#and then this book I chose to read for my half class is about how aboriginal people were treated by the Australian government

[beannary]

Ugh I literally have so much work for my two real classes this week and I also decided to read a whole book for my half a class which I really DIDNT have to do normally I just read two articles so adding a whole book on top of my normal work has been absolutely killing me my brain hurts so bad I think my head is going to explode

#bean babbles #and it’s like #I study anthropology so EVERYTHING I have to read is going to be racially charged in some way #and so it’s just so emotionally draining having to read all this racist text and the deconstruction of those racist practices #I have one class and we are reading a book on Palestine #in my other class we are currently talking about NAGPRA #and then this book I chose to read for my half class is about how aboriginal people were treated by the Australian government #it’s just so much awful shit I have to contend with for each class

[evalevaeva]

rival | yeon sieun

warning : death

Yeon Sieun wasn't just a schoolmate. You wouldn't have considered him a friend or someone you hate. The two of you acknowledged each others existence, knowing that the other person existed simply because of one piece of paper that was pasted on the signboard of Byuksan Middle School's notice board every few months.

"First : Yeon Sieun," That was what the board would read every month from the first year of school, but somehow by the third test of the fourth year, yeon sieun's name was not first.

"Did you hear? Yeon sieun got knocked off first place!" Students began gossiping as yeon sieun stood in front of the noticeboard, face blank, but his eyes showed anger.

To say he was angry would be an understatement. He aas furious, his heart pumped faster and he could hear ringing in his ears as he walked back to his seat, acting as he would on a normal day as the students in the class looked at him, muttering and whispering to each other.

"Congratulations! I can't believe you did so well for the mock exams! You'll definitely ace the exams by CSAT year!" The sound of female students congratulations caught Sieun's attention as he raised his head to look at the window in the corridor.

You were walking with four other female students, a large smile plastered onto your face as you shook your head at your friends' words, shy from their compliments.

For the first time in a long time, Sieun felt the feeling of inferiority creeping up his neck like a silent monster. His grip on his pen became tighter as his eyes were glued onto the notebook in front of him, not wanting to think about the result slip on the noticeboard.

"Sieun," You called out his name as you held your tray of food. The boy looked up from his English textbook as he looked at you, his earpieces still in his ears as you exhaled, feeling the awkwardness creeping up your arms.

"Could I sit here? I wanted to talk to you about certain subjects because I'm still not at my best," You asked until you realised that he was ignoring you, eyes glued back onto the text on the book in front of his face as you sighed, turning to walk back to the table with your friends.

That was over a year ago, and by the actual examination, sieun was back on top, with you being in second. That didn't bother you. You weren't aiming for the top, just high enough to get into a good school later on in life.

By the last year of school, the teachers saw that both of you were high academic achievers, which led to their decision to make both of you seatmates.

The air was tense at first. You never knew if you should talk to him or wait for him to start a conversation. You chose the latter, thinking back on your only other encounter with him the previous year.

Over the course of half a year, you were still struggling with Additional Mathematics, and you could never really understand it. You would've asked your classmates but only one other student took Additional Mathematics with you, and that was, lo and behold, Yeon Sieun.

It was break time, and on a usual day, you would've been at the snack bar with your friends deciding what to eat, but today wasn't the case. You had to figure out how to do the hard questions before the exams, and you were still struggling. The teacher was no help, simply telling you to check with Sieun. If you could, you would've.

"The shoelace method."

You lifted your head up from the paper as you turned to see sieun still writing in his notebook, despite you having just heard his voice.

"The shoelace method...?" You questioned him again as he turned to you, his face with his signature cold look, but he was offering help, who were you to reject that?

Sieun adjusted his seat as he moved slightly closer to your table, his chair slanted in your direction.

"I assume you already know the formula?" Sieun asked, not looking at you as his head was tilted slightly, reading the question carefully as he clicked his pen, writing down in blue ink as he explained.

"Take the points in the anti-clockwise direction. The first point chosen must be repeated..." Sieun explained as he wrote down the formula and numbers for the polygon.

You should have been focused, but somehow... having yeon sieun so closd to you made your heart jump. You gulped as you blinked, hard, focusing on the problem at hand.

"You can use the numbers in the motion of a shoelace, x1 with y2, so on and so forth, and eventually, you'll get this answer," Sieun wrote down the final answer as you looked at him, feeling starstruck.

Everyone knew he was smart, but getting to experience his academic ability first-hand made you feel a newfound respect for him. He knew his work, and he made sure he did.

That single event with both of you led to a more comfortable atmosphere as the days passed. Sieun didn't act like you didn't exist, and you could talk to him easily, most of the time.

A simple 'good morning sieun' and a nod back was a more usual occurrence between the both of you and the teachers were more than elated by that.

On that particular day, you didn't seem yourself, even sieun could see it. You didn't speak nor look at anyone in the class as yoj entered, head hanging low as you sat in your seat. You took out your books and placed them on the table, placing your head on them as you closed your eyes, feeling the lack of sleep beginning to seep in.

Your situation at home led to your current state, but you couldn't tell anyone. It's normal academic pressure, it was nothing to worry about ; you chose to believe it. Your grades were beginning to slip, slowly like a snake creeping up with its venom. Your parents weren't happy, a screaming match ensued the moment you arrived home at the start of the week and it was already Friday. You were exhausted. Emotionally and physically, you were done.

"Wake up. The teacher's here," Sieun muttered as he tapped on your shoulder, causing you to flinch as you woke up from your five minutes of sleep.

"I'll be announcing the winner of the additional mathematical olympiad competition that was held recently," The homeroom teacher spoke, but you were to busy beginning to doze off as the teacher's sudden mention of your name caused you to wake up once again.

"Congratulations, this prize is awarded to this student for achieving first place in the additional mathematics olympiad." The teacher announced as you stood up, walking to the teacher to receive the certificate, before plopping down on your seat once again.

"Yeon Sieun, second place," The teacher announced as loud gasps were heard around the room.

You opened your eyes as you saw Sieun at the front of the class, taking the certificate half-heartedly as he gave you the same glare he had given you a year ago, over the mock exam results.

"Now, now, settle down class," the teacher shouted over the muttering and chatter in the class while you were trying to grasp a few more minutes of sleep.

Everyone had gone for their lunch, and it was just you and sieun in the classroom.

"Was it fun?" Sieun suddenly asked, he was seated, facing the board as you turned to him, confused and exhausted.

"What?" You questioned back as sieun turned to you, his eyes glaring at you ad he continued, "Did you just want help because you wanted to surpass me? To get first place?"

You were too tired for this. Everything was becoming a blur in your head.

"Look, if you wanted to win that math olympiad, you could've said so. I didn't even want to take part in it, the teacher in charge signed me up," you muttered as sieun suddenly slammed the desk with his arm, causing it to turn red with each second that passed.

"You're lazy, and all you do is leech off of others. You ask me for help in everything, but can't even do such a basic concept like polygons." Sieun scoffed as you turned to him, eyebrows furrowed at his sudden aggresiveness.

"What is wrong with you? Just because of a stupid math competition, you're attacking me? Watch your mouth yeon sieun," You spat back at him as he turned to face you, his anger reaching its limits.

"You're pathetic," Sieun stated heartlessly as you stood up, grabbing your textbooks, shoving them into your bag, not caring if the covers or pages were bent. You made your way out of the class, walking down the hallway as you made your way to the main office.

"I'm not feeling well. I need to go home," you told the receptionist as she handed you the form to fill out to leave school early.

Sieun's words were echoing in your head as you thought about his harsh words. He was just like everyone around you. Your parents, always telling you to work harder, unsatisfied with everything that you did for your academics.

You walked down the path from the school gate to the bus stop as you quietly wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall. Floodgates were about to be released, but with the many people at the bus stop, that would be embarrassing. Your vision was still blurry from the lack of sleep, but you kept repeating in your head that it was nothing to worry about.

That was until your legs gave out, and the next thing you knew, you were on the floor, your head facing the road as you felt people calling out to you. They sounded mumbled, as if you were underwater. The world seemed to become a whirlpool as you inhaled deeply, before blacking out, the last thing being the sound of the ambulance.

The next week came, and Sieun walked into the classroom, waiting patiently with a box of milk, patiently waiting for you to arrive. He had thought about his actions over the weekend and realised he had lost his cool over something minor, and he had definitely hurt you. He tried to convince himself that he did the right thing, but he couldn't. Remembering how you looked at him, face full of hurt and hands trembling, he couldn't.

The bell rang, and the boy looked up from his notebook to see the seat next to him empty. You didn't arrive. Maybe you were late? He told himself as he placed the milk under your desk for you to see when you arrived.

"I have news to share with all of you," the teacher started as she walked into the classroom with a vase of white flowers, the atmosphere becoming heavy. The teacher was barely ever serious unless something bad happened, and that wasn't a good sign to sieun.

"Our classmate has passed away on Friday. I would like everyone to remember our dear friend as someone who was hard working and could be relied on."

Sieun's ears seemed to ring. A high-pitched ring with a buzzing feeling in his head as he turned to look at his classmates. Only your seat was empty.

"Sieun," the teacher called him as he snapped out of his daze, realising she was standing beside your table.

"I hope you're alright. I know the sudden news shocked you seeing as the both of you were quite close," The teacher said as she placed the flowers on your desk, leaving it as sieun couldn't help but stare at it.

You were gone, and the last thing he called you was 'pathetic'. He was so caught up in his inner turmoil that he was so blind as to not see you suffering right in front of his two very eyes.

Sieun reached out his hand, his hand grazing the clear vase as he thought of when he'd pat your head when you'd sleep in class. He didn't expect that the next time he'd see you, you would be in a casket, with a large potrait of your school photo in front of it.

"You must be yeon sieun." a voice called out as sieun turned to see an old woman in a black hanbok, a chief mourner badge around her arm as sieun nodded.

"You were always spoken highly of. My grandchild would always come home and excitedly tell me about how she talked to you more with each day that passed." the old woman told sieun as he looked to the ground. He felt ashamed, as if he shouldn't have been there. Even in death, you'd still find a way to clench his heart.

Sieun sat at his desk at home, staring at the wall. He felt as if his soul had been removed from his body. He always felt void of emotions, but somehow, he felt like there were too many emotions.

One drop, two drops.

Sieun felt his tears running down uncontrollably, not being able to keep himself together. Sieun never had many friends, but somehow, he always found you sneaking into his heart as someone dear to him, as someone he'd want in his life.

But it was too late. You were no longer a rival, but a friend.

---

MY ASS BRUH I WORKED ON THIS FOR 2 HOURS AND IT TURNE DOUT LIKE SHIT IM SO MAD AT 4:38AM AND ITS JFJFJRWBWJ

also the math part was kind of entertaining to write other than the fact i couldn't write the formula in so pls imagine it

#whc1 #yeon sieun #sieun fic #sieun x reader #ahn sooho #ohbeomseok #weak hero #weak hero class 1

[anzulvr]

Hello how are you today. I was wondering can I request karma x reader headcanon who are enemies. Like always competing for better grades and are always at each other throats

— ACADEMIC RIVALS HEADCANNONS

Karma Akabane x Reader (gn!) // the beginning of this takes place before Karma is dropped to E class, you’re A-CLASS classmates // this is so late I’m sorry… like a year late i think. pls forgive me. Cute request shoulda done sooner but I’m so behind!!

Unconsciously Karma is going to assume the worst of you, before even speaking to you he had a few assumptions of the type of person you were.

Though you can’t really blame him for it, A class students aren’t exactly known for being kind.

You had a few assumptions about him yourself.

Wasted potential, a genius who got into fights on a regular basis. He was so full of himself, always leaving class before the lesson ended. Not to mention the way he never followed instructions.

You didn’t appreciate the fact things worked out for him better than they did for you.

He constantly outperformed your scores with a point or even half a point. It was irritating. You spent hours perfecting your writing, memorizing equations, and taking notes. He didn’t even stay in class for longer than 30 minutes because he already knew the lessons?!

No matter how much you studied ahead, he already knew that. If you managed to score 100 on a test he’d somehow gotten extra credit points. It was driving you insane.

He could probably feel the hostility, which is why you avoided each other for the most part.

Until…

You got paired up for a project.

Your worst nightmare came true.

He’s cute from afar. Actually having to interact with him and having your A+ on the line was not cute in the slightest. He’s smart, you couldn’t deny that, oftentimes he slacks on bigger homework assignments like these because he doesn’t feel like it.

You were hoping he’d help regardless, you could do it all yourself but if he pitched in it would take a lot of stress off your shoulders.

You got into a disagreement about how the assignment should be done. He decided you could stray from the instructions a bit while you wanted to do everything by the book.

Eventually he caved when he saw it was genuinely bugging you when he didn’t even care about the assignment.

Now that you had to talk to each other almost every day, you both realized what you had in common. Things you misunderstood about one another and had grown pretty close.

Close enough for him to make fun of you and shove his test scores in your face.

You didn’t expect you could become friends with someone so different from you. When you realized how much you liked him it worried you.

You started looking his way when you should've been reading your textbook.

You stopped telling him to be quiet whenever he talked your ear off during a lesson.

You were putting more effort in the way you looked and dressed when you got ready in the morning.

You even turned in an assignment late because you chose to help him with a last minute project.

If someone had told you that you'd like him that much a few months ago; you would have laughed in their faces.

You realized how far gone you were:

(“He's distracting me from my studies... Wait- was his plan to begin with?!”)

Lucky for you, he started showing up on time and even stayed in class the whole day!

(he did show off to you how he could finish the worksheets in less than half the time you could, but hey, you can't win them all.)

He won't tell you why he's suddenly so punctual, and he's much better at hiding his motives than you are but you have a feeling you've also been taking up his thoughts.

#ansatsu kyoushitsu #karma akabane #karma x reader #assassination classroom x reader #akabane karma x reader #karma akabane x reader #assassination classroom #karma akabane headcannons #assclass

[timetoletmyimaginationfly]

Unspoken Love

Nanami Kento x Reader

Part 2: One Year Later

Part 1: The Meeting

(Song Inspiration: Need 2 by Pinegrove)

It was more crowded today than any other day. Nanami took the empty table you usually occupy and took out a book he brought from home this time. The brightness of his phone gathered his attention as your name popped up from the screen.

You: I left class late and missed my bus. I’ll be there soon!

Nanami: Be safe.

It was the beginning of May. The cafe is now filled with more students than usual around this time due to finals. He was lucky to get this table as he patiently waited for you. Every now and then he would look over at the window, hoping to see you walk by.

“Excuse me?” He felt a tap on his shoulder and heard a woman’s voice. But it wasn’t you. You became comfortable around him and would sometimes swiftly hug him from behind. You still appeared shy but you spoke more comfortably with the both of you telling each other about your day. He wouldn’t tell you what happened to him yet, but you never pried. And he appreciated it. Nanami turned around, and the woman’s eyes widened. “S-Sorry. I’ll leave.” She quickly scurried away. He sighed dejectedly, his bright mood dampened.

About another half an hour passed. He sat there quietly, his mind cluttered with insecure thoughts. Was he always this unapproachable? Or is it because of how he looked?

“Nanami-san!”

It was as if he didn’t hear you. You walked around him and took your seat in front of him like usual. His eyes looked blank, like he was staring blankly at the page instead of just reading. You leaned in closely and waved your hand in front of him. His eyes widened and they slowly traveled up to meet yours. You smiled.

“There you are!” you exclaimed happily. But his expression remained cold. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, the tension around him still evident. He couldn’t fathom why you were willing to spend time with him. But he couldn’t answer himself why he chose to be around you when he could be at home. Especially today on his day off.

“When you’re willing to share, I’m all ears for you,” you said assuringly. Again, he nodded. You could assume it was a bad day so far. With your bad days, you would complain about it the moment you saw him. But Nanami is different and prefers to keep to himself.

You can feel the difference in the silence that the two of you sat in. Instead of the comfortable and content one, it was grimly too silent for comfort. He never turned the page in his book, and his eyes remain blank on the same page. He distracted you. All the worries clouded your mind and you just wanted him to be okay.

“Nanami-san—“

“Why do you stick around with me?” he asked abruptly. “I don’t understand how you can stand being around someone like me.”

“I wonder how you stick around me, too,” you said. Nanami was puzzled. Why wouldn’t anyone? You’re perfect. “But maybe that’s just my insecurities talking.”

“You don’t have any,” he assumed. You frowned when he did, but you weren’t mad. Personally, he didn’t really know you and you didn’t know him. “Ever since my injuries, I think people are cautious of me. Ever since my injuries, I became insecure of my own appearance. Usually I’m not, but maybe it’s because the wounds are now evident on my body.”

“It’s understandable that you’re insecure about it. I think it’s normal,” you said. “But it doesn’t make you unapproachable.”

“I think so. Apparently looks really do matter in this country.”

“It’s unfortunate, huh?” you questioned rhetorically. Nanami felt his shoulders relax and you smiled at his subtle movements. “To be honest, you have a hardcore resting bitch face. You look pissed half the time.” His eyes widened at the information. You couldn’t help but laugh. He couldn’t tell if you were kidding or not. “You didn’t have it when I first met you. But it appears every so often.”

“Then, it’s not because of my scars?” he asked. You shook your head.

“The scars catch people by surprise, but your expression keeps them away.” He knew his insecurities got the best of him. And he hated the fact that it did.

“Then…what about you? You mentioned about insecurities too,” he asked. You blushed. You closed your laptop and rested your arms on top of it.

“I always thought I was meant to be alone,” you answered. “I was the weird girl in middle school because I didn’t have a family. Both of my parents were killed. And since then, my brother and I were estranged. He was killed about half a year ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear about that,” he said softly.

“It’s okay. Rumors of me being bad luck was spread around that I actually believed it. So I never really let anyone in. I’m getting better at it though. It’s stupid but—“

“It’s not. The way you feel shouldn’t be invalidated.” A small smile appeared on your face. “You’re perfect.” You blushed. Nanami smiled.

“Are you off for the rest of the day?” you asked. Nanami nodded. “Then, we should get dinner later. I-If you want to.” You suddenly blushed at your sudden request. Nanami smiled a small smile, his eyes remained on your shy eyes. He watched your eyes. They slowly moved away from his and would return back.

“Okay.” Your eyes widened. You didn’t think he would agree but you had a sliver of hope that he would. You hated hope. It only lead to disappointment on your end. But Nanami proved you wrong.

The first dinner together turned into more dinners after. Sometimes, you two would meet up for breakfast, especially after your shift. If Nanami had free time during his shift, he would call you and you would agree to meet up with him or he would come over to your place to pick you up.

It was the one year mark when Nanami was almost killed. And instead of staying at home, he called you early morning while he took a walk outside. He hoped he didn’t wake you up. If he did, he would’ve been guilty even though you would constantly reassure him that it was okay.

“K-Kento-kun,” you answered. He frowned. Your voice sounded stuffy and nasally. You tried to sound happy and cheerful but he could hear that deep down, you were miserable.

“You’re sick again,” he said with concern. You coughed on the other line.

“I woke up in the middle of the night like this,” you said sadly. “I have to go to the doctor’s for a note cause I’ll miss my exam.”

“You get sick every semester.”

“I do.”

“What time is your appointment? I’m off today,” he asked.

“D-Don’t worry about it, Kento-kun! I don’t—“

“I’m worried,” he confessed. He felt himself blush. “If you don’t mind, I really don’t want to be alone today. So let me take care of you.” He wondered how you reacted. You were an open book and he enjoys reading your expressions.

“I’ll go around 10,” you answered. Nanami smiled.

“I’ll be over soon.”

He never left your side that day. While you slept after your appointment, he went grocery shopping and cooked a late meal for the two of you. He kept quiet as much as he could as you slept on the couch. After making your meals, he heated up some water to prepare tea, in hopes you woke up by the time the tea was warm enough to drink.

He quietly placed your mug on the coaster and sat down by your feet. You pulled the covers up to your chin once he sat down. He looked over at you and smiled softly. He wanted to reach out to you and caress your hair in your sleep. But he didn’t want to wake you. He wanted you to stay asleep so you’ll feel better soon.

He couldn’t imagine life right now without you in it. He couldn’t help but let his feelings for you grow. He knew that he would do anything and everything for you. He’s willing to give himself to you. But the fear of your rejection held him back. It didn’t matter how much you two spent time together. If he heard your rejection, he knew he would be broken. He couldn’t say anything unless you did first. He would do anything to keep moments like this forever.

He looked at you one last time. Even when you’re sick, you remained perfect in his eyes.

You stirred again in your sleep. He watched you slowly open your eyes. You tiredly rubbed them before you looked ahead. A small smile appeared on your face when you caught the mug sitting on the table, steam escaping the mug. Slowly, you sat up and turned to Nanami.

“Thank you,” you said softly as he handed your tea. You took a small sip and sighed with content. “It smells good in here.” Nanami blushed. It was the first time he cooked for you.

“I made you soup,” he said. “Is chicken noodle okay?” You nodded happily. “Do you want some now?”

“In a bit,” you answered. You covered your body with your blanket. You felt a bit better, but the stuffiness is still evident in your voice. You looked over at Nanami and blushed. Nanami noticed and blushed with you. “Can…Is it okay—“ You mentally took a deep breath. “Can I lay my head on your shoulder?” Your heart was racing when you asked the question. And you felt it jump when Nanami softly smiled with a nod. Slowly, you scooted over closer to him and leaned your head on his shoulder.

Your body relaxed. All from the feeling of your head being comfortable on his shoulder and his scent: earthy with a hint of his cologne. You closed your eyes and sipped your tea.

Nanami smiled. He felt relaxed with your scent: dark berries and vanilla with some sort of floral scent. He couldn’t tell which, but he’s intoxicated with the smell. He leaned his head down on yours.

“I want to drive you to your clinical site tomorrow,” he said softly.

“It’s really early in the morning, Kento-kun,” you said.

“I know,” he said. “But, I want to. If you let me.”

“Okay. Pick me up at 6:15.” Slowly, Nanami wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you in close. He surprised himself with his actions, but it felt natural for him to do so.

“I’ll be here.”

The silent is soothing and content. You never felt like this before. You felt loved and cared for.

“It might sound crazy,” you said. You played with your mug as you traced the rim of it. “My parents and my brother had a crazy job.” You sighed, finding words to explain it all to him. You don’t know why. But you have a good feeling that he would understand.

“I have a crazy job too,” he confessed. You smiled.

“My parents and brother are sorcerers,” you said. “They see things that I barely can’t. They have these powers that I don’t obtain. Their jobs are so dangerous that they were killed because of these cursed creatures.” You felt his head lift off from yours.

“Then, you should know that I am one too.”

You looked up at him. You quietly gasped at his relaxed expression. He appears extremely relaxed and relieved. A secret that was weighing him down is now free. When he looked at you, he smiled. You sat up straight and turned your body to face him. Mug on the table, you reached out to him and held his face. Your thumbs caressing both side of his cheeks. One side smooth while the other felt rough. Both felt wonderful.

“Is that how the scars came about?” you asked softly. He nodded in your hands, his eyes closed enjoying the feeling of your soft hands on his face.

“Exactly a year ago, in Shibuya,” he added. “Half of my body was burned. I was almost killed if it weren’t for a young sorcerer that saved me.” You couldn’t help but to let your tears escape.

“That must’ve been so hard for you,” you whispered. Nanami slowly opened his eyes, surprised that you were crying.

“You don’t have to cry,” he said softly.

“I know,” you replied, a small smile appearing on your teary face. “But, you’re alive and here. I-I get to meet someone like you. Have someone that’s caring and—“ You paused. You questioned why you’re talking about him as if he really is yours. Slowly, Nanami held your hands.

“I’m grateful to be alive,” he said. “I get to meet someone like you.” He leaned in your hands, his thumbs caressing your soft hands. You smiled.

“I’m not a sorcerer, so my parents looked down on me. The only thing I’m good for was my intuition. And I’m never wrong,” you said. “My brother was stuck in between liking me or hating me because our parents aren’t fond of me. He died then during that incident in Shibuya. I told him not to go and that something bad was going to happen to him but he still went.”

“It must’ve been hard for you,” he said.

“A little.” You immediately let go and covered your mouth. You turned away as you coughed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said and stood up from the couch. “I’ll warm up dinner.”

While he did, you turned on the TV. You searched and searched for something to play. You hoped he didn’t mind what you put on because your favorite anime was tempting to watch.

“So,” Nanami said as he returned with two bowls of soup along with your medicine in his pants pocket. “Intuition?” You blushed. You had a feeling where this was going.

“I had a feeling you weren’t, I guess you can say, normal?” you answered shyly. “It’s like I sensed something strong about you.” The corner of his lips lifted. You took the bowl of soup on to your lap.

“You can sense cursed energy. At least you sensed mine,” he explained. You nodded. You blew on to the spoon and ate. You let out a soft moan from the tasty meal.

“This is amazing,” you said and ate some more. Nanami’s smile grew. “I wish I could cook like this.”

“Tell me what you want and I’ll make it for you,” he said.

“You don’t have to do all of that.”

“I know, but for you I will.”

“I might make you tired of cooking.”

“I’ll love cooking even more.” You giggled. “Don’t forget your medicine.” You nodded and popped the medicine pill in your mouth. “I can make you dinner tomorrow night.”

“Surprise me then,” you said. You debated on refusing, but you know now, he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Yes, darling,” he said softly. You blushed. “I-Is that okay?” You nodded and shyly looked at him.

“Darling is okay,” you answered that lifted the weight off his shoulders. “A-Are you done? I’ll wash our dishes and—“ Nanami took yours and his bowl. He stood up and walked over to the kitchen. “I’ll take a shower then.”

“I’ll be here,” he said.

By the time you returned, Nanami sat patiently on the couch, his eyes on the TV with your show playing. You smiled and walked over to him. You sat down closely to Nanami and brought the blanket up to cover your body warm. You leaned on his shoulder again and Nanami wrapped his arm around you. No words were said. Just content and comfortable silence remained.

#nanami x reader #nanami x you #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen x you #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk #jjk x you #jjk x reader #nanami jjk #jujutsu kaisen nanami #jujutsu nanami #nanami kento #jjk nanami #nanami fanfic #nanami #nanami fluff #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jjk fluff #jjk kento #kento nanami

[abbyslev]

JUNE BABY PLS I BEG YOU PLS WRITE SOME YELENA SMUT PLS I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE IM TOO FAR GONE I NEED THIS WOMEN TO SLAM ME AGAINST A WALL AND MAKE OUT WITH ME AND LOVE ME AND PUNCH ME AND MAKE ME HER WIFE AND SPIT IN MY FACE AND NEVER LET ME GO PLS I BEG YOU PLS IM SO DESPERATE PLS

𝑭𝑶𝑪𝑼𝑺- 𝒀𝑬𝑳𝑬𝑵𝑨 𝑿 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑬𝑹

A/N: the craziest part is that no one gets my love for yelena like lea does. @lejayooo GETS IT. SO GOOD. i wrote this for her bc i love her and ofc i need to feed into our delusions TOGETHER??? THIS WAS INSPIRED BY LANA TOO LIKE THE WAY I WOULD LET YELENA FOLD ME IN HALF AND DESTROY ME??? I HOPE ALL OF YOU ENJOY OK IM GONNA GO FANGIRL W LEA NOW OK GUYS

WARNINGS: pure smut bro

Your name left her mouth once again, an annoyed sigh from your mouth leaving as you looked up. 

       “I need you to focus.” Professor Yelena gave you a stern smile before pointing to the board. “Answer.” She added. Your cheeks turned red, your ears hot. You had been thinking about Professor Yelena's long fingers touching you in such soft ways, mouth meeting yours as your hands tangled themselves in her soft hair. You practically dropped at the thought. 

       “I- uhm…i’m not sure.” You cleared your throat as you could feel the stares of your peers. “Like yesterday? And the day before that?” Yelena shook her head, sucking her teeth. You look down, picking at your fingers. “Stay after class.” She let out a soft chuckle before turning back to her lesson. 

        This must have been the longest lesson in the world. You couldn’t stop thinking about how badly she was going to scold you, how she was going to shame you for your skills. You bite your tongue, the people around you moving as Yelena yelled out what pages to read tonight. You stuff your bag with your belongings before slowly dragging yourself to her desk, a shy smile on your face. 

         Yelena waved off her last student before turning to you. She walked past you, opening the door to her office. She extended an arm out, letting you go in first. You stood there shyly as she removed her coat, rolling up her sleeves.

       My god, her long, pale veiny arms made you practically drool again. You tore your eyes away from her arms, looking at her exposed collarbones, wishing nothing more than to kiss them. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Yelena chuckled, tapping her head. 

       “Erm, nothing. Just a hard time focusing.” You lied. “I think not. You seem to have a perfect score in every single class, so why is mine the issue? You passed Zoë’s class easily enough last year.” Yelena sat down, typing on her computer. “I don’t like this book. I only like books that i’m interested in.” You lied. “You told Zoë you loved anything by this author, which is why I chose it. Is that an issue?” Yelenas brows furrowed. 

        You stayed quiet, eyes wide. Why would she ever pick anything you liked? She didn’t even know you last year. “This is your major, I expect more from you. You did pretty well up until a while ago.” Yelena rested one hand on her chin, her cold eyes trailing down your body. 

        Yeah, that was a couple of months before you started realizing how hot she was, before you started thinking unimaginable things about her.

        “Zoë says you’re perfect, I was really expecting that kind of participation in my class.” Yelena smiled. “I just have a lot going on right now.” You say quickly. “Want to talk about it? It stays between us.” Yelena gave you another warm smile. “I’m ok. Thank you.” What else were you supposed to say? How you want her to fuck you so bad? 

        “Well, come here, i want to show you some alternative assignments, maybe we can get that C to a B.” Yelena waved you over. Oh my god, were you really about to be right next to your hot professor? 

         You sit next to her, body stiff. She smelled like cologne. You inhaled deeply, trying not to be obvious. You were so close to touching her.  Yelena spread her legs, her knee touching yours. Neither of you moved. “You could write me a six hundred word essay on this book. Unless you’d rather just read it with us.” Yelena looked over at you. 

        She noticed your stiff  body, your hands slightly shaking as you avoided eye contact with her. “I can just read.” You blurted out. “What, sweetheart?” Yelenas brows furrowed again. SWEETHEART? Your heart pounded, eyes shooting to the floor. Her hand lifted your chin up, forcing you to look at her. “Answer.” She whispered, leaning in. 

        You squeeze your legs,  lips parting a bit as Yelena leaned in, thumb playing with your lower lip. “I can read.” You whispered back. “Good.” Yelena kissed you, hand softly caressing your jaw. You embarrassingly whimpered, holding her wrist. Yelena brought you into her lap, hands massaging your thighs. 

       She kissed your neck, nose tickling your neck. “Is this what you think about?” Yelena played with your waistband, holding a fistful of your hair, making you look at her. “Tell me what you think about, baby.” Yelena brought your lips down to hers. “I think about your fingers inside of me. I think abou- fuck.” You throw your head back as Yelena squeezed your breasts.  

        Yelena helped you pull off your pants, pushing you on her desk. “I always think about you. How you’re mine. Not Zoë’s dirty little pet, you’re mine.” Yelena shoved her fingers in your mouth. You drooled all over them, face pouting as your legs shook. Yelena tapped your clit softly before starting to do slow circles. 

       Your nails gripped the edge of the desk, eyebrows furrowing as Yelena slowly sank a finger in you. You close your legs, teeth sinking into your bottom lip. Yelena's free hand tugged on your shirt. You threw it off, hands locking around Yelena’s neck. Yelena kissed you, fingers pumping in and out of you and her thumb continued to circle your clit. 

      “You get all embarrassed when I call on you, do you like that? Do you like that I think about punishing you when you’re wrong?” Yelena mumbled in your ear, fingers quickening with every word. “Yes, fuck, yes!” You scream, your head laid in between her shoulder and neck, teeth sinking into Yelena’s shoulder, quiet pleads leaving your mouth. 

     You rock your hips upwards, hoping for more. Yelena pressed your body down with her cold hand, shaking her head. “Please,” You look at her. Yelena ran the same hand down your face, softly caressing your bottom lip. She kissed you softly, capturing your bottom lip between her teeth. 

       You grasped Yelena's upper arm, feeling the soft curve of her muscles. She could feel you about to cum. “Beg for it.” She slowed her pace, pressing her forehead against yours. “P-please, professor.” You try to keep your shaking legs open. “Please what?” Yelena kissed the corner of your mouth, tongue tracing your lips. “Please let me-shit!” Your fingers dig into her back. Your nails scratch her soft skin, decorating her pale skin with your red love marks.

        “I wanna hear you, pretty.” Yelena watched as you moaned out loud, lips quivering as you called out her name. “How bad do you want it?” Yelena hummed. “S-so bad! Bad!” You shut your eyes. Yelena slapped your face, hand grabbing the back of your neck and pulling you forward.

        “Look at me when I'm talking to you.” Yelena mumbled. That sets you off. Your legs gave in, chest collapsing as loud, breathy moans left your lips and hands tangling themselves in her hair, forehead against Yelena’s, your cum all over her desk. 

       She helped you come down, pushing your hair out of your face. “You’re a mess.” She chuckled as she handed you your bottoms. “Thanks to you.” You sit there for a moment. “Do you really think of me that way?” Yelena traced soft circles on your inner thigh. You blushed, pushing her hand off. 

      “Oh, don’t be embarrassed now.” She caressed your cheek, leaning down to your level. She pressed a soft kiss on your lips. You pull away, standing up. “What?” Yelena smiled. You kiss her one more time before opening her door. “I’ll see you tomorrow after class.” You smile, shutting the door behind you. 

#attack on titan #yelena snk #yelena x reader #yelena x you #yelena attack on titan #snk yelena #yelena smut #yelena headcanons #yelena #yelena aot #aot x reader #aot smut

[mrs-kodzuken]

Fated Beginnings ♡

Pairing: Kenma Kozume x fem!reader

WC: 4.1k

Genre: fluff

CW: fem!reader, teeth rotting fluff, date set up by Kuroo, slight introverted!reader, slight cursing

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

"Kuroo, I don't feel comfortable doing this," I mumbled looking back down at the current book I was reading.

"Come on, (Y/n). It'll be fun!"

I sighed placed my bookmark on page 146, and closed it. I didn't have the time or guts to do this.

"Kuroo, you said that last time and last time I got clumsy and fell, multiple times if I may add." I coldly told him, looking up.

We were in the library at school, he knows this is how I spend my lunch. And yet still continues to bother me endlessly.

"I promise this one will be different, I know Kenma better than the other dude." He pleaded at me. He has been trying to set me up with people for God knows what reason.

I sighed once again and lightly put a lock of my hair behind my ear knowing I've picked the habit up from reading too much.

"Fine Kuroo, but if this one goes wrong, I will not speak to you for a week and you cannot set me up with another person," I spoke firmly at him, making my point known.

His eyes lit up at me and squashed me into a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He shouted, very loudly, after letting me go.

"Calm down or else you're going to get us kicked out of here."

Kuroo and I have been friends since day one, literally. Well, not literally maybe about a year apart. However, I didn't exactly like how much of an extrovert he can be.

We grew up together and in most situations I'd stay inside, much to his dismay. So, I've never been a fan of being outdoors especially when it's a sunny day. I'd even go to the length and say I hate sunny days.

"Why are you like this.." I grumble quietly and pick my bag up from the library's carpet floor.

"Alright, so I've been planning this for a while. Hence, why I chose Saturday for the date because it's going to rain. You and Kenma are going to be staying at your place. I've been waiting for my best friends to meet for so long." The excitement but mischief in his voice concerns me just a bit.

I rolled my eyes and headed out of the library, seeing as I had to get back to class.

Even if Kuroo is a 3rd year, we still hang out together. Correction, he still pesters me to hang out with him.

I could have used all that time for catching up on books and sometimes on special occasions, diving into some fanfiction.

"I'll see you later (Y/n)." He sent me a sly wink and headed the other way.

Heading to class I took my seat, which was far from the front. I was glad about the seating arrangement, it could allow me to read while the teacher couldn't see me.

My desk mate, whose name I'm not even sure about, came and did his routine.

He also took advantage of being in the back but he used it on video games. I'm not sure why, but I guess we have different hobbies.

To be honest, I didn't even know his name. He was so quiet, two toned hair covering his eyes and gave about half of the time.

However, then again so am I.

Occasionally, I'd look up at the board to see if there was anything I needed to write down or listen to. As always, it was pure nothingness.

When the last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. As I walked through the halls I continued my book because no bell is going to keep me from figuring out the murder mystery in this book.

I haven't ever stayed after school to watch Kuroo practice volleyball. I didn't see a point in it, I mean, I know he's good at it. He leads his team to nationals.

I passed and heard the squeaking sounds of their shoes and some harsh noises of balls being spiked.

"Kenma! Set me another one!" I heard a familiar voice speak up loud.

However, it wasn't the voice that attracted my attention, it was the name.

Kenma?

"No, that's your fifth one." I heard an annoyed voice speak from the gym.

I had the urge to go take a peek but then stopped myself.

Why should I? I have better things to be doing, like tidying up my room a bit and catching up on my weekend book.

Switching books occasionally wasn't a problem because my parents would always buy me more. I could even use my library card to go get more if needed be.

This meant that I had a huge bookcase filled with my favorite books in my room.

After securing my book mark, I glared up at the sunny sky. It pissed me off. I don't understand how someone could like sunny days over rainy ones.

After getting my house key from my pocket I unlocked my door. My parents did business work at the same office but would always get off late at night.

With that being said, I set my school bag down and grabbed my pink cleaning apron to start the process. I did a bit more than what I usually do, mopping the floors and dusting high places isn't a good match with someone like me.

When I got finished, I headed downstairs after tying my (h/c) hair up into a low bun and tied my cooking apron on me.

Just because my parents are gone doesn't mean that I can order pizza every night. And quite frankly, it gets boring.

I got started on an easy dinner, seeing as I wanted to get it over with. I felt like baked spaghetti was the easiest it was going to get considering I wanted a fulfilling meal.

After eating, a thought snuck into my head. I have to waste a perfectly rainy day on someone who probably wants to go out or something.

Why not just stay in the comfort of your bed and slob around in snacks and books? This is exactly why if there was a male version of me, I'd marry him immediately.

After cleaning the dishes I headed upstairs and started on my night routine. I grabbed an oversized grey shirt which said 'Do I care?' and some black shorts.

Knowing myself, that'd also be the outfit I'd wear when this 'Kenma' comes over tomorrow. I wasn't actively looking for a boyfriend so there's no reason to impress him.

Now that I thought about it, there wasn't anything weird I heard about Kenma from anyone.

I mean, I guess he got some love confessions from girls but he didn't waste his time on it.

I couldn't blame him, why waste your time on falling in love, which only ends in heartbreak by the way, when you can fall in love with fictional characters who'd never break your heart?

With those thoughts running through my mind, I set my book on my nightstand and turned off my lamp.

Now it's time for fanfiction, a small but devilish smile made its way onto my face as I opened Wattpad.

I'd always loved reading these, especially when they were about my favorite fictional character. I die inside a bit every day when I remember they aren't real.

Little did I know, I had stayed up a tad bit too late and before I knew it, it was 7:03 am.

I mentally cursed myself for doing this yet again. My eye lids were heavy and needed sleep however it was like some kind of drug to read fanfics.

I furrowed my brows and sat up hastily, shouldn't my parents have come in?

Pushing back my white covers with small pink roses on them, I grabbed a large red hoodie to go over my sweatshirt and some fuzzy socks. I headed to their room, surprisingly, it was empty.

I started getting worried and wondered if they had gotten in a crash or decided not to deal with me anymore. My parents weren't neglectful or anything but the anxiety didn't stop.

Those thoughts were the usual ones I'd always get whenever they did not come home.

I rushed to my phone and checked my messages, I didn't like getting notifications so I always turned on my reading focus mode.

Messages from my mom and dad came up on my notification screen. They stated that they had an emergency business trip to take.

I texted them back and sighed, they always do this.

I'm never mad or anything, I just wish we could have quality family time. But at the same time, I'm glad all the 'what-if's' were gone from my head.

I headed downstairs to put the kettle on, I wanted to make a cup of vanilla tea, my favorite. I smiled and peeked outside to see the rain coming down a bit harshly.

One of the reasons I love having a tin roof is that you can hear the sounds clearer. It was the most beautiful sound I loved hearing.

Just when I was just about to sip my tea, the doorbell rang.

Confusion rang across my face. I don't think I was expecting anyone this early.

Racking my brain for an answer, I opened it expecting Kuroo because he's just always there.

Running a hand through my hair, "Kuroo, it's Saturday, go home." I looked up to see not Kuroo, but my deskmate.

I stiffened, embarrassed. I immediately looked at my fuzzy socks and quietly spoke, "Oh, uh, you must be K-Kenma." I stumbled, my eyes widened a bit. I never stumble over my words.

He nodded and looked all over my flushed cheeks and lazy outfit.

Like the dumbass I am, I finally realized that it was still raining and he was bound to get soaked by the gutters if I didn't let him in.

I motioned for him to come and he mumbled a quiet, "Thank you."

I watched him like a hawk as he took off his shoes, setting them neatly beside one another. I awkwardly headed back to the kitchen for my tea then went up the stairs with him following me. I mean where else is he gonna go?

Wait, would he think I'd want something from him by immediately inviting him into my room? I shoved the weird thought from my mind and focused on where he was.

I sat on my unmade bed and grabbed my book from my nightstand. I clicked on the lamp, which was a beautiful, white flower lily.

"Uh, make yourself a home?" I questionably said, I never have been in a situation like this before.

I crossed my legs and opened my book as he sat on the edge of my bed which was weird. I had a white Ikea desk with a swirly chair, a reading nook in the corner, and a window seat. And yet, he sat on the edge of my bed.

After reading for a few minutes, I couldn't focus into my book. I mean, there's a strange sitting across from me. I looked up and he was playing on a switch.

That went on for hours.

Kenma had moved onto my bed more, sitting against the wall. His legs were crisscrossed and he was still playing his game.

I had leaned off the edge of my bed where half of my body was dangling off of it. I was hanging upside down and reading my book.

Kenma and I had settled into a comfortable silence and acknowledgment of each other. We hadn't touched but occasionally our eyes would meet when he lost a round or I discovered something juicy from my book.

The rain hadn't stopped which I was grateful for. I could feel the hunger rumbling in my stomach and I telling by his facial expression, Kenma was getting hungry too.

I sat up, earning the look of Kenma's curious eyes on me. I walked out of my room with the feeling of something that can only be described as nervousness in my belly.

I grabbed snacks from the kitchen, I wasn't sure how he felt about 'healthier' type snacks but it was all I had due to my distaste for 'junk' food. I returned  with the snacks and two bottles of water and two bottles of sugar free snapple.

Setting it all down on my bed, I took a few swings of my water while eating alongside him.

We resumed what we were doing after about fifteen minutes of silent eating

I guess Kenma had gotten comfortable with me because after eating he had set my legs in his lap. Well of course, asked me with his eyes, which honestly surprised me. He still had his eyes glued to the screen of his Nintendo switch.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang which made me jump. I had just gotten over the feeling of surprise from my legs in his lap and got to a good reading spot.

I sluggishly got up irritated at who would be at my door for the second time today. When opening it, I was faced with a bed-headed cat and his usual cheeky smirk. 

"What do you want Kuroo?" I asked quietly, afraid he would disturb my peace and quiet like he usually does. He waltzed right in, ignoring my question.

"Oya, so how are you two love birds doing? Hitting it off well?" He loudly spoke, which made me wince.

Kuroo headed up to my room with me, of course, trailing along. We found Kenma sitting how I left him, he was there snacking on my veggie chips.

"We're not lovebirds Kuroo." Kenma spoke up as my ears perked up from hearing his voice.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated my question and got myself comfortable with Kenma again.

He stared at us, his eyes following back and forth before trailing at my legs on Kenma's lap.

"Definitely lovebirds. Friends don't just lay the way you two are." His mischievous grin was irritating.

I gave him a 'you're a dumbass' look and glanced at Kenma.

"No kuroo, we aren't dating. Even if we were, I don't think we'd tell you," I said calmly picking my book up. I wasn't going to waste my precious time on a dumbass like him.

I saw Kenma nod, out the corner of my eye, he agreed with me.

"And what exactly have you and Kenma been doing?" One eye brown perched up on his ridiculous face, funny enough, the only eye brow we could see from his haircut.

"We've been lying here," Kenma answered for me and this time it was my turn to nod.

"So you're telling me, I set you two up and all you've been doing is playing games and reading.." Kuroo stood there dumbfounded.

"No, not exactly, we did eat some." I gestured over to the pile of half eaten snacks set in the middle of my bed.

"You two are hopeless...and made for each other." His voice trailed off as he left my room.

I perked an ear, trying to listen and see if he was gonna leave my house, and he did.

I snickered, returning to my book, I admit that my eyes needed new attention and that Kenma with his two toned hair was thinking the same thing.

"What do you want to do?" I hesitantly asked Kenma as he set his game down and me with my book.

"Can we make something?"

"Uh sure, I think my mom bought some ingredients for cupcakes last week. Is that alright?" I asked getting up and marking my book while setting it on my nightstand.

He nodded and we headed downstairs with Kenma in front of me now. I never really noticed it since we've mostly been sitting down but he's taller than me.

A strange thought came to mind as I was thinking of our conversation.

'A child.'

My eyes widened and my heart rate sped up. I cursed at myself for ever thinking that. What the hell? I've just known the guy for a couple of hours and I'm already thinking of a child? I've been reading too much lately.

I breathed out a sigh and tied my apron back once we were in the kitchen. I held out an extra apron for Kenma and he gladly took it.

"Three eggs please," I said reading the instructions from the cupcake box I grabbed from the cabinet. I decided to reach up and grab the flour from there while I was at it.

Once he found the eggs in the fridge, he broke the eggs into a glass bowl, making sure not to get any eggshells in the mixture.

'He can break my back.'

What the fuck (y/n)? Where are all these thoughts coming from?

Probably from the lack of sleep your dumbass got.

That's great. Now I'm talking to myself and responding.

I suddenly got nervous while pouring some flour in and accidentally got it on Kenma's chest. I fucking need sleep, how in the hell?

"Oh god, I'm so sorry." I nervously spoke trying to get it off. He raised a brow, took some flower and plopped it on my head.

I paused, just staring at him with my jaw dropped.

Holding eye contact, I grabbed up a handful of flour and threw it on his hair too. I cracked a smile as he shook his head and the flour flew out like snow.

Soon, we were throwing tons of flour on each other, the kitchen had become a war zone. Mind and his laughs were bouncing off the walls in the kitchen.

I squealed as he shoved some down the back of my hoodie.

"Kenma!" I threw my head back in laughter as I chased him around my kitchen, I wanted to put some down his pants.

"You're never going to get me!" He smiled at me. I felt my heart almost stop, he looked.. cute. Which was completely new for me.

I could feel my cheeks start to flush until an idea sparked in my head. I grabbed an egg from the carton and threw it at him.

This time it was his turn to stare at me with his jaw dropped. Just like the flour war, next came the eggs, then cocoa, and cupcake mixture.

At this point, we were the cupcakes just unbaked.

"Payback, (y/n)." Kenma whispered in my ear, making me shiver, or maybe it was the cold water that was just dumped on my head.

I gasped loudly, flailing my arms every which way. Kenma stood by me laughing, with his arms holding his stomach. What a lovely sound, it was pure happiness.

I smirked and shook my long hair next to him, the ingredients getting on him. Finally, it came to an end when we got tired of throwing ingredients at each other.

I went to the pantry to grab two hand towels that I didn't care to use to clean us up.

"What in the hell.." I looked up after cleaning my face with a towel. I saw Kuroo standing in the doorway, confusion drawn on his face like no other.

"What the hell did you two do?" He asked astonished at us and the messed up kitchen. I mean, it was a sight to see. I haven't had this much engaging fun in forever.

I started giggling at the mess and Kenma looked at me and started laughing alongside me.

"I leave and you two are sitting on your bed, all quiet and calm. But when I come back you two are making the biggest mess in all of history," He exclaims his eyes bolting around the room and his movements a little frantic.

"Kenma, can you help me clean up please?" I asked nicely and headed over to get the dishwater started.

"Yes ma'am," he said and smirked, bringing his hand up and sprinkling sugar above my head.

I sniffed by accident then sneezed when there was a molecule of sugar in my nose. I looked up at him afterwards and what looked like blush was coating his cheeks.

Smiling innocently, I took the dish hose and sprayed him lightly.

I earned a gasp and high-pitched but slightly drawn out, "(Y/n)." from him.

Before he could say anything else Kuroo's loud voice came over us.

"So you two are dating? Hitting it off well, oya?" He asked with a smirk that only seemed to hint at other things.

I glanced up at Kenma and he looked down at me.

It seemed as if they both silently agreed to ignore him. In our midst of cleaning, a grumbling Kuroo finally decided to help. The only things in the kitchen un cleaned were Kenma and I.

"Do you want to stay over and shower or..?" I waited for an answer while taking off my large hoodie, revealing my larger shirt underneath.

My hair was filled with gross food, well, technically cupcake ingredients.

"I guess I could stay over. I'll text my mo-"

"I'm staying over too." Kuroo announced without even asking.

I looked back at Kuroo to see if he has lost his damn mind.

"The hell? Just do whatever you want I guess." I rolled my eyes at him.

I was honestly surprised by my acts today, I'm not usually an outgoing person and yet I liked how today went. But I can also tell that Kenma isn't either.

"I'll go to my parents' shower, you two take a shower together or separately, I don't care." I smiled and gathered my things after giving Kenma my brother's clothes. He was in college so I doubt that he'd mind.

After I was done, I seriously thought that they had taken a shower together but it turns out they just took short ones. Who knows? I was in the shower trying to get egg out of my hair. I couldn't have had hot water either, it would've cooked them.

Instead of making an actual dinner meal like yesterday, I decided to order pizza just so Kuroo could shut up about it.

"You know Kuroo, I'm picking up actions that Bokuto would use. Not a good sign," I said and turned on a movie in my room.

"Hey! That's mean- oh." He realized, I guess he must've been spending much more time with him. Not a problem in my book though.

I was eager to sleep since I hadn't got any last night. Kenma and Kuroo slept on the air mattress we had blown up in the middle of my floor.

I dived underneath my covers, not even having time to adjust before I fell into a deep slumber.

I woke up from a gentle poke to my shoulder. I peeked up one eye and saw Kenma hovering over me. Groaning, I sat up and rubbed my eyes for better sight.

"Kenma? What's wrong?" I eyed my clock, it was one in the morning.

"Kuroo took over the air mattress. I'm gonna sleep with you." He softly spoke and lightly scooted me over to the wall.

"Uh, okay I guess?" I whispered, not sounding so sure but was too full of sleep to really think about it.

I closed my eyes and waited for Kenma to stop moving so I could sleep.

"(Y/n)? About what Kuroo said, if we were to date we wouldn't tell him right?" His voice talked into the darkness.

This meant that I couldn't really see his face, I could only guess what he was hinting at.

"Oh..yeah.." I answered, sobering up from sleep.

"Well, can we do the-uh, dating e-eachother." He stumbled over his words which made me smile a bit.

My face was burning underneath the covers that he could easily steal away from me.

"I think I'd like that very much, Kenma." I smiled, not stumbling over my words.

I felt an arm pull me closer to his chest and kiss my cheek. My heart beat like a drum inside my chest as I tried to find my slumber again. The weight of his arm around my waist. The kiss on my cheek. The warmth of-

"Goodnight, (Y/n)." Kenma's voice rang out, soothing my thoughts.

I smiled softly and closed my eyes. I guess this kind of love wasn't a waste of time after all.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

a/n: this is from my “Haikyuu x Reader Oneshots” on Wattpad! I hope you enjoyed and let me know if you want more!

the header is from lena!! on Pinterest

#haikyuu fluff #hq kenma #hq imagines #kenma x reader #kenma fluff #hq fluff #nekoma #kuroo tetsurou #best friends #kozume kenma #kenma kozume #kenma x y/n #haikyuu kenma #kenma x you

[yostresswritinggirl]

*sobs* I hate being an uni student AAAAAAA kinning Alrani rn so tru

The world is cold and harsh but tiddies are soft and warm and I just want to plop down on Alhaitham habibi's tiddies and use it like a pillow while I complain about classes and papers and how tf did they even graduate with such prestige and overall just surrender

I am snickering and heavily contemplating doing this before just going "ah fuck it, comfort my 2nd fave child with this bitch, i guess" not like I can finish this fic in the intended hour anyways

It was not easy to startle Alhaitham, but here he was, flinching to the point of fumbling with the book in his hand to avoid dropping it.

How could he when it was almost dead silent in the room a few seconds ago? Getting used to hearing nothing but pages turning and pen scribblings, a few sighs here and there that he chose to ignore because he thoroughly believed you needed more focus than reassurance -

So when you sobbed in your hands before letting out an anguished scream shortly after your initial mumbles, his shock was warranted.

More muffled words flew out of your mouth, most likely complaints, that had him sighing. No more reading for him, it seems.

Alhaitham was in the process of putting a bookmark between the pages when you stood up and sluggishly made your way over - almost throwing his book to the side table when you abruptly took a seat on his lap to bury your face to his chest. As he predicted, no more reading.

His exquisite eyes side-eyed the other half of the couch that was unoccupied and perfectly fit for you to drape yourself on instead of him, but he digressed.

"Ow." You groaned but stayed in place at the feeling of a flinch to your temple.

"Correction: A uni student. The word-initial "y" sound is a glide phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring you to use a instead of an."

The correction went into one ear and out the other at the feeling of his fingers carding through your hair, massaging your scalp when reaching your head.

Ignoring his words and mumbling more complaints, he sighs and wraps his unoccupied arm around your waist, leaning back on the couch so you can rest on him in a more comfortable posture. He scoffs when you asked about how he graduated.

"Just the same as you, with frustrations and hardships. Progress is easily neglected when faced with harder obstacles," he rants while his hand absentmindedly strokes your head. If you were to look up, you'd see the faraway look in his eyes, reminiscing. "You've done well to reach this far, this is not your first gripe with deadlines or papers, but you would soon reach your last."

Wrapping his other arm around your torso, he cradles you closer into his chest. "Rest and clear your thoughts, perhaps a fresh mind would do works than one of frustrations." And Alhaitham rests his chin on the top of your head.

#genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #alhaitham x reader #al haitham x reader #exile.goblet #exile.flower #exile.reader #gender neutral #cilly #sumeru arc #try not to die cilly!

[seangelfish]

Childhood friends

Yuzuru Fushimi & Ibara Saegusa x Platonic! Reader

Genre/s: Fluff (and a bit of angst)

Word count: 1,728

Plot/summary: You're childhood friends with both Yuzuru Fushimi and Ibara Saegusa in which you have a story with both of them. However, you became rather distant with Yuzuru due to his butler duties at the Himemiya residence, but you try not to hold a grudge as you still loved being his friend. Thankfully, Ibara was there for you, and you have always appreciated his help and company. They were your closest friends, so it was time to hang out with them both!

Honestly, it’s kind of weird. You have met Yuzuru first, when you two were both very young, before he went into the military and before he decided to become Tori’s full-time butler. It was an odd encounter especially since his family were strict with everything he did. He came from a family of higher class too.

Ibara, however, was a different story. After Yuzuru informed you of him joining a military training camp which was enforced by his parents, he would send you letters of how well he was putting up. In those letters, he would write about Ibara, even if they were short sentences. The relationship he had with Ibara at the time was ‘quite wholesome’ as you would say, but when Yuzuru’s last letter was sent to you, you realised that their friendship really didn’t last too long.

When Yuzuru’s military training camp came to an end, he had finally become a servant for the Himemiyas. That meant he didn’t have that much time to hang out with you as you used to. It broke your heart, but it couldn’t be helped. However, he would always try to make time for you even if that time was spent at Tori's home.

"Is (Y/N) coming over today?!" Tori would ask Yuzuru in excitement. The pink-haired boy had grown fond of you every time you visited, but in exchange, you had mixed feelings. So, this was the boy that took your best friend away from you? Seriously? You tried to hide those feelings, but of course, Yuzuru read you like a book and even scolded you for it.

"(Y/N), are you jealous?" he asked you one day, pouring you a cup of tea and setting down a plate of pastries in front of you.

You smiled at him. "Yes," you confessed. "I know I shouldn't be jealous though, after all, I don't own you – Tori does."

Yuzuru sighed at your answer. You were always so blunt with him, but he appreciated how honest you were sometimes. You picked up one of the pastries and took a bite. Mmm, that tastes nice, you thought. Does Yuzuru bake these himself?

"(Y/N)..." Yuzuru started. "I'm sorry, but–"

"This is what you chose, I know," you interrupted. "I should support my friend, but I just can't help feeling... I don't know... betrayed?"

Yuzuru fell silent and so did you.

After a few seconds, you mumbled an apology. He smiled at you softly, pinching your cheek. He understood your feelings all too well as Ibara was the same.

And that’s when you met Ibara. Before Yuzuru devoted his whole life to the Himemiyas, he pleaded that you befriend his friend from the camp. He gave you specific instructions and everything in order to find this Ibara character you’ve only known in his letters.

“You must really care about him,” you commented, drinking your tea slowly.

“I do regret leaving him there by himself,” Yuzuru admitted. “So, please take care of him for me. I know he resents me now.”

You obliged yet befriending Ibara was hard work. He would NOT open up. After the training camp, Ibara had tried to work his way up, rebuilding all of the Godfather’s abandoned businesses.

“Oh, I’m also taking business courses,” you stated happily, hoping that this relation would bring you closer to him.

Ibara shrugged it off. “So?” he said. “You won’t be able to help me with the basic knowledge you acquire from those little lessons.”

You just wanted to slap him. However, you could understand why he acted this way. Yuzuru did give you half of his backstory…

You kept trying and trying. You would wake up everyday happy and energised in hopes Ibara would finally accept you. He would find you annoying for a bit, but he did really appreciate your help. Though, he did keep an eye on you. What did you want from him anyway? Money? If that was what you wanted, he’d give it to you for you to finally leave.

But you never left, and you never took any money from him. That was when he realised that you weren’t using him at all.

“(Y/N),” he said, eyeing you on your laptop, calculating some random income statement he wanted you to do. “Thank you for everything, I’m serious.”

You looked up from your laptop, confused. Though, when you noticed his smile linger on you, you couldn't help but smile too.

“Have you finally accepted me as your friend?” you chirped.

He nodded and muttered, “My best friend.”

What he didn’t know was that you were best friends with Yuzuru too, but that’s a whole ‘nother story for him to dissect.

Present Day...

Tori looked through the whole school for you, but when he found you in the gardens enjoying a cup of tea, he began to beg.

“(Y/N)!” he whined. “Can you please do me a favour? I’ll pay you back!”

He gripped your leg with pleading eyes.

You sighed. “What is it now, Tori?”

“Well… the first years are going off on a two day trip, and uh… I want you to keep an eye on Yuzuru,” he said quickly.

“Yuzuru?”

“Yes, can you PLEASE do it?”

Maybe you’ve been spending too much time with Ibara lately, but a portion of you found Tori annoying. Of course, you loved him, he was sweet to you, and was cute! But this was the person that took Yuzuru away from you, and you just didn’t like that. You could never admit this though. You’ll take those thoughts to your grave.

“I don’t understand, why would I need to—”

Before you could finish your sentence, Yuzuru dashed in.

“Young Master, I was looking everywhere for you! You had forgotten your lunch,” Yuzuru exclaimed. “You need to eat it.”

Tori groaned, “Ugh, fine.”

Yuzuru caught your eye and said, “(Y/N), hello. How are you today?”

You smiled sadly, and this immediately took him aback.

“I’m fine,” you responded. “Tori, I’ll take care of Yuzuru.”

“What, really?! Thank you!”

Tori jumped onto you for a hug, telling you that ‘you’re the best’ multiple times. Yuzuru, who hated when Anzu would get attention from Tori, smiled at this display of affection. However, he didn’t understand what the two of you were talking about.

On the day of the trip, you finally realised why Tori wanted you to take care of Yuzuru. Yuzuru had been frantically bringing Tori stuff that he ‘needed’ for the trip, giving him his best advice, and telling him to keep safe.

“What would the Young Master do without me?!” Yuzuru would say, and you would roll your eyes at how dramatic he was being. “I’m just so worried!”

“I now realise why Ibara hates you,” you commented. “Come on, lighten up. Tori will be fine. Plus, we can finally hang out as friends now. We have two days free together!”

Yuzuru stopped and looked at you. You didn’t hate him? Well, you did greet him with a hug when he transferred to Yumenosaki, but you definitely were different from the last time he saw you. He did leave you behind like he did with Ibara after all.

“Today, we shall go to a themed cafe!” you exclaimed, grabbing his hand and twirling yourself around.

He laughed at this and he just couldn’t help but to twirl you around a second time.

“Why is HE here?” they both said simultaneously.

Situated on a circular table from left to right was Ibara, you and Yuzuru. You simply grinned in response.

“(Y/N), I thought it was a day for us two?" Yuzuru queried, perplexed at his current predicament.

“I thought so too,” said Ibara. “Why would you bring him?”

“Well, both of you are my favourite people and I would like to spend the day with the two of you together. Plus… it’s my birthday, so you have to do whatever I say!”

“It’s not your birthday,” they both said at the same time.

You changed the subject quickly. “That’s so sweet, you guys remembered my actual birthday!” you cheered.

They looked at you with confusion, so you held both their hands in a way to plead them to stay.

“Let’s just enjoy this time together, okay?” you continued. “We’re all friends here, and I never really get to hang out with you two at the same time! This is exciting for me, you know?”

You had the biggest grin on your face and they just couldn’t let you down, so they reluctantly agreed to stay. You were their dearest friend after all, and they wouldn’t want to see you sad.

The platonic date wasn’t too bad. They kept it tamed when you were around, but when you needed to go to the bathroom, they immediately began hurling insults at each other. When you came back to find them acting like that, you smacked both of their heads.

“It’s like I’m babysitting you two,” you said with a sigh.

They looked offended at the statement.

“(Y/N), I think we’re both the ones babysitting you most of the time,” Yuzuru corrected, and surprisingly, Ibara agreed.

“We’re the ones helping you with your homework,” said Ibara. “And who got you into Yumenosaki in the first place?”

You smiled at them sheepishly. “Just so you know, I love you both,” you sang. “Ibara, Yuzuru, I really do appreciate you both with my entire heart.”

They smiled at this. Due to your presence, they finally had something they could agree upon: teasing you. So, with the rest of the platonic date, they would talk to each other about how an annoyance you were when you were young. Of course, they weren’t harsh about it, so they did leave you compliments here and there.

With that being said, you three even took a picture together. They saw how sweet the smile on your face was, and they hoped you could smile like that forever.

“Thank you for treating me today!” you exclaimed as you walked with them, arm in arm, down the bustling street.

“I actually enjoyed it,” hummed Yuzuru.

“Hmm, so did I,” admitted Ibara. “But I’d rather not do it again.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you said as you tried to swing yourself with their arms wrapped into yours, like a little kid whose swinging by their parents’ hands.

Even so, you hoped you could do this with your childhood friends again.

Intro page | Ensemble Stars masterlist | Rules

#enstars #enstars x reader #ensemble stars #ensemble stars x reader #yuzuru fushimi x reader #ibara saegusa x reader #platonic reader #x reader #x reader fanfics #fanfic #enstars fanfics #ensemble stars fanfics

[muldermuse]

Your first date? Or your first time with fox mulder 👀👀

Thank you for sending this through!!! I hope it's ok <3

If u have any ideas for Fox Mulder fics/headcanons/aus anything pls send them throuuuuuuugh. I will be forever grateful <3

He’s nervous, Scully has been giving him sly looks throughout the day as he’s been trying his hardest to keep it together. The day has been littered with small mistakes, starting with accidentally throwing his takeaway coffee in the trash to biting his pen and not realising the blue ink had covered his shirt with soaking blotches. He tried to ignore the superstitious voice in his head telling him that the day (and your first date) was determined to go badly. 

He asked you out on a date the third time he met you, initially the date was planned to be that week, however, a bout of sickness had made you bed bound. You called to apologise and rescheduled for the same date next week, unfortunately, Fox had a case that had taken him out of town. He called you from his crappy motel; his stomach filled with knots at the thought of letting you down. 

Your fingers twisted around the phone cord as you laid on your bed sheet. “You know, I’ve heard some pretty good date cancelling excuses. But travelling to Minnesota to catch a demonic stray dog i-“

He interrupted, “I think you mean, potential werewolf sighting” 

His voice made you blush, it always did, you felt the warmth rise up your chest. “Well, I know that Scully thinks it’s something along the stray dog lines.”

He smiled, you made him feel less alone, even in this dusty motel room hundreds of miles away from you- you were making him smile. “I am really sorry to cancel, I’m back on Sunday. I’ll pick you from the apartment at 2?”

***

So, it’s the third attempt at a first date and he’s nervous. He parked outside your apartment at 1:30 and had been building up the courage to go in. He knew that 30 minutes was too early, at 1:40 he thought he may as well wait for ten more minutes. However, at 1:42, he made his way up to your door. He had your coffee order, a pastry and a bunch of lilies gripped nervously in his hand. He thinks about knocking on your door, or should he ring the bell? Before he has time to consider each option more critically, the door opens and there you are. 

You take his breath away.

He knows that you’d class what you’re wearing as nothing special, but to him you look incredible as always. You’re slightly more made up than usual, your eye lids dusted with a muted brown and your mascara making your lashes look even longer. Your lip liner and lip gloss combo enhances your mouth and all he can think about in that moment is kissing you. Your hair is down and behind your shoulders; you smile awkwardly at him. 

“Oh my god, please tell me I look okay! I’ve spent ages deciding what to wear, at first I chose a dress but then I thought it might be too much and then I de-“. He could tell you were panicked and nervous; just the same as him. He held your hand as he gently pressed a kiss to your cheek, taking in the sweet smell of your perfume as he said with as much confidence as he could muster, “you look amazing. I’m looking forward to spending the day with you.” 

The date is a walk around the park near your apartment, then a trip to a book store which Fox always talks about and then a late lunch at a restaurant you’ve talked about extensively. You’ve been looking forward to it as much as he has. Your previous dates have usually started at 7pm and you’ve been emotionally checked out, or repulsed, by half past.

On the walk, you found out more about his work and how much his career meant to him. He asked you about your job and your future dreams. You noticed that he smiled throughout, looking at you with a grin on his face as he heard you talk about where you wanted to be in five years. In the bookstore, you realised how similar you were as you perused the endless aisles. Seemingly every book you went to pick up he had read or had at home on his shelf. 

“I have most of the ones you’re interested in, you could always come round and choose some.” 

“Fox, if that’s a way to get me into your apartment and to see your water bed- I swear”. A smirk crossed his face as a red tinge covered his cheeks,

“I mean- can you blame me for trying?”

As you both got more comfortable throughout the date, you noticed both yourself and Fox becoming more flirty with each other. You’d hold his arm when he made you giggle, he’d blush when you got closer to him and he’d intertwine your fingers with his in quiet moments.

***

The restaurant was quietening down, it was the liminal zone between the lunch rush and early diners. The candles were lit on each table despite the sun shining outside, only around a quarter of the tables were full as soft music played. All of a sudden, you seemed to remember that you were on a date with the person you have a crush on and you felt a pang of anxiety hit you. Fox seemed oblivious to your rising nerves as he idly chatted through the menu and ordering water for the table. 

He looked so so good today. His hair was perfectly off his face and his smile seemed brighter than it ever had before. Before your thoughts could spiral more about your sudden prick of nervousness, you felt his warm hand cover yours and quell your ill feelings in an instant. His touch grounded you back to the moment. “I’m going to get a bottle of white, is that okay? We can get soda as well if you’d like”.

You moved your hand to hold his fingers with a squeeze, “White is great, thank you”. With his soft eyes and sweet smile in front of you, the nerves seemingly dissipated from your body and you felt a blush creeping up your chest. This was the best date you’d ever been on and you knew in that moment that you had to let him know.

You got a main each and then shared a dessert. The wine was going down easily and you were on your second bottle with no intentions to get a third. The alcohol was coursing through your veins which resulted in a permanent smile being on your face. 

“You know” he swiped his spoon through the caramel chocolate mousse in front of you, “you’ve been smiling at me for the past twenty minutes”. He put the spoon in his mouth and winked at you.

“Maybe I’m having a really good time,” you picked up your wine glass and sipped the remaining liquid, “or, maybe it’s the wine.”

He threw his head back with a laugh, “It’s definitely the first one.”

The bill arrived and Fox paid before you could argue, you made a mental note to pay for the second date. The sun was setting as you left the restaurant and before you could step further outside, Fox held your hand tightly in his.

***

“So, this is me…” The conversation had continued to flow as you walked back to your apartment, you took the long route to prolong the time you could spend with him. You both awkwardly stood in front of your front door. Neither of you wanted this night to end. You could invite him inside for a coffee, you could say that your bedroom light was flickering and you would like him to take a look at it. You couldn't end it without a big move and with the liquid courage still in your body; you pressed your lips to his. 

You brought your hands up to cup his face as you kissed him. His nose nudged against yours as his hands slid down to your hips, pulling you closer to him as you felt him smile against your lips. The taste of chocolate and sweet caramel still lingered on his lips. His forehead touched yours as your fingers interlocked at the nape of his neck. He looked at you with a hunger in his eyes, wordlessly you held his hand as you unlocked your front door and dragged him inside.

“Third times the charm, I guess” He laughed as you locked the door.

#fox mulder #fox mulder x reader #the x files #fox mulder fanfic #fox mulder imagine #the x files fanfic #fox mulder fluff #the x files fluff #the x files fanfiction #david duchovny #fox mulder smut #fox mulder headcanon #fox mulder fanfiction #mulder x reader #agent mulder #mulder #txf #the xfiles #xfiles

[writing-intheundercroft]

When We're Older || Love

AO3 Link

Word Count: 8,176

Chapter Rating: Explicit (warning: smut, PIV sex, NSFW, MDNI)

A/N: Did a quick poll last week so I'm posting full chapters on tumblr now and will start updating old chapters! Big Theo chapter with some sweet Seb smut in the back half :) as always, thank you to my beta @happyaccidentsonly 🤍

October 1890

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. Theo could have easily spent the beautiful autumn day with any of her new friends, but she chose to spend every Sunday afternoon with Professor Fig, tucked away in his office. She sat in a giant wingback chair, feet perched beneath her, as he graded essays at his desk. A gramophone in the corner of the room played music, and she had her transfiguration textbook open on her lap. The two worked in a comfortable silence, only stopping whenever Theo had a question or Professor Fig had a funny anecdote.

This afternoon was different; a question gnawed at Theo’s heart.

“Professor, do you know the Sallow twins?” Theo asked, tapping her fingers against the book.

Professor Fig tilted his head, still pouring over a roll of parchment. “The Sallows…ah, yes. Those twins in Slytherin.” He turned to her, pulling his reading glasses off his face. “I’ve heard you’ve become fast friends with the boy, Sebastian.”

Theo nodded, pulling her feet tighter underneath herself. “Yes, we’ve become very close since the start of term. Professor Weasley asked him to take me to Hogsmeade the day of the troll attack.”

“Good thing you had a skilled duelist on your side.” Fig tutted. “I’ve heard he’s a force to be reckoned with. Terrible troublemaker too. Poor Madame Scribner spends most of her evenings with him in detention.” he laughed. “He’s expressed interest in magical theory; I reckon the two of you will be fighting to be top of my class next year.”

Theo smiled. “Yes, I’m quite fond of him. But I was wondering if you ever met Anne, his sister.”

Fig sighed. “No, I haven’t. Poor thing–I heard that curse is still wreaking havoc on her.”

Theo picked at the edges of her book. “I meant to ask you; have you looked into her curse at all? Being the Magical Theory professor, I’m sure they must have consulted you on what’s ailing her.”

Fig nodded, setting down his quill. “I have reviewed her case from Nurse Blainey and the notes from St. Mungo’s, but goblin magic is quite complex, and far beyond any of our understanding. On top of that, her uncle is quite reluctant to have her undergo further testing and examination. The stress of it all wears down on her, and makes the pain worse.” He tilted his head. “I wonder how Anne is faring nowadays.”

“She’s alright.” Theo quipped. Professor Fig gave her an inquisitive look, and her cheeks reddened. “Sebastian invited me on his most recent trip home to Feldcroft,” she admitted. “I was able to meet her there.”

Fig gave her a sly grin. “Should I be worried that a young man invited you home to meet his sister?”

“Professor!” Theo gaped.

Fig held up his hands, laughing. “I only ask, I’ve heard Sebastian is considered quite handsome. I am clued in to all the gossip around the castle, you know. Quite a few young ladies have talked about how close the two of you are…” he trailed off.

“Ew, no!” Theo gagged. “Sebastian is like a brother to me; we’re friends, that’s all.”

Fig gave her a rather curious look. “Theo, I know I’m not your father–”

“Which is a good thing,” Theo reminded him. “You know more than he ever would care to know about me. Especially if you care to know about the boys in my life.”

Fig sighed, shaking his head. “I was going to say, I’m not your father, but if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, especially about boys–”

“I’m going to stop you there,” Theo snorted, holding her hand up. “I’m fine . Won’t be needing any advice for a very, very long time.”

Fig chuckled. “Thank Merlin for that. I fear advice for teenage romance is outside of my skill set.” He folded his hands together, pursing his lips. ��Anyways, you ask about his sister–I know he’s rather determined to figure out a cure for her.”

“He is,” Theo echoed. I’d like to help him, she wanted to say, but Professor Fig wouldn’t be pleased that she’d told Sebastian about her ancient magic. For some reason, Theo had trusted the brunette boy with her deepest secret–something about his warm brown eyes made her feel like he would understand.

“Magical theory teaches us that love is one of the strongest catalysts for magic,” Professor Fig explained. “It’s unexplainable, indescribable. But there have been cases where love itself has cured, protected, revived, of all things…what love can do will amaze you.”

“Just love?” Theo raised her eyebrows. “That’s all?”

“That’s all,” Professor Fig chuckled. He stood, walking over to his bookshelf. Fig tapped his fingers on the spines of several books, stopping at one with a red cover. Taking it off the shelf, he passed it over to Theo.

“ Mysteries of Emotion in Magical Theory ,” Theo read off the cover. She looked up at Professor Fig, who had his usual twinkle in his eye.

“Some light reading to prepare for next year,” he smiled down at her, patting her shoulder. “And I know you worry about your friend and his sister, I’m sure he’ll find a way. Love has a funny way of healing all wounds, don’t you think?”

May 1891

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Imelda asked, frowning down at Theo. The rest of the girls were standing at the base of the staircase a few feet away; Violet was impatiently tapping her wrist watch, glaring at the two of them.

Theo shook her head, curling her feet up underneath her on the couch. “I’m okay, I promise. You guys go have fun.” she urged her friend. The girls were going out to Hogsmeade to celebrate Grace’s birthday, but Theo didn’t feel up to celebrating. It had only been a week since her battle with Ranrok, and she knew she’d only ruin Grace’s fun with her moping.

“I can stay,” Imelda reminded her, her voice soft and very much unlike her. “We can study for our OWLs together.”

Theo snorted. “Imelda, you must think the situation is quite dire to offer studying on a Friday night.”

Imelda rolled her eyes. “I’m only worried about you, that’s all.”

“Go,” Theo waved her off. “I’ll be here when you all get back. Merlin knows I’ll have to help hold back Grace’s hair once you all return.”

Imelda gave her a cheeky grin, promising to bring back one of Sirona’s giant chocolate chip cookies for her. Theo watched her roommates depart up the spiral stairs, and once the common room doors shut, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It had been seven days of people primping and fussing over her–first, the professors, hovering over her to make sure she didn’t fall apart in the middle of the hallways. Then it was her peers, all clamoring to understand what exactly had happened underneath the school, and why the strange new fifth year had been there. Finally, it was the ministry, aurors speaking to her like a child, asking how Eleazar Fig had died, and what had happened to both Ranrok and Rookwood.

Frankly, it was all exhausting. She was thankful that Weasley and Ronen had collected her classwork for the week, and that Ominis had done a good enough job of fighting off the peanut gallery, all having their own opinions on the newly dubbed “Hero of Hogwarts”.

Once she was sure the coast was clear, Theo got up, leaving the dorms. She cast a disillusionment charm, walking to the only place in the school that gave her comfort.

She tiptoed from the dungeons to the defense against the dark arts wing, all the way up to the third floor. Without a sound, she slipped into Professor Fig’s classroom and up to his office. Theo fell into her chair in the corner of the room, waving her wand at the gramophone to start playing Fig’s favorite song. She imagined it was the start of the school year again, and they were sitting in his classroom grading papers. In her mind, Professor Fig was alive, sitting at his desk waiting for her to ask him a question.

“Theo?”

She whipped her head to the door, about to yell at the intruder, but her face softened when she saw Sebastian poking his head in. His hair was messy, a cowlick poking up at the back. He too was in his pajamas; lately it seemed that he rarely left his bed or the Undercroft, unless it was for class or dinner. Things had been tense between him and Ominis, and she herself had hardly spoken to him after Fig’s memorial service. She’d wanted to give him time to process the news about Rookwood cursing Anne, but Sebastian had kept to himself for weeks.

“Hi,” she greeted him; it came out as a croak. “What are you doing here?”

Sebastian shut the door behind him, padding over to her in his felt slippers. “I came to see if you were okay,” he murmured. “I overheard Ominis talking with Imelda; they said you’d skipped dinner, and that you weren’t going out with the girls tonight.”

Theo shook her head. “No, I didn’t feel like it.”

Sebastian knelt down in front of her. “I grabbed you a pasty from the kitchen.” he said, pulling out a napkin from his robe pocket. “I figured you might be hungry.”

“How did you know I’d be in here?” Theo asked, her voice shaky.

Sebastian shrugged. “You loved Professor Fig.” His brown eyes met hers. Theo had seen so many things in them over the past few months–anger, envy, despair. And in the month since Solomon’s death and Anne’s departure, she’d seen regret, sadness, and longing. But tonight, as Sebastian looked up at her, she only saw fondness. Only Sebastian would trek all the way to the kitchens to bring her dinner; only Sebastian would know she’d be hiding in Professor Fig’s office.

Lower lip trembling, Theo tumbled from the chair and into Sebastian’s arms. The pasty fell to the floor as Sebastian wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, tucking her into his body.

“I really, really miss him,” Theo’s voice cracked as she buried his face into his shoulder. He smelled warm, like cedar cologne and vanilla cauldron cakes he’d probably nicked from the kitchen.

“I know,” he murmured against her hair as she sobbed. “I know.” He rocked her back and forth, letting her cry against him. Theo’s fingers curled into the collar of his pajama shirt, pulling him close.

Sebastian was the only person who could understand her, Theo thought. True kindred spirits.

September 1891

“You can’t go back from this,” Percival warned her. “Not unless you find another vessel, and given the current state of your relationship with goblinkind, I doubt you’ll find someone to make a repository nearly as strong. It could kill you.”

Theo stood in the map chamber, her hands clasped behind her back as she spoke to the Keepers. All four stood at their portraits, staring down at her in awe as she explained herself.

“I know,” Theo said sternly. “But this power…it’s a mistake to keep it underneath the school. I can feel it at all times, it’s too strong. Someone will always try to take it for themselves, so I want it to die with me.”

“You’re not just doing it for that reason,” San Bakar glared at her. “Your emotions blind you. You think that you’re being noble, but you’re doing it for what you think is love.”

It was love , Theo thought to herself. She’d spent all summer pouring over the book that Professor Fig had gifted her. She’d done even more research, combing through every magical theory textbook she could get her hands on. Theo had done the work, exhausted all options, and she knew she had to open the repository. Besides her main reasoning (she truly did believe it was too dangerous to keep a shoddily patched together repository underneath the castle where all of Britain’s young wizarding talent lived), she had another motivation.

She loved Sebastian. The bond they’d created over the last year was stronger than any friendship she’d ever had in her short life. And by extension, she had to love Anne. She knew Anne felt indifferent towards her, perhaps hated her. But the twins were two halves of a whole, and if Anne died, Sebastian would never be the same.

Only Rookwood and Niamh looked at her with any sort of sympathy.

“Perhaps the girl is right, Percival. It is too dangerous to keep it below Hogwarts.” Rookwood advised. “If history has taught us anything, unbridled power in the wrong hands will be the downfall of wizardkind.”

“She’s a child!” Bakar argued. “Duped by puppy love!”

“It isn’t like that,” Theo said simply. “I know it. I know it in my heart.”

“You believe your love is strong enough to protect you from the effects of this magic, but there’s no way to prove it.” Niamh said softly. “You understand that, don’t you, Theodora?”

Theo nodded. “I do.” she rocked back and forth on her feet. “And I’m willing to accept the consequences.”

Niamh looked at her curiously. “You understand that pain needs to go somewhere. It cannot be contained, at least not safely, as you’ve witnessed. And you’re willing to accept the pain of others out of love?”

“I love this school,” Theo confessed. “I love my friends. I love magic. I love what this strange power has given me. And if it means I live with Isidora’s mistakes in me forever, then so be it.”

“Nor shadow without light,” Niamh reminded her.

“Nor shadow without light.” Theo repeated.

“You do this at your own risk,” Rackham warned her again. “We cannot help you past this.”

Theo smiled up at the Keepers as she descended down the stairs. “See you on the other side,” she declared, walking into the cavern.

When she returned, eyes glowing red, the portraits of the four Keepers were empty. With the magic of the repository surging through her, Theo was beyond their understanding. It seemed they had nothing left to teach her. Perhaps they’d appear again, Theo thought. When another like her came around.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t be a cautionary tale they told the next one.

The next task at hand was a little harder, trying to work without her two best friends realizing her motivations. Sebastian had a tedious but regular schedule, and any time he wasn’t at work he was either by her side or face down on his bed. Theo would’ve thought Ominis would be easier to dupe, but despite his blindness, had a keen awareness of his surroundings.

She had spent two weeks sneaking into the boys’ dormitory daily, rifling through Ominis’s desk for any hint of Anne. She’d almost given up, until she found a scrap of paper hidden under a pile of books.

Keenbridge. Half past noon, Saturday

The script was suspiciously close to Sebastian’s, but slightly neater. It had to be Anne.

That Saturday, Theo followed Ominis from her broom, flying a fair distance above the blond as he traveled to Keenbridge. She watched as he waited, and felt a lump in her throat as she saw Anne Sallow approach him in the hamlet square. Landing her broom to get a closer look, Theo had to hold in her gasp. Anne’s eyes were sullen, big purple dark circles dominating her tired face. She looked thin and frail, as if a hard gust of wind would knock her down. Theo observed the two of them, sitting down to lunch at the hamlet’s pub; Ominis looked worried the entire time as Anne dismissed him. She’d hardly touched her food, only nibbling at bread dipped in soup.

Ominis stayed with her for hours, until Anne assured him she was okay. Once the blond disappeared into the floo flames, Theo reversed her disillusionment charm, making Anne jump.

“Don’t run,” Theo pleaded.

“What are you doing here?” Anne barked. “Did you follow Ominis?”

“I did,” Theo said simply, folding her hands in front of her. “I needed to find you. I know how to help you now. Will you let me?”

Anne looked conflicted at first–but with Theo’s urging, hours of explanation, and a promise that Sebastian wouldn’t know, she let her try out her newly acquired powers.

August 1892

Theo sat in bed, her now tattered copy of Mysteries of Emotion in Magical Theory sitting on her lap.

“Get dressed,” Sebastian urged, walking past the bed for the fifth time. He was wearing trousers, flicking through the wardrobe to find a clean shirt.

“What’s the point, you’re just going to take them off me in an hour anyways,” Theo sighed, flipping the page. The clothes she’d been wearing that morning were strewn around the bedroom.

Sebastian was blushing, but he tried to give her a stern look. “Ominis will be here any moment, and you’re laying in bed naked.”

Theo pouted, and Sebastian walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. The mattress dipped beneath his weight. “What’s wrong?” he murmured, putting a hand on her waist.

“I just wish we had more time, just the two of us,” Theo whispered. It was Friday, and Theo was due to depart on Tuesday morning. Her stay in Feldcroft so far had been pure bliss, despite the hiccup in having to explain her surge in power to Sebastian. Besides that, the couple had been playing house–fixing up the garden, tending to repairs, reading in bed next to each other until they inevitably began kissing. Theo relished the feeling of sleeping naked next to Sebastian, pretending it was their everyday life. In a few weeks, they’d be back at Hogwarts, where it was impossible to find privacy. And after experiencing the joy of making love, Theo wasn’t sure how she’d survive the year without doing it constantly.

Sebastian gave her an earnest look, his hand trailing from her waist up to cup her breast. Theo bit down as he ran his thumb over her nipple, squeezing her with the palm of his hand. He suddenly withdrew, getting up from the bed. “Get dressed,” he warned her.

Theo narrowed her eyes at him when he tossed her trousers and shirt onto the bed. “Tease,” she grumbled.

“You love me,” Sebastian said coyly.

“Unfortunately, I do.” Theo sighed, rolling out of bed. Despite her grumbling, she couldn’t hide the smile on her face. Things really had turned out for the best, she thought to herself. Theo had worried that expanding their relationship past friendship would change things, affect how she controlled her magic. Much to her surprise, loving him romantically had just expanded her heart, and she’d never felt more in control than ever.

Besides the slip of her power in the bedroom, of course–but Sebastian hadn’t said anything else, and they’d done it plenty of times since.

The two of them started on their chores for the day. Sebastian had been trying to teach Theo how to cook, so Theo worked on the massive pile of burnt dishes in the sink. Sebastian stripped the sheets, hanging the freshly washed ones out on the line to dry. They then moved outdoors, working on bringing Anne’s little garden back to life. They’d just finished replanting a few of the rose bushes, when a loud pop cracked in the air.

“Oops,” Ominis gasped, falling backwards onto the fledgling bushes. “Sorry, I'm still getting used to this.”

“Ominis,” Sebastian roared. “The bloody roses!”

Theo grasped Ominis’s forearm, pulling him up. “Ominis,” she sang, her greeting much kinder. She pulled their best friend into a tight embrace, while Sebastian fussed over the plants.

“I’m sorry,” Ominis laughed. “I’m rubbish at apparition. Barely passed the exam.”

“I don’t know how they could give a blind man a license to apparate,” Sebastian rolled his eyes, throwing an arm around him. “You could’ve used the floo, you know. Would’ve saved me a few sickles on the new plants.”

Ominis rolled his milky blue eyes. “I’ll pay you back, don’t be so stingy.” He wrinkled his nose. “Can we go indoors, or have you two not cleaned out your little love nest? Is it even safe to share a roof with you two?”

Sebastian shoved Ominis back into the plants as the blind boy snickered.

The trio went inside; Theo and Sebastian had pieced together a birthday dinner for Ominis, who politely ate their attempt at a meal. He unboxed their presents to him (muggle books in braille from Theo, and a fresh batch of his favorite dictation quills from Sebastian) and the three tucked into a birthday cake made by Sirona, paired with a bottle of scotch. Ominis endured their pokes about his summer correspondence with Poppy, while he told them all about his sister’s wedding and the many mothers who’d tried to push their daughters onto him. Sebastian roared with laughter at Ominis’s painful description of an afternoon tea with Constance Dagworth that had ended with him being splattered in clotted cream.

The night wore on, with the three of them draining the bottle; Theo yawned as the boys talked on and on.

“Here’s to us, finally adults,” Ominis announced, raising his glass. “And next summer, we’ll be off in the world doing Merlin knows what–but for one last summer, I’d like to remember us as we are.”

“Broke, eating off chipped plates?” Sebastian joked. He slung his arm around Theo, drawing her close. She could smell his cedary cologne, mixed with sweat from the summer heat.

“Together,” Ominis corrected him. “Together, the three of us.”

Theo looked at her two favorite boys, her chest feeling heavy. It wasn’t pain, or anger that caused the pang in her heart as she watched Sebastian and Ominis teasing one another, or a physical malady. It was love–pure, unbridled love for the two people who understood her best. Her eyes felt droopy, and before long, she fell asleep against Sebastian’s shoulder.

The next time Theo opened her eyes, she was laid in the bed. Sebastian must’ve carried her, undressing her and tucking her under the thin sheets. The moonlight shined into the makeshift bedroom, and she would’ve sat up, had it not been for the voices behind the curtain, echoing in from the kitchen.

“I don’t know what it means,” Sebastian said. His voice sounded shaky, uncertain, and wholly unlike him.

“She said she went back?” Ominis asked, his voice quiet and concerned. “She…she broke the repository?”

Theo laid in the bed, eyes pressed shut as she listened to them talk.

“It explains so much. Her eyes…remember when she battered up Astoria Crickett? It was an accident, that’s certain, but she couldn’t control it. And when I found her in the vivarium that day, her magic was flickering red, like I’d never seen before.” Sebastian rambled. “There have been a few other occasions…like her birthday party, when she was yelling at me. I thought her eyes were red from the alcohol, but it must have been the magic.”

“I mean, she seems okay, Sebastian. She must have some control over it–she absorbed everything Ranrok and Rookwood were after, and she’s still here.”

“You didn’t see it,” Sebastian claimed. “Her eyes, before she fell asleep–they were red like fire, Ominis.”

Theo shifted uncomfortably. She hadn’t realized the surge of emotions had flashed in her eyes. She thought she’d gotten rather good at concealing it after all of her research, but she had been feeling so much that week. The first night with Sebastian, sharing a home with him, getting to spend time with Ominis–it had all made her so happy, her heart felt as if it were about to burst.

“We have to trust her, Sebastian.” Ominis muttered. “We don’t know ancient magic like she does. She’s the only one–we need to have faith in her, that she did the right thing.”

Sebastian hesitated. “I don’t know, Ominis. I don’t know if I can.”

Theo flipped over, facing the wall as she tried to tune them out. There was a lump in her throat as she thought of Sebastian’s voice, and the uncertainty behind it.

When she woke the next morning, Sebastian was sleeping next to her, as if the conversation in the kitchen had never happened.

“What do you want to do today?” Sebastian asked, stroking her hair. It was raining, limiting them to indoor activities. Sebastian certainly wasn’t complaining, and neither was Theo; the two of them were still in bed, well past noon.

Ominis had left the evening prior, hesitantly admitting he was off to visit Anne before the summer ended. Theo hadn’t missed the way Sebastian’s eye twitched, or that he’d needed to take a lengthy walk alone afterwards. He’d been quiet after dinner, the two of them falling asleep while reading their books next to each other in bed.

“Lay in bed with you forever,” Theo announced, pressing her cheek against his bare chest. “I can’t believe the week is over,” she grumbled.

Sebastian wrapped his arms tighter around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. They laid together in silence for a few more moments, until he cleared his throat.

“I was thinking,” he hummed. “About what you’d said. About your magic.”

Theo turned her head, propping her chin up on his chest. “What about it?” she asked softly.

Sebastian wasn’t looking at her; he stared ahead, blankly at the wall. “I was thinking about something I’d read in the restricted section a while back. Substitutes for goblin metal, or spells that could imbibe enough power into regular silver. It wouldn’t make it nearly as powerful, but I don’t think it could hurt to look into it again.”

“What for?” Theo bit down on her lower lip, knowing in her heart where Sebastian was going.

“For the magic,” Sebastian huffed. “We need to figure out how to get it out of you.”

“Sebastian, stop.” Theo sat up, gently resting a hand on Sebastian’s chest. “Stop.”

“I know you and Ominis made me promise not to look into the dark arts again,” Sebastian trailed off, ignoring her, “But I distinctly remember a spell in Secrets of the Darkest Arts talking about transferring protective properties–”

“Sebastian,” Theo gasped. “Absolutely not.”

He finally looked at her in the eyes, a frown set deeply upon his face. “Theo, you could be in danger. You don’t know what prolonged exposure to that magic could do to you–”

“I’m not asking you to help me,” Theo huffed. “I made a decision, I did something, that’s the end of it. I’m fine, Sebastian. I wouldn’t be sitting here with you if I wasn’t, would I?”

Sebastian rose, sliding off the bed to pace back and forth. “Theo, I’m the one who put it in your head to learn Isidora’s magic, but I didn’t ask you to absorb it,” he ranted. “It’s my fault. You did this, and now I have to help you fix it.”

Theo pulled her knees to her chest, her cotton nightgown catching against her knees. “Seb, I’m not asking you to fix me.” she said firmly. “Leave it alone.”

“No!” he bellowed. “Why don’t you understand?” he stood in place, his hands pressed into tight fists. “I can’t let you!”

“Let me?” She scoffed. “Who says you have any control over me?” Theo felt anger bubbling in her throat. “You don’t have a say in this, Seb. Guess I understand how Anne felt, after all.” she snarled. The second the words tumbled out of her mouth, she regretted them. Her hands flew up to her lips, covering them.

Sebastian stared at her, mouth agape. “That was cruel, Theo.” he said sharply. “That wasn’t you. How would Professor Fig feel if he knew what you’ve done?”

“You don’t get to talk about him like that,” Theo scowled, sliding off the bed to face him. “You don’t know him.”

“And you don’t get to use Anne against me,” Sebastian snapped, his freckled face twisted in anger. “You don’t know her either.”

He was wrong, Theo thought, clenching her jaw. She knew Anne–she knew a side of Anne Sebastian would never get to know. Theo had spent nearly the past year meeting with Anne monthly, healing her as much as she could. Theo was absorbing her physical pain in short spurts, now a human receptacle for Isidora Morganach’s power, and the only thing protecting her from harm was love.

A love, that at that very moment, was being put through its first test.

“Sebastian,” Theo’s voice faltered. “I don’t want to fight with you. I love you.”

Sebastian’s eyes were glistening; he fell to his knees in front of her, pressing his face against her stomach. “Theo, I’ve already lost everything else I love in this world. I can’t lose you too.” he whimpered. “Please, let me help you.”

Theo looked down at him, stroking his hair. She didn’t need his help–she didn’t want it. But she also couldn’t bear the sadness in his eyes, or the way his lips were trembling.

“Okay,” she said softly. “But no dark magic.” He opened his mouth to argue, but she gave him a stern look.

“Professor Fig had some ideas,” Theo lied. “About how Magical Theory could help me with my ancient magic. Perhaps we can start there.”

Sebastian pursed his lips; she could almost sense the wheels turning in his mind. He had always been interested in magical theory, and she remembered how Professor Fig had called Sebastian a force to be reckoned with. He’d been determined to help Anne, and Theo knew he’d stop at nothing to aid her.

“No dark magic,” He echoed. “Fine.”

Theo leaned down, pressing her trembling lips against his. She feared Sebastian’s one track mind was already casting off his other responsibilities, focusing only on her. How could she possibly explain that the solution was just love? There was no logic, no firm study to explain what was going on inside of Theo, and Sebastian had already fallen down the slippery slope once before.

“I’m sorry,” Sebastian sighed, pressing a kiss to her stomach. He looked up at her, his sweet brown eyes filled with regret. “Can we go back to bed?”

It was their last day together before term started, and Theo didn’t want to waste it pondering how she could throw Sebastian off from his new quest. So, she tugged him up to his feet, tangling her hands in his hair.

“Let’s go back to bed.”

September 1898

“You blithering idiots,” Theo rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips.

They were back in Ominis and Sebastian’s shared flat; both men sat on the small loveseat. Sebastian was holding a wet rag to the scrape on his arm, while Ominis sipped on a wiggenweld. The two looked disheveled, shirts and waistcoats torn after wrestling one another in the front drive of Caulfield Manor. Leander and the Hobhouses departed quickly once the boys hit the ground, and Theo had riskily apparated the pair back to the flat once she’d ensured no muggles were around to see them disappear. Upon their return, she’d forced the boys into the couch, pulling out the singular wiggenweld vial she kept stowed on her. It was her day off; she hadn’t been expecting to need more than one healing potion on hand.

“You didn’t have to punch me,” Sebastian grumbled, pressing the rag down harder.

“I had to make it look convincing,” Ominis argued. His lip had been split, but the wiggenweld was working its magic to thread his skin back together. “How did you not know?”

“How did you not mention it once I got home?” Sebastian barked. “I maybe would’ve opened with, ‘good to see you, hope you don’t mind I’m pretending to have cuckolded you to all of society’?” he said sarcastically.

“First of all, she’s not your wife yet,” Ominis pointed out. “So technically, even if I did start courting her, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Can you two stop arguing?” Theo pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sebastian, we both wrote you letters, telling you all about the plan. You didn’t receive either of them?”

“I didn’t, I swear!” Sebastian yelped, wrinkling his nose. “Can someone pass me a wiggenweld already?”

“They’re still brewing,” Theo said impatiently, glancing over to the kitchen. “You never miss our letters, I don’t know what happened.”

Sebastian opened his mouth to argue, then shut it quickly. She could see the blush rising on his cheeks as he adjusted his jaw. Even after being apart for three years, Theo knew exactly when Sebastian was deep in thought, the cogs turning in his head.

“What?” she demanded. “What is it?”

“Er, there was a week we didn’t get any letters in July.” Sebastian said sheepishly. “A manticore destroyed the postal carriage.”

“We wrote to you in July,” Ominis groaned. “After my birthday and Leander’s engagement party.”

“Oh.” Sebastian quipped. “Guess that makes sense then.”

The trio stared at each other for a full minute, taking in the full situation. It was Ominis who broke the silence first, a groan turning into a chuckle. Theo began giggling, and then Sebastian doubled over with laughter. Before long, the three were clutching their stomachs, tears at their eyes.

“You tackled me,” Ominis laughed. “You arse.”

“You suckerpunched me!” Sebastian cackled. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Merlin, you should’ve seen the look on Duncan’s face.” Theo gasped, holding a hand to her waist to steady herself. “Leander couldn’t have gotten them out of there fast enough.”

Ominis winced, kicking off his shoes. “I swear there’s gravel in my shoes.” The blond fell back against the settee, a smile plastered on his face. “Should I cancel the dinner, then?”

“Dinner?” Sebastian perked up, wincing as he clutched the rag to his scrape.

“I planned a welcome dinner,” Ominis explained. “Invited all our friends to greet you now that you’re back. Thought it would be nice after you saw Theo to see everyone else.”

Theo felt a lump in her throat as she looked at her boys; they were together again, and her heart felt as if it was going to explode. She turned around, eyes shut tightly with a hand over her chest, to calm herself.

Home. Sebastian was home. And Ominis, the sweetest boy she’d ever known, had tried to surprise them by getting their friends all together again. She kept her eyes shut, running her fingers over the silver chain around her neck to bring her back to earth.

“I think the wiggenweld should be done,” Theo said, opening her eyes once she’d calmed down. Striding over to the kitchen, she scooped some of the green liquid into a vial. Her fingers trembled as she carried it back into the living room, handing it to Sebastian. Their fingers touched as she passed it, his eyes flitting up to meet hers at the exchange.

“I’ll reschedule,” Ominis said, standing from the settee. “I think you two need some proper time to…catch up.” he smirked.

“Thanks Om,” Sebastian said breathlessly. He too stood, setting the vial down on the side table. “I feel much better now.” his voice was soft, hand trailing down to touch Theo’s. She bit down on her lip when his long fingers tangled with hers. Just feeling him, his skin on hers after three years apart, was enough to drive her mad.

“You two behave,” Ominis yelled lazily. “I’ll be going out in a bit–I certainly hope you won’t be here when I get back.”

Once Ominis’s bedroom door had shut, Theo’s head snapped up to Sebastian. He grinned down at her; even after all the time that had passed, he still had a boyish grin.

“Show me your house?” Sebastian said shyly. “I…I saw your dressing room, but I’d like to see the whole place.”

Theo wasted no time grabbing his hand, tugging him towards the gilded mirror that held a passageway to her dressing room. She could hear Sebastian chuckling, but she knew he was just as eager to follow her. They passed through the liquid glass, stumbling into Theo’s messy dressing room.

“If I had known you were coming home, I would’ve cleaned.” Theo admitted, leaning against her dressing table.

Sebastian leaned against one of her wardrobes, feeling a gown between his fingertips. “But it wouldn’t be you,” he smiled. “This…the messy dressing room, boots on the floor, it’s you. Just like I remember you.” He walked towards her, closing the distance between them. Theo felt her chest rise up and down as she looked up at her Sebastian, whose gaze was fixed on her neck.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asked quietly.

Theo nodded, pulling the chain out from underneath her chemise. The chain fell against the fabric of her dress, a ring falling against her bodice. Sebastian quickly pulled it into his fingers, examining it–a thick gold band with an emerald center, diamonds clustered around it.

“I’ve worn it every day,” Theo confessed. “Every day since you left.”

Sebastian let out a guttural groan, leaning forward to press his lips against hers. Theo threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in tight. She whimpered into his lips as he pulled the pins out of her hair, letting it fall loose.

“I missed you so damn much,” Sebastian gasped against her mouth.

“Show me,” Theo demanded.

The pair bounced off the dressing table (likely knocking over quite a few of her jewelry boxes, but that was fine) and knocked into the changing screen. Sebastian laughed against her mouth as it fell to the floor.

“You’re going to destroy my dressing room,” Theo complained, her mouth falling open as Sebastian pressed hot kisses against the column of her throat.

“I’ll destroy this whole damn house,” Sebastian growled. “To get you naked.”

She grinned, tangling her hands in his hair as she kissed him. Sebastian was trying his best to tug her blue blouse out of her skirts, eventually resorting to ripping it. She shivered, thinking about how strong he’d become.

“This is a new dress,” she gasped against his mouth.

“I’ll buy you a new one,” he huffed. “I can do that now.” His eyes darkened, and his hands tore at the buttons fastening her skirt. The pretty thin fabric tore easily in his hands, falling to the floor. Sebastian started to work on the laces of her corset, his lips sucking marks into her neck.

Two could play at that game, Theo thought. She ripped the buttons of his waistcoat, and tugged his dirt stained shirt. She could feel the hard planes of his chest beneath the fabric; he’d always been solid, but Sebastian had become chiseled during his years away from London. Theo stripped the shirt from his body, eyes raking over his freckled chest and tanned defined abs.

“I…I’m not going to be gentle,” Sebastian warned, his voice strained as he finally finished unlacing her corset. It fell to the side, and he gripped her breast, shutting his eyes as he felt the weight of her in his palm. “It’s been too long.”

Theo cupped his straining arousal through his trousers. “I know,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his chest. “We have the rest of our lives to be gentle, don’t we?”

“Fuck, Theo,” Sebastian rasped. He pulled her up, tugging her over to the chaise. She bounced as she landed, laughing as Sebastian tore through her petticoats. The laugh turned into a gasp as two fingers slid into her core without warning.

“So wet already,” Sebastian grinned down at her, his brunette hair falling against his forehead. He shifted himself up, tugging his trousers down past his hips. Theo couldn’t stop staring at him as he stroked his length, preparing himself. “Are you ready for me?”

As if it were natural instinct, Theo’s legs opened for him, her hands pulling the remnants of her petticoats out of the way for him. He leaned into her, pressing the weeping tip against her core. Despite the heat of the moment, Sebastian hesitated, sweet brown eyes staring into hers for permission.

“Have been, for the past three years,” she sighed.

Sebastian moaned as he pressed into her; there was no softness, just urgency as he buried himself in her. Theo let out a cry, wrapping her legs around his waist as he started rutting into her. It had been so long since their last encounter, the last time they’d made love–but Sebastian felt perfect inside her. Nothing had changed; he still felt just as good, just as full as she’d remembered.

“I missed you so much,” Sebastian grunted, forehead pressed against her breasts. “I missed you, I missed fucking you, I missed all of you.” Theo’s head fell back against the chaise as he pressed his lips against her nipple, biting softly as he drove himself into her. Without a second thought, she pushed him upwards. Sebastian knew her better than anyone, and exactly what she’d wanted. He fell back against the cushions, letting Theo crawl onto his lap. The look on his face as she sank onto his length was rewarding.

“Tell me you thought of me,” Theo gasped, hands raking up and down his chest as she ground her hips against him. “How often?”

“Every damn day,” Sebastian groaned, gripping her hips. “I never stopped.”

“You love me,” Theo reminded him, her hand trailing up to his throat. She pressed lightly, picking up speed.

“I do love you. I’ve loved you for so long,” Sebastian gritted his teeth, eyes shut as he relished the feeling of her.

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” Theo moaned. One of Sebastian’s hands went from her hips to her hair, tugging it lightly. “You’re mine. Mine, mine, mine .” She fell against his chest, pressing kisses against his face as she claimed him.

Sebastian rolled them over, pressing Theo back into the chaise. His beautiful brown eyes stared into hers as his thrusts started to stutter.

“I’m yours,” he whimpered. “Always have been, always will.” He pressed his forehead against hers, letting out a breathy laugh. “I’m going to–gods, I’m so close–”

“Wait, you can’t,” Theo gasped. “I’m not…I don’t have any potions…”

“Should I stop?” Sebastian hesitated.

“Don’t stop,” Theo bit her lip. “Finish wherever.”

“Are–are you sure?” Sebastian choked.

“I want you to,” Theo smiled up at him. She let out a gasp when he suddenly pulled out, and again when she felt his warm release against her stomach. Sebastian collapsed against her, not caring about the mess, and pressed kisses against her jaw.

“M’sorry.” he groaned. “Got carried away.”

“This is why you should’ve told me you were coming home,” Theo tugged on his hair, forcing him to look up at her. No matter how old they got, Sebastian still had the same boyish grin he’d had since their years at Hogwarts. “I would’ve been prepared.”

“I knew I should've told you,” Sebastian propped himself up. “I should’ve known I would bungle it.” His hands flew up to the chain around her neck, fingering the little golden ring at the end. “I can’t wait for you to wear this,” he said softly. “For real, this time.”

“You’ll have to ask again,” Theo grinned. “I quite enjoy it when you do.”

“Third time's the charm, I suppose.” Sebastian bit down on his lip as he let go of the ring, his hands trailing back down her body. They disappeared underneath her torn petticoats, and Theo shuddered when he pressed against her core.

“What are you doing?” she gasped.

He tilted his head at her, smiling devilishly. “You didn’t finish,” he said. “I remember your body, Theodora Caulfield. I remember everything about you.” Sebastian’s voice became a hushed whisper as he tugged her body, lowering his face to press kisses against her knee. “I remember you.”

Theo smiled, letting her arms fall above her head as Sebastian dove in between her thighs.

“We should go to the bedroom,” Theo said softly.

She and Sebastian had spent hours in her dressing room, making a proper mess. Her changing screen was still on the ground, the contents of her desk and dressing table strewn across the floor. One of the wardrobes was flung open, clothes spilling out. Both Theo and Sebastian were completely naked, what little remained of their clothing left in shreds on the floor. They’d spent the rest of the afternoon, well into evening properly reacquainting one another with their bodies, and destroying Theo’s dressing room while they were at it.

“Just a few more moments,” Sebastian whispered into her hair, tugging her in tighter. “What a way to welcome me home.”

“Probably a good thing Om canceled dinner,” Theo chuckled as she ran her fingers up and down his back. “We would’ve been a mess.”

“Y’know, besides the whole pretending to court my woman thing, Ominis is the most loyal friend I’ve ever had.” Sebastian claimed.

“Not me?” Theo pouted.

Sebastian propped his chin up on her chest. “You and I haven’t been just friends in a very, very long time.” He jested, his hand tracing a line down her stomach. “First thing tomorrow, I’m taking you to buy a new dress. Secondly, we’re going to the potions shop. Or maybe we should reverse that order…”

She snorted. “Seb, you don’t have to, I have plenty of clothes.”

He sat up; the lower half of his body had been haphazardly covered with one of Theo’s cloaks, ripped from the closet to be a makeshift blanket. “I’m serious, Theo.” Sebastian cooed. “I can take care of you now. Come on, let’s get to bed.”

Theo swallowed thickly as Sebastian stood, gently helping her up. She felt woozy on her feet, so he supported her into the bathroom. Wands long discarded, somewhere in the mess of her dressing room, Sebastian drew them a bath. Even though he’d never been in her house before, he somehow knew where she kept everything–the lavender bath salts, which reminded her of the night they first kissed in the prefect’s pool, and the clip to keep up her hair, which she always left on the floor next to the tub. They slid into the tub together, her back pressed to his, and finally caught up on everything they should’ve talked about.

Theo brought up how Imelda, Natty, and Poppy were the only ones to know about the ruse between her and Ominis, and how Anne was annoyed by it. She talked about how she’d bet ten galleons with Garreth Weasley to see if she could convince Leander to grow out a mustache, and had been successful. Theo told him as much as she could about her work without breaking the rules (which was hardly anything at all) and about how her assistant had most certainly read some of Sebastian’s more scandalous letters.

Sebastian told her all about Cairo, and how Eddy the goblin had somehow become his best friend. He talked about his little studio apartment at the top of the stairs, and how he nicked all of the copies of Witch Weekly from the sitting room, just to see if Theo’s picture was in them. He pressed a kiss to her head when he told her that the photo she’d sent him, the one with a flower in her hair, was folded up in his wallet at that moment.

It was like they’d slipped back into their routine, their nightly regimen to prepare for bed from before Sebastian’s departure years earlier. Sebastian drained the tub while Theo fluffed the sheets, sliding underneath thin cotton layers. She let out a whine as Sebastian walked past the bed, a towel slung low on his hips.

“I’m only going back to my room to get pajamas,” he laughed.

Theo huffed. “What’s the point, when I’m only going to take them off you in an hour anyways?” she teased.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, but his blush betrayed his feelings. He scampered over to the bed, tossing the towel to the floor as he slid underneath the sheets. Theo felt as if her heart were going to burst as she felt his breath on her neck. She shut her eyes, gulping down the emotions that threatened to spill out of her.

“What are you doing?” Sebastian asked quietly.

“I–I’m just feeling a lot right now,” Theo confessed, her eyes still shut. “I didn’t want you to see–”

“Open them,” Sebastian urged.

Theo opened her eyes; she knew they were fiery red. They glowed whenever she felt a strong surge of emotions, even though many years had passed since she’d opened the repository.

“Is it terrible?” she asked. She remembered when they were younger, how Sebastian had almost seemed scared of her power.

“No,” Sebastian whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “It’s love.”

#sebastian sallow #writing-intheundercroft #sebastian sallow x oc #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts legacy fan fiction #sebastian sallow smut

[exhaustedxreader]

Coffee Shops and Crushes

sung hanbin x reader

wc: 1.8k

chapter 1

a/n: btw i take requests if you want any boys planet/zb1/other fandom fics! :)

Chapter 2 - A Hot Summer Night

[UNKNOWN]: oh yeah...this is hanbin from yesterday btw^^

Your eyes were still red and bleary as you read through the texts. Your stomach did a little excited flip, ignoring the ungodly hours that he chose to text. It was currently 6:50am. You didn't need to be up until around 7:30am, however, your brain recalls the fact that Hanbin has classes at 7. It warmed your heart to know he was looking out for you even when he's busy during the day.

[Y/N]: morning hanbin!! you're so sweet :> enjoy your classes this morning~

After firing the text back and adding Hanbin to your contacts, you fell promptly back to sleep until your alarm made itself apparent.

School was long and gruelling, but you looked forward to your shift after work, where you prayed Hanbin would be present. You knew it was silly—your crush on the older male. You just couldn't help it. He clouded your mind constantly. Walking to school, you hoped he'd be walking in the same direction, even if just for a moment. During class, you'd drift into a daydream, thinking about how nice his fingers felt against your thigh.

You had hurried over to the café just after school finished, busying yourself with customers and rushed latte foam art. You were so busy, it seemed, that you didn't even notice when Hanbin did eventually walk in.

"I haven't seen this many people in here for ages," he proclaimed, squishing behind the counter with you to help.

Your eyes probably looked like they'd bulged out of your head. "Oh my god, when did you get here?"

Hanbin laughed. You wished you could record it and play it again on loop. "Just now."

There was a slight busy period to the job that you also hadn't experienced while working here before, but you managed to fall into unison with Hanbin , making small talk and catching up about each other's days as you both worked. "Probably only busy because of our killer new employee."

You smiled bashfully at the compliment.

The flurry of customers died down after 2 and a half hours, allowing you time to go upstairs with Hanbin to relax before your shift officially ended.

"Where's your mom?" you queried.

"She's out with some old friends for some lunch-dinner thing. You don't need to worry about her catching you off work," he told you with an added wink, nudging you slightly.

You relaxed into one of the sofa seats, relaxing in the cool of the air conditioning after the steam and heat suffocating the café.

"Didn't you say you had a test next week?" Hanbin asked, sitting across from you.

You glared at him, groaning, "Don't remind me."

"Come on, I'll help you. You just need to remember quotes right?" With your nod, he got up from his seat, standing before you with his hand outstretched. You allowed him to pull you off the couch and drag you to the table along with your heavily abused copy of Romeo and Juliet. "Which ones are the quotes you need to memorise?" He gestured to the rainbow of sticky tabs jutting out of the poor book.

"Blue," you told him. "Blue because this memorisation stuff makes me sad."

Hanbin huffed a laugh, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Okay!" He pulled the book open to a random blue-marked page. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"I'm gonna say a quote and you tell me who said it and where, alright?"

You nodded your understanding.

He dramatically cleared his throat, speaking loudly with an exaggerated narration voice, "If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down."

"Mercutio, Act 1, Scene 4."

"Very good," Hanbin nodded his approval, a hint of a smile creeping onto his face. "See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!"

"Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2."

Hanbin nodded again. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite."

"Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2."

"Hm....What about..." He flipped randomly through the books, looking for another blue tab. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." The air in the room changed. Became tenser. His eyes bore into yours, almost like he was trying to tell you something without having to say it outright.

Your phone's alarm made itself known, indicating your shift was over. You gulped. "Romeo in Act 1, Scene 5."

There was a stretch of silence, where Hanbin just looked at you. Almost as if he was admiring you. "You'd make a good Juliet," he whispered, just loud enough for you to hear.

You became entranced in his eyes. "Why's that?"

Your eyes tracked his tongue as it swiped over his lips. He took a deep breath, quickly looking away and breaking his spell over you.

You jolted up, grabbing your bag and stuffing the book inside, and slinging it over your shoulders. "I should get going. Homework," you lied, gesturing to the book as you tried to think of a satisfactory excuse.

He nodded, forcing a smile onto his face. "I'll walk you down."

Hanbin held the door to the café open, allowing you to sneak out. "Thank you for your hard work today," he told you.

"Thank you for all the help," you said, bowing deeply.

You turning away to leave, when he said, "Hey, [Y/N]." You glanced back, tilting your head to the side slightly. "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

Your face broke into a wide grin, cheeks flushing. You ignored the fact that it was still light outside, the sun peaking over the trees to swirl pink and orange hues in the sky. "Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2," you replied simply. With a wave, you turned and walked back home for the day.

***

The next day of work was downright torturous. Whatever god or larger-than-us entity allowed the building’s air conditioner to combust was evil in the least. It had to be. Because when Hanbin was standing just inches away, reaching across you to grab a cloth, you could see the outline of his torso through his sweat-drenched shirt. And you couldn’t help but drool at the sight. Looking away quickly, you prayed he didn’t notice the way you kept sneaking glances at him.

The sun had already disappeared as it neared the quiet part of your shift. As usual, Hanbin invited you upstairs to study, helping to haul your backpack up the steep stairs. "You wanna run through more lines today?" he asked, flapping his shirt to try and provide some relief to the horrific heat.

You shook your head, groaning out, "Too hot." You both lay side by side on the carpet in front of the pedestal fan. Really, you shouldn't be complaining. The heat was worse at home. Your house was probably closer to a furnace than a house. You dreaded the idea of returning home.

Hanbin laughed, biting his lip to suppress his smile. "The air conditioner is supposed to be getting fixed on Monday. But for now, maybe some ice cream will help?" He gave you a gentle nudge, as if trying to convince you of the idea. Foolish, really, because who would ever turn down ice cream on a day like this? Or ever, really.

"You know I would never turn down ice cream. Especially not when I'm dying from heat stroke," you replied, peeling yourself from the carpet and following him to the freezer. Hanbin left the tub of ice cream on the counter for a few minutes to soften, giving the two of you enough time to shove your faces into the freezer, moaning at how nice the icy frost felt against your cheeks.

After heaping ice cream into each of your bowls, you both sat in front of the fan, indulging on ice cream slathered in hardened chocolate sauce. You both made small talk for a while, giggling at each other's jokes while scooping ice cream into your mouths, SpongeBob playing on TV in the background. You had both bonded over a shared passion of the sponge character, finding that you both had been obsessed over the show as kids, even still watching it to this day—clearly. "Oh, I had something I'd been meaning to tell you," Hanbin said suddenly.

"Oh?" You pushed down the worry that bubbled to the surface, doing your best to ignore it. What could Hanbin possibly have been wanting to tell you? Are you fired? Is Mrs. Sung okay? Does he secretly hate you?

"My friend is having a party this weekend," he told you. The built up stress in your body deflated like a balloon, allowing your shoulders to relax from the tensed state they had been in. "It's more of a college party," he continued. "But I thought you might be interested. I think some of the people from your school will be there, too. I'll text you the detail if you want?"

You nodded. "Sounds good!"

The front door slammed open to huffing Mrs. Sung. "Ahhh, who let the weather get so hot," she complained, dropping two armfuls of plastic bags onto the kitchen counter. She looked around the room and seemed to notice you there. "[Y/N]!" she exclaimed, mouth shaping into a shocked oval. "Your shift finished an hour and a half ago!"

Your eyes bulged slightly, checking the time on your phone. "Oh, I'm so sorry Mrs. Sung, the time must've escaped me."

Mrs. Sung fussed on how you were going to get home in the darkness outside, but you ensured her you'd be fine and see her back next week for your next shift. "Goodnight!" you called, closing the front door behind you and trailing out of the café, locking the door behind you and making your way home, hauling your bag over your shoulder.

You had only made it a few steps away from the café when your phone pinged. Fishing it out of your backpack, your face lit up.

[HANBIN]: saturday 8:30pm, 123 sesame street <3

Your face flushed, eyes lingering on the heart he had left at the end of the message. Looking back toward the café, you saw Hanbin staring out the window, waving at you with a grin on his face. Your cheeks reddened further, replying with your own smile and wave. You turned back around, shooting off a quick text as you began to walk back home.

[Y/N]: see you then :) <3

That was the moment it hit you. You were unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Sung Hanbin.

#boys planet x reader #boys planet #zb1 #zb1 x reader #zb1 imagines #shanbin #sung hanbin #sung hanbin x reader #reader #zerobaseone #zerobaseone x reader

[francisversion]

It was all fun and games until others started comparing me with Henry Winter

It started as an inside joke between me and my roommate (I already made a post about it) harmless ofc.

I am a person who dresses in a similar way the tsh characters dress, I like wearing suits and similar stuff (except the fact I love wearing cargo pants sometimes)

I help out first and second year students (classics majors) I have extra classes if they need help. One first year student that came for the first time to my extra class looked at me and was like "you remind me of a character from a book I read, is there any chance you know who is Henry Winter from The secret history" , I was stunned for a moment I didn't know what to say , the other first years and couple second years started agreeing. So I am just standing there trying to be professional and teach while trying not to fan girl about tsh.

Also I realized most if not at all new classics majors got inspired by the book even though Donna Tartt wanted the opposite, how ironic.

I need to agree that in some aspects I am similar to him (pointed out by my roommate after I explained the situation)

- I am a rather old fashioned person, maybe it's the way I grew up or the way my beloved family scared me mentally or a lifestyle I chose after being traumatized I really don't know when I stopped associating and caring about things that happened around the world. My poor roommate needs to constantly explain to me references from newer media (poor guy).

- I am really close with my Classics professor and my history professor since both of them came as a father figure to me (I swear I am not getting groomed like Henry did) and my history professor got me out of my shity family situation

- I had a terrible accident as a kid , only it made me half deaf

- I love learning languages I currently speak 8 languages (English, Italian, Greek , Latin, French, Russian, Serbian and Slovenian)

- I love Homer (I found this so funny I need to write it)

There are still bits that are similar and there are parts that make me and him very different. I do take compliments when I get compared to him (by my roommate, my schoolmates or people online)

#henry winter #donna tartt #the secret history #bunny corcoran #camilla macaulay #francis abernathy #richard papen #charles macaulay #classics major

[eddiemunsonspantschain]

Can You See Me? - E.M

Note: There is going to be a second version of this! I couldn’t decide if I wanted to do reader discovering they needed glasses or reader who wore contacts all the time and no one knew about the glasses....so I decided I’m doing both. The other one will eventually be posted, possibly in a few days. Enjoy! - A fellow near sighted bitch

Pairing: Eddie Munson x nearsighted!reader

Warnings: Fluffiness, assumed fem reader, pre-establushed relationship

You do not have permission to copy, translate or repost my works onto other platforms. 18+ only.

Eddie was getting suspicious. It wasn’t hard for him to notice that his sweetheart seemed to be struggling with something. She squinted any time she had to read something far away. He thought maybe it was just how her face moved when she read something but then one day she had gotten frustrated not being able to read a sign the guys had pointed out to her. She ended up huffing and saying that the guys were stupid for egging her on to try and read the sign. Eddie quickly told them to stop seeing that his girl was getting really upset. 

Over time, the squinting got worse. He noticed she started to do it more often and that things she was able to see fine before, she was squinting more to see. Even for class she was struggling to see the blackboard but when he suggested they move their seats up she had huffed at him. So instead he just shared his notes with her, which she had encouraged him to take in the first place. It was clear to him after a while: Y/N needed glasses. Now this was something he knew she wasn’t going to admit herself since she got annoyed any time someone even suggested she couldn’t see. So he had to come up with a plan.

—-----------------------------------------------

I didn’t want glasses. I didn’t think I really needed them. When things that were farther away started to be blurrier I thought it was just a normal part of growing older. As time went on though, the blurriness got worse and worse. Now if something was too far from my face I couldn’t see it. Hell the Hellfire boys gave me shit once because I couldn’t read a sign up on the movie theater's board. My boyfriend, bless him, at least got them to stop it. I thought I could ride this out longer. I didn’t want glasses. I’d look absolutely stupid with them on. 

“Y/N, honey. I think it’s time we go see an eye doctor.” Mom murmured one day as she dropped her hand. We tried to watch a movie together but the screen was half blurry and my face was starting to hurt from squinting all the time. Mom had stood up, walking to stand behind the TV and held up a book. I couldn’t make the title out clearly.

“Noooo, mom!” I whined, shoving a throw pillow over my face. “I’d look absolutely stupid with glasses on and like a total nerd!” my muffled whines came from the cushion and I heard mom sigh.

“The longer you go on like this, the worse it is going to get. Trust me.” The couch shifted with my mother’s weight as she sat down beside me and rubbed my back.

I lifted my head from the cushion. “My boyfriend is gonna laugh.” I mumbled and mom scoffed.

“Eddie wouldn’t. It’s Eddie. I’m making you that eye appointment.” 

I whined, dramatically flopping onto my back.

—-------------------------------------------------

“Eddie, what are you doing?” Y/N asked Eddie from his bed.

“Nothin.”  Eddie answered with a small smile, “I just wanna see something.”

Y/N huffed quietly. She had come over after school, like she normally did on Thursdays. Eddie had been planning this for days now. Y/N had been in a bad mood and mentioned that her mom wanted her to go see an eye doctor. Eddie told her that was great and she leveled him with a glare saying her eyes were fine. Eddie decided to prove her wrong. He managed to swipe a small dry erase board from one of the guys. Now he stood by his bedroom door, his girlfriend sat just on his bed. He pulled the cap of the dry erase marker off with his teeth. He chose black, deciding to not be totally unfair to her. He quickly wrote ‘I love you’ on the board itself. “Okay, I just want you to read this to me.” Eddie told her.

“Eddie.” She wanted with a tight frown on her lips.

“Just, read it for me.” Eddie turned the board around and waited. He knew she couldn’t see it. He just needed her to admit it.

Y/N looked towards the board then up at Eddie’s face. Could she even see his face? He wasn’t so sure. He smiled to himself and tapped the board with the dry erase pen. She huffed as her eyes moved back down to the board. A second later one of his pillows was hitting him in the face. “I mean, violence wasn’t the answer, babe.” Eddie laughed. 

Y/N flopped back on his bed and covered her face with her hands. Of course seeing her try to hide from him only made Eddie immediately move to the bed. He set the dry erase board aside and climbed on top of her. Hearing her tiny sniffles and whimpers made his heart ache. Eddie leaned down, pressing kisses on the hands that covered her eyes from her nails down to her wrist. Slowly, her hands fell away from her eyes revealing moisture. Eddie reached up, wiping away the tears smeared around her eyes and kissed the top of her nose between her brows. “I don’t wanna go to the doctor.” She hiccuped gently.

“You have to go, baby.” Eddie murmured as he curled his arm around her waist. “Gotta check those beautiful eyes. You gotta be able to see my pretty face from far away.” He smiled at the pout on her lips, leaning down to kiss the jutted out lower lip.

“They’re gonna give me glasses…” She mumbled and Eddie nodded.

“I know.” He murmured, “You’ll look so cute.”

“Edward, stop.” She murmured.

Eddie grinned and kissed her again. “I mean it, babe.” He told her, “I’ll go with you if you want me to.”

“No, it’s okay.” She mumbled and Eddie leaned down to hug her body tightly to his.

After a few minutes of sitting there, Y/N finally stirred under him. “What did you write on the board?” She asked softly.

Eddie grinned as he lifted his head. He grabbed the board and leaned off of her a little, showing her the board. His grin widened even more seeing the blush that settled on her cheeks. 

“I love you too, Eds.”

—----------------------------------------------------

The eye doctor wasn’t fun. He had me look at a board with a bunch of letters on it. I tried to be confident as I answered but really… I wasn’t. In the end he had decided that, yes, I did need glasses. He explained that I was nearsighted and it was okay. Just that things far away were hard to see. He explained all about how to take care of my eyes and went ahead fitting me for glasses. I tried to ignore the ‘I told you so’ look from my mother. I had picked out frames and they said in a few days I would have them.

After only a few days, my glasses were ready. Mom picked them up while I was at school and Eddie was being insufferable. He kept asking every day when I was getting my glasses after I broke the news to him that he and my mother were right about my deterioration in vision. So today, I finally told him they were done. As soon as school ended, Eddie was tugging me out to his van.

“Why are you so eager?!” I laughed, slapping at his arm as he opened the passenger door for me.

“Because, I want my girl to be able to see!” He laughed, turning to wrap his arms around me. He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before helping me into the van and shutting the door like the gentleman he was. 

The drive to my house was short as was every drive with Eddie Munson at the wheel. I unlocked the front door and walked inside, calling out a greeting to my mother as Eddie walked inside. I kicked my shoes off, Eddie following in stride. I grabbed his hand to try and make a break for the stairs.

“Not so fast!” Mom called and I froze, shooting Eddie a glare when I heard a deep chuckle from him. Mom held out a case and wiggled it at me.

I sighed and took it from her hands. “Thanks!” I cheerily said and started up the stairs again, practically dragging Eddie behind me.

“Y/N!” Mom called after me, “Eddie, get her to put them on!”

Eddie called back to her. “I’ll try!” and I turned to gently tap him on the head with the hard glasses case.

I pushed the door open to my bedroom and sat on my bed, toying with the case in my hands. Eddie soon joined me, sitting across from me on the bed. I sighed and opened the case. Inside was a small cloth, used for cleaning the glass. Inside sat a simple black frame. They had a lot of options inside the doctor's office. Lots of different colors and designs to choose from but I wanted something simple. The lady at the counter told me I could always get a different pair especially if my prescription changed. To my horror, my vision could get worse.

“We can wait if you want.” Eddie spoke up and I sighed.

“I think I waited long enough, don’t you?” I mumbled, raising a brow at him. He only offered a smile. I sighed, taking the glasses from the case and unfolding the parts that go over my ears. I looked down at them. Everything was slightly blurry except for where the lenses sat inside the frame. I frowned, putting the glasses onto my face. I pushed the middle up the bridge of my nose and looked at Eddie. While he was close enough to see for the most part from where he sat, his features were sharper and clearer than they had been before.

“How well can you see me?” Eddie asked softly.

“Very well. Clearly.” I mumbled with a small pout. I hated it. I was either going to be practically blind or be able to see at the cost of looking dumb.

“So now that you’ve gotten to see your boyfriend's face clearly, do you still want me?” Eddie teased with a grin.

I gasped at him and smacked his arm. “How dare you insinuate I wouldn’t!” I screeched at him with a small smile.

“Well, it occurred to me that most of our relationship you couldn’t see very well! I thought I’d check, princess.” Eddie grinned at me.

“Of course I still want you, handsome. You’re still my pretty boy. Just… in better detail.” I laughed.

Suddenly, Eddie launched himself at me. I leaned back, letting his body rest on top of mine as he kissed me. My head swam at the intensity of his kiss and after a moment he finally allowed me some oxygen. I raised an eyebrow at him. “I know you said you thought you’d look bad in glasses or like a nerd but, babe… they’re kinda hot.” He grinned at me.

“Oh, my god.” I shook my head at him and tried to wiggle out from under him.

Eddie chuckled and pressed kisses to my face, arms circling around me so I couldn’t escape. “Hey, just letting you know it’s doin something for me. Glasses or no glasses, you’re hot.” He laughed and kissed the tip of my nose. 

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah.” 

Maybe glasses weren’t so bad.

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x female!reader #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson drabble #eddie munson fluff

[jeannereames]

I'm new to reading about Alexander the Great, and I read your books first, then Mary Renault's. I like your Hephaistion a lot better, and Olympias (Myrtale), but the two novels were a lot alike in the story itself. I saw at least one reviewer said that yours was like a retelling of hers: "dangerously similar." So I wondered how much her first novel on Alexander influenced yours?

You’re not the first to ask, and the answer is: very little.

When I get that line about my novel being “too much like” Mary Renault’s, or even “fanfic” on Mary Renault, it tells me the reviewer is completely unfamiliar with the ancient sources themselves. For those who are familiar, I never hear this (perhaps because where we differ is obvious).

Unlike the novelist who makes up a completely original plot, when writing historical fiction, at least of this type, there IS a historical thread to follow. I’m not copying Renault. I’m following Plutarch, Diodorus, and, to a lesser degree, Justin. So is she.

Where we “cross” is on the historical elements in the original sources.

If you remove those bits, our two retellings don’t have much in common. Likewise, even in some of the elements from those sources, we differ in interpretations. My novel also begins a good deal later in ATG’s life. We do both end with the same event—I suspect because, when history gives you a “made for Hollywood” incident like the murder of Philip, you don’t turn it down. LOL. Also, for me, it’s the “natural joint” between Alexander-the-prince and Alexander-the-king. Just as the end of Alexander’s stay at Mieza with Aristotle forms the hinge between the two novels—or originally, the hinge between two halves of one novel. (Which is why I was able to divide it in half, when Riptide insisted that I do so in order to publish it, due to its original length.)

But the plain fact is I’d written my own before I’d ever heard of Mary Renault. I backed into Alexander as a result of some grad classes at Emory. He kept popping up in lecture, and I realized I had NO idea who he was. As an English major, I’d read Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra,” so I knew the “big” Roman-era names. But I’d managed to get out of both high school and my BA at the University of Florida without taking any (real) history classes. Now I was running into mentions of people (and places) with which I was completely unfamiliar.

So, I waltzed over to the Emory library and picked out two bios on Alexander: Nick Hammond’s Alexander the Great: King, Commander, and Statesman, and Peter Green’s Alexander of Macedon (the original version, with pictures…I picked it because it had pictures). As I’ve said elsewhere, I couldn’t have selected two more different views of the conqueror if I’d tried. And that’s what intrigued me…so I kept reading. Then I decided to write a novel about the “making” of him (coming-of-age), and the importance of Hephaistion in his life (because Green was so dismissive of the poor guy). Hephaistion was originally much clearer in my mind. In fact, he’s the (real) protagonist of Dancing with the Lion…certainly for the novel’s first half (Becoming). So I’m glad to hear you liked how I portrayed him.

It was only later that somebody said, “Oh, hey, have you heard of Mary Renault?” English major or no, I hadn’t. I did pick up her novels on Alexander but read only a little way before putting them down precisely because I didn’t want to be influenced by her work. In fact, I read nobody’s novels on him until I finished my original (way too short) rendition. Then I started on the second draft (which turned out to be way too long).

But by that point, my picture of Alexander, and even more so, Hephaistion, was quite set. As was the story I wanted to tell.

So no, Mary Renault’s novels had little impact on the genesis of Dancing with the Lion. But you are not the first person to wonder.

Ironically, Mary Stewart’s Crystal Cave and her subsequent Arthurian Saga had a much greater impact on how I chose to tell Alexander’s story. I did read those as a teen girl, and they fomented a fascination for King Arthur in me that lasted into college. The fact I wound up getting a PhD in Greek history is ironic, as I actively avoided it in high school and (undergrad) college, all my love given to Celtic and Scandinavian myth and history. I still do enjoy Celtic myth, btw. And it was with some amusement that I realized the tale of Alexander and Hephaistion was the foundation for the legend of Arthur and Lancelot. That probably IS part of why Alexander and Hephaistion gripped me so.

So yes, a “Mary” did influence me, but Stewart, not Renault. 😊

#asks #Alexander the Great #Hephaistion #Hephaestion #Mary Renault #Mary Stewart #historical fiction #Classics #tagamemnon #alexander x hephaestion #alexander x hephaistion #ancient sources on Alexander the Great

[laneaconite]

To my Lovely Onlookers: an Introduction!

For higher resolution images, look here

Hello, my name is Lane! I've been known to call myself a jack of all trades, but my heart's been set on authorship since the tender age of two.

Now, while my lifespan development textbooks like to call that premature identity foreclosure, I call it a dream. I'm creating this blog to archive my past and future works. What can initially be expected is a lot of poetry as well as some short prose pieces. The goal has always been to eventually work up to brick-length novels, but lately all I've got is poems pouring out of my ears. I'm composing them in my sleep. A lot of what I've written so far is about chronic pain, sapphism, transitional experiences, childhood, and trauma. Not every poem or prose piece is meant to be taken as a literal reflection of something that happened to me, but a lot of what I've written over the last few years have been in order to process my experiences. I find that I communicate best in rhetorical devices than in ordinary speech. This is extra funny (an inside joke to myself) because I spent the first fourteen years of my life as a self-declared poetry hater, despite my life long declaration of wanting to write. There were several things that caused me to reevaluate this stance, the primary three being: 1) If I didn't graduate high school I was never getting out of that horribly isolated, middle of nowhere town. 2) Writing was the only thing I knew I could be passionate about both in a personally fulfilling way, but also in a work way. Now, the only way I could successfully do that would be by forcing myself to engage with the entire other half of it I'd convinced myself I hated out of inadequate education. 3) Reading Maya Angelou's book, Poems (1981). We were given a large analysis project of one poet's whole collected works (or the closest edition we could find) and I chose Angelou because I remembered an excerpt from I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1969) being read aloud to my 7th grade class. It was her rhythm, rhetorical depth, and her humor that reformed my entire approach to the genre. I can't thank her enough.

"So," one might be asking, "Where does The Peach With Teeth fit into this, though?" And ohohohoh! The Peach With Teeth is several things. Primarily, I spent five months painstakingly embroidering it to be the cover of a hand-bound poetry chapbook. At this point, however, I'm thinking more of a compendium for the amount of poems I have, and for how many I'll write before I learn how to book bind. So, in that meantime the Peach is the cover of this blog.

The Peach is also a poem that I wrote in September of 2022, which is included below. That peach was deprived of teeth, tongue, and uvula, but had a more grounded horror within.

The Peach

I rinse the fuzz off, gently In the sink. The skin is a sunset of yellow, Magenta, pink. The first bite is honey sweet, The flesh slippery, My teeth peel away the skin I eat.

A bitter taste begins in my periphery And I see brown spreading around, Like a core. The tender sweet flesh peels away From its darkened sore.

Disgust rises in my body but I persist I eat the dripping good parts, I eat until the bad parts come too And they come veined with blue The pit itself, peeled back Is dusted with mold.

The poem is both a literal thing that happened—I did eat a moldy peach even though I saw an off patch on its skin and I could have stopped—also a metaphor. It's about seeing the signs that this won't end well, but needing another bite of sweetness to satiate that ache. It's about overconfidence and ignoring one's instincts. After a long while of hunger, the bitterness gets easier to ignore. That Peach and the Peach With Teeth, and many other Peaches can be expected to appear in my work. It's not my fault, I swear: my family had a peach tree in the backyard growing up. And if you, my darling reader, haven't tasted a sun-warmed peach right off the branch in late summer: I'm so sorry. The ones in the grocery store just don't compare when they're picked early to be shipped across country and thusly chemically ripened. They never get so thoroughly sweet through injected ethylene as by sunlight. It's only the skin that turns pink and softens, with the inside remaining hard, crisp, off-yellow. That these peaches are the only kind I can eat now, meaning I don't eat peaches, are part of what informed the teeth. Finally, the Peach With Teeth and her cousin The Peach poem have to be acknowledged for their sensual, even sexual, elements. 7/10 friends who I have shown The Peach With Teeth to have said "that looks like a vulva." Now, this was utterly unintentional, but when all your pretty queer friends say it enough times, you start to give up examine the metaphor closer. It's been said often that peaches and this girl right here 🍑 are used as euphemisms for the vulva/vagina. Now, when people are reduced to just their genitals, that's objectification. Not to say that the euphemism always is, as I can imagine some sappy sapphic love note tucked to sleep on a shelf somewhere. When I designed my embroidery pattern, I chose teeth for a core because of the utter contrast between the soft sweet flesh and the hard bone-bite of a chipped tooth. I was imagining it biting back and drawing blood. This is where my accident, the final image reading far more sensually than originally planned, synthesizes the ideas that have been rolling around in my head this whole time. It's about visceral misperception, of leaning to close to the lantern's gentle glow only for the grinning monster holding it to bite your head clean off. It becomes a euphemism flipped on its head: no more soft, sweet, hairless, harmless peaches. What we've got are teeth and tongues, a jaw unhinged but ready to snap right down at any time. Now, of course, to many of my 7/10 friends, this is still sexy.

#writing #poetry #introduction #blog intro #lane speaks #fun fact the teeth are based on xrays & dental photos of my own teeth #& for embroidery pals I used 1 strand dmc thread for all but the tongue. that was 2 strands #embroidery

[seraphinitegames]

The Wayhaven Chronicles—Update 13/May/2022

Ohhh! So much to tell you this week! :D

Ok, so I know you guys are probably sick of me talking about the retreat by now, but it was SO amazing! I learnt an absolute ton, and it was so awesome to have someone explain it to you right there. 

Reading writing advice in a book or online is fantastic, but it really does make a difference when you can have someone there explaining how you could adapt that into your own style of writing!

We did a class on character introductions, which was very timely as I was writing that at the time. But one piece of advice—about how your reader is more likely to remember a side character if they have at least a paragraph of interaction with them—made me rethink how I was writing it. So I went back this week and redid that, and now I LOVE it! 

Not only will it help with that, but I got the chance to show a bit more of these new characters' personalities in those moments because of that extended interaction (each of them got a choice set for the MC to choose from on how to introduce themself).

But one of the biggest things I had fun with there was one task we had where we had to do reversals. We had to take our love interest (I had to pick one) and take our antagonist (again, I had to pick just one, lol!) and flip them. 

The love interest became the baddy, and the antagonist became the love interest.

It was...very interesting! Especially as I have been writing the characters for over half of my life, and these good guys have always been good guys, hehe! 

I chose Adam/Ava, and I turned their past and their 'trying to always choose the logical choice' as their main traits to twist.

For the antagonist...well, that would be spoilery, hehe! I chose a baddy who is a bigger player later in the series.

But oh my word! We all remarked how disturbingly easy it was was to flip the traits around and make them baddies! But the class leader was saying that was kind of the point. Characters should always have that balance to them. If it was difficult to flip them, then you've made them unbalanced, and it's a great way of seeing how to fix that.

I got Nai to read it, and I was seriously thrilled at how surprised she was that Adam/Ava still read like Adam/Ava. She was expecting them to be all baddy, but they were still them just scarily the baddy. If that makes sense? :D

And with it being social media days this week, I typed up that scenario (minus a few super spoilery bits!) and have that scheduled as the Monthly Bonus Content #2 for you guys on Patreon later this month. 

Hope you enjoy Adam/Ava in all their villainous glory, hehe! :D

But yeah, I was super keen to get back to writing with all this new info in my head! So after social media days, I was back into like you wouldn't believe! I'm actually going to finish two of the three split scene sections for this chapter by tomorrow! 

Which means I might just be able to finish Chapter 12 next week!!! 

Phew! That was a lot of blabbering in the update this week :D I'm just still buzzing about the retreat and how well I've done this week!

Hope you all have the most amazing weekend! We'll be offline as usual, so I'll update you all again next week! <3

#the wayhaven chronicles #update #interactive fiction #progress report #book three #patreon