#they're both an open book and a complete mystery to one another

[ianthedebonair]

thinking about all the creative ways sidestep can use their powers during sexy time that ortega will never be privy to 🤧🤧

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Ok so I've mentioned this a bunch of times on my blog by now but I've been trying to speedrun all of the Choices books and I'm so glad I am because there are some underrated gems out there! I'm almost done with TC&TF Book 1 and that book had a ton of love interests so I was inspired to make a top ten list to organize my thoughts. This post will be under development as I play more books or change my mind lol

Top Ten Books/Series

Bloodbound Series - This book is literally one of the best series PB has ever put out. To be fair, it should be under Blades and TC&TF, I would argue that these three books deserve top place. But it would be harder to combine my Bloodbound explanation with the other two fantasy books so here you go. Contrary to most, I did like the first book, wasn't my favorite, but it was a good intro to the series. I like that the world slowly grew as we learned more about vampires and it felt complete and like it had something to say. Thank @gaiuskamilah for my further obsession with the series lol

Blades of Light and Shadow Book 1/The Crown and the Flame Book 1 - I couldn't choose but they're both AMAZING BOOKS ugh I can't say enough good things about them. The choices actually matter and the plot was so good. Every chapter had a purpose and the conclusion felt so satisfying. The scoring system and skills for both books was super cool, we need more books like them <33

Crimes of Passion Series - Definitely a Top Tier MC!!! I liked the mystery (Book 2's reveal wasn't great but the chaotic Thorne siblings make up for it) and Trystan is the best single LI we've had in a while, their dynamic with Rose was *chef's kiss*

Perfect Match Series - I LOVED this series and our friend group/love interests so much. They all felt like unique people with their own experiences and the plot was so amazingly intense. The finale of Book 1 was UNMATCHED we won't ever live to experience something that iconic ever again smh. It took a while for the plot to kick in, which is why it's lower on the list

The Elementalists - I'm a sucker for elemental magic systems/magic schools, and I love our friend group/family so much. Atlas is the coolest twin, and the whole sun/moon dynamic was fun! Being a powerful Sun-Att boosted my ego astronomically. I wish we got another book to see our mom more though

It Lives in the Woods - I like that the premise was relatively simple, along with the game mechanics. Your actions had real consequences and it was more immersive. The flash-forward in the last chapter was super sweet too and I like that the anthology was interconnected. This series also gave us an amazing friend group and set of LIs so I'm thankful <3

Open Heart Book 1 - Simply iconic, grounded in reality, and actually put together imao. It was one of the peaks of our fandom. This book is super nostalgic for me because I'm interested in the medical field, and it's the whole reason I'm posting Choices content here in the first place

Ride or Die - I adore this book. It felt complete on its own EVEN IF IT DESERVED A SEQUEL *side-eyeing PB* and it's a great coming-of-age story with a realistic teen MC. The ending was bittersweet and you felt changed by the experience playing the book

Nightbound - I liked the vibes and the idea more than the execution if that makes sense? I love the idea of Lamrian and how the MC is half-fae and super powerful, but the book didn't have enough time to showcase the supernatural world compared to Bloodbound, which focused on vampire lore. I can probably make a whole separate post on this but yea

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir - I think, again, I like the vibes of the series more than the flawed execution, but because it went on for so long I kinda of got attached to the characters (mind you I didn't play or finish any of the books) but it's super fluffy and sweet and iconic for Choices history so here <3 a lot of the books like ROE, TRM, and TC&TF are interconnected so it's part of the foundation for the PB Choices Multiverse :) to be fair, it looks like they did a somewhat decent job writing the conflicts for each book?

I have a feeling when I finish Endless Summer, this list is gonna change...

EDIT: I totally forgot about The Heist: Monaco, but it was amazing! TRR/TH should be bumped down to honorable mention, I'll change it at some point-

Honorable Mentions

A Courtesan of Rome - The book took awhile for me to get through but my MC is legendary and carried the book so it's up here lol. I also liked that it felt like a historically accurate book?

Platinum - Cool commentary on the darker sides of fame and the music >>>

Veil of Secrets - The plot was interesting, one of my fave mystery books they've written! Also the characters >>>

Mother of the Year - Wholesome and felt finished, def one of the best single books. Also the antagonists were properly despicable so...good writing

Wake the Dead - It wasn't perfect, but I love zombie apocalypse stories and the idea of rebuilding our camp was so cool so idc how flawed it is <3

Foreign Affairs - The ending was rushed and the premise should have been rewritten but more on that on a later date. It was still fun for me to play

Desire and Decorum - I finished book 1 and I really liked it! it's basically the Choices version of Bridgerton, not historically accurate but super entertaining. The vibes and the LIs were amazing

Kindred - Pacing issues but still entertaining, I love the witch lore that they had in the book and the focus on building both platonic and romantic relationships so I'm not complaining

Top Ten Love Interests In No Particular Order

Trystan Thorne

Bryce Lahela

Kamilah Sayeed

Damien Nazario

Kaine Bell

Raleigh Carrera

Aerin Valleros

Jax Matsuo

Colt Kaneko

F!Hayden Young

Honorable Mentions (Again, No Particular Order)

Drake Walker (listen LISTEN I don't like that he sidelined other LIs, and I absolutely HATE how his character was a total contradiction, it was executed poorly, but I like the idea of his route if that makes sense. Some of the banter was cute and I love the whole grumpy x sunshine trope. I'm pretty sure he took a bullet for me lol)

Raydan Lykel (Solely because I haven't finished the series yet)

Mal Volari (He would have been in Top Ten but I had to bump him down because his Book 2 Route isn't working)

Tyril Starfury

Nia Ellarious

Prince Hamid

Tatum Mendoza

All of the Nightbound Love Interests are amazing I just couldn't fit them on the list

Gaius Augustine

Alana Kusuma

Rainier (Kindred)

Thomas Mendez

Flynn O'Malley

Olivia Nevrakis (she had so much potential omg)

Robin Flores and Sofia Russo (in my world, they're LIs just shush)

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Who's is That Face in the Mask?

So, it's rare when I pick up a book on the strength of a YouTube video, and honestly even rarer that I enjoy books selected based on that criteria. However, since Marie Brennan is one half of MA Carrick and the book is often described via *that* quote from The Princess Bride (and no, I'm not specifying even though Princess Bride is all *that* quote depending on context), I had hope. After all, I loved the Lady Trent memoirs and The Princess Bride. And folks, this book did not disappoint. Let's talk The Mask of Mirrors.

What do you get when hundreds of years of colonization mixes with a rogue vigilante for the oppressed population and a con woman who sets out for money but comes up with found family? Youu get some stunningly well written characters, intrigue that I frankly preferred to A Song of Ice and Fire, and just beautifully nuanced worldbuilding.

Ren--or Renata Viraudax or Arenza, depending on the day and location--grew up as a dirt-poor half-Vrazenian kid who was completely disconnected from her mother's people in a city colonized by the Liganti. She was a gang member under the objectively abusive Ondrakja until she watched Ondrakja beat her brother to death. Next thing we know, Ren has poisoned her Fagin and made off for another country with her sister, Tess. They end up serving in the household of Letilia--a disgraced member of House Traemantis.

Fast forward a few years, and Letilia being an absolutely irredeemable human gives Ren the idea to con the remaining members of House Traemantis in Nadezera. Mother and daughter are sufficiently estranged that Letilia won't out Ren, but other actors in the city might.

Those actors include Grey Serrado, captain of the Vigil (read police force) and Vrazenian slip-knot (read traitor to his people because he assimilated into Liganti society. He is running himself ragged trying to sort out why street kids keep dying of insomnia, track down the mysterious Rook, and running petty errands for the Liganti nobility. He does not get help from the rampant vanity and nepotism in the Vigil ranks, nor the racism of most Liganti hawks. Add to that his deep grief for his brother's recent murder and Grey needs a hug and a paid vacation.

Then there is Vargo Derossi, crime lord extraordinaire with an eye toward becoming too powerful to be ignored and choosing to pretend to go legitimate to achieve the dream. He is charming and deadly all at once, has someone else in his head, has a pet spider named Peabody, and some serious germophobia. Whether he is caught in Ren's con or she is caught in his web is an open question for most of this book. Vargo is 100% unanswered questions, and every single one is dangerous to ask and even more dangerous not to know the answer to. Especially since he is also SUSPICIOUSLY competent at numinatria...

We of course cannot neglect Donaia, Leato, and Giuna Tremantis. This remnant of a once proud family are an unusual bunch, but they're also different enough that watching their personalities mesh and clas ended up being one of my favorite things about this book.

Beyond the character work, the worldbuilding in this book is first-class. The Vrazenians and Liganti are culturally and visually distinct at a glance, and then for those who care to stay and look harder, there is depth and nuance. Both cultures feel real and vibrant, which makes the all-too-clear harms of oppression and colonization, as well as the messiness of navigating mixed-heritage identities, all the sharper.

It also highlights the different magic systems, religions, and ways of knowing and relating to your community based on those cultural differences. Patterning and numinatria are both valid, but neither quite likes the other and thy don't cross cultural lines. The Rook is a folk hero to the Vrazenians and a half-mythical, pain-in-the-ass vigilante to the Liganti. Even fashion is sharply divided.

Overall, the Princess Bride comparison is apt, but perhaps also mixed with some Leverage and some Batman. I loved this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next two.

[dvar-trek]

Romance Roundup: Part 1

this summer, after succumbing to my knitting injuries, i fell into a romance novel rabbit-hole. they are like candy for me. they're low-effort, fun, a quick source of joy, and keep me from endlessly scrolling jpost for israel news. also i can usually finish one in a day or two. so all in all, i ended up reading a total of 90 romance/kissing books.

the stats:

84 queer

13 novella-length

4 that i really feel i gave a fair shot but didn't finish

the top 7 (in no particular order):

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland- a fantasy book wherein the prince and his sworn bodyguard fall in love. some light (as in dangerous but not overly complex) political intrigue. plenty of world-building, but the author doesn't ever bore you with explanations you don't want. the writing is a little clumsy at times, but in spite of myself i found this book and the characters so utterly charming.

Enlightenment Trilogy (Provoked, Beguiled, and Enlightened) by Joanna Chambers- takes place in regency-late georgian scotland. two men who are dedicated to their respectable (but very different) lives. in order to keep what's important to them, they each plan to go through life just having anonymous, one-off encounters with other men, and needless to say, they upend that for one another. features radical politics, arguments about what matters in life, george iv's visit to scotland, and confronting your past. i thought about this extensively, but i simply do not think i can describe the plot in a way that will be helpful. you are just going to have to trust me. a linked short story and bonus-epilogue-novella are also availble on the author's website.

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall- man sort of accidentally fakes amnesia to keep his asshole boss from firing everyone. only they end up sort of falling for each other for real. modern setting, funny and sad, and the kind of slow-burn romance that makes your chest hurt. it does take place over christmas, but not in a fluffy, christmassy way. like, even i, America's Number One Christmas Hater, who would never have touched it had i known about the christmas element going in, found it to be completely tolerable amount of christmas, and a thoroughly enjoyable book. i read everything on my top 7 list multiple times, but this is one that really rewards your second read-through.

Captive Prince Trilogy (Captive Prince, Prince's Gambit, and Kings Rising) by C.S. Pacat- fantasy setting wherein a prince is kidnapped and enslaved in an enemy realm, and eventually has to ally with his cruel captor in order to save his own kingdom. plenty of political maneuvering, military skirmishes, court intrigue, and secret night mission shenanigans (with disguises). another chest-aching slow burn that rewards multiple read-throughs. there's also a linked short story collection, The Summer Palace, which includes a bonus epilogue.

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues (book 2 in Lucky Lovers of London) by Jess Everlee- victorian-era romance, featuring drag, lifelong best friends, and some of the best (hottest) sex scenes on this list. the proprietor of an underground gentlemen's club for queer men fights to keep his club open and his people safe, both from the law and from the volatile aristocrat who owns the place. he also definitely doesn't have feelings for his best friend. anymore. probably.

England World (Think of England, and prequel Proper English) by KJ Charles- two excellent books; one a houseparty/treason investigation and one a houseparty turned murder mystery. as everyone knows, it's extremely dangerous to attend a houseparty while single, because you will fall hopelessly in love, but you will also be in mortal peril. i am. too fucking feral about these characters to say anything useful. i am completely aware that this does nothing to help my case, but i cannot help it. i am unable to be normal about them, even in the effort to convince people to read these books. also please note that even though the covers are. quite bad. the writing is excellent and well-researched. also also, there's a bonus epilogue on the author's website, featuring additional sex, good jokes, and bad poetry.

An Unnatural Vice (book 2 in Sins of the City) by KJ Charles- the whole trilogy is worth reading (in order!) but this is definitely the strongest of the 3, and i found it to be the most compelling of the romances. a victorian-era mystery/suspense series, featuring an inheritance plot, murders in the fog, and fake séances. a "spiritualist" who defrauds the wealthy and the investigative jouranlist determined to expose his tricks find themselves hate-fucking, running from murderers, arguing about class politics, and both saving and upending each others' lives.

honorable mention:

Sailor's Delight by Rose Lerner- #1 brain-rewiring book of the year. 1813 sailing master in the british royal navy and his naval agent fall in love. the book takes place over 1 week of shore leave (which coincides with the high holy days), although they have known each other (and known that they can never be together) for almost a decade. uh. listen. this book is both fun and well-researched, but it is not, like, Good™. there is a shirtless man on the cover and there's not even any fucking in the book. the main characters are named Elie and Augie which is completely unsexy. BUT. they changed my brain chemistry and i've plotted out their entire lives in my head from the moment they met and i'm fucking feral about them.

romance roundup part 2

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 224 Trivia

Happy birthday Senku! He's finally in space! 🎉🚀

We can see the approximate distance to Treasure Island from the mainland in this shot, the only other indication of where the island is is in the (non-canon) Reboot side story. My guess is the exact island used is Aogashima.

Another summary of the journey, this time including prehistory. We have depictions from the most recent ice age (though could be later, mammoths and sinomegaceros were around for a while afterwards, even in Japan), early civilization similar to Ishigami Village, and ancient Rome.

For the parts present in the manga itself, I've added the chapter numbers to each of the panels.

The books Senku has here are "General Chemistry" and "たのしい 科学" ("Fun Science"). The latter may be a reference to a children's science education book series named "たのしい! 科学のふしぎ なぜ?どうして?" ("Fun! The Mysteries of Science: Why? How?").

We get a glimpse of the docking system here. Possibly based off the SSVP, as it was used with almost all the Soyuz craft and Russian space stations to connect modules.

This docking area then opens up, becoming the transfer tunnel so astronauts can enter/exit.

I suppose the astronauts were completely naked in their space suits so that when the revival fluid is released, their skin will definitely get touched?

I can't think of any other reason for it, but it does make the previous chapter funnier.

Senku's petrification scars are now fully healed!

(Stanley's are too, poor Xeno is the only one with them now.)

The mystery of how Stanley is meant to use these "cigarettes" remains.

These belts are the middle part of the external space suit, so it's probably how the top and bottom parts are locked in. After they change, they tighten the fabric inside so that it stays attached to them.

I'm not entirely sure why they need it, since current space suits usually just attach the top to the bottom directly.

They're using both CRT and LCD screens. My guess is the LCDs are more convenient (it's easier to display things from computer->LCD than it is to a CRT, also text is more legible due to the pixels), but they still have several CRTs from earlier so they may as well use them too.

Stanley asks about their oxygen supply, meaning they may be limited until the rocket is assembled. Normally, there's recycling systems onboard to collect waste products and convert it into clean air or water, but Stanley and Xeno's discussion makes me think they don't have one.

Obviously, the astronauts have new outfits, but they don't seem to follow any previous astronaut outfits depicted in the series.

Senku's popped collar is still present, but now he lacks his signature equation.

Stanley's outfit changed the least, it remains form-fitting and solid black, with white gloves.

Oddly, Kohaku is still wearing a dress in space, but it's a lot neater and more modern than her previous roughly-hemmed one. She's also got both long socks and boots without a heel.

The spray dryer does a similar preservation process to what they did when freeze-drying ramen, however this process is better for foods (and pharmaceuticals) that are sensitive to temperature.

Here, they dry a liquid (like ramen broth) using a hot gas, turning it into a powder.

In true Francois fashion, the ramen packets made by them contain more meat and garnishes than the ones Byakuya ate. They're also visibly more delicious-looking.

Without regular boosts, the ISS would fall to Earth in around 6 months, however this number can vary a lot depending on atmospheric conditions and the relative angle/position of the ISS to the direction of travel.

Basically, unless someone/something continued to control it almost immediately, the ISS is definitely gone.

(Rei didn't, the Reboot isn't canon.)

[thevagabondexpress]

WIP Questions

scrubbing this off @surroundedbypearls because open tag :) you can find her post here. i'll be answering these about my current release, these savage stars, and its sequel, thief of hearts and words.

I. What’s the first part of your WIP that you created? The characters. These Savage Stars and Thief of Hearts and Words started as a joke between a friend of mine and I about myself and some of my own character traits so I started from there and built outwards.

II. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be? Hm. Going off the series playlist, I think probably either "Youth" by Daughter or "Justice" by Bruce Cockburn. Maybe "Atomic City" by U2.

III. What are your favorite characters that you made? Why? Undoubtedly Leena May Loy and Sasha Symborska. Y'all haven't met Sasha yet, he's coming in Book 2 where he and West square off for the right to be the titular "thief." I can explain why his name has a feminine ending if anyone wants though it's probably obvious (he's genderfunky enough to do that because he thinks it sounds better).

IV. What other pieces of media do you think your fanbase would share? I think they would like Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Both of those were major influences on CTOG/Crater of Grace (the overarching universe of which TSS and TOHAW are part). I think they might also like Heidi Heilig's work because our writing styles are similar, and Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea," though be aware that book is definitely a Product Of Its Time.

V. What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP? Making the transition from the (completed) TSS to the work-in-progress TOHAW. There's a distinct tonal shift that happens between the sort of revenge-driven plot of TSS and then TOHAW as the aftermath, as the "oh god what do we do now," where they have to double down and commit to a bit not all of them necessarily want to commit to because it's the only choice they have.

VI. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them! Not really :( Though my personal belief is that kind of far future space opera setting would be far from devoid of animals and there'd definitely be people keeping pets and also just general critters and creatures that stow away and get themselves off-planet for an adventure, I'm just genuinely terrible at writing animal characters specifically remembering they're there (people who've followed me from the TLH fandom will be well aware that I wholly forget Oscar exists all the time). I don't include them so I don't end up with Plot Holes and Mysteries.

VII. How do your characters travel/get around? In space, by starship, and on space stations by walking and taking elevators like you normally would indoors. I'm realizing I'm probably going to need to include some land-travel options in TOHAW. Mostly I imagine they'll walk but I think West will probably have an electrobike and I really liked the ox-bikes or whatever they were called (basically sci-fi rickshaws) from A Psalm For The Wild Built so I might include something similar.

VIII. What part of your WIP are you working on right now? I'm drafting Book 2!

IX. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) you think will draw your audience in? I think the mix of sci-fi and fantasy (faeries in space!) will be the biggest draw. It's niche and going to be a bit of a steep on-ramp for some people but I know others will find the concept interesting enough to see how it's done. Having a nonbinary protagonist will be another one I think, and that we have a good percentage of aromantic characters in it (three out of eleven) and Gadiel and Leena, the only m/f ship, are asexual. It's not a kind of diversity you see often in fiction, I'm writing for my fellows who get sick and tired of not seeing themselves. I imagine also the intrigue plot will draw readers. We've rescued a guy who was kidnapped and doesn't know why and now we've got to find out :)

X. What are your hopes for your WIP? Hm. To get some good comments and not be eighty-five by the time it's done.

[vigilantempathy]

OFMD Ed/Izzy “Getaway Car” by Taylor Swift AU????

Ed and Izzy are lone-wolf grifters who develop a flirtatious rivalry that becomes “professional admiration” for each other’s cons until they finally decide to become partners in crime.

If it was about getting rich, Ed would marry one of the “sugar daddies” he’s extorted with sordid pictures of their intimate moments together. If it was about becoming notorious, Izzy wouldn’t have built his gambit on the anonymity of uniform disguises at luxurious events—rich people notice when their valuables go missing, but they don’t remember the face of their waiter, or their porter, or their valet.

There’s an odd sense of justice to who they each choose as marks. They both have a strong sense of honor amongst thieves. They’re both too ambitious to stay two-bit criminals forever.

And the game gets lonely if you get too good at playing it alone.

Playing it together, though…that’s how legends are born.

The authorities call their mysterious criminal syndicate “Blackbeard”. The reporters joke that Blackbeard’s crimes were executed with the goal of becoming clickbait. They’re Robin Hood for the internet era, easy to publicize and hard to completely hate.

And under the jetset Bonnie and Clyde lifestyle, they want to give each other the world and know no other way to try aside from stealing it.

And they don't say they love each other, exactly, not in those words, but they try to show it.

Izzy steals a priceless tiara for Edward and crowns it reverently in his curls because he doesn’t know how to tell him, Fuck the royalty who inherit the world as birthright, I would only ever kneel for you. Edward sighs and hands Izzy the keys of a Porshe Turbo he just rightfully stole them and would be entitled to drive and doesn't say, I trust you with my life.

Edward buys Izzy the house Izzy used to pass on his way to school (before he ran away at thirteen) that made Izzy understand the difference between being rich and being poor, what people meant when they talked about being "from a nice family" because his own family certainly wasn't nice, because Edward can’t just tell him, You deserve beautiful things, or What they did to you was wrong or I wish the world had been kinder to you.

There's intimacy built over the years in secrets told between them when they hold their breath together as sirens pass too close by where they're hiding. They'd ride for each other and die for each other and it's a pact they know in their bones even if they never acknowledge it. It rides along with them like a passenger in every getaway car, on every plane, curled in bed between them in sleeper cars on international train rides. It's the two of them against the world, and they finally get to see how beautiful the world can be once they can afford beautiful things.

Edward takes them on a museum vacation to Florence because he saw how Izzy pored over a tourist pamphlet on a flight once when he thought Edward was asleep and secretly booked them tickets. There's a month they spend on an island where they sleep in a tent and swim in the ocean and and cook over a campfire and don't see another human being the entire time and it should feel suffocating, but it's the happiest either of them have ever been.

Except for Edward's demons that drag Izzy like they're leashed with his own. Except for Izzy's demons that pull Izzy fiercely away, over and over, the gap widening between them with every touch restrained, every word not uttered. Izzy starts to hate the world for making them what they are, for making Edward crave a comfort and reassurance and openness that Izzy can't give; for making Izzy hold back everything he wants to tell Edward, for making him see love as weakness and hate that weakness in himself.

This isn't a world for people like them, no matter that it was the world that made them like this. They were never meant for beautiful things, and love is the most beautiful thing of them all.

Izzy holds Edward's hair back in hotel bathrooms and at resort poolsides, watches him vomit the kind of top-shelf liquor neither of them ever thought they'd be able to drink, frozen helpless while he snorts an entire con's worth of winnings. He stays when Edward screams in his face, trying to make Izzy understand that he's a monster, trying to convince Izzy that he's unlovable. Izzy holds him while he cries, doesn't let Edward see how it breaks him every time Edward quits for a day or a week or an hour, when he makes it twelve gruelling hours into the physical hell that is detox, sends Izzy to refill the ice bucket to make a compress for his migraine, and by the time Izzy comes back Edward's dragged himself over to the hotel bar to put an end to his misery.

Izzy doesn't know how to tell him I'm worried about you, or please don't, or am I the part of this that will never be enough for you?, or I don't know how I could go back to what I was if I woke up one day and you weren't here. He tries showing him, over and over and over, but it's not enough, it's something that Edward needs to hear and that Izzy cannot say. They hate themselves for what they can't be to each other.

The calls are too close and Izzy's made a career of being a gambling man but Edward's life is never going to be worth the risk in betting. And there are ultimatums, of course, but Izzy can't carry any of them out because they all involve leaving and he could never leave Edward willingly.

So Izzy turns them in.

He knows Edward will hate him for it. But Edward will have to sober up in the drunk tank or with medically-assisted detox in the prison infirmary, and that means he'll live long enough to hate Izzy. Izzy can accept a world where Edward hates him, but he can't accept a world without Edward.

It turns out, they're the only cellmates in the institution who can tolerate being roomed with each other.

There's nothing beautiful for them here, but there's time. There's nothing for them now but time. The walls keep the world shut outside as much as they keep the two of them shut away from the world. And eventually they learn to talk to each other, how to say everything unsaid that festered between them and forced them away from each other. Eventually Edward tells Izzy what he meant with every stolen gift he gave, and eventually Izzy tells Edward why he stayed all those times, why he didn't trust himself to leave.

Perhaps there's still one beautiful thing left to them here after all.

[ewzzy]

Time for another profile of one of Peter Parker's old flames and missed connections. In ASM #230 we meet Amy Powell girlfriend of Daily Bugle photographer Lance Bannon. They're in an open relationship and it's not going great.

She runs into Peter Parker and decided to flirt with him seemingly to make Lance jealous. Lance is already a rival of Pete's as a technically much more skilled photog but Pete has the advantage of actually being in the action.

An open relationship and nude photography? The 80s have caught up the 60s in the Spidey books. Anyway, after weeks of trying Amy finally gets Pete to get coffee with her and Lance is green with envy.

Lance confronts Pete and begs him to break it off with Amy. Pete's like "Uh I just had coffee with her. I don't need this drama." At Steve's urging he calls Amy and makes the funniest faces as he gets dragged deeper into their open relationship complications.

Pete's plan is to have both he and Lance at Pete's apartment when Amy gets there so he can clear everything up. Too bad only Amy shows up and...

Oh no it must be Lance about to walk in on you making with his girl...

Nope! It's MJ back for the first time in years!

And finally Lance shows up. Let's wrap this up, Lance and Amy have a heart to heart over coffee. (the cause of and solution too all life's problems) They make up in time to be written off the book in ASM #243 to make room for the MJ / Black Cat love triangle.

But this is comics so that's not the last of these two right? Lance shows up in another 30 or so comics as a Daily Bugle photographer, but it would be more than a decade before Amy would return. In Web of Spider-Man #113 Lance finally pops the question.

And then he promptly gets murdered for discovering the identity of F.A.C.A.D.E.

F.A.C.A.D.E. was supposed to be a big mystery like the identity of Hobgoblin. This is where Betty Brant comes in. There was an attempt to rehabilitate her character after her husband went coocoo and got killed. She starts the story as an investigative reporter and turns into Rambo. Basically nobody liked this.

So we've got a lame mystery, and terrible new direction for a classic character, and the clone saga is starting next month. Needless to say this was completely dropped.

We never found out who the killer of Lance Bannon really was. Sorry Amy!

[showrunnerihardlyknowher]

Do you have any general tips about writing g/t whump, or g/t or whump in general. I'm thinking about writing g/t or whump or a combination of the two. And your like my go to author when it comes to reading g/t or whump (your shit is really good, if you ever wrote a book and published it, I would be amongst the first to purchase it, I like your writing/content that much lol). So do you have any tips or tidbits for any wannabe writer that your willing to share?

Also I completely understand if this isn't an ask you want to answer, I realize im asking alot out of a stranger for free. So no hard feelings if this post is ignored.

Thank you for taking time to read my ask nonetheless though.

This is such a sweet ask you're so sweet to me ily and if I ever become a published author you may have all my books for free

I think writing anything definitely depends on what style you like, such as mine is very "internal thoughts" and "descriptive action". Settings, physical descriptions, plot set ups -- I'm much more vague about those (which can be a downfall) because I like to focus more on what the current action is versus what lead to that moment.

So my advice, based on my own style, is that mental feelings are just as important as physical feelings when it comes to describing. Your tiny character just got smacked against the wall by a feral giant: tell me how much it hurt, tell me what hurts the most, tell me how focused or unfocused they are, tell me how close they were to cracking their head open on something a few inches away.

Now tell me if your tiny has the stamina to run, tell me if they've given up the fight and are accepting their fate, tell me what they're envisioning said fate to be, tell me if they're scared or angry, tell me what their last thoughts might be before they're cut off by whatever the feral giant does next.

In my opinion, it's much better to write from one character's perspective for a fic (unless you have noted breaks in between paragraphs to switch POVs or if you switch POVs every chapter). It gives the reader time to attach themselves to a single focal character and really get to know them via these internal thoughts and musings. It makes the character much more relatable in the sense that we can sympathize with their reasoning, or at least understand it on a deeper level compared to another character. It also leaves that air of mystery that we, just like the character we're being projected through, only know what we're being told/shown.

And again, descriptions are the shit my guy. Not saying you need to go on a monologue about what color your character's eyes are, but describing your actions and reactions against a duller background helps create more vivid imagery for what's going on in that very second. Your character gets punched in the gut: they're winded, they can't suck in any air between their teeth, they can taste burning bile in their throat, their train of thought slams on its breaks, their stomach feels like it's been split in half, they crumple to the ground in a fetal position, they don't even have the breath to moan in pain.

Also, when it comes to g/t whump specifically, I like to throw in the reminders of how large their size difference is pretty frequently. Remind your readers just how easily it would be to snap a tiny's leg like a toothpick when you have them dangling upside down from your fingers. Remind them how suffocating a giant's presence can feel both literally and figuratively when they're trapped under a hand that engulfs them like a weighed blanket.

Last piece of advice, if there's a writing style you like or a fic you adore or an author you want to emulate - try to figure out which parts you like and why, and then copy it lmao. Not plagiarize their whole story, obviously, but if you see vocabulary or sentence structures you like that's being used, store that shit in your brain to use for later homie. I love run on sentences being used to portray anxiety because your thoughts are going a mile a minute. I love scenes ending with an italicized onomatopoeia because it's the last thing someone hears. That's shit I read from fanfics that I still use in my stories.

I hope this helped some (if any)!!

[yaoi-life96]

Monsters Within

Summary: After complete radio silence from nosy Reporter and informant Freddie Lounds and a mysterious email, Detective Will Graham is sent off by his boss to investigate her disappearance. The investigation leads him to the Murkoff Corporation and their involvement in the Mount Massive Asylum, which has been shut down before being reopened to house the criminally insane. Will heads to the asylum in the hopes of finding the missing Reporter. If only he knew what monsters lie inside...

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

CHAPTER 5

Will jumps from the vent, looking up to see disoriented glass windows, and a dark figure running across from him in another hall. Looking down, everything is blurry due to the glass, but he knows the color of blood.

It looked to be a bloodbath down there.

"What happened here?" he wondered.

Looking to the door next to him, he tries opening it, but it was locked. Just like every door here.

Looking down the hall, Will sees a blockage of furniture, and a cracked door. Making his way to the door, he sees the sign labeled 'Library'.

"Hope there's another door around this." said Will.

He opens the door for a body to swing towards him, making the curly haired man scream. He falls to the ground, breathing hard as he stares at the body, head missing and blood stained.

"Shit, why didn't I jump back out the window when I had the chance?" Will groaned.

Getting back to his feet, Will pulls out his camera to enter the dark library. Stepping over the body, he spots another hanging body, no head either. Books were scattered about and the cases moved around like a labyrinth.

'These aren't personal kills, I'm hunting, hunting for Him, he desires pigs, I will hunt down all the pigs to satisfy Him, He will notice me, He will help me reach my Becoming.'

Will blinks to shake his head, again with this guy.

"He's both feared and admired, whoever this guy is, he's in charge... wait, what did Freddie's email say, beware the Ripper?" he muttered.

The Ripper... oh no, she couldn't have been referencing the Chesapeake Ripper, could she?!

The Chesapeake Ripper, an intelligent, psychopathic cannibal who killed any he deemed to be pigs, take their organs to eat and elevate the corpses into art. Known all over the world by different names, but he was never caught.

At least till two years ago, when a single hair was discovered. A hair that finally ended the Ripper's rein, and revealed the face of the most dangerous and intelligent serial killer in this time.

Respected and renown socialite and Psychologist; Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

After his arrest, he was sent to a mental institution, though no one knew which one he went to. Least till Freddie's email.

"Shit, I need to find her and get out." cursed Will.

Moving more through the library, Will passes a shelf to see a pile of books and corpses with a rod sticking out. And on the rod was an impaled body.

The rod was rammed up the body through the ass and out the chest. A vert painful way to die.

'Many executions involved impaling, someone wants the Ripper's attention, they're creating art to please him.' thought Will.

He'd rather keep the attention off himself, thank you very much.

Will moves closer, needing to move past the body to get to the other side of the bookcase maze. A foot away, the body suddenly convulses, gasping for air.

The curly haired man jumps back with a panicked squeak. Seriously?!

"They got out, they escaped, the Variants!" cried the impaled man.

Will gulps to step back, camera still raised to the dying man.

"You can't fight them, especially Him, the Ripper commands them all, you, you have to get out of this terrible place." choked the man, coughing up blood.

Will watches the blood drip from his mouth, onto the pile of bodies. This was looking really bad.

"Have you seen a woman with curly red hair, I can't exactly leave without her." said Will.

"She's most likely dead already, we all are, but you have a shot, use the security room to open the main doors, run, and don't look back." coughed the man.

He lets out another cough before falling still and silent, he'd finally passed on.

The man sighs, looking away from the body to see on his camera a cracked door with a bit of light peeking in.

If what the man says is true, then Freddie is already gone. Especially if the Ripper runs things now.

Making his way to the door, Will opens it to see something large go into another room, shutting the door.

A shiver of fear runs down his back, what was that he just saw? Was that an inmate?

'No wonder all the personnel got killed, if guys like that escaped, there really is no stopping them.' thought Will.

Hearing nothing, he leaves the darkness of the library and makes his way more down the hall. Eyes on the door, he moves on past. He turns again to see some junk in the hall, but it looked like he could squeeze his way through.

Placing his camera in his jacket pocket, Will starts squeezing through the gap. Just as he pushes through, a ha d suddenly grabs him.

"Pig, fresh meat for Him." growled the man.

Will stares into his eyes, struggling to escape the mad man. His dark hair was cut short, he was also missing the inmate shirt so his muscles were on display. But that was ignored by his face, his deranged eyes and crooked teeth covered by a cleffed lip.

'He must see me, see what I am becoming. I am His most loyal student, His strongest creation. He must see me!'

Shaking his head, Will frees a hand to punch the inmate. But it barely does anything, just makes his angry.

With a loud snarl, he throws the curly haired man at the window, smashing the window and making him fall. Will falls with a shout and lands on the ground hard.

Groaning, Will's vision blurs and fades a bit. Laying still, in pain, all he can do is shut his eyes.

As he lays there, ne hears the sound of footsteps, dress shoes. The footsteps come closer till they too fall silent.

A large, strong hand rests on his cheek, turning his face so it was facing up. Will opens his eyes a bit, but he only sees blurry shapes and darkness around the edge of his vision.

Then, a figure appears in his vision.

"Now who are you?" asked the figure.

Will just groans, turning his head away and shutting his eyes. The figure chuckles at this.

"And you're still alive, hmm, I think ill test.you again, stay alive, darling, I wish to see.more of what you can do." said the figure.

A sigh escapes Will as a hand runs through his hair. Soon, his consciousness fades away and Will drifts away.

[the-fearful-one]

🎶✨ when u get this u have (the option) to put 5 songs u actually listen to. then send this ask or tag 10 of your friends/followers/just some guys you feel like if you feel like✨🎶

got tagged by @whilomm so i will gladly take this oppurtunity to rave about some of my favorite songs. they are all folk.

all of the links are spotify links

Call of the Void - Rail Yard Ghosts

Yes this song is over 14 minutes long. Even though it's one of my favorite songs of all time I wouldn't recommend listening to it right away since it's the second to last song on the album Hiraeth, which is a concept album about a group of train hoppers that find a mysterious magic book that kickstarts a bunch of weird things around them. The band (supposedly I've never been able to confirm this) actually recorded this album in a train yard! One of my favorite albums of all time

Wild Dogs: Divorce! - Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum

Another song that's at the end of a concept album BUT you don't need to listen to the whole album to understand it, it stands on it's own pretty well. Honestly, I Could Not tell you what this album is fully about but it is very queer and about a t4t relationship with lots of Xian themes. Another one of my all-time favorite albums, I really like live-recording version they released in 2019

Transvestites Can Be Cannibals Too - Harley Poe

I'm seeing him in concert next month YIPPEE! Anyways another queer song, this time folk punk! Harley Poe has just been pumping out albums recently and I definitely enjoy them but Satan, Sex, and No Regrets is my favorite <3. I listened to this the most when I was attending my local community college and was being harassed daily by a bunch of YAFF kids :).

Big Bird - AJJ

AJJ was one of the first folk punk bands that I got into so they hold a special place in my heart. I was debating putting either this one or Small Red Boy since they both make me feel absolutely Insane but I like Knife Man as a whole more. I'm now realizing that almost all of the songs that I like have nature themes to them. oh well

Apple- The Narcissist Cookbook

Most underrated artist fr fr. I'm often on the fence about spoken word songs but Narcissist Cookbook just does it in a way that I absolutely love. Me and my gf saw them on tour this summer and I specifically made a patch about this song to show to them but I chickened out </3. PLEASE listen to their new albums they're so good and emotional

honorable mentions that i can't not talk about in some capacity: ramshackle glory, days n daze, apes of the state, and modern baseball.

i'm not going to tag anyone outright but this is completely open to all who see it! i would love to see y'alls songs and music opinions teehee.

[gay-doodlebug-with-adhd916]

Dream plot (The Library)

Because of an SSRI I've been taking, I have really vivid dreams. Also, a potential contributor to what I'm about to be talking about is the fact that I used to love to write (and, I admittedly still do, although I often feel that I have little time or motivation to actually do so), but the dreams I've been having have been intense (in the best possible way). Every night, I have dreams that hook me so much I either want to go back to sleep and dream more of them, or somehow wake up in a universe where I find this out myself. Likely this is mainly just because they're my dreams and my brain knows what I find appealing in a plotline, but just in case this is appealing to others and anyone would find these ideas fun to write about, I've decided to start writing my dream/story ideas down.

I decided to start with this one (in a different font simply to easily differentiate from my rambling before and inevitably after), I just decided to label as "The Library":

There is a library in a rainy town that is bustling but never too busy. The library looks intricate, with many archways and curls on the outside, but that is nothing in comparison to what lies inside. The bookshelves reach so high, you have to climb a ladder that is three times your height to get to the books on the top shelf. The wooden bookshelves cover the walls, with a fireplace and a reading area, and whole new rooms and areas to discover every time you go. Behind one particular bookshelf, there lies a room that barely anyone knows about. If you find the right bookshelf, you can open it up to a small room. In this room lies a board of letters, all out of order, which represent different letters. There are candles in the room and a nice sitting area, and one may simply enjoy sitting in this room that few know of or can access for the sake of a quiet environment to read their book. However, the curious few want to go further than this, with an understanding that a secret room behind a bookshelf must lead to more. If the curious one wishes, they may solve the cryptogram to read a riddle. From this riddle, they can derive a code of numbers. Now, they must be frantically trying to find where the numbers can go, and why they matter. Should they try to move the board, however, they will see what appears to be a large padlock of numbers embedded in the wall. Should the curious few who have made it this far put the code sequence of numbers into this padlock-like contraption, they may have the opportunity to be truly surprised, as from seemingly nowhere a door slides open and they find yet another room, behind a bookshelf that could not open. This room is completely new, with people inside (or, rather, a projection of people). They act out a scene, and in each character, a key word pops up a number of times. It is an enjoyable scene, and the surely bewildered viewer at this point may choose to sit back and simply watch, think about how odd of an experience this was at their favorite local library, and then go back to their first secret room and back out of the seemingly mundane bookshelf to look for the book they had been wanting to read. However, one who has made it this far and has a fairly even head on their shoulders may recognize at this point that there must be some sort of enigma or code in each room, that may just lead to another room. Should they have enough time (as all who visit the library rightly should) they can indulge in this mystery and allow it to take them where only it knows they will go. For truly, behind every bookshelf there lies a secret room with a mystery to be solved, and not one person has made their way into the last room - besides, of course, the wizard who created it, who patiently waits for the chosen 19-year-old, unsuspecting college student and her little brother (who are both on summer break), and their unemployed, freeloading 24-year-old sister.

If you are reading this and you like it, please let me know! I'll try to be sure to keep writing down random ideas I get from dreams if you guys like.

Honestly, part of me wants to take this idea and write something myself, but I wanted to make sure I had the idea written down, just because it's a pleasant thing to think about (at least for me), so I wouldn't want to forget about it.

Sincerely, Doodlebug <3

[teddybeartoji]

彡 BIG SMILES, FAST STEPS AND SOFT THIGHS

☆. contains: 18+ minors dni, best friend!jason todd x fem!reader; college au, friends to lovers, petnames, thigh job, they're at the wayne mansion and jason is chasing the reader for funsies, jason has his y-scar (it's not actually mentioned but i just need everyone to know that he has it!!!) and his white streak as always, reader is wearing a skirt wc: 3.5k

how did you get here?

how did a cute, totally normal, totally casual study date turn into jason chasing you around the manor? you're lucky nobody else is here, other than alfred of course, but he knows to keep his distance whenever jason brings you over. you're not even together. you're just friends. right? friends definitely do this.

it's another quiet day at the wayne manor. the fireplace is crackling softly in the background, the sun shining through the curtain is lighting up the spacious living room and one of the windows is cracked open, letting in the fresh autumn air. two big mugs with long forgotten tea sit on the table alongside the stacks of books and papers. you're laying down on the unnecessarily massive couch, computer on your lap, rows of words filling your vision. jason is sat on a fluffy pillow on the floor with his legs crossed and you can't help but wonder, how the hell is that a comfortable position for a big guy like him? you think about asking but he's so focused on his writing, you'd just feel bad for breaking his concentration. he looks good.

he's wearing simple black slacks and a beige knit sweater with his sleeved rolled up. his hair is a bit of a mess, almost like he just rolled out of the bed. cute. the white streak in his hair is as prominent as ever. it makes him look sexy. and mysterious. he doesn't really believe you, thinking that you're just making fun of him but he couldn't be more wrong. you think he's the prettiest boy you've ever seen.

after a couple of hours of mindfucking yourselves over the essay the both of you need to write for your shared literature class, you're tired. you're almost always the first one to break, jason being the nerd that he is. you can't blame him, though, he seems to thoroughly enjoy the class. good for him. nevertheless, you deserve a break.

"psst."

...

...

"pssst." you gently nudge him with you knee.

"hmm?" he grumbles and your stomach fills with butterflies. friends though, right?

you sit up from your position, close the computer and throw it aside on the couch. you move closer to him, placing your thighs right next to his head.

"jason..."

his green eyes stay glued to the screen.

"let's take a break, hm, please?" your fingers find their way into his dark curls and he tenses. for a moment there you think you've crossed a line but when he resumes his writing and stays quiet, you continue massaging his scalp.

"how far are you with yours, doll?" you think his voice sounds even gruffier just because you've spent the last hour in complete silence. the petname doesn't help with the butterflies either.

"mmm, i think that's very irrelevant, jace."

he lets out a deep chuckle as he finally tears his eyes from his computer and turns to meet your soft gaze with a small smile.

"well based on that answer alone, i don't think we, especially you, should take a break." his eyes shine at you in the gentle sunlight, making him look even more irresistible. "we need to get this done today, you know."

"i knoow, i know but my brain is fried." jutting out your bottom lip, you conjure the best puppy-eyes you can manage. "please?"

jason takes a second to compose himself, his strong sense of responsibility crumbling and crumbling fast.

"i'm pretty sure your pretty little brain was fried long before today." his voice sounds like honey and a killer sly smirk caresses his lips as he teases you. annoying.

your mouth falls open and you take your hand from his hair and smack him against his shoulder.

a loud laugh escapes his and your lips curve upward at the sound. the corners of his eyes crinkle and he lets his head drop back against your thigh. looking up at you with doe-eyes, he really is the prettiest boy in the world.

"that is so rude, jason. i can't believe it. you invite me over and then you just mock me." you huff. "i'm gonna go and tell alfred." you declare confidently, straightening your back.

he raises his eyebrow at you. "are you now?"

"mhmm." you chirp with a nod. "g'nna tell him that you're being mean to me." the way your looking down at him and the pout on your lips are making his heart do backflips in his chest.

suddenly something shifts. the cozy mood in the room has changed into something else entirely. there's a glint of mischief in both of your eyes and you know there won't be any studying happening now.

"yeah?" he asks, holding eye contact with you, voice low. his one hand creeps around your calf, as if knowing you're up to something.

"yeah."

...

feeling playful, you plan on doing the good old running-away-from-the-guy-you-have-a-massive-crush-on-in-order-to-stop-studying move.

you have the advantage of sitting behind him but he already has his hand on you. there's no easy way to break out of his grasp, you know that. you need a distraction. and a good one. without thinking about it twice, you lower your head and press a quick kiss right to his plump lips.

...

fuck.

...

you feel his grasp soften and you use the moment to escape. scrambling backwards over the back of the couch, you almost lose your footing, your head suddenly clogged with the realization of what you just did. you just kissed him. heat raises up from your neck and you feel the need to apologise but when you raise your head to do so, jason's already standing and staring at you with his eyes shade darker than the moment before. you sometimes forget how big he is, how intimidating he can look. he's so damn tall and broad and right now, he has his eyes on you, like a predator ready to pounce at his prey.

the side of his mouth twitches upward and a now cocky smirk adorns his face. you think you can spot a tint of pink splayed on his cheeks but that must be from the chilly breeze in the room. his eyes bore into yours and your legs feel weak, excitement making you tremble in front of him.

the two of you stand there for at least 30 seconds without saying a single thing. just staring each other down, trying to figure out what's going on in the other's head. jason finally decides to make the first move by taking a step towards the end of the couch and you instantly take one backwards. he stops to raise his brow at you and you flash him a daring smile.

the moment he takes another step, you quickly turn on your heel and start running towards the lobby, adrenaline making you faster than usual. you hear his thundering steps right behind you and you let out a loud shriek that probably echoes through the whole manor.

taking a sharp left turn, you make your way to the kitchen. you stop behind the island, jason opposite of you on the other side. you're already breathing heavy with a flushed face and pounding heart. jason isn't affected by the running at all. damn him.

you take a small step to your right and he takes one to his left. you take one back to your left and he one to his right. how are you ever supposed to outrun him? what were you thinking?

"where are you gonna run, darling?" he lays his big hands on the cool marble. the rolled up sleeves of his sweater are showing off the veins on his arms, making you do a double take. he doesn't miss that. "i know the manor better than you, hm. i'm faster than you."

"i- " you laugh weakly at your own inabilty to answer him. he's the one taking the steps now, ever so slowly, making you more and more nervous and hot. but mostly, fucking exhilarated. you're now just circling around the island while he keeps his dark eyes on you, watching your chest rapidly move up and down, taking in your cute wide eyes and the giddy smile.

since you can't even think of a response to him, you opt for running again. when you look back at him, you see him calmly stand in his place. he opens his arms and bows down slightly as to show you that he's giving you a head start. bastard.

you head through the door and down the big hallway, passing by the big paintings of the wayne family. you feel out of breath but the excitement keeps you going. turning your head back once more, you can't see him. can't hear him either.

fuuuuck.

you stop dead in your tracks, in the middle of the house. hands shaking, you try to think of a plan. you try to think where would he go or where would he try to ambush you. why does the wayne manor have to be such a fucking maze?

you know you can't actually outrun him, so maybe hiding will be a good strategy? where's alfred when you need him? he'd protect you from the big scary wolf that's chasing you. the big very hot wolf? you shake your head, trying to get rid of the ridiculous idea. picking one of the biggest rooms as your hideout, you decide on the library and proceed to quietly make your way there.

reaching your destination, you try to conceal yourself in the midst of the huge shelves, forever thankful for the readers of the family. desperately trying to catch your breath, you can practically hear your own heart pumping.

where is he?

a sudden hand over your mouth and another one around your waist answer your question for you.

"hi, darling." his breath burns against your ear. "found you."

you feel like you're going to pass out. you've never felt anything like this before. your whole body is vibrating with excitement and your eyes are twice the size they usually are. his big strong hands hold you in place, lifting you just a tad, leaving you barely on your tiptoes.

"did you really think you'd get away?" his voice is low and his question teasing as he noses at your cheek from behind. where did your sweet friend go and who is this?

you meakly shake your head against his hand and you feel him smile against your skin. he lowers his hand but keeps it just under your jaw. your lips part to let out a shaky breath and you wriggle in his arms, pushing back into him. now it's his turn to release a deep guttural groan. your hips back right into his and that's when you feel it. feel him. he gives you a squeeze before he grinds his pelvis into your ass.

"yeah, you feel that?" his breath tickles your cheek, your eyes closing and teeth sinking into your bottom lip. "you did this, sweetheart."

"mmmhm."

"fuck, you look so pretty today, doll. made it so hard to concentrate." he confesses with a shaky laugh. "couldn't even sit next to you, hah."

the way he's grinding into you is making soft mewls continually fall from your lips, his own groans sending chills down your back.

jason pushes you against one of the shelves and the feeling the wood against you, makes you snap out of your state of pleasure. you're not at home, nor at his place. you're at the wayne manor, for fuck's sake and what you're doing right now is terribly inappropriate. yes, the house is mostly empty but alfred could still step in here and catch you doing whatever this is. you adore the man, you wouldn't ever want him to think badly of you. so you sneak your hand to the hand holding your jaw and curl your fingers around his pinky.

"f-fuck, jason." fingers around his, you try to push him away but he won't budge. he only presses himself more onto you. his broad chest and strong arms caging you between himself and the shelf.

"alfred, h-he might come in." you try again. other than your weak words and fingers, you make no real effort to make him stop. you don't want him to. it feels too good. your adrenaline filled body needs his touch, craves it.

his only answer to you is dark quiet laugh.

"don't be silly."

the calloused hand on laid over your stomach now makes its way up and a surprised gasp echoes through the room when he starts massaging your tits. you can clearly feel his hard-on poking at your lower back.

"do you want me to stop, sweetheart?" he rasps, hands roughly kneading your chest. "i'll stop, if you want."

you furiously shake your head. "n-no--" a high-pitched moan abrupts your sentence when his fingers pinch one of your nipples.

"but you'll have to be quiet, hm?" he's still holding your head up high, face almost next to yours. "wouldn't want alfred to hear you, do we?"

"wouldn't want him to know what a good girl like you does in his precious library, hm? who likes to run around in her pretty little skirt instead of studying?"

your breath hitches when his hand drops from your chest and down to your clothed cunt. you're so wet, you can almost feel it drip down your thighs.

"who's letting me touch her like this, hm?"

slightly raising your skirt, jason gently pats just above your clit making your hips automatically buck into his hand. he chuckles at your neediness, although, he himself is so fucking hard, he might burst any second.

never in a million years he would've thought that this would happen. yes, he likes you. a lot. his brothers know it, alfred knows it, hell, even bruce knows it. he can't stop talking about you. boasting about you, complimenting you behind your back. and yes, he has jerked off to you. he's not proud of that but what else is he supposed to do? you're all he can think of. every single night he's fisting his leaking cock in the confines of his room, imagining your pretty lips around him. how you'd say his name, how you'd moan his name. how good you'd look under him. fuck, what you'd taste like? he wants to eat you out for his own damn pleasure, wants to feel your thighs around his head, shaking from overstimulation while you're mewling and whining. wants to see your eyes roll back, to see your back arch and to see you covered in hickeys. all marked up for him. sometimes he cums just to the mere thought of kissing you.

and now you're here. it all happened so fast. the kiss really did catch him off guard. it was a good distraction but he's still him, you shouldn't underestimate him. seeing the daring smile on your lips made him twitch in his pants.

his darling wants to play, hm? oh, he'll play with you, alright.

seeing your flushed cheeks and your heaving chest made it all even worse. and when your wide eyes dropped to his hands on the counter - how you seemed to hold your breath just for a moment, he knew you want this just as much as he does.

"f-fuck." you crane your neck and jason jumps at the oppurtunity to press a wet kiss on your neck.

you hear him unbuckling his belt and another surge of excitement runs through you. he lets his pants and boxers drop down to the middle of his thick thighs and then one of his hands is grabbing your hip again. he spits onto his free hand before giving his rock hard cock a couple of pumps. you barely catch the quiet whine falling from his lips. jason raises your skirt up from behind and puts his dick right below your cunt, between your thighs. there's a big sigh leaving both of your mouths at the contact.

your plush thighs feel like heaven around him. so warm and soft. oh, he'll never wanna stop after this.

he wraps his hand around your middle, pushing and pulling you against him while the other moves over your chest, holding you up to his chest. your hands take place on top of his, one going up to his wrist, the other trying to support yourself by holding onto the shelf.

the feeling of him between your thighs is new and surprising. the combination of his precum, spit and your own slick making it easy for him to slide back and forth, roughly drilling his hips into yours.

"j-jason..." you mewl at him, desperate for more.

and he knows exactly what you need. the hand holding onto your chest moves to your jaw, turning you to face him. your doe-eyes meet with his lust filled ones for a second before he leans down and presses his lips to yours. finally.

keeping a steady rhythm of rutting against you, he now pours all of his focus into the kiss. your first real kiss. the hand on your jaw is gentle, yet firm, and his lips feel oh, so soft. you can taste the tea from before and you're already addicted. you whimper into his mouth and he swallows it with pride. you're his now.

the hand on your waist slips down, under your skirt and into your soaked panties. his rough fingers begin drawing quick circles on your clit and your eyes roll all the way back into your head, mouth falling slack against his and you feel him smile.

the consistent sound of your hips colliding fill the library and with his hand now down your panties, you're finding it harder and harder to keep the noises falling from your mouth.

"shhh, sweetheart." he hushes against your lips. "you feel so fucking good. so sweet for me, hm, such a good girl."

he's now fully holding you up because your feet don't seem to work anymore. his words are like honey, drawing you in, closer and closer to your climax. you're coating his thick fingers and you can hear how wet you are.

"does it feel good?"

nodding your head in his grasp, your brain so overwhelmed and already turning into a mush under his touch.

"words, doll."

he squishes your cheeks together, your lips puckering and before you can even think of an answer, he presses his lips to yours again.

"mmppf-" your words are slurring. you can't help but think about how good he smells. "i-it's so go--."

with the pace of his hips never faltering, jason pushes his tongue into your mouth, licking the roof of your mouth, groaning into you. fuck, you feel amazing. he can't get enough.

"p-please... don't- don't stop."

having his dream girl panting against him, begging for him to make her feel good was not on his plan today but he did promise dick to try and be more spontaneous. this is his moment.

his own hips are now stuttering, breath getting stuck in his throat. he pulls away from your lips, trying to burn this image into his brain. your head lolling to his chest, eyes shut, brows furrowed and lips parted in a perfect little o-shape.

"look at me." he grumbles.

but you don't hear him, busy focusing on the fast approaching climax.

"please."

that pulls you back into the moment, back into his warm embrace. jason pleading is something... new.

"need to see your pretty eyes when i c-cum."

"p-please." slowly opening your eyes, it is now your turn to beg, the thought of him cumming because of you clouding your mushy brain. "wan' your cum, jace."

his dark eyes widen at that. who could've thought that you're such a good little slut?

"yeah?" the ego boost making his hips snap into your with so much force, you think that he's going to knock one of the shelves down.

"pleaaaase."

his fingers rubbing your clit, his hand on your jaw, his eyes on yours and his hips pounding into you finally make the band in your tummy snap.

jason watches in slow motion as your eyes roll back and your mouth falls open one last time. small hands pawing at his wrists and body trembling against his stronger and bigger one. his fingers keep at it, helping you ride out your high when his own hips suddenly stutter and he spills onto your soft thighs with a deep loud groan.

pulling you flush against him, he lets his head fall down into the crook of your neck and he sighs. arms still around you, not wanting to let you go.

as if you would go anywhere.

the room is quiet, just the two of you trying to catch your breaths, to calm your hearts. the sun peeks through the big window, painting the shelves and floor in it's light. everything feels... right.

you turn your head and press a kiss to the side of his temple, ignoring the way his cum is slowly dripping all the way down your thighs, leaving a wet stain on your socks.

jason's lips curve into a smile against your skin. "mine."

[peakyblinders1919]

I loved your j Cody story and went and ended up rereading some of your other stuff and loved it❤️❤️ Would you maybe do another j x girl reader story where she has only just move to the city from like the middle of a land locked state and just moved to Cali for college? And then maybe J trying to get closer to her invited her to teach her how to surf (but there’s only one board😱😂) and it’s him trying to teach her while also trying to hide her from his uncles b/c she kinda innocent and he doesn’t want to drag her into his family’s mess just yet? Or maybe she falls off one time and hits her head on the board and j kinda panics because there is a bit of blood? Idk if can be up to you :)

I could have made this a lot longer, but they're supposed to be blurbs. BUT why did this make me want to write a whole book with the plotline of finishing a bucket list and each chapter is about an item...

If California was sunshine, rainbows, and ice cream; Nebraska was windstorms, soggy socks, and undercooked Brussel sprouts. Don’t get it wrong, Nebraska would always be her home, but she had begun a whole new life on the Golden Coast. And she hadn’t looked back since.

She tried to look like a local rather than a tourist, but those eyes wide with excitement were unmistakable, making her stick out like a sore thumb. There were too many new things to see and do in addition to her classes, so with the help of her high-organized and attentive roommate, she created a bucket list to complete over the next four years of her life.

And today she was going to cross off item number 8) Learn how to Surf

Buying a board and wetsuit from the thrift shop, she managed to secure it in the back of her jeep and drive it to the beach. She was sure she was ready, watching training videos, studying pro-athletes, and putting on her wet suit with striking confidence, paddling out with ease. 

And then she was barreling through a too-big wave, watching the world going black, coughing to clear her lungs of saltwater, and opening her eyes to an unforgettable sight.

“Hey, hey. It’s alright.”

She moved under his touch, pain and something hot radiating from where his calloused hands moved gently over her forehead. 

“That was a big fall you took out there, a lot of blood.” Speechless, like Ariel, she said was lost for words. She instinctively reached towards her forehead, where this mystery prince was applying pressure. More like knight in shining armor, or rather, wet suit. “It’s alright, it’s stopping. New to surfing?”

“Is it that obvious?” She finally croaked. She closed her eyes, saving herself from the bright sun and embarrassment she felt rushing up her cheeks under this boys green eyes.

“Never seen someone fall forward and hit their head on the board like you did before going under. That took skill, guts.” Her chuckle mirrored his, at least he was trying to ease the awkward tension of this situation. 

“Maybe I should have gotten proper lessons.” Her voice was becoming stronger, more like her own, and she somehow, surprisingly, felt confident, sitting up slowly. She took a moment to take in his features, freckles dancing like honeysuckles across his cheeks, definitely not hiding away from the sun, moss colored eyes with flecks of gold, his board nose, strong features, a scar that left her curious about its origins under his left eye… “Do you know anyone?”

He laughed, making you both self-conscious for asking and wanting to smile at the same time. He pulled the cloth from your cut, now dark crimson but the bleeding has stopped. “You’re a bit of a liability, I don’t know any professional who’d be willing…” His tone was serious, his poker face strong, and she attempted to backpedal with excuses before he was smiling again. “I’m kidding. I mean, I’m not really, I know about a dozen people who would say no. Lucky for you, I’m not too bad.”

“Not too bad, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you’ve helped me this much already,” she motioned to the injury on her forehead she still couldn’t see but was starting to feel, throbbing. 

“Yeah, good thing I was around and knew a thing or two about first aid. It might need stitches though,” he said, delicately brushing some loose strands of hair from her forehead and barely ghosting over the cut. It was painful and electrifying all at once.

”Let me drive you home.” He helped you up before taking your board in one hand and his in the other. His sunglasses fell from the top of his list brown curls and onto the bridge of his nose. “Where to?”

“California state.”

He clicked his tongue. “Ah, so you’re not from around here.”

“I thought it’d be more obvious.”

“You looked like a natural before you wiped out.” 

“Gee, thanks. Guess you’re going to help with that right?”

“How’s Thursday mornings, 7 am?”

“Sounds like a date- a plan.” She corrected quickly.

“Good. Thursday. 7. See you then.. Uh…”

“Y/N.”

“J.”

“Bring extra bandages J,” she joked, though her face turned red as she took her board from the bed of his truck and walked into her dorm.

So, item number 2 wasn’t fully crossed of yet, but little did she know she was also going to be able to cross off item number 2) Kiss a Californian.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Help, how ok is to leave an open ending, i am planning a series, whose first story would end on an mysterious note, without showing what happened to the fate of those characters, i mean they get to the end of their own Journey, but the magical event they tried to avoid wont be shown because then the second story would jump several centuries where other characters will discover what truly happened to the characters from the first story. Note on that, second story is neither a spin off or sequel, or whatever, is literally the co tiniation of the story, strongly bounded to the first one. I have read articles on open endings, but your blog is the only place I can adress the story itself, how to make an open ending work on a story with huge timeskip?

Story with an Open Ending

First and foremost, I want to address the fact that a book that continues a story is still a sequel. Siege and Storm continued the story that was set up in Shadow and Bone. Catching Fire continued the story that was set up in The Hunger Games.

Also, if you package a story as its own separate thing, and then you write another story that takes place in a completely different time and/or location, with completely different characters, that is still very much a "spin-off" (or what we call in fiction a "companion book/story/series") even if it addresses characters and events from the previous story. An example would be Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series and its companion Six of Crows duology, which take place in the same world, referencing some of the same events and characters, but with its own individual story arc and characters.

Having said that, your story exists in a weird middle ground. It fits the definition of both a sequel and a companion series, yet it's actually neither. It sounds like what you're doing is telling half of a story, which could be a problem.

All long fiction adheres to a basic structure, which looks like this:

Since you say "the magical event they tried to avoid wont be shown," it sounds to me like the magical event is the climax, so by not showing it, your first story is structured like this:

And honestly, that's going to be a really hard sell no matter what your end goal is for this story. Readers don't want to invest in a story only to get to the end and find out there was no climax and there is no end. Readers want a complete story with a beginning, middle, and a satisfying ending. In other words, it's okay to leave the door open for the next story by setting the ball in motion for new events, but the events laid out in the current story need to be wrapped up.

Ultimately, what you need to do is reconfigure the story so that this "part one" story has its own setup, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Look at what's already in the story and see if those things are there. Maybe you can tease them out a bit, then find a way to wrap up as much of the story's threads as possible while letting the hint of the impending magical event be the cliffhanger ending that leads into the next story. I think if you do this, you can probably pull it off as long as you're writing it for a small audience, such as for friends or to post on your blog or a fiction-sharing site. However, this is not a story that is likely to find success in traditional publishing.

Traditional publishers rarely commit to a series unless the author is already well established, with a solid platform and strong sales record. Otherwise, they want a book one that can stand on its own while still leaving the door open for a second book if sales warrant a sequel. They're certainly not going to take on the risk of publishing half a book. But, I think as I said in the above paragraph, there's probably a hidden complete structure in there somewhere that you can tease out to come up with a more stand alone story, while leaving the characters' exact fates somewhat open-ended and the big magical event still on the horizon. (At least as far as the reader knows...)

Good luck with your story!

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[sunnysunoo]

Love Letters ; Sim Jake

Pairing: Jake X Reader

warnings: explicit language and cursing

word count: 3k words

genre: friends to lovers au! fluff with tiny pieces of crack lmao

Jake was always known for being this perfect guy in school. I mean, they're not wrong. They always described him as if he's this walking piece of art in the hallways. People would stop to just stare at him. You'd stare at him all day too, but you set priorities first: writing him love letters.

You're no Lara Jean, but I guess you can say that she's what inspired you to write Jake letters. Who needs Peter Kavinsky when Jake Shim exists anyways?

note: Not me completely disappearing off of tumblr for like months and then showing up again suddenly lol. I got really busy the past few months since I was completing requirements for school, and I really didn't have the motivation to do anything at the time so I took so time off to take care of myself first so I hope you understand :) But now since it's summer break, I am given at least 2 more months until I go back to school in August :)) Here's the long-awaited Jake imagine that I completely forgot about lmao hope you enjoy <3

P.S I finished writing this at 1:26 am so please excuse the really shitty plot and grammar ill rewrite it once i wake up

tag list: @cha-raena ( sorry for the rlly late post bestie )

Dear Jake, First of all, I will never call you Jaeyun because calling you by your English name makes me feel like I'm your friend. Calling you by your Korean name makes us feel like we're cold strangers to one another and I don't want that. I want us to be something more than that, but it's hard when you don't even know who I am. I'm surprised how you don't grow tired of me just dropping letters right into your locker every time you open it, and that's one of the things I love about you. You don't just throw away people's efforts and you treasure them with care. It makes my heart beat so fast as if I ran miles away from here.

We're already one year left until we graduate high school, and I don't want to end my high school years without you realizing my feelings for you. I know for sure that you would never reciprocate the feelings that I have towards you, so I want to treat this as closure in case we do forget about each other in the future. Yours truly,

Moon

__

"How is this person not over you? That's like the tenth one this month," Jay said, looking over Jake as he reads the letter from his secret admirer. Jake has always been receiving these letters from the same person everyday for the past four months. He's thankful for the letters because they definitely make his day better, knowing that there's someone out there who loves him as who he is regardless of looks. He's not gonna lie that these little notes and letters make his heart race too. "Do you have any plans with finding the person behind the letters?" Jay asked as he watches his best friend trying to hide the small smile that's been growing. No one really knows who this mysterious person is and why they decided to name themselves the moon, but we don't judge anyone in here. If they want to be the moon in their next life, then so be it. "I really want to find the person who's making these letters," Jake shoved the letter in his backpack, trying to not wrinkle it. "But I don't know where to start." "Who's finding who?" A voice popped suddenly beside the presence of the two boys. You leaned beside the locker beside Jake's, watching him as he grabs his books from his locker. "Did Moon drop your daily letter today again?" "They did as usual," Jake wasn't even surprised. He would expect the letters every time he enters the school in the morning. He would open his locker to see the usual small letter placed inside his locker. He usually arrives at seven or earlier, but he's surprised that he could never even catch a glance of this anonymous sender around the campus. "Should I go to school at five in the morning?" "Five in the morning? Isn't that a bit too early?" You questioned, followed by a shaky breath. "The school doesn't even open until six." "I could just walk to that nearby convenience store I always pass by to grab a coffee." He argues, closing his locker shut before walking towards his classroom.

You and Jay followed beside him, and you sneered under your breath, "You don't even wake up to your alarm clock."

"Why don't you even want me to go early anyway?" He glances as you try to give him an answer. But before you could say something, Jay replies first.

"You’re probably hiding something." He said. You rolled your eyes and narrowed your eyes at him. "You are so weird." You grunted, before walking ahead of them. You feel panicked because you were scared that you made yourself obvious to them.

__

You were inside your classroom sitting on your desk. There were only fifteen minutes left before lunch, but you had eaten your packed meal before instead of going to your school cafeteria. You were fidgeting in your place, conflicted about Jake finding his secret admirer, not knowing that it was you who's been sending him letters the past few months. You're not scared of him finding out that the letters were from you; that was the entire reason why you wrote him letters in the first place. You're scared of how he was gonna confront you about it. Would he like you back? Would he hate you? Would he avoid you?

Your mind was full of scenarios but you were suddenly brought back to reality when a hand planted itself on your desk. You look up and saw Jay standing in front of you, eating sushi with his other hand. His face kinda looks like he knows something, and it's freaking you out a bit.

"What?" You asked, suddenly flustered over how his eyes stared right into you. He took the seat in front of your desk and flipped it so it was facing you. He sat down and blurted the phrase that you were dreading to hear from anyone.

"So, you like Jake?"

You suddenly feel like punching him in the face with his sushi.

"What??" Your body felt like, and you were left a nervous mess. Your heart like it was going to pump right out of your chest any minute, and your hands started to sweat.

Jay's mouth formed into a smirk. He caught you. "Jake may be a bit oblivious, but I can totally see right through you."

“Haha...no you don’t,” You tried to deny, but it was all useless when his expression looked unconvinced.

“Oh yeah? Then why are you all red? You look like a bursting tomato.”

“You don’t know that," You leaned further into your seat, playing with the strings of your hoodie.

“C’mon Y/N, you’re not even trying. Just give up and admit it,” Jay was trying to help you confess your feelings for Jake. Frankly, he knew it was you sending him letters this whole time—how can Jake not see it?

With a heavy sigh, you slumped and laid your head on your desk, embarrassed. “Fine. I like him, okay? Are you happy now?”

The smirk on his face grew wider, feeling proud of himself. You are not dealing with his annoying crap this early in the morning. He grinned and munched on his half-eaten sushi. “I knew it.”

“Congratulations,” It was muffled because you hid your red face away from him. All that was on your mind now was how you could book yourself a flight all the way across the world.

“But seriously, since when did you have a crush on him?” You raised your head to face him, giving him a look that could kill, except Jay finds it entertaining rather than intimidating.

“I started having a crush on him when we were in fifth grade. It was at a friend's birthday party, and he saw me being all quiet and lonely. Honestly, I forgot who’s birthday that was.” You told him the very first time you had discovered feelings.

“He saw how sad I looked so he accompanied me the whole time. He was even trying to feel more included in the games and stuff.” You felt a smile ghosting on your lips as you can still vividly remember how you felt your heart tug the first time. “It was kinda like I fell in love at first sight.”

Jay faked a gag, so you lightly punched him in the shoulder. He may be a bit of an asshole, but he’s one the most caring and kind people you’ve ever met. It honestly felt good spilling out your feelings about Jake to him.

Speaking of, Jake was watching you two play around and laugh at Jay's little jokes from outside, and he felt something burning from inside him. Was it that he felt jealous of you and Jay?

No, he can’t be...right?

Maybe it was because of how he felt separated from you and Jay because of him being a separate class.

Yeah, maybe it's because of that.

__

Dear Jake,

I just had the most bizarre day today, and I felt like telling you about it.

It was chemistry period, and we had to be partnered with someone for a lab project. I ended up getting paired with Yeojin. We kinda created this unexpected friendship, which I love. We would crack jokes at each other, tell funny stories, it was so fun to be with her that we had completely forgotten about our project. So now, we both got a detention slip for making an accidental explosion.

How about you? How was your day? I hope it was just as fun as mine. If you feel like the day just wasn't as happy or you're feeling down, just now that it's okay to feel that way because days like these just lasts for 24 hours. It will be all over before you know it and you'll be greeted by another day. Maybe it will be different, and you would be all happy again just like how my day went. Maybe being with you would be my happiest day yet, and I couldn't wait for that day to come. See you soon :)

Love,

Moon

__

"Yeojin!" Jake called, seeing her walk down the opposite way. "Hey, mind if I ask you something?"

"Hey Jake," She greeted him with a smile. "Sure, go ahead."

"Could you perhaps give me any information about your partner in Chemistry?" He had hopes of getting any kind of description about his mysterious sender, but he was instead given a sad frown on Yeojin's face.

"Sorry Jake, but that person told me not to tell you about their information." She gave an apologetic smile. "I wish you all the best in finding them!"

Jake muttered a small "okay," and sighed before walking away, feeling defeated.

Yeojin knew that he was gonna ask about Moon the moment he called her from across the hall. She couldn't wait to tell you about this.

__

"Hey Y/N," A voice said from behind. You turned around to see Jake with his backup hung on his shoulder. He brought his hand up and raked his hair, and you felt your face grow red. Jake is like a gift from the gods. How can someone look so ethereal even if they're just standing there? You could stare at him all day. You couldn't even understand a thing he said until he started waving his hands in front of you.

"Hello?" You blinked multiple times as you were brought back out to reality. You saw Jake's face grow into concern. "Are you okay? spaced out."

"O-oh..No, I'm completely fine." You reassured him, feeling embarrassed. "What were you saying again?"

"I was asking you if you wanted to go to school with me early tomorrow."

Well, shit.

Your eyes started to go wide, and your hands started to go clammy.

"Tomorrow?" You repeated, voice trembling.

'Well, yeah." He pouted his lips, and you felt like melting into a small puddle in your place. Your heart started to pound heavily.

Oh my fucking god, he is so adorable.

"Okay, sure I can go with you tomorrow," You weakly smiled at him, slightly tense.

How we're you going to give him the letter now?

__

"Good Morning," Jake said as he watches you close the gates of your house. It was past five in the morning, and you were a mess.

"Morning," You replied back before running your fingers through your hair, getting rid of any flyaways.

As you started walking your way to the bus stop, Jake kept on glancing towards you from time to time. He knew you were pretty, but since when did you become really beautiful in his eyes?

The walk was pretty quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. For him, mostly.

Meanwhile, you couldn't stop freaking out. You had written a letter the night before, but you don't know how you were going to slip it into his locker without him taking notice. If he saw you, he would know.

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been like this since yesterday," Jake blurted. You looked at him before heaving a sigh.

"It's nothing," You mouthed, suddenly feeling anxious and gloomy.

"Something on your mind?"

"Something like that." It was hopeless. I guess he would have to miss this letter today. It was the first time you skipped a day, and you're feeling guilty that you would have to see Jake's face sadden that he wouldn't receive it today.

As you two stop at the bus stop, Jake looked slightly panicked as he was rummaging through the pockets of his blazer before looking through his bag. "Hey, do you have an extra pen? I left mine at home and I have a quiz today."

You snickered, "Out of all the days, Sim Jake. The same day you have a quiz is the same day you forget your pen."

"Very funny." He scoffed.

As you unzipped your bag to grab your pencil case, a folded piece of paper fell out without you realizing it. When Jake went to pick it up, he notices that it was folded the same way as the letters in his locker. It looked so identical.

Once you already got your pencil case out, you were about to hand it to him when you saw what he was holding that made your body freeze with your hand holding the case in the air.

"Why were one of my letters inside your bag?" He glanced at you, waiting for you to reply.

If you were freaking out before, this is a whole other thing. The thing that you were fearing the most is happening right before you.

"Maybe it fell into my bag yesterday..." You stammered, making up an excuse to look like it was an accident. You were tightly holding onto your pencil case, chanting many curse words in your head as you watch Jake unfold the letter.

"I don't think I've received this one yet," He said before he opened the letter and read it.

You watch as his expression formed into confusion as he reads through the paper. It only took a few moments before something in him clicked that it was you sending him the letters.

"Y/N," He began, and you started quivering in fear.

You should've known this would happen, but you didn't expect it to happen this sooner. In fact, you believed that this wouldn't happen at all. But it did.

"Let me explain," You eventually gave up and accepted fate and watch as your identity as "Moon" be revealed to your crush. You're now exposed so you didn't have any other choice but to explain everything. "Yes, I am Moon. I was the one writing you the letters that you've been getting in your locker."

Jake's face was unreadable. He looked bewildered and puzzled. He was trying to comprehend what was happening right now. All this time, it was you?

"I started crushing on you when we attended that birthday party before. I didn't want to confess my feelings for you because I was scared that you were going to harshly reject me, so I started writing down letters as a way to tell you how I feel about you without making you feel awkward around me." You continued, eyes suddenly taking an interest in your shoes. They were brand new too.

Jake was silent, and you felt your heart crack into pieces. You were mad at yourself for being so careless about it that he ended up finding out about you as his secret admirer. You wanted nothing else but to run back home, lock yourself in your room and cry with your sad playlist on loop.

You were expecting a harsh rejection coming from him, but what surprised was how he took dangerous steps towards you, minimizing the gap between you two. He placed his hand under your chin, forcing you to look up at him.

"I don't plan on rejecting you Y/N," You stare into his eyes as it reflects the sunlight of the early morning. "I'm actually happy that it was you."

You look at him, puzzled. He lowly chuckles under his breath before leaning over to place his lips against yours. It was a light, quick kiss, but it brought you feeling ecstatic. You've dreamed of this moment before, and now that it happened, you thanked your clumsiness.

As he pulled away, you were sure your face was a red mess.

"Thank you," His smile was as bright as the stars in the sky. It was the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. "Thank you for making me like I'm special to someone."

You felt flustered over his words. You were scared that he could hear the sound of your heart pounding loudly. The butterflies in your stomach were going wild, and you felt like this was all a dream.

"So, what am I to you now?" You broke into a smile as he grabs your hand, intertwining your fingers with his.

Jake acted as if he was thinking, "Hm..maybe my best friend still?"

He bursts into a fit of giggles as he sees your smile slowly disappear, replacing it with a look of disbelief. You removed your hand from his and walked at a faster pace away from him.

He ran to match your pace beside you before holding your hand again, "I'm sorry, I won't ever do that again. Is my girl mad at me?"

"Oh my god, it's only five-fifty, Jake." You too broke into laughter over his cheesiness, but your heart fluttered over the thought of Jake calling you his.

__

HERE’S A LITTLE BONUS! since I've made you guys wait for 4 months :(

"What the fuck?" Was the first thing You heard from Jay as you and Jake entered the classroom. All of your classmates were staring at your and his hands intertwined together.

Jay stood in front of you two, crossing his arms together. "Can one of you explain when this happened?" he motioned towards your linking hands. You and Jake smiled at each other before walking away, leaving Jay in a fit of joy, and confusion.