#you absolute pining buffoons

[crowleyinaturtleneck]

[thegoldencontracts]

On The House!

Summary: Azul's always seemed to break his "no free lunch" rule with you. A free lunch here, tutoring there, and whatnot. But it's only after you two start dating that you realize why.

Notes: Jai if you see this TYYYY YOU ARE A GENIUSS RAGGHHH, also there's one brief innuendo of "punishment" by the reader bc I feel like teenagers would absolutely make innuendos - source: me and my friends, and also bc the reader's gotta annoy Azul somehow

Everyone knew that Azul Ashengrotto was notoriously stingy. He was a firm believer that if you wanted to cross a bridge, you had to pay the toll. He never gave anything for free.

Except with you. Azul tutored you quite a few times, and he'd even get you snacks while he was at it. Why? Was he trying to scam you?

As you chewed on a piece of the candy he'd given you, you couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, Azul," you said. "Can I ask why you're giving me all this free stuff?"

Azul's eyes widened a bit.

"It's of irrelevance," he said.

Weird. He didn't usually get defensive this quickly. Maybe he was just upset because you'd caught him trying to scam you?

"Is this some weird plan to sucker me into a contract?" You asked, eyes narrowed. "Because I'm not signing anything."

Azul seemed to get irritated at that, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No, no, I assure you, that isn't the case," he said.

Why was he getting defensive like this? That wasn't usually how he reacted to your prodding. There was probably something you didn't know.

Scratch that, there was definitely something you didn't know.

Whatever. You'd just have to find out later, it seemed.

"Fine, fine," you said. "But-"

Azul rolled his eyes, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of awe that you got to see him so openly annoyed.

"I'm watching, Azul. You'd better not scan me, or else I'll punish you, okay?"

Azul groaned.

"What sort of phrasing is that?" He asked. "You aren't powerful enough to enforce anything upon me either way!"

"But it's funny!"

"Hmph, cretin."

And yet, you couldn't help but wonder, if Azul really thought you were a cretin, why did he give you so much free stuff?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed, and things between you and Azul changed. You'd even begin dating. He still kept giving you free stuff though.

Why? How was it that he could call you an absolute cretin and then shove a bowl of soup cooked by him your way in the same breath?

But then, one day, you realized why he did it.

It was to show his affection.

In hindsight, it should've been obvious. Everyone had some form of expressing their care for others, right? And this was Azul's. It only made sense.

You were going to ask him about it. Mostly because his reaction would be fun.

"Hey, remember that time I asked you why you gave me free stuff so much?" You said one day while the two of you were cuddled together in his bed.

Azul just silently pulled back the hand you'd used for emphasis back to his head, shooting you a bleary glare.

"Mm," he said in what was probably an affirmative. You could never be too sure though. Not with a tired Azul. For all you knew, he could just be expressing his annoyance with the fact that you weren't giving him enough headpats.

"Well, I think you were always doing it to show your looooove."

That seemed to wake Azul up.

Hastily, he swatted away your hand - though you could tell he wanted it back right after, turning away from you with a huff.

"That's utterly preposterous!" He said, though his cheeks were flushed. "I certainly wasn't pining after you like some buffoon!"

He absolutely was. He showed you he loved you since way back then, while all his free tutoring sessions and carefully prepared meals.

"Are you embarrassed about it, Azul?" You said. "Don't me. I think it's cute, you know."

Azul scowled.

"You're a mongrel," he said, before standing up with a sigh. "I'll make you some food, perhaps the added energy will help restore your ordinary intellect."

That actually sounded like Azul was calling you smart and stupid at the same time. Bravo, Azul. Impressive.

Wait. He was doing it again!

"And you're making this because you looove me, right?" You said, batting your eyelashes.

"Think whatever you wish," he said. "But we ought to get back to bed once you finish your food."

He just wanted to cuddle, didn't he?

"Anything for you."

And as Azul asked you what you wanted for dinner, you could tell that he'd do anything for you as well.

[inejwraiths]

one piece recs

vinsmoke sanji

go fish by @honnelander: if there’s one thing i love more than mutual pining it’s when a friend knows and teases them about it <3

back of house by @paperultra: yeah he’s a flirt but he freezes when she starts flirting back? i’m gonna need 3 to 5 business days to recover.

bad for business by @xlpoww: i’m a firm believer that sanji getting flustered is the best sanji <3

sour by xlpoww: jealous!sanji? yes please thank you.

hammock by paperultra: i think making out with sanji could end all my problems and what about it.

roronoa zoro

sleep in the sun by @fairyyarchive: i actually believe that lying down in a hammock with zoro would fix ninety nine of all my problems.

walls by @sleepymarimo: this man is an absolute buffoon but he’s cute so i forgive him.

monkey d. luffy

murmúrios by @seonghrtz: luffy speaking protuguese? yes please.

rescued by pirates by @cozage: the butterflies this imagine gave me should be illegal ohmygod <3

[gravescythe]

my dash is split between “he looks like dipper pines” and “he looks like a disney prince” you fools. ypu absolute buffoons. he’s disney prince dipper pines. he can be both.

[wannawritefast]

Just You

A/N: I have been pulled out of another accidental hiatus by this absolute buffoon of a man. Full and vulnerable disclosure, I stumbled upon fancams of this man on TikTok and fell in love with him. The only things I know is what I have found on the wiki and what I have seen on TikTok. I see folks are desperate for fics so I thought 'why the hell not'? I apologize for any OOC stuff. Reader is fem but most of the fic is pretty gender neutral; I tried to keep it GN but it just didn't quite work. Warnings: no use of y/n, language, very blatant references to sex, pining, a lil spicy at times, no smut but it's definitely not implied in any uncertain terms, nothing explicit as far as what you "see," but it's there, Johnny being a fucking doofus, reader is also kinda stupid, sorry Summary: You and Johnny are famous and shameless flirts especially with each other. But it's all in good fun, right?

“Yeah,” you answered, leaning back again after leaning forward to hear the interviewer. “Well, this role was certainly more demanding than any of my other previous ones but it was functional so when my trainer and I were coming up with a plan I told him, ‘train me like someone who actually wields a weapon like this.’ A lot of it was blended with-”

A cheer rose in the background but you didn’t break focus with the interview at hand.

“-the aesthetic desires of the production but I absolutely trained for real. I did my own stunts-”

Through the glare of the light above the massive camera you saw the interviewer smile at something just over your shoulder. “Oh, we have a crasher incoming…”

You didn’t even have a chance to complete the full turn before a strong, charcoal-colored suit jacket-covered arm wrapped its way firmly around your waist with a mischievous ‘hey’ and chuckle in your ear. That cologne… You smiled and laughed instinctively, knowing exactly who it was. His warm breath fanned across your ear and neck as he lifted you off the ground in a one-armed hug from behind. “Hey, hot stuff.”

“Johnny Cage, ladies and gentlemen,” the interviewer said as you laughed in kind.

He released you slightly so you could turn in his arm as you smiled up at him. You looked up at his eyes through those signature shades as he smiled down at you, abandoning all of your attention from the camera to playfully scold him. “Hey! This is my interview!”

“You look amazing.” He quirked a brow up at you, the arch slanting upward just above the top edge of the frame of his sunglasses. There was no doubt in your mind that his eyes were running up and down the length of your body.

"Well, you look good too but you don't see me crashing your interviews."

"I wish you would."

"Johnny!" You exclaimed.

“What? I’d apologize but I never apologize for seeing my favorite person in Hollywood!”

Before you could answer, the interviewer interjected, pulling both of your attention back to the camera, “Me right?” 

Johnny guided you carefully back to the duct tape ‘X’ on the red carpet, practically carrying you the short distance there, splitting it with you and being careful to not step on anything draping off of your expensive ensemble. The kerchief tucked in his front pocket was the same as the main hue of your look for the evening, the design of your agent no doubt. It complimented his charcoal silver duochrome suit. He looked sharp.

“You can be my second favorite,” he answered the interviewer, holding eye contact with them before snapping right back to you with that signature Johnny Cage smirk, not missing a single beat. You doubled over a little as you laughed at the implication and his arm held firm. “H-h…hey,” he laughed at you, looking at you from the side, “hey, I’m not that funny. A little excessive for a fake laugh.”

You straightened up again, fighting the unattractive smile that was gracing your lips and the accompanying laugh. “You’re… you’re not. You just surprised me!” 

He dropped his jaw in fake offense. “You’re not supposed to agree!” Johnny made a show of pulling his arm away and taking a step back. You reached your arm and briefly grasped his forearm before he walked firmly out of reach. The smile on his face was wide and identical to yours as you turned fully away from the camera.

“You’re such a diva, Cage.”

“A diva you’re never working with again!” He walked backwards onto the main carpet careful to avoid the droves of entourages. “We’re renegotiating your contract!”

“I’ll see you inside!” You called. How Johnny made you laugh so much was a mystery. He only smiled at you as he officially walked off and you turned back to the camera still catching your breath from the giggles. “Sorry- I’m sorry. He’s just-”

“The two of you are peas in a pod. We get it,” the interviewer answered.

“Yeah, he’s something alright…” You carefully brushed the face framing pieces of hair back a bit and smoothed your dress. “Did that answer your question?... What was the question again?”

You were seated patiently at a panel with Johnny to your left, his sunglasses sitting idly on the white tablecloth before him. A journalist led a question with your background in performing, referencing a previous production of Shakespeare you had done in your college years. Your head bobbed attentively. 

Johnny’s hand reached for the refill bottle of water between the two of you behind the table, picking it up from the ground without breaking his gaze from the journalist asking the question. As you began to answer, he pulled your glass of water closer to his and topped both off, capping the bottle and setting it back down. Your eyes flitted briefly to the activity with a small smile and you continued answering. 

“-so it was really rewarding to get to re-explore the character in a new context and-” You watched him slide the glass respectfully back to your space out of the corner of your eye. “-with a truly amazing cast including this wonderful gentleman, right here.” Johnny looked surprised to be mentioned but only for a moment as the journalists chuckled and cameras flashed when you turned your eyes to him. Your hand landed on his forearm and shook it affectionately. “He’s an excellent scene partner and someone very dear to me. I wouldn’t have felt as comfortable digging into this role without him at my side.”

His left hand rested at the center of his chest. “My stunning costar, everybody,” Johnny answered, grasping your left hand in his right, planting an exaggerated kiss on your knuckles. “Makes me blush!”

You laughed as you had to look away from him, letting him continue to hold your hand under the table. “We’re never going to beat the dating rumors if you keep it up, Johnny.”

“Wanna get dinner later,” he leaned flirtatiously toward you, holding your one hand in both of his now. The room filled with the hum of amusement.

“You buying?”

“Hell yeah, baby,” Johnny answered, quick as a whip.

You pulled your hand from his to pat his cheek fondly. “You’re cute. I’ll think about it.”

He glanced down at his lap as he laughed and the room joined him, seeming to have deflated a bit. Johnny shrugged toward the room and leaned forward to address the audience. “I’ve been trying for years, folks.”

A giggle bubbled up from your throat as your hand landed on and squeezed his bicep warmly. “Any more questions?”

“Johnny!” The interviewer greeted, as he sat down across from the two of you.

Johnny said his name back in a matched tone. The interviewer then said your name and you mimicked him in kind. Then Johnny said your name and you replied his name back to him before your costar looked right into the camera he was supposed to ignore and said ‘Rocky!’

The three of you and the crew laughed. You shook your head at him, amused. He glanced at you, ensuring that his glasses were tucked firmly at the apex of his purple button down with one hand as the other found its home along the back of the couch behind you. You shifted your weight in your seat, ever so slightly favoring the side he was on.

“I love The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the interviewer started as he settled in. 

“So do I,” Johnny piped up. You nodded in agreement. “One of the first movies I remember watching actually… In fact, Janet Weiss was my sexual awakening.”

“Speaking of, and I was going to bring this up later but the opportunity is just too perfect…” Your heart dropped to your stomach as the interviewer continued and you processed what Johnny had said about Susan Sarandon.

“Uh oh…” You knew where this was going. The sleeves of your shirt began to feel a little too tight. Your eyes landed nervously on the interviewer, outstretching your hand to him even at the far distance, attempting a negotiation. “We don’t have to tell him. We can keep this between us.”

“What are you talking about?” Johnny interjected.

“No, I don't think I will,” the interviewer replied. Brutal. This was going to be brutal.

“Please,” you begged. “I thought we had something special.”

“Sorry, I have to do this for the exclusive content.”

“No, you don- How did you even find this out? How do you know this?” You asked, desperate to stall. Johnny’s eyes were on you; you could feel it. The interviewer chuckled at your discomfort as heat crawled along your cheeks. 

“I did my research. I came prepared.”

You pushed a harsh exhale out of your lungs and looked at Johnny anxiously, your fingertips digging into your upper lip. “You have to swear to be normal about this, Johnny. I-”

“Wait, know what? What does he know?” He turned excitedly between the two of you but you could feel the small part of him that was concerned for you as one of your hands came up to visor your eyes. 

You couldn’t take it. Your body didn’t even know how to respond to this. You were usually pretty brazen with Johnny but after hearing him say what he did about Susan Sarandon just moments ago not knowing this about you… You were suddenly nervous around him and why you really couldn’t say.

“I, uh- used to…” 

“Back in the day-”

Your cheeks were hot and you were silently thankful for your makeup team as you looked up at the interviewer with a breathy chuckle, gesturing for him to continue. You picked up your glass of water, your words leading into the sip you took, “You can go ahead. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Johnny was looking at you like he was trying to figure out a huge equation in his head and your eyes held the answers. “What do I not know? You wouldn’t be blushing if this was something I knew about you.” He had a wide grin as he looked at the interviewer. “You gotta tell me right now what it is.”

“You may love The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Johnny, but your co-star is a bigger fan of this movie than you are and I have proof.”

“What? There’s no way,” He responded a bit incredulous. You shook your head resigned to it. “I watched that movie religiously for Susan Sarandon. I mean Tim Curry’s hot in the movie too but like… Susan Sarandon.”

“Johnny, you gotta stop-”

“I will not.”

“Oh, this is priceless.” The interviewer laughed. “Your co star used to be in a shadowcast of it, right?”

You nodded with your eyes clenched shut. “Yep, that’s true.” You shifted in your seat, the bundles of nerves in your stomach balling up even more. “For those who don't know what that is, I used to be a part of a cast that regularly acted out the whole movie screen-accurately of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in front of the screen in a movie theatre.”

“That’s right.” The interviewer chimed in.

Johnny’s jaw dropped in gleeful awe. “You’re shitting me…”

“Nope, I’m not. I used to, by choice, run around in the theater in my lingerie where people would yell profane things at me.” You nodded resigned to the truth coming out.

“Would you care to tell Johnny and our viewers what character you used to play?”

Another nervous giggle bubbled up from your throat as you choked out your answer. “I used to play-”

He beat you to it. “Oh my god… Did you play Janet Weiss?”

You nodded with your eyes closed. “Yeah, that’s exactly-” a clear of your throat “-exactly who I played.” You chanced a glance at him and you laughed as he diffused the nervous tension by looking you up and down with a smirk.

Johnny conspicuously adjusted how he was sitting next to you and you turned your gaze away, rolling your eyes. “... are you serious that you played Janet?”

“Yeah, I’m serious.” You couldn’t even look at him.

Silence from Johnny. The feeling that he was looking at you was only confirmed when you finally looked up at the interviewer and then at Johnny. The expression on his face was indecipherable but it was intense whatever it was. Something stirred in your stomach… no, deeper than that, as you glanced between his dark eyes and his lips that hung open almost expectantly.

You broke the quietude, rifling through your memory, anxiously again now that he was looking at you like that. “I think I still have all of my costumes in my closet actually…”

The man just blinked at you again with his mouth still hanging open.

“Johnny, would you-?! What is going on in your head right now?” Your nails itched a spot on your inner elbow over the fabric of your dress, looking him up and down. You couldn’t help but lean back a bit.

His hand found his sunglasses sloppily as he tore his eyes away from you. Johnny pulled his glasses on before resting his elbow on the back of the couch and propping his ankle up on his knee and leaning his head toward you. 

And there it was… that signature Johnny Cage crooked smile. It wasn’t the first time he had flashed it toward you but it was the first time it gave you butterflies. Then he opened his mouth with a nod, “Hey.”

The interviewer cackled but you paid him no mind.

“Hi,” you replied, coy, sitting up a little and tilting your head to meet his gaze more directly; you fought down the laugh in your chest. You twirled a strand of hair around your finger, playing along. “Can I help you, Johnny?”

He scooted closer to you and you let out one segment of a giggle. “You still have those Janet costumes?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Johnny immediately turned his face away from you, hearing the sharp exhale he expelled from his pursed lips, before he turned back. “Is there a Mr. Weiss?”

“Please, Mr. Weiss is my father.”

“Ohmygod,” he groaned gutturally as he stood up, taking a quick pace out of the frame of the camera. You watched him with confusion and you and the interviewer laughed together again. He stalked back toward you looking down at you as he gestured to your thighs, “Is this seat taken?”

“My lap?” You coughed out.

“Oh, I thought you’d never ask,” he gushed, straddling your hips and moving to settle into your lap, towering over you even as he sat.

Your head was thrown back in laughter, muffled from his shirt rubbing against the mic clipped to your breast. His hands found your wrists to guide your palms to an ass cheek each. Johnny didn’t even falter as he brought one of his, comically in this situation, large arms around your shoulders and turned at the waist to face the interviewer with his hand on his hip. You could barely look around him and his broad chest even if you tried. Everything about Johnny was bigger than you.

He bashfully looked to the ground and then up to the interviewer. “What other questions do you have?”

“Yeah, let’s just finish the interview like this,” you called out of view from behind Johnny, snapping your fingers above your head. “Next question, please.” Your hand came back down and landed with a resounding smack back to where Johnny had initially placed it.

The interviewer laughed heartily and even Johnny guffawed out something like a yelp as he jumped. He quickly pulled his phone out from his pocket and pointed the front facing side down toward both of you almost vertically. You furrowed your brows, bit your lip, and curled your fingers into claws on the curve of his ass as the camera clicked.

“Babe, not here,” he spoke down at you, feigning embarrassment, as he crawled out of your lap finally.

“Oh, sorry, babe, I forgot we weren’t alone.”

If you thought, however, that Johnny was completely removing himself from you, you couldn’t be more mistaken. He opted to settle snugly into your side, resting his interlocked fingers on one of your shoulders. You took the cue to wrap your arm around his waist possessively, hardening your gaze and tilting your chin up at the interviewer. “Sorry about that,” you said, shrugging as you spread your legs in a very masculine fashion. It was comical for how much bigger Johnny was than you alone. You scratched the bridge of your nose addressing the interviewer and the camera. “I can’t help it. It’s just the effect I have on people.”

Johnny nodded in understanding, watching you reach down to grab your glass of water and take a sip of it. He turned his gaze back to the interviewer matter-of-factly. 

“She pegs me.”

You choked on your water.

It was Johnny’s birthday party and how you had ended up grinding on him for four, going on five, songs was beyond your rational mind. 

People were attempting to take subtle pictures on their phones of the two of you, you could feel it: one of his arms firmly around your waist, his other hand gripping your hip, back to chest, ass to… what you were going to call his pelvis in the middle of the dance floor. You stopped caring about three rounds of tequila ago with him right before he had initially dragged you there.

You were sure that if your eyes were open and you could be bothered to interrupt the moment by turning around and looking at him that you’d see in his face something very similar to what was stirring just about everywhere in your body between your closed eyes and where his hands were. If he didn’t try to kiss you or you didn’t try to kiss him, that is, which is what you were almost certain a few shots in now would happen if you turned around. And if the two of you kissed…

Instead you opted to lean into the rational part of your brain that told you to remain like this lest you ruin the relationship the two of you had built: his unabashed, utterly shameless flirting that you kept at an arms’ length distance, at least until now - right now Johnny’s hands on you were exactly where you wanted them. Dancing was just fine and if this is what the birthday boy wanted, without adding more confusion to whatever the dynamic was that you and Johnny called “being just friends,” well, you were more than okay with it. He wasn’t a bad dancer either.

It was hot… you confessed to yourself silently. He was strong and warm and he smelled really good like he always did; musky, heady, sharp.

It’s not like you could really hear yourself think anyways over the bass booming in your ears and chest. Your body continued to sway against his. You supposed you didn’t entirely hate it actually: his hands preoccupied with you at least in some capacity, his lips (you were certain) were tilted up in a smirk close to your ear, even though you fought wanting them closer elsewhere, his muscled chest and abs against your back, your bodies moving in unison. 

Who were you kidding… you liked it…

Johnny’s hand on your hip stiffened and pulled you to spin you around. You twirled, nimbly obliging it’s direction. Uh-oh…

You began swaying again to the music, feeling the hands on your hips before your eyes could actually focus on what or rather who you were seeing.

And there was Johnny. You knew that. You weren’t that drunk. But there he was. His brown eyes were looking down at you, softened by the way his lips formed a cocky expression, like he was about to say something mouthy about how comfortable you had been dancing with him. Not with him… on him. You looked back up at him, a retort poised about how strong his grip on you had been for someone so willing to hypothetically make fun of you for dancing on him.

“Happy birthday,” left your lips instead. “Having a good time?”

You knew the answer. Johnny sported a smirk. “I’m having a great time.”

“You have a good DJ.” Shameless bait, you knew it.

“And a good dance partner,” he spoke loudly, leaning down so you could hear him. Hook, line, and sinker. Although you weren’t quite sure you could say you were really baiting him if he was probably going to say something like it anyways.

There were a number of things perched on your tongue. One, ‘you’re not too bad yourself.’ Two, ‘that’s the tequila talking.’ Three, some snide remark about your ass having been flush against him so it had been no wonder he had been enjoying it. 

And yet looking at him, your boldness so directly challenged by his undistracted brown eyes, you couldn’t help but be rendered speechless- a rare occurrence for you. It didn’t last.

“If you want me to turn around and shake ass again, I can.”

“As much as I wouldn’t hate that,” he laughed, his forehead briefly knocking against yours in a dangerous way when he slumped a little. “I just like having you close.”

“Aren’t we supposed to be dancing,” tumbled off your tongue before you could stop it. 

Lucky for you, Johnny seemed relatively happy to continue. A hand latched itself more firmly on your body, this time fastening itself comfortably on your ass rather than your waist where it had been. Johnny had big hands, you realized. That was a lie. You realized it a while back when he had pulled your hips to his earlier. You started more confidently dancing to the rhythm again. You weren’t sure when but eventually his second hand slid close to his first one. 

If you had been any more sober, there might have been more nerves about Johnny’s liberties, which you were happy to give him, about touching your butt while also dancing so close. Instead your nerves had more to do with the fact that despite your eyes once again fluttering closed, Johnny’s were definitely on you. You could feel him drinking you in, drinking this moment in. No amount of alcohol would make that sensation more bearable. You chanced opening your eyes, slowing your dancing. 

You were right, against every wish that you hadn’t been. Sure enough, there were Johnny’s eyes on your face. His expression was much more sober than it had been when you first turned around earlier but no less intense. 

You stopped, the rhythm leaving your feet. You were flush against him, chest to chest, one of his arms strong around your waist. 

Words. They were somewhere in your head. But they were all wrong. And Johnny was so right. 

His stupidly attractive slightly messy hair. His eyes traveling along your face. His tongue peeking out from between his lips to wet them. His nose. Just his nose. His cologne. The flashing lights hitting your face. The tequila buzzing ever so slightly behind your eyes. Right.

Johnny’s face approached yours so tentatively, so surprising in how gentle it was, like he was worried you’d spook if he moved too fast, that by the time his lips met yours it felt like they had already been there. Warm. Soft. They belonged there, you decided immediately.

Your hands came up to hold his jaw. ‘Hold’ was the wrong word. You were drawing him closer; his arm tightening and other hand cradling the back of your head answered it. You didn’t hear him groan so much as you felt the hum against your tongue, which itself was testing just as many boundaries as you were against yourself. The deal was sealed when Johnny pulled back momentarily.

“Can I see you in one of your Janet costumes now?”

You were gonna fuck Johnny Cage.

It was so unnaturally dark when you woke up that at first you weren’t sure you had woken up at all. You were lying on your stomach, that much you could tell, and the time on the digital clock read ‘10:47’ in a knowing shade of crimson. Blinking a few times and stirring your naked body against the so-soft-it-was-cool-to-the-touch, extremely not-your sheets you realized that you were in fact awake and in a bed. Silk. Naked. Then you felt the weight of one large hand wrapped lazily around your wrist.

The realization, or rather reminder, that you were neither in your bed nor alone came embarrassingly slow to you. You smelled it before you saw it. It was too dark to rely on your sight anyways.

And you’d recognize that cologne anywhere…

The panic of what the two of you had done, what you had done to him, what you had let him do to you hit your adrenaline centers like seeing a spider crawl across your hand. Like feeling his hand on your wrist.

Your sheet-tangled legs wheeled you back for the edge of the bed behind you, away from the man, the face you knew you’d find if you had pushed forward against the silk sheets instead of pulled back like you were doing right now. You knew what you had done last night. Boy, did you know… And the scary thing was that you hadn’t hated it one bit if your memory and the sudden fluttering in your stomach served you right.

His fingers strained against you yanking your wrist away from him… then tightened the moment your foot, nay, your ankle rolled. The joint was jelly the moment it hit the cold marble floor, gravity pulling the rest of your lower body and the sheet wrapped around you with it. You heard a grunt as the fall tugged your now-awake counterweight ever so slightly toward you. You grunted in response when he released you and you fell fully backward.

There was a click of a button and the L.A. morning began to shine directly in your eyes. Your hands acted instinctively: one shielding your eyes and the other blindly tugging the sheet up around your body, hastily covering what you could. As if Johnny hadn’t seen all of it hours ago… 

You rose to your feet, more wobbly than expected. Were you… sore? Johnny was already standing, tugging a pair of boxers over him, his back muscles flexing as he did so, angry pink scratch marks running along his shoulder blades… You bit your lip and clenched the sheet tighter between your fingertips. Really… that’s where your mind is right now… 

Johnny turned to his nightstand rummaging through it. “Here.” A tee flew in your direction and you fumbled it between your occupied hands. You could feel the beginnings of Johnny’s smile as he watched you with those goddamn brown eyes. No. Not happening. Not again… not soon anyways.

“Turn around.” You demanded. 

Johnny dropped his jaw, throwing his arms out from sides. “What are you-?! Are you serious?”

“I’m so serious, Johnny.” You said, stone cold. The sheet wrapped around you betrayed your modesty, sliding down, exposing more of your chest. He silently watched, even standing on his toes momentarily as if to get a better vantage point. “Johnathan Carlton.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ! Fine!” It was at this moment he regretted telling you his full name. There wasn’t much else he regretted with regard to you though, especially with how it had led to last night.

You dropped the sheet and hastily pulled the shirt on once he obliged. “Boxers too!” You called tugging the shirt down. It wasn’t short on you per se. It was just… breezy.

“So bossy…” he grumbled, making sure you could hear him, but immediately obeyed, grabbing you a pair and threw it to you with alarming accuracy over his shoulder. “You decent?” he lilted, still turned around. 

Gilda reference… 

“Me? Yeah, I’m decent,” you answered, unable to hide your amusement as you finished the exchange with as deadpan of a tone as you could manage. Johnny turned to face you again right as you began looking around the room.

A table that usually rested against a wall? Toppled. 

The vase usually on top of it? Shattered. The painting hung on said wall? Propped against the floor crooked. 

The hutch that framed the other side of the doorway? Random drawers hung open. One was halfway off the track and broken. There were clothes, yours and his, littered along the path to the bed, shoe scuff marks trailing off the heels of yours and his shoes on the otherwise immaculate marble. Upon closer inspection of the windows you noticed a crack spidering near where it met the next window about the height of Johnny’s biceps. The lamp on the nightstand of the opposite side of the bed was on the floor. 

You don't know why you didn’t look at the bed itself sooner but when your eyes landed on the bed frame off kilter in favor of the right-side of the foot and the head of the bed broken in no less than three different places, your hand came up to your mouth, eyes landing on him. Speechless. As if on cue, the lamp on your side of the bed, his bed, dropped to the ground.

“You’re awfully quiet.” He remarked. 

You simply closed your eyes and shook your head in disbelief. You couldn’t believe that the two of you, just the two of you, had left his room in such a state. It looked like someone had broken in and entered just to smash shit and make a mess of his room. “I just…”

“You weren’t quiet a few hours ago.” Johnny’s smile was back. His arms were crossed over his broad, bare chest. Bruises. Hickeys, actually. The broken bed was still between the two of you.

You tilted your head at him and blinked, eyes locked on his stupid handsome face. “Really? You had to say that?”

“I don’t know what you’re so grumpy about. I had a really good time last night-”

“-I’m not grumpy-”

“-like a really really good time-”

“-Okay, that’s-”

“-like a great time last night-”

“-Johnny-”

“-Best birthday present ever in fact.” He finished pointedly, never once having broken eye contact with you. “Which, by the way, if you keep looking at me like that we’re gonna have to go for round 6. Round 8 for you.”

“Johnny!” you scolded, finally allowing the laughter to escape your body, hearing him reply your name to you in the exact same tone. You felt like you couldn’t do anything but chuckle for about ten seconds.

“I’m pretty damn sure I wasn’t the only one that had a good time,” he replied, throwing his hands up in surrender and sauntering over to you at a casual pace. You watched him walk up to you putting his hands gently on your upper arms. “Am Iiii…. wrong in thinking that?”

Your head lolled up to face him, eyes rolling as you couldn’t quite meet his. A sheepish “no” is all you can manage.

“Okay…? And…?”

Your heart finally got comfortable directing your eyes to him. Just like right before the events of the previous evening your words were once again failing. What could you even say right now? There were a lot of things you had realized in the last twelve-ish hours that past you would’ve been jarred to learn.

“Why are you being so quiet? You’re freaking me out!”

“I’m sorry!” You replied frantic, one of your hands rubbed roughly the side of your face. There was truly no way for you to formulate thoughts, not while he was touching you. “I’m sorry. I’m just… thinking! There’s a lot to think about!”

“Like…?” He led, his hands still on your arms as he began rubbing them.

“Would you get your hands off of me? I can’t think when you do that!” You snapped. There was no anger behind it. Just frustration.

A laugh. You should’ve known he was going to laugh. 

“Okay, while you think, also think about what you want for breakfast. We can order brunch too. I don’t really have a preference.” He pulled you close and you let him press a kiss to the side of your head. It was such a sweet and normal gesture that it startled you how little it startled you. He began walking around back to his side of the bed to grab his phone and moved to head for the bathroom, sticking his head out of the doorway as the shower faucet turned on. “Anything you want. My phone’s on the counter, just add it to the cart.” Johnny haphazardly told you his phone password as he hopped into the shower. Complete trust.

You stared at the doorway to the bathroom like it had just spoken to you. That would have been less confusing than what was running through your mind right now. In less than a day, you had celebrated your costar/“friend”’s birthday, danced on him drunk, gone multiple rounds with him in his mansion bedroom, woken up in his bed, and now he supposedly wanted you to stay for breakfast.

“You can use my toothbrush by the way! And if you hate the shirt you can grab whatever!”

A man notorious for his sex-capades. A bold flirt. Someone you knew had a history of many, many one night stands. Wanted you to use his toothbrush. Why wasn’t he kicking you out?

Your feet carried you swiftly to the bathroom before you could stop them. “Johnny. You’re not kicking me out.” It wasn’t a question. It wasn’t meant to be one. You didn’t know what it was supposed to be.

It was his turn to be confused. “No?” He poked his head out from behind the foggy glass partition, shampoo in his hair, suds running down his chest. “Why… would I kick you out?”

“Don’t you usually kick people out after?”

“Yes?” His form went back behind the foggy glass.

“But not me.”

“No.”

Your brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Because I like you?” He popped back out, lathering his hair. “I’m sorry, was it not clear before we went at it several times last night that I like you?”

You caught a glimpse of yourself in the steamy mirror you were in front of. You could barely make out the t-shirt you were wearing. A ‘When Harry Met Sally’ graphic tee over some baggy brown checkered boxers. This would be what you were wearing right now…

His hand wiped his face as he regarded you. “Wait, you know we fucked last night, right?”

You scoffed. “Johnny.”

“Like multiple times. ‘Cause that’s what I meant by round number 6. And if you didn’t know what I meant by ‘round 8 for you,’ I meant that-”

“Johnny!”

He expelled air out of his pursed lips before disappearing again. “Okay, let me level with you. You’re saying my name a lot in that annoyed way that you’re doing and while it’s a lot different than how you were saying it last night, it’s still kinda turning me on-”

“Oh, Jesus Christ-!”

“Actually, you know what? I think it’s the general annoyed tone. I’m discovering something about myself right now.”

“Johnny!”

“Babe, you have to stop, like seriously…”

You were silent, still standing there, annoyed. Babe. There was steam rolling out of the shower but you were certain that if there were any onlookers to this intimate moment they might also see steam coming out of your ears. Your gears in your brain were running in neutral. What was happening?

“You like me?”

“Yes.”

“And you want to have breakfast together?”

“Or brunch, yeah. You want mimosas? I can order us some champagne. I’m in the mood for celebrating.”

You shook your head but not to the mimosas. Mimosas sounded great. “Is there something I’m missing here? You want to get breakfast after last night and you are being so casual about it. What is going on right now?”

The water turned off and Johnny stepped out. As it would turn out you had positioned yourself right next to where his fresh black towels of various sizes were hung. He stopped right in front of you. Tall, buff, dripping wet, naked, and looking down at you. You were fighting to keep your eyes on his brown eyes. You weren’t sure if it was anymore of a relief to look at him like that though.

“Pass me a towel?”

You scowled at him as you shoved one into his chest and leaned against the wall, using your hand as a partition on the side of your face between you and him. Your jaw was set, frustrated.

“Guess what?”

“What.”

“It’s you looking annoyed that does it for me too.”

“Oh… my God.” You stomped back into the room, taking a seat on the crooked mattress and rubbing your temples.

He called after you from the bathroom. “I didn’t think you’d be so frustrated by being told how sexy you are right now. And you were amazing last night too. Seriously, even better than I imagined.”

“You imagined it?”

“I imagine it with most people.” You furrowed your brows and looked up in contemplation as he said that. Johnny Cage. What a guy. “Did you think I didn’t imagine it with you? I mean, we’re both hot and had some serious ‘will-they-won’t-they’ tension. We’ve played romantic opposites. I hit on you regularly and I’ve definitely been interested in you for some time now. Wait, had you never imagined it with-?”

“Stop, stop, stop,” you waved your hands in front of you. “You’ve been interested in me?”

“It’s basically a habit for me to flirt with you.” The last part of his sentence came out muffled as you heard him take a toothbrush to his busy mouth. “I do it about as frequently as I check my phone.”

“I thought you were joking.”

Silence. Complete silence. Then, “... are you sure you know that we fucked last night?”

“Johnny.”

“Babe.”

You rolled your eyes. “Can we rewind to the part where you said that you’ve been interested in me supposedly for some time? Is that true?’

There was the sound of a spit in the sink and then the faucet running briefly. Johnny appeared in the doorway, leaning with the towel clinging to his hips. Dangerous.

His arms were crossed over his chest and there was a serious expression on his face. You thought to yourself that this was one of very few times you’ve ever seen him wear such sobriety on his features. His dark eyes were suddenly piercing like this. You weren’t sure you liked it. “Okay, what’s wrong? Do you regret last night? Because if you do we can pretend this whole thing never happened. I mean it. I can be a paragon of professionalism as I try to get over you. It’ll be hard but I can do it.”

“No. I don’t regret last night at all. I just…” You wrung your hands together in your lap. “When you talk like that, it makes me think that you actually like me and I can’t tell if you’re joking anymore because I like you.”

“I think you’re the only person to ever think ‘this person hit on me so much that it must mean they don’t like me.’” Your chuckle mingled with his and he pushed off the doorway, beginning his approach to crouch in front of you. His fingers interrupted your wringing hands, gently intertwining them with yours.

And there he was. That was the thing about Johnny - he was always there. There with his brown eyes that always seemed to twinkle like he was about to tell a joke. “I like you, okay? I have liked you. I will probably continue to like you until you give me a reason to hate your guts which will be really, really hard to do.”

“And you’re not kicking me out.”

“Fuck, no. I’m not kicking you out.” He said in a low voice. The two of you were close together. He didn’t need to be any louder.

“I can’t do ‘casual’ with you, Johnny,” you said. You were serious. Your eyes darted between his earnestly.

“That’s perfect because I can’t either.”

Your brows furrowed. “... To be clear, I want this to be serious.”

“Babe, we’re holding hands and you’re sitting on the bed we broke in my clothes and I’m crouched in front of you in nothing but a towel.” He brought your knuckles up to his lips to kiss them.

“Right.” You shook your head, as if to clear the worries. Johnny pressed his lips to your forehead. “Right. And you’re serious?”

He tilted his head at you, incredulous. “I’m not going to ask if you’re sure we fucked again because now I think you’re just fishing for compliments. You’re sexy and great in bed.”

You laughed out his name.

“You know what? I think it’s you saying my name too.”

A playful shove to his shoulder did nothing to deter him from leaning forward to kiss you through the laugh. “You’re way too horned up to talk any kind of sense right now.”

“Yep!” He replied instantly, leaning forward. Johnny’s big hands, with which you had gotten well-acquainted last night, planted themselves on either side of you. Your own hands found his cheeks. “Wanna ‘not talk’ with me?” He whispered against your lips.

You laughed again feeling his smile along your neck as he began traveling downward. He was pushing you back toward the mattress. “Tempting… but I’m hungry…” 

“That’s perfect. So am I,” Johnny practically growled as his hands settled on your thighs, beginning to pry them apart. You obliged, giggling. 

You laughed again. “Johnny…”

“Babe, you have to not-”

“It’s your name!”

“I can’t help it. I’m like that guy with the dogs and the bells.” His fingers toyed with your waistband. Well, his waistband… but who was getting technical?

“Pavlov?”

“Kinky.”

You stood halting him and he stood with you, pulling you into a hug. You needed to clean up at least a little bit. You rested your chin on his chest.

“Mimosas.”

“Okay.”

“A shit ton of pancakes and breakfast sides.”

“Got it.”

“I’m gonna get in the shower. After you’re done ordering, you can help me.” You walked to the bathroom and he slapped your butt as you left.

“Will do.” Silence. “Hey, babe.”

“Yes, Johnny?” The shower turned on.

“I think it’s just you.”

[squipedmew]

“Take a picture or something.” Emerald looked up, to see Mercury pointing to her scroll. “If you like the sky so much, take a picture.” Mercury remarked. 

“...Yeah. You’re right.” And before Mercury realized it, she had looped her arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. “Smile!” She snickered, before the telltale click of a camera clued Mercury into what was going on. 

“Hey!” He reached for the offending scroll, Emerald holding it over her head. “Delete that picture right now!” If there was one thing Mercury hated more than the heat, it was having his picture taken. Emerald, however, only laughed, and Mercury couldn’t help but soften up a bit. 

will i ever stop updating my series? the world may never know.

[yana-of-the-arcana]

lucky to date you

Warning(s): None Pairings: Julian Devorak x Apprentice (Yana)

Summary: A medical student walks into a curio shop. The joke is how long these two idiots deny their feelings for each other. ((A Modern AU inspired by sentence starters / prompts.))

In which Yana looks nice and Julian feels things.

"So...How do I look?"

Spectacular. Gorgeous. Surreal. Beautiful.

Julian instead continues to stare with wide eyes, feeling his cheeks turning red of their own accord as he grips the textbook in his lap until his knuckles turn white.

His silence makes her fidget, and she twists and turns in the doorway of her bedroom, biting her lip. "If we were about to go on a date, what would you think?"

He'd think that the wrap dress hugs her hips incredibly well, the heels make her legs look miles long, and that the brilliant azure of the fabric brings out her eyes to the point that he might drown in them – have they always been that blue?

"You look good."

It's enough of an answer to calm her but he kicks himself for not managing to choke out anything better. She walks over to where he sits on her couch, stopping by the coffee table to grab a bite of the dinner she's made him.

"You're awfully dressed up." It's not that he minds (at all), but it's a stark contrast to how he usually sees her. Yana always looks put together, but she's also always comfortable, and she certainly never wears lipstick that has drawn his attention to her lips like this.

She shrugs, dropping the fork back onto the plate and straightening. "I mean, it's a date." Chewing her cheek, she amends with a smirk, "A blind date that your sister arranged, but still a date."

For some reason he has the urge to call up Portia and ask why she's done this. His stomach flips as Yana turns to go back to her bedroom, and he calls after her, "So what, you're going to dinner with a stranger?" The whole idea strikes him as ridiculous, and really, she should just stay at her place, with him, watering her plants and helping him study.

Her laugh echoes around the walls, and she steps out once more, one earring in and the other in her hands as she regards him with a raised brow. "That's what dating is. I know you're a med student, but don't tell me you've forgotten already." When she manages to successfully put in her earring, she walks over to the couch and plops down next to him with a sigh. He watches her lean forward, her eyes far away as she mumbles, "Though to be fair, I'm the one who's probably forgotten."

Now that he thinks about it, Julian can't remember Yana ever going on a single date since he's known her. His chest tightens at the looks of melancholy passing through her expression, but he still can't deny the sour taste in his mouth.

She tucks her legs under her and leans back into the couch, body tilted towards him as she wonders out loud, "Maybe I should just flake. Call the whole thing off. I already made dinner, after all."

She did, and it was incredibly nice of her. He'd shown up at her shop and the wide-eyed look of panic and guilt on her face nearly made him laugh out loud. When she explained that she forgot she had a date and would have to cancel their typical dinner plans, the urge to laugh quickly disappeared. Still, she insisted that she'd cook for him and that he could even stay at her apartment to study.

A strange bloom of pride swells in his chest when he considers that she'd so willingly go out of her way for him, and so quickly cancel on whoever this shmuck is.

But the pitiful look in her eyes forces him to give her a smirk. "Don't tell me you scared of a blind date, Yanina."

"Mostly just nervous."

He wonders if she gets nervous around him but wipes the thought from his mind – these aren't the things that a good friend thinks. Scanning his mind, he tries to find a way to calm her nerves, and nearly smiles at the thought. He sets his textbook on the couch and stands, turning to her with a grand sweep of his arms that makes her raise a brow at his antics.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Her eyes widen and her cheeks flush. "I don't know, shall you?"

Getting down on one knee, he places a hand on his chest and the other with its palm up to the ceiling in the most dramatic pose he can muster while he stares deeply into her eyes with puckered lips and exaggerated adoration. "Thou are more lovely and more temperate – rough winds do shake the buds of May, and summer's lease hath all too short a date." Her laugh lights up the room and he takes it as a sign to continue, absolutely beaming. "But thy eternal summer shall not fade!"

"That's enough," she chuckles, shaking her head as she leans forward to pat his head with a smirk. "You really have that memorized, Ilyushka."

He shrugs, but it does nothing to wipe the proud smile off his face; nothing can when he's succeeded in making her laugh. "I skipped most of it."

"You've made your point."

"I just don't think you have any reason to be nervous," he tells her simply, sitting back on the couch and realizing he's sat just a hair too close. Their knees touch, but he forces himself to keep his eyes on hers as his voice dips into something lower and softer than either of them expect. "I mean, anyone would be lucky to date you."

If she wasn't blushing before, there's no denying, even by him, that her ears and cheeks are beginning to color themselves with red. His do the same as he realizes the extent of his words, but before he can even try to take it back she's standing up, clearing her throat and doing her best to dispel the moment. "Well thank you for the pep talk, Shakespeare." She hurries back to her bedroom, coming out with her bag and rushing to the door as she rambles, "I better head out if I don't want to be late."

"Right, of course, have fun." He stands, realizes standing is stupid to do so since she's about to leave, but it's too late for him to sit back down.

Yana opens the door and turns, the sight of him in her living room forcing her to stop. The last of the sunset casts him in a brilliantly warm glow, his gray eyes reflecting it and his auburn hair nearly on fire. He stands awkwardly but not out of place, half of his shirt untucked, a look on his face that she can't decipher. She bites her cheek, a thousand thoughts flitting across her mind, but she settles on the simplest one. "You still have your spare key, right?"

Julian nods. "I can lock up behind myself. I won't be staying too long." He covers up his disappointment with a garish smile, chiding, "Now get out and have fun already."

She knows how to cover her own conflicting feelings with a smile, too. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The door clicks shut behind her, and it stabs him deep in the chest, just above his heart.

The date is lackluster and Yana laments about it to him the very next day, deciding that as much as she loves Portia, she won't be trusting her taste in dates again anytime soon.

Julian pretends he isn't completely relieved.

So does Yana.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Korea is Doubling Down on BL

June 2022 Wk 5

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Unforgotten Night (Weds on GaGa) Ep 2 - Good lord. Side couple is gonna kill me on this one. TRASH WATCH REBORN!

KinnPorsche (Sat iQIYI) Ep 13 - VegasPete ya’ll, what more can I say? 

Love Mechanics (Sat WeTV) Ep 2 - As messy as Check Out is, LM is messier. It’s also a lot better because all the characters are realistically tortured. Also YinWar are really good at going off the rails while still pining about it. It is HARD to watch as a result. This is just boys in pain lashing out at each other. Also triggers all ‘round. If you don’t want high angst high drama don’t watch it. Also We all miss James. Did you notice Mark switch from phi to hia with Vee and then back again? Sarcastic his is a new execution for me. Cute. 

Even Sun (Wed iQIYI) Ep 1 - it’s a good cast full of fun familiar faces (and BounPrem of course) but I don’t really jive with any of the characters. I’m not really into buffoons, or good boys trying to be bad, or whatever. I mean I’m still watching it, but I’m not impressed. Prem’s orange hair is fun. 

Check Out (Sat IQIYI) Ep 4 - all sorts of wild rumors about this show. Meanwhile here are my thoughts: Just so messy+ sex work and Nine being just pretty much gay af but closeted. Thailand, you are out of your depth and in a hot tub. I don’t like Nine, he’s pretty irredeemable. 

My Secret Love (Sat YouTube Sat) Ep 5 - I might tap out on this one. 

Sky in Your Heart (Fri YouTube) Ep 5 - it committed probubly the biggest entertainment sin in my book, it got really really boring. I’ll finish it but honestly, I almost fell asleep while watching this week. 

Triage (Mon AISplay) Ep 9 - I’m still waiting.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Old Fashion Cupcake (Japan Mon Viki) Ep 4 - ONE TAKE, that final scene, holy effing chirst on a pancake, what? GAH. This show is so transcendently impossibly good. I do not know how I am going to make it to next week. Oh wait, no I do, by rewatching this ep every day until then. And also because Japan is also giving us... 

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (Japan Weds GaGa) Ep 1 - OMG it is so good and so cute and I don’t even care they dropped two of my least favorite tropes in the first ep (white towel sponge bath and heart knows). This show is just Japan doing its own heritage proud with some absolutely classic live action yaoi, and I just couldn’t be any happier. It is everything I love about BL. I’m so delighted we are getting 12 episodes! Yes it will be drawn out and messy tortured age gap, but I do not care. Shin is so beautiful and yet has that little bit of edgy sinister to him that only Japan can really execute well in their semes. He’s a little too good at flirting, and little too intense about it and therefore GREAT. 

To My Star 2 (Korea Viki) Ep 7-8 - This show is so painful. Like they took the first bit of WBL2 and stretched it out to an unbearable degree. We all knew and hoped the perspective switch would give Jiwoo reason, but it’s REALLY difficult to interface with. And yeah, I totally identify predominately with his character, I too run when I feel too much. But it is still SO HARD to watch. 

Love in Spring AKA Spring of Crush (Korea grey) Ep 9-13 I kind of do want her/him to just leave without anyone the wiser. Honestly, the best thing about this BL(?) is how many great female characters support there are. That’s so rare in this genre. And yes, they are stereotypical but I am happy for any representation of women at all. The female assassin is an interesting character, but her presence seems arbitrary until she finally fits in to the plot in ep 12. Episode 10 = the secret is finally out, and you know, the dude from B.A.P. isn’t a bad actor (Yoo Young Jae). “Knives and money are gender neutral.” is my ne fav quote. And finally (to no one surprise) he is a psycho but I still have a 2nd lead syndrome with this drama. Nice twist in 13, and quite the soap opera, everything but identical twins has now been trotted out: amnesia, secret identity, lost noble heritage. It’s all happening. 

Want to See You (Vietnam YT) Ep 5 - Catfight! That is fun. But the rest of it was boring. 

Senpai, Danjite Koidewa! (Japan Fri Viki) Ep 3 - no ep this week, resumes next

Gossip

The industry is certifiably crazy right now. I have absolutely no idea what is going on. Nothing makes sense. Like NOTHING occurring in BL makes sense on any level right now, especially industry. 

Not Thailand’s highest heat content going to (not going to?) a flipping Chinese distributor. 

Not Korea's kisses and seriously honest queer content allasudden plus casting multiple members of THE SAME K-pop groups in THE SAME BLs. 

Not the sheer volume of content coming from Japan (srs WHAT? where is it all coming from?). 

It's OPEN season, like WILD out there. 2022 might be the end of days for most, but clearly the BL universe is taking the burning of the world as an excuse ofr a goddamn rave. 

New Vietnamese BL Memory forthcoming. Maybe? I usually don’t track these well, if you want someone up on VBL follow @heretherebedork .

I’m struggling to keep up but here’s what I’ve got. Please add in the comments if I missed something, because I probubly did. 

BL Production announcements out of Korea:

Silkwood (studio behind Peach of Time) announced that Korean Thai colab project Love is Like A Cat to star Mew Suppasit. Yeah. Fucking-A. Korea scooped him. I am not surprised but also, fuck me what the hell is Korea going to do with that level of gorgeous? And guess who else is in the cast? Lee Geon Woo and Chu Ji Min AKA Geonu & JM of JUST B. It’s about a romance between a rookie star and a vet. I expect it to be mostly in Korea and Korean. 

This is Silkwood’s thing, they already have another one in production, Eccentric Romance starring former The Man BLK member Yoon Jun Won and Thai actor Save Saisawat (Ai Long Nhai). I begin to think every The Man BLK member will eventually lead out a BL at this point.  

Oh My Assistant has been acquired for BL adaptation, and rumored cast. This is a sexy one for Korea about an artist who draws adult webtoons and spends most of his time horny because of it, who hires an assistant that turns out to be his biggest fan. I guess we’re gone see how Korea handles thirst. 

The New Employee (from Watcha Light On Me & Semantic Error) rumored to star Choi Si Hoon (Netflix's Single's Inferno). Another office set BL. 

Unintentional Love Story to star Cha Seo Won and Gongchan (maknae of K-pop B1A4). All we know is it’s a “love story that started with a lie” about rebuilding trust. 

Meanwhile, Thailand announced Wish Me Luck starring my boy Fiat (Grean Fictions, SOTUS S, My Gear and Your Gown, Triage) who I’ve been waiting to lead a BL for a decade it feels like. About a boss and his temporary employee in an advertising company, based on Bittersweet's y-novel of the same name. Remember these are less likely to happen than the ones from Korea. 

In Case You Missed It

There’s movement on the next GMMTV offering Vice Versa, starts July 16 on their YT channel. I am excited for this one. 

Pappy & Daddy 2 (new cast for one lead) will start airing August 8 on GaGa. 

Plus & Minus is getting a special ep and some bts extras, which is why it still has open episode slots on GaGa and Viki. But it is a completed story arc at 12. 

In A Relationship TH, Thailand’s answer to Gameboys (a bit late, kids) seems to kinda be already happening. It’s airing on GMTV8′s YouTube. Is anyone watching this? I’m generally not a fan of lockdown romances, but I LOVED See You After Quarentine? Still 20 episodes is A LOT and the preview did not give me any confidence. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Nothing new is starting that i know of/remember, but Cupcake and KP are wrapping up. 

This week’s best moments?

Now THAT’S a confession. 

Hello my new obsession. Boy howdy does this one know how to flirt. Minato does not stand a (snow)balls chance in hell. The eldest of a big fam? He’s also used to getting his way. 

That’s one way of putting it. 

Ah, the Thai version of Netflix and chill. 

(last week)

[rxspbrrry]

MY CUP OF COFFEE.

characters ; espresso notes ; gn reader, fluff, pining headcanons summary ; espresso cookie finds himself crushing on you. what will he do?

mod raspberry ; espresso was the first cookie i had a crush on smh </3 he's my 2nd strongest in my team! coffee man has a special area in my kingdom just for him too 😔

honestly? it doesn't take very long before he realises he likes you. the fact that he's crushing on you doesn't strike him hard, like the fanfics say, nor does he slowly realise that he likes you. it's more of an "oh shit, i like them" moment for about 2 seconds, before returning to usual. no moping, no frantic worrying about how to confess, no hiding of emotions.

it's not like he's not planning on confessing, it just takes time to come up with the complete, perfect, foolproof plan to confess to you! good things take time. it's not really like there's any rush to confess to you anyway, since espresso is confident that no one else has an interest in you.

he's very chill about his feelings. he doesn't act very flustered in front of you, because he doesn't like being an obvious buffoon. but he also doesn't want to keep his feelings too discreet, so if you squint hard enough, you may spot the little clues he leaves that might suggest his liking towards you.

back to the topic on how he confesses! every step to win your affections must be precise, calculated, and there is no room for mistakes. he usually sends out his "minions" (also known as latte and madeleine) to get close to you and find out your preferences, and tell him so that he can prepare the best gift to woo you over.

when he's not planning on confessing, however, the time he spends with you is nothing short of sweet! he's always shyly offering to help you carry your stuff, walking close to you and accidentally (by genuine accidents that espresso cannot predict) letting your hands brush, or just talking to you in his free time. he absolutely loves it when you give him your full attention as he rambles on about coffee magic to you, and often people would find espresso talking to you with the softest look on his face and a barely noticeable blush.

when will he confess, you ask? don't expect it too soon. perhaps when you find yourself alone, on a day with beautiful weather, will he come up to you with a bouquet hidden behind his back.

(in case anyone doesn't get the title, it's a play on words! "my cup of tea" now changed to "my cup of coffee" because espresso is a coffee cookie ^^)

[tonymarias]

people who say tony and maria’s romance is the weakest part of west side story… you fools… you absolute buffoons… tony wishing he was dead because life without maria isn’t worth living, maria wanting to stop the rumble because she couldn’t bear that people were fighting because of her relationship with tony, them imagining what their wedding would be like and then slowly realizing that they will never get the wedding they dream of because of the world around them has so much hatred, the pining with them looking at each other from across the gym and wondering to themselves how they had never seen another person more beautiful, their first dance being in secret but also being out in the open because they think their love is stronger than hate - and it’s not. their love story is one of the greatest of all time what are you talking about?

[arborescent-shadows]

Review of The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24468673-the-lightning-struck-heart

I loved this book more than I imagined. This is a wild batshit gay fantasy that takes after the works of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams in style, but is incredibly more gay, full of sexual puns and jokes, insufferable pining, and a Himbo4Himbo romance. I love the main cast but they really are absolute buffoons. Utter fools.

A friend sold me on this book by calling it "gay Shrek" (you'll see if you compare Gary the unicorn to Donkey) and reading quotes out loud to me. I started reading it for fun, and didn't expect to enjoy it so much. At times it was hard to read because I get secondhand embarrassment easily from characters, and boy do these men embarrass themselves, whether they realize or not. And they are just so, so dense- and the intense pining for so long isn't really my thing. (Think: just fuck already!) I'm also not usually a fan of romance. But between the humor their is so much wholesomeness; in Sam's kindness, the respect for other character's choices, and the deep & sappy unbreakable bonds of friendship. One thing that touched me was that the world is queer-normative. It isn't a problem that the prince is gay- but he still has to get married by a deadline. Sam, our main character and wizard-in-training, is incredibly gay and loved as a person by his friends and family. I've always been a fan of fantasy with a tongue-in-cheek style, excessive puns, and creative worlds with 'corny' tropes, but as a gay person I especially loved the queer-normativity that allowed me to treat this book as escapist fantasy. I read it in small chunks because a)the secondhand embarrassment was killer and it was too sappy at times, and b) by rationing it I could use it to cheer myself up after a rough day at work. Despite having an unreliable narrator (Sam doesn't reveal easily how much times he actually spend at his crush's fanclub) there are 'kernels of truth' in this book- hiding behind wit doesn't help communication and new bonds, real friends will commit murder for each other, and we don't choose who we love. The one problem I have with this book is the racially insensitive fantasy tropes like the use of the word gypsy.

[zevexsii]

Sfw&nsfw hcs for Freddy w/ a male s/o?

I know I am his singular simp but I simp hard for the bucktoothed morally greyed lawyer.

time to whoreify freddy riley for public enjoyment

freddy riley x male reader (sfw + nsfw hcs)

cut for length and nsfw content

freddy riley has much more depth than anyone could’ve expected. yeah, he’s a grimy bastard, and yeah he’s been painted as the villain, not quite undeservedly, but there’s always more than what meets the eye.

he’s snippy at nearly everyone when he isn’t busy being condescendingly sweet. freddy can’t seem to remember that not everyone is out to get him. not everyone wants something from him. 

for a long time, freddy’s felt empty. even before he slept with martha, even before they duped leo. he’s been searching for something to fill that hollow his entire life. he just wants to feel safe- he’s always been out of place, obsessed with making a name for himself, obsessed with mattering. mattering to someone aside from himself. 

his first reaction to kindness is the expected jab- you can’t be serious when you tell freddy you think he did well in a match. no one else is. 

the most important thing to do when trying to build a relationship with freddy is to be persistent. he’s going to be quite a nasty piece of work in the beginning, regurgitating venom at everyone who has the slightest potential to be a threat.

please call him out on his bullshit. freddy’s reaction is going to be volatile, most definitely. he’s not used to feeling so… seen. it helps him to ease up a little when you show him that being seen doesn’t always mean being in danger. on the flip side, once you’ve shown mr. riley some basic human kindness, he’s pretty much permanently attached to you. 

aggressively kind is the only way to describe his behavior. he isn’t subtle about his growing feelings for you, either, but will vehemently deny anything of the sort if it’s brought up in conversation. 

freddy’s most veiled forms of affection include lightly fussing over literally everything you do?? he’s a little naggy, to be honest. he worries a lot. this kind of behavior escalates to hovering by you when you’re decoding and, in his mind, “giving you tips” when he’s really just being… kind of annoying? not to mention dropping everything to try and rescue you when you’re chaired.

mf has only been pining for a week or two and everyone in the manor is already sick of it. 

“for the last fucking time riley, you are a decoder. not a rescuer.”

“well, if you could properly rescue, i wouldn’t have to do your job for you.”

“y/n hadn’t even been chaired for long enough for me to get across the map???”

exchanges like that are common now, much to everyone else’s annoyance.

unfortunately, riley is too much of a coward to confess to you. considering the heaps of relationship drama he’s experienced in the past, he’s got some commitment issues. tries to subtly get to know you, asking you about your past and all that jazz. keyword: tries. he’s not subtle at all, and now you’ve got a 5’9” lawyer practically interrogating you about your childhood and desperately trying to seem nonchalant. 

the way you’re most likely going to find out that freddy’s absolutely infatuated with you is through someone else, unfortunately, if you haven’t noticed it yet. it’s one of the other survivors sidling up to you and passively complaining about how much his feelings for you get the best of him in matches, how his performance has taken a steep decline. 

this is your very… lighthearted warning to either take initiative and ask this buffoon out or have someone else do it for you. 

freddy’s reaction to your confession is more than a little disheartening in the beginning. your affection is met with skepticism; your profession of love, however elaborate or simple is scoffed at. 

it takes a moment for freddy to realize that you’re being serious. you love him. he isn’t stuck in a useless loophole of being used by people he cares about over and over again. you aren’t lying. 

“oh,”

as a partner, freddy is much softer than anyone would’ve guessed. he hasn’t stopped fussing over you, but he’s a little more relaxed when it comes to pestering you about how much sleep you’ve gotten or if you’ve eaten yet since he’s more involved in your daily life.

in private, freddy’s touches are tentative and cautious, waiting to be waved away; this phase will pass once you accept him the first few times, but freddy’s still tiptoeing around the idea of intimacy. 

really likes to have his hair stroked; after a long day he might wordlessly collapse onto the nearest surface or rest his head on your thighs with a heavy sigh. this is his way of asking for affection, merely because he either 1. feels needy or 2. just doesn’t know how to ask.

small spoon freddy supremacy. no i do not take criticism. 

definitely a fan of more mild foods, rip to people who know how to use seasoning. he’s lowkey a picky eater, and a lot of textures are bothersome to him. 

has a very strict day-to-day routine and refuses to deviate from it unless he absolutely has to. 

cannot function without caffeine at all. it really messes up his sleep schedule, but it gets to a point where freddy’s just immune to caffeine and has to start drinking way more coffee. please intervene s/o.

a bit random, but freddy can only sleep when the room is almost unbearably cold, buried beneath a mountain of blankets. 

definitely a super light sleeper. he probably moves around a lot in his sleep too, tossing and turning to your annoyance. 

dates aren’t all that common- freddy’s more casual with his affection and grand displays of it sort of make him uncomfortable. he doesn’t quite know how to handle positive attention. instead, freddy focuses on acts of service and words of affirmation. 

the most pda you’ll get is maybe holding hands underneath a table. freddy may be vulnerable around you, but don’t expect him to significantly let down his snippy professional front around anyone else. 

nsfw

kinky mf. choking, marking, degradation, edging, orgasm denial, you name it. 

sex with freddy does happen slowly; a lot of his most prominent trauma comes from being used in that manner and he hypersexualizes himself since it’s one of the only ways he’s ever really felt loved. he might come on a bit strong in the beginning, so you might have to restate that intimacy isn’t just all about sex. 

very bratty- he’ll whine and complain about the awful mess it makes when you go down on him and refuse to swallow, flushed and twitching underneath your grasp. 

bottom leaning switch; it seems he can’t get enough of it when you roughly shove him onto all fours and slam your hips into his, using him like the little whore he is. pound into him with all you’ve got, freddy doesn’t want to be able to participate in matches for the next week and a half. 

pin his wrists up above his head and spank him until he’s sputtering with every slap, the sound of your skin on his echoing through the room. 

remind him that he’s nothing but a silly little fucktoy to you, something to use and be done with. you don’t mean it of course, but there’s nothing wrong with a little fun as long as it gets the both of you off. 

freddy will egg you on, hissing and asking if that’s all you’ve got and laughing when you lightly tug on his hair in warning.

bite on his neck so hard that blood is drawn and listen to him whine about how you’ll ruin all his shirts or give him a mark, he’s got a reputation as a reliable lawyer to uphold you know!

most of the sounds freddy makes during sex are either arrogant taunts or unintelligible groans and whines as you abuse his prostate and overstimulate him until he can’t breathe. he wants you to fuck him until he cries, until he doesn’t have any other thoughts except you, rendered completely powerless and at your mercy. 

freddy is the absolute bomb at giving oral. he’s had practice with multiple partners in the past, so it would make sense.

cum too fast or without warning, and he’ll lean back, looking amused and unimpressed while your seed drips down his chin, slyly remarking about how you’re going to have to clean up your little mess later. 

not the biggest fan of receiving oral. as stated earlier, he’s more focused on being completely used for the other person’s pleasure, no matter what happens to him. 

one of the keys to turing mr riley into complete mush is praising him- it only works when he’s in a certain mood, but call him a good boy and he’s putty in your hands instantly, tension leaking from his frame and fully relaxing into the waves of pleasure you cast upon him.

the places you’ll really want to focus on are his pecs and right under his jawline; nip at the soft skin and pinch at his soft nipples, now hardening under your touch.

he can last for a decent time, but freddy’s super easy to overstimulate once he’s cum for the first time. it doesn’t take long for him to be whining and gasping, desperately grabbing at the sheets. 

cum inside of him!! unless freddy explicitly tells you not to, he expects you damn well to fill him up with everything you’ve got. he’s your cumdumpster for a reason, y’know.

aftercare is a super big thing, considering how rough sex normally gets. he won’t outright ask for you to reassure him that you aren’t simply using freddy as a toy, but he needs to hear it after particularly heated sessions. run a nice shower and hold freddy afterward, running your fingers through his hair while he rests.

[engie-ivy]

James refuses to accept the break-up unless either Remus or Sirius will look him in the eyes and tell him he's not in love with the other anymore

“Yes, Moony,” James says in a mocking tone, and Merlin, Sirius could actually strangle him right now. “Tell me you broke up with Padfoot because you weren’t in love with him anymore.”

Remus just gives James an angry look.

Sirius sighs. “Look, Moons. If you’re worried about hurting my feelings, it’s fine. I already know, have known for the last three years. Hearing you say it now isn’t going to kill me.”

From second thoughts to first dates

“Lily’s going to kill me.”

Sirius is sitting on the floor of his flat with his back leaning against the couch. Remus is sitting beside him, and a very drunk James is sitting across from them. Sirius and Remus are pleasantly buzzed, but James is positively wasted. They watched the final of the Quidditch World Cup together, and after James’s favourite team lost, went to the pub where he made use of the opportunity to drown his sorrows.

Now they’re back at Sirius’s flat, sitting on the floor eating grilled cheese. Living alone without house elves has proven to be very beneficial for Sirius’s grilled cheese-making skills.

“Nah,” Remus says, laying his head back against the couch and closing his eyes. “She’ll just let him suffer through his hangover tomorrow and then it’ll be fine.”

“He’s supposed to have lunch with Lily’s sister and her husband tomorrow,” Sirius sighs. “After the disaster of their first meeting, Lily was hoping he’d make a good impression this time.”

Remus opens one eye to look at James, who is currently dipping his grilled cheese in the glass of water Sirius gave him instead of his ketchup. “Yeah, that might be a problem.”

“Don’t care to make a good impression anyways,” James says, chewing on his soaked grilled cheese. “Pompous nitwits the both of them were.”

Remus smirks. “Is that why you went on a rant about the newest broom models and made the husband think you were mocking him?”

James points his grilled cheese at Remus, making wet crumbs fly in his face. “He started it! Puffed up buffoon bragging to me ‘bout his bloody... muggle wagon.”

“Still, you should act your best for Lily’s sake.”

James shakes his head. “No use. Doesn’t matter how I act, they’re determined to hate me, so they’ll hate me. Pointless, trying to impress them, absolutely pointless.”

Remus lays his head back down and Sirius focuses his attention on his own grilled cheese, while James keeps babbling on about how pointless it would be to try and be liked by Petunia and Vernon Dursley.

“Pointless, so very pointless. No point anywhere to found. One of the most pointless things in the world. Almost as pointless as...” James seems to wreck his brain to come up with something in the same category of pointlessness. “Your break-up!” He eventually says, waving his grilled cheese at Remus and Sirius.

Remus responds merely by giving James an exasperated look, and Sirius is proud of himself that, despite the sting in his heart, he manages not to react besides lifting one eyebrow. “Prongs, that still bothers you? It’s been three years.” Another sting in his heart. Has it really been three years already?

“Has it really been three years already?” James asks. “That makes it even more pointless! Three years and nothing’s changed.”

“Nothing’s changed?” Now Sirius can hardly keep the annoyance out of his voice. Three years since he last kissed Remus, three years since he last woke up next to Remus, three years since he last looked into Remus’s eyes and could think to himself ‘he’s mine’, three years since the world turned into a continuous numbness with just memories of happiness, but sure, nothing’s changed.

“Yes,” James says. “You’re still each other’s most important person in your life, you still look at each other like that, and neither one of you has ever dated anyone else in these three years, so what’d you go and break up for?”

Sirius frowns. “Moony dated. That woman from work...”

James makes a dismissive gesture. “She was married, her husband was just abroad.”

“Not like that,” Remus quickly clarifies. “We just hung out as friends a couple of times, nothing happened between us.”

“Moony asked me to keep up the pretence, hoping that it would help you move on.” James lets out a laugh. “What a disaster that was! During that time, a bloke was chatting you up in the pub once, and Moony glared at him so intense I thought he was going to punch him!” James burst into a fit of giggles. “Remember, Moony? You were clutching your glass so hard, it shattered in your hand!”

While James keeps giggling, Remus gives him a look that gives Sirius a pretty good idea what that bloke in the pub must have endured.

James wipes the tears from his eyes. “I’m just saying, you could’ve saved me three years of dealing with jealousy, pining and fits of crying.”

Sirius flushes and grits his teeth. Drunk or not, James has no business letting Remus know how pathetic he’s been these last three years. “Don’t make Moony feel guilty about it, Prongs. He’s not obligated to be with me just for your comfort, so deal with it.”

James rolls his eyes. “I’d deal with it, if you’d have a good reason for the break-up.”

“What more of a reason do you need?” Sirius is now seriously annoyed. “When one person is not in love with the other anymore, there’s nothing else you can do but break-up. That’s just life, and yes, it sucks, but it happens, and it’s no one’s fault.”

James, however, insists on being stubborn. “I would accept that reason. So, let me put it this way: if one of you can look me in the eyes and tell me that he’s not in love with the other anymore, I’ll drop the topic forever and I’ll never bring it up again.”

Sirius pinches the bridge of his nose and decides to just accept his faith. “Moony, just tell him.”

Startled, Remus jerks his head up, from where he was intently studying a loose thread on his jumper. “What? Why?”

Sirius glances at him. “Because I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly enjoying this conversation. I’d rather get this over with as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, okay,” Remus says. “Why me then?”

“Because that was the exact reason you broke up with me three years ago!”

“We could just wait till he’s sober,” Remus mutters.

“I want to get this over with, so please, just say it,” Sirius says frustrated.

“I just don’t know if we should indulge his drunken demands.”

Sirius now really loses his patience. “Moony, just tell Prongs you broke up with me because you weren’t in love with me anymore!”

“Yes, Moony,” James says in a mocking tone, and Merlin, Sirius could actually strangle him right now. “Tell me you broke up with Padfoot because you weren’t in love with him anymore.”

Remus just gives James an angry look.

Sirius sighs. “Look, Moons. If you’re worried about hurting my feelings, it’s fine. I already know, have known for the last three years. Hearing you say it now isn’t going to kill me.”

Remus opens and closes his mouth, and then stares down at his sleeve again, looking miserable.

“Moony,” Sirius says. “Why can’t you just tell him-”

“Cause Moony’s a terrible liar!” James interjects. “He can’t get the words over his lips, especially not in front of you.”

Sirius shakes his head and can’t quite keep the bitterness out of his voice. “He had no trouble saying it three years ago, so why would it be a problem now?”

Remus’s head snaps up to look at Sirius. “I never said I wasn’t in love with you anymore three years ago!” He flushes bright red and looks away again. “What I said was-”

“I know what you said!” Sirius interrupts. Like he’d ever forget the words that made his entire world come crumbling down. “You said you wanted to end things between us, because you didn’t want to be with me anymore. Why else would you not want to be with me anymore?”

“It’s because of the werewolf thiiiiing!” James shouts, making Remus and Sirius flinch.

“What?” Sirius asks, confused. “No, that can’t be. It can’t be because of the werewolf thing. I’ve never once made an issue of that.”

“That was exactly the problem!” Remus snaps. “You acting like it was nothing. You didn’t understand how much it would affect you, how much it would affect your whole life. You didn’t comprehend-”

“I comprehended just fine!” Sirius says, raising his voice in anger. “I comprehended all of it! I comprehended that we’d never have much money, as you’ll never be able to get a steady, decent job, I comprehended that we’d never be able to live in one place for too long, as eventually it’ll raise suspicion, I comprehended that there’d be parts of society we’ll always be left out of, due to prejudice and stigma. I did comprehend, I just didn’t care, and that’s a difference!”

“How?” Remus stares at him in utter disbelief. “How could you not-”

“Because I fucking loved you!” Sirius shouts. “I’d have given up everything for you.”

Remus shakes his head. “Then you must understand how, for that exact same reason, I couldn’t let you do that.”

“That was never your decision to make,” Sirius hisses. “It was mine! And I had decided long ago that it’d be you, no matter what.”

Remus stares at him again, and Sirius can hardly bear to see the emotions in his eyes. Emotions he can’t figure out. For a moment, he thinks Remus will get angry, but then he falls back against the couch and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “You tell him then. Tell him how I screwed everything up, and how you’re completely over me now and couldn’t possibly love me anymore.”

“Merlin, Remus, you’re such an idiot!”

Now Remus glares at him. “You’ve told me on multiple occasions how you’ve gotten over me.”

“Because I thought you had a good reason for breaking up with me!” Sirius replies. “I thought you had a good reason, and I didn’t want to make you feel guilty by letting you know how much of a fucking mess I still am, and how much I fucking miss you every day, even when we’re bloody together!”

“What are you saying?” Remus asks, voice suddenly trembling. “Are you saying that you’re not over me?”

“Are you saying that you didn’t fall out of love with me?”

Remus just stares at Sirius and Sirius just stares at Remus. He has no idea how to proceed, or how to go back. Back to half an hour ago or back to three years ago, he doesn’t even know.

They only come out of their contemplation by a drunken James loudly breaking the silence. “Still haven’t heard any reasooooons!”

Sirius apparates at a safe distance from the Potters’ home and starts dragging James towards his front door.

“Padderfootsie,” James mumbles. “D’you know how many werewolves have families? Of their own? So partners, not parents? I mean, I assume they all have parents, right? Where else would they come from? They don’t just shoot out of the floor.” James starts giggling again. “Can you imagine?”

“Prongs, please, I-”

“Zero!” James exclaims. “None whatsoever! It’s never been done! Too much weirdness about starting families when it comes to “dark creatures”.” He almost sticks Sirius’s eye out at the air quotes he makes around “dark creatures”.

Sirius doesn’t respond, so James continues. “Moony can’t just fall head over heels in love and fully throw himself into it with his whole being, without any doubts, like you and I can. Not with each other, of course. With Remus and Lily. Remus or Lily. Not both. Well both, but you know, one for each. You Remus, me Lily.”

Sirius really wants to get James inside as soon as possible, but James wiggles himself free from his grip to face him, and grabs his shoulders. “I know how much he has hurt you, I know. All I'm saying is, it’s different for Moony, but that doesn’t mean he loves you any less.”

“Merlin, Prongs.” Sirius swallows against a sudden lump in his throat. “I don’t know anymore if I never want you to get this drunk again, or wish that you’d gotten this drunk three years ago.”

Lily slams open the door and stalks into Sirius’s flat.

“Why, good day to you, Lilyflower.”

“Don’t you ‘Lilyflower’ me, Black,” Lily snarls.

Sirius rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you a ray of sunshine this afternoon.”

“Yes,” Lily says sarcastically, while taking a Butterbeer out of the fridge. “Waking up to find your husband knocked out on the couch really does wonders for your mood.”

“Well, you should be thanking me for the fact that he even was on the couch, instead of in a ditch somewhere.”

Lily swallows down a gulp of Butterbeer without breaking eye contact. “I would have preferred the ditch.”

Lily flops down on the couch with her drink and eyes Sirius for a while. “What are you doing?” She asks, after watching him pull on a fancy shirt and fixing his hair in front of the mirror.

“I got a date,” Sirius simply says.

Lily chokes on her next sip. “A...” She coughs a few times. “A date? You haven’t had a date since- in a long time.” She studies Sirius’s face, noting how, despite his efforts to look composed, he’s brimming with excitement. “That’s... That’s good, Pads. I’m happy for you.”

There’s a knock on the door.

Lily, not curious at all, turns around on the couch so she can watch the door as Sirius opens. Her eyes widen, and she can’t help how a small gasp escapes her lips, when she sees Remus Lupin standing there. He’s wearing his best slacks and his nicest jumper, and has even styled his hair. Lily looks with astonishment at the boys nervously staring and smiling at each other, dressed to the nines and well-groomed, like they didn’t eat pizza from the floor of Remus’s flat wearing stained sweatpants after not showering for days just the week before.

“Hi,” Remus says.

“Hi,” Sirius says.

“Hi!” Lily shouts.

Remus jumps, only now realising Lily is in the room. He blushes furiously and runs a hand through his previously well-groomed hair. “Oh, Lils, hi. I didn’t see you there. How are you? Is Prongs still alive?”

“Yes,” Lily replies solemnly. “I’m waiting for him to be sober enough before I kill him.” She gestures with her bottle between the two boys. “So what’s this? Are you two picking things up again?”

“No,” Sirius says hesitantly. “We’re more like... starting over?” A smile appears on his face with such genuine happiness as Lily hasn’t seen on him in... what? Three years? “This is our first date!” He adds.

Lily can’t help but smile back at him, bad mood almost forgotten.

“Well,” Sirius says. “We’ll better get going. There’re some left-over pumpkin pastries in the fridge, and there’s stuff for grilled cheese, but try not to burn anything this time.”

“Right,” Lily says. “You boys have fun then!”

After the door closes behind them, Lily turns around and slides back down on the couch. A huge grin spreads across her face. It’s been a long three years for all of them, but maybe, just maybe, all will be right with the world again.

[bardofthursdays]

Your Love is Sunlight...

Relationships: Geralt/Jaskier 

Rating: Gen 

Content Warnings: None 

Summary: Geralt finally visits Oxenfurt and sees Jaskier interacting with people like him in an environment that suits him and... feelings present themselves.

Read on Ao3 here

Jaskier sighed, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at his companion. Geralt was being unusually huffy and unusual huffy-ness from the Witcher usually indicated one of three things. Lack of food, lack of sex, or a struggle to suppress unwanted emotions.

It couldn't be hunger, Jaskier reasoned. They had been in Oxenfurt for almost a week now, feasting so much every night that even a Witcher’s hunger would be easily satisfied. And at said feasts, more than one particularly brave student had propositioned the Witcher, most likely emboldened by the many tales Jaskier often spun of the man whilst wintering there.

You see, Oxenfurt was a safe haven of sorts, a place where Bards could sing their more heartfelt ballads. Songs the general public would find too maudlin or sappy. So, of course, every winter Jaskier would sing of his hopeless pining and endless longing, with thinly veiled metaphors and pronoun changes that fooled absolutely no one.

Anyway, surprisingly enough, the Witcher had turned every one of those brave students down. So it was likely not the second option... besides, Jaskier could practically hear him thinking over there with his creased brow and the fact that he’d been fucking pacing around the Bard's chambers for the last half hour.

Option three then. Lovely.

"Alright, spit it out then Witcher, what's got your emotional knickers in a twist?"

He winced at his own word choice before pulling his travelling companion over to the hutch in the corner. They sat next to each other in silence for a beat.

Jaskier sighed loudly.

"We both know I'll get it out of you eventually, so we might as well skip the…" He waved his hand around, racking his brains for the right word. "Haggling."

Geralt let out a sigh of his own, opening and closing his mouth a few times before sighing yet again. Frowning slightly.

Jaskier ached to reach out and smooth the creases from his face, take all of his cares away and share the load for a while. He pushed the desire down, rubbing his fingers together instead. An old nervous habit.

The Witcher ran a hand over his face before finally speaking. When he spoke, he spoke in groups, as he often did when searching for the right words.

"Seeing... seeing you here, in your home... with your people... this, this is where you belong, Jaskier. This place is filled with everything you love. Music, color, endless food and ale. People who not only listen to you, but hang off your every word..."

The words Geralt couldn't say weighed on him heavily, clawing at his throat, filling his every last thought.

It's by the coast. You love the coast. I'm sorry I never took you there. I wanted to. Even though I hate the coast. It's beautiful here, you're beautiful here. It feels like you. Smells like you. Flowers, and those stupid perfumes you like. You... You. You. You-

"You belong here..." He finished lamely.

A series of emotions crossed the Bards face, eventually landing on something forlorn.

"Are you... are you trying to say I don't belong by your side?"

He smirked, putting on an offended front. But Geralt saw right through it. His voice was too quiet and uncharacteristically shaky...

The Witcher's eyes widened, and he quickly realized that despite his best efforts, he had once again managed to fuck up his wording.

"No! No, Jaskier I-" He grunted, scowling as the words refused to come out. "This. This is what you... what you deserve. You deserve a warm bed every night... friends... friends who listen... who understand you-" He paused, looking down at his clenched fists and taking a deep breath. "Friends who aren't afraid to admit that they care for you..."

He heard the Bard's breath hitch, and somehow managed to power on despite his sudden urge to pull the other man into his arms. To run his hands through his chestnut brown hair and tell him just how important, just how loved he truly is. But he wasn't even sure he was ready for that conversation. No matter how overdue it was.

"You don't deserve sleepless nights on the dirt. Fearing for your life not only on the road, but in towns... travelling with a mutant that often gets you kicked out of the few taverns you actually get to stay in."

Jaskier nudged him slightly with his shoulder at the word mutant, giving him a look he knew very well. It was his 'stop degrading yourself, Geralt, it doesn't suit you in the slightest and you know it isn't true' look. Geralt huffed, rolling his eyes and continuing.

"You could be here, you could teach, share your music. Be bright. I mean- I just don't understand why you follow me. Me, of all people."

"Oh, Geralt..." The Bard's voice was shaky, as was the hand he laid hesitantly upon the Witcher's too slow heart. Geralt suppressed a smile at the familiar gesture. It had started when one of his hunts had gone wrong.

He'd stumbled back to camp, half dead. His heart had stopped, and luckily Yennefer had been there to start it again. When he awoke, Jaskier had his hand pressed to his chest, feeling his heartbeat. The Bard had tried to apologize, taking his hand away with obvious effort, but Geralt had only pulled it right back.

Now it was a sort of grounding method, for both of them. A way to connect and fully be there with each other in the moment.

Bright blue eyes flicked up to his. He paused, taking a shaky breath, and then suddenly began to sing, ever so softly.

"The moment I met you the colors of my life began to pool..."

Geralt easily recognized it. It was from one of his ballads. One of the real ones, the ones he never played. Not in dingy taverns nor grand courts. No, these… these he sang late into the night, when he thought the Witcher was asleep. With only the trees and the moths that flitted near their dying fire as an audience... and Geralt, always Geralt. For he'd never admit it, but those ballads seemed to speak to his very soul, in ways he never knew possible. He recognized it, but he didn't understand.

Jaskier rolled his eyes, he hadn't expected him to understand, but he never missed an opportunity to quote himself.

"Geralt, Oxenfurt… Oxenfurt may very well be bright and colorful, filled with my admirers, and endless food and ale." He chuckled softly. "But… Without you by my side, the colors of the world seem... dull. Without you, my music fades and the colors fade with it. You are my muse, Geralt of Rivia, a life without you is a life without music. And a life without music is one I simply cannot live."

Geralt reached out and pressed his thumb to the Bard's cheek, wiping away a tear Jaskier hadn't noticed fall. The Bard continued, shakier yet.

"Besides, these people, they- they listen, yes, and they care, and they… Ah, They understand what I'm saying, sure. But... They don't 'understand me' like you say. That's the thing, Geralt, and listen well. That's what makes this- this... friendship work. Against all odds. We aren't as different as it seems. No one understands us and, frankly, we hardly understand ourselves most of the time." He laughed wetly. "But we understand each other. Somehow, we understand."

He let the tears fall, not feeling any need to hide them. Geralt wiped away every one of them, each touch more tender and gentle than the last. Who ever would have guessed that a Witcher could be so soft. Well, Jaskier would have. But still.

"Because Geralt, Oxenfurt was never my home, nor was my birthplace... I-I never had a home... until, until you."

His voice broke, and the hand not cradling the Bard's face fell, tangling with the hand still pressed against his heart. Jaskier threaded their fingers together happily before continuing.

"You are my home, Geralt. You are my light, my sun, you are everything to me and more. I know you. Know you better than almost anyone... And-"

"Jaskier-"

Geralt rasped.

"And I love you."

All of the air was punched from Geralt's lungs. Jaskier reached up, resting his fingers on the Witcher's chin and gently tilting his head to catch his eyes.

Gold met cornflower blue.

"I know you... And I love you."

Geralt let out a choked noise.

The bard smiled sadly then.

"I am aware that you don't feel the same... but that doesn't matter because- because y-"

Geralt cut him off with a kiss. Because he was being idiotic and it seemed to be the right solution.

he had no regrets as the Bard's lips were impossibly soft against his. Softer than he had imagined… and he had imagined. The kiss was short and surprisingly chaste, as Jaskier seemed to be having trouble breathing. A smile tugged at Geralt's lips, and he let it.

Resting their foreheads together, one hand still tangled with the Bard's on his chest, the other cradling his neck softly.

"I love you too you idiot"

Jaskier laughed, a hint of hysteria to it.

"Took you long enough to tell me you buffoon."

Geralt smiled then, really smiled, crinkly eyes, overly sharp teeth and all.

Jaskier kissed him then, because it was just about the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Geralt broke off rather quickly, much to Jaskier's annoyance. He had been waiting quite long enough, they both had...

The Witcher soothed him by running a hand through his hair. The Bard hummed and leaned into the touch as Geralt spoke.

"I was just thinking... well I always thought you were the sun, all bright and warm. But you said I'm your sun... I don't understand."

Jaskier grinned crookedly, wrapping his arms around the Witcher's neck.

"That’s incredibly poetic of you, Geralt. But no, you are the sun, I am the moon. Because I am only bright and warm because of your light, dear Witcher. Besides, have you seen your eyes? Golden like the sun. Or like fresh honey or- or a wheat field or-"

He kissed the bard once again. Finding it a quite effective and mutually beneficial method of shutting him up... though it wasn't the only one that came to mind. At this thought he grinned, a feral thing, and lifted the bard, carrying him to the bed and promptly shutting him up once more.

And again...

And again.

Their laughter and general, ahem, noise making, rang in the corridors until even the Bards had had quite enough of their merriment.

Luckily, the open road had no such complaint.

Needless to say... Geralt was rarely found to be in an especially Huffy mood after that day.

[evie-carnahan]

“andrew!peter is the best” “no, tom!peter is the best” “no, tobey!peter is the best” c’mon guys, they’re all equally great.

the best peter is chris pine!peter. you fools. you absolute buffoons.

[viastro]

lowkey | xu minghao

ミ★ synopsis: in which you’ve been pining after your fellow dance member, xu minghao, and he helps teach you the choreo one night.

ミ★ genre: mainly just humor, some fluff, y/n is a dummy, minghao is a softy

ミ★ warnings: none!

ミ★ word count: 3,648

ミ★ pairings: minghao x female reader

ミ★ notes: hi!! it’s been awhile uhh, i think i’ll be writing a lot more since i’m quite literally self quarantined. don’t hold me to that tho cause i’m a shithead when it comes to writing 🙈

You know, you weren’t that big of a fan of dancing when you were a child. The first day your mom brought you to your ballet class, you started crying because they wouldn’t give you the big, pink, fluffy tutu. As soon as the class ended you told your parents you were never dancing again, but look at you now. You’re 21 and you are still, in fact, dancing. To make it even better, you’re dancing different genres and are also now part of the dance team at Seoul University.

While you’ve obviously grown to have a love for the art, your parents still like to tease you and copy the way you used to cry about not wanting to go to dance. The most popular quotes they mock you with are, “Wahh! You can’t make me go to ballet! I’m not even the Sugar Plum fairy, this isn’t fair!” as well as the very special, “I’m not a dancer, for I, am The Rock.” (You had a The Rock obsession, so what?) Even then, you let them have their fun because you were truly a nightmare to get into the studio as a child. The three of you made the conscious decision to only j​oke about it together and to ​never ​bring it up to your dance team.

NEVER.

Especially since the guy you’ve been pining over for a good year is part of the dance team. In fact, he’s one of the aces of the team. There’s four of them: Soonyoung, Chan, Junhui, and last but definitely ​not the man of your dreams, ​Xu Minghao. The Uni students like to refer to them as the Four Aces, A4 for short. They’re practically Gods at the University, all the freshmen have a crush on them whether they want to admit it or not. Whenever the big showcase comes up the four of them are a subunit and have their own choreo. It’s pretty epic.

You’re rather close to Soonyoung and Chan since they help you out after practice is over so you can touch up on choreo. Soonyoung’s usually the one you go to to ask for help considering he’s the one who comes up with the choreographies half the time.

“Okay but y/n, make sure to make that move sharper. It shouldn’t be that soft, it has to be aggressive. Yeah, like that!” Soonyoung tells you with a big smile once you correct it. You grin, pushing your bangs off your sweaty forehead. You glance over at the clock to see that it’s 12 am already.

“Let’s continue on Monday, Soonyoung. It’s already really late.” You tell him and he looks up at the clock, shock now displayed over his features. “Holy shit. I didn’t even realize it’s already midnight.” He mutters, making his way over to his bag to pack up his stuff.

“Time flies when you’re with a cool gal like me.” You joke.

Soonyoung looks up and stares at you, no emotion on his face. The room is in pure silence.

“You are hilarious.” Soonyoung says blankly after a beat and you throw your sweat towel at him. He lets out a giggle, dodging said sweat towel. You chug the last of the water in your bottle, before tossing it into your bag. You throw your gym bag over your shoulder and pick up the sweat towel you threw at Soonyoung.

“You’re lucky this bitch didn’t land on your face. It would’ve been a tragedy.” You tell him with a smile, going in for a high five.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you later y/n!” You wave bye and head out the door.

“UghhhHHHH!” You screech into your pillow, kicking the bed with your feet at the same time. Seungcheol stares at you as you have a mental breakdown from the chair by your bedroom window. You lift your head up to suck in some more air before slamming your face back down into the pillow to scream some more.

“Y/N... please... I just wanted some ramen.” Seungcheol begs from the chair, flipping himself so that his head is hanging from the end of the seat where your ass is supposed to be. You lift your head up, shooting him the scariest death glare you can muster. He squeaks, closing his eyes and turning away.

“Haha.... Just kidding... go ahead...”

You turn over in bed, now staring at your ceiling. You recall the previous events of your day that has led up to this exact moment of internal self ​LOATHING​.

earlier...

“Soonyoung, can you come look at this?” You call from the floor of the dance studio, he turns and jogs on over you after telling Jun and Minghao to wait a minute. Minghao stares at you and you glance down at the IPad right away. ​Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god.

“What’s up?” Soonyoung asks as he plops down beside you, back against the mirrors. You show him the competition list, and he lets out a sigh. “God.” He mutters, turning off the IPad and pushing it to the side.

“Guys, we’re competing against Mayhem.” Soonyoung announces to the group and almost everyone groans. Well, pretty much everyone except Wheein. She ends up choking on her water mid-sip and leaves the studio in a coughing fit.

“Literally why. I swear, they have something against us. Not even kidding, they literally wanna eat our ASS!” Jun yells and Minghao pats him on the back. You put your head into your hands, closing your eyes as you realize how much harder Soonyoung and Chan are gonna push the group to make sure we get another win.

So basically Mayhem are your biggest competitor, but they have a vengeance against your group specifically. You’re not sure whether it was because of the time you accidentally walked in on one of their lead dancers using the restroom because she didn’t lock the door, or the time Chan ate the last chocolate donut in the rehearsal room. Either way, they’ve made it their ultimate life goal to beat you guys in every competition.

Too bad they haven’t been able to do that.

“As long as we work harder, it’ll all work out in the end. Everyone, get in formations.” Soonyoung announces, clapping his hands. Everyone makes their way to the middle of the dance studio, but you sit there and pout.

“Y/N, c’mere.” Chan calls over, shooting you one of his dazzling smiles and making a grabby hand towards you. You sigh, unable to say no to one of the cutest men alive.

Guess I'll die.

“Y/N, hit that move harder! Good!” Soonyoung yells as he watches you practice in the mirror. You feel your cheeks get warm after he calls you out in front of the rest of the team.

In fact, you were so embarrassed by the constructive criticism that when it was time to change the formation you accidentally tripped over Minghao’s foot, aka the foot of the guy you’ve had a crush on for the past two years haha !

This causes you to fall forward, about to plummet your face into the hardwood floor, only for Minghao to quickly step forward and wrap his arm around your waist, spinning you around, basically saving you from a lot of physical pain. It was, indeed, one of the biggest cliches you’ve ever been through in your 21 years of living, but did that stop your heart from beating out of your chest when you were looking into Minghao’s eyes? No. :D.

“Are you okay?” He asks breathlessly and you try to find your voice so that you can answer and not look like a buffoon. Alas, you cannot escape from who you truly are. ​A buffoon. ​You end up squeaking out a “yes.” and twirl yourself out of his grasp, only to trip over your own two feet so he reaches out and steadies you once again.

“Welcome back.” Minghao jokes at the fact that you’re in his grasp once again and you squeak once more, jumping away from him.

It’s only then that you realize the rest of the team is just gawking at you two. Well, except the rest of the A4. Their facial expressions range between a look of surprise and mischief. Minghao begins to take notice of the silence in the room and ends up coughing into his arm to break it. Everyone starts acting normal to avoid getting on Minghao’s bad side.

“Well.. let’s run it from the top shall we?” Chan says as he casts a smirk in your direction. You stick your tongue out at him and he chuckles, heading over to restart the song. You glance up into the mirror and notice Minghao’s eyes on you, and he gives you a sly grin.

Oh good god.

present

“So.. what you’re telling me is that you not only embarrassed yourself in front of your dance team, but also in front of the guy you’ve been pining after for the past what, year?” Seungcheol asks. You nod your head slowly, and he has half the mind to giggle slightly.

“Motherfucker why are you LAUGHING at my MISFORTUNE!!” You yell, throwing your pillow at his face. Seungcheol dodges the pillow while laughing at your outburst.

Frowning you mutter in tiny font, “It’s actually been two years.”

“I have an idea.” You glance up at Seungcheol with a slight hopeful expression on your face.

“What if... you just talk to him?!” You are now frowning at Seungcheol.

“Are you crazy? After our four years of friendship you think ​I’m​ going to talk to the person I’m secretly in love with?! Absolutely insane, love. That would never work anyways, I’ll just admire him from a distance like I usually do.” You explain, sitting up in bed.

Seungcheol stares at you for a moment. Your eyebrows are furrowed as you pout down at your folded hands. Your hair is a mess from slamming your head down onto your pillow for at least ten minutes. You may have passed out for a minute due to that but that’s a secret we’ll never tell. He cocks his head to the side, now thinking about how dumb you are. What you apparently don’t know is that Seungcheol is close friends with A4. He’s heard Minghao complain about how shy he is towards you, and how he just wants “to hold her hand sometimes, maybe even a hug and kiss on the forehead. Perhaps even... a kiss on the lips.”

But I’ll just let her suffer. ​Seungcheol thinks to himself.

“Whatever you say y/n. I’m gonna start making some ramen ​myself​ now since you seem to not wanna get out of bed. Came over for us to have a ramen bonding study session only for it to end up with you being stubborn and threatening to murder me with a hanger. I hate it here. This is Seungcheolphobic.” Seungcheol complains under his breath as he gets up and steps out of your bedroom. You glare at his back, laying back down so that you’re once again staring up at your white ceiling. You grab your white pillow beside you and hold it up, imagining that it’s Minghao.

“​Hi. M​y name’s Minghao, I have nice black hair with pretty brown eyes and a beautiful smile. Not only am I tall, lean and fashionable, but I’m also a multi-talented man. I like to volunteer at the animal shelter for funsies and I have a part time job at a dance studio teaching little kids how to dance. Fuck YOU Minghao. Perfect ass bitch. Literally being my dream man I HATE it here.” You mutter to yourself as you glare at your pillow you’re holding above you.

You scoff, throwing the pillow onto the floor and turning over in bed, now staring out the window. The scent of ramen goes through your nose and you find your tummy beginning to rumble. You hear a new sizzle as you assume Seungcheol is making you both eggs. You sigh, getting up from bed.

“Wallow in self pity later. Have fun with your bestie now.”

“Y/N!” You glance up from your phone to see Chan standing in front of you with a knowing smile that has you feeling a bit nervous. “What...”

“So the incident that happened on Monday-”

“Oh hell no! We aren’t talking about this.” You shut him down real quick, standing up to walk to the other side of the practice room. Chan giggles and reaches out to grab your arm, stopping you from running away to safety.

“Channie! I don’t wanna talk about it please!” You whine and he laughs even more, patting your shoulder to calm you down.

“Alright, alright. I just wanted to let you know that Soonyoung and I have to go to a seminar tonight so we won’t be able to help you later with the choreo.” He tells you regretfully and you raise an eyebrow, heartbeat quickening a bit.

“Then why are you here? Who’s gonna teach me-”

“Chan?” You pause as you hear that familiar voice.

Oh... my god....

“Hi Minghao, I’m just letting Y/N know that you’ll be helping her out tonight since Soonnie and I are busy.” Chan says, and flashes you a sly smile. You almost reach out and choke him but he pulls away.

“Have fun y/n!” He sings and walks out the door, leaving you and... ​him ​alone. You glance up at Minghao as he sets down his bag, taking his hat off along with it. Your eyes widen once he looks over at you and you glance down.

“How often do you do these late night practices with Soonyoung and Chan?” He asks, taking off his windbreaker as well and you feel yourself ​break out into a sweat.

“Um, every week. Soonyoung started helping me once he walked in at like 2 am only to find me practicing for our first showcase in freshman year. It’s been our thing since then, Chan joined in on our late night practices when he was a freshman as well.” You explain, putting your hair up into a low ponytail. He nods with a satisfied look on his face, heading over to plug his phone into the aux.

“What are you struggling on? Is it the part before the change in formation?” Minghao asks and you almost throw yourself off a cliff once the vision of Minghao holding you from last week pops into your mind. He turns to look at you once he notices how you’ve become silent, “I just thought because of what happened on Monday that you were struggling with that-”

“No, no I totally understand why. By the way, I’m so sorry for uh.. falling... on you...” You mutter quietly and he shakes his head, waving his hand as if to say, no biggie!

“But yeah, that one is kind of hard because the formation change is one that we don’t do often, ya know?” You answer and he nods. “Yeah I totally get that, don’t worry.” He responds and you find yourself staring at his black hair, which now covers his eyes a bit.

He’s the only guy who can make a mullet look good, you think to yourself. He glances up at you and gestures for you to go to the middle of the dance floor, to which you comply.

“Alright, so let me play the part right before the formation changes so that I can see you do it. Then we can work on what I see you struggling on and fix it.” You nod. It didn’t hit you until now that the guy you’ve been pining over is going to watch you dance by yourself, analyzing your every move to see what mistake you’d make. Now that it’s hit you, you think you’re gonna shit yourself.

Minghao gives you a thumbs up in the mirror and starts the music. Once you notice the part coming you glance up in the mirror, feeling your stage persona take over and the nerves ease away. Minghao watches you turn from the shy, timid person he knows, to a confident and talented woman as you dance. The change has him in awe as he watches you wink in the mirror when you hit a move nicely. He sees you fumble a bit shortly after before catching yourself, continuing to perform as if it never occurred. He pauses the music once you go to your spot in the formation, and you catch your breath.

“You’re really fantastic at what you do, I could see your stage presence come out and it was really uh, attractive, ​to see. I noticed the technicality error, and it’s really small so don’t worry. I’ll just run through it with you.” Minghao explains and you nod, feeling your face heat up when he compliments you. What you don’t notice is that Minghao’s full on blushing right now from his slip up, but he turns away before you can take notice of it.

“So you need to watch your footing here, because you fumbled a bit during this part,” Minghao performs the specific move where your feet cross over before going into a spin. His movements are similar to water, usually so soft and gentle but later become sharp, similar to an ocean wave crashing onto the shore.

“Try that.” He tells you after he specifies what made you slip up and you nod. Getting into position, you redo what he did and he smiles, clapping his hands.

“Nice! Okay now,” He does the small body roll and you bite the inside of your cheek, cursing to yourself. You stare at his face, noticing the small furrow to his brow as he puffs up his chest for the next move. Minghao glances up into your eyes as he does this and pauses. Warmth floods your face as he seemingly stops teaching you. ​She’s so pretty, Minghao thinks to himself as he watches you for a moment. He runs a hand through his hair, breaking the eye contact as he glances down at the shiny wood floor.

“Is there something on my face?” He mutters and you break out of your spell, shaking your head profusely.

“No! No, sorry I just...” You panic, fingers fumbling together as you try and come up with a response that doesn’t mention how handsome he is and how much you wanna run your fingers through his hair.

“You just what?” Minghao asks, cocking his head to the side as he watches you internally freak the fuck out.

“I just... I really think you’re an amazing dancer and you’re really handsome but it’s so much more than that. You’re so passionate and good at what you do, but I’m really intimidated by you and I’ve been crushingonyouforyears so being in a room alone with you is really nerve-wracking.” You quickly explain. He freezes, staring at you with wide eyes. You also quite literally pause.

CUT THE CAMERAS...

DEADASS!!! Did I DEADASS JUST CONFESS IN A FIT OF NERVOUSNESS!!

“I... am so sorry. I’m going to go. You don’t have to like me back, I’m so sorry!” You apologize profusely, tears threatening to spill out of your eyes as you start to back up towards your bag. He reaches out and gently takes a hold of your wrist, pulling you to him in a hug. You freeze in his embrace, and he nuzzles his head into your neck.

“Don’t go. I like you too, y/n.” He mutters quietly.

And this. This is when you start sobbing.

You fall to your knees, covering your face with your hands as you ugly sob right in front of the guy who you no longer have to pine after. He’s staring at you helplessly as you cry into your hands about the fact that you thought your crush was hopeless for years, and how you never expected this to happen.

“I-I’m so sorry. I’ve been really e-emotionally unstable, ​hiccup, r​ecently for no reason. This is like, the best day of my, ​hiccup, l​ife.” You explain through your tears and Minghao lets out one of his cute little giggles that sends you over the edge once again. You let out a loud sob and he giggles again, pulling you to him in a hug and rubbing small circles on your back.

“That’s okay, we can keep it a secret from everyone that you sobbed after I confessed to you.” He tells you soothingly and you hit his arm softly, making him chuckle at you.

“How are you so calm right now?” You complain, pulling back ​regretfully f​ rom the hug and looking up at him with tear tracks running down your face, along with a bit of snot. ​How cute, h​e thinks to himself. He reaches over to his bag from the floor and grabs his towel, wiping away your snot and tears.

“I’m quite literally shitting bricks right now from happiness, but I’m just not showing it because I didn’t want to overwhelm you.” Minghao explains and you bite the inside of your cheek. You glance back up at him and he gives you a small smile, reaching up and patting your head.

“You wanna get back to the choreo?” He asks you and you shrug, wiping your cheek with the back of your hand. Crying made you tired.

“Can we just hug for a bit more?” You ask and he smiles, pulling you back into his warm embrace. You sigh contentedly, nuzzling your head into his shoulder. You both stay like that for a while, letting the recent events settle into your thrumming hearts.

“Does this mean we’re... boyfriend and girlfriend...” (👉👈) Minghao asks shyly, breaking the comfortable silence. Giggling, you reply, “I believe so Minghao.”

He squeezes you even tighter, nuzzling his head further into the crook of your neck.

“Good.”