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ordinaryschmuck · 3 years

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Top 10 Favorite Fictional Couples

Happy Valentines Day, people on the internet who probably won't read this! I'm an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons. And even though I'm a lonely bastard who will absolutely die alone one day, I am also a sucker for romance. If a story decides to include a cute couple in it, then you better believe I'm going to gush over them for an unhealthy amount of time for a man my age. Even more so if they answer the three most essential questions that I think applies to every romantic couple in fiction:

Why do they like each other? (Looks don't count. It can be an option, but it shouldn't be the only option.)

Would it make sense for them to be together? (Like, if this couple would exist in real life, would you expect them to last.)

Do they have chemistry? (This is the most important one as a couple can dominate just by the chemistry alone.)

So today, I am going to rank my top ten favorite couples in fiction, who just so happen to answer most, if not all, of these questions. Now, I could be cute and make a top fourteen list...but not too long ago, I just listed off the twenty best-animated series of the 2010s, so I think it's best if I stick to the basics. Also, I should make a few things clear:

A. These are couples, not ships. The pairing has to have a canon kiss, or at the very least, a canon confession to be on the list. This means sorry, Lumity fans, but Luz and Amity are not going to be on this list...even though they would absolutely be #1 if they could be!

B. The couple has to at least spend an entire episode being together, which means no last-minute hookups because the writers wanted to drag out the romantic tension. (Sorry, Catradora fans)

With that out of the way, let's get started with--

10. Laura Hollis and Carmilla Kernstien from Carmilla (Web Series)

The chemistry between these two is on point. Laura’s and Carmilla's actors Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis are so convincing when acting like a couple that I am honestly shocked to find out they never actually dated. This is good because everything else about Laura and Carmilla's relationship is...kind of the worst. Don't get me wrong, as a couple, these two are fantastic, adorable, well-written, and well-performed. But the writers seem very fond of keeping them bickering and broken up rather than actually having them together. And that is where the issue lies. If the writers committed to Laura and Carmilla being together instead of doing this whole "will they or won't they" crap, on top of them being selfish idiots in season two, then you better believe they would be in the top three, at least. As they are, they at least act adorable enough to make the top ten.

9. Gregg and Angus from Night in the Woods

Ok, I'm gonna level with you: I just wanted to put an mlm relationship on this list, and this was the best I can come up with (I haven't seen Good Omens, nor have I finished Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts yet to see Benson's relationship with Troy. Leave me alone). As a male bisexual, I'm kind of disappointed. I know that male pairings exist in media, but for the life of me, I don't think they are as celebrated as much, or as frequent, as female pairings have been. This is sad because I would honestly love to see how more couples like Gregg and Angus.

These two act so much like a real couple. Gregg and Angus care and support each other so much, yet they still have big arguments as any couple would. They clearly love each other but still have issues they both need to deal with if they want to grow. Plus, I'm just a sucker for opposites attract. And you can't get more opposite than the loud and bombastic Gregg and his quiet and serious boyfriend Angus. There are probably better mlm pairings than these two (And if there are, then let me know. I'd love to check them out), but Gregg and Angus prove that any relationship, no matter the gender, can be the same as any other. Both the wholesomeness and the faults.

8. Peter Parker and Michelle Jones from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

I put these two a little low because we barely see them spend time as a couple. Peter and Michelle got together at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and we only get a glimpse of how their relationship works in the last few minutes. However, I'm willing to argue that they count because they are guaranteed to be a couple in the sequels, and we'll be allowed to see them grow. How often do you get to say that for other fictional couples who get together at the end of a long story? Plus, Peter and Michelle earn extra bonus points for being the best couple in a Spider-Man movie. Michelle is a league's better character than the MJ in the Sam Rami trilogy, and the chemistry is still adorable but not overtly cutesy like it was in The Amazing Spider-Man movies. So even though Peter and Michelle just got together, they show a lot of promise, if you ask me. Their interactions are adorable, you can tell that Michelle likes Peter for Peter, and they are the most accurate depictions of young love you’ll ever see. Just look at that first kiss. It was one filled with inexperience and awkwardness and I just love it! I’m already interested in what these two have to offer and I can’t wait to see what happens next with them.

7. Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation

The best description you'll ever hear about this couple is that they are what happens when a dog and a cat fall in love. Andy is dopey, happy, and loyal to no end. April is intimidating, cynical, and is already plotting your murder as we speak. What I'm saying is that these two shouldn't work...but they do. Somehow, by every leap of logic, Andy and April complete each other. They are both so far gone from reality, yet at the same time, both keep each other grounded in more ways than one. It's a weird paradox that never ceases to amaze, nor does it cease to be adorable. They do go through bullcrap love triangles and a "will they or won't they scenario" in seasons two and three, but once that crap is over, the writers lean into the potential these two have as a great couple. And trust me when I say that it is all lovely to watch.

6. Rapunzel and Eugene from Tangled: The Series

Huh. I guess romance really does exist after Happily Ever After.

Joking aside, I was surprised by how well these two work as a pairing. Usually, when the Disney Prince and Princess get together in the end, there is nothing more to the relationship. And even if their movie gets a spin-off series, the dynamic is as generic and forgettable as it can be. For Rapunzel and Eugene, it is different. Their chemistry is top-notch, their constant love and support for each other are admirable/adorable, and the complete trust they have for one another is absolute perfection. I was already surprised by how good Tangled: The Series was, but the fact that the main couple is somehow better here than they were in their own movie is something I would have never expected.

5. Rigby and Eileen from Regular Show

And seeing how we're talking about surprises, who saw these two being the best couple in the series? With the number of times that the writers focussed on Mordecai's romantic hang-ups and how often Muscle Man and Starla were considered the only canon couple, I was shocked when it turned out Rigby and Eileen have the best loving relationship in Regular Show. Even crazier, their relationship is built entirely in the background of the first six seasons. Since her introduction, Eileen has been head over heels for Rigby since the beginning (for reasons I'll never understand), and Rigby slowly reciprocated. Until the big reveal in the season six finale, there was nothing but implications as they were trying to hide their relationship and not rub how perfect it is in Mordecai's face (no matter how much Rigby wants to). But once we get to see them as an official couple, it all becomes clear why they work so well. Eileen loves Rigby for Rigby, and will always support him, faults and all. Rigby pays it all back in spades, wanting to be a better person, as well as a better boyfriend, for the one person who always believes there was something good inside. Not even his own best friend had that much faith in him. And on top of all of that, they're just cute. They may not have been the central hook in the series, but they are definitely much appreciated.

4. Chris and Elise from Dan Vs./Millie and Moxxie from Helluva Boss

These four are tied because they pretty much have the same dynamic. Chris and Moxxie are these pathetic losers who somehow managed to marry Elise and Millie: Badass assassins who could effortlessly marry any man they want. And what they want are their pathetic losers. It's extra wholesome for Chris and Elise, as Chris really can't do that much right, especially in comparison to the ever-perfect Elise. Yet, she still cares deeply for Chris and will promptly destroy anyone or anything that causes him harm. That being said, while Millie and Moxxie are both equally deadly, there is an odd hilarity to the fact that these literal demons from hell are so gosh darn wholesome. Seriously, their literal job is to kill people who screw over those who went to hell, and I'm always going "D'aww" when M and M always do something cute. Explain that logic to me!

There's nothing more I can say about these four, as they're adorable couples that prove love comes in the most impossible circumstances and the unlikeliest places.

3. Ruby and Sapphire from Steven Universe

I'll always remember that Ruby and Sapphire are the first couple that proved to me that there is nothing wrong with a same-sex pairing, especially in children's media. Before Steven Universe, I wasn't necessarily told that same-sex couples are wrong, but they're not meant for kids. Then I found out that these two girls, on a kids show of all places, we're madly in love and my first response was: "...Huh." And this was before I knew I was bisexual, so I wasn't even that obsessed about it at the time. But the more I saw Ruby and Sapphire, and the more I learned about how starved the LGBTQ+ was for representation, the more I really appreciated them. Ruby and Sapphire never fail to be precious, and the fact that they barely spend any longer than a few minutes apart is downright heartwarming (and incredibly literal if you've seen the show). They also broke a ton of barriers to proper representation. Not only were Ruby and Sapphire one of the first explicit lesbian couples in children's animation, but they're also the first ones to actually get married. Because of such a power move, many networks and shows make it less of a challenge for writers to include more gay characters in their stories. There is still a lot of hard work that those writers face, but it certainly seems it's less of a challenge than it would be before Steven Universe came out (Ha!). Ruby and Saphire are the first fictional gay couple I have been introduced to and have made an incredible impression ever since.

2. Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum and Marcelene Abadeer from Adventure Time

But while it's Ruby and Sapphire that introduced me to the concept of a same-sex couple, it's Princess Bubblegum and Marceline that made me root for one. In (I want to say) 2017, I started rewatching Adventure Time, knowing that queer relationships were indeed a thing. This means that not only did I finally caught the INCREDIBLY noticeable subtext in "What Was Missing," but I was legitimately chanting, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" when I got to the episode "Varmints." And when they finally did kiss in the series finale, I full-on jumped out of my chair and screamed, "YES!" That never happens. Not even for the straight couples that I've obsessed over before this. Either I coo at how adorable they are, or just smile a warm and gentle smile. But letting out a very audible cheer that my college roommates definitely heard? That shows how deeply I cared for these two. And can you really blame me?

Not only is the chemistry on point with Bubblegum and Marceline, but it's interesting getting to see their relationship evolve through the course of the series. They have a dynamic of a couple who broke up on bad terms (long before "Obsidian" confirmed this), and you slowly get to see them reconnect to that spark they lost long ago. Plus, the more you see them interact, the more of their history is revealed, and thus it becomes clear why they fell for each other in the first place. Bubblegum keeps Marceline responsible, while Marceline helps Bubblegum learn how to loosen up. They balance each other nicely, and after some much needed growing up from the both of them, that spark returns. And they're much more of a loving unit than they were years ago. It's incredible to watch, and I would honestly see an entire spin-off series about them. But, as great as Bubblegum and Marceline are, there is a reason they are not my number one.

(There’s no art for this one because they’re characters from a book and I don’t want to steal someone else’s fanart for the sake of my crappy Tumblr post)

1. Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus

And that reason is that I can't resist the first-ever pairing that I obsessed over. Percy and Annabeth might just be the example I live by for how couples should be written in media. Dynamic wise, of course. In terms of telling a story, their relationship was handled poorly in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It was filled with agonizing love-triangles, a very long wait, and they were one of those couples who didn't get together until the end of the series. Which is a major no-no, in my opinion. But, when they finally get to be a couple in Heroes of Olympus, it is downright perfection. Percy and Annabeth are what happens if these two badass warrior heroes fell in love. They worry about each other and are willing to die for each other (if need be) but still have an intense amount of faith and trust for one another. The number of times Percy or Annabeth knew they would be alright because they have each other is incredibly high, no matter what series of books they appear in. They work well together, as well as off each other. Percy is this bumbling idiot who wins his battles through a mix of luck and skill, where Annabeth is this intelligent warrior who has trained since the age of seven. They compliment each other perfectly, and their constant playful bickering is always fun. I love these two, I love their love, and they will always be one of my favorite fictional couples in media.

(That is until Luz and Amity from The Owl House become cannon. In which case, you better believe they'll be number one.)

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And those are my favorite couples. Out of curiosity, what are yours? Or, at least, what are your top five? Don't feel afraid to let me know or even make a list of your own.

Have a happy Valentine's Day, with whoever you want to celebrate it with and however you want to do it.

Now, if you don't excuse me, I have an entire to-do list of s**t I have to do, and I gotta figure out which to work on first.

(Should I review Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles next, or do that scene breakdown for Amphibia? Oh, the possibilities are killing me...)

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popsiclemania · 3 years

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My 2020 in K dramas (+1 J drama)

I began watching k-dramas in 2018 but I’ve never watched as many shows, Korean or otherwise, as I have in this one. 2020 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I think what helps me really enjoy this over Bollywood+Malayalam+ American pop culture I grew up with is that a smirk on the wrong character’s face doesn’t make me seethe with rage and want to burn everything down. It’s not like growing up with SRK on screen and then having SRK wannabes leave you with lifelong trauma in reality. I can just move on. It’s removed enough from my everyday life but still familiar in a generic Asian family way. Does that make sense? It’s not perfect and it’s not free of its own harmful stereotypes and narratives, but there’s enough of the good stuff to make you stick around. This year I fell in love with Nana, Kim Hye Soo, Han Yeri, Park Eun bin, Ahn Eun jin, Kim Bum, Kim Yong ji, Flower Boy’s Go Dok Mi and Search:WWW’s Bae Tami. Cancelled Ji Chang wook (bye). Desperately missed Kim Jae Wook. Had thoughts on Hwang In Yeop, which were mostly heart eyes. Discovered J dramas and fell in love with Cherry Magic’s Adachi.

My year-in-review below:

LOVED

Into The Ring - I am so glad I saved this for a rainy day because it’s exactly the kind of upright citizen shenanigans my unemployed ass needed at the end of the year.

Goo Se Ra thinks the govt should work for the people but that doesn’t mean her own moral compass always points north. Her purpose is to make steady money, and I love seeing her go hard to survive and cobble together what she needs. The thing that really works for me is that she wants to be good, but she isn’t always. And you get to see her be disappointed, upset, embarrassed and hurt from being publicly kicked in the gut as she navigates a job where she appears, on the surface, to be a supremely confident, self-serving, accidental politician. What you see as her naiveté is mostly just her being a regular person in an environment dictated by backhand deals and rich people politics. She gets hit again and again, and you see what it does to her sense of worth to get back up again, how she grapples with her self. And through all this the show is funny?! Se Ra is what writers of manic pixie characters think they are doing and not doing at all. Love her friends, and Jang Hye-jin is *chef’s kiss*!

Hyena - Kim Hye Soo’s Jung Geum Ja is perhaps Se Ra’s older and darker contemporary. Geum Ja is a survivor and will get what she wants and where she wants to, however many hells she has to cross. She’s single-minded about her success, ruthless and has no qualms about bending morals to get the outcome she needs. She’ll never compromise on who she is or justify how she lives, can build people up and also tear them down, but she also knows care and kindness.

I turned to Signal for more Kim Hye Soo but was disappointed in how the first few episodes seemed to shortchange her. May try again in 2021.

(Highly recommend @saltr0se’s fic series which just GETS Geum Ja so well. Fic writers are the best)

Search: WWW (Finished in 2020) - It took me half a year to finish this. I started watching Search in Oct 2019 and raced through the first 6 episodes because I couldn’t take my eyes off the rollercoaster of Bae Tami’s life. And then I had to take a break because it was a little too close to the frenetic pace of my own industry. As @drivingsideways wrote, a lot of Search is premised around ‘patriarchy? who dat?’, which is why watching its politics play out is so fascinating. It’s also deliciously turmoil-y to watch a very clear-sighted, weathered Tami put on rose-tinted glasses for her romance and then frequently peer over them to evaluate whether it could actually meld into her life.

Catch The Ghost - Kim Seonho oozes charm and perhaps Startup was a showcase of how effectively he can be a typical male lead. But Catch is exactly not that. Go Jiseok and Yoo Ryeong have moulded their lives around to meet their most desperate wishes in life and in the process also left parts of themselves untended. There is guilt, pain and need. Now guess who will tend to whose wounds? Their dynamic is electric even when the central mystery flags towards the last few episodes of the show. I really hope Moon Geun Young is doing well and gets more amazing roles soon. She is so good here.

(Highly recommend @melonatures‘s fic for putting that sizzling on-screen chemistry into words. HOW?!) Cherry Magic - Stories about painfully awkward people are my jam and Eiji Akaso gets Adachi’s shy, nervy energy so right. Cherry Magic is straight up just 12 hours of 🥺🥺🥺.

Stranger/Secret Forest - I’ve been devouring the entirety of Agatha Christie’s work this year after Stranger reminded me how comforting murder mysteries can be. I love Bae Doona. I also love characters who don’t get social norms, not always because they are out to flout them but because that’s just not how their mind/brain works. (have to watch S2)

Flower Boy Next Door - Honestly, the opening scene introducing Park Shin Hye’s character Go Deok Mi sold me on this immediately. An introverted, penny pinching copy editor living alone and working from home thanks to extreme social anxiety? Love. All the side characters are a lot of fun and I’ve never loved Kim Seulgi and Go Kyung Pyo more. It’s a warm show, slowly rounding off the sharp edges of every character.

JUST FUN

The Spies Who Loved Me - It’s been a year of disappointing rom-coms and Spies kind of quietly turned it around for me. I want to be the fly on Yoo In Na’s wall as she figures how to play her characters. I’ve only seen her in 3 roles but somehow she always manages to be in character arcs that don’t short change her. Spies could’ve been and sometimes is the regular heterosexual fare, but In Na ups the ante over and over again, coming out on top as the smartest person in the room.

ENJOYED WITH *RESERVATIONS*

I have to watch A Piece Of Your Mind again because I don’t understand how Jung Hae In and Chae Soo bin built SO MUCH warmth and crackling chemistry with barely a kiss. I was iffy about how the whole AI thing started off and the tortured musician plotline (angsty male artists will forever be an eyeroll for me).

Park Min Young is a queen who never disappoints and When The Weather Is Nice is everything you want in a winter romance. My reservation was in how they explore so much of domestic abuse and the complex ways its traumatised the women in this family. I’m ok with the characters having imperfect ways of processing and understanding the violence, I welcome it. I’m not ok with the show dancing around whether the pivotal crime was justified/ self defence (it was).

A lot of dramas did this. I loved Han Yeri and Choo Ja Hyun in My Unfamiliar Family, I didn’t like the free pass the show gave their dad’s abusive character.

Hwang Jung Eum’s comedy style is generally not my thing but she was pretty great in Mystic Pop-UP Bar. But I’m side-eyeing the sanctity surrounding motherhood. Maybe I should read more about babies and Korean folklore.

Hospital Playlist was my comfort watch through June and July. I think its wholesomeness and non-plot writing came at a good time for me. But I noticed then that the throughline for all main characters was moral superiority and hence what I then saw as *wholesomeness*. It’s kind of what makes it a grating rewatch in parts. Plus the real life of misogyny of Yoo Yeon Seok makes me want to push his angelic catholic character off a cliff. (For context, i was raised catholic). I want to continue loving Chae Song Hwa, and for that the showrunners need to stop cornering her with overbearing romantic interests (let that woman breathe! she literally ran away to another city!)

Hospital is good at creating moments of comfort, so much so that I went to watch Reply 1988 after it, but had to drop it coz I couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll come back to it next year.

Once Again is what I call joint family propaganda. What it does well is lay bare the mechanics of living in a society that prizes the heterosexual family structure, the loops you have to jump through to hide when you break its rules and what happens when you are found out. I love the characters, their fights, their frustrations. I just don’t love the validation of joint families. (context: i grew up in an oppressive joint family lol). In my au, Nahee and Gyujin don’t get married again or immediately have children, but take the long route to figuring out how to love the person the other is. Gahee is openly dating Hyo shin and her parents have to figure out how to process her success and her romance. Young dal and Ok boon have to learn to stop dictating their children’s lives. Joon sun runs his company from home, so his wife Hyun kyung can work on what she wants. Choyeon, Joori and Ga-yeon go back to being flamboyant AF and the market learns to not judge. Gyujin and Jaesok have to actually work on the relationship with their mother and what sent her into depression. Just a lot of learning involved.

Just Between Lovers was a nice watch, i just don’t get how Kang doo and Ha Moon So’s relationship will survive his constantly simmering anger.

Crash Landing on You was so much fun until the main romance turned angsty, but it gave us North Korean soldier shenanigans and the epic romance of Seo Dan and Alberto Gu that we needed more of.

Tale of The Nine Tailed is probably what Goblin wished it was. I, however, will never be over Lee Rang. (Also, when can gods stop meeting their love interests as babies? Asking for my sanity)

I literally ignored everything in Oh My Ghost except Park Bo Young and Kim Seulgi and it was amazing.

NOPE

Goblin, Dinner Mate, Oh My Baby and My Secret Romance were a whole lot of NO, NAHI, ILLAAA.

I loved hate-watching The King:Eternal Monarch with the rest of k drama tumblr but someone please take away Kim Eun-sook’s access to gigantic budgets and all-star casts.

It was painful to watch Do You Like Brahms squander away its potential but I’m glad to be introduced to Park Eun bin. Age of Youth is next on watchlist.

More than Friends to me is only Ahn Eun jin. Someone give her amazing lead roles asap.

Why did Record of Youth do that to Park So Dam and her clothes? Just why

WANTED TO WATCH, BUT COULDN’T BECAUSE *INTENSE*

World Of The Married, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, Sweet Home, Extracurricular, Penthouse, Flower of Evil, Lie After Lie

WILL WATCH NEXT YEAR

SF8, Stove League, Birth Care Centre but I’ll start the new year with School Nurse Files coz it looks very good.

#long post #kdramas #review #2020 #A DECADE #Goo Sera’s and Yoo Ryeong’s are the kinds of stories I wish I’d watched through my late teens/early 20s #Jung Geum Ja and Bae Tami are who I’m taking into my thirties.

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wheredidthe80sgo · 4 years

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Should I read All For The Game?

A fan’s perspective, in case you were wondering whether or not you needed this mafia-sports series in your life (hint: I think you do).

(This post was made by a fan for people who may want to become fans. I was unsure about first reading something so different to other books I’ve read, so I thought that I should just put this out there for people who might feel the same way.)

Reasons to read AFTG:

1. The fandom: I’m starting with one of my favourite things about AFTG. While the fandom is small, it’s dedicated. There is fanart and textposts and fanfiction all over the place from these dedicated people. It was so nice to read a book series and walk into a place where other people are already there, and continuing to contribute to it. And from my pov, there really isn’t that much drama which is nice (although I am on the outskirts).

2. The writing: considering you won’t find AFTG in your local bookstore as it wasn’t published by a company, the writing and storytelling is well done. Sure, it reads like a fanfiction, but sometimes it’s nice to read something self-indulgent rather than literary masterpiece. Nora did well with the world-building and the grammar and spelling is all correct (which I wanted to mention since the writing was something I was hesitant about when reading it for the first time).

3. The actual storyline: yes, it has the Japanese mafia and a made up sport, but AFTG is nothing if not entertaining. There are twists and turns which I did not expect (the end of The Raven King anyone?) and there’s always something to keep you guessing and wanting more. It might sound ridiculous, but watching Neil Josten run from the yakuza is good fun. And, like I said before, this is no literary masterpiece like Dickens or Tolstoy, so just go with it and have fun.

4. The characters: the cast of characters is one thing I love especially about these books. Yes, most of them are assholes, but somehow you fall in love with them one by one. Our protagonist, Neil Josten, is one hell of a messed up kid, and yet makes you laugh and cry many times, or maybe that’s just me. Andrew Minyard, our blond midget, is, in my one opinion, the most interesting character in the series, and certainly provides the books with something... unique. Surrounding our two leads is the Palmetto State Foxes, and a lot of them: Andrew’s twin, Aaron; their cousin, Nicky; Kevin Day, former Exy superstar; Dan Wilds, team captain and badass; Matt Boyd, Dan’s boyfriend and resident Bro; Renee Walker, good girl with a mysterious past; Allison Reynolds, beautiful heiress; Seth Gordon, absolute asshole and Allison’s sometimes boyfriend; Wymack, coach; Abby, team nurse; and Bee Dobson, their therapist. The Foxes are an extremely dysfunctional bunch, yet come together as a family (eventually). They’re moving in times, hilarious in others, and always, always brilliant. Along with the main characters, there are side characters, such as Jean Moreau and Jeremy Knox, who absolutely steal your hearts while being present in less than ten scenes (less than five for Jeremy!!). Also, if you try hard enough, the characters can all be very gay. Personally, out of all of the characters mentioned above, the only straight ones to me are Aaron and Wymack, but it’ s really up to your personal opinion. The fandom certainly has a lot of opinions on this.

5. The sports: now, I’m not a huge sports fan, but when I tell you I actually got excited for the Exy matches, I mean it. A brutal lacrosse-type game, Exy is complicated and hard to understand, yet keeps you excited. Yes, it has lots of subplots related to the yakuza, but AFTG is a sports series at heart, and Exy is certainly fun. Plus, Kevin and Neil’s over-the-top obsessions are certainly a great running gag and guaranteed to make you laugh and/or sigh at least once.

6. The relationships: finally, we arrive. As a hopeless romantic, I always need romance in my books to keep me interested, and AFTG certainly delivers. On your first read, it may not be as obvious who the intended romance is, but by the time you get to the third book (spoiler alert!!) Andrew and Neil kick off their romance and it is beautiful. Featuring one of only two representations of demisexual characters I’ve ever seen in books, AFTG is romantic and very gay while featuring things like PTSD, assault and consent throughout. I may not be the best person to talk about this, but the way consent is handled is absolutely beautiful. If you research the fandom, you would know that one of the main things Andrew and Neil are known for is ‘yes or no’. The subtle way these two handle their relationship is a great way to represent consent, showing how it doesn’t need to spoil the mood. Not only does the series have great romantic relationships, but also familial connections. The Foxes are super dysfunctional (especially a few people in particular), but they do end up being a found family, which is always something to look forward to.

7. The aesthetic: orange, white and black, cigarettes, rooftops, gay pining, knives and guns; need I say more?

Although!! While I love these books for everything they are, I understand that other people have different experiences so I feel like I should mention there are a few things in the series that could potentially trigger people, so I just want to add a trigger warning: mentions of rape/abuse, drugs and alcohol use, homophobia, explicit violence, swearing, sex (not so explicit) , use and mention of things like knives and guns, quite a bit of torture (mainly talked about, or described in flashbacks except for one scene in the third book). All of the Foxes have traumatic backstories and as they’re being targeted by the yakuza so some really bad things happen over the series to a few characters.

In conclusion (if you didn’t want to read all that), All For The Game is one of my favourite book series of all time, so of course I’m a little biased, but it truly is a good series. Very much something to read when you don’t want to take it too seriously, it has a dedicated fan base with great characters, relationships and a killer aesthetic. Everyone should say thank you Nora Sakavic for bringing this into our world (although we all collectively disregarded her canon pretty quickly). Yes, it has fanfic tropes (quite a few, now that I think about it) and it gets pretty ridiculous and cringe-worthy sometimes, but it also means a lot to a lot of people like me, and hopefully, if you’d like, it could mean something to you too.

#i hope people see this #and i hope it's ok #i just thought there should be something like this out there for people who want to read it #aftg #all for the game #tfc #the foxhole court #trk #the raven king #tkm #the king's men #nora sakavic #neil josten #andrew minyard

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auroraphilealis · 7 years

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Heaven Scent Chapter Four

Heaven Scent | Dan Howell rarely leaves the house unless he has too, too socially awkward to function normally around other people, and generally making his only friends through Louise, a sweet beta who took him under her wing a few years back when they were both still in college. It’s no surprise, then, that the omega has yet to find a mate, despite craving one rather a lot. It’s not until he attends Louise’s birthday party and gets accidentally-on-purpose set up with an attractive alpha named Phil Lester who smells absolutely heavenly that Dan starts to fall into a proper romance, complete with courting and scenting and the like. | Phan | Mature | A/B/O dynamics (Omegaverse fic), Fluff, Getting Together, Eventual Smut, Courting | 6,996 Words this chapter

Disclaimer: In no way do I pretend that this is real or cast aspersions on Dan or Phil.

(Ao3) (Previous)

Chapter Four

“So how’d the first date go?” Louise asked when Dan finally picked up his phone.

Dan groaned, rolling over in bed and stretching his toes as he tried to wake up. He hadn’t quite been expecting it to be Louise when he’d answered, but now he wished he’d checked the caller ID before doing so.

Grumbling a mess of words in response, Dan plopped onto his stomach, and held the phone lightly to his ear. He could hear his joints popping in the best possible way, and wished he was enjoying it more without Louise’s laughter in his ear.

“I just woke you up, didn’t I, lazy bones,” she teased. “Don’t tell me you already brought the alpha to bed. I thought you were giving up that lifestyle!”

Dan groaned again, and shoved his face into his pillow.

“I didn’t,” he finally grumbled in response. “I just - we were out kind of late, is all,” Dan admitted, feeling a smile starting to spread across his features from of the memory of last night.

He and Phil had spent quite a few hours in the same spot underneath the gazebo where they’d watched the fireworks display, practically curled up together, just talking.

They hadn’t scented each other, hadn’t kissed, hadn’t so much as done anything other than the little display Phil had put on for Dan just after the fireworks had finished. That had been enough, though. As old fashioned as Phil seemed to be, and as clear as it was that he wanted to take this slow, Dan was really enjoying it.

He didn’t need anything other than the little display when it had already set his insides on fire, and Phil’s company was a million times better than anything else Dan could have asked for. Of course, he wouldn’t have rejected a kiss, and if he was being honest, knew he’d quite love to be pressed up against Phil’s lean body, but this… this was so much more to him than just physical attraction.

Louise giggled again on the other end of the line.

“That good, huh? You sound like a love sick puppy, Daniel Howell. Have you found the one, then?” Louise continued to tease.

Dan groaned all over again.

“We’ve only been on one date, Louise!” Dan complained, rolling over so his voice would be clear over the phone. “Don’t you think it’s a little early for… for… that,” he moaned. The very idea of Phil possibly being his mate was having strange effects on Dan that he didn’t want to think about right now, primal instincts rising in him that very nearly resulted in a contented purr. The last thing Dan needed right now was to add any more fuel to Louise’s already mounting fire by showing that kind of reaction to the thought.

He tried to shake it free from his mind, and ended up sitting up on his bed, sheets pooling around his waist.

He really had gotten home pretty late last night, and he’d been so exhausted that he’d kind of just… stripped and fallen into bed, texting a quick, had a great time <3 to Phil before falling into sleep.

If he was being honest right now, he’d kind of been hoping it had been Phil who was calling him that morning, and to realize it was Louise had put a damper on his morning, not that Louise needed to know that, either. She was his best friend after all, it was just… well, Dan had been kind of hoping to wake up to Phil’s voice this morning.

“You know I’m just kidding,” Louise replied, the smile obvious in her voice. “But really, Dan. I just wanted to check in that everything went okay. Phil’s a great guy, and all, but you’re kind of like my little brother, and I swear if he does anything -”

Dan blushed scarlet and shoved his face in his hands at the unfinished threat, shaking his head aggressively as Louise spoke.

“No, no, no, it’s fine, Louise, it’s fine,” Dan insisted before she could carry on. “Phil’s great, okay, everything was great. More than great, really, I…” Dan trailed off, unsure how he meant to finish that sentence. He’d started it with the intense desire to prevent Louise from giving the “big sister” talk he’d heard one too many times already, but now… now he was wondering what exactly he meant by that.

From the way Louise was humming a confused sound over the line at him, she wanted to know too. The only trouble was… Dan didn’t even know.

All he knew was that his heart was beating like crazy inside of his chest.

He’d dreamt of Phil last night, of laying in the alpha’s lap and fixing his tie, kissing him soft and sweet and feeling warm lips press back against his… he’d dreamt of fireworks in the sky and cool skin pressed to his own, hands wandering where so many hands had wandered before, but this time meaning so much more.

They’d talked so much last night, about everything and anything. Dan had learned that Phil worked in social media, doing a mix of running several accounts and editing videos - not the sexual kind, thank you very much! - while Dan had explained that he was a freelance writer who worked from home. He’d learned that while Phil had gone into his preferred field, and that while he’d once tried out for Big Brother UK and managed to get a small part as an extra in a film when he was still in high school, he’d never gotten quite as far as he would have liked in the entertainment business.

He loved editing videos, though, loving being a part of the creative process that went into things like that, even when sometimes he was stuck doing ad work when he would have preferred more streamlined media like the few times he’d gotten to do work on a few web series’.

Dan learned that Phil was waiting to hear back from YouTube in the hopes that he’d landed himself as one of their primary editors, with the chance of a lifetime at his doorstep.

The way he’d spoken about the chance to work on the new, big web series’ coming out on YouTube Red had made even Dan excited when before, he’d been lackluster about the prospects behind the endeavour. It seemed, though, that no matter what Phil had to say, Dan was completely enamoured.

They’d talked about Dan, too, about his portfolio and his clients and how much money he generally made a month. They talked about how good Dan was at saving, but that he liked to live on the slightly more grand side with designer clothing and sleek interior design, but rather than being a turnoff to Phil, it only seemed to intrigue him.

He wanted to know all of the designers Dan liked, and he was obsessed with home design shows. He joked about “feature” walls, and talked about wanting to see Dan’s apartment one day, and it made something inside of Dan light on fire with want for this man.

Passionate, nerdy, socially awkward, and a complete and utter dork… he was everything that Dan could have ever asked for.

Just remembering it all made Dan’s stomach feel like it wanted to launch right out of his mouth, and he found himself breaking into a grin all over again.

“I think,” he said again, sighing as he realized just how he’d meant to end that sentence, “I think I really like him,” he finally admitted, voice soft and sure.

Louise hummed on the other end of the line, seeming both happy and surprised. Dan could hear her laugh over the phone again, and then let out a contented sigh.

“Good. I’m glad, then. I just want you to be happy, Dan,” she said.

Dan hadn’t stopped grinning in at least a good three minutes. Clutching the phone tight to his ear, Dan laughed and fell back against his bed.

“I am,” he promised, and knew that at least in that moment, it was true.

Courting was an old tradition that had never really faded out in time. It was what was considered the proper way to date and show an interest in a potential mate, though as the years had gone by, the tradition had begun to change some.

It used to be all about status and competing for someone as a mate, with suitors sending more and more extravagant gifts to their intended in the hopes that they would win their affections in the end. Scenting, marking, and eventual bonding had gone along with it to cement a relationship into a proper mating, but as time had gone on… the tight constraints on what was considered a courtship had changed.

Gifts didn’t have to be extravagant or expensive, and were often something as simple as a date, while scenting and eventual dating were considered the proper end games. Courtship ended far more simply these days, and not always in as grand a gesture as a bonding.

Knowing just how much things had changed was exactly why Phil’s next present to Dan came as such a surprise.

They’d been texting just as much now as they had been before their first date, perhaps even more, and Dan often found himself getting whiny texts at eight in the morning from a disgruntled Phil Lester who hadn’t gotten near enough sleep to be coherent just then. They always made Dan laugh, and in a show of solidarity, he even woke up just enough to text Phil back a few times until he arrived at work, before promptly falling back asleep.

Still, Dan was waiting patiently for Phil to offer him the next step in their courtship, so when a package arrived at his doorstep about a week later rather than a text from Phil offering to take Dan out on another date, he was understandably surprised.

To: Phil Lester <3

you really take this courting stuff seriously dont you??

From: Phil Lester <3

:’D have you opened it yet? i hope you like it ^______^

Dan hadn’t opened it yet. He’d just been so confused by the package’s arrival that he’d instantly assumed it was from Phil. Now that the sender’s identity had been revealed, Dan didn’t feel so terrified to peel it open.

It was a small box, nothing particularly intimidating about it except for the fact that Dan had never actually received a physical courting gift before. It was long, kind of square, a bit thick, and overall endlessly confusing.

At first, Dan assumed it might be something corny like that framed photo of a dog Dan had joked about getting, or something a little more serious, like the new ps4 game Dan had been moaning about buying as soon as it came out, - which, he noted, wasn’t for another four days - but then he peeled away the seemingly endless volume of tape, pried it open, and realized it was literally none of these things.

No, instead, it was something far more thoughtful and endearing.

Sat inside the box was an authentic, and probably incredibly expensive, japanese action figure from Dan’s favorite anime, Your Lie In April.

Dan honestly had no idea where Phil had even found the perfect rendition of Kousei Arima. He hadn’t realized merchandise had ever even been made for the anime, and he could practically feel his heart in his throat as he stared at the open box in front of him. It was beautiful, the kind of sentimental object Dan had always wanted to get for himself, but never had the self confidence to look into in fear of looking like an even bigger nerd than he already did.

The figurine was a collectible, essentially, that Dan was unlikely to ever sell, but which he would keep in mint condition anyway because he was just that kind of nerd.

Dizzy with the realization of just how serious Phil was taking their courtship, Dan took the box and moved to his couch to sit down. He’d honestly never expected anything like this, and yet it was making him giddy with infatuation.

How easy would it have been for Phil to just take Dan on another date, offered to pay for something else, or even given Dan free reign in a shopping center or something? Instead, he’d taken to heart every conversation he’d had with Dan, and very obviously done some very serious research into finding Dan the perfect gift.

God, Dan felt like the luckiest person in the whole world just then. Somehow… somehow, he’d found the most perfect guy in all of London, probably the world, and they were now buying Dan anime merchandise as a courtship present. Dan laughed and threw his head back, feeling a contented sound burbling up in his chest that he just wanted to release so fucking bad, so he did. It wasn’t quite a purr, nor a whine, but a throaty thing that Dan had never made before.

It didn’t even surprise him that Phil was dragging new sounds let alone feelings out of Dan, and he grasped for his phone as soon as he felt like he had his bearings about him.

To: Phil Lester <3

how?????

From: Phil Lester <3

do you like it? :’D

To: Phil Lester <3

you know i do

From: Phil Lester <3

i couldnt be sure, but now that i am, im really happy, dan <3 ^_____^

To: Phil Lester <3

How?????

From: Phil Lester <3

dont worry abut it!! thats for me to know and you to never find out! hahaha xoxo

To: Phil Lester <3

just you wait

That night, Dan did a little research of his own. He knew Phil’s favorite anime’s just as well as Phil knew his, and while it was a huge step for the person being courted to send a gift back, Dan thought he was ready to take it. Phil had given him… everything, without a thought in the world other than to please Dan, and it was making his insides do crazy things that Dan had never felt before.

He was warm from the inside out, instincts going crazy as they considered Phil and all that he stood for. Dan wanted - wanted - well, to be perfectly honest, Dan wanted to scent Phil and mark him as his, once and for all. Jealousy was beginning to twist in his gut, possessiveness like he’d never quite felt before, at the very idea of anyone else so much as looking at Phil.

Phil was his alpha now, and Dan planned to make that very clear with his own return gift.

For the first time in nearly a month, Dan didn’t spend the whole night talking to Phil. It was very clear Phil was attempting to talk to Dan, but Dan just wasn’t responding. He was far too busy working on his laptop, trying to find just the right gift to send in return to his alpha, and by the time three am rolled around, Dan was grinning because he’d finally found the perfect one.

Finally picking up his phone after putting in the shipping information - which Dan had retrieved from Louise earlier in the night, rather than Phil, who he wanted to surprise - and placing the order, Dan scrolled through Phil’s litany of texts with a grin on his face.

They’d started out teasing and happy, asking Dan what he could possibly mean by telling Phil to wait. Then, they’d grown a bit concerned, with Phil’s anxiety peeking through as he questioned if Dan was upset with him. By the time Dan was reaching the end of the long list of unanswered texts, Phil was mostly talking to himself through Dan, an explosion of im thinking of you and i really do hope you liked my gift and it wasnt too much because i just wanted it to be perfect for you and i miss you already and its only been like, four hours since you texted me back. see what you do to me howell?

Dan could practically feel his heart flipping over itself as he texted back a quick, thinking of you too xoxo, and fell backwards onto his bed. The only word repeating itself over and over again in his head was mine.

The thing about buying someone a gift from Japan even with rush ordering meant you could never be completely certain when it would arrive. Keeping his mouth shut, however, was a very difficult thing for Dan when his alpha - yes, his, he was allowed to think of Phil that way when they were getting so close, these days - was very persistent about asking Dan where on Earth he’d gone that night and what he meant by “just wait.”

There wasn’t anything that demanded Dan respond to the other male, no instincts that forced the truth from his lips or anything like that, but there was Phil’s puppy dog eyes and cute little pout and - had Dan mentioned they’d evolved to video chatting recently?

They hadn’t managed another date yet because Phil had gotten the job with YouTube and often worked so late or so often that he was too exhausted to plan anything, but it didn’t bother Dan, especially not after the first time Phil had texted Dan to ask if it was okay if they video chatted instead.

He’d been so sincere, as well, telling Dan that he missed seeing his face, and smiling so brightly when Dan picked up that Dan had been unable to not believe him. Sure, the line might have been corny and a little bit cheesy, possibly something Phil had said to woo Dan, but his expression still echoed the sentiment so fondly that it didn’t even matter the excuse behind it. The reality was, Phil really had missed Dan’s face. And Dan had missed Phil’s.

Video chatting meant Phil harassing Dan about his cryptic comments, however, and it meant Phil hounding Dan to show off his figurine to him, and it meant Phil asking why Dan looked so anxious every time he picked up the phone as if he were waiting for something. Dan always managed to bite his lip against answering, but Phil was just so endlessly cute that Dan constantly wanted to give in to his pleading.

They still talked about everything, though, from video games, to tv shows, to their day to day life, and while Dan watched Phil cook while he looked half dead in his kitchen every night, he felt himself falling more and more in love with him. He’d gone way past infatuated already, and he’d only met Phil in person twice, but it hardly seemed to matter to him. Besides, they spent so much of their time together already that it already felt like… well, like they’d known each other for far longer than just a month.

It was at the end of that month, however, that Phil’s package finally came.

Dan didn’t find out via a text the way Phil had found out about Dan’s arriving. No, Phil was much too dramatic for that, it seemed, because come Friday night, Dan picked up a video call from a very exhausted looking Phil Lester half distracted by something just out of view of the camera, followed by wide eyes and Phil hanging up on Dan before he’d even spoken a word to him.

Concerned, Dan had sent Phil a text asking if he was okay, and had waited patiently for a response.

Of course, as was his luck, that response never came, and Dan was left to nibble worriedly at his lip.

Phil had called particularly late that night, two am, far beyond when he usually got home, and while Dan hadn’t been concerned beforehand knowing that Phil had been working some pretty insane hours lately on a project that was just about to launch on YouTube Red, he was concerned now because Phil had never hung up the phone on him before, not like that.

The answer, of course, came with a knock at the door, and the overpowering scent of Phil.

Dan’s hormones had been a little more finicky lately, what with how close Dan was becoming with a potential mate who’d he mentally claimed as his own, so at the sudden arrival of Phil’s scent, Dan felt his entire body shift with a clawing affection that had a grin eating up his entire face. His stomach was in his throat again, and he was warm all over, suddenly craving his alpha’s touch even though that had never happened to him before.

Bounding from his couch, confused as to why Phil was here, but excited nonetheless, Dan ripped open his front door without a care in the world for how he was dressed, which was to say, in nothing more than an old t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. He was just so eager to get to Phil that he forget to feel any sense of self preservation or shame.

It turned out it didn’t matter all too much, as as soon as the door was open, Phil was drawing Dan into his arms and hugging him so tightly that Dan quite literally melted into his touch. He sighed as he alphas long arms wrapped around him, tucking Dan into his chest, nose nuzzling into the top of his head. Phil was inhaling his scent, a scent that was nothing more than sterile soaps thanks to Dan’s neutralizing shampoos, but it hardly seemed to matter. Dan’s entire body was reacting to this by nuzzling into Phil’s chest in return, the desire to scent crawling through him like never before.

He wanted to mark Phil as his, right now, but he was holding himself back because he didn’t even know why Phil was here.

Phil was making a pleased rumbling sound deep inside of his chest that was radiating through Dan’s entire body. It was comforting in how it lulled through him, but Dan had no idea why Phil was making that noise. Was he just pleased to have Dan in his arms again? But they’d never hugged before.

They’d never hugged before.

Dan hadn’t even realized that, and it was setting all of his nerve endings on fire as he reached up with needy arms and clutched at Phil’s sides to hold him back, nuzzling into his chest and letting out a tiny little needy sound because he couldn’t quite hold it back. Phil was cool, he was always cool, and he smelled like citrus and dirt and his own personal musk that clung to him no matter what he’d done that day. He smelled like home, and when Dan realized just how much that meant, he felt a shudder go through him that made a small chirping noise burst from his throat that he was sure gave away what his secondary gender was to Phil.

Finally, slowly, Phil released his strong hold on Dan and started to pull away. Dan whined at the feeling, not wanting to let his alpha go now that they were finally hugging for the very first time, but Phil merely chuckled at him and reached up to unclench Dan’s fingers from his shirt.

Reluctantly, Dan let Phil go, allowing the alpha to draw away from Dan’s body heat and turn around to shut the door behind him instead. Dan hadn’t even realized the alpha had stepped into his home, but he didn’t mind.

Already, the alpha was posturing, scenting the air, trying to leave his mark without intruding too much, and it made Dan laugh to see it. Phil was trying so hard to reign in his instincts, and it was cute, even if Dan would have preferred to have remained in Phil’s arms.

“What’s going on?” Dan asked, once he finally had the presence of mind to ask it. “You hung up on me before, and now you’re here?” He couldn’t keep the bright excitement out of his voice as he stared at Phil and the fact that he was here, he was actually here. In the flesh, within touching distance of Dan’s affection starved fingers.

Phil’s eyes were trailing hungrily around Dan’s lounge, taking in the white furniture pressed against black walls, the tiled floor that was honestly far more work to keep clean than it was worth. Artwork hung on the walls, strange images Dan had found online of comics he enjoyed, and his pride and joy, his signed muse poster taking up the forefront just above his TV.

It was… as perfect as any apartment was going to get for Dan, who’d love nothing more than to design a proper place to live for him and… maybe, hopefully, one day a mate.

Finally, Phil’s eyes flickered back to Dan’s after moving over several gaming consoles pressed neatly into his bookcase next to his TV, and he smiled so widely, tongue sticking out, that Dan’s heart lodged right in his throat.

“Dan,” he whispered, sounding giddy and breathless and husky. “Oh my god, Dan, you sent something back,” he explained, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet in his excitement. His scent was practically radiating all around the room by now, even without him having to scent anything, because he was just so happy that it was taking over everything.

Something tense in Dan relaxed suddenly at the realization that his gift had arrived, and he collapsed back against the wall by his front door, suddenly laughing because he didn’t know how else to respond. The chuckles were half chirrups, dead giveaways that Dan was a happy omega, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because Phil was looking at him with such fond brilliance that Dan no longer cared if the alpha knew what he was, because it didn’t matter.

They were far past the point of Phil not knowing who Dan was. Phil knew Dan better than even his parents, in some ways, better than Louise, from all the talking they’d done. They’d told each other so much, embarrassing stories and heartbreaking ones and things they’d never thought they’d want to talk about again. They’d had deep discussions about their spiritual, political, ect views, and they’d talk about what they wanted in life, and it was everything.

Phil Lester was everything that Dan had ever wanted, and now he was leaning against the wall in his own apartment laughing and chirping because of Phil’s reaction to Dan’s returned gift.

“If this is what I get for buying you a present,” Dan finally managed to cough out, “Do I want to know what I’ll get when I let you scent me?”

It was the most forward that Dan had ever been, but he didn’t regret it when Phil’s pupil’s suddenly dilated and he inhaled so sharply Dan could practically feel it in his own lungs. His heart was beating roughly inside of his chest, and he was staring at Phil with the utmost trust, because he wanted this, god did he want this.

“Dan. Dan does that mean -” Phil choked out, the rumbling sounds he’d been making low in his chest since he’d arrived erupting anew, louder even than before, desperate and primal with their want. Phil’s hands were clenched into fists at his sides like he wasn’t sure, like he wanted to take Dan into his arms right then and there and never let him go -

Dan nodded his head, mouth dry as he stared at Phil, just as desperate for this as Phil seemed to be. He knew what he wanted, and he was ready to reach out and take it for once. No more shying away, not when Phil was right here.

“Please,” he choked out, and bared his neck, because there was nothing he wanted more in that moment than for Phil to scent him.

Phil didn’t need any more encouragement for that. On unsteady feet, he stalked towards Dan with a look of pure desire in his eyes, desperate need as he took Dan back into his arms and cradled his body close to Phil’s. Dan kept staring at him, even as he kept the submissive pose for just a second longer, and then Phil was tucking his face into Dan’s neck and scenting him, nose pressed tight to Dan’s skin and mouth open as he breathed onto Dan, touching as much of him as he dared without wanting to push any boundaries.

There was nothing sexual about this, nothing but instincts and need and affection. Dan was still for a moment longer, and then he melted back into Phil’s arms and let the alpha hold him, hands caressing Dan’s arms, mouth and nose doing wonderful things to Dan’s neck. Phil nuzzled under Dan’s chin, encouraged him to look up, to bare more of himself to Phil while Phil surrounded Dan with his scent.

His scent was everything and more, wonderful as it took over all of Dan’s senses, flooded him like nothing ever had before. Dan had been with alphas before, omegas and betas too, but never had someone’s scent been quite so alluring, quite so intense as it surrounded all of who Dan was. Dan never wanted the scenting to end, and nor did Phil if the way he curled himself around Dan was any indication.

They just both felt so good, and it was another step in their courtship that Dan really considered to be over by now.

It hadn’t taken much, no, but it had been far more than anything Dan had ever received before. It had been enough.

Dan bore no scent of his own. It would take a few days of him no longer using his scent neutralizing soaps for him to emit any of his natural odour, but he knew without a doubt that Phil must know what he was by now. Dan had made no secret of it in the last few minutes, and the soft way he was cooing at Phil as he scented him did nothing if not reveal Dan’s secondary nature. It was both terrifying and exciting a revelation for Dan, who’d been afraid for so long to be judged for instincts that he couldn’t control rather than for who he was.

Phil was scenting him, surely aware of what Dan was, and he wasn’t stopping, not yet.

Dan wished with all of his heart that he could scent Phil back, but he knew it wasn’t possible just yet. His pheromones had been shoved into a far away closet, hidden even to himself, and it was impossible to mark Phil the way Phil was marking Dan, whether Dan wanted to or not.

He sighed as his arms wrapped tight around Phil regardless, and he nuzzled his face into Phil’s chest as the alpha breathed against the top of his head, fingers skating over Dan’s shoulder blades to make sure that Dan would be coated in his scent.

By the time Phil was willing to disentangle himself from Dan, it was getting pretty late. Dan was practically a puddle of goo in Phil’s arms, and he didn’t really want to let the alpha go, but he knew the man was far busier than this impromptu trip would let on. His job was the very reason he’d seen so little of Dan recently, and while it sucked and Dan just wanted to revel in the few precious hours he’d get with the alpha now, he knew he needed to let Phil go at some point.

Phil’s stomach growled, and Dan laughed as he realized that Phil most likely hadn’t had dinner yet.

The alpha blushed in reaction, but Dan merely rolled his eyes and reached out to pat Phil gently on the cheek. Gently, he reached out to take one of Phil’s hand with his free one, and started to lead himi into the kitchen.

“It’s fine, I’m starving too,” Dan reassured Phil. “Normally, I’d have a bowl of cereal while I watch you eat, but all this - excitement has made me crave something more.”

Phil giggled from behind him, hand on the small of Dan’s back. It felt nice, to have Phil so close as Dan began to ransack his kitchen for something proper to eat.

He tried to encourage Phil to take a seat, but the alpha ignored him, and Dan found himself pleased to realize that Phil didn’t want to leave his side just then. His touch was nice anyway, and Dan was kind of glad for the constant connection.

“Me too. I haven’t eaten since - when did I text you for lunch?”

Dan snorted.

“Hell if I should know. You didn’t actually mention lunch. Sometimes I don’t even know if you’re human. Are you secretly a robot, Phil Lester?” Dan teased, finally fishing out a frozen pizza from the back of his freezer. After considering it for a few minutes, Dan offered it to Phil. “Got an hour to kill?”

Phil’s eyes were twinkling as he looked at Dan.

“I’ve got all the time in the world.”

They ended up sharing a sleeve of cookies while they sat on the floor in front of Dan’s oven, watching the timer tick down as if staring at it would make it go any faster. Neither male seemed to mind, though, curled up next to each other and warm as they were. Phil had one arm tossed loosely over Dan’s shoulders again, and Dan’s entire thigh was pressed on top of Phil’s. They were so close they didn’t even have to raise their voices to talk.

“So an omega, huh?” Phil teased, flicking the tip of Dan’s nose. “You’re a cute little omega.”

Flushed, Dan felt the tip of his ears go pink at the reminder that he’d very much so given himself away earlier. He didn’t really mind, not now, when Phil had so clearly shown he didn’t care about Dan’s secondary gender, but it still made him feel a little embarrassed to have it pointed out out to him.

“Yeah. Got a problem with that?” Dan teased back after he’d swallowed down another cookie. Phil offered Dan yet another one, practically hand feeding him, and Dan took it into his mouth easily enough.

“No,” Phil rumbled, sighing as he relaxed even further against Dan. “Definitely not. I’m just excited to finally smell your scent…” he admitted quietly, nuzzling at Dan’s cheek because he could, now. “I mean - if you are, uhm… wanting to like, share that with me now,” he added awkwardly, realizing belatedly that he’d assumed Dan would stop hiding it now that Phil had scented him.

Dan merely rolled his eyes and laughed at his alpha, arching into his touch like it was heaven. It kind of really was, to Dan.

“Yes, I do, considering that’s the only way I’ll ever get to scent you in return,” Dan teased back. “Don’t think this courtship is going to be one sided, Phil Lester. If you get to send me presents and take me on dates and scent me, then I get to, too.”

Dan had already known that Phil was going to be okay with that, but the overwhelmingly pleased sigh that passed the alphas lips in response was music to Dan’s ears, who huddled down more firmly into Phil’s grasp. Phil leaned in close, and so lightly it almost didn’t count, pressed his lips to the crown of Dan’s head.

Dan felt warmth envelop him from head to toe, and he closed his eyes in response.

Phil had scented him already, and that was such a huge step that it almost surprised Dan they hadn’t kissed yet, and yet, he felt no hurry. This was enough already.

“Dan,” Phil asked, after another few moments of silence had passed. Dan hummed in response, lightly playing with Phil’s fingers in his now that their cookie supply had run out. Phil’s fingers over his shoulder were tracing light patterns on Dan’s arm in response, leaving goosebumps behind. “I, uhm. Was just wondering. I kind of… well, we’ve never really talked about us before, have we?”

Phil’s voice was nervous again, enough to draw Dan’s attention back to him, and he turned his head with bleary eyes to stare questioningly at Phil. He could feel himself beginning to grow a little bit tense, confused by what Phil could possibly mean.

“What do you mean?” he asked. Dan had thought it was pretty obvious through the last few hours alone what us was, so what could Phil possibly want to talk about?

Sensing Dan’s agitation, Phil loosened his hold a bit, but didn’t let Dan go, eyes a bit wild and upset as he stared at Dan. He clearly wasn’t sure how to go about talking about whatever… us, was, and that only upset Dan more, concerned that he’d somehow gotten himself tangled up with someone who didn’t want the traditional kind of relationship that Dan did.

What else could Phil possibly want from him?

“It’s just… I was wondering, how, like, serious this was to you?” Phil asked, voice high with nerves.

Instantly, Dan recoiled from the question, unsure what Phil was getting at, but pretty sure he wasn’t going to like it. He could feel the previous contentedness beginning to dissipate with his new found agitation, and he shifted away from Phil, only for Phil to let him go.

Somehow, that hurt even worse, and Dan began to whine low in his throat. The idea that Phil wouldn’t want to physically comfort him… well, if Dan was being honest, he knew it was his instincts reacting so badly to this confrontation. He wasn’t used to having serious conversations with his flings, was usually so much better at keeping his instincts under control, but Phil wasn’t a mere fling. Phil was so much more.

And yet he was questioning how serious Dan was taking this as if he didn’t want it to be very serious at all.

As Dan took in Phil expression, however, trying to read into what he meant be the words, he realized that the alpha looked well and truly panicked, now. His hands were braced in front of him, and his posture was a submissive as he could make it. He seemed quite upset himself as he tried once again to speak and explain himself.

Dan did his best to loosen his own tense posture in reaction, hoping that in some way, that could help calm Phil as well. Dan could only hope Phil wasn’t about to break his heart into a million little pieces.

“I mean, I just. Dan, I - I just wanted to know if you were looking for a mate or not,” Phil finally managed to stutter out after another moment, tense as he took in Dan’s defensive posture. “It’s just, I’ve courted before, and some people aren’t looking for the real deal, but I kind of am, and I should have asked you sooner but it’s just, we were getting on so well, I didn’t want to ruin it,” Phil blabbered on, looking so ridiculously upset that suddenly, all Dan wanted to do was coo at him.

For a moment, Phil just looked so vulnerable, eyes wide and heart practically shining through bright blue eyes. He was biting at his bottom lip nervously, fingers fumbling between each other, and he looked so shy that Dan was stunned for a moment.

This was what Phil had wanted to ask him? This was what Phil had been so concerned about? Had he not been able to tell from just how much time Dan had given him, the present he’d bought him, the fact that he’d tried to push their courting further, that Dan wanted so much more than just - just - something casual.

Slowly, a smile began to curl itself over Dan’s features, and he laughed softly, eyes bright as he stared at Phil. Phil’s own expression still looked terrified, unsure, even as he took in the way Dan seemed to be relaxing completely in posture.

Wanting to put Phil properly out of his misery, Dan crawled across his kitchen floor and promptly settled himself half on top of Phil’s lap. Phil was still curled back against Dan’s cabinets like he didn’t want to offend, upset, or otherwise scare Dan anymore than he already had, but that was okay.

Gently, Dan pushed his fingers through Phil’s fringe, pushing it back against his forehead, and laughed at him all over again. He just couldn’t believe how ridiculous Phil was, getting them both wound up for something as silly as that.

“You’re an idiot,” he complained with a playful shake of his head, shifting so he was sat on top of one of Phil’s legs and the alpha was unable to get away from him. Phil stared up at him with nervous eyes, and Dan used his free hand to cup his cheek gently in reaction. He patted it twice for good measure, and leaned in close to press his lips right up against Phil’s ear.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve already decided that you are my mate, so you really have nothing to worry about.”

Phil’s resulting shudder in response made Dan’s grin unfold brighter still, and he let out a little rumbling sound close to a purr as the oven finally went off behind him.

He didn’t kiss Phil, no, because he wanted to save that for a later date. He didn’t scent Phil either, because he couldn’t yet, but he did caress his cheek one last time as he clambered out of Phil’s lap and back onto his feet.

Phil’s expression was particularly dumbfounded as he stared up at Dan, pupils completely blown and jaw unhinged, mouth hanging open. He was panting, grumbling low in his chest, clearly pleased and excited all at once.

Dan winked at him, and finally turned back to his oven to retrieve their dinner.

(Next)

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