#“cause most girls never win if they're polite”

[purplehalnw]

I'm begging all of y'all who perceive Annabeth as just a smart weak nerdy girl to listen to My Grand Plan from the tlt musical until you either get the message or croak because y'all clearly can't read or even watch tv properly.

[alpineshift]

an incomplete list of professions I'm putting jacknico into in my ongoing kit of ‘what if one of them weren’t an NHL player, how will they meet and what would their relationship be like?’

Jack's a hockey player (and most definitely wearing the C):

Corporate Nico who's Jack's neighbour and is incredibly disgruntled by Jack's weird hours and occasionally noisy af team gatherings at his place.

Working points include Nico being politely huffy and Jack always running out on their arguments bc he's going to be late for practice

Jack's incessant need to sing in the shower and Nico constantly overhearing him bc they share a wall (amongst other accidental noises)

At some point Nico wins some kind of corporate recognition prize for his Hard WorkTM and it's...VIP Devils tickets. And a meet and greet with the captain AKA his own neighbour that he regularly beefs with. Imagining Jack finding out it's Nico before the game and gets a dick trick that night out of spite? The unrelenting desire to show off a bit for his grouchy hot neighbour? And Nico has to begrudgingly admit Jack played really well

At some point also maybe Jack's out on IR and Nico just. Accidentally-not-really looks after Jack bc they "dislike" each other, but he doesn't want Jack to actually suffer. Classic finally getting to know each other phase iykyk

Suit designer Nico, who's introduced to Jack through one of the Swiss guys and begins to exclusively style Jack over the course of his years as a Devils player

Jack having to get suits resized and custom made every year bc his ass is incredible and Nico is not immune to said ass

Nico is always complimenting his figure and Jack is losing his mind bc he's obsessed but also firmly believes Nico is just being so professional

Jack always flexing his suits online with flirty captions and tags Nico and Nico has such a crush but also firmly believes Jack just really appreciates his work and this is His PersonalityTM

At some point after they get together Nico designs the WAG playoff jackets and Jack tells him he has to make one for himself too. Cue blushing.

Kindergarten teacher Nico who simply Does Not Care for hockey (or hockey players) who has to host the Devils school visit for his kids

The kids adore the players. Especially Jack, who is very good with the kids. He's super sweet and very engaged and stays late hanging out with them

Obligatory Jack chatting/being flirty with Nico and asking who his favourite player on the Devs is. And Nico going "Honestly I think I prefer football." And Jack's all oh! I also love watching football with my brothers at UMich-- and Nico's like "European. European football."

Luke just about killing himself laughing watching Jack try and fall flat on his face again and again while he attempts to flirt with Nico

But now that Nico's met Jack it feels like a dam has been opened and Nico is somehow seeing Jack everywhere. Grocery store. Harbourfront parking lot. Bus stop ads. Farmer's market. On his goddamned uber eats app promo. He can't escape.

One of Nico's students draw him and Jack together and point it out to him going "Are you guys getting married?" and Nico is like...at this point, who knows. I am at the universe's mercy

Just cutesy goodness everywhere. This is such an overdone trope and I love it.

Also - continuation of the reporter!Nico AU why not

Also just them fucking nasty in this AU cause why NOT.

Nico's still Captain of the Devils. Jack's doing other Hot Girl Shit:

Classic Michigan cottage owner/renter Jack who hosts Nico once during bye week and suddenly Nico is making time during the offseason every year to visit

Beautiful potential for there to be "Jack almost became an NHL player too but didn't bc of xyz reason" and it gets angsty

I imagine Quinn and Luke still play in the NHL but the dots literally never connect for either of them Nico doesn't mention he plays professionally for the NHL and Jack doesn't keep up with anything hockey except for his brothers' stats and to know they're not injured

Summer romance clichés everywhere. Nico catching sight of Jack sunbathing all the time, boating everywhere. Minor problem at the cottage and Jack comes over to fix it, impressing Nico. Nico talking about Switzerland and just really endearing Jack to him.

When Jack eventually warms up to Nico he invites Nico out to the town summer festival and it's not not a date. But let's just say Nico doesn't wake up in his own cabin later that night.

Also potential for the worse blowout fight when Jack does realize who Nico is. Angst! Angst!!

Will Jack ever go to see Nico play a game or will he hide away from the hockey sphere forever? Will they ever forgive each other? Stay tuned

Tennis player!Jack

I halfway jokingly assigned Jack to tennis during the Olympics and now even if it's short I want him to compete in it and I want Nico to sit in the stands with his shades on and cheer Jack on in the offseason. That's it, really.

Indulgent idea of novelist Jack being the author of Nico's favourite book series

Maybe it's a series Nico started reading when he was younger, but went on hiatus bc Jack took a break

It comes back in full swing when he's Captain now and it's Nico's go-to road trip series. He gets a full secret profile on like an online bookclub to enthusiastically yap about it

Meanwhile Jack is a secret Devils fan - fave player #13 - and has a burner twitter acct where he gushes about how good of a player Nico is online.

I didn't think super ahead in this au but I'm sure they will somehow cross confusing paths at some point. I just want book nerd Nico and enthusiastic online fan Jack.

ALSO. What else could be said about underwear model Jack AU?

Becks has to nurse his forbidden knowledge for like an entire season until Luke sits him down one day and goes "Buddy. It's fine. It's not that big of a secret" and Becks is like oh thank god. I thought my head was going to implode. And Luke is like "However if you do sell Jack and Nico out to the media I will be preemptively ending your career. But you're a good kid, so I'm not worried. Anyway, nice chat!" And Becks is about to shit himself.

Side note - for a while I did not realize there was a Becks on the devils LOL

Or - this time Nico is the one who gets papped with a guy and it's not immediately recognizable as Jack (he cut his hair for a shoot or something) and the rookies are besides themselves thinking Nico is cheating on Jack or something (assuming at some point they also learn the truth). It's shenanigans.

An eventual boyfriend reveal? To put the rookies out of their misery? Jack finds the whole thing hilarious.

[legallybrunettedotcom]

i want to know everything omg! what are your favorite characters on gossip girl? who do you hate the most? and what your opinion about this show in general. 💓

I really need to do a rewatch, I probably forgot a lot of plot points, but... Blair was always my favourite, my number one girl. I didn't like Serena, I think I just didn't like Blake Lively, and I hate to be that person that's like oh she always had bad vibes, I knew it from the start, but idk I just never got the hype around her and her acting was so bad. I think I end up disliking a lot of characters on any tv show just bc I hate the actor's acting choices, like why are you doing that face? that was so unneccessary lmao. I think I also maybe projected onto Blair a bit, like someone who is always trying their best, putting in 110% and someone else just swooping in and winning with zero effort, but... let's not unpack that here. Them together are obviously one of the best frenemies put on screen and I suppose both the tension and love that can exist in female friendships was portrayed really well imo so I don't really want to point fingers at either of them as like the root cause of the friendship problems, like one of them being the shitty friend and other the martyr. Like sometimes you are a shitty friend and sometimes your friend is the cunt, that's not the end of the world. I can see the same thing happening now that there's been a sort of SATC renaissance if i can call it that (even though SATC is a show that is consistently popular, like I don't think it has ever fallen off and then had some sort of resurgence but ygwim) where ppl are aggressively hating Carrie, like she was the devil. Plus I find it difficult to look at fiction through real life eyes, like asking why would this person do this? well they did it bc this is a show and we need an inciting incident to move the plot forward yk?

Blair and Chuck were made for each other, I loved their dynamic. With that said, Chuck is obviously not a good guy. I think at the time, as a kid, some things flew over my head, but looking back he is scary and creepy and you'd feel unsafe in his presence. I suppose he was entertaining, like you got this 15, 16 year old kid talking about stock exchange and dressing like Hugh Hefner, it kinda is funny. Even though I was rooting for Chair (was that their ship name I can't remember) endgame, I did actually enjoy Blair and Dan together, I think it was a cute moment and they worked well together. I don't think their relationship was for shock value, they actually had kind of a proper enemies to friends to lovers arc. I liked Dan, but also looking back... kind of a creep as well, his obsession with Serena was weird and the reveal of him as GG was disappointing. I gotta admit I never watched the show with anticipation of GG being revealed, I personally was like ok if it happens, happens, if it doesn't, fine. I never was interested in looking for clues on who GG might be. I think the show would've been fine ending without that reveal tbh. Definitely one of the more underwhelming and disappointing show finales out there.

I loved Jenny, I loved Juliet, I think she was the best antagonist. I kinda didn't care about Nate that much. I loved that the show delved into the life and drama of the parents as well, sometimes more entertaining than teenage lives. Honestly, can't say I hated anyone, which... funny considering I opened this with a politer version of calling Serena a bitch lmao. But despite GG being looked at as a silly teen show, I think all these characters were pretty complex and no one was really entirely good or entirely bad. I think what carried that show was great costumes, great set design and charismatic actors. I actually read some of the books and yk they're fine, can't remember much of the details, but I think actors made it much more than it is on paper, which also I feel is a sign of times. Like not to lump these actors with actual movie stars of the past, but we can definitely see an actor is not a star anymore, they're a product. The show had a lot of plot holes, but... idk I can't say I'm intense abt plot holes unless it's truly insanely dumb and demeans the audience.

I don't know if you've checked out the reboot, I watched like first half of first season and it wasn't good. They tried to fix a lot of problems of the original, especially in matters of diversity and class consciousness, but the problem with a lot of "socially conscious" media nowadays is that their writing ends up consisting of slogans instead of yk actually good writing and dialogue. The original was quite scandalous for its time, like I've seen ppl say their parents wouldn't let them watch it. It was like SATC for teenagers. The reboot didn't have that edge, but I also don't think this is a uniquely GG problem, I think it's just the times. Television doesn't connect us anymore. Which I know is ironic saying this on Tumblr, on a fandom site, in an era where there are so many streaming platforms producing many many many tv shows and programmes and it all being actually more profitable than films, BUT you can't tell me our relationship to TV is the same as it was 20, 30, 40 etc years ago, or even just 10 years ago.

But yeah, all in all, I love the show, I love the fashion, I love the bitchiness and I think it came at the right moment in my life. If you want to share your own opinions feel free to do so, my inbox is always open. Like I said, haven't seen it in a long time, so my memory isn't super fresh, but I think I'm due for a rewatch. <3

[princess-of-the-corner]

On the Winx Club reboot... Lightrock? Also, how does it go for Diaspro? In the early seasons, the poor girl always gave me the impression most of her bitchiness was caused by knowing she'd have to spend her life saving Sky and Heraklion from his recklessness (and eventually snapping when he was about to risk a civil war to marry Bloom), plus Bloom being revealed a princess suddenly stripping her of the one working solution to the love triangle she knew, that is marrying Sky for duty and let him have the red-haired commoner as a lover.

Diaspro my darling!! She deserved better lmao.

this is gonna get long so

So like.

Diaspro is from a high-ranking noble family on Eraklyon, and her parents have some deal going on with the Royals for her to marry Sky. This has been a fact of life for her for as long as she can remember.

Now, Diaspro does care about Sky. She grew up with him. She thinks she's in love with him because she's supposed to be. Because she never had a choice not to be.

She never really had a choice for much of anything, really. She was to be Sky's trophy wife. She didn't really need to do anything, he'd take care of it all. She could have a hobby here or there, something to entertain herself. But why bother worrying about a career or politics or anything when Sky will do it for her?

Sky breaks out of this mindset earlier and has tried to do more gentle rejections. But things kinda. Explode out of hand. Because when we're in Season 1 we have Sky and Brandon doing their swap thing, then Diaspro shows up and blows their cover and introduces herself as Sky's fiance when he's dating Bloom and....

Like he explains before anyone gets too mad at him, and it's. Being confronted with Sky actually dating someone else is the first time it really hits Diaspro that he may not actually want her, ya know?

Which. Has her hurt and confused because she literally doesn't have anything else in her life except being his future wife. And she does initially take that out on Bloom, seeing it as a 'he would be happy with me if it weren't for you!' thing.

This doesn't last long though. Because Sky puts his foot down on a lot of things as he's like. Aware of the problems on Eraklyon and wants to fix things and wants to actually be a good King to his people. (Like remember what I said about his parents being kinda assholes? And the reason for the Sky-Brandon swap is a whole 'political unrest that is causing assassination attempts' thing.)

Anyway.

During the end of Season 1 and the inbetween of Season 1 and 2, Diaspro does a good bit of thinking and reflecting on Sky's words and actions, and the potential freedoms opening up if she can be whatever she wants instead of just 'his wife'.

While her acceptance of this is shaky at first, she does start looking at the prospect of getting her life on track without him. Ofc her parents wouldn't let her actually do that but... well. If she tells them 'how about you let me enroll in Alfea so I can be closer and keep an eye on Sky and try to win him back from that harlot's clutches?', then they're totally gonna throw money at her education.

She has little intention of actually doing so and is like. Quickly dragged into the friendgroup during Season 2 because they realize she's actually going to be incredibly helpful to have. (her powers are earth/rock-based and they're going underground).

[mlembug]

is poland a good place to be trans?

in australia, it seems pretty good for now.

In general, no. I am handling pretty well mostly because I went through most of the bullshit already, I live in a fairly liberal city, and I work in IT, but I have no vision for the future if I get burned out. I estimate like 90-95% of Polish trans girls have it worse than me.

In terms of recent events, we got rid of PiS recently so there is some win in terms of politics, so at least the most egregious corruption is out, but the other party has been promising improvements for LGBT folk a few times in the past and never did them, the only difference is that the leftists form a coalition with them and another party. Too bad the leftists have the least seats in Sejm out of the three parties, but it's still okay, in that the situation doesn't get worse over the next 4 years than it already is. The worrying part is that there are a few people trying to form the spearhead of the anti-trans movement here, but they're yet a minor drop in comparison to the problems Catholic church and regular right-wingers cause for marginalized people.

The following is a breakdown of how living in Poland while trans is like.

(A quick rundown on "cost of living": Minimal salary: 3221.98zł post taxes; Median salary (estimated): 4692zł post taxes. Renting a room: around 1000zł (plus utilities). Renting a flat: 2000zł and up. Loaf of bread: 2.50-5zł. Apples (1kg): 3-5zł. A beer (0.5l) in a supermarket: 4zł. A beer (0.5l) in a bar: 15zł. A large pizza (40cm): 40-50zł. A new video game or any Nintendo game: 250zł.)

Gender marker change: You sue your own parents for this. This process is significantly less annoying than it was 10 years ago in that the number of documents included is like half as much as it was back then and also you don't have to sue your adult children anymore if you have them, but it still implies outing yourself to your parents and them seeing your medical documentation you're sending as evidence (oh god why). The less the parents meddle the better for you. Your hope is that them putting in time, money and effort to meddle is not worth it, and honestly, even regular garden variety transphobic parents don't do much beside denying during a testimony. Otherwise prepare for years-long legal battle that will exhaust both of you. A judge can also decide to appoint an "expert" to judge the medical documentation, and make it more annoying. Very vague optimistic estimate (no external "expert", which honestly is not a given and cases with no external expert started happening recently) of procuring the documentation (psychiatrist opinion, sexologist opinion, lawsuit costs, that fucking stupid MMPI-2 test) puts it at around 3000zł. No same-sex marriage in Poland means that if you're married you have to divorce before attempting gender marker change process. Changing your gender marker means also your national identity number changes because gender is encoded in one of the digits.

The good part is that you don't have to get sterilized as part of gender marker changed, and no surgeries are required. The bad part is that you can't get sterilized without a gender marker change. Either do it outside of Poland or sue your parents. Also, HRT is required for gender marker change.

Name change without gender marker change: Significantly limited due to vast majority of Polish names being heavily gendered, and you can't assign yourself a name considered feminine. Without gender marker change your best bet is non-Polish names and names that are ambiguously gendered. Some surnames are gendered so if you have one you will likely want to change it to a non-gendered one. You likely also have to provide justification and hope for a friendly clerk.

Double mastectomy: With gender marker changed you can get it for free, though whether it's good enough I have no idea. Otherwise 10000-20000zł.

Hysterectomy: Can't get one without gender marker change. With gender marker changed it's funded by public healthcare.

Vaginoplasty: Can't get one without gender marker change. Out of pocket. 50000-60000zł.

Laser hair depilation: Out of pocket. 300zł per session.

Access to HRT: Wild wild west, no regulations means doctors have their own criteria on what exactly do you need to get HRT. One endocrinologist will write a prescription when you ask for it, on the first visit, another will gatekeep you forever. Obviously do your research. A visit to the endocrinologist will cost 200-300zł.

Fem-HRT:

Estrofem (estradiol pills) 28 pills x 2mg costs 16.23zł. Public healthcare lowers that to 4.87zł. Androcur (cyproterone acetate) 50 pills x 50mg costs 91,69 zł. Public healthcare lowers that to 27.51zł. Divigel (estradiol gel) 28 packs x 1mg costs 41.25zł. Public healthcare lowers that to 24.88zł. No injections, all Polish trans girls go to Czech Republic for these, where Neofollin (estradiol valerate) 5 vials x 5mg costs 115.37 CZK, twice as much as when I bought them in November 2022.

Masc-HRT:

Omnadren 250 (testosterone injection, more specifically, testosterone propionate (30 mg) + testosterone phenylpropionate (60 mg) + testosterone isocaproate (60 mg) + testosterone caproate (100 mg)) 5 vials cost 88.14 zł. Testosteronum Prolongatum (testerone injection, more specifically, testosterone enanthate (100mg)) 5 vials costs 91zł. Nebido (testosterone injection, more specifically testosterone undecylenate (1000mg)) 1 vial costs 520zł.

Access to blockers: Also wild wild west, but I know nothing about how it is because I know no one who is on them. Probably sucks.

Society: more liberal in the west Poland and more conservative in the east Poland (the so called "Poland A and Poland B split")

Systemic discrimination: If you're a trans man after gender marker change and for whatever reason you birthed a baby, you're in legal limbo because you can't be written as neither as father nor mother on birth certificate. The one case I know of ended up resolved by giving up the child for adoption. Bottom line is that pretty much everything sucks aside from HRT access in case you're an adult, which is actually quite decent in comparison.

[demigods-posts]

Reasons why My Grand Plan from The Lightning Theif Musical is an amazing song:

1.) "If you don't go, you'll never know if you'll ever be good enough." She wants to go on every quest to prove that she is good enough because, as a child, she was never "good enough" for her mortal family. They neglected, ignored, and belittled her so much so that even though she's away from that environment, she feels the need to prove herself worthy of remembrance. like, sweetheart, you were already deserving of all things good. you musn't dwell on the opinions of the shitty people in your life.

2.) "Always been a tough girl, 'cause most girls never win if they're polite." I think it's safe to assume that Annabeth stumbled upon this lesson while on the run, before she met Thalia and Luke - and, I don't think the books specified on how long Annabeth was on her own before them. I can't imagine being seven years old and having to find yourself food, shelter, and a place to sleep. I doubt asking nicely got her anywhere, so she had to resort to more intense, manipulative, and violent acts to get by, and that's just so heartbreaking. I have no doubt that even as a seventeen-year-old, she still carries this lesson, amongst many others, with her.

3.) "And someday soon, the world will notice me." I think it's important to note that in the first chorus, she dreams of someone noticing her, but now that hope expands into the entire world noticing her. It's safe to assume her desire to be remembered only strengthen with time, and I think it's amazing that the writers shined a light on it.

4.) "And your stepmom treats you like some freak. And your dad won't give you the time of day. And your mom won't trust you with a quest. So, the best thing you can do is runaway." There are not enough words in any language to express the heart ache and anger that I feel on behalf of Annabeth. I will never understand how Annabeth, even though it's her choice and I respect it, even forgave her mortal family for all of this. This is abuse, and I will defend this girl with my life.

5.) "And someday soon, I swear. I don't know how or when, but I promise you, I'll never be invisible again. Someone will notice me." I am so happy that we can say that Annabeth Chase, indeed, achieved her grand plan of being remembered. She deserves it so much and I hope the rest of her life goes the way she hopes it does.

6.) I also feel the need to add this post here. It goes along with the topic of the song, and, I think, capitalizes on the important role Percy plays in her life. Just felt it was worth mentioning!

Is it clear that I love Annabeth? I think she's legit becoming my favorite character out of the book series. Like, I feel like the fandom often portrays her as this intense, badass warrior, and she is, but often forget to remember why she is that way, you know? Anyway, we stan.

Tags:

[lucihens]

i know it's been weeks since the finale and this is likely redundant at this point but because i'm deranged about this show i pushed through the mental illness and finally finished my season 7 wishlist for my birthday. this was once over-detailed and the points were really just fanfic prompts, now the points are non-sensical and probably not even s7 specific. so in no particular order of timeline or importance, likely to never happen and straight from the audrey head canon universe: SEASON 7 WISHLIST.

[if you wish]

general (most could happen in any season and are potentially insane.):

- actual bailan conflict

- wopez baby girl unnamed forever, just for a giggle.

- nyla family maybe? she's an only child to me

- grey angst. like i wanna see him fight someone or something

- monica lasts less than 7A, but we see her a bit. unpopular opinion but she's fun. like that's one of my fav characters from jtv manifested once again on my favourite show.

- celina and lucy get a cat. they'd just vibe with it i know it. tim loathes the cat every time he comes around during their reconciliation era. but loves it.

- fire episode. not just a victim in a fire but like the station or one of the characters house on fire, like oo an arsonist terrorising the characters specifically. (maybe nolan like burn his crib down and cause him pain for once.)

- lucy parents. this is non negotiable. like maybe they're in trouble, being harassed/stalked/held hostage or whatever and she saves them, and they, at least, lighten up on the disappointment.

- lucy cousin [not s7 specific]. i know she has one. like a younger, annoying, freeloading male cousin. just give her some family please. and her nana.

- and an ex-girlfriend but that's free for any season. heir to sappho, lucy chen.

- lucy fighting like 50 guys all by herself and winning.

- lucy going undercover at least once and spanning multiple episodes.

- generally any and all lucy storylines that aren't centered at all around tim.

- maybe give her a female friend her age outside of the main characters. someone who helps her in her career and personally. someone on the same level. and give her wesley too.

- lucy critically hurt like worse than D.O.D

- can you tell i yearn for lucy storylines? like that's my main character!

- characters generally struggling with things outside of work and relationships. like illness/disability. (and not for bailey)

- speaking of struggling (!!!!!):: i really want to see one or all of the main characters struggling with their morality/sense of self as a police officer. like we all know the despicablity of cops irl. we know the rookie knows, see: s3. why can't this be a consistent thing? and not just nolan struggling to not come off as white saviour. like all the characters, both white and non white, experiencing personal turmoil about their position on world affairs and how that would (i hope) completely misalign with the mores of the average cop. especially given the state of the world right now, while uncomfortable, it would be somewhat realistic/relatable to our universe, and would be intriguing to watch (either that or i unfortunately learn that the political views of the rookie tyrants are.....).

- fully explored appearance of a k-9 unit.

- the rookie finally goes back to the multiple patrol calls an episode format and stops trying to be like chicago p.d.

- harper and lopez are given the decency to be treated as two separate careers instead of one forever unit. like i love that they're often together and they are partners in the same job but can we stop segregating the characters into unchanging groups? i know there are often exceptions but spice it up a bit please? mix patrol and detectives. but don't make patrol all about detectiving, and don't make harpez one job and the patrols always on the same case. give them calls away from each other. let them all do their jobs separately so you don't perpetuate the above point too much. (but still keep my family together obviously - it's all about balance.) is this point a jumbled mess? i think. look away.

- celina more interesting. please make her more than nolan's miserably failing boot.

- and give nolan consequences!!!!! let this man learn for once! we see he makes mistakes, but he's magically cool and respected again? make him a watchable character by going deeper than nice guy who wants to do good and well, fails yet is picked back up again by everyone else who loves and adores him so much like!!! where's the pain and conflict!

- nyla with a homeless teen or struggling adult who she helps i just thought of this. i know that woman has empathy that runs deep. nyla centric episodes especially talking about her cartel past!!! and with that more angela backstory like why do the women of the rookie have like 5 backstory points and i could write a whole novel about just one male character's.

- feed me the greatest lucy fits and bring back angela's curly hair i'm on my knees and i'm begging.

- more lgbt+ rep

- more disabled rep

- more class rep, especially in the characters themselves, i wanna see a cop struggling to get by money wise. actually that would never happen for a cop nevermind.

- speaking of poor i want nolan to lose everything.

- i'm not a sadist i swear.

- something for aaron that isn't based on 'i was falsely accused' and 'i almost died' like not saying it's boring but i don't want the writers to lack the creative ability to explore him even more. and celina too, give her something beyond her sisters death. these were great storylines but i don't want these characters to become tired and underused.

- the rookie starts rounding out long running and short running storylines for once. please stop making me say 'wait, that was it?'.

- dear whoever runs the rookie: please take yourself seriously again, i know you can do it baby.

- and stop reading fanfic

chenford specific quick fire:

- tim therapy

- lucy therapy

- lucy discovering herself way outside of tim

- tim brain transplant

- just kidding i love him

- tim more therapy

- tim mother

- tim groveling

- lucy deciding to live a little bit more outside of him until she's ready

- tim just chill i don't want more tim backstory i'm good

- lucy win at work

- tim grovel

- timlucy chill, are cool enough with each other

- friends

- reconcile

- take it slow

- tim grovel and therapy

- lucy undercover as part of finding herself

- friendly enough, tim has no influence in her career now like it or not

- lucy badly hurt, tim crazy

- besties while lucy recovers

- besties again, and actually on screen, like i wanna see all those besties moments that we were only told about before

- tim 'you are my entire world together or not' moment

- getting closer, getting heated, getting to actually talking

- maybe arguing

- like i want my years long head canon of them (tim) blurting i love you in an argument like

- i don't know how the rest goes

-

-

- they kiss the end

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 1 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

The Book of the War

Synopsis

The Great Houses: Immovable. Implacable. Unchanging. Old enough to pass themselves off as immortal, arrogant enough to claim ultimate authority over the Spiral Politic.

The Enemy: Not so much an army as a hostile new kind of history. So ambitious it can re-write worlds, so complex that even calling it by its name seems to underestimate it.

Faction Paradox: Renegades, ritualists, saboteurs and subterfugers, the criminal-cult to end all criminal-cults, happy to be caught in the crossfire and ready to take whatever's needed from the wreckage… assuming the other powers leave behind a universe that's habitable.

The War: A fifty-year-old dispute over the two most valuable territories in existence: "cause" and "effect."

Marking the first five decades of the conflict, THE BOOK OF THE WAR is an A to Z of a self-contained continuum and a complete guide to the Spiral Politic, from the beginning of recordable time to the fall of humanity. Part story, part history and part puzzle-box, this is a chronicle of protocol and paranoia in a War where the historians win as many battles as the soldiers and the greatest victory of all is to hold on to your own past…

Propaganda

Is it about Dr Who? I mean, sort of. Arguably. You could say the Doctor is present in it. Somewhat. Not by name tho because that would be illegal. But definitely there are uh. well. there's definitely stuff in it that's DWesque. It's Dr Who Adjacent. It's Dr Whoish. Strong Dr Who vibes. (@eighthdoctor )

Experimental sci-fantasy that defined the Time War and started a whole series of its own. (anonymous)

This Town Will Never Let Us Go

Synopsis

From up here you can see it all, hear it all, taste most of it and feel the rest when the electric lights and the satellite signals prickle against your skin. The town, from midnight to six, marked out in headlights and the flash-fire of a culture in War-time. Séance-messages written in the patterns of the road signs, and ghost-transmissions scrambled into the background noise of the traffic. Animal scent-signals from the fried food stands. All describing something, buried under the tarmac and the street-geometry.

Down there, a girl in a fake-bone mask is working on a ritual to bring it to the surface. A popular performing artiste with a navel stud and serious identity problems is finding herself stalked — literally — by her own image. An ambulance crewman is about to find his own way of getting involved in the War.

And bringing them all together, in one neat little urban mythology, there's Faction Paradox - part cult, part subculture, part pop phenomenon, and part criminal syndicate, either watching-without-being-seen or simply not existing at all (at least until someone invents it). Assuming they're not wholly imaginary, the archons of the Faction seem like the only ones who know what this town really is - what every town really is — and what's bound to happen when it wakes up.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

Of the City of the Saved…

Synopsis

For Humanity, the War is over...

We all remember Resurrection Day. Even now, three centuries later, we cannot forget that awakening: our bewilderment, our terror and our joy. Each of us had experienced death, imagining ourselves bound for oblivion, Heaven or Nirvana, according to taste. Instead, we found, each member of the many human species — from tool-wielding australopithecines to posthuman philosopher-gods — had been harvested, gathered here by the Founders’ unfathomable technologies.

Reborn in our countless immortal bodies, we were given the freedom of the City of the Saved. A single conurbation as broad as a spiral galaxy, she has been our sanctuary from the ravages of the War. That monstrous conflict between inhuman cultures cannot touch us here: we live our afterlives beyond the end of time, in perfect safety.

We may be certain, therefore, that these rumours of a murder (the brutal stabbing of a City Councillor, no less!) are nothing more than lurid fabrications. The supposition that the murder weapon is missing, or that it could have been — as hysterical conjecture has claimed — a "potent weapon", capable of injuring a Citizen within the haven of the City, is equally absurd. The idea that a guerrilla war has already begun in one of our less harmonious enclaves need not be dignified with refutation.

Please go about your business, Citizens, as normal. We are perfectly safe, here in the City. Humanity has never been safer.

Propaganda  no propaganda submitted

Doctor Who and Shada (fan novelisation)

Synopsis

The Doctor and Romana visit Professor Chronotis, a retired Time Lord living at Cambridge University. The Professor wants to return an ancient and very powerful book to Gallifrey - but the book has gone missing.

Skagra, an evil scientist, steals the book and the Professor's mind - and also takes Romana and the TARDIS.

In order to stop Skagra, the Doctor must discover the secrets of a notorious Time Lord criminal, and a long forgotten prison called Shada...

Propaganda

The first ever adaption of Shada and one of the only fan novelisations (anonymous)

Harvest of Time

Synopsis

After billions of years of imprisonment, the vicious Sild have broken out of confinement. From a ruined world at the end of time, they make preparations to conquer the past, with the ultimate goal of rewriting history. But to achieve their aims they will need to enslave an intellect greater than their own...

On Earth, UNIT is called in to investigate a mysterious incident on a North Sea drilling platform. The Doctor believes something is afoot, and no sooner has the investigation begun when something even stranger takes hold: The Brigadier is starting to forget about UNIT's highest-profile prisoner. And he is not alone in his amnesia.

As the Sild invasion begins, the Doctor faces a terrible dilemma. To save the universe, he must save his arch-nemesis... The Master.

Propaganda

An amazing 3rd Doctor story that feels very much like the typical Delgado!Master stories of the time! Featuring: UNIT, Original Characters, a poster with the Master’s face on it stating to remeber him, and more! (anonymous)

[thecoddaughter]

TLT: The Musical (QSMP Edition)

So I was driving two weeks ago and listening to the album, thinking of the eggs. Then this week I found an animatic that I link later that finally made me make this post.

ALBUM BREAKDOWN BELOW THE BREAK <3

Prologue - All the eggs about Mama Dragon 

The Day I Got Expelled - Dapper

“It mostly gets you killed in very nasty ways,” this kid has a lot of close calls and 2 nightmares. 

Strong - BadBoyHalo & Dapper

I don’t want to just call Dapper Percy but then I relistened to this song. It is Skeppy-core. “Blue food isn't normal, blue food is strange and that's why it's my favorite. I never want to change. To make it boring orange or green. Why be blah? When there's aquamarine?”

The Minotaur/The Weirdest Dream - Chayanne’s Nightmare vibes…

Another Terrible Day - Teacher Quackity

“So don't expect me to be happy to see you. Of course, being alive is temporary”  Selina: Forever Katie: Tallulah 

Their Sign -

Percy: Tallulah - “The guy didn't need to be "Dad of the Year" but it's clear he could've shown us a sign” Chiron: BadBoyHalo - Vague yet philosophical is his whole shtick  Luke: Chayanne - oldest sibling core, “When parents are distant or seem non-existent; Hang on, 'cause you're gonna be fine.” Put You In Your Place -  Clarisse: Chayanne, server’s known protector (dad Philza) Annabeth: Pomme, servers most underestimated warrior (dads Etoiles & BadBoyHalo)

Campfire Song - 

Luke: Chayanne, eldest egg - “I'd wait by the phone, but the phone never rings” Percy: Pomme, youngest egg - “I hope he shows even a trace 'cause I got some choice words to throw in his face!” Annabeth: Leo - “She's sworn off gluten and she's sworn off guys… my dad works all day so I left Virginia and I ran away” Katie: Dapper - “She gets excited when it starts to rain but planting and planting and planting's a pain.” (I know he likes the farm, shhhhh) Grover: Tallulah - “He went for a hike to explore new frontiers and no one has seen him for thousands of years” Chiron: JuanaFlippa (ghost) - “My father is Kronos… Remember my lecture… He ate his children” Selina: Richarylson - “The goddess of love, my mom's Aphrodite. She tries to be cool but mainly she's flighty.”

The Oracle - Angel and Foolish

“You shall find what was stolen and see it restored… You shall be betrayed by one who calls you friend… And you shall fail to save what matters most in the end”

Good Kid - Richarylson

This poor kid is cursed with disappearing parents who feels its somehow his fault.  “Gabe was a world-class jerk. Dad was never there. The only family that really mattered? Well, she vanished into the air and now I finally find a haven. Someplace safe, where I can stay 'till it's "Pack your bags, Percy! Now go, go away!"

Killer Quest -

Percy: Richarylson - “I'm leaving now, I better pack; Hades took my mom, I'm taking her back” Grover: Dapper - “You're my best friend, dude, so don't get mad but I suspect you'll need protecting when things get bad” Annabeth: Pomme - “Five long years stuck at camp underneath Athena's locked down clamp, been waiting for my chance to prove I'm champ!”

Lost! - (go watch the amazing animatic to this song by MeapleTea that I talked about yesterday)

Percy: Tallulah Annabeth: Chayanne Grover: Ramon? (idk, i was trying to think about who they hang out with the most and i’ve seen a few clips of Phil and Fit recently, the wiki about eggs is outdated and i’m not up to date yet)

My Grand Plan - Pomme

“​​I've always been a tough girl. Always been the one not to run from a fight. Always been a tough girl 'cause most girls never win if they're polite” “Someone will notice me”

Drive - Bobby’s Dungeon :(

Jaiden: “Yo, guys, are you aware we keep surviving every creepy crazy thing” Weather changes: “As you can see, Bob, we've got thunder and flooding and hurricane-level winds. We urge all citizens to stay off the road…” Is Ares Cucurucho??

Weirdest Dream (reprise) - Dapper’s Nightmare vibes…

Tree On The Hill - BadBoyHalo (Alternatively Slime about Tilin)

If Pomme ever asked him about JuannaFlippa. He wanted to take her away from harm so badly.  “There's a tree on the hill, up on Half-Blood Hill, that watches over us… Silent and still” “And there on the hill, up on Half-Blood Hill. A cold wind blew, dark and chill. For nothing would slake its wrathful will, we had to make a stand. And maybe if I'd been a little bit braver! Maybe if I'd stayed behind to fight! But "maybe" doesn't let me go back and save her! "Maybe" doesn't make it alright!” “And it's there reminding me of all I failed to be the tree on the hill”

D.O.A - Federation 

Reviving eggs: “From heroes to half-bloods, with their pitiful tears thinkin' that they'll save a loved one from below” About working for Fed: “Down here you're D.O.A. and you're here to stay. Yeah, you're stuck forever. Never get away. No hope of survival.” To the Order: “You ain't ever gonna save what matters. You ain't gonna protect your friends. You ain't ever gonna be remembered.”

Son of Poseidon - Leo

IDK Foolish is part shark… Also gives triplet vibes, “We'll take him down, we work well in three.” 

Last Day of Summer - 

Maxo: “What do you do when the quest has ended? What do you do when the battle's won? So many questions left unanswered. So many things still left undone.” BadBoyHalo: “Do I stay because it's safer? Back to the home I left behind? I could stay and train for a piece of the action but what about peace of mind?” Baghera: “Ugh! What's my deal? Why do I feel there's something left I still need to find?” Pac & Mike: “I thought when I finished my quest, everything would make sense. But it doesn't. It's the last day of summer, but I don't feel like anything's over.” Cellbit: “I get it. My quest was supposed to be the biggest thing in my life. I came back changed. But the rest of camp was exactly the same.” Foolish: “They won't bother to show their face. It's time to make the world our own. Time someone put them in their place.” Forever: “Ares thought we were starting a war between the gods, but it was bigger than that. It's about wiping them out - and taking our turn.” Jaiden: “I've been here since I was a kid. I did everything they ever asked, yeah I did and for what? So I'll do anything.I don't care if I hurt anyone. It doesn't pay to be a good kid.” Etoiles: “The gods were never on our side, so I think it's time we watch them fall and soon you'll see what I did. Soon they'll be no gods at all!”

Bring on the Monsters - Etoiles, Baghera, & Pomme (and the other eggs)

[astrronomemes]

GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997): STARTERS

a collection of quotes, phrases, and sayings from the 1997 film, Good Will Hunting. change & alter as needed.

"That kid used to beat the shit out of me in kindergarten."

"We just seen the guy fifteen minutes ago at the ballgame! If we were gonna fight him, we should've fought him then. But we got snacks now."

"This is a Harvard bar, huh? ...I thought there'd be equations and shit on the walls."

"I've been sitting over there for forty-five minutes waiting for you to come and talk to me."

"Well, I've got to go. Got to wake up early and spend some more money on my overpriced education."

"I've spoken to the judge, and he's agreed to release you under my supervision."

"You'd be better off shoving that cigarette up your ass. It'd probably be healthier for you."

"I think you're one step away from cutting your fucking ear off."

"You're just a kid. You don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"If I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him — life's work, political aspirations, him and the Pope, sexual orientation, the whole works, right? But I bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel."

"You don't know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself. I doubt you've ever dared to love anyone that much."

"I look at you, and I don't see an intelligent, confident man. I see a cocky, scared shitless kid."

"I teach this shit. I didn't say I know how to do it."

"Sorry, guys. I've got to go see about a girl."

"I don't know what your reputation is in this town, but after the shit you tried to pull today, you can bet I'll be looking into you."

"It's actually important that I learn this. It's really important."

"[Name], come to [place] with me. I want you to come to [place] with me."

"You're afraid of me. You're afraid that I won't love you back, and you know what? I'm afraid, too, but fuck it, I want to give it a shot!"

"Help me?! What the fuck?! What, I got a fucking sign on my back that says 'save me'?! Do I look like I need that?!"

"Most people never get to see how brilliant they can be. They don't find teachers that believe in them. They get convinced they're stupid."

"If you're watching pornos in my mom's room again, I'm gonna give you a fucking beating!"

"Stop jerking off in my mother's room!"

"You know, if you're going to jerk off, why don't you just do it at home with a moist towel?"

"Tomorrow, I'm gonna wake up, and I'll be fifty. And I'll still be doing this shit. And that's all right. That's fine."

"You're sitting on a winning lottery ticket, and you're too much of a pussy to cash it in, and that's bullshit. 'Cause I'd do fucking anything to have what you got."

"You're angry at me for being successful. For being what you could have been."

"Look at me, son, it's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

"You do what's in your heart, son. You'll be fine."

[gumy-shark]

MEI MEI MEI DRAGN PLS PLLSSS

my grand plan from the lightning thief musical!

"I've always been a tough girl Always been the one not to run from a fight Always been a tough girl 'Cause most girls never win if they're polite So me, I tend to stand my ground I found I never can give in"

"It may not be my quest But maybe it's mine to win"

TELL ME THESE ARENT THE MOST MEI LYRICS EVER!!!!!!!

(ask game)

[wizardpink]

Something that has been on my mind is the way that this website is full of people who want to oppose TERFs more than they want to defend trans people and we are never gonna succeed by applying this method.

So many people have taken the stance that all TERFs are wrong about every belief they hold, that anything they say is one slippery slope into Nazism, and that is a fundamental misunderstanding of why TERFs are able to draw people to their side and how it is they operate.

TERFs are dangerous because they will tell you 99 truths to make you believe one lie.

TERFs appeal to potential converts by holding a LOT of the same beliefs and convictions that most of us who fall on the political left and who support social justice movements do.

So when a stealth TERF says something like "makeup bloggers, shady self-care gurus, and tiktok influencers getting plastic surgery who all appeal to one white western beauty standard isn't good for impressionable teens to be consuming constantly," and your response is to reactionarily oppose what they're saying because they're a TERF ala "fuck off, makeup rules and plastic surgery is great," you've fallen for their trap.

Because they've said something relatively sane sounding, and you've made yourself look like the unhinged one with shitty politics. And the person who hasn't been exposed to these TERF talking points and stealth missions, who also feels like maybe being bombarded by shallow looks-obsessed media isn't good for young girls' self-image, has one of two choices: believe what they see right in front of them, or take your word for it that OP is the secret villain and somehow you, who appear to hold the same values as a Fox News host, are right.

Like, some of the takes I have seen people on tumblr promote JUST to oppose a radfem are literally like something straight out of a Republican dude-bro's MAGA reddit channel. Telling women concerned about sexual assault and rape they're being sexist against men. That ANY discussion about patriarchy is transphobic and should be shut down. That all concerns about sexualizing women without their consent, or the role of violence in the porn industry, are just prudish anti-sex propaganda.

We are losing ground by ignoring what WE stand for in favor of only paying attention to what radfems stand for and opposing it. This is the exact tactic we mock Republicans and Democrats for doing, running a campaign based solely on what your opponent is doing wrong without offering any solutions or positions on issues. "TERF bad!" is not an ideology! "Trans people are human beings who deserve the same rights as their cisgender peers," is an ideology.

One thing I love to see is someone finding a good post by a radfem and refusing to engage with it, and potentially spreading OP's blog to more people, and instead making a whole new post with the same point that ISN'T going to potentially lead people down the radfem pipeline. Hell you can even leave a link to the new post in the replies of the original. I know saying "OP is right about this topic but they're a radfem so block them" probably doesn't feel as good as just leaving "die radfem scum" but when the topic is "women should be able to walk alone at night without being afraid" are you really doing a service to our cause by looking like you disagree with that? TERFs WANT to spread the message that trans people and their allies hate cis women and are a danger to them. Don't do their work for them...

It fucking SUCKS playing their game. It feels like being baited into a no-win situation. But making yourself look like a traditional misogynist isn't an L you have to take. There are other approaches.

[filthy-reckless-rp]

♛ Spotted on the Upper East Side…

Name: Valentina Mieux Pronouns: She/Her Age: 47 years old Hometown: Upper East Side, NY Occupation: Lawyer Social Status: Insider Faceclaim: Lana Parilla

Who Is Valentina?

"They say I did something bad, then why's it feel so good?”

Spotted: Valentina Mieux, the courtroom queen with a heart of ice and nerves of steel. Word is, she's not just breaking hearts—she’s shattering careers. They say her stare could turn you to stone, but it's her cross-examinations that’ll really leave you breathless. Once a rising star, now a full-blown legal legend, Valentina’s made it her mission to crush anyone who dares stand in her way. Ambition? Check. Power? Oh, she’s got plenty of that. And remorse? Not a shred. Careful, darlings—when Valentina’s on the case, nothing is off-limits. Everyone in her orbit is fair game. Looks like no one’s safe, but then again, they never were. XOXO ---Gossip Girl

A Little Extra

'I always liked to play with fire'. Valentina Mieux is a force to be reckoned with in the world of law, known for her brilliance in the courtroom and a reputation as a ruthless adversary. A high-profile attorney, Valentina has made a name for herself by taking on—and taking down—the biggest names in corporate, criminal, and civil law. Born to a modest family, her rise to the top was anything but easy, fueled by an unstoppable drive, unmatched intellect, and a thirst for justice, or perhaps, vengeance. From the beginning, it was clear that Valentina wasn't just another lawyer. She possessed a sharp mind and an unyielding will, quickly outmaneuvering her competition. Her reputation as a legal shark grew, with whispers of her cold, calculating methods spreading through the legal world. She became infamous for her ability to dismantle even the most ironclad cases, leaving opponents in her wake wondering how they'd lost before the trial had even begun. But it wasn’t just her courtroom victories that made Valentina notorious. Her personal brand of law came with an edge—she didn’t just win cases, she destroyed anyone who dared to cross her path. Her power extended far beyond legal tactics; it was rumored she had her fingers in the political and financial pies of the city's elite. If Valentina was on a case, one thing was certain: the opposition was in for a fight they wouldn’t forget. Despite her icy demeanor and cutthroat reputation, Valentina commands respect across the board. She is a symbol of power, ambition, and unrelenting success. However, her rise to the top has come at a cost—trust and loyalty are foreign concepts in her world, where control and dominance rule the day. Valentina Mieux is a woman on a mission, and no one, not even the most formidable, is safe in her path. Her legacy? Unstoppable, unshakable, and utterly untouchable.

What Does Gossip Girl Have On Them?

She's the second in command of who? That's one secret I'll never tell. XOXO

Connections

Nate Archibald - Valentina was the Archibald family lawyer for most of Nate's life. She was absolutely horrified when she learned about what Howard had done. The hurt that it caused the family... Valentina's going to do everything she can to make sure they're okay.

Elena and Gabriela Archibald - through Howard, Val also got to know Elena and Gabriela. She's impressed with how far Gabriela has come in her career and just how dangerous she can be when she puts her mind to it.

Nick Vanderbilt - Val is very familiar with the Vanderbilt family as well. She even mentored Nick as he worked his way through law school and into a career of his own.

Atticus Bass - Val hasn't worked with Bass Industries since Howard Archibald was arrested. Before then, she'd often come into contact with Head Lawyer, Atticus. Who knows? She might even try to mend bridges with him now.

[winter-spark]

Alright so rudely one day I posted that My Grand Plan is a Tangerine and Navel song with 0 explanation, curse my headache. So now let me try to put the feelings I have about them and that song into words.

First let's discuss Tangerine, who is probably a more obvious fit for the song. Tangerine is the youngest of 4 and wasn't at all a part of the competition really because of it. But let's break it down by lyrics I feel like can line up with Tangerine.

You know the only gift my mom ever gave me? A hat that makes you invisible You put it on and no one can see you Seemed appropriate

So as I said Tangerine, is the youngest of 4. His brothers fighting for the throne, but he didn't really seem to be considered for it. He was thus invisible in the sense that automatically what he did meant less in the grand scheme of things. As for the first line, reading HQ made me feel like all Tangerine really had for the longest time was Citron. He didn't have a person like Guy, Mika or Orange's subordinate, seeing as Mika originally worked for Guy and now works for Tangerine and we don't see him interact with any subordinates besides Mika in that arc right? Plus Citron said he spent more time with Guy than either of his parents, I'm assuming that none of them spent the most time with their parents, but to me, Tangerine definitely spent the least time with his. I think his mom was completely mia. So yea.

This part in summary is to point out his estranged or well nonexistent relationship with his mother(and probably distant relationship with his dad), and how he was really the least paid attention to of his siblings.

I've always been a smart girl Always made the grade, always got the gold star I've always been a smart girl But smart girl only gets a girl so far

Once again the least paid attention to but he obviously had some instincts and stuff for a while as I believe in HQ Citron mentions how he'd always seen Tangerine's potential but now their father has too. Tangerine is smart and capable kid who has good ideas and when calm enough can make quick decisions as shown in Year 2. He didn't just spawn those traits they've been there. But it only got "rewarded"/noticed when he literally had to use those skills of his to direct the people out of a burning theater and the rest of his brothers had reason to be removed from the throne.

I think a lot of other lyrics are kinda vague or cross-over or whatever so let's discuss Navel next.

I've always been a tough girl Always been the one not to run from a fight Always been a tough girl 'Cause most girls never win if they're polite

Okay, so this is one of the not one-to-one situations I mentioned in the tags of the og post I'm talking about. (except I didn't have it completely analyzed at that point lol) Navel was in the running, so he's been actively fighting for the crown. He didn't back out even though his chances of taking the throne were extremely low, he stayed in the running enough that people preferred, either Orange or him over Citron. He was doing as well as he could for someone who wasn't going to win. And he knew he'd never win, not himself anyway.

So me, I tend to stand my ground I found I never can give in It may not be my quest But maybe it's mine to win

He was actively participating in the conversations and planning to get Orange to the throne. He couldn't beat out Citron and win the throne himself. But he can help his closer brother, Orange, do so. And he was there for it, he was an accomplice. Even if at times he seemed a bit hesitant he didn't back out or leave he stuck by Orange's side. He was gonna see it through.

Okay so a couple more thoughts then I'll wrap this up.

My grand plan Is that I will be remembered My grand plan Just you wait and see You better wise up, 'cause I'll rise up

They both feel like characters who would desire more but in different ways.

For Tangerine, I think he more never knew really he could have more. More in this case being trusted with the big responsibility of being heir. Sure a lot of responsibility could be a lot of pressure, but also he's being trusted to be the Kingdom's leader and on a much shorter timeline than Citron had. And he's doing well in preparation. So tying back in the lines, I think he's ready for the future to do more to show everyone what he's capable of.

For Navel, I think it's more of the longing for the throne. I've already stated he was never gonna win. Not in most scenarios. And I think that's something that would've always been apparent to him. He wants to be respected to be held in high regard so he's trying with all his might to be a good alternative heir, but all he gets really is the people who don't want it to be Citron basically being if not Orange than Navel. He's a spare for the spare and as cool as it is that his name is mentioned in the running he's still always only considered after Orange. He's still not an entity of his own. He's "or Navel". And it's the result of his fighting, but as I said, while he was able to get himself well known, he'd never beat Citron so as much as he wants to, the best he can really do is help Orange but that's all getting beside the point. The point being he wanted to be recognized and fighting for the throne was his best bet for that.

And your dad won't give you the time of day

This is definitely a cross-over line. I'm sure they saw the king but like also he's probably busy with Kingly duties or something. Especially because they were both at the end of the line, I'm sure that they had even less time with the King than Citron had. I honestly hesitate to reference Citron saying he spent more time with Guy than with his parents because like the amount of time he spent with Guy based on backstage stories and events, it wasn't hard for him to spend more time with Guy over his parents. However seeing as in the backstage "Innocence of the Royal Palace" it's revealed that there was a caretaker at the castle, there were definitely probably times that could've been spent with their dad but weren't because they were left with the caretaker instead.

But I promise you I'll never be invisible again Someone will notice Me

Whether they know/knew it or not yet, they do have someone who notices them each. Citron and Orange. (I strongly feel that Orange is to Navel, as Citron is to Tangerine) Citron and Orange are clearly each of their closest companions and maybe they don't fully count but I know having them there with them was definitely a big help for them growing up. Tangerine and Navel would've been a lot sadder if not close to them, I think. Like if their lives were the same just minus the close bond they have with the brother they have one with.

HOWEVER I do want to point out that even those two probably didn't have a full acknowledgement of them, or at least it felt like it at times. Citron and Orange were the closest to the throne so that's where a lot of their focus went so even though they were close with Tangerine and Navel, respectively. There's no way Tangerine and Navel didn't ever feel sidelined or somewhat less important by those two.

Like Tangerine was like "lets look at who's performing at the Ceremony :3" and Citron was like "actually I'm tired", while Tangerine surely understood I'm sure he also felt down. Like his brother, the person probably closest to him has been mia for like 2 or so years now, and he's been busy with the coronation stuff, you ask for maybe five minutes of his time but "of course you shouldn't have he's needs rest, his rest is important you should've thought of that before asking" and like I'm just using that as an example of what their childhoods might've at times been like. Like obviously there were lots of good times but also, Citron was in his own world sometimes so Tangerine would, of course, sometimes feel like dang. And how many times was it Tangerine asking to hang out with Citron rather than vice versa?

And on the end of Navel and Orange, I highly doubt they actively discussed discussed the way that Navel is working just as hard for the throne but he ends up Team Orange/not Citron rather than Team Navel and it doesn't come up in their conversations. When they're finalizing the mia Citron plan. Orange isn't like "this is the last chance we have to keep Citron from becoming King" he's more like "this is the last chance for me to become King" to his brother who is also in the running and I know I know Navel was gonna never win but he has to feel some sort of way about it. Like I'm sure that wording it like that was just an oversight but also how many times do you think Orange may have said something like that and not noticed the possible underlying pain it may have cause Navel because, well they are on the same team, why would that cross his mind? And why would Navel say anything, Orange is next, "why he's just stating facts. Why argue and possibly put yourself at odds with your best friend over something true. Yea, you're also fighting for the throne but like what are the chances you're actually gonna get it, a lot less than Orange's that's for sure." Does Navel have a subordinate?

But whatever to all that, now times have changed and adjusted. They're gonna get to have all their brothers see them and learn who they are more. Tangerine has Mika, people want his input and his ideas and he gets to work to implement them/things, Navel can discover himself outside of the throne and people want to know what he's finding interesting now(even if for now it's just his brothers asking how his studies are going). And honestly, I think all in all that's what they really wanted, to be cared about and seen and taken an interest in.

(I really wanted to end off positively so I hope that last part makes sense lol.)

Also here's a link to the song in case you want to listen to it and think about them now ^^ :

[annabwths]

favorite lines from the lightning thief musical:

"look! i didn't want to be a half blood"

"i didn't want to cause trouble, trouble / i'm less a player and more the played"

"grover you are a good friend / aw, dude i'm your only friend"

"i've heard much about you, percy jackson / that's very dedicated for a substitute"

"you think i'm trouble just like everyone else"

"so if you think you are a half-blood, better get headed to the exits now / cause folks will think you're lying, better run and don't start crying / cause you're monster chow"

"stick around and maybe you'll learn from me, this ain't odysseus' odyssey"

"nobody listens to me, they never listen / nobody listens to me they never listen, oh (dude you got expelled)"

"i'll show you where i met your dad, he'd be proud of his son"

"normal is a myth / everyone has issues they're dealing with"

"the things that make you different / are the very things that make you strong"

"awesome! hey, ground beef!"

"am i dead or am i dreaming"

"oh look, a strange man in a hawaiian shirt"

"i've never seen a face as beautiful as- / you drool when you sleep"

"did you say half-god? / yeah and i half-care"

"you say the gods are real? then how could they let that happen?"

"so if my dad's a god, i'd like to know which one, he's got a lot to answer for"

"all this time i thought my dad was some deadbeat turns out / he's a deadbeat god"

"and if they don't? / then no one can blame you for holding a grudge so hey, you're not alone"

"prepare to be pulverized, newbie"

"what about me, i don't know my talent yet / i have a special job for you, go to the boys bathroom / and? / stay there? it's your first day, we don't want you messing things up"

"maybe the minotaur died from a case, of laughing too hard from seeing your stupid face"

"look, captain crazy but the flag ain't here, you've got some issue with me it's pretty clear"

"why is everyone scraping part of their plate into the fire? is the food here really that bad?"

"oh things couldn't be worse, when your parents run the universe"

"chiron! who's your dad? / oh, well, my father is kronos. remember my lecture, he ate his children"

"so my dad is some god, that's great i guess, did he not want me or not want the stress? too bad he's the worst and my life is a mess, oh no"

"everything i ever do is wrong, never find where i belong"

"i never try to do anything, i never mean to hurt anyone"

"but no one will ever take my side, all i ever do is take the fall"

"and now i finally find a haven, somewhere safe, where i can stay, until it's: pack your bags percy bow go your own way"

"all you get are bad grades, a bum rap, a bad rep, and a good smack and no friends, and no home, and no mom... she's taken away"

"you need me too, seaweed brain"

"i've got mad battle strategy, my mom will be impressed"

"shoes. awesome. / shoes with wings? now that id awesome!"

"look for DOA records / it's a record company? actually i am not surprised"

"guys, we just exploded a bus"

"we're lost in the woods, somewhere in new jersey and we're never gonna make it to LA"

"i am not saying sorry to a squirrel"

"i've always been a smart girl / but smart girl only gets a girl so far"

"my grand plan is that i will be remembered"

"always been a tough girl, cause most girls never win if they're polite"

"and your step-mom treats you like a freak, and your dad won't give you the time of day, and your mom won't trust you with a quest, so the best thing you can do is run away"

"all your worries come in flurries, but we bested freakin' furies!"

"look, the gateway arch! / look, a lady with a puppy!"

"do we have enough drachmas for an uber?"

"why, my brother and i arrived just yesterday: may first, 1939!"

"this is....scary"

"and maybe if i'd been a little bit braver, maybe if i stayed behind to fight / but maybe doesn't let me go back and save her, maybe doesn't make it alright"

"no hope of survival, you're dead on arrival"

"i ferry the souls of the newly deceased, i got a sweet ride, it was newly leased"

"who has two turntables and three sick heads? everybody give it up for dj cerberus!"

"what belongs to the sea can always return"

"it's a seashell...no. it's a gift from a god"

"maybe my dad wasn't always there, maybe he never knew how to care / but hey, that's life and life ain't fair"

"plus a half-goat with a great goatee"

"cause you're the two best friends this screw up ever had"

"you may be a god but you're going down all the same"

"you think the god of war is afraid of a little water? / how do you feel about a lot of it?"

"i've been here since i was a kid / i did everything they ever asked, yeah i did"

"it doesn't pay to be a good kid, a good kid, a good son / the gods were never on our side, so i think it's time we watch them fall / and soon you'll see what i did, soon they'll be no gods at all"

"don't feel bad cause we're usually about to die"

"no i'm never gonna once have it easy, i'll make mistakes, but my own and it frees me"

BONUS TRACKS:

"we don't know who to blame but it's a battle all the same / and it's real this time it ain't some game"

"percy will find a way / don't make me gag, percy couldn't find his way out of a paper bag"

"my mom doesn't believe in war / oh, yeah? then why does she keep texting my dad? / woah"

"this fight is gonna be one hell of a clencher, prissy percy's gonna lose his poseidon adventure"

"he must be protected / i won't be rejected"

"i may fail but that doesn't mean that i won't try"

"the weight of the world's on my shoulders / like atlas is crushing me down / we're not brave, we're not strong, we're not soldiers / my heart's just a drum and damn does it pound"

"i'm not leaving your side 'til we find what matters / i'm not leaving your side 'til we're back home / i'm not leaving your side 'til you're remembered"

"guys, calm it down with all life's stresses / it ain't worth cleaning up your parent's messes"

"it's not every day you get a veggie burger from a god"

[johnsamericano]

𝔖𝔲𝔤𝔞𝔯 ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔥 𝔧.𝔧.𝔥

Hi everyone! As promised, here’s one of the two most voted fic continuations. There will be more chapters to this story though I'm not sure how many yet. Thank you for reading!

warnings: sugar daddy jae, mentions of injuries and hospitals, language.

taglist: @thoreeo @trustmahluv

Sugar rush m.list.

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

Where did everything go wrong?

Your string of thoughts was cut off by a call from your aunt.

Your string of thoughts was cut off by a call from your aunt.

“Hello?” Your voice was raspy from not using it. There was no one to talk to in the quiet, hospital room but the nurses, who weren't especially keen on chatting.

“How’s your dad, sweetie?”

“They let him out of ICU, but he doesn't look good to me.” Your fingers traced the cuts in his chiseled cheeks that would soon turn into scars, ruining his perfect skin. Your eyes then diverted to his head, thoroughly covered in bandages to protect his damaged skull.

“Honey, I've got bad news...”

“They rejected the case, didn't they?”

“Not precisely.” She deeply inhaled before continuing. “It’s a tough case, almost impossible to win, nonetheless, they're willing to take it. But their fee is a little...”

“Expensive.”

“Yes.”

As expected from the best firm in town, they wouldn't take less than $8,000. Your bank account didn't have enough money to even cover half of it, and with your job at the convenience store, you'd only earn so much to cover your expenses.

“We can take the lawyer that the government provides us with, it would be free.”

“But then I'm sure we’d lose.” You groaned in frustration, using your free hand to rub your forehead. “Don’t worry, I'll find a way to get the money.”

“Why don't we just accept the compensation they're offering? It could pay for the hospital bills and you'd still have some left to pay for your tuition.”

“That would be like putting a price on my father's life. I don't want their money, I want them to make themselves responsible for what they've caused.” The sound of wheels approached the door of your father's room, signaling the nurse was outside with his meds. “It’s okay, Auntie, I'll take care of everything. You can go back home, I know my uncle isn't doing so well.”

“Are you sure, darling?” It was undeniable that she wanted to head back to her little ranch fat away from the hectic city life to take care of her sick husband, but still, her brother was laying down on a hospital bed, fighting for his life.

“Yes, I'm an adult, I'll find a way.”

“Take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to call me if you're having any difficulties. I'll be there in the blink of an eye.” She said before sending a kiss into the speaker, proceeding to hang up.

You sighed. It was never usual for you to ask for help, as you were an extremely prideful and independent person, and you doubted this time would be different.

“Don’t worry, dad. Everything will be alright.”

Three failed job interviews and one more to go. Your feet were killing you, the high heels covering them already worn out from walking to avoid taking the bus. Every penny counted, and as long as your legs worked, you weren't spending any more money than what was necessary.

You sat down in the waiting room of the company, massaging your neck to relieve some tension. College was becoming a burden. Maybe you'd take a semester off to focus on working, that is if someone wanted to hire an inexperienced student.

“Y/n, Y/l/n?”

“Here.” You darted up, gathering your belongings to enter the room on which your life almost literally depended.

You gave all the right answers, earning a polite ‘we’ll contact you’ in return. But you could see that they weren't convinced with your lack of experience, no company in their right mind would be.

As soon as you arrived at your apartment, you slid out of the uncomfortable pencil skirt, tucking yourself under the covers with your phone screen almost hitting your nose.

To take your mind off things, you decided to watch some videos. Halfway in, an ad popped up, interrupting the interior deco video you were watching.

A picture of a girl about your age hugging an older man was right in the middle of your screen. Written with fancy letters, the words ‘make your life simpler’ could be read, followed by what you guessed was the title of the app. Sugar rush.

Out of pure curiosity, your finger tapped at the small icon that led to the app store, absentmindedly clicking the download button. A few seconds later, an icon with the letters ‘SR’ was added to your home screen.

“Log in?” You murmured out loud, squinting your eyes to adjust your eyes to the bright, white homepage.

Just as you were about to click out, the phrase from the ad reappeared, stopping your finger from moving any further.

You could always delete your account if something went wrong, right? Nonetheless, you decided to use a false name, and that's how Melanie Kim’s profile was created. You left the circle of your profile picture empty for now, only filling the spaces that asked about your likes, dislikes, age, and all that stuff that people care about so much.

You knew what the app was for, but that didn't stop you from being surprised when a list of men and women of different ages greeted you. Right then, a small rectangle obstructed your sight, two buttons offering opposite things.

‘Pick the role you'd like to develop.’

Sugar daddy/mommy / Sugar baby.

Clearly, you didn’t have nor the money or the years to be the first, so you clicked the opposite button without giving it more thought.

‘Welcome. You've been registered as a sugar baby at Sugar rush. Meet thousands of men and women willing to finance you for free!’

You hummed.

‘As we're always looking to make our users’ experience better, we've developed Sugar Rush premium, a membership to meet the richest and hottest people in your surroundings. Get the premium version for only $5.95 a month. Click here to get Sugar Rush premium.’

Your finger pad was dangerously close to the blue button, almost grazing the screen of the phone. It was then when you were pulled out of your trance, blinking as if just then you'd realized what you were doing.

“I must be crazy.” You turned off your phone, not bothering to turn on an alarm for the next day. You had no interviews left. You had nowhere to go.

Waking up was getting harder with every passing day. Not being able to call your dad to go out for breakfast or even sending a simple good morning message hurt you deeply. You missed him. But seeing him laying down on a hospital bed, unable to do anything by himself, was even worse.

Ding

A notification filled the silence in your room.

‘Come back, you haven't finished setting up your account yet!’

You scoffed at your past self. What were you even thinking when you downloaded the app?

You simply turned off the phone before standing up to take a relaxing shower. As the water soaked up your tense body, your mind started wandering off back to the app. A million what-ifs filled your head, nonetheless, there was one that remained the most persistent.

‘What if this can pay for a lawyer?’

Your part-time job surely couldn't, and you had no one to assist you financially speaking. The whole idea of paying that ridiculous membership seemed more tempting as your fingers started getting wrinkly under the showerhead.

You decided to take some time to consider it, after all, you still had a week to give the lawyers an answer.

Hot soup seemed like a good option to comfort you, and thankfully, there was a store right in front of your place that claimed to sell the best soups in town.

It wasn't bad, but not nearly as good as the one your dad cooked when you were a kid. You sighed, wondering if you'd ever be able to eat it again. Just then, a woman about your age came into the shop, carrying a couple of bags where names of popular brands could be read. A pinch of jealousy made your heart stir as you glanced at yourself through the reflection in the glass at your side. You looked devastated, your skin pale and your cheekbones slightly sunken, a sign of the lack of rest and food you'd been getting.

Out of pure impulse, you pulled out your phone, clicked on the app you'd recently downloaded, and finally accepted the charges for a premium membership.

‘Welcome, new member of our wide community, click ok to get started!’

Well, no turning back now.

Right after pressing the blue letters with your thumb, you were presented with a list of potential prospects, some of them including pictures, some of them only including name and a brief description of what they were looking for. The minority included their ages, but most left the space blank.

A bunch of old men looking for a youthful, pretty woman to be by their sides, some of them even went as far as writing the weight and height their ideal partner should have. Of course, there were also some women in the look for young meat, but the number of men overpassed them.

About to exit the app in defeat, a profile caught your eye. His pale pink hair was parted, allowing his thick eyebrows to stand out. His high cheekbones made him look like a statue, the details in his face almost too perfect for a mere human. He must be the incarnation of a Greek God, you thought.

‘Jung Yoonoh. 41 years old. Owner of N & C.’

“Should I...?” You asked yourself in a voice lower than a whisper.

He has probably gotten hundreds of messages, so what would be the point of sending one yourself? Your eyes scanned the picture over and over again as the remains of your soup started getting cold.

He was probably the only acceptable man in the whole app, so why not give it a try?

You already spent five whole dollars on it, might as well make it worth the money.

‘Hi.’ Sent.

“Holy crap.” You breathed out, regretting every single action that led you to take such a stupid decision. “Ah!” You squeaked as three small dots appeared beside his profile picture, signaling he was writing a reply.

What if he rejected you right from the beginning? God, that would be so humiliating. His message stopped your train of thought.

‘Hi!’

Followed by:

‘How are you?’

Sweating like a pig, thank you for asking.

‘Fine. You?’ Read.

‘Thrilled. No one had messaged me since I created my account two weeks ago.’

‘How is that possible?’ You imprinted your thoughts on a message.

‘It’s hard to trust people nowadays. I guess people might think either my picture is photoshopped or I'm lying about my job.’

‘Their loss, ig.’ Read.

He was taking some time to answer. Had you said something inappropriate?

‘Hahaha.’

The conversation stopped there, as you didn't know how exactly to answer his message. But a few minutes later, another text from him popped up at your chat.

‘If you're okay with it, we can start talking about a possible arrangement.’

Already? You've known each other for like five minutes. But then again, arrangements were the whole purpose of the app.

‘Sure.’

‘May I ask your reasons for joining the app?’

‘I need urgent money, but my job doesn't pay nearly enough.’ You omitted the part of your agonizing father, he didn't need to know that. ‘And you?’

‘I need someone to be my partner at public spaces.’

‘Alright.�� Read.

‘Do you happen to have some free time tomorrow at lunchtime? I think it’d be better to meet first before making any decisions.’

‘Yeah, I'm free.’

‘Great, I’ll send you the address.’

You thought a day would be enough to prepare yourself, but time passed by quicker than usual, and soon enough, it was time to get ready for your meeting with Mr. Jung. He was only a few years younger than your father, and calling him by his first name wouldn't feel right.

Unsure if you should wear something formal, you threw on a beige (the color you'd agreed on wearing so it’d be easier to recognize each other) summer dress, pairing it with the gold hoops you'd inherited from your grandma to make it look more elegant.

The hardest part of your routine was makeup. Your sunken cheeks couldn't be covered, and only after a few layers of blush and highlighter, you could bring your skin back to life.

On your way to the cafe, you went through the things you'd say when you met him. It was your chance to get your father what he needed.

You stood at the entrance with wide, scared eyes, shyly scanning through the place to look for your date.

“Melanie?” A hand on your shoulder had you jolting. “I’m Jung Yoonoh, nice to meet you.”

What you saw after turning around was breathtaking. A handsome, healthy man, with the most beautiful pair of dimples.

“Nice to meet you.” You managed to blurt out without stuttering, extending your hand to make the greeting more formal. The fake name didn’t seem necessary anymore. “It’s actually y/n, I didn't want to use my real name.”

“I understand. Let’s take a seat.” He offered with a kind smile.

He left you seating at the terrace while he made your order, a latte, and a chocolate cookie. Your fingers played with your hoops anxiously, trying to regulate your breath.

“They’ll bring our food in just a sec.” He offered a warm smile. “Your dress is pretty.” Yoonoh said out of nowhere.

“Thank you.”

“I see you're not a chatty person.” You were about to object, but he started speaking again. “It's not a bad thing! I usually talk a lot, so it’s a nice way to balance things.”

You nodded, seemingly uncomfortable with the man sitting in front of you.

“So, uhm, this is my first time doing this, so I'm not really sure where to begin.” He pulled out a folded paper from the front pocket of his dressing pants. “It’s a bit creased, but I can always print another one. I brought it so you could take a look and let me know if you wanted to change anything. I don't mean to pressure you, but you said it was urgent, so...”

You read the paper under his attentive gaze, making sure not to miss a single word. Everything seemed correct, except...

“Six months?”

“Is that too much?” A small wrinkle formed between his eyebrows, a sign of deep concentration. “Okay, so let's do this instead.”

He took back the contract, pulling out a pen from the pocket in his dressing shirt to correct the original stipulations.

“Four months, and if by the end of them you don't absolutely hate me, we can extend the time. Deal?”

“Just one more thing.”

You cleared your throat, conscious that your following words might jeopardize the whole arrangement.

“Are you sure you want to make it official already?” You had to stop for a moment as the waiter left your orders on top of the wooden table. “I mean, it's not that I have a problem with it, but it's your money and maybe you'd like to give it a better thought.” You resumed.

“The fact that you're concerned about me proves I'm making the right choice. Now, tell me, how much would you like to receive as a weekly allowance?”

Would it be too reckless to ask him straight up for the $8,000?

“H-how much are you willing to give me?” You felt dirty, accepting a stranger’s money like that.

“Whatever you need.” His hand suddenly reached forward to yours, causing every ounce of blood in your body to rush to your face. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, I'm here to help you.” His voice tone dropped, acquiring an almost soothing feeling.

“I need eight thousand by Thursday, next week.” His eyes were wide open, mouth having difficulties remaining closed. “I-I know it's too much, but...”

“I can find a way to give you that money, but I'd like to know the reason why you need it. Just to make sure it's nothing illegal.”

You puffed your cheeks, trying to find an excuse good enough to justify the amount of money you were asking for.

“It isn’t illegal, is it?”

“No!” You retrieved your hand from below his, now embarrassed at the possibility of him having a bad image of you. “I need it for my father.”

“I suppose you don't want to talk about it.” He started at his palm, lips pressed in a thin life. “But when it comes to arrangements like this, we need to trust each other, alright?” You barely knew each other, yet, he demanded to know a very personal detail of your life. Not that he didn't have a good reason for wanting to know, it wasn't a particularly small amount of money.

“He had an accident at work...” You started, fearful of looking up to find pity in his eyes. “I need a lawyer to make his company legally responsible. They intend to throw it under the rug and pay a somewhat decent amount of money to make it go away. The firm I intend to hire is supposedly the best in town, probably my only chance of getting justice.”

“And why don't you just accept it? There's no guarantee that your lawyer will win the case.” You fisted the delicate fabric of your dress, eyes watering as you tried to hold back your anger.

“My father’s life is priceless, and if you think what I'm doing is a waste of money, then fine, we can both look for someone else to help us.” It sounded more aggressive than you'd first intended, but you meant every word that came out of your mouth.

Before you could even stand up, his slim fingers had already wrapped themselves around your wrist.

“I never said that.” He whispered with an almost sad tone. “Come on, sit down.”

He tugged at your arm the slightest, showing off his charming dimples once again.

“I’ll give you the money on one condition...” He raised one of his thick eyebrows. “I’ll go with you to see the lawyer.”

“Why...?”

“That’s my condition, take it or leave it.”

“Okay.”

The days before your meeting with your potential lawyer were nerve-wracking. You'd seen Yoonoh another time to sign the contract, which finally made your arrangement official.

You’d visit your father every day, always hoping he'd be sitting with his arms wide open, ready to hug you. But nothing had changed ever since he first came into that room.

“I’m here to see Mr. Kim.” The secretary's gaze lingered on Jaehyun a few seconds before he finally snapped out of it. “Y/n Y/l/n.”

“Just a second.” He opened his agenda and quickly found your appointment. With a warm smile, he guided you through the corridors of the building, all the way to the elevator. “It’s the only office on the last floor, I'll be at my desk if you need anything.”

Once again, he shot Jae an uneasy glance before the metal doors slid close.

“What was all that?” To be honest, you couldn't care less. But a small chat might calm your nerves and prevent you from throwing up all over the place.

“What do you mean?” He grinned, pressing the button to the top floor.

“You know what I mean.” You scoffed, annoyed at his evasive behavior.

“We just happen to know each other, nothing special.” Before the conversation could continue, a loud ding resonated through the metal cubicle. “Let’s go.” His hand found its place at the small of your back, pushing you towards the glass door. Through it, you could see a black-haired man reading a pile of documents, occasionally raising a photo to examine it with his gold-rimmed glasses supported at the bridge of his elegant nose.

Jaehyun extended his arm over your shoulder to knock on the door, earning an almost annoyed ‘come in’ from the man inside.

“Let’s go.” Once again invading your personal space, he reached for the doorknob with you trapped between his arms.

As soon as the door opened, the man raised his eyes from the documents he was checking.

“What are you doing here, Jung?”

“I knew something was off...” You murmured, loud enough for the man at your side to chuckle.

“I brought you a client, you should be happy.”

“Miss y/n, I suppose. Have a seat.” His demeanor completely changed while speaking directly to you. “I spoke with your aunt last week, she explained the details of the lawsuit, but I must say, it isn't an easy case.”

“I know that, but I've been told you're the best firm in town, I know I'll have more possibilities of winning if you're my lawyer.”

“Best firm in town my ass.”

“Be silent or I’ll kick you out of the building.”

That was enough for Yoonoh to zip his mouth. For a while at least.

“I suppose she also told you about our fee.” He pushed his glasses up using his thumb. “We’d also keep 25% of the lawsuit money assuming we win the case, is that okay with you?”

“Yes-”

“Okay, stop.”

“I’ll call security, Jung.”

“Look at me, y/n.” He squeezed your arms. “This clown is trying to scam you...” He pointed his finger at the lawyer without breaking eye contact. “You’d be spending loads of money for someone who isn't even confident in his abilities. It isn't worth it.”

“And I suppose you'd do better than me, then.” The black-haired man scoffed. “If that's the case, then you can both leave. I'm quite busy at the moment.” With a turn of his wrist, he signaled you to leave the room.

You were fuming, stomping out of the building with Jaehyun right behind you.

“I found a great restaurant nearby, we can go there and-”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Calm down-”

“Don’t tell me to calm down when you just fucked up my only chance to give those bastards what they deserve.” The sun was starting to set, yellow light casting shadows over his tender cheeks.

“Can you listen to me for a second?”

“Are you laughing right now?” You bit your lip, hard, trying to hold back the tsunami of tears threatening to come out of your eyes. “Asshole.”

“Ouch.” He furrowed his eyebrows mockingly. Oh, how close you were to punch that pretty face of his. “Can I explain now?”

You remained silent, staring at the ground with the smallest frown between your eyebrows.

“How do you think I know Kim Doyoung?” Before even giving you a chance to answer, he continued. “That son of a bitch has been stealing my clients for ages.”

“Your clients...?”

“He isn't even that good of a lawyer compared to me.” He scoffed with fake arrogance.

“You're a lawyer?!” You slammed your palms into your face, whining at the newly acquired information. “Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?”

“Just wanted to swing by and annoy him a bit. Don't worry, I wasn't gonna let you accept his deal.” He winked playfully.

The sun was now hidden, the sky darkening as the moon rose to take its shift.

“Though I gotta say, I'm kinda offended I wasn't even an option. I'm a pretty great lawyer, you know?”

“Sorry.”

“I’ll forgive you if you join me for dinner. What do you say?”

As you walked into the darkness of the streets, his shoulder occasionally bumping yours, you wondered if meeting him was a casualty. Maybe the world was finally smiling at you.