#two word flavor contest

[d1s1ntegrated]

dabi and hawks fighting over reader🫣

luv ur workss!!!!😩😩😩💗💗💗

🎀•—•—•—•🎀

YEEEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS IM FROTHINGGGG

much to be desired

dabi vs hawks x reader <3

crossposted to my ao3!

cw: dirty talk, unprotected, threesome - F/M/M, sadomasochism, multiple positions, doggy, missionary, oral, rough, biting, dacryphilia, light somnophilia, why choose?mutual pining, backshots, slight breeding kink if u squint, dabi has a pain kink, wing play, wing kink, hawks has really sensitive wings, dabi has a lotttt of piercings, minor cuckolding, pet names, hair pulling, slight choking, really descriptive smut lol, no use of y/n, blank name space instead, fem!afab!reader, overstimulation, multiple orgasms

wc: ~4300 words

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you didn't think the boys were ever actually fighting. their dynamic was just like that. as their roommate, you witnessed a lot of fights and bickering that could be comparable to an old married couple, but you never made anything of it. after all, at the end of the day, the two were inseparable- with you squished between them, of course. at all times.

but when you came home late at night, slightly tipsy from the bar, and stumbled into kiego's arms...touya just about lost it.

"c'mere, ________. come here baby, lemme take care of you" keigo's soft voice whispers in your ear as you cling to him, smelling the expensive cologne on his chest.

"yo, keeg, i got 'er." touya's rough hand grabs at your shoulder and keigo smacks his hand away.

"nuh uh, crispy, go smoke a cigarette or something" the winged man snaps at touya as he slips your jacket off your arms.

"tch, you dont know what the hell you're doing anyways." touya extends his hand back out to you, and you grasp it gently. he leads you away from keigo, who trails behind the both of you like a predator on prey. he sits on the armchair across from you, leaning forward and placing his chin in his hands as touya takes your hair down, smoothing out the tangles. keigo rolls his eyes and huffs as he sits next to you, handing you a water bottle.

"how much did you drink, angel?" keigo asks, rubbing your face with a loose feather. touya reaches out and yanks the feather away before you can even answer, flicking it back to keigo. you shake your head and shrug. you didn't really have a lot, and it's already slightly wearing off, but saké has one hell of a kick to it. not to mention the walk home took a toll on you.

"not a lot. just enough..." you smile, and touya chuckles.

"that's my girl" he says, and keigo chokes back a laugh.

"somethin' funny, chicken?" touya leans back, crossing a leg. he taps the arm of the couch impatiently as keigo shakes his head.

"well, i mean, it's laughable that you're calling her yours," the blonde smirks in his seat, fiddling with one of his own feathers. his face remains unbothered as he continues, "as if her standards are that low".

the black haired man scoffs. he stands with a sickly smile, jabbing a finger in keigo's direction. "if i'm the low standard, you must be real shit, huh?" he spins to face you, as you rub the heat on your cheeks away with the palms of your hands. "_______, who would you pick?" he asks, raising a brow.

you furrow your brows for a moment. "in regards to what, exactly?". you can't lie, this whole conversation was confusing enough, but pair it with sakura-flavored liquor and two men who both suck at communicating...it sounds like he's asking you to decipher hieroglyphics right now.

"i dunno. just pick. me," he gestures to himself with a dramatic flair, "or him". he hides his face from keigo with one hand and shoves a finger to his mouth. the childlike motion makes you laugh, and shake your head.

"if i'm supposed to be mediating this pissing contest, count me out boys." you raise your hands in defeat and stand from your seat, still swaying a bit. "i'm gonna go lay down" you purse your lips into a thin smile and the two men watch as you trail off to your room. they immediately snap back, staring daggers into each other before kiego springs up and they both run for your door. you hear the cacophony of feet outside your door, but just sigh. the handle jiggles for a moment as you undress, ignoring the light knocking and mumbling from the other side.

"stupid boys", you shake your head as you change into comfier clothes. this wasn't the first time you'd been caught in the middle of their little spats, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. however, all you needed right now was some goddamned peace and quiet.

you open the curtains, letting the city lights glimmer in through the windows. you fling yourself on the bed, grateful for the silence. a few minutes pass as you stare at the ceiling, the question still tumbling around in your head. in what world would you want to choose? you loved the boys equally, you essentially labelled them a package deal for you. also, in what world would they care anyways? to your knowledge, they considered you just another bro anyways. sure, they called you things like baby and angel and pretty girl, but that was par for the course with two male roommates. of course they learned how to braid your hair and they bought you refills of your makeup or skincare when it ran out, or your favorite snacks on your period. of course touya always invited you outside for a smoke, and always lit it for you. why wouldn't keigo always tag you with a feather when you went out, for safety reasons? they loved you, but certainly not, no, never in that way. right? they cared as much as most men would care, right?

your silence was abruptly ended by the sound of knocking, again. you stand from the bed, groaning slightly as you unlock the door. it pushes open swiftly as touya enters, his tall stature shadowing you as he grabs you, warm hands cupping your face. before you can ask why, or what he's doing, he leans down and kisses you feverishly. your mind slips as his lips crush yours, the cool metal of his piercings brushing against your soft mouth. you exhale heavily as you taste him, smoke and salt enveloping you. his hands trail down the curve of your spine to grab your ass, squeezing it as he nips at your bottom lip with sharp teeth.

your brain sputters as you try to understand what he's doing, but you lose to the greater thought of how badly you wanted him. it had crossed your mind-you wondered how the boys tasted, how they felt to kiss, how badly they'd stretch you out if you let them-but it was all just silly intrusive thoughts. late at night, when you felt lonely, you'd imagine crawling into bed with one or both of them, letting them have their way with you. the thought would comfort you to sleep, but you never imagined any part of it coming to fruition. now, with touyas hands running rampantly all over your body, it feels dreamlike.

you sink into his touch further, letting him push you back onto your bed as his tongue begs for intrusion. it slips in, and you slide yours past his lips, feeling his piercing tickling the inside of your mouth. you moan into the kiss, feeling him smile at the sound.

as you wrap your arms around him, you feel a soft tickle against the back of your hand. you grasp at it, feeling it crush slightly between your fingers, and you break the kiss. still speechless, you look behind touya to see keigo standing there, propped in the doorway. the sight of him shocks you-its not that you forgot about him, but you weren't expecting to see him looming against the doorframe, watching with a narrow gaze.

you realize then what you had grasped, and hastily release it as he summons it back, grabbing it with a lazy hand.

"i guess this is your way of answering the question, eh?" his voice is lower then usual, almost like he's trying to smother his annoyance. but it still rings true in your ear, and you shake your head.

touya doesn't shift his position, but stares at you with half-lidded eyes as you speak. as if on cue, keigo chuckles and closes the door behind him, locking it quietly.

"you know, touya, if you wanted her so bad, you should've said something earlier." his words bite as he approaches the bed, throwing his shirt to the floor effortlessly before crawling right up next to the both of you. touya snickers as keigo snakes a hand between you, tracing your silhouette with his soft fingers. you don't protest his touch, and he recognizes that, as he shoves touya slightly to press a warm, gentle kiss to your already-swollen lips. you immediately shiver as you realize what's happening, and you let the feeling tangle your mind.

keigo is different than touya. he's softer, slower, sweeter. his lips taste like coffee and honey, and as his scruff tickles your chin, you melt. to have one of them, you begin thinking, would be blasphemous. because the mix of the two feels like something even heaven couldn't replicate.

he pulls away from the kiss and strokes your face as he turns to touya, who's watching intensely from above the both of you.

"how about we give our angel a better way to choose, hm?" keigo nudges the scarred man with a smile, "let her experience it first, let us both show her the best so she can decide".

touya grins at the proposition, tilting his head back a bit at the thought. "it's her choice" he looks back down at you, that same grin splayed wide on his sharp face. "what do you say, pretty girl?"

your eyes widen as you take in the thought. without further contemplation, you nod, allowing the men to finally have you. your heart swells, unable to comprehend your own joy as they both let their hands free on your body, groping and grabbing wherever they can. they kiss and nip at you like starving dogs, taking a side of you each before they both grab at the hem of your shirt, yanking it over your head with ease. touya depravedly goes for your pants, tearing them off you without warning as keigo now cups one of your breasts, pinching a nipple between his thumb and forefinger. you moan out at the sensation, your eyes glossing over with pure lust. he takes a feather and motions as it drags up your side, sending a shiver from deep inside to course through you.

touya doesn't worry about your underwear as he greedily yanks the fabric to the side, dipping his head between your thights. he licks a thick stripe up to your clit, the cold air clashing with your already-soaked folds. he groans as his tongue sinks into you, the piercing rubbing up against the bundle of nerves just enough to get you to suck in a gasp. his nails dig into your thigh, his fingers heating up on the soft flesh as he squeezes. you grit your teeth as the pain and pleasure mix, feeling the skin under his hands swell with heat. keigo shifts up, grabbing your face and cradling you as touya devours you, his tongue working rapid movements around your clit. he kisses you again, a bit more crazed this time, his wings puffed straight behind him as his tongue collides with yours. he moans gently as you bite his lip, unable to hide your upcoming orgasm. he chuckles into your mouth before you pull him in deeper, your other hand grasping at touya's thick black hair, shoving his face even deeper into you. you cry out, wrapping your hand into keigo's wings as you get closer and closer, the waves washing over you. he whimpers out, shuddering as your fingers tangle with the crimson fluff, unable to control his impulses.

"right there, angel" his golden eyes roll back slightly, long thick lashes fluttering. you tighten your grasp, and he moans loudly. from below, touya chuckles as his tongue laps up at you as you're sent over the edge. you freeze for a moment before your body shatters, your eyes squeezing shut as your thighs tighten around touya's face. you moan a string of obscenities as the flood rushes through your burning body. your cries only entice the two men further, as they both smile at you. touya pulls up for a breath, then turns to keigo.

"you want a taste, birdie?" he smiles, his lips glistening with your essence as your juices drip off his chin. keigo dutifully nods, and touya stands up to allow for the swap. he strips his bottoms off, including the boxers. you soak in the sight of his scarred body, piercings littering his pretty skin alongside the staples. tracing down the white hair from his navel, his cock stands proudly. metal adornments go up his shaft to his delicate red tip, gleaming under city lights. keigo even raises his brows before replicating touya's actions, his tongue dipping into you immediately. your hips buck up at the stimulation, your body already sensitive from the both of them.

touya comes back to the bed, but instead of laying beside you, he sits directly on your chest, muscular thighs warming your ears.

"be a good girl for me, open your mouth" he commands with a low tone, and your jaw slackens. you draw your tongue out as his hand works up and down his length for a few strokes. he slides it in slowly, and you wrap your lips around it gratefully, letting your tongue form around the girthy shape. you trace the little metal beads with it as he thrusts gently into your mouth, groaning as he watches you take the full length with a gag. "that's it," he says with a hiss, "take my cock."

you lick and suck around it, feeling him shake as he perches on you. he moans loudly as you cry, the gagging sending hot tears to stream down your face. he laughs lowly and continues to thrust into you before whispering, "use your teeth, baby, i know you wanna". you sob as your mouth finally relaxes a bit, your teeth grazing against the delicate flesh. he takes a thumb and wipes the tears from your face, licking it off with a crazed moan. his cock leaks down your throat, and you can feel from his incessant twitching that he's close. you let your jaw clamp just a bit tighter, his piercings rubbing against your bottom molars.

keigo sends you over the edge again with fat, lazy licks alternating with snake-like flitting against your clit. his fingers grab your hips as he presses himself further into you as you rut against his sweet mouth, moaning in sync with you as he grinds down into the mattress, edging himself on your pleasure. touya feels your mouth loosen a bit as you orgasm again, and looks down at you with a sadistic smile. he shoves his cock all the way in again, choking you again with the size as keigo licks you clean, sending overstimulated crackles through your legs.

touya leans back as keigo lifts his head, and grabs the blonde by the nape of his neck. his face is slicked, and he's panting. as touya pulls him closer, he smiles, licking a canine before he's yanked into a very sloppy and aggressive kiss. your body seizes at the sight, the two men grasping and groping at each other the same way they did to you just moments ago. touya's cock jumps as keigo moans, and the two pull away with a thick string of saliva mixed with your fluids.

"i was just about to cum in her pretty mouth" the pierced man says, annoyance coating his words.

"this ain't about you" keigo says unbothered as he slides off the bed, his wings puffed as he fully undresses. his tan skin glows under the low lights of the room, his muscles rippling with the contrast. your eyes focus on his equally impressive cock- it's clean shaven, only slightly lengthier than touya's, with a soft pink tip. your eyes dart between his and touya's, unable to hide your excitement as he re-approaches the bed. touya slides off your chest without a word, and the two men kneel by your feet.

"heads or tails, baby?" keigo coos at you, and you tilt your head. he shakes his head, waving a finger. "nuh-uh, just pick" his voice teases, heavy with craving. "dont overcomplicate it".

"uhm, i dont...heads, i guess?" you stumble over your words, and he nods. he moves and lays against the headboard next to you, spreading his legs a bit. touya notices your confusion and extends his hand to you, pulling you into an upright position.

he kisses your neck lazily before whispering in your ear. "turn around". it isn't an offer, rather an instruction, so you nod and turn to face keigo. touya grabs your waist and shifts you between the hero's legs, then pushes your upper back so you fold.

"tch, hands and knees, pretty girl." he smacks your ass as you move into the position, your back arching sleazily. he hums in approval and teases your entrance with his leaking cock, and you feel the fluids mixing. you instinctively press yourself back, trying to already take it before he stops you. he leans over you, his body warming yours as he wraps a hand around your throat.

"don't be so eager, slut. and be nice to keigo, too" he spits as his grip tightens, then releasing as you dip your head down to meet keigo's cock. the winged man looks down, stroking your chin as he wraps his fingers around the base of his shaft, extending the length even further as he presses down. the tip brushes against your pouty lips, and you open your mouth, drool already spilling out before you lower your head down. you moan around the size as it twitches, and touya slaps your ass with a cupped hand, the sound reverberating around the room. he pushes into you slowly, the sheer size of it causing you to buckle as it stretches your painfully-tight hole. he growls as you adjust to him.

he starts with slow, deep strokes as your mouth works on keigo. the both of them moan and huff with pleasure, and touya picks up the pace. his thrusts force kiego further down your throat, the same tears beginning to sprout from your eyes again as the pain and euphoria battle inside of you. with a moan, keigo throws his head back and laces his fingers into your hair, keeping it away from your face as your drool drips down his throbbing cock. you swallow as his precum slides down your tongue. his wings, previously pressed against the headboard, wrap around him as he shakes. you resist the urge to reach out and grab one of them, knowing it'll throw you off balance.

as keigo reaches his orgasm, touya thrusts into you rapidly, roughly. he snakes his own hand into your hair as keigo's grip loosens, and he yanks your head back forcefully as you and kiego both near orgasm.

"wanna fill you so badly, i love how good you're taking our cocks baby" he draws out, shoving your head back town to keigo, who's shaking and panting, near begging to finish. as you take him back in your mouth, he begins to fill your mouth with sticky strings of cum. his moans are loud and breathy as he calls out your name, his eyes squeezing shut and his legs tightening. he thrusts into your mouth from below, and you force yourself to swallow it all before it begins to leak from your lips. his wings jut out, the feathers ridged, some shooting loose as he rides out his orgasm. as you clench around touya, he smacks your ass and reaches around to press and flat finger to your clit, rubbing it as you squeam and shatter around his cock. bliss overtakes the three of you, touya roughly slamming into you with a clapping noise before he rapidly pulls out, and you feel as he shoots thick white ropes all over your ass and back, a string of curses coming out in the form of moaning alongside it.

your body collapses, drenched in overstimulation as you cry out. even after three orgasms, you still crave more. your mind is still broken, the only thought being the image of the two boys using you. you feel waves of darkness washing over you, the heat and endorphins flooding your vision as it all goes dark.

you awaken on your back, your head still spinning. you blink up, trying to let the light slowly seep back into your sight. to your left, touya lays lazily, a scarred hand slowly stroking his cock as he watches you. for a moment, you can't see kiego, but then you feel him as he slowly, gently slips the tip of his cock inside of you. from above, he watches you wake, a sly smile painting his face. you stir under him, still cloudy as he pumps inside of you. he leans down, kissing your cheeks and neck, your pussy ultimately clenching around his length. you feel a deep, throbbing ache in side of you, causing you to hiss in pain. he tuts at you quietly before kissing you languidly, sighing as he tastes himself on your lips.

he breaks the kiss, his motions speeding up, and touya leans down to take his place.

"welcome back," he teases, licking up the side of your neck. his charcoal hair tickles your face as he sucks on your throat, just below your ear. you gasp quietly, unable to produce a sound louder. kiego slides his hand between the both of you and toys with your poor clit again with a thumb, his cock rubbing right against your spot. as much as your body wants to protest it, it's already close again as he abuses the bundle of nerves. you pull keigo in closer, lacing your shaky fingers between the base of his crimson wings. he cries out as you both work each other up, with touya swapping between the both of you with sanguine kisses and bites. a few to your neck, nipple, or face, and then a few to kiego's side, arm, and ear.

you feel your fourth orgasm rush over you as kiego fucks you, his hips rutting into you achingly. touya fists at his cock desperately as he watches, his breathing matching everyone else's as you spasm, clenching tightly around keigo's thick cock.

"fuck, angel, my god, you're so tight," he pounds into your spent hole even harder, his hands gripping the bedding. you weaken under him, your body going loose as he relentlessly tortures you with his length. his citrine eyes lock with yours, a primal glaze washed over them. his core tightens and he slams himself against your cervix repeatedly, worsening the bruise on it. "touya was nice enough to leave you nice and fuckin' clean for me" he breathes out, his voice much deeper and aggressive compared to his usual bubbly tone. your eyes widen in both fear and anticipation as his nails dig into your shoulders. touya's own moans grow louder next to you as he finishes again, splaying the sheets with pearlescent cum. keigo watches as the cum leaks out of the scarred man and it sends him over the edge. he shoves himself as deep as he can, dragging his sharp nails down your arms as he fills you, and you feel the heat rush into you furiously as he cries out with a low guttural groan. his wings shoot back out, more feathers exploding off of him, making a mess of the room as he makes a mess of you. your body quivers as he pulls out, panting, and your legs immediately snap shut in pain. there's a deep throbbing inside of you, but you cant help but still feel exuberant.

both boys sigh and collapse on the bed next to you. touya wipes a strand of hair from your face as kiego kisses your cheek gently, none of you having the energy to speak. you all lay there for a few seconds before keigo gets up and leaves, returning with a wet cloth and a towel a few seconds later.

touya sits up and helps to wipe you and himself off, and kiego does the same. they lock eyes for a moment, and touya speaks.

"d'ya have an answer, pretty girl?" he asks you gently, still cleaning you up. you shake your head and close your eyes, not bothering to filter your response.

"both".

your indifference causes them to both pause and laugh.

"both?" keigo raises a brow, and hands you a water bottle.

you take a sip and nod. "mhm."

"you heard her, drumstick," touya starts with a breathy chuckle, "why make her choose?" he shrugs and raises his hands, taking the water bottle from you after.

keigo slips into bed with the both of you, a shit-eating grin plastering his golden features. he reaches and drapes an arm over you, holding you close. "i guess we can't ask you to make a decision now, hm?" he tucks himself into you a bit, the scent of sweat and his cologne swirling around your senses.

touya nods and rubs his thumb along your bottom lip before kissing you. "no, we wont make you choose right now" he confirms, settling in on the other side, hand resting on your thigh. he pulls the covers over all of you and sighs, his eyes closing softly as he sinks into exhaustion.

you finally crash from the second-wind, and yawn before coming to rest between the two, humming contentedly at the revelation of your deepest fantasies. you smile at the consensus- you can have the both of them. your mind eases as your own eyes flutter shut, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the two.

"we'll try again tomorrow" touya mumbles with a smirk.

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thank u for the ask! enjoy <3

also this was poorly proofread, i apologize for any typos!

[poisonlove]

We can't be friends | w.a

Request @ortegalvr

Pairing: Wednesday Addams X reader

Warning: Fluffy, Sad

Belladonna

The belladonna plant, also known as Atropa belladonna, is notorious for being poisonous, but some of its chemicals can be used in medicine to treat certain conditions, as in traditional medicine. However, its use requires extreme caution and medical supervision due to its toxicity.

I scrunch up my nose and look at the words in our herbology book with confusion. I had to do thorough research on poisonous plants and any potential benefits they might bring, so I decided to take advantage of this research time at the Weathervane.

"Here's your macchiato," I raise my head from the book and see the barista. The brown-eyed, curly-haired guy gives me a small smile. "Thank you," I return the smile and notice him walking back to the counter, wiping some cups.

I sigh audibly and sip the coffee, closing my eyes to the delicious flavor. It wasn't Italian, but it was still good, less watery than I imagined. I lick my lower lip and return my eyes to my notes, tapping the pen on the paper, thinking of some other poisonous plant.

I needed to get a good grade.

The sound of the bell in the shop marks someone's arrival, and I look up curiously, seeing a familiar figure. A sensation of chill runs through my body, my heart pounding frantically against my chest.

I couldn't move.

Wednesday Addams was accompanied by a girl, a blonde with colorful highlights. The blonde was smiling broadly and chatting with the brunette, who was looking at her with her usual apathetic gaze. Wednesday was wearing an all-black school uniform, her unmistakable braids hanging over her shoulders.

Her eyes flick in my direction, and I feel my shoulders slump, my eyes softening as I look at Wednesday after so many years. Wednesday seemed surprised to see me, but she didn't show it. Her posture remained perfect, no hint of shock or surprise, just her eyes staring into mine as if trying to read something in them.

The blonde, noticing where Wednesday was looking, leans towards her, probably asking who I was, interrupting the staring contest that had developed between me and her. "I didn't know you knew anyone here in Jericho," is the only thing I manage to catch from their dialogue, and I lower my head to the table, playing with my hands.

It was a habit I had when I was nervous and embarrassed, which was plausible considering it's been years since I've seen little Addams. "Wed, are you okay?" the blonde asks again, two tables away from me. I purse my lips, feeling bitterness in my mouth at the nickname she gave her.

Wed? Now you're letting her call you by my nickname? I thought bitterly.

I sigh audibly and turn my attention back to my assignment, trying to ignore the conversations between the blonde and Wednesday, even though the latter barely spoke. I unconsciously smile, knowing it was just like her to behave this way.

Let's say that every time we went out together, I was the one who talked the most of the two, the brunette just looked at me without blinking, her deer-like eyes watching me with curiosity as I talked and talked. It made me smile and shiver at the same time to be watched with such intensity, but Wednesday loved listening to me talk, she always said she liked my voice

Oleander... Poison... Wednesday.

I knew perfectly well that Wednesday loved this kind of thing, studying every kind of weapon or poisonous plant, a passion her mother passed on to her. But this connection came to mind only now seeing Addams' figure.

I raise my gaze, unconsciously looking at the girl who was my downfall, the love of my life... A girl I still think could be mine. I see her talking to the blonde, smiling shyly, almost imperceptibly at her words.

Apparently, she can understand you, right?

Because I'm different from her, right?

"No! You can't understand! I don't want to hurt you," Wednesday's voice suddenly rises, looking at me seriously.

"But..." I start, feeling tears welling up in my eyes.Wednesday turns her back on me and walks towards the entrance of my room, her hand on the doorknob, her back rigid.

"We can't keep seeing each other, I don't want to see you anymore," her voice lowers again, a cold chill creeping into my bones.

"You're leaving me?" I whisper, looking at the brunette in disbelief. Wednesday doesn't even hint at turning around, her shoulders slumping as she opens the door.

"Wed," I say timidly, my voice breaking as tears threaten to fall. Addams tightly grips the doorknob, her posture still perfect.

"Don't be pathetic, y/n... You're smarter than this," she says with such coldness that it leaves me stunned. After this sentence, Wednesday walks through the door of my room, leaving my house and my life.

It's been 3 years since that moment, and I still shiver at the memory.

I clench my jaw tightly, trying to suppress the anger and pain I still feel, as I delve into my assignment, trying to find comfort in the pages of the book.

"What do you want to order, Wed?" asks a high-pitched voice. I look at the paper while waiting for her rather obvious response.

"Iced espresso," Wednesday replies neutrally.

Her favorite, I know.

Apparently, she still liked the coffee I made her try at my house during our first study project.

Umm... What can I offer you?" I ask nervously as I watch the brunette marveling around my kitchen. Wednesday touches my microwave and looks at it closely.

"What do you have?" she asks spontaneously, her voice small but determined.

"I asked you for a reason, don't you think?" I chuckle timidly, smiling at Addams' strangeness. Wednesday didn't seem like a very... Simple girl, indeed, she had a morbid sense of humor and a loyalty to the color black.

Wednesday gazes into my eyes, making me blush at their intensity. Black eyes stare into mine without blinking, whether curious or annoyed, I still don't know.

"What's that?" she points to the coffee machine, and I blink incredulously.

"You really don't know what it is?" I ask in surprise, and she tilts her head sideways, analyzing me with her gaze.

"It's a coffee machine... Do you want to try my family's famous iced espresso?" I ask proudly, my eyes lighting up with excitement.

The corners of Addams' mouth lift, and she timidly nods her head.

I shake my head and try to focus, a solitary tear rolling down my cheek before falling onto the book. I clench my jaw and try not to cry. Focus on the task.

Don't be weak, don't be pathetic

"Enid, can you hurry up and finish the frappé? It's almost writing time," Wednesday asks with a hint of irritation, earning a glare from what I now know is called Enid.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch their interaction, Wednesday's black eyes pointing towards my direction again. I look away towards her features: high cheekbones, full lips, a stoic but incredibly attractive gaze. Wednesday remains motionless, staring at me, and I surrender to her gaze, starting to pack up my things to put them in my backpack.

The memory of our first date...

We were in the dark room of Wednesday's house, enveloped by the tense and mysterious atmosphere of a horror movie playing on the big screen. Sitting on the couch, I was completely immersed in the plot, but every now and then a shiver of terror would make me jump.

I felt the tension building inside me as the scenes became increasingly eerie. My hands were clenched into fists on my knees, and my heart was beating so fast I feared it might burst from my chest, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen.

Suddenly, a particularly scary scene materialized on the screen, and I couldn't hold back a small scream of terror. Without hesitation, Wednesday grabbed my hand firmly, surprising me with her quick action.

The touch of her hand on mine made me jump, but immediately I felt a sense of calm spreading inside me. Her fingers were cold, but the grip was comforting, as if she wanted to protect me from the terror surrounding usI looked at Wednesday with gratitude, finding comfort in her dark and deep eyes.

She didn't say a word, but her simple gesture spoke more than a thousand words. In that moment, I understood that I wasn't alone, that she was there with me, ready to support me.

So, with Wednesday's hand in mine, I faced the rest of the movie with a renewed sense of courage, knowing that no matter how terrifying it was, I could overcome it with her by my side.

Our first kiss, which happened later that evening.

Wednesday and I locked eyes, a silence filled with tension and emotion enveloping the room.

Our gaze met, and I could sense the same uncertainty I felt.Then, slowly, Wednesday leaned towards me, her eyes fixed on mine with intensity. My heart was pounding so hard I feared it might burst, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from her.

Her lips brushed against mine cautiously, as if she was afraid of hurting me. I felt the warmth of her breath on my face, and a shiver ran down my spine as I leaned in closer to her. Our first kiss was a moment of pure enchantment, a whirlwind of overwhelming emotions.

Wednesday's lips were soft and warm against mine, and the contact was so intense that for a moment it seemed like the world around us stopped.

An onslaught of memories overwhelms me, making me feel vulnerable. My heart breaks at the memories of what we were, of what we shared.

I feel like that flood of memories could easily drive me to madness, but I don't want to feed this monstrous fire. I just want to let this story die, and I'll be alright.

"Shit," I whisper, clenching my jaw tightly.

I stand up from the chair, and the cup near me falls to the ground, attracting the attention of the others. Tyler, the barista, walks over to me and crouches down to pick up the broken pieces. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," I say with concern. "It's okay, accidents happen," he says, smiling kindly.

My eyes glance at Wednesday, and I see her turn her head upon hearing the noise. The blonde next to her continues to drink her frappé, unfazed by the events. Wednesday keeps looking at me in a strange way, her eyes... Glassy. They're kind. Her body invites me to approach and I freeze at the thought of standing just a few steps away from her, face to face.

Maybe she wants to talk and sort things out?

Be friends?

I purse my lips and break the eye contact between us. I grab the backpack with my assignments inside and look at Tyler with concern, who smiles broadly at me.

I give him a small smile and leave the shop, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

We can't be friends, there are too many feelings.

But I'd like to just pretend, maybe one day not too far away I'll be able to.

But a part of me... Wait until you like me again.

[ddejavvu]

hi angel!! since you said you wanted top gun requests, i thought i would request snuggling at a bonfire with hangman ? maybe like the rest of their friends are there and hangman and reader are just being sweet? lmk if that's too specific or not specific enough!

"There's sand on your dress, darlin'." Jake uses the rare moment of silence that you're granted when he ducks his head down, using it as a shield from the rest of the conversation around the bonfire as he murmurs against your ear.

"There's sand everywhere," You shrug, brushing the grains off of your sundress. Your legs have started sprouting goosebumps in the night air, and while you wouldn't call it cold, that's what it is for California. The ocean only a few feet away doesn't help, and you admit to yourself that there might be a slight chill in the air that you're unprepared for. Jake offers you a bite of the s'more that he's made, but you try to decline as politely as possible.

"No thanks, babe. I don't like mine with hotdogs in them."

Jake had gone a little overzealous in the creation of his s'more. Fanboy had challenged him to a s'more stacking contest, and though Jake's had one by size alone, you're not sure what came out of it could legally be called a s'more.

There's not one, not two, but three sizeable chunks of hotdog sandwiched between the layers, and Jake genuinely doesn't seem to mind at all that the salty flavors mix with the overly sweet. He has an iron stomach, but you're a little more fragile, so you decline his kind offer.

"Want me to make you one? A normal one," Jake clarifies, reaching over your thighs to grab the skewer you've stuck in the sand. His hand rains grainy filth down onto your skirt but you brush it away just like you had earlier, and you shake your head before he can sprinkle sand into the marshmallow bag.

"I'm okay, babe. I'm sleepy," You admit, leaning your head against his shoulder, "Can we go home soon?"

"Yeah." He grunts, already trying to maneuver in the sand, his free hand pressing into the stuff and sinking, "We can-"

"Not now," You corral him once more, setting a hand on his arm and coaxing him to drop back down onto the sand, "I wanna hear Rooster finish his story. Payback interrupted him, he'll be done soon."

You're fairly certain you hear Jake mumble something about how any story Rooster's telling is chicken shit, but you don't bother asking. Instead you stroke your hand down his arm, reaffixing your head to his shoulder.

"Love you," You hum softly, barely heard over the crackling fire and the whoosh of the night wind by the ocean. Jake hears you loud and clear, though, he feels the words in his soul as he leans down to kiss at your temple.

"Love you too, darlin'."

You can't resist the urge' you lean up to kiss him. It's a risky move, because one of his hands is coated in sand, and the other one has both hotdogs and chocolate in it, but it's a risk you're willing to take.

It doesn't play out how you want it to. Jake seems to forget about the hand that he'd plunged into the sand, lifting it to hold your waist, and scooping a portion of the grainy substance over your lap.

He realizes what he's done nanoseconds too late, breaking the kiss you'd only just begun to share and groaning as he buries his face into the crown of your head.

"Jake-" You admonish, but there's no way malice could ever seep into your tone; not with him.

"There's sand on your dress, darlin'." He echoes his previous statement, far more sheepishly this time, "I don't suppose a bite of the hotdog s'more would make up for it?"

[cozage]

The Moss that Grew in Gloom

Chapter 4: Celebrating the Little Things

Start From Beginning | Next Chapter | Masterlist | Read on AO3

Summary: As the daughter of the best swordsman in the world, your life has been a lonely one. You've never minded the quiet life, until a mossy-haired swordsman falls to your island and shakes things up. Word Count: 1.3k Characters: female reader x Zoro

You decided to read for another hour before you risked venturing up to the third story. Based on a lifetime with your father, you knew it took him 15 minutes to get ready for bed, then 15 minutes to fall asleep. But you wanted to make sure he was in a deep sleep before you made any noise that might wake him. 

You crept past your fathers door and down the hall to Zoro’s new bedroom. You knocked softly on his door, trying your best not to disturb your father. He was a few rooms down, but he had always been a light sleeper. 

Zoro softly opened the door with a light creak, and you held up two bottles of wine and two glasses. “Celebration time!” You cheered quietly, raising the wine bottles in the air. 

Zoro frowned. “Just two?” he asked, looking at the bottles with disappointment. 

You rolled your eyes and sauntered past him into the room. You waited until his door had shut before you talked more freely. “We’re celebrating,” you hissed. “Not getting drunk off our ass!”

“Boring,” he said, but you could see a teasing smile dance across his lips. 

“Wanna make it a competition?” you asked, holding out a bottle to the swordsman. 

He raised an eyebrow as he took the bottle. “You’ll lose.”

You could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn’t bluffing. You didn’t doubt it either; you had seen him down alcohol at dinner. The substance barely affected him, even after several bottles. If it were a drinking contest, you were certain you’d lose miserably. 

“Not quite what you’re thinking,” you said. “Whoever can cut the cleanest cut across the bottle wins.”

Zoro laughed, turning the bottle over in his hand. He looked at the label, and you watched as his eyes practically popped out of their sockets when he saw the price tag. 

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “You can’t risk wasting such good alcohol for a competition.”

You bit your lip, trying to suppress a smile. “Scared to lose?” you asked innocently. You could see irritation spring up in his expression from your taunting. “We don’t have bottle openers anyway. You’ll have to slice it open.”

“Why the hell don’t you have a bottle opener?!” He demanded, his voice rising.

“Shush!” you hissed. “I don’t want to wake the others! Unless you want to share.”

Zoro frowned, obviously not wanting to lose his celebratory bottle. 

You placed your bottle on the floor and held out Nikko, readying yourself to make the cut. Zoro did the same, looking at the bottle uneasily. 

“If anything, I’m at a disadvantage. The teeth on Nikko could shatter the entire bottle.”

Zoro scoffed. “If you break yours, I’m not sharing.”

You sliced at the bottle without another word, a perfect cut across the neck. You suppressed a smile. Your father had always said there was no point for bottle openers; if you were too sloppy to open a bottle with a sword, you didn’t deserve to drink its contents. 

Zoro went next. There was some slight hesitation in his movement, but he was strong and had a good grip on the sword. The cut was clean, though upon further examination, not perfect. 

You clicked your tongue. “I see an imperfection right here.” You shook your head. “I think that means I won.”

“Oh piss off!” Zoro grabbed his bottle from your critical gaze and took a long swig. 

You grabbed your own bottle and sat down on the floor, savoring the rich flavors of the wine. It had to be at least 20 years old. Your father always picked the best wine when he was away. 

“So, you’re going to be the best swordsman some day?” you asked, trying to make small talk. 

“I am.” He let out a deep sigh. “This is damn good wine.”

“Why do you want to be the best?” you asked, looking at him inquisitively. 

He bit his lip, waiting a moment before he responded. “I made a promise.”

You raised an eyebrow. “To your captain?”

“No.”

The shortness of his answer surprised you. “Then to who?” 

He gritted his teeth. “Can you stop with the questions?”

His irritation made your face burn, and you took a long drink of wine to cover it up. It had been a long time since you had constant interaction with another human being who wasn’t your father. 

Sure, you had gone on small missions, but you had never gotten to know anyone. You were usually killing people or sneaking around, finding the highest bounty pirates you could so you could return home with some money. 

Being with Zoro was nothing like that. 

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I just don’t like talking about it.”

“That’s okay,” you said quietly, taking another drink.

“What about you?” Zoro asked. “Don’t you want to be the best?”

You shrugged. “Not really. I just want to be good enough to survive in the outside world.”

Zoro gave a dry laugh. “Trust me sweetheart, you’d be one of the best anywhere on the Grand Line.”

His compliment made your face flush again, and a heavy silence fell between you two. You weren’t sure how to tell him that even if you wanted to leave the island, you had nowhere to go. You could survive on the Grand Line, but you weren’t entirely sure what you wanted to do if you left Gloom Island. You had no idea who you wanted to be. 

“Thanks again for today,” Zoro said, finally bringing you back from your thoughts. 

You waved him off. “It was nothing.”

“It was everything,” he said, looking in your eyes. 

You weren’t sure when he had gotten so close to you. You could feel his body heat radiating off of him. You tried to blink a few times to clear your head, but your thoughts grew cloudy again the moment you looked at his slate-gray eyes. The wine must’ve gone to your head faster than you anticipated.

You weren’t sure why, but the alarm bells in your brain were ringing. Dangerous territory. You shouldn’t be here with him. Your father’s enemy. The one who would bring him down. You shouldn’t have come here. And yet all you wanted to do was move closer. 

You finally found the words you were looking for, and they came out in a whisper. “Whenever you need help, just let me know.”

He gave a small smile. “Tomorrow then. You’ll help me infuse the haki into my sword?”

You scowled, pulling back from him and taking a drink of wine. “You’re at least a month away from trying that, Roronoa.”

“I have a good teacher.”

You gave a light chuckle, finishing off the last of your wine and setting the bottle down. “That’s why I gave you a month.”

“Call me Zoro.” He set down his bottle and shook his head. “No need for the honorifics if you’re going to be training me.”

You weren’t sure why it mattered, but you nodded. 

Your body felt heavy, the wine coursing through your bloodstream. You needed to get to bed before you started feeling the negative effects of the alcohol. You stood to your feet, heading for the door, swaying much more than you intended to. 

“Let me walk you back to your room.”

You snorted. “You’d get hopelessly lost if you tried that.”

He narrowed his eyes at you. “I think I can find my way back to my room.”

“I don’t!” you barked out another laugh, the wine amplifying your giddiness. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

You could feel his eyes on you as you opened the door, and you turned back to him one last time. “Goodnight, Roronoa Zoro.”

His eyes bore into your soul as he said, “Goodnight.”

You could feel his gaze on you as you gave him one last smile. You could feel him staring at you, even as you quietly shut his door. And you could’ve sworn his eyes followed you all the way back to your room, until you fell into your bed and promptly fell asleep for the night. 

[pandoa]

the color purple

you and jamil have ice cold sweets of blue and red together on the beach's shore

~jamil viper x gender neutral reader~ word count: 1.5k words

written entry for @merotwst and @cvlutos's Jamil's Summer Contest! pls do enjoy! and also check out everyone else who entered too using the tag!

“What kind of popsicle stand only has two flavors?” You said, bewildered, holding up a blue, frozen treat you had just gotten from a nearby vendor—gazing at how the sweets shined and reflected underneath the sun. It had only been moments since you’d purchased it, however, as you continued to gaze at the sugary snack, you began to notice how the popsicle had already been melting under the heat of the beachside shore. 

So much for a cool down, you sneered. What was the point in buying a cold treat if it would just melt away the second it touched the atmosphere?

“It is a bit odd considering it only features popsicles.” Beside you, your boyfriend had reached out to your form, signaling for you to hand him your trash, as he flipped his braided hair away from his shoulder, “You’d think they’d invest in more choices to satisfy different customers.” Jamil spoke, voicing his thoughts on the matter all while guiding his eyes to his own strawberry flavored popsicle—the red of his treat contrasting with the blue of your own. 

“Yeah,” you continued, licking the blue popsicle in your hand in the process, “But, hey, at least we got something. The beach was scorching hot earlier; I think we deserve at least this much.” Squinting up to the setting sky, a bead of sweat then ran down the side of your forehead at the utterance of your words. You lazily wiped it away, making sure it wouldn’t collide with your eye, as you turned your attention back towards your boyfriend who seemed to be least affected by the heat compared to you.

It’s like his body doesn’t even sweat; it just sparkles— You observed, half of you envious of the young man and the other half adoring the sight before you. It was as if Jamil had always had the upper hand against you—whether he was aware of it or not—just by simply existing in the world as his effortless radiance caused pulses of your heart to skip and turn and churn into a rose-colored oblivion. Indefinitely unfair to you, but Jamil had found a certain smugness to his expression whenever he’d catch you dreamily staring off into space or fanning away a pink color from your face at his actions.

Jamil looked back at you, also eating away at the treat resting in his hand as the red from the popsicle already made its way to tinting his lips, “True enough.” A silence much too comfortable to interrupt then played between you two as you both made your way back to the shore you’d spent your day in, dipping your feet into the water as it caressed the sides of your ankles with the sea’s consistent waves. The day at the beach had been long yet exhilarating starting with you, Jamil, Kalim, as well as the first years deciding it would be fun to take a trip to the coast on your vacation off from Night Raven. You looked back at the day spent with your friends as the sun lowered from its place in the sky along with the many shades of pink, scarlet, and orange encapsulating it in the stratosphere. You looked back at the memories you had, the moments and seconds you’d spent that day, laughing with everyone around you, as splashes of saltwater flooded your mind in bliss. You saw as the volleyball you all had played with hours ago flew miles above your heads in your memories, the castles Ace and Deuce had built before its destruction by oceanic waves seconds after, and even the birds who’d dive down to your little group, attempting to sneak a small bite from Kalim’s food—all of it, you reminisced.

Although, as you continued savoring the sweetness of your blue popsicle on the coastline of the sea, you had come to find that there’d been one final thing missing from your trip to the shore before it would end, and that was—

“Ah—Sorry,” you noticed Jamil hesitantly apologizing as you jumped up in surprise, feeling a familiar hand softly stroke the side of your cheek. To your left, Jamil had suddenly been inches closer to your form than he’d usually been, appearing as dumbfounded as you, while a whisper of the breeze whistled through your ears alike. You watched the sun continue to set while golden rays of light reflected onto the waves of the beach and into Jamil’s charcoal eyes, ridden with nerves and hidden anticipation you could not pinpoint just yet. “You just had a little…” Jamil softly spoke with his hand still lingering against your now rosy face, “sand on your cheek.”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” your words began to fumble, struggling to maintain eye contact with the man, “Thank you.”

Another period of silence cut between the two of you as you both stood frozen still in the shallow water as if both of your bodies denied the melting heat of the sun. As more time had passed, a greater tension built up between you and Jamil, one filled with curiosity, anxiousness, nervousness, and adrenaline. It caused your stomach to freeze, your breathing to stop, and your heart to halt at the uncertainties that could happen next. You and Jamil were expecting something from one another. Something magical. Something fearful. Something you’d been wishing to do for ages. Something worthwhile. 

The main question you two had for each other, however, was what?What had you wished for from him? Or what had he wished for from you?

“This is really random, but…” you finally said, peering back at the second year’s now questioning face, heart gradually picking up its pace and beginning to race further than a marathon. “Have you ever felt what it’s like to be kissed by a person yet, Jamil?” 

A droplet of your popsicle then proceeded to slowly drip down the stick keeping it in its place.

“No… I’m afraid not,” Jamil replied, his usual composure still being maintained by his calmness—however, this time, with an increasing shade of pink that could rival the sunset in his cheeks.

“Then…” you stepped closer, making you two only centimeters apart, “Would you like to? Experience it, I mean.”

“I wouldn’t be… opposed to it.”

“Okay then.” You placed a delicate hand to his face just as he had done earlier to you, whispering, “Close your eyes.” At the utterance of your words, you could almost feel the flutter of his eyelashes as they closed shut, the final image being you closer than ever as he subconsciously guided his hand to your waist, engulfing you in warmth you’d take any day rather than the burning of the sun. Your lips quickly found each other, both eager yet unsure, as you slowly led him with every movement. Passionate yet gentle, smooth yet anxious, tender yet desperate—it was as if so little yet so many emotions coursed through yours and his touch alike with each electrifying moment. With the frozen treats now long forgotten, you continued placing slow kisses on Jamil’s lips as the blue and red from your popsicles dripped into the water beneath you. He tasted like strawberries and sweetness, dreams and a plethora of ecstasies.

Lips connected like two pieces of a flustered puzzle just as you raised a hand to run it through the silk locks of your boyfriend’s hair, causing him to lean into your touch, relaxed and satisfied. Was this what it was like to have the upper hand against a partner? To discompose the ever-suave Jamil Viper? You smelled the salt of the water around you, the sweetness of the melting popsicle in your hand, and the familiar scent of home you’d always catch every time you were ever near Jamil. You felt the refreshing chill of the breeze, the waves of water against your feet, and the feeling of him hugging your waist tighter as if you’d disappear the instant he’d ever let you go. Slightly opening your eyes, you saw a line of palm trees swaying with the wind, a pair of love birds flying in circles above you, as well as the relaxed expression of the boy in front of you as you kissed him. 

All things at that instant had just felt… right. Like you were always meant to be here at this exact time, at the exact place.

Perfection as it were in a movie.

“HEY!” The voice of your cat-like friend had then intruded the scene as you and Jamil instantly pulled away from each other, with you lightly touching your lips in a daze and Jamil attempting to recompose himself. “We’re about to head back to the—Wait,” Grim, who was now a couple feet away from you, paused, examining your appearances. “Did you guys get grape popsicles? Where?!” The young creature exclaimed with woe. “I thought they only had two flavors, dammit!”

“Grape?” you asked as a laugh escaped your mouth from your friend’s obvious questions, “Grim, what do you mean? Of course we didn’t have any grape—”

Jamil, however, shot his head up first at Grim’s questions and you second upon hearing your exchange with your familiar as you checked your bodies for any absurdities, immediately suspecting one main culprit.

You looked at Jamil, intently, thinking the same thoughts, “Oh, Sevens, no—”

Purple.

The lips of both you and Jamil, rather than the separate shades of blue and red you expected, were now purple.

a/n: breaking news! writer who has not even held hands with someone romantically attempts to write a kissing scene 🕺 (pls tell me u get why their lips are purple now tho-)

[lazerv4]

Thoughts on Game Changer (Seasons 1 to 5)

Just my raw thoughts not a review or anything

A.K.A. a small love letter to dropout.

One day you are a simple person scrolling through shorts/reels/tiktoks, just mindlessly looking for something entertaining to watch for like a minute at a time, suddenly you stumble upon a weird game show with ridiculous stipulations and incredibly funny rants in the middle of it, you think to yourself wow I really wanna watch the full show but then you find out it’s exclusive to a streaming network called Dropout and you don’t really want to spend money on it, but you keep stumbling upon the shorts and suddenly you start getting other shows like Um, Actually, Dirty Laundry and Dimension20, your curiosity gets the better of you and you subscribe on either the main page or become a member on their youtube channel and boom, your world has been turned completely upside down by a new hyperfixation that might be some of the best and highest quality streaming every made, a community of people that truly care for each other and feel like they are creating things they really love, this is about one of those, the darling of CEO and host Sam Reich, the always entertaining Game Changer the only game show where the game changes every show, my favorite show on Dropout and just one of my favorite shows of all time. But as we know the only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning and the only way to begin is by beginning.

Season 1 is short but a swat and beautiful little beginning, it starts with the iconic Lie Detector episode where a lot of the popular clips come from, a brilliant idea by Sam to bamboozle his players with the twist that the robot indicating if they are lying is really their partners in the next room just pressing a button, a very ingenious and funny concept that would be fully perfected in season 6 but for now it starts the show with the right leg with both concept and contestants as this is also the debut of all time favorite Brenan Lee Mulligan, one of the most fun to watch comedians in general be it improv or not. The episode is followed by a 3 time game samer that would eventually turn into its own show making some noise which I will probably explain further if I cover the full show. Being two for two is fantastic but the show still hit us with some other great episodes such as a Game of Prizes which sees the contestants guessing what prizes are real and which are just made up words put together to sound appealing, Whodunnit which is a who would have thought a whodunnit and finally Nom Nom Nom a flavor guessing game with a big disembodied mouth approving or disapproving their choices. The selection of Season 1 was small but a strong start for the show and setting what we would come to know as the game changer formula plus it gave us a lot of the shorts that we still see promoting it to this day even 4 years and 6 seasons later.

Season 2 begins with a game samer that being the previously mentioned second part of the segment that would turn into Make Some Noise which is a little strange of a start but the waters where still being tested and Dropout was still CollegeHumor which was owned and operated by IAC, a company that expected ridiculous profits from the young streamer that even with its high quality programming was nearly impossible. Episode 2 in a way is revenge against IAC as Sam very clearly is just giving away money for making the contestants do ridiculous challenges testing the good old phrase, how much money would you do that for to it’s full extend, this is follow by Sleeper Agents, one of my favorite underrated episodes where the contestants must go outside and talk to random people trying to trigger a response from a set of questions to see if they are hired actors playing the titular sleeper agents or just normal people walking down the street. Another banger and progenitor of some of the other popular clips is A Sponsored Episode were in a fun twist the contestants must become infomercial hosts and sell Sam on some ridiculous and stupid products like the iconic only p keyboard or flavored toilet paper for eating ass it’s just hit after hit and even with all that it’s not the best episode this season. Next we get another underrated episode with The Everything Factory where contestant most essentially become workers with an assembly line and construct different contraptions all to the glee of Sam and his wicked imagination but as fun as it is being sandwiched between the sponsor and the finale is a tough spot as the grand ending to season 2 brings us possibly the most iconic Brendan moment and by extension the greatest rant in the history of game changer with the episode Yes or No which I implore you to watch before I spoil the twist. The episode is simple, Sam will keep asking continuously yes or no and awarding points with seemingly no rhyme or reason with the objective of figuring out the rules of the game and why he awards points, at first it seems completely random until something weird starts to come to our attention, Brenan isn’t scoring points, which in game about 50/50 you would think would be impossible and you would be right as it is slowly figured out by everyone and finally by Brenan himself that the rule is simply that he cannot win anything which trigger the mother of all monologues as he compares himself to Icarus flying too close to the sun as a competitor and a statistical wonder before delivering the punchline at the end and wrapping this season with one of the greatest moments in the show’s history as the ending theme kicks in and Sam says goodbye until season 3 arrives.

Season 3 was heavily affected by the covid19 pandemic as episodes had to be filmed remotely via zoom or an equivalent, a lot of is a little forgettable as the struggle to make the show work was front and center but still a few gems came out of it like the premier Tell Us About Yourself in which they have to figure out the identity of a secret masked individual (who turns out to be Tony Hawk), the game samer Sell Outs which is a repeat of the sponsored episode, the always fun Secret Samta duology in which well they do a secret santa spin on a competitive game to a really hilarious extend, a personal favorite in Make It Fashion which is about well making outfits out of nothing, Tome of Terror follows as a horror story maker and the finale Next Slide Please which weaponizes random ted talk slides to create funny presentations in a very Jackbox way that is still very entertaining regardless. Overall Season 3 struggled but it did the best it could with the hand that it was dealt and Sam should be commended for his handling of the situation and the way he still made the show work and be fun while people needed it most, it hits a little different now that it’s all over but it is by no means a skip and has the same classic laughs even if they are from different points in the map.

Season 4, one of my favorite preview graphics of all time that I really really want as poster Sam please I need this. S4 gives us many many iconic episodes, possibly the highest number of them to date and some really special episodes so this section might be a little long as I want to talk extensively about this season. First off it starts with Sam Says that while pretty tame this time around grows into possibly the single best series of game samers in the entire show with the ways it twists such a simple game as simon says into pure chaos and fun which is then followed up by another progenitor for a game samer with Like My Coffee which birthed some incredibly iconic clips like the green virginal one from Grant and was just incredibly funny the first time around and also when it came back again, now we just need a third one to wrap up the samer. Noise Boys follows which at this point I’ve explained enough and you should know what it is and then another game samer (are you getting tired of reading game samer yet) with the last and possibly greatest Secret Samta which just ups the ante by making it happen in the actual studio this time and works wonders on giving this samer a proper closure. Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience is one of the most interesting and experimental episodes yet with essentially a clap and boo track slowly leading the contestants into a sort of sketch action by action and thrive on their bewilderment at the situation they are in. Then comes one of my favorite episodes with The Official Cast Recording and this one is special, the sheer amount of talent being shown by improvising an entire musical even with it’s wonky story is fantastical, the numbers are all so incredibly good and the ongoing jokes make me laugh every time, it is truly a wonder that it was even possible to create this entire game which also spun off into it’s own series with Play It By Ear. The episode is just a marvel to behold and while not a recommendation to introduce people to Game Changer it is an incredible showcase on what makes this show unique and interesting so enjoy your temporary stay on Mounport. We then reach one of the most beautiful displays of love you can ever see with Don’t Cry, the episode starts of as a seemingly normal challenge about not crying with some games but as it goes on it starts to get really emotional and lovely till it reveals itself to be a tribute to Jess Ross their friend who had a really rough pandemic that canceled her wedding. This episode is so special, it never fails to make me cry and just makes me feel like so incredibly happy. I won’t spoil much more because it really is an experience you should have but I do wanna say that if there is anything I can ever ask for in life it is to be loved by the people around me at least a little like how everyone at dropout loves Jessica Ross.

Resuming the normalcy in this random collection of words I’ve been rambling on for a while now we have Race to the Bottom which also turned into a game samer, can you tell this season is good? it’s basically a reverse bidding war with the twist that the contestants have to unionize to win the game, which is kind of a really cool and interesting message  that was somehow given through a game show. It’s a great episode and will hopefully turn into a great trilogy when the third one drops. Then we have the final two parter, another progenitor of game samer and of technically it’s own mini season during season 5 Survivor which puts the contestants in a game of well Survivor, a simple but really fun idea since Survivor the actual show is an incredibly entertaining reality but with the unhinged cast of dropout anything can go so further beyond, particularly because Brenan is in this episode and it turns out he really loves Survivor so he will do anything to win and the twists and turns this creates are so mesmerizing and shocking you won’t know what to expect until the season ends and you are watching the extra episode on the things this season Cut For Time which is a new addition that has Sam talking you through everything that happened during the episodes and what they couldn’t show, think of it as extra features on a DVD/Bluray. It is quite short but it wraps an incredible season just reminding you of how great of a run it was as you see small parts of all previous episodes and at this point you can just smile as Game Changer has been fully realized and shown that it is one of the greatest pieces of TV to ever exist.

Now it’s a little awkward to go into Season 5 after how I ended the last segment but rest assured the momentum didn’t stop and it will never stop as we kick off the new season with Sam Says 2 a game samer from last season that is as funny as it was previously with new running jokes and some incredibly smart and weird prompts from Sam to keep the contestants on their toes even in a game as simple as simon says. If you are watching this in a playlist you’ll immediately see this season’s new feature in the BTS videos which are short 6 to 10 minute episodes about well the making of the episode with Sam explaining the origin of the game and the why of the selected contestants which in general is just very interesting ad a cool extra feature that we got along the Cut For Time at the end so it’s a general gain plus it’s pretty good. A game samer into a game changer it’s Karaoke Night a kind of spiritual successor to my beloved The Official Cast Recording but with pop music instead of musicals and there is no structure it’s more about impersonating styles of several musician correctly and well this is another incredible display of raw talent and a very fun episode that while it starts a little slow it wraps up magnificently into a crescendo of it’s own making which drops us off into the next episode, another game samer with Like My Coffee 2 a funnier and stupider evolution to a very simple concept that somehow keeps finding ways to entertain and just bring me joy whenever I click on the video on dropout. So far we’ve had two samers and one changer which means that we need a changer and what a game changer we got with an absolute top 5 Name A Number which comes with an all time cast rivaled by few in Becca Scott, Izzy Roland and Erika Ishii bringing in pure chaos to a game that at first seemed simple with just prompts that they had to name how many times they could perform until midway through the game the prompts become unknown until the number has been named, the absolute diabolical connivingless of Sam has been fully realized and deliver some of the absolute funniest of laughs and some incredibly hard to watch cringe. I hope Becca got her money for the feet stuff. A Game Most Changed seems to be a somewhat divisive episode that people either really like or don’t seem to care for at all, it’s an improvised shakespearian play with random prompts throw in about the topic and things that need to be mentioned which just in the raw concept you should know if that appeals to you or not so moving on to the next episode which is another instantly iconic one As A Cucumber which in case you can’t tell it’s an episode about remaining calm but with Katie, Brennan and Carolyn onboard you know shit is about to go down. The way this episode works is by attaching heart rate monitors to the players and by maintaining their resting heart rate below 20 above they can score points and hence win the game. The approach taken by each one of them was varied with Katie’s not so good attempt at just remaining cheerful and normal, Brenan’s competitive enlightenment and Carolyn’s laid bad chill switch we see all kinds of reactions and ways people can be driven to madness, particularly in what might be the peak of all Game Changer clips is the name that bird segment in which Brennan completely loses his temporarily acquired enlightenment in a sort of calm rage as he gets more and more upset as the segment continues before it’s revealed to be roose to upset Brennan and break his streak. This episode is just great, I hope it become as samer with season 7 later this year and so we move to the next episode which happens to be a double parter, the first non finale one which is The Bi Bachelor a show that does well The Bachelor with Grant O’Brien being the contestant and having to choose from a pool of candidates to go on a trip to Cabo San Lucas.

The game has so many twists and turns that covering it would just be a retelling of the entire thing and you don’t need that, you need to sit down and watch this great parody of trashy tv with an ending you are just not ready for. The finale not finale is Escape The Green Room, why finale not finale well because the true end of Season 5 is an extended semi season that will get it’s own spot after this but now Escape the Green Room, Game Changer’s take on the escape room. The episode begins with the contestants on a room that is not the normal show floor awaiting the order to go proceed downstairs and begin the episode, Sam is there with them until he is called downstairs mid magic trick and then the door locks and the screen turns on, the game begins. Secretly the entire room has been customized and modified around the classic escape room concept that if you’ve ever been to one you know how the episode will go with the exception that Siobhan, Brenna and Lou just really don’t give a shit and will tear through everything to get out in another banger of an episode that had my laughing the whole way through, this one also has one of the most interesting BTS videos as it goes into the making and design of what was basically making a escape room from scratch. I would love for this to be made into an actual place I can visit but at least I got to see it happen and it was wonderful. This sort of ends the season as the next few episodes are kind of it’s own thing but the Cut For Time episode is after them in the playlist but it also has its own playlist so I’ll just handle it like a limited series sort of event that will be talked about as a single episode instead of the 5 episodes it is.

Game Changer Battle Royale a 3 hour plus spectacular semi samer to the original survivor episode that takes all that made that episode great and dials it up to 11, as the show is longer, the totems are harder to find, the challenges are harder and there is more on the line than ever before. Everything about this mini series is gold with it being incredibly funny and sometimes even impressive in what it’s capable of doing and a very funny surprise guest that showed up out of nowhere, the one and only fault I can think of that is not even a fault is that Ana Garcia who was making her debut in Game Changer got injured on episode one and we missed out on her antics since she has proven to be an incredibly funny comedian in every other show she has show up on dropout. Battle Royale was just so much fun and reached the apex of the reality idea for Game Changer which I’m not sure if it can be topped but it can for sure be iterated upon and I do hope we come back to see it again every few years.

Now to wrap up this massive massive post I just wanna say that I love dropout, they are a wonderful set of people that truly do care and deserve all the support they get, a lot of entertainers and comedians have been recently trying to leave youtube and copy the dropout system without getting what made dropout great to begin with, it is the charm, the effort and pure love they put into everything they make that makes it so great, not the production values or how much money they spend on it, it’s about the people it gives a home to and what they are able to accomplish when you give a genius free reign to make whatever they think is best, dropout is a special place and Game Changer is a great signature show to lead the brand, I will always love it and be here to support it, it is as Brennan once said to Sam “You’ve made a home where my favorite people get to show the world how brilliant and amazing they are.”

[inventors-fair]

Sublime Scares: Fear Contest Winners!

~

Our winners this week are @izzet-always-r-versus-u, @nine-effing-hells, and @reaperfromtheabyss!

@izzet-always-r-versus-u — Don't Make a Sound

Not to be confused with Don't Blink, Don't Move, or Don't Try This at Home. This is a brutal punisher card, though, levying a harsh tax at anyone who tries to extend to far on their own turn. Of course, it still leaves players with the ability to do so if they're confident they can bear the cost, unlike more stringent effects like Rule of Law. I love the use of flavor here too: as with a lot of punisher effects, both the gameplay and flavor stress that you don't want to make a wrong move. I do worry that this might be just a bit too effective at two mana, because the restriction to only a player's own turn means you could simply build your deck to play on your opponent's turn and handily break the symmetry. But that's also a fairly big commitment to go all the way, so...I dunno.

@nine-effing-hells — Bedside Shadow

Oh, well, hello there! What bring you here at such a late hour, friend? This thing's got more than a little DNA from the original Lazav, but I appreciate all the little touches to set it apart. First, requiring specifically discarding and milling to trigger goes a long way towards sharpening the focus, though it does make it less broadly applicable. Lazav will pick up more faces just in the natural course of the game; this one asks you to go out of your way. That said, the ability to field multiple of these is very attractive, and needless to say I find the flavor brilliant. At a first glance this effect seems slightly dubious in mono-black, but in practice it's not all that different from black's propensity for stealing creatures from others' graveyards, so I'll give it a pass. Oh, and, one minor wording tweak: the typical phrasing is that it "has this ability," because you don't need to gain an ability you already have.

@reaperfromtheabyss — Nagging Anxieties

From sleep paralysis demons to the terror of the waking world, but no less a Nightmare! This is a neat little thing that—just like its namesake—compounds on itself very quickly. There's a bit of luck involved, and your mileage will vary heavily depending on what kind of deck your opponents are playing, but you should be able to hit something and a land reasonably often in any situation. I'm a big fan of how this explores how mill is often represented as a sort of mental attack, and it's also a lot more subtle and insidious than the blunt force of something like Traumatize or Glimpse the Unthinkable. The flavor text is great as well, evoking the spirit literally whispering doubts into your ear. I do have a small, potentially insignificant critique, though: I've been erroneously referring to this card all week in my head as "Nagging Worries," which I just feel flows much better than the chunky word that is "Anxieties." That's very much up to you though, of course.

~

Don't go anywhere, runners up are right on your heels! —@spooky-bard

[krinsbez]

Flash Gordon Conquers the Inner Sphere: A Battletech/Pulp Hero Storybuilding/Worldbuilding Project

Well, Conan/BT has died off and Tarzan/BT isn't getting much traction, but I'm an optimist and also definitionally insane, so I'm hoping the third-place contestant gets better results.

Keeping in mind folks, while I am not averse to fic or ficlets being written, the point here is a story- and worldbuilding. Ideally it'd be a group project, not just me shouting into the void for your entertainment. But then, at least I'll have entertained y'all, so that's something!

Anways, this one happened almost by accident. So this one started when I asked if we could do characters that are collar-tug, someone noted that "Stefan Amaris covers Ming", and I and a few others disagreed:

Pfft, Amaris wishes..wished?

(that's me, BTW)

Ming the Merciless is WAY more of a guy then Ameris is, if Ming existed in battletech he'd be driving a battlemech straight into combat against the titular Flash Gordon. Were as Amaris well, his best showing was a sneak attack and then hiding behind his guards. And he surrendered by offering his weapon to Kerensky. Ming would not be caught dead doing such a thing. So that's just a false equivalency.

(that's forum poster HouseOfWolves)

And so we started talking about Ming and eventually we ended up with the following: -Ming the Merciless is Ming Allard-Liao, the son of Melisssa Allard-Liao who spent decades preparing his Revenge. Well that's the reason he admits to, the fact is that (to quote forumposter BadHabits) he is "returning 'to type' for a Liao, but with a distinctly different flavor to him", and thus is a narcissistic and ruthless megalomaniac who intends to make himself emperor of universe, and in fact already styles himself as such. Anyways, he's a genius polymath: a brilliant scientist and Tech, an expert military strategist and tactician, a master of political intrigue and psychological manipulation, and his skill as a MechWarrior makes one think of his grandfather (he is not, in fact, as good as his grandfather the GOAT but he's one of the best currently living). He's also charismatic as hell, and thus far no one has ever been able to beat him at...basically anything.

-Mongo is, (to quote forumposter HouseOfWolves) a "series of systems had it's origins as a expansion to the Capelan Confederation with everything set up to become a province. Then the Civil war and Succession wars happen and Mongo was lost. Untill 2 centuries later all that prep work laid down that kept it from devolving into yet another periphery state plus Mings personal touch turning it into a proper contender for the Throne on terra." In that time the various worlds within the Mongo region have diverged greatly and gotten very, very strange, and spent most of their time fighting each other until Ming came along and conquered them by force, which included moving substantial portions of the population to the one-time provincial capital, after which the region is named. There he forged them into an army with which he was able to swfitly conquer the Capellan Confederation, then put a bigger version of The Wall around it's borders, while he consolidated his holdings.

-Note that the vague similarities between Mongothic overculture (if that's a word) and the Clans is coincidental and the reuslt of a sort of cultural convergent eovlution, both being the result of an isolated population using advanced technology to survive while fighting over scare resources on worlds that are often only marginally habitable

-Anyways, Ming launched is blitzkrieg of the CC in the wake of the Blackout; we considered that he caused the Blackout, but ultimately decided that he just took advantage.

-Anyways, a decade (or two, more on this below) later, Solaris champion Flash Gordon hired to serve as bodyguard to rogue scientist Dr. Hans Zharkov; his usual tech wasn't unavailable so he ended up with a replacement in Dale Arden who is as skilled in the job as she is nice to look at (and she's VERY nice to look at!). Dr. Zharkov, because he is working too hard and not sleeping enough became paranoid, was convinced they are spies trying to steal his secrets and forces them to come along on the test flight of his new and improved super-KF-Drive, which jumps them past the Capellan Wall and straight to Mongo itself, just as Ming is planning to drop The Wall and launch the next phase of his conquest of the Inner Sphere. They manage to earn Ming's personal ire (or at least Flash does. Not sure if should keep Ming being a creepster about Dale), and by luck, skill, and the fact that Ming is bored and wants to make a show of killing them, they keep surviving executions and escaping, damaging Ming's aura of invincibility. They also keep befriending many of the rulers of individual worlds that Mongo has forced to be his puppets and compete for his favor. Which combines in getting said puppet rulers to put aside their animosity for each other to join together and overthrow Ming. Probably replace him with his daughter Princess Aura and her husband King Barin of Arboria?

-My initial thought was that Flash and Co. arrive in the 3140s and things are done in a few years, because I wanted to worldbuild the IS after and it's help to have a good idea of what the IS would've been like in canon. But A; it was pointed out to me that the CC going dark at the start of the Blackout would have that affect regardless, and B: it was proposed that we could have fun with Ming and Flash putting asides their differences to defend Terra from Alaric Ward's Wolves and Malvina Hazen's Jade Falcons. Flash because he's a good guy, and Ming because he wants to be the one to conquer Terra. C: We want a good enough time that the people of the CC get used to and be fine with, their not being a CC going forward, just...uhh, the Mongothic Union.

-Part of this would involve Ming executing all the Liaos with the possible exception of Danai, sparing her life in exchange for her peacefully handing over Yen-Lo-Wang (which he has fully upgraded with Mongotech), and possibly because he likes looking at her, if we keep his creepster tendencies. Not sure what to do with her thereafte,r tend to bounce back and forth between her maybe being Princess Aura's mother and her being one of the multitude of female sub-rulers who tries to seduce Flash.

Got an assortment of other bits and bobs, but this is the most important stuff, I think, and I've spent over an hour typing this. So i'm gonna save the rest for self-RBs if i need to, or if y'all ask for it, if I don't

[perverse-idyll]

HP Rec Fest Day 2

@hprecfest - Theme: a comfort fic

These are all fics I have read many, many times. Not only for comfort, but to have my heart wrung, to bask in the sheer fucking delight of writers who know how to use language and address the incomplete promises of characters glimpsed during their moments of plot utility. They make me happy, these stories. Oh, they hurt me along the way, of course, because I'm drawn so far in, so absorbed. I love that kind of immersion, and the pleasure of knowing a story so well. And these particular stories never lose their aesthetic thrill or the experience of the emotional journey. They're cathartic, though not flamboyantly so. I come back to them because they make me love these characters over and over again. And then I end up loving the authors, too.

Father to the Man by Delphi, Snape/Filch, 20,231 words.

I adore all of Delphi's Snape/Filch, but this is the one that gives the most comfort. It's a surgically precise, poignant, often witty, unerringly aware portrait of young Professor Snape making yet another mistake by yet again doing something he shouldn't be, thus hoicking his five-year-old self from the past into the present. That wasn't Severus' intention, and he's not happy to have this walking, talking, aggravating, bed-wetting reminder of his own abused innocence and embarrassing ignorance underfoot. Fortunately, Filch is there to save Snape from himself (literally, although he can't prevent one punishing trip to an abandoned Spinner's End). When it becomes clear the boy can't be sent back, Severus makes a decision that is both selfish and self-denying, a special kind of altruism (you'll see what I mean). And then Delphi, always scrupulous in how they weigh Snape's guilt, for once chooses hope over canon. And in a story about, among other things, forgiving oneself, that is absolutely the loveliest gift.

2. Consanguinity Arc by Jay Tryfanstone, Snarry, two short preludes and one main fic amounting to 24,351 words.

Oh, I love outsider POV, especially when the focus is my OTP. I love Muggles having to make sense of magical people, and wizards behaving like weirdos - ominous weirdos when viewed through a nonmagical lens - especially Snape and Harry, who in this fic are forced to unravel their issues in front of various captive audiences (therapist, lawyer, divorce court - all Muggle). (Imagine being Snape's solicitor!) The characterizations stand aslant to canon, which in this case makes them fascinating and adds to the sense of alienation from known things. Tryfanstone is one of those writers who can make characters and emotions spring fully to life, sparingly told but with the perfect detail. And again, wit! The courtroom scenes crackle. Snape and Harry spar, Snape and the therapist have a contest of wills (guess who wins), and the shadows of war and death and forgiveness that loom in the background build to a finish in which erotic sparks fly. This fic has one of my favorite concluding scenes in all of Snarrydom, brief but explosive, a hot, hilarious, breathtaking release.

3. Rapture by @mia-ugly, Snarry, 48,123 glorious words.

Rapture probably doesn't need a lot of introduction among Snarry readers, but it's been a beloved comfort fic of mine since it was first posted. The prose is beautiful, a cross between poetic and urgent, with spot-on humor for extra flavor (who can forget Severus' horrible aunt?). Harry time-travels at the whim of a pocket watch, unable to control it and with no ability to warn Severus of his impending fate. They meet on Severus' 25th birthday, when he's drunk and damaged and unprepared for kindness. Between one moment and the next, Harry's gone, and Severus is left to fall in love with a young man who keeps reappearing in his life without rhyme or reason and then leaving again. The story is, against all odds (it's Snarry, after all), devastatingly romantic, lyrical not only in words but in spirit, with Severus' recurring grief and angry, desperate heart on the one hand, and Harry's desire to love and save him on the other, twisting all the way through the narrative to the remarkable end, which steps outside the lines of storytelling and speaks, I think, for a lot of Snarry fans at that moment in time. I will always feel my heart being wrenched the same way it was when I first read this fic, but it's a welcome pain precisely because it's so beautiful.

[jadeee]

Gojo's Pretty Friend

Nanami has a crush on you and it's only right that Gojo sets you two up together. After all, what are friends for?

Word Count: 3.5k

"Ugh, put your phone down!" You yell at him over the music.

"What?" He smirked knowing exactly what you said.

A goofy smile was plastered on his face "I can't hear you!" Gojo continued to ignore your demand as his thumbs danced across the black screen.

You yanked his phone from his hand.

"Hey!" He reached behind your back for it and failed.

"Hiii!" you said mockingly while you walked backwards to the dance floor, facing Gojo.

"Who are you texting anyway?"

"It doesn't matter," he closed the gap between the two of you.

"Say, what's your type anyway?"

"Not you, dumbass." You playfully shoved him away with a smile.

He laughed "That's a shame, I'm pretty smart." He waved his phone in the air.

"Godda- Gojo!"

"Alright, alright!" He tucked his phone into his pocket then grabbed your hand "Let's dance!"

~~~~~~

Nanami ignored the ping of his phone as he continued to watch his favorite show.

"Ah *beep*!" The young man on the television brought his hands to his head "I forgot to set my timer." He peered into the smoky oven he'd opened a minute earlier, witnessing his now burnt pie.

Nanami's brows pinched at the young contestant's rookie mistake.

"There's no coming back from that." He brought his glass to his lips without taking his eyes from the screen.

PING! PING! PING!

Instinctively, he threw his head back onto the couch.

"This better be good."

He set his glass down slowly then reached for his phone.

After seeing they were texts from Gojo, he almost set his phone down until he saw pictures of you with him. He brought his phone closer to his face.

LOOK WHO I'M WITH 💗💗💗

Gojo's text sat underneath the picture of you and him basking in neon lights, standing inches from each other. Nanami felt his cheeks heat up as his eyes lingered over the images.

"I think I still have time to try again." The younger contestant spoke in the background. Nanami ran his hands through his hair while still taking in the image of you and Gojo together. The longer he looked at it, he found himself feeling envious. He set his phone down then turned the tv off before going to the bathroom. His cheeks were flushed as he turned the faucet on.

~~~~~~

Gojo sent another text to Nanami while he waited for you to come back from the restroom.

Dw it's not like that. Apparently, I'm "not their type"🙄

You scanned the crowd for Gojo's face and smiled when his eyes landed on you.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here. I'm starving!"

Gojo walked with you towards the exit sign, "I know a place nearby."

~~~~~~

He had left his phone on the couch for a reason, so it wasn't glued to his hand. Out of sight, out of mind is what he told himself. Except you were still on his mind, sitting in the shadows and bringing all the possibilities to light. After he finished brushing his teeth, he let out a small exhale. His eyes stared at the ceiling for a brief moment before reluctantly going back to his phone. A low chuckle filled the silence of his apartment.

~~~~~~

You took another bite of your food and savored the flavor, nodding your head.

"This," you nodded your head chewing more of your food " is delicious!"

"See! What'd I say?" Gojo smiled before sipping his drink "You gotta trust me on these things."

"Oh yeah, like you playing matchmaker."

"Exactly!"

You laughed at how frank he was "Alright, who is it?"

"You remember my friend, Nanami?"

He studied the wandering look in your eyes and continued. "We're about the same height, but you already know who's more attractive?" 

He threw a flirtatious smirk at you and you rolled your eyes with a smile.

"Anyway, he's got blonde hair and –"

You nodded your head "I remember him. You don't exactly forget someone like that."

He raised a brow "Someone’s interested."

"Maybe," you felt your cheeks go hot "tell me more about him."

"He's a bit reserved but he opens up after a while. He's intelligent, a great cook, and one of my best friends but he could be your boyfriend!"

The last line got a laugh out of you. "Okay, okay. Do you have any pictures of him? I didn't get a good look at him last time. It seemed like he was in a hurry."

Gojo wiped his hands on a napkin and, all too happily, pulled out his phone. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't have pictures?"

He smirked at an unread message: Of course, you're not their type. They have a brain.

You two inched closer together over the table as Gojo showed you pictures of your potential partner. As he scrolled through images, he remained on one for a second or two and continued to show you more in hopes of finding a decent picture. Some were blurry because Nanami was doing something and yelled at Gojo as soon as he turned around. Or he had a stern look on his face while pouting unsatisfactory at the lens.

"He isn't smiling in a lot of these but –" Gojo doubled back on a certain picture "oh wait, he's smiling in this one ... sort of."

You saw what looked like Nanami plating a steak dinner he'd made. He wasn't looking at the camera but there was something peaceful about it, something akin to the Mona Lisa if you will.

"Hmm alright," you took a sip from your glass and then offered your hand to Gojo “can I borrow your phone?”

He handed it to you with a smirk.

~~~~~~

Normally he’d be asleep by now but he wanted to see the response he’d get from Gojo after teasing him. When a ping sounded from his phone, he slightly lowered the book to read the pop-up notification. He set the novel down after seeing it was from Gojo. The corners of his lip turned up when he saw the voice message. Yet his devilish smile dissipated when he heard your voice. 

It looks like our mutual friend is playing matchmaker. Why don’t we get together and see if we’re a good fit?

A deep blush tinted his cheeks at your low chuckle which followed. Your laugh was enough to throw off his attention, he’d heard you saying numbers though. Were you giving him your number? He told himself he’d have to replay the message again but for now he tried to focus on what you were saying and not the thoughts going through his head.

~~~~~~

Gojo gave you a small applause as you handed his phone back to him. 

“I gotta say I’m impressed. I didn’t see that coming.”

~~~~~~

And neither did Nanami. It was almost five minutes later and he was still dumbfounded. The farthest he got was putting your number in his phone. The contacts in his phone were far and few but they all had a first and last name. Nanami was a creature of habit who liked to keep things formal, but you’d only given him your first name and not your last. With any luck, you may have his last name in a few years so it wouldn’t matter ultimately. It didn’t but –

“Ugh,” he ran a hand through his hair then rested it on his cheek. His eyes focused on the blinking cursor in the text box under your name which had “Gojo’s pretty friend” next to it in parentheses.

~~~~~~

You and Gojo sat side by side in the booth staring at his phone, waiting for a response.

“Anytime now, buddy.” Gojo watched without blinking.

“Did I scare him off?”

“No way” he set his phone down to look at you “we’ve been through some serious stuff and talking to your crush? It’s a cakewalk!”

A smile spread across your face “He’s got a crush on me?”

“Oh, did I say that?” He ruffled the back of his head with a free hand “Whoops.”

“Gimme that,” you grabbed his phone with a smirk as you started to send another voice message.

~~~~~~

It had been ten minutes and he’d finally found the words … except, reading over it now he questioned whether it was too formal. It was dry, like something you’d say in an email to your boss. Or your mom after your friend pulled some stupid prank and broke something in the house.

“Hi, I apologize if Gojo put you up to this. He doesn’t think before he acts, as you’ve probably noticed. I hope you have a good night and —”

He covered his face with his hand. As he was deleting the text, he got another message from Gojo. Seeing that it was a voice message, he quickly clicked on it eager to hear your voice again.

Listen, I don’t know if I scared you off but don’t be shy. I won’t bite … unless you want me to.

Seven seconds. In those seven seconds of hearing your voice and that tease, his knees went a little weak. His heart beat a little faster and his pajama pants suddenly felt two sizes too small. PING!

He sat on the edge of his bed and played the next voice message you’d sent him from Gojo’s phone. 

Gojo mentioned you were a great cook, maybe you could teach me somethin’ sometime.

The mention of his name ruined the visuals he had running through his mind.

~~~~~~

You and Gojo squeaked as you saw the gray box with blinking dots appear on the screen.

Hi (y/n), it’s nice to finally meet you. You have a lovely voice and I can’t wait to hear more of it. I’ll talk to you soon but could you hand the phone back to Gojo for now?

You obliged and placed Gojo’s device back into his hand “Here ya go.”

Gojo read the next text that popped up on his screen as you downed the last of your drink. 

Don’t think I won’t get you back for this.

You weren’t focused on what Nanami could’ve possibly texted him since he’d just messaged you. Gojo noticed the wide grin on your face as you held your phone to your ear to play the voice message Nanami had sent you seconds ago.

I’m sorry if it seemed like I was brushing you off. I wanted to get Gojo out of the way.

Gojo leaned in to hear Nanami’s voice and you playfully swatted at him “Back up!”

“I wanna see the results of my hard work!”

You smushed his face farther away from you as you continued to listen to Nanami’s voice. 

We could talk all night but you should get some rest. You’ll need it.

A smirk was plastered on your face which remained as you typed, I’ll need rest for what exactly? What are you implying?

“I wanna know what’s going on!” Gojo continued to press against your hand which held him back and reached for your phone.

“No!” you pocketed your phone before releasing your hold on Gojo. You knew he could overpower you if he wanted to so you savored the fact that he didn’t. 

“It’s getting late, I should go home.”

“Why the rush?” Gojo grinned while easing out of the booth to let you out. “Got an important phone call to make?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” You stood up and smiled at him before walking off.

He shook his head then followed you.

~~~~~~

You glanced at your phone while Gojo drove you home. Whatever he was saying went in one ear and out the other as you read Nanami’s response to your question.

I’m not implying anything you aren’t thinking.

You let out a chuckle which made him look in your direction.

“You can thank me now.”

“Not just yet,” you answered Gojo while looking at Nanami’s new text. 

Nanami: I’ll let you sleep on it. Maybe you’ll even dream about it.

You: It’s gonna be hard for me to sleep when you’re saying things like that.

Nanami: Now you see how it feels.

A small gasp escaped from your mouth and before you could think of a response, he’d finished the conversation with a simple text that read: Goodnight, (y/n). Sweet dreams.

“Seriously?” You whispered to yourself.

“What?” Gojo inquired “What happened?”

You placed your phone down in your lap, “I just got a taste of my own medicine.”

A grin was plastered on your friend’s face “That’s Nanami.”

~~~~~~

You lay sprawled out in your bed, lazily looking at your phone in your half-blitzed state before sleep finally overpowered you.

~~~~~~

The stampede of elephants running through your head woke you up. A low groan escaped from your desert-dry mouth as you slowly blinked your eyes open then shielded the light from your face. You’d barely heard the knocks at the door. Your footsteps were slow and lazy as you walked toward it.

You opened it to Gojo’s smiling face.

“You,” you left the door open while you walked back to your bed “you did this to me.”

“Which is why I’m here to make it up to you!”

“Don’t talk so loud.” 

You crawled into your bed and he’d sat on the edge nearby. He waited until you pulled the covers up to your face and sank into your pillows.

“You should get dressed.”

“Why?!” You whined.

“Because I’m treating you to breakfast.”

You let out a loud groan before pulling the covers over your head.

“Or you can go dressed like that.”

“It’s too early to go out.”

“It’s only 10 a.m.”

“Exactly!”

“C’mon, please!” He crouched down next to where your ear was and pleaded endlessly.

You threw the covers back, nearly knocking him in the head “Okay, fine.”

He smiled “I’ll wait for you outside.”

~~~~~~

You managed to make yourself look decent in a short amount of time. When you said you looked absolutely terrible, Gojo said otherwise.

“That settles it then,” you said jokingly.

“Yep, you look great! Let’s go!” 

He lightly pushed you towards the door.

“What the hell is your problem?!” You tried not to laugh as he bounced on heels while waiting for you to shut the door.

“I don’t wanna be late!”

“Late for what?” You pointed a finger at him “And stop yelling.”

“Sorry,” he placed a hand around your shoulder “if we’re late, all the good pastries will be gone.” He put on an exaggerated pout.

“Aww, we can’t have that now can we?”

“No,” he held the door open for you. “Besides, I’ve got a few errands to run but I wanted to hang out with you first.”

His words made you smile “Aw, that’s sweet of you!”

“I try.” He batted his lashes at you then opened the car door.

You checked your phone as he sank into the driver’s seat. You had a few notifications but the first one you noticed was a text from Nanami. 

Nanami: Good morning, how are you feeling?

You: Let’s just say I’m def paying for last night. How are you?

“Besides, I owe it to you.” Gojo’s voice pulled you out of your trance. You looked at him as he approached a stop sign.

“Huh?”

“I was saying it’s the least I can do. I wasn’t expecting last night to get so crazy.”

“So what I’m hearing is I can get anything I want?”

“Of course, you can.” He glanced at you with a grin.

~~~~~~

Nanami felt his phone vibrate as he approached the counter. He pocketed it for now and tried to stick to his routine. After he placed his order, he stood off to the side to check his phone. 

“This,” you took in the quiet, relaxed atmosphere of the cafe “does not seem like your vibe.”

Gojo walked in behind you “A friend of mine actually goes here.” He quickly scanned the room and saw Nanami head off to the corner for a table. A sinister smile spread across his face.

“C’mon,” he quietly encouraged you to follow him towards the counter. 

You placed your order then waited for Gojo to place his own but you were stunned when he simply said he was fine. He paid for your breakfast then stood to the side of the counter.

A barista approached the counter and called out a coffee order. Gojo saw Nanami walk towards the spot behind you, where his order waited for him. 

“Nanami?!?” Gojo feigned surprise.

You turned around and saw him standing nearby. His eyes widened ever so slightly under your gaze. Although he tried not to show it, he blushed. Your cheeks felt hot for a moment. As you remembered you tried for the bare minimum today, you felt a bit embarrassed. 

“Hi,” it came out strained and awkward. If anyone could look inside your brain, they’d see you throwing a temper tantrum.

Gojo put on a goofy grin then rubbed the nape of his neck “I had no idea you’d be here!”

Another barista emerged from behind the counter and called out your order.

“I’m just gonna,” you pointed at the steaming cup of coffee and plate of food you’d ordered “yeah.” As you squeezed past Nanami and Gojo, you turned to face your friend. He ignored the look of hate on your face as you mouthed “You are so dead.”

Nanami shut his eyes for a moment “Of course, you’d do something like this.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Oh,” he reached for his phone and answered a call “What’s that? You need me right away?!” he pulled the phone down to his shoulder and started to say something.

You cut him off “Don’t worry about it. I’ll find a way home.” 

“I can take you home,” Nanami cleared his throat “to your house.”

The blush remained on his cheeks as he continued “If you’re okay with that.”

Gojo watched the two of you with eager eyes.

“Sure,” you nodded.

“Great,” Gojo smiled before walking off “have fun you two!”

~~~~~~

The two of you retreated to the table Nanami picked earlier.

“I’m sorry he did that.”

“It’s fine,” you sipped your drink “I mean, it’s not fine but it’s Gojo so it’s expected.”

Nanami nodded then took a sip from his cup. 

“How long have you two known each other?”

“About a year or so, why? You’re not jealous are you?” You studied him as you ate your breakfast.

He chuckled “That’s not the word I would use.”

“Okay,” you laughed “what word then?”

He raised a brow and you grinned “Humor me.”

A soft smile graced his face. While he reviewed his personal word bank, he drank his coffee.

“Curious.”

You nodded your head slowly, “About?”

He tried not to show the affect you had on him. His hand was rubbing at the corners of his mouth, trying to stop them from turning up and forming a smile.

“You’re gonna have to use your words, Nanami.”

The smile he was resisting made itself known to you and you grinned.

“We haven’t dated or anything.”

Nanami recalled how some people had stolen kisses or slip-ups that they refused to talk about.

  “No drunken kisses or anything like that either.” You watched him as you sipped your drink.

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I find it hard to believe that Gojo could behave around someone like you.”

“I know, it’s hard work.” You said jokingly.

He smiled in agreement and took another sip of his coffee.

“I take it this is your usual spot?”

“I usually come here on Sunday mornings.”

“That would explain how Gojo set us up.”

“I guess you could say I’m predictable.”

You chuckled when you remembered the game of cat and mouse you briefly played together, “Far from it.”

Over the next hour, he told you a bit more about himself. Not that he was willing but because you asked. Although you didn’t speak about yourself much he was intrigued by what you did tell him and he was eager to know more about you. 

~~~~~~

“This is me.”

He parked his car in front of your home. “Even though we met unexpectedly today,” he slightly grimaced at Gojo’s antics but then smiled “I enjoyed getting to know you.”

“Me too,” you grinned "thanks for driving me home by the way. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

You turned to open the door, then looked back at him.

“What are you doing later?”

He was stunned, you saw it in his face and continued to speak. “I don’t have any plans and I was thinking maybe we could get dinner. If you’re up for it.”

The corner of his lip turned up and formed a smile “I would like that.” 

“How’s seven sound?”

“Perfect.”

A sudden radiance overtook Nanami and you couldn’t help but smile at the effect you had on him.

“I’ll see you then.”

As you walked to your home and as Nanami drove to his, you both had the same thought, I guess I really should thank Gojo.

[ddeonudazed]

📸polaroids

📷cw: cursing I think, slight sunoo simp shaming that pained me to write, mentions of blood, niki being a mess

📷word count: 1.2k

📷prev.

The sound of quickly approaching footprints and the slamming of the nurse's office door made the pair jump at the sudden intrusion. There stood a slightly out of breath Jungwon , fiery red hair slightly stuck to his forehead, and strands sticking up in the air. Sunoo chuckled at the younger’s slightly disheveled appearance, moving to pat down his hair, "You really ran all that way huh, I'm surprised no one stopped you. " Niki nodded, holding a bloody tissue to his nose "Of course he did! I'd be weird if m/n saw him following them! ".

Sunoo rolled his eyes and sighed "Anyway did you bring the snacks I asked? " Jungwon sat on the hard medical bed, groaning slightly as he eased his aching legs, " Uh yeah they're in my bag. Chips for niki, your disgusting mint choco bar and i got m/n something honey flavored, it seemed like a safe choice. " Sunoo side eyed Jungwon before grabbing his snack, "Stop hating on mint choco, it's a good flavor! "Jungwon just looked at Sunoo before the three of them turned their attention to the reopening door. 

First walked in Yoon, her heels clacking on the shining tiled flooring and she stared at her phone while carrying on with the conversation. Next to her was Hyeongjun, looking over her shoulder and smiling brightly at whatever she had to say; his hair was pulled back by a black sports headband and he held a bag of chips in his right hand. Lastly came in m/n, the person the trio was really interested in seeing, headphones on and slowly moving into the room as he looked at whatever captured his attention on his phone.

Sunoo glared with jealousy at the device, wishing that it was him that held m/ns attention while Jungwon and Niki were fazed by the boy's appearance, expecting to see the usual clean cut look that accompanied their uniform. 

Instead m/n's tie and collar was slightly undone while his shirt was untucked and shoelaces were untied. Niki thought the newfound messiness was endearing, especially as he got a look at the older's mix matched socks. Jungwon, on the other hand, was still stunned by his visuals, especially with the way the lighting shined on his e/c and s/c. 'Who the hell looks this good after school?? Jungwon thought before clearing his throat and giving a shaky smile."Hi Yoon , M/n , and Hyeongjun sunbae, what brought you to the nervous-i mean nurses office today? " Jungwon spoke out with as much confidence as he could, cursing in his head as he stumbled over his words. Good thing for him though, no one heard it other than Sunoo and Niki, and Yoon proceeds to give them a wide smile, "Hello Jungwon! We actually came to check up on Riki, we saw him bump into that pole and wanted to see if he was okay.

 "Hyeongjun nodded next to her, wincing at the bloody tissues around them "Yeah it seemed pretty bad, really loud too. " In this time, m/n had taken off his headphones and wrapped them around his neck, staring at the tissue in front of niki's feet, "Are you okay? "Niki felt like he was floating on air, heart thumping hard against his chest as he nodded so quickly that m/n was worried that he'd sprain his neck. "Yes! Yes! I'm okay I just.....don't watch where I'm going? '' Niki stated while the end of his sentence was more like a question. He hoped m/n didn't notice that though.m/n nodded slowly before standing and moving behind Yoon again. 

His eyes scanned the room and eventually landed on Jungwon, the two made eye contact and m/n smiled in return. Yoon cleared her throat, "Well on behalf of our beautiful club leader, we'd like to collaborate with the photography club for halloween. If you'd like to, of course." Yoon flashed the boys a pretty smile before looking at Hyeongjun.

Hyeongjun nodded, his hair bouncing with the motion, "Yeah we want to decorate the outside of the classrooms with some autumn decorations and hold class contests. The idea would be that the winners would get their class pictures in the newspaper and other people can pay to get their photos taken with the money going towards charity." Sunoo grinned, looking at the younger, "That's so sweet! I'm sure we'd love to participate. We could even get Sunghoon to join!".

Hyeongjun grimaced at the memory of the popular boy but quickly hid it with a forced smile, "Yup. So sweet. It was m/n hyung's idea actually, it would be split between help getting homeless cats and dogs off the streets." 

 Jungwon and Niki looked at each other before holding back praise for m/n, who just fixed Hyeongjun's hair and nodded along with his younger friend.Jungwon smiled at the group,"Well it's settled, we'll meet later about the collaboration?" Yoon hummed in agreement and opened the door, waving goodbye as the photography club left, "See you then!".

The three waited until they could no longer hear footsteps before Sunoo screamed happily, shaking Jungwon's shoulders, "Holy shit! Did we just get a date with m/n?!" Jungwon was shaken in Sunoo's hands, just standing their limply and spoke, "Not a date though, a charity event."Niki scoffed, taking a new tissue to his nose, "It's basically a date, we get to hang out with him and maybe get his number." 

Sunoo nodded in agreement while Jungwon just smiled and sighed, equally as excited as his friends.Niki smiled so wide that his face began to hurt and leaned back against the pillows before sitting up quickly as he had laid on a bag of chips, “Oh god, we forgot to give m/n his chips”. Sunoo acted quickly, snatching the bag and running out of the room so fast that Niki and Jungwon didn’t have time to react. The pair just looked at each other and shook their heads while saying, “He’s so whipped.”

Sunoo on the other hand was sprinting for his life, frantically looking for m/n and hopefully alone so he could focus his attention on the handsome male. To his luck, m/n sat on a bench in the hallway, looking at his phone with his headphones on. Sunoo stopped, caught his breath, and walked up to him after composing himself and not looking like he ran a 8 mile run.

 “Um, m/n?” Sunoo started, nervously shifting from side to side.m/n continued to look at his phone, smiling at the post he was reading before he was startled by Sunoo tapping his shoulder. m/n took off his headphones and smiled warmly at the brunette, “Oh hey, Sunoo. Something wrong?” He tilted his head to the side. Sunoo shook his head and held out the chips, “Um no just me, niki and jungwon had bought some snacks and we wanted to know if you’d like this. Since school is over and you’re probably still working.”

m/n’s face slowly broke into a smile, accepting the gift, “Thanks, I’ll share this with the rest of the club, I really appreciate this Sunoo.” Sunoo smiled and bowed before the two exchange goodbyes and he made his way back to the nurses office with a big smile on his face and a lovesick skip in his step.

☁synopsis: in school there are only two things that sunwonki care about, passing classes and loving their hallway crush m/n who happens to be the schools photographer. what will happen when they all start to fight over the photography club's secretary while trying to maintain the popular boy stereotype?

☁enha! maknae line x male! reader featuring: wonyoung of ive, hyeongjun of cravity, dongypo of mirae, jeongseob of p1harmony, yoon of stayc and the rest of enhypen!

☁cw: smau! fluff + angst! slow burn! lowkey crack! flirting between heeseung and jake, hella gay, polyamory

FEM(SHE/HER/THEY/SHE....) DNI!!

.・✫・゜・。.

taglist: @priochebun @geonusboy @strwberrydinosaur @rinswrlds-blog

a/n: this was supposed to be posted in October but i apparently can't follow a schedule

next

[randonauticrap]

The Future of Memory Lane

Pairing ~ Jin Grandet x Reader

Word Count ~ 2.1k

Author's Note ~ Well, with a request like "Wool coat/blanket over shivering shoulders", plus my favorite man in the world, of course I got carried away! Thank you so much for this request, @kissmetwicekissmedeadly !!! I hope you enjoy me just basically gushing about Jin in fic form for 8 minutes. hehe

Warnings ~ Mentions/insinuations of smexy times, but none actually written

~

And happy official First Day of Fall for everyone in North America! IT'S FINALLY HERE!

The night air was cool, laced with a brisk wind and crunchy leaves that followed its urging. The festival lights were bright and welcoming, a warm invitation to sample the vivacious life that bubbled in the town square, and you and Jin took that invitation with open arms. You sat on a bench in the midst of a bustling evening, filled with laughter and the smoky scents of the dishes made with autumn harvest. Children participated in a pumpkin carving contest not too far away and you watched as mothers and fathers helped their young ones use the sharp knives to bring to life the spooky designs that could only come from a child’s mind. Yours and Jin’s pumpkins sat beside you on the ground, waiting for their turn to be carved once you returned to the palace. 

“Hope ya didn’t miss me too much.” your lover’s voice came from your right and you turned to face him, an eager smile already on your lips. 

“I always miss you too much.” you giggled as he sat down and handed you a basket with all sorts of food inside. The smell was intoxicating and you nearly neglected the use of your fork just to dig in faster. But upon remembering all you had to carry, you thought better of getting your hands sticky and picked up your utensil. “Thanks for the food, Jin.” you plopped your head against his shoulder and he chuckled, pulling you closer to his side. 

“Sure, sweetheart. I couldn’t let the most beautiful woman here go hungry.” 

You nuzzled his warm body and let out a laugh, your cheeks reddening in a giddy blush as you chased away the chill in the safest place you’ve ever known: right in this man’s arms. The two of you munched on your food and watched the people smiling around you, oblivious to the prince and his lover in their wake, and that’s just the way you and Jin liked it. Blending in allowed you to enjoy dates like a regular couple, without the peering, judging eyes that befell royalty every day in the palace. 

The wind began to pick up as you and Jin discarded your empty baskets and walked around the stalls, all lit up with little twinkling lights and candles. You came across one of your favorite jewelry merchants and started looking through the pieces he had brought this time. The gems were all delicately wrapped with beautiful iron detailing, and each was a representation of something to do with the autumn season. As per tradition, you and Jin each picked out a piece for the other, paid the merchant after thanking him, and made your way further up the cobblestone street. 

"Here we go." Jin declared as you reached your favorite coffee shop. Your smile widened and you wrapped your arms even tighter around Jin's bicep, excited about what you knew was coming next. 

The little bell clinked as Jin opened the door for you and the wave of coffee bean scent hit you. Your eyes fell closed and you breathed in the cozy, familiar scent of memories from many years of shared joy. Strong arms wrapped around you from behind and you giggled, the musky scent of your lover only adding to the bliss. "Know what you want, sweetheart?" He murmured in your ear and you nodded, letting him propel you to the counter, his warm hands never leaving your sides. 

You ordered your favorite: pumpkin flavored coffee and a piece of toffee cake, always made freshly at the beginning of each day once the weather turned cold. Jin ordered his favorite: caramel flavored coffee with pumpkin syrup, and a piece of honey chocolate cake, and you both made your way to the seats outside in the cool night air, your favorite booth left open in anticipation of your visit. You slid in next to the stone wall and gazed out at the lights from the festival, sighing happily when Jin scooted in next to you and provided you with his warmth. 

"Ready?" He leaned down and pressed the gentlest of kisses against your lips and you hummed against him, pulling him closer. 

"Mhm," you murmured, tugging him back down for another kiss before turning away to grab your bag from the jewelry merchant. Jin did the same, and when you turned back around, he was holding a little terracotta ring box in his hand. 

"Sweetheart, I never thought I'd get to have a love like this… but ya proved me wrong. You showed me that love isn't a curse, and it doesn't have to end the way my parents' did," he paused, coughing to hide his emotions, and you wrapped your arms around his waist, tucking your head under his chin. All the love, pain, grief, joy, and comfort that this man had given you the last three years came rushing back to you in an instant a the thought of what you assumed he was about to say, and you fought to hold the tears back before he could finish. You nodded silently and he continued. 

 "I… I want to make you happy, for the rest of your life. I want to be the man that lives up to all your fairytale dreams. I may not be able to do that, but I wanna try. I wanna be yours forever and I want you to be mine too. Will- will you marry me?" 

The moment the words left his lips, you let out a sobbing laugh and smiled up at him, tears beginning to streak your face. The look of momentary panic on his face had you cupping his cheeks and kissing him with all your might. "Jin of course I will. Of course I'll marry you!" You cried, and threw your arms around his neck. His entire body slumped with relief and he returned your embrace, crushing you to him and nearly taking your breath away. 

Swept away in a tidal wave of emotion, neither of you noticed the little crowd of townspeople that had gathered to watch the excitement, until they began to clap and celebrate your joy. "Oh!" You gasped in surprise and you both finally broke apart in a daze, and glanced around at everyone clapping for you. 

Jin smiled at them, then down at you, the love in his eyes set newly ablaze as he stared down at his fiancée; the only woman who had ever successfully broken through his salacious exterior to see the man within. You were smiling and giggling, thanking the townspeople, but all Jin saw was you. All Jin would ever see again was you, and he was completely fine with that. 

The rest of your coffee shop date passed in hushed giggles and loving touches, and before long, the festival crowd was dying down and it was getting late. "Well, ready to go home, future Mrs. Grandet?" Jin beamed down at you as he stood from the booth and held his hand out. For the thousandth time that evening, a joyful laugh bubbled out from between your lips. 

"I am, my darling future husband." You responded in kind, taking his hand and letting him pull you up. 

"Then we shall take our leave." He continued the silly posh accent as he wrapped your hand around his arm and led you back through the coffee shop and out into the night. You were always safe with Jin, his big, tall frame too intimidating to be pounced upon, so walking the streets with him, even in the evenings, never worried you the way it used to. It was a comfortable walk; a walk you had watched lovers take all your life; a walk you never thought you'd experience for yourself. That is, until 3 years ago. Then you finally understood how every moment was so precious, and every step meant something when you were with the right person. 

You were as close to Jin as you could possibly get, but it still didn't feel like enough. Would you ever get close enough? You pondered the thought lazily as the two of you walked back toward your carriage on the other side of town, when…

plop!

plop plop! 

"Oh man," Jin said above you. "We're about to get real wet. And not the fun kind. Hold on, sweetheart." And in a single second, you'd been lifted into your prince's arms, and not a moment too soon. The sky opened up and the rain began to pelt you both. It was a cold autumn rain that put a chill in your bones upon contact, and you squealed, clutching Jin's shoulders tightly as he ran. The carriage had still been pretty far, but Jin's long legs carried you there in half the time your own could have, however not before allowing the rain to completely soak the both of you. You clambered into the carriage with Jin right on your heels. He gave some hurried instructions to the driver before pulling the door closed and pulling you close to him. 

The carriage arrived at the palace after several wet, shivering moments, and a butler came out to greet you both with a large umbrella in hand. Thankful for the cover, you both hurried along beside him into the palace and once inside, Jin tugged you towards his room. 

"Thank you for carrying me. I never would have been able to run that fast." You laughed as you toweled off your wet hair in Jin's bedroom. You tossed the towel to him next and he mimicked your actions before stripping his shirt from his soaked body and toweling it too. 

"Course, sweetheart. I'm sorry your prince couldn't keep you from getting wet." He smiled sheepishly. 

"Oh, it's fine." You giggled. "Rain is just water. We basically just took a shower outside." 

"Have you forgotten what we do in the shower?" He cocked his eyebrow at you, unimpressed, and you blushed, images of exactly what you and Jin normally do in the shower dancing through your mind. 

"Oh absolutely not." You laughed, wiggling your eyebrows at him. 

"Good, I wouldn't want to find out that my beautiful fiancée could forget our time together." He grinned, the mirth once again in his eyes. 

Fiancée. 

The word hit you then like a freight train and you paused all movement, staring at Jin as if taking him in for the very first time again. You were pledged to be married to this insanely handsome man before you. It was almost too wild to believe. But as his eyes met yours again, it seemed so obvious. Of course it was him, no one else could ever compare. 

Jin hadn't noticed your revelation, and instead was busying himself with pulling several thick blankets from his closet. You only noticed that he had lit up the fireplace when he came to drape one of the blankets around your still shivering shoulders and lead you to his sofa. He sat down first, then pulled you into his lap, cradling you against his bare torso. Your fingers automatically began to trace the lines and dips in his skin, a habit you had formed early in your relationship and never intended to drop. 

"Oh hey!" You exclaimed suddenly. "I got so excited about your proposal that I forgot to give you what I got you from the jewelry stall!" You hopped up and rummaged through the pocket of your discarded jacket and pulled out the little bag and brought it back to Jin. You sat back down in his lap and pulled a pendant out of the bag. It was two deep blue sapphires encased in iron hearts and woven together in a beautiful design. "For your jacket lapel." You added as he brought his hand up to cup the tiny piece of art.

"It's incredible." He murmured, staring at it with a certain reverence you only get to see from him when you're alone. "Thank you baby." He muttered, pulling you close and pressing his lips to yours several times before letting you settle back into his arms under the blanket. 

"You know this blanket is going to be so soaked, right?" You said after several moments of silence, leaning your head against Jin's shoulder. 

"Yeah, that's why I got two out. We're gonna warm up right here first, and then we're gonna take a nice, hot shower, dry off, and we're coming right back to this spot. This is a special night, ya know. I wanna make it last as long as possible."

You giggled and cupped his cheek with your palm before allowing your fingers to explore the nape of his neck and his damp hair. You pulled him down to kiss you and his grip on you tightened. You pulled back just enough to whisper against his lips, "I love you, Jin Grandet." 

"I love you too, sweetheart; my amazing future wife. Happy anniversary." 

🎃

Tags for the Lovelies: @rhodolitesroseforclavis @aquagirl1978 @ikehoe @queengiuliettafirstlady @maries-gallery @nightghoul381 @itsjudesfault @xbalayage

[galadae]

new friends, old fears

rating: gen characters: Calantha Lenn, Hien Rijin, Cirina Mol, Gosetsu Daito words: 1.6k summary: Freshly arrived on the Steppe, Calantha loses a sparring match and has to give up her secrets notes: Occurs mid SB. I gave Cala a random fear that has nothing to do with the game and thought it was funny. That's all ao3 link

A lunge and a slash forward – Her opponent attacks with a shout. Calantha takes a swift step back to dodge the motion. Sweat beads on her forehead. He’s kept her on her toes, but he’d never have touched her with that move. She knows she’ll have him in a moment. She just needs to catch him off guard. He’s good, but she can do better. He won't win two contests against her today.

She blocks another blow and moves into a leap. Calantha vaults over him, twisting in midair to see a hint of surprise on his face. She grins. Let’s see how he parries this–

As her feet hit the ground her ankle turns on a stone she failed to notice before the jump. She staggers back, leaving herself open. Calantha throws up her lance to block the next blow. Steel slams against the haft. She hisses as her opponent knocks the weapon away from her body. Her lance slips from her hand and clatters to the ground. He’s too close to fend off now. She loses all hope of keeping her balance, dropping to her knee in the dirt. A katana points right at her throat. 

Calantha stares at the weapon, speechless at her own fumble. Gosetsu's laugh rings out behind her. Cirina cheers. Her eyes are wide with excitement. 

Calantha scowls at Hien, still stunned.  At least she can catch her breath now. She reaches for her lance. "Damn it all," she mutters. "That was a sloppy show on my part."

He flashes her a smile and pulls his blade back. "Well fought, nonetheless." He offers his hand. 

Calantha takes it with a huff. "You as well. I certainly didn't expect to end our match like this." She tries to keep her voice light, hiding her chagrin. Perhaps she could blame the food in her stomach for making her drowsy, or the uneven mountainside, but she'd won against worse opponents on harsher terrain before. The simple fact was, she’d gotten too cocky, again. A common theme of late. 

Hien wipes his arm across his forehead. "You are none the worse for wear, I hope?" He sheathes his weapon and rests his hand on the hilt.

"The only thing hurt is my pride," she says. She goes about brushing dust from her tunic. Her ankle aches, too, but the last thing she wants is to draw attention to the mistake that brought her defeat.

"I would spare your pride further bruising, but I fear you still owe me a secret, my friend. Such was our agreement." Hien gives her a grin.  

It’s a perfectly normal grin, if a bit cheeky. Calantha feels sure it hides a mocking smirk. He’s clearly satisfied with himself. The thought irks her. 

"I wouldn't dream of going back on it," she says, barely fighting off the sarcastic note in her voice. "Give me a moment to consider what flavor of embarrassment I can still stomach."

She starts down the hill towards the fire, pondering her predicament to the crunch of her boots on the short grass. The breeze picks up, carrying the sounds of the others’ footsteps behind her, their distant conversation floating through the night air. So much for trying to make friends. She didn't realize how soon she would come to regret a joke about his nickname. I certainly have no desire to tell him anything, but if we're to work with him, honesty is for the best, she thinks. He seems nice enough, anyway. 

Now for the secret. He’d asked for a dark one. Fray briefly crosses her mind. While she still preferred a lance for most situations that called for a fight, a greatsword had become a common companion on longer journeys. Just in case. She shakes her head. It would simply take too long to explain. He wanted a secret, not a convoluted tale of the dark manifestation of her own grief that sometimes spoke to her. She sighs. 

The stars wink down from the inky sky as she ponders. Perhaps she should disclose a childhood mishap. A drunken escapade. That one terrible tattoo, maybe…

She stops in her tracks. A recent event springs to the top of her mind. One that could have gone better if she hadn't let her emotions get the better of her. One that might very well haunt her dreams. One that brought to light some of her strangest fears. She glances behind her, and then back at the path. Absolutely no one else can know this except Hien. I'll never hear the end of it. 

The fire lies up ahead. Lyse is nowhere to be found–she’d dozed off after dinner again. She must have retired for the night. 

Calantha jumps as Gosetsu claps her on the back on his way past her. "You need to watch your footwork! Perhaps your luck will be better next time." She gives him a shallow chuckle and a nod. She looks behind her as Cirina steps into one of the yurts.

Hien slows his pace to stand next to her. "Shall I give you more time? Or have you decided?"  

With Cirina out of earshot, now is her chance. She gives a weary sigh. "I’m ready." She bends close to whisper in his ear. "Listen closely. I'm only going to say this once." 

Hien leans in. "You have my attention." 

She takes a deep breath."I'm…afraid of snails." 

Hien stares at her, mild confusion on his face. "Are they not merely…this big?" He motions with his thumb and finger. 

"Shh! They're not all tiny." She keeps her voice at a whisper. "In the Ruby Sea, a few weeks past, I was chased by one as tall as these yurts. I had no choice but to run, despite all my battle prowess. Which, I assure you, is better than what you saw back there. The memory of its giant eyes still haunts me." She pauses, glancing at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

His features are unreadable.

She hangs her head. "And if you must know. I’m afraid of the other kind, too. The tiny kind. Ever since I was a child." 

She expects him to laugh. He only smiles. "I thank you for your honesty. I’ve heard the larger of these creatures is quite formidable, I’m sure you’re not alone in your distaste for them." 

Calantha folds her arms. "Was that a dark enough secret for you?"

He chuckles. "Unexpected," he says, "but it satisfies the agreement. If you’ll permit me, perhaps I could offer a word of advice?" 

Her eyes narrow. "Go on."

"If you can't defeat this large shelled opponent with a blade alone, you could reason with it. Convince it to join your cause." She can sense the thinly veiled amusement in his voice. 

She rolls her eyes. "Too late for that. It's sworn vengeance against me by now. Besides, I don’t speak snail .” 

"In that case, be on your guard. Who knows when it might come looking for you." He smirks and starts walking back toward the fire.

She can see the creature now in her mind, oozing its way up the creek, stalk eyes bulging, searching— She grits her teeth. "Don’t use this against me," she hisses, striding after him. "If I wake up with snails placed anywhere near myself or my belongings–" 

Hien laughs. He shakes his head. "It would be improper of me to use this knowledge so. Never fear. You can trust I’ll keep it far from your enemies." 

Calantha catches him by the shoulder. "And friends?" She lowers her voice with a glance at Gosetsu. "Don't you dare tell any of them about this, or–"

Cirina emerges behind her, holding a canteen. "What’s this about?"

Calantha jumps at the sight of her. Hien stifles a laugh. 

She resists the urge to glare at him again and covers her eyes with her hand. “I'll tell you if you can beat me in combat.”

"An unlikely event," Cirina says, with a wry smile. "But you should join us. The night only grows colder. Why are you still standing far from the fire?"  

"I’m accepting my fate," Calantha mutters, and turns back to Hien. "Well?"

Hien’s eyes twinkle with amusement. "You have my word. No one will hear of this. Not even our friends around this fire." He leans toward her. "Will you join us? We may all let slip some secrets of our own."

Cirina smiles, waiting for her response. 

Their invitation is nothing if not genuine. She’s simply too tired to care.

"No." Calantha gives them a wide, fake grin. “I need to be prepared for the trials tomorrow. And to suffer my defeat in silence. I think I’ll head to bed.”

"May you rest well!" Cirina says, and walks off with a wave. Hien waits till she’s seated next to Gosetsu to speak again.

"Sleep well, my friend. We will see you on the morrow." He leans in, whispering so only she can hear. "And may your dreams be free of snails." He gives her the same cheeky grin again.

She rolls her eyes. "Ugh. Goodnight." Calantha stalks off to find her bedroll. The sounds of their voices fade into the background behind her. She has to admit, it’s all a little funny, even if she's too tired to feel like laughing about it. And perhaps it is my fault for teasing him. What was I thinking? I barely know him.  

She finds her things, and Lyse, sleeping soundly. As Calantha lays her bedroll out in the dark, she finds herself looking forward to the morning, if only for a chance to redeem herself.  

[cowboymenace]

Speculating About Ric Flair

Now I doubt that Ric Flair or his people will find this write up but I'm gonna be using the word allegedly a lot because I will be speculating about what Ric Flair is really doing in AEW.

On October 25th, 2023 Ric Flair would be revealed as Tony Khan's gift to Sting as a part of Sting Retirement Story. Sting and Flair are one of the most iconic rivalries in Wrestling History, the two even wrestled on the very last Nitro. This should have been met with rejoicing, right? No. Many online fans voiced their displeasure with the signing of Flair citing the sexual assault that occurred on the infamous plane ride from hell. This incident became much more well known due to the Darkside of the Ring series covering the whole ordeal. There's also Teddy Long going on the record stating that Flair had said heinous slurs to him and has yet to apologize

What's even worse in my opinion is Tony Khan dunking on Vince McMahon's alleged history of sexual misconduct, and yet still bringing in Flair anyways. It makes it apparent that Tony does not care about the victims, and was scoring a cheap dig against his competitor.

Another layer to this, is the promotion of Flair's brand of energy drink. I will not be mentioning its name nor its image since that would be indirectly promoting it as well. Each week now, there's a portion of the entrance stage dedicated to promoting the drink. The commentary desk has three cans of different flavors on display. It feels so bleak and dare I say carny. This is a major strike against Tony Khan's credibility about a promoter.

On the November 29th episode of Dynamite, Ric Flair would cut a promo backstage. The promo went on and on, you just can't help but to feel some iota of sadness watching this shell of a man trying to recapture faded glory. Watch for yourself if you wish, just be warned it's bleak.

The reaction was brutal. So much so that now Flair is threatening to leave. Fellow veterans like Chris Jericho (who punched a female fan in 2008) and Stone Cold Steve Austin (who beat Debra, something he pleaded no contest to) voiced their support. Something something birds of a feather.

On Jericho's end, this is insane. He narrated each episode of Darkside of the Ring. He read out loud what Flair did. This makes him incredibly scummy, but I digress. Back to Flair

Flair has also stated that younger talents have not approached him for advice. This is adding to the criticism of the AEW lockerroom being full of young guys who do not take older veterans' advice, but Taz has dispelled that.

If anything, this tells us that no one wishes to interact with Flair. Why should they? They know about his history and how he seems to not have atone for it. Why is this man getting a paycheck in a company that is trying its hardest to remove toxicity from the lockerroom? I do not blame those avoiding him like the plague.

So this seems like a misreading of the room by Tony Khan, and a huge waste of time for Ric right? But what if this was the goal?

In 2009 Ric Flair was brought into ROH as an authority figure. Flair had just finished his retirement run in the WWE and was moving on. However, Flair would No-Show after being paid

Flair was paid 35K for the position and was going to get 10K per appearance. He took the money and left. ROH then responded by announcing a lawsuit.

Recently Ric Flair was on an episode of Kill Tony, a comedy show where a panel of veteran comedians and celebrities would judge one minute sets by amateurs. His appearance was odd. He was slurring his words and would not engage with the show. He would ramble on about donating time and he then went on to leave in the middle of the show. It was bizarre, could it have been he was not anticipating how mean the show is to participants. Or did he figure he got paid anyway and just dip? Now I am merely speculating, I am not sure if Tony paid him or this was a favor. I can imagine anything with Flair requires payments but again I'm just speculating.

Now this brings us to Flair in AEW. Is Flair looking for an exit after getting some money out of Tony Khan, who happily gave it to him? This is what I believe is Flair's current move. He has a history of not fulfilling his commitments, and he may just be doing it again, allegedly, parody, in minecraft. Satire.

If Flair does leave I hope that this is a lesson to Tony never meet your heroes, they may try to rip you off (Allegeldy!!!!)

[somethingclevermahogony]

Happy STS! What are some common forms of entertainment for regular, non-noble people in your world?

Thank you for the question! As per usual, I will be sticking to Kishetal for this one, and more specifically the region around Labisa. These are just a few of the things that common people might do for fun! Common people find a number of ways to entertain themselves.

Beer halls (beer is the drink of commoners, as opposed to wine which tends to be more high class or else reserved for special occasions) are very numerous and form one of the main hangout spots for commoners of all ages. Throughout Kishetal, beer has traditionally been brewed and sold by women. Labisa alone has 19 beer halls, all but one of which are run by women. These halls typically serve five varieties of beer along with various food items.

Aruhakishar/Akishar: (Aruha- Dry, Kisharu- Beer) Unadulterated, typically plain beer, this sort of beer is the basis for the other varieties. These vary from brewer to brewer and can differ greatly in terms of strength, flavor, color, etc. This tends to be the cheapest option. Ishkishar: (Isha- Sour/Bitter Kisharu- Beer) Aruhakishar typically with the addition of various herbs, nuts, and even minerals. This beer is typically seen as invigorating, good for lifting the energy and strengthening the resolve against wicked spirits. Few people drink this casually. Wakishar: (Wawa- Sweet, Kisharu- Beer) Similar to the above but rather than the addition of herbs to promote bitter and sour flavors, this variety of beer is typically sweetened with the addition of various sweeteners, most often date syrups, honey, and fruits like fig. These tend to be the most well-liked variety of beer and fall in the middle when it comes to price. Olikishar/Olkishar: (Oli- Blood/Red, Kisharu- Beer) This variety of beer is similar to Wakishar but is flavored specifically with the addition of red fruit, like pomegranate, cherry, and various mountainous berry, giving it that crimson appearance. Some beer halls may add other additives to increase this sanguine appearance. Depending on the quality, this may be the most expensive variety of beer sold at a hall. Ihikishar/ Ihiki: (Ihi- Giggle (haha), Kisharu-Beer) This particular variety of beer is not sold in all halls and tends to be the most expensive, and is viewed among the common folk as more of a treat. This beer can be any of the above with addition of the treated oil of the magical Kasikur plant, also known as jit(from a Forestfolk word). Drinking jit mixed with wine may cause various effects, most commonly a slight high, similar to cannabis. However the use of jit is highly regulated as its magical effects, when consumed in sufficient amounts can have dangerous and bizarre effects.

Storytelling, relating tales of Kishetals history and of the various happenings of the outside world, takes a very robust place in the lives of Kishite people of all walks of life.

Temples often put on performances, mostly reenacting the exploits of legendary heroes. Typically these events are free though a donation is expected. The most extravagant of these performances may also include shows of sagecraft, some of the only magic that common folk are exposed to.

Poets and bards are likewise quite ubiquitous, performing on street corners or else found in the beer halls, competing for the attention, and appreciation of their audiences.

Poetry battles and rhyming contests, in essence thinly veiled battles of insults, are common spectacles and the best poets may even earn some degree of fame amongst their peers.

Gambling with dice or on the outcomes of fights are also quite common. Thiefs dice is particularly common among the enslaved population of Labisa as it only necessitates small gambles.

Suru was on the deck arranging some sort of game atop a wooden crate. " Come down here, Ninma." He called up to her.  Ninma shimmied down the mast and sat at the makeshift table. The crate had on it a pile of dried figs and two dice carved from bone; two of the sides were painted red, one blue, one black, one yellow, and one remained white. " What is this?" Ninma asked, inspecting one of the dice. " Something to distract us while we wait. Narul and I used to call this thief’s dice, no idea what it is actually called. I borrowed the dice from one of the crew. We used to play it in the slave quarters, don’t know if you ever played it up in the palace, doesn’t seem like it. The rules are simple. We take turns rolling the dice. If you get blue, you take a fig. If you get red, it becomes my turn. If you roll yellow, you must put a fig back in the pot. If you get white, you can take one of my figs, but if you get black, I can take one of yours. The game is over when someone rolls a blue, but there are no figs in the pot to take. Back home, we used the money your father gave us at festivals, but I respect you too much to take all your money, princess." He grinned.

Hunting for small game like birds and rabbits is popular among rural populations, though not so much among urban ones. Though, rat-catching is not unheard of among young and adult alike in certain parts of Labisa and other large cities.

Duels, or more accurately brawl matches with sticks and fists, are not at all uncommon, though technically illegal. When such fights do break out, they attract much attention, and typically, much gambling. The city guard, at least under Hutbari, does little to stop this and may even join in on the wager.

Wrestling, boxing, foot races, competitions of skill with slings, and other similar physical activities are popular, and may take place at just about any time. For those rare few that know how, swimming in Lake Shebali is a fun bit of leisure, though not always entirely safe as the depths of the lake can be dangerous. Dance and music are common as well, perhaps most famous is Storm Step. This style of dance theater is almost entirely non-verbal and rather is dependent on facial and bodily expression. The dances are performed on hollow wooden platforms, producing loud thundering sounds, thus giving the style of theater its name. Unlike most styles of theater in Kishetal, Storm Step is entirely dominated by women, and more often than not pairs of sapphic lovers. In some instances entire troupes may form polyamorous unions.

I could keep going, but I think that gives a good picture for now. Let me know if you would like to know more!

[onthesandsofdreams]

Silent Love

Fandom: The Sandman Pairing: Morpheus x f!Reader Summary: 'You're looking, but you don't see.' Teleute's voice softly echoing in his mind, not to mention the look she had given him after he had spoken about the newest movie you two had watched. Words: 1669 Notes: For my sister, @mousedetective. Also, a small fyi, the ice creams that I’ve mentioned are very much real (and very, very tasty). Arrullo de Luna = Cooing from the Moon (Peach, mango, pecan and strawberry), Oracion de Amor = Love Prayer (Almond, peach, rose petals and marshmallows) and yes, they were chosen on purpose.  Prompt(s): #16.- You're looking, but you don't see.'  from @fictober-event

Read @ AO3

Morpheus stood still, 'You're looking, but you don't see.' Teleute's voice softly echoing in his mind, not to mention the look she had given him after he had spoken about the newest movie you two had watched.

What had she meant? Frowning, he recalled the last time you two had been together, it had been a simple get together between friends, to watch a movie you had been insistent that he ought to watch. He would had to admit that Gravity had been a good movie. You had been kind enough to offer foodstuff and drinks and it had been a quiet night simply watching the movie and enjoying each other's company.

But he knew that Teleute was trying to tell him something without outright having to say it.

So, he went over your most recent of interactions. One of them were in the park, where you two found yourselves feeding the birds. Conversation had steered - or rather you had steered - into fashion, thinking nothing of it, he had commented about experiencing the fashions of the centuries every time he visited with Hob.

You had stopped feeding the birds, turned to him and given him a long, critical look. "I am sure you looked amazing. I would have loved to see you in that fashion."

He had stared at you and shrugged. "I could always change my looks, perhaps during that costume party you are so fond off, and then you could truly make a judgement."

You had laughed, "Halloween party, Morpheus. And yeah, that would be fun. I might even let you win the contest that I throw, you know, just for sheer historical accuracy. Think on it, extra candy!"

* Another of your most recent interactions had been when he had rescued you from some drunken men. You and your friends had gone to a bar, to dance and relax a bit from the stress of work when a couple of men had all but cornered you as you came out of the bathroom.

Whatever they had told you, he did not need to know. But he understood the fear in your eyes when he made his way to you. "Excuse me," he had said, easily pushing the men aside and all but turning himself into a wall in front of you. "I am sorry for being late, darling. But I am here now. Are these men bothering you?"

"They were just leaving," he had not missed the way your voice was thick with relief. "And now that you're here, perhaps we could go home too, I'm growing a little tired. Just need to say bye to the girls, I'll be right back."

And that had been that, he had made sure you made it home safely. You clinging to his arm the whole way home, "Thank you," you had told him. "For the rescue in there. I was ready to panic."

"I know, I could see the fear in your eyes. I would not stand for it."

"Well, I appreciate it, Morpheus. I really, really do." Your face and voice had gone soft. "I appreciate and I'm thankful for your help, I owe you one."

"There is no need for repayment." He had told you. "You were in distress and I would not stand for it."

"Nevertheless, I insist. If you ever need my help, I will give it." You had taken his hand in yours and squeezed it tight, your whole face solemn. "I mean it."

*

The next one had been when you had insisted in taking him out for ice cream. "C'mon Morpheus, this shop is the best! They have such unique flavorings and I'm sure we will find something for you. Specially, something you have not tried."

He had indulged you, it was ice cream, how different it could be? Turns out, a lot more than what he had been expecting. You had explained that the owners were Mexican, and they took inspiration from there to create their flavors and always offered a small tasting bite if the customer was unsure as to what to get.

You had settled for one called 'Oracion de Amor', and then insisted he try it. "This is delicious Morpheus, you have to try it!"

He had indulged you, and he could not helped but agreed that it was. When he had told you so, you had beamed at him. He however, had picked one called 'Arrullo de Luna'. In the end, the two of you had enjoyed the shop and the ice cream. And now he had another place to bring his sister to.

*

Another had been when you had insisted in dragging him to an amusement park. First thing on your agenda? The highest rollercoaster there was. "You loose all fear when you conquer the worst," you had told him. "And I intent to."

And so, he had found himself sitting besides you as you both waited for the ride to begin. "This metal's too flimsy. Are you sure it's safe?"

You had rolled your eyes and gently slapped his arm. "Perfectly so. These amusement parks are well maintained. We're not dying - no, don't give me that face - here today. That would put such a damper in the mood."

He could not deny that you were excited about the whole thing, even more so when at the highest part before the drop. But of course, the very moment when the ride dropped, he had not been able from stopping himself and placing a protective arm in front of you. You didn't seem to mind.

"That was amazing, wasn't it?" You were practically vibrated with excitement and he could not help but to smile at your wide eyes and clear delight.

"It wasn't as terrible as I thought."

"Aha! A small victory, I'll take it."

In the end, the amusement park had not been so bad, despite being crowded and loud. And he had won a rainbow plush unicorn for you after you set your eyes on it. The hug that you had given him would had probably crush bones if he were human, and your eyes were sparkling when you pulled back and said, "Thank you, Morpheus. I'll treasure it. Always."

*

The last one that had happened was when due to his duties, he had been unable to visit you in the waking world and had not had the chance to spend enough time in the Dreaming. And if he had to be honest, he missed your presence a lot more than he had been expecting to. So, he made his mind to visit you as soon as he could.

He had gone directly to your home, a place that you had offered to him whenever he needed some sort of escape. "It's not the Dreaming," you had told him shrugging. "But I would like to think we're friends, and when a friend needs a place to hide, you offer your place. So, you're welcome to let yourself in anytime." And to prove your point, you had given him the keys and the alarm code, "In case you feel like entering like a normal person."

"Would I not be imposing upon you?"

"No. My house is yours, Morpheus." You had looked so very serious. "And you're welcome to make yourself at home whenever - even when I'm not here."

"Thank you."

And when he finally took your offer and visit, he found you reading on your sofa. A blanket thrown on your legs and a steaming mug of coffee on the table next to you. He took a moment to observe you, you looked so at peace and content.

Then, you nearly jumped to the ceiling when you realized that he had come. Your book forgotten, you stood and rushed to hug him, "Morpheus, hi. Welcome, I've missed you!"

"It's good to see you, you have also been missed."

When you pulled back, there was something in your eyes that he had not been able to read well, for you immediately pulled him over to the sofa. "I know you're busy, but I was starting to worry. Would you like anything?"

"Tea is fine, thank you."

You had beamed at him and rushed to your kitchen. When you came back, you offered the tea and asked if he had been well. After reassuring you that he was, in fact, quite well and inquiring about yourself, the two of you had launched into a lively book debate.

That was one of the things he liked about you, how passionate you were. And he welcomed the debate and your different point of view. You two had talked - and you had managed to convinced him to have dinner with you - until you had began yawning. It had been his turn to be amused, "Sleep. We'll see each other in the Dreaming."

"Alright. I'll see you in a bit, Morpheus."

And the lively debates had continued in the Fielder's Green with an impromptu picnic. And something that had struck him had been how regretful you looked at having to leave the Dreaming when you were about to wake up.

What could that...

Oh.

Well, Teleute was right. He was an idiot.

How come had been so blind not to see the love that swam in your eyes? The care and tenderness you offered to him so freely? How he had missed the whole signs that your friendship had shifted to something so much more deep?

And more importantly, how did he feel about it?

He closed his eyes, allowing himself to simply feel... and his eyes snapped open when he realized that he felt the same for you. Well now, that was quite unexpected. Not unpleasant, just unexpected. And he would do his best to court you.

Now, perhaps he could ask his sister about modern courting rituals? Yes, that option was better than having to ask Matthew. Mind made up, he made his way to his gallery, no point in delaying the inevitable, he had already kept you waiting long enough.