#to visit my mom’s extended family i guess

[lilyaceofdiamonds]

The sentence ‘my mother is pissed at me because i refuse to quit my retail job so i can fly to [redacted state] for christmas and when i said they could come to my state she said they had already bought tickets’ is just. How does that even sound real.

[thecherrygod]

im thinking about my great aunt, who was basically the only family member from my moms side that we really knew. i remember her being kind but like. i was a little kid, if every time i went to visit you youd give me candy, or a toy, or a candy that came with a toy, id think you were a wonderful person

but im not exactly thinking about that, but what i think was the last time i saw her. like im. unsure if im remembering it right. i dont even remember how old i was, maybe a 5 or 6 year old.

it.. felt like a party of sorts, in her apartment. a lot of people i didnt know so i stuck to my mom. i. dont even remember my brothers or my dad being there i just remember being right next to my mom, and my great aunt was in bed i think, i dont know if she simply couldnt get up or what. but i also remember she gave me a... flower? or something like that. she had sculpted it before giving it to me, and the clay, or whatever the material was, was raw.

and i just. remember walking around the apartment. seeing an amount of people i didnt know, in my memory everyone was having a good time? and everyone was dressed sorta like for a party

..... also i think i managed to spend most of the party with the clay flower as a flower but at some point i sorta started playing with it bc i loved doughs and stuff a lot and i couldnt get myself, and i think i got a bit disappointed i couldnt turn it back into a flower

i cant remember if i managed to ask her to make it into a flower again or not, in fact i cant remember if i saw her again that night before leaving

[tellmyah]

I always see dbf!Abby but never dbf?reader🏃🏽‍♀️‍➡️🏃🏽‍♀️‍➡️maybe? Idk

༉‧₊˚. — this is so genius??? thank you anon ily

it all starts when you notice a middle-aged man with dirty blonde hair outside of the house across the street from yours, a look of disappointment on his face. he has many potted plants, maybe too many, and over half of them are dying. you stroll over to his front yard and he wastes no time in expressing his frustration to you, a total stranger who had just moved here with your family a few weeks ago.

“i just don’t get it. i water them every single day. it’s not like they aren’t getting enough sunlight, right?”

you hum in acknowledgment, and he steps aside to allow you to take a look for yourself. it’s almost comical how quickly you notice the cause of his problem.

“it has nothing to do with the amount of sunlight or water they’re getting, actually. look at the soil of the ones that are dying.” you kneel down to feel the soil of one droopy plant in particular– a bunch of faded red petunias– and gather some soil between your fingers. “dry as a desert.”

you spend the rest of your day helping jerry replace the soil in the effected pots over some pleasant small talk, in which he confides in you that ever since his wife passed away, he’s been struggling to upkeep her impressive garden. the hard work is done by the time the sun sets, and he invites you in to wash your hands and have a glass of water.

that’s the very first time you get to meet abby.

she’s about your age, standing at nearly six feet tall. even in her sweatpants and baggy t-shirt, you can tell that she’s made of pure muscle. initially, when she walks down the stairs and sees a random girl in her kitchen, having a conversation with her father about invasive plant species in seattle, she’s puzzled, but she recognizes you fairly quickly.

she remembers watching from her bedroom window while you helped your mom to drag a couch in through the front door. she remembers going outside to check the mailbox and seeing you, sitting on your porch, feet propped up on the short wooden fence with a book in your hands. she could never seem to take her eyes off of you any chance she got to see you, so, when she sees you standing in her home, she completely freezes. luckily for her, jerry rushes to introduce the two of you.

“i didn’t even know you were home, sweetie! abby, this is y/n. y/n, this is abby, my daughter.”

“hey,” she extends a hand, “i’m abby.”

you smile as you reach for her hand and shake it. “bet you can’t guess what my name is.”

abby’s nose scrunches up as she realizes her mistake, completely aware that she isn’t thinking straight. she can’t be too embarrassed, though. not with the way your eyes scan her from head to toe like a predator sizing up its prey. “cut me some slack, i haven’t had my coffee yet. anyways, why are you both covered in dirt?”

the night ends with jerry scolding abby for making coffee so late, and thanking you for all of your help before sending you home with a homemade chocolate chip muffin.

since then, jerry shows up at your door when he needs help or simply has a question about gardening, and you never hesitate to help him. he’s a respectable man who just wants to honor his wife’s memory, to keep something of hers alive even if it isn’t her.

within a few months, his garden is looking lively and vibrant and noticeably healthy. after a few more months, he’s able to do everything you’ve taught him on his own, but you still come visit a few times a week to see how it’s going.

each and every time, abby finds some excuse to talk to you. you aren’t blind to it, but you certainly aren’t opposed to it. she’ll compliment your hair, your outfit, thank you for helping her dad with something so important to him, and anything else she can say to get you to stick around longer.

it isn’t much longer until jerry invites you to a barbecue in his backyard. an hour into it, he’s standing with a few of his friends around the grill, some neighborhood kids are playing with water guns in the yard, and you can’t help but notice his daughter’s absence.

you excuse yourself to the restroom in the middle of a gossip session with a few older ladies from around the block. however, the first thing you do when you step inside is beeline up the stairs and toward abby’s room.

of course, you knock first, and hear a muffled “come in” from the other side of the door. you enter, and see abby sitting on her bed with her laptop open, clearly drowning in her college work. her messy blonde hair is in a low bun, and her body is engulfed by a sweatshirt that is at least two sizes too big for her. she glances up, notices it’s you, and immediately straightens her slouched posture. “oh. y/n, uh… hey. you look nice. like, really nice.”

“nice enough to make you come join the party?”

“not that nice. i’m dying over here.” she vaguely gestures to her laptop.

“you’re pretty for a dead girl.” you hum, walking over to sit next to her and take a look at the laptop. there’s a concoction of mathematical problems plastered on the screen from top to bottom. your eyes hurt just looking at it. “oh, abby, you poor thing. all i can do is pray for you.”

“why do i need to know what a logarithm function is? and since when is there limits to infinity? i thought the whole point of infinity is that it’s limitless.”

you decide to cut her off before she can get any more worked up than she already is. “what’s your major?”

“pathology. which, mind you, has nothing to do with logarithm functions.”

you huff out a laugh. “pathology… what’s that? something medical, right?”

“yeah, pretty much just the study of diseases.”

“that’s hot.“

abby stares at you blankly, and you stare right back. clearly, you have her full attention now. “why do you always do shit like that?”

“like what?”

“like, you know… ‘that’s hot,’ shit like that.” she says, trying her luck at a very bad impression of you. “calling me pretty. staring at me.”

“because i think you’re pretty, and i like staring at you.” you answer simply. “why? want me to stop?”

“i didn’t say that.”

you smile, eyes studying her flustered face, the pout on her parted lips and the reddening blush across her cheeks.

just as she thinks you’re finally going to make a move, you stand up from your spot on her bed and begin heading toward the door. “well, it’s always nice talking to you, abby, but i gotta get back to the party before linda thinks i abandoned her.”

“what– who’s linda?” she tilts her head.

“the lady from down the street. you know, the one with the blue eyeshadow and smoker’s cough.”

abby scoffs at the description. “oh, right. linda. do you really have to go?”

you lean against the doorframe and cross your arms. “i don’t know. what would happen if i stayed?”

this questions seems to leave abby at a loss for words. is there even a right answer? she could be reading too far into this, and end up looking like a creep if she spoke her mind– but then again, she could be missing out on a golden opportunity if she doesn’t. she’s wanted you for as long as she’s known you, that’s completely true, but saying it out loud is something different.

after a long few moments of silence, you stand upright once more and reach for her doorknob. “thought so.”

with that, you shut her door and join the party downstairs once more, leaving abby alone with a million thoughts and feelings. she can’t focus on her work. she can’t focus on anything other than the way you smelled, sitting so close to her. how soft your skin looked, how she gets goosebumps just thinking about your voice.

once the party has died down and she’s done helping her dad clean up, she rushes back up to her room (and puts away all of the schoolwork she never got to), so that she can send you a simple message from her phone.

can you come over?

[morganski-19]

Chills Right to the Marrow Part 31

ao3 link| part 1 . . . part 28, part 29, Part 30

“Where’s Steve,” Dusitn asks Robin immediately after walking through the Family Video doors.

Robin looks up from the customer she’s checking out, already looking a little annoyed. But that could have been from the customer and not him. He hopes it’s not him.

“On his break, why?” She returns her attention to the customer, sliding the tape across the counter with a receipt. Very pointedly saying, “Don’t forget to be kind and rewind.”

The customer walks out of the store, leaving it empty except for the two of them. “I have an idea to help Eddie, but it involves his house.”

“What’s the idea?” Robin pushes herself up on the counter, spinning around so she’s facing him.

Dustin pulls out a notebook, a full pros and cons list already at the ready. With details of why this plan needs to happen, and why it needs to happen soon. Why it is the best plan and a rebuttal to every single argument Steve could have.

“Oh Jesus, what the hell is that?” Robin asks.

“Just the plan.”

Steve comes out of the break room, registering that Dustin is there and that he is holding a notebook.

“What is it this time?” he groans. Walking in front of the counter and leaning back next to Robin. Crossing his arms, ready to veto.

“I need you to loan two of your rooms to Wayne and Eddie.”

“What?” Steve asks surprised. And confused. Robin looks the same.

“Yeah,” Dustin takes a quick glance at his notebook, finding the best place to start. “Wayne was over at my house the other night having dinner and my mom had brought up how nice it would be for Eddie to go home to his own bed. Which is currently split in two in a biohazard area that no one can enter. And Wayne hasn’t found them another place to live yet, and Eddie shouldn’t be discharged to a motel. So,” he pauses. For a mix of dramatic effect and in the hopes that they might fill in his next sentence.

“So, you want Steve to let them stay in his house until Wayne can find a place,” Robin finishes his sentence.

Dustin nods. “Exactly.”

Steve thinks about it, scratching at his jaw. “I mean, I could probably do it. I’m not sure they would accept it though.”

He was honestly not expecting Steve to accept that fast. The notebook almost feels foolish now. “Why would they not? They need a place to stay, you have a big house that no one other than you lives in half the time. It’s a good plan.”

“On paper, but that doesn’t mean they’ll accept it.” Robin looks at Dustin with an empathetic expression.

Steve extends one of his hands toward Robin in agreement. “Eddie says that Wayne can be stubborn when asking for help. Or accepting it. Something big like this might take some convincing.”

Dustin doesn’t remember Eddie saying that during one of their visits.

“When did he tell you that?”

“I don’t just visit him with you, you know,” Steve says like it makes perfect sense.

“Yeah, he spends so much time at the hospital now,” Robin teases. Bumping her shoulder into Steve’s.

Steve shoves her back. “Shut up.”

“Anyway.” Dustin chooses to ignore whatever that was about. “This took a lot less convincing than I thought it would.”

“Yeah, well,” Steve shrugs. “I already let Mrs. Mayfield stay with me when she was looking for a new place to live. And Robin’s parents while their house was being fumigated. Not the first time I offered this.”

Still, these were people he didn’t know as well. Or maybe knew a bit more than Dustin was expecting. He wanted Eddie and Steve to become friends. Was begging for it before spring break. It must have happened sometime along then. Dustin thought that they were just being civil. Against a common goal and then would part their separate ways.

But he was glad that they got past the size of their persona’s and saw the people underneath. They would be really good friends if they would have done that a lot sooner. Now they can be, he guesses.

“And I have the garage set up as a gym, so Eddie can do his physical therapy exercises in there. Plus, my parent’s giant ass tub if he can’t stand long enough for the shower.”

“You could also fill in the pool,” Dustin adds. Making a few notes in his notebook. The title now scribbled out. Replacing, “Ways to Convince Steve,” to “Ways to Convince Wayne.” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it filled.”

Something about Steve suddenly becomes cagey. Staring off in the distance and his smile wavering. “Yeah, maybe.”

Dustin’s really excited about this now. Realizing that this could be good for all of them. Steve would finally have some people living in his house for more than just a night. Have people looking out for him, Dustin assumes, when things get bad. Instead of Steve just suffering with it alone. And Eddie and Wayne would have some very nice beds to sleep in.

Then there’s the way it would benefit Dustin. Instead of having to drag Steve out of his house to go to the hospital every day, he could just stay there. Watch over both Steve and Eddie, under the same roof. Temporarily. But it might put the constant worry in his mind a rest.

The nightmares haven’t exactly gotten better as Eddie got better. Vines and bat bites morphing into endless wires and ripped open stitches. Fears of bleeding out in a place that no one will find him changes into dying in the place that was meant to save him.

Nothing ever ends, it just changes. From one thing to the next for the rest of his life. Seasons change and time moves on, but part of Dustin stays trapped in that November where it all started. A younger version of himself trapped behind bars and waiting to be saved. Slowly coming to the realization that it never will be.

Dustin is forever changed. So are these people around him. They will never get their lived back on the tracks they were before the upside down caused a permanent derailment.

If parallel dimensions can really exist, then who’s to say whether there is one where none of this happened. Where Dustin grew up with the innocence a twelve-year-old should have. And nothing caused it to break too soon.

But if that was really true, he wouldn’t have the people in his life he did today. Was innocence so worth it to lose this family he had?

He watches as Robin and Steve have to go back to their jobs when a customer walks through the doors. Moving seamlessly around each other to do their job in the most efficient way possible. Having silent conversations with their eyes and micro expressions. Before turning back to Dustin in near unison as soon as the customer leaves.

“So how are we going to convince them?”

tag list (capping at 100, only 1 spots left): @the-they-who-nerded, @insteviewetrust, @croatoan-like-its-hot, @jettestar,

@tinyplanet95, @steddie-as-they-go, @slv-333, @littlecelestialmoth, @thatonebadideapanda,

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@papergrenade, @waelkyring, @sweetheartprincess28, @katouasobj, @astercomoasflores

[ghostfacd]

the sun to my moon. QH43

au masterlist

warnings: mention of underage drinking + peer pressuring, cursing, a tiny tiny hint of angst, not proofread so there might be mistakes, someone’s mean to sunny </3

It wasn’t a shocker that Quinn Hughes was a very grumpy person. He was fairly quiet, eyes calculating as they scan every corner of the room.

If you didn’t know him well, you’d probably think Quinn was just plain mean. He wasn’t, or maybe, not that mean, he just didn’t like talking to people—or people at all, for the matter.

It was pretty cold that December in New Jersey, but the lake house was warm and the waters were a fairly nice dark blue. He had gone home to visit his parents, as well as Jack and Luke. It was nice to be back in America, a change from Vancouver.

“Hi Quinn sweetie!” Ellen greets her son happily, engulfing him in a hug that he returns with a small smile. He had only really smiled to his mom, appreciating her constant support and encouragement. “Oh! Jack brought home his girlfriend! You should meet her,”

Quinn raises his eyebrows at this, never hearing Jack mention a girlfriend in any of their family calls. Was the boy finally settling down?

He walked into the living room, surprised to see two brunette girls along with Jack. Brunette? Now this got Quinn’s attention. He’d always thought his brother would go for.. blondes.

“Hi! I’m Jack’s girlfriend, you must be his older brother!” The girl smiles brightly, making Quinn almost grimace. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Jack has told me so much!”

“I’m sure he has,” Quinn chuckles awkwardly, shaking the hand she had extended to him earlier.

Jack smiles at his favorite people interacting with another. “This is my girl’s best friend, Sunny Damount.” He points to the other brunette girl who almost takes Quinn’s breath away.

Jesus, was she an angel in disguise?

“Sunny?” Quinn questions. He’s never met anyone named Sunny, so his voice almost sounds confused.

“I’m Y/N, but everyone just calls me Sunny because they say I remind them of a ray of sunshine!” Her face converts into the most beautiful smile Quinn’s ever seen in his life—aside from his mom—and he can’t help but feel his knees grow weak.

“Nice to meet you Sunny,” Quinn smiles, and Jack and Luke throw a glance at each other in amusement.

“Hey Q, why don’t you show her around?” Jack suggests. “I mean, you know the lake house like the back of your hand.”

Quinn rolls his eyes slightly, noticing what his brother was trying to do. “So do you and Luke.”

“Yeah but cmon Quinn! Don’t be rude to our guest!”

Quinn finally agrees, not like he didn’t want to tour the cute girl anyways. He slides open the backyard door, signaling Sunny to go out first. When Sunny’s back is turned, Quinn slides out his tongue at both Jack and Luke, to which they responded with a mischievous grin on their faces.

“So you go to Umich?” Quinn asks as he closes the sliding door. He noticed her sweater from earlier, the dark blue fabric with a M stitched to its front.

“I do!” The girl giggles, even though there’s nothing funny. If it had been anyone else, Quinn would’ve cringed internally. But he doesn’t. “I’m a junior this year, crazy how time flies.”

“Yeah, really crazy.”

The two are silent for a while, Quinn’s nervousness and overthinking causes him to just go mute while Sunny smiles at practically everything that catches her eyes.

“You’ll be staying here until Jack’s girlfriend leaves?” He questions.

“Yeah! She invited me here because she said I needed to get out the dorm more now that it’s Christmas break. I guess she’s right,”

Quinn looks down at the ground, smiling to himself. Even though he barely knew Sunny, he was glad she was staying at the lake house.

A few days pass by without much interaction from the two, Jack’s girlfriend always managing to take Sunny away before Quinn could even utter out a word. He was slightly annoyed, but he knew he couldn’t tell Jack or Luke. They’d tease them endlessly.

That night, Jack had brought home some beers, all of them, minus Luke, went outside and sat on the dock, bringing the cans out with them.

“Do you want one?” Quinn whispers to Sunny.

Jack and his girlfriend were in another world, busy cuddling up to one another and taking slow sips from their cans.

“Oh no—it’s okay. I don’t drink, I’d rather wait till I’m 21,”

Quinn had almost forgotten Sunny was only 20. It was a surprise to him that she’d actually wait that long; everybody he knew had started drinking in high school, not caring about the legal age.

“That’s alright, you can have fun while being sober too.” Quinn almost cringes at his words, but luckily, Sunny nods with a bright smile on her face.

“You really are a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Quinn whispers.

“What was that Quinn?”

“Oh,” Quinn smiles sheepishly, not expecting Sunny to have heard him. “Nothing.”

The next weekend, Jack once again came up with another one of his crazy ideas—this one being throwing a party since Jim and Ellen were going away for a few days to stay at a fancy resort.

Quinn didn’t like social outings, in fact, he wants desperately to sneak away into his room and blast music in his airpods. But he decides to stay downstairs, sitting right next to Sunny who only has fruit punch in her cup.

“Hey, is that Sunny Damount?!” A random guy comes up to them, getting a bit too close to Sunny for Quinn’s liking. “Sunnyyyyy!”

He’s clearly drunk, and Quinn wants to rip him away from the girl.

“Have a drink Sun! It’s so good!” The guy almost spills his cup of alcohol on Sunny, making the girl’s smile falter. It was the first time Quinn didn’t see such a bright smile on her face.

“I’m okay Kyle, I don’t drink,”

The guy, who Quinn can only guess is named Kyle, gets even closer to Sunny, making her slowly back up into the kitchen island.

“You don’t drink? You’re like twenty Sunny, it’s a party. You have to drink.”

Quinn pushes Kyle slightly off Sunny, throwing the boy a glare. “Sunny says she doesn’t drink, Kyle. So why don’t you turn around and leave?”

Kyle scoffs, throwing a glare towards Quinn’s way. “Whatever, I was going to leave anyway!”

Sunny sighs in relief when she sees the boy leave. “Thank you Quinn,” she shyly mumbles.

“It’s alright Sunny,” he reassures her. “No guy should be pressuring you to drink when you clearly don’t want to.”

And by the end of the party, Quinn realizes he’s fucked.

He’s inlove with Sunny Damount.

And he’s never been inlove. Well not seriously. He has had a few girlfriends then and there, but it was silly and it surely wasn’t love.

So what does Quinn Hughes do when he’s in such a dilemma? He pivots. He does what most considers a fucked up and idiotic thing to do. He ignores her.

What better way to dig his feelings in a hole and bury them than ignoring the girl he was inlove with?

Sunny is clearly confused when Quinn gives her one worded answers, and she almost wants to cry when he barely even acknowledges her presence.

What did she do wrong? Everybody loved her, so why was Quinn ignoring her?

It didn’t make her feel any better when she went to the market and bumped into a really mean girl she knew who said some not so nice things about her.

That, along with Quinn not talking to her, leads Sunny to have a breakdown on the dock, knees against her chest as she buries her face into them.

Even though Quinn tries to put away his worries, he can’t help but feel bugged that he hadn’t seen Sunny the entire afternoon. He spots the familiar brunette sitting on the dock, and even though his head tells him no, his heart begged him to say yes.

Quinn Hughes listened to his heart.

He walks up to Sunny, sitting beside her close enough that lets her know he’s there but not so close that she’s uncomfortable.

“Are you okay Suns?”

Sunny sniffles, lifting her head to see Quinn. Suddenly, her cries intensify, making the poor boy panic in worry.

“Shh, it’s okay Sunny.” He mumbles, patting her back.

“It’s not!” She sobs, “first, the boy I like ignores me for no reason, and then this really really mean girl says that I put on this fake nice act and that I’m just some loser who doesn’t drink!”

Quinn’s heart skips a beat when Sunny practically confesses her feelings to him. He can’t help but feel incredibly guilty at ignoring her for so long.

“I’m sorry Suns, I never meant to hurt you.” Quinn pulls her body into his chest, placing his chin on head. “The truth was, I’m inlove with you and I didn’t know how to handle that so I figured ignoring you would make my feelings away?”

Sunny stops crying for a second, slightly giggling at Quinn’s words. “Are you stupid Quintin?!”

Quinn grimaces. “I know, I know. But I was just scared. You made my heart beat faster, and before I knew it, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I never felt so inlove with anyone before—and I felt like I couldn’t breathe with you not near me. You’re like the sun to my moon, Sunny. You brighten up my day with the most prettiest smile I’ve ever seen, and your giggles bring me the most happiness I’ve ever experienced in my life. I just… I just didn’t know how to express that to you without scaring you off.”

Sunny wipes away her tears, placing a small tender kiss on Quinn’s jaw. “You could’ve just said so, Quinn. I’m inlove with you as much as you are inlove with me.”

Quinn finally decides to push away all his nervousness and lean down to give Sunny a kiss, one that he’s been dying to do since the day he met her at the lake house.

And just like that, Sunny Damount had became the sun in Quinn Hughes’ life.

[patroxlos]

home base . ch5

"friends who fuck things up" - 5.6k words

ultraman: rising (2024). kenji sato x reader

can be read as a stand-alone.

master post. ao3 link.

previous: ch4. "friends who sleep on call with each other"

next: ch6. "friends who are stuck together"

The start of your decade-long situationship.

---

Los Angeles. Ten years ago.

You let out a low whistle as you look out the window to the gorgeous beach view. Not bad for a guest room. The Satos own a stunning coastal property that, while a lot smaller than your own California manor, is homey enough for the mother and son duo. Yet, you always thought that it was too big for the both of them. Maybe that is why the two are making such a big fuss right now, as they finally have another chance to fill in the space with your timely visit.

Tense footsteps approach, and you turn towards the open door as a lanky Ken Sato gracelessly enters and barrels towards your luggage placed at the side of the wall. “ Why did you bring your stuff in here? I said you’re staying in my room!”

“Well Auntie told me—” You were cut off.

“Mom!” He shouts out to the house. “I told you! I have the pullout in my room for her.” He extends the handle of one of your carry-ons with one hand and reaches for one of your duffels with his other.

You hear Emiko Sato shout back from downstairs, faint from the distance. “Don’t you dare make that girl sleep on anything other than a proper bed.”

“Kenji, it's fine. I can hang out in your room but keep my stuff in here,” you reason with him. You try to take your bags out of his hands but he rebuffs you as he lumbers them out into the hallway, his room being nearest to yours and down the hall.

“But it’s been three years since we’ve had you over!” He insists.

Even if he is a mama’s boy, Ken is not immune to engaging in his fair amount of teen rebellion that got him into shouting matches with his equally hotheaded mother. You know exactly who he inherited most of his personality from. Rapid footsteps climb the stairs and your Auntie Emiko reaches the two of you in the hallway. “ Kenji Sato !”

You both wince at the full name. Still, Ken pushes open his bedroom door as you attempt to trail behind. “Mom, she doesn’t even mind. Right, dude?”

“I…guess?” You do not want to get in the middle of this. You are so, so jetlagged you want to take a shower and crash on any bed available.

Sensing your fatigue, Auntie Emiko pats both of your shoulders lovingly from behind. She stops you from entering his room and leads you back out to the hallway. “So glad you’re back here, dear. You can go ahead and shower in the guest room. I will take your things back once I’m done here.”

Before you can even say thank you, she enters Kenji’s room and closes the door behind them. You wince as you hear another argument start up.

“Mom, we used to share a room all the time! I don’t get why it’s such a problem now.”

“Kenji, the last time you two shared a room was when you were kids! Don’t you think she deserves her own space as a young lady?”

“Then I can sleep on the pullout and she can get the bed!”

“It’s still inappropriate for two teenagers to share—”

“Ugh you’re being so unfair! You’re acting like we’ll do something—”

You decide to walk away and take that shower.

Ever since Emiko and Ken Sato relocated to Los Angeles when you were just six years old, you have visited them almost every year with your parents. Your summer and winter vacations with them significantly help you and Ken maintain your easygoing friendship beyond messages and video calls. It feels good when the two of you are in the same timezone.

Unfortunately, you have not visited them since you were twelve years old. Three whole years without seeing each other has caused you and Ken to drift a little, with him getting sourer every summer break when you tell him you don’t think you could make it. Your parents got busier, and even if the Satos are family friends, it does not mean you wanted to spend every vacation at the States. Finally, you are old enough for your parents to trust you to fly alone, and at sixteen, you are picked up from the airport by your much taller childhood friend.

You absentmindedly think about how much has changed yet stayed the same about Ken as you rifle through your remaining belongings in your guest room, looking for your toiletries and pajamas to change into.

His height definitely took you by surprise. He was shorter than you the last time you saw him, by a half inch. Now, you have to look up when you talk to him, which you know for a fact that he has noticed, based on his smug look at the airport. He is definitely a lot more cocky than you remember, given his status as a baseball prodigy. You wonder whether he stopped getting bullied at school, and if his newfound confidence emerged from it. While he never gave details in his correspondence over the years, you just know that he “has it handled.”

Even if you never lost touch the past couple of years, it only hit you when you came face to face with him that he really has changed a lot. He is no longer as hyperactive as he was when he was younger. He is now more…aloof, with a bit of brooding. His ears are pierced to bear his new signature black studs. Hell, you may not have realized he was happy to have you here if not for his insistence for a sleepover.

It is disarming to shower in a place so familiar yet alien to you now. Maybe…visiting is a mistake.

It has been some time since the two of you had seen each other. What if you do not click anymore? Of course you have made new friends in his absence, and based on his life updates, so has he. He has even mentioned a girlfriend to you a few months ago, which you were a little surprised by. The title of best friend between the two of you feels decorative, with no real fondness behind it. You are scared that one way or another, it will be made apparent in this vacation that the two of you do not fit the way you did anymore.

As you finish your shower and leave the bathroom clad in your pajamas, you see Kenji grabbing some more of your bags from the floor of the guest room. You say “Dude, I really don’t want your ‘ma to get high blood pressure. I’m fine in this room.”

“She finally said it’s okay!” He grins at you, lifting up your bags with no difficulty. You have noticed he got a lot buffer at sixteen. His shirt, which he has definitely already outgrown, stretches out against his chest. Must be all the varsity training.

“Really? How did you manage that?” You dry your hair with a towel as you follow him to his room.

“She got tired of arguing and went to the farmer’s market.”

“...Well that would do it.”

You are sure his room is meant to be the master bedroom of the house, given how you marvel at its size when you get to properly enter. It is much like Auntie Emiko to give her son the best. He hurriedly brings your belongings into a walk-in closet, and when you enter his bathroom to drop your damp towel in the hamper you notice there are two sinks.

Still, it was very much a teenage boy’s room, based on his blue bedsheets stretching out over the king-sized bed and the gaming consoles under his flatscreen TV. You nearly trip over one of his baseball gloves as you marvel at a poster of Hideki Matsui on one wall, in his Giants jersey. You also spot a signed Matsui baseball card from his time with the Yankees, framed on a side table. 

“Whoops— gonna get that—” He rushes back into the room to grab his glove near your foot, dumping it into a random drawer. He is bouncing on his heels. ”...so yeah! This is the room. Welcome!”

“Is that where I’ll sleep?” You point towards the luxury gray sofa in the middle of the room facing the TV.

He walks up to your side to sling an arm around your shoulders; you’re annoyed at how easy it is for him to do that now with his added height. He does not mind that his shirt sleeve is growing damp from your hair. “Nah, I have to let you take the bed. Mom’s orders. We can share like old times though, since it’s big enough. Just don’t tell her.”

“You sure that’s okay? I mean, I know we’re friends but don’t you have a girl or something?”

He instantly sours, and drags you towards the bed with his arm still pressing firmly on your shoulders. “Broke up with me last week.”

“Oooh, bummer. What did you do?”

He smacks the back of your head. “Why’d you assume I did something?”

You shove him off good-naturedly, and sit down at the edge of the bed. “Well did she break up with you because of your stellar personality?” you dryly comment.

“Nah, I just played too much baseball.”

“Why’s that an issue?”

“Don’t really wanna talk about it,” he brushes you off as he walks over to his game consoles.

You frown at him while his back is turned. It’s so…typical of Ken Sato to avoid any conversations about his feelings. He never likes talking about himself beyond what is surface level, and even if you can admit that he has gone the farthest with you when it comes to digging deep into his psyche, he still hesitates a lot when he has to open up. Jesus, you remember how long it took for him to be honest with you about how he does not get along much with anyone in Los Angeles, even his own varsity teammates.

Plus, he has only mentioned his girlfriend–ex, now–a handful of times. Your curiosity was eating at you.

“Ha, no way, you’re actually upset that you got dumped,” you tease, growing a bit more comfortable around him as the minutes pass you by.

He rolls his eyes as he starts up the TV and grabs two of his controllers. He tosses one at you, which you smoothly catch. “Honestly, I wasn’t really upset with it.”

“But weren’t you with her for several months…?” You could not believe his blasé attitude about it.

“And what about that guy your friend tried to set you up with? The one with nice skin but bad breath?” He changes the subject as he approaches you.

You flush, straightening your back. “I don’t really wanna talk about it.”

He raises an eyebrow. Hypocrite.

“It’s different!” You weakly justify.

“Yeah yeah, now scoot—” Ken tries to push you towards the other side of the bed. “This is my spot.”

“Ugh, dude what are you doing?” You groan as you acquiesce. He plops down beside you as soon as you move out of the way, the TV screen displayed Mario Kart.

“Thought we are gonna play?” He opens up the selection screen.

You groan. “I just wanna nap, man. It was a 12-hour flight.”

“You can nap after three rounds,” he protests. He nudges at your wrists until you are holding the controller up properly. “Come on, I wanna hang out.”

“Kenji, I love you, but I might pass out in the middle of round one.” Your hands drop back on your lap. The tension of your back eases as you sink into his mattress, and you want nothing more than to get under his covers and sleep.

He flicks the side of your head to keep you awake, grumbling. “I am not wasting anytime while you’re here. It might take you a whole ten years next time to come back.”

“I said I was sorry,” you weakly reply. You shove your controller into his chest as you throw his blankets over yourself. You sink your face into his pillow for added measure. “Now please, I promise we can hang after I wake up. I just need this.”

Even if your voice is muffled by the pillow, he understood you clearly. He scoffs, and you feel him slide off the bed to leave you alone. Guilt begins to creep into your heart. You know how hard it is for him to make friends here. He is distant with everyone else except for you. Now his girlfriend dumped him and he probably just needed company—

You hear the click of the lights turning off, and the pull of the curtains over the windows. You feel the dip of the bed again, and you look up to see him getting under the covers himself.

“What are you doing?” You hesitantly ask.

“What’s it look like? I’m taking a nap too.”

“…it’s ten in the morning.”

He pushes your face back into the pillow. “Yea, and I had to get up at four to pick you up from the airport.”

You try to apologize, but you are muffled by the pillow. You slap at his arm so he will let your head go.

“Don’t apologize, dude,” he murmurs as he settles into the bed beside you, but still keeping a respectable distance. “S’okay, you need to rest. Sorry about being pushy about it.”

You let out a yawn, relaxing into the bed. “We can play when we wake up…no biggie.”

“It’s not just that…” He faces you, lying down on his side. His arm falls into the space between. He lets out a heavy breath.

You wait.

He does not say anything more.

“Kenji?”

He turns around. “…nothing. I... Good morning, I guess. Sleep well.”

You nearly click your tongue. What is it with boys and their repressed emotions?

Yet, perhaps you worry too much. Things aren’t as simple as they were when you were kids, but that is how it’s supposed to be.

“Kenji I swear to god you’re going to get us in trouble,” you hiss at him as he shoves his arm up the crane machine. You try to cover him with your body since he placed you on lookout duty.

“You said you wanted it,” he grunts back, as he even tilts the machine a little forward.

You hurriedly provide leverage against the glass with your shoulder so the entire thing won’t collapse on him. He has spent fifteen minutes trying to get you a Tuxedo Sam plushie, and as stubborn as he is, he refuses to back down. “Sunk-cost fallacy, man.”

“The hell is that?”

“Don’t you listen in class?”

His long arm strains higher. “Can’t see shit from here. You gotta tell me if I’m close.”

“To your left— yeah, a bit more,” you guide him as you glance into the machine.

“Is it— ah, fuck— did I get it?”

“That’s a Cinnamoroll.”

His fingers pinched at the poor stuffed toy’s ear. “That good enough for you?”

“I guess it’s fine?” The weight of the machine is causing your shoulder to ache. “Dude just grab it and let’s go.”

“No, I’ll get that damn penguin.” God he’s stubborn as shit. His hand strains some more, and you see his fingertips brush against Tuxedo Sam’s hat.

“You’re actually gonna get it,” you marvel.

“I got you, girl.” He throws you a smirk despite nearly straining his rotator cuff.

The machine tilts a bit more, his palm fully closing over the stuffed toy’s face.

“Hey, what are you doing over there?!”

You make eye contact with the underpaid arcade employee stalking towards you.

“Kenji—“

“Oh shit—“

You push the machine back in place as Kenji yanks at the toy as fast as he could with a loud rip. You both bolt out of the exit, the neon lights bathe your skin no more as you run out to the sunset-soaked Santa Monica Pier.

Your howls of glee are drowned by the roar of the pier’s crowd. You smell the sea and fry grease in the air. Ken grabs your wrist and tugs you as he runs towards the parking lot.

You both are reduced to giggles by the time you reach his jeep. Your knees start to buckle as you throw your back against the passenger door, heaving from your long sprint. He is also a wreck, resting his arm against the passenger door as well as he stood beside you.

“Here, for you,” he says breathlessly as he holds up your prize, the Tuxedo Sam.

Or. Part of him.

“What the— Kenji!” You wheeze, doubling over from laughter. Your eyes sting from the tears that are forming.

That stuffed toy is full-on decapitated.

“Gah, damn. Must’ve gotten caught on the claw machine door.” Ken’s brows furrow as he looks at the penguin head he had gripped tightly in his hand.

An apology is on the tip of his tongue until he sees your hunched, shaking form. He barks out his own laughter, one hand circling your waist to stabilize you against his chest.

“Okay okay that’s enough,” he gives you his signature lop-sided smile as you shake against him. “Maybe I am not the best claw machine guy around.”

Your stomach hurts as you gasp for air. Your hand claws at his shirt as you continue to cackle. “Y-you think?!”

He presses the decapitated Tuxedo Sam head against your face to shut you up.

You two still get along just fine.

At that point, it has been a few days since you arrived in LA. You both have spent your time exploring the city while the sun is up, and goofing off in his room when night has fallen.

However, most of your schedule has to work around his baseball summer training. In fact, you could only hit up the pier after his training ended earlier at three in the afternoon. His equipment sticks out from the back as you sit in the passenger seat of his jeep.

“Keep an eye out for any patrol cars,” he tells you as he pulls out the parking lot to begin the drive home.

“Why? I don’t think they’re investigating penguin homicide.” You hug the decapitated Sam.

“Ha ha. My license is only provisional.” 

“Just drive like normal and you won’t get caught,” you nonchalantly say. “If you speed up when we see the police they would definitely pull us over.”

He reaches over the console to pinch your arm. “Don’t jinx it.”

You swat him away, then recline your seat. You stretch your legs out with a sigh. “Ugh, the day still feels too young.”

“Hm, we can have a little night time swim?” He suggests.

“Will your mom let us head to the beach again?” You think you both have messed around at the beach a total of three times already given that it is just at his backyard.

“Not at this hour, no. But you still haven’t tried the pool right?” While the Sato residence is a beachfront, they still have a gorgeous heated pool by the coast. You begin to envy his sun-kissed life.

The sky is already dark when you arrive back home ( home? Maybe it is). You begin making preparations for your nightly swim, donning on your bathing suit and grabbing your towel to head out to the back porch. Ken still hasn’t gone down, and you figure you can go ahead and make some poolside snacks for the two of you while you wait.

You pad barefoot into the kitchen with your sheer white swim cover up hanging off your shoulders. As you rummage through the fridge, the front door opens. A click of heels echo through the house.

“Oh, Navy!” You hear Mrs. Sato call out behind you. “What are you doing here? It’s been some time since you’ve come over— ah!”

She stops herself quickly when you turn around.

“So sorry about that sweetheart. You just look so much like—” She pauses.

“Oh, welcome back Auntie Emiko!” You greet her warmly as you set down the cans of soda you have grabbed onto the counter. She is still in her office attire, having come from her work at a kaiju research center in the city. Even if they are far from the shores of Tokyo, the whole world maintains great interest in those creatures.

Her words finally process in your head. “Sorry, who?”

She hesitates as she approaches the opposite side of the counter. “You know, Kenji’s old girlfriend.”

Ah. You blink. “Oh yeah, her name is…Navy? Right, yeah he mentioned her.” 

“You just look like her from behind. Maybe it’s the current fashion,” she sheepishly explains.

You don’t know why but it peeves you to think that another girl was waltzing around with her swimsuit on in Ken’s kitchen.

“Sorry, Kenji doesn’t like it when I talk about her,” Auntie Emiko explains. She reaches for one of your cans. “May I?”

“Oh sure,” you allow as you slide it to her. You open one of your own as you both comfortably sit at the bar stools across from one another. You take a sip for your nerves. Normally, talking with your auntie is so easy but for some reason a ball is lodged in your throat. “It’s…hard to get him to open up about his feelings.”

“That’s why I’m glad you’re here,” she confesses.

You take another sip, silent.

“You know, she actually was a lot like you. I don’t necessarily miss having her around per se, but it just felt like you were here with us once more.”

“Oh! Well Ken never really talked about her so I wouldn’t know.” You trace your fingertip around the can’s edge.

She laughs at a memory. “You know, when you told us last year that you cannot visit, Kenji moped around the house for weeks. We fought a lot during that time—“

“I’m really sorry…”

“No need to explain yourself to me. I knew he was just dealing with a lot back then. Anyway, one day he just seemed to have perked up again. That’s when he told me he met Navy. She was a bright girl like you are, very similar. It’s too bad Kenji wasn’t ready to fully commit to her. He has a baseball for a brain.” She knocks at her temple for emphasis.

You lean in, your nosiness coming in. “Do you know why she broke up with him? He never really explained it to me.”

She drinks some soda before she laughs again. “He always chose baseball over her, dear. That boy would rather spend his day at the field than whatever she wanted to do.”

“Is that really it?” You ask in wonder.

She shrugs. “Who knows if they fought about something else. The baseball summer training he’s doing now was the last straw, especially when…” She shuts up suddenly.

“When what?” You egg her on.

“Don’t tell him that I told you,” Auntie Emiko suddenly whispers. You nod. “But apparently, she couldn’t take it that he spent the entire day at training. Even I thought it was excessive that he’s doing a lot this summer.”

Your nose scrunches in confusion. “His training ends in the early afternoon. He could have made time if he wanted to.”

“Well he definitely has with you.” Her eyes twinkle knowingly as she takes a long sip from her can.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You’re at a loss. 

She hums. “Ever since you’ve been back, Kenji has been coming home from training after it ends.”

“…As he is should???”

“He normally comes home around nine in the evening because he stays overtime in the batting cage with the pitching machine.”

Oh. Well how are you supposed to know that?

Before you can reply, Ken enters the kitchen with a towel on his shoulders and his swim trunks hanging low on his hips. You train your eyes up to his face with much practice. It was much harder the first time you went swimming together earlier this vacation, when you had realized just how broad his shoulders have gotten. Must have been from all those hours in the batting cage.

“Hey mom,” he leans forward to give Auntie Emiko a peck on her cheek in greeting. He turns to you. “Ready to hit the pool, dude?”

You nod, finishing the last gulp of your soda quickly before throwing the can in the trash. “Yeah, sure.”

Auntie Emiko waves you two off as she slides down her barstool. “Have fun. I might turn in early for tonight.”

“Rest well mom,” Ken calls out to her as she leaves the kitchen.

Your conversation with your auntie goes to the back of your mind as soon as you jump into the warm chlorinated water. Heated pools are a godly gift for a cool night. 

Thrumming with the excess adrenaline from earlier today, you and Ken can singlehandedly reduce the pool’s water levels by a few good inches with the way you two splash around each other. From challenging each other to do the biggest cannonball, to grabbing each other’s ankles underwater, you are turning your relaxing evening soak into a full workout.

Your game of Marco Polo is the most tiring yet. He swims like a shark in top form. You could barely let out a squeal before he pounces on you from below. You nearly hit your head on the side of the pool when he grabs you with ferocity and holds you tightly against his cold, clammy body. His forearm presses against your bare tummy as your legs tangle underwater when he catches you, keeping you both afloat.

“Got ya.” His ego leaks out as his breath hits your ear.

A strong smack from you causes Ken to wince and let go. “You’re just cocky ‘cause your feet reaches the pool floor!” You swim a foot away from him.

“Maybe I’m cocky because I won the last five rounds.”

“Okay, I can acknowledge that you swim a lot better than me,” you bow your head a little to his direction. “So it makes me think that, maybe, you can better utilize your skills in our next game.”

“For the last time, I’m not playing mermaids.” He strikes the water to send a small wave towards your open mouth.

You sputter as you try to splash him back. “But you can have the shiny red tail and I can have a shimmery blue tail to match!”

“ What are you even talking about right now?”

“Don’t you have any imagination?”

“Well, I can imagine that I have two legs and can breathe air.”

“Well, my best friends back at Tokyo played mermaids with me.” It is a childishly low blow, but it is a joke all the same.

He does not seem to think so, as he gives a harsh splash to your face, harder than before.

“Hey, I’m kidding! Honest, we don’t have to—” you nearly drank in the pool water again as another splash came your way. “Promise we don’t have to play!”

You swim over to him as he pushes himself up to sit at the ledge close to the pool ladder. You cross your arms on top of the ledge, beside his legs as you look up at him.

“Kenji, promise. It’s not a big deal.”

He shakes his head over yours so that the droplets in his hair rain down on you. “I don’t know. Maybe you should get on the next plane to play mermaids with your much better friends,” he sneers at you childishly.

Unrelenting, you push yourself to float up between his legs, hands on his knees as you coax him back into the water. “I didn’t mean it, bro. Please come back in?”

“...You won’t even let my mermaid have the ability to talk to all the fishes.” He leans back on his arms as he looks down at you.

“Because that’s my mermaid’s special power.” You swim closer, your ears nearly grazing his skin as your hands slide down to loosely hold his shins.

You nearly miss the hitch of his breath. “Why can’t both of our mermaids talk to fish? It makes more sense that way.”

“Ugh, if you keep insisting then let’s play something else,” you complain.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t expect mermaids to get so political,” he lazily keeps his eyes on you as your head bobs around while you float in the water. “It’s getting pretty late. Let’s call it a night.” 

“Ugh, please… don’t wanna sleep just yet.” You rest your cheek against his inner thigh, pleading with your eyes as you stuck out your bottom lip. You are met with the heel of his hand striking your forehead. “ Ow !”

“What are you doing ?” He hisses, and you wonder if you are mishearing the flustered tone that makes his voice go higher.

“I’m still not tired yet!” Your head is still pushed back.

He presses the heel of his hand firmer against your forehead. “Well I am.”

“I thought you were an athlete.” You grab his wrist to mitigate the pressure. “Your mom told me you spend hours in the batting cage before going home.”

“Yeah, well I haven’t done that in a while.” He gives one last small push on your forehead before leaning back again.

Pouting, you swam to the pool ladder to climb out, before plopping down beside him at the ledge. Your feet absentmindedly kick as it submerges once again into the water, and he follows suit.

“...I heard what you and mom talked about by the way,” he nonchalantly reveals.

“...Does it bother you?” You cautiously ask.

He shrugs, and gives a rough kick out with his feet. “Nah, you’re right. I don’t like talking about feelings and stuff. Maybe that’s why I didn’t really feel bad when she didn’t want to see me anymore.”

“I get why you wanted to prioritize baseball. It’s all you have,” you try to empathize. “Still, maybe you should’ve set aside time for her. It’s important to give space for other people in your life.”

He snorts. “She didn’t want to do anything important, believe me.”

“I’m sure any time spent with loved ones is priceless,” you argue.

“Oh yeah? So should I just risk my dream of being the best living baseball player of all time to makeout in my bed?”

You clam up really fast, and look away. “Don’t you have any tact?”

“You asked.” He reaches forward to scoop some water in his palm to throw at you.

“...Was it something that you did…often?” You do not know why you ask.

“Didn’t I just tell you the reason why we broke up?”

“Well I don’t know!” You throw your hands up in defense. “I just think making out with someone sounds…nice.”

He tilts his head at your tone. “Don’t tell me you’ve never.”

“I’ve…” you think very carefully about your next words. “...tried to, but it just didn’t like. Push beyond a little kiss.”

“Define little.” He angles his torso to face you, even if you could barely look him in the eyes.

“Maybe a peck?”

He whistles. “Damn, dude, way to hit all the bases.”

You try to shove him back into the water but he grabs your wrists and wrestles your arms down, pulling you close.

“Don’t be shy!” He laughs at you. “It’s kind of overrated.”

“It is?” You can’t help your natural curiosity. You put your hands down but he maintains a friendly grip on you.

“Yeah. Maybe the girls I kissed weren’t that good at it but it’s pretty…damp. And messy.”

You ignore the way your heart stings at his use of plural. “But doesn’t it feel nice? Like, it looks nice on TV.”

“Don’t get me wrong it feels…good. Really good,” he hesitates. “It just does not really compare to the batting cage.”

You bite your lip. His eyes unconsciously follow. “I… I really wanted to try doing it with that guy.”

“...The one with the nice skin?”

“And bad breath,” you grumble. “I couldn’t get over it. I tried to be subtle by sliding him some gum but he never took the hint.”

He lets go of your wrists in order to stop himself from laughing.

“It’s not funny.”

“It kind of is given how long you stuck by him,” he snickers. “Why were you even into him in the first place?”

Your mind briefly flashes back to the first time you met that boy, when your friend first introduced you to him. You remember your first thought was that he looks similar to someone you dearly missed.

You shrug, noncommittal. “Haven’t got a clue.”

“Well don’t go running off to find the next boy to get in on with,” he warns.

“I’m not!”

“Keep it that way, guys are pretty gross.”

You suck in air through your teeth. “It’s not really about that…I’m just worried that I won’t be good at it.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing to be good at,” he gives it to you straight. “If you like a guy enough it will always be good. You’re not getting graded.”

“Well since when were you the makeout master ?”

“Since I had a girlfriend whose breath smelled fine.”

“You said you didn’t even like her that much!”

“I also said she wanted to eat my face everyday.”

Damn, he has a point. 

You give a strong kick to the water, the wave smoothly gliding to the other side of the pool.

Ken sighs, sensing the drop in your mood. “...Does it really matter so much for you to try it out?”

“Try what out?” You play dumb, too embarrassed to say that yes, it did .

He knows what game you’re trying to pull on him, but he lets you. “Eat faces.”

“I haven’t even had a proper kiss yet,” you say, mock-scandalized.

“So I’ll give you a proper kiss first then.”

You blink.

He brings his hands down to splash you with more water. “Don’t look at me stupid like that.”

“I didn’t think you meant eat faces with you !” You splash him back.

“What’s wrong with me? I thought you wanted to get good at it before kissing some guy.”

You pause. You did want to be good… Still, the conversation is starting to spiral out of control. You hesitate to reply.

He clicks his tongue as he pats the tile at his side. “Come closer.”

You sit closer to his side, thighs touching. “God this is kind of weird.”

“It’s just a kiss,” he rolls his eyes. “You wanna learn or not?”

“What if your mom sees?” You look back to the house. It seems relatively quiet, with the lights of Auntie Emiko’s room turn off and the curtains spread out.

“She’s fast asleep.”

“What if my breath smells bad?”

“I’ll let you know.”

“What if—”

“If you don’t want to, I’m not forcing you,” he cuts you off, annoyed. He makes a move to stand but you press your palm against his knee to keep him still.

“What if this fucks up our friendship?”

Ken will have given you another half-assed response if not for the sincere fear reflecting from our eyes.

You continue, “I was really, really scared before coming here. I thought that, once we met up you’ll realize how boring I am and– and think that me coming was a waste of time. And I promise I don’t think that anymore. It’s been a fun few days and it feels like I got my best friend back, you know? It was shitty of me not to come see you, I know that now, because I can’t believe I would ever reach the point where I doubted us.”

He reaches upward to cup your face, and you nuzzle into his palm.

You let out a shaky sigh. “I want to kiss you. I do. I want to know what it feels like and figure out how it goes because I trust you more than anyone else. But I really don’t want to fuck this up more than I have.”

“You haven’t fucked anything up,” he mumbles. “I wouldn’t have offered if I thought you would fuck this up…I was scared too. That you didn’t come back because you grew bored of me.”

“That’s not why—”

He presses his thumb against your cheekbone. “I know. I…I struggled with it but I know now. I feel like I haven’t really come to terms with how…my dad never picked me first. I’ve never forgiven him for how much he neglected me and my mom that I…I think some anger I had with my dad transferred onto my resentment for you when you did not visit. I’m sorry, for being immature about it. I don’t know how to talk about things like this.”

The tightening in your chest unfurls. He moves his head closer.

Your breaths intermingle as you stay by the pool.

“It means a lot…” As you speak, your lips nearly brush against his. You bring your hand up over his heart to steady yourself and maintain a distance. “...How…how do we do this?”

“Let me guide you,” he says, a little breathless. “Anything I can do to keep boundaries? I mean, since this is just a friend doing a favor for a friend.”

Nervous, you blab the first thing that comes to mind. “Maybe…we can just say ‘bro’ after every kiss?”

“...Are you shitting me right now?” He gasps, resting his forehead against yours.

“I-I don’t know…” You giggle. “It won’t count if we do. Won’t mean anything.”

“We can do that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, bro .”

“Sure, bro. ”

“Anything you say, bro .”

“Kenji—Bro, I’m… I’m still a little scared.”

“Then let me take care of you…”

You hold your breath.

His breath is hot.

And he tastes like chlorine.

Like petals sliding against each other, his lips smoothly glide against your own. Your hand against his chest creeps up to leverage itself on his neck. His fingertips slip into your hair and you clench your legs as it brought tingles from your scalp all the way down your spine.

He pulls away, eyed unfocused when he opens them. “ More .”

You open and close your mouth. “Are…Are you asking?”

“ Please…” He kisses your nose. You life your head higher to kiss him back.

You are sure he feels the goosebumps on your skin as his other hand brushes against your leg. He lets his fingers climbs up your inner thigh as the hand in your hair pushes you firmer against him. You massage the nape of his neck in return, urging him on. You move against him on instinct, panting before sucking on his bottom lip. The groan he lets out sets you on fire. You feel a heat, a hunger, which can only be satiated by his skin against yours.

Lightheaded, you pull away for air but he chases after you, his nose bumping into yours as he searches for your lips once more. “Wait,” he grunts. “Not done.” His palm slides higher up your thigh, knuckles brushing against your polyester swimwear.

You swallow back a gasp as you lean back, too prideful to seem needy for his touch. “G-Give me a min—”

You lean back too far, he leans too far forward.

You fall into the pool.

The heated water is freezing against your scalding skin. You feel him wrap his arms around your waist to hoist up above water. You are greeted with a boyish laugh as you emerge for air. You instinctively wrap your legs around his hips as he stands on the pool floor, anchoring yourself on his stability.

“My height comes in handy, huh?” He teases as he walks through the water to get to the ladder. He guides your bottom to rest on one of the steps.

You grasp the metal railings as he steps closer between your legs. Swallowing your pride, you mutter “I’m…I need more…”

“What was that?” He grins. His hands loftily roam from your thighs up to your sides back down again.

You push yourself forward to shut him up.

He dives deeper into your kiss as he runs his fingers again through your hair while his other hand grips your waist underwater. You buck into his touch, bumping against the front of his shorts, and he hisses before nipping at your lip to make you behave. Your knuckles turn white from how tightly you grip the railing. The water sloshes around you two as he presses his hips against yours. The heels of your feet dig against his lower back as you sloppily kiss him through the haze of euphoria he shoots through your nervous system.

From your hair, his hand slides down to grab your chin. He tilts your head up. “You got something…” He brings you closer, and licks at the drool leaking out of your mouth. You grip his nape tighter as he begins to peck there, then to the corner of your jaw, following its line until his butterfly kisses reach your earlobe.

Ken feels your legs clench together. His hand on your waist dips into the water to soothingly knead them back apart.

As you ease open again, he gives a sly peck on your lobe before whispering “Can I suck on your tongue?”

Your mouth goes dry.

“Nod or shake your head.”

You nod.

“Good girl. Now open your mouth and stick your tongue out.”

And shit. Did he make you feel really, really good.

Haa….

Ha…Haah…

A…A-Ah…

He lets out soft moans with each gentle suck of your tongue. They mix with your pants for air.

Reluctantly, he pulls away this time. His touch on your chin skims down to play with the strap of your bathing suit. He swallows heavily before he takes a shaky breath in.

You purse your lips, feeling the numbness. “...Well.”

He slowly nods. “Mhm.”

Your hands loosely slide down the railing. “I…I’m sorry I didn’t know what to do with my hands.”

He chuckles as he leans forward to kiss your shoulder, before slowly rubbing his face against your arm, all the way up to your wrist. He gives it a gentle peck as you still held on the railing, before falling into a pattern of rubbing up and down your arm’s length. He buries his nose at the crook of your arm, groaning.

If you do not know any better, he seems drunk.

“I-It’s getting late…”

“Yeah…” He plants open mouth kisses on your arm. Your hand nearly slips and falls into the water.

“We might prune up here.”

“Mmhmm…” He reaches your collarbone.

You tilt your head back instinctively. He smiles against your skin before his tongue swipes at your pulse. Your hands lift off the railing to grasp his back as jolt upwards.

He laughs again before pulling back. “That good, bro ?”

You instantly scowl. “You’re ruining the mood.”

“You told me to say it after,” he reminds you. Ah. It completely slips your mind that you did.

Ken helps you out of the pool, ever the gentleman. You do not realize just how cold it was until the late night wind blows against you. He hands you your towel, and you stammer out that you have to go shower. You hurry inside without waiting for his response, opting to head to the common bathroom to rinse yourself off.

By the time you enter his bedroom, he is still in the middle of his own shower. You find it odd that he is taking this long. He left the door open, and the light leaks out into the pitch-dark room. You crawl underneath his covers, dry and clean— no longer hot and sticky. Yet, you feel the familiar hunger as his scent crowds around you. You never noticed it before but his bed smells just like his everyday cologne. Burrowing your face into the pillow, you take a deep inhale to calm yourself.

You then remember the pressure of his palm against the back of your head, and wonder what it may feel like if he has your face shoved against the mattress.

“ F-fuck… ”

Your eyes shoot open as you lift your head out of the pillow. Did that slip out of you?

No, that did not come from you.

You look back at the open bathroom door, and just as quickly, you look away. You try to go sleep as you block your ears from hearing anything more. That did not do much.

You bite the inside of your cheek. Are you a fucking pervert?

Ken probably does not know you’re back in the room.

You touch your lips. They still feel warm.

It was just a friendly favor. Don’t make it weird.

Your legs shakily widen.

This is so so wrong.

You slip an extra pillow between them.

The shower stops and the door is pushed open a bit wider. You tense up before you play dead, acting as if you innocuously needed to cuddle up against something soft. His feet pad into the room before coming to a dead halt. He seems to be facing the bed. There is a crackle of hesitation in the air, before Ken heads towards his sofa and pulls it out for the mattress.

He settles himself into his makeshift bed, and you nearly sigh in disappointment when you realize you will be alone for the night, his side of your bed feeling emptier by the moment.

You still struggle to sleep long after you could hear his soft snores.

Did you fuck it up? You cannot help but chide yourself. If it is not weird, then why is he sleeping on the pullout? If it is not weird, then why did you leave him standing by the pool earlier after you finished…whatever it was you both were doing?

You slowly rock into the pillow with no particular rhythm as you thought about it. His hand touching your thigh, his knuckles grazing against…

“ A-Ah…” Your hips stutter. You clam up immediately. Shit, are you too loud?

You crane your head up to look down at the sofabed.

You don’t hear his snoring.

“...Kenji? You awake?” You call out into the dark.

A rustle of blankets. “...Yeah.”

“...you heard that?”

“.....yes….”

“.....”

“Did you…hear me…earlier?”

“...Yeah….”

He does not answer this time.

“...Did we fuck this up?” You cannot stop yourself from asking.

He breathily laughs, and it warms you right back up. “Of course not.”

The next day you sit in the breakfast nook with your Auntie Emiko as you both enjoy a simple breakfast of rice and dried fish. Kenji busies himself with getting ready for his baseball training.

Auntie Emiko chats with you about her plans for the day. “I have to go and meet up with the others moms at the PTA. What are you kids planning on doing later?”

You look at Ken as he packs up his bat, his back turned at you.

“Maybe mess around."

He evidently stills. Shit, are you bold .

But his mom just laughs it off, not really reading into what she said. “Just don’t set the house on fire and you’ll be good. It’s nice that you two are going to take the afternoon in. You had a busy day yesterday.”

You agree wholeheartedly.

“I gotta go,” Ken announces as he pulls up his bag up to his shoulder. He heads towards the table to give his mom a peck on the cheek and you a light side hug. “Bye.”

While Auntie Emiko continues on your little chat, you begin to panic. You worry that you read him wrong. You are sure you did not misunderstand where he stands. Where you stand.

You do not have to worry too long again. He always comes to melt your troubles away.

Specifically, he enters his room at 3:30PM still in his baseball uniform.

And to his credit, he at least showers and pretends you both are not thinking the same thing as he slides into bed beside you. He begins to play a random low-budget action film on his TV, and as soon as it was made clear that neither of you really gave a shit about the exploding cars and machine guns, he turns to you and asks

“Wanna makeout?”

Present day.

Ken wakes up in the shittiest mood he has been in for a while, and that is saying a lot. Not only did he have to turn down your bootycall last night, but he dreamt of your first makeout in his room.

He remembers having you on his lap and pushing your hips down as he came into his pants like the pathetic, horny teenager he was. He remembers you whining for him to teach you how to do your first french kiss like the pathetic, horny teenager you were.

Okay, maybe his thing was a lot more embarrassing. But in fairness, you left a permanent stain on the front of those boxers by the time you were finished.

He gets up from bed and takes a longest shower he has had since arriving back in Tokyo.

Just friends. Just friends. Just friends.

Ken chants in his head. It is the same ten years ago, it is the same now. Even if it feels like everything, it means nothing. Of course, it is not the same now because you ended the arrangement three years ago .

He convinces himself that you were just tired last night, and he was too. Even if the old routine is familiar, and comfortable , it does not mean it is right.

He heads down to his basement, mug of coffee in one hand, and almost immediately he is greeted by the sight of a hyperactive Emi in her cylinder and his dad muttering over some charts.

“Hey girl, morning.” His heart swells with pride as his baby Emi chirps with excitement at the sight of him. Even if last night did not go the way he wanted it to, being able to give her a name feels good. 

“Morning dad,” he walks over to Professor Sato. The old man finally looks up with a start, before his eyes focus on his son with glee.

“Good morning, Kenji! Let’s start bright and early.”

Ken rolls his neck as he begins to warm up. “What’s first on the new sched? Feeding time?”

“Ah, before that…” His dad gestures to the chair beside him, and Ken takes the seat. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

“Is it Emi’s poopies? I never got around to figuring out the schedule in which she does it.”

“No no,” the professor pauses. He wipes his palms down his pants with the nervousness of a father who never really learned how to parent.

Oh wait , Ken thinks wryly, but still tries to stifle the thought.

“Mina…informed me you were headed somewhere last night.” His tone shows he knew more than what he is saying.

Ken stands back up. “No. You cannot leave me alone for twenty years then expect me to be all fine with it when you suddenly feel the need to give me the dad talk.”

“I-I’m not trying…look, son,” his dad tries to soften his temper. “You know how much I like her. You also know how she visited me every other month to check up on me while you were away, and that she has not stopped since you have arrived back home.”

“I know that,” he cannot help but bark out.

“And you know I’ve always appreciated her family’s help with funding the KDF back when its initial mission was more humane, and I don’t hold it against them that they continue to support it until now.”

“What are you saying?” He crosses his arms tightly.

“...I’m saying that I am proud of you for staying behind last night.”

He…He is not expecting this sort of praise. “I’m sorry?”

“W-well– uh– Mina, show him the chart?” Professor Sato calls for the robot assistant.

She hovers into view, and projects to Kenji a chart of…all the times he ditched Ultraman duty the past several months to do something else, categorized by reason.

The third is sleep.

The second is baseball.

The first is you.

He winces at the statistic, because even if he did neglect his duties often to see you, it was not enough to stop you from feeling like he did not care about you.

“...point being?” He pretends not to see what is wrong.

Professor Sato lets out a deep sigh. “I am…proud. That you chose to be here this time.”

“Okay.”

“And that I think you have a shot against that Yamazaki Kento guy.”

A vein nearly pops at the side of his temple. He sets down his coffee mug on a nearby surface as he rubs his head. “Yeah, no. They aren’t together.”

“Oh!” God dad, shut up. “That’s even better news. Since when?”

“It was just a few dates,” he snaps. “They didn’t work out.”

“I see… and this was…Before or after Yuzu?”

“After Mr. Hanyu ,” Ken corrects him immediately.

His dad laughs good-naturedly. “I can’t really follow her when she tells me all about it…At least she prefers athletes over actors, eh?”

“...Thanks. Anything else before I take Emi out for her bath?”

“Uh— Well… Kenji…” Here they go again. “Last night, when you played your…sleeping aids for Emi—”

“Those are the only things that knock her out,” he hurriedly explains. The temperature of the room beginning to rise.

“...R-Right…”

“Dad, don’t worry. I know it’s a bit…weird.”

“I didn’t say that, and I didn’t think that,” Professor Sato tries to assure him. “I…I do the same for your—”

Ken transforms into Ultraman before he could hear another word. Emi’s garbled chirps got louder in glee, and he swoops her into his arms.

He shouts behind him “Whoops, gotta go! She’s getting the hungies.”

Great. Good talk. The father-son bonding is sooo back.

A/N: Dear god was this horny. I miss the club.

I kind of got really shy about writing stuff like this? This is my first time publishing anything like that. i was actually supposed to fully write out the makeout scene in the bedroom but this chapter was getting too long. I really wanted all the things they did at sixteen to happen all in one chapter so I don't have to split it. Things to note

1) the Satos are definitely upperclass lmao. "But writer why is the reader still sponsoring Kenji if he's rich—" that's just how athlete sponsorships work rich ppl give money to other rich ppl all the time. 2) I didn't really like writing Auntie HAHA. I really wanted to call her "Tita Miko" or something but I figure most of you aren't Filipino. 3) To avoid alienating anyone I tried to figure out a name for Kenji's ex gf that i doubt any person is actually named. if your name is Navy then idk... 4) I will be giving you the craziest dating history to compensate for me making Kenji date other girls YIPEE. Except for the ex, I namedrop very real life personalities in each chapter.

[imahinatjon]

Doubt

Dazai x Reader

Kinda sad i guess.

I haven't proofread any of this. I'll do it at a later date.

You figured your mom wouldn't like this guy. She was... an overly judgmental woman.

And Dazai? Well, he didn't hide much. Aside from some really dark stuff. He didn't tone down his personality for anyone. So when he asked to meet your family, you sort of panicked. You didn't want him to meet them. You wanted to keep him and your family as far apart as you could until it was absolutely necessary. But Dazai assured you it would be fine. You hadn't really told him what it was like, so you didn't blame him.

Unbeknownst to you, he already knew. Or at least, had a general idea. You didn't need to say anything to him for him to understand where a lot of your troubles stemmed from. Why you didn't want him to meet them.

But in his mind? Better to get it out of the way now instead of a few years down the line.

So the day came. Your mother was lovely. A darling woman, offering Tea and Buiscuits, showing a keen interest. She didn't breath a word to you, unless it was to extend a kind courtesy. To put on a kind show.

You sat the entire time with bated breath, an anxiety ever lingering until you looked to the man sat beside you.

Dazai.

He'd toned his usual attitude down to meet your family.

There was no mentions of suicide. No over the top expressions or flirting, he seemed like... the picture perfect boyfriend.

You felt it was okay to excuse yourself to the bathroom with how strangely well this was going.

"So, YN"

You sighed, of course, things were going a little too perfectly. She cornered you in the hallway just outside the front room, just out of earshot from everyone else.

"How much did he cost?"

"What?" If you didn't know her so well, what she insinuated would have been more of a surprise. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"You can't be serious? It's ovbious he's not into you, you must have given him something?" she quizzed you again.

"Uh... no mom, he really is my boyfriend"

"Riiight. Right... a little out of your league isn't he?"

You rolled your eyes. And tried to walk past. She didn't stop you. Not really, just...

"I hope you treat him well, that you stopped being so lazy, Hope your not neglecting him as much as you neglect the rest of us"

You continued on your way after what she said. It was hardly bad, in your eyes. Out of everything else she could have said to you, this was the lesser evil.

But... it plagued you a little for the rest of your visit.

He was... out of your league. You knew she was right. He WAS out of your league. Was he in it for something else?

Home... or rather, your shared home with Dazai felt cold and unwelcoming as you stepped through your own front door. You felt sick to your stomach. You could have sworn you felt homesick.

You wanted to go back. This didn't feel right anymore. You didn't feel like you belonged at this other persons apartment. You shared a bed with Dazai, but got no sleep. Merely found yourself lying awake all night. Sometimes staring out the window, sometimes staring at the ceiling. And occasionally, your gaze would linger on your loves face.

You knew it was a bad idea to take Dazai to meet your mom. You knew she would plant an idea in your head that made you doubt yourself.

She did it with your last partner, told you that you weren't treating them right - as if she knew a thing, but... you broke up with them over it. She also did it when you applied for a new job, you had an interview coming up, and she told you they'd never hire someone as lazy, inexperienced and unmotivated as you, so you missed the interview.

She never likes your artwork, however good it was, she made fun of your fashion sense, never liked your hobbies, called you unoriginal and boring.

Yet she relied on you for everything when you lived there. You did everything she ever wanted, but it was never enough. She only saw the bad in you.

And you in turn only saw the bad in the world.

When you met dazai that changed. He was weird, and has his flaws, but he was persistent, kind, and as honest as he could be with you. He had his moments, where he'd dissappear, only to reappear a few hours later floating down some river you or someone else had to dive in to save him from. Which he always complained about, in such a gentle and playful way. It wasn't perfect, but you thought it was... did he not think the same?

The thought brought tears to your eyes. Silent sobs escaping your sealed lips as you sat up and made a plan.

When dazai awoke the next morning it was with a start. A bad dream had plagued him during the later part of his sleep, and he couldn't place why. Until of course, he noticed you weren't beside him. Call him dependant, weak, or whatever, but since he begun sharing a home and a bed with you, everything felt just that little bit better. His unconscious mind didn't plague him like it used too, because now he got to hold you.

Now, Dazai is not a stupid man, even in his sleep hazed mind, he noticed something was off.

Most ovbious being that he couldn't see you anywhere. So he stood, to have a look around, a small investigation.

Not that he had to look far, you left a note on the kitchen counter. A note that left a sense of gloom. The colour drained from his home as he read. Words he couldn't register. All he knew is that it meant you had left him. Took your things and ran in the night.

He couldn't understand why though? He thought you had a perfect relationship. Did you not think the same?

He wasn't in the right mind to think properly. He needed time to register. Time to understand, and time to work out why.

But he'd make sure it didn't take too long. He couldn't let you go like that. Not without understanding at the very least.

_________________________________________

PART 2

Masterlist :3

[honeyspawn]

Some ideas about Paul's family:

Option 1: Jon Matteson Fmily Tree - full-transparency, the Jon Matteson family tree has never really been my personal favorite, or at the very least, the idea of Paul specifically having a big chaotic extended family has never felt very "Paul" to me. Paul has always struck me as such a solitary entity in Hatchetfield, or at least until Emma shows up. That being said, I won't deny that the idea is fun. That being said, I think if we're gonna go with the whole Paul is Richie's uncle thing, I don't think he's literally the brother of one of Richie's parents. I think "uncle" in this case is used in the general way a kid refers to an adult relative, and he's more of a distant cousin. I don't really know how to explain it, but I simply cannot picture Paul with siblings. Overall though, to me, I think I prefer the idea of Gary and Boy Jerry being Richie's uncles, and Paul is just kinda separate.

Option 2: Generic Retirees - I've mentioned this in another post, but something about Paul having no relatives in Hatchetfield even though he's lived there his whole life there feels very "Paul" to me. I suppose you could conclude from this that his parents are dead, but seeing as he's only in his early 30s and that implies his parents probably died kind of young (probably somewhere in the 50s-70s range depending on how old they were when Paul was born and when they died), I like the idea instead that the explanation is the most boring one possible; they retired in Florida. Their names are Arthur and Martha Matthews, or something similarly generic. They are the most boring 60 year old couple imaginable. Arthur likes to garden. Martha likes bird watching. They have no other hobbies. They visit Paul a couple times a year. They are constantly trying to convince Paul to move to Florida. They are the Matthews family. They are boring.

Option 3: Crack Theory Time - This is insane, and I don't really believe this theory, but the idea came to me one day and I the thought wouldn't leave my head, so I need to share it. So the idea behind this is Paul is such a singular entity that it's almost enigmatic, or at least it would be if anyone cared that much. Paul never talks about his family to anyone. He never really thinks about his family, and he feels like he's been on his own for a long time. That's not to say he doesn't remember having a family. He had a mom. She was nice. It was a shame she passed away 15 years ago. And when he starts dating Emma and she asks about his family, that's all he has to say. "I had a mom. She was nice. It was a shame she passed away 15 years ago." He remembers having a mother, but he doesn't really remember anything that specific about her. He's not sure why. He never thinks too deeply about it. He's not sure he can properly recall her face unless he's looking at an old scrapbook. It's strange, though. As soon as he puts the scrapbook back on the shelf, it's like he forgets again. All that really sticks is he had a mom. She was nice. It's a shame she passed away 15 years ago. It's not like he didn't love her, of course he did, she was his mom. And she was a good mom too, he's sure of it. One thing he does remember though, is before she died, she had a long talk with him. He can't remember about what exactly, but he knows it was important. He's pretty sure she was saying goodbye. If you've watched nightmare time, you may have guessed where I'm going with this. I don't really know where this idea of mine that Miss Holloway is Paul's mom came from, it just kind of seemed like Paul being a mysteriously solo entity in Hatchetfield makes sense, and this seemed like an interesting explanation. It also would tie into the fact that Paul might have a slight latent resistance to the LiBs. In tgwdlm, Paul has a whole musical number where he resists the Hive while being infected, while the only other times anyone gets infected on stage, it's a matter of seconds. Paul is also one of the only adult characters who sees through Tickle-Me-Wiggly; even Emma thinks Tim would want a Wiggly "more than anything." Do I think this is all some insane foreshadowing? Absolutely not. This seems extremely unlikely to me, and a product of my own over-thinking, but it sure is fun to think about anyway. (Also, I've never seen anything about this online before, but if this is an existing fan theory, please let me know. The Miss Matthews theory, if you will)

Option 4: He Doesn't Have One - Paul does not have a family. He is just Paul. It's not important for Paul to have a family because they are not relevant, and therefore, they simply do not exist. This also seems very possible to me, and tbh feels appropriate, both for Paul, and for Hatchetfield. I mean heck, according to Curt Mega his shopper character in Black Friday is literally named "Shopper No. 4". Paul just straight up not having a family because he's Just A Guy™️ feels right.

Wow, this was a lot, actually. If you read this whole thing, thanks for letting me infodump, and I'd love to hear what you think.

[rosethevideomancer]

Let's Fix Ruby's Mom Reveal

Certainly! Here's the revised version and sorry imma read more this one.

UNIT finishes the scan and finds it empty. There is still no match in the database for the mother. Then the TARDIS emits a shuddering noise and all the screens flicker. Multiple screens pop up, searching through every time and place they've visited, scanning planets and realities they've traversed. The Doctor gasps, Ruby starts tearing up, Kate considers deadlocking her access points, and finally, the screen displays "MATCH FOUND." We see Ruby's face and then cut abruptly to the Cafe.

A blonde woman enters and stands in line, chatting on her phone with a friend about her life improving now compared to years ago with her abusive father. She vaguely details his actions and stops when she hints at giving up Ruby Sunday.

We watch her convey the pain with her expressions as she remembers. She reaches the counter after a young girl, whose face remains unseen—Almost insignificant. She orders her coffee, sits down at a table, and continues discussing an upcoming trip, mentioning someone like Rani or Sally Sparrow for a potential future coincidence.

As she taps on her phone, checking her text messages to pass the time (describe her briefly, mention social help lines), Ruby remains out of focus in the background. Finally, she looks up and sees Ruby staring at her. Confused, she asks, "Can I help you?"

Ruby replies, "Oh, sorry. I just… thought you looked like someone I once knew," then hesitates and starts to leave. The woman stops her, saying, "I don't know, but I get whatcha mean. You… come here often?"

"Oh yeah, used to pop round here every day!" Ruby answers. The woman replies, "Oh, yeah? Well same! Maybe that's how we know each other—from seeing each other here!" Ruby knows this isn't true but agrees verbally, "I guess so. Well, sorry to bother you," and tries to leave. As she turns, the barista calls out, "Ruby!" The woman freezes, and Ruby cringes as she grabs her coffee. Starting to leave, the woman softly says, "Ruby's such a pretty name," to which Ruby, as always, replies instantly, "Thanks, it's the road I was found on," the ladys eyes go wide and realizing she said too much. Ruby hurries away.

She runs to the Doctor, leaning on his TARDIS outside. She hugs him and cries; he returns the hug as he understands. He also had the opportunity for answers in FLUX but didn't follow through. It's hard to accept answers when questions have been your constant companions throughout life.

After this sad moment, a voice interrupts, "Excuse me." Ruby turns and sees the woman, nervous and fidgety, looking almost like an older Ruby Sunday. "That road you were left on… It wouldn't happen to have been… Ruby Road… would it?" Ruby hesitates but reluctantly nods, and they share an awkward moment, both tearing up. The Doctor beams his smug grin before leaning in and and saying, "This is the part where you two hug," pushing Ruby gently. The music swells as they embrace. We see him lean back happy as he adds in a whisper, "The foundling finally found. Coincidence, coincidence, coincidence," glancing briefly up at the sky with concern before smiling.

Fade to a later scene with the Doctor, the Sunday family, and Ruby's bio-mom. Carla asks, "So you're not a god or something?" The Doctor interjects, "Yeah, no, turns out… My old girl the looovely TARDIS eventually figured out about our little death doggo stowaway when I crashed near the edge of the universe. Turns out he was using all the noise and energy of the cosmos to cloak himself, but when you're at the edge of space, well... it's hard to hide in an empty room. Once she found that out, she kept trying to think of ways to warn us—groaning, planting a song in Ruby's core and using the excess energy from coffee and a lil' mavity mix up to try and burn him off her. When that didn't work she figured the only way she could help is by making a mystery the death god couldn't resist, extending her perception filter to Ruby's birth Mother on Christmas Night 2005. Which you should feel honored about, thousands of years and she's rarely ever done that."

Ruby nods but adds "But what about the pointing?" Her biological mother chuckles and nods "Oh I remember now. Yes.. Christmas night, I was giving away my baby and the faint song from the church had me questioning myself. But the strangest thing happened.. I heard this noise and a big box that wasn't there moments ago was suddenly fading into reality only a few meters away from me. I thought I was going mad! My tongue was tied and voice gone! All I could do was point. Put yourself in my shoes, I thought god himself had come to punish me for my actions... But he just stared me down crying.. I wondered why god would cry... How did my choice make him that sad?" The Doctor looks at her reflecting on the Sutekh conversation about being made the god of life. Her Mom continues "I think it's what pushed me. I had a life so sad that even god cried for me. I made a promise in that moment to leave and get out and maybe one day if my life ever got better... I'd find you again. So I turned and I walked away I made that decision to live the life I wanted you to have, Ruby, and I knew I made the right choice because when I turned back... That man and his box were gone."

"And here now here we are and for the record I'm really very glad that for once, just this one beautiful time… " the Doctor sits between Ruby and her bio-mom and hugs them both beaming "It was just a human." The episode continues from there as usual.

[mauesartetc]

While we're waiting for Millie's shine in later episodes, how would you develop Millie and how would you write her?

PFFF uhh I expect we'll be waiting indefinitely tbh. But I guess the first step would be to ask a lot of questions and figure out which pieces are missing from the puzzle. Here's a list of what's on my mind about Millie, in no particular order:

In "The Harvest Moon Festival", she hugged her dad upon seeing him, but not her mom. Was she closer to her dad growing up? Why?

What first attracted her to knives and axes, and who taught her to use them as weapons?

What was her favorite job on the farm growing up?

Who was her first love?

How did she meet Blitzo and Moxxie?

What occupations did she have before joining IMP?

Does she ever hang out with anyone other than her coworkers and her husband? What are her friends like? How did they meet?

Does she want to have kids someday?

What's her educational background? If she went to college, which subject/s did she major in?

What hobbies does she have outside of killing people?

Millie's aggressive, violent side is emblematic of Wrath ring culture, but does she have any traits that clash with it?

What's her favorite location in all of Hell, and why?

Standard job interview fare: Where does she see herself in five years?

Why doesn't she ever stand up to Blitzo when he berates her husband? (I mean, in a meta sense, we know why, but what's the reason inside the narrative?)

What does her extended family look like? Do they all live in Wrath, or are they spread out across other rings?

What does she love most about Moxxie?

What did she and Moxxie do on their first date?

What's her most prized possession?

Most of these questions are fairly surface-level, like the kind of thing you'd ask someone you just met at a party. But the thing is, we've barely been introduced to Millie through this entire series. It'd help if she spent an episode or two away from Moxxie so we can see her personality as an individual rather than part of a set. These writers seem to think true love = being attached at the hip, but that's not how strong relationships work. You need a balance of the partners spending time together and having time to themselves. If a relationship leaves no room for independence, it'll get stifling pretty damn quick.

Maybe at some point, Millie gets burnt out from work and decides she needs a solo vacation for her mental health. This would separate her from Moxxie and provide an opportunity to glimpse parts of her life that don't revolve around him and IMP, as well as delve into the fractured mental state of a character who's usually a pillar of strength. To co-opt and rephrase a meme real quick: Everyone asks "What can Millie do for me?", not "How is Millie doing?"

Ideally, the whole episode would focus on her, with no B- or C-plots. She could meet her friends for coffee, or maybe visit extended family members. Perhaps learn some things about herself she never knew before. This all sounds very low-key and lacking in spectacle for this show, but any plot can crackle with deft storytelling. It'd be preferable if the episode answered multiple questions (not too many, but multiple) about the character at its center.

But when all's said and done, it seems the most important question is: What does this character currently struggle with the most? What do they want, and what's preventing them from getting it?

One major problem Millie and the other IMP employees have is that they don't seem to want anything. There's not much driving their actions.

Blitzo presumably wants his business to succeed, but what does that look like to him? What specific goal is he trying to reach? The Goetia family has a bit more direction: Stolas wants a deeper emotional connection with Blitzo (God only knows why, but that's what's presented to us), Octavia obviously wants her parents to stop fighting (though we have no idea how she plans to achieve this), and Stella wants Stolas dead (though she didn't think the consequences through, somehow) but everyone else is a big ol' question mark.

Anyway, that's just a basic overview of how I'd approach it.

[www-findringo-com]

From Afar

Yuno Grinberryall x Fem!reader

I'm unsure if i should have a specific banner for my series or my stories in general or if i should change it each time, tell me what you think!

cw - unchecked

Plot: Y/N Hanabi is a commoner who has always hated her fireworks magic even though the townsfolk have always praised her. As she grew up, a woman in her life changed her view completely, making her appreciate and slowly understand her "silly" magic.

Even if she started using her magic more, she had no interest in joining the magic knights, and yet during the elves' reincarnation, she helped save the people of the Clover Kingdom. This resulted in the Sorcery King noticing her and convincing her to join the knights, which, after many rejections, she. In the end. Took on the request and participated in the entrance exam a year after getting her grimoire. Once she joined the Blue Rose Knights, something or more like someone was going to completely change ,what once was, her daily routine.

Previous

Ever since I got my grimoire, it's almost as if life at the hostel got busier. I wouldn't exactly be mad about it because it means we're getting more and more clients, but it also means I have to use my magic all the time! But on the bright side, Serene always visited us and helped out a lot. She was the self-proclaimed Paladin of Justice for us commoners. Soon, she became known in my town, and people always asked me when she was going to be back. What a pain... But deep inside, it made me happy to know people liked my friend

"Y/N, darling, could you please go serve out the dishes?" My mom shouted from across the hall. It did sound like a question but if I even dared to refuse I would have been in trouble. I ran to the kitchen since the guest had been waiting for about twenty minutes. As soon as I opened the kitchen door a nervy comment hit my face: "Look who finally decided to stop sitting on their ass and help out!" My cousin spoke. He was the most annoying guy in the whole universe. And, if we weren't family, I would have already beat him up.

"Yeah yeah I'm here. Now give me those dishes before the guests get mad" I commented back and he gave me a snarky smile before handing me about four plates to bring out.

That afternoon I was sweeping the lobby when a shadow towered over my figure. Right after some water was splashed on the floor I had been cleaning for the past hour. "Whoops~" I turned around to be met by a woman, dressed in noble clothes and with the wrinkliest face I had ever seen. On her ugly wrinkly face sat a smirk as she fake apologized for 'accidentally', spilling her water magic on the floor. I was about to lash out on her due to my terrible customer service. But I was soon stopped by an angry voice at the entrance. "Excuse me, Miss. But who do you think you are?" We both turned around stunned, and I was met by none other than Serene. Paladin of justice for us commoners, I guess. The breath of the noble lady hitched, and she fought back: "And who might you be? Let me guess, a lowly peasant. '' She chuckled and looked at Serene funny. "And what if I am? What does that mean to you? That you're a high-level person but lowly scum in the eyes of righteousness? In a world where you can be better than most and be seen as a beautiful person, you chose to be part of the mass and just follow like a wet dog the orders of someone else? People like you are bland, stale, and boring. You're the reason why this kingdom is fucked up" The lady was left shook and speechless. After a bit she grunted and stormed off, letting Serene a clear path to me.

"How's it going, Y/N? D'ya miss me?" She chuckled and extended her arms as if she expected a hug. I laughed lightly and hugged her : "I really really missed you!" We talked for a bit before my father came up to me. "Oh, Y/N, didn't know you had friends coming over!" He greeted Serene. She shook his hand. They chatted for a few minutes but then he spoke to me: "Y/N why don't you go hang out with your friend for a while? we're not having any rushes right now, so feel free to go!" I thanked him before putting away my uniform and quickly reaching Serene. She put out her hand and as soon as I held it, she ran out the door and we started running through town! "Serene slow down. I'm gonna fall!" I shouted at her, to which she just laughed and brought me closer to her.

"Jump," She whispered to me, and I did. Immediately under us formed a sort of cotton cloud, which she used to make us move even faster. "Where are we going?" I asked as the wind hit my face, making me blink. "To the capital silly." She spoke softly as we flew up into the air, and I took in the look of a huge fortified city with a castle slightly taller than the rest of the city. I was in awe at the sight. It wasn't as picturesque as the one from the grimoire acceptance ceremony, but it was still beautiful. I could tell it was a very busy and packed city, even people in brooms were flying to it! Once we landed, I noticed that the city was even more packed and busy than I expected. People were coming from all over, well, mostly kids our age. Serene brought me to a food stand, and she had me try a fried salamander on a stick. The salamander was crunchy and oddly sweet, and then she made me try roaster purple viper, and it was very dry and stale. I hated it!

After an hour or more of going around, I stopped when a huge tree towered over an arena at the center of the city. Serene took a step back before emitting a shocked sound and putting her hand over her mouth. "Oops- I almost forgot why we're here." And at that point, I looked at her in confusion. Once again, she took my arm, and before running, she whispered and winked to me. "Don't worry, you just gotta be quiet," She ordered as she put a finger over her mouth. Right after we started running and she brought me to an entrance at the back of the arena I noticed a few minutes ago. We walked in, and inside were all the kids our age I had seen a few hours prior. "Serene, what is this?" I questioned her as i followed her steps through the round corridor. "This is the Magic Knights entrance exam!" I let out a confused sound before starting to get nervous. "Can we actually be here? Isn't it supposed to be closed off to the public? What if someone catches us? What if not just someone but a Magic Knight Captain?" I was sweating, not because it was July, but because I was scared. Serene was very Nonchalant about it, as if sneaking to the exam was normal to her. "Oh, don't worry, it's going to be fine!" She stopped and brought her arms on top of the stone fencing, which ensured people from not falling off, and on one hand, she rested her chin. Without thinking, I got right next to her and started watching the exam, and then a light clicked in my head. "Serene, look!" I pointed upwards since they were flying around on brooms. "That's the four leaf guy we met at the acceptance ceremony." She faced towards where i was pointing and chuckled. "Didn't know people could be so good at flying on their first time! He must be a very irritating prick. " I giggled with her. Even though of the annoying personality he showed at the ceremony, i just couldn't help but find something about him... Cool? As if he was acting cool just for me to look at him... Oh god what the fuck that is very desperate of me. Wow.

Serene and I kept chatting and having fun when, how I predicted, someone caught us. "Excuse me." We both worriedly turned around to face the stern and serious voice, only to be met by a golden mask with pom poms at the back. On further inspection, the guy was wearing a cape, and on it was the Golden Dawn's logo. For context the Golden Dawn is like the strongest Magic Knight company in the whole kingdom, being composed mostly of high-level nobles with lots of mana and an extremely overpowered captain. Wait a second... THAT WAS THE CAPTAIN WILLIAM VANGEANCE! I could feel my face go pale, and my legs shivered at the thought of being scolded and insulted by a high-lever knight... Before I could try to explain myself, the captain spoke.

"Your Gracefulness Princess Temima, What are you doing here?”

Huh... Princess... What?

Wait, why is he looking deep in Serene's eyes?

…

IS SERENE A PRINCESS???

I stood there shaking when Serene spoke up. "Who the hell is this Princess Temima cause I have never heard a name so stupid. Are you pranking us, you... Masked buffoon? Either way, now if you don't keep bothering us, my friend and I will go away. Please and thank you." She spoke sternly, almost pissed at him. Then she took my hand and we ran out of there as soon as possible. Once we were out, we were out of breath, and before I could ask anything to Serene, she spoke. "I think It's time I bring you home." Oh yeah, she was mad. I think that Captain really irked something in her. Without objection, I let her bring me home, and ever since then, I didn't see her again.

Timeskip few months

That evening, I was grocery shopping with my mom. Lately, I have been a little more upset than usual, so my family tried to get me out as much as possible. "Y/N dear, could you please go pick these things?" She handed me a small piece of paper, and I went on my merry way. Shopping was boring, I saw these people almost every day, and I did the same things every week. I just couldn't take it anymore. My life had become boring, plain, and stale like a piece of dry bread. I was mad at Serene for not showing up again. Not only that, but the fact she disappeared after someone high-ranked called her princess, which made her even more suspicious. If she really was a princess, why would she need to hide it? She's so lucky to be blessed with nobility and so cool to be royal yet help out commoners and peasants. Also, didn't that Vangeance guy call her Temima? Yet I've always known her as Serene, and I was supposedly her best friend! Ugh, she's so weird and difficult. It took me some time to finish getting the groceries before trying to find my mom. It was getting dark and kind of cold when suddenly the whole market heard something break and people screaming. I started coughing, and when I turned around, there was smoke coming from around the corner. The fire started spreading, and people started running. That's when I noticed that they weren't running away from the fire yet from something... Who could be attacking a common town? Without a second thought, I brought out my grimoire. "Firework Magic: Crossettes of Purity!"

I shouted, and from my hands, I shot 2 fireworks which ended in a cross, hence the name crossette, and the two fireworks collided and landed on whatever was attacking us, leaving it stunned. I then shot fire under my feet to launch me near the spot of the stunned foe. Once I landed, and the smoke went away, I was met with the disgusting and maggot filled rotting body of my old neighbor, an ex magic knight. Before I could do anything, the guy got back up again, and as I took in the look of the decaying corpse, something behind peaked my attention. I moved my eyes slightly only to be met by an army of un-dead people and lots of fire around us.

"What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On!”

And this was the second chapter!!! Sadly, I didn't have much inspiration for this, and maybe even for the next pair of chapters, they might be very, very boring, so please be patient with me! I tried to prep some angst between MC and Serene. i wonder if it'll be good! Let me know what you think and leave suggestions or even writing requests if you enjoy my style! see you next week with the next From Afar chapter!!!

-Ringo

[ultimateaclrecovery]

Tidbits from a week visiting with family (I’ve been here since Tuesday night and won’t leave until next Tuesday)

-I forgot how humid Michigan is I am dying. It was 70% humidity here and I am just dripping. Also my mom leaves the ac set to 78 so sometimes I start sweating just sitting inside which is something I no longer tolerate in my own house (my parents have more than enough money to lower the wc but my mom grew up poor and thus is aggressively frugal)

- my mother got me my favorite kind of donuts

- I’ve always kind of been the spoiled baby of the family which was delightful when I first would visit after college but i haven’t figured out how to shift the dynamic now. My brother and his gf will always cook dinner one night when they here and sometimes will but truthfully would rather not (I like that visits home have always been for extended potatoe time) but I don’t like being shown up by my brother and I want my mom to not have to do everything

- my dad is really struggling with his health. He has Parkinson’s and he’s been slowly declining for years now but he was hospitalized with a uti back in June and just hasn’t really recovered. He no longer even leaves his room for meals and has a commode in his bedroom. He does leave the house roughly once a week for his doctor appointments and pt but otherwise basically just goes from bed to chair to commode.

- my mother has switched from taking hour long walks around the neighborhood to doing the exercise bike down stairs to not be too far from him too often (though she does still go to church and the grocery store)

- I worry about how much my mom is a full time care taker and how hard it is for my dad to slowly loose his independence

- my mom went to a wedding and got my brother to come stay with my dad. They didn’t ask me. And like my brother is unemployed and has no pets or real responsibilities or obligations so it makes sense to ask him. And my dad often needs help with tolieting and maybe it’s easier to have your same gender child help. Or he just seems more helpful. It’s obviously easier for me to not come back and stay and caretake but I also feel bad for not

- they changed all the chairs out at church and it was very unsettling

- my brother quick mid “poetry for neandthrals” game today, a game simile to taboo but you can’t use multi syllable because he couldn’t think of good enough clues and his gf wasn’t guessing things good enough. This man is 34 years old. He also is the worst manplainer of anyone I’ve ever interacted with it and constantly tries to talk as though he’s the smartest person in the room and how it’s so sad that most people can’t be bothered to think this deeply. While he’s never worked a full time job or done anything of note 🙄 he does at least do the dishes every night we’re here. And to his credit he is often correct about whatever theory for the board game he’s currently going on about but he is absolutely insufferable about and has zero tolerance for anyone getting anything wrong ever which makes him obnoxious to play with.

- I’ve knitted half a sleeve of my sweater finished two books, slept 9-10 hours every night, eaten all the cookies and yummy snacks my heart could desire so it’s not all bad.

- and helped my mom set up the new computer, got the printer back online and transferred her files over (though it did take me several tries oops) so I haven’t been a complete potato

- anyway being home is weird

[luffythinker]

what do we think about this family tree?

I like the idea that Kirishima comes from dragons because of the fantasy AU so he's got dragons in the family from his mom's side and his dad's side has rocks and metals

IDK WHERE TO PUT KOHAKU but shes blonde so i just sat her over there

I haven't gotten to the part where i meet kid yet but he has a metal power i do know

same power and they canonly used to be called "Meta abilities" in BSD they just call them abilities

villain father - hero student daughter, i like to remember Setsuna got in on recommendations ? i think she did and normally rec students are rich (Iida,Todoroki,Momo) so she's rich for a reason hjrtbdhxjstbg

ITS A STRETCH IDEA but step siblings with a age-gap (15 - 24 i think they are nine years apart? im bad at math)

Trumpet is Momo's father. Same father different mothers and Kai's mom abandon him? and the Liberation was trying to get ahold of him but Kai wants nothing to do with his "good for nothing father who only wants to mooch off his successes"

somebody on twitter told me "I guess I could see how disassembling and reassembling matter could be connected with transmutation of lipids if you assume the lipids are being disassembled at the subatomic level." so it must be the mothers quirk that's

TRUMPET AND AIZAWA ARE BROTHERS, MOMO IS TRUMPETS DAUGHTER AND OVERHAUL IS HIS FIRST CHILD

I don't know enough about one piece im only on season 1 but i go and look at a lot of spoilers but not so many i don't know anything about Sanji's family but i remembered either me or somebody else gave quirks to the One piece characters on your blog and labeled him with a fire quirk (i couldn't find it but i found it on my blog so i think it was me?? i have it tagged as #My treasure academia so maybe it was me??)

Quirk: flaming ankle: User can catch their legs on fire for fiery kicks. Only the legs nothing else

so Sanji as a todoroki jkgbdjtfghj

tho this is making me think about him being a Kaminari, DENKI HAVING A COOL OLDER BROTHER Sanji actually kinda reminds me of Kaminari ngl

and i just wanna say Nami - Ochako sister

Quirk: Navigation: User always knows where they are and where to go just by taking a moment to look around. Everything becomes familiar if they visited the place once. (Not very sure how this quirk works but i also feel like it could work if they spend a day in one place they automatic know the layout)

but i could change it to fit in with Ochako's family to this

Quirk: Compass/ true north: grants the user an innate ability to perceive their sense of direction and spatial orientation no matter where they are. The user can always pinpoint the exact location of true north and has an exceptional awareness of their surroundings once the quirk is active, making them naturally skilled in navigation. This ability extends to sensing the precise positions of objects and people within a certain radius, even if they are hidden or out of sight.

my sole reason: because they have the same voice actor and it would be cute for both the money girls to be sisters and Ochako having a troublesome thief sister is funny

Do you have any thoughts or add-ons? someone on twitter added someone who wasn't a mha character into Compress family tree so i had to put in my 5 dollars

oh my god this is a lot, okay let me think

first of all the idea that kidd could somehow be a distant relative of Kirishima makes so much sensenjdfjkdfkjf

as for aizawa and dazai, i LOVE those two and i think it says a lot about me that they are two of my fav (adult) characters

buggy and that girl i gotta be honest i do not remember herjdvfkjdfkj but i stand by u on that!

now momo and chisaki being siblings is something that makes sense to me, because momo's family is super rich, and nobody that rich is doing something clean with their money, so it would be interesting to see that her money comes from underground stuff like the yakuza

trumpt and aizawa brothers makes sense just bc they look alike tbhkjdfkjdfkjfdlk

and god u have no idea how right you are by saying that sanji would be in the todoroki family kvkmdkjckdfkjdfkdc but i like the idea of kaminari and sanji being siblings as well

NAMI AND OCHAKO SISTERS IS SOOOOO TRUEEE they sooo are, older sister nami my precious babygirl

im not sure i have something to add, but now I'm thinking about Kirishima meeting shanks, and i think they would hit it off so well lmao

[my-own-walker]

On The Other Line - Epilogue

note: sorry this took so fucking long i literally forgot about it lmao. many thanks to the anon that reminded me.

summary: the happy happy ending, marital bliss and such

warnings: none, just like fluffy stuff

+++

The vanity mirror in front of me lit up my face unforgivingly. I sat staring at my reflection, all too critical of the person staring back at me. Sighing, I picked up my moisturizer and got to work. An attempt to not feel so gross.

It had been years since Colin and I made the promise to each other to be together. 6, actually. 6 years ago to the day.

The date held a certain significance to both of us. Exactly two years after Colin's plea for us to give things a try behind the library, we got married. It was a small ceremony in the Easttown Fire Hall, the cheapest venue. The reception began as soon as we said our 'I do's.' We cleared out the makeshift 'altar' and it became our dance floor.

Small, yes, but also beautiful. I wore a vintage gown. A yellowing babydoll fit floor-length dress with deteriorating lace detailing and sheer fabric sleeves. It was my grandmother's. Colin had only proposed a few months prior. He was so excited to marry me, we rushed the whole ceremony. Looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way.

He wore a deep blue suit. He stood so stiffly at the altar it was as if he was in the police academy again. He cried as he said his vows. We danced all night in mutual bliss, surrounded by our closest family and friends. My Uncle Nick cried, too, when he made his speech, harkening back to the night we first met in his bar. It made him happy to take ownership of the beginning of our relationship like that.

Our first dance was to 'Waterloo Sunset,' by The Kinks. I didn't want anything sappy. Colin cried regardless.

Our tradition became going on a date every year on our anniversary as if we were only first dating again. We owned a house together, yet he'd still show up at the front door and ring the bell, flowers in hand like he was picking me up for our first date. He'd go visit his mom for the afternoon and get ready there, all so he could make things seem authentic. I loved how fresh it made things feel.

Only this year, I actually had butterflies. Not first date jitters, of course. No, this year I had a secret. One I was going to tell Colin about at dinner, or whenever it felt natural, I guess. Putting the brush down, finally satisfied with my work, I opened the bedroom closet to see a dress with a note attached to it.

'I saw this and thought of you. I can't wait to see you tonight. Love, Colin.'

I giggled to myself at his terrible handwriting. I unpinned the paper and brought it to the box I kept all of Colin's handwritten notes in. The dress was a precious brown floral mini-dress with a ruched chest and a white Peter Pan collar. There were puff sleeves and a tie in the back. It was exactly something I'd wear. My heart swelled when I noticed the price tag on the sleeve (the actual price hastily scribbled over by Colin) and saw it was from my favorite vintage store in town.

I slipped it on, softly praying it would fit, and to my surprise, it zipped up with no issue. A wave of nerves and nausea hit me. I doubled over slightly, scared I'd ruin the dress, trying to let it pass.

The doorbell rang so I forced myself to straighten up, slip on some shoes, and meet my 'date' at the door. I turned the knob and saw Colin standing on the step, wearing a brown shirt that matched the color of my dress perfectly under a suit jacket. His tie was knotted pristinely, signaling to me that it was his mother's handiwork. He had a bunch of daisies in his hand, my favorite type of flower.

'Holy shit,' he breathed, drinking me in.

'Oh shut up,' I giggled, feeling shy like I was a teenager all over again.

'That thing looks fuckin' awesome on you,' he grinned. 'I did a good job.'

'Ever the humble man, Zabel,' I quipped.

'Well, Mrs. Zabel, shall we?' he suggested, extending his hand to guide me out of the door. We walked arm-in-arm to the car, daisies now in my hand. He was sure to open the door for me demonstratively, further playing up the chivalry.

The restaurant he picked this year was a pretty good distance from home. I wasn't surprised to see it was an Italian place when we arrived. His favorite. The meal went well. It was a place we'd never tried before but we both ended up loving it.

Shortly before the dessert menus came, Colin produced a small box from his jacket pocket along with a handwritten letter.

'Colin, you didn't have to do that,' I whined.

'Uh-huh, yes I did,' he smirked. 'I don't wanna hear none of that shit, you're my wife and I want to spoil you.' He slid the box over the table to me and gestured with his hand for me to open it. I looked down and weighed the object in my hands.

I looked up at him, gazing through the strands of hair that had fallen in front of my eyes disapprovingly, knowing he spent all too much on an insignificant 4th wedding anniversary. I opened the tiny black velvet box to reveal a pair of dainty gold dangly earrings. One a sun, one a moon, each one possessing both of our birthstones.

'These are beautiful, my gosh,' I breathed, getting all choked up. 'I didn't get you anything nearly as nice!'

'You didn't have to get me anything, gorgeous,' he replied with a smile.

I took the earrings out of the box and put them on, then took a moment to admire how they looked on me using my phone's camera. I grabbed the letter off the table and slipped it into my purse for safekeeping.

'If I read that here I'll probably cry so embarrassingly we'll never be allowed back,' I laughed. 'Now my gift to you.' My stomach lurched at the thought. I couldn't exactly pin down why it made me so nervous to tell him my secret.

Colin took the card out of my hand and opened it. It was a regular anniversary card, but I made a very intentional writing error.

'The 3 of us have an amazing year ahead?' Colin read aloud.

'Mm-hmm,' I nodded, smirking.

'Who's the third?' he laughed, trying to make fun of my mistake. I didn't reply. I just sat there smiling until I saw the look of understanding wash over his face. 'No...'

'Yes,' I grinned.

'You're pregnant?!' he exclaimed, as calmly as he could, given we were in a public setting. I nodded. 'How long have you known?' His words came out in a breathy whisper. Tears brimmed in his eyes. He couldn't contain his smile.

'Just a couple of weeks. I figured it could wait until today.'

He sprung out of his seat and came over to the other side of the table, taking me by my hands to pull me to my feet.

'We're gonna have a baby,' he declared as he wrapped me in a tight embrace. 'I'm gonna be a dad.'

He pulled away, holding me at arm's length, looking at me with sparkling joy in his deep brown eyes. I had never seen a smile so big on his face. I was at a loss for words. His utter delight with the news told me everything I needed to know about our future.

+++

The happy ending Colin deserved :') I'm literally so sorry I forgot about this story idk what happened lmao. Thanks again to the anon that reminded me and thanks to all of you for your continued patience!

[piracytheorist]

Grrrhhhnnn okay venting time because doing that to my family will either make them sad or they'll tell me I'm exaggerating.

So in my family there's two group chats. A big one with relatives from the side of my late father, and a smaller one with relatives from my mother's side. The first one I'm a part of, and though I'm not very active, I do pop in to see photos of the family whenever they share.

The second one I'm not a part of anymore. I was in it, but my aunt was in there, who can be perfectly described as a Facebook aunt, complete with Minions memes posting. Anyway, I was mostly ignoring the stupid memes she shared in that group chat, until she started spouting anti-vaxxing shit and I was like okay yeah bye. And I left the group chat.

Considering that everyone else in the group chat HAD vaccinated against covid and was PRO vaccine... I expected they'd talk to her and I'd come back into the group and we'd just never have to deal with her shit again.

But nope. I was left out of the group. I told my mother about my complaints over that, and she was like "Yeah okay we'll talk about it" and then we just never did.

It's been years since, and all along they've been sharing photos and news and having video calls in that group chat and I'm just never in, and then they go like "Oh yeah, you're not in that group" LIKE YEAH. FOR A FUCKING REASON. I have mentioned that a few times but they're just like "Eh okay".

Anyway, I've been mostly ignoring the fact that I feel pretty much left alone by my own family, because we Shan't Upset the Anti-vaxxer Facebook aunt, but today I realized my sister, who is visiting the States, did a video call DURING THE FUCKING ECLIPSE. And I wasn't even given the chance to take part. I realized that because she shared a video her friend took with his phone while she was talking to the others, and I could hear her greet someone from the Facebook aunt's camera. In the video (which she shared in the group chat of the other side of the family - which I get why she didn't call there, this group chat has some 30 something participants, while the other has like, seven) the eclipse is very clearly shown, and fantastic tbh, while in the video call she made she says the eclipse wasn't visible. So, I shouldn't get to complain, I guess?

Fuck that, though. Because no-one wants to talk some sense to our aunt, even though we all agree she's wrong, I missed an opportunity for something my sister knows I love. I know I wouldn't be able to see the eclipse from her video call, but seeing her being excited about it live would do as much.

And the thing is... who do I complain to about this? I can't complain to my mom, because I was raised in a "don't make mom sad" mentality, and she has lost her parents, two of her three siblings (with Facebook aunt being her last remaining close relative), her closer aunts and uncles, and recently her husband. How do I come up to her and tell her "Your bitchy sister, the last person left alive from your original family, made me miss a great opportunity for a bonding moment, and it's all the fault of you and the rest of the family for deciding that It's Okay that Nette isn't in this group chat where we share all about our family, and it's better that we keep anti-vaxxer Facebook aunt instead." How do I do that?

I can't complain to my sister who witnessed the eclipse, because I don't want to sour it for her. It was a great moment for her to witness it, I'm happy for her, and I don't want her feeling sad because she clicked "video call" on the group chat of the extended family, which is the one with the most activity.

I can't complain about it to my oldest sister, because she's the type of person who will blame me for overreacting on Facebook aunt's comments, for not talking about it, and for caring so much for a fucking eclipse or whatever. We don't have a lot in common and sadly she has a hard time understanding that I am passionate for different things than she is, and my passions are just as legit as hers. So I'm pretty sure she'll just scoff and blame me.

I could complain about it to my brother, but he lives far away and has little to no contact with Facebook aunt aside from that group chat. He won't disagree with me but he might say I'm exaggerating, and he won't be able to provide any help.

I don't want to complain to my therapist, because I have better use of my 40 euros per session than a stupid Facebook aunt.

I don't want to complain to my Facebook aunt, because she won't listen and, just like my oldest sister, she won't understand why what she originally did was stupid and insulting considering she knows I have a heart disease and I am a high risk group for any disease so anti-vaxxing can be just like lethal danger for me, and she also won't understand why it was important for me to witness the eclipse with my sister, or at least witness her witness it.

And like... UGH. I might go for a walk and listen to some music, fuck this shit. I'm tired of being second thought to anti-vaxxer, minion-posting, ignoring-her-daughter's-very-obvious-learning-disabilities-and-near-arrested-emotional-development aunt.

[askbensolo]

What's your dad up to these days?

Dad’s still running his shipping company, mostly remotely now. Occasionally he also gets these “independent contractor” gigs that we as a family have decided not to ask him about. Other than that, he’s in his stay-at-home girl dad era.

I think he’s coming up against some challenges now that Rey is thirteen. He texted me crying because she didn’t want to have princess tea parties with him anymore. Old softie. I told him he can still do things with her as she grows up, they’re just gonna be different things. Like making Twi’ktoks or something. I don’t know. Whatever kids do these days.

I’m thinking of asking my dad if he wants to hang out soon. He used to visit me most weekends when I first moved here for college, but we don’t do that as much anymore. I’ve still been thinking about my relationship with my family, and…even though I have a harder time with my mom, my dad and I get along pretty well.

Although, as he gets older, he gets more…predictable. If we hang out, he’s gonna:

ask when I’m cutting my hair

ask if I have a girlfriend yet

joke about how he used to be Han Solo but now he’s Han Married (middle name “Happily”)

ask when I’m coming home to visit, then

pull out his holopad and say “Wait, I’ve got to show you these holos of Rey.”

In that order. I’m calling it now.

He can be a little annoying, but hey…he’s always been. At least he isn’t gonna ask “so, no more voices in your head, right?” like my mom. Geez. I’m finally at a place where I love my life (can you believe it?), and I just want to move on and forget about the part that was hell.

But Mom won’t ever let me forget. Thanks to her, the remains of the troubled teen trail behind me, like a skin I can’t fully shed.

I’m curious…is it common to struggle with your relationship with your family as you become an adult? I don’t have extended family, so I’ve never been able to observe my parents interacting with their own families. I’ve just got Uncle Luke, who my parents have a great relationship with, and I guess Uncle Chewie (who’s not really my uncle, obviously).

I always thought things would be easier once I grew up. That my parents would finally get me, and I’d get them, and we could just be equals. But…maybe that was naive of me.