#the slow burn is AN IMPORTANT FACTOR

[overbearingstruggles]

I really wanna understand your love for kieran culkin, I loved him in Scott Pilgrim.

Oh my god this is so nice you really don’t have to ask but I love that you did!!!!!!!!

I wish I had a less lizard brain answer to attribute the spark to but sometimes you need someone to do something sexual in order for your brain to unlock that interest in them and the Roman/Gerri phone scene takes the prize. When I rewatched the show I had zero recollection of the emotional scene that happens right after because apparently I blacked out lol. So then I’m watching the rest of the show through new eyes which of course leads to huh, I definitely love this character and am attracted to this being, but do I also love this person? Anon, he’s so lovable! The pro and con of Kieran & Roman is there is A Lot of Kieran in the character. Uh the best parts, we hope. He’s this secure short king with quick wit who talks fast and can require a bit of attention but is humble as heck about how good he is at his job and has this quirky decorated right appendage and isn’t afraid to crack jokes when someone broaches the subject of his irl family or politely shut them down when he thinks they’re off base about something. I love the little bit I know about him and his wife’s relationship and the way they can publicly poke fun at each other. I love that he lived in the same tiny apartment from 19 to 39 until his wife finally said “you’re on a hit TV show.” I love how sweet and diplomatic he is when someone tries to poke him about Jeremy Strong being weird. I swear you can feel interviewers become infatuated with him for being a real and funny, charming person. In conclusion, I think he's neat!

#full disclosure Scott Pilgrim is bottom of the priority list of things to (re) watch. mostly because he looks like..that. but I will! #sometimes I'm like oh this was inevitable. the slow burn was in process it just needed an opportunity #then Alex took himself out and the gate opened #truly insane background I like to note for me but not important to anyone else ever #feel like I always had a general goodwill towards all the Culkins even if I couldn’t be bothered to learn the difference between 2 of them #before Kieran's SNL had you held a gun to my head and asked me to identify which was Kieran or Rory 50% chance I'm dead #I only listen to WTF eps if I have a vague interest in the guest so I know I listened to Macaulay's episode years ago and Kieran’s in 2020 #and I know I came out of those happy to keeping rooting for them from afar - Kieran was great! - but it didn’t awaken anything. #his Conan episode is wonderful! but I wasn't digging in from that #S1 of Succession is so Kendall focused you don't get enough Roman but then he becomes the one we know the most about his childhood and #he goes from this little weirdo to fascinating puzzle #and through that just watching Kieran be good at his job is so hot! but also be good in a way that he makes seem effortless #and not too serious which is also importantly hot. no one really likes an actor who is weird about being an actor. he's just like that #then you factor in his personal relationship with J Smith-Cameron and her husband and it's so motherfucking adorable. I? #answered ask #KC #thank you anon this gave me so much energy last night lol

[trashpandato]

Romance

Earth customs are weird. 

Kara knows this; has known it for many years. And sure, she’s spent all those years trying to learn, trying to understand what makes humans tick so she could mimic it successfully enough to not stand out. 

“Fake it til you make it”, Alex used to say, implying that if Kara spent enough time pretending, human behaviour would eventually become second nature to her.

And fake it she did. Some Earth customs were easy enough to adopt. Like wide smiles that cover up her pain, the concept of comfort foods or all-you-can-eat buffets, or even humans’ tendency to find excuses to turn any random day into some kind of celebration - Hump Day, Tax Deadline Day, Polar Bear Plunge Day, National Frozen Yogurt Day. (She’s half-convinced that most of these are inventions by Alex to confuse her, but she celebrates National Gummy Worm Day on July 15th anyway.)

But if she’s honest, a lot of the things that humans do, their customs, their rituals, still seem a little strange to Kara. Even after years of trying to understand.

Chatting up strangers, for example. On Krypton, interactions with someone not known to a person would have required some sort of intermediary, an introduction through a trusted person. If Kara had even dared to walk up to a stranger to talk to them, she would have faced discipline not just from her family but also from the broader community. When she first landed on Earth, she relied on Eliza or Alex to make introductions and felt intensely uncomfortable when kids at school would randomly talk to her. It took her a long time to believably mimic these kinds of human interactions, and if she’s honest, she still prefers an official introduction over just chatting up people out of the blue. (It’s why she was happy to tag along with Clark for her first encounter with Lena.)

Or there’s the act of blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Extinguishing light instead of keeping it burning as a means of celebration. The first time Eliza prompted Kara to blow out her candles, Kara was horrified and it took a lot of gentle reassurances from her adoptive mother to even consider partaking in this peculiar human tradition. To this day, Kara prefers her candles away from her cake and to leave them burning for as long as safely possible.

And then there are all the gestures associated with romance. With Krypton’s system of arranged pairings based on compatibility across a number of important factors, there was no need to wine and dine anyone. She could remember her parents showing affection for each other, but there was never any ritualized approach to romantic moments. Humans, on the other hand, humans have rules about dates, about which flowers are appropriate to give to someone and when, about who pays the bill at the fancy restaurant, about slow-dancing and little gifts and how many feelings to reveal and when. 

It’s a lot to keep track of and confusing, and all the romance movies in the world cannot prepare Kara for her first official date with Lena.

She shows up with plumerias, because she knows Lena likes those and she knows, knows, that she’s supposed to bring flowers. But then Lena has tears in her eyes as soon as Kara hands them over, and she’s also wearing this dress that hugs her body in ways that make Kara’s higher brain function fizzle out. So she doesn’t protest when Lena pulls her inside with her hands fisted into the lapels of Kara’s suit jacket, follows Lena’s lead when she pushes her against the kitchen island and kisses her senseless, and finds herself naked and sweaty in Lena’s bed not long after that.

When Kara’s stomach rumbles a couple of hours later and Lena calls to have some food delivered, Lena chuckles.

“We kind of did this all backwards.”

Kara frowns. “How so?”

“Well,” Lena leans in and presses her lips close to Kara’s ear, making her shiver, “usually, the clothes come off after the fancy dinner.”

“You humans have a lot of rules about romance,” Kara huffs, and Lena laughs.

“I suppose we do. But I’m happy to break every single one of them with you, Kara Zor-El.”

#supercorp #kara x lena #supercorptober2023 #supercorptober

[paintbrushnebula]

I want Miles to be shown dealing with PTSD from Miguel's assault for the first third of Beyond's plot. Like even for a significant amount of time after he's been found by Gwen and the band, he's freaking out at everything. He stares at shadows, fearing that one of Miguel's loyal spiders could be lurking. He gets antsy when the gang insist on making a pit stop to rest or do something important (idk what the overall plot structure is gonna be like) because what if they get ambushed? He freaks out about going to any new location because he thinks they might be walking into a trap (or they're walking him into a trap). He'll outright refuse to be left behind himself alone for a moment once he's finally reached the point where he trusts his friends again. We just bear witness to Miles in this constant state of terror for the first third or so of the film, with so much to fear while not knowing what will happen to him in the end.

And he will be struggling to bottle up all this pent up stress and terror he's amassed in the past 24 hours with nowhere healthy to put it because he still doesn't know who he can trust and also because he's Miles and you know he's shoving down all his negative thought patterns and just how afraid and anxious he is for the sake of his end goal. We'll see Miles' will to never dwell on things go from being his best quality to his worst obstacle simply because he learns these life lessons a little too well for his own good. He's gonna just keep going until he flies too close to the sun and shrivels up and burns. And all his pent up anxiety is gonna come out eventually for sure, but I think in a very ugly way.

Like I want his PTSD to really affect things. For his anxiety to affect the progress of the mission and slow the team down sometimes or give the spider society the upper hand while they're hunting them down across dimensions (that seems to be the direction they're going in since Miguel's final line in ATSV is a command to send every spider out to hunt for Miles). Like if they actually come face to face with society members and have to fight, Miles will freeze up in terror and he'll have to be rescued or the enemies end up succeeding in causing problems because Miles couldn't stop them.

Or better yet, and here's the real cherry on top: what if his anxiety causes his powers to malfunction. Like they still work, but he completely loses control over them when he's experiencing these moments of intense panic. He's so scared that he's flickering in and out of invisibility and instead of venom striking on command, he's having these infrequent yet uncontrollable electric outbursts that vary in intensity, like he's having bioelectrical spasms fueled by the panic, and he can't even concentrate enough to direct the venom strikes at anyone in particular. So now like he's essentially defenseless against the Society and it'll be another big factor in him learning to trust Gwen and the Spider-Band again, because he'll have no choice but to rely on them for his survival.

#atsv #spiderverse #across the spiderverse #spider man: across the spider verse #miles morales #gwiles #spider verse #ghostflower #atsv miles #spiderverse miles #brushneb says stuff #forgot to add that Tag dang it #gotta get used to that

[killinfate]

Do you have any headcanons for Henry Winter, either as a lover or just general? I feel like headcanons are a good way to familiarize ourselves with a writer’s characterization, especially for a character like Henry.

Looking forward to it<3

HENRY WINTER HEADCANONS

(also currently writing an imagine for him BARE WITH)

— Firstly , Zane Holtz is my favourite Henry Winter fancast and this is exactly how I pictured him. Cannot get behind the Cillian Murphy fancast at all.

— To be Henry’s lover I think the friends to lovers dynamic would definitely come into play. I can’t see him being interested in someone purely from appearance, there has to be an intelligence to them and something he can level with.

In conclusion I personally would not appeal to Henry Winter.

— You’d definitely have to be in the Ancient Greek class for Henry to acknowledge and notice you. Unlike Bunny, Henry doesn’t befriend anyone out of the group and has his own superiority where he looks down upon the other groups in the college. I doubt Henry would be willing to get to know anyone outside the class.

— Slow burn would also be important as Henry takes time to trust or more so; you trust Henry. We’re told Henry appears odd to the other students of Hampden, coming off as stoic and cold so naturally you wouldn’t warm to him immediately either.

— Henry would be subtle with showing affection at first. I don’t think he’d be the type to easily confess his love for you and instead would drop subtle hints like gifts that were very personal or preferring to spend time with you alone than with anyone else.

— Despite his lack of emotion showed externally I believe someone who studies Ancient Greek like he does has a poetic side to them. It’d probably be subtle but there would be small lines in cards and letters.

— I’m not going to completely romanticise Henry since I do believe he’d be difficult to be with at times. His detached personality would entail arguments such as he’d leave for hours or possibly days and be extremely vague to where he’s been. There’d be confusing moments to where he’d want to push you away and I don’t think he’d ever be truly transparent and himself. There would always be underlying secrets, something Henry doesn’t want you to know even if you were entitled to knowing.

— Henry would probably think he has some power and control over the relationship considering his superiority complex. This would be another confusing factor because it could be construed as him being caring and compassionate, how he would tend to your needs and allow you to be vulnerable yet it in his eyes it satisfies his need for superiority and power.

— Ultimately I think deep down Henry would love and desire you yet he’d have difficulty showing it unless you got in an argument and you stormed out. Henry’s mind would wonder without you, knowing you weren’t there to talk him away from wherever his mind went.

— You’d act as a rock for him but eventually I don’t think there’d be any saving that man from how his mind spirals.

— His favourite idea of a date would either be a quiet night in reading or going out to some typical fancy restaurant (or simply a bacchanal if ykyk).

#henry winter #henry winter headcanons #henry winter imagine #henry winter x reader #tsh imagines #tsh #the secret history imagine #the secret history

[mindingmybidness12]

Zombie Lover[Wednesday Addams x zombie! GN! Reader]

Summary: Wednesday learns something interesting about you.

Warnings: Mentions of bodily harm. More on the ridiculous side but still.

Word Count: 700 words

************************************************************************

“Hey, how ‘s it going?”

“You have a knife in your shoulder.”

“Yes.”

“You have my knife in your shoulder.”

“That is correct.”

“Why?”

“Well I was watching a cool action sequence and it had some knife fighting. I wanted to try it but I don’t own any knives. But I knew you did. One thing led to another and… well.”

“Give it back…”

“Ok.”

You reached up and snagged the knife out of your left shoulder. Ignoring the burning pain and the blood pouring out of the wound, you turned to give it back to  Wednesday but thought again.

“Hey… do you mind giving me a second to—“

“I can wipe the blood off myself later. Don’t you think that there’s a more pressing issue to deal with first?”

“Like what?”

“You are bleeding you idiot.”

“I noticed.”

“…you’ll die if you bleed out, you ignoramus.” 

“I won’t die.” You replied while waving Wednesday off without a care in the world,”I have an incredible healing factor with an abnormally high pain tolerance to match. For example.”

You picked a conveniently placed ax off of a nearby desk.

“My ax.” Wednesday supplied

“I will be using your ax for this demonstration.”

“Give it b-”

“Observe.”

“What are you–!”

“Observe. HYAH!!”

With an unnecessary battle cry, you lopped off your own left hand with a swipe, sending your hand and blood flying across the room. Wednesday stood frozen in shock at your insane act. Before she could even begin to start yelling at you for doing something so outrageous, the door to her dorm opened and Enid walked in.

“Hey, why is Thing just slumped on the floor bleeding?!”

Thing crawled out from Enid’s drawer with lotion in tow at the sound of his name. Enid looked between both disembodied hands and then finally turned towards you and Wednesday. She took one look at Wednesday's shell shocked face and towards you with a missing hand and bloody ax and nearly lost her mind.

“Wait before you get mad know that it’ll grow back in-”

*POP*

“Oh there it goes.”  your hand grew back in a spray of blood and wet pop to accompany it.

*THUD*

Enid could only take so much.

“Well that could’ve gone a bit better.”

Wednesday turn towards you and just stared with her usual brand of utter disdain

********

“No, I've never seen how far my regeneration could go. I’m curious but not that curious.”

You were answering Wednesday’s questions of your newly discovered (by her) abilities as you and her cleaned up the bloody mess you left on the floor. Enid was still unconscious on her bed with Thing tending to her.

“Would you…like help discovering the extent of your abilities?”

“No…I’d imagine that would hurt quite a bit.” You raised an eyebrow at the girl's seemingly eager tone.

“We could start off slow. See if you leave any scars from cuts before we jump back to dismemberment.”

“Why'd you already have a game plan? Shouldn’t you be more… I don’t know, weary?”

“On the contrary, Y/n. Your new revelation has left me quite excited I must admit. I suggest you take me up on my offer. After all, it is important to your growth to test your own limits.”

“This sounds like we’re moving a bit too fast in a direction I’m not too sure I wanna go yet chief.”

“I’ll be gentle.” Wednesday promised

“Ayo, pause.” you recoiled at her choice of words.

“Pause what?” she looked just a touch confused at your reaction.

“Just…nevermind.” You didn’t want to have to be the one to explain Wednesday’s accidental bedroom talk to her.

******

“Ok my safe word is “AYO” just so you know.” 

In the end you ended up agreeing to Wednesday’s offer. Now you find yourself strapped to a chair with a tarp placed under you. You and Wednesday were in the Hummer’s shed and Eugene was given orders not to disturb the two of you.

“Also we can just go bury the limbs I end up losing in the forest or you can put them all in jars filled with suspicious viscous liquid…whichever tickles you more. I regrow everything back pretty fast anyways.”

“After my own heart are you?” Wednesday smirked as she snapped rubber gloves onto her hands while standing in front of various sharp pointy torture tools.

“Well, I gotta say. Craziest first date ever. Not even close.”

************************************************************************

A/N: And that's that! I'm not dead hurray! Had to take time off because of life but now I'm back. Leave a like and reblog and comment what you guys think. I'll see you when I see you!

#jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega #jenna ortega x you #jenna ortega x y/n #wednesday x you #wednesday x reader #wednesday addams x reader #wednesday x y/n #vada cavell #tara carpenter x reader #tara carpenter

[icequeenbae]

Boy Next Door (m) Ch.4 (fin) | BBH

Pairing: Baekhyun x Reader

Neighbor AU, slow burn, hurt/comfort, fluff, smut

Warnings: Baek being the neighbor we’re all dreaming of, harassment (nothing graphic), some altercations, a bit of body image/ insecurity, MC sucks at relationships, explicit content, unprotected sex

Word Count: ~18.5k (total), 3.7k (pt.4)

Summary: Your neighbor Baekhyun has been a pleasant acquaintance since you moved into your current apartment almost a year ago. Could he also be… a perfect match?

© Please do not copy/ post on other platforms without permission.

Chapter Masterlist: Pt. 1 > Pt. 2 > Pt. 3 > Pt. 4 (fin)

Author’s note: Yesss, the time has come for the final part of the series to drop~ This is more on the fluffy side tbh, but I hope you find it to be a pleasant ending to this mini-series. As usual, please don't be shy to leave feedback in any way you prefer, I track all of your replies/ reblogs/ asks ❤️ And thank you for giving so much love to my stories, I do appreciate that a lot!!

Tags: @bbh-net  @k-vanity  @ksmutsociety @lavnderluv @cupreoussyzygy @byunbaek-hyun-04 @blue-rainydays

‘I can’t believe you didn’t tell me earlier!!’

Yuki was over for girl’s night, and this time, she wasn’t the only one gushing about her prosperous sex life.

‘I was waiting for test results.’

‘Huh? Test results?’

You realized that you’d just spilled all the beans you didn’t intend to spill.

‘Uh- we didn’t exactly- you know?’

‘What?’ She asked suspiciously, probably not even imagining that you could get so careless.

‘Well…’ You swirled your hand around abstractly.

‘I don’t know what that means- Wait. No, you didn’t!?’ Judging by her lit-up eyes, she guessed right. ‘You little hoe!!’

‘Look who’s talking.’

‘Yes, I’m talking. And I want to know everything. Starting with the result of that test, actually. You stupid hoe.’

Sighing, you rolled your eyes.

‘It’s negative. Thankfully… But it was really stupid of me, I know.’

‘Well, did he at least pull out on time? It’s not a safe option, but the timing is somewhat important…’

‘He did. Although he said, he’s never had sex without condoms.’

‘Damn. I should change what I said to ‘you lucky hoe’! I hope you took that test properly.’

You nodded. That was the first time you had to march into a pharmacy to get pregnancy tests. And you had no clue about how to choose out of the dozens of available options. The only reason you were able to ask for help was that you wore a mask – to save you some face, literally.

But that landed you with a few options and some instructions to follow. You had also gotten your period after your two-day sexcapade with Baekhyun, so you were pretty sure you were lucky this time. But you were still concerned with the long-term options. Something you’d left for the future discussion with your physician.

There were other things on your mind right now.

‘Actually, there’s something else that’s been bothering me.’ You mentioned reluctantly. ‘We haven’t… made it official. I mean- he hasn’t asked me yet. Is that… indicative of anything?’

The thought was bugging you daily.

The words ‘Would you be my girlfriend?’ or anything of the sort, had never left your neighbor’s mouth. And you were the one who shamelessly got drunk, ended up in his bed, made him sleep in it with you, and then… Weren’t you so very eager to jump into having sex with him?

Not to mention that you’d stayed at his place for two whole days, Sunday being filled by more domestic delights, and… Even more sex. It seemed like Baekhyun was focused on you and completely insatiable. You couldn’t remember doing it more than once or twice a day, so you were stunned as you realized you had gone four times. His stamina was surprisingly remarkable.

It was a relief that you had to eventually leave his apartment, for you had to work on Monday. As you ran a bath at your place, you realized how sore and exhausted you were. The fact that just a couple days prior, you got shitfaced was probably a contributing factor, but also, the amount of physical activity was very unusual for your body. Though this was a great type of exhaustion, and you had the deepest sleep that night.

But now, almost two weeks later, you were pretty anxious about how your relationship was progressing. Relaying all of the basics to your friend and asking for her opinion was supposed to make you feel better; however, she shared your concerns.

‘This is weird. So, he had time to sex you up multiple times but not ask you a simple question?’ She frowned. ‘You know how it is here, Y/N… You’re not official until you say the words.’

You knew. And that wasn’t even the only cause for your uncertainty.

‘It’s not only that, but… We haven’t really hung out since.’ You mumbled, expecting a big reaction from your friend.

‘What?! Is the bastard ghosting you??’ She rose from her seat, looking ready to burst into his apartment and give him a piece of her mind.

‘No, he um- he had to go to some distant town for a work assignment. He told me that there might not be any internet connection since they would be on some military base or something like that. He said it would last a bit over a week, and then he’ll visit his family for a few days and get in touch with me from there.’

‘So, has he?’

‘So far… No.’ You admitted.

Yuki huffed, her eyebrows knitting together angrily.

‘Yah. That seems fishy as hell. Why wouldn’t he at least send you a text? Who disappears after having someone over for the entire weekend of fucking??’

‘We weren’t doing it the entire weekend…’ You mumbled, feeling your cheeks heat up again.

‘Come on! He didn’t ask you to be his girlfriend, disappeared on a ‘mission’ that sounds unrealistic, and hasn’t gotten back to you for almost two weeks? Wow, was I wrong about him.’

You scratched your temple, exhaling hopelessly. She just voiced everything that you thought to yourself. You kept giving him the benefit of the doubt in your head, but she was right. It was too odd for someone to vanish into thin air like this right after what had happened between the two of you. This was the hard truth, and it hit your softest, most vulnerable spot. Your heart.

‘I guess so,’ you muttered, voice a bit scratchy with the inevitable tears you held back. ‘What do I even do now, Yu? I like him a lot, which is precisely why I didn’t want to start anything…’

‘First of all, stop crying. If he decided to do this on purpose, he is a dickhead. And doesn’t even deserve to call you his girlfriend.’

She reached out her hands to wipe the stray tears off your cheeks.

‘Second… You need to grow some balls, Y/N. Don’t let people take you for granted or make you feel less than you are!’ She said in a serious tone. ‘I’ve told you this before: you shouldn’t retreat to your shell when someone attacks. You’re strong, beautiful, and an amazing person, capable of giving them hell if you need to!’

Snorting at Yuki’s passionate speech straight out of some girl power drama, you shook your head.

‘Yes, you are! Stop feeling sorry. If someone hurts you – don’t let them. I don’t mean Baekhyun exclusively. You know you’ve been in various situations lately where defending yourself was vital. Stop being a good, cautious girl who gets into her own head before saying anything. Act the way you want, and if someone is offended – it’s their problem. I’ve seen you speak your mind before, and it was damn powerful. That’s why it’s time that you do it for you.’

It wasn’t hard to guess what she was referring to. You’d been keen on staying collected on the outside and hid your emotions fairly well. You’d never let your struggles show, even when you were going through a difficult time at your previous job. You preferred crying in the restroom during lunch break to letting anyone know.  You didn’t want to deal with that. Sad or angry, you processed every thought before opening your mouth and saying something, just because you knew how hot-tempered you could become if you didn’t keep your tongue in check.

However, you did let it slip sometimes, mostly when someone hurt the people you love, as opposed to you. A couple years ago, you had to pick Yuki up from a random party she was stuck at, and there was a guy who made unwanted moves on her. As you arrived at the scene, you had to search the entire house for her until you walked into the kitchen, where the bloke was trying to kiss her while she was shoving him away. You vaguely recalled what you did… grabbing his shoulder to turn him around, kneeing him in the balls without hesitation. Yuki later shared that she sobered up as she heard you swearing excessively at him. You told him everything on your mind, and he was scared to talk back. Apparently, you looked like a force of nature back then.

And although this wasn’t the first time you’d done something like this, it was mostly reserved for someone else. But now that you were contemplating your life… You found that you might’ve been missing the point all along.

‘Actually… You have a point, Yu.’

Your best friend blinked, surprised by your response. She’d been trying to get through to you many times before, and now you finally listened?

‘Why should I always be the one to swallow my pride or feel uncomfortable? I’ve always been a good girl, and where did it get me?’ You wiped your face dry. ‘I’m not gonna do a one-eighty and become a crazy bitch now, but it’s time to let go. I won’t try to reach him or wait for him at the door. If he was one of the bastards who thought I was too boring to have a relationship with, well… Fuck him then. I’m done with feeling bad about myself.’

‘Yay! That’s what I’m saying. You go, girl!’

‘I’m sure I’ll get over him in no time. Yes, we’re neighbors; it’s gonna be awkward. But why should I be the one worried about it? I’ll be sure to let him know I don’t give a shit about him and his stunts if I ever see him again.’

‘That’s the spirit, Y/N-ah! Gosh, this calls for a celebration. Where’s the champagne I brought last time?’

‘I hoped you’d ask. In the fridge.’ You chuckled.

‘Coming right up,’ she winked, already headed to the cupboard to get the glasses.

***

Friday rolled in, having you overcome the struggles of getting work done while having your head elsewhere. Your office hours were so long and miserable that you were dead set on doing your house chores and then going straight to bed tonight. Just to sleep in tomorrow, wake up completely free for the day, and order from your favorite restaurant and chill. If anyone deserved a feast, it was definitely you! Rewarding yourself for getting through the week and spending five minutes not thinking about your personal life was a great achievement in your book. Maybe not great, but a triumph.

Walking up to the entrance, you saw a tall figure there.

It didn’t seem familiar until you were a ten-second walk away. Then you realized – it was that woman. That one who broke into Baekhyun’s apartment while you were there. And the one who called him up about having dinner together at his place.

Your first instinct was to turn around and sneak through another entry point. You hated confrontation, especially in case you didn’t initiate it. At this time, all you wanted was a quiet evening, and it was about to be ruined.

Your pride, however, didn’t allow you to back down. Suddenly, your conversation with Yuki replayed in your mind. She was right; you shouldn’t let anyone treat you that way or make you feel any less. And if you had to withstand a pointless attack, you could simply fire back. With that in mind, you reached the gate.

‘You!’ The voice made you sigh and brace yourself before turning around. ‘It is you! I’ve seen you before.’

‘Congrats,’ you shrugged, ready to walk away.

She grabbed your forearm.

‘Are you going to Baekhyun again?’

‘I find it unlikely that my destination is any of your business. Let go of me.’

She gritted her teeth, squeezing your arm painfully.

‘Listen, whore. I’ve been working on him for months, and as soon as I’ve made progress, you swing by and think you’re-’

‘No, you listen, bitch.’ You ripped out of her grasp, completely fed up with this. ‘I don’t care if you think you’re entitled to have him. But let me tell you this. I live on the thirteenth floor, so if I see you there again, I’m calling the police. Stop creeping around my house and get a life.’

‘You-’

‘Is everything alright?’ You turned to the security, who most likely caught your exchange in front of the gates on CC TV and decided to come check it out.

‘Yes,’ you nodded, pressing your code in and pushing through the entrance. ‘This person is blacklisted on our building, check under Byun Baekhyun. And please make sure she doesn’t sneak in and cause more trouble.’

‘Of course.’ The guard made sure the door was appropriately locked after you.

The woman, whose name you still didn’t know, shouted profanities at your back as you walked away.

You hated confrontation, but this felt good.

Later this evening, you gladly told your best friend about it.

‘Damn, you should’ve called me as soon as you got home! This is so cool,’ she yelled as you relayed the story.

‘I wanted to clean up first. You know we talk for hours… I'm glad I did; I’m sure I’d have zero energy if I had to do it now. I’m already in bed and so sleepy.’

As if to emphasize your point, you let out a loud yawn.

‘How graceful. I am in bed too, but I wish I could see her face when you… Is there a way to get my hands on the security footage?? I’d flirt with your guards just to have a chance to see that!’

You heard someone grumble in the background.

‘I’m sure you’d love to see that footage just as much as me, Seokie,’ she teased.

‘Ew, don’t tell me you’re in bed with Hoseok right now!’

‘What if I am? Jealous?’ She asked, and you rolled your eyes.

‘Sure. I hate you lovebirds.’

‘He’s been eavesdropping on your story about that bitch you put in her place, and he looks impressed.’

‘You go, Y/N-ah!’ You heard Hoseok shout.

‘Thanks,’ you giggled, feeling at ease. ‘That’s at least one source of frustration off my shoulders.’

‘Aw, you’re still upset about that bastard going MIA on you?’

‘I’m trying not to think about it. But… Baekhyun’s either been offline everywhere or has blocked me. I just keep thinking… If it’s the former, what if something happened?’’

‘Oh ,Y/N. I hate that you’re this kind. Next time you see him, tell him off just like his stalker.’

‘I guess,’ you agreed weakly. ‘Anyways, tomorrow is a new day, and I have great plans, so I need to sleep now.’

‘By great plans you mean ordering food and wearing pajamas all day?’

‘You know me so well! Don’t bother coming over, I’m not gonna share. It’s a me-day.’

‘Ugh, what a hoe.’

‘I’m hanging up.’

You put your phone away, giggling at her goodbye growl. She always knew when to tease you to make you relax, and it was one of the reasons you considered her a great friend.

She was always there to back you up and listen to your whining, if needed. At least when you went back to being alone again, you weren’t completely alone.

***

You danced eagerly to the door, ready to pick up your order. It was afternoon, and you were hungrier than a wolf. The delivery guy had just sent you a picture of your package, so you were to simply get it at your doorstep. Which was how you preferred it – living alone as a woman could be slightly creepy, so all contacts with strangers were to be avoided. Your apartment building had great security, but… better safe than sorry.

Thinking all that, you opened the door without checking if the coast was clear. Since you were already crouched to get the package off the floor, you instantly saw a pair of legs in front of you. Male legs. Someone was standing right outside of your door.

You quickly glanced up, meeting the chocolate eyes.

And then grabbed the doorknob, trying to shut the door. But a swift foot in the doorway prevented you from doing so.

‘Whoa, wait a second, Y/N-ah!’

You still wouldn’t budge, so Baekhyun continued.

‘I know what it must’ve looked like, but let me explain. Please, Y/N. I know I fucked up.’

He tried stealing a glance at your face through the crack on the door, but you turned away.

‘Why should I listen to a single word you say?’

‘Don’t you want to know what really happened?’

Trying to make up your mind, you looked down at the package in your other hand.

‘I’ll need five minutes tops to set the table.’ You announced, letting go of the doorknob and allowing him to follow you inside. ‘Be done till then, I don’t wanna spoil my healthy appetite.’

You said that while walking towards the kitchen to get your food out. Baekhyun put something suspicious on the floor and stepped into the kitchen silently.

Expecting him to start the explanation, you huffed.

‘Your time is going to be up before you know it!’

‘I’m sorry.’ He said, voice heavy with guilt. ‘I’m sorry if I made you upset. I know we agreed that I’d stay in touch, and I didn’t. But I promise you I didn’t disappear on purpose.’

You began taking out containers of food from your delivery.

‘My phone was handed in the entire assignment because that base wouldn’t allow any devices inside but our pre-approved laptops. I was planning to text you as soon as I arrived at my family home because when I received my phone back it was dead.’

Listening to him talk, you avoided looking his way. You wanted to process his words without any additional… distractions. It was time to be rational; meeting his warm, guilty gaze again would cost you half of your battle spirit.

‘I left it to charge as soon as I got home, but…’

He made a big, almost theatrical pause.

‘But?’ You nudged, wishing to know the truth.

‘I don’t know how to say this… Uh- Siwoo wanted to take a picture of something outside just to be playful and accidentally dropped it out the window.’

It was your turn to pause. Was he kidding you with that story?? You couldn’t believe he was trying to blame all of this on a child.

Your thoughts must’ve displayed clearly on your face, so he fished his phone out of his back pocket.

It was brand new. It was evident that the model was upgraded, and the color was different, too.

‘I restored the photos from the cloud, I can show you the picture he too—’

The shiny new device was proof enough for you, and you weren’t willing to have him provide you with further evidence of his innocence. Nevertheless, you wanted to make sure he was genuine in his apology.

‘Why couldn’t you at least call our building and ask them to give me a message?’

He stood there, stupefied, for what seemed like an eternity before his expression turned into a sheepish grin.

‘I could’ve… done that?’ He mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

Clearly, the thought had never crossed his mind.

You rolled your eyes and turned to the kitchen counter. The table was set, and you only needed to get the plates. The prettier ones were reserved for the rare occasions when you had guests, so you had to reach for them.

‘Y/N…’ Baekhyun whined, sounding uncharacteristically childish in his desperation. ‘I also brought you an ‘I’m sorry’ present…’

Hearing this made you snap.

‘Why would you do that? It’s not like we’re dating!’

He was taken aback by your words.

‘What do you mean we’re not?’ He asked, completely bewildered. ‘Are you seeing someone else?’

‘No, but-’ It was your turn to mumble. ‘You never asked me…’

Baekhyun looked at you as if you were crazy. Then, his frown transformed into something else.

‘Oh god, Y/N…’ He sighed, leaning on the counter behind you with one hand. ‘I thought it was obvious. I was serious about you from the very beginning, but if you want me to say it, I will say it.’

You waited for him to finish.

‘Please be informed that I’ve considered you my girlfriend this entire time. And I know I fucked up, so… are you gonna break up with me?’

‘I’m debating it,’ you responded gruffly.

‘Y/N-ah,’ He pressed, still hovering over you while his arm inched closer and closer to your frame. ‘I’ll do anything you want to make it up to you.’

Taking in his hopeful eyes, you pointed to the kitchen cabinet.

‘I need plates.’

Following the direction of your index finger, Baekhyun looked up. He reached over you, almost hugging you with one arm, and gave you what you wanted.

‘Thank you.’

He perked up, a question in his eyes. ‘What now?’

Although you were still grumpy, your heart was beginning to warm up to him. So easily.

‘Go sit at the table. I’m hungry.’

Baekhyun’s chocolate orbs instantly lit up.

‘Does it mean you forgive me?’

The hopefulness of his tone made your façade crack.

‘You’ve mentioned a goodie bag?’ You squinted at the huge paper bag he left at the door, just to avoid crumbling right in front of him.

Baekhyun smiled cheekily.

‘It’s all yours. Babe.’

You ignored the term of endearment, turning your back on him to hide your warming cheeks.

‘Get yourself another set of chopst—’

Your boyfriend gave you an abrupt back hug.

‘B-Baekhyun?’

‘I really missed you, Y/N-ie.’ He whispered in your ear, nearly busting your eardrum with a kiss. ‘Also, my entire family wants to meet you…’

‘What?? Already?’

‘Mhm. And here you were, thinking we weren’t even dating,’ he snickered. ‘Once I got you, I’m not letting you go.’

‘You are,’ you huffed. ‘Otherwise, you’re standing between me and food. And I got an appetite, you know?’

‘I know.’ His smile tickled your neck pleasantly. ‘It’s one of the many things I love about you.’

It was impossible to turn into mush faster than you did.

Masterlist

A/N: Okaaaay, we're done with another mini-series!!! Congrats to you and I haha Thank you for following this story till the end <3 And a huge thank you to all of my lovely readers that left their comments to each installment of the series! Ily 💕

#baekhyun smut #baekhyun x reader #baekhyun scenario #byun baekhyun smut #baekhyun fanfic #exo smut #icequeenbae fics #Boy Next Door #kvanity #bbh-net #baekhyun #byun baekhyun #baekhyun fic #baekhyun x you #baekhyun x oc #baekhyun fluff #baekhyun fanfiction #baekhyun scenarios #exo byun baekhyun #neighbor!baek #BBH mini-series #BBH series #BBH #exo baekhyun

[jennywritesz]

1.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

au where tsukishima is a scientist at college and you're his apprentice

740 words

warnings: none + slow burn

chap 1/ ??

Kei Tsukishima, a senior at college– a biologist with an aura of mystery, stepped into the laboratory with dread. Today marked the first encounter with his new apprentice, a moment he awaited with equal parts curiosity and annoyance. The thought of him having someone watch his every move made his skin crawl. As he adjusted his glasses, his eyes had a hint of mischief, already concocting a string of remarks to test the limits of his so-called apprentice. 

In the corner of the lab, amidst humming machinery and arrays of equipment, stood the young apprentice, (y/n). She obviously had determination, her eyes gleaming in an intellectual frenzy. Your presence was a stark contrast to Dr. Tsukishima's sternness, yet there was a hint of shared intellect that was possibly the start of a great partnership. 

“You must be Miss (y/n) I presume?” His voice cutting through the quiet laboratory hum. 

You nodded, offering a wide grin. “Yes, Tsukishima, it’s such an honor to work for you.” 

He turned around and went back to work, motioning for you to come observe. You stood on your tippy toes trying to get the best possible angle, he took notice of this. You sighed in annoyance.

“Too short to see the table?” He grinned to himself. You felt your face heating up with embarrassment. You slightly nodded, feeling all your pride leave your body. In this instance you didnt think height would be such an important factor, but considering he was doing a presicion experiment and he had to have the table basically up to his chest– height was a major factor.

He would never admit this out loud but, he thought it was kind of cute. Maybe this apprenticeship would work out. You had heard plenty of stories from past colleauges about how mean and rude he was, but you didnt think it to be true.

“That must suck.” He snickered. 

You thought wrong.

“I see why people call you so salty.” you remarked back.

They dont call him salty, you just felt the need to say that.

“Salty?” He glared down at you, you forgot how scary he was.

You said nothing in response, just stared at him in defiance. 

“Cat mustve gotten your tongue.” He looked away and continued his experiment, lowering the table so you could see. Maybe he wasnt so bad after all. 

You never really had gotten to know him. You had just heard stories and seen him in pass you in the hallway. Even then he didnt seem so bad. He always had this mysterious allure that made him sort of attractive, your friends never even bothered to hear you out; they wouldnt get it. You always watched him from afar, and now youre working for him, it feels kind of weird to be working for someone thats only a year older than you– he was good at what he does though.

“Are you even listening to me?” he scoffed in disbelief. This snapped you out of your trance.

“Of course im listening! Why wouldnt I be.” you rolled your eyes. You werent listening, but you cant let him know that.

“Oh really..” he paused. “Well then, I want an essay on how beneficial each finger is to the body. Turned in tomorrow.” 

Your jaw dropped. Who does he think he is? Some teacher?!

“Err.. of course.” your voice had an underlying tone of disapproval.

He took his goggles off and lowered the table completely.

“Help me clean this up.” he ordered.

You didnt realize you had spaced out that entire procedure. What kind of apprentice are you. Clearly a lousy one. 

As you finished cleaning everything up, you noticed Tsukishima struggling to wrap a bandage around his hand. You wondered what happened to him. You didnt realize it, but you were staring at him pretty intensely. 

“I cut my hand on the door handle yesterday, they finally fixed it after that.” He said with a straight face, that almost convinced you to hold his face.

“Do you need help with the bandage?” Your eyes widened at your own response. What came over you?

“Ill be fine.” he said back with a monotone voice.

Your face flushed with embarrassment, again. How many times can one embarras themself? 

“You can go now.” That was his way of saying leave now.

You took off your lab coat and grabbed your regular jacket and headed out for the night. 

#tsukishima smut #tsukishima x reader #tsukishima kei #haikyuu tsukishima

[afewfantasies]

🏔️The Retreat 🏔️- Chapter II

Prologue | Chapter I | Misc references & details

Summary:  Set about a month after the first Chapter, Gale heads into town for supplies and to make a reunion with the survivors of 'the bloody hundredth'. Lorena accompanies him on this journey, while the road-trip together is new territory - the reunion proves a success. Gale and Lorena get to see glimpses of each other at their best, in their elements and the new perceptions of each other are complimentary. Setting the foundation for bonds built to last.

Pairing: Gale Cleven x Lorena (black fem oc), everyones favorite Bucky Egan makes an appearance.

Warnings:  Race is a factor but there will be no overwhelmingly racist outbursts. It is more so a discovery element and explorations, different worlds, a little forbidden love element.

Tropes: Slow Burn, opposites attract, forbidden love

Word Count: 3.3K

Chapter II

Sitting in the car Lorena takes inventory of her purse for a third time. The drive into the nearest major city is five hours and Gale makes the trip once a month to pick up necessities without the markup of the local city. With his current profit margins it’s no need but he’s a man of routine. Lorena looks him over realizing this is the only time he’s freshly shaven with coiffed hair. His clothes are pressed and starched to perfection and he looks like he could belong in the pictures. Turning back to her window she wonders if he has someone in town or if it’s a bid to get someone in particular’s attention. She’d never asked any questions about his romantic life in the four months she’d been with him. Rose had disclosed the important stuff. He had been engaged prior to the war, but then before victory his intended decided to leave him for a Hollywood producer. Gale’s fiance was beautiful, Rose says they looked like a Hollywood couple. It was now weeks since Lorena’s breakdown and things were closer to normal again now. She was back to her easy going nature. Reaching into her purse she gets out a book getting Gales attention as she flips through pages before starting at the beginning. He focuses on the road for about five minutes until Lorena grows restless again. It makes him smile remembering his best friend.

“My best friend’s gonna meet us in town,” Gale says, breaking the silence.

“You have friends?” Lorena asks, surprised.

“I do” he nods and Lorena smiles pleased for him.

“So you speak to him? Full sentences or … how was the friendship developed?” She asks, her tone slightly teasing.

“Bucky talks enough for the both of us, you two are very similar” Gale responds with a shady smile.

“Bucky’s a woman?” Lorena asks, being cheeky.

“No, he’s one of my brothers from the war. We trained together, flew in together and were prisoners of war together” he says candidly, sometimes it felt good to tell the truth.

“Sorry” Lorena says not wanting to mock anything about what was undoubtedly a painful time in his life.

“It’s fine,” he says. “Bucky’s a flirt but he means nothing by it, he’ll probably tease the both of us unmercifully but it’s just his character. He can be juvenile at times but there’s no better man to have on your side in a pinch” Gale says with reverence for his comrade.

“I’m not easily offended” Lorena comments. “Also, I’d rather not interrupt a reunion of soldiers” she says with the wounds still fresh from her own ejection of Reggies life and times as a soldier.

“It’s fine, some of the guys will have sisters, wives, girlfriends and such with them. Rose thought it would be a good idea. You could shop and have some female company.” Gale proposes always the Major, always considering others. Somehow, it wasn’t infuriating to Lorena that they were discussing her behind her back. Gale and Rose really did seem to have her best interest at heart.

Lorena takes in her surroundings the drive in had been so full of strife and anxiety that there was no time to enjoy the mountain ranges. Everything looked far more picturesque than any painting she’d ever seen of the west. If her granny was still alive she would tell Lorena that this was the kind of place you survived at god's mercy. Her childhood experiences lead her to think of exodus, or maybe this was her Joseph moment as a girl. She hoped her grandmother's prayers would protect her in this new journey, through her rebellion and absconding of her home and family. Her grandmother would be proud of her survival instincts. Gale pulls over into a gas station to top up the tank.

“I can drive if you’d like?” Lorena offers.

“I’m fine, doll.  I’ve managed longer with more challenging hardware” Gale smiles, seeming happier than ever before. There was a gleam in his eye that she’d somehow seemed to miss every day at breakfast and dinner.

“Okay” Lorena nods, heading into the station with Gale. He checks the bathroom before allowing her inside. He stands outside the door considerate of the world’s ugliness and prejudice. Lorena found Gale even more protective than her own older brother. He was always hyper vigilant, assessing levels of danger and prospective threats. It was a symptom of the sickness the war left behind according to the mature ladies who’d lived through the return of men from the Great War. Gale catches all the eyes looking at Lorena and decides against using the restroom for the next few hours of his drive. He had his demons and didn’t need to risk letting that part of himself out while in the presence of a woman who’d never known that level of dysfunction. His daddy was a drunk man with a predisposition for violence. The very opposite of the kind of man Gale wanted to be.

“I’m fine to wait here” Lorena says.

“No” Gale swallows.

“You could ruin your bladder” Lorena tells Gale who smiles.

“I’ll be fine, doll” he scoffs.

“My Pa is a physician, he had a lot of patients in their old age suffering from incontinence, which means they can’t control their bladders.” Lorena explains.

“I know what it means, I’ll be fine Lorena” Gale says in an even tone. Smiling, Lorena turns away looking out the window as the sun begins to set. It was another thing that set Gale apart from the rest. She’d gone through life with the ability to charm the opposite sex with sweet smiles and fluttering lashes. Her granny always told her it was a danger to be so pretty - Gale seemed to think so too.

“What?” He asks, noticing her dimples.

“Just thinking about my Granny” she shares.

“Granny? You don’t send her any letters”

“No she’s passed on, something about you just now reminded me of her. She didn’t like many people either and was very protective. Took no advice or no nonsense, people gave her space and respect” Lorena explains. Gale shakes his head scoffing without comment. 

“A woman” he says finally, a callback to the Bucky debacle.

“I meant no offense Gale and besides, Granny was knockout - way prettier than you” Lorena teases getting a genuine laugh out of him. He’d received the pretty boy jokes his entire life, especially in the war. Never from a woman though. It reminded him of something Bucky would say. It was a strange thing to find the qualities you admire in someone who’d entered your life so unexpectedly but it was settling to both Gale and Lorena. Granny and Bucky have both been pillars of their lives during the times they were becoming the core of the people they were now. It’s dark when they arrive in the city, Gale takes the cases up to a room leaving Lorena confused. There was only one bedroom and one bed.

“Is there another room?” She asks looking up at Gale who seems ashamed.

“Not tonight, take the bedroom. I’ll take the couch, it’ll be safer that way” he explains as Lorena turns towards the door again. He’d spent practically an entire day on the road in an uncomfortable car, a couch would not suffice. “Before you start, I’ve slept in far worse conditions” Gale says, taking a seat.

Sighing Lorena says not another word to avoid a quarrel, she heads to the bathroom to freshen up and ready for bed. When Lorena had shown up at his door he was suspicious at first, a beautiful woman, young and with an unbelievable story. At first he was sure someone had sent her for him, then he was sure she was pregnant and looking to hide a child and then he was puzzled. She was remarkable and somehow through dumb luck or divine intervention she managed to travel all this way without knowing the evils of this world. Divorcee’s were usually more prickly around the edges but Lorena’s naivete shone through. Perhaps Gale hadn’t yet placed it but it had helped him come a long way. Done a lot to show him that his sacrifice had meant something to this world. That there were eyes that would never see the worst of it.

__________________

Noise startles Lorena, rousing her from a deep sleep. Turning she finds the other side of the bed empty once again. Waking, she swallows her bitterness like she had every day since she’d discovered another woman was a part of her marriage. Pulling on a housecoat she pads to the bedroom door only to find a sleepy looking Gale speaking to a tall smiling brunette.

“Gale, where’d you find her?” The man says pushing past Gale breaking all rules of decorum to shake Lorena’s hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips as he looks her in the eyes.

“You must be Bucky” Lorena smiles amused by his pageantry.

“That’s right,” Bucky smiles.

“I’m Lorena” she says and it takes some time for it to register. Bucky frowns a bit before turning to Gale in confusion.

“Buck, you didn’t say she was gorgeous. That’s not the kind of thing you leave out.” Bucky exclaims before turning back to Lorena. “Lorena, it’s a pleasure doll” Bucky says more respectably.

“Gales, a man of few words, he was conserving ink” you tease.

“Ohhhhh, I like her,” Bucky laughs, turning to Gale who nods knowingly.

“Come on, I'll introduce you to the rest of the women.” Bucky suggests.

“Not like this! I have to get ready!” Lorena says, alarmed.

“Might as well sit Egan, she’ll be awhile” Gale comments putting on a kettle.

“If you wake up like an angel, I’m all for seeing how you look all done up” Bucky says with his special brand of charm, it makes Lorena giggle. Gale had gotten used to her pageantry. At first it seemed silly, but he noticed how uncomfortable not being put together made her. Marge was beautiful too, drop dead gorgeous, the first time he’d laid eyes on her his heart stopped. They hadn’t had time to get to know each other really before the war. She was this woman who was perfect every time she appeared in front of him. There were no hairspray, cans and palettes of makeup and products, rollers and itons. There were no bottles of nail polish and strange scents about the house. Perhaps that was one of the reasons she’d left him for someone else. Perhaps he’d taken her for granted, perhaps he was too quiet, boring, reclusive and all the other things people said about him. He’d heard the commentary, grouchy recluse, tyrant, miserable hoot. He’d also heard the rumors started by the women. He was impotent or maybe the Germans had castrated him when he was captured. None of it was true, it was heartbreak although no one saw it that was. Just like no one could see through all Lorena’s pretty that she spent some nights sobbing. That sometimes all the makeup and pageantry was used to cover her puffy eyes and flushed skin. Sometimes the partying and drinking was her only medicine. It had occurred to Gale, watching Lorena over the past four months, that the women of the war had their own pain they had no outlets for. That they didn’t think twice about setting their pain aside for their men.

“She’s nice and beautiful - why’s she in the middle of nowhere with you?” Bucky whispers curiously.

“Her husband… ex-husband found someone in Europe and brought her back home. That’s about all I know, she doesn’t talk about it much”

“I bet you never asked” Bucky swallows, turning back to her door.

“I hate to see her upset Egan, whatever it is she’s run pretty far she clearly doesn’t want to face it” Gale explains.

“Is she a flirt?” Bucky asks.

“Not genuinely no, her hearts still hemmed up in her ex. I think it was real” Gale shares with a close eye on the door.

“Well she doesn’t look hard to love” Egan comments leaving Buck to shake his head. “What about Marge, you hear from her?” He asks.

Gale sighs, tasting bitterness in his mouth, “No, but I think she'd be doing well in Hollywood, with that big producer. The mountains aren't her idea of happiness. I tried fighting for her - she doesn’t want me” he confesses with defeat.

“Screw it, there are plenty of good women out there, bad ones too - I know where to find those” Egan winks, making Buck laugh.

“Ready” Lorena smiles all done up in her finery. A touch more than even Gale was used to but they were in the city now and it seemed appropriate to bring her nicer items out of hiding.

“Where the hell did you find her?” Egan whispers as the three of them take the stairs to the party.

It had been months since Lorena was truly happy to throw a party. It was like a fish getting back in the water, she couldn’t help but smile along with the other women. In two hours she had the hall all done up for the 100th Bombardment Groups reunion. It looked swell, especially the champagne tower she’d managed all on her own. Everyone likes her sunny disposition and warm smile. She’d also disappeared with the women for the first two hours of the reunion, Gale knew it was to beautify them. He’d never met a person that enjoyed seeing others at their best as much as Lorena. The way the other woman clung to her and the way they laughed made his day. He hadn’t seen her laugh like that ever, he’d never seen her so happy. This seemed to be her element. She was a people person, generous with her time and natural abilities. She seemed to be so comfortable entertaining, a debutant of sorts. Even the wait staff was at her mercy getting drinks and hors d'oeuvres to the men and women of the reunion. Every time Gale took his eyes off of her she’d magically teleport to another corner of the room.

This reunion was therapeutic for Lorena, to see the men smiling and whole after all they’d endured. They were generous with the stories of their experiences both good and bad. She wasn’t prepared for some of the horrors she heard but they only made her appreciate the men all the more. Reggie had been on land while they had been in the sky. After learning about their “bloody hundredth' moniker she found herself thankful that Reggie had made it home whole, even if he didn’t love her the way he did before he left. Lorena hadn’t expected to host parties every weekend but she’d hoped to make a home for him, invite his comrades over, host, have children and give him something to look forward to so he could put the horrors of the past behind him.

Feeling her mood dip Lorena heads to the bar trading the happy bubbly for her newly acquired bad habit of whisky. The bartender gives her a glass and she turns to the party happening around her. Sipping the strong liquid she turns away from Alexander Jefferson and his wife. They share a kiss and it brings back fond memories. Spinning around on the barstool she looks at the glass of the liquor display trying to quiet the heartbreak in her chest. Reggie had been devoted to her like that once upon a time.

“Whisky” she hears from behind her only to see Bucky.

“A touch more ladylike than the moonshine the boys drink at the lakehouse” Lorena smiles.

“Don’t do that, not for me. Don’t pretend to be happy Lo - there’s nothing sadder” Bucky comments with sympathetic eyes. Smiling, she blinks away her tears. “I had all these grand plans and then I was in prison and week after week not a single letter. All the guys had their sweethearts and I had to find my own reasons” Bucky tells her candidly. It’s a deeply personal thing to share and incredibly vulnerable.

“Have you found anyone yet?” Lorena asks hopefully.

“Not yet, the guys write to me though” Bucky says.

“I will too and I’ll keep an eye out for you” Lorena adds, making Bucky smile.

“What’s your story, how does a city girl end up in the mountains?” Bucky asks, causing Lorena to drain her glass. Tapping the glass onto the bartop she beckons another needing more liquid courage for her truth.

“Reggie, my ex husband, was in the war. We were just married before he left, newly weds of sorts at least it was still the honeymoon. We had friends and a home and people say perfection doesn’t exist but I had no complaints. We were so complimentary, nothing he did annoyed me. He went over and heaven only knows what he saw, I understand it was horrible, I do, and my heart seems a small price to pay for his life but it's hard all the same” Lorena confesses wiping away stray tears. “He came back and it was different. He was trying to fill the shoes of what we had been. Bucky he’d never tried before. It was as easy as breathing, then I found letters from her and then I saw them together and as much as it hurt I was relieved. You know when you love someone that much it hurts to live with a ghost or a shell of them. So when I saw them and all my intuition was confirmed I left. Reggie didn’t need another great battle and it would’ve soured into resentment if I stayed. If I stayed at home I couldn’t survive it so I drove.” Lorena shrugs, wiping away more teats.

Bucky nods a few stray tears falling out of his own eyes.

“If I ever meet that sorry son of a bitch” he comments, making her smile. She takes her new glass of whisky, taking a sip as he stares at her. “I can tell you one thing for sure Lorena and I know men, your Reggie is a coward. A real man would’ve told the truth and carried the burden. You shouldn’t have had to run, you did nothing wrong but I’m glad to have met you. Glad to know you.” Bucky smiles, holding out a hand to her. Smiling, she shakes it.

“Likewise” Lorena agrees.

“I know what I’m gonna call you,” he smiles.

“What? Buck-ette?” Lorena teases, making him laugh.

“Angel,” he nods.

“Why Angel?” Lorena asks.

“Cause you're too good for this world” Bucky nods. “The kind of woman us men pray for” Bucky says.

Sitting at the bar Lorena finishes her drink and Bucky gets through three before he's up dancing and singing. He’s a hell of a good time, they dance together as friends until she overheats and finds a seat. Fanning herself as she watches Bucky go off on a tear she can't help but laugh. Familiar cologne tells her Gale is near and he sits in his perfectly tailored uniform. Lorena had known he was a good man but she never dreamed he was the kind of hero he was to these men. Brave, loyal, dependable and adventurous.

“Haven't seen you dance” Lorena comments.

“I don't dance,” Gale responds.

“No of course not” Lorena smiles watching Bucky belt out the words to the record playing.

“You have quite the moves”

“I was a debutant, there were lessons upon lessons and then there were lots of parties and I loved to dance. Seems silly now, but it's still a good time” Lorena confesses happily.

“Angel, I need you for the next one!” Bucky walls from the floor.

“Angel?”

“I’m officially one of you now, I’ve got my nickname” Lorena winks standing to smooth her dress. Watching them, Gale feels a curious longing in his chest. She fit so well he wondered if maybe the warm reception from his comrades at arms and neighbors in the mountains meant maybe they could be something more.

#austin butler imagine #austin butler x black reader #black authors #austin butler #major gale cleven #gale cleven x oc #gale cleven #buck cleven #bucky egan #masters of the air #masterlist #mota

[leonstoenailunderhisbed]

Insurgency: Serpent Killer

Summary: A totalitarian regime reigns over a South American country in which the virus is being distributed to its citizens at the pretense of a “cure.” Leon was sent to retrieve a sample of the virus mutation when he stumbled upon a group of anti-government activists whose main goal is to overthrow their government. Will Leon help the cause or will he fall down with the government as well?

Warning: Mentions of mature themes. Read at your own discretion. Slow burn. Age gap (Leon is 38 and reader is 21+). Reader is female.

Word count: 1,598

A/N: this one’s short but pls bear with me it’s for the plot.

[part one][part two][part three][part four][part five][part six][part seven][part eight][bonus]

“I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable, to explain something inexplicable, to tell about something i only feel in my bones and which can only be experienced in those bones," - Franzs Kafka, Letters to Milena

The Insurgents went off to their control panel to deliver the message to President Mendez. Everyone could tell how hurt and angry you were. You were out for blood, and you didn't care about anything else other than seeing the president's head off of her body.

"Tonight, we will storm the tower and end things once and for all. I don't want more innocent people dying," you said and then turned to one of the insurgents, "Tell everyone to get ready for battle."

The insurgent nodded and you watched as everyone got to work. Leon could only stand behind you as he watched you become so blood thirsty.

"Y/n..."

"Leon," you turned around to look at him, "We can handle this ourselves. You are still an important factor for us and I don't want anything to happen to you."

Your tone changed. You didn't sound like the girl he kissed back in San Jolonia. But he knew better than to say anything. He nodded and then took a step towards you.

"I need to complete my mission," He spoke quietly as he leaned down to your ear to whisper, "Remember when I said I was a government agent?"

You nodded and waited for him to proceed, "I need to go to a research facility and extract some information, think you can help me?"

You looked at him with furrowed brows before silently nodding, "Fine. You've been helping us, guess it would be fair to help you as well."

Leon nodded, “Thanks,” he mumbled before he walked away from the room. Now that you were alone, you couldn’t help the surging thoughts running rampant in your mind.

More people dying. More blood. More battles. War.

You were angry and you needed to do something now.

-

The insurgents prepared their own artillery- tanks, bombs, guns. Anything they could use for battle was ready. As their new leader, you checked that everything was good to go before finally proceeding with the storm.

This was it.

“Alright people, let’s get a move on!“ the people began to move after your order. The sound of their footsteps echoing through the gates as the tanks and vehicles exited first.

You marched with the Insurgents as Leon wandered off to god knows where. You trusted him and right now what you needed to focus on was the fact that today is going to be day where war will take place. Right in the heart of Pruye.

-

The President received the war declaration and she wasn’t all too happy. She’d thought that after seeing the murders of the innocent civilians, everyone would stop defying her. It only caused the opposite to happen. She quickly turned to her assistant,

“I want you to bring the Membario test subjects. They want a war? I’ll give them one…”

-

Leon went back to San Jolonia. When you brought him there for scouting supplies, he saw a research facility and he knew that’s where he had to go for his mission.

He hadn’t forgotten the real reason he was here. All he needed to do was get the sample and go back to you for battle, it was that simple.

As he walked through the rubble of the ruined city, he was wondering why there weren’t any signs of B.O.Ws yet. He’d thought that he would see one by now but so far he hasn’t. Which was unsettling, by the way. Something felt sinister about today but he couldn’t put any reason behind this feeling. All he could do right now was enter the facility and hope to find a sample of the virus.

-

Bombs and bullets went off as you and your people marched through the gates of the inner city state. The tower had been protected by soldiers and tanks.

Smoke filled the air as the ground shook from all the explosives being exchanged on either side. Soldiers and insurgents dying left and right.

But they didn’t seemed to have noticed you sneak inside the tower, ready to climb up the endless stairs. Right towards the president’s office.

-

The research facility was abandoned but it still had many of its records. It was as if the place was still used. Leon walked around the place and briefly looked over some scattered files, which all contained relatively the same thing. All about Membario and the test subjects.

One paper in specific stood out to him.

Test Subject 119: Subject has responded to commands and has been subdued.

He furrowed his brows as he read the files, more confusion strikes him and he didn’t know what else to expect from all of this. Sure, he knew a war was coming, but what type of experiments happened down here? He only hoped that whatever it was, that it only got scrapped and forgotten.

The further he walked down the facility, the more eerie it got. And that’s because of a green light emitting from a room.

With quiet steps, he slowly approached the room with his gun at the ready. Slowly entering, he made sure to sun his gun at any potential threat. After noticing that nothing came at him, he lowered his weapon and began to look around the room.

In the center of the room, stood a cylindrical tank with green liquid inside. And inside that tank was a mutated humanoid that resembled an all too similar monster- a bio organic weapon.

The hairs of his neck stood up as he felt a chill run down his spine. It wasn’t like anything he fought before. It was more evil and looked almost human. He knew for sure that this must’ve been something related to the government, why else would they keep this hidden?

He needed that sample but he didn’t know how to get it. Instead he just walked away towards one of the computers and hooked up a secret device he hand at the bottom pit of the pockets of his pants. For once he was glad he didn’t have to fight something- or someone- for a sample.

Once Leon hacked the information into his device, he made a swift exit. All while taking a mental note of that humanoid B.O.W.

-

You barged into the president’s office with your gun pointed and aimed in front of you. Gasps were heard all throughout the room.

And there stood President Mendez.

It was overwhelming. You desperately wanted to pull the trigger but you knew better. Instead, you spoke up, “I’ve got you now… if I were you, I’d be careful with my next choice of action.”

The President chuckled as she lifted her hands beside her head, “I was waiting for this moment… I knew one of you would come and try to pull this stunt.”

Her laugh only made you more angry. You gripped the handle of your gun and took a step forward, “Release everyone and I’ll consider letting you live.”

President Mendez stopped laughing and stared at you with amusement, “I don’t think you’re in any position to make threats like that…” her smug smile irritated you. You felt nothing but rage building up inside you.

You pointed your gun at once of the soldiers next to her and shot him right in the head before turning your attention back to the President, “The difference between you and I… is that I do not hesitate,” you seethed through gritted teeth, taking another stop closer.

The President remained silent as she observed you for a good minute, “You won’t win this fight, you know that right?”

Your eyes narrowed at her statement, “Says who? Because so far, we’ve been beating you and your idiots.”

She laughed at you once again before lowering her hands, “Oh c’mon, take a look. I’ve won even before all of this started. I have connections, I have supporters, I have power. And what do you have? Dreams and a toy gun. You’re nothing compared to me and you’re a fool for believing you can even amount to anything near my level.”

Silence overtook the room as you glared at her.

“Let’s be real, shall we? I have the Americans on my side. The weapons that you and your little friends have come from me,” she walked around her desk to stand in front of you.

“Do not forget your place,” she whispered in your ear. With an angered huff, you swung the back of your gun at her face. President Mendez stumbled back and two soldiers ran up behind you. Each solder took your arm and held you in place. “You bitch!” You yelled at her as you thrashed around.

The President held the side of her face where you hit her and with anger she spoke, “Take her with the rest of them. I want her executed by tomorrow.”

The soldiers nodded before they started to drag you away, “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!” You yelled right before the door closed and the soldiers dragged you down the stairs.

-

The soldiers took you down to their cellars and threw you into a cell with other people. Some were men and women and others were just children. It broke your heart and it only caused your anger to rise.

You are to be executed tomorrow and there was no one who could save you. You were angry but also disappointed.

-

Leon ran back to San Bandero where the Insurgents were fighting soldiers to storm the tower.

He decided to be useful and help kill some soldiers.

Unbeknownst to him that the new Insurgent leader got captured by the president.

#leon kennedy #leon s kennedy #leon scott kennedy #resident evil #id leon kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x y/n #leon kennedy x you #leon s kennedy x reader #di leon #death island leon

[tj-dragonblade]

FLUFFBRUARY 2023: Feb 4

Prompts: daydream snow rest

On AO3

"What's wrong, love?"

Dream glanced again at the table across the pub, off to Hob's right, and his expression soured a little further. "That student is. Daydreaming, of me."

Oh? Curious, Hob snuck a surreptitious look; there was a young person at the table in question with books and papers spread around them, doing schoolwork to all appearances, but apparently their focus was not so single-minded as it might appear.

He looked back to Dream. "No harm in that, is there? Unless." He frowned. "Are they imagining violence?"

"No. They perceive my form as pleasing, and they would imagine themselves my lover."

Ah. "Don't tell me you're offended that a lowly mortal dares dream of one such as you?" He was joking, mostly, poking at wounds far enough in the past that he could lend them a little levity, but also he couldn't be entirely sure that wasn't why Dream looked so broody.

But Dream shook his head, a spare movement to one side and back. "It is not...offense. These thoughts are private so far as they know, and it would be a poor thing indeed, to. Police, the fantasies of others."

"Then what is it, dove?"

"...I would not enjoy it, the way they dream of touching me. The things they wish to do with me. And it is...discomfiting, to be subjected to it."

That made sense, actually, though Hob couldn't say he'd ever thought of it before. "So is it, ah...discomfiting, when you catch wind of my daydreams?"

The corner of Dream's mouth tilted up. "No, Hob. Yours are welcome; yours are pleasing. I wish to share intimacy with you, and you are well acquainted with the many ways that I enjoy it."

"So mostly it's because they're a stranger, but having, ah. Extremely familiar thoughts about you?"

"...Yes."

"Can't you just, I don't know, cut it off? Take it away? Make them stop?"

Dream frowned. "It would be an egregious abuse of my duty, to banish a daydream simply because I mislike it." Unspoken was the implication that once upon a time he would not have hesitated, but he was trying to be better these days.

Hob nodded in sympathy. "Want to get out of here, then?"

Dream, surprisingly, again shook his head. "This is our tradition, Hob. I would not give it up simply because I am uncomfortable."

No matter how often they were seeing one another these days, June 7th they always met here at their table in the New Inn (every year, now!), a standing date in honor of their history. Hob was absurdly touched that Dream counted that the most important factor at the moment. He smiled, slow and warm, all the love he held for this marvelous creature before him curling soft in his chest. "Well." He reached to touch Dream's hand across the table between them, light and affectionate, curling their fingers together. He rested his chin in his other hand, elbow propped on the table, and gazed at Dream with half-lidded eyes. "I guess I'll just have to distract you, then."

Dream arched an eyebrow, his expression shifting into something that Hob would've labeled 'resignedly curious'. Probably thought Hob meant to out-sexy the stranger across the pub. Well, hah. Hob knew how to read a room, thank you very much, and he could tell that would not be the most effective approach right now.

He settled into his own mind, collecting himself to craft a proper daydream. Idle thoughts and fleeting images weren't enough; it had to be spun with focus for Dream to see it easily. So he focused—on the slender hand clasped in his, the crystal blue eyes watching him—and he imagined.

The day was warm out, a bit muggy, and the fans were struggling to make a difference, so...maybe something completely opposite, then. A nice cozy little cabin, tucked away in the mountains, snowed in and secluded. A cheery fire, burning bright in the hearth. A plush sofa, big enough and soft enough that he could snuggle back into the corner of it with his legs up along the length and Dream nestled in between them, back to chest. An anthology book in his hand, semi-forgotten, as Dream told him about how the stories within had been conceived and written and brought into being. A quiet evening resting in each other's company, Hob listening spellbound to Dream waxing rhapsodic about these aspects of his duty that he loved best.

Hob blinked, keeping the daydream active in the back of his mind as he focused on Dream before him again.

Dream was staring at him, eyes shining and red-rimmed, mouth curving up in a brilliant-if-slightly-watery smile. "Hob." He squeezed Hob's hand gently.

Hob squeezed in return. "Better?"

Miraculously, Dream's pending tears stayed put through a fluttering blink. "Yes. Thank you."

Hob smiled softly, brushed his thumb over the back of Dream's knuckles. "'Course, dove. Anytime."

And in the daydream, he threaded his fingers through Dream's hair to keep him close against his chest, bowed to press a tender kiss to the crown of Dream's head, basking in the warmth of the moment shared.

#Dreamling #Sandman #Fluffbruary 2023 #TJs Fluffbruary #TJs Fics #a proper ficlet this time #wordcount over 500 #may be projecting on Dream just a liiiiittle bit #Ace-adjacent

[mangio-formaggio]

Hot take, but LW being big part of Bridgerton narration and marketing makes me wish they kept polin story for the last or at least after B, E, and F. I know there're many factors: Pen is clearly producers's fave, Netflix famously has problems with keeping the shows longer than three seasons, actors are getting more famous and busier, LW wasn't big part of the books, especially latter ones... But if none of this were important to consider, I think it would be and incredibly satisfying to see the full-ass slow burn and explore deep close friendship and let LW evolve from Gossip Girl to an actual journalist who has a voice to change things for the better.

#bridgerton #bridgerton season 3 #polin

[redjadethewriter]

My take on Blank The Series:

Age Gaps, GL, and Trauma

To make a slow-burn romance interesting to watch, especially with age gaps, regarding WLW relationships, we need many elements.

First, we need a decent cast pair. Second, we need believable performances from the actors who play these complex emotional characters. Third, we need drama. We need a reason behind each action and dialogue exchange between the characters. This is where the story becomes important. We have the characters' story and the plot of the major stuff going down. The back story of the two main characters is the most important to flesh out more than the side or supporting characters.

I'm just going to say it: I'm impressed by the performance of the two actresses who gave life to these characters.

Lately, I've had several coronaries because Thai GL has turned me into a Junkie for their content more than my own countries' versions of sapphic relationships. And they are making age-gap relationships so much more compelling to watch.

The premise is as basic as it comes in terms of story arcs. Actually, I agree with some people that "Blank" and "Gap the Series" were gender-swapped stories. Usually, a wealthy older man falls in love with a young girl. So, now we have an older prominent woman falling in love with the young girl instead, but they made it more tender and somewhat light-hearted. I understand this is an adaptation of a naughty novel, which is fantastic. I write naughty, too. But the series is more tasteful. It focuses more on the crucial aspects versus the naughty.

By the way, I enjoyed the playfulness in both the shows. It's nice to have playful flirting involved versus extreme seduction right out of the gate. Both shows remind me how a romantic relationship or even pursuing a special someone can have a silly, playful approach. It doesn't have to always be serious and get to the sexy stuff. As an older Lesbian, I have a similar playful nature when I'm allowed to express it. Thus, I feel for the older characters willing to become playful with their much younger romantic partners.

However, there's one thing I can relate to since I'm in my late 30s. Is the extreme insecurity of being romantically involved with someone younger than you? In Blank the Series, the age gap difference is 16 years. I'm glad they raised the age bar because it would've caused a lot of issues.

It's funny because I was the girl in my early 20s who hooked up and dated older women in their 30s. The age gap was not 16, but 13 years between me and the older women I had short-term relationships with. So, watching the interaction between Khun Nueng and Anueng, oh my gosh, right way, I thought Khun Nueng was in trouble in so many ways.

Now that my position in life has switched and I'm a similar age to the women I used to date, I understand the complexities they went through. You just only know once you experience it for yourself. Insecurities around age are an enormous factor in reality and in this story. More than the woman loving women aspect or even the drama of others accepting the relationship. Really, the destruction comes from the older woman who can't deal with falling in love with someone younger than them. When you sprinkle trauma on top, with a side of keeping a facade or reputation, it can get chaotic super fast.

Not only did Khun Nueng become attracted to Anueng quickly, but she couldn't resist turning Anueng away, no matter what. The actress performed those rigid responses really well because, in reality, I would have to visit a chiropractor to break my body. The tension alone of repressing my desires would turn me into a ball of knots. Especially if I had no willpower to turn away the person. Ugh... I don't even wanna think about that. Because knowing my karma, something would put me in that position in life. I even resist dating any women in their early 30s. In the late 20s, I will say to the sky, "F***...Why me?" I'm like that anyway each time I fall for a woman. "Oh, f***...Why me?"

I have to sprinkle some satire on this topic because I can already see that the root of every decision and action Khun Nueng makes is based on that insecurity. Internally, she doesn't want to believe Anueng when she constantly says she only wants to be with her and loves her. It doesn't matter how often it's said; it is something that Khun Nueng must overcome regarding age-gap insecurities.

In the ending scene of episode 6, I reacted, "You totally just wanna keep piling on the torment, don't yah?" It's clear throughout the six episodes that she's in love with the girl. She can't even admit that she gets jealous. And oh my gosh, older adults' actions regarding jealousy are more diabolical than younger people. Actually, the older you get, the more sinister it gets. The passive aggressiveness turns up. Believe me... The sky is the limit on tactfulness and mind-f***ing when women get vengeful. Oh, my gosh... I still love women, regardless. LOL! Sweet as poison.

Khun Nueng's stoic demeanor is just a mask. She represses her emotions and vulnerability. Khun Nueng abides by stoicism, which rarely benefits emotional growth. We witness this when she refrains from showing anyone her weakness, so she doesn't cry in front of people, even at her grandmother's wake. When she finally ends up alone and breaks down, Anueng shows up, and Khun Nueng feels safe enough to break down in front of her. Which is hard to do that. I also have a stoic facade, so I recognize that bullshit a mile away, and I know exactly how hard it is to repress grief. Once it erupts, it hurts like hell, but I knew Khun Nueng was fully F*** because there's really no turning back with that kind of intimate exchange they had.

I can't wait for season 2 to see how that bites her in the behind.

Obviously, I don't want Khun Nueng to suffer anymore, but through her mistakes and emotional and mental anguish, she will learn what or who is truly important to her because she's dumb. Just because we are in our 30s or late 30s doesn't mean we are free from stupidity. She definitely needs to make better choices and stop playing so many mind games to protect her ego. She needs to learn to be more upfront about her feelings and wants.

Hopefully, we get that.

I have faith they will.

#blank the series #show review #life blogging #thai gl #gl drama #gl series

[drawingdroid]

Melting Point: Chapter II

A Sculptor Din Djarin x Art PhD Reader Series

Read Prologue | Chapter I

Chapter II: The Sculptor/Temper

Summary: You get a job offer you can't refuse and meet your new boss, a gruff sculptor who is so familiar.

Words: 2393

Warnings: This is a slow burn, you've been warned!; a lot of talking about Art and PhD life; Reader is not Grogu's nanny but this is very Grogucentric if that makes sense; And Reader is Din's employee too; Very grumpy and antisocial Mando; Grogu is human but the only thing described are his eyes; Reader appearance is left blank; Age gap of 10-15 years; Fluff fluff fluff

A/N: I darlings! I hope you enjoyed Christmas if that is your thing! I'm back with a new chapter, let me know what you think because I have a lot of feelings about The Armorer being reader's thesis tutor *cries in mommy issues*. Hope you enjoy this!

That morning you so were nervous. No, terrified. Finally, you were having your first meeting with your thesis tutor, the renowned artist and professor Dr. Armorer. You admired her work so much, and her deep knowledge of Ancient Mandalorian Art was admirable. All of her books were constantly by your bedside, extensively annotated. What would your role model think of you?

Your first impression was that she commanded so much respect with only her way of standing. She insisted on meeting in the faculty’s foundry, while you had expected to talk in her office. You couldn’t get your eyes off her while she was working with the red-hot metal against her anvil. She stopped hammering when she noticed you standing awkwardly at the door.

“Welcome kid.” Her voice was flat while the visor of her safety mask was fixed into you. “I’m sorry for the scholarship.” Okay, so right to the point, no pleasantries. You shivered, feeling self-conscious, and downed your gaze to the floor. “Your proposal is magnificent and I pushed for you to be admitted, but the budget is limited and now Nevarro City is placing its interest in other departments.” After placing her tools in their place. She didn’t remove her leather gloves though.

“Thank you Dr. Armorer, I’m well aware that investing in Art has never been one of the top priorities of the governments.” Your tone came surprisingly cynical while it was sad too. Your cheeks blushed for the sudden outburst in front of the professor.

“Do you drink caf?” You nodded and she directed her attention to a little coffee maker in a corner that you hadn’t noticed earlier. Soon she handed you a steamy cup of the dark liquid. She had brewed one for herself but hadn’t lifted her golden mask to drink yet. It looked like she was studying you.

“Professor, I’m very embarrassed to admit this, but I applied to the program expecting to receive that scholarship, and without it I’m afraid cannot afford my studies,” you blurted with your gaze fixated on your drink. “I’m very sorry for having wasted your time, but…”

“What brings you to want to study Mandalorian art, kid? She interrupted mid-sentence and you swallowed hard. A heat started expanding through your veins and it wasn’t because of the coffee. It was always the same when you spoke about your passion.

“Mandalorian culture is one of the most ancient ones still alive. The artistic manifestations were present early in their history and bound intimately with the development of the technology necessary to process beskar. The importance of the clans' signets was another factor to push for a more refined technique when working the metal…”

“I didn’t ask you for the book definition of Mandalorian art. My question was why you, a non-Mandalorian, want to specifically specialize in our art.” Her tone was still flat, but commanding. Had you made her mad? Was it wrong that you wanted to study Mandalorian Art?

“The way your sculpture is so raw and naked and still conveys the most profound, earth-shattering feeling while using something as cold as beskar, turning it into living and breathing things. It’s bold and succinct, it shows and hides and that gives me goosebumps every time I look into a Mandalorian sculpture.” You didn’t want to be so passionate in your first encounter with Professor Armorer, but the fear of being rejected not only by the scholarship commission but also by her, made you snap. Your skin felt hot and your heart was hammering inside your chest.

The Armorer, as everyone called her, hummed in contentment, and then she grabbed a notepad and a pencil that had seen better days and scribbled something. 

“My friend is looking for an assistant to help him around in the studio. Since your background is in Fine Art, I think you’ll manage just fine.” She gave you the paper with only a number and address on it.  You looked at her quizzically. “The salary he offers should cover your stay here. I’ll arrange your schedule so your obligations as a PhD student are met.” You could cry with gratitude right now, even though you knew nothing about this job. “And concerning your tuition fees, let me move some strings. I can’t promise anything kid, but I may know someone who’d be interested in sponsoring you.” You could hug this woman, kiss her on her protection mask. But you stayed in your seat grabbing the mug she gave you like a lifeline.

“I can’t…I don’t know…” You babbled with watery eyes.

“I only expect the best of you kid, it’s gonna be hard work. Now go.” And then she returned to her work in the forge, leaving you trembling with excitement. 

After scrolling down some job portals, you closed your laptop with a sigh, calculating the best way to manage your savings to stretch them to the limit. With maximum frugality, you could make it through three months.

Professor Armourer had given you that mysterious number, but even though you were going to try, you didn’t want to depend 100% on her kindness. Moreover, you didn’t know which type of “studio assistant” job this would be since she provided little description. You grabbed the piece of paper and called. Nothing. You went on with your routine and tried again later, but no one responded.

Would it be too bold to just show up there? After all, your tutor had provided an address, so it was assumable it was okay if you just went there to speak to her friend in person. Like the old times, didn’t people do that? So you made up your mind and grabbed your tote bag and your trusty flannel. Slipping in some sneakers, you went outside to explore Nevarro City.

The area was definitely more industrial, certainly convenient for someone who was a metal artist, nevertheless, it had some charm to it. The warehouses were old, some of them reconverted into homes or other artist’s studios. You looked again at the paper provided by the professor when you recognized a building with large windows and a silver, old truck parked in the door as the one you were looking for. A big container with metal scraps was against one of the walls. You looked for a doorbell or something similar but nothing was in sight, so you decided to just pound the door.

Metallic sounds could be heard from the interior, and you asked yourself which kind of artist they were. After a while, you pounded the door again, it was clear they hadn't heard you. But the noise was loud and on top of that some electric guitar music was playing. You decided to make a bold move and try to open the door.

The inside was bright due to the big windows. The studio was neat and functional with all the tools one needed to work metal from small to large scale. Semi-finished projects were here and there, but it looked like everything had an order inside the warehouse. You could spot a little kitchenette too and a mattress in a cosy corner. 

The man you were looking for was working at the big wooden table that occupied the centre of the room. It looked like he was polishing a metal piece, and sparks were flying all around. The first thing you noticed was the welding mask. It was beautiful, reflecting all the little sparks like fireworks, and had a similar design to the one The Armorer wore. It was shaped like a traditional Mandalorian helmet, the one the ancient warriors once used as battle armour. You smiled to yourself.

You went closer to where he was working, being cautious to not startle him, but it looked like he hadn’t sensed your presence yet, so you just observed him. The sleeves of his work jumpsuit were rolled and you could admire how muscular his forearms were between the fabric and the leather gloves he used for protection. The zipper of his clothing piece was down until his sternum, letting you see thigh undershirt under it, revealing sculpted pecs.

Maker help me if this man is gonna be my boss.

His black visor was suddenly pointed in your direction and you almost jumped from the surprise. He had left de welder on the wooden table and lowered the volume of the music on a radio that looked as old as time and then approximated you. All his movements were slow and restrained. 

“What do you want?” He asked drily, without removing the welding mask from his face. As his friend the professor, he didn’t waste a second in pleasantries. His voice was as gruff as his looks. He didn’t look like an artist at all but a sort of mechanic or technician. 

He waited for your response with his gloved hands in his narrow hips, a leg slightly flexed. The way he carried himself made him look like a statue in a museum. He was observing you carefully, from head to toe. You noticed your mouth was dry.

“I…The Armourer sent me…because of the job…assistant.” You said finally. Perfect, you now had made a fool of yourself by speaking like you didn’t know grammar when you indeed made a living of writing. You could die of the embarrassment. 

“I told her…” He started and then sighed, lowering his broad shoulders in defeat. “Come, have a seat.” He said tilting his head towards a desk next to the large windows.

You assumed it was a desk because it was completely covered by stacks of diverse documents and you couldn’t even guess the material of the piece of furniture. You observed them as you sat in a beautiful vintage chair, while he did the same in front of you.  A lot of invoices, a PC as old as time, sketches of what looked like sculptures, sheets with budgets, newspapers, exhibition brochures. You smiled softly when you distinguished the characteristic doodles of a little kid. You kept that last info to yourself, thinking it wasn’t polite to be nosy in your first meeting.

He then looked at you like it was the first time he acknowledged your presence. His legs were wide apart, but while he looked confident you noticed he was fidgeting with his gloved fingers. What a curious man. And why was he so familiar?

“What can you do?” He asked, always the eloquent one. You looked around you for a moment, gathering your thoughts.

“Anything you need around here.” You responded, now a bit more confident. “I can operate almost every machine in this place, know the basics of wielding, and can help with molds and the foundry” He now looked more interested, bending his large body towards the table. “But for a start, I think the most urgent matter is this mess.” Sure, you were cheeky, but you needed the job, and it was obvious the man needed help with admin. You went from nervous to sassy in five minutes. “Does that even work, or is it part of an art installation?” You pointed to the PC that looked like it was stuck in the 90’s. He made a noise that could be a chuckle or a grunt.

“The Armourer sent me your CV.” 

Oh, so he knew you were coming after all.

“What makes a qualified researcher as you want to work as an assistant?” This was probably the highest number of words he had put together to this moment. His low baritone was warm and nice to hear. 

You blushed a bit. Of course, you had made your apportations, but you were only starting in the Academia even though you had some articles published. But qualified was a bit of a stretch. You could tell him the truth. That you needed to pay rent after being denied the scholarship. But that didn’t put you in a good light, especially in a job interview.

“Being a researcher, I tend to spend most of my day in my head. Manual labour grounds me.” You bit your lip a bit nervous because you had just offered a piece of personal information, even though anything in your tone revealed that you weren’t referring only to your job.

He only nodded in understanding, crossing his thick forearms over his chest. 

“You start tomorrow at 1500.” Okay, former military maybe? That was rich. And it was the shortest job interview of your life. “I usually wrap up at 2100, is that okay for you?” His voice had a kinder tone now, although sounding still gruff. You recounted mentally the bus timetable to your home and calculated it would be tight but you could make it.

“Yes, is perfect.” You offered him a big smile for the first time feeling grateful. “Thank you for the opportunity.” Then he accompanied you to the door and you realized he hadn’t provided you a name. He probably knew you from your CV though. You panicked a bit, trying to recall if Professor Armourer had told you his name but you couldn’t remember and it seemed awkward to ask now.

When you made your exit through the door, he leaned against it and you noticed he was as wide as the frame. The perks of being a sculptor, you supposed. You had to stop admiring his physique if he was going to be your boss. You arranged a bit your heavy tote bag on your shoulder and put a stray lock of hair behind your ear.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” You said to the statue man. He just nodded and you awkwardly acknowledged the interaction was over, so you left with an energetic handwave while he was standing there nonchalantly. Was he observing you? Just having some fresh air? You couldn’t tell with that damned mask. You found yourself wondering how he’d look under it. But it felt weird you didn’t know your boss's name or how he looked.  You turned on your heels and gathered some courage.  He was still in the same position and you felt super awkward. “I’m sorry, I think I didn’t catch your name and it felt wrong leaving without…”

Your new boss sighed heavily, and so so slowly, started to remove his welding mask. Your jaw dropped. Those sad eyes weren’t easy to forget.

“It’s Din, Din Djarin.”

Next Chapter

Taglist: @technicallykawaiisoul @dameron-grant-spector

#din djarin #the mandalorian #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #din djarin fanfiction #modern au din djarin #modern din djarin #the mandalorian x y/n #din djarin fanfic #din djarin x fem!reader #din djarin x female reader #sculptor din djarin #the mandalorian fanfiction #droidwrites #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fandom #pedro boys

[3hks]

Trope Tip 1: How to Write (Best) Friends to Lovers

Happy December 1st! I absolutely LOVE this month, so it's only proper that I post something, right? Thanks for clicking on this, and let's get into it!

Writing a friends to lovers story seems easy, doesn't it? Well, to be honest, it may be more difficult to advance and pace their relationship than it originally appears. However, it's not that bad once you grasp the ropes and follow some basic elements to bring this trope to life!

Believe it or not, this dynamic is more than capable of a slow-burn, and there are several reasons why. What sets the problems in the friends to lovers trope apart from other tropes are that instead of the complications breaking the characters up, they tend to keep them stagnant in their places, preventing them from advancing towards the other. Despite that, I consider this one of the fluffiest tropes out there!

A common issue that characters face in this dynamic is an imaginary one-sided love. They believe that the other considers them a friend and only a friend. Thus the characters tend to overthink when they don't need it and stay blind when they do. If their friend makes a move on them, the character will generally justify it with "they're just joking." Another predicament these characters frequently get caught in is the reluctance to confess. Of course, the majority of people also have this problem, but in this particular dynamic, the characters often stall much more because they don't want their friendship to end. They convince themselves that what they currently have is good enough and will keep them content. See what I mean now? With only these two obstacles, it's pretty clear to see why the friends to lovers trope is qualified to be a slow-burn.

Okay, now that I have given you advice on how to slow their relationship to a stop, I'll give you some tips on how your characters can get past those hitches and onto the right track! One easy way is to have another character push them forward into overcoming their fears. This character must understand the adoration the two have for each other and be eligible to guide them, even if it simply means pointing out that they are blind and need to get over it. You can also have one of the characters gain a significant other, making the other envious. (Anything that creates this effect works, it doesn't have to specifically be my example.) This forces the second character to come to terms with their attraction and will give them a reason to confess, even at the possibility of ruining their friendship. They may do this because they can't hold it in anymore or already feel their friendship falling out. These factors will push them into confessing. And lastly, you can always simply have your characters figure it out themselves! Put them in a difficult, unexpected, situation that requires them to both navigate the problem and their feelings!

And finally, since I said that this trope is undoubtedly fluffy, I'll give you some tips on creating that fluff! For starters, even though it is simply called friends to lovers, I think that it's more fun when they are best friends! This way, your characters are exceptionally close with each other and have an obvious value for each other. If you add small moments of them simply just hanging out and messing around, readers will find it cute! For more specific examples, however, you can have the characters play video games together, watch movies together, play with the other's hair, casually banter with each other, cuddle, fake flirting, etc!

How their friendship/relationship works is completely up to you! You have to choose how close they are, how they get along, and more! Still, it's important to remember that an actual relationship between the two will not differ extraordinarily from their previous friendship, the exception being more open demonstrations of affection. These fundamental tips should help boost your skills revolving around this trope!

Happy writing~

3hks :D

#writeblr #writing #writing tips #writerscommunity #friends to lovers #friends to lovers trope #friends to lovers tips #how to write friends to lovers #best friends to lovers

[witchthewriter]

𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐬/𝐨

⤷ gender neutral, ambiguous race, and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!  

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ      

SFW🌿

⭑ So, she ended up breaking it off with Edward. Or he never came back in New Moon. That was because, during the time that he was away, Bella made that friendship with Jacob, but she also met you. 

⭑ Nothing romantic happened, actually. Not for a year. (Yeah I know, slow burn...)

⭑ Bella saw you as a friend, a neighbour. Someone that came over from time to time to hang out. You weren’t on her foremind for a while. 

⭑ Not until she had a huge fight with Jacob - 

⭑ Where her curiosity for the supernatural was too much for him, and he snapped at her 

⭑ Bella was offended, and upset that her desire for this whole other world, was shut down

⭑ She came to you, and ranted about it (you grew up in Forks, so you knew all about the supernatural, and the wolves. You came from a long line of witches) 

⭑ You consoled her. Because you completely understood - our curiosity is such a big factor in witchcraft. Without it, what would be the point of being a witch? 

⭑ She went home that day, with a new perception of you 

⭑ Someone who was more important in her life now 

⭑ And from there, she hung out with you a LOT. There wasn’t more than a day where she wouldn’t see you

⭑ Bella became interested in witchcraft, and wanted to learn 

⭑ And so, Bella became a witch

⭑ There are a lot of protection spells, especially around Charlie’s house. 

⭑ There would still be the threat of Victoria, but the wolves along with your magic, would keep Bella safe. 

⭑ Her favourite witch-book is the ‘5000 spells’ by Juika Illes

⭑ She actually loves astrology, and asks Charlie exactly when and where he was born

     “And the time too-”

“Why the time Bella?”

       “I just need ... the time ...the exact time.” 

⭑ Being with you means that Bella actually gets a normal life while being close to the supernatural. It’s a win-win

⭑ She wants to learn tarot reading, but feels as if she’s not too good at it 

⭑ Oh but she LOVES having many jars of various herbs’ angelica, cloves, frankincense, dandelion, bay leaves etc

⭑ And there are so many plants - especially when you do move in together. There are plants EVERYWHERE; potted plants, but also outside there’s a flower, herb and vegetable garden. Bella learns that she has a green thumb. 

⭑ Maybe you stay in Forks, or maybe you go travelling together? And you both wear protection amlets

⭑ Gifting her some crystals and she loves labradorite, mookaite and lepodolite 

⭑ You introduce her to witchy movies; ‘The Craft,’ ‘Practical Magic,’ ‘

⭑ Any movies, media or literature with Vampires are a bit touchy with Bella. But overtime, she finds them humorous

⭑ She makes up with Jake, and it becomes a love triangle because he thinks Bella should be with him. 

⭑ But you put Jake in his place. 

⭑ Autumn/Fall is Bella’s favourite, because she’ll jump to put on Gilmore Girls or Practical Magic, light some candles and make some hot chocolate for the both of you 

⭑ She loves spells about protection, better dreams(!) and healing: 

(source: https://servantofthefates.tumblr.com/)

Theme Song: 

‘Spellbound’ by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Relationship Tropes: 

Moon (mysterious, night-person, creative, introverted) (Bella) x Star (individual/unique, curious, hopeful, imaginative) (You)

Initially Distant but Turns Into Mutual Pining 

Aggressively Supportive  

#bella swan #bella swan headcanon #dating bella swan would include #bella swann #isabella marie swan #twilight #twilight headcanons #twilight imagine #twilight x reader #twilight revival #spells #witchcraft #witch #witchy #protection spell

[escapismqueen]

Okay so ‘how I met your father’ thoughts on the ‘father’

I’m convinced Sid is the father and I don’t think/want it to be a thing where they just slept together one time and she gets pregnant but actually ends up with someone else for the ‘shock factor’ I hate when shows do that when there is an obvious connection between two characters. And we all know how ‘how I met your mother’ went; let’s learn from the mistakes please.

Sophie and Sid make so much sense to me. They have a lot of screen time together (why would that be ?) like seriously, they’re together a lot.

The whole Kit Kat heart to heart moment in season one felt important

When Sophie meets her dad, the very first person to talk to him is Sid. I know it might not seem like a big deal, but I’m really convinced it’s subtly foreshadowing something

Sid seems to be there for a lot of important moments for Sophie (eg. When she worked with her dad on the hotdog pop up and then meeting her cousin)

They have a lot of chemistry (maybe it’s just me but I don’t see the same amount of chemistry with Sophie and Jesse. Her and Sid have so much more)

The whole ‘your father has always had a thing for valentines day’ Sid loves Valentine’s Day , and I know they tried to hint at the fact that Jesses sort of warmed to it, but *always* suggests that he loved it before meeting Sophie, aka Sid.

The annoying thing though is that I do like Hannah as a character but after the whole ‘kiss’ thing, I’m feeling more stable on the whole ‘Sid is the father’ thing. I just don’t think Hannah and Sid are endgame, but I hope they don’t cut her character completely if that’s the case.

If I don’t get to see them have a euphoric slow burn romance that ends with the both of them completely in love then I don’t want it.

Seriously. I don’t want it to be an ‘end’ episode thing. I want to see their relationship blossom. Let’s turn the whole thing around and have Sid and Sophie be the Marshall and Lily of this show. (I know the whole point is ‘how I met your father’ and that the idea and convention is for the story to be dragged out, but I don’t care. Rules and conventions suck a lot of the time anyway, I want Sophie and Sid together.

Final thoughts: Sid is 100% the best option. I said what I said.

Edit: because omg this moment as well !! When Sid said he ‘kinda had a thing with someone as well’ Hannah’s immediate response was ‘Sophie?’ Coincidence much ? I think not

#how i met your father #sid x sophie #hes the father #I’m convinced #nobody can change my mind #he is the best option #and they have the best chemistry #I said. what. I said. #himyf