#the premise was already weird and a bit unbelievable but now you’re telling me it’s not even gay?

[biblionerd07]

Am I to believe someone chose to have Matt Bomer and Chris Messina in a fucked up, intense, codependent relationship and the only gay stuff happened off-screen before the story started???

#do you know the potential you threw away???? #a choice! #a bad one #the premise was already weird and a bit unbelievable but now you’re telling me it’s not even gay? #girl I guess #messina’s big wet eyes and pouty lips and you’re NOT having him kiss???? #truly what are we doing here #this is why Hollywood is dying #chris messina #the sinner

[strange-changes-ln]

“Strange Changes.”

Chapter Three: “Late At Night.”

.

.

.

Pacing. Holding his head, his mind racing. This is- this is IMPOSSIBLE. He has to be dreaming, he- he COULDN’T SEE after the incident, they- they RIPPED his eyes out! How was this happening-??

He had abruptly shut the television off and exited the room as fast as possible. Left the poor kid hanging.

That- That doesn’t matter. He kept trying methods to try and wake himself up. C’mon, Roger, stop dreaming! That- that kid might’ve been apart of this dream too…

Wake up.

Wake up.

WAKE UP.

You AREN’T able- or even supposed to see, this isn’t real! This is NOT REAL. Snap out of it, you-

He swerves into a bookshelf, unconsciously. Books, small items fell from the wooden holders. He backed away, blinking. He immediately went to the other side, and started to pick up all of the things that had fallen. He…paused to eye a book. It was…he can’t remember what it was about. It was dusty. A maroon, hard-covered, dusty book. Before- carefully settling it back with everything else. He rubs his eyes, what- what’s going ON..

..Is- Is this not a dream?? Is- this actually happening..? He can…he can see…

..He quietly laughed, smiling a tiny bit. Despite the immense confusion, he was… he missed this for so long…

aH- NO. No. He shook his head, that tiny bit of bliss snapping away. This isn’t logical, this isn’t normal- then again…nothing is- b-but THIS-

His chest expanded, and shrank back as he breathed at a quick pace. He turned to exit the room, his thoughts still spiraling along in his mind. Okay- this isn’t a dream, this isn’t a dream.

This…isn’t… a dream.

…

He- won’t focus on that for now. Despite it being both a miracle, and a bug in nature, he’ll just- try and remember what he had to. Think..

He could go check on the children. Yeah.. that’ll work.

. . .

Shoot. He’s getting the feeling he’s being watched again. Just- Just ignore it, Roger. It’s fine. It’s nothing. It’s fine. It’s alright. You’re being paranoid.

. . . He- hopes so at least.

It had been at least half an hour, and he STILL felt as if he was being- WATCHED. He kept looking around, actually trying to see what could possibly have been watching him, but there was nothing. It wasn’t as weird when he was around the kids, as they kind of eyed him once he had taken a bit of care of them- but even THEN, the feeling wouldn’t go away. He turned around, nothing. How long was this going keep up? It couldn’t keep going forever.

. . .

That’s what he thought until another few hours past, and he still, felt it. It’s getting darker, and darker by now. He- still needs to get things done, he still hasn’t- UGH! He audibly groaned into his hands. He’s- he’s just gonna have to wait until tomorrow. God, the boat’s gonna be here soon, and sure he’s- semi prepared, but semi isn’t enough!

..No— no, this can’t wait until tomorrow.

But- sure it can! He can just- get up early, and-

N-No— he has to do it now. At least some of it. It’s the least he can possibly do right now.

But it’s getting late, and he’s gonna need that energy for tomorrow.

..Why is he so torn?? Just pick the sensible option and go with that!

…

He swears, he’s gonna drive himself temporarily mad if he keeps going like this. He huffs, okay. He’ll come to a compromise with himself; he’ll send a few packages up where he needed to take them, and…and the rest can wait for another day.

..Yeah. That sits with him well. He remembers he had left those packages in his little living quarters. In the corner. He’ll go get them.

Walking along, rubbing one of his eyes with a hand. He’s- still so bewildered by this- sight. He can see again!

But..But how? It’s not like blind people getting their sight back is a normal thing, especially if they got their own eyes ripped out of their head.

That was… bad. It hurt. It hurt a lot. It’s not like they cared.

…

Actually let’s not think about that anymore!!!

It’s not worth even mentioning at all anyways, heheheh-

Heh…

…

He blanks out. So much so, that his unaware self bumped into his own door on accident. He stumbled back. Ow.

You know what? Whatever, it’s fine. He’s over it. He twists the knob on the door, and pushes it open. Ah yes, his room. His solitude. It’s wonderful. In the far, right corner, he sees-

Aha! The packages. Just where they were. Perfect. He goes over, and takes them into his arms. This is fine.

Totally.

Just leaving out of his room, beginning to head to where he was supposed to take them. Most of them were for the Kitchen, but… there’s one. A small box.

For the Lady.

He doesn’t know what it’s for, but- it was kind of out of nowhere. Nobody knows why it was sent, but…geez, he doesn’t think he should said this one to her right now. Especially when it’s rather dark outside by now.

That’s just- eugh. He doesn’t wanna risk it, but at the same time— maybe to get it out of the way, he can check..?

The thought makes him kind of nervous, but- he might…as well? Hm.

Over time, he went through elevator by elevator, until he made it up to the Kitchen. He begins towards the work-premises of the Chefs, humming the ‘Veronica’ song a bit. Surprisingly— he spotted Marcus. He was still working. Huh. He kind of expected to not see him, but- here they are.

” Hey, uh- Marc. “ Roger waved, squinting just a bit. Having not seen in…a while, the bright light of the Kitchen was…jarring. The chef paused, and turned towards the entering employee. He blinked.

“ ..Roger? What’re you doing here?- “ He stops what he’s doing all together, and approaches the shorter man. He…seems to look confused, upon getting a closer look at him. “ ..Jesus, what happened to your eyes? They’re just- gone. “ He sounded concerned. Wait—oh- uh- he- forgot about that. Uh, shoot.

” ..Uhh… yeah, something, um-uh— happened one time, when I was younger, and- y-y’know how some people are, eheheh- ah- “ He did not like talking about the empty, black sockets he once- and sort of now considers his eyes. “ Some people got together, and uh…d-did a number on me. Now, I- don’t have any eyes, ha! “ Trying to laugh it off as much as it makes him uncomfortable.

Marcus… narrowed his eyes, he didn’t get why he was laughing this off. “ ..Who? “

” ..u-uh…w-what..? “ The awkward toned worker glanced to the side, though it would’ve been hard to tell to someone else, since, he…doesn’t have pupils. Christ, why didn’t he pull the skin back down earlier??? Marcus, just take the damn packages and don’t make me stand here and stumble on my words like an idiot about this.

“ Who did that to you? They sound like jerks. “ The chef interrogated. Roger…simply stammered, why was this a conversation they were having.

“ Ahhh—w-well- it was a long time ago, I-I don’t know even know what they look like right now, I was pretty young.. w-when that happened, heh- uh— just a group of citizens who didn’t enjoy my existence and- uh- a-and decided to take it out on me! B-But it’s nothing, it’s fine, it’s in the past now, we don’t have to keep going on about it, it’s just a waste of time, c-can you just take th-the packages so I can go, this is really taking up the night, and we both gotta-um- get some rest!-Ahahaaha- “

“ Roger, for the love of god, slow down. Jeez, what’s making you so jumpy?? “ Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose.

The Janitor- looked down, at this point, embarrassed.

“ ..Sorry- I- don’t like talking about this stuff, Y’know..? “ Looking to the side, he holds out the packages. “ Just- take these already, okay? I forgot to give them to you before. “

Marcus.. casually took them from his co-worker’s grasp. “ Right. What made you forget, exactly? These were supposed to be sent to me ages ago, man! “ He frowned, glaring at Roger.

” ..fell asleep. Was watching tv. Met— “ He stopped himself at ‘met.’ Nono, he didn’t need to know about Mono. But the Chef had already caught it, and asked-

“ ..Met who? “

…Of course he had to catch it, Roger thought.

” ..nobody. Nobody important. “ This is getting ridiculous, the longer they stand here, the less things get done, and the less things they get done, the less prepared they’ll be when the boat arrives, and if they aren’t all-the-way prepared, something is bound to go wrong, and the Lady’s gonna have their heads.

“ ..Somebody, Roger. Did someone else get into the damn ship somehow? Are they still roaming, did you- “

” I said it was nobody important. “ The Janitor huffed. Eyeing the pile of packages.

“ ..Alright, sheesh. “ Marcus rolled his eyes and started walking away, off to the second intersecting room. The former blind man blanked out for a second, before snapping back into awareness, blinking. Wait. Did he-

He left the smaller package on the pile, oh my god-

“ -Hey- wait up! “ He quickly followed behind. He’s so scattershot right now, it’s unbelievable.

” -What?? You’re halting time here. “ Marcus puffed, turning around and beginning to stare his co-worker down.

“ Wh— “ Roger was going to protest, but he just brushed it off. “ Okay-sure-whatever- I need this. “ Snatching the smaller box from atop the pile. “ ..Uhh.. where’s your brother? “

” Thomas? He’s asleep, I told him I could take over. And.. is that the- “

” Yeah. The package for the Lady. I- I don’t know if I should go now, or wait… “ He still contemplated. He thought he was going to bring it to her tonight but… he’s hesitant. The older Chef sucked a breath through his teeth. Just saying-

“ ..I’m not gonna lie, Roger; you might just wanna wait. “

“ I know, but— maybe I can just get it out of the way real fast. “

“ But do you realize that could probably actually be a bad idea. “

“ I- uh-huh, yeah— I dunno. “

…

There’s an awkward silence for a moment. They both glanced at each other, and at the ground every few seconds. Marcus had his face all scrunched up in thought. Were people outside the Maw really that bad?? He and Thomas don’t even know, or remember what it’s like out there. They’ve only known this place most of their lives. But Roger…definitely seemed to have it a different way than from he and his brother. He’s lived outside before, for more of his life. And.. that happened. The eyeballs-being-gone thing.

Sheesh.

Meanwhile Roger had a point blank expression. He didn’t know what he was even thinking. Everything’s tangled up. Scrambled. There’s not much to say.

” … “

” … “

“ ..should I go send it up now, or.. “

“ —Ugh. You do what you want, I guess. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. “ Marcus once again rolled his eyes.

Mhm. Right. Roger scooted around him, and head off. Is he seriously doing this? Should he turn around?? He’s already going forward. But he’s not too far, he just left! He can just-

..Y’know what? No. He’s- he’s just gonna do it. Get it done, out of the way, never gonna do again. Possibly.

…He’s curious, anyways.

#ao3 fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #roger the janitor #little nightmares oc #little nightmares chefs #little nightmares #Strange Changes

[mangomochi-yn]

[first thing’s second]

fukurodani. bokuto koutaro x reader

g. fluff but w angst iykwim (happy ending dw)

tw. baby bo gets :”(   wc. 4k holy geezus

Just like his hyperactive and steadfast personality on court, it was quite well known that the captain of vbc, Bokuto, had a habit of confessing and asking a girl out before he even truly knew he liked her. 

It could be just how he found her laugh funny or the way a girl writes her notes was cool. But as soon as he notices it, he would confess on the spot then and there and for the most part— it was harmless. 

Maybe because of how the girls would reject him for the mere fact that they didn’t really know the boy at all— or in some cases how either his teammates or managers (usually akaashi— the poor thing) were able to stop him before he got the chance, but again Bokuto’s odd habit of confessing way too soon that it was normal was really nothing more than that— a harmless habit. 

That is until — it was then to you. 

It was the way you smiled at him as you passed back a flyer during an assembly that got him. He was smitten instantaneously and as easy as that, by the time he was halfway through vb practice he already decided, 

“I’m going to confess to her, Akaashi.” Akaashi couldn’t help but let out the sigh that escaped him. This was the third time this month and honestly, he was starting to get tired of it. 

“She was just so dazzling and pretty and I just have to confess to her or I’ll explode.” The boy went on and on, not noticing the exasperated look on his best friend’s face. 

‘You won’t explode, Bokuto.’ was what Akaashi had wanted to say, but because of how exhausted the poor setter was— “Okay, go ahead then Bokuto-san, but after practice.” was what came out instead. 

You were probably going to reject him like the others, so it was harmless anyways, Akaashi thought. He knew you through a classmate and judging by the way you were described as quite the reserved and independent person, he knew you weren’t one to jump into a relationship just like that. 

Plus, he may have heard how you actually received a little bit more than the average person’s amount of confessions, and promptly rejected each and every one of them. 

Discouraging Bokuto now would just put him into that dreaded Emo Mode for the rest of practice— and they had a practice match with Nekoma the following week. 

Really, the most reasonable choice right now—in Akaashi’s mind—was to just let the captain confess. 

But what he didn’t put into account apparently was that you—the person that was supposed to be just another one of Bokuto’s fleeting crushes—were actually in search of a boy to bring to this big family wedding next weekend.

I know right? What a big twist of events. 

It was a wedding where all your relatives from the countryside were to attend—some even from out of the country—and you knew that if you were to come by yourself it would cost you a million and one offers by your cousins, aunties, hell even grandparents, to try to go on these blind dates they seem to have a never ending amount of. 

So the only perfect solution to avoid all that? A boy to bring. And here he was so gladly offering himself. 

“Okay, I’ll be your girlfriend, Bokuto-san.” You’ve never seen a person’s eye bug out as much as his did then. And it was fascinating how his hair seemingly stood straighter too. He could control it with his emotions?

“Wait, really?” Weird, from that one volleyball game of theirs you watched, you remembered the boy as the very confident captain and ace of the team— cocky almost. 

So seeing him here now unbelieving how you had just accepted his confession stirred something in you. Confusion maybe? Fluster?

“Um, yeah. I don’t mind being your girlfriend.” And just like that it seemed like the sun had lost its purpose. With how bright and wide Bokuto smiled, you wouldn’t be surprised if you turned out blind by the end of it. 

“I won’t disappoint you, Y/N! I’ll be the best boyfriend you’ve ever had.” Ah there was that same confidence he had on court. Although it surprised you a bit how gentle he was when he hugs you.

He had all the muscles but the way he held was like you were made of porcelain. Maybe dating him wouldn’t be that much of a bother after all. 

But 3 days down the relationship you noted, yeah, being in a relationship with the boy was bothersome— but in good and bad ways really. 

“Hey hey hey!!” He was loud and boisterous, always announcing himself as he walks to your classroom for lunch. Always with 2 yakisoba buns, one for you apparently, but you always politely rejected because you had your own lunch.

You couldn’t tell if it was endearing or just plain funny how this was the 3rd time and he still brought you one though. 

“Y/N! Volleyball practice ends early today. Let’s walk home together!” Akaashi behind him stares at you pointedly, he was probably curious as to why you accepted Bokuto’s confession— that smart pretty boy. 

“Sure, Bokuto. I’ll come by the gym once class ends.” And with that your new loud boyfriend walks away, not wanting to intrude on your time with your friends (you would never admit how sometimes you maybe hoped a little bit that he stayed instead though, he was fun and uplifting as much as he was insufferable apparently).

“Y/N, I didn’t know you and Bokuto were close?” Your friend starts off carefully, she knew how dozens of your other classmates were listening in as well— wanting in on the gossip. So you sigh, there was no point in hiding it anyways. 

Especially not with The Bokuto being your new boyfriend. 

“No, we’re not. But he’s my boyfriend now.” And if that wasn’t the most confusing sentence then I don’t know what is. 

“Holy crap, Y/N. So all those guys you rejected, but because Bokuto’s captain of the volleyball club, you said yes?” Of course they had to mention that. 

“I said we weren’t close but that doesn’t mean we’re not getting there. What’s the big deal with me accepting his confession anyways? Mad cause it wasn’t yours?” You spoke in one breath daring the boy to talk back with a menacing look on your face. 

Over the 3 days you’ve dated him, you did notice that one fact about Bokuto you never would’ve guessed. 

Although he was captain of the powerhouse vbc, it seems the kids in your school saw him as nothing but that. Sometimes borderline mocking his loudness and airheadedness— it irked you. 

Irked you so much that over the week leading up to the wedding, you hadn’t even noticed how you were trying to be the best girlfriend to him— openly giving him kisses to the cheek as he stops by during lunch, always waving eagerly at him with a big smile as he passes by on the hallways, and never endingly bragging about him to your classmates— especially when said boyfriend was in the premises. 

It got to the point where what was supposed to be a harmless crush for Bokuto, went past that and now you didn’t even know how the boy was falling head first for you deep. 

And before you knew it— the wedding weekend was approaching. Friday was the last school day you planned on having Bokuto as a boyfriend. 

“Koutaro! You have a match with Nekoma tomorrow, right? On Friday? Lend me one of your jerseys to wear for it!” You don’t even remember when you had started calling him by his first name or when you had started jumping eagerly to meet him by the doorway of your classroom— always putting up a show to your classmates. 

“You’re watching my game tomorrow?” Boy, you had him wrapped around your pinky. “Of course silly, I’m your girlfriend!” You hadn’t even noticed how he literally almost chokes on his breath as you smile at him. 

“Okay! Let’s walk home together and I’ll give you one later.” He beamed, the boy couldn’t get any happier really. 

“Okay.” And when you kiss his cheek he swears he was about to ascend to heaven. “I’ll see you later, okay?” He could only nod and smile, not noticing as your smile drops a little bit by the time he turns around—your bubbly facade easily fading as soon as he’s away. 

Someone else did though. The same person that’s been speculating the reason for you accepting Bokuto’s confession in the first place. 

“Y/N-san, do you have a second?” Akaashi’s soft voice takes you by surprise as you were halfway towards the gym after classes had ended. What was he doing out of practice even?

“Um, sure Akaashi-kun. What do you need?” He fiddled with his fingers but stared straight into your eyes. As if trying to scan and see right through them and into your brain instead. 

“Do you like Bokuto?” Okay, that wasn’t what you had expected but you didn’t know what to expect. 

“Of course I do.” Your voice gave away how unsure you were though. Coming out as a mere whisper, as if you weren’t sure either. 

“No, Y/N-san. As in romantically. Because I just find it not suspicious per say but um...” He struggled to find the words not to offend you. But you already knew what he meant. 

“— illogical, I think, for you to like Bokuto that way with barely knowing him before he confessed.” And again despite the bashful look on his face, his eyes bore into you as if trying to assess every single reaction to his statement. 

“He told me about how you asked him to attend a family wedding with you on Saturday and I can’t help but get ideas from that.” Ahh, busted is what you were. Now you were sure the vbc would hate you after this. 

“Okay, yes, I only accepted his confession because I needed a date to that stupid wedding. If I didn’t have one, all my relatives would shove blind dates up my ass like that’s the only thing I’m good for. And I didn’t want to have to go through all that when I’m so close to graduating and escaping to college and I—“

You hadn’t even noticed the tears of frustration? guilt? start pouring until Akaashi sets a hand on your shoulder, telling you to breathe calmly as he stroked softly. 

“I understand and I’m sorry, Y/N-san. But—” He hesitated, pulling the hand away from your shoulder. 

“But you don’t want Bokuto’s heart to be broken because of that, I get it.” You chuckled dryly, thinking of how lucky Bokuto was to have a friend like him. 

“I’ll... break up with him tomorrow after the game then. I’ll make up some bullshit excuse that I actually didn’t like volleyball or something so that he’d hate me instead.” 

And there goes your foolproof plan. But at the same time, you guessed you couldn’t stand the guilt that was ebbing into the back of your head every time you spoke empty compliments and promises to the boy. 

He was so pure and here you were just toying him.

“You don’t have to do that, Y/N-san. You can just say the truth and he’ll understand.”

“But how are you sure he’ll move on after that then? Sorry, I’d rather not take the risk, Akaashi.” And just before he was about to speak again lo and behold your boyfriend pops out of nowhere as loud as ever. 

“Y/N!” It breaks your heart to see him smile so widely for you. Why on Earth did you think it was okay to lead this boy on?

“Hey, Bokuto.” He frowns at the use of his last name, but before he could complain, something else caught his eye. 

“You’re crying?” And softly, his hands went to wipe the tears that were on your face. As gentle as he was when you first hugged you when he confessed. 

“No! It was just the wind got something on my face.” You smile at him as you rush to wipe your face. And when the frown didn’t leave his, you opted to kiss him on the cheek to forget about it instead (you winced in the back of your head to stop it though).

“Practice good? Did you bring an extra jersey for me?” Proudly, he whips out a clean jersey from his bag and as he moves to put it on you hastily, you couldn’t help but giggle and laugh. 

He really did keep his promise of being the best boyfriend to you, didn’t he?

“Perfect fit!” He exclaims, you couldn’t help but twirl and pull a curtsy for him after, missing the fond gaze he gave as he did. 

“Now let’s get home shall we? You have to be well rested for tomorrow’s game anyways!” 

“Your boyfriend’s pro enough to not let fiddle things like sleep affect his game anyways. Haven’t you noticed, Y/N?” You shook your head as you clung to his arm. 

Any girl was lucky to have him as their girlfriend, weren’t they? It was ironic how you only started to notice now. Now that you’d fucked up any change of being the right girl for him. 

“Whatever you say, Koutaro.” Again, you missed that fond gaze he gave as you looked up ahead. A million and one thoughts were in his head and you barely knew half of it. 

“No, really, Y/N. How bout we make a bet?” You could only indulge in whatever Bokuto says at this point. He deserved nothing less but that. 

“If we win tomorrow, I’ll tell you two things I want you to do for me after.” 

“That sounds a bit perverted, Koutaro.” He blushes and pulls his arm away for your grasp. A babbling mess was what you left him in. It got you curious how gentle his voice shifted into though. 

“Not that, Y/N! I would never ask you to do that unless you wanted to so no, not that.” You could only laugh at his attempt to not look at you. 

“I know I know. You were probably gonna ask me on a date weren’t you?” You teased but deep down you were already dreading for what he’d ask you. Because then you knew you’d have to to break his heart even more for his own sake. 

“Maybe, but maybe something better.” 

It took you all but everything in you to not jump the stands as Fukurodani gets the winning point to the game. For a practice game, this was seriously exhilarating. 

“Hey hey hey!” Bokuto’s voice rang out the gym like a marching band, the whole team chorusing after him. 

“Koutaro babe! Congrats!” Shit, you hadn’t meant to call him babe. But seeing him smirk at it sent tingles to your spine, wanting to scream to whomever if it meant seeing that expression again. 

“I know, babe, and now you owe me two wishes.” Ah shit, that. In the side of your eye you could see Akaashi glancing at you two. Reminding you of how you had to set things right. 

“Before that Bokuto can we go talk somewhere about something?” You already held his hand in yours as you dragged him to the empty side of the bleachers, letting it go reluctantly as you faced him. 

“Bokuto, I actually think it’s best if we brok—“

“Hear my wish first.” His voice never sounded like this before. Not even when he had confessed to you and it made you wonder just what was his wish that made him want to interrupt you? He basically knew what you were trying to say, didn’t he?

“Okay..” And as his hand went to scratch the back of his neck bashfully you couldn’t help but get worried. Was he going to say—

“I want to go to that wedding with you.” He what?

“Bokuto, why—“

“I know you’re going to break up with me and that you only accepted my confession so you had someone to bring to the wedding and I don’t care if we have to pretend but I want to be there for you on that wedding.”

Tears started spilling again before you knew it, this was the most you’ve ever even cried this year and all in two days. 

“Akaashi told you?” 

“No, I overheard you two yesterday.” So that’s why he was so flustered when you mentioned anything lewd with his ‘bet’. He was thinking of something completely different and here he was, despite being lied to by you, still offering himself to help?

“Bokuto, I can’t let you do that. I don’t wanna lie or hurt you any further.” 

“But I don’t mind, Y/N!” Your eyes widen at the sudden raise in voice. No matter how loud he was he never held that tone in it— a frustrated and annoyed tone even. 

“Shit.. I’m sorry. But Y/N, what I’m trying to say is you don’t deserve to have to go through all that toxic bullshit and all I want—hell the only reason I even wanted to win this game even—was so you would let me be there for you.”

His steps were hesitant as he walked up to embrace you. But as soon as you fisted his shirt like your life had depended on it, effectively soaking the front of it with your tears as well, he’s never held you any firmer than he has then. 

“I just— I’m so sorry for using you, Bokuto.” Your voice was scratchy and muffled against his chest. Nothing like his deep and smooth baritone answering back. 

“Oh, but don’t be too sorry now. You still owe me one more wish.” You sniffle. 

“I do?” Seeing your tear streaked puffy face, Bokuto almost couldn’t stop himself from kissing you right then and there but even he knew it wasn’t the right time for that. Not when you’re literally crying buckets out of guilt for him. 

“Yup, but I’ll only tell you after the wedding.”

“Okay.”

“And can you believe the look on her face when I said I probably won’t be able to take care of her shop while in college? God, it was a nightmare.” Right now felt like that midsummer night’s dream as you walked the empty streets of Tokyo— both you and Bokuto dressed in a long dress and a nice dress shirt with slacks for him.

Your heels were off and his once neatly parted hair was a bit of a mess, some pieces now just laying on his forehead. 

“I know you said they were crazy but I didn’t expect them to be that crazy, you know? How are you even related to them?” His hand held in yours as you balanced yourself on the edge of the river bank. 

“I don’t know either. They probably just picked me up somewhere, I can’t see myself having the same blood as them really.” And when it was right at the opening of the street to your house did you guys stop (your parents wanted to catch up with a few of your relatives so they stayed at their house instead, hence you walking home with Bokuto at the moment). 

End of the line, you thought. “Bokuto, I—“ Your voice instantly quivers. 

“Now don’t go starting the waterworks on me again.” His hand immediately goes to your face to wipe whatever tears fell and you couldn’t help but think how this might be the last time you’d feel them against it. If only you could change the way you did everything. 

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to say how grateful I am to you and for everything you’ve done when I’ve been nothing but dishonest—”

The way his lips crashed down on yours was everything you needed to relax and calm your nerves. It was chaste but extremely effective in shutting you up in an instant. 

“Sorry, I had to stop you somehow.” He chuckled, putting a hand to the back of his neck again— that same bashful look on his face. 

“You still owe me one more wish, remember?” His eyes held a glimmer to them you couldn’t figure out. Was he going to ask you to serve the vbc for the rest of your high school life now? ‘Cause you could see him asking you that. 

“A do over. That’s it.” Your mind drew a blank at what he said— a stark contrast to the boy’s who was thinking a mile a second. A million scenarios just running constantly. 

“A what?” Was your genius reply. And he couldn’t help but chuckle at your dumb founded face. Frankly, it was Akaashi that gave him this idea (Bokuto wasn’t clever enough to put his wants into words). 

“I went to the wedding to pretend like your boyfriend as a friend. The whole relationship that happened this past week will be cancelled essentially if you exchanged it for one thing— a do over!” 

“I don’t under—“ 

“First thing’s first! Well.. first thing’s second now actually, but I’m Bokuto Koutaro. Y/N L/N, I like you very much and would you be my girlfriend?” 

Nothing like his first confession where he was so rushed and just wanted to get it over with, Bokuto was careful this time. A serious glint in his eyes as he gazed into yours. 

You couldn’t help but cry like an idiot as you laughed at his pathetic attempt of a curtsy, but despite that your heart was beating in your chest, thinking if you really deserved this. 

“My feet are starting to cramp, you know.” Still bowing, you could see how his arms and legs starting to tremble. 

Oh, but fuck it. Who could resist a man like him? “Yes, Bokuto. Of course I’ll be your girlfriend.” 

Guess now you’ll just have to spoil him. 

bonus. during the wedding

bonus.

“Kou baby~” Your voice rang across the hallways

As you ran up to your boyfriend of 2 weeks. “Y/N!!” He easily catches you in his arms and in any other location this would’ve been a cute couple’s moment. 

Except now—in the middle of the cramp lunch-crowded hallways—it was frankly far from cute. Especially considering how this was almost the 4th time in the row you’ve done this already. 

“Hey, isn’t that Y/N? I thought she always rejected guys that confessed to her? She was dating the volleyball captain the whole time?” 

“Whoa, so Bokuto’s the man ain’t he? My dude’s buff as hell too now that I look at it.”

“They’re a hot couple but man are they obnoxious.”

“Unbelievable, Y/N. I know you were already so all over Bokuto since you started dating 3 weeks ago but how is it that you’ve gotten worse ever since that wedding?” Your best friend trudged behind you. And you and Bokuto could only laugh in response, it was funny though—how only you two knew what truly happened and how you got together. 

You two plus Akaashi anyways, you learned recently that him and Bokuto were a set package truly, no point in complaining. 

“Awe don’t be so jealous that I have an amazing boyfriend bestie~” Pinching Bokuto’s cheek, your friend gagged in response. 

There was nothing you could do, when you said you spoil Bokuto— you truly meant you would spoil him. He deserved nothing less, really. 

“Baby, watch me practice later?” And Bokuto was all for it. He literally feeds off all the affection and love you gave him, and whenever you came to practice to watch and cheer for him? His head grew bigger than the moon from your shower of compliments. 

“Of course, babe!”

“Hey, Y/N babe, tell Konoha would you? Was it my spikes or my serves that you fell for?” You fought the urge to roll your eyes at your boyfriend’s question—a cocky smile on his face. 

With a sigh, you couldn’t help but chuckle as Konoha shakes his head disapprovingly. “Both, baby.” You also learned a peck on the lips would shut him up easily. A trade secret you must say. 

Because as much as you loved making the boy who stuck with you so happy, sometimes it was easier to have him content with himself rather than having to share it with the whole of Tokyo, if a possibility. 

“Hehe, I knew it.” But really, at this point you knew that whatever he did, you’d follow him to the end. 

another bonus. bokuto wants bokuto gets

a/n. this is my longest work :) hope yall liked it <3

#haikyuu #haikyuu!! #haikyuu bokuto koutaro #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #bokuto koutaro x reader #bokuto koutaro imagines #haikyuu fluff #fukurodani x reader

[arecomicsevengood]

More Quarantine Movies

Going to put up this log of what I’ve seen now, as some of the stuff I liked the most is leaving The Criterion Channel at the end of the month. I really don’t know if anyone gets anything out of these posts, these are mostly synopses and they’re maybe spoiler-heavy. Let me give you the gist of it now: Otto Preminger’s a really good filmmaker whose movies are really interesting, Jean Arthur’s a great actress who enlivens everything and is also in a bunch of good-to-great movies. Also, I didn’t write about it but I rewatched Death Race 2000, that movie rules, feels relevant to today’s politics, and is leaving Criterion Channel at the end of the month.

The Pawnbroker (1964) dir. Sidney Lumet

Based on novel by Edward Lewis Wallant, whose The Tenants Of Moonbloom was reprinted by NYRB Classics with a Dave Eggers intro. Also some of the earliest nudity in a mainstream American film. About the misanthropy of a holocaust survivor, living in New York City, and interacting with black people who vaguely feel like racist caricatures, in part because it’s a movie about a misanthrope told from his perspective. A ton of movies about race from this era feel dated, this feels legitimately edgy, which is a term that gets thrown around somewhat ironically now or viewed as a pejorative, like something trying to offend, this does feel like a genuine attempt to be honest and push things forward (I really was not expecting that nudity) but also doesn’t feel totally successful, definitely not particularly enjoyable.

Shockproof (1949) dir. Douglas Sirk

I haven’t seen Sirk’s later melodramas, this one intrigued me in part because the screenplay was written by Samuel Fuller, and it’s sort of a pulpy noir thing. A woman, fresh out of jail, ends up living with her parole officer who is trying to keep her on the straight and narrow and away from her criminal ex, but they end up falling in love. There’s a thing where the male lead’s younger brother talks about how the lady is beautiful that I sort of wish wasn’t in there, feels creepy to me. There’s a bit of a shift in the narrative with the third act, where the lovers end up on the run, the once-upstanding man now a criminal on account of love, but they are having the endurance of their love tested by circumstance, is one of those things where a story which felt somewhat unique over the course of its telling shifts into something more recognizable.

…And The Pursuit Of Happiness (1986) dir Louis Malle

I have watched most of Louis Malle’s feature films at this point, I believe, and had a vague curiosity about what his documentaries were like. This one, made shortly after he’d moved to the U.S. and married Candice Bergen (something that comes up in Susan Seidelman’s Smithereens, in that some prostitutes read aloud from a fashion magazine that discusses it) he made a film talking to various recent immigrants. He covers a lot of ground, covering people working as doctors, large communities living in housing projects and causing racial tension with black neighbors (who both resent the smell of the food they cook but also suspect they don’t know their rights as the property developers plan to evict everyone and have the projects demolished). By and large everyone spoke to believes in the notion of the American dream of working hard to get ahead. Malle also speaks to anti-immigration think tank people and border patrols. Nothing too surprising but a lot of ground gets covered in a short amount of time. If I didn’t learn anything I at least admired that it felt non-didactic. Anything with more of a point of view or an argument would probably be disingenuous were it to present itself as enlightening.

The Baron Of Arizona (1950) dir. Samuel Fuller

Based on a true story, although with fictionalized elements, about a dude (played by Vincent Price) who becomes a master forger to falsify land grants and claim the entire state of Arizona as his own. Not a great movie, though that’s an interesting story. I bet I could guess what elements were made up for the sake of making a movie out of it, it has this tension of being interesting and unbelievable (although unbelievable by way of rote moviemaking formula), but also the story takes place over an extended period of time and so has some of the structureless feeling of a biopic.

House On Haunted Hill (1959) dir. William Castle

I’m going to confuse this with The Haunting Of Hill House for my entire life, that’s just the way it is. This stars Vincent Price, who’s always great, doing the famous premise where a group of people meet up to spend the night at a haunted house to win money. Vincent Price has a contentious relationship with his wife, who’s openly contemptuous of him and wants his money. There’s a moment where everyone at the house party is given a gun, each in a coffin. There’s a few “twists” all sort of being of the “there was a rational, non-ghost reason for everything” although any of them individually sort of strain the limits of credulity as something that works as a hoax. Vincent Price is basically not the villain, so much as his wife is, although he’s such a ham that loves being creepy that this again strains credibility in that the conclusion of the movie plays against the style with which the previous action has been presented. An enjoyable viewing experience.

My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) dir. Joseph Lewis

This one’s about a woman, looking for work, who falls into a scheme that kidnaps her and puts her up in a mansion, where she’s kept drugged and basically is told to assume the identity of a woman who was killed. I found this one pretty nerve-wracking, as it’s pretty nightmarish, basically about psychological torture. I found this one under Criterion Channel’s Columbia Noir collection, but before these films were considered noir, they were thought of as melodramas, but it’s also sort of a horror film about being gaslighted. There’s a part where they remove a stairwell and try to trick her into falling down? What’s funny is that one of the things that sort of separates this from horror is how quickly it resolves, whereas later work would I think give the audience the satisfaction of seeing the villain be punished in some way, the ending that just goes “then everything worked out alright” ends up making the structure feel more like the whole movie’s reason for being is just to see the protagonist suffer.

God Told Me To (1976) dir. Larry Cohen

Did I write about this already? I watched that a few months ago. Pretty wild basis in seventies grit about people going crazy, committing murders, then goes to a weird/confusing place involving some sort of holy entity in human form, the police procedural aspect butting up against this strangeness which doesn’t feel entirely thought through, and is in fact sort of incoherent, makes for a movie that is, in fact, still pretty good and worth watching although a bit tedious by the end.

Zombi Child (2019) dir. Bertrand Bonello

This I guess just came out in America this year, to the extent that anything came out this year, in theaters, it coming to streaming is basically its release. The zombies in this are of the old-school voodoo sense, taken seriously as a system of belief juxtaposed against French colonialism, as a Haitian teen feels at odds with her circle of friends, flashbacks to Haiti occur. When you watch a bunch of older movies new movies just seem to be not as good. Bonello’s not a bad filmmaker though, he’s able to capture a sort of sensual aspect of particular moments and moods, just not in a way where they then coalesce into a narrative of shifting emotion.

Anatomy Of A Murder (1959) dir. Otto Preminger

This movie is close to three hours long.  It has a Law And Order procedural quality, taking up much of its second half with a courtroom drama, where Jimmy Stewart does a proto-Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer routine. He’s protecting a man accused of murdering the woman who raped his wife. The subject was surely shocking for its time. It becomes pretty clear, extremely quickly that the husband is an abusive piece of shit, but the main thrust of the narrative is still tasked with following the lawyer trying to get him off. Lee Remick, from Experiment In Terror plays the beautiful and doomed wife, who flirts with Jimmy Stewart. Some of these interactions feel weird from a modern perspective, because Stewart’s reaction is like “Yes, you’re a beautiful woman and any red-blooded American male would enjoy looking at you, but it is my duty as a lawyer to paternalistically insist you cover up!” Preminger is sort of known for pushing the envelope, and this one has a lot more talking about sperm and Lee Remick’s vagina than you’d expect. One of the things that’s meant to be a “quirky character detail” is that Jimmy Stewart is into jazz- The score, by Duke Ellington, is great, but there’s also a pretty corny cameo by Duke Ellington where Jimmy Stewart sits in with him, a second pair of hands on the piano. Still, I guess it’s better that he physically appears in the movie than there just being a scene where it implies Duke’s music is played by Jimmy Stewart, as the music is way too good to just be a lawyer’s quirky hobby. George C Scott, from Hardcore, plays the legal expert on the other side. After being pretty long, there is this sort of abrupt, (although well-foreshadowed) downbeat ending, where the jealous and abusive husband flees town to avoid paying his lawyer and to go somewhere quiet he can beat his wife to death, but said ending is played for this “you can’t win them all I guess, shame about the lower classes” quality from Stewart, who is dead broke all movie but seems like he just enjoyed being able to do work for once, even if it’s for a total shitbag. Good movie! Feels thorny and interesting.

Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) dir. Otto Preminger

This is even better. Great Saul Bass credits sequence too. A psychological thriller where the disappearance of a child gives way to the police not being able to confirm the child is real, and doubting the mother’s sanity, becoming pretty nightmarish, dreamy, and exhilarating by turns. Gets to a place of “huh, I wonder what is going on” and then when that finally resolves there’s a pretty extended sequence of silent escaping/hiding, which is, one of those things that films do really well and is super-satisfying. It plays out amidst this background filled with interesting supporting characters, who all, for the first half of the movie, feel like moving parts in this somewhat inscrutable narrative machine.

The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) dir. Otto Preminger

This one I don’t like. Stars Frank Sinatra, who I find annoying, as a recovering heroin addict who relapses again. While I normally like the sort of scenery-chewing supporting cast that shows up in Preminger things, I really didn’t Sinatra’s nerdy best friend, or his wife with Munchausen’s syndrome. While with the other Preminger movies there’s this feeling of a slow reveal of what the plot is with this one I feel like as soon as you know that Sinatra is out of rehab (which you learn pretty quickly) you can guess the movie will be about how he relapses and then tries to get sober for real.

The Human Factor (1979) dir. Otto Preminger

Preminger’s final movie, based on a Graham Greene novel, featuring Iman making her film debut. Movie is mostly about intelligence agencies seeking out the mole in their mist, with intentions to kill whoever it is once they’re certain. It stars Richard Attenborough, as the source of the leaks. Halfway through the story becomes interspersed with flashbacks about Attenborough and Iman’s romance upon meeting in Africa. Continues the habit of ending on a moment that maybe feels like it should be expanded upon or made more resonant.

Bonjour Tristesse (1958) dir. Otto Preminger

This stars Jean Seberg as a teenager being raised by a single father, David Niven, who’s kind of a cad/ladies man who’s very permissive with his daughter, who seems likely to grow up rich and spoiled and find another rich man to take care of her. Deborah Kerr plays the woman who Niven ends up falling in love for real with, and the conflict is then between this woman taking on a maternal role and a daughter who is resentful of this. Deborah Kerr is in Black Narcissus, a movie I love, and here she comes off as smart, the voice of reason. Seberg destroys her father’s relationship by taking advantage of his sort of innate desire to flirt and be liked by women, driving Kerr to commit suicide, and the whole film is then told in flashback by Jean Seberg a year later, as she flirts with boys but has a great sadness and emotional distance about her, which is both inherited and self-inflicted. I’m partly just writing these plot summaries as my way of remembering what these movies are about, but this one is nice because I get to account for complicated characters who are both pretty eminently understandable. I keep getting hung up on the fact that movies today now have a much dumber idea of what a female character is. Maybe it’s something as basic as the fact that, as people read less, it’s rarer for literary novels to be adapted? As I talk in terms of “less good roles for women nowadays,” which is a cliche, it’s obvious enough that bad roles for men follow, as everyone is only as good or interesting as who they’re playing off of.

It’s also funny to think, in this era of “comic book movies,” that very few artists can make a character come to life with body language and facial expression the way an actor can. “Literary” cartoonists like Dan Clowes or Tomine play into the mask quality drawing creates, generating inscrutability as part of their effect. Many of the biggest names in “noir” comics are removed from the melodrama elements of actor’s performance in favor of an aesthetic based on paperback covers, which makes for something far less lively. Meanwhile, Blutch is an amazing artist who would probably do a great job telling lively character studies in a genre form, but he’s way more preoccupied with these Godard-style interrogations of film’s cultural meaning.

Separate Tables (1958) dir. Delbert Mann

From the same year as Bonjour Tristesse, and also featuring David Niven and Deborah Kerr. Deborah Kerr’s good in this- while she is sort of uptight in a maternal way in Bonjour Tristesse, here she’s sort of crippled by repression her mother imposes on her. It’s a totally different character, but she remains defined by various manifestations of repressed energy; I would say she’s most known for playing a nun in Black Narcissus. She’s again opposite Niven in a sort of romantic context, though Niven’s character is meant to be a neurotic freak and he’s not really convincing in that capacity. I couldn’t really work out what the deal is with Niven’s character, he gets arrested in a theater, seemingly because he takes his dick out to show women? Or that’s how I interpreted what was being discussed, but he’s mostly defended by everyone except this lady you’re supposed to hate for how domineering and judgmental she is so maybe it’s something less bad. I honestly couldn’t figure it out because it seemed like the thing I was guessing they couldn’t talk about. This movie also features Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth as a couple that broke up once before and are reuniting now. This movie is pretty dull in a way I didn’t know whether to attribute to it being British or it being based on a play, as it feels extremely both.

Seance On A Wet Afternoon (1964) dir. Bryan Forbes

This one’s British too, and features the quality I recognize from British television, where the stars are not attractive, which always feels surprising. This one’s got a pretty great title, and a great premise. This woman, a professional psychic, convinces her husband to kidnap a child so she can comfort the parents and get publicity. The cinematography’s great. I got pretty nervous watching this, I think I am feeling more sensitive to movies as of late, way more willing to find things upsetting and nerve-wracking than usual. I can partly attribute this to the feeling of taking something in from a different cultural context, that leaves me unsure what to expect, but it’s also true that nowadays I sort of constantly have this feeling of “I don’t know how bad things are going to get” about the world in general, and it makes sense that I would apply that to films.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939) dir. Howard Hawks

Jean Arthur’s amazing in this - saw her the first time in The Devil And Miss Jones and then there’s this whole Criterion Channel featurette video running through what her whole deal is: This vulnerability/innocence crossed with an attempted toughness that really is very charming. Here she plays an entertainer just stopping briefly in town who gets hit on by some pilots, and develops feelings of impossible love for a man (played by Cary Grant) whose insistent toughness and refusal to show fear (despite having a dangerous job, of a pilot, that makes everyone who cares about him fall to pieces with nervousness). It’s this very universal type of entertainment, where there’s all these special effects shots of planes flying and a drama of men being men that’s nonetheless anchored by this love story, carried by the fact that Jean Arthur is very real and complex. She’s also a legit comedic actress, which I think makes her feel richer and more watchable than someone without a sense of humor would be. Rita Hayworth plays Grant’s ex, a woman who couldn’t take his daredevil ways but is now married to another pilot who has to do dangerous flights essentially to make up for an act of cowardice that got someone else killed. She’s got her own charisma obviously (and Cary Grant’s equally solid, in this sort of old-Hollywood glamor way) but Jean Arthur feels very alive in a way that carries the movie.

The Talk Of The Town (1942) dir. George Stevens

This one also stars Jean Arthur opposite Cary Grant, but it’s less interesting, partly because of a domestic setting and some stale-seeming comedy. Cary Grant plays Lionel Dilg, (great name!) who breaks out of prison and hides out in Jean Arthur’s attic, with a hobbled ankle, while a preeminent legal scholar moves in. There’s a love triangle between the three of them, and a friendship between the escapee and the scholar. Grant’s been unfairly framed for arson for political reasons by his boss for pointing out the factory where he works is a death trap. The people of the town are easily turned against this sort of leftist agitator  by a last and biased judge. Insanely enough, there’s a movie called “The Whole Town’s Talking” also starring Jean Arthur but it has no relation to this one.

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) dir. Stephen Roberts

Upon realizing that many of these Jean Arthur movies were leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the month, I started taking more in. This is a murder mystery, with screwball comedy accents, and again I’d say it’s really good, although the “comedy” premise wherein a woman sort of plows through the life of a man with no real respect for personal boundaries is the sort of thing that works in a movie even though it seems totally nightmarish when looked at from a certain angle. She writes mysteries, he’s a doctor, people are getting murdered. He is played by William Powell, from The Thin Man movies, which maybe these resemble. I guess the bickering couple that solves mysteries is a trope but it’s one that I don’t think has had any currency in popular culture since Moonlighting, which was in my lifetime but before I would have had any awareness of it. (I would probably enjoy it up until the point where I got bored of the formula.) I thought this was great and would make a good double feature with L’Assassin Habite au 21.

History Is Made At Night, 1937, dir. Frank Borzage

This has Jean Arthur in it too, but the reason I became aware of it was Matt Zoller Seitz tweeting about it. Partly this is because the description on the Criterion site is so bare-bones it barely seems like anything, but it turns out this is because the plot is completely insane and has a ton of twists and to talk about them very quickly veers into spoiler territory. It is, in brief, a love story. The first totally insane in it is the handsome male lead does the “drawing a ventriloquist puppet on his hand” thing and the woman’s totally on board. An element that doesn’t spoil the plot, but does seem somewhat incongruent with the tone, is there’s a French chef character for a comic relief. It’s really good. I’m pointing out the lightest element but the story’s villain is believably sociopathic.

Secrets (1933) dir Frank Borzage

Not nearly as cool or good. While History Is Made At Night feels like a cohesive story that’s just pretty crazy, this one feels divided into acts that have nothing in common with each other. First act is romance, between a rich man’s daughter and his banker. They run away together. I’m basically unsure of when this movie takes place timewise, the rich lady is wearing massive layered gowns I know would’ve been out of fashion by 1933. The second act is a western where they make a home together and have to fight off bandits! But the action is shot in a a pretty disinterested manner. Third act, I’m pretty on edge and bored, but the banker is now the governor of California and is having an affair with another woman, and they’re at a party together, and then the ending feels epilogue style as they’re both old as hell and they have fully-grown children and they’re talking about how they’re taking their leave of the kids to discuss their secrets. Female lead is Mary Pickford in her final film role. I guess this is a remake of a silent film, which was itself based on a play. Yeah this movie sucks basically.

Bitter Moon (1992) dir. Roman Polanski

Sure, I’ll watch a sex criminal’s erotic thriller that’s way too long. Hugh Grant is a married guy on a boat who has a French dude talk about all the sex he and his wife have because he knows Hugh Grant wants to fuck his hot wife. Said wife is played by Emmanuelle Seigner, Roman Polanski’s actual wife since 1989. This is a bad movie by pretty much any metric. It kinda feels like the social function of erotic thrillers is not to be a more socially-acceptable form of pornography, but rather to be pervy enough to remind the audience why you shouldn’t talk about sex publicly and have that be your whole thing. The French, of course, misunderstand this.

The Burglar (1957) dir. Paul Wendkos

Another noir, written by David Goodis. This one is a little formulaic, in terms of what you think of crime movies as being “about.” A burglar, who learned the trade from his adopted father, works with that man’s daughter to commit heists. His gang doesn’t like her. Once the two of them are separated, a corrupt cop seeking to steal a burgled necklace for himself tries to pursue a relationship with her as a means to an end, while a woman allied with him works on the burglar. A drive to New Jersey gets stopped by cops, violence quickly escalates to make the situation more dire. Members of the gang die. Not a bad movie but by no means essential.

My Brother’s Wedding (1983) dir. Charles Burnett

Criterion Channel removed the paywall for a bunch of Black-made independent films, this is one of them, Burnett’s follow-up to Killer Of Sheep. Seemingly starring non-professional actors, it’s about the conflict a guy feels as his brother is planning to get married to a rich woman he resents, and the loyalty he feels to a guy who just got out of prison who everybody hates. The main character is a good dude who wants to help out this pretty dangerous friend the best he can. The film captures his pride and resentment.

Dial M For Murder (1954) dir. Alfred Hitchcock

A few iconic-seeming shots of Grace Kelly in the role of a Hitchcock blonde, i.e. her standing at a phone while someone looms behind her about to choke her, and later standing traumatized. Suffers a bit from clearly being based on a play, with a ton of dialogue, particularly in the second act. The first act is able to provide this very particular type of satisfaction, where someone outlines a “perfect crime” in dialogue and then we see it play out and it falls apart and happens completely differently. It’s funny the criminal gives themselves away due to mistaking one key for another, because this sort of structure really does feel like a key fitting into a lock, things perfectly designed for one another, parceled out at the right time.

[angelic-guardienne]

Flower Shop AU (Prompto/Reader)

Isn’t it funny how I open requests and then? Don’t answer any requests??? Anyway, I texted this scenario to a friend back in November and I recently found it again while looking for something else. Soooo I decided to type it up, buff it up, and post it, and here it is. 

Tagging: @blindedstarlight @joioliviapolaroid @crazykruemel @ponkita @tales-of-a-fallen-star @valkyrieofardyn @insomniacapples @kawaiinekorose @glacian-apocalypse @honey-your-bee-puns-sting @singergurl91 @commitmentroses @tea-and-ebony-for-my-chocobros @sakuraangel1 @tiniestofqueens @bestchocobois @jaysfandomcorner 

Premise: AU where everyone lives and Insomnia is rebuilt. Noctis rules over the nation as its king and foreign relations are amazing. The bros stand by his side as his personal crownsguard, just like they did when they were on the road.

I love flower shops, so you run a flower shop. It’s small, you’re the owner and most times the only one there, so you’re always there.

One day, a cute little blonde with the most beautiful blue eyes comes in. He buys a bouquet of flowers, gives you a hella bright smile, and leaves without much talk

Some other day, the blonde returns, and this time he has a friend -- an absolute giant of a man with burning amber eyes and scars galore and a voice like moving mountains. This friend buy a bouquet of gladioli and irises and he gives you a grateful little nod before they both leave

It’s on his next visit -- he’s by himself, I might add -- that the lil blondie introduces himself: Prompto. Even though he’s not been at the shop nearly enough to be considered a regular, you consider him one anyways

You two chat for a bit until another customer comes in, after which Prompto leaves. He says he doesn’t wanna distract you

Prompto returns one day and he’s brought someone else -- another friend, you presume -- and this one is tall and lithe, illegally graceful in his movements and wearing gloves and wide, tinted shades. He takes a whiff of nearly every flower in the store and you watch bemusedly as Prompto trails behind him excitedly

Suddenly the man stops and plucks a bouquet from its display and walks right over to the counter. “These are camellias, yes?” He asks in such a refined voice that you’re taken back a bit, but you still manage a yes.

Prompto looks super pleased while his friend buys the bouquet, commenting that those flowers were his mother’s favorite

When Prompto leaves that day, you catch yourself wondering what kind of character he’ll be bringing in next (not that you’re complaining, it’s seriously increasing your business)

Prompto visits often, and one day you ask why. You know he buys more flowers than any one person would reasonably need unless he’s trying to start his own shop and drive yours out of business (he laughs and tells you it’s definitely not that)

He leans against the counter and gives you this warm smile. “It was for interior design at first. I just wanted a burst of color, you know?”

And yeah, you know, but that “at first” implies a lot, Prompto

So he continues, “Then I started getting them for certain occasions like, you know, leaving flowers on a grave or something, or helping my friend’s little sister start up her garden, things like that. Now I’m basically giving them away because I have more flowers than I know what to do with.”

And, reasonably, you ask, “my flowers aren’t exactly cheap at the bulk that you’re buying them in, so why do you keep buying them?”

And he says, “cause I wanted an excuse to see you.”

(for those worried about it, Prompto’s getting the money for all these flowers cause I’m making the assumption that the crownsguard gets paid big cash)

Anyways

So you’re flustered of course, and your brain goes to a default response -- “I’m hiring if you wanna see me more” and you’re so, so lucky that it makes prompto laugh instead of weirding him out or something, because boy his laugh is auditory g o l d

He says, “How about a date instead?” (when did prompto get so smooth?) and you just nod because you don’t exactly trust your voice. You jot down your phone number on his receipt -- he bought a bouquet of the flowers you passively mentioned were your favorites

He hands it back to you, like a gift, and you jokingly tell him not to break bank buying flowers, even if the profits help a lot

The date goes unbelievably well, I gotta say. Y’all go to a nice, homey lil restaurant and then to a bakery, where you two share a few cookies and some other pastries

With that date, you guys go on another, and another, and another, and I can officially say that y’all are head over heels, absolutely smitten with each other

One day, Prom swings by and he has the whole entire actual king with him. You send him a panicked look and he just kinda shrugs sheepishly (mildly helplessly) as Noctis gives the shop a solid once-over and goes straight to the counter

“You’re (Y/N), right?” the king says, and you’re like holy fuck holy fuck the king knows me by name what the fuck what the fuck wh

and you just squeak out a little “yeah, that’s me”

And Noctis holds both of your hands in his and stares you right in the eyes and thanks you so genuinely that you’re internally flipping your shit and left totally speechless

He thanks you for making Prompto happy, he thanks you for loving him, he thanks you for helping him find the light in life again, he thanks you for so much

And then he jokingly says, “please tell him to stop buying so many flowers, the citadel is practically full of them” and prompto just lets out the cutest little indignant noise, and you’re just like “with all due respect, your majesty, he’s one of my best customers”

Noctis just laughs. “Fair enough,” and he thanks you one more time before he takes his leave

Apparently, having the actual king come to your little shop drastically increased the appeal so business absolutely skyrocketed, as did the number of applicants for open slots around the shop.

(It was actually the fact that he mentioned your shop specifically in a televised interview)

It gets popular enough and you end up making enough money and hiring enough people that you can finally get some more free time, which Prompto definitely takes advantage of

You get to spend a lot more time around his friends and family (the bros) and you finally get to truly interact with the people you’ve heard so much about from him

Iris teaches the two of you how to make flower crowns, so of course you guys make them all the time and gift them to everyone, including each other

Meeting Cor was a little daunting at first, considering that he’s basically the closest thing that Prompto has to a father, but once you two start talking everything goes smoothly. Cor, like Noctis, genuinely appreciates everything you’ve done for Prompto and just really likes you too, so.

Sometimes Cor will share embarrassing and/or funny stories from when he was still getting to know Prompto and they always make you laugh and give you a deeper appreciation of your boyfriend. Prompto, of course, always tries to get him to stop (and he always fails).

Overall, you and Cor are on really good terms. Y’all get along well, and you also really like his cats (and they like you) so you don’t mind spending time around him.

Sometimes he comes into the shop and buys his own bouquets. If you ever ask why, he says he’s trying to charm this little lady he met at a party. If you inquire further, goodness he could go on about her forever, and it always makes you really happy to see that Cor has someone in his life, too

But yes, whenever you’re at the shop, Prompto will come in and buy flowers for you, because he never quite got out of the little habit of buying flowers from you, for you. His favorite thing to do is to buy the bouquet and then hand it right back over the counter.

You always shake your head at him and tell him he’s basically paying you to own something you already own, but every single time, without fail, the bouquet goes into a vase somewhere at home

Eventually, you learn that when Prompto said he was giving the flowers away, he was literally just dumping him on the bros. He was frantically explaining, “I want to ask them out but I’m scared to and the only way I can see them is buying more flowers and help”

Gladio is the one that finally pushes him to ask you out because he has literally reached his capacity for new flowers, and all the others agreed with him

That’s how Prom finally asked you out -- his flower outlets closed on him and he had little other choices, but thank god they did because he’s so much happier thanks to you.

#ffxv #final fantasy xv #prompto #prompto argentum #writing #flower shop au #finally wrote something #it feels like it's been forever #i hope y'all enjoy this fluff!!

[aion-rsa]

Before GameStop, Wall Street Kid for NES Taught Gamers About the Stock Market

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If you haven’t been following the simply incredible story involving the WallStreetBets subreddit using GameStop stocks to beat hedge funds and large investors at their own game (and make a bundle in the process) I highly recommend you start doing so. This bizarre saga isn’t over, and it will likely have repercussions that will be discussed for years to come. 

While many of you probably didn’t expect to learn so much about the inner working of the stock market thanks to the suddenly surging stock price of a video game company left for dead, this is hardly the first time that the stock market and video games have crashed at a strange crossroads. After all, 1989’s Wall Street Kid for the NES practically existed to teach young gamers about the stock market. 

Yes, there was a stock market video game released for the NES, and let me assure you now that it is somehow far more bizarre than you’re already imagining. 

Developed by technology company SOFEL, Wall Street Kid is essentially the spiritual successor to the company’s previous release, Casino Kid. Of course, while that game taught kids how to gamble, Wall Street Kid taught kids how to gamble, but with stocks.

As a tool designed to teach kids about the stock market, Wall Street Kid is lacking. The basic gameplay sees you navigate a series of menus that show you your available funds, current stock prices, advice from industry insiders, and a few helpful hints about the stock market. There’s very little actual gameplay to speak of beyond choosing which stocks to buy and sell each day while occasionally spending your money and making the most of your limited downtime.

The game tries to spice things up by throwing you price curveballs based on what you’ve already bought and sold (thus fulfilling its obligation of being a sometimes unnecessarily difficult NES game), but as long as you stick to a basic “buy low, sell high” strategy and diversify your investments a little, you should be fine. 

If Wall Street Kid were nothing but its menu-based gameplay, then I’d honestly be struggling to find a reason to talk about it now even during this unique time. However, the things that make Wall Street Kid so weird and memorable are found in the surprising amount of effort that developer SOFEL put into everything besides the gameplay. 

It starts with the story. Yes, Wall Street Kid has a story, and it begins when Larry the lawyer informs you that your distant uncle Benedict has just passed away (thus fulfilling the “dead relative” part of any great RPG origin story). Seconds after delivering this potentially devastating news with a smirk on his mug, he tells you that as his only surviving relative, you now have the chance to inherit over “$600 billion in assets.”

Hold up. How was that the number the developers came up with? According to an inflation calculator, $600 billion in 1989 is roughly equivalent to over $1.25 trillion today. In 1989, the richest person in the world (John Werner Kluge) had an estimated net worth of “only” $5.6 billion. What was your uncle doing? Was he actually the GDP of Taiwan in a coat? How is it even possible that a small army of people wasn’t looking for ways to turn his corpse into a gravy train the moment that he hit the floor as a result of what I’m going to assume were suspicious circumstances or the aftermath of a party on cocaine island?

Remarkably, that absurd figure isn’t the strangest part of this conversation. The lawyer goes on to tell you that in order to inherit the money, you must “prove yourself” by taking $500,000 and using it to turn a profit in the stock market. More than that, though, you’re told you must “uphold the Benedict standard of living” by “pampering your sweetheart” and “moving into a decent $1 million house.” You’ll have one month to buy the house, but ultimately, your goal is to buy a castle worth “several million dollars” that your uncle’s grandfather seemingly lost years ago when he immigrated to America. He then concludes the conversation by telling you to have “a great April Fool’s Day” before informing you that this is “no April Fool’s joke.”

While I have nothing but respect for a man who begins a conversation with “Your uncle is dead” and ends it with an offhanded “happy April Fool’s day,” I have several questions about this premise that the game doesn’t answer.

First off, while I understand that they’re going for your basic Brewster’s Millions premise, that comparison doesn’t really hold up. In Brewster’s Millions, the lead character was supposed to spend a large amount of money in a short time as both a cruel challenge and as part of a lesson about how money alone doesn’t buy happiness. Here, though, the “challenge” is to make money off the stock market starting with a $500,000 loan which, despite the assurances of trust fund babies everywhere, doesn’t seem to be that difficult. If this game wanted to recreate the real challenges of playing the market, it would have started us off with student loans, a resume full of transitional jobs, and lingering anxiety that you’d honestly feel stranger without at this point.

I also have to address those real estate prices. I can only assume that developer SOFEL was trying to use large numbers in order to catch children’s attention because the implication that a $1 million house is “decent” (in 1989 as well, mind you) is a real slap in the face to this broke millennial whose chances of owning a home apparently go down with every avocado sold. While we’re on the subject, how does a man worth $600 billion not find a way to buy a family castle worth several million? For that matter, how far did his grandfather fall to go from a castle in Europe to needing to immigrate to America? That certainly doesn’t sound like he was upholding the Benedict standard.

We also have to address the premise of that “standard” you’re expected to live up to, as whether or not you’re a bad enough stock dude to buy elaborate things turns out to be the driving force of the game. Along with needing to make payments on your loans, you’re constantly asked to spend money on various items for yourself and for your girlfriend. Mostly, though, you’ll need to spend money on your girlfriend, who I honestly believe you also somehow inherited as part of this deal. In any case, young Prisila is constantly asking you for more things, starting with a $1,000 puppy. All the while, there’s the lingering threat that you will lose her love if you fail to purchase her all the things she wants. 

This is one of the strange ways that the game tries to teach you about work/life balance. Along with needing to maintain a happy relationship, Wall Street Kid also asks you to participate in activities such as exercise, day trips, and shopping sprees in order to maintain your mental health. Failing to invest your time properly is as good as failing to invest your money properly, as both will lead to you ultimately failing. 

That’s a lovely sentiment, but it’s contradicted by the fact that money presides over every single element of the game. Did you decide to go to the carnival today? You’re immediately confronted with the hours you lost that could have been spent playing the market. Did you fail to purchase the right gift for your girlfriend (whose full name, by the way, is “Prisila The Pricey Prima Donna”)? You’ve ruined your relationship. Fail to buy a house in month one, a yacht in month two, and a castle in month three? Hit the road, you absolute loser. 

While I admit there is something tragically accurate about the idea of money interfering with many aspects of modern life, a guy telling me about the traps of greed while shouting from the top of a pile of money is a bit hard to hear properly Then again, I probably should be impressed he pulled himself to the top of that pile using nothing but his bootstraps and a large pile of money.

Also, I’m pretty sure that “Wall Street Kid” is a full-on stock scammer. Not only can you consult “Connie The Arrogant Advisor” (don’t get me started on this game’s names) for hot stock tips that often sound like a shining example of insider trading, but our “hero” is carrying a briefcase on the game’s cover that reads “Top Secret.” Is our man literally stealing classified info like the villains in Trading Places?

It all begs the question: “What is this guy going to do with $600 billion that he hasn’t been able to accomplish with a $500,000 loan?” He’s got a wife, a yacht, a home, a castle, and every commercial commodity you could imagine. What is the point of any of this?

The sad answer to that question may lie on the game’s cover which features the words “Use It or Lose It!” It’s the tragic slogan of a game that’s real message isn’t about security, happiness, or even a few of the finer things in life, but constantly moving money for the sake of the action well past the point when you’ve been able to consider what it is that you’d do with it even if you have it. It’s a truly fitting motto for a game that is so obsessed with moving the carrot every time you’re about to reach it that once you’ve caught and eaten the carrot, a mirage of it will continue to exist just outside of your reach. 

Wall Street Kid probably won’t make you a stock market master, but this absolutely bizarre addition to the NES library does a fine job of showing the unbelievable greed and overwhelming odds that typically ensure that the ones who get the most out of it are the ones that had the most to start with. All the while, you’re meant to root for the man whose biggest problem in life is having to settle for the $500 puppy.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Somewhere, the Wall Street Kid is sitting in one of his castles with over $1 trillion in assets as he sharpens an ax, puts on some Talking Heads, and tells his soon to be cleaned off the carpet servants how much he misses the ’80s. For that alone, he deserves to be remembered as one of gaming’s greatest villains.

The post Before GameStop, Wall Street Kid for NES Taught Gamers About the Stock Market appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[makingoutinyour30s]

was this what people meant by butter melting?

Dear A: 

It is time for an introduction to DD6. How nice it feels to discuss someone different (and, I’ll insert a brief reminder that “DD5″ was allocated to WCBBF’s friend with whom I hung out in LA). Letters on dating adventures are perhaps not so fun when you just end up discussing the same boy over and over and over and over again.

There is not so much to update, but I will give you what I’ve got. 

Saturday afternoon we met up for coffee in my neighborhood. He beat me there and he waited for me outside in the rain (charming). He was very cute. Incredibly cute. A, I had no idea this level of cuteness was available to me. What a gift! And he was dressed impeccably in greyscale attire so that we would look quite good walking down the street together. 

We grabbed coffee and stood at a ledge chatting for an hour and a half. He told me toward the end of our date, after asking if I had any dating horror stories (I don’t!), that he has a rule of doing coffee dates first so that he doesn’t find himself stuck at an entire dinner with someone with whom he is not compatible. 

Sidenote on that: everyone I’ve gone on dates with has “rules” of some sort. And I get them, to an extent. I, however, have no rules because I have no experience and rules seem stupid. But what happens when two people with two separate sets of rules go on a date? Isn’t it very possible that people might be compatible or have a good time but their weirdo rules just get in the way of everything? 

So we drink coffee and rapid-fire chat and it’s great. He asks a lot of questions about school and we end up down a sociology rabbit hole which I found unbelievable. I mentioned to him that I had two copies of The Fire Next Time on my book shelf (the last book he told me he read when we were texting last week). And he said he was getting ready to start a book for the second time that he hadn’t finished and that I was probably going to be disappointed he hadn’t read it yet. That book? Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. Let me just say I have never expected any man/non-academic to have read that book, but I clearly need to up my standards based on DD6′s thoughts. He had real opinions on the difference between Satre and de Beauvoir (“I just think she’s a much better thinker and Satre stole a lot of her ideas. If she was around now, I bet she’d have a #MeToo tweet”). 😮 And I told him I had visited both of their graves this summer. Because this, A, is S-style romance. French philosophers and gravesites. 

I jokingly asked him if he’d come over earlier and rifled through my bookshelf before our date. I told him that I had just read Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own for the first time and was crazy about it. I told him the premise and he had a lot of questions. And then, because we were really on a role, I told him I had also just read Cixous for the first time and could barely contain my excitement the day we discussed it in class. And this dude was all in for it. We did not entirely agree about de Beauvoir’s thoughts and at one point he said, “I’m always up for being corrected or challenged. And you seem like you’re doing it respectfully so I don’t mind this at all”. Which is, like, a totally ‘duh’ thing to say. But was felt like this excellent welcome mat into a conversation that I’m used to having by just having men shout over me. 

He also told me that when he was younger he worked as a go-go dancer so I’m pretty sure he’s the most well-rounded date I’ve met yet. 

I was having a great time and wanted to keep the conversation going so I was very close to asking him if he wanted to go get tacos, until he told me he had to leave in a few to meet a friend for the movies. So, we wrapped up our conversation and went our separate ways. About an hour later we swapped some texts that we had a great time and I will be expecting to hear from him later in the week to set up date number two. 

I’m kind of into the level of “feelings” I am currently having for DD6. I felt like we could have hung out talking all day. I felt like I was not far off from telling him about OH (and I will definitely not be waiting as long to tell people as I did with DD4). I was very attracted to DD6 and I found myself giving him a few full-body scans while we stood next to each other. But there were no crazy vibes. He was not attempting to charm me in any capacity. And while being charmed might have been nice, this maybe feels a little bit more genuine. Or, at least, it doesn’t feel like there is some weird trickery up his sleeve. It feels like we will go on multiple dates and figure out if we like each other. It feels very nice to be excited about more dates with someone, while not feeling like my heart is already thudding out of my chest for them. 

A, I have been texting you a lot about my current obsession with Call Me By Your Name. I started the book Saturday morning before heading out for coffee. I am halfway through and will finish it before the movie comes out Friday. I will write more once I finish it and digest it, but it is making my heart swell bigger than anything has in a long while. I have highlighted probably 20% of the book and I’ve found myself so taken with the writing that I’m reading much of it out loud to slow it down and hear the words spoken. We will discuss this more later, but for now please start reading it so that we can react to it side-by-side. 

xo, S. 

#DD6