#today I'm also going to the mountains with my mom and her friends for the weekend

[ikyw-t]

very big spending day for me today lol, I booked a 4 night hostel stay in Lyon later this month, my first time going to a completely new place all by myself! also first time staying in a hostel! also first time going on a trip with nothing but a backpack! going to be a very exciting!!

I also caved and bought taylor merch for the first time in 3 years lol, the purple speak now hoodie was just absolutely calling my name and I had to get her before she inevitably sells out 💜 also I got the luggage tag stickers to decorate my bullet journal lol

[blehrbie-blog]

Neteyam x Reader story

Sooo, I haven't written anything in genuine years. But after watching Avatar:TWOW I've become hyperfixated and have been scrolling and refreshing the Neteyam x Reader tag basically since the movie came out. As a consequence I've had this idea in the back of my mind that I thought was very sweet and cute (something we all need after that movie) so I decided to sit down and give it a go and see what comes out of my brain. So here it is. I haven't properly edited it and it's pretty much a 1000 words of word vomit and a bunch of time skips but it made me happy to write so I'm sharing it.

Oh, BTW SPOILERS!! but also I don't stick to the event's of the movie so idk I'm just putting it out there in case someone hasn't watched the trailer.

So the idea is our girl meets Neteyam informally for the first time when they're 9. She gets cornered in the jungle by a Palulukan and Neteyam helps her run away from it. She had always known who he is being the firstborn son of the Toruk Makto. She remembers her mom telling her about the big ceremony the Tribe had when he was first born. Everyone knew him.

- You shouldn't go into Palulukan territory without being careful - he says, looking a bit unsure about her now that there's no imminent danger.

- I didn't know I was in its territory

 - Don't wander off too far on your own then.

___________________________

After this meeting, you get closer and become friends, which means as a consequence you occasionally hang out with the rest of Neteyam's family. However, as he gets older and his Dad starts preparing him to be a warrior and later on Lo'ak as well you don't have as much time to spend as you once did laughing and roaming around in the jungle exploring thick forests and shallow pools of water. It's not like you have nothing to do with your life, you do! You've been thinking of taking up lessons from the Tsahik, to see how you can use the spirit of Eywa and nature to help people who are hurting. It just so happens that the Tsahik is Neteyam's grandmother so you sometimes end up seeing him come back from a mission with his father and you share sweet smiles from across the camp.

When the tribe moves to the floating rocks, you are required by the Tsahik to help those injured from the journey and the ones getting used to the new terrain. So you're even more often in the same circles. As you're working one day about to go over to help Ninat with her sprained ankle, someone taps you on the shoulder

-You seem busy with work. - says Neteyam smiling sweetly at you

-Oh! Yes, I was just about to start. How's your training going?

You hadn't spoken in a while, just a quick wave or nod when crossing paths throughout the day. You hadn't noticed but he towers over you by a couple inches now. He nods towards his dad who's speaking with Neytiri at the edge of their tent.

-You know, just the usual responsibilities of carrying on the legacy. - His eyes gaze into you softly, like he's memorizing your face after not seeing it for long. He shakes it off and looks down - Have you got many tasks today?

-Not too much actually, just need to check up on Ninat and prepare some medicinal salves.

- I want to see you later – He looks back up into your eyes and smiles – Maybe we can go on one of our expeditions like before.

You chuckle – Sure, I'd love that.

With a final nod of approval, he stalks away to his parent's side.

When you meet later towards sunset he's waiting patiently with his Ikran by the vines connecting the Hallelujah Mountains to the Jungle below.

-We won't go too far out into the jungle so we have time to come back before sunrise. - He says as he connects his Queue with the Ikran and gazes at you expectantly – Hop on.

Can I trust that I'll come back alive from this flight? - you raise a skeptical eyebrow. He only went through his Iknimaya ritual not too long ago.

He reaches out a hand to help you up onto the animal – I don't think Eywa would forgive me if I wasted you on a simple flight.

You smile warmly into his shoulder as you hold tight onto him feeling the powerful animal shift under you as you fly out.

Roughly 10 years later

____________________________

When he comes back from the Mitkayina islands. He's taller and broader and his hair is much longer pulled into a loose braid around his Queue. You have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you first see him. He's magnificent and commanding in his presence. The tribe has gathered all around to accept him and Jake back with a warm welcome. And even though you're hidden by your fellow Na'vi, his eyes immediately find you in the crowd and issue an eager and warm smile on his face.

As soon as he has settled the greetings with the current Olo'eyktan and the Tsahik, he finds you – walking to your sleeping pod. You would have gone to say hello and see him up close but, honestly, you were a bit intimidated. What you now knew was a childhood infatuation with him all those years ago still couldn't handle seeing him all of a sudden in all his... perfect glory. You were a little intimidated. But that doesn't stop him from reaching out for you. You see him jog over with a grin. He grabs you by the shoulders about to pull you into a hug but stops himself at the last moment. His eyes roam you over from head to toe and he looks up with glistening eyes -You've grown! - His tone sounds almost unbelieving

-That tends to happen as time passes, yes – you chuckle, hands coming up to hold onto his arms. His strong arms.

-I'm not too sure what I expected you to look like but you're... way beyond any expectation – He sounds so awe-struck as he's still taking you in, that you start to feel a little embarrassed.

-I can say the exact same thing – You say as you meet his gaze again. As you do his face softens and he brings you into his arms finally.

-I missed you, my friend.

Your hand caresses his hair gently – I missed you too.

You break apart and you decide to go for some late food with him abandoning your plans of sleep.

_______________________

Months later, when they have their first kiss. It's a slow thing. He will say something dry-humoured in his soft voice and she'll forget to laugh too busy staring at him, realizing how in love she is. And has been all these years. And when he notices that she hasn't replied he'll look at her and know immediately. That she's realized, at last. And he'll come to hold her like she's the most precious thing in his world. He'll thread his fingers through her hair bringing her face close to his. Forehead pressed to hers, patiently waiting for her to join him in the reality he has been living. Where they have loved each other for a while, longed and missed unbelievably because of it, and are finally able to bask in it. The warm smiles and looks, the casual closeness that not being apart allows. The things he has been dreaming of. He looks at her lips and back at her eyes, pulling back slightly to give her some space. Maybe she's not entirely understanding his feelings, maybe she's too caught up in her own to recognize his signs, he thinks, ready to give her all the time- When she grabs his neck and drags him back to her. - Neteyam... – her eyes are glossy like she's about to cry. So he caresses her cheeks gently and finally presses their lips sweetly together. And he can not compare it to any other feeling he has ever experienced. It's not like loving her, that's easy and at the same time overwhelming. It has brought him to the point that he is ready to lay down his life and all of his family's expectations to travel back to the tribe just to see her. To be reunited. But this feeling, this kiss is like knowing, that he won't be alone in his love and he can give her his all, his soul. They stay there, lost in the sweetness of being together like never before until the sun has long set and the moon has long risen.

_______________________

That is it! I do realise I keep skipping between tenses, I apologise if anyone finds it annoying and hope you enjoyed!

Edit: I thought it might be useful to put a link to part 2 down here so: Next

[saythenametotheworld]

Invisible String [2] | njm

Genre: friends to lovers; slow burn; fluff Synopsis: Na Jaemin had always been a friend, nothing more. But now that you've pieced together the possibilities of him having feelings for you, you begin to question whether you're ready to cross the line between friendly and romantic relationships. Is it worth it giving in a little more to his warmth? Pairings: Na Jaemin x Female Reader Warnings: slow slow burn, denial, mild sexual content (18+), fluff Notes: 13.4k words, song prompt was Lifetime by Ben&Ben

[Part 1]

Wednesdays remind you of Jaemin, mainly because your female co-workers would excitedly talk about lunch at Nana's Cafe. You were determined to keep your distance until you figured out your own feelings so you found excuses not to join Jaehee and Yunseo.

"That's your best idea? Avoiding him?" Heejin jeered, tossing a peanut in her mouth.

"No. I'm not avoiding him, I'm just not seeing him. It's actually very natural. We rarely met in the first place."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you—" she raised her fingers to gesture a quotation. "'not seeing him'?"

You shrugged. "Because I'm trying to figure it out by myself first. I want to understand where I stand in this whole... thing."

"And then what?"

"And then I'll see where this goes."

Heejin scowled at you and grabbed the bag of peanuts you were holding. "And that's smart because?"

You let out a deep sigh and gave her a deadpan expression. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, but I'm not trying to be smart or anything. I'm just trying to be at peace while I figure out my own feelings. Seeing Jaemin won't help me with that, at all."

Heejin just scrunched her nose and nodded dismissively. "If you say so. But I stand by what I told you before. Just talk to him."

"Or," Seola began, just as she had finished talking to someone on the phone. "You do what feels right. It sounds cliché but it works. When you get to that point, you'll know."

The weekend came with a chance to relax. Your mother arrived early in the morning to tell you you were going on a camping trip. You had no idea how she even thought about camping but you assumed she missed your father. As a child, you always went on fishing trips and even when you stopped coming, your parents continued doing it. But today, your mother is packing your stuff for a camping trip in the mountains, which is different from the fishing she's used to.

"What makes you think we'll survive the mountains, Mom?" you asked as you pulled out a pair of pajamas she stuffed in your bag. "I don't need three pajamas."

"Just keep it in there in case you need it," she insisted, taking the pajamas from you and stuffing them back in the bag. "And there is no need for survival. It's a campsite with security and rangers patrolling. Don't be dramatic."

"How about food?"

"We can buy them beforehand, but I'm sure there will be plenty of food."

"How about fishing?"

"I don't know how to fish, honey. That's why we're going to the mountains."

She made you carry everything into your car and kept nagging about leaving as soon as possible. She also made you bring your car because hers was just recently washed so you drove with feigned indignation from her snide remarks about your dirty car. It's not even dirty, she just disliked the covers of your car seats.

She fell asleep along the way and you figured it was because of the music she chose to play. They were old but you grew up listening to them so you enjoyed the ride too. An hour and a half later, you arrived at the first rest stop and she woke up looking suspiciously excited.

"Should we just head on? I don't think we need anything here," you suggested after asking her if she needed to pee and her saying no.

"No, wait. Let me just call someone."

"Who is it?"

She tutted and started hollering at you. "Are you in a rush? Just stay still and listen to me."

You scoffed. "Mom, you're the one who said we need to get there before lunchtime!"

"Why are you shouting?"

"Because you're shouting!"

"Shush, I'm talking to someone," she chided as the receiver of her call picked up. In a sweet voice, she greeted, "Hello? We're here at the stop. Are you still here? Oh, I see, you're taking a break. We're at the parking lot. She's with me in a hideous red car."

You scoffed after hearing her call your car hideous. Whoever she's talking to must be someone she likes, a friend or something. You looked around while trying to make sense of their conversation. As you did, a white SUV parked right next to yours and rolled its windows down.

"That's them!" Your mother excitedly tapped your shoulder. You saw Jaemin's smiling face looking right back at you.

You gasped and glared at your mother. "You invited Jaemin?"

"It's not just Jaemin. He's with his mother and father."

"Why would you invite them?"

"They invited me! Stop making a fuss and just greet them!"

You rolled your windows down and returned Jaemin's bright grin with an awkward one. He raised a hand to wave at you. The window in the backseat opened to reveal his mother.

"Y/n! Good to see you! Have you been well?"

"Yes, Auntie! Good to see you too!"

She beamed wider. "I'm glad you could come. Ah, Jaemin brought coffee. Would you like some?"

You made a gesture to refuse but your mother loudly accepted. "We'd love some! Thank you!"

There were a few more minutes of awkward conversations in the car before both families agreed to proceed on the road. You let Jaemin's family lead the way while your mother happily sang along to the tunes of her old songs. You kept huffing until she finally acknowledged your distress.

"Can't you look a little happier?"

"No."

"Hey!" she scolded. "What's wrong? Did you fight with Jaeminie?"

"Jaeminie?" you exclaimed in disbelief. "Since when were you so close that you're calling him Jaeminie?"

"Why? He's the same age as my daughter and I'm close with his mom. What's wrong with calling him Jaeminie? And what did he do to you?"

"Why would you assume he did anything to me?"

"Who else would you have problems with if not your friend?"

You just sighed and shook your head. It's impossible to argue with your mom, especially when she's too excited about something. Although it had always been impossible to argue with her because she always finds a way to win.

"Why? Just tell me what's wrong. We can cancel this whole thing if you're uncomfortable."

"I'm not mom. I was just..." you huffed, rethinking if you should tell your mom but since you already started, you decided to just let it out. "I was just hoping not to see Jaemin for a while."

"What happened?"

"I can't really sum it up. It's complicated."

"Then coming here was a good idea! You can talk and fix your misunderstanding."

"It's not a misunderstanding," you insisted but refused to explain it even as your mom tried to pry for more information from you.

Two hours later, and after some pretty challenging uphill driving, you arrived at the campsite. Your mother excitedly ran off to Jaemin's parents while you had to unload your stuff. The way your mother seemed to transform into some teenager around Jaemin's mom just made you shake your head. Both of them actually.

"Let me help you with that," you heard Jaemin say while you were unloading your trunk. You didn't notice him approach so now you're nervous but you tried to act like normal.

"Thanks," you muttered. There's no point in trying to pretend you don't need his help because you do. Your mom's bag was heavy and you don't want to go back several times. With Jaemin's help, the unloading was a one-way trip.

"You should have told me you were coming too. We could've driven here together," he initiated as you walked towards the clearing where you'll be setting up your tents.

You chuckled. "Yeah, but I actually got dragged here, so I had no idea you'd be here at all."

"You know what, me too. I thought it would be just us." He placed the bag on a tree trunk. "Don't you think our moms are getting too close? They're even deciding on things by themselves now."

You smiled at his sentiment. "I think so too. I wonder what else they're capable of."

Jaemin's father cuts in. "How about setting you up together?"

Both you and Jaemin looked at him with confused expressions. The elder man just laughed heartily and walked away. You both glanced back at each other and laughed.

"Old people are weird."

"Yeah but that's not a really bad idea," he replied so you raised an eyebrow at him. Jaemin just laughed and followed his father so you were left to your own thoughts.

"Ugh, their entire family is weird."

You didn't want to think they were actually serious about setting you up. Jaemin's dad must have been joking so was Jaemin. You hope he was but part of you liked the idea that his parents like you. A good relationship with a lover's family is a plus in your book.

"Pizza?" Jaemin offered, walking over to you with a box in one hand and a foldable chair in the other.

"Thanks," you smiled, taking the box so he could set up his chair next to yours.

"Having fun so far?" he asked after sitting down.

"All I did so far was drive, set up our tent, and sit, so no, not really."

Jaemin chuckled. "Well, the oldies are planning a barbecue party, so that might cheer you up."

"They are?" you asked, gleefully clasping your hands together.

"Yes. That's why we're having mediocre pizza for lunch."

You smiled dreamily, already imagining the taste of barbecue made by Jaemin's parents. Their restaurant was famous for their barbecue and that has been your favorite ever since you first tried it.

"How are you? I heard from Jaehee that you've been swamped with work lately."

"A little," you replied, remembering to thank Jaehee for covering for you. "Just work stuff that I can't escape from. I got the takeouts though, thanks."

"Glad you liked them," he said proudly.

You just smiled and ate your pizza quietly. It seemed like he caught on to your silence because he stopped talking and just ate too. You hated the atmosphere the situation was creating. Awkwardness is your pet peeve but you would rather swallow it than be the one breaking the ice between you and Jaemin. Right now, that's your best coping mechanism.

"I hope you don't mind," he prompted, making you glance at him. That was when you heard soft music playing and noticed the small speaker he placed on the arm of his chair.

You shrugged and quietly continued eating. The song wasn't familiar to you but it had a beautiful tune to it, something you'd find yourself listening to. More of the same songs would play and you're starting to get curious about each one but you couldn't bring yourself to ask him about them. You were determined not to initiate a conversation. But the fourth song was the last straw. You have to know what it was and have it in your playlist!

"Say, Jaemin," you blurted, glancing at him only to find him resting his head on the chair with his eyes closed. You pursed your lips, leaning forward to see if he was asleep, touching his arm ever so carefully. "Jaemin?"

When he didn't move, you realized he really was napping. You sighed and leaned back, enjoying the music and reminding yourself to ask him later. But the peaceful image of him won't leave your mind, so you take a peek at him again. Just one. It won't hurt. One peek was followed by another and then another, and more until you eventually decided to shamelessly stare.

You knew Jaemin was handsome, he had always been. Back in high school, girls would swoon over him. You can't even count the number of times someone gave him gifts and confession letters, one senior even went as far as to write a confession song. At the time, you appreciated his good looks but being a friend that sees him on the regular, you didn't really lose your mind over his smile or his presence. Now, with all these conflicting feelings, you feel like you're seeing him in a different light. Not only are you seeing his actions differently, but you're also starting to swoon over how handsome he is.

You sighed and sat back, shaking your head at yourself.

"Done admiring my beauty?" You heard him say so you sat up straight in surprise, pulse racing in embarrassment. He just chuckled and when you glanced at him, you realized he had caught your reaction.

"Very funny," you goaded, standing up and escaping into a hole—your tent.

When you zipped it up, you saw how he knocked on the fabric of the tent. "Hey, I was just teasing."

You didn't respond and just laid there, taking your phone out to surf the internet and pass the time. You didn't realize you had fallen asleep until your mother slapped your leg to wake you up.

"Mom!" you groaned, lifting your leg to stroke the part where she hit you. "Do you even love me at all?"

"I do that's why I'm telling you to get up. It's getting dark and we need to start preparing food. What kind of camping is spent sleeping inside a tent? You should be out there appreciating nature!" she nagged so you got up, begrudgingly leaving the tent.

You saw that she was right. The sun has started to edge down the horizon and under a tree a few feet from the tents, Jaemin and his family are preparing for dinner. You spared a few minutes to look decent before heading down there to help.

"Y/n, darling. Come taste this sauce," Jaemin's mom was beckoning you over with her hand so you headed straight to her. She took a different spoon and scooped up a bit of the barbecue dip for you to try.

"It's phenomenal, auntie," you chimed truthfully, showing a thumb up. "You always made good food."

She giggled and hit your arm affectionately. "Look at you flattering this old woman."

You just grinned and looked around. "Can I help you with anything?"

Your mom joined in at that moment, pushing you aside. "No, we'll take care of everything here. Go make fire."

"You can't even cook Mom," you teased but Jaemin's mom was shooing you away too.

"Don't worry about us and go make fire. We'll take care of everything here," she insisted so you gave up and turned to the direction of the grill.

"How do I even make a fire?" you mumbled to yourself, picking up a stick and poking the charcoal on the grill. "Ah, I need a lighter."

You turned to ask for a lighter but you bumped into Jaemin's chest, losing your balance on the rocks. He caught your shoulders just before you fell over, laughingly telling you to watch yourself.

"I got the lighter," he chuckled, showing you the object in his hand. You tried to take it from him but his hand flew upwards so you failed to reach it. "I'll do it."

"Your mom told me to make fire," you insisted.

"Well, they told me to do it first," he grinned, gently flicking your forehead before walking past you.

You trailed behind him, awkwardly standing by while he attempted to light up the grill. It didn't even take him long and he never even needed your help so you were about to leave but he held your wrist to stop you. Your heart began to race as you looked down at your joined hands.

"Where are you going? We need to set up the table," he laughed, pulling your arm in the direction of the tents. He let go only when you reached the back of the tents where the cars were parked and you subconsciously touched your wrist where he held it. Opening the trunk of their car, he took out a small foldable table and handed it to you. "It's not heavy."

"Okay," you blurted, taking it in your hands. He pulled out another one before you made your way back to the grilling area. You watched him assemble the tables and helped when he asked for you. After a few minutes, the table has been set up and your parents are calling you over to bring the food.

"Race me to the grill?" Jaemin challenged while you were carefully carrying the tray of meat. He had a pot of what you assumed was stew in his gloved hands.

"No," you shook your head briskly but he was already starting to walk fast. "No, no, hey!"

You ended up racing with him anyway, laughing when he tripped on a small rock and almost spilled the stew. You won the mini-race because he had to walk slowly after the trip.

"That wasn't valid. The race was dangerous," he declared as he placed the pot at the center of the table.

"You lost to me, Na Jaemin. You shouldn't have challenged me if you're going to cheat," you fought back, sticking your tongue out at him.

"The pot was hot."

"And the tray was flat. The meat could fall any minute."

"Don't fight, children," your mother chided as she pushed between you with other dishes in her hands.

"Yeah, you should get along. Your parents are good friends," Jaemin's mom added. His father followed along, laughing heartily while giving the two of you suspiciously happy looks.

"Yes, good friends," your mom repeated before the two of them started giggling giddily.

You scoffed and sat on one of the chairs around the table. "Jaemin and I are good friends too," you said but your mother tutted at you.

"Good friends? Stop being good friends then!" she chided and you felt confused as to why she was suddenly snapping at you.

"You just told us to stop fighting!" you defended, glancing at Jaemin who has now begun grilling the meat with his father.

"Yes, don't fight. But don't just be good friends too," Jaemin's mom insinuated but whatever this code between them was, it totally went over your head.

The meal was nice and hearty, filled with laughter and random conversations that you enjoyed. It was different from when you gathered with your friends. The vibe is more familiar, in a way that it's warmer and cozier and more gratifying. It made your heart swell, especially since the last time you had a family barbecue was when your father was still alive. You're thankful for your mom who brought you along, and even more so to Jaemin's family who made you feel at home with their warmth. Having good food was a bonus too!

"How's work these days, y/n?"

You smiled at Jaemin's mom. "It's fine, auntie. A little tiring but having a job is tiresome in itself."

"I assume so. I won't try to understand because I never had experience working for anyone," she beamed. "Do you ever get a break?"

"Sometimes," you nodded.

"Jaeminie, you should hang out with her from time to time. Show her a good time. She must be sick of just working every day," your mom told Jaemin who was sitting right next to you. The parents occupied every seat except the one beside yours, so you both ended up sitting next to each other.

"I'll try my best, Auntie," he replied politely.

"Don't bother him, Mom. He's busy too and he's been a good neighbour to me so that should be enough."

Jaemin's mom shook her hand at you. "That's not enough. You two should get out often. Eat outside, have a day out, or something. Go on camping trips like this."

"Just the two of us?!" you blurted, surprising everyone, including Jaemin who was just about to put some meat on your plate.

The older ladies exchanged looks and giggled. You scoffed.

"Mom, I don't think that's appropriate," Jaemin stated and you nodded your head at him in agreement.

"Well then, make it appropriate!"

"Yes!"

"That's not how friendships work, Mom. You can't just make it appropriate," you said, quoting in the air.

"Find a way. I'm sure there's something you can do."

You sighed, taking a bite and surrendering from the challenge of arguing with your mom.

"They're telling you to date," his father declared and the cola Jaemin was drinking ended up choking him. He choked so hard, he could barely breathe and the only thing you could do to help was stroke his back and offer him some water. All the while, the parents watched and his father laughed heartily.

"Honey, you can't just jump into them like that!" Jaemin's mother chided softly. "Look, he was so shocked, he's almost dying. We agreed to take it slow."

"Mom," Jaemin chided softly, coughing as he turned to you. "Ignore them."

"Don't ignore us! We're serious!" your mother argued. You rolled your eyes at her.

"We're grown-ups, mom. Who we date is our business," you declared sternly, hopefully putting an end to the topic. But your mothers can't seem to stop talking about it.

"I thought they liked each other," your mom asked.

"That's what I thought too. Jaemin seemed to care for her a lot," his mother added. "Did we read into it too much?"

"Mom, I'm working on it," Jaemin sighed, making you glance at him with wide eyes. He just smiled at you before turning to his parents. "You don't have to intervene. I'll take care of it."

Both of your mothers started teasing you and giggling amongst themselves. You just sat there quietly, staring at your food even when you could feel Jaemin's gaze boring right through you.

You sat on a tree stump by the cliff, staring at the wide scenery in front of you. The air was cold and breezy, blowing in one direction so you had to tie your hair up. Your jacket was thick but your exposed hands were cold due to the air. You kind of regretted leaving the bonfire, but the teasing was starting to get to you and you just wanted to get out of there because you knew they wouldn't stop.

"You alright?" came Jaemin's voice, handing you a mug of warm coffee that you accepted after muttering thanks. He sat next to you. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Why would you tell them that?" you asked straight, giving him a serious look that he noticed right away.

"Because it's true," he replied and you were satisfied that he understood what you meant.

"What do you want from me?" you asked without missing a beat.

The nervousness disappeared from his face, replaced by confusion. "What do I want from you? Nothing. What do you mean by that?"

"Why are you doing this? You're too nice. You're too considerate. I've racked my brain the whole time trying to convince myself that you're just being a nice guy. But then you say things that don't make sense."

"How do they not make sense? I was being honest."

You sighed, frustrated by the whole beating around the bush. "Do you have feelings for me? Do you like me or something?"

"I do."

You laughed derisively, feeling stupid for being confused all this time. "That's all it took for you to admit that? Why didn't you just say that from the get-go, then?"

"How can I? You looked at guys and gagged! You even told a classmate that he's gross for asking you out," he clapped back.

"That was in high school! I was fourteen and— wait. You liked me since high school?"

He just shrugged, looking away while stifling a smile.

"No you don't."

"I do." He sighed. Now he's the one frustrated by your cluelessness. "I know it's hard to believe but it's true. I liked you all these years. It was just a crush. I had no plans to pursue it especially after we became close friends but I liked you. Of course, we drifted apart after high school and of course, I had my eyes on other girls. I dated some of them too. But then I saw you again and maybe it was the nostalgia. Or the familiarity. Or maybe because I liked you for a long time but when you came here, I realized I still have those feelings for you. You've gotten more beautiful, a lot smarter, more mature, but you were still you."

"If you didn't want to pursue me because we're friends, why are you doing it now?"

Jaemin sighed and took a good look at you for a good minute. "Because this time, I thought everything's gonna work out. I'm in love with you, y/n and I'm willing to pursue the possibility that we could be something more."

You sighed, feeling the adrenaline die down as you walked towards the edge of the cliff, holding on to the high railings. You looked into the horizon and quietly lamented on your thoughts. You had no idea how to react to his confession. He seemed nonchalant about it, almost too confident. You wished he would act properly like he meant what he said. You wished he would show it to you instead of just saying it and leaving it at that. But then again, he had been showing it to you all this time, you were just preoccupied with the thought that he was just being friendly.

Jaemin followed you, standing right next to you and looking at the side of your face. "I'm sorry if I confused you. I thought I was being clear. And I'm sorry if you felt like my attention was so sudden. It doesn't really feel that way to me because I've been doing it all these years. The only difference this time was I got rid of my self-restraint. I thought it wouldn't be necessary to tone it down since I'm ready to commit to it, anyway. I had a feeling that it would work out somehow, so I'm trying."

You felt his hand on your arm so you looked down at it before shifting your gaze to his face. He gave you an uncertain smile and you wondered if it was worth risking your friendship for this.

"Well," you began, sighing as you glanced at his hand on your arm again. You let it stay there, seeing how it seemed comfortable resting there like it belonged there. "I'm not really sure how to react about this yet, so, I'm gonna need time to think about this."

Jaemin's smile became wider, reaching his eyes. "You can take your time. I'm not forcing you into anything."

"Thanks, Jaemin," you smiled back.

It was mid-Autumn when it came time for Jeno's wedding. Jaemin was dressed in a neat navy blue suit when he knocked on your door. He had a black turtle neck underneath it and a necklace with a tiny sun pendant. You tried not to check him out. Even his good looks felt different now. Everything else just turns into blurs when you look at him. He just glows differently now that you have both talked about his feelings for you.

"You do what feels right. It sounds cliché but it's the truth. You'll get to that point and then you'll know when it feels right." That is what Seola told you when you sought their advice. You are living by it now. So while you still haven't decided on what to do with the complex feelings between you and Jaemin, you opted to let him be his usual self around you.

"Shall we?"

"I need just three more minutes," you replied briskly, running back into your bedroom. You hastily put on a pair of earrings and double-checked your makeup look. You also checked your purse for anything you might have forgotten. And then when you finally came out, you looked around the house for your phone and found it on the sofa. "Sorry. I was at work and forgot the time."

That was a lie. You arrived from work long ago and you spent one hour on your hair and make-up and another one hour picking out the perfect dress.

You watched him walk straight toward you, eyes looking anywhere but your own. You suddenly felt conscious but you were rooted in place and couldn't move. "What's wrong?" you asked as he inched closer.

"Your dress is unzipped," he replied. You felt your face flare when he said that and remembered you had a hard time zipping it and eventually gave up to finish your makeup first. You were embarrassed but turned around anyway when he offered to zip it up for you.

"I couldn't... I couldn't reach it," you stammered your excuses, worried about what he thinks but he remained quiet. His touch on your clothed shoulder was brief, but it sent a surge of electricity through your body that you knew was caused by your hyper-awareness of your proximity.

"You're missing a necklace." He commented and you instinctively placed a hand on your neck.

"Oh. I couldn't pick the right one," you replied, and then felt him place a necklace around your neck and lock it in place.

"Let me see?" You turned to face him as you also looked down at the necklace dangling around your neck. It was the sun necklace he was wearing just a while ago. He lifted your chin to meet his eyes and he smiled as he held your gaze. You were sure he didn't mean the necklace at all when he said, "There. Beautiful."

He told you to relax before you left your apartment. You were visibly tense and you don't know if Jaemin even knows he's the reason. It's kinda annoying.

The hall was almost full when you got there. After giving the congratulatory money, you were guided to your seat and you found your other friends there.

"You look gorgeous," Hyuck commented as soon as you sat next to him. "You even came in matching outfits, wow. You should have picked me. We'll look good together like that."

Once again, you and Jaemin were matching clothes but you felt it was unnecessary to explain that it wasn't intentional so you didn't and just exchanged smiles with him.

"They've always looked like a couple," said Eunbi, one of your close friends in high school. "They're always wearing matching accessories and outfits back in high school. I'm still mad I lost the bet. We were so sure that you two would end up dating if you weren't already."

"You assumed that just because of clothes?" You quipped.

"Honey, it's rare to just sync perfectly with someone. Not only that. He was so nice to you, it was difficult to say there was nothing special going on. You might have not dated at the time, but I'm sure Jaemin liked you or something."

You couldn't refute it, especially now that you knew Jaemin did have a thing for you back then. He just confessed all of it to you and now you are realizing that you missed all the signs that glared right at you. The topic shifted to Seola who just arrived and received a shower of congratulations from the table.

When the wedding ceremony started, you were in awe of the grandeur of it all. The food was excellent too. After about thirty minutes, it was time to take pictures and you were invited to the platform with all of your friends.

The wedding ended after that and Hyuck managed to gather your common friends for some drinks in a nearby barbecue restaurant. There were drinks and grilled beef and it came as no surprise for anyone on the table that Jaemin was grilling the meat. Of course, you noticed how he grilled meat continuously and stacked all of it on one plate for everyone to share but made sure your own plate right next to him was filled on the regular. You would tug on his shirt to make him eat and he would heed your plea, sitting back down for a moment to eat while the meat was grilling. In between conversations, Jaemin would ask you if the food was good or if you needed to refill your cup. If it wasn't for his confession, you'd see this as his usual kind self. But now you need to keep reminding yourself that he may be kind but he is not as attentive to everyone as he was with you all the time.

"So, Jeno. And then Seola. Who's next?" asked Eunbi, making you look around the table to think about her question.

"Probably Jaemin and miss class president. They were lovey-dovey all night," Sucheol teased, one cheek full of food.

"They would need to date first before they can talk about marriage," Hyuck quipped.

"What? You guys aren't dating?" Sucheol exclaimed brows furrowed in surprise and confusion. "You look like you were!"

Jaemin reached for the grilling plate on their side of the table and started flipping the meat. "Pay attention to the meat and stop blabbering! Your food is burning and it's thanks to Sucheol."

The topic was shifted to Sucheol's clumsiness and you thanked Jaemin for taking you out of the hotseat. He cutely scrunched his nose at you before nudging your shoulder affectionately.

After the mini party, Jaemin drove you back to your apartment. Thankfully, he didn't drink too much. You weren't drunk either but you certainly had a few shots of soju. Maybe it was the liquid courage that made you ask him, but now that you've let it out, you don't regret it.

"When did you start liking me?" you asked when he turned off the engine in the parking lot.

Jaemin glanced at you, evidently surprised by your question but he just chuckled. "When you first walked into our homeroom."

You rolled your eyes at his nonchalance. He didn't even stop to think about it. "You're so cheesy."

"Why are you getting mad? You asked me a question and I answered it," he chuckled and you got even more annoyed because you knew he was teasing you on purpose.

When it seemed like you wouldn't be speaking again, Jaemin laughed and continued. "I kinda hinted a bit over time. But then you said men are gross so I backed out. I still tried to show you that I like you, though. But you obviously missed it because eventually, you started dating Jeno. So I stopped."

"How was I supposed to know you were giving me the special treatment? You should have used your words!"

Jaemin grinned, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I'm a shy guy."

"No, you're not." You took off your seat belt too and got ready to leave the car but the doors were still locked.

"The feelings came back when I saw you at your father's funeral, y/n," he confessed, and suddenly, you felt nervous. "At first I thought I just felt bad for your loss and got it confused with affection but I couldn't stop thinking about you even after months had passed."

You remembered your father's funeral. Your friends were there. Your relatives and family's friends were. Your teachers and friends from Seoul. Even friends that you stopped seeing were there. But all of them left after a while. Every single one, except for Jaemin who sat right next to you, clutching your cold hands tightly to keep them warm. He stayed even when you never once acknowledged his presence, overcome by immense grief that you couldn't even bring yourself to care about the world around you. Jaemin stayed that day and the next day and the next, until you were able to take your first rest and sleep. Until you were able to cry for the first time since your father passed away. Until you have sent your father to his final destination. You remembered that after a week, you sent him a cake to thank him. You had no idea why you chose a cake, you just wanted to thank him in any way.

"I started following you on your social media accounts hoping I could get updates on how you were doing. I tried messaging you several times but I was too shy to send them and I don't know what to say. So I just interacted with you in our group chatrooms. You were rarely there so that was kind of a bummer. I went looking for you when I went back home too, but we never really crossed paths," he continued, smiling fondly as he reminisced. "Then I saw you here. And I was so sure that it wasn't pity. It really was affection."

He fell quiet after that and you literally had nothing to say. When he glanced at you, you noticed his movement so you glanced back at him too. When he smiled, you flashed an awkward grin in response.

"Let's go?" he invited and you nodded. You were quiet the whole walk and even during the elevator ride, not one sound came from the two of you. But when you reached your door and he bade you goodbye, you grabbed his sleeve and asked if he wanted to come in.

You had no idea why you invited him in, it just felt right at that moment. But now, as you sat in the living room with him, you were regretting the invite and were looking for an excuse to send him out. The Nat Geo on your TV wasn't very loud and you could hear the pounding on your chest. Jaemin soon noticed your unease and prompted you.

"Do you want to kiss?"

"Sorry?" you asked, unsure if you heard him right.

"Do you want to kiss?"

You didn't even hesitate at all when you said, "Yes."

He made a move to close the distance between you so you closed your eyes, thinking this would be the kiss but it didn't happen. When you opened them, he was staring at your face at an alarmingly close distance. Smiling, he said, "Here I come."

The first kiss was brief because he was checking to see your reaction first. When you made no sound or movement to protest, he kissed you again, this time deeper, longer, just pressing firmly and sending warmth through your body. When you reached for his cheek, his hand found the back of your head and held it in place before he started moving his mouth over yours. Kissing him didn't feel forced, nor did it feel awkward or messy. You didn't even need to take a few trial and error to practice your rhythm. Kissing him came so naturally that you felt as though you've known his lips for a long time. When he slipped his tongue between your lips, you opened up for him without any hesitation. In no time, you were making out on your sofa, a little tipsy on soju but drunk on his scent and warmth.

He stopped when your hand trailed from his neck to his chest. He looked into your eyes, smiling as he tucked a few strands of hair behind your ear. "Are you okay?"

You bit your lip, craving for more but too nervous to continue. "I don't really want to hook up or anything."

Jaemin chuckled, "We won't silly. We're just kissing." He kissed your forehead before moving away. You grabbed his arm just as he was letting you go and he stopped in his tracks, surprised by your boldness. You were too so you shyly pushed his arm back. He laughed and reached for your hand, pulling you close to him and tucking you between his arms. You rested your head on his chest as his hand gently stroked your shoulder. It felt comfortable in his arms. His fresh smell and steady heartbeat were lulling you to sleep while Nat Geo continued in the background.

"Don't you need to get changed," he softly whispered in your ear as sleepiness threatened to drag you to dreamland. You stirred, slowly rising to your feet as you headed for the bathroom. You stripped out of your clothes and washed up. Cold water on your face definitely helped wake you up a little. After making sure you've erased all your makeup, you clumsily slapped on some skincare products before wrapping yourself in your bathrobe and stepping out. Jaemin was still there and he looked away from the TV when you opened the bathroom door.

"You should get some rest too," you told him and he gave you a nod in response before taking a deep breath and rising to his feet to turn off the TV.

He walked to you and you met him halfway, looking up at him as he placed a hand on your shoulder and the other on your cheek. "See you tomorrow."

"You can stay, you know." You don't even wanna know where the courage came from, but what has been said is done. He just laughs though and says he literally lives one door away. You would have insisted, but you felt shy and just looked away. Jaemin noticed this so he lifted your chin and told you you don't need to do this just because he likes you. "It's not that... I... I want you to stay."

"You want me to sleep over?" he inquired, making sure he was understanding you perfectly.

"Yes." That was all he needed to hear to agree.

He said he needed to go back to his place and change so you agreed. You wondered if he'd come back and thought it would make things easier if he didn't. But a large part of you wished he never left at all so you don't have to worry about him not coming back. You were in the middle of this mental ordeal when he rang your bell and you basically flew to the door, pausing for a moment before opening the door so you don't appear overly eager. He was changed and washed when he appeared, a big smile on his lips. You smiled back and invited him in. As you were heading to your bedroom, you saw him sit on the sofa and yawn while stretching.

"Aren't you sleepy yet?" you asked wondering why he was still sitting there.

"I am. Terribly."

"Then why are you still there?"

Jaemin understood that you want him in your bedroom and he was surprised. "I can't go in there."

"Oh. It's okay. I don't mind."

Ever so perceptive, he walked to you and held your hand. "I can't sleep on the same bed with you because I'm a man who likes you."

"You don't have to feel bad about it. I invited you in. You're not forcing me to do it." you explained but Jaemin still shook his head.

"I would love to but I'd really rather not. I don't trust myself and we're not really in an official relationship yet so even if you allowed me, I would hate to disrespect you like that."

"I see."

He cupped your face and patted your head before telling you he'll see you in the morning. You told him the sheets are in the cabinet and he can help himself. Then you went into your bedroom reeling in extreme embarrassment because it seemed like you were too eager to get in bed with him. You didn't sleep properly that night, just thinking about the whole encounter.

The truth is, you're done contemplating. Ever since the camping trip, you've spent days thinking things over, weighing pros and cons, and just deciding on what to do. You are now sure you liked Jaemin too and you'd love to be in a relationship with someone like him. These past days, you kept thinking of ways to bring it up but nothing seemed to work and you often ended up with more dilemmas than answers. Today, after everything he said, you figured this was the right time, that you would regret it if he left tonight without telling him your feelings. But at the end of the day, you still chickened out, totally embarrassing yourself than clearing things up for good.

On the other hand, Jaemin was lying on the sofa, watching a movie on your TV. Sleepiness escaped him right after you left and he was contemplating which one was a bad idea; declining your offer to sleep in your bedroom, or sleeping here at all. It troubled him that you're right inside the room, so close yet he can't even reach for you. But it was true that he didn't want to disrespect you by doing inappropriate things with you while you weren't together yet. Kissing you made him want to punch himself already although he loved every second of it. Now, he considered it a guilty pleasure.

He sighed as he remembered bits of memories of you. He remembered when you first came into the building. You were distraught the last time you met, but you were still pretty. Now you're even more beautiful and his heart started feeling like a teenager again. At your housewarming, he was wondering what he could bring and found a stash of freshly made side dishes from his mother. The night progressed quickly and he was on hyper-alert while you leaned over to him, seemingly unaware of your close distance. It didn't help that Hyuck kept pushing you until you were flush against him. You smelled good and looked cuter up close. When he went home, Hyuck asked why he was going out again so he explained that you needed help cleaning up. "Liar. You just want to spend more time with her."

Well, Hyuck wasn't wrong, but it was true he really wanted to help you clean up. Things never got better since then, instead, his feelings keep growing stronger for you and it seems as though fate keeps bringing you together.

He sighed for the hundredth time, not even understanding the flick on the TV anymore as thoughts of you filled his mind. As the main leads on the TV kissed, his mind fluttered to the sight of your bare back that morning, the feel of your skin when he put the necklace on for you, and how the lipstick shade you wore earlier matched you so perfectly he had to keep looking away or he'd pull you into a kiss. Then he remembered kissing you; the addictive feeling of your soft lips and the sensation it engulfed him in that felt like a vice—forbidden but good.

"Hey." Your voice made him jolt and glance your way briefly before struggling to change the channel of the TV that was flashing an intimate scene. He fumbled with the remote and ended up increasing the volume as the woman on the screen moaned.

"Shit," he muttered just as he found the off button. You laughed at his flustered face, walking towards the sofa with a pillow in your embrace. He sat up to make room for you and you didn't even hesitate when you sat close to him and leaned on his chest. Jaemin panicked a little, masking it with a chuckle as he reluctantly placed a hand on your shoulder before rubbing it. "You okay?"

"How do you know you like me for real?" was your question. Jaemin genuinely did not know the answer so after a while of thinking, he just shrugged and said he just knew.

You hummed, nuzzling closer as you closed your eyes and inhaled his scent. "That's valid, isn't it?"

"I guess," he replied, pressing his cheek on your head.

"Good," you said. Jaemin sighed, relaxing into the position as his hand left your shoulder to caress your head. "It's good because I like you too. For real. I don't know how I know, but I just do," you added.

Jaemin smiled to himself, his hold of your head getting tighter as his heart evened its pace. "That's valid, isn't it?" he asked back so you smiled, eyes closing as you fell asleep.

"I guess." Who knew that the reason you couldn't fall asleep would also be the solution to the problem?

"So, how would you feel if I asked you to be my girlfriend?"

You chuckled sleepily, eyes still closed but his question sounded ridiculous to you. "That's not how you get the girl, Na Jaemin."

Jaemin laughed too. "Would you like to be my girlfriend, y/n?"

You smiled, looking up and kissing his cheek. "Let's get to bed, Jaemin."

You woke up in your bed the next morning, the other side was empty but it was warm, a clear telling that someone was there before. You wondered where Jaemin was until the smell of food coming in through the small opening of your door permeated inside the room. When you rose from bed, you felt conscious of your face and your morning hair so you discreetly went out, sneaking into the bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth. You were in your tiptoes as you tried to go back to your bedroom but Jaemin called your name.

"Did you sleep well?" You stopped in your tracks, forcing out a grin as he smiled at you. He was setting food on the table and you approached because there was nothing else to do.

"Yeah. Did you?"

He grinned at you. "Best sleep I had in a long time."

You rolled your eyes even though it made your heart flutter.

"Sorry for going through your pantry. We both have work so I thought I'd make breakfast before we leave," he explained but you just waved your hand dismissively.

"Feel free. It's fine as long as I get breakfast made by my favorite chef." You saw how he stopped dead in his tracks while mixing the food he was cooking and his ears turned extremely red. You giggled contentedly. Jaemin just cleared his throat and continued his task. It's a bit forward, but it felt good to just be yourself around him, honest with no restraints.

Breakfast was hearty and surprisingly a lot just for the two of you. Jaemin encouraged you to eat a lot, putting more food in your bowl of rice.

"Do I look starved? Why are you giving me so much food," you complained, putting the eggrolls back on the plate.

Jaemin just placed them back in your bowl. "Just eat. Breakfast is good for you. I have reason to believe you skip breakfast every morning."

"What reason?" you asked, taking your chopsticks to your bowl to remove the eggrolls again.

Jaemin tutted and stopped you from taking the food out. "Just eat."

"So much for having a chef boyfriend," you complained, taking a bite out of the egg. Your eyes lit up when the taste filled your mouth. "This is good!"

"You like it? Great. Finish it so you'll have energy at work."

Jaemin was right. You mostly skipped breakfast and relied on sandwiches or the cookies he would give you when you went to his cafe. You rarely have time for it and even if you do, you hated eating bad food, which was usually the case with your cooking.

After breakfast, you and Jaemin cuddled on the sofa for a long time, giggling and kissing like teenagers. You stopped only when your alarm went off, signaling that it was time to get ready for work.

"Aw," you complained, nuzzling against Jaemin's chest.

"Come on, let's go. I'll come over after work."

"Fine," you sighed, standing up and trekking to your bathroom.

"Wait." He grabbed your wrist and pulled you into a quick kiss. "Can I pick you up?"

"You never asked me that when you would go pick me up before."

He chuckled. "Well, I was trying to be cool that time."

"You can also drive me there, you know."

"I know, but I'm going out of town for a bit to buy some produce. I'll be back before you clock out though."

"Okay."

"Okay," he chimed, swooping in for another kiss. "See you later."

You walked him to the door before bidding him goodbye. He even stole another kiss before leaving and it made you chuckle. Yesterday you were still conflicted about the whole situation with Jaemin, now you can't even take your hands off of each other. You wondered if it was better if you had both decided to do this a long time ago.

"You guys are definitely dating," Jaehee noted when you all came down after work and Jaemin was outside the building waiting for you in his car.

Yunseo chimed in. "Totally."

You just chuckled. "We are."

"Really?" Yunseo exclaimed before she and Jaehee exchanged looks and shrieked.

"Shush, girls," you chided softly, bowing at the random people who were startled by the girls. "It hasn't been that long."

"Doesn't matter. It should have happened a long time ago!" Jaehee giggled.

You didn't notice Jaemin get out of his car and make his way to you. "Hi, ladies."

"Hi, Chef Jaemin," the girls greeted while you were frozen because Jaemin just casually placed a hand on your waist.

"Did you make plans today? I can just leave you to it," he asked, turning to you for an answer.

"No, we're all heading home now." You turned to Yunseo and Jaehee who both nodded. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you! Bye, Chef!"

Jaemin tugged on your waist, gesturing for you to go get in the car so you followed his lead. As soon as both of you were seated, he leaned over you for a kiss. One that was long and strained, you could almost feel his frustration with the way he's pulling the back of your neck. You couldn't help but giggle.

"What was that for?"

Jaemin sighed. "I missed you."

You almost choked at his unbridled honesty so you cleared your throat and straightened up in your seat.

"And I was just making sure it's real," he added.

"What is?"

"All of this."

"We haven't done much as a couple yet."

"Yes, but it's kind of overwhelming to me right now. You know, dating you after a long time." He paused, reaching for your hand on your thigh and kissing your knuckles before intertwining them with his own. "It feels new but familiar too."

You cracked a smile, reaching for his cheek to stroke it. "I know. It's weird. But the good kind of weird. I love it."

"I love you," he said and that made you stop stroking his skin. "I have for a while now."

"How are you so quick to decide that?"

Jaemin chuckled and turned on his engine, not letting go of your hand. "I didn't decide it. It just happened."

The drive was smooth, filled with soft music from his speakers and casual conversations about random things. When he pulled over on the side of the road, you realized how long he had been driving so you looked outside the window to see that you'd reached a hilltop. It was a popular spot that overlooks the downtown area of the city. If you go higher up, you'll be able to see a panoramic view of Seoul.

"Oh wow," you exclaimed, rolling your windows down to get a better look. "I've always wanted to come here!"

"Really? Why didn't you?"

You glanced back at him, also wondering the same question. When you realized that you actually didn't know why, you just shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because I didn't want to come by myself?"

Jaemin grinned, turning off the car. "Well, you're in luck. I'm taking you here on our first date," he said before getting out of the car.

"First date?" the thought made your cheeks feel warm and you sat there feeling your heart pound wildly in your chest. When the door on your side of the car opened, you accepted the hand Jaemin offered you and let him lead you out.

The sky was clear and the air gave a cold chill that pierced your skin. But Jaemin's hand was warm so you inched closer to him, hoping to share his warmth. He noticed you nuzzling and pulled you by the shoulder so you were snug against him. Then he led you all the way into one of the buildings.

At the entrance, he told the staff about a reservation under his name. After a quick check, another staff came to guide you inside. A little walk, an elevator ride, and a staircase, you reached the rooftop restaurant of the place where you could see the cityscape. You gasped quietly, heading over to the banisters for a better look.

"What do you think?" Jaemin asked, standing close to you and placing one arm around your shoulders.

"I think it's cold," you giggled, pressing your body closer to his. He moved to wrap both of his arms around you until he was hugging you from behind. You looked up to meet his eyes. "But it's really pretty. I love it."

Jaemin planted a kiss on your forehead before letting you go. "Should we take a picture before we go inside?"

"Okay!"

He took out his phone and pulled you for a selfie. After snapping a few pictures of you together, you told him to stand there so you could take solo pictures of him with your phone. A few more pictures later, your hands were feeling the cold so you both headed inside the rooftop restaurant.

You scrolled through your gallery for the nth time today. Just over three months in your relationship and your camera roll is already filled with pictures of each other. Your roll mostly consists of handsome pictures of him but you know damn well he kept more of yours, even the ugly ones he would randomly capture when you're not looking or when you're doing something silly. It was annoying at first but he would always insist that he liked seeing them more than your decent ones. Even saying that those pictures make him feel like you're right there next to him.

You sighed, wondering if he was looking at those pictures right now. He had been gone for five days already, attending a training seminar for chefs in a far-away province by the east coast. When he first left, you told him you won't miss him that much. It's only for a week and ever since you started dating, you've seen each other every single day without fail. So a few days of being away shouldn't hurt, right?

Wrong. It hurts like hell. So you kept texting each other. It helps that you have all the time to chat and talk over the phone when you get home. He's learning a lot over there and you know that this will help him with his business so you were proud that he even registered for it. But now you kinda wished you never got him that registration form in the first place.

You sighed, closing your phone and putting it face-down on the desk.

Yunseo saw this and scoffed. "Woojin, how many times has it been?"

Woojin stirred in his seat. He had fallen asleep and panicked when Yunseo called his name. "Huh?"

"Eonnie has sighed for how many times today?"

Woojin swallowed and shook his head uncertainly. "I–I lost count."

Yunseo glared at him and grimaced. "That's because you're sleeping! You better not let Mr. Jung catch you!"

"There's nothing to do around here! We can't even leave!" Woojin complained, melting in his chair again.

Jaehee limply laid her head on her desk and sighed. "It's been three days without work. Are we getting laid off?"

Yunseo's shoulders sagged. "We might as well be at this point. Did XO Foods really pull out of the company?"

"No, they didn't," the voice of your Team Leader coming from the door made all of them sit up, except for you who was still staring at the window. "They're just being moved to another team."

Mr Jung paused when he noticed your dazed expression. "What's wrong with her?"

"She misses her boyfriend," Yunseo teased. Mr. Jung shook his head and dropped the folder he was holding on your desk. This made you jolt and look down at it, then look up at your Team Leader.

"Look alive team, we've gotten too good for XO Foods. We've been reassigned to ABC Company."

You gasped while the rest of your coworkers cheered happily. ABC Company is also a food brand but with a bigger reach and influence over the market. Working to market them won't be difficult as they are already popular. It's an extra workload to keep up with their popularity, for sure, but it also means a higher pay grade.

The good news cheered you up and your team went out to celebrate with some drinks and barbecue. After that, you arrived at your house late into the night, feeling tired but satisfied with how the day went.

You dragged yourself into the bathroom to take a long shower. The restaurant was a little humid so you were sweating the whole time and you would rather not sleep at all than go to bed feeling icky. After wiping yourself dry, you didn't even bother to wrap yourself in a towel when you stepped out. But when you rounded the living room, you heard the sound of glass falling on the floor and breaking. That startled you and seeing the figure of a man in your kitchen made you scream and crouch on the floor, aware of how naked you were and terrified of finding a stranger in your home.

"Get the hell out of my house or I'm calling the police!" you screamed at him but you heard his footsteps approach so you curled up and hid your face between your knees.

"Hey! Hey!" came Jaemin's voice. "Baby, it's me. It's just me."

"Jaemin?" you croaked, looking up at him. You felt something warm drape over you and found that he had covered you with his coat. "What are you doing here? You scared me!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. You kinda scared me too, coming out of the bathroom like that." He helped you up, wrapping you with his coat so you don't expose yourself.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?"

"Well, I did. I texted you that I was coming. I even called but you didn't pick up."

"I was in the shower."

"Yeah, I realized that when I arrived and the shower was running. I first thought you were still out so I just came straight here and then you..." he looked at the state of you and sighed. "God, you're driving me crazy."

"I'm driving you crazy? You're the one acting like some burglar and walking around with the lights off!"

"I wanted to surprise you! I didn't know you would walk out of the bathroom butt-naked!"

You laughed then apologized and stopped. But you couldn't help laughing again.

"What's so funny?"

"You are! You said butt-naked."

Jaemin scoffed. "You think that's funny?"

"No, just the way you said it."

"Oh yeah? I bet you think this is funny too," he said before grabbing a handful of your clothed ass and squeezing it. You shrieked and ran away. Hiding into your bedroom and locking the door. Jaemin pounded on the door. "I haven't broken down a door but I might try!"

You just laughed and got dressed quickly. When you opened up, he was grimacing at your fully clothed appearance. "Go take a bath or something."

"Yeah, but I need my clothes," he retorted, gently pushing you aside to go to the closet. You're not living together yet, but he has slept over plenty of times and he now has clothes in your closet. You have a few clothes over at his house too along with some other stuff. He pulled a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before leaving for the bathroom. In the meantime, you went to the kitchen for a drink and found a paper bag with a bouquet of flowers in it. You opened it and took out its contents one by one. The bouquet was small and came with a box of chocolates and a small velvet box.

You freaked upon finding the box. Wondering what was inside of it. Your mind was quick to imagine him proposing, then holding a wedding, and getting married, and all that stuff. You pondered on the idea of spending your life with him and contemplated whether you were ready to step into that phase of your relationship. Your mind went into a spiral of emotions while staring at the box but you dared not to open it, scared to confirm your suspicion despite feeling extremely curious.

Then you felt Jaemin's presence behind you before feeling the weight of his chin on your shoulder. His hair was damp against your cheek but you didn't mind. He took the box from your hand and opened it. You almost closed your eyes but it opened up quickly.

"Earrings?" you pointed out, touching the small diamond stud earrings.

"Yeah," he replied and you could hear the smile in his voice. "I saw Jaehee's post online. You were out tonight for a celebration. I don't know what it was yet but I would hate to come home empty-handed."

"They're beautiful."

"I picked them with you in mind," he said proudly. "A pretty last-minute purchase but I took my time to find something you'd like."

You glanced back at him, your noses almost touching. "Thank you. For a second, I thought you'd propose to me."

Jaemin shrugged. "A little early for that, but I will eventually. Though it won't be like this."

You giggled. "Am I to expect something grand?"

"If I tell you, it won't feel as fulfilling as we hope it would."

"Hmm, that's fair."

You managed to convince him to let you eat a few pieces of chocolates before bed, though he never stopped reminding you to brush your teeth after. So you slipped one in his mouth to shut him up.

"Now you have to brush your teeth too." You stuck your tongue out while he begrudgingly ate the chocolate.

"It's actually good."

"Right?" you beamed, tucking the box away after taking one last piece.

Your bathroom was spacious but it felt cramped with the two of you in it. His hand was holding on the sink for support while you stood and stared at yourself in the mirror as you brushed your teeth. He noticed that and smirked.

"You like watching yourself brush?" he asked and you scowled.

"No, but where else would I look?"

Jaemin looked over his shoulder and then back at you. "My butt," he said before wiggling his ass.

You laughed and cleaned your mouth before slapping his ass. "Stop saying butt. It sounds funny when you say it."

"Butt, butt, butt, butt," he teased so you went and grabbed his buttocks. He jolted when you squeezed it and he turned to face you. "Hey!"

"What? You did it to me first!"

He sighed and rinsed his mouth before putting his toothbrush away and facing you again.

"Did you even miss me at all?"

"Oh, I missed you a lot. But how are you back so soon?"

He leaned on the sink and pulled you by the waist so you were flush against his waist. "The seminar was only for five days. The extra two days is for sightseeing or going to markets but I don't think it would be fun."

"Why not? You like the market."

"I really just wanted to come home to you as soon as possible," he replied, lifting your chin and kissing your lips. "I missed you every day."

"I missed you too, every single day. Five days felt so long. I wasn't expecting that!" you complained while Jaemin affectionately rubbed his nose on yours.

"Me too," he said before kissing you again, this time, he grabbed your waist tighter, pulling you closer as if your bodies weren't pressed against each other already. With a swift movement, he lifted you off your feet and brought you back into the bedroom.

He sat with you on his lap, still kissing you with sweet abandon. You took the initiative to straddle his lap for a better kissing position. His hand traveled the length of your back, the other holding your head in place. When his kisses trailed down your neck, you felt goosebumps all over your skin that made you jolt a little, unintentionally bucking your hips against his crotch. Jaemin nipped on your skin but the gasp that escaped you made him suck harder. You let out a moan, amazed at how the pain clearly translated into pleasure. You found yourself grinding on his hips but as soon as you felt the hardness between your legs, you jumped off him in surprise.

Jaemin looks at you with half-lidded eyes, surprised but still a little drunk on the makeout. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing. I'm... I'm just sleepy."

"Oh," Jaemin sighed, disappointment was evident on his face but he still smiled at you. "Okay. Let's get some sleep."

He opened up his arms to welcome you and you tried not to let your eyes wander to his crotch. You lay with your back facing him so he would spoon you and he did just that, kissing the back of your head before closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Jaemin."

"Goodnight, baby. I love you."

"I love you," you echoed.

This wasn't the first time you backed out on the possibility of making love with Jaemin. Sometimes you think he had gotten used to it too because never once did he force you to do it. He doesn't even bring it up. You loved cuddling with him and you loved it even more when you made out. But having sex scared you as much as you craved it. You're totally not a 26-year-old virgin, you've had a few experiences. But ever since dating Jaemin, you felt ashamed to share your intimate secrets with him. That was actually why he was so shocked to see you naked. He's never made you feel inadequate or insecure. In fact, he always made you feel like you're the only girl he'll ever worship, the most beautiful of all. Maybe that's why letting him explore you to the very core scared you a little bit. He loves you so much that he thinks so highly of you. What if you disappoint him when you finally have sex?

Your thoughts were muddled the whole time you were lying there. You don't even know how much time has passed. His warmth was comforting behind you and his arm wasn't heavy at all. You thought this would put you to sleep like it always did, but right now your body wasn't just warm, it was hot. Jaemin's breath on your bare neck and the sound of his breathing wasn't helping your case. You forced your eyes close, hoping that sleep would just take over you soon enough but you remained restless, moving ever so slightly to make sure you don't wake him.

It must have failed because Jaemin eventually exhaled sharply and pulled you a little closer to him. You shifted to find a better position but the movement caused your ass to brush against his crotch. You froze, feeling warmer where your lower bodies were barely touching than your back that was literally pressed on his chest. In an attempt to get your ass further away, you moved again, but this time, he pulled your waist and your ass was flush against his. He shifted a little, and you felt his muscle getting harder until you were well aware of its length. You pressed your ass closer to him, this time, intentionally. The contact made him jolt back and groan at the same time and you couldn't help but gasp and close your eyes at how good he sounded in your ear. Feeling bolder, you grind your ass against his erection again, making him buck away.

Then you felt his head move to kiss your ear as he whispered, "Naughty."

You felt shy and wanted to explain that it was an accident at first. But instead of that, what you did was grind your ass on his crotch again. He humped you back, pressing his cock on the crack of your ass. You felt wetness gather in your underwear as you tilted your head back. "Jaemin."

"Hmmh?"

Damn, even that sound was driving you to the edge. But you knew he wouldn't act on it. You knew he would never dare even if the tension was this bad. So you decided to plead. "I want you. Please?"

Your begging made him hump harder and groan a little louder as his hand that was on your waist moved to cup your clothed core. "Oh, baby. You're driving me nuts."

The only nut you wanted right now was his on your skin.

You woke up feeling sore, the spot next to you empty except for Jaemin's shirt which you knew he had discarded the night before. You grinned upon remembering what happened last night. You don't even need to look under the sheets to know you're still naked underneath it, except for your underwear. You grabbed his shirt and slid into it before leaving the room.

Like usual, Jaemin was in his spot in the kitchen, preparing a hefty breakfast. You were convinced he's motivated to fatten you up and you were sure you've put on a little bit of weight despite your efforts to exercise. He saw you and smiled but then he saw his shirt on you and smiled even wider. "Was your sleep good?"

You wrapped your arms around his waist as he finished transferring the food from the pan to the plate. "No. I'm tired." You followed even as he placed the plate on the table.

"Sorry. Was I too much?"

You shook your head. "10 out of 10, will do it again."

He chuckled and set the final plate on the table with you still attached to his waist. "You were too beautiful. I couldn't help it," he said before suddenly lifting you off your feet and setting you flat on the countertop. You shrieked and giggled as he looked up at you with a grin. None of you said anything, he just quietly looked into your eyes and studied the features of your face.

"What?"

"Good morning," he said before kissing you, deeply, passionately. Your hands found his neck and you made out on your countertop for a good minute before he pulled away first. "I made breakfast."

"I can see that."

"Can I eat you first though?"

You blushed and stuttered. "Hey, how are you like this already?"

"Like what?"

"Like this. Perverted and loud about it."

He just shrugged and pressed his erection between your thighs. The contact made you gasp. "I've always been like this. I was just holding back."

You rolled your eyes and tapped his shoulders. "Let's not let the food wait."

He flashed a naughty grin and cocked an eyebrow at you. "Oh? Does my food hate waiting?"

"Stop," you chided shyly, hitting his chest before getting off the countertop. "I'm still tired. Give me a break."

"Like, two hours?" he persisted, sliding on the seat next to you and leaning his head on your shoulder.

"Na Jaemin!" you scolded so he straightened up.

"Yep."

You just shook your head in disbelief. Now you understand why people say sex changes relationships. But you're not complaining because Na Jaemin is more obsessed with you now than he already was before.

[fin]

[once-upon-an-imagine]

Hello again!

I have another idea for a dialogue if you're still looking for some.

It's for Wolfstar.

So... it's the reader's birthday, and they want to surprise her, they do and she starts to cry because no one has ever done anything like that for her, they start to freak out because of course they don't understand yet, but she explain and it's the sweetest moment 🥰

(This is basically because I haven't celebrated my birthday in years because I have no friends at all, and I need some cute wolfstar cuteness... this was sad... sorry bye 😅)

yeees! this is so precious! 🥰 also, I never celebrate my birthday either, we should celebrate our unbirthdays together 😬 Warnings: none :D pure fluff Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter 😊 gifs aren’t mine 😁

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Happy Birthday

You woke up, stretching your body, hoping to find at least one of your boyfriends next to you, but the bed was completely empty. You frowned your eyebrows a little confused, until you heard them on the other side of the door of the apartment you had been sharing for a few months now.

"Sirius! Would you stop doing that? You're going to burn yourself!"

"But I want to help you!"

You chuckled softly when you heard Sirius whine and you slowly got out of bed. When you stepped outside of your room and into the living room, you could see your two boyfriends arguing in the middle of the kitchen. The entire place was fully decorated, breakfast almost ready for the three of you, balloons filled with helium adorning the ceiling, your favorite music playing, a mountain of presents in the corner, and your favorite flowers in every room of the house, with a trace of petals coming from the doorway where you were standing to your room. Remus and Sirius heard the door being opened and look back to see you standing there, bewildered.

"Happy birthday, love!" they yelled with the biggest smiles on their faces. Both of them with flour, chocolate, pancake batter, and whatever other ingredient you could think of all over their faces.

And the only thing you could do was cry. You didn't mean to. Your eyes started welling up and before you could say anything, tears started streaming down your face.

"Princess?" Sirius asked, freaking out before slapping Remus' arm. "I told you the balloons were too much!"

"Stop it, that's not what this is" Remus rolled his eyes, walking towards you. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Do you hate the balloons?" Sirius asked, worriedly.

"Enough with the balloons!" Remus glared at him.

"N-no, it's not the b-balloons" you assured them as tears kept falling down your cheeks even if you tried to stop them.

"What's wrong, princess?" Sirius asked as he and Remus grabbed your hand and walked you over to the sofa.

"I'm sorry" you said, wiping away a few tears, only for new ones to come. "N-nothing is wrong" you assured them, grabbing their hands in yours. "It's perfect" you smiled through your tears. "E-everything is perfect, this is just- it's so..." your words got caught up in your throat. "I wasn't expecting you guys to-"

"To what? Remember your birthday? C'mon, love, give us a little credit, we never forget your birthday" Remus chuckled a little.

"No, I know" you laughed a little. "You always remember, even if I've always told you I've never liked my birthday" you told them. "Y-you didn't have to do all this" you said, pointing at everything around you.

"Well, we know we didn't have to, but... we wanted to spoil you today" Sirius said, kissing your cheek. "We know you've never wanted us to make a big fuss about your birthday but... we want to make a big fuss about you" he insisted.

"When I was little... I used to like my birthday" you started explaining. "But when I turned eight, after dinner, my parents sat me down and told me they were breaking up. I thought they were kidding, but then I saw a suitcase out of the corner of my eye. In the hallway. My dad moved out that night. And my mom never really wanted to celebrate my birthday after that" you said with a few tears escaping your eyes. "To be honest, neither did I so... I started spending my birthdays alone after that" you admitted.

"I'm really sorry, sweetheart" Remus said, pulling you closer to him. You have never told them why you didn't like your birthday and they never wanted to push you. "But you're not alone anymore and... if it's okay with you, we would like to celebrate your birthday like you deserve" he said, kissing your temple as Sirius kissed your hand.

"I would really like that" you said, truthfully. You had spent too much time being by yourself and making your birthday a sad day. Sirius and Remus had always made you feel incredibly loved and now you couldn't think of spending your special day any other way. "I love you two so much" you said, giving each one of them a peck on the lips.

"We love you two" the to of them said before peppering your face with kisses.

"I would still get rid of the balloons if you want me to" Sirius said, earning a smack on the head from Remus.

"Stop it, Siri, I love them" you insisted, before you frowned. "Um... is something burning?"

"MY WAFFLES!"

The End

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A/N: hope you loves liked it!

[daydreamgoddess14]

Everything More Than Anything pt. 3

Sydney Adamu x Carmy Berzatto - R rated 🔥 (not this chapter - boooo!)

Full Masterlist

Sydcarmy Masterlist

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Who wants to spend 7 hours at the hospital?!

(I just said to myself that if I post this chapter then I really, really need to get my ass moving on Chapter 4... and then proceeded to post this so I'm going to get on with 4 now, promise!)

~~~~~

Chapter 3

They drove in silence towards the hospital, Syd’s head immediately beginning to refill with restaurant stuff and now also Carmy stuff. She could feel his eyes on her as he kept looking over to her. His phone buzzed in the center console, 

"Would you mind checking that?" He asked. She picked it up, 

"Looks like it's from Pete?"

"Passcode is 1234."

"Wow, you're crying out to get mugged, dude."

"I have no money and nothing to hide, so," he shrugged with a wry smile as she unlocked his phone. 

"Pete said 'nothing happening just yet but Nat needs Mountain Dew and Reeses.' Girl, I hear you."

"There's a 24 hour place near the hospital." The car lurched to the left, "the fuck?" Carmy pulled over and jumped out. Syd heard a dull thud on the roof as Carmy’s hand whacked the metal. She nudged the window down, 

"You good?"

"We got a flat. I need to call trip A." She stepped out of the car, 

"Do you have a spare?"

"Not a fucking clue, Richie's probably sold it." She opened the trunk, cleared away some of the crap inside and lifted the carpet panel. She held her breath and could feel Carmy doing the same next to her. Tucked into the recess, she was relieved to see the spare tire, a jack and a wrench.

"Thank fuck he didn't." She sighed. He pulled the tire out and they got to work replacing the flat. 

"You know how to do this?" He asked, impressed. 

"OK, so quick story time, my mom and dad went on a date once - like they hadn't been dating for long, and he got a flat. He had no clue what he was doing so he made out like it was something serious," He jacked the car up while she loosened the bolts, "she got out the car, changed the flat in, like, seconds and then got back in as if nothin' had happened. My dad was totally stunned," he pulled the flat off and she replaced it with the spare, "her dad was a mechanic and he had no idea. So once he'd learned how to do it himself, dad made sure I knew how to do it as well." Carmy tightened the bolts.

"Sounds like she made a big impression on him."

"She did. There's never been anyone else for him, even after all this time." They jumped back into the car and Carmy eased back onto the road. 

"No one from his dance classes?"

"Dance classes, quiz team, poker nights, work, family friends… you name it. He refuses to be set up with anyone. He says I'm like her."

"Determined?"

"Good at changing a flat." She joked. Within minutes, he'd pulled up at the 24 hour store. Syd piled handfuls of candy and sodas into his arms as he followed her around the store, noting that she'd picked up both of their favorites as well as Nat's. "Right, let's go wait for your niece or nephew to be fashionably late?"

~~~~~

Fashionably late was an understatement. Syd was certain that she'd sat in the cold, uncomfortable plastic chairs for so long that she'd imagined everything that had happened in the office. It was all some sleep deprived fever dream her mind had conjured up to taunt her with. Fueled by sour gummy sweets, she'd arranged for Tina and Connor to run prep that morning. If the baby hadn't arrived before lunch service, she'd planned to take Carmy's car to the restaurant and work alongside Richie. The evening would have to wait until later to figure out. While she tried to decide if the images in her mind from earlier were a dream or a memory, she felt him stir next to her in the seat. His head had fallen into the curve of her neck while he'd slept. She felt the brush of his nose behind her ear, followed by a kiss. 

"D'ya sleep?"

"No. I sorted out tomorrow. Today. Whatever, it's covered til this evening at least and I'll burn that bridge when I get to it." He slumped in the chair and checked messages from Richie asking for an update. 

"Richie?"

"I spoke to him while you were asleep, he knows what's happening. Can I ask you something?" He turned to face her, a small nod urging her to continue. "Were you really coming to see me that night?" A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 

"Yeah. I uh, I'd been thinking since the walk-in about How good we were. How good you were. Or are now, I guess. I was gonna go all in on," he gestured between them, "all of this - the restaurant, the stars. I needed you to know that you have my full focus."

"At 3am?"

"It was important to me that you knew."

"Looks like we were on the same page." 

"As usual. You should sleep. I'll see if Pete wants to switch." He yawned. 

"I'm OK. You wanna go change, take a shower?"

"With you?" He asked, hopefully. 

"Alone. For now. If Pete needs a break too, someone needs to be here for Nat." She smiled shyly. "But, y’know, good to know that earlier wasn't some weird fucking delirious dream."

"I'm gonna need to hear more about these dreams -" 

"Hey guys, Nat's asked me to take a break. I’m stressing her out." Pete came out with a tired smile before Carmy could say anymore. 

"You need to eat something, and you need to sleep for a couple hours." Syd told him

"Ahh I don't want to leave her for too long." 

"You don't have to," Carmy assured him. "I'll get you back here in an hour if you wanna skip the sleep part?" He looked torn.

"Dude, you can't look after Nat if you're starving and exhausted." Syd warned him. 

"You're right. And you'll stay?"

"I'm not going anywhere." She promised. 

"I'll go tell her." He said gratefully. When they'd been left alone again, Carmy turned to Syd.

"Sure you're good to stay? Thought you hated hospitals?"

"Well turns out the Berzatto's are very persuasive."

"We can be."

"And Nat has called me a genius before so I feel like she already likes me more than you." 

“That’s guaranteed. You don’t piss her off half as much as I do.” He checked over her shoulder for Pete’s reappearance before kissing her softly. “You need anything?” As if on command, her stomach rumbled loudly. 

“Food, please.” She sniggered, hiding her face in his collar. “What time is it? What meal is it?” She checked her phone to see 4am glaring at her.

“I’ll find you something, I’ll be back with breakfast.” He gave her some space as Pete returned with his coat, barely noticing their proximity.

“OK, let’s make this quick.” He sighed, “thanks Sydney.”

“No problem, Pete. I’ll see you guys later.” She went straight in to Nat, not wanting to leave her on her own purely so she could watch Carmy leave.

~~~~~

The tired blond smiled as she entered, but the toll of the evening was written all over her face. “Oh, Nat.” Syd sighed. “How you holding up?”

“Thank god you’re here. Pete’s great but I need to vent and he’s just being too nice. I feel like I can’t even yell at him, it’s like kicking a puppy.”

“I’m all yours, have at it.”

“I fucking hurt all over and I’m so fucking tired and I swear to god if someone doesn’t pull this baby from my fucking body right now then it can just fucking stay there and I’ll go back to work and it just stays there forever.” She growled as another contraction gripped her.

“Wow. OK, if that’s what you wanna do then I’ll bust you outta here right now. We’ll get back to work, help Tina with prep and get you serving tables by lunchtime?” Nat glared at her. “Can you even get up? Will they let you?”

“I’m not really clear on what I can do, no one is telling me anything except ‘be patient, baby will get here when they’re ready’. Be patient? Be fucking patient?”

“Are you hooked up to any machines or anything?” Syd looked around the bed but couldn’t see anything. “Doesn’t look like it. Wanna go for a walk?” Nat looked up suddenly,

“Really? Pete didn’t think it was a good idea.” She frowned.

“Your body, your rules. What’s it telling you?” 

“To stretch my legs.”

“So let's do it.” Syd held out her hands and Nat turned on the bed so that her feet hung over the side. She wiggled further forward on the bed, hanging onto Syd’s hands until her wooly socked feet hit the ground. She beamed at Syd, instantly looking more relaxed. “There’s the Nat I know. Come on, we’ll just have a little walk around this little area.” Syd propped open the door with a chair and held out her arm for Nat to take her elbow. They walked slowly through the deserted corridors to the elevators, past the nurses station, to the vending machines and back again doing a little loop. They paused occasionally for Nat’s contractions, but she didn’t want to stop. 

“Thought you were gonna get bed sores from sittin’ down all day!” A nurse called out as she passed them on their third loop. 

“I ditched the overprotective husband for an hour.” Nat smiled.

“Told you a walk would feel good. I was about to come and get you up anyway. Mind if I have a feel?” She gestured to Nat’s bump, Nat shrugged in agreement as the nurse placed her firm hands on Nat’s stomach. “Feels good, I think baby will be a little more energized after a walk.” She confirmed. “Head back if you feel unwell, I’m not birthing this baby in a corridor though, yeah?” Nat agreed and they carried on walking.

“How’s it feel?” Syd asked.

“Y’know Christmas?” Nat grimaced as they paused again, 

“Uhh yeah?”

“When you have to move fucking everything in your house to make room for a gigantic fucking tree that just sits there for weeks and then you have to get rid of it and put all the furniture back to where it was before?”

“Yeah?”

“Like that.”

“That’s fucked, Nat.” Syd laughed. Her loud laugh in the quiet corridor made Nat laugh until she was doubled over and clinging to Syd. 

“Oww! Fuck, OK no more laughing.”

“Yep, no more. Wanna head back to bed?”

“Yeah, time to take this fucking Christmas tree down.” They giggled as Syd guided Nat back past the elevators and to her room. Back in the room, Nat spotted a yoga ball that had been shoved in a corner, “lemme at that thing.” Syd placed it behind Nat and held it in place with her feet, using her hands to guide Nat to sit on the ball. She bounced gently on the spot,

“Yeah?” “Yeah, feels good.”

“Good. Let’s hope that was a good enough eviction notice.” They talked quietly while Nat bounced on the birthing ball, with Syd explaining the plans for the fall menu and the expected visit from Luca. 

“He’s cute, if I remember correctly?” Nat asked, distracting herself from the pain of another contraction.

“I’ve seen him once on a video call with Marcus, but he’s not bad I guess? Those are getting much closer together by the way.”

“Yeah they are. Is he single?” 

“How the hell should I know, Nat?” Syd laughed, checking the time on her phone against Nat’s contractions.

“I’m just pointing out that you don’t need to live like a nun! It’s still months before we’ll hear anything about the Michelin guide or James Beard. Months is plenty long enough for you to relax a little.”

“Every two minutes. I’m not gonna take my eye off the ball. Not a chance. He’s here for a week, I don’t have the energy to be not-dating someone who lives in Denmark.” 

“It’d be a shame to let that kinda cute pass you by?” Nat giggled, pausing halfway through for a contraction.

“Who’s cute?” Pete asked, coming through the open door, “nice ball.”

“You are, honey. Thanks, Syd found it for me. We’ve been gently encouraging this baby towards the exit and I think -” she held up her hand,

“Deep breath, Nat. It’s gonna pass, just hold on a couple more seconds.” Syd held Nat’s other hand as Pete hovered nervously and Carmy watched from the doorway.

“It’s working.” Nat finished her previous sentence. “It’s close, there’s hardly a break now.”

“I know, very close. I’m gonna call for the nurse, Pete, you wanna help Nat get wherever she’s comfortable?”

“On the ball. Staying here, don’t make me move, Syd?”

“You don’t need to move babe, it’s ok. Pete’s got you now, OK? I’m gonna get your nurse and we’ll see you really soon.” She kissed Nat’s cheek as she got up from the floor and patted Pete’s arm reassuringly. “She wants to move around.” She muttered to Pete in warning before pulling Carmy away from the door and closing it behind them.

“New career?”

“Fuck off,” she laughed, “I need to find a nurse.” She looked both ways down the corridor and headed to the nurses station where she caught the nurse who’d seen them earlier, “It’s go time. Contractions are about a minute and a half apart, she’s on the birthing ball and she wants to stay there.” Syd explained.

“That sounds perfect, I’m on my way. Nice work!” The nurse beamed at her. She and Carmy made their way back to the hard plastic seats and he handed her a breakfast sandwich.

“Oh my god, this looks insane.” Her eyes lit up as she unwrapped the wax paper. “Did you eat?” She asked through her first mouthful. He nodded,

“Showered, changed, let Pete sleep for maybe 30 minutes and then grabbed food on the way back.” 

“Perfect timing, that baby is, like, literally about to arrive.” “You both seemed pretty calm about it?”

“Just trying to keep her busy, talking about other stuff. I’m not saving you any of this, by the way.” She held up her sandwich.

“Heard, Chef. Talking about Luca?”

“She thinks I should ask him out or something.”

“Or something? What’dyou think about that?” He asked curiously. She finished her sandwich and sat back in the seat.

“I think I’m way too busy.” She shrugged. “I’m shadowing this amazing chef, working all the hours I can, I don’t have any spare time at all.” He smiled bashfully and bumped her with his shoulder.

“Good.”

“Good.” She leaned into him and he scrolled through his phone, showing her the pictures he’d taken of the place he’d brought her breakfast from, the messages he and Richie had exchanged about Nat being in the hospital and the Bear group chat which had a bunch of good luck messages for Natalie and Pete. It wasn’t long before Pete emerged, a blissful smile on his face.

“Well?” Carmy asked, sitting bolt upright.

“It’s a girl,” he grinned, his eyes filling with tears, “a little girl! She’s so tiny, she’s 7lbs exactly, she has so much dark blond hair! And blue eyes,” Syd felt her heart fill with love at just hearing about the baby in the next room. “She arrived about an hour ago. Guys, I’m so in love. She’s just being measured and dressed while Nat takes a shower, give it a few minutes and you can come in.” Pete held out his hand to shake but Carmy, tears making their way down his cheeks, pulled the taller man into a hug. 

"That's amazing, dude. Amazing." He dragged a hand down his face. 

"How's Nat?" Syd asked, 

"She's OK. Exhausted, took a lot longer than we thought. I mean, I called you guys at, like, midnight? You've been here for about 7 hours, I'm so sorry." Pete looked torn between guilt and relief.

"Don't be, we wouldn't have missed it." She reassured him, Carmy nodded in agreement. 

"We'll get some sleep before service, Tina's got prep covered."

"Well, we'll be here most of the day I think. I know Nat wants to go home today though."

"Let us know when you're home and we'll come over with some food." Carmy suggested, Syd couldn't help her tired mind lingering on the consistent use of us and we throughout the exchange. 24 hours without sleep - the majority of it spent on her feet and working - she could feel tiredness creeping into her bones. 

"Yeah, that's great. I'd better get back in there, I'll give you a shout when we're ready for you?" He made his way back to Nat and the baby. Syd dug around in her pocket for change for the coffee machine until a five dollar bill was waved in her eye line. 

"Aha, thanks Carm." She fumbled with the machine to get a drink for each of them and then slumped back in her seat. "What's the plan?"

"Back to mine, if you want? Sleep, and then get to the restaurant just before service. Work through, then ditch the farmer's market and sleep instead tomorrow?"

"Promise?"

"Might need to wake up eventually to make something for Nat and Pete, but otherwise, fuck yes."

"I'm just gonna call my dad. Let him know." She pulled out her phone and hurriedly gave him the basics before he left for work. She was just ending the call as Pete came back for them. She pushed Carmy ahead of her with her hand in the small of his back, sensing his apprehension. She could feel him relax against her once he saw Nat smiling at him through tears, 

"Come meet baby bear," she urged them both as they crept into the room. "This is Mila. Mila, this is Uncle Carmy and Auntie Syd." Syd held her breath as she peered over Carmy's shoulder to see the baby, hand still firmly on his back. "Wanna hold her?"

"You first," Carmy suggested, sidestepping to let her in. 

"No fucking way dude, she's your niece."

"What if I do it wrong?" He hissed. Nat was already holding Mila out to him, prompting him to raise his elbow like this and put his other hand like that. She settled the baby into his arms, "Hi sweet girl," he whispered finally, staring at her with matching stormy blue eyes and dark blond curls. 

"The Berzatto genes are strong, sorry Pete!" Syd smiled, 

"No complaints here, she looks like her mama." 

"She's gorgeous," Syd brushed her index finger against Mila's tiny hand and the baby opened her fist to grip the finger. "Same blue eyes as you," she said to Carmy. After a few minutes, he handed the baby to her and she took in the mess of curls and sleepy eyes, "so do all Berzatto's look the same when they're born?" Nat smiled softly, 

"From what I remember of our three baby pictures, yeah."

"Well if it helps, you all grow up pretty cute too. How're you feeling?" 

"Tired, I swear when we called Carmen she was about to arrive. Then everything just stopped for so long, thank you for waiting."

"Of course. Hopefully they'll let you go home later."

"God I hope so, I'd rather do this from my own fucking bed." Nat sighed. Mila grew restless in Syd's arms so she passed her back to Nat. "She'll need feeding again I think."

"We'll leave you guys to it, let you get some rest." Carmy kissed Nat's cheek. "I'll call you later."

~~~~~

[sawtastic-sideblog]

Age 6:

"Tucker, you awake?" The young voice asks from the comfort of his bed.

"Why?" The boy answers from the mountain of blankets on the trundlebed.

"I have a crush on someone."

"Who is it?" Tucker asks, more awake and sitting up staring at his best friend. Steven could see the eagerness in his friends' eyes from the moonlight pouring in the window.

"Sarah," Steven answers, grinning. Tucker thinks for a minute.

"I guess she's cute, but Tammy shared her fruit snacks with me at snack time yesterday. I think I'm gonna marry her."

"Am I gonna be your bestman?"

"Of course you are, Steven. You're my best friend."

Age 13:

"Steve, you awake?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I have a crush on someone."

Sitting up, Steven's hands finds his glasses and puts them on his face. His back finds the wall of the tree house as Tucker turns on the lantern.

"Who is it?" Steven asks. He watches his friend pull the blanket closer around him as he leans against the wall opposite Steven.

"Claire. She asked for my notes today in history class. She also smells really good," Tucker says, smiling. Steven felt his stomach churn at the answer, but brushed it off as eating too many sweets.

"I don't know, Tuck. She makes fun of my glasses. Calls me Specs. Hannah is better."

"Hannah C., Hannah H., or Hannah Q.?" Tucker asks, his arms folding across his chest in defiance.

"Doesn't matter. They're all better than Claire."

"Pick one."

"Q."

"You make a good point."

"Of course I do."

"Specs."

"Shut up."

Age 17:

"Specs, you awake?"

"No," Specs answers and he shoves his head under his pillow.

"Dude, I had that date with Miranda tonight."

Specs reluctantly pulls his head out from under the pillow. He grabs his glasses and winces as his companion turns on his desk lamp.

"How'd it go?"

"Great. We did it in her dad's car at the lake," Tucker smiles. Specs felt uncomfortable hearing that, but being the supportive best friend he is, he knows he has to power through this conversation.

"Tell me all about it. I'll try not to fall asleep," Specs smiles as he props himself on pillows. Tucker smile grows at his best friend's words. Within moments he's in a spare pair of pajama pants Specs' mom keeps around for him. The trundlebed makes an awful noise when Tucker pulls it from its spot under the bed. Specs covers his ears and starts counting down the seconds until his mother enters the room. Within ten seconds of the sound ending, the bedroom door swings open to reveal not only Specs' mother, but his father too.

"Steven, what was-," Mrs. Fisher starts before cutting herself off at the sight of Tucker wrapping himself in blankets.

"I'm starting to regret ever giving you a key, kid," Mr. Fisher says, annoyed, yet amused.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up. I went on a date tonight and just wanted to tell Specs," Tucker explains.

"How was it?" Mr. Fisher asks. Tucker grins and gives a thumbs up. Mrs. Fisher walks over to Specs and gives him a kiss on the head. She then moves to Tucker, who sits up to meet her halfway. She places a kiss on his head.

"Try to get some sleep, boys. Goodnight. Love you both."

"Night, boys," Mr. Fisher calls as he closes the door. As soon as the door closes, Specs flips off the light and stares at his friends eyes shining in the moonlight from the window.

Age 20:

"Tuck, you awake?"

"What's up, Specs? I have a final in the morning."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just need to tell you something."

"Who's the lucky lady you have a crush on now?"

"Well, that's the thing. It's not a lady."

The lamp switches on. The shared dorm room washed in a harsh yellow glow. Tucker swings his feet off the bed and leans forward. Specs mirrors the movements.

"A guy, then?" Tucker asks. Specs nods as his cheeks heat up. "Who?"

"Jason," Specs lies. Tucker doesn't need to know who it is.

"From chem? He does have nice hair," Tuck jokes.

"Nice face, too."

"How long have you known?"

"About Jason? A couple weeks. About liking boys. Senior year."

"That's almost three years, Specs."

"I know."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"You were constantly fighting and making up with Miranda. When I wanted to tell you, she was there and I would chicken out."

"I'm sorry, Specs. I guess I haven't been the greatest of friends lately."

"No, you haven't. You've been the bestest of friends. Breaking things off with Miranda when you realized she was trying to push me away, defending my glasses from Claire and making the name she tried to tease me with into a term of endearment nickname, and not judging me for being myself. From the nerdy stuff to not making a big fuss about me liking Jason. You're the bestest friend anyone could ever ask for."

"I pushed you away."

"You realized your mistakes. You've apologized. I accepted. Let's move on."

"So, Jason, huh? He's not the first?" Tucker asks as he lays back on his bed. His arm finds a place under his head as Specs wraps himself in his covers. He lays on his side, facing his friend.

"Not by a long shot."

Age 25:

"Congrats, man. Happy for you guys."

"Thanks, Speccy, we're so happy," the woman clinging to Tucker's arm chirps. Specs cringes, but tries to hide it.

"Christine, we've talked about this."

"Only call him Specs or Steven. I forgot."

"It's alright. I'll let it slide this once, for your engagement and all," Specs says as he forces a smile. A dull ache in his stomach forms as she flashes her ring at him again. "I'll buy you guys dinner."

Age 27:

"Specs, you home?" A choked sob sounds from the other side of the apartment door. Specs pulls away from his boyfriend, Howard. Moments later he's at the door.

"Are you okay?" Specs asks. He gets the larger man hugging his smaller frame in return. He rubs Tucker's back and starts to gently pull him along. "Let's get you to the couch."

"Honey, is everything okay?" Howard asks, walking into the entryway. He takes in Tucker's defeated form. "I'll get us some tea."

"Come on, Tuck, work with me. Come on to the couch," Specs pleads. Tucker walks with him to the couch and let's Specs wrap him in a blanket. Howard brings three mugs of tea and hands one to each of the men on the couch and keeps one for himself.

"She cheated. Christine cheated on me. When I caught her, she told me she only married me to make her dad happy. I was a safe choice. A safety net. She told me that I'm worthless and will never amount to anything."

"That's not true, Tuck. You're amazing. You're charming and caring and attentive. You're funny, a good cook, you have a good fashion sense. You're a good person and you're going to change the world some, Tuck, I'm sure of it. Any woman would be lucky to have you. She wouldn't make you a second choice. She'd make you a priority. Christine has messed up big time, but she's just to blind to see what she's lost."

Howard looks between the two and sees the love Specs has for the man wrapped in his arms. The trio talk we'll into the night until Tucker cries himself to sleep on the sofa. Specs and Howard make their way to the kitchen.

"Steven, you're in love with Tucker, aren't you?" Howard asks. Specs spins around on his heel. His eyes are wide and frantic as he tries to read Howard's face.

"I promised you that I'd never lie to you. The answer I need to give you would be breaking that promise, so please don't make me answer that question."

Howard nods, walks over to Specs, and grabs his hands.

"The answer I need is your truth."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I won't be hurt. I'll be sad for a while, but hurt that you're in love with Tucker? Not at all."

"Are you going to leave me?"

"We have a lot to talk about, don't we?" Howard asks and Specs nods.

Age 29:

"I'm sorry for your loss, Specs. If you need anything, I'm here," Tucker says, placing a hand on the shorter man's shoulder.

"I was going to propose to him," Specs whispers. Tears fall down his face as Tucker pulls him into a hug.

"I'm sorry."

Age 32:

"Is he alright?" Elise asks as she watches Specs wash dishes.

"His boyfriend died three years ago today. He likes to do the things they did together. Keep his memory alive in some way.

"He's never mentioned it to me before."

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Tucker answers. He's fiddling with a camera while watching Specs. Eventually, Tucker can take it anymore, so he gets up and walks to the sink. He grabs a towel and starts drying the dishes Specs has already done. The shorter man looks up at Tucker, who smiles warmly in understanding. They silently finish the dishes, unaware that Elise is smiling at them.

Age 36:

"Hey, Specs, you wake?" Tucker asks from the doorway of the room. The light from the hallway illuminates Specs' sleeping form. Tucker walks into the room, leaving the door open so the light can stay on his sleeping friend's face. Tucker pulls the desk chair over to the bed and sits in silence, watching Specs sleep.

Specs shifts in his sleep, stretches, and opens his eyes. He squints as his eyes adjusts. He sees an odd shape beside his bed and gasps. He turns and grabs his flashlight from the nightstand and shines it on the figure. Tucker shields his eyes.

"It's me. It's just me. Get that thing out of my face."

"Tucker, what the hell?"

"I was just sitting here."

"In the dark? In my room?"

"Yeah, I kind of watch you sleep from time to time."

"Why?"

"It calms me down. Always has. Ever since we were kids."

"Is something bothering you?"

"Not anymore," Tucker smiles. Specs cuddles down into the covers.

"Okay, then can I go back to sleep?"

"Yeah, sure. Can I join you?"

"Why?"

Tucker doesn't answer. Instead, he crawls under the covers and slips his arms around Specs' smaller frame, pulling him close. Specs doesn't say anything. He lays perfectly still, trying to figure out why Tucker is doing this. Is it a joke?

"Is this okay?"

"Y-yeah. It's fine."

"Then relax, babe. I'm not gonna bite. I mean, I might, but only if you ask."

Babe? Where did that come from? What is happening?

"Tuck, what is going on here?"

"I'm cuddling with my best friend." Specs pushes him away. "We've never done this before and you called me 'babe' and that certainly has never happened before. So, please, tell me what the hell is happening here. I am so confused."

Tucker leans in and kisses Specs, who is surprised, but quickly reciprocates. He doesn't want to let this moment to get away. Tucker's hands travel down Specs' body to his waist, his hips, and, finally, to his ass. Specs breaks away and pushes back again. "Tucker, please." "Okay, okay," Tucker sits up, pulling Specs with him. He pulls the smaller man into his lap. "I'm in love with you." "You what?" "I'm in love with you, Specs," Tucker says and kisses Specs' shoulder. Specs sits and thinks for a few moments as Tucker litters kisses up and down his arm.

"I'm in love with you, too, Tucker," Specs says, turning towards Tucker. The two smile at each other before crashing their lips together again.

Age 40:

"Hey, Tuck, you awake?" Specs asks quietly.

"No."

"Well, wake up."

"Why?"

"We're married," Specs says softly, smiling and looking at the ring that's on his left hand.

"I know. You kept me up all night to celebrate."

"Yeah, but now you're my husband. I've wanted this since I was like thirteen."

"Almost thirty years? Wow, babe, you're really hung up on me."

"Shut up."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Speccy."

"Shut up."

[rimouskis]

dude not to scuff my foot against the dirt about choices I made while fully knowing the consequences but also: my dad texted me saying that not only did he and my mom go meet my glamorous flew-in-from-LA movie-industry "aunt"*, her husband, and her dad at a swanky jazz cocktail bar to celebrate my "aunt's"* dad, who's 96 today(!!!), but also both of my sisters are there, both with their significant others 💔

*she's not my aunt, she's my mom's cousin, but "first cousin once removed" is a mouthful and also I call her my aunt lol

sometimes it's like man. the older I get the harder it is to live away from everyone.

it's dumb, because I love pittsburgh and I am very often so happy that I moved out here. something that's always stuck with me is my dad once told me he regretted how he and my mother never made the jump to live elsewhere. a huge part of him clearly wanted (and maybe still wants) to live out west. they honeymooned in colorado, and my dad said he wished they'd moved out there. but they both got jobs and just stayed, and now forty years later here they are, each only an hour from where they grew up.

so I'm glad I did it. I think I've gained a lot of life experience, and have gotten to know and love this city and its people. I could see this being a permanent home for me, sincerely. I have a wide network of friends across so many age groups, and I like the culture and the rolling hills and the greenness everywhere and of course the hockey ;)

but also I think about like, what if my sisters marry their boyfriends, both of whom I like. what if they settle down? I know my middle sister wants kids. I can't imagine not being around for that.

and then, on the flip side, I want to live so many places. I want to try out seattle so, so damn badly. I turned down a job offer out there a couple months ago and I don't regret it because it wasn't the right timing, but god. I want to be out there so badly.

but also every year feels closer to a year that my sisters really put down ROOTS. and it's like I can see the street lamps starting to flicker on, the universal signal for the kids out on the street to go home.

it's a complicated thing! and it's not a bad problem to have, not really. I have a lot of possibilities in front of me. there are good and bad consequences to any choice I could make. if I won the lottery I'd just have an apartment in each city and bounce between them, haha, but alas I've never bought a ticket.

anyways, I just think a lot about the lives of my sisters that I've missed out on, and my parents, and the people and family we have. but on the other hand I have a life I've lived and made and really, really enjoyed out here, so it's just a weighing of the scales, and I have to find some peace in balancing them because I feel like my story out-in-the-world isn't quite done yet.

this is getting rambly and off topic but I'm reminded of how my high school best friend once was surprised when I said I thought I'd wind up back home one day. she said I'd always been a bit drifty, a bit gone-where-the-wind-took-me, and she wasn't wrong. when I was in high school, I said I'd never move to the big city!!! I was going out west!!!

ah, how wrong I was, ahaha.

it's a complicated thing, feeling like you belong in many places at once. I belong home with my family and the city where all of our friends and family are. I belong here, in Pittsburgh, where I learned how to be an adult and where I have friends and colleagues and a million habits I enjoy and holes-in-the-wall I know and shopkeepers who wave hi to me in recognition and so many things I'd hate to give up. and every damn time I step foot in the PNW I just have a bone-deep feeling of "I belong here, I want to feel how I feel here all the time, I want to see these sights every day, I want to have the ocean and mountains and green green nature around me."

but there's only one me! and I certainly haven't ascended to the "live in three states for funsies" income bracket 😂😂😂

[kharmii]

Art credit: Volo/Akari, Pokémon 1000+ bookmarks / 長寿ウォロと現代に戻ったショウの話 / December 29th, 2022 - pixiv

Comic starts out with Volo commenting on Akari's glasses. She replied her vision was getting blurry from the effort of creating the picture book, so she had Arezu make them for her.

Then Volo gives a summary of how after a fierce battle in the Temple of Sinnoh, he teamed up with Akari for the common purpose of meeting Arceus. He reluctantly became friends with her, although he admits there is a deep-seated grudge in his body because he can't let go of his resentment over losing. Once his fate was sealed, he got over it to become friends with her so they could complete the pokedex together (hence the picture book).

Second panel: "Are these characters correct?" Akari asks, "I'm counting on you, Volo-san. Please be strong. My work on this will never end without you."

Volo's summary: Professor and girlfriend. -And except for Commander Kamado, nobody in Jubilife Village knows of my evil deeds.

This is because she asked Kamado (ignoring my wishes) and a gag order was put in place regarding the series of incidents.

Thanks to that (I don't want to use the word)

My girlfriend and I built a small hut deep in the mountains and worked hard at compiling the picture book without being disturbed by anyone.

After several years, the encyclopedia was successfully completed...

Third panel: Giratina returned to the world it came from, but Akari was entrusted with two books and glasses. ``That's what I was told,'' the professor muttered apologetically. This happened after Volo walked away helplessly after handing over his relic (spooky plate). Of the two books she was entrusted with, one was an illustrated book...did she have an encounter with Arceus? Volo wonders.

Fourth panel: Volo pours through the book and angsts, saying, "That was an unreadable book judging from the part that can be deciphered.

Probably a diary...?

I think I can read it, but I can't.

Letters, words, and grammar all little by little.

-Slightly different

Put aside books you can't read.

Since the day she disappeared,

I am..with arceus..research to meet..

Immersed..

I met that girl, but I still say I can't meet her.

Intelligence research..

When you say there is not enough, can you say that there is a lack of small amount of heat?

It's time for everyone..

Spent a long time researching

Why haven't we met yet?

Collecting myths called myths..

Even though I know so much..

Even though I met her...

she?

she is..

Who?

Fifth panel: Volo thinking, "

I also go deep into the mountains about once every March.

Sometimes I pretend to be a traveler in a lonely place. I get information from a familiar girlfriend.

I spent a long time researching.

Good morning. Today is x month and day morning news. What is the temperature today?

A long, long time has passed.

Sixth panel:

The notation has also changed

The longer you live, the more you learn that words have life and death.

I need to correct the encyclopedia too.

It was a coincidence

I picked up the diary that I had forgotten until then.

...Hmm? The book next to it is...

Can read..

Seventh panel: The white bubbles Volo is reading say, "

There, suddenly separated from my familiar hometown. The true feelings of a confused girl. While thinking about my family. It was written about how he gradually opened his heart to Hisui. Along the way, he says some grudges towards me. On the last page. A very, very good morning.

Black bubbles are:

×month ×day

I don't know it's called Hisui. I came to the place. I don't understand the situation at all. I want to see Mom. I wonder if I can go home. Both Professor Laventon and Rei are a bit harsh though. Captain Cyllene is also kind to everyone. Only good people. Everyone in Hisui is in trouble, I have to sink the King. The book will be completed soon. If I could go back to my original world, I would entrust the picture book and this diary to Professor Laventon.

Eighth and last:

The sunrise has come much earlier. It still gets cold in the mornings and evenings, so please be careful about what you wear...

Breaking news:

The girl who was found in the ruins last week was found in the early hours of today.

She seems to have regained consciousness.

Her condition is stable, and she is being treated at the hospital.

[solipseismic]

ty for the tag @thesunlikehoney !! <3

a band you don’t like that many others do:

the mountain goats lmao (i like a few of their songs but i dislike the rest)

a childhood memory that you remember vividly:

i have permanent nerve damage on my right kneecap from fucking up a mazurka (very basic figure skating step/half-jump kind of thing) and falling in such a manner that i bashed my knee into the ice w like 3x my body weight behind it in force lmao

least favorite animal and why:

lord. i dont really dislike any animals so i guess one i've had personal experience w? i will never ever want an akita (relative had a poodle-akita mix and dear god). they're like the less smart and more evil cousins of huskies.

hot fandom take:

satine and obi-wan would be 200% more interesting if they were some kind of fucked up non-romantic relationship. "i would have left the order for her" we all know the tcw writers just put there bc ppl wanted a blonde woman cardboard cutout love interest for white fans to project onto (as if romance is what "humanizes" characters, huge jerk-off pantomime). "this is duchess satine whom i have an intricately crafted and decades-old rivalry with to see who can pick up the most morosexuals in our personal entourages" the crowd goes wild. satine herself is 200% more interesting when writers allow her to stand on her own and not just as a prop to obi-wan. also ppl who ship obtine are missing out on the most illustrious joy of padme/satine.

do you wear any jewelry, if so, what’s your favorite piece:

yes, i have one ear pierced (default diamond stud; some of my fav earrings are from noonmade like the suncatcher and wind chime, most others r just whatever i've picked up over the years) and i'm almost always wearing a raven skull pendant i got for my bday from a friend :)

a movie others liked but you didn’t:

13 going on 30 ... clueless ... 10 reasons i hate about you ... i just don't have the romcom/chick flick spirit in me :(

three things you love about yourself:

typing speed, great core strength, big cat

a place you hope to visit in the future and why:

i would like to climb 설악산/seorak mountain, my mom grew up in that area and i like mountain climbing :)

an actor that gets on your nerves and why:

crisp rat. he's bad.

things you’re excited for in the nearby future?

설날 / lunar new year on feb 10 :)

least favorite ship in a fandom you’re in:

dinluke and obtine lmao though it's less a ship thing and more the certain Kind of people that do a specific Flavor of shipping that are unfortunately hugely prevalent in dinluke and (more recently) codywan :(( however like 85% of the obtine shippers ive interacted with are just white assholes lmao

what’s the most toxic fandom you’ve been in?

mcu/marvel comics graphics community on instagram. i will drop my phone in lava

list three things you find beautiful about life:

big cat, mellow post-rock, krylon workable fixatif

any dreams for the future?

finish my thesis babey

how are you really feeling today?

i need to do more wrist stretches

tag games taglist (ask to be + / -): @47crayons , @sleepy-night-child , @bladeverbena , @drippingmoon , @vellichor-virgo , @writing-is-a-martial-art , @wiz-is-sorta-a-writer , @thelaughingstag , @mj-is-writing , @hellowkatey , @asbestostrain , @gayskywalkcrs​ , @lorspolairepeluche , @coarsely , and anyone else who wants to do this !!

[cryptidsurveys]

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024.

Will you be single over winter? Most likely. I really can't see myself getting into a relationship any time soon. Plus, there's not even anyone on my radar.

Are you mad at anyone right now? Alex has been on my last nerve for some time now, and that nerve is frayed to all hell. I also found out today that she might not be leaving until the 27th. I know it's only a few more days, but seriously, I could have cried right then and there.

Do you add random questions into surveys when you take them? I don't, but I will hunt around for a survey with specific questions I want to answer, or at least something that will allow me to segue into something I wish to talk about.

Where do you wanna live when you grow up? I am "grown up," but in my dream life, I'd be living in a cabin somewhere like Beulah or Rye. I'd be out of the hustle and bustle of the city, but close enough so that a regular commute to the animal shelter (and the grocery store, therapy, etc) wouldn't be out of the question. Realistically, though, I'm probably going to live in this city for the rest of my life. Either in this house or in an apartment if I can ever manage to afford one.

Are you wearing jeans, shorts, sweatpants, or pajama pants? I'm wearing dark blue sweatpants.

Would you get married if you could right now? No.

Do you consider yourself spoiled? No, but I would consider my life rather comfortable. All of my needs are met and then some.

Do you get annoyed when you see someone you don’t like? Alex is the only person I strongly dislike, and yeah, I do get annoyed. I also get rather anxious and afraid of making even the smallest mistake. I know it's important for things to be done correctly, but she's extremely critical, far beyond what I feel is necessary (and not even really towards me specifically, but just in general - she mostly talks poorly of other people). I'm already hard on myself and have a tendency to doubt my abilities, but it just adds this whole external layer of confirmation that I'm not good enough. Except I don't entirely believe that. Which is cool because Past Me would have used even the most innocent correction or fleeting expression of frustration as proof of my incompetence, but now - even when faced with a hyper critical individual on par with the hateful voice in my head - it's like…you know…maybe this isn't reality. Maybe I'm actually doing alright. Maybe even better than I think. But I'm so curious to see how our cattery team evolves once we're free from her influence. Rather than constantly watching our backs, we'll have each other's backs instead.

Could you see yourself dropping out of high school? I did drop out of high school. I ended up getting a GED.

Is there anyone you want to see right now? Not really. I mean, I would like to see my mom - she did invite me to go see a movie with her and some of her friends this evening - but I declined because I knew I would be too tired to be good company.

What were you doing 12 a.m. last night? I was listening to a video by Lights Out Library about the history of cosmetics and perfume while trying to fall back to sleep.

Would you go out in public looking like you do now? No.

Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now? No.

How was your weekend? I spent both Saturday and Sunday at the shelter (full days). However, if we're going with my days off, then my weekend just started. It's a long one too, since I took Friday off as well so I could go to the Chili Festival. On Wednesday, I'm getting up early to go grocery shopping and then I have a therapy appointment at 9:30am. On Thursday, I'm planning on visiting the Mountain Park. It should all be very nice.

Are you a mean person? I can be mean from time to time, but I don't think I would qualify as a Mean Person.

What woke you up today? My circadian rhythm, I guess.

What is something you disliked about your day? AhhhHHHhhH. (Aside from *that*, though, it's been a good day.)

Have you kissed anyone whose name started with a T? Yeah.

Did you date anyone last summer? No.

Where will you be twelve hours from now? In bed.

Do you remember the first time you kissed the last person you kissed? I don't.

Have you ever slept on a couch with that person? I don't think so.

Have you written a letter to a soldier? I feel like I might have done something like that in grade school. It could just be a memory I borrowed from somewhere/someone else, though.

Ever been in a perfect relationship? No.

Is the last person you kissed mad at you? I have no idea how they feel about me at this point.

How do you feel about the person who texted you last? That was my dad. He's my favorite person in this whole fvcked up world.

What are you looking forward to? Enjoying these next few days off. Shopping for new holiday goodies to try. Getting all this recent shit off my chest in therapy. Spending time in the mountains; possibly going on a short hike. Browsing the Chili Festival. Cuddling with my kitties.

Do you think you are an argumentative person? No. I'm pretty nonconfrontational. I'll rant about things to trusted individuals, but rarely ever say anything to the people in question. I do have my limits, though, and when they're reached…it's messy. I still haven't found an effective middle ground.

How did you feel when you woke up today? A bit sleepy but generally okay.

Have you ever had a best friend who was of the opposite sex? Yeah.

What time did you go to sleep last night? Around 7:00pm.

Where did you buy the shirt you’re wearing now? I got it at the animal shelter.

What color are your eyes? Hazel.

The last song you listened to? Some classical song on the radio on the way home earlier.

Do you believe change is always good? Change is what you make of it. Everything is what you make of it. Like, on a similar note, I was wondering WTF kind of lesson I was supposed to get out of this current nonsense, and the only conclusion I came to was that I was going to have to make one up in hindsight. It's just the way of things, lmao. You gaslight yourself into believing that all the shit you went through had some greater purpose. ;D

Where are the majority of your clothes from? Walmart, thrift stores, and the animal shelter.

[damagedintellect]

Kenny McCormick x reader

💌 As Long As I can Remember: Chapter 5  💌  

Summary:  You moved to south park in the 4th grade. You weren't expecting what came next. After seven years of friendship you were about to make a move but what happens when Cartman's OTP gets in the way of what you desire most.

Notes:  Overall Kenny x reader but also some Craig x reader, I wrote this over a decade ago but I'm feeling nostolgic, this was written for a friend a long time ago

💌 Word count: 1,000 💌  <= Previous | Chapter 6 =>

It was nearing the end of summer in this quiet little mountain town and today unlike most, it was literally so quiet you could hear a pin drop.  It was too quiet for comfort. This could only mean one thing and one thing only. Something was about to go down.

A young girl stands in her bed room by the window. Looking out over the normally busy streets she saw absolutely no movement "Something's not right here." She could sense that something was off, but what was it? What could possibly be happening right now? Whatever it was (Y/N) was going to get to the bottom of it. Upon leaving the house it became apparent of where she needed to go. Whenever something happens whose fault is it normally "Cartman"

[1 hour earlier, in Cartman's basement]

"We are gathered here today to forge the basic idea of this new game many of our fellow classmates have requested. The simple game of war between humans and elves. Now I think we can do much better than that. Think about it did Hitler just systematically kill every Jew he saw, no! He had a reason for it." Kyle stood up but Stan covered his mouth not want things to take a turn for the worst, knowing how the two tend to have very intense and violent aftermaths. Cartman stood among the rest of the 4th grade boys in front whiteboard. He had been thinking about the game all summer, but no one wanted to play a game where they have to beat up Kyle. Instead he recognized that the last time they played medieval that Kyle wanted to make an elf army to oppose him, so he just had to work with that. Tweek raised his hand

"Yes Tweek? It better be good." Cartman said in a very stern tone which made Tweek start to shake uncontrollably "AH-t,t-t-To much p-Pressure. Ah w-what if we like AH were fighting over a s-stick!" Cartman put down the whiteboard marker and sighed "Ugh that's lame Tweek! What did I say about lame ideas." Clyde put a hand on Tweeks shoulder and stood up and spoke "What if it was the stick of truth." Cartman stopped "That's, that's genius!" Cartman wrote it up on the board and circled it "Okay so we will use my backyard as the human's base 'The Kingdom of Kupa Keep' if you will and the elf base will be at Kyle's since we have the biggest backyards. I will be the Grand Wizard king of the humans and Kyle will be what ever he wants to be, I don't care. We shall ready the bases and commence the game in 1 hour. All those who want to be one the awesome human team, to the backyard! Everyone else follow Kahl."

___

The walk to Cartman's was interesting. You started to notice that the town felt different, almost as if you was being watched. You looked up at the tree in front of Cartman's house there was a target hanging from it. Walking up to Cartman's door you could hear movement from the backyard. You knocked on the door, Cartman's mom opened it with a smile "Why hello (Y/N) come in the others are in the backyard." You nod heading for the backyard.

"What the ever loving fantasy game!" Your jaw was on the floor, this was the most amazing thing that you had ever witnessed in your life to date. It was a dream come true.

"Amazing isn't it? It only took and hour to set up and assign everyones duties. Would you like a tour?" 

You was practically drooling "Yes please." Your eyes were as big as saucers and you started spa-zing out like Tweek.

"Over here we have our black smithery run by Clyde, and on your left the stables run by Scott Malkinson" The two of you continued into the tent to be met by, "Kenny?" You gave your friend a very confused look. Kenny was wearing Zelda's dress without his coat, exposing his smooth pale skin. You wanted to touch it. He still wore his hood but some of his natural blond hair fell out from his hood and on top of the hood he wore a blond wig which seem counter productive.

"Princess Kenny actually, just go with it. Now if you look over here, we have the greatest and most powerful artifact in the universe. The Stick of Truth, whoever wields it controls the universe. So currently I the Grand Wizard of the human control the universe." You marveled at the stick and then at Princess Kenny who oddly enough made a really convincing princess which made you jealous. 

"So can I play?" 

Cartman started laughing "You really think I'm going to let a fuck'n girl play, you really are a dumb bitch." He put his arm around princess Kenny "Right Kenny a girl could never play." Kenny looked at you with an apologetic look "I'm sorry (Y/N) I have to agree with Cartman. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

You crossed your arms and pouted "Fine then, I didn't want to play your stupid dorky nerd game anyways! I have better things to be doing anyhow!" You flipped them both off with both hands and walked out of the tent pissed. Stomping past Craig and Clyde you flipped them off too. Craig just flipped you off back and Clyde started to tear up like he was about to cry very confused at what he had done wrong. You continued to stomp out the door and yelled "You haven't seen the last of me you fat ass!" You left and Craig finally put his hand down "She just took my trade mark." All the while Clyde started crying.

You took off to Kyle's house seeing as how Kyle mentioned that he made the elf army when they first met. "An enemy of an enemy is a friend in my book."

[atwooozi]

Almost Perfect (Sebastian x Fem!Farmer) Chapter 20: Dinner Plans

Warnings: Slow burn, personal struggles, anxiety, depression, eventual smut

Summary: Sebastian, enjoying a peaceful afternoon in the Valley, feels content ever since Angeline entered his life. All the while, his mother, Robin, interrupts his solitude with news that Angeline had dinner at a friend's house, prompting her to demand Angeline over for dinner to stake her claim.

A/N: I'm not really sure what to say right now. I feel bad because it's been a little over a month since I last updated and I'm also updating on a Wednesday instead of the typical Thursday like I usually would and for that I'm sorry. I took some time off from this story given all that was happening in my life personally. I'm doing better now, but I'm still in a transitional phase with school and my upcoming internship. It's all such a whirlwind for me right now. It's all good things, but it's just really busy.

READ ON AO3

Chapter 20: Dinner Plans

Fall 9

It was a peaceful afternoon in the Valley. The breeze wasn’t too cold and the leaves were turning those pretty colors just before it was time for Sebastian’s favorite season, Winter. It was a perfect day.

Sebastian couldn’t complain. He really couldn’t. It felt like ever since Angeline came into his life things have slowly become better. For once he didn’t feel tormented by his thoughts. It felt–

“Sebby,” Robin called. 

Sebastian sighed and scooted out from under his motorcycle. “Yeah?” 

Robin walked over to her son and handed him a rag to get the oil off his hands. “You know what I heard today at my gym class?” 

Sebastian was almost afraid to ask but was equally curious. “...What?” 

“Jodi had Angeline over for dinner!” Robin said with an obvious pout. The older woman started to tap her foot against the cement. 

Sebastian stood up from his creeper and wiped off his hands. He wanted to give his mom the energy she obviously wanted but wasn’t exactly sure what that energy was. He decided to try relaxed outrage…if that was even a thing.

“...That’s terrible?” He said as he tried to gauge his mom’s reaction. 

“I know!” She huffed. He had made the right choice. “And I invited her to dinner at our house first!” 

Sebastian nodded as he listened to his mom. He didn’t mind when his mom needed to blow steam as long as it wasn’t something that he did. He was all for it, especially if it was at Demetrius’s expense. He wasn’t going to tell her that he found it slightly amusing that she was feeling possessive over Angeline given that they were just friends or more like business partners. 

“Invite her over,” Robin said as she placed her hands on her hips. “She was my friend first.” 

Sebastian groaned. “Mom, does it matter?” 

“No…” Robin sighed. “But what if she’s trying to steal Angeline away from us?” 

“I don’t think Jodi, Sam’s mom, and your friend is trying to take the farmer away from us.” Sebastian reasoned. 

“I still want her over for dinner!” Robin said as she headed back inside the house. “The farmer is going to marry my son!” 

Sebastian felt his face flush at his mom’s comment. He hated how honest she was at times. He wished she took more interest in Maru’s dating life. 

Still holding the rag, Sebastian’s mind turned over his mom’s words a few times. He hadn’t seen Angeline in a few days, so maybe paying the farm a visit would be a nice change of pace. Sebastian put his tools away and made his way down the mountain path. 

He felt his heartbeat start to race, but it felt pleasant in a way. A good type of nervous. He actually enjoyed the feeling. It made him feel alive. 

As Sebastian walked down the path to Angeline’s farm the sun had started to set. The setting sun painted the farm in a golden hue. And there she was, tending to her crops. Angeline was bathed in the golden sun and it made his heart swell as he looked at her. She looked like something out of a painting. It amazed him that despite how taxing the work must be on the farm Angeline was always able to look so pretty despite it all. 

“Angeline…” He called out as he walked over to her, his hands in his jeans pockets. He had forgotten to grab his hoodie and was only in his jeans and white oil-splattered t-shirt. 

Angeline looked over at Sebastian with a warm smile. “Hey! What’s up?” she asked as she took off her work gloves. 

Sebastian shrugged as he stood in front of her. “Nothing, I guess I just wanted to see you.” He cringed inwardly at himself for being so honest. He didn’t want her to think of him as needy, but it had been a few days since they last spoke, so hopefully it was okay. 

Angeline’s cheeks flushed and she looked away shyly at Sebastian’s comment. “I wanted to see you too.” She said her voice barely above a whisper. 

Sebastian bit his lip so he didn’t break out into a stupid grin, but he felt like his heart could burst. “I have a favor to ask you.” He said as he ran a hand through his hair. 

“What is it?” Angeline asked, cocking her head to the side.

Sebastian sighed and looked up at the sky, it was almost dark. “My mom wants you to come over for dinner.” He looked back at Angeline and smirked. “She heard you ate at Jodi’s and is feeling left out.” 

Angeline gasped and her expression changed from relaxed to worried in an instant. “You’re lying! I don’t want your mom to be mad at me.” 

Sebastian shook his head. “No she’s not mad, she’s just…competitive?” He wasn’t really sure how to explain how his mom was feeling without embarrassing himself in the process. 

Angeline nodded as she listened. “It doesn’t have to be now, but in the next few days, okay?” Sebastian assured her. 

“Okay.” Angeline nodded and jutted out her lower lip, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. 

Sebastian felt awkward. They had kissed and even went on a date, sort of, but he felt nervous in Angeline’s presence. He wasn’t exactly sure what was allowed and what wasn’t. In all honesty, he desperately just wanted to reach out and touch her. Any sort of contact was enough for him. He wasn’t ready to leave just yet. 

Sebastian cleared his throat, trying his best to break the silence between them. “So, um, how about we go for a walk?” He said gesturing to the path that leads to Cindersnap Forest. 

Angeline smiled and nodded her head. “I’d like that,” She replied softly, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.     

As they walked, the fading sunlight created a warm glow around them, painting the usually green forest in colors of gold and amber. Sebastian found himself stealing glances at Angeline, he truly admired her. It wasn’t just her beauty, though that was undeniable–it was the way she moved, too, she moved with such a purpose. He wished he could be like her.

“The farm looks amazing,” Sebastian said as he pulled out a smoke from his pack that he tucked in his back pocket. 

A smile washed over Angeline’s features, and while he wasn’t sure it seemed like the girl had some pride in her eyes. “Thanks! It’s been a lot of work, but I think my grandpa would be proud of me.” 

Sebastian nodded and lit his cigarette before bringing it to his lips. “I think he’d be proud of you too.” 

Angeline became silent and nodded quietly, turning away from him. It made Sebastian nervous. 

He wasn’t sure if he should drop it or if he should try to comfort her. Sebastian didn’t know much about Angeline’s life if anything at all. He knew how touchy family as a subject could be. He decided that if he were in his place he’d wish he had someone to lean on, so he decided to push it just a bit more. 

“Angeline, I…” “Thanks…”

Sebastian became silent, urging her to continue. She turned back towards him, her eyes welling up with tears. “Sorry…” She mumbled as she wiped her eyes. “I-it’s just…I, uh, I needed that.” 

Sebastian nodded in understanding. He let out a puff of smoke and hesitantly moved his hand from his pocket to comfortingly rub her back. She leaned into his touch and they stood together silently. 

While they hadn’t really talked about it, it seemed that they both had some pain that they were dealing with. While Sebastian wanted nothing but happiness for the girl with him, he felt some comfort in knowing that he wasn’t the only one struggling. Even someone that seemed to have it all together was also struggling. 

They walked in a comfortable silence for a while, the only sound being the crunch of leaves beneath their feet and the occasional rustle of the wind through the trees. Although the mood was a bit somber, Sebastian wouldn’t trade the moment for anything in the world.  

As they walked side by side, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. In Angeline’s presence, he found a kind of peace he hadn’t known before. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor, they would have to part soon. 

Sebastian finished his smoke and stomped it out. He took a deep breath trying to steel his nerves and let his hand brush against Angeline’s. It honestly felt so childish to be so nervous over something so innocent as holding hands, but no matter how much he chided himself for it his heart still raced. 

“Oh!” Angeline jumped at the sudden contact and it made Sebastian pull away almost instantly. 

“S-sorry.” He mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck. His face felt hot from his embarrassment. 

Angeline shook her head. “Don’t apologize.” She reached out for Sebastian’s hand and took it in her own. “I was just a little surprised.” She intertwined their fingers and smiled up at him. “It’ll be easier to walk like this since you’re taller than me anyway.” 

Sebastian smiled down at their hands and glanced up at her. “Okay.” 

“So…what’s it like working on the farm?” Sebastian asked, genuinely curious about Angeline’s life. 

Angeline squeezed his hand gently, that certain thoughtful expression taking over her features. “It’s hard work, for sure,” she began, “But it’s also incredibly rewarding. I think I cried a little when I grew my first few parsnips.” 

Sebastian nodded, listening intently. He just wanted to stare at her. He loved the way she seemed to light up as she spoke about the farm. The different expressions that took over her face with every sentence felt like a gift. She was honest to a fault and he found it to be the most endearing thing. 

“You cried?” Sebastian chuckled. 

“Yes!” She stated proudly. “I was so scared that I wasted all that time and money for nothing for the first few days.” 

Sebastian found himself laughing more at her unabashed honesty. He honestly couldn’t help himself. She brought out a joy in him that he didn’t know he had.  

“Hey…” Angeline pouted, and pushed her weight into him, causing him to sway slightly. “Don’t laugh at me.” 

Sebastian bit back his laughter and nodded, giving her a more relaxed smile instead. “Sorry…I just wasn’t expecting you to be so open, I guess.” He just wanted to pull her closer to him. “I really like that about you.” 

“You do?” Angeline’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and she leaned into him a bit more, their hands still intertwined.

Sebastian nodded and he looked away to hide his blushing face. “Yeah, I do. You’re so hardworking and genuine…It’s refreshing.” 

Angeline’s smile softened and she gazed up at him with a warmth that made his heart flutter. “Thank you.” 

Sebastian couldn’t take it anymore, spurred on by the way she was looking at him, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her in a gentle, hesitant kiss. It was so tender, but it left him feeling a bit dizzy.

Angeline responded eagerly, her arms wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss. They stood there in the fading light of the forest, lost in each other, until they finally pulled apart, breathless and smiling. 

“Angeline,” Sebastian rested his forehead against hers. His voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t want to rush things, but I…I really like you.” Angeline’s cheeks flushed pink. She opened her mouth to speak, but Sebastian pressed on. “I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I like how I feel with you.” 

Angeline smiled as she listened to him and looked at him with a gentle warmth in her eyes as she looked up at him with affection. “Is this why you want me to have dinner with your mom?” She teased. 

Sebastian rolled his eyes playfully. “That’s not why.” 

Angeline giggled and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Making serious plans without me?” 

Sebastian couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed as he thought back to earlier. Maybe Angeline and his mom were plotting behind his back? “Shush.” He lifted her chin and pulled her into another kiss. 

Angeline giggled into the kiss, wrapping her arms tighter around Sebastian’s neck as she deepened it. 

As they pulled apart Sebastian couldn’t help but grin. “Maybe.” He joked.

Angeline chuckled softly. “ Well then. ” She smiled and traced light patterns on the back of Sebastian’s neck, causing him to shiver a bit. 

They stood there for a moment, basking in the afterglow of their kiss, before Angeline spoke up again. “So, about dinner with your mom…” she said. 

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her and nodded, encouraging her to continue. 

“Is Friday okay?” 

Sebastian nodded. “Perfect.” 

[iamthecomet]

Comet your coffee shop AU is so cute!!I love Rain so so much! And Dew teasing Mountain 🤣 I did mine for day 12 and it has taken over my brain in a good way because it has made me finish so many more prompts. Also more Raindrop never hurts anybody in my opinion 😂

So much went on today and I did so much walking which hurts but also I got to do so much, I went to a market where my friend and his mom sell baked goods and I got a couple of things from different booths that were there and talked to some cool people and then one of my best friends graduated from college today, she did a speech and she's the first female to graduate in the field she was studying for at that school. I am so proud of her and admittedly cried a little watching the whole thing because she's worked so hard.

I hope you had a good day today too 💜

🕸️

Thank youuu!! I'm so glad you liked it. It was really fun to write--and totally out of the realm of my usual stuff. I just loved throwing them all into that situation and watching what they do. Dew is such a little shit, I adore him. That sounds like a BUSY day. I'm sorry everything hurt after--but glad you got to do so many fun things! and Congrats to your friend! That's an amazing accomplishment! I would have cried a little too! I hope you have a good day today, and it isn't TOO hot wherever you are (it's going to be almost 90 here, which is GROSS).

[letstalkaboutit100]

Ideas pt 19

I also want an episode 2 parter where Lizzie is given a letter from her mother asking her to come home. And everyone asks if they can come (Alister and Bunny are with them too) and she's like "Sure why not" *everyone looks at Raven* "Ok I have been practicing and I think I got the hang of it! *she didn't lol* but they get there *after many tries XD* and go to the palace into the throne room where Lizzie's mom is waiting for them. (Chase is there too) They say their hellos and have their hugs but Lizzie's mom seems off. Lizzie asks her why she summoned her and what's the big announcement. LM (Lizzie's mom) then says that Lizzie is going to become Queen! Her coronation is in 3 days! Everyone gasps! Even the knight flinched! (I feel that the knights and the guards and maids took care of Lizzie growing up more than her mother. They taught her how to sword fight and the tactics of war while the maids saved bits and pieces of leftover cloth for her so she could use them and make her own clothing. They all love and care for her!) "B-But why?!" "It's far too soon!" everyone is confused and starts to ask questions but the LM silents them and starts to tell *more like shower* Lizzie with all the preparations and stacks of paper while stuffing her mouth with different cake favors. *time skip, fill in the blanks They are shown around the castle by Lizzie, Chase, and LM, and then all go to Lizzie's room and they talk about what the heck just happened! *Some Chase teasing/flirting with Kitty too. She rejects him every time lol* then later after her friends are banished (they discover that it's Courtly Jester in disguise when they offer to talk to LM for Lizzie since she's too busy planning the coronation *Apple offers to stay with her to help. She honestly enjoyed it way too much lol* (She of course tells Lizzie that it's not so bad and is just gushing about how she gets to be Queen so soon! How it's so exciting and she's jealous. "But Apple! I don't want to be Queen! Not yet anyway. I'm okay with becoming the next Queen of Wonderland. I'm mostly okay with my destiny! It's just... I have other dreams too. Things I want to do before I'm stuck and confined to a throne and mountains of paperwork." Apple is shocked! She never thought of it that way. She always thought that being Queen was going to be the best day of her life! And easy for her!) and Courtly as the Queen banishes them from Wonderland! Pt: After being sent home Chase comes out of the well to the school telling them he can sneak them back in and head to Maddie's house where Bunny and Alister are waiting for them. They have tea *Maddie and her dad are talking nonsense lol* and discuss a plan! Back over to the Castle where Lizzie doesn't know what's going on or that her friends have been banished *Apple does though. Chase tells her what happens before going to find the others* Apple tries to Keep Lizzie distracted while the others form a plan. But she finds out and is thrown into the dungeon with her REAL mother for a couple of minutes "If you don't become Queen then it's off with your mummy's head!" So in order to save her mother she agrees and Apple doesn't know that Courlty threatened Lizzie and that she moved the coronation to today! This whole time Chase is an inside guy telling the others what he knows and now that they run out of time they have to expose Courtly now! But by the time they get there, Lizzie is already walking down the aisle! She's now standing by 'her mother' while Courtly makes some grand speech. "Stop!" Raven shouted as everyone burst through the doors. "That is not the real Queen of Hearts!" After a bit of a fight and arguing Courtly is later revealed! In a last desperate attempt, she shouts "I don't know why you're all against me! I'm trying to help her fulfill her destiny! But look! She doesn't even want to be Queen! Wonderland needs a Queen! I am thinking of our home! Our future!" *Lizzie is shocked* This was Courtly's plan along! She didn't want to trick Lizzie into her destiny early! she was trying to take it away!

[yunniestars]

"maybe this time, love won't end."

. . . ACT III. "In My Dreams." ʚɞ pairing: kinich x gn!reader ʚɞ cw: mentions of bleeding, masters of the night-wind clan mentioned (but likely ooc because it hasn't been released yet), this is really short sorry, y/n has parents issues

"fuck, fuck, fuck!"

the panicked boy cradled you in his arms, caressing your lifeless eyes. he feels his heart quicken and drop, all he can hope is that everything happening right now is a fever dream -- but it wasn't.

"baby, love, please, say anything... i'm begging. don't play pranks with me right now." the tears start to well up in his eyes, and your body could only keep on bleeding while your dead eyes just stared at kinich's pained ones.

"love please this isn't funny. love? y/n?"

he wakes up in cold sweat as the memories of your death haunted him once again. it's been a while since it happened, but it's still an unpleasant nightmare to wake up from.

he looks at the sky and realizes that today was the day he was going to meet your parents, once more.

୨୧

"thanks for picking me up," you smile as you walk side-by-side alongside kinich, gazing at the towering mountains that the both of you pass by.

kinich shakes his head. "it's nothing. besides, you're the one taking me to your parents. i want to at least make a good impression."

"you sound like a boyfriend sometimes," you chuckle while he just falls silent. "but, it's not a bad thing. you're really just a gentleman, huh?"

"yeah, i guess," he responds because, well, you aren't really wrong. he checks around the surroundings, in case anything happens. the act catches your attention, and your eyes soften into a tender gaze.

"anyone would be lucky to have you, kinich." you mumble while his head turns to you, not hearing what you said well.

"what?" "...nothing," you laugh and just continue walking alongside him, who just hummed in response, not paying much mind to whatever it is that you whispered to yourself.

୨୧

"we're here!" you stretch and sigh as the two of you had finally reached your destination. your family lived further from the scions of the canopy, residing in the masters of the night wind tribe. "so, what do you think?"

he looked around the place, it hasn't changed much from what he remembers. the same, homey feeling is still strong, even when he's just in front of the door. "it's a pretty house. i can tell why you love plants now."

you smile and knock on the door. "ma, pa! i'm here!"

the moment you say those words, the quickening of footsteps grew louder until the door opens, and your younger siblings spring outside and pounce at you. "y/n!"

they engulf you in a big hug, while you scold at them for being reckless. kinich just watches the scene trying not to laugh, thinking how amusing it that how your siblings still act like little kids each time they get to see you.

"where's mom and dad?" you ask your younger sister, who gestures to the living room.

"they've been anticipating for you and your boyfri- ow ow ow!" you pinch her cheeks, knowing what your younger sister was about to say.

"anyway, this is kinich, my friend. say hi to them," you point at kinich who just nods at them, and they do the same in the return.

"wow~ you have such a really handsome friend!" your younger sister fawns over him and he just chuckles while patting their heads, while your younger brother looks at him with a skeptical look.

"oh, you two are finally here."

from the living room came your mother, who kinich recognized immediately.

୨୧

"it's a pleasure to meet you, mr and mrs. l/n," kinich says, pouring juice in their cups while you were outside playing with your younger siblings.

"so coa was right. it was you, huh..." kinich hears your mother speak, and he continues to pour the juice while also plating them servings. "how have you been?"

"i've been... fine," he responds curtly.

"still a man of few words, huh?" your father chuckles as kinich just nods, feeling a bit nervous.

"we sent y/n and her siblings outside, for two reasons; coa and lili had been anticipating them the moment they said they'd visit today, and because we want to talk to you." kinich gulped as your mother continued speaking. "tell us, how much do you know?"

"none, ma'am." he responds swiftly, to be fair -- he really didn't know majority of it. "all i know, based on observation, is they lost memory and got revived... but how?"

"to put it simple, we revived y/n." ah, so his speculation was right. "the process is not meant to be disclosed to outsiders like you ━ however, the cost of revival was y/n's memories."

kinich nods, understanding the truth of it. "okay. i do have a question, though. why did you revive y/n? i mean, i'm not complaining ━ but was there any particular reason as to why so?"

"as mages, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our incantations if there are no test subjects. we did not expect y/n to come back to life ━ however, as you can see, the results proved otherwise. needless to say, the experiment was a success."

kinich's blood runs cold the moment she finished her explanation. "what do you mean by experiment?"

your mother raises a brow. "oh, well an experiment is when for example, you have a new formula to test, however-"

"no, i know what an experiment is," he places his fork down. "what do you mean y/n was like some kind of test subject to you?"

"kinich, dear. please listen-" your mother tries to explain herself, however kinich shakes his head.

"i've heard enough. i already have the answers to the questions i wanted to know... we should stop talking," he gets up and moves his chair back on the table. "i apologize, but it's getting late as well."

kinich starts walking away, until your mother grabbed his arm. "dear, we promise we love them dearly. it's just that, the opportunity was right there. we couldn't have missed it."

the boy shakes his hand away and sighs. "look. there's a lot on my mind, and i honestly don't know how to react to everything you just said. it's... a lot to take in," he looks back at your parents. "did you revive them because you loved them deeply, or for the sake of seeing the results?"

your parents don't utter a word, which cues him to just head to the front door. until your father reached out to him as well, causing him to grunt out of annoyance. "what now?"

"at least promise us you'll be able to provide the love that they deserve ━ the love we never managed to give to them."

the black-haired boy scoffs, while looking at them with the same neutral expression he has, but his words speak of oath. "that, i can compromise at least."

୨୧

"i can't believe the day is almost over... i feel like we were there for just an hour!" you frown while kinich listens to you intently. "so, what do you think of my parents? you seemed to talked a long time there," you chuckle while gazing at the stars that surround the both of you.

the boy doesn't flinch. he doesn't want you to know the main purpose of why you were revived -- it was childish, sure, but seeing the entire picture makes him think you'd be disappointed at how shallow it was.

in the end, he responds with "well, they're fine."

you roll your eyes at his short response. "that's it? ugh, to be fair you're like them, boring adults."

he raises a brow at their words. "you're an adult too, you know."

"well... i'm an adult with a heart of a child!" you retort back while he just snorts.

"yeah, a mind like one, too."

at that moment, you just start to (weakly) punch him as he just blocks your so-painful attacks by creating a barrier ━ his own hands.

time passes by as quick as the wind, and with just one blink, the two of you were in front of your residence.

your expression morphs into a solemn one, while kinich can't help but sigh at the sight in front of him. he hates saying goodbye when you two are having a good time, but then again, good things come to an end.

"well... i guess this is where we say goodbye?"

you hesitantly nod, tugging the hem of your shirt. "mayhaps. see you tomorrow?"

he nods and hugs you, a bit tightly as if he didn't want to let go of you. after some time, he lets go of you while waving a small goodbye, to which you nod at. the moment he leaves, you feel your heart wanting to pull him away and let him be with you for much longer ━ the time given wasn't enough.

"please don't leave," your impulsive thoughts yell at you, telling you to listen to your heart and call for him to return.

okay, maybe for once, you'll let them win.

just as his figure starts to slowly disappear as he walks heading home, you suddenly run up to him and headlock him which caused him to start choking.

"wht re yu doinf-"

you let go of him, and he starts catching for his breath. "what the hell was that for?" he asks with a hint of annoyance while you just look at him, a pleading expression plastered on your face.

"can you stay for the night?"

୨୧ act ii | act iv ୨୧ masterlist

♡ tags: @lvvcian @sunsethw4 @wutap @gasoline-eater @ellieloverrr @romyoia @lunavixia @hipsdofangirl @3lectraheart @keiiqq @fantasyhopperhea

a/n: thank you for reading this chapter! i almost gave up on writing because i felt a bit lost huhu, but thankfully i managed to find my footing again. i really appreciate everyone's notes reblogs and comments, seeing how you guys react to the story makes me really happy hehe. i think this is where the angst part ends (for now), so we're heading for a more fluff approach atm i guess :) i hope u can continue to enjoy this story!

[yerimbrit]

you? sick? : p. hanni

synopsis: only an idiot catches a cold in the summer.

# : pairing ! nonidol! pham hanni x gn!reader

# : tags ! established relationship, fluff, it's really just fluff i promise, haerin snitches on you (ooooh), spoon feeding, cháo (congee) goes so hard when you're sick my mom used to make it whenever i was sick, i love this stupid seal picture, young sheldon mention

# : wordcount ! 1k

# : warnings ! none

you were dying.

...okay, dying is definitely an exaggeration. but you sure as hell feel like you're dying.

and you did text your friend haerin to help but she replied "ijbol" and left. and you couldn't call your very lovely flawless gremlin girlfriend because... well, you're embarrassed.

see, some days ago the exact same situation happened, but to hanni. she had called you in distress and of course you came over and helped her, but not without making fun of her. that's part of your relationship, really; it's all in good fun. but it also subjects you into a life where you have to watch what you say around the girl you love because anything and everything will be used against you.

in most cases it ends in bickering (you targeting her height and her targeting your IRL typos) and maybe a good laugh and the inevitable cuddles-on-the-couch, but you won't hear the end of it if you caught her cold after relentlessly teasing her for catching a cold in the middle of july. now you caught a cold in the middle of august. how fun is that?

you're currently suffering on your bed with a mountain of tissues on either side, all grossly soaked in your nasal fluids, covered by a heap of blankets and an episode of young sheldon playing indistinctly in the background. worse yet, your parents are gone on an anniversary date so you're completely alone in the house. haerin was supposed to come over today, but backed out after you texted her in a panic.

...there's thumps resounding throughout the house. oh no. you're sick and you can't even hide. what if it's some killer and—

"i'm not a killer, y/nnie. i'm honestly offended you think that."

oh shit. your killer has really pretty eyes. or maybe your cold got worse and you're dead and seeing an angel.

the angel helps you sit up, the tissues miraculously gone. maybe she cleaned up the mess. the netflix episode is still playing in the background, though it's turned down to the point in which you can barely hear sheldon throwing a temper tantrum.

in a few seconds your mind clears, albeit only slightly. but at least you can make sense of what's going on around you. you're still sick and unfortunately not dead. and the angel sitting by your bed is...

"are you feeling okay?" she smiles softly, tilting her head to the side and measuring the temperature of your forehead with the back of her hand. "you're burning up like crazy..."

squinting your eyes and blinking rapidly, you turn to look at the girl. "hanni."

"y/n."

huh. maybe she had telepathic powers. wait, no! this is bad! bad for your pride. and bad for your heart. well, whatever. she wouldn't make fun of you if you were actually suffering, would she?

something metallic—a spoon—gets pushed against your lips. it's holding some kind of porridge, piping hot, and you reluctantly take it into your mouth despite not being very hungry. as mentioned before, it's piping hot, causing your eyes to water and your throat to burn as you swallow the food. unfortunately, that meant you couldn't taste anything due to the heat.

hanni grins, already holding the next bite over the porcelain bowl filled with the porridge. "too hot?"

you nod meekly and blush when she blows gently on the spoon. she holds it up to your mouth again, and this time you happily take the bite. you can finally taste it: a warm spoonful of the cháo thịt bọ that you've acquired a liking for, after coming over to the girl's house for dinner several times.

humming in approval, you look back at your girlfriend pleadingly, silently asking for another bite with your eyes. "did you make this?"

"yeah," she nods, blowing on the next spoonful and watching you take the bite. "haerin texted me and said that you're sick. why didn't you tell me?"

"well..." you shift uncomfortably, pushing your blankets off of your lap. it was getting too hot, especially with your fever and the added presence of your girlfriend. "i didn't want you to make fun of me. and i didn't want you to get sick. again."

to your embarrassment, hanni starts laughing like you'd just told the funniest joke of the century to her. she sets the nearly empty bowl on your nightstand so she could wipe her tears with her sleeve.

her face suddenly shifts into a more serious expression. "are you being for real? i may joke around a lot but i'm still your girlfriend. i care for you, you know?"

you look away in shame, sniffling. "i know..."

"and i want to take care of you because i love you! when haerin contacted me i was so worried, stupid," she glares, but feeds you the last spoonful of cháo. you're almost disappointed it's all gone—hanni's cooking is always superb. "by the way, my mom already made phở back at my house so i packed some for dinner."

"oh my god, you're the best girlfriend ever. i love you so much, i could kiss you," you ramble, staring starry-eyed at your girlfriend.

"ew, no, you're gonna get me sick again!"

you gasp in offense. "did you just say ew to the one you love!? i can't believe this."

"shut up, god," she groans, the empty bowl on your nightstand again. you get a hold of her hand, admiring the promise ring you got her for your one-year anniversary. you were also wearing yours, but when you brought it up to your face to see it closer, you felt a familiar, stinging sensation traveling through your nose.

"ah... achoo!"

hanni and you stare at each other wide-eyed. she eventually starts snickering, and you glare at her.

"only an idiot catches a cold in the summer," she smiles. it's so sweet that you feel like you're melting, even though you already shed your three blankets.

"you love me."

"i love you."

a/n : hey guys 😁 sorry this was short my friend got sick like last week and it turned into this