#(I feel like that's the wrong word to use with them but yeah)

[bohnerrific69]

WASTING TIME? ﾉ EKKO

pairing: alternative!ekko x fem!reader

blurb — theme/content: fluff. "angst" if you squint? idk. reader has fomo (fear of missing out) implied. it's ekko from s2 ep7. ꒰ word count: 960 ꒱

"babe?..." you said as appeared on ekko's room door, seeing him sat in front of his desk with a million papers above, his inventor plan of attack as he liked to call. he was resting his face in one of his hands while his elbows were resting on the table and its papers.

"hm? yes miss? whatcha need?" he rubbed his eyes and mumbled without looking at you, from far away you could notice a little smile appearing on his face, making yourself smile too knowing that his one it was because of your presence. it was like this since your relationship started, being on the same tune, contagious.

"you done? i mean... doesn't look very done to me, but..." you replied while getting steps closer to his desk, contouring his body just to being up behind him, leaning down to put support your hands on his shoulders. "just checkin' you up.”

"ah, i think i am really on the final steps to conclude this... am only securing it all goes fine," ekko muttered concentrated doing some more scribbles, at the same time using his left hand to catch one of yours from his shoulders, bringing it closer to his face so he could kiss the inner palm of your hand, making you smile. "besides... why the shawty is awakened this hour?”

"aah i- i missed you on the bed, the usual..." you yawned lazily and leaned all your body on his, being with your chin above his head and arms wrapped around his neck. his body heat was radiating and smelling so good as he took a bath some minutes before, making you sniff his hair just to feel the loveable coconut shampoo smell that you buyed for him.

“i am managing my time very well lately and the project is in the dead end, this time it's the only last time i'll be overworking, ‘kay?” he giggled at your sniffing on his hair, at this point it turned out to become common you doing this, it was cute; lifting his head to look at you, endened giving you free access to kiss his forehead, as you should and did.

“i know… i just can't sleep because of that thing,” you pointed out with your chin the blackboard on the wall with various drawings about this new invention. “i don't want to not be here when you finish this…,” you sighed, catching a chair nearby and sitting really close at ekko's side.

your sudden change from a tired expression to a worried and sadden one was not missed by him, who quickly dropped his pencil at the desk and turned his torso to look at you directly with those frowned big eyes so sweet of him. “babe? what is wrong? you- you don't need to worry about that.”

“nah… just some bullshits passing through my mind… i'm tired, only that.” you looked away from his gaze and scratched your forehead, squirming on the chair a little to see if it could make you comfortable to talk about the subject. it wasn't helping, you're not the kind of person who likes to talk about serious things like this. always praying and hoping for better days, trying to ignore the rocks life throws at you, till you reach the limit and suddenly explodes as a tiny thing goes wrong. like this you wouldn’t worry anyone but only yourself.

“hey, i know when something is wrong with you…” but of course he knew, ekko being your best friend who turn out to be your boyfriend, always being a great observant to notice every detail of you, and care about each one of them. that's why it was so easy for you to fall for him. 

“it's that thing we talked about before?” he asked while softly catched your chin with one of his hands to make you lock eyes with him, he looked so worried and still so caringly about you, it made your butterflies on the stomach do flips. “y-yeah… it's making me anxious…”

“hey, you’re not- you don't lose anything not being here when i finish this…,” he fixed his posture on the chair, quickly catching your hand and intertwining your fingers. “i promised you that everything that i create, you will be the first eyes besides mine that will appreciate it when finished. just because it's not your thang to understand inventions, or not being here when i end those things… doesn't mean you're less of a girlfriend or bad person.”

ekko was so damn comprehensible with everyone, and mainly you, that it made you heart aches everytime you had every time you had a moment of low self-esteem and your anxiety spoke louder. but he was always so careful and always knew what to say to calm and reassure you, how can you not love him?

“and not to forget too, you're never gonna not be enough for me, never. you heard me?” you felt that warm and asphyxiating feeling gathering on your throat wanting to cry but holded enough and only sighed tired, giving him an agreeing smile. “i know… i'm sorry for-” 

“don't need to apologize babe, i understand you…” he pulled you to make you sit on his lap, hugging your waist, making you feel safe. “life is stressing me out these days ekko, but… you make it better,” you mumbled on his neck, hugging him back and closing your eyes.

“i love you” he replied, by the proximity you could know and feel that he was smiling. “i love you more” and now you too.

(...)

after spending some minutes staying like this you happened to start sleeping, there, on ekko’s arms and lap while he continued finishing his invention, feeling safe, loved and enough.

a/n: this was writed only for satisfy myself! i love him so much, i'm so enchanted. ngl, write the universe from s2 ep7 it's easy for me😭 he's still the same but i love how there's no conflicts around. this is the actually the third writing piece i post here, i hope you enjoyed and it's not ooc, writed this while almost sleeping. (i edited this ekko image here.

tagging some mutuals to boost the post! sorry for the bothering. 🤍 @strawb3rrystar @marchsfreakshow @wcnderlnds @decaf-mother @jazzy-reads @mistysconcilium | join my taglist here.

[kkayyerr]

Struggling and cuddling.

Summary: Rafe and JJ trying to tolerate each other for the little!reader‘s sake, until one evening JJ suddenly regress for the first time in front of his „enemy”.

Pairing: Daddy!Rafe x little!reader x little!JJ.

Warnings: Age regression, slight swearing.

Rafe was used to JJ always being cranky, especially after the fights with his father. No matter how much they despised each other, they had to cooperate because you seemed to love them both equally. They got used to each other’s behaviors, not enjoying the company of one another, but at least learning to be more calm while spending time together. However, JJ’s mood today was hard to tolerate. He was going off on you, being extremely rude to Rafe, cursing him off right in front of you, which he usually would never do. Rafe wasn’t scared of fighting JJ; it wouldn’t be the first time that he would deal with the Pogue. However, his feelings about the whole situation were odd. Something was wrong with the boy, but Rafe just couldn’t find out what. 

Rafe approached you while you were sitting on the carpet, coloring pictures with your favorite crayons. He hated the thoughts of you being present in the serious and stressful conversation, so he crouched down in front of you, giving you a head pat to get your attention. 

 

„Baby, can you please go and play in our bedroom for a little while?”

 

You looked at him confused. He usually would tell you that when you had misbehaved. Why would he ask you that when you didn’t do anything wrong? 

 

„Why?”

 

Rafe sighed. He didn’t know how to exactly explain this. He obviously didn’t want your precious little mind to be filled with adult problems, so he knew that he had to just make something up quickly.

 

„Me and JJ want to make a little surprise for you, okay?”

 

Your demeanor quickly changed to a happy one, and you quickly got up from the floor, taking all the crayons and coloring books with you to the room. Rafe gave you a soft smile that quickly disappeared when you had closed the door behind you. 

He turned around and approached JJ, trying to control his temper, even though he was very intimidated right now. 

 

„What the fuck is wrong with you?”

 

The words sounded more curious than angry. Rafe actually wanted to know what was happening. Not because he cared about JJ, of course not. He just wanted to make sure that his personal problems wouldn’t affect you. 

JJ didn’t answer. He didn’t seem angry or pissed like earlier; his face expression was numb. It looks like he was struggling to understand his own emotions, and Rafe knew exactly how it feels, even though he wasn’t planning on admitting it. 

 

„Can you at least try to communicate like an adult?”

 

Rafe’s tone was a bit snarky, but deep down he was starting to get worried, not knowing why exactly he even cared. JJ didn’t answer this time either. Rafe was starting to feel a little bit frustrated when he saw a familiar scene. JJ was standing there, sucking on his thumb just as you used to do whenever you would regress. Rafe’s eyes widened for a moment, but then he relaxed, knowing that at least he knew what he was dealing with right now. 

He carefully put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and sighed with relief when he didn’t push it away. 

JJ felt a strange wave of comfort washing over him as Rafe’s hand touched his shoulder. Surprisingly, his touch was soft and gentle. JJ wouldn’t admit that, but it was exactly what he needed in the moment. 

 

“You can go home if you want. I’ll tell her something.”

 

Rafe didn’t have time for another sentence. JJ quickly turned around and hugged him, probably seeking comfort from at least someone. Rafe’s eyes widened; it was not what he was expecting at all. Though he didn’t push him away. He just awkwardly petted his back, not knowing how to react. 

 

„Alright, dude. I get it, you’re a little bit clingy right now, yeah?”

 

He wasn’t planning on teasing him, but he just couldn’t hold himself back right now. Who could’ve thought that he would have two pogues who trusted him enough to regress in front of him? 

JJ pulled away, looking a bit embarrassed by his behavior that he couldn’t control. He was way too hungry for affection right now to think about their previous fights. 

 

„Can you use your big boy words and tell me what do you need?”

 

JJ shyly pointed his finger at Rafe, trying to explain his needs non-verbally. Rafe understood perfectly what he had meant, but he wanted him to do as he was told at least once. 

He raised his brows, hinting that JJ might want to actually use his vocals, if he wanted to get something.

 

„You."

 

Rafe felt weird pleasure hearing those words. It was almost funny how easy it was to make you two fall for him, even though he wasn’t planning on using it against you, at least not yet. 

He chuckled a little bit, getting closer to JJ just to ruffle his hair. The boy’s face finally brightened up. 

 

„I’ll be sure to remind you of that moment every time you  behave like an arrogant asshole.”

 

JJ pouted, and Rafe pinched his cheeks just to make him smile again. Both of them were interrupted by the sounds of your little footsteps. They immediately turned they had in your direction, both smiling softly at the sight of your confused face expression.

 

„Daddies, what happen’?”

 

Your question was almost funny, and Rafe tried his best to hide his little smirk but eventually failed. He looked at the JJ once more, admiring his blushed cheeks. 

 

„It seems like we actually have a surprise for you, little one.”

Taglist: @tinylilacbun @rafecameronsloverrrrr @aew-regression-cove

[wangxianficrecs]

Rewind 2024 - Part I

WangxianFicRecs - Rewind 2024

Part one of our favourite stories published in 2024. If you also want to give a shout-out to a story, submit an ask and we will share it in an upcoming post featuring Follower Recs and Proud Author Spotlights.

~*~

much sweeter than

by mellowflicker

T, 3k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Lan Wangji gets married knowing one thing: his husband is his equal.

~*~

Day 4: Time Travel

by UseMyMuse (@museywrites)

G, 1k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Part of Musey's Lanuary 2024

Summary: Lan Sizhui knows his parents are happy, but he wants to fix things so they never had to suffer. Against his better judgement, he goes back in time, though he isn't sure if things will turn out the way he expected.

~*~

old wounds, like hidden ghosts

by wordsonpage (@ronniexian)

T, 2k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: "Wei Ying, Wei Ying, you are a menace." "Oh, yeah," Wei Wuxian plays along. "And what are you gonna do about it, Hanguang-jun?" "Perhaps I should leave you." - Lan Wangji is possessed by a vengeful spirit during a night hunt. It takes Wei Wuxian a long, painful moment to notice. (my accidental darkji threadfic, cleaned)

~*~

my name on your lips

by kopicanai

T, 2k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: To the mortals, he is Hanguang-jun. To the other gods, he is Lan Wangji. To Wei Wuxian, he is simply Lan Zhan. A Chinese gods AU

~*~

Changed for the Better

by tigerlilly3224

M, 4k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: “T-They have busy lives. It’s hard for them to step away.” Wei Wuxian didn’t usually stutter. He was tripping over his words. Trying to justify the accusations faster than his mouth can form the sounds. His brain brought up the long prepared list of why the Jiang’s did and always would come first. Lan Wangji narrowed his gaze. “You lower your own worth for their sake. You told me you wrote wrong answers on assignments so you wouldn't get a better grade than Jiang Cheng. You are your own person Wei Ying and you live as if you take up too much space. I want -“ {aka. college roommates wangxian learn to navigate their lives and heal each other along the way ✨🫶} ** on page panic attack, past referenced/implied emotional child abuse & neglect // rating due to topics both mentioned & implied but there is no spice here just feels

~*~

Having one soulmate in this life is enough

by secretninjagirl (@shawoloser)

M, 1k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: “Wei Ying, come to bed,” he says. His eyes are still so soft, and his voice is so warm. “Yes,” Wei Wuxian says, wondering if his voice sounds as unsteady as he feels. He doesn’t know what this means, but he’s powerless to resist his soulmate. He will take whatever Lan Wangji is willing to give him. ------ A "missing scene" of sorts from episode 43 of The Untamed. The pan out over the Jingshi with their song playing felt very much to me like a subtextual sex scene. So I wrote that hypothetical scene.

~*~

🔒 For good

by apathyinreverie (@apathyinreverie)

M, 6k, Wangxian & Xiyao | Kay's Rec

Summary: Wangji should have seen this coming. (Kind of mafia AU. Where the Jins are their usual treacherous selves but Wei Ying is perfectly capable of getting revenge. Which they absolutely deserve. For having made his Lan Zhan so much as frown.)

~*~

🔒 Bright the Day We Met

by ereshai (@ereshai)

G, 1k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Xichen wasn’t even sure Wangji was open to finding his soulmate. The mechanism of soulmate matching was inexact and open to misinterpretation. It was very frustrating. Wangji had always preferred certainty.

~*~

💙 Lay my body down

by tawaen

M, 54k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: One of the fragments of Wei Wuxian's soul, splintered during the first siege of the Burial Mounds, uses the energy released by the Yin Tiger Tally and flees backwards through time to another moment where Wei Wuxian was close to death – after the fall of Lotus Pier, at the hands of Jiang Wanyin. Knowing how his first life will end, Wei Wuxian decides to hide his survival, and leave the cultivation world behind.

~*~

The White Jade Hairpin

by YilingSani (@yiling-sani)

G, 1k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Happy Birthday, dear Hanguang-Jun!

~*~

Tell Me To Stay

by YilingSani (@yiling-sani)

G, 14k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: With heavy steps, Wei Ying walks back to the living room and plops down on the sofa again. His silver eyes travel around the room for a while, mind flooded by memories of sunny mornings, meals and cosy evenings together and all the surfaces they fucked each other on. Then they stop at the door of Lan Zhan's study. If he walked out right now... If Lan Zhan walked out right now and spoke to him, Wei Ying would throw the backpack away, hold his boyfriend close and never let him go. He begs. He begs it would happen. He begs Lan Zhan to somehow feel how much on the edge Wei Ying is balancing right now. "Please," he whispers - the tightening feeling in his throat is slowly choking him while the silver eyes threaten to fill with tears. "Please, Lan Zhan."

~*~

Heart of hearts

by apathyinreverie (@apathyinreverie)

M, WIP, Series, 40k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: It won't be until several days later that Wangji will know to be grateful for Jiang Wanyin’s insistence to split up in their search. (Or, JC and LWJ spend those months searching separately and LWJ ends up finding Wei Ying a little earlier. Wei Ying who doesn’t remember anything beyond his own name. So, LWJ takes his chance and takes Wei Ying home. To Gusu.)

~*~

💙🔒 your heart is mine to fortify

by sunflowersfield

G, 2k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: A few mornings later, Wei Ying stares up at his ceiling and listens to the wind blowing through the willow tree outside his window. It is 4:15 a.m. and he is wide awake once more. For a while, the howling wind is the only sound he hears, and then, there is movement from somewhere below him. The opening and closing of cabinet doors. Light footsteps tapping on a hardwood floor. The clanging of metal against glass. Lan Zhan has arrived at the bakery. Wei Ying allows himself to be swept away by the symphony of sounds that Lan Zhan unknowingly creates as he begins his day. His breathing slows, and his body relaxes bit by bit. He imagines that he is listening to a lullaby written just for him. And just like a lullaby, the symphony guides him back to sleep. Or: Wei Ying lives in the apartment above Lan Zhan's bakery. Or part 2: Wei Ying learns how to accept Lan Zhan's help.

~*~

Brand New Moves

by tawaen

T, 7k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: In the most ambitious heist ever planned, Team Rocket attempts to steal two legendary Pokémon – one from the Burial Mounds Gym Leader, Wei Ying; and one from the Snow White Pavilion Gym Leader, Lan Zhan. These two former rivals are paired up to battle against one another for the first time since becoming Gym Leaders! Will they be able to defeat Team Rocket? Or will they loose their composure and their Pokémon? (Just joking, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan never even notice Team Rocket. They only have eyes for each other!)

~*~

marital customs

by shijieswife

M, WIP, 2k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Cangse, with the growing up on a mountain under the hand of an immortal cultivator who had not descended in several hundred years, often has not a clue, about a single one of the customs down the mountain. She has very little idea of customs, or respect for them, despite her decades living down from the mountain. And this, unlike other things, is something Changze has no experience in either - the art of dealing with suitors for your first born child’s hand.

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for these hard-working authors if you like – or think others might like – these stories.)

[polyhexianbirb]

OOKOSJEKJ SO I HAVE AN AU FOR EPIC I call it the Double Mulan au.

So Penelope, who is blessed by Ares does a Mulan and dresses in Odysseus's armour and head to war disguised as him. She cuts her hair and binds her chest and Ares gives her a gift that will make her voice deeper than it is. She can fight bc she is Spartan ofc.

But there cant be two Odysseus's running around, so when Odysseus realises she is gone, he starts dressing like her and pretending to be her, and he looks after Telemachus. He keeps the country in tact and gets to stay with his son, and Athena teaches him to weave. Just for authenticity's sake, he also grows his hair, and Athena gives a similar gift to him that Ares gave Penelope, just to make his voice more feminine.

Au notes down below:

And i have a whole plan for this au like. Penelope still gets gifted the Moly by Hermes bc he can respect the dedication to the bit. Penelope only reveals herself as a woman during Other Ways bc Circe had thought it was a man's chest and disnt mean to touch actual women Boobas how embarrassing--

Oh and the Cyclops thing is different. Penelope doesn't care enough about her crew and Ares is all about the passion of war (which is why he and Aphrodite are a thing, they're both passion and ugliness and desire and red and blood) eo he gets upset that she didn't care to bring back the dead bodies of the crew. She still yells Odysseus's name to puss of Ares, except literally only Ares and Athena know about the swap rn so Poseidon is just forever angry at the wrong person.

Sirens well just say that the only person to see the illusion is the person they're targeting, so only Penelope sees Odysseus, the others just see a siren. Otherwise it'd make Odysseus look like a second Narcissus. And she still kills them.

"I see your man with a wife who is haunting, a lady with a trail of bodies"

"WHO?"

Calypso is just happy to have someone there. She definetly knows this is a woman, but Penelope still tries to keep up the ruse. By God Games the gods who were all in it all found out by now about the switch, and hold up lemme wrote their arguments:

Apollo: she fought against Troy, she is one of the main reasons one of his temples is in disarray! How dare she! Plus the prophecies state Odysseus should've been the one to fight, that didn't happen though!

Hephestus: she literally didn't care, like seriously. His argument mostly stays the same, and Ares finds it hard to defend her on this one, because yeah, her family is her main priority, but she's passionate about them at least?

Aphrodite: my man is weak to Aphrodite. Her argument is that she left her beloved alone, disappearing to the middle of the night with no word of where she went, that isn't love, she disnt even say a proper goodbye. He tries to say that she loved him enough to leave, and Aphrodite is like 'you're lucky I love you, we're having such great ******** tonight"

Athena: she is upset because Odysseus has been alone, Penelope is cunning yes, but her champion was meant to be the one in the war, not Ares's he stole her spotlight, her champion is suffering now, and he should deal with the consequences. He basically uses logic against her, saying she is being emotional for a change and explains that if Penelope stays away, Odysseus will just keep suffering.

Hera: "look how much she loves him! They're so in love they think alike! They have both been loyal!" And Hera ofc eats that shit up.

And I feel like for Odysseus's side of things he couldn't really teach Telemachus too much in fighting, bc the suitors are there messing with everything. Instead of Athena helping Telemachus in a fight it's Ares, an then when he sees how stressed Odysseus is, how far the charade has gone, he realises Penelope has to get home.

Oh and Penelope definetly makes some Poseidon Sashimi on the way home.

[n0vazsq]

Forgotten wishes Pt.2 | AL65 x Reader

pairing . . . arthur leclerc x ex!reader

summary . . . When you and Arthur meet again, there's a chance that there will be a happy ending

request . . . kind of!!

word count . . . 1.6k+

warnings . . . angst with fluff!

faceclaim . . . N/A

alexavia yaps . . . ok so this was a bit shitty but yeah idk i dont have anything to say </3 idk how to write pt 2s so yeah! i put a few refrences so if you guys noticed them lmk

taglist . . . @barcapix ,, @f1lover55 ,, @ilovebarcaaa (lmk if you want to join the taglist!)

part 1 | part 2

. . . The harbor was the same as it always had been; peaceful, vast, and filled with that haunting sense of nostalgia. The water stretched out in endless blue, the stars above twinkling like distant memories, calling you back to a time when everything felt right.

The night air was cool, the breeze carrying the salt of the ocean, but the weight of everything unsaid between you and Arthur still lingered in the air, thick and obvious.

You could feel it, the push and pull, the magnetic force that had always existed between you two. It wasn’t something that could be ignored, no matter how hard you tried to bury it. And tonight, it felt stronger than ever, as if the universe was pushing you back into his orbit, despite everything that had happened.

Despite the hurt, despite the silence that had grown between you.

You stood by the railing, watching as Arthur’s car disappeared into the distance, wondering if that was the last time you would see him. Your mind was racing, full of denial. You were angry. You were hurt.

But you were also… still in love with him.

You couldn’t help it. It was like something deep inside your chest, an ache that you couldn’t shake no matter how hard you tried.

But then, a voice, soft but clear, broke through the quiet.

"I don’t know what I’m doing here, but I couldn’t just walk away."

You turned, your heart jumping into your throat. There he was again. Arthur, standing a few feet away, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets, his eyes intense but vulnerable. His voice carried the weight of his feelings, and even though you could still see the cracks in the way he stood, you couldn’t deny the genuineness there.

He wasn’t giving up. Not this time.

"You left once before, Arthur," you said, your voice low but firm, holding onto that anger like a shield. "You thought it would be easier, didn’t you? Thought walking away would solve everything."

"I did." He took a step closer, and you could see the pain in his eyes. "And I was wrong. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I wasn’t. I pushed you away because I thought I was saving us from… from whatever it was we were becoming. But I see now… I was just scared. And I should’ve fought for you. For us."

The vulnerability in his voice, the raw honesty, hit you harder than you expected. Your heart was racing, not from anger anymore, but from something deeper, something that had always been there, buried under the hurt and the regret.

"I didn’t want to lose you," he continued, his voice catching just slightly. "But in pushing you away, I lost you anyway."

It was quiet for a moment. The sound of the waves crashing below, the distant hum of the city, the wind tugging at your hair, all seemed to fade into the background. All that was left was you and him. The years that had passed between you. The mistakes. The memories.

And the undeniable truth that, despite everything, you still felt something.

Something stronger than the hurt.

Something that had never truly gone away.

The look of love was still there, even after everything. It was in the way his eyes softened when they met yours, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips, like he couldn’t quite help himself.

But there was pain behind it. An ache that came from knowing things could never go back to what they once were. It felt like a distant memory, that love. Fading. Slipping through your fingers like water.

And yet, the rush of blood surged through you when you caught his gaze, as if the years that had passed were nothing but a blink. The heat of his stare wrapped around your chest, drawing you in despite the walls you had spent so much time building.

You wanted to look away, to stop yourself from feeling anything, but you couldn’t. It was like your heart had made its own decision, and your mind was helpless against it.

The weight of the silence between you was unbearable. It felt like an ocean, an expanse that had grown too vast to cross.

But in that moment, all it took was one look to pull you back to a time when it had all been so easy. When the world had felt simple, the love undeniable, and every touch meant forever. Now, it felt like those forever promises had been buried somewhere in the past, lost between the lines of things unsaid.

You swallowed hard, trying to suppress the emotions threatening to break free. You’d spent so long convincing yourself that you didn’t need him, that you were better off without him. But now, standing here, everything inside of you screamed that it wasn’t true.

That the love you had wasn’t something you could just throw away. And when his hand reached out, just inches away from yours, you didn’t know if you were ready to face it. You didn’t know if you could handle the pull of the past all over again.

But the truth was undeniable, the look of love never truly left, and the rush of blood you felt every time you saw him was proof enough.

That somewhere deep down, it had always remained.

"You don’t get to just waltz back into my life, Arthur," you said, your voice trembling despite yourself. You were trying to be strong, trying to guard your heart. But you knew, deep down, that this wasn’t over. That maybe it could never be over.

"I’m not asking for that." He shook his head, a small, sad smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I’m asking for a chance. A real one this time. I don’t want to fix everything in one night. But I want to start again. Slowly. If you’ll let me."

There it was. The offer. The carrot dangling in front of your eyes.

But you were still scared.

Scared that it wouldn’t work. Scared that you’d be right back here again, only with even more to lose.

But then, you saw it, the vulnerability in his eyes, the longing. And that familiar pull, the one you couldn’t resist no matter how hard you tried. It was there, strong as ever.

"I don’t know if I can trust you again," you whispered, stepping back slightly, heart pounding. "Not after everything."

"I know," Arthur said softly, stepping closer, his eyes never leaving yours. "I’ve lost your trust, and I understand that. But I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to earn it back. If you’ll let me."

Your breath caught in your throat as the silence stretched between you. The tension was thick, electric, even. The space between you was filled with everything you hadn’t said, everything you hadn’t done. The words hung there like a promise unspoken, but everything inside you was screaming to bridge the gap.

You didn’t know what would happen next. Maybe you would walk away again. Maybe this would turn out like every other time. But for some reason, tonight felt different. Tonight, the past didn’t feel like a weight. It felt like a possibility. A chance for something new.

Arthur’s hand reached out, hesitating just in front of yours, like he was waiting for your permission. You hesitated for a moment, your heart beating wildly in your chest. But then you took a step forward, closing the distance between you, your fingers brushing against his. The contact was electric, a spark that ran through you like wildfire.

"I’m scared," you admitted, your voice barely a whisper, but it felt like the most honest thing you’d said in years.

Arthur’s eyes softened, and he gently took your hand in his, his grip firm but soft and gentle. "I am too. But we can be scared together, right?"

There was nothing left to say. No more words that could undo the years, no more questions that could erase the past. There was only the moment, the connection that had always been there, pulling you together like gravity.

Without thinking, you reached up, your fingers tracing his jawline, and before you could second guess yourself, you kissed him.

Softly, hesitantly, as if testing the waters, and then, as if the universe had finally allowed you both this moment, the kiss deepened. Arthur’s arms wrapped around you, pulling you closer, and for the first time in so long, everything felt right again. His lips moved against yours, a promise, an apology, and everything that was unsaid wrapped up in one perfect moment.

When you finally pulled away, both of you breathless, Arthur’s forehead rested gently against yours. His hand cradled the back of your head, fingers tangled in your hair. "I don’t know what comes next," he murmured, his voice soft. "But I know I want to find out with you."

And for the first time in a long time, you believed him. You didn’t have the answers, but maybe you didn’t need them. Because as long as you were together, everything else could wait. The future, the past, the mistakes.

All of it faded into the background as you stood there, in the harbor, under the stars, finally together again.

And this time, you were going to make it work. Even if it meant you'd had to die doing so.

Things fall apart and time breaks your heart.

But this time, it didn't.

[derangedfujoshi]

this is a sincere good faith question from a kodocon, since i saw you talking about it on here (and please feel free to not answer if you feel uncomfortable with it obviously). what’s wrong with the term fictopedophile? i thought that pedophilia was just another paraphilia and didn’t equal child abuse… is it a matter of wrongly assuming attraction in kodocons or something else??? i genuinely thought it was a good term because it implied attraction to fictional children so im really curious as to why it’s problematic

It doesn't exist.

The problem is that it doesn't exist and that people love pathologising everything and making shit up.

You CANNOT be a fictopedophile because there are no real kids in fiction so you are not a real pedo either. It's insulting to even try and equate fictional characters with real kids and on top of that paraphilias aren't even that common. Yeah I know that a lot of people on here seem to have them, with all due respect I doubt they do but they can keep on believing this for all I care since it doesn't hurt anyone, but the fact remains that compared to the global population they are a very low percentage. Also, saying that everyone who enjoys loli/shota/kodo content has a paraphilia (that doesn't exist, fictiopedophilia doesn't exist) is BONKERS because not only it operates under the incorrect assumption that all of them actually feel attraction towards the characters, but it's also trying to -not very subtly- throw a lot of people under the "pedo" bus. They just slapped the word "ficto" in front to try and pathologise/sound like they weren't actually calling us pedos and whilst is true that pedophilia doesn't immediately equate to child abuse it is a VERY serious accusation and an EXTREMELY delicate matter and to accuse a whole bunch of people of being a "light fictional version" of it is simply a masked anti's rhetoric.

So no, it's not a good term because it doesn't exist, you cannot be a fictopedophile in the same way you cannot be a fictocannibal. You enjoying those things in fiction doesn't make you a ficto anything and believing that is actually conceding ground to antis and their crazy rethoric.

Because first they will throw around the word fictopedophile -> people will use it and call themselves that -> they will subsequently remove the "ficto" in front and say that people are already admitting to being pedos so they were right all along.

Do not fall for this. If you do not hunger for real human flesh you are not a cannibal. If you do not find real kids attractive you are not a pedophile and since fiction isn't reality on a 1:1 scale you are not and cannot be a fictional one either.

[wonlvures]

CONFESSIONS UNDER THE STREETLIGHTS - LEE HEESEUNG

PAIRING: Heeseung x fem!reader

SYNOPSIS: Once you and heeseung got very close and you started falling for him and got nervous to confess your feelings to him

GENRE: Fluff, friends to lovers, romance

It had been a few months since you and Heeseung started getting closer. What started as casual hangouts after practice, talking about music, or grabbing food together, slowly turned into something more. The late-night phone calls, the inside jokes that no one else understood, and the way he always seemed to remember the little things you’d mentioned in passing—it was all becoming too much to ignore.

You tried to convince yourself it was just a phase, that it would pass. But every time you saw him, your heart would beat a little faster, and you’d find yourself smiling for no reason at all. You realized, somewhere along the way, you were falling for him. And it scared you.

You never expected to feel this way. Heeseung was your friend. You didn’t want to ruin that, and worse, you were terrified of what might happen if he didn’t feel the same. So you kept your feelings hidden, buried deep down, hoping they would eventually fade. But every time you were around him, it only got harder to ignore.

One evening, after a long practice session, Heeseung asked if you wanted to stick around for a bit. It wasn’t unusual. You two often stayed behind to talk or mess around with music ideas. But tonight felt different. The atmosphere between you two had changed. There was a subtle tension in the air that neither of you acknowledged directly, but it was there.

You were sitting on the couch in the practice room, scrolling through your phone absentmindedly, while Heeseung worked on tuning his guitar. The soft strumming of the strings filled the room as he adjusted them. Every now and then, he would glance up at you, his gaze lingering just a bit longer than usual before returning to the guitar.

“You’ve been quiet today,” Heeseung said suddenly, breaking the silence.

You looked up, startled. “What?”

Heeseung gave you a knowing smile, one of those smiles that always made you feel like he could see right through you. “You’ve been off lately. Are you okay?”

You swallowed, trying to brush it off. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.”

Heeseung didn’t seem convinced. He set the guitar aside and turned to face you, his expression softening. “I’ve noticed you’ve been a little… distant. It’s not like you.”

You felt a wave of panic rise in your chest. Could he sense something was wrong? Could he tell what you were hiding?

“I’m fine,” you said quickly, avoiding his gaze. “Really.”

Heeseung studied you for a moment longer, then sighed. “Okay, I won’t push. But if you ever want to talk, you know I’m here.”

You nodded, feeling a little relieved that he hadn’t pressed you further. But the tension between you two was still there, hanging in the air like an unspoken word. You fidgeted with your phone, trying to ignore the knot in your stomach.

After a few moments of silence, Heeseung spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

You looked up at him, your heart skipping a beat. The way he was looking at you made your pulse quicken. There was something in his eyes—something serious.

“What is it?” you asked, trying to sound calm, though your nerves were beginning to get the best of you.

Heeseung leaned back against the couch, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, and I just… I don’t want to keep it to myself anymore.”

Your stomach dropped. Was he about to say something important? Something that might change everything between you two?

Heeseung let out a soft breath before speaking again, his eyes never leaving yours. “I feel like there’s something between us. Something more than just friendship. I don’t know if you’ve felt it too, but whenever I’m around you, it’s like everything feels… easier, you know?”

Your heart raced, and you couldn’t breathe for a moment. Was this really happening? Could he really feel the same way?

“I…” you started, but the words got stuck in your throat. You wanted to say something, but your mind was a jumbled mess.

Heeseung was looking at you now, his gaze intense but gentle, like he was waiting for you to respond. “I don’t want to make things awkward, but I just had to say it. I’ve been feeling this way for a while.”

You looked at him, your heart pounding in your chest. “You… you feel the same?” you whispered, the words coming out in a rush.

Heeseung smiled, a soft, relieved smile that made your heart flutter. “Yeah. I’ve liked you for a while now. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

A wave of relief washed over you, and suddenly the weight of the past few weeks—the nervousness, the uncertainty—seemed to lift. Heeseung liked you. He felt the same way.

“I��ve been so nervous to tell you,” you admitted, your voice shaky. “I didn’t want to mess things up between us.”

Heeseung chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I’ve been just as nervous. I didn’t want to make things weird either. But I couldn’t keep pretending anymore.”

The tension that had been building between you two finally snapped, and before you knew it, Heeseung was leaning closer, his hand brushing yours lightly. Your breath caught in your throat, and your pulse quickened. Heeseung’s eyes searched yours, and you could see the uncertainty there, but also something else—a quiet confidence, as if he was ready to take the leap.

“You know,” he murmured, his voice low, “I think I’ve been wanting this for a long time.”

You nodded, feeling a wave of warmth spread through you. “Me too,” you whispered back

And then, slowly, carefully, Heeseung closed the distance between you. His lips met yours gently, a soft kiss that made everything else fade away. It wasn’t rushed or intense, but it was everything you had been holding in your heart for so long. When you pulled away, both of you were smiling—almost shyly, but it was real.

“I’m glad we finally said it,” Heeseung whispered, his forehead resting against yours.

“Me too,” you replied, your voice filled with relief.

And for the first time in a long while, everything felt right. The fear of the unknown, the worry about ruining your friendship—all of it vanished in that moment. Because now, you both knew. You both felt the same. And that was all that mattered.

[ray935sworld]

Hello, hope you are doing well

I just read your child of divorce fic for the 100th time (i love it so so much) and i had a funny idea for the future, when the marc-cheating-allegations aren't new anymore and i'd love to hear your thoughts on this

So picture this: there is an interview or a podcast or whatever and some messy rider or journalist/interviewer/whatever is like "yeah maybe who knows, maybe rossi is self projecting with all the accusations of infidelity because HE is the one that cheated and tries to cover it up by throwing mud at his ex bc he can't handle the fact that the he ruined such a beautiful thing and that it is his fault alone, just like he can't handel the fact that 2015 was all his fault and needs a scapegoat that isn't him and Marc is too nice to ruin his reputation bc he still loves him?

Oh anon, my love! That was wonderful. I laughed so hard when I read this.

You definitely nailed it! (pls if you ever have another idea feel free to sent it!) That so happened!

I will definitely write a snippet about that (I'm hoping you're okay with that cause... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE) but I can't 100% promise that it's going to be in the main story.

But it sounds very real. After a consolation with @calia23 we agreed that it was definitely Casey who dropped that. Our little Australian hater would NEVER accept Vale talking like that about his own kid. He is giving him a taste of his own medicine.

Like imagine Casey metaphorically slowly sitting down infront of a mic like "Okay... My fucking turn" and then he just spills that because why is cheating the first thing on Vale's mind? Rossi? Wanna tell us something?

And OOOOH the conspiracies that would follow - everyone is reviewing the 2015 materials to figure out who the possible mistress of rossi was (he denies it btw but nothing else was expected) and the rumors about David's possible real father resurface.

Now if we put this in 2017/18, David would be around 4-5 years old, so he'd be more conscious about what's happening. So imagine he's overhearing his grandparents or his uncles talking with his papa about that. He's hearing them say that his father (Vale) might betrayed his papa. But his papa is denying it all.

And he just doesn't know what to believe. He was told his father had listened to bad people who didn't had the best in mind for him and he fell for it. That's why he left. But he had always loved David. He was just currently being too stupid to see it. Like Marc had always been civil since he doesn't want David to grow up with resentment. But now they are suddenly openly talking about real betray?

A part of David's view definitely shatters. Like it's maybe the first time the golden view of his father really takes a blow. Of course he heard his grandparents curse Vale but Marc had always had a good explanation why they were wrong. And his papa always talks so lovingly about his father and sometimes even shows him pictures about their time. There is still a picture if Vale and Marc holding baby David on a shelf. But now there was no explanation for David. So he thinks there's no excuse, no explanation. He never asks. He's too afraid to get the confirmation from his papa that it's true.

The discussion about Vale were never done in secret too. Alex was more careful about his words but still... And now suddenly they are discussing the betray in silence? In secret? And in the Marquez house, there are no secret. So does that mean that there is some truth in the words? That's why David is kept away from it all and isn't supposed to know?

I can imagine David being very confused about his families behavior. Maybe he somehow hears about the accusation but he's too young to really understand them. He doesn't understand how deep the accusations actually run. He just understands that his father apparently broke his papa's trust in a horrible way.

And mind you, David is a child. He's taught to never lie and never hurt anyone. He is never allowed to break someone's trust, so he understands that this is bad.

Honestly I can't see Marc honestly believing the rumors. Like, at least at the till mid 2015/ Sepang 2015 they were a happy loving family, Vale very much involved and completly in love with Marc. So an affair seems too out of character. And Marc tries to be a good example for David (unlike Vale) so he doesn't want to participate in that mudd war Vale started.

Okay so those are just own quick thoughts on the matter. I hoped you like it and pls, anon - or literally anyone - what do you think?

And OMG I am so happy you like the AU so far that means SOOOOO much to me :)

[potchi-fics]

detective (last part)

i | ii

the intensity of it all makes you two sweat– it makes you both go crazy. you desperately try to unbutton her shirt but it doesnt want to cooperate. 

"break it," you pull away to say before leaning back in again.

sevika easily destroys the fabric but lets out an annoyed groan at the sight of you wearing a tank top underneath.

before she could say anything, you groan out, "fuck– i dont care, tear all of it."

you unbuckle your belt while sevika takes care of your top and bra. immediately, she cups your breasts, massaging and kneading them– eliciting a whimper from you.

"i missed this." sevika moans out.

she's pulled back in by you, your teeth clashing against each other, lips beginning to swell. 

you say with a giggle, "yeah? they missed you too. now, help me on my pants." 

sevika swears she's feeling butterflies in her stomach right now. within seconds, youre naked. sevika pick you up and you wrap your legs around her, sevika’s hands back on your ass. the both of you kiss as sevika blindly walks to your desk where she puts you down. 

"i brought something with me," sevika feels you palm her crotch. 

you hum out in satisfaction– your voice going an octave down, "very good."

sevika swallows in suspense. she's not her usual self, what the fuck is wrong with her. she attacks your neck, leaving you with hickeys and bite marks that will surely last for days. her fingers are met with your wet cunt, groaning as she feels the heat from it. 

"my pussy missed you, sev." your words comes out as whispers.

she can feel her clit throb, pulsating in need. her kisses travel down and you cant help but feel excited. and finally, she reaches your wet pussy, sevika’s mouth salivating. without hesitation, she dives in. you gasp brokenly as you feel sevika’s tongue circles your clit before giving it a suck. in the moment of pleasure, you knock off your paperwork. but before you could give it a thought, she pulled you back in by inserting one finger. 

sevika voices out, "fuck, you're fucking wet, detective."

your pussy clenches at the pet name, making her curl her finger– hitting that sweet spot. 

"yeah? you like that, detective?" you yelp at the abrupt pleasure shooting throughout your body, "i missed your pussy too."

"m-more, pleas– oh my god." she fucks you while sucking on your clit, "just like that, please."

shattered moans and groans of her names stirred up the quiet night, she feels you grip her hair. she flicks your puffy clit using her tongue, making you buck your hips and raise off the desk. she pulls back; her chin and mouth are covered with your juices.

"stay still, detective," she orders.

she goes back up to kiss you, and she slips another digit in. you gasp into the kiss but its muffled as she kisses you intensely. you love sevika’s fingers inside of you. you love the shape of her fingers, you love the feeling of her fingers inside, how it brings you both pain and pleasure– you love it. the feeling of her fingers prodding at your favourite spot, coaxing you to let out more whimpers, more broken groans and moans, more calling out for her.

and you would gladly let sevika hear her. so you did.

you mewled out her name, chanting it like it was some sort of spell as sevika continued to take you to your high using only her fingers. you grab her wrist, getting her to fuck you at an even faster pace– you attempt to cover your mouth but she stops you. 

"nuh-uh, detective," she rubs you clit with her thumb, "i need to hear you."

your legs widen more and sevika notices, she suddenly thrusts her fingers back in harshly.

you loudly whimper, "shit– sev, im so close."

sevika fucks you so well that you feel like youre floating. 

"that feel good?" she coos out.

your head nods frantically, "ye-yeah, so much– it feels so good."

the pleasure is too much for you so you let it take over. your pussy tighten around her digits, your toes curling, your vision being clouded by white. sevika curls her fingers and fucks you like that, continuously hitting your g-spot. and youre cumming. your fingers digging themselves into sevika’s wrist, your breathing getting even more uneven. even through your orgasm, she’s fucking your g-spot, all at the same time, rubbing your clit, and sucking your breast.

"s-stop, wait." you struggle to bring yourself back down to earth. 

you close your eyes and you feel sevika slowly take out her fingers, your twitching cunt still clutching onto them tightly. you rest your forearm on top of your forehead, feeling worn out and dizzy. sevika grabs your legs and she puts them both over her shoulder, making you open your eyes.

you see her eye your pussy, staring like she's in a trance. sevika rubs your sensitive clit before unbuttoning her own pants and taking out the strap, and coating it using your juice. sevika rubs her toy against your cunt, emitting a hiss from you. and without warning, she slowly puts it in. you laugh at the pleasure that's taking over you once more, moaning out sevika’s name as she fills you up. few seconds pass, and she's hilted. sevika’s hips meeting your own. her eyes are clouded, hazy even. 

"i missed your dick, baby." you whimper out.

the pain of the stretch turns you on so much, and makes you want to be fucked by sevika. sevika gives an experimental thrust– getting the both of them to groan at the tightness.

"you're so tight, you didnt even let me move, detective." sevika laughs out but a hushed shut-up from you followed.

in this position, sevika’s deeper than before, hitting you all in the right spots. she's got you writhing and squirming on the table, panting like a bitch in heat.

you whine, "move, sev."

and she does. she pulls out at a slow pace until only the tip is in and slowly pushes back in. you marvel in delight at the action, you want more; you need more. 

"sevika, move."

through labored breathing, you beg her to move— o finally fuck you. you takes a peek at sevika and you see her already looking down at you with foggy eyes. your own eyes almost closes as sevika hilts herself once more, hips pushing down on yours. 

sevika thrusts harshly after every word, "so. fucking. tight."

"so g-good, sev." you murmur out with difficulty.

she sets a faster pace, the stretch almost making you cum. your arms flair around, desperate to hold onto something, knocking down more things in the process. 

"did you miss my dick, detective?"

you couldnt even reply, her thrust shook the table, making your breasts go up and down and sevika swore that she could watch that all day. she leaned forward, your legs were so close to her chest, and she went deeper, "answer me."

your hands put themselves on sevika’s shoulders, clawing and gripping it with force– showing that sevika is fucking you so good. 

you  mumble out, the pleasure being too much for you, "y-yeah, i missed it so much." you smile and bite you lips, staring up at her. "only you could fuck me like this, sev." 

sevika unconsciously speeds up, going harder.

"yeah, baby, only you– fuck!"

the sounds of your hips slapping fill the room, along with your inaudible words, and sevika’s groans and praises. 

sevika pants out, "youre so fuckin' wet, shit.." 

she leans back and gawks at your pussy sucking her in every time she pulls out. the sight has her salivating. she rails into your harder– eliciting louder moans and groans from you. 

"look at you, taking me so well."

"only for you," you reply breathlessly. 

sevika hisses as she pounds into your pussy like a wild animal. she sees you reaching out for her and she holds your wrists and fucks you like that– using it as leverage to even thrust faster and deeper.

"shit! im gonna fuckin' cum, sev." you mewl at the pleasure. 

you feel so good that youre hearing a ringing noise, so good that your eyesight is blurring, your legs are tensing up, and your back is arching. you focus on sevika’s dick, obsessed at the feeling of it filling you up.

"so good– so good."

you focus on her harsh breathing, on the sounds of what your overstimulated cunt is making, the smacking of both of your hips– just how hard she's pounding you.

sevika angles her hips, finding the spot. "go on, detective, cum for me. right here, yeah?"

you dont even get to reply because sevika fucks you into oblivion– abusing your poor g-spot. 

"my favourite detective needed this, didnt she?"

your throat is sore now from all the screaming and moaning and groaning but you dont care– all you care is sevika fucking you to the point that youre seeing white.

"you're the only woman i fuck like this," sevika hilts herself and you cover your mouth to muffle your scream, "they dont satisfy me like you do."

you have tears running down the side of your face.

"i fucking love fucking you, detective."

"im right there--im gonna cum."

punctuating those two words with her thrust pushes you over the edge, "only. you." 

your legs tremble and quiver as the force of your orgasm is too powerful. sevika coaxes you through your orgasm by gently thrusting and cooing you.

"there it is," sevika whispers, "good girl, detective."

you ignore the pain your inflicting on yourself by biting youlr forearm– the intensity of it all overwhelming you. ragged breaths escape from you, still feeling the aftershocks of your orgasm.

"hey, hey," sevika carefully pulls out, her gaze locking in on your pussy tightly grasping the toy, "come back to me."

you feel your legs cautiously being put down– still trembling, "what was that?" you whisper out.

sevika’s laugh resonates in the room, "that was a thank you for patching me up, detective."

your eyes narrow at sevika who only smirked at you in return.

"you want food, detective?"

you smile deviously, "oh yeah? im the only one you fuck?"

sevika could only look away as a blush seemed to appear.

[sevenboarproductions]

[IDOLiSH7] [Part 6] Chapter 14: To the Challengers [1/2]

6.14.1. - With everything we have

Audience A: Ah… Something appeared on the screen…  

Audience B: Last minute interview footage…?

Audience A: …What’s an idol…？

Audience B: …What is music…？

Audience A: …What is the greatest live…？

Audience B: …Ah, Touma is on the screen…！

--

Inumaru Touma: The greatest live...

Inumaru Touma: For me, the greatest live is the moment when I can make everyone the happiest.

Inumaru Touma: Everyone's feelings become one, no one gets left behind, and there’s just one great moment after the other.

Inumaru Touma: At first, the audience is well-mannered and just watches, but they gradually get into it…

Inumaru Touma: That feeling of them leaning forward and joining in the fight... It's like everyone is standing up and roaring.

Inumaru Touma: I love that moment when it feels like it's us, not just customers.

Inumaru Touma: I want to create a space like that... I think I can create it.

Inumaru Touma: Let's create the greatest live.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Isumi Haruka: Uhm, what is an idol. An idol is…

Isumi Haruka: Coming from someone like me, what I say might not be very persuasive… But I think it's pretty accurate.

Isumi Haruka: It's someone who wants to be loved.

Isumi Haruka: Someone who wants to be pampered a lot. Someone who wants to be praised a lot.

Isumi Haruka: Like, “Ahaha, I love myself”. Without that, I don't think I'd want to be on stage.

Isumi Haruka: But while I'm doing it, I start to think, "Oh, I'm not good at this," or "I messed up," or "I wonder if I can do it well.”

Isumi Haruka: So many things I hate about myself and the things I'm anxious about come out, it's like I can't take it anymore, I want to pull away…

Isumi Haruka: But when the fans call out my name, I can really step forward. I'm sure it’ll be the same this time.

Isumi Haruka: I mean, we're first, right? Normally, I'd say we can't do it… That's why…

Isumi Haruka: Call for ŹOOḼ, call for Isumi Haruka. I’m counting on you. 

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Natsume Minami: What is music…

Natsume Minami: That's right. Music can become anything.

Natsume Minami: It can be a weapon, it can be armor. It can be a blanket, it can be fashion, it can be a blood oath.

Natsume Minami: With that in mind, if I were to speak only about ŹOOḼ and ŹOOḼ's fans…

Natsume Minami: I think it's like chains.

Natsume Minami: There’s the chains that bind us, and the chains that we seek to destroy.

Natsume Minami: Feelings and pain that could not be put into words are connected through music…

Natsume Minami: It is as if blood flows through the community known as ŹOOḼ. That's right, it may be like blood vessels.

Natsume Minami: Let the blood flow, cut the chains we want to break, and connect with each other through new bonds.

Natsume Minami: Fufu… These may be chains that are a little exciting, a bit dangerous, but…

Natsume Minami: Please, let yourself be caught up in them.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Midou Torao: What an idol is?

Midou Torao: An idol is… That's right… This might be a no-go thing to say.

Midou Torao: But at first, I thought it was shady.

Midou Torao: You get pampered, but they treat you like a toy, and you laugh it off…

Midou Torao: I was thinking, that's supposed to be fun? 

Midou Torao: …Then, “Ah, this is a bad idea”… “It’s a bad idea, right?”, “Huh? We're gonna keep going like this…?”

Midou Torao: …That's right… Well, those were my first impressions anyway. Probably because I was like that at the time.

Midou Torao: Yeah… I thought it’d be nice if it was just for decoration.

Midou Torao: But after meeting a lot of different people, I realized I was wrong.

Midou Torao: Chasing their dreams even when they fail… Going out alone to places where there are only enemies… It's not shady at all. 

Midou Torao: These guys… I thought these people were heroes.

Midou Torao: I want to be like that too. I'll do my best.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!! 

--

Inumaru Touma: Listen, you guys! We've come this far, so believe in yourselves!

Inumaru Touma: At first, we were kind of an odd mix! But aren't we the real deal right now!?

Midou Torao: Of course. There's no other place I’d rather be.

Midou Torao: You guys are the best!

Inumaru Touma: I told you, didn't I! Don't forget!

Natsume Minami: That's my line, Inumaru-san.

I won't let anyone, including you and everyone here in the venue, get distracted from us.

Natsume Minami: We are the one and only.

Isumi Haruka: That's right! Let's destroy everything! Let's show them all we got!

Isumi Haruka: Ryou-san and Utsugi-san… Let's take the people who have become our fans with us!

Isumi Haruka: To a view even better than the one at RedFes! Tonight! Here! Right now!

Midou Torao: Alright!

Natsume Minami: Let's go!

Inumaru Touma: Let's go!

ŹOOḼ: Yeah…!!

Audience: The lights came on…

Audience: ŹOOḼ are over there…！

Audience: Kyaaah…！

Passerby A: ŹOOḼ's live has begun! The first song is "Poisonous Gangster"!

Passerby B: The set is amazing…!! It's so ŹOOḼ! Cool…! 

Passerby A: I happened to be there during the debut event! The place where ŹOOḼ began…!

Passerby B: I hope ŹOOḼ wins…!

Passerby C: The big monitor over there is broadcasting ŹOOḼ's live!

Passerby D: It's true…！The atmosphere is insane...! I wish I could have gone to the venue…!

Passerby C: Everyone looks so cool! Do your best, ŹOOḼ…！

Oda Hiroto: …

Oda Hiroto: Touma…

Natsume Minami: (It was with this song that I started working on together with Sakura-san, that I met ŹOOḼ…)

Natsume Minami: (At first, it was a song sung by just two of us as the main vocals.)

Natsume Minami: (But before I knew it, I was singing as well, raising my voice and screaming with ecstasy.)

Natsume Minami: (I tried to remain a spectator, but I got more and more involved as myself…)

Natsume Minami: (Once destiny has started, it cannot be stopped. )

Natsume Minami: (Sakura-san, I’m enjoying myself a lot right now. Aren't you envious?)

Natsume Minami: (The allies and friends you lost, I have them all.) 

Natsume Minami: Come on, please…

Natsume Minami: Desire me more.

Audience: Kyaaah…！

Audience A: PoiGang is the best! I knew they were definitely gonna sing it…!

Audience B: All four of them look super cool! (crying) ...I love ŹOOḼ…

Audience A: Ah… the second song…!

Audience B: It's “ZONE OF OVERLAP”…!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Audience: The best, the best…!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Midou Torao: (RedFes… I remember the fear of that stage.)

Midou Torao: (I wanted to run away. I wanted to pretend like it wasn't serious and make it a laughing matter.)

Midou Torao: (But I met others who were just as scared, yet didn't try to run away.)

Midou Torao: (So I put down my feet and moved forward with my heart and soul and I was able to change, so that I could protect them without running away, .)

Midou Torao: (I overcame something that seemed like it could never be overcome.)

Midou Torao: (May I have the same pride tonight as I did then.)

Midou Torao: (Whatever it is, I'll do it!)

Midou Torao: Don't look away!

Midou Torao: We'll make you crazy about us to the point of breaking! 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Audience A: From "ZONE OF OVERLAP", they started singing as a group of four!

Audience B: Yeah…!

Audience A: I wasn't able to go see RedFes, but I feel like the atmosphere at ŹOOḼ has changed since then…!

Audience A: They're no longer awkward around each other and they often look at each other with smiles on their faces, it makes me happy…

Audience A: I always was and still am so lucky to be a ŹOOḼ oshi…! 

Audience B: Ah... the third song is coming!!

Audience B: It's “Bang!Bang!Bang!”...!!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Isumi Haruka: Come on, come on! That's not all you got, is it? 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Isumi Haruka: Shout…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!!

Isumi Haruka: (Hey, are you watching? Ryou-san.)

Isumi Haruka: (Are you watching? Kujou.)

Isumi Haruka: (Aren't I amazing?)

Isumi Haruka: (Aren’t we the best?)

Isumi Haruka: (Fufu… You thought I was a waste, so you let go of me.)

Isumi Haruka: (But it's too late to regret it now. I'm no longer controlled by anyone.)

Isumi Haruka: (The only path we walk is our own.)

Isumi Haruka: (Just watch from there. I'll take you with me. I'll show you, as well.)

Isumi Haruka: (We will carve out our future.)

Isumi Haruka: We can still keep going…! 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Audience A: …ŹOOḼ is amazing! (crying) …I love ŹOOḼ…

Audience B: If you cry, you won't be able to see it properly! It'd be such a shame! It's so amazing…

Audience B: Since it's people around the same age as us putting on such a cool, powerful performance…!

Audience A: Yes, yes… (crying).

Audience: Ah, the lights went out…

Audience: What!？A costume change…?!

Audience: …！This intro…! 

Audience: It's the new song…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Isumi Haruka: …

Natsume Minami: …

Midou Torao: …

Inumaru Touma: Last one!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Inumaru Touma: “Utopia”!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Inumaru Touma: (I thought I'd never stand on stage again.)

Inumaru Touma: (I thought I’d never sing seriously again.)

Inumaru Touma: (The only way I could protect myself was to hate someone, to laugh at someone.)

Inumaru Touma: (However, as I met important friends and spent irreplaceable time with them…)

Inumaru Touma: (I met people who care about me more than I care about myself.) 

Inumaru Touma: (I want to make them happy, those people who always support us.)

Inumaru Touma: (Beyond the dazzling lights, I can see their smiles. They're calling our names. For their smiles, I want to create a miracle.)

Inumaru Touma: (I want to promise them eternity.)

Inumaru Touma: (We won't betray you. We know better than anyone that things like that are crap…)

Inumaru Touma: (I want to promise you that I will never betray you.)

Inumaru Touma: (That I'm never leaving the stage again.)

Inumaru Touma: Let's go together! Follow us to the very end…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Oda Hiroto: …Touma…

Oda Hiroto: …Do your best, Touma! Don't lose…!

Oda Hiroto: Destroy the others and make it so that you…. that ŹOOḼ become the best…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Inumaru Touma: This is the best…！

Isumi Haruka: Aah, we're done already…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Natsume Minami:: Thank you very much！

Midou Torao: Thanks! I sang with all my power！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Inumaru Touma: Thank you！

Isumi Haruka: See you…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

(clapping)

--

Isumi Haruka: Ha… haa…

Utsugi Shirou: Welcome back! Thank you for your hard work…! 

Isumi Haruka: …How was it!? 

Utsugi Shirou: It was amazing! The best in the world!

Inumaru Touma: Utsugi-san, did you see it?! A sight better than RedFes!

Utsugi Shirou: …

Utsugi Shirou: Asking that first thing after coming off such a big stage…

Natsume Minami: We are asking that! After all, we're quite stubborn! 

Midou Torao: You're a part of ŹOOḼ too. We wanted to share the best sight with you.

Isumi Haruka: So!? How was it?!

Utsugi Shirou: …It wasn't just beyond RedFes, it was a performance like it has never been done before! 

Utsugi Shirou: On such a big stage, not to mention as the opening act, with that kind of quality. With that kind excitement.

Utsugi Shirou: Only ŹOOḼ can do this. You are the best…!

Isumi Haruka: We did it! Ya~y!!

Inumaru Touma: High five, high five!

Midou Torao: Alright! Yay! 

Natsume Minami: Ahaha! Ya~y! 

Utsugi Shirou: Yay! Thank you for your hard work!

Utsugi Shirou: Let's win this Black or White and go to RedFes again next year!

Utsugi Shirou: We'll show ŹOOḼ to the world once more!

ŹOOḼ: Yeah…!!

Tsukumo Ryou: …

Tsukumo Ryou: Haha… You can do it, after all.

Tsukumo Ryou: Thank you, ŹOOḼ

Tsukumo Ryou: I'm glad I created you guys.

--

Audience A: Haa…！ŹOOḼ’s live was great! 

Audience B: I was so moved.... (crying) I got to see it live.... I'm so glad I was able to come to the venue!!

Audience A: It's true…!! I will tell this story for the rest of my life...!!

Audience B: Ah… There's a break until the stage set is changed. I think I'll head to the washroom.

Audience A: There'll be a message video too, so come back soon!

Audience B: I know!

(bump)

Audience B: Ah… I'm sorry. 

Ousaka Soushi: No, I have to apologize.

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Soushi: It looks like the seats are around there.

Sougo's mother: Yes…

Ousaka Soushi: Let's go.

~ to be continued ~

--

6.14.2. - Wishing upon the sparkling stars

Audience C: It's about to be IDOLiSH7’s turn, isn't it… 

Audience D: Yeah…! I'm really excited…!

Audience C: Ah...! Something is being shown on the screen again!

Audience D: This is the last-minute interview footage…!

Audience C: Kyaaaah...! Iori-kun...!!

Izumi Iori: The greatest live… To me, the greatest live means showing off the best IDOLiSH7.

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san, the unrivaled center.

Izumi Iori: The elegant and cute Rokuya-san who supports the hearts of IDOLiSH7.

Izumi Iori: Ousaka-san who changes his colours freely, both as a "MEZZO’’" member and as a rock musician.

Izumi Iori: The lawless Yotsuba-san who does whatever he wants, acts spoiled whenever he wants, yet for some reason we always forgive him. 

Izumi Iori: Nii-san who leads the atmosphere of the live and keeps it going with his cuteness and energy.

Izumi Iori: Nikaidou-san, our reliable leader who’s got our backs any time.

Izumi Iori:  As well as the perfect me.

Izumi Iori: We will definitely deliver. Please trust us.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Nikaidou Yamato: Good evening, it's Onii-san. To me, an idol is, well…

Nikaidou Yamato: I guess it'’s a being that makes people happy.

Nikaidou Yamato: That might makes me sound like I'm saying I'm a person who's really kind to people, though.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'm not that type of person, actually.

Nikaidou Yamato: But those guys… The other members work so hard and always make me happy.

Nikaidou Yamato: They gave me so much, it's spilling out of my hands, I have so much happiness left over.

Nikaidou Yamato: By distributing that one by one to everyone, I can do my job as an idol.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll be handing out lots of it at Black or White, so please be sure to get some. ‘Cause those guys are really amazing.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll give it my all, too. Yeah…

Nikaidou Yamato: When I do things properly, I can be pretty amazing, too.

Nikaidou Yamato: Just kidding.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Izumi Mitsuki: To me, idols are something I’ve always admired！

Izumi Mitsuki: I loved Zero, you know. I was thinking I wanted to be like him, and I thought he was really cool.

Izumi Mitsuki: Yeah… It felt like I was looking up at stars high up…

Izumi Mitsuki: Even after I decided I wanted to be an idol, even after I debuted as an idol, I was looking up at them.

Izumi Mitsuki: Ah… It was like, “that one is good, and this one is good too. This one is amazing, and I want that one too.”

Izumi Mitsuki: Ahaha, I must sound really greedy, right? I mean, they're all really amazing people. They're all really cool.

Izumi Mitsuki: But recently, I finally… I've stopped looking up at high places.

Izumi Mitsuki: To me, I myself am an idol. I want to be an idol that only Izumi Mitsuki can be. I don't just want to be, I will be.

Izumi Mitsuki: See, how I’ve become able to say something that bold? 

Izumi Mitsuki: There were some really cool guys that I was jealous of. They gave something to me, little by little.

Izumi Mitsuki: “That's great.”, “That's amazing.”, “I love you.” They kept going like that, and they gave me lots of little stars.

Izumi Mitsuki: That's why I… That's why I became  able to say that to me, my idol is myself. 

Izumi Mitsuki: Tonight, make sure you look up at us! We'll make lots of stars fall too!

Izumi Mitsuki: Let's have a blast on the last night of the year!

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yo. I'm Yotsuba Tamaki.

Yotsuba Tamaki: For me, the best live is when everyone's like, “Whoa!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: A time when even if there's nothing special going on, us and the audience are having fun.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I think things like, “I'm going to entertain you!" and "Please get fired up!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: And then, somehow...it starts to feel like the people in the audience are thinking the same way.

Yotsuba Tamaki: It's as if they're also saying, “We’re gonna entertain you! Please get fired up!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: And we’re interacting like, “Yeah~!”, “Let's do it!”. How do I put it? You do this and that, and then…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Interaction, interaction. Ah... It’s like I’m calling my partner’s first name. Haha, that's a different kanji, though.* 

Yotsuba Tamaki: I like the feeling of interaction between here and there, when everyone’s like, “Whoa”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: It's hard to grasp that moment, and even if you think, "Whoa, here it comes!", it's gone in an instant.

Yotsuba Tamaki: So when I think , "Ah, that's the moment!", it hits me so hard I almost start crying.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Why? ...Hmm… I wonder why it makes me feel like crying.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Maybe it’s because I’m not alone. Haha… Let's all seize that moment together.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Ousaka Sougo: For me, music was my hope for living.

Ousaka Sougo: It is proof that I'm alive right now. I never thought I'd be able to write songs with my own hands.

Ousaka Sougo: For a long time, I couldn't love myself; I denied my own potential, and couldn't believe in myself…

Ousaka Sougo: My love for music made me believe in myself.

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Sougo: The new song we’ll be singing tonight.... I wrote it.

Ousaka Sougo: I've written songs for "MEZZO" before, but this is the first time I've written a song for IDOLiSH7.

Ousaka Sougo: I'm really nervous, but it is a song I really like. And also...

Ousaka Sougo: I feel like Tamaki-kun might be too embarrassed to tell you , so I'll tell you secretly.

Ousaka Sougo: The choreography was done by Tamaki-kun.

Ousaka Sougo: He’s incredibly talented. Everyone, please take the time to look at it.

Ousaka Sougo: I've gotten off topic, but I am very happy to be able to sing my own songs on this big stage.

Ousaka Sougo: I would like to dedicate this to all the people who it possible for me to have music in my life.

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Soushi: …Sougo…

Rokuya Nagi: Hi, girl.

Rokuya Nagi: For me, music is something that changes the color of the heart.

Rokuya Nagi: When I listen to a sad song, it paints my heart a sad color.

Rokuya Nagi: When I hear a kind song, it changes to a kind color.

Rokuya Nagi: That's how we've lived our lives with the music we love.

Rokuya Nagi: On nights when you can't cry, it helps the tears flow.

Rokuya Nagi: When we need courage, it strengthens our hearts.

Rokuya Nagi: Music is magic… it’s magic. 

Rokuya Nagi: I'll gift everyone a special magic.

Rokuya Nagi: We will paint your hearts in IDOLiSH7’s colors.

Rokuya Nagi: Please do not forget. That tonight, we spent a special time together.

Rokuya Nagi: That we are always in your heart.

Rokuya Nagi: We love you.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!

Nanase Riku: Uhm… To me, idols are like light.

Nanase Riku: The first time I met an idol I liked, I was a kid.

Nanase Riku: When I was lonely, when I was feeling unwell… having that idol around helped me forget about all the hardships.

Nanase Riku: It was just fun, I got carried away watching and lost track of time.

Nanase Riku: I'm sure even if I was in complete darkness, I wouldn't have noticed.

Nanase Riku: I want to become that kind of person.

Nanase Riku: When your beloved idol is there and you’re getting carried away having a good time… 

Nanase Riku: It doesn't solve the problem. It doesn't cure the illness.

Nanase Riku: Complete darkness remains that way, and nothing changes. ...I knew that.

Nanase Riku: But still.... If I could see that wonderful thing once more....

Nanase Riku: If I could see that idol once more, and laugh wholeheartedly and happily.

Nanase Riku: I feel like I can bear the pain I'm feeling right now just a little longer.

Nanase Riku: That's what I thought.

Nanase Riku: I was thinking there might be people here at the venue today who feel the same way.

Nanase Riku: So: Good job, everyone! You all did really well!

Nanase Riku: It’s alright now! There's only fun to be had from here on out! Have fun and show me your smiles!

Nanase Riku: Let's play together!

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Kujou Tenn: ……

Kujou Tenn: Riku…

--

Izumi Mitsuki: …Alright! Alright, let’s go, everyone!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yeah！

Rokuya Nagi: Yay！Let’s have fun！

Nikaidou Yamato: Don't be nervous! Let’s just do what we always do! Relax, relax!

Ousaka Sougo: Yes！

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Izumi Iori: …Nanase-sa—

Oogami Banri: Sougo-san！

Ousaka Sougo: Banri-san…

Oogami Banri: The seats were filled.

Ousaka Sougo: Eh?

Oogami Banri: The seats were filled. I don't know if it was them, though...

Ousaka Sougo: …

Ousaka Sougo: Ha…, I think it was them. They’re not the kind of people who would give up their reserved seats.

Ousaka Sougo: That’s what I think… But… I wonder…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Is it about that?

Ousaka Sougo: Yeah…

Izumi Mitsuki: What happened?

Yotsuba Tamaki: Sou-chan's mom and dad came!

Nikaidou Yamato: Really!?

Izumi Mitsuki: I’m glad!....It's okay to be happy about that, right!?

Oogami Banri: Of course. Sougo-kun called them.

Oogami Banri: That’s a relief, isn’t it, Sougo-kun. It wasn't over, after all.

Oogami Banri: They believed and acknowledged the accomplishments you had made.

Ousaka Sougo: …

Oogami Banri: Good luck on stage! I'll be watching it with Takanashi-san from over here!

Ousaka Sougo: Yes. Thank you for letting me know.

Ousaka Sougo: …

Izumi Mitsuki: What's wrong, Sougo? Are you unhappy?

Ousaka Sougo: …That’s not it, but…

Ousaka Sougo: I didn't expect this, so I don't know what to think…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Isn’t “finally” fine?

Ousaka Sougo: …Tamaki-kun…

Yotsuba Tamaki: So they're finally willing to listen. They’re late. But we’ll let them listen anyway.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Because that's our job. Right, Sou-chan?

Ousaka Sougo: …Yeah… Yeah, that’s right…

Nikaidou Yamato: As their child, you’d want to be acknowledged right away, though.

Nikaidou Yamato: It's very businessman-like of him to only nod his head once you have the accomplishments and the recognition to back it up.

Ousaka Sougo: My father has only just taken his seat. He hasn't acknowledged me yet.

Ousaka Sougo: But if I can get some good results on tonight's stage, then I…

Ousaka Sougo: More than anything, my uncle who loved music throughout his life... I feel like he'll finally acknowledge him…

Nanase Riku: ...Sougo-san's uncle…

Rokuya Nagi: Let's win, Sougo. For the glory of someone important to you, too.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Let’s do this! Let's show them...!

Izumi Mitsuki: Yeah! We’ll make him ask us to appear in an FSC commercial!

Nikaidou Yamato: That's right! Hey, Riku...

Nikaidou Yamato: Riku…？

Nanase Riku: …(cough)… Ha…

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san…

Nanase Riku: I’m fine. I'm just a bit nervous.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Is it an attack!?

Nanase Riku: No. I don't think so…

Ousaka Sougo: The medicine… You said it makes your throat hoarse, right?

Nanase Riku: I’m fine. I don’t feel like it’s getting worse. …It’s fine.

Nikaidou Yamato: I’ll report to our manager.

Nanase Riku: I’m fine, Yamato-san！...(coughs)...

Nikaidou Yamato: Riku…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Rikkun. Shouting too loudly is bad… 

Nanase Riku: I know. I’m fine. Once I calm down a bit...

Rokuya Nagi: Let me get you a hot drink. It's okay. Everything will go well….

Nanase Riku: …Yeah…

Izumi Mitsuki: Can we delay the start...?

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll try to negotiate, but it won't last long…

Nanase Riku: …(coughs)...

Nanase Riku: No way. Not at such an important time...

Nanase Riku: The victory of the new Black or White is at stake. It's a chance for Sougo and his uncle to be recognized.

Nanase Riku: I don't want to repeat the same thing. The concert tickets are a promise to everyone. Even though I came to see everyone…

Nanase Riku: No. If I think pessimistic thoughts— Calm down. Calm your mind...

Nanase Riku: Sakura-san said this before going to heaven.

Nanase Riku: Even if I lost everything, and still wanted to sing...

Nanase Riku: Would there be someone who can help me?

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san.

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Izumi Iori: You can sing.

Izumi Iori: Please sing, Nanase-san.

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Nanase Riku: Ha…

Nanase Riku: …

Rokuya Nagi: Here you go, Riku! This is magical hot tea. You'll feel better soon!

Nikaidou Yamato: If anything happens, I'll cover for you! Leave it to onii-san!

Izumi Mitsuki: Riku, don't worry! Let's go on stage together all seven of us!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Let them listen to Rikkun's singing! If you can't stand up, I'll carry you on my back!

Ousaka Sougo: Let's go together! Let’s sing my song together!

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Nanase Riku: No way... It stopped...

Rokuya Nagi＆Ousaka Sougo＆Yotsuba Tamaki: I’m glad…!

Izumi Iori: Fufu. I told you I’d control you.

Nikaidou Yamato: What’s up with this, that sounds deep…

Izumi Mitsuki: Don’t misunderstand. There’s a lot of reasons for this.

Izumi Iori: Let's go, superstar.

Izumi Iori: To create a rainbow.

Nanase Riku: …Yeah…!

Nikaidou Yamato: Let's go, you guys...!

IDOLiSH7: Yeah!!

Audience: The lights came on...

Audience: It’s IDOLiSH7…！

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Mother: IDOLiSH7’s live has begun! What a pretty stage! It's like a planetarium...!

Father: Are the kids at the venue right now? I wonder if they'll be shown on TV? 

Mother: The first song is "MEMORiES MELODiES"! How nostalgic...! I'm really looking forward to the other three songs, too!

Father: Aah, I see. This song is the one from their first Black or White…

Mother: That’s right! This is the song that beat TRIGGER!!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

--

Izumi Iori: (I was able to get this far because I had friends.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (This has been my dream since I was a child.)

Izumi Iori: (I found such a wonderful pastime that makes my heart beat faster.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (I wanted these cheers too much, there were times when I felt like my heart was going to break…)

Izumi Mitsuki: (I feel so reassured now.)

Izumi Iori: (We can go as far as we want)

Izumi Mitsuki: (We’ll go as far as we can!)

Izumi Iori: (Leading our teammates and our fans.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (To views they’ve never seen before!)

Izumi Iori: (We can do it.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (We should be able to do it!)

Izumi Iori: (That’s tonight!)

Izumi Mitsuki: (Well then, let’s go!)

Izumi Mitsuki & Izumi Iori: (To reach for our dreams!)

Izumi Mitsuki: Let’s go…!

Izumi Iori: Let us win!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

Audience C: Aah… Everyone is so awesome!!

Audience D: Look...! The planetarium on the stage changes from a blue sky to a night sky...!

Audience C: Pretty...! The aurora is shining...!

Audience D: The second song! It’s "Mr.AFFECTiON"...!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Nikaidou Yamato: (I had lost track of my own existence.)

Rokuya Nagi: (I was losing track of where I belong.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Whether I am loved.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Whether I am being used.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Lying, dishonest people, the objects of our admiration.)

Rokuya Nagi: (But still, we wanted to be grateful and love them.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (In that case, being alone is better.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Because I loved them.)

Rokuya Nagi: (The hands that pet my head that day…)

Nikaidou Yamato: (In truth, I wanted to believe it.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Over a long period of time. Through many encounters.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Now, I’m here with my friends.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Well, are you watching?)

Rokuya Nagi: (Are you watching?)

Nikaidou Yamato: (I couldn't love myself, and I struggled desperately.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (I'm going to make all the other members, the guests; everyone here happy.)

Rokuya Nagi: (And I will be happy too.)

Rokuya Nagi: (I’ll live a rich life filled with love.)

Rokuya Nagi＆Nikaidou Yamato: (With my friends.)

Rokuya Nagi: Beautiful! Everyone, laugh more...!

Nikaidou Yamato: There's still more to come! Let's get fired up...!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Audience D: IDOLiSH7 are the best! I'm happy to be able to listen to my beloved songs...!

Audience: Aah...! The lights have gone out...!

Audience: A costume change?! Maybe it’s the new song?!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...

Audience: The sky is like the morning light…

Audience: Look! New costumes...!

Izumi Iori: …

Nikaidou Yamato: …

Izumi Mitsuki: …

Yotsuba Tamaki: …

Ousaka Sougo: …

Rokuya Nagi: …

Nanase Riku: …

Audience: …That intro...! It’s a melody I've never heard before...!

Audience: It's a new song...!

Nanase Riku: “TOMORROW EViDENCE”！

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

Ousaka Sougo: (I was unable to like myself.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I didn't care about anything except my own important things.)

Ousaka Sougo: (It was only when I was in contact with the things I loved that I was able to love myself.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Because I'm the only one who takes me seriously.)

Ousaka Sougo: (But little by little, I've recovered my wounded heart, and now…)

Ousaka Sougo: (I was able to create what I liked.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I've come to understand that I am being watched over.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Hey. Thank you, everyone.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Thank you for waving at me, for calling my name.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Every time someone did that, I felt like I wasn't alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I couldn't have done it alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I was able to do it because I wasn't alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I'm living my own life.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I’m exactly where I belong.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (For making me think that…)

Ousaka Sougo＆Yotsuba Tamaki: (Thank you.)

Ousaka Sougo: Enjoy the new song!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Everyone! Remember and sing it...!

--

Audience C: ...The new song was really good...!

Audience D: The choreography was cute as well...! Tamaki is a genius...!

Audience C: What will the last song be!?

Audience D: I want them to sing that song.... I've been supporting them for a long time! IDOLiSH7's first...

Audience C: Aah…The color of the sky is changing into a starry sky...

Audience D: Wow, the song has started...!

Audience C: It’s MonGen…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Nanase Riku: ...Thank you, everyone...!

Nanase Riku: The last song is this one! The song that started us off...!

Nanase Riku: “MONSTER GENERATiON”…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah!

Nanase Riku: (I wanted to be like Tenn-nii. I wanted to catch up to Tenn-nii.)

Nanase Riku: (But whenever things didn’t go well and I felt like giving up…)

Nanase Riku: (The voices of my friends and fans here have given me strength.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you for letting me believe that there is something I can do.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you for piercing through the darkness and bringing your powerful voices and smiles all the way to this stage.)

Nanase Riku: (For loving us…)

Nanase Riku: (And for sharing the same dream as us, thank you so much.)

Nanase Riku: (I want to go even further with everyone.)

Nanase Riku: (To a new place where no one has been before.)

Nanase Riku: (To break away from common sense and familiar sights.)

Nanase Riku: (We want to create a new era that none but us can.) 

Nanase Riku: It won’t, won’t end yet.

Nanase Riku: Let’s go to a seven-colored future!

Nanase Riku: Everyone, thank you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Woman: …Riku-kun…

Woman: I'm glad I came here...

Woman: I started to become curious about them, and then I started to like them more and more.... I took the plunge and ordered tickets....

Woman: I'm glad I came here... I'm glad I got to see IDOLiSH7!

Woman: I'm glad I was able to shout out how much I love them in the venue the people I love are at!

Woman: IDOLiSH7, I love you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Everyone, thank you!

Izumi Iori: Thank you very much!

Rokuya Nagi: Thanks！Happy, I’m happy!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you very much!

Nikaidou Yamato: Thanks！

Izumi Mitsuki: Did you enjoy it? See you later, everyone!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

Nanase Riku: Thank you so much！It was the best...!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

(clapping)

--

Nanase Riku: Ha… Ha…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Are you alright, Rikkun!?

Nanase Riku: Yes…! I’m alright!  We did it…!!

Izumi Mitsuki: We did it! We did it! We were the best...!

Rokuya Nagi: Fantastic! Our hearts were as one! It was an amazing experience!

Izumi Iori: It was a truly amazing experience.... My heart is still....

Yotsuba Tamaki: Pouding?

Izumi Iori: It is.

Nanase Riku: Mine is, too!

Ousaka Sougo: ...I really… thought my heart was going to break...

Nikaidou Yamato: Sou, did you see the audience seats?

Ousaka Sougo: Yes…

Ousaka Sougo: I couldn't see their faces, but I could see that the seats were full.

Ousaka Sougo: At that moment, I kind of… almost started crying...

Ousaka Sougo: Even though I pretended to be fine, I realized I had always wanted them to understand… I realized I wanted to be acknowledged...

Nikaidou Yamato: Sou…

Nikaidou Yamato: Of course. That's just how it is.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I’m glad for you, Sou-chan.

Ousaka Sougo: Yes… I never thought I'd be happy like this, though...

Yotsuba Tamaki: It’s fine. I'm glad you can cry in front of other people now. 

Ousaka Sougo: …Tamaki-kun…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Ehehe. I’m glad, I’m glad!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you for your hard work, everyone! It was a fantastic performance...

Izumi Mitsuki: Manager!

Rokuya Nagi: It's all thanks to you. Your stage direction made us shine!

Nanase Riku: Manager, thank you!

Takanashi Tsumugi: No, thank you all for putting on such a great show!

Takanashi Tsumugi: The outcome is still unknown, but IDOLiSH7 are the best idols in the world!

IDOLiSH7: Yay…!!

Oogami Banri: Good job everyone! It was great! It was the best!

Takanashi Otoharu: It was truly wonderful! Everyone gave it their all!

Takanashi Otoharu: It was great working with you guys! Now, get some rest! After that, it's time to keep an eye on your rivals!

IDOLiSH7: Yes…！

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you so, so much!!

~ to be continued ~

--

6.14.3. - The door to happiness

Audience E: It’s about to be TRIGGER’s turn soon… 

Audience F: Ah, I'm getting excited...! I want TRIGGER to win…!

Audience E: Ah...! Something appeared on the screen...!

Audience F: It’s the latest interview footage again...!

Audience F: Kyaaaaah...! Gaku-san…!!

Yaotome Gaku: The greatest live?

Yaotome Gaku: Up until now, there hasn't been a single live that wasn't the greatest.

Yaotome Gaku: Each one has a special memory to it. They’re burned into my mind like a photo in an album.

Yaotome Gaku: The audience seats bathed in light and, illuminated by the stage lights, Tenn’s profile…

Yaotome Gaku: The audience seats, bathed in intense sunlight, and Ryuu’s back, glistening with sweat.

Yaotome Gaku: Every moment was amazing. For me, and I'm sure for my friends and fans as well.

Yaotome Gaku: Sharing the best moments. Everyone here is sharing a special moment in life. 

Yaotome Gaku: You love me, don't you? Us, TRIGGER, that is.

Yaotome Gaku: We love you too. So, even if it's just during the live, we want you to forget everything and become one.

Yaotome Gaku: We'll take you to the end of the world.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Kujou Tenn: To me, idols are the magic that makes someone happy.

Kujou Tenn: I'm a charming magician.

Kujou Tenn: Isn’t that right?

Kujou Tenn: We choose to pose pretentiously, we perform provocative dances, we sing songs that seduce everyone.

Kujou Tenn: Sometimes we'll be mean, and sometimes we'll beg. That's how we captivate you.

Kujou Tenn: But in the end, we will always be magicians who will make you happy.

Kujou Tenn: ...Or so I thought. But now I'm thinking something a little different.

Kujou Tenn: That maybe it's us idols who are under a spell.

Kujou Tenn: With sparkling eyes, you’ve always kept dreaming, not giving up and desiring us…

Kujou Tenn: With the magic of happiness applied to us, we started to move upon a brilliant stage. Maybe that’s what an idol is.

Kujou Tenn: Thank you for loving me. Thank you for protecting me so many times.

Kujou Tenn: Desire me a lot tonight as well. Cast a spell on me.

Kujou Tenn: Make me happy.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: To me, music is… That’s right… 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: After becoming TRIGGER, we sang a lot of songs.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Eventually, I began to feel the special power in music.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: It may be because it’s always the three of us singing, but, how do I put it… 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Within TRIGGER’s songs, it’s like I can feel Gaku’s and Tenn’s presence. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when I was driving by myself, if I was listening to TRIGGER’s songs, it felt like the two of them were there. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when I was alone, when I sang a song, I could feel our three souls. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: At that time, I thought there was nothing to be afraid of. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: There are people who appreciate and listen to the songs I sing with the friends I trust from the bottom of my heart.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: These are special, unforgettable moments spent with precious songs.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I have never been happier.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when we're old and go to heaven someday, and only TRIGGER's songs remain…

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I want anyone who listens to them to think of it this way.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Songs about friends bound by a strong bond.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I am truly grateful to the god of music for giving me such irreplaceable friends.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Gaku, Tenn, let's do our best.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

--

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Gaku, Tenn. Let's high five.

Yaotome Gaku:That's what I was about to say.

Kujou Tenn: Me, too.

(clap)

Kujou Tenn: We’ll definitely win! I'll make sure you two win. Don't worry, just follow me…

Yaotome Gaku: Don't be stupid! I'll make you win! I'm TRIGGER’s leader!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I'm the most big brother-like! It took a long time, but we finally made it here!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Let's beat Re:vale this year! TRIGGER will take over the world!

Yaotome Gaku: Let's bring in a new era with our own hands!

Kujou Tenn: Of course! But can I have an honest talk with you?

Yaotome Gaku: What is it!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: An honest talk？

Kujou Tenn: I'm just happy to be standing here with you two, to the point where I don't care about winning.

Kujou Tenn: I love you guys. I'm glad I met you. You're my best friends.

Kujou Tenn: Thank you for always being with me.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: …(sobs) Tenn…!

Yaotome Gaku: …(sobs) Don't make me cry before we even leave!

Kujou Tenn: Don't cry. Look cool. You're the No. 1 Sexiest Man, after all.

Yaotome Gaku: That's in the past.

Kujou Tenn: What are you talking about? You guys will always be No.1 and No.2.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: You got it!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Alright! It's been a while, but let's give them a reason to call me a beast. 

Yaotome Gaku: That's the spirit, Ryuu! Let's go!

Yaotome Gaku: Let's pull the trigger!

Kujou Tenn＆Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Yeah…!!

--

Audience: The lights came on… I wonder what they'll sing for the first song…

Audience: …！ This song…! 

Audience: “DIAMOND FUSION”……！It's their debut song…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Anesagi Kaoru: …Do your best…!

Yaotome Sousuke: …

Anesagi Kaoru: President…

Yaotome Sousuke: “DIAMOND FUSION”… It's TRIGGER’s starting point.

Yaotome Sousuke: More than I could imagine at that time, TRIGGER has gotten so much bigger.

Yaotome Sousuke: There's nothing that can get in you guys’ way anymore.

Yaotome Sousuke: Run wherever you want to.

Yaotome Sousuke: Like a bullet.

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Takara Mage: …TRIGGER…！You’re the coolest…!!

Takara Mage: …(sobs) Do your best…! Do your best…! 

Kujou Tenn: (Our meeting was the worst.)

Kujou Tenn: (I only wanted the bare minimum of a relationship as business partners.)

Kujou Tenn: (And yet, I wonder when…)

Kujou Tenn: (They became people I didn't want to lose.)

Kujou Tenn: (Gaku. Ryuu. If it's with you, I can do anything.)

Kujou Tenn: (Even the setbacks and downfalls were fun when I think about them now.)

Kujou Tenn: (After all, we are diamonds.)

Kujou Tenn: (Everytime we get hurt, we become more polished.)

Kujou Tenn: (Thanks to falling into a pit, the three of us were able to walk down a path that had never been walked before.)

Kujou Tenn: (I abandoned my old life as ‘Nanase’, and I obtained TRIGGER.) 

Kujou Tenn: (I have no regrets.)

Kujou Tenn: BANG……！

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience E: TRIGGER is the best…!

Audience F: ...I’ve been crying since the first song…!

Audience E: After all, the big stage suits TRIGGER! They’re so cool…!

Audience F: The second song is…

Audience E: “DAYBREAK INTERLUDE”…！

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I thought I would live a normal life.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I saw heaven and fell into hell.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (It’s not like it didn't hurt. On many lonely nights I didn’t know how to go on from there.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (But I realized how unbelievably brave I was.) 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (Thank you for giving me such hardship.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I was able to gain a strong heart that allows me to protect my precious friends.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (We know…)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (...that there will be daybreak beyond the darkness.) 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (The vividness of indomitable light.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (No matter how many times our footprints are erased, TRIGGER's story won’t end.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I won't let it end!)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Everyone…！Follow us…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience E: …(sobs) I'm glad, TRIGGER.... Since that day, they’ve finally come this far…

Audience F: Thanks to TRIGGER, I can now trust my own eyes, not someone else's…!

Audience F: Because no matter what anyone said, TRIGGER was the best!

Audience E: I love you, Ryuunosuke-san…！

Audience F: Tenn-kun…!

Audience E: Aah, I wonder what the next song is…

Audience E: …! It's “Crescent rise”...! 

Audience F: I'm so happy...!! This song is what made me a fan of TRIGGER and Gaku-san…!

Yaotome Gaku: (I know it better than anyone else in the world.)

Yaotome Gaku: (TRIGGER. This team is the strongest.)

Yaotome Gaku: (We’ve grasped all of our glory with our own hands.)

Yaotome Gaku: (As long as there are people who believe in us and are waiting for us…)

Yaotome Gaku: (We cannot afford to be disgraceful.) 

Yaotome Gaku: (It was by no means a convenient way of life.)

Yaotome Gaku: (But we made it through this era earnestly.)

Yaotome Gaku: (So that we wouldn't bring shame on ourselves or our friends.)

Yaotome Gaku: (To repay those who loved us.)

Yaotome Gaku: (To overcome the seven-colored rainbow…)

Yaotome Gaku: (We will continue to fight from here on out.)

Yaotome Gaku: We can keep going…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience: TRIGGER…！

Audience: …TRIGGER…！

Audience E: Is the next song already the last one!? I want to hear much more...!!

Audience F: Next is the new song, right…!? I wonder what kind of song it will be?!

Takara Mage: …

Audience: Ah, the lights went out…!

Audience: Maybe it's a costume change…!? I'm really looking forward to it…!

Audience: Waah…！ It's like a theatre stage!

Audience: It's gorgeous;  perfect for TRIGGER!

Audience: The intro has started...! It's the new song…!

Takara Mage: …!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Yaotome Gaku: …

Kujou Tenn: …

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: …

Audience E: The new costumes are awesome! Cool!!

Audience F: It's still just the intro, but isn't the atmosphere of this new song great…!?

Takara Mage: …I….I think it's good!

Audience E: I'm getting excited...! It has the feel of the old TRIGGER…!

Audience F: The TRIGGER that everyone fell in love with back then is back...!

Kujou Tenn: Last song.

TRIGGER: “BE AUTHENTIC”!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...!

Passerby E: It’s TRIGGER’s new song…！

Passerby F: Ah, I've been waiting for this!! A love song with TRIGGER giving it their all!

Passerby E: All three of them look so cool...!! Thanks to TRIGGER, this terrible year has turned into the best...!

Nanase Riku: …Tenn-nii…

Yaotome Gaku: (A song I fell in love with at first sight when I heard it for the first time.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (With this song, we want to show you our best side.)

Kujou Tenn: (Fall in love with us.)

TRIGGER: Once again, into a dream you can’t wake from. 

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience E: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience F: TRIGGER is the best...!

Audience E: After all, TRIGGER are the ones that get my heart racing the most...!

Audience F: I want to see more and more of TRIGGER! I want to hear more of their new songs!

Audience E: Yeah…！

Takara Mage: …(sobs)... They did it… I’m glad… (sobs) 

Takara Mage: ...I'm so happy.... not just about my song, but TRIGGER… 

Takara Mage: I'm so happy that everyone is saying that TRIGGER is cool…

Takara Mage: ...It was super cool.... I saw the most amazing thing in the world...!

Takara Mage: TRIGGER, I’m glad I love you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Yaotome Gaku: Thank you!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Thank you…！

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Kujou Tenn: Thank you so much!

Kujou Tenn: See you!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience: TRIGGER…!

Audience: TRIGGER…!!

--

Anesagi Kaoru: The best…! This was the best…! You guys, you did it…! 

Yaotome Gaku: …Ahaha! This is the best feeling! 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I sang with the two of you, giving it my all! The venue was so beautiful…

Kujou Tenn: It felt great! Four songs weren't enough. I wanted to sing more...!

Yaotome Sousuke: I'll make you sing.

Kujou Tenn: President…

Yaotome Gaku: Dad…

Yaotome Sousuke: A live at Zero Arena with just TRIGGER.

Yaotome Sousuke: We’re not holding back next year...! 

Yaotome Gaku: Really!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: We did it…! 

Kujou Tenn: At last, going there with just TRIGGER...!

Anesagi Kaoru: He said we’re not holding back…! Oh my, President! Aren’t you in high spirits! 

Yaotome Sousuke: If I’m not in high spirits now, when will I ever be!? 

Yaotome Gaku: It's time to become the overall winners! 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I want to win! With the three of us…

Kujou Tenn: We can definitely win! We put on a live deserving of it. 

Kujou Tenn: IDOLiSH7… We were beaten to it earlier this year, but now we're within striking distance.

Kujou Tenn: This time, we'll shoot you down!

 ~ to be continued ~

--

TL note courtesy of Haruka-kun:

The word Tamaki uses is 相互作用, meaning interaction. It’s pronounced “sougo sayou”, so even though the kanji for these words are very different (相互 vs. 壮五), when he says it, it’s as if he is saying Sougo’s name.

--

mod riku here! this is the last chapter, but we broke tumblr's post limit, so please check out part 2 of chapter 14, too, lol

[kathlare]

across the world, for us

Lando Norris x Amelie Dayman

Summary: Lando travels to Tokyo to reconcile with Amelie after a fight, demonstrating his commitment to their relationship. Amid moments of vulnerability, honesty, and lighthearted banter, they reaffirm their feelings for one another and take steps toward navigating their challenges together.

Wordcount: 1.2 k

Warnings: just fluff

request over here!

February 11th, 2024 - Tokyo, Japan

Lando Norris adjusted his cap as he stepped out of the taxi, the bright lights of Tokyo illuminating the city in a mesmerizing glow. The crisp February air bit at his skin, but it was nothing compared to the nervous energy buzzing in his chest. He had flown halfway across the world to fix this—whatever "this" was. He and Amelie hadn’t spoken since their fight days ago, and it gnawed at him.

She didn’t know he was here. He hadn’t told her. But when he found out she’d just finished the last of her shows in Japan before heading back to the States, he knew he had to make things right.

Now, standing in front of her hotel room door, he took a deep breath and knocked. A few seconds later, the door cracked open, and there she was.

—Lando?— Amelie’s voice was a mix of surprise and confusion. Her makeup was wiped clean, her hair tied up in a messy bun, and she was wearing an oversized hoodie—his hoodie.

He smiled softly, the sight of her easing some of the tension in his chest. —Hey.—

She stepped back to let him in, her movements hesitant. Once inside, the door clicked shut behind him, and silence settled over them.

—What are you doing here?— she asked, her arms crossed.

—Fixing us,— he said simply. —Or at least trying to.—

Her eyes softened, but she still looked wary. —Lando…—

—Ames, listen,— he interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. —I get it. Your family is important to you, and this isn’t easy for you. But I need to know that you’re serious about this. About us.—

She blinked, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. —I am serious, Lando. You know I am.—

—Then why does it feel like you’re ashamed of me?— he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She looked away, her hands fidgeting nervously.

—It’s not you,— she whispered after a moment. —It’s me. I’ve always been the one who… who messes things up. My relationships, my career, everything. I don’t want to bring you into that. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.—

He stepped closer, tilting her chin up so she was forced to look at him. —You don’t get to decide that for me. I want to be here. With you. But I need to know you want that too.—

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, her walls crumbling. —I’m scared, Lando. Of losing you. Of my family not understanding. Of everything going wrong like it always does.—

—You won’t lose me,— he promised, his thumb brushing against her cheek. —Not unless you push me away.—

She let out a shaky breath, her resolve breaking. —I don’t want to push you away. I don’t.—

—Then tell them, Ames,— he urged. —Not for me. For us. For you. If you don’t believe this can work, how am I supposed to?—

She nodded slowly, her tears falling freely now. —You’re right. I know you’re right.—

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she clung to him. —It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure it out together.—

They stood there for what felt like hours, her quiet sobs eventually subsiding. When she finally pulled back, her eyes were red and puffy, but there was a new determination in them.

—I’ll tell them,— she said, her voice steady despite the tears. —I’ll tell them everything.—

Lando smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. —That’s my girl.—

She laughed softly, the sound lightening the tension in the room. —You’re impossible, you know that?—

—Yeah, but you like me for it,— he teased, his tone playful.

Her cheeks flushed, but she didn’t deny it. Instead, she leaned up to press a soft kiss to his lips, the warmth of it chasing away the lingering shadows of their fight.

—Thank you for coming all this way,— she murmured against his lips.

—I’d cross the world for you, Ames,— he replied, his voice sincere.

As they sat on the bed, talking and laughing like they always did, Lando felt the weight of their fight lift. They weren’t perfect, and there were still challenges ahead, but for the first time in days, he felt like they were on the same page.

And that was more than enough.

Amelie pulled away from the kiss with a small laugh, her fingers brushing against Lando's jaw. —You’re ridiculous, you know that?— she teased, though her eyes shone with affection.

—Ridiculous enough to fly halfway across the globe for you,— Lando quipped, leaning back on his hands. He grinned as she rolled her eyes, but his tone softened. —But I meant what I said, Ames. I’ll always show up for you.—

Her smile faltered for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. She tucked her legs beneath her, curling up beside him on the bed. —I don’t deserve you sometimes, Lan,— she admitted quietly, her voice tinged with guilt.

—Hey, stop that,— he said firmly, shifting to face her fully. —We’ve both made mistakes. Hell, we’ve both been idiots at times.— He paused, a cheeky smirk tugging at his lips. —You especially.—

She swatted his arm with a laugh, her cheeks flushed. —You’re the worst.—

—And yet, here you are, stuck with me,— he teased, pulling her closer until her head rested on his chest. His fingers trailed absentmindedly through her hair, the silence between them comfortable now.

Amelie let out a content sigh, her cheek pressed against his hoodie. —It’s scary, you know? Being with someone like you.—

—Someone as handsome and charming as me?— Lando quipped, earning another playful shove from her.

—I’m serious,— she said, her tone soft but sincere. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. —You’re… everything. And I don’t want to screw this up.—

He stared at her for a moment, his heart twisting at the vulnerability in her eyes. —Ames, you’re not going to screw this up. We’re not going to screw this up. Okay?—

She nodded, though the doubt lingered in her expression. —Okay.—

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, the city lights of Tokyo casting a faint glow through the curtains. Eventually, Amelie shifted, glancing at the clock on the bedside table.

—Shit,— she muttered, sitting up abruptly. —I still need to pack.—

Lando raised an eyebrow. —For the States?—

She nodded, already moving around the room to gather her things. —Super Bowl tomorrow. Then I’m straight to Australia. My schedule’s insane.—

—Yeah, no kidding,— he said, watching her with an amused grin. —Need some help?—

—You offering to fold my clothes, Norris?— she teased, tossing him a T-shirt from her suitcase.

—Anything for you, love,— he shot back with a wink, catching the shirt and setting it aside. He stood and joined her by the suitcase, his hands deftly folding the items she handed him.

They worked in tandem, the easy rhythm of their friendship blending seamlessly with the intimacy of their relationship. Amid the quiet chatter and shared smiles, Amelie glanced at him, her heart swelling.

—Lando,— she said softly, her voice pulling his attention. —Thank you. For being here. For... being you.—

He smiled, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her forehead. —Always, Ames.—

As they finished packing, Amelie couldn’t help but feel a weight lift from her shoulders. They still had so much to figure out, but for the first time in days, she felt like they were heading in the right direction—together.

And that made all the difference.

[xxxdizzy19]

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐋𝐂 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮

I want to share smth that troubles me.

Just finished the main story of Secrets of The Spires and you know… I've never felt so lonely before, in the ending cutscene. The story was fire, an insane moment with Quaritch too, everything was fun. Still, there is a thing that bothers me. Don't get me wrong, DLC has a nice plot, so many cool cutscenes, but I had expected more. For me the biggest joy was to meet another Sarentu, Rasi. I wish there was more of her tho.

I continue to be tormented by the feeling that our main character will remain on the sidelines of the story, despite of everything they've done, yeah. I feel like we are some kind of killing machine and nothing more. To please all kind of players developers had made a mistake. As a result we have no name, we have no canon gender, we are no one and at the same time we are being someone. So weird. I don't feel connected to our protagonist. In AFoP there are no other options for us except customisation of our hero. You can give whatever name you wish to your Sarentu, you can use your imagination, but this won't change this cruel truth - we are no one at this point. Despite everything, yes. And here they are those little moments of affection between our clanmates. Ri'nela and Teylan, romantic or not, but the way she touched him is crazy and I'm just standing there like 🙃. What a stupid thing, being in a crowd and still feeling lonely. And there is so much talking about Nor who just ran away and left them in the time of great need. I want him back too cause I'm curious how he's doing. If there will be a sequel I won't be surprised either if developers will make Nor some kind of a cool Toruk Makto guy or an Olo'eyktan just to make his comeback epic. Hell no, bro. Unfair. Come on, our protagonist is doing literally EVERYTHING and for what? So much of a reckless tough warrior behavior just to be called a "Kataru's child" in the end, cause we are nameless 😐. I feel like we are forced to see how our clan changes, grows, maybe even fallen in love with each other, while our Sarentu remains still. Who are we? Who is our father? Why there is no a single word about him or us? Even from Rasi. She remembers our mother, but not our father. What the hell?😐 No words about us in the notes or audio logs too. Ubisoft, why? Still, I'm so glad they are not the last Sarentu.

This whole game really has a lack of roleplay options and some details. DLC made me happy, but at the same time it made me think about a lot of things. Maybe I'm not the only one in this.

Or maybe I am.

[openpassionates]

WITH THE SILENCE that suddenly engulfs them, venus assumes gabriel is about to say something substantial now that he has a little bit of time to think of how to choose his words. when he opens his mouth, he proves her wrong and continues going on his rant about wanting his family back. "there is absolutely zero logic in you saying you won't keep them for an extra day and dropping them off at someone else's house. over a date? you lost your family a long time ago. get over it. because i didn't even have to give you as much as you have now, and you're already losing privileges because you're being petty over something that doesn't concern you." she keeps her tone steady so the kids don't hear them arguing. realistically, they probably already have but she's hoping they didn't. "yeah, i never said i had no issues with my family but i keep my family issues out of how i navigate motherhood. you left like your dad did to you. i stayed. there's the difference between us. i'd be cooking, cleaning, and getting them ready for school and you'd be out with a girl somewhere high or drunk off of your ass. you'd be in rehab or therapy lying your ass off and making zero progress. just pretending to get out then pretending to give a damn about your kids to get back in with us. you're not dropping any new knowledge here but you sound like you're wearing your effects of being a deadbeat like a badge of honor. you're not family to me. you're a sperm donor. there's no getting any family back." she lays it out plain and simple. she feels like she constantly has to tell him that for him to fully get it. why gabriel wasn't getting it through his brain was beyond her. venus hasn't seen delusion like this since aiden. "it doesn't matter if you're with me but every time you suspect that i'm moving on, you try to punish me in some way or reject doing something as a dad? you do mind watching them because you like the idea of family more than you actually like your supposed family. you're gonna have the kids already so why would you bring them over there? and don't pull the good day bullshit because i asked you about tomorrow." she crosses her arms and waits for her answer. "you've referred to watching the kids as babysitting before so i shouldn't have even asked you to watch them for an extra day since that's so hard for you. i'll get them while i'm over here and take them over to stefan's. i'll handle it as i always do. i don't care to push your buttons. i'd actually rather not deal or speak to you at all. and you're weird as fuck for pursuing me knowing you don't like me."

gabriel doesn’t have it in him to keep repeating himself, especially as far as his feelings are concerned for much longer. he doesn’t know what he’s going to say next, but he takes a minute before saying anything. “everyone saw that bullshit outside and you thought after that, you would come by and i’d be like okay, no problem? after i said i was trying to get my family back? you think i wouldn’t be upset? saying a date shouldn’t cause so much drama? unrealistic.” he chews on lips, his body feels like it’s vibrating from the anger building. “yeah you do. you enjoy it whether you can see that or not. you don’t have to see it, you just say anything you want, and expect me to not say a word. you saying you don’t share my last name? clapping? what was the point?” he can’t not raise his voice at her saying he doesn’t love the kids. “don’t start that, not today. i swear. we both have fucking issues with our parents. you had so many issues, you had to build your own. so, do not fucking tell me about mine. i know i resent him. and you know what? i’m sure the kids will have issues with me at some point.” he’s more enraged about her telling him that this was all an act. “no, i don’t mind watching them. you’re just pushing my buttons like you always do. it doesn’t matter if i’m with you or not i wanna be there for them. today, like i said isn’t a good day. if you wanna go on a date? fine. ask dad. i said i’d take them over there.”

[dukeofthomas]

why is everyone so obsessed with absolving bruce of all responsibility and fault. like no actually he is not 100% innocent in the child vigilantes he did in fact literally just Yoink Jason and make him robin at the ripe age of 12. jason would Not have become a vigilante (or died!) if bruce hadn't made him that. like he is actually 100% responsible for picking up a kid and turning them into a soldier

[wild-at-mind]

Not reblogging it for reasons, but I really agree with that person on here who said people are reframing depression and generally feeling shit all the time as a good thing because of the horrors of Gaza. There are people on here heavily implying that you feeling bad and finding it more and more difficult to live with yourself is actually an appropriate response to war and genocide. In some way, it might be. But the thing is, where does that lead? Does it lead to decisive action in accordance to your values, or to nihilistic stewing and self isolation from your community?

The post went on to call it anti-recovery culture- I don't know if I would call it that, because I get why people don't like recovery culture, especially in relation to addiction, but mental illness also. I think that's something I'm not qualified to speak on. So I wouldn't call this anti-recovery culture. Instead I would call it pro-burnout in activism culture. Do you honestly think people who are the most productively working in their communities and participating in actions to help overseas are feeling like this? Or do you think they have learned to use self-accountability and community support to reign themselves in when they begin to burn out emotionally, and rest and recuperate their mind in order to come back stronger? Ask yourself, is that wrong of them to do, because they should be feeling bad, because after all that is the appropriate response....does it mean they don't care, because they don't spend all their time feeling shit? Or perhaps, the truth is, they do care, and are demonstrating it all the time, but they also understand that them feeling shit literally doesn't help anyone. Why can we not talk about or acknowledge this?

[unproduciblesmackdown]

truly lmao 2024 lambda literary award finalist wynnstannery