#the friendship may have started has an unrequited crush but i hope to see it grow for wilhelm's sake

[sixzeroes]

walk with you.

summary | lee jeno has had you as his best friend for as long as he can remember. every step of the way, you were there, stuck to his side like glue. jeno always believed you’d be his best friend forever, so why is he starting to view you in a different, non-platonic light?

characters | lee jeno x reader(f).

genres | fluff, romance, slice of life, best-friends-to-lovers, childhood friends au, high school au, non-idol au.

warnings | profanity, johnny is jeno’s cousin, johnny is all-knowing and wise, mentions of alcohol consumption, jeno decides to avoid reader :((, unrequited feelings (but they’re actually requited and jeno’s just dumb), kissing at the end!!

word count | 5.6k

37.5MHz | walk with you by nct dream ⋆ beautiful by baekhyun ⋆ tiki-taka by crush ft. dpr live.

gonna be brutally honest idek what tf i was writing half the time so i rly hope the flow of this made sense!! 🥹🥹 but like f2l is lowkey difficult to write i’m never gonna do that again,, ep.02 of my candy! miniseries, but it can be read on its own!

“HEY SIRI, HOW DO I KNOW IF I LIKE SOMEONE?”

“Here’s what I found.”

5 Ways to Tell If You Like Someone

Here Are Seven Methods to Figure Out Your Feelings!

Take This Buzzfeed Quiz to See If You Like Them

Lee Jeno, a simple high school boy, clicks on the first link. The website opens immediately and the title stares at him in a fancy font. He scrolls, skipping the summary to get to the important part. 

1. Does your heartbeat accelerate around them?

Jeno thinks back to a few hours ago, when he was walking you home after school. His heartbeat was a little off, speeding up whenever you flashed him a smile. 

2. Do you think about them often?

Jeno ponders. He’s always thinking about you—you’re his best friend, after all. But does he think about you often in the romantic context? Hm, he’s not too sure. 

3. Do you miss them when you’re not together?

Jeno nibbles on his lower lip. There have been many instances where he wished he didn’t move away and just had to walk up two flights of stairs to where you lived. 

4. Do they make you feel good?

Jeno tilts his head. What does that mean? You definitely make him happy and bring joy to his everyday life, but does that qualify as ‘feel good’? 

“Jeno! Come have dinner!”

The boy sighs, tossing his phone onto his bed. He scratches his head as he exits his bedroom, reevaluating his feelings based on the questions he just read. Jeno is eighty-seven percent sure the questions perfectly describe his situation when he’s around you. The remaining thirteen percent? He’s just misreading his own platonic feelings. 

No, Jeno doubts he’s misreading anything. He’s just…unsure, considering this is the first time he’s ever liked a friend, much less his best friend of all people. He’s unsure if these feelings are even permissible. Can he like his best friend? Is that okay? Jeno’s seen plenty of friends-to-lovers in K-Dramas, and there’s always this hesitance in ‘ruining’ their friendship. What if the things Jeno feels will ultimately cause a rift between you and him? What will he do then? Die? He probably would, because Jeno finds it impossible to picture a future without you. (Some may say this is pure friendship. Donghyuck, the number one Jeno and Y/N shipper, says otherwise.) 

This is a tough equation—it’s one of those questions where he’s solved a majority of the maths but needs some guidance on narrowing down the final answer to either three decimal places or two. Jeno is the struggling student, and his teacher?

“Bro, what’s taking you so long?”

Of course, who else other than Johnny Suh, his cousin and self-proclaimed ladies’ man from America? 

Jeno shuffles out of his room, meeting Johnny in the hallway. “Can I ask you a question?”

The older man cocks a brow, lips shifting into an amused smile. “Shoot away.” 

“Later, after dinner. Let’s go out for ice cream.” 

“In this cold weather?”

“Or soju, if you’re okay with drinking alone.” 

Johnny Suh’s character is full of surprises, to say the least. To begin, the Korean-American had bought two bottles of champagne back at the airport in Chicago as ‘housewarming gifts’ (“Wait, Jeno isn’t legal? That’s okay, I first drank when I was sixteen.”). Next, he went missing for a week straight (busy spending his nights at Gangnam and Itaewon), only remembering to send an i’m okay! be home this weekend :) text after Jeno’s mother threatened to report him missing. Then, he returned to Jeno’s place with a bunch of snacks from the nearby GS25, offering it as an apology for sending the household into chaos for the past week. Lastly, Johnny introduced a new outlook in Jeno’s life. 

Or, well, he’s about to, considering his position in Jeno’s makeshift maths class scenario. 

Johnny takes a swig of soju, releasing a satisfied hum after gulping the contents down. In contrast, Jeno nibbles on his ice cream bar, a little nervous to pop the question. He debates on how to word it but eventually gives up, deciding it’s better to be straightforward than to beat around the bush. “Is it…okay to like a friend?” 

There’s a moment of silence. Jeno realises how ridiculous his question is. Johnny swirls his soju bottle. “Do you like someone, Jeno?” 

“I—What—You can’t answer my question with a question!” 

“Oh, I see,” says Johnny, a playful glint in his eyes. “This is about that friend of yours, right? That girl you’re always walking home even though she lives like thirty minutes away? What was her name again? Yonam? Yerna? Ah—Y/N?” 

Jeno’s eyes widen and his cheeks grow red. “No! She’s just a friend. We’re just…friends.” 

“Sure, sure,” goes Johnny, dismissing Jeno’s weak claims with a fling of his wrist. “Let me tell you something, Jeno. Girls and guys? We can never be ‘just friends.’ It doesn’t work like that, you know.” 

“But…” the younger falters. “Don’t you have a lot of friends that are girls, Johnny? I’ve seen your Instagram stories.” 

Johnny sips his drink. “That’s different. We’re different. You, my good boy, are a high school kiddo with raging hormones. I am willing to bet my entire life that you like Yona.”

“Y/N,” Jeno corrects him. “How can I be sure that I like her?” 

“You can’t, unless you face her with those feelings.” the Korean-American turns to him with a stern face. He presses a finger against Jeno’s chest. “You can hide your feelings from your crush but don’t hide them from yourself. Bask in the fact that you like her while sitting in her presence. Observe yourself. Think about the situation. Are you sure you like her, yes or no?” Johnny finishes the rest of his soju. “Your answer doesn’t lie with me, Jeno. It’s within you.” 

Jeno’s heart skips at Johnny’s words, overwhelmed with inspiration. “You’re…pretty poetic, Johnny.” 

The latter smugly smiles. “My roommate’s a literature major. He’s kinda rubbing off on me.” 

The rest of the evening passes by in a blur, with Johnny drinking four more bottles of alcohol inside the brightly lit convenience store. Jeno drags his feet back to the family apartment with Johnny in tow, the older man’s weight significantly slowing him down. When he arrives, his mother forcefully wakes the Korean-American up and scolds him for drinking so much on a weekday. In response, Johnny hugs her with an intoxicated laugh and falls asleep on the couch. During the entire ordeal, all Jeno can think of are Johnny’s wise words. 

It’s within you.

Johnny’s right. In Jeno’s makeshift maths class scenario, the student is Jeno, but so is the teacher. He is the key to the equation he’s struggling to solve. 

Tomorrow. When Jeno sees you tomorrow, he’s going to face his feelings and categorise it accordingly. 

Wednesday mornings have never been this frightening. 

In fact, Jeno has never feared anything as much as facing his feelings while you’re sitting right beside him during the regular route to school. Not much has changed since Tuesday morning: he got on the same subway at the same station with (relatively) the same people for another similar day. Except, he’s ninety-nine percent sure he likes you. 

Okay, so maybe a bit has changed since Tuesday morning: he got on the same subway at the same station with (relatively) the same people for another similar day but with newfound emotions. 

Johnny told him to ‘bask in his feelings’ and ‘observe himself.’ 

Jeno is doing everything but that. 

He’s a nervous wreck, to sum it up. Every time the subway slows to a stop and your shoulder brushes against his, he feels as if his heart is going to swallow him whole. Whenever you bring up a meme, he absentmindedly laughs as three-fourths of his focus is poured into acting normal. There is little to no eye contact; obviously, Jeno finds the advertisements far more interesting than your pretty face. 

Or maybe, he is basking in his feelings and observing himself. The realisation hits him as an elderly woman sits in the empty seat across from him. Jeno is anxious around you. He’s conscious of the way he acts, smells, talks, walks—whatever. You’ve known him his entire life and have seen him at his worst (i.e., his emo middle school era), and yet, Jeno finds the mere idea of you seeing his bedhead horrifying. Such self-awareness is a blessing and a curse. 

“Jeno?” you chirp, poking the boy’s side. He reacts with a hum. “You’re awfully quiet today.” 

He gulps, trying his best to maintain a cool facade. “I’m just tired,” he answers with a tight voice. “Stayed up late tending to my drunk cousin.” It’s not a complete lie—Johnny was intoxicated last night. 

You brush a stray strand of hair out of his face. “Johnny? He’s your American cousin, right?”

Jeno tries to stay calm at your gesture but his ears are heating up. “Mhm. He’s…wild.” 

The conversation dies down immediately. Jeno is jittery, his leg bouncing up and down, eyes darting from one passenger to another. He’s too preoccupied to notice your concerned gaze; too busy presenting himself as normal as possible without realising how abnormal he truly appears. 

For the remaining minutes, you don’t say anything, choosing to scroll through your social media feed instead. During the short walk to school, again, no words leave your mouth. Jeno glimpses your quiet figure. Silence is strange on you, but he doesn’t try to tug a sound out of you. 

This is the first time the two of you have ever been enveloped in such a sheer layer of awkwardness. Never has there been an instance where it was suffocating to be in the other’s presence—never, until Jeno’s heart decided to think on its own and develop feelings for you. 

There. 

He’s said it. 

Lee Jeno likes you, one hundred percent confirmed during the subway ride to school. 

One foot has been in the puddle for the past few weeks, testing the depth below the surface. He tested, and tested, and tested, until he slipped inside, drenching himself in the water. 

Jeno wasn’t sure of his feelings. At one point, he figured this more-than-platonic affection for you was just a hoax (don’t ask him why, he doesn’t know either). All he did was sit next to you, just like any other day, with slightly different feelings. And all of a sudden, he fell, and oh, did he fall hard. 

He’s drowning even though the puddle wasn’t that deep. 

Or maybe, it’s always been that deep. Jeno just failed to realise it before. 

“Jeno. You’re scaring Jisu with that glare of yours.” 

Huang Renjun is standing diagonal to Jeno’s desk with a small carton of banana milk in his hand. The said boy glances over at his classmate, Choi Jisu, who’s clearly intimidated from his hardened stare. He loosens his expression instantly, averting his gaze back to his friend. “What time is it?” 

“Eleven,” says Lee Donghyuck, popping out from behind Renjun. “What’s up with you today? You’ve been staring off into space for the entire morning.” 

Na Jaemin, sitting beside him, nods in agreement. “Yeah. Are you sick or something?” 

Renjun snorts. “He’s probably lovesick as always.”

Normally, when any of the three boys joke about you and Jeno’s friendship like that, Jeno would always grow defensive and borderline shout, “She’s just a friend!” But today, he sits with his lips pursed, unable to refute the claim. Renjun, Donghyuck, and Jaemin simultaneously drop their jaws. 

“No way,” whispers Donghyuck, his eyes wide. “No fucking way.”

“Jeno, you…” Renjun trails off in shock. 

Jaemin slaps his shoulder. “You actually like Y/N?”

If a tomato were a person, it would be Jeno. His ears burn and he avoids looking any of them in the eyes, choosing to bury his red face into his arms. He can hear the boys cheering, creating chaos over his recently established feelings. Someone—probably Donghyuck—pats his head, proud of his accomplishment. 

“When did you realise?” Donghyuck asks, prodding Jeno’s ear. “You were always so disgusted whenever we called you two lovebirds. Why the sudden change of heart?” 

Jeno shrugs, still facing the surface of his desk. “It just happened.”

Renjun finishes his banana milk. “You asked Siri, didn’t you?”

The lovestruck boy whips his head up, bewildered at the correct statement. “How did you know?”

“Lucky guess.” 

A groan tumbles from Jeno’s lips as he shrinks into his seat. “I’m so screwed. How am I supposed to face Y/N now? I can’t let her know about my feelings. It’ll ruin our friendship.”

“Why do you think that?” Donghyuck says with a sly tone. He observes Jeno’s actions with a playful glint in his eyes. “You never know, she might like you back.”

Renjun chuckles at the not-so-subtle hint while Jaemin simply nods again. 

Jeno frowns, sceptically eyeing each of them. “She doesn’t. She recently broke up with Soobin from Class 3-4, so there’s no way she’d develop feelings for me in the span of a month.” 

“To be fair,” goes Renjun, “Y/N and Soobin only dated for two weeks. That’s nothing compared to the years you’ve spent together.” 

“I agree,” hums Donghyuck, now fiddling with his pencil. “Who cares if her ex-boyfriend is a good-looking guy? You’re okay-looking, so I think you have a shot.”

Jeno rolls his eyes at Donghyuck’s impish grin. “Thanks, Hyuck. You light up my world.” 

Jaemin taps the pads of his fingers against his chair. “Why don’t you distance yourself for a bit? Organise your thoughts on whether you’d like to attempt at something or just fold your feelings away.”

The bell rings, indicating the next period’s start. Renjun and Donghyuck retreat back to their seats and Jaemin pulls out an English novel. Ms. Son walks in with a cheerful smile, happily greeting the class to which the students respond. She begins by announcing an upcoming English story competition for anyone who may be interested, listing the important details with a sunny voice. Finally, she moves onto the contents of today’s class, asking everyone to bring out their copies of The Outsiders. Jeno nearly misses her instructions, only grabbing the book from his backpack when Renjun lightly kicks his chair. He tries to pay attention this time, considering how challenging English is, but to no avail, fails. Once again, Jeno’s mind becomes clouded with thoughts about you—only this time, the concern surrounds Jaemin’s suggestion. 

Organise your thoughts. 

Jeno isn’t sure about where to start. 

He sighs, flipping through the pages until he lands on the chapter Ms. Son mentioned. As if his current predicament isn’t headache-inducing enough, the English alphabet is seeking to destroy his peace. 

Whatever, he thinks to himself, opting to just stare out the window instead. I’ll figure this out later.

jeno: sorry, y/n. johnny wants to hangout after school today jeno: i don’t think i can walk you home

you: that’s okay!! i’ll see you tomorrow morning, jeno :)

Jeno feels a little guilty lying to you, but he needs to stay away from you right now. Whenever he’s near you, he buffers, unable to act like his usual self. Tonight, he’s going to lay in his bed and decide after thinking everything over. Tomorrow, he’s going to act upon his decision. 

Jaemin sits across from him, going through a checklist of some sort. Apparently, the student body president managed to receive a green light for a ‘seniors only’ winter event, and Jaemin has been tasked with managing the necessary materials. Jeno knows his friend is displeased, but alas, he is only vice president, and whatever the president says, goes. 

“You’re still here?” Jaemin suddenly inquires, looking up from the pages. “Didn’t Y/N’s club end ten minutes ago?” 

Jeno exits Genshin Impact on his phone. “I told her I couldn’t walk her home today because of Johnny.”

“You lied.”

“So I can figure out my desires,” Jeno adds in defence. “I’m gonna take your advice and distance myself for a bit.” 

The vice president sets his pen down and leans into his chair. “You should at least tell her you want space instead of avoiding her with no words. She’ll get hurt, you know.”

Jeno licks his lips. “I know, but I’m scared she might catch on if I tell her that. It’s no different from outright saying ‘Hey, I like you.’”

“I guess so.” 

The duo are enveloped by silence as Jaemin returns to his duties and Jeno opens Genshin Impact again. He’s setting up to continue his previous play when a message from Johnny pops up. 

johnny: yo jeno, wanna go out for dinner? i’ll pay

Jeno sits up straight. “Seems like I wasn’t lying after all. Johnny’s asking if I’m free. I’ll see you tomorrow, Jaem.”

“Mhm.”

jeno: gatten sushi??

johnny: DEAL

It’s been approximately one week since that fateful Wednesday morning, and Lee Jeno has been actively avoiding you. No, he did not heed Jaemin’s advice; he’s too scared to confront you like that. Every morning, he’d hit you with the same excuse over text:

jeno: sorry y/n, johnny wants to hangout until he leaves

And you would answer him with:

you: go have fun with your cousin <3

Jeno’s lies are terrible, he knows that. Somehow, the white lie has become so warped that Johnny now (probably) appears to be an obsessive cousin who’s unwilling to stay away except for during school hours. Johnny wants to walk with Jeno to school and hangout with him afterwards. That’s the story the lovesick boy is sprinting with, and although he feels bad for painting such a strange image of his cousin, it’s not like Johnny’s ever going to cross paths with you. 

At least, not in the near future. 

Jeno leaves for school an hour earlier than usual. He knows you have no club activities before school and you aren’t a morning person. The earliest you will ever wake up is seven a.m., so the chances of accidentally running into you is approximately four percent. 

Jeno’s been successful so far. You haven’t come looking for him either, so he assumes you’ve either realised he needs space or are too busy with extracurricular activities to care. 

(He really hopes it isn’t the second one.)

Donghyuck stuffs a spoonful of bulgogi and rice into his mouth, a blissful expression on his face. He continues to inhale more of his lunch until he suddenly perks up. “Look, lover boy. It’s Y/N.”

Instinctively, Jeno turns at the mention of you. He catches your figure standing in line for food with Roh Jeongui and Kim Chaewon. Your eyes meet his, and he offers a sheepish wave to which you smile back. Jeno’s nape grows hot. 

You’re too pretty when you smile. 

He shyly diverts his gaze to his food, scooping up a portion of his lunch to distract himself. Renjun nudges him with a teasing “Ooh,” which Donghyuck snickers at. Jaemin shakes his head but an amused grin graces his lips. Jeno tickles Renjun’s side. “Shut up, Huang.” 

“You know, the winter event for seniors will be happening in nine days,” mentions Jaemin, stirring his soup. “Why don’t you take Y/N as your date?”

Donghyuck claps at the idea. “Jaemin, you wonderful, wonderful man. That is one wonderful idea!”

Renjun chimes, “How romantic. Feels like a fairytale.” 

Jeno hopes his cheeks aren’t as rosy as he thinks they are. “No way. I’d rather just go with you guys.”

“Who said we’d want to go with you, though?”

He shoots Donghyuck a glare. “Do you even have a date, Hyuck?”

The younger one proudly grins, his chest puffing up. “I do, actually. I have Renjun.” 

The said boy sticks his tongue out. “Too bad, I’m going with your sister, my girlfriend.” 

“Sorry, Renjun, but it’s seniors only.” Jaemin interrupts. “The student president wants it to be a special memory for the seniors. Also, we have a tight budget that barely covers the school’s third year population. So, a second year student can't attend.” 

Renjun pouts, visibly dismayed. In contrast, Donghyuck’s face is shining with glee. “Guess you’re my date, then, Junnie!” 

Jeno consumes the rest of his lunch, thoroughly thinking about Jaemin’s proposition (again). He wonders if he can just ask you to go with him to the event as a friend. Would that be weird? He certainly thinks nothing could be as weird as his feelings for his best friend. 

The boy sighs, swamped by the confusing reality he’s living in. Whatever he’s doing cannot go on any longer. He needs to stop avoiding you and confront the yearnings of his heart. But there’s no way Jeno could just suddenly go back to acting ‘normal’ around you—even if he decides to bury his feelings to save the friendship, he’s still going to have lingering feelings and, with no doubt, you would ask him to tell you the truth behind his sudden aloofness. 

Jeno is going to confess to you. 

The bulgogi thinks he should. 

It’s dangerous but he’s willing to take the risk, even if it means that the friendship may never be repaired and he may never be close to you again. But that’s okay, because he’d much rather stay truthful with you during the entire friendship instead of continuing a lie that will eventually bite him in the ass. 

Jeno decides to set a deadline for himself: on the night of the winter event, he will confess to you. 

He steels his grip around the utensils. 

Nine days. Lee Jeno is going to confess to you on the ninth day of those nine days. The eight days prior to the ninth, he’s going to prepare himself for every possible outcome that could occur on Friday evening. He steals an egg roll from Renjun’s tray, to which the older one sputters in shock. Nine days. In nine days, Jeno’s friendship with you is going to accelerate into something more or crumble into pieces. 

Nine days. 

He’s got this. 

Jeno does not have this. 

Since when did eight days become equivalent to eight seconds? (The math is not mathing.) Jeno stares at the mirror, his reflection blankly blinking back. He’s dressed in a black suit and adorns a green tie for that pop of colour. It’s not exactly his style, but Renjun proposed the four of them match for their first and last high school event. Jeno decided to go green, while Renjun chose yellow, Donghyuck went with blue, and Jaemin used a colour generator to pick a shade (resulting in purple). He’ll probably find it tacky when he looks back in the future, but right now, he’s rather satisfied with the scheme. 

Jeno’s mother blow dries his hair, brushing through the strands with her nimble fingers. She sets the drier down and runs a comb down his bangs, smiling at her beautiful son. “When did my cute son become this handsome?” 

Jeno groans at the comment, bashful and embarrassed. “Mom,” he whines, “don’t say that.”

“What?” she laughs, finding his reaction entertaining. “It’s true. You were the cutest baby, I can’t believe you’re graduating soon.” 

Me neither, Jeno mentally agrees.

“There you go!” she exclaims, clasping her hands. She steps back and lets Jeno examine his appearance.

“Beware of SM,” Johnny jokes from the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. He whistles, “You look great.” 

Jeno grins. “Thanks, Johnny.” He thanks his mother for styling his hair and walks out of the bathroom, heading to the doorway. His father sticks a thumbs-up in approval from the dinner table. Jeno drags his coat on, plants his feet into his newly-bought dress shoes, and waves to his parents from the entrance. They tell him to have fun to which he replies, “I’ll try!”

(Because, you know, he’s going to confess tonight and that thought alone has him breaking into a cold sweat every five minutes.)

Johnny’s his chauffeur for tonight. His cousin offered to give Jeno and his friends a ride to the school and back, and although he states it’s out of pure love, the younger surmises that Johnny wants to go for a late night drive around Seoul. The two get into his father’s car; Johnny behind the wheel, Jeno in the passenger’s seat. 

By car, the ride to the apartment complex where the rest live isn't that far. They arrive there in no time and soon, the car is filled with three teenage boys—Jaemin is a member of the student council therefore having to arrive before six—and one young adult singing along to Big Bang’s Bang Bang Bang the entire ride to school. 

“I’ll come by around ten p.m.,” says Johnny, leaning out the window. The boys nod, give their thanks, and run into the building. 

“Jaemin!” Renjun shouts, garnering the attention of their friend. 

“You guys are early,” the vice president notes, bumping fists with Donghyuck. “Did Johnny drop you guys off?”

Jeno nods. “He’ll be back around ten to pick us up, but let your mother know you’ll be back by eleven. Johnny said he’ll take us out for McDonald’s after.” 

“Nice.”

The four of them head down the hallway toward the gymnasium, where the winter event is set to take place. The large room is decorated in golds, whites, and blues, with streamers and balloons hanging from the walls. A long table of snacks and drinks line the wall adjacent to the entrance and a DJ booth is situated in the centre of the stage. Many students have already arrived, even more filtering in as the clock ticks closer to seven. And when the little hand strikes seven, Jeno sees you walk in. 

“Holy shit,” he whispers, awestruck. 

You look stunning. 

You’re walking with Chaewon and Kim Sunwoo, chatting excitedly over God knows what. He’s too focused on your presence to realise Donghyuck’s snapped a few photos of his dropped jaw and wide eyes. 

Have you always been this pretty?

“Jeno, you’re staring.” Renjun teases, poking his cheek. Jeno comes back to his senses, ears furiously blushing. He rips his gaze away and clears his throat. He made a mistake. The boys are never going to let him live this down. 

“Let’s check out the food!” chirps Donghyuck as the DJ starts blasting music. Renjun happily follows and Jaemin heaves Jeno along. 

Jeno is going to confess to you. 

Even if the school is burning to the ground or a sinkhole opens below, Lee Jeno will confess his feelings to you by the end of the event. 

But first, he’s going to make the most of tonight with his best friends. 

Nine p.m., and Jeno has not crossed paths with you once. There’s a lot more students in his year than he’d thought. 

“Jaemin!” he hollers into the other’s ear. “I’m gonna go out for a breather!”

Jaemin is too busy dancing the macarena with Donghyuck. 

Jeno squeezes himself past the throng of seniors, repeatedly muttering “excuse me” and “sorry” as he seeks to escape the loud crowd. When he manages to stumble through the exit, he runs into you standing in the hallway with a cookie in your mouth. 

“Eh-noh!” you beam, chewing on the dessert. 

Butterflies erupt in his stomach. “Y/N,” he utters. “What are you doing out here?”

You finish your cookie. “Got too stuffy in there,” you say while dusting the crumbs off your fingers. “I’m guessing it’s the same for you?”

“Yeah,” he mumbles, shuffling closer to you. Under the dim hallway lights, your eyes shine brighter than the stars. “Uh, wanna go for a walk with me?” 

You smile. “I’d love to.” 

You’re patient, Jeno thinks as the two of you walk to the staircase. He’s been avoiding you for nearly two weeks and yet, you haven’t asked any questions. You don’t pressure him into spilling the beans or confront him about the blatant lies. You understand him, you’re considerate of him, you’ll never make him uncomfortable. Jeno likes that about you. He likes how you and he have opposing qualities that fit like puzzle pieces. He likes how you and he can never run out of topics to converse about. He likes how you and he have a bond that is difficult to severe. 

Most of all, Jeno likes the way you smile at him. 

Oh, he’s so head over heels in love. 

You enter your homeroom, Jeno following suit. Your body moves to the window seat at the very back, glancing outside at the snowing scenery. 

“It’s so pretty,” you say, referring to the white night. “I think winter is my favourite season now.” 

Jeno hums, leaning against the desk. “I still like springtime more. The cold is too difficult.”

You roll your eyes at his response but he catches your small grin. “Of course, flower boy. I wouldn’t expect anything else.” 

Your gaze stays fixated on the falling snow. Jeno finds it hard to look away from you. He drinks in your appearance—from the way your hair flows, to the line of your nose, to the curve of your shoulders. You’re so perfect, carefully crafted by Aphrodite herself. Everything about you is beautiful, more beautiful than anything in the world. If he could, Jeno would build a museum just to display your beauty. 

You finally glimpse at him, tilting your head at his stare. He finds himself getting lost in your eyes. “Jeno? You okay?”

It’s time. 

Jeno is going to confess to you. 

“Y/N, I like you.”

Jeno just confessed to you. 

Your eyes widen and lips part in shock. You furrow your eyebrows at first and then loosen them when you realise he’s telling the truth. Even though the only illumination being provided is the moonlight, Jeno doesn’t miss the way roses bloom on your cheeks. You gulp. “You like me?”

He smiles. “Yeah.” 

“I—” You lick your lips, playing with the fabric of your dress. “This feels like a dream.” 

His heart jumps. “Y/N?”

You refuse to look him in the eyes, opting to stare out the window again—but this time, with a timid expression. “I…I like you too, Lee Jeno.” 

Jeno feels like his heart is about to implode. You like him back. You like him back. 

“Are you serious?” he breathes, stepping closer to you. You fervently nod, still maintaining eye contact with the snowfall. Jeno laughs in relief. You let out a yelp as he envelops you in a soft hug. “I like you so, so much, Y/N.” 

You return his embrace, hands flat against his broad back. “Did you avoid me because you liked me?” 

His breath hitches at your correct assumption. “Y—Yeah. Jaemin suggested I distance myself to figure out my feelings before I come clean.” 

“I was really upset, you know.” You raise your head and pout. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, stroking your head. “How can I make up for it?” 

Your gaze trails from his eyes to his nose to his lips then back to his eyes. You surprise him with your boldness. “If you give me a kiss, I’ll forgive you.” 

Jeno doesn’t need to be asked twice. He gently bumps his lips against yours, cupping your face with both of his hands. Your arms wrap them around his waist, drawing him in closer. You taste sweeter than candy.

Jeno wants to be drunk on this euphoric feeling forever. 

He’s about to deepen the kiss when you break away, face redder than the setting sun. “Too fast. That was my first kiss.” 

“Same.” 

You raise a brow in suspicion. “You were a little too good for this to be your first kiss, Jen.” 

Jeno laughs at your statement, poking your forehead with his pointer finger. “I researched a bit.” (Undisclosed: “I watched the K-Dramas my mom put on TV.”) 

A serene atmosphere settles in the classroom as Jeno and you simply drown in each other’s presence, drinking in the beauty of tonight’s happening. Your hands play with his loose tie and his fingers graze the small sequins sewed to your dress. “Y/N,” he whispers, “will you be my girlfriend?” 

You tug at his tie, bringing him closer. “I’d be stupid to say no.” And you kiss him for the second time. 

Love? It’s always been the feeling that reminded Jeno of his best friend, but now, it’ll only remind him of his girlfriend. 

bonus: the aftermath.

Two days since the friends-to-lovers scenario, and Jeno is walking you home for the first time in nearly three weeks. Not much has changed—the same subway, the same bus, the same pathway. But then again, everything has changed. 

For instance, instead of walking side-by-side with a small distance in-between, Jeno’s left hand is intertwined with your right hand, finding warmth in his jacket pocket. 

Monday’s have never been better. 

“It feels strange to walk with you as a couple now,” you giggle, snuggling into your scarf. “To be frank, I never thought this day would come.” 

Jeno frowns. “Why is that?” 

You blow out a puff of air. “Because you’re popular with all of the girls at school. You know, Jeon Heejin fancied you for quite a while! I was scared you’d like her.” 

He snorts. “I don’t think you have the right to say that when you dated Choi Soobin from Class 3-4.” 

“In my defence, I dated him to get over you! Though, I do feel sorry but I don’t think he liked me that much anyway. He’s dating Hwang Yeji now.” 

Jeno stops walking, to which you automatically halt, and he leans over to steal a kiss. “I’m glad you never got over me, Y/N. I’m only ever going to walk with you for the rest of my life.”

Lee Jeno needs to stop making your cheeks hurt. 

© NABI (2023); ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

taglist | @matchahyuck @lovehowdream @niinjo @jeonnyread @pckeia @dandelionxgal @huangstape @lemarkjun @mosviqu @neosdaisy @haven-cove

#neowritingsnet #kpop #nct #nct u #nct dream #lee jeno #jeno #jeno x reader #series #au #ff #fanfic #imagine #oneshot #scenario #fluff #romance #slice of life

[juantheashura]

Hey there! I've finally played chapter 5 of your game and well... It also happens this was my first replay after whatever overhaul happened in the prologue. I guess after all of this, I have a few questions, if you don't mind. I'm sorry, it's a bit of a long ask.

I never really thought of that in my prior replays, but this time around I started wondering if Lat always has a crush on the MC? As in, no matter if she's romanced or not, AND even if the MC is on a romantic path with someone else (since I know she confesses in Japan if that's not the case). I know depending on the author, some prefer to make these things established truths (in which case she'd simply not say anything if she sees the MC likes someone else, basically), and others prefer "conditional truths" that depend on a specific "world state" in any given playthrough. Another one is about the whole Ignis and Seeker thing. I've seen so many asks about how things pan out for Ignis romancing MCs and possible reactions to the break up etc. But I'm curious about the very opposite actually. For a MC who isn't at all interested in Ignis that way, is it possible to actively "support" them? Like, not exactly matchmaking cause that would be overstepping and weird. But being supportive in regards to that relationship or possible related issues, if the opportunity presents itself, as a friend? For either one of them, obviously. I really liked how Ignis tentatively opened up a bit to the MC in the hot springs, and now I'm craving more haha. Also well… I guess that as much as I love Mars, my heart will still go to Forlorn, forever. I guess I'll never let go of the hope of him becoming a possible RO in the far future, no matter if I'm delusional (I'm not trying to pressure you into that! Just coping here haha). But well, the actual question is: will we actually get the opportunity to have the MC crush on him, even if he never gets added as a RO? I guess the question could apply to Seeker too, now that I think of it. My reasoning is that Ignis is literally a RO despite the fact a romance with her will always be cut short as she'll choose someone else. Since such a thing is possible, I'm curious about the possibility of an unrequited crush on one of the guys, basically. And last, a bit of an unrelated question (or well, not really, since it's romance related), but the Other calling some of the members of the teams as its "dregs" in one of the dreams made me wonder… Does that entity care about the MC getting really close to someone else? Be it romantically or a very deep friendship. And if they do, would they be critical of said person being one of the "dregs"? I'm curious cause well, with Mars being my chosen RO… The entity seems "obsessed" with the MC getting stronger and all, and I'm wondering if it would consider the MC getting close to one of them "drags them down". Okay, I'm sorry for the amount of questions! I took a huge break from a lot of things online and now I have to make up for it! Questions aside, I must say I loved chapter 5! It was so tense and amazing, and I was so so proud of Lat for how well she did during it! I love seeing my MC getting stronger, but I also love to see how Lat progresses! She may not be a character I'm interested in in terms of romance, but damn I love her so much! Aaand I feel so bad for Mars because of the shit that went down during the closing scenes of the chapter. Poor guy can't take a break with the super senses... I hope an opportunity will present itself for the MC to bring him some comfort after all of that...

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to answer, I've been... occupied, to say the least, this past month. And don't ever apologize about long asks! Those are my favorites, I love both talking about the cast/setting and that anyone might be so interested in them to dedicate their time to sending them in. :')

1st: Yes, Lat always has a crush on the MC. This is canon. It's not crazy "I've been in love with you forever, MC" tier or anything, but she is pining for them. I had plans for her to act on it if you're romancing Ignis, since, as you can see in her confession scene, she can tell Ignis isn't good for the MC, but it's been... a little tiring trying to get through that convo. That said, if the MC gets involved with anyone else, she's willing to take the loss. The MC's happy, and she does think the rest of the cast would be good for them.

One thing I am considering is adding a poly route for Aki x Lat x MC in Book 2 (or at the end of Book 1), but I haven't decided on it yet. It would be pretty cute though, the three of them are tied very closely together.

2nd: I've always had plans for a non-Ignismancer to have at least some choices to prod Ignis and Seeker about their obvious relationship. You kind of get this already with Chapter 4, as you've mentioned, where you can ask what's going on with them. The biggest point where you'll get to do something like that is Chapter 8, which is about Ignis's birthday party. Seeker organizes it basically on his own, and the MC will definitely be allowed to have thoughts™️ on that!

3rd: I've not worked out the very specifics of the MC and Forlorn's relationship in Book 2 (and beyond) yet, so I can't confirm one way or the other whether I'll have a crush happen. That said, Book 2 is going to have a lot more Forlorn content, and a lot of it will give the MC the chance to be the very obvious support pillar that the PTSD-riddled, half broken man needs. So even if you don't get to smooch (or think about smooching!) him, your relationship will definitely offer a chance to become much deeper, deeper than any he has at this moment.

4th: No, you don't have to worry about Other MC's thoughts on the League's strength tiers to matter in your relationships. As far as they're concerned, "salvation is individual", so Mars's (or Nova, or Aki's, or anyone's) personal strength doesn't matter to them- their only concern is your own. They may do some one snarky one liners once or twice, but if anything, the fact that the MC also has a personal reason to listen to them to get strong is something they're happy about.

Anyway, thanks a lot for all the compliments! I'm very happy to hear you enjoyed Chapter 5- it was honestly one I was very worried about since I have littme experience writing combat. I'm happy you enjoyed Lat's parts (and felt for poor Mars!) as well.

#a tale of heroes #ask me anything #anon ask #wip ask #long asks are cool with me!! #ro asks

[raypakorn]

building a friendship: prince wilhelm + felice

#the friendship may have started has an unrequited crush but i hope to see it grow for wilhelm's sake #especially since it has been shown that felice cares very deeply about her friends #prince wilhelm #felice #young royals #youngroyalsedit #tusersunflower #tuserjackie #tuseranya #uservera #tuserhidden #usertutu #antedits

[alreadyblondenow]

I loved you first, but you’re not the last

“....You’re special so it requires extra effort. Happy Valentines and happy first day of being a couple,”

Pairing: Mark Lee x female!reader

Genre: Angst, SMUT, fluff, childhood best friends to lovers

WC: 4,588k

Warnings: Fake dating, break up,swearing, mentions or other idol, reader x Taeyong in the end, Taeyong as Mark’s brother, unprotected sex, virginity loss, a lot of making out, mentions of making out, touching, a small amount of dirty talking, oral sex (female receiving), overstimulation

A/N: NOT PROOFREAD. I’ll fix it once I get my internet connection back. Gosh I hope this posts. Part of Request Party

It was in the middle of the night when you received a call that did not just woke you up, but also woke your whole being. Body, mind and soul.

“You’re back?” crankily you sat up from bed, scratching your heavy eyes and about to get out of bed because the person on the other line is right outside your house, waiting for you.

He has been away and gone for too long because of college... and you should be excited as you go downstairs to meet him, but you know why he’s here and it’s no good news. Let’s face it, this night will not end nice.

“Here goes nothing,” you murmured. Wrapping yourself with your thick jacket before you finally step outside.

And the moment you opened the door, snow was falling and you didn’t miss how the snow landed peacefully on Mark’s eyelashes. Eyes looking straight to you, those sad eyes that can’t hide the pain that he’s holding. A pain that you caused.

You wanted to finally reunite first with a hug, but he got ahead of you and took your chance to show him how much you missed him.

“How could you?” he started, eyes still locked on yours. “I thought we were going to wait and do it right- how could you date my brother while I was away?”

Even you find it cruel. What you did to Mark was cruel, selfish, and unforgivable. And truth be told, you don’t have the right words now. You wanted to explain of course, but you’re scared it might break him even more. “I love your brother,” you said softly. Not even brave enough to look him in the eye because you feel bad.

“You loved me first,” he bite back. And you can’t help but be weak in front of him and cry. Usually whenever you cry, he will walk towards you and remind you how much you mean to him. But you guess not tonight, maybe you don’t deserve love tonight.

“You left me, remember?” you dried your tears and tried being brave even just for a short period. Just until you have the guts to walk away.

“Whatever. It’s not yet too late. Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy,”

He finally said his true purpose tonight. This was his last chance and the only to win you back. But even though he has never been more honest in his whole life except tonight, he feels like not even telling you his feelings can bring you back to him. Mark was so frustrated that he has tears in his eyes already that you wanted to dry so bad. But if you really want him to respect the relationship you have with his brother, then this is the perfect time.

“I may have loved you first, but your brother is the last man I’ll love. I’m sorry Mark,”

And just as you finish saying those hurtful words, you finally have the bravery to turn your back on him and ignore his shouting that you’re sure your parents and neighbors heard. This is you throwing a decade of good friendship because of unrequited love.

FOUR YEARS AGO

The day before Valentines day, you don’t know what’s up with your mood or with you in general, because you’ve been so envy with the people around you, couples to be exact. As you admire happy couples in school who celebrates Valentines as early as now, you can’t help but to imagine someone.... someone that will give you flowers, chocolates... kisses, or whatever you’ll accept in whole heartedly.

Valentines is like Christmas, it’s a day of giving and receiving. But that only applies if you have someone special whom you can spend the day with and exchange shiny, glittery, and sparkling Valentine cards with.

“I can be your fake boyfriend, come on it will be fun,” he raises his seagull eyebrows and smirked. Come to think of it, it’s not a bad idea. You’ve been best friends even before kindergarten, you watch each other grow and went through puberty together until the next thing you know, you’re printing college applications together in your room because his printer broke down.

“Let’s not go to college without having the experience of high school love... you know, let’s have fun before we graduate with flying colors. Let’s go to parties, participate in Valentine-gram tomorrow, go to prom together. What do you say?” he added.

“But everything’s fake? What’s the point of fake dating if we already look like were dating ever since we started being friends?” You whine and flop on your bed, Mark did the same thing.

“Don’t think about it too much, just say yes,” for a moment you both just stared at the ceiling, wondering what could go wrong if you started fake dating. “Anyway, you don’t have a choice. I need to get home and answer these- Bye, you’re my girlfriend now!”

“W-what? Mark-“

And just before you could reason out with him, he’s gone with his college applications and you’re left with your thoughts and excitement. You don’t know why but Mark’s crazy idea made your heart jump, it’s like a good electricity that made you look for your art materials and spend the whole evening making your fake boyfriend a blue shiny, glittery, and sparkling Valentine card.

Even if the motive was fake, the effort was real and it felt good and right at that very moment.

But little did you know that his idea of fake dating was only his way to not shock you when he finally confess his feelings to you.

That’s right, your best friend is in love with you.

If she wears blue tomorrow I will confess to her. He tells himself as he stares in his ceiling, feeling the same excitement and electricity in his heart. Trying so hard to sleep but he kept on thinking about you and can’t help but feel the excitement for tomorrow again.

“You and Y/n started dating? Since when?” Mark’s mother exclaimed happily while driving. Looking at his son admire the roses he got you from the flower shop downtown.

“We’re just starting mom. Thanks for helping me pick these up by the way,”

“Oh there she is! Wearing blue! Oh I never realized how you two grew such good looking kids until now,”

Mark breathed in and let it out with a smile, thankful that you wore his favorite color, because he can’t continue to hide his feelings for you. Maybe you and him are really bound to happen.

As you wave goodbye to Mrs. Lee with a bright smile, there you see Mark carrying a unique bouquet of roses and your eyes immediately went big and sparkled because. Not to mention your heart beats so hard and fast because he looked so handsome even in his casual clothes.

“Wow- I’m speechless, these are beautiful. Where did you get these?” you accept the bouquet as he hands it to you with a smile. Engraving the look of your face in his mind and heart, swearing to himself that from now on he will make you happy like this everyday.

“It’s a secret. You’re special so it requires extra effort. Happy Valentines and happy first day of being a couple,” he said and planted a kiss on your forehead. Something so natural for you and him, but today is different. Nonetheless, you believe that today will be a beautiful and eventful day.

In the see of people wearing red and white in your school’s hallway, you and Mark are happy wearing blue. Such a sad color but you wearing it makes him the happiest guy today. Everywhere you look has a dash of red and pink, hearts are hanged here and there and almost everyone has red roses on their hand... except you.

Because you’re holding a bouquet of rainbow roses.

This year’s Valentines wasn’t like any other Valentine’s you usually have. Today you have Mark.

You have Mark to hold your hand while you walk on the school’s hallway. You have Mark to look at you so lovingly that your heart melts whenever you catch him looking. You have Mark to take you out on a date after school and take cute photos in a photo booth. You have Mark to share a big drink with two straws.

And most especially, you have Mark to kiss you under the dark sky full of stars in front of your house.

His lips were soft as expected. And the way his tongue swipes on your lip in the most subtle way just makes you want him to kiss more. He smiled in between kissing when you pulled him closer and kiss him more when he was about to pull away. And oh! You did not miss the way he softly moans, such music to your ears but sad to say you can only hear them tonight.

“Did you liked my Valentine card? I left it in your locker,”

You finally pulled away and surprised him. Wiping away the spit from your mouth, you wiped Mark’s as well. He only smiled to you and you wish he would stop doing it because you’re growing a little crush on him already.

“It’s full of glitters, it’s blue and it has watermelons. Of course I love it” he said then did it again, melted your heart with that damn handsome smile.

“Good,” you said softly, fixing his hoodie and finally giving him a bear hug that he deserves. “I don’t want this night to end,” you finally admitted it.

“Then let’s not end it,”

“Wait, you’re not faking anymore aren’t you-“

And just like that Mark cut you off with a deep kiss. Nothing like how he kissed you earlier. This time he was holding you tight that you’re almost out if breath and you feel like he’s about to crush you anytime. But the way he kissed you... it’s his way of confessing his love to you.

On the following days, everything changed between you and Mark. Though it’s clear that what you feel for him is only just a crush now and he knows it, still the guy is hopeful that you will love him like how he loves you.

Mark is the perfect definition of consistent. He showed you how he feels for you each day, and each day he became better than the day before, sweeter and bolder. He was putting everything on the line for you, showering you the love he has always kept in him. That’s why, in a matter of months you finally made it official with him and you can’t wait what the future has in store for the both of you.

“What do you love about me?” you asked out of nowhere while he was in the middle of playing his guitar. It wasn’t a hard question, but it made him stop and think for a second.

“I love how you give me constant reasons to love you even more each day,” the first line was enough, but Mark has more to say. “The way you kiss my cheek in the most friendly way but it always meant something to me, how you accepted me to be your friend and now boyfriend. I love how you love me, because being loved back by you is something so special that only us can understand”

What he said moved you of course. You didn’t know that he loves you deeply even before you started the fake dating thing. And knowing that Mark is just crazy and madly in love with you, you can’t help but wish that you are too. For now all you can do is accept his love, and give back however you can. You love him of course, but you can’t keep up with his love yet.

Days passed by and your relationship grew sweeter. More sweet words were exchanged and more kisses were given. Way more. Until you find yourselves making out whenever you two are alone.

“Aw!” you express your pain when Mark accidentally bit your lip. Something so sexy but it hurt and it made you both stop what you’re doing.

“Oops. Sorry, I got carried away” he says and took a look at your lips. “You’re fine right?”

“Mhmm” You answered, but just before he was about to start kissing you again, you stopped him by pulling away. “And it’s getting late, I think you should go home,”

“But I want to stay for more,” he said with a sly smile. Caressing your shoulders and soothing your back. If course you did not miss what he was talking about for more. You and Mark are young, and being new to this relationship thing just makes you both want to explore and feed each other’s curiosity.

“When I’m ready. I promise it will be worth the wait, for now it’s getting late and you need to go home... And work with some homework,” you gave him a final kiss and thankfully he did not pry.

The relationship you have with Mark was nothing like the friendship you used to have. The friendship was still there, of course, but friends don’t kiss your neck while you’re busy reading a book or slam you to the nearest wall and kiss you wildly. Friends don’t taste your favorite ice cream flavor through your tongue in the middle of a Netflix movie, and friends don’t get affected when they see you in your thin shirt and panties only whenever they give you a surprise visit.

“It’s the weekend, why are you here?” You whine as you try to go back to sleep. Clinging to your pillow and thick blanket but your boyfriend is currently losing his mind. Nonetheless, he remained a gentleman and covered your exposed leg and butt, covering you completely and keeping you warm. “Come to bed with me. Cuddle with me instead”

The young man’s eyes brightened and quickly joined you in bed. Swinging his arm around your waist from behind and nuzzling your neck to tickle you.

“I got into my dream college,” he whispered excitedly beside your ears which made you quickly turn to him and hug him.

“That’s why you’re here! Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realized” you planted kisses on his cheek the ones he loved receiving other than your slow and deep ones. “You used to talk about this ever since we were just kids. Ugh, I’m so proud of you”

“Promise to support me no matter what?” This time it’s him who went closer and planted kisses on your face. Of course you said yes, it has been his dream, but now that you knew you’ll miss him everyday and you know that the image of him walking away from you at the airport will truly hurt you, so you can’t help but fake it.

You rolled on top of him and his eyes immediately went big, wondering why and how are you like this. You have never been this bold and confident even in your wildest times, it’s like he’s seeing a totally different side of you and he loves it.

“Want to claim your early graduation gift?” you completely surprised him and started kissing his neck, while Mark is actually enjoying the moment by caressing your ass cheeks and teasing you by tugging your panties. You wish you have the same level of confidence with Mark, because you well know that between the two of you he is the one experienced with sexual activities, so now you try your best.

“Mmm” a loud pop surrounds your room as Mark sucks your nipples through your thin shirt. Taking turns with your left boob and right boob until your shirt is partly wet because of him and he can finally see your nipples. The sight of it gave him the feeling like no other. Of course this is not his first time seeing boobs, but this is different because it’s you.

The mere sight of your boobs just made him lose his mind and not to mention hard in no time. You watch him roll his head back while you slowly grind of top of him with a ruined shirt, looking so hot than ever so he quickly switched places with you. Putting you underneath him, looking down on you with hungry and lustful eyes.

“Do you wanna touch my boobs?” You asked him so innocently,reaching for his hand that’s placed on your waist. You put your hand and his hand inside your shirt, slowly lifting the wet shirt just above your chest to expose your boobs to him.

“I wish you were my first,” he said and immediately kissing your right boob while his hand kneads the other, pinching you or teasing you, or whatever he just wanted to hear something from you. And when he stopped making your nipples swollen, Mark just kept on kissing you softly and saying ‘i love yous’ over and over again. making you smile through his lips and soft touches, it is as if he’s taking away all your shyness and making you comfortable with the situation. The situation where your boobs are expose to him, your legs spread wide and Mark is in between your legs, grinding his clothed cock on your ruined and wet panties.

You were just kissing passionately but now you felt his hands hooked on your panties and the next thing you know he’s pulling it down without breaking the kiss until it reaches your thigh and eventually remove it but the shyness crept in again, making you close your legs and bite your lips in hesitation.

“Can I? Open your legs?” He asks, kissing your neck and calming you through the way he kisses you and touch you. And when he felt that you’re ready, he tried opening your legs again and this time you let him. Letting him place his body in between your legs, smiling through the kiss as if he’s telling you ‘good job’.

Mark spread kisses around your body, kissing every inch of your being, earning a giggle from you and with that he’s happy you’re not nervous anymore.

And when Mark pull away to discard his clothes, and release his cock, you were speechless when you saw it that you removed your own ruined shirt just to be fair ask him to get back in between your legs this instant.

“Lets do this right,” he said and immediately placed a finger on your wet slit that took your breath away. Up and down, you feel his finger nothing else, and when the moment comes and Mark put a finger in, your hand reached for his hand and tried to stop him because the pleasure was too much. But your handsome boyfriend was just smiling at you, smirking because you looked so ruined right now all you can do is smile back at him. And when he insert two fingers, he kissed you deeply and caught every moan you let out, every cry of his name, every groan, or whine.

And the next thing you know you’re closing your legs as you shiver and curl your body. Trying to get away from Mark because you’re sensitive already but your boyfriend is not stopping.

“First of many,” he says and stopped to pull out his fingers. But he is not yet done. He only gave you a few seconds to catch your breath and went back kneeling in between your legs again.

“Are you going to fuck me now?” you asked with ragged breaths and tired expression.

Mark did not answer you verbally, but he did physically. Licking your pussy juices and spreading your pussy lips while his eyes are completely locked on yours.

You said ‘no’, but you didn’t mean it and the moment his tongue swipes on your cunt you grabbed hold on your headboard and hold on for your dear life. Clenching and unclenching as Mark eats you out, trying so hard to close your legs but you can’t until your second orgasm drowned you quickly and all you can do is breathe in and out heavily.

“I hate you” you said but you’re clinging to Mark and sharing your warmth to him.

“I love you,” he said and intertwined his fingers with his, kissing your knuckles before he place both your hands above your head. You voluntarily spread your legs wider for him, and with his free hand he lines his cock finally.

“I didn’t know you’re big,”

What you said made him smirk and proved your discovery even more by pulling out entirely and slamming his cock back in your wet hole. “Now you know,” he said small grunts and went in deeper. He knew what he’s doing to you is too much pleasure because it’s your first time and also he can tell by the way you hold on to his hand.

“Planning to crush my hand?” he let out a cut giggle like he isn’t fucking you deep right now. How can he do that? Be insanely cute while doing something filthy to you.

“Y/n, I’m close can I go faster?” and you can only nod.

Fucking you faster and harder than earlier, you watch Mark become someone sinful when he started focusing on his own release, kissing your boobs while he fucks you, give your ass a tight squeeze, lick your neck like you’re a fucking ice cream and whisper dirty words or word that make you shy that you didn’t know you would love hearing. Like,

“Let me fuck you again,”

“You like it deep huh?”

“Y/n, you’re worth wait, you’re mine forever”

“This is the last pussy I’ll fuck,”

And in the end he pulled out and jerked in front of you, letting his cum fall on your lower abdomen and watch his cum drip to your sheets. It’s a shame that he can’t cum inside you, it would have felt great.

“Fucking shit- that sex was great,”

He rests his head on top of your boobs, but went back to kissing you again on the lips. Apologizing for his mess, aplogizing for his words and saying ‘i love you’ over and over again.

That morning, you stayed naked with Mark in bed for a few hours just talking and laughing, flirting and kissing. It felt great having a huge progress with your relationship, especially that it’s Mark who took your virginity.

“Hey, you okay?” he was talking about your pussy because even though he didn’t went hard earlier, he did fucked you a little bit harder knowing that it’s your first time. “I meant what I said earlier. Please be my last, I don’t want to give my love to anyone but you. It’s too early to talk about marriage but, I know it’s you. I’ll love you better each day, I promise”

Comfort, warmth and safety. That’s what you felt hearing those beautiful words from him that you became speechless and crashed your lips to him.

His promise was kept every day until you both finished high school together, enjoy the summer before he leaves and make unforgettable memories as many as you can.

But knowing that he’s going away to follow his dreams and fulfil his goals, Mark worried too much about long distance relationship and how it never worked.

“Are we really together now? I’m not dreaming right?”

Your sleep was disturbed when Mark called you in the middle of the night. Today, you taught him how to bake and had a couple of rounds during Netflix and chill, so to be honest you’re really exhausted and tired.

“Mark, we kiss, we date, we have sex almost everyday. Yes baby, we’re together for almost four months already. Now can we please go back to sleep-“

“Go down open your door. I’m outside”

And the moment you opened the door for him, you gave him a ‘shh’ sign, telling him that your parents are already asleep. You came closer to him for a kiss, and told him, “it’s real. I’m real. Can you please promise me to stop overthinking, you’re making me worry,”

He didn’t answer you but lowered his head. You knew he’s sorry and he’s just doing this for you,

“I love you, Mark. I’m yours forever,” you said and kissed him again. Deeply this time, to the point that it put you both in the mood and the next thing you know Mark is fucking you while he’s covering your mouth with his hand.

When Mark left you for college your relationship went downhill and you’re both getting hurt already. Fighting is part of the relationship, yes, but the fight you have with Mark almost everyday was becoming the reason why you want to distance yourself from him. You feel caged with how he love you, you feel like he’s strangling you with all these rules you need to follow to maintain trust in your relationship but nothing is working.

Until he finally realized what he’s doing to you.

So during his vacation, he visited you and you were so excited to the core that you welcomed him with a tight hug and the biggest smile. Only to find out that he wanted to break up.

But

“It’s just until we finish college. Let’s wait and do it right. I don’t want to fight for you while hurting you at the same time. Please understand. I’m not breaking up because I don’t love you. This time off will heal us both,”

The breakup did you no good. You were sad every day and to be honest you would rather want him to nag you than miss him like this and you can believe that between the two of you, he’s the one doing great in life. It makes you want to believe that he doesn’t love you anymore. Like the man you fell in love to, wasn’t there anymore.

“Still crazy about my stupid brother huh? Come here and help feed my fishes,”

His brother, Lee Taeyong, disturbed you and your ugly thoughts while you finish the drink their mom gave you during one of your visits.

“Well, college was good to you. I see you’re back and finally opening a bakeshop downtown” he hands you the fish food as you wait for him to talk and feed the fishes generously.

“I’m very much excited to open my bakery. Want to make cookies later instead of being broken hearted?”

And as days, weeks, and months pass by, not only Lee Taeyong making you forget about Mark, he also healed your heart and won it fair and square.

It started how he makes your heart flutter whenever he holds your hand while teaching you how to bake, how praises you and tell you that you look beautiful everyday, how he makes his kitchen your own little world during closing time and you’re sitting on the kitchen counter with Taeyong in between your legs and taking your breath away with a heated kiss.

When you and taeyong started dating, you experienced true love. You didn’t want to hurt Mark but what you have with Taeyong is real and you had to hide this from him for years and years and years, until you finally graduated in college.

And Tayong proposed to you. It was the only time you couldn’t hide your relationship from Mark anymore because Taeyong was the one who confessed to him.

*this is the part where you read the first part again JEJEHEH

#nct-writers #neosmutcollective #cznnet #neowritingsnet #kpopscape #nct smut #mark lee smut #mark lee #nct mark #nct imagines #nct scenarios #nct fluff #mark lee smut x reader #smut mark lee #nct mark lee x reader #nct mark lee fluff #mark lee x reader #nct mark lee smut #mark lee angst

[writingssummit]

Hi I just read you’re tsukishima story and it was so cute omg but I have an idea

Let’s say y/n has a huge crush on tsukishima since they were children right. But tsukishima never rlly liked y/n in that way. So he would always like be kinda aggressive but like not in the physical way, like he would be cold to her whenever y/n would constantly say something abt them dating. In reality he did like her but he didn’t realize it. Then suddenly a new guy shows up, he’s like really handsome and he’s in a small band, he plays the bass. Y/n actually listens to that band and she was so excited so the two of them click really easy, that’s when she starts being distant with tsukishima and stops the talks abt them dating, tsukishima starts to miss everything y/n would say to him and he wanted to get y/n back, but when he tries he sees y/n and the guy sharing a peck 😔‼️ sorry if this was longgggg ugh

a/n: ahhh! I’m glad you thought so, haha! don’t worry about the length, specifics are always welcome! <3 this is a really good idea! i think it ended up on the longer side, but yk, more content is good? i also ended up naming him, so it’s easier to refer to him. i keep holding on to highschool settings i’m sorry LMAO- i haven’t finished season 4 and i’m not reading the manga yet :( but anyways, here’s a bit of angst/unrequited love to balance out my recent fluff posts !

asks/requests: open !

word count: 2.6k

warnings?: some angst/unrequited love

worth a try.

- TSUKISHIMA KEI -

growing up with tsukishima had been a whirlwind of experiences. ever since you had moved and transferred to his school the last year of primary school, you’d been drawn to him. the tall, blonde kid with glasses. you found his pride in volleyball admirable, and you even found him to be so much cooler than you ever would be.

you originally didn’t know anybody when you first moved, but you fit right in with both tsukishima and his own friend. it was a strange combination, but it worked somehow. while tsukishima was rude, and yamaguchi timid, you were loud and energetic. you were lively. you challenged him just for the fun of it, you poked and prodded, just having fun being around him.

you were his self-declared best friend.

looking back on it, you probably always had feelings for tsukishima. back in those days when you tried to get into volleyball yourself. wanting to be like him, you tried your best, but you weren’t all that good. he would make fun of you for it, but you weren’t bothered by settling for being supportive of him and your freckled friend. You were just as passionate as they were about it.

you were even there when that passion jaded. watched as he stared at his brother from across the game.

it was when you started junior high, that you came to the conclusion that you were in love with your friend. but unlike most people, you did nothing to hide it. why would you? you were always open, always honest and straight to the point. you just weren’t one to hide that.

“go out with me, tsukki!” you poked his side with a cheeky grin, your eyes bright. your friend wasted no time in rejecting you.

“no.”

“aw, you sure?”

“i would never date somebody so stupidly annoying.” you shook off the blatant insult, laughing instead with your hand on your neck. a small thing you picked up from your other friend. yamaguchi.

“you’ll come around one day!”

“i doubt that.”

it went on like that all throughout your remaining years until high school. a constant back and forth that became a schedule at that point.

it was decided that tsukishima would be going to karasuno, as would yamaguchi. and so would you. you would go where they go, you’d never thought about leaving them both. you’d stay with them as long as possible, holding on to their friendship like it was your lifeline..

and holding onto tsukishima even more so.

you were there with them on the first day, when they joined volleyball club. that first practice match against aoba johsai.

you weren’t always watching their practices, since you had your own club duties to attend to of course. but you always made sure to stop by the clubroom while the boys were getting ready, just to say hi to everyone and to a certain someone.

“hey, hey!” you poked your head from around the door, waving a hand. the team greeted you cheerfully enough, minus tsukishima. who looked annoyed to no end.

“tsukki, wanna go grab something to eat after your practice? i know a really great spot!”

he didn’t even look at you, only giving you the middle finger.

you laughed, shrugging. “worth a try.”

the first time the team had witnessed your very forward approach to asking the extremely salty and crude boy out, they were surprised. the way he turned you down so effortlessly too, threw them off. the added shock of anybody even liking him was the cherry on top.

“is this normal?” sugawara asked, a chuckle falling from his lips. asahi was beside him, sweatdropping at the sight of your affectionate display, and tsukishima’s obvious lack of reciprocation.

yamaguchi smiled awkwardly, nodding. “well- yeah, actually. It’s been happening for years.”

“i’d kill to have somebody all over me like that! lucky bastard!” tanaka held his fist up dramatically, as if clenching his heart in it. he even had a tear in the corner of his eye.

“well then, i’ll be on my way! good practice, everyone!” you chirped, finally leaving them.

“l/n’s got some serious determination.” tanaka whistled.

“misplaced determination. they won’t shut up about dating, it’s annoying.” tsukishima didn’t sound as impressed as his loud senpai was.

yamaguchi tilted his head to the side. “really? i would’ve thought tha-”

“shut up.”

a small laugh. “sorry, tsukki.”

it would forever continue, it seemed like. you never thought you’d give it up, you always knew that you liked tsukishima. your heart would pound, your stomach would feel fluttery. but even though you’ve been with him since you were children, it didn’t seem like he’d grown to feel the same. it would get you down sometimes, his mean and harsh words whenever you’d bring it up. either casually, or intentionally.

you couldn’t help being so hopelessly whipped!

you were walking down the sidewalk with yamaguchi and tsukishima, humming along to a new song that had been dropped recently. you were so into it, strumming your fingers like you were the one playing in the recording. tsukishima watched you with critical eyes, but yamaguchi watched as if this was entertaining.

“new song, l/n?” yamaguchi asked you, and you paused the music. you nodded right away, grinning.

“yeah! there’s this kind of new band I found a bit ago, i think around the time you guys met nekoma for that first practice match? their music is so cool!” you could go on and on about them, to be honest. they may be small, and very underground, but you liked them anyways.

“wahh, they sound cool- right, tsukki?” yamaguchi and you both looked behind at him, faces expecting the same sentiment.

he only scoffed.

you roll your eyes playfully, sidling up to him for the first time today. “you want to go get some ice cream, tsukki?” you wished, hoped for him to just say yes for once. your heart was begging at this point.

“get out of my face, l/n.” he said coldly.

with a defeated sigh, you walked a few steps quicker, before unpausing the music. the humming resumed, and yamaguchi glanced back and forth between you both with a weary expression.

“you could try to be a bit nicer, tsukki-”

“they can’t take a damn hint, it’s not my job to be nice about it.” He said stubbornly.

yamaguchi sighed himself, nodding along. there wasn’t a point in continuing the topic; he always shut it down whenever yamaguchi brought it up. he’s never been so aggressive about something before.

interhigh had come, taking up your friend’s time with it. you were upset that they’d be so busy now, but with the new tournament coming, came a new student.

he was friendly, and cheerful, and honestly probably one of the most charming people you’ve ever met in your life. he even looked familiar to you, like you’ve seen him somewhere before. you couldn’t figure it out, so you just opted to the conclusion you must have just passed him down the street at some point. or some strange case of deja vu? either way, he was in your class now.

you were just coming back from the bathroom, your earbuds plugged into your ears like they usually were nowadays.

“l/n, please take your earbuds out, it’s class time.” iour teacher scolded you gently, and you pouted a little. It was just getting to a good part-

you had tugged on them a little too hard, and instead of just getting them out of your ears, they came out of the headphone jack completely.

you were embarrassed as your new favorite band’s music started blasting out of the phone’s speakers, and you hurried to turn it off. You were blushing, laughing at yourself as you went to go sit back down.

ahh, dang! everyone heard that! you were just laughing at yourself in your head now.

there was a tap on your desk, and you turned your face towards the hand. it was the new kid, and his face looked bright.

“you listen to my band’s music?” he whispered to you, his face beaming, and you gasped quietly.

“is this you?” you pointed at your pocket, where your phone rested. he nodded.

“that’s so- wow, i go to school with one of the people in my favo-”

“l/n, do you have something to say about the lecture?”

you shook your head violently, holding back a huge grin. “n-no, miss!” your teacher sighed, and continued past the interruption.

the looks you both shared didn’t go unnoticed by tsukishima.

everyday now, you were hanging around the new kid. you had come to learn his name, which was ishiwaka teruo. you both had hit it off instantly, it was like you guys had known each other forever, and not just a few weeks. it was almost like some crazy twist of fate, or luck. you guys were both alike in a lot of ways, held similar passions, too.

“see you, ishi!” you waved a hand, grinning as he waved a goodbye back. you guys didn’t take the same way home, so he ended up leaving the opposite direction, while you walked with tsukishima and yamaguchi. you were humming again, one of ishiwaka’s band’s songs.

“you seem pretty happy, l/n.” yamaguchi chuckled, watching as you danced a little. 

“oh yeah, you bet! ishi actually invited me to sit in for one of his practices, isn’t that so cool? he plays the bass, and he even offered to teach me a few chords. i don’t really mess with instruments, but-”

“can you shut up about him? all you do is just yap on and on about this guy, hanging out with him isn’t enough for you? what’s so special anyways?” his tone was harsh, and condescending. “if you’re just going to talk about him all the time, i’m not walking with you guys anymore.” your eyes widened as soon as you heard what tsukishima had just said. your heart was pounding, like it had been caught in the act of something terrible. you even felt slightly ashamed.

“wow, nice, tsukki. sorry for being excited about something.” you muttered, clutching your bag straps tight. what did you expect at this point? he didn’t like you as much as you thought, if he was so ready to just leave you behind. yamaguchi sensed the tension between you both, which made him uncomfortable.

you were all quiet for the rest of the way home.

interhigh came and went, the loss against aoba johsai stung the volleyball team, leaving their spirits broken, and cracked. you hadn’t been to the game that day, busy with a certain band member. and your missing presence hadn’t been looked over.

“where were you?” tsukishima had confronted you in the hallways, while you were walking with ishiwaka to the water fountain. it was break, which meant he could freely talk to you now.

you looked away from him, a nervous air around you that wasn’t like you at all.

“i’m sorry i couldn’t make it, tsukki- i heard that you guys lost, and i’m really sorry i couldn’t have been there!” your words were careful and slow, like you were thinking on how to say the right thing to him.

the blonde closed his eyes, and looked off to the side. he didn’t look pleased in the slightest. “were you with your precious band member? like some kind of groupie.” 

ishiwaka raised an eyebrow, and you just shook your head. tsukishima was really doing this right now? you said sorry, what else were you supposed to say?

“you know what, yeah. i was with him. it’s not like..it’s not like i have to be around you or yamaguchi every second of the day, okay?” you sighed. “look, i’ll make it to your next practice, and skip my club activities. is that fine?”

he hesitated, before giving you a curt nod. you smiled in relief. “great! i’ll see you then. now, about that specific measure-”

you had left him behind, and tsukishima had been hit with a realization.

you hadn’t mentioned going on a date at all. not today, not even within the past few weeks. was something wrong with you? he’d gotten so used to that, but now even that wasn’t a constant.

it was like you were slipping away from him, day by day.

and he realized that he didn’t like that.

as the days went on, thoughts about this ran rampant through his mind. it was maddening, he was trying to focus on school, and now, as he was walking to the clubroom, volleyball. he was scarily silent, and yamaguchi caught onto it right away.

“tsukki?” he asked quietly, not wanting to push. but he wanted to know. ever since tsukishima had come back from break that day, he’d been acting strange. he was even saltier, if that was possible.

“am i not enough for l/n?” he spit out the question, like it was a disease.

taken aback, the freckled boy could only blink. the two stopped walking, looking right at each other now. “what?”

tsukishima barked out a laugh, running a hand over his face in frustration. “you heard me, yamaguchi.”

yamaguchi’s jaw dropped. “do you miss them?” was he for real? was this jealousy actually coming from tsukishima?

“hell if i know.” he muttered. but he knew the answer, and that’s what upset him.

“i knew it. tsukki, why did it have to be now, though?” he shook his head in disbelief. at the utter obliviousness of this boy. yamaguchi knew himself that there was something there in tsukishima, something resembling feelings for you. but of course it was when you were no longer always around that he saw it.

“what?”

“l/n isn’t a puppy anymore, they’re not following after you. if you haven’t noticed, they’ve given up. you need to do this yourself, and fix it.” yamaguchi stated. he wouldn’t be lying if he said that he’d been frustrated with the back and forth between you both, it was so obvious to him, but apparently not obvious to tsukishima. or you, for that matter.

“i know that.” he muttered. he would have to confront you about this. was he stupid? why didn’t he get this before? 

“then do something about it.”

tsukishima was quiet.

it was decided by him that he’d catch you outside of practice, since you said you’d be coming to watch. it was a quick, and impulsive decision from him, but he needed this to be figured out. his head was at it’s most unclear, and that was affecting him.

you were affecting him.

he looked around the outside of the gym, trying to see if he could spot you coming. it took a minute, before he saw a figure off to the side. it was you, he could tell by that bag anywhere. he stepped out, only to be met with the full picture.

you were with ishiwaka, and you were kissing him.

tsukishima hurried back into the gym with a stone-cold expression. oh. so this is where he stood now.

no longer at the top of your list, no longer important.

you walked into the gym, beaming. it angered tsukishima, more than he should have been. he yanked your arm, and held you by them with a vice grip. you looked up at your friend with nervous, maybe even scared eyes. you hadn’t seen tsukishima like this before.

“what is he to you?”

you blinked. “wh-what?”

“who is he to you? that little bass player.” his eyes were searching yours, for anything, anything that he could hold on to. you didn’t respond, only looking away from his intense stare.

your eyes didn’t hold that same look that they used to whenever you looked at him. 

he had his answer. and he didn’t like it. so he let go of you, maybe for real this time. things had changed so much, right under his nose. and he had let it happen.

#tsukishima x reader #tsukishima angst #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x reader angst #tsukishima x reader angst

[peppermintbee]

OMORI has poor writing (Part 1)

OMORI stans, just block the #omori hate tag now because I’m going to use it to vent my frustrations with this game. If you love this game, I am not going to try to convince you otherwise. I am glad you enjoyed it so much. I am glad it means a lot to you. I’m not here to take that away from you. I honestly wish I felt the same way!

However, if you are like me and finished the game feeling disappointed, underwhelmed, and maybe a little frustrated, then I am here to say you are not alone. OMORI--while having the right set pieces for an interesting game--is a narrative mess.

I’m splitting this into two posts. This first post is about problems with the plot. The second is about problems with the message/moral. 

(Note: I use “OMORI” in all-caps for the game title, and “Omori” in title case for the character name.)

Spoilers and criticism below.

Part 1: Plot Writing Lies

There’s a book by Brian McDonald called Invisible Ink which is about how to write a compelling story (you can read this great book online for free here). There’s an explanation of the writing “lie” that I find myself frequently thinking of. A “lie” in this context does not mean something is literally untrue, it means something FEELS untrue, unrealistic, improbable, or unlikely. For example, if a character gets shot in the leg but manages to do parkour, this is a “lie” since it seems unrealistic for that to happen. If a character witnesses their beloved parent’s death and shrugs it off, it’s a “lie” because that reaction seems highly unlikely.

In OMORI, the plot is held together by multiple little lies that--try as I might--I just couldn’t bring myself to believe.

1. Sunny’s friends care about him, and vice versa

A major theme of the game is how friendship can overcome any obstacle. Friendship gets Sunny over his fear of heights, spiders, and water. Friendship is what Sunny remembers before the final boss fight, and allows him to face his guilt and defeat it (and prevent him from committing suicide). With the photobook and dialogue you are reminded over and over and over and over and over again that Sunny’s friends love him unconditionally.

However, I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. The childhood memories are cute but shallow, boiling down to simply hanging out and eating treats. Plus, Kel and Aubrey fight constantly, with Aubrey even physically hitting Kel when he steps out of line. Hero and Mari behave more like babysitters than true friends to the younger kids. 

But at least the other kids interact with each other. Sunny, on the other hand, showed nearly no affection or consideration towards his friends. He floats through the memories like a ghost--he could have been completely absent from all the photos and it would have made little difference. I was ready to accept this as Sunny being an unreliable narrator and not thinking he was a good enough for his friends, but this never contradicted. Instead we are given even more memories where Sunny just silently exists there being “cute.”

[Sunny enriching the lives of his friends by LARPING as a cat.]

Because of the lack of meaningful interactions between them, there was nothing in the game that made me think that these 12-15 year olds would have a strong enough bond that would survive 3-4 years of no contact after finding their friend hanged. In fact, that discovery only drove them farther apart. The only person who I could believe actually had a close bond was Basil, who almost literally filled that trope of being the friend who would help you bury a body (or in this case, help Sunny cover up the accidental manslaughter).

The writing fix for this would be simple: instead of showing us the same boring birthday and beach scenes over again, give the kids memories of overcoming some age-appropriate adversity together: heartbreak over an unrequited crush, anxiety over homework, sports injury, lost dogs, divorced parents, running away from home, bullying, etc. Set a precedent of the friends supporting each other through good times AND bad times. Without such backstory, Sunny’s friendships allegedly giving him the courage to overcome his guilt feels like a lie.

2. Sunny abandoning Basil in the bathroom scene

One of the most confusing moments in the game was Sunny’s negligence when Basil has his first breakdown in his bathroom. This part of the game is player-controlled, which is a strange writing decision because all you can do is click on Basil and various bathroom amenities over and over which completely saps the urgency out of the scene. When you try to leave, Basil begs Sunny to stay, but (due to a lack of player options) Sunny walks out without a word. With no option to talk to him OR get help for him, it makes Sunny seem exceptionally cruel to Basil. In fact, I was starting to wonder if the game was setting up for some sort of twist that Sunny DIDN’T care about his friends, which would fix some of the confusion in point #1. However, as we know, that is not the case. Therefore, Sunny’s negligence/apathy towards Basil’s pain feels like a lie.

The writing fix would be to make it MORE clear that Sunny is intentionally running away from Basil. Make it a cutscene, or, give a false choice such as “Leave Basil? Yes / Yes”. After Sunny leaves, Kel should make some remark about Sunny looking odd, “You look sort of shaken up, is there something you want to tell me?” then hit it home with Sunny shaking his head. This would make it more clear that Sunny is intentionally hiding Basil’s state, as opposed to just being a bad friend. As it stands, it just felt like a writing mistake.

3. Basil and Sunny working together to stage Mari’s death as a suicide

This is the plot hole that I see the most complaints over, but it’s so big I have to address it. Accidentally pushing Mari down the stairs I understand, but the rest is too absurd. Below are some of the “lies” that the writing tries to get away with:

That Sunny and Basil wouldn’t just claim she slipped and fell.

That either boy would even come up with this sick plan.

That they wouldn’t back out of this idea during the multi-step process (carrying her downstairs, outside, getting the jump rope, tying a noose, putting it around her neck, stringing her up, hiding the evidence... This is a series of multiple decisions, not one quick accident like the initial push.)

That it’s not the image of Mari’s death that traumatized Sunny, but the image of what they chose to do to her body that traumatized them. I understand the image of Mari hanging is more dramatic, but they literally did it themselves so why is that more haunting than Sunny killing her?

That Mari’s true cause of death wouldn’t be immediately obvious to the parents, the police, the friends, EVERYONE. (I’ve seen fans try to get rid of this plot hole by hypothesizing that the parents knew and covered it up, but the evidence of this is circumstantial at best. The father saying, “You’re not my son,” is unreliable since it happens in Sunny’s headspace. Divorce is common after the death of a child, and, at the very least, Sunny’s mom doesn’t show any evidence of knowing what happened. The way it is written, only Sunny and Basil know the truth.)

The ridiculousness of this twist is so extreme that it completely broke any immersion I had left. Frankly, the reveal that the happy, loveable Mari committed suicide is a far heavier and more realistic twist than a crazy murder-cover-up story is.

Additionally, it seems like Basil was only written into this scene in order to make Sunny the true victim of what happened. After all, Sunny may have pushed her, but it was Basil who came up with the demented cover up. (This is apparent from just the photos but the datamined Truth Album confirms it.) By having Basil come up with the plan, the game splits the guilt between the two of them to make the kids easier to sympathize with. It’s problematic because if Basil was not in the scene, there would be no way to justify what Sunny did to Mari. So why is what they did easier to accept when they worked together?

Fixing the writing lie: Sunny lies and says that Mari slipped. Remove Basil from the scene, and instead have Sunny confide in Basil which forces Basil to become a co-conspirator and burdens him with the terrible truth.

4. Sunny’s friends forgiving him and Basil for what they did to Mari

Last but not least, the story heavily implies that Hero, Kel, and Aubrey will forgive Basil and Sunny for what they did to Mari. I found this to be almost as unbelievable as the staged-suicide stunt.

It feels like a lie since the group’s friendship is never established as anything beyond shallow hang outs from 3+ years ago (see point #1).

It feels like a lie because this is hot off the heels of Aubrey being so distraught over Mari and the following fall out that in the last three days she 1.) attacked Sunny and Kel with a nail bat TWICE, 2.) Stole Basil’s photobook, and 3.) Shoved Basil in the lake. This trauma is still very fresh for her.

It feels like a lie because the complexity of the staged-suicide is so extreme, one would be hard pressed to forgive ANYONE for doing that, be it friend, foe, parent, sibling, lover, etc.

I’ve seen fans argue that the ending is not about forgiveness, it’s about telling the truth, and I want to believe that. Really. If the ending was about Sunny starting his redemption arc by telling the truth no matter what the consequences are, that would be a meaningful lesson. But the writing does not support that. The ending headspace segments are focused on assuring Sunny that his friends will support/forgive him no matter what. To do this, the game shows us the shallow photobook memories (again) to show how much they allegedly care about each other. Then, when fighting Omori, Sunny remembers these quotes from his friends, which directly correlate to their unconditional support:

KEL: Friends... Friends are supposed to be there for each other.

AUBREY: I hope you can find some peace... or you know... some happiness.

HERO: We made the mistake of leaving each other when we needed each other the most. This time... we’ll stay together.

BASIL: Maybe one day... things can go back to the way they were before.

The really direct evidence that this ending is about getting forgiveness is this quote from Basil in Sunny’s headspace:

[BASIL: “AUBREY, KEL and HERO are good friends. You have to trust that they’ll forgive us.”]

This is one of the last scenes before Sunny tells his friends the truth, proving that obtaining forgiveness from his FRIENDS is in fact the leading motivation for Sunny’s actions.

Fixing this writing lie is easy. Instead, adjust the writing to be about telling the truth, not about how much the friends will still love Sunny. Have headspace Basil say, “Even if they don’t forgive us, Aubrey, Kel, and Hero deserve to know the truth. It’s the only way to make things right... or close to it.”

Conclusion

OMORI is undeniably a cute game with a strong visual identity, and has a premise that could make for a very compelling experience. However, the sloppy plot and weak character writing cause the potential of this game to be squandered. There are other issues as well that I chose not to cover for the sake of time, such as the poor pacing of the dragged out dungeons and the bizarre, unrealistic behavior of characters in the “real” world. 

However, there are a few more glaring problems with OMORI that I have to address: In part 2 of my critique, I break down what may be the biggest problem with OMORI’s writing: the message.

[ Link to Part 2: OMORI’s Message is Mishandled and Distasteful ]

#omori #omori hate #omori spoilers #review #words #fun fact i named sunny 'moony' so I had to consciously change all the moons to suns in this essay #suicide cw

[honestlyfrance]

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→ A compilation of all of my fics. Why do I keep updating and changing you ask? I don’t know too :’) I needed to do something

→  ( 💻 = social media fic ) ( 🔪 = horror / thrill ) ( ✨ = fan fave )

→  FRANCE’S SAMBUCKY BINGO 2020 x

→ FRANCE’S KISSES BINGO 2020 x

DEATH TO THE ENDING

[ PATREON | sambucky ]

Retiring to a nice home somewhere in a disclosed location in the woods, Sam and Bucky have finally found a place to heal and call their own, only for it to be disrupted when the real world has come and called for them.  

INDEFINITE COLLECTION

[ tumblr masterlist / graphic | non-ship |  🔪 / ✨ ]

Indefinite is a daily horror/thriller drabble collection that goes on indefinitely written for the MCU fandom.

CEASE INTIMACY

[ tumblr masterlist | sambucky | 💻 / ✨ ]

It wasn’t unrequited, it was mutual — mutual disagreement. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes were friends, and that’s the end of the sentence, so is that why — is that why they hate this affection, hate this sentiment? You love him, but why is it him. Sam keeps forgetting his jacket at Bucky’s dorm, he’s too forgetful and messy! Bucky stays awake until the early dawn and doesn’t shave, he’s too last-minute and lazy! Why did it have to be him? How should I hide this?

ROMCOMS FOR YOU

[ tumblr masterlist | sambucky |  💻 / ✨ ]

After publicly leaking a very not-at-all platonic memory that happened five years ago on his friendship anniversary, Bucky Barnes finds himself convincing Sam Wilson, yes that same friend he was talking about, that they should pick up where they left off but Sam wants other things, and he may or may not be taking it all as a joke. In the end, they started courting each other to see where it can go, as Bucky puts it eloquently, but he hopes this all turns out well despite being oceans away from each other.

GOODBYES AT HOTEL DOORS

[ tumblr tag / AO3 | sambucky ]

When Sam Wilson finds him, it’s almost like looking into a painting. Only observing, unable to touch, just watching a masterpiece move and tell a story on its own. And what a story it was.

OR

Sam Wilson finds Bucky Barnes at the most unexpected of places, and he doesn’t plan on losing him this time.

WE’LL MAKE THE SKY KIND FOR US

[ AO3 | tumblr post | sambucky ]

The sky wouldn’t have wanted this, for you to drown in its atmosphere, to choke yourself in its beauty, to suffer in its embrace, to kill yourself in the serenity dressed with ocean foam clouds and golden brush strokes. The sky wouldn’t have wanted you to die in its love, in its hatred, and in its praises. Yet, here you are: stripped to the barest armor, gliding miserably through the debris, your heart heavy and your honor echoing. Come here. Let me save you, your bones say, but you’re reckless, Aren’t you? You always were.

CARPE NOCTEM 

[ AO3 | tumblr post | samsteve ]

bucky introduces sam and steve to each other. bad mistake now that they’ll be too drunk to remember how they met.

LOVE SWEETER THAN CANDIES, CAVITIES TO THE HEART

[ AO3 | graphic | sambucky | ✨ ]

Sam needs to admit to himself that he does love Bucky and his cliches and sweetness. He does. He always did.

OFFERING LOVE UNTIL IT HURT

[ tumblr post | sambucky ]

Sam Wilson’s timer was so close to zero. So close, but, he doesn’t really believe in them. Not the concept of soulmates, no — he’s just lost his faith in his.

TO CEASE INTIMACY

[ AO3 | tumblr post / graphic | sambucky |  ✨ ]

“Oh, Jesus Christ, Buck!” Sam spoke, his heart full of happiness it’s just shaking right out of him. “You really can’t have danger out of your hair. Keep your eyes on the road. You’ll have all the time in the world soon—”

“—to see the stars in your eyes, I hope so.” Bucky cheekily chimed in, quickly turning back towards the road, and soon he heard Sam’s charming laugh.

OR

Bucky Barnes, a lover of the stars, begins to risk it all when Sam Wilson, a lover in his writing, had publicly posted about his reluctant crush. Never wanting anything so badly in his life, Bucky took the leap of asking Sam out despite not being sure if this crush was even him, which ensues into a fumbling mess of date ideas that were settled by a walk by the river and blunt confessions professed under the sunset.

CAN’T SLEEP TOO?

[ tumblr post | sambucky | 💻 ]

Bucky can’t sleep and Sam was just across the hallway and a text away.

TO THE ENDS OF HOTEL ROOMS

[ tumblr post / AO3 | sambucky | ✨ ]

Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes embark on a journey of healing, safety, secret moments, and falling in love.

→ The Catch [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→ Train Car [ tumblr | buckynat ]

→ Nighttime: When Strays Come Alive [ tumblr | bucky + alpine ]

→  like children, we'll smile with stars in our eyes [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→  Partners [ tumblr | sambucky | ✨ ]

→  steve rogers never knew [ tumblr | samsteve ]

→  it’s almost too easy [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→  it crept like daybreak [ tumblr | stony ]

→  their hands intertwined [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→  memories, steve rogers thinks [ tumblr | samsteve ]

→ falling in love against gravity [ tumblr / AO3 | sambucky | kiss fill #3 | ✨ ]

→  how strange... [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→  have a breath... [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→  basorexia [ tumblr / AO3 | sambucky | kiss fill #4 ]

→  oranges in october [ tumblr / AO3 | sambucky | kiss fill #5 |  ✨ ]

→ to hold dear [ tumblr / AO3 | sambucky | kiss fill #6 |  ✨ ]

→ Aleatory [ tumblr / AO3 | sambucky ]

→ aranyhíd [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→ jiāoqiǎnyánshēn // 交浅言深 [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→ ya’aburnee - يقبرني [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→ start-struck lovers [ tumblr | sambucky ]

→ As Soon As You’re Done [ sambucky ]

→ Dance To the Rhythm of Our Love, Sweetheart [ sambucky ]

→ We’ll do it. We’ll fall in love. [ sambucky ]

→ The Very Thought of Love [ sambucky ]

→ Warmth [ sambucky ]

→ Our Atoms Buzz together and I think that’s Beautiful [ sambucky ]

→ Maybe I do [ sambucky ]

→ Universe [ sambucky ]

→ Fight and Rest [ sambucky ]

→ Hers [ buckynat ]

→ Chase The Wedding [ sambucky ]

→ Change How Romances Go [ buckynat ]

→ To Soar Like Icarus [ sambucky ]

→ Was It Always This Warm? (sequel to Warmth) [ sambucky ]

→ Forbidden [ buckynat ]

→ Lazy Mornings [ sambucky ]

→ Dearest, Sam [ sambucky ]

→ Have you seen it? [ sambucky ]

→ Love in six poems, six confessions, six years, six forevers [ sambucky ]

→ Just Come Back With It (Thank You) [ sambucky ]

→ Chess [ sambucky ]

→ Black Dove [ sambucky ]

→ Dorks and Idiots in Love [ sambucky ]

→ Art [ samsteve ]

→ Dream A Little Dream Of Us [ sambucky ]

→ wip snippet: HWE [ sambucky | ✨ ]

→ “Hey. Hey, you. Lovely. Gorgeous. Angel.” [ sambucky | ✨ ]

→ Plead [ sambucky ]

→ Celestial [ sambucky ]

→ lazy day for tony and rhodey [ ironhusbands ]

→ hallway [ sambucky | ✨ ]

→ how are you sam wilson [ sam ]

→ love a poem [ sambucky ]

→ Myth [ sambucky ] 

→ poetic service [ sambucky ]

→ dont’t blink [ sambucky | ✨ ]

→ meticulous [ sambucky ]

→ he’s in love [ sambucky | ✨ ] 

→ first love [ sambucky | ✨ ]

→ suburbia [ sambucky | ✨ ]

#sambucky #samsteve #buckynat #sam wilson #bucky barnes #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #winterfalcon #france: works #france: masterlist #last updated: sept 20 2022

[rowan-underthehouse]

Riverbank

Pairing: Castiel/Dean Winchester

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Word Count: 1,486

Additional Tags: Not Actually Unrequited Love, Mutual Pining, Unresolved Sexual Tension

Summary:

After his encounter with Zachariah, Dean is on his way to team back up with Sam, but he’s not quite ready to let go of the relief of hunting with Cas. At least, not without one last night to enjoy himself.

Read it on Ao3 here

Dean is drunk. Not piano-man-at-the-karaoke-bar drunk, but warm, fuzzy, anything-is-possible, still-mostly-functional drunk. Maybe that’s what tugs him toward the river, dropping his jacket and overshirt in a heap as he goes and stretching up toward the moonlight.

“There’s nothing here, Cas, not even an urban legend,” he calls back to the car where Cas stands, stoic and awkward as always. “Come on, man, I’m baking out here.”

Castiel, for his part, seems unbothered by the heat that’s making Dean wish he could crawl into an industrial freezer for a few hours. He squints at Dean, his clothes in the grass, and the river behind him, apparently realizing his intentions.

Dean assumes angels can swim. Maybe the wings help. Like a duck or a pigeon or something. His brain is too blurry to care.

“Dean…There isn’t time for this. God is still nowhere to be-”

He doesn't fully realize he's moving back toward Cas until he has an arm loosely slung around the angel’s shoulder, urging him toward the water.

“World’s ending. May as well bang a few gongs on the way out. Think you're onto something there.”

“I’ve never said that”

Dean pats him on the chest, letting his hand linger a few seconds too long as he swings around to face him. He slides his hands back to shuck the overcoat from Cas’ shoulders, watching with a muted smirk as it hits the ground.

“You will. In a few years.”

“Dean, what did Zachariah show-”

“It doesn't matter. It hasn't changed anything,” Dean cuts him off again, nudging the suit jacket from his shoulders. “Now, come on.”

Of course Cas knows he’s lying. It’s changed everything. Even though his plan to say no to Michael is still concrete, it all feels different now. Palpable. Unavoidable. It’ll eat Dean up if he lets it.

Dean’s focused on undoing that familiar old blue tie when he feels Cas’ gaze searching his face. For a split second, he wonders if he’s gone too far; taken the threads of friendship that are only just starting to come together and pulled until they snapped. That’s when Cas meets his eyes.

He’s grinning.

Castiel is honest-to-god grinning.

He’s got one of those smiles that takes up his whole face, making his eyes all squinty and digging itself into Dean’s heart to root there. It’s fucking contagious.

“What?” Dean feels a smile start to tug at the corners of his own lips.

“It’s good to see you like this, Dean. Unrestrained.” Cas pulls his tie the rest of the way off in a single fluid motion that drops Dean’s stomach right out of his body. It’s not an unpleasent feeling, and certainly not new when it comes to Cas and his fucking cosmic powers, but it’s harder to ignore now.

“That would be the booze.”

“No.” There’s that grin again. “It isn’t.”

“I’m doing something for me for once. Not worrying about Sam. Gonna enjoy that as long as I can.”

It’s not the truth, not the whole truth, anyway. Neither of them push the subject.

Dean gives himself to the count of three to memorize the scene in front of him. Cas, relaxed and happy in the heavy evening air, a fair few paces south from sober himself. Maybe in another life every night would look like this. It’s not worth dwelling on.

“Come on. Get in.” Dean kicks off his boots and unceremoniously drops into the water. Cas isn’t far behind, looking uncharacteristically peaceful as the water soaks into his slacks. A very intentionally aimed splash hits the front of his shirt, and Dean flashes him a mischievous little smirk, flopping backward into the water.

It’s fucking frigid, much colder than should be possible given the fry-an-egg-on-the-asphalt kind of heat just above the surface. It rushes in Dean’s ears, pounds in his heart, crushing and uncontrolled, but hell if he doesn't feel alive. He comes up for air 50 feet down the river, where the current slows just enough for him to find purchase on the rocks below, beaming as water pours off the tips of his fingers. He lets out a whoop into the night air.

“You coming?” he yells, not knowing if his voice carried far enough until Cas’ shoulders drop below the water.

He's more restrained than Dean was, his shock of black hair never dipping completely below the water, watching the trees whip past him. Dean has to catch him by the arm to keep him from missing the shallow part entirely.

As soon as Cas gets his footing, Dean is lost. There's something about the way Cas shoves his wet hair out of his eyes, the way his now untucked shirt billows around him in the water, it's so irrevocably human, and somehow everything but.

Dean stumbles forward, flinging his arms around Cas’ neck. He's planning to make some dumb joke, he really is, but Cas is panting, his eyes almost glowing in the moonlight, and damn, it makes Dean a little weak at the knees. The joke dies on his tongue.

He's high on the air passing between them. Downright fucking giddy. Dean presses forward, closing the gap until it's not much more than a hair's breadth.

“You’re….you’re really something, Cas.”

One hand comes up to play with the dripping collar of Cas’ shirt, and he leans into it like he’s desperate. It might just be the most powerful Dean has ever felt, this tiny moment waist deep in a river.

All he’d have to do is lose his balance, give an inch to the pull of the current and his body would be against Castiel’s. He wouldn’t even have to take the leap himself. Instead, Dean’s fingers ghost along Cas’ collarbone, the side of his neck, coming to rest against the sharp curve of his jaw. It sends a full body shiver through Cas.

Dean meets his eyes, searching for some kind of clue, a hint about what the hell is happening. It’s clear as the water rushing around their legs.

He tries to tether down his racing heart and settles his other hand on Cas’ hip. Dean feels Cas’ calloused hands moving to his waist before he sees them, sparks of electricity flying across his ribcage. He loses his focus, digging his thumb into Cas’s hip so hard it’ll definitely leave a bruise. Cas doesn’t flinch, his eyes flicking to Dean’s lips.

“Cas-“

The phone in Dean’s jacket pocket rings, the sound of it somehow floating above the current. The half-minute before it goes to voicemail passes agonizingly slow. Once his eyes leave Cas’, Dean finds he can’t force them back again. He feels his cheeks flush a deep, embarrassed, red.

The phone rings again.

Dean lets it go to voicemail.

It rings again.

“Bobby… dammit.” Dean wades to the edge of the river and hauls himself onto the bank, fishing his phone out of his pocket.

He’s only distantly aware of his own conversation, of his vague explanation about Zachariah and the plan to meet up with Sam in the morning. He’s pretty sure he agrees to start looking into a hunt early the next morning, a way for him and Sam to get back in the saddle. He only half listens to what it is. Bobby will email the articles if it’s important enough for three phone calls. His eyes flick back to Cas over and over, still waist deep in the water, looking more awkward by the second.

“Are you listening to a word I’ve said?” Bobby’s voice comes through the receiver, startling Dean out of his fog.

“Yeah, uh, I’ll call you right back.”

Cas has pulled himself to shore by the time the call disconnects, gaze lost in the stars. Dean can’t help but wonder how intimately he knows each one. If he was there when they were formed.

It’s easy to forget sometimes, looking at him in his dirty overcoat, exactly what Castiel is: ancient, powerful, unknowable. It hits Dean all at once like a brick straight to the chest. Whatever this thing between them is, whatever he thought Cas was feeling, it was just a trick of the moonlight. Moonlight does that. It plays tricks on people. And Dean isn’t about to be played for a fool. No angel of the lord would waste their time on some burnt out, used up, hunter. As soon as they sort all this apocalypse crap out, Cas will leave, just like everyone else. Dean is sure of it.

Cas offers Dean a small smile, waiting for him to come forward.

Dean hesitates.

He knows the moment Cas notices, his face shifting to shame. “I should go. I have work to do.”

“Cas wait-“

He’s gone before Dean can take another step, and Dean is left alone, with nothing but the rushing river and the tiny hope that whatever happened between them wasn’t all in his head.

#my writing #spn #supernatural #destiel #deancas #dean winchester #castiel #cas #castiel supernatural #dean supernatural #destiel fic #deancas fic #spn fic #supernatural fic #dean x cas #dean x castiel #deancas fanfic #destiel fanfic #spn fanfiction #supernatural fanfiction #fanfiction #spn season 5 #castiel fic #dean winchester fic #castiel fanfiction #dean winchester fanfiction #fanfic #castiel loves dean winchester #destiel fanfiction #deancas fanfiction

[eggrestes]

ladrien fic recs!

there are SO MANY amazing ladrien fics i cant possibly cover them all but here are a few!

(all the ratings used are ao3 ratings)

((this is a very long post!))

FLUFF

Of Ivy and Sunlight by cyanise [ T, 1509 words, 1/1 ]

When Adrien takes to wandering the streets of Paris in ungodly hours, Ladybug has no choice but to keep an eye on him. Still, things are bound to get a little out of hand between two overloaded teenagers with a lot of love and not enough self-control. 

a lovely post-chat blanc fic :’) it has a great flow and is just soft and so sweet and it’s just perfect. gosh i cannot really say more other than read it!!! also almost all of their other stuff is also ladrien so do check it out!

This can't be happening by PlaPla [ T,  6,467 words, 1/2 ]

Ladybug is unsure whether accompanying Adrien to a gala as his not-date is the best or worst thing that has ever happened to her. But when their table mates turn out to be none other than her long time friends Alya and Nino and with Adrien acting weirder and weirder she finds herself with bigger worries than an unrequited crush.

a djwifi/ladrien double date? hit me up! i love identity shenanigans, ball dancing, ladrien, and djwifi and this is a perfect mix for me. i know it’s incomplete but it doesn’t end in a cliff-hanger really, the part 2 is just a promise of more so it doesn’t feel incomplete! PlaPla also has a short oneshot of ladrien going for a motorcycle ride.

Falling again by emsylcatac [ M,  4,506 words, 2 Works ]

They had been dancing around each other for a while now, and while fifteen year old Adrien would have been ecstatic at the idea of dating Ladybug in secret, twenty-two year old Adrien knew better. But Ladybug wasn’t making it easy. It was like… she, too, was falling for him. And that surprisingly enough, she didn’t mind.

* * *

Or Adrien trying (and failing) to keep things professional between him and Ladybug when the two of them partner up for a mission. Older AU

things are a little steamy~ here (don’t worry, it’s only implied it’s very mild and closer to a T rating than the M) but it’s a great mature take on their dynamics! emsy has more ladrien one-shots in her collection of one-shots!

i'd love to go on a date with you by sae_what  [ G,  6,480 words, 1/1 ]

Once it had been falsely announced throughout Paris that Adrien and Ladybug are in a relationship, Ladybug pays him a visit to turn him down gently.

Only, she doesn’t. And instead, she has a formal dinner date. With Adrien. At 8 pm. Tonight.

LADYBUG IN A SUIT!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaa. okay but for real it’s so sweet and also??? they are on a date!!! a rooftop date!! (too man exclamation marks oops)

Always Welcome by  chatonne-rousse [ T, 1,683 words, 1/1 ]

Ladybug knows that Adrien's window is always open for her to swing by and stop in, whether for video games or a chat or, like tonight, for soft kisses and sweet nothings.

He loves these visits. His girlfriend is always welcome. Always. (Especially for kisses.)

Written for Ladrien June, day 8: bluebell eyes.

established relationship, pre-reveal ladrien. there is something very home-y about this fic and it’s all about the comfort and quiet that i adore about it!

Five Times Gabriel Agreste Caught Ladybug in His Son’s Bedroom (and the One Time He Caught Chat Noir) by agrestenoir [ T,  1,923 words, 1/1]

Gabriel Agreste keeps finding Ladybug in his son's bedroom. As a super villain and father, this will not stand.

this crack fic is... honestly so hilarious. it’s all through gabrie-i-am-trying-to-parent-and-failing-a-lot-agreste’s POV so it is so much ridiculous! 

an uncurtain discovery by  Missnoodles [ T, 4,684 words, 1/1 ]

When he returns from school on Wednesday afternoon, Adrien discovers the darkness in his own home. He struggles to come to terms with it. To his utter mortification and delight, Ladybug is nearby to rescue him.

(He does not discover that his father is supervillain. That will happen on a different Wednesday.)

Adrien is being a cat and gets tangled in the curtains on his window and it’s utterly ridiculous. all the bug and the cat tendencies make it funnier and adrien’s inner monologue is just a cherry on top!

secret valentine by a_miiraculer [ T,  12,245 words, 1/1 ]

this is the moment that we will come alive brace yourself for love sweet love, secret love

If Adrien had known that getting himself stuck in a tree would end like this, he would've gotten himself stuck sooner.

A drabble series.

i just,,,, don’t have words for how much i love it! it’s ridiculous, it’s cute, it’s funny, it’s whole-some and just ladrien. the writer also has a M rated multi-chapter ladrien kissing (no the M is very much real here) and a heroic adrien and ladybug one-shot too! 

Those Benevolent Stars by peachcitt [ G,  23,696 words, 3/3 ]

“Will you come back?”

She looked up at the deep blue sky, as if she could somehow find the answer there. “I shouldn’t,” she said, shaking her head and looking back at him. But the stars were still there, caught in her eyes, and Adrien persisted.

“But will you?”

or

adrien meets his soulmate, a thief who calls herself ladybug. he falls for her, but she seems determined to maintain a space between them.

oh my god this au.... just no words!! it’s poetry and it’s tender and it’s about the yearning and just!!! perfect :’). Her current ongoing ladrien june fic is also akin to this (and the fic i linked before it) so do check it out too! (literally check out all of their works it’s so beautiful)

Flowers on the Window Sill by LNC [ G,  2,144 words, 1/1 ]

The first time Ladybug saw him, really saw him, the universe stopped.

this fic feels like poetry and it’s so lovely. LNC is always short and direct but it always hits right in the feels while also being hilarious. Her  other ladrien works are just as good and i highly recommend going through them because it fulfills all of the ladrien needs (along with Reiaji)

whatever a sun will always sing is you by komorebirei [ T,  32,980 words, 37/37 ]

“I didn't think you'd actually... do anything," Adrien admitted, cheeks prickling with warmth. "I-I mean, I never expected... I didn't know you watched my interviews.” That definitely wasn’t how he'd imagined confessing to Ladybug.

“Of course I do!” Ladybug squeaked. “Uhh, that is…” She looked down at her hands, nervously turning her yo-yo over, over and over. “Maybe you’re not the only one with a crush.”

(After an unexpected confession, Ladybug and Adrien start dating in secret. A progressive character- and relationship-study quilted from drabbles, with the intention of digging treasure out of the cove that is Ladrien. Written using kashimalin-fanfiction's kiss writing prompts from Tumblr.)

it does such an excellent job at exploring this dynamic along with the characters. it’s such a sweet fic, each chapter short and fun!

ANGST

whose woods these are (I think I know.) by  Reiaji [ T,  105,000 words, 25/25 ]

Four years after his future turns to cinders, Adrien is a servant in the house he was meant to inherit. Disowned by his father and abused by his stepmother, his days are filled with drudgery until he meets a masked huntress in the forest behind his father's chateau.

As his friendship with Ladybug turns to first love, he dreams of a future spent at her side.

Then, on the eve of the Princess's masquerade, he meets his guardian—and is granted a wish.

[Ladrien Cinderella AU]

Warnings: Child abuse, Graphic depiction of violence

this is absolutely gorgeous. it has so many troupes and so many amazing character arc and great build up and everything just flows so well. it left me in awe for weeks and i just. want to experience reading it for the first time again. look at this gorgeous art inspired by this! {and you have to read  leonard bernstein too because LETTERS and LADRIEN and YEARNING}

i would do it again (oh, a thousand times) by bugabisous [ T, 2,266 words, 1/1 ]

Knowing you can bring someone back doesn’t mean you’re free of the pain of seeing them disappear before your eyes. He can’t imagine he’ll be able to look at her directly without replaying every horrifying moment when he felt her slip away in a puff of smoke.

When it happens once again, he already knows he’ll be trying again. He just can’t give up.

it expands on adrien’s feelings in the episode desperada (my beloved <3) and it is just ouch. such great angst, such great potential. the kind of tragedy that it offers is unusual for ml (it gets only rivaled by chat blanc tbh). to rival this angst bugabisous also has a fluffy one-shot :)

when the world gets too heavy (put it on my back) by Taliax [ T, 4,720 words, 1/1 ]

Chat Noir isn't allowed to cry over his father. But even when he's just Adrien, Ladybug won't abandon him.

Hawkmoth reveal hurt/comfort + Ladrien

the plagg and adrien bond written is just perfect, and oh this hits right in the feels :’) it hurts all in the right way. tali also has so many other ladrien works in all genres too

By Your Side by omniousunflower [ T, 4,361 words, 1/1 ]

(Angry and alone, Adrien waits on top of the Eiffel Tower for his lady.)

“So, how did my kitty get stranded up here?” Ladybug asks.

Groaning, Adrien pulls his knees toward his chest and presses his face against them. “Because he’s stupid and impulsive.”

“Chasing pigeons, then?”

“No.” Shame burns in Adrien’s veins, white-hot now that Ladybug is here to witness his stupidity. “I threw my Miraculous, and Plagg wouldn’t get it for me.”

post-hawkmoth defeat, and adrien is not doing well at all. i am cheating because it is post reveal, pre relationship but it’s still ladrien. this fic is a roller coater of emotions, starting from a slightly crack scenario to a cute, awkward, hopeful ending.  More Than You Know is another of sunny’s angsty ladrien work!

Breaking The Rules (AKA The Ladrien Fistfight) by ThisKwamiNeeds_aNap [ T, 8,714 words, 1/1 ]

Marinette may or may not be dying, but she’s still going to do her best to fix every single problem in the world. She’s not expecting Adrien to be the one who tries to stop her. (Takes place immediately after Kwami Buster)

Warnings: panic attack, broken bones, PTSD. please read the tags!

*slaps this fic* this fic can fit in so much angst. it just?? left me in PAIN oof. it says ‘ladrien fistfight’ on the lid but nooo there is marinette is just having a freak out and it’s all so much??!! and it’s not just marinette there is adrien too and chloe and alya and- wow it’s amazing. love it so much it fills up my angst needs :’)

so that’s it for now! my personal commentary isn’t impressive nor does it do justice to the fic but i still hope you read a few of these!! happy reading!!

#ladren #fic rec #ml fic rec #miraculous ladybug #i know i dont do the fics justice but. oh well #lovesquare #ladrien #obviously check out the writers other workd too but this is ladrien so i am trying to give it a bit more emphasis #also i am so sorry i couldnt include more lesser known writers but unfortunatley they dont have ladrien uRGH anyway maybe sometime later! #i spend a lot of time on thi n got lazy so plz be considerate #also add recs if u want even self-promo is cool duh

[gracestone]

Tbh even with your analysis of Tim’s comments about Portwell I’m still really worried. His comments on R1na are much more positive and concrete than his ones about Portwell :/

I appreciate you analyzing them with a positive spin but I’m still not letting myself get my hopes up. I’m also one of the people who doesn’t see the build up of PW a lot of other pws feel… I really didn’t see a possibility for them until the Quinceñero episode (and then I was all in!) but I don’t agree with the plane ticket being foreshadowing at all. I see it as the conclusion of EJ’s S1 arc and a convenient way to get Gina back for opening night.

Not trying to be a downer I just don’t want to be disappointed, I have a track record for choosing losing ships.

I have no idea what you're talking about, anon. Let me recap the interview answers I analysed for you, to show you what Tim has said about both of those ships.

Portwell:

"They got together" in 2x12, but Tim's "not even sure if they are a couple yet". I've already gone into what that may tease for their S3 arc in my longer post.

Gina has "a lot [...] to figure out about EJ" in S3 (which is the vaguest way to tease their romantic arc going forward).

"The actors themselves have such chemistry with each other" and "they have extraordinary chemistry, period. [...] They're really fun with each other."

EJ "really opened himself up to the strength and bravery that Gina has that he hasn't seen in other people".

Portwell was "just really fun to write for".

"EJ's a senior and he's going to graduate. What’s going to happen next? As with so many things, just when you get it right where you want it, it changes." Tim briefly talked about this, so this will obviously play a role in their S3 story.

Tim "would hate to make the show without Matt Cornett".

Tim "would [...] really like to see how Jamie and EJ interact" and "Jamie would be really defensive and protective" if he found out about Portwell's romance.

Gina "has a huge crush on" EJ.

Gicky:

"Sofia has chemistry with like a lamp" is the most I've seen Tim say about their chemistry.

"I think the reason people go to their high school reunions, even 50 years later, is because you never really graduate from high school." Just sounds like Tim is talking about formative experiences that people have with others in high school, which will stay with you all your life. Like your first heartbreak (in Gina's case).

"I do think there’s a lot between those two characters that is very much still on the table, even if they’re not quite ready to see what that actually means." This is vague as hell and obviously we won't know for certain what it means until we see it, but given that Ricky and Gina aren't even really friends at this point cause Gina wasn't ready for that in 2x06, I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being about their friendship.

Tim knows Gicky has a fandom and he's hoping that "this show has five or seven seasons so we'll see where they all end up". Again, vague as hell. Could be anywhere and with anyone.

But Tim isn't always vague about them: Gicky wasn't "reciprocal" and Gina had "unrequited feelings for" Ricky.

Gicky "was never intended to be something that took much of a spotlight in the show". It got more spotlight than originally intended, likely because of how suprised Tim was by Sofia's depth and range as an actor, because he wanted to keep writing toward her talent.

Gina and Lily play similar roles in Ricky's arc, being "the brightest thing around him" that he gets attracted to. Tim hopes that for Ricky, "cooler heads prevail" and that he "starts to make better decisions".

Look at this and tell me again that Tim is more positive about Gicky than Portwell, anon. Because he really isn't. Yes, he's vague about what's in store for them. As any showrunner should be. He's not just gonna give away the plot of future seasons. But he doesn't tease any concrete storylines for Gicky, unlike what he does with Portwell (not being a couple yet, Jamie and EJ interactions, Jamie not being on board with Portwell, EJ graduating being a potential obstacle to overcome).

And how can you see Tim praise Matt and Sofia's chemistry twice while saying "Sofia has chemistry with like a lamp" about Gicky and think that he's more positive about the latter?

This got long so I'm answering the rest under a read more.

As for the plane ticket, yes, it's main functions were to 1) bring Gina back for opening night so she could eventually stay in East High and 2) end EJ's redemption arc in a satisfying manner. But it also made Gina see EJ in a new light:

She glances at his lips here. This shot alone told me that they were gonna explore Portwell romantically in S2, and I hadn't really clocked them as a potential future pairing until this point. The plane ticket is what really brought Portwell closer and solidified them as friends. Gina even brings it up again in 2x08, because it meant a lot to her and made her see EJ for the kind person that he is. And don't forget that they also fake dated in S1. Fake dating is rarely given to pairings that aren't explored romantically in some way. While I absolutely don't blame you for not seeing the build up for Portwell until 2x05 (we all watch shows differently and notice different things), that doesn't mean it didn't exist. I didn't catch all the hints either on first watch. Try rewatching the show if you need a reminder.

I do get that you don't want to get your hopes up, though. While I tend to gravitate towards ships that are either endgame or at least the characters' True Love/great love story, I've had my fair share of ship disappointments too. Just try and manage your expectations. Base them on what canon has shown you. If you feel you need to lower your expectations, that's something you're gonna have to do for yourself. I feel like my own expectations are more or less at the right level, and I don't feel the need to lower them because the story hasn't given me a reason to do so. So I can't make that choice for you.

One last tip: look at how your previous non-endgame ships were written. Take note of all the signs that they weren't going to be engame. Learn how to spot those signs. And then analyse how the endgame ships were written. Look at the similarities between those ships (and how the signs may differ depending on the genre of the show and the quality of the writing). Learn how to spot that kind of writing. Learning more about stories and genres can really help you in reading the stories you're currently invested in and feeling more confident in your interpretations.

#hsmtmts #ej caswell #gina porter #portwell #anti gicky #tim federle #my gifs #ask #ngl it feels nice to write these posts again #and i don't feel so tired right now so hopefully that's a good sign #fingers crossed i can start answering asks more regularly now #and finally continue writing my rewatch posts #should probably also tag this with #portwell meta

[aphrodite-would-be-proud]

Could we possibly get a part two of the Armin having a crush on you while you are with ereH✨

Yep! I can't have enough of watching sweet Armin have the most conflicting feelings about ereH✨ his bestfriend betraying his trust and stealing his love what a wonderful lesson Armin will go through :)

Armin having a crush on you while you're with Eren Pt.2

{ Armin x reader, implied Eren x reader | rating: suggestive | tw:possessiveness, tw:unhealthy-friendships, tw:lowkey-toxic, tw:jealousy | angst, drama,.pinning | modern }

{ "Nocturne sur le Quai" by Henri Marius-Camille Bouvet 1859-1945 }

When mentioning love, it's normal to imagine the sort of love that's sweet, passionate and kind. The kind that could set fire that burns even brighter than the stars yet still be as soft as a feather.

The type of love that actually gets you places, moves you closer together, maybe a relationship and in the future maybe even more. The mutual type of love.

Which is why it's so hard to talk about the other more taboo and looked down upon type of love, the unrequited kind. Usually buried so deep in one's heart beneath mountains of shame.

Only emerging it's head to make itself known just before one falls asleep, adding to the list of growing daily anxieties that loom in the back of one's mind.

That's what Armin has been dealing with for the past 8 months, carrying the burden of his feelings on his shoulders. While you go about your day completely unconcerned and unaware of the longing his mind has spun for you.

And despite the piles of crumbled pages filled with poems of adoration and secret confessions currently spilling out of the trash can in his room, the earth still spins on, undisturbed and uncaring for each line he pulled from the depth of his soul on those papers.

It's almost like the world just doesn't care for his suffering, the trees only growing taller and the season only getting colder.

And you and Eren getting even more closer.

It's funny, you'd think after all this time his feelings for you would disappear or get sweeped under the rug and never spoken of again.

But only if.

Armin himself isn't sure how he not only managed to keep his feelings towards you, but how you managed to pull him in even more. With every little habit of yours he'd fall harder and harder, with every word you spoke his heart would melt more and more.

Crushes were supposed to disappear after you get to know the person, it's what these self help books he's been reading all say.

So why only knowing more about you just resulted in him wanting you even more than words can describe, despite seeing you in his bestfriend's arms on the daily his mind just won't accept it.

And yet, when he's alone at night he can't help but be hit with the cold truth that he's still alone, you're not with him. No matter how close he hugs the pillow to his chest it doesn't quite feel right...like how you'd feel against him.

The small voice in the back of his mind starts whispering again, about how he should just dismiss his unwanted love, how pathetic and childish he is, pinning after someone he can't have.

That maybe if he was a little more sane, he'd realise how he's the one who missed his shot and accept defeat. He had a whole month in advance and yet Eren didn't even wait for the weekend to ask you out on a date.

And yet, after his shame party ends and all his insecurites go to bed, he can't help but imagine what life would've been with you, countless 'what if's and endless scenarios swimming through his head.

What if he just kissed you that one time? You know the day when the two of you shared a drink under an umbrella while it rained, the sound of rain couldn't distract him from the way you'd lick your lips every now and then.

What if he drove you home that night instead of Eren? would you've invited him inside too? Maybe he'd get to see your room up close and the both of you would end up sharing childhood stories while cuddling under the blankets.

He'd tell you about the squirrels he befriended as a kid while you closed your eyes, falling asleep to the sound of his voice and the soft beating of his heart.

What if he actually spoke up when Eren began interrupting your conversations just to get your attention on him again, what if he said no and called Eren out for what he's doing.

He told Mikasa about it, he had to, otherwise he'd go crazy from overthinking alone. Not to mention she was getting worried about his unusual behaviour, after all there's only so much excuses he can come up with on why he can't hang out today.

So many lies he can fabricate about why he stopped going to Eren’s house since the day his mom mentioned you, till it starts getting suspicious.

He doesn't hate Eren...

Does he hate him?

No, he doesn't think so. He still considers him one of his bestfriends but then why does he so badly wish for Eren to disappear or go somewhere far away.

Simple, his mind would say to him, because you want him out of the way, so you can reclaim what's supposed to be yours, what you lost.

Did he lose you? You're not an object to be claimed, you chose Eren so why can't he just accept that fact.

His thoughts and Emotions are in complete chaos and conflict, he can't recognise which thoughts are actually his own and which are merely passing through.

He started daydreaming about you, a lot.

About someone he thought he'd have.

Someone he wished he could have.

Especially on early mornings when the sun shines brighter and the sane part of his mind hasn't woken up yet, he finds himself indulging in his own fantasies.

He can have boundless hope in the safety of his own mind, giving you endless love and telling himself that he's found an angel. Solely on the basis of how kind your eyes look or how lovely your laugh sounds.

Or maybe just how he melts a little everytime you touch his shoulder or hand, maybe it's the way you lean in whenever you tell him something or it's the way he can almost get high on your sweet smell alone.

He knows it's a denial of reality, but he doesn't know a better solution. He can't just barge into other's relationships with his own unfulfilled emotions.

Nor does he really want to start a proper love affair despite how alluring that idea sounds to him.

So daydreaming will do for now, where your life together is safely tucked away in the corner of his mind.

Maybe in the future, humanity is surrounded by a thought police that goes inside your brain and condemns any and every inappropriate thought you may have.

But for now he has the freedom to dream, think, hope, long and daydream about a life with you, about the way you'd feel sleeping in his arms or they way you'd smile whenever he kisses you good morning. And no future armed cyber-guards would ever know

#Armin🕯 #modern aot🕯 #aot🕯 #suggestive🕯 #angst🕯 #pinning🕯 #armin arlet x reader #armin x reader #armin x y/n #armin headcanons #armin arlert #aot #aot x reader #aot x y/n #snk #snk x reader #tw: possessive behavior #tw: jealousy #tw: pinning #tw: unhealthy relationship #Eren🕯

[jemelle]

codes to a heart

derek morgan x penelope garcia

rated t // 2.2k words // one-shot

summary: Things to avoid when creating a phone password: 1. A common set of numbers. 2. Personal information that’s easily searchable. 3. The birthday of the co-worker you’ve been in love with for almost as long as you’ve known him.

(Penelope has never been one to follow advice.) 

a/n: i do not pretend to remember anything about early 2010s technology, nor did i bother to research it. unbeta’d- comments and concrit welcome!

my masterlist

read this story on ao3!

Penelope’s phone password is Derek’s birthday. She knows that it’s unsafe, is more than happy to lecture the other agents on proper cybersecurity (iLoveHenry is very cute, JJ, but it’s not exactly secure), but she just can’t seem to force herself to change it. Every time she goes to unlock her phone, she smiles, the four numbers a constant reminder of everything that Derek is to her.

The first time Derek asks what her password is, she panics. She’d been the one to hand him the phone, wanting to show him a picture of a cute dog she’d seen on her way to work that morning. But too much time must have passed since she last tapped the screen, because the next thing she knows he’s waving the black screen in front of her.

“What’s the code?” he asks, and Penelope freezes, wondering if he’ll recognize it as soon as he hears the numbers, if he’ll understand why. 

“Give it to me,” she says, holding out her hand. In response, Derek holds it above his head, out of her reach. If she didn’t love him so much, Penelope might almost be mad.

“What are you worried about, babygirl?” His tone is teasing, and Penelope doesn’t want to imagine what his reaction might be if he really knew. “Afraid I’ll find something… incriminating?”

“Just give it to me, please?” Penelope watches smugly as her puppy dog face wins him over, just as it does every time. She punches in the code, then hands it back to him, panic receding as Derek begins to coo over the photo.

-

The two of them are on their way to Rossi’s, and they’re running late. Penelope’s driving, because Derek’s car may have broken down, but she’s damned if she’ll let anyone else drive Esther.

“Tell Rossi we’ll be there in ten minutes,” she says, not taking her eyes off the road. The others have teased her for being such a cautious driver, but she can’t help it, not when she sees danger around every corner.

“Okay,” he responds.

Penelope continues driving. Beside her, she can hear Derek rummaging around, sounding increasingly irritated. When they pull up to a red light, she turns to him. Derek’s searching the footwell, but he looks up immediately, as if he can feel her gaze.

“I must have left my phone at home,” he says. Derek had called her half an hour ago, asking if she could take him to the party. Penelope had jumped at the opportunity, even though it meant going out of her way.

“You can use mine. It’s in my bag.” Her purse is in the backseat, slightly out of reach. Derek twists around to reach it, forearm grazing hers. At his touch, Penelope’s insides seem to grow tiny, fluttering wings. She shushes them firmly.

The light turns green and she presses down on the gas, sending the car into motion once more. A moment later, Derek finally finds her phone. He grabs it triumphantly before sitting back in his seat.

Penelope is a stickler for the speed limit, which is possibly the only thing that saves the both of them when Derek says: “What’s your code?”

She jolts, hitting the accelerator a little too hard. Terror rises in her throat as the resulting force presses them against their seats. Penelope makes herself ease onto the brake and take deep breaths until she can feel her heart settling.

“You okay?” Derek asks when they’ve returned to the previous speed. Penelope nods mutely.

Her heart starts up again as she remembers what he needs. She could wait for another red light, but they’re in the suburbs now, so stoplights are few and far between. She could pull over, but that seems like a gross overreaction. Penelope is a fully-grown woman. She refuses to be humbled by a crush, even if it is a crush on the best man she’s ever known.

Penelope gives him the passcode a single digit at a time. She’s almost sure he’ll know by the end, every moment taking her close to the point of no return. As she says the last number, Penelope braces for impact, not knowing what awaits her on the other side.

In the end, Derek says nothing, and she’s too scared to ask if he missed it or if he’s just trying to let her down easy.

-

Spencer, on the other hand, definitely takes notice. They’re in the bullpen, Spencer sitting on his desk while Penelope spins absentmindedly in his chair. He watches over his shoulder as she unlocks her phone, eyes narrowing in thought. She’s just tapped the final number when he opens his mouth:

“Isn’t that Mor–” Penelope claps a hand over his mouth to keep him from revealing her secret to the entire bullpen. Damn his stupidly perceptive brain. 

He’s still speaking, words muffled by her hand. Before Emily, JJ, or, god forbid, Derek can notice, Penelope takes her hand away, shooting him a warning glare. Wisely, he shuts up, at least until they’re both alone.

When the whole team breaks for lunch, Penelope drags Spencer into the nearest storage closet, ignoring his protestations.

“I love you dearly,” she whispers. “But if you say anything about this…” 

It’s not really a threat so much as it is a plea. If Spencer says anything, she’ll lose whatever dignity she still has. Penelope isn’t stupid: she’s heard what the office gossip mill has to to say about her and Derek. She’s pretty sure there’s even a pool on if and when they’ll get together. 

If this gets out, people with much less intelligence than Spencer will be able to figure out this attraction is unrequited. Her friendship with Derek, once sweet, will become pathetic. She doesn’t even allow herself to think about what Derek would say.

Spencer holds his hands up in surrender. “Your secret is safe with me.”

The fact that she didn’t even have to explain why it matters to her is one of the many, many reasons she adores Spencer Reid. As long as she cares, he cares.

On his way out of the closet, Spencer turns back to her. “He loves you, you know that?”

Of course she does. But, despite the strength of Derek’s love, he doesn’t love her the way she does, deeply and recklessly and without regard for the safety of her soul’s inner reaches.

-

It’s Penelope’s birthday, and the team has thrown her a party in the conference room. As the birthday girl, she isn’t supposed to lift a single finger, so Penelope sits in the chair of honor while the others cater to her every whim.

Earlier, JJ had slid a plastic tiara into her hair, telling Penelope she was queen for the day. Penelope couldn’t resist beaming at that, an extra bounce enfusing her step. She thinks she might make wearing one a regular habit.

Penelope’s chair, positioned as centrally as it can be, given the circular table, is decorated with a multitude of sparkly ribbons. Spencer is sitting to one side of her, but today Penelope only has eyes for Derek, who sits on her other side.

It’s magnetic, the way he moves. As she watches, Derek laughs at something Emily says, eyes crinkling and head tilting up to expose the long column of his neck. At this rate, Penelope is going to drop dead before it’s time to eat cake.

She makes it to the cake phase of the party, though not without a great deal of effort. Derek, for his part, is determined to make it as difficult as possible. As JJ brings the cake out, he rests his hand on her arm. It’s the kind of casual touch they do all the time, but today it feels like a brush of fire.

The team sings to her, voices clashing as they try to harmonize in six different keys. When they’re done, she blows out her candle, making the same wish she always does. Let the people I love stay safe. 

She looks at Derek when she’s finished, and there’s something in his gaze that makes her unable to look away. His eyes are full of love, the kind she wants to last forever. When he turns away to say something to Hotch, she makes a second, selfish wish. Let him love me the way I do.

-

The party has mostly finished by now. Emily’s begrudgingly peeling streamers down from the ceiling, having been informed by Hotch that they constitute a serious fire hazard. Derek and Penelope are standing in the corner, reluctant to return to work.

Emily exits the room, and Penelope knows they should too. The crimes don’t stop when they take a break, no matter how much she wishes they did. Penelope adjusts her tiara, steeling herself to go back to invading the lives of perfect strangers.

Derek walks her back to her office, arm around her shoulders. She leans into him, his presence an always-welcome comfort. When they reach her office, he lets go of her. She pushes open the door, turning back to look at him.

“You should probably go,” she says, and he nods. Standing there before her, he looks so earnest, so gorgeous, like everything she’s ever wanted. In her mind’s eye, she sees a million futures with him, a million timelines where he loves her back. And it’s her birthday and she’s tired of wanting, so Penelope lets herself think for a moment that those futures might be possible. 

She opens her mouth to say goodbye and that glimmer of hope intervenes.

What she means to say is I love you, the same words she’s uttered a million times to him. What comes out instead is: “I’m in love with you.”

Holy mother of all Freudian slips. She tries desperately to figure out what to say, but her mind goes blank. Her first instinct is to take it back, but her throat burns at the thought of having to pretend she doesn’t really love him.

A small part of her is relieved that it’s out in the open, but the rest of her wants to lock herself in her office for several days. Why did she have to go and fall in love with him in the first place? Why wasn’t she satisfied with what they had?

She swallows dryly, but doesn't say anything, watching Derek for his reaction. He’s staring at her, expression inscrutable. Penelope flushes, counting down the seconds until she’ll have to execute plan barricade-self-in-office. There’s only five seconds left on the clock when Derek makes his move.

“Penelope, I want to show you something.” Derek holds out his phone and she takes it, confused. Is he going to pretend that nothing happened? That’s somehow worse than anything he could say.

She turns on his phone, only to be met by the lock screen.

“What’s your password?” she asks, because she should probably say something at some point. She doesn’t quite register what she’s said until he responds.

“What do you think it is?”  he says, infinitely gentle.

Oh. Penelope slowly types in her own birthday, not quite daring to believe that might be what he means. Sure enough, his phone unlocks, opening to reveal his background, a terrible selfie they had taken together.

With some difficulty, Penelope manages to compose herself. She swallows hard. “What… what was it you wanted to show me?”

He takes the phone back from her, holding it in front of her face. “This, Penelope. Don’t pretend you don’t know what it means.”

Penelope lets out an entirely undignified squeak. Here it is, the thing she’s always wanted. Proof that Derek loves her back romantically. Every plan she had for this moment, every grand gesture, flees her head completely, heading for the next galaxy over at warp speed. She reacts instinctively, stepping closer to him until only a few inches separate them. The point of no return is receding rapidly in the distance.

Derek puts his hand under her chin, tilting her face up. Penelope thinks there might be tears in her eyes, tries to blink them away before he can see them.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks, and she restrains herself from screaming ‘YES’ at the top of her lungs.

She whispers her agreement instead, almost reverently. 

He kisses her, lightly, and Penelope swears she can feel actual stars forming in her eyes. It’s everything she’s ever dreamed of, only her dreams could never measure up to reality, the way Derek pulls back slightly, running his thumb along her bottom lip before kissing her again.

This time, they break away only when air becomes a necessity. Penelope rests her head on his chest, delighting in the knowledge that if there are more more journeys to make, more challenges to conquer, she won’t be alone. Truth be told, she’s never been alone as long as she had him.

Above her, Derek lets out a startled, “Hey!”

Penelope looks up, following his gaze to where Emily is standing, holding up her own phone, streamers dangling from her other hand. When she notices them watching her, Emily gives them a wave.

“Sorry!” she says, not sounding sorry at all. “I need proof for the pool.”

Usually, Penelope would march over and make Emily delete those photos, but today, she couldn’t care less. Instead, she leans up to Derek, grin so broad it could split her face in two, and pulls him in for another kiss.

taglist: @elleroodles, @lizziechase, @blakes-dictionxry

#criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction #derek morgan #penelope garcia #morcia #*mine #*fic

[northlight14]

A love for love

Description: Roman loved love. He always had, even as a small child. So why was it so different whenever he was involved?

TW: panic attack, mention of making out but nothing is actually shown, cursing, questioning, unrequited love, let me know if I should add anything else

Ships: unrequited royality, platonic roceit, dukeceit

Genre: high school au

Prompt: prompt 6, aromantic (prompt by @pridewrite2021)

Roman loved love. He always had. Even as a small child, he'd watch wide eyed as Prince Charming leaned down and gave sleeping beauty true loves kiss, something so powerful that it was able to break an evil witches curse. He'd stayed up till early hours in the morning, squealing with excitement as he read about two warriors able to take on an entire army, motivated by their want to keep the other safe and stealing glances at each other as their metal swords collided with the enemies weapon. He'd sing his heart out when a romance song came on the radio, gushing about their love interest with such emotion that Roman adored.

Yes, Roman loved love.

So why was it so different whenever he was involved?

The earliest memory Roman had of this was when he was in first grade. Two of his classmates ran up to him giggling as they sang "Savannah has a crush on you!" Instead of feeling that overwhelming joy like the ones described in his books and music, he felt a deep cutting disgust in his stomach. Roman felt less like he could conquer the world and more like the world was going to swallow him whole. Rather than singing any great love song that he'd sang so many times in his room or in the car, he began crying instead while the two girls looked at him in confusion.

"It was just because I don't like her." Roman told himself.

But this feeling of being out of place only grew as his fellow classmates gushed about their boyfriends and girlfriends, crushes and which cartoon character they find cute. Granted, they were in second and third grade, so the terms "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" roughly translated to "they let me borrow their crayon at break once and now we're in love and going to get married." However, this love for love spread like a virus and Romans desire to fit in only grew. So, during a sleepover with his friends, Roman looked upon the TV, at the princess Aurora and decided 'She'd make a good crush.' Before announcing it to the crowd of toddlers, the words immediately sounding wrong as he spoke them, as if he'd spoken them in a foreign language. He decided that night to never speak of his supposed "crush" ever again. Roman liked Aurora with Prince Philip much more, anyway.

Roman was in fifth grade when he was talking to one of his best friends, Valorie. The two of them just laughing and joking when his friends approached.

"Who's your girlfriend, Ro?" one laughed, putting his arm around Roman. And he knew it was a joke. He knew that. But it still felt like the arm hadn't wrapped around his shoulders and instead knocked all the air out his lungs in one hard punch. This moment lingered in his mind like a haunting apparition, quickly causing any friendships with girls to become strained. First only talking occasionally while in class or on the yard, to only talking when his guy friends weren't around, to only texting outside of school to nothing at all. Roman mourned these friendships but it had been made clear that boys and girls couldn't just be friends and the idea of people thinking he was dating any of these people made him feel like a caged bird.

Later that year Roman decided, despite his love for love, he didn't want to date. The reason for this being...

"I'm just more focused on my career."

"I just don't see the point in dating right now."

"I've never really liked anyone so what's the point?"

"I just like being more focused on myself."

And any other excuse he could possibly come up with, repeating them as many times as he needed to to believe them. Roman had always been a good actor, after all. But, of coarse, with this supposed decision came "reassurance" from adults, as if they had the ability to see the future.

"You just haven't met the right person, yet."

"You'll change your mind one day, when you get a bit older."

"All kids say that at your age."

"Roman isn't interested in dating YET."

These invalidating promises made Romans blood boil the more he heard them. It was as if he was yelling while trapped in a soundproof box, unable to escape. But, despite what seemingly everyone around him was saying, Roman knew deep down that romance just wasn't for him.

He also remained thankful that this love for love hadn't infected his friendship too much.

That was until seventh grade when what was originally a few cases of a love for love became an epidemic. It seemed that all anyone wanted to know was "do you have a crush on her?" "Did you hear that Lily and Reese are going out?" "Do you find her attractive?" This soon made its way over to his friends as they talked about how hot the girls were and teased each other relentlessly about who they liked. Roman once again felt like an outsider in his friend group. His friends conversations about their girlfriends may as well have been spoken in Latin.

Then the day came when his twin brother, Remus, came out as gay and started dating a guy named Janus. It then occurred to Roman.

"Maybe the reason I haven't been feeling anything for all these girls was because they were girls! Maybe I like boys instead!" Roman had never been a very logical person but this definitely seemed to make more sense. If he didn't like women then that surely must mean that he liked men instead, right? Because otherwise...otherwise Roman didn't know what that meant.

So Roman tried. Really God damn tried to find boys cute, to fantasize about dating them, to relate to gay experiences. But all he was met with was the same foreign and hollow feeling he'd felt when he lied about having a crush back in 2nd grade. Roman quickly began feeling his love for the concept of love diminish.

So when Roman entered grade 9, he decided to put anything to do with his romantic feelings (or lack there of) in a little box in the back of his mind to deal with later. Instead putting his passion and good acting skills to use by joining his schools drama department. The moment he stepped foot on stage, he felt himself come alive. The crowd, the praise, the creativity, it was addicting.

And it was only made better with the more friends he made. There was one person who he grew partially close to. Patton Heart. The two quickly became best friends, often hanging out outside of rehearsals and texting non stop. And, for the first time in what seemed like years, Roman was happy and comfortable.

That was until 10th grade. Roman way lying on his bed watching Netflix on his phone when a message from Patton came through. Roman clicked on the message and was caught massively off guard as he read it.

Patton: hey, Roman. So I've been thinking a lot lately. In particular about us and about you. And over the past few months I've started to realize that I have a really big crush on you. You're really handsome, funny and talented and I love spending time with you. It's totally ok if you don't like me back, but I figured it's better to be honest.

It should've been it. The moment when one of the main characters confesses their feelings for the love interest and they proclaim they feel the same way. Sparks fly and their hearts beat faster with excitement. It all becomes so clear when they hear that confession in movies and books.

But this wasn't a movie.

Roman felt time stand still as he read the message, his hands shaking so much he didn't think he would be able to respond even if he knew how to answer.

He couldn't breath. Why couldn't he breath?! The edges of his vision went fuzzy as he desperately gasped for air.

"Patton's great." He thought through his suffocating panic. "He's funny and charming and sweet. You should like him. Why don't you like him? What's wrong with you?!" Romans thoughts yelled as he tried desperately to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.

Not sure of what else to do, Roman ran to Remus' room, hoping he'd know how to respond.

Roman knocked on his brothers door and Remus responded with a very annoyed "come in" after a few beats of silence. Remus and Janus were sat on Remus' bed and Roman could tell from their slightly red lips that the two had been making out. But he wasn't in the headspace to even pretend to care that he'd interrupted them right now.

"Ugh, what do you want?" Remus said, clearly too irritated by his brothers presence to notice his distress.

"P-Patton just messaged me s-saying he likes me and I don't know what to say." Roman barely stuttered out, trying desperately not to cry in front of Remus and his boyfriend.

"Aw, cute. Roro finally got a man." Remus joked but Roman was definitely not in the mood for that kind of humor.

"Do you like him back?" Janus asked, calmly, clearly taking more notice of Romans distress.

"Well, I do. But not like that."

"Ok, so just tell him that. It doesn't have to be this whole thing. Why are you getting so upset?" Remus said, looking at Roman as if he was stupid.

Which, to be fair, Roman did feel very stupid right now.

"He's my best friend. I don't want to upset him." Yeah, that was the reason Roman was freaking out. He just didn't want to hurt Patton. That was it.

"Well, just say you don't want a relationship right now or some shit. Besides, he's probably more worried now because you've taken so long to answer." Remus pointed out. Yeah, Roman was never coming to Remus with his problems ever again.

"Yeah...ok." Roman said. Slowly, he walked out the room, noticing Janus looking at him curiously but deciding not to focus on it.

Roman: I'm really sorry Patton, but I don't feel the same way. We can still be friends tho. It doesn't have to be awkward between us. Especially because I really like being friends with you.

Patton: Yeah, that's ok. This is kinda what I was expecting to be honest. But yeah, I still wanna stay friends.

A few days later Janus came over again for dinner. Afterwards, Roman went into the living room and sat on the couch, scrolling through Instagram.

To his surprise, Janus followed after him and sat next to him. "So, how are you feeling after a few days ok. Broken his heart yet?" Janus teased.

Roman huffed out a laugh. "Uh, yeah, we agreed to just stay friends. Which I'm happy about but it's also really weird. I honestly don't know where we go from here which sucks because I really like Patton. Just not like...that." Janus nodded in understanding.

"You must care about him a lot if you had a panic attack just because you didn't want to hurt his feelings." Janus said. Roman just shrugged in response. "So, does that mean you like someone else?" Janus asked.

"No...I. I don't know. I've...I've never really liked anyone. I don't think I ever will. And people say I'll change my mind but...it isn't like I've made a choice. I've felt like this my whole life and everyone around me has had a crush on someone by now. I just... don't think I was built for romance. Which I know probably sounds stupid but that's just how I feel." He said, so honest it almost hurt.

Janus nodded slowly, taking in what Roman was saying. "It doesn't sound stupid." He said before pausing, as if considering his next choice of words. "Roman...have you ever heard of the term aromantic?" He asked.

"No." Roman answered, looking at Janus curiously.

"It basically means someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction. So they don't get crushes and stuff like that." He explained.

Roman felt his heart leap and for once it wasn't because of a fight or flight reflex. "Wait, that's a thing?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, a surprising number of people identify with it. I don't want to assume anything but I thought I might mention it just from what you've told me and what Remus has said in the past. Plus that panic on your face yesterday reminded me a bit of when I tried to force myself into romantic situations with girls." Janus smirked to himself.

That night Roman researched more on aromanticism than he did for his science test. The more he searched, the more it just made sense. Of coarse, he still had a long way to go towards self acceptance. Roman could feel himself already starting to mourn the idea that this was a choice he'd made ages ago and he was going to feel romantic love one day. It was an odd feeling, realizing that even though he knew deep down it wasn't a decision and he'd always hated when people made those comments, a part of him took comfort in adults promising that he'd change his mind one day. He was also horrified to realize that he didn't know what his future was supposed to look like now without romance. After all, media seemed to show single middle aged adults exclusively as depressed and lonely. But as he scoured through wiki articles to tumblr pages to memes, he knew this was a good start to unlearning any nonsense society had been shoving down his throat.

The more Roman learned and the more people he talked to online about it, the more he started to feel his love for love increase. But instead of it being centered on a prince and princess in a movie, two in love warriors keeping each other alive in a book or a cheesy love song on the radio, it was a different type of love Roman was finally starting to feel the more he accepted himself.

Self love.

Reblog’s >>>> likes

#ya'll really thought you'd get through pride month without me projecting onto roman? #while not everything in this story applies to me the vast majority of this is based of my irl experience #so this was a lot of fun for me to write #and if you're aro and have a different experience that's so valid #sander sides #pridewrite2021 #fanfic #pw 6 #tw panic attack #tw cursing #tw questioning #tw unrequited love #roman sanders #janus sanders #remus sanders #patton sanders #unrequited royality #platonic roceit #dukeceit #demus #romantic dukeceit #romantic demus #aro roman #aromantic roman

[mightiestheroes]

Hey there! May I ask for an angsty piece of Geralt x Reader with prompts 4 and 7? Unrequited love and all that🥺 i’m ready to get hurt

Thank you for the request! I don’t write angst very often but I hope I met your expectations 💙

4. “Sometimes memories are the worst form of torture.”

7. “You can’t leave.”

You promised yourself you would never fall in love ever again. You’ve been hurt so many times that you felt like your heart couldn’t take any more. So you’ve hidden behind your wit and sarcasm and tried so hard not to let anyone in. But of course it changed the moment you met Jaskier and Geralt. You felt the connection right away and you weren’t sure how it happened but you all agreed to travel together. You were great with a sword but also had some healing abilities so you were a good addition to their little team. At first you were happy that you bonded with them on a true friendship level and no other feelings were involved. You’ ve had so many amazing adventures together and it seemed like you were meant to meet and “work” together. 

But of course after one of the most dangerous fights when Geralt almost died your feelings changed. You were shocked and beyond terrified that you could lose him. You were worried for Jaskier too but you realised those two feelings were different. From that moment you were in constant battle with yourself, you didn’t want to feel that way especially when Geralt seemed to send you so many mixed signals. You still blush when you think about that one time when the night was extremely cold and you were shivering so hard, your teeth chattering. You obviously couldn’t fall asleep and next thing you know, Geralt is laying his bedroll next to you and without asking or hesitation wrapped himself around you to warm you up. It felt amazing and you fell asleep almost immediately. When you woke up in the morning he was gone. You tried not to get your hopes up but it happened anyway. You were so curious if it meant something for him but he was his stoic grumpy self as always, behaving like it was a completely normal thing to do and you should just go on with your lives. When you tried to chat with him he just grunted in response so you gave up. 

You weren’t sure Jaskier noticed your little crush and you decided it was better for him not to know. It was your secret hidden deep inside. You felt like every time you got over it, the Witcher did something to make you think about him again. Like that time when you fell off your horse and lost your consciousness. When you woke up, he was at your side, tending to your wounds and you could swear you saw worry in his eyes. 

“What happened?” You asked confused and he looked at you briefly.

“Something scared your horse and you fell down, hit your head pretty hard.” He replied softly and you felt him squeeze your hand. He cares. You thought feeling warm inside. 

“Oh Melitele, (Y/N)! You scared me! I’m so glad you are okay!” It was Jaskier coming rapidly to hug you and caress your other hand. 

“It’s okay, Jask. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” You smiled at him and he sighed smiling back. 

You recovered quite quickly and you hit the road again. One night you agreed to stay in an inn that held small festivities. Jaskier was asked to sing so he was delighted. You sat with Geralt drinking some ale and you were grateful for a moment alone with him. You didn’t have to talk much, you’ve learned his moods and expressions quite well to communicate. Your peaceful moment got disturbed by a man approaching your table. 

“Hello my lady, I am Radko. May I offer you some fine wine?” He asked nonchalantly and smiled at you. You had to admit he was handsome with a beautiful and charming smile. You felt Geralt shift beside you and you turned to  see him glaring  at the man. It boosted your confidence but you weren’t interested in strangers.

“That is very kind of you but I am all good here, thank you.” His smile faltered but he wasn’t persistent. He bowed his head and walked away. Geralt shifted again and seemed to relax but you tried not to read anything into that. You were about to ask him if he was okay when the door opened and he visibly froze. There was a beautiful woman with long black locks. His breath hitched and you were confused. The mysterious woman sat down in a corner and Geralt immediately stood up.

“I’ll be back later.” He said not even looking at you and went to sit beside her. They seemed to know each other and you had to admit you felt hurt. You were stupid to think he would care about you that much and maybe have some feelings. You saw the way he looked at her. In that moment Jaskier finished his singing and came to you to drink something and rest. He got a bit worried when you didn’t speak up or mock his performance.

“Everything okay, (Y/n)?” He asked and when you didn’t respond he followed your line of sight. “Oh…” Was all he said when he realised what was going on. 

“Why am I so stupid, Jask?” You asked suddenly angry with yourself.

“Hey, hey… You’re not stupid, okay? He is the one being stupid for not seeing what treasure he already has.” The bard put his hand on yours in support. You closed your eyes to block the view but it was already burned into your brain. You were so mad at yourself for letting it happen again. You promised yourself and you failed. 

“I can’t do this, Jaskier.” You said suddenly and the bards’ brows rose in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” He asked with a frown.

“I can’t deal with all of that again. I can’t do this to myself.” You explained hoping he’d understand. “I think this is it for me. I heard there is a healer in the next village and she needs help. I’m going to go stay with her.” You added casting your eyes downward trying to stop the tears. 

“Fuck… No, that’s not right…” Jaskier panicked, he cared about your friendship deeply and didn’t want to lose you. 

“But I have to, don’t make it harder, Jask. You know I love you but I have to take care of myself. This is for the best. And my door will always be open for you, remember that. Take care of him, will you?” You teared up but got up and kissed Jaskier on the cheek which was also wet. 

“Be careful, (Y/N). Don’t do anything stupid without me and I promise I’ll come visit you as much as I can…” He promised and squeezed your hand when you gathered your things and started to leave. You went past Geralt who was fully focused on his friend and got out of the inn heading for your horse. The Witcher sensed you and your tears and turned around to look for you but failed. He excused the woman and went to Jaskier. His stomach twisted when he noticed he was crying. 

“What’s going on? Where is (Y/N)?” he asked, trying to remain calm. 

“Fuck you, Geralt.” The bard mumbled and glared at the white haired man. Geralt was filled with confusion and decided to look for you on his own. He left the inn and was happy to find you by the horses.

“Oh, there you are. What did you do to Jaskier?” He asked, trying to be funny for once. But his humour vanished when you turned at him with tears and anger in your eyes. 

“What’s going on?” Geralt was beyond confused and worried.

“I’m leaving.” You stated simply and turned to your horse.

“What? Why? You can’t leave us.” His eyes were wide and pleading.

“Stop torturing me!” You said in a raised voice which surprised him.

“What are you talking about? I am not torturing you!” 

“Sometimes memories are the worst form of torture…” You said quietly and looked down. It took him a few seconds to connect the dots. 

“Oh, (Y/N)... I didn’t know… I….”

“Don’t. I don’t want your pity. Go back to that woman, I’ve seen the way you looked at her. And I’m not going to watch it and pretend I don’t care. It’s time for me to move on and take care of myself. Good luck, Geralt.” It took all your strength to say that and get on your horse. You looked at him one last time to see him speechless and maybe scared? But you didn’t want to think about it. You took a deep breath and rode off. You think you heard him shouting your name and cursing but you didn’t dare to check it.

SEE MY PROMPT LIST

ALREADY WRITTEN

#the witcher #witcher #the witcher x reader #geralt x reader #geralt of rivia #geralt of rivia x reader #reader insert #fic #jaskier #writing #prompt #witcher prompts

[ohayohimawari]

And Everyone Else Knew It

A drabble for Day 5 of @kakaobiweek Blue | Safe | Mutual Pining

Brief mature humor, romance, and fluff. I hope that you enjoy reading it!

And Everyone Else Knew It

Kakashi combed his cowlicks with his fingers and tried to steady his heart as he hurried to meet with Obito.

It was part of the latter’s conditional release to have regular meetings with a member of Konoha’s security force. As Hokage, Kakashi was not only the top of the law and order food chain in the village, he was also the only one with authority to pardon anyone for war crimes. As such, the Council of Elders decided that he would be the one assigned to supervise Obito’s rehabilitation and integration back into society. But there was a problem with this arrangement.

Obito was hot, and Kakashi had it bad for him.

His attraction to his old teammate and hero set in almost the exact moment they were reunited on the battlefield during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. The shock over the fact that Obito was most certainly not dead lasted for a fraction of a second, replaced by the shock over the handsome man he’d become. Kakashi barely had an opportunity to make sense of his conflicted feelings before they fought in their Kamui dimension, where he wished they were exchanging blows of an entirely different variety.

But that would be impossible, even after the impossible became possible.

Just because Obito was alive didn’t mean he could return Kakashi’s feelings. Any daydream in which the Rokudaime might indulge quickly ended with the cold, hard fact that a man who would start an international war over a female was probably, most likely, definitely not into dudes.

Even though he wore a watch these days, Kakashi checked the sun’s position in the sky to determine the time. He quickened his pace when he realized he was running late. Running late was Obito’s schtick, and now that he was back, it seemed silly to Kakashi to mimic the habit. At least, that’s what he told himself to explain why he would always hurry to their meetings, not because he was excited to see him or anything.

The funny thing was, was that Obito wasn’t arriving late to their meetings, either.

Kakashi attributed Obito’s punctuality to his desire to make a good impression on his parole officer instead of desiring his parole officer. But what a delicious fantasy that was; it was one that Kakashi turned to often in private and one that he shook clear from his mind as he opened the door to the restaurant where they agreed to meet. They had important things to discuss this time.

Obito said he'd undergone many changes recently, so Kakashi suggested they'd meet in a more casual atmosphere than his office. That way, it could be more like two friends having a conversation instead of abiding by the guidelines of Obito’s punishment.

However, when Kakashi spied Obito waving to him from where he was already seated in a booth, the Rokudaime wondered if he’d set himself up for additional hurt by arranging what could feel more like a date to him than a meeting.

Kakashi nodded a curt greeting at the three remaining members of Team Ten, who enjoyed their weekly dinner together in the booth next to Obito before joining his unrequited crush.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m starving, so I already ordered for us,” Obito said as soon as Kakashi sat down.

“That’s fine,” Kakashi was too nervous to have an appetite, anyway. “So, you mentioned that a lot has happened since the last time we met,” he folded his hands in front of him on the table, “you should be moved into your new apartment by now.”

“I am,” Obito nodded.

“How do you like it?”

“I mean, it’s an apartment,” Obito looked down at his lap. “It’s small, but it’s bigger than my prison cell and comfier than a cave.”

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully in response, quietly considering how Obito lived for so long in hiding and doing his best to ignore how his heart ached for the man.

“My neighbor is a kind woman,” Obito continued, briefly meeting Kakashi’s gaze. “She’s elderly; her eyesight isn’t great, and I don’t think she knows who I am,” he smirked sheepishly. “I help her carry her groceries up the stairs, and she brings a plate of whatever she bakes that day, which is really nice.”

This sent Kakashi’s aching heart into somersaults, and he figured he better say something while he still could talk. “Are you forming connections and friendships with others?”

“Yeah, y’know, Gai comes around with his student, Lee, and they invite me to train with them. They, uh,” Obito chuckled, “gave me a matching leotard, and I like sparring with them, but I don’t think green is my color,” he laughed. “It’s nice to feel included, though.”

“Gai is pretty great that way,” Kakashi agreed, thankful for his old friend and rival.

“Kurenai smiles and waves at me when I see her at the cemetery these days, so I hope that we’ll become closer over time.”

Kakashi nodded, shifting uncomfortably in his seat and ignoring how his stomach tightened.

“I dunno, there’s only one person that I talk to a lot since I’ve come back, and that’s, well,” Obito mirrored Kakashi’s discomfort across the table, “I mean, everything about my life is complicated, but that’s really complicated.”

“How so?”

“Well, they’re pretty great,” Obito’s sheepish smile returned. 

Kakashi noted that when it seemed that everything else about his old teammate had changed, that expression remained the same. Then he realized that he was lost in thought, not listening as Obito continued to talk.

“...And they make me feel safe. Which, after everything I’ve been through, that’s pretty important.”

Kakashi kicked himself for not paying attention to Obito because whatever he said made him blush.

“Anyway, that’s hopeless,” Obito muttered.

“Why?” Kakashi asked.

“Well, I was kind of a jerk to them when I was a kid, and… and then I went and messed everything up.”

Kakashi leaned over the table closer to Obito to emphasize his earnestness. “People are learning that you were taken advantage of, Obito. Yes, you did terrible things, but you were manipulated when you were vulnerable. Then, you fought alongside the Allied Shinobi Forces when we needed it, and most importantly, you aren’t running from the repercussions of your actions. That’s why I could pardon you, and it’s why people are able and willing to forgive you.”

“Do you forgive me?”

“Here’s your broiled saury,” a waitress interrupted, and Kakashi sat back in his seat so she could set his dinner down on the table in front of him.

Obito thanked her and assured her that they had everything they needed before leaving them alone at their table.

“This is my favorite,” Kakashi muttered.

“Yeah, I know,” Obito replied off-handed, reaching for his utensils.

As casual as it seemed to Obito, the gesture touched Kakashi. He swallowed down the dangerous beginnings of hope before it could take hold of his exhausted heart and sought to encourage Obito in all of his pursuits. “If I’ve learned anything from being Naruto’s teacher, it’s that nothing is ever truly hopeless.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Obito spoke through a mouthful of food, and it amazed Kakashi that he could find even that attractive.

“They’re popular, like, really popular, internationally popular,” Obito’s eyes bulged as he stressed the point. “They could seriously have just about anyone they wanted, and I can’t exactly compete with that,” he finished, clearly crestfallen. “Anyway, let’s talk about something else.”

Kakashi was not a romantic man, and he knew it, and he also knew that he didn’t have a chance in hell with the man that sat across from him, no matter how much he yearned to reach out and reassure Obito that he was worth loving, and—

Kakashi chewed his dinner and choked on the word ‘love’ when it crossed his mind. He was in way deeper than he thought and decided that a change of subject was probably best. “You mentioned that you found a job,” he offered.

“Oh, yeah!” Obito perked up at the opportunity to share his good news. “I may not be a ninja anymore, but I’m still in pretty good shape.”

Really good shape, Kakashi thought.

“So, I was offered a modeling contract.”

Kakashi dropped his fork in his surprise, and it clattered on the table.

Obito laughed at him. “I know, it’s unexpected, but,” he chuckled again and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Looks like I’m going to be the next bad boy in Blue Boy.”

“Blue Boy?” Kakashi repeated, astonished. “The gay men’s lifestyle magazine?”

“You know it?” Obito asked, wide-eyed.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were into— I-I, I mean, I’ve bought a few editions,” Kakashi felt his mouth go dry, “for the articles.” And if Obito would be featured in its photo spreads, he’d be buying a subscription.

“Right,” Obito drawled sarcastically, and Kakashi felt seen. “Anyway, to be honest, I was amazed too,” he fiddled with the straw in his drink, “I don’t exactly consider myself to be fashion model material.”

“You’re hot!” Kakashi was juggling too many surprises, and as a result, dropped his filter. Then he did his best to pick it up and put it back on when Obito’s eyes snapped to his face. “I mean, that’s hot, I mean, good for you,” he wished for the earth to open up and swallow him, or for an assassin to show up intent on taking him out, or—

“You think I’m hot?” Obito asked quietly, tenderly, longingly.

Kakashi licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak but closed it when everyone heard Shikamaru’s groan from the table next to them.

“Mendokusē! Would you two just kiss already?”

Both men sat in silence, staring at each other. Kakashi felt as flushed as Obito looked.

“Shikamaru’s right,” Choji agreed. “You two are worse than a one-hundred-thousand-word slow burn fanfic.”

“Oh, I love those!” Ino gasped.

“A what?” Kakashi asked.

“Who cares,” Obito answered, his eyes beginning to smolder in a way that Kakashi had only dreamed. “Let’s pay the bill and—”

“My place or yours?” Kakashi flagged down their waitress.

“How about ours?” Obito asked, his Sharingan eye already spinning.

#kakaobiweek2021 #kakaobi #kakashi #obito #day 5 #hima writes

[redvoid-40]

Gaara SFW Alphabet - F to K

Hi everyone! I know it’s been a while since I posted any Gaara headcanons, but thing is, I watched the whole Tales of Arcadia series on Netflix and fell in love with it! So lately I’ve been focusing on writing for it. =.=

I do have some more Gaara stuff on-the-go (specially for my “fic”) so I shouldn’t completely stop posting about him though :)

Well, hope you enjoy these headcanons! Remember there’s more stuff n my Masterlist (link in profile) if you want. ;)

And if anyone else is in the ToA wagon, let me know! :D

Warning: copious amounts of fluff under cut.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Like I said before, I think this boy would be ready to settle down as soon as he found someone he loved. Relationships are serious to him, so I don’t see him dating someone if he didn’t see their relationship growing. As soon as he and his SO start dating, he’s committed to them 100%.

However, despite being quick to commit, he might not be as quick to actually get married. Not that he wouldn’t want to get married, it’s just… life is busy, okay? Gaara is the village’s Kazekage and I personally headcanon his SO as being someone active in the village and just as busy as him. So the wedding may end up being postponed for a long time. Gaara and his SO are together and that union is solid; they don’t need a ceremony to prove it; at least not as much as they need to get things done for the village to function properly.

Most likely their wedding would only happen because Kankuro and Baki took pity on their poor, busy, exhausted souls and organized the whole thing for them, so the only thing they had to do was show up.

Gaara was late for his own wedding. I can’t see it any other way.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

The gentlest boy you could find! His hugs and kisses are feather-soft and warm; his voice is always calm and reassuring. Even during fights Gaara doesn’t lose his cool; there are no abrupt mannerism, no screaming or cussing. On the contrary, as soon as he sees a chance for peace Gaara will grab it and end that fight would a soft I love you that melts his SO’s heart every time.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

YES! Gaara loves hugs of all kinds!

When they’re alone, in a more private setting, their hugs are long, mellow things. He’ll hold his SO, bury his face in their neck and stay like that for a long time, planting kisses here and there and swaying a bit on his feet.

And public settings will not deter our boy! He might not embrace his SO for long periods of time when there are other people around, but he will hug and kiss them as a greeting every time. And if they are close together you bet Gaara will be touching his SO in some way, even if it’s just a bit of hand-holding.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Not fast and also super fast?

I think it would take long time for Gaara to evolve from friendship into romance. Gaara didn’t do crushes so when he started to fall for his SO he didn’t understand it. What do you mean this warmth in my chest and fluttering in my stomach aren’t indigestion, Temari? What else could it be?

Also, that boy’s life was eventful and he wouldn’t have the time to ponder his emotions until he found himself fully stable in his life. In other words: it would take years of knowing each other before Gaara said ILY.

But as soon as they start dating those three words are out of his mouth. This boy doesn’t play games: if he loves someone he’ll let them know without hesitation, even if they don’t say it back.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Jealousy? I don’t know who that is.

Seriously, in ideal conditions (aka: not the ones described in my Ending HC) Gaara trusts his SO with all of his heart. If they are on a stable relationship I doubt there would be anything that would make him jealous because he knows his SO would never betray his trust in any way. Someone else is in love with his SO? He can’t blame them, after all he knows exactly how amazing and lovely his SO is; if anything he feels sorry for his “rival” for their unrequited love and hope they find someone for them, like he did.

BUT! If we go back to my personal HC that Gaara met his SO during the Chuunin Exams I can see Gaara being jealous of his future SO. Not a romantic sort of jealous though. He’d watch them being sweet and caring towards people and he would envy that, because no one had ever given him such carefree affection and it was not fair that they could give it to everyone! Gaara would never get the chance to understand what this emotion was though; he’d just channel his jealousy into hate and anger and that would be it.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Gaara’s kisses are warm and soft and just the sweetest thing his SO has ever tasted. Unpopular opinion here, but I don’t think Gaara shies away from PDA with his SO. I mean, he won’t press them against a wall and make-out in public, but he doesn’t hesitate in soft pecks and touches here and there.

The second question should be: where he DOESN’T like to kiss them? Outside the bedroom Gaara will plant soft kisses in any expanse of skin he finds: their lips, cheeks, nose, the top of their head, the back of their hands, the little bit of skin showing on the back of their neck… everywhere is perfect for a kiss!

Inside the bedroom Gaara’s pecks become full-out make-out sessions that, while just as soft and warm, are extremely intense and long. He loves to wake up with his SO in his arms and engage in a long - and slightly messy - kissing session that might or might not evolve into something more. Either way he doesn’t mind; his SO’s kisses are the best thing ever.

#gaara #gaara x reader #gaara x you #naruto #headcanons