pop culture of my heart

The Warden and Alistair Theirin for clairun on insta

giving them food without them asking for it

randomly bringing them flowers

holding a door open for them

pulling out their chair for them

guiding them with a gentle hand on the small of their back

making them lunch to take to work with them

fixing their clothes or hair

giving them a massage

talking casually about a shared future

showing them their appreciation for them

waiting at home to say hello when they come in

paying complete attention to them

giving them a casual, but thoughtful compliment

writing them a love letter and hiding it for them to find

showing them something that reminded them of their partner

humming a song to calm them down

giving them a quick kiss whenever they pass each other at home

casual grabbing their hand and swinging it back and forth

☆ "Hold my hand and look like you mean it. My entire family is watching."

☆ "We need to get our story straight before we walk in there."

☆ "You're a terrible fake partner. You're too convincing when you're being sweet."

☆ "I didn't expect you to remember my coffee order. That wasn't part of the deal."

☆ "Stop looking at me like that in public. People will think you actually like me."

☆ "This was supposed to be simple. Why does nothing with you stay simple."

☆ "You held my hand first tonight. I didn't ask you to. I noticed."

☆ "My mother loves you. This has gotten wildly out of hand."

☆ "The lines are blurring and I need you to help me find them again."

☆ "I've said I love you fourteen times this weekend and meant it more each time. Problem."

☆ "You remembered the thing I said three weeks ago. Fake partners don't do that."

☆ "When does the act end and the real thing start. Asking for logistical reasons."

☆ "I convinced everyone we were in love. I forgot to convince myself it wasn't real."

☆ "Stop being so good at this. It's making everything very complicated for me."

You're burning up. Don't argue with me. Get back in bed.

I made soup. It's not great. Eat it anyway.

You should have called me the moment you started feeling like this.

Stop trying to get up. There is nothing on this earth that needs you upright right now.

I found three blankets and a hot water bottle. Pick your combination.

You look terrible. I mean that with so much love.

Let me take your temperature. Stop being difficult about the thermometer.

I cancelled everything. Don't apologize. I wanted to be here.

You fell asleep mid-sentence. I stayed anyway. I hope that's okay.

Drink the tea. Yes, all of it. I'll make more.

I've been checking on you every hour. You keep telling me to go home. I keep not going.

Your voice sounds awful. Rest it. We can talk tomorrow.

I'm not going anywhere. Stop thanking me for staying.

You hate being taken care of. I know. Do it for me anyway.

The fever broke. I don't think you know how relieved I am right now.

Sleep. I'll be right here. I'll wake you up if anything changes.

I brought your favourite thing from the place on the corner. Don't cry. Please don't cry.

You're a terrible patient and somehow I still want to be the one doing this.

I know you think you're being a burden. You are not a burden.

Let me sit with you. I don't need to talk. I just don't want you to be alone.

You tried to make your own tea and you could barely stand up. Sit down. I've got it.

I've seen you strong. This doesn't make you weak. It just makes you human.

You smell like fever and you still somehow look like everything to me.

Lay your head here. Right here. I've got nowhere I need to be.

I brought every movie you've ever mentioned. We have time.

You're mumbling in your sleep. I'm not going to tell you what you said.

I changed the sheets while you were in the shower. Don't make it weird.

You need to eat something real. I know you don't want to. Eat something real.

I've been sitting in this chair for four hours. I'd do it four more.

Stop apologizing for being sick. People get sick. Let me help you.

Your hands are cold. Give them here. I'll warm them up.

I found the medicine in the back of the cabinet. Take it. All of it. Don't negotiate.

You're not inconveniencing me. Taking care of you is exactly where I want to be.

I didn't know you got like this when you were sick. Softer. I like knowing this about you.

You asked for me. Out of everyone, you asked for me. I haven't stopped thinking about that.

The heating pad is on the lowest setting. Tell me if you need it warmer.

I'm not leaving until your temperature is normal. Make your peace with that.

You cried a little when the soup was too hot to eat yet. I pretended not to notice.

I've never seen you let anyone take care of you before. I'm honoured. I mean that.

Your hair is a mess. Can I? Is that okay? Let me just — there.

You keep saying you're fine every time I check and you are so obviously not fine.

This is the third night in a row. I'm not going anywhere. Stop looking at me like that.

You're delirious and still trying to be funny. It's working. Please stop, I'm worried about you.

I learned how to make your mother's recipe. It took three attempts. Don't tell her.

There's nowhere I'd rather be than right here, even like this. Especially like this.

You always take care of everyone else. Just this once, let someone take care of you.

I left the light on in the hall in case you woke up scared. I remember you mentioned that once.

boredom due to inability to do anything at all

burying head in hands

clenching teeth

dizziness when standing up

dropping head back

finally crashing and sleeping the entire day

fumbling with a package of painkillers and struggling to get past the child safety

groaning quietly

massaging head at every opportunity

pressing head into a pillow or perhaps the chest of a loved one

resting torso on the table if they can’t get a better place to rest

rubbing head

squeezing eyes shut

staying in bed all day

trying the most obscure headache relief hacks they can think off (it doesn’t work, but it keeps them busy)

turning head away from bright lights

“I cried so hard during the exam, my professor had to call me in so I would identify letters for him that he couldn’t read anymore.”

(whispered aggressively halfway through a 90min linguistics lecture) “What fucking class is this? This isn’t biochem!”

“Who brought their dog to the lecture and why is it loose?” “Oh, Emma belongs to the head of the cultural sciences faculty. She likes to explore while her mom is lecturing.”

“This class literally makes me want to send a pipe bomb to the faculty.” (said right outside the lecture hall blocking the door, with their prof standing right behind them, trying to pass)

“I almost wrote ‘do you even read this’ into my paper because there is no way he sends all of us feedback that quick.” “Did you?” “No, I’m scared. What if he does correct all of our work that quick and that’s how I find out I just work astronomically slow??”

“Hello class. Across the hallway over there is my office where my son is currently being babysat through zoom by my mother. If you happen to see chaos while my back is turned, please let me know.”

“How would you like to receive feedback on your work? In person, per email…?” “I would prefer not to get any feedback.”

*student reads explicit buffy fanfiction to the class for their presentation on vampire depictions in pop culture while the chronically offline prof in the back furiously takes notes and looks genuinely awed*

Oh gosh I’ve just found this in the depths of my Procreate. Turns out I tried to do a short animation with my old James art and it is actually dope. I hated it because his eye looked weird but now after so much time I actually like it.