#she cornered me in the car and asked what shipping was and i almost had a fucking heart attack

[fox-mulder-gets-pegged]

I just wanna say bc I KNOW you're somewhere on tumblr, to the teenage girl who attended Take Your Kid To Work Day at an office building in Ontario, Canada circa 2013 and had a conversation with a middle aged woman in which you showed her your Black Veil Brides fanart and fanfics and ship content and told her about different fanfic tropes including a/b/o verse bc she happened to know who Panic! at The Disco and Fallout Boy were and thus you felt the need to show her your bandblr ship art, that was my fucking mother and I had to clarify all that to her including looking my mother in the eye and trying to explain a/b/o verse without sounding like a lunatic.

It's been 10 years and I still regularly sent evil energies in your direction. Since you'd be probably two years younger than me and thus legally an adult now, please know if this post reaches you it's on sight.

#she cornered me in the car and asked what shipping was and i almost had a fucking heart attack #imagine being like 16 years old and habing to explain knotting to your mother #random emo music girl I'm glad you had fun talking about your Band Guys to my mother #bc i also attended take your kid to work day at that office and i know how boring it was #but christ alive why did you have to fuck me like that? #anyways i hope this post reaches you so at the very least you know i think about you at least once a week #this has been weighing on me for ten years #im almost tempted to blaze this post

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

ring pop proposal ♡

fem reader, pure fluff, childhood friends to lovers lemme alone do not perceive me yk the drill by now, lil self indulgent fic cus i love childhood friends to lovers and puppy crushes, polar opposite’s trope, this reeks of my oc x canon katsu ship sooooo shh shh do not perceive.

the first person who realizes katsuki has a crush on you is his mom because when she comes to pick him up one day from kindergarten he suddenly mentions you. it’s an innocent little interaction he had with you that mitsuki doesn’t think much about at first, simply surprised her son managed to befriend someone outside of his little group of friends until he starts mentioning you more and more.

soon you’re the only thing he talks about and katsuki even starts begging her to have you come over to play. mitsuki is extremely curious to know what kind of person you are to have been able to enchant her son the way you have, she says it’s fine as long as you’re parents agree.

you’re a sweet little thing, almost the complete opposite of her little devil’s spawn. you’re polite and a little shy when you ask “ is it okay if i come to play at katsu’s house, please miss katsuki’s mom ?” and how could she say no to you ? she pulls at your cheek lovingly and her son almost snarls at her.

“no touchin’ !” he snarks, pulling you against him like you were his teddy bear.

mitsuki was the first to realize her son had a crush on you when you were always around. when he found something cool during a class trip you were there and whenever he was upset it was always because you had argued about something irrelevant that seemed so much bigger in the eyes of a child.

she realized because katsuki had, and in some ways, will always be rowdy. he’s rough and temperamental and moody—basically, he can be quite the brat. (she wonders where he gets that from a lot) but he’s different with you.

he’ll always be a little rough around the edges but it’s the thought that counts. he drags you around a little too hard but it's to show you something he knows you'd like and you repay him by being patient with him and letting him drag you around to his hearts content. he let’s you use the crayons he’d just denied another classmate seconds ago and when it’s really early in the morning and you’re still sleepy unlike your more energetic friend, he waits for you. sitting with you in the reading corner quietly commenting on a little bit of everything in the book you’re sharing until you’re awake enough to start the day because katsuki wanted you to be together through anything no matter what, starting the day without you was simply unimaginable.

you offer him your kindness and he repays you with his loyalty. acting like your guard dog, protecting you from everything and everyone he considers a threat to you. he goes a bit overboard but it’s the thought that counts and he’s definitely got the right intentions.

“ i’m g’nna marry yn when i grow up !” katsuki proclaims from the backseat of the car after mitsuki had come to pick him up. she looks at him through the rear view mirror only to see he’s not even looking at her, looking out the window somewhat longingly, watching as his school fades away from his sight, further and further and further away from you. she smiles to herself.

“yeah ?” she asks “yeah !” he responds proudly, crossing his arms “ i asked yn if she wanted to be my wife an’ she said yeah, so we’re gettin’ married !”

“huh. how’d you propose ? you don’t have a ring.” she jests.

katsuki responds immediately and exclaims he does have one, shuffling around to reach for something in his pocket. he pulls out a plastic ring pop holder, the candy on top is missing and mitsuki can imagine what happened to it.

“gave her one of these !”

“so that’s why you had me buy those from the store last time,” she hums. “ you ate it, though.”

katsuki tries to roll his eyes but just ends up looking up and to the side, mitsuki recognizes it as him trying to mimic what she does a lot and she snorts.

“well duh, we both did ! ‘f i kept it in my pocket it woulda gotten gross !” he defends. mitsuki simply responds with a hum, smile on her face growing larger as she hears her son happily chatting about the rest of his day with you.

she knows her katsuki is hard to handle. extremely so. but when she sees the way you both interact she can tell something is there. you don’t ‘handle’ him. you like being around him. you like playing and talking with him, she sees how happy you make him whenever you come over for playdates. he holds your hand when you get scared and you hug him tight and beam when you see him again after he’s gotten over a nasty cold.

she can tell you make her son happy and he does the same for you in the way children do with pinky promises and shy cheek kisses, kisses over tiny wounds and refusing to be separated whenever the rowdier one of you both gets his recess time taken away for being naughty.

mitsuki hopes this crush, this love you have for her son can grow along with you. she hopes you’ll stick around as katsuki grows up more and potentially more rowdy and rougher around the edges but even more enamored with you. and with the way her son is squirming around in his seat and tugging at his seatbelt, giddy about you accepting his ring pop proposal, she has a funny feeling you’ll be sticking around for a long time.

#another childhood friends one whats new #can you tell this is my fav trope teehee<3 #Idk if you can tell but it is #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugo fluff #bakugou imagine #katsuki bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki #bakugou x reader #katsuki x reader #katsuki bakugo x reader #bakugou katuski x reader #bakugou fluff #katsuki x y/n #katsuki x you #bakugou x you #bakugou x y/n #bakugo x reader #bakugou drabble #katsuki bakugo fluff #you can take this as a prequel for like two of my childhood friends to lvrs fics lololol

[moonacrefarm]

anticipating love

summary: your parents marriage didn’t survive the test of time and neither did you first love. 

contains: childhood friends to lovers to strangers, second-chance romance, angst, hurt/comfort, slight miscommunication, fluff, 18+ series, mentions of stalking, mentions of cancer, no mention of y/n

authors note: so...uh, here it is :D

series masterlist

next part | 02. never hesitating

01. watching, i keep waiting

It felt like clockwork. An annual phone call from your estranged father, asking for a few life updates before awkwardly ending the call. This time, the silence hung in the air longer than the usual three minutes, a quiet hesitation you stuck around for.

Beau "Cyclone" Simpson was known for being a stickler for the rules; strict and to the point. He wasn't a natural-made family man; your mom accused him of hiding in his work and neglecting his duties as a husband and father. It was the last argument they had before she stuffed you in the backseat of her car.

They hadn't seen each other since.

However, this time, the anxiety could be felt through the phone, "Dad? Is there something else you need?" You inquired.

He sighed, "How… How's your mother?" The edge that settled in his voice finally clicked. He knew. A few deep breaths later and you gathered the strength to speak.

"She's…getting better. The doctor said there's hope." Silence followed again. It felt as if time slowed before he spoke again, “There’s a doctor here in San Diego who can treat her. We never divorced so… if she wants to I can…” He went quiet for a moment. “I know the move would be taxing but you guys would be closer to family and—”

“I'm not sure if she would want that, dad.” You spoke softly, gently cutting him short. “I've tried to convince her to take the recommendation, but…you have to speak to her.” Further silence followed. You could almost hear his heart hammering over the phone.

Your parent's relationship was a mystery to you. They’d never divorced but you were uprooted and planted halfway across the country when they separated. Your father didn’t fight and your mom didn’t have it in her to keep up with him. He’d prioritized his career over his family, and you knew he regretted it following your and your mother's departure.

Sure, you’d seen him sparsely throughout the years, receiving birthday gifts and visiting for holidays, but the damage had been done.

"Alright. You're right. I'll try to talk to her as well." He conceded. You didn't respond, whispering a soft goodbye before pivoting towards the window.

Observing as your mother tended to her garden, humming along with the radio. You had made a home in Virginia, but was it home? Both of your mother’s and father’s families were on the West Coast and the state held bitter memories after a failed engagement.

She'd always been stubborn, and while you weren't your father's advocate, you couldn't lose her. You understood this was her best option, yet she refused to take it.

It felt like days they spent speaking over the phone. Your father fighting tooth and nail to match your mother.

“You can’t honestly expect me to move halfway across the country for a maybe.” She spat. You couldn’t hear your father’s response but whatever he said softened her, wilting as her eyes filled with tears. She glanced at you. “Fine. We’ll see you then.” Her shoulders slumped as she made her way towards you, plopping on the couch and leaning her head on your shoulder.

“Pack your swimsuit. We’re going home.”

Phone calls had been made, flights booked, boxes shipped and suddenly you were standing in your childhood room. Not much had changed, except for the piled-up boxes that had been pushed into the corner. Memories hung around like outdated decor, a bitter taste filling your mouth.

A light knock jerked you out of your stupor.

“I didn’t know what to do…so I left it as it was.”Your father stood at the door. His frame taking up most of the space.

You inhaled a shaky breath, “Do you think it will work?” The fragility in your voice was noticeable as he inspected your face with a crease in his brows, lips pursed. “I hope so.”

Not much else was said as you continued to unpack. Mentally running through your to-do list for the next month and a half. Your mom had a doctor's appointment set for next week, and all you could hope for was promising news in the meantime.

Your mother's illness put a hiatus on your life. Her diagnosis turned your axis on its head; stability gone in a wink. Now you were unsure. Unsure of your future, of time, of her future. You decided to take time off of work and dip into your savings, this move wouldn’t strain you. If you were lucky, you’d be able to find a job near base, hopefully in some clinic. You couldn’t focus on patients when you’d see your mother in everyone. Time lost in your career wouldn’t compare to the time you valued with your mother.

While strolling through the house, you noticed your old family photos hadn’t been moved. Not a speck of dust to be seen in the home as you glanced at your parents in the living room. The tension was easy to notice. It permeated the air and left a heavy feeling in your lungs.

Words were waiting to be said you didn't want to be around for the aftermath. Not only to spare yourself from the debris of their approaching fight but also to give yourself the freedom to reset. Your emotional turmoil was eating you alive you needed some time to breathe.

“I’m gonna go visit Penny, she said to head down the bar once we were settled.” A swift kiss on your mother's cheek while she murmured, “Send her my regards.”

San Diego was a time capsule, the neighborhoods aging while the city was ever-changing. Familiar streets diverging off to ones you didn’t recognize. It’d only been a few years since you’d last come down and somehow that was enough time to reinvent the city.

Hard Deck itself had seemed the same, the amiable environment and ocean breeze skimming your cheeks. You’d arrived before the pub opened, approaching with excitement and allowing the bell to signal your arrival.

“Here I thought you were gonna stand me up?” Penny glanced over you with shining eyes, “Looks like at least oneSimpson can keep a promise.” A grin filled her face as she embraced you, her hug providing the warmth and consolation you needed after a massive move. “Where’s your mother?”

“Having it out with my dad” She winced.

“No wonder you got here before the bar opened.” You two shared a knowing look. You knew Penny had questions. Your mother was private about her sickness and never disclosed details. She even attempted to keep things from you. “Mom is down to see a doctor who might be able to help. I don’t know how the hell dad convinced us to share a roof but here we are.” You shrugged, wrapping behind the bar for a waist-apron.

Penny understood, bouncing her head as she gave you a gentle smile, “She's a determined woman. I believe she'll beat its ass before it even thinks twice about getting her.”

A faint huff came out of your mouth, “You know, you’re not wrong…” Before you could continue, Penny chimed in.

“There's a reason they referred to her as Hurricane, not only to piss off your dad but being an admirals daughter made her tough. Hell, your grandfather could barely keep her in check. He said he could control your mother or do his job.”

Laughter filled the bar, resounding through the empty building. The two of you calmed down, and you nodded your head in mortification, arranging some of the spirits as she continued.

“Hey, there's a reason we call you a little spitfire. Your dad and your mom? Of course, they'd create a vixen.”

A delicate smile graced your face, "I missed you, Penny." You admitted, "And I you. It’s not every day I get to see my favorite niece.” She tapped your nose as she turned to clean the bar top.

“Penny, I’m your only niece.”

“Details, details..” She hitched a tub of glass cups on her hips, waving you off, “If you aren’t gonna get to work, I’m gonna have to throw you overboard. We got a boat docked today.” You giggled at your aunt’s antics, appreciating her ability to keep the conversation light.

Penny glimpsed at you curiously, “Have you talked to….anyone else since you got back?” You understood what she asking without having her clarify. “Just some family members.” She gave you the eye, “But no. Haven’t spoken to Bradley in eight years and counting.”

“I thought you guys reconciled after you both graduated?”

“Not really. We talked sure, but we hadn’t spoken between then and when we finally did, things went to shit.”

Penny bobbed her head in understanding. "Stick jockeys… the only thing that keeps them grounded is insubordination." A huff fell off your lips as you got busy moving between tables. The crowd came in all at once, hordes of uniforms tottering in, some with arm candy, others eyeing for arm candy. This kept you in constant motion; gathering up drinks, bringing refills, making cocktails, and dancing around the jukebox.

The throng kept you light-headed, and you were thankful for it.

Groups of locals, navy sailors, and aviators cheered, drank, and sang. You were grabbing a refill for someone at the bar as Penny flirted with someone who looked vaguely familiar; he flashed her a warm smile as you tried to place him.

The distraction was short-lived when you took a pool stick to the hip. Your tray tilting into the hands of an arrogant aviator, his grin cocksure as he glanced you up and down, “Sorry dove,” He started, restacking the glasses, “I didn’t—”

“Careful.” You warned. “Disrespect a lady and get the bell.” Your finger pointed as a mischievous smile graced your face, “I think a pool stick to the hip is reason enough, no?” Your hands had been itching all night to ring the bell, it’d be a while.

“What if I help you carry this tray of glasses to the bar and work on an apology for you?” His green eyes filled with mirth, both of you enjoying this small pissing match.

“Much obliged.” You dumped the tray in his unsuspecting hands and he stumbled to keep it upright. Some of his fellow aviators cheered you, amused by the exchange. You made your way behind the bar as he handed you the tray, “Sorry for sticking it ya...” He pondered off, massaging the back of his neck, “Didn’t know you were behind me, I wouldn’t have gone so far back if I did.”

“To be fair, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“If I ask for refills would that ruin the apology?” He grins sheepishly.

You barked out a laugh, “What if I charge you double for your beers and consider it even?”

“Sold!”

He skimmed you over one more time. “Can I get your name on the side?” Silence fell between you two as you reached for the beers. He leaned on the bar, relaxing as he drew everyone's gaze towards him.

You let out a small laugh, deciding to toy with him a bit. "Callsign?" He knotted his brows together, "Hangman." You bobbed your head. "Top Gun graduate?" He nodded once again. You leaned in next to his ear, your voice quiet, "Piece of advice, Lieutenant….” You glanced into his eyes, whispering, “You might not want to hit on the daughter of the vice-admiral."

You didn't typically pull out your dad's rank, but this time it was worth it. His mug slipped, paling slightly. "They call me little Simpson. But hush,” You dragged a finger over your lips, “This is a secret between you and me.” You gave a small smirk. "Here are your beers sir," He didn't say another word as he toddled back towards his table, his crowd hollering at his stupefied disposition.

The sun had just started to set, disappearing behind the horizon and you called Penny for your break. You tucked away your apron as she took over, pumping cocktails and drinks out with ease. “I’m heading down to the shore for a bit, I missed California sunsets.”

“Remember, I need you back in 15!” She called after you, too occupied flirting.

The sand was warm and the breeze was gentle. Allowing yourself to unwind as you sit in the sand, resting your head on your knees, you listened to the hustle and bustle of the bar in back of you. Your aunt had run the bell and someone just got thrown overboard. You watched as the same aviator from before was one of the few that carried the old-timer out.

You still couldn’t place him but decided to let it go. You could ask Penny about it later.

A familiar tune of piano keys causes your spine to straighten. Nausea twisted itself in your stomach as goosebumps peppered your skin. You stood up, listening for his voice as he started singing, still incapable to believe it unless you see him.

You peeked, treading cautiously towards the window.

And there he was.

Sitting at the piano bench, singing the same song Carole hummed in the kitchen when she babysat you. His fingers danced on the keys as he commanded the room, bobbing his head as he sang. He had a fuller build, aviators sloped on his nose with an open Hawaiian shirt. The same one Carole said he could wear once he was old enough for it to fit him.

Dread spread through your limbs as time stalled. Penny would understand if you left now. You’d just have to run in and grab your things. You’d be gone before he noticed you.

The hesitation only worsened when he raised his eyes and that confidence was taken over by surprise. It was only a second but it was enough to jerk you into action. Descending into the crowd, you concealed yourself between bodies as you escaped towards the back to grab your keys.

The song wasn’t quite finished yet. He kept up his performance and you didn’t have it in you to match him today. “Penny—”

“Go. I know now isn’t the time.” You embraced her tightly, swearing to drop by tomorrow and complete your shift, but right now you needed to go, and having a face-off with the man who broke your heart isn’t what you needed. Maybe later, but not now, it would be too much.

The air hit your flushed cheeks, catching your breath from the sudden intrusion. You glanced up one more time before trekking to your car, watching him bask in the ambiance of the crowd cheering him on, arms spread out to take in the energy. It didn’t last long before his gaze set itself on you, making his way through the crowd with a smile. Anyone would miss it, but you weren’t anyone. His face was tight and he walked stiffer than his usual gait.

You hadn’t seen Bradley Bradshaw since you were 26, and before that, since you were 18. You’d been raised together since you could remember.

It was now or never, you could spilt at the last moment and very evidently run or you could hesitate and let him catch up to you.

Whatever options you had evaporated as the door opened. It moved slowly, and you held your breath.

In that moment you felt foolish, why did you need to hide? He was the one that left you that morning. He was the one that didn’t answer your phone calls and refused to reach out. Outrage simmered in your throat as you felt it flush in your ears. Why hide when you could bury the hatchet here and let him have it?

He slowed as he got nearer as if he could never reach you no matter how far or fast he walked. He dangled his aviators on the neck of his tank, gathering himself. His gaze followed you up and down, leaving a burn wherever you felt his stare.

“Bradley ‘The Brave’ Bradshaw.” You spat.

He winced narrowly at your tone. Wonder steeling his bones as he was rendered speechless.

“How was the last…what? Decade? It’s been almost a decade since I’ve seen you. Phew time just flies. Doesn’t it?” You folded your arms over your chest, standing at attention as he just stared.

He didn't talk for a while. Breathing as he thought, chewing his bottom lip, just like he always did when he was unsure what to say.

“Good talk.” You headed for your car before he grasped your wrist, a gentle tug but one loaded with desperation. “I…” He paused again.

"Fuck, I don't know what to say." He rubbed his forehead, taking a swig of his beer. "I mean, I didn't have time to prepare a script and all." He motioned around, catching his failed attempt at a laugh.

"I'm sorry." He blurted. You both stood dumbfounded, just in surprise at each other's company. "I should've written, or texted, or emailed. I shouldn't have…." He trailed off as if shame carried his voice away.

“Oh wow. He thinks too. Isn't that convenient?” Your biting remark was followed by a snort, “Apology not accepted. It was shitty of you to leave me like that, knowing what was going on and deciding I wasn’t worth even a goodbye. You didn’t even say goodbye Bradley.”

Tears lined your eyes as bitterness warmed you, “I thought I wouldn’t be so mad at you after all these years. Believed that if I ran right now I could put it behind me but no…the years we spent together meant nothing when you left like that.” Your voice hardened with your resolve.

His grasp slackened on your wrist, “Then why did you come back? Thought you would’ve had the wedding by now.” He cocked his head to the side, aggravating you in the process.

“No.” You spit the words out, “Called the engagement off when he said my mother’s illness wasn’t worth the trouble.” Bradley stood dumbstruck, mouth gaping like a fish out of water. It wasn’t often Bradley lost his composure, he had to be able to keep his head on tight if he was flying a jet. In this moment, he felt ill. He didn’t even know.

“She’s…She’s sick?”

You puffed out air, understanding that while you may seething, Bradley still cared for your mother. She took him in when Carole passed and Pete left him with nothing but a dim future. As much as you hated him, you understood that hearing about your mother's illness hurt. He loved her like family and he didn’t have much of that left.

“Bye Bradley.” You shook him off as he trailed after you, this time a bit brisk.

“What do you mean she's sick? Is it a cold, is it the flu?” Panic rested in his eyes as he scrutinized at you. Scanning your face for answers.

Your eyes bore into the asphalt. “It’s stage four Bradley.” You said feebly, the topic weighing you down as if sandbags had been placed on your shoulders, “The doctor said there might be a chance but we don’t know yet.”

He stood rigid, processing this information as grief seized his throat. Squeezing tight until he could barely speak. “I-I didn’t know or else I would’ve…”

“Would’ve what? Finally, called? You cut me off and I made do with it, but my mother? She loved you like one of her own and you just left.”

He rubbed his face. Palms shielding his eyes as he took a few breaths in, “At the time, I couldn’t have stayed. You may not understand why but I couldn’t stay.”

“Or you just didn’t want to.” His eyes shot up towards you, “You know that isn’t why I left. You know damn well.”

“No, I don’t. I woke up the next morning with nothing but your old pair of aviators and some dog tags. The bed was cold and I was alone.” You both had a stare-off, clearly oblivious of what the other was thinking.

You just puffed and watch as Bradley stood there, in all his aviator glory, allowing the anger that filled your body to tide you in. Electricity pooled into your palms and you tried not to slap him, all you could process was that anger, just anger anger anger. It was all you had that wasn’t grief.

Whether he was here or not, it didn't matter. You were too cross to articulate any of it. Years of bottled emotions popping open before you could process them. Stillness suspended itself in the air again, gripping both of you by the neck.

“I need to go.” You said firmly, “I just… I can't handle you right now. Not now.”

Slipping into your car, you give him one last look. He was impassive, closing himself off so he didn’t have to process it.

It wasn’t your problem anyway, you just needed to get home.

#bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #rocky’s masterlist⚘ #bradley bradshaw fic #bradley bradshaw #top gun maverick #top gun fanfiction #top gun imagine

[lambertdiary]

I’m outrageously down bad for him but can you please (if you want to) write a scenario where they’re cuddling and the readers straggling his lap but he gets a little bricked up 🙀🙀

A/N: hey sooo... i did it, i finally wrote an NSFW piece lol. this is my first time posting that type of content here so pls let me know what you think!! and if you're not comfortable reading this content feel free to exit my blog!

Word Count: 1.9k+

Warnings: NSFW, smut, established relation ship (again, if you're not comfortable reading this please keep scrolling)

MASTERLIST     ✩    SEND ME A REQUEST

Just Me And You

Y/N usually enjoyed rainy days, she liked the cold weather and wearing big hoodies, but not when it ruined her plans with her favorite people.

Dalton, Chris and Y/N had made plans to explore the town and find a diner that made at least decent milkshakes. But with no car and no real destination, they decided it would be the best idea to postpone it to another day.

“One of us should learn how to drive… and get a car” Chris said exiting the elevator, the other two following her.

“And that should be you” Y/N replied.

“No, it should be someone responsible”

“Then I guess we need to find a fourth member” Dalton said jokingly. 

“I know you’re joking but I vote yes to that, being the third was okay for the first few months but you two are unbearable to watch sometimes” Chris opened the door to her and Y/N’s dorm, dropping her backpack next to a pile of dirty laundry somewhere on the floor. 

“What the hell? You set us up” Dalton replied, following the girls into their room. 

“And I will have to live with that for the rest of my life” Chris went straight to her bed, getting comfortable with a bunch of blankets for the current weather “I’m gonna take a nap, it’s the only acceptable thing to do when it’s raining like that” 

“Oh-“ Y/N was getting the feeling that she was being kicked out of her own room.

“I’m sure you’ll find something to do in Dalton’s dorm” Chris said as if she was reading Y/N’s mind. 

“Thanks for the hospitality” Dalton joked, ready to walk out. 

“My pleasure”

Y/N and Dalton left the room and started walking towards the elevator “Guess it’s just me and you then” He said. 

“Yeah” Y/N smiled at her boyfriend “What should we do?”

“We could just stay in and watch a movie or something, it’s raining too much out there” 

“Let’s watch a horrible movie and regret it later” 

They agreed to buy snacks from the vending machine downstairs and stay in Dalton’s room, they didn’t wanna go out in that weather and they definitely didn’t wanna bother Chris. 

After scrolling for a bit, they chose a horrible movie they discovered to be one the lowest rated films on letterboxd, and it was horribly rated for a reason. It wasn’t the type of film that was so bad it was kind of funny, it was borderline unwatchable. They wanted to give it a chance and try to finish it, but when their brains couldn’t take it anymore, they decided to do something more fun. Kissing.

What started like any other kiss quickly became something more heated. Turning into a heavy make out session. They weren’t unusual but something about the weather made Y/N want to feel closer to him.

Y/N moved to his lap almost on instinct, resting her knees on each side of him. Barely stopping to catch their breaths and only for a couple of seconds. 

The minutes went by and eventually Y/N broke the kiss to look at him. She smirked before kissing the corner of his mouth, then leaving a trail of kisses leading to his neck. Dalton let out a shaky breath, which made Y/N stop “Is this okay?” She asked, a little concerned she overstepped his boundaries.

“Yes” He said barely above a whisper. After hearing him say that, Y/N went back to his neck, exploring new ways to pleasure him. 

Dalton was enjoying it, maybe too much. He felt his sweatpants get tighter and his body get warmer. He felt his face burn, getting worried Y/N would know what was happening to him. 

In an attempt to hide his situation he shuffled under her, which only made Y/N notice it. She let out an involuntary moan and Dalton got more worked up at the sound. They have done stuff before, but it never got to… that.

Y/N kept kissing his neck and Dalton was caressing her back, occasionally moving to her hair, while she tried really hard to stop her hips from squirming on his lap. Dalton noticed this and gripped one side of her body to steady her. But that only made her wanna shift more. His touch was almost overwhelming, but she wanted more.

Dalton’s hands moved to her thighs, holding them in their place, which sent Y/N goosebumps all over her skin warning her of another feeling. She was having a hard time focusing on anything, so once she stopped working on his neck, Dalton took the opportunity to return her neck the favor. 

She inhaled as her hands took a fistful of his shirt, quickly moving them to the hem of it. She tugged it asking him for permission to remove it, to which he hummed in response. 

Y/N removed Dalton’s shirt and the sight of her shirtless boyfriend made the feeling between her legs stronger, not being able to hold it anymore she started to rock her hips against his lap. 

“Hmmm…” Dalton hummed quietly. He kept his lips on her neck and the vibrations of her sounds made him drool. He stopped what he was doing to look at her. 

“Are you okay?” Y/N asked him, stopping her movements. She needed to be sure they were both okay with what was about to happen and that they would both enjoy it.

“I just- I’ve never” He stammered. 

“Me neither” Dalton’s breathing was getting heavy at this conversation “Um- Should we-“

He interrupted her “Only if you’re ready” 

Y/N admired his eyes for a few seconds, and leaned in for another kiss “Okay” She whispered. Dalton guided her to the bed, making her lay on her back and placing himself above her. They kissed again for a little while and Dalton asked her “Can I take your shirt off?” Y/N nodded and took it off herself, feeling a little self conscious, but Dalton swears he has never seen a more beautiful girl “You’re so beautiful” He breathed.

He started kissing her torso, and going down to her legs. His big palms ran up the outer sides of her thighs slowly before tugging at her sweatpants. Y/N lifted her hips allowing him to drag them down and taking them off completely “Your turn” Y/N gasped. She knew it was only a matter of time before he found out how damp she was already.

Dalton looked up at her and shyly smiled, but complied with her request. He was now standing there wearing nothing but underwear. This made Y/N squeeze her legs together, aching for some kind of relief. He noticed this and slowly pushed her thighs apart to make space between them “If you want me to stop, just let me know, please” He said looking up at her.

“Okay” She said, and a second later he had his thumb pressed against her clit, already aching for him. A small cry of relief leaving her lips at the feeling. He smirked, clearly proud of himself. He slid a finger under the fabric and smothered it over her skin a few times, eventually getting rid of her underwear too. He looked up at her waiting for consent before bringing it down all the way, and Y/N nodded.

Dalton tossed it somewhere behind him and lowered his body almost all the way, stopping only a few inches away from her “I wanna taste you” She was unable to say something at this point “Y/N?”

“Okay” She forced the words out.

“Tell me what you like” He said before breaking the distance. He was using his tongue, his hands and even his nose. Y/N feels like she’s never felt before, her mind getting dizzy and soft moans being the only sounds she can let out. Dalton would occasionally look at her, to make sure she was okay and enjoying it, and the eye contact drove him crazy.

Y/N felt something build in her tummy, knowing exactly what it was she tried to prepare herself to stay quiet, she didn’t wanna be loud in a dorm. An orgasm washed over her and her hips bucked up involuntarily. Dalton knew it was happening, so he used his big arms to pin her down to the bed. He helped her through it too (or at least tried to) and when he assumed it was over, he went back on his knees and looked at her.

She had her eyes closed as she dusted off the high “Do you have condoms?” She asked suddenly, in the haze of his lustful mind he forgot about that important detail.

“Uh- yeah” He stood up from the bed and went directly to his nightstand, opening the drawer and looking through it for a moment. He came across a sealed box of condoms he bought a few weeks ago and opened it, slowly pulling out one of them. He returned to the edge of the bed and saw Y/N holding in a laugh “What?”

She shook her head “You just happen to have condoms?” She raised her eyebrows waiting for his response.

“I- uh- I thought we might need them one day” Dalton blushed so hard he felt like he was going to explode and Y/N couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction.

“Well done” She said. 

Dalton took off his briefs and slid the condom down his cock, before climbing back up and meeting her lips once again. He put her hair behind her ear before kissing her temple “I love you” He whispered softly.

“I love you” Y/N repeated. 

He slowly entered her, and Dalton reached up to her hand and intertwined their fingers, holding them against the mattress. He pushed in slowly, not wanting to get ahead of himself and hurt his girlfriend but when he heard her say “Keep going” He just went for it.

Both of them were breathing out whispered moans into his dark room, barely illuminated by his laptop with the movie still playing “Shhh, Chris is up there” He said when he remembered.

He feels incredible inside of her and it’s almost impossible to keep it down. He was rocking into her and finally found a steady pace. He managed to somehow angle his hips upwards and Y/N felt him gliding over her sensitive g-spot, pushing in and out over and over again. 

He could feel himself losing his pace with his own orgasm approaching. He tried to increase his rhythm again, as he noticed Y/N tighten around him. Feeling it get closer he forced his eyes shut “I think I’m close” He breathed out.

He groaned deeply and threw his head back when he felt the wave of euphoria hit him. Y/N was a whimpering mess below him, completely giving up on holding the sounds.

They stayed like that for a moment, just breathing deeply. Once they both calmed down, Dalton lifted his head and kissed Y/N on the lips “Was that okay?” He asked her.

Y/N was still breathing a little hard when she nodded her head and responded “Yes”

Dalton was relieved to hear that. He pulled himself out and collapsed next to her, bringing her closer to his chest. He kissed her temple again and whispered a little “I love you” Before returning their attention to the movie.

#dalton lambert #dalton lambert x reader #dalton lambert smut #dalton lambert fic #dalton lambert imagine #dalton lambert imagines #dalton lambert fluff #insidious #insidious the red door #insidious 5 #ty simpkins #dalton lambert fanfic

[sunsetcolbs]

queen mary scaries — colby brock

SUMMARY — you and colby go back to the queen mary ship

WARNINGS — scary stuff, gn!reader, fluff

REQUESTED BY — @outerbanks-world

———

THEY WERE GOING BACK, and you weren’t the only one to warn them. katrina, sam’s girlfriend, also warned him against it. did either sam or colby listen? no.

“i just don’t understand why they would go back to the time in their ghost-hunting career that traumatized them the most,” you vented to kat as you both waited for the boys to finish packing.

“sam says this is their last time going,” kat agreed, concern written on her face.

“do you believe him?”

“nope,”

———

you were soon on your way to another terrifying experience. you’ve watched their videos, and you’ll never forget the sheer terror on colby’s face whenever he went back a second or third time. he has nightmares for weeks, and you knew because he often woke you up to come and sleep with him. it wasn’t a bother at all, you were just worried for him.

that anxiety carried over. you were anxious for the trip, of course, but also for colby. you told yourself you needed to get out of your own head and just breathe. things were gonna be fine, right?

the car stopped and you looked out of the windshield from the backseat. you saw the looming ship in front of you, and for a moment you were too engrossed in the beauty of it to remember it’s haunted. hopefully you keep reminding yourself of that throughout the night.

you all — kat, sam, colby and you — climbed out of the car to be met with the chilling air of the evening.

“perfect weather,” you joked to your boyfriend. colby chuckled, wrapping his arms around you from the side. he knew you were anxious, if you hadn’t told him he definitely felt that you were.

“chilly for a chilling night,” sam rubbed his hands together with a grin, making the rest of you laugh. the duo did their intro, introducing the other two of their group. it was officially the beginning of a very long night.

———

it was the height of the investigation and you were behind colby. sam held the camera, which was pointed in a particular corner of the room. you could hear colby’s breathing hitch, his anxiety spiking through the roof.

“what was that?” sam asked quietly, looking over at colby, who merely shook his head. there was silence, but then another knock in that corner of the room. it all came flooding back for colby, almost as if it was ptsd.

colby backed out of the room, leaving it just as quickly as all that happened. you turned on the lights, since it was y’all’s bright idea to have them off.

“i’ll go check on him,” you nodded to sam, running out of the room. sam followed you, which you expected of his best friend.

“colby!” you called for him to stop, but he wasn’t stopping.

“colby, stop please!” you called again, picking your pace up to a jog. he was still a ways ahead of you, given he had much longer legs than you did. you finally caught up to him and stopped in front of him, at that point it was just the two of you. his face was red with fear and his breath was uneven. he ran a hand through his hair, avoiding your eyes.

“colbs…look at me,” you hummed softly. he replied by doing as you asked, his eyes welled up with tears.

“it’s just like it was before,” he whispered softly.

“i know,”

“i was reluctant to come back, i shouldn’t have,”

“you wanted to resolve this once and for all. leave it behind you, and that’s ok. i’m proud of you for facing your fears,” you brought up a hand to rest on his cheek, feeling the warmth of his tears. his hand rested on yours, taking in the comfort you radiated.

“you didn’t want to come,” he spoke gently. you should have known he’d pick up on that.

“do i ever want to go to a haunted place and purposely crap myself? no,” she joked, making the brunette boy in front of her chuckle. “but i will always join you on your adventures no matter what. who knows, maybe it’s growing on me,” your words comforted your boyfriend, who’s hands were still shaking from the horror within that room.

“thank you, y/n,” he hummed softly, his eyes locking with your own. you were his rock in these situations, hence why you came along most of the time, especially to the places that were rumored to be the scariest.

“anytime,” you smiled, grabbing ahold of his hands. he gave your hands a light squeeze before wrapping his arms around you. you both just stood there for a moment, mentally preparing yourselves for the horrors that lurked in the walls of B340.

colby pulled away and took a deep breath.

“let’s get this over with,” he hummed.

“i’ll be right beside you,” you told him, “and so will sam,” you reminded him, to which he smiled at you. you both returned to the room and continued your investigation.

———

this took me absolutely forever and i sincerely apologize. i’m not as into the fandom anymore :/ but every now and then i’ll try to post something! i wont leave y’all hanging. thank you for the request and i deeply apologize for the wait time! remember to be safe and be kind lovelies!!

#colby brock #colby brock imagine #colby brock imagines #sam and colby #colby brock x reader

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

Hi! congrats on the anniversary 🫶

For the fanfic request: Ichihime + second date ( first kiss ) 🍓🍞

As the Rain Falls

Rating: K/General with mild themes

Setting: little over a month after We do Knot Always Love You

Synopsis: Ichigo and Orihime go on their second date, both anxious and excited about their new relationship, but Ichigo has things on his mind he can’t shake off.

AN: First up, a sincere apology for how late this is!!! >_< I must admit, I kept getting writer’s block with this one, but I still wanted to persevere with it and try to write for different characters and a different ship.

At the same time however, I'll admit I’m nervous about this. I've never written a fic where Ichigo and Orihime are the main characters, and I know that they'll be written out of character as a result. And it's me, so this is probably more angsty than you wanted ^^;

I tried, and hopefully it makes for an entertaining read.

Hope you enjoy this one!

_______________________________

Ichigo tucks his hands into his jacket pockets and bounces his knee as he looks around AB Cookies.

Arisa, who is currently at the counter, told him Orihime was getting changed and should be out soon. It had been only two minutes since then, but why did it feel like longer?

He sits in the corner at one of the few indoor tables, mostly ignored by the customers coming and going from the store. All around him, the room is brightly coloured in pastel hues and styled in a way that makes it appear homely and cute. If not for Orihime, he wouldn’t normally come to a place like this.

When another minute passes, he thinks to pull out one of his textbooks and study while he waits. He only gets as far as frowning at his backpack. Why is he so nervous? It’s not like this was their first date – that’d happened just over four weeks ago – so where is this anxious, fluttery energy coming from?

He blinks at hearing Orihime’s voice drift from the back. He straightens when she emerges from the doorway behind the rows of breads. She’s dressed in a bright sweater and skirt, and her boots clack on tiles then the wooden floors when she lifts the counter top and steps out to his side. She smiles widely when she glances at him, and he can’t help but smile back in return – she’s one of the few people who has that affect on him. 

She only gives him her full attention after she says goodbye to Arisa, who in turn thanks her for her work. He stands up, shouldering his backpack as she approaches.

“Kurosaki-kun,” she greets. “Sorry for you keeping you waiting.”

“It’s fine, you didn’t take that long,” he says. He tips his head towards the exit. “You wanna get going?”

They end up in the main street of Karakura Town, walking towards the shopping district. Cars rush by and people crowd the streets. Above them is a mostly blue sky, but clouds linger.

“How was your day?” Orihime asks.

Ichigo shrugs one shoulder. “Nothing much. Just went to lectures mostly.”

“Which ones were they for?”

“English studies. What about you? Anything happen today?”

“A lot, actually. I told Ari -- Oh, wait!” She comes to a stop and reaches into her bag. “Are you hungry?”

Before he can even respond, she pulls out a bread bun and breaks it into halves. “It’s got red bean paste and strawberry in it,” she says as she offers one half to him. “It’s spares from the batches I made this morning, and I thought, since you were up early…”

He smirks fondly as he takes it from her. It’s so typical of her to think of something like this. “Thanks, I think I need this.”

She practically glows, and he has to bite into the bun to not embarrass himself with a stupid grin and chuckle. He hates how this reminds him of the way his father acted around his mother. He hopes to never be like that with Orihime, but even so, there are those moments where she gets to him, where her happiness and excitement become almost infectious.

“Is it good?” she asks.

He nods, mouth full, and it only makes her beam wider. He bites harder into the bun the next time as heat rises up his neck.

“So, I made that new donut for Arisa-san and Ichinose-kun,” she says.

“Oh, the one with seaweed, strawberry, and cashews?” he asks, trying to keep the wariness out of his voice; these new recipes she comes up with always mean a lot to her, even if he can’t comprehend them.

“Yes! Although I had to change it. I think I brought them around to it after create one without the cashews, but I'm starting to wonder if maybe peanuts might work better.

"I-Is that so?"

"I just think it needs a salty or nutty element! It still tastes good with jut the seaweed and strawberry though. They’re thinking about putting it in the front.”

Despite his reservations, he can’t help but he proud of her and his smile returns. “That’s great, Inoue.”

Something must show in his expression, because a faint blush colours her cheeks. “A-Anyway, after that I was speaking with Arisa-san…”

They keep walking down the street as Orihime talks and occasionally nibbles on her half of the bun. He listens to her, and as she carries on about her work – about the small things like finding a gacha trinket on the ground on her way to work, and bigger things like a corporate event who requested catering from the bakery – they wonder from the streets to a nearby park.

For not the first time, he thinks about how peaceful its' become. He still fights Hollows, but isn't as often as it used to be. There’s no looming threat over them, nothing to stop them from being by each others’ side. It’s why, along with seeing how happy Renji and Rukia were, and the former’s encouragement, he finally decided to ask Orihime out.

Their first date had been clumsy in the first hour. He’d planned dinner and a movie, a typical date night according to Keigo and Tatsuki. After Ichigo arrived late and Orihime got flustered trying to reassure him it was fine, the air had been awkward around them. Just the week before he’d confessed to her, and she did the same, and now it’s apparent their feelings for each other were more than either of them thought. Gradually, after they'd finished their dinner and they left to go see the movie, things eased.

Perhaps that where these fluttery nerves came from, left over from their last date. He'd thought he'd be more relaxed consider today’s date was even simpler: a walk in the park, then find a restaurant for a late lunch. It’d been Orihime’s idea, claiming she didn’t need to do anything fancy or complicated with him. He can’t help but suspect she had him in mind though, knowing he’d be tired from his studies and late nights of fighting Hollows and performing konsos on a wondering Souls.

Yes, he thinks as he finishes off his half of the bun, he’s grateful for this peace.

However, like how Zangetsu’s voice had haunted him in the months after the Arrancar’s invaded Karakura Town, there’s a part of him that lingers in the back of his mind, skeptical. It makes him notice the crowds all around them. Parents watching their children run and play around the park. Couples occupying benches or walking past them in their own worlds. A group of teens in school uniforms hunched over a manga magazine, laughing at something they’ve read. Everyone here had been under threat just over three years ago, and they hadn’t even known it. He’d defeated Yhwach, and yet he’s still haunted by ‘what-ifs’. What if he hadn’t defeated him? What if another threat lurks right beneath them, one that hasn’t been seen yet?

“Kurosaki-kun?”

Ichigo blinks out of his reverie. “Ah, sorry.”

Orihime blinks up him in concern, and had brought them to a stop at the park’s fountain. “Is something wrong?”

He thinks to hold it back in, to do what he always did and bottle it up. He’d stew on it, but it would pass or continue to linger somewhere within him, as everything else had. But what had helped him get over it? Rukia had, and Chad, and Uryu, and Renji, and Orihime. He should be able to tell her anything, especially now that they’re going out.

He doesn’t want his mood to bring the date down, and he knows if he says it’s nothing, she’ll drop it, not wanting to pry further. Even so, he knows she’ll worry about whatever is bothering him. He can’t do that to her.

He’s not sure where to start, but he opens to his mouth to say something.

And then there’s a plop on his head.

____________________________________________

Orihime had imagined scenarios like this many times. Ichigo would grab her hand and they’d rush down the street, the rain falling over them as their feet splashed through puddles. Somehow, the clouds would be thin enough that the sun would peak through, making colours more vibrant beneath the glittering rain. At some point, in slow motion, Ichigo would look over his shoulder at her, hair somehow unaffected by the rain and haloed in a lighter shade of orange. smiling confidently, and saying something heroic or sweet.

And right now, Ichigo turns his head over his shoulder, cringing with his bangs plastered to his forehead, panting for air, and trying to blink the rain from his eyes. “You okay?”

She too has to get rid of the drop falling around her eyes to see him, wiping them and a strand hair stuck to the side of her face away with the heel of her palm. “Y-Yes! But where are we going?”

The rain comes down in torrents, drenching them in less than a minute. Around them, everyone is rushing out of the park and back to the shops that line the streets. She considers asking if they can head back to AB Cookie, but considering how soaked they are, she doesn’t want to cause any trouble for the staff in cleaning up after them; they’d probably make puddles in the middle of the store.

They run across a zebra crossing, and then next thing she knows, Ichigo brings her under the awning of a closed up shop. They almost hit the shutter door, stumbling under the shelter.

They take a moment to catch their breaths, with Ichigo hunched over and Orihime leaning against the shop’s garage door.

“This rain came out of nowhere!” she says. “The forecast was sunny. Guess I should’ve known better when I saw the clouds.”

Ichigo rises from his hunch. “You can’t predict the weather, Inoue.” He half teases and half reassures her, and she’s grateful for it.

“It’s still a shame we can’t go to the park now,” she says.

“We'll go another time. There's other stuff we can do. Unless you'd rather head home."

"Maybe we should wait until the rain stops...or there's less of it."

He only hums in acknowledgement.

It’s only then she realizes he still hasn’t let go of her hand, and she fears looking down at their joined hands and drawing attention to it will make him want to pull away. She discovered very quickly he got embarrassed by PDA – whether it was between them or with other couples. It’s oddly cute to her, and she herself still wasn’t sure if she likes it either. Holding hands like this, though, is something she’s always wanted.

The skin of his palm and fingers is rough from callouses, but the back side is softer than she expected. And it’s warm despite the rain.

Without meaning to, she squeezes his hand, and he looks down. Instead of pulling away, he tilts his head to the sky, almost shyly. She withholds a bewildered giggle. He can still surprise her, it seems.

It’s a minute later when the rain lessens.

“It’s not as bad now,” she says.

“Yeah…” He’s not fully there, his gaze turned up at the clouds. The rain affects him in a way she doesn’t fully understand yet. In the years since she first met him, whatever grips has gradually faded from what it used to be.

“We can probably head…” she starts, but trails off.

Now what? They can’t go to the park, and they can’t go out to lunch with their clothes so drenched. Maybe they should call it a day, and try again for next week sometime. But as Orihime eyes Ichigo, seeing the slight clench in his jaw and the way his eyes narrow at the sky, she knows she can’t leave him alone.

“Um…”

At her nervous fidgeting, he blinks, coming out of his daze, and looks to her. “What is it?”

“We can, um…w-we can head back to my place. It’s close by, so…”

Orihime tries and fails to push the heat rising to her face. Yes, Ichigo has been to her place many times before, but not since they started dating. Who knows what could happen? She tries to dismiss the sparkling fantasies that threaten to take over her mind.

“If you’re okay with that," he says, "just until the rain stops.”

“Of course!”

“Well, then, thanks.” He gentle pulls on her hand. “We should get going.”

He begins to lead her back out into the rain again.

“Actually…”

“Hm?”

At his raised brows, Orihime quickly bows her head. “Ah, yes, sorry! I uh, just…actually, nevermind!”

“Hey, come on. What is it?”

Orihime drops her rueful smile with a defeated chuckle. “It’s just that, after our date, I planned to go to the convenience store to pick up a few things. With this rain though, it’s probably better that we just head back.”

“We can still stop along the way. You’ll need help carrying things, right?”

She’d never point it out, but there were times she senses an eagerness from him, one he’d keep reserved under many layers. It’s another endearing quality she secretly loved about him. With a nod, she says, “Then, if it’s not too much trouble….”

He gives her a small smile. “It isn't, Inoue.”

She has to turn away as her heart skips a beat.

They make a quick dash to the convenience store that’s a few minutes from her home. She stops under the entrance’s awning and grabs the end of her skirt to wring some of the rain water out. She barely hears Ichigo’s quiet chuckle over the rain. “Don’t think it’ll make much of a difference.”

“Well, we might end up making puddles in there,” she reasons.

“It’ll be fine, we’re not staying long, right?”

As soon as they enter the convince store, Orihime bows apologetically to the cashier. Ichigo just sniffs, trying to cover up another chuckle. She’s quick to go the aisles for milk and despite the slight indignation rising in her, Orihime is glad to see faint amusement in Ichigo's expression.

She’d also imagined a scenario like this, albeit without them being wet and cold. Somehow, though, she liked how this was turning out instead. Maybe it’s knowing Ichigo is following her as she went down the aisles, his footsteps always behind her or at her side. Maybe it’s the fact that when she picks up a cup of noodles, he asks what she’ll make with it, and even as she lists off all the ingredients that sound odd to put with it, he offers weary encouragement. Maybe it’s discovering he likes a particular brand of rice crackers when she goes to pick up her usual one, and explaining to him why she prefers this one over the others. They’re small, mundane things, but every little part of it is something she can say she’s experienced with him now.

Everything comes to a halt when they get to the freezers. Orihime almost frowns when she has to crane her neck to see the milk she normally buys. “They must have moved everything  around, these never used to be so high up.”

She opens the fridge door and stands on her tippy toes.

She stops when Ichigo steps up behind her and reaches his hand into the freezer. “I’ll get it.”

Her back is almost pressed against his chest, and as she turns to look at him, she’s struck once again by how tall he is. From this angle she can admire the strong line of his jaw, and watches a raindrop roll off it and hit the collar of the shirt beneath his jacket. Once he hands her the milk, she snaps out of it. “Ah, thank you!”

However, neither of them moves. Orihime stares up at him, and he stares back. Her heart flutters at the hint of softness in his gaze. It’s nothing like her fantasies, where there’s sparkles and flowers magically appearing around them. She swallows, unsure if she’s bold enough to do what she’d always wanted to ever since he confessed to her.

Before she can think any further, Ichigo clears his throat and abruptly turns away. “Sorry, I, uh…”

Orihime shakes her head and takes the bottle of milk from him. “Ah, i-it’s fine! I, um…hey, look, there’s my favourite icecream! I should grab a tub while I’m here!”

She quick to move away, and she’s certain the heat colouring her face will dry her scalp in no time.

Several minutes later, she pays for the milk, a tub of biscuit and tea flavored ice-cream, three cups of noodles, two ramen kits, and a packet of rice crackers.

When they step back out, he holds out his hand. “I can carry it.”

“There’s no need.” When his hand doesn’t drop, she takes out the milk. “If you’re sure.”

__________________________

Whenever Ichigo enters Orihime’s house, he’d find his gaze wondering over to Sora’s photo. It happens not long after he takes his shoes off and he steps into the main room, and today is no exception as he removed his jacket and hangs it on a free hook; it drips over his shoes. He only looks away when Orihime puts the shopping bag on the kitchen counter.

She puts away the ice-cream, and it prompts him to hand her the milk again. “This too.”

She comes over to him, takes the bottle, and as he makes to step into the main area, she holds up her hand.

“Hold on a second,” she says before turning and putting the milk in fridge.

He doesn’t move beyond the tiny foyer, waiting for her after she dashes off to the bathroom. She comes out with two towels and holds one out to him. “It’s not much, but maybe for your hair?”

“You didn’t have to,” he says. But the it occurs to him he’d probably drip all over her floorboards. “You sure you’re okay with me coming in?”

There’s a pause, and a faint blush rushes up in her face. “O-Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Think I’m going to make everything damp,” he says while rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Oh, no, it’s fine! It’ll dry eventually.” She lifts the other towel. “If you’re worried, you can always put this over the cushion at the kotatsu.”

He normally wouldn’t care, but he takes both towels from her. “Yeah, sure.”

“Make yourself comfortable,” she offers. “I’ll just go get changed and then make some tea. Or would you like hot cocoa? I got some a few days ago, I haven’t tried it yet.”

 “Tea is fine.”

She smiles with a nod before going to her bedroom.

He remains near his shoes, drying off his arms, face, and hair before going to kotatsu. After laying the second towel down over the cushion he sits. He continues patting down and drying his hair as he waits. He ignores the rain thrumming gently against the windows, and once again, his gaze wonders to Sora’s picture. A bowl of nashi pears lies on one side of the photo, and a recently lit incense stick on the other.

A part of him wishes he’d properly met her brother while he was still alive, so that Acidwire and the night he was brought to the Kurosaki Clinic weren’t the only memories he had of him. Compared to everything else, however, it feels like a distant memory, and it thankfully ended in a better outcome than others.

Orihime emerges from her room, now dressed in a new sweater and jeans, and a headband pushes her damp hair behind her shoulders. She hums while boiling the water and taking out the teapot. Watching her brings a sense of calm to him, and a relief that doesn’t surprise him as much as he thought.

It’s not the first time Ichigo wonders if everything they’ve been through has affected her. Does she still have bad dreams? How much had she told Tatsuki? Were there things she hadn’t told him yet? Would she ever tell him?

And perhaps that is what bothered him most. He, Orihime, and their friends had to live with those memories, and all of consequences that came with them as the world went on ignorant to what had almost happened.

He’d been almost ordinary once, going to school and getting into trouble with humans. At the time seeing the Souls always reminded him he was anything but normal, and since becoming a Shinigami, any chance of him being fully human had been dashed.

It had been his choice, one he didn’t truly regret despite everything that came after. He had been powerless to help others in need, to protect those he cared about, and Rukia had given him that chance on that fateful night.

But Orihime had been ordinary – or at least, more ordinary than him.

He didn’t know much about her parents, but of what little he did know, he knew they were the kind of people he would’ve kicked to the curb. And yet she had gone through that and was still able to smile, just as she had with everything that happened in Los Noches.

So caught up in his thoughts, he doesn’t notice her approach until she sets a mug down in front of him.

“Here,” she says. “It’s just black tea, I ran out of green. Didn’t think to get it while I was at the convenience store, silly me.”

He manages a faint smile. “It’s fine, thanks.”

She settles down to right, wrapping her hands around her own mug. After a moment, she says, “Before…there was something you were going to say. Do you still want to say it?”

He stares down at his dark reflection in the tea, considering. “It’s nothing major, and it’ll pass.”

She shuffles, and then her hand slides along the table and into his view, stopping centimeters from his. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it,” she reassures. “I don’t want to upset you.”

“You don’t,” he says, raising his gaze to her. “You never have.”

It’s a bold confession from him, and he’s saddened to see her withhold a wince. Perhaps there are still some things she holds from the past, misplaced guilt in her role of situations beyond her control.

“Inoue.” He gingerly takes hold of her fingers, and struggles to find the right words. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“Maybe it is.” She brings her hand around his, her grip warm and firm. “Whatever we face, it’s together, right?”

For a second he’s brought back to facing Yhwach. He’d asked Orihime to be his shield, to fight at his side against a foe of unknowable strength, for a future that wasn’t guaranteed.

How could he have been so foolish right now?

He can’t help but smile ruefully to himself. “Yeah, of course.” Then, after swallowing thickly. “Are you happy?”

It’s a sudden question, one he hadn’t thought to ask but had come forth anyway. Sensing how loaded it is, Orihime looks out the window in thought for several heartbeats. Her lips form a slow, sweet grin. "I am."

He tries to ignore the skip of his heartbeat, and the uncomfortable way his throat constricts. Before he can say anything, she continues, and her smile wavers slightly. "What about you, Kurosaki-kun? Are you happy?"

He thought it would take him longer to answer, but it comes to him with a few memories. The first is returning to everyone after Yhwach’s defeat. Despite the mix of emotions -- the melancholoy of Yhwach’s final words and the pinch of fear for the unknown ahead of them --  it all dulled away to an intense relief at seeing his friends. Uryu stood far away, watching as everyone rejoiced at seeing one another. Ichigo knew a conversation would be had some point, but the fact he was there was enough hope for him for now.

The second was his high school graduation. He grumbled on the day it on the day, and despite how mundane it would seem to many compared to what he’d achieved in other worlds, he felt a small sense of pride at having finished it. Isshin of course was an embarrassment on the day, one minutes shouting his praises about Ichigo and the next weeping about how he's grown so much. He'd taken a picture of him and his friends together, one that Orihime had a copy of on the wall near her bedroom door.

The last was watching Renji and Rukia get married, seeing their friends and the Shinigami happy for them. It was only then the peace truly hit him, that maybe he can gather the courage to tell Orihime how he truly felt. And the excitement and anxiety that came when she said she was free three days from then.

The nerves from before hadn't just come from a change in their relationship, from friendship to something more, but from the thought it could be disrupted by a new threat. But he had chosen this dangerous life, and she had joined him and others in it. They all know the risks, but they didn't have to always be hyper-vigilant. They had to live.

“Yeah, I am.”

At her widened grin, he remembers for a short period of time after Yhwach’s defeat when Orihime had put on smiles, attempting to mask the sadness and pain she truly felt. According to Tatsuki, it had been while he was in his comatose state after Aizen’s defeat. In both cases, that gradually changed.

In the face of everything that had come before and because she had the courage to in the face over everything that tried to take it from her, she still smiles and laughs. She helps others and protects Karakura Town. He can see why otherwise would under-estimate her – he may have once himself – but in truth, she’s probably one of the strongest people he knows. He’d grown to love her for those reasons and more.

And he loves her for it. He gets strength from her because of it. He can go into this peace with her because of it.

It’s only then he realizes he’s gotten closer to her, so much so her face takes up most of his view. She stares at him wide eyed, her lips parted and her cheeks flushed as she tries to stammer out his name. It's just like before in the convenience store; she'd captivated him with just a look.

“Ah, sorry,” he chokes out, but he barely leans back. It’s as if he’s frozen in place, and the only way to come unstuck is to lean forward.

With one last gaze flickering to her lips, he leans in. She does the same before he closes his eyes. He’s be ashamed to admit he’d imagined this at more than once, but it’s not how he expected it to be. It’s soft and awkward, both of them frozen in place, afraid to move despite how misplaced their lips had locked. He pulls back a little and tries again. If Orihime’s quiet, pleased sigh and the way his heart beats faster is any indication, it’s better.

A warmth spreads through him, radiating from his chest and thrumming through his fingers. He’s light-headed as they pull apart, and when their eyes flutter open, his heart skips a beat at seeing the softness in her expression. He’s with her, holding her hand,

When the haze of whatever this is has worn off, he’ll elaborate further on what bothers him. And when he does, she’ll listen intently, holding his hand, and smile when he he’s done, and be glad he told her. More than that, however, she’ll be glad they can go together into this newfound peace.

Dealing with the memories of the darker and weaker moments had become easier him and the others as time went on. He, Orihime, and their friends kept walking forward in the face of it, and eventually alongside it, and one day, past it as they forge their futures.

#ichihime #ichigo kurosaki #orihime inoue #bleach #fanfiction #blog anniversary requests

[scarsnfevers]

To the stars — Hyunjin

pairing; hwang hyunjin x female reader, (mentions of other members)

genre; titanic!au, romance, fluff, angst, tragedy

summary; the most famous and youngest violinist of her time and a young artist of the lower class on board of the Ship of Dreams? Pathetic, yes, and yet opposites seem to attract.

warnings; mature content, mature language, cursing, tw!death, drinking alcohol (only a little bit), a little bit of smut, smoking (might add more warnings later)

word count; 3,4k

taglist; @hyunskizz, @daiyoon

authors note; I'm not a fan of tragic endings, so be prepared for a happy ending?

Parts; Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 soon

!minors do not interact!

"A CONCERT IN NEW YORK?!" It all started with that. I never dreamed of getting this far in my life. I had never been the best student, nor the well-behaved daughter of the house who took private lessons in literature and history seriously. I had always been a little different from the other kids my age that had the same social status as me. And now I was England's most famous violinist.

"I can not believe it!" When the news reached me that I would play at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, it seemed I was at the peak of my career as a violinist. Luck seemed to be on my side.

"And the best thing, my dear, the costs of our trip are fully covered. We don't need to pay a penny." My mother, standing behind me and combing my hair, smiled at me through the mirror. Our trip. The corners of my mouth twitched before I smiled softly. "I can't wait to get on board, mother." Although I would have preferred to travel alone with my friends. "I never imagined such a ship in my wildest dreams. It must be breathtaking." I continued, leaning back in my chair a bit. "That's it dear. And in a few hours, we'll be able to see it by ourselves." My mother put my comb aside and finally asked me, "I hope you've packed everything? Felix and the others will surely be here soon. You should have everything ready by then." I nodded at her question. All I had to do was peel off the robe I was wearing and slip into one of the dresses my mom ordered from a special designer for me for today. And I definitely hated it. I hated everything about that dress because it didn't reflect who I was at all. But what didn't I do to be the good, loving daughter. "Darling?" My mother seemed to sense my absence, even though I knew that she didn't care about me until I finally had success in life. I blinked and looked up at her, "I'll get changed now and take care of the final details. I'll come to the driveway once I'm done." It was exactly the answer my mother wanted to hear. She smiled contentedly, "I'll have your suitcases loaded, then we can leave immediately."

When she finally left my room, I was able to get a moment for myself. I enjoyed the moment just sitting there and letting my gaze wander. I probably wouldn't see these four walls, my home, for a while. Would I miss it? I guess not. It was just a prison for me anyway. My eyes finally settled on today's flyer, which featured a huge cruise ship. Underneath it was written in capital letters:

The ship of dreams - the Titanic sails today!

"The ship of dreams, huh?" My fingertips traced the outline of the image before picking up the flyer. My gaze slid over the contours of the ship. That such a giant could stay afloat at all was almost a miracle. It was not for nothing that the creators of the Titanic boasted that ship was unsinkable. I finally put the flyer back on my desk and made sure to be in the driveway on time. I knew that my mother wasn't a friend of being late.

And yet I was. Exactly two minutes late. I gave my mother an apologetic smile, knowing it wouldn't save me, before glancing at the motorcade pulling up and parked in our driveway. I paused for a moment before two young men got out of the front car. Lee Felix and Han Jisung. My best friends and those who would also join me on my trip to New York.

Not minding etiquette, I rushed down the stairs to greet my friends. "Finally you two are here!" I hugged both of them happily. Felix laughed: "Hey, I can't breathe!" He gasped while Jisung just giggled. Reluctantly I let go of the two. "You can't believe how happy I am that you're here." I explained and lifted visibly my eyebrows, which meant that they should just save me from my mother. Jisung suppressed a smirk while Felix replied, "Don't worry, we'll get your mind off things." A smile tugged at his lips as he looked behind me and greeted my mother as she joined us. "Good morning gentlemen. It's nice that you've finally arrived." I wanted to give my mother a wry look, but that would only mean more trouble. "Mrs. l/n (your last name), we're glad to see you too." Jisung mirrored my mother's smile as he addressed her. She nodded with a friendly expression on her face before continuing, "It's a wonderful day to embark on such a great journey, I hope you're all set." "Of course ma'am." Felix replied with his typical happy smile, which is why I always called him sunshine. I grimaced and jumped into the conversation, "All right, now that everything is settled, let's be on our way as soon as the house servants have loaded the last suitcases." I looked around. Thank god my mother agreed, "I'll go and see if we have everything. Take care of your friends darling, maybe they want some tea?" I wanted to make a face, but I nodded instead. "I'll take care of them, mother." I kept smiling until she was finally out of my hearing range. I sighed loudly and turned back to my friends.

"So?" I asked, looking questioningly at Felix and Jisung. "I heard we make the Titanic unsafe?", "Oh yes!" Ji crossed his arms and grinned. "But first we have to get you out of that horrible dress. That's straight from the last century." He eyed me. "Thank my mother. If I had it my way, I wouldn't wear that either.", "Don't worry, I've got enough fabric in my luggage to design you a new dress in no time." The light that started to pop in Jisung's eyes told me he couldn't wait to get me into one of his self-designed dresses. Because as an up-and-coming fashion designer he was always looking for new ideas and challenges: "It's good that I don't have any knowledge about that." Felix said and leaned against his car, a brand new model that was all the rage in Europe. "But my mother would have preferred that I would marry you." I chuckled and looked at him. Felix cocked his head and spoke amusedly, "That wouldn't work between us anyway Y/n. We're already so palsy-walsy." I giggled at his words, "I guess you're right." Felix and I have known each other since we both could. walk. He came from an even wealthier family than I did, and had always been an excellent student, hardworking and well-behaved. He could have had any girl, but he had never been with anyone. He also got the chance to study engineering in New York. The reason why he accompanied me on my trip. "Nice car you have there." I finally said. Felix raised his eyebrows, "Uh yeah, it just got delivered a few days ago. Drives great." The young man replied, whereupon I said, "Then I have no choice but to go with you. I won't miss an opportunity like that." I smiled crookedly, earning a surprised look from Felix, "Your mother wouldn't like that." No, she absolutely wouldn't, and I didn't care. Without any hesitation, I opened the door of the car and placed myself in, "I consider this as my dowry." I joked looking out at my two friends who were staring at me, "I love when you guys look so stunned." I grinned before adding, "What? Are you jumping in? Otherwise, the ship will leave without us."

___

The music was loud, and the smoke from cigarettes and the smell of beer and whiskey mingled in the pub. It was only 11 o'clock and almost everyone here was already star-struck. "So what else do we have?" Hyunjin leaned a little over to one of his friends who was sitting with him at the round skat table. "Hm, let's see." The young man with light brown hair spoke and rummaged in his pocket. He pulled out a few pennies and a pocket knife. "Shit, guys, that's nothing. Besides, that's the knife of Minho's grandfather." Another young man standing behind them leaned over them. "I know Jeongin." Hyunjin sighed before looking at Minho, who was staring at the pocket knife, lost in thought, "Buddy, you don't have to-", "It's alright." Minho interrupted the young man next to him before placing the knife and the few pennies in the middle of the table, where all the money, some valuables, and three tickets to New York lay. A trip on the dream ship, a trip into a new life. "This time, we'll get everything." Minho smiled confidently. They couldn't lose. Otherwise they would lose everything except what they are wearing. Even if it wasn't much that the three young men owned. Because when you came from the working class, there wasn't anything worth living for. A journey into another, probably better life came as called for. "So," Hyunjin's gaze slid to the men sitting across from him and his friend, "Let's play."

___

"It's unbelievable how jammed everything here is." I spoke and stuck my head out the window as we drove down the harbor. So many cars and people gathered in one place. It was difficult to even find a way through the crowds. "We're probably not the only ones." Jisung spoke ironically. "The Titanic seats about 2,400 people on board. No wonder it's so crowded today." Explained Felix, who was driving the car. It would probably have been quicker to walk. He honked his horn and waved a few people aside. "Wow, that's a lot." I answered before we turned around a corner as a huge ship came into our view. The Titanic. I held my breath and took in the sight. I had never seen such a giant in my life. It was overwhelming. Jisung now lowered the window pane to his side too to get a better view of the ship. "Have you seen anything like this before?" he asked while admiring the massive structure of grandiose engineering. "No" Felix and I replied at the same time, cause we were both completely captivated by this view. If there truly was an unsinkable ship, it could only be the Titanic. Felix's car slowly came to a standstill before he broke away from the sight of the ship and turned to us. "All right, I'm going to sign us in. Stay by the car, okay?" He looked at Jisung and me in the back seat. We nodded almost synchronously.

So Felix left us alone while Jisung and I got out to get a better view of the ship that was right in front of us. "Amazing. Sailing with this to New York will be fantastic." I could barely hide the excitement in my voice. And Jisung sounded pretty excited too. "It truly is the ship of dreams. I can't wait to get on board." I agreed before I heard my mother's voice. I turned around and saw her just getting out of the car that was parked right behind us. She gave me a displeased look but didn't say anything. Surely I'd get a lecture for not riding with her once we got on board. "The servants bring everything into the ship." She explained and looked at me. "We're already signed up, I've taken care of everything, so let's get on board dear." I blinked and looked questioningly at Jisung, who just nodded, "Go ahead, I'll wait here for Felix." he smiled. Although I would have loved to board the Titanic with my friends, I had no choice but to follow my mother. We walked over the bridge that connected the mainland with the ship, where we were greeted warmly by the crew. But I hardly had eyes for that. Instead, my gaze wandered over the pompous interior of the ship, the high walls and the elaborate decorations on the railings and stairs. But a voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Welcome on board of the Titanic Miss." In front of me stood a young, handsome man with raven-black hair, in a uniform. I wasn't very familiar with the ranks of a ship's crew, but from the looks of the other person in front of me, he seemed important. And I shouldn't be wrong. "I am pleased to welcome you on board. My name is Captain Bang. I will take you safely to New York." His accent immediately told me that he wasn't British, but Australian. Also, his smile was quite contagious.

I blinked and finally replied, "The pleasure is all mine." Does he want to greet all first-class guests in person? It looked like that. I returned the captain's smile before he asked me, "Are you traveling alone miss?" I was taken aback by his question, "No I..." I paused and started to look around. Only now did I realize that I had lost sight of my mother in all the hustle and bustle. I gasped and looked back at my interlocutor, "No, I'm traveling with my mother." I explained to him, whereupon the captain looked around, "It's easy to lose each other in crowds like this. What's your name, Miss? I can call a retinue for you who's going to get you to your room and let your mother know that you were safely accompanied." He was very accommodating. I nodded in agreement, "That would be wonderful." I replied and gave him my name, whereupon the captain paused and just regarded me for a moment before answering, "Wait here Miss l/n, I'll take care of it." A smile appeared on his lips again before the young man turned on his heel to look for a crew member who would attend to my business. So I lagged behind a bit awkwardly, which is why I turned my attention back to what was happening around me.

Lost in thought, I looked at the many people around me. There were probably many more in the lower classes, but even here, where the rich and beautiful met, it seemed overcrowded to me. Every single one of them could afford the trip without any problems. At that moment, I wondered how those who couldn't fare. "Y/n!" Felix's voice got through to me. I looked over my shoulder before my two friends caught up with me. "Have you finally made it?" A mischievous grin spread across my lips. Felix ran a hand through his hair, a little out of breath "Yes, just about that. The ship will be leaving soon. They are about to load the last wagons." he said. I was about to say something when a young man joined us. He was obviously one of the ship's crew, "Miss l/n?" he looked at me questioningly. I blinked and replied, questioning almost as much as he did, "Yes?" "You want me to show you to your room." he explained to me briefly. I had already forgotten that, "Oh, yes right." I looked back at Felix and Jisung. "Then we'll see each other later, yes?", "Of course Miss L/n." Felix cocked his head teasingly while he wore his bright smile. I playfully rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smile. Finally, I followed the young crew member deeper into the ship. Into a whole new world.

___

Glasses flew around, and the smell of beer spread while Hyunjin and Minho were still sitting at the skat table. Behind them stood Jeongin, who looked worriedly at his friends' cards. Things were looking bad for the three young men. If they were going to win this game, more or less a miracle would have to happen. Minho's right leg bounced nervously up and down as he scowled at his cards. Things weren't looking too good for Hyunjin either. He was missing a certain card to turn the tide. He bit his bottom lip nervously before hearing Minho sigh angrily, "Damn, I'm out." He leaned back and crossed his arms. It was probably Hyunjin's fault now. His eyes swept fleetingly over his opponent. He was tall, handsome and definitely a good skat player.

"So, last round?" he raised his eyebrows. Hyunjin nodded slightly and looked at the deck from which he would draw his next card. Everything would stand or fall at that moment. He dropped the first card to his opponent and then drew one for himself from the deck. Minho cautiously squinted at his buddy while Hyunjin stared at his deck. "So?" his opponent asked, while the rubble of the masses around them almost drowned him out. Jeongin leaned over Hyunjin's shoulder full of tension, who was sitting in his chair as if stuck and had to realize for a moment what had happened right now. Minho frowned and craned his neck to get a better look at the cards as well. But what he saw at that moment made him fall from the clouds, "Damn, shit" he breathed, while Jeongin, almost at the same time, started to cheer, "Holy Mother of God!" Hyunjin blinked and looked at his opponent before a wide grin appeared on his face, "Well, I guess we won!" He revealed his cards. A slippery winning hand. Nobody would come up against that. Their victory was certain. They would go to New York. Defeated, his opponent sat back while the three young men cheered their victory. "Thank you for this extremely entertaining game gentlemen." Jeongin took the valuables and the tickets while Hyunjin and Minho hugged each other with joy. Luck had been on their side for once, but they shouldn't celebrate too soon. "Hey!" The three friends were interrupted in their burst of joy by one of the men who had also been playing for the tickets. "If you still want to go on board, you better hurry. The ship leaves in five minutes." For a moment it seemed like Hyunjin had misheard his words. "What?" Jeongin stared at the man, who replied, "Yes, in five minutes. The Titanic will leave the harbor at twelve." "Fuck." Minho gasped and looked at Hyunjin, who was also looking at his friend, "Go ahead and grab everything you fucking have and get the fuck out of here!" He gasped. Jeongin hurriedly put in his pocket the remaining money on the table and then followed Minho and Hyunjin who had already run ahead. Although the pub was right at the harbor, it was difficult to move through the crowds as quickly as possible. Everyone had come to admire the Titanic, say goodbye to relatives, or go on board themselves. "Where the hell are we going?!" Minho, who was right behind Hyunjin, gasped and tried to keep up with the young man. Hyunjin, meanwhile, made his way through the crowd, trying to get an overview while the crew members already started to catch the bridges, the entrances to the ship. Hyunjin's eyes scanned the area feverishly until he finally spotted a bridge that hadn't been caught yet. "There ahead!" he shouted and was just able to avoid an older man before nearly running him over. They had to reach the bridge at any cost. Hyunjin felt his lungs threatening to collapse, but he couldn't stop now. He couldn't miss this chance.

Not this time.

The three young men rushed onto the bridge and hastily waved to the crew members who were about to pull the bridge in. “HEY!” Hyunjin roared at the top of his lungs to get the men's attention, which worked. Startled, they looked up and waved the three friends over. "You couldn't come any later, huh?" One of the men asked them as Hyunjin showed him the tickets Jeongin had given him. "Sor....ry sir." The young man gasped for air while his counterpart checked the tickets. So the three friends could catch their breath for a moment. Finally, the man in uniform looked up and handed him back the tickets, "Welcome aboard the Titanic gentlemen."

They made it.

Hyunjin took the tickets and boarded with his friends. "Damn, we did it." Said Minho with a big, very happy smile on his face. "We really made it." Hyunjin smirked while Jeongin still couldn't believe it.

Now a new beginning, a start into a new life, was within reach.

"Come on, let's go on deck and watch the ship leaving the harbor." Satisfied, Hyunjin wrapped his arms around his friends.

They would see their home from afar for one last time, before there was no way back.

#hyunjin x reader #jisung x reader #felix x reader #chan x reader #hyunjin stray kids #stray kids fanfic #stray kids scenarios #stray kids fanfiction #stray kids imagine #hwang hyunjin #hyunjin #hyunjin skz #lee minho #minho x reader #skz chan #stray kids reactions #stray kids x reader #stray kids x you #kpop scenarios #kpop aesthetic #stray kids imagines #stray kids #stray kids bang chan #stray kids boyfriend #stray kids hyunjin #hwang hyujin imagines #skz hyunjin #han jisung #lee know #han jisung imagines

[mrs-monaghan]

https://www.tumblr.com/mrs-monaghan/722559473838850048/shaz-reply-to-my-theory-ab-jm-n-jk-in-each-others

should I send again I still have it

I hate how so many people deny that jikook hang around in the background of each others lives and I don’t think it’s a matter of believing that they were present in each others lives but a matter of acknowledging. in that specific live

https://youtu.be/Gg3AKW4a9gY

I’m certain jimin was there and I don’t think there’s much to explain bc frankly that was straight up Jimins voice and he was given subtitles unless I’m absolutely delusional and hearing things 😭 which I hope I’m not since I have very sensitive hearing. but I personally think he wasn’t trying to hide jimin bc they were doing something sneaky or he didn’t want ppl to know but they just wanted to spend more time with eo. The live in question is jks 7/30/2021 live where he does karaoke and takes requests from army’s, my reasoning for believing jimin was there is because I think they just like to spend that much time together as jm told us in a vminkook live where he tells us that jk visits his room three times a day and just sits there and does nothing so I’m assuming that applies in their everyday life including just the time they were in the hotels. I’m the 7.30.2021 live Jungkook asks around 1.15 “is this it?” to which jimin replies “I think this is it”. That’s all it was and it’s easy to just acknowledge that and not making it some crazy shipping fantasy because why are ppl hell bent on disproving two members hanging out even when they clearly heard their voice?? Like people kept saying “no he wasn’t there why would he be there” “he was filming in the soop with the others because jk went late” but like isn’t it like jikook to arrive somewhere together and they even arrive late together too so why’s it bad to assume he was there (plus the fact they literally shared a car then) but he obviously fkn didn’t wasn’t filming in the soop since u heard his voice right there AND THROUGHOUT MOST THE LIVE JUNGKOOK LOOKED AT THAT CORNER WHERE JM WAS SITTING AND EVEN SMILED AT HIM. And we almost always see jikook gravitating towards eo and just sitting and basking in each others presence in bangtan bombs and memories and all contents while doing nth so i didn’t assume it’d be a big deal if jm just accompanied him while he spent time w army during a solo live.

but there was also the matter of where jm would sit, in Jimins birthday live in 2021 we see a sort of stool/chair in the corner of Jimins live which i assume is the one jk used when he joins him in the live but it also seems like a good place for somebody to sit on as well esp if the phone is turned away from that direction and is portrait like we had in that live of jks that I’ve been referencing and also to mention that jimins phone angle at the time was landscape so we would be able to see more

https://youtu.be/D89Hzi0QSkc

And we also have in jimins live after he topped the billboard charts where he says he was alone that night but at the beginning of the live he says in Korean “hurry leave” and there’s breathing from smn else and what lots of jikooks assume a kiss sound and a sort of scoff (could be a stretch but idk)(and around 17.23 of the live smn says iloveyou in Korean as he talks ab charging his phone) I had also asked my sister to listen to both of those and she told me she heard it too and im definitely not saying he’s lying but he absolutely doesn’t have to say that he was w anyone and he owns the right to keep that to himself but I’m just using this to say that he didn’t have to outright make jms presence known in that 7/30 live for us to recognise that he was there. also around 1.07 someone brings him water and jimin had also mentioned that he was sick around that time and had vomited so why is it a far stretch to assume that they were together that night and not to mention his comment about jungkook being asleep after an army said “I’m jungkooks wife” hence why he assumed he was asleep while he did the live. and the only person I can think who’d probably be with jimin at 3am (something very common of them to be up around that time) as he is awaiting the news of his billboard announcement is jungkook as they did in 2020 when dynamite topped the charts.

But I think my biggest reasoning for believing jimin was there was bc he was and that was his voice, i don’t think it was jk mumbling at all bc jk and jm have never sounded alike especially when comparing their two voices and not just that but the audio was given subtitles so there definitely was a voice coming from smn that wasn’t jk bc jks lips didn’t even move and if they did it wasn’t enough to illicit a sentence that was understandable. THAT ABSOLUTELY SOUNDS LIKE JIMIN i lowkey can’t believe it’s even a question that’s him😭😭 I’m not obsessed isw (w them maybe but not this specific topic)

I'm very passionate about this because barely anyone acknowledges bc

1. they're not tryna seem delusional but this isn't delusion it's literally just acknowledging

2. they hate anything to do with jikook

3. they think it's shipping but I promise you you can view them hanging around in the background of each others lives as something friends do (not everything Jikookers/ people acknowledge about Jikook is shipping, it's not anyone's fault that u can't see them as just friends stop blaming jikookers for the way u see jikook omg)

but like them being in each others lives is nth and it's sweet that they don't want to take the attention off the other but still wanna spend time with them w out being infront or the camera, there's logical ways to see these things and I wish people knew that.

Just coz u really needed my opinion on this I'll answer this with no receipts. Yes, I agree with everything you have to say. You didn't leave time stamps on these lives and I can't watch them atm but there is SO MANY instances that prove Jikook share hotel rooms or are in each other's lives.

When I can link my posts again I will answer your OG ask with links to all the times we've suspected Jikook were behind each other's cameras.

I would also advice not to get too frustrated by antis. They get to us because Jikook are loud and in our faces and the denial can be frustrating. But u don't gotta convince us Jikookers. We know it happened and its only our opinions u should care about. And we do talk about all these moments anon.

Personally I'm a big fan.

Jikook is real.

#ask shaz #bts ask #jikook #kookmin #minkook #jimin and jungkook

[marigoldsinamber]

Something Exciting (Reverend Lovejoy x Reader)

Summary:

From the day he first noticed you, he knew you didn't belong in Springfield. He never meant to fall for you as hard as he did; God must be tormenting him for something but he had no idea what it could be.

Ships: Reverend Lovejoy/Reader

Content Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 10.3k

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

Things so rarely changed in Springfield. The members who filtered through the church’s doors never really differed from week to week. It was one of the reasons he noticed you, standing just outside the entrance and leaning against the door frame to listen.

He couldn’t make out your features, saw nothing but the red of a skirt as the wind rustled by and he turned his attention elsewhere.

You stayed for the majority of the sermon but disappeared as he began on the final prayer like a strange ghost. Even after you disappeared, the reverend still glanced toward the entrance as he finished his announcements, still scanned over the crowds as they gathered on the church lawn.

He didn’t ask Helen about it though he knew his wife would probably be the most likely to have answers. If he’d imagined you, he’d rather not have people talking about how he might be losing his mind.

The next week, once again, you appeared halfway through the sermon – slipped through the open door and stood just inside the building.

Now he could confirm you were real and certainly not from around town, he stared a second too long. Though his words continued, his gaze locked on yours and so did the ever-watching eyes of the front row who always paid a mite too much attention to his mannerisms.

It was almost cartoonish how they looked back in sync to see the newcomer who immediately ducked back out.

He almost rolled his eyes at the situation. If they wanted to encourage greater attendance at church, it helped not to gawk at people who might have entered late. Of course, he complained at those he’d met who arrived halfway through but you were new.

And it immediately turned into the main discussion once everybody filtered out. Helen asked just about all her friends if they had any idea who she might have been and the topic of his sermon went forgotten.

Though, to be honest, he scarcely remembered it himself.

“She’s not from around here,” Helen said the second they got in the car. She looked more awake than usual, only eager to speak about her information. “I asked around and nobody has friends or family open. Do you think she’s looking to move in? We might have a new family joining our flock.”

“I suppose she could just be a tourist,” he said slowly.

“In Springfield? Don’t make me laugh.”

“Anything’s possible.”

Anybody who visited the town got bored of it quickly though. He’d seen you for two Sundays in a row so it seemed Helen might be right.

She smugly informed of such at the dinner table that evening. “It looks like she might be moving into that empty house close to the Flanders. Apparently, she was being shown around a few days ago by a real estate agency.”

“Didn’t the woman who lived there die a painful and drawn-out death?”

“Well, yes but that probably means it’ll be available for a very good price. I can’t say she’s off to a good start if she disrupted the service like she did.”

By the time the next week rolled around, it appeared the town had already grown bored of its newest citizen. He spotted you hovering once more beyond the doors and considered inviting you to come take a seat. It couldn’t be too comfortable standing outside in the sun and listening.

As he was thinking of doing so, you slipped through the doors and took a seat at the very back, practically hidden in the darkest corner.

He gave a small tilt of his head in acknowledgement and continued, refocused his attention on nothing so nobody could ever accuse him of being too enthusiastic about what he preached. The last thing he needed was to invite another Ned into his life.

After he’d stepped outside to speak to all those who needed him (fortunately not many) and to bid his wife goodbye before she headed out to a brunch with her friends, he returned to find one person hadn’t quite moved. Your eyes still trained on the stained-glass windows, hair twisting in the light breeze.

He cleared his throat and you startled.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I got carried away looking at the windows,” you said and hurried to stand. “I’ll make my way out.”

He held up his hand. “No need to rush. If you’re searching for guidance, you’re more than welcome to spend your time here. Unless you find the doors locked which they will be from five to seven.”

You laughed and toyed with a strand of hair. “I wasn’t really praying, per say. I’ve just been admiring the windows for a few days now and I wanted to see how they look from the inside. The design work is phenomenal.”

He raised an eyebrow, curious. “I can hardly imagine anybody would visit the same building for three weeks just to look at the windows.”

“You’ve noticed?”

“If you’re going for inconspicuous, you ought to find a better hiding place. May I recommend behind the pipe organ.”

You laughed and your shoulders relaxed somewhat. “I’m sorry for hovering, really. I wasn’t trying to be secretive or anything but I’m still trying to get a proper feel for the town.”

“You’ve recently moved in.”

“I got a job nearby so I had to. I’ve explored most of the areas now but something about the church kept calling me over.”

He nodded solemnly. “Seems the Lord might be calling for you then. Our sermons are open to any who have willing hearts. You don’t need to hide in the shadows at the back of the hall.”

You laughed, soft and sweet. “I’m afraid I’ve grown rather fond of the spiders though.”

He glanced past you to see that there were a fair number of webs there. He sighed. It really was impossible to keep this place clean. Though Helen sometimes helped (and he refused to let Ned near him for that long), it felt continuously dirty.

“They’re as welcome as anybody else I suppose.”

You smiled and straightened your clothing which were likely to end up in the gossip mill around town if anybody saw them. Most of the woman took it upon themselves to enforce a rather strict modesty rule in the church that he never really cared too much about. They certainly wouldn’t approve of any of the outfits he’d seen you wearing.

Maybe that was why you hadn’t approached any of the others in town yet. Something might have warned you about their more judgmental nature at times.

Your gaze flicked to the windows once more and you smiled. “Praying’s never really worked before. Maybe it’ll be better this time.”

“The Lord answers us when we need him to,” he said, his answer almost instinctual. He’d needed to respond to so many with the same sentiment that he only paused when your expression fell somewhat.

“I guess there’s no harm in trying,” you admitted. “Thank you.”

And you left so quickly he didn’t even realise he hadn’t gotten your name. He glanced at the spot you’d been sitting in and wondered if he should try and get rid of the spiders before deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. If they bothered you enough, you’d probably eventually chase them by yourself.

The next time he saw you, he finally got your name.

He’d always considered Helen’s friendship with the Flanders rather unfortunate because it meant even more exposure to them than he wanted. The frequent bowling was, at least, one of the better options when it came to spending time with them.

Helen noticed you first, sitting with a small group that he only vaguely recognised. Certainly not churchgoers but perhaps your co-workers? You did appear far more comfortable with them than you did in any other interaction he’d had with you.

“Isn’t that your new neighbour, Maude?” Helen asked.

Maude gave a small smile. “It is. She’s quite lovely, you know, just very quiet. The boys always want to go and play with her dog but to be entirely transparent with you, I’m weary of letting them. I’ve never seen the animal so I don’t know what breed it is and some can be a little more inclined to bite than others.”

They probably wouldn’t be happy unless it was the size of a chihuahua but he didn’t say anything. The family feared just about everything.

“Quiet is one way to describe it,” Helen said. “Nobody knows anything about her except how she works in the accounting department for that horrible Mr. Burns and you know the standards of people he has working for him.”

“Rather unfortunate that he provides employment for half the town in some way or another,” he remarked dryly.

“But there are still plenty of places to work which don’t involve helping such an evil man,” Helen said with an affected shudder. “I still remember when he stole the sun.”

“She can’t be too bad though,” Ned said as he chose his ball. “Not many young girls like her willingly come to church. I invited her to come sit up front with us just the other day but she said she preferred her spot in the back. Not sure why but as long as she’s hearing the good word, I’m just chuffed she’s there.”

“Maybe she likes the spiders,” he drawled and met three very confused looks before he realised it didn’t make sense out of context.

Thankfully, Maude saved him from having to explain when she raised her hand to wave you over. You stepped away from your game and strolled over to say hello – clad in an ill-fitting bowling shirt that had to be loaned from somebody. Yet despite being a few sizes big, it somehow suited your look.

“Hey there neighbourino,” Ned greeted cheerily. “Didn’t know you bowled or I would have invited you to come with.”

“Oh, thank you but I don’t really bowl. A few guys from work invited me out so I thought I may as well give it a shot. They loaned me one of their shirts too but it’s a bit…” You pulled on the side to emphasis its size.

Ned laughed and nodded. “Well, if you end up enjoying it, you are more than welcome to come with us sometime. Say, have you met the reverend and his wife properly?”

Your gaze flicked to him and for a second, his mouth felt a little dryer than usual. You offered the same nervous grin you always gave him and finally provided him with a name before you shook his hand, grip featherlight.

“You work for Mr. Burns from what I hear,” Helen said after she’d introduced herself. “That must be so much fun.”

“Not really,” you admitted. “It’s pretty boring. I mostly keep track of expenses around the nuclear plant and try to limit them where I can.”

“Doesn’t really sound like the type of job you move all the way to Springfield for.”

“It’s not too bad. I didn’t have any real roots back home so when the opportunity presented itself, I just took it.”

“Really? No husband? Kids?”

You shook your head. “Neither.”

Helen laughed and nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, you’re not missing much. My daughter has been causing so many problems lately. I feel like I’m getting a call from the principle on a daily basis.”

“Helen,” he said softly, pleading with her to quieten.

He knew she loved all gossip equally but he preferred it when it didn’t surround his family. He certainly didn’t need to form a reputation as a poor father around every newcomer to town. It was bad enough they had to constantly shell out money to replace whatever Jessica stole or broke at school.

You shifted your weight awkwardly. “You have a daughter? That’s lovely.”

“Sometimes but you know, she’s a bit much. I can only hope she’ll grow out of it.”

Maude nodded in agreement. “I’m hoping my two will get a little stronger as time goes on. They’re so sensitive to everything and I’m worried they won’t be able to handle the real world sometimes.”

Ned placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Maude, they’ll be fine.”

You smiled and mentioned returning to your game, clearly somewhat uncomfortable with the conversation. He watched you for a little bit before he returned to his own bowling, content with no longer thinking about anybody new in town.

“She looks like she came from a big city,” Helen said, breaking his illusion. “They all have the idea they’re better than us in some way.”

“I think she’s just shy,” Maude said with a small smile. “She helps out where she can.”

He could mention how long you sat in the church after sermons, eyes trained on the windows, but he imagined that might cause more interest. Part of him was curious as well. It sounded like you might have moved away for more than a boring job and an empty house.

Maude was right though. You showed a keen interest in helping when the next Sunday, he drawled, “If you keep staying this late, I’m going to sign you up as a volunteer.”

You immediately asked what it entailed, which was a problem because he didn’t actually have much for a volunteer to do.

Maybe he’d misread the situation. Maybe you weren’t praying for some salvation or escape – perhaps you attended the church because you were bored. You certainly seemed eager when he found a few tasks you could help with. Take attendance, help clean some of the building, and do some research on topics for the next service.

You helped him set up the pipe organ when it needed tuning and gave ideas for small events the church could host to bolster attendance. It was actually very helpful but you arrived whenever you could and he started to wonder.

“I do hope I’m not taking you away from your actual job,” he said one day when he arrived to open the church and found you sitting against the locked door, a book in your hand.

You stretched as you stood, the edges of your shirt rising up above your hips just enough to notice. “The only thing I’m missing out on is lounging around at home. I don’t have too many things to do in town just yet.”

“There’s always walking your dog,” he commented.

“Oh, I don’t have a dog. I’ve been thinking of getting one though.”

He frowned but didn’t comment on it. What were the Flander boys chasing after if not a dog?

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Helen said excitedly and handed you a rather large box of baked goods that had been donated. “We need to make sure all of these are appropriate before we set them out. Last month, somebody put toothpicks in a few of the cupcakes to ‘hold up decorations’ and children can get badly hurt by tricks like those.”

You smiled somewhat nervously and he just opened the church doors.

Maude and Ned arrived somewhat later and your discomfort only grew as more people arrived after them and the church grounds became more crowded than they had been at any sermon.

The church hosted this bake sale to raise funds every month and most families brought goods to be sold. The Simpsons had been banned some time ago but occasionally they still slipped in so Helen was on constant watch.

He had a headache before the first hour had even passed.

He noticed when you disappeared into the main building, promising to come back soon with something or the other. When you didn’t come out again, he took an opportunity to follow, curious if nothing else and more than willing to take advantage of a brief break from having to speak to people.

He found you buzzing around the announcement board as though looking pointlessly for something. “Are you alright?”

You startled and gave an awkward smile, quickly snatching the poster for the bake sale off the wall. “Somebody was uh, looking for this. They wanted to know what time it would be running until.”

“I see.”

You tried a smile though it really came out more as a grimace but didn’t seem willing to leave. Instead, you turned your attention to the board again. “I noticed there was an auto show next weekend Saturday. Do you know if it’s like a weekly thing or…?”

“It’s once a year,” he said, glancing at the poster to note where it said annual. “They have more than cars.”

“Oh, that’s pretty interesting.”

You took a deep breath and smiled. “Right. I should probably get back out there then.”

He watched you take two steps before he impulsively asked, “Would you be interested in going?”

“Sorry?”

“To the show,” he clarified. “I have a spare ticket if you did want to.”

Your excitement bubbled up slowly. “I mean, I would definitely want to but I don’t know if I’ll even have the day off. I’d have to see if I’m needed on Saturday.”

“Well, let me know.”

He didn’t know why he’d lied. He didn’t actually have a spare ticket – he’d only bought himself one knowing that Helen wouldn’t really be interested and more likely wanted to spend the day with her mother.

Yet when you approached him toward the end of the sale and asked if the offer was still available, he didn’t find himself exhausted at the idea of buying another ticket.

He only later realised how it might look if he took you alone and begrudgingly took the phone to invite Ned and his family. It was lucky that people had been fairly generous with their donations lately because he ended up buying an additional five.

“It’s for the highest attendance rate to sermons,” he explained when Ned asked why the sudden invite. “Based on how long they’ve lived here.” He quickly added the last part.

It wasn’t too busy and she looked more excited than he anticipated, early discussing some of the cars with Marge and showing the kids somethings they’d like. The awkwardness you’d had was fading and he found himself somewhat happy to see it.

“Reverend?”

His title in your voice startled him more than he’d expected it. Had you ever called him that before? No, most certainly not. He rather liked the way you said the word.

“Yes?”

“Ned mentioned you’re quite fond of trains. They have a whole section for some older models if you’d like to go see them next?”

He agreed and followed you through the thin crowds, ignoring the strange fluttering in his chest. Must have been something he ate. The Flanders split off for a short while to see if they could find healthy food for their kids and you followed him around curiously as he appreciated the trains.

“I do prefer the model versions,” he admitted. “But they’re very impressive at any size.”

“Do you create your own tracks and backgrounds?” you asked and he nodded proudly.

“I do. It takes hours of dedicated work but it’s mostly worth it. So long as I don’t get distracted and end up accidentally ruining any of my trains.”

You hummed, interested and he began to offer small pieces of interesting information about the various trains. You listened with rapt attention, occasionally giving input but otherwise listening as though he was giving a small sermon though considerably more passionately than he usually did.

“I actually rode in one of these to Springfield,” you said as you passed one of the trains. “It was quicker than driving but I didn’t want to leave my car in the back alone so I stayed with it.”

“That’s some dedication for a job.”

“And a house. I technically inherited both just from different people. I was already sort of working in the industry so I had the experience and I wasn’t tied down anymore.”

“Fortunate.”

“I know. There are benefits to being alone sometimes.”

His instinctive reaction to your mood dip was to give the standard response; tell you the Lord had plans and all you needed was to trust him. Yet something stopped him from giving the default sentiment.

“Well, aren’t you unlucky to have made so many friends here then?”

You laughed. “I haven’t made that many.”

“It seems as though you’ve charmed quite a few people in this town.”

“What about us? Are we friends, reverend?”

There was his title again and the strange discomfort in his stomach. He gave a small hum in answer. “I imagine so.”

Helen looked ready for a fight when he arrived home. Accusation seeped through her greeting as she crossed her arms over her chest. Luann had phoned to ask if she knew her husband had been spending time with another woman and she’d had to lie to say she already heard about it.

“My mother and I would have come with,” she said. “If you bothered to invite us.”

“You have no interest in going usually,” he pointed out. “But if you would like to join us, you are more than welcome to next year.”

She huffed. “I don’t want to go but if you’re going to be flitting around with some woman outside our marriage then the least you can do is tell me. Do you have any idea how wild the rumours would go?”

He tried his hardest not to look too exasperated. More than half of those stories came from her. “I’m surprised none of them have started wondering if we’re divorced given how often we fight in public.”

“Everybody has marriage problems in this town,” she said with a wave and a small laugh. “I’d say we’re the most stable of the lot.”

“That’s not a good thing.”

“We wouldn’t fight so much if you weren’t so cold, you know,” she said. “Everybody talks about it already. You’re more interested in those trains than you are in me.”

“The only possible way people would speak about that would be if you told them.”

“I have to talk to somebody when you’re not around.”

She was right, he supposed. He’d tried back when they first got married after her senseless gossiping gave them no other option but he’d grown less caring when nothing built the relationship properly. If they spoke nicely to one another, it was only about other people or the church.

And sometimes, he really didn’t want to speak about the church anymore.

“I am around. We live together.”

“You’re also boring, Tim, alright? Talking to you sometimes is like listening to nails get dragged down a chalkboard slowly. Why do you think everybody falls asleep constantly or runs away? You’re not fun. You’re not interesting.”

“You certainly didn’t feel that way when you told all your friends we were getting married barely a month into dating.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, don’t bring that up. You said it was fine because we both wanted it.”

“Maybe if I’d had the time to date you for a little while longer, I would have changed my mind.”

He hadn’t snapped in ages and the frustration brewed beneath his skin. The regret came almost immediately but Helen stared at him with almost no care. Then came the realisation of how little she worried about his sentiments and with it, a stab of hurt at the lack of interest she showed even now.

“I don’t want us to earn a reputation for being unhappily married,” she said. “Not unless it comes from me first. Otherwise, everybody in town is going to be talking about how I’m not satisfying you.”

She wasn’t and he felt he might not be providing her with any happiness either.

“I haven’t done anything with her,” he said.

And Helen scoffed and waved her hand. “I don’t care if you have or haven’t. Visit every tramp in town if you really want to but at least allow me to be the one who spreads the story.”

He didn’t even know how to respond to it.

The days after that argument stretched out like they never had before. He spent all of his time on his trains or making up excuses to go to work. They weren’t speaking. She barely glanced at him in passing as he stalked past the kitchen.

His bad mood followed him around like a cloud, dark enough to even ward off Ned for the majority of the week. He walked the dog so many times it eventually lay down and refused to get up until he left. When he overheard Helen discussing their fight with somebody on the phone, he decided to just leave the dog and walk by himself.

And, because God wanted to make his life harder, he walked right past you.

“You got a dog,” he said after he found no way to escape after exchanging quick greetings.

“I did. The boys next door kept trying to pet some weird raccoon living in my backyard so I thought this might help them avoid getting rabies,” you said with a laugh. “And I get some company so it works out.”

“That’s always good.”

He shouldn’t hover near you too much if he wanted to shake the remarks but there was something soothing about speaking to you.

“I didn’t know you walked in this neighbourhood,” you admitted. “We’re pretty close to my place and I know sometimes Ned can be a little overbearing.”

“Ever so slightly,” he said slowly. “I walk sometimes when I need to clear my head.”

“Oh, of course. Maybe I could interest you in a cup of coffee?”

He wanted to accept. It sounded far better than strolling around aimlessly but Helen’s accusatory tone still lingered in his head and as he looked at you with your soft smile, he felt uneasy.

“No, no. I have choir practice to attend.”

“At this time in the evening?”

“The Lord doesn’t sleep, you know.”

“He should try it sometime,” you commented with a smile. “But before you run off, I heard there’s actually a restaurant inside a train in town. I’m sure you’ve been there a few times before so you must know if it’s any good.”

He knew exactly which restaurant you were talking about. “The food is alright, I suppose. Nothing special.”

“Aw that’s a shame. I guess I can’t surprise you with a dinner there,” you said with a tease and for a second, he faltered.

“Trust me, I was just as disappointed when I found out,” he mused.

“I’ll find somewhere else.”

He spoke before he even thought the words through. “I look forward to it.”

When he got out the car on Sunday, Helen swept around to link her arm through his and plaster on a smile as though they’d had a delightful conversation rather than a surly drive over. It wasn’t the first time they’d done this; he’d expected it to happen. He couldn’t help but feel it might be disingenuous.

He repeated his sermon from the previous week and not many paid enough attention to notice as he guessed. He’d done it before when he forgot to write something.

Helen walked out the church with him but instead of returning to assist with anything else, she disappeared with Luann without a word. He’d expected that too as well as needing to reassure Ned that his repetition was intentional.

You were sitting inside still, as you often did before helping organise anything and he loosened his robes as he walked past.

“Still here?” he asked. “Window-gazing again?”

“They’ve grown pretty boring,” you admitted with the slightest smile. “But I have to hang out with the spiders or they’ll think I’ve forgotten them.”

“Couldn’t have that.”

You got up to follow him to his office, collected all the smaller pieces as you went and dug out a lost coat from nearby. “This belongs to Luann’s kid,” you said. “I’ll drop it off tomorrow on the way to work.” You were glancing at him from the corner of your eye before you continued with the question you surely wanted to ask. “How’s your week been?”

“Living is a continuous trial,” he said. “It’s how we prove our faith to the Lord.”

You grimaced. “Must have been quite taxing if you reused a sermon.”

“Surprised you noticed.”

“I listen,” you protested with a good-natured smile. “Unless I’m late but I’ve gotten better at that, you have to admit.”

He actually couldn’t remember when last you’d been late to his service. You leaned against the corner of the desk, relaxed and easy. He realised you were likely waiting for instructions of some sort but he didn’t really have any.

“Maybe this week will be better,” you offered sympathetically.

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

In two days, they were due to call Jessica’s boarding school and get an update on her which always resulted in a fight. They disagreed on what to do about their daughter frequently and it spiraled into an argument about everything. Sometimes, he felt entirely unaffected by it but other times the emotion he forced down crept up again.

He shook himself free of his self-pity when you made a small humming sound. “Everything alright? You look… odd.”

He didn’t actually know what to make of your expression. Somewhere between nervous and upset; you kept thumbing at the corner of the library’s bible where it sat on his desk.

“Are you taking confessions now?”

You clearly meant it as a joke but his curiosity didn’t let him laugh it off. “I don’t usually but as long as you’re not going to admit to murder of any kind, I suppose I can try to offer my advice.”

“Oh no murder, just a slightly odd compliment.” You leaned a little forward as though you had a secret to share. “I don’t attend the church to hear about the bible. I just like listening to your voice.”

He scoffed at the idea. “I imagine you were suffering from insomnia or some other form of sleep deprivation.”

“No,” you said with a laugh. “I’m sleeping perfectly well.”

“The Lord does work in mysterious ways. Perhaps he gave you an increased tolerance to his glorified sleeping tablet.”

“Or you just make it interesting.”

“I doubt that.”

You quirked the corner up into the small, humoured smile you so often did. He couldn’t help but return the expression despite his mood. He appreciated your softness more than he wanted to admit; caught himself staring at you for a second too long as he thought over the idea of somebody wanting to listen to him.

His gaze met yours and you tilted your head to the side. “I have another confession, if you want to hear it.”

He should have stepped away when he noticed the whispered implication. Should have remained steady and reminded you he didn’t take confessions. Should have done anything but kiss you.

The soft, startled sound you made tasted sweet on your lips; your arm immediately wrapped around his neck as you returned the kiss passionately. He pressed against you, lost himself in the warmth of your mouth and the arch of your back as you steadied yourself against the desk.

One of your knees slotted between his own and the brush of your thigh made him groan. You twisted his tie to pull him closer still as you began to loosen it; rolled your body against his.

Finally, his brain caught up with what he was doing and he broke the kiss harshly. He stared with lips slightly parted as he tried to steady his breath.

He had so many ‘correct’ responses to give. Part of his mind was already urging him to pray for forgiveness. His guilt crawled up the back of his throat as he considered asking you to leave and you were bracing for that response. He could see the weariness in your gaze even if your eyes were heavily lidded and your lips kiss swollen. His tie hung in your hand.

He kissed you again with purpose and your soft moan shoved that guilt down once more.

You lifted yourself onto the desk, wrapped your legs around his waist and dragged him even closer. The perfume lingering on your skin was almost overwhelming. He buried a hand in your hair and gave a small tug to encourage your head back so he could trail kisses over your throat while you deftly undid the top buttons on his shirt.

The phone started to ring. You twisted your head away to glance at it but he caught your lips again; ignored its shrill for a few moments longer to lose himself in your softness before he answered it, your noses still brushing against one another.

“Reverend Lovejoy speaking,” he said and hoped whoever was on the other side didn’t notice how breathless he sounded.

He wanted to hang up the phone and go back to whatever it had dragged him away from. The bottom of your shirt had ridden up like it so often did and this time, he didn’t have to ignore it. He’d been ignoring many things about you.

Ned’s voice sliced through the spell like a knife and he straightened, moved ever so slightly away from the temptation of your lips.

“Reverend, I’m having a bit of an issue here. I think we might have hit a possum but the little guy scurried off before we got a good look. I’m just shaking with guilt not knowing if the poor thing got hurt or not.”

His own guilt crept back into his mind at the reminder. His response was short and clipped, something about God’s will, but Ned’s call felt too much like an accusation.

Yet despite that, all he could do was stare at you with your hair messed up and your gaze filled with happiness. A silence stretched out and all he could focus on was the press of your thighs against him. The consequences later would be the same thing if he kissed you again and he really, really wanted to.

But you spoke before he could do so, your voice breathy. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Certainly not.” A lie wouldn’t work if he wanted to but the admittance went without any move to disentangle himself from you.

“You’re married.”

“Technically.”

“Only technically?”

“It wasn’t too many days ago that my wife told me she didn’t care if I slept with every woman in town as long as her friends didn’t find out.”

The bitterness snuck into his voice though he tried to keep it neutral. They’d never had a trouble-free marriage but something about the admittance of that hurt the most. He’d imagined she cared somewhat about what he did. He’d been wrong.

You muttered a quiet breath, not really knowing how you should respond to that. Had he kissed you just to get back at her? No. That kiss had been building for a long time.

But whether true or not…

“You’re right,” he admitted. “Regardless of how Helen and I might fight, we are married in the eyes of the Lord and, perhaps more importantly, the church. If anybody thought I was having an affair, attendance would plummet.”

You winced but though you looked guilty, neither him nor you made any move to separate. He could feel the way your breath tickled his cheeks. If he wanted to, it would take no time to close the distance again. He did so briefly, his lips merely brushing against your own for a second that didn’t feel long enough.

“I don’t understand why I’d have these temptations if they’re supposedly wrong,” you said quietly. “Seems rather unfair.”

“I think most churches agree the devil is behind something like this.”

“I don’t believe that. Some things feel wrong but not this.”

He couldn’t deny your words. You’d been slowly drawing him to you from the day you first arrived, listened when he spoke and genuinely shown interest. If he’d been a younger man, a more unattached man, he’d have fallen for you in a second.

Even now, he worried he might have done just that when all he could think about was how soft your lips were.

You shifted away and he used the small strength it gave him to finally break whatever hold you had on him. His tie fluttered to the ground and you moved to pick it up, folding it around your hand and placing it gently on the desk.

He wanted to reassure you, smooth away the worries that were causing you to frown.

“Sorry,” you said, the word a strange break in the silence.

He was too. “We won’t speak about this again,” he said, forcing his voice to stay monotonous. “You’re welcome in the church but I think I can get along fine without further assistance.”

“Of course.”

You left quickly after that and he slowly sat back in his chair, picked up his tie and ran it through his fingers. He couldn’t go back on anything now. He’d married a woman who gave him no solace and then fallen prey to temptation. Temptation with its sweet taste and gentle words and casual conversation.

Was it lust alone or was it something entirely worse? His emotions were running far deeper than a simple physical appeal.

He put the tie in one of his drawers. He could still feel the taste of your lips against his skin.

You didn’t come back to the church. He hadn’t expected it but something still looked wrong when the back corner sat with spiders alone.

It didn’t matter if you were out of view though, his dreams more than made up for your absence. He prayed every night for forgiveness and yet you waited for him the moment he fell asleep, filled with laughter and flattery that left him yearning.

Was this his punishment? To feel the ghost of your fingers across his chest when he woke up in the middle of the night, his heart pounding in his ears. He couldn’t imagine what else it might be. The Lord certainly wasn’t giving him any help with getting you out of his mind no matter how much he asked.

Helen wanted to know why you’d stopped coming by the church and he gave no reason though even the mention of your name felt nerve-racking.

If anybody noticed something was wrong with him, they didn’t mention it. He kept telling himself to hold out and wait for God to guide him in the right direction but when Flanders invited him to dinner, it felt like the divine was mocking him.

He steered his gaze away from your house when they arrived and almost dragged Helen through the front door to remove the temptation. The discussion was as dry as ever until Ned chuckled nervously.

“Something on your mind? You look very contemplative.”

He cleared his throat and brushed the concern off with a, hopefully convincing, wave. “Nothing too interesting. I’m merely considering how the lord helps us through all life’s troubles.”

Unless it was forgetting about the woman who lived next door. He could see her windows behind Ned if he tried to.

As ridiculous as it was, he wanted to speak to you about this. It felt as though nobody else would be able to offer him the advice or the acceptance he knew he’d get from you. Maybe if he took you out to that dinner you’d joked about a few weeks ago and he could just listen to your stories about work, he’d feel far better about it.

“Maybe if you focused more on him than your trains, he’d give you some better advice,” Helen said and he got dragged back in the conversation.

Did she really want to have this conversation now? In front of people who she knew valued their church sometimes too much.

“I sincerely doubt the Lord has a problem with my trains,” he said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to buy them in the first place.”

He could think of you in the same way, he imagined. The Lord guided you to Springfield and to the church. Nobody just wandered in to listen to a random sermon without his hand gently nudging them there but then that would mean the Lord allowed him to be tempted.

This was a dangerous line of thought.

Helen rolled her eyes subtly but not enough for anybody to miss it. “Well, at least it’s not as bad as what I hear Homer Simpson has been up to. Am I wrong in thinking he got fired yet again and is starting a new career venture?”

The question was directed at their hosts and Maude nodded her head. “It’s true. The noise from their house has been ridiculous but we always remember to just wait it out and see what happens. Often times, it’s less than a week before he somehow gets his job back.”

“Really, I wonder what kind of role model he’s setting for those children,” Helen said. “It’s just such a shame.”

“We shouldn’t judge,” he reminded her though he knew the words mattered not. He’d tried too often to get through to her with such reasoning. “We have no right to do so.”

“It’s not judgement,” Helen insisted. “I’m just worried about all the young and impressionable children around the neighbourhood. I couldn’t sit by and let them grow up believing that you can get through life being so lazy.”

The children of Springfield had far more issues than role models but he’d rather not fight so he just gave her a small head nod before he went back to his food. He imagined she’d continue speaking to Maude and the living room light behind them had just flicked on meaning you were home.

“Are you ignoring me?”

He turned his head back to the table, realising all eyes were on him. “No,” he said quickly, answering his wife without thought. “I was simply looking for a possible topic for this week’s sermon.”

She crossed her arms, staring at him with a disbelieving glare. “What are your options? The importance of being a good listener?”

“I was thinking more about the dangers of trivial gossip.”

Her eyes narrowed even more. “Knowing what’s going on around town is necessary. It helps us make sure we talk about relevant topics and keep our kids safe.”

“There aren’t any threats to the kids,” he said and Rod and Todd immediately sighed massively. Those two listened a little too seriously to the adults in their lives. It was why they were so panicked about everything.

“There most certainly are. Just look at what happened to Jessica. She’s such a smart girl you know and perfectly lovely but she fell in with the wrong crowd when she was younger and now look. It’s nothing the Lord can’t fix but it’s been so hard.” Helen swiped away non-existent tears from her face as she glanced at the others.

“Oh dear,” Maude said and immediately pulled her into a hug. “Has she been getting into more trouble at school?”

“She always does. It’s so hard on you as a mother to have a daughter who behaves like that. I tried my hardest to raise her right and I still don’t know where I went wrong.”

“It wasn’t anything you did wrong,” Maude said reassuringly. “Nobody has ever said children are easy and I know you’re doing your best. At least you’re not alone in this.”

“Sometimes it really feels like I am.”

She sniffed and dabbed her eyes and, though he knew he ought to feel sympathy for her or at least, irritation at her comment, he felt nothing. Jessica got worse by the day and nothing they did seemed to have an affect on her. The boarding school would undoubtedly throw her out again soon and then they’d need to find another.

They were all watching him, trying to tell if he would comfort his wife like he should or at least defend himself against her comments. He simply turned back to his food and tried to pretend the light wasn’t shining in his eyes.

Helen never cried unless there was somebody to witness it and give her sympathy. She was fine the second she realised he wouldn’t indulge her now.

He could really use a drink.

The Flanders kids didn’t eat dessert and instead begged for a movie which Helen happily agreed to join them for. She continued the front of the neglected wife until she grew bored and then immediately went back to talking about the nearby Simpson house while he slipped out the back door.

He knew he shouldn’t but he found himself walking toward the smaller house with its large maple tree and overgrown flowerbeds. Every step felt heavier than the last as the sounds of the movie gave way to small crickets.

You were lying beneath the tree on a picnic blanket, gaze on the sky and your dog at your side. He nearly left purely so he wouldn’t intrude but then you lowered your attention and met his eyes.

“Hey,” you said, a little confused. “Aren’t you missing your dinner?”

“I was just taking a break from it.”

You laughed. “Right. Ned can be overwhelming at times. I’m just waiting for the coffee machine to finish.”

He hummed and leaned against the fence. A gate led between them, likely how the two boys had continued to make friends with the racoon in your garden. He had no reason to want to open it.

“Would you like a cup?”

He should say no and return to his dinner party. Somebody would notice that he’d disappeared soon and, knowing Ned, might even lead a miniature search party looking for him.

Instead, he opened the gate and stepped through quietly.

Your house looked somewhat different than he imagined with blankets draped over the couch and too many appliances cluttered on the cabinets. The dog followed you in and sprawled itself over the tiled floors, forcing you to step over it to continue with your mission of making coffee.

“I wasn’t meant to sit outside tonight,” you admitted after you’d handed him a mug. “Ned invited me but I thought it’d be better to stay home. Couldn’t help myself, it seems.”

“I can hardly lecture you on self-control when you were in your backyard.”

“Especially not if I pretend that I had no ulterior motive.”

You hopped onto the kitchen counter, sitting with your back against the window as he leaned against the wall. It felt too personal to properly sit down but your choice of seating brought a slight flush to his cheeks.

“The church has been missing you,” he said, hurrying to change the topic and failing.

“I’m taking a small break from religion,” you said with a small laugh. “In case I get hit by lightning or something for only going to see the hot reverend.”

He scoffed but the flattery warmed his chest dangerously. This was precisely why he should have avoided coming over here. You were too good at making him want to start caring about things beyond the church. Too good at making him want to care more about you. He shouldn’t encourage it.

But you wanted his company and that was something he liked. You didn’t want him because he represented your faith or because you thought he provided you with some strange superiority.

You simply wanted to sit with your ankles crossed and a near-constant warmth radiating from your chest as you enjoyed your coffee.

“Was that too much?” you asked and he realised he’d been staring.

He shook his head. “The Lord brings us all to him through different means. If you come because you’re one of the few who enjoy listening to me speak, then that’s as good of a reason as any.”

“You have one of the biggest churches in town,” you pointed out. “I’m sure there are hundreds of people who enjoy listening to you.”

“Many attend church out of obligation and fear rather than desire.”

You pursed your lips as though laughing at a quiet joke. “Some would say that desire isn’t really the right reason to visit church.”

He rolled his eyes and pretended his cheeks hadn’t turned slightly red as he sipped his coffee. Had you ever made coffee for him before? He didn’t think so which meant you either guessed perfectly or you’d noticed when he’d made his own coffee.

“Either way, you’re still welcome to attend,” he reassured. “It forces me to come up with new sermons every week.”

“I won’t tell anybody if you don’t.”

You were right there and nobody else was around. If he wanted to make those damn dreams of his stop, all he needed to do was fulfill them, right?

His name being called stopped him. That was Ned. He regretfully placed his coffee on the table and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Was the man constantly trying to cause him as many issues as possible?

“If you go through the front door, you can tell them you were just returning my dog,” you said as you slipped off the table. “He gets out sometimes to flirt with that strange-looking scrawny one from down the street.”

It would be a good enough excuse. She opened the front door and he stepped through, hesitating for a second as he caught the desire to kiss you goodnight, as though you’d spent the evening together rather than a clandestine coffee after he ran away from a dinner party.

But you simply wished him a goodnight and closed the door, leaving him to deal with a flustered Ned in peace. At least your excuse worked.

He knew what he needed to do and before he prayed that night, he hesitated before he asked for guidance. Something like this would pull his reputation to pieces but it would be the right thing to do.

Helen didn’t look up when he walked into the kitchen the next morning as she paged through a book.

“We need a divorce.”

He said the words before he thought about them but she didn’t cry or get angry. She simply looked up at him and shrugged. “We’ve needed one since the first day you started playing with those ridiculous trains.”

And that was the end of the discussion.

He didn’t know how to feel about her admitting that she didn’t want to be married anymore either. His sermon two days later felt more awkward than ever as he looked at every member of his flock. How would they react if he admitted to getting a divorce? Would they shun him for such a thing?

To make things even worse for his train of thoughts, you slipped in about halfway through and took your seat in the back. He’d have lectured anybody else for being tardy but he just tripped over a word, leaving you to giggle.

He smiled, the smallest quirk of a grin, and this time, Helen noticed.

She’d probably been on high alert since his request but her head snapped back in an instant, her gaze locked on you and her lips pressed into a thin line.

After the sermon, they made it less than a minute into the drive home before she turned to him, far too smug for the situation.

“I knew it was her,” Helen said. “I guessed from the day she first showed up in this town.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m not stupid, Tim and you’re not subtle. You’re just lucky that everybody else in this town is practically brain damaged and haven’t noticed how you stare at her like some dog with its favourite bone.”

He could argue against it but even if he took offense to her comparison, he knew the right thing to do was come clean.

“I’m sorry.”

She rolled her eyes sharply. “Well, I suppose you did keep it mostly quiet. I haven’t heard any rumours going around town yet. I told you I don’t care if you’re sleeping around as long as that information stays here.”

“I haven’t slept with her.” He didn’t know what else to say. Defend himself or protest what she thought he would do. Though if it hadn’t been for that phone call…

“Why not? I mean, I guess she is very pretty so it makes sense that she might be looking elsewhere or did you start talking about trains in the bedroom again?”

He glanced at her, momentarily confused to find her genuinely making a joke. How many years had it been since she started a rumour just to marry him and move to this town? All the effort she put into crafting her image, thrown away so she could laugh about his possible affair as though it meant nothing.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “Really, can you blame me? You’re so miserable all the time and the least you can do is make my life somewhat interesting. Give me more to talk about than how I sit in the house all day while my husband stares at toys.”

“They’re not toys.”

Helen waved a hand. “Whatever they are. I wanted to move away from that stupid house because I was bored and it’s been the same thing for the past, however many years. I’m still bored.”

He couldn’t help but feel bad about that. He’d never promised her a life filled with excitement but he knew she dreamed of it when they’d been younger. Maybe he could have been more interesting but he liked his life as it was: calm and peaceful as he could get it.

“You really haven’t slept with her?”

“No.”

Helen sighed. “That’s far less thrilling. Nobody will think my life is thrilling if my husband’s simply looking at another woman.”

“You’d ruin everything if you started spreading this around town,” he said, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

She hummed and stared from the window. “I mean, it would be worse for you than for me but true, I don’t want to give the opinion that I’m an unwanted woman. Obviously, I’m not but I can’t allow anybody to try use it against me. Still… I do wish I had something more fun. Everybody else’s lives are filled with controversy.”

Since moving to Springfield, it had felt as though he was surrounded by a constant barrage of interesting characters – people whose lives could fill a thousand episodes of a television show without getting boring.

The most exciting thing he could say that he’d done in the entire week was rebuild part of his model when it got a little faded.

He glanced at Helen and sighed. “I kissed her. Once.”

Helen immediately snapped to him, looking far more interested. “I knew it! Was it on the day you two went to that little fair?”

“No.”

“Was it when you disappeared from dinner the other night?”

“No. I still don’t understand why you want details about this. We swore vows.”

She waved her hand through the air. “Yes, but these things are just so thrilling. You’re not the only one in this marriage who’s… considered other options.”

He stepped on the breaks a little too hard, the betrayal hitting him unexpectedly. This entire time, all the guilt and the concern were for nothing. She didn’t care about their marriage. She didn’t care about them.

“Tim, at least pull over if you’re going to be hypocritical. You’re blocking the traffic.”

He restarted the car, apologised to the drivers behind him, and tried not to think too hard about how long it had been since his marriage started drifting this far apart. It had always been slightly based on pretense but surely it hadn’t been like that from the beginning.

“When?”

“Once or twice over the years. You could hardly expect me to continue along when my husband cares more about trains than me. I’m not going to wait around and be ignored for years when there are others who show interest.” She giggled at the end as though recalling something.

“I don’t ignore you.”

“Don’t lie to yourself. The only time we stop fighting is when we aren’t talking to each other. Do you even remember the last time we slept together?”

He didn’t. Maybe six months ago? More? Helen often initiated those moments more than he did and as time went on, he’d grown less and less interested in her suggestions. Perhaps he should have considered it as a warning.

“What do we do now?”

Helen hummed thoughtfully. “Well, if you want to do me a favour, you can always let me call her out in the church. I’ll make a big scene and everything. People will be coming over for weeks to offer their condolences and I’m sure not too many people will hate her.”

“Absolutely not.”

Helen sighed. “Fine. I guess we’ll just continue pretending nothing happened. What else are we going to do? Get a divorce?”

They arrived at the house but when Helen got out, he didn’t move. His knuckles were turning white around the steering wheel as he considered his options. He could follow her into the house now and accept what she offered – pretend nothing had happened and continue doing things in secret. With Helen on his side, nobody should find out.

But he wouldn’t be happy and really, neither would she. God was far too merciful to force either of them to suffer through a relationship they wanted.

Helen looked over her shoulder at him, her hand on the knob of the front door.

She gave him a small smile and gestured for him to go, walked into the house, and closed the door behind her. He put the car into reverse without a moment’s hesitation.

You were home, he could see your car in the driveway as he parked alongside it. He knocked on the door as firmly as he could manage, constantly glancing over his shoulder as though expecting somebody to pop out. Why did this feel stranger now that he’d solved things? How long would it be until visiting you would be normal?

He really hoped it would be soon.

You opened the door, exasperated initially but expression quickly morphing into a smile when you noticed who it was. Sometimes, you looked at him as though he made your entire day better just by arriving.

“Hey,” you greeted. “Sorry I took so long to get to the door. Some of the kids around here are being incredibly irritating. I think they’re bored but honestly…” You rolled your eyes affectionately. “How can I help?”

“I’m getting a divorce.”

You went through at least ten different expressions before you settled on one, still blinking a little. He should have taken some time before reaching that part of the conversation.

“Oh. Do you want to come in?”

Your dog raised its head briefly at his entrance but promptly went back to snoring. He hovered uncertainly until you took a seat on the couch, following your guidance and then just staring at you and hoping the words came to mind.

“Helen and I got married because she told some of her friends we were sleeping together. We weren’t but I decided to salvage both our reputations and I thought it would be something we both wanted.”

“Was it?”

“Not at all. It would seem both her and I lied in front of the Lord that day when we swore our vows. I’m not the only one with a wandering eye, from what she’s said.”

You winced and he recognised the flash of acknowledgement in your expression. Things clicked together slowly.

“You knew.”

“Not for certain,” you hurried to defend yourself. “But I admit I was curious where I was circulating in the gossip hub. I heard some things about Helen through it and I didn’t want to believe them, really. Of course, I can’t judge given the uh, main reason I asked in first place.”

He groaned and dropped his face into his hands. How had he gone for so long without noticing how truly unhappy everything in his life was? He’d constantly thought it was just something he had to handle; he’d made his choice and now he had to accept whatever came with it.

“I’m sorry,” you said. “For what it’s worth. I was stupidly selfish.”

“You weren’t the only one. It appears I’m quite the fool.”

You smiled and shook your head. “No. I wouldn’t say that at all though I admit, I’m a little biased when it comes to you.”

He chuckled, a small sound without much humour. “At least I’ve realised now. We’ve all made mistakes and the Lord will surely forgive me this one and then… after everything has quietened after the divorce, perhaps we can go somewhere together?”

“If we don’t wait long enough, people might guess there was something between us.”

“They’ll know. Helen isn’t very good at keeping secrets.”

“Right.”

He raised his head to watch you. “Does it bother you? That people might know about what happened?”

You thought about it for less than a minute before you shook your head. “No, not really. I’m just happy that I can be with you in any sense of the word. Even if we’re just friends, I’ll be thrilled.”

There was no way you would be his friend. He reached up to brush your hair away from your face before he finally kissed you once more, sweet and soft. You hummed pleasantly against his lips and he relaxed, sure now that he’d decided correctly even if it wasn’t going to be easy.

When he arrived home and placed the papers in front of Helen, she looked down at them and started laughing. His shoulders tensed but before he could worry, she pulled an identical copy from her own purse.

It was the first time they’d laughed together in years and he actually felt a strange excitement he hadn’t experienced since first moving to this town.

#the simpsons fanfiction #the simpsons #reverend lovejoy #the simpsons x reader #reverend lovejoy x reader

[vaiyamagic]

Found an old unfinished piece of Fallout fic in my files while looking for something else. Thought I'd post it somewhere.

Based on an event that really happened in my game. The lead-up is, my Sole (Alaina) was going out collecting the stat magazines, but the one at Libertalia had gotten blown into the water in the firefight, and they had to dive in looking for it.

Alaina pulled herself onto dry land, laughing, and rolled onto her back, holding the soggy magazine above her. "See? Told you we'd find it."

Her companion trudged out of the murky water with disgust, pulling off his wig and wringing it out, letting the water splash on the ground next to her ear. "Great. All that for a soaked manual." He grumbled. "Wouldn't you rather read War and Peace? At least you could use it as a weapon."

"Deacon, I thought you'd be more interested in a book about being sneaky." She waved the floppy pages in front if him. "This will help me be almost as stealthy as you." She flashed him a grin as she pushed herself to her feet and tried to shake some of the damp from her hair.

"Not likely." Her companion had already placed his wig back onto his head, though slightly askew, and started shaking the water from his shoe and pants leg. "But I'll give you an A for effort. Just don't make me jump into the ocean to get it next ti--"

Alaina looked up sharply at her companion's sudden cut off. Deacon was staring at something over her shoulder, his jaw tight and his every muscle tense. He hadn't raised his gun at whatever it was, but his hand was flexing on the handle as though unable to decide what to do.

Slowly, she turned around, keeping her own weapon at the ready, and gasped softly when she locked eyes with the familiar synth who stood only a few car-lengths away.

X6 stared back at her with his usual neutral posture and expression. His weapon was in hand, but held at his side, pointed down, as though he was just as unsure of what to do with it as Deacon.

Alaina cleared her throat, hoping she didn't look as tense as she felt. "Uh, X6. I... wasn't expecting to see you. Here. Or... at all." She cringed, knowing just how awkward she must have sounded. She heard Deacon move behind her, and could just make him out in her periferal.

X6-88 only nodded at her. "Ma'am."

Still at a loss, Alaina glanced over at Deacon, who remained tense and quiet, still gripping his weapon, but not wanting to seem threatening with it; He knew what a courser was capable of. So she turned her attention back to their visitor.

"So... what, ah, brings you out to Libertalia, X6?"

The synth turned his head to the large collection of ships on the water, expression still unreadable. "This is where we first met."

She followed his gaze for a moment, before looking back at him. "Yes..." she hoped he'd continue, but the silence lingered uncomfortably. Finally, she took in a deep breath, and spoke the question that hung heavilly between them. "X, are you here because we destroyed the Institute?"

A slight raise of the eyebrow and a twitch of the corner of his mouth were the only changes in his expression, but he did turn to look back at her. "So, it was you?"

Deacon took in a sharp breath through his teeth, and took his gun in both hands, but still didn't raise it. Alaina, however, took a step forward, and asked again, "X6, why are you here?"

He held her gaze for a moment before letting it drift back to the ships. "My last orders from Father regarding you were to follow where you go and do as you say."

Alaina frowned. "Shaun kicked me out of the Institute months ago."

"He did not update my orders." He said simply.

She let out a breath, not even trying to hide her annoyance at the strange inconsistancies her son had towards herself and synths. Say one thing, act another. And she'd never really know what was the truth now.

She pushed back the dark cloud of thoughs that came with those memories, and pulled herself back into the present. X6 was still staring out over the ocean, seemingly as calm and relaxed as ever. But something felt off, and she needed to get to the bottom of it.

"X..." she began slowly, taking a small step forward. The courser glanced her way momentarilly, but otherwise made no acknowledgement of it. "The Institute is gone now. You don't have to follow your old orders any more."

The synth frowned, his lips pressing together, and his free hand clenching. She could hear Deacon swearing under his breath, but otherwise, the two made no movements.

After a long stretch of silence, X6 finally said, "My last orders were to follow your orders. What would you like me to do?"

Alaina took another step towards him, and when he didn't move, she took two more and stopped. "You have free will, X." She said gently, "No one from the Institute is left now to tell you what to do. You can do what you want. What do *you* want to do?"

He turned back to her, finally, but something in his expression had cracked. The frown deepened slowly, his lips thinned so that she could barely see them anymore, and his free hand was clenched so hard it trembled. The silence lingered so long she was afraid it could only be broken by gunfire, but finally, in a low, strangled voice, X6-88 replied, "Ma'am, please, tell me what to do."

*****

Author's note: When I played this part in game, I had no idea that I would even ever see X6 again after I had destroyed the Insitute. I thought he disappeared from the game. I legit had a moment of "vaiya.exe has stopped working" when I saw him just. Standing there as my character crawled out of the water. And when I went to go talk to him, he just acted like nothing had happened. So, I had to write a fic about it. Too bad I never finished (or even really wrote a beginning....)

#fallout 4 #fallout #X6-88 #X6 #Deacon #sole survivor #alaina #libertalia #fanfiction #my fanfiction #writing

[shallyne]

Come Home - Chapter Three

This fic will mostly be fun chapters like these, probably. Whatever I'm in the mood for, with focus on the Feyssian friendship and Feysand as a side ship.

Words:: 1,531

TW: alcohol

Feyre and Cassian are drunk, Mama Azriel picks them up.

Feyre stumbled out of the bar. She should have changed clothes after the appointment today. She still wore the black heels that Mor helped her choosing and they were the reason why she stumbled and almost met with the ground, if Cassian hadn't caught her. Yes, the heels were the reason and not the amount of alcohol that Feyre and Cassian had consumed that evening. 

Originally they had planned to have one tiny drink, really quick and then continue their way back home. That's why they didn't stop at home in the first place, that's why Cassian drove her. Although one drink turned into two and for some reason that turned into three and that turned into….a few. 

Feyre yelped when Cassian caught her and clumsily helped her up, while he giggled. That made Feyre giggle in return and they continued their walk. She didn't know where, just that they walked, which was good enough for her. 

They walked around a corner and something was familiar, but Feyre couldn't place it. "Huh." she said as she looked around. A parking lot. She knew parking lots. Did she know this one? Cars. She knew cars, too. She saw a lot of cars already. "What?" Cassian asked, putting an arm around her shoulder. She looked up at him and then down to their feet. When did she stop walking? She looked around the parking lot again and explained "Something seems familiar-" she stopped when her eyes found a black car. That one seemed familiar. Yes, she was sure it was the car or maybe the person leaning against it. She squinted her eyes to see them better and gasped "Azzy!" 

Cassian looked at the car she pointed at and started grinning. "Azriel!" he yelled at his brother. He took Feyres hand and dragged her with him as he quickly walked over to Azriel. Feyre had to jog behind Cassian to keep up but she was excited to see her friend. Azriel looked up, watching them walking over to him. "Azzy!" Feyre echoed and waved. She ran past Cassian when they were close and threw her arms around Az, with more strength than she had anticipated, she realized when he huffed. She put one hand on his cheeks and pressed a kiss to the other. 

"What are you doing here?" Cassian asked. Azriel answered while Feyre still hugged him "You told me to pick you up." he replied. Feyre chuckled as the confusion was written in Cassian's face and he took out his phone. Feyre leaned away from Azriel, stumbling again as she tried to put her weight on her own two feet again but Azriel stabilized her with an arm around her waist. "Thank you!" she said. "Oh, I did ask you to pick us up!" Cassian said. Feyre nodded. 

Azriel sighed "Get in the car." he told Cassian and pointed at the opposite side. Cassian did and Azriel opened the for Feyre. She looked at the seat and suddenly she felt empty, like all she ever learned was gone. That included getting into a car. "Uh…" she put a leg in front of her but that didn't feel right. The other one felt better. Yes, it was the other leg. Somehow, she didn't know, she managed it and took the seat beside Cassian, who chuckled as she watched her. Feyre slapped his arm "Don't laugh!" she winced when Azriels face was suddenly beside her. "Lean back, I'm putting your seatbelt on," he said. Feyre did as he told her. "Thank you!" she said when he closed the car door on her side. Then he opened Cassian's door and took the seat belt. "I can do that myself." Cassian said. Azriel didn't say anything, just handing Cassian the seat belt and watched him as he tried three times before he finally did it. Azriel nodded once and then also closed Cassian's door, then he slid into his own seat. Then he looked on his phone and typed something. 

"Who are you texting?" Cassian asked. "Rhys." Azriel answered. 

"What are you talking about?" Feyre asked, leaning forward but the seatbelt held her back. 

"He's asking how you are. How are you, Feyre?" Azriel asked. Feyre smiled brightly "Great!" 

"Her feet hurt." Cassian said and Feyre nodded. "That's true."

"I'm also great!" Cassian said. 

"Are you telling him?" Feyre asked. Azriel looked at her for a moment before he continued typing. "Yes." 

"Are you also telling him that Cassian feels great?" Feyre asked. Azriel sighed. "Yes." he answered and then put his phone down. 

As Azriel started the car, Cassian pinched Feyres side. Giggling, she slapped his hand away "Stop!" Cassian chuckled in response and said "Okay." 

She took that opportunity and pinched his side. "Ouch!" Cassian giggled. Feyre held her hand in front of her mouth as she giggled in response. 

"Azriel?" She dragged his name really long. "Yes?" he asked. 

"Why are you free this evening? Don't you have dates lined up at your door?" Feyre asked. 

"No-" 

"No?" Feyre echoed loudly. "That's okay, Azriel! If you need, uh…" she looked at Cassian for a few moments as she tried to remember the word. "Relief! If you need relief, I'm here for you. I won't reject you!" she said. "Do you know what I mean?" 

"Unfortunately, yes." he answered. 

"Me too!" Cassian said. "I'm here for you, too! You can use-" 

"Okay!" Azriel said. "I get it, thanks."

"You are not alone." Feyre whispered. Cassian nodded and added, also whispering "Never." 

Feyre smiled and looked out of the window, proud to be there for her friend. She watched the world outside as they drove and as Cassian told Azriel about their evening, when Feyre saw the sign and gasped. "McDonald's!" she said. "Can we go to McDonald's? Please! I'm hungry!" 

"You have food at home!" Azriel said. "We're not going to McDonald's!" 

"Please!" Cassian said. "It will be quick!" 

"And we won't eat in the car!" Feyre promised. "Please, Azzy! I'm starving!" 

Azriel gripped the wheel tighter and said. "We're going in, you order and we're out again." 

"Yes!" Feyre said and she high fived with Cassian. This was the best night ever! 

When Azriel parked, they hopped out of the car, without any accidents this time. They went in as promised and ordered quickly. As they waited, Feyre suddenly felt cold. Wordlessly Cassian took off his jacket, a bit clumsily, and offered it to her. "Thank you." she said as he helped her into the jacket. She wrapped it tightly around her and when their order was done, they went back to the car. 

"See?" Feyre said as Azriel helped her with the seatbelt again. "It went as smoothly as promised." 

"It did." Azriel said and Feyre chose to ignore the hint of surprise in his voice. 

On their way to Cassians and Feyres apartment, Feyre sneaked a few fries out of the bag and she thought she had done a good job until Azriel said "Go on, just eat." 

"Really?" Cassian asked, surprised. 

"Yes but try not to make a mess back there." Azriel replied. 

Excitedly, Feyre put the bag between Cassian and her and they got their stuff. "Do you want some fries, Az?" Feyre asked. 

It took a few moments but Azriel answered "Yes." and held his hand out to Feyre. She put a few fries, a bit more than he had anticipated probably, and put it in his hand. Then she started to eat her burger and stole a chicken nugget from Cassian. He gasped and took fries from Feyre. She chuckled as he stuffed them all in his mouth. 

It wasn't a long drive to their apartment but Feyre and Cassian managed to finish their meals just in time until Azriel had parked. 

Azriel didn't say anything but there was a spark of surprise when he looked back at them. Together the three of them walked, or Feyre stumbled more than walking, to their apartment. In the elevator, Feyre leaned her head on Azriels shoulder until they reached their floor. 

Azriel took the keys from Cassian and opened their door to let them in. 

"We're not stupid, we can open doors." Feyre said. 

"You just pulled on a push door." Cassian told her. Feyre huffed. "Maybe McDonald's should make the push sign bigger!" 

"I'm sure you can open the door yourself, Feyre." Azriel said, holding the door open. "Thanks, Azzy." she said as she walked past him. 

Feyre threw her High Heels in a corner of the corridor and walked towards her room. "Good night!" she said. "Love you!" 

"Good night, love you, too!" Cassian answered. 

"Sleep well." Azriel said. 

Feyre pulled off her dress and threw it on her chair. She didn't do anything else but putting off her bra and slipping into an old, oversized shirt that Cassian had given her for painting. 

Feyre let herself fall onto her bed. She knew she would regret that she didn't remove her make up and get a glass of water and something for the headache that awaited her the next morning. She didn't know yet that Rhys would be there to provide the latter for her. 

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fanfiction #Acotar fanfic #acotar fic #Acotar fan fiction #feyre archeron #feyre #feyre cursebreaker #high lady of the night court #high lady feyre #feyre darling #feyssian #feyre x cassian #cassian #cassian acotar #Feyssian fanfiction #Feyssian fanfic #Feyssian fic #Feyssian fan fiction #Feyssian fluff #keep the fluff coming #azriel spymaster #azriel acotar #azriel shadowsinger #azriel #Mama Azriel

[blackbird-brewster]

Top 5 songs for:

Jemily

Temily

Jara

Je'Temily

Oh I have never wanted to kiss you more than right now (consensually, of course!) This is SO SO GOOD!!! TY for asking the magic question. *cracks knuckles* LEZ GO I also will include links to each playlist (bc I already have all of these made lol)

TOP FIVE SHIP SONGS:

Jemily Jams (JJ/Emily):

1000 Times - Sara Barielles " Cause I would die to make you mine, Bleed me dry each and every time, I don't mind, no I don't mind it, I would come back 1000 times You can make me wait forever Push me away and tell me never I don't mind, I don't mind it I would come back 1000 Times"

Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy "Well I never want to see you unhappy, I thought you'd want the same for me Goodbye my almost lover Goodbye my hopeless dream I'm trying not to think about you Can't you just let me be? So long my luckless romance My back is turned on you Should've known you'd bring me heartache Almost lovers always do" Drink You Gone - Ingrid Michaelson

"You can't lie Words stay, once said Hard to live, so I play dead I can't drink you gone I can't smoke you out I can't eat away the way that you ate my heart out Like a sinking ship While the band plays on And I dream you're there I can't even sleep you gone"

Gravity - Sara Bareilles

"Oh you loved me 'cause I'm fragile When I thought that I was strong But you touch me for a little while And all my fragile strength is gone Set me free, leave me be I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity Here I am and I stand so tall I'm just the way I'm supposed to be But you're on to me and all over me I leave here on my knees As I try to make you see That you're everything I think I need Here on the ground"

Please Don't Fall in Love - VINCENT "But the only think that bothers me, babe Is I can't stop thinking Maybe we were right, maybe I was wrong It doesn't matter now 'Cause you're gone If we're the reason why We can't seem to find Someone else to hold our love You can drive off in his car Kiss his lips inside a bar Fall asleep inside his arms But please don't, please don't Take him to our spot Hold him like me in the dark Tell him he's all you want Just please don't fall in love"

TEMILY TUNES (Tara/Emily):

My Whole Life Long - Delta Rae

"I wanna love you Int he daylight With the world all alive around us Cause it's too hard Through a phoneline To hold you the way I want to So don't leave me Say you need me Have a little faith in what we've made Just think about how strong our love has grown Thing about how good these seeds have sown I will love you I will love you, my whole life long"

I Want to Love You - Lenachka

"You've never been, the one to be The one to wear what you feel on your sleeve If I'm the same, then how could we Get to the place we both know where we need to be I let my heart come undone Hold on to me before I turn and run I want to love you The corners of your heart no ones been to I wanna know you Run my fingers down the creases and unfold you Play oh you hunt me down Tell me, show me how I want to love you, You make it so hard not to love you"

Easy - Alice Kristiansen

"When you watch me like that, You watch me like that You watch me When you watch me like that I forget I've been lonely Do you want me like that? You want me like that? You want me? 'Cause I want you like that, so could we let it be easy?"

Radiant Warmth - Miki Ratsula

"She has this laugh That could light up the world And when she's embarrassed, The way that she wears it throws my head in swirls She has this smile That can melt your heart And it's so contagious The way she displays it fills my eyes with stars I'd fly away to another place just to be with her The stars aligned, and now they shine so brightly on her Even the greatest works of art couldn't describe her 'Cause she is radiant warmth"

When It's Right - Alyson Stoner "I knew the minute I pulled you closer I had to question the plans I'd made Gave up my cold world to keep you warmer Now my life is naked Is it worth the pain that it costs Didn't expect Fallin' like that Doesn't make sense Never done this But I don't wanna ever change this Touching me right Talking it just the way I like it I can't help it Thank you for fuckin' up my life, baby"

Jara Jukebox (JJ/Tara):

Untouched - The Veronicas "And I don't give a damn what they say. What they think, think 'Cause you're the only one who's on my mind, I'll never ever let you leave me I'll try to stop time forever, Never wanna hear you say goodbye I feel so untouched And I want you so much That I just can't resist you It's not enough to say that I miss you I feel so untouched right now Need you so much Somehow I can't forget you Been goin' crazy from the moment I met you"

Jenny - Studio Killers "Jenny darling, you're my best friend But there's a few things that you don't know of Why I borrow your lipstick so often Been using your shirt as a pillowcase I wanna ruin our friendship We should be lovers instead I don't know how to say this Cause you're really my dearest friend"

Here is Home - Ryn Weaver "I can't hold it, but I feel it in my bones Throwin' roses with my faith and skipping stones Everybody knows every single soul's lookin' for heaven Chase the greener road, everybody knows, but you Cause when the rain falls or the river's dry running You can fall into my arms And if we're still living when the Earth stops spinning You can fall into my arms Singin' ohh, even if you stay or if you go, Singing' ohh, oh, I know you know that Here is home"

Fuck Up the Friendship - Leah Kate

"Are you gonna kiss me? Cause you're taking me home It's four in the mornin Are we doing this wrong? This weekend I saw you Through eyes that are new You got me falling for you And I kinda want to Tell me what you mean, is it all me? Start to overthink everything When you're close to me, I can't breathe We're already six-feet deep Let's fuck up the friendship Come get in my head Baby cut the tension I'm hung by a thread"

Between You & Me - Betty Who

"I cant tell if we're friends You sure like to make fun of my ex But we never get past this part Don't wanna give myself away Cause I'm tryin' so hard not to say Just between me & you I can feel something I'm wonderin' if you do to Just between you & me Can't help but feel we're actin' like lovers do Why can't we just address it? Why don't we start undressin? Til there's nothing between, nothing between, Nothing between, nothing between you & me"

Je T'Emily!! (JJ/Tara/Emily):

Kinky - Kesha

"Monogamy ain't natural Least not for me and you We're in our own dimension We're making up our own rules One plus one is two, that's me and you Plus one is three, that's fun, fun, fun, fun Boys kiss boys kiss girls kiss girls That's how it's meant to be Baby, you're my lover We can go find some others As long as it's not a secret We can keep it kinky"

Touch Me - Victoria Monet "I'm in love with your fingertips, I reminisce places you kiss Girl, it's been too long And when you rock them short nails, That's lowkey sentimental Now keep 'em cut though so there ain't no incidentals And I love them tattoos, I still gotta learn 'em all Tell me when you're gonna make them the writings on my wall Touch me, feel me Get to know me, inside If you love me, show me" Shop Full of Wonders - Reinaeiry "You'll be my song I'll be your melody Do I wanna know if I cross your mind 'Cause you do mine A heart like yours should be a crime You're a shop full of wonders You're my blanket when it thunders And all my friends they tell me that I'm crazy for you Don't you see it baby The way I look at you Oh, your deep brown eyes They pull me in

Fooled Around (and Fell in Love) - Miranda Lambert

"I musta been through about a million girls I'd love 'em and I'd leave 'em alone And I didn't care how much they cried, no sir Their tears left me cold as a stone But then I fooled around and fell in love I fooled around and fell in love Used to be when I saw a girl that I liked I'd take out my book and write down her name Ah but when the grass got greener on the other side I'd just tear out that page But then I fooled around and fell in love (You know I did) Fooled around and fell in love (hey, yeah) I fooled around and fell in love I fooled around and fell in love"

[Ask My Top 5 Anything!]

#jemily #temily #jara #jennifer jareau #emily prentiss #tara lewis #criminal minds #cm playlist #music recs #spotify playlist #je t’emily #bex 🏉 #top 5 #reply post #long post #fic inspo

[divinamour]

SEND ME 🤍 + A SHIP AND I’LL TELL YOU…     [   VOL. 3   ]  

BRUCE BANNER ( @gammaragee​ ) & BEATRICE QUINTANA

Who cooks meals for the other?

BEA is the cook. It’s not that she doesn’t think Bruce is capable, she knows he is, it’s just that she thinks she’s more capable. She makes portions WAY too big in her normal time anyway, so its a no-brainer to divert that energy toward him.

Who spams the other with memes?

BRUCE sends Bea memes. Some are funny, most aren’t. But each one she gets is a time stamped reminder that he’s still okay, wherever he is. His... works take him very far from safe shores and for long amounts of time too. So, even without words shared, when she gets a little stick figure screaming ‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA’ at a moon in sunglasses, she smiles. Best message of her day, really.

Who likes to tidy around the house?

C’mon now.

Who likes to play pranks on the other?

Does showing up at her door at 3 in the morning, wearing half a pair of pants and pulling ham-sized teeth shards out from between green slough around his knuckles count as pranks? Because if so, BRUCE is quite the goofster.

Who asked the other to move in with them?

BEATRICE offered her home to Bruce almost immediately after they ‘went steady’. Why put him through the trouble of knocking, checking if she’s home, waiting in an alley around the corner for her to walk up, whensoever he needed somewhere to stay? The better solution was to give him the passcode to the gate and introduce him to Madge next door who has her spare key and never leaves home.   

Who is in charge of the music during a car ride?

BRUCE, actually! Jams from his youth that don’t sting to hear, things to help him focus, find some sleep during the long stretches, etc. etc. Mostly because Beatrice will lock the radio onto ‘TOP POP HITS OF THE HOUR, 97.3, THE SONIC LOTUS!!’ and think nothing of hearing ‘Radioactive’ four times in one hour.

Who is more likely to tickle the other mercilessly?

BRUCE tickles Beatrice! Once he discovered that tickling her will make her giggle and get dizzy like the Pillsbury Doughboy, he’s had an undeniable power over her. One she’s never been able to match! 

Who needs to hold the other during scary movies?

BEATRICE holds onto Bruce. But not during scary movies. During scary conversations. When she asks him ‘What have you been up to?’ and he honestly tells her, she needs to hold onto him. She feels blessed, and highly favored, that she’s able to do such because one day she won’t be able to.

Who has to help the other when it comes to technology?

BRUCE is her tech support. If its not something practical that fits in her hands or is for the benefit of others, she doesn’t truly get it. Her Air Fryer didn’t get used for the first seven months she had it until she met Bruce.

Who likes to get a bit frisky in public / an inappropriate setting?

BRUCE DOES! Beatrice, of course, is right there with him, eager to get into it when she’s tapped on her shoulder and he has that look in his eyes... but its never her idea first. Honest! It’s not her fault she looks and moves like that, she’s only playing with the cards she was dealt~

Who wakes up first, and do they wake up the other or let them rest?

If BRUCE DOES sleep then Beatrice is not waking him up! Her schedule is pretty erratic, working shifts at the hospital, and managing her own little ‘moonlighting business’, so she’s in and out all the time. But she is like a thief in the night, never any unnecessary sound when she sees him assed out. 

Who is always taking pictures of the other when they aren’t looking?

Not ALWAYS taking pictures, but BRUCE did absolutely take the first picture of Beatrice. Something analog, a polaroid actually! She made the joke that he would fold it and keep it in his ‘Wandering Man Satchel’ to fondly think of when he was across the stars... where’s the photo now, I wonder? 

Who always forgets their wallet and never ends up paying for anything?

Forgets their wallet... or doesn’t have a wallet, or a steady income, and has learned to get by with scrounging forcing BEATRICE to immediately pull her wallet out whenever she even begins to sense that he wants / needs something he doesn’t have immediate access to? What’s the question?

Who is better at video games, and do they let the other win or show no mercy?

Listen. When you step into the QUINTANA Household, you must be made aware of two things. ONE! You are loved and safe. TWO! When she picks Princess Rosalina, no one is safe from her wrath. NO ONE.

Who always gets up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and accidentally wakes up the other?

If Bruce gets out of bed for ANY REASON, Beatrice is awake, rolled onto her side and watching him move. Is it a nightmare? Sirens? An Avengers Assemble call? (A call summoning him? A call summoning others to deal with him?) She worries. She knows she shouldn’t, but she does. It’s in her DNA, she loves too deeply and cares too hard.

#gammaragee #ᶦᵗ'ˢ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʷᵉ ᵃˡˡ ˢᵉᵉᵏ; ANSWERS. #ˡᵒᵛᵉ ˡᶦᵏᵉ ᵃ ˢᵘᵖᵉʳⁿᵒᵛᵃ; DIOSA AMOR. #okay but- hold on... wait- hangon

[imaginationbeyondreality]

So, what’s new?

These past few weeks have been hectic. I feel so tired but for some strange reason, I do not feel sleepy. Well, maybe it’s because the board exam is pretty much just around the corner. So, I don't have the time to dillydally.

This year has been rough for me and… for my baby. I know she’s kinda old. We’ve been together for like seven years. And maybe, it’s about time she shows how much she has aged.

For starters, I do not even remember when was the last time I had her washed. Yes. Yes. It’s so irresponsible of me but I just don’t have the time these past few months.

I had to pay someone for a scratch (about a foot long) I caused in her car when I was leaving the parking lot. I’m not sure actually if I was the one who scratched her car but the security guard insisted. Though, what baffles me is that I have no scratch in mine. I mean, if I was the one who caused it should my car have a paint transfer of some sort? I don’t know. But because of this incident, I now have trust issues with security guards.

I stupidly left my car with the engine on for 20 hours. That’s almost a day! I wasted my fuel which I tanked up that day. Seriously, how stupid can I get?

For the first time in seven years, I had to visit a vulcanizing shop. I was alone and scared and skeptical. I mean. Is he doing the right thing or he’s just after sales? Silly me.

I had a mishap with a motorcycle, twice actually. Different instances. Alhamdulillah, no one got hurt. So yeah, I have new scratches on both sides.

One of my brake bulbs busted last year and now, two of them are not working. Back then, I had a hard time finding a replacement in CdeO so I gave up. But I realized, I have to replace it. So we searched again in IC but we still got no luck. We ended up asking someone to buy them in Manila and get them shipped here. So, yes. I got new bulbs but to my disappointment, both brake bulbs just stopped working. I think something is wrong with the wiring. And it’s definitely something that I cannot solve.

Next. Three of the warning lights on my dashboard are now persistently illuminated. I read my manual, did some research, and I found out that those warning lights are kinda serious and warrant a visit to an auto shop.

And just recently, my windshield cracked. I don’t know how and why, but it happened. I felt so sad and sorry and stupid. ‘Coz I think I am the only one who got her windshield cracked for no apparent reason. I did not see any other damage exteriorly, just the crack. Something might have hit it. Accidentally or not? I don’t know. Or did it crack because of too much heat? Or because she’s worn out? Well, I can’t tell.

But you know what’s funny? I religiously hang my sunshade cover every time I park and leave my car out. But strangely that day, I did not. Looking back, I remember having the urge to hang the sunshade cover before I leave but I dismissed the idea telling myself that I will leave early the next day so I don’t have to do it. But I did not leave the next day. I did not! And it totally slipped my mind that I did not hang the sunshade cover. So I basically left my car out in the scorching sun for two days. When I got in my car the next day, I did not notice the crack. I turned on my AC, as usual, and lowered the temperature. And it somehow occurred to me at that time that if I set the temperature too low, will my windshield break? And, AGAIN, I dismissed the idea. ‘Coz it’s what I’ve been doing for years. I turn my AC on immediately. I only noticed the crack when I was outside the compound. Wait. Did I really notice it when I was out or was it when I turned my AC on? Did something fall and cracked the windshield when I left the car to close the gate? Ugh. I don’t know. My memories are playing tricks on me. They’re confusing me.

I can’t help myself but be bothered. I keep on thinking that I was the one who made it happen. It’s my fault. I feel stupid and irresponsible and broke. ‘Coz the repair, you know, would definitely cost a lot. I know it’s wrong of me to wallow in sadness, but I couldn’t help it. I have this feeling that none of these could have happened if I was careful. I might have prevented it had I listened to my inner self. But really. Whom am I kidding? They are bound to happen. They happened for a reason.

Ya Allah. Grant me wisdom and strength.

Sigh.

#3 #2022 #sorry #broke

[hillnerd]

Ship: Victor x Lee. Word: scarf

getting to old asks, finally! sorry I took so long! SPA TIME

Lee did not particularly like people touching him. He liked it when Viktor touched him, of course, but they’d been a couple for almost two years. Even with that, he never craved a lot of physical touch. He loved kissing, and sex— but cuddling and hand holding and rubs and all that wasn’t something he craved. He liked to have his space.

So when Viktor gifted Lee a stay at a spa, he put off using the gift certificate for almost six months. It wasn’t until Viktor pointed out the gift would expire soon that he grudgingly went. Viktor came too, noting how since retirement his back twinged without trainers and weekly massages.

To make the experience even better Viktor had hired a car to make sure they traveled in luxury. The outside of the building was nondescript, but the inside was marble with orchids and some sort of choral spa music playing that made the place seem more haunted than relaxing. They were each called back to individual rooms, Viktor by a large man built like a sturdy highland steer, and Lee by a German woman named Inge who was similarly built. 

When they reached the damp room Inge told Lee to undress to his level of comfort.

“That would be staying dressed,” he replied to the stout woman. 

“I can massage you with your clothes on, but it will not be as therapeutic for you.”

“You want to play cards instead?”

“You really want to have a one hundred fifty pound card game?” she said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

He could imagine the look of disappointment on Viktor’s face as he told him he’d sat playing cards with Inge instead of enjoying the gift.

“Fine, Inge. For you, I’ll take off my clothes.”

“Don’t do me any favors. I’m happy playing cards if you don’t want to be touched.”

“My boyfriend wants me to enjoy this… so I might as well try.”

“My girlfriend would say ‘wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen.’”

“Well said,” Lee said, slipping off his shoes.

“You speak German?”

“Not a word.”

Inge rolled her eyes and gave him time to undress and get under the too-thin sheet. 

As she massaged him he felt his body tense with each pass of her hands, and he nearly kicked her when she got to his calf it tickled so much. 

By the end of it the only place he somewhat enjoyed being massaged was his neck and shoulders. 

When it was over he apologized profusely for being an idiot and went to meet Viktor in the hall. 

“Next up, facials!” Viktor said, that adorable quiet smile on his face and he dozzily sipped his water. 

“There’s more…” Lee said. He felt he did a good job of not sounding like a man on his way to the gallows, but clearly it wasn’t good enough for Viktor looked at him with concern.

“You don’t look happy, Lyubov.”

“What? I am,” said Lee trying to smile authentically. 

“Don’t with the smile. That is not your happy smile.”

Lee crossed his arms. “If you’re going to give me gifts you didn’t consult me on, you can’t call me out for giving fake smiles!”

Viktor gave a quiet nod. “This is a good point.”

Lee sighed and looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry! I just don’t like being touched by people.”

“I thought you would be liking this.” 

“I’m sorry!” Lee apologized again. “I know, I’m ridiculous.”

“You are,” Viktor agreed, giving a small smile. “Very, very ridiculous.”

He put his large hand on Lee’s knee. “You like when I touch you, yes?”

Lee smiled. “When you touch… yes.”

“Okay…” Viktor said, giving the knee a squeeze. “Stay here.”

He got up and walked in that duckfooted way that Lee had grown to find quite cute. He waited almost ten minute before Viktor emerged from around the corner with a large white paper bag. 

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Oh no… Viktor, I know you wanted to get the works for yourself. I can just sit in the lounge and—” 

“No. We are going to home.”

Lee felt immense guilt the entire ride home, and Viktor said nothing except to ask Lee if he wanted a water bottle. 

As they got home, Lee slunk onto the couch, not daring to make eye contact with a clearly disappointed Viktor. He’d ruined a perfectly nice gift with his weird quirks and big mouth. 

He was staring forlorn at his shoes when a scarf with the spa’s logo hit him in the face.

“Hey!”

“Put this around your shoulders,” Viktor ordered, sitting beside him.

“Viktor, wha—”

“I don’t want to be getting the mask on your shirt,” Viktor said, rather daintily unscrewing a small glass container that also had the spa’s logo. “You said you like when I touch you, and not others. Is this okay, or did I not consult right?”

Lee grinned. 

“You consulted, fine,” he said, leaning in to give his much taller boyfriend a kiss. “Love you.”

“I az te obicham,” Viktor said, holding up the mask and small spatula. “Be putting on the scarf now, please.”

From then on Lee didn’t mind spa time, as long as Viktor was his attendant. 

#viktor krum #lee jordan #viktor/lee #my writing #Victor x Lee

[flowerbarrel-art]

~ Puffballs United, InnerSloth, The Henry Stickmin Collection

~ Day 23 of Stickmintober: Shipping

~~~~~~~~~~

“So, this place is haunted?” Gremlin asked, glancing up at the haunted house ride.

“Yeah, but only after eight,” Ken responded with a nod.

“Why not earlier?” Gremlin asked, moving up in line when the two people ahead got into a car.

“I think just so they don’t scare any kids,” Ken said.

“Oh…yeah,” Gremlin murmured.

“And it wouldn’t be as scary if a bunch of people dressed as ghosts were walking around in broad daylight,” Ken went on. “Even though some visitors were wearing costumes.”

“What?” Gremlin asked. “You mean those weren’t real werewolves and zombies?”

“Well…probably not,” Ken chuckled.

“Isn’t it weird Reg wanted everybody to have time off for Halloween?” Gremlin remarked, folding her arms. “I didn’t think he was into it at all.”

“Me neither,” Ken said with a laugh. “Maybe he had a date.”

“Probably,” Gremlin said.

“Right?” Ken asked.

“Yup,” Gremlin said.

The two got into a car when the line attendant gestured to them. He quickly buckled them in and the car rolled forward.

“You want to stay til it gets dark?” Ken asked as the car headed down into a sloped part of the ride.

“Hmm…yeah, sure,” Gremlin said.

“My parents and I used to come here every Halloween,” Ken said.

The car turned a corner and a pair of headlights blared, causing him to jump and lean into Gremlin.

“Uh…sorry,” Ken mumbled sheepishly, and Gremlin shrugged.

“Two years ago I was the one scared of rides like this,” she said, glowering at the strobe lights overhead that made it look like bats were flying by.

“That was only because you’d never been to a theme park before,” Ken said, grinning and elbowing her lightly in the side. “You wouldn’t have been scared otherwise. You don’t get scared of anything.”

Gremlin looked away, then back with a smirk.

“And I haven’t barked at anything yet,” she said, lightly elbowing Ken back.

The car began to roll past walls painted to look like a graveyard full of bare, moonlit trees.

Gremlin felt Ken shaking slightly and glanced at him.

“I think it’s almost over,” she said, just as a train horn blared loudly. Ken jumped and grabbed Gremlin’s hand.

She looked at him, then glanced back ahead and squeezed his hand once.

The car stopped, and the two unbuckled and hopped out.

“That always gets me,” Ken said, rubbing his arm.

“They wouldn’t have put it in there if they didn’t think it would scare people,” Gremlin said. “But we don’t have to go on anything like it again. How about another roller coaster?”

Ken nodded, brightening.

“Same one as last time?” he asked, and Gremlin nodded.

They made their way towards the double-loop rollercoaster.

“Let’s get something to eat after this,” Gremlin said.

“If we don’t get sick,” Ken said, sliding into a seat near the front of the coaster, Gremlin quickly sitting next to him.

The ride attendee walked briskly past, securing everyone into their seats.

“We won’t,” Gremlin said as the attendee double-checked the seats restraints. “We haven’t even…oh, no…”

“What?” Ken asked, giving her a worried look.

Gremlin nodded at the people in front; Ken looked discreetly to see a person with bright red hair and another with bright red headphones. A third person with short brown hair was sitting between them.

“Let’s get off,” Gremlin hissed quietly.

The roller coaster lurched and began to inch forward.

“Oooh, here we go, you guys!”

“I thought you were scared, Charles.”

“When did I say that, Ellie? I love roller coasters!”

“They’re only a bit crazier than Charles driving.”

“Heh, come on, Henry!”

“What a damn coincidence,” Gremlin sighed as the rollercoaster neared the top.

“It’s okay,” Ken whispered. “Let’s just get off quickly when it stops.”

“First time?” Charles asked cheerfully, looking back. Ken and Gremlin froze. “Don’t worry! It’s always hard the first time, but you’ll love it!”

Gremlin and Ken nodded stiffly, then sank back against the seats when Charles quickly turned around again.

The rollercoaster reached the top, then shot down the track, picking up speed for a bit before hitting the first loop, then the second, and continued along a spiraling track before going up and back to the beginning.

The coaster came to a stop. Ken and Gremlin pushed their safety bars up the instant they unlocked, then ran down the ramp and away from the rollercoaster.

“What the hell are they doing here?” Gremlin huffed after they’d ducked behind a sign. “Were they on a date?”

“Maybe,” Ken sighed.

“Remember that ball game we passed a while ago?” Gremlin asked, tightly crossing her arms. “Let’s go win some masks. I don’t want them getting another look at us.”

“Huh?” Ken asked, but had to jog when Gremlin took his hand and pulled him along. “We could just buy some.”

“They’re too expensive,” Gremlin said. “Don’t worry.”

They stopped at the ball game, and Gremlin paid for two rounds.

“Whenever you’re ready,” the man said, stepping out of the way.

“Yup,” Gremlin said, aiming for a moment before throwing the balls, getting each one in the middle hole.

“Whoa, good job,” the employee said, and Gremlin played the last round, getting another high score.

“You wanna go again?” the employee asked, and Gremlin shook her head.

“Nice work. You’ve got good aim.”

Gremlin turned slowly to see Charles, Ellie and Henry standing there.

“Been wondering where you were,” Ellie said calmly. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

Ken and Gremlin looked at each other, then followed after the three.

“Hey, you forgot your prizes!”

Gremlin waved a hand at the man.

“It’s alright, it was just for fun.”

Once they’d walked a fair distance away, Gremlin glared at the trio.

“What do you want?” she demanded.

“Just to tell you that you don’t have to run,” Charles sighed. “You haven’t done anything, and we’re off-duty. We are going to have to mention we saw you, though.”

“Of course,” Ken muttered.

“It was just a coincidence that we were here too,” Ellie said.

“Fine,” Gremlin hissed. “If that’s all, then goodbye.”

Ken and Gremlin quickly walked off, not looking back.

“Jeez,” Gremlin said. “Finally. Where do you want to go next?”

“You want to stay?” Ken asked.

“I’m not letting them chase us away,” Gremlin huffed.

“Alright,” Ken said. “Where do you want to eat?”

“Let’s stay in the park,” Gremlin said. “Why don’t we wait until it gets haunted?”

“Alright!” Ken said, smiling. “Thanks, Grim.”

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

“That was a lot of fun,” Ellie chimed as they walked out of the walk-through haunted house. “We should do this again next year!”

“Definitely,” Charles agreed brightly, and Henry nodded with a smile. “So, you two ready for dinner?”

Ellie and Henry nodded enthusiastically.

“Me too,” Charles said. “Let’s get going, then!”

Ellie put her arms around Charles and Henry, hugging them tightly.

“I’m paying,” Ellie said.

“No you’re not,” Charles huffed.

“I could pay,” Henry said. “I’d switch your cards out for mine no problem.”

“Don’t you dare!” Ellie and Charles exclaimed, and Ellie ruffled Henry’s hair.

“We’d better go before it gets too crowded,” Charles said.

“I’m gonna pay,” Ellie said, and Charles sighed, while Henry laughed.

“You two are goofs,” Charles said, hugging them close.

“You love us though,” Ellie cooed.

“Well, yeah, I do,” Charles said, grinning. “That was my point. Now we really better get going.”

The three of them strode off, chatting happily along the way.

#PuffballsUnited #InnerSloth #The Henry Stickmin Collection #THSC #Gremlin #Ken Janpon #Gremlin x Ken #Halloween #Charles Calvin #Henry Stickmin #Ellie Rose #Charles x Henry x Ellie #FlowerBarrel art