I wish Pomni and Caine had more interactions in between episodes 2 to 7, just because of the fact that Pomni is a main character and Caine was the built up antagonist.
Confession time: I’ve actually been shipping showtime since the pilot, it just faded into the background for me due to their lack of screen time together
But there was a time I actually thought they would call back on the “He just wants me to suffer” line from episode 3 and have a moment where Pomni sees just a bit of humanity(?) from Caine. I think even if they had a scene or episode dedicated to them, Caine’s episode 8 crash out could still happen.
Like seriously a hypothetical moment in between episode 4 and 5 would’ve been all I needed. I say after episode 4 so it can be after Pomni’s growth talking with Kinger and also after her letting Gummigoo go. They don’t even need to be friends outright, just a quiet acknowledgment that Pomni at the very least sees he’s trying. <- I think this would’ve been best because they would still not be close enough for Pomni to reach out, but at the very least she might be able to notice that something was up with him.
In episode 5, Caine gets the same drink as Pomni out of everyone.
In episode 6, she was the one to point out him uncharacteristically swearing.
In episode 7, Pomni was one of the people Caine mentioned when he was asking Jax for feedback (besides Zooble)
I already rambled about Caine seemingly having beef with Pomni specifically in episode 8.
There’s like sprinkles of potential interactions, but I do wish they DID interact more. Not even cause of showtime, but because Pomni is a protagonist and Caine is an antagonist.
Plus the fact that these two share similar fears (Pomni being forgotten, Caine being abandoned) they just make me think think think.
Heya !! !! 𓂃 ๋࣭ ⭑
I hope your doing well this day/night !!!!
(( and I just want to say I saw you were swamped with requests Atm so please take ur time with this one ofc wouldn't wanna overwhelm !! <3 ))
Butt anyways--I'm here to requestt something (( a blurb headcanons etc I'm not picky !!!! )) with Jax x and a sweet yet chaotic crush!reader--(( basically they are his partner in crime but only condone & participate in the harmless mischief LoL )) where they've obliviously / unintentionally been distant and spending more time with the other'ss and jax gets possessive & jelly--the last straw is when reader teams up with zoob on a team adventure instead of him like usual 💀 pfft he's fuming
- anon
Warnings: Mentions of Jax being taller than the reader (cuz bro is a skyscraper), cursing but it's censored, takes place before Pomni entered the circus to make the teams even for the adventure sorry :P
A/N: This is such a cute request!! Jealous Jax is so cute. Also after already writing this whole thing I'm now realizing that you asked for headcanons but uhh gimme grace cuz I wrote a one shot XD. Hope you enjoyyyy!
Spending time with your close friend Jax in the circus was always a blast. For a while, around when you first arrived, he'd pick fun at you, tease you, direct his pranks at you, but he seemed to get seemingly sweeter overtime. He would take you off to private places in the circus like the lake or the theme park to just be goofy and have fun together. You'd participate in his pranks if they were small, like throwing a pie in Ragatha's face, or hiding one of Zooble's arms, but he never pushed you to do anything he knew you wouldn't like.
Though he told himself he didn't care about anyone in this circus, he couldn't deny the fluttering feeling in his chest when he saw you run to his side for adventures or greet him warmly when you woke up. Somehow, just your pretense alone made this place better.
The sound of yours and Jax's footsteps caught the attention of the other circus members who were waiting in front of the stage. You and Jax were joking around about something when Caine suddenly appeared and urged you two to hurry up. "Alright, my frolicking factotums! Today's adventure is Capture The Flag! You will be divided into three teams of two, and once you've decided, you will be flung into the arena! You have five minutes to decide teams!"
Jax smirked and crossed his arms behind his head. "So, sweet cheeks, what should our team name be? Gotta be something cool that totally fits us so we can rub it in everyone's faces when we inevitably win." You giggled. "That would be fun, but I think I'm gonna be on Zooble's team this time." That caught him off guard. He dropped his hands to his sides, extremely disappointed. "I- But-" he scoffed, putting on that classic smile again. "Fine, whatever, loser." You got the feeling something was wrong but before you could ask he was already yelling for Gangle. "Hey, Ribbons! You're with me!"
Jax went over to her and Zooble came up to your side, crossing their arms over their chest. "Alright. You ready to kick some a[BLOINK!]s?" You smirked, putting your hands on your hips and smiling confidently. "You know I am! Let's just hope Caine doesn't add too many weird twists to this thing." Zooble nodded. "Yeah, but knowing him it'll end up being more like the Hunger Games than regular capture the flag." Kinger and Ragatha met up with everyone and you all entered the portal, Jax giving a nasty glare to Zooble the whole way.
-
The portal opened up and everyone returned from the adventure. Zooble was right, it was very intense, but you two still ended up winning. You noticed that Jax wasn't as playful as he usually was, though. He didn't seem to engage you much, or go after you. He seemed to target Zooble a lot and he wasn't nice about it at all.
Seeing Jax sitting on one of the couches, you decided to talk to him. You walked on over and he looked up. "Hey Jax! Good game out there. You were awesome with the-" "What do you want?" You shut your mouth quick. That was unexpected and you had a bad feeling. "Shouldn't you be running off with Zooble or whatever?" It suddenly clicked in your head. A good old-fashioned case of jealousy. You couldn't stop the smile that crept up on you. Jax raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What the heck's the smile for?" You crossed your arms in front of your chest and leaned forward, a playful tone in your voice. "Jax, are you..Jealous?" The shade of red that suddenly appeared on his face was remarkable...and kind of adorable. "N-No! No I am NOT!" He jumped to his feet. "Why would I be jealous of- of Zooble? I mean, seriously! I didn't even wanna be on your team!" You knew he was lying through his teeth but something about this whole thing was oddly cute. After the red on his face very slowly started to fade into a light pink, he let out a huff. "Okay, fine. Maybe I wanted to be on your team. But its not a big deal, alright? It was.. Kinda fun or whatever. You absolutely suck at that game, though." Good, he was back to normal. You let out a bark of laughter. "Wow, rude! I'm trying to make things up to you and you go and insult me!" Jax rolled his eyes, smiling and leaning down to your level. "Whadda'ya gonna do about it?" You gently grabbed his face and kissed his cheek. He sprung up to his normal height, face practically on fire. "I- You- Huh-" You patted his shoulder and walked off. "I'm tired, so I'll see you for tomorrow's adventure!" You skipped away, leaving Jax to fall onto one of the couches and groaning into his hands, blushing like a madman. "You absolute dumba[BLORP]ss."
Jax.exe stopped working.
-
I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for your patience! Corrective criticism is always appreciated, so let me know what you think!
Summary - Garrett can't stop thinking about #42. Imagine his luck when she walks into his party.
Warnings - none for now
a/n - Here's part 2. Hope you enjoy! More coming very soon.
Chapter 2
It was a Friday night and the hockey house was loud. Beer pong. Music. Hockey highlights on the TV. His friends were drinking and having fun. He should have been doing the same, but instead he was sitting scrolling absentmindedly on his phone with his one and only drink in hand because ‘only one drink the night before a game’ was a rule he stuck to ardently.
Coach’s words keep replaying in his head. Maybe you’ll learn something from watching women that actually pass the puck.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He remembered one player. He’d expected to forget about her after the game. Maybe not forget, but at least not think about her this much… Or see her for that matter.
Instead, he’d seen her everywhere. Leaving the athletic center carrying a gym bag. In line at the campus coffee shop. Laughing outside the student union. In the car next to him at a stoplight.
Never alone for long. Never looking his way. He didn’t even know why he noticed. He wondered if they’d always crossed paths this much and he was just too blind to see her before.
Dean plopped on the couch next to him. He tried to subtly glance over at Garret’s phone in a way that was not subtle at all.
“Dean, I can feel your breath on my neck.” Garrett says without looking up from his phone, which seemed to be pulled up to Instagram. Cora Sullivan’s Instagram.
“You’re still on that, man?”
“On what?”
“That girl,” Dean pointed at Garrett’s phone screen. Cora filled the screen. The photo was taken at the beach. She stood hip deep in the water, posing in a way he’d seen ballet dancers do. One arm lifted straight up, the other lifted straight out pointing to the side, and both hands had fingers splayed elegantly. She was smiling. Brown curly hair damp and blowing in the wind. Water dripping down her softly toned stomach. Sun rays beating down on her and creating a golden tone on her tan skin.
“Well, I guess she is hot.” Dean considers before walking away. And while that was true, that's not what drew Garrett to that picture. She looked happy, giddy even. He could imagine what she was doing right before this picture was taken. Playing, frolicking, laughing, having giggly child-like fun in the water. He didn’t even realize he had started smiling.
****
CJ was sitting in her and Maddie’s shared living area of their dorm, which was more like a small apartment. One shared kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms - each with an en suite bathroom - on either side of the living space. Maddie walked out of her bedroom fully dressed in what could be described as ‘sorority party girl chic’. A white baby tee with a mid-rise denim mini skirt and a pair of clean stark white sneakers. Fully dressed for a party that CJ refused to go to.
“You are not wearing that.” CJ was referring to Maddie's top, which read ‘I ‘heart’ Hockey Boys’.
“No, girl,” Maddie points at CJ’s flannel pajama pants and oversized t-shirt. “You are not wearing that.”
CJ stood from her spot on the couch to head toward the kitchen while Maddie followed her. She padded over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “I’m not going. We already talked about this.”
“Come on. What’s the harm in going? You’re not doing anything anyway.”
“I was thinking I would invite Austin over.” Austin was a Political Science major that CJ had been hooking up with. He was dreadfully boring, but acceptable in bed. And honestly, CJ didn’t need him to be even a little interesting. He was hot and he got the job done. It made it easier that she nearly fell asleep anytime they had a conversation longer than 2 minutes. She had no desire to like him. She had no desire for a boyfriend or crush or anything that could become anything other than sex.
“Girl, dump him.”
“We’re not together.” CJ argued.
“You know what I mean. That man is a walking Terms and Conditions page. Nobody reads those. Stop fucking reading, Sully!” Maddie let out an exasperated sigh. They had had this conversation before. CJ let out a laugh she was desperately trying to hold in.
Maddie continued, “Look, please just come with me and Avery. Avery has a crush on that Ryan guy. And maybe… You can talk to Garrett.”
“Why would I talk to Garrett Graham?”
“Don’t pretend you weren’t checking him out outside the student union.”
“I wasn’t checking him out.” Not entirely true, but no one needed to know just how hard she had been staring at his biceps other than her.
“Sure,” Maddie deadpanned. “One hour. Then we can leave, or stay if you want.”
CJ considered the offer. It would get her out of their place for a while, which she desperately needed. The past week had been exhausting. Practice, workouts, classes, studying. She needed social interaction.
“Fine.”
****
Garrett was desperately trying to stay off his phone after Logan had caught him grinning down at it. So instead of doing what his hand was itching to do, he was standing around the beer pong table watching Dean and Beau play against two sophomores. It was no surprise to anyone that Dean and Beau were winning. The sophomores had one cup left in front of them, while Dean and Beau had four.
Just as Dean sunk the ping pong ball into the sophomore’s remaining cup, Garrett heard the front door open to his right. He paid it no mind because people were constantly showing up, but apparently Logan was because he nudged Garrett’s arm and said, “There’s your girl, Cap.”
Garrett immediately turned his head in the direction of the door and there she was. She traded her hockey gear for dark jeans and a black backless halter top. Her curls were piled into a messy claw clip, a few loose tendrils framed her face. She was with two of her friends that Garrett recognized from the women’s hockey team. She paused just long enough to glance around the crowded room, before grabbing one of the girl’s hands and moving further into the house.
Garrett’s breath caught. Jesus. She’s beautiful. Not in the polished, trying-too-hard way he’d grown used to seeing at parties. There was something effortless about her. Comfortable. Like she wasn’t there to be noticed, which somehow made her impossible not to notice.
“She’s not my girl.” The words came out a little too quickly. A little too defensive. Logan’s grin widened.
He watched as she greeted a few familiar faces with an easy smile before rolling her eyes at something one of her teammates said. Even across the room, he could tell she wasn’t the loudest person in the group. She listened more than she talked. Observed before she reacted.
It was the same thing she’d done on the ice. Always looking. Always reading the play before anyone else. Without realizing it, Garrett found himself smiling. Again.
Dean, having noticed that his friends weren’t joining in on the celebration of his win, turned to see what caught their attention. “Dude, just go talk to her.”
Garrett scoffed and forced his attention onto Dean. “What makes you think I want to talk to her?”
“Ten bucks says you won’t.” Dean countered, folding his arms.
Garrett snorted, “I’m not twelve, Di Laurentis.”
“Exactly,” Dean smirked. “Prove it.”
“I’m not talking to someone because you bet me I wouldn’t.”
“No,” Dean agreed. “Talk to her because you’ve been thinking about her for a whole week.”
Garrett glared at Dean and Logan who both smiled innocently. The worst part? Dean wasn’t wrong… at all. He thought about her more than he should. And it wasn’t just that she was gorgeous. Campus was full of gorgeous girls. It was that she’d somehow managed to stay in his head after one game and exactly zero conversations. That… that was new.
“So?” Logan clapped a hand on Garrett’s shoulder.
Garrett sighed, drained the rest of his beer, and set the bottle on the nearest table.
“Fine.”
Dean and Logan exchanged victorious grins.
****
The house was packed. People drinking, dancing, shouting in order to be heard over the music and chatter around them. CJ led Avery and Maddie to the kitchen to hopefully find a drink. If she was supposed to be in the Hockey House enjoying herself, she would need an alcoholic beverage for sure.
It wasn’t hard to find a drink at all. There were various liquor bottles lining the island, as well as some mixers. CJ bypassed the bottles and went to the sink, which was filled with ice and held canned beers and seltzers. She grabbed three seltzers and dispersed them among her friends.
“You know, your shirt is going to give these hockey guys the wrong idea.” Avery gestured to Maddie’s ‘I ‘heart’ hockey boys’ shirt.
“Just because I’m a vegetarian, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the look and smell of meat.” Maddie replied. Maddie came out as gay freshman year after a really bad date. She said she couldn’t pretend any longer just to make her parents happy. It turned out that her parents didn’t care who she liked as long as she was happy. And although Maddie had effectively sworn off men from that moment on, she claimed she could still appreciate a good looking one.
“Ew. New rule, no referring to sexuality in terms of food.” CJ said, wrinkling her nose.
Avery snorted into her drink. "I actually think that’s a reasonable rule.”
“Thank you,” CJ said, popping open her seltzer. “Somebody around here has standards.”
“Oh, please,” Maddie rolled her eyes. “I’m a writer. Metaphors are my love language.”
“No,” Avery corrected. “Chaos is your love language.”
Maddie gasped dramatically, “I can’t believe you’d attack me like this.”
“I can think of at least twelve examples from this week alone,” CJ deadpanned.
“Only twelve? I’m losing my edge.”
CJ laughed, shaking her head. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It is a bad thing.”
“It absolutely isn’t.”
Moments like this were why CJ never regretted saying yes when her friends dragged her out. They could’ve been standing in a packed hockey house or the middle of an empty parking lot. With Avery and Maddie beside her, she’d have found something to laugh about either way.
Maddie took a slow sip of her drink before her eyes suddenly widened.
“Oh my god.”
CJ’s smile disappeared. “What?”
“My ex.”
Avery followed Maddie’s line of sight across the room.
“The one from sophomore year?” CJ questioned.
“The very one.” Maddie nodded.
“I thought she transferred.”
“I thought she did too.”
CJ looked between them. “You need backup?”
Maddie waved her off. “No, no. I just need to figure out if she’s actually here or if the tequila in this has already started working.”
“You’ve had exactly three sips.” Avery reminds her.
“I metabolize quickly.”
“That's… not how alcohol works,” CJ said.
“Stay here,” Avery said, looking at CJ. “We’ll go investigate before Maddie accidentally waves at a stranger.”
“I would never.”
CJ laughed, raising an eyebrow. “You literally did that at the grocery store last week.”
“She looked familiar!”
“She was the cashier.”
Maddie huffed, “I said I was sorry.”
Avery laughed, taking Maddie by the elbow. “Come on. Detective time.”
Before they disappeared into the crowd, Maddie turned around to point at CJ. “Don’t go anywhere!”
CJ raised her drink in acknowledgment. “I’ll try not to get kidnapped.”
“By a hockey player?” Maddie called over the music.
“You’re insufferable.”
“I’ve been told I’m a delight.”
CJ watched them weave through the sea of people until they disappeared in the living room. She leaned back against the kitchen island, taking a slow sip of her seltzer. She hadn’t been alone for more than a minute when she became aware of someone approaching from her left. She looked up.
Garrett Graham was making his way toward her with the kind of confidence that couldn’t be faked. Not arrogant. Not showy. Just… effortless. Like he’d never questioned whether he belonged in a room. It was irritatingly attractive.
Their eyes met before he reached her. For the briefest moment, CJ considered pretending to be very interested in the nutritional information on her seltzer can.
Too late. He already smiled.
Damn him. He was even better looking up close. It wasn’t just the face - which should have been illegal on principle alone. It was the way all of him fit together. The easy smile that hinted he didn’t take himself too seriously. His warm hazel eyes. Tall enough she would have to tilt her chin to meet his eyes - even in her chunky boots. The broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his Henley. Strong forearms dusted with light hair, the sleeves pushed carelessly to his elbows.
God, she was noticing his forearms.
He came to a stop in front of her. The smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth now spread fully. And for a fleeting second she understood why half the female population at Briar probably mistook basic politeness for flirting.
He had one of those smiles.
The kind that made you feel like you’d just been let in on a joke. It should’ve been obnoxious. Instead, it made her stomach do something embarrassingly unfamiliar. She refused to examine it too closely.
“Cora, right?” Garrett says.
“Um, no,” She watched confusion flicker across his face and couldn’t help smiling. “No one calls me that except my mom.”
Garrett laughs. Damn his stupidly attractive laugh. “Good to know. Then what can I call you, Sullivan?”
“CJ if you want. Sullivan works too.” CJ supplies.
Garrett nodded, “Okay, Sullivan. I’m Gar-”
CJ cuts him off, “I know who you are, Graham.”
“Wow. Here I thought introducing myself was the polite thing to do.”
“It is.”
“But?”
“But you're captain of the men’s hockey team.” She took a sip of her drink. “Pretty sure over half the campus knows or has heard of who you are.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough.”
“And,” she added, unable to resist, “this is your house.”
“Also fair.”
For a beat, they regarded each other. It wasn’t awkward. More… curious. Like they were both trying to figure out if the other matched the version they’d built in their heads.
Garrett broke the silence first.
“So…” He tilted his head. “Am I Garrett to you, or are we sticking with Graham?”
CJ shrugged one shoulder. “I figured if you’re calling me Sullivan, it’s only fair.”
Another grin spread across his face. “I respect the commitment to the bit.”
“I respect consistency.”
“Good. I was worried you just didn’t like me.”
She met his gaze. “I don’t know you well enough to make that call.”
He laughed again, quieter this time. “I guess I’ve got some work to do then.”
That made her smile. It wasn’t a big smile. More like she’d forgotten, for just a second, that she was trying to keep him at arms length. And somehow, that felt like a victory. Garrett couldn’t remember the last time making a girl smile had felt… earned. Usually it came easy. A joke. A grin. A little charm.
With Sullivan, it felt different. Better. He barely knew her. Hell, this was the longest and only conversation they’d ever had. So why did he want to keep making her smile?
Garrett looked like he was about to say something, stops himself, then thinks fuck it. “So what have you heard?”
CJ frowned. “Huh?”
“You said over half of the campus has heard of me.” One shoulder lifted in a casual shrug, but there was something almost… hesitant in his eyes. “What have you heard?”
His hesitancy wasn’t something she had expected. Most guys with Garrett Graham’s reputation either leaned into it or laughed it off.
“Well… I’ve heard you’re good at hockey.” CJ lists on one finger.
“I’d hope so.”
“I’ve also heard you’re insufferably competitive.” Another finger.
He winced dramatically. “Dean talks too much.”
“So that’s true.”
“Depends who you ask.”
“And the rest?”
He folded his arms, looking entirely too amused. “The rest?”
“The part where every girl on campus apparently has a Garrett Graham story.”
His smile faltered for half a second. Not enough that most people would notice. But CJ did.
“Campus has a tendency to exaggerate.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Their eyes met. For the first time since he walked over, neither of them smiled. Garrett held her gaze, wondering what exactly she had heard. That he slept around? That he never stayed the night? That he’d break your heart without even realizing he’d done it?
The frustrating part was that none of it was entirely untrue. He wasn’t ashamed of the choices he’d made. He respected women. Every woman he’d ever hooked up with knew exactly what they were getting into. He made sure of it. He’d never promised exclusivity. Never hinted at a relationship he had no intention of pursuing. He’d always been upfront.
It wasn’t his fault if people expected more than that. Still… Rumors had a way of sanding off the edges of the truth until all that remained was a caricature. The player. The commitment-phobe. The guy who collected phone numbers and forgot names.
That last one wasn’t even true. He remembered names. Faces, too. He just rarely saw them twice.
And, not for the first time, he found himself wishing someone would take the time to figure out who he was before deciding they already know. Which was ridiculous. She was practically a stranger. She didn’t owe him the benefit of the doubt. So why did it bother him?
CJ examined him for another beat. She’d expected arrogance. A rehearsed joke. Maybe even a cocky comeback. Instead, she caught something else. Something that looked suspiciously like disappointment. It lasted less than a second before he covered it with another easy smile.
Interesting. Maybe Garrett Graham wasn’t as simple as she’d decided he was. He’d managed to crack the neat little box she’d already put him in. She didn’t like being wrong.
****
“Hey.”
Maddie felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Dean Di Laurentis and John Logan standing in front of her.
“I’m gay. Not interested.” She said dryly.
Before she could turn back around, Dean said, “That’s not… but your shirt… never mind. Noted. That’s not what I’m here for.”
“What do you want, Di Laurentis?” Avery cuts in, folding her arms.
“I’m actually here on official hockey business.”
“Funny. I don’t see a clip board.” Maddie teases.
“It’s an invisible clipboard.”
“So… imaginary business.” Maddie narrowed her eyes.
Dean ignored her and gestured to Garrett and CJ in the kitchen. “So. Sullivan.”
Maddie's eyes followed where he had pointed. Her eyes widened when she saw how close her best friend was standing to Garrett Graham. Huh, so much for not being interested.
“What about Sully?”
Dean shrugged with exaggerated innocence. “What kind of person is she?”
“The kind who’d hate that you’re asking us this.”
“Which is exactly why we’re asking you.”
Logan sighed, “That sounded creepy, Dean.”
“It does sound creepy.” Avery agreed.
Dean pointed at her. “Thank you. Wait-”
“No, I’m agreeing with Logan.” Avery cut him off.
“So Garrett sent you.” Maddie guesses.
“What makes you think this has anything to do with Garrett?”
“Call it intuition.” Maddie continued, “So you’re fishing for information?”
“We’re gathering intel.” Dean corrected.
“That’s somehow worse.”
Dean grinned. “Come on. Help a guy out.”
Avery exchanged a look with Maddie. “Okay, what do you want to know?”
“Everything.” Dean rubbed his hands together.
Logan rolled his eyes. “Maybe start smaller.”
Dean nodded. “Fine. Is she seeing anyone?”
“No.”
“Does she want to be?” Logan questioned.
Maddie laughed. “That’s a more complicated question.”
Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “I knew it.”
“What?” Logan looked at Dean.
“There’s a story.”
“There isn’t a story,” Avery said quickly.
“There is absolutely a story.” Dean argued.
“There isn’t one you’re entitled to.” Maddie sassed back.
Dean sighed dramatically. “Tough crowd.”
Maddie softened a little. “Look… Sully’s great.”
“The best captain we’ve ever had.” Avery added.
“She’s loyal to a fault.”
“Funny.”
“Competitive.”
“Stubborn.”
“So stubborn.” Maddie emphasized.
Dean nodded thoughtfully. “So basically Garrett.”
Avery and Maddie shared a look. Then, simultaneously -
“Oh, that’s a terrible idea.”
Logan laughed. Dean frowned, “Really?”
“Their arguments would be legendary.” Avery said.
“They’d probably turn deciding where to eat into a best-of-seven series.” Maddie added.
Dean looked genuinely delighted. “I don’t see the problem.”
“Of course you don’t.”
Logan glanced toward Garrett, who was completely failing at hiding his interest in the girl in front of him if that was his intention. That man was locked in. “So…” he asked casually. “Why doesn’t she date?”
Madia and Avery shared another look. This one lingered longer. Finally, Maddie shrugged. “She just… doesn’t.”
“Not because she can’t,” Avery clarified.
“Because she’s picky.” Maddie had chosen the word ‘picky’ carefully. It was an answer that was both true and incomplete. Maddie was the only one that truly knew CJ’s past; Avery had the cliff notes. Some stories weren’t hers to tell, and CJ’s was one of them.
There were reasons CJ kept people at arm’s length. Reasons she’d learned that trust wasn’t given freely, no matter how genuine someone seemed. Those reasons belonged to CJ. Until she decided otherwise, they would stay that way.
Maddie knew there was a version of CJ that laughed easily, trusted quickly, and believed people when they said they cared. She also knew that version hadn’t existed for a very long time. Some people grew up thinking home was the safest place in the world. CJ hadn’t been one of them.
****
“So…” Garrett said, leaning against the kitchen island. “Am I at least getting points for surviving the first five minutes, Sullivan?”
CJ pretended to consider it. “You’ve managed not to say anything outrageously obnoxious.”
His eyebrows lifted. “That’s all it takes?”
“It’s a strong start.”
“I’ll take it.”
A voice interrupted them. “Cora Sullivan?”
They both turned. A petite blonde with sharp eyes and an easy smile stopped beside them.
“CJ, actually.” Garrett corrected before she could.
“CJ, sorry.” They extended a hand. “I’m Jules Logan. They/them.”
Recognition flickered across CJ’s face. “The Fifth Line?”
Jules laughed. “So you’ve heard of me.”
“I’ve seen your page.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Jules said with an edge of excitement, and continued. “My brother has been talking about your team nonstop.”
CJ looked surprised. “Really?”
“Oh yeah.” Jules nodded enthusiastically. “Logan said Coach made them watch the women’s game because they had something to learn.”
Garrett let out a quiet laugh. “That definitely happened.”
Jules rolled their eyes. “And then Logan spent twenty minutes explaining how your line controlled possession like it was a TED Talk.”
CJ blinked. “I didn’t know the guys were actually paying attention.”
Garrett frowned. “Really?”
“I mean… I know people come to support us.” CJ shrugged. “Family. Friends. Students. Never the men’s hockey team.”
“I’ve played hockey my whole life.” He gestured toward her. “I know good hockey when I see it.”
Something in his voice made her pause. There wasn’t an ounce of flirtation. Just conviction.
“I think you see the ice differently than most people.” He continued. “Coach wasn’t kidding when he made us watch you. You dictate the pace. You don’t chase the game - you make everyone else chase you.”
CJ stared at him. Nobody outside of her coaches had described her game like that. Not even her teammates. Certainly not the captain of the men’s team… Until now.
“You noticed all that?” She asked quietly.
He shrugged like it was obvious. “Kind of hard not to.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. Fuck. Now she was blushing. At Garrett Graham. She was blushing at Garrett Graham. She couldn’t remember the last compliment that had meant this much. Because it wasn’t something superficial about her. It was about hockey. One of the most important things in her life.
Jules grinned knowingly. “I knew you two would get along.”
CJ tore her eyes away from Garrett, which was growing increasingly hard to do. “What makes you say that?”
“You both talk about hockey like normal people talk about religion.”
Garrett laughed. “They got us there.”
“I was actually hoping you’d let me cover some of the women’s games this year.” Jules said. “Interviews, features… maybe help get even more people in the stands. And take some attention off just the boys.”
CJ’s expression softened. “You’d really do that?”
Women’s hockey had always felt like an afterthought at Briar, even though they were also Division I and just as good - if not better - than the men. They had fans, sure. Parents. Friends. Students looking for something to do on a Friday or Saturday night. But it rarely felt like they came because they genuinely believed the product on the ice was worth watching. They worked too hard, sacrificed too much, and played too good a brand of hockey to be treated like an afterthought.
“Are you kidding? I’d love to.” Too many conversations started with, It’s not the same as the men’s game… As if that were the only lens through which they can be viewed. Jules wasn’t interested in comparisons. They just wanted people to pay attention. CJ found herself liking them instantly.
“I think the team would too.”
“Perfect.” Jules looked between them. “Well… I should probably let you two finish whatever this is.”
“There is no ‘this,’” CJ said a little too quickly. Garrett’s grin widened. She’d recovered almost immediately, but he’d heard it - that split second of panic in her voice. It was strangely… endearing. CJ Sullivan didn’t seem like the type to get flustered often.
Jules laughed and disappeared back into the crowd. For a moment neither of them spoke.
“So…” Garrett trailed off.
“So?”
“If you’re free tomorrow night…”
CJ raised an eyebrow.
“The men’s home game.” Garrett supplied.
“I know.”
“You should come.”
CJ tilted her head. “Is that your way of asking me to return the favor for watching our game?”
“It’s my way of hoping you’ll tell me where I mess up.”
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it. “You want me to critique your game?”
“I want another captain’s opinion.”
“You don’t trust your coaches?”
“I do.” He smiled. “But they don’t play center.”
She couldn’t help smiling back. “I’ll think about it.”
Garrett shook his head. “‘I’ll think about it’ usually means no.”
“It means exactly what I said.”
“So there’s hope?”
CJ took one last sip of her drink. “Don’t ruin it by pushing your luck, Graham.”
He watched, unable to drop the smile from his face, as she walked away to rejoin Maddie and Avery. Dean and Logan appeared beside him almost instantly. “Well?”
Garrett kept his eyes on Sullivan across the room. “I’m definitely going to need more than five minutes.”
Pairing: Floyd Leech x Reader (Female Prefect)
Pairing: Jade Leech x Reader (Female Prefect)
※threaded novels
■Floyd Leech x Reader
Floyd knew that you were actually a girl. He had been secretly harboring feelings for you, watching for the right moment to make a move. It was during this time, while he was waiting for a chance, that you suddenly collapsed. It turned out you had been possessed by a Nightmare.
To save you, someone had to enter your dream. Floyd was the one who volunteered. While entering the dream of someone possessed by a Nightmare carries the risk of the rescuer being unable to return, in Floyd's case, he has his twin, Jade, serving as his lifeline. The plan was for Floyd to catch you inside the dream and give a signal, at which point Jade would pull both you and Floyd out together.
Azul was also dragged into the operation as the supervisor. You had originally been sleeping in the Ramshackle Dorm, but the Octavinelle trio insisted on taking responsibility for waking you, so you were guided to a guest room in their dorm. Floyd himself paid the accommodation fees for the room.
"I’m gonna go pick up Little Shrimpy now," Floyd said, before diving into the dream.
Inside the dream, Floyd noticed he was standing on a beach. He was wearing an aloha shirt and half-pants, like he had before. The sun shone brilliantly in the sky. Hearing the sound of high-pitched frolicking, he turned his gaze to see you talking to a girl he didn't recognize.
"Just play your heart out and forget about the pain of heartbreak!" the girl was saying to you.
Wait, Little Shrimpy got dumped? When? By who? Huh? I haven't heard anything about this.
Floyd made a face. You lowered your eyebrows troubledly and said, "It couldn't be helped. senpai is so popular."
At that moment, Crabby and Macky were ruled out in Floyd’s mind. He began picking out the men who fall under the category of your "senpai."
"He’s such a good cook, too," you said.
Several candidates dropped off the list.
"And he’s so kind…"
More names were eliminated.
"He loved interesting things, so I think I was just too boring for him."
Maybe I should just kill Jade, Floyd thought.
A good cook, seemingly kind, and someone who likes interesting things—Floyd thought that sounded exactly like his brother. Well, but if she liked Jade, we have basically the same face, so shouldn't I be fine too? I'm a good cook, I'm kind to Little Shrimpy , and I love interesting things—plus, I really love Little Shrimpy.
"You were cheated on, weren't you? Just forget about a guy like that."
Hearing the girl’s voice offering comfort, Floyd nodded repeatedly in fierce agreement. Right then, his eyes locked onto yours. You lowered your eyebrows and gave a small, bashful smile with a polite bow.
Cute. Floyd realized this must be a "first-meeting" setting in the dream. For now, he decided to get close to you and closed the distance between the three of you.
"Hey, hey. I’m all by myself and so bored. Won't you play with me?"
Suddenly approached by a towering, handsome man, your eyes went wide with surprise. You were flustered and clearly intimidated. Floyd found it adorable how you tried your best not to show your discomfort on your face, thinking it would be rude, and just ended up looking completely troubled.
"Oh my, Mr. Handsome! You're this good-looking and you're all alone?"
At the girl’s sweet-toned voice, Floyd let his eyebrows droop and said, "That’s right. I’m this handsome, yet I’m all by my lonesome. Isn't it pitiful? Have some mercy and keep me company."
The girl giggled.
"This girl just had her heart broken. Hey, if you'd like, why don't you join our tour? I think she’d have more fun with a handsome guy than just us two girls."
Nice assist. Floyd mentally vowed to give this girl a booklet of thirty free meal tickets for Mostro Lounge later.
"Heeh," he hummed, giving a casual response to avoid looking too eager.
"Little Shrimpy, you're so cute. That guy has no taste at all. Hey, I’ll comfort you. Let's do something fun together."
When he invited you, you cast your eyes around restlessly in distress. You looked at the girl beside you for help, but she just gave you a firm thumbs-up, leaving you looking even more troubled.
But since you didn't say no, Floyd figured you didn't hate the idea from the bottom of your heart, so he decided to push just a little further.
"Hey, is that a no?"
Floyd leaned in close, looking up at you with those sweet, pleading eyes. Your face flushed a deep red, and you gave a tiny, muffled reply: "It’s not a no…" With that, Floyd successfully swapped places with your friend and became your companion for the day.
Apparently, the tour was headed to a remote, uninhabited island to play on the beach. Besides you and Floyd, there were other couples and a group of three flashy, shady-looking guys. Those three already had beer bottles in hand; their faces were flushed red and their attitudes were sour.
Noticing you look a bit frightened, Floyd casually escorted you away from that group to chat on the ship's deck.
"I’m sorry my friend invited you so suddenly."
"Mm-mm, I was bored anyway. Getting a chance to get close to a cutie like Little Shrimpy is what I'd call lucky."
"Little Shrimpy?"
"Yeah. 'Cause you’re small and cute, just like a little shrimp."
"Cute…" you repeated softly, your cheeks flushing once more.
She's definitely into me. I've got this, Floyd thought. He started to lean in closer to you—then suddenly remembered. Right, this is a dream. This was a world created by a Nightmare. A magical creature that traps its prey in a slumber, forcing them to see bad dreams so it can feast on the emotions born within.
To wake someone up, the person under the spell must realize for themselves that "this is a dream," and then the Nightmare within the dream must be defeated. Floyd took a quick look around. One of the passengers on this ship was likely the Nightmare in disguise. For now, he couldn't tell which one it was.
"…I wonder, if senpai had felt that way, maybe I wouldn't have been cheated on," you murmured so softly it was barely a breath.
Hearing that, Floyd turned his gaze back to you. It seemed the pain of your heartbreak hadn't healed at all; you kept your eyes downcast, and they looked slightly misty with unshed tears.
"Cheating on a girlfriend as cute as Little Shrimpy is total trash. Want me to sink that guy in the sea for you? I’m real good at that kind of thing."
"Fufu."
Thinking it was a joke, you let out a tiny laugh. Even though you looked like you were on the verge of tears, you held them back to smile—and Floyd found that incredibly precious.
"What kind of guy was he? Was he better than me?" he asked.
Even though it was just a dream, he figured this was his chance to find out your "type." You looked up with eyes full of lingering sorrow.
"He was very tall, and moody, and people around him were actually kind of scared of him… but he was pretty kind to me. He’d give me stones he made in Alchemy class, and he’d give me dessert as a 'special service' just for me. He was so beautiful and cool, but when he laughed, he was a little bit childish. He was a senpai who used to give me tight hugs all the time."
Wait—is that me??????????
Floyd turned into a "Space Moray."
Huh? Little Shrimpy is heartbroken over… me? Wait, I was dating Little Shrimpy and then I cheated on her? For real? Me? Huh??? And now, Little Shrimpy, who got dumped by me for cheating, is being hit on and comforted by… me right now???? What?????
Floyd couldn't quite make it back from deep space. You just stared out at the sea, your eyes downcast and lonely. Since this was your dream, logic and consistency were a total mess—completely waya-waya.
"Ehh… but I don't cheat…" Floyd muttered, his eyebrows drooping in genuine confusion.
Suddenly, the ship lurched with a heavy thud. As you stumbled, Floyd instantly caught you by the shoulder to steady you. You blushed, whispering, "O-oh, thank you," to express your gratitude. She’s definitely into me, right? Even though I’m cast as the cheating jerk… I've still got a chance, right?!
But his internal monologue was cut short by the captain's frantic screaming.
"S-Shark…!!! It's huge! It’s going to capsize the ship!!!!!"
Floyd couldn't help but snark to himself about what kind of monster shark could flip a boat this size, but when he caught a glimpse of the shadow beneath the water, it was indeed absurdly massive.
I see.
The genre of this nightmare is: Shark Movie.
Little Shrimpy loves shark movies, after all. She gets so excited watching those B-grade flicks with two heads, three heads, sharks that fly or swim on land… I see, I see… so Little Shrimpy's idea of a scary dream is a shark… Floyd thought, remembering the times he’d been dragged into her "sharks-gone-wild" movie marathons.
In those movies, the heroine usually goes on a vacation to nurse a broken heart, gets attacked by a shark, and then finds the strength to move on—or rather, the strength to fight and survive. That explained the "heartbreak" setting you had. Though, the fact that he was the one who allegedly cheated was still incredibly hard for him to swallow.
Screams erupted. The shark rammed the ship again, and it looked like a few of the flashy guys had fallen into the ocean. Yep. Those are exactly the kind of guys who die first. Below Floyd’s half-lidded, unimpressed gaze, the surface of the sea instantly stained a deep crimson.
"The uninhabited island is just a bit further! Everyone, swim for it!" the captain shouted.
"That's a total death flag, you should probably stop—" Before Floyd could even finish his warning, one half of the couple dived into the sea, only to be snatched by the shark and dragged under. Right. The guy in the couple getting eaten is a classic trope. I've seen this. In Little Shrimpy's shark movie collection.
"W-what should I do… What am I supposed to do…?" You were pale, trembling violently. To you, unaware that this is a dream, this was a sudden tragedy occurring during your vacation. You were undoubtedly terrified beyond help.
"It's okay, Little Shrimpy," Floyd said, gently stroking your back.
"I'll protect you," he whispered in a low, soothing voice. Even as he spoke, he couldn't help but think that in a shark movie, this was a total death flag. His role was likely that of the pseudo-hero who comforts you and becomes your emotional support, only to die spectacularly and plunge you into despair.
Well, I'm a merman, a moray, and a mage-in-training, Floyd thought. I don't feel like losing to a mere fish, no matter how huge it is.
"senpai…" you looked up at him with teary, shimmering eyes. Floyd smiled, noting that you'd naturally called him "senpai" just now.
"If you leave it to me, everything will be just fine. Now, Little Shrimpy, wait here for a sec". With that, Floyd placed his straw hat on your head, hopped over the railing, and dived gracefully into the sea.
It was the start of: You vs. The Shark vs. The Moray.
Returning to his merman form beneath the waves, Floyd absolutely demolished the shark, securing a total "S-Rank" victory. With his mouth smeared with blood from tearing off the shark's gills and fins, he popped up beside the floating carcass and waved to you on the sinking ship.
"Little Shrimpy—!".
You, who had been pale and trembling as if you could do nothing but pray for his safety, widened your eyes and blinked several times in shock.
"Floyd-senpai!?!?".
"Yep, it's me. Come on, jump in! I'll catch you". You looked hesitant but set your face with resolve and jumped. After you hit the water, he deftly wrapped his tail fin around you and pulled you close.
"Little Shrimpy, do you know who I am?".
"You're Floyd-senpai, right?".
"Bullseye".
"Wait, why are you here, Floyd-senpai? I thought I was on a trip to heal my broken heart… Huh? Did you dump me, senpai?".
"I did no such thing".
"…My memories are a bit confused, but wait… did I even have the finances to go on a trip to a resort just because I was heartbroken?".
"Definitely not".
"I thought so… Then why am I here? I mean… senpai, didn't you just try to pick me up?".
"That, I did".
"You actually did that…".
As you spoke, the surrounding sea began to bubble and boil like a cauldron, spinning into a massive whirlpool. Then, as if being spat out by your dream, Floyd's eyes snapped open.
"Did you have an interesting dream?"
"It was a dream where I supposedly dumped Little Shrimpy , and she went on a trip to heal her broken heart —so I took advantage of the situation to hit on her. Also, I punched a shark."
"Isn't playing a double role a bit greedy? You could have shared one with me. I believe I’m far better suited for the role of the comforter."
"Go away."
Floyd exchanged words with Jade , who was acting as his anchor. You had not yet reached the point of waking up.
"I guess the sequel will have to wait until tomorrow."
"That would probably be for the best."
"Goodnight, Little Shrimpy."
With that, Floyd pressed a kiss to your forehead as you slept. And so, he would continue to intervene in every nightmare you had, resolving them all with brute force.
You were cornered by a murderer.
"What am I supposed to do…!"
"It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m way stronger than he is."
"……Wait. Is that you, Floyd-senpai?"
"How come you didn't notice until now? Little Shrimpy, you're really slow, aren't you?"
"Senpai, you're my upperclassman in the same club… we came to this cottage for a training camp over summer break… and then a murderer attacked, and the club members were killed one by one…"
"Yeah, yeah. That was the setting, wasn't it?"
"But, you're Floyd-senpai, right?"
"Do I look like anyone else to you?"
"No."
"Okay. Well, I’m gonna go finish off that murderer real quick, so Little Shrimpy, you hide here and wait, okay?"
"……I feel like the movie genre suddenly changed."
"From a horror movie?"
"Yes."
"What did it change into?"
"The 'don't mess with the wrong guy' type."
"Nhaha!"
"Then I guess I gotta live up to Little Shrimpy's expectations." With a beaming, toothy grin, Floyd pulled a chainsaw out of nowhere. "Come out, come out! I'm gonna carve you into pieces!!!" he laughed manically, turning the murderer into mincemeat amidst a spray of blood.
"Are you awake?"
"I'm awake."
"What was it this time?"
"I was Little Shrimpy's boyfriend, fighting off a murderer at a cottage."
"Did you win?"
"Duh."
"I wonder what the next setting will be. I’m starting to look forward to it."
"Little Shrimpy, come on, wake up already…"
Floyd continued this cycle, repeating his interventions through all sorts of different nightmare patterns.
After repeating this countless times, the scene shifted to a panic-horror scenario. You were being chased across the land by giant crabs. Floyd carried you over his shoulder, stomping and crushing every crab that dared to block his path.
"Hey, Little Shrimpy."
"Yes—! Ow, I’m gonna bite my tongue!"
"Why won't you wake up for me, Little Shrimpy?"
Floyd came to a sudden halt. The giant crabs began to close in, inching closer and closer. You looked at him, troubled.
"I’ll come to save you as many times as it takes if you're in trouble, Little Shrimpy. But I don't want it to be in a dream. I want it to be real. Because in a dream… it isn't the real thing. I’m tired of just playing a 'role'."
As Floyd pleaded with you, your own eyebrows lowered in a soft, sad curve.
"…Even after I wake up, Floyd-senpai, if I’m in trouble… will you come to save me, looking as cool as you do in the movies?"
"Yeah. I’ll save you, Little Shrimpy."
"………"
Floyd lowered you from his shoulder and pulled you into his arms, bringing his face level with yours. He gently rested his forehead against yours.
"……In reality, too… would you let me be cast as your boyfriend?"
"No way."
As your face fell in total shock, Floyd let out a low, rumbled laugh. Then, he gave the tip of your cute nose a playful little nip.
"Don't make it a 'role'. Make me your boyfriend for real. Your actual boyfriend, Little Shrimpy. I won't cheat, I won't lose to sharks, and I won't lose to murderers. You know that, don't you?"
"……Yes."
The world began to spin and whirl as if from a bout of vertigo. The surroundings shifted instantly until, before you knew it, the two of you were standing at the very peak of a high tower. Because it was a dream. Because it was only a dream.
"Floyd-senpai."
"What is it?"
"I love you."
"I love you too!"
With that, he lightly kicked off from the ledge. The two of you fell headlong, down and down into the abyss.
Somewhere, the sound of something crushing—like a piece of fruit—echoed.
"Are you awake?"
"I'm awake."
"I'm awake…"
Floyd and you sat up together at the same time. The truth was, you actually liked Floyd; while the nightmares were terrifying at first, you had gradually developed a taste for being rescued by him.
In that sense, the version of you inside the dream was both yourself and the Nightmare itself. Because you finally resolved to leave the dream and ended it on your own, you were both able to wake up.
"Good morning, Little Shrimpy."
"Good morning, Floyd-senpai."
"Do you remember the dream?"
"If I say I forgot it, will you let me off the hook?"
"Huh?"
"You’re scarier than any murderer or monster I saw in those dreams."
"It’s your own fault, Little Shrimpy."
Floyd squeezed you in a tight, suffocating hug. Sensing the unmistakable atmosphere of a happy ending, Jade looked slightly bored.
"Little Shrimpy, tell me you love me."
"I said it in the dream."
"Say it here, too."
"……I love you, Floyd-senpai."
"I love you too!!!!!"
And they lived happily ever after.
■Jade Leech x Reader
Jade knew that you were actually a girl. Knowing your secret, he had found himself quite fond of you and had been gradually closing the distance between you two. Lately, you had stopped flinching when he called out to you; instead, you would smile brightly and call him "senpai!" You had even started visiting Mostro Lounge every month on your allowance day, and you had begun helping him tend to the mushrooms in the Botanical Garden.
It was during this time that you suddenly collapsed and wouldn't wake up. It was the work of a Nightmare. To wake you, you had to realize for yourself that you were in a dream and then defeat the Nightmare within it. While the Nightmare is incredibly weak inside the dream—so much so that even someone like you, with no magic, could defeat it—it is extremely difficult for a person possessed by one to realize they are dreaming.
That was why Jade decided to enter your dream to tell you the truth. Usually, anyone who enters a Nightmare's dream risks becoming a permanent resident of that world themselves. However, Jade had Floyd, his twin with whom he shared a high resonance rate, to act as his anchor.
The plan was for Jade to wake you and capture you, and then Floyd would salvage Jade. Consequently, your body—which had initially been resting at Ramshackle Dorm—was moved to a guest room in Octavinelle. Jade himself covered the room fees. Azul watched over them as the supervisor, ensuring the twins didn't pull any unnecessary stunts.
Taking your sleeping hand, Jade leaned his forehead against it and closed his eyes. A thick, syrupy drowsiness crept over him. Entrusting himself to the sensation, his consciousness flickered out for a moment—and then, Jade was standing on a beach under a brilliant, sun-drenched sky. He was dressed in a vibrantly patterned shirt and white slacks; a style far more suited to his brother's tastes than his own.
He heard a familiar voice frolicking nearby and turned his gaze. There you were. You were clinging to the arm of a man he didn't recognize, letting out bright, cheerful peals of laughter.
"Ha…?"
The sound that left his throat was incredibly low. You continued to play around with the stranger as you both boarded a ship moored at the pier. Jade followed immediately. Apparently, the vessel was a tour boat headed for a remote island offshore. He checked his pockets, found his wallet, and joined the tour.
Once aboard, the ship set off into the great blue yonder. Besides the "couple" you made with that man, there was a pair of girls chatting quietly and a group of three flashy, shady-looking guys already flushed and rowdy with beer bottles in hand. Jade stayed inconspicuously near you and your supposed boyfriend until the man went below deck, perhaps to fetch drinks.
In that moment, your eyes met Jade's. You looked down bashfully and gave a small, polite bow in return. Sensing the perfect opportunity, Jade stepped closer to you.
"Hello."
"Hello."
"Are you on a trip with your boyfriend?"
"Yes."
Flushing a soft red as if embarrassed, you nodded with a blissful, radiant smile.
While internally screaming, "What on earth…?", Jade maintained his polite facade. With the smooth, teasing voice of a stranger who just happened to meet you on a trip, he asked, "May I ask how you two met?" You blushed even deeper, looking utterly bashful.
"He’s my senpai, a grade above me at school. He’s so capable that I was a bit intimidated at first… but we became close because he called out to me so often. He helps me study, we tend to the plants together, and he even invites me along on his mountain climbing trips. Sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough for him, though."
Wait—isn't that me???????
Excuse me???????
Jade was the one who had persistently reached out to you, a girl who had arrived in this world with nothing and tended to hold back out of modesty. He was the one who increased their time together under the pretext of tutoring, and he was the one who had you help with the mushrooms or accompany him on mountain walks as a thank-you. It certainly wasn't that man—that total nobody from who-knows-where.
A wave of unpleasantness washed over him, like having prey he had carefully and meticulously cornered suddenly snatched away; a low, guttural sound escaped his throat. When you tilted your head in confusion at the noise, Jade kept his perfect smile and tilted his head back, wearing a face that asked, "My, I wonder what that sound was?" In that moment, a massive thud shook the ship.
"Oh?" Jade murmured, looking up as he caught you by the waist to steady your stumbling frame. At the same time, a scream rang out: "A SHARK!!!!!" I see. A Nightmare is a monster that traps humans in dreams to feast on the fluctuations of their emotions. Therefore, this is a nightmare. The genre: Shark.
The boyfriend came rushing out from the cabin, shouting your name. Jade, maintaining the facade of a kind stranger who simply happened to be nearby when the trouble started, smoothly released your waist and gave you a gentle nudge toward the man. "Are you okay!?" the boyfriend cried as he reached you, and you leaned into him anxiously, murmuring, "What's happening? A shark…?"
Jade smiled. He smiled, and he smiled. The ship lurched again. With a sharp scream, one of the flashy men fell into the sea. The shark’s jaws lunged from the water, snapping shut around him. Screams erupted as the surface turned a muddy crimson. The silhouette beneath the waves was absurdly massive—large enough to capsize a vessel of this size.
"The ship is done for! It’s going to sink! Fortunately, the island is close—we have to swim for it!" your boyfriend shouted.
Listening to this behind his back, Jade slipped into the shadows and dived silently into the ocean. The moment he hit the water, he returned to his merman form. First, he would dispose of the nuisance.
No matter how absurdly large it was, it was merely a fish. It was no match for a male merman of the deep sea harboring a dark, burning rage—especially since he had magic at his disposal. In a fit of temper, he tore through the shark’s belly and jammed his claws into its gills, ripping it to shreds. Then, he rose quietly to the surface.
You were heading toward the island in a rubber dinghy with your boyfriend. With a graceful flick of his tail fin, Jade approached the boat without a sound. Then, just as silently, he reached up, seized the man's rowing hands, and dragged him violently into the sea. The man gasped, bubbles erupting from his mouth. Wanting to spare you the sound of his screams, Jade dragged him down to the depths in a single breath.
Since this was a man who had stolen his place, Jade wondered for a moment if he might be another merman, but he was nothing of the sort. The man who had been your boyfriend exhaled the last of the air in his lungs and went still. Jade tossed the body aside like trash and went to retrieve you.
You cried out, "senpai! senpai!" in a voice trembling with absolute terror. Jade slid his fingertips along the rubber dinghy, and as his sharp claws tore through it, you spilled into the sea like the contents of a bursting, overripe fruit. He deftly caught your body, winding his tail fin around you to hold you close.
He smiled at you—pale and shivering uncontrollably.
"Prefect," he murmured.
"…! Ah—"
Your lips, which had been quivering in fear, suddenly went still.
"…Jade senpai?"
"Yes, it is I."
"…Wait? Wasn't I just… on a trip with you, Jade senpai?"
"No, you were not."
"Jade senpai, you fell into the ocean—"
"That is also incorrect."
The one who fell into the ocean was your "boyfriend," and the one who dragged him down was Jade. You blinked in confusion, and Jade gave you a bright, perfect smile.
"Prefect."
"Um…"
"Yes?"
"This is just a guess, but…"
"Yes?"
"senpai, are you incredibly angry right now?"
"That is the correct answer."
"I shall give you a kiss as a reward," he whispered sweetly, pressing his lips to your forehead. Holding you tight, he plunged back into the depths of the sea.
"Because you did not cast me as your lover, the only role left for me was that of the monster."
"What are you talk-glub-gurgle…!"
He devoured every single bubble of air you exhaled, and as a final act of "mercy," he tore through your throat with his teeth—
And in that moment, Jade’s eyes snapped open.
"You awake?"
"I am."
"How was Little Shrimpy's dream?"
"Since she was being attacked by a shark while on a trip with her boyfriend, I devoured the shark, the boyfriend, and the Prefect as well."
"………………Didn't we pick the wrong guy for this?"
Jade just continued to smile. "No mistake was made. Who else but I could possibly go to retrieve the Prefect?"
Floyd just wore an expression of pure disbelief. You remained in a deep, unconscious sleep, unaware of the conversation. Jade leaned in, pressing his lips to your forehead.
"I have devoured the scary dreams for you, so you will be quite safe tonight. Please, rest well."
He whispered in a low, sweet voice, bringing the night to a close.
That wasn't just a bad dream… he basically ate her too, Floyd thought, scratching his head. Well, his brother looked like he was having fun, so he decided to pretend he hadn't heard.
And so, your nightmares continued.
You curled your body into a small ball, covering your mouth as a dry, terrified rasp escaped your throat. Katsu, katsu. Footsteps. They were drawing closer. You shrunk back, trembling in the darkness. You never imagined things would turn out this way when your lover, your senpai, invited you to the mountains.
You had expected to enjoy the scenery and spend some quiet time together away from school. But the sudden torrential rain forced you to seek shelter in an old Western-style mansion. What should have been a brief wait for the storm to pass turned into a nightmare as you were hunted by strange monsters. Your lover told you to hide in the closet while he went for help alone. Now, you wondered whose footsteps those were.
Zuru, zuru. There was also the sound of something heavy being dragged. You were too terrified to look, yet the agony of waiting for the moment of truth was even more unbearable. You placed a trembling hand against the closet door.
"senpai…"
You called out in a frail voice. If the one standing there was no longer your dependable lover, you wanted it to end quickly.
The closet door creaked—kii—as it was slowly pulled open from the outside. Standing there was a slender, towering figure. Incredibly tall. He possessed a terrifyingly beautiful, pale face and heterochromatic eyes. Only the gold one gleamed like a beast's in the dim light.
He was an exquisitely beautiful, yet horrifying man. You stared up at him, dazed and lost in shock—
Then, you felt something was off.
"Jade-senpai?"
"Yes, it is I. I am your monster."
"Eh? No, wait… didn't I come to the mountains with you, senpai?"
"No. The man who came to the mountains with you is lying dead downstairs. How tragic. He must have been taken by the monster."
Jade spoke with faux pity, his white cheek splattered with a dark spray of blood.
Jade carelessly tosses down the grotesque creature that had been cornering and chasing you and your lover just moments ago. It has been thoroughly mangled. One can only wonder which monster actually killed your lover downstairs.
"U-um…"
"Yes?"
"Are you… like, 'Mega-Mad-to-the-Max' angry?"
"I am at 'Ultimate-Omega-Apocalyptic-Rage-Level-Infinity,' actually."
"Aren't you even angrier than when Floyd-senpai threw away your mushroom seedbeds?"
"Yes, I am angry."
You have no idea what is going on, but you can tell that the very, very dependable senpai in front of you is very, very angry. He politely offers his hand, and you reluctantly place yours in his. He escorts you out of the closet, and then, Jade’s hand softly touches your cheek.
His large palm slides down your cheek and touches your neck. It is freezing cold.
"Ah, wait, if we talk, I can explai—"
Before you can finish the word, your vision swims and goes dark. Your knees lose their strength and buckle, but he catches you and embraces you with extreme tenderness.
"The ending of a mansion horror story is traditionally for everything to be reduced to ashes. Goodnight, Prefect."
Cutting off your blood flow to make you lose consciousness before you could suffer from inhaling smoke was a single shred of mercy. Thus, everything burned.
"I'm awake."
"Morning~. How was it this time?"
"Since the Prefect was lost in a forest mansion with her lover and was in trouble being attacked by mysterious creatures, I burned the creatures, the lover, and the Prefect all to ashes."
"………………We definitely picked the wrong guy for this, didn't we?"
"No mistake was made."
"You're being awfully stubborn."
"It is because the Prefect refuses to be honest with me."
"Poor Little Shrinpy…"
"Did you say something?"
"I didn't say a thing~."
"Prefect, please wake up soon."
Jade repeats this through all sorts of nightmare patterns.
He does not falter, he does not learn, and he does not give up.
After repeating this countless times, having been killed or devoured by Jade in various ways, the scene shifts again. This time, you are being pursued by a murderer, climbing a high tower with your lover and a stranger who just happened to be there. If you are caught, you will be killed, so you continue to flee upward and upward.
Deep down, you begin to realize there will be nowhere left to run once you reach the top of the tower, yet the fear of stopping keeps you moving as your lover pulls you along by the hand. You climb the spiral staircase that winds in circles—up, up, up, and up—until finally, you reach the outside at the very peak of the high tower. The world outside is a brilliant, pale white, and the ground below is so far away it appears hazy.
The sound of the murderer's footsteps draws closer. What should I do? What should I do? You close the door—a hard, thick wooden door. In that moment, the man who has been fleeing with you suddenly looks at you.
"Hey, Prefect."
He calls your name. Immediately, a sensation like vertigo washes over you. Although you should have been able to see him clearly all along, it feels as if a blurred lens has suddenly snapped into focus. Looking at you with his eyebrows lowered in a slightly troubled expression is the man you thought was a stranger, but who is actually the senpai you know so well.
The silhouette and face of the man who was supposed to be your lover begin to blur and vanish. What did he look like? What did his voice sound like? Even though he should still be standing right there, even your memories of the time spent together are becoming a haze.
"…Ah."
"Isn't it about time you admitted it? I'm beginning to grow tired of killing you over and over."
"Admit… what?"
"That you love me."
"…!"
You are at a loss for words, your breath catching in your throat.
Bang! Bang! Inside the tower, the murderer is on the verge of breaking down the door.
But, even so.
What you feared more than anything was…
"…………Because if I admit it, it will only become more painful. I'm not a match for you, senpai, not at all."
You had always been afraid of that. Yet, you couldn't deceive your growing attraction, which was why in your dreams, a fake version of him had always been your lover.
You were terrified of reaching out for the real thing. You were scared of the eventual parting that might come after winning his heart—scared of being let go. Terrified. That's why you fabricated a version of him in your dreams: a senpai who was kind, teasing, a bit dangerous, yet dependable. You created a lover you wouldn't be afraid to possess. But every time, that lover was killed by a monster.
"Because you won't admit it, I remain a monster forever. Being the monster that devours your life isn't so bad, but—isn't it about time you turned the monster into a lover with a kind, sweet kiss? Well, I am patient, so I will kill you as many times as it takes until you give up and choose me."
"That's terrifying."
"Fufu."
Jade laughed—calmly, softly. It was the way he laughed that you loved. That was what you liked about him. That was how you had fallen for him.
"…………I really didn't want to admit it."
"It's fine, isn't it? Life is a series of things beyond our control."
"You're the one saying that, senpai?"
The axe swung by the murderer began to splinter the door. Shards of wood flew everywhere. But for you, the real monster was right in front of you. So, you resolved yourself for the days ahead—days where you might fear an eventual separation—and accepting that fear, you smiled brightly and spoke.
"I love you, Jade-senpai."
"I love you as well. Enough to come all the way here for you, to keep you all to myself over and over again."
I wonder if killing me and eating me was really supposed to be included in the meaning of 'keeping me all to myself,' you thought, giggling to yourself. Once you admitted it, once you said it aloud, a strange sense of clarity washed over you, surpassing the fear. You weren't afraid of anything anymore.
Since you were no longer afraid, you said with a bright smile, "I feel so much better now that I’ve said it." Then, with a light shove, you pushed the stranger you had believed was your lover—the fake sweetheart you created out of fear of loss—right off the top of the tower. The man fell, a look of shock frozen on his face.
The door stopped rattling. The Nightmare had fallen—down, down into the distant abyss. The man who had been torn apart and killed by Jade countless times would not return again. You, the host of the dream, had finally brought it to an end.
Somewhere, the sound of fruit crushing echoed, and the world faded into darkness.
"Ah, you're awake?"
"I'm awake."
"G'morning…"
"Little Shrimpy, you still look so sleepy~."
Floyd gave your nose a playful squeeze, and you let out a strange, muffled groan. It felt as if you had been asleep for a very long time.
"Prefect, how are you feeling?"
"I feel like I just had a dream where the person I have a crush on killed me in every way imaginable."
"Fufufu, it was quite fun, wasn't it?"
"I don't know about 'fun'… let me deliberate on that."
"I shall wait."
You stole a glance upward to see Jade waiting with a beaming smile. He truly seemed to be waiting for the results of your deliberation. You let out a thoughtful hum.
"…………I think I could call it a good dream, if the monster turned into my lover."
"Oh, I am a wonderful lover, truly. As long as you do not turn me into a monster, that is."
"Please… don't become a monster."
"If that is what you desire."
His large palm touched your cheek, guiding you closer, until your lips softly met.
As Floyd let out a disgusted groan in the background, the two of you settled into your happy ending.
[SHAKING , TREMBLING VOICE , STARVED LOOKING VICTORIAN CHILD , WORKING IN THE MINES]Hi Crimson Could You Draw D Sides Zephaniah..... Could you draw him being cute...... He can do Whatever....... Just Existing ...... I very much like your zeph design and I Yearn For The Armydillyo Thank You
👉👈 ok sorry i can be specific have you ever drew zeph and tenma together like standing next to eachother i too would love to see thatOkay Frolicks Away
This should NOT HAVE TAKEN SO LONG, but alas here is a roll of Armadillos, Zeph is literally my all time favorite, I fuckin love this guy, also I realized the last time I posted him was pre Try Harder so the design I had posted before is outdated LMAO but I may use it again if I feel like it, so you get a mix of old and new, and a Bonus Zeus because I just felt like drawing him LMAO
warnings: minors do not interact!, explicit content (fingering, semi-voyeurism, semi-public sex), fem!reader, established relationship, Nanami being chronically underpaid
masterlist
There’s an unspoken rule at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech that Gojo Satoru is not allowed, under any circumstances, alone in a room with you—at least not without the door left open.
There’s been too many occasions where a student would aimlessly wander into a common area (highlights include the cafeteria, the gymnasium, and behind the water cooler—nothing stops Gojo) and find the two of you in a…less than decent state.
However, the breaking point was one sweltering summer day, when Nanami found Yuji outside the teacher’s lounge:
Nanami trudges down the hallway, counting down the seconds until he can remove his sticky blazer and steal a drink from Gojo’s Pocari Sweat stash in the teachers’ communal fridge. The kids should be busy frolicking while Gojo ‘oversees’ (read: scrolls through his phone or torments you) their ‘training’ (read: aforementioned frolicking).
It’s the perfect opportunity to take a breather; Nanami’s calculated the situation down to a T.
What he doesn’t factor into his calculations is Yuji standing awkwardly outside the teacher’s lounge door, weight shifting from foot to foot.
His head shoots up when he notices Nanami’s approaching figure. “Oh, Nanamin! What’re you doing here?”
Nanami raises a brow in response. “I think it’s more fitting to ask why you’re here, Yuji. Why aren’t you training with Gojo right now?”
Yuji looks like a deer caught in headlights, and Nanami’s already fighting off the impeding headache. “Oh, well.. you see… Kugisaki and I were going to train together—Fushiguro said he didn’t wanna join us because we get annoying and goof off (which is not true, Nanamin, trust me! We work super hard together!!)—but then we remembered that Gojo-sensei said he’d teach us a different way to channel our cursed energies today, and we decided we wanted to practice that instead, but first we needed to…”
Nanami stands there, nodding slowly and pretending to listen while Yuji rambles on, but he’d already zoned out the moment Yuji brought up Gojo. Of course, it was that idiot’s fault, and of course, Nanami would need to clean up after him. He lets out a sigh, noting that Yuji has taken a break to breathe. “If he’s inside the teacher’s lounge, why haven’t you gotten him yet?”
Yuji halts midsentence, face instead turning an alarming shade of red. Oh, this can’t be good. Nanami steels himself. “…There’s some… noises… coming from inside and I…didn’t want to intrude.”
Of course. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together, and Nanami does not get paid enough to deal with this. He closes his eyes a moment, calming and bracing himself for the incoming nightmare material on the other side of the door. “That’s very kind of you, Yuji. Don’t worry, I’ll handle this. Why don’t you go join the others and I’ll send Gojo your way soon?”
Yuji perks up. “Thanks, Nanamin! You’re the best!” He leans in conspiratorially. “I’d cover your nose though—it sounds like Gojo-sensei’s having a tough time on the toilet in there, if you know what I mean.” He skips off with an exaggerated wink, leaving Nanami thanking every higher power that it was innocent Yuji and not too-jaded Megumi that walked on a potential Chernobyl 2.0.
Alright, time for Nanami to get this over with. Time to rip off the Band-Aid and face the carnage once and for all. Time to… time to stop stalling.
The door slides open with a bang and Nanami immediately looks to the ceiling, refusing to see whatever you and Gojo are up to.
You, however, jolt while in Gojo’s lap, his fingers pulling out of you and catching on your clit as he moves them to his mouth. You let out an involuntary whimper at the sharp stimulus. Nanami speaks loudly to drown out your noises. “You two. Have we not had enough discussions about this?”
“Aww, c’mon Nanamin! Don’t be such a—”
“Absolutely not, Gojo. In fact, you are the last person I wish to be speaking to right now.”
“Nanami! I’m so so sorry, oh my gosh. Um, can you give us a moment? We’ll be right with you, I promise!” You try swiveling your head to look over Gojo’s shoulder, but Gojo takes that as permission to grab your face and drag you into a kiss.
“Mmpff!” You try to talk through the suctioned seal Gojo has on your mouth. “Justh gib me a thecond to—” You finally shove Gojo off and look at your poor coworker. Your hand covers Gojo’s mouth to block his attacks.
“Just give us a second, Nanami. I’m so so sorry, and I promise we’ll be out in two.” (“Five,” Gojo pipes up from behind your hand. You pinch him. Nanami ignores him.)
A deep, exhausted sigh comes from Nanami. “Please do not make me intervene again. I will be outside.”
Your attention returns to Gojo as the other man leaves. He looks too excited for the situation, ears perked like a dog and boner pressing even harder into your ass. “Satoru, c’mon. Let’s deal with the fallout and pray Nanami moves on from this.”
Gojo lifts you effortlessly and spins you so you’re straddling his hips and facing him. You feel like a limp kitten being dragged about. (You also feel your stomach flutter at the ease with which your husband manhandles you, but you ignore that.)
“It’s okay, sweetcheeks. Nanami’ll forget about it soon enough. Now, lemme apologize properly to your sweet lil cunt for being interrupted. I know she’s a finicky girl.” Gojo nuzzles his nose against your neck, pressing soft kisses down the column. His fingers sneak under your skirt, where your panties are completely soaked through and pushed aside, to rub small, slow circles over your clit.
“No, ah—Satoru, we need to—oh shit, fuck that’s—no, we need to—oooh, yes—to see what he wants—” your words are cut off by a sudden moan as Gojo palms your tits, rubbing a thumb over a nipple visible through your shirt. The added friction only makes the feeling more intense, and you bite down on his shoulder to muffle your sounds.
“Talking about another man while I’m here?” The circles on your clit get faster, and your grip on Gojo’s shirt gets tighter as you try to keep quiet. Gojo’s hand leaves your chest to grab your face, cheeks squished between his fingers, as he forces you to look at him. “Eyes on me, honey. I’m all you should be focused on right now.”
You nod reflexively as Gojo’s hand sneaks to the back of your head and yanks your hair, forcing your back to arch while you maintain eye contact. “That’s a good girl. There we go. Listen to you—I bet you love that everyone outside can hear you—can hear the pretty noises you make for me.”
You whimper in response to his words, too focused on the feeling building between your legs to process what your husband’s saying. “You gonna come for me? Don’t forget Nanami gave us two minutes—I tried bartering for five, but my cute lil wife has so much faith in me that she only wanted two.” Gojo moves to suck on your neck, scratching with his teeth and soothing it over with his tongue when you let out a particularly high-pitched whine.
“Fuck, Satoru, don’t—oh—don’t stop, please, I’m so close baby, socloseI’m—” A loud and obscene moan follows your words as the feeling crashes over you painfully, spurred on by Gojo increasing the speed of his fingers to quickly push you into a quick and filthy orgasm bordering on overstimulation.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Let it out—I want everything, so don’t you dare hold back.” Gojo keeps up the pace, even as your hips try to buck away from his fingers. His hand quickly moves from your hair to your ass, holding you in place as you try to squirm away.
“No, ‘Toru, ‘s too much,” you slur out, tears littering your lash line as you force yourself to continue watching your husband, no matter how much you want to close your eyes. “No more, please—”
“GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE, YOU TWO!” Yaga’s voice booms through the room, banging fists joining his yells. You and Gojo stop, wide-eyed at the interruption.
“Holy shit, Nanami brought Yaga. Fuck, what do we do?” Gojo whispers, fingers slipping out and wiping on your skirt. Your nose crinkles watching him.
“What do you mean, ‘what do we do’? This is your fault, idiot. You fix this!” You whisper angrily (and hoarsely) back, removing yourself from his lap and stretching to work out the soreness of your muscles.
Gojo scoops you bridal-style, barely giving you time to adjust your skirt before hurrying to the window. “Quick, this way—they’ll never catch us—”
The doors open with a crash, Yaga and Nanami on the other side. Shoko’s got her phone out, recording the scene as it plays out. (Probably for blackmail material, you mentally note.)
Your darling husband shoves you out the open window.
a/n: Sorry guys idk what part of my ass I pulled this out of bc this definitely wasn't on my wip list...
Summary: In a moment of vulnerability. You and Wally have an honest moment where you admit your feelings
Part VI • Series Masterlist
You stared out the window, observing Damian running around the garden with his menagerie of pets.
Your face still solemn despite seeing your angsty teenage brother frolicking the flowers with Titus by his side. 
Your peace is obliterated when your door to your bedroom is thrown open with such force is slams against the wall. “Y/n!” Wally exclaims, stepping into your room without any hesitation. Striding quickly before you, scanning over for any injuries. “I was at the diner— and the TV came on— and they showed pictures of your crying on Gotham bridge— and I — you looked so— I wanted to make sure— I probably should have barged in but—oft!” Wally grunts as you slam into him, your arms wrapping around his neck as you pull him in so tightly he weight shifts unevenly and you both topple onto the floor. Your arms still wrapped tightly around him as his mind moves at the speed of light, trying to make sense of your reaction.
“I’m sorry!” You call out, your face shoving into the crook of his neck as you lay on top of him. “I’m sorry Wally! I’m so sorry!” You say, lip wobbling. Your arms tightening around his neck, scared he would push you away. Scared he’ll see you looking so weak. Scared he’ll look at you again the same way he did like that night. “I was scared— and I said stupid things I didn’t mean!” You cry around, holding him tighter.
“I get it.” He whispers. His fingers now moving to graze your lower back lightly. Not pushing you away, just accepting you clutching him close, feeling your arms shaking as you embrace him. “You’ve been burned badly in similar circumstances. So you panicked. It’s okay.” He comforts you, cradling the back of your neck with a comforting hold. “I shouldn’t have said it that way either. I should said something when we were both sober. I should’ve chosen my words more carefully so you understood. I shouldn’t have pushed you to accept my feelings. I’m sorry too.” He whispers. “I don’t regret my admission— just my delivery.” He says, and you turn still.
Taking your time to pick your words carefully. As you finally lean away from him, your hands pressing into his chest. “I regret my response Wally… I do… feel something… but I… how can I trust it’s not just getting swept up in the fantasy ?”
“Trust me sweetheart— if love was a choice I would’ve picked an easier woman.” He grins at you as you stare down at him blankly.
“And here I was considering asking you on a date.” You state dryly as his playful smirk drops. “Oh? Not so cocky now.” You laugh as Wally continues to look at you with this stunned expression. “Wally.” You call out, turning serious as you admit the words you’re most afraid of. “I’m not sure when exactly. But at some point, I fell in love with you… and … i don’t want to miss out just because I’m afraid I’ll be hurt all over again because at the end of the day— you are not Roy— not even close. Even if we both end up broken-up and bitter in the end. I won’t have any regrets.” You say, cradling his cheek. “I want to kiss you for real this time. Not used some guise of a fake relationship, not for show…But because I’m in love with you, and I would love nothing more.”
“Okay.” He mutter complacently, with a sweet dumb-founded expression.
And you can’t help but grin as you lean in. Lips pressing together with this familiarity, your heart filling in satisfaction that you can finally kiss your lover without an excuse.
wei wuxian doing mental gymnastics instead of telling lan wangji the truth. "his mind began to wander off to the vast universe" has me cackling
Wei Wuxian unconsciously bit his own lips as his mind began to wander off to the vast universe. The Lan Clan of Gusu is so strict, and Lan Zhan is completely immune to romance, so he must’ve never kissed a girl before. What should I do? Should I tell him I took his first? If he found out, would he be so angry he’d cry? Heh, maybe when he was younger, but he probably won’t now. Besides, he’s like a wooden monk. Maybe he’s never even thought about that sort of thing… Wait! Last time he got drunk, I asked if he liked anyone and he told me “yes.” So maybe he’s already kissed someone? But with Lan Zhan’s chronic restraint, love must’ve ended at virtue. They probably never kissed, probably never even held hands. Maybe he never understood the type of “like” I was referring to in the first place…
and when wei wuxian finally admits the reason for his bullshit to himself:
And so, despite getting Lan Wangji drunk, Wei Wuxian spent most of the night waffling and didn’t manage to ask him a single thing. It wasn’t that it slipped his mind. In fact, he hadn’t forgotten for a moment that the reason he had given Lan Wangji alcohol was to ask him, Hanguang-jun, how do you really see me? But every time the words were about to leave his mouth, he found all kinds of excuses to back down—There’s no rush; I’ll play along with him for now, wait until he’s had enough fun before I ask, or I can’t be so flippant about this, gotta be a little more serious. I’ll ask again after we’ve sat down… But despite the many excuses that had him dragging his heels, the real reason was probably that he was afraid.
He was afraid of getting a different answer from the one he hoped to hear.
people seem to think wei wuxian is afraid because he still thinks lan wangji hates him but, in reality, he could tell lan wangji admired him and was especially good to him. he was just scared because lan wangji is his first love and he doesn't know how to go about it and doesn't wanna make it awkward between them if he happens to be wrong, and it didn't help that lan wangji, due to his own reasons, never tells wei wuxian straight up how he feels
In the time they’d been traveling together, he’d gotten the feeling Lan Wangji thought highly of him. That he thought of him differently than he once had. But at the end of the day, he didn’t dare guess how far that “highly” stretched, nor whether “differently” really was the kind of “different” he assumed.
Wei Wuxian had never considered confidence a bad thing and was often smug and frivolous as a result. The cultivation world had once gossiped that the Yiling Patriarch was the sort who frolicked among the peach blossoms, always surrounded by the sweet smell of their fragrant flowers. But in reality, he had never experienced this kind of flustered confusion before. In the past, he had thought Lan Wangji was an open book, but now he found him difficult to read. He was terrified that he was lost in this fantasy all alone; that all of this was only his own wishful thinking and that he was overly confident to presume otherwise.
Lan Wangji was silent, unspeaking. Wei Wuxian wanted to muddle past this by doing what he was best at—joking around. But he was also scared that trying to force the conversation into a teasing turn would mire them in even more awkwardness. He was stuck.
they're so cute. i definitely think if lxc didn't reveal everything at guanyin temple, one of them would've broke and confessed after the whole ordeal with jgy was solved. (i feel like they would've done it apologetically and the other would've been like "????? i literally love u too?" or something to that effect because they're both crazy.)
