#life is a jenga tower

[antique-symbolism]

had a devastatingly mediocre Taco Bell experience on top of a general bummer of a night

#my life is a Jenga tower and God just spilled Baja Blast all over the card table

[obstinaterixatrix]

air was like ‘if someone I hated looked like a character I’d like I’d just stop liking the character’ & I was like ‘if someone I hated looked like a character I like I would shave their head. I have so little in this world. they’re not taking that from me.’ & air was like ‘well you’re always talking about how you just stop caring about things’ & I’m like. this is different. I Know What I’m About.

#my ramblings #if it’s a bald character I guess I’ll glue a wig to their head lol #see if I have to carve out my emotions that’s fine #if I have to carve out what I like you’ll have to rip it out of my cold dead hands #this is when air told me I had my priorities flipped #anyway there’s been a couple of video games and bands I’ve introduced to people and afterwards we had a catastrophic falling out #but 1) they were Mine First 2) they meant a lot to me 3) if anything I’d rather me ruin them for other person #rather than the other person ruin it for me #I’ve curated a very particular jenga tower built to get me through this life on this bxtch of an earth #I’ll bite someone’s hand off before I let them take a block #how do I feel about [x] happening in my life? #well wait two seconds and I can just pop it out and not worry about it for another year #how do I feel about [y] hyperfixation? #the flames of my passion shall only be extinguished on its own timeline #any outside interference shall never be forgiven and will be Dealt With #if it’s confusing simply understand it. my internal logic is sound.

[demigirlboss2girlrotboogaloo]

I hate people talking about how artists should be compensated for their work being used in training neural networks because like, okay, let's say we make that a thing. You have to pay a royalty if you use someone's work in your training set.

You've just made copyright law but worse!

All this does is, just like all copyright law, let trillion dollar corporations get away with basically anything cause they can afford to buy anything they could possibly want or need to, and since they're technically compensating the artists what moral critique are you gonna throw at them? Except now, independent research efforts become impossible. Finding high quality training data for personal hobbyist efforts becomes impossible. You don't stop AI from becoming a problem, you just make it a problem that we have no recourse for fighting back against. Right now, Google and Microsoft are getting their shit stomped in by randos with commodity gaming hardware going "haha LLaMa go brrt", and there is absolutely nothing they can do to stop it. That's why we have shit like that stupid open letter to stop AI research, signed by Elongated Muskrat et al., and why people like Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, which Microsoft wears like a skinsuit, and nothing about which is open in any way shape or form, are calling for intense and restrictive legislation surrounding AI. Because they know they can afford the royalties. They can afford the lawyers. They can afford the fines. We can't. Nvidia can plagiarize art for promotional materials. Disney can put straight up stolen artwork in their Star Wars books. But if a small-time homelabber just trying to build an LLM that can turn any text into biblical scripture, or an image generation model that inserts anime girl Danny DeVito into images, gets hit with a cease and desist, or cops at the door? They aren't going to be able to afford to risk trying to fight that. When you call for regulations on AI, when you call for people to stop making these "evil plagiarism machines", you are not demanding that corporations stop exploiting labour, because if you were you'd be calling for a full-blown dismantling of capitalism as a whole. What you are demanding is that hobbyists and independent researchers be driven underground to the annals of the dark web, and the only legal options for AI of any quality become those owned and controlled entirely by trillion dollar corporations that made their fortunes selling your data to begin with.

#fucking Hell I'm mad about this #I'm writing this at one in the morning on my birthday because it suddenly pissed me off #just that fucking hard #fuck I hate how few people understand how the real world works #and I don't mean that in a pretentious way I mean so many people's worldviews just fall apart when everything isn't a frictionless cow #things are complex and difficult and interconnected and there are so many moving parts #life is a game of Jenga and these motherfuckers are proposing we put the whole tower on a massage chair #I hate feeling angy

[hussyknee]

Mum's had a stroke. Left side paralyzed. Expected to recover but time frame unsure. Her friends are looking after her (she's a retired surgeon). Am letting my sister handle it and curling up into a ball.

Kinda wish she'd kick it once and for all tbh. Not only will she not be able to work her private clinic and keep this place afloat, but it will probably be my little nest egg that goes into doing so in the interim. And then she won't be able to work as much afterwards, when she's deep in the red already.

Sane thing to do is (has always been) sell the house, pay off the bank, put the rest in an FD and live off the interest in a small flat closer to the city. Put my brother into an assisted care facility. But she won't do that as long as she's alive and will instead go even more turbo Born Again Jesus stan, keeping my brother imprisoned, abused and neglected under the iron rule of her awful housekeeper.

Otoh, if she does pop her clogs right now, our funerals are several-days long open house affairs that would be hell for my current mental stability.

Imagine being a bitch enough for it to be a toss up whether surviving is beneficial to the health and sanity of your dependents lmao.

My sister seems to have the "functional adult" thing handled for now so she's welcome to inflict her own brand of insanity on the situation. The only thing I give a damn about anymore is the poor cat and dog. I'm burnt into a charcoal smear and just...dont give a shit. Imma let it all crash and burn and then move out of the rubble into a cardboard box.

Second stroke usually comes up within two years of the first one and finishes you off. That was what happened to Dad and my MIL. So I guess it's just a matter of time before she joins her husband in hell anyway.

I just want things to stop happening for five fucking minutes man.

#that Tumblr post about parents been flopping for generations is so right #fuck all of this shit #I've only just stopped actively plotting to kill myself #this is of course the universe's cue to take a golf club to the Jenga tower of my mental stability #I'm so sad because I just got the first instalment of my divorce settlement #it was supposed to help me move out of this hellhole eventually #now it arrived just in time to keep us fed and the lights on till Mum recovers #bye bye my money #also I had to pay for her cat's vet bills out of my therapy fund and now I'm never seeing a cent of that again #siiiiiiiiigh #fml #life stuff #parental abuse #tw child abuse #tw disabled abuse #knee of huss

[konfizry]

im tryna figure out this whole drawing thing ill contact you again once im done

#konwips #the shionne faces are from the arise guide guide material setting material guide thing #isnt she adorable tho #its not a jenga tower on the table but it certainly looks like one #this took 5 days and it still looks like garbage #im planning on spending another 10 days or so on it and i hope the end result makes me rethink all my life choices really #'kon you should fix this and that it'll instantly look better' DO NOT QUESTION MY VISION IM NOT HERE TO IMPROVE IM HERE FOR VENGEANCE

[yepthatsacowalright]

To keep desk from getting cluttered, I've made a hard rule with myself to only put current, in-use desk items on the desk. Everything else has to go on the little shelf to the right of my desk. If the thing is not currently in use and won't fit on the shelf, I have to get up and put it where it belongs, or put other shelf items away to make space for it. It cannot stay on the desk. This has resulted in the desk being less cluttered. However. It has also resulted in me collecting a set of precariously placed leaning towers of bowls and mugs, surrounded by miscellaneous art/life supplies, on the shelf. The tallest one is probably closing in on 12 inches. Every time I need a specific kind of tape or pair of scissors, I remember the last time I saw it was on The Shelf, and I am afraid.

#had to poke my favorite eraser out from the depths like i was playing jenga the other day #and haven't been able to burn my candle #(candle is the base of one of the mug towers) #this is what happens when i try to improve my life with tips and tricks #the gremlin part of my brain just gets smarter #and turns the original problem into a much more creative and specific-to-my-looney-tunes-mind problem #something something accidental metaphor for unsustainable endless growth

[nascentwaves]

The number one rule of manipulating time: no takesies-backsies.

#musings: neb #neb: “beings are the sum of their experiences...to remove those experiences is to carelessly topple a jenga tower to put it lightly.” #ooc: ie- she won't alter someone's life unless she feels there's a good reason for it #not intentionally anyways- she does put things back where they belong if she observes a place or person of interest for a while tho

[arthaven-hina]

(Meta talk: it's very simple! I put the trust issues in the DND character with a motto of "it's not necessary to be rejected over and over again, one Really Cataclysmic and Bad rejection might be sufficient to have you react A Way and develop Issues!" and then realized in the last few weeks "ah. I see that this is how I'm going to process the fact that I was systematically and repeatedly rejected in some fairly devastating ways during some formative years and now still have Issues sometimes, while simultaneously reinforcing the lessons I have learned in the last decade or so about security, good communication, love, and most importantly trust")

(AND she gets to be a fun distraction / character through which to blow off steam and enjoy No Consequences / blorbo)

#Yome #one time Charlie described my girl as a Jenga Tower precariously propped up by a single block and THEYRE RIGHT #and I keep talking about the Thing at the Center of Hina in conversations with friends without actually divulging what that Thing is #(it's something she believes about herself firmly and without question) #(and The Bad Rejection is a key reason she Believes This Thing) #but the Thing at the Center of her that has her so destabilized could also become the Shining Thing at her Bedrock #she just has to internalize/accept something something in a certain way and THEN you will realize #but yeah ahahah I put the TRUST issues in the BLORBO and then I chew on her like a Kong toy full of peanut butter #but then I also wrap her in a blanket and tell her that she is going to be SO loved and SO cherished and learn SO much and gonna be ok #TRUST FALL -- I catch Hina #it's one thing to be rejected by someone whose opinion doesn't matter and has no bearing on your life #it's quite another to be or to FEEL rejected by people whose opinions you DO give a shit about #🫠🙃 I love her very much she is like this for a reason

[ghoul-haunted]

@swanofmischief it's a precariously balanced jenga tower from hell like part of it is a parallel to the warden-alistair dynamic going on in the extended edition universe going on in my head but also it's like

#shshdhghg almost everyone else i know hates cullen and im over here like I Want To Make Him Soup #anyway im also horrified by his personal quest re: lyrium and the game's endstate if you encourage him to go back on it #i did install the bi cullen mod for this current playthrough tho and i get why people went nuts about it his romance #i need him edged within an inch of his life #WHEEZING ten million years later i finally managed to narrow this post down from ten paragraphs of writing to Its A Jenga Tower #the original dynamic hinges heavily on the fact that i hated playing the inquisitor the first time around #im have an actual character in mind for my second go at the game and it's unlocking New Thoughts so i reinstalled origins and da2

[lavenderbright]

where’s that post. the consequences of inaction are not enough to motivate me

#my life is a precarious jenga tower rn #haven.txt

[seravphs]

ੈ♡˳·˖✶ — GOJO SATORU x FEM READER

Gojo “my girl is mad at me I hope I die” Satoru

wc — 600

tags — fluff, companion piece to modern intimacy so you’re also married in this one, love as annoyance 

Gojo looks like he tried to drown himself in the shower. 

If you hadn’t just mopped the floor, you might be tempted to give in and beckon him over to cuddle. As it is, your annoyance is only mildly tempered by how adorable he is. You suspect this was his plan all along. 

“Go dry your hair,” you tell him coldly, hardly even giving him a glance after his first step into the room. 

He pouts, which you were expecting. He should really learn some new tricks at this point. You make a shooing gesture at him to drive home the point. 

Instead, he clambers down next to your feet, all six feet and two inches of him compressed down to fit his head into your lap. Gojo’s so lanky it gives you the impression of a Jenga tower collapsing in on itself to watch him get on his knees. 

“But you’re mad at me,” he whines. Chilly droplets are seeping into your thighs. 

“I’ll be madder if you keep getting my pants wet. Go on, you’ll catch a cold.” 

“I deserve it.” 

“Gojo.” 

You say it as if you’re short of patience, when really, you’re far from it. You’re enjoying this way too much. 

He turns his head so he can look up at you. His hair falls into his eyes, making him look like a sad, wet puppy, shivering at your feet for mercy. It’s an act, of course. 

He’s the strongest man in the world. Still, you feel your heart melting as you would for any poor abandoned creature. You brush his bangs out of his face, trying to hold onto your weakening resolve. 

He knows he’s got you. It’s just a matter of time. 

“I can’t live with myself,” he says. “If you’re going to be mad at me, you should just kill me. It would be easier-“ 

“Don’t be dramatic,” you say, but that’s when he strikes the killing blow. 

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just looks at you with eyes that are suspiciously shiny, his pretty pink lips in a soft frown. You sigh and put the book you were trying to read down. 

“Go get the hairdryer.” 

Gojo perks up immediately. You stay on the sofa. He sits on the ground between your legs as you run your hands through his hair, moving section by section. It fluffs up as hot air moves over it. 

“Are you still mad?” 

“Want to take a guess?” 

He turns around so fast he almost hits himself in the face with the hairdryer in your hand. 

“I’ll never do it again, I swear.” 

“You swear?” You’re teasing. 

Gojo places one hand over his heart and raises the other like he’s making a pledge. You’re the only nation he’d ever devote himself to, anyway. ��You know my motto is happy wife, happy life.” 

“I don’t know, actually.” You laugh. “Did you just come up with that?” 

“Now you’re just being mean,” he says. 

“I’m glad you picked up on it,” you say dryly. 

You like him pathetic. It appeals to your worst nature, the one that kind of wants to pinch him just to see him cry. You don’t know when you developed such feelings, and you’re certainly not sadistic towards anyone else, but Gojo just provokes you. It’s what he does. He’s good at being annoying. 

But you love that part of him, just as much as you love the part of him that can’t live without your attention. 

“You really learned your lesson?” You ask. “You won’t do it again?” 

“And go through this again? You kidding?” 

You pinch his cheek in annoyance, but he just laughs and wraps his arms around you, ignoring the way you try to wriggle away. 

“Your hair isn’t dry yet!”

“Doesn’t matter,” he says, rubbing his cheek against yours. His shampoo smells good. “Happy husband, happy wife.” 

He knows you too well for you to disagree. 

#sera writes #gojo satoru x reader #gojo x reader #gojou satoru x reader #gojou x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #gojo fluff #gojou fluff #jjk fluff

[happywitch416]

Music. Dremel. Clay. Attitude problem. Time to make stuff and make this dysfunctional fun instead of indulging my depression and anxiety. They can go fuck someone else instead of me for once.

I spent enough time crying yesterday as everything goes to hell. This isn't a domino effect, its a falling jenga tower. But at least I can make the pieces pretty.

Or sharpen the edges and start throwing them at people.

#my mother is probably dying. they are doing more tests. having to get a lawyer for hubs. dealing with social security #bc they have to make life more difficult when you have a disabled child. he needs a test to make sure hes still autistic. #i wish i was kidding bc like whoever picks it up at the end of usage missed mine lmao #and that is tied into dealing with the school district being a shit. #at this point i dont know if im dangling from the edge of sanity and about to go down in a fire #or if i am just going to say fuck it and take a running leap #im gonna kick the jenga tower bc its better to be alive and defiant then to lay down and die #the witch speaks

[agayconcept]

.

#*disney singing voice* the hills are alive #with the sound of my mental breakdowns 🎶 #my Entire life is falling apart piece by piece like the worlds shittiest jenga tower and i am. sitting here watching like #:-))))) !!!!!! *closed-mouthed high pitched screaming* #FUCK

[blue-jisungs]

AXIEIEEE hi this is a req ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ btw im on my way home to rec in my dreams rn!! anywayy i am SUCH a strong believer that jeonghan babies u no matter what or when. even in front of his members n theyre js like erm get a room? u cld literally say "hannie i made the bed" n he'd be all "omg my baby made the bed youre so cute" n then he kisses u ... do with this idea ish what u will!!! i believe in u cuz youre so good at writinf (btw your pinned says reqs are open but if they arent actually pleasee ignore this 😭)

proud

author's note. hi roxie meloved!! i hope u like ths one hehe, thank u for reqing <33 and again, good luck w exams if u have any more upcoming and im proud of u nevertheless the score!!!

word count. ~750

jeonghan is a devil in the disguise of an angel, everyone knows that. even carats adore his mischievous personality and tricks that he pulls on his members.

but the thing is that behind closed door, he truly is an angel. for you and only you.

“baby, do you want some coffee?” jeonghan asked, looking over his shoulder at you. his bare face was glowing, dark hair tucked behind his ear. he even let you put a hello kitty clip to keep them in one place. he was met with seungcheol’s teases but he ignored them.

“yes, please” you replied, eyes laser focused on the jenga tower in front of you.

it was 10 in the morning and you woke up like an hour ago from the sleepover you had with him and cheol. because they couldn’t join their members on tour, you decided to bless them with your amazing self.

“make me one too” cheol hummed and slowly but surely pulled out a wooden block.

now who jeonghan was to follow his leader’s orders?

you caught his cat-alike smirk painting on his lips and sighed.

“hannie, don’t be mean. make him a coffee too” you said, voice gentle. seungcheol looked at him confused, lips forming into a pout.

“listen to your partner…” he grunted and shook his head, adding more quietly underneath his breath “…if you don’t listen to me, listen to them at least”

couple of minutes later he joined you with three steaming cups. with your preferred coffee in your favorite mug and a simple one for seungcheol, even though he wasn’t a fan of plain black coffee. the oldest ignored that, just rolling his eyes.

you joined jeonghan to watch the boys practice, yet you two were slumped over the couch there.

in no time jeonghan began playing with your hair, fingers gently caressing through your h/c locks.

mingyu glared at you two curiously, nudging hoshi. the younger one grinned, heart melting upon the cute act of love blooming between you two.

jeonghan grabbed your face, cupping your cheeks and cooing at you.

“you’re so adorable, baby” he hummed and pecked your lips.

“but hannie, the boys–” you grunted through your squeezed cheeks. he just chuckled, mischievously smiling.

“i don’t care~” your boyfriend sing-sang happily “you’re my baby~”

placing another kiss on your lips, he hummed into it like a pleased cat that’s getting belly rubs.

“ew, get a room!” hoshi yelled, drawing a laugh from other members.

your cheeks turned beetroot red as you smacked jeonghan’s arm. he just shrugged and linked pinkies with you, playful smirk dancing on his features.

if jeonghan could, he’d give you the world, the stars, everything in this universe and back. and seeing you struggle or in pain was the last thing he wanted. but he knew that there are some things that you have to go through by yourself, like your finals.

“i could dress up as you and pretend i’m you!” your boyfriend teased one day when you clearly needed support, head almost blowing with the amount of knowledge you have to obtain.

so in times like this, when you’d spend nights studying and struggling with life, jeonghan knew that you need him. and that every thing, even a small one can be challenging.

“hannie, i made the bed today. i used a new–“ you started when he entered the bedroom. his eyes instantly went wide as jeonghan threw himself on the fresh sheets.

“ah, it smells so good!” he took a deep breath and hummed in delight. patting the spot next to him, he sent you a reassuring smile.

so you joined him, his arm almost instinctively wrapping around yours.

“my baby made the bed, good job” jeonghan smiled tenderly, brushing the strand hairs out of your face. you smiled, looking at his soft features “i’m proud, really. we’ll sleep comfortably tonight, hm?”

you nodded and turned, wrapping your arms around his waist and clinging onto your boyfriend like a koala.

“i’m tired” you mumbled quietly.

“i know, pretty. just a few moments more and you’ll rest. you’re so smart, you know? i believe in you” jeonghan kept reassuring you, his tender touch ghosting over your face “my cute baby, hm? no matter how you do on the exam, i’m proud of the effort you put in”

you smiled, inhaling the scent of fresh sheets and jeonghan’s cologne.

“my cutie…” he singsang and started lulling you to sleep with his angelic voice. not like you complained, you could use a nap either way.

masterlist <3

taglist. @mirxzii ,, @primoppang ,, @l3visbby ,, @nicholasluvbot ,, @planetkiimchi ,, @weird-bookworm ,, @slytherinshua ,, @kazmura ,, @laylasbunbunny ,, @dazzlingligth ,, @eternalgyu

#jeonghan x you #jeonghan fic #jeonghan fluff #svt jeonghan #jeonghan #blue jisungs's ask game #svt fluff #svt x y/n #svt x reader #svt x you #svt drabbles #svt drabble #svt soft hours #svt reactions #svt scenarios #svt imagines #jeonghan drabbles #jeonghan imagines #jeonghan reaction #jeonghan scenarios #blue jisungs's requests #yoon jeonghan #jeonghan comfort #jeonghan seventeen #jeonghan x reader

[worstlifeseriesbase]

I’m gonna start making the bracket for the worst life series bases today, so get any last suggestions in now.

The current list:

The Box

The Bleeding Heart

The Backrooms

Birch Egg/Jenga

Pearl’s dirt mound/tower

Bdub’s Upside Down Nightmare

Mumbo’s Sideways Nightmare

Bad Boy’s Burnt and Flooded Mansion

BEST Castle

Dogwarts

Magical Mountain

Fairy Fort

Skizz Point

Flower Husbands Hobbit Hole

Im not including bread bridge or skynet because they were more communal than anything, and I know someone suggested the Dog House and the Heart Foundation but I actually genuinely like them so I’m not gonna include them lol.

#life series #third life SMP #last life smp #double life smp #limited life SMP #secret life smp #smajor1995 #goodtimeswithscar #skizzleman #zombiecleo #rendog #inthelittlewood #impulsesv #pearlescentmoon #mumbojumbo #bdoubleo100 #bigbst4tz2 #solidaritygaming #smallishbeans #ldshadowlady #ethoslab

[elioslover]

Employee of the Month

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH [Inside] - Steve Harrington x reader

PREMISE: Steve and Robin find themselves the newest employees of Family Video- a place you are well acquainted with. With a strange history and a chance to win employee of the month at stake, your Summer is turning out to be more than you bargained for. [enemies to lovers.]

WARNINGS: n/a. (use of Y/n).

WORD COUNT: 2.3k

🎞️🎞️🎞️

Standing behind the counter, Steve took in his new surroundings, getting familiar with the space he would now regularly occupy for four of seven days for the unforeseeable future. 

His eyes darting, sometimes stopping to skim over the spines of video boxes, big, bold titles of films he hadn't even heard of.

He couldn't help his curiosity from reaching out for a nearby stack of boxes, his fingers tracing along the outline of Citizen Kane. 

But even with the lightest of touches, Steve stumbles back in fright just as the stacked boxes start tumbling like Jenga, scattering across the floor with a startling smack.

Robin looks over, eyes wide, her hand instinctively reaching out to swat Steve's bicep,

"We've been here for five minutes, Steve."

"It was an accident!" his palms raised in surrender,

"If you get me fired, I swear-"

"I'm not gonna get you fired, Robin." Steve sighed reassuringly,

"Oh, please. Everyone knows we're a package deal." Robin almost scoffs.

Steve geared up for a comeback, sentence still half formulated, none-the-wiser of your sudden presence as you timidly peered out from behind his towering figure, instantly catching Robin's attention.

"Hi!" you waved shyly, and Steve turned on his heels so fast his sneakers surely sparked the ground beneath him.

"Hey, you must be Y/n!" Robin greeted, and you embraced her energetic enthusiasm with ease,

"Yeah! Robin, right?"

"That's me!" she nodded, as an afterthought, gestured toward a still-startled Steve, 

"And that's Steve. He's clumsy but decent enough."

You glanced his way, shy with familiarity, only giving him a moment of your time and a tight-lipped smile. Knowing it would only be so long before he remembered you, if he even did, you avoided eye contact- and that had nothing to do with the fact that you were more than aware of his pretty, pretty brown eyes.

"Hi Steve." you waved gently,

"I'm not clumsy!" the words tumble out, his cheeks flushed, scanning your face for approval. 

But Steve was met with only furrowed brows, your familiar eyes disappearing beneath swooping lashes,

"I'll take your word for it." you nodded.

"Ignore him. I promise we are not a package deal," Robin reassured nonchalantly, sending him a wink.

Steve released the breath he hadn't known was trapped in his chest with such relief when any chances of further embarrassment were dismissed by the heroic timing of Murrary- known locally as the chaotic, moody, and far too nosey manager of Family Video- trudging through the front door, a melodic bell announcing his arrival. 

He took his time reaching the front desk, barely acknowledging the new duo as he addressed you, 

"Y/n, I see you've had the pleasure of meeting Robin and Steve." you nodded meekly. 

Murray hastily glances over at Steve and Robin, "I'll give you each a schedule later." leaving no gap for a retort, 

"In the meantime, Y/n will designate jobs. I'll be in my office, not being disturbed... don't fuck anything up." his eyes narrowed at Steve.

"Why are you looking at me?" Steve protested with a whine. But it's Monday, and Murray is in no mood as he walks off, entering an office off to the side, the door swinging shut behind him.

The three of you are left looking like headlighted deers, shifting on your heels and clearing your throat- it was so soft and subtle, but Steve looked at you with such haste you could easily be fooled into thinking he was paying you far too much attention.

"Okay. So... I guess I'll give you a rundown of the store?" You suggest, and Robin cheers like she was just offered free food for life, grinning at Steve as they follow you away from the front desk and deeper into the store.

Your heart thudding in synch with Steve's, unsure if anxiety or excitement is threatening to stir, but you brush it off and halt in front of the storage room, stepping aside to give the duo a good look at their new home away from home.

"Here's the back room... We store the really old or newly unboxed movies here. Mostly the room is used for taking breaks. Oh, but we have to do inventory at least once a day." you informed.

The newbies took a moment to look over the space. Steve spots a navy beanbag and decides he can definitely get used to this. Robin's eyes light up, suddenly rushes further into the room,

"What's that?" her heart swells as she points animatedly at a whiteboard hanging haphazardly against the faded walls. 

The board has seen better days, smudged marker almost making it impossible to spot the words 'Wins' and 'Losses' scrawled across the top.

"Oh. I made it for the last guy who worked here, Brad. Total shitshow. And I enjoyed taking note of that." you hummed with fondness.

"No way." Robin felt lightheaded, body rushing with more excitement than she could handle- and definitely more than she had felt this past year.

"What?" Your head tilted innocently,

"I had one exactly like this for Steve back at Scoops!" Robin couldn't help it when her feet began bouncing, arms flailing around joyously.

"You're kidding!" you were sure you had just met your soulmate, meeting her enthusiasm with extra. Steve, caught by pleasant surprise, felt an ache in his arm as Robin dug her nails into him. 

He sent her a warning glare, but even after letting him go, Steve still felt lightheaded, eyes darting between you and Robin with newfound terror. Tremendously overwhelmed, sensory overload swallowing him entirely as your glee only seemed to be escalating,

"I think I just made a new best friend." Robin announced.

Relief washed over you with reassurance that your new co-workers wouldn't be all that bad- well, Steve was yet to be confirmed. Speaking of Steve, your eyes met his for just a moment,

"Sorry to steal that title from you." you offered offhandedly.

"You kidding? I'm relieved!" he teased, never acknowledging Robin, focus solely on sending waves of friendship your way.

"Shut up. You love me." Robin reminds.

"But you make it so hard." he huffs.

🎞

Hardly an hour into their first shift, Steve's head- though seemingly screwed on and held in place by excessive hairspray- was clearly miles away. 

And it definitely didn't go unnoticed because it was the same look he used to get during your last periods of the school day. It annoyed you then, and it definitely annoys you now.

Pausing mid-sentence, you watched him through slanted lids, frustration tingling the tips of your ears and palms threatening to itch,

"Harrington." you snapped your fingers near his face,

"Did you hear me?"

"Huh?" Steve blinked back to attention, though the dazed look in his eyes never strayed.

"Were you paying any attention at all?" you exhaled a whiny huff.

"I was!" Steve really does like the little frown that creases at your brows, indulging as it only increases.

"What did I just say?" you waited, lip tugged between your teeth, and Steve is still hardly paying attention,

"Uh-" he stutters.

"She said you need to select the customer profile before logging in the code for the video. Then you need to check if they have store credit, and after that, you need to put the cover for the video in that pile over there." Robin recited with ease, her focus still on flipping through a misplaced comic book.

"Thank you, Robin." you rewarded, eyes never leaving the spot occupied by Steve.

"Yes, thank you, Robin." he hissed through gritted teeth.

"So, the next thing you need to do is..."

Like a schoolteacher, you paused expectantly, and Steve, head bowed like your scolded student, pulled himself together and offered up a gentle reply,

"Replace this box with the other box."

"Exactly." Satisfied, you tapped his shoulder, cueing him to get up from the stool. Steve stiffened under your touch, the waves of your sternness washing over him with an unsuspecting flutter of the heart, and it only seemed to increase when you practically forced his palm open and placed the box for The Graduate, pointing toward the aisle of shelves he needed to visit.

"Robin, you said this would be fun." Steve whined, sluggishly sliding off his seat, dragging his heels as he set off to do as told.

"I'm having a great time!" Robin called over his shoulder, tilting her head to send you a sweet smile.

"Is he always this difficult?" you turned to her fully, willing your bubbling frustrations to simmer down.

"Usually he's just disinterested," Robin attempted to reassure but was clearly clueless to the storm brewing just under the surface.

"Well, that's just great," your hands found your face, cradling the nightmare that refused to end, eyes scrunched shut, elbows balancing you against the countertop.

"Getting on your nerves already, huh?" she teased.

"Is it that noticeable?" you muttered through the spaces of your fingers. 

Robin stood up and made her way over to your slumped figure,

"Just a smidge." she poked at you playfully.

Your Summer was quickly turning sour. What was supposed to be easy money and plenty of days by the pool was tumbling away, replaced with unrest and the resurfacing of uncertain feelings from your formative years.

The threat of Steve taking over your space- just like he had in high school, ignorantly bumping his hip into your desk, day after day, ignoring your disappointed sighs. But unlike in high school, you feared he would bother you in ways far more blood-boiling.

"He hasn't changed at all," you muttered, seething.

"Hasn't changed?" Robin pondered, standing upright just as you decided to do the same, conspiracy in the air. Suddenly, your eyes widen with mirth and a hint of mischief, only furthering her confusion. You rubbed your scheming hands together, your brain sent into a spiral of brilliance,

"I have an idea."

With not a word more, you leave Robin befuddled, turning on your heels and heading for the backroom. 

Robin stays put until she's sure you aren't making a return, and then she's hot on your heels,

"Wait up!"

Excitement coursing, Robin catches up just in time to watch as you grab an old red marker, using your shirt sleeve to remove Brad, writing 'Steve' in its place. 

Stepping back to admire your work, bold and capitalized 'Harrington' staring back at you, begging for his screw-ups to rack up. Adding a squiggly separation line as an afterthought, you admired your work one last time, arms folding atop your chest.

"There. Fixed it."

"I love it." Robin cooed with approval.

"I'm brilliant."

"A genius." she commended.

The two of you stood in your bubble of admiration, so much so that neither of you noticed the arrival of Steve, stepping into the room with confusion- it had taken him a good minute to even find you. 

Peering over your heads to get a glimpse at what seemed so interesting,

"What are you two on abou- are you kidding?" this was a new low for Steve.

First days were never great, but this was record-breaking bad. And when you turned to him, a cheeky smile still curving at your lips, Steve felt his bones might melt right off.

"The opposite," you informed.

"I haven't been here half a day, and you guys are already ganging up on me?"

"I mean, it was bound to happen, Steve." Robin teased.

"It's only fair." you shrugged, smile fading for good.

Steve was clearly confused now, brows cocked, shoulders stiffening. He could feel both of your eyes on him now,

"How's that?"

"You and your friends ganged up on everyone at school." you recited like it was something everyone already knew everything about.

"I-" Steve stuttered out,

"Hopefully you have thicker skin."

Steve said nothing- didn't know where the fuck to even begin as quick flashes of himself, strutting the hallways, blurred his vision, desperately trying to place the image of you within all of the chaos that was his high school experience. 

But you're looking at him expectantly- or perhaps, just plain hostility- and it's only hyping Steve's unease.

Robin has whiplash, focus dashing between you and Steve, and if nobody was willing to speak up, she certainly would. Unfortunately- for Robin- Murray's voice booms through the closed door, the muffled sound of "Y/n!" seeking your assistance.

"You guys can head to the front counter. I'll be there in a sec." you sighed with relief, giving Steve a brief glance before leaving, head thumping in step with your sneakers.

"Holy shit." Robin, her mouth ajar, pranced over to join a puzzled Steve.

"I know. What the fuck was-"

"She is so cool!" she fawned.

"What?" he almost chokes.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew each other?" Robin chides as they make their way to the store's front.

"Because we don't." Steve defends.

"Another casualty of the romancer formerly known as King Steve?"

"Of course not."

Steve picks up the pace, trying to get at least a few feet away from Robin's newfound source of a summer scandal. 

But she won't stop- and they both know it.

"Oh, please."

"I'm serious!" he comes to a halt, collecting whatever strength remains to convince Robin otherwise.

"You didn't try? Like, not even once?" Robin probably wouldn't believe him anyhow. 

Steve could hardly care as he dropped back down onto the nearby stool, palms clenched, head hanging low,

"She wouldn't have given me the time of day."

Summer was starting to look like it might be far more interesting than expected. Guaranteed, this was less than thrilling for both Steve and yourself. 

But for Robin, well, she couldn't help her giddiness from spreading throughout town, sighing with such content,

"I am going to love working here."

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[Hi lovelies! This is my first time posting anything about Steve. I've been working on this series for ages, and I've decided to make some chapters about their work shifts and some about moments out in town. Would you guys be interested in this format, with an update each week? I'd love to know what you think!! xox]

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