remember, to be number one, you must be odd.
- cortis - one piece - atla - hp/marauders - illit - katseye -percy jackson oh and also I have my own op oc!1!1!1
hands are so shitty to draw because you can't draw them separately, they'll look like sausages. but if you draw them with rounded edges, it's still gonna look like a sausage. fuck anime
it's hard to larp one piece because people have been so used to see larpers they can tell you're one before you even decide, coming from a one piece fan who just started Alabasta :)
Sanji: Mademoiselle, your eyes are as pale as moonlight. What is such a fine lady doing here?
Yukikara who's an orphan and has been stuck there for years: I'm a slave.
Sanji who's eye has suddenly started twitching: ..what?
Chapter 1, Volume 2. Borrowed smiles, softened eyes. Some hearts bloom before the storm arrives.
very, very light angst
And after two years apart? The two years of not knowing if the others are even alive? Oh, God. Robin was breaking down in real time. Especially since the moment Sanji saw her during the reunion, he hugged her so gently, so naturally, it was almost instinct. It wasn't. It didn't start anything, it just revealed the very thing the two of them have been dancing around for the handful of months that they've known each other.
The very thing they have been hiding from. Why, you may ask? Because they care too much. Too mindful of each other's hypothetical opinions. Too careful to the point they'll adjust to the other. It's absolutely sickening.
But, it took them an agonizing four months to figure it out. And I can say they've been through a lot. But here's the one out of two of the biggest highlights of their relationship. Water 7. Just the name makes Yukikara tense. She was abducted by Kuzan, the selfish man he is.
He wanted Yukikara's powers, thinking it'll make him stronger. When he realized he couldn't, he held her captive and abused, sedated, and cuffed her with seastone. For a week, the crew lost her. For a week, she was slipping away. Seven days where nobody knew if she'd ever come back. But she needed to, for them.
On the fourth day, she was supposed to die. Meanwhile her crewmates were worrying and going insane, not knowing she was just about to die.
When they finally found her, she was...vulnerable. Painfully young. The quiet woman that they thought of as family was right in front of them, dying, with all of her defenses stripped away, leaving a raw version of the woman they knew, a version she would've never let to be seen.…TO BE CONTINUED (release of next volume may vary)
parents really will just be like 'why would I praise you for doing things how they're supposed to be done? you already know how to do that, it's better to point out what you did wrong' like NO no nooo come ON do you not know what positive reinforcement is? and then they wonder why you don't do those good things well MAYBE i would have if i felt like it gave me a reward. this is hardwired into our brains can we please tell kids they did a good job? I don't even know if this is normal for the rest fo the world but like. haha. looking back at my childhood it explains a lot
like okay motherfucker you want to know why i was lazy as a kid? it was because everything was a constant barrage of 'you forgot this' 'you did this wrong' 'why can't you remember to do this, it's only ten things that you have to do every day' because i very clearly remember at some point just going, fuck it, what's the point, i always forget or mess it up so i might as well just not do it
i learned about negative reinforcement as an adult and just went. oh. OH. yeah okay so that's what happened
Summary : During your summer internship at the Hawkins Post, you're investigating the strange events shaking Hawkins. Steve Harrington, meanwhile, has one mission: keep you from digging too deep. Convinced that a few charming smiles would be enough to steer you away from your investigation after learning you once had a crush on him in high school, he quickly realizes things are far more complicated than he expected.
Warnings : Season 3 Angst
Writers notes : English is not my native language; please excuse me if there are any mistakes or poor translations.
Steve Harrington x fem!reader
You were doing your best to listen to him without letting your annoyance show, but you had to admit it: lately, Steve Harrington had been getting seriously on your nerves.
Ever since you had decided to investigate Hawkins more seriously — the town where you had grown up and where all kinds of strange things happened — he always seemed to appear out of nowhere to change the subject, tear apart your theories, or simply discourage you by his mere presence.
You had barely spoken to him before all this, and you had no desire to start after what he had put Jonathan through. Jonathan was your friend. He was the one who had introduced you to photography before offering you a spot on the school newspaper and eventually asking you to follow him and Nancy for this summer internship at the town newspaper.
« Listen, Harrington. » You raise a hand to interrupt him with a sigh. « I get that taking ice cream orders all day can't be that exciting, but you're going to have to find yourself another hobby besides sabotaging my work. »
He straightens up, finally moving away from your desk where he had been leaning. His arms cross over his chest as his brows furrow. « Sabotaging your work? »
« Yes. » You stand up, ready to leave. « I get that you're doing this because Nancy works here. Or because Jonathan's here. Honestly, I don't care. But that doesn't give you the right to sabotage my work. »
You finish putting your things away before switching off the small lamp on your desk, plunging the room into darkness, lit only by the glow of the exit signs. « I'm in a hurry, so if you don't mind... »
« I don't have feelings for Nancy anymore. » The idea that people might still think that irritates him, as if Steve Harrington only existed through that failed relationship. « And it has nothing to do with... »
« Okay, okay. » You walk past him. « I don't have time for this. I still need to stop by the high school to pick up some files and... anyway. Thank you for all this... enthusiasm about helping with my investigations, but you can stop now. »
Steve hesitates for a moment at your smile. It seems genuine, yet the hint of pity in your eyes is enough to make him wince inwardly. He wishes he could tell you that you're completely wrong. That it has nothing to do with Nancy, or Jonathan, or even himself. But he also knows that, to you, he will always be the boy who broke your friend's camera.
It was stronger than you: every time Steve Harrington was nearby, a wave of irritation rose inside you. And yet, he had never done anything to you personally.
But the memory of Jonathan, hurt and humiliated, always came back to mind.
So you ignored the way Steve held the door open for you. You ignored the fact that he never raised his voice at you. More than anything, you ignored that he kept coming back, day after day, despite your hostility.
The stupid and naïve teenager you had been when you first started high school would probably have claimed that all of this was nothing more than a badly placed crush.
Because before Jonathan, before Nancy, before all those strange events that seemed to follow Hawkins everywhere, you had a crush on Steve Harrington.
A crush you had buried without the slightest regret the day he went after your friend.
With the music blasting through your car speakers, just the way you liked it, and your hand gripping the steering wheel tightly, you head toward the high school under Steve's frustrated gaze.
Once again, he hadn't managed to change your mind, and he doesn't know why the idea that you might think he still has feelings for Nancy affects him so much.
He didn't really know when things had changed, or at what point protecting the damn snoop had stopped being a simple favor for the team.
He takes his time turning the key in the ignition to start the car when the walkie-talkie left on the passenger seat crackles.
« Steve, code red! »
Dustin's voice reaches him, muffled and annoyed, and Steve grabs the device.
« It's late, Henderson, you'll get your ice cream tomorrow! »
« We're being chased by the high school janitor! »
They were supposed to be watching a movie at Lucas's house.
« What the hell are you doing there?! »
« Max thought she saw Billy near the stadium, so we... »
« I'm coming! »
The disappearances shaking Hawkins were becoming increasingly alarming. And things had become even more complicated since you had decided to stick your nose into it, despite Jonathan's efforts to steer you away from that lead.
« Damn snoop. »
The curse slips through his clenched teeth.
When the rest of the group had decided he was the best person to sabotage your investigation, Steve had thought it would be easy; according to Jonathan, you'd had a crush on him at the beginning of high school, so he had convinced himself, rather foolishly, that a few crooked smiles and his natural charm would be enough to steer you away from all of this.
He had quickly realized he was wrong, even finding himself wondering whether that crush had ever really existed when he discovered just how much animosity you seemed to have toward him.
It's only when he spots your car in the parking lot that he remembers you were supposed to stop by there.
Shit.
The photo is nothing extraordinary: a forest landscape with, in the distance, a person who seems surprised to have their picture taken. There's nothing special about the image, and yet it intrigues you, as though there were something escaping you, a detail you just couldn't put your finger on.
After staring at it without blinking for so long, your eyes have become dry and you keep rubbing them before finally deciding to leave. Night has fully settled in now, the hallways of the high school are eerie with only the dim glow of the neon lights illuminating the building, and when you slam the door of the photo lab behind you, you get the strange feeling that you've woken something up by how loudly the sound echoes.
At the end of the hallway, a figure stands motionless, as if waiting for you, and you freeze before recognizing the school janitor.
« Oh, Mr. Montrevel, I'm sorry, I stayed late, I'm leaving right now! »
The relief you felt upon recognizing him quickly fades, however, when he doesn't react, his imposing figure still standing between you and the exit.
You take a few steps toward him, your concern gradually replacing your embarrassment.
« Mr. Montrevel? You... »
An arm wraps around your waist, stopping you in your tracks, a hand pressing over your mouth to muffle the scream threatening to escape you. You should have panicked, of course you should have, but you instantly recognize Steve's cologne, which is enough to calm you for a moment.
His expression is tense, and he doesn't even look at you, keeping his eyes fixed on the motionless figure in front of you.
« Don't move. »
His voice is barely more than a whisper and, although he brought you a semblance of comfort a few seconds earlier, his behavior is starting to worry you. He slowly guides the two of you backward, but the strap of your bag suddenly gives way and it falls to the floor with a dull thud.
« Shit! »
The figure immediately springs into motion and moves toward you at a quick pace; Steve grabs your hand without hesitation and pulls you along as he runs away from the janitor.
You don't like running, you hate it, and your lack of stamina quickly makes itself known as your lungs tighten and your pace begins to slow.
« No, no, hurry up! »
« What the hell is going on?! »
You force him to stop so you can catch your breath, your hands braced against your hips, while Steve curses into his walkie-talkie.
« He's in the school, get out of there! »
« We're calling Nancy and Jonathan! »
« Grab the bat! »
You don't understand a word of what he's saying, vaguely recognize Nancy's brother's voice through the static and...
« Wait, a bat? » You take a step back. « Harrington, you... »
He grabs your hand to pull you behind him when he sees the janitor appear, his gaze empty, almost possessed, and hits him in the face with the walkie-talkie. The man lets out a strange sound, but Steve doesn't waste a second and pulls you away with him without any resistance from you, so stunned are you by what just happened.
He finds a random door, locks it before leading you to the back of the room. He doesn't seem panicked, on the contrary, he seems to understand the situation and, even though his calm should reassure you, anger takes over.
« Harrington, you're going to tell me what's going on! Right now! »
He moves toward you, a finger pressed to his lips while you step back.
« Shh! Stop talking! »
« Don't tell me to shut up! You just... »
In a single step, he's in front of you; his hand comes back over your mouth and you crash into the cabinet behind you.
His eyes wide, Steve tries to make you understand that you need to stay quiet and he must be convincing enough, because you stop moving.
Footsteps echo through the hallway, stop near the door, and you hold your breath until they move away.
Steve lowers his head, relieved that the two of you managed to stay hidden, until you abruptly push him away.
« Talk now or I'll scream! »
« You could've done that earlier, you know? »
He tries to joke, but the seriousness in your expression immediately wipes the smile from his face. He leans against the desk — you're in the chemistry classroom after all — and rubs a hand over his face.
« The disappearances... They have everything to do with a creature that... comes from another world. »
You stare at him in disbelief, and even he seems doubtful that he just said those words out loud. It's one thing to talk about it with people who already know, it's another entirely with someone who knows nothing.
« Are you kidding me? »
« No! » He straightens up. « I've been trying to change your mind ever since you started investigating because if you get involved in this, you're going to... »
« That's why you've been bothering me at the newspaper? »
« I told you I'm not in love with Nancy anymore. Why else would I have come? »
A disappointment that comes out of nowhere tightens your chest; and yet, you can't blame him. You're nobody to him.
« Listen, I... » He takes a step toward you, mistaking your silence for disbelief. « I know this isn't easy to believe, but... »
« They're possessed. »
You murmur those words to yourself as you dig through your pocket for the photo you slipped inside earlier.
« That's it... They're possessed. »
« What? »
« I took this picture a few weeks ago and I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what, and Mr. Montrevel had that same look in his eyes... They're possessed. »
Steve doesn't know how to react, surprised to see you accept this news so easily, as though it were somehow more rational that a creature from another world could take control of the people of Hawkins.
« Wait... Mr. Montrevel is possessed? » Your eyes lock onto his as the realization hits you. « Oh my God, he's going to kill us. »
He's almost relieved to see you react normally, until panic takes over.
You try to speak, but the words get tangled together as the air starts to leave your lungs. It had been a long time since your last panic attack, not since you started high school and all the exercises your therapist had taught you.
Your hand clenches around your sweater as though you want to tear it off your skin, your heart races and you collapse to your knees under Steve's now panicked gaze.
Without thinking, he drops down beside you and takes your face in his hands as he recognizes the signs of the panic attack.
« Look at me... try to think about something... something pleasant. »
Despite your vision blurring, you look at him with the urge to tell him how ridiculous all of this is when a possessed man is probably trying to kill you.
At that thought, your breathing becomes more and more uneven and, against all expectations, while he's still holding your face in his hands in a desperate attempt to bring you back to him, Steve kisses you.
He doesn't really know why he does it. Maybe because he can't stand watching you struggle for air anymore. Maybe because, for weeks now, he's spent all his time protecting you without being able to explain why. Or maybe because, in the middle of this dimly lit classroom, with a possessed man hunting you through the hallways, it's the only thing that comes to mind.
The kiss is clumsy, rushed, nothing like the ones he's given before, but it lasts a second too long, his hands slipping from your cheeks into your hair as though trying to anchor you a little more firmly in reality.
« Steve? Do you hear me? We're outside with Nancy and Jonathan! »
The crackling of the walkie-talkie pulls both of you out of your bubble and you remain frozen while he stands to retrieve the device left on the desk. There's a bit of blood on it, but Steve pays it no attention. Beneath his apparent confidence, he's every bit as shaken as you are.
« The janitor? »
« We saw him run out, but we figured we'd wait for you. Did you find your damn snoop? »
He closes his eyes at the nickname he gave you and that Dustin was all too quick to adopt.
« Yeah... I found her. »
« Great. I hope her crush hasn't worn off so you can... »
Steve immediately cuts off the transmission, his jaw tightening as he realizes too late what you might understand from that.
You may be breathing more easily now, but your heart races at Dustin's words. You push yourself up against the desk and run a hand through your hair under Steve's worried gaze.
« I won't say anything. » Misinterpreting his expression, you promise to keep to yourself everything he just confessed. « I'll choose another topic for my assignment. »
You leave the crumpled photo on the desk, as though giving up your investigation were easier than facing what had just happened.
He wants to take a step toward you, tell you that none of this is only about that damn parallel world, that you should talk about what just happened, but he does nothing.
He simply watches your silhouette silently leave the room, the walkie-talkie clenched in his hands.
This was supposed to be simple, wasn't it? A few smiles, a few lies, and you would have given up your investigation.
That's exactly what had just happened, and yet, as he watches you walk away, Steve doesn't feel the slightest hint of relief.
Steve Harrington masterlist JJ Maybank masterlist Rafe Cameron masterlist
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