#// when he gets to explore the wider world and see and experience new things

[thanatologie]

it's time for another you know what grinds my gears with amanda (and i should just generally stay out of the tags, but-).

you know what grinds my gears? worldly emmrich. like...it's okay for him not to be worldly. he's a little naive and overly trusting. people very well could (and no doubt have) take(n) advantage of him because of it. he's lived almost the entirety of his life ensconced in his particular corner of academia, with a couple of forays out into the rest of the world, and there's just...a wealth of shit he doesn't know.

like he has all these big ideas about the world he's never seen when he leaves the necropolis and he's so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about literally everything. like...think about it, he's game to still try bitter cherries even when harding starts giggling at him because she knows how it's going to work out. he's never had pineapple before having access to minrathous, and that's down to neve. davrin points out flowers to him he's only seen in books when they're out in the field. lucanis definitely introduces him to a wealth of food experiences he'd never have had (if slightly altered for his vegetarianism) otherwise. he may not give a single fiddly fuck about dragons but he knows so much more about them now because of taash. and he's definitely learning a great deal about artifacts especially from bellara.

like!! he's out here getting a crash course in new, exciting things. let him ask questions! let him not know the answer to something, and seek out the advice of people who do. like i think there comes a point where you have to understand he and manfred mirror each other considerably, in that where manfred stagnated under the lack of new stimuli in his growth, so does emmrich, and pulling him out of the necropolis gets him to grow and blossom as much as it does manfred, they're both spirits of curiosity (metaphorically speaking).

like why would you not want him wide-eyed and excited about actually fucking living for once?

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: How to Train Your Dragon 2

(*screams in insanely high frequencies*) HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS DREAMWORKS HAS EVER MADE AND SOMEHOW EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST AND I AM IN SHAMBLES EMOTIONALLY AFTER WATCHING IT BUT I NEED YA'LL TO LISTEN TO ME AS I SCREAM ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS FILM IS TO ME OK?

Woo, ok, calming down a bit. But can you really blame my excitement? How to Train Your Dragon 2 is just... so damn good, it is so damn good ya'll. It takes everything the first movie did, the characters, the story, the animation, the music, and just... perfects it. It is an utterly fantastic ride from beginning to end and it is one of the main factors as to why I am so utterly head over heels for this franchise (well, it and Race to the Edge, again go watch it, its good).

We return to Berk five years after the first movie, with Hiccup under pressure from his father to take on the mantle of chief. However, danger soon arrives in the form of Drago Bludvist, who is amassing a dragon army. While searching for Drago to try and reason with him, Hiccup reunites with his estranged mother, Valka, who, much like him, has a deep affinity and respect for all dragons. From there, well, damn a bunch of stuff happens, in a story that just flows so well and just... slams you with so many emotions, from sheer joy and wonder to crushing despair and grief. It's a roller coaster, to say the least, one that is utterly captivating and at times, utterly heartbreaking. And I adore every last second of it.

Our returning characters are all fantastic, as usual. I especially love the arc Hiccup goes through here, because while the first movie was in ways, a coming of age story for him, this one truly is, with him struggling to figure out who he really is and who he's meant to be. It's a beautiful narrative about responsibility and leadership, one that Hiccup and Toothless experience together in such a beautiful, parallel way. As for our new cast, we have Valka (who I'm in love with btw) and she's just delightful. The way we get to see her bond with Hiccup and rekindle her relationship with Stoick is absolutely beautiful (AT LEAST UNTIL THE DAMN MOVIE TEARS THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY APART WHY CANT THEY HAVE ANYTHING NICE FUCK).

However, I do have to say that the weakest link in both this movie, as well as the next installment in this series... is its villain. The first movie didn't have much in the way of an antagonist, and I think it worked well in its favor. Because HTTYD antagonists... are kind of mid to lame. Drago Bludvist is certainly on the more mid side; he's just... ya know, a bad guy. He isn't really a compelling foil to Hiccup, just some crazy guy who wants to use dragons to conquer people and uses violence to get his way. He's not especially interesting, despite his rather cool design. He's just... there.

But that one minor point aside, everything else about this movie is utterly fantastic. The animation is somehow even more stunning than the first, with so many new dragon designs to see and an even wider world to explore. The flying and fight scenes are so mezmerising to watch, and the music FUCKING GOD don't get me started on this score. It is utterly HEAVENLY, just like the first movie's (also For the Dancing and the Dreaming has me in shambles, I'm still crying, don't look at me). What kind of insane magic Dreamworks used to make this movie look and sound as good as it does? The world may never know.

So yeah, this movie clearly has a major soft spot in my heart. I watched it when it first came out in theaters and absolutely loved it then, just like I do now. Every time I review it, I fall more in love, especially now that I've seen the tie in shows, I can appreciate how they led up to this movie and what details were thrown in that to make them serve as something of a prologue to 2.

As for the movie itself, its such a masterful work of art, one that I'll gladly return to over and over again. Aside from Prince of Egypt, it's probably my second favorite Dreamworks movie overall. And considering some of the other contenders on this list, that's saying something. I love it to pieces, always have, always will. It's wonderful.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Verdict: Hiccup's Mom has got it going on

Previous Review (Mr. Peabody and Sherman)

Next Review (The Penguins of Madagascar)

[yeonchi]

Koei Warriors Retrospective Part 6: Samurai Warriors 1 Spinoffs (State of War/Pachislot)

Samurai Warriors State of War (激・戦国無双) Platforms: PSP Release dates: Japan: 8 December 2005 USA: 7 March 2006 Europe: 24 March 2006

Like Dynasty Warriors before it, Samurai Warriors has also released spinoffs that explore new concepts or take advantage of the technology in new consoles. The amount of spinoffs that Koei and Koei Tecmo released can feel daunting and wasteful, but the purpose of this series is to determine their merits and call out their faults.

With that in mind, let's continue with the two spinoffs for Samurai Warriors 1.

Samurai Warriors State of War

Like Dynasty Warriors before it, Samurai Warriors has its own spinoff for the PSP called State of War, or Geki Sengoku Musou in Japanese.

The Story Modes for each character vary depending on the character, though they do share scenarios most of the time and some characters do have their own scenarios. All characters from Xtreme Legends are featured and are split into three groups, namely the Oda, the Eastern Warriors and the Western Warriors. The Tokugawa are kind of unique as they only share one scenario with the Eastern Warriors instead of two.

Unlike the Dynasty Warriors PSP game, stages are in a grid format rather than an area format. Each enemy space you go to will have a mission, whether it is to defeat enemy unit leaders, defeat as many enemies as possible, or preventing enemy spies from causing a mutiny among others. At the end of the mission, you will get an A/B/C rating that will allow you to move 1 to 3 spaces depending on what you get.

Throughout the stage, you can obtain charms from defeating enemy officers or passing chests. These charms can affect enemies or benefit your allies. Some of them can take effect in a wider area and some of them continue to be effective as long as you have them. Aside from these battle charms, you can also earn tactic charms that can open gates and dams or deactivate cannons.

During the battle, you can obtain weapons like you would in the vanilla game. You can also obtain subofficers that give you stat buffs, abilities or charms from the start of the battle (subofficers don't cost anything, but you can only have one playable/Musou subofficer). The Level 4 weapons are unlockable on Hard or Chaos difficulties. Skills are also obtained when you level up or defeat certain officers in Story Mode.

Characters from Dynasty Warriors 4 also appear as subofficers (like how the Samurai Warriors characters appeared in the Dynasty Warriors PSP game) and in the final Ultimate Warriors story. It's pretty interesting to see the beginnings of a concept that would become a mainstay in the future.

Like the Dynasty Warriors PSP game before it, State of War is another great adaptation of the main Samurai Warriors game, showing how you don't necessarily need to fully adapt the main game to provide a fun experience on the go.

Samurai Warriors Pachislot (Pachislot Sengoku Musou)

Pachislot Sengoku Musou (パチスロ戦国無双) Platforms: PS3 Release dates: Japan: 6 September 2007

Imagine going down the pub and seeing this among the pokies. Slot machines based on licenced franchises are not a new thing, but I don't pay much attention to them, whether I'm at the casino or at the pub, because I'm not much of a gambling person when it comes to money. My dad used to buy lottery tickets sometimes when I was little, but he doesn't do it anymore now. Scratchie tickets are a rare occurrence, but even then they're gifts from his boss.

Yamasa Entertainment has licenced Koei's IP to make pachislots of the first three Samurai Warriors games, but only the first one was made into a PS3 game in 2007 for the Yamasa Digital Slot World series (because adapting further sequels would be more of the same anyway). As such, this allows the first four generations of Samurai Warriors games to be represented on the PlayStation 3 (Yes, Warriors Orochi exists, but I'll get to that later). For a time I wasn't able to play it until I realised that I had to decrypt the ISO, after which I managed to get it working. Same goes for a few other games that I downloaded for the sake of it.

Look, this game is just a simulation of the actual game running inside a simulation of the pachislot machine. You use the controller to enter credits, start the reels and stop each individual one. Pressing Select allows you to switch the camera focus between the reels and the screen where all the CGs are displayed, while pressing L3 switches you into a free camera mode.

The main characters playable in this are Yukimura, Keiji and Hanzō, with others appearing in events. You can view the CG loops and events for the three of them in the Museum.

Simulation Mode is just as what it says on the tin. It allows you to set the frequency chance multiplier for bonuses so that they can appear more often. Practice Mode allows you to simulate a machine in a shop that has been open X out of Y hours, accumulating simulated playtime from previous plays. I think this sets a benchmark for up to 6 settings in Simulation Mode but I'm not even sure what it even does. You can activate the Auto Play so you don't have to do much.

There are three modes to be played in Challenge Mode; there is Medal Attack, where you play to see how many medals you get in 300 plays; Sengoku Rush Attack, where you play to see how long you can keep the Sengoku Rush replay sequence going for; and Bonus Attack, where you have 40 plays in the Big Bonus Game to see how many times you can fill your Musou gauge, or rather, trigger the minigame event with the Strike Ninja and beat him by getting a bonus reel, namely a kanji symbol in each reel. I have no idea what "Bell Musou Gauge" even is.

Yeah look, this isn't something I'm going to be that serious in reviewing. If I can play something to try it out I'll definitely do it, but if I can't enjoy it properly for whatever reason then I'm just going to talk about it a little and move on. This game was a thing and that's it.

We're sailing back to China next time as we get into the pinnacle of classic era Koei Warriors with Dynasty Warriors 5.

[kicksaddictny]

adidas Originals and Renowned Artist FEWOCiOUS Announce Collaborative Partnership

Continuing the brand's exploration of art, culture, creativity, and Web3 innovation, adidas Originals has come together with the trailblazing 20-year-old artist, FEWOCiOUS, to announce a new partnership. A harmonious collision of perspectives, the collaborative endeavor blends the Trefoil’s commitment to innovation with the artist’s creative flair, as adidas Originals and FEWOCiOUS present a bold range of physical and digital product drops.

Widely regarded as one of the leading members of a growing community of Web3 artists, Victor Langlois, known as FEWOCiOUS, has built a reputation for his playful style, bold aesthetic, and deeply personal approach; telling his life story and experience as a transgender youth through his work. First appearing in an official capacity with adidas /// Studio (Three Stripes Studio) for an installation during Art Basel Miami in December 2022, FEWOCiOUS has long had an affinity for the brand, using adidas silhouettes as an artistic canvas from as far back as when he was 16 years old.

Marking the arrival of the collaborative partnership, adidas Originals and FEWOCiOUS have come together to launch a limited edition, product-linked Trefoil Flower Mint Pass. Launching on June 22nd, it will also unlock the opportunity for NFT holders to redeem the complimentary artist-designed Campus 00’s sneaker. Embodying FEWOCiOUS’ signature style, the timeless adidas Originals silhouette has been given a black and white ‘linework' makeover, contrasted by a thick, blue and white cloud pattern lace.

Commenting on the milestone partnership, FEWOCiOUS said, “Working with adidas is a real dream come true. I can’t believe I was paintin’ adidas shoes in my bedroom by myself four years ago and now I get to officially collaborate with them! This is one of the longest projects I’ve ever worked on and keeping things a secret is so hard I just want to scream it from the rooftops! I really believe in the future of fashion and footwear and the intersection of digital and physical, and I’m so excited for these to see the world and for everyone to be part of that journey with me.”

This drop also represents a new step for adidas. The launch will be the first time that the brand has produced a token-gated, NFC-tagged sneaker that is also tied to a limited edition NFT. Holders of the FEWOCiOUS x FewoWorld: Paint NFTs, along with holders of the ALTS by adidas ‘Decos’ and ‘Soles’ [ALT]er Ego NFTs, will be offered a range of exclusive benefits, including discounted pricing and early access via OpenSea on June 22nd. However, the brand and artist have also ensured that a range of NFT holders from their wider ecosystems will also be given the chance for early access before the wider public sale later that day. The Trefoil Flower Mint Pass will be exclusively available for mint and purchase through the OpenSea platform, the world’s leading NFT marketplace.

Seeking to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation for the Web3 community, as well as inspiring the wider integration of technology and artistry into the fashion landscape, those purchasing the adidas Originals x FEWOCiOUS Trefoil Flower Mint Pass will be given the exclusive opportunity to redeem the physical Campus 00’s sneaker later in the summer.

[ihateyaourt]

he just wanted to explore to climb to travel to see to smell to taste to experience to do to feel to connect to love to help to live

somehow it just always got complicated

every time I experience something new, I wonder if he got to experience that thing, too. Did he ever see a sunrise like this? Feel laughter in his gut like this? Taste this food, hear this music? Know love as boundless? Feel pain beyond what he thought was possible, and then feel a soothing salve even greater? How full was his life? I thought mine was full, and now it just keeps expanding deeper and wider. I get angry and sad at the world when I feel it. Angry and sad that he didn’t get to know, that he never will.

I tell myself that I have to keep feeling my life, that maybe he gets to feel the fullness through me. I don’t know what’s true and what’s not. I know I miss him. When the seasons change it’s always hardest.

does it get easier?

sometimes I don’t want it to. I get scared of it getting easier. I don’t want to let go of him, I don’t want him to fade. I want to keep feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and feeling and flailing and falling and failing and feeling and finding and flirting and feeling floating and forming and facing and folding and forgiving and fermenting and forging and flying and feeling and feeling and feeling

I just don’t want to forget

[fathi1708]

How photography changed world.

Whatever you were thinking before, you could be wrong. Appreciating how photography changed the world and how we remember modern history is essential for society.

Photography is the ultimate tool for capturing our surroundings with a realistic approach. Due to the very nature of capturing evidence, it has impacted the way we remember things from our past.

From global-scale events to domestic and familiar occurrences, photography has shaped the way we remember things.

1. Photography Changes History

And It Alters our Perspective of the Past!

The instant and immediate viewing of events is one of the most important things photography has given to humanity. Each day that passes, we get closer in terms of globalization.

Images reach a broader and wider audience each day, and history is reducing its gaps in terms of time intervals.

Major events in our modern and contemporary times are widely known and remembered thanks to photography.

Photography has helped history to be reinforced with visual evidence that provides more objectivity than illustrations ever did. It goes further yet from the oral tradition of previous historical times.

We can remember the past, not only because of our great and lucid memories, which I don't doubt some people have but because of photography.

We even experience feelings of nostalgia when we see images from previous times that can be completely unknown and almost foreign to us. It's bringing a tangible feeling (especially printed photographs) back from a picture in our mind.

2. Photography Changes Social Events And Family History

From weddings to funerals, photography has been present and shaped the way we do things.

Wedding photography is the ultimate form of social event photography, and the risk of failure has such dramatic consequence! The fear of failing at it is one of the main reasons why this photographic niche isn’t as highly saturated as one might think.

Domestic photography is a beautiful, intimate and genuine act of vernacular documentation. Almost all families treasure their photographs because they tell their story – it’s as simple as that.

Some photographers have taken this discipline into the artistic realm, like Sally Mann with intimate family photos, or Nicholas Nixon with his Brown Sisters series.

Sally Mann is best known for her project called Immediate Family.  It was first exhibited in 1990 by Edwynn Houk Gallery in Chicago and published as a monograph in 1992. This controversial project consists of 65 black-and-white photographs of Mann’s three children, all under the age of 10. Many of the pictures were taken at Mann's summer cabin along the river, where the children played and swam in the nude. These photos explore not only typical childhood themes, but also darker topics such as  insecurity, loneliness, sexuality and death.

When it comes to Nicholas Nixon and his project (The Brown Sisters), he started it in 1975. He was taking photos of his wife and her three sisters each year, consistently posed in the same left to right order. He made 40 portraits altogether and the series of these portraits has been shown at the St. Louis Art Museum, Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston.

We can say with certainly that both Mann’s and Nixon’s projects have shaped the history of photography even though they were just intimate family portraits!

3. Photography Changes Privacy With Social Media

Social media wouldn't be what it is today if not for photography. From tags to selfies, photography has helped people to transform their own privacy.

The whole notion of sharing has rocketed to new heights and almost defined a whole sub-genre in photography. The smartphone for one, has transformed what people photograph.

In one of my previous articles, why you should always carry a camera with you, it has become apparent over recent years that mobile photography is only gaining more momentum!

Erik Kessels did something in 2011 called 24Hrs in Photos. The performance consisted of filling an Amsterdam gallery with pictures uploaded to Flickr in 24 hours. Then he completely drowned the place with the printed images! Kessel is best known as a book publisher specializing in absurdist found photography. He collects photographs he finds on flea markets, fairs or online, and then re-contextualizes them in a humorous way.

This may be considered as a protest against the endless river of images uploaded to the internet. Or perhaps a statement about how photography has evolved in terms of resources and availability.

Many of these images were considered as domestic and vernacular, both key elements of private imagery.

Summary

Each of these three points may seem simplistic in their nature, but in fact, they hold monumental significance about how society has evolved. Cultures are changing – where is the future of photography taking us?

Every now and then it's good to pause, realize what's going on around us and consider taking a picture – whether it's with your smartphone or any camera you have on you.

No matter how “boring” the subject is, capturing a moment in history to one person may just be that indulgent moment of nostalgia for someone in years to come.

Remember to look back over your family photos and photos of your local area. It's a great way to appreciate what can happen over time as it flashes before our eyes.

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Pfft. I just had this thought that when Frey and Cuff go to Rheddah and Frey gets to witness first hand how all of Cuff's associates crap all over him for failing to get the job he was created for done AGAIN, making Cuff get all defensive and self-conscious the entire time. So, out of all of those five options, which one or combinations would be most interesting for the Forspoken sequel to explore and expand upon in the story?

Another thing: Just came up with this idea if Frey somehow finds a way to bring the four Tantas with her over to Rheddiah in their spirit forms and a new game mechanic for each of them is to be able to take over Frey's body in combat to use their particular magic. Now she has FIVE voices in her head while in the country of her predecessor's arch enemy!

I love him with every shard of my heart and soul but boy could stand to learn some humility, yeah XD

I think the first option (Susurrus fucked up the Tanta magic in Rheddah, plz help fix) is the most likely that the sequel would have explored, hopefully with a wider variety of Breakborn and Breakbeasts to murder in droves. I'm still gunning for a Breaklobster, dang it! The most interesting, though? Dang, it's hard to say. The first option would be super interesting, but I also like when fantasy RPGs lean heavy into fantasy politics, so I'd have liked to see either the Tantas being overthrown and trying to win their country back, or them fighting against a terroristic cell within their populace. On the other hand, fighting a god is a JRPG staple, and is one of my favorite tropes in the genre, so I'd have a ton of fun with that one, too!

The option I'd least like to see is the second route, where the Break in Rheddah was the result of experiments and mad science gone out of control. We don't need any more Professor Hojos screwing up the fantasy worlds, thanks.

Oh god, if Sus really wanted to drive Frey insane, adding the other four Tantas into the head choir would do it. They'd bicker with her, they'd bicker with him, they'd bicker with each other. Cinta would get one "I am your mother, Alfre, listen to me—" in before Frey shuts that down and also experiences her first ever mother-daughter argument. It'd be a mess, and unfortunately I would hate it if it happened in-game ><

[laughingpinecone]

Candyheartsex letter

AO3: laughingpineapple (double-checked a-ok for treats as per the recent AO3 update blah blah)

Hello and thank you for writing for me! I hope you’ll have a great time playing with one of these wonderful canons!

I love a wide variety of fics - from the most delicate gen to explicit, any tense, any format, big yes to all kinds of weird experiments up to and including interactive fiction. In general, I love canon expansion (showing new places in the setting or exploring those that are barely mentioned, just outside the borders, and ditto with events), character work of all stripes (expanding on little quirks, putting characters in situations that complement/challenge certain personality traits of theirs, just... observing these weirdos as they live their lives, for better and for worse), magical realism and adjacent approaches. I eat up emotional moments with a spoon when a fic is character-centric (danger! catharsis! hurt/comfort! the nitty-gritty of attraction!) and also love abstract stuff that is not character-centric at all: fake academia, a wider focus, inhuman povs, anything goes.

For both romance and friendships, I love it when it’s clear (not necessarily to the characters themselves, but to the narrative) what they like about each other, how they get along, if and how they trust each other, what’s annoying but worth it, what flaws of the other are they or are they not well equipped to handle... The specificity of each dynamic! I also love it when the characters are very into something that makes sense for them, be it a hobby or a kink or whatever, even if it’s something I may not personally care for.

For art, I love when characters are doing something. I much prefer a simple illustration of a moment in their lives (basic examples: sharing coffee, walking together) to a more ornate symbolic illustration like eg a tarot reimagining.

DNW: non-canonical rape, non-canonical children, focus on children,  pregnancies, unrequested ships (background established canon couples are okay, mentions of parents and paired-up OC randos are okay!), canon retellings  

In the rigorous order in which I came across ‘em in the tagset:

Discworld (fic)

(I haven’t read all the books, please no overt spoilers for witches, Tiffany n Moist!) I’m not sure how I landed on “I just think he’s neat” about Ridcully of all people but here I am. I like unflappable characters, for better and for worse, characters who roll with whatever hand they’re dealt, and fishes out of water who somehow make it work - seeing this ridiculous jock lead UU has been a constant highlight of the novels for me. Any fun little situation in or around the university would be amazing!

Death of Rats & Mustrum Ridcully (Discworld): I don’t know what this is about but it compels me. What’s the little guy doing here

Mustrum Ridcully & Ponder Stibbons (Discworld): best beleaguered comedy duo. I love Ponder with all my heart. It could be fun to see a scenario where they’re both right a/o wrong in their own way?

Püha ja õudne lõhn | Sacred and Terrible Air - Robert Kurvitz  (art, fic)

BIG HONKING SPOILERS. I can’t stop thinking about all this worldbuilding and cool details all over the place, so if you have something in mind that includes stuff like the Harnankur, the bells, the ZA/UM, zones of entroponetic catastrophe and so on, I’m listening!

Fandom-specific DNWs: overall positive depictions of the Innocentic system, as it were.

Ambrosius Saint-Miro & Ion Rodionov (PJÕL): w-what was it like for them. Did Rodionov know whom he was teaching math to. One would presume yes, given his whole apocalypse math teacher schtick. What’s it like for your math teacher to know the future. Do weird things happen around a future Innocence. why is this guy so cheerful

Ambrosius Saint-Miro & Revachol (PJÕL): you know, it has occurred to me that mr manifestation of the world spirit here probably shares a Twitch chat with the fragments of said world spirit and can hear her. I’m game for anything from mournful nuanced explorations to a take on the “wait unblock me I need to tell you something” meme

Charlotte Lund & Målin Lund & Anni-Elin Lund & Maj Lund: what do you make of the girls’... whole... deal? Something informed by their last scene in ch19 maybe?

Inayat Khan & Tereesz Machejek (PJÕL): I really enjoy their mutual respect, it’d be fun to see them team up or discuss Khan’s collection or something

Julia Dobreva/Jean Abadanaiz (PJÕL): ch6 devastated me. What was their role like in Revachol while it lasted, or maybe some pale shenanigans?

Kraz Mazov & Ignus Nilsen & Ion Rodionov (PJÕL): I need more content about every aspect of these 2 + thirdwheeling soothsayer, from political and philosophical aspirations (that final conversation, according to legend...) to granular leftist infighting (literally 3 top cats, 3 major currents) to Ignus being cringe on main (what about that most important question about communism...) to Ion knowing the inevitability of their demise and still sticking by them. btw if you wanna go Mazov/Nilsen&Rodionov about it, sure, someone’s gotta write them mazovian yaois at some point, ironically or otherwise.

Zygismunt Berg & Inayat Khan (PJÕL): what if they met at the end of the world. Or something. The intersection of their quests.

Twin Peaks (art, fic)

I love to see everyone’s takes on the show’s surrealism! New metaphysical places, weird corners of the red room, a far shore beyond the Fireman’s. I also love the human warmth that connects the characters - a sense that it’s what keeps us here together, while strange things lurk outside, in the dark, alluring woods.

Good with background Albert/Coop/Harry and sides thereof, Laura/Donna, Tammy/Cynthia, Andy/Lucy, Margaret/Sam, Phil/Gordon. I enjoy both book and show Tammy and I even think that they can add up to the same Tammy.

Canon-specific DNWs:  any singular Dreamer being the ‘source’ of canon, BOB (let alone Judy)  being forever defeated in the finale, Judy being an active malevolent  presence in the characters’ lives, clear explanations for canonical ambiguities, ‘Odessaverse’ being the reality layer, the Fireman’s house by the sea being the White Lodge, anything that 4 hours Twin Perfect video says is the explanation of Twin Peaks

Harry Truman & Frank Truman (Twin Peaks): where’d that Arthurian legend nod in Frank’s pre-intro even go? How do these two mirror each other? What kind of Laura and Maddy situation...

Colonel Davis & Cynthia Knox (Twin Peaks): the Air Force counterpart to Blue Rose fascinates me. What kind of boss is Gordon’s foil here? What spooky things did they see?

Albert Rosenfield & Tammy Preston (Twin Peaks): nerd skeptics team-up. I think it’s neat that she ends up doing all the researches he used to do 25 years earlier, and she can be pedantic in a way that complements his own fastidiousness nicely...

Albert Rosenfield & Diane Evans (Twin Peaks): ow their friendship with a Coop-shaped hole in the middle. Also with a bullet hole in the middle! Funny how that goes, for a pacifist. I never get tired of reunions for them, or pre-canon shenanigans

Cynthia Knox/Tamara "Tammy" Preston (Twin Peaks): two federal agencies, both alike in dignity (ie, not a whole lot of it)... could they please team up again in the future?

Baba Is You (art, fic)

How would Baba is You translate to a non-interactive format? I’m down with anything that has some fun with ever-shifting rules. Anything playful in any way!

Baba & Keke: idk I just think they’re little creatures having fun, meeting up, smelling the flowers, rearranging the rules of the universe, as one does.

Baba & Keke & Me: ditto but it’s three little creatures (it felt rude to leave out Me)

Disco Elysium (art, fic)

Helen Hindpere once described the key feeling of the setting as “the shadow of annihilation waiting in the wings next to the unshakeable belief in the greatness of humankind” and I daresay that when she’s right she’s right. I love works that lean on both the upcoming apocalypse, the poetics of failure, and the little things that matter. I’m all for weird little extraphysics! Don’t be afraid to go weird.

Fandom-specific DNWs: overall positive depictions of the RCM, overall positive depictions of the Innocentic system and Dolores Dei in particular, “$character is the next Innocence” what-ifs, postponing Le Retour (handwaving Le Retour is cool), averting the nuke, averting the end of the world, Jean Judit a/o Trant appearing or being mentioned in the fic.

DJ Flacio & DJ Mesh & Kim Kitsuragi (Disco Elysium): Kim meeting his heroes......

Edgar Claire & Evrart Claire (Disco Elysium): okay so there are two of them and I need to know how they function with each other. Is everything in their life a cooperative 7d chess match or. fwiw I think they are sincere in their goal and struggles but also they are in too deep playing the capitalist game. Would it even be possible to achieve their goal without getting in too deep? Probably not, but. Some wrong things were made.

Elizabeth Beaufort/Cindy the SKULL (Disco Elysium): I wholeheartedly stand by this ship manifesto and would love to see anything about them!

Soona Luukanen-Kilde/Lilienne Carter (Disco Elysium): no ship manifestos here afaik but I’m compelled. Do they bond over Interfacing, or is Soona’s skillset more INT-based? I also just think that women who face life with a generous heaping of hermitry should hang out in silence together and maybe kiss. I’m listening to any take on this ship, sell me on these two please!

Neha & Soona Luukanen-Kilde (Disco Elysium): last-minute twist that they were friends, at least enough for Soona to want to go say hi to Neha? Please show me how they get along, I need this.

Ulixes | Echo Maker/Steban the Student Communist (Disco Elysium): oh the intricate rituals to discourse with other men and get someone else to hit them because that’s hot I guess. More prompts here...

Steban/Ulixes & Harry Du Bois/Kim Kitsuragi (Disco Elysium): since Harry is canonically invited to their next Wirrâl campaign and Kim canonically plays (faeries, at that)... UST at the game table? The two couples are such fun mirrors, it’d be fun if something made it click for both pairs.

Steban & Ulixes & Cindy the SKULL (Disco Elysium): (or Steban/Uli & Cindy) so you got this stray cat with an attitude who’s installed her art supplies in your super sekkrit hideout and you feel that she has adopted you. wyd. Seriously I love that they are friends, that Steban doesn’t get her art but valiantly tries to be diplomatic about it, that she’s the first person Uli comes gossiping to, and I love how she seems to collect losers.

Steban & Ulixes & Gaston & René (Disco Elysium): fun pair of “too accommodating for his own good & repressed grump” combos. There’s also the fact that Gaston, who has never picked a side, ever, in his life, still writes to La Fumée to stand up for Steban (and other communist...s...? who are they?) who’s risking eviction. I think that’s sweet of him and would love to see them all hang out.

Final Fantasy VI (fic)

What I love in this fandom is intra-party interaction. They’re all wonderful and don’t get to speak to each other that much, if at all. I’d love to see scenes and/or little adventures during or after the game! I don’t really have ships here so any unrequested character is welcome to feature too but I would prefer gen.

Cayenne Garamonde | Cyan Garamonde & Stragus Magus | Strago Magus (FFVI): I don’t know what this might be about but I’m intrigued! I love them both singularly, anything goes!

 Celes Chere & Macías "Mash" Rene Figaro | Sabin Rene Figaro (FFVI): these two did get to speak to each other a bit and I found their odd friendship at the end of the world extremely endearing, and the emotional anchor of one of the most impactful stretches of the game, from the island to getting airborne again. Do they perchance keep speaking to each other as the party grows again?

Ghost Trick (art, fic)

My forever request. I just love this cast and love to see what their lives might look like in the new timeline, with only Sissel, Jowd and Yomiel remembering the tragedy they unmade. How this decade of memories impacts Jowd’s pre-existing relationships, and his trajectory with a best friend who may or may not be pining like a spotless white conifer. And everyone else as well! Weird AUs (fantasy, sci-fi, western, odd jobs..) and what-ifs (friend mentioned the other day what if it’s Cabanela who gets to keep his memories instead of Jowd) all welcome!

Alma/Cabanela/Jowd (Ghost Trick): any slice of life moment! Given this exchange’s reveals date: Jowd might just be the country’s least romantic individual. What does he do for a

Alma/Jowd (Ghost Trick): what changes between them in the new timeline?

Cabanela/Jowd (Ghost Trick): please let them be intensely ridiculous about their attraction

Cabanela & Pigeon Man (Ghost Trick): unexpected intergenerational friendship of my heart, Cabs is A Lot and Pigeon Man expertly wrangles him. Guess he’s good with birds

Cabanela & Missile (Ghost Trick): so. much. enthusiasm. I think if any silly plan went badly for these two they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. wym sparkly determination doesn’t always work?

Emma & Jowd (Ghost Trick): please let Emma have her fun and Jowd “yes, and” her to infinity

Emma & Cabanela (Ghost Trick): I think they’re both extra, theatrical and stubborn in a way that could be really compatible! A role swap could also be fun - Inspector Emma, novelist Cabanela

Emma & Alma (Ghost Trick): pls friends? Their daughters are friends. Cats don’t bark and ruin a writer’s concentration.

Cabanela & Jowd & Sissel (Ghost Trick): any combo of Sissel using his powers to help a/o prank either of them, Cabanela knowing or not, being ridiculously competent...

Jowd & Yomiel & Sissel (Ghost Trick): cat dads!!! Jowd’s potential bond with Yomiel is so fascinating to me, through the guilt and trauma of it all I think they could reach a certain understanding that no-one else can give them. And Sissel keeps them grounded...

Kentucky Route Zero (art, fic)

Perhaps not relevant to these character combos (or is it?) but I love Act V so much, and everything it says about all the themes up to that point. Maybe that home can be there for these strays too, for a time.

 James B. Carrington & Lula Chamberlain (Kentucky Route Zero): please go artsy at will! I’d listen to Carrington ramble on for hours. Lula wouldn’t, but them’s the breaks.

Lula Chamberlain/Donald/Joseph Wheattree (Kentucky Route Zero): the doomed shape of it all... can they ever meet after the end? How were their lives shaped by rushing back to the surface, stagnating deep down, and making a living on the Zero? Symbolically, what do you make of it?

Pyre (art, fic)

I’m really into the whole end-of-cycle, crumbling society, need for new models and ideals thing. We can have little a idealistic canon with a successful pacifist revolution, as a treat. But I also love these striking characters by themselves and I’m interested in seeing them in what-ifs and weird AUs (fantasy, sci-fi, western, odd jobs..) too.

Fandom-specific DNWs: Oralech dead, Volfred and Oralech split end (I’m good with either topside or downside ending), Ignarius/Jodariel, Tariq/Celeste. The Reader being a central character in the fic.

Volfred Sandalwood & Pamitha Theyn (Pyre): does he have a shady job for her, or are they just sharing a drink and a smoke?

Soliam Murr & Oralech (Pyre): if you can find any way to make them meet, I think Oralech wants to speak to the manager

Barker Ashpaws & Brighton (Pyre): so downside Barker invents basketball. Brighton iirc ends up downside anyway, and for all his many flaws he did so love fantasy basketball. Can this be the birth of an odd friendship? (I am not interested in woobie Brighton, I like how hilariously obnoxious he is in canon and Barker would probably not have any of it but otoh they are Bonded By The Sportsball...)

Ignarius & Oralech (Pyre): I’d just like to weaponize Iggy’s fascination for big survivor demons and point it at an unsuspecting Oralech, for fun

Dalbert Oldheart & Tariq | The Lone Minstrel (Pyre): Tariq ditching the Nightwings for an afternoon (especially the previous Nightwings who knew how to be irritating) and spending some time with Dalbert... talking about the Scribes...

Oralech/Volfred Sandalwood/Tariq | The Lone Minstrel (Pyre): catch-all request because I ran out of slots but if you wanna do any sub-section of the triad I love all combinations. For the three of them together I would like to see them, for example, a few years into the future, either topside or downside...

Big Bertrude & Sir Gilman (Pyre): kin is kin whether Bertrude regrets it or not. Underwater adventures?

Big Bertrude/Pamitha Theyn (Pyre): I love how they quietly get each other. Downside postcanon maybe?

Big Bertrude & Volfred Sandalwood (Pyre): can Volfred do something nice for her? Or would that help if he’s the reason the old girl’s got a broken heart to begin with?

Vagabond Girl & Volfred Sandalwood (Pyre): Scribes talk Scribes talk Scribes talk!

[sergeantsporks]

So we know the Revenge Squad and Cyrus are the most like to move out of the Gilded House, but who are the ones who will never move out if they don't to have? I'm thinking Mole, Jason, Cherry, Chryses, and potentially Joseph?

If any of the first three decided to move out, it would be like. Right next door. And it would be more out of a sense of obligation to 1) learn how to take care of themselves and 2) give mom and dad some alone time. But yeah, Chryses for sure wouldn't move out, and if he's not moving out, Silver probably isn't either, or at least Silver is going to spend a lot of time there when they can.

I can't see Joseph "moving out," per se, but he'd definitely be GONE for extended periods of time, exploring the isles, doing animal rescue, finding new critters, that kind of thing. But the Gilded house would remain his home base, no matter how many rental houses or "cabin i built in the woods to stay in while I'm on research trips" he had.

Steven and Chryses would definitely stick around, or if they DID move out, they'd move out with one of their brothers and still stay nearby. Cherry might move out, but he wouldn't go far, and he'd probably come for dinner a few times a week. Or he'd be like going to whatever passes for college on the boiling isles.

I can actually see Mole and Jason moving out eventually, but together, and they probably wouldn't go far either. Just for the experience of managing their own house, seeing how well they can support themselves, getting out in the world, you know? They'd have one of those gardens that's like. Okay, technically no one can do anything about it, it's well tended, but some of the neighbors hate it because it's not a lawn.

Auric probably would also stick around. He might go off to learn with different healers, just to get a wider base of knowledge, but he'd for sure stay at home. He and Mom can set up their own clinic!

[thevalleyisjolly]

Hi there! If you feel up to it, would you be willing to expand a bit more on the idea of white creators creating poc characters who are ‘internally white’, especially in a post-racialized or racism-free setting & how to avoid it? It’s something I’m very concerned about but I haven’t encountered a lot of info about it outside of stories set in real world settings. Thanks & have a good day!

Hey, thanks for asking, anon!  It’s a pretty nuanced topic, and different people will have different takes on it.  I’ll share my thoughts on it, but do keep in mind that other people of colour may have different thoughts on the matter, and this is by no means definitive!  These are things I’ve observed through research, trial and error, my own experiences, or just learning from other writers.

The first thing I guess I want to clarify is that I personally am not opposed to a society without racism in fiction.  It’s exhausting and frankly boring when the only stories that characters of colour get are about racism!  So it’s a relief sometimes to just get to see characters of colour exist in a story without dealing with racism.  That being said, I feel like a lot of the time when creators establish their settings as “post-racial,” they avoid racism but they also avoid race altogether.  Not aesthetically -they may have a few or even many characters with dark skin- but the way the characters act and talk and relate to the world are “race-less” (which tends to end up as default white American/British or whatever place the creator comes from).  Which I have complicated thoughts on, but the most obvious thing that springs to mind is how such an approach implies (deliberately or not) that racism is all there is to the way POC navigate the world.  It’s definitely a significant factor, particularly for POC in Western countries, but it’s not the only thing!  There’s so much more to our experiences than just racial discrimination, and it’s a shame that a lot of “post-racial” or “racism-free” settings seem to overlook that in their eagerness to not have racism (or race) in their stories.

A quick go-to question I ask when I look at characters of colour written/played by white creators is: if this was a story or transcript I was reading, with no art or actors or what have you, would I be able to tell that this character is a character of colour?  How does the creator signal to the audience that this is a character of colour?  A lot of the time, this signal stops after the physical description - “X has dark skin” and then that’s all!  (We will not discuss the issue of racial stereotypes in depth, but it should be clear that those are absolutely the wrong way to indicate a character of colour).

This expands to a wider issue of using dark skin as a be-all-end-all indication of diversity, which is what I mean by “aesthetic” characters of colour (I used the term “internally white” originally but upon further reflection, it has some very loaded implications, many of which I’m personally familiar with, so I apologize for the usage).  Yes, the character may not “look” white, but how do they interact with the world?  Where do they come from?  What is their background, their family?  A note: this can be challenging with diaspora stories in the real world and people being disconnected (forcibly or otherwise) from their heritage (in which case, those are definitely stories that outsiders should not tell).  So let’s look at fantasy.  Even the most original writer in the world bases their world building off existing things in the real world.  So what cultures are you basing your races off of?  If you have a dark skinned character in your fantasy story, what are the real world inspirations and equivalents that you drew from, and how do you acknowledge that in a respectful, non-stereotyped way?

(Gonna quickly digress here and say that there are already so many stories about characters of colour disconnected from their heritage because ‘They didn’t grow up around other people from that culture’ or ‘They moved somewhere else and grew up in that dominant culture’ or ‘It just wasn’t important to them growing up’ and so on.  These are valid stories, and important to many people!  But when told by (usually) white creators, they’re also used, intentionally or not, as a sort of cop-out to avoid having to research or think about the character’s ethnicity and how that influences who they are.  So another point of advice: avoid always situating characters outside of their heritage.  Once or twice explored with enough nuance and it can be an interesting narrative, all the time and it starts being a problem)

Another thing I want to clarify at this point is that it’s a contentious issue about whether creators should tell stories that aren’t theirs, and different people will have different opinions.  For me personally, I definitely don’t think it’s inherently bad for creators to have diverse characters in their work, and no creator can live every experience there is.  That being said, there are caveats for how such characters are handled.  For me personally, I follow a few rules of thumb which are:

Is this story one that is appropriate for this creator to tell?  Some experiences are unique and lived with a meaningful or complex history and context behind them and the people to whom those experiences belong do not want outsiders to tell those stories.

To what extent is the creator telling this story?  Is it something mentioned as part of the narrative but not significantly explored or developed upon?  Does it form a core part of the story or character?  There are some stories that translate across cultures and it’s (tentatively) ok to explore more in depth, like immigration or intergenerational differences.  There are some stories that don’t, and shouldn’t be explored in detail (or even at all) by people outside those cultures.

How is the creator approaching this story and the people who live it?  To what extent have they done their research?  What discussions have they had with sensitivity consultants/readers?  What kind of respect are they bringing to their work?  Do they default to stereotypes and folk knowledge when they reach the limits of their research?  How do they respond to feedback or criticism when audiences point things that they will inevitably get wrong?

Going back to the “race-less” point, I think that creators need to be careful that they’re (respectfully) portraying characters of colour as obvious persons of colour.  With a very definite ‘no’ on stereotyping, of course, so that’s where the research comes in (which should comprise of more than a ten minute Google search).  If your setting is in the real world, what is the background your character comes from and how might that influence the way they act or talk or see the world?  If your setting is in a fantasy world, same question!  Obviously, avoid depicting things which are closed/exclusive to that culture (such as religious beliefs, practices, etc) and again, avoid stereotyping (which I cannot stress enough), but think about how characters might live their lives and experience the world differently based on the culture or the background they come from.

As an example of a POC character written/played well by a white person, I personally like Jackson Wei and Cindy Wong from Dimension 20’s The Unsleeping City, an urban fantasy D&D campaign.  Jackson and Cindy are NPCs played by the DM, Brennan Lee Mulligan, who did a good job acknowledging their ethnicity without resorting to stereotypes and while giving them their own unique characters and personalities.  The first time he acted as Cindy, I leapt up from my chair because she was exactly like so many old Chinese aunties and grandmothers I’ve met.  The way Jackson and Cindy speak and act and think is very Chinese (without being stereotyped), but at the same time, there’s more to their characters than being Chinese, they have unique and important roles in the story that have nothing to do with their ethnicity.  So it’s obvious that they’re people of colour, that they’re Chinese, but at the same time, the DM isn’t overstepping and trying to tell stories that aren’t his to tell.  All while not having the characters face any racism, as so many “post-racialized” settings aim for, because there are quite enough stories about that!

There a couple factors that contribute to the positive example I gave above.  The DM is particularly conscientious about representation and doing his research (not to say that he never messes up, but he puts in a lot more effort than the average creator), and the show also works with a lot of sensitivity consultants.  Which takes me to the next point - the best way to portray characters of colour in your story is to interact with people from that community.  Make some new friends, reach out to people!  Consume media by creators of colour!  In my experience so far, the most authentic Chinese characters have almost universally been created/written/played by Chinese creators.  Read books, listen to podcasts, watch shows created by people of colour.  Apart from supporting marginalized creators, you also start to pick up how people from that culture or heritage see themselves and the world, what kind of stories they have to tell, and just as importantly, what kind of stories they want being told or shared.  In other words, the best way to portray an authentic character of colour that is more than just the colour of their skin is to learn from actual people of colour (without, of course, treating them just as a resource and, of course, with proper credit and acknowledgement).

Most importantly, this isn’t easy, and you will absolutely make mistakes.  I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that you will mess up.  No matter how well researched you are, how much respect you have for other cultures, how earnestly you want to do this right, you will at some point do something that makes your POC audience uncomfortable or even offends them.  Then, your responsibility comes with your response.  Yes, you’ve done something wrong.  How do you respond to the people who are hurt or disappointed?  Do you ignore them, or double down on your words, or try to defend yourself?  Just as importantly, what are you planning to do about it in the future?  If you have a second chance, what are you going to do differently?  You will make mistakes at some point.  So what are you going to do about them?  That, I think, is an even more important question than “How can I do this right?”  You may or may not portray something accurately, but when you get something wrong, how are you going to respond?

Essentially, it all comes down to your responsibility as a creator.  As a creator, you have a responsibility to do your due diligence in research, to remain respectful to your work and to your audience, and to be careful and conscientious about how you choose to create things.  It’s not about getting things absolutely perfect or being the most socially conscious creator out there, it’s about recognizing your responsibilities as a creator with a platform, no matter how big or small, and taking responsibility for your work. 

In summary:

Research, research, research

Avoid the obvious no-no’s (stereotypes, tokenization, fetishization, straight up stealing from other cultures, etc) and think critically about what creative choices you’re making and why

Do what you’re doing now, and reach out to people (who have put themselves out there as a resource).  There are tons of resources out there by people of colour, reach out when you’re not sure about something or would like some advice!

Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility

Thank you for reaching out!  Good luck with your work!

[thepropertylovers]

Are You Watching Heartstopper on Netflix?

The new Netflix romcom is a beautiful coming-of-age portrait of young, queer love.

Let me just get this out of the way: We binged the entire series in two nights. Netflix’s new gay romantic comedy TV series Heartstopper is so, so good, and I would compare it to if Euphoria and Love, Victor had a baby, and maybe that baby was friends with Elite and Sex Education, but wasn’t influenced by either of their naughty behavior. It’s a pure, happy little series that deals with very real, serious topics like coming out, being trans, figuring out who you are and bullying.

It’s based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alice Osemen (have you read it?) who also created and wrote the series. The show has received critical acclaim, and has earned a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Adam Miller from Metro calling it “A life-changing moment for the LGBTQ+ people of today and all the ones who will follow.” I couldn’t agree more.

Here’s the basic plot:

“Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie Spring, a gay schoolboy who falls in love with someone he sits next to in his new form, Nick Nelson, while also exploring the lives of Charlie and Nick's friends, Tao, Elle and Isaac.

I had actually never heard of it before seeing the trailer for the show last month, and then got a gentle reminder from some of our subscribers this past weekend that it was out and that we must watch it immediately. The episodes are named things like “Meet”, “Crush”, and “Secret”, and they’re listed at the start of each new episode, so they get your attention immediately as you watch to see what will happen next.

The thing that separates this show from some of its modern contemporaries is that it doesn’t really fall into some of the teen romcom cliches and tropes. Just when you think a character will do one thing, because that’s just what happens in shows like this, they surprise you and do the exact thing you want them to do instead (aka, the right thing). It’s rewarding and fresh and fun and, at 27 minutes an episode, completely digestible.

Another thing that makes Heartstopper so relatable and just plain good, is the notion that just maybe, all your dreams really can come true. Right? It’s everyone’s dream that the person they like will like them back, or better yet, love them back. Nick and Charlie represent that very real human feeling of wanting to be loved by the person you love, no matter if you’re a teenager or much older. And when it comes true, when the person you love chooses to love you back, it’s the best feeling in the entire world (speaking from experience here).

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to have shows like this and “Love, Victor” around when I was in high school. I haven’t been a teenager in a long time, and high school feels like a entirely other lifetime, but I was deeply closeted during those years, always fearful someone would find out I was gay. I couldn’t imagine a world where I would ever come out to anyone. And then, a year and a half after graduating high school, I met PJ and because of him, I had the courage to slowly come out to the ones I love, and after that, I didn’t really care who knew and who didn't. I feel like things would have been a lot easier for me to come out back then had I had a show like Heartstopper. Still, I believe I came out exactly when (and with who) I was supposed to.

I truly hope LGBTQIA+ youth who watch these shows find comfort and acceptance, and that they help them to not feel so alone. The effect that representation has on a young mind, hell, even an older one, cannot be overstated. Seeing someone who you can relate to on the big screen is invaluable, and we can all only hope that more and more stories like this continue to be shared to a wider audience.

So what are you waiting for? Go watch Heartstopper right now and then immediately download the entire soundtrack because every song is AMAZING.

Hoping for a season two ASAP!!

(photos via Joe Locke’s Instagram)

[takuyakistall]

threads that connect us

At first, you had no idea what everyone around you kept on saying. The threads that connect everybody together, it took your breath away the first time you saw it. A beautiful sight that reminded you that no one is truly alone on this earth. What’s a better way to enjoy it than letting someone you love witness it with you? 

The ability to be able to see the things no normal people would normally see wasn’t an ability you possessed from birth. Your family came from a long line of magicians blessed with the Tailor’s Eye. Despite what that name implies, the only tailor from your family lineage stretched back to a few hundred years ago who was said to be the very reason why they had the special sight in their possession. It was said that she used to sew until her fingers bled. A certain customer that came across her was so taken by the clothes she made, touched by her dedication and skill. So he blessed her with the ability to see things the naked human eye cannot. 

Ever since then, the ability was passed down from generation to generation to the firstborn of every family. It was not something they possessed from birth, it was something they get after reaching a certain age. Those who got hold of it had said the pain that came with it was excruciating as it felt as if their eyes were being burned until it turned into a different colour. You were no exception. And as the name implies, it was only one eye that shall turn into a different colour—people often thought your family just had very strong genes with the way every firstborn had heterochromia. 

After you had reached a certain age, your vision suddenly became blurry and you already collapsed from the pain as you put a hand over your eyes, hoping to soothe the pain that came with the so-called blessing. The moment you opened your eyes, a whole new world was before you—everything you had known about the Tailor’s Eye up to this point was quickly washed away after experiencing it yourself. When your mother said it would reveal things you normally wouldn’t see, you thought it had something to do with the supernatural. 

Much to your surprise, it had nothing to do with ghosts or anything of the sort. What you saw was far different from the things you imagined. Threads—fitting for a child of a family with a history of becoming great tailors. Never in your wildest dreams have you thought that you would see threads. Threads that connect people, whether it be the red thread that told you who was fated together or the nearly invisible thread that told you about friends who have yet to meet.

It was overwhelming at first, the sight of so many threads at once nearly made you lose your head as you figured out which was which. So many threads tangled together it was nearly impossible for you to tell which was which, was this really a blessing? 

Though with time, you have learned to appreciate it as you were going to have to live with it now. Seeing thousands of those strings connecting people together was something you’ve come to love with your heart, a beautiful sight that constantly reminded you that no one was truly alone on this earth no matter what you think. There was not a single person that did not have a thread attached to them, loneliness is never eternal. 

Your job, as someone who possesses this power, is to make sure that both ends of the thread on the brink of snapping meet in the end. In this world, there are countless threads that are about to snap as well. Whether it be because of fate or interference from an outsider not meant to get involved, though not always, there are special cases wherein you have to step in to ensure the fate of certain people don’t get into an intangible mess. 

Upon entering NRC, the first thing you did was explore where the threads lead you. It was rare, but there are times where those who possess this special sight can see their own strings. A nearly invisible thread that made your heart race, a friend you haven't met yet. To say you were excited was an understatement, that string led to none other than a first year. 

“What’s your name?” You asked, curiosity sparkling in your eyes as you saw the countless threads attached to him. No red in sight, you began to grow more interested. His skin looked like fine porcelain, his eyes shined brightly like sapphires and his hair of the colour lavender—he looked like a doll made by the finest dollmaker. 

“Epel Felmier, yours?” His round and inquiring eyes made you smile wider, his voice was as beautiful as you thought it would be. You stretched your hand towards him and shot him a grin with the intent to make a good impression, you were fated to be connected to each other after all. You told him your name and shortly after, he took your hand in his and shook it. It was the start of your story with him. 

With time, you came to know the multiple sides to him. You came to love him for the way he is with your heart, though there was something that scared you from the bottom of your heart. Epel had no red thread attached to him whatsoever, it was as if the world was telling you that he was not your fated to be. You understood the words of your elders when they said that those eyes could easily become a curse under certain circumstances; falling in love was one of them.

If the one you fell in love with had a red string attached to someone else who wasn’t you, wouldn’t that become unbearable? Epel had none, that could only mean one thing to you. He wasn’t going to fall for anyone. Not for you, not for anyone, fate had decided to let him be that way. You thought it was impossible and yet, he was living proof of otherwise. It was futile to try and deny it. 

As time passed by, you came to hate seeing such threads in your field of vision. You cursed it, it was no blessing to you as it burdened you with the weight of knowing Epel will never be truly yours. A cruel fate that you wished would change… But your feelings for the boy remained unchanging. The last bit of irrationality you held told you that it wouldn’t be bad to remain friends with him when it tore your heart to bits during your every waking moment. 

It wasn’t so bad, it wasn’t so bad, right? Convincing yourself that was a difficult task.

“Do you know how to sew?” You asked him, holding up a thread and needle. 

“A little bit, my grandmother taught me the basics at least.” You handed him the thread and needle, and without another word, he grabbed a white piece of fabric and started sewing to show you his basic skill set. 

“My family is famous for being skilled craftsmen. My grandfather used to tell me that life is like a finished piece of embroidery, one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out right,” you trailed off. “But I never really liked sewing, you know?”

Maybe it was because Epel was too focused on his current task but his only reply was an offhand comment asking you why. You decided to change the subject after a quick look at him, you felt your heart beat faster.

“Hey, do you wanna see the threads that connect everyone together? You know, the thing they tell children in legends.” You heard him let out a scoff, he thought you were being ridiculous. You pouted, “What’s with that reaction, I’m serious!”

“As if we can see it. We might have magic but that sort of thing is impossible to see—does it even exist in the first place?”

“It’s just a matter of whether or not you want to see it.” With your magic pen in hand, you utter out a spell and before Epel could fully comprehend what was happening around him, a burst of colours invaded his vision without any prior warning as countless threads suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him. 

No words left his lips as he felt as if his breath was being taken away by the overwhelming sight. He frantically looked towards your direction and for a split second, he swore he saw a glint of red light coming from one of the many threads attached to you—the thread that was also attached to him. Not long after a few seconds, the vision suddenly disappeared and everything was back to normal. 

Epel stood up and approached you, urgency present in everything he does. “What the hell was that!?”

“Haha! It looks like I startled you,” you laughed.

“Damn right I was!”

“Don’t worry, I just exchanged our vision for a few seconds so you could experience the world through my eyes. I must say, having a normal sight like yours felt very foreign to me now that my ‘normal’ is different.”

“You live like this?” He was beyond baffled, “you should’ve given me a warning beforehand.” 

You took a step closer to him, tilting your head slightly. Epel’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“I thought my previous question was sufficient. But enough of that! How was it?”

“I… have a lot of questions, of course. But, for now, does the red string of fate exist in your world too?” 

“Yup! Why do you ask?” The romantic legend about the red string of fate, those at the opposite ends are supposed to be soulmates. “I didn’t know you were into romantic stuff like that, Epel.”

“It’s nothing much…” He covered his mouth with his hand, the realization suddenly dawning on him. That sight he saw earlier… wasn’t just his eyes playing tricks on him, right?

[imasimpforshanks]

Hello, I just saw the alphabet requests. Could I please get the fluff alphabet with Luffy? Thank you sm!

Fluff Alphabet - Monkey D. Luffy

a/n: hi hi hi! thank you for requesting! I hope you enjoy 💗

A-Activities (what do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?)

Luffy is a complete child at heart. He enjoys doing anything and everything! So long as you are there with him, he doesn’t particularly care what it is you are doing – if it’s with you he knows he’ll have the time of his life.

However, if Luffy were to pick something as his favourite activity to do with you, he would choose a water fight (weird considering his vulnerability to water but that doesn’t cross his mind in the moment). Chasing one another around, stomachs aching from laughter, cheeks sore from grinning too much. He’s never had so much fun, and he can’t tell if it’s because of the activity itself, or because it’s with you (ultimately, he decides that it’s both).

B-Beauty (what do they admire about their s/o? what do they think is beautiful about them?)

One of the things Luffy admires most about you is your unquenchable thirst for adventure; it’s own that rivals his own. You want to explore, live life freely and on your own terms. In Luffys eyes there is nothing more wonderful than that.

Honestly, Luffy thinks everything about you is beautiful. Every. Single. Thing. Right from the top of your head to the very tips of your toes. But, there is something about your laugh that he just finds so unbelievably intoxicating. When he hears you laugh - so carefree and so happy - his grin grows even wider. He wants nothing more than to hear that laugh for the rest of his life.

C-Comfort (how would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?)

This captain is a lot more emotionally intelligent that people think. He’s very in tune to what people like and dislike and he uses this knowledge to help comfort people. For example, on thriller bark after they find Zoro injured luffy attempts to give him a whole ass barrel of sake because “Zoro likes sake so it’ll make him feel better.” This same logic would apply when he’s trying to comfort you. He’ll find or do something you like because well it’ll make you happy. If food makes you happy, he’ll get you some food. If cuddles make you happy, well then you best be ready to be suffocated.

Another way I can see Luffy comforting you is by trying to make you laugh and smile. When people are laughing and smiling, they’re happy, right? So, by that logic all he’s gotta do is be goofy and then you’ll laugh like you usually do!

D-Dreams (how do they picture they future with their s/o?)

When he becomes the pirate king, you are right there with him. He can’t see himself settling down (by this I mean living in one place permanently). Luffy wants to travel the seas with you forever, going on adventure after adventure after adventure. He hasn’t really thought much about kids or anything like that, but all he has thought about is you and him growing old together.

E-Equal (are they the dominant one in the relationship or rather passive?)

Luffy is definitely not the passive one in the relationship, but I also wouldn’t say he’s the dominant one. He’s dependent on you and you’re dependent on him. It’s a relatively equally balanced relationship but it could even be argued that it’s only that way because of how Luffy is. He often just does what he wants when he wants regardless of your opinion. However, he also allows you to do the same. That’s not to say he doesn’t sit back and listen to your concerns if you voice them.

F-Fight (would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?)

Fights are a very rare occurrence in your relationship. Luffy isn’t one to maintain an argument for very long often cracking a joke or doing something silly causing you to laugh and break the tension.

On the very rare occasion that you are having a serious fight, Luffy can be extremely stubborn. Once he’s got something in his mind, its hard to make him think otherwise, so more often than not you will have to be the one to apologize if you want to move on from this.

G-Gratitude (how grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?)

Luffy is very aware of everything that you do for him, and he absolutely gushes about it to everyone he comes into contact with. He can’t stop talking about you. People who have never met you before suddenly seem to know about every single time you gave up a portion of your dinner to Luffy because he was still hungry but Sanji wouldn’t let him have anymore because dinner was over.

H-Honesty (do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?)

Luffy is an open book. He cannot keep a secret to save himself. Not even a good secret like a surprise party for you or something, in fact, the crew have to be the ones to plan surprise parties for you on luffys behalf cos he gets too excited and just blurts it out straight away. Basically, if there is something he isn’t telling you the only explanation is that he genuinely forgot. But as soon as you ask him, he’ll tell you - without hesitation.

I-Inspiration (did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?)

Being with Luffy has helped you to be a little more carefree. He has taught you to embrace your youth. What’s the rush in growing up? Why does everything need to be so serious all the time? It’s okay to loosen up, and goof around as long as you are still dependable.

J-Jealousy (do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?)

Luffy does get jealous. But, not in the usual sense. He doesn’t get jealous of other people interacting with you, or with you interacting with other people. He trusts you fully, so there’s no reason for him to be jealous in that front. However, what he does get jealous about is you spending time with others, without him. Luffy gets serious FOMO, so if you’re doing anything and he’s not invited, that is when he gets jealous. This sweetie just wants likes to be included! On the off chance that you are doing something without him and Luffy starts to feel jealous, he will simply insert himself into the conversation or the activity. He does NOT care (LMAO).

K-Kisses (are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?)

Luffy is a very energetic kisser. There’s no real rhyme or reason to his movements he just smashes his lips against yours. He’s eager and enthusiastic, which can make him a bit sloppy at times, but he doesn’t care.

Your first kiss took you completely by surprise. The two of you were just hanging out then before you knew it, he had kissed you. It happened so quickly they you barely had time to process what happened, but he was just sitting there looking at you while giggling his little heart out.

L-Love confession (how would they confess to their s/o?)

When it comes to telling you how he feels, he approaches it as he does everything else; directly. He’s never been one to beat around the bush, rather always speaking his mind and being up front. With you it’s no different. The second he realizes how he feels about you, he’s on his way to tell you. No hesitation, no doubt, just 100% honesty. It doesn’t matter where you are or who might be around, Luffy will tell you in that very moment.

M-Marriage (do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?)

Marriage isn’t something Luffy has really thought about. The two of you are together constantly, you know you love each other, so why would you need to get married? It’s not that he’s against getting married, it just isn’t something he’s particularly concerned about. Well… that is until he hears the words ‘wedding’ and ‘party’. Once he’s heard that Luffy is set on getting married right then and there (that’s basically his proposal too). Any excuse for a party.

N-Nicknames (what do they call their s/o?)

To be honest, Luffy mostly just uses your name. He likes it because it belongs to you which makes it special. He does like to find out what nicknames you had as a child, he thinks those a pretty fun and makes him feel as though he’s known you for your whole life, so he does also use your childhood nickname/s.

O-On cloud nine (what are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?)

Luffy gets even more clingy. Clingy may not be the right word, but it’s the best way to describe it. When he’s in love he feels an overwhelming urge to be near you all the time. He craves your presence and your attention so is constantly asking you to play or chat or anything! He really just wants to spend time with you, more so than usual. The whole crew actually picked up on it quite instantly because they noticed the lack of Luffy in their day-to-day schedule. They knew it was more than platonic relationships Luffy had for you when he was five minutes late for lunch because he was too overjoyed by your attention.

P-PDA (are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?)

He’s all about showing affection both platonically and romantically. He catches you (and others) so off guard because one moment its silent and the next thing you know you’re hearing “gomu-gomu no…” and being tackled to the ground by a pair of rubbery arms. If Luffy wants to kiss you, he’s going to kiss you. He doesn’t have a care in the world about who may see.

Q-Quirk (some random ability they have that is beneficial in a relationship?)

Can promise you a life full of excitement. You never need to worry about your relationship getting ‘boring’ or ‘being stuck in a rut’ because that will never happen with Luffy. Each day is filled with adventure and something new to experience. There’s a whole world out there that you can experience together.

R-Romance (how romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?)

Many people wouldn’t expect it, but he is indeed romantic. It’s far from cliché and strays from the typical notions of ‘romance’ but it’s romantic, nonetheless. Luffy is just unapologetically himself. Because of this anything he does for you (even the littlest of actions), you know it’s sincere and comes from the heart. That is what makes Luffy romantic.

S-Support (are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? do they believe in them?)

Not supporting you in your goals and dreams goes entirely against Luffys character. He truly believes you, and anyone else for that matter, can do whatever they put their minds to. He is your number 1 supporter, actively helping you every step of the way. No one believes in you more than Luffy.

T-Thrill (do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship or do they prefer certain routine?)

When you’re with Luffy you don’t need to worry about spicing up your relationship. You will never once experience a boring day. The relationship is constantly filled with new places to go, and new things to see, and you’re fortunate enough to be able to do all of it together.

U-Understanding (how good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?)

Contrary to popular belief, Luffy is very emotionally intelligent (I said this earlier actually). He can read people freakishly well, and his s/o is no different. In fact when it comes to you his emotional intelligence only multiplies.

V-Value (how important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?)

As with most of the other relationships (platonic and familial) in his life your relationship is very important to him. For Nico Robin, he declared war on the world government. For Sanji, he went up against a Yonko and her crew. You would be no different. He would go to the ends of the earth (maybe further) for you. It’s just how he is. His relationships and his dream to be pirate king are not mutually exclusive, meaning, he can’t have one without the other.

W-Wild card (a random fluff headcanon?)

Brings you random little knick-knacks, or like a little memento from EVERY SINGLE island you go to. The items range from a pretty shell he saw on the beach to a funky looking figurine he spotted in a market.

X-XOXO (Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?)

Luffy loves to kiss and cuddle. He’s an extremely affectionate person. He practically clings to you like a koala bear. That physical contact is something he enjoys a lot; it’s really reassuring for him.

Y-Yearning (how will they cope when they are missing their partner?)

As long as Luffy is distracted and kept busy, he’ll be able to cope. He entertains himself and slowly counts down the days until he can see you. He builds up the excitement and he becomes like a child the night before a school unable to sleep or keep still; he just wants to see you.

Z-Zeal (are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind?)

This has been established already. All relationships (platonic, romantic, familial) hold a special place in Luffys life. He declared war on the world government, fought countless fearsome opponents all for the sake his friends (sometimes even people he just met). Your relationship with Luffy would be no different at all. In fact, for you, he would do all of that and much much more.

[imagine-this-fandom]

BNHA x Fem! Reader: The Rescue- Purple Ragdoll

The rescue intro: here

A/N:

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone is staying safe and had a good New Years Eve. Thank you all for your support, I'm really happy to be writing for you. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but I hope you all enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*

Inko led you back into the main store and past rows of all sorts of tanks. She paused and tucked Izuku into one of them before she continued along, stopping in front of a door with cute little pawprints running up the side. At the top of the door, the word CATS was in big bold letters. She opened the door and ushered you inside, carefully closing the door behind you.

You took in the chaos of the cat room, eyes following Inko as she expertly dodged cats and weaved through various cat toys on her way to a cat tree in the back. The room was filled with cats of all shapes and sizes.  You decided it would be best if you stayed put. The last thing you needed was to accidentally step on one of the cute animals. That would be a rather unfortunate end to your budding experience as a pet owner. When Inko saw that you were standing alone, she made a tutting noise and went back, grabbing your arm before leading you over to the quiet corner she had scouted earlier.

You followed her curiously, trying not to trip on the felines winding around your legs, which was an intense feat as they seemed to really like you for some reason. You came to a stop in front of one of those hanging cat hammock things. Inside, was a fluffy cat with strangely lilac tinted fur that was ruffled and sticking out at all angles. You searched your limited knowledge about animals before settling on the breed. The cat before you was the sleepiest looking ragdoll cat you had ever seen. The fur under his eyes was darker than the fur around it, giving it the illusion of deep purple eye bags. He looked kind of run down if you were honest as if no amount of naps in the world could make him energetic. He was definitely not what you expected. He reminded you of Grumpy cat but exhausted.

Inko smiled warmly at you while clasping her hands to her chest, watching your reaction closely.

“This is Shinsou! I think he’d be the perfect cat for you.”

Like the black cat from earlier, there was something really intelligent about Shinsou. Either that or the look of confusion he shot Inko was purely coincidental and you were misreading things. Regardless, there was something about him that you gravitated towards.

“You’re sure? He wouldn’t be happier with someone more experienced?” Inko just shook her head and lifted the drowsy cat out of his hammock. He wasn’t too concerned and had accepted his fate at this point in time, not really having the energy to protest anyway. She carefully deposited the cat into your arms and bustled off to gather supplies for you. You looked down at the bundle of fluff in your arms and he, in turn, stared up at you with a bored expression.

Shinsou was vaguely interested in how this would go.  Considering he was not a normal cat by any means, it should prove to be an interesting experience. If all else failed, he was intelligent enough to escape and come back to the store, he mused. But for now, you hadn’t done anything that indicated you were going to be difficult to work with and Inko seemed to approve of you, so he just yawned and settled into your arms, enjoying the change from the flannel hammock to your warm arms.  You were kind of freaked out by the newness of the situation, but Shinsou didn’t seem to care what was going on, and his nonchalant attitude put you more at ease.

While you waited, you began to pet him. A smile tugged on your lips as he basically melted in your arms, face pressed against your collarbone and a contented purr escaping his chest. He was obviously enjoying your soothing touch, more than he wanted to admit to himself even. That was encouraging, and you decided then and there you would die for this animal should the need ever arise.

When inko returned with a cat carrier, you were a bit hesitant to put him inside. You were bonding! As reluctant as you were, the carrier was probably your safest and easiest method of getting him home. You laid him inside on the cat bed and he was out like a light within minutes. He was peacefully sleeping as you latched the carrier shut and listened to the instructions Inko gave you. You were determined to be the best pet owner possible for him.

It wasn’t long before you left the shop, new pet in hand and a strange new warmth settling in your chest at the thought of sharing your home with your sleepy new companion. ~~~~~

You sighed tiredly as you closed the door behind you, happy to be out of the biting cold. You had let Shinsou sleep in his carrier on the way over, so you just popped the door open once you were inside so he could explore when he was ready. You gave his sleeping form a small smile before you retreated to your bedroom for the night.

He was still sleeping when you woke up around 8 the next morning, so you let him be and began your morning routine. You hummed to yourself as you waited for your coffee to brew and scrolled through social media on your phone.

Shinsou roused at the rich scent of coffee filled the air. As a human, he swore it almost ran through his veins. He took after his mentor in his love for coffee, the bitter beverage giving him the energy his training and hero work often stole. Inko always had tea instead when she worked at the pet store, so the familiar scent was quite a shock to his system. He stretched lazily before ambling out of the pet carrier. His purple eyes locked on the mug you held as you made your way to the couch.

You smiled brightly at him as you sat down, not noticing where his intent gaze was directed.

“Hey pretty boy, sleep well?”

He turned his gaze to you, almost disgusted by the fact that you were so awake and perky already. Usually, it took him at least half an hour to fully wake up, so your sunshine smile was absolutely unfair considering how early it was. He gave you a deadpan stare in response that triggered an even wider smile. Good grief.

He hopped up onto the couch beside you, waiting for an opportunity to steal your beverage.

He didn’t have to wait long though, you had just taken a sip before your phone rang. You looked down at the contact name and your expression twisted into one of weary acceptance. You hit the answer button and stood, coffee abandoned as you paced and listened to the voice on the other end of the phone.

Shinsou would smirk to himself if cats could. He made a beeline for the cup and quickly drank his fill. Meanwhile, you were not having nearly as good of a time.

“Sir, please, it’s my first day off in weeks. Are you positive no one else can cover the shift?”

“I wouldn’t be calling you if I didn’t already know, (y/n). Are you going to show, or not? Need I remind you that you’re on thin ice with your attendance?”

You bit your lip, the tiredness settling into your expression before you took a deep breath and forced your customer service smile.

“Yes sir, I’ll see you in an hour and a half”

“Good. Don’t be late.”

You heard the line go dead on the other side and nearly screamed, hands clenching against the phone as you resisted the urge to throw your device. The job was infuriating, but it was steady and dependable. You didn’t have a quirk, so finding work was a bit of a process, and you couldn't afford to be choosy at the moment. You lamented this fact as you sunk onto the couch beside him, any energy the coffee had given was now sapped away.

Shinsou had only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, but he already knew he didn’t care for your boss. He had only known you for a day, but he didn’t like how quickly that sunshine smile disappeared as if covered by stormy clouds. It was disconcerting. He watched your expressions go through the stages of grief before settling on tired acceptance.

You sighed heavily and scratched the top of his head.

“Sorry, buddy. I wanted to spend the day getting to know you, but the big boss says I have to get to work.”

You pouted unhappily before stretching. You hated your job, but you weren’t going to spend time feeling bad for yourself. You had to be strong, this job was what enabled you to have Shinsou too, so at least something good came of it. You scratched behind Shinsou's ears before standing and plastering on a fake smile.

"well, no time to waste if I want to get to work on time. I'll be back before you know it. Try not to wreck the house while I'm gone."

He watched you leave and go to your room to prepare for work. He took this time left alone to look around. The living room was fairly plain but comfortable enough. There weren't any photos or personal touches up on the wall. He wandered the living room, mapping it out in his head and taking careful note of any possible escape routes. By the time he had explored all the open rooms, you had found your way back into the main room. You were holding a few bobby pins in your teeth as you fixed your hair into a high ponytail.

Your uniform was typical of a barista and he could just make out the logo of a local cafe on the corner. Huh. Juniper Glow. He actually recognized the cafe. He frequented the place when he was still human. It was open 24/7 so it was a lifesaver after long patrols. He couldn't remember ever meeting you, but it had been quite some time since he had visited. Maybe you were new?

You grabbed the essentials needed for your job, grimacing as you caught sight of the clock. You crouched down and scratched under Shinsou's chin before you shouldered your purse again.

"Alright Shinsou, I'm heading out. Be good for me, okay? Don't trash the house.  I'll see you in a few hours."

Shinsou stopped himself from nodding, knowing it would only freak you out, and stared at you with a tilted head as if to ask "cause trouble, who, me?"

You gave him one last dazzling smile before dashing out the door.

Shinsou watched the door close and was surprised to find himself a bit disheartened with the quiet now encompassing the house. He supposed he was used to the noise now. From the crowded cat room to the way you spoke to him like a person, he wasn't used to the silence anymore. He wondered how much other things would change as he stayed with you.

~~~~~~

Some things never changed. Despite having no hero work or classes, Shinsou was still tired all the time. You found his tiredness endearing and took every opportunity to cuddle him while he napped.

The first time this happened, he was surprised. He was peacefully napping on the couch while you were occupied with a hero documentary. He was content to snooze next to you when a sudden movement changed his position. You had carefully scooped him up and he was now resting in your lap. He would have moved, but honestly? You were comfortable and warm. Not to mention you were petting him too. The soft strokes and your fingers carding through his fur relaxed him. He melted into your touch and was surprised when he started to purr at the attention. You smiled, your documentary no longer the center of your attention.

He wouldn't admit it, but he was quite enjoying your attention. At first, he thought this whole pet thing was going to be a fun challenge to exploit and then escape. However, he was growing attached to you. That might end up a problem. He was going to be human again, one day. He would make sure of it. And he couldn't let you get too used to him.

Still... this was nice. He liked being held and cared about, even though he was used to being and working alone. He was ostracized for having a villain's quirk, so he was definitely not used to people spending so much time with him. Midoriya and his mentor were his support system, but this was somehow different. He would have to think about this more... But for now, he would enjoy these moments with you.

Fortunately for him, these moments became quite frequent. You loved having Shinsou with you and nearly every moment spent at home was spent with your cat. You talked to him as you cooked, you watched TV with him on your lap, you even let him sit on your bed while you read before heading to bed.

This routine continued for months and you admitted for the first time since you moved to Japan, that you were happy. ~~~~~~~~

You opened the door for Shinsou. The sun shone brightly on the two of you as you waited. Shinsou trotted out and joined you on the porch before you closed the door, being mindful of his tail.

The two of you set off at a leisurely pace. You had decided to take Shinsou with you on your trip to the local farmer’s market. You wanted to get some produce for a fruit dessert you wanted to try and also stop by the bakery that was nearby. You smiled down at Shinsou as he plodded along by your side. He was such a clever cat and you found him fascinating. The few times he had gotten out, he merely followed you to work before going home. Unbeknownst to you, this was his way of making sure you stayed safe. While he couldn't fully protect you in this form, he would do his absolute best to protect you should trouble to arise.  When you took him out on purpose for the first time, he stayed dutifully by your side.  This lead to many walks when the weather was pleasant.

He was secretly pleased now that you trusted him to stay with you as you go places. This also meant he could spend more time with you. Although, he wished he was human for these walks. He had been with you for four months now, and he knew you quite well. He enjoyed his time with you and that simple companionship he shared while living with you had grown to be more than fondness on his end. He started to care for you more than he thought he would. He became more worried about your safety, upset on your behalf whenever your boss inevitably called you in on your few days off. He did his best to remind you of your own health, making sure you went to bed at a semi-decent hour. He cared about you, really cared about you. And it was moments like these he couldn't deny it anymore. He looked up at you as the two of you walked.

He wanted to know what it was like to hold your hand, fingers entwining as you babbled cheerfully about your day, him content to listen to your sweet voice. He wanted to compliment you on the sundress you chose to wear for your trip to the market, he wanted to tease you about how excited you were getting for fruit. But that didn’t seem to be a possibility, so he had to content himself with these small outings and the fact he could still be with you as a friend.

You were chatting about all the delicious things you were going to buy, looking back over at him with a bright sunshine smile that he hadn't expected to adore as much as he did.

"Ooh! And don't think I'm leaving you out, there are a bunch of fruits cats are allowed to eat! I can't just treat myself and leave my best boy hungry!"

He would have smiled, but instead settled on a rumbling meow, purr sneaking into the noise.  Warmth filled his chest as you turned back to face ahead. He walked with you for a while more, the warm feeling of the affection fading but also growing more intense but in a new way.

Shinsou blinked in confusion as a strange sensation started to take over, the warmth shifting, contorting into something different. His head was swimming and his entire body was starting to tingle. He almost tripped over his own paws as he made his way to an alleyway, not wanting you to see him this disoriented. His gaze swimming in front of him. He stumbled into the alleyway, his body felt like it was on fire. Fire spread through his nervous system as his body gave up fighting and the bubbling feeling spreading through his veins surged through him. All at once, there was a pop sound and the feeling disappeared, leaving Shinsou panting on the cold concrete of the alley. He opened his eyes and was quickly struck by the difference in sensations he was feeling as well as the heightened colors. He groaned and threw his arm over his eyes before realizing the change in limbs. He quickly sat up and realized with awe that he was human again. Naked, but human. A grin spread across his face and he wobbled to his feet, getting used to being tall again. He took a few minutes to reorient himself.

He heard your voice calling his name and butterflies took flight in his stomach. You sounded worried and upset, voice frantic as you repeated his name. You were looking for him. Cat him. Well, that was a problem. He looked around for a hiding place and was relieved to spot a fairly out of sight around a corner.

As much as he would love to go out there and sweep you off your feet in his true form, he knew that would be absolutely terrifying and the worst way he could go about this. He peeked out from behind the corner, watching your worried form as you carefully searched the alleyway. He ducked back behind the wall before you saw him and his eyes landed on a convenient clothesline. Huh. How convenient. He’d have to think about the uncanny timing later because he heard male voices floating down the alleyway. He grabbed the clothes and threw them on, making a mental note to compensate the original owner when he gets the chance.

Meanwhile, you were looking between two men in front of you. They had followed you into the alley, insisting they were worthy of your attention and could help you find your cat. However, they didn’t really seem to know what personal space was and were quite insistent. You were obviously uncomfortable, a nervous smile in place, but they didn’t seem to understand. You inched backward until your back met the bricks behind you as you put distance between the men trying to avoid coming off as impolite. You really just wanted to find Shinsou and go home.

“Excuse me gentlemen, but I really should be going…” Your eyes darted around, searching for an opening to escape. Your eyes stopped their search when the man closest to you put his hand on the wall, leaning closer and effectively caging you in.

“Oh come on, we’ll worry about finding your cat later. Besides, you look a little turned around yourself, like a little deer that lost its way.” He smiled in a way that you believed was meant to be charming.

“Oh, no, I'm not lost.” You cringed back and gave him a nervous smile.

“This little deer looks thirsty,” The second man commented, tilting his head as he looked you over appreciatively. “We should take her for a cup of tea.”

You bit your lip, clenching your fists in an effort not to wring them nervously. Or wring their necks, you were undecided at the moment.

“No thanks, my sister's expecting me.” You bluffed, hoping it was enough to deter the two men.

“She's pretty cute for a Deer. How old are you, anyway? You live around here?”

The first man ignored your poor attempt of diversion and continued to press, not giving up.

“Leave me alone.”

You cringed away, dipping your head away as your mind swirled with possible lies and excuses to give to get away from them. You had other things to do, namely finding Shinsou.

The second man rolled his eyes at his friend, nudging his shoulder playfully. “You see? Your mustache scares all the girls.”

The first once chuckled, reaching out a finger to lightly brush against your cheek. “So? She's even cuter when she's scared.”

Tears pricked your eyes as you scrunched them closed, hot embarrassment and anger threatening to spill over. You jolted a little as a hand rested softly on your shoulder from beside you and gently pulled you away from the men and against a warm chest.

“There you are, sweetheart. Sorry I'm late. I was looking everywhere for you.”

A deep voice rumbled from the mystery man behind you. His grip was soft, almost nonexistent to give you the option to escape. But… He felt safe, for some reason.

The first man looked at the stranger, irritated gaze flickering between him and you, prompting you to lean more into the stranger. You were already going with his story, so you were going to make it convincing!

“Hey, we're busy here.” The first man scowled.

You could hear the smirk in the Stranger’s voice with his next words.

“Are you really?”

Both men made sounds of protest before something strange happened. Their limbs went slack, all tension disappearing as a glazed look appeared in their eyes, the words dying on their tongues.

“It looked to me like the two of you were just leaving.”

You watched in awe as the men walked away, just like that. As soon as your would-be tormentors were out of sight you whirled around to face your mysterious hero. Any words of thanks you were thinking of immediately fled your mind upon seeing him.

Oh no, you found him very attractive. He had unruly purple hair that flared out as if he had just been caught in the wind. Striking purple eyes that seemed even more brilliant considering the dark circles under them. You were fairly certain you would have gotten lost in them had you not noticed his bizarre choice of clothes. He was wearing a T-shirt that was a little bit too small for him and sweatpants and was...barefoot? You blinked in confusion at his feet before he cleared his throat and you snapped out of your daze.

“Are you alright?” He regarded you with concern, those dark purple eyes focused on your own.

You nodded quickly.

“I'm alright, thanks to you. What did you do to them, was that your quirk?”

He cringed at the mention of his quirk and one hand went to rub the back of his neck in discomfort as he averted his eyes.

“Yes, my quirk is brainwash. I can control people, but only after they’ve responded to a question of mine.”

He waited for the rejection and distrust that came with telling people about his “Villain” quirk. While people like Midoriya told him it could be used for good, most people still jumped to the criminal conclusion first. And although he hoped you would be different, he knew it would hurt so much more if you found his quirk frightening. He actually cared what you thought of him.

Your eyes widened and you considered the new info you gathered. You noticed he looked apprehensive, he was waiting for you to respond. An excited smile spread across your face.

“That’s an amazing quirk! It’s so useful! You could talk villains into custody, help in hostage situations, and stop fights before they even happen! There are so many possibilities! That’s so cool!”

Shinsou was shocked silent. Your beaming smile was dazzling and his mind refused to form coherent thoughts. The butterflies from earlier came back full force and it took him a second to remember how to breathe.

“You… really think all that?”

His voice was hesitant and hopeful but you misunderstood his quiet for awkwardness.

“I really do! Sorry if I got carried away there, I just think it’s a really cool quirk.”

You gave him a shy smile, trying to tone down your enthusiasm.

“And... Thank you for, you know.”

You gestured awkwardly to the direction the men went.

“I was starting to get really uncomfortable there. You were a lifesaver.”

You shot him another smile and he felt the tips of his ears go hot and his chest fill with warmth but pushed the feeling down and disguised it with a lazy smirk.

“Don’t give me all the credit, I just wanted to prevent their murder. You looked plenty capable. Still, I couldn't pass up my chance to find a smooth way to talk to you."

You grinned, quite taken by his charming words. Still, you had other things to worry about.

"Hmmm, as much as I'd love to continue getting compliments, I'm on a mission."

He raised an amused eyebrow.

"Oh? My apologies for keeping you.  If I can be of any assistance, just say the word."

You looked him up and down before nodding in confirmation.

"Yep. You'll do. You're purple, so I need your help to find my purple cat. Think you can manage it?"

He considered your words before grimacing.

"As much as I'd love to be your knight in shining armor and find him, that's not going to be so easy, all things considering."

Your amused look faded into one of confusion.

"And why is that?"

He avoided looking at you for a moment, his anxious behavior starting to worry you.

"Ask a question only your cat would know."

You stared at him in confusion, starting to wonder if the man was as sane as you had first thoughtAfterall, you had found him in an alleyway without shoes, so your chances weren't the best.

He grimaced and tried again.

"Ask me something only your cat would know, humor me, please. You can decide not to believe me or run or whatever, but please do this for me and listen first."

You were beginning to get scared. His tone was so much more serious than before. Still, something about him was familiar, and felt safe.  Taking a deep breath, you focused on him, scanning his face as you decided on your question.

"What did I call Shinsou when he broke my favorite mug?"

He honestly looked taken aback for a moment, eyes wide before he started cracking up, deep chuckles shaking his shoulders.

"of all things to ask, you chose the moment when I messed up?"

You froze, the implications of his words sinking in. There's no way... You scowled at him, enraged at the idea of someone pretending to be your best friend.  Still, the more you thought about it, the more similarities you saw. He really did look like the human version of your cat, eyebags and all. It was uncanny, but you knew that you wouldn't be able to tell for sure unless he answered.

He stopped laughing a leveled you with an amused smirk. "You called me an emo furbie before flinging yourself onto the couch and proclaiming that love was dead and you had been punished for your addiction to caffeine. "

You felt like you had been sucker-punched. Your brain short-circuited and you inhaled heavily. Shinsou's smirk dropped and he watched you with concern. He reached out to you as if to help you, but hesitated, unsure if you would want him to touch you. He looked at you with panic as your expression morphed between anger and something he couldn't identify.

"Shinsou... It's really you? But how? You're human now, how did that happen?"

He gave a small sigh of relief that you actually believed him.

"It's a really long story, but I was a human first. I'm a pro hero, but I was hit by a quirk that turned me into a cat. I thought I was going to be a cat forever until I met you. Somehow you were the missing piece that countered the quirk"

You nodded tiredly at his explanation, still a bit in shock, but less upset. You sighed and stepped forward, grabbing his hand before yanking him after you as you started walking.

He stumbled after you, confused but also pleased that you were holding onto him.

"uh, where are we going?"

You rolled your eyes before looking back at him.

"First, we're going to go get you some actual clothes. And shoes. Then we, are going home. You're still my Shinsou, and I'm still you're (y/n). Things have just shifted a little."

You flashed him a small smile, some of that sunshine that he loved shining through your eyes and he swore his heart skipped a beat.

"I'd love that. And I can't wait to tell you everything. The story, and how much I care about you."

You blushed as he raised the hand you were holding to his lips and kissed your knuckles, a small smile of his own in place.

Taglist:

@witch-o-memes

[moonlit-han]

part ii: filled with sunshine

genre: college au, neighbor au; fluff, humor, slow burn pairing: 3racha x femme reader in poly relationship part word count: 11k part warnings: mature content (18+, specific warnings under the cut), suggestive, explicit language, alcohol consumption request: no a/n: this in no way reflects the actions of stray kids’ bang chan, seo changbin, or han jisung. it is a work of fiction. !! important !!: the author requests that readers be mindful that there is 18+ content in this piece and read only if they are of age. thank you. while the mature content is poetically described, it still exists. and, remember to always get continued and enthusiastic consent as you practice safe sexual habits.

~ read part 1 first! ~

✧ series masterlist & tag list info in bio ✧

↠↞

mature content warnings: oral (giving, receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, cock-warming. again, please read only if you are of age.

↠↞

You woke around 10 am on Saturday morning and just lay there in bed, enjoying the memories of the night before. Everything had been hot and almost desperate, but somehow still gentle. And, there was something about not even making it to your bed because you wanted each other too much . . .. Your pulse quickened and you had to squeeze your legs together as you remembered the feeling of his hands exploring every inch of your body, the feeling of his mouth caressing you, that wonderful sense of almost flying. When you looked down at yourself under the sheets, you weren’t surprised to find bruises across your chest and stomach, and were quite glad that it was winter.

Before you’d done anything besides kiss, Jisung had been forthright in saying that he was disease-free and was very careful with who he was intimate with. (You were the one to bring out a box of condoms, since you never knew when you’d need to provide one). You were delighted that he was so aware and honest, clearly taking his actions seriously and taking responsibility for his part in any relationship. Just knowing that had made you relax and, almost, abandon yourself to each and every sensation. You’d made sure to tell him that you were polyamorous, too, making it clear that you were also safe in your habits. Once you’d gotten the talking out of the way, it hadn’t taken long for you to find that your new couch was, surprisingly, quite comfortable to be pressed into.

As he’d pulled his pants back on, Jisung had insisted that he go back to his apartment, saying he had to be up early to go over some notes on a song before meeting with Chan and Changbin at the studio. You also suspected that, despite the two of you just having sex on your couch, he was a bit shy now. Honestly, you couldn’t blame him—if it had all been planned, then maybe he would’ve stayed, but this was all too new, too unexpected.

After stretching to relieve the stiffness in your lower back, you went to shower and get dressed. When you sat down to eat, you brought your phone and that slip of paper with Jisung’s phone number on it so you could message him. It was only right that you did.

y/n: hey babe, last night was really fun

No, that wouldn’t work. I can’t call him “babe” after hooking up only once.

y/n: hi jisung! it’s y/n. just wanted to say than

No, that really wouldn’t work. Thanking him like that would just trivialize the whole experience.

y/n: hey jisung! it’s y/n. last night was absolutely lovely and, let me say, you were fantastic! i’d love to

Nope, now I’m making him sound like a horse that had won a race or something. Damn.

y/n: hey jisung! it’s y/n~ last night was really great and i’d love to see you again. maybe we could get together for dinner one night or to watch a movie? i want to get to know you better!

There. That was good. Okay . . . send!

You sighed, then promptly bolted out of your seat and hid your phone under a cushion on the couch. Not two minutes later, you heard the faint buzz signaling that you’d received a text message.

jisung: hey y/n! ah, i see you used that piece of paper after all ;) i had a lovely time, too! what’s your favorite movie, then? i can try getting it from the library on my way home. jisung: sorry, let me start that bit over again. i’m busy tonight, but are you free next saturday? i’d love to watch a movie with you.

You giggled at Jisung’s evident enthusiasm, and quickly responded.

y/n: yes, i’m free that night :) maybe surprise me with the movie? jisung: a surprise it is, then! your place or mine? y/n: yours? i’ve never seen your apartment and you’ve seen mine a lot… jisung: ….point taken. i’ll have to clean up a little, but i think you’ll like it :) y/n: what time should i come through the connecting door?

You sighed a little as you sent the text. It was more than a little weird that this was how you were going to see Jisung, especially when front doors existed. But, you figured it was only right that you go through that way a few times, since he’d been going back to his apartment like that for months.

jisung: is 7:30 ok? y/n: sure! i’ll see you then… babe ;) jisung: *blushes*

A small noise that sounded suspiciously like an excited “Eeep!” came from Jisung’s apartment, and you grinned, giggling again. Jisung was, to put it mildly, absolutely adorable. Hot, yes—far too hot for you to properly function around, if you were totally honest—but also sweet and lovely.  He was bright as the sun, seeming to practically radiate joyful light. And if last night was anything to go by, Jisung was quickly going to become a fixture in your life.

All that week, you couldn’t wait to see Jisung again and in a proper, arranged setting rather than as he was climbing through your window. You’d texted, flirting and just telling each other about yourselves. You learned that he loved being outside, just sitting in the sun or doing things with Chan and Changbin. He learned from you that you wanted to travel and study languages that were in danger of dying out. You bonded over a shared love of curling up with a good book or music or show, some tea, and having the world leave you alone. So, the idea of just watching a movie with him, spending time together in a simple but specific environment, sounded perfect to you.

Although, you did hook up twice more when neither of you could stand not getting your hands on each other again. Jisung was a kind and thorough lover, his personality vibrant and unaffected, and you enjoyed coming together simply for the sake of feeling amazing; you’d even taken to thinking of him as sunshine. You quickly found that you were sleeping better, and thought it might be nice if this sort of thing continued.

On Saturday evening, you found yourself impatiently waiting for 7:30 pm instead of doing small chores and reading some of the chapters you’d been assigned for your Poetry of Emancipation and Civil Rights course. It was maddening, especially when you heard Jisung get home and all you could think about was his smile. At 7:29 pm, you made your way into your bathroom and opened the little door in the wall. Jisung’s recent passage through the space within had cleared any cobwebs, but still there wasn’t much light. Whoever had split the old house into apartments had added this through-space for, presumably, plumbers to access the fixtures more easily, or maybe it was simply an anomaly in the construction. Either way, you now had a fascinating, new way to visit your neigh- your boyf- to visit Jisung.

Damn it, I can’t believe I’m doing this, you laughed at yourself and knelt to make your way into Jisung’s apartment. Before you could start, though, the door at the other end of the crawlspace opened and Jisung appeared.

“Hold on!” he said, and opened the door wider so that as much light as possible would shine through. Gratefully, you quickly made your way toward him—it really wasn’t a long space, only five steps crawling, but it was such an odd thing to do that you couldn’t help feel that it was much longer. When your head was out of the little passageway, you looked up to see a very strange look on Jisung’s face. It was the kind of expression one makes when something filthy is rocketing through one’s mind and it’s impolite to share those thoughts. Belatedly, you realized the position you were in and ducked your head.

When you’d fully emerged from the crawlspace, Jisung stood back and you clambered to your feet, brushing off your knees.

“Hey, babe,” Jisung said, winking.

“Hey!” You stood on tiptoe to brush your lips against his. “So, this is your bathroom.” Looking around, you noticed just how clean the room was—it wasn’t at all strange to appear there, with no odd smells, garish decor or anything out of place.

“Yep, this is my bathroom. Come see everything else—it’s much more interesting!” Jisung said, and hesitantly took your hand to lead you out into the rest of his apartment. Unsurprisingly, it had the same layout as yours, only mirrored.

When you got to the living room, you stared. Jisung had an electric keyboard, a guitar, a small desk, and a computer set up in one corner, clearly his space for practicing and composing. He’d gone for comfort more than anything else, with a sofa that had clearly been well-loved and a few beanbag-like nests. The light curtains would clearly let in plenty of sunlight during the day, and you noticed, with interest, the pile of blankets on one end of the sofa. The coffee table had gaming consoles and books scattered across its top, and a tall bookcase full of novels and music books, as well as sheet music, stood against the wall by the instruments.

The space was so different from your own, but it was the homiest living room you’d ever been in. You resisted the urge to flop down onto the sofa until you remembered that Jisung had been coming through your window . . . so you casually taking over his sofa would be a non-issue. He grinned when you sighed contentedly at the plushness of the cushions.

“You like it?” Jisung asked.

“Ji, I love it! The whole room’s so cozy and warm,” you said appreciatively, taking in every detail. Jisung just let you enjoy the room’s atmosphere, since he’d worked quite hard to make it so inviting and wanted you to appreciate it.

“Want some tea? I have, um, a lot,” Jisung grinned, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

You nearly leapt off the couch and followed Jisung into the other room. “Oh my god, yes please!”

Jisung’s kitchen looked almost exactly the same as yours, except he didn’t have galaxy-themed tea towels. And, it was obvious to you that Jisung had his friends over more often than not, since two stools were stacked in the corner.

“Um,” Jisung prompted, “what kind would you like?” He pointed to a shelf with what had to be twenty boxes of different kinds of tea on it—to you, it looked like heaven. Seeing your awestruck look, Jisung added, “Take your time. I’ll just put the kettle on.”

After putting the water on to boil, Jisung came to stand behind you and, taking a deep breath as if to plunge into ice water, rested his chin on your shoulder. Without thinking, you leaned your head against his as if you’d been doing this together for years, rather than days. It was so easy to be with Jisung—everything just felt right. Thinking it was now or never, Jisung wrapped his arms around your waist and you leaned into him, still deciding what kind of tea you’d like.

“Guess what . . .” Jisung said.

“Hmmm?” you said distractedly.

“You’re beautiful,” Jisung murmured, breathing shallowly because he still couldn’t believe you were just casually in his arms. How had he gotten this lucky?

“And you’re handsome,” you replied.

Jisung was most certainly smiling as he said, “Want to split a pot of jasmine?” You nodded and jumped as the kettle’s shrilling pierced your ears—you hadn’t realized you were standing there with Jisung, just looking at tea, for that long. Jisung kissed your cheek, making you squeal internally, and went to make the tea.

Five minutes later, the two of you were back in the living room and Jisung was setting up the movie. You sat with your feet up under you, holding your tea to your chest. The warmth felt lovely. Once Jisung had gotten his DVD player set up and the beginning credits of the movie had started, he came to sit next to you. As he leaned back with his tea in one hand, he yawned and theatrically put his other arm around your shoulders.

You giggled. “Jisung, you don’t need to feel nervous about us cuddling or anything,” you reassured him. “It’s not like I haven’t touched you. We’ve had sex, for god’s sake. Multiple times.”

“I just- I wanted to go slowly since simple, casual intimacy is different. Or, at least that’s how I think of it. Just because we had sex doesn’t mean we’re going to be absolutely compatible right off the bat.” Jisung’s touch on your shoulder was light, as if he didn’t want to startle you.

“Ji,” you said, snuggling into his side, “you’ve got nothing to worry about. I feel more comfortable around you than some of the people I’ve known for three years.”

Jisung made a noise of disbelief. “What? Really?”

“Yeah,” you hummed, and threw a leg over Jisung’s thigh. His breath hitched a little before he pulled you closer to himself, the two of you settling into a comfortable configuration of limbs. The movie was one you’d only heard of in passing, and hadn’t expected to like—but Jisung’s explanation of why he liked it made you actually enjoy it.

Two-thirds of the way through the film, Jisung’s hand gently caressing your shoulder became too much of a distraction and all you wanted to do was kiss him again. You’d long ago finished your tea, and now contented yourself with gazing at him, taking in the smooth line of his jaw, the curve of his ear, the depression where his collarbone met the slope of his shoulder.

“I can feel you staring, Y/N,” Jisung said after a while, jolting you out of your daze. He paused the movie.

“Well, you’re kinda hot,” you countered.

“Yeah? How hot?” Jisung smirked, angling himself toward you.

“Very, very hot,” you whispered, craning your neck for a kiss. Jisung obliged, smiling.

Unlike your kisses the night before, this was slow and calm, like honey settling on ripe peaches. You slid forward to sit more squarely in Jisung’s lap as he tangled his fingers in your hair, the slight pull on your head feeling delicious. Each brush of his lips was soft and warm, and both of you took your time as you fell into the kisses, learning how gentle yet passionate the other could be. You moved your hands along his shoulders and chest, then up to cup his face, holding him like a priceless piece of art. Jisung hummed against your mouth, and drew you closer. Long minutes passed as you kissed, enjoying the simplicity of the connection, until you felt what seemed like a small fire ignite inside you.

Sensing your mood, as it reflected his own, Jisung said, “We’re not doing this on the couch again, Y/N. I have a bed, you know.”

You laughed—you couldn’t help yourself. It wasn’t as if you hadn’t expected things to go this way—after all, you’d worn some especially pretty lingerie—but the way Jisung had phrased it . . . he was almost pouting.

You pecked Jisung’s nose and said, “Lead on.”

Jisung didn’t bother asking you to get up or shift position—he just hooked an arm behind your knees and held the other at your back, and stood up. It was rather impressive, to say the least. He carried you to the bedroom, both of you giggling at the fact that you were really doing this, until you got to his room. Just like the rest of his apartment, it was cozy; there was no other word for it, especially with the soft faerie lights strung above the bed. You idly wondered if he always had them up or had just put them up in hopes the two of you would make it into his bedroom.

He sat down on the bed with you still in his arms, and resumed kissing you as if he hadn’t just carried you to an entirely different room. After a moment, you swiveled on Jisung’s lap so you were straddling his hips and wrapped your legs around him—his hands immediately went under your shirt, as if he’d been waiting to do just that.

“You really want to feel me up, don’t you,” you said, brows arched but smiling.

“Can you blame me?” Jisung’s voice was husky with desire. You just shook your head and pulled your shirt off, which made Jisung’s eyes widen. The lingerie was clearly doing its job. “Now who’s the hot one?” he asked, and ran his hands up and down your back as he continued kissing along your jaw and cheeks. His fingers finally stopped at the clasp of your bra and you breathed a “Yes.”

After a moment, Jisung leaned his head against your shoulder. “Y/N, um, it’s been a bit since I last did this…” His voice was so small and embarrassed.

“Aw babe, I’ve got it,” you said, stroking his hair. Jisung leaned back on his hands, watching you as you reached around yourself to unhook the clasp. You shrugged out of your bra and let it fall to the floor.

“You are so gorgeous, Y/N, you really are,” Jisung said, his voice low in awe.

You felt heat rise to your cheeks—you’d rarely, if ever, been admired like this, just bare before someone. “I- Um, I’m not sure what to say? Thanks?”

Jisung chuckled, saying, “You deserve every compliment I can give you,” and brought his hands back to your body. You were still as he trailed his fingertips up your stomach to cup the soft curves of your breasts, then brushed his thumbs over their peaks. You let out a shaky breath as Jisung began to kiss down your throat, over your sternum, and over each of the love bites he’d given you earlier in the week. He made certain to carefully add two more. You tangled your hands in his hair and sighed softly as he sucked, nibbled, and massaged, causing a tingling sensation to go straight to your core.

Jisung lifted his head briefly and, trailing a finger along his jaw, you said, “Your turn.” His shirt was off in one fluid movement and, again, you couldn’t believe you were actually with someone that beautiful.

“And you were saying I’m gorgeous? Jisung, oh babe, you should see yourself through my eyes.”

Jisung brushed his hair out of his face, looking intently up at you. “I can see myself in your eyes,” he said. “That’s enough for me.”

You smiled as you gently pushed Jisung back onto the bed, but before you could lay yourself down on top of him, he said, “Let me take off my jeans off first—it’ll be easier, you know?”

You chuckled and decided to do the same—he was right, after all. You sat on the bed next to Jisung as he did some fascinating acrobatics to divest himself of his pants and pull the sheets down at the same time. Laying there in just his underwear, Jisung’s desire was painfully evident and you unknowingly licked your lips; however, this did not go unnoticed by Jisung, who grinned. He scooted back onto the bed so his legs weren't hanging off the side and lay back on his pillows, holding his arms out to you.

“Shall we?” he said with an exaggeratedly coy expression.

You crawled on top of him, feeling him hard beneath you, and leaned down to kiss him deeply, your breasts just grazing his chest. Your own desire roared through you like floodwaters surging along a river toward a dam, and you ground your core against him, seeking the one thing that would break that dam apart. Jisung moaned into your mouth, holding your hips so firmly his hands dug into your muscles. And in moments, you were both breathing hard.

Flashing a grin at Jisung as you broke from your kiss, you slid down his chest. You began at his throat, too, leaving kisses and hickeys all over him, eliciting soft moans from his lips. When you got to the waistband of his underpants, you looked up the hard planes of his stomach and chest to his face. “May I?”

“God, please, Y/N,” Jisung all but begged.

You deftly pulled his last remaining clothes down and off, admiring what was now revealed before you. Tracing the length and girth with your fingers, you placed a kiss right on the tip and Jisung hissed softly at the contact. You efficiently pumped your hand back and forth, feeling as if you were an earth goddess urging a seedling to grow, until he stood tall and proud as an oak. Slowly, you brought your lips to him, swirling your tongue a little, then bobbed your head up and down, occasionally letting your teeth graze his sensitive skin. A slightly salty taste that was still distinctly his own began to fill your mouth, and he twitched a little. And oh, Jisung’s moans—they were loud and needy, just a little breathy, and like music to your ears. He encouraged you, praising and saying how good it felt; at his words, you took a moment to simply run your hand over him, kissing the same path your hand took. Then, returning your mouth to its task, you quickened your pace and your throat soon felt raw. After a moment, you simply sucked the tip, flicking your tongue out, until Jisung’s gasps and cries were louder than ever.

“I’m so close, Y/N . . . Just like th- Aaaah! Fuck!” Jisung’s hips bucked, surprising you, but you continued, drawing as much pleasure from him as you could as you swallowed and swallowed. The sound of him coming undone made the ache between your legs intensify, and as Jisung came down from his high, panting, you crawled back up the bed next to him.

Jisung pulled you to him, and you knew he could taste himself on your mouth as you kissed again. His hands were quickly back on your hips, fiddling with the band of your panties. “I want to taste you,” he said between kisses.

“Taste all you want,” you purred as his hand strayed lower.

He gave you a silly grin and, inexplicably, said, “Thank you.” You giggled.

Jisung wasted no time in flinging your panties nearly to the other side of the room, then tracing whirls over your stomach, going lower and lower. When you thought you might as well just take matters into your own hands, literally, Jisung slid his hand between your legs and you moaned.

“Mmmm, perfect,” Jisung smiled as he kissed just below your ear.

He seemed to want to feel each and every part of you, slowly exploring with first one finger, and then a second. In moments, you were wriggling and arching yourself toward him as his fingers danced. When he found that little bundle of nerves, rubbing it over and over, your hips bucked involuntarily. Fast, then slow, he coaxed you to the edge. Then, nothing.

“Oh no you don’t, Han Jisung,” you said, panting. “You are not stopping now.”

“Who said I was stopping?” Jisung said as he positioned himself between your legs, holding your thighs apart. You could still feel the blood pulsing through your veins and the ache inside was nearly maddening. He kissed all the way up your inner thigh, teasing you, then did the same along the other leg. You thrust your hips into the air, seeking some sort of friction.

Jisung smiled indulgently, then brought his mouth to you. His lips and tongue on your most sensitive parts felt so good you could barely think. Your moans were even louder than his had been, and you were glad that the neighbors typically went out on weekend nights. Jisung sucked that bundle of nerves like it was a hard candy and lapped at you like a kitten, clearly having the time of his life, before adding his fingers again. The combination had you begging for release, and all you could think was that this must be what it was like to be carried along a storm-swollen river to the edge of a waterfall.

“Oh, hhhhh, oh shit. Ji- Jisung, oh my god, hhhhh, oh god, fuck. Right there, oh f- Aaaah!”

Jisung crooked his fingers as he sucked, sending you hurtling out over that waterfall. Gasping and moaning, you shuddered, the coil of tension below your navel releasing. When he finally sat up, Jisung slowly licked each his fingers.

As you caught your breath, relishing the feeling of release, Jisung quickly went to his bedside table and you turned your head to see him sliding a condom on. He glanced at you, realizing he’d just assumed that you were okay with continuing.

“Jisung, just get back on the bed,” you said, forestalling his question, and Jisung did so, kneeling between your legs with an expectant look on his face.

“Well?” you said, looking up at him.

“I was just admiring you,” he said, and leaned forward to kiss you sweetly. Then, he straddled your hips and prepared himself before saying, “Ready?”

“Definitely,” you replied, an almost gleeful look in your eye.

You joined together little by little, Jisung letting you adjust, until he could go no further. You moaned at the feeling of such intimacy, the bright clarity of it—you felt like you were being filled with sunshine. “Ji, move,” you gasped, and he did.

Holding himself above you as you hooked your ankles behind his legs, Jisung began slowly, making you feel every bit of him. Then, the two of you moved as one, faster and harder, his hips finally snapping with as much power as he could muster.

Jisung buried his face in your neck as you urged him on. “Come on, Ji, right there. Oh, yes! Ah, that’s it. That feels so good, just like that.” You ran your hands all over his back, biting down on his shoulder as he finally hit the one spot inside that would surely bring your pleasure crashing down upon you again. Your nerves still singing from just moments before, you suddenly felt that coil inside you release as you clenched and unclenched, screaming Jisung’s name over and over.

“I still- I need—” Jisung gasped against your neck.

“Keep going,” you crooned, and held him to you as he chased his high, seeming to plunge deeper with each movement. A few moments later, Jisung’s hips shook and you felt him pulse as he dashed himself against the rocks at the foot of that waterfall of bliss. He shuddered, too, and lay against you, panting. You kissed his neck, his cheek, and his mouth as you both relaxed into each other’s arms.

After taking care of the condom, Jisung joined you back on the bed and you curled against him, still flushed with exertion. “That was—”

“Amazing,” you finished, turning to kiss him again. Jisung’s arm went around your shoulders and his other hand held your hip. You undulated your body against him gently, more for the slow, mellow comfort from the feel of his skin against yours than anything else.

“We should take a shower,” he said after a few more sweet kisses.

“Mmmm, that sounds perfect,” you agreed. “Can we just lay here for a moment, though?”

After several minutes, you suspected Jisung might fall asleep, so you gently kissed along his chest and said, “What about that shower?”

He chuckled and sat up with a groan. “Yeah, I know. I’ll go start the water.”

Once you’d showered together and lingered under the hot water, you lay side-by-side on Jisung’s bed, just tracing patterns into each other’s skin and occasionally kissing.

“I could get used to this, you know,” he said after you’d lain there for several minutes.

“Yeah? You mean us . . . just casually having sex? Or do you mean, like, dating?” you said, honestly not minding either way.

“I- Both, I guess?” Jisung paused. “But also just spending time with you, and being able to cuddle or do whatever when we need it. Casual comfort and companionship, and yeah, sex—keeping things open, you know?”

You looked up at him, thinking you understood now. “Do you mean having an open relationship?”

Jisung nodded. “Yeah, like we’re pretty much together but see other people but things are just kind of casual!”

You laughed lightly, glad that you were on the same page. “That’s exactly what I was thinking, actually,” you said. “I’m not really fussed about keeping things only between us—you know I’m polyamorous. I just feel like I’ve got a lot of love to give and that, while I am over the moon with happiness with you—”

“You are?” Jisung interrupted, turning his big doe eyes on you.

“Yes, Ji, of course,” you said, and continued. “But yeah, I just— I feel like I want to give as many people the affection and support they need, and to get all different kinds from them, as well as you. Just keeping things casual sounds perfect to me.”

Jisung rolled over onto his back, leaving you to rest your chin on his chest. He mindlessly stroked your hair. “Mmmm,” he sighed contentedly, “you know, I don’t mind if you don’t tell me who else you’re seeing, by the way. Not unless it gets serious and you’d like to actually date them, too. Then, it would be nice to know and meet them.”

“Oh my god, of course!” you exclaimed, your head jerking up sharply. “I wouldn’t hide something like that! I mean, if you’d like to share who we see super casually, I’m fine with that, too.”

“I trust you,” was all Jisung said.

“And I trust you,” you replied, kissing his chest above his heart. Suddenly, you were nearly practically overwhelmed by the tenderness you felt for Jisung, and shimmied your way onto his chest more solidly.

“Come here, angel,” he murmured, and pulled you fully on top of his body. Your bodies touching so completely made you feel like you were laying on a cloud. Smiling softly to yourself, you tucked your head under Jisung’s chin, listening to his heartbeat as his arms went around you. You thought the best sleep you’d had was the other nights that week, but they could never compare to falling asleep with Jisung.

↠↞

Strolling toward you down the long walkway that wound through campus, looking like a cat who’d just been in the cream, came a young man with an all-too-familiar face: Bang Chan. He looked like the cold, December air didn��t bother him at all. You sighed, hoping he wouldn’t notice you, and looked down at what were, in the summer, lovely gardens lining the path. It really was cold as hell and all you wanted to do was get home before dark when it would even colder.

“Y/N?”

Oh, no.

“Hey, Y/N! Yeah, I thought it was you!” he called from, in your opinion, too far away. The people around you turned to look and you mentally cringed—you didn’t like drawing attention from large crowds.

“Hi, Chan,” you said, trying to plaster a smile onto your face.

“How’s the most beautiful woman on campus?” Chan said, wiggling his eyebrows at you. “Doing well? Staying warm?”

“I’m fine, Chan. And you?” You knew how you were talking was stilted and the words almost meaningless.

“A little busy, but great!” Chan responded blithely, falling into step with you. “How’s Jisung holding up? Is he still cooped up in his apartment? I think he said he was composing?”

“Oh, u-huh,” you said a little guiltily. You didn’t want to tell him that Jisung had, in fact, been in your apartment and in varying stages of undress, not composing at all hours. “I haven’t seen him much, actually, so I guess he has been composing. I think I heard him messing around on the guitar the other day.”

“Sometimes he gets like this,” Chan lamented, clearly playing for sympathy from you—sympathy he wouldn’t be getting because you, honestly, didn’t care much. Your time with Jisung was too good not to covet.

“I guess once he’s done whatever he’s working on you’ll see him more?” You wanted this conversation to be over—you were cold, there was a breeze, and it was Chan, of all people.

“I might just go over there and bug him, honestly.” Chan was thoughtful, and you had to stop yourself from vehemently dissuading him from stepping foot anywhere near your apartment. You’d have to mention to Jisung that Chan was probably stopping over and would expect to see some sort of headway on a composition, if that, indeed, was the excuse he’d been telling his friends to explain his occasional absences from their lives recently.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’d be happy to see you, since you’re so close,” you reassured him, smiling uncomfortably. Chan still took no notice, happily looking around at all the other students passing by as you walked.

“He’s such an introvert, I’ve no idea if he’ll want to see me,” Chan laughed and stopped to let a group of freshman girls by, but didn’t resume walking once they’d passed. “But maybe I can come see you instead?” he said with a wink, and hope in his voice.

You began to stammer out a response, not even caring what you said as long as it amounted to “Hell no.” You pulled out your phone to, supposedly, check a message.

“Oh, sorry Chan. I have to go,” you lied. “A friend just texted saying she needs my help with something. I guess I’ll see you around.”

And with that, you made a speedy exit, Chan staring after you a little sadly. Why did his nerves have to get the best of him like that? He ended up coming off as mildly creepy instead of his normal, kind self. He’d have to work on that, since you clearly wanted nothing to do with him. Chan sighed, rubbing his brow, then headed toward the Performing Arts building and the privacy of the studio he shared with Jisung and Changbin. Maybe he’d be able to put what he felt into a song or something.

That night before bed, you messaged Jisung to tell him that Chan would probably be over that week.

y/n: ji, did you tell chan you were composing this week and that’s why you haven’t been with him and changbin? sunshine: ….maybe….why? y/n: well, chan found me today and asked me how your composition(s?) were going since i’m your neighbor. and i had to do some pretty fast talking there, han jisung >:| sunshine: shit…sorry y/n!! :(( sunshine: welp;;; i guess i’ll have to get going on that, then y/n: yaaaay good idea! also, why does chan insist on flirting so outrageously with me every single god damn time i see him? sunshine: oh. he’s been like that for awhile;; it’s a coping mechanism for when he’s nervous and he’s not always trying to actually flirt. although, with you he might be?? sunshine: please don’t hold it against him. he’s a good guy and i’d hate for you to dislike him y/n: oooooh okay okay that makes so much more sense now. i was getting kind of uncomfortable there for a minute. thank you for explaining that, babe. i understand him a lot better now and i promise i’ll try to get to actually know him!! sunshine: you’re not required to be friends with my friends, but thanks y/n: i know, but i still want to make the effort!! sunshine: you’re the best :D y/n: oh! um do you maybe need me to come over to be your ~muse~? sunshine: you already have been <3 y/n: if you don’t stop being adorable, i’m gonna come over there and kiss you sunshine: yeah? you’re gonna do that? hmmm? y/n: don’t test me…. i WILL come over and kiss you sweetly and tuck you into bed sunshine: i read that as “fuck you into bed.” OOOPS y/n: alkfhgakldjfgh y/n: just go compose, ji!!! i’ll come over tomorrow, if chan’s not there sunshine: your wish is my command, angel~ sunshine: make sure to get some sleep y/n: don’t stay up too late tho babe;;;; sunshine: i won’t, don’t worry y/n: okay hhhh goodnight, ji *kiss* sunshine: sweet dreams, angel *kiss*

As you fell asleep, you thought you could hear the faint strains of the guitar and Jisung’s voice floating over from the other apartment. Idly, you wondered if he was recording any of his ideas.

↠↞

On Wednesday afternoon, you got a text from Jisung inviting you to an ugly sweater party that would be hosted by one of his casual friends that weekend. And while you weren’t sure if any of your sweaters counted as ugly, you figured you should still have a fun night out. And because where Jisung was, Chan and Changbin wouldn’t be far behind, you knew they’d be there, too. You suggested that the two of you go together, especially since the house was only a couple blocks away from where you lived. So, at 8:17 pm on Friday, you bundled yourself into your coat and headed out the door.

“Y/N!”

You turned around to see Jisung striding toward you across the snowy lawn.

“Hi,” he said, drawing out the syllable as he gave you an enthusiastic hug and kissed your cheek.

“Jisung,” you said, stepping back, “where exactly is your coat? You do know it’s the middle of December, right?”

“I left it inside.” He grinned when you glared. “Eh, one of us has to be a little bit dumb sometimes.”

This earned him a gentle nudge in the shin from your foot, but you were both smiling as you set off toward the party.

As you approached the house, Jisung kissed your hand. “I, um, haven't told Chan and Changbin that we’ve been seeing each other.” At your surprised look, he shrugged. “I’ll see you later tonight, angel,” he said, then darted up the stairs with a wink thrown over his shoulder. You shook your head—sometimes, Jisung was a little odd.

When you stepped through the front door, it was obvious that the party had already been going for at least an hour. People crowded the living room, the kitchen, the hallway, and some were even on the stairs. Fairly mellow music played in the background, and when you looked toward one end of the living in which a table was set up between two speakers, you saw none other than Chan. You couldn’t say you were surprised.

Squirming between the people lounging against the kitchen’s doorframe, you finally made it in and went to where drinks had been laid out on the counter. You grabbed a fresh cup for yourself, pouring some hard cider out of a fresh can, and then, rejoined the main part of the party. Not exactly wanting to talk to a lot of people you didn’t know, you found a window with a deep enough sill that you could sit in it. For almost a half hour, you watched the partygoers and slowly sipped on your cider.

Occasionally, you’d look over at Chan behind his computer, portable mixing board, and more wires and cables than you knew could exist. Now that you knew he wasn’t actively trying to be unnecessarily flirtatious, you could see yourself getting to know him. After all, he was Jisung’s friend and well known around campus—people were too focused on holding others to high moral standards, despite lowering their own, not to watch someone like Chan like hawks. You would’ve heard if he wasn’t a great person, and you knew Jisung wouldn’t be friends with a jerk.

In the low lighting of the living room, the lines of Chan’s cheekbones stood out as he bowed his head in concentration to find just the right level of bass to thrum through your bones beneath the soft strains of melody. You found yourself completely enthralled; that is, until Jisung eclipsed your view as he flitted from group to group like a hummingbird. And just when you thought you should probably socialize, two women who wore matching, utterly horrible sweaters chose to stand nearby. Since their sweaters were so atrocious, you thought their conversation might be interesting.

“3racha?” one of them asked in response to a question you hadn’t heard.

“Yeah, I really thought they’d be here, but I haven’t seen them,” the second woman whined.

“Maybe they’re busy?” the first one suggested.

“Or, ladies,” a pleasantly husky voice said, coming up behind them, “you could open your eyes and realize that Chan’s behind the table tonight. You’re listening to one of our new songs.” The two 3racha fans gaped at him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to talk to the person in the window here.” He slid past them. “Thanks.”

You looked up from your drink into the handsome face of Changbin, who was wearing a black sweater with…

“Pink, sparkly cats? You?” you said, not believing your eyes.

“Hey, I like cats,” Changbin protested. “And who cares if they’re pink and sparkly? They have cute little noses—see?” He moved closer to you, pointing to the cats.

“Yes, very cute little noses,” you laughed and took a sip of your cider. “So, what’s up, Changbin?”

“Eh, not much. I finished my exams early—thank god. You?”

“I’ve been really good, actually,” you said brightly. “You’re lucky—I still have all of mine next week.”

“Good luck! I’m sure you’ll do great,” Changbin beamed at you. “Hey, it’s pretty stuffy in here—want to go out on the porch for some fresh air?”

You nodded and stood to follow him.

A couple heads turned, probably those people who recognized Changbin and thought of him as a local celebrity or something, as you slipped by along the wall leading to the back door. Changbin held the door open for you and you inhaled the cold night air, welcome after the heat inside from so many bodies pressed together.

Changbin sighed gratefully next to you, sitting down on the top step and patting the spot next to him. “Join me?”

You sat, surprised that you could feel the warmth radiating from Changbin even sitting a foot away. Together, you stared out over the lawn where the footprints of those who lived in the house crossed each other to form unintentionally intricate patterns.

“Y/N?” Changbin said hesitantly after a few minutes. “Would you be interested in listening to the demo of a song I’ve been working on?” Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I know you’re not a music major,” he continued, “but that’s exactly why I’m asking this. I could use some fresh ears on it.”

You were flattered that Changbin had asked you, but . . . “Why me?” you asked. “I’m sure there are plenty of other people you know far better than me. Not to sound rude, but we’ve only met maybe three times.”

“Like I said, that’s exactly it,” Changbin insisted, taking out his phone. “You don’t know my—3racha’s—music. So, you’re the perfect person to give an unbiased and new opinion!”

“Well, when you put it like that . . .” you mused, and scooted just a little closer to Changbin. You could have sworn he blushed.

After a moment of fiddling with his phone, he said, “Here. Sorry I don’t have headphones or a speaker or something with me.”

“It’s okay, I’m sure I’ll be able to hear just fine.” You leaned forward as Changbin, grimacing at the first bars of the demo, held up his phone between you; then, you just concentrated on the music.

Meanwhile, Changbin felt like he was about to run and hide. You were mere inches from him, hair swinging down into your face as you listened intently. It was as if time had stopped completely, and you and he were the only people on Earth. He desperately tried not to stare as your mouth, lips parted slightly, quirked up in a smile at the lyrics. And if he noticed how your sweater hugged your body in just the right places, and how he’d like to be hugging those places, too, he promptly shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind. As you seemed more and more entranced by the music, his music, Changbin had the wild urge to lean forward and ki—

“Changbin, this is incredible!” you said as the song ended, your eyes gleaming in the light of the porch light as you turned to him. Suddenly, you realized just how close you were to Changbin—it would be so easy to just lean your head on his shoulder. You mentally shook yourself. “I had no idea you guys were producing music like this. And this is just a demo?”

Still reeling from being utterly stunned by your beauty, Changbin started. “I— Yeah, it’s just the demo. That last song that was playing inside was actually one of ours. Chan just slips them into whatever mix he’s DJ-ing at events.”

You beamed, impressed and excited. “So, I honestly can’t think of anything I’d want to change about that song, other than . . . maybe even out the lead up to the chorus? Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Changbin reassured you, and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Hey, how about you come by the studio one day? I’d be able to make the edits with you there, and I think I might have another song you could help with.” At your surprised look, Changbin added, “But only if you want to. I don’t mean to pressure you, sorry.”

“I’d love to,” you said simply, and meant it. You looked down at your lap. “I don’t know much about composition, but I think it would fun to learn. Plus, if Jisung likes you and Chan, then you must be cool. And talented!”

Changbin gave you a searching look and you said quickly, “I mean, we’re neighbors and all, so we talk or see each other randomly and he always mentions you!”

“Ah, okay. Well, I’d like to live up to your expectations,” Changbin said self-consciously. He stood abruptly and you did as well, fiddling with your cider cup.

“Changbin?” you said before he could take another step toward the door, and he froze like you'd captured him in one of the ice sickles that hung from the roof. “How- how should I get in touch with you?” And just as you said it, you remembered the little slip of paper that was left on your coffee table that first time you’d met 3racha. Oh.

“I thought I gave you my number already,” Changbin chuckled, looking like one of the cats on his sweater that had just gotten into the cream.

You took a breath. “Right. Yeah, I remember now.”

“Just text me when you’re free and we can figure out when you want to come by to listen to more music.” Changbin stuffed his hands into his pockets, giving you a small smile.

“Oh, okay,” you agreed. “I guess I’ll text you tomorrow!”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Changbin said lightly, and winked before turning to open the door. “Come on, you look half frozen,” he said, his voice soft with not a trace of mockery in it.

You were cold and as you walked through the door back into the warmth, you tried to ignore the feeling of being pulled toward Changbin like you were two halves of a magnet. It was a new feeling, being drawn to someone so forcefully, and you were more than intrigued.

↠↞

When you got home from the party, you gratefully sagged onto your couch, glad to be away from all those people. After just sitting for long minutes, you got up and changed into your wonderfully soft and plush robe—it was one of the things you’d bought for yourself just because you could, just so you could have something nice. Then, you made tea and curled on the couch again; you’d only had the one drink that didn’t even have much alcohol in it, but you were still tired from being around that many people. So, you just sat and enjoyed your tea, letting your thoughts wonder.

“Y/N?” Jisung’s voice came down the hall into your living room, since he’d slipped through via the bathroom. He saw you curled on the couch in your robe with your mug of tea, and paused before entering the room. The simple domesticity of the tableau was so sweet that it stirred his desire to, someday, have a lovely home with the one he loved where things would be happy and calm. And right then and there, Jisung knew that he was definitely developing feelings for you. “Hey, you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before sitting next to you.

“Hey,” you said, leaning your head against his shoulder.

“You didn’t stay too long—did you at least have an okay time tonight?” Jisung asked.

“Yeah, it’s always fun to see people in horrible sweaters,” you chucked. You proffered your tea to him. “Want some?”

Jisung took the mug and sipped delicately from it, sighing as the tea warmed his insides. “So, what do you want to do? Watch a movie like we said?”

“Mmmm,” you thought for a moment, cupping the back of Jisung’s neck and running your fingers through his hair. “How about we watch a couple episodes of that show I was telling you about, then take a bath together. I could really use the relaxing heat from the water.”

“Oh, that sounds perfect, angel,” Jisung sighed. “Can I grab your computer so we can watch, then?” He stood and looked around for the device. “Where’d you hide it this time?”

“Sorry,” you said, smiling ruefully. “It’s on the floor in my bedroom.”

Jisung retrieved your computer and set it on the coffee table in front of you, gently massaging your back as he waited for you to sign in and pull up the video streaming site. The only light in the room came from a small lamp you had in the corner, which cast a warm glow over everything. Jisung leaned into the nook where the couch’s back and arm met and you snuggled in beside and on him as he pulled you against his chest. He was warm and soft, and you felt entirely at ease—more at home with him than you’d felt with anyone else. As the second episode began, Jisung began lazily tracing circles up and down your arm, occasionally passing over your cheeks. Once or twice, he ran a finger along your lips, making them tingle. It was more than a little distracting and it wasn’t long before you felt a faint tingle of desire. Jisung’s body, which had been so relaxed before, was now filled with a low-level energy that made him feel like his blood was vibrating.

You twisted round to look up at him, a questioning look in your eyes, and he leaned forward to pause the show before capturing your lips with his. You smiled against his mouth and Jisung hoisted you further up onto his lap so you were almost sitting sideways. His tongue darted out to swipe along the crease of your mouth, and you gladly let him in, your tongues sliding by each other as you pressed yourself closer to Jisung. His hand on your waist began to travel upward as he kissed down your neck and along your shoulder, and you sighed at the warmth of his skin.

“You’re not wearing anything under that robe, are you?” Jisung said, pulling back and giving you a mischievous look.

“Nope!” you chirped innocently, and kissed his nose. Jisung’s eyes darkened as his pupils blew wide with desire.

“Oh, angel,” Jisung growled faintly as he ran his hand down your stomach to between your legs. As you continued to kiss, he chuckled faintly and pulled aside the folds of your robe to slide his hand up your inner thigh. His slow teasing soon had you moaning and wriggling, and it was obvious that he simply wanted to enjoy touching you, making you squirm just that little bit. But, he never brought you close to release—that wasn’t the point.

When you’d had enough of his teasing, you murmured, “Ji, let’s take the bath.” You had to concentrate to keep speaking as he moved his fingers in a particularly satisfying way. “The water will feel amazing and we’ll be relaxed,” you said, adjusting your position on his lap. Jisung groaned, and let you rise before following you out of the room.

While the tub filled higher and higher, you let your robe drop to the floor, and your body reacted to the cold air coming through the ever-open window. Jisung, his clothes already thrown in a heap in the corner, stared at you like you were Aphrodite herself. Ignoring the various thoughts swirling around in his head, Jisung stepped into the tub and was surprised at how hot it was, but sank down into the water nonetheless. “Come on, angel,” he said, patting his lap and making small waves in the water. “I’ve got a comfy seat here just for you.” He winked.

Grinning, you stepped in after him and the water splashed a little as you sat down, making both of you giggle. You talked about your week and how classes were going, always skirting around the topic of exams. It wasn’t long before you’d completely exhausted all college-related conversation; it simply wasn’t romantic. You lay back against Jisung, who slid lower into the water and put his hands on your hips. Your hands went automatically over his, and the two of you simply reveled in the warmth of the water and the feeling of being skin-to-skin. 

Before long, the slight pressure against your low back became more insistent, until you turned to Jisung and said, “How about I keep you nice and warm, babe.”

“Sounds lovely.” Jisung murmured against your hair and carefully guided your hips down onto his waiting member. You groaned as he filled you up, the ache you hadn’t even known you’d felt all day suddenly satisfied.

“Oh god, yes,” you breathed and leaned your head back, exposing your neck for Jisung to kiss and nibble.

You gently wiggled your hips and settled, simply enjoying the sensation of being full. The hot water swirling around you felt like velvet caressing your skin. Turning slightly with your head still on his shoulder, you found Jisung’s mouth with yours and your kisses were as lazy and languid as the warm sunlight of a summer morning. You occasionally rocked your hips against Jisung’s gently, feeling him deep inside. And when you teased him like that, he would simply press himself further against you and you’d moan, kissing him harder.

Nothing was rushed or intense—just the feelings of warmth and being together, connected. You reveled in the pure sensations, relaxing into Jisung’s hold more every second. He had one hand on your hip, gently massaging the muscle there, and the other roving over your body, depending on his whims. Your fingers tangled in his hair, carding through it as you kissed. All of your attention was focused on Jisung—your point of connection with him, his hands on you, his soft mouth—and you filled his world, too, blotting out all else like a solar eclipse.

↠↞

“Bin, you said we’d meet Jisung here. Where is he? Isn’t he supposed to be at home?” Chan said, clearly having to concentrate on enunciating his words more carefully than usual. He and Changbin were standing on the front step of Jisung’s apartment, waiting impatiently for their best friend to open the door. It was cold.

“Dunno.” Changbin gestured expansively. “He said we should come over, right? There aren’t many places he’d go.” Then, Changbin blanched. “You don’t think he was kidnapped or something, do you?”

“Oh come on, you’re drunk,” Chan scoffed.

“You are, too!” Changbin retorted.

“Yeah, but at least I’m not hyplerbizing. . . No, hyperblazing. Shit.” Chan looked blankly down at the snow for a second, his friend being absolutely no help at all as he frantically texted Jisung. “Got it! Hyperbolizing. Yeah, at least I’m not hyperbolizing.”

“I’m not,” Changbin insisted. “I’m just being sensible. Jisung barely ever ducks out on stuff, so why now? He was at the party, for god’s sake. We saw him— What, two hours ago?”

Chan leaned on the doorframe and sighed. “Well, I guess there’s only one option, then.”

“Yeah?”

“We go through the window.” Changbin gave him a blank look. “You know,” Chan continued, “Y/N’s bathroom window! Jisung said he’s gone through there to get to his apartment, and maybe she’ll know where he is. They’ve gotta at least keep in touch if they’re neighbors.”

Changbin spluttered. He couldn’t believe Chan had just suggested that they, for lack of a better phrase, break into your apartment. But then again, maybe you did know where Jisung was—it was worth a try.

So, Chan and Changbin made their way around to the other side of the house, trying not to look suspicious, and found the window that was cracked slightly open. Soft light poured from it, lancing across the bare ground below. And, there was the conveniently placed log, now fallen on its side. It didn’t look like Jisung had come through this way for awhile.

“Chan, are you sure about this?” Changbin whispered.

“Well, you wanna go hang out with Jisung, yeah?”

“Fine, yes,” Changbin grumbled.

Chan hopped up onto the log and pulled himself up to peek in the window. He was completely still for a moment, then put his feet back down and, with an indiscernible look on his face, motioned to Changbin.

“What? Is it locked or something?” Changbin asked, confused. Chan just shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, and motioned for Changbin to take his spot on the log.

“Boost me up?” he said to Chan, who gave him a wild look, but held out his hands for Changbin to step on anyway.

When Changbin’s head rose above the window, he stared. You were laying there in the tub, naked and lithe as a cat. But you weren’t alone. Jisung, his best friend Han Jisung, was in the tub with you. And you were kissing, Jisung’s hands all over you. As he beheld your form, Changbin felt like he was about to burst apart into a thousand pieces. Unable to tear his eyes away, Changbin saw you undulate your hips against Jisung’s and heard you sigh wantonly. You were completely engrossed in each other, unaware of your silent audience.

You let out a loud moan and Changbin’s hands, cramped from the cold and clutching the windowsill, betrayed him so he nearly lost his grip. His feet scrabbled for purchase on the house’s siding. He tried to keep his breathing under control, but his mind was full of smooth skin, water, and the sound of your sighs. Fuck. We shouldn’t be here.

But just at that moment, Chan chose to actually boost him up toward the window and, because Changbin was shocked at seeing you naked in a bathtub with Jisung, he toppled forward.

↠↞

The feeling of almost unraveling but never quite tipping over the edge was absolutely delicious, and yet having nothing between you and Jisung was even better. Your eyes were closed, focusing on the sensations, rather than trying to see anything, and you gasped against every so often. Jisung gently bit down on your shoulder whenever you did.

You were resting your full weight back against Jisung’s chest, simply enjoying the feel of him touching you everywhere possible. Then, you felt Jisung twitch inside you as you ground against him, and he began to thrust up into you with more regularity. A particularly loud moan escaped your lips, the ache deep inside pulsing, just as you heard a scuffling sound from outside.

“Ji? What was that?” you asked, your eyes flying open.

“It’s probably just some raccoons,” Jisung said offhandedly.

“Hmmm,” was all you replied and closed your eyes again. You held onto his knees for support as Jisung’s pace increased, making little waves dance in the tub.

And then . . .

It seemed like all hell broke loose as a body crashed through the slightly open window. You shrieked in surprise and Jisung yelled, “What the fuck?” All sense of arousal gone, you froze before peeking above the rim of the bathtub.

You had a distinct sense of deja vu as, yet again, you saw a young man sprawled on your bathroom floor.

Shit.

Shit!!

Belatedly, you realized that you were, indeed, naked, and you were in the bath. With Jisung. And you were still sitting on his dick, which now seemed to have a mind and agenda of its own. Oh, and it was freezing now that the window was fully open, making you feel like someone had pulled the skin on your chest taut as a bowstring.

“Seo Changbin, what the actual fuck?!!” Jisung almost, almost, bellowed as he firmly held you in place on his lap, not wanting his friend to notice anymore than he already had.

“I—” Changbin stammered, but was cut off as Jisung yelled again, seeing another face at the window.

“Chan, too? What the hell?! I just— What the hell?” As much as he might have seemed angry, you could feel Jisung laughing silently as he took in the situation.

“Fuck,” was all Chan said as his gaze took you in, and you pulled your legs up in front of yourself in some, futile, attempt to hide your nakedness.

“Well?” Jisung demanded.

“We were looking for you, bro,” Changbin said from the floor. “We had plans!”

“And you said you climb through Y/N’s window all the time!” Chan added . . . helpfully.

“I told you I had something going on tonight.” Jisung sighed and grumbled, “But I guess you didn’t remember that.” Then, rolling his eyes Jisung said, “How much did you two drink, anyway?”

“Hey, don’t be like that, man,” Chan said, still peering through the window. “It wasn’t that much!”

“Bullshit,” you said, speaking for the first time.

“Okay, whatever. You’re right,” Changbin grumbled from the floor, looking a little ill.

“Both of you: Get. Out.” Jisung’s voice was firm, but he still couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice.

“Can’t we go through the little door?” Chan said hopefully.

“Y/N?” Changbin implored you, eyes wide.

“Fine. Just go through the damn door so you can get out of my fucking bathroom!” Your voice rose and you crossed your arms over your chest.

Once Chan had climbed through the window, catching a sleeve on the windowsill in the process, and Changbin had retrieved Jisung’s keys from his pants, the two of them squeezed through the passageway to Jisung’s apartment. You tried your best not to giggle at how much they looked like those same raccoons Jisung had mentioned earlier, practically falling over each other as they rushed to get out of the bathroom.

“I’ll be over at some point,” Jisung called after them. “Good riddance,” he said more quietly to you.

“I can’t believe that just happened,” you huffed out in a laugh.

“Yeah, I can’t either,” Jisung groaned. “But I’m not surprised. That’s those two in a nutshell, honestly.”

You leaned your head back against Jisung’s shoulder again and sighed. He was still inside you, and you were suddenly glad that you’d been facing forward when Chan and Changbin had appeared. Completely unable to resist Jisung’s soft skin, you nuzzled his jaw.

“Well, I guess that cat’s out of the bag,” you shrugged.

“They’ll never let me live it down,” Jisung replied, burying his face in your neck.

“Nope, they won’t!” you giggled and pecked Jisung’s cheek.