not-quite-there-myself

[not-quite-there-myself]

hello everyone!! It's my birthday:DD so i wrote up a little something something as a treat. Albedo is a full on oneshot while the others are just birthday wishes they might say aside from their voice lines, i hope you guys enjoy it :]]]

a/n; idk if they have fridges or parchment paper in teyvat but I'm pretty sure they just put cakes in cold places or something

Warnings: kissing, mention of slapping a child, fluff, slight angst like literally the size of a raindrop,no proofread might be cringe and wrong grammar sorry, and more fluff.

diluc

"Happy birthday. The staff had prepared a feast later this evening for your celebration, I hope it is to your liking."

zhongli

"Happy birthday. Mortal life is always short, I hope to make more memories with you for the rest of your life."

kazuha

"Happy birthday, today is a joyous occasion. Would you like to hear the haiku I made for you?"

Albedo;

You woke up at your shared bed expecting your lover to still be asleep next to you but when you felt no presence beside you, You immediately started looking around the room. Really, you expected him to be at home today. Maybe he was in the kitchen? Yeah that could be it.

You quickly get ready for your day and go down stairs. "Ah! Big sibling (Y/N), Happy birthday!" Klee greeted you with a big smile that you couldn't help but reciprocate. "Good morning Klee, Thank you. Have you had lunch yet?" Klee shakes her head no as you pat her head. "That's alright, go ahead and take a seat. I'll make lunch for both of us."

You frown when you see no sign of pale blonde hair walking around in your shared apartment. You sigh, finishing the dish and presenting it to Klee who jumps up and down in excitement making you laugh at her cute actions. "Have you seen Albedo?" You asked as you both started eating.

"Klee heard big brother Albedo going out of the house really reallyyy early this morning!" Klee exclaims.

=

"Hm?" Albedo halted his movements when he heard faint shuffling, turning his head towards the noise he saw his sister Klee in her nightgown you bought for her, clutching Dodoco on one hand and rubbing her eyes on the other.

"Big brother Albedo?" Klee called out to him. Albedo kneeled and patted her stray hairs down, "I'm sorry did I wake you?" Klee nods, letting out a big yawn. "Let's get you back to bed alright?" He carried her back to her room and tucked her in.

"Big brother Albedo, Where were you going?" Klee asks half asleep, Albedo opens his mouth to respond but she was already too sleepy to comprehend what he was saying.

=

"Is that so?" You frown a little before fixing your smile back, "Do you like the food?" Klee nods as a peaceful silence envelopes the house.

That's weird, Albedo told me he requested a day off today.There's no way he would forget your birthday would he? You bit your lip, There's actually a chance he would though… Ugh, you love that man very much and admire his passion for his work but sometimes, just sometimes, you wish he would take a break and breathe a little.

You fight back the tears threatening to escape and wipe them off swiftly when Klee wasn't looking.

"Do you want to go play with Diona today?" You ask the little girl a bit surprised when she shakes her head no.

"Nope! It's big sibling's birthday! Big sibling shouldn't be alone on their birthday, that'll be lonely! Klee is always with the knights of Favonius so Klee is never lonely but Big sibling like to be alone so they don't have many friends!" You get a bit offended at the last sentence but maintain your cool. "That's why Klee is going to be with Big sibling all day today!"

The negative thoughts started disappearing when Klee said those words to you, a bright smile matching her own stretches your face. "Thank you Klee, Do you want to bake a cake with me?" She nods happily and stretches her arms up to you, getting a clue of what she wants, you carried her to the kitchen and helped her put on an apron.

.

.

.

.

.

"I'm home." Albedo announced his presence as a loud THUD echoed in the kitchen. Quickly running towards there he finds Klee covered in flour and you frantically searching for a wash cloth. He relaxed once he knew both of you were safe and helped you clean the mess.

"Ah, Big brother Albedo, Welcome home!"

"Welcome home, my love."

Both of you greet him as he pats Klee's head and kisses your cheek. A familiar warmth pooling in his chest as you cleaned Klee's face with a wet towel with a small smile on your face, It almost looks like you were a parent looking after their child– wait, parent? Flustered by his thoughts, Albedo coughs and starts sweeping the flour off the floor.

"What were you two doing?" Albedo asked as he finished sweeping the floor. "We were making a cake for Big sibling's birthday!" You bite your lip looking at Albedo's reaction, hoping he didn't forget. Albedo smiled, "I see, would you like another pair of helping hands?" You nod, preparing the other ingredients for easier access.

"Where did you go this morning?" You ask as you crack the eggs into the bowl. "I had some errands to run." Albedo lied, noticing your distressed face he added, "Don't worry, I didn't go to the workshop." You huffed and started folding the batter. "You know me so well, don't you?" Albedo hummed and kissed your cheek "Of course. It would be shameful for me as your boyfriend if I didn't."

"Klee finished washing the bowl!" You crouch down at her level as she awaits for her next task. Chuckling, you hand her the baking mold and some parchment paper. "Okay, The next task you're going to do is really important alright?" Klee nods, buzzing with excitement. "You're gonna have to cut the paper lengthwise then trace the mold to the paper so the cake wouldn't get burnt."

"Okay! Klee is great at tracing and cutting, Klee did that when Master Jean put me in solitary confinement!" Klee proudly states as she begins tracing the paper.

"You really know how to keep her calm huh." Albedo says as he wraps his arms around your waist as you move around the kitchen, "What can I say, I'm great with kids." Albedo raised an eyebrow at your sentence and hums, "Last I remember you said 'That piece of $*!* I'm gonna slap a child if he keeps doing that!" You repeatedly slap his arm as he chuckles at your actions.

"That was because he kept stepping on the sweet flowers that was commissioned to me!" He shakes his head and kisses your nape, trying to calm you down.

<fast forward bc I need to order cake for my own bday>

"And there, the cake is done." You presented it after taking it out of the fridge. Klee awed as Albedo took a picture of the three of you on the Kamera.

"It's so pretty!" You laughed as you placed the cake down on the table. "Isn't it? Your decorating skills are very nice." You pat Klee's head as she preens on your praise and Albedo lit the candle on the cake while Klee hurriedly closed off all the lights.

A big smile adoring your face as the siblings sang happy birthday. You were truly lucky to have both of them part of your life.

"Happy birthday (Y/N)~" They finished singing as you closed your eyes to make a wish.

Albedo watched you, trying to remember the lighting and the expression you're making to paint it all later. He smiled as you opened your eyes, blowing out the candle as Klee cheers and hugs your torso. He opened the lights again and sat down beside you.

He kissed your knuckles as you laughed at his actions. "For the longest time, Love was a... difficult emotion to decipher for me, But ever since meeting you. I have now fully grasped the meaning of love. Thank you for teaching me that, Happy birthday my beloved."

#nqt archives #genshin impact

[not-quite-there-myself]

New posts coming soon... in May!

A reminder that my inbox is still wide open! Link to original request post here~

#nqt writing #food fantasy #arcana twilight #twisted wonderland

[not-quite-there-myself]

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔... ꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ Pairings: most genshin and honkai star rail characters (men).

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ❛ 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋. ❜: Childe, Xiao, Boothill, Blade, Gallagher, Aventurine, Wriothesley, and Kaeya.

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ❛ 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄. ❜ : Zhongli, Al Haitham, Loucha, Aventurine, Dainsleif, Dottore, and Childe.

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ❛ 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆. ❜: Dan heng, Welt, Albedo, Baizuhu, Cyno, Kaveh, Kazuha, Neuvillette, and Gepard.

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ❛ 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋. ❜: Sampo, Thoma, Bennett, Ayato, Freminet, Lyney, Thoma, Tighnari, and Venti.

© ilyouchie 2024. — don't steal, repost, translate, heavy ref, plagiarize, etc.

#nqt archives

[not-quite-there-myself]

inspired by boop day, reblog this post if its ok for people to send you random asks and interact on your posts with no judgement. i want to talk to people.

#nqt archives

[not-quite-there-myself]

REQUESTS OPEN

*Materializes out of thin air*

Hey guys...

I am literally struggling but that's neither here nor there, I have no self control so I've decided to open my requests! Woo!

I am currently writing for Food Fantasy, Arcana Twilight, and Twisted Wonderland; please remember that I can deny any request if I'm not feeling it. Link to my rules here!

I also may or may not have OCs that I can write for but I'll only do it if people show interest ;w;

Anyway happy requesting!

#nqt writing #food fantasy #arcana twilight #twisted wonderland #x reader

[not-quite-there-myself]

Might change my theme hahaha... but to what I can't decide

Any input from the audience?

#nqt asking

[not-quite-there-myself]

REQUESTS OPEN

*Materializes out of thin air*

Hey guys...

I am literally struggling but that's neither here nor there, I have no self control so I've decided to open my requests! Woo!

I am currently writing for Food Fantasy, Arcana Twilight, and Twisted Wonderland; please remember that I can deny any request if I'm not feeling it. Link to my rules here!

I also may or may not have OCs that I can write for but I'll only do it if people show interest ;w;

Anyway happy requesting!

#nqt writing #food fantasy #arcana twilight #twisted wonderland #x reader

[not-quite-there-myself]

[You Don't Know Me (And I Promise I'm Not A Creepy Stalker But...)] Flufftober 2023

1k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! I'M DONE!!! I'M DONE I DID IT I AM DONE WITH FLUFFTOBER! I'm definitely gonna make a whole ramble post about my experience because this was pretty fun. Gonna be honest, I had no idea what I was supposed write for this. As per usual. You could say I took more creative liberties with this one but yeah. And surprise surprise, college AU again, who would've thought? A different one though, not related to the Coffee Shop fics I wrote on previous days.

[Fic under cut]

When CJ finished classes at around early afternoon, he would go to the bus stop and wait around ten minutes for a bus. It was what he picked up on after a week, when the bus seemed to show up at the same time each day. At the same time, there were also the same people who walked past the bus stop; some students he recognized would see him and wave on occasion, others would simply notice him without a word. Most of the time he was alone waiting for that bus. That didn’t last very long.

CJ can’t remember when exactly, but he was mildly surprised to notice he wasn’t alone waiting for a bus one day. Seated on a bench at the bus stop was a boy with blonde hair and a leather satchel. He was occupied on his phone, as most people are while they wait, and he wore headphones. CJ thought nothing of it and waited for the bus. When the bus came and CJ went to board, he realized that the blonde boy with headphones was gone. He didn’t board the bus. For a brief moment, CJ wondered where he went.

The next day he saw the same boy sitting in the same place. He looked just as he was yesterday. And just like yesterday he was occupied with his phone. CJ once again thought nothing of it. The bus arrived soon enough and muscle memory made CJ take out his bus pass and board the bus, but he turned slightly and found that the blonde boy was not behind him. He did not board the bus, like yesterday. CJ felt a strange sense of deja vu. Was he hallucinating? If that boy sat at the bus stop, surely he was waiting for a bus. CJ thought absently about this until he arrived at his dorm.

The way to the bus stop felt exactly the same the next day. The boy was there again, in the same position, wearing the same things. CJ wasn’t the type to get nauseous but wondered if he might be. He stood facing the road, not sitting on the bench with the boy; just like yesterday and the day before that. The bus came. CJ turned to his side to check if the boy was still there. He was, though he didn’t move. CJ furrowed his brows as he boarded the bus, worried that he’d take up the driver’s time by just standing there, spacing out. He saw the blonde boy before he boarded, so surely he’s still seated there. If not, surely he’s standing right behind him, waiting to get on the bus as well.

He was not.

CJ became almost frustrated, emitting a quiet groan. He wondered if he was hallucinating. If that was so, where had he seen that boy before to hallucinate him sitting at the bench at his bus stop? Perhaps at a lecture of some kind?

Something caught his eye before the bus began to move. A notebook sat where the boy used to sit not even a minute ago. CJ’s eyes widened, shifting in his seat to try seeing it better. The bus left the stop before he was able to do so.

The next day the boy was not there. The notebook CJ spotted yesterday still was. Looking around, he picked it up and examined the outer covers. It was clean, as if it were unused. He checked the inside, flipping through the pages. He didn’t even need to get past the first five or ten pages to find that the book had been used. He closed the notebook, only to open it again. Thoroughly looking through the first few pages, he finds that the notebook belongs to someone named Tensa Whittaker. The writing was neat and tidy on some pages. On most, they were akin to chicken scratch. CJ wasn’t the fastest reader. He often had trouble reading messy fonts. Most of the contents of the notebook were impossible to read in his eyes.

Examining the notebook took up all his time as the bus arrived before he realized time had passed. He got on the bus, notebook in hand, and went back to his dorm.

Even though CJ couldn’t read the book’s contents, that didn’t stop him from wanting to know. Curiosity got the better of him and so he got assistance from a friend to translate the words for him.

“Yikes, this dude’s writing’s awful. Maybe he’s some kind of medical student.” A friend of CJ’s joked as they looked through the filled pages. “Sorry I kind of skipped some of the stuff. I just wanted to see what kind of handwriting I’m dealing with. What’d you say this person’s name is?”

“Tensa Whittaker,” CJ replied, his nose scrunched as he attempted to read along. His view didn’t change much, it was still meaningless lines scribbled onto lined pages. “I feel like I saw him at my bus stop a few times, but he never got on the bus. Then he disappeared and his notebook was there where I saw him sit instead.”

“Woah. Creepy.”

“You think so?”

“If you’re not doing any drugs or drinking alcohol, damn right that’s creepy. Maybe you saw a ghost.”

CJ didn’t like the idea that he might’ve seen a ghost. The thought alone made him shiver. “What’s the gist of it?” He asked. “The things he wrote?”

“Not much, honestly. There’s mentions of schedules for classes, though what the classes are are written not in English. I don’t think it’s in an actual human language, honestly. They’re more like symbols on a keyboard.”

“Symbols?” CJ repeated.

“Yeah. You’re dealing with a real mystery man here, CJ.”

“I really hope he isn’t actually a ghost.” CJ muttered.

The information was vague at best. Schedules for classes, various lists, and jokes of the dark and classic knock-knock variety took up the majority of the writing. The rest sounded like riddles or poems, words meshed together to create vague and strange, impossible visuals that no regular person would even begin to understand. No one might ever want to, considering the bizarre choice of words and absolutely mind-melting nonsense. It read as if someone smashed their keyboard or let their cat step on it instead. CJ felt less and less encouraged to keep going through the notebook.

But there were some small things that did manage to make sense: instructions of how to deal with antique clockwork and metal restoration, a handful of notes on important dates to remember, a wish list of books his sister wanted for Christmas. There was also a small note about where to go bird watching. Amongst all the chaos and absolute nonsense of the notebook’s contents, there were specks of logic and meaning that made him curious and wonder who exactly this Tensa Whittaker person is.

He went to the bus stop after class the next day. The blonde boy was seated there, his headphones remained on his head and the leather satchel he carried stayed at his side. CJ stood beside him like he did before, faced to the road to wait for the bus. The bus arrived, stopping in front of him. It hesitated for a moment, before driving off to the next stop.

CJ did not board the bus.

“Hey,” CJ said. He turned to the blonde boy, a hard expression on his face.

The boy was still seated. CJ was surprised he didn’t disappear. That meant he was real, surely.

The blonde’s expression shifted. There was a light crease in his brow as he removed one side of his headphones from his ear, looking up at CJ.

“You’re Tensa Whittaker, right?”

The boy smiled. With a tilt of his head he replied, “Yes, that’s me. Have we met?”

CJ suddenly felt self conscious as he shook his head no.

“Hm. Curious.” Tensa whispered, loud enough for CJ to hear.

Before he could continue his pondering aloud further, CJ cut in. “Yeah, um, I know. This is kind of weird, uh, for me to know you? I mean, I don’t know you but I do know some things about you… A-actually wait, hold on. That sounds even worse. I should probably rephrase…” CJ fumbled with his words, his face burning brighter as he tried to explain himself.

Eventually this line of communication seemed to clam up on him; he asked Tensa to bear with him as he took out the notebook from his bag. “I found this and I’m guessing it’s yours?” CJ handed the notebook to him. “I noticed you sitting here some time ago, but you never got on the bus. Then you left and I saw the notebook where you were sitting and I kind of picked it up?”

He hesitated as he watched Tensa flip through the notebook. “I also read it, though with some difficulty… I’m sorry.” He mumbled the last part, not realizing Tensa heard it.

“Admittedly you’re not the first to mention my ‘unique’ script.” The blonde chuckled, closing the notebook and putting it in his satchel. “Thank you for returning it to me.”

CJ felt his heart skip a beat. Looking at him properly, CJ found that the blonde wasn’t bad looking. Not that he usually pays attention to that sort of thing, but his smile was nice to look at, too.

“Y-yeah. Um, it’s no problem.”

“I feel as though I should apologize as well. I made you miss your bus.”

CJ shook his head. “That’s okay. I can wait for another.”

Tensa grins. “Mind if I keep you company while you do so?”

CJ pauses, glancing down at his shoes. “Sure, I don’t mind.”

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Embarrassing Secrets Revealed] Flufftober 2023

October 30, 2023 1.9k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! We're almost there! Just one more day and I'm finished with Flufftober, so exciting! I remembered that both Tensa and CJ have fears of something, but both are equally embarrassing to them. I couldn't decide which secret to do, but then I thought: why not write both? Fortunately I happened to mesh a few things together to create a scenario in which they both encounter their "embarrassing" secrets, so here we go! Most of this is actually quite fluffy and cute, I'm very proud of it. Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

Everyone has their fair share of embarrassing secrets, and sometimes those secrets were fears. Tensa had one fear that was actually rather common. Fortunately for him, no one’s ever figured it out or known about it—his sister Celia being the one exception. Unfortunately, that little secret of his would be found out soon enough when CJ talks him into going on a date to the zoo.

“Someone’s awfully excited,” Tensa comments with a grin as he watched his boyfriend swiftly put their belongings in the car. He crosses his arms and leans on the car door while CJ made a quick face at him before closing the trunk.

“I can’t help it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen animals and I thought it would be cool to visit sooner than later.”

Tensa chuckles. “Don’t you see stray cats and dogs everyday?”

CJ looks at him, his expression a mix of shock and disappointment. “It’s not the same!” He argues. Tensa just nods, going along with it.

The two hop in the car and soon enough they arrive to the zoo. Upon arrival, there are mostly young children with their parents, or people with cameras—photographers, Tensa and CJ guessed. There were also a few school buses in the parking lot; teachers and their students on a field trip. Tensa almost felt out of place, seeing as most of the people present weren’t exactly there just for fun. CJ meanwhile was having a blast, his eyes shining bright as if he were one of the children on a school field trip himself.

“We made it!” He cheers, beaming at Tensa. He takes his hand enthusiastically and before Tensa can blink they’re running around everywhere, finding a handful of animals CJ planned on seeing while they were there. This date was mostly for CJ, if anyone from the outside looked at their dynamic at face value. In actuality, Tensa was having some pleasure in the experience, too. It was quite amusing seeing his partner point and wave at any animal big or small. There were huge outdoor areas, some like wild fields that looked like they stretched on for miles. Others were slightly smaller exhibits, at least compared to the areas that housed lions and elephants and giraffes and bears. Indoor spaces were dark and dimly lit for the most part, with fish tanks and frogs and lizards in glass enclosures.

It all seemed to go very well, enjoyable for both Tensa and CJ. Or at least it would’ve been, had they skipped a certain section in the indoor exhibits.

Something that resembled the sound of a spraying hose or a deflating tire caught Tensa’s attention. He freezes then, his hold on CJ tightens upon reflex. His firm grip on his hand causes CJ to stop walking.

“Tensa?” He says, turning around. “What is it?”

Presuming that he saw something—maybe a cool animal they missed to see—CJ looked in the direction Tensa was staring at. Nothing was at the end of his gaze though, leaving CJ a bit confused. Tensa seemed to stare a wall for an awkward amount of time, enough for CJ to stand in front of him and snap him out. “Tensa? Tensa! Hey!”

“Mm?” Tensa’s focus returns to him then, CJ watching as he blinks himself back to reality. He clears is throat, eliciting a casual tone. “Ah, you were saying, CJ?”

“I wasn’t saying anything.”

“Oh.”

CJ’s brows furrow. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Tensa just smiled and waved him off. “Nothing, nothing. I just thought of something. Say, are you hungry by any chance? I think I saw a cafe not too far from here, we could stop by and continue after a break.” Tensa began to lightly direct CJ out of the indoor exhibits. CJ didn’t seem to buy it, the thing about him being hungry.

If he was hungry, both of them are carrying bags with snacks on them. Surely he could wait till they finished walking through this indoor part first? “Just a second, Tensa. We’re almost finished with this section. We’ll go after, okay? I think I saw a sign for a Komodo dragon, and I think beside them were turtles, and…” The latter part of CJ’s mini ramble was cut off by some hissing sound. CJ lets go of Tensa’s hands to clasp his own hands together. “Ah, that’s right! There’s also-”

“Snakes.” Tensa cuts him off.

“Yeah! They’re honestly pretty cool. Some of them can be more than 20 feet long!” CJ’s enthusiasm is endearing, but not enough to ease the look on Tensa’s face. His shoulders were noticeably tense, too. CJ noticed that his whole demeanour seemed off.

“Hey, are you really okay? You’re not, um, you aren’t hurting or anything, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”—a small smirk—” Or, perhaps I am and have refrained from telling you?”

“Don’t answer a question with another question!” CJ complains, just getting a light laugh out of him. “Ugh. Come on, I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.” Tensa shrugs.

“I assure you, Jackson, that’s for me to know and for you to not worry your pretty little head about.”

CJ raises a brow. “Really? Then you don’t mind if we finish up this last area and be on our way to the cafe, right?” He didn’t wait for a proper response. CJ walked along and continued forward, only stopping to drag Tensa when he didn’t move.

“Hey- aha, Jackson, I didn’t- I really am quite famished actually, I-I, err, I don’t think I can- CJ-”

CJ did not heed his boyfriend's warning, his eyes focused on getting them into the last area they haven’t checked. It wasn’t as dark compared to most indoor sections, but the exhibit definitely felt much warmer. When the two made it through the door, CJ turns to Tensa with a bright smile. “See? That wasn’t so bad, right? …Tensa?”

His cheerful expression faltered, seeing Tensa grimace. His hands were balled in tight fists, and his gaze was locked forward. The hissing noises that sounded were much louder now that they entered the area in which the animals that made the noise actually were, and it didn’t receive a positive response from Tensa. CJ didn’t quite understand until something clicked. His eyes widened at the realization.

“Oh…”

The transition from the reptile exhibit to the outside of the indoor centre was but a blink of an eye. It hadn’t even occurred to CJ that Tensa could be afraid—he wasn’t afraid much, or anything if he really thought about it. But that seemed to be untrue now that they were out of there.

“Oh dear. So sorry I froze up on you like that, Jackson.” CJ’s guilt didn’t go away when Tensa started to laugh; he regained his composure not right away, but still quicker than CJ expected. “For what it’s worth, I do think they are interesting. As long as they are miles away from me.”

“No, I’m sorry.” CJ replied, “I didn’t realize. I didn’t even think of the possibility that you were scared of snakes.” His eyes were downcast and he scratched the back of his neck, apologising again. “Sorry.”

Tensa shook it off. “Don’t be. Besides, who said I was scared?”

“…”

Still seeing CJ’s unease, Tensa took the initiative to break the unwanted tension. “So about that cafe…” Tensa grinned at CJ who caught his eyes immediately. That seemed to do the trick, Tensa thought.

Surprisingly, Tensa wasn’t lying when he said that there was a cafe nearby. There weren’t very many available places to sit indoors. It was a mostly outdoors cafe, and many people were seated with food and drinks. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but the pair did notice some bright and colourful balloons near one of the tables. A child’s birthday, perhaps.

It was then that the tables unexpectedly turned on CJ. His hands started to sweat and he felt extremely uneasy. He stopped in his tracks which caused Tensa to do the same.

“CJ?” He calls, turning around. A quizzical expression befell his face as he studied CJ’s. “That’s odd,” Tensa says, moving closer to his side. “Why is it that you’re the one to look uneasy?”

“U-um, can you, uh, order? For me, please?”

“I do that for you most of the time.”

“I know. This time, um, just…” CJ mumbles and stutters for a good minute or two before Tensa can piece out what was the matter. He scanned the area, and nothing was out of place… All except for the table with balloons. CJ would briefly stare them down before avoiding to look completely. There was a subtle back and forth he tried to hide, but Tensa sort of figured it already. Unlike his ophidiophobia, CJ’s fear seemed less rational. He couldn’t be too sure, but Tensa had a hunch.

“CJ.”

“Hey? I mean, yes, what is it?”

Tensa glanced at the party table, then back at CJ. “I’m not the only one who just happened to freeze up on the spot, am I?”

“What are you getting at?”

“What do you think?”

On a regular day, this kind of back and forth would last a little bit before one of them gave up; one of them usually being CJ on most days. Instead, their banter was cut off by one of the nearby balloons popping and scaring CJ stiff. That was all Tensa really needed to confirm his suspicion. He’d never met anyone with a phobia of balloons, and at some point he didn’t believe it to be true. He’s mature enough to realize now that phobias are often irrational. His boyfriend in front of him was proof of that.

CJ yelped at the sound, his voice almost a shout. His alarmed noise was followed by a child crying. One of the kids near the party table must’ve been just as startled as CJ, or was upset that a balloon popped. Regardless, Tensa and CJ did not end up going to that cafe and instead went to the next one they saw. One without balloons. One without snakes. One that the two could actually enjoy eating at.

“I still can’t believe I got scared like that.” CJ mutters, taking another bite of his burger. “I wish you didn’t see that.”

“I could say the same back with the reptiles,” Tensa says, glad they weren’t anywhere near that warmly-tempered exhibit. “Embarrassed?” He asks.

CJ hummed, looking away. “I still feel bad for making you go in there.”

“In that case, I apologize for bringing you to a cafe with helium filled plastic.” Tensa says, unapologetic. “Seems we were both met with the unexpected.”

“No kidding.” CJ huffs, almost pouting. The two finished eating, paid, and left. CJ had already seen the animals he wished to visit, so by then they were headed to Tensa’s car to return home.

“Did you still enjoy your time?” Tensa asks, turning on the car. Other than getting jumpscared by their originally secret fears, CJ seemed to enjoy most of their trip to the zoo. He more or less said just that. It appeared that they both had embarrassing secrets revealed that day. At least neither of them felt alone in that feeling.

“Even with what happened at the end, I still had fun.” CJ concluded. “I’m glad I was able to come here, especially with you.”

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

This would make an awesome writing prompt

You can own every part of me, my love. As long as I'm yours, I don't care what you do.

#nqt archives

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Coffee Shop 2] Flufftober 2023

October 29, 2023 1k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! Okay, long story short, I didn't realize that Coffee Shop was already a prompt on the original list and did it again on accident. I decided to make this one a part 2 to the original Coffee Shop fic I wrote for Flufftober? I'm much more proud of this one, it's definitely recommended to read the first part but if you don't it's no big deal! This fic is still very cute and fluffy on its own. Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

A coffee shop near CJ’s dormitory became one place he visited most often when he wasn’t busy with his studies, or practice, or really anything else. His friends seemed to notice him stop by every so often, even when they knew he wasn’t a huge fan of coffee. He was a tea enjoyer more than anything else, but he still kept going. Most would wonder why. Perhaps he liked the atmosphere there and thought it was a good place to do some school work. Perhaps he actually does go for the coffee and found a taste he enjoyed there.

Neither of those guesses are right. CJ went there often because of a boy.

Not just any boy, no. Just a certain blonde barista who happened to charm him the first time he walked through the cafe doors. He was apparently quite a popular person, for whatever reason. Some had lots of good things to say about him while others caught wind of rumours. CJ paid no mind to them, if he ever even heard any. He visited that boy whenever he got the chance, and eventually became more than just acquaintances.

He went by the name of Tensa Whittaker, a college student one year younger than CJ. They’ve never met prior to CJ’s first time going to the coffee shop; they had different classes on opposite ends of campus. CJ learned about that when Tensa mentioned it to him during an earlier conversation.

Before CJ even got his name, Tensa had written down his number along with CJ’s name on a coffee cup he’d ordered. CJ was silly enough not to look at his name tag the first time around, so he fumbled around with the idea of actually calling the number, unsure of what to say. What even would he say? Greet him, then ask if he was the blonde boy at the cafe? He’d rather not risk any more embarrassment after their first impressions of each other that day. CJ hoped Tensa forgot.

Oh, but how could he possibly forget? How focused CJ seemed to be, reading the menu above, how flustered he was hearing him slip out a cute nickname every sentence or two. He really was quite adorable—Tensa had no plans of forgetting that boy.

On the days that came after, they hung out outside of work and school. A chance to finally get to know each other in a more private setting. They’d gone to a park, a library, both close enough to campus. They’ve also visited each other’s dorms. Both of them had roommates, most of which were either in their rooms or always out and about. Tensa made a point to memorize his roommates’ schedules before inviting CJ over. CJ was not as clever and didn’t think to do the same, but Tensa didn’t mind.

They both found each other pleasant company, and even messaged each other every so often. They both liked checking in on each other, especially during times when college was especially tough. There were long periods where they just couldn’t find the time to be together in-person, but that didn’t stop them from calling a few times each week. It was almost like a long distance relationship during those times, except it was never quite about distance and rather how little distance their schedules had next to any spare time.

CJ still visited Tensa at work, even if it was just for a brief moment. Ordering never seemed to get any easier for CJ though. Tensa would always slip in some flirtatious remark that would catch him off-guard almost every time, and CJ would be forced to recite his order with a pretty pink face. It was a little frustrating for CJ sometimes; Tensa had told him once that he makes the exact same order every time he shows. Tensa had his order memorized. And he still made CJ order as if it had been for the first time. He’d always been a notorious tease.

They never did go out as a couple. They didn’t need to. At some point, CJ felt he had to confess that something about their relationship wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t his everyday friendship and he needed to know if they were something more.

“Only if you want it to be.” Tensa grinned lightly. CJ felt himself hesitate. “Do you like me, Jackson?”

“Of course I like you.”

“Romantically?”

To that he was almost speechless. Tensa didn’t ease up on his questioning, rewording himself in a way that worked. “Let’s put it this way: ever thought of doing something like this?” He took CJ’s hand, interlocking fingers with him. “Or wanting to be around me more regularly? Have you ever thought of me a little too often?” He leaned closer, brought the back of CJ’s hand close to his lips.

“Ever thought of kissing me, by any chance?”

CJ’s face warmed, flushing so easily that Tensa couldn’t help but be amused by it.

“Y… Yeah. Yes, I, um… I may have…” CJ stuttered, Tensa’s gaze telling him to continue. “But I also thought… Well, maybe it’s a normal thing to think of when you care about a friend.”

“Do you kiss your friends often?”

“Err, I suppose I don’t.”

“Hm. Curious that you say that then.”

CJ fumbled with the hem of his shirt, a sort of nervous tick he seemed to do sometimes.

“Can you give me some time to think it over?” He asked, his eyes staring back at dark brown ones. Tensa leans back, nodding with an amused “Sure.”

When they parted and saw each other again the next day, CJ made an effort to make an order.

“Could I get the receipt?” CJ asked, taking his coffee cup from Tensa.

Tensa looked at him quizzically. “Of course. Though, may I ask why?”

CJ just smiled. “I just wanted to check something.”

Tensa gave him the receipt, something he’d normally throw away since he knew CJ wouldn’t bother needing it. Expect the unexpected, he supposed, returning back to the counter to tend to another customer.

It didn’t take CJ long to take a pen he had hidden in his sleeve and wrote something on the receipt. He waited until Tensa was done with a customer and handed the slip of newly scribbled paper to him. Without waiting for a reply, CJ waved him off and fled, leaving Tensa more confused than anything else. He put the receipt in his pocket to check over later.

It’s late in the afternoon when Tensa finishes his shift, and it’s only when he arrives to his dorm that he remembers the slip of paper. He opens it, leaving his shoes at the door, and leans on a wall with a small smile on his face as he reads what's on the back.

"I thought it over. I can definitely say that I like you more than my coffee order, and I can definitely say I thought of kissing you once or twice. I like you romantically. Do you feel the same?"

Under the message were 2 boxes: yes or no.

Tensa messaged CJ, sending a photo of the receipt, the box checked under "yes".

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Hurt/Comfort] Flufftober 2023

October 28, 2023 0.9k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! I really am running out of steam for these last few days, but I'm trying to get through this as best as I can! Here, someone gets injured. It's minor, but I'll put a warning just in case. Is it too late to mention that I almost never properly proof read these? Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

Performance does not come without some risks, and though one might practice something over and over to perfect it, that doesn’t guarantee accidents. CJ groaned in pain as he laid on his back, a foot slightly raised with ice pressed onto it. He sprained his ankle during a particularly difficult rehearsal. Normally things like this would not happen to CJ. But today he happened to have a partner he did not seem compatible with, leading to minor injury.

“It was awful,” CJ complained, squirming around in an attempt to get comfortable. “I tried to reason with them, but no matter what I said she wouldn’t listen.”

“That does sound quite awful,” Tensa agreed, watching over him.

CJ shook his head as he continued to talk. The more Tensa listened, the more he noticed CJ take a slight turn in a bad direction. It started off passive, but at some point something clicked.

“But I still know her, and she doesn’t seem like that kind of person. She can be nice, I’ve seen it. She might be a little demanding sometimes, but it’s because she wants to improve, get better, become the best she can be. I admire that, but…” CJ may have been upset with this person, but he just as easily defended her. It was all not without cost though. CJ started to blame himself.

“Oh, what if it’s actually my fault? Should I have listened, let her take the lead, and done as she suggested? If I did that, perhaps I wouldn’t have slipped up like this and got myself injured. She does just want to improve and be better than she already was before. It may very well be my fault for slowing her down. Maybe… m-maybe…”

“CJ, stop.”

Without realizing it, tears started to form in CJ’s eyes. His face was red, trying to keep it together—his ears especially seemed quite warm. His fists clenched. Tensa held his wrists.

“Jackson, are you okay?”

CJ held his breath like he was underwater, like he couldn’t breathe. He almost forgot to until Tensa inhaled and exhaled himself.

“Come on, follow me. In and out, remember? Easy…”

CJ steadied his breathing and exhaled. Inhaled. Exhaled again. Repeating the process caused his face to stain with the tears he was trying desperately to hold. He really didn’t like crying in front of others, especially in front of Tensa. It was embarrassing and though he tried, he still ended up doing it anyway.

“I-I ruin everything,” CJ whispered, his voice wavering. “I think I… I think I a-always… mess everything up…”

Tensa shook his head, staring right back at him sternly; in earnest. “Not always,” he said. “You just think you do.”

“CJ almost laughed, giving up on holding everything in. “Even so, I…” He let out a muffled sob, shaking his head and avoiding his partner’s face. He cried, sniffling and covering face in his hands. “I’m sorry. I just feel really bad and it hurts a lot.” The ‘it’ being his ankle. His legs in general were rather sore, and Tensa figured as much considering how much trouble he had trying to move around on his own. Even with a hurt ankle, he was stubborn and didn’t bother to rest until he seriously couldn’t take it. Tensa may have scolded him—though every lightly—but he can’t exactly speak for himself as he was rather stubborn as well. If he were CJ, he definitely would’ve acted the same.

CJ coughed and sobbed, his face wet and a complete mess. He couldn’t do much except mutter out a dozen apologies, most of which fell deaf on Tensa’s ears. Tensa didn’t say very much in turn. He only reminded him how control his breathing when CJ’s breaths were staggering and uneven. He let him cry, to let it all out. Crying usually helped people feel better. Tensa found that it relieves stress, even if in the moment it might make one feel a little helpless.

When CJ’s mouth slowed along with his breathing, Tensa took one of his hands and rubbed a thumb over it. He drew lines, shapes like triangles and circles and squares, spirals, and stars. CJ seemed distracted by it as Tensa continued to draw a grid, then some X’s and O’s. CJ picked up on it quickly, and the two quietly played tic-tac-toe on an imaginary chart Tensa made on his hand. It brought a smile to CJ’s lips, and Tensa was relieved.

“You didn’t mess up this,” Tensa commented, their last imaginary tic-tac-toe round ending in a draw. CJ just shrugged, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

“Is there anything you’d like at the moment?” Tensa asked. He let go of CJ’s hand and prepared himself to get up in the case CJ needed anything at all. He gave him time to think.

“Can I get a hug?”

CJ receives one from Tensa right away, no verbal response necessary. No teasing remark, no mischievous counter attack.

“One hug, at your service.”

His hold is brisk, a bit stiff, and maybe a little awkward; Tensa’s awkward positioning was mostly due to him not wanting to pressure CJ’s leg.

“Oh, that won’t do.” CJ says. He pulls Tensa closer, his hold much better now. Nice and warm and not too restricting. The pressure of Tensa’s body against his was a nice distraction from the pain in his ankle that had started to numb. It felt like TV static as the feeling rose up both his legs. He didn’t care at all about it.

“Oof-! Ah, well, I assume this is much better for you?”

CJ nodded simply. “Much better.”

“Would you like anything else?”

CJ hesitates. “Stay with me?”

CJ hears Tensa laugh. “Of course.”

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[I Think I Love You] Flufftober 2023

October 27, 2023 0.4k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! I think the burnout is really getting to me, this is probably my least favourite thing I've written all month. I wasn't sure where I was going with this one so please don't be too harsh on me. It was supposed to be sweeter but I'm not sure how well that sentiment came across. If it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't. This prompt is quite cute though. Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

He wasn’t CJ’s typical love interest. In fact, CJ rarely ever had a male interest romantically speaking. He was awfully sure of himself at times, confident in his own abilities, mysterious and unpredictable. Tensa couldn’t even begin to reason why he’d ever want to be around him in the first place.

He could understand what someone might think upon first impressions alone: he was charismatic, but that didn’t come without others’ suspicions and biases on the man. He was known for being skilled, talented, undoubtedly intelligent and enough wit to last half a lifetime. He was better known for his entanglements with women, sometimes men. No relationship of his would last more than a month at best, and he wasn’t remorseful when his relationship ended. Rumour has it that he played people on purpose, only meaning to toy with hearts and never taking anything seriously.

In short: Tensa Whittaker is no good, because a person who’s had plenty of past partners can’t possibly be good.

But CJ was oblivious to what others had said. Even if he did catch wind of them, he wouldn’t care. Rumours aren’t always true, he came to learn. And even knowing them didn’t deter him away.

CJ was always a good-hearted man, but he was also painfully naive. That didn’t stop him from becoming Tensa’s friend and wanting to know more about him and every other thing friends usually should do. But he couldn’t help it, CJ fell for him first. He was embarrassed and guilty and felt like he had ruined everything. But Tensa reassured him that he didn’t and that he liked him to.

It wasn’t a lie. Tensa did enjoy CJ’s company, but who’s to say it was romantic or not? He was never quite sure himself, so he never bothered being direct with it, twisting his words and avoiding anything he found inconvenient.

But when he made him laugh, hands interlocked and his mouth wide in a giggly smile, it felt a little less fake to smile back. When he went out with him he felt more relaxed than prepared. When he kisses him it’s not just about the feeling of it. There’s a little more effort in everything he does, a little less force and a lot more softheartedness.

It’s a fragile thought, not one he often has, but it’s a flash of a feeling, something light and warm filling his chest. A quick spark in his mind, that little flicker of a thought whispers gently and tells him he might be truly happy. He might actually be able to let himself go, if even for a little bit.

He thinks for a second or two before it melts away and dissolves. His voice is quite clear, but it doesn’t come across as serious at all. But this time he means it. Every syllable of it.

“You are one odd fellow.” He says with a laugh. “I think I love you.”

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Do You Trust Me?] Flufftober 2023

October 26, 2023 1.2k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! I'm so so late with this, probably the latest I've ever been for a write. I lost track of time trying to get this done but I'm sure you don't wanna hear that. Spooky things were experienced today so in this fic the boys go to a haunted house! Warning for haunted house? CJ gets a little spooked and panicky here, but I think there's plenty of fluff at the end. If there's any mistakes, oops. Characters: Chester Jackson and Tensa Whittaker

[Fic under cut]

CJ and Tensa stood in line for a haunted house event. CJ was scared out of his mind while Tensa calmly held his hand.

At the start of October, they had planned this—or Tensa planned this, rather. He wanted to do something fun for the spooky month, and he thought he'd give visiting a haunted house a try. He'd never been and wondered if they really were as scary as he hears others say. "It depends on the location", he was told. "It also depends on how good the scare actors are", another added. It really didn't matter too much, Tensa just wanted to experience it.

And what better way to experience something new with his lovely partner? Unfortunately—or fortunately—for him, CJ was not a fan of that sort of thing.

"No way!" He disagreed on the spot. "They already look scary enough on the outside. You're crazy if you think I'd go in there."

"You won't be alone," Tensa countered, pushing his luck. "It might not be all that bad."

CJ frowned, not at all convinced. He wasn't going to go. He didn't want to go. He made it very clear and Tensa only sighed.

He bribed him a few times, most attempts unsuccessful. Tensa promised that he'd go to one that wasn't too terrifying, one that even young kids would be able to get through with a parent in tow. At some point CJ gave in.

"Alright, fine." He said, reluctance still lingering in his voice. "I'll go, but if I get really freaked out, am I allowed to call it quits?"

"Are you suggesting I give you a sort of safe word?" Tensa asked, half teasing. CJ was oblivious to it and nodded in earnest.

"Alright." Tensa chuckled lightly, putting a hand under his chin. "I'm not sure you need an actual safe word, but if you ever do wish to back out, I will get us out of there as soon as possible. Does that work, CJ?"

CJ nodded again, half relieved and a quarter satisfied.

He had been fine with the idea of being able to discontinue going through the haunted house at any time, but now that they were actually there in line, in person, CJ couldn't help but feel the nerves go haywire in his body.

"You two are going together?" A haunted house attendant asked as he motioned to the pair.

"Yes sir," Tensa said, still holding CJ's hand firmly.

"Oki doki. Go on and enter, if you dare."

The beginning wasn't too bad. A few mannequins and fake blood covered halloween decorations were sprawled about, littering every hallway and corridor they entered. CJ was fairly on edge, but was fairing quite well considering his reluctance.

At least, that's how he was until stuff started to move. Lights had already flashed—and there was a warning at the start that there would be—but it seems that CJ completely forgot about the rule about not assaulting scare actors. Thankfully Tensa was in front of him and leading the way before CJ could accidentally get physical upon reflex.

The undead figures in chairs and on the floor started to get up from their positions and move. Some crawled towards the pair while others practically sprinted until they were almost too close for comfort. Tensa noticed that they never crossed any lines, though. They only jumped out to scare and nothing more.

He was having fun moving through the different sections of the house, sometimes stopping to look at the detail on the decor. CJ on the other hand was close to fainting on a few occasions, only stopping when Tensa confirmed the coast was clear for him to take a breather.

Eventually it got too overwhelming, a little too frightening, a lot too much. He couldn't do it. Everything was loud and terrifying and, even though it was quite safe, he didn't feel very safe. Not at all.

"Tensa," he managed to say in between breaths after being chased by a man with a chainsaw. "I, um, I-I can't do this, I need to... I want to get out. Right now." He unknowingly clutched Tensa's arm, a little tighter than Tensa would normally be comfortable with. Slightly alarmed himself, Tensa quickly regained his composure, seeing as it was just CJ and not someone else who touched him.

"Pause for a second, Jackson. Hey, look at me." Tensa held both his hands, squeezing them a little. "Is it too loud?" He asks. "Breathe for a moment. Just stand here with me."

CJ tried to calm down amongst the crashing and banging and screams and child laughter. It wasn't easy to, and he still shook as he closed his eyes. Tensa's brow furrowed. He let go of CJ hands and used them to cover his ears. It blocked out only a little bit of the haunted house, but it was a little more bearable.

They took a minute, standing there and not progressing. Then, when CJ said he was okay, they kept going.

"Tensa," CJ said nervously. "You're not continuing, right?"

Tensa shook his head.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Y-yeah. I trust you."

"Then just close your eyes and I'll lead you out. Don't open them until I say so." Tensa smiles. "Do you still trust me?"

CJ pouts, though more playful than anything else. "No," he answered sarcastically. "I'd actually love to continue with this haunted house."

"Oh? If that's the case, I can just let go of your hand."

"Huh?! No, no! Don't you dare!"

Tensa laughed. "I wouldn't dare," he said, putting a hand over CJ's eyes. "Now close your eyes. When you open them, you'll be just fine."

Hand in hand, Tensa led CJ to the next room. As he predicted, there were scare actors in that room. He cheerfully greeted them, much to their surprise. He asked them for the exit, and they dropped the act to guide them to the nearest door.

CJ felt wind, a cool air washing over his face. His body shook with a chill, and he rubbed one arm on himself to warm up. It wasn't too successful but that was okay. A light kiss on his forehead seemed to work in its place.

"Alright, CJ. Open your eyes."

He did, and he saw Tensa, and all that was around them. No flashing lights, no fake blood or props, no scary, spooky monsters. Nothing but him and Tensa and the grass and the trees. They were at the back of the house. They were safe.

A strong wave of relief washed over him. It was like waking up from a bad dream. It was over and he was glad, and Tensa looked rather happy too.

"Have fun?" Tensa asked, his signature smirk on his face.

"You wish!" CJ crossed his arms, hiding just how content he was to be out. Tensa knew better. CJ wouldn't dare do this again. Tensa wouldn't push him to do it again. But he still couldn't help but ask regardless.

"Name your price for me to take you here again?"

"You can't bribe me with anything to make me go back and that's final."

"Pffft. Okay, okay, that's fair."

Tensa made it up to him afterwards, treating him to some tea and warm soup and whatever else CJ wanted. A cuddle and a kiss wasn't quite enough, but Tensa couldn't argue that CJ was due compensation.

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Birthday Surprise] Flufftober 2023

October 25, 2023 0.3k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! This... turned into a poem??? Help??? I'm not too sure how it happened but it was probably influenced by the fact that I read a bit of poetry today. The beginning of the fic has a kind of rhythm and rhyme similar to "'Twas The Night Before Christmas". Not everything rhymes though because I couldn't think of making the whole thing rhyme, but it was fun to write! It ended up as more of an imagine more than anything else but you know. Fun fact: the fic was actually 365 words long exactly, kind of like the amount of days in a year. Since this fic is about a birthday, it's a pretty cool coincidence, don't you think? Characters: Tensa Whittaker, Chester Jackson, and Celia Whittaker

[Fic under cut]

A door creaked open in the workshop, slowly opening at early dawn. Two figures shuffled about with various items in their hands. One held a bag with decorations, the other held a box as well as two cards. The pair lit the living room of their loved one’s residence, quietly working on a little surprise.

Tensa woke up with a rather slow start. Another day was signaled by the sun shining through glass panes into his room. He yawned and stretched and got out of bed, only for his skin to prick up as his ears dusted red. Walking down the stairs he was eye opened to see: Celia and CJ and a make-shift party.

“Surprise!” Said the two, Celia throwing confetti in the air. “Happy birthday,” CJ said, though with slightly less flair. He wasn’t as energetic and Celia seemed to be, but none of the others seemed to mind—and Tensa looked rather happy.

A smile on his face and a genuine one at that, a small giggle turned into a big laugh at the drop of a hat. He didn’t often celebrate his own birthday, as it was never that special to him anyway.

But Celia and CJ believed birthdays were important, and so they decided to celebrate and bring the party to him if anything else.

Colourful, bright, shiny streamers were strung all around; two cards in envelops laid undisplayed on a kitchen counter, and a cake covered in icing, sitting and smelling sweetly. Tensa would open the cards at a later time. The cake would be sliced into several pieces after he blew out his candles. The party planning pair—Celia and CJ—knew Tensa wasn’t big about parties. They kept it simple, though it mostly turned into a hangout at the end rather than a party. But the point of it all was that Tensa had a surprise to wake up to that morning, and with each passing year they’d be there to help him celebrate. He felt a little embarrassed. It felt weird to be celebrating himself for being born. But hey, there was food and cake and an excuse to laze around all day. He couldn’t think of anything better.

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker #celia whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Cat Allegations] Flufftober 2023

October 24, 2023 0.8k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! I kinda wanted to return to some of the prompts I replaced a few days ago and I was looking at the puppies/kittens one and thought "hm, I might be able to do something with that." Disclaimer: I have no idea what I was doing here, but I also had some dialogue I wanted to experiment with, so consider this a test fic. Also, surprise! College AU time! Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

Whenever CJ had work that must be done, there was a good chance that Tensa was there with him. They didn’t share dorms—they weren’t roommates—but they might as well have been. Either CJ was in Tensa’s dorm, or vise versa. But no matter which dorm they were in, Tensa had a bad habit of clinging to him whenever CJ was occupied with something.

“Tensa, please. I can’t type when you’re in my lap like this.” CJ fumbled with Tensa, who’d clung to CJ’s front and sat in his lap. Tensa refused to remove himself. It was just too comfortable.

“Of course you can. You’ve done it plenty of times before. Besides, I’m not too much in your way, am I? You can still see your screen.” Tensa’s arms were wrapped around CJ’s body, his phone in one hand while he rested his head on the other’s shoulder.

CJ huffed, adjusting his position to reach his laptop better. “You’re like a cat.”

Tensa chuckled. “How so?”

“Do you even need to ask? You’re curled up in my lap like one, and you only ever do this when I’m doing something… Just the other night I was reading and you laid in my lap and just slept that way. I couldn’t move and I ended up falling asleep sitting up.”

Tensa hummed, finding this information interesting. Like a cat, was he?

CJ managed to find a somewhat doable position to use his laptop. He continued typing, leaning closer and hugging Tensa in the process.

“You also like looking out the window and watching birds, which, I don’t think that’s entirely a cat-like trait, but they do do it. You like sitting in weird places, too. Sometimes you don’t sit on the couch normally, you just lie on the top of it, somehow balancing yourself, or you sit on side tables or nightstands or tables or counters.” CJ couldn’t help but pause; Tensa was snickering, pushing his forehead against his shoulder.

“Are you laughing? I… Pffft, hey!” CJ’s fingers trembled on the keyboard as Tensa rubbed his face into CJ’s chest. He sputtered, “Tensa, c-cut it out! That tickles!”

“Hehe, what was it you were saying about me being cat-like? I’m just s-purr-ing your cat allegations on me. If anything, this is beneficial for you.” Tensa grinned, continuing to fidget in CJ’s loose grasp. CJ giggled, trying to get Tensa off him.

“E-enough, please!” CJ continued to retaliate. “You’re not gonna beat the cat allegations no matter how hard you try!”

Tensa chuckled. “Who says I’m trying to?”

At some point, CJ managed to pick Tensa off his lap and hold him—with great effort—like how someone would hold a cat by under their arms. CJ was used to carrying people, but not in this unconventional way. Tensa wouldn’t be easily bested like this though. He struggled enough to let both his feet onto the ground and tackled CJ to the couch, lying across his legs to prevent him from escaping. Tensa then pinned his arms above his head, looking down at him with a satisfied grin.

“Hehe, did you plan for this little cat-astrophe?”

CJ shook his head, dazed at how quick the tables turned on him. He looked up at Tensa, slowly realizing the position they were in and felt his face warm. Seeing as he was rendered speechless, Tensa couldn’t resist to comment further. He tilted his head with an innocent look.

“What’s wrong, Jackson? Cat got your tongue?”

CJ huffed, avoiding his gaze. “No. I’m just… a little dazed, that’s all.”

“Hehe, sure.” Tensa let his wrists go and sat up. “Sounds to me like you’ve got a purr-fect excuse on your hands. Or should I say paws?”

CJ groaned, getting off the couch and back to his work desk.

“Please, please stop.”

“Aw, c’mon, Jackson. I was just kitten!”

CJ looked unconvinced.

”What can I do to purr-suade you?” Tensa pushed on.

“Agh, what can I do for you to stop making cat puns?” CJ countered. “How about I bargain with you?” CJ didn’t usually bargain with Tensa, since it usually ended with him getting less out of the deal. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Tensa looked intrigued anyway.

“Go on.”

“If you stop making cat puns, you can stay in my lap while I work. Deal?”

CJ didn’t need a verbal response as Tensa almost immediately got up and onto his chair, between his legs and arms wrapped around him. With a light sigh CJ wrapped one arm around the blonde’s as he typed slowly with his dominant hand.

The two stayed in that position for a while. CJ occasionally swapped hands while typing, one arm always wrapped around the other’s waist. The close proximity was nice, both of their bodies warming each other while they did their separate things.

Eventually CJ finished his work, though it was a little later than he anticipated.

“Tensa?” CJ said, closing his laptop. “I’m done. Can you get off now?” He didn’t get a response right away. CJ nudged him a little, hearing the blonde hum lowly.

“Mm?”

“Did you fall asleep?”

A chuckle.

“And if I did?”

CJ let out a small laugh. “Hehe, you’re taking cat naps. You really are just a cat stuck in a person’s body, huh?”

Tensa laughed sleepily. “Maybe I am.”

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker

[not-quite-there-myself]

[Height Difference] Flufftober 2023

October 23, 2023 0.9k+ words, fic for @choicesprompts's flufftober 2023; prompts will be the title! Yes yes, I made my own prompt again, sue me. I think I'm just gonna be making my own for the rest of Flufftober if I'm gonna be honest, haha. They're cute and sometimes the prompts just don't apply to the duo I'm writing, no matter how much I spin the prompt in my head. I didn't really know how to end this one, oops? Anyway, here's a little height difference prompt for today! Characters: Tensa Whittaker and Chester Jackson

[Fic under cut]

Out of the two, CJ was the taller one. Not by much, only two inches taller, but it was honestly a surprise to Celia to see his brother in a relationship with someone taller than him. Tensa thought it was cute, especially given their dynamic. Most times people assume that CJ’s the confident one. At least, that is until they find that the Whittaker Workshop’s one and only clockmaker is who he’s in a relationship with. CJ was a gentleman, kind and strong, not too assertive except for when he’s the one leading a dance. Tensa could be just as gentlemanly, if it weren’t for the fact that he was a notorious flirt. His charisma wasn’t limited to the ladies, but sometimes even men as well; that much is obvious now.

Tensa usually liked being the taller one because it was easy to mess with people. Putting things on inconveniently tall shelves, playfully using their partner as a light arm rest, bending down to his partner’s eye level… He made the most of it and didn’t hesitate to take advantage of it. Along comes CJ to get rid of all those shenanigans. Unfortunately, he’s found even better ways to use his height to his teasing advantage.

“CJ, could you get the book from the shelf up here?”

In Tensa’s living room and in many other places in his house, there were plenty of bookshelves. Most of the books in his possession had been read by him at least twice. CJ sometimes visited Tensa’s house to borrow some books, like a private library. Surprisingly, he also liked using Tensa’s house like one too.

“Hm? Oh, sure!”

CJ went to grab the book Tensa gestured to at the very top of the shelf. As in, the very very top. The shelf wasn’t too tall—CJ could put his hand on the top of it—but it was also tall enough for Tensa to reach as well. CJ didn’t question it as he gave the book to Tensa.

“Could you get that one for me as well?”

He turned around to see Tensa gesturing to a separate bookshelf, with yet a lone book sitting at the very top of the separate shelf. CJ obliged without hesitation, though after he gave it to Tensa, he had a sneaking feeling that he’d be asked to do it a third time.

“Hey CJ, just one more thing-”

CJ stopped him right there. “If you ask me to get another book for you from another top shelf, I am not going to.”

Tensa faked a pout, reasoning with him, “Oh, I’m not as tall as you. Surely you can reach top shelves for me no problem.”

CJ peered at Tensa, doing as he says while still keeping a close eye. “Fine. Which shelf?”

Tensa pointed to yet another separate bookshelf. It seemed to CJ that this room was set up for this long winded request. The third book entered the blonde’s hands with a thank you directed to his partner. Just when CJ thought it was done, finding no other shelves to pick high placed books off of, Tensa opened his mouth yet again.

“Ah, actually I think these were the wrong books,” he said as CJ turned to look at him with a deadpan expression.

“I’m not putting those back for you,” CJ countered before Tensa could say anything else. Tensa just chuckled, raising his hands defensively.

“Alright, alright. There’s no need for that, my tall and handsome lover! I can put them back myself, anyway~”

CJ watched as Tensa put each book back where they were placed before CJ took them and grimaced. He really was messing with him! He could reach those shelf tops no problem! Tensa thanked CJ for his help anyway, making him feel only a quarter better. At least he was praised—Tensa made sure to subtly make it up to him, a reward for being a good sport at the end of all his teasing.

That wasn’t the only thing Tensa did. With his partner being taller than him, he found that he could reverse roles. Tensa remarked once before that he could fit in CJ’s clothes. They were similar in size, so he didn’t get the same effect as someone smaller than him would get when trying on their tall partner’s clothes. CJ’s hoodies and shirts and pants seemed to fit him just fine, if not slightly loose. He didn’t see it as a downside—the two could borrow each other’s clothes if they wanted.

Tensa also liked using the slight height difference for touch. On the softer side of things, it was easier to lean into CJ and hold his hand. It was easier for him to be the little spoon when they cuddled. It was easier to hide his face in his shoulder and feel the warmth radiating off his body. It was easier to take his partner’s chin and lead it downwards to reach his lips and kiss him. It was easier to reach him, see his eyes, and wipe tears away whenever his dancer felt cloudy.

It was kind of nice to not be “the tall one” out of the two. In Tensa’s case, he was the tall partner for so long that he never really experienced how it was like on the other side. And with this little role reversal—with this slight switch, this height difference—Tensa somehow felt more relaxed, calm, safe. A bit strange, but welcome.

#nqt writing #nqt ocs #old blog #chester jackson #tensa whittaker