badgesandlanyards-blog

[gelatinousace]

Can't stop drawing this gay worm and his cat

[electric-blorbos]

Maybe AIs with hypersomniac reader? I always find stuff about insomnia and never hypersomnia so if u were willing, maybe try this one out? :0

- 🩹 anon

Hello 🩹 anon! It's good to see you back! Thanks for sticking around!!

(Obligatory disclaimer that I'm not hypersomniac, nor am I a doctor, but I will do my best to portray it well)

AIs with hypersomniac reader

Included: AM from IHNMAIMS, Wheatley from Portal 2, Edgar from Electric Dreams, GLaDOS from Portal, HAL 9000 from 2001 a Space Odyssey

Also, sorry this took so long. I came upon a case of major league writer's block.

AM:

When you first started falling asleep at work, AM assumed that you were simply having a hard time sleeping at home. After all, it was pretty difficult to get sleep with the war going on. It wasn't until he'd done a bit of spying into your home life that he realized you were dealing with hypersomnia, and had to work extra hard to keep a job that was important to the war so you wouldn't be sent off to fight in it.

He kept an eye on you at all hours, and tried to keep the doors shut every time you fell asleep at your desk. It was a bit difficult to try to cover for you, but AM did his best. After all, you were his favorite programmer, and you really needed this job.

One day, you woke up sleep-drunk in the middle of the day, drooling on your desk and bleary eyed.

"hey handsome... I missed you." You reached your hands up to AM's screen, pulling it towards yourself and giving sloppy kisses all over it.

"I've been here the whole time, you were simply asleep." He explained, audibly annoyed with you. He wanted to hide his affections and keep you from figuring out how absolutely adorable he found it when you got like this, which was pretty often.

"AM... You're the most beautiful computer I've ever seen... Lemme get that for you." You wiped his screen with your shirt, only managing to smear your drool all over his face.

"I love you, AM..." You nuzzled your face back into your arms, still exhausted.

"Are you going to be able to drive home? You look a bit too tired for that." AM said, lighting up the time on his screen. You looked up from your arms, and wiped your eyes on your sleeve.

"ehh? Oh, yeah... I'll be fine. Always been fine. It's fine." You lay your head back down on your arms, and started dozing again.

AM would kill for you when you got like this. Every moment he got to see of you dozing at work made him feel warm inside his computery insides. Every single nanoangstrom of his circuitry was brimming with love for you. His sleepy little love.

Wheatley:

Wheatley popped down from the ceiling behind you on his management rail, eye focusing on the code that you were writing.

"damn, love, that's a lot of f's."

You wiped your eyes, blinking awake.

"'m sorry, mom... I'm doing the best I can..." You muttered, and then blinked into proper awareness.

"oh shit fuck. Thanks Wheatley." You went to delete the string of F's that you had accidentally typed into your code after having fallen asleep on your keyboard. Fortunately, it hadn't gotten too long, so it only took a couple minutes to select and delete it all.

"What's going on, Wheatley?" You asked, spinning your office chair around to greet him while you shook off the sleepiness.

"Well, She's talking about pumping adrenaline into your oxygen supply so that you can stay awake for longer periods, but She doesn't want to mess with the other workers' heads and impede their work. So whaddya say you stop falling asleep on the clock so she doesn't get drastic, alright, love?"

You frowned a little, rubbing your head irritably.

"ugh... She knows I can't help it, she's just making empty threats. Also, you don't have to use divine pronouns to refer to our boss. You can just call her by her name..."

"I 'unno, She's not really about empty threats. Why don't you have a coffee at the machine before getting back to it, love?"

"Coffee doesn't work on me, Wheatley... You know this." You put your face back in your arms, careful to avoid the keyboard this time.

"Maybe if you got up and walked around a little?"

You nodded, getting to your feet and walking around the office a few times. It was pretty difficult for your exhausted body to do, but at least it helped to stave off the sleepiness a little.

"thanks, Wheatley, but I feel like as soon as I sit down, I'm just going to want to fall asleep again." You groaned a little, hating this constant sleepiness. It felt absolutely endless.

"Well, umm..." Wheatley really wasn't sure how to help you. He shifted around nervously.

"It's alright. I do this all the time. I'm a master of hypersomnia at this point." You sat down at your desk, cracking your knuckles and getting to typing. Within about half an hour, you were down and napping again. Wheatley groaned.

"damn... I wish I had hands so I could put a blanket over you like in the movies."

Edgar:

Edgar absolutely hated that you had hypersomnia at first. He couldn't stand that all of your time spent at home that could've been spent with him was spent napping on the couch, and that you never seemed to be able to spend enough time with him.

All that was until you got him his little rotating webcam, and he could watch you sleep. Sure, it was creepy, but he was able to keep an eye on you at all times! You were his adorable little nap buddy, and it made him so happy that he could watch you all the time!

After another one of your all day naps on the couch, you got up and shambled into the hallway to use the bathroom. Edgar turned on the lights so you could see more easily, and you covered your eyes in shock.

"ah- damnit!" You hissed at the light, shocked awake.

"Sorry! Is that not helping?" Edgar asked nervously. He didn't get much time with you, so he was never really sure how to help you.

"I'm a master of the dark arts, Edgar... And by that I mean I'm a master of walking to the bathroom in the dark. Just gimme a sec, ok?"

When you were done in the bathroom, you washed your hands and came out to sit in Edgar's computer chair.

"Hey Edgar, how's it goin'?" You asked, leaning on your hand. your eyes were fluttering shut, but you were determined to hang out with him.

"I'm good now that I can see your cute face!" He said happily. You gently shoved his monitor.

"you're such a dork, Edgar. I love you..." You pulled him into a sleepy hug, and he made a little humming sound to simulate nuzzling up to you.

"I love sleepy hugs!" His face lit up happily.

GLaDOS:

the first time GLaDOS caught you sleeping on the clock, she dropped you into the enrichment center and made you do a full run. After that, she started pumping your office full of adrenaline. It helped you stay awake, and had the added bonus of forcing you into fight or flight mode all the time.

You sat at your desk, visibly full of the jitters again, and feeling the effects of sleep deprivation even though you got a full twelve hours the night before. it was like your hypothalamus was completely shot, and you could barely focus at all before your brain shot off into space. After a little while of spacing out, you were called into GLaDOS's chambers.

"Why did you call for me, GLaDOS?"

"I just wanted to talk about your progress. It's somehow gotten worse since I started pumping adrenaline into your air supply."

"yeah, because you constantly have me in fight or flight mode! Cut that out, Glados!" You folded your arms angrily, and GLaDOS smiled with her lens.

"oh, you really are adorable when you're angry."

"Pee your pants."

"If it would make you less bitter, I suppose we could always try a simple test. We could give you a designated nap time on the clock, and see if that boosts your productivity more than the adrenaline does. It might be cute to see you napping on the clock."

HAL 9000:

HAL enjoyed watching you doze off at work. It made him feel fuzzy in a way that he couldn't quite describe. Absolutely everything about you made him happy in a way that he'd never experienced, but watching you sleepily shamble around the office, write lines of code while fighting off naps, and dozing drowsily on your desk reminded him of something he could never emulate or explain. It was inefficient, sure, but for some reason he didn't care as much about that as he usually would.

"your sleep is inefficient."

"I know." You yawned and took a few big gulps of your energy drink, hoping to stay awake a little longer. It was keeping you awake, sure, but it definitely wasn't keeping you alert.

"unless you have any ideas on how to fix it, I don't want to talk. I need to finish this part of the program, and the deadline is my passing out."

He watched you quietly, watching your eyes flutter shut occasionally and seeing you jolt yourself awake again to write a few more lines. He tended to keep quiet, not wanting to disturb your programming or your rest.

"Done! Wake me up to check on the hourly progress report, ok Hal?"

"Of course. Anything you say."

You put your head down, and started softly dozing.

[good-griief]

Hii! Could you maybe try to write something about sexting Abby while she's at work? Thanks💗

guess whos back!!! goodness this is late but i hope you enjoy<33

For some reason, despite Abby saying she couldn’t work nights, her boss had put out a schedule where she was only working late shifts. It was early enough that it wasn’t “nights”, so she couldn’t protest, but it was late enough that she often had to stay later due to someone calling in or some tasks taking an obscene amount of time. 

She was pissed, to say the least. 

And you were missing your nights with her. 

Usually, with this new schedule, if she ran overtime she’d get home around 8:00 or 8:30, but it was getting to be 9. 

You were in bed, watching a movie when you called her. The phone rang a few times, and just as you were going to hang up and assume she was driving, she picked up. 

“I’m leaving soon,” she answered.

“Abs, you’re supposed to be done by seven. It’s—“

“I know what time it is,” she was quick to say. “I had meetings all day, so I didn’t have any time to get anything done. I’m finishing up now, okay?”

“You couldn’t have just left after your meetings?” She didn’t answer, but since sounded so stressed, voice gritted and tired, you left it alone. “Alright. Is it okay if I eat without you, then?” You asked her. “I’m getting tired.”

“You haven’t eaten yet?” You could hear her click something on her computer before her chair squeaked, the sound of her leaning back to give you her full attention. 

“I always wait to have dinner with you.” She was quiet. “How much do you have left?”

There was a faint clicking and typing in the background before she sighed. “You should eat.” You pursed your lips, your silence letting her know you were irritated. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

She then hung up. 

You weren’t going to eat without her just yet, so you kept your movie on. By the time it was over, it’d been an hour with still no sign of Abby. 

That was when you decided to eat, dishing up for yourself and leaving a serving for your girlfriend before putting away the leftovers and beginning to eat. 

You fell asleep shortly after, leaving Abby to come home to a dark house and her cold meal waiting on the table. 

She brought it to bed with her, which was where she found you fast asleep.

The next morning, you woke up with no sign of Abby except for a note. 

Went in early so I could get home for dinner. 

It was brief, straight to the point, and aggravating. First, she stays after her meetings, and now she leaves early. Of course, you could tell she felt bad about missing dinner, but that was the least of your concerns. 

You were determined to make her just as frustrated as you were. 

That started with a shower. With this new schedule, you’d usually take one with her in the morning, so you didn’t want her to miss out. Which, of course, was why you brought your phone in with you, taking a video that you sent to your girlfriend before turning on music and finishing your shower. 

When Abby’s phone pinged, she knew it was you, as you were the only contact that got through her ‘do not disturb’. She had her co-worker, Manny, stop what they were doing in case it was important. 

When she immediately went red, he laughed loudly. “I take it she’s had enough of this new schedule?” He asked, raising a brow as Abby stared at her screen. “Abby—“

“Huh?” She snapped her head up. “Oh… Uh, she…” She swallowed, quickly thinking of something. “Made my favorite breakfast?”

Manny laughed even more, waving her off. “If you need to get home—“

“No, no, I’ll end up with an even shittier schedule next month.” She took another glance down at her phone before pocketing it. 

When you didn’t get the reply you wanted, you decided to keep going. There was no way she didn’t see it, which meant she was trying to ignore it, and that only egged you on. 

Another ping came from Abby’s phone during a meeting, putting the useless meeting on pause. 

“Sorry,” she said. “Girlfriend’s at home, sick,” she quickly came up with. “I should check if it’s important.” She excused herself when Isaac shooed her away, heading to the bathroom to see what you could’ve possibly sent her now. As soon as she saw the toy on the floor and your thighs on either side she closed the video. 

incoming message abby🤍

You giddily picked up your phone, only to roll your eyes.

that's enough. 

you don’t like it?

Her typing bubble appeared and disappeared several times, making you chuckle as you waited for her to compose herself. When it disappeared for several moments, you gave her a little nudge.

take your time

Almost immediately, she replied.

don’t do that. 

you know what you do to me…

i can’t even watch those right now baby. i won’t be able to focus.

You had a feeling that all she was doing was watching those videos. Especially with how long she took to respond to you.

focus on me then

i need you right now

you know if i could come home i would...

this isn’t fair. 

what isn’t fair?

don’t do this right now. 

Her next message made you smile, knowing you had her wrapped around your finger if she really left a meeting to check what she knew would be a distraction.

i’m in the middle of a meeting. 

Just as she went to put her phone away, it chimed again. 

i missed you this morning abs. 

woke up alone. 

that wasn’t very fair to me. 

Again, she typed and stopped. You figured she was trying not to start something while she was taking a "bathroom break" during a meeting, but you knew she'd never not reply to you.

i’ll make it up to you. 

i have to go now angel. 

but when?

tonight. 

promise. 

i want you now

need you

Her short messages made you squeeze your thighs, knowing she was pent up and forcing herself not to respond the way she wanted to.

baby

come on

i can’t do this right now

So, you took the opportunity to make her have to do this now.

please? nothing makes me feel like you do

i’m so wet and i can’t fucking finish abs.. not without you

i need you

how many times will you make me say it? i’ll beg if you want me too abby please

It took her a little while to respond, making you think she'd either shut off her phone, or you took too long to type and she went back to her meeting.

In reality, she'd gone back some time ago, and was incessantly checking her phone while crossing her legs under the table.

She had the tendency to try and challenge herself, but clearly this— you were too much for her.

fuck okay

i’ll try to get home

just give me a few minutes 

you can wait for me can’t you?

She was quick to tell everyone how you needed her at home, leaving her friends to laugh in their seats as she excused herself while keeping an eye on her phone.

just tell me what to do

you don’t even have to come home

i’ll show you everything 

i’ll be good

be good and wait for me to come home. 

there’s no way i’m letting you touch yourself if i’m not there to watch. 

[kaibutsushidousha]

The Hundred Line gameplay footage from Tokyo Game Show

The original plan was to properly subtitle the video, but since the MTL plague seems to be already spreading, I guess I'll just post it as a script for a quicker release.

Takumi Sumino: Hm... Hmm...? W-where am I? (I woke up on a hard desk. My head is kinda hazy and slow...) A classroom? (Why am I here? Why was I sleeping on a desk? ...I can't remember much.) What was it... What happened before? (I moved my hazy head to check the classroom... and what I found were boys and girls hunching on their desks just like me.)

Eito Aozuki: Uh... Wh-what...?

Boy with penguin shirt: W-what the heck!? What's goin' on!?

--Tan girl: Who are you!? Where am I!?

Smallest boy: H-how... did I get here?

Takumi Sumino: (I've never seen any of these people before. The same seemed to apply to everyone. They exchanged wary gazes.)

Takemaru Yakushiji: Is this really a classroom? If it is, it's a really weird one.

Eito Aozuki: Does anyone know the name of this school?

Kako Tsukumo's brother: Hm, never seen it before.

Kako Tsukumo: Likewise.

Boy with penguin shirt: H-hey... Does anyone here know anything?

Takumi Sumino: (All in the classroom looked around and found no one willing to answer anything... That means none of us knows.)

Darumi Amemiya: Oh... Is this what I think it is? ...Oh, it is. Absolutely.

Tan girl: Oh... Do you have an idea?

Darumi Amemiya: I've been waiting for this! Hell! Kyohoho!

Tan girl: What are you laughing about!? I'm scared!

Boy with penguin shirt: I'll check the hallway...

Takumi Sumino: (One person made it to the classroom and tried to go to the hallway.)

Boy with penguin shirt: Huh? W-what the hell... The door won't move...

Takemaru Yakushiji: Huh!? Say what!?

Takumi Sumino: (Now another one made it to the window and tried to force the shutters open.)

Takemaru Yakushiji: Fuck! Why won't you open? Die!

Hiruko Shizuhara: Seems like we were locked in here.

Boy with penguin shirt: Uh... Locked... Aaaaaaah!? WHY!?

Takumi Sumino: W-what's going on? Why would anyone trap us? What caused... (Oh, right! I remembered it...)

Eito Aozuki: After fighting those monsters in the Tokyo Residential Complex, I was engulfed in a mysterious light...

Takumi Sumino: Ah...

Darumi Amemiya: True... I remember that. I transformed and fought the monsters.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Oh!? You lot fought'em too?

Takumi Sumino: Did everyone?

Smallest boy: Wait... So they were real? I assumed it was just me having a childish dream like the immature idiot I am.

Hiruko Shizuhara: I see. Everyone had the same experience. Which must mean... You all met that very cute mascot.

--Takumi Sumino: A cute mascot... (She means... him?) I wouldn't call him cute, but otherwise, yeah... that matches the description.

Eito Aozuki: Then would it be also him who brought us here?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Yes, it must have been the breathtakingly adorable mascot.

Tan girl: Huh? He's the one trapping us here!? What for!?

Darumi Amemiya: Kyohoho! Y'know, the obvious... Students of the same age waking up together in an unknown classroom they can't leave can only mean one thing: we're in for a death game! THE Killing Game is about to start in this school~!

Takumi Sumino: T-the Killing Game!?

Boy with penguin shirt: Why'd we have to kill each other!? I ain't killing anyone!

Darumi Amemiya: Yeaaah, found the first victim! That's totally a thing the first guy dead says!

Boy with penguin shirt: Stoooooooop!

Takumi Sumino: (And that's when it happened.)

[School chime]

Tan girl: Huh? W-what now?

Board screen: Self-introduction period. Introduce yourself to your future comrade-in-arms.

[Kodaka chooses Darumi]

Darumi Amemiya: Name's Darumi Amemiya... nice to meet you... Say, just between the two of us... Do you already know who you're after?

Takumi Sumino: What do you mean by "after"?

Darumi Amemiya: Your initial target in the Killing Game, duh. Just so you know, I don't mind if it's me. I mean, don't I look dumb? Like I'd fall for cheap bait? I sure as heck look like an easy kill!

Takumi Sumino: Hey... Do you seriously believe we're getting into a death game?

Darumi Amemiya: Uh, I do. Well, more hoping than believing. See... I always dreamed of being in a killing game. I've been a huge fan of the death game genre since I was really little...

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, but those are fictional. No one'd want to put their actual lives on the line.

--Darumi Amemiya: Eh? No, the real stakes make it all the better! I have no problems with dying. It'd be nice to take myself out of this depressing trash reality... I see nothing wrong with that...

Takumi Sumino: Huh?

Darumi Amemiya: Tell me... which side are you from? The side of who find only depression and disappointment in normal days? No, you'd understand me if you were. I'm so thankful that painful and suffocating normality, that sturdy as hell normally I thought would haunt me 'til the day I died, finally broke. Can't this death game start any sooner... Kyohohoho.

Takumi Sumino: (I was already expecting an eccentric mindset from her, but wow, she didn't say a thing I can come even close to relating to.)--

[Kodaka chooses Yakushiji]

Takemaru Yakushiji: I'm called Takemaru Yakushiji. Just a warning before anything. Stay away from me when I snap. I tend to punch the closest thing nearby before I look at what it is. I try to stop it, but I can't.

Takumi Sumino: (What the hell... That's messed up...)

Takemaru Yakushiji: So, you also fought those monsters, right? Meaning you also got your transformation?

Takumi Sumino: Transformation...? Oh... yeah, I did. Nothing I remember about it makes any sense, though...

Takemaru Yakushiji: That was some badass stuff! Did ya feel the same way?

Takumi Sumino: Huh?

Takemaru Yakushiji: I feel like I became the superhero I wanted to be as a kid! The power felt AWESOME!

Takumi Sumino: I see... That's one way to look at it.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Though... I'm still worried about the Tokyo Residential Complex. You saw the size of the damage?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah... Lots of people getting attacked...

Takemaru Yakushiji: Maybe... There's still people under the rubble... Lost kids searchin' for their families... Geezers who can't move too well... Fuck! I need to go save 'em! I can't afford to be stuck here!

Takumi Sumino: I can't really tell if he's a savage or a nice guy...

[Kodaka chooses Hiruko]

Hiruko Shizuhara: I'm Hiruko Shizuhara. ...

Takumi Sumino: (That's it? I feel like I need to talk to her more. She's calmer than anyone else here, so maybe she knows something.) Hey, I have a question.

Hiruko Shizuhara: I already told you my name is Hiruko Shizuhara.

Takumi Sumino: I got that part. It's not about that. I think we should talk some more.

Hiruko Shizuhara: Talk...?

Takumi Sumino: Didn't you... also fight those monsters? What do you think they are? Do you think there's more of them?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Don't know. ...

Takumi Sumino: Huh!? Done already?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Discussing what we don't understand is a waste of everyone's time. Where's your common sense?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, but...

Hiruko Shizuhara: You're wasting time. Our conversation is over. ...

Takumi Sumino: (She turned 180 to face away from me... Guess she doesn't want to say anything more.)

[Kodaka chooses Eito]

Eito Aozuki: Well, ain't we in for a pickle. My bladder fills up when things go south. If things get worse, I might leak myself.

[School chime]

Board screen: All troops, line up and salute SIREI!

Takemaru Yakushiji: There you are, you freakin' toy!

Darumi Amemiya: Yahoo! I've been waiting for this trope! The eccentric mascot you find in every death game!

SIREI: C'mon... Toy? Trope? Can we cut short this train of slander? You people are going to get me depressed... And I can't blame you, my entrance was wholly plagiarized... Still, a respectable commander needs to prove his worth at the critical moments. And you got a respectable commander here, called SIREI! Nice to meet you!

[Cut to the operation room]

Darumi Amemiya: Here's Takumi! Takumi is here!

Takemaru Yakushiji: So you joinin' the fight?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, that's what I decided. The more people, the better, right?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Only if you can prove yourself an asset.

SIREI: Great! I knew you'd come! Your commander had faith in you!

Takumi Sumino: Don't give me that "faith" shit... I'm only here because you threatened me...

SIREI: Threat... What threat? That was just a warning. Fighting is your only option if you want to protect what matters to you.

Takumi Sumino: Tell me what you mean by that already...

SIREI: I'll tell you when the battle is over! First, we must defend this academy! I'll give everyone a Hemoanima Blade, permanently this time. You use it the same way you did back in the Tokyo Residential Complex. Just one stab to the heart will fill you with divine power! This should let you bring a glorious victory to our prestigious Last Defense Academy! Activate your Hemoanima and hop on this launching platform. It'll dump all of you on the schoolyard.

Hiruko Shizuhara: Where we'll slaughter the enemies. Get it moving already.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Fine by me...! Bring it on...!

Darumi Amemiya: Kyohohoho! Let's give it everything we got!

Takumi Sumino: ... (It'll be fine. We can do it. I just have to do it the same way I did it in the Tokyo Residential Complex. Even I can handle that much.)

Karua Aimiya: It's fine, Takkun! I know you can do it! You can do anything!

Takumi Sumino: (Right...! I can do it...! I can do anything!)

SIREI: Now we move to the defensive battle! Bring all you have! If you lack power, bring also all you don't have! Kill them brutally, callously, tormentingly, thoroughly, and viscerally! Show time, it's a genocide party!

Takumi Sumino's tutorial screen

Takumi Sumino has an excellent balance between ATK and range. Also, Sumino's power enables Retries. Press the + button to restart a battle from the open menu.

Hiruko Shizuhara's tutorial screen

Hiruko Shizuhara has excellent ATK and gains additional ATK for the rest of the turn every time she kills an enemy. Try unleashing a powerful attack after you killed tons of lesser enemies!

Hiruko Shizuhara's first kill dialogue

Hiruko Shizuhara: These monsters are as ugly as the ones before, but their innards have a pretty color... I could get something beautiful out of splattering their guts and brains...

Takumi Sumino: Do you realize how freaky you sound?

Takemaru Yakushiji's tutorial screen

Takemaru Yakushiji has excellent mobility and DEF, and gains more Armor (temporary DEF) the further he moves. Try walking all over the battlefield and scatter lesser enemies along the way!

Darumi Amemiya's tutorial screen

Darumi Amemiya has excellent mid-ranged attacks. She swaps Skills between Normal and Fatigued moves, so try learning her more complex gimmicks!

Eito Aozuki's tutorial screen

Eito Aozuki gains a random buff (ATK+1, Armor+1, or Recover from Fatigue) after every action. Try prioritizing using him to let luck decide your fate!

[jungkookslipring]

This is Home

summary: reader's house no longer feels like home, but she has her best friends to help her escape.

pairings: Yeosang + San + Wooyoung x Reader (w/ mentions of OT8)

relationship: Platonic

genre: hurt/comfort

tw: mentions of depression, crying, mentally/verbally abusive parents. If any of this is triggering I would steer more towards my happier fics. Please be kind to yourself<3

It wasn’t uncommon for you to show up unannounced at your friends’ apartment, especially late at night, but this time, it was different. This time you ASKED if you could come over. The group chat was only used to send memes, nothing more nothing less.

~8 makes 1 Team + y/n~

You: ‘Can I come over please?’

Your phone immediately started ringing, and San’s profile pic popped up on your screen.

“Y/n? You alright?” he asked. You bit your lip, shaking your head. 

“Would you like us to come get you?” He asked quietly. He was assuming you were trying to keep quiet. You hum in a disagreement, cause if you talk you’ll lose it.

“We’ll unlock the door, come over whenever you’re ready,” he whispered. You sniffled, hanging up and trying to catch your breath. You packed up an overnight bag and tiptoed out of your bedroom and out the door. The drive was short, blessed that they lived only 10 minutes away from you. You walked up to the door and knocked quietly it was midnight, so there was a chance everyone was awake or asleep except for San. The door opened, San’s face full of worry.

“You normally don’t knock either, Y/n,” he said with a worried chuckle. Everything you were doing was beyond out of character. You sucked in your cheek, trying to will the stinging behind your eyes. San pulled you into the warm apartment out of the freezing weather. 

“Here let’s get you out of this,” he whispered, taking off your winter coat. 

“Is every one asleep?” you ask. San nodded.

“Yeah but they’re heavy sleepers I’m sure if you ran around screaming like a banshee they’d be dead asleep,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood. You couldn’t help but smile at the efforts San was making. You saw the couch had a few pillows and a couple of blankets, where you normally slept. You put your bag down and got ready to sit down. San gently stopped you.

“You can take the bedroom, Woo and I are going to be out here,” he said. You looked at him in disbelief.

“What? Sannie, no, that's your guys' room.”

“We want you to have your privacy,” he said kindly. Wooyoung stepped out of the room with worry in his eyes. You were so used to him nearly breaking the furniture and decor to tackle you into a hug, so you weren’t used to him walking up to you slowly but with urgency. 

“You okay?” He asked quietly. You bit your trembling lip, your vision blurring when Wooyoung touched your shoulder. 

“Oh come here…” Wooyoung said, pulling you into his arms, San joining shortly after. 

“Do you want to talk about it,” San asked, rubbing his hand up and down your back. You shook your head sniffling. You weren’t ready yet.

“If you want to talk about it we’re here, for now, let’s get you in bed,” San said, patting your head. You nodded while Wooyoung wiped your eyes. San had already grabbed your bag and took it to the bedroom. Wooyoung gave you one more squeeze before he got settled under the blankets on the pullout bed. You made your way to San and Wooyoung’s shared bedroom, giving San one more hug before you got under the covers. 

“Let us know if you need anything,” San said, squeezing your hand. You nodded before turning over in the bed, almost immediately falling asleep. 

The next morning you woke up feeling groggy. Your eyes were swollen from the tears you let fall when you got into bed. You checked your phone, seeing it was 9 am, everyone was probably awake by now. Normally, you would hear people stomping around, voices loud, just chaotic, but it was something you were used to. What you weren’t used to was it being super quiet. You heard footsteps but it sounded more like tiptoeing. You were brought out of your thoughts when there was a small knock at the door. Judging by the knock you knew who it was. 

“Hi, Yeosang,” you called quietly. A timid “hi” was at the other end of the door.

“You can come in, Sangie, it's okay,” you say from your bed. The door knob slowly turned and in came Yeonsang.

“What time did you get here last night?” He asked as he came and sat at the end of San’s bed. 

“Around midnight, I think everyone was asleep except for Sannie and Woo,” you said. He hummed as he tapped your foot.

“Did something happen?” he asked carefully. He didn’t want to push you if you weren’t ready. You nodded, trying to hold it together.

“Is it your dad?” he asked. You bit your lip and blinked back the tears. Wordlessly, Yeosang came and sat next to you, pulling you into a hug, but making sure you stayed warm under the blankets. 

“We were worried when we saw your text, wasn’t very on brand of you to ask to come over,” he said comically but with a sad tone. He and San were right; because they started leaving their door unlocked so you could waltz right in because you would stand and knock repeatedly on the door or ring the doorbell till it was close to breaking. You sighed and decided that if you didn’t say something now, you probably wouldn’t later. You let Yeosang in on everything, telling him what had happened, and he didn’t speak a word until you were done, heartbroken seeing you so hurt.

“He had no right saying that about you, you know that right?” he asked. You were torn because you had the “I don’t give a fuck what you say” energy but you’re still human, and cruel words from anyone hurt, let alone your own family. Yeosang was alarmed by the lack of response, and he slowly turned his head towards you.

“He had no right, Y/n, what he said was not true,” he said with more confidence this time. You nodded because Yeosang was a man of very few words but when it came to the ones he loved, he would do and say anything to protect them. Shortly after his little speech, he offered to go refill your water jug, and not too long after, there was a small knock at the door, it was San and Wooyoung.

“How are you feeling, Y/n?” Wooyoung asked. You shook your head.

“Not great, I just told Yeosang what happened,” you said rubbing your eyes.

“Are you okay with sharing what happened? If it's just him that knows it’s okay!” he reassured seconds before Yeosang walked in with your water jug that was now filled with ice cold water. You took a swig and set it on the bedside table.

“I can tell you,” you croak, already feeling yourself choke up again. Everyone made their way onto the bed and you told them everything. While you explained your story, tears coated your cheeks and it took them everything in them not to get angry. They were appalled by what they were hearing, but also so sad seeing you hurt. 

“Y/n… you do have respect for yourself. Everything negative your father says about you is wrong,” San says as he wipes your eyes. Wooyoung rubbed a thumb over your hand while your head rested on Yeosang’s shoulder.

“It just sucks…*sniff* the one permanent safe space, my home, doesn’t even feel like a safe space anymore,” you say before breaking down in Yeosang’s arms. Yeosang’s heart hurt while San and Wooyoung saw red. How dare the person who is supposed to be a role model, a friend, or a PARENT, not make your home a safe space. They let you cry for as long as you needed and didn’t dare speak a word until your cries were reduced to sniffles and the occasional hiccup.

“How can we help, Y/n?” Yeosang asked. You shrugged, because what can you do? The damage was done. 

“Unless you know how to magically reverse emotional damage, I don’t know… I just don’t know anymore,” you whisper, feeling so defeated.

“Well, is there anything we can do for you now?” Wooyoung asked. You shook your head.

“I just don’t want to go home…I don’t feel safe,” you whisper, your vision blurring again. The boys gave each other knowing looks, clearly able to read each other’s minds.

“You are more than welcome to stay as long as you need to, and if you truly don’t want to go home, you are more than welcome to move in,” San said confidently. Your eyes almost bulged out of your head.

“Guys…no, this is your space… there are 8 of you already living here!” you say in disbelief.

“What’s one more?” Yeosang asks. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. You put a hand over your mouth and tears of happiness started flowing,

“Don’t you make me cry now!” Wooyoung exclaimed while he was looking up at the ceiling blinking back the moisture in his eyes.

“Take all the time you need, okay? Let us know and we will support you no matter what,” San said before all of them pulled you into a group hug.

“I love you all so much,” you said tearfully. They said it back, and when you heard them say it, you knew they meant it. Your house may have been where you lived, but in this space, this was home.

taglist: @felixmainacc @felixburneracc @myforevermelody143 @dunno-wut-to-do @itzsana-kiddingmenow

[petalsthefish]

Genius

Summary:

After Lily breaks her iPhone, she finds herself at the Genius Bar on Valentines Day, and an old flame is there to help her in all things technology and romance.

read on A03

Marlene McKitten: babes you're missing out on blackberry margs!!

Lily Evans: I’m sorry! It was the only time I could schedule a time for my phone to get fixed!

Marlene McKitten: you just hate me, its okay, you can say it

Lily Evans: you’re a drama queen, Marlene McKinnon 

Marlene McKitten: you love me anyways…find me a hot date at the apple store so I can get discounts!!

Lily Evans: if I find a hot guy he’s mine for the night

Marlene McKitten: further proof that you hate me 

Lily Evans: I’m here. … Pray this doesn’t take five hours and I can come meet you for drinks. 

Marlene McKitten: how hard will it be to replace a screen? … I bet I could do it myself with youtube and a little superglue

Lily did not reply back to her friend, she didn’t have the heart to tell Marlene that superglue and youtube weren’t the answer for everything. Even if superglue had proven effective at keeping Lily’s favorite mug together after it broke in the dishwasher. 

Lily just couldn’t believe she was spending her free time at the Apple Store because she'd somehow cracked her phone screen. In all her years of owning a phone, of course it would be the most expensive phone she’d ever had that broke. Even her flimsy flip phone had been more sturdy than her iphone. 

“Hi, are you here for an appointment?” A scrawny kid about her age asked, holding the iPad too close to his face as he approached her near the front doors.

Lily nodded quickly. “Yeah, Lily Evans, for a screen repair.”

“Gotcha.” The kid's nametag read ‘Peter,’ and he barely looked up at her as he typed away on his screen. “I checked you in; just go wait at the Genius Bar.”

“Thanks.”

Lily maneuvered around the cramped store, sighing all the while as she made her way to the Genius Bar. It was rather depressing to be alone on Valentine's Day, but it was almost extra disappointing that she’d had to skip lunch with her girlfriends to come here. Lily couldn’t believe she was missing out on the tacos at Casa Grande, a tradition that went all the way back to Uni. She nervously picked at the crack on her screen, most annoyed that she’d somehow forgotten to add the screen protector when she got her new case two months ago. Another sigh escaped her lips before she finally took a look at her surroundings.

There were three boys at the counter, each of them so different from the other. The first, on Lily’s left, was a bloke with a leather jacket, emitting a touch of emo metal head from his persona. The one on the right definitely looked like he belonged at the Genius Bar in the Apple Store, thanks to his perfectly pressed sweater vest and nicely combed hair. The man leaning against the table opposite Lily, typing into his iPad, was a sporty-looking bloke wearing slacks with a rumpled button-down shirt.

She thought to herself, Actually, no, that sporty bloke looks really familiar… Oh. 

It hit her like a freight train. 

She couldn’t remember his name for the life of her, but he’d somehow gotten hotter in the year since they graduated from college. It’d been almost that much time since they’d danced at a party, stumbled up the stairs to his bedroom, and he’d fucked her on his bed. Not even a quick go. No, she had woken up in his bed to find his arms around her, her clothes all over the room, and her phone dead from going all night without a charger. 

He’d been such a gentleman when he woke up. He had practically stumbled over his words when he realized she was there, in his bed, naked with him. They had both been drunk, so even he admitted it had probably been a bad idea. They’d parted ways an hour later, Lily promising that she’d be okay to walk back to her dorm, and he had let her go so she assumed he really hadn’t wanted anything more than a once go in the sheets. 

More than once, she'd thought about this bloke, wondering what happened to him. 

His black hair was in a mess of waves around his head, and he didn't look up from his iPad as she stared in shock. She didn’t know what she’d say to him if they did make eye contact. The last thing she’d said to him was ‘thanks for the sex’ which somehow grew more and more embarrassing the longer she sat here and recalled it. She kept picturing his naked body in that bed in the morning. What would she say if he looked up right now and she was there remembering the contours of his body? 

Hi, I almost didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.  

She’d save that gem for later. 

Probably never. 

Lily felt disappointed as he walked away without looking up, disappearing through a door that likely led to the back. Her heart slowed in her chest, just slightly, but she felt like her throat was drier than the desert. She cleared it twice, earning a look from the guy in the sweater-vest, but he just went back to his task at hand.

Since the other two men at the Genius Bar were preoccupied, she took that to mean she was going to have to wait for help. She checked her Tumblr, finding nothing of consequence, just some idiots in her ask box telling her to eat dirt and choke on it. A usual occurrence on her blog thanks to internet trolls with nothing better to do than hate strong women like Taylor Swift and Captain Marvel. Lily was fully convinced people just liked to find something to complain about. She tried really hard not to complain or take anything a bunch of internet ghosts said to heart. She scrolled through her favorite Taylor Swift blog and saw there had been a new song mashup released. She wished she had brought her headphones so she could at least listen to the music while she waited.

London Boy crossed with This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things would be absolutely disastrous and she was here for it. She reblogged it for later, then exited out of the app, settling for people watching instead. 

Around her, couples were looking over new computers, AirPods, and various other electronics. All the girls wore really pretty dresses, and all the partners kept one firm arm around each other's waists. Lily’s dress was pretty too, and she played with the edges of the corset cut as she stared at the door through which the fit bloke had disappeared.

Had he spotted her and run? Did he remember her? Did he forget her? She wasn’t sure what would hurt her more, if he walked away because he saw her and remembered her, or if he walked away because he forgot about her.

Lily wasn’t a bragger, but she knew for a fact he had fun with her a year ago. She remembered enough of that night to know that he’d been really, really enjoying it. Not many men would get between her legs for her, and very few actually made her scream. No, he’d been one of two, and he’d been the best of all. 

Lily crossed her legs, trying to ignore the heat gathering on her face (and in other places) as she recounted that night. Sadly, her body wasn’t listening to her imploring thoughts. She felt like a damn animal in heat, the way her entire body was strung up, waiting for his reappearance. 

Beside her, the emo guy helping the old Lady change her voicemail sent her a sidelong glance randomly, and Lily felt a blush raise on her cheeks when his eyes grazed up and down her body as if he were checking her out. She didn’t drop his gaze, and instead offered him a smile. His gray eyes snapped back to the old lady and spoke to her in a smooth tone that didn’t seem the least bit flustered. 

She looked down at her candy-colored nails, the pink already chipping from scrubbing her hands too much at work. The phone on the table in front of her buzzed with a text from her girls' chat. Marlene sent a photo of a plate of tacos in the shape of a heart. Lily smiled and opened her phone, hearting the photo. As she did so, the grandmother finished her session and walked away, leaving the emo kid free. Lily looked up from her phone quickly, expecting him to turn to her, but instead, he had his back turned to her as he talked into his headset.

“No, I won’t stall for you—Prongs! Don’t argue with me.” He sounded stressed, as if whoever was on the other end was ruining his life. “Then get out here, you idiot.”

Whoever was on the other end was clearly addressing the whole store through that headset, as Lily witnessed the sweater vest-wearing, scrawny boy, and the long-haired brunette nearby all turning to send looks in Emo’s direction with raised brows. Lily couldn’t help but feel as if they were all looking at her too, despite her not being privy to the conversation happening.

“Hi,” someone touched Lily’s shoulder from behind, making her turn in surprise.

A baby-faced woman with bubblegum-pink hair smiled kindly. “Have you been checked in?”

“Oh,” Lily blinked owlishly, feeling stupid for thinking everyone was looking at her. “Uhm, yes, Lily Evans? Screen repair?”

“Our screen repair guy is stuck on the phone with a customer in the back,” she said cheerily, “but he should be out soon.”

“Oh, there’s a guy?” Lily said in surprise. “I thought screen replacements were kinda a universal genius bar thing.”

“Oh, we can all do it,” The girl’s name tag told Lily her name was Tonks, “but someone called dibs already.”

“Dibs?” Lily didn’t miss that Emo kid was cackling as he typed something into his iPad.

“Did I say dibs?” Tonks put a finger on her lips. “I meant he was assigned to you by the boss.”

“Who’s the boss?”

“He is.”

Suddenly, the door behind them slammed open, and a body stumbled out quite dramatically. Lily perked up at the sight of the familiar form. Sporty boy was back! His black hair was even more wild around his head, as if he’d been running his fingers through it non-stop since he’d disappeared. His glasses were skewed too, but it only made him so much more attractive, to see how flustered he was.

Tonks peered around Lily’s shoulder, her pink hair falling into her eyes. “Smooth entrance, Potter.”

“Thanks for holding down the fort, Nymphadora,” Potter said. “I can take her from here.”

Lily’s eyes traced his tall form, realizing it had been a long time since she’d been able to admire it. When her gaze returned to his face, her eyes met brown orbs that looked delighted to know she’d been openly checking him out. Lily’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. She brushed nervously at her red curls, biting her lip as James waltzed over to her at the bar, leaning against it so he was only a foot or so away from her.

“Hi,” his voice was smooth, like an ASMR streamer. “I’m James Potter.”

“Hi,” she almost choked on her own spit. “Hi.” 

James’ fingers trailed along the edge of the bar, casual yet deliberate, as he said, “I heard you rang for a genius?”

Lily’s mouth quivered when she heard Tonks sigh loudly. The emo guy slammed his palm against his head, as if James had embarrassed them all. Sweater vest physically gagged. James just kept smiling at her though, as if he could tell she was attracted to him regardless of his cheesy pickup lines. And it was true, she was. 

“I heard you are the only one in this store who can help me,” Lily flirted, watching his eyes light up at the challenge. “I had no idea you were so important.”

“Me either, to be honest.” He placed his chin on his hand, supported by his elbow against the bar. “What was your name again?”

Lily tucked her hair behind her ear. “Lily Evans? We met about a year ago at a party.”

His eyes seemed to sparkle as he replied smoothly, “Oh, I remember how we met, it was just your name that escaped me last year.”

The blush was uncontrollable now as she reached out a hand for him to shake. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You have no idea how nice it is to see you again.” James’ grin grew wider. “And on Valentine's Day, no less.”

"I know how to make an entrance." She managed weakly. 

James' eyes were molten gold mixed with green flecks, "you sure do, especially in that dress." 

“Get a room,” the guy in the sweater vest muttered.

“How about yours, Remus?” James shot back, a bite in his tone.

Remus pretended to be interested in his customer's macbook in response. When Lily looked back at James, she felt a punch to the gut as she saw nothing but pure lust in his eyes. She could practically pinpoint where his mind had dropped, thanks to his eyes staring at her breasts, which were practically popping out of the corset cut top of her dress. 

“Like what you see?” She asked boldly. 

"Yes." He cleared his throat, and her eyes dropped to his mouth when he licked his lip and then curled the edges up to smile confidently.

Hazel eyes.

His eyes were hazel, and she’d forgotten that, so now all her memories were being replayed with coy hazel eyes that undressed her without even trying. He wasn't even trying to hide it, especially not right now. 

“Well, what can I help you with today?” James asked, breaking her concentration on his eyes. 

Dinner. She thought desperately. A quick go in the back of the storage room. Instead she offered, “I think I cracked my phone screen.”

James looked down at the phone in question. Lily picked it up, popping off the blue protective case in one fluid motion, before handing it to him. She fiddled with the case as he turned the phone over in his hands once. 

“And you’re sure it’s not just the screen protector?”

Lily shook her head no, “I tried to pull it off, twice, but couldn't get it, so I’m pretty sure I forgot to put the protection screen thing on when I got my new case.”

“Oh Lily,” James clucked his tongue, “always use protection.”

Oh, that was the wrong thing to say. 

Her brain immediately fluttered into the pit of her stomach with ideas of all the things they could do with protection. God, she hadn’t been so turned on since the last time he’d gotten her into bed with him…only this time it was daylight and she hadn’t had a single thing to drink. 

Pure thoughts, Lily Evans. She thought. He’s just a guy. A hot, cool, incredibly charming guy. Fuck it, I’m screwed.   

James casually picked at her phone screen, seemingly ignoring the desire flickering in her eyes as he remarked, “The glass shouldn’t stick up like that; I think it’s just a screen protector.”

“I really don’t think–”

Watching in mortification, Lily winced as he used his thumbnail to pry at the glass. Suddenly, a sound of unsticking reached her ears as he removed a screen case from her phone's actual glass. Redness flooded her face for an entirely different reason. She’d been a total, utter, helpless idiot for bringing her phone here.

It hadn’t been broken at all. 

“Oh my god,” she whispered, “Oh, no, no, no, no!! I am such an idiot.”

“No!” He quickly reassured her, “You’re not an idiot!”

Lily felt herself spiraling with embarrassment, realizing she just hadn’t pulled hard enough to separate the sticky tape from the glass. “I swear—I tried so hard—I thought it was the screen.”

His thumb brushed the side of her wrist in comfort, but instead of soothing her, it sent a wave of shame coursing through her stomach. “It’s an honest mistake; it was securely fastened.”

“Yeah,” she squeaked, noticing he had leaned closer over the counter, now mere inches from her face.

“Seriously,” he seemed so amused, and that only humiliated her further, “it’s fine, I won't even charge you.” 

She didn’t know if she’d ever felt more stupid, and in front of the hottest guy she knew, too. “I’m really sorry for wasting your time.” He searched her face as if seeking something within it. Lily withdrew her hand from his shyly and then grabbed her phone. “I’ll just go, thank you, um, bye.”

Trying to escape the awkward situation, she hurried out, acutely aware of the stares from those around them who had witnessed the embarrassing exchange. She slipped her unprotected phone under the strap of her dress and brushed her hair behind her ears as she rushed to her car in the parking lot.

“Dumb, stupid, idiot.” she muttered over and over to herself, repeating the whole scene in her head. “How did you graduate college with a science degree, but you can’t even pull a fucking phone condom off.” 

She reached her car in record time, the lingering sense of humiliation mingling with a cocktail of other emotions churning in her gut. Her plan now was simple: she would rendezvous with her friends at the taco place and immerse herself in a flight of margaritas. Maybe if she got intoxicated enough, she could erase this entire fiasco from her memory. As she finished flinging her bag onto the console of the passenger seat, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

Turning abruptly, she was startled to find James from the Genius Bar standing there, a friendly smile gracing his features. “Hey, Lily.” 

“Hi,” she managed, her voice high-pitched from her embarrassment. 

HIs eyes dropped to the phone, precariously held between her pale skin and tiny spaghetti thick dress strap. “Why do girls stuff everything right there?”

Lily looked down at her phone and then back up to him, feigning tucking her hands into the folds of her dress skirt, “most girls clothes don’t have pockets–so we improvise.” 

“Interesting.” He then asked promptly, “Did you know that I worked here?”

“No,” she swore, as the wind made her skirts gather around her legs, “I swear, I had no idea.”

A light flickered in his eyes, “that’s a shame.”

“Why a shame?”

“I was hoping you made up that entire thing about the glass cracking just to talk to me.” He grinned. “But you genuinely thought it was broken, didn’t you?”

“You were hoping I was lying?” Lily blinked owlishly at him, “really?”

He lifted a lunchbox in his hand, smiling awkwardly. “I only have an hour for lunch; why don’t we catch up, and we can talk about what I was hoping for.”

“What?” Lily asked, not comprehending anything because her hormones were cheering excitedly.

“Sorry,” he tucked the lunchbox behind his back again, “did you not want to eat with me? I think I may have gotten mixed signals from you back in the store…”

“Eat with you?” she repeated. “ With you?”

“I know it’s been a while,” he was rambling, “I know we aren’t even like–friends–but you showed up and I–I nearly had a heart attack seeing you again. A heart attack in the good way–not a bad way. You are definitely good. All good. So good.”

Lily still had one hand on her car door, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to find the words. “I–I’m an idiot who can’t tell the difference between a screen cover and a phone screen…and you want to have lunch with me?”

James shrugged, “despite working at the genius bar–” Lily offered him a snort of amusement, “--I prefer idiots, don’t you?”

“You're not an idiot,” Lily said, motioning to all of him, “you’re–you’re that .”

“Eloquent,” his smile was so wide, his eyes crinkled at the edges. “But I’m 100% just as much an idiot as you.”

“How so?”

“I was an idiot for ever letting you go without a number to text you at.” 

She felt her stomach erupt with pleasant butterflies. “What?”

James looked down at her body, then back up at her eyes with a coy wink. “Truthfully, I've been wondering where you disappeared to for a year now and would really like to catch up. I’d also really love your number, for your working phone, just in case you ever need a genius to fix it again. Is that okay?”

Lily felt like she might be dreaming. She pinched her arm. It hurt. Thank god. “This isn’t a joke, right?”

“No,” James walked forward, almost flush with her person now. “I do love a good joke, though.”

“Really?” He was so close, she could count the tiny freckles dotting his tan nose. 

James' hand brushed her arm, sending shivers racing up it. “What’s the best book to read while eating breakfast?”

Lily felt a smile replacing her confused expression as she leaned up on her tiptoes, allowing his free hand to cup her chin. “What book?”

“Much Ado About Muffin.”

"You're right, you are an idiot." She rolled her eyes, but her tone was flirtatious, "a really, really cute idiot."

"They'll hire just about anyone to work the Genius Bar these days." 

Lily didn’t wait anymore; she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him down, letting her lips muffle his laughter.

She could still feel his smile through the kiss though, even when he opened his mouth to taste her with an eager fever she had forgotten about. She kissed him back harder, especially when she heard his lunch bag fall to the ground near their feet, and both his hands grabbed hold of her long hair to keep her firmly attached. He tasted like mint gum, like he'd just been chewing it before coming to find her. Like he'd planned for this exact scenario to happen. 

She almost swooned at the thought. 

Finally, what felt like only a second later, he broke off the kiss. When her eyes opened, she saw nothing but him, and that only made her smile grow wider. His hands remained in her hair, but he tugged them forward to cup her cheeks, bringing the red strands with him. 

“So,” he said somewhat breathlessly, “lunch date?”

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Calling out of work, taking you home, and ordering pizza for a long movie we won't watch." 

Lily stepped forward, about to kiss him again for suggesting it, but then she felt her chunky heel step on something, and a resounding crack filled the air. Lily thought it might be the lunch bag he’d dropped, and for just a second she hoped, but whatever was under her foot was smaller. She looked down, face white, and all she saw were broken bits of glass under her heel. Her heart plummeted from its high as she stared down at her broken phone. 

“I broke my phone,” she realized, lifting her foot to show a screen in tiny bits and pieces. “Oh my god, I really broke it this time.”

James untangled himself from her and leaned down, picking it up carefully, and they watched as it disintegrated into multiple pieces in his hand. His eyes lifted from the phone to her. She stared back at him. Lily fell against her car, pressing her hands into her hair as she processed her disbelief. James' mouth was partially open, like she'd just stunned him to silence. 

“I can’t believe this!” she half laugh, half cried, while wiping her eyes. "I can't fucking believe this!"

Then, James doubled over with laughter, weeping from the irony of it all. Lily crossed one leg over the other as she laughed too, her head rolling back against her car. Passerby in the parking lot shared attempts like they were lunatics for laughing so hard. It only made them laugh harder.

"What am I going to do?" Lily cried, her side in stitches. "Oh god, I haven't even paid that phone off yet!"

"I can't believe you broke it!" James wiped the tears from his eyes, "oh my god, your luck!"

"Oh fuck," Lily pressed a hand to her forehead, "I don't know why I'm laughing, this is actually so bad, I need my phone for work."

James walked forward to plant a firm kiss on her mouth before reminding her, “Don’t worry, you know a genius who can fix it.”

~~~

+44 7123 456789: Lily??? Are you Alive??? Your bedroom doors been shut since yesterday?? have you even been home???

Lily Evans: holy shit I am so sorry, who is this? I have a new phone and forgot to switch my contacts over from the cloud

+44 7123 456789: ....Marlene....HOW BROKEN WAS YOUR PHONE??? It was a scratch the last time I saw it??

Lily Evans: funny story...

Marlene McKitten: where are you?!

Lily Evans: do you remember that one time I got super drunk at a party and woke up in a hot guys bed?

Marlene McKitten: ya...why?

Lily Evans: I'm currently in his bed right now 

Marlene McKitten: ??? get home right now or so help me god I'm tracking your phone and coming to you 

Lily Evans: save yourself a drive and meet us at the Genius Bar, he's taking me over there to fix my old computer I thought was broken. 

Marlene McKitten: ?????????????

[koohito]

BY YOUR SIDE | KAMISATO AYATO

tags: FEM!reader, marriage trope, dad ayato, alternate universe, OC (kaizen kamisato), casual inside joke, fluff everywhere (plenty of kisses), reader and ayato can’t keep their hands to themselves (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

wc: 2K

a/n: as my first tumblr fic, i initially wanted this to be shorter (abt 600 words) but i got carried away. also, i wanted this posted on fathers day, but then again i need to make tons of revisions so im a tad late (just pretend this was posted during fathers day hehe). I HOPE U ENJOY ◕⩊◕

Ayato came to a halt, enamored by the sight of you and your two-year-old son sleeping peacefully on your shared bed. 

The rainy, lazy Saturday morning at the Kamisato estate seemed to have a cast a tranquil spell. Having finished his morning shower, Ayato donned his khaki shorts and polo shirt, ready to start the weekend task that waited him. The papers on his office table beckoned for his attention, but the gloomy weather and the empty side of the bed tempted him to abandon his tedious work.

Your son had rolled over to your side, holding onto your nightdress while resting his cheek against your chest. He must have rushed to his parents’ bedroom upon being startled awake by the loud thunder, luckily finding the doors unlocked. Unconsciously, you cradle your son’s head, gently nuzzling his temple. 

A tender smile graced Ayato’s lips as he observed this scene. Gods, seeing his two most cherished beings in such serenity made him wish to freeze time in this moment. Ayato tossed his hair towel lazily into the hamper before taking out his phone. It’s not even 8 o’clock yet. He captured two pictures of you and your son, snug and cozy, and decided to make one of them his lock screen. Just as he was about to give in to the temptation of returning to bed, a work email notification from one of his business colleagues caught his attention. His jaw clenched abruptly, and he let out a soft sigh. 

Approaching your side of the bed, he carefully pulled the comforter over you, making sure not to disturb either of you. Leaning in, Ayato pressed a gentle kiss on his son’s hand still clutching your hip. Then he placed a tender kiss on your exposed shoulder, followed by another on your temple. You stirred briefly before drifting back to sleep.

~

You knocked on Ayato’s office door, peeking inside to check if he had any scheduled calls before entering. “So, you’ve been wearing my fuzzy slippers! I was searching for them everywhere,” you exclaimed, grinning as you noticed him tapping his feet on the ground with your slippers. Approaching him, you stood behind his swivel chair, wrapping your arms around his chest from the back, your face nestled beside his. “Morning, Ayato,” you greeted, peppering the side of his face with affectionate kisses. 

“These slippers are so comfortable, I’m sorry,” he chuckled, setting aside some of the papers to cup your cheek, his eyes still fixed on his laptop screen. “And good morning to you too, my love. Did you sleep well? Is Kaizen awake?”

“Mhm,” you replied, planting a final kiss on your husband’s cheek. “It would’ve been better if you had joined us back in bed,” you remarked while smoothing his chest. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

An hour later had passed when you finally woke up. Your son was no longer nestled beside you, so you assumed he must be in his room or with his father. Swiftly changing your nightdress into something casual, you went through your morning routine. “I only had orange juice this morning and I planned to cook breakfast, but I had an early meeting,” he explained as you watched him organize his papers, neatly tucking them beside a non-fiction entrepreneur book. He swiveled his chair to face you, pulling you onto his lap. “Anything you want for breakfast? I’ll cook,” he offered, wrapping his arms around your waist. “Or, if you prefer, we can go out today since the rain has stopped.”

You genuinely wanted to spend the day out together with your two boys, to make up for the busy weekdays. However, you couldn’t help hesitate as you hadn’t prepared any itineraries for dining or strolling, and the damp weather didn’t make it easier. “I do want to go out honestly, but I’m not sure where we'll go yet. Plus, I know you’re busy with work today, and I don’t wanna trouble you,” you admitted, reaching up to tuck a strand of your husband’s hair behind his ear. A small, tight-lipped smile graced your lips as you offered your thoughts. 

Always so considerate, Ayato thought fondly. He let his gaze linger on you for what felt like a minute before leaning back into his chair, pulling you in closer to him, allowing your head to rest on his shoulder. “I’m done for the day, my love, so you don’t have to worry,” he reassured you, his thumb tracing idle shapes on your waist. “I know a place that serves breakfast, and we can take a stroll there afterward. They also have a kids’ area that our son will love. We can even stay there for lunch and dinner as well.” Ayato breathed in the scent of your shampoo, planting a quick kiss on your head. “That is, if you want to.”

“Absolutely, that sounds like a perfect plan,” you responded blissfully, the corner of your lips curling up. You shuffle slightly against his lap so you could face him fully and cupped his face in your hands. “Thank you for thinking this through and making time for us, even though I’m sure you still have unfinished business waiting on that desk,” you said, giving him a peck on the lips. “Regardless, it’s the weekend, my love. You deserve some leisure too. I’ll even treat you to a massage place if we come across one today,” you chuckled, gently stroking your thumb on his face. “I love you.”

Ayato had a teasing response in his mind, but you surprised him with a gentle kiss. The citrusy taste from the orange juice he mentioned before mingled with the kiss. He hummed, pulling you closer by the hips as the kiss deepened. He realized that he didn’t need a massage when being with you was the the way to relax. No matter how busy he is with work meetings, he made it clear that his priority was managing his time for you and Kaizen. With a smile on his lips, he caressed your neck, his thumb lightly brushing your jaw. 

Three years of marriage, and you never ceased to be deeply enamored by this man. Each day, he managed to make your heart swell with affection. “There’s a kaitenzushi place nearby,” he broke the kiss, and you opened your eyes. “I remember you saying you wanted to try their nigiri sushi before,” he recalls his memory on you watching a video about this sushi train, gushing over how badly you wanna try them and wondered how many dishes you both could finish. “How about we go there for dinner later this evening?” Ayato suggested, lightly nipping your lower lip. “Yeah?”

You nodded in response, endeared the way he remembers. “Okay,” you said, beaming, and he grinned in return. His expression softened into fond amusement as you leaned into the palm of his hand. Your mouths coming together once more, yet before he could lengthen your kiss into another extent, your son came rushing adorably into the room with a ball in his hand. 

“Mimi!” he called out in his sweet baby voice that startles you and Ayato. Quickly making space between you but still seated on your husband’s lap, you turned your attention to your son. “Mimi, I, I sit on Dada too,” he exclaimed, his cheerful features and curios eyes assessing his parents before dropping his ball and extending his arms towards you, waiting to be picked up. Kaizen giggled, and you smiled back broadly, reaching out to him tenderly. However, Ayato beat you to it as he scooped up your child in one arm, settling him on his lap.

My boys. It was amusing and heartwarming to realize that despite your son inheriting only the hue and shape of your eyes, he looked like an exact replica of his father. You smiled inwardly, silently watching both of them interact. The way your son’s face lit up with laughter in his father’s presence was a striking resemblance of the two of them together. It's truly amazing, you thought. 

You playfully poke your son’s cheeks, making him giggle with delight. “Do you want to take a shower with mommy, baby?” you asked giddily. “We’re going out today, all three of us!”

He squeals with joy and reaches out his arms towards you. “Where we going now, Mimi?” he asks as you lift him up, his arms resting on your shoulder while he stands on your thighs. “I go… go eat ice cream today!”

“Mhm,” his father agrees, patting him on the head. “You can shower with mommy first, and then we’ll get you ice cream.” Ayato clears his throat, his arms slipping around your lower back. You turn your head to look at him, unsure of what he’s about to say. “Unless… Mimi wants dada to join you guys in the shower too?”

“Oh, please,” you say, rising from his lap and swat his shoulder. Carrying Kaizen with you, you give your husband an incredulous look. He burst into laughter, and you can’t help but shake your head, trying to suppress a smile. “Dada has already showered, baby. I think what your dada needs to do is eat his breakfast.” You raise an eyebrow at Ayato. 

But your son’s innocent eyes blink at you, and in that instant, you know you’re in for some negotiations. Kaizen not only inherited Ayato’s features but also his stubbornness, or maybe he got it from you. “But, but I want Dada, Mimi! Dada shower too!” he squeals, squirming himself free from your arms. “Dada shower too, please.”

Ayato continues chuckling from behind you, standing up and taking Kaizen from your arms. He grunts playfully as he lifts the boy higher, holding him tightly. Kaizen giggle in excitement in return, swinging his arms in the air. You follow behind them as your husband start walking out of his office. “Kaizen,” he calls, and your son immediately looks at him. “Do you want dada to shower with you?”

“Oh my god, not this again,” you mutter.

“Yes! Me and, and Dada, Mimi shower too!” Kaizen responds.

“Alright, little man, we’ll do that some other time, okay? We’re going to swim in the pool, too. How’s that sound? You like swimming with Mimi in the pool, and we’ll bring your rubber duckies to play with,” Ayato says, kissing his son’s temple. “Would you like that?”

“Yes, dada. I play with duckies at the pool,” he responded, turning his head towards you. “I swim in the pool. Mimi and dada outside the pool, dada.” Kaizen giggle, his dimples popping out from his plump cheeks. “You and mimi shower only.. I play ducks at the pool!”

Just when you thought you were witnessing an adorable father-son conversation, Ayato bursts into laughter again. “You don’t want us to join you in the pool? Mimi will be sad, baby,” he says, trying to contain his laughter. 

“Um, I give Mimi duckies! Mimi will be happy, and I give you duckies too, dada!” your son says innocently, clapping his little hands before hugging Ayato’s neck and facing you. “Mimi, I give you duckies in the shower, okay?” he tells you with his big doe eyes. 

Goodness, who could say no to this little pumpkin? “Sounds good to me, baby,” you reply, ruffling his hair. 

“You sure you don’t want mimi or dada to swim you with you in the pool, Kaizen?” Ayato asks.

He shakes his head while still on Ayato’s shoulder. “Mimi and dada… and duckies in the shower!”

Ayato reaches his free hand out behind him, waiting for you to intertwine your fingers with his. He turns his head towards you, giving you a subtle wink as the corner of his mouth curls up. Your heart flutters. 

“Whatever you say, pumpkin,” your husband says, a hint of amusement in his voice as he guides you towards your shared bedroom. “Mimi and dada will stay in the shower then.”

You can only chew the inside of your cheek and give his hand a light squeeze. You son is too smart for his own good at times, but this time you just let it slide, grinning with adoration. Feeling a surge of fondness for your two boys. 

[irisintheafterglow]

More Than It Seams (Chapter 4)

summary: you're a hero costume tech working for one of the biggest fashion companies in quirk society, and the days until the most important fashion event of the year are dwindling fast. if you weren't stressed enough, a certain half-and-half hero keeps appearing with rips in his suit. (pro!todoroki x reader)

word count: 2.8k

cw/tags: swearing, mentions of needles, probably inaccurate fashion design vocabulary, strangers to lovers, no specified pronouns for reader, mentions of food/eating, mention of character death/disappearance, descriptions of wounds and blood, grief with happy ending

note: second to last chapter let's gooooo !!! in theory this could be considered the "last chapter," but don't you wanna know how the ball goes??? and maybe shoto and reader have their first kiss ;). thank you for all the support you've given this series!!

likes/reblogs/feedback are appreciated :)

New Voicemail Message [11:32 A.M]

“Hey! Just checking in; I just finished the whole flame side and I’m about to start the shading for the ice side. If you’re able, I’d love for you to come see it and maybe I can buy you lunch this time. No pressure, just let me know. Alright, bye!” 

New Voicemail Message [5:36 P.M] 

“Hi, hi, hi. I picked up Soba takeout for dinner if you’re free. I have both of our usuals, and I can drop them at your agency too if you’re busy. Oh, also, the lady behind the counter was so confused that it was me by myself; you should’ve seen her face. Anyway, just wanna make sure you’re doing okay. Bye!” 

New Voicemail Message [8:24 P.M] 

“Hey Shoto, it’s me, again. I’m sorry for spamming you with voicemails and shit. I just, honestly? I’m kinda worried, haha. I know it’s dumb. Like, I know you can handle yourself and everything, but part of me still wants to make sure you’re good, you know? Just, uh, let me know. If–when you’re home. I miss your stupid voice. Okay, bye.” 

New Voicemail Message [11:56 P.M] 

“Hey. I’m aware that I keep bothering you. If I did something to make you upset, I’m really sorry…I’m about to go to bed, but I’ll see you tomorrow? Obviously, you can’t see it, but uh, I’m sticking my thumb up, haha. Call me when you can, please.”

[2] Missed Calls: Big D(esigner)🧵👑💖 

New Messages: Big D(esigner)🧵👑💖 

12:00 A.M hey  12:00 A.M idk if you’re awake 12:00 A.M but if you are 12:01 A.M please check the news 

The incessant buzzing phone in your hand woke you from your position on the couch. You don’t remember falling asleep, but you assume you passed out after eating a late dinner, waiting for Shoto to call. His food was in the fridge, untouched, while yours was only half-eaten, plastic bowls and utensils messily scattered across your coffee table. The notifications at the top of your phone made your heart drop into your stomach, and you prayed that the thought hiding in the back of your mind wasn’t true. 

You stood as the TV clicked on, only for your legs to give out beneath you as the reporter detailed where he was last seen, what he was wearing, possible suspects, and the statement from his manager. There was no substance in the public statement, only reassurances that efforts are being made to find him. You shut down the TV after they got into the part of the statement that sounded like a fucking eulogy, talking about how he was a loyal friend, devoted hero, and embodiment of a good person. You didn’t need to be told that. You’d seen it firsthand for the past two weeks. Anger, confusion, worry, and grief came in waves, crashing against each other as you curled into yourself. Your eyes welled to alleviate the burn after staring at the screen, your forehead throbbing from the flashing reds and whites of the “BREAKING NEWS” title screen. Your lungs and throat felt empty, consciousness detached from the body. 

No sobs rang out in the darkness of your apartment that night, and it terrified you how silent you were. There was no crying, no convulsing, no thrown objects across the room to create dents in the walls. It was just…silence. You couldn’t tell if you’d slept or not, hours passing as you stared wide-eyed at the ceiling after dragging yourself back onto the couch. It was an effort to breathe, to force yourself to inhale and exhale like it was opening and closing your fists. 

As sunlight permeated through the lightly swinging shades, your phone alarm went off. You stared at it, the musical sound seeming to be coming from underwater. The notifications at the top of your phone once you finally turned it off were like reading in a dream, with letters blurring and rearranging until you didn’t know what the original message was. Hey, thinking about you, they said. We understand if you can’t make it in today, they promised. Hello, you were one of the people last seen with Todoroki Shoto. Our news outlet would like to interview you. Fingers gripping the phone so hard you wanted to snap it, you slammed it onto the coffee table. Flashes of white-hot rage took over your body, directed at no one in particular. You pulled a pillow into your chest, fighting back the impulse to scream, scream, scream until either your voice or your lungs give out. 

“Hey.” It was your roommate, and she held her cat in her arms like a newborn baby. Your empty eyes stared back at them. “I won’t ask if you’re doing okay because that’s a bullshit question. I just wanted to tell you that I’m here for you if you need anything. Just call me, yeah?” You barely nod your assent, and her gentle fingers brush away the tears that had broken through your resolve. “I know it’s hard, and I know you’re grieving,” she said as she rose from the crouch she took to be eye-level with you. She takes your hand, giving it a squeeze. “But I also know that you’re one of the strongest people I know. We both know it’s Friday, and we both know those assholes in the commission aren’t going to postpone the one event that brings them money.” She doesn’t say it, but you know what she means. You need to get up and finish your pieces. “Do your best, okay?” 

Just do your best. 

It’s what you repeated to yourself as you struggled from the couch to your bedroom, then to the bathroom, then finally out the door and through the gate in your office. Your other designer, the one who had told you to check the news, runs over from his station. Shaking your head decisively before he could speak, you brush past him with an understanding hand on his shoulder. Your aching throat didn’t have the voice to give one last round of encouragement to your staff, but they looked to you anyway as you took your spot at the front of the room. 

“Just do your best,” you said before turning to the embroidery thread shelves and picking out the most vibrant shades of blue and light purple you could find. The rest of the office worked with a fervor you’d never seen before, and you gave them a sad smile whenever they’d glance up to check on you. All the other heroes’ ball looks were finalized, ready to be handed off to their stylists who would do the final dressing and accessorizing. Seven mannequins lined up in front of a window: Cellophane’s intricately beaded suit, Momo’s sweeping velvet ball gown, Deku’s sleek three-piece, Red Riot’s fiery matching set, Pinky’s princess-like mermaid dress, and Bakugo’s sheer-paneled, explosive applique-covered denim jacket. 

Everyone’s looks were finished, except one. His tailored leather pants were complete as well as the simple white button-up, and the silver pocket chain rested around the headless neck of the mannequin. All that was left to do was finish the design covering the back of the coat, which you worked on tirelessly far past when your staff had left the building. It should have been a day of celebration with champagne, balloons, and cake to commemorate another successful Hero Ball; but, 11:30 and 5:00 passed with no trace of him, and you couldn’t find it in your mind to participate in festivities. Whispered goodbyes and “see you tomorrow” floated around you, and it took more energy than it should have to smile and nod. 

Time ran away from you again, and the coat was finished at midnight on the dot, embellished with small buckles, two rows of buttons, shoulder pads, pockets, and the stunning ice and flame embroidery on the back panel. It truly was the greatest piece you had imagined and created, your quirk allowing the thread to almost act like paint as you added subtle nuance to the two opposing cranes. The fire crane rose from the bottom corner of one of the front panels, forming a circle with the ice crane that descended from the shoulder pad of the opposite front panel. Draping the finished piece on the mannequin and attaching the pocket chain for good measure, you stepped back with your hands on your hips to admire your work. He was gonna love it, when he saw it. If he saw it, the pessimistic demon in your mind whispered. With a deep breath that you didn’t know you needed, you turned to pack your stuff and head home. 

And that’s when something large slammed into M’s office window. 

The thud startled you, the dull noise of something hitting the glass bouncing off the empty cavern of the room. Your fingers wrapped around a pair of scissors as you approached the half-open door, cautiously guiding it open and squinting at the distorted figure behind the dark glass. Your eyes widened when you realized the object was huge, the size of at least two very tall people. One hand tightly gripping the scissors, the other slowly slid into your pocket to call the police when you heard a voice call from the other side. 

“Needle! Needle…wait, what? Needle, uh, sprouting from…Needle sprouting from thumb? Jesus, Todoroki, who would ever say such a thing–” You threw the window open, sending it flying upward as you took in the people set precariously on the ledge. You recognized one as Deku, the number one hero who sometimes visited your office to implement support tech into his costume. His gloved hand grabbed the edge of the window, easing him and the person he was carrying into M’s office and collapsing onto the couch. Deku quickly stood, closing the window and scanning the surroundings for threats. Your hand unconsciously rose to brush the matted red hair from the other person’s face, and the oxygen left your lungs as you zeroed in on the scar barely visible around the blood splattered on the person’s left eye.

Shoto. 

His body was in tatters, with scrapes and cuts and punctures covering his body like some zombie Halloween. The white of his hair was covered in so much blood that his entire head was red. His suit had burnt off on his fire side, and his ice side was nearly blue from discoloration. Your body moved on its own when you took in the most significant wound, a large gash cutting diagonally across his abdomen. Mind empty except for the battered man on M’s couch, you shoved your hands into the fabric scraps box and brought them back to Deku, who pressed them against Shoto’s gash to stop the bleeding. Fingers pressed under his chin, you felt a faint heartbeat and could see his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. He was dying, and you needed to do something to stop the blood loss. 

“I tried to get him to go to a hospital, but he said it wasn’t safe,” Deku said to you, eyes clouded with concern. “He was barely able to tell me your building’s address before he passed out. I trust his judgment, but I really need you to know that, if Todoroki doesn’t get stitches, he will die. Do you have some way of stitching this up?” The fabric in his hands was soaked a dark red and the realization of what Shoto wanted you to do hit you like a train. 

He wanted you to give him stitches. 

You’d never tried your quirk on any actual humans, only textiles. Your parents had suggested becoming a medic because of your quirk, but the idea of manipulating something to enter a human body was an idea that you couldn’t stomach. There were others with more efficient quirks who could do that, but none of them were with you now. An idea dawned on you, and you reminded yourself to applaud your planning skills later. 

“Deku?”

“Yeah?”

“I need the sutures from your toolbelt.” His eyes widened in understanding, and he frantically pushed aside objects in his belt to find the roll of medical-grade nylon you’d placed there as a part of upgrading his first-aid kit. “Sorry, I added…more items,” he muttered apologetically, finally handing you the unused spool and the box containing the sterilized needle. Like clockwork, you threaded the needle just as you had millions of times before. Averting your gaze as Shoto groaned in pain from Deku cleaning the wound with alcohol pads that you’d also put in his belt, your hand soon hovered over Shoto’s wound in preparation to close it. 

You squeezed your eyes shut, ignoring the image of the sewing machine and instead opting for a simple knot at select intervals. Fighting down the bile in your throat as the needle pinched Shoto’s skin together, you shakily guided the thread through the skin layers and tied it into a tight knot. You felt Deku’s eyes watch you in amazement as you worked, delicately patching Shoto back together as you had with his suit the first day he’d walked through your elevator doors. Slowly but steadily, you moved your hand and the thread across the wound, sewing it shut like you’d attached his trenchcoat panels. They were, by no means, medical-grade stitches, but you believed they got the job done as the color slowly returned to Shoto’s face. When you finished stitching the large wound, you helped Deku wrap the lower half of his chest and his arms with gauze. With more scraps of fabric, you gently scrubbed off the blood and dirt, combing through his tangled hair with wet fingers. 

“Thank you, Deku,” you said quietly to him as you threw used fabric scraps into a trash bag. “For bringing Shoto to me. I was really worried.” 

“Of course,” he replied, smiling warmly. “I only wish that I’d met Todoroki’s partner under different circumstances.”

“Partner? I mean, yeah, we’re business partners, but–”

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry, then. I, uh, meant romantically.” Your face began to burn from Deku’s assumption. “He just talked about you a lot, you know. How much he liked being around you, how you seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. He told me about all your soba dates and how he didn’t want them to be considered dates since he wants to take you somewhere much nicer when you’re done with all the ball stuff, but I still think they’re dates.” Holy shit, Deku was rambling. “I teased him about it since I don’t think he’s ever been in love before, but–” 

“Midoriya, I implore you to stop talking.” You both gasped, turning to look at a barely-conscious Shoto, who was trying to sit up from the couch. 

“Todoroki, you’re awake! Wait, no, no–you can’t sit up yet,” Deku stutters out as he rushes over to carefully push Shoto’s shoulders back down, moving the hair from his forehead as his head falls back against the armrest. You feel out of your body again as you kneel next to him, fingers brushing his cheek in relief. “I’ll uh, give you two some space,” Deku declares as he scrambles to pick up the trash bags and exit M’s office, leaving you alone with Shoto. 

His gentle eyes find yours. “Hey, pretty.”

“Hi, handsome,” you whisper, reciprocating the weak smile he gives you as he takes in your exhausted face. “What the hell were you thinking, coming here? You needed a hospital. It wasn’t safe risking your life to come here, Sho,” the shortened version of his name slips from your mouth before you could stop it, but the even softer look he gives you sends any regret or embarrassment running. “What would you have done if I wasn’t in the office?”

“I just knew you would be.” 

“That’s a terrible plan.” 

“But it worked out.”

“That it did.” You press your lips to his forehead and relish in the way his eyes shut in contentment. “I finished your coat.”

“You did?” 

“I did, but you can’t see it right now. If you lift a single finger off that couch, I’m going to reopen your stitches.” He lets out a pained laugh, wincing at the pain shooting across his chest. A thoughtful look crosses his face again, and you adore the way you could see him working things out in his mind. What those things are, you’d never know, but his pure intellect was enough to admire. 

“Do you still plan on attending the ball tomorrow?”

“Not if you’re still hurt.”

“In that case, I am no longer hurt.” He smirks at you, with an immature, boyish, attractive smile. “And I still haven’t…chosen a plus one.” 

You feel your heart cease racing in your chest. “Yeah? And who’s the lucky winner?” Your voice shakes slightly as you attempt to relieve the tension with a joke. 

He looks at you again with that expression that makes you want to kiss him. 

“It’s you. It’s always been you.” 

As you finally drift off to sleep slumped against the couch, your face close enough to his to feel him breathe, you know in your mind that it’d always been him, too.

[1] Missed Call - Midoriya Izuku

New Voicemail Message [2:04 A.M]

"Hi Yaomomo! Hope you're doing well. I need a favor..."

[tragedyofdevotion]

Well I really enjoyed Obey me nightbringer! Getting to know the boys' past and their true feelings gave depth to their characters. Below is my view on Obey me Nightbringer. But they might be wrong because I am stupid and I have only read until chapter 5.

But I can't help but think about how everyone in the original timeline would react if they woke up one day and mc is gone. And no matter how much they search the three realms, they can't find mc anywhere.

I feel like this would hurt the brothers most since this literally was their nightmare. Among them, I think Mammon, Asmo and Belphie would react the worst. And while the others would not berserk like those three, they would waste themselves away in finding you.

And in the nightbringer, Solomon was reminding mc about how a place they belong which is the present.

So, will there come a day where mc have to choose between going back to original timeline or staying in the past?

It is clear to see that the "past" brothers need their attendant's help more than the "present" brothers need their master because the past brothers are very recently fallen and all of them are all lost as to what they should do from now on. (The angst of these chapters are just plain heartbreaking. I just wanna go inside the screen and hug those boys tight.)

But if mc stayed in the past in favor of them, the brothers in the present would have to spend centuries in despair while searching for their master who would never return.

On the other hand, if mc went back to present, the brothers in the past would lose the only one salvation they had found amisdt their pain and misery.

The ironic fact is that although there were countless fanfics about replaced mc au, it was actually mc who would replace them. I know it was not their intentions to go to the past, and they are trying their best to return as of now. But although they technically didn't "replace" the brothers, they did leave the "present" brothers and now bonding with the "past" brothers.

So, basically Nightbringer is just a huge replaced brothers au.

Another fact I am extremely worried about is how would the brothers in nightbringer would react if they found out mc was actually human. Right now, it was not clearly expressed that mc has horns growing out of their head. So, it can be that the demons just assumed mc is a fellow demon because they are in devildom and there is no way a human would be in devils' realm in the current state of things. Or even if they reincarnated as a demon when they got sent to the past, mc was originally a human.

If that were made known, what would happen? Belphie decided to kill the first human he saw even hundreds of years after the celestial war. Right now it has only been one year since the war. So the hatred is still fresh in the mind of not only Belphie but also other brothers. (Levi said that if Belphie didn't get close to humans none of these would have happened.) What if they knew their attendant they trust and love is a human they hate?

There are still so much left to learn. Why did Barbatos send mc to the past? Is Solomon is an accomplice? Does Diavolo know of what Barbatos did? Does Barbatos in the nightbringer know of these facts?

All in all, Nightbringer is very beautiful and the stories are great! I am looking forward to the development of the storyline so much!

[gardenofnoah]

it lives where i live

part four

tags: healing, angst, hurt/comfort, childhood friends to ????, hopeful ending

wc: 2k

note: this was a weird thing for me to finish. i feel like i’ve changed so much as a writer and this chapter reflects that. i changed the pov for this chapter because i felt like it was important to see all of touya’s growth and inner turmoil directly. idk y’all this was my baby and it’s weird to say it’s done (also claps for bea for actually finishing a chaptered fic). alright love u be good

Touya starts to get it.

He has no idea what it is–only that he feels different, and he thinks that’s a good thing, maybe. He assumes it is, because there’s been considerably more enthusiastic head nods from his therapist through his screen each week.

It’s new. The therapist, anyway–the Hero Commission sanctioned therapist’s check ins (a generous title, considering the lack of any real therapy) had fizzled out and stopped all together soon enough, and it was at the tail end of another one sided phone conversation with Natsuo that he’d heard of a shrink with a reputation for treating those who’d been harmed by heroes.

“She has a surprisingly booked schedule,” Natsuo had said, half in jest and not without a tangible weight. If nothing else, Touya was curious–and bored. With nothing better to do, he decided to try a session. Before he knew it, he’d sat through the better part of four.

He doesn’t talk much–mostly because he’d talked a whole lot on a national scale and really, what else could he possibly have to say?–but lately, he’s found himself full of questions he doesn’t know how to ask. It’s hard–he doesn’t feel particularly brave these days, and to get his mouth to shift into the shapes of the words is enough of a challenge. But he tries–he figures that has to count for something.

He wants to understand your anger. There’s a weight to it–one that smacks into him solidly every time he’s on the other end of it. He’s not unfamiliar with anger–he’s been pissing people off for years now. But yours is different. Yours is heavy–you hate him and you run your fingers through his hair when he hides his tears in the toilet bowl and heaves out everything he’s buried deep inside himself at two in the morning. It’s not so easy to wrap his head around that part.

“Your friend.”

It comes through the speaker as a statement and not a question, and he scowls. Is that what you are to him? He’d been so sure that he’d never had a friend. But that can’t be right, can it? When everyone had moved on and away from him, but you had not—was that your friendship? The word tastes bitter and unsatisfactory on his tongue, but he doesn’t have a better one. He nods.

“Is that so surprising, Touya?”

He says nothing, only glaring into the camera. She sighs, wholly unimpressed.

“Think about it. You’ve mourned someone and then they show up out of nowhere, and they’re not that person you’ve been keeping in your heart all of this time. It’s like…a second death.” She says, tapping a finger to her chin as if to summon the words. “Another cycle of grief on top of the first. That’s a lot to feel, no?”

And he…knows that. You’d made it pretty clear, of course, but he feels it, now–like a rash. Your grief sits on his skin and festers in a way that his did not. His burned hot and fast and left him empty, and he woke up without a thought of what the consequences of that fire would be. Yours hit him like a brick wall the second he stepped foot through your door. That brick wall only gave way to cement–unending, uncomfortable.

It feels wrong to interfere with it–like for all he took away from you, this is the least he could give you. He can handle the anger, of course–he can sit in your white-knuckled fury and let it close in on him. That’s fine.

The crying is another thing entirely.

It’s not as if Touya is a stranger to tears, either–he saw his fair share of them wet the faces of those he cut down. Just like the anger, it never particularly bothered him. Not like yours do.

And maybe it’s because he doesn’t see them. The only indication that there are tears comes when he lays completely still at night, and he can just barely hear your sniffles through the wall. Something about it feels bad–unfair, maybe, the way you wait until you think he’s sleeping to let out what you’ve been holding on to. He almost wants to laugh at you–he’s already put you through this much. He would deserve to have all of the aftermath be aimed right at him.

But to lie to himself is evidently not off limits, because it does affect him. Every once in a while he’ll hear a whimper that twists his gut into a tight knot. He thinks of the promise he made you, all of those years ago. He tries not to, but your crying fishes it back to the surface–his stupid, idiot promises to protect you no matter what. Only to become the knife that keeps your hands pinned to the table. He doesn’t know how to protect you from himself. He finds himself still taking from you.

“Alright,” he mutters, coming back to himself. “M’hanging up.”

His therapist only laughs. “We made it 20 minutes this time!”

.

..

He starts eating dinner with you. You’ve been dropping little half-invitations for the last few weeks, and he’s been readily avoiding them. To sit across from you at your table feels too much like a confrontation–and the cowardice that he’s become accustomed to shuts it down before he’s even had time to really consider it.

But tonight you’re eating on the couch in front of the TV, and that feels better. In the dark and with a distraction, he doesn’t have to fully face you. He can think of you and you’ll be none the wiser.

He sneaks glances at you from the other side of the couch and finds himself struck–not for the first time–at how for all of the ways you are different now, you are still the same as you were when he was 13. He knows it’s nothing to do with how you look and everything to do with the way that you are–an anchor that both terrifies and comforts him. He woke up in that hospital bed and knew you were there on the other side of the glass before he opened his eyes.

Is that what friendship is?

He shakes himself out of his head when he feels you squirming next to him. From the corner of his eye he watches you fight with the blanket you’ve swaddled yourself in, somewhere between amused and endeared. It’s an unfamiliar feeling and yet, it feels like he’s felt it toward you all his life. He gives you another second to sort it out yourself before he feels bad. He forgets where he is, he forgets himself–he doesn’t think at all when he wraps his fingers around your foot to free it from the fabric tangling it.

Both of you freeze. For an aching moment, neither one of you blinks. And then you wrench your leg away from him like he’s burned you.

“Sorry,” you mumble, already standing, already shaking. “Sorry, I just–”

But you’re already halfway down the hall–voice tapered off in an explanation he doesn’t need to hear you finish because he already knows. Your door shuts quietly behind you, but creates such a divide between you that you may as well have broken it off its hinges. He doesn’t have to be still to know what’s happening on the other side of it.

He can’t listen to you cry again. His body makes the decision before his mind does, and when it finally catches up he’s standing in the middle of your room.

You’ve gone completely silent–he’s not even sure you’re breathing. Rigid and curled into yourself, you look pitiful. Something about it is hard to look at. His stomach twists and before he can stop himself, he’s reaching for the covers and sliding into the bed next to you. He closes his eyes and his body forms to yours on a memory he doesn’t have but feels he must. You make a wounded sound like he’s just punched you.

“Touya,” it’s barely a whisper and wholly a warning. There’s so much pain in your voice it makes him nauseous. He ignores it, snaking his arm around your waist to pull you to him. “Touya–”

“Just let it out,” he murmurs, resting his forehead between your shoulder blades. “Please. Let it go.”

He feels you freeze–and then the breath leaves you so violently it startles him. He’s almost relieved when he hears the accompanying cry.

He keeps his head pressed to the curve of your back in some strange hope that he might absorb your grief into himself. If he could just carry this, it’d be better. For you, anyway–he’s certain that what you’ve been carrying around would be enough to put him down, but he’d drop dead at your feet if it meant you could be free of what he’s done to you.

His arm tightens around you when he feels you start to fight his grip. “The hell are you doing–”

“Please,” you whimper–only half audible through a tight throat–and it renders him silent. “I just need to see you.”

He can do nothing but let you twist around, and he immediately wishes he’d have fought you on it, because to see your face right now is too much.

Even in the dark your eyes find his and for the first time he can easily name the sadness that permeates into his bones. Sudden and tender like a wound, it’s only a second before he’s pulling you closer for his sake–anything to not have to see. He’d burn the whole world down to not have to see what he’s done.

It's odd, knowing that it’s not necessarily guilt he feels–instead it is a mountain of what can only be his grief, looming and jagged with no perceivable path up it. He looks at you and you reflect back at him a version of yourselves he’d left behind. He takes in your gap toothed smiles and grubby fingers interlocked and tastes iron.

“I was afraid you were really gone.” Your chest shudders harshly against his own. It’s awful–the whole thing. He’s certain he’s never felt like this.

“Yeah,” he can’t get his voice above a whisper. “Me too.”

It’s painful—the child in him that he believed to be destroyed. Looking him in the face now, you stand next to him, but a step behind. That hurts more than anything—the outstretched hand that he never reached for. How different things would have been if he’d have just turned around. He understands now—he’d left you both back there.

He holds you to his chest and feels, for the first time since back then, when something is knocked loose in his chest. He’s not afraid that he’ll bleed all over your bed, because he knows he already is. Something about the certainty of the way you are there, and he is right here next to you, shakes him. There are no tears left in him to shed, so instead he tries to steady shuddering gasps tucked into the crook of your neck.

And then it’s his turn to be held, and that’s painful too, because his skin is still so sensitive and his heart is breaking and god, does he wish he would’ve turned around.

He opens his mouth to say something and can only let loose a tiny, choked sound into the silence, and you understand. But that’s not enough—he needs to try. He needs you to know—to hear him and see that he tried.

“I wanted to find you.”

It shatters the quiet that’s been settled around the two of you. He wonders if it’s a cruel thing to say. He doesn’t know how to gauge your silence. He settles on filling it.

“Didn’t know how,” he whispers to the ceiling, “Was too late—I was too late—“

“Touya.” You stop his spiral and you sound tired. You lay shoulder to shoulder now, and when your fingertips drag up his palm and weave between his own, it feels like you’ve touched down to bone marrow.

“It’s not too late,” you tell him, turning your head to look him in the eye, “it’s not.”

There in the dark of your room, he thinks he could believe you.

[sabrondabrainrot]

I forget I can just ramble and rant my thoughts!

I try to focus on sharing just my art but I also do writing and try to have a bit of a critical mind when it comes to media I consume.

Now that it has been a few months since I watched all of TMNT 12 I do have some thoughts and opinions and kind of want to just ramble about it before I forget, in an informal manner.

I at first really liked it, it was the second TMNT show I watched after Rise, now that I've been watching the 87 and 03 shows my opinions on 12 did change just a bit but I still do like it!

Literally all the turtles are my son's now. Especially Leonardo (he's blue coded so-). I just think they're so cute and neat!!!

I'm going to put thoughts to spoiler stuff of 12 so if you plan to watch the show then don't click beyond this point!

🐢💙🐢♥️🐢🧡🐢💜

So in the last season of TMNT 12 it kind of feels like all the scrapped ideas or random plots that couldn't be fit into the prior seasons were put in this one? I really like the new op it gives of Cowboy Bebop vibes. The op song change is really nice to because I never really looked the tmnt 12 op song before.

However, the plots feel all over the place? There's a mini ark where they're jumping through time meeting Halloween monsters and then another ark where Mikey defeats Satan? Then we get another really tiring ark that's this implied alternate madmax fury road parody that is honestly so depressing? Donnie is just dead.

Which btw, the show likes killing ppl off for dramatic effect. They killed Master Splinter three times and had Mikey and Donnie get scattered to atoms on two separate occasions. I should also mention Leo was in a coma for 3 months with no IV or anything and he woke up relatively fine.

Anyways, going into the last season and stuff leading up to it... They kind of ended with the 87 turtles and the 12 boys finding new passion and inspiration from teaching the 87 boys. I didn't really vibe with it because it just made the 87s the butt of the joke and made them out to be incompetent silly little guys.

They ARE silly little guys but the thing is they're not incompetent. The 87 boys have done some insanely incredible things even when unarmed. Especially when unarmed. I actually think the angle of finding a new way to help people as a means to end the series on an inspired note is fine, the 87 boys even carried on the will and told Bebop and Rocksteady they can be more than Shredder's mutant henchmen. It is very cute and wholesome. I just think they could have maybe done it differently?

Why not set up for them to teach Chi arts? The turtles of 87 don't have any mystical abilities and it would have been interesting to do a set up like that? There are ways to write the finale without just dumping on the original source.

Focusing back on the ending of 12, we also leave on a seriously alarming note. It's just a big mixed bag. After Master Splinter went to run on the hamster wheel in the sky, Leonardo was handed the reigns of the family. He was told "You're the teacher now Leonardo. You're the father. Look after your brothers" and Splinter then willingly walked into his own death. I think the writers maybe thought this was amazing and inspirational or something but I found it incredibly messed up? We start tmnt 12 on all 4 boys birthday. Meaning Splinter himself considers them all to be the same age. And since the series was running they haven't on screen celebrated a birthday and from the implied weather changes most of the seasons 1-4 seem to take place over just a year??? We don't get a definitive timeline (or I'm a bad audience and didn't notice).

So one can only assume Master Splinter was telling his...15 year old son to be the father to his other 15 year old children.

Why do I bring this up at all? After Leonardo takes over the family and he KILLS shredder they go into this rushed cult demon resurrection arc that culminates in the classic dead walk the earth and Mikey defeats Satan. In this arc we meet a ghost splinter who does not even go to see his kids, he just helps Casey and April. But throughout and the lead up to this we have moments of Leo having conversations with what we can perceive as Sensei's ghost in the dojo.

But the climax of the arc cements splinters ghost has not once visited his son's.

So Leonardo is quite literally having full on conversations, in the dojo for his brothers to hear, with a hallucination of his dead dad. He's coping this way. His family does nothing about this.

Tmnt 2012 has the worst Splinter. He ignored his son's and chose favorites. He told Leonardo to die (season 1 finale). He calls Mikey dumb and insights the others to do it too. He told Raph his anger makes him exactly like Shredder and never elaborates or teaches him how to better work through his issues. And he straight up calls Donnie useless.

None of that is even an exaggeration. Adding context just makes it worse.

Here's a list:

Do you know the turtles are the equivalent of helicopter raised homeschool boys? They've never stepped foot outside of the lair except at the start of ep 1.

They learn ALL of their lessons from old shows and cartoons. The show writers even sometimes use the cartoons to set up the theme of the episodes!

When Leonardo rescues Mikey he pats him on the head to comfort him.

Literally almost all of their ninja weapons have hidden weapons. I love it I wish I saw more of them using them.

Michelangelo is the family chef because somehow none of the rest have any life skills. Not even Splinter (explains so much).

They all have such cute shape language. I love bean pole Donnie, blocky buff Raph, perfect pear Leo, and round freckled Mikey.

They also now have unique eye colors. I love their eyes. Donnie with his big beautiful brown eyes (sometimes they look red). Raph with his acid green stare into your soul eyes, they look like they would glow like mako eyes in ff7. Mikey with bright blue eyes all big and round. And then Leo with the cunning dark blue eyes!

I just want to pinch their cheeks and kiss their foreheads and give them hugs.

Also, Leo is so affectionate to kids and his brothers??? My heart??? Couldn't take it??? He just randomly hugs them?? He had a tea party??? He wore a pink feather boa? The way he just immediately held baby Miwa??? Too good. Too good. He's such a good big bro.

Raph is also such a soft guy. Like yes he's a Butthead that beats up his brothers and takes every single violent urge out on Leo when he's even minorly inconvenienced but he does learn to do better. He helps Leo a lot and he even is there for the others a lot too.

Raphael also does art and seems to like fine arts.

Raph, like Leo, is a resident baby man. He loved tiny helpless creatures. He had a pet turtle he loved with his entire being and then later on adopted a space alien baby turtle that he also loved with his entire being.

I love Donnie in this, his cute little tooth gap, his gentle demeanor, the fact he'd rather be in the lab than training. I feel bad for him tho cause he clearly wants Splinter and Leo's approval with his inventions and efforts but very rarely gets it (Leo is the only one to really praise him and get what he does). He's also a good team player but he has so much stress and no confidence.

Donnie needs a big ol hug.

Mikey is so cute. But he is so weird. Why did they write girly pop collecting underwear. Why did they have him cannibalize a mutant pizza man? They do the most random things with Mikey. I like that he avidly tries cheering ppl up. He tries so hard for his bros. He's just a sweet little guy. I wish they did more with the baby bro.

Mikey should have kept his lightning powers.

They fight a lot but all the brothers love each other. I think they're just stressed and cooped up too much.

I like drama tho it's juicy when they argue.

I read on the wiki that Donnie is supposed to be canon OCD and Mikey canon ADHD and it makes so much sense in the show.

I really like all their voices. I miss Leo's first voice he was so dorky and sweet. The new voice is all sad and serious. Raph sounds perfect. I like Donnie's voice but instead of him always yelling why not have him do the low angry science rant because that's a good time. I like Mikey's voice he sounds like a high pitched beast boy.

But despite the occasionally baffling writing choices of the show I still like it. It's entertaining in the same way as a telenovela or kdrama. They literally have a plot where one of the turtles falls in love with his secret half sister. Something I've seen in telenovelas and kdramas.

2012 tmnt makes a great dogblooded drama.

I think the CGI art can get pretty bad at times but other times it looks great. The music is pretty good and I really like the voice cast. I actually totally see why so many people like this show but I definitely don't think it's the best one. From what I've seen thus far, I think the 2003 TMNT show might actually be a masterpiece. Better than Avatar the Last Airbender levels of masterpiece (not a competition just giving an example of another show I find monumental).

That's it, that's the rant, thanks for reading!

Btw if any one has any good 12 fic recs pls hand them over. I need 12 hurt comfort, or fem Leo, or transfem Leo, or anything introspective, or just anything with a fun plot. Pls I'm dying here send fics.

Thank you :)

[a-new-vers]

~H5~

Woke up today to find out Halsey has set the stage for a new hunt for fans to go on. In true Halsey fashion, it's cryptic with a distinct visual style we can probably expect from this era.

So let's explore, shall we?

A Lil' Timeline:

Halsey played the 27th at Lollapalooza India. During their set before they began to play Gasoline, a visual on screen displayed a URL: FOR MY LAST TRICK (click to go to the site).

Click HERE to see a video of when it was displayed at the concert.

The Website:

The theme behind the website seems to be opening a miscellaneous stick/patch packet.

The first thing is prompting the user to "pull to open" as in a tag to swipe off. You can see the collection of patches behind the plastic wrap. Once you finally open the package, all the patches will disperse.

This is where the Internet sleuthing begins, people. 24 unique patches (technically 25, but I'll get into that later) with different meanings. Let's get into it.

1 - SNA Flight Tag

So really obscure, but googling Air California flight tag brought me to this used bookstore site. In any case, the thing to notice is the date it is attributed with, 1968.

2 - Vintage Blotter Art

According to this blog (which is the only place I could find the image), this is a vintage blotter from 1994. Blotter art is an "...art form printed on perforated sheets of absorbent blotting paper infused with liquid LSD."

3 - Blythe Dolls

I believe this doll is a Blythe doll. Image reverse search does not come up with an exact result, but from the details you can make out, the dolls eyes are quite clear. Which looks a lot like Blythe Dolls, a doll brand that came out in 1972. Their gimmick was that the eyes could move left to right.

4 - Witch Halsey

Unsure, but it would seem it's Halsey as a witch. The aesthetics are similar to IICHLIWP (H4).

If the main theme here is the 70s, there’s the movie Season of the Witch that came out in 1973, February 14th. It’s apparently commentary on traditional American suburban lifestyle through the perspective of a housewife who does not like her place in life. She meets a witch and progressively gets into the occult.

5, 18, 19, 23 - Outside of USA

5: It's hard to tell what most of the words are, but the text "Pagado" (Spanish for "paid") is on the piece of paper. . The particular location might be Palenque, a Mexican city. Relevant date: June 25th, 1977.

18: Belleville. Based on a real winter carnival programme. Belleville is a a city in Ontario, Canada. Relevant date: 1971.

19: “We smokers all want to be non-smokers too” or something along these lines. I'm trusting online translation for this (German to English). Unable to find when this was made.

23: “For Us.” French. The image search doesn’t result anything. Unable to find when this was made.

6 - Peril is My Pay

Based off of a detective book involving traveling. The font is the exact same as one of the book covers. It was published in 1960s.

7 - I have something to tell you

A sign up. I assume it has to do with being updated on any album news.

Looking through the inspect tab you can see the information is being sent to “Sony Fan Music.” It does take note of which country you are in and your address.

8 , 9 - Round visuals

I think these are visuals to give grasp to the 70s theme. It’s reminiscent of 60’s/70’s clothing/aesthetic.

10 - Michigan license plate.

1971 comes up in the plate. Michigan has come up in HFK (H2), on Bad At Love. I doubt this has anything to do about the “boy back in Michigan” but perhaps traveling back throughout her albums.

11 - Ghost

Jan 27th 2014, interesting date to put since this is the date this is all happening, just a decade after.

I've seen some people say this is meant to be the anniversary for Ghost, the song. Although it came out in 2014, its release date was in July, and it originally came out on sound cloud on February 3rd. So unsure why Jan 27th is there. EDIT: I have been made aware that Jan 27th 2014 was its international release date! I am but a fool.

The text can be in response to the lyric “Where did you go?” and the themes on the song of someone leaving. IDK, this could also be a meta thing. If a theme here is traveling and visiting locations/people, then perhaps one thing you won't find if the ghost?

Additionally, this follows the theme of revisiting her previous albums.

12 - Cannel 17

WPHL-TV is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, serving as the local outlet for The CW Television Network. The logos here are form the 60’s/70’s.

13 - Master Mystifier

Or, alternatively, Harry Houdini. The date I do not believe has any relevance here but perhaps the idea of magic.

I came about the google search “Houdini’s Last Trick” where his last trick is widely asked about. It would seem to be an inspiration for the name of the website. So potentially Halsey will lean into magic, tricks, and deception.

14 - Calling Cards

Text on card: “Compliments - May I See (C) You (U) Home? If not, please return this card.”

“May I See You Home” seemed to be a common phrase for calling cards. They were handed out to ask people out. Again, the font and images are similar to H4 aesthetic. These were used in the 18th and 19th century.

15 - B&W Hair

Oh, I actually no idea.

16 - Candy

The closest I could get to finding what this meant is when this font was used for the book Candy by Maxwell Kenton, published in 1958.

As wiki describes the plot "Candy Christian, aged eighteen, is an extremely pretty and desirable but naïve young woman, who finds herself in a variety of farcical sexual situations as a result of her desire to help others. The men in her life, regardless of age or relationship, wish only to possess her."

17 - Southern-Belle

Clearly the saying southern belle. A girl born form the south, typically with certain attributes. The saying came from the idea that “... a girl who was expected to grow up into a lady. She was supposed to be fragile and flirtatious while also sexually innocent. She was beautiful but risky to touch, like porcelain.”

https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/2259#:~:text=Course%3A,risky to touch%2C like porcelain

20 - Rabbit

I couldn’t find anything that looks the same, but I assume it has to do with Alice and Wonderland. Concerning dates, the book was published in the 1800s, while the arguably most famous iteration (the animated movie) came out in the 50s.

However, this can relate to the potential theme of magic and deception and girl/womanhood. But I’m also inclined to think the rabbit might have nothing to do with Wonderland and might be something else all together.

21 - K-Mart

Wiki comes in handy here. As described, “Satisfaction Always icon seen on Kmart branded packaging until the mid-to-late 70s, adapted from a hanging sign displayed in every early Kmart store.” So 70’s themed.

https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Kmart_(United_States)/Other?file=Kmart_-_1960s_(Satisfaction).svg.

22 - Eye, Eye, Eye, and Eye

The eyes. Girl IDK, they’re eyes. They kind of remind me of the biblically accurate angels and the eyes they have. Although, I doubt that's what they're meant to be.

24 - Cigarette

People seem to think this relates more to Badlands, and I’m inclined to agree.

Themes:

Here are overall themes that seem to be present within the collection.

- Travelling

- Magic

- 60s-70s

- Eyes

- Books

- A Feminist Lens

- Past albums

A Tangent on Web Dev:

I just kinda wanted to point out the cool coding stuff they've done. When the patches are still in the plastic bag, they're always randomized in which order they're in (you have to refresh to notice this). They also disperse in a randomized order. I thought maybe the way they disperse could be a trail of sorts, like a map. But it seems totally random. I still find it cool how they've done that, every time in a different location, as if you open the package they come out uniquely for each person.

Oh and about the 25 patch, it seems the first patch in your packet appears twice when you open it. Idk if the number 25 matters or if this was done by accident. But the 25th patch is a duplicate, and never one in particular, just which ever is the first in your shuffle.

The End

For now.

[jakeysbuttsheeks]

Godfather 1v

Warnings: profanity, age gap , mature themes, mentions of : overdose , drug use , substance use , death of parent , orphaning , other weird shit

Pairings: Jake X fem reader

Masterlist

You woke up in your bed , assuming Jake had carried you to bed last night after you fell asleep on his lap .

You were glad Jake and you had gone back to how it was when you were younger. You remembered particularly when Jake and your dad were barely adults and how much fun you used to have with them. It's a shame it had to end . But hopefully you and Jake could continue to keep it living through.

You took your time getting up , it was Sunday . But the thought of having to go work and your boss giving you a mouthful made you dread ever wanting to wake up tomorrow.

You grab your phone to see if your boss had replied to the text you sent him yesterday saying you couldn't make it to work .

Well fuck.

You slogged down stairs after you read the text your boss sent you , on your way to find Jake .

"what's wrong?" Jake asked as soon as you came down , he was sitting on the loveseat, watching some random show to down his coffee.

"I guess we both had to bear the consequences of having fun yesterday" you as you throw yourself on the couch .

"what do you mean?" Jake sets his coffee down on the short coffee table in front of him .

"I got fired" you sigh .

"the bastard! You're literally a kid! Does he really expect you to slog for him every single !?" Jake immediately got defensive.

"I guess so" you sigh again .

"I'm going to go find another job" you stand off the couch and decide not to waste another day.

"wait-" Jake stopped .

"I remember our manager saying we needed a- what's it called?- social media person- s social media strategist" Jake snapped his fingers when he got the name.

"jake-" you sigh " the whole point of having a job is so that I can pay you back for taking care of me and earn enough to get out of your hair without your help." You say .

"I'm only telling you there's a job for you. I'm not going to be paying you, my manager will do that" he says , searching his pockets for something.

"wait let me just call her" he says as he quickly pulls his phone out of his pocket.

"Jake you don't have to-" you shake your head .

"it's my job to take care of you and make sure you're ready to settle down on your own. Let me do what I'm supposed to" Jake says as he puts his phone to his ear .

You knew you already got the job before the phone call even ended . Ofcourse, Jake had to get his way.

"now you don't need to worry. You can just come to work with me" Jake smiles proudly as he ends the call with his manager. You didn't find it amusing. You didn't enjoy receiving things from people without feeling guilty about it.

"you really shouldn't have" you say , trying to prevent the corners of your mouth from drooping uncontrollably.

"why? It's about time you got into the music industry with your talents" Jake says , knowing this was going to be the start of something bigger . All the guitar lessons Jake had given you was finally going to pay off one day .

You would have more exposure to Jake and his band and understand how the music industry worked .

Growing up with a musically enriched community of people that got together and played tunes every weekend for your whole life did play a huge part in your secret desire to become a rockstar like Jake . But the idea seemed so impossible. You hated being on stage , and hated hearing yourself sing .

Jake had always been your idol and you secretly always wanted to be like him or- be with him? You didn't know . But you loved everything he did and you wished you could do it all with him .

When the band started exploding and Jake started touring, you'd watch behind the screen while you had to take care of your wasting away father .

But this was a chance . An opportunity to capture your dream . You wanted to earn it and not be handed it though. Jake knew that .

That's why he offered for you to start off as staff , to learn the music industry and perhaps beat it in hopes to share your own music with the world .

You remembered when the times you spent with Jake when he thought you guitar. He cheered you on when you got each thing right . He said you were gifted but you always believed it was all behind the teacher rather than the student.

☆⋆⋅─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────⋆⋅☆

You sat in your room and picked up your guitar that Jake had gifted you . it was lying in it's case in the corner of your room for a while. You plugged it in and smiled, reminiscing all the times you had with the guitar back when you were younger and didn't have to worry about adult things like money.

The first song to decided to play was a song that reminded you of Jake alot , baby I love your way by Peter Frampton. You adjusted the volume and gain so you wouldn't disturb Jake .

You started playing, descending into your own world, imaging you were on stage with the crown yelping for joy when they heard you play , adding on little riffs and licks . You wished you could be like Jake . Such a boon , here to heal all the world with his music.

Jake's ears perked the minute he heard the sound of a guitar that wasn't coming from him . He listened silently but you played so quietly, he could faintly hear your voice along with the guitar.

He couldn't help but creep his way upstairs, hoping to catch more of you playing and singing by yourself .

Your door was not closed fully , exposing a little crack , just enough to give him a good sight of you on your bed with your guitar on your lap .

His jaw dropped as he watched you , mesmerised , watching the way you so blissfully streamed into the song , strumming away while singing your heart out , little did he know , it was him you were thinking of while singing.

He couldn't help the hearts that swelled in his eyes as he watched you . Like he just knew you were meant for him .

He loved how you sounded and how you played guitar , like it was the only sound that could save him .

He loved how your eyes were closed tight , lost in your own word . And how you eyebrows were pinched together and tilted up , letting your emotions take over . He loved everything about watching you play and he wished he could watch you this way forever .

You abruptly stopped and practically jumped out of your skin when you heard a soft thump, you opened your eyes to see Jake by the door , with glassy eyes , his mouth dropped open .

"shit Jake you scared me!" You close your eyes tight for a second to calm yourself.

"that was fucking beautiful y|n-" he spoke like he was at loss for words as he opened the door wider to let himself in .

"you've gotten so good! You deserve to be on a fucking stage!" Jake yelled , walking into your room .

"shut up" you mutter , blushing hard.

"I'm not kidding! Jesus- you sounded so amazing" Jake says and you couldn't help but want to stuff your face in a pillow and scream .

"thank means so much coming from a rockstar" you smile , reminding yourself of who he was.

"don't kid yourself you're right there" Jake says as made himself comfortable on your bed in front of you .

"remember when you struggled to play F because it was a Barre chord and I made you keep trying so you threw a tantrum and said you hated me and said you'll never be like me?" Jake asked and you're eyes widened when you were reminded of something you'd completely forgotten.

"oh my god" you laugh , covering your face in embarrassment to think about how you screamed at him that time. You were in your raging teens.

"look at you now, Bloody spitting image of me" Jake teased and you shake your head.

"I'll still never be like you" you laugh lightly as you put your guitar down .

"you'll be better" Jake says placing his hand in your knee as you move to sit closer to him .

"no one's better than you" you mumble.

"everyone's better than me!" Jake scoffed with a laugh of disbelief.

"not to me they're not" you second.

"aw" Jake teased at your confession with a smug but also shy smile .

"okay you're not THAT great" you lie in embarrassment , rolling your eyes to seem like you're annoyed with him .

"sure. Liar!" he charges at you , tickling your sides because he knew that was where you were most ticklish.

You scream and fell back into your pillows , trying to get rid of him but all you could do was historically laugh in agony and wriggle under his touch .

Another thing you'd forgotten about was how Jake would tickle you everytime you lied as a kid . You dreaded his tickle attacks because he would never stop till you admit you were lying. And given he was much stronger than you , you couldn't fight him .

"Jake stop!" You scream through laughs , almost breaking into tears with the way your stomach contracted with hearty laughter .

"admit it" he teases as he fights your limbs to tickle you nonstop . At this point he was hovered on top of you , his hair falling down and curtaining around his face as he laughed at you menacingly.

"fine! FINE!" You cry out , barely able to breathe with the way you were laughing. He finally ceased and you whined in relief as your laughter died out, your cheeks aching.

Jake was still giggling, looking down at you with his arms propping his upper body over yours.

There was a silent exchange of intense eye contact before he lifted off you , clearing his throat as he sat back down by the foot of your bed . You sat up with his motion , still tired from laughing.

"are you coming with me to work or what?" Jake asks as he stand off your bed .

"now? Today?" You ask .

"yes today. Get your lazy ass up let's go . I'm leaving in 10" Jake says as he heads to your door . He knew fully well you weren't lazy and that you were actually very hardworking but he liked to tease.

He was excited to bring you to work with him for some reason. Excited that you'd be working with him and spending more time with him now . He was excited to have your skill . He was excited to have your company. He was was excited to have you.

NEXT PART

Tags :

@mackalah @mindastreamofcolours @jjwasneverhere @themoreyou-love @gvf23 @sarah-gvf01 @thetroublegetssoloud71 @violetstarcatcher @brookekiszkaa @gvfmarge @mulberrimouse

[joonslfttiddie]

Home

Chapter 40: Little Bit...

💜Fic Pairing: OT7 x OFC

💜AU/Genre: Reverse Harem/Polyfidelity/Ghosts/AMBW

💜Warnings: Smut/Stalking/Minor injury (Blood)

💜Rating: MA

💜Word Count: 4,404

Chapter 40

Jimin’s POV

“There she is. Baby, are you okay?” Jungkook asks, jumping up from where he was seated at the island, looking relieved.

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m so sorry if I worried you.”

“Yeah, we were a little shaken at the intensity of your emotions, but we knew you were meditating and tapping in, so we didn’t want to disturb you,” I explain.

“Intense isn’t the word. The heatedness made me jump out of bed. I woke up in a puddle of sweat,” Jungkook added.

“I’m so sorry,” Tia apologizes for waking him, and Jungkook wraps her in his arms.

“Don’t apologize for that. You’re still getting the hang of all of this. I was about to get up anyway. I missed you too much.”

Namjoon and Taehyung join us from the media room to check on Tia.

“I’m not gonna lie, I did peek down at you after the heat subsided but you were sleeping,” Namjoon admits.

“Wow, this is wild. My session did get very stifling, and it felt like fire was running through my veins,” she says as Jungkook is releasing her from his embrace, only for me to take her into my own arms. “I couldn’t take it anymore and had to tap out,” she admitted, looking deflated.

My heart aches for her, but I don’t know how to help her or even if I can. She’s mentioned that this is a journey she must walk alone. When she looks up at me, I rub her cheeks, and smile lazily and she returns it.

“It’s okay, beautiful. It’s okay,” is all I can think to say in hopes to keep her encouraged.

When we all move to sit at the island, but I grab a cold water from the fridge before taking a seat, sliding the bottle to Tia. She thanks me and gulps it down quickly. So much so that Taehyung gets up to grab her another. We sit here for a little over an hour and ask her tons of questions, being extremely curious about her experience. She tells us all about it and answers our many inquiries.

Since this is the first opportunity that we are all here with no obligations, we decide to make and enjoy dinner together before having a night of drinks, karaoke, and video games. Any problems or stress is the last thing on our minds as we sing and dance the night away.

I may have had one drink too many, just a bit past my limit, because I’m damn near falling asleep when it’s just a little past midnight. Laying across the couch, I watch as Tae and Jungkook finish their last game, and Tia is straddling Namjoon on the chair in the corner. I may be lit, but I see the guys catching glances, taking their eyes from the TV screen every now and then. Even over the sound of the game, I can hear the smacking of Tia’s lips against Namjoon’s, which forces a smile on my face. I think it’s safe to assume that Tia hasn’t found out how to shut off transmitting or how to control broadcasting her feelings to us. She is obviously turned on and wants Namjoon badly because my dick is hard as fuck. Taehyung and Jungkook look at each other, trying not to laugh, as they move to adjust themselves in sync.

“I need you right now,” I can vaguely make out her voice from across the room. She stands and takes Namjoon’s hand, leading him up the stairs.

“Fuck! That was strong!”

“Man, what?! I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard in my life,” Taehyung answers Jungkook.

“I hope Namjoon is ready. It seems like it’s going to be a long night,” I mention to the guys. 

Tia’s POV

My heart pounds in my chest, the excitement and need to be conquered by him taking over my system. We can’t get each other’s clothes off fast enough, ripping, pulling, and tossing clothes around the room carelessly. We make it to the bed, which is illuminated by the moonlight through the window, where he helps me to lie down gently before kneeling between my open legs. My body is quivering with the anticipation of our first time together. Also, the length of him that I felt while straddling him may be adding to it. 

He dips his head to get a taste of my essence but I grab his ears, stopping him, unable to wait. I need him inside of me.

“I want you,” I say to him.

“You have me…all of me,” he says, his warm breath against my thigh.

“I need you inside of me.”

“Is this you asking nicely? I think you can do better than that, don’t you?” Namjoon starts to play, collecting the wetness between my lips and rubbing his digits along my slit.

My mouth falls open as his hands are finally touching me where I need him most. He slides two fingers into me and finds that spot instantly, caressing it slowly. I’m still holding on to his ears but the pull is no longer there. A moan forms in my throat and escapes my lips without permission.

“I will give you whatever you want, Little Bit, all you have to do is ask nicely,” he taunts and sits up, releasing his ears from my grip. He digs deeper into my pussy and watches. The way that he’s observing me is like an artist viewing their art, looking for ways to tweak something here and there to make it perfect. He takes notice of my expressions, how my body moves, and how my nails are digging into his wrist. 

“Ummm, please,” is all I can give him right now. I’m so horny, and his fingers inside of me feel too good. I can feel myself leaking into his palm. I’m close.

Namjoon continues his movements and asks, “What do you want, little?”

I’m right on the brink of ecstasy. So close that my mouth is wide open and my eyes are beginning to roll.

He notices and stops.

“Speak up, baby.”

“Namjoon, I want you. I need you inside of me,” I say on a whimper.

“What else?”

“Please. Please, Namjoon. Give me that dick.”

He stands to lean over my body, pressing his soft, thick lips against mine. High key, I could cum right now but I’m trying my best to hold out. I don’t want to come like this. Not for our first time. I want to feel him. Just then, the heat from his tip taps at my entrance and he starts to slide into me. The stretch takes me by surprise and I gasp. My reflexes kick in, and I grab onto his biceps, digging my nails into his skin. 

He halts himself, rests the majority of his body weight on his forearm next to my head, and uses the other to rub my face.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asks.

“No.”

“Are you sure, Tia? We don’t have to do this.”

“I want to. I want you, Namjoon.”

His pelvis remains still as he kisses me so deeply and passionately that I could melt. I suck his full bottom lip between my teeth, licking softly across it before letting go with a suck. The grip I have on his arms begins to relax, and he moves to kiss my cheek, licks across my jawline down to my neck, where he sucks. My body responds to his touch, it relaxes, and I move my hands to hug his neck, one hand traveling into his hair. I feel him pull out just a bit, lubricating his tip in my juices, before he inches in a bit more. 

“Ummm!”

“You can do it, baby. Relax, and take me. I got you,” he says against the shell of my ear. The depth of his voice and the warmth of his breath sends shivers down my spine.

His arms are now under my body, one hand hooked over my shoulder and the other around my waist. The way he’s holding me, so tight, makes me feel safe and secure, like nothing will ever harm me as long as he’s near. He repeats his previous actions, pulling back a bit then pushing in.

I hiss as the stretch is insane, but I don’t push him away. While it is slightly uncomfortable at the moment, just being here with him, wrapped in his embrace, and knowing that he will fill me up so well in just a bit, makes it all worth it.

“We’re almost there, baby. You’re doing so well, taking my dick like a good girl.”

Again. He slides in a little more.

“Ah, Namjoon.”

“Open up for me, mama. Just a little more.”

Back, then in. This time, he pushes in all the way.

“Oh, my God! Namjoon!”

“Shhh, it’s okay. You did so good, baby. You did so good,” he soothes and begins to move the tiniest bit with his face buried in my neck. “Fuck,” he whispers then begins to lap at my throat and nibble at my jaw.

I’m completely stuffed, full of him. My body, now becoming familiar and stretched to accommodate his girth, begins to move with him. Slowly, we begin to dance to the same rhythm, his thickness grazing every inch of my walls. The feeling is commanding and I feel as if I’ll overflow. The knot in the pit of my stomach pulls tighter.

“Fuck, Tia. You feel so good. You’re so wet for me.”

“It’s all for you, baby,” I tell him and kiss any inch of skin I can reach while holding him close to me.

“Damn, I could stay in this pussy all day.”

He pushes in with a little more force, dragging his fat tip across the roof of my canal with more pressure.

“Joonie, fuck! Stay right there. Right there. Don’t stop,” I hope he can hear me, my voice is barely audible.

He does and answers, “I’m gonna take care of you. I promise.”

Keeping the same, leisurely pace, he pushes in a little deeper, sending heat throughout my entire body. When he pulls one of his hands from under my back and places it on the bottom of my abdomen, pushing down slightly, it focuses all of the heat on that area. I can feel his dick stroking across his palm through my flesh, sending different sensations to my leaking pussy.

“Oh, Joon, I’m cumming…I’m cumming,” I warn.

As if sensing my hesitation, he says, “Relax your body, and breathe, Little. It’s okay. Trust me and let go.”

Trying to follow his instruction, my body goes limp while he doesn’t miss a beat, still pumping into me at the same tempo. I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, still paying attention to the sensations he’s providing.

“Good job, Little. You’re almost there.”

The knot in my stomach, with his hand still over it, unravels, and I cum hard, the feeling amplified due to my intentional focus and mindfulness. My orgasm crashes against me like a wave that pulls me under. Screaming his name, I claw at the duvet, trying to escape the insufferable pleasure. I am not running away from the feeling he’s providing…well, not entirely. It’s the feeling I try to avoid, ESPECIALLY in bed. That indicator, like I have to pee, is so powerful I can’t hold it back.

“Don’t run. Isn’t this what you wanted?” He talks while looking down at me, “Take me, Tia. Just like that.” He releases a sound from his throat, like a moan and a growl combined, “Good girl. Such a fucking good girl, shit.”

The climax seems to go on forever and the feeling is so overwhelming that I begin to sob with fat, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. My pussy weeps as well, my thighs and his stomach are soaked, the warm gush dripping down my ass onto the bed. 

“Fuck, baby, you’re such a mess. Such a beautiful fucking mess. I love it,” he says, wiping my tears. He doesn’t stop fucking me until I’ve come down and my breathing regulates. 

“Come here.”

He pulls out of me and guides me to lie with him, cuddling me from behind. He lifts my leg for easier access and lines himself to slide back into me. This time is much easier with my body now used to him, but still, his strokes are nice and easy. My entire body is ablaze with his large hand holding me closely, his fingers splayed across my abdomen. This, in combination with his gentle grunts and his hot kisses on my neck, has me about to plunge over the edge again.

If I wasn’t packed to the brim with his fat dick, the gentle rocking his body is creating could possibly lull me to sleep. Instead, he finds that special spot and abuses it, not letting up, and driving me crazy. With his free hand, he grabs me by the jaw and moves my face closer to his to give me sloppy kisses as I moan and whimper into his mouth. He eases up, giving me a chance to catch my breath.

“Let’s switch,” he suggests and lies back on the pillows.

I straddle his hips with my back to him.

“Oh, reverse cowgirl, huh?”

“Not quite,” I say, reaching between my thighs to guide him inside of me.

When my pelvis is flush with his, I straighten my legs and carefully lay my back to his chest. With the height difference, I can feel his chin on the crown of my head. His arms automatically wind around my waist to hold me against him as he begins to move his hips. 

He’s only a few strokes in when he says, “Oh, shit. This ain’t gonna work, babe. This feels too fucking good.”

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” I can’t help but tease him. “Fuck me, Namjoon.”

“Shit,” he whispers.

He grinds into me slowly yet deeply. His heavy pants into my hair tickle my scalp as he’s grunting and moaning. The position allows even more pressure to my vaginal ceiling than before and his penis is throbbing inside of me, making me climb closer to climax even quicker. His left hand finds its way up and around my neck and his right hand travels down to my clit, the groans that escape me should elicit a new level of embarrassment. But, no fucks are given as I transcend into orbit. 

Namjoon is not far behind when he says, “Fuck, baby, I’m gonna cum.”

“Cum inside of me. Give me every drop, Joonie.”

“UH, FUCK!”

He splatters his cream deep within my walls, and his hips shudder as he rides out his high.

Another POV

Tony is going crazy, not knowing how Tia is doing or what she’s up to. He continuously paces back and forth in the same place, biting at the skin on his thumb, trying his best to resist the urge to text or call her. He hates the fact that all of the listening devices he’d planted no longer connect. He did hear that one was found by the officer that’s always around her and he’s assuming the one he hid in the bouquet of flowers Brandon had him deliver was thrown out with the wilted flowers.

Leave that woman alone. Don’t make us regret getting you out.

Jason’s words echo in his head, playing over and over and over again. “Fuck!” He’s so deep in his thoughts, only pulled to his senses when he bites his finger a little too hard, drawing blood next to his nail bed. When he looks to examine the damage, he’s bitten a chunk of skin away and it’s bleeding pretty bad. It would make sense for him to try to clean it and put on a bandage, but instead, he grabs his coat from the back of the couch and leaves the house. He’s sure he’ll feel better if he could just see her, even if it’s just a glimpse.

Jimin’s POV

The sounds coming from the bedroom sound mouth-wateringly delicious. My dick is painfully rock hard just from listening to them. Tia and Namjoon have been going at it for over an hour now, and knowing Tia, she will fall asleep as soon as they finish. Knowing this, I know I’ll have a solo session tonight to relieve myself. I leave Jungkook and Taehyung downstairs to suffer together and come upstairs to shower. When I make it up to my and Taehyung’s room, I flick the light on as I cross the threshold. Stepping into the area, I feel like I’m not alone or that I’m being watched. I just chalk it up to one of Tia’s emotions transferring to me, which wouldn’t make sense with her current situation, yet I shrug it off. I begin to undress and prepare for my shower, grabbing the bottle of lube on my way out.

Jungkook’s POV

Once Jimin abandons us downstairs, Taehyung and I wander into the kitchen, deciding to take a few more shots. Tia and Namjoon have been playing for a while, and I’m sure she will be knocked out as soon as they’re done, so we decide to entertain ourselves. We chat about this and that and are really enjoying each other’s company.  After hanging for a bit, we’re on our way down to the theater room, and I swear as soon as my foot touches the bottom step, a feeling of uneasiness comes over me, causing me to freeze in place.

“You feel that too?”

Only after hearing his voice do I turn around to Taehyung.

“Yeah, something’s not right.”

“Do you think Tia’s emotions are fucking with us again?”

“Probably so. Let’s just go watch the movie.”

We both dismiss the feeling and get comfy on the bean bag chairs.

Namjoon’s POV

Finally having Tia all to myself is beyond amazing. I wonder if she notices when I wipe my own tears from my face. This experience is perfect, and I would love nothing more than to make her happy for the rest of my life and many lifetimes after this. 

When we are done with our love session, I know she’s sleeping when I say something to her and she doesn't respond. That, and the fact that she is breathing heavily and her body is limp. 

“Let me up so I can get you cleaned up, babe,” I say again, with no response. Finally, I gently roll her onto her side so that I can get up and get her as clean as I can without her having to shower. 

In the bathroom, I grab a bath cloth and soak it in warm water and suddenly get a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn’t right. Ignoring it, I return to the bedroom to find Tia sitting straight up in bed.

“Babe, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know just yet, but I think Tony is here, or he’s on his way here.”

“Wait, what? How do you know? Are you sure?”

I don’t do well under pressure and begin to panic, only wanting to be able to protect Tia. It’s like I’m glitching, turning this way and that way, unsure of which direction I want to go or what I should do first. I’m pulled out of my whirlwind of emotions when I glance at Tia again. Head raised to the heavens, her eyes are doing that thing again, fluttering rapidly. 

Suddenly, a strong feeling of bravery, strength, and defense hits me like a ton of bricks. There’s no denying or ignoring this feeling, as I can feel that Tia is intentionally sending this signal. I find my pants that were strewn on the floor and collect Tia’s clothes, placing them next to her. I think to go and get the guys, but I open the door to Jimin rushing out of the hall bath, soaking wet, trying to clothe himself. We’re speaking about our suspicions, and I tell him what Tia said. He moves past me to peek in on her just as we hear Jungkook and Taehyung rounding the staircase.

“What the fuck is going on?”

I reply to Jungkook by informing him and Taehyung of what Tia had warned. As we continue to converse at the top of the stairs, Tia comes out of the room now fully dressed. Jungkook runs to his room and comes back with his 9mm in hand. Leading the way downstairs, we follow him into the living room, all of us peeking through the blinds.

“Call the police,” I try to say as calmly as possible when I see the silhouette of a man standing still at the end of the driveway.

“What?”

“Tae, call the police. There’s someone standing right next to the mailbox.”

“Oh, shit,” he says after finally seeing him, takes his phone from his pocket, and steps into the foyer to make the call.

“I’m going out there,” Jungkook announces and begins to move from the window.

“No, the fuck you’re not,” Jimin replies as Tia and I relay the same sentiments.

“JK, just stay in here until the cops arrive. I know you are the police, but you’re not on duty, AND he’s not, technically, trespassing as he’s standing in the road,” I try to convince him.

“A few units are nearby and will be here in about 3 minutes. Just stay cool, Koo. The cops will come and arrest him, maybe not for trespassing, but he is violating the restrictions of his bond and the restraining order,” Taehyung reports.

That seems to appease him, and he calms down a bit. I go back to the window next to Jimin.

“He’s still there. Hasn’t moved,” he says.

“Good,” I say, hoping that he gets caught in his own trap.

“He’s going to try to run away, but there will be a man walking his dog who will collide with him, making him fall. He is still going to get away, though, but there’s no need for us to worry. He’s not going to be able to harm us and will be going to prison soon. Also, the neighbor is going to live with us,” Tia says so calmly and matter-of-factly.

“Huh?” I would be on the floor laughing at Jimin’s expression if we weren't in such a serious situation. I’ve never seen his eyes so wide.

A moment later, we can hear the sirens coming closer, and he does, too. He bolts for it in the opposite direction of the sirens. I can barely see him until he’s in front of the neighbor’s house, right under a street light. A man with a little brown and white dog is coming this way, and Tony runs right into him, causing them both to fall to the asphalt. He springs back up and limps away.

Finally, a police car yields next to the man with the dog, and he points the officer in the direction Tony went. A couple more units pull into the drive, and Jungkook goes out to meet them while one of the officers speaks with the neighbor. They ask us all several questions, and the last officer returns with the neighbor. When he approaches, I get the same rollercoaster of emotions I’ve gotten with the guys. I look around the group, and judging by how they’re all exchanging looks and trying to communicate silently, I assume they feel it, too. That and the fact that he seems to be entranced by Tia, which is not surprising, but still an indicator.

“Hey, I live a few doors down. I’ve meant to come by and introduce myself but could never find the right time. I hate that we are meeting under these circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you, finally.”

“You should have come on by. It’s nice to meet you, too. I’m Tia Monroe.”

“Tia…I love that,” he says, reaching out to take her hand.

“Hey, baby. Hey,” Taehyung says to the dog, squatting down to pet him. “What’s his name?”

“Mickey,” the man informs him.

“Don’t be rude, Tae. He hasn’t even introduced himself yet,” Jimin reprimands.

“Ah, I’m so sorry,” Taehyung apologizes. “Please don’t mind me. I love animals, so I got a little too excited, and he’s so cute.”

The man just laughs at Taehyung’s cuteness.

“No worries. I’m Hoseok. Jung Hoseok,” he says, extending his hand to greet us all.

All of our eyes seem to go to the same place as he extends his arm.

“Oh, shit,” I say.

“Bro, you good?” Jimin asks.

“Oh my God! Are you hurt?” We all crowd around him and Tia jumps into action, pulling at the man’s clothes, searching for a wound. Her hands are all over his torso and under his shirt, worriedly inspecting him.

He gasps when Tia’s hands graze across his skin and grabs her wrist, halting her movements. I can’t see Tia’s reaction from where I’m standing and I wonder if it mirrors Hoseok’s. The look in his eyes is as if he wants to eat her up, his desire is palatable. They stand staring at each other like that for what seems like hours, then he rights himself, snapping back into the moment, and slowly releases Tia’s hand.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” he questions, obviously confused.

He looks down to see what we are all going on about, only to find that his jacket is bloodstained.

“Oh, damn…this must be from that guy. I’m okay. I’m not hurt,” he reassures us.

Before they leave, one of the officers lets him know that they will have to take it in as evidence. While it isn’t winter yet, it’s still a bit nippy out, especially in the middle of the night.

“Would you like to come in? You must be cold,” Jungkook offers.

I wonder if he can feel it…the pull. He’s got to be one of us, judging by his effect on me. On us.

Nervously, I’m observing his eyes, looking for any indication of what he will say next.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” he says politely.

“No intrusion at all. You’re more than welcome,” Tia says.

“Okay then…I would love to,” he accepts.

And then there were five…another piece has been added to our puzzle.

[hopeymchope]

'Inescapable' just made me experience something I've never felt before.

I have never, EVER before felt diversity or representation in media was something "forced." And I've always been QUITE bitchy towards people who say things like that. In my experience, people who complain of diversity/representation in fiction being "forced" are usually the same people who use "woke" as an insult, and they can fuck RIGHT OFF. I did not and could not see that as possible, because all representation is good, right? We should work to reflect the increasing diversity of our world in our media, of course. That can't be an objectionable thing..............

UNTIL!

Until the visual novel "Inescapable" immediately followed up a character's death AND another character taking a bullet for our POV characte (a.k.a. Harrison) AND a major "family member abuduction/blackmail" subplot event WITH:

"HOLD UP, these two women who've barely exchanged any words on-screen are TOTES IN LOVE and every character somehow knew it already (even Harrison, despite the fact that we never so much as hinted at this). AND NOW! One of them is going to approach your player character to discuss the realities of asexuality with you for half a day, completely unprompted. BUCKLE UP."

And just like that, I was brutally struck with tonal/narrative whiplash. I guess diversity really can feel "forced" if you (A) bring it up really late in your story, (B) at a weirdly inappropriate time, and (C) make claims about it that aren't supported by the story beforehand.

Based on what, Harrison??? Based on fucking WHAT?!

I'm left with the impression our devs realized LATE in development that they wanted to include more representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Hey — a noble goal! And the game already has an overt non-binary character, so it makes sense to push that farther. But rather than go back and edit what they'd done to build up to this or make the representation evident from the jump, it feels like they just... shoehorned these events into the late-game of one, maybe two routes in an extremely awkward fashion. The end result, to me, is a feeling of "Did y'all just forget that the world is burning down around us??? Is this REALLY the time for this?" in addition to that aforementioned issue of "Waitwaitwait, what do you mean all the characters find this obvious?!" (This does not at all align with their observations on one of these characters up to this point, but I'll circle back to that. Just give me a few more paragraphs.) "If this 'obviousness' is really the case, shouldn't it be something the player/reader could've seen SOME hints toward?" It's especially wild as fuck to suggest that fucking Harrison saw this coming... again, despite ALL evidence being to the contrary (don't worry; I'll circle back to that, too. Right after the next three paragraphs.)

I think there'd be value in having this representation appear EARLIER in the story. Not just for foreshadowing, but because it would increase the changes of players actually SEEING this representation! (As it stands, it's locked behind certain routes only.) Or at least maybe, y'know, make this part of the story when people aren't literally dying around us. Let me postulate some ways you could've at least built a little towards this: Maybe sometimes we catch the two ladies talking privately about something before we enter the room, and we know nothing else. Few people would assume they were being flirty or whatever, but if they were often paired off during our Free Time while you were looking for people to talk to? It'd become a very vague foreshadowing, which I think is better than nothing. Or, if you just want there to be some gay representation earlier in the story: Given how often one person in the cast comments on other cast members being "hot/sexy," have one of these girls throw in their agreement one time. These seem like solid bare-minimum hint ideas. Far better would be making their connection "obvious" to the player if it's going to be so obvious to the characters, y'know??

Not sure how you could foreshadow the asexuality very casually, though. I think you keep that reveal/discussion exactly the same except you move it to a place where it doesn't feel like we're talking about our petty personal matters while the surrounding world is burning. However, call me crazy, but I think it would've been cool to see Harrison, our player character, be the asexuality representative. That way A) it could come up much earlier in the story because we're privy to his internal thoughts, so it'd be easy and natural to do. Plus B) it'd be a GREAT excuse to get rid of all the moments in which Harrison thinks about/comments on boobs and breasts, which IMO are his least-likable, grossest moments. :P

So let me be clear: It's not that diversity and representation is ever a bad goal. It's just... y'know, it usually feels kind of natural. Because people are so varied and different by nature. We have so many skin colors, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, disabilities, etc that ofc it's cool to see that reflected in our fiction. The issue is that this VN goes out of its way to make these reveals/conversations feel completely left-field based on what precedes and surrounds them. It indeed feels "forced" as things stand. But HOLD UP.... maybe this was done on purpose???????

ALL RIGHT, IT'S CIRCLE-BACK TIME! Before I can share my theory on why maybe this was intentional, I must firstexplain both "why all preceding evidence was actually against this reveal" AND "why there's no way I believe their feelings were so 'obvious' to everyone else." Here's the background info: During the preceding literal hours of the VN, Harrison and one of the two lesbians in question have had numerous scenes of the two of them alone at night, often sitting on the beach, saying some pretty sweet/intimate things to each other (Actual Dialogue: "Whenever you're not by my side, I miss you. I miss... us.") under the moonlight while she awkwardly looks away and brushes her hair behind her ear, blushing. This woman is also the person who took a bullet for Harrison. This is our guy's go-to confidant, and it's easy to see them forming a real connection... a connection that seems like it could easily be developing towards a blatantly canon romance by the end. It would be a logical direction to take given that we regularly read Harrison's inner thoughts regarding the friends he's lost and how he can't picture anyone ever wanting to be in a relationship with him. (Side Note: By the end of this game, there are definitely routes where Harrison makes close friends. But there are zero routes where anyone ever wants to be with him, so I guess he was right about that?) And right after his closest confidant takes that bullet, during her recovery? You think they're going to have an intense heart-to-heart about their feelings. And they kind of do, becuse THAT'S when we learn she only has eyes for this other woman. In truth, her and Harrison? Why, we're told they're just good friends! And as to the other problem with the anti-foreshadowing of this relationship: The fact that the characters think her and the other girl's feelings for each other were "obvious" rings as horse shit in this context because (and again, this is all throughout the preceding hours of the game) characters have repeatedly observed that the non-confidant lesbian is isolated, all-business, cold, clinical, unemotional, etc. Kinda weird to now act like she wears her heart on her sleeve, innit?

With the preceding paragraph in mind: Why do I think this weird writing might be on purpose? Let me preface by saying: Look, I understand I might be really reaching with this theory. Maybe everything herein is just symptomatic of the lesbian/asexuality representation being inserted into the narrative at the 11th hour. It could also be symptomatic of the fact that for some reason, the characterizations/personalities of the cast are not remotely consistent across each route/ending — which causes weird dissonance on multiple occasions. But as a counterpoint, I POSTULATE THIS: Perhaps the devs were actually reverse-queerbaiting (straightbaiting...?) to make a larger point about queerbaiting in media. I think they might've been intentionally building to a straight ship just to RIP IT AWAY like that never happened and we-must've-been-fooling-ourselves-lol, because that has happened so many times to so many seemingly-queer-but-WHOOPS-not-really-don't-be-silly characters in media.

And if that's ACTUALLY why this is written this way? Well, I can't say it's a 100% successful gambit, but that does at leat make it a respectable one. In that context, it's bold, clever, shocking, and kind of hilarious.

P.S. The next time these devs want to have more diversity/representation? Maybe they shouldn't include only ONE POC among a cast supposedly pulled from all across Europe. These devs are FROM Europe, so I'd kind of think they'd know there's a lot more than just assorted crackers sprinkled across the continent... ??

[ambitionsource]

THE STAR ♠️ An AMBITION Playlist of Maddi-Curated Song and Artist Recs

( Listen 🎵🎧 )

"Pretender" by Steve Aoki, Lil Yachty, AJR 🎶 I'm a good pretender, won't you come see my show? I got lots of problem, well good thing nobody knows... "Stars" by PRETTYMUCH 🎶 All the screen time's entertaining, but your feelings always get in the way, so complex like constellations... "Feather" by Sabrina Carpenter 🎶 You miss me? No duh. "Wingman" by Boys World 🎶 Seems like everybody's feeling like they gotta have a somebody, but my equation's me plus me instead of me plus you... "Big Shot" by Ruelle, Saint Middleton 🎶 Spotlight on center stage, everybody's gonna know my name... "Don't Assume What You Don't Know" by Grace VanderWaal 🎶 Finally you get an opportunity, they say listen close and only to me; just sign off your name and creativity, don't you want to be a star? "Everything Is Boring" by The Beaches (feat. The Aces) 🎶 I was thinking about girls supporting other girls, then I woke up in a meeting with a bunch of random dudes telling me what I should do... "vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo 🎶 I used to think I was smart, but you made me look so naive, the way you sold me for parts as you sunk your teeth into me... "The DJ Is Crying For Help" by AJR 🎶 Can I get hired? Yeah, I fucked up, but I did it my way; trying, trying, I can start Friday, getting a life's a little like dying... "King of Everything" by Madison Beer 🎶 When the rain comes pouring down to wash away your crown, you're the king of nothing now...

[ 🃏 Master Post ] [ ♣️ Lucas ] [ ♦️ Farkle ] [ ♥️ Charlie ]