Who has two thumbs and is going to host another fucking event due to being absolutely deranged (and also attention sta- *gets shot*)?. This guyyy *points at self*. Anyway February is the month of love and romance yada yada. Woe,gravity falls ships be upon ye /ref.
G u i d e l i n e s:
This is both a drawing challenge AND a writing challenge. Go nuts, yall. Fics, scenarios, fanart, fully shaded pieces, anythinggg. Fuckin have at it.
Tag entries with #GF Shipruary and ping me so I can see them.
Strictly NO NSFW. I'm a minor. Please god.
NO incest or pedophilia. I didn't add those "ships" on purpose.
NO shipping wars. Please. PLEASE. This is a silly haha event and not a fucking war zone.
Don't be rude to other participants.
Event starts on February 1st and ends on March 1st. Any entries made after that will be disqualified.
Some days can be skipped if you want. You don't gotta do the whole thing.
Synopses: You confessed your feelings to Gyutaro, but he feels like you're just playing a prank on him.
“What a pathetic thing, just look at you. So pretty and coming here to confess to a freak.”
His voice practically spat venom at you. You, a high school student, had made the worst mistake someone could possibly make: you had fallen in love with a delinquent. And not just any delinquent, but Gyutaro Shabana, a third-year student, the worst of them all.
After a year of trying to repress those feelings, you had finally gathered the courage to confess to him on the grass behind the school. And now you felt ashamed for having done so. You knew Gyutaro would be rude, but you never thought he would be this cruel at such a delicate moment.
“You made me waste my time just for this?” he almost snarled. “What, you’re not gonna say anything? Not gonna call your little friends to come laugh at me? Don’t fucking bother me…”
He deliberately bumped into you and glared at you, making it very clear how hostile he was. And of course, that had the opposite effect on you. Instead of feeling scared, you felt even more captivated.
~
“Aaah, girls! You should’ve seen the way he looked at me!” you sang, replaying the memory from earlier.
You and your friends, Mitsuri and Shinobu, were sitting at a table in the cafeteria. They knew about your not-so-secret crush on Gyutaro, and they had very divided opinions about it. Mitsuri always supported you and practically told you to dive headfirst into love if it was mutual and honest on both sides, while Shinobu tried to be more rational and evaluate whether it was really worth giving yourself to someone like him.
But after what you told them, the girls had to agree on one thing: you seemed to have absolutely no self-love. Anyone with even a shred of self-respect would have given up on Gyutaro the moment he called you pathetic. But you didn’t. You only melted even more and clung to the almost nonexistent possibility that one day he might love you back.
“Um… are you sure that’s a good sign, (S/N)?” Shinobu forced a smile.
“Yeah, he doesn’t really seem… um… how should I put it?” Mitsuri tried to stay polite, after all, this was a friend’s crush and she didn’t want to be rude.
“Interested? Maybe he really isn’t, but I can’t help liking him…” A nostalgic smile crossed your face.
“What made you like him in the first place?” Shinobu pressed. “Most people don’t like him at all, and for good reason. That guy is awful.”
“It was a while ago…” You paused as the memories flooded your mind. “It was when I first moved to the city. I was new here and didn’t really know my way around. One day, when I was trying to get home by myself, I got lost and ended up at a playground, trying to call my parents…”
~
That memory was as clear as day in your mind. You still remembered how your shoes were speckled with sand from the neighborhood playground. The sky was overcast, heavy with clouds, like it could start raining at any moment. And that was exactly what happened.
You hid under one of the playground structures, trying to protect your backpack and your phone from the rain while desperately attempting to contact your parents, without any success.
That was when he saw you. That rough-looking teenager approached you with a black umbrella, wearing a supermarket apron and shirt. He was tall, with long greenish hair tied into a messy bun at the top of his head.
“Hey, what are you doing out here in this rain?” His hoarse voice wavered between scolding and something almost like concern. “Did you get lost or something?”
“Um, kind of… I was trying to call my parents.” You avoided giving too many details to a stranger.
“You can do that inside the supermarket. It’s thundering, and a lightning bolt could hit your head.” He pointed to the market behind him. You hadn’t even noticed it before. “Come on, hurry.”
You followed him into the supermarket. At worst, you’d just end up with a cold. The boy, who you later found out was Gyutaro, was kind enough to buy you a hot drink so you could warm up after being out in the cold for so long.
It was a very simple gesture, but one you kept close to your heart. From that day on, you started noticing that he attended the same school as you, though in different grades. You were a first-year student, and he was a second-year at the time. You tried to get closer to him, but to your disappointment, he avoided you as much as he could, only exchanging words when absolutely necessary.
~
“We talk sometimes, but not much.” You kept smiling, but the sadness in your eyes was hard to hide.
“What surprises me most about this story is that he paid for a drink for you,” Shinobu laughed.
“Oh, Shinobu, maybe he’s not that bad. He did go out of his way to get her out of the rain,” Mitsuri tried to find some romance in the story.
“So what? Anyone with common sense would’ve done the same thing. Though common sense and Gyutaro in the same sentence is pretty ironic. That guy’s an idiot,” Shinobu laughed. “Can you believe he stood in front of an antique store shelf for an entire week just to guard a music box for his sister instead of asking the clerk to hold it for him?”
You had to admit that sometimes, in rare moments, Gyutaro really was an idiot. The kind who did stupid things in situations that could be solved with simple logic. It was typical of him.
~
The week passed, and you and Gyutaro didn’t speak at all. Valentine’s Day was approaching, and even though you knew he had flat-out rejected you, you still wanted to give him something. And what better than chocolate for that day, right? Well, you hoped he liked sweets.
You weren’t very good in the kitchen, but you put a lot of effort into making small chocolate truffles filled with lemon cream. Sweet and sour. In your mind, that mix of flavors suited him perfectly, and you hoped he’d like them. Not satisfied with that, you also baked some chocolate cookies with almond pieces. You made sure to prepare sweets for your friends as well. They would be upset if you didn’t.
You wrapped the treats in plastic bags tied with red ribbons, each with a small note attached bearing your initials. You didn’t expect anything in return. You just wanted him to feel special. If he noticed you or wanted to get closer, that would just be a bonus. And honestly, you wouldn’t mind that at all.
The school was buzzing. Classmates were exchanging chocolates, and you even received some from your friends and a few admirers you weren’t interested in. Now it was your turn to give yours away. Shinobu and Mitsuri received theirs with great appreciation. Now, only one person was left.
The problem was finding him. In the end, he was nowhere to be found, and that disappointed you. Had he skipped school? you wondered as you walked toward the gardening club, wanting some time alone. But the smell of cigarette smoke sharpened your senses and told you that you weren’t alone. To your surprise, Gyutaro was there, leaning against a wall, smoking and fiddling with his phone. He looked more serious than usual, gripping the phone so tightly his knuckles had turned white. His mouth was twisted in disgust, and his eyes practically shot lasers at the screen with how much anger they held.
“Gyutaro? Hi.” You approached slowly and calmly.
“What are you doing here?” he snapped, the cigarette hanging from his lips.
“I was looking for you…” You leaned against the wall beside him. “Actually, I had already given up. I thought you’d skipped class today.”
“I fucking wish. My stupid sister made me come, and then she’s the one who decided to skip,” he said, taking a drag before tossing the cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his foot. “So, what did you want me for?”
“I wanted to give you this…” You held out the two bags of truffles and cookies. “I made them for you.”
Your smile faltered when you saw the disdainful look on Gyutaro’s face. It hurt a little. You thought that chocolates and cookies might at least make him less hostile.
“First that stupid confession, and now this? Are you trying to make a fool out of me or something?” He stepped back. “You really expect me to believe you went through all that trouble for me? Don’t waste my time with these ridiculous little games.” He turned away, about to leave the open area of the gardening club.
“Because I like you!” You impulsively grabbed his wrist. “Is that so hard to understand? I get that you don’t feel the same, but you talk like I somehow despise you too.”
“And don’t you?” he shot back. “Why the hell would you be interested in me? Just look at you. You’re pretty, you’re well-off, you’ve got good friends. You already have everything. What you’re looking for is someone on your level, and I’m clearly not that person.”
“And why wouldn’t you be?” you raised your voice. “You were so nice to me that day at the park, and on other days too. If you don’t feel the same, then just say it already!”
Gyutaro’s eyes widened for a moment. His gaze lingered on you before darting away. A faint blush spread across his pale cheeks as he bit his lower lip, stopping himself from saying something stupid.
“Is it really that hard for you to be honest?” you said. “You called me pathetic the day I confessed, but you’re not that different.” You let go of his hand.
Your words hit him hard. He knew they were true. He was the pathetic one now. You had asked such a simple question, yet he hesitated. And hesitated a lot.
“(S/N)…” he murmured your name. “I just don’t want to ruin your life.”
“What?” You blinked.
“I already told you I’m not the right person for you. You’re too good for someone like me. And it just doesn’t make sense to me that you’d go through all this trouble for me.” He pointed at the chocolates. “I’ve never gotten anything on Valentine’s Day except cruel jokes. Why would this time be any different?”
“So you were scared this whole time? Is that it?” Your voice softened with understanding. “If you’re afraid there’s something wrong with the chocolates, then try them and see for yourself.”
You opened the bag of truffles and handed it to him, raising an eyebrow when you noticed how hesitant he was to eat one. What kind of prank had been pulled on him for him to be afraid of something so simple? you wondered.
He took one of the truffles and bit into it. His expression brightened in delight at the mix of flavors he loved most. There was nothing in those sweets except care and affection, and Gyutaro still couldn’t believe they were really for him.
“See? There was nothing in them.” You smiled when you noticed the blush on his cheeks.
“Yeah… I guess you’re right… Sorry about that.” He was embarrassed now, ashamed of how much of an idiot he had been.
“You know, you still haven’t answered whether you like me or not…” A small smile curved your lips.
“Let’s say I don’t hate you… Alright, fine, I like you!” He coughed, clearing his throat. “I just think you’re really stupid for liking me too. That day at the park, I just didn’t want you to get struck by lightning or catch a cold because you didn’t notice there was a supermarket nearby. And I also thought you were pretty. God, what am I even saying? This is ridiculous…”
“Come on, give yourself a chance.” Your eyes met his, full of hope.
“Fine, but just one… I really do like you.” He smiled crookedly. “And thanks for the chocolate. It was good.”
“Like I said, no tricks.”
“You… would you like to go out with me tonight?” His heart skipped a beat.
“Of course. I’d love to.”
Your chocolates and cookies might not have been poisoned, but damn, that boy was suspicious. He asked you out without many expectations, but when he went to pick you up at the agreed place, he was completely stunned to see you there, waiting for him and dressed so nicely, while he looked like a total mess, like a walking sleeping bag.
It wasn’t easy for him to open up to you, and you were very patient with him. In the end, that patience paid off when you noticed that he no longer acted like a jerk around you and instead made small gestures that, despite being shy and clumsy, were full of affection. That was the first Valentine’s Day he ever received something truly good.
And he was deeply grateful for your stubbornness in making him realize that he couldn’t keep pushing people away forever.
Ryan Bailey, a man that has never been able to feel emotions, feels emotions for the very first time and gets swept away by them.
Ryan Bailey can’t remember the last time he felt… anything. For as long as he can remember he has lived his life through others, emotionally speaking. Although it wasn’t too bothersome not feeling emotions (as a businessman it was actually useful), at times Ryan found himself wondering how his life would be different. He wouldn’t have to practice normal facial expressions in the mirror or study people so closely. Sure, with time it had become a lot easier to ‘express’ himself normally, but it still required him to constantly observe those around him.
That is until recently.
Ryan looks down at his hands and makes them into loose fists before opening them again. A few days ago, while shaking hands with a possible investor, he experienced emotion for the first time. It was strange at first. He wondered if maybe he was suddenly able to feel, but soon after other man- somewhat awkwardly- removed his hand from his, he was back to emptiness. Ryan shook his head and flashed the man a practiced smile and then walked him out of the office. Once the door was closed and he was back in his chair, Ryan looked down at his hands. Then, without any further thought, he called his secretary into his office with the excuse that she bring him some coffee. A few minutes later she walked in with a red mug in her hands and placed it on his desk. Before he realized what he was doing, he had reached out and touched the young girl’s hand. Her face had turned a light pink as she looked up at him, but he’d hardly noticed her. His mind had suddenly been flooded with a strange, soft feeling. I small smile crept up onto his lips, and he’d quickly pulled his hand back from the girl and dismissed her. Her smile had slowly vanished as she turned to leave.
Once again, he looked at his hands. Ever since the moment he discovered this strange power, he had become obsessed, no, addicted. He found almost any excuse to lightly touch others’ hands. While getting his coffee in the morning, while at the store, at the office— anywhere. It became sort of a game. He would watch the person, try to guess at their emotion, and then confirm it. It was amazing that he was correct so many times.
Now he sat at a small coffee shop, looking at a young barista with long brown hair and soft eyes. He watched her as she prepared his drink and then as she walked over to him. She’s feeling tired, probably hoping to go home to her family, he thought to himself as she placed the cup on the table. He smoothly reached for the cup just before her hand left the mug and touched the tips of her fingers in a now practiced move. She turned to leave not noticing what happened and he was washed over by a soft feeling… something like happiness, but… sad along the edges. He stared at his cup, as the feeling slowly faded. He blinked a couple times and then looked up at the girl, who was now cleaning a table. She did not look particularly happy, or sad. He frowned. Maybe… his mind worked and worked, trying to solve the puzzle—not having ever truly felt emotions himself, it was hard sometimes to understand when they were mixed.
He shook his head and looked down at his hands. Maybe this strange ability was starting to fade, only meant to work for a few days? Ryan did not want to go back, not now that he knew how this felt. He liked feeling, even if it was only for a few seconds. It was a hunger he never knew he had and now was unwilling to let go of. He got up from his seat, picked up his cup, and walked over to the counter where the girl was now standing by the register. She smiled politely as he approached and he flashed yet another practiced smile.
“Excuse me, my coffee was a bit cold,” he said softly as he placed the cup on the counter.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said as she picked up the cup, “I’ll make you another one,” then she turned around.
Ryan watched as she once again prepared his drink, trying to think harder this time. She smiled at me, he thought, so maybe she is not tired, but happy. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t realize she was back.
“Okay, here it is.” She smiled again. Ryan could never understand how people gave away smiles so easily and so often. He had to practice, observe, and guess at the right moment, while others seemed to do it without so much as a thought.
He reached out for the mug just as she reached out to place a napkin next to it. Their hands touched and Ryan felt something… hot. Frustrated, he thought to himself, she must be frustrated with me because I let my drink get cold. But when he looked up, she was smiling, light pink dusting her cheeks, her eyes reduced to small lines.
“Oh, I’m sorry about that,” she said, her smile faltering slightly as she pulled her hand back.
“It’s okay, don’t worry.” he answered, still lost in his thoughts.
This girl was strange. Her emotions did not align with her expressions. Or perhaps he was the one that was strange. Well of course he was strange but… he shook his head. This is pointless, he thought. He drank his coffee and then left the shop, waving at the girl on his way out.
He looked down at his hands; he had been doing this a lot lately.
Ryan found himself at the cafe almost every day after that. Every time he challenged himself, and every time he failed. For some reason he could never figure the girl out. She always seemed to be friendly on the outside but frustrated and sad on the inside. Then it hit him one day, as his fingers touched the tips of hers. She smiled warmly at him, a regular customer, and yet the feeling that washed over him was frustration- as usual- but this time it had softer edges, and he found himself with an almost unnoticeable smile on his lips. He blinked and looked at the girl’s back as she turned before looking down at his hands again.
He could not believe it. He would have laughed- this seemed like something to laugh about- but it would have been too strange in the quiet of the shop. But suddenly, a frown crept up on his face. Why was this different from the dozens of hands he had touched before? He turned to the girl again. Was it just her? He thought, for a second, maybe he would get up and ask her something, maybe even slide his hand towards hers, just a tiny bit.
He wanted to challenge himself once more.
Instead, he finished his coffee, said goodbye to the girl, and walked out into the cold.
Love comes in different forms and wears different faces.
The ancient Greeks had words to express that, and the captains of the Epic Writing Server have selected a few of them as prompts for the week leading up to Valentine's Day. May these prompts inspire you to create your own portrayals of that love - whether it's for the characters in Greek mythology or another fandom!
You can add your works to our collection on ao3 by claiming the prompts here:
Edit: There has been a slight change of plans regarding the 7th point of the rules, that being that the repost would no longer have to happen on the day of the given prompt, so being late would no longer make any difference
