#& ( january park | threads. )

[luvdive]

usually, january runs when he gets caught by civilians. doesn't even say anything so he can't give them a voice to identify, he just takes off running until he's far enough away ( or until his chest hurts if anyone decides to chase after him ). he's cemented to the spot this time, though, elbow deep in someone's broken car window. should he play dumb? wait for her to speak and then pretend he doesn't know whichever language comes out of her mouth first? if she's a local, he's a tourist. and if she's a tourist, then he's a local. that works, right? so he stays there, perfectly still so he won't set off the car's alarm, waiting for her to say anything...

@charmfox liked for a starter

[love-quinn]

— THREAD OF GOLD

summary — a thread of moments that defined your relationship with mike.

warnings — uh i don’t think there are? me not caring about the irl timeline of events and making up my own shit cause i can. also i switch between past and present tense like nobody's business so we're all gonna pretend we don't notice that.

pairing — mike faist x fem!famous! reader

pronouns — she/her

word count — 7.8k + social media posts

note — hi sorry i’ve been MIA i’ve been working on this for 5ever truly it came to me one day and i couldn’t write anything else. this isn’t edited because it’s nearly 8k and i’m not about that life.

important note that i tried to make it so yn’s skin tone changed in at least some of the pictures to make it more inclusive but pinterest fought me SO hard i spent maybe four hours just finding images. this is NOT meant to be a depiction of what yn looks like, just a general vibe of the images used in the thread <33

ONE. july 2017

California doesn’t have seasons the same way your hometown did. California has two seasons: wet and dry. You grew up in the suburbs of New York, in Westchester county, about an hour north of Manhattan. You went to the city a few times growing up, but you spent almost all of your upbringing on a quiet street with a cul-de-sac and a park a street away. 

You’d lived in California for a while, you were based there for most of the year, but you’d still say you lived in New York. You were lucky enough to be at a break between projects where you got to spend more than a few weeks at a time at your New York apartment. 

You’d been back maybe two weeks and knowing that you didn’t have to go back to the west coast for at least six months felt like a major weight off your chest. Finally retreating back to your cocoon, the air around you still felt thick, but this one felt more like a wall keeping things out rather than one keeping you in.

So, naturally, the first thing you did with your newfound seclusion was to venture outside with a man you’d been trying to go out with for a few months now. 

You and Mike had known each other for a little over half a year now. You’d met at a new year’s party hosted by a mutual friend of a mutual friend and you had known immediately that he was someone that you wanted to know desperately. You’d been elated that he seemed to reciprocate. Unfortunately, with your work schedules, this was the first time since January that you’d had enough time in the same state. 

He was unlike anyone that you had ever met, and now that you were in the same place, you were revelling in his presence. He’d taken you to a park near his apartment, he’d let you hold his hand on the subway and you were pretty sure that he was going to kiss you later. 

It had been a while since you’d been outside - like, properly outside, and Mike was enjoying how happy you seemed to be. While you’d been trying to organise yourselves, Mike had spent hours on the phone with you, trying to avoid sounding so disgustingly happy that he scared you off. This may have been your first real date, but Mike already knew that you were it for him. 

You were chattering about a story from your childhood, and he was really trying to listen to you, but he was focused more on the way the golden hour was hitting your face, and the way you would subconsciously squeeze his hand when you made yourself laugh.

“Yeah, since then my mom makes sure that she puts the cat treats away whenever he comes over,” you giggled. Mike let the sound fill him from the inside. He opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by you dropping his hand. “I’ve needed this,” you let your head fall back to bask in the dying sunlight. “Air that I’m not sharing with Buzzfeed HQ, grass that is made in real dirt.”

“I see,” Mike nodded seriously. “You’re not even here for me, you were just waiting for a guy to take you to see some trees.”

You reach back and grip his hand, eyes sparkling directly into his. “Thank you,” you say sincerely, “for knowing your place.”

He laughed and let you drop your hand again, watching fondly as you speed off in front of him, stopping maybe fifteen feet in front of him. “Will you come with me to the emergency room when I fall out of the tree I’m about to climb.”

Mike was sure you could see exactly how much he wanted to kiss you from the look on his face. He laughed, nodding. “That’s actually the next stop I had planned anyway.”

TWO. october 2017

You couldn’t remember dolling yourself up for a date in so long, but it was clearly paying off the way that Mike hadn’t let you out of arm’s reach the entire cab ride. You hand two hands on his arm and he’d been talking in your ear the whole ride. 

You were taking him to lunch at one of your favourite places in the city, quiet, not visible from the street, with a wonderful goat cheese salad. He’d been ecstatic that you were clearly showing him parts of your life that you kept close to your chest. 

The two of you had only been together properly for about three months now, but you’d known each other for nearly a year. Mike hadn’t really dated anyone in the industry before, definitely not publicly. 

You’d mentioned to him a few of your past dating experiences before, and you had been steadfast on the fact that if you were going to have a relationship that it would be as completely private as possible. 

Mike didn’t think he’d ever hesitated less to reply - he was all in, same page. It felt simultaneously too fast and too slow. You’d been dating for three months, sure, but he’d known you since January, and it had felt like that first seven months had been confirmation that he liked you again and again and again.

Mike had been calling you his girlfriend to everyone, his friends, his family, some of his closer co-stars. But as he sat across from you at the restaurant, he realised he hadn’t actually asked. 

He valued communication, he thought he was pretty good at it. But he’d settled into such a comfortable settlement with you that it had slipped his mind entirely. You didn’t mind. You were on the same page as him. 

You referred to him to those closest to you as your boyfriend. You weren’t sitting around, desperately waiting for him to ask you to be his girlfriend, if that’s how you felt you would have asked him before you got to this point. 

The two of you were doing what you usually did, you ordered a few different things with the intention of sharing, and Mike, as usual, was way more interested in what you had picked than he had. 

You were giggling across the table at him, watching the way the breeze from the window by your table kept blowing his hair into his mouth. .”Here,” you took the scrunchie from your own hair and stood up, coming to a rest behind him. 

He tilted his head back - good for him, he could see your face; bad for you, you couldn’t grab all his hair - while you worked and after a second you’d tied his hair up out of his face. 

You moved to return to your seat, but he half-lifted himself from his chair to make sure he got to kiss you before you left. “Thank you, honey,” he said softly. Your thumb rubbed his cheek with a soft touch.

“‘s okay,” you mused, looking at him. He loved the look you got in your eyes when you were fully concentrated on his face, he wondered if he got the same look when he saw yours. “You look cute.”

“Says you,” he mumbled, looking down at your outfit. He could tell you’d put in extra effort, he wanted you to know it hadn’t been for nothing. “Y’look so pretty today, can’t believe I get to be the one here with you.”

You giggled, preening under his thoughtful gaze. You could feel your cheeks growing warmer, but you made yourself not look away from him. “Yeah?”

He turned his head and kissed the palm of your hand. “Can’t believe I haven’t asked you to be my girlfriend properly,” he sounded so positively disappointed that you couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t laugh at me, it’s embarrassing.”

You giggled a little bit harder. “Oh, baby,” you let your thumb brush his lips, soaking in the way he kissed the pad of the finger. “Can’t be embarrassed, I didn’t even realise.” Mike hummed in question. “Don’t know,” you shuffle in place. “in my head you’ve been my boyfriend for like six months.”

“Thank god,” Mike laughed, letting his head drop. “Quick, sit down, I need to ask you to be exclusive so I can tell people that I did.”

You pause for a second before nabbing the fork on his plate, scooping up a piece of chicken before sitting back in your chair. “Go on, then, boyfriend.” You take a bite. “Get it over with, I’m hungry.”

THREE. december 2017

You were curled into Mike’s side when you got the text. You didn’t usually look at your phone when the two of you were together, but he was watching a documentary about something that didn’t interest you, while you were reading a book on your phone. 

He had his hand sitting on the back of your neck, knuckles brushing a line from the nape to the top of your shoulder. It was one of your costars from an earlier project, sending you a link.

“LMAOO not people”

It was a People magazine article, one that instantly had you rolling your eyes. Mike sensed your shift in mood and laid his palm flat on the curve of your shoulder. “Okay?”

“People says we’ve been together since…” you scrolled through the article.” “October last year,” you snickered. 

“Cant believe you didn’t tell me.” Mike let his head fall back against the sofa. “I wish,” he said as an afterthought. 

“You didn’t even know me back then,” you pointed out.

Mike leaned forward and kissed your temple. “Still,” he said, concretely no but with supreme amounts of gentleness. “I’m sure I would’ve wanted you with great desperation.”

You and Mike had gone through conversations before about revealing your relationship to the public. You had little to no intentions of doing that, especially not so soon. But you’d wanted to manage expectations.

You’d become famous young, not as young as some, you’d only been twenty when you landed your first major role. You’d done principal photography during your summer break in college, working towards getting your degree, and by the time you graduated you had two feature films and one golden globe nomination under your belt.

You’d had a college boyfriend at the time, it had ended naturally, not without pain, but not as a result of your blossoming career. The magazines had eaten it up, though, with all sorts of speculations. 

You didn’t want that again. You didn’t owe them anything. And you were so grateful that Mike seemed to share the sentiment. You were so grateful to your fans but you knew at the end of the day that they didn’t own you, which is why you were not above lying to them to keep them out of your life. 

Especially when the comments of the post were already filled with dozens of suggestions to who it could be. Not when your friends, your coworkers, or random strangers who hadn’t done anything other than be someone people thought you might like if you met them, we’re getting their personal lives dug into in order to confirm a suspicion that a stranger had about you.

Not when you were curled up in the arms of one of the kindest most charming men you’d ever known, one that you might even want to spend the rest of your life with. He definitely didn’t deserve this, and neither did you.

So, you went into your camera roll and found a selfie you’d sent to one of your friends a few days earlier. You typed up a short sentence and then hit post on your Instagram story without thinking too hard about it. 

When you showed it to Mike he smiled endearingly. “Aw man,” he mumbled, pressing his face to the crook of your neck. “Can’t believe you didn’t tell me we broke up.”

FOUR. march 2018

Days on set were long, they were often exhausting, and they were where you’d thrive.

You’d finally wrapped after thirteen hours, and the first thing you did when you got your phone out of your trailer was to text Mike. 

He was in New York still, but you guys had been speaking as often as you could. With him three hours in front of you, it often ended up in the two of you just missing each other. Mike had texted you four hours earlier while you’d been filming.

You look pretty here. 

It’s a Vanity Fair video that you filmed about a month ago with one of your costars. It was a movie about love, being in love, loving people, loving places, loving time. Your character was the main romantic love interest to the main character, and she was one of your favourite characters that you’d ever played. A young woman who finds love in her career, love in her family, and eventually begins giving it to the main character. You and your costar had become very close, and you were talking candidly to them in the video about your experience with love. 

Mike had sent you a screenshot of the video, where you’re smiling across to your costar. It had been a simple question they’d asked; have you ever been in love. 

Now, you couldn’t say blatantly, “yes, I have a boyfriend.” And you couldn’t say that for two reasons. Number one, you and Mike had been so careful to the point where you didn’t even think your fans knew that the two of you were aware of each other, let alone that his tongue had been in your mouth. 

And number two was that you hadn’t actually told Mike that you loved him. You did, god you did. You probably would have told him months ago if things were more normal. If you both worked 9 to 5s, you lived primarily in the same city, you could go on dates and pull him over to the side of the sidewalk, interrupting him mid-sentence to kiss him.

Unfortunately, you’d spent months apart, and while you spoke multiple times a day, at least through texts, it felt like not the right time.

You try to brush off your smile as you reply to him. Stop ittt you’re giving me an ego <333. In that exact moment, you know what you’d been spewing some media trained answer that avoided mentioning your partner but still felt authentic. “I’m just really glad that I spent most of my early twenties trying to find myself before trying to find someone else, I guess.”

Mike took a moment to reply. Guess you didn’t find me :( 

You giggle as you finish changing back into your own clothes out of the costume you’d just been wearing, ready to head home now that your last scene of the day had concluded. Nope! You sought me out 100% I actually have no idea who you are. 

That time the reply was instant. This is awkward then. What else is instant is the knock on your trailer door, the way you wrap your arms around him once you’d thrown open the door, and the knowledge that you’re going to tell him that you love him.

FIVE. september 2018

Mike knows that most people are more nervous to meet their girlfriend’s parents than he currently is, and ironically that actually does make him nervous. 

It wasn’t really his first time meeting them, he’d spoken to them on the phone before and he’d even texted your mom a couple of times when you’d asked him to. You’ve been his girlfriend officially for almost an entire year, but the two of you both agreed that you felt you’d been together since July of the year earlier. That was over one whole year together. Even if your parents didn’t like him - which, based off the amount that not only he’d spoken to them, but you’d talked about him, seemed almost impossible - it wasn’t going to be the be all or end all. 

But he wanted your mom’s birthday brunch (of which she was very serious about) to go well as his first official family event that he attended as your boyfriend. 

The two of you were getting ready at his place, as you do most days that you’re in New York. You spend maybe two or three months in your home state and as you and Mike are together for longer and longer, you spend as much time together as you can. Mike had not only let you spend every second you could at his apartment, he’d actively encouraged it. 

You’re wearing an outfit he’s seen on you a hundred times, standing in front of his bathroom mirror as he ducks in to grab his phone. He stops behind you, watching you apply mascara, and places both his hands on your shoulders. 

“Love you,” you say absent-mindedly, trying to focus on not stabbing yourself in the eye.

He squeezes your shoulders and kisses the back of your neck, the closest part he can reach. “Love you more. I’m ready to head out whenever you are.”

You lean back so your face is no longer just inches from the mirror. “Reservation’s at 11 so we should probably leave soon,” you say. “Give me five or so minutes.”

You let him hold your hand the entire way to the restaurant, knowing exactly how nervous he is. He’s a grown man, he knows your mom already loves him, but he appreciates that you don’t say any of this as he follows you into the restaurant.

Your mom is already there, with two seats beside her that Mike knows are reserved for you, and she leaps out of her chair at the sight of you. You greet her with a hug and a happy birthday, having let Mike hold the gift so he felt less like he was coming empty handed (you’d bought it together).  The second you’re out of her path, she’s coming for him. “Oh, it’s so lovely to finally get to meet you!” She’s gushing over him and he’s trying not to look embarrassed in front of you. 

He fits right in with your family, sitting on your left hand side while you sit pride of place beside your mom. He gets caught up in one of your mom’s friend’s conversations (“Oh I just adore Broadway, what’s it like?”) and that’s when your mom takes the opportunity to lean over and whisper over her bellini to you. 

You lean in so you can hear her without much strain. 

“I’ve never seen you look this happy.”

You beam back at her. 

SIX. november 2019

You’re thinking of selling your California apartment. 

You know it’s probably a bad idea, and that because you spend so much time in LA, it’s good to have a place to call home. But you also feel like it’s keeping you tied to the west coast. That you’re more likely to spend more time in California if you have a place there, and that’s not something that you want anymore. 

You’ve been in California for the last nine months, it’s been longer than that since you’ve seen your family, your friends, or your boyfriend. You missed your two-year anniversary because you spent the day on set and Mike wasn’t able to fly out due to his work schedule. 

You have your co-stars, people you spent months with every day that you genuinely enjoy being around - one of them you even worked with on a past project, you spend a lot of your free time with them between takes - but it’s not the same.

And now you’re done. You have over seven months until press from this movie begins and then you have to start working again. Normally, you’d stay in California while you looked for another project to latch onto, but that wasn’t what you wanted to do. 

You missed Mike, plain and simple. He was in New Jersey filming a movie, but that’s about as far away as he’d be if he was in New York. You knew of plenty of actors who didn’t live in LA and still made it work just fine, and as far as home states went, you could definitely have done worse than New York. 

“I think if it’s something you want to do you should look into it.” You’d called your boyfriend to have him either talk you into or out of it, but frustratingly all he’s done is point out that it’s your apartment and that he’d be kind of an asshole if he pushed his opinion on your assets onto you. 

“I want your opinion,” you let out a dramatic sob, sitting at your kitchen counter. Your phone is on speaker while you’re on your laptop, answering emails. 

Mike laughs, it’s crackly through the phone but you know the ins and outs, the layers of breath. “My opinion is that you should do what feels right for you, and I’ll back you up no matter what.”

“You’re annoying,” you grumble, changing tabs to instead look through your camera roll. You had a few days left to post one of your monthly photo dumps, something you much preferred to posting consistently. There was one photo that your camera roll had put in the forefront, of you at dinner with Mike and two of your mutual friends to celebrate his 27th birthday. You’d taken the photo almost eleven months earlier, and hadn’t done anything with it, but you did think you looked cute.

“I love you,” he offers instead.

You hum in response, bringing up the photo. “Is it weird if I post a photo from your birthday dinner? You’re not in it, obviously.”

He laughs at your bluntness. “Right, because why would I be in it? It’s only my birthday.”

That brings you out of it. “No, wait,” you giggle.  “Just cause I don’t want them to know that it’s your dinner, idiot.”

Mike groans. “I was gonna ask when you next are coming home but I actually don’t care anymore about it.”

“I’ll forgive you if you tell me what to do about my apartment.”

“Forgive me?”

“Fine, I love you or whatever.”

Mike laughs again, and you don’t even notice the crackles. “Or whatever.”

SEVEN. november 2019

You don’t think you’ve laughed this hard in a while. 

“I’m sorry,” she moans, leaning on your shoulder. 

You’re with one of your closest friends, sitting on your sofa, almost crying with laughter. You’d been staying with her while the sale of your California place was going down, with every intention of moving back home to New York after it was done. She’d commented on your yearly photo set, talking about a photo of you and your mom, and you’d realised exactly where people’s minds would go.

“No,” you giggle, “I was the one who decided to be messy and post the photo.” You’d posted a photo that had been taken of you and Mike when he’d come to visit you on set the year earlier. Everyone knew it was old, you’d thought it was funny, and sure you had probably revealed a little bit too much about your relationship, but Mike had thought it was funny too, so that was enough for you.

Your favourite part, though, was that not a single person had commented, tweeted, messaged you asking who he was, if he was your boyfriend, or what was happening. You hadn’t seen a single person give a fuck. 

The two of you had been sneaking around like teenagers and literally no one had cared, so Mike had allowed you to be a little messy on your Instagram feed. 

“If I’m the reason you and Mike get doxxed you can feel free to post any blackmail you have of me,” she promises. You can tell she feels awful about the possibility of having just exposed your multi-year long relationship, but if you’re honest you think it’s kind of funny. 

You wave her off. “No, I guarantee no one even cares. Worst case scenario someone asks, you just tell them you were talking about the photo of me and my mom, it’s so fine.”

The reason that you’d posted that photo now was because when it had been taken, things were definitely too new to be making hints towards it, and you would have posted a more recent picture but that was literally the only one of the two of you you could fine. 

And the best part was while all this was happening, so blatantly obvious to everyone who knew, you still got so many comments, dms - fucking interview questions - asking if you had a boyfriend, and every single time you’d either dodge it or outright say no. 

Your phone vibrated; a text from Mike. 

Rachel told me she hasn’t seen a single tweet about it and if anyone would have seen it it would be her.

yeah i run a stan account of you and haven’t put my phone down in 8 years - rachel :))))) She sends an entire row of kisses with hers. 

You’d met his costar a few times, only over the phone, and he sent you pictures of the two of them together on set often. You heart her message, giving his a thumbs up and knowing that she’d appreciate that. 

“See, it’s fine.” You show your friend. 

She breathes an audible sigh of relief. “In my defence you did post the photo.”

EIGHT. june 2020

The plan had been in the works for six months before it got derailed. Your California apartment had officially been sold, and you were set to move in to Mike’s place until you settled back in. Once things had calmed down with work for the two of you, you were going to start looking for your own place together. 

You’d ended your lease in your New York place, you had all of your stuff - not that you carted much around with you anyway - most of the furniture you had came with the place, and you’d donated or sold most of it. You had been living off of display furniture and minimal decorating, knowing that wherever it was would sit vacant most of the time anyway. This was going to be it, where you finally started building a life, and you’d be doing it with Mike. 

And then the country had gone into lockdown and, after a very lengthy conversation, the two of you had decided to relocate back to Columbus, Ohio, where he had a place for when he went to visit family.

It had been a fast move, but you’d planned for every thing that you possibly could have. Your family was safe, in New York, and you knew that was the best place for them to be. Your dad had an autoimmune disorder, so you knew that even if you were living in the city you wouldn’t be able to visit them much anyway. After three years with Mike, spending most of your relationship states away, you couldn’t let him leave without coming with him. 

So, there the two of you were. In Mike’s house in Ohio, one that was entirely familiar to him and somehow, it felt that way to you as well. Like you knew him so well that anything he knew was something you instinctively understood. 

Despite how long you’ve known Mike, how long you’ve loved him, you feel a bit like you’re taking over his space. Like when he moves something to make room for one of your trinkets that you’re minimising him in his own home.

He doesn’t let you think that for long. Sometimes you’ll come into your shared bedroom and find him rearranging his bookshelf so your books fit too, moving his Grammy to a shelf where there’s enough room for it to sit beside your awards, changing the sheets to a set that you’d picked out. 

You’ve been a successful working actor for the last eight years now, for almost five of them you’ve forgotten what it’s like to go outside and not worry that you’re going to be spotted. 

Sure, when you go outside now, you’re masked and there’s less people outside to recognise you. But to the people you do run into, you’re not an actor to them, not a celebrity, not anything. You’re Mike’s girlfriend. 

You can understand how that’s frustrating, you are your own person, but after three years of being together but constantly apart, you’re okay with your neighbours knowing you simply as Mike’s girlfriend. 

Now that you’re always in the house your screentime goes way down, you don’t need to text him anymore. All of the things that had you stressed and anxious to leave the house for have changed. And of course the state of the world is by no means good, but if everything is going to be happening anyway, you’re glad that you’re able to be with him during it. 

NINE. october 2020

You had become a bit of a homebody in the 9 months that you’d been living in Ohio. You only ever left the house when Mike did, and you didn’t go with him every time. Mike can tell it’s starting to wear on you a little bit. 

So, in an effort to pick yourself up a bit more, you’ve started doing all the grocery shopping. You and Mike make a list together so as to not give you all the mental load with it, but you walk down the few blocks to the small general store.

It’s convenient, a nice place, with a pharmacy attached to one side and a bakery on the other. Sometimes you take Austin and the girl who works at the bakery puts a bowl down for him while you go in and get your medication.

Sometimes you drive, when you have the aching exhaustion that only comes with being sad for hours on end, or when it’s raining, but the fresh air and just the act of being outside was usually enough to make you feel better.

It was late, and the pharmacy was closing soon when you realise you’d forgotten to pick up your medication, so it’s a no brainer that you’ll zip down and grab it while Mike makes dinner. 

You’ve slowly started setting down roots here, the shop assistants know your name and your prescription, they know you and Mike have officially moved into the mostly vacant house a few streets away, and they know that you seem like you’re maybe not always doing the best, because they’re always extra kind to you when you need it.

You like the domesticity. Sitting on the kitchen counter while goes through the fridge, telling you what to write down. Walking his dog - Austin absolutely loves you, which Mike did tell you is normal for most people - or holding his hand with his spare one on the leash. 

You’ve been really tired lately, and despite the fact that it’s meant to be your time to be by yourself and get fresh air, you find yourself in the kitchen, arms around your boyfriend’s waist. “Please?” You ask. 

Mike’s stirring something cheesy on the stove. You can smell it behind the wall of his cologne, the smell of wood and cinnamon. “Dinner’s almost ready,” he laughs and you feel the vibrations where your cheek is pressed to his back. “It’ll be cold by the time we get back.”

Your voice is small, and he knows he has zero intention of actually saying no to you, but he’s wondering if you’ll change your mind given a little bit of coaxing. 

“We have a microwave.” He wouldn’t be able to hear you if you weren’t so close to him. 

He loves you, and he’s also not blind. He can see you’re struggling. He likes to think he knows exactly when to give you space, and when you need him there. He puts the spoon down on the cutting board he has beside the stove and turns off the gas. “Okay,” he says comfortingly. 

You brighten, and he feels you stand up straighter. “You’ll come with me.”

Mike doesn’t even pretend to think about it this time. “Of course I will.”

TEN. february 2021

Press was finally happening for your project that you had filmed all the way back towards the end of 2019, and with that came your first ever zoom interview. It was a bit awkward, you’d never really liked doing press much face to face but now online it was worse. 

You and Mike had both found it a bit weird. He’d done a bit more of it in 2020 than you had, so you’d asked if he’d be in the room where possible to help ease your nerves. 

You were in your bedroom, set up at the designated Work Spot. You and Mike had made an agreement, no work was to be done outside of the Work Spot. It was the only thing that stopped it bleeding into your everyday life, especially now that you were working from home. 

Mike was out of frame so you could still see him, sitting in the corner reading a book. He’d glance up at you every single time you looked at him, like he could feel that you needed him. 

Things were going well, it wasn’t a standard interview with an interviewer, but rather you’d been given a list of questions that the group of you took turns asking the others and then answering yourself. 

There was a bit there where you knew you had a note written down about something important, but you’d written it on Mike’s phone. It was the only one near you at the time, and you were actively regretting it now.

You muted yourself on your computer and tried to subtly gesture for him. He notices you immediately and comes to stand right beside him. 

“Can I grab your phone really quick?” He hands it over.

“You okay?” He asks, wary of the camera he’s standing just outside of frame of. 

You unlock his phone and open up his notes app, trying to find what you’re doing. Mike didn’t have a phone case until you met him, but you’d cajoled him into a clear on“Did you…” you hum. “Did you move my note?”

You handed Mike back his phone and told him what he’s looking for and he scrolled for a second. “No?” He frowned. “Uh…” he bites his lip. “Oh wait, I cleared out a bunch of stuff hang on.”

You can hear everyone else, so you know no one has clocked your absence yet. “Found it,” he hands you back his phone and pulls up the one. “This one?”

“Love you,” you say in lieu of an answer. He gives you a look that makes a smile worm its way onto your face. 

Mike goes to sit back down as you skim through your note, ready to have your talking points ready. “Love you,” he calls back. 

When it’s eventually your turn to answer, you turn your microphone back on like nothing ever happened. And your costars, who all knew everything were was to know about exactly who you’d been talking to, all kept their mouths shut too. 

ELEVEN. august 2021

The material of your dress was scratching his skin, but Mike couldn’t seem to mind when you were so deliriously happy. In one hand you had a glass of champagne and in the other a beautiful bouquet of flowers that you’d snatched from the air after it had left the hands of your childhood best friend. 

People had been giving him knowing looks about it since then, upturned smirks and elbows to his ribcage. Mike laughed it off. The two of you were good, and he knew that you weren’t the type of girl to expect a proposal just because she caught the bouquet. 

Over the course of the night he had stood by, chatting idly with another group of plus ones. He’d met your best friend countless times, but there was no denying that he would not have been invited if he hadn’t been with you for the last four years. He was just happy that you seemed to be having a good time. 

Eventually, you staggered over to him, wrapping your arms around his neck. You weren’t drunk, didn’t need to be, you were simply so elated to not only be able to leave the house without feeling anxious but also to be able to celebrate your best friend getting married. 

“You okay, sweetheart?” He chuckled, your nose pressed to his adam’s apple. 

You hummed. “Yeah. Tired. Happy. Miss you,”

He ran his hand along the back of your dress, cringing at the material. “‘M right here.” 

The night was winding down, it was out in a big greenspace that they’d rented, the sun had well and truly set. You were basking in the glow of the massive outdoor lamps they’d set up, and they bathed you in a golden hue. 

“Thank you for coming with me,” you said genuinely. “I’m really happy.”

You were swaying on the spot slightly to the faded jazz playing in the background, and he let his arms envelope you, pulling you impossibly close to him. “Of course, baby,” he’s beaming wide, his voice low and soft. You can hear how happy he is.

It’s your first time being back in New York since you left, your longest stretch away from your home state in your whole life. The two of you have started looking for work again now that things are starting to open up. Mike’s riding the high of his West Side Story performance, he’s been getting offers since it came out. He hasn’t taken any of them, though, instead focusing on smaller things that he likes more. The TV show he’d spent a while filming in Texas had been cancelled, which was a shame because you really enjoyed watching TikTok edits of him in that. 

Instead, he’d been waving off scripts his agents sent him. He’d been asked to do a screen test in a movie in the UK, but he didn’t seem to interested in it. The most interesting thing about it was that his screen test was apparently with Zendaya, so you’d encouraged him to go just to meet her. 

Things are picking up again. Your agent’s sending you offers and auditions and after two years of not being on set you’re itching to get back.

But, getting back meant going back. 

You’d settled in Columbus. You didn’t want to leave, but you and Mike both knew that you’d have to go back to New York. 

It was something that you’d been talking about for a while, getting another place in New York. You’re fortunate enough that it’s something you’re able to afford, and it seems like a good idea. It doesn’t need to be discussed tonight, though. 

Instead, you ask him quietly, “Are we ever gonna get married?”

Mike mused, “Do you want to?”

You’re playing with the longer strands of hair on the back of his neck. “I think I might. With you.”

“Yeah?” He asks. He feels so warm inside there’s glee practically pouring from him. 

“Not right now, though,” you admit. “I think I want more of a career before I’m willing to become known as someone’s wife.” Mike knows exactly what you mean, and that even though you eventually want to be his wife, that regardless of what you’ve accomplished, from that moment on there will be people who know you exclusively as ‘Mike Faist’s wife.’ At this point in time, you’re not even known as his girlfriend, a fact that the two of you enjoy. 

“You just let me know,” he hums. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

You’ve been together almost four and a half years now and still no one knows. You don’t really need people to. 

You kiss his jaw and reach down to take off your heels, complaining about your feet. He takes them from you and watches as you make your way back towards your friends. He knows he’s going to ask you one day, and he knows you’ll say yes. The two of you know just how much you love each other. You don’t need anyone else to just yet. 

TWELVE. november 2021

So, a new arrangement has been reached. You n’t living in New York permanently but you have a lease on a place together. You’re back to doing live press, with the movie finally being shown in theatres. To be completely honest, you’re pretty much done with press on this movie. When you were cast in it three years ago, you didn’t expect that you would still be doing it. 

Mike is sympathetic but amused. They haven’t organised the screen test for that one movie yet but that’s because the director was working on another project and the one Mike had been scouted for had been pushed back for a short period. 

Sometimes companies will send you a car to come to your interview, but you take the subway home. Mike comes with you most times, more than happy to come tag along and sit in a room with your stuff and bring you your water bottle between shoots. 

“Thank you, baby,” you tell him genuinely the fourth time he does it. He kisses your forehead. “You didn’t have to come with me, I appreciate you.”

He hums as if the idea hadn’t occurred to him. “I need to earn my keep somehow, I’ve been your stay at home boyfriend for like two years.”

You giggle around the straw of your water bottle, softening at the way he reaches to take it from you. “And your services have been appreciated and they will be missed when you inevitably book again.”

It’s not something that you expect to be so comforted by. The knowledge that wherever you’re living - Ohio, New York, California, wherever, even if you’re in different states - that you just love being around him. No matter how much time he spends with you, he doesn’t get sick of you, you don’t get sick of him. 

You’re infinitely happier when he’s within arms reach than when he’s not. 

“Only book I care about is the one I’m reading over there,” he leans in to kiss you briefly. The director of the shoot gives out the five minute warning to roll into the next section, Mike takes your phone and water bottle and heads back to his corner. 

It’s almost comedic, the way that the producer immediately starts the next section with asking you “Do you have a celebrity crush?”

You have to make a conscious effort to not look over at Mike, even though you know he’s watching you. 

“Uh,” you laugh awkwardly, “I don’t really have one.”

Your coworkers’ faces are stone, and you don’t know if that make you want to laugh more or not. You keep your eyes directed straight at the barrel of the camera and you know everyone’s going to see how uncomfortable you are. 

“I guess having one when…” you struggle to find the right words, “when you are where I am in life, is just kind of weird,” you laugh again. “It feels wrong, I don’t know.”

You finally let your gaze land on your boyfriend. He’s smiling at you, and you calm immediately knowing that even once you’re out of this building, back on the train to your one bedroom, your hand in his, sharing earbuds, he’ll be there. 

THIRTEEN. april 2022

“Tell me again, what she said,” your feet are in Mike’s lap. You have people over, and you can’t imagine being happier. Your apartment is bustling, a charcuterie board that you are very proud of on the kitchen counter. You still have New Years decorations up, and there’s music playing. Mike got back from his screen test a week ago, and you’re revelling in his presence again. 

Mike takes a sip of his drink and moves so he’s resting his arm on your calf. You have a few of your friends sitting on the sofas around you, hanging on to every word. “She told me to tell you-”

You interrupt him, too excited “She brought me up!” You giggle over your champagne. 

Mike giggles, the side of his mouth pinching up with his smile. “Zendaya wanted me to tell you that she had just seen your most recent movie, and that she thought you were really good in it.”

You flail back so you’re resting on the arm of a friend. “Zendaya knows my name.”

One of your friends puts his drink down on the coffee table. “Don’t you guys have a Grammy in your bedroom, why are you surprised by this?”

“It’s not mine,” you roll your eyes, tipsy off the champagne and drunk on the party. “I would never take credit for my wonderful boyfriend’s accomplishment.”

“She’s taken so many selfies with it,” the friend you’re leaning on chimes in. 

Mike laughs and almost as if by magnet you’re trying to get closer to him. Your head comes up beside his, resting on the wall behind the couch, his hand on the back of your neck. 

You don’t even know what you’re celebrating. Just being able to have people over, having a space to have them in. Having someone you’d want to host a party with. 

“Okay, and?” you shoot back. “You’ve taken selfies with me.”

He’s kissed the hollow of your collarbone, his hair, getting longer now, tickling your neck. You love him so much, you’re surprised there’s enough room in the apartment for all your guests with how much space it’s taking up. 

The apartment itself is obviously a new development in your life, but the area isn’t. Just two streets over is the apartment you were living in when you met Mike. Barely furnished, not decorated, not lived in. 

A place so physically close to the room you’re sitting in with a group of people you love more than life, but that couldn’t have possibly been further away. Now you have family pictures on the wall, you have his toothbrush right beside yours. You have a ticket to the show of Dear Evan Hansen you went and saw right when you two got together, sitting front row in the audience and marveling in the fact that the man onstage liked you, pride of place in your clear phone case. He has a ticket stub from that time a theatre in Columbus was playing a rerun of your feature film debut and he’d dragged you with him to go see it wedged in his. You have a delicate chain around your neck with an M on it so well hidden it might as well be lost to legend, he has your first initial hanging on his keychain.

It’s been five years, three lived-in states, several hundred shared meals, and an apartment just two streets away, but as you laugh at a story someone is telling, your cheek pressed against Mike’s, you’ve never felt closer to home.

[englishotomegames]

Genso Manège (幻想マネージュ)

Release dates (Nintendo Switch, Steam) Japanese: January 30th, 2020 English: January 31st, 2025

"I will awaken the magic within you, and you will free us from the Rêve...

Set in a wondrously evocative re-imagining of France, a beautifully crafted otome visual novel following Emma, orphaned at a young age, as she fights to uncover her forgotten memories. A witch who lost her powers when young and now living a quiet life, Emma is led by the memento her father left her and finds herself swept away with the arrival of a travelling amusement park in town.

Filled with magic and dreams but holding a dark secret, Emma feels an immediate connection to the wondrous La Foire du Rêve. She discovers that hidden underneath the lustrous fairy-like charm of the park, its employees are trapped, bound to the amusement park and only the magic within Emma can free them. But it has been years since Emma has been able to access her magic, and she must dig deep within herself, navigating painful repressed memories, in order to recover it.

Working at the Rêve as she unravels the tangled threads of her forgotten past, Emma forges bonds with the employees of the amusement park. A cast of wonderful characters; the dazzling director Hugo, the stoic accountant Serge, the Tsundere Performer Crier, the kind-hearted rabbit Lyon, the Reclusive Mechanic Luciole, and Emma’s special childhood friend, Arnaud. Each character with their own crosses to bear, stories of tragedy and longing woven together with desperation, Emma builds deepening bonds of friendship, and maybe more, as she works to unlock her magic and their freedom."

This is a commercial visual novel! You can buy the physical version from Amazon.com here, or you can buy the digital version from Steam here, or from the Nintendo store here.

[satoshi-mochida]

Genso Manege coming west for Switch, PC

From Gematsu

PQube will release MAGES.-developed otome visual novel Genso Manege, also known as Rever d’un Manege, for Switch and PC via Steam in the west, the publisher announced. A release date was not announced.

Genso Manege first launched for Switch on January 30, 2020 in Japan under MAGES.’ LOVE & ART brand, followed by iOS on October 9, 2020.

Here is an overview of the game, via PQube:

About

I will awaken the magic within you, and you will free us from the Reve… Set in a wondrously evocative re-imagining of France, a beautifully crafted otome visual novel following Emma, orphaned at a young age, as she fights to uncover her forgotten memories. A witch who lost her powers when young and now living a quiet life, Emma is led by the memento her father left her and finds herself swept away with the arrival of a travelling amusement park in town. Filled with magic and dreams but holding a dark secret, Emma feels an immediate connection to the wondrous La Foire du Reve. She discovers that hidden underneath the lustrous fairy-like charm of the park, its employees are trapped, bound to the amusement park and only the magic within Emma can free them. But it has been years since Emma has been able to access her magic, and she must dig deep within herself, navigating painful repressed memories, in order to recover it. Working at the Reve as she unravels the tangled threads of her forgotten past, Emma forges bonds with the employees of the amusement park. A cast of wonderful characters; the dazzling director Hugo, the stoic accountant Serge, the Tsundere Performer Crier, the kind-hearted rabbit Lyon, the Reclusive Mechanic Luciole, and Emma’s special childhood friend, Arnaud. Each character with their own crosses to bear, stories of tragedy and longing woven together with desperation, Emma builds deepening bonds of friendship, and maybe more, as she works to unlock her magic and their freedom. With its gorgeously subdued artwork, radiating warmth and romance, Genso Manege is a dream-like otome fantasy with an outstanding visual power that conjures an unforgettably bittersweet tale.

Key Features

Breathtaking Romance – Six different male leads to sweep you off your feet, follow their character routes and uncover their secrets.

A Thriving Town – Near the French border, this culturally rich location sets the scene for an unforgettably magical tale.

Dazzling Pastel World – Expertly crafted characters and artwork paint a dreamy picture of romance and magic, making this a visual novel in every sense.

Magical Mini Games – Utilize the Eveil System, an enjoyable game mechanic, woven into the story to help you recover Emma’s magical abilities.

Voiced Characters – Unique characters brought to life by stunning voice acting allow you to experience first-hand the different personalities trapped in the Reve.

An Unforgettable Tale – Sweet and touching yet tinged with sadness, Genso Manege weaves a tale which is as happy as it is bittersweet.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first English screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Trailer

[biggerbearficrecs]

December 2024 Fic Recs

A list of what I’ve read/am reading this month.

(Note: Sorry this is so delayed. I'll have January up soon and then hopefully I'll be back on schedule with February. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do individualized graphics like I did last round. Moving forward, I think I'm going to use the new one I have posted here for each rec because it is the ultimate time-saver and that's a huge assist I can use right now. Also, due to limited # of images in each post (Tumblr's rules), there won't be dividers between entries)

but who could stay? by @rubysunnday (Colin Bridgerton x Reader)

Summary: Every time Colin Bridgerton returned from travelling the world, there was always an urge inside him to run away again as soon as he could. There was only one woman who could make him stay. Y/N Barrett waited for Colin, but he never stayed long enough for her to tell him her feelings. Now she is engaged and about to enter a loveless marriage arranged by her parents. All she wants is for Colin to stay in London long enough to realise the truth of their relationship.

Teaser:

"Has Lady Whistledown written of these rumours?"

"You and I both know she will not," Y/N replied with a quick roll of her eyes. "Not only had she not been seen since last season, she has changed her column entirely and now writes exclusively in support of the debutantes! I do not understand how you can go from writting rumours and scandal and causing the public downfall of several well known figures to... well, promoting other women!"

"Perhaps she has had a change of heart," Colin suggested.

"Leopards rarely change their spots, mon ami," Y/N said softly. "Anyway, enough about scandal and rumour," she extracted her arm from his and turned to face him, "how are you?"

Colin stopped walking. He looked at her, her gentle smile, her bright eyes. "I am... okay."

"Just okay?" Y/N asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

"I want to leave again," Colin admitted quietly. "Already, women are staring at me and eyeing me up as if I am their dinner. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable, to be honest. I know that all they want is Colin Bridgerton and not just Colin."

Y/N gave him a sympathetic smile. "Does it help that I am only interested in Colin?"

Colin found his lips curving up into a smile. "It does," he told her, "more than I can say. Which reminds me."

He reached a hand into the pocket of his coat - a coat that Hyacinth had kindly nicknamed his 'pirate coat' - and pulled out a dark velvet bag pulled taught by a silver tassel. Colin held it out to Y/N and she took it with her lilac gloved hands.

"You bought me a present?" Y/N exclaimed, holding the bag as if it was glass.

"I did not want you to feel left out," Colin said, his smile widening as Y/N stared in awe at the bag.

"Colin, it's beautiful!"

"Oh, the bag isn't the gift," Colin said quickly. "The gift is inside the bag."

Y/N's cheeks burnt with embarrassment. "Oh, yes, of course."

She carefully pulled open the bag and turned it upside down, tipping whatever was inside into the palm of her hand. Out tumbled a pair of silver embroidery scissors, engraved to look like a bird.

"Oh, Colin, they're gorgeous," Y/N whispered. "Where did you find them?"

Colin's smile grew. "A shop in Spain. They had other types but... well, they were different."

He had to confess, he was utterly delighted at her reaction. He knew Y/N loved her embroidery - she had endless baskets of thread and material and often sat in the park working on her current project. For his birthday, Y/N had gifted him a hand embroidered waistcoat featuring different birds and flowers from across the globe. Colin had taken it with him on his travels, wearing it as often as he could.

So, when he had seen the little embroidery scissors in the store, he knew he head to buy them. He had carried them around for six months and now, finally, they were in her hands.

"I have needed new scissors for a while," Y/N told him, her eyes still focused on the scissors. She gently turned them over in her hand, the metal glinting in the sunlight. "Thank you, Colin."

The Honorable Choice by @zepskies (Dean Winchester x OFC)

Summary: June 1872. Captain Dean Winchester of the U.S. Cavalry is tasked with one job: break a wild mustang. He just didn’t expect the woman who infiltrates his camp, intent on freeing her tribe’s horse.

Teaser:

Dean comes to find a young woman being detained by two of his men, Kline and Novak. Roman sports a bloody nose and his eye is already beginning to swell. The woman fights against their hold.

Even under the pale moonlight, Dean notes the way she’s dressed: a deer skin dress cinched at the waist, over thin pants and shoes. He surveys her tan skin, her black hair that blends into the night, twisted into a long braid, and the anger in her dark eyes.

“What have we got here?” Dean says. He stows his gun in its holster as he approaches her, resting his hands at his belt.

“I caught her breaking into the stables, Captain,” Roman says. He prods with a hiss at his busted nose while trying to stem the bleeding. That’s going to be a bad break.

She remains tight lipped, stubborn. 

“Probably doesn’t even understand English. Savage bitch,” he says. Dean shoots him an impassive look to cover up his annoyance.

“Put a cork in it, Roman,” he orders. Then, he focuses back on her. “You’re a Lakota, aren’t you?”

Aside from their main mission here in the Dakota Territory, the Colonel has been fixed on fighting back against the Lakota Indians, especially after they sabotaged the supply line last month.

The proud tilt of the woman’s chin is her only answer to Dean’s question. Her gaze drags down his form with disdain, like he’s the savage. His mouth twitches mirthlessly. 

“The Lakota rear up their own horses pretty damn well. Why would you want to steal one of ours?” he asks.

She glances away from him, first at her feet, then over at the camp’s latest “guest.” Dean, Benny, and a few of his men wrangled up a horse a few days ago. He’s a beautiful Kiger mustang with a nasty mean streak. He barely got through a trim this afternoon, and almost took a chunk out of Rufus when he tried to brand the horse.

The Colonel ordered them to tie the horse up to a post just outside the corral—no food or water for three days. He’d turned to Dean with a firm set to his face and issued a single order.

“Break him.”

Now, Dean catches the furtive look the Lakota woman gives the horse, who flicks his tail. The animal stares right at her, as if into her eyes.

“Oh, don’t tell me you here for him,” Dean says with a chuckle. “That thing’s a little too much for you, sweetheart.”

That earns her attention, steely and unimpressed.

“He is too much for you,” she says.

hurts like hell by @justagirlinafandomworld (Alpha!Dean Winchester x Beta Female!Reader)

Summary: You love Dean Winchester, Alpha and heir to the Winchester pack. But his parents believe Dean will only be a strong pack leader with an Omega mate at his side. A wedding date is set and Dean, ever the dutiful son, will not let his parents down. You love Dean Winchester, and it hurts like hell.

Teaser:

Dean had agreed to meet you for one purpose. To end it.

With words that had been force fed and then practiced, he ripped out your heart and crushed it bloody with his fingers. But his wolf would not have it, he saw you in distress and wanted nothing more than to ease your pain. He slipped.

When his face buried into your neck, his breath hot on your sensitive skin, you shuddered against him, eyes rolling to the ceiling.

The Wolf Queen by @romancingromanoff (Sansa Stark x Female!Reader)

Summary: As the new Lady of Bear island you are called to the coronation of the new Queen in the North. After a harsh winter that seemed to take all hope of future happiness away from you, a certain red headed beauty’s kind heart rekindles a flame in your heart brighter than ever before.

Teaser:

Seated at the end of a long table, you quietly picked at your own food half-expecting to be doing so until the night was over when a young boy tapped on your shoulder.

“My Lady, the Queen would like to speak with you.”

“With me?” you were surprised that she would call upon you; not only because Bear Island was such a small part of the vast North, but also because you had occupied the position of Lady of Bear Island for less than three days time and frankly felt under qualified. 

“Yes, you are the new Lady Mormont, are you not?” Lady Mormont. How strange that sounded. Sure, a few times in your life you had thought of how your mother might have turned out to be the one with that title had she not married your father, but never had you ever guessed that it would be used to reference yourself. It felt wrong thinking of yourself as such; you felt like you were pretending to be some type of character as you caught a deep gulp in your throat and slowly nodded at the question. 

As you were escorted to the front of the table and the center of the hall where the Queen sat watching over the entire feast, you tried to recall everything your mother had taught you about being a highborn lady. Technically, you were one by birth but living in isolation on an island where the only other highborn house was more like your extended family, formalities hadn’t been stressed too much between you and the Mormonts. You feared you would have no idea how to correctly behave in front of Sansa Stark.

“Your grace,” you offer before bowing at her seat, never taking your eyes off of the floor. Just at one up close glance, you could feel the breath in your lungs hitch itself almost like you had a hiccup and you nervously pleaded that you would not lose your voice. She was extremely tall, even sitting down, but her arms were placed neatly in her lap as she wore a small but pleasant smile on her face. She didn’t seem to try and be intimidating in any sense, yet somehow her raw beauty still managed to have you shaking.

“Lady Mormont, please, it is my pleasure to have you here,” she beckoned the servant to pull out the chair next to her. “Please, sit,” you eyed the chair a bit unsure of what to do but carefully took the seat to her right, trying to remember to smooth out the back of your dress before you did.

Letting You Go by @caplanbuckybarnes (Emmett Cullen x Reader)

Summary: You wanted to see Emmett again, but you realise it was a lost cause.

Teaser:

The woods surrounding Forks were darker than you remembered. The dense canopy of evergreens blocked out most of the moonlight, leaving only thin beams to guide your path. Your breath came out in short bursts as you weaved through the trees, the familiar chill of the air biting at your skin. You knew this place like the back of your hand, and yet tonight, it felt different. Like the shadows themselves were warning you to turn back.

But you couldn’t. Not when you had come this far.

You’d told yourself a thousand times that you wouldn’t come back—that this part of your life was over. But staying away had proven impossible, and no matter how hard you tried to move on, something kept pulling you back to Forks. Back to him.

If You Want Me, You Can Have Me by @bullet-prooflove (Rip Wheeler x Reader)

Summary: They say that Rip Wheeler doesn't have a heart.

Teaser:

Rip doesn’t have a heart, at least that’s what they say about him. They see his hard edges, his gruff exterior, the aura of violence and they think there’s a barbed wire where one should be.

For a while even he thinks it’s true. The world has battered him, bruised him, broken him, he doesn’t have the capacity for softness anymore. He tells you that after you fuck him for the second time.

“Don’t expect anything from me. I don’t have anything to give you.”

His relationships have aways been physical, raw, primal. It’s about stress relief, not connection. He assumes it’s going to be the same with you until it isn’t.

Imagine Hydra capturing your wife Wanda by @hughiecampbelle (Wanda Maximoff x Reader)

Teaser:

You could see her, clear as day, the arrow striking her, sticking to her forehead before lighting up with electricity. There was no time to think or do anything, all you could do was helplessly watch as she shook, being electrocuted, her body falling limply to the ground.

Dean and Jo, a trampoline and a kitten by @audreyii-fic (Dean x Jo)

Teaser:

“It’s evil.”

“It is not evil.”

“Then why did it scratch me?”

“Because it can tell you don’t like it.” Jo looks at Dean sideways. “Besides, I want to scratch you most of the time too.”

“That’s because you’re evil too,” grumbles Dean.

It's Halloween by @winchestergirl2 (Dean Winchester x Reader)

Summary: Charlie and Y/N try to convince Sam, Dean, and Cas to go to a Halloween party.

Teaser:

Turning to y/n, "Come on I’ve got an idea," pulling you towards the stairs of the bunker.

"Do you really think we can convince the guys they need to dress up for this party? I really don’t think Sam is going to go for this." "He will when he realises what little effort he has to put into it," Charlie said, turning around and holding up a selection of costumes.

"Are you sure about this?" Y/n asked, looking at what Charlie was holding, "Absolutely it’s going to be great! Go try your outfit on," Shoeing y/n off to the dressing room. "Charlie, do we really need to buy them though couldn’t we just rent some costumes?"

"Of course we need to buy them this way you get to wear it again whenever you... or someone else likes, " she teased with a knowing wink. Y/n rolled her eyes at her friends comment with a grin and headed back into the changing room.

Jessica Rabbit x Female!Reader by @reaper2187

Teaser:

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the club. The place was dimly lit, filled with the low hum of chatter and the occasional clink of glasses. Her eyes scanned the room until they found her—Jessica Rabbit, the stunning redhead, sitting at the bar, a vision of elegance and allure in her form-fitting, glittering red dress.

Y/N felt a smile tug at her lips as she walked over. Jessica turned, her eyes lighting up when she saw Y/N approaching. She slid off the barstool with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly and met her halfway, wrapping her arms around Y/N in a warm, welcoming embrace.

“Hey, you,” Jessica purred, her voice like honey. “I’ve missed you.”

Y/N wrapped her arms around Jessica’s waist, pulling her close. “I’ve missed you too,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to Jessica’s temple. “You look amazing.”

Jessica chuckled, a soft, melodic sound that sent shivers down Y/N’s spine. “You’re not so bad yourself, Y/N.”

Boots by @crowfootwrites (SDV Alex x GN!Farmer)

Summary: #28 drabble

Teaser:

The rhythmic crunch of boots in the snow carried over the path leading up to the farmhouse and you glanced up from your seat on the porch steps, hastily knocking snow off your own boots, to see Alex coming through the gate. Your heart thumped wildly at the sight, marveling at how he still managed to look so handsome bundled beneath a multitude of winter layers, his hunter green beanie pulled low over his head.

French Mistakes and the Like // I Notice All Too Well by @lowpolyoverlord (Frenchie x Reader, Soldier Boy x Reader)

Summary: The relationship that you have with Frenchie isn’t perfect-everyone can tell. When Soldier Boy takes an interest in you-the others can definitely notice all too well.

Teaser:

Soon after, you escape into your kitchen to enjoy what alone time you had without having to see Frenchie’s display of affection to what he had always said was “platonic” between him and Kimiko. You sighed. Leaning your head against the window, your eyes fluttering open and shut to keep awake.

“You alright there Princess?” You jolt awake by Soldier Boy’s voice. You swivel around as your accidentally go face first into his chest.

He was extremely close to you.

His red gloved hands rubbed your shoulders.

“Whoa there, it’s just me kid.” He whispers.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” You chuckled nervously.

“It’s your kitchen, sweetheart. Hell it’s your place. Sleep where you want to. I just came to grab a beer. You want one?” You shook your head no, he let’s go of you and opens the fridge grabbing the closest bottle he could.

“Thanks for offering. I’m feeling a bit lightheaded-so I shouldn’t.” He nods his head slowly, taking a quick swig of the bottle in his hand.

“You hungry? I was going heat up them leftovers you made last night?” You look up at him, surprised.

“Actually like my cooking? Thought the chili tasted crap from how everyone was acting like last night.” Soldier Boy snorts when you said that.

“I ate three fucking bowls of that. Excuse my language, sweetheart. I’m about to finish the rest of it.” His smile is bright. It is happy and sweet. Unlike how he usually was.

Push The Button by @smol-and-grumpy (Jensen Ackles x Reader)

Summary: No record session is the same. This one certainly is out of this world.

Teaser:

The door opens and she leans in, a smile on her face. “Hi,”

“Hey,” he replies, takes off his earphones and hangs it up.

“Uh… Steve told me to push some buttons,” she walks in closer, “I just can’t really remember which were the right ones to push?” She has a confused frown on her face and Jensen thinks it’s ridiculously cute.

“Come here,” he tells her and as soon as she’s close enough for him to touch, he pulls her close, kisses her forehead, her nose, finally kisses her lips, tastes how fucking sweet she is. He parts involuntarily from her for a brief second and looks down at her, her arms around his waist and he likes that. He can smell her scent and he definitely feels like a fucking teen because he gets hard awfully fast when she’s so close. “I can show you which buttons to push.”

Our Own Holiday by @mind-empty-just-fictional-people (Tom Hanniger x Reader)

Summary: tom can’t celebrate valentine’s day, you can’t celebrate halloween

Teaser:

You walked through the kitchen and to your back door, smiling when you saw who was there.

“Tom? Oh my god!” you giggled a little after unlocking the door and letting him in.

“I know this night is tough for you so I figured you’d want some company.” He smiled, somewhat sadly, and held up a large bag of candy. “I would’ve been here about two hours ago but I had to find non-Halloween-themed candy and the Target around the corner was out. I had to go to the one on Washington Road.”

“Thank you, Tom,” you said, a smile now on your lips.

“How’re you feeling?” he asked. “Have you gotten many trick-or-treaters?”

“I’ve had a few knocks but I haven’t answered the door,” you said. He put his hands on your shoulders before he pulled you into a hug. “I feel like absolute shit,” you admitted.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“That’s okay. How ‘bout this; I’ll go put a bowl out for the trick-or-treaters and a sign that says not to knock or ring the bell, we can cuddle on the couch and watch movies. It’ll be like… Well, not Valentine’s Day cause I hate that. It’ll be our own holiday that we celebrate twice a year while the rest of the world is celebrating stupid Halloween or Valentine’s Day.”

“My god, what did I do to deserve you, Tom?” You looked up at him as you both pulled back from the hug and he shrugged a little.

“Well, last Valentine’s you did stay with me for the whole day and kept me distracted so I wouldn’t think about it.”

“So…is this the second time we’re celebrating this new holiday of ours, then?”

“You’re right! We need a name for it,” he said as you both walked to the couch before sitting down. You snuggled into his side as he put an arm around your shoulders.

“The Hanniger Holiday,” you suggested.

Home by @syrma-sensei (Soldier Boy x Reader)

Summary: Ben's discovering new life affairs while expecting his first baby.

Teaser:

Soldier Boy guzzled down his third raw drink before he decided to call it a day and go home. He took off his supe gear and changed into more casual clothes in the dressing room in his quarters at Vought's tower after he took a quick shower. He shook his head with a sneer when he tugged the shirt above his head, remembering her telling him —bossing him— that he wasn't to come home stinking with blood and cigars and whiskey and Vought. Soldier Boy didn't take shit from anyone, but he found himself helpless against her wishes—orders. He was grinning though, amusedly so. Sometimes he wondered where his obedient and good wife went. He liked that version of her, nonetheless.

Though he liked to think that his baby was igniting her wild spirit, his pretty wife seemed to have gotten quite sensitive to strong scents, and her stomach grew weak ever since he got her pregnant with their first child four months ago. It was chiselled in his mind; the memory of her hoping onto his chest with happy shrieks when he returned from work affirming the news.

He had been sensing the baby's presence for a week thanks to his superhuman senses before that, and he'd told her that night to go check on it with a doctor. They were eagerly trying to have a baby so it was of no surprise, but it still pulled a huge smile on his lips and made pride swell in his chest. He was going to be a father in nine months. The thing he wanted to be the most.

But as it turned out, pregnancy wasn't as magical as his mind fantasised to be. It wasn't all fuzzy and beautiful like he imagined. He cursed the damn commercials for that. Fucking marketing.

Get Him To The Con by @arazialotis (Jensen Ackles x Reader)

Summary: The reader stumbles into Jensen at her favorite bar, a very drunk Jensen. She soon realizes Jensen was booked for a con this weekend and has to be eight hours from town in only two.

Teaser:

“Okay, Jensen.” You took the menu from him and his eyes followed landing on your chest. You signaled for him to look up. He made eye contact and his riled up exterior melted into the cheesiest smile. “So, this um… again, I know this is weird, but I kinda follow you…”

“Wow…” He put his hands under his chin. “If I had known…”

“Hey! Back to the topic.” You snapped your fingers. “Don’t you have the Saturday night special or whatever it’s called in like two hours?”

“Don’t worry sweetheart.” He sipped on his empty glass. “I got a flight at 4:00.”

“Jensen! It’s 7:00 PM!” You stood up fishing for your keys. “Mitch! I’ll be back for the bottles, Tuesday okay.”

“Y/N, that’s against our policy.” Mitched warned, loud enough for the other patrons to hear.

You pulled on Jensen’s elbow. “I’m getting him outta here, aren’t I? Tuesday.” You demanded. Mitch rolled his eyes and eventually nodded his compliance.

“Mmm, where are you taking me so fast, darling?” Jensen slurred.

You patted his shoulder, but ignored his question. “So you got luggage or something?” You remembered Mitch mentioning he showed up in an Uber. “What hotel were you staying at?” You got him to your car and slide him into the passenger’s seat. He smuggly shrugged his shoulders. “Do you have a room key or something?” You asked impatiently.

“Want to get into my room eh?” He pulled out his wallet searching through it so slowly it was painful.

Had it been any other circumstance, you would have been on cloud nine. But you knew how expensive con tickets were. You knew hundreds of fans were relying on him to be there. It made your stomach twist with anxiety. For some reason you felt responsible to get him there, or at least to a flight. He finally handed you a room key. It was downtown but on the way to the airport. You floored it out of the brewery, weaving your way in and out of traffic as best as possible. Once you reached the towering hotel, you stole Jensen’s wallet taking his ID and room key and leaving him in the car. He protested at first but you found an old ‘Instyle’ magazine in your backseat and it seemed to keep him occupied.

You ran into the hotel, partially explaining the situation. Thankfully, he had initially checked out hours ago and his luggage was ready to go waiting behind the front desk. You politely tipped the bellboy who helped you shove everything into your back seat.

“Alright, let’s get you on a plane.” You pulled out of the hotel’s brick roundabout and made way for the airport.

Jensen still was flipping through the magazine. He held it up looking between it and you. “I don’t know why you aren’t in here.”

You burst out laughing. “Jesus! Are you always this big of a flirt?”

“You should see me when I’m trying.” He bragged.

lazy mornings by @ryngzmn (Sam Winchester x Reader)

Summary: you and sam have the ‘day off’ from hunting, so you decide to keep him in bed.

Teaser:

When Sam woke up around his usual 6AM time, he looked over in your direction.

You were still asleep, head resting on his chest as your arms were loosely wrapped around his torso.

Sam’s hands found your arms, gently prying them off as he swung his legs over the side of the mattress.

He was about to get up before he heard your groggy voice and your hand reaching out for his arm.

“Nope, you’re staying here.” You murmured, squeezing his arm gently.

You could see the protests start to form on his tongue so you gave his arm a small tug for good measure.

He eventually relented, climbing back under the covers and cradling you to his chest again.

“But I have stuff to do.” Sam excused, smoothing down your slightly messy hair with his palm.

“No you don’t.”

Frequency by @previousloversandmuses (Soldier Boy x Reader)

Teaser:

He takes a deep breath in through his nostrils. Placing two big hands under my ass while he fixes his posture on the chair. He cradles the back of my head, lacing rough fingers into my hair. Pulling me back until I’m looking him in the eyes.

“What do you want?” He asks plainly. I sigh, rolling my eyes, trying to pry myself out of his grip. “You know this doesn’t work on me.”

He pulls me tighter, my hair follicles hanging on to my scalp by sheer luck. I whimper, the feeling knocking the breath out of me for a second. 

“You come up here to see me, of all people, wearing this pretty little get up.”

He uses his other hand to pull my lower half closer into his, wrapping his arm around my waist. My ribs could turn to dust under this vice grip.

“You know what I’m here to ask for.”

“We’ve been over this so many times now.” He tsks at me. “Tell me what’s in it for me, and I’ll consider it.”

I glare at him. This routine is like clockwork by this point. I come to him with a plan for revenge and he shoots me down everytime. I know he agrees with me, I know he wants it just as bad as I do, but this is his leverage. He can be so fucking evil. 

Beau Arlen x Female!Reader by @anklesoverackles

Teaser:

the only light in the bathroom is the two eucalyptus candles burning on the countertops by the mirror. old love songs play softly from the speaker you have set on the floor, creating a comforting atmosphere. the air is stuffy and warm, the hot water decompressing every muscle in your body.

you sigh as you sink into the water, letting the water take you away to a fresh mindset, resetting your entire system. it’s refreshing to relax. your eyes close and you’re finally drifting until the door cracks open, letting the light from the hallway pour in. but then you feel his presence, hearing his footsteps and hearing glass clank.

beau enters the dark bathroom, smelling the eucalyptus candles and shutting the door softly. he knows what this is and he is already prepared. from how you walked through the door that evening from work, he knew you’d need some relaxation and time to yourself. but he wanted to be romantic, knowing you guys haven’t seen each other except for a couple hours a day.

Plants by @boxesandrings (SDV Leah x Female!Farmer)

Summary: Leah and The Farmer clean out the old greenhouse

Teaser:

Leah frowned, surveying the greenhouse. Her wife had repaired the old structure, long before Leah had even moved in, but it had fallen back into a state of semi-disrepair. The fruit trees were overgrown and unruly, the soil dry and cracked, filled with dead plants. Leah’s wife sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. Her fists were shoved into the pockets of her overalls.

“This, uh… kinda fell to the side while I was working on all the barns.” Leah snorted.

“More like fell off the wagon entirely. Come on, let’s get into it.” Leah tramped into the mess and got on her knees, and began the process of uprooting all the dead plants. The Farmer followed closely behind, sighing.

Quiet Mornings by @heavysighing-dreamyeyes (Jason Todd x Reader)

Teaser:

Jason Todd loves waking up before you in the morning. Light spilling into your shared bedroom through the cracks in the curtain, the warm, lazy feeling lingering in the air as you sleep, pressed up against him. Hair messy and limbs tangled together.

He holds you snuggly against his chest, adjusting and positioning himself until you’re even closer to him. Face pressed to the top of your head, skin pressed to skin, all without interrupting your sleep— he wants you to know that you’re safe.

You are safe. No matter where you are, as long as he’s with you, you are safe.

Right As Rain by @klutzygirl (Cassie x Jenny)

Summary: Jenny can't keep her hands off her pregnant wife, much to Cassie's annoyance.

Teaser:

Jenny couldn’t keep her hands off her pregnant wife, much to Cassie’s annoyance. “Are you going to keep this up the entire time? I’m only five months along,” Cassie pointed out.

“Sorry, you just look beautiful carrying our kid. Now I understand why men can’t stop touching their pregnant significant others.” Jenny felt possessive of Cassie in a way she hadn’t before, which was slightly concerning.

The baby kicked Jenny’s hand, and they both smiled. “This kid loves her mamas. But seriously, you need to stop because you’re driving me up the wall.”

Oh, and before I forget…

Thank you!!! 💕💕

all dividers by @saradika-graphics

[httpknjoon]

proof, they say | ksj

plot | Every proof that random people took just to prove your relationship.

words | 2.2k+

genres | humor/crack, fluff, actors!au

pairing | actor!jin x famous!reader

note | usernames used in the fic are all fictional. this "thread" is briefly mentioned in lie detector test. I was second-guessing if I should post this for a while. now, I am posting it before the finale! I have more proofs but I chose not to put it here anymore! if you want to read more proofs, send me an ask and I'll gladly reply with it. enjoy reading!

main masterlist | drabble series

Sometime in 2021, Twitter user @/bluemoon04 posted a thread of tweets, which later became one of the most essential posts in the YN-JIN fandom. It was published just weeks later after Jin’s Lie Detector Test video from Vanity Fair and it gets an update every time someone gets more proof of The A-Listers’ real relationship.

As of December 2022, the thread has almost eighty-nine thousand likes and thirty thousand and four hundred plus retweets and requotes. The proofs posted can be hit or miss. But user bluemoon04 shares it anyway and lets the others share their thoughts about it. Others can also submit their own proofs to the account through direct message.

Proof no. 1: [THAT TUMBLR POST IN JANUARY 2019]

behind the scenes...

A twenty-second video was posted on Tumblr sometime in the last quarter of 2019 by a newly-made account. The post only had three tags: #YN, #JIN, and #YNJIN. The algorithm worked and published the video in everyone’s feed. It received a thousand notes by the twenty-four-hour mark. It also reached other social media sites. Mostly, Twitter.

Fans— even the local audience is in awe after watching the video. What’s in it? You might wonder.

It’s just you and Jin sitting on a bench under a light post on a dark night in a lakeside park. It was seemingly taken during the production of Maybe Yes, Maybe No. It was a crowded place with the crew and staff members walking around to do their job while the actors wait on the side.  Amidst the busy background, you and Jin can be seen enjoying ice cream on cones as you chat, inaudibly.

It looked like you two were busy in your own world while the crew members carry stuff around the set. Jin said something that made you laugh hard.

“God! That was terrible!” you told him before laughing at whatever Jin said.

“You loved it!” he replied.

Those were the only audible dialogue from the clip. You two continued talking as you eat the cold treat. And based on everyone who saw the video, Jin can melt– not just the ice cream– but also you with how he stared at you intently while you tell your story. You then paused when you felt the weight of his stare, your eyebrows raised. He chuckled, shaking his head, before wiping the ice cream on the corner of your lips with his thumb. The video ended when a crew member walked up to you two.

Proof no. 2: [JIN SIGHTINGS IN LESS LIKELY PLACES pt. 1]

@/multifan0303: OH MY GOD OH MY GOD MY MOM JUST SENT ME THIS 

The tweet was originally posted in January 2020. The first picture was Jin’s signature on a piece of paper. For the second and last one, there’s a picture of the original poster’s mom with the actor. It’s not new for Jin to take pictures with fans he is out in public. But what made the whole fandom crazy about it is it was taken in a pet store and he was holding a basket full of cat food and supplies.

replying to @/multifan0303

- @/multifan0303: my mom doesn’t know who he is. but she saw her other customer that time asking for a picture with him so she asked for a picture and autograph too HDJSKLJFKDSLGKLJFDS

– @/greenpr4da: look at that basket

— @/v3rsaceyn: and you’re telling me jin hates cats????

—- @/franchiecat: he doesn’t even have a cat 😭

Proof no. 3 [LIVING TOGETHER ALLEGATIONS PT. 1]

During the first lockdown during the pandemic in 2020, everyone began suspecting about you and Jin living together in a house in Connecticut. With a lot of free time, the media managed to find a real estate posted online located in the said state that apparently looked like the house you were rumored to be living together in.

con mi hija 🌸

You captioned it in one of your Instagram posts in 2020. It was a selfie of you with Francheskat in your backyard. The picture was focused on your pet and only half of your face can be seen. A wall from your house can also be seen, showing that your home does have a stone exterior. Since you are more active on social media than Jin, your eagle-eyed fans also spotted in a different picture that you also have the identical Victorian lamp that the actor had behind him during a virtual interview.

“Just tell us are you and Y/N living together?!” Donny asked jokingly during an online fundraiser event with you, Jin, and other friends.

Jin shakes his head, laughing, “We’re not.”

“We do!” you huffed dramatically. “No one told me this man doesn’t know how to wash his laundry!”

Other participants laughed at your exaggerated and sarcastic tone. That was the first time you two acknowledged the gossip publicly and it was definitely not the last. You acknowledged it again when you greeted him on his birthday.

Proof no. 4: [BUB]

Both supporters and the press caught on Jin slipping his endearment for you during events with you back in 2021. Fans made video compilations and listed down the times your co-actor called you ‘bub’ on numerous occasions. Sometimes it was hushed, sometimes it felt like it just slipped from his lips. Jin finally addressed it when W Magazine brought up the topic during a magazine cover with you.

“Yeah, why do you call me that?” you turned your head to him, still in your look for the editorial shoot you two did.

Jin’s lips broke into a smile as he looked at you. He rested his chin on his palm when he answered, “It’s nothing really… It just slips out, bub”

As far as everyone witnessed from his whole career in Hollywood, you were the only co-worker Jin sometimes calls by a nickname. He never explained where it came from and was only questioned about it once.

Proof no.5: [THE TALE OF FRANCHESKAT]

“Yeah, that’s my lovely daughter, Francheskat.” you shared when Stephen Colbert brought up the picture of your pet.

“I heard she’s from an animal shelter in London. Is that right?” the host asked and you nodded from your seat.

“Yes! I visited a few shelters there during the production of my new film there and I was in awe when I first met her!”

“Oh, so you adopted her right away from that moment?”

“I didn’t…” you shook your head. “I was too busy and I was only in London for less than two weeks. My schedule was jampacked, and I never got to drop by the shelter again.”

“But I have a friend who saw how much I want to have this beautiful cat and surprised me like a month later after I got back in LA. It was so unexpected, I cried.” you laughed.

That interview was in 2017, months before the release of your first movie with Jin. Francheskat was the main reason why you made an Instagram account again after deactivating your old account back in 2016. Based on your fans’ calculations, you recently just finished filming Cornelia Street when you began posting about your cat. And Jin was seen in London around the same time you shot your own scenes there.

These facts strengthen your fans’ belief that Jin was the friend you were talking about. Especially with how close your co-star is to your cat, even though he claims he isn’t a big fan of felines.

Proof no. 6 [Y/N SPOTTED IN LESS LIKELY EVENTS  PT.1]

“I don’t really celebrate any holidays.” you shared during an interview back in 2014. “I just spend those days like my other rest days except I send gifts to my friends.”

You have been living alone ever since you were emancipated from your father’s control. You usually sleep or work through Christmas and New Year’s eve or any other commonly big holiday, treating it as a normal day. You always find it exhausting to prepare for such events when you live alone. The only special event you celebrate is your mom’s or close friends’ birthdays. Your fans are aware of this fact and made sure to send you sweet greetings during holidays as you post pictures from your home. You were never spotted outside either by the press during these events.

@/DonnyNextDoor: happy thanksgiving from us!!

In the celebration of Thanksgiving Day back in 2021, Donny posted a photo of your circle of friends. You stood next to Bella Hadid, who was Donny’s girlfriend at the time. Next to you were Jin and your three other mutual friends.

@/daisiesandroses: omg yn holiday contents

Fans were happy to see you with friends during that time. They expected that you will post something for Christmas and New Year’s too. However, you only posted an Instagram story each, greeting everyone. Someone claimed they spotted you in New York for Times Square Ball but no pictures floated online.

Proof no. 7: [VERSACE ON THE FLOOR]

It has been known to everyone that you have always been a massive admirer of the luxury fashion brand, Versace. Donatella has been a great friend of yours ever since you became a brand ambassador for the said brand when you were 22. And even though you had contracts with other brands in the following years, you maintained a good relationship with her. You’ve also been invited to fashion week events and you always try to go if your tight schedule can accommodate it. You were even featured in Bruno Mars’ music video for his hit song, Versace On The Floor.

@/SE0KJINM00N: SOMEONE SEND ME THAT PHOTO HE DELETED IT!!

@/hellobubba: was that versace on that fucking floor or am i seeing things

@/peopleoncrnlstrt: LMAO he deleted the ig story

But sometime in 2019, Jin posted a picture in his Instagram Stories which he deleted less than two minutes later. The photo is simple. It was a picture of the latest book he read. He was holding it down, seemingly an innocent one. But if you travel your eyes to the upper corner of the image, even though the background’s a little blurry, a black piece of clothing can be seen. It was immediately recognizable due to the fact that it has the word Versace printed all over it. 

And since you were the closest person to him that everyone knows, the fans assumed it was yours. You were once seen a couple of years ago sporting a bikini top with the same design, just different colors. People searched online and found that there is, indeed, a Versace one-piece swimsuit with the exact design.

Although the photo was never talked about in public, that Versace mystery became an inside joke in the fandom.

Proof no. 8: [LIVING TOGETHER ALLEGATIONS PT. 2]

urfavecatlady started a live video. Watch it before it ends!

August 2020. You had a five-minute live on your Instagram account, simply just to chat with your fans while you were waiting for your cookies in the oven. It was short yet chaotic.

“Oh, I tried baking today! I saw an easy recipe online. I’ll share the link on Twitter later.” you answered a fan as you put down your phone. You sported a now-messy apron. The apron? It was a gift from Timmy. He learned I love ba–”“

“Ouch!”

Someone exclaimed in the background, followed by the noises of something falling on the ground. You paused and looked at whatever was behind your phone. Your eyes widened. But you tried to compose yourself as you look back at the camera.

“Francheskat jumped on some– on my stuff. Gotta go! I’ll update y’all with the cookies later. Bye!” your voice trailed off as you end the Instagram Live.

@/amymarchdefender: i think i heard someone during yn’s live

@/princessbubblegum: is she quarantining with someone???!?

Some fans claimed it was not Francheskat, but Jin. Although the mystery voice was not that audible, they claimed it was him. Others believed that maybe you are really going through lockdowns with someone who is not Jin. There are few people who believe that you really have a longtime secret partner, someone who is not in the same industry as you. Nonetheless, everyone never knew who it was.

The thread still receives updates from time to time even though you took a break and Jin is not really that active on social media. The owner of the tweet still gets submissions from various fans.

Now, October 2023. Jin hasn’t had any public appearances since his series premiere on HBO. He is still in for Waller-Bridge’s movie. You, on the other hand, were getting gossip that you will be having a cameo with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Some believed that you will be retiring or will take years to come back. Both of you two were not active on social media. Your last post in your Instagram feed was in August. And Jin’s was May.

But one of Hollywood's biggest celebrity gossip sources is the Instagram account, Deuxmoi, posted something that made a noise in your fandom.

Sent via form submission from Deuxmoi

Pseudonyms, Please: Cookie Monster

Email: heardit@the.gravevine

Subject: Everyone’s Fave Cat Lady

Message: A friend of mine works in one of the longest-running live television shows. They said that a prominent A-lister actress is returning in front of the cameras after taking a sudden break for more than a year. Her comeback will be announced next week! Watch out!

taglist rules

THE A-LISTERS TAGLIST

@jub-jub @yoontaethings @kissme-ornot @sleepy-daydreams @veronawrites @cuteipat @ratherbefangirling @babystarcandy-gcf @akirawhore @alpacaparkaseok @rjsmochii @lovesickbangtan @rapmonie2047 @btsiguess-kpop @angelarin @walkinganxiety0 @bloopkook @yoooonie @amara-mars @firesighgirl @zwiehe @hiii-priestess @lojocas @juju-227592 @singukieee @eshtravagent @canarystwin @petalsofink

PERMANENT TAGLIST

@dunixxd​ @cixrosie​ @jksjx​ @embrace-themagic​ @buttvi​ @starbtslove​ @missseoulite @vanntaesworld @kenqki @pixybear @miyukihoshi @stopeatread @seolaquotes @greyrain23

[cocosparkel]

Timinette January day 29 : Invisible string

Soulmate au

Green was the color of the grass Where I used to read at Centennial Park I used to think I would meet somebody there

Marinette sighed as she took out her notebook and started sketching.

She was frustrated at Adrien, her now ex-boyfriend.

Honestly, she was done with his 'high-road' bullshit. He was convinced they were soulmates, despite the fact that her bond had not manifested yet.

Closing her eyes, she wished she could just... leave. Dissapear.

She desperately wanted to meet her soulmate, but for now, she was stuck with Adrien.

A sudden stroke of inspiration took over her, a sudden desire to design a teal dress.

_______________________________________

Teal was the color of your shirt When you were sixteen at the yogurt shop You used to work at to make a little money

Tim sighed, as he sat down at the bench in centennial park. As a part of an undercover mission, he had to work at a yogurt shop. The teal shirt he had to wear was hideous, in his opinion. If only someone could redesign it...

_______________________________________

Time, curious time Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs Were there clues I didn't see?

"Marinette !" Chloe cried, as Marinette was pulled across the sidewalk. She bumped into people, barely having time to appologise before she was being pulled again. The people gave her a sympathetic look, once they saw the glowing red thread tied to her little finger.

And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some

The pull finally stopped infront of a coffe shop. A boy who was about her age, who looked extremely tired, bumbed into her.

it was llike they had been struck by lightning. The red thread which connected them glowed brighter than before, before exploding into a shining dust.

Invisible string Tying you to me?

He boy slowly loked at her, a small smile on his face "Nice to meet you, soulmate."

_______________________________________

Time, mystical time Cuttin' me open, then healin' me fine

Marinette never cried infront of anyone ever since Hawkmoth appeared. But today was an exception. Lila had reached new lows, and had destroyed her diary, which had translations of the miraculous grimore.

Breaking down infront of Tim, she clung to him as if he was her life line.

Almost immediately, Tim mafe her feel better with just a few words - he had made a digital copy of the translations. He had been prepared, apparently.

Were there clues I didn't see? And isn't it just so pretty to think

As he comforted her and wiped away her tears, she couldnt help but wonder, how she was so lucky to have found him.

All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me?

"I cant believe how lucky I am, to have found you." Marinette said softly.

"We have the invisible string to thank for that, dont we ?" Tim said laughing.

Pressing a kiss to his cheek, Marinette said "Not just any invisible thread"

A string that pulled me Out of all the wrong arms right into that dive bar

"This thread, it pulled me. From Adrien, to that coffee shop that day. If Adrien hadnt tried to kiss me, the bond may not have pulled me away." Marinette said, and Tim nodded.

Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire Chains around my demons, wool to brave the seasons

"The thread gave me strength, and courage. At my darkest moment, i found solace in the fact that someone out there was waiting for me." Marinette said, leaning into Tim's embrace.

One single thread of gold tied me to you

"In the midst of all this, one single thread of gold tied me to you." Marinette said.

@maribat-calendar-events

[be-events]

— CHRISTMAS IS ARRIVING, ON ICE !

the most joyful season of the year has come, wannabes!

as it goes during this festive season, the holiday market is beginning to boom, behind lotte world mall in jamsil. with beautiful festive displays and many christmas-themed shows, and a variety of decorated locations perfect for photos with the family! jam packed with an array of booths that can easily capture your attention with all the goodies that they’re selling. street foods, kpop merchandise, make-up, jewelry, everything’s on the list! better yet, there’s a special discount on all the price tags! isn’t it the best time to cash-in on a few impulsive purchases?

there’s even a festive garden, a working carousel, and a wish wall for you to place your wishes onto. write them down and stick them on, maybe they’ll come true the following year! 

not only that, there’s a free outdoor ice skating rink for anyone to try! never tried ice skating before? don’t fret, there’s an instructor there more than willing to help you out! don’t have any skating shoes? easy, they can lend you a pair as long as it isn’t too crowded! during the evening weekends, you might even catch a special show of trained figure skaters: christmas on ice!

there’s also the biggest surprise of all: the axis labels charity christmas concert! being held at lotte world, you might as well catch a glimpse of the hardworking future idols while enjoying the indoor theme park (it’s included in the holiday pass after all)! in fact, if you’re lucky, you might win a free ticket to the concert if you spend enough in the holiday market, the department stores—or if you win a lottery!

[OOC]

this event is for all muses and will run until january 15 at 11:59pm EST. any threads or solos posted after the deadline will not count toward points. please send in your points submission before this deadline.

please use the hashtag #BE:XMASONICE2024 for all posts relating to this event.

FOR +5 PERFORMANCE SKILLS OR ANCILLARY POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH please write a 4-post thread or 300+ words solo attending the market, trying out the outdoor ice rink, watching the christmas concert, or any of the christmas activity above. this can be claimed up to two times.

FOR +5 PERFORMANCE SKILLS OR ANCILLARY POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH please write a 200+ words headcanon post or solo about your muse’s wishes for next year in any context. this can only be claimed once.

when you’ve completed all options that you’d like to participate in, please sent the following form to our points submission blog:

SUBMISSION TITLE: MUSE NAME - CHRISTMAS ON ICE 2024

activity: +5 points to distribute to any skills [ link to thread ]

activity: +5 points to distribute to any skills [ link to thread ]

year-end wish: +5 points to distribute to any skills [ link to solo ]

[merrock]

WINTRY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION GUIDE

To make the holiday season a little more fun and a lot easier to plot… this is your guide to all things winter and Christmas in Merrock! I've compiled a fun list of places to see and things to do, a master list of events happening in town, and some ideas that you can run with if you're looking for fun ways to plot with one another. This is not the be-all, end-all. If something you see here inspires you to do something else, great! If you want to do something totally unrelated, awesome! This is just to help those who might be looking for a place to start, or a master list of what's going on in town. Hop under the cut for more, and feel free to bookmark this post. (Check back for updates now and then, too.)

MOD NOTE: if you own a business, and would like to offer something special, please let me know and I can adjust this post to let others know.

EVENTS IN TOWN

THANKSGIVING -- join us at the Community Center for a dinner that's both for those who need a place to be, and also for those who just want to join their community. You can come to eat, or come to help! (November 28.)

BLACK FRIDAY -- shopping all around your little town; see our list of shops below! (November 29.)

PLAY OFF FOOTBALL -- the Merrock Rangers come up against their final opponent for the season. take a little trip to support the boys, but bundle up! (November 29.)

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY -- the perfect opportunity to shop in some of your local favorites, making sure to support Merrockites! (November 30.)

GIVING TUESDAY -- a chance to give back to your community, whether it be through making donations to a charity, or helping someone in need. (December 3.)

NATIONAL COOKIE DAY -- stop into Flour Co. at 7PM to take a class on cookie decorating! this is open for kids and adults alike, and the cost of entry will go back to the community. (December 4.)

GINGERBREAD DAY -- the community center is opening their doors for all who want to come decorate gingerbread houses and watch Rankin Bass Christmas movies! (December 12.)

WINTER HOLIDAY MARKET -- the big event in town! the market will run for one week, and all are welcome to come out and enjoy. (December 14-21.) *

UGLY SWEATER DAY -- the chance for you to don an ugly sweater, no matter where you are! post pics to #merrocksocial so we can all see. (December 20.)

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY -- hosted at Evolution, the party is adults only, and the dress code is cocktail attire. fireworks and champagne at midnight! (December 31.) *

POLAR PLUNGE -- a fun chance to shed off the badness of the previous year and head into the new year feeling good. hosted by Mawk Tales! (January 1.) *

MOD NOTE: events marked with a * are designated events in town with OOC durations (December 14-21 for our Market, December 29-January 4 for the NYE Party and Polar Plunge). You are more than welcome to create threads for all other mini events whenever you would like, but we do ask that for those specific three events, you hold off and don't create them until the event is taking place on dash!

HELP OUT AROUND TOWN

help decorate the town! various businesses are always looking for people to paint their windows and hang lights. you can help set up the light displays at Cityview Park, as well!

pick up a child's wishlist at the Town Hall and fulfill their Christmas dreams by buying what they want and dropping it off for them.

stop into the Merrock Hospital Center and help make some crafts and gift baskets for the patients that need a little bright spot during their stay.

drop off your gently used clothes and toys at the Community Center, so that we can give back to those who might need something during this holiday season.

we're digging up the community garden beds! they all must be cleaned out, so stop by and get your hands dirty if you have a bed reserved, or even if you just want to help out!

if you would like to brighten up the cemetery, we will be placing small flower arrangements and wreaths on gravestones. all you have to do is stop by the main building to pick some up and set out to do a row or two whenever you have the time.

the senior citizens at North Shore would love for people to come help them decorate for the season, drop off gifts, or just swing by to brighten their day.

FOOD & DRINK AROUND TOWN

BONNE MERDE (downtown) -- stop in for drinks and a show while you're out shopping or enjoying the holiday.

EVOLUTION (downtown) -- perfect place for a fancy night out with your friends, to eat, or to drink!

MACK'S (downtown) -- try out Mack's signature burger and nacho platters, on sale all season.

OJICHAN NO SUSHI RESHIPI (downtown) -- find your favorite food truck and get some good eats!

ROSSI'S (downtown) -- drop by for lasagna and your favorite Italian desserts (and coffee).

TASTE (downtown) -- need a break from shopping? stop in for wine and cheese and other treats.

TOUCHBACK (downtown) -- the perfect stop to catch a holiday game & grab a beer.

🎄 WHAT'S THE TEA (downtown) -- specialty holiday blends of teas for sale & for drinking!

& CHIPS (coastal area) -- the perfect fish and chip meal for on the go shopping.

🎄 ANCHORS AWAY (coastal area) -- will be serving Grinch-themed drinks, it just fits.

DEIDRE'S DELI (coastal area) -- pop in for a warm bowl of soup, paired with your favorite sandwich.

FRESH (coastal area) -- healthy options for those looking for a snack while shopping.

THE HUT (coastal area) -- perfect quick stop for a burger and fries.

MAWK TALES (coastal area) -- stop in for your favorite mocktail to help make the season bright.

SANDCASTLES (coastal area) -- best bet if you want a date night in town!

🎄 SEA BREEZE (coastal area) -- debuting winter and holiday flavors of gelato after Thanksgiving!

🎄 THE CREAMERY (suburbs) -- peppermint, cinnamon, toffee, oh my! come try the new flavors.

CUL-DE-SAC DINER (suburbs) -- open late with amazing new dinner specials or holiday shoppers.

🎄 FLOUR CO. (suburbs) -- testing out all of the holiday baked goods they've worked hard on.

THE GARDEN (suburbs) -- good deals on good eats and even better beer. stop by to play pool and throw some darts, too!

GOLDEN HOUSE (suburbs) -- the perfect place for takeout orders.

🎄 PACO'S (suburbs) -- did someone say red and green chips for their nachos?!

PIZZA THYME (suburbs) -- when you need a breather, stop by for some pizza!

OVERLOOK (countryside) -- with views of all of Merrock, it's the best place to eat (many holiday specials) during the season.

TUMBLEWEED (countryside) -- the best place to grab a beer in the countryside!

SNACK SHACK (hideaway) -- when you need a break from shopping, grab a snack!

PLACES TO DO YOUR SHOPPING

BOOKENDS (downtown) -- stop by to pick up some holiday favorite novels.

THE HOLIDAY SHOPPE (downtown) -- deep, deep discounts on all holiday decor!

PAGE TURNERS (downtown) -- pick up some graphic novels for your favorite nerds.

THE VINYL HUB (downtown) -- huge sales on all classic Christmas albums!

BELLA'S BOUTIQUE (coastal area) -- drop by to pick up holiday deals on clothing!

CASSIDY'S CANDIES (coastal area) -- every possible favorite Christmas candy and Hanukkah coin you can think of is on sale.

JADE'S JEWELS (coastal area) -- don't think, just do it. buy her jewelry!

SOLES (coastal area) -- big deals on shoes for anyone doing their shopping.

TRINKETS (coastal area) -- buy one, get one free for all souvenirs in the store until Christmas!

BENNY'S (suburbs) -- the best place to do most of your holiday shopping!

JACK IN THE BOX (suburbs) -- pop in to pick out the best toy you can imagine for your little one(s).

LITTLE CORNER MARKET (suburbs) -- get all of your meal must-haves here at the market!

SPROUTS (suburbs) -- do a little shopping for the kids & babies in your life.

THE SUPPLY SHACK (suburbs) -- perfect for buying things for the artsy people in your life or getting what you need to enjoy holiday crafts!

TREASURE CHEST (suburbs) -- pick up discounted secondhand Christmas gifts and decor!

GARDEN MARKET (countryside) -- stock up on what you need to make your meals!

GREAT OUTDOORS (countryside) -- whether you need things for yourself or your friends, shop for your favorite outdoorspeople.

PET HAVEN (countryside) -- get something for your favorite kids this year -- your pets!

POLISHED BRASS MARKET (countryside) -- shop for antiques for yourself, or whoever loves old things!

ROCKY RIDGE HARDWARE (countryside) -- the handyperson in your life wants new tools. buy 'em!

COLLAB (hideaway) -- shop the little market place within our marketplace.

CREEKSIDE (hideaway) -- buy up some handmade holiday decor or order pieces!

UNIVERSAL ROCKS (hideaway) -- the very best place for your metaphysical needs.

THINGS TO DO DURING THE HOLIDAYS

CITYVIEW PARK (downtown) -- walk through the holiday light display! the park has been converted into a winter wonderland with tons of lights in the trees, on the ground, around the fountain and benches, with lots to see on our walk-through course.

MERROCK RAILWAY (downtown) -- hop on the train and take a little ride through their holiday light display! everyone who attends gets a package of cookies and cup of hot cocoa, as well!

THE MIRAGE (downtown) -- on top of the usual merriment, on Friday and Saturday nights, The Mirage will be having Christmas karaoke! everyone's welcome, just make sure that you've brought along your dancing and singing shoes!

STUBS (downtown) -- stop into Stubs to see a variety of fun Christmas movies… or check out their app, where almost any Christmas movie that you can imagine is available for you to watch for one flat fee when downloading.

VIBRATIONS (downtown) -- on Friday nights, Vibrations will be transformed into a winter wonderland, with fake snow flying and Christmas tunes blaring throughout the club. specialty drinks will be served all night, as well!

AQUATIC CONSERVATORY (coastal area) -- bring the kids (or yourself!) down to the Aquatic Conservatory for some educational demonstrations and walk-throughs of the conservatory, where you can learn all about Merrock's wildlife in the winter time, and how they survive!

FROM BRUSH TO CANVAS (coastal area) -- the gallery's current exhibition features paintings themed with Christmas and winter, in all sorts of art styles. come by to make a purchase, or just to wander through and enjoy what you see.

THE MARINA (coastal area) -- take a boat ride with any one of our companies that is offering them -- their boats are decorated for the season, playing music, and perfect for a romantic night out or a little family trip if you want something different!

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM (suburbs) -- arts and crafts all season long for the kids! there will always be afternoon movies and snacks for a small fee for parents who want to do some kids-free shopping.

THE FUN SPOT (suburbs) -- holiday skate nights are every Wednedsay night! On Thursdays, the bowling alleys will be green and red and playing Christmas music. And on Fridays, you play to win… Christmas squishmallows in the arcade! don't miss out!

LUPINE LANE (suburbs) -- a perfect chance to walk through the streets of the mobile park in the suburbs, and see all of the holiday light displays! most homes participate, and there's always something pretty for you to see on your adventure!

MEMORIAL LIBRARY (suburbs) -- take some time to check out your favorite Christmas-themed books, or bring your kids by for all sorts of arts, crafts and of course, hearing some of their favorite Christmas stories read by the librarians or volunteers!

SILVER PINES JR. (suburbs) -- for those who don't mind braving the cold weather… come check out the miniature golf course, which has been modified for the winter season with all sorts of fun decor! they're also giving out free hot chocolate!

BLACK CREEK (countryside) -- take a hike along the creek to see some gorgeous waterfalls and enjoy the sights! please be mindful and careful that the trails can be slippery and dangerous this time of year, though. you're on your own if you're outside f the state park!

BLADES (countryside) -- open for the season, stop by to do some ice skating, get a game of hockey going with your friends, or hit one of the many hills nearby to do some sledding!

FARMER'S MARKET (countryside) -- the farmer's market remains open on Wednesdays and Saturdays! you can stop by and do all of your indoor shopping in their barn, or head outside to find some food and drinks at the food trucks. lots of crafts available, too!

HANDPICK'D (countryside) -- every Sunday afternoon, Handpick'd will be having a sip and shop special, where you can come in, try out some wines, and browse holiday vendors that are selling their goods! open to anyone 21+ only, obviously.

HARMONY RANCH (countryside) -- winter rides, come get your winter rides! these are recommended for intermediate to advanced riders, only, as they may take some wintry trails that could be precarious, but they should be fun, none the less!

LAKE MALORY (countryside) -- once it gets cold enough and the lake freezes over, ice fishing is popular in town. you can get equipment at Great Outdoors, or find someone to help you out at the lake. there are some great catches to be made!

LAVENDER LANE (countryside) -- visit the tree lot! it's open daily and has fresh cut trees, wreaths, swags and more arrangements. you can also take an axe and hit the Christmas tree field to cut down your own if you're feeling adventurous!

PARADISE GARDENS (countryside) -- with the garden displays all lit up and festive, come by and spend a peaceful afternoon just enjoying some decorations and a little bit of nature. a perfect educational experience for the kids, as well!

PINE GROVE GARDENS (countryside) -- take a tour of the oldest home in Merrock, decorated in traditional Christmas garb. you can stop in the tea room for a bit to drink (and eat!), or explore the grounds, which are also decorated for the season.

STATE PARK (countryside) -- smaller, easy to navigate trails are open for hiking. campfire sessions will happen near the lodge, with Christmas stories read by the fire, and s'mores and hot chocolate ready to keep you warm. a number of fun demonstrations and educational lessons will happen to teach you about winter in Merrock's forests, too!

THE WHEEL (countryside) -- stop in and throw some pottery on a wheel! and yes, before you ask, we do have those infamous ceramic Christmas tree molds, and all of your other favorite classics. plus pieces ready to paint, if you don't want to make them yourself!

THE COLOR WINE (hideaway) -- have a great time with Mandy and co. doing some sip and paint! bring your girlfriends and make a whole evening of it. the studio is also open for those who might be looking to practice their painting, as well!

THE PLOT THOUGHT BUBBLE

go sledding with your friends, drink hot chocolate in the park while walking the light display, take a trip out to the countryside to go ice skating, offer to help decorate your loved one's house, treat each other to an ugly sweater just to make you laugh, try to bake something new, take a trip out of town to do some shopping, or visit a relative together, make some festive cocktails together. catch a movie at the theater, or watch one at home curled up on the couch. challenge someone to make the perfect cup of hot cocoa, sit down and decide to paint wooden houses together, go to the arcade to see who can win the biggest prize, make your own Santa hats at home, stuff stockings for each other, try to wrap all of the gifts that you've bought, make your own Christmas-themed blankets. handmake keepsake ornaments for each other, or just hang out and color in a coloring book. when it snows, go make snow angels or build an army of snowmen, get into a snowball fight, plow and shovel out your neighbors together, or build an igloo that you swear you might sleep in. have a sleepover complete with Christmas pajamas, or go shopping for the perfect holiday party outfit, decide to hit up the antique store for the most ugly-cute decorations that you can find.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Merrock School district will be closed December 23 - January 3. The last day of school will be Friday, December 20th, and students will return on January 6th.

The Merrock Community College will be closing on December 17th, and have off from December 18th through January 14th, returning on January 15th.

This winter, we will be expecting a decent amount of snow around Merrock! This can lead to power outages, or school cancelations. We'll let you know when and if this happens!

We will be doing a gift exchange within the group (IC, of course!), and more information about this will be coming in December. It will be by participation only, to keep it fair, and anonymous.

[lgcmanager]

PROJECT AKA ( PART 1 )

SCHEDULE RESTRICTIONS: for reference as to whether your muse is eligible for this event, please click over HERE.

on OCTOBER 16, the following people were contacted by KANG TAEWO, the director for the upcoming drama currently still titled 'PROJECT AKA':

AHN JAEHWA: MAIN ROLE (CRIMINAL TEAM)

AHN YEIN: MAIN ROLE (LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM)

BAE SOJIN: GUEST ROLE

BAEK SEONA: LEAD ROLE (LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM)

CHO MINKYU: GUEST ROLE

HAN ROWON: SUPPORT ROLE (LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM)

KIM CHERRY: SUPPORT ROLE (LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM)

LEE HYUNSOO: LEAD ROLE (LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM)

MOON JINO: LEAD ROLE (CRIMINAL TEAM)

NAM GYURI: GUEST ROLE

PARK SUJIN: SUPPORT ROLE (CRIMINAL TEAM)

SHIN JIEUN: LEAD ROLE (CRIMINAL TEAM)

YANG AERI: LEAD ROLE (CRIMINAL TEAM)

congratulations to all of them for their roles !

PREPARATIONS

as the teams above hint, this drama will be centered around a group of criminals and the law enforcement team dedicated to catching them. since it will also be heavy on ACTION, the production team requires further preparations from the casting, including PHYSICAL TRAINING, VARIOUS SKILLS TRAINING and FILMING TECHNIQUES TRAINING. with many of the cast busy with various promotions and schedules related to year-end awards and celebrations, no fixed lessons are set, and cast members are expected to attend per their availabilities, from OCTOBER to DECEMBER. although BAE SOJIN and NAM GYURI only received guest roles, they are invited to attend as many lessons as possible as they could learn valuable skills. due to CHO MINKYU's packed schedule in Q4, he's only expected to attend lessons given to both groups.

CRIMINAL TEAM: PHYSICAL & FLEXIBILITY TRAINING, STAGE TRICKS & ILLUSIONISM TRAINING, CHINESE CANTONESE LESSONS (up to 25)

LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM: STRENGTH TRAINING, BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT (police) TRAINING

BOTH: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LESSONS (up to 25 points), VARIOUS ARMS SHOOTING TRAINING + GUN SAFETY CERTIFICATION, ADVANCED STRUNT TRAINING, GREEN SCREEN TRAINING, DYNAMIC FILMING/ACTION SCENES FILMING

the drama will be filmed from JANUARY 31 to MAY 30, with the first script reading set on JANUARY 20.

REQUIREMENTS

the success of the play depends on its script but also on its cast members. for all posts related to this, please us the hashtag lgc:aka. you have until JANUARY 11, 2025 11:59PM EST to fulfill the following requirements:

AKA PREPARATIONS: write a 300+ word solo or a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines; 2 posts per mun ) thread with another cast member in the drama about any of their schedules for +8 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +5 NOTORIETY ! ** CHO MINKYU can only do it once, while everyone else can it twice**

REFLECTION: write a 200+ word headcanon post OR a solo explaining the muse’s feelings and level of comfort with actions scenes/doing their own stunts (all of them will have body doubles for the most dangerous ones, however they may also fully opt out of any scenes that could result in any type of injury). when explaining the muse’s thoughts, it must be at least 100+ WORDS in DIALOGUE. the reflection will be done with the DIRECTOR sometime during the month of DECEMBER. completing this will earn you +10 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE !

to validate your skill points and collect your notoriety points, please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog before JANUARY 11, 2025 11:59 EST.

MUSE NAME ∙ AKA TRAINING - AKA TRAINING: +8 ( skill points distribution ), +5 notoriety [ LINK ] ** can be claimed 2 times, except for CHO MINKYU ** - ACTION SCENES: +10 ( skill points distribution ) [ LINK ]

[littlespacereader]

My Trip to Walt Disney World’s Epcot as a Regressor✨🥰🪩 Part 1 (SFW!)

Here’s the First part of a thread talking about my day as a Regressor at Epcot! Below I’ll talk about the rides and the park’s layout!

See the thread below! 🧵⬇️

Disclaimer- No one in my life knows about my Regression so I couldn’t fully fully regress, you know. Didn’t stop me from slipping a few times. I mean Disney is made for the kid inside of all of us! Perfect place for a Regressor!😄

Click here for part 2 of my Epcot adventure (food, countries and shopping)😁🛍️⛩️🥨

First and foremost let’s talk about Florida right now (January)🌴

This is honestly the best time to be visiting Disney World/Florida! It’s the off season meaning while everyone is back to work or school after the holidays, the parks are very empty! This means lower wait times for ride and character meet and greets!

Weather wise is relatively nice! It’s not too hot (60-70s Fahrenheit) which is great weather for Florida which is usually in the high 90s. I wore a lightweight long sleeve and leggings and was comfortable all day! Just be sure to look out for random rainy days😬

Next let’s talk about the layout of Epcot!

Epcot is massive! It’s very long and has a lot of walking! For those of you who have issue with mobility this is something to keep in mind when you visit here. In total I walked over 8 miles🤯 and I felt it💀 My legs were killing me😭 The best thing to do is pace yourself. While my health issues aren’t with mobility I could feel myself starting to get dizzy and nauseous from walking so much. But then I took a moment and sat down and relaxed. Then I started to feel better.😌

Epcot is split into two different sections, The World Celebration & The World Showcase!

Let’s start with The World Celebration!

Rides in the World Celebration🏎️💨

The World Celebration is the place for rides!! While there are some amazing rides in the World Showcase, the World Celebration has the majority of Epcot’s rides. I’ll break the rides down based on headspace😁

For younger headspace Littles these are the rides for you:

Living with the Lands - a boat ride around Disney’s Greenhouse. Nice to sit back, relax and eat something while riding along. Also super interesting!

Journey into Imagination - I LOVE THIS RIDE!! AHHHH!! Super cute!!! This ride has me regressing like crazy! Now I’m a bit biased, I love the main character of this ride Figment🥰 Figment is this cute Dragon Dinosaur looking guy who’s super energetic about imagination! It’s a super inclusive and calm ride. You slowly ride around the imagination center and go through “test” to spark your imagination. I highly suggest this ride to everyone!

Spaceship Earth - This ride is IN THE EPCOT BALL🤯 Another cool ride talking about the evolution of humanity. It’s a slow sitting ride that you just sit back and enjoy!

Soarin - This ride is sooooooooo relaxing! You sit in a little hang-glider and fly around the world thanks to a projection screen! Super fun and in my opinion very relaxing!

The Seas with Nemo and friends - I sadly didn’t get to go on this ride so I can’t give an opinion on it. But it looks like fun from what I’ve seen online.

I would like to mention, the World Celebration has more thrill rides than easier rides. I would say the World Showcase has better rides for younger Regressor, for people who have issues with motion sickness or for people who just enjoy slower rides instead.

Now for my older Littles and thrill seekers:

While my headspace is on the younger side I have to admit…I LOVE ROLLERCOASTERS/FAST RIDES

Test Track - One of the fastest rides in all of Disney World in Florida! This ride is so much fun! You’re essentially the test dummy for a new car, going through an obstacle course in your car and then you go on this long straightaway that reaches speeds of 65 mph!!

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind - As a huge marvel and rollercoaster fan this is a match made in heaven for me! The ride was so much fun! It does great fan service to any fan of the guardian. They have great twist with the preshow. Every ride has a different song! I got Blondie - One way or another, which was a great song for this type of rollercoaster! LET ME WARN YOU, this rollercoaster doesn’t just turn fast, go up and down, it spins a lot! If you are a person who get motion sickness from spinning this isn’t for you! But if you don’t mind it I highly recommend this ride. Below I have a photo of the lobby when you first enter (left photo) the spaceship outside the attraction(middle photo) and the loading area when you get on the ride (right photo)

Mission Space - Now this is where people who have been to Epcot might disagree with me. Honestly I’m not the biggest fan of mission space. The ride is a simulation ride that makes you feel like you’re being launched into space. The ride has two options, one that actually put g-forces on you to actually simulate the feeling and another that doesn’t. I haven’t been on the g-force one but my friend have and they got very sick from this ride. I went on the safe version and it’s honestly kind of boring. I would skip this.

Onto Epcot’s World Showcase⛩️

Epcot is primarily known for its 11 pavilions for countries around the world! This is where you spend most of your time walking around because this lake is HUGE.

The countries are: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, France, United Kingdom and Canada.

Rides in the World Showcase🐀🧑‍🍳

Mexico’s Grand Fiesta Tour - This is a have to ride for all regressors, Caregivers and everyone in between! I really love this ride! It’s like it’s a small world but only for Mexico! It stars the three caballeros which includes Donald. It’s a boat ride tour of Mexico with Donald Duck’s antics! I took a video for you guys of the finale with the three caballeros! Enjoy!🥰💞

Norway’s Frozen Ever After - Another boat ride through Elsa’s ice palace! It’s really fun! It does backwards at one point! Super cool! And the special effects are out of this world!

France’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure - This ride is adorable!! You gotta try to get on this ride! As a huge fan of the movie I made it a point to go on this ride! You sit in a little mouse car. Everything is giant to simulate you as a rat yourself! It’s absolutely adorable and so much fun! More photos below!😄

Thank you for reading🥰! Click here for the second part! If you have any Epcot questions comment below!😄

In the second park I talk about the parks food, the shops and the overall experience! Plus more photos!

[luvdive]

❝ yeah, sure, ❞ january bluffs. no, he doesn't know that idol that's all over the entertainment news. he's not sure he's paid attention to idol gossip even once since he arrived here six years ago. but he isn't going to tell karin that. he'll get a name out of her as slyly as he can and do some frantic googling later. ❝ really? ❞ he queries, curious about their family dynamic that her brother is the easier one to deal with. maybe he's biased as an older brother himself, though. ❝ i give june shit all the time, but that's 'cause she's my little sister, y'know? anyone fucks with her, they've gotta deal with me. your brother's not like that? ❞

            she'll admit  ,  sometimes the twins can be a handful when they decide to act TOGETHER  .  most times  ,  it's usually just nawon . . . narae knew how to handle herself  .  though  ,  as they grew up  ,  both of them became more calmed and mellow  (  more so since nawon started dating  )  .  a soft hum falls from her lips  ,  ❝  it's a secret  ,  but you know that idol that's kinda all over the entertainment news  ??  ❞  she asks  ,  karin's not all too sure that january follows the news . . . it's worth a shot  ,  junseo's face has been used for commercials and ads once in a while  ,  ❝  that's my brother . . . ❞  she beams  ,  ❝  i think he's probably more easy to deal with than the twins . . .  ❞  she muses  .

[usafphantom2]

WHAT? No Ice Cream cone?

Before the U2 and the SR 71, the United States used the RB 47E and H. These brave men need to be appreciated for what they did. They risked their life over and over again.

Following its first flight on July 3, 1953, the RB-47E performed some of the most sensitive reconnaissance missions of the Cold War. During its service, at least two of these planes were lost flying missions over the Soviet Union. One incident involving an RB-47E occurred during a photographic mission over the Soviet Union. The plane was intercepted and fired upon by Soviet MiGs and sustained wing damage.

General Curtis LeMay, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, responded to the men telling him that the Soviets had attacked their airplane. ‘What do you do you expect them to do? Give you an ice cream cone🍦”

Fortunately, it could outrun them at altitude and return to base.

My father, Butch Sheffield, graduated from Cadets in 1955. He was selected to go to B-47 navigation bombardier school at Mather Air Force Base , CA. After graduating, he was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base. Soon after, in January 1957, his squadron went to England to practice bomb runs. The next paragraph is from my father, Col. Richard “Butch” Sheffield's unpublish Book.

“My targets were in Russia and mostly air bases near large cities. I had to know the target so well that I could bomb it in my sleep. Every six months or so, we would change targets. I believe this was because more bombers and missiles were coming into the fleet, and the targets were reassigned to add them.

“We were briefed that if we had to bail out in Russia, we should dig a hole three feet deep, get in it, and wait till the war was over, then go to a safe area where we would be picked up U. S. Forces. This was hard for us to stomach, but we kept our mouths shut. My B-47 Aircraft Commander, Merle JeuDevine, was a real maverick. Our crew was selected by the SAC Inspector General (IG) to brief him on our war plan, and he asked us about how we would evade the enemy on the ground in Russia. He asked what we would do as soon as we arrived in Russia.

Merle told him that the first thing he would do was throw the cal. Thirty-eight handguns we carried as far as he could. The IG looked shocked. He said why? Merle said they would be looking for us with automatic weapons; we don’t stand a chance with that handgun. To my surprise, the General agreed.

Arming Mark 6-mode-6

The bomb we carried in the early part of the B-47 Program was the Mark-6, Mod. -6. It was a six hundred-kiloton weapon. It was like the weapons used on Japan in as much as it needed to be armed in flight by putting the critical mass, U-238 plutonium, into the bomb.

My job was to arm it while we refueled in-flight at fifteen thousand feet in the aircraft's bomb bay. This was hard to do because the aircraft was bouncing around as we refueled behind the KC-97. The critical mass was very heavy, and the threads on the mass were very fine. We were told to do it while wearing our parachute and to wear heavy gloves, neither of which we could do and accomplish the mission. When we landed, the IG would look into the bomb bay before we could taxi back to the park. It had to be done and had to be done right, or we flunked, so we did it.

--Special film of my target

In the late 1950’s, I was told to go to the Wing Plans Division. They took me into a vault, and I was told that I could not tell anyone what I was about to see, even my own crew.

They then showed me a radar film of my target in Leningrad, Russia. It looked like the same type of radar I had in my B-47. I believe it was from an RB-47.”

I asked my friend, Robert Hopkins. He said, “Your Dad was watching films of a bomb run over the USSR. They were movies of the radar track collected in 1956 when SAC flew 156 overflights of the USSR as part of operations HOME RUN crews use the movies taken by RB-47Es for target study.

Written by Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[lovebillyhargrove]

Billy's Camaro fic: Fucking finally.

***

It's January 11th.

More than two weeks of absolutely nothing.

Steve called El after New Year but she sounded just as miserable as he was, and had no news for him. Unfortunately or fortunately.

Steve doesn't know anything.

It's killing him.

Robin is in on the whole thing about Hargrove and his trip to Russia with Joyce, and she listens and tells Steve everything is going to be okay, but Steve understands it's just words and this is in no-one's power to make it okay. Robin is trying to help, and he's grateful, he is, but it's not helping.

It's more than two weeks of worrying his heart out. It's like you are aware you can't really do anything or change anything, so why worry? But that's the thing - you worry anyway. Even when you're not showing it. Even when you're telling yourself it's pointless. Fear gnaws at your bones, nibbles at your brain, every second. Eats you from the inside, always lurking, always present, doing its ugly job.

What if right now when Steve's talking to a customer Billy's getting shot at?

What if right now when Steve's sorting the tapes Billy's is being locked in a cell, interrogated, tortured ..?

What if right now when Steve's listening to Robin telling him about her .. - he's losing the thread of the story because he's thinking about Billy - it all has become white noise for him - what if right this moment there is no Billy Hargrove in this world anymore?

Steve's exhausted. He can't sleep and the only crumbs of questionable comfort that he can have, he finds when he's driving the camaro. Like it understands him. Like it's as wretched as him.

At times when it gets too much, Steve thinks about their only kiss, that magical tender touch of their lips. The timing was probably not the best one, Billy being all fucked up about his dad's death and all, Steve understands that now, but at least he's got this kiss as a memory. When he recalls how El called Billy "a lovesick loser", it brings a smile to his lips. Billy must've told El about them, or maybe she just knew because of their connection now.

When it gets too dark Steve remembers Billy's voice on the phone and his words "I like you, pretty boy. More than just like you. Do not doubt that." and Steve's heart is shredded in pieces over and over again.

When he can't stand anything anymore, Steve takes out Billy's note - the one that he left on the kitchen table before driving away - and reads it. He knows every word by heart.

If he doesn't get any news in the next couple of days, he's gonna .. call Owens, drive to California, fly to Russia, he's gonna do something because that's it, he can't take it, he's on the verge of insanity.

Waiting is the worst.

Not knowing is the absolute fucking worst.

Steve smokes a cigarette for lunch sitting in the camaro, parked outside Family Video. Looks at the picture of the ocean that's still in the glove box and misses Billy more.

If it is even possible.

***

The bell above the door jingles, announcing a new customer.

It's five in the afternoon, still one hour till Steve can go home. He's never in a hurry to leave work these days though. He's lonely as fuck here, but at least not physically alone.

Someone's heading towards the cash desk where Steve is sorting out the receipts.

Steve feels a shift in the air surrounding him and hears Robin's quiet "Oh my god" coming from behind.

He's raising his eyes and sees Billy in front of him.

.

Billy is alive.

.

He is back.

.

He looks so good.

.

"Hey, Harrington."

Did his heart just stop beating, or what?

All casual. Like they saw each other only yesterday. Like he didn't come back from another country, breaking someone from prison.

Like Steve didn't die inside every single second for the last fucking month.

Just the eyes. Hargrove's eyes are piercing Steve. Billy's looking at Steve like he hasn't seen him for a lifetime.

At the same time Keith, who has come out of his room right this moment, is staring at Billy like he's seeing a ghost.

Billy Hargrove is still dead in the town of Hawkins. Everyone knows about Starcourt, everyone has read the newspapers.

Billy's smile is light and bright, and he's addressing Keith, in that languid drawl that only he does.

"Relax, dude. I'm the dead guy's twin brother, straight from California. Name's Billy. Billy Hargrove."

Stretches his hand out for a handshake. Keith is holding a packet of chips in his left hand, and a chip in his right hand, halfway to his mouth.

Billy's smacking him on the shoulder instead of the handshake then.

"Yeah, it's the same name, don't ask. Parents were fucked up. Hi, Buckley."

It's a sight, Keith's and Robin's shocked faces.

Too bad Steve can't see his own face. He probably looks as dumb as they do.

Keith keeps staring at Hargrove with his mouth open still holding a chip in his hand when Billy says

"Oh and Keith ? I'm sure you won't mind if Harrington here finished his work for today? See I've been driving like a madman for the last 33 hours and I'd really appreciate it if you let him get off early? Got something to discuss."

Before Keith answers anything, Billy's gesturing towards the door

"Shall we?"

Oh, we shall.

We motherfucking shall.

Steve can't feel his legs when he's walking out of the door. His whole body is tingling, there are waves of electroshocks running through it. He doesn't fully realise how, but he finds himself in the driver's seat of the camaro, and Billy's sitting to his right. Steve thinks he sees his beamer parked across the street, but he's not sure.

Steve wants to ask so many questions. But he's not asking them. He was taken by surprise and left speechless.

He starts the car, and it roars. Like it's happy to see Billy.

Is Billy not mad at the camaro any more?

Steve wants to know. He still hasn't asked a single question.

Hargrove opens the glove box and takes out a cigarette from the packet of Marlboros. Lights it up, inhales, eyelashes fluttering. Doesn't say a word either.

What the fuck is wrong with them both?

Believe it or not, buy they drive to Harrington's house in complete silence. Only the car is the one that's actually rumbling excitedly, but Steve ..? Very focused on the road. No, he's not, it's a lie. The camaro is basically driving by itself. Steve would be in a ditch by now, if he were in control.

Billy? .. chain smoking that Marlboro pack, fingers shaking slightly.

They stop in the driveway, get out of the car. Steve's body is still tingling and most things that he does right now, are done on autopilot. They go to the door, Steve's jingling the keys, they get inside.

Billy first, then Steve, and when he closes the door behind him, he's leaning on it with his back and waits, still silent. Thoughts all fuzzy.

Hargrove turns around and moves closer to Steve.

Closer, just like Steve did, a month ago, when their lips brushed like feather on feather.

Steve grabs Hargrove's jacket, pulls him in a hug, and their bodies collide, and he's hugging him tighter, tighter, impossibly tight

Never leave

Steve's arms are on Billy's shoulders and he hides his face in Billy's neck and inhales his smell, cigarettes, sweat, cologne, exhaustion, the guy has been on the road for the last 33 hours, and holds his breath

No, he actually can't breathe, they are holding each other too tight

And Steve's feeling his eyes burn like there are tears about to spill, like he's about to cry

Instead, he places his hands on Hargrove's chest and pushes him away

And then Steve swings, blindly, but aiming for Hargrove's pretty face, and next thing he knows Hargrove is looking at him with wild eyes, incredulously, pressing fingers to his lips because the lower lip is bleeding

"Sonuvabitch .. You fucking hit me, Harrington ??"

"Well you fucking left me!!"

"I had to!!"

"I know! You could've explained everything instead of just running, you fucking asshole !!"

Both are breathing heavy. Both are staring at each other with frenzied eyes

Billy takes the volume down a notch.

"Steeve .. "

There it is again, the Steeve that makes Harrington wobbly in the knees, makes him lose his heartbeat

"Okay, I admit, I can be a bit of a drama queen. The way I left .. I should've told you the whole story .. but I didn't think about it at the time. Also, there was no story to tell, it was just something .. vague at that point."

Steve's still standing with his back pressed to the door, and Billy's again getting closer

"Okay. You're right. I am an asshole. What are you gonna do about it, Harrington?"

Voice hoarse and dangerous.

Steve does the only thing that seems right.

He yanks Billy by the jacket again, pulls him close, forcefully, and presses his lips to Billy's. It's teeth clashing to the point of blood on both of their lips

It's also something else

"Ow my nose! Fuck !! .."

The collision was a bit too intense

"Slow down, Hargrove !! You head butted my nose!"

"YOU grabbed me! You set the pace!"

"Yeah and I'm telling you to slow down now!"

Billy's hands are cupping Steve's cheeks

"Is your nose okay?"

There's probably blood

"It just hurts .. a little. I'm fine."

"Then stop whining and shut up already."

"No, you shut up."

"No, I need you to shut up right now."

Billy's putting his lips on Steve's mouth but Steve's still talking

"You're such an asshole, Hargrove, it's unbelievable. You should just leave me alone."

"I'm an asshole, Harrington. But I'm working on that."

"No, you're not."

Is Billy smiling?

"No, I'm not."

Their foreheads are pressed together

Billy's eyelashes are too much. Steve can't cope

"Close your stupid mouth or I'll hit you again."

"Okay, hit me again."

"Stop repeating everything I say."

"I will repeat if I want to. Unless you make me stop."

Steve puts his arms around Billy's waist but, apparently, touches him in the wrong place because

"Ow. Shit. Easy."

Billy's suddenly wincing with pain and grabbing his side

"I uh .. I got shot. Lucky though, the bullet went right through, but it still .. uughhh .. shit .."

Oh god, he did actually get shot ..

"Oh my god, why .. are you wounded ?? I hit a wounded guy, oh god, I'm so sorry, are you in pain, should we go to hospital? I'm so sorry! Billy?"

"Harrington, I'm fine. Stop fucking saying sorry, just let me kiss you already."

Billy firmly holds the back of Steve's neck with one hand and finally finally kisses him in a way that feels like a proper kiss, no pushing or pulling, no teeth clanging, no headbutting. No talking. Billy's mouth is so hot, he's licking into Steve's with his hot wet tongue, insistent and urgent but so so tender.

He also places his other hand on Steve's crotch and squeezes gently.

The sensation that jolts like lightning through every cell of Steve's body is unparalleled.

He's probably dead now.

So if you happen to find a pile of ashes on this very spot instead of Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove is the one to blame.

***

Next chapter. Tying loose ends.

[satoshi-mochida]

Genso Manege launches January 31, 2025 in the west - Gematsu

MAGES.-developed otome visual novel Genso Manege, also known as Rever d’un Manege, will launch for Switch and PC via Steam on January 31, 2025 the west, publisher PQube announced.

Genso Manege first launched for Switch on January 30, 2020 in Japan under MAGES.’ LOVE & ART brand, followed by iOS on October 9, 2020.

Here is an overview of the game, via PQube:

About

I will awaken the magic within you, and you will free us from the Reve… Set in a wondrously evocative re-imagining of France, a beautifully crafted otome visual novel following Emma, orphaned at a young age, as she fights to uncover her forgotten memories. A witch who lost her powers when young and now living a quiet life, Emma is led by the memento her father left her and finds herself swept away with the arrival of a travelling amusement park in town. Filled with magic and dreams but holding a dark secret, Emma feels an immediate connection to the wondrous La Foire du Reve. She discovers that hidden underneath the lustrous fairy-like charm of the park, its employees are trapped, bound to the amusement park and only the magic within Emma can free them. But it has been years since Emma has been able to access her magic, and she must dig deep within herself, navigating painful repressed memories, in order to recover it. Working at the Reve as she unravels the tangled threads of her forgotten past, Emma forges bonds with the employees of the amusement park. A cast of wonderful characters; the dazzling director Hugo, the stoic accountant Serge, the Tsundere Performer Crier, the kind-hearted rabbit Lyon, the Reclusive Mechanic Luciole, and Emma’s special childhood friend, Arnaud. Each character with their own crosses to bear, stories of tragedy and longing woven together with desperation, Emma builds deepening bonds of friendship, and maybe more, as she works to unlock her magic and their freedom. With its gorgeously subdued artwork, radiating warmth and romance, Genso Manege is a dream-like otome fantasy with an outstanding visual power that conjures an unforgettably bittersweet tale.

Key Features

Breathtaking Romance – Six different male leads to sweep you off your feet, follow their character routes and uncover their secrets.

A Thriving Town – Near the French border, this culturally rich location sets the scene for an unforgettably magical tale.

Dazzling Pastel World – Expertly crafted characters and artwork paint a dreamy picture of romance and magic, making this a visual novel in every sense.

Magical Mini Games – Utilize the Eveil System, an enjoyable game mechanic, woven into the story to help you recover Emma’s magical abilities.

Voiced Characters – Unique characters brought to life by stunning voice acting allow you to experience first-hand the different personalities trapped in the Reve.

An Unforgettable Tale – Sweet and touching yet tinged with sadness, Genso Manege weaves a tale which is as happy as it is bittersweet.

Watch a new trailer below.

Release Date Trailer

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb:

In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

* #1 International Bestseller * As Seen in Cosmo * Audible Most Anticipated Audiobooks of 2025 *

Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages, be smart, be sweet, and make sure her little sister never, ever has to risk growing up Third Class. She just has to free one dragon.

By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents and cousin arrested and her sister missing, Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker—if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

As Viv begins to discover the secrets of a hidden dragon language, she realizes that the fragile peace treaty that holds human and dragon societies together is corrupt, and the dangerous work Viv is doing could be the thread that unravels it.

Review:

A girl dreaming of learning the language of dragons finds herself drafted to codebreak the secrets of the rebellion with her family's lives on the line yet finds herself wavering between which side of the war she truly belongs on. In an alternate London in 1923, in a world where there are dragons and there is a 3 class system, Vivien Featherswallow is determined to get her summer internship to study dragon languages, follow the rules, and never put her status as a Second Class at risk. Yet this is all turned upside down when her parents are arrested for conspiring with the rebels and now Vivien's younger sister is taken away and Vivien is offered a trade: if she works for the military and codebreaks the language of dragons, she and her family will be protected and she can go home, if she fails, they all die. Vivien may have accidentally broken out a dragon and started a civil war... but now with the lives of everyone she loves on the line she'll do anything to protect them... but that comes at a cost, because if she succeeds and breaks the code then she is putting every single rebel and dragon in danger and threatening to destroy the livelihoods of people who are trying to fight against a system that has set them up to fail. Vivien finds herself faced with ugly truths and having her own beliefs thrown out the window as she questions what is right and wrong... and how long she can pretend to be ignorant and selfish. Throw in an ex best friend she betrayed, a priest she is falling for, a cousin who is ready to rebel.... and a dragon that keeps coming back, and what you get is a story that kind of has a similar vibe to Babel/ Divine Rivals in the sense that its an academy based setting (not a lot of dragon action) and set during a fictional war time... but without any of the actual goodness that both of those other titles offer. I did not mesh with this book in the slightest. Vivien was her own worst enemy, every decision she made just made me question her... like can you be that dumb? Also I just did not care at all for her as a protagonist, she wasn't likable, like I get where she's coming from but what she actually lacks is that kind of mentality/likability that Katniss (someone who had to go to war and do everything to protect her younger sister) had. I didn't care at all for the romance and Vivien doesn't actually grow until the last 90% of the book. I don't really see myself reading the next book or continuing the series unfortunately.

Release Date: January 7,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*