SCREW THAT!

@noblecide asked: ‘ don’t treat me like a child. ’

Don't treat him like a child. That was a thing easier said than done when he's been practically raising Tate his entire life, even more difficult when by all intents and purposes, his brother was still a kid. Kai's irritation shows SUBTLY on his facial features, the furrow of his brow, the slight frown at the corners of his mouth that could easily morph into a sneer if given reason to do so. " Maybe if you stopped acting like one, I wouldn't have to! " He ARGUES, throwing Tate's backpack at the foot of his bed after rummaging around in it.

" After what you pulled last week, you've given me no other fucking choice but to search your shit. You're lucky it was Samuels that found you with that coke and not some other cop. "

tate wonders briefly if he should be grateful that kai even seemed to care; he had been so wrapped up in his political career and insane plan to take over the united states, or whatever, that tate felt he had become irrelevant.

the teen rolled his eyes, his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. he sat in his desk chair, subtly backed up into the three drawers that stacked on the side desk. it was that, and only that, that kept him from stopping kai going through his stuff. he hadn't anything else to hide but still, he felt his privacy being invaded. his room was his sanctuary, away from all the bullshit that kai had brought into their lives.

“Can I ask you a question? When was the last time you felt 𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄?  

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑 is the greatest motivator. You wanna be somebody? Do you want to 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑?  Then bring your fear… and 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐄. What are you 𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐃 of?“ 

the cycle of trouble-making youth is endless, but maybe that aspect can hit the road. so he tries to invite the boy into an activity, anything. anything besides sitting there with his nose buried in his book, OBLIVIOUS to the world; the yard is not an ideal place to let your guard down, and it's time tate learns.

"I'm not much of a talker," tate excused. "I'm more of a thinker. You know?" he talked when it was necessary- to any guards who spoke to him, or just to not come off as rude to another inmate. but he hadn't had a full conversation with anyone other than his lawyers since his incarceration. the borrowed book was dog-eared and he closed it up, leaning more to one side to use the stranger's shadow as a way to block the sun from his eyes. "Yeah, I uh-" the blond was clearly interested in the cigarettes. the way his hand had twitched slightly upward without thought, but he seemed hesitant to take the gift.

he knew that cigarettes were practically currency in prison and surely this guy wouldn't be giving one out for free; that's just not how it worked. but as tentative as he seemed, he carefully slipped on marlboro out the package and between his thumb and index. "I don't have anything to give you," he admitted. "I don't know if my mom's ever gonna put money in my um..." tate cleared his throat, gesturing vaguely towards the building. "Commissary thing."

the burdened:

“  being alive is exhausting.  ”

“  i ruin everything i touch.  ”

“  no one ever helped me when i needed it.  so,  i just.  try to do my best to keep others from feeling that kind of loneliness.  ”

“  i feel like the pain is all i am anymore. ”

“  i wish i remembered anything other than loneliness.  ”

“  i’m not a particularly good person.  but sometimes i wish someone would think i am.  ”

“  i’m just always the one who gets left behind.  ”

“  i never seem to belong anywhere.  or to anyone.  ”  

“  i’m alone.  and it’s my own fault.  but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.  ”

“  i don’t know how to just live.  i constantly feel like i’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.  ”

“  i always expect people to hurt me.  because they usually do. ”

“  i don’t know how to let go of my trauma.  i don’t know what i am without it.   ”

“  it’s better if i’m alone.  i can’t hurt anyone if there’s no one close enough to get hit by the debris of my fuck ups.  ”

“  there are just too many people depending on me.  i can’t rest.  i can’t let them down.  ”

“  i don’t have anything or anyone left anymore.  ”

“  i’m not strong.  or brave.  i survive ‘cause there’s not really any other choice. ”

“  i tried to give up before.  but the universe just didn’t let me.  ”

“  i just want to be done.  i’m tired.  i’m so,  so fucking tired.  ”

“  i know it’s selfish.  but i wish someone would just take care of me.  ”

“  every time i start to feel like things are getting quieter and i can feel safe,  something bad always happens.  ”

“  i tend to love people more than they love me.  and it’s okay.  i don’t mind but…it can be lonely.  ”

“  i just don’t feel like my life makes any difference to anyone.  i’m just here.  ”

the comforter: 

“  hey,  look at me.  i’m listening.  you can tell me anything. ”

“   how can i help you feel less alone?  ”

“  i’m here and i’m not leaving or letting you change the subject.  now talk to me. ”

“  i know you feel like you’re alone and i’m not going to invalidate that.  but i can tell you that i’m here.  and i know there are people who want to care and help if you’ll let them.  ”

“  whatever it is you’re struggling with,  i want to help and it’s not going to make me look at you any different.  ”

“   i like having you around.  and not because of what you can do for me or give to me—  i like you.  i value you as a person.  ”

“   i just need you to know that you’ve never been ‘nobody’ to me.  you’ve never been nothing.  ”

“   you’re important to me.   you hear me?  you’re important.  and that’s never gonna change.   ”

“  i’m not going anywhere until you get some sleep.  ”

“  i want to take care of you.  please,  let me.  ”

“  no one is meant to be all alone.  that’s not how humans are built.  you don’t need to do all this on your own.   ”

“  you don’t deserve the bad things that happen to you.  you never did.  ”

“  i can’t promise you aren’t going to have any more hardship.  but i can promise i’m gonna be right here to get your through it. ”

“  you make a difference in my life.  i’m not just saying that.  it wouldn’t be the same without you here and i don’t want to find out what it’d be like to not have you around. ”

“  next time it gets this bad,  you call me okay?  now you just sit there and i’m gonna make you some tea and soup and we’re gonna talk this out. ”

“   is it getting bad again?  ”

below, i’ve compiled a collection of [ 45 ] action and dialogue prompts for the kisses that nearly happened. inspired by every time those two characters in your favourite tv series inch closer and closer to each other only for there to be a usually annoying reason for the kiss to never happen. 

[  DIALOGUE PROMPTS  ]

[  ONE  ] :  “ we didn’t break up. ”

[  TWO  ] :  “ i can’t do this. ”

[  THREE  ] : “ you… you have something on your face. ”

[  FOUR  ] :  “ you should go. ”

[  FIVE  ] :  “ you owe me nothing. ”

[  SIX  ] :  “ did you really think i’d kiss you ? ”

[  SEVEN  ] : “ what about [ name ] ? ” 

[  EIGHT  ] :  “ are you sure about this ? ”

[  NINE  ] :  “ did you think it was going to be that easy ? ” 

[  TEN  ] :  “ i should really be going. ”

[  ELEVEN  ] :  “ we can’t do this again. ”

[  TWELVE  ] :  “ you’re- you’re steaming up my glasses. ”

[  THIRTEEN  ] :  “ you have no idea how much i want to kiss you. ”

[  FOURTEEN  ] : “ i got back together with [ name ]. ”

[  FIFTEEN  ] :  “ we shouldn’t do this…. ”

[  SIXTEEN  ] :  “ this isn’t how i want this to happen. ”

[  SEVENTEEN  ] :  “ i want our first kiss to be perfect. ”

[  EIGHTEEN  ] :  “ i think this means something else to you then it does to me. ”

[  NINETEEN  ] :  “  i can’t do this to you. ”

[  TWENTY  ] :  “ i don’t want to jeopardise our friendship. ”

[  TWENTY-ONE  ] :  “ let’s just call this what it is… just really close talking. ”

[  TWENTY-TWO  ] :  “ this is a bad idea. ”

[  TWENTY-THREE  ] :  “ i didn’t ask for this… to feel this way. ”

[  TWENTY-FOUR  ] :  “ no. ”

[  TWENTY-FIVE  ] :  “ the lead-up is the best part anyway… right? ”

[  TWENTY-SIX ] :  “ i think you get the point. ”

[  TWENTY-SEVEN  ] :  “ this is just a game of pretend to you. ” 

[  TWENTY-EIGHT  ] :  “ maybe next time… ”

[  ACTION PROMPTS  ] + reverse

[  GOODBYE  ] :  sender and receiver are parting ways, they might not see each other for a while. they embrace, a hug so tight it could shatter bones. their lips linger above each other’s, their eyes closed….

[  REUNITED  ] :  sender and receiver are reunited at after some time apart. jumping into the other’s arms in a warm embrace, the idea of a kiss is there but does it come to fruition ? 

[  REJECTED  ] :  sender leans in to kiss receiver, but receiver pulls away. 

[  INTERRUPTED  ] :  as sender and receiver lean in to kiss they are interrupted by a third party. 

[  STUNG  ] :  as sender and receiver are about to kiss a bee stings receiver, the moment cut short. 

[  FORT  ] :  sender and receiver are chilling in a pillow fort they spent a good part of the day building, in an intimate moment they both lean in for a kiss, only for the ill-built fort to collapse on them. 

[  RAIN  ] :  as sender leans in to kiss receiver a sudden downpour catches them off guard and they choose to run for cover. 

[  TAUNT  ] :  sender is taunting receiver, slowly moving in closer to their lips with no intention of kissing them, to see how far they’re willing to go. 

[  DRUNK  ] :  sender is drunk and while under the influence looks into receiver’s eyes, beginning to lean in to kiss them… only for them to have the sudden urge to vomit. 

[  DANCE  ] :  sender and receiver have been pulled into a slow dance together. as they sway to the music they find themselves leaning in for a kiss just as the song ends and the moment is cut short. 

[  GUILT  ] :  receiver leans in to kiss sender, but sender pulls away because they feel guilt for doing this for the wrong reasons. 

[  CHEEK  ] :  sender and receiver are leaning in to kiss each other, but at the last moment sender dodges their lips and kisses their cheek instead. 

[  PHONE  ] : sender and receiver are about to kiss when a cell phone goes off and makes them pause. + extra points if the call is from an ex/rival love interest.

[  FACE  ] :  receiver won’t stop talking. in an attempt to get them to stop, sender grabs their face, underestimating the intensity of the act. 

[  FOREHEAD  ] :  sender and receiver lean to kiss each other, misjudging the destination they bump foreheads instead of meeting lips. 

[  CHIME  ] :  as sender and receiver are about to kiss, a clock chimes interrupting the almost kiss and reminding them of the time.  

[  STRAND  ] :  receiver stands still as sender leans closer to their face, expecting a kiss but is surprised when receiver just tucks a strand of their hair behind their ear. 

i like it . did you write that ?

haven't i already told you that ?

tell me , [ name ] , what's your secret ?

you're looking fresh as a daisy .

are you okay ? you seem ...

i'm just tired . tomorrow's a big day .

that's very important , do you understand ?

why can't you just accept that this is your family ?

this isn't a family , it's a repressive regime .

you're driving us all crazy .

this is our life , it is what it is .

you're burning up . you running a fever ?

shut the fuck up .

all these years , i've been trying to figure out your angle .

you're not interested in anyone .

[ name ] . i'm onto you .

you can't just vanish .

is there a problem ?

there's obviously been a mistake , can you please tell me what i'm doing here ?

what a pleasure to meet you .

i know who you are .

i'm amazed you made it this far .

this is ... this is all a big mistake .

for your sake , i wish that were true .

is there another way ?

i can't believe this is happening .

we can't just sit here . we gotta do something !

i don't wanna die . i don't wanna die .

you're gonna be okay , i'm here .

i'm sorry . i'm so sorry .

you're supposed to be the believer .

i don't know what i believe . i don't know who i am .

they won't suffer .

sometimes , i think " to hell with it " . to hell with everybody .

do not underestimate [ name ] .

make this a priority .

we always work best as a team .

somebody wants us to disappear . the question is why .

this isn't a game , [ name ] . don't lose your head out there .

what's it gonna be ?

playing dumb doesn't suit you , [ name ] .

get the fuck out of there !

that's not an option .

i wanted to , uh ... try something new .

hold on , we've got a situation .

all your big talk , and you've ... never been with anyone ?

trust me , we're doing them a favor .

i'm scared , [ name ] . what are we gonna do ?

shhh , we're gonna get you out of here .

we failed miserably as a species on this planet .

anyone who's willing to sacrifice their own flesh and blood can never truly be trusted .

you sold us out . how could you ?

i thought you of all people would understand .

what do you know about family ?

i did everything i was told . i did everything right .

i didn't plan this . it got out of my control .

i was a total fuck - up .

if i could go back and change it all , i would .

promise me you won't let them take them .

One would think that he wouldn't BOTHER with someone like Tate, their social worlds couldn't be more opposite of each other. In fact, the two were getting CURIOUS looks from a few students that passed by. However, none of that ever mattered to Archie, his best friend was of a similar nature to the blond, and thus he wasn't too quick to judge based off of that alone. It couldn't have been easy for him to move across the country, at least Archie thinks he can recall someone saying something about Tate previously living in California.

The apple in his hands was more like something to FIDGET with than something to eat at this point, his fingers absentmindedly pinching the stem. " Uhm I guess I'd leave you alone if that's what you really want. " Archie shrugged his shoulders, a small smile curving the corner of his mouth up a little. " But on the other hand I'd be more than willing to show you around after school, try to prove you wrong. Your call, dude. "

"Show me around?" tate repeated. "What's there to show? Some crummy diner that claims to have the best milkshakes around or whatever." this guy was starting to give him a headache. he hadn't had much of a chance to go exploring the place, taking on the habit of simply going straight home and barricading himself in his bedroom on his computer- then repeat. "I never understood the misplaced pride people from small towns have. I mean- do you at least have a skatepark around here? Which bus takes me to the city?"