#( i had so much fun with this you don't even understand )

[levanterhaze]

── GAMEBOY, BANGCHAN

♡  ― 󠀬󠀬 fratboy!bangchan x f!reader praise kink, protected sex, rough sex, fluff & angst.

♡ synopsis ― Bangchan is the campus playboy—charming, cocky, and infuriatingly irresistible. One reckless, drunken night leads to a secret you swore you'd never have. Now, hating him is harder than keeping him your dirty little secret.

[12.3k words ]♡― here we are, at the last chapter of gameboy. writing this series has been so much fun and having the opportunity to tell the stories i love to write is a privilege. i hope i don't disappoint you with this ending, that you understand each choice made for the characters. i also hope you continue to support me, this has been so special and welcoming to me, i can't thank you enough for everything. thank you for embracing gameboy, for continuing to read and for all your support. from the bottom of my heart. PLEASE READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS!!!! that said, have a good read.

♡― THE PLAYLIST.

♡ [part one] ♡[part two]♡ [part three] ♡[part four] ♡[part five] ♡[part six] ♡[part seven]

'Cause I'm right here waiting for us 때로는 두려웠어 다신 오지 않을 것 같아서 두 손 꼭 잡은 채 그 어떤 순간이 덮쳐 와도 널 놓지 않을게

After all the chaos, the only thing that made sense was leaving.

So you did.

You shot Hyunjin a text, practically begging him to take you to the bus stop. He didn’t ask questions—he was too pissed off about the whole thing, ranting the entire drive about how it was bullshit that you had to be the one to go. In his mind, Eunji and Mingyu should’ve been the ones packing their bags.

And maybe he was right. But you were exhausted. Your body ached from the tension, your head was a tangled mess of emotions, and honestly? You just didn’t have it in you to fight anymore.

By the time you got back to campus, you had a plan—or at least, a temporary bandage disguised as one. You marched straight to the admin office and spun some tragic, half-true sob story about needing to “regain focus” on your studies. A few forced tears later — maybe slightly real ones— they handed you the keys to a new dorm on the other side of campus.

No hesitation. No second-guessing. You packed what little you had and moved in before anyone even realized you were gone.

And then you disappeared.

One day after another, like clockwork. No calls, no texts, no explanations. Just silence.

Your life has shrunk down to a routine: rehearsals, studying, sleep, repeat.

Hyunjin and Seungmin still tried to pull you out of your self-imposed exile, inviting you to lunch, cracking jokes at rehearsals to get a reaction out of you—but you always politely refused. You weren’t rude, just... distant. Like a ghost of yourself.

Bangchan had tried. Over and over. Messages sent and then deleted, calls he never made, moments of hesitation that stretched into frustration. He wanted to give you space, wanted to respect whatever it was you needed, but that didn’t make it any easier. Every time he saw you, it felt like his chest was caving in.

He’d even asked Hyunjin about you, but the guy was like a vault. Hyunjin wasn’t about to betray you—not even for him. “She’s busy,” was all he ever got. “Leave her alone, man.”

But how could he, when you were right there? When you were always the last to show up at rehearsals and the first to leave, slipping away before he even had a chance to try? It was torture. Watching you go about your life like he wasn’t part of it anymore. Like he never had been.

And it was worse because he could still feel you.

In his bed, between the sheets. In his hands, aching for your touch. In his mind, where your laugh and your voice were stuck on a loop, growing more distant with every passing day—like a dream he was trapped in, running but never getting anywhere.

And you wouldn’t even look at him.

If your eyes ever landed on him in the theater, they flicked away like it physically hurt you to see him. If you spotted him on campus, walking with the boys, you immediately turned your head.

So you buried yourself in anything that wasn’t him. Anything that wasn’t Eunji. Because thinking about either of them was the only thing more unbearable than being alone.

And Eunji—who didn’t even look at you, let alone speak to you. Every time your paths crossed, she barely acknowledged your existence, like you were something rotten in her periphery. A stranger. No, worse—something beneath her.

And that hurt. Maybe even more than Bangchan.

Because you’d believed in her. In you two. In the kind of unspoken loyalty that came with late-night talks, inside jokes, and secrets exchanged under dim dorm room lights. You thought there was sisterhood in that. Something unshakable.

But in the end, it was nothing. A mirage. A mist that vanished the second you tried to hold on.

A few weeks had passed and you were enjoying your own company in the library, an iced coffee and your headphones. You were studying your lines for the next class, until someone took the seat in front of you and your eyes looked up in surprise to see Sohee sitting with her arms crossed.

“Sohee.” you murmured, almost not believing she was there.

Sohee arched her brow, unimpressed. “Oh, so you do remember me.”

You blinked, scrambling for words. “I—of course, I do. I just—”

“Disappeared?” she finished for you, leaning back in her chair. “Yeah, I noticed.”

Guilt twisted in your stomach, but you kept your expression neutral. “I’ve been busy.”

She let out a dry laugh. “Right. Busy. Too busy to text? Too busy to tell me why you packed up and moved to the other side of campus?” Her eyes narrowed. “Eunji won’t tell me what happened. Neither will Hyunjin. Which means something happened, and I need you to stop bullshitting me.”

Your mouth went dry, fingers tightening around your coffee cup. The truth sat heavy on your tongue, bitter and unspeakable. 

What if she looked at you the way Eunji did? 

Sohee exhaled, her sharpness softening just a fraction. “Look, I don’t know what went down, but I missed you, okay?”

Your heart clenched. She wasn’t angry. She was hurt. And that somehow made it worse.

You put your headphones aside and took a deep breath, gathering the courage to begin.

So you started from the very beginning. Bangchan, the secrets, then Mingyu, Eunji finding out, all your emotions, the fight between Bangchan and Mingyu, and how completely broken you’d been ever since.

Sohee listened, her expression shifting from shock to disbelief. “That���s... insane. I can’t believe Eunji would do something like that.”

“I know.” You gave a small, bitter smile. “That’s why it hurts.”

“And rightfully so. She had no right to interfere in your life or come at you like that.” Sohee leaned on the table, eyes searching yours. “But please, don’t let this kill your spark. Everyone misses you.”

And you missed them too. All of them. Without exception.

“If you must know,” Sohee drawled, cocking her head with a little smirk, “I’d already kind of guessed there was something going on with you and Bangchan.” 

You shot her a look, but she kept going, unbothered. 

“I just figured you’d spill when you were ready. No pressure. Not my circus.” She shrugged, then narrowed her eyes playfully. “But seriously… you do like him, right?”

Your chest tightened. Because the answer was obvious.

Sohee gave you a pointed look, like she could see right through you. “Oh, come on. Don’t give me that I guess it doesn’t matter bullshit.”

You sighed, rubbing your temples. “It doesn’t.”

“It does.” She leaned in, voice low but firm. “You’re miserable. He’s miserable. And all of this is because of what? Miscommunication and some high school level drama?”

You scoffed, shaking your head. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yeah, it kinda is.” She shrugged. “You like him. He clearly likes you. But instead of dealing with it, you ran.”

“That’s not fair—”

Sohee held up a hand. “I’m not saying you didn’t have your reasons. I’m saying that if you keep avoiding it, you’re just gonna hurt yourself more. Let things cool down, sure. But don’t wait until it’s too late.”

You stared at her, words caught in your throat. Because the truth was, you were terrified. Terrified that if you faced him, he’d look at you differently. That the damage was already done.

But another, quieter part of you—the part that still remembered the warmth of his touch, the way he looked at you like you were it for him—wondered if maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t too late at all.

You were alone in the theater, the crumpled sheets of your solo scattered around you like forgotten love letters. You were dead set on nailing that high note — the heartbreak one, the kind that’s supposed to rip your chest open and bleed on stage. Humming through the first verse, you air-strummed like your life depended on it, lost in the rhythm.

“Am I crashing a rockstar's private concert?” Changbin’s voice broke through your focus, making your head snap up so fast it almost hurt. He was in his basketball jacket, the team logo front and center, and that usual mischievous grin was pulling at his mouth. He stepped closer, then plopped down next to you on the edge of the stage like he belonged there. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You’re fine.” You flashed him a crooked little smile as you scooped up the sheets from the floor. “I’ll just pretend you weren’t suspiciously wandering the theater.”

“Busted.” He lifted both hands in mock surrender. “What can I say? If you hadn’t pulled a full-on undercover mission and vanished from campus, I wouldn’t have to play detective just to track you down.”

You shot him a look. “Busted.”

His smile softened a bit, but it didn’t reach his usual brand of easy humor. Changbin had always been the steady one — loyal to Bangchan, to the whole group really. But right now, there was something quieter in him, like he’d pocketed the jokes for later.

And even though you kept your expression cool, you felt it too — the weight of whatever he wasn’t saying yet. “The guys miss you, you know that, right?”

His voice was casual, but it landed heavier than he probably meant it to. You dragged in a breath, sharp like it might actually clear out the guilt clogging your chest. 

Spoiler: it didn’t. You’d gone ghost on them, the second life got messy, and there was no pretending otherwise.

Before you could open your mouth, probably to spit out some lame excuse, Changbin raised a hand like he could see it coming from a mile away. “And no, before you even ask, he didn’t send me,” he said, shooting you a knowing look. “Didn’t even bring you up. But it wasn’t rocket science, you know? Mingyu stormed off, then Chan showed up looking like he lost a bar or something.”

You winced. “Bin… I’m sorry.”

“Hey.” He shook his head, like that wasn’t what he came here for. “This isn’t a guilt trip, alright? Whatever Mingyu pulled, he had it coming. Trust me, no one’s crying over him.”

A pause. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

You straightened up, catching the shift in his tone. Less playful, more real. The kind of real that you couldn’t dodge even if you wanted to.

“I’m just—look, I’m just trying to knock some sense into both of you,” Changbin went on, like he’d been carrying this around too long. “I don’t know all the details, and honestly? I don’t need to. But I do know my best friend’s been walking around like the lights are on, but nobody’s home.”

Your chest tightened, the words slipping past your guard way too easily.

“And I’m not saying this to dump it on you, okay? I swear,” he added, catching your expression before you could speak. “It’s just... he’s a mess. And it’s not just the basketball thing, or the usual stress — it’s you. He misses you. Bad.”

The way he said it — simple, no drama, no exaggeration — hit you harder than any speech could’ve.

And you hated it. You hated that part of you wanted to hear it. You hated that it hurt more than you expected. Because deep down, you already knew.

“I’m only doing this because he’s my guy,” Changbin started, running a hand through his hair like this whole conversation weighed more than he let on. “Chan’s always been the one to clean up after the rest of us, you know? First to show up with advice or some half-baked plan to save the day.”

You tilted your head, a small smile sneaking onto your lips despite yourself. Classic Chan.

Changbin caught it, and his own grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, softer this time. “Yeah, exactly. And when he met you? Man, it was like someone turned the lights on in his head. Swear to God, I’ve never seen him like that. He was just... lighter.”

The way he said it twisted something in your chest, but you held his gaze, letting him finish.

“What I’m saying is,” he went on, “even if you two don’t go back to being, like, whatever you were before—” he waved a vague hand between you, “—at least talk to him. He’s stuck in that ‘she hates me, so I better give her space’ spiral, and you know how Chan is. He’ll bury it to do what’s best for you.”

You blinked, caught off guard by how much that stung. “Wait... so he doesn’t hate me?”

Changbin actually laughed at that, a real, rough-around-the-edges laugh. “Hate you? Please. I don’t think that man has it in him, even if he tried.”

Your fingers tangled together, fidgeting without you meaning to. The truth slipped out before you could stop it. “I care about him. I really do.”

“Yeah,” Changbin said simply, no teasing this time, just plain fact. “I know you do. And I know you’ll figure this out.”

After a beat of quiet, Changbin pushed himself up, casually brushing nonexistent dust off his jersey like he’d just wrapped up something way more dramatic than a heart-to-heart.

“Thanks, Binnie,” you said, flashing him a crooked smile as he gave you an overly formal little bow.

He started toward the door but paused right at the exit, glancing back over his shoulder with that familiar spark in his eye. “You know I love you, right? But if you mess with my best friend’s heart, I will write the nastiest diss track you’ve ever heard. Full production. No skips.”

That earned a laugh out of you, real and warm. “Gonna throw in choreography too?”

He smirked like you’d just dared him to. “Obviously. Backup dancers and everything."

And with that, he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall, his voice echoing back as he called out, “You’re not getting off that easy!”

And just like that, you were alone again—surrounded by a whole storm of thoughts you weren’t quite ready to untangle.

You’d swallowed that whole conversation with Changbin like it was a bad shot of cheap tequila — still burning in your chest, still impossible to forget. And yet, life rolled on, dragging you with it while you kept trying to figure out when the hell would be the right time to talk to Bangchan.

Problem was, the whole thing still felt like an open wound — not bleeding anymore, but definitely not ready for anyone to poke at it either.

Sohee was in your new room, fussing with the straps of her dress in front of the mirror. The place wasn’t as roomy as the one you used to share with her and Eunji, but it did the job.

“I talked to Eunji," Sohee said, swiping mascara on with laser focus. "Well — argued is probably the more accurate term. She wouldn’t even let me finish when I tried to tell her she was being a bitch."

You were sprawled across your bed, cozy in your oldest, softest pajamas, like this whole conversation wasn’t tying your stomach in knots.

"I didn’t want you two fighting because of me," you muttered, playing with the hem of your sleeve.

Sohee whipped around, one eye still missing eyeliner but her energy fully charged. “Please. I’m morally allergic to bullshit. What she did was a straight-up foul. And until she figures out how to act like a halfway decent human being, maybe it’s time we put that friendship on ice.”

You sighed, a tangled mess of guilt and low-key relief knotting in your chest. "Yeah, well... it still kinda sucks."

“Everyone’s gotta make their own choices…” Sohee went back to her makeup like it was no big deal, but then spun around again, narrowing her eyes at you. “Speaking of choices… you’re really not going to the game? It’s the final. Literally, everyone’s gonna be there.”

You let out an exaggerated sigh and flopped onto the pillows like your life depended on it.

“Yeah, hard pass. Not in the mood to humiliate myself in public, thanks.”

“Girl, come on,” Sohee groaned. “This is your perfect excuse to finally talk to Bangchan and fix things. I know he’d love to see you there, especially at his last game this semester.”

You hesitated, chewing the inside of your cheek. “I don’t know… Feels like showing up would just make it worse.”

Sohee snapped the mascara shut like it personally offended her. “Stubborn as hell, I swear. Fine. Just—promise me you won’t do something you’re gonna regret later, alright?”

“I know, I know,” you waved her off, a little smile tugging at your lips. “I’ll figure it out when the time’s right. Go have fun, kiss your boyfriend, and drink an unreasonable amount of beer in my honor.”

She grabbed her bag off the bed, but before heading out, she paused at the door and shot you a final look over her shoulder. “Last chance. Are you sure you’re staying?”

“Yeah. Have fun at the game,” you said, forcing a half-smile.

Sohee shrugged like she’d expected that answer. “Alright… I tried. Don’t say I didn’t.” She shot you a quick grin over her shoulder as she headed out. “Catch you later!”

As the minutes dragged on, boredom hit you like a brick. Your brain was way too wired to even think about running lines for the play. You tried putting on a movie, but you zoned out every five minutes and had to keep rewinding just to figure out what the hell was going on.

That’s when you decided: screw it. Time to hit the campus café and drown your existential crisis in hot chocolate and maybe the most sugar-loaded cupcake you could get your hands on. Comfort food therapy, top tier.

You threw on some cute but cozy clothes, something to shake off the emotional slump clinging to you like a bad ex. Skirt, sweater, your trusty boots — the holy trinity.

The second you stepped outside, it felt like the whole weather system had joined your pity party. What started as a light breeze had upgraded to full-blown dramatic gusts, and the sky was throwing major moody vibes with all those gloomy gray clouds.

The cafeteria was basically a ghost town. No surprise there — most people were off hyping up the basketball final, the very game everyone had been pushing you to go to. But showing up last-minute just to cause a scene was so not your style. If you were going to fix things, you’d do it on your own terms, not crash the party like some soap opera twist.

Inside, the café was warm but dead quiet. The staff looked just as miserable as you felt, probably counting down the seconds till they could ditch work and catch the game too. You kind of felt bad for bothering them. Kind of. But hey, desperate times. Your soul needed sugar before life threw another plot twist your way.

You went for the hot chocolate — obvious choice — and threw in a slice of strawberry sponge cake for good measure. Not exactly a gourmet pairing, but at this point, flavor combos were the least of your problems.

You slid into the table by the window, pulling out your phone like it could somehow save you from your own restless brain. 

Sohee had just posted a story: her, Minho, and Felix, all grins and mid-cheers. Typical. You kept scrolling, letting the endless stream of everyone else’s highlight reel wash over you. Felix, Jisung, and Hyunjin had apparently hit up a barbecue place recently, and yeah — that one stung. Hard. Like a punch right in the ribs, just above where you’d been keeping all your unresolved guilt.

Brilliant. Love that for me.

“Hey.”

The voice snapped you out of your spiral so fast you damn near fumbled your phone like it was evidence in a crime. Guiltily, you locked the screen and glanced up.

Mingyu stood there, iced coffee in hand, wearing that soft, easy smile.

“Hi…” you answered, a little awkward. He hadn’t exactly been on your recent contact list either.

"Can I sit?" He gestured at the chair across from you. "I won’t take up too much of your time, scout’s honor."

You nodded, curiosity getting the better of you. Might as well — it’s not like you were killing it at the whole “alone with your thoughts” thing anyway.

“You kinda vanished,” Mingyu said as he set his coffee down and folded his arms casually over the table. “Haven’t seen you around at all.”

You let out a humorless little laugh, more of a scoff really. “Didn’t exactly feel like I had a choice.”

“I see,” Mingyu exhaled, slow and steady, like he was gearing up to unload something heavy. “Look, I’m really sorry about everything. Honestly. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking, coming out swinging at Bangchan like that.” He shook his head, as if still baffled by his own actions. “That’s not me. At all. And I’m sorry for dragging you into the mess.”

Well. That was... unexpectedly nice of him.

You weren’t sure what you’d expected — maybe some half-baked excuse or him brushing it off — but an actual, straight-up apology? Kind of refreshing.

“I should’ve seen it, you know?” He gave a small, hollow laugh. “The way he looked at you... yeah, it was pretty obvious. Can’t really blame the guy.”

There was a flicker of something in his smile, something resigned and maybe a little bit sad.

 “I’m sorry for hurting you,” you added, softer this time.

He shrugged, a wry twist to his lips. “No need. Things happen the way they’re supposed to, right? We had a good run. And well... I guess that’s it.”

“No hard feelings?” he asked, reaching his hand across the table like he was closing a deal.

You didn’t even hesitate — you took it, gave it a firm squeeze. “No hard feelings.”

“Right.” He nodded, like it was the final period of a sentence. Then he got up, grabbed his coffee, and shot you a parting smile. “I—I just hope you’re happy.”

And just like that, Mingyu walked out through the glass doors, disappearing across campus like he was just another passerby in your life. It wasn’t until the door swung shut behind him that his words really hit you, settling deep in your stomach like a lead weight.

I hope you’re happy.

And you weren’t happy. Not even close.

The brutal truth? You had no one to blame but yourself. Every twist, every wrong turn, it all traced back to your own fear, your own hesitation. If you’d been just a little braver — if you’d let people in instead of keeping them at arm’s length — maybe things would’ve been different. Maybe you’d be happy.

The cruel part? It took hearing it from Mingyu to finally see it for what it was. It was always you.

Your half-eaten cake sat abandoned on the table, the hot chocolate cooling into something sad and forgotten. Without thinking twice, you pushed back your chair and stormed out of the café, straight into the chaos waiting outside.

The wind hit you like a wall, and then, as if the universe was feeling especially theatrical today, fat, icy drops of rain began to fall — fast and merciless.

Karma? Maybe. Challenge accepted.

You didn’t slow down. You ran.

Your biker boots pounded against the slick grass, water splashing up your legs as the rain came down harder, so heavy it blurred the world into a messy watercolor. But you didn’t care. You weren’t stopping now — not when your heart was finally awake after pretending to sleep for so long.

The gym was all the way across campus, of course it was. Far enough that you were completely drenched by the time the courtyard came into view. Your chest heaved with every breath, burning like you’d sprinted through fire instead of rain. Your clothes clung to your skin, soaked to the bone, and your hair stuck to your forehead, your cheeks, your neck — like the rain wanted to wear you down.

But you kept going. You had to get there. No matter how soaked, no matter how late.

You had to.

You squared your shoulders, puffed out your chest like you had a whole army at your back, and stomped straight toward the gym doors. No hesitation. Okay — a little hesitation. Your heart was doing somersaults in your chest, adrenaline crashing into nerves like they were fighting for control.

But you pushed the doors open anyway.

Only to be greeted by... absolutely no one.

Just the janitor, casually mopping the far end of the court like this was any other boring Saturday.

Your pulse stumbled, like it tripped over itself. No way.

You yanked out your soaked phone, fingers slipping against the drenched screen, and checked the time. Way too late. The game had ended — you’d missed it. They were probably already at some bar downing cheap drinks and yelling over greasy plates of fries, and here you were, a walking raincloud with nothing to show for it.

Your thumb hovered over Sohee’s number, ready to call, beg, something — but before you could hit the dial, a voice cut through the empty court.

“Your plan is to flood the gym or what?”

Your heart flat-out stopped.

Slowly, you turned, every inch of you shivering from the rain and a healthy dose of panic.

Bangchan.

He was right there, leaning against the entrance like he hadn’t just flipped your entire internal system upside down. His hair was a mess of wet strands, some falling over his forehead in a way that should’ve been illegal.

Your mouth went dry, brain buffering like a bad connection.

"I'm... um... a little soaked," you managed, glancing down at yourself and the puddle spreading beneath your feet. A tremor ran through you, part chill, part nerves, leaving your words thin and shaky.

Bangchan gave a quiet, amused breath — almost a laugh, but softer — before he started walking toward you.

It was only then, as he drew closer, that you really saw him. His hair had grown longer, the damp curls now brushing the nape of his neck, framing his face in a way that felt painfully unfair. Draped over his shoulders was a black jacket, the kind that made him look like he’d stepped right off a movie scene.

"What are you doing here?" Bangchan’s voice cut through the hollow echo of the gym, roughened by surprise but threaded with something deeper.

With one simple movement, he removed the jacket from his shoulders and placed it over yours. You gulped, the words knotting in your throat. "I—I'm leaving," you managed, barely above a whisper.

"You're leaving?" His brows pulled together, like the thought alone caused him genuine pain.

Instinctively, you took a step back, clutching his jacket tighter around your soaked frame. Coward. Even now, even with him standing right in front of you, you were slipping into old habits, retreating when you should be reaching out.

Bangchan tilted his head, eyes flicking over your rain-soaked figure. "You really think I’m gonna buy that? After you ran through a damn storm to get here?" His voice was low, rough around the edges, but his gaze was soft.

Your throat felt like it was closing in on itself, your breath turning shallow and uneven. "I thought the game was still on," you confessed, your voice small, almost childlike.

"It ended early," he said, his tone softening. "Thunderstorm warning." He gestured toward the windows, where the rain continued to batter the glass in relentless sheets. "Most people cleared out fast. But I stayed behind."

Why? you wanted to ask. But maybe you didn’t need to — his eyes already told you everything you needed to know.

"You stayed," you echoed, almost in disbelief, as if saying it aloud would make it real.

He stepped closer, his gaze dipping to your hands, which clung to his jacket like it was the only thing keeping you afloat. When his eyes met yours again, something flickered in them — something deep and quiet, something that felt dangerously close to hope.

Bangchan’s gaze didn’t waver. "You came here for a reason," he said, his voice rough at the edges. "So stop pretending you didn’t."

Your heart twisted painfully, tangled in the unsaid. The truth clawed at your chest, desperate to surface. I wanted to see you. I wanted to stop running.

"I..." But your voice trembled, fragile as glass stretched too thin.

Bangchan’s expression softened, like he could see straight through the façade, like he saw every crack you were trying to hide. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he reached up and brushed a damp strand of hair from your cheek. His fingers were warm against your chilled skin, and despite yourself, you leaned into his touch.

"You’re freezing," he murmured.

"I'm fine," you lied, even as your body betrayed you with a violent shiver.

A faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Liar."

"I need to ask you something," you said, your voice tighter than you wanted. "That night on the beach… were you serious? About everything you said?"

His expression twisted, disbelief written all over him. “Really? Really? Don’t waste my time pretending you don’t know.”

You let out a breath, sharp through your nose. Fair enough. But you had to say it, get it off your chest before it ate you alive.

"I messed it all up," you admitted, the words tumbling out. "I kept telling myself I didn’t care what people thought, like I was above all that crap. But it turns out I care. Way more than I should. And that fear? It had me choking on my own feelings."

You risked a glance at him. He was watching you like you were the only thing left in the world worth looking at. No interruptions, no sarcastic quips — just quiet focus.

"I mean, you were— God, you were so good to me," you kept going, voice thick with regret. "And I think I freaked out because I’d already fallen for you way before I let myself admit it. Like, properly fallen. And that scared the hell out of me because I never thought I’d actually… like you. Not like this."

Your throat tightened, a painful lump that wouldn’t go away. "I liked everything. Being around you. Talking to you. Even the way you annoyed me." you smiled softly.

Your eyes stung, tears slipping free, but you kept going like you couldn’t stop. "I hate what I did to you. I hate that I messed this up beyond fixing it. And I know it’s too late... yeah. I get it. I understand."

You swallowed against the lump in your throat, words tumbling out too fast. "I just needed you to know, before I go — I’m sorry. For everything. You didn’t deserve any of it."

Your breath hitched, but you met his eyes anyway — full on, no flinching. "I’m so sorry."

Tears blurred your vision as you crossed the court toward the exit, not even bothering to shield yourself from the rain. What was the point? You were already soaked, inside and out.

You let out a choked sob, hating yourself for being such a coward — for always running when it mattered most.

“Wait—” Bangchan’s voice cut through the downpour, rough and almost swallowed by the storm.

You froze, eyes narrowing against the sheets of rain, blinking fast to see through the water streaming down your face.

“Wait," he called out again, sharper now, like the rain itself had finally lit a fuse. "What gives you the right to drop that on me and just walk away?” His anger was written all over him, carved deep into the lines of his face.

"What?" you shot back, breath catching, but the storm swallowed your voice, forcing you to yell just to be heard.

Bangchan raked a hand through his soaked hair, slicking it back as he stepped closer, chest rising fast, like he couldn’t breathe right with you this far away. "You’re running," he said, rough and tight. "Running from me. From us. Again."

And hell, he wasn’t wrong.

"Everything I’ve done," he said, the words rough-edged and raw, "since the second I met you — it’s been about you. Always you." He caught his breath, like saying it out loud made it real. "Because I wanted you. More than anything."

The confession hit like a punch to the ribs, sharp and breath-stealing.

"Since Hyunjin introduced us and you barely noticed I existed," he kept going, like he couldn’t stop now. "Since you breezed right past me without a second thought. Since you crashed into my life and wrecked every single thing I thought I had figured out."

Your heart was beating out of rhythm, too fast for your own body to keep up, like it was trying to outrun the storm — or maybe run straight to him.

"You don’t get to stand there and tell me it’s too late," Bangchan shouted over the rain, his voice tearing through the downpour like it had something to prove. His eyes burned so bright, it almost hurt to look at him. "Not when I’ve been standing here this whole time, heart wide open, just waiting for you to see me."

His chest heaved, rain sliding off him like he didn’t even notice, like all he could see was you. "I’ve been waiting for you," he said, softer this time, but it was the kind of softness that carried weight. Heavy. Unshakable. "So if you want me — really want me — you’ve got to say it. I need to hear you say it."

The storm raged around you, but it felt like the eye of it had landed right here, right between the two of you. Your pulse throbbed in your ears, every muscle strung so tight you could barely breathe.

This was terrifying. This was exhilarating. This was everything you had been too scared to want.

Your lips parted, but for a heartbeat, all you could do was try to swallow the lump in your throat. Then, steadying your breath, you let a small, shaky smile tug at the corner of your mouth. A flicker of defiance, maybe even a little hope.

"Bangchan," you said, your voice rough but sure, "there’s never been anyone else. It’s only ever been you."

There wasn’t a second of hesitation when your lips found his — only the wild, breathless certainty of two people who had run out of ways to pretend they didn’t need this.

The desperation between you felt electric, almost feverish, like your skin couldn’t decide if it was burning or freezing in the rain. You’d never felt anything like it — like the whole world had finally spun off its axis and was crashing headfirst into this moment. Into him.

When his hands, just as cold and trembling as yours, cupped your face like he was terrified you might slip away, you gasped, a sharp breath of shock and longing tangled together. Bangchan made you feel reckless. Young. Like you were caught in the middle of one of those ridiculous romance high-school movies you always scoffed at, the kind where the girl lifts her leg during the kiss — and for once, you understood why.

This kiss, soaked to the bone and laced with every scrap of resentment and longing, felt like proof. Proof that what you had wasn’t just real, but unstoppable.

You clung to him like he was the only thing anchoring you to the earth, fingers fisting in his drenched shirt as the rain poured over you both, careless and wild. And still, beneath the chaos, something pure unfurled in your chest — something terrifyingly beautiful, raw and undeniable.

Bangchan kissed you like he was starving, like he had been starving for you. He deepened the kiss, tasting every inch of you like it had haunted him in dreams and in every quiet, aching moment you’d spent apart.

It wasn’t new, this hunger — you’d felt it before. But tonight, in this storm, in his arms, it felt entirely different. Like you’d finally let yourself give in to the fire you’d been dancing around for far too long.

How you ended up sprinting down the hallway with soaked shoes that squeaked like a bad joke didn’t even matter at this point. Thunder growled overhead like it was personally offended by your existence, and Bangchan was fumbling with the dorm keys like his life depended on it.

“Could you not kill the key while you’re at it?” you shot at him, half breathless, half laughing despite the anxiety twisting in your stomach.

“I'm trying, damn it,” he muttered, jamming the key into the lock with a speed that was both impressive and completely ridiculous.

The door finally gave in, and the two of you stumbled inside, drenched to the bone. The room was dim, only lit by the bruised grey daylight leaking through the window, and for a second, the world just... stopped spinning so fast.

You didn’t even think about it. Your hand found his face like it belonged there — like you were tracing something ancient and sacred, a statue carved by the gods, Apollo himself if Apollo wore wet hair and a breathless grin. Your thumb brushed his cheekbone, and you caught yourself smiling, then sinking your teeth into your lip to hold it back.

Bangchan swore under his breath, like your touch was enough to short-circuit his whole system. He closed his eyes for half a heartbeat, then caught your hand in his, holding it like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“I missed you…” you admitted, your voice low and honest, like the words had been burning a hole in your lungs.

Bangchan’s breath hitched. He caught your hand gently, his fingers wrapping around yours like he was scared you might vanish if he didn’t hold on tight enough. His eyes — god, his eyes — they searched your face like you were something holy, like every answer he’d ever wanted was written in the curve of your smile.

He kissed your knuckles, slow and passionate, and that tiny gesture nearly undid you. The way he was looking at you sent a shiver down your spine. Tears pricked behind your eyes, not from sadness, but from the insane, overwhelming relief of finally feeling. Like your chest had cracked open and light was pouring in, fierce and free.

And damn, it felt so, so good to finally breathe again.

The best part, freedom didn’t need an invitation — it just showed up, slipped right between you two like it belonged there all along.

And then, his lips found yours. No hesitation, no second-guessing, just there — warm and certain and carrying every shred of doubt far, far away. If those questions still existed, you sure as hell weren’t looking for them.

Bangchan kissed you like he knew. Like he knew exactly how long you’d been waiting for this, and he wasn’t about to ruin it with panic or rush. He was careful, but not shy — calculated without making it feel forced, a perfect balance of hunger and restraint that made your heart stutter in your chest.

This wasn’t reckless. No, this was something else entirely. This felt like he was handling something precious, like you were made of glass and he wasn’t sure if you’d shatter or melt in his hands. Maybe a bit of both.

Your arms looped around his neck, a familiar move, but now it felt charged. You’d always been secretly obsessed with how he towered over you, how his presence alone seemed to wrap around you like a second skin. Like gravity had picked favorites and he was yours.

Without even breaking the kiss, you found the hem of his drenched T-shirt, fingers brushing over cool skin as you tugged it upward. He caught the hint, helping you pull it over his head in one smooth motion before tossing it somewhere behind him like it didn’t matter — because it didn’t.

The jacket he’d draped over your shoulders slipped to the floor with a quiet thud. Your lips were still tangled in his, tasting rain and fire and something dangerously close to forever. Every brush of your mouth against his felt like a spark in a storm, friction building and building until you were certain you’d catch flame.

You didn’t know how long you’d been kissing him, and honestly? You didn’t care. All you knew was this moment — soaked skin, racing pulse, and the wild, breathless certainty that whatever this was between you, it was finally, finally real.

Before he even thought about sitting down, Bangchan stripped off every soaked, useless layer like it personally offended him. His shirt hit the floor with a wet splat, followed by the rest, and then he dropped onto the edge of the bed like he owned the damn place — which, technically, he did, but still.

You stood between his knees, and for a second, it felt like the air got thinner.

Slowly — painfully slowly, because he had to know exactly what he was doing to you — he tugged your skirt lower, knuckles grazing your skin like it was an accident. His fingers made quick work of your boots, then your sweater, all without breaking eye contact. His gaze had this impossible mix: soft but hungry, steady but burning with something you couldn’t quite name. Like you were some kind of inevitable he’d been waiting for without even realizing it.

Without a word, he curled his hand around the back of your thigh and coaxed you onto his lap, like you were gravity and he didn’t stand a chance. You went willingly — of course you did — knees bracketing his hips, your palms finding his shoulders, solid and warm beneath your hands.

He hovered at your mouth, maddeningly close but not quite there. A ghost of a smile played at the corners of his lips, easily teasing you.

His breath skimmed yours, electric and careful, until finally his lips brushed over yours, so light you almost convinced yourself you imagined it. His hands tightened at your waist, fingers sinking into your skin like he needed you closer. Like breathing wasn’t enough anymore.

The room fell into this heady, perfect silence, just the sound of your breathing, uneven and shallow, and the rain tapping against the window like it was keeping rhythm.

Your voice barely rose above a whisper, but it carried all the weight in the world. “Can we just freeze this?” you asked, your eyes tracing every line of his face like you were afraid it might vanish. “Right here, right now. Forever.”

You felt him shiver beneath your fingertips — or maybe it was you. Hard to tell anymore. His answer was the way he kissed you like yes. Like hell yes.

Bangchan let out a low, rough sound, like you’d just stolen the last ounce of self-control he had left. His mouth trailed along your jawline, barely-there kisses that felt like they were searing into your skin.

Normally, he was the one filling the space with words — teasing, coaxing, making you dizzy with how easily he could wreck you. But tonight, you wanted him to feel it. To really feel it. Not just in his head, but in his bones.

You cupped his face between your palms, your thumbs brushing the damp heat of his cheeks. God, he looked at you like you were the whole damn galaxy — like he’d waited light-years for this exact moment. And you traced your fingertip along his parted lips. He didn’t even hesitate; he kissed your fingerprint like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I’m yours,” you breathed, your voice barely louder than the rain tapping at the window — but it hit him like thunder all the same.

He froze, like your words had short-circuited every nerve in his body. His chest rose on a sharp inhale, his eyes drinking you in like you were the only thing keeping him alive. “I’ll always be,” you whispered, like a vow only he was meant to hear. 

His eyes softened, something raw flickering in them, right before you kissed him — full of every unspoken promise, fearless and certain, like you were stitching your heart straight into his mouth.

His hands found your waist, grounding you, as he shifted you effortlessly to the center of the bed. His lips brushed your neck, making you shiver all over again.

“My heart is yours,” he said softly, his lips brushing your skin like he was confessing a secret. “I’m all yours.” His words melted into kisses — first at your lips, then your cheek, and finally at that place beneath your ear that made your breath hitch.

You couldn’t help it. You laughed, breathless and a little reckless. He grinned against your throat, like he liked you like this — alive, teasing him back.

For a heartbeat, you just looked at him. At this man who somehow made the world quiet and loud all at once. Like maybe, just maybe, life could actually be this simple.

“God, you’re so beautiful…” he said, brushing a damp strand of hair away from your face, his fingers cradling your chin. His gaze dipped to your lips, dark with hunger. “Wanna touch you everywhere…”

His hand slid to the curve of your neck, making your eyes flick up in challenge.

“Make you feel so good,” he added, voice rough with intent.

You bit your lip, settled deeper into his lap, and gave him your signature smirk. “Then what are you waiting for?”

He didn’t need an invitation twice.

The kiss deepened, turned heady and hungry, but never rushed. Bangchan’s fingers toyed with the side of your panties, lazy and teasing, like he had all the time in the world to drive you insane. He hooked his finger under the edge, barely grazing your skin — just enough to send a sharp, electric pulse through your entire body.

There was heat, sure. A wildfire between you, no doubt. But underneath it, something steadier, something that felt terrifyingly like eternity. He wasn’t rushing it. He wasn’t just touching you to have you — he was memorizing you. Worshipping, almost.

“I want you,” you breathed in his mouth, voice rough around the edges, like it had been sanded down to the truth.

He didn’t waste a second. Quick, practiced, a little frantic but still smiling that lazy half-smile of his as he reached for protection, slipping it on in record time, like every second apart was unbearable.

You shifted your knees, adjusting for him — for both of you — and his eyes darkened like you’d just flipped a switch. He tugged the last stubborn scrap of fabric away, his hands lingering like he couldn’t quite let it go.

Without thinking, without hesitating, you sank down onto him, the movement natural, inevitable, like your bodies already knew this rhythm by heart. A gasp escaped you both, caught somewhere between surprise and relief.

Your hands clutched at his shoulders, not for balance, but because you needed to hold on to something real — and he was the only thing that felt like solid ground.

Bangchan buried his face in the crook of your neck, lips warm and wet against your skin, like he couldn’t get close enough. Like he wanted to taste every inch of you, commit you to memory, down to the last shiver.

You moved against him slowly at first, like you wanted to feel every single second of it — to let it burn through your nerves until it became too much to hold back. His grip on your waist tightened, pulling you closer, anchoring you to him as if he couldn’t stand even a breath of distance.

Every shift of your hips dragged a sound from him, rough and raw, like he was barely holding on. His head fell back for a moment, jaw clenched tight, but then his gaze was back on you — dark, devouring, full of need that felt like it could swallow you whole.

You tried to swallow the sounds tearing out of you, sinking your teeth into your lip, into his shoulder, into whatever you could reach — but it was useless. Every slow thrust made you unravel a little more, made you feel like you were coming apart right around him. He filled you so deep, so perfectly, it felt obscene, like your body was made just to take him.

And he knew it too — the way he moved inside you was relentless, unhurried but devastating, like he wanted to make sure you felt every inch of him, every inch of what he was doing to you.

And he wasn’t any steadier.

He fought to hold himself together, but the moans kept breaking free, rough and desperate. He was lost in the delirium of being buried deep inside you, of feeling you stretch and clench around him like you were made to take him. The way you took him, so eager and tight, had his control fraying fast.

He was pulsing with need, every second of restraint twisting into something almost unbearable — too good, too much, almost painful in its pleasure.

His hand slid up to your hair, fingers threading through before he tugged it aside to expose your neck. His mouth found your skin without hesitation — warm, open kisses trailing along your pulse, his tongue tasting the sweat-slick heat of you. 

He worked his way down your neck, lips brushing teasingly over every inch of your sensitive skin. At your chest, he paused, let his tongue explore the soft skin there, coaxing a sharp gasp from you as your body reacted without thinking. He wanted to ruin you with his mouth, to taste every inch until you were dripping for him, until the only thing you could think about was how good he felt owning you like this.

You found your rhythm together, perfectly in sync, like you’d been built for this. Built for him. Each roll of your hips sent a fresh wave of need spiraling through your veins, building, tightening, pulling you both closer to the edge. His hands held you like he couldn’t bear to let go, his touch rough but reverent, worshipping every inch of you.

The room felt molten, the air thick with heat and desire. Moans tangled between you, breathless and desperate, until all you could hear was the storm outside and the sound of your bodies moving together.

"Can’t get enough of you—fuck—" Bangchan’s voice tore out of him, rough and wrecked, words slipping into broken sounds as his hips snapped into yours, chasing the high with a desperation that felt like it might kill him.

Sweat and rainwater dripped down his skin, slick between your bodies, his hair clinging damp to his forehead. He looked like sin, like every fantasy you’d ever had but filthier, messier, better.

You crashed your mouth to his, swallowing the ragged moan that escaped him, tasting the heat of it on his tongue.

“Please,” you begged, breath trembling as your lips brushed his. “God, please, just—”

"You feel—fuck," he choked, breath catching hard as you rolled your hips, grinding right where he needed you. His eyes fluttered shut, helpless to the way you squeezed around him.

"Say it," you demanded, your voice all heat and sin, lips brushing his ear like a spark to gasoline.

He groaned, wrecked. "So good, so fucking good, baby, you drive me insane."

Your lips parted on a shaky exhale, your entire body tightening around him. The knot low in your belly twisted, pulling you closer to that breaking point with every relentless thrust. The storm outside thrashed against the windows, but it was nothing compared to the storm inside you.

Your forehead pressed against his, breaths tangling, sweat-slicked skin sliding together as you moved in sync. His gaze burned into you, wild and wrecked, like he couldn’t get enough.

"That's it," he rasped, rough and hungry. His thumb worked your clit in tight, relentless circles, dragging you closer to the edge. "Cum for me, baby. Be my good girl and soak my cock. Let me feel you lose it all over me."

“Fuck, you were made for me,” he rasped, voice thick and raw, every word dripping hunger. His hips snapped into you, fast and relentless, hitting so deep it made your mind spin, had you gasping his name over and over like it was the only thing you knew how to say.

You felt impossibly full, stretched around him to the point of unbearable pleasure, and you craved it — you wanted more, wanted him to take you apart until you were nothing but his.

Bangchan’s hand slid up to your throat, not choking, just holding you there, steady and close, like he couldn’t stand even an inch of space between you. His other hand gripped your waist tight, dragging you harder onto his cock, like he was chasing something dangerous and beautiful all at once — like he needed to claim every part of you.

“Take every inch of me,” he growled against your skin, his lips hot at your neck as his teeth sank in, just sharp enough to make you shiver. “Fuck—yes, just like that, my perfect fucking girl.”

Your body clamped down on him, another violent wave of pleasure wracking through you as you moved together, desperate and wild. His breath stuttered, sharp and wrecked, his hips jolting hard when you clenched around him again, milking him, pulling a raw, broken moan from deep in his throat.

“Fuck, angel,—” His voice cracked, strangled on a gasp, and then he lost it completely. His hips slammed up into you, rough and frantic, burying himself deep as he spilled inside you with a helpless, guttural sound, like he was unraveling from the inside out.

The second you felt him pulse, you shattered, pleasure crashing through you in devastating waves. Your whole body jerked, trembling in his hold, your mouth falling open on a cry of his name that sounded like both worship and ruin. He groaned through his release, grinding up into you as he emptied himself fully, like he couldn’t stop, like he never wanted to stop.

Even when the aftershocks tore through you both, he kept you tight against him, breathing hard, lips brushing your skin in shaky, reverent kisses. He kissed you like he was trying to swallow your moans, like he was desperate to keep every last sound of you for himself.

Your breath was wrecked, your chest heaving against his as you clung to him, still pulsing around him like you never wanted to let him go.

“Such a perfect little thing for me,” he rasped, dark and tender all at once, “my pretty girl.”

And in his eyes, you swore you saw it — the words he didn’t say yet, thick and heavy and dangerous on the tip of his tongue.

After basically spending the entire weekend barricaded in Bangchan’s apartment — more specifically, in his bed — where you’d thoroughly explored every possible way to kill the mutual longing, you figured it was time to rejoin society. Preferably not looking like you’d just crawled out of a two-day sex coma, but well, damage done.

The perfect excuse arrived in the form of Changbin and the rest of the soccer guys throwing a victory party after their game. They won, obviously — and Bangchan had not let you forget it for even a second. He’d been strutting around the dorm like some smug MVP, dropping lines like, “You’re literally sleeping with the best basketball player, babe. Iconic behavior.”

You were so gone for him it was almost embarrassing. Almost.

It was Sunday night, and looming over you like an anxious little storm cloud was the fact that this was your last week. Final week. Curtain call was Friday, and you were already spiraling.

The panic over your performance felt like it had its own pulse — quick, sharp, and completely unnecessary, considering Hyunjin and Seungmin had basically held your hand and all but screamed, “You’re going to kill it. Stop overthinking.”

Still. Easier said than done.

Although, to be fair, the crippling anxiety had taken a temporary vacation over the last 48 hours — because Bangchan, bless him, had thoroughly, repeatedly, and almost heroically, fucked it right out of you.

Like a true gentleman.

He kept your hand in his the entire walk, fingers tangled like it was the most natural thing in the world. And you couldn't help but smile at the way he casually included you in every plan for the mid-year break. Like he couldn’t imagine doing any of it without you. You didn't even realize how much you needed that feeling until you had it.

When you got to the frat house, the party was already in full swing—music thumping, laughter spilling out into the yard. The moment you two stepped through the door, a few of the basketball guys waved, greeting Bangchan with their usual teasing banter. And, surprisingly, they were actually kind of polite to you. No eye rolls, no snickers. Just the usual ‘Hey, Bangchan’s girl’ vibes. But that was enough.

You’d chosen a dress that was a little daring—tight, short, and definitely not the kind of thing you’d wear to a casual party. But you didn’t mind it. Especially when Bangchan’s leather jacket was draped over your shoulders. It was a nice change, wearing something of his, and you kind of liked how it made you feel like you had a little piece of him with you.

And, of course, he didn’t complain about it. In fact, he was practically glowing, the way he looked at you, like he couldn’t wait to show you off. You could tell he was enjoying the attention, and somehow, that made you want to pull him in closer, just to remind him that yeah, you were his too.

The party was already in full swing when you and Bangchan walked in, fingers laced. When he squeezed your hand like a silent promise, you didn’t think twice about holding tighter.

The music was loud, people were already half-drunk on cheap beer and good vibes, but it was the way your friends froze mid-conversation that really caught your attention.

Changbin’s eyes went wide first, like he’d just seen his parents kissing. “Hold on. Hold on,” he said, pointing between you and Bangchan like he was trying to solve a crime scene. “My two pretty best friends are... doing this now?” He made a vague swirling motion with his finger that you hoped was meant to represent holding hands and not something filthier.

Hyunjin didn’t miss a beat. He scoffed and threw his arm over your shoulder, grinning like the devil himself. “Back off,” he shot back. “She’s my best friend.”

You raised a brow, looking between the two of them. “Okay, can we not make this weird?” you deadpanned, shrugging Hyunjin’s arm off with a smirk. 

Your friends were loving every second. You could see it on their faces — the shared glances, the knowing smirks, like they’d been waiting for this moment longer than you had.

"Honestly," Jisung chimed in from the couch, raising his drink dramatically, "about damn time."

Seungmin just gave you a slow, nodding approval, the corners of his lips barely twitching into a smile. “We had a pool going,” he said, as if that explained everything.

You shot him a playful, but suspicious look. "A pool? Seriously?"

"You're a very predictable couple," Seungmin replied with zero shame.

Bangchan chuckled under his breath, his smile tugging at the corners of his mouth in that way that made your knees go a little traitorous. "Told you they’d figure it out."

You nudged him with your shoulder, smiling but with a touch of sass. “I was kind of hoping for more mystery. You know, make them work for it.”

"Yeah, well," he said, leaning closer so only you could hear, his voice low and warm in your ear, "I’m not that good at pretending I don’t want you."

And just like that, you were the one who had to fight back the stupid, giddy grin threatening to take over your face.

The night rolled on with teasing jokes and too many toasts in the team’s honor, but somewhere between the crowded kitchen and the messy dance floor, you caught Bangchan watching you — like you were the only person in the room worth looking at.

And you looked at him the same way.

You were still breathless from Bangchan’s kiss, your smile stretching so wide it almost hurt. You two were dancing and kissing almost the whole night. When you felt someone step into your line of sight.

You turned, and there she was — Eunji.

Her gaze flicked between you and Bangchan, catching the way he still had his arm slung lazily around your waist like he belonged there (because he did). For a split second, something unreadable passed over her face, but then she forced a smile.

“Hey.” Eunji’s voice was quieter than usual, almost hesitant, as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Congrats on the game. You played really well.”

Bangchan blinked, caught off guard by how soft her tone was. “Uh… thanks,” he said, a little wary.

She shifted her weight, eyes flicking to you for a beat before landing back on him. “Do you think we could talk for a second?” she asked, nodding toward the hallway. “Just us?” Her gaze lingered on you, like she was asking permission. Or daring you to say no.

You shot Bangchan a quick glance. He met your eyes with quiet understanding and gave you a little nod, squeezing your hand before letting go.

Curiosity pulled you to follow her.

In the quieter corner of the frat, Eunji took a breath like she was gearing up for something heavy. 

“Look, I probably don’t have the right to even ask you to listen,” she began, voice tight. “But I need to say this.”

You didn’t move. Arms crossed, not hostile — just careful. “Okay. Say it.”

She nodded, like that tiny bit of permission gave her permission to fall apart.

"I was jealous," she admitted, the words tumbling out too fast, like they’d been bottled up for too long. "It’s stupid, I know. But it felt like you had everything — both of the hot guys," she gave a bitter, awkward laugh, "while I had no one. And it got in my head. Made me ugly inside. I hated how small I felt next to you."

Her honesty was disarming. You hadn’t expected her to just lay it out like that.

"I guess I thought," she went on, voice wobbling, "if I could tear you down, maybe I’d feel less... invisible. But it didn’t work. It only made me feel worse. And I am sorry. I’m sorry for how I treated you."

You searched her expression, looking for cracks, for any sign of performance — but what you saw was genuine. Flawed, but real.

You studied her face. No defenses. Just raw regret and maybe a little shame. For the first time, she looked like someone trying to unlearn the worst parts of herself.

You tilted your head. “Is this because of Sohee?”

Her head jerked up. “No,” she said quickly, eyes wide. “This isn’t damage control. This is me... finally being honest.”

Silence stretched between you, heavy but not uncomfortable. Finally, you let out a breath.

"I can’t speak for everyone," you said honestly, thinking of your friends who had long since cut ties with her. "But for me... I need more time. You hurt me, Eunji. Really hurt me. And that’s not something I can forget overnight."

Eunji’s eyes shimmered, but she didn’t argue. She nodded slowly, lips pressed together like she was holding back a hundred other apologies. “That’s fair,” she whispered. “And... I’m happy for you. And Bangchan. You look really happy.”

You didn’t say thank you. But you didn’t walk away, either.

And maybe that was enough — for now.

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away, her figure disappearing back into the noise of the party. You stayed there for a beat, letting the moment settle in your chest, then spun on your heel and made a beeline for Bangchan.

He caught sight of you immediately, his whole face lighting up like you were the only thing that mattered in the room. "Hey," he said, pulling you back into his arms like you were gravity itself. "Everything okay?"

You slipped your arms around his neck, your heart finally settling. "Yeah."

His grin went lazy and warm, and he kissed you again, slow and certain, like you were home.

You were pretty sure your organs were about to revolt — heart somewhere in your throat, stomach twisted in knots, lungs forgetting how to breathe. Your hands trembled as you peeked through the velvet curtain, catching a glimpse of the packed house. First row, all family. Behind them, a blur of students, teachers, and more faces than you wanted to count.

Seungmin was adding the final touches to his makeup with clinical calm, while Hyunjin stretched dramatically in the corner like he was about to run a marathon instead of hitting the stage.

You were ready — or as ready as someone could be when standing on the edge of a dream. The makeup they had given you was soft, radiant. Perfect for Seulgi — the wild, bright, untamable girl you’d spent months breathing life into. A character made of longing and light, all wild heart and messy hope. You’d love her instantly.

And tonight, you were going to give her everything.

Then, right on cue, you felt him — warm arms sliding around your waist, steady and grounding, a kiss pressed to the top of your head like a silent anchor in the storm.

You leaned into him without thinking, soaking in the calm he carried like it was oxygen.

“Holy shit,” he murmured, pulling back just enough to look at you, his grin wide and full of awe. “My girl’s a star.”

And for a moment, everything stilled — nerves, noise, the chaos behind the curtain — like the whole world was holding its breath just for you.

You felt your face flush, your cheeks burning in that dizzying, weightless way that only came when someone made you feel so properly, soul-deep loved that it scrambled your entire system.

“I’m so nervous, I think I might faint,” you whispered, pressing a trembling hand to your stomach. The silky fabric of your dress did nothing to calm the storm underneath.

You peeked through the curtain again, heart stuttering at the packed audience. It looked endless. A sea of eyes. A million possible failures.

Bangchan gently cupped your chin, coaxing your gaze away from the chaos and back to him — steady, warm, certain.

“Hey,” he said, voice low and fierce in that quiet way of his. “You’re gonna walk out there and blow their minds. There’s not a single universe where this doesn’t go amazing — because it’s you. And you’re the best.”

It was stupid, how quickly your throat tightened. How fast your chest got all shaky, like his words had knocked the air clean out of your lungs. You blinked hard, refusing to let the tears fall and mess up the makeup Nahee had so carefully painted on you.

“Stop,” you whispered, biting back a wobbly smile. “You’re gonna make me cry and then everyone’s gonna think my character dies in act one.”

He laughed, quiet and warm, and you took a shaky breath. Because suddenly, you wanted to say something that had been burning at the edges of your mind for days.

You wanted to leap, to risk it all.

“Bangchan, I—”

“Guys! It’s time!” Miss Baek’s voice cut through the moment like a bell, bright and urgent as she clapped her hands, motioning everyone to gather backstage.

You stepped back, breath caught, the confession stuck in your throat. But you weren’t ready to let go of him just yet, so instead of finishing your sentence, you reached for his hand and pulled him into the small circle forming around the cast and crew.

Miss Baek stood in the center, her eyes gleaming with pride. “All right, everyone,” she said, voice a little breathless with excitement. “This is it. You’ve worked hard for this show. Now go out there and own it. I trust you — every single one of you. So... break a leg.”

You felt Bangchan’s thumb brush over your knuckles again, grounding you.

And even with your nerves still coiled tight in your chest, a flicker of something brighter pushed through — like maybe you could do this. Maybe you were ready.

Especially with him right there, holding your hand like he never planned to let go.

The curtain rose slowly and steady, gliding open with a faint hum that made your pulse spike. Lights warmed the stage with a golden hue, soft and rich, like the first rays of sun spilling through a window on a quiet morning. The theater was silent — not the heavy, awkward kind of quiet, but the kind that buzzed with anticipation. Like everyone was holding their breath at the same time.

And then Seungmin stepped into the light.

Dressed in his costume — something timeless and simple — he looked completely at ease, the softest confidence in his posture as he took his place center stage. No theatrics. No build-up. Just him. And then he opened his mouth to sing.

It was like the world paused.

His voice slipped into the room like silk — clear, effortless, pure in that heart-wrenching kind of way that doesn’t just touch you, but clutches at something deep inside your chest. Notes floated from his mouth like a secret he trusted the whole room to keep. 

Someone in the third row audibly gasped. Someone else sniffled. And no one even cared about hiding it.

You could feel it ripple across the room — the moment where everyone realized this wasn’t just a student play. This was something real. Something alive.

And a huge part of that was Bangchan. He made a real effort to help.

You could see him in the sound booth, lit only by the glow of his equipment. His headset was on, hands gliding over the controls like he was conducting his own invisible symphony. Every rise and fall in Seungmin’s voice was perfectly balanced, wrapped in a sound that felt warm and cinematic.

The reverb was subtle, giving Seungmin's voice the echo of a cathedral without drowning him in it. The background instrumental, faded in at just the right moment, swelled like a heartbeat — quiet and steady — then soared.

The lighting shifted with the rhythm, delicate hues melting from gold to soft blue, and you knew that was Bangchan too. Timing everything. Perfecting everything. Making the show feel bigger than the stage it stood on.

The audience didn’t move. No one dared. It was like they were afraid that even a single breath might break the spell.

And when Seungmin hit the last note — long and gentle, the kind of note that settled into your bones — the silence lingered for one suspended second before the applause burst like a wave, loud and relentless, crashing against the walls of the theater.

You clapped with everyone else, heart pounding, chest full, eyes shining.

And somewhere backstage, you caught Bangchan glancing up from his booth just long enough to shoot you a grin.

As if to say, Yeah. We did that.

It was Act Three.

Your act.

The final, sweeping moment you’d been rehearsing in front of mirrors, empty classes, and late-night voice notes. And now, standing just behind the curtain with the theater buzzing like a live wire around you, it hits you all at once — the weight of it. The lights dimmed, the overture swelled, and your pulse was racing so hard it felt like it might echo through your mic.

You smoothed your dress with slightly trembling hands, eyes darting through the curtain gap to catch a glimpse of the full house. Your chest rose with a shaky inhale. 

“Hey—hey, wait,” a voice said, breathless.

You turned, confused — and there he was.

Wild-eyed, flushed, a little out of breath like he’d just run across the building — and completely not where he was supposed to be. “What are you—? You need to go,” you whispered, eyes wide. “You’re supposed to be in the booth! I’m literally about to go on—”

He didn’t answer. He just grabbed your face and kissed you.

No warning. No hesitation. Just lips on yours like it was the most natural, necessary thing in the world. And everything else — the voices, the music, the sheer panic clawing at your ribcage — melted into static. It was just him. Warm and real and grounding you in a moment that didn’t feel like it could possibly exist in real life.

When he pulled away, he didn’t go far — his forehead pressed to yours, and his hands lingered like he didn’t want to let go just yet.

“Break a leg,” he whispered. Voice low. Serious.

You were about to respond, maybe something witty to cover how stunned you were “Thank—” but then he said it.

“I love you.” He mumbled.

Just like that. No build-up, no performance. Just soft and real and tossed at your feet like a match he was willing to watch burn.

Your breath caught.

You looked up at him, eyes gleaming, lips parted — something in your chest cracked wide open, but the words stayed stuck behind your teeth. Not because you didn’t feel the same. God, you did love him back. But the moment had too much weight, too much emotion, and not enough time.

Someone offstage hissed a frantic “Places!” but neither of you moved.

Instead, you smiled. A little too wide. A little breathless. Tears covering your eyes.

And he got it. He didn’t ask for anything else. 

His entwined fingers slid unhurriedly, inch by inch, until the last touch. Then he backed away like it hurt to leave and vanished into the shadows like he’d never been there at all. 

You wanted to cry — not from sadness, but from the overwhelming weight of it all. Being loved like this, so completely, felt like being wrapped in sunlight after a lifetime of gray. It was terrifying and beautiful and everything in between.

You never expected to fall for Bangchan. Not like this. Not so fully.

But somewhere between the late-night conversations, the lingering looks, and the quiet ways he held space for you, your heart cracked open — and he simply walked in.

And that was it. You were his. And he was already yours.

And then the curtain rose. The light hit your face. And you stepped into it like you were made for it.

And as the first line left your lips, steady and clear, you weren't just playing a part anymore.

You were living it — heart full, eyes bright, and finally, finally, not acting at all.

♡ taglist ― @kenia4 @chrizrizz @meerabmalik @gnabnahcsworld @gncbnahc @jinniejjam @skzworldx @itsacatastrophe-xo @soonie1010 @4ng3l-ch1ld @justwonder113 @tsunderelino @eastjonowhere @lyracarvahall @akindaflora @victoriaaf @ebnabi @wickedbutlovely @bitchysunflower11 @ravengxbss @letrascafeymar @letrascafeymar @twentytwofour @pacha02 @skzaddictsincedebut @strayk1ds143 @micr0c0soms @vixy-vix

[shanastoryteller]

this is NOT a request for u to hurry finishing up the new chapter for siat (bc people who do that are ungrateful brats) but a genuine question. Do you feel even less drawn to it right now (spn brain aside) because of what JKR has done to English politics and the lives of trans women? Because I think it would be completely understandable if you felt this was ur final straw to not finish it but I would also get the opposite of it being ‘now there’s even more reason to finish it’ I think both viewpoints are valid and have their reasonings and this is really truly not in any way meant to be a “why isn’t there a new chapter yet!!:(((“ ask I’m just curious what HP fanfic writers (especially someone as well known as you) make of this as I keep seeing posts going around of the “if u still read/write HP fanfic you’re a terf too” variety and I just…disagree with that but also see where they come from (aka helping the fandom stay relevant. But even if we all quit reading and writing fanfic, HP would still be popular and imo the dent fanfic makes isn’t that big in the fandom bc locals still love HP and most people who now read fanfic hate JKR and wouldn’t actually read her books/buy merch)

Regardless of what you decide, know your Audience is behind you,100%. Hell, you dragged most of us (me included) back into Supernatural. I’m excited for the new chapter of tgp!! 💖💖

Thank you for all your words, whatever fandom they may come in (I.e I found you years ago because of your teen wolf fic specifically embers embers but stayed through so many fandoms and even read some I know nothing about) you are a beacon of light in this world and I treasure each of your works truly and with all my heart

thank you, this is a really sweet and nice way of asking, i'm so glad you enjoy my writing <3

but honestly: nah lol

jkr is shit and so are all of her opinions. the influence she has on government sucks and i personally think it's best to avoid giving her money, but i'm not pocketwatching other people

siat, which is a very popular hp fic, is 8 years old and has 2.8 million hits

in 2023 alone, 9.6 million people visited universal studios hollywood, the home of the wizarding world of harry potter

people should engage with media in whatever manner they feel most comfortable and sparks the most joy. but the idea that fanfic is a significant contributor to the cultural zeitgeist is just stupid

siat's on the to do list, i've just been infected with spn brainworms and wbt is also on the list but i feel more compelled to work on that one than siat just because huge chunks of it are already written so it seems a little silly to drag my feet as much as i have, plus at the time it had been a year since i posted the first chapter and i was like. ok come on let's go this is getting ridiculous

it's a goal to get back into a regular update cadence with siat. i'm not tired of it, i don't hate it, i still have an outline and know we're i'm going

it's partially that we're in sort of a tricky part to write, since it's about when a bunch of threads are about to come together and i don't want to fuck it up, and also that demands for updates honest to god really do kill my motivation to work on it. it's not punishment, i'm not trying to be a bitch, but i love the story and want to love sharing it with you, but being treated like a dispenser of fic, or like i owe people something and i'm somehow being selfish or inconsiderate by having fun writing what i want to write, really honestly just kills that. i don't want to write with that in the back of my head

people ask me about siat updates a lot. i don't post anything close to all of them. and if it was just "love the story can't wait to see what happens next!" that wouldn't be a problem, that's nice, i like that people are engaged and interested in what's to come

but a litany of "when will this update?" "is this abandoned?" "what about siat :(" "i don't care about x, why aren't you working on siat?" "you haven't updated siat in a while..." "why haven't you updated siat?" just makes me feel kinda bitter. which isn't a place i want to write from

it will be updated. i probably won't write the next chapter straight through and will alternate with tgp or wbt or whatever, but it's honestly just a mix of brainworms and having a lot of fun with these blorbos and wanting to have be in the right mindset while i write

[themultifanshipper]

And I liked it (pt2)

Warnings: first of all, I apologize for putting charles in this but it was too tempting, he doesn't get to fuck anyone tho, smut, gay, obligatory use of the cuck chair, oral, fingering, face sitting, pretty vanilla (for me) dirty talking a bit and the end made me laugh okay don't hate me

WAG Masterlist

Mere weeks after your... encounter with Alex, you were surprised when you got an instagram dm from her.

You hadn't expected to hear from her again, given the media shit show the two of you had stirred up, but there it was.

An invitation.

An address and a time. You knew it was a hotel, a fancy one at that, and the sun was getting low when you found yourself walking up the steps and into the lobby.

You weren't quite sure what to expect from this. You half assumed maybe Charles had put a hit out on you and this was all an elaborate trap.

But armed with half baked courage and a room number, you took the elevator to the fourth floor and searched for the right room.

You knocked and waited. And for a few seconds you thought of turning around and going back the way you came, but before you could make up your mind the door opened, and there stood Alex.

She smiled and invited you in, and led you to the balcony where two glasses sat on a table, waiting to be filled.

"What can I get you to drink?"

You hesitated, sitting on the edge of one of the chairs.

"I'm okay, thank you."

Although you felt awkward, she put you at ease with the way she flashed you a bright smile before going to fetch whatever it was she was going to drink.

You looked at the view, it was pretty spectacular, the lights of the city illuminated the Monaco coastline.

Alex returned with what looked like wine and poured herself a glass.

The silence stretched on, and on, and you couldn't stand it much longer.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"Why am I here?"

She smiled and set her glass down.

"Straight to the point. Okay..."

She sat up straight in her chair and turned towards you.

"I have a proposition. Well, two propositions"

Your eyebrows quirked and you mirrored her position.

"I think we can both feel there is... something between us. An attraction. That night felt... different, and I would really like to explore it with you, if you'll have me."

You blinked. "But... what about Charles?"

She huffed. "Charles gets fucked by his friends every other weekend, I don't see why I can't also have my fun"

Your jaw dropped at that. That was certainly quite an image.

"Which does bring me to another proposition. I don't know how much you like men, if at all, but Charles was wondering if he could uhh... watch. Even maybe participate if you are into that."

That was a lot of information to swallow in one go, and the blank look on your face seemed to make Alex a bit nervous.

"I'll understand if you don't want that. I told him I would text him to come up depending on your answer."

So Charles was what, downstairs? Waiting to come and watch his girlfriend get fucked?

Wow.

"Okay, sure, he can watch." Your mouth moved before you could stop it, and Alex smiled. "But he isn't participating"

"Whatever you want" She murmured with a shy smile, and typed away on her phone to let Charles know what was happening.

She put her phone down and flashed that perfect smile at you.

"We can start without him if you want..."

Off went your clothes, and she was straddling you on the bed before Charles had even seen the text.

Her lips were on yours and like last time, they were soft and tasted like cherry.

And once again, you hands found her tiny waist but this time you were free to feel the soft skin under your fingers as you pulled her in closer.

She naturally submitted, let you move her as you pleased, and you groaned when her hands found your breasts.

You decided to flip her over.

She landed on her back just as, all too soon, a sharp knock resonated in the room.

"It's open!" You both yelled at the same time, and that made you dissolve into giggles as you ignored Charles in favour of touching the insanely perfect body laying under you.

Charles didn't look entirely happy with the arrangement. He probably assumed he'd get to have a threesome or something, but you pointed to the chair in the corner and told him to sit in it.

"I can't touch my own girlfriend?"

"No. You sit and watch and maybe even learn something."

Alex would have laughed at that comment but the thigh you were pressing against her in that moment was stopping any rational thoughts from forming.

"Can I at least... touch myself?"

"Well I'm not going to do it for you, mate"

"I don't feel like this is fair"

"You agreed to this now be quiet"

Alex's hips were rutting against your thigh while you kissed some more, and your hand moved to cup one of her tits.

She bit her lip to try and stop the whimper from escaping when you pinched her nipple, just to see how she'd react. She went pink in the face with embarrassment.

The noise made you smile and you soothed the sting with your thumb gently.

The moment was ruined by Charles, of course.

"Let your noises out amour, I want to hear you"

You growled into Alex's neck.

"Alex, if he says another word I am leaving"

"Charles shut up" she sighed as your mouth moved lower over her neck, to where her pulse was racing under your lips.

Then lower, to the peaked nipple you were playing with and licked a bold stripe over it.

She shivered, hips stuttering against your thigh where she was still grinding on it.

You could feel her spreading her own wetness on your skin and your mind went blank as you moved your lips to suck on the other nipple.

She moaned, and you pressed your thigh down harder and the friction seemed to be perfect as she let out a quiet "fuck"

"You getting close?" You grinned up at her as she panted a bit and nodded.

"Does my thigh feel good baby? Say it"

"Feels so good" she whined desperately "don't stop"

Her movements got more frantic as she approached her high, and she was unconsciously digging her nails into your back, but the sting just made you more desperate to see her come.

Her little whimpers increased in pitch and you could tell she was right on the edge.

"Come for me baby, that's it. Let go"

Her back arched but her hips didn't stop, she moaned loudly and rode it out, head thrown back and you kissed back up her neck and jaw.

Her hips were twitching with aftershocks when you finally joined lips again and when you moved your thigh, the cool air hitting it made you feel just how wet it was and that made you insane.

"So good for me" you whispered.

She smiled at you lazily.

"I don't think I can move, but you can sit on my face if you want"

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You ever done that before?"

She bit her lip and for the briefest of seconds, you swore she glanced at Charles before replying.

"Yeah..."

You looked at the man and he pointedly avoided your gaze.

"I see... You're good with your mouth then?"

She nodded and tapped your thigh to make you move up her body.

The moment you swung a leg over her face she wrapped her arms around your thighs and pulled you down to sit on her.

You were pleasantly surprised. She really was good with her mouth. Incredible in fact. She knew just how to flex her tongue against your sensitive clit to make it feel so good.

She even slipped a couple of fingers in and made you shudder through two whole orgasms before she let you climb off.

"My god"

"No, just Alex"

She giggled at her own joke and tried to sit up but you pushed her back down roughly.

"Nuh huh, your turn now"

Her playful gaze followed your movenents as you lowered yourself to slot between her legs and put them over your shoulders.

You went straight in, lapping up the remnants of her earlier orgasm and very quickly her thighs tightened around your head.

You'd gadly let her crush you.

When you pushed two fingers in she let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes, focused on the feeling of you stretching her out while sucking greedily on her clit.

Along with a third finger, you hooked them upwards and the sudden stimulation to her g-spot made her cry out and writhe as she grabbed a fistful of your hair to pull you closer.

You could feel her clenching and twitching around your fingers, she was right on the edge again and you couldn't help the grin that crept up on your face as your ears picked up on the unmistakable wet sound of Charles fisting his cock at the same pace you were finger-fucking his girlfriend.

Interesting.

You used your other hand to rub your thumb over Alex's clit to get her right on the edge, ready to fall at your mercy.

You turned your head towards Charles, and looked him dead in eye as you spoke.

"Be good for me and come all over yourself"

Incredibly it worked, Alex came with a high pitched wail and Charles' shocked expression followed by his eyes rolling back as he came made wicked satisfaction curl in your gut.

You had these two wrapped around your fucking fingers.

Literally and figuratively.

[cosmica-galaxy]

https://www.tumblr.com/cosmica-galaxy/780636195823796224/ok-funny-ideathe-cookies-are-roaming-when-they?source=share

So this... I love this...

Anyway-

Ancients trying to tame the human?

My bet is that Pure Vanilla Cookie would somehow be the best at it and would likely be the first one to find out that the human is extremely cuddly and clingy when sleepy.

Thoughts?

-❄💗🖋 (FrostedHeartWriter)

Oh, definitely! (Also YAY, my first named anon!!) Pure Vanilla is not only the kindest Ancient that the human has to deal with, but he also serves as their healer whenever they get tore up in a fight or when their health becomes of any concern. The human respects him the most and is VERY protective of him. Pure Vanilla is one of the few cookies in all of Earthbread that literally has scary dog privilege. Plus, the human does tend to take naps often and will be more than happy to cuddle Pure Vanilla while he heals some of their injuries. Though, they have to be careful not to hurt him in any way or they would never forgive themselves. So, they may cuddle him dearly while they are sleepy, but never while they are sleeping--to avoid any possible accidents. They don't want to hurt him at all. Dark Cacao would be a no-nonsense type of ancient and the human mostly respects him out of worry that he would probably cut them open while they sleep with that sharp sword of his. Plus, he just has an authoritative aura and a steely gaze that they don't wanna antagonize. If he jumps on their head and demands them to go in a certain direction, the human does so without a second of hesitation. He's rougher with the human and sometimes his hair-pulling (a cookie's way of "steering" the human) can become painful. Still, they give the hardass cookie respect and try to stay on his good side. Hollyberry would find "taming" them pretty fun. She's from a rough-and-tumble kingdom, that also has regular invasions from the local Pitaya Dragon, so she is familiar with enemies larger than her. The human mostly goes along with her antics and even tries to "bap" her from time to time to give her shield something to smack. Though, the human is definitely not using their full strength and only submits when she manages to force her way onto the top of their head. But man, don't allow a lot of hollyberrians to congregate on your body, because you may become a trampoline for entertainment or a battle zone for cookies that want to take turns to "drive" you. Golden Cheese is quite a strange cookie in references to the human. She mostly flies up to your head and perches on your cranium to get a better view of the surrounding areas. She is also rather envious that the Cookie Kingdom has a giant to look after the cookies that reside there, something she wished she had during the dark flour war. The human is tolerant of her ramblings and self-pride in her greed, as she even "judges" the human's own "hoard" from time to time. The human has to keep a close eye on all of their jewelry if they have any, because it will eventually go missing if they leave it somewhere for too long while Golden Cheese is around! Now...White Lilly is terrified of the large human companion. To her, humans are the same and are nothing more than cookie-devouring monsters. White Lily avoids or actively tries to discourage her friends from interacting with the human too much because of her worries that it will snap them up like the poor cookies from the banquet. Despite the constant reassurance by Pure Vanilla, White Lilly stands by her views and tries to limit as much contact with the human as possible. The human doesn't understand her dislike of them, but they have other friends to hang out with, so they aren't bothered by it too much. However, they are also judgemental of White Lilly as well. After all, it wasn't a witch that hurt her friends, destroyed golden cheese's kingdom, and is currently trying to plunge the world into darkness. That was all her own fault. So tension exists between White Lilly and the large human.

[coveofsecrets]

the platonic burning spice x child reader fiction WAS SO GOOD. maybe you could do a part 2 pls? you don't have to! 🤍

─── ✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

"𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗"

-> Platonic! Burning Spice Cookie x reader

-> Warnings: Spoilers for Beast Yeast chapter 6, mentions of major character death, mentions of death

-> Word count: 966

-> waaaahahahahhaaa thank youuuuu <<33!! Not gonna lie, this was super challenging to do! Figuring out what Burning Spice would do as a character, and also his dialogue, was super difficult, but really fun! I hope you enjoy, Anon! This fic is a direct part two to this, so to understand this fic, please read the other one!

─── ✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Whispers in cracked corridors.

Rumors within dusty floors.

Stories spun along the breeze.

“Have you heard about the child Lord Destroyer’s been keeping?” Purple tail swaying, brushing against the owner’s fur.

“Yes…” Tongue flickering between fangs. “I have, but nobody’s allowed to see them, not even the general.”

“Well, I’ve seen the thing once, through the crack of their room door.”

“Really? What did they look like?”

“Weak.” A grunt. “Puny. If not protected, they would not survive even a second in this land.”

“Impossible! Why would The Great Destroyer allow a weak thing in his temple? There must be something about that child, if he's keeping it.”

“That’s what I’m thinking, too! Our lord prohibits any sort of interaction with that weakling, keeping them barred in there like a princess, so why does he have something like that?”

“Hmph. I’m not sure. Possibly untapped potential?”

“Plausible, but Lord Destroyer is not the kind of beast to recruit somebody for that…”

Red paws tapping against the floor, followed by a bark, “Are you two questioning Our Lord’s choices?”

The two squeak, “G- General-!” 

“You both,” The Nutmeg Tiger growls, “I will not hear another word from either of you. The Great Destroyer’s thinking is something both of you cannot possibly comprehend, and for you to even try and grasp it is almost laughable. This could very well go for treason!”

“General, we weren’t meaning to go for treason-”

“Do not speak when you are spoken to, weakling!”

Purple mouth snaps shut, red eyes narrowing in almost defiance.

The tiger centaur pays no mind to it, instead choosing to continue. “Whatever Our Lord is doing, surely has reason behind it. I will not stand for you two questioning his divine plans. Is that clear?”

“Yes....” This time, the Cilantro Cobra speaks. “Our… apologies, general. We won’t do this next time…”

“Hmph.” A huff, “I hope you don’t. The Great Destroyer’s ideas are much greater than you lowlives.”

Burning Spice has no idea what he’s doing.

He should’ve killed you.

He should’ve crumbled your existence.

He should’ve laid waste to your form like he did before, once again leaving behind what he loved.

Yet, with his paranshu raised above his head, your eyes fearfully staring at the bright thing…

“Baba, baba!” 

He remembers those same eyes looking up at him, as if he had hung up the stars themselves; your sweet voice calling for him as your bare feet violently pad over to reach their father.

God.

He couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t do it.

Burning Spice couldn’t kill his child.

No matter how much he wanted to, his body could not follow his command.

So what does he do now?

Burning Spice cannot kill you, so perhaps he could kick you out of here?

No, the spice storms will tear you apart.

If he lets you wander, his troops will reave your being.

Why does he care so much?!

His head has this horrible ache from all this thinking, so to make the confusing part of his brain happy, and to make this pain disappear, he sends you away.

To be more specific, he locks you in a room to which only a few cooks can come in to place food far away from you. Now, some part of him will be content, and also, he can stop looking at your pathetic self.

It takes months before he’s able to face you again.

Months before the Beast has to stop facing the present, and turn back to the past.

“Child.” Water hitting the sandy floors, he speaks. “Are you bored?”

…huh?

Sitting in front of this unfamiliar man, to the question, you pause.

Months of being held captive, with nobody except your own thoughts to keep you company, and when your captor speaks to you, it’s… this?

“Excuse?” You cannot help but ask for clarification, wondering if somehow you misheard.

To your question, though, the Beast’s eyes twitch. “I asked-” The sand starting to dry out- “if you are bored, child.”

Bored?

You heard right, which… only confuses you further.

“I am… confused on what you mean?”

“Do you need entertainment?” The desert is no longer blessed by the gentle touch of the rain, but it is not angry. “I presume that sitting in a room with nothing but your thoughts to occupy yourself is boring.”

Why is he asking that?

If you need entertainment?

What’s his goal?

You decide to echo your thoughts: “Why… are you asking that-?”

Only to be met with a scowl, lips pulling back to reveal sharp teeth, the yellow things glinting off of the little light in the room. His eyes are narrowed, lashes blanketing red irises, barely concealing his fury. Soon, though, as if he saw something in your face, the creature forces his expression to flatten, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “I would prefer-” he growls after a few seconds. “To not answer that question. All you need to know is if you’re bored. Is that clear?”

…huh… best not to press.

“Good. Now, answer my question: are you bored or not?”

“I… guess so, yes.”

Being stuck in a room for months on end, with nothing to do is not… fun, at all.

“Then what entertainment do you wish for?”

Entertainment?

You blink.

What entertainment is there? Actually, why is he asking if I must be entertained? Mm… I feel like I shouldn’t ask that.

“Conversation with you?” You eventually request, “I’d like to ask a few questions as to where I am.”

The beast’s nostrils flare, a corner of his lips twitching, but he acquiesces. “Alright. But if there is anything I do not wish to divulge, I shall not. Is that fair?”

Huh.

How easy.

Once again, you nod.

He's not being violent in me towards any way, and he hasn't made me do anything... if so, then why's he keeping me here against my will?

What does he want from you?

[pinkaditty]

Love Type (Tokyo Debunker Ghouls)

hey me again i said id be back quickly and i did mean that.

this will have been queued for an hour at least by the time u see it. rn as i type this im debating using the taglist. i think ill use it. sorry 4 so many tags in a day, i bet ur sick of me

anyways! i had this idea while i was writing the perv!sho x reader thing. i thought about the differences between the ghouls and how they all love differently. at first i wasn't gonna post this, but then my brain wouldn't stop thinking about it so now this exists. its not meant 2 be a useful organization tool 4 the ghouls it's just something i had a little bit of fun with.

note that not every single ghoul is going 2 match the category he was put in exactly. for example, ghouls like luca, yuri, romeo, and even haru could probably fit in more than one of these categories, but i put them in the ones i thought suited them best. wanna discuss? leave a comment or an ask! ill be happy 2 talk it through with u <3.

yes i DID put in hcs about how long they last sexually. no i do NOT regret it. im speaking my TRUTH!!!

The Lover Boys:

Haku, Haru, Sho, Luca, Zenji, Rui

do not last long but recover fast and can go multiple rounds 

prefer switching up their roles (dom→sub, sub→dom) more often 

they love like it's an incurable chronic terminal disease. it's never leaving them.

all-consuming, takes up most their time, they're drowning and falling and losing their minds 4 u

You like to tell yourself you're prepared, but is that ever really true? No, not really. The way his voice drops several octaves into a low purr just from seeing you should've been warning enough as to what you were in for. You didn't expect the all-consuming, suffocating love he'd trapped you in, but were you really complaining? As far as you were concerned, you were also convinced it was meant to be, and if he was a little crazy about it, that was a small price to pay. Of course, you eventually learn why he's crazy about it - he's never had it. The truest feeling of connection, the ability to just let it all go in one person's presence, the time to really feel another person. It's eluded him for so long, and now he has it, but it's threatened by a curse, something he cannot control. It's frightening, and though he tried not to, he ultimately buries you in his love, trying to find a way to make it last. It's okay though. As the threat wanes, so will his suffocation. The love will always be intense, but he will learn how to do it right. 

The Lost Boys:

Towa, Taiga, Jiro, Ed

they last so unbelievably long u don't know how they do it

love in more subtle ways bc 2 them, true love is quiet 

they will do loud and bold professions of it, but the real love is displayed quietly 

prefer 2 stick 2 one role (either dom or sub), not super flexible 

The occasional huge flower bouquet, expensive jewelry set, or new bag were thoughtful, but mostly just for show. He reveled in the attention, the jealous stares, the sucking of teeth, the eye rolls - all of it. Because he had you, not them. But that, of course, isn't all there is to it. While he may be relatively distant in public despite the extravagant gifts, he's rather sweet and attentive in private. He hides it better than a LoverBoy, but in truth, his heart bleeds just like theirs, and he feels the need to consistently strive to win your affections. You're amongst great people, after all. How can he make sure he stands out, all the time, just for you? You understand this, of course, and you're always quick to reassure him. He will give and give and give and give, in so many ways. You almost think he's bottomless, what with how much of himself he offers up, nearly all the time. But it's alright. He will learn to remind himself that he need not give himself away to bits simply to keep your attention, especially when he's already the apple of your eye. The gifts never stop though, and neither does his obvious enjoyment in the attention it gets you. He will never stop showing you off.

The Tragic Boys:

Leo, Subaru, Ren, Kaito, Yuri

love fluctuates. intense then quiet, hot then cold, all-consuming then insignificant 

very transparent ghouls with few layers. what u see is what u get.

often don't last long and take longer to recover 

a little more flexible with role changing, but do have solid preferences 

You are never, ever prepared. He's like a pendulum, swaying back and forth between endless, bountiful devotion and a cold shoulder the following day. He's not sure how to handle this love he has for you. It's unfamiliar, it's big, it's loud, it's petrifying. He's scared he'll do something wrong, and on those days when the fear eats him alive, he closes up, rejecting your presence. But then, he sees how down you are, and knows that wasn't right, so the following day he's at your beck and call. He'll do whatever you ask, just say the word and it's done, for you. His fatal flaw is that he never communicates his deep-seated fears, instead choosing to let them rumble in his gut and disrupt your relationship as a consequence. He wants you, though, and he never wants you to doubt that. He'll communicate eventually, the words spilling out before he can think much of them, apologies and desperate sobs with them. He won't shut down anymore after this, choosing to remain like an open book for you to read at any time. He will learn to hold you the right way, without clamming up nervously when you tell him he's perfect. 

The Silent Boys: 

Tohma, Romeo, Ritsu, Lyca, Alan, Jin

their love is consistent 

never changes, always with immense depth, but never readily apparent 

love is like a pretty serene waterfall with unseen strong currents capable of killing someone 

like to switch it up every now and again (mayyybe dom→sub, sub→dom yk)

last moderately. some might finish fast, some might take a while.

His attitude and demeanor towards you hardly change. He loves you, and he's serious about it, but that won't mean special treatment, extra gifts, or public displays of love. He will love you exactly as he always has, and sees nothing wrong with it. His love is in how he looks out for you, how he worries for you despite himself, how he may allow himself a small smile when you approach, or a sigh heavy laden with devotion, after you wrap your arms around him, and before he pushes you off of him. It's okay because you know how his heart beats erratically in his chest when you approach, which he's strangely good at hiding. You know how his breath hitches in his throat every time he sees you, his eyes glazing over like you're a vision to be committed to memory. You know how he treasures you, his love hidden under his vast sea of responsibilities. Peel the layers back and you'll see he's yours in all ways that matter, but he also knows he can't let that get in the way of his daily life. Once he has the time, and is no longer bearing the weight of prying eyes and overwhelming expectations, he'll build his life around you, to make sure you feel centered in his life, as he does in yours.

well if nobody really likes these at least i had fun. amen!

no blurb 2 put here except that i have a ren fic incoming soon bc my regular [🐟] anon went crazy in my inbox about that boy and his damn collarbones.

y'all have a wonderful day im so tired.

taglist: @cupcakesmoothie @aayakashii @sunskosh @despairingy-obsessed @glamorousspoon @mmy-meow @dailyvahine @diluxama @obscuarysghoulnextdoor @disassociationdive

want 2 join or be removed from the tkdb taglist? let me know!

[randomthefox]

PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CUTSCENE IN THE ENTIRE GAME IF YOU'RE A LORE HEAD LIKE ME. I'm geeking out about it so hard I don't even care that the dialog is written sort of awkwardly in english.

SO THIS IS EVA LADIES AND GENTS! Dante and Vergil's mom, shown in person for the first time ever! Of course we know Trish is basically a physical clone of Eva, and Dante has had a picture of her on his desk since the very beginning since he's a little mommas boy. But this is the first and only time we've ever seen her in the flesh.

I want to clear up the possible misconception some people may have: Sparda did not wake up to justice and start defending humanity BECAUSE he fell in love with Eva. Sparda started his war against the Underworld in the name of protecting humanity "two millennia" ago. He sealed away the demon world using Force Edge and the blood Lady's ancestor thousands of years before Eva was even born. Let alone all the feudal lording he did in Fortuna. His life as a father and mother with Eva was a blink of an eye relative to the rest of his existence as the Legendary Dark Knight. I just want to emphasize this because I think it's important to properly understand what Eva and Sparda's relationship must have been like. Eva did NOT turn Sparda to the light side with the power of love. Eva was born into a world where Sparda was already a known savior of her species for countless generations before she existed.

And after two thousand years in the human world. After two thousand years saving countless billions of humans. After two thousand years of tearing off little pieces of himself to put even more locks on the Underworld to keep them from invading humanity. Sparda met Eva, after two thousand years. And he fell in love with her and sired two children. Eva somehow had a chance encounter with the living Legend who was worshiped by some as a god king who reigned over all of humanity. And he fell in love with her.

No wonder Dante and Vergil loved saying Jackpot so much. That's probably all Eva ever fucking said. "Holy shit, I won the fucking jackpot, I'm married to fucking SPARDA holy shit jackpot jackpot jackpot Eva you won the fucking jackpot!"

We're seeing for the first time, the day that Mundus attacked Sparda's home. And that after hiding Dante away for his own safety, Eva ran off to try and find Vergil only to run into her own death. The video game TASTEFULLY depicts this by just having her scream off screen. (Whereas the Netflix show being a trashy piece of garbage depicts her being impaled and mutilated and shows her dead corpse, because it's a god awful piece of shit). We don't even know if Eva is aware that Vergil is outside the house based on the way she's shouting out for him. But we already know from V that he was playing outside on a playground when the attack happened. She could have saved herself, and you could argue that she died for nothing. But that is the power of humanity. To think nothing of sacrificing yourself in the name of protecting the ones you love.

Even now Dante dreams of the day his family was torn apart. That day left irrevocable scars on the boys, from which they'll probably never recover. After surviving the attack, Dante began living under the assumed identity of Tony Redgrave which is what Eva's dialog is referring to. The DMC1 novelization presents it as Dante having amnesia - but in game it is ambiguous if he didn't remember his life as the son of Sparda or if he simply distanced himself from that identity due to the trauma. I prefer the ambiguity, personally.

Also fun fact: Eva and Sparda are canon in the Bayonetta universe! Eva is stated to have been an Umbran Witch, and Sparda was the demon she made a contract with.

It's just a cute reference and not something to be taken as canon to the DMC universe. Kamiya DID create the characters of Eva and Sparda after all, so he's allowed to repurpose them if he wants to.

[goldenclover-16]

TPOT 17 SPOILERS

Ok so it's finally out and I need to word vomit about it cause this episode was PEAK

First off Pen being sad and watching Blocky's old show for comfort, at least TV is finally doing something. Pen is going through some shit losing both his best friends and seeing it expanded upon is great.

IM SORRY BASKETBALL IS JUST HERE?? SHES OKAY?? I had thought One kidnapped her too but I guess not, but none of the other eliminated contestants mention anything about One. Has Basketball NOT SAID ANYTHING TO THEM!!??!! She was one of the people to resist their the deal and knew something was up. Even is One jumbled her speech or something so nobody could understand wouldn't they at least mention something?? Either way nice to see these guys again, also theories on where the EXIT door leads, I personally agree with it being either the second hotel door or equation playground. No Gatey though so they've more then definitely been kidnapped.

Oh Bottle's hosting this episode? Cool I like her silly vibes god knows CloudYay need it right now they stresses about the elimination. But also it's kinda sad seeing other people keep hosting for Two I really enjoyed them.

Pencil's panic attack was cool to see, last she remembers it was vote to eliminate so frankly it was pretty reasonable. Donut having to calm her down and remind her it's vote to save.

Anyway eliminations and honestly I think this was best case scenario. As much as I like Pillow and YellowFace most of the team was going through more important arcs. The only person I feel could be switched in without too much changing is Winner. Also YellowFace being so panicked and not wanting to go, things were finally going really well for him with Taggy. Hopefully they will be able to keep the warehouse going without him.

This whole scene with Fanny and Tennis Ball was cool, seeing how One is actively attempting to stop word spreading. I've already seen other people decipher the board so I'm not going to put it here (I'm lazy ik and also don't care).

Damn, Two still got depression and looks like shit, they're just bed rotting. I can't personally comment on how accurate the portrayal is but from what I've heard it's pretty accurate. Give them their wife back PLEASE I NEED TO SO THEM HOST AGAIN.

THE FOURSE RETURNS HAHA IT'S SO ANGRY I LOVE HIM

The eating contest was some fun comic relief while everything else was happening, interesting teams to put on it as well. We got Black Hole sucking his up, Taggy selling theirs (nice to see the failed debuters out and about as well as the giant David) and Winner just... absorbing it? Liy being the only one who has to eat normally. Black Hole's little moral dilemma with the bugs was great, seeing him learn to balance the P.A.C.T with finishing challenges, he was trying so hard. Also Winner with the Loser O's, seeing that Loser maybe cared more about him then he thought, Also Loser not being famous anymore? Damn that episode really came back to haunt him.

I don't really have much to say about these guys, it was pretty tame compared with everything else going on. Nice to see Pen trying to branch out and connect with people.

Pencil and Book crash outs HOLY SHIT THIS WENT HARD! Pencil is traumatized from being in the E.X.I.T for years and wants things back to the way they were before with the alliance but has no idea how to convey her emotions properly which leads to her seeming obsessive and selfish. Her actions are sill bad but it's clear it's because she's hurt and traumatized and because of that is left emotionally unstable which leads to her accidently pushing away the people around her. Despite this I find Book pretty reasonable in her reaction if you look at it from her perspective, she had just managed to repair her relationship with Icy by giving her space and has practically forgotten about Freesmart till Pencil joined back. By this point Book has moved on and found new friends in Winner and Taggy but Pencil just comes in and expects Book to immediately want the alliance back. Book needed the same space Icy did for there to be a chance at healing their relationship but Pencil, unlike Book at that time, is highly unstable and unable to regulate her emotions so she suffocated Book which only leads to things getting worse. Pencil desperately needs some therapy.

In the end, Pen's talk with Pencil does give some hope at a redemption arc, it would be messy and painful but possible. Pen understands what it's like to lose all your close friends, and he could have become like Pencil except he still had people to catch him, namely Liy. Pencil had nobody going back into the game. Hopefully Pencil will listen to him and maybe Pen could continue helping Pencil become better.

Going back to some tamer stuff for a bit the haunted house group was interesting to watch. The writers finally gave TV something to do which is great but he's still one I wouldn't mind getting eliminated. The nature vs mechanical theme was interesting and just more showing of the slight negative bias towards mechanical minds from the contestants. Admittedly though Tree had a point for leaving TV to save both himself and Grassy but TV still had a right to be mad. Him controlling the spider mech was cool, Spid-TV lol. The fight scene was cool and just having Tennis Ball and the Fourse crash onto the mech was funny

Now onto the best part of the episode, Donut unironically just became on of my favourite characters now because of this episode. One's room is destroyed and she is clearly unstable, things are falling apart for her and Donut's ass is not helping that. He is suspicious from the start about the contract and is the first I believe to actually ask what's in it which One immediately deflects. As their interaction continues One becomes more and more agitated by Donut's refusal to sign, eventually having a full crash out while slamming him against a table and stealing his legs as well. Props to Donut here for sticking to his guns and not changing his mind despite having his last limbs actively ripped off which kinda reminded me of BFDIA Pin when her limbs were removed. Connection? Probably not but fun to note. Also notice how One has switched from manipulation and sweet talk to straight up threats and blackmail to get deals, most people left in the game to take for deals are smarter and questioning her which isn't great for One. Her facade is breaking apart as she has to put more and more effort into securing deals.

I also wanted to go into Donut getting his limbs back anyway at the end of the episode. I believe this could represent how One is actually quite powerless in a way. Sure she has her magic which we've seen to be very powerful but it can't control others. While we don't know right now why One needs to make deals with the contestants it's clear they're important to whatever plan she has. And to get those contracts the contestants have to actively sign them, she NEEDS the co-operation of the contestants and that's not something she can force through her magic, they always have the option to deny her no matter what she does. We see through this scene that the contestants don't need One to solve their problems and without her they will find a solution on their own. I like to think that if One hadn't interfered when she did for any of the deals they would likely solve their own problem soon after like shown here. And that's not even mentioning the POWER Donut has right now. While contestants like Fanny, Ice Cube, Gatey and Basketball know something is wrong, especially Fanny as we see her actively try to show Tennis Ball he research, they are all under contract. They have all accepted a deal. DONUT NEVER ACCEPTED THE DEAL AND NOW KNOWS WHATS GOING ON WITHOUT ONE BEING ABLE TO CALL IN A FAVOUR TO STOP HIM. He is now arguably the most powerful out of the resistance gang now due to this.

Now this last part is purely speculation so it could easily be proven false but I noticed how both Fanny and Ice Cube could make out their research while Tennis Ball couldn't. While this could just be One messing up his vision specifically what if knowledge about One determines if someone can see the board. Tennis Ball has never seen one like Fanny and Ice Cube and would, by this logic, not understand the writing. But Donut, who has seen one would be able to. I hope that makes sense.

In conclusion this episode was peak, thanks for listening to this long ass ramble

[markantonys]

3x08 thoughts! full book spoilers

my reaction when the credits started rolling was "oh.........that's it?" which is not the best feeling for a season finale to leave you on! it was a good episode with some great moments, but as i'd feared, they left themselves with WAY too much to wrap up, with the result that it all felt rushed and cramped and not particularly satisfying. in the first 2 seasons, i said that the 8-episode model was just the right amount of time to tell the story, and i stand by that. with this season, it wasn't enough, and it's not just the fault of the model but just as much the fault of the writers who should have been more realistic about the limits of 8 episodes and not tried to cram in so much. obviously the main 4 plots of the waste, the two rivers, tanchico, and the tower all had to make it in, but within that i think there was some bloat and dragged-out stuff that could've been trimmed back. (especially considering that they planned for an entire episode dedicated to rhuidean and an entire episode dedicated to the two rivers battle: good choices that let those events shine, but it means that the tanchico-based characters, for example, only even APPEAR in 6 out of 8 episodes and in most of those 6 they're relegated to the B or C or D plot, so no wonder their plotline felt so underbaked; if they were going to devote 2 episodes to single events, they needed to be more merciless about trimming out bloat in the other 6 episodes.)

now for the episode itself. i'll start with the white tower. personally i don't mind siuan's death, but i understand why people are upset. now i can retroactively say that @butterflydm was 100% right on the money in speculating that the reason they jumped the gun on cramming elayne & avi together so fast was not for any story reason, but rather for the out-of-world reason of wanting to establish that there will still be a big canon wlw ship even after one half of moiraine/siuan exited the stage.

as for how this might affect the story going forward, i originally had a whole theory here of "what if salidar is cut and there's no schism & rebel breakoff faction, just bubbling discontentment with elaida's rule, and egwene just gets kidnapped straight into the tower and becomes amyrlin from there?" but then i saw that rafe confirmed there is a cut scene of leane, verin, and ryma heading off with a group of other aes sedai to found salidar, so scratch that whole theory haha we are indeed still getting salidar and the rebels. but he said that the scene had them planning to gather "on the shores of the river where siuan was born", which means the rebel base will likely be moved to tear in the show.

if this cut scene was planned for s3, that seems to imply there is not going to be a tower battle and it was simply some sisters voluntarily leaving. we'll see how it plays out in s4, but min's viewing about a battle in the tower could very well be the future seanchan attack rather than the coup battle. i wouldn't mind that since a coup battle could feel repetitive with the 3x01 tower battle, but it does make me curious how gawyn's arc might play out since the coup battle was a pivotal moment for him in the books (though the show hasn't set up for that at all, so we're probably looking at a pretty new arc for him regardless, at least in the short-term).

off to tanchico. nynaeve's block breaking scene was wonderful, but outside of that, it feels like this poor crew was just off on a sidequest all season and didn't accomplish much. mat's doorway trip was fun but felt like a random sidenote in a packed episode, and now that the season is over i can firmly say that mat did not get a satisfying season-long arc and it felt like he was just There most of the time. his memories were his driving trigger for the season but they weren't brought up basically at all between 3x03 and him asking to get rid of them in the doorway, which makes them feel more like a plot device than something that was actively impacting him season-long. there was big setup for the mat-nynaeve dynamic in the early episodes, but it fizzled out in the back half and nothing meaningful came of it and nynaeve didn't get to do anything to help mat like she'd promised. it absolutely feels like mat just got plot-deviced out of the waste storyline because they wanted rand to feel isolated, rather than because leaving that storyline actually contributed anything to MAT'S story. they say they like to vary up the relationship dynamics season to season, but once again it's a whole season of mat-min with each of them only getting brief interactions with elayne and nynaeve. i need mat and min to get separated next season oh my god i loved their vibe in s2 but i am tired of it now! please don't do a third season of it! let them hang out with other people for once! YES i am VERY bitter over min being the one to take over the cauthor cpr lmao (and of course the second mat's cpr-giver is switched to a woman you have several people going "wait are they setting up a romance here?" when none of them said so when rand was the one doing it in the book version! though thankfully the show itself continues to remain firm in the platonic nature of mat & min even if heteronormative viewers are constantly desperate to read romance there. oh how i mourn a vision of cauthor cpr with show!mat being like "wow rand if you wanted to kiss me you could've just asked" because you know show!mat would 100% say that to rand as well haha)

we'll see what they do with liandrin, but i wish she'd been killed off this season. she was a great early-series villain, but has now overstayed her welcome for me and i wish she'd gotten cleared off the stage. i don't mind ending this plotline on a loss with the collar & bracelets winding up in the bad guys' hands (i'd been expecting it), but if we'd at least vanquished liandrin and left moggy as the new big bad, that would have helped this plotline feel like it got more resolution and like it accomplished something. nynaeve breaking her block, while a wonderful scene, wasn't enough to carry the full narrative climax of this entire season-long plotline (especially since there wasn't REALLY that much setup for her breaking her block, just the one line from the seafolk about how her problem is not being able to let go and go with the flow, though i do like that they used that metaphor to set up for her water-based block breaking scene). then again, there literally wasn't TIME for liandrin to get vanquished because they had too much to do this episode.

as i'd speculated a while back, elayne casually mentioned gaebril to thom and he was like "um who the fuck?" and so now elayne knows that a forsaken is holding power in caemlyn. nice! this was a great way to justify thom's return to the story: he contributes something important that only he could contribute, because his history with the trakand family helps point our gang towards the whereabouts of a forsaken.

caemlyn is now teed up to be a big focus in s4, so i would expect that resolution to come next season, unless something happens to significantly delay elayne, but as of now, she's primed to have helping her mom & country as Priority #1. she also has a balefire rod in her possession, which could lead to her being the one to balefire rahvin instead of rand. i definitely want elayne to take part in defeating rahvin, but i hope rand can still be involved in some capacity! and as much as i like the idea of elayne doing the balefiring, i would be soooooo sad if yet another iconic cauthor (& avirand) moment (rand being so distraught over their deaths that he reverses time to save them) was taken from me haha i will have to hope that elayne, rand, avi, and mat can all be involved and i can get some kind of avimatrandlayne rights out of it, however the specifics might turn out.

over to the waste. rand picking the squashes to meet his toh to alsera!!!! but i think i groaned out loud when it was egwene who came to see him in that moment instead of aviendha lmao i am SO disappointed that we didn't get any avirand interaction this episode! they were completely shafted in favor of randgwene & randfear during their own Main Storyline and i don't think i'll ever get over it, though i hope s4 can bring them some good stuff to semi make up for it (like, i wasn't expecting any out-and-out romance between them for s3 once it became clear that randgwene was lingering, but at least stronger relationship development and a deeper emotional connection by the end of the season than what we got). i'd hoped we would get a nice moment this episode to tie off their arc of rand proving himself to avi*, but instead all we get is avi telling egwene about what a terrible partner rand would make for anyone. okay. cool. We Who Know can interpret this as avi trying to dissuade herself from rand as much as trying to dissuade egwene, but to the show-only audience, it accomplishes nothing but throwing them even further off the scent of avirand (which they were never on to begin with because nothing in this season sets up for it unless you already know it's coming) and therefore making it so that they'll be even more bewildered when avirand starts becoming a thing.

(*we DID see avi willingly kneeling to him as car'a'carn, so we can conclude that she accepts him now, but i would've liked a more personal acceptance moment between them one-on-one too. maybe next season. also, her wonder when he made it rain was very sweet <3)

this season has really been hammering on how rand probably isn't in a place where he should date anyone thanks to his destiny etc, so idk how they're going to swerve into him joining a polycule (and a polycule with his messy-breakup-ex's BFF + a woman who knows all about the messy breakup and disparaged rand to egwene about it). so far, they're making it a lot harder for themselves than it needed to be, and my impression that avirandlayne development/seed-planting is getting sacrificed in favor of beating the randgwene dead horse and that it feels like the show cares a lot more about randgwene than about avirandlayne still remains strong after having seen the whole season.

but now time to link this wonderful josha interview! it contains full season spoilers and full book spoilers, because he is a spoiler-loving king who never makes any attempt to censor himself. one of the things he says here in response to whether rand has closed himself off from love after randfear and randgwene is along the lines of "i think he doesn't trust himself to love again, but i know he will do so anyway because it's just who he is" and then he talks about how in the books it's rand's capacity for love that ultimately helps him win. josha's answer is talking about love in general and not necessarily romantic love, but regardless, very very sweet answer that shows his deep understanding of the character and gives me hope for getting well-done avirandlayne in the future! my other two favorite parts of the interview were 1) the reveal that all the "what does the prophecy say?" dialogue in the alsera scene was not scripted and josha came up with it himself and 2) he says Definitely Mat as the ta'veren boy who's the best at talking to girls jdkfjgh extremely randcore to always think mat is The Best Ever and go "well of course mat is the best at talking to girls!" when mat has spent the entire show trying and failing to get laid. i'm going to take my crumb of a cauthor right wherever i can find it since i barely got any in the season!

okay, back to the episode. i loved all of rand's stuff! his confrontation with lanfear where he finally gets to push back on her narrative was A+, i loved his conversation with moiraine, and of course his alcair dal moments were wonderful and he looked very sexy in that sleeveless shirt with the tattoos out. his rain channeling was so beautiful!! again, i do feel like we might be hammering on the "soul of fire, heart of stone" stuff and whatnot a little too much too soon considering that rand still has to be in a good enough headspace to form two whole new romantic relationships, but we DO see a contrast with him very calm and in control of himself, despite egwene's worry, compared to the more unhinged moments he'd had earlier in the season, so hopefully going into s4 he'll be in a place where he's more emotionally stable yet also not so Cold And Hard yet that he's not open to new love. (though ending randgwene on such an ominous and mistrustful note is going to make it a haaaaard sell to the audience that elayne & avi can wind up dating rand and that won't be doing egwene wrong or anything. but if there's a timeskip, maybe we can pick up with rand & egwene getting along better and being friendly, even if there's still a distance between them. still, i wish they'd gotten to clear the air a LITTLE bit during the squash scene while they had a chance to talk one-on-one.)

egwene didn't really have anything in the finale. not mad about it since she had such a big time to shine in s2 and was naturally going to take a backseat in s3, but it does feel like her s3 story was exclusively rand-centric and like she could have gotten more For Herself if they'd just broken up in 3x01.

not much for avi either, very sad about that since i'd hoped the show would give me more on her TSR character arc than the books did, not less. but they are unfortunately hampered by TV's stricter (compared to books) Cast Tiers, i think; story-wise, i'd say avi should be the third most important character in the TSR waste story after rand and moiraine, or even arguably above moiraine for #2, but in the show, rand, moiraine, lan, and egwene are all a Character Tier above avi and so they have to have a bigger role than her even if the story of returning to her homeland and people naturally calls for her more than it calls for some of them.

lan got his conclusion with melindhra as expected, not much to say on that. i like that they made it so that melindhra genuinely IS loyal to him and malkier and feels bad enough about it to betray her dark oaths, rather than keeping it as a full betrayal.

and finally, the moiraine vs. lanfear fight, which got hyped up big time but then ended in a draw, so i did feel pretty edged! like liandrin, this is a place where i raise my eyebrow over characters seeming to overstay their narrative welcome. are they setting up for the doorway confrontation to happen next season, or are they planning to alter the story and keep moiraine and/or lanfear around longer than they were in the books? i don't care for either option as much as i would have for them simply doorway-ing each other or otherwise finishing each other off in this episode. because if it's option #1, then we spent a whole season building up a conflict that we're just going to have to repeat the buildup for again next season (though if lanfear is now fully at odds with our gang rather than precarious allies with both moiraine & lanfear, that might help it feel different enough). if it's option #2, moiraine is going to continue eating up screentime and narrative importance that needs to be going to rand and the other kids at this stage in the story. she was a great character to center the early story around, but i'm sorry, she has to go in order to create space for the kids to leave the nest and come into their own. although, i wouldn't be mad if she stayed on as rand's permanent advisor and cadsuane was cut (but that doesn't feel likely given all the cadsuane namedropping; but maybe cadsuane could appear but in a different role/storyline) since cadsuane basically does nothing but be a walmart knockoff moiraine, so i suppose we could just keep moiraine - but only if they let her step fully back into the role of a secondary character, which is unlikely since rosamund is the biggest name in the cast and they'd probably want to give her a primary role as long as she's in the show. so i don't know, i feel like we do need to fully exit moiraine at some point, but we shall see.

oh also, sammael died! i completely forgot lmao rip my dude! it feels kinda wasteful to introduce a whole forsaken only to kill him immediately when there's only 8 of them to go around in the first place (now down to 6), but moggy offing him IS a great way of showing just how divided the forsaken are, so if sammael's death can help bulk up the surviving forsaken into even bigger threats, then no harm no foul.

ann ogbomo never appeared, so either she had a scene that ended up getting cut, or wotseries was wrong on her being part of the show (which would be mildly surprising since i don't think they've ever wrongly said that an actor was part of the show before, but when it comes to leaks there's always risk of course). so much for the theory of a semirhage finale stinger scene! we'll have to keep waiting to see when she and the seanchan might enter the stage.

i do have solid hopes for a cauthor reunion in s4! i'd thought they could begin a seanchan invasion of tanchico and leave it open-ended if mat escapes or not and then make that decision in 4x01 according to whether they need to follow the long or short model for the show, but now mat is firmly on a ship with the others headed off to their next destination. there could always be time for the ship to get intercepted or mat otherwise separated from the group, but for now it feels safe to assume that mat is sticking with them, and i find it the most likely that they will meet up with rand's group in tear (to warn rand about the collar and/or to hunt moggy & liandrin who are hunting rand). caemlyn is also a Desired Destination for them of course, but i'd think elayne would want to lie low, gather information, and come up with a plan first, and tear would be a good place to do that since she has a trusted family friend there (per 3x01).

in addition, if the location of the rebel base is moved over to tear, then that puts another Character Group in that area and is all the more reason (out-of-world) for nynaeve & co to definitely be headed there (since whether they follow their book plot of linking up with the rebels or a show-only plot of linking up with rand & co, it's in the same general area and so they could probably hang out with both groups if desired).

this seems to leave us with 3 major locations for s4: tear (rand & co, nynaeve & co, rebels); caemlyn (morgase & rahvin, elayne eventually, maybe perrin & co for his trial plotline?); the white tower (elaida & co)

hopefully, if we get more condensation of Story Groups, then s4 won't feel stretched as thin as s3 did. 3 main groups would be more manageable than 4, even if it's still a lot of characters within each group.

random mat notes since he's apparently the character whose s4 story i'm most concerned with haha (and s4 should be his time to get his Focal Episode anyway!):

rafe confirmed on instagram that they have plans for the band of the red hand. couladin escaped alive (rather than being killed by rand at alcair dal as a couple people had speculated). hopefully, this will lead to mat rejoining rand's plotline, taking part in the battle against the shaido, and forming the band. this would be a wonderful choice of event to center a Focal Mat Episode around, if you ask me!

mat got his medallion for sure, and i missed it but eagle-eyed viewers pointed out that he got the ashandarei too and that's what he's hanging off of. however, he has not gotten his prophecies - will there be a second doorway trip in store for him, or will his prophecies simply not be in the show? i wouldn't mind either way. they did show a good number of doorways in the finn realm that i'm guessing each correspond to one in the real world, so they've given themselves freedom to stick another IRL doorway anywhere they want in addition to the tanchico & white tower ones we've already seen.

then there's the question of mat's memories. he starts with too many memories and ends up with not enough, which is the opposite of his book progression, so i'm puzzled for now, but will wait and see what they're planning to do with this. but i'd been so glad the show had avoided mat losing some of his own memories because that makes me too sad, so i'm heartbroken that that's now the case after all and even more heartbroken because i'm guessing the show might make him forget important things that will make me sad! vs. the books just telling us that mat has holes in his memory but he never actually seems to be missing anything important. at least he clearly remembers min and their relationship even if he forgets how he got where he is, so hopefully that means his memories of his friends and loved ones will be more or less intact and it'll just be little snippets missing here and there. if he forgets his sisters i swear-

update: i just saw a good theory that the finn interpreted mat's problem as having too many memories for one person and "fixed" him by taking away enough memories to leave him with a normal amount of memories, but said normal amount is just a mix between horn & his own memories, and the amount they took away was likewise an indiscriminate mix. i buy that! if so, that means we don't need to do any more Mat Memory Fuckery, just adjust to the fact that he's lost some memories from his own life in addition to some of the unwanted horn memories.

okay, that's all the initial thoughts off the top of my head. this episode was fine, but in my eyes, 2x08 was unquestionably a better season finale and a better hour of television and i'm baffled by all the readers who hated on 2x08 so hard and are now saying 3x08 is the best finale episode by far. what standards are you using to judge that? definitely not the same ones i'm using! heck, i'd even heretically say that 1x08 is in some ways a better season finale than 3x08 since every main character (well, bar mat and lan for real-world production issue reasons) got a moment to shine and a meaningful conclusion to their season-long character arc, everything had enough time to breathe, and no character or storyline felt like an afterthought. but, of course, it's just inherently easier to construct a Season Finale when all the characters are in one location participating in different aspects of one big event together, and maybe that's the very thing i'm subconsciously picking up on when i say that 3x08 didn't feel as cohesive or as well-paced as other finales.

the good news is that TSR is one if not THE densest book in the series, so hopefully future seasons will have an easier time managing to fit everything they want to include inside the 8-episode structure.

[harbo-urr]

I can explain.

/the tier list is based on how much *I* like them, not on how good I think the character writing is/

Disclaimer: subjective opinion of a (probably) not neurodivergent person with a very high level of anxiety, agarophobia and depression, who also peaked in high school. Additionally, I'm partially thinking about the characters in a context of how I would feel about them in real life.

- S-tier: Ken reminds me of my awesome life partner but with an addition of some of my mental health problems, so I naturally feel close to him. He's cool. His self esteem is all over the place and I connect to it A LOT. I also like that he's a tough cookie and knows many smart things. He also has money and good relationships with his parents. Like, what else do you need in a person?

- A-tier: Kazutoshi is just a very well written character. I wouldn't say I usually like personalities like him, but he's story just makes it impossible not to root for him. Also the disability representation in him was super insightful for me since I never had any life experiences with it in any form, so it was a fun learning moment. I genuinely forgot he was not immune to dying and I'm still grieving a weird amount about it. Idk I don't want to think too deeply about him, it'll make me feel things.

Tamba reminds me of myself but if my mother didn't put time into developing my brain, so I love her dearly. She's like my inner terrible fucker up child. Her voice lines are very entertaining too.

- B-tier: all those are just characters with awesome arcs and personalities, they all are equally great. I just wish Tsuno was with us a bit longer. Funnily enough, all of them would be a C-tier if they died earlier than they did (aka if I knew them worse)

- C-tier: Kinda so-so territory. I have no negative and no positive thoughts about Wada, I just want him to get help; Sasaki is a similar case to Tamba for me, we're definitely extremely similar, but she dies too early for me to get to know her properly; similarly, Isono and Harada are potentially close to home character for me, but alas, I don't feel like I know them enough; Ojima is just boring, but he at least doesn't annoy me.

- D- and E- tier: .......well. how do I put it.

Let's start with Hama. This boy has some of the absolute best moments in the series. He's surprisingly wise, caring and kind. By all means, he should be the B-tier.

He also claims he has a demon arm and uses "badass" every other sentence.

Is it a crime??? No. Did my eye twitch? Yes.

Objectively, he doesn't deserve to be this low, but he had a lot of unjust things happen to him already, so what is another one.

And speaking of that...

Watari.

If she tried pulling her "principal watari" thing in front of me I would walk out of the room in a second. I cannot. Like. No.

Any play pretend freaks me out, like, how do I know she didn't go crazy, how do I know she doesn't actually believe she's a "principal" and most importantly, how can I feel safe around a person who thinks it's okay to go into a kindergarten mode in a killing game situation? Yanagi is weird with his prince act, but it's the kind of delusional that is easily understandable looking at human culture, but Watari's behaviours? No. Permission to be silly has been denied.

And I did feel bad for being so annoyed at her every word during the first two chapters and the first half of the third chapter, but all my uneasiness proved to be absolutely correct once she started to feel conflicted about the whole Okazaki situation (even bringing it up to Ken, like, are you serious girl?). And then the whole chapter 4 disaster.

It proved to me that, first and foremost, Watari is just unapologetically herself. She would act and do and think things that are impossible to control predict and justify in my head. Things that I wouldn't hope to influence in a million years because her inner world is so fucking strong. And I hate that.

So yeah.

Not a fan.

-

That's been my extremely subjective tetro pre-chapter 5 tier list. Maybe it'll change when the story's over, and maybe I'll let Hama out of his D-jail and move some guys from C higher, but Watari is staying just above the hellfire line and I'm not moving her anywhere even if I end up studying her character under a microscope to figure out why she triggers me so much.

[aanxiousangel]

a piece of me | portgas d ace .MDNI.

𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: a request from my ao3 comments! i really hope this is enjoyable because i lowk hate it the more i reread it... so... i'll be rewriting this eventually (i really don't think i can ever top my asl bro fic lol). 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: character death (not Ace), blood, angst and fluff, kid!bully!Ace, teen!depressed!reader, violence/death depicted at the end 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 3.5k 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: you're empty without your flame by your side. what will you do when he comes back for you?

Several years ago… ages 8 + 10

“Ace!” You called out, trying to keep up with the older boy.

Luffy was right behind you, panting, “Y/N/N! Wait for me!”

“Sorry, Lu,” you huff out, hands on your knees as you try to catch your breath.

Just a moment of you taking your eyes off of Ace and he was gone! You pout, kicking the dirt on the path. Surrounding you and Luffy were the woods you’d been around all your childhood. Off in the shade, you plop down against a tree with a huff. Why couldn’t you be fast like Ace or Sabo..?

“I’m hungry,” Luffy whined, sitting next to you.

You glance over at the younger boy, frowning slightly. He was always hungry. This was nothing new. You just still couldn’t understand how his stomach was basically a bottomless pit. Then again, you basically burned off everything you ate on a daily, running like this.

“Head back for lunch, Lu. I’ll try and find Ace, ‘kay?”

Luffy frowned but didn’t argue, mumbling out an ‘okay’ before getting up to trudge the whole way home to Curly Dadan and the others. Once the younger boy disappears from your sight, you break down. Pulling your knees to your chest, you sniffle. You tried so hard to keep up with him , but it never worked. He was too fast, too agile, too smart allowing him to disappear into the forestry.

You were all alone once again. Just like the day your parents left you here to set sail on an adventure, hearing about the infamous Gol D Roger’s treasure hidden somewhere in the world… At least you were fed, clothed, and housed here with Dadan.

Before you knew it, fat tears rolled down your cheeks, leaving streaks in the dirt ghosting your skin. You bury your face into your knees, trembling as you cry. You didn’t even know why you were crying. It just felt like your heart hurt, aching and sinking in your chest.

A branch snaps not too far from you, making you freeze up. Your head lifts just enough to peer over your knees, searching the deep greenery. You couldn’t see him, but…it felt like he was there. For some reason, you always felt his presence like it was a sixth sense. Maybe you had some kind of superpower.

“Hello?” You call out with a shaky voice, getting up.

Another snap has you looking all around, trying to find the source. You started to creep back, turning on your heel to get ready to run. Before you could take another step, you hear a sigh from above you.

“You’re no fun when you cry,” Ace’s voice startled you, letting you find him sitting in the branches of the tree you sat against.

“You’re so mean!” You retort, turning to walk home.

“I’m not mean!” He argues back.

You hear the sound of his shoes scraping bark before a thick thump hits the ground. He runs over to you, catching up easily. You don’t even dare to look at him. Dummy… Stupid, stupid dummy..!

“Take it back,” he pouts, poking your arm.

“No.” You snap, keeping your eyes trained ahead of you.

“I’m not mean! You keep following me like a lost puppy! And Luffy!” Ace attempts to explain his reasoning, but you don’t care. “You’re both crybabies..!”

Well, you try not to care. It still hurts your feelings.

“You never let me play with you,” you sniffle, roughly wiping the tears sliding down your cheeks.

“You’re too young! You cry too much.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t cry so much if you were nicer!”

He stops in his tracks, but you don’t. You continue on, following all the subtle markings imprinted in your mind to lead you home. Home where you’d be safe and acknowledged.

Ace doesn’t speak to you for the rest of the day, leaving you to pout even through dinner. And when the next day came, you didn’t run after him through the forest or even come out to play with Luffy. You stuck by Dadan’s side, asking to help with anything your short self could manage. Dishes, dusting, learning. Anything. Mostly, she had you read a lot, telling you it’d benefit you.

Though, she was worried. Why were you suddenly a recluse? Why did sticking your nose in a book entice you more than playing with the other village kids? Eventually, Dadan got tired of you wanting to ‘grow up too fast’ and sent you out to play with the other kids. You pretended to go play, but really… You hid in the forest with a book, hiding away from everyone.

“Y/N?” Ace’s voice startles you out of your own little world, crouched beside you. He peered over at your book, wide eyed and curious.

Your chest hurts. “What?”

He nearly flinches at the surprising harshness in your tone. “Can you come play now..?”

Some years later… ages 15 + 17

He wasn’t so bad… Actually, Ace was refreshing to be around. He made you laugh until your sides would hurt, wipe away your tears while simultaneously teasing you about being a crybaby, and even patch up your scrapes and cuts. Though, you knew he wouldn’t stick around forever. His need for freedom still stayed even in his aging.

Not to mention, he always spoke about it. About getting off this island and living a long life being the best pirate in the world. The king of pirates, he claimed. He’d swore he’d be even better than Gol D Roger himself. Something about that…you believed it. It was a feeling in your gut that told you Ace was meant to be something amazing in life.

So, you stole any ounce of his time that you could, not telling him your reasoning for being even more clingy.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” Ace whispers.

The stars above twinkled, the full moon illuminating the shoreline. The waves rolled in and out, just barely kissing your bare feet planted on the ground. You didn’t flinch, didn’t dare move a muscle. Even as your vision blurred and your chest started to hurt, you didn’t move. Not even when he shifted, almost uncomfortable within the silence.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it..?” Your voice cracks, just barely speaking above a whisper.

Ace’s head turns to you, searching the side of your face for something. Anything… Anything to tell him you gave a shit that he would be gone. All he could see was the tears sliding down your temple with quivering lips. The pain that sat on your chest was unbearable.

“Y/N…”

“Just stay with me tonight,” you whisper, shutting your eyes. Begging, pleading, hoping that it was just a fucked up joke… But it wasn’t.

Ace moved closer, wrapping his arms around you. And you cried. You didn’t stop crying all night even as you lay in bed, clinging to your pillow to muffle your sobs. Not even the next morning when you could barely drag yourself out of bed. Not even as he left your side. Not even as he left with a piece of you he didn’t know he had.

You couldn’t breathe, broken and sobbing every hour of the day, every day of the week... Luffy swore he’d become the next pirate king and beat Ace up on your behalf. Even as he was being a crybaby at your side, hurt by his brother’s departure. Almost as if his brother betrayed him.

You swore you’d set sail one day when you had the courage. You promised yourself you would find him one day. You’d find Portgas D Ace and…you weren’t sure what would come after that. He couldn’t just leave you like this. Like a shell of your old self. Right? Right..?

Ace was better than that. Better than leaving you all alone in this world. He wasn’t like your parents who left you to fend for yourself. Or like Luffy’s parents who technically did the same to him. This was Ace we’re talking about here. Your favorite guy in existence…

Your entire reason for breathing.

Days passed, turning into weeks. Weeks where you sat in that same spot, hoping to see that familiar grin coming back to you. Months where you laid under the night sky, realizing he left you. He truly left you behind.

The five stages of grief took a toll on you. Denial had come and gone, leaving you with anger rotting your very bones on that shore. Bargaining had you screaming at the waves to bring him back, tears sliding down your face. It didn’t work. There was no sea god to listen to your pleas. Depression so terrible you couldn’t even look at the ocean. So terrible you couldn’t bring yourself to all your regular spots because it reminded you of him too much.

Finally, one day you accepted that he was gone, but so were you. The joy you once held onto so tightly disappeared, sinking you into this pit of hidden misery and masks to cope with the pain. Anyone who knew you… They could see the pain in your eyes, in the smiles that didn’t meet your eyes.

The pain lingered even as you and Luffy set sail years later, a sliver of hope moving through your veins that you’d see him again one day.

Present day. ages 18 + 20

“Luffy!” Zoro’s boots thudded on the deck, having dropped from the crow’s nest. “Ship incoming!”

Luffy swiveled around, looking out over the ship’s ledge. A ship, yes, but a tiny one at that. It wasn’t like the Going Merry that was made for a huge crew. No, this one made for maybe three people at most.

“What the hell..?” Luffy frowned, “Y/N!”

You were leaning on the starboard rail, looking over the ocean when Luffy called you over. You walk over, standing between the captain and swordsman to see what the fuss was about. Eventually, Nami and Usopp were standing beside the three of you, curious and alert.

“What is that..?” You ask, the ship growing closer and closer.

“No clue…” Luffy mutters, rolling his shoulders. “But get ready in case…”

He stopped. A tall figure stood at the back of the boat, flames controlling the water to direct the ship towards your crew. Black hair, red pearls, a familiar hat resting atop his head…

That smile…

You stepped back, immediately believing you were hallucinating, “Luffy…”

“ACE!” Luffy screams, waving his arms like a crazy person.

You flinch at the sudden outburst, blinking away the tears threatening to spill. It couldn’t be him. Not yet. You weren’t ready! This pirate life was still so new to you! You weren’t even sure you could kick his ass, make him regret ever leaving you in the first place. Honestly, you didn’t want to fight him.

In the midst of Luffy’s chaos and Zoro holding him back from falling into the water, you couldn’t control your hurricane of emotions. You step back a few feet, catching Nami’s attention quickly. You probably looked insane to her with tears in your eyes and disbelief written all over your face.

“Y/N?” Nami quickly catches you by the arm before you trip, searching your face. “Y/N, what’s wrong?”

“Ace,” you choke out, wiping away the falling tears. “I-Is that him? Really him?”

“How do you know Fire Fist Ace?” Nami asks, sitting you down. Clearly, he had his own reputation.

“He…” You peer up at her, unsure how to describe him. “I… We…”

Ace wasn’t your brother like he was to Sabo and Luffy, no. He was your friend..? No, that felt too basic. Too restrained. What you felt for this man… This was like a flame, burning brighter than the sun. Passionate, energetic, confusing. He still held that piece of you…

“Y/N,” Ace’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

Oh, god. Oh, no, no, no! Your mouth hung open, staring up at him. Freckles dusted his face, his shoulders… Sunkissed and ripped, he stood before you in all his glory. He shook his hand off, flames dying out on his fingertips.

The devil fruit… He ate one?! Your confusion lay evident across your face, making him laugh. Ace held his hand out to you, helping you up with ease. You didn’t get a chance to say anything before he had you wrapped in his arms with a tight grip. He smelled like the sea and sweat.

“Ace…” you whisper, finally wrapping your arms around him.

“I’m here,” he whispered against the side of your head, squeezing you.

“I’m so confused right now…” Usopp nudged Nami’s side, brow raised as he watched the reunion.

“Honestly, me too. Luffy, do you guys know him?” Nami looks over at Luffy who was grinning brightly.

“That’s my big brother!” Luffy tells them, causing chaos among the crew so bad that even Sanji, Chopper, and Vivi came out from the galley.

While Luffy was busy being interrogated, you were still in disbelief that Ace stood right before you. He was real and alive and… here . You peer up at him, eyes starting to water.

“Still a crybaby?” Ace smiles, reaching to caress your cheek gently.

“Still an asshole?” You sniffle and your lips pout.

“Only for you.”

Eventually, the night overwhelmed the sky and dinner was served. You lingered near Ace for most of his stay, fearing that you’d never see him again. And then it happened. The two of you out on the deck, looking up at the stars. You were terrified he’d tell you this would be the last time you’d see him for a while if not forever.

“Y/N,” Ace took a deep breath.

“Hm?” Your eyes drift over to him, meeting his gaze.

“I want you to come with me,” he tells you quietly, shoulders tense.

Your eyes search his for a minute. “Come with you? Like…”

“Sail the world with me, pretty. Stay by my side.” Ace steps closer to you, his fingers brushing over your knuckles.

Your heart stops. “Why now?”

“Because I realized leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life.”

Ace leans in, his nose brushing against yours. For years, he held this regret deep in his soul. He’d been restless, hoping to find you once again. When word had spread about the Strawhat Pirates and Luffy gaining a hefty bounty, he’d needed to find you more than anything. He knew you’d be right alongside his kid brother.

He couldn’t just let you slip through his fingers again.

“Ace,” you breathe out, his breath tickling your lips.

“I’m here, Y/N. I can’t do this without you,” Ace’s hand moves to cup the back of your head, fingers tangled in your locks.

“I want to come with you…” You whisper, melting against him. “But what will Luffy say?”

“I don’t know. I’ll take you as a hostage if I have to,” he murmurs, attempting to make the situation lighter.

“I’ll do it. I’ll come with you, Ace.”

Hearing your words made his heart soar. Hell, he didn’t think he’d ever been happier than knowing you’d be right as his side.

Beneath your touch, Ace relaxes. He breathes out a sigh of relief, brushing his lips against yours. Ace pulls back slightly to look at you for a second, seeing your parted lips and glossy eyes. He sinks his mouth against yours desperately. You crumble, tears sliding down your cheeks. Just as your knees give out, he lifts you into his arms. Ace’s hands find their way to hold your thighs, keeping your legs wrapped around his waist.

You never expected your first kiss to be like this. Under the stars, listening to the ocean waves, clinging to the love of your life.

“It’s gonna be tough,” Ace tells you quietly after pulling away.

“I don’t care,” you watch him carefully, hoping he wouldn’t retract his offer.

And he didn’t. The next morning, you had a long talk with Luffy and your crew, but only Luffy could truly understand your hidden reason for leaving. You were nearly hollow the first time Ace left. What would the second do to you?

“Promise me something,” Luffy grabs your arm.

“Yeah?” Your brows furrow.

“Promise we won’t be enemies the next time we cross paths.” Luffy looks at you, his tone more serious than you’d ever heard him before.

“Oh, Lu…” You lock your pinky with his, smiling, “Never in a million years, Pirate King.”

Luffy returns the smile, a laugh escaping him, “See ya, Y/N/N.”

Nearly your entire crew fought off their tears with a final goodbye. And you? You let the tears roll freely, still smiling brightly. You’d never forget them and you’d never forget the life you were giving up.

Ace almost felt bad for whisking you away, but…he didn’t regret it. He would never regret finding the love of his life once more.

“You’ve always had a piece of my heart,” Ace tells you quietly once the Going Merry was no longer in your eyesight.

“You did too,” you smile at him, your chin resting on your palm.

“When I left…” Ace sighs, sitting across from you on the boat, “I thought Luffy needed you and Sabo to take care of him. Then, I heard about this strawhat pirate causing a ruckus all over the sea, I figured…”

You wait for him to continue, sensing he’d had some unresolved feelings from all those years ago, “You figured..?”

“I figured…he’d be okay with his crew. I needed you, Y/N. I wasn’t sure I could live with myself for leaving you behind. I wanted to be selfish.”

“You’re not selfish. I think Luffy knew that. He knew I needed…to feel whole again. To live. I didn’t feel that way without you. I couldn’t.”

Ace stays quiet for a while, thinking about your confession. He chews on his inner cheek, the cogs in his mind turning. He felt like half the man he was when you weren’t by his side. Now? His heart felt full just like it was back when you two were kids, playing pirates with his brothers.

“Let’s promise each other something.”

A soft laugh escapes from under your breath as you nod. Another promise.

“Promise we’ll be together forever. No matter what happens, we won’t leave each other’s side.”

Your smile falters, seeing the severity of the fear lingering in his eyes. Why was he so worried..? You wouldn’t dare leave his side. Ever .

“I promise,” you take out a dagger you kept hidden in your boots, slicing your palm.

Ace took the dagger, slicing his palm just to grab your hands to interlace the newly made blood pact. He pressed a kiss to your knuckles, squeezing your hand. In his mind, he vowed to never allow you to get hurt. Not while he was alive.

“Forever."

Content warning here: this ending is completely optional & is what I'd consider as "The Bad Ending." (Character death ahead.) Kind of like video games with multiple routes.

You promised forever, but…you couldn’t follow through. The memory hung in Ace’s mind, a war raging on around you. You were supposed to stay by his side forever…

But now? Your torso lay blown open, your blood soaking the pavement of the building. This was a mistake. You weren’t supposed to die. You weren’t supposed to take the blow meant for him.

“Y/N!” he choked out, grabbing your face that was far too pale. “Pretty, c’mon. You promised! You promised you’d stay with me! Please, Y/N, I can’t do this without you!”

You choke on the blood pouring from your mouth, attempting to take a breath, “You have to, Ace. Y-you have to keep going. For me. For us. ”

“No, no, no,” Ace clings to you, nauseous as he looks at the gaping wound in your torso, “Pretty, stay with me. Please.”

“I love you, Ace. I’ll love you forever,” you smile weakly, feeling awfully cold in his arms.

“I love you, Y/N. You promised. You can’t break a promise,” Ace peppered your face with kisses, attempting to keep you awake.

“Ace…”

Tears roll down your face, leaving streaks in the dirt that coated your face. It was just like when you were kids all over again, hurt and exhausted… He kissed your lips, tears falling from his own eyes. You were supposed to marry him. You were supposed to grow old together.

“I love you so much…”

Your breath escaped you, brushing his skin. With eyes glazed over, you were gone. It was impossible to fix the damage that was done, the smell of your flesh burning making him sick to his stomach. Why did you have to push him out of the way? Why did it have to be you?

You never imagined your last kiss to be like this, leaving blood stained on his face, leaving Ace all alone in the world once again.

extra author's note: masterlist! archiveofourown! please be patient with me as I continue updating and getting out of my writer's block! love ya!

[noblehouseofgay]

OH MY GOD WE GET IT YOU LIKE ONLY THE BRAVE NOW WILL YOU PLEASE tell me your favourite scenes <3

Yes !!

Ok otb spoilers below

The pretty cave date <3333

The rubix cube

Dorcas and reg talking before their fake fight "I don't want to give up James, I don't want this stupid thing on my arm. But it can only be me"

Reg mentally making fun of voldemort every chance he gets. From the snakes everywhere being tacky to straight up calling him ugly

Any interaction between reg and eslpeth actually they're so iconic

The cave scene and the black brothers interactions afterwards. Everything from Regulus thinking about James and sirius, him telling dorcas he loves her, and sirius saving reg with the sword, to reg waking up and immediately grabbing onto Sirius like a child and then them having to communicate as best they can. Sirius deciding to trust remus about Regulus.

Wolfstar in the forest

Literally any interaction between reg and James while reg is under the legacy magic. Bc James is still so into him and the shadows are scared of James so you get little bits of Regulus poking out. Oh also stabbing. Yeah I like that bit

Every ounce of moonwater we get. I fuvking love when they teamed up. I fucking love them. And even more- when barty enters the mix and they're this little unlikely team

"Action man"

Regulus literally sacrificing his life for James

"Horrible things"

When Regulus collapses against the door and lily is panic trying to heal him. And then he just stands up and is fine somehow.

The black brothers team up !!

Remus, barty, and sirius defending Regulus against Gideon and the others. Like he's psycho but he's their psycho and they trust him

"Your fight is with me tom"

The entirety of that final battle. Buying time. Regulus fully giving himself up. Him snapping voldemorts neck. Then everyone trying to bring Regulus back. They realize the fight is over and now all they want is for reg to come back to them.

Regulus desperately trying to get back to them all. Friend. Brother. Lover. A string guiding him. A vow. The sun. Silver eyes.

Regulus from here on out absolutely destroying Dumbledore and telling thay bitch what to do. He does not give a shit. He just saved the Wizarding world, he's not gonna let some old fuck deny him the things he deserves

Regulus' emotions and memories coming back. It hurts, it fucking hurts so bad but god I missed my boy yk

James finding out the things Regulus wrnt through. Him and sirius having to deal with the fact that Regulus felt he had to do it alone, he had no choice

Dorcas and reg talking about James, reg confiding in dorcas as always

The black brothers killing walburga together

"James spent a year getting over Regulus, it's reasonable to believe he succeeded"

"It's too mcuh. It should be too much"

Just that entire fuvking scene. The entire scene of jegulus talking again. Regulus not understanding how James can even look at him. James wanting to give anything and everything to Regulus.

"Regulus loves in French music" hfhshdsh him singing against his lips I'm gonna cry

Regulus slowly trying to be used to tovuh again. And James always respecting his boundaries. James is so silly. He puts his hands in his pockets and does exactly what Regulus asks

The tattoo !! Their entire love story on his arm

Sirius' new bike !!

Reg jusy fucking spoiling everyone he loves because he doesn't know how else to show affection

Reg stabbing Gideons hand. All my homies hate action man

Evan waking up and rosekiller rosekillering

Regulus sitting at the meeting table and pulling up his sleeve, showing his mark off to everyone. Bc yeah fuck you he was a death eater bc he had to be. He saved everyone's asses.

"Caught a rat"

This one's a bit complicated but- the scene where Regulus finds out about Harry. He's so fucking broken. He thinks even after James wanted him- he still lost him. It hurts so much he can't even hold back the tears. But James knows something is wrong so he doesn't leave. He needs Regulus to know he still wants him, that he's not leaving

Speaking of the baby, Lily and Harry both almost dying in labor and Regulus shows up and does the doctors job for them. Because apparently Regulus black can do fucking everything and I love him

And they all lived happily ever after !!

I got a bit carried away hehe

[steleart]

i think that in the haze surrounding veilguard's release, when everyone was scrambling trying to fend off blatant misogyny and transphobia in an increasingly hostile environment, and feeling the frustration of having to be happy with an admittedly underwhelming game (in comparison to the precious ones), so as to not give these horrible people fodder, we misplaced our anger a lot.

people who liked the veilguard are not the enemy. it's perfectly okay to have liked the game, there is still enough content there for it to be a fun story - or even a tragic story. I sobbed like a baby my entire way through the epilogue. I had a great time romancing Emmrich, loved going to the Necropolis and to Treviso. but i don't know, even though there were some scenes I really really loved, it all just felt... hollow.

and that's the issue. I like my art saturated in meaning, the least thing I want is for my art to be hollow.

you remember back in the day when youtubers were worried about censorship, because the sponsors demanded 'family friendly' content only? that hasn't ended. ads are the new currency. everyone wants to be the new blockbuster, but there are three huge movies in the theatre at the same time. three new big games about to be released. these things are expensive, because they insist on doing all the cgi crap possible and paying their artists next to nothing. people aren't killed, they're unalived.

so I don't think people are dumb or 'lack media literacy' just because they liked a game they invested time and love into; there are bad takes, of course, but there are bad takes in any group, even the ones you're part of. the community has made incredible art, as it should. as it always has.

and since we're being honest, I don't think the writers, who were constrained by corporate red tape, are at fault either. they have their issues, of course, but dragon age has always had issues - they're still good games, trying to tackle big themes.

there is an odd polish to big company projects nowadays that feels... ai generated. most of it isn't, of course, but everything has been sanded down so it won't bother the bigots too much. during Pride Month™, we're allowed to buy as many rainbows as we like, as long as it's branded, then it's back to beige. in communist Romania, most of the clothes people wore were grey.

corporations don't understand art, mr beast doesn't understand art, you cannot divorce art from politics, because art has always been and will always be a mirror. if you think you're a centrist, you are the status quo. you come pre-sanded.

all that to say, we need to demand more from the people we give power to. don't fucking settle for the lesser evil, and be loud about it. just, you know, make sure that the people in the line of fire actually deserve to be there yk

[sweetwolfcupcake]

Gods and Monsters

Yandere Neo x Reader

Random drabble series

Secret Garden

Part II

Heavily flawed and diverted concept as compared to the ORIGINAL STORYLINE, with shallow imagination and vague concepts I am too lazy to explain or expand upon.

Warning: None

Credit to the original owner of this GIF. Heavily unedited piece.

Drabble #3

While you savour the wine, your eyes casually glide around. Families, friends, couples, and one or two people sitting by themselves. That is when your eyes catch sight of the man two tables away. He has chin-length hair and a patchy but maintained beard. He is handsome and seems oddly familiar.

He smiles at the woman in front of him. Her shoulder-length hair matches the shade of her eyes, which are lost in his gaze. They are obviously in love, and you just know that there is no pretence or condition. 

But then you frown. You cannot precisely see what the future holds for them, but the way your heart sinks, you just know that their companionship will meet a tragic end. You feel the melancholy buried somewhere in the man. He is experiencing true happiness at the moment, but he has known pain. A lot of it.

“It’s not unfair.”

You are surprised to find Neo in front of you, seated in front of you. Dressed in black. This time, though, he has forgone the eyewear. You turn to the man again, realising why he seems familiar.

“Don’t tell me—”

“My remnants are in every matrix. They are imprinted on his cycle here.”

“You will look like him when you grow older.” You comment, shifting your attention back to your wine, filling his glass as well.

“Thank you.” He takes a sip.

“They love each other.”

“And they are doomed. Five years from now, she will die, and he will be pulled back to the same old pond he will fight so hard to come out of.”

“How is it not unfair then?”

“Choices. He will make the choice.”

“I doubt people here make much of a choice.”

“It is what it is. The Matrix remembers the deeds of anyone bound to it, listens to their thoughts, and reflects on what individuals emanate. He is not immune to the rules; no one here is.” He eyes you and leans against his chair. “What do you see?”

“Not much. It’s fragmented.” You turn away from the couple and look at him, wondering if.

“Try a bit harder; it will come to you. It will come when you understand your choices.”

“I don't think I ever had many of them.” Your voice turns clipped.

“I did what I had to. It’s us that matters, just us. It is all yours, (Y/N). Nothing matters more to me than you.”

“Hm, I know it very well now.” You take a sip of the wine, looking away.

“Good.”

Neo reaches out to your hand on the table.

“Whatever will happen is bound to happen. He has already made choices even before being in the situation he will be in. And he will have to own up to the consequences. The Balance is at times cruel, brutal, bizarre, and sometimes even funny. But never unfair. You should know this more than anyone else.”

“I know, " you nod contemplatively. "I created the Balance. I just do not yet understand the tally.”

“I see bloodshed. Violence. Pain. A lot of pain.” You sigh, but you know that interfering will only disturb the fine balance.

“Does it really matter? People cling to this illusion here. He is just one of many. For now, at least, there is some hope for him.” He shrugs, looking over at the table.

The man whispers something into the woman’s ears, earning a honeyed laugh that aches your heart, knowing what is to come.

“We are beyond this,(Y/N). You wanted to have some fun; here we are. Enjoy the food. There is nothing to be done or disturbed.”

You nod and shrug. He is right. Interference often creates complications and has consequences.

“I missed this.” You let out a faint sigh layered with fondness as he cuts the steak for you.

“Bon appétit.” He smiles, feeding you a piece.

****

[c365]

Oh boy balancing!

I could go on and on about balancing. You may or may not disagree with the things I will say about it. ngl the balancing is why half of my guild doesn't play this game very much anymore, but I am somewhat tolerant of janky games and I have fun raiding with the other half. As much as I like glazing Labyrinth it's very much a problem when low-effort builds like Labyrinth can do 600k dps sustained while you basically stand there and do nothing, while more high-effort builds like acrobat and spellshade have to do backflips and summersaults only to pull off half of the dmg or less in bursts. Recently they made an announcement on how the teams are working on closing the power gap between builds and the first thing they are doing is nerfing mythics like Hero and Thrundra (Hero is basically meta) while buffing others, and also nerfing ingreds that go with meta builds that uses crafteds. IMO they should also make more non-mythics more viable as well, not just nerf mythics and the items used in their builds, because not everyone can shed stx on a mythic weapon and boots and crafteds. But part of the reason they are focusing on mythics is because they don’t want people shredding through bosses (tbh I feel like they are specifically talking abt tcc lol. big stationary rock is ez to kill with the right team mates). Honestly if they tweaked the archetypes/items so that viable builds do 200k-300k instead of double that amount, I would be fine with that.

In each class there are only like 1 or 2 archetypes that are meta or at least considered viable. There are also mythics that lean into one archetype, so if that archetype is doodoo then the mythic is also kind of dead (e.g. Grimtrap and trickster, tho it was literally just cherry bomb node nerf in trickster that made the mythic useless. Grimtrap basically hinged on that one node. Though I will say Grimtrap build also had the playstyle of being low-effort, high dps). They are constantly tweaking the Ability Tree and they still leave some archetypes in the dust or nerf already non-meta archetypes/weapons. There were a few good reworks like Paladin giving overheal but those are few and far between. It's annoying how much they change the ability tree every patch bc then it breaks the nodes selected in the in-game tree and on wynnbuilder so you have to fix your tree and wynnbuilder constantly has to be updated. Market Prices also fluctuate like crazy whenever there's item or archetype changes. like I bought my Nirvana for like 2 stx but in the acro rework it went up to like 7 even tho the rework was kinda mid

Talking about the items, like 70% of them are just bloat and honestly I don't know how some stats work exactly or how they interact with each other. Putting together a good build is indeed a daunting task with how complex stats are compared to old wynncraft and how much bloat there is. There is a guide on forums but idk a new player should not have to read a big longass guide on how all of it works and even some experienced players don't really know how it works either. Putting together pieces is mostly stuff you have to figure out on wynnbuilder. Most of the time I use other people’s builds and if needed I tweak them.

And this is my personal MMO gameplay peeve, but there is like no support mechanics in this game other than paladin and acolyte in which they are both able to give overheal and aco shaman also has vulnerability+vengeful buff that boosts damage for other players. I think if this game had more support mechanics and synergy between classes/archetypes, even builds that are on the lower end of dps spectrum can still contribute a significant amount of damage to the boss.

but that would require a large amount of rework and I think with the game's spaghetti code adding more support/synergy between classes may cause problems. I could go on abt how they could improve things but it is most likely much easier said than done. I understand there are limitations with the Minecraft engine that would make it challenging for Wynncraft to be as complex as a real MMO along with the teams being made of volunteers, so there’s only so much I can criticize.

I really hope that Fruma update will improve on the writing and doesn't cause too much powercreep, since the level cap will be raised and new mythics will be added. Since they made that announcement, I hope by the time Fruma comes out, the balancing will be sorted out. Because if not then the team who makes mobs/bosses are gonna have one hell of a time trying to scale them

I've also heard rumors of a world event similar to Anni being added to Fruma. I hope it doesn't actually happen unless they improve their servers because they can barely handle Anni already.

in regards to the guild side of the community, I am in one but am not big into the guild scene, tho I've seen a handful of old screenshots of guild chiefs being terrible people. all I know is that ETKW has recently been outed for having illegal shit in their discord and they still exist. Mods PLEASE get that pedo guild out of this game. If you are in the guild gtfo of there.

To end on a lighter note ig, wynncraft has charm to it and it's the most fleshed-out server in terms of graphics, build design, game design (even if it's poor), and music, and it's fun playing with friends which is why even with all it's flaws and something exploding every patch, I still like this game.

Okay I’m gonna be angry about Wynncraft lore and writing for a minute

What the fuck is up with it? Like. In general? I get that it isn’t finished but holy shit. Come on. It’s more poorly written than fucking warrior cats.

Like why are there so many NPCs?? I get that it’s a whole fucking world but like. In A Journey Beyond, there’s a blacksmith who helps us get into the silent expanse, right? Sure. Okay. But instead of, oh I don’t know, using the blacksmith that was already established to know shit about magic and souls it’s just some other random guy???? Like c’mon

And that’s just one example!!! There are so many NPCs that appear once and then never again!! Like!!! Why!!!!

And so many of the quests are just there for the sake of having a quest. Like they serve no narrative purpose, they don’t involve any reoccurring characters, they’re literally just there because someone wanted to do something. You could not play them and the only thing you’re missing out on is like. Some XP at most. Maybe some emeralds.

Like okay I don’t know much about game design. I write stories, so thats not what I have experience in. So take this with a grain of salt. But if a quest only exists because you thought it would be funny to include a reference to this movie or whatever, and has literally no implications in the greater lore of the world, don’t implement it???? Kill your darlings??????

I think Wynncraft has SO much potential. It is salvageable. But I don’t think it’s ever going to be salvaged, because the content team is more focused on making something that will keep as many people playing for as long as possible rather than something they want people to enjoy. And yes I would say that to their face. In fact I want to. But I won’t. Because I’m not a dick.

Just… I have so many feelings about this. I love it but it’s so bad. It fucking sucks. I wish it was better. And this doesn’t even go into my issues with the fans.

[shorthaltsjester]

Imogen Temult, Exaltant Hope of the Red Storm

Heroes and Monsters by Penny & Sparrow // Critical Role Campaign 3