outside and Jeno’s screeching. 

“I shit you not if this is one of your pranks Y/N--”

“It’s n-not,” You stuttered, your whole body quivering like a feather in the breeze. “I swear to God Renjun, I don’t know what’s going on.”

Jaemin’s screaming ceased, there was silence, then a loud, thumping. Jeno’s fists hit the door in frantic, solid beats shaking the door with each hit. 

“He loved me,” Jeno’s voice sounded distanted, higher pitched, “He said he loved me. He said I was beautiful, yet he killed me.”

“Jieun?” Renjun almost sounded sympathetic and you wanted to cry at how sweet he can be, but this wasn’t the time. “Is that you in Jeno? Look, I’m sorry for--”

“You’re not sorry!” Jeno’s thundering voice was full of anguish, “You mock me with your love!”

“What?” You cleared your throat, finding it hard to sound anything remotely human when all you wanted was to sob. 

“Your love for each other,” Jeno as Jieun said, “I thought I had that with him. I was wrong. All I want to see is the love I never got.”

“Is she on crack?” You blurted unthinkingly causing Renjun to silence you with a frantic glare. “I mean, oh yeah, we have a very deep friendly affection.”

“Love,” possessed Jeno corrected, “Tell each other you love each other. You never know what life might throw at you. Enjoy love while you can.”

“Is that a threat Ghost Lady?” You didn’t know what to think of possessed Jeno’s words.

“I’ll let you out only if you speak your heart’s desire.”

“Heart’s desire?” Renjun laughed perturbed by the ghost’s insinuation. “This is crazy.”

“Confess your heart’s desire or face the consequences!” Jeno began banging on the door again and it looked like if he slammed his fist one more time, it would crumble under his sheer strength.

“Renjun do something!”

“Okay, okay, stop Jieun,” Shaking like a leaf, he turned to you ignoring the persistent badgering and grumbling from possessed Jeno. “Y/N, if we don’t make it out of this alive I’m sorry I dragged you into this place.”

The lack of heartfelt confessions only angered Jeno even more. 

“Hey, Samara chill for a second, okay?” You looked at Renjun, taking his hand and squeezing it. “You don’t force me to go anywhere with you, truth is, I’d follow you to any stupid place you want to go. It doesn’t matter if I think it’s haunted or not, for work or not, I’d still follow you anywhere.”

“What?” His breath knotted in his threat and as your breath fanned across his cheeks, he could have sworn he’d be the next ghost to inhabit that cabin. You were too close and his poor heart can only take so much in one night.

“I don’t know if its the fact we’re about to die,” You wanted to be swallowed by some random hole in the ground or have creepy ghost Jeno drag you away. “Or the fact I can’t see you since it’s dark as shit in here. Or even the fact that I’m starting to think this is a nightmare and I’ll wake up in my desk with you hovering over me with fresh coffee and that cheesy smile of yours that I lo--”

“Y/N.” The way he spoke your name so softly and lovingly, made your temperature rise the cold of the dinky closet no longer affected you. 

“Oh, right, sorry,” You rushed through your words, wanting this all to be over, “Truth is I like you, Renjun. I’ve liked you for a long time and that’s why I didn’t need a lot of convincing to join your team.”

“Is that true?” Samara-Jeno asked. 

“Truer words have never been spoken.”

“I like you too, Y/N,” Renjun’s voice cracked and your heart swelled. “I’m not...I have no words to describe it. But I like you so much and I never had the courage to say it.”

You smiled, shrouded in the darkness he couldn’t see the pure happiness on your face. 

“I’ll leave this body now,” Samara-Jeno said, breaking the heart-eyes-through-the-dark spell you two were in. “You can rest easy, I’m gone…Hey, you guys what the hell happened?”

“Holy shit it worked!” The sheer exuberance of him confessing and you not being in danger had you squealing. “I didn’t think that would work!”

Renjun, however took this differently, “Yeah, you’re such a good actor. That confession...wow.”

“What?” You didn’t even have time to process the crushing sensation his words brought. “Oh, yeah, good one right?” You knew it was too good to be true.

“For God’s sake--”Jeno threw the door open and you clambered over to grip Renjun close to you.

Jaemin sighed exasperated as he readjusted the camera in his hands. You crawled out of the closet, disoriented and bewildered by everything going on. Haechan was handing Chenle money (“Told you they were dumb to see their love”) and bitterly glaring at you two. Yuta and Yeri looked like they wanted to bang their heads. 

“What the hell is this?” You shrieked as Renjun gaped at his coworkers. 

“This was a set up!” Jeno explained, outraged by the sheer dumbassery you two possessed. “You guys literally confessed to each other like we wanted! Then straight up made it sound like it was all acting...what the heck!”

“You guys are really something else,” Yuta shook his head. “Love is blind and makes you oblivious, but you two are just dumbassess.”

“Wait, so you like me?” Renjun’s eyes widened at your accusation.

“You like me too?” 

“Yeah, I actually wasn’t lying,” You felt sheepish at all the pairs of eyes glued on you. “I do like you, Renjun...enough to go ghost hunting even though I don’t believe in that.”

“I like you too,” He cupped your cheek in his hands, ignoring the camera Jaemin pointed right at you. “You’re my partner in crime and I kinda wanna have you around to hunt more ghosts.”

“That’s an offer I can’t resist,” You grinned, kissing him gently on the cheek. “However, you’re gonna have to buy me dinner after, all this ghost hunting makes me hungry.”

“Deal.” The same fondness in his eyes you thought you imagined before, returned and your eyes reflected that fondness. “Now, what the hell were you guys thinking this was a great location and we could have had awesome footage!”

You spent the rest of the night scouring the woods for ghosts, although you didn’t find any. Renjun and you, trailed behind everyone, hand and hand and beaming brighter than the moon above. 

“What do you think our viewers are gonna make our ship name be?”

“I hope it’s not something silly,” You gripped his fingers tightly, yanking him closer to you. “There’s something I’ve really been wanting to do, but doing it in front of everyone and in haunted cabin, just didn’t seem right.”

“Yeah, what’s that?” His fingers caressed your cheek, letting them trail down as he placed his hand on your arm. He marveled at the way you shivered under his touch. He was getting too cocky and needed to be stepped down a notch.

You pecked his lips quickly, the only witness to your kiss was the moon and stars. He soften under your touch, holding you tighter. You pulled away all too quick for his taste and laughed as you made your way towards the cars and the group.

“That’s what you get for being a tease!”

He smiled and followed you spraying holy water from his spray can at your retreating figure.

“You really are a demon!” He joked as he caught up to you and took your hand in his again.

“Another one to add to the list of completed missions,” You grinned shuffling into the van. “Up for another adventure?”

“With you, yes,” He would never stop making your heart flutter.

“I swear to God if you two are going to be this cheesy, I am going to regret setting this up in the first place.”

Yuta was only kidding, considering he was the biggest shipper. The next day at the office the video of you two confessing to each other was seen by everyone. For once, you were glad to have been terrorized by an alleged ghost. You watched as Renjun walked over to you, glowing, and a folder in his hand. Yeah, you’d definitely followed this dork through any “haunted” place or anywhere for that matter. 

Paranormal Neotivity masterlist 

[m00nslippers]

Everyone Crushing on Jason AU 3

Read on AO3!

Hal wasn't sure how the situation had devolved to the point that he now had an alliance with Guy Gardner of all people, but even the extra back-up hadn't been enough to separate Jason Todd from the iron curtain of admirers that had sprung up around the man the instant he'd left Hal's sight.

The original plan had been to blandish the Supers until they changed targets to Hal himself as he slipped into their place beside Jason, but that had only resulted in Kara's eyes glowing terrifyingly red in preparation for a heat-vision blast with Hal as a target, while Superboy ignored him entirely. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Starfire had Red Hood's undivided attention for as long as they were in the man's vicinity and neither had taken kindly to Guy butting in. Arsenal and Guy had ended up in a fist fight that resulted in Red Hood himself slamming both men's heads together and leaving the two in a pile as he left the infirmary with Orphan and Nightwing, Starfire shaking her head over them both as Hal realized he'd severely miscalculated the difficulty of the task he'd taken on.

But seriously, how did some no-name beefcake he'd never heard of until minutes before already have an impenetrable wall of prominent superheroes policing his personal space? It was completely unfair! Like dangling a prize in front of Hal’s face before telling him it was on the other side of a death trap. He'd been way too naive to think someone this damn sexy wouldn't already have a slew of people ready to fight for the honor of being squeezed between those muscled thighs. Clearly there was more to Red Hood than an amazing body and bad boy aura and Hal needed to find out all he could to secure a victory against his rivals.

“We've got to change tactics,” Hal told Guy in a secluded, empty meeting room on the Watchtower satellite the next day.

Guy nodded to himself, eyes narrowed and distant with consideration. “Yeah, you're right,” his fellow Lantern acknowledged, rubbing his chin. “I should wear cologne. Something that smells like, I don't know, wood or something. But what kind of wood? Mahogany, teak, sandalwood? It's a tough decision, man.”

The only thing keeping Hal from slapping himself or slapping Guy was that he couldn’t decide which he wanted to do more in that moment.

Hal groaned at the ceiling, willing some sympathetic god to strike him down and end his misery. “That is not what I meant, I'm talking about information.”

“Information?” Guy repeated with a raised brow. “What kinda information and how do you say we get it? We could barely get within ten feet of the man! We're at a real disadvantage here, Jordan. We seem to be comin' in late to the game.”

Guy scratched the back of his head anxiously, looking more troubled than Hal was used to seeing his fellow Lantern. Normally the man was all ‘go’ all the time. He never seemed to have any doubts, even when the odds were stacked against him. Hal didn't know why or how it had happened, but when it came to Jason Todd, Guy seemed to have fallen hard and fast enough to start second-guessing himself. Gardner was almost stupidly cocky, but when it came to the Red Hood it seemed his confidence might be failing him. While normally anything that took the other Lantern down a peg was something Hal wholeheartedly supported, watching the man's enthusiasm plummet made Hal realize he really didn't want to see the man moping around about lost love.

“You wimping out on me, Guy?” Hal egged on with a raised a brow. No Green Lantern could resist a jibe like that. It would set the other man straight. “Because if you want to bow out of the running I'm all for it. Less competition for me.”

“I ain't saying that,” Guy assured him, standing up straighter. “It's just usually you've only got to worry about somethin' stupid coming outta your mouth at the wrong moment, or forgetting to wear deodorant in front of the person you like. You know, normal shit. Not a damn cadre of bodyguards enforcing a six-foot perimeter. I mean, I figure with cologne at least maybe I smell good enough to lure him in close...”

Hal rolled his eyes. “He's not a shark lured by the scent of blood, cologne isn't going to do anything. We need some tangible reconnaissance to fall back on.” Hal ticked off fingers as he listed, “Conversation topics, likes and dislikes, who his friends are, where all these gatekeepers are coming from and how to get them off our backs.”

Guy bit the inside of his cheek, looking thoughtful as he warmed to the idea. “Okay, yeah I get where you're coming from with this, Jordan. We've got to investigate. Really use our heads.”

As far as Hal could tell, Guy had only ever used his head as a blunt instrument of violence, so he felt perfectly justified in asking, “That's not going to be too difficult for you, is it Guy?”

Guy punched him in the shoulder hard enough to have Hal grab it and whine an “Ow...”

“Ha ha,” Guy deadpanned without humor. “Sure, insult my intelligence.You're the one whose had your brain turned into scrambled eggs by Parallax more than once, but I'm the dumb one of the two of us. Yeah, that makes sense.”

Hal held his hands up, absolving himself of responsibility. “Hey, you said it not me.”

Guy huffed, but suddenly looked smug and knowing as he said, “If I'm just so dumb, then why do I know exactly who we've got to hit up first for information?”

He'd already had a few people in mind when he suggested the course of action, but Hal figured hearing Guy's take could make for a good laugh. “Fine, I'll bite. Who?”

Snapping his finger with a grin, Guy revealed, “Our boy, Rayner! He and Hood seemed pretty tight yesterday. If nothing else he can probably point us in the direction of someone else to interrogate.”

Kyle, huh? Hal had honestly been thinking of going to Barry, just because his friend seemed to always have answers when he needed them. Or maybe Nightwing, since he and Red Hood were clearly close by the way he glared Hal down while stitching up Red Hood's side with full trust, but Kyle was probably an even better bet. They had so much more blackmail material on Kyle than they did on Barry or Nightwing. For once, Guy had a good idea.

“You're right...yeah, let's hit him up,” Hal agreed. “I thought I saw him in the Watchtower Canteen just earlier.”

“I call 'bad space-cop',” Guy said immediately, forcing Hal to scowl in response.

“We're not going to 'good space-cop'-'bad space-cop' another Lantern!” he protested.

Guy shrugged. “You say that now, but you'll be singin' a different tune when he clams up.”

Personally, Hal was skeptical that Kyle could resist telling them anything about the Red Hood. Kyle had his moments of stubbornness and snark but he generally liked to live up to expectations. He was a good kid. Not to mention bad-mouthing Jason Todd seemed to be a secret hobby of his that no one had known about, and Kyle really enjoyed his hobbies. Look at how often they found the guy doodling super heroes between meetings.

“Well if that ever happens, I call badder space-cop,” Hal decided, mostly just because he knew it would get a reaction from Guy.

Of course Guy's brows snapped together instantly and his face flushed with anger. “Like hell! You can't do that, I already called bad space-cop!”

Hal threw up his hands with no shame, internally grinning. “Can. Did.”

With an irritated snort, Guy growled, “Fine, then we'll just ask him normally. Jeez, you've just gotta ruin everything, don't you Jordan?”

Hal smirked. “It's what I live for.”

- - -

Kyle didn't look up from his sketchbook as Guy and Hal took seats across from him in the Watchtower canteen. He just focused on fleshing out the lines and curves, adding shape and depth and shading, breathing life into his work. When the lines began to take familiar paths, the image clarifying into someone recognizable, he frowned to himself and purposefully changed the design, trying to deviate from the real-life inspiration making itself known on his page.

Lately he was growing increasingly frustrated with how suspiciously similar his random character sketches were becoming to a certain vigilante with a red helmet. Despite all the references and inspiration at his fingertips from being a member of the Justice League, all his hand seemed to draw was an idiot by the name of Jason Todd with his dumb smirk and his stupid white streak and his sexy thighs and—

Kyle swallowed the urge to smack his head against the table and instead just roughly flipped his sketch book closed so no one could see the evidence concerning what was preoccupying his mind. There was no way in hell he was going to become one of the Jason-groupies that seemed have coalesced from the aether the instant the man had been accepted into the League.

Seriously though, when had Jason freaking Todd become so popular?

“No,” Kyle said as soon as Guy opened his mouth.

Guy's face wrinkled in an angry pout as Hal snickered next to him. “I didn't even—” he began but Kyle cut him off again. Guy always seemed to be able to talk him into things, he had to shut this line of questioning down quick.

“Nope!” Kyle insisted and finally opened the bag of chips he'd been neglecting for twenty minutes as his sketches stole his attention. “I'm not spilling my guts about Jason. No way, no how, I don't want anything to do with the guy.”

And as if to drive that fact home, Kyle loudly chewed on his potato chips at a volume his mother would absolutely disapprove of.

But of course there was no drowning out Hal. That man was used to talking over the sounds of an airfield with fighter-jets going in and out all day, so crunchy chips weren't even a challenge.

Hal smirked, waving an accusatory finger at Kyle as he pitched his voice louder. “See, you say that but the sexual tension between you two yesterday was palpable.” Kyle nearly choked and spat out his chips, as Guy smirked and Hal just kept talking, unconcerned that Kyle might be choking or that more than one person in the cafeteria had started paying too much attention to their conversation. “You're just trying to get rid of the competition and while I admire your strategic mind, I question your integrity as a Green Lantern—because that's just not fair play!”

Kyle coughed a few more times and smacked his chest before he managed to sputter, “'Sexual tension?' I do not have sexual tension with Jason freaking Todd, of all people!” And he'll admit his voice was tinged with an edge of hysteria but this was a serious accusation!

Hal was clearly not buying what Kyle was selling as he crossed his arms and eyed the younger man incredulously. “Oh really? So you don't think he's hot.”

Kyle rolled his eyes because admitting Jason was hot only proved he had functional vision. If Jason hadn't been a walking wet dream then Kyle wouldn't have been so terrified when the man started hanging around Kyle's at-the-time ex-girlfriend, Donna. And it wasn't even just his looks—Jason was smart, and talented, and well-read and was respectful to women and rode a motorcycle—basically a really cliche romance novel love interest.  

“Of course I think he's hot,” Kyle freely admitted, starting to feel himself get angry as he remembered everything about the man that made him feel inadequate. “Have you seen those honking thighs? You know he has to buy a bigger size pant and take it up in the waist to fit? And he does it himself, the multifaceted piece of shit...” Seriously, why was Jason so dang good at everything? It wasn't fair, how was a normal guy supposed to measure-up?

Guy slapped the table, eyes huge as if he'd just been told he'd won an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii. “Oh my God, he can sew? Damn, that's wife-material, right there.”

Hal ignored Guy and instead frowned, leaning over the table and trying to loom threateningly. “How do you know all of this, Kyle? We are your mentors, you owe us this.”

Kyle felt his temper pique at the idea that he owed anyone an explanation regarding himself and Jason Todd. He didn't like the guy, didn't want to think about him or talk about him. And yet the man was everywhere he went all of a sudden. Now Kyle couldn't even eat his chips and draw in peace because every time he put pencil to paper it turned into Jason Todd and people got in his face demanding he tell all when there wasn't much to tell to begin with.

In an incredulous tone, Kyle said, “'Mentors'?” Raising his hand, he tapped the glowing green ring on his finger with emphasis. “When I got this ring, I was the only Green Lantern in the galaxy. By the time there were any other Lanterns around, I was already an expert. You guys are like...senior colleagues at best.”

Hal whistled. “Ouch. That hurts, Kyle.” He seemed impressed at Kyle's level of shit-talk, which was unsurprising because shit-talk was Hal's first language and the form of communication he seemed to respond the best to.

But Guy on the other hand did not look impressed. He looked angry and hurt, his hands on the table tightening into fists, his cheeks and forehead flushing red beneath freckles as his eyes lit with fire and the overzealous passion he always put into everything. All at once Kyle felt awful about what he'd said and wanted to take it all back.

“Come on, man!” Guy demanded, lip lifted in a snarl. “Screw being mentors or colleagues, I thought we were friends! I gave you the 'friends-and-family discount' on your tab at my bar!”

“You get a discount?” Hal interjected. He turned to Guy and complained. “Why does Kyle get a discount? I don't even get a discount...”

Completely ignoring Hal, Guy stabbed Kyle right in the conscience as he slapped his own chest with emotion, the ache of betrayal in his expression. “That meant something to me, I thought it meant something to you too...”

And now Kyle felt like a total piece of shit. He really wasn't like this. He wasn't snappy and snarky and angry. It was only when the Red Hood was around that his personality did this one-eighty. He'd been joking about the mentor thing, he really did look up to Hal and Guy. Kyle was letting his frustration with Jason-Jackass-Todd get the better of him and that wasn't okay.

“No, you're right, Guy,” Kyle agreed running a hand through his hair. “We're friends and that's important me.”

Guy's expression was mulish, not quite ready to forgive him. “And friends tell each other shit, especially about their future significant-others, right?”

Kyle sighed and nodded agreement, though the idea of Jason being Guy's future wife seemed like a joke with no basis in reality. “Yeah, I get it. What did you want to know?”

The anger and hurt finally seemed to bleed out of Guy, but he still answered with a forceful, “Everything. You're gonna earn that discount, Rayner!”

Hal's eyes were narrowed at Guy as he promised, “We'll talk about discounts and why I don't get one later. For now let's start at the beginning. We'd never even seen him until yesterday, so how do you know Jason? Unless you're spending way more hours Earth-side than I know you are, you wouldn't have had enough contact to be slinging sexually charged insults at each other unless something fishy was going on.”

Kyle nearly started choking again on nothing but air. 'Sexually charged insults'? Not even! Jason had a smart mouth and hot lips but he wouldn't know attraction if it hit him over the head with a crowbar. Kyle had seen enough sad losers make passes on Jason to know the man was denser than concrete when it came to the subject. The ungrateful asshole had men and women hanging on him left and right and he didn't even seem to notice.

“There is nothing going on between Jason and me—Never was, never will be!” Kyle assured his fellow Lanterns. “Me and Jason were never even friends, okay? We got stuck doing this reality-traversing gig with Donna and some jerk named Bob to save the multiverse together in an alternate timeline. Then the universes merged and everything we did technically hadn't happened anymore but we still had the memories intact since it all took place outside our world.”

While Hal stared at him in wonder, processing the ridiculous but true explanation regarding Kyle's association with Jason Todd, Guy's face was screwed up in something between confusion and outrage.

Guy held up a hand. “Wait wait wait...So you went on a universe-hopping adventure to save the very fabric of reality, with your ex-girlfriend and Jason Todd, that got erased from history and you never told your buddy Guy Gardner?”

Okay, when put like that Kyle admitted it was the sort of thing he should have mentioned to his friends. Especially Green Lantern friends who were used to branching timelines and multiversal weirdness and wouldn't even question his story.

“Well...” he trailed uselessly.

Clearly Kyle's response was not adequate because Guy shook his head at the table and muttered to himself, “I feel so betrayed...giving you the ‘friends-and-family discount’ is supposed to mean more than this...”

Kyle blushed with shame. “I'm sorry, okay? It just...didn't seem relevant.”

Hal smacked the table with a frown. “A piece of man-meat that sexy is always relevant, Kyle!”

“Not to me. Most of the time I try to pretend he doesn't exist,” Kyle confessed.

Guy tapped his chin, eying Kyle with suspicion. “Oh really? You just seem territorial, to me.”

Kyle scoffed. 'Territorial'? Over Jason Todd? Pff, that was just...no way, that could ever...Kyle shook his head. No way was he feeling territorial over Jason. The fact that he'd known Jason way before any of the people suddenly following him around like a lost puppy had appeared, back when Red Hood had no positive connections to anyone, in a universe where no one showed any interest in him, was no reason to think he was territorial now. It really just had no bearing on anything...

Seriously, it didn't!

“I am not territorial,” Kyle hastily assured them with a sniff of contempt at the very idea. “I just don't want to see you guys waste your time trying to go after Jason Todd when I can tell you from experience that it isn't going to go anywhere good.”

“Experience. Right,” Hal deadpanned. “This experience that took place outside our universe in an alternate timeline that no longer exists.”

Shrugging, Guy said, “Eh. I wouldn’t put it on your resume, kid.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “The world might be different, but Jason Todd is still the same. He acts like a jerk just to prove he's unfit for company. He's an all-mission-all-the-time bat who doesn't see a problem with shooting people in the back when it suits his agenda,” he tried to explain. This Jason might have Batman fooled somehow, but the Jason that Kyle knew, the one that still seemed to know him, was contrary for the sake of it and did bad just to push people away. He couldn’t imagine the man had really changed all that much in a few years and a few timeline tweaks.

Guy just raised a brow, what Kyle was trying to get across completely going over his head as if he'd translated everything his friend said into, 'he's a streetwise sensitive loner' and couldn't figure out the downside. But at the mention of Red Hood's mission-obsessive tendencies, Hal seemed to hesitate. It was common knowledge the first Earth Lantern had an issue with Batman, mostly regarding the Gotham vigilante’s patronizing seriousness and intensity, which grated on his nerves. When the mission was on, the Red Hood was just as bad and he didn't appreciate perceived incompetence. He'd never seen Jason Todd relaxed. Kyle wasn't certain he was capable of it.

After a moment of consideration, Hal shook his head, his interest seeming to rally. “Let's set aside whether or not Guy and I are wasting our time and get down to the real nitty-gritty details. Like, does Jason Todd like men? Is he single? Which position does he like? How many dates with him does it take to get to fourth base? Will I have to fight Batman in a cage match for his honor, because I think I would be open to that.”

Kyle was fairly sure Hal had no chance in a cage match with Batman. He also had no idea why Hal thought Kyle could answer any of those questions. “Don't know. No idea. As far as I know, he's never really dated,” he answered.

Hal groaned and pulled his hands down his face with exaggerated frustration. “Ugh, dammit Kyle, you were supposed to be our fount of knowledge!”

“Well I don't know anything like that and even if I did it would be outdated information because this is a different universe,” Kyle reminded the man, trying not to get angry.

“So what can you tell us?” Guy asked, with an edge of impatience. “Anything at all. Favorite color, or favorite band, or hobbies or something.”

Kyle had to think because his most memorable experiences with Jason involved wanting to ring his neck the instant he opened his mouth. What he'd actually said had been secondary to how annoyed Kyle was the moment he looked into the man's handsomely brooding face.

“Um...I know he listens to the band Cheap Trick. It's really annoying,” Kyle revealed. “And he reads a lot, and quotes at you like a smartass. Also, you don't want to play poker with him because you will lose. Badly. Even if you think you're winning, you're actually not. By the end of the game, you will be broke”

Hal stared at Kyle in silence until the younger man began to feel self-conscious, eventually he said,  “Right. So now that we've established that Kyle knows absolutely nothing of value, who do you know that we can actually go to for information that would be something approximating useful?”

Kyle almost opened his mouth to protest, but then he remembered he'd never wanted any part in this to begin with and knowing nothing about Jason Todd was his ideal state of being. So instead he just answered, “The Bats, of course. But good luck with that, you know as well as I do that it's pulling teeth to get anything from those guys. He's really close with Arsenal and Starfire, too. They started a hero team in this universe, I also heard they might have been...involved in some way.”

Hal perked up, mouth spreading in a leer. “Like a threesome? Hot!”

“That explains why those two were around yesterday,” Guy remarked with narrowed eyes, drumming his fingers on his arm unhappily.

“I don't know, that's their business,” Kyle said with a shrug. “You could also ask Donna, I guess. She knew him when he was a kid, he was on her Teen Titans team. Apparently they were really close back then. Also the team members he's got now—Artemis of Bana-Migdhall and Bizarro. That's kind of it. He thinks the lone wolf lifestyle is cool or something.” Kyle snorted in derision. Todd was such an edgy idiot.

“Alright, well that's a place to start, I guess.” Raising a solemn hand to his chest, Hal humbly declared, “As much as I hate the guy, I will take one for the team. I will confront grouchy old Batman about why all his kids are such freaking hotties. How did the genes that produced his brooding goth ass produce such perfect specimens as Nightwing and Red Hood? This I will find out.”

Kyle couldn’t tell how serious Hal was being. “They didn't, Hal. All the bat kids are adopted.”

Hal's tut of sympathy, made it clear he thought Kyle was being naïve. “Sure they are. So while I'm focusing on that, Kyle is going to get us an in with his ex-girlfriend Donna. And Guy? You're going to hit up your fellow gingers Arsenal and Starfire.”

“No way, let's switch!” Guy protested, pointing at his face as he said, “Arsenal about gave me a black eye yesterday, he's not gonna talk to me.”

As Kyle was trying to figure out how he'd missed seeing Arsenal try to deck Guy Gardner, Hal batted an uninterested hand at Guy and said, “Figure it out. Unless you want to hunt down Artemis and Bizarro, but I've honestly never heard of either of them, so good luck.”

Guy grumbled but seemed to be resigned to his assigned.

“Wait a minute, why am I involved in this strategy?” Kyle asked as he realized Hal had casually involved him in his outrageous plans. “I'm not the one trying to get in Jason's pants here, leave me out of it.”

“Green Lantern solidarity, Kyle. We're in this together,” Hal said easily. He didn't seem to care that his statement was completely lacking in logic.

“I don't see how getting either of you laid has anything to do with Green Lantern solidarity,” Kyle argued.

Guy reached across the table and squeezed Kyle's shoulder, pinning him with his intense stare. “Friends-and-Family discount,” he reminded Kyle. “Are you a friend? Are you family? Because someone who was either would help a brother out.”

Fuck, Kyle thought vehemently. He might get a few credits off on drinks and appetizers, but apparently he was paying for it with freaking blood. Kyle wasn't sure this nonsense was worth a discount he only got to use on Oa at Guy’s admittedly pretty good bar which was the only establishment on the planet that served Earth cuisine.

But it was probably worth it for their friendship. It might be worth it for the laughs, too. And it would put him in a prime position to beat Jason senseless if he stomped on either of his friends’ hearts.

“Damn it, fine,” Kyle caved, as his fellow Lanterns grinned.

[morethanjustmediocremusings]

In the Details: A Deeper Look into Euphoria’s Prom Looks

Taylor Abouzeid

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Created in a social climate marked with the upheaval of traditional standards and a call to action sung by today’s ready-to-riot young adults, Euphoria came into a world ridden with daunting social issues. Amidst the reigning chaos of the real world, Euphoria followed the debatably hyper-realistic lives of modern high schoolers. This HBO series was highly regarded for its diverse cast and variety of explored topics. Furthermore, throughout the length of the premiere season, Euphoria retained attention from the press with its highly colorful and expressive use of fashion. To fully understand the weight of these garments, one must first look to the concept creation, then to the habitat through which the ideas were fostered, and finally step into the light of the underlying messages behind layers of mesh shirts and mountains of gender ambiguous dressing. Euphoria used visual clothing cues in their final episode “And Salt the Earth Behind you” to shed light on each character’s fully developed significance and purpose within the show given its highly pertinent cultural context.

           Euphoria has come to represent an entire generation. The struggles that the characters face are directly out of pages in our own diaries and journals. Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules in the show, praised the reality of it all saying, “It’s the most current representation of high school” (Nissen, 2019). The current climate of teen life is reflected without the Hollywood glamour that was once acceptable with shows such as 90210 and Gossip Girl. Gone are the days of unrealistic teenage clubbing and drawn-out heartbreak between a jock and a cheerleader. Instead, audiences want to see the poignancy of reality on their screens. In a society that values honesty and vulnerability, Euphoria holds a mirror to our generation’s unique experiences without sugar coating topics of necessary discussion; however, due to the deeply embedded nature of these signals, they could easily be overlooked. By taking a magnifying glass to the distinct looks of the finale, subtle messages can be brought to light and further the identification with its’ viewers. Kenneth Burke believed that rhetoric was aimed at creating identification with an audience rather than aimed at persuading an audience (Kolodziejski, 2019, Pentadic). Furthermore, due to the show’s success, it is easy to assume that many people have come to identify with its messages. It is important to analyze and understand the messages behind these looks because they are representative of an entirety of people, marching to a silent beat of radical self-worth.

Within Euphoria the very real stories of the characters hit home for many viewers. Levinson worked rigorously to diminish any potential glamorization of drug use in the show saying “somewhere around the age of 16, I resigned myself to the idea that drugs could kill me, and there was no reason to fight it,” (Chuba, 2019). He credits this deeply personal connection to the story for the shows unfiltered persona, creating high levels of identification with the viewership. Many viewers have also found his story relatable as one in five teenagers have abused prescription drugs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). According to Burke (1950) identification is defined as a rhetorical process that leads to persuasion. Within the space of the show, it is used to create a sense of common identity between Euphoria’s audience and the accurate portrayal of characters.

The show follows the lives of a group of teenagers navigating the ups and downs of the modern century. To give some background on the show’s main squad, Rue, the main character, is a recovering drug addict, with no intention to stay sober. Jules, a transgender-icon, has just moved from an ambiguous “big city” and is feeling bored with what this small town has to offer her. Kat, a closeted One Direction fangirl-turned sensational fanfiction author, recently had sex for the first time, it was also recorded and leaked to the whole student body. Maddy has been in an on-again off-again relationship with her abusive boyfriend Nate. Cassie is trying to keep her relationship with her college-age boyfriend alive and well. Nate, the typical quarterback character with internalized homophobia stemming from finding out his Dad is gay, is now secretly experimenting with his own sexuality. This wide range of individual character plots allows for a multitude of viewers to find identification within each of their stories.

            It is, of course, important to note that the creation of this show was in some part influenced by HBO’s need to stay relevant in the competitive streaming market; I would also like to believe that despite this need for high demand programming, the actions of young adults everywhere sparked a flame in the creative community that further added to the show’s exigence. The current climate directly created a collective of educated and empowered young adults who are tired of being talked over, being told to sit down, or being shamed because “back in my day…” other people had it worse. Students these days are not participating in the same high school experiences as their parents, so in order to find a place to relate, many have turned to the Internet, and the many streaming platforms within it. The HBO-exclusive show, Euphoria, has held this identification role for many young students who have never before seen their identity correctly represented on such mainstream media as the giant outlet of HBO.

           With the introduction of new streaming services occurring at radical rates, the need for relevancy remains at the top of many media corporation’s to-do lists. HBO is no different. HBO has been both celebrated and condemned for their raw portrayals of characters. Chen (2019) said, “The show is frighteningly hard to watch—it didn't temper my anxiety one bit all season—but its choice to skid easy definitions around difficult topics is what makes it an important cultural engine of our time.” Although ratings wavered in its early years during the mid to late 1970s, they have maintained steady progression for the last twenty years. In 2011 they were named the most successful network, winning nineteen Emmy Awards in one year alone (Aspden, 2011). The creation of Euphoria specifically came from a need of representation, a public desire to see real reflections of life. The hype for weekly premiers was continuous. The cast posted daily updates and many behind-the-scenes videos to keep the audience engaged. This constant contact between creatives and their fans also helped to maintain the very necessary quality of authenticity that surrounded the show. The season finale, otherwise dubbed “the prom episode,” was no different. Prom in its essence is a highly-gendered, often homophobic, and very public display of tradition, but despite this, for many it marks an anticipated rite of passage. In the prom episode of Euphoria, the queer, gender-ambiguous, and non-traditional characters reconcile this tension; prom became their runway. Dressed to the nines in creative, self-expressing garments, Euphoria’s characters hit the dancefloor with confidence. The episode showed how this generational event has become more accepting and fluid now, more than ever.

The choice to focus on the squad’s prom looks in the last episode allows for a greater opportunity to show character development and emphasize the pungently individual messages hidden in the coattails. Rue, the standout tomboy of the cast, has recently come to accept her budding relationship with her female-presenting best friend, Jules. For Rue’s prom look she wore the makings of a suit, slacks and a black coat, a manifestation of her struggle with feminine expression. But underneath the presumptuous outer shell she adorned her staple converse, one of, if not the only stable things in her life, and a maroon form-fitting, lingerie-inspired slip dress from the closet of the magnificent Jules. Jules stood out in the show as possibly the most comfortable with outwardly expressing her feelings, and her iconic prom look was no let down. A lilac and lavender two-piece crop top and wide-leg pants combo made waves in the sea of traditional prom garments. She also wrapped herself in the pièce de résistance of the night: a dark green, mesh, trench, with the symbol for transgender rights stitched onto the back with ornate black beading. Kat’s bondage and almost masochistic look reflected her growth into a strong woman, while Maddy stayed true to her values of loving yourself in a sexy black sheer halter and fitted skirt combo. Unexpectedly, Cassie was understated, but her more feminine look remained through the champagne gown’s flattering neckline. Nate stayed true to his toxic masculinity and rejected any inkling of creativity; he wore a suit.

In the past there has been a severe push back against “progressive” programming, especially those with highly explicit content. But it is also important to note that these subjects are often not foreign to the audiences participating with the artifact. Sam Levinson, the director, when asked if he was nervous about parental backlash regarding the shows content responded with, “… I feel like this is a debate that goes on constantly throughout time, where people go, ‘Parents are gonna be scared,’ and you go ‘Yeah.’ And young people will be like, ‘Yeah, that’s my life.’ I’m sure certain people will be freaked out by it and other people will relate to it” (Stack, 2019). There has been a very real struggle for liberation of the LGBTQIA+ community, to which Euphoria highlighted a homosexual relationship between its two main characters. Toxic masculinity has come to the forefront of scholarly conversation, to which Euphoria highlighted the mental and physical dangers that the suppression of emotion in boys can have on not only themselves but also the world around them. Toxic relationships have become hot topics in wellness ads, to which Euphoria showed just how serious and sometimes hidden, domestic abuse can be. An acceptance of sex workers is growing amongst younger generations, to which Euphoria explored the world of camming and subjects of porn in general. Trans bodies have come into public discourse, especially regarding the legality of their existence, to which Euphoria cast a trans actress as a lead role and used the platform to spread knowledge of the injustices many people face on a daily basis. The long running war on drugs continues, to which Euphoria used the story of a high school drug addict to bring communities together and create a safe space for all identities to be heard.

           I have chosen the visual rhetoric approach to better examine how all elements of the character’s prom looks may have influenced each corresponding character’s final message. Visual rhetoric criticism is aimed at understanding the intersection between rhetoric and visual elements within an artifact (Kolodziejski, 2019, Visual). Albakry & Daimin (2014) state, “analysis of visual rhetoric considers how images work alone and collaborate with other elements to create an argument designed for [a specific] audience” (pp.29).  Furthermore, I will be applying the deductive approach to this criticism, meaning I will be using the existing theories and concepts and applying them to elements of the visual artifact. I partly chose this approach because I stand firmly behind its assumptions: the visual is rhetorical, what is not shown can be just as important as what is shown. Lastly, how something is shown is as important as what is shown (Kolodziejski, 2019, Visual).

           Within visual rhetoric lies the concept of the semiotic triangle, a figure that shows how an artifact’s referent, sign and reference are all related. Within that, there are three types of signs. Iconic signs are representative of what they point viewers to, such as a photo of an otter being an iconic sign for an actual otter. Indexical signs point to what they represent, like smoke indicating a fire. Lastly, symbolic signs reference an arbitrary relationship, such as the branded Swoosh being a symbol for Nike as a brand (Kolodziejski, 2019, Visual). Euphoria’s prom looks are all indexical signs, meaning they point to what they represent, without directly showcasing the underlying meaning. So, the general semiotic triangle for my artifact would have the referent as the actual look itself, the sign as the nod to what it is representing, and the reference would be the meaning behind it all. As the viewers of Euphoria engage with the show, they rely on their own life experiences to decode the symbols on screen. As articulated by Foss in 1994 “The study of visual imagery from a rhetorical perspective may make contributions beyond providing a richer and more comprehensive understanding of rhetorical processes. In some cases, such study may contribute to the formulation or reconciliation of aesthetic notions…” (pp 213). Through their comprehension of these symbols, the show’s underlying messages are able to speak more powerfully and allow for further resonation between the shows viewers and the characters they are able to identify with.  

           I have chosen visual rhetoric because it argues that everything shown and not shown has a significant purpose within the artifact. Due to the microscopic lens I have taken to the outfits chosen for the characters, this is most fitting. I have also chosen this method to better excavate the hidden messages of the main characters. Upon first glance I, like many, missed some major hints to character expression and development in the finale. But with the fine-toothed comb I took to these garments, I left no lapel untouched and no bead under-analyzed.

(Rue’s prom look).

For Rue, the exploration of expressing gender fluidity through her clothing choices was present throughout the entire season, but subtle. There was no direct mention of the matter until the season finale. While selecting a very feminine outfit for Rue to wear to prom, Jules expresses concern for possibly altering Rue’s gender presentation. I believe that by staying in the dress for prom, and not changing into something more fitting of her stylistic history, Rue was trying to validate her trust and relationship with Jules. In this scene, Rue had let Jules pick out her prom look and rather than opting for something similar to her previous fashion choices, Jules put her in a tight and sultry, lingerie-inspired, corseted, maroon dress. The color choice of maroon was not only fitting to the color pallet of the show, but was also distinctly similar to the color of Rue’s father’s sweatshirt, which she wears daily after he passes away. This choice I believe was unintentional from Jules, but subconsciously reminds the audience of Rue’s inability to move past that time in her life. Rue also adorned a traditional men’s suit pants and coat. This is the key part in her maintenance of gender fluidity and ambiguity within the outfit. The color choice was subtle and reflective of how natural this “tomboy” style has come to her self-expression. The choice of Converse was also only visibly present for a few moments on screen, but the shoes came to represent so much within Rue’s life. So much so in fact that the actress who played her character, Zendaya, made an Instagram post paying respect to the life they lived in the show with “I’m gonna have to get some new chucks for my personal life… I guess I’ll just have them on standby for season2. Til then Rue Rue” (Zendaya, 2019). Rue initially allowed Jules to change her gender presentation via the use of a frilly dress, but later came to regret the decision, as the dress became representational of their constricting relationship. This outfit represented the fluidity of expression and the intimacy that can be shared through clothing choice.

(Jules’s prom look).

Rue’s romantic counterpart, Jules, quickly became a stand-out character on the show due to her extravagant, stylistic choices within the first few episodes, and her makeup has inspired countless other artists’ renditions of the now iconic looks. For her prom look she wore a silky lilac crop top and similarly silky lavender high-waisted wide-leg pants. To top off the look she also adorned herself with a beautiful, almost floor-length, sheer mesh, forest green, trench piece. On the back of the sheer coat was a beaded symbol for the transgender community. The entire outfit was quite the statement, but I got the feeling that she was going for that “I’m not trying, but I tried really hard to look like I’m not trying” look. Due to the casual nature of a crop top and pant combo, the pieces seem haphazardly thrown together. However, the perfect complementary colors, and the identical silky fabrics make that lackadaisical approach almost impossible. I think it is also important to mention that the outfit as a whole read a little mermaid-y. To the untrained eye this might have gone completely unnoticed, but to someone with a recent history in Women and Gender studies, namely me, this reference was another direct tie to the trans community. Popularized by the television show Life With Jazz, mermaids have become an almost superhero-like figure for many people within the trans community, and now serve as a symbol of recognition. In an interview the star spoke on their significance, “Mermaids are just the most whimsical, mystical creatures of all time. A lot of transgender individuals are attracted to mermaids and I think it’s because they don’t have any genitals, just a beautiful tail” (Jennings, 2015). Jules continued to wave her pride flag high and exuded confidence. She held the message of being proud of whoever you are.

(Kat’s prom look).

Kat, a plus-size girl surrounded by a sample-size school, went through many changes this season. After her first-time having sex not only gets recorded, but also then is virally leaked throughout campus, Kat decided to reclaim control of her body. Kat had the edgier version of the “Pretty Woman” makeover. With an entire new wardrobe of bondage-inspired pieces, sexy black and red lingerie, latex, leather, and laces, she conquered not only her sexuality but also gained a whole new world of confidence as well. Throughout this journey, she also struggled with the duality of being a grade-A bad ass and still navigating soft and cute teen romance. For her prom look she wore all red, the color most symbolic for both power and romance. With a red leather corset on top and red silk midi skirt on the bottom, she exuded confidence as a woman in control of her own body. The black lace-up detailing that became a motif in many of her previous outfits also made a cameo in the prom episode running through both the top and the skirt. These specific choices show her character’s development of self-confidence. In the beginning, she was self-conscious and afraid of intimacy, but as the season progressed, the audience was able to see her blossoming into a woman in charge. She was able to reclaim her body after the sex-tape scandal and make a name for herself by camming on PornHub, and also by gaining enough appreciation for herself to see her love for Ethan. Kat struggled with coming into herself as a sexual woman and in her final look is able to show that you can be strong and confident and still express emotion and love.

(Maddy’s prom look).

Maddy, Maddy, Maddy. Where do I even start? Without a doubt Maddy was the most confident female character on the show, but when her boyfriend abused her at the annual carnival she began to break down. Although she was aware his actions were brutally wrong, she forgave him, like a story of Stockholm syndrome. Following his release back into school, they reappeared as a couple only to break up again in the following episode. Their relationship was undeniably toxic. At prom Maddy went with her group of girlfriends, surrounding herself with positivity and love. She wore a see-through black, crystal embedded, two-piece halter top and form-fitting skirt. She also wore a veil. Maddy shone bright on the dance floor and conveyed the message that relationships aren’t everything, and in the end all she needed was support from her friends, self-love, and some serious distance from her abusive ex-boyfriend, Nate. Maddy loves herself, but by ignoring her case of domestic violence she lost a part of herself. Luckily, in the finale, Maddy surrounds herself with good friends and shows that self-worth and self-love are important and still sexy.

(Cassie’s prom look).

Cassie’s prom look showed less of a character arc than the others, but her message remained just as pungent. On the day of prom, Cassie had gotten an abortion. The pregnancy was the unintended consequence of her boyfriend McKay. They came to the decision together, but Cassie made sure that the decision was ultimately her own. Needless to say, she was not dressed as her usual provocative self. She wore a soft pink satin gown, the most traditional of all the looks, and barely-there makeup, which according to the makeup artist was a distinctive choice given the earlier abortion. The makeup artist for the shoot took to Instagram to explain her look, “As much as I wanted to give Cassie a glittering euphoric winter formal makeup look, I didn’t feel like it would help tell her story in this moment. I wanted Cassie’s total absence of makeup here to signal to the audience that she’s reached the start of a new phase of her life…”(Davy, 2019). The neckline was still flattering but she remained quiet and pensive for the rest of the evening. In the same girl group as the others, Cassie took that day to surround herself with those who could support her without their knowledge of the previous event. Cassie’s prom look said that it is okay to not always be okay, and that expressing that is perfectly fine. This message can be gathered through her soft color pallet the contrasted the otherwise bright evening, the simplicity of the silhouette, and the unexpected lack of dark eyeshadow, a typical element of Cassie’s normal look.

(Nate’s prom look).

I intentionally saved the worst for last: Nate. Nate’s look was boring, and quite frankly fell flat. It would have made more sense for him not to go at all, or maybe to show up in hand cuffs as he did for Halloween. But whatever, he did go to prom, and he did wear a suit. Given the extravagance of the rest of the characters’ prom looks, there was an unofficial standard for all the characters to express themselves creatively in some way for the event. However, I believe that Nate’s blatant lack of creativity is his statement. For his whole life he has been molded to become a superstar athlete, and at no point was he given the opportunity to outwardly express himself. We can thank both toxic and hegemonic masculinity for this lack of expression, for in their essence both of these ideas encourage the repression of emotion in boys and men. His outfit shows that when not given the opportunity to find oneself beyond the expectations of others, or not being able to to explore one’s own creative capabilities a person could become a drone, in this case one with severe anger issues. The suit further shows his acceptance and assimilation into the norms and expectations for his character. Rather than expressing himself through stylistic choices, like many of the other characters, Nate’s feelings come out in destruction and violence. He serves as a precautionary tale, of what the dangers of toxic and hegemonic masculinity can have on young men: crushing self- hatred. For many, fashion can serve as a critical outlet for self-expression. Especially for Euphoria’s teenage viewership, style can feel like the only controllable element of their life while the lack of adolescent autonomy is at its height.

           As both a thoroughly engaged audience member and fan of Euphoria, there is not much the creators could have changed about the prom looks to further appease me. Throughout the entirety of the season I found that I was able to relate to every individual character within the show, admittedly even Nate. I was able to see my own life tied into bits and pieces of every character’s individual story. Maddy and Rue stuck out as the characters with which I had the most identification with, and although their characters are almost direct opposites in the show, I felt comfort in being able to compare their stories to my own. However, I feel that it is also important to acknowledge the lack of identification some of my peers felt with Euphoria’s main squad. Some have never had experiences with “hard-core” drugs, struggled with gender representation, bee involved with sex tape scandals, or instances of domestic violence, dealt with the after effects of an abortion, or emotional repression. For many of these people who struggled to find identification with the main characters, the supporting roles served as their substitute. With characters as Lexi, McKay, Gia and Fez, many other identities were explored throughout the season, although in lesser detail. I believe that if these supporting characters had also been given equal screen time, an even wider range of audiences would have been able to engage and identify with Euphoria. By digging deeper into their stories, new plot lines could have been uncovered. Many teenagers struggle with eating disorders, which were left out of the show despite alarming statistics claiming that at least 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States (ANAD, 2019). Nicotine has become a significant outbreak in American teenagers with the Center for Disease Control reporting that “5.6 million of today’s Americans younger than 18 will die early from a smoking-related illness” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). And topics of bullying were also left unexplored by the show despite its constant prevalence in teenage society. Studies have even gone to show that “Bullying was a factor in 2/3 of the 37 school shootings reviewed by the US Secret Service” (Stop Bulling Now Foundation, 2019). However, including all of these topics could have been destructive to the season as a whole, and overwhelming to audiences. Given the relevancy of these topics, they are explored elsewhere in outer outlets. Euphoria was a show intended for people who had rarely seen their identities presented on mainstream media of this scale before. So, despite the few missing teenage issues that are more commonly explored today, Euphoria was able to uniquely cover some groundbreaking material for a show of its size.

           Euphoria’s characters all held distinct messages within the show. Through the use of visual clothing cues Euphoria was able to further the identification factor of these stories by visually signaling their significance. Created out of a need for representative media and birthed into a world of social unrest, Euphoria became a breakout show on HBO’s streaming platform and now has the power to unify an entire generation. In “And Salt the Earth Behind You” Rue, Jules, Kat, Maddy, Cassie, and Nate give their final send off to the show by highlighting their completed respective messages between satin finishes and starchy, pressed suits. As a result of the creative expression of the prom outfits in the finale, viewers are left with a lasting impression of self-identification closing off the season.  

References

Albakry, N. S., & Daimin, G. (2014). The visual rhetoric in public awareness print advertising toward Malaysia perceptive sociolculture design. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, pp. 28-33.

ANAD. (2019). Eating disorder statistics. Retrieved from www.anad.org/education-and-awareness/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/.

Aspden, P. (2011, September 24). How HBO revolutionized television. Retrieved from www.slate.com/human-interest/2011/09/hbo-how-it-revolutionized-television.html

Burke, K. (1950). A rhetoric of motives. Berkley: University of California Press.

Cassie’s prom look [Digital image]. Retrieved from www.usa-grlk5lagedl.stackpathdns.com/production/usa/images/1565025651204007-66121653_654233518429076_5605336542765432610_n.jpg?w=1900&fit=crop&crop=faces&fm=pjpg&auto=compress.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010, June 3). CDC survey finds that 1 in 5 U.S. high school students have abused prescription drugs. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100603.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Youth and tobacco use. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm.

Chen, E. (2019,  June 6). In praise of euphoria, the perfect anti-binge TV show. Retrieved from www.wired.com/story/euphoria-anti-binge/.

Chuba, K. (2019, June 5). 'Euphoria' creator on authentic trans portrayals, mining "deeply personal" history to tackle teen drug abuse. Retrieved October 21, 2019, from www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/euphoria-creator-mining-deeply-personal-history-tackle-teen-drug-abuse-1215844.

Davy, D. [@donni.davy]. (2019, August 17). Cassie’s clean slate, episode 8, euphoria [Instagram photo]. Retrevied from www.instagram.com/p/B1SOb1EJcve/?igshid=ork83uq4xhn.

Foss, S, K. (1994). A rhetorical schema for the evaluation of visual imagery. Communication Studies, 45, pp. 213-224.

Jennings, J. (2015, June 8). Jazz Jennings: the transgender teen and wannabe mermaid the internet needs (M. Ruiz, Interviewer). Cosmopolitan. Retrieved from www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a40068/jazz-jennings-internets-most-fascinating/.

Jules’s prom look [Digital image]. Retrieved from www.usa-grlk5lagedl.stackpathdns.com/production/usa/images/1565024720966459-66659243_159635475163665_1587604092859566839_n.jpg?w=1900&fit=crop&crop=faces&fm=pjpg&auto=compress.

Kat’s prom look [Digital image]. Retrieved from www.usa-grlk5lagedl.stackpathdns.com/production/usa/images/1565025241108497-67911105_2343940372514856_2058399465206680217_n.jpg?w=1900&fit=crop&crop=faces&fm=pjpg&auto=compress.

Kolodziejski, L. (2019, October 16). Pentadic criticism overview [PowerPoint Presentation]. Retrieved from handout sheet.

Kolodziejski, L. (2019, October 23). Visual rhetoric criticism overview [In-class handout]. Retrieved from handout sheet.

Maddy’s prom look [digital image]. Retrieved from www.usa-grlk5lagedl.stackpathdns.com/production/usa/images/1565024910235630-66213364_669264316881864_5463572260054969293_n.jpg?w=1900&fit=crop&crop=faces&fm=pjpg&auto=compress.

Nate’s prom look [Digital image]. Retrieved from www.data.whicdn.com/images/334716009/original.jpg

Nissen, D. (2019, June 6). 'Euphoria' creator sam levinson opens up about drug addiction at premiere. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from www.variety.com/2019/scene/news/euphoria-creator-sam-levinson-opens-up-drug-addiction-1203233881/.

Rue’s prom look [Digital image]. Retrieved from www.i.pinimg.com/originals/01/2f/1d/012f1d3dc6e81ba8e9d1ef7f4970d064.jpg

Stack, T. (2019, June 16). 'Euphoria' creator on why it's okay that some people are 'freaked out' by his controversial new show. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from www.ew.com/tv/2019/06/16/euphoria-creator-sam-levinson/.

Stop Bullying Now Foundation. (2019). School bullying affects us all. Retrieved from www.stopbullyingnowfoundation.org/main/.

Zendaya [@zendaya]. (2019, August 24). Thanks to season 1 [Instagram story post]. Retrieved from www.google.com/amo/s/amp.redit.com/r/euphoria/comments/cuyynl/from_zendayas_ig_story_who_knew_a_pair_of_chucks/.

[diamondsareapearlsbestfriend]

Sans/Toriel 30 Day OTP Challenge: Day Twelve

AO3 | Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six | Day Seven | Day Eight | Day Nine | Day Ten | Day Eleven

day twelve: shopping

prompt: “Your OTP shopping together. What are they shopping for? Are they just running errands, or are they buying gifts for each other?”

In all her years, Toriel had never seen anything quite like it. Rows upon rows of shelves, filled to the brim with unfamiliar items with the strangest names. It was a far cry from the cosy, traditional shops with their lovingly home-made goods she preferred to purchase from in the Underground; even at the most extravagant royal banquets, she could never recall seeing this much food all in one place. Just looking at the swarms of monsters and humans pushing and grabbing their way through the aisles, Toriel already felt quite exhausted – but that did not matter, for she had promised her child a party, and they were going to have all the peculiar human foods their little heart desired. Fortunately, however, she would not be navigating such uncharted territory alone.

"Sans," Toriel said, her hands tightening around the handle of their (as of yet) empty cart as she turned to him with a look of steely resolve, "read me the list, if you please."

"The whole list?" Sans did not sound any more enthusiastic than she did – although that was not unusual – about the prospect, but he obediently pulled the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, trailing almost all the way to the floor, and began to read: "Cheese, milk, eggs, cupcakes, cotton candy, party hats..."

"Thank you – that will be enough for now." Toriel held up a hand to silence him – a habit from school she could not quite shake – as she scanned the aisles. "Very well, let us start with cheese!" That sounded simple enough – they had had plenty of cheese in the Underground, after all. "Now...can you see any cheese...?"

"One sec." Without warning, Sans hopped up onto the front of the cart for extra height, and Toriel grabbed onto the handle before the whole thing capsized as he looked around, then pointed to a sign hanging a few aisles away from them. "Looks like cheese over there. Full steam ahead, Tori."

Toriel sighed, exasperation mingling with affection, but she allowed him to remain hanging onto the front of the cart as she steered them towards what she now recognised as the dairy aisle. There was indeed an impressive variety of cheese, not to mention all the milk, butter, cream, yoghurts...

"Well, there is certainly no shortage of cheese," she observed, glancing over them all – great blocks of cheese, grated, cream, somewhat dubious-looking cheese in a tube...even 'goat's cheese', which brought several questions to mind. "But which kind do you think is most suitable for a party?" 

"It says here Frisk wants...'cheese on sticks, with pineapple'." That was not tremendously helpful, as none of the cheese appeared to be served on a stick, but Sans grinned, a familiar gleam in his sockets as he caught Toriel's eye. "Hey, Tori."

"Yes?" 

"What kind of cheese do you use to hide a horse?"

"Hide a horse?" Toriel blinked, shaking her head in bemusement. "I do not – is that some sort of party game...?"

"Nope. You gotta use..." He took a tub of creamy cheese from the shelf and held it up in front of her, "marscapone."

"Oh!" It took her a moment, but Toriel let out a braying snort of laughter, some of the tension in her body beginning to evaporate. "Mask a pony! That is perfect – put it in the cart. I am sure the children could dip their pineapple in it, if they wish." Sans tossed it in, just as inspiration struck: "Oh, I know one! Sans, what do you call cheese that does not belong to you?"

"Is it 'RESERVED FOR USE IN THE GREAT PAPYRUS' GREAT CULINARY CREATIONS! DO NOT EAT! ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A SMALL DOG OR SANS! YES, BROTHER, I AM IMPLICATING YOU IN THE TRAGIC YET INEVITABLE FUTURE DISAPPEARANCE OF THIS CHEESE!'?"

"No! Or, well – perhaps, but that is not the answer I was thinking of," Toriel giggled, clasping her hands together in appreciation of Sans' attempt at his beloved brother's impassioned rattle. "Because it is...nacho cheese!"

Sans snorted and pointed double finger-guns at her in approval. "That...was super cheesy."

"Myself, I thought it was rather Brie-lliant." Toriel winked back at him, and once they started to laugh neither of them could stop, despite – or perhaps further fuelled by – the alarmed glance they received from a lady across the aisle. She could happily have continued in a similar vein forever, or at least until they ran out of cheese jokes, but there was still much to be done in preparation for the party tomorrow, so Toriel attempted to compose herself before taking charge again. "Okay, we have cheese – what is next?"

"Chips."

"Ah, chisps, I am sure we can find –"

"No, chips."

Toriel frowned. "That is what I just said. Popato chisps."

"No, Tori – it says potato chips."

"What? Let me see that." Toriel plucked the list out of Sans' hands – if he was playing a prank on her, it was not very funny, but upon investigation Frisk had indeed specified chips, no 's'. "Well, how very strange. I wonder what the difference is? In any case," she added, trying to remain optimistic, "it is fascinating, is it not, how much we are learning about the unique wares of the surface?"

It was almost like one of Papyrus' puzzles, the two of them making their way through the aisles in search of all manner of party foods – some of which was familiar, some not, and almost all of it of dubious nutritional value. Cupcakes adorned with smiley faces, brightly coloured sodas, brownies, jelly, ice cream (just the regular kind – or, as Sans dubbed them, 'Not Nice Creams', which sent them off on a tangent thinking up the most amusing insults one could print on the stick as an alternative; Toriel had overheard some particularly creative ones at school, although she would never dream of repeating them under normal circumstances)...She may have gone off-list, but Toriel also insisted on picking up some nutritious brown bread and cucumber slices for sandwiches, as she felt it was probably sensible to have something on the table that was not loaded with sugar.

"Oh, Sans, look at these!" She held up a charming little selection platter of miniature pizzas. "Aren't they adorable?"

"Tori, they're pizzas, not puppies," Sans replied, smirking as he levitated a stack of mozzarella sticks into the cart with a flick of his wrist.

"I am aware of that – but they are perfect, are they not? I am certain Frisk will love them." Toriel smiled, already picturing her child's excited little face. "And they are so versatile! We could make a game of it – I could throw them, and you could try to catch them in your mouth!"

"Heh – really?" Sans glanced back over his shoulder, his grin somewhere between fond, amused and just a touch concerned as he caught her eye. "Sounds...messy, not to mention potentially dangerous." It was not long, however, before the mischievous twinkle was back. "I'm in."

"I knew you would not be able to resist a pizza the action." Toriel began piling pizza boxes into the cart with glee, starting out with two, but Frisk had a lot of friends and she did not want any child to go hungry, so they would need extra, and then extra extra just in case the extra ran out...the pile was wobbling a little, but it was better to be safe than hungry. "What is next?" She had lost sight of Sans over the pizzas, but her brow creased in concern when she peered around them and he was still nowhere to be found. "Sans...?"

"Over here, Tori – next aisle to your left," came Sans' disembodied voice, evidently having teleported when she was not looking; Toriel might almost have suspected he was trying to wriggle out of shopping duties, had she not known better, before rounding the corner to find him contemplating shelves full of ketchup. 

"Ah, do they have the kind you like?" Toriel could not help but smile as she pushed the cart over to join him, for she would never have described Sans as a picky eater, or particularly picky about anything, but he was studying the back of the ketchup bottle as intently as if he were to be taking an exam on it.

"The surface stuff's all pretty much the same," he answered. "I mean, it's okay, but it's got nothing on Grillby's." He put the bottle back on the shelf, a wistful, almost longing expression passing over his face. "Grillbz won't tell anyone how he makes it, though – trust me, I've tried. But you know that guy...keeps it all bottled up."

"Indeed." Toriel let out a sympathetic chuckle as she picked up a bottle for herself – usually, she much preferred her meals home-cooked, but even she had to admit there was just something about the food at Grillby's, greasily guilty yet sinfully satisfying. Reading the ingredients to this concoction, however, she was unimpressed; it appeared to consist mostly of water, sugar and artificial colourings that would probably turn one's insides – or lack thereof – bright red. "Do you know what, Sans?"

He smiled at her, most likely anticipating another joke. "What, Tori?"

"I am going to make you some ketchup myself," she declared with a decisive nod. "With real tomatoes! And only the very finest ingredients the surface has to offer!"

"What – seriously?" Sans' sockets lit up, before he predictably attempted to downplay his enthusiasm with a shrug. "Come on, Tori, you know you don't have to go to all that trouble for me. I'll eat anything, it's no big –"

"Do not be silly – it is no trouble, and you know how much I enjoy cooking new things. Besides, I do not want you eating just anything." Toriel sidled a little closer to him, batting her eyelashes beguilingly as she slipped her arm around his shoulders, stroking her thumb along the upper ridges of his spine. "You will need to keep your strength up when you are helping me keep a socket on all those children, will you not?"

 "Oh, I see what you're doing here." Sans folded his arms in a somewhat futile attempt to appear offended. "Think you can pay me off with food, huh, Tori? Well, you're...totally right. Damn it." Judging from the grin now stretching from cheekbone to cheekbone as she felt him melting into her touch, however, Toriel suspected he was not too upset about this undeniable truth.

"I am afraid you are simply too easy to see through, my dear," she replied, just a hint of smugness in her smile – of course, she would have made it for him anyway, but a little extra incentive never hurt. "And, hmm – if it goes well, perhaps I will open up a restaurant of my own! We could serve pie and hot dogs, and I could call it...Tori's."

"Now you're talking." Sans' brow bone lifted in interest. "Although – you trying to put Grillbz out of business? That's pretty cold." He looked up at the precariously balanced array of goods stacked in the cart. "Anyway, we done here? 'Cause that's one very, uh...leaning tower of pizza."

Toriel reached once again for the list, her eyes skimming over hurriedly. "Yes, I believe we are just about – oh, one last thing. We need some more snails."

"Party snails...?"

"Well, why not – they are full of nutrients! And we can arrange the shells into patterns to create a pleasing display?" While Toriel and Sans shared many common interests, she was aware that her passion for gastropods – both aesthetic and culinary – was not one of them. Nonetheless, he simply shrugged and nodded with an expression she recognised as 'I don't get it, but I'll go along with whatever you say'. "Now, I wonder where we might find some in here?"

As Toriel glanced around the store, her eyes fell upon a pair of colourfully dressed shop assistants: two monsters, an alligator and a cat, who appeared to be waving to them from behind their counter at the back of the store. As her energy levels were fast depleting, her feet beginning to ache from trudging around all afternoon, she decided they seemed as reasonable a source to ask as any.

"Hey! Check it out!" The alligator waved as they wandered over, flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder with one hand and indicating the selection of glistening scales on offer with the other. "You should totally buy some of our fish!"

"It's like, the best fish," her friend added, nodding vigorously. "We tested it ourselves, right, Bratty? Like, you will literally die when you taste this fish, it's so good."

"Literally. Except, like – metaphorically, obviously. It'd kind of suck if you actually died. But you almost definitely won't, 'cause me and Catty are fine. Hey, wait a sec –" Bratty, as she was apparently known, paused to narrow her eyes over her long, lipsticked snout. "Don't we, like, know you from somewhere?"

"Oooh, yeah, I remember now!" Catty chimed in. "You used to open for Mettaton, right? At the resort?"

“Me?” They all turned to look expectantly at Sans, who simply shrugged noncommitally, though the way his sockets dimmed for just a moment suggested the memory was not a particularly pleasant one; Toriel made a mental note to ask him about it later. “Oh...yeah, maybe, a couple times.”

"Called it! So...is it true?" Catty leaned forwards over the fish, her big, yellow eyes growing increasingly wider with curiosity. "That you guys are dating now?"

"Uhhh – what?" That got a reaction; Sans let out an incredulous splutter as though unsure whether he found the insinuation hilarious or horrifying. "Me and Mettaton?!"

"Mettaton and I," Toriel could not resist correcting him, attempting unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle into her paw. "Well, Sans – is there something you would like to tell us?"

"Catty, I told you that wasn't him!" Bratty interrupted, elbowing her in the side. "It was the other skeleton – the tall hot one, remember? It was all over Mettanet."

"Ohhh. Okay, my bad." Catty giggled sheepishly, holding up her paws in a shrug. "That makes so much more sense. 'Cause you...really don't seem like his type. Um, no offense and stuff."

"Least amount of offense ever taken," Sans replied with a dry chuckle, regaining his composure save for a slight crease in his brow which suggested he would have much to discuss with Papyrus when they got home. "Anyway, we were just looking for..."

"But this one's hanging out with the queen, which is maybe...half as cool as that, I guess?" Bratty continued. "So what are you, like, her servant or something?"

"Oh my god, does Mettaton need a servant? Because we totally volunteer."

"We would be the best at that job."

"I feel like maybe we, like, already have that job?"

"He just doesn't know it yet. Also we don't get paid or actually have to do anything."

"Yet!"

"Let's go with 'or something'," Sans eventually managed to get the words in edgeways, slipping his hand into Toriel's below the counter with a discreet but meaningful squeeze; just enough for her to feel –while he wasn't one for grand public gestures – he was happy and proud to be with her, and it must have shone through from her soul to her smile as Bratty raised an eyebrow.

"Aw, really? That's cute! And...kinda weird?" She looked them both up and down with a vaguely perturbed expression Toriel was by now too familiar with to be offended by. “'Cause you're all...”

“And then you're like...”

“But, like, whatever! We're totally not gonna judge and stuff.”

"Also," Catty added, her ears quavering hopefully, "if you guys are together, does that mean Asgore is, like...single?"

Bratty snorted, shaking her head pityingly. "God, Catty, stop being so thirsty."

"I'm taking a healthy interest in our royal affairs, Bratty!” Catty shoved her, and the two of them promptly dissolved into giggles.

"Ladies," Toriel interrupted eventually, in her most pleasant yet authorative tone usually reserved for reclaiming the attention of an overexcited Friday afternoon class, "while I would love to stay and chat, I am afraid we are on a rather tight schedule at this moment! So if I might possibly trouble you, we were wondering whereabouts in this place one might find the snails?"

"Oh, snails...?" As they sobered up, Bratty and Catty exchanged a puzzled look.

"Oh...snails." 

"We have a monster food section...um, somewhere over there, I think?" Bratty pointed a manicured claw vaguely towards the front of the store. "But it's like..."

"Super small and hardly has any of the good stuff." Catty wrinkled her nose.

"They don't even sell Glamburgers."

"Oh my god, right?! Everyone knows they're like, the greatest achievement of monsterkind or something."

"Not that we ever actually got to taste any..."

"Which is like, the most tragic tale in the Underground, right, Bratty?" Catty draped a paw theatrically across her forehead, pretending to faint against her friend; Bratty scoffed, but let Catty's head linger on her shoulder a moment before her eyes snapped open again. "Oh, wait, actually. I think there is a snail farm around the block!"

"Um, isn't that a record store now?" 

"Yeah, I guess, but they still race snails out back! It's like, a whole thing."

Bratty giggled. "Catty, since when did you become, like, the expert on snails around here?"

Catty flipped a tuft of blue hair out of her eyes, flashing them a smug smile. "Since I heard how Mettaton totally goes there, like, all the time?"

"Wait, seriously?!"

Toriel sensed the pair would not yield any more useful information, as charming as they were in their own way. "Ah, I understand – well, thank you both very much for your time. It has been a pleasure, but I think it is time we were on our way." She nudged Sans and tilted her head pointedly back towards their cart, and he nodded in understanding, offering Bratty and Catty a wave in return.

"Laters!"

"If it doesn't work out with Mettaton, tell him to call me!"

"Really, Catty, really?"

"Okay, sorry –"

"She means tell him to call us!"

"So...you wanna check out that snail farm on the way home?" Sans asked after they had left them to it, making their way back to the front of the store towards the cashiers. 

"Ah..." Toriel hesitated, allowing herself one lingering thought of a succulent, slimy snack before she shook her head. "No, we do not have to do that. We have plenty of food as it is, and besides, you were right – the children will not want to eat snails."

"Probably not, but you do," he pointed out, shooting her a knowing but sympathetic look, and Toriel could not very well deny it. "C'mon, maybe it'll be fun. My treat?"

It had been a long afternoon, and they both knew that staying out a moment longer when he could be at home sleeping was not Sans' idea of fun; the knowledge that he was doing this for her melted Toriel's heart, just a little, as her face softened into a smile and she widened her eyes in mock surprise. "Do you mean to tell me that you actually have money?"

"Okay, so maybe I wouldn't go that far," he admitted with a sheepish chuckle, "but...I might just have some Thundersnail winnings long overdue for collection. Whaddaya say?"

Toriel tutted half-heartedly, but she was unable to keep the smile from growing across her face as she squeezed Sans' hand gratefully in return, before turning her attention to packing away their considerable purchases.

"Oh, very well, then. I suppose it couldn't hurt to take a look."

Frisk's birthday party had, by all accounts, been a great success – which naturally meant that it had also been total chaos. The house was filled with excitable children, running around all over and getting into places they should not be; there were pizza splatters on the walls that Toriel could admittedly not blame entirely on the children (she did not have the best aim, and Sans was not quite as skilled at catching them in his mouth as he claimed, but they had enjoyed themselves trying anyway); and Sans was currently sporting an assortment of crudely drawn...appendages across his face, an unidentified assailant having evidently gotten to him when he'd dozed off during Pin the Gyfts on the 'Trot. Toriel had her own hands full attempting to pick up all the chocolate cupcakes from the carpet while balancing a tower of paper plates when she felt something tugging on her skirt.

"Miss Toriel!" 

She glanced down over the plates into the eyes of an increasingly distressed-looking child. "Is everything alright, Grant?"

"I, um...I don't feel so good..." Clutching his stomach, Grant began to turn alarming shade of green, and Toriel's heart sank as she recognised all too well what was about to happen.

"Oh, goodness, my child, you do not look at all – Sans!" she yelled out in desperation, unable at that moment to provide adequate assistance herself. "Could you please come over here and help..."

"On it." Toriel had never been so grateful for Sans' penchant for materialising out of nowhere, much as it made Grant jump as he tentatively patted the child on the back. "C'mon, buddy, let's get you to the..."

But it was too late – Toriel heard him retching, moments before the unmistakable sound and stench of copious vomiting assaulted her senses. She promptly dropped the plates, letting them flutter to the floor in her haste to assess the damage.

"...bathroom," Sans finished helplessly, cringing as Toriel clamped both hands over her mouth and nose, barely suppressing the urge to gag herself at the unappealing cocktail of what had once been birthday cake, pizza, jelly, ice cream, soda and anything else Grant might have consumed – all floating in Frisk's brand new, custom designed, exquisitely bedazzled and very expensive MTT-brand beach hat.

"Oh, please, no..." Toriel and Sans exchanged wide-eyed expressions of pure horror just as Grant, evidently feeling better, leapt to his feet and ran away to join the crowd chasing the little white dog that had somehow wriggled in during the commotion and was barking joyously. "Maybe – maybe it will be okay!" she declared, much more optimistically than she felt. "We will find a way to clean this up, just so long as Frisk does not..."

She really ought to have known better – before either of them could move, Frisk burst in. 

"Mom, Sans, have you guys seen my – oh, never mind, there it is!"

Toriel made a desperate grab for the hat, but her child had already seized it with a satisfied, if short-lived smile. "Frisk, no – do not put that on your –"

It would be mere seconds before the room exploded with ear-splitting screams and howls; weeks before Toriel was able to scrub the horrible stench out of Frisk's hair; months before anyone dared to tell Mettaton the real reason they were not wearing their fabulous hat; and – needless to say – a lifetime before any of them would ever forget that particular party.

[marvelous-heroimagines]

Finally: Part 3

Pairing: Reader x Bucky Word Count: 1.8K Warnings: Angst? Fluff?

A/N: This is the last chapter that is based off my real life. The rest of the fic will be  purely fiction

Feedback is always appreciated. Let me know if you want to be added to the tags list.

Part 1, Part 2

It’s been almost 2 weeks since Bucky broke things off, before they’d actually started, and he hadn’t randomly appeared in your apartment since. You know that he feels awkward, and doesn’t want to intrude, but his absence was doing the opposite. The longer he avoided you, the worse it got. You know that you’re going to have to be the one to cut through the awkwardness and make the first move.

Your phone buzzes, and you subconsciously hold your breath, wondering if it would be your best friend, finally growing a pair and talking to you again. But it wasn’t. It was, yet another, match on Tinder. Unlocking your phone, you delete the Tinder notification and navigate to your messages. You needed to text Bucky before the wedge was driven further between the two of you, and your friendship was lost forever.

Hey stranger, You’ve been MIA, are you on a mission or something? My apartment hasn’t been broken into by my annoying neighbour lately, and I’m starting to feel like a normal person...

You know for a fact that Bucky wasn’t on a mission, you’d heard his favourite record blasting last night, but you wanted to seem casual and show him that you were fine with talking to and seeing him. You quickly press send before you can second guess yourself.

To help take your mind off the suspense of Bucky’s reply, you open up Tinder and decide to message your latest match. You view his profile again, trying to come up with a cute and witty opening line. Coming up blank, you let out a sigh and type out a generic message.

Hi Lee! How’re you? :)

‘Keep it light and breezy, Y/N,’ you encourage yourself as you send your message to Lee. He was hot, really hot, and you start getting nervous as you wait for his reply. You’d downloaded Tinder 2 weeks ago. To start with you were too nervous, or scared, to properly start swiping. But once you started, it was hard to stop. You finally understood why the single ladies at work were constantly swiping left and right. You’d talked to a couple of guys so far, but all the conversations had died off, or you’d unmatched the guy once he sent you a dick pic.

It was stupid, but getting matches on Tinder made you feel better about what happened with Bucky. You didn’t know if the spark you’d had for your best friend had died out, but seeing him would confirm either way. He didn’t want to take a risk and see how great being together could be, so you needed to move on to someone who didn’t second guess their feelings.

Your phone vibrates again, but it wasn’t Lee. It was Bucky. You take a deep breath as you open his message and prepare yourself for the worst.

Haha, nah I haven’t been on mission, just a little busy. I’m free tonight, want to have drinks?

Releasing a sigh of relief, you quickly type your reply.

Sure. Come over? I have some beers that have your name on them and I don’t feel like going out.

You watch the three little dots appear and disappear multiple times. You know Bucky like the back of your hand, he was trying to make an excuse as to why the two of you needed to go out instead of spending the night in. He never used to have a problem with staying in, but he’d never led you on before. The failed start had definitely changed things between the two of you, you just hope it’s not permanent.

The three dots didn’t appear again, and you deduct that Bucky hadn’t been able to think of a legitimate excuse, and was making his way over. Placing your phone on the table, you get up and start tidying your apartment. You don’t know why you feel compelled to clean up for Bucky - he’s probably never seen your apartment properly clean - but you keep grabbing dirty dishes and stacking them in the sink.

Bucky doesn’t even bother knocking, just striding into your apartment, “Hey,” he calls to you as he rounds the hall archway, “Why don’t you want to go out?”

You shrug as you move from the sink to the fridge, grabbing two beers and handing him one, “I don’t know, just can’t be bothered,”

Bucky nods, looking at nothing in particular as if he was thinking through something. Taking the lead, you walk back over to the couch and slump into it.

“What do you want to watch?” you glance over at Bucky, still standing in your kitchen looking lost. His head snaps up and his eyes focus on you,

Bucky shrugs as he follows your steps and sits next to you, leaving a safe ‘we’ve-made-out-but-now-we’re-just-friends-again’ sized space between the two of you. Bucky had never been the type to be conscious of how close he sat to you, and for some reason it annoys you now. Forcing yourself to forget the minor detail, you flick through channels until you find a drama, cop show.

You let out a groan as you reach the apex of your stretch. Bucky glances at you, a chuckle escaping him as he watches you twist your body into various stretch positions.

“Another?” you ask, holding up your empty beer bottle,

“Sure,” Bucky nods. You stand, ignoring the pins and needles in your foot and start collecting the empty beer bottles that now littered your coffee table.

There’s quite a few bottle, you and Bucky had been drinking for just over an hour, and you try to juggle all the bottles so that you don’t have to make more than one trip. Bucky makes a move to help you gather the bottles, “I’ve got it,” you dismiss him. He doesn’t stop, only grabbing an empty bottle.

You shift the various bottles already in your arms, freeing your left hand, “No,” you whine, grabbing Bucky’s extended flesh hand. You feel Bucky instantly tense from your touch, and his eyes slide up to meet yours. Tension grows as the two of you stare at each other, your hand still grasping his, trying to stop him from grabbing more bottles.

Something snaps in your head, and you pull back your hand a little too quickly. The tension that had filled the room is immediately replaced by a feeling to awkwardness. ‘I suppose this is what he was wanting to avoid,’ you think as you snatch the remaining empty bottles and shuffle to the kitchen.

This was the last thing you wanted. You never wanted to feel awkward around Bucky, especially due to something trivial like touching hands. It was stupid, and childish. You just wanted to go back to before everything had gotten so complicated.

The sound of your phone buzzing on the coffee table pulls you back to reality. You carefully place all the empty bottles on your kitchen bench and grab 2 more beers from the fridge.

“What’s this?” Bucky asks as you walk back over to the couch. He’s holding your phone in his hand, frowning down at your screen.

You hand him a beer and snatch your phone out of his metal grasp. Looking down, you feel your stomach flip as you’re met with a Tinder notification from Lee. You can’t keep the smile off your face as you unlock your phone and read the message.

Hey Y/N. I’m great thank you! How are you? Spending your Friday night out on the town?

“Y/N?” Bucky’s voice breaks through your blissful bubble, “What’s that?”

Glancing over at Bucky, confusion washes over you as you see him frowning at you, looking like a disappointed parent.

“Tinder... The dating app?” you drawl out, “You match with people if you like each other and-”

Bucky’s features don’t change, keeping the frown firmly in place as his eyes shift from yours to your phone, “I know what it is. Why are you using it? You should just meet a guy at a bookstore or a coffee shop...”

You can’t stop yourself before a scoff escapes you. Rolling your eyes, you nod at Bucky, “Okay, thanks Grandpa, but it’s 2017... Meeting guys that way just doesn’t happen anymore,”

“But isn’t Tinder for booty calls?” Bucky asks,

“Not always,” you shrug, “But... Dick pics are pretty common,”

Bucky scrunches his nose is disgust. You cock your head at him, Bucky was from a different century, but he’d never been a prude. He loved to tell you about his conquests in the 30s and 40s.

Bucky abruptly stands, slamming his beer on the table a little too hard, making it explode with foam from the neck.

“Buck!” you exclaim, watching the foam spill all over your coffee table. When he doesn’t respond, you look up to see him heading for your front door.

“Where are you going?” you call after him, confusion thick in your tone,

“Home,” he grunts out, not bothering to turn around to face you, “I’ve got to leave early in the morning for a mission,”

“What?” you call out, but he only rips open your door and disappears behind it. You’re left with your jaw hanging open and a frown etched between your brows.

You can’t even process what had happened in the last 10 minutes, and it didn’t have anything to do with you being tipsy. Had Bucky just gotten jealous? Surely not, he was the one who ended things, not you.

You push the thoughts out of you mind, Bucky was acting strange, but it wasn’t your problem. Your frown is replaced by a goofy grin as you type out a reply to Lee.

I’m good! Nah, not out tonight, just having a quiet one. You?

Lee instantly replies, making your stomach flip.

Same here! I don’t know how my friends are always up for a big one. Every. Single. Weekend. Haha. Since nether of us will be hungover tomorrow, I’d love to grab coffee with you :)

Butterflies explode in your stomach as you read and reread Lee’s words. A part of you was still chewing over what Bucky’s reaction was about, but you couldn’t let yourself dwell on him; you had a date with a super hot man tomorrow.

Next Part

Tags: @redstarstan, @heismyhunter, @rosyfluffyprincess, @coffeeismylife28, @klutzly, @invisible2niall, @leahhavoc, @goldenlifevsgutter1996, @addictwithafandomblog, @hantu369mc, @aboveaverage-fangirl, @impala-moose, @meep-meep22, @pretentiousaf, @buckyandsebsinbin, @barnesdeservestheworld, @iamwarrenspeace, @thegirlwithnodragontattoo