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#fictional boyfriend still living rent free in my head
renneiscent · 10 months
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my close friend recommended me to download dating app since I'm too busy with work, not engage much in public interaction, and spending so much time at home:
me when finally join the dating app: *looking for someone that resemble my favorite character*
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cherryc1nnam0n · 7 months
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I'm bored and I don't wanna write something so have this rant about the (fictional) men I love and why
Hello people
This is Cherry speaking and today I am presenting top men that I love and why are (most of them) them all serial killers who wear masks and are dead? We'll find out here
1. Brahms Heelshire
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I mean just look at him, skrunkily wall boi who has never showered, the man with a mask that makes him look so fuckable and submissive and he fucking whines?! Ngh, so hot
I need to lick those man titties with all my might and ride him until his legs give out
But unlucky for me he's dead as fuck so yikes, he's not dead in my mind or in my blog
2. Billy Loomis
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Crazy Ghostface boi who can rearrange my guts any time he wants and breed me all he wants mhm mhm
I fucking love Billy because look at him, he's a psychopath but he looks so hot while being it
Who wouldn't love this man??
But again, another one dead, killed by Sydney (fuck you Sydney), but not before leaving his offspring but we won't talk about that now
3. Eddie Munson
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The exception to being a killer because he was framed it's my beautiful boi Eddie <3
I love this boi with all my heart and he can touch it with his dick all he wants <3
I fell in love with him when I saw him on Stranger Things 4 and I haven't since then <3
But my boi was eaten alive by a swarm of feral bats and bleed to death in Dustin's arms but he's still alive in my mind, and Tumblr's mind <3
4. Mark Hoffman
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My crush from Saw since I watched the movies when I was 6
I have always loved older men for some reason so yeah (daddy issues)
He's not a good apprentice from John because he kills people and doesn't give them the chance of survival but I still love him <3
But as all of them, he was tied up on the original room from Saw and left to die there
It's presumed he's dead because people only survive 3 days without food so he's probably dead as fuck like all of them bois in this list
Still, he's still alive for me so he can breed me all he wants <3
5. Ethan Landry
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Another Ghostface crazy boi who died a virgin (not in my mind if you know what I mean)
He was killed in an awful way but he's still hot and submissive and breedable and oh my gosh he's so hot
I am literally obsessed with him and you'll see my latest likes are all Ethan so yeah, fuck me (Ethan) I guess
6. Billy Hargrove
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My asshole of a boyfriend who was too weak in spirit to fight off Vecna and died thanks to it
I love him <3
He's my favorite boi that can hit me and fuck me all he wants until I fry and he won't even stop by then so mmmmmhmmm
But again, ded as fuck lol
7. Hannibal Lecter
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Cannibal daddy can eat me alive whenever he wants, I have excess skin so he can have all he wants mmmm
He's so pretty and sophisticated and so mmmm
I love him and he can eat me all he wants and breed me too
(I don't remember what happened to him if he died of not but yeah)
8. C!Technoblade
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My pig boi who is a genocidal and an anarchist will always live rent free on my mind
(Along with his creator Alex, RIP Techno, we miss you a lot)
But on the DSMP I headcanon he had a lovely wife and two kids who loved him a lot and now they're alone and sad </3
But he's alive in my own AU so it's fine
I love my pig boi
9. Jim Hopper
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I mean look at him, he screams DADDY in all his forms
I love hunks for some reason and he's one of them
He can have me whenever he wants
Only exception to being dead lol
Man titties
But anyways. That's everyone I can name off the top of my head so if you until here have a nice day and I love you <3
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The way you write Deuce is just, *chef's kiss* i love it. it absolutely lives in my head rent-free.
So much so that i saw this tiktok of a pigeon sprinting with a leaf to gently put it on top of his mate sitting in her nest, and my first thought was, 'that's them. That's Deuce/MC. 💕💕'
Here's the video but i understand if you're hesistant to click on random links. I do hope you have a nice day btw ^ ^)
(https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8DbBeDw/)
AAAHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH!
No but seriously Deuce 'his gaze softened' Spade is so loving and deserves so much love like I literally can't even explain.
First of all, that video is everything and it’s so Deuce coded I can’t even. Another animal couple I see would be this:
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But, don't get me wrong, I would just like to go on the record and say that I've been watching a lot of dog videos and Deuce is 100% a dog: he's sweet, loyal, supportive, loving, protective - the complete package (though his eyes are much cuter). Just saying that he (and Jack) would be at the top of Crewel's list for approved boyfriends.
I mean as deranged as I am for him, I swear I can quit any time (I say as I stuff my shaking hands into my pockets and send multiple pictures of him flying out of my pocket)
He’s a perfect gentleman despite not being raised as one - and no I don’t mean in the literal sense, actual queen Mama Spade definitely raised her son to be chivalrous and kind and respectful to everyone. I mean he wasn’t raised to be a quintessential refined nobleman like Riddle or Malleus or Vil. He’s the only son of a single mother and as far as we know only his maternal grandmother is around (we don’t know if his father left or is dead but I subscribe to the headcanon that he was a jerk that left when Deuce’s mum was pregnant) so he’s never had an older male relative to look up to. Yet he still has all the traits that you’d see in Austen male leads - he's serious and straightforward, sort of soft spoken, he'll restrain his emotions, he's gentle (at most times), he canonically loves sappy romances, he’s got a strong moral compass and he has this sort of soft touch-starved vibe that I can't really explain.
But he's this sweet, considerate wholesome guy who gives it his all in everything despite his background and personality of an adrenaline-fuelled teenage boy. And he's very realistically (and very endearingly) a teenage boy: he's a troublemaker, he's rough around the edges, he makes mistakes even when his heart is in the right place, there are times where he can be slow on the uptake, he's aggressive, he thinks more with his fists and instincts and feelings than with his head, he's emotional and will lash out if he sees injustice, he's not afraid to use dirty tactics, he was literally in a gang, he's impulsive and reckless and literally itching for a fight. But he’s still as much of a man of honour as Mr Darcy or Captain Wentworth. And e's so loving and he's so sincere and he tries so hard I just-
(I want to kiss him on the mouth)
I just think it's really sweet that the same guy who could violently beat up like five guys bigger than him without a thought would instantly turn into a blushing puddle if you so much as held his hand and follow you around with a wide eyed awestruck look like a lost puppy or baby duckling.
I love to say that the reader is his salvation, his angel, his light and it comes from his inner shame at his past. Yes, he's bettering himself to atone for all the hurt his mother went through but he also really wants to prove to be someone worthy of being at your side. You're his apricity and he loves you more than anything.
He’s very sword and shield coded (though, I’d say he’s less of a shield and more of a sword - Jack seems to fit the shield motif more to me). He's very honour bound and duty driven and he gives me the vibes of those loyal knights you get in period stories.
And I guess that's what appeals to me. Bad boys are literally my least favourite trope in modern fiction and I get irked at practically every broody, angsty 'I hate the world' male love interest I come across (usually because the good boy second ml is so much better but my sister says that red flags are much more interesting than boring green flags so...). But Deuce, my man, my deuce box. He's a (former) bad boy that ticks all of the green flag boxes. He's not a bad boy with a hidden soft side, he's a soft boy with a (not-so-hidden) bad side.
He's not rude and snarky, he's kind and respectful. He doesn't have a problem with authority or hate his parents, one of his main character traits is his healthy love for his mother and he has a high opinion of his upperclassmen and the adults around him and he takes his studies seriously even when he's not good at them. He doesn't hide behind an arrogant facade, he's genuine and sincere to everyone he meets. Yes, he has an innate attraction for violence but instead of acting on it, he spends his time sating his love for adrenaline by speeding along on his magical wheel and joining the most athletic club in the school. He wouldn't tease you for your interests, you could spend hours babbling about your rock collection and he'd be completely rapt.
He's like the perfect dichotomy of the bad boy trope and the wholesome cinnamon roll good boy trope. Like one second he and you are engaged in the 'no you're cuter' or 'no you hang up' cycle on the phone and the next second your arms are wrapped around his torso and your wearing his leather jacket as he does the akira slide on his magical wheel.
Anyway I could go on for ages but instead have Deuce Vibes tumblr text post:
(Censored by moi)
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P.S. I’ve been watching a lot of Ace edits and like 😳🥰 that boy ���️ People make so many jokes about Malleus not getting invited to the meeting where the Disney executives explain twst is not an otome game but like Ace got the invitation and glanced at it for 0.345 seconds before ripping it into shreds, tossing the pieces into a blender, throwing the blender into a fire and then nuking the fireplace.
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juniperhillpatient · 5 months
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ok I’m like… back to this. I do love that the coffin of andy & leyley is so brutally bluntly HORROR as in not pg 13 blumhouse ghost horror movies that shy away from anything too taboo but horror that’s meant to offend & upset. I like the way it sees shit you’re not “supposed” to talk about & goes as hard as it can like - I don’t think at this point it’s a secret to literally anyone who follows me or has ever discussed fiction with me ever that the controversial or daring are obvious draws for me in any genre but particularly my favorite genre of horror.
like an anon suggested this to me, I saw the words “cannibalism” “incest” & “botched satanic ritual” as soon as I googled & was ready to check it out BUT I think it’s worth noting that it’s not the dark concepts themselves that got this game its well earned hype or that ensure that it lives rent free in my head & the heads of other fans.
I think the writers have created really compelling & complex multilayered characters & a fascinating storyline with a lot of questions left unanswered about the nature of these demons & of human souls & the world these characters inhabit & I’m being so sincere here I also think it’s a really thought provoking critique or at least exploration of the american nuclear family.
I already said this but I would’ve stopped caring pretty fast if andrew & ashley were not more than their archetypes which SURE are fun we love a quirky evil girlboss & her simp boyfriend brother but the fun archetypes are not enough on their own to keep me hooked. luckily, these are some of the least 1 dimensional characters I’ve ever seen. this got carried away talking about how good I think the game is & giving an obligatory disclaimer that yeah, I totally got into it initially for shallow & edgy reasons lol but I actually wanted to talk about the themes because I genuinely think it’s an incredibly well crafted story. anyway -
I think it’s really interesting that ashley is the one that is originally shown believing / hoping their mom hasn’t truly abandoned them. andrew discourages her from having hope in their mom or considering trying to find her until it’s about finding sacrifices for the demon & getting money. yet this initial dynamic is totally forgotten once they’re home. ashley just wants to kill these motherfuckers while andrew is busy playing mind games & - one might argue- playing house / pretending be a happy family. it’s andrew who is offered the olive branch. who we see considering sparing his parents or at least feeling conflicted about killing them. in the flashbacks we see that “andy” was forced to take care of “leyley” & she uses it against him “mom says you have to play with me.”
ashley is so depressingly achingly desperate for any hint of affection & it’s so obvious the reason she’s latched into andrew is that he’s the only one who’s ever chosen her. that’s why she’s so obsessed with calling andrew “andy” despite the conflict it constantly creates. andy helped her hide a body. a possibly hot take but I don’t think leyley was going “yay murder” in her child brain - I don’t think she cared that the girl died don’t get me wrong - but I do believe it was an accident. this is a happy memory though because it’s the only time in ashley’s entire life that someone has chosen her with that level of commitment. yet for andrew it’s horrific & traumatic & he wants to get away from it - or so he tells himself. maybe his parents were decent to him or at least not actively hateful how they were to ashley but it’s abundantly clear based on the fact the story’s premise relies on them leaving him to fucking starve to death that they do not give a fuck about him.
when mrs. graves tells andrew that there’s still hope for him & that she always cared about him the compliments she chooses are telling - they thought he was easy, quiet, a good kid - they thought they could have another (& hand her off to him to take care of). and ofc it’s worth noting mrs. graves only says all this to save her own skin & would never freely talk about caring about andrew.
so andy is living this cold not abusive but certainly empty & devoid of nurturing life & along comes leyley. she’s annoying & needy but she loves him with such reckless abandon. adult ashley’s words say it all. “If only you could love me with half the heart I love you with.” but he DOES he just doesn’t know how to show it the way she does. so he chooses her again & again & tries to make her happy with violence & bending to her will & showing her he’d do anything for her with everything he can except the one thing she wants which is simple affection.
as things get more & more dire ashley gets more abusive, controlling & manipulative embodying the worst aspects of her mother - a cold heartless bitch who never cared about anyone but herself - & andrew gets more & more apathetic just like his worthless father who’s barely even a person in his wife’s shadow.
it’s a really tragic story & I love this idea of characters on the run but they’re really running from themselves & that’s something you can never escape. how telling is it that the one thing ashley doesn’t want is to be buried in the same grave as her parents? but this story is about a grave it’s always been about a coffin in one way or another, they thought they escaped when they got out of the apartment but they’re still in it because they’ll always still be in it, you can’t escape from who you are at your core & there’s a reason ashley having tarred soul is such a glaring theme & episode 2 (in some versions) ends with andrew gaining a mark on his hand from the demon. they’re marked & there’s no escape. I’m sorry it’s just REALLY good horror. ok I’m done for now
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what's a story premise you've had lurking in your head but haven't done anything with yet?
BROO Houses With Teeth has lived rent free in my mind for FOUR YEARS and I still haven't done anything with it! I was actually hoping to start it back in January but hadn't finished Seventh Virtue, but now I've pivoted to Body Back! Houses With Teeth is adult literary fiction.
CW: abuse
Moth Work ended up distracting me from it way back in 2019, and when I finished that in 2020, I was supposed to write HWT, but it scared me so much that I wrote Feeding Habits instead LMAO and that book took me two years to finish! And I was working on SV at that same time too, so it's just been pushed and pushed and pushed.
In a way, it's a good thing, because that project has had HUGE development as I've changed as a writer. Originally, it was supposed to be the *canon* seventh book of the Fostered series, which would've been so weird. Reeve lived in NYC with her boyfriend because she ends up yeeting from the OG squad at the end of book six. Lonan who's been looking for her (since they're siblings) ends up calling to fill an ad to be their roommate. His plan is to bring Harrison too, and there's this dialogue I had planned LMAO:
R: What about Harrison? L: He’s coming too. R: It’s an ad for a couch, Lonan. you can’t both stay on our couch.
oh yes they can ;)
Anyway, so I ended up getting distracted with MW, so by the time I revisited the project, I needed to replot it because I didn't really want Lonan & Harrison involved (LOL). I think Reeve had believed her apartment was haunted at one point and a big plot was her trying to rid it of a ghost with help from Foster who was apparently a ghostbuster (but make it literary)?
That then changed in 2020 when I decided Reeve would NOT be living in the NYC apartment, but in a house with Foster outside the city. When she moves to that town, she learns she looks a lot like a whole bunch of girls who've gone missing in the area. That THEN changed into still having the Foster house plot, but I added a sinkhole that ate Foster's friend the day Reeve moves in (so the town then is sus of her). I wrote the first 2k or so of that version, and there's a segment where the whollle squad that's now in SV (so Harrison & Lonan & Darren) all go to this town for Foster's friend's funeral. I stopped writing when I hit this point because mingling the "literary" book with the "genre" book wasn't working. Very uncomfy.
At that point I just quit the project LOL. It was only in 2022 that I revisited the project and really chilled out with it. I was used to appropriating bits of the Fostered-verse and not sticking to canon, so that idea of deleting Lonan & Harrison from HWT, for example, really didn't bother me (byyeeee). Also, most importantly, I'd started to explore the central relationship between Reeve and Joel (her boyfriend) in lots of Seventh Virtue scenes. I was even writing scenes I'd planned for the very first iteration of HWT into SV (one of those scenes has even turned into a new short story called "Holiday").
So the new plan is the old plan: I went back to the *very* original idea where Reeve lives in an apartment with her boyfriend in NYC. THAT is the story that always interested me and that I've been dying to tell. In the fictive present, Reeve isn't at the apartment, but will spend a lot of time there in flashbacks. It's really going to be a quiet novel about Reeve after she flees an abusive relationship & tries to dispose of the persona she's become. I want to write it in vignettes without any names (so just "She" and "He"), which I managed in "Holiday."
At this point, I have no idea when this book will be written LOL since it just doesn't seem to want to be written! Or maybe I've just been avoiding it for four years & in that span have written 300k+ of other Fostered content, LMAO.
So I've done a lot with this idea technically, but it hasn't panned out much! I think I've written the first 2k of the *actual* book (finally), which I'm really happy with! I'm happy it actually ended up being a roundabout goose chase to this final (original) idea. I needed to write MW and FH in between because then I wouldn't have SV which actually let me explore this relationship relatively safely. Everything happens for a reason!
Book cover and aesthetic under the cut!
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kyliafanfiction · 2 years
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Yes, Dany is the face of GOT, the main character, the most popular, has the most fans, and despite her ending, she is still just as loved. She even got a shoutout in the HOTD intro. It must hurt that the character you hate so much is a worldwide icon 😍
You overestimate how much she matters to me. Is it mildly annoying that people still stan this sociopathic monster with a messiah complex? Sure. But since I have no desire or interest to watch HoTD, and I only think about her or the show with infrequency - I may make a post or two, but that doesn't mean she occupies much of my brain beyond five minutes before and after said posts. (No, the fictional person I hate who lives rent free in my head all day is Captain "The safest hands are our own but they actually aren't because I suck" America).
Do I think her fans are (largely, though not entirely) stupid morons for stanning her so much? Yes, yes I do, but I think most people are stupid morons, so that doesn't really stand out.
So no, it doesn't hurt. I wouldn't even say I hate her, tbh, that implies she matters more to me than she does.
I really don't get this idea on tumblr that if someone makes a complaint post about something, they must be so obsessed with hating them. That's just not how it works.
Plus, for me personally, the list of things that annoy me is infinitely longer than the things that don't (I am an irritable, touchy bitch) and very few of them rank higher than 2 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Daenerys "White Savior" Targaryen is maybe a 4 on a really bad day, but the thing that will always give me a great deal of comfort is watching the scene where Dany burns King's Landing and then gets killed by her own boyfriend. Never gets old, that.
Dany is a monster and the show ended with that as the case. Live mad about it, Mr. Grey Blob. You clearly have nothing better to do with your time.
===============
The relative eloquence of your message would rate you perhaps a 4/10, but the emoji takes away one point, and you lose another two points for assuming Dany matters all that much to me. Minus another point for thinking I care about the popularity of ANYTHING (have you seen my ships?) and then minus three more points for not having the guts to go off anon. AND minus one more for thinking that anything GOT related actually is 'worldwide icon' material. You do however get one point back for not resorting to name-calling.
Final score: -3/10.
I've certainly seen worse, but you may want to try again.
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urrone · 2 years
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Fic Author Recommendations
When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love.
Tagged by @swaps55 thank yooooou
gravity - Julie/Luke, Julie & the Phantoms - This is probably my favorite thing I’ve ever written because of everything I’ve ever written, this is the one where I feel like I absolutely nailed the thesis of it the whole way through. Love doesn’t fix everything, sometimes love means work, means not getting to have the person you want all the time, but that’s not bad. It just is. 
Birthdays are different when your boyfriend's a ghost.
What Remains - Sam/Dean, Supernatural - Yes it’s wincest. I like to joke that I hop from fandom to fandom writing one magnum opus in each and maybe a scattering of little ficlets and this one is probably the opus of my opuses. (The latin got away from me, whatever.) 
In Jefferson, Texas a man ends a generations-old curse and saves all the town's children, but completely loses his memory in the process. When it's discovered that he's a wanted criminal, the town comes together to conceal him out of gratitude for what he's done for them, giving him an apartment, a job and a whole new life. It takes seven months for Sam to find Dean, and when he finally does, he has to adapt to being around a man who has no idea that he used to be Sam's brother.
For a Single Yesterday - Shepard/Kaidan, Mass Effect - sometimes you just have to write a fic that literally makes you cry the whole way through, even as you’re writing it, and that is this one for me. It was cathartic and painful and exactly like I wanted it to end up, and now I never have to read it again, heh. 
“You have to be fine,” he says, but doesn’t put in the message. He sticks it in the outgoing queue. No hails from Shepard before they’d escaped the local cluster. No telling exactly what that wave of green energy had done, if there had even been any ships able to go back and look for him.
Not knowing anything is the most frustrating thing of all.
There’s no telling how long it’ll be before they’re connected to any kind of network again, if ever. Maybe he’ll die of old age on this planet while Shepard searches the galaxy for them. At least Shepard would have survived to search.
The Rest Is Silence - OMC/OMC, Lord of the Rings - I knew even as I was writing this one that it wouldn’t be a crowd favorite because it has no one in it that anyone will recognize, but my first forays into fandom were all RPS and this was the first time I’d tried to match the tone of a published work of fiction and while I don’t think, looking back, that I was necessarily 100% successful, I really still love how this one came out. 
It’s the quiet he remembers most. The long hours spent looking off at distant Gondor, the silent beacon of Amon Din towering above him.
And y’all I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m struggling to pick a fifth one. Like the rest of them are FINE, I guess? The one I would pick, I think, doesn’t exist on the internet anymore because it was RPF and one half of the pairing turned out to be a huge asshole who sexually assaults women, so I deleted it. But I was really proud of it at the time, and it did something cool with structure that I was really proud of having pulled off, and one of the lines at the end lives rent free in my head to this day. 
As far as picking five new authors goes, swaps tagged me in this five days ago and I have no idea who’s participated and who hasn’t because my life over the last week is just a haze. So if you haven’t been tagged by anyone else and you’d like to participate, feel free to tell people I sent you. 
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lavaffair · 2 years
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Begin Again - Rated T
It's been a while since I've written anything, and it just so happens that I'm not writing a one-shot. It's a story with 9 (ish) chapters!!!
It's my first one ever so I hope you guys enjoy it if you decide to join me on this new journey.
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There is beauty in starting over when you get to let go of what happened and who you were in the past.
Kagome has moved into a new apartment, and she looks forward to a brighter future where she leaves the baggage of a toxic relationship behind. Rooming with her best cat Buyo, Kagome starts to experience the fun of living alone. Although, she didn't count on her neighbor being a cute half-demon.
She also didn't expect to develop a crush on him either.
you can find it on AO3! (Multi Chaptered)
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Chapter One
After unloading the last box into her new and empty apartment, Kagome felt like she could finally take a deep breath and begin analyzing the situation. She still needs to unpack her belongings and place them where they belong, and with her best friend's help, it will be done faster and efficiently. Her apartment complex was decently sized with multiple three-story buildings swarming the land. Rent was a decent price, one that she could definitely afford and live comfortably on her own, and the layout of the unit itself was really nice. Bunking with Sango and Miroku for eight months helped her to save up for the new move, and she was excited for this new phase in her life.
Moving into this place was like a breath of fresh air, so clean and free of the pollutants that once claimed her life. With this, Kagome was ready to leave her ex-boyfriend and all the pain he left her behind. The way the relationship had ended could be compared to a work of fiction, even to the point where she had to move in with her two best friends until she got back on her feet. The first two months had been terrible as she dealt with an aching heart and a broken spirit. Insecurity and doubt etched into her mind, haunting her while she continuously blamed herself for not being enough for him to stay faithful to her.
‘If he cheated on me, it’s clearly because there is something wrong with me.’
Although she had convinced herself that those words held true, with time and patience she began to heal. After days and nights of consistent crying, emotional breakdowns, and girls' night-outs for distraction, Kagome was beginning to glow differently. As weeks dragged on, she faced the trauma and pain head-on and allowed herself to feel it. Processing what had happened gave her a new, outsider point of view of the relationship. Journaling became a new hobby, giving her a canvas to write about any thought that crossed her mind.
Pros and cons lists were made, and Sango would scream with her in large, empty parking lots that were far from civilization with Miroku tagging along as their designated driver. Therapy sessions with her mother and hanging out with her brother Sota helped too. If it hadn’t been for her best friends and family; Kagome would have lost herself months ago. The days were rough, and it felt like the tears she cried would never cease, but they did. Just like that, all the love she carried for this man vanished as fast as he had turned into a stranger.
Kagome had learned her lessons, and now she could see the red flags that she once ignored. While focusing on herself, she landed a position as lead editor for the publishing company she worked for. It was a fantastic opportunity, and it made really good money.
The confidence that was ripped apart had returned, the self-doubt had disappeared, and she realized that what he did was not a reflection of her but a reflection of who he is. Truthfully, she’s not too sure if she’s ready for something new; there is still fear latched to her heart about trusting someone and falling in love all over again.
She shook her head to brush away that thought clouding her mind. Focus on the present!
“Okay, that’s the last of it.” Miroku declared. He locked the door behind him and observed the empty apartment.
“Don’t you think it’s cute?” Kagome asked, her voice filled with nervous excitement.
“Yeah, I really like the naked white walls and hardwood floors. Reminds me of our guest bathroom at home. ” He sarcastically replied.
“Ha-ha,” Kagome replied dryly. “Give me a few weeks to make this place mine and you’ll see.”
“I think it’s got a lot of potential.” Sango chimed in. “Plus, you’re great at decorating. Unlike Miroku when he was in charge of the said guest bathroom.” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Hey, I never agreed to decorate the bathroom,” He retorted, “You told me to do it.”
“Because it’s next to your man cave.” The girls replied in unison.
He pouted, clearly in defeat. “I like things simple.”
Kagome clapped her hands. “Perfect! So then we can all agree, my apartment is cute, especially when it looks like Miroku's guest bathroom.” Kagome cheered.
“Just like you.” Sango complimented.
Miroku chuckled at the scene before him, admiring the way the girls enjoyed each other's presence. “Alright. While you guys flirt with each other I'm gonna go ahead and order us some pizza.”
Kagome looked around at the unopened boxes and sighed. “While we wait for the pizza, wanna help me unload some of my stuff?”
Sango smiled softly at her best friend. “If I don’t help you, you’ll do it by yourself, and you’re clumsy enough to break something.”
Miroku put his hand over his cell phone's speaker and loudly whispered, “You may even break you!”
Kagome sent Miroku a mock glare, failing to conceal the grin on her face, and swiftly turned on her heel towards the kitchen with a huff. “Fine, then come help Miss Clumsy unload her dishes first!”
Carefully, the girls began unloading the boxes with Kagome’s fragile items one by one. Together they cleaned the cabinets and drawers before adding her dishes, pots, and pans. Miroku joined after placing the pizza orders and helped unload her cooking and eating utensils. Since she will be living alone, she didn’t have a lot of dinnerware, but she fell in love with a glazed set and she is very capable of dropping them all.
Once they completed unloading the kitchen items the pizzas had finally arrived, and they happily plopped down on the dusty floor to eat.
“Your next move is to get some furniture in here.” Miroku managed to say with his mouth full. He thought it was a good idea to add extra cheese to the pies, but now it’s so cheesy that he is having a hard time with it.
Kagome nodded before taking a bite. “I won’t have any for another week. My pick-up orders have been delayed, so I’ll be eating on the floor for the time being.”
Sango shrugged her shoulders and grinned. “Good thing you had your own bed. The floor is comfortable, but use a pillow if your butt starts to go numb.”
“Oh no, not my butt!” Kagome giggled, “My most prized possession!”
The group was quick to eat the large pizza, the quick meal helping them tremendously. It gave them enough fuel to continue unboxing as many of Kagome’s possessions as possible, as long as there was a place to put them. Together they built her bed and put her clothes away in her closet, as well as loaded her bathroom with all of her hygiene products and various soaps. The number of boxes left was manageable for Kagome to unload by herself, and all the heavy-duty items were already in their spots.
Sango dusted off her hands and exhaled, looking around the little empty apartment that will now be her best friend's home. “Guess that’s it.”
“Yeah.” Kagome breathed, joining her in taking in the empty living room.
Miroku shook his head and laughed, “You guys are acting like we don’t live five minutes down the road.”
The girls rolled their eyes and scoffed, “You just don’t get it.” They said in unison.
His eyebrows shot up, his eyes averting their gaze. “Well,” he laughed as he patted their heads. “Call us if you ever need anything. I won’t miss watching you eating my snacks while you binge watch movies on the couch.”
“Your Doritos are now safe once again.” She laughed.
“Nah, my oreos are safe. His Doritos were always your second choice.” Sango chimed in with a smirk. She pulled Kagome into a hug, squeezing her tightly in her arms. “I’ll miss seeing your grumpy face every morning.”
Kagome laughed, squeezing her back with the same vigor. “I’m down the street, you can come to see my grumpy face whenever you want.”
Sango squeezed her harder, “Call me whenever. We’ll run right over if you need us.”
“Babe, you’re gonna pop her like a balloon if you hug her any harder.”
They let each other go, laughter echoing around the empty apartment. They made their way to the front door, giggles still leaving their mouths as the reality set in that this would be the first night that they don’t live under the same roof together. Kagome opened the door and leaned on it, a sad smile now decorating her features.
“I’ll see you guys later.” Her hands fiddled with the doorknob, turning it back and forth within her hand. “Text me when you get home.”
Their car’s lights blinked twice as Miroku unlocked the doors, the finality of the day beginning to set in between them.
“We will.” He held Sango’s hand with his and pulled it to his chest, a common thing he does whenever he knows she needs comfort. They said their final goodbyes, and Kagome silently watched them open their doors and climb inside.
“Don’t talk to strangers!” She heard Sango’s voice yell from the window, her boisterous laugh reverberating in the parking lot.
She waved goodbye as their car pulled out of the spot, happy little giggles leaving her mouth for no one but herself to hear.
_____
Two weeks had already passed since Kagome moved into her new apartment, and in those fourteen days, she had already made it into a home. She surprised herself when she successfully built her new furniture without any extra help, being convinced she would have to call Sango to come over to be her second pair of arms. Her dining table and chairs, couch, and lounge chair had already come assembled; but her coffee table, dresser, and nightstands were easy to puzzle together with her small toolbox and little knowledge of assembly.
She padded herself on the back for her skills in interior decorating, thanks to the internet, she had already bought everything she needed before moving in and added them into their designated spaces once the furniture was added. With her home office now set up, and all the other rooms organized; she could finally lay around comfortably in her own home.
Work has been eating up all of her time, no thanks to the move, and she felt like she had been drowning in paperwork. Playing catch-up would never be easy for Kagome, as she usually sucks at staying level-headed under pressure. Luckily, she’s getting the hang of it thanks to her promotion, the mountainous piles of paperwork and tasks were slowly becoming no match for her quick thinking.
Her stomach grumbled loudly in the silent room, telling her that it was going to shrivel up and die if it isn’t fed soon. Again, she had prioritized her job over her hunger and now her body was complaining. Exhausted, she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Guess I need to go eat before my stomach decides to eat itself.
The chair pushed back with resistance against the floor; a piercing squeal followed the movement, and it made her body shiver in reaction. “That can’t be good for the floor, but right now, I’m too hungry to care.”
She sauntered to her little kitchen and pulled out some leftover dinner from the night before, along with an extra helping of rice because she deserved it, and threw it into the microwave.
“Buyo!” She called for her cat, “Come for dinner!” Her foot tapped on the hardwood floor, an old habit she picked up from her mother to summon the cats back home, and filled his little bowl with his favorite food.
While she set it back down to the ground, the microwave beeped, and she excitedly grabbed the plate full of food and set it on the counter. Her stomach flipped as it continued to growl and complain, her hunger was really starting to set in the longer she waited to eat.
Without caring about whether or not she burned her tongue, Kagome scooped the salmon rice into her mouth and hummed happily. She danced where she stood, too happy to take a seat at her dinner table to eat like a normal person, and stuffed her face faster than usual. The hours she had gone without any food, even a snack; had been a terrible idea and as she took her last bite she promised herself to never do that again.
A promise she had been breaking the last two weeks.
“Dinner was good huh, Buyo?” She asked her cat, the fullness in her stomach finally settling in.
Looking down towards the food bowl, she realized it was still filled to the brim, with no chunky Calico cat in sight.
“Buyo?” She called a second time, her voice raised with concern. “Where are ya bud?”
Kagome checked every corner, nook, and cranny in the hope she would find her cat hiding somewhere he couldn’t get out. She looked in his favorite spots, under her bed, and even in the bathtub, but she could not find her cat.
In a last-minute attempt as panic set inside of her, she decided to look for him outside of her unit. Buyo was an inside cat, and if he managed to escape somehow, she was convinced she was never going to see the beloved feline ever again.
His little bell is attached to his collar, I just need to be really quiet and focus on hearing it. With her two bunny slippers and oversized cardigan thrown onto her shoulders, she fought a heart attack and stepped outside.
“Buyo!” She cried out, her voice echoing in the parking lot. “Buyo, baby, come here!”
There was no sound, not even a little jingle or a pitter-patter of tiny paws on the concrete to alert her that he was around. Cars were searched underneath, flowers and shrubs were moved around, and she even crouched on the ground to look in between small areas.
“This your cat?” A male's voice called out to her, gruff and deep, yet welcoming.
In her crouched position she looked over to find that the owner of the voice was her neighbor, although this is the first time she has ever seen him in person, she was finally able to connect his voice to his face.
Kagome had to squint to make sure the giant, round fluffball in his hands was indeed her cat, but as soon as he loudly meowed in his arms it was confirmed from there.
“Oh my god, Buyo!” Legs wobbling from anxiety, she ran right over to the man and hugged him. The impulsive action hit her immediately upon feeling just how big and muscular the man she randomly hugged was.
“I-I’m sorry!” She stuttered, pushing herself off his chest. “I’m just so happy you found my cat.”
“You hug every person you meet?” His voice sounded rough as he asked her, but the flush on his face told a different story. This girl was cute, and he had definitely not expected to get hugged by his pretty neighbor.
“N-no! I’m just really thankful.” She repeated. “He’s my first cat, and I’ve never lost him before.”
The color of her cheeks matched his own, and it wasn’t just because she decided to hug a stranger, it is also because this stranger was the most attractive person she’s ever seen and it had her internally spiraling. With his long, white hair and piercing gold eyes, it was no surprise she was a blushing mess.
“I-It was nothin’.” The man replied, the cat in his arms becoming more interesting than the girl in front of him. He gently scooped him out of his arms and into hers, the furry cat nesting himself comfortably into her chest. “Ya gotta lay him off the cat food.”
“Hey!” She guffawed, “Take that back! Buyo’s shy.”
Her handsome neighbor chuckled, the sight before him was a lot cuter than he’d like to admit. “Shy enough to walk into my apartment while I’m making lunch? That’s even bold for me.”
Kagome couldn’t keep her smile back, the action causing his cheeks to redden deeper. “If Buyo likes your food, I’d take that as a compliment.”
Something about her smile had him reeling, it was inexplicable how this girl he just met could have such a strange effect on him. The same girl who just moved in two weeks prior, who he could hear singing songs to herself while she did her chores and babbled about things to her cat. The new sounds and smells that came out of her apartment were definitely welcomed, especially because he found her entertaining and new.
“What’s your name?” He found himself asking before he could stop himself. He already knew her name, but he wanted to hear her confirm it.
Her finger stopped wiggling around Buyo’s face at the sound of his curious voice, the feline deciding to paw at the finger to make her start moving it again. “My name’s Kagome. And yours?”
Kagome. He thought to himself, her name reverberated in his head. “Inuyasha.”
“Inuyasha.” Kagome smiled again, his name coming off like honey out of her throat. “And you’re a dog demon, right?”
Normally, that question would have turned him off and he would tune out the rest of the conversation because it usually never ends well; his minuscule amount of friends is proof of that. Although, with the way she asks it, he feels the need not to turn a cold shoulder towards her, because the tone in her voice is filled with innocent curiosity instead of malice.
“I’m half. Why do ya ask?”
“No particular reason,” she readjusted the now sleeping cat in her arms. “I just really like your ears.”
Heat flared up in his face again, the innocent compliment catching him totally off guard. The only people who verbally compliment his ears are his mother, the little old ladies he sees at the grocery store, and kids. Besides those experiences, he’s never received something so genuine.
He cleared his throat to play it cool, a smirk painting his face. “Flattery will get you nowhere, but I’ll take it since I saved your cat and all.”
Kagome rolled her eyes, playing along. “Technically, all he did was walk into your apartment to eat your food. He was safe the entire time”
“What if he wasn’t.”
“But he was.”
“I could have kicked him out into the street.”
“But you didn’t.”
“But the option was there.”
“But yet,” she grinned, “You didn’t.” Her gaze stayed glued to his own, the smirk on his face now dimming into an annoyed frown. She knew she won the little game, because instead of sending her cat into danger, he probably let Buyo sleep on his floors instead.
“I’m going back into my apartment. I’ve been out here long enough, and your chunky cat is back where he belongs.” He announced, knowing he wasn’t going to win against the raven haired beauty. He briefly opened the door and stepped inside, and decided to lean on it; knowing he wouldn’t go inside his home until he knew she went into hers first. It’s something he learned from his mom when he was a kid, and he always followed it, especially with girls.
From what Kagome could manage to see from his entryway, his apartment was simply decorated and dark, something she would completely expect from him even though they had only just met.
“Don’t hate on the chunky, Inuyasha!” She giggled at his unamused expression staring back at her. “Chunky cats have more to love.”
“Yeah yeah, go back inside your apartment.” He waved her off, closing the door.
Kagome smiled at his unit number, 200, before turning swiftly on her ankle to enter her house. With Buyo snuggled in her arms, his little body rising and falling with every breath he took, she suddenly felt sleepy as well and decided to turn in for the night.
What Kagome didn’t know was that her unamused, half-demon neighbor had quietly watched and waited for her own door to shut close, followed by the click of the locks to signal that she was safe.
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windsweptlassie · 3 years
Text
On Love
So as you know I made this uquiz with an open-ended question at the end, tell me something about love, and I’ve gotten the most wonderful responses! They range from descriptions of wonderful partners: 
Lauren: oh, how long I went without being myself until I met him and he showed me who I truly was and that my worth was higher than I ever thought was possible
Levi: I love who we are with each other. I love who I am with you. In your company I am me. In your company I am the best of me. The best with the best, I've told you. I wouldn't give you up for anything
Daniel: i fell in love for the first time when i was 17... at the time, i didn’t realize it was the first time, i thought i’d been in love before, a couple times actually, but falling in love at 17 was such a fulfilling experience, it felt so forceful yet so right. it’s when i first truly understood what love was. never before had i felt so understood and so cared for as i did when i was in love with her, and she was in love with me. it’s been nearly 4 years since then, and nearly 3 years since we broke up and stopped talking, and still, i think about her almost every day. i’ve never known anyone like her; to me, she was love itself.
El: oh i’m in love with everyone that i know op!!! especially my girlfriend, of course ,but also my friends and my family and random people on the street and uh
Grace: i’ve met my soulmate and we plan on getting an apartment and marrying after college
A: I’m going to ask the woman I love to marry me and I just wanted to tell someone because I am so excited
Jeremy: you ever have that feeling where basically after years of denying that someone couldnt understand you in a way or love you and then the next thing you know you happen to find that person and its just great from then on out? idk how to explain it anyways I love my boyfriend so much he means the world to me
Lucy: i am so happy i have found the one i love
to descriptions of best friends and favorite people:
Nightbyrd: Love is a hug from an alzheimer's patient who hasn't the foggiest idea who you are, but they know you're worth hugging.
H: I have been doing so much yoga with my roommate recently!! It's a great way to center my mind for an hour
Riv: [platonic] i’ve literally never met anyone who understands me in the way that my best friends do. they’re literally the best people in the whole world and i genuinely don’t know what i’d do without them. i love them with my whole heart
Cillian: when i talk about how much i love my best friend i get so teary eyed because i cant believe that such a genuinely wonderful person wants to speak to me every day - i care for her more than anyone else on this planet
O: my two besties are my sources of happiness and they’re so pretty i would die for them :D
to beautiful quotes:
Kai: "you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on." DARCYYYY PLS MY HEART CANT HANDLW THIS PAIN
Dorian: When the plane went down in San Francisco, I thought of my friend M. He’s obsessed with plane crashes. He memorizes the wrecked metal details, ____the clear cool skies cut by black scars of smoke. Once, while driving, he told me about all the crashes: The one in blue Kentucky, in yellow Iowa. How people go on, and how people don’t. It was almost a year before I learned that his brother was a pilot. I can’t help it, I love the way men love. (accident report in the tall, tall weeds- ada limon, bright dead things)
Adam: every day I think about lemony snicket I will love you if I never see you again I will love you if I see you every Tuesday or however it goes. and it KILLS ME. love only fits in small things
Hero: “Your heart beats in my ribs and mine in yours, and both in God’s… The divine magnet is in you, and my magnet responds.” - Herman Melville to Nathaniel Hawthorne
Mary: "Love is watching someone die."
Alex: "meet me at blue diner, i'll take coffee and talk about nothing baby"
Sparrow: "How dare you love me like you've never known fear?" and "For you, the world," and "Darling, I was born to press my head between your shoulder blades," and "Will you start where I end?"
V: " You want to die for love. You always have. " and "someone will remember us, I say, even in another time" are living rent free in my mind 24/7 and I'm shaking. When will I finally be not the only one falling ?
Sahar K: To love another person is to see the face of god!!!
Miriam: all the love in the world is useless when there is total lack of understanding- kafka
Juls: Don’t you think they are maybe the same? Love and attention
to practices of love:
Leo; i love feeling happy bc somebody that i love is happy and comfortable....like its not about me i just love seeing you smile. we are safe together...idk i just feel it bro
A: I like to think love is leaning on each other during the light or dark days. Its a personal mission of mine to find out who I am and what I want. Yet I never seem to find my place in this world and as I look and look , I realise the only place I can be myself even with or without the efforts to find myself was done on that day or not, I am always tired so shall I lean on you? And you can lean on me as well. I shall be your fig tree and you shall be my favourite willow tree.
L: It's too late at night to be soul searching, but it's a journey we all seem to find ourselves on these days.
Anthi: feeling safe and at home, I guess (also I love frogs)
Julia: ive found that loving someone is like becoming your own thesaurus. you have to find or come up with infinite ways to say, you’re beautiful, or, i love you. it’s a gift
Galexies: ive been writing letters to the person i'd love one day since i was 14. i write them in a little journal usually, but i've been digitizing them into emails and sending them to one account that i'll give to them someday. i'd like to put pictures, but i haven't been outside much recently so theres that. i wonder if they'd like the sunsets i have on file, or if they'd find my cat cute in a bowtie.
Caeles: Love is sharing fruit slices and making someone tea at random
Dundy: Love is sending your friends cursed shit and watching them react in horror
to crushes and potential loves: 
Jess: I have a crush on my roommate. It sucks, but it's also wonderful. I get to be around him all the time when we're at school. we share a life together; it's rather domestic. I think a lot about marrying him and being domestic with him forever. It won't happen, and I'll move on eventually, but I'll be happy with him for as long as I can. I hope you feel loved tonight, because you are. Sleep well.
Aki: I so desperately want to believe that love is fake because I’ve seen what happens when loved ones leave but whenever I start to convince myself that I’ll never love anyone my best friend messages me telling me she loves me. She’s the only person I’ve ever pictured having a future with but love scares me and I don’t really know what to do but I think as long as she’s with me in some way, I’ll be fine
Hi: her her i keep thinking abt her.... gonna see her in 8 days or so i really miss her. its ok if shes never gonna love me like i want her to really being her friend spending time with her makes me the happiest girl on earth.... outsold antidepressants
Kit: this guy i have a crush on has hypnotically dark brown eyes and he's wonderful and shows me kindness like no one else
Juno: my crush has all the stars in his eyes
Mads: When I have the courage to meet my eyes with hers, the world stands still
Be Nice To Me: Look bro I never do these but I am yearning to hold them SO badly right now and someone needs to know it besides me
to the trials of love: 
Pppppp: I just wanna love like from the movies and what I read about.. but everyone tells me that that’s fictional and rare to find in the real world and it sucks bc it seems like all the guys I’ve met are terrible and the norms of society are all about not respecting women and uthdjdjdk
Manny: I have been in love before and I will be again but I’m not now and I miss it
Ok: I don't think I've ever been in love, though I love many people. I am waiting for the day I look at someone and can say, YES. IT'S YOU.
Chloe: idk rn i'm like okay with my love and i'm happy so we'll see i'm just a little cautious rn bc my last partner told me i didn't know how to love
L: love is so fucking complicated I don't even know where to start
Corrin: He’s not real and it worried me that I will never allow myself to live or be loved because I will always be waiting for him
Sean: Good luck it dont exist
Serena: i want 2 b in love :(( </3
13: I don’t know anymore
M: I just really don’t like dealing with it lol
to beloved characters: 
Janaya: I’m madly in love with my comfort and kin character and I hope maybe in the afterlife I can relive a life with him in some sort of dimension
Jhgjdf: when i was a kid i had a crush on ash ketchum from pokemon and id always daydream about being a female pkmn trainer and meeting him and we fall in love
to advice and prose: 
Mikolai: Love is earth, gentle and soft at first flight but upon being broken, drowns you in the dry choking wastes of its consequences...
Thex: Your hands will not go cold without someone to hold them. I am here. I will be here.
Kat: it is the nearest proof to god that i find myself surrounded by people who love in a way that complements so wonderfully the way i love
H: believe in love out of spite believe in love to prove everyone wrong believe in love because you were told not to and we will not do what we’re told anymore believe in love because it’s the strongest act of teenage rebellion we have left believe in love because it’s easier not to and when is easy worth doing? believe in love because everything says otherwise but you are untouchable, you are your own, you are not made by their design believe in love because, perhaps, you are love
Ali: I used to want a kind of love that feels like coming home and now I want nothing more than to be away from home on many different adventures
Em: you dont need to love yourself to accept it from others
to the small, the simple, and the sweet:
Ireal: Poems
O: Flowers
Fay: ah im sorry that i’m feeling unmotivated but you are very kind.
Ad: we love LOVE
A: <3
Isak: small things
H: intense
Hey: Listening to a clock ticking away
S: her
E: <3
Hania: Amorous, I adore that word ^^
Catboy: wholesome
J: i love love so much it hurts
Emmy: hi i love the song darkest of discos!! try and give it a listen!! <3
Nora: Love is painful, but most of the time love is great
Ariel: i like the comfort it can bring
M: i love love
to food!
Cool Whip: Matzoh ball soup!!
Woop: I love sausages.... I hope that's ok with you?
and animals too <3
Nee: hmm i have pet geckos and i love them very much!
96: raccoons ????
DJ Big Penis: cats
:3: I Love frogs,,, love is stored in the frog,,,
I hope that this serves as a sweet compilation of what love means! Love to all of you, it warms my heart so much to hear about your people and your geckos and your characters and soup and all the songs and quotes you love. <3 Strength to all of you who are figuring out to do about your feelings for your crush, and congratulations to you who are proposing or moving in with your person! Your words are a source of light to me, truly.
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seducing-a-vampire · 4 years
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ON BEING HONEST AND WHY I THINK SIMON WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY “I LOVE YOU”
Two things sparked this meta:
Baz yelling “you’re so beautiful” to Simon, but Simon not hearing it— the moment that lives rent-free in my head 24/7
Rainbow’s recent Fall for the Book interview, when she said that she thinks that Baz is “settling for Simon” in Wayward Son
Here’s something we all know: our guys really suck at saying nice things out loud to each other. For two people are constantly thinking nauseatingly sweet and loving things about each other, they almost never actually verbalize them. 
I ended up going through a lot of quotes and tracking some of the nice things that they actually do say to each other, and I’ll offer some very  r a m b l i n g  thoughts on what I think Simon and Baz’s respective paths indicate for AWTWB. 
I was interested in the intersection of when Simon and Baz are being honest to each other (aka saying some of the nice things that they’re always thinking) with when Simon and Baz are being honest about themselves (aka self-acceptance).
TL;DR, my prediction for their path through honesty is:
Simon’s self-acceptance (which starts at the end of WS)
Simon’s honesty to Baz re: love
Baz’s honesty to Simon re: love
Baz’s self acceptance
**Below the cut because it got super long, yikes**
Phase 1: Simon being nice/honest in CO
The first nice-ish interaction between Simon and Baz in Carry On is when Simon follows Baz up to the Mage’s office, and they find Baz’s baby photo:
“Here,” [Simon] says softly, holding it out to me. “I’m… sorry.” (204)
Simon tones down his initial hostility in this scene after he sees the photo. This moment, along with Natasha’s visitation, catalyzes a real change in how Simon views Baz, and it’s indicative of the larger shift (vulnerability → Simon seeing Baz as more than his enemy → Baz wearing jeans → oops I love him). This trajectory continues during their truce-- there are still a few moments of hostility, but honestly on the whole, Simon is pretty nice to Baz:
“You don’t want to hurt me,” I say, trying to push him back. “Isn’t that right? I’m sorry. Look at me, I’m sorry.” (210)
“I’ll help you,” he says (217)
“Baz,” I yell. “No! You’re flammable!” (238)
All of this culminates in the kisses in the forest, and Simon says a few more nice and affirming things around that point:
“They say your soul dies.”   “That’s tosh,” he says. (300)
“You’re not a monster,” I say. His face is cold as a corpse in my hand. “I was wrong. All those years. You’re a bully. And a snob. And a complete arsehold. But you’re not one of them.” (339)
“I won’t,” I say. I’ve never turned my back on you. And I’m not starting now.” (340)
Something that stood out to me after reviewing these moments is that Simon’s shift from enemies to lovers is actually pretty linear. As he learns more about Baz during their truce and they grow closer, Simon hates Baz less and consequently says nicer things to him, until he ultimately realizes he doesn’t hate Baz at all, so he kisses him and asks him to be his boyfriend. Weirdly logical behavior for someone so thick. Simon is being pretty open and honest, and this makes sense because Simon understands himself pretty well at this point. His big crisis of character comes in the next book. 
The thing is, at this point in Carry On, Baz has not said a single nice thing to Simon. The closest you could get is when he asks Simon to come to his house for Christmas, which is a great moment but is quickly muddled by their ensuing fight. 
(awesome thoughts about that moment here)
Baz has acted nicely, but he has remained sarcastic and aloof even after Simon kisses him. 
We get a few compliments of Simon’s power:
“You have to stop doing that.”  
“What?”
“Godlike displays of magic.” (348)
“You’re the most powerful magician alive-- who’s ever lived, probably.” (355)
I won’t repeat @super-duper-twelve’s brilliant meta on this, but this category of compliment is not ultimately that useful for their general communication.
Simon keeps pushing, despite the cold walls Baz tries to put up, and he asks Baz to be his “terrible boyfriend.” Honestly, it astounds me how much confidence Simon must’ve had to just shoot his shot there, because Baz was not giving him a ton of reason to think he’d go for it. Me as simon would’ve definitely been like: ok cool, nice kiss, he definitely still hates me though.
Phase 2: Baz being nice/honest
I want to be clear: it’s perfectly understandable why Baz, a flawed fictional character, is not nice to Simon. His trajectory from enemies to lovers is completely different, because he’s spent years loving Simon while acting like his enemy. He’s had great practice at that, and it’s the most relatable thing ever that he is afraid of getting hurt when he’s believed Simon to be an impossible dream for so long. This is also understandable when viewed through the lens of self-acceptance because huge facets of Baz’s identity are constantly being covered up and ignored by himself or by the people close to him (vampire, gay). He knows himself, sure, but he’s a very long way from self-acceptance.
Anyway, Baz does actually agree to be Simon’s boyfriend, and we get a couple of honest Nice Things that they say to each other during that brief period.
Unfortunately, this mutual honesty/niceness is incredibly short lived, because everything changes quickly after this: Humdrum, Mage, Ebb, etc. Simon’s world falls apart, and Baz is there to comfort him, affirm him, and (finally) be honest and nice. Their whole dynamic turns on its head. 
“You did it, didn’t you?” Baz whispers. “You defeated the Humdrum. You saved the day, you courageous fuck. You absolute nightmare.” (491)
“It’s going to be okay… it’s all right, love.” (492)
“You were the centre of my universe,” I say. “Everything else spun around you.” (506)
“Looking at you was like looking directly into the sun.” (507)
“You’re still Simon Snow. You’re still the hero of this story--” (507)
“It was brave. It was brave and selfless and clever. That’s who you are, Simon. And I’m not going to get bored with you.” (507)
“I choose you,” I say. “Simon Snow, I choose you.” (508)
To summarize and possibly oversimplify:
Up until the night of the Mage and Ebb’s death, Simon was the one pushing forward, being honest, and looking to break down the boundaries and walls between them. 
After that point, Baz finally feels ready to be all in with Simon, and Simon retreats inward. 
Phase 3: Wayward Son
We see this dynamic play out in Wayward Son, with almost no change throughout the whole book. Right from the very first chapter, Simon is thinking:
“Everything that happened with the Mage and the Hum-drum just made Baz more of who he was meant to be… He proved himself as a man and a magician. He proved himself right: The Mage really was evil! And I really was a fraud—’the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen,’ just like Baz used to say. He was right about me all along. “ (8)
I think it’s really notable that Simon can use his boyfriend’s words to justify his own worst self-doubts and self-loathings, because it indicates the consequences of them spending way more time insulting each other than ever being honest and affirming.
In Wayward Son, tender and honest moments between Simon and Baz are few and far between and mostly in the form of post-battle kisses. The only real communication that we see between them comes in flashbacks, wherein we see how much Simon has pulled back from Baz (the descriptions of his reaction to physical intimacy being one example of this). 
Even when Baz says nice things to Simon and affirms him, Simon’s presumed depression largely keeps him from believing and internalizing those things (through no real fault of either person. Again, very understandable ways for both of these flawed characters with traumatic pasts to behave!!!!!). Baz yells, “you’re so beautiful” to Simon, and he doesn’t even hear him (a gutting moment that I consider indicative of the general dynamic between them throughout the book).
Now, we get to Rainbow’s comments about Baz “settling for Simon.” I feel this. Simon is pushing Baz away and giving Baz basically nothing, and that is not a healthy dynamic. Baz is going through his own crap and self-doubt and self-acceptance, and Simon is not there for him apart from fits of jealous rage. As we learned in Carry On, it takes a lot for Baz to even feel remotely comfortable expressing his feelings for Simon, and with many months lacking that, it starts to wilt. 
What’s next: Prologue and AWTWB
Of course, the moment of truest communication in the second book comes at the very end:
“Why can’t you just admit that you’d be happier here?” “Why can’t you see that I wouldn't be happier anywhere without you?” (353)
I think the key to understanding what might come after this agonizing moment lies with Simon’s thoughts as he sits alone on the beach.
Before Baz arrives, Simon’s not thinking about his boyfriend. He’s thinking about himself. He’s contemplating his role in the World of Mage’s (hello, synopsis for AWTWB), and he’s taking a good, long look in the mirror. He’s starting to be honest about himself and accept himself (not perfectly, and I think this imperfect acceptance is reflected in his expressed desire to get rid of his wings, but he’s getting there). 
When Simon talks about Baz staying in America and being happy, Simon is not closing himself up and pushing Baz away, which he had done for so long and which caused so much miscommunication up to this point. Rather, this is a moment of true honesty on Simon’s part. 
Baz does need to learn more about himself and his vampirism. Simon recognizes this about Baz, just as Simon is trying to understand himself, too. In this moment, Simon is being true and vulnerable and speaking from a place of love. Baz refuses to self-reflect honestly and understand the truth in what Simon is saying, instead clinging to his love for Simon (without actually verbalizing that love). Throughout WS, Baz makes very stunted progress (see: his floral clothing as symbolism, being able to retract his fangs, meeting other vampires and learning about immortality and all that fun stuff), but in the end he doesn’t let himself actually think about that in any real way. Despite what Simon says, Baz has not yet “become more of who he was meant to be.” 
Importantly, this is in the “Prologue,” the beginning of the next phase in their healing and their relationship. As the balance shifts, this could be the beginning of real communication, but Simon needs to take the next step. At the end of WS, Baz is the one holding back. Baz isn’t able to accept himself honestly, so he won’t be able to fully let Simon in, either. 
Until Simon says “I love you,” they won’t get anywhere in their relationship. Simon needs to say it first, he needs to be vulnerable and honest in a way that he hasn’t been since before the Mage’s death, and Baz needs to understand those feelings in order to fully express his own. Then, I see Simon’s fully expressed love and support as a catalyst for Baz’s final self-acceptance. 
I think Simon will be unable to fully express his love for Baz until he has understood and accepted himself. However, Baz will continue to prioritize Simon/love over his own self-acceptance until either (A) Simon and Baz break up, or (B) Baz finally has confidence and security in their relationship because Simon has broken down the barriers of honesty and said “I love you.” Simon needing to say “I love you” first also gets at the idea of Simon needing to become someone that Baz deserves (per Rainbow’s words). 
So, I predict this as their path through honesty:
Simon’s self-acceptance (which starts at the end of WS)
Simon’s honesty to Baz re: love
Baz’s honesty to Simon re: love
Baz’s self acceptance
And then they will live happily ever after. The end.
*** Please let me know what you think and if this makes any sense!! ***
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A Little Jealousy Never Hurts
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Vinny Mauro x Reader
Warnings: Language
"I'm thankful  it's almost the end of the semester and I'm still passing all my classes," you sigh as you lean back in your chair, propping your feet up on your desk. You run your fingers sleepily down your face, but considering the late hour it's no surprise you're tired.
Your boyfriend nods his head where he sits in the floor, leaning back into the bed you share as he plays video games. You know he's tired too, it's been a long semester and quite a struggle living with roommates, everyone having different schedules.
Still, it annoys you that he'd rather spend his free time playing games than talking to you. You've been together a year now, moved in with each other a few months ago to help with rent, and you feel like it's just not going quite as well now.
You like Vinny, he's cute, and really sweet when he's paying attention. Sometimes you think he can be rather childish and petty, a brat really, but that's what being an only child gets you. Sometimes you'd like nothing more than to lock the door and kick him out, throw his things dramatically out the window like you've seen on movies --- but only sometimes, the rest of the time you don't know if you can survive without him.
Now, actually, isn't one of those times.
He's getting on your nerves.
"Hey. Do you two want any takeout?" Your roommate asks, suddenly appearing in the doorway. He glances at your boyfriend, who's not even acknowledged him, before back at you where you sit resigned, feet still propped on your messy desk with an irritated expression. "(Y/N)?"
"Just order two of whatever you're getting." You tell him, forcing a smile. "I trust your judgement."
"I don't know if you should, but thanks. Oh, and here," he takes a few steps forward, stopping at the edge of your desk as he offers you a book. "This has been one of my favorite reads so far, I thought maybe you'd like it."
"Oh nice, thanks!" You brighten at the book he hands you, a little excited. Your roommate and you share a love of novels, fantasy books that take you to worlds you wish you could disappear into. You're close because of that, constantly swapping books back and forth, both of your rooms starting to pile up with them.
You flip the book open, letting your feet drop to the floor as you scan the synopsis on the back, curious. "It sounds pretty cool so far. Is there romance?"
"Among other things, yes."
"You know the romance is what I care about."
"Ahuh. There's also magic, wizards, demons, hunters who try to stop them without any parents to tell them what to do."
"They're always kids saving the world, huh? Why not someone our age, dying of sleep loss and trying to get a degree that won't help them at all?" You grumble, miffed. You're half tempted to write your own book, full of stupid, cheesy romance, about a girl struggling through college that somehow gets thrown into a supernatural fiasco that resorts in a hot, sweet, yet also badass boyfriend.
Too cliche?
Vinny glances over as you and your roommate talk, momentarily letting his controller rest in his lap. He had two exams today, his brain is fried and he just wanted to mindlessly play some video games before going straight to bed. It's the end of the semester and he's never been so stressed in his life.
Living with you makes it a little easier, you keep him straight and makes sure he doesn't screw up focusing on his studies. You're a nerd, but that's why he likes you so much, and you're cute, and nice when you're not harping at him like a mother.
You have a thing for books, which is what is causing your shared room to kind of fill up, not that he minds. If it makes you happy, you can have all you want. Your roommate is always coming in, leaving a book or taking one, the two of you chatting about it and going into your own little worlds.
Vinny gets jealous, admittedly. He wishes he could be so enthralled with something he goes all in to it, the way you and your friend do. He doesn't know the guy too well, they only talk because they live together, but he's not bad.
"What's going on?" He asks after a moment, just wanting to remind you that he's still in the room, that he's not invisible. His game is completely forgotten now, left on pause.
"Oh! He just recommended me another book to read," You reply, lifting it up slightly where it rests in your lap as you glance at him. "I'll give it back to you as soon as I'm done, Tony. Might take me a couple days, I still have some exams to study for."
"Don't worry about it. Just hand it back before the month is up so I can return it to the library."
Vinny frowns, crossing his arms across his chest.
You two talk so casually, and you're so relaxed with each other. He bites the inside of his cheek as he watches you interact, a tightening in his gut; this guy could so easily steal you away from him, you have more interests that match up. You both love fantasy worlds and books, talking about them, going to writing club and signings, whereas he could care less about all of that stuff. Fictional adventures with wizards and shadow hunters don't excite him like it does you guys.
Since the moment Tony moved in, he's watched the two of you grow closer and closer, and though sometimes he's quite sure Tony isn't interested in women, he still gets worried. He can't help the twisting, anxious feeling in his gut he tries to ignore all the time when he sees you together; he knows he's not perfect, he has his moments where he's a dick or a screwup, but he tries to make up for it.
"How's your last exam?" You ask your roommate, letting the book rest of your desk. "Do you think you passed?"
"Probably. I did enough cramming all I was thinking was equations, they haunted my dreams." The roommate shudders. "You?"
"Well, it's sink or swim, I guess. I was so nervous I couldn't sit still. I do not want to take that class over again."
"Let's hope you don't have too then."
"Hey, weren't you going to order food?" Vinny suddenly asks, interrupting the conversation before it goes too far. "Do you need my card or anything?"
"Oh no, I got you guys." The roommate hesitates, seeing Vinny's huffy look. "I'll go ahead and get something ordered, though. Anything you guys want in particular?"
"No." Vinny's reply is short. "Just whatever."
You send him a sharp look he ignores as he turns off the TV, getting to his feet. Your roommate purses his lips, merely nodding before taking a few steps out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"Vinny! What's with the attitude?" You scowl at him, annoyed. He's always such a jerk to your roommate, who you're starting to like more than your boyfriend. You don't know why he's always so snappy and short lately, it's getting on your nerves; so uncalled for!
"I don't have one," your boyfriend replies, sitting down on the edge of your shared bed, leaning down to grab his untied sneakers, jerking them on.
"You say with a bitchy tone." You grumble, slouching in your chair as you cross your arms. You eyeball him cautiously. "But seriously, what's your problem with Tony? He's a great roommate, he even orders us food when he's getting some, and lends me books. You borrow his toothpaste all the time since you're too cheap to buy your own."
It's not that Vinny is too cheap, he just keeps forgetting.
Vinny sighs. "I don't have an issue with Tony, alright? He's cool."
"Then what's wrong?" You genuinely don't understand.
"I just... you don't talk about stuff that way with me."
"I don't what?"
"When you and Tony talk about books, you're just --- so animated, I guess. You don't talk to me that way." he shrugs his shoulders, looking down as he fumbles with his laces. You get such bright eyes when you talk about books or the plot of them, the characters, you're so into it. It's like you immerse yourself in that world, leaving him out of it.
"I didn't think you were interested in listening to me talk about fantasy worlds." You reply, gazing at him. Is he jealous or something? "You've never seemed to be. It's just nice to have someone to share books and talk about them with, you've nothing to worry about. Tony is gay as hell anyway; you'd stand a better chance hooking up with him than I would."
Vinny rolls his eyes, his cheeks starting to get warm; he knows being jealous is stupid, he just can't help it. He really likes you, and he keeps worrying things are going to go wrong. He's never moved in with a girl before, and it seems like stuff is going fast with you.
"Are you going to answer me or ignore me?" You stare at him, irritated. You hate it when you say something or ask a question and he just doesn't respond to you, it drives you crazy!
"Er, sorry. I just, I dunno --- I wish I could be into like you are, but I'm not." he shrugs his shoulders. "I'm not much of a reader, and I can't get into it."
"We all have our different interests."
"I know."
"We both like Chinese food, and we both like to watch Gordon Ramsey yell at people. That's two things we share that I don't with anyone else," you say after a moment, wanting to make him feel better. "We talk about how annoying the patriarchy is, and we both want to move to Montana and start a cafe."
"Actually that last part is yours."
"Well, you never disagreed, figured we were on the same page."
Vinny's lips twitch, and finally he looks at you, seeing you're just gazing at him, leaning back comfortably in your chair.
"I know I shouldn't be jealous, it's dumb. I just can't help it."
"You're an only child, you just don't like sharing." You tease him, trying to lighten the mood a little. He smiles slightly, and you reach over, curling your fingers through his; the room is small, you can take on step and be on the bed beside him, so you're not too far away. "Well, we're not always going to like the same things, and  that's okay. I'm definitely not going to run off with our gay roommate. Does that make you feel better?"
"A little."
"Good." You squeeze his cold fingers. "Now let's go make sure he doesn't want to move out because he's unloved."
"I don't want to."
"Oh, come on," you get to your feet and pull, forcing him to follow suit. "Feel a little better about it now?"
"Only if you kiss me."
"Kiss you? Why would I do that?" You scoff, even as you're turning to face him, your fingers threading through his as you smile. You lean forward, pressing a soft kiss against his lips, feeling him sigh into you. His hand rises, cupping your cheek as he deepens the kiss, just holding onto you for a few moments.
This is one of the reasons you're with him. You can have a disagreement, but he's so easy to talk too, to work it out with. He listens, he thinks about it, and he's sometimes pretty reasonable about it. Plus you love it when he ends up making up with a kiss, it's always so sweet, so cheesy it makes you melt on the inside.
You suppose a little jealousy never hurts when you end up getting kisses like this.
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artificialqueens · 3 years
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Devoted: Garden Hose (Katlaska) - Kamylove
V posted a prompts list just when my brain had given up on lesson planning at the end of the semester. So, I have some ficlets.
They're short and self-contained, they don't take place in either of my fictional universes, and I don't know how many I'll post. But here's one to start!
I will keep this ship alive if it kills me, which it might.
They didn't even want a yard. They hadn't been looking for a yard. All they'd wanted was a little patio for eating and sunning. But when they'd decided, after sharing an apartment for a year, that it was time to upgrade to a rented house, well.
It had the perfect layout, was in the perfect location, and was perfectly in their budget. It was just the place to land while they debated buying. And it had a backyard as green as a golf course. 
"Grass is such a waste," Alaska said.
"It's wasted on us, that's for sure," Katya said.
But their landlord, Mrs. Handy, who lived next door, loved the grass. ("Handy. Heh," Katya had said before they'd even met the woman. "Thank you, Beavis," Alaska had replied.) Mrs. Handy's dearly despised mother had planted the lawn and the rosebushes 46 years ago. Mrs. Handy had a line in the lease that said the tenants were responsible for watering the lawn. Mrs. Handy was not a person they wanted to piss off.
At least, they'd decided, they wouldn’t be the ones paying the water bill; it was included in the rent. They were out of town half the time anyway, and Mrs. Handy's fourteen-year-old daughter was happy to earn a few bucks watering it for them when they weren't home.
It was clearly a racket. But the daughter was a baby dyke with a bass guitar and a wicked sense of humor, and they'd decided she could use a pair of guncles.
So they had a backyard, and sometimes they got to use it.
"Aren't you too fucking hot?" Alaska asked. "I'm too fucking hot."
"Yes," Katya said on an exhale, without breaking the rhythm of her burpees. "Because you're lying in the sun."
"But you're working out!"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Alaska preferred to exercise in air conditioning. Katya preferred to exercise differently every day, because if she got bored, she'd stop. Today it was traveling elbow cross to knee burpees, back and forth on the little lawn.
Anyway, Alaska was adorable in her little purple kaleidoscope Speedo, no matter how much she complained. She sat up to reapply her sunscreen and said, "So fucking hot."
Katya grinned, finished all her reps, and walked back to the patio to grab her towel. "I stink like a shitpile," she announced, still short of breath. "I need a shower so bad."
"Can you bring me another water when you go in?" Alaska asked. Katya couldn't see her eyes, under the sunglasses, but she was sure Alaska hadn't opened them.
Throwing the towel over her shoulder, Katya decided she didn't want to leave this view. Her boyfriend was sweaty, glistening, unshaven, and wearing next to nothing. So she walked over to the hose instead of going inside, and started unfurling it from around the valve.
Alaska sat up on her elbows, only far enough to see at Katya. "What are you doing? It's Wednesday." In Los Angeles' permanent drought, they could only water the lawn, after 6:00 PM, three days a week. Wednesday was not one of their days.
"I'm not watering the lawn," Katya said. She turned on the hose and held it to her mouth, taking a few gulps. "I'm watering me." Then she drenched herself with the spray, rinsing off the sweat but more importantly, cooling down.
Alaska laughed at her and lay back down on her lounge chair.
Katya kept watering herself, intending not to stop until she shivered, but the guilt of wasting water got to her first. On the other hand...
She approached the patio and took aim.
"What the fuck?" Alaska yelped, and laughed, when the water hit her. "No! Stop!"
"You said you wanted water," Katya said.
"A bottle of water!" Alaska stood and ran from the spray. "Stop it!" She cowered at the corner of the house, still laughing and yelping.
"You said you were hot!"
"My sunscreen!" She took off and sprinted to the fence at the far end of the grass, which wasn't actually far. Katya, also laughing, gave chase.
Alaska got smart--like she was ever not smart--and ran towards the hose valve. Katya saw where she was going and headed her off, wrapping her free arm around Alaska's waist.
That was when she remembered that she was wearing only running shorts, and Alaska only her Speedo. One of them was slippery from water, one from sweat, and when their chests touched, Katya finally did shiver.
Alaska felt it, too. She stopped laughing and looked Katya in the eye. They stared at each other while the water kept falling on the grass. They both licked their lips at the same time.
"You're making a mess," Alaska pointed out, but her heart clearly wasn't in it. "Have we ever fucked in a mud puddle?"
"Let me turn the water off first," Katya said, but she traced the top of Alaska's swimsuit with one finger before she went.
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jamielea81 · 4 years
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Conversations
Chapter 13
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Description: You accompany your friends on a day trip to Animal Kingdom Theme Park where you meet Scott Evans by chance. This one afternoon leads to a year long friendship with both Chris and Scott over text messages and phone calls.
Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader
Warning: Fluff, curse words, a little bit of NSFW - If you are under 18 please do not read!
Word Count: 6,700
A/N: I know nothing about the lives of the Evans family and mean no harm. This is purely fiction and for fun. Reblogs and comments are much appreciated! The tag list is now closed. Each chapter tends to get reblogged from me a few times, so if you’re following me, you can’t miss it.  
*Italics are internal thoughts
Catch up with Chapter 12
**
The boys had no clue about your plan. Frankly, no one knew what your plan was. You weren’t trying to be secretive, no, you just didn’t want all the fuss. One week was more than enough time to host someone in your home. Two weeks was outlandish. You would simply tell them later in the week that you were staying in Boston for an additional week. On your own.
You had rented a one bedroom apartment in the city near the harbor. Chris had been putting a lot of extra effort into your relationship recently by coming to stay with you every few weeks. You wanted to see if Boston was a place you could see yourself spending a lot of time in. Staying with Scott or Chris for the second week wouldn’t really allow for you to see if you could be comfortable there by yourself. You wanted to check out the coffee shops, parks, and small eateries. You had read through numerous travel sites and blogs by locals who boasted the neighborhoods that were not only hip, but had low crime rates.
Chris had gone back to Massachusetts from his latest visit just over a week ago and you had already begun to miss him. When he sent you a text three days after leaving, telling you he was missing you, you instantly felt relieved. The two of you had spent a lot of time talking on his visits which ultimately brought you closer. He slept in your bed all three days of this last trip, never pressing for more than a cuddle and a few kisses. Chris spent a great amount of time talking with you into the early morning hours about how it would be when he was away filming. The two of you would need to survive on Skype or Facetime as he was often away for months at a time. He said that you could visit him on set, but your time together would be limited.
The additional week in Boston was born from the vacation time you had to use or lose with the Orlando Sentinel. Asia was quick to agree that your start date with News Now could begin a few days after you returned from your trip. Having the ability to work from anywhere was a huge positive. Your lease would be coming up for renewal in February and you were honestly struggling with staying or leaving Orlando.
Central Florida had been your home for sixteen years, but you were still only renting. That had to mean something. You didn’t miss the long winters of Minnesota, but you did miss your family. Minnesota felt safe and comfortable for a place to start over again, but you still weren’t sure that was the right step for you. Logically, it was too soon to move to Boston. You were never the girl to move somewhere for a guy. Chris was one of the people closest to you, but the two of you were barely a couple. But why the hell was your heart telling you to give it a shot? At least you had a couple of months to figure it all out.
**
You had swung by Krispy Kreme on the way to Jana’s office armed with a coupon for half off a dozen. Not that you needed a dozen donuts, but a deal was a deal. That’s how you’d always been. You weren’t one of those coupon clippers, but you always shopped on sale and always looked in the clearance section. If there was a bargain to be had, you were a willing participant. This is why even looking at places to rent for the long term in Boston frightened you. Sticker shock was an understatement. You could buy a new, large family home in the suburbs of Minneapolis for the same price you could purchase a studio apartment in Boston. Technically, you could look outside of the city, but that’s something you’d have to think about later when a decision needed to be made.
“I brought food,” you greeted her, shoving the box in her face as she signed you in to the building.
“That’s not food.”
“You can eat it Jana. I’m pretty sure Brooks consumes these five days a week.”
“Fine. Maybe just one,” she replied, reaching into the box and pulling out a glazed one once you got to her office. You gave her a satisfied smirk before grabbing one for yourself. “You ready to work with Brooks again?”
“Is one ever ready? But seriously, I didn’t exactly work with him when he was at the paper so even now I still won’t see him,” you shrugged, taking a huge bite and promptly licking your fingers to Jana’s dismay.
“When are you starting again?”
“Like the twenty eighth. Some time that week. I’m going to try to have something to submit that week. Maybe about my time in Boston. Who knows?”
“You call me the workaholic, yet you’re working on vacation,” Jana said.
“Well, I’m nervous as shit, so I just want to be ready to go with something.”
With promises of dinner together when you returned, you left her office with the box of donuts in hand. Rather than heading straight for the elevator, you decided to stop by Ethan’s office. His door was open, but he was engrossed in a law book.    
“Hey,” you called out loud enough for him to hear you but soft enough not to startle him.
He looked up, grinning when he saw it was you. “How are you?”
“Good. I’ve come to tempt you with sugar,” you said holding up the box.
“No bribing needed. Whaddaya got?”
“A little bit of everything,” you said, stepping into the room and placing the box on the desk. You opened it for him to pick. He quickly pulled out one of the custard filled ones, moaning at the taste.
“Thank you,” he murmured, mouth still full.
You gave him an honest smile. Speaking to him the last time you were in the office really got rid of that tension about seeing him.
“You’re welcome.”
“What are you up to?” he asked.
“How much time do you have?” you asked.
“For you? As much as you need.” He gestured to one of the empty chairs in front of his desk.
You told him about the new job and how much you were looking forward to the change. You left out the part about possibly moving since nothing was set in stone, so there was no need to get into that.
“I’m sorry Y/N,” he started, you giving him a questioning look. “When I said that stupid thing about your job. 100% didn’t mean it. I was just angry and I aimed low. You’re a great writer. I read everything you wrote when we were together, and I still read it today.”
You gave him a small smile. “Thanks for saying that. And you still read it?” you asked surprisingly.
“Got to get my Disney news from a reliable source,” he shrugs.
**
Boston’s weather seems to be all over the place with predictions for the next two weeks being anywhere from the fifties to the low seventies. You packed a large suitcase and your trusty leather carryon with a few sweaters, sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans, leggings and a couple pairs of short boots. You’ll wear your sneakers to the airport. At least that’s one less thing to pack. You’re staying with Scott and Zach, but you toy over bringing your cute yet flirty pajamas and lingerie. You and Chris aren’t exclusive, at least not technically. He told you he isn’t seeing anyone else and isn’t planning on either. But the words boyfriend and girlfriend or partner haven’t been uttered. Taking a guess, he’s most likely waiting for you to say it since he doesn’t want to push you. You’re not even sure how much you’ll be seeing him this trip. He said he’ll be around, but never made actual plans with you. Picking up your cell, you shot him a text.
Y/N: When am I seeing you in Boston.
Chris: All the time?
The fact that he adds that question mark makes you laugh.
Y/N: Well, we never made plans, so I wasn’t sure if you have stuff going on all week.
Chris: You’re such a dork. You’re coming to my town and you have to question when you’re going to see me?
Y/N: I thought it was Scott’s town, you know, since I’m staying with him.
Chris: What?!
Chris: That’s not fair. You didn’t even give me the chance to offer 😔
Y/N: My poor baby. I’ll be sure to kiss it all better.
Chris: You better
Yep, you were packing the cute underwear.
**
You sent Scott a text as soon as you landed.
Scott: On my way. White BMW.
Grabbing your bag from the conveyer belt, you grabbed a coffee before going out to short term parking where he said he’d meet you. The temperature was a cool sixty-three degrees, so you were dressed in a cozy hunter green sweater, jeans, and browns boots. You thought about throwing on a jacket, but figured the boys would tease you. Minnesota you would have teased you, but you’d been in Florida too long now. Sixty was cold.
Crossing over to the ramp, you looked around for a white BMW as instructed. A sudden honk jolted you, causing coffee to spurt out through the cup’s cover.
“Mother fucker!” you whispered to yourself.
The offending driver jumped out of the car, jogging toward you. “Shit! Sorry!” It was Chris rather than Scott. NASA hat on his head, Pats sweatshirt, and jeans. The epitome of casual, yet it he looked good.
When does he not look good?
“You scared the shit out of me,” you said, dropping your carryon to the ground and hugging him with your free hand. “I should be smacking you rather than hugging you.”
“M’sorry. Wanted to surprise you,” he said pulling away.
You kissed the pout on his lips, Chris smiling as soon you pulled back. He bent down grabbing your bag from the ground and then grabbed the handle on your suitcase. You followed behind him, admiring the view.
He really is America’s Ass.
The drive to Scott’s didn’t take long. He had a large two-bedroom condo in the city. Parking was a challenge, but Scott had purchased a second spot a year ago and since Zach wasn’t’ home, Chris parked there.
He grabbed your two bags while you easily toted your purse and now empty coffee cup into the building’s entrance and up the elevator. Chris walked in without knocking, but you supposed Scott knew you were coming since you did text him when you landed.
“I brought you a gift!” Chris called out.
Scott walked into the entry and living room giving you a big smile. “Oh. Is there a return policy?”
“You are such a brat!” you spat out. “Does your mother have room at her place? Feel like I’d getting a warmer welcome there.”
“Sassy, don’t give me no lip. You know I love you,” Scott said, pulling you into a hug. You let your arms hang to give him that bit of attitude, plus you still had your purse and cup in hand.
“Ahuh, love you too,” you replied.
Scott showed you to your room for the week while Chris followed behind, setting your bags on the floor. Light blue walls with dark wood furniture made up the room. A queen size bed placed in the center with a chest of drawers sat on the opposite wall. A relatively large flat screen TV mounted to the wall above the chest. On each side of the bed were a matching set of night stands. A vase of white daisies sat on the right-hand side.
“Bathroom is across the hall. Dinner is at six. Don’t be late. No fucking in your room,” he said, pointing between you and Chris, closing the door as he left. “Or at least be quiet about it,” he said through the door.
Chris looked at you with raised eyebrows while you shook your head. “Uh, we don’t have to,” he said.
“Well, definitely not now.”
“Yeah. Yeah, totally. That’s just Scott,” Chris said, shrugging. He was nervous and it made you smile.
Chris stayed for dinner but left around eight kissing you breathless before wishing you a goodnight.
**
Scott, Zach and yourself hit the road early starting with the Freedom Trail, making sure to see the graves of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere before stopping at the Old State House. Chris had wanted to join the three of you, but when you mentioned he would draw in a crowd being that you would be surrounded by tourists, he was quick to change his mind.
Scott brought you to Beacon Hill where you fell in love with the architecture of the beautiful brick homes. When he told you the average price, you choked on your breath, quickly deciding it wasn’t anywhere you would be able to live.
You moved on to Charles Street, stopping in a few shops to buy something for Jana as well as yourself. When it was time for lunch, Scott and Zach brought you to Cheers bar on Beacon Hill. Scott told you there actually two locations, this one was used for the exterior shots for the show. It was everything you imagined it would be. You were too young to enjoy the show when it aired originally, but picked up on the reruns when you were in your late twenties.
Harvard University was as grand and as beautiful as you imagined it would be bathed in the gorgeousness that is fall. You treated to the boys to ice cream, finding a nice spot on a grassy lawn filled with students and tourists alike. Scott took a few pictures of you with ice cream cone in hand and red and orange leaves all around you. You did the same for each of them. The spontaneous photoshoot turned into a leaf fight as Zach dumped a large handful on Scott’s head.
**
Nervous seemed like such an inadequate word to describe how you were feeling. You weren’t even a nail biter but you couldn’t keep your thumb out of your mouth as you chewed the corner repeatedly.
“Would you stop it? You’ve met her,” Scott said, taking his eyes off the road briefly to look at you.
“Yeah and she thought I was some floozy.” Scott snorted. “Do people still say floozy?”
“I’m pretty sure they don’t. And you know that’s because she didn’t know you were you. It’ll be fine. She loves you. I talk about you all the time. Well, not all the time, but I talk about you and she loves you.” You took a deep breath. “Now keep that finger out of your mouth. She will judge you for jagged fingernails.”
“Such a brat,” you said softly.
“Me? Do I need to have Chris take you and all your luggage back to his place tonight? Why’d you pack so much anyway? Must’ve packed like three winter coats or somethin’.”
“Shuddup,” you murmured. You’d only been in town for four nights and weren’t planning on having this conversation until Friday. “Was going to tell you later, but might as well tell you now. But do not tell Chris. I will tell him later,” you warned.
“Sounds serious,” he said.
“You know how with this new job I can pretty much work from where ever I’d like?” Scott nodded his head. “I’m still trying to figure that all out. Not that I don’t love Florida. Jana and Brooks are my family there, but I’m thinking it might be time to make a change. I thought about Minnesota since my parents and brother are there, but I also wanted to see how I’d like Boston.”
“What are you gettin’ at Y/N?”
“I’m staying in town next week. I rented an apartment to see if I feel comfortable here.”
Scott let out a low whistle. “Chris is going to be pissed,” he sing-songed the last word.
“You think?” you asked.
“Oh yeah.”
“Like pissed because I’ve thought about maybe splitting my time here or moving here?”
“Oh god, no. He’d probably love the fuck out of that. He’s going to be pissed you aren’t staying with him.”
You didn’t even think of that. The idea of having your own space to see if you’d like being here was still the right decision, but he was right. Chris would probably be upset you didn’t tell him what you were thinking. And he’d probably be mad you weren’t staying with him.
“Shuddup,” you said again.
**
“Ma! Your favorite son and Sassy are here,” Scott called out after opening the front door to his mother’s house.
“I’m already here,” Chris called from what looked like the kitchen. He walked into the entryway pulling you into a hug. “Missed you.”
“You just saw me at breakfast,” you replied, kissing his lips quickly before anyone else came in the room.
“Still missed you.” He interlaced your fingers and pulled you toward the kitchen. “Cah’mon.”
Lisa, the boy’s mother was in front of the stove, a few pans sizzling on the burners. It smelled delicious, so you knew you were in for a good meal.
“Y/N, it’s nice to see you again. How are you enjoying your stay?” she said turning to face you.
It was all so formal, you instantly jumped into interview mode.
“It’s been quite wonderful. Scott’s been a great host,” you replied.
She smiled warmly and went back to her pans.
“When are the girls getting here?” Scott asked.
“Should be here soon. Why don’t the three of you show Y/N around?”
Chris gave you the tour while Scott plopped himself on the sofa in the family room.
“And this was my room,” he said, opening the door. It was set up as a guestroom with a full-size bed pressed against the center of the far wall.
“So, is this where the Sandra Bullock poster used to hang?” you said pointing at the ceiling.
“Et tu, Brute? Never going to live that down.” Chis said, shaking his head.
“Oh, everyone does it babe. I’m pretty sure I had a couple of NSYNC pictures torn from magazines hanging on my walls. I know I had one of Joey Lawrence.”
“Joey Lawrence?” he chuckled.
“He looked good in Blossom when I was a kid. He had great hair.”
“Yeah? What do you think of my hair?”
You ran your fingers through his hair, giving the end a slight tug. “This hair?” you said softly, your face close to his. “This hair, I can’t get enough of. Probably the sexiest head I’ve seen in a week.”
“A week? You runnin’ your fingers through someone else’s hair?” he asked, his breath hot against your lips.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
He pressed his lips against yours. Arms instantly tugging you closer while you kept one hand in his hair and the other around his neck. Kissing Chris would never get old. He walked backwards until his legs hit the edge of the mattress, lowering himself down and pulling you onto his lap. You wrapped your arms around his neck, his hands instantly going to your ass as he pulled you to straddle him closer. A moan broke from your throat, catching you off guard.
“That’s it baby,” Chris whispered, lips attaching themselves to your jaw.
Instantly you were reminded that you were indeed in his mother’s house. The same mother who thought you were just a hook up when she first met. You sighed, loosening your grip from around his neck. Chris continued to kiss across your jaw and down your neck.
“We’re in your mother’s house babe,” you said.
“And?” he muttered into your neck.
“And, she probably wouldn’t appreciate this going on in her guestroom.”
He pulled back a bit, finding your lips and placing a kiss there. “I beg to differ, but I suppose this isn’t how you want to meet my sisters.”
“Nope,” you said, popping the p. You crawled off his lap and a ran a hand through your hair. It was a good thing that you only had on lip balm, because surely had it been lipstick it would have been a mess on your face. You tugged at your sweater, making sure the neck was straightened before turning back to Chris and smiling. “Why don’t I spend the night at that construction zone you’re calling a house tomorrow night?”
“Really?” he asked, eager smile on his face.
“Yes, really.” You’d tell Chris tomorrow about your extended stay. It would just be the two of you tomorrow, so it would be easier to talk to him about your thoughts on possibly moving. You hoped he’d be honest with his feelings on it as well.
The two of you made your way back to the family room, immediately spying Chris’ sisters. Scott told you tonight’s dinner would just be the siblings as his mom wanted to keep it small and casual as they got to know you. Saturday would have the whole Evans’ clan in attendance for a potluck type lunch.
“Nice of you two to finally join us,” Chris greeted Carly and Shanna.
“We’re on time, you’re just always early,” Shanna said.
“Wait until you have kids. You’ll see how long it takes to get out of the house,” Carly spat.
“Anyway. This is my girlfriend Y/N. Y/N, these are my sisters Carly and Shanna.”
Whoa. Girlfriend. I guess he’s saying it first.
You felt your face heat up, but you quickly extended your hand to Carly first who pulled you into a hug and then passed you to Shanna who did the same.
“Great to meet the often talked about Sassy,” Shanna said with a giggle.
“Oh boy. Hopefully only good things,” you replied.
“Maybe. Siblings never rat each other out, so we simply can’t say,” Carly added shrugging her shoulders.
“You know damn well, no one is saying anything bad about you Sassy. It’s  Chris that needs to worry,” Scott said. Shanna instantly nodding in agreement.
“Let’s get a drink!” Carly said, putting her arm around your shoulder and dragging you to the kitchen.
With beers in hand, the five of you went back into the family, sandwiching between Chris and Shanna on the couch. A few minutes later Lisa came and joined you. “Dinner in ten minutes kids,” she said, squishing next to Scott on a large oversized chair.
“Sounds good, Ma,” Chris said.
“What are you kids talking about?”
“We were just getting ready to interrogate Y/N,” Carly said, giving you a wink.
“No, we most certainly were not,” Chris said, putting his arm around you and pulling you close.
You chuckled lightly, patting his thigh with your hand. “Babe, it’s fine.” You pulled away and looked at each of the three women. “What would you like to know?”
“Dinner’s almost ready, why don’t we wait until we sit down?” Lisa offered.
**
With dinner on the table, you readied yourself for an onslaught of questions.
“So, you’re from Florida?” Carly asked.
“Actually, I’m from Minnesota. I moved to Florida for college and just stayed.”
“And you’re a Disney person?” Shanna asked.
“Absolutely,” you smiled. “I worked, well, still work for the Orlando Sentinel covering anything and everything Disney parks. I’m not sure if the guys told you I recently took a different job, but I’ll still be covering some Disney parks’ news.”
“They did. Congratulations Y/N. It sounds like it was a change you were looking to make,” Lisa said.
“It was. I love covering the parks, but I’ve written a lot of current events articles for various magazines and I’d really like to delve into that.”
Chris squeezed your knee pulling your attention to him. He beamed at you, literally beamed. You knew he was happy for you but this told you that he was happy with how this meeting was going.
“Do you have any siblings?” Shanna asked.
“I have one brother and his name is Heath. He’s three years younger than me. And I have a bunch of cousins that are all around our age, so they always felt like siblings growing up.”
“Are you all still close?” Lisa asked.
“My brother and I are, but it gets harder to keep in touch with my cousins as we get older.”
“Have you ever been married?” Shanna inquired.
“Shanna!” Chris hissed.
You looked at Chris and gave him a smile. “It’s fine. No, I’ve never been married nor engaged. I’ve had a couple of long-term relationships, but not in the last few years.”
Shanna smiled, apparently satisfied with your answer.
**
After dinner, you offered to help Lisa with pouring coffee and dishing up the cake she had made.
“Y/N, I just wanted to apologize for that day I met you in Epcot. I didn’t treat you fairly and I honestly feel awful about it.” She turned away from the cake to face you. “Scott has always spoken so highly of you. I truly am sorry that I wasn’t as welcoming as I should have been.” Lisa stepped closer to you, grabbing both of your hands with hers. “Chris hadn’t mentioned that you were the same friend that Scott had told me about. So, when he said he was meeting up with a friend, I was a little annoyed. I thought that this friend was someone that he just had met, so I was disappointed it was taking time away from the kids.” She chuckled softly. “That sounds awful. It’s not that Christopher does that regularly. He never does that.” She took a breath and started again. “Oh boy, I’m probably getting him into trouble with you.” You chuckled at her words and shook your head. “My point is, I’m sorry and I hope we can be friends because you are obviously a very important woman in both my sons’ lives.”
“No hard feeling at all and I hope we can be friends as well.” You leaned forward and wrapped your arms around here. She quickly followed suit, patting your back gently with one hand.
“Are we getting cake or what?” Chris asked, stepping into the room. “Didn’t know I was breaking up a Hallmark moment.”
“Har-har Christopher. Come grab some of these plates,” Lisa said.
Chris stepped close to you, grabbing a plate while you poured another cup of coffee. “Everything okay?”
“Completely,” you said with a smile.
**
“Are you really leaving me for my brother?” Scott asked in his best daytime soap opera voice.
“Well, I’ve seen him naked, so...” you trailed off, shrugging your shoulders.
“All you had to do was ask,” Scott offered.
“I’m sure Zach and Chris would love to hear that.” You patted his head, grabbing your carryon bag from the couch, making sure you had everything for the night. “I’ll be back with you tomorrow night for our best friends sleep over party like we planned. No boys allowed except for you.”
“Damn right! I’ll be sure to stock up on raspberry vodka.”
“No! Only wine. I learned my lesson when you got me drunk.” Scott scoffed, but waved you off. Chris was down stairs circling the block since he couldn’t find a spot to park. “Tell Zach when he gets up from his nap that I’ll see him tomorrow.”
“I will. Have fun and use protection!” Scott yelled out. You promptly flicked him off and shut the door.
**
Chris’ house was beautiful, even if it was being remodeled. The rooms that were currently being redone were the two guestrooms, the office, a guest bathroom, and the deck.
“See, you totally could have stayed here the whole time. Plenty of space for just you and me.”
The two of you were laying on his really comfortable couch. You between his legs and back against his chest. He kissed your neck and you hummed.
“Well, I remember someone telling me his house was practically unlivable. Then Scott offered and who am I to refuse? You’ll just have to have me stay another time.”
“Oh, I will,” he replied, then kissed your neck again.
“Your house is gorgeous. I really love this room and I’m sure this wall of windows out to the deck will look even better when it’s finished.”
“It’s going to be great. Like a second living space. At least that’s what the designer tells me. How are you likin’ Boston?”
You turned to face him slightly, tucking one leg underneath yourself. You licked your lips nervously.
Now or never.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.”
“Okay, what’s on your mind?”
“Now, don’t get mad,” you started, Chris raising his eyebrows. “That’s not what I mean. Um. Okay, so you know how I mentioned that with this new job, I can spend time here with you or I could spend time with my family and work at the same time?” He nodded his head. “Well, I’m thinking about maybe relocating. I’m not sure what I want to do yet and I don’t need to make a decision right away. My lease isn’t even up until February.”
Chris face lit up, his smile as big as you’ve ever seen it. “What are you saying, Y/N. You movin’ here?”
“Not sure yet, that’s what I’m getting at. I’m staying in Boston another week.”
“You want to stay with me?”
“That’s the thing. I gotta make sure I’m comfortable being here. You’re not always here. Months at a time when you’re filming even. So, I actually rented an apartment for a week to see if I like the area.”
“Sweetheart, you could still stay with me and figure out if this is the place you want to be.”
“I know, but if I did move here, I’d have my own place so I wanted to get the feel of it. I didn’t mention it to you or Scott because I didn’t want you both insisting that I stay with you.” Chris narrowed his eyes at you. “Don’t give me that look. It’s way too early for me to be moving in with you. We both know that.”
“Fine. You’re probably right,” he murmured.
“Maybe I can cook you dinner at my pretend apartment next week,” you offered.
“You better. Don’t think you’re staying a whole ‘nother week and not seeing me almost every day.”
“Babe,” you sighed out. “The whole point of me staying another week is to see if I can get along on my own. If we are hanging out every day, that’s not how life is always going to be.”
“Five days.”
“Two days,” you offered.
“Two days?! Sweetheart…Four days.”
“Three, and that’s my final offer,” you concluded.
“Deal. But that’s you and me time. No Scott.”
“That’s fine by me. But it’s not an all-day deal. I want to try to work.”
“Yes ma’am,” he said, grabbing your face and pulling it to his lips.
“Let’s go to bed,” you said, standing up and pulling him up with your hand. The two of you walked into his room, you slipping into the en suite.
You pulled off your sweater, cami, and jeans, folding them neatly and placing them on the far side of the vanity. You took a deep breath, admiring the see-through black bra and matching panties. You were ready to be intimate with Chris again and you hoped he was feeling the same. Giving yourself one last look, you ran your fingers through your hair and pinched your cheeks. You were feeling confident and you hoped it showed. Taking one more deep breath, you steadied yourself and opened the bathroom door, walking back in the room to Chris who had changed into a t-shirt that he wore with his boxers.
“Sweetheart,” he said with a shaky breath.
“Hi, Chris,” you said, moving closer to him. He sprung to his feet to stand in front of you. Your hands went to his chest, placing both palms on him. “Make love to me.”
It came out more like a statement than a question and you were proud of yourself in that moment. Chris visibly gulped, licking his lips, he nodded. His arms instantly wrapped around you, caging yours to his body.
“Oh sweetheart, I’ve missed you,” he said softly. His lips trailed from yours to your neck, back up to that spot behind your ear that made your knees shake. He walked you to the bed, gently laying you down with him coming to lay beside you. His knee went between your legs opening you up to him. One hand caressed your pussy over your panties as he mouthed your nipple through your bra, causing goosebumps to erupt down your body. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, god yes. I want you babe,” you moaned as his mouth went to your other breast.
While the first time the two of you were together was fun and full of nervous energy, this time was the two of you truly making love. Chris took his time worshiping your body. It was slow and soft and you knew that it was absolutely right.
**
Lisa’s home was stuffed to capacity, much of the guests spilling into the backyard. It wasn’t just the Evans clan in attendance today. Everyone brought friends who they considered family. The names of everyone you met started to swirl together. The family was easy enough to get down as you met the kids back in May. Carly’s husband, Shanna’s boyfriend, a few cousins, and uncle were added to the list. Chris had a few buddies there as well as Scott that they introduced you to. Everyone was warm and welcoming and you felt at ease as they all seemed to want to get to know you. These were the important people in Chris’ life, so they were important to you as well.
Chris was relaxed which you loved to see. He had a few beers but wasn’t out of control. When you were around each other, he kept a hand on you. On your back. On your side. Around your shoulders. On your cheek. It was sweet and welcome, especially after the night you spent together.
You decided to stick to lemonade during the day, switching to white wine as the day went on. Getting drunk in front of these people wasn’t something you wanted to do even if Scott was trying to make that happen. He’d walk by with a bottle in hand and you’d quickly cover the top of your glass with your hand. It was slumber party night back at Scott’s, one of you had to be responsible enough to drive you home later.
One person you hadn’t even thought of meeting was Courtney. It was foolish of you to forget about her since Scott had told you she had been a long-time friend of the family, not to mention Chris’ on and off girlfriend for years. You wanted to like her and you wanted her to like you. It was such a weird thought to have. She’s Chris’ ex after all. She had been around for his other girlfriends including his longer relationships.
“Y/N, this is Courtney,” Scott introduced.
She gave you a polite smile and a wave which you returned. “The famous Sassy! I’ve seen you on Scott’s Instagram account,” she said.
Okay. This isn’t so bad.
“That would be me. It’s nice to meet you.”
She was prettier in person than she was in pictures. The kind of girl that didn’t need makeup but wore it anyway and it only enhanced her natural beauty. She was dressed casually in jeans and sweater, yet she looked unbelievably put together.
“You in town long?” she asked.
“Another week, then I’m back to the warmth,” you said with a smile.
“Suppose this is quite the change for you. Plus, the Evans family can be quite overwhelming.”
Scott scoffed at that, pushing her shoulder. “Only some of the Evans’ are overwhelming. I’m wonderful.”
You grabbed him around the waist, kissing his shoulder. “You sure are sweetie,” you said sarcastically, earning a laugh from Courtney.
Scott excused himself, leaving you and Courtney to chat. She was nice and sweet and easy to talk to.  You immediately understood why she remained friends with the family when her and Chris broke up the first time. It was still odd in away to be friendly with your boyfriend’s ex, but if everyone else loved her, you needed to give it a shot. Boyfriend. That was another thing. Chris was your boyfriend. You really liked the sound of that.
It was close to seven and Scott was itching to take off. He wanted to order pizza and have a dance party. Zach was staying with Chris for the night so the two of you could have that sleep over. You both had great boyfriends to put up with you. Confiscating Scott’s keys earlier in the day, you went in search of Chris to tell him goodbye.
You found Chris with a few of his friends you had met early in the day along with Courtney standing on the patio outside. Chris was telling a story, animated as ever. His arms flailing about, head tipped back as he laughed at his own joke. You stood back to admire him as he had the group enthralled with whatever tale he was telling. Courtney stepped forward, wrapping an arm around his middle. It seemed innocent at first until she placed a hand on his sweater clad chest, hand trailing lightly. Chris looked down at her hand and then to her face, neither of them noticing you had stepped outside. He lifted her hand from his chest, much to her surprise, and then stepped out of her embrace. “I have a girlfriend,” he said softly, but you still heard it.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Courtney quickly replied.
You wanted to escape without being seen. It definitely felt like a moment you weren’t meant to witness even though you were happy with the outcome. You were mere inches from the patio doors when Scott popped out, calling out your name drawing the attention of the group standing nearby.
“Hey sweetheart,” Chris said, leaving the group and walking up to you, kissing your temple to greet you. You wrapped an arm around his middle and leaned into him. “Are you taking off?”
“M’hmm,” you replied. “Just coming to say goodnight.”
“I’ll walk you out,” he said.
“Hey, Y/N? Can I talk to you for a moment?” Courtney asked. You turned around to see a small frown on her face.
You nodded your head. “Sure.” You squeezed Chris’ hand. “I’ll see you inside,” you said to him.
Courtney followed you further into the backyard, taking a seat on a small bench.
“I’m not sure what you may have seen, but I wanted to apologize. I had my arms around Chris and If I had known he was with someone, I wouldn’t have been as handsy as I just was. That’s not me and I don’t want you to get that impression of me. M’sorry and I hope that you can accept my apology.”
Scott had not introduced you to Courtney as Chris’ girlfriend, so you did believe that she didn’t know and she did seem sincere. You didn’t want things to be weird, especially if you did end up moving here at some point.
“Already forgotten. I’d like for us to be friends, so no hard feelings,” you replied.
“Thank you,” she said, giving you a soft smile.
Both of you stood up, you walking back into the house and Courtney staying outside. Chris intertwined your hand with his, walking both of you out the front door to Scott’s car. He pulled you into a rocking hug, before pulling back, placing both palms on your cheeks and kissing you deeply.
“I’ll see you Monday for our day one of three?” he asked with a grin.
“I’d like that.” You kissed him again before climbing into the driver’s seat of the car. Scott already asleep in the passenger’s seat.
“Oh, Scott,” you said, shaking your head. He was lucky his car had GPS and you had his address.
Chapter 14
**
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felicia-cat-hardy · 3 years
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My 'Pretty Little Liars' Obsession Led Me To My Best Friend
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“Got a secret, can you keep it?” Well, I’ve got one: Though Pretty Little Liars ended in 2017, the seven-season mystery thriller schemed its way into being an integral part of my life for the long haul, so much so that the opening credits live in my head rent-free. To this day, each time I hear the sinister theme song — “Secret” by The Pierces — I’m brought right back to my childhood comfort show (ahem, obsession). The visuals begin with a swipe of mascara, the smear of red lipstick, and a clasp of a heel onto a porcelain doll, which makes me feel like I’m watching someone get pampered for prom. Until, of course, it cuts to four girls standing in front of a casket. It's a chilling moment, one that, until Season 6B, ended with Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) delivering her iconic “shh.” I got cast under the show’s spell the first time I saw it, and I wasn’t the only one: Pretty Little Liars led me to my best friend.
Ironically, plotlines about deceit and betrayal actually helped ignite a long-lasting friendship. In 2011, the only other person I knew to be watching PLL was my now-BFF, Taylor, who’s been by my side for over a decade. We were only about 11 and 12 when it premiered, so shout out to our parents for letting us watch a show that dealt with very adult themes like substance use disorder, assault, and grief. Unlike our classmates, who watched tween-appropriate hits like iCarly and Victorious, we became PLL stans.
As fans know, the show is loosely based on the Sara Shepard YA series of the same name, and the first book was my entry point into the PLL universe. I loved reading about blackmailers and murderers navigating high school, but I thought I was the only one who was into it. (Was this my ~I’m different~ complex showing, or were my peers just naturally more inclined to recap Dance Moms? I’ll never know.) So, Taylor first struck up a conversation with me at school because she spotted the first PLL book on my desk — you know, the one painted with porcelain wax dolls warning to “never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret” in a Gothic script. She asked if I’d watched the TV adaptation yet and we immediately exchanged phone numbers to text about upcoming episodes. We then fell into the fandom. Fast.
I’d never talked to Taylor before this interaction — we had only been in a few classes together — but I always saw her as approachable and friendly. Universally, the beginning of middle school is a big and terrifying year when kids from different elementary schools unite. Eager to meet new people, I reached for friendship at any chance I could get. Taylor made it easy. Aside from being a genuinely kind person (a rare trait for a middle schooler!), she was fangirling over the same thing as me.
Fast forward over a decade later, and the show still feels timeless, especially in its accurate depictions of how dramatic high school can get. It’s no surprise there’s a PLL HBO Max reboot on the way along with the remakes of other buzzy shows from that era (hello, 2010s nostalgia). Ah. It was a simpler time. Back then, Freeform was still ABC Family and for me, Tuesdays meant one thing: PLL is on. What first started as a solo viewing experience soon became a designated hangout time, a time slot reserved for me and Taylor to gush over how much we loved Ashley Benson. (We still do!)
The series had a vibe similar to Gossip Girl or Bridgerton in that a mysterious, unidentifiable pot-stirrer keeps fans guessing each episode, but it was arguably so much better since “A,” the anonymous villain, is out for, you know, murder. Ultimately, it was the type of whodunit that made me and Taylor (and millions of viewers) go down a couple of Reddit rabbit holes — remember the “Aria is A” suspicion? — and this is where my and Taylor’s experience with fan theories began.
Oh, and let’s not forget the location. PLL takes place in the fictional suburb of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, and for two girls from Bucks Country — aka the Philadelphia ‘burbs — we ate it up. The beloved “Welcome to the Dollhouse” episode was exceptionally creepy not only because the Liars get locked into a life-size replica of their bedrooms, but also because our real neighborhood looks extremely similar to their hometown. It operates like Rosewood, too, in that small-town gossip travels at lightning speed.
The Pennsylvania-based plotline also made it easier for us to identify with the characters, who felt like extensions of ourselves. In many ways, we got to know each other through their personalities. Taylor is studious and high-achieving, obviously a Spencer. And I owned feather earrings because I saw Lucy Hale sport them in Season 1, so obviously an Aria. Asking “Are you more of a Hanna or an Emily?” held as much weight in 2012 as asking someone their rising sign in 2021. While it might not say much, it also tells you everything you need to know about a person.
PLL got its start right before live-tweeting shows became popularized, so when we weren’t together, I used to text Taylor on my slide-out keyboard phone (only Zillennials will remember) to compare notes without stumbling upon many spoilers. They read something like this: “Caleb and Hanna are soul mates, TBH.” Like every other fan, we theorized about why A had to be Ian… and Melissa… and Jenna… and Mona… and, you get the point. When our elaborate speculations ran cold, we’d pause DVR’d episodes to gather more clues, like glimpses of Red Coat’s face in her second season introduction, or inspections of those eerie-gloved hands assembling dolls and sharpening knives at the end of each episode.
This game of Clue made room for conversations about all the things. We were in high school during the show’s peak, so it felt like the Liars had laid the groundwork for how to operate our school’s halls. Rosewood High was not traditional — uh, multiple students came back from the dead (*cough* Mona and Alison) — but it did prepare us for the stressors of college applications and first romantic relationships. In fact, Benson’s Hanna Marin would be proud of my matchmaking skills because back then, I introduced Taylor to the boyfriend she’s still with today.
As we both grew up with the show, our friendship got even deeper. The Liars weren’t the only ones to share secrets, and I found it incredibly easy to confide in Taylor. She’s trustworthy, level-headed, compassionate, and an excellent listener. She’s someone I know will always pick up on the second ring and is the type of friend to be there with advice, reassurance, and a quick-witted one-liner. She once joked about never needing a diary because we’ve transcribed the past 10 years of our lives via text.
Our bond has remained strong, especially because the most outrageous PLL-esque plotlines of our lives are ones we’ve experienced together. I love Taylor because I don’t have to provide background for my stories. I’m even so familiar with the cast of characters in her life that when someone re-enters after a long period, I like to say they Alison DiLaurentis’ed her.
And on the off-chance she’s not there to witness something meaningful happen to me IRL, she’s always ready to decipher what went down over texts or dinner and drinks — just like we did when we were teens trying to figure out who A was (minus the wine, of course).
The way she can reconstruct my way of thinking and offer up a perspective I hadn’t seen before is almost paranormal. Whether these are Taylor’s naturally given talents or traits learned from peeling back all the layers of the series, I’m not sure. But she’s always there to decode situations with me — whether they relate to a TV show or during moments when I feel lost.
I couldn’t be more thankful that Taylor entered my life and that PLL played a role in our friendship. I feel so incredibly lucky to know someone like her. Plus, now I have someone who is obligated to watch the reboot with me. Ali was right: Friends do share secrets. And she’s ~quite literally~ the reason Taylor’s got all of mine. Spencer and Aria, you’ve got some competition.
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I loved evrything you wrote about football boyfriend seungcheol omg 😭😭 the yearning!! gaaah the thought of waiting on the side for hik to finish practice..... Then he carries the backpack ssksksskskksk I'm screaming! Pls feel free to share any other headcanons anytime 👉🏼👈🏼 I don't think I will write , my language will not be proper for to express what I want to say? But maybe later I can try! I was thinking about a soonyoung f2l fic coz he's my biaswrecker 🙈😭 in that fic also like oc will get into a relationship and it will be with someone she was crushing for a long time. And he somehow notices her and asks her out. But seokmin and oc are friends now even though soonyoung feels more! And he sometimes thinks there can smntg between them but suddenly she dates her crush! So he's a little offended coz he's always flirting with her and saying he like her but she didn't even take him seriously? Did she think he was just joking like always? Coz u know sometimes ppl see soonyoung as smne who jokes around a lot and little crazy 🙈🙈 but then we see behind the scenes and performances and realise he's so strict and serious 🙈🙈 Maybe this can be gryffindor soonyoung too! If you like 👉🏼👈🏼 we can talk about it ! gryffindor soonyoung and football boyfriend seungcheol our muse 🙈👉🏼👈🏼 I have thought more abt soonyoung fic than seokmin fic 🙈😭 it's what biaswreckers do - 🌴
Please don't worry about your English, you're doing great !! I find that reading and writing are amazing ways to help improve language skills though !! I'm soo far from being a good writer, although I'd like to think that I've improved in the 2 years I've been writing fics !!
My English is still lacking, and I don't know how to express myself very easily (I feel youuu!) ;n; Notice how long it takes me to finish a story? aklsdja. But it makes me really happy when someone reads my fanfics or praises a story of mine because I've never excelled in English, especially not at school. I've felt discouraged from a young age because my teachers saw me as the perpetual foreigner, and therefore I was never fairly assessed based on their bias >.<
I swear by this one rule though: anyone can be a writer !!! There's so much freedom with fanfiction, and you can write it however you want !! The important thing is that your stories make YOU happy !! It's a fun hobby, and it's serotonin inducing !!
Absolutely noooo pressure thoughhh. We're just here to have fun and talk about our favorite idols !! I swear I'll be here to hype you up no matter whatt. It could be bulletpoint story or a giant rambling of words, and I will EAT IT UP!!! Nothing would make me happier than talking about bestie seokmin and soonyoung !!!
By the way, I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS SOONYOUNG YOU'VE CREATED?!! BFF SOONYOUNG? HE SOUNDS WONDERFUL 😭 I'm prepared for all the angst !! My heart is hurting at the sound of it. It makes me even more emotional thinking about Soonyoung's personality irl. You're totally right about people seeing him as the jokester. So to have mc not take him seriously?? OUCH. That really hurts. Not to mention, you said he's ALWAYS flirting with mc??? I'm blushing already. When the climax of the plot hits, I'm gonna be absolutely heartbroken. WHO IS THE CRUSH THOUGH ?!?!? I NEED TO KNOW !!! I'M EMOTIONALLY INVESTED
Football boyfriend Seungcheol lives in my head rent free !!!! As he should !!! I've thought about him and Gryffindor Soonyoung way more than my fictional Junhui and Shua characters aksdjakl. You're so right about the bias wreckers !!
Omg side note while I mention Shua's name, HE WAS IN MY DREAM ! For literally the last 2 seconds and then I woke up ahah. We were walking down opposite ends of a hall when we encountered something really weird (my guy friend from middle school was wearing a maid costume?? LOL). So then Shua and I saw and bursted into laughter, collapsing to the ground aklsjdk. We had a soulmate connection even in those 2 seconds
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Survey #465
“the old man then prepares to die regretfully  /  that old man here is me”
Did you have a boyfriend in kindergarten? No, but I had a guy who wouldn't leave me alone since pre-k. Did you ever read the Magic Treehouse series? OMG I forgot about those!! I loved them!!! Did you ever watch The Land Before Time movies? AHHHHHHHHH yes!!! :') Did you collect anything when you were a kid? Stickers. My dresser was COMPLETELY covered in them. Who did you look up to most as a child? Steve Irwin, 100%. He was my hero. Did your parents let you drink soda when you were little? Some, yes. I wish they hadn't, with the dependency I have now. Did you ever watch The Powerpuff Girls or Dexter’s Laboratory? Of course! I strongly preferred the former, though. Did you watch Blue's Clues? HOW TIMELY. :'''') I did! My little sister and I loved it. What was your favorite kind of cake as a kid? Just gimme a good 'ole double chocolate cake and I was one happy kiddo, ha ha. Did you ever want to grow up? Sure didn't. I was smart. How often do you listen to classic rock? It varies, really. Sometimes I'm in the mood for it and binge it, other times I want newer music. What about country? Just about never. What is the most amount of money you have ever lost? Not a whole lot. I'm very careful with money. Have you ever hurt yourself just to get attention? No. Whenever I did it in the past, it was always to relocate the pain I was experiencing, and because I felt like I deserved it. Last person to get on your nerves? I'd rather not give it the time of day. Are you in any pain right now? No. Last thing you ate? It was one of those chocolate chip Clif Thins things. I HATE every Clif product I've ever tried until these, so they're a good option if I really want something sweet that's actually decently healthy and doesn't taste like I'm eating pure fiber, like most of their products. Name three things apart from trust and loyalty that you need in a relationship. Open, honest communication, similar interests as well as morals, and pro-LGBTQ+, if I'm just naming three. How far away are you from the place that you were born? Like... not even ten minutes. Do you live near anybody who creeps you out? Nah. Then again though I know pretty much nobody in my neighborhood. Is there anywhere that you are too afraid to go to alone? Where? Hm. If for whatever strange reason I had to, I would absolutely not want to go into a men's restroom alone. Would you be upset if you had a child who decided to make “adult films?” Despite the fact I don't negatively judge porn stars if they are smart, cautious, an informed about what they do and how to stay safe... I think I'd be very, very scared if my child wanted that, especially if it was my daughter, because she can actually get pregnant. Yes, abortion's an option, but... still. I don't want her to have to be faced with that decision. I also would be terrified of my hypothetical son getting someone pregnant, especially because he's then not the one with say on what happens to that child. So ultimately, if I was ever in this situation, I feel like I'd need to be alone with my partner to just cry for a while and then talk with them and look at the situation factually and with regard for my child's happiness. What pizza topping would you never, ever, EVER eat? Sardines. /gag What annoys you most about your computer? The microphone is broken. Do you prefer to read blogs or watch vlogs? I'm not huge on either, but watch vlogs. Do you know anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas? No. Do you own a snowglobe? I wish I did, they cute. What was the last thing that upset you? It was more disappointing than upsetting, but I was nevertheless super bummed that my bf had to scoot us hanging out a day back today when I was v excited for it. What is something you are behind on? It sounds unbelievable, I know, but I am IMMENSELY behind with Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty. Like, I'm somewhere around four episodes in. It's so hard to explain: like, I want to watch it badly, but I don't want to set aside time to sit in front of the TV to actually do it? It makes very little sense. I'll catch up eventually, I just... haven't yet. Who DO you go to for advice when you need it? Mom, Sara, my therapist... Will you go caroling this year? God no. Never have, never will. Would you ever be friends with someone who was suicidal? Bro what the fuck, of course I would. Would you rather have a daughter or a son? Daughter. Did you get bullied more as a child, a teenager, or an adult? I'm very grateful that I was never truly bullied. If you’re female, would you feel uncomfortable having a male gynecologist? FUCK YES. Are you allergic to your favorite animal? I wouldn't know; I've never been near one. :( What’s your favorite country besides the USA? Lol what a presumptuous question. Probably Africa. Did you get senior pictures taken? No, even though I wanted them. :/ I don't remember why I didn't? How often do you like to have sex? I don't care. Whenever it feels right. Are you any good at math? OH MY GOD NO Do you like Dairy Queen? I fucking love Dairy Queen. Ever had their Oreo Cupfection? *chef's kiss* If you had to get advice from someone of the opposite sex, who would you go to? Girt. Or my psychiatrist. Really depends. Does talking about sex make you feel uncomfortable? GODDAMN RIGHT IT DOES. Few things make me MORE uncomfortable. Are you more scared of going to the doctors or dentists? Doctors. Dentists are ezpz for me. At the doctor, meanwhile, I'm scared of them finding something seriously wrong. Do you get along with your significant other’s friends? I've only met one, and that was YEEEEAAARRRRSSS ago. He was chill, though. Do you enjoy the sound of crickets at night and birds in the morning? omfg YES Do you enjoy board games? Not really. Do you need a haircut? I actually just got one the other day. It's shorter than I would've liked, but it's whatever. Hair grows back, and mine does fast. Do you feel bad when you kill bugs? Yes. They've got the same right to be here as we do. What’s the longest stretch of time you’ve spent completely alone? A week or two when my mom and sis went to the beach (I think?) for a dance competition. Have you ever been in a situation where you needed a lawyer? Yes, when I presented my disability case. Do you know anyone who has been evicted? My mom, sister, and me because we couldn't keep up with rent. What’s your favorite macaron flavor? Never tried one. How often do you have friends over to your house? The only "friend" that comes over to my house is my boyfriend. Have you ever done a flip on a trampoline? Front flips, yes; never back flips, because I was scared of breaking my neck. What about a flip off of a diving board? No. Does your country have free healthcare? No, but it fucking should. What is your sexuality? Bro I don't even know anymore lmao. I just say pansexual. "Queer" might fit me best, though. I really don't know, but it doesn't really matter. What’s the last show you watched? Attack on Titan w/ Girt! I'm actually keen to see more of it. The darkness and heartbreak of it is right up my alley. How is your road rage? I don't really experience road rage because I'm too engulfed by terror to focus on anything else, honestly. Do you have any facial piercings? Yeah; I have a vertical labret in my lip. Have you ever been to a rehab center? So this is dumb as shit, but all the psych hospitals I've been to doubled as rehab centers. Which made NO goddamn sense because those who are suffering with mental illnesses leading to suicidal thoughts/tendencies are unique from those dealing with addiction; both require individual treatments and should not be grouped, imo. How long did your shortest relationship last? Not even a day. What would your life be like if you had married your first love? That's... scary to imagine. Sometimes, that was all I wanted. But seeing as he left because of my depression... it probably would have been catastrophic. He was the only person I ever wanted kids with, so there probably would have been children involved in all that madness, which no little one deserves. Him leaving ultimately led to my healing, too, so I don't know where I would've been mental health-wise if he stayed. What is the most difficult or time-consuming thing you’ve ever cooked? Would you make it again? I don’t cook. I need to learn, though... Have you ever had a platonic friend that everyone insisted you should be in a relationship with? He's my boyfriend now, ha ha ha. Is there anything about a person’s sexual past that might stop you from wanting to date them? Yes. I'm too lazy to get into that stuff rn, though. If someone asked your closest friends/family members what career path might suit you best, what do you think they would say? I'm almost certain they would all say veterinarian. How did you and your significant other celebrate your last anniversary? Slow down buddy, we haven't even been together a month lmao. Who was the last person to make you a home-cooked meal? What did they make? Mom, but I don't recall the last thing she made from scratch. Girt is doing that tomorrow, though! :') He's making grilled chicken stuffed with jalapenos and spinach and something else I can't remember and it sounds BANGIN'. What’s the weirdest, rudest, or most ridiculous thing a guest has ever done in your home? Hmmm... I'll have to get back to ya on that. Has anyone ever told you you’re manipulative? I think someone has, yes. Do you know anyone who owns their own business? Yep. Who was the recipient of your very first kiss? Jason. Do you prefer shrimp or crab? SHRIMP. Crab is mushy and disgusting. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction books/movies? I strongly prefer fiction. Have you ever seen an eclipse? Plenty of lunar eclipses, yes. Who is your favourite video game character? Pyramid Head, Spyro, Cynder... I have a lot, those three are just panning out as strong contenders. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? lol Do you have commitment issues? Not at all. What was the last thing you felt nostalgic about? uhhh Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad. Have you ever had a pet escape and run away? OMG one time in his prime, Teddy got loose on a snowy night and went on a full-blown adventure. I was SOBBING. My dad had to chase him down. Do any of your exes know each other? Juan knows Jason, Jason knows Juan and Girt, and Sara knows Girt. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? "Vaccines cause autism." Fuck out my face. What was the very first election you voted in? This most recent presidential one.
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