We need warm soft fluffy things… I’ve been writing so much angst and that Critical Hit request really really hit me in the feels (I’m weak… I cried while writing them okay?) My birthday’s passed (It was last month) and this for all my readers who have or will celebrate their birthday soon. (Also myself for self-indulgence)
RGB celebrating their S/O’s birthday
Python
· He straight up pretends he forgot or will give a simple “Happy Birthday” greeting with a little kiss
· He’s actually preparing a surprise for you later on in the day
· He’s made a mental list of all the things you’ve pointed out and mentioned you wanted in the past. With his little savings, he’s bought a few of them, the ones he could afford at least
· Python’s not gonna risk ruining your cake because he made it himself, he’ll opt to get one from a baker. Nothing too fancy but nice enough to show his most favourite person he cares
· If you get a bit irritated with him because of his lacklustre greeting, that’s all part of his plan. Gives him ample time and space to get everything ready
· Python’s preparing a little private celebration for two (definitely not in his quarters or your own. So you don’t prematurely find the surprise) a few gifts from Python, some food, and small cake
· He’ll find you and blindfold you so he can take you to the surprise
· “Blindfolds? Really? If you’re trying to block out the angry look I’m giving you…” “I know I messed up sunshine… lemme make it up to you m’kay?” He cut you off and you gave him an irritated nod, if he’s trying to apologize might as well let him right?
You feel him lead you to a room. “ Aight, you can take off the blindfold…” was that nervousness in his voice? But you weren’t going to let him off easy. “Py before I started dating you I knew you were a simple guy. Not one to do anything extravagant or fancy but I was hoping maybe my birthday was an exemption? Nothing grand, maybe a small gift or a cake..” you pulled the blindfold off your face and was greeted by Python’s “little”surprise
The room was candlelit, a table at the center decorated with simple yet elegant cloth. There were a few gifts on the table and food you loved. Touched, you covered your mouth in awe then you laid your eyes on your cake. It was simple and small, partially covered with cream and topped with in-season fruit. Python hugged you from behind and kissed your temple. “I… had to act like a bit of a jerk to get this all ready for you.” He gave you a light squeeze “Sorry if I made you feel unimportant… you’re… the best person who’s ever come into my life. Always remember that.” He felt you shift in his arms, then you turned to face him. The smile and tears of joy on your face turned his insides into goo. You cupped his face “Oh Python… This is… all this. I would’ve been happy with just the cake but this is above and beyond! You’ve set the bar too high for yourself…” he knew you were trying to add some humour to the situation but he was feeling too sentimental. He planted a deep loving kiss on your lips. “I’ll do it every year to celebrate your birthday sunshine…” he whispered against your lips.
Lukas
· While he doesn’t mind planning a surprise for you, making your birthday a covert operation isn’t really his style. He’ll mention he has something planned but won’t go into specifics as to what he intends to do
· You’ll realize that as you go through your day most of your chores are finished or you’ll notice Lukas’ token care packages hanging around. Attached to those care packages are notes “I thought I’d ease your burden, considering its your name day” “Can’t have the celebrant hungry/thirsty, treat yourself my love.” “I cannot believe I’m saying but I’m actually excited to celebrate with you later tonight.” “Today is truly a special day. For it is the day the person who gave me warmth and happiness was born.”
· He might not look it but Lukas gets very romantic and mushy with you. Just like Python he has trouble expressing it. Although Python is more on at a loss on how to express his affection, Lukas is overwhelmed with the emotions and ideas on how he can show you he cares deeply about you
· It takes him some time to sort out his feelings and be organized with how he wants to express his feelings
· Lukas had planned a intimate dinner with you to celebrate your birthday, all the food he had cooked himself. He anxiously sat himself at the table waiting for your arrival. Lukas thought you were taking longer than expected, had he not done enough of your chores for the day to free up your schedule?
The sound of someone knocking on the door snapped him out of his reverie, “Lukas! Sorry I’m late, I picked up something to add to our celebration.” he perked up as heard you let yourself in. “No need to apologize…” he positioned himself to the side of the dinner table.
As you entered you noticed the spread on the table, quite the feast for just a party of two. You couldn’t help but pull Lukas into an embrace “I hope you’re alright with this, I know how you are with touchy-feely things…” you felt his body relax into your arms, slowly Lukas returned the warm gesture. Nestling his head into the crook of your neck “As long as its from you… To be honest, I’d want nothing more that for you to hold me. But shouldn’t I be the one showering you with gifts and attention? It is your name day.” You gave him a quick peck on the temple “The celebrant must also give party favours to their guests.”
Lukas lead you to the table and pulled you a seat. You couldn’t help but hungrily eye the dishes he had prepared for you though the more you looked at the food the more you realized a certain theme to them. You pointed towards one of the dishes “Isn’t that… That’s the first recipe we tried together!” A small smile crept onto Lukas’ lips “Yes, before we started dating.” You then focused your attention on another dish loaded with a fond memory “Oh! This is the one from our first date!” He nodded then pointed his hand towards another plate of food “You taught me how to make this one.” You propped your elbows on the table and rested your head onto your hands, recalling that memory. You had mentioned it was your favourite dish so Lukas wanted to learn it.
One particular dish caught your eye, it was unfamiliar, no treasured memory attached to it. “And this one?” You pointed towards it. “That’s a new dish for a new memory my love.” He pressed a soft kiss into your hair. “A traditional dish, cuisine from a faraway land. Specially made on name days. The lore behind it says that a celebrant who eats it will be granted a long and happy life.”
You hugged your lover, burying your face into his side. “Oh Lukas… As long as you’re with me I’m sure I’ll have a long and happy life.”
Forsyth
· Forsyth has way too many ideas on how to celebrate your birthday. His idea board is just… messy. Lukas and Python have to step in and help organize things
· He follows Lukas’ suggestion of a home-cooked dinner celebration but Python knows all too well that his best friend’s areas of expertise are being Clive’s #1 fan and the battlefield
· His friends offer their help but Forsyth refuse, this is something he feels like he should do alone or else it would diminish the sentiment and intimacy of the gesture. So Lukas writes a detailed recipe on how to bake a cake
· He’s too excited to keep the surprise a secret. Forsyth’s pretty much blurted it out to you (Much to the other two’s dismay) but his excitement is a gift in-it-self
· Forsyth showers you every day with attention and compliments so he thinks its time he does something for you. Or in this case, make something for you
· He hastily finishes all his chores for the day so he can head into town to buy any other ingredients he might need. Once he’s done with that, he starts working on your birthday cake
· Ever since Lukas gave him the recipe and instructions, Forsyth had diligently read and re-read it back to back. Memorizing and fully understanding every instruction and detail. In his mind as long as he followed the instructions to the letter, he could not fail despite being… not so adept in the kitchen.
Forsyth shook the doubt out of his mind and began preparing the ingredients. Measuring and sifting the dry ingredients, and readying the wet ingredients. He then proceeded to mix everything in a bowl until well incorporated. After that he poured it into a buttered cake pan and into the oven it went. Now it was time for him to prepare the cream to top the cake, he vigorously whipped the cream. Bobbing the whisk up and down to check the consistency, it should be just shy of “stiff peaks”, as per Lukas’ instructions. He moved on to preparing the berries for decoration, that was done quickly. Far too quickly, now he had to wait for the cake to finish baking, torture in other words.
He pulled a chair and seated himself in front of the oven door, anxiously eyeing the metal door knowing the fruits of love and labour were on the other side. Forsyth was tempted to open, just for a quick peek, just to make sure it wasn’t burning inside. Lukas’ instructions said not to open the over door as it would mess up the heat and the cake might not bake evenly. Forsyth twiddled his fingers nervously, what if the oven was too hot? What if the batter had overflowed? Perhaps it baked faster than anticipated? The thoughts were killing him, he tentatively reached out to open the door. “AH-AHEM.” He stopped abruptly, his eyes darted to the door of the kitchen.
Lukas stood at the door way with Python right behind him. “Told ya he’d get all fidgety and try to open the darn thing…” the archer shrugged. “I DIDN’T MEAN TO DEVIATE FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS LUKAS! I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE CAKE WAS BAKING PROPERLY!” Lukas motioned a calming gesture “Its alright Forsyth, we were simply checking up on you. It looks like you have a good handle on things so we’ll leave you to it.” And with that his friends left.
The specified time had passed and Forsyth pulled the finished cake out of the oven, his whole being tingling with excitement. This might be the first successful dish he’s created and his personal victory would be all sweeter since it was an effort for you, his most beloved. He looked at the cake, it looked dense. It wasn’t fluffy or spongy as the instructions described. His excitement turned to panic and he promptly called his friends to assess what had happened.
“GAHAHAHAHAHAH! Leave it to you to over mix the batter eh ol’ green bean!” Python hugged his sides, hysterical with laughter. All the colour had drained from Forsyth’s complexion, the day was coming to a close, you’d be home from duties and yet there was no cake to celebrate with. Lukas covered Python’s head with an empty bowl to silence the man. “Seems like you’re pressed for time Forsyth, let me help and I’ll leave decorating the cake to you. Would that be alright?” Lukas knew how much this meant to his comrade. It wasn’t how he planned but at this point if he didn’t get help from Lukas there would be no cake and Forsyth would feel responsible for ruining your birthday. He begrudgingly accepted Lukas’ help, pouting like a sad puppy in the corner. Once the batter was in the oven, Lukas and Python once again made their exit while wishing Forsyth good luck.
This time the cake came out fluffy. PERFECT. Now all that was left was to decorate and Forsyth got to that straight away. It was growing dark and you’d be there soon, he quickened his pace.
“Oh~ I can’t wait to taste the cake my boyfriend made just foooor me~” he heard your approach, he’d only covered one side with cream, he hadn’t even topped it yet with any berries! You peaked your head into the kitchen and behold the sight of your boyfriend frantically icing a half-naked cake. For some reason that made you feel all fuzzy inside, how worked up and passionate he was trying to make your birthday special.
Should you call his attention? You opted to. In a gentle voice you asked him “Hey Fors, whatcha doooing?” Making it sound as soft and cutesy as you could make it. He looked up to you on the brink of tears, then looked back to the cake. “Oh…” was all he could say, he looked defeated. You entered the kitchen and gave him a tight hug “Look at you my personal baker! You did amazing!” You felt him slump into your arms, eyes looking down on to the floor. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips as he rested his forehead onto yours. “I just… wanted to make you special day even more special… I can’t seem to do that though. Forgive me.” You shook your head, rubbing it gently against his. Giving him a quick peck on the nose as you cupped his face and looked him sincerely in the eyes “Oh Forsyth, any day I spend with you is extra extra special! You go out of your way every day to make me happy and you do just that plus so much more. Don’t beat yourself over it.” He took your hand and pressed a tender kiss into your palm. “I promise to apply myself and become a better cook… I want to do these kinds of things for you.” You pinched his cheeks “I know you will. You’re a dedicated soldier so I’m sure you’ll be a dedicated student to the culinary arts. I want to try the cake~!”
You took a bite-sized slice of the cake, it was still warm from the oven, hence the cream sliding off it but it was light, fluffy, and delicious. It was the thought and effort that was the best gift you got from Forsyth.
Hello! could you do E and I for the prompt thing if you’re still doing that? You’re very talented, thank you!
Aw shucks anon, thanks for the compliment~ -barista voice- here’s a big warm cup of hugs with a serving of ‘I love you’s’ straight outta the oven!
E : EMBRACE. does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?
I : I LOVE YOU. does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?
Lukas
Embrace has already been done for Lukas~ Right —> Here
I : I LOVE YOU. does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?
· It takes time for him to be ready to say it but once he sure of his feelings he won’t hesitate to say it
· Strong emotion doesn’t often happen to him so when he feels intense adoration/affection/passion for you he takes that as an opportunity to express it.
· You catch just the right amount of sunlight around you? Lukas will say how breathtakingly beautiful/handsome you are and how much he loves you. You give his shoulders a massage? He’ll thank you and that he loves you and your thoughtfulness.
· Lukas says ‘I love you’ so articulately and sincerely, you might ask him to tone it down cause your heart just… can’t take it
· When he says ‘I love you’ the warmth and brilliance is just too much (plus that voice, who wouldn’t melt right?)
Python
E : EMBRACE. does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?
· Python’s all about hugs but its not what you’re thinking.
· He loves nothing more than giving you surprise hugs, especially in public, for the sole purpose of seeing how flustered you get
· When he’s feeling more sincere, he loves being hugged and giving hugs. Doesn’t mind at all if you cling to him (Python is quite tall in canon and I’m a small 163cm gremlin, just… let me dangle from him pls.) but expect him to get his revenge by draping his body all over you
· He likes cuddling in bed but prefers to be the bigger spoon. He loves nothing more than you resting his head on his chest, it’s the best feeling in the world for him.
· Actually if you rest your head on his chest when you hug vertically, it can make his knees go weak. The thought of you being so close and hearing his heartbeat gives him a lot of warm feelings. Those feelings are intensified if you nuzzle or bury you face in his chest, its his thing okay?
I : I LOVE YOU. does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?
· -cue maniacal cackling-
· No. ‘I love you’s’ from Python are sparse.
· He’ll say it every now and then, when he’s overcome with emotion but he’ll back pedal so fast and deny he said anything
· He’s a sentimental mushy mess when he’s tired or just woken up though. That’s when he’ll often slip and say how much he loves you.
· “You look like you woke up in a good mood Python…” you gently caress his cheek, running your fingers along your lover’s jaw line. Python, half-asleep, takes your hand and plants a kiss on your palm “Cause I woke up to your lovely face… Gods… I love you so…much…” he slips back to sleep
· Forsyth often tells Python he could be more expressive. Python’s way of saying ‘I love you’ is more of doing rather than saying, he’d rather shower you with attention and make you feel like you’re the only person in HIS world rather than the only person in the world.
· No worries though, as time passes, Python realizes there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I love you’ to the person he truly cares for, he drops the ego and says it more often
Forsyth
E : EMBRACE. does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?
· This green bean is 100% a hugger, give him the hugger of the month award please.
· He just… locks you into this snug embrace, its easy to get sense of how strongly he feels for you. Let him know if he’s squeezing you too tight though, he gets too into it
· 100% would “Mmmmmmmmm~” while hugging you, maybe sway around, or even lift you up and spin you around.
· He loves being hugged too! He isn’t ashamed of receiving or giving. Lock eye with him, open your arms and call him for a hug, he’ll enthusiastically run into your arms. Just… brace yourself okay?
· Forsyth insists he likes being the bigger spoon when cuddling in bed but he switches often between big and little spoon.
I : I LOVE YOU. does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?
· Saying ‘I love you’ is so easy for Forsyth. He’s not ashamed to express his adoration and devotion to you. You saw how he was with Clive right? Well that taken up to eleven.
· If he feels it he’s gonna say it, no questions asked. Forsyth wants to let you know he thinks of you often and wants to make you feel as loved as possible through words
· Only problem is it might come of as excessive and insincere at time, given the frequency. But you’ll come to realize that when Forsyth says ‘I love you’ for the like Nth time that day, he means it with all his heart.
· He feels things rather intensely and the only way he can express it is through a flood of words. But never question his love for you, it’ll only make him up the ante even more.
Can we get chai and lemon tea from the prmpt list?
Teehee~ I’m going to assume you want all the handsome RGB boys, so Ahem~ -uses Starbucks barista voice- One lemon and one chai tea for anon~!
lemon tea; what are mornings like with them?
chai tea; how do they spice up their relationship?
Lukas
· Expect mornings with Lukas to have breakfast in bed. He’s always early to rise so he’ll whip up either French toast, waffles, or pancakes for you while you sleep
· If you aren’t awake from the smell of food, he’ll press a very light kiss on your lips or whisper in your ear (who wouldn’t love to wake up to that voice that sounds like liquid chocolate?)
· If he isn’t in a rush, you’ll enjoy a cup of coffee in bed after breakfast, along with some warm banter. He’ll talk about what he has to do that day and mention how he looks forward to coming home to you at day’s end
· To keep the relationship fresh, Lukas doesn’t mind getting into your hobbies or even exploring new hobbies you can do together. Maybe you want to take up sewing, he’d gladly pick that up with you. Interested in dance classes, he’ll gladly tag along and participate.
· I can also see him talking to you about things you want to try out in the relationship. If this is going into more, ahem, sensual territory, communication is key. If there’s a kink or fantasy you’d like to explore, he’s down (totally see Lukas very into edging and toys)
· Lukas can come across as very vanilla, pure and conventionally romantic, so spicing up the relationship is a team effort. He won’t take offence if you think his ideas aren’t spicy enough (if you tell him nicely)
· Perhaps he’s getting some pointers from Python but occasionally Lukas will surprise you with a playful pinch to the butt, its very unexpected from him but you take it as a sign that he’s becoming more and more comfortable with you and physical touch
Python
· Mornings with Python are a struggle. His arms are all tangled up in yours, you can’t wiggle your way out of bed. If you do, he’ll pull you back and lock you into an embrace.
· If you manage to escape him, you’ll be the one making him breakfast. He’ll often notice your absence quickly and get out of bed. Python will hug you from behind and nestle his head into the crook of your neck, maybe planting a few kisses here and there or dozing off.
· He’s at his sweetest when he’s just woken up and hasn’t rubbed all the sleep from his eyes. You’ll often get peppered with feathery kisses or “I love you’s”. He denies ever saying the 3 words and insists you must’ve been dreaming.
· I’m just gonna say it… Python likes morning sex. He sleeps much better with you in his arms and he wakes up more energized and refreshed. Spending most if not all his energy on you in the morning is the perfect excuse to stay in bed for the rest of the day.
· In the sexy times department, that isn’t really a problem. His drive is average but when he’s in the mood, you can expect Python to perform. (He’s down with you pegging him or tying him up and blindfolding him then domming him.)
· Python adds spice to the relationship by being all sweet, stark contrast to his cool and casual approach to things. A nice date every now and then, dancing with you under the moonlight, and even a serenade, things you wouldn’t expect him to do. If he says it in passing as a sort of test if you’re into that kind of stuff and you say that’s not something you’d see him do, Mila’s grace he takes that a challenge and he will surprise you. “Challenged Accepted” is his motto
Forsyth
· You are going to wake up to Forsyth looking at you with so much love and adoration, its as if you woke up to the sun right next to you.
· LOTS of morning kisses and cuddles. He doesn’t care if your morning breath could kill a wyvern, he will kiss you.
· If you walk around in his clothes in the morning, it will send him to another plane of existence. He loves seeing you wearing his shirt or tunic.
· Forsyth is a morning person and wouldn’t dare stay in bed or sleep in but if he sees you wearing his shirt, he’ll definitely try to pull you back into bed to steal a few more cuddles and kisses.
· TICKLE FIGHTS.
· You’ll always cook breakfast together (1. Because he never fails to wake you up with all the kisses. 2. Forsyth is a fire hazard), it’s a fun and playful experience. He’s always feeding you pieces of fruit or maybe dabbing some honey or butter on your nose or cheek.
· Ho boy… you really don’t need to spice up a relationship with Forsyth, his energy and being a hopeless romantic always makes things exciting.
· He never stops courting you, he’ll pull off the whole “Would you date me all over again?” thing. Gifts, dancing in a candlelit room, matching clothes, cheesy poetry, getting a pet puppy/cat together, he doesn’t run out of things to do in the relationship so its always interesting
Yes yes! Of course, I’d be more than happy to write more random headcanons! I’m really sorry, I have exams next week, lots of homework, plus work so I’ve been really busy as of late. Hope you both enjoy this though. Thank you for reading and your patience~!
Wildcard - Songs that make RGB get all mushy inside
Python
Talk - Khalid
Put Your Head on my Shoulder - Floreyyyy Remix
Can’t Take My Eyes off You - Muse cover
Something about those two songs just makes him zone-out and think of you.
“Talk” was probably the song he was listening to when he realized he caught major feelings. Just imagine him chilling in bed, then that songs comes up and you’re the first person on his mind
Cue him tossing and turning, realizing Ol’Python has a major crush on someone (he’s also covering his face with his pillow so hard trying to stifle his groan upon realizing he has it really bad for you)
Put your head... is his favorite song to play during your date nights, he secretly loves to cuddle with you or even slow dance when this is on
Can’t take my eyes... he watched the movie “10 Things I Hate About You” and that song just stuck with him
That song perfectly encapsulates all his feelings for you and he’s actually willing to sing this one with you during long drives (borrowing Lukas’ car) or if its just the two of you
He’s the least likely to serenade you but if he knows you’ll love it, that’s reason enough for him to make the effort
Forsyth
Balisong - Rivermaya
Sunday Morning - Maroon5
Eden - Rook1e
Vanilla Twilight - Owl City
Forsyth’s got a lot of songs that make him go all sentimental for you
Balisong and Eden are his “pining” songs, they just make him want to be close to you and hug you lots
Trust me he has a whole playlist dedicated to you and your relationship
He absolutely loves it when you sing along to your favorite songs or relationship playlist
Sunday Morning’s the song he always hums when he thinks of you, heck he’s made it his alarm so he can wake up to thoughts about you
We can all agree he’s gonna love the ultra-mushy Vanilla Twilight right? That line “Cause the spaces between my fingers ,Are right where yours fit perfectly” He eats that up
Lukas
Spring Rain - Oscar Dunbar
Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny
Ya’ll don’t know how long I’ve wanted to write something involving Lukas and the song “Spring Rain”
There’s the scene from the K-drama its from, where the male lead peaks through the bookshelf to look at the female lead. JUST... HOH MAHN BRUH if that doesn’t give you cutesy-in-love Lukas vibes... I don’t know how to convince you
And the lyrics of the song just have such a strong Lukas opening up vibe
From the song “I AM TIRED OF HIDING HOW I FEEL, EVERY SIGN IS TELLING ME ITS REAL” (MY HEARTU)
Lukas isn’t really... confident about his singing, he thinks he’d look weird or too sappy (he’s shy okay?) but I could totally see him singing this for you to give overt hints to how he feels
Sleepwalk? *chef kiss* perfect slow dancing or cuddle music
Listen to Sleepwalk and imagine Lukas cuddling into you while you play with his hair (IF THAT DOESN’T GIVE YOU FEELINGS... :( )
He doesn’t have a lot of songs he’ll attribute to you, he’s rather picky about the songs he listens to but the two above has so much sentimental value to him
Addendum - Best singing voice - Most to Least
Python (I could be biased??? I just think he’d have a great voice for really mellow and chill songs, nothing for X-Factor or Idol here) then Lukas (he’s actually really good but he’s shy about it and it really isn’t his thing), finally Forsyth (Not saying he’s tone deaf, he above average at it but like Lukas, it isn’t his thing.)
Something really bummed me out so when life gives you lemons… write stuff about it right? I admit this is more of a... “I just want to comfort myself” fic or Drabble but I still wanted to share
How would RGB comfort their crush in certain situations. Scenario is overthinking another person’s reaction. I have a preference for writing scenarios where the reader is the crush rather than an established relationship (BECAUSE I LOVE THE PINING. Its my favorite trope flavor!!), hmmmmmmmmmmm….
Also warning... I give really stupid nicknames, you’ll know what I’m talking about soon.
Python
Python tried as his best to read the message displayed on your screen as objectively as he could. He didn’t know your childhood best friend personally so there was hesitation on his end to say anything negative about them. He glanced at you sitting on the bleachers, then returned his focus on message.
—
You: sent an image
You: BESH! BESH! remember that competition I joined??? the writer’s thingy! well I WON. i thought i’d get an honorary mention but i got first place!
Their response came after thirty minutes
Besh<3: oh that’s great congrats
—
A bit dry, even for him, but he wasn’t about to jump to conclusions. You on the other hand rode that overthinking train hard and fast. More tears started streaming down your face, your sleeves could barely keep up with their flow.
“Maybe I’m overthinking things. I just I don’t know…” you managed to say through the stream of tears. “Ya expected a different reaction?” you nodded at his input.
He rubbed the back of his neck, he hated seeing you cry, double this time around since that writer’s competition meant a lot to you. Python witnessed how much effort you put into your submission, you even asked him to read it. You had talent, he’d told you time and time again but you always second guessed yourself.
Getting you to join the competition was a collective effort from him, Forsyth, Lukas, and your best friend, so even he was stumped with their flat reaction. He handed your phone back and pulled out a few more tissues, wiping your tears with them. “Geez sunshine, I ain’t gonna pretend I know what’s up with your bestie.” He sat himself right beside you on the bleachers, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. “Maybe you could ask them later? Get their side of the story first, I get that this stings. This is your big win and you wanna celebrate it with them.”
“Am I being selfish? I want them to be happy with me, for me. Maybe I’m asking too much? Maybe… my win means nothing…”
“Hey.” You turned your attention to him, more tears streaming down your face. Python reached out and wiped away the waterworks as best he could while a sigh escaped his lips. “You worked your butt off for that piece, its your time to shine, and shine you did. A victory party is in order, enjoy yourself, easier said than done given the situation but sunshine… don’t let one person rain on your parade m’kay?” he opened his arms slightly, motioning if you wanted a hug. You went in for a quick side hug then pulled away. “Sunshine…” he lightly tapped his knee against yours a few times “I ain’t the best stand-in for your best friend but I’m here for you. We could grab a bite to eat after class. Let’s drag Fors and Lukas into our little celebration if you’re up to it eh? Whaddya say?” he tapped his knee against your while wiggling his eye brows at you.
Hard to refuse that offer, seeing how much effort Python put into cheering you up. Your schoolmate always looked overworked and tired, a bit grumpy too. Like if you wasted his time he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you off but after getting to know him, he really did care about his friends and was supportive in his own special way. “A little party sounds like a great idea Py…” talking to him lifted some of the anxiety and sadness you were feeling, its nice to be reminded that there are other people out there who are rooting for you.
—
Later that night, after the victory party, you followed Python’s advice and calmly messaged your best friend.
You: hey besh, i want to talk to you about something , its been on my mind for awhile
It took a while for them to respond
Besh<3: what about?
You: remember when I texted you about my win? i don’t want to sound demanding but i just want to be honest. i was kinda disappointed with your response. kinda expecting you to be happier for me but something tells me you have something on your mind… you wouldn’t reply like that to me.
Besh<3: …
Besh<3: oh besh… i just didn’t want to ruin your moment. i really am happy for your win but a lot of things happened around the time you messaged me.
You: hey… talk to me okay? what’s going on?
Besh<3: well… we rushed Gouda to the vet cause he just refused to eat anything
Now that made sense, Gouda was their cat they’d had for as long as you could remember, no wonder they weren’t as enthusiastic.
Besh<3: vet said it could be old age and we might have to put him down
Besh<3: i really wanted to be happy for you. i’m so sorry, i should’ve tried to be happy for you. please forgive me…
You: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?
You: OMG BESH, Gouda is family! No! No! don’t apologize, you had a lot going on. i should apologize for not checking up on you first
Besh<3: i’m sorry…
You: i’m sorry too… i felt like something was off with your message but i went ahead and started overthinking things
Besh<3: i don’t want to play blame games besh but i am happy you opened up to me about your feelings. this could’ve been avoided if i’d been more open about what was going on my end
Besh<3: i just want you to know i’m so happy for you
Besh<3: you worked hard on that and you deserve first place
You: ;A; BBBBBEEEEEEEEESSSSSH!!!! i’m sorry for not checking up on you first
You: i want to give you a hug so bad right now! is it alright to ask about Gouda? its totally fine if you don’t want to talk about him. wanna FaceTime? i’m here for you okay, need to cry it out over the phone id gladly listen okay?
They FaceTimed you, you both had a good cry and talked for over an hour. That call made you feel a lot better and they promised to keep you updated on Gouda’s condition.
—
AAAsunshine: hey py-py thanks for cheering me up. talked to my bestie, they had some stuff going on but we sorted it out
mightyanaconda: glad to hear it sunshine and happy to help
AAAsunshine: ill see you at school tomorrow, night cobra
mightyanaconda: ugh… i have to see your face again tomorrow??
mightyanaconda: JK
mightyanaconda: ait see ya and sweet dreams sunshine 😘
mightyanaconda: btw just wanna say this. congrats on your win sunshine. ya worked hard and you deserve the win m’kay? yar a winner sunshine
AAAsunshine: ooooh praise from you??
mightyanaconda: heh savour it, praise from me is worth more than bitcoin 😎
AAAsunshine: 😒😒😒
AAAsunshine: wow such praise much wow. anyways, thanks again cottonmouth. night night
mightyanaconda: happy to serve… i guess. Sweet dreams 😉😘
Forsyth
Fosryth couldn’t have been happier for you, while you didn’t win the school talent show both the Glee club and Chorale group were battling it out to convince you to join either of them. All you wanted to do in that moment was to savour your accomplishment. Stage performance had always given you anxiety but their was this desire in you to perform as well. Fosryth, your sister, Lukas, and even Python had advised you to give it a shot, you had talent after all and that was worth sharing with the world.
You couldn’t help but smile at both the Glee and Chorale leaders but “I’ll have to think about it” was your response to their passionate invitations, Forsyth had to politely ask them to leave after they’d begun heckling you once more.
Once your “recruiters” left you poked Forsyth on the cheek “Thank you Fors.” You said in a sing-song manner, he came in for a big hug “Congratulations! I haven’t the clue why you didn’t win first place!! But you were amazing on stage!” he released you and took the guitar case from you.
“Oh you exaggerate! But I’m glad that’s over with, it wasn’t so bad.” You giggled to yourself “I might even try it again.”
You could feel Forsyth beaming with excitement “If that’s the case, the next time we have school event and in need of an intermission number you’ll be first on the list! I promise that! Why I’ll even plan more school events so you can perform more!!” he balled his fist in excitement. Without skipping a beat Forsyth changed the direction of the conversation “Oh! Do you want to stop by the café before going home? Just a small celebration, I know you must be tired but I’d really like to celebrate…” he paused for a bit, a very faint blush painting his cheeks ”… This with you.” He finished his sentence sheepishly
Either you were too dense or didn’t want to color Forsyth’s thoughtfulness. He treated everyone cordially and was always happy to help so you had assumed he was this nice to everyone. You felt your phone buzz in your pocket, making you focus elsewhere.
—
mightyanaconda: sent a video
mightyanaconda: here’s a short video of your number bubbles, its got all the good bits in it
mightyanaconda: if ya want the full vid let me know
bubz: thank you python~
—
Your sister had always been your supporter ever since you were children. She wasn’t musically gifted herself so when you picked up singing and guitar, she backed you up by 2000%. That video would thrill her
You: sent a video
You: hey sis eat your heart out, your younger sibling’s a star!!
Focusing your attention back on Forsyth who’d been waiting patiently for your response, he gripped the handle of your guitar case nervously “I’m so sorry Forsyth.” you rubbed his arm “Python just send me the vid. I just had to send off to my sister right away about the café thing, I’d love to but don’t you want to drop off the guitar case at my place first?”
“Oh oh! Don’t you worry about me! I can carry this around.” He lifted the case like a dump bell. You silently admired how he had just flexed his rather toned arms at you but you more worried about accidentally breaking the guitar.
“I’m sure you’ve lifted heavier things Fors but I’d like to keep that as safe as possible? Minimize chances of damage.” He turned beet red. “I didn’t mean to-! Your things are important and I’d want to avoid anything that would damage-“ you pressed two finger on his lips “I get it Forsyth, its fine.” You smiled to reassure him
—
You set your case at the corner of your apartment’s living room and decided to check your phone as you made your exit. “Weird.” You thought, your sister had seen your message but no response came. Was your performance so dazzling that it left her speechless? You were sure the green haired bouncing ball of energy outside would agree but something about this didn’t settle well with you. Flipping through your contacts, you dialed your sister’s home phone right away but there was no answer. Your face began to dark as you stepped out the door, greeting Forsyth with a serious expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Maybe I’m just overthinking things but she hasn’t responded to me, I wonder if she’s okay?”
“Your sister I take it?” you nodded in response while you gave her cellphone a ring. Your call went straight to voice mail that prompted you to give her a call a few more times. After six called she finally picked up
“What do you want?” that’s not the greeting you had hoped for, she sounded really irritated
“Uh…” there was a negative vibe that seeped through the call but you tried your best to remain chipper “I sent you the video of my number for the talent show. I did it! Finally –“ you heard an exasperated sigh from the other side, stopping you from saying anything else.
“Look… you picked a really bad time. I’m just not in the mood right now okay?” that broke your heart, you were expecting her to be happier and excited like Forsyth but that wasn’t the case. Sadness and disappointed slowly began turning into mild anger.
“I don’t get you… you’ve been pushing me to do this since we were kids and now you just…”
She cut you off with another sigh that was much louder “I told you now is a bad time okay? Just leave me alone for a bit okay!?” and with that your sister hung up.
Forsyth tried his best to fish out his tissues to catch your falling tears but you’d already started crying a river.
—
He wasn’t sure how to comfort you, he had no words and he was careful not to say anything mean or negative about your sibling. The only thing he could offer you was a hug and you clung to him, crying it out into his shoulder.
“I shouldn’t be this upset!” you were a blubbering mess “Its just a stupid performance, I’m blowing it out of proportion like a spoiled brat!!”
“Its understandable that you’d be upset. Your performance is NOT stupid or unworthy of praise! Don’t discredit yourself like that!” he hugged you even tighter, he could feel you getting hiccups from crying so much.
You pulled away, wiping both tears and snot off your face with another tissue. Your living was now littered with used tissues and another one was added to the pile “Was it wrong for me to expect her to be happy for me?”
“NO!” he shook his head furiously “I don’t know what’s going on with your sister but…” he took a long pause to gather his thoughts “You were amazing while you were performing. You’ve got both the talent and the passion for it, it really shows. The way you put so much effort when you practice and the emotion your voice carries when you sing. A voice like that should be shared with the world if you ask me so I’m really happy you went ahead and performed in spite of your nervousness. I’m really, truly proud of you.” He hugged you again, it was warm, sincere, and comforting. “I’ll… always be one of your adoring fans.”
Forsyth realized how over the top and mushy what he just said was, his face burned. “I-I-I know what else we can do to help you feel better! We never got to go to café, I’ll step out for a bit and grab some food there! I’ll come back of course!” he quickly let you go, grabbed his jacket and made a mad dash for the door. He was redder than a tomato, heart drumming rapidly against his chest.
—
You had very little time to process what had just happened, right on cue your phone started buzzing. You checked the screen and saw your sister’s name, you took a deep breath before answering the call.
“He-hello?”
“Hey… I’m really sorry about earlier. You could tell I was angry but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
You felt the tears well up once more “I should’ve been more sensitive to you, I could tell by your voice you weren’t in the mood, should’ve just given you sometime and talked to you once you were ready.”
“Nope kiddo, this is all on me. I suck at being your number 1 fan but I’m proud of you. You’ve moved on from singing on top of the bed to singing on an actual stage.” That was fond childhood memory, you both would pretend your parents’ bed was a stage or stadium, and you lip sync to your favourite songs while your sister pretended to be a fan in the crowd. “I watched the video, its not the full video so you better send me that so I can put that on repeat! You did an even better job at the song than the original artist! Can I put it on my tiktok and make you famous?” you could tell she was doing her best to make up for her outburst a while ago.
“Aw c’mon that’s laying it on too thick.” You breathed in deeply as you held the phone closer to your ear “Hey… I am worried about you, you know that right? So what’s up on your end?” you heard her scoff on the other side
“Don’t worry about that for now, I’ll fill you in later. I don’t want to think about anything negative and just want to celebrate this with you!” a beat passed “Also… I’m really curious who that green haired guy is in the video… your boyfriend? When did you learn to keep juicy secrets from me?”
Boyfriend? Green hair? Only Forsyth came to mind and then the memory of him holding you close and getting all sappy a while ago rushed through head. A hot blush raged across your face “He-HE isn’t my boyfriend!” you managed to sputter out
“Hohoho! He seems quite taken by you!” the relentless teasing continued
“What makes you say that?!” you tried to fan yourself to calm down the blush.
“Seriously? You saw the video right?”
Actually, you hadn’t watched the video of your performance. You swiped out from the call and checked the video Python had sent you. It started normal enough, you in frame, the video would cut out to a different portion of your performance but one segment really stood out. Who would’ve guessed that Python would mischievously add a clip of his best friend gushing about you.
“Oh…” you heard Forsyth sigh affectionately in the video “They sound like an angel Python. I can’t take my eyes off them… I could watch and listen to them all day and night…” the video transitioned back to you on stage.
You could hear your sister making kissy sounds on the other side of the line while laughing hard. Embarrassed beyond reason, you tried your best to clear things up with your sister. Forsyth could come back any minute with the food and you didn’t want to get caught talking about him. Your sister continued to tease you and ask you to call her back once you were done with your “date”. Circumstance must’ve been playing tricks on you, Forsyth so conveniently returned at that moment with food.
“Hoh? You left the door unlocked? I’ve returned with food though, sorry I took so long. I passed by another shop and bought you something from there as well.” You could hear your sister cackling maniacally before hanging up. Keeping calm after seeing the video was going to be challenge but you managed to have a small food party and update Forsyth that you and your sister were okay now. As it was getting late, he said he’d have to go but not before giving you one last hug. You bonked yourself on the head for being so oblivious to the possibility of him having feelings for you.
—
Superman: Happy to announce I’ve made it back home! I’m glad I was able to cheer you up even a little bit. I’m even happier to hear you’ve spoken to your sister.
You: Glad you’re home safe! Thanks Forsyth, I’d probably be sulking all night long if it wasn’t for you
Superman: I’d do anything to cheer you up. I’ll even act like a clown if it means putting a smile on your face!
You: Don’t over do it green bean.
You: Oh, I spoke with my sister. Apparently, she lost her job that’s why she was all bummed out.
Superman: !!!
Superman: Maybe I could help her out with job hunting? Although my contacts are from around our area, is she particular about the location?
You: Thanks Fors but my sis has a plan and sent her resume to several prospective employers. I appreciate the effort and concern though
Superman: Well anything to help you out
Superman: I mean anything to help someone in need out
You: I’m heading in for the night. Forsyth, thank you so much for being there for me, you’re the sweetest and the best. Night night. 😙
Superman: 😳
Superman: Sleep well and sweet dreams, can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Superman: UH I mean, its always great to see you because I know you’re okay and not sick… and… and
Superman: You know what… I’ll just stop talking… Good night.
Lukas
“I wouldn’t lie to you.” Lukas gave you a gentle smile “I read your paper, your passion and grasp of the topic shined through. Professor Evans echoes my opinion, you wrote an excellent paper.” You couldn’t help but stare at the post-it your professor stuck on your hard copy.
“Your final research summary paper was an excellent application of all the concepts we’ve learned in class. I want to congratulate you on your effort and dedication, you’ve earned the A+ and, if you’d allow me, I’d like to add your work to a journal I’m working on. You will be fully credited of course, its just my personal collection of student’s work.”
You’d lost count at how many times you’d re-read the note, how many times you’d replayed the commendations. The high you were feeling was difficult to complain and you found yourself tugging Lukas’ sleeve “You helped me too! You proofread my drafts and pointed out areas of improvement. Professor also commended your paper!” he shook his head in response
“My input was probably only worth two-percent of your mark, everything else was your hard work. With that being said our A’s could only mean we’ve passed the course with flying colours.”
“That calls for a celebration! So another coffee party or…” you fished out your phone and hurriedly looked up something up “Do you want to try this place out?” he inched closer to you to look at your screen “This place has started selling coffee jelly but they’ve got other items on the menu.”
His eyes perked up at the word “coffee”, his favourite “drug” of choice “I do like the sound of that, I’ll just drop off something at the learning center and we can head out. I believe you don’t have anymore classes for the day?” you gave him a thumbs up in response and told him you’d wait for him outside the school. Perfect opportunity for you to text your cousin about your “little” academic victory. You’d always been close with your cousin, granted that you grew up together. Both of you lived in the same area, so you’d alternate sleepover parties in each other’s houses. For college though, you’d gone to different institutions, you’re cousin chose a place in your hometown while you went to a busier city’s university. Though you’d gone different paths, you still texted each other almost everyday
—
YouAbu: Cuz! I got an A+ on my final psych paper! When I visit for break you better treat me to pizza!
kingkong: What’s new? You’ve always been the smarter one so that isn’t news to me heh 😜
YouAbu: LOL What’s with that? You can’t weasel your way out of treating me with pizza!
kingkong: uh 🤨 why would I reward something that comes naturally to you? Learn to drive stick then come back to me xD
YouAbu: whatever 😒… you owe me pizza🍕🍕
—
What was that about? Everything your cousin said just irritated you for some reason. Granted they always had a certain “edge”, as you would describe it, in the way they talked that didn’t really bother you because you’d gotten used to it through the years. But something about this situation coupled with what they said irritated you.
—
Lukas was far too preoccupied trying to read your mood than enjoy his coffee jelly. He watched as you playing with the metal straw in your mouth as you drummed your fingers on the table. He cleared his throat to break the silence “Something’s bothering you I take it, I’m all ears if you’re willing to share.”
Pushing the metal straw away with your lips as you let out a dry laugh “Last time I checked I’m the one studying therapy…” he quirked an eyebrow at your response but continued to observe you, the way Lukas would look at other people, it always seemed like he was putting others under a microscope. You’d grown used to that habit of his, you didn’t find it off putting at all. “Have you told your family about you’re A?” you quickly changed the subject
“I doubt they’d care. You know my older brother wants nothing to with me, my father on the other hand would simply respond with something along the lines of getting good marks are what’s expected of me.” He gave a smile, the kind that was all show, the kind that masks something underneath.
You could relate to his situation at the moment “I know how that feels…” you took a long sip of your drink “I thought this person would celebrate with me but their reaction simply irritated me.” Stirred your drink with the straw
“Sounds like we only have each other to celebrate our personal victory.” He leaned in a bit “If it helps you take the edge off things, I don’t mind you venting to me.” You slid your phone to him, the exchange between you and your cousin on the screen. Lukas read through it, took a quick glance at you before closing his eyes with a sign. That was your cue, he signalling you to start venting.
“I just… everything they said rubbed me the wrong way. Especially that bit about me getting A’s expected, I don’t just sit down ,write a test or paper then manifest an A.” you tapped the table as you spoke “Good grades don’t just ‘come naturally’ to me Lukas neither does it ‘come naturally’ to you.” you crossed your arms in front of your chest with a huff.
Lukas would be lying if he said he didn’t understand how you felt. “You don’t like it that people have a certain expectation of you.” You nodded in response “But you did expect your cousin to react in a certain way, did you not?” you flashed an angry look at your companion. Did he just defend your cousin? “I don’t mean to exacerbate your irritation. What your cousin just said, that good grades come naturally to you and are to be expected of you, failed to consider all the hard work and effort you put into your studies. As you said, we don’t just sit down and conjure up A’s.”
“What are you getting at Lukas?”
“I don’t know your cousin as personally as you do but I think they’re unaware that you find such comments disagreeable.” He tilted his head
“They’ve known me since we were kids.” He noticed your shoulders tense up as you said this
“You thought they’d react in a certain way and they thought you’d be okay with a comment like that.” He took a bite of his coffee jelly “The best option to take is to talk to them and let them know how they made you feel. The fact that you’re reacting this way, I can only wager a guess that your cousin means a lot to you and you put a great amount of trust in them.”
“Lukas… you’d make a good counsellor.” To which he shrugged “You don’t believe me? Would I lie to you?”
“You wouldn’t… I trust you a great deal, so my expectation is you wouldn’t say anything to deceive me.” He glanced at you before flashing a faint yet genuine smile. This was a rare occurrence, Lukas was showing vulnerability. Though he was very popular and well-liked in school, he didn’t have many friends and had trouble connecting with others. Something you’d observed was that he kept a lot of people at arm’s length and never truly opened up to anyone.
He looked at your sincerely “I think you need to hear this again. Don’t let the words of others undervalue your effort. You are a responsible, intelligent, and a hardworking person, I’m witness to those virtues and I admire you for them. All your successes happen by your own hand and not because you were born to succeed.” After speaking, he clinked his glass to yours. “So for now, let’s ignore those people who don’t understand and let’s celebrate our hard work?”
A smile cracked through your face, Lukas was right. It wasn’t fair to yourself, letting the words of others get you down and spoiling your day. “Thanks Lukas, I’m glad you’re here to celebrate with me.”
—
YouAbu: could we talk for a bit? You said something awhile ago that didn’t settle well with me
kingkong: yeeesh I treat you to pizza m’kay?
YouAbu: its not that, you said good grades are expected of me and that really irritated me for some reason
kingkong: but you’re smart
YouAbu: Cuz… I’m not just smart. I study really hard and put in a lot of work into my schooling. It really hurt me that all my effort was just swept under the rug. I might be coming off as sensitive but I just wanted you to know how I feel
The text bubbles below kept appearing, as if they were typing and re-typing what they wanted to say. Took a minute for them to respond
kingkong: just… growing up you always got good grades and made it look so easy but now I realize its not easy. You were always reading books or going over school stuff
kingkong: and I gotta admit… I was kinda jealous of you’re A+ and let the green-eyed monster talk for me… I’m sorry
YouAbu: Hey… we’re cool and if you ever got the impression that I was showing off or something, I’m sorry for that
kingkong: I don’t mean anything bad with what I’m about to say but cuz, you were born to stand out ya know? You’re smart, killer work ethic, and have a way with words. You’re not showing off, you’re just dazzling peeps by being you
YouAbu: You are laying it on thick there cuz, you might just get away from treating me to a pizza
kingkong: HAHAHAHA that was the plan! But, when you get another A+, what should I say to you?
YouAbu: nothing, just gimme a pizza
kingkong: that’ll break the bank cuz, maybe for every four A+’s I’ll treat you to a pizza
—
You: Hey Lukas thanks again for cheering me up and offering a different take on the situation
LukaJava: That’s no problem, I’m always here for you. How are you and your cousin if you don’t mind me asking?
You: We talked things through and they understood where I was coming from. We had a good laugh after
LukaJava: (“⌒.⌒”)
LukaJava: Glad to hear it
You: Hey Lukas, I didn’t get to say this cause I was so caught up with my troubles
LukaJava: ( ・◇・)？
You: I’m proud of you for getting that A+. We both put our blood, sweat, and tears into our final papers and got our hard earned grades. I know you have a complicated relationship with your family and you don’t open up to a lot of people but I’ll always be here when you need someone to share your achievements with okay?
LukaJava: ೕ(˃̵ᴗ˂̵ ๑)
LukaJava: That’s music to my ears. I don’t open up to a lot of people, that’s correct, but I consider you to be one of my closest friends. Your support, friendship, and understanding is worth more than gold to me.
LukaJava: Its getting late though, if my memory serves me well, you have a class tomorrow morning. Best we call it a day. Good night and sweet dreams
LukaJava: |[(*´ｪ`)]|zZＺ
You: Okay Lukas! See you tomorrow, good night and sweet dreams
