#(my day has already been rough so meh…)

[cozymochi]

i don’t like or appreciate comments like this. At all.

Like, damn.

[ilostyou]

lallaaalalala just some things on my mind

[writersdrug]

Thinking about Simon with a goth! gf, and introducing his team to you.

Warnings: cursing, very slight nsfw, pda

Typed this up on my lunch break, not thoroughly proofread, ending is meh but it's been rotting in my brain so I had to push it out. Feel free to send me asks about this headcannon, I'd love to write more about it! <3

Simon insists on dragging his team to the nearest pub after a particularly rough day, offering to buy then a round of whiskey. They are all reluctant at first, complaining about aching backs and heads, and Price saying that the missus was expecting him.

Then Simon mumbles something about how his girl would've loved to meet them.

"Yer wha' now?"

"My girl."

Suddenly, Gaz's headache is gone. "Must've just been dehydrated, I suppose." Soap's back feels much better, after being able to sit in the car for just- five minutes, now. And Price? Apparently, the missus was at a dinner raffle for her charity- thing, and he'd just now remembered.

So, drinks and a quick bite at the pub you worked at. It was settled.

Simon leads them in shortly after parking the truck. The other three quickly scan the room for anyone who stands out. As Simon brings them to a booth in the back, they all take a seat, heads on a swivel for some pretty thing to come bouncing over and latch herself onto him.

"Gonna hit the head." Simon says. "I'll put our drinks in- she'll bring 'em over, she'll be done with 'er shift soon."

As he leaves, Soap, Gaz, and Price all sit there in a few moments of observatory silence. It's much harder to sample the crowd, they realize, since there's apparently no dress code for the servers. Johnny eyes each person like a hawk, until he sees a potential pick.

"Tha' one." He says, nodding towards a busty, long-legged blonde. Price and Gaz follow his line of sight to her as she leans against the bar, playing with her hair and laughing at something her friend says. Her bootcut jeans and frilly top accentuate her curves, and it's obvious that every man in her vicinity is ogling. "Twenty on 'er. Seems like he'd be into swimsuit models, eh?"

Gaz humms, scrunching his nose disapprovingly. "Nah, mate- too simple."

"Feck is simple 'bout 'er?"

"I mean for Simon." Gaz corrects Soap. "Don't think he'd want someone so... ditzy- no offense to her." He adds. "I think he wants a girl who can hold her own, in the physical and the figurative sense. Someone..." he narrows his eyes, searching through the crowd of people. "Like her."

He discretely points to a woman across the bar. She's playing darts with a few people, and hits the bullseye perfectly just as Soap and Price look her way. Her tank top and cargo pants show how defined, yet lean her muscles are. She looks like she could last a few decent minutes in a brawl. "I bet on her."

"Well I'll raise ye forty - I ken LT wants someone more... passive."

"Forty it is, then. I'd love to have you pay my bill tonight."

"If I may..." Price chimes in, leaning against the back of the booth with a smug look, arms folded over his chest, "I'd love to get in on this little game o' yours, and walk away with eighty pounds t'night - because you're both wrong."

Soap smirks. "And how's tha', Cap?"

Price smooths his fingers over his mutton chops. "Well, for starters, I'm a bit ashamed o' you boys. Neither of those girls actually work here, do they? Mm?"

Gaz groans, letting his head drop against the wall behind him. It takes Soap another moment, but then he remembers Simon saying this was where you worked. The whole point of them going to this specific pub was because you'd already be here, on the clock.

"Shite..." he mumbles.

"Alright, sir." Gaz says defeatedly. "Lay it on us."

Price leans his elbows on the table and points his finger straight ahead; Gaz and Soap both follow it to the bar, where a sweet-looking girl is punching orders into a server tablet. She has long, silky, red hair, and a petite frame. She smiles so kindly at every patron who speaks to her, and when she makes their drinks, she is quick with it, still engaging in conversation as she shakes the mixer with a powerful arm. Despite the crowd, she seems to be managing fine on her own.

"Her." Price says, tucking his hand back onto the table. "Y' see that face? The way she talks to 'em all? How she's soft and tough at the same time? Imagine that birdie tucked under his wing, eh?"

Soap and Gaz can imagine it. She's a cute little thing, a social butterfly, it seems - the perfect polar opposite to Simon that just might be the perfect fit.

"And I know he's got a thing for redheads." Price adds.

"Piss off, how d'ye ken tha'?" Soap grumbles.

Price shrugs. "Call it intuition."

Simon comes around the corner, carrying several glasses of neat whiskey. "Sorry-" he says, setting a glass in front of Price, and handing out the others as he sits down on the end of the booth. "She's on 'er way now."

"No worries." Price says, trying to hide his smirk. "Didn't know y' were into redheads, Simon."

Simon pauses, looking down at the table in confusion - then he chuckles. "Yeah, s'pose I am. How did y' know? Did she come by already?"

Price laughs. "No, son. We were just sayin'-"

"Hey baby!"

You turn the corner and lean down, squealing as you throw your arms around Simon's neck and kiss him. The other three look on with shock, and Soap is about ready to throw this random woman off of Simon, until he holds you just as tightly and kisses you back.

Price's smirk falls right onto the table when he realizes that he is just as wrong as the other two.

You're Simon's bird. Simon's raven. Black, styled hair, with black lipstick that is currently smudging Simon's chin. You have a choker - no, several chokers, wrapped around your neck, as well as a tiny corked bottle filled with red liquid that makes Soap and Gaz nervous, dangling from a chain. Long, black-painted fingernails, with small spiderwebs decorating the tips, caressing his face and the back of his neck. Your arms and legs are covered with torn fishnets and small tattoos, and you're wearing a black number with a corset, paired with studded Doc Martin's.

You finally pull away and look at the rest of them. "Sorry- nice to finally meet the lot of you." You say, shaking each one of their hands. Your eyes are striking, with full, dark lashes, eyeliner, and red contacts. Gages and a bull ring, too. Soap feels a shiver run up his spine when he looks at you head on, and Gaz hasn't picked his jaw up off the floor since you came around.

"Erm-" Price clears his throat, "pardon us- call me John. This is Kyle, and Johnny." He gestures to the other two, still watching you with a mix of curiosity and awe.

"I've heard so much about you. It's good to put names to the face." You say with a smile, shaking the other two's hands. Gaz manages to smile a bit, but Soap has the same shocked expression plastered onto his face.

Simon has a love-drunk, black-smudged smile on his lips as you sit down in his lap. "She's been wantin' t' meet you all for a while, now. Sorry I kept 'er a secret."

"To be fair, I'm usually hard to find." You say, grabbing a napkin and wiping the lipstick off Simon's face. "I'm either here, at class, or roaming around and people-watching... at night, of course. People are more interesting when it's dark out." You traced a fingernail along his jugular as he stared up at you.

"John 'ere knew you were a redhead."

"How?! Oh my god- are my roots showing?"

"Nah, luvie, he's just observant. 'S our job." Simon places a kiss to your forehead. You smiled, leaning into the kiss.

"Oh, kitchen's about to close. You wanna split a burger, Si?"

"Sure, get what you like."

"'S no onions ok?"

"Fine w' me - chips?"

"You know it." You giggle, making a show of squishing his cheek and biting it. You turn to the rest of his team with a smile. "You boys hungry?"

Price is the first one to speak, taking a heavy breath in, causing Soap and Gaz to finally snap out of their trance. "Erm- whatever you get, we'll do the same. On us tonight."

"Oooh, you sure?" You asked, raising your eyebrows. Simon looked at Price curiously.

"You positive, cap?"

Price nodded. "Lost a bet."

Simon looks even more concerned. You pat his shoulder and stand up. "I'll go punch it in, be right back." You give him a peck on the cheek, and begin to walk away - Simon's attention returns to you as he hooks a finger in the chain choker around your neck and tugs you back.

Soap, Gaz, and Price all watch, stupefied, as you land back in Simon's lap with a giggle. He grabs your chin between his thick fingers and kisses you on the lips, shamelessly letting his tongue slide past your teeth and squeezing your thigh. You laugh into the kiss, letting him devour you for a moment, before tapping his cheek and breaking away.

"I got fifteen minutes to put everyone's order in, Si."

"That's plenty of time, dove."

"Yeah, but then kitchen will get mad for doing it last minute, and I don't want-"

He chuckles, gently shoving out off of his lap and smacking your rump through your skirt. "You're fine, go on."

You smile, then disappear behind the booth, boots thudding against the hardwood floors.

Simon looks back at the three of them - Soap is staring between you and him, a blush covering his face. Gaz immediately turns to look at the wall, scratching his chin, and Price is gazing into his whiskey, though there's a lingering surprise in his eyes.

"So- what bet?" Simon asks, adjusting his hips; Soap notices his hand reaching down to palm at the fabric over his groin. "I don' remember bettin' nothin'."

"We weren't bettin' on ye pullin' her out ye pockets, LT." Soap comments, trying to avoid Simon's eyes. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out forty pounds, slapping it onto the table.

"It makes sense..." Gaz, chimes in. "With your whole skeleton look, she fits you."

Simon slowly smiles, understanding what they had bet on. "Oh... I see. Lemme guess - you thought I's with someone more... simple? Lile that blonde at the bar, is tha' right?"

"Tha's what I said!!" Soap exclaims, dropping his fist to the table. "You got te give me credit fer pointin' t' a swimsuit model first, aye?"

"Oh- because every bloke on earth is shallow enough to care about swimsuit models." Gaz scoffs. "I at least picked someone who didn't look so bloody helpless." He gestures to the girl playing darts with her friends. "You don't even know if the other girl's a model."

"Well, one can imagine..."

"Feel as though I's the closest..." Price mutters under his breath, making the other two glare at him.

"Ye were not."

"Get off your high horse, cap-"

"Well- try this." Simon leans on his forearms with a smug look on his face. "My bird? She's a model, and she's a black-belt in Judo, and-" he looks at Price- "she's a natural redhead."

They all look between Simon and you, as you stand behind the bar and punch their orders in, laughing with the other redhead. Their eyes would drop onto the table if they were any wider.

"You sly dog-" Gas comments with a chuckle.

"I don' believe ye." Soap says, crossing his arms. "Wha' kind o' model?"

"Lingerie."

Price chokes on his whiskey.

"Bullshit." Soap snaps. "Pictures or ye lyin'."

"Nah." Simon sighs, leaning back in his seat and daking a sip of his whiskey. "Not the ones I have, at least. But pick up the last "Bloodletting" magazine, and she's there."

They all sit there, a bit dumbfounded, watching you walk back to the booth. How on earth did someone like Simon land someone like you?

Simon's full of surprises, even in his personal life.

[itsnothingofinterest]

Yeah, I can get that. Give the characters an easy way out so the author doesn’t need to address the more complex topics and wrap the story up in a nice little bow. Still, shame we had all the development with nothing to show for it, complete with other characters going “Meh, everything’s the same and nothing will change it.” Which is an oddly nihilistic note to end on really. Guess the inevitable end will come, unless it’s been magically resolved by the future kids having control over their abilities. Still, I can pull some interesting ideas like the whole artificially engineering quirks bit, even if I still prefer Decay being natural if still mutation one

(In response to this previous ask.)

Well the final chapter’s come out and the inevitable end was not magically resolved, so yeah that’s quite a nihilistic note this series is ending on. Hori forgot to prevent the end of the world.

Honestly, I said this before but it really is impressive how this ending so perfectly matches Tomura’s description of hero society back in Jaku. Or even at the mall a little bit. Everything and everyone is so optimistic and full of life because the heroes saved the day just like always and just as they surely always will; but you look under the rug and see maggots, everything sucks, nothing is actually getting better, and in fact everything will get worse. It’s an amazing tragedy in that light and the best/worst part is that it’s entirely on accident.

But I am quite sure it's on accident. One thing the final chapter did cement to me is that Hori really did want this ending to be optimistic and hopeful, so he's just kind of brushed past all the reasons he gave us to be nihilistic and discouraged. Like how little of what made hero society suck has changed, how little the heroes actually learned from the League, how much tragedy is just accepted with a shrug of the shoulders, or...y'know, the end of the world.

So I totally, totally get what you mean about being ready to let ideas run wild after this bad ending. I’ve already written a rough fix-it outline fic (sadly I do not have the talents of a real fic-writer) when my immeasurable disappointment first started up. Although also like you, I can’t help but think it would’ve been better to just skip the big AFO reveal. Maybe if Hori was less burnt out writing a 5 chapter final battle the story didn't need against a big bad who already died twice, the Epilogue wouldn't have been so junk. We can dream at least.

[mint-yooxgi]

{8} - Paradise Gardens - Yandere!Demonic Entities!Ateez X Reader

Yandere AU & Demon AU - Book Two to Hotel California

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Fluff, Slight Humour

Pairing: Ateez X Reader

Words: 8,715

Warnings: Anxiety and PTSD, minor mental illness. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Okay, so I totally forgot to write an authors note before posting lmfaoo. Anyways, this chapter is a bit meh in my opinoin, but it really sets up the next one in my opinion. But finally!! Reina!!!! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy~

Also, gentle reminder that I don’t do tag lists.

Mini Masterlist - Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five - Part Six - Part Seven

“What do you mean, ‘he’s not awake’?” Your eyes are wide, heart thundering inside of your chest as panic seizes you.

It’s been over twenty-four hours since you’ve gotten back to the house from the dragon’s nest. In that time, you’ve nearly slept for the entire day, only waking up for brief portions to either eat something, or use the bathroom. Honestly, you feel like you could probably use a few more hours still, but your worry for Jongho takes precedence over everything.

Currently, you find yourself sitting at the kitchen counter, the several other males standing around you precariously.

“It’ll be okay, Dearest,” Yeosang reassures you. “It’s probably just the after effects of the spell.”

“Really, he’s just sleeping it off.” Wooyoung shrugs, almost nonchalantly, but you can still see the tension in his shoulders. 

There’s concern in his eyes that he cannot hide. In all of their eyes. Concern that they cannot hide from you.

“What aren’t you telling me.” It’s not so much a question, but a demand.

“Baby…” San’s expression falls.

“I know you guys don’t sleep. At least, not like I do.” Your voice is calm as you do whatever you can to remain level headed at the moment. “You said it yourselves, he should have been up by now.”

A grimace lingers on all of their features.

Hongjoong sighs, his arms crossed over his chest as he looks down at his feet. “We think the spell he got hit with is more intricate than we first believed. We can’t even reach out to him in his own mind.”

“So, it’s the spell that’s put him in a comatose state?” You blink, taking a deep breath inwards as your fingers dig into the skin of your thighs.

“We’ve already tried every countermeasure that we can against all of the spells known to cause these effects.” Seonghwa’s gaze falls, as if ashamed to be telling you how they’ve failed both you, and their brother like this. “It seems our magic has no affect on it at all.”

“We’ve been browsing the library all night,” Yunho runs a hand through his hair, his eyes bloodshot and bottom lip nearly raw from worry.

Mingi fares no better. His hair still sticks up in odd angles, and he cannot prevent the way his jaw twitches every few minutes. You don’t even need to get your next question out to know that they still haven’t found anything.

Your head shifts, staring down at the counter before you. Blinking blankly, you attempt to wrap your mind around this turn of events. You thought Jongho would have been fine by now, but clearly there’s more going on than meets the eye.

Heaving a great sigh, you stand to your feet.

Immediately, all of their attention darts to you, both San and Wooyoung even going so far as to reach out in your direction. However, it’s Yeosang that reaches you first, grabbing your wrist gently in his one hand.

“Dearest,” there’s nothing but concern on his features as his brow furrows, a hint of fear shining through in his eyes.

“Don’t worry,” you offer him a small smile, “I’m not going to disappear on you again.” The conversation you had leading up to this moment was rough, but you managed to get through it. Together. “I just want to see him.”

Your words seem to assure them enough, for Yeosang is releasing his grip on your wrist in the next second. Still, that does not prevent them all from following behind you, and entering the youngest’s room with you.

Again, you sit yourself on the edge of the bed, the early morning light of the sun streaming through the open windows. Gently, a breeze drifts through, and the cool touch of wind offers you some semblance of assurance that things will all turn out okay. Eventually.

Lifting a hand up, you caress the side of Jongho’s face, his features reflecting nothing but a peaceful serenity.

At least you know that he’s no longer in any pain.

Steadily, his chest rises and falls with every breath, your thumb stroking languidly against his cheek as you look him over. There’s a sadness in your eyes that you do not try and hide, the guilt still tugging freshly at the wound in your heart. Despite their constant reassurance, you still blame yourself. You honestly don’t think you’ll be able to breathe again properly until you see his warm, brown eyes staring back at you once more.

“I need you all to be honest with me right now.” You keep your gaze fixed on Jongho’s sleeping features for the moment as you take a deep breath. “Is there a possibility that he can die?”

A brief silence greets you, and you have your answer before any one of them speaks.

“Yes.” Yunho breathes, his shoulders deflating at the reality settling over all of you. “If we can’t figure out the spell that was used, or how to counteract it, there’s a possibility that it could claim his life.”

“Or worse.” Mingi’s voice is barely above a whisper, yet you still manage to hear him.

Your blood runs cold. “Worse?”

Wooyoung swallows his suddenly dry throat. “He could remain in this state forever. Neither living, nor dead.”

You close your eyes, fingers pressing a little firmer into Jongho’s cheek as you attempt to ground yourself.

“Well, the spell was meant for me.” You reply, exhaling shakily. “What better way than to torture you than always keeping me just out of reach?”

Their silence speaks volumes.

Slowly, you begin to retract your touch from his face, grasping his hand in your own instead.

“At his base level, is Dimitri considered a caster?” Your eyes search Jongho’s features for any slight shift you can find.

“He is.” Hongjoong confirms lowly.

Your mind begins churning, thoughts flitting every which way as you attempt to wrap your head around things. Briefly, you recall that conversation with the two younger harpy sisters and Sudaem.

“Are there levels of magic different than your own?”

A grimace before Mingi is replying, “there are.”

You hum in understanding.

“What are you thinking?” There’s a minor curious gleam in Seonghwa’s eyes as he looks at you.

You turn to face them, determination beginning to bloom on your features. “We need to talk to Sudaem.”

“The gorgon?” San’s brow furrows.

“The leader of the gorgons.” Yeosang hums, understanding passing over his features.

“Are we sure we should be informing a gorgon of all people that Jongho has been incapacitated?” Wooyoung looks between his brothers, a grimace on his face.

“I don’t think we’ll have any issues concerning that.” The corner of Yunho’s lips quirk upwards as he shifts his gaze back to you.

“I know I probably know less about this stuff than all of you as it stands,” you begin, taking a deep breath in, “but will you let me handle it? You guys can be a little intimidating when you want something.”

“A little?” Mingi grins knowingly, and it warms all of their hearts to see you quirk one in response.

“Should we call for Stella, then?” Hongjoong smiles faintly at you, noting the way you nod your head lightly in his direction.

Seonghwa clicks his tongue twice quickly in succession.

A blink, and Stella appears circling over your heads. She lets out a concerned caw, immediately landing on your shoulder and nuzzling her beak against you.

You giggle, her feathers tickling your neck. “I’m alright, Stella.”

She begins poking the tip of her beak affectionately against your cheek, and you realize that she’s placing little kisses onto your skin. The fact that she coos each time she does so has you smiling, much to the irritation of the others. Yes, they love seeing you happy, but not when it’s from a bird who is clearly rubbing in the fact that she can flirt with you so openly during a time like this while directly in front of all of them.

“Stella.” Seonghwa warns, his lips tugging downwards at the corners.

A few sassy clicks, and an annoyed twitch of the eldest’s brow lets you know the type of reply she gave him.

“Okay, Stell, enough teasing the men.” You bring your hand up so she can hop onto it. “I’ve got an important task for you now.”

Instantly, the raven straightens, puffing out her chest as she stands at attention. She meets your gaze, nodding for you to continue.

“I need you to contact Sudaem,” you begin, laying out your instructions very clearly.

The whole time you speak, Stella remains silent. She nods her head in understanding at every detail you give her, noticing how the males around you barely even move, letting you take charge once again. The amount of trust alone they continue to show you warms your heart, even more so this time around.

The second she disappears from your hand, you’re standing back to your feet.

Wooyoung’s brow furrows. “Where are you going?”

“To change.” You reply simply. “I don’t think appearing before the leader of the gorgons in my pyjamas is going to make me look very intimidating.”

“You’re plenty intimidating in your pyjamas, Baby.” San nods assuringly, recalling the image of you appearing in the kitchen with a baseball bat held in your hands.

A snort of laughter escapes you as you head towards the door. “Only you would know, Pretty Boy.”

You manage to pat his shoulder lightly as you walk passed, a knowing grin tugging at your lips. Though, what you fail to see is how San freezes, a dopey grin spreading across his features as your words wash over him.

You called him Pretty Boy.

He giggles, his fingers twitching excitedly at his sides. 

He only wishes the circumstances were better.

Ten minutes later, and after freshening up slightly, you make your way back towards the foyer. You see all of them already waiting for you, Stella perched on Hongjoong’s shoulder.

“Did she agree?” You address your question towards the raven who caws eagerly in response, wings flaring and managing to hit Hongjoong square in the nose. You snort out a laugh. “So, how long have you been waiting to do that, Stell?”

The raven hops off of Hongjoong’s shoulder, the male glaring at the bird in irritation as he spits out a feather rather unceremoniously. She pays him no mind as she glides over to you, landing gracefully on your own shoulder and cooing affectionately.

“At least she didn’t poop on you this time.” Yeosang deadpans.

“This time?” Your hand comes up to muffle your laughter. “Stella!”

An innocent caw greets your ears, feeling her shift from foot to foot on your shoulder.

“To be fair, she was just a newborn at the time.” Yunho chuckles.

“Who hasn’t she pooped on at some point.” Seonghwa sighs, shaking his head.

Another soft snort of laughter escapes you as you turn to look at the bird perched on your shoulder. Casually, she avoids your gaze, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d say she’s embarrassed.

“We’re getting off topic.” Hongjoong frowns, arms crossed in front of his chest.

A blink, and you’re composing yourself, though none of them miss how your entire demeanour drops instantly. It almost makes Hongjoong regret bringing up why Stella is here in the first place.

“Sudaem is waiting for her summons from you.” Mingi tells you.

“She’s agreed to meet with us, then.” You nod your understanding.

“What, exactly, is it that you are planning, My Love?” Hongjoong meets your gaze, a curious gleam shining in his eyes.

“Simply getting an expert’s opinion on some things.” You reply before turning to Stella. “Bring her in.”

In the blink of an eye, both her and Yeosang have disappeared. A moment later, they’ve reappeared before you with Sudaem in tow. You can see the way her snakes shift nervously over her shoulders, her steel grey gaze darting every which way around the front foyer.

“Sudaem.” Seonghwa inclines his head in greeting.

“Hello.” She bows back, her whole body trembling as her hands begin to wring themselves nervously in front of her body.

You step forward, a gentle smile on your face. “Thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice.”

“Of course!” Her head perks up, snakes hissing lightly in response. “You said you needed my help, and as your friend, here I am!”

A sense of relief washes over you at her words, and you find yourself taking her hands in your own. Gently, you give them a firm squeeze, meeting her gaze.

“What seems to be the problem that you summoned me into your home?” She tilts her head somewhat curiously, gaze fixated on you. Almost as if looking around at the several other males surrounding you is too much for her at the moment.

“You are familiar with the two most powerful clans of casters, correct?” You inquire.

Immediately, she nods. “I am. The Ciervo, and Sintra.”

“Then, you are familiar with their spells?” You continue, and understanding washes over the rest of the males in that room with you.

“For my part, I know practically all of them.” She blinks at you, a mild confusion lining her words.

You nod once. “Follow me.”

Without waiting for a response, you turn on your heels. Her one hand is still held in your own as you guide her down the hallway and into Jongho’s room, leading her over to the comatose male on the bed.

“The only details you need to know are that he was hit by a spell about thirty hours ago or so, and he hasn’t regained consciousness since.” You state, releasing your hold on her hand to sit beside Jongho’s resting form. “I was hoping you might be able to help identify the spell he’s been hit with, and offer a solution for it.”

Sudaem searches your features, noting the worried tug of your brow as your one hand moves to hold onto the male’s beside you. She can feel the weight of the other seven King’s stares on her back as she stands before you, and she cannot help but shift from foot to foot.

“I understand you are under no moral obligation to help him,” you are quick to continue as you take her silence for hesitance, “But, please, Sudaem,” you swallow thickly, your eyes shining with unshed tears, “Please, help him.”

A firm nod is all you receive from the gorgon as she steps closer. “I’m not much of a healer, but I need to check his vitals.”

A soft ‘okay’ is all she hears from you as you shift slightly to allow her to get closer. Only, your hand on her shoulder stops her before she can so much as touch him.

“We do not know each other all that well, but I do consider you my friend, Sudaem.” There’s a hint of a warning in your tone as you meet her gaze, your fingers sinking a little firmer into the skin of her shoulder. “I appreciate you doing this.”

Gently, she places her own hand on top of your own. Understanding passes between the both of you as she nods once firmly, the corners of her lips twitching upwards in a thin smile.

She’s heard your message loud and clear. If she so much as tries anything to deceive you, and hurt him further, you will not hesitate to do to her what you did to that harpy the other day. Perhaps even worse. Besides, the several males standing around the room might also have something to say about it this time, too.

“I will need to know a few more details about his condition.” She begins her assessment of his being, starting with checking his pulse.

You watch her carefully, motioning for her to ask what she has to.

“When the spell hit, did he suddenly lose consciousness?” She directs her questions at you, her snakes shifting to rest against her back and out of the way for now.

“No, he had about ten minutes before he went under.” You reply, somewhat shakily.

“Was it a delayed hit?” She glances upwards as she leans over him in order to meet your gaze. At your confused look, she’s quick to continue. “Did the spell take time to take effect?”

“No, it was instant.” You avert your gaze to the floor, thumbs beginning to rub over one another as the vivid memories appear in your mind once more. “It appeared only a physical spell at first.”

“He bled.” Not a question, but a statement.

You still nod solemnly in confirmation, feeling a reassuring hand place itself onto your shoulder. Turning your head, you see Hongjoong standing there, Seonghwa right beside him.

“This might be an odd question, but do you remember the shape of his injury?” Sudaem stands back to her full height. “Sometimes the cuts can resemble a symbol related to the type of spell used.”

Briefly, your eyes glance over to both Wooyoung and Yeosang. You watch as the younger of the two steps forward, a small notebook appearing in his hands along with a pen. A quick flick of his wrist and the shape of Jongho’s wounds are drawn onto the paper, which gets torn out and handed to the gorgon in the next second.

A furrow immediately pulls at her brow. “I see.”

Your heart skips a beat in worry, eyes practically begging for her to tell you something. Anything.

“Can you tell me anything else about what happened afterwards?” She turns towards you, a sort of softness taking over her features as she sees the anxiety ridden state you’re in.

“What would you like to know?” Your voice is small, somewhat unsure of yourself.

A sight and sound of which Sudaem never thought you would be capable of. You seemed so confident at the meeting with The Three Sisters. You must really be worried.

“Anything and everything you can tell me that happened from the point of the spell hitting him, onwards.” She replies honestly.

You hesitate. Not even the seven males surrounding you are privy to all of the details of what happened after Jongho had been hit with the spell.

Comfortingly, they all brush against your mind, letting you know that they’re all right here for you if you need them. With that simple notion of support, you understand that you are not alone, and that everything will be okay.

Taking a deep breath, you begin your recollection of the events that took place immediately following Jongho jumping in front of that spell for you. The whole time you speak, you keep your gaze locked on the floor in front of you, not daring to look around the room. The memories threaten to consume you, that overwhelming sense of guilt creeping up your throat and nearly choking you out by the time you get to his final admission before he passed out. However, you neglect to tell her exactly what he said.

“He managed to speak after ten minutes of fighting against the hold of the spell?” She blinks, somewhat amazed. “That’s impressive.”

This catches your attention, your head whipping up to look her way. “What do you mean?”

“If my theory is correct, he was hit by the ‘Veil of the Hypnos’ spell.” Sudaem says, addressing all of you.

A collective sharp intake of breath from the males around you has you looking around at all of them in worry. “What? What does that mean?”

“I didn’t think it were possible.” Mingi frowns, beginning to pace restlessly back and forth at the side of the room.

“Only a powerful caster could perform such a spell.” Sudaem continues. “He should have fell under the effects immediately, but he didn’t.”

“The 'Veil of the Hypnos’ is a dangerous spell. If it doesn’t kill the person on contact, they become lost in the veil between worlds, mind left in an eternal sleep.” Yunho explains, turning to look at you with clear worry in his eyes. “If the victim wanders too far, they can never return to their own body.”

You swear your heart stops. Pure, unaltered fear begins shining behind your eyes as you frantically look around at all of them.

“Dimitri will pay for this.” Wooyoung seethes, hands clenching into fists at his sides.

“Dimitri was the one who cast such a spell?” Sudaem spares a glance around the room.

“It was meant for me.” You reply lowly, and you swear you hear her breath hitch.

“You will need an equally powerful caster with the same stores of magic held within them to pull him out of such a state. One that hails from the big two at the very least.” She says, voice firm.

The several males grimace from around the room.

“Their aid will not come freely.” Seonghwa states, somewhat pointedly. “At least not the ones we know.”

“But Dimitri’s not from the big two.” Your brow furrows in confusion. “Right?”

“He’s not directly from them, no.” she meets your gaze. “However, he has lineage, and he is the most powerful outside of them. You will need someone on par with him magic wise. Someone with the ability to summon the Eight Kings.”

Your brow quirks.

“There are a few things that work in our favour already.” She goes on to say. “One: that he took so long to succumb to the spell’s effects means he’s still fighting against it. Two: you inferred that you were the one that transported the both of you home despite you still being human. That means his blood is still running through your veins, correct?”

Your mouth parts only briefly, considering her words. You clear your throat. “It is.”

“Am I wrong to assume your blood also runs through his veins currently?” She inquires.

“Your assumption would also be correct.” You answer immediately.

“Then, he’s also tethered to you right now, even unknowingly.” She nods, somewhat to herself. “We’ll need to gather a few things first, and I’ll have to return to my home to grab the spell books we’ll need. You need to get that caster here as soon as possible, though. Every second you waste is a second he could stray further from his own body and mind.”

Immediately, you spring to your feet, moving to exit the room. You know what you have to do.

“Where are you going?” There’s a hint of worry in San’s gaze as he watches you dart across the space between Jongho’s bed and the door.

“I have to make a phone call.” You reply, not even bothering to stop as you reach the hallway. “It seems a catch up with my best friend is long overdue.”

“Angel, are you sure now is the time-“

“Reina is a Ciervo witch.” Yeosang cuts Wooyoung off.

A stunned silence passes throughout the room.

“But is she practicing?” San’s brow furrows as he watches you disappear from sight.

“It doesn’t matter. She had enough power to summon us, even unknowingly.” Hongjoong says, all of them quick to exit the room after Sudaem. “Besides, she won’t be alone.”

“You will only be able to help this caster so much.” Sudaem interjects, halting in the front foyer with Stella on her shoulder. “You may be able to lend her a portion of your strength if need be, but his will be a task meant for her and Your Queen.”

A brief pause where they think over her words.

“Because their blood runs through each other’s veins.” Yeosang observes.

“Correct.” Sudaem inclines her head. “That small fact may end up being the deciding factor on whether or not this countermeasure works or not.”

“What do you mean?” Mingi steps forward, frown tugging at his brow.

“How often have you heard of someone reversing the effects of the ‘Veil of the Hypnos’ spell?” Sudaem fidgets, somewhat warily. 

Their expressions drop.

“It’s no easy task, and there’s a possibility that it might not work.” She admits, her snakes shifting restlessly over her head. “Especially if this caster has never performed such a spell before.”

“It will work.” Your firm voice cutting in from the side draws all of their attention to you for the moment.

Sudaem blinks at you in mild shock at how determined you sound. “How can you be so sure?”

“It will work because we say it must.” You reply, tucking your phone into your back pocket. “We take care of each other, because that is what we are meant to do. There’s no room for failure. Not this time.”

“Petal,” Yunho’s worried voice reaches your ears.

“I know for a fact that if that was me, you’d all be saying the exact same thing.” You watch as they all straighten at your words. “You would never stop until I was safe. Is it that astounding that I would want to ensure the same for any of you?”

The way they remain quiet is answer enough.

“We all know what we have to do.” Your firm nod confirms it as you step beside Yeosang for the moment. You turn to face Sudaem. “I will be as quick as I can, but knowing everything I’ll have to explain, I’ll be an hour at the very least.”

“Are you sure she’ll help you?” Sudaem shifts slightly from foot to foot, Stella releasing a worried coo from her shoulder.

Softly, your head begins to nod. “She will.”

“Then, I will need some assistance gathering the supplies.” Sudaem’s grey gaze darts around the room.

Both Mingi and Yunho share a look.

“We’ll help you.” Yunho steps forward, Mingi right behind him.

“Once we’ve gathered the supplies, I’ll set everything up and await for your return.” Sudaem turns back to face you.

“Alright,” a simple nod of understanding accompanies your words. You meet her gaze. “See you soon.”

In the blink of an eye, her, Stella, Mingi, and Yunho all disappear from sight.

Without wasting another moment, you turn to the remaining males.

“One of you needs to drop me off at Reina’s.” You say. “And it has to be Yeosang.”

Their brows all quirk at this.

“I need to test a theory I have.” You tell them. “See if she remembers him from the incident at the mall.”

Understanding flashes across their features, but you can still see the grimaces San, Wooyoung, and Seonghwa send your way.

“If she knows nothing of her heritage, then it may take some convincing on my part. I might need some help from all of you for that.” You step in closer to Yeosang’s side as he places a hand onto your lower back. “Maybe don’t attempt to rearrange the furniture in her apartment this time.”

The last thing they see is a slight upturn to the corner of your lips before you’re disappearing from sight.

The sight of Reina’s familiar red front door has you smiling slightly. You haven’t been to her apartment in months, but you cannot help the memories that invade your senses as you see the small scratch in the paint. It had been put there by accident by her when lugging in that old recliner with you last year. That’s not to mention all the other dings and dents put into her walls from the two of you over the years moving things around that you probably shouldn’t have.

You smile softly to yourself.

Gently, you take Yeosang’s hand in your own, intertwining your fingers as you subtly glance around the hallway. At least no one is around to have seen you both suddenly appear.

Taking a deep breath in, you knock.

Some shuffling is heard on the opposite side of the door before loud footsteps draw closer. A click of the lock later, and the door is swinging open to reveal your best friend. Her dark brown hair is tossed into a messy bun, an oversized hoodie wrapping around her frame.

“Geez, when you said you were close by with your one significant other, I didn’t think you’d be this close. What were you doing, waiting in the lobby?” She teases, grin tugging at her features. She swings the door wider, finally taking note of who you stand beside. Her gaze darts back to you almost immediately. “You should come inside.”

“Oh, he only came to drop me off.” You say, squeezing his hand lightly in your own.

“Just wanted to make sure she got here safe.” He smiles, squeezing back.

Reina stares intently at Yeosang, narrowing her eyes. “Have we met before? You seem really familiar.”

Something sparks within your gaze, a small sense of relief flooding your veins. 

Good. You can work with this.

“When we ran into each other briefly at the mall that one day,” you watch her carefully. “Remember?”

Her frown deepens, sparing a brief side glance at you. “Yeah. I think so.”

“Anyways,” you turn to Yeosang, placing a gentle kiss onto his cheek. “I’ll call for you when I’m ready to be picked up.”

"Alright, Dearest,“ a knowing look is shared between the both of you as he smiles. “You two have fun, then.”

With a final, reassuring squeeze to your hand, Yeosang is releasing his hold on you. A gentle smile rests on his features as he makes a show of walking all the way down the hallway and towards the elevators before disappearing once he rounds the corner.

You turn back to Reina. “Boy, do I ever-“

Your words die in your throat as she tugs you inside, somewhat frantically. Immediately, the door to her apartment is slammed shut, the locks clicking into place before she’s turning to face you with a wide-eyed look.

“Do you know who that was?” Her gaze is wild as she presses herself against her front door, as if blocking the only path Yeosang could take to reach you in this moment.

“Uh, yeah,” you shoot her a sceptical look, “Yeosang. One of my significant others.”

“No, that’s not-“ she sighs. “Do you know what he is?”

“Reina, you’re not making much sense right now.” You cross your arms over your chest. A hint of amusement dances on your features as you watch your best friend shift her gaze everywhere around her apartment but at you for the moment.

Heaving a sigh, she pushes herself off of the front door. She begins to make her way towards the living room, grabbing your wrist as she walks passed to drag you along with her. After sitting you on her couch, she crouches in front of you, as if she were a parent about to explain something extremely important to her child.

“Have you ever noticed anything strange happen when you’re with him?” She begins, watching your every expression carefully.

“Define strange, Reina,” you quirk a brow, almost knowingly.

“Strange as in things you can’t explain happening.” She replies, her hands coming to rest on your knees as she leans into you. “You know, like, supernatural.”

You nearly laugh from how paranoid she suddenly looks. “Rei, if you have something to say, why don’t you just come out and say it?”

“Well,” she hesitates, “you remember that day we ‘summoned’ something?”

“Vividly.” The corner of your lips quirk upwards.

“I know it was essentially an unspoken rule between us not to bring it up, but…”

“You ended up summoning the Eight Kings of the Realm, and now they’re my significant others and I’m their Queen.” Your eyebrow twitches playfully.

“This isn’t time for jokes-“ her breath catches in her throat. “Wait, what?”

“What?” You tilt your head slightly, blinking at her expectantly.

“You know who- what they are?” She replies, a bit incredulously.

“Of course I do.” You chuckle. “I’ve known for quite a while, actually.”

“How long have you known?” She asks, observing you carefully.

“Remember that spontaneous weekend trip I took all those months ago?” You inquire, seeing her nod her head in understanding. “Since then.”

“Fucking hell.” She curses under her breath.

“How long have you known?” You turn her question back on her.

“Only for about two months now, but I didn’t know you were in a relationship with them all.” She breathes, falling backwards slightly in order to sit on the floor before you.

“Wait, how do you know?” You shift forward, heart beginning to pound in anticipation in your chest.

“This might sound a bit crazy, but apparently I come from a family of casters?” She sounds a bit uncertain of herself as she says this, as if she’s still trying to wrap her own head around things.

“Oh my god, this will make things so much easier.” You breathe a tremendous sigh of relief.

“Wait, how do you know that?” Her face scrunches, looking at you suspiciously.

“We have so much to talk about.” You say, leaning back and getting comfortable on her couch.

“Should I get the blankets?” She grins, a sudden teasing gleam in her eyes.

“Sure,” you grin right back. “We may be here for a while.”

Two minutes later, you both have drinks and have swaddled yourselves in your favourite blankets like you always do for movie nights at her place. She sits across from you on her couch, legs tucked in beneath her as you mirror her position.

“Boy, do I have a lot to tell you, Rei.” You sigh, taking a sip of your drink as you hold it in your lap. “Honestly, I just need to talk to someone about it all, too. Are you okay with that? I’m not joking when I say there’s a shit ton of things we need to catch up on. I’ll try to be as quick as I can, though. Time really is of the essence right now.”

“You and me both, honestly.” She breathes, taking a sip of her own drink. “You go first, and then I’ll share mine.”

You nod your understanding. “Okay, well, here goes nothing…”

So, like every good catch up session you’ve ever had with her, you begin at the very beginning. You watch her every expression intently, noticing how her mouth drops as you recall the dress incident, and how she visibly starts shaking when you get to the very first dinner you ever shared with the eight of them all those months ago.

“You stabbed the Captain of the Eight Kings and you’re still alive?” Her eyes look about ready to bug out of her head. “Damn, he must really love you, then.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” you smile, a fond chuckle escaping your lips.

The way her jaw drops once more as you go on to tell her about the next two weeks after that has a sort of nervousness tugging at your features.

“They kidnapped you, and held you hostage?” There’s nothing but absolute horror on her features as she looks at you.

“Yes, but no?” You shrug mildly. “I could literally do whatever I wanted, except leave them.” The shocked look she sends you has you continuing immediately. “It sounds a lot worse than it was. Honestly, I laid into them pretty good after two weeks had passed. Threw a mug at Wooyoung’s head, made them feel horrible for what they had done, you name it.”

“Did it hit him?” Her brow quirks.

“No, he dodged it.”

“Shame.”

“Reina!” You laugh in disbelief.

“What?” She blinks at you. “It’s the least that he deserves after fucking holding you hostage!”

“They let me go places!” You’re quick to defend them. “Sure, it wasn’t ideal at the start, but I never felt trapped when I was with them.”

She nods her head in understanding, eyeing you cautiously. “Are you aware of their powers.”

“I am very aware of their powers.” You confirm with a nod.

“I mean this in the best way a concerned best friend would, but you do realize they might be mentally manipulating-“

“Don’t even go there.” Your tone is sharp, gaze suddenly dark. “I’ve had this conversation with them before, and I trust them when they say that they haven’t, and never would use that aspect of their powers on me.”

She raises her hands in her own defence. “Just making sure. I didn’t sense anything off about your mental state, but I’m not as skilled as my grandmother.”

“I know they sound really bad, but please, Rei, let me finish my story.” You reach across and squeeze her knee.

She motions for you to continue. So, you do.

The moment you get to the mall incident, you notice her tense.

“I remember bits and pieces about that day, but it all felt like a dream to me.” She admits once you get to the part of running into her in the washroom. “I had hoped it was all a dream. Even after my grandmother sensed the possession, and made sure that I had been fully cleansed, I didn’t want to believe it. It’s all still pretty blurry.”

“I’m sorry, Rei,” your expression falls. “I never meant for you to get involved like that. I had no idea who Miyeon was until the very next day.”

Reina visibly starts shaking in anger as you tell her about the argument you had gotten into with them over everything after running into her at the mall.

“Are you kidding me?” She seethes.

“Reina, let me finish!” You shoot her a look, and she falls silent. For now.

The more you speak, the more you can visibly see her relax. You don’t go so far as to tell her everything that occurred between them and Miyeon, for those are not your memories to share. However, you give enough context so that she understands where they stood in their relationships at that point.

“You know, the stories my grandmother has been telling me about these Eight Kings of the Realm sound nothing like how they really are.” She comments. “I’ve yet to determine if they’re good or bad, but at least they can admit when they’ve made a mistake. Their love for you seems genuine, which is saying something.”

The knowing look sent your way does not go unnoticed by you.

You smile somewhat tensely.

“You’re telling me.” You agree. “Every day they kept surprising me, and every day I could feel that wall I had put up to try and protect myself from their advances slipping.”

“Wait,” her eyes flash, a worried pull to her brow, “they never… they never forced themselves-“

“Fuck no!” You’re quick to shake your head, going so far as to raise your hands in front of you for emphasis. “You know my own views on consent, and when I tell you that they are on the exact same level as I am, please believe me.”

Her brow quirks, and even though you think it’s subconscious on her part, she begins to nod her head.

“This doesn’t mean I approve of them, yet.” She states, looking at you through playfully narrowed eyes.

You raise your hands in your own defence, shifting your position slightly as you continue your story. You don’t realize, but there’s a certain fond look that begins to take over your features as you recount certain memories with the eight of them. A loving look, which Reina immediately picks up on, smiling to herself all the while.

“So, Mingi gave you a cat you’ve secretly always wanted. Yeosang played your favourite melody on his violin for you. Yunho brought you to see a horse they got for you named after a horse from your favourite series. San cooks your favourite meals whenever you want them,” Reina lists off, lifting a finger for each male counted. “They literally created your dream home to live in together, complete with a grandiose library and garden…”

“But wait, there’s more.” You wiggle your brows.

Reina tilts her head, a knowing grin tugging at her lips. “‘More’ you say?”

At the way you nod eagerly, she motions for you to continue. You can tell she’s listening intently to every word you have to say, opening up more to the idea of these eight men the more you tell her.

“Okay, I’m still wary of them a bit, but they do seem to genuinely care for you.” She observes.

“Believe me,” you smile softly. “They do.”

Her jaw drops, a gasp escaping her lips when you tell her about the portrait Yunho has painted of you.

“Okay, they are literally pulling out all of the stops and romantic gestures I can think of.” She pats the top of the couch excitedly. “Need me some freaks like that.”

“Oh?” You quirk a brow. “Are they beginning to get your approval?”

She hums, pretending to think about it for a moment. “Debatable.”

“Reina!” You laugh, her right along with you. 

Honestly, you haven’t felt this light for a while. You seriously missed being able to talk with your best friend about everything, and the fact that she already knows to a certain extent what they are saves you from having to both explain things, or leave certain things out of your retelling. It’s quite refreshing.

“I’m not liking this handsy one too much.” She frowns disapprovingly, her arms crossing over her chest. “Negating the fact that he took you to see literal dragons, he sounds like a piece of work.”

“Aren’t we all?” You hum, the corner of your lips quirking upwards. “Believe me, he will never make that mistake again.”

Reina’s brow quirks as you go on to explain the weeks that followed that incident, noticing how she remains quiet throughout it all. That is, until she’s leaning across the couch to smack you on your arm. Quite harshly, too.

“You fucking hypocrite!” She smacks you lightly a few more times after that as you lean away from her with a whine. “Fighting fire with fire only burns you both in the end.”

“I know, okay! Let me finish!” You swat her hand away.

After you finally explain that talk on the balcony that you had with Seonghwa to her, you notice how she leans back slightly on the couch.

“Huh,” she nods, somewhat to herself. “I’m honestly surprised it took you that long to play something on that piano. Even if you weren’t necessarily playing it for them.”

You shrug, “I had other things on my mind.”

“Fair enough,” she raises a hand along with her words.

A smirk daces across her features as you inform her of the very next set of events that followed.

“Didn’t like you swooning over WayV, did they?” She chuckles.

“No,” you laugh along with her. “Not particularly. But I will say, the payoff was quite sweet.”

“Didn’t pin you for one to enjoy jealous sex.” She deadpans, and you nearly spit out your drink in response.

“It wasn’t like that!” You attempt to defend yourself.

“Mmhmm,” she hums knowingly, “sure.”

“You’re the one who sent me the pictures of me in that corset.” You mumble, and this time, it’s her turn to almost spit out her drink.

A loud cackle greets your ears. “Then, you’re welcome!”

“Yeah, yeah,” you wave her off with a playful roll of your eyes. “Anyways…”

As you continue, even you can tell your whole body goes tense. You know what’s coming next, and you’re not too particularly fond of relieving those memories again so soon after telling Wyno. However, Reina is your best friend, and talking to her is one of the easiest things in your life. It always has been, and it always will be. You know that you’ll always be there for each other, and nothing will ever come between that.

The moment you mention Miyeon infiltrating your new home, you watch her expression drop. Horror paints her features as her whole body goes still, the blanket falling from her shoulders. Tears begin to line her eyes at each new detail you reveal to her, silently beginning to trail down her cheeks as she notices the pained look resting on your face.

Silently, she reaches over to grab your hand in her own, shifting closer to you on the couch. In any and every way she can, she offers you comfort for the tragic events that you have suffered through at the hands of that jealous and downright evil demon. She only wishes that she could have been there to offer you support when you needed it most.

“I am so deeply sorry you had to go through that,” she meets your gaze, the both of you sniffling as you cling to each other for dear life. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you.”

“It’s not your fault, Reina,” you shake your head, assuring her in your own way. “I appreciate you saying that, but don’t put that on yourself. You supporting me now is all I need.”

“Of course,” she pulls you in for a hug. One which you gladly return. “I’m here for you, babes. You know I am.”

“That I do,” you smile, sinking a little deeper into her embrace as you hold her tighter. “The same goes for you with me. I’m here for you, too.”

A simple nod is all you receive in response, but you don’t need to look at Reina to know that she’s smiling, too.

Pulling away after another minute holding one another in each other’s arms, you meet her gaze. You feel as if another tremendous weight has been lifted from your chest, words coming much easier after that. 

Time seems to just be flying by as you continue to recount your adventures to your best friend. The way she gasps and starts hitting your knee affectionately when you describe gifting each male one of your pieces of jewelry has you chuckling fondly.

“You gave Hongjoong the One Ring?” Her jaw drops. “Okay, I believe you. They really are special.”

“I told you.” You grin.

“That still doesn’t mean they’ve earned the ‘Reina seal of approval.’” She shoots you a look. “They’ve gotta pass the best friend test first.”

“I don’t think they’ll have to try very hard.” You joke.

“No, I don’t think they will.” She confirms with a grin before turning dead serious in the next moment. “Though, if they hurt you, I am not afraid to curse them for it.”

You grimace, and she immediately picks up on it.

“Too soon?” Her brow furrows in worry.

“It’s not that, it’s just,” you let out a sigh, “another reason why I’m here today.”

“Wait, did one of them actually get cursed?” Her eyes widen dramatically, worry pulling at her features.

“You could say that,” you mumble. “I’m getting there, I promise.”

“Okay,” she nods. “Please, continue.”

Again, you pick up right where you last left off, explaining to her everything that has happened to you since you brought the eight of them to meet your parents. The events seem to fly by until you’re finally arriving at the start of this past week.

“If I ever meet this Malik guy, it’s on sight.” She raises her fists, mocking punching him in the face.

“You and me both, sis,” you hum, a small quirk to your lips upwards.

You make quick work about telling her what happened with Mina, then Wyno, and then the harpies, until finally, you reach the event that you had really been leading up to. You notice her little quips and encouragements have all stopped for the moment as you begin to curl in on yourself. Nothing but worry is on her features as you fight off the tears that wish to gather once more in the corners of your eyes as you explain what has happened to Jongho.

“Okay, first of all, that was not you fault,” she gets you to meet her gaze. “I would bet anything in the entire world that he doesn’t blame you either. Not after everything you’ve just told me about him and his brothers. So, get those lingering doubts out of your mind. They have no precedent being there.”

You can only offer her a solemn nod in response.

“You said he’s trapped under the ‘Veil of the Hypnos’ spell?” Her brow furrows as she stands from the couch. Disappearing down the hallway, she continues speaking the whole time, calling over her shoulder, “I remember my grandmother mentioning something about it, hang on!”

Not even a minute later, she returns. A book is held in her hands. One which seems familiar, but you can’t quite place your finger as to why as you dry your eyes. With one knowing look from her, you suddenly remember why.

In her hands rests the spell book she used to summon the Eight Kings with. Flipping it open, she sits beside you on the couch, skimming through the pages until she finds the right one.

“Ah-ha!” She grins, pointing to a specific heading on the one page. “Here it is.”

The two of you briefly read over the page, and you have just the right mind to catch glimpses of ‘connection’ and ‘high emotion’ before you’re sparing a glance at her.

“So,” you nudge her shoulder lightly, “are you going to tell me about how you found out about all of this?”

Closing the book gently and resting it on her lap, Reina begins to rub her fingers over the detail work on the cover.

“Well, remember how I mentioned that I couldn’t remember much about what happened at the mall that one day?” She begins, to which you nod your head. “I couldn’t distinguish what was real, and what was a dream. It was my grandmother who sensed something was off. We went to visit her about two months ago, and she could immediately tell I had been possessed by a demonic entity of sort. She just couldn’t understand how this entity could no longer reach me. I realize now that I have both you and those eight males to thank for that.”

She spares a glance up at you, and you place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“My grandmother was quite blunt about it, and she cussed out my own mother for not telling me what I was.” Reina’s lips quirk upwards, as if recalling the memory now. “You know how passionate my grandmother can get.”

“Oh boy, do I ever,” you chuckle, recalling the amount of times you’ve seen her start cussing someone out in Spanish over something. “Really, though, she’s a lovely lady.”

“You don’t have to deal with her every day,” Reina sighs dramatically. “Anyways, that’s when my gran started asking me a bunch of questions. I told her I read something with you from this,” she shakes the tome in her hands, “spell book, and she nearly flipped. Started chanting in some ancient language, going off about protection spells and such. That’s when she realized there already were protection wards placed on both me and my mind.”

“I’m guess she was able to sense who put them there?” You quirk a brow.

“Bingo.” Reina turns to look at you. “Which is when she started freaking out and saying that I needed to start my training to learn how to be a proper caster to protect myself. The stories of the terror of the Eight Kings were soon to follow, apparently passed down from generation to generation.”

“Do you believe them?”

“Not anymore.” She shakes her head.

“Then, you’ve deduced part of the reason why I’m here right now?” You place a hand onto her shoulder.

“Other than wanting to see me,” she shoots you a playful look which you mirror, “I figured it out.”

A moment of silence.

“Will you-“

“Do you even have to ask?” She cuts you off with a pointed look.

“I should have known.” You let out a sigh, a grin pulling at your features.

“You said this gorgon - Sudaem - will have prepared everything by the time we get there?” She inquires. “All the ingredients, and the proper spell book?”

You nod in confirmation.

“Well, then,” she stands to her feet with a firm nod of her head. Tucking the tome beneath her one arm, a look of determination crosses her features. “What are we waiting for?”

[acowardinmordor]

I have mentioned this a couple times in a couple of ways, but I need to talk it out. It's my real life stuff, so scroll on if you're only following for the Stranger Things stuff. It's long, and I'm under NDAs, so its delightfully vague.

Real life is currently Real rough.

I am very susceptible to the desire to be the superhero. For good or ill, it's something I am capable of in my job. It's sort of my specialty. I get brought in on disaster jobs to land the plane. Or I get brought in because they know they need to run a skeleton team, and I am able to wear a lot of hats. Yeah, my rate is high, but I can cover several roles on my own. Not permanently, and not at full capacity, but if you need part of an artist and part of a modeller and part of a td and part of a fab designer and part of a construction and vendor manager, I can do all that. It's a weird skill set. When I have left projects midway through it takes multiple people to replace me. One time it took four.

I do anything I can, legitimately, to get what I know into other people's brains. I do not like single points of failure, either in rigging or in design. One person should not be the hinge for a project's success.

Just. look. I have been told directly, by industry legends who I deeply respect, that I'm exceptional. This is why I am susceptible to superhero dreams.

My current project is a shit show. Hand to god, if someone lit the building on fire, we'd be in better shape because insurance would kick in and we'd get time and money back to fix this mess. If it can go wrong, it has gone wrong. We were supposed to open four months ago. We are crossing our fingers to open before september. Every permit has had issues. Every product I order has had a turnaround issue, a sudden price spike, a stock issue, or a usability issue. We are massively over budget.

In theory my job title is Lead Design. In practice, my job is Get It Open.

That is not unique in my life. Sure, this is more disaster than usual, but this is my specialty.

The problem is that the company might not survive if we push to september. Like. Peoples income is hinging on me pulling some miracles. Not just the owners, though they'd be fucked. Artists and assistants and interns.

Yes, I could lower my standards and let this be meh.

But that is anathema to me. I have had the next chapter of FtB for months, but its still not right, so I keep retouching it and trying to make it good enough for my standards. This is not a place I compromise. I don't put my name on projects I won't stand by. And I'm in too deep. If I have to work 7 for the next two months, I will. I'll balance it with my body's tendency to try to kill me, but I don't let my projects fail.

It's so bad the owner dips out early and shuts down when told about whatever new bullshit we've encountered. So I've just stopped telling him. If it doesn't need his input to correct, he doesn't need to know its happening. He gets looped in as a 'hey we had an issue, its corrected, we'll be back on schedule in X days, which fits in schedule'

Again, this is my job. I am very good at it. I am paid well.

The pat that is making me insane is that about half the problems are things that I could have prevented if I'd realized earlier no one else was looking for them. Its stuff that shouldn't be my job, but I know enough to see the imminent issue, and bring in someone to prevent it. The other half are things that I specifically, explicitly pointed out as disasters in waiting, and was outright told that I was overreacting or that the thing I was asking for was unnecessary and a waste of time.

I don't believe in saying I told you so. Either they already know, or they won't listen if I say it. It's also crass. Its frustrating as fuck though. We have to rebuild stuff and redo stuff bc errors got missed. those errors would have been caught in a fab design review. I was treated like I was crazy when I asked for those drawings six months ago. We're getting fucked by it now.

So. Yeah, Everyday I ride my bike to the office -- cause yeah, I started commuting by bike which is great but also sweaty -- and my brain gives me all sorts of fabulous ideas and inspiration to write. And then work all day and suffer. And then ride home and am deluged by inspiration while riding. Then I get home and all the energy saps out of my pores and it takes hours before my brain has shifted gears enough to properly write. but then its past 9, on good days, and past 11 on bad days. Lately, its all been bad days.

Oh, and I'm having many more seizures than usual, my AC is crap so my house was over 90 last weekend, I angered my leg on my bike because I had to slam on the brakes, politics is Like That, and the guy I've had a crush on is being inexplicable.

So.

It's a very strange blend of infuriating, fulfilling, exhausting, and anxiety inducing.

I miss writing.

[inkblackorchid]

I just found your blog today and thank you for putting to words some weird feelings I had towards 5ds’s direction after the dark signers arc. I never got to actually watch the post dark signer arc stuff until adulthood, but it feels almost like the writing team decided they wanted to work on basically a different show altogether and were just kind of stuck with 5ds and its cast.

You're very welcome! I was talking about this with someone just a few days ago, and yeah, absolutely. The thing about everything post DS is that regardless of what camp you're in—whether you love, hate, or just feel kinda meh about the WRGP and everything surrounding it—I think we can all agree that it feels very different from the Fortune Cup and DS arc. The 5Ds cast is, at least in my opinion, extremely solid, but with how everyone's set up in the first half of the show, the second half almost feels a bit like the writers put their own characters in an AU of sorts. The cast is still the same, but you can feel the difference. To this day, I'd pay a good amount of money to know what sort of decisions led to that change tbh. I've seen it suggested that they shifted gears because 5Ds' ratings weren't good and they were hoping to course-correct in order to cater more to their intended target audience, but while I do find that believable, I wouldn't want to spread it as gospel seeing as I have no source. And with how many issues the 5Ds fandom has already had with rumours in the past, I really wouldn't want to contribute to that. So many secrets left in that show's writers' room...

The sad thing is, I don't think making the second half of the show work better with the already established cast than it did would have been impossible—far from it. This is why I like to suggest rewrites in my theory posts and why basically all my fics are (mostly) canon-compliant add-ons that flesh certain characters out (and notably take place during the pre-WRGP and beyond), after all. But for some reason, everything WRGP-adjacent ended up being a bit rough in canon. Who knows, maybe someone will uncover an obscure interview that gives us the reason some day.

[firstelevens]

👀 🤗 🧠 (the latter for sam)

🧠 Pick a character, and I'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them.

A lot of my headcanons are hobby-adjacent, I'm realizing. My favorite one for Sam is that he's the kind of person who likes to work with his hands, and particularly enjoys tinkering with mechanical things. I know we canonically see him working on Redwing and the boat, but I firmly believe that if he was unable to channel his energy into superheroing, he'd be taking apart toasters and wall clocks trying to make them work better. I've worked it into lots of fics and I firmly stand by it!

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

I'm gonna be honest, bud; it has been a rough time for WIPs around these parts and that's not likely to change, given that Ramadan is coming up and I usually don't have the energy to write then.

All I can offer you is this excerpt from a silly installment of the Formula 1 AU, which has been put on pause until my ability to write returns from the war

“There’s finally a real bed here and you have to leave for the airport at 6 AM tomorrow,” Bucky says, shucking off his t-shirt and flinging it towards a random corner of the room. “Take your pants off already, Wilson; the clock is ticking.” But Sam does not, in fact, take his pants off. He doesn’t even stand up. He stays exactly where he is, surrounded by an objectively stupid amount of throw pillows with his reading glasses perched on his nose. And then he smirks, reaches for the hoodie that Bucky abandoned a little while ago, and puts on an extra layer. Bucky blinks. Sam blinks back. The reading glasses are crooked from how quickly he pulled on the hoodie and it’s kind of adorable. “Seriously?” “Oh, was I supposed to be wooed by that?” asks Sam, straightening his glasses. “Efficiency is supposed to get me going?” “You made out with me in the backseat of the truck just for streamlining a grocery list.” “That was forever ago.” “That was last week.”

Third answer is under the cut because it got kind of long!

🤗 What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

I think useful writing advice is SO dependent on what type of person/writer you are, but here's a few things that I think would be broadly applicable.

Save your scraps! An issue that I had when I first started writing and still deal with to this day is the impulse to just delete everything when a piece of writing isn't working out the way I want it to. I've learned now to just move that writing into a separate document where I keep all the fic scraps I've written that haven't really fit into a story. It's made me a better writer because now I don't spend all my time trying desperately to make a section of the story work with the rest of my idea, just so the time I spent writing it won't go to waste. I'm much more willing to cut something and if I know I won't lose it forever, and a lot of the time those extra bits of writing come in handy later on.

Trust your instincts. Write about the characters and emotions and experiences that interest you, no matter how wildly self-indulgent they are or how many other people have written the same thing. It's not magically going to mean you have no issues while writing, but it's a whole lot easier to work through a roadblock in your story when you care about what you're writing. (And the truth is that if you write about something you feel lukewarm about, all the kudos and comments in the world aren't going to make you feel less lukewarm about it. It'll always just be kind of meh, so you might as well chase the concepts you care about.)

Read widely. I was a mimic before I ever figured out what my own writer's voice sounded like, and I still shamelessly lift structures or turns of phrase from my favorite authors. I know we all go through times where it's just hard to get through books, but there's always poetry or essays or articles or even narrative podcasts if that's more your thing. Seeing other people do things with words is a really helpful way to mine information or inspiration, but it also helps you figure out what you like and don't like in writing, which makes it easier to figure out how to write things in a way that's satisfying to you.

Set aside a regular time for writing or thinking about writing. This is a skill I literally just picked up last year and it's the only reason I've managed to write the fics I did. Every chapter of the Bake Off AU was worked out during a little chunk of time that I had on Tuesdays where I would sit down at a coffee shop and outline things (by hand, because working with my computer was distracting) or make notes on dialogue/write up sections for the media interludes. Before that, my writing time used to be in bed before I went to sleep, making notes or adding a sentence to a doc on my phone. Even if it's just five minutes at a set time just once a week, if you do it enough, your brain will get into the habit of it. I still feel the itch to sit down and write on Tuesdays at 11, even when I'm in a slow period for writing. It's a nice way to remember that writer's block and packed out days don't last forever, and I'll find my way back to storytelling when my brain gets the time.

[armpirate]

UNDER HIS SKIN || JJK || Ch. 16

Pairings: tattoist!jk x fem!reader

Genre: smut, angst, friends to lovers, tattoo au, virgin reader.

Summary: They say there are two versions for every story, and it's important to hear both of them. Everybody is hearing your side of the story, but it's just fair to get to know his.

After breaking up with his girlfriend, the only thing he wanted was to have fun with no attachment. You wanted to get rid of your virginity, and he wanted to tick you off his list. What he didn't expect was getting so emotionally attached to you that he would regret the deal.

Warnings: mutual masturbation, fingering, handjob, dirty talk

Previous || Next

MASTERLIST

I don't know at what moment we grew closer to each other, but it just happened. But texts and calls were more usual at some point. Actually, it was weird if we went a day without texting each other. Thinking of it right now... I don't think we've gone a day without talking to each other at all.

Just yesterday we were hanging out at her house because I had no customers and she wasn't going to work yet. With no deep reason at all, nothing related to the deal. We just hung out and spent some time together.

She frowns when she isn't able to tell who's the person calling her while we both were trying to guess who was the murderer in that episode. I mute the whole thing, just so she's able to speak and understand everything the other person is saying, when I realize the call might last longer than just a few seconds.

Y/n first frowns, but soon her face lights up and she literally jumps over the couch to get something to write on.

—Thank you so much —I hear her say excitedly, while her back is turned at me—. Thank you so much! —she repeats— I'll see you tomorrow.

She jumps excited in that spot, her oversized t-shirt bouncing with every move, until she turns to me again with a wide smile.

—What was it? —I ask when she doesn't say a word.

—Hmm —she walks back to the couch—. You might be talking to the future designer in JP Motors.

I remember how excited she looked when she first received the call, and how soon all that excitement turned into anxiety and nervousness because she thought she wouldn't be able to pass the interview.

And probably that's why I couldn't help but think about it all morning. The client I'm tattooing hasn't spoke a single word in the four hours I've been tattooing his leg, which makes me wonder if he had fallen asleep. When I peek, trying to see a glimpse of his face, he caught me on the spot.

—Is everything okay? —I rush to ask, trying to hide the fact that I was indeed looking at him out of curiosity.

The man plays with his long beard, nodding. His rough expression doesn't really tell me much. There's no pain, no suffering. So I guess everything is indeed okay.

Before I go back to the tattoo, I look at the digital clock hanging over the mirror in my room. Y/n must be in that interview already...

—Give me one second.

Again, the man doesn't say anything, he just nods and lets me go. Rolling on the chair a few meters away, I stand up and turn to my phone placed on the desk I usually work at when Y/n isn't around. I know it's too early to ask, but I ask her how the interview went, after I send her a "Good luck" sticker -there's only a few seconds of difference between each message, but meh.

Going back to work, I give the tattoo the final details before it's finally done.

—What do you think? —I ask, when he stands up and looks at himself in the mirror.

Puckering his lips, that are barely visible over his thick red beard, he finally nods and raises his thumb. No word again.

I invite him to lead me outside so he can pay for the service, but my phone shakes in my hand when I'm about to cross the door. I see Y/n has replied to my text after thirty minutes, so probably she's done with her interview already.

As soon as I see Mark resting on the counter, I encourage the client to get to him since he'll be the one in charge of the transaction.

—Cool —he finally says.

I'd be freaking out by hearing his voice for the first time in five hours, but I'm too focused on the phone that it seems it might melt if I don't read her text as soon as possible. Carefully, I close the door to my room and rest my body back on the chair I've been sitting on for five hours.

Cocktease: Seems like I'll be serving drinks a little longer

Me: Their loss

Cocktease: Thats what losers say to comfort themselves

Me: I was just tryna be nice 🥺

And while it's true, I don't want her to overthink what happened. Sometimes, some opportunities just aren't for you, and it doesn't mean you're bad or anything. It just means that wasn't the chance you should take.

Cocktease: What is Mr. Nice doing?

Although that text makes me smile, I know it wasn't because of it, but everything that's behind it. Her cocky attitude and ironic smile while she was typing those words after I made the last comment.

She asks, and I do. I send her a picture of where I am, but of course that isn't enough for me. Because right after I send the pic, I open my contacts list -although I don't need to look too much because her name is at the top of the list, on the "Favorite contacts" list, in between my sister and Tae.

—I've been tattooing a cobra for almost five hours —I comment as soon as she picks up.

—Cobra as in the tattoo or a body part?

—Oh... Oh —I lower my voice when I understand the meaning of her words—. Dirty mind, I see. There's no better way to cope with rejection.

When I turn to look at myself in the mirror, I find my reflection with a stupid smile that makes me cringe as soon as I'm aware, and that suddenly disappears.

—You know what's better to cope with rejection? Not being reminded you were rejected —she sighs—. But thank you for trying.

Looking away from my reflection after I hear her say that, I feel bad for her. She seemed so excited yesterday when she got the call, just to be rejected the next day.

—So... are you done? —she asks out of nowhere— I mean, do you have more customers?

We haven't known each other for too long, but by the tone in her voice, I know she doesn't really care. And I understand that, she's just trying to divert the topic from something that hurt her, and I don't doubt to play along.

—Not until four —I groan, as I feel the muscles on my back stretch as I sit properly—. I think I'll go to the gym, grab something for lunch and come back. Mark is here anyway. What about you?

—I'll prepare lunch and get ready for work.

—I thought you were on your off day.

—I wish —she laughs—. Still three days left for my weekend. But it's alright, I could be doing worse.

I'm about to cheer her up, but she cuts me up before I'm able to speak. Y/n lets me know she needs to hang up, and before I can even say goodbye, I hear that annoying piping on the line.

✸ ✸ ✸

I get off work quite early, and my plan is going directly back home. No stops anywhere. Just head straight back home. But something makes me shift my plans. I sit on my motorbike, one foot on the pedal and the other finding balance on the pavement, when I remember the sound of her voice earlier today. For the past twenty minutes I was able to get rid of her, but now that I'm alone again, I go back to thinking too much about it -just like I've been doing all day since I called her.

Fuck, I shouldn't have called her.

I try to think how I can comfort her. And my mind is only able to think about sugar. It's what cheers me up when I'm off, so maybe it'd help her, too.

A quick stop at one of those gummy shops, and I have a plastic bag filled with any type of sweets. At first, I think of picking her up at work, like I've already done a few times, but I remember that Tam might be there tonight, and it'd be weird if I show up there for no reason at all -other than seeing Y/n.

So I make my way to her house, and decide to wait for her there -which is another bad idea, since she won't get there until she's done with work, and that could end up with me waiting for her for three hours.

But I don't really mind it.

I get to her floor, after I made my way inside thanks to one of her neighbors coming out as soon as I arrived, and just sit on the stairs next to her door. It's my time to level up on the games I've left aside for weeks -or months.

I have no idea how long I'm playing, sitting there. And I've lost count of all the times I looked to the other side of the stairs, excited every time I heard footsteps somewhere. Until one of those footsteps is indeed hers.

Y/n is looking down, dragging her feet over the last step of the stairs, with a tired expression letting me know she's had a rough day. Although it disappears as soon as she looks up and finds me. Her lips pucker, and her head is slightly tilted as she tries to question why I'm standing in front of her door.

—You sounded off on the phone this morning —I start explaining before she can even ask—. So I bought some sweets —I raise the plastic bag filled with striking coloured candy—, and drove here.

Something in the way she looks at me shifts when I say all that. Her eyes soften to my comment, and a tiny smile appears on her face -something that would be impossible to notice for someone that doesn't know her.

After I come in, I close the door behind me and just follow her around, although she disappears shortly after to get changed. I set everything, moving the table a bit forward so I can sit on the floor, and use the couch as a backrest.

When Y/n joins me, she sits on my right.

—There was this movie announced the other day —I bring it up, when I think she's about to speak about that damned interview—. Let's watch it.

Truth is, I did see it announced the other way as I was zipping through channels, trying to find something nice to watch. The topic of the movie aligns with what we have going on, and it's a nice movie that will help her think about something else.

—Have you come over to do a teaching class?

She jokes, and I'm completely aware that she's looking at me with one of those killing smiles.

I shush her, avoiding making any type of eye contact with her, while my eyes are fixed on the TV in front of us.

Although I've tried my best to keep the focus on the screen, because I came here just to cheer her up, I can't help but turn my face to her a few times. The move of her lips as she chews on the gummy bear, how she traces her lower lip with her tongue when she's done... All of her is driving me insane. So when she picks up the gummy bear with her left hand, I move faster and hold her wrist between my fingers, redirecting her digits to my teeth so I can take the gummy bear away from her.

—I've only eaten two of...

I don't let her say anything else, because my lips collide against her before she's able to say anything else, moving the gummy bear from my mouth to hers as we kiss. She lowly gasps, and the way she sucks on my lower lip when I break the kiss just screams how she doesn't give zero fucks about the movie and just wants the kiss to keep going.

I go back to my place, thinking that a kiss would be enough for me. Oh, but how wrong I was... The taste of her spit mixed with the pineapple taste of the gummy bear was way too good to be able to think about anything else.

But she's able to make me think about something else when we reach the part of the movie where Gerard Butler confesses why he doesn't do relationships, and I feel her eyes falling on me instantly -even if that wasn't her intention.

—You want to know, don't you? —I turn to her with a funny smile, although deep inside I'm praying she doesn't make me talk about it.

—No —she frowns, and shakes her head—. But... if you feel like sharing.

And that's a yes.

I chuckle, finding her cute although I'm going to open up about something that fucked me up for months. I turn to her, knowing damn well this will be the most vulnerable I'll feel with a woman that isn't my sister.

—It was just one.

Leslie.

I tilt my head as her voice starts sounding real, as if she were begging for me to forgive her right now, while she started picking her things up from our shared apartment. I try to sum up everything that happened in a matter of ten minutes, and later two rough days, into a short sentence that won't last even a second.

—And she cheated on me. I loved her more than she loved me. Simple as that. After five years of dating, instead of breaking up with me, she started seeing one of my customers. She only said she didn't want to hurt me, but she wasn't feeling the same way. Living together, working together... It wore her out.

Sometimes I wonder if I was too oppressive, if I lost her because I didn't give her enough space and that's why she felt the need to find that space somewhere else. If everything that happened in those five years, and our routine, was the only thing at fault for the distance that grew in between us and that led her to mess with some other guy.

When I look up, I see Y/n totally lost in her own thoughts. Eyebrows frowned, and lips forming a thin line, as she probably tries to find some sense in what happened.

—Chill, cocktease. Last time I saw that look, you threw a shoe at my head —I click my tongue—. And it's not like you have any reasons to be looking this way.

—I'm just annoyed. That's it —she shrugs—. I can't stand lies, and I always get worked up when something similar happens in movies or shows.

I guessed so.

—You look cute when you're annoyed —I move my thumb across the frowned space between her eyebrows, trying to make those wrinkles disappear.

—Huh, so that's why you always try to piss me off.

I think... But I'm not actually thinking about what she's just said. I'm thinking about how close we are right now, and how tempting her lips are looking right now.

Fuck it.

I lean a bit more, enough for my lips to cover hers again gently, although she doesn't seem to want to go slow by the way she pulls me by the neck and hides her fingers in between my locks, giving me goosebumps that run all over my spine.

The kiss is sloppy and messy, but she tastes so good, she feels so good I can't stop right now. I only break the kiss to talk to her, and make her the question we both want to hear at this exact moment. I can tell she's afraid of what i'm about to say when I break the kiss, but her looks change as soon as I speak.

—Can we go to your room? —I ask with a raspy voice.

I want it to happen, I want to do everything to her right now. But, at the same time, I'm scared she isn't sure and might regret what happens. And that sensation seems to grow bigger when we are both standing in front of her bed.

Those lips and tongue on my neck feel like a hot iron tracing my skin. I'm trying hard to control myself when one of her hands goes from my shoulders -where she was supporting herself on, as she stood on her tiptoes- to my pants to unzip them. I help her, bending to take my pants off, and my sweatshirt shortly after.

Her tongue traces her lower lip as her eyes disseminate my body, and I can't wait to look at her the same way.

I step closer to her, able to kiss her cheek and jaw softly, as I get rid of her comfy shirt. And no one's skin has looked so bright and delicate as hers. I trace her collarbone, moving my digit down her chest -in between those covered tits I'm desperate to suck on-, and going lower to her pants after controlling myself like I've never done before.

I do just as she did. I tower over her, leaning my body slightly to reach her earlobe -moving her locks behind her ear-, so I can play with all the sensitive spots she seems to have there. Just a gentle touch from my fingers and she's already gasping for air.

—Wait —she stops me, when I finally get rid of her pants—. I know it'll sound dumb, but I don't...

—You aren't ready? —I finish for me—. It's okay —she stops me from stepping back, holding my arm.

—It's not that. I'm not ready for that.

I see her moving her head, trying to let me know what she means, although I'm kinda clear on what she's talking about. Of course she isn't ready to fuck yet.

—But I want to do something else. I want you to touch me —she whispers, some tints of shyness adorning her words—, and I want you to teach me how to touch you.

I think I know what we could do, so I point with my head towards the bed. Even if she seems to be okay with it, I still ask her many times whether she's ready or not, always making sure she knows she can stop whenever she feels like it.

—If you want to stop, just say it, okay? —I let her know, as I see her lying in the middle of her bed.

I join her, kneeling in front of her body when she finally nods. But it's not until she starts stripping that I'm aware that maybe the one that isn't ready it's me. Y/n takes her bra and panties off calmly, breathing turning heavy when she finally looks at me with her cheeks slightly blushed. I can feel my dicks twitch inside my boxers when I see her perking nipples on full display, just imagining the rugosity of her buttons is driving me crazy. And that mixed with the fact that her legs are still rubbing closer, hiding her core from me... I don't think I'm strong enough.

I get naked with her, taking off my boxers under her attentive gaze. Her eyes go a bit wide when she finally sees me completely naked, and her lips travel in between her lips to wet them. I move her right thigh lower so I can straddle it, and finally catch a glimpse of her wet pussy.

I hold my cock with my left hand, while the other one massages her left thighs, pushing it away so her legs are completely spread and she's finally open for me.

—Put your fingers around me.

I try not to choke on my own spit when I finally feel her fingers around me. And even if I want her to move it, I stop her to spit close to her fingers so she has some lube to work on. I motion her hand under mine on my cock, letting her know how to start, how to make me feel good. Y/n is so distracted from pleasuring me, that she isn't aware of how close I'm getting to her core until my palm is completely covering it.

My fingers slide through her folds, from her entrance to her clit, spreading her juices before I start teasing it with two of my fingers.

—Have you ever touched yourself? —she nods.

My fingers go down her pussy again, finding her tight hole. I tease her, moving my digit in circles to get her ready, until she lifts her hips and commands me to invade her. The moment I slide in, her fingers wrap around my shaft tighter, making both of us moan.

Her walls embrace my fingers perfectly, and I can tell she has never done much more than fingering herself with one finger -or, at most, two- when touching herself.

—You're so tight —I groan, sliding my finger until it's knuckles deep inside her.

I move in sync with her hand, giving to the both of us the best simulation, it almost feels as we were fucking each other right now. The pleasure in her eyes, when Y/n finally looks at me is indescribable.

I stretch her out, enough to add a second finger that makes her lips press on each other harder, the moan getting stuck in her throat.

—You're working on my cock so well —with my free hand, I reach her face, my thumb pushing her lower lip so her mouth is parted and I can hear her gasps—. Let me hear you. Let me know how good I'm being to you.

My left hand travels from her jaw and neck to her tits, touching them as gently as I'm able to right now, while my fingers curl inside of her. I finally hear a moan from her, that only encourages me to keep moving on that spot a few more times. Her legs spread wider, and her thigh caged between my legs rubs and pressed against my balls. And fuck ain't that hot. And she knows it, because she keeps that pressure and moves on my loaded balls while her hand moves faster on my cock.

—Jungkook —I move my fingers faster, making the wet sounds that come from her pussy completely audible for the two of us—. Fuck, you're so good.

Her pussy clenches around my fingers after a few more minutes, and I know she's about to get there. I want her to get there. My thumb works on her needy clit, while my fingers thrust into her fast, making her tits bounce with the movement.

She lets a loud moan fill the room when she cums, back arching and eyes going blank as her free hand holds onto the sheets while the other holds onto my cock. And that image is the only thing I need to cum all over her.

—Oh fuck —I moan.

But after a few seconds enjoying the feeling of my high, and her hand still on my cock, I'm aware that I've actually cummed all over her, my load is on her belly.

—Oh fuck —I repeat, but this time I'm concerned.

I move away from her, taking my fingers out as carefully as I can before I get to her bathroom. I first clean my fingers, and walk back to her.

—I'm sorry —I apologize, joining her on the bed again.

—It's alright —she assures me, while I start cleaning her up—. It's okay —she says again, before I'm able to speak.

—You were really good —I wipe the toilet paper over her sensitive core, the gentle rub making her body shake slightly while I clean her up.

Everything is fine until this time comes. I threw the paper away, and it's time to throw myself away as well.

Should I get home? Should I spend the night here? I know that's a really bad idea.

She wouldn't be the first girl I spend the night with, and wake up next to, but something about her being the girl I'd wake up next to makes me feel uneasy. It gives this whole thing a whole new level of intimacy I don't think I'm ready to reach, which is ironic considering my fingers were deep in her not even five minutes ago.

—You can stay the night —she assures me.

I'm about to agree, but I just shake my head and start picking my clothes up. I'm running away again.

—It'll be better if I sleep back home —I dress up.

I know she's confused about this, I'm confused about this myself, but I think it's the best for the two of us. I walk to her, and lean over her body to kiss her head before I leave.

[draftmare]

Sunscreen! I know that summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't stop thinking about sunscreen. I wanted to make a quick post about two sunscreen products that I have recently fallen in love with.

The first one for Sydney, who has a very pink nose. This summer I decided to ditch the long nose on her fly mask because with her allergies it seemed to honestly be causing more harm than good, and instead just slather her in sunscreen. It took some trial and error, and at one point her nose was looking really, really rough. Thankfully half way through July I found this stuff through the magic of FB ads:

Turns out one of the other riders at the barn uses it, and she gave it a thumbs up, which is good because I had already ordered it at that point. I put it on her at night, and it seems to last through to the next day, because her nose has not been the angry pink that it was before I started using this. I am about 1/3rd of the way through the 1 pound jar, and I am not shy about how much I smear on her nose, and she has a lot of nose to cover.

I COULD NOT get their website to accept my payment information. Not on my phone, my iPad, or my computer, so I ended up buying it from Valley Vet.

The other sunscreen product I have recently fallen in love with is Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch sunscreen.

When it comes to sunscreen, this stuff isn't cheap, at least in my mind, at $12 a bottle, but it goes on sooooo smooth, soaks in cleaner than a lotion, and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy. The smell is meh, but it does dissipate after a bit. I have been using the spray on sunscreens for YEARS because I hate how sunscreens make me feel greasy, sticky, and like a dirt magnet at the barn, but this stuff is now my go-to for sunscreen. It actually seems to attract dirt even less than the spray on sunscreen, which is awesome. I have been really trying to up my sunscreen game lately, putting it on even before I walk my dog or go to run errand and know I will be wanting to drive with my windows down. A lot of people close to me have had skin cancer scares with having to have spots removed and biopsied, and a good friend lost her mom to skin cancer that metastasized to her brain, which seems to be a common place for it to go, sadly. Not trying to live my life in fear, but definitely trying to protect one of the biggest organs of the body (yes, your skin is considered an organ, so weird!)

[thatscarletflycatcher]

I hate the modernity in 2019 little women. It's fine if you're doing a bridgerton or Dickinson type of thing. But in little women it just feels wrong.

Like how jo and laurie are so touchy.

Or how it the scene where meg twists her foot at the ball and they bring her home, jo starts to strip down her clothes right in front of him. And marmee is all like, call me mother! Mind you, this is the first time laurie has met all of them.

None of it is time appropriate. I won't talk about the costumes or loose hair cause it has already been covered by costume reviewers on youtube. (The movie did NOT deserve the oscar for costumes.)

Also, am I the only one who doesn't like the casting in this movie?!

Saoirse Ronan is fine. She's no Winona Ryder but that's okay.

Florence is an excellent actress but with her heavy voice it absolutely took me out of the moment whenever she played a 12 year old amy. It just looked like a fully grown adult woman, in a child's frock, acting like a child.

Timothee chalamet was meh. Or more correctly, the writing for laurie was meh. And he does not look like a father of a child at the end of the movie.

Laura Dern. I think she was good but the writing failed her at times. There was no gravitas to her character. She was too smiley. And too modern.

Emma Watson feels like emma watson in all her roles.

Rest of the characters, beth, professor bhaer... utterly forgettable.

Also it's my personal view that little women as a story works best in a linear format. It's a journey you go on with the girls and see them grow in more ways than one. Which is why the back and forth between childhood and adulthood was lost on me.

Hi, anon! That's a lot to unpack! XD

I think the modernity is jarring to me because it is so so intentional. Like it is screaming LIKE ME BECAUSE I'M HYPE AND MODERN. And at that point, make it a modern day version. But Sony wanted not modern day version, no, Sony wanted juicy juicy American classic period drama cash grab! This, in my opinion, explains many, many things about this movie. The weird meta non meta ending, Jo is asexual but she's also devastated that she cannot marry Laurie, yay girlboss Amy but also you should like her because she cannot be liberated like Jo, etc, etc, etc.

I agree with your assessment of the characters, mostly. I actually think Ronan would have been a far better casting for Amy and Pugh for Jo. There's a heaviness of presence and a matter-of-factness to Florence Pugh that Saoirse Ronan utterly lacks (her efforts at appearing rough and careless remind me of this:

But all that sort of ethereal yet sharp vibe that Amy has? would have suited well (and she's a natural blonde too!)

But. You know. Greta ships Saorise/Timothee, I guess.

I also very much liked Eliza Scanlen as Beth. She was given very little to work with, but she left an impression on me (we can debate till tomorrow if the characterization was right, but that's another matter).

I actually think Little Women can be done in altered timeline; the 2018 modern movie, IMO, did it well. It took as pivotal element the castles in the air (the dreams the sisters and Laurie have as teenagers and who they think they will be in a decade), focused on Jo as the main narrative pov (a story built on flashbacks needs someone to be the one reminiscing the past, generally speaking, we don't talk about Tenet), and kept working on how the past shaped the present, and how it can also bring a light on the way to the future. The problem with the way 2019 does the altered timeline is that it is unfocused and meandering. It doesn't know why it is going back and forth between past and present. In this movie it is just a gimmick because Christopher Nolan does it, I guess, and that makes his movies masterpieces or something. Some of the transitions are forced and hackneyed (from Beth's recovery to Beth's death) and others are just... random (from a sleeping Amy to a sleeping Beth).

[1332knitweardesignhouse]

29May2024

Hey, Y'all! Hope y'all are doing well. It's already shaping up to be a 'meh' day, here. However, that is mostly because on top of trying to get over this thing, the pollen is high so I am sneezing until it hurts. Hope you are having a marvelous day/afternnon/nite and it just keeps getting better. However, if it has been absolutely craptastic, know that it gets better and that I am sending you a hug.....(((HUG)))

In the shop today, I am working on the Casey while I play Ancient Cities because I have been ousted from my chair for the day, or at least the morning. I am hoping to get to at least 75 stitches. I am currently at 57. Wish me luck, Imma need it.

Also, I am working on the line for next season; sketching out my ideas and doing some rough figures on stitching. If I get time, I plan on starting a new Jolly Mini Tree Skirt.

In other news, I am hoping that I will be able to get my housework fully caught back up today. Beyond that, I plan on getting to work on the kids afghans after I get work finished. Two rows each is the goal for that. Lol. Any more is gravy.

Anyways, hope you have an absolutely STELLAR day!

Much Love!

Huge Hugs!

Happy Knitting!

Ana

[steamishot]

slow sunday

it's a slow and mostly solo weekend for me, and i'm savoring it because traveling/plans will be hectic in the weeks to come. matt is on the ED surge and it's been really rough for him to deal with delivering bad news to families as the cases are much more acute and patients aren't in the best state. it looks to be another 90-100 hour work week.

yesterday, after i got home from a massage/facial hangout with T, i facetimed my mom who told me there were 5 police cars in front of our neighbors house and the police had some questions for my mom too. she lived alone and wasn't answering her phone, so her nurse called the police to check in. once that happens, you already know it's not good news. she was our (mostly grumpy) neighbor for the last 30+ years. i haven't talked to her much at all besides the occasional hello. however, last month when i was home, the internet was down for our whole block. she yelled across the street "DAAAVID!!" until she got my dad's attention. my dad offered me to help her with some technical issues (setting up a prepaid phone she purchased from QVC).

i almost didn't want to go but i'm glad i got to help and had one last memory of her. her health was already quite declined. she was pretty emotional and had referenced multiple times that she grew up in NYC and wants to be buried there. i helped set up her phone so that she can call her sister, and my dad let her use his phone to facetime/see her sister (since she didn't have any apple products). i brought her fire tablet back home to charge but unfortunately no one knew her passcode so i couldn't get in. she was really grateful for our help and provided us green mangos from her backyard as a thank you.

the news of her passing made me quite sad, even though i'm not close to her and was not in the vicinity when it happened. when matt came home yesterday, he told me about his day and his patients who are suffering from stage 4 cancer etc, how the dying patient was more concerned about how much his medical cost will burden his family, and i told him about my neighbor. my neighbor's passing gave me some perspective of what he deals with. it really sucks that healthcare professionals have to witness so much, and they don't even have the time to decompress. see something traumatic? get up and go to work the next day.

other news:

i had invited TL to join matt and i to watch a comedy show this past friday, but due to this week being so demanding, i asked L to take his place. it was nice to see her again!

T & I had a massage and facial in chinatown. it was the most no frills place i've been to and had multiple signs about no hanky panky and no sex

my brother finally will start his new job tomorrow. he got a job in data science working with the county and will have a hybrid schedule. he's gone 8 months being unemployed. when i asked him if he's excited, he responded with "meh"

matt will fly out to his redlands interview on tuesday and will fly back friday. it'll be my first time fully being alone for 3 days! at first, i found this to be daunting but i'm looking forward to it now. i scheduled a virtual zoom with M&J and ordered pho for myself that i won't have to share!

been checking out lots of books from the brooklyn library - finally utilizing this

my interest in eating out in nyc has decreased to like 10%. we've done a pretty good job recently at eating out way less often than we used to. we'd only do delivery/takeout when we have 50% off uber eat coupons

we've also been eating healthier (incorporating fresh greens and cherry tomatoes) and less red meat

[castle-dominion]

6x1 valkyrie

It has been a while since I liveblogged. I want to finish watching castle before summer is over.

She got a job ok, they got engaged ok.

Lol love the yes/no/yes/no "most serious thing I've ever done"

RC: You do know how this works, right? his twelve hundred names lol (& yeah that is HUGE gem)

Ah NOW it has been two months no longer sayong "nypd" must have been a change.

I remember when I first saw this I thought "oh it must be this gif with the sexy bra" but it wasn't. & then she got hit so hard she fell back like that?

"or worse: me"

Ew she doesn't have her plans anymore?

I love the music dskljfsdlkfj "he's best with rhetorical questions"

Alexis is pretty. Oh yeah. Pi. I love him so much. Spelling is a construct anyway bro. RC: Uh … make sure you put some blankets out on the couch for Pi if he’s staying? (his meaning is not subtle) Want him to be comfortable. (his phone rings) And visible. I mean like yeah boy sleeps on the couch.

Meh won't clip

Poor them, not seeing each other.

Lol what are you smiling about to the castle cutout.

Is that still her mom's ring? How did Castle get here? You want me to leave? Immediately *starts kissing him*

Castle mr nosey man.

Wow they're good! she looks a lot like castle tbh CASTLE NO SHE'S LITERALLY NOT EVEN IN THE CAR YET YOU CAN CATCH HER

the baby sdkfljslkdjklj (clipping) Halo nights, new trivi fact "well since you offered"

could clip the part where ryan tosses the baby doll on esposito Yay Tory Ellis "isn't that beckett's backyard?" jf ey tunnel shdgy cal.l d*lat.er when i ^bet1er

*castle is already at the golf course*

"it better be on a book jacket" unless he is at home when you drop beckett off bro

"I didn't think I'd get caught"

Yes the old haunt! Mccord is also getting the same info I'm sure.

Oh no phtos of Castle.

Oh no r they tattling on becks?

Picked up a guy, talked in my sleep, let out info about Scoffield. What if you get the license plate when he opened his trunk? Really you have a match off of THAT?

Infiltration? Yeah this fellow def going into a building.

Her voice cracked hella when she said "clear" Also wow these folks are hot in their vests. Her phone is on ring mode? She just went into a building with guns, what if she got in trouble? What if they needed to be quiet?

"the kind that makes me feel all" *ooh*

RC: I have salmon that needs to be refrigerated He's so right RC: that's a read THAT'S A RED!

My man has been shot or smth.. At least castle grabbed the gun. "10 & 2, 10 & 2" XD

Castle getting checked for a concussion lmao *waves at her*

Castle say "I had salmon to refrigerate-- would I have bought that if I was planning on getting abducted?"

"Given your fiance's history.." yk what so valid bestie Her little "I'm sorry" through the screen.

Glad they are doing 70% match not more bc yeah, people can change what they look like.

KB: Maybe it’ll be better. This way when we come home at the end of each day we’ll have something to talk about like normal couples. RC: Only your day will be classified. Like that one physicist who insisted that his wife get classification access so that he could talk to her abou this work day & rubber duck to her. At least castle has the money to fly around visiting his wife all the time.

Pi my beloved. Isn't fruitarian like "I don't eat fruit unless it has fallen from the tree. Those carrots were brutally murdered."

My man lives in amsterdam? Pi has his sixth sense I love pi sm. "you're absolutely right" *walks away*

RmC: You want to talk about it? KB: No RmC: Good

of course she wasn't taking a direct route

Aww castle talking to rysposito about it

KR: You know, I don’t think Jenny and I have been apart for more than two days since we met. It’s gotta be rough. (HOLY CRAP WAIT WHAT?) RC: I just feel like we’re so out of sync I don’t know how to get back. I guess I was just … trying to make it feel like us again. JE: Yeah, by playing me and Ryan for chumps. (KR nods, but it’s not in anger) You should have known that we were going to figure out this case was real. RC: Well, you’ll be happy to know for my sins I was abducted by a maniac at gunpoint and nearly killed. But at least I didn’t get Beckett fired. [They’re both surprised.] JE: Whoa, whoa, abducted? (RC pauses) By who? RC: realizes he might have said too much and tries to evade. RC: Look guys, I really shouldn’t be talking about this. [They don’t let him off so easily.] KR: C’mon, Castle. It’s us. JE: And thanks to you, we’re already involved. KR: nods. RC: Okay, but this goes no further, all right? (at KR’S nod) So I’m walking down the street and this guy that they’re looking for grabs me, shoves me into a car, starts talking crazy, starts asking me all these questions. JE: What kind of questions? RC: Something about Valkyrie, how much the feds knew, and then I thought he was going to pass out, because he was talking about going off to dream world. (JE freezes & looks off with his eyes) But he didn’t pass out. He dropped dead. JE: Uh … this guy? Was he, uh, was he military?

RC: Why? Is Valkyrie a military term? JE: I don’t know about Valkyrie, but Dream World? It’s a highly classified special operations base in the Gulf. It’s a ghost base. The government’s never confirmed its existence, but I – I met a guy who knew a guy who was stationed there. (everyone knows someone who knows someone) RC: (intrigued) Where is it? JE: It’s – it’s a ghost base, Castle. You think it’s going to say where it is? KR and RC share a look, then look to JE. They both shake their head. JE: No. But I will tell you this, if Beckett’s case has anything to do with this base, well, then she’s into something way bigger than she realizes. (won't clip, not even the double shale heads of rystle)

Oh no they lost her, beckett's instincts screwed them up. Or not nvm. If you've never seen it then why were you running away with evasion tactics? Is this the same interrogation room as the precinct & they just dolled it up differently?

GOLF COURSE I expected rachel mccord to slam the table & yell "he's dead" to scare this jeanette girl into talking. KB: Well, people do crazy things when they’re in love. RmC: I've noticed

Well you have the encryption system so you don't need to find the Bad Guy. Stop looking for the thing they REALLY stole. Ah! Genetics lab, classified floor, etc. lmao you would SO get results for dreamworld, even if it is all BS.

Castle chill & cut pi some slack. But also alexis is so pretty really really pretty. RC: how would they know? MR: Richard, these federal agents are here for you...

Ah yes, the military Why would Jack Bronson die if they were trying to set him up? How badly was he exposed? A few days & castle is still mostly fine? ngl I expected it to be more like "a few months before it ruins your systems, but we have a few days to flush it from your system so that you can go back to living your normal life" or smth

Ok I got a few clips, I'm happy.

[fluffywolverine]

so season 6 of lucifer came out.

there were some things that i liked, but generally i hated it. i believe that was SUCH. BAD. WRITING and it left me frustrated. so i decided to write down all things that pissed me off and sometimes i try to fix this by giving other ideas that – in my opinion – would have made the story better. Check my points out and feel free to add your points of view. without further ado: let’s talk.

- imma start with the big one – fucking time travel. ok I generally hate this trope in the media, because it’s complicated and often leads to some logical mistakes – and they happened here. so rory time travels because of her anger which was caused… by her anger?? i think this was unnecessary. it also brings trouble with this whole free will vs. fate discourse. lucifer says, that he chooses free will… but at the same time he goes the path of his fate. he disappears from rory’s life, because he HAS TO in order of the events of the season to happen. just because he chose to do it, doesn’t mean it’s free will.

- lucifer becomes the very thing he desperately didn’t want to become. “bUt It WaS fOr ThE gReAtEr GoOd” screw this bullshit, if writers wanted to make it better, they could have easily do so. they could have altered the rules of time travel so that his choice of staying could have resulted in rory disappearing. yes, that would have been heart-breaking, but it would have been a great lesson for lucifer, that he can’t make the same mistakes his father did.

- chloe and Lucifer get a child without even talking about it. “bUt MaYbE tHeY tAlKeD aBoUt It We JuSt DiDn’T sEe It” you may say. but the point of writing anything  - whether it’s a book or a script – is to show any thing that matters. and talking about having kids is one of the most things any couple should do. also not every couple needs to have kids and forcing deckerstar to have it feels so far-fetched. this thread was very unnecessary.

- rory herself is a big problem. to begin with – she wanted to KILL her FATHER. i get her frustration, but commiting a murder?? just because he wasn’t there for her?? I would have thought that chloe taught her better, taught her that, like, killing people is bad. turns out she did not. secondly… she just isn’t necessary here. i elaborate later so in conclusion – her thread could be altered with michael’s and it would have made much more sense. i also don’t like the actress (why was she blinking so much??) so i certainly didn’t help.

- of course ella has to end up with a boyfriend. because earlier she always ended up with “bad boys” and now, without any help, she is just able to have a healthy relationship! yay! for me this creates a toxic view, that in order to be happy one HAS TO be in a relationship, because being alone is aLwAyS bAd. well, it’s not.

- i also have troubles with lucifer starting up a foundation for her. firstly, he didn’t ask her. secondly it – AGAIN – shows, that anything good ella got, was because of another man. firstly because of her relationship with carol, secondly because of lucifer’s idea. it could have been so easily altered! there could have been a scene of a conversation e.g. with amenadiel where she expressed a will to do better and be better for someone (given that she sees a lot of dark in herself). amenadiel could have then told her, that she is an inspiration and that it is her biggest strength. that could have been where ella came up with an idea to start a foundation blah blah – it’s just a rough idea but I believe that written well, it could have been so much better;

- and the last thing about ella – of course she had to find out about celestial stuff because sHe WaS tHe OnLy OnE rEmAiNiNg. umm what about trixie? i'll come back to her later. ella was portrayed as the only one believing in god and having her seeing that he really exists ruins the concept of faith. it’s not about knowing something exists, it’s about believing in it.

- WHERE THE FUCK IS MICHAEL. i must admit that i loved this character AND I CAN’T STAND HOW AWFULLY HE WAS TREATED HERE. so at the end of season 5 lucifer says “everyone deserves a second chance, even you michael". and what does he do then? COMMANDS HIS TWIN TO CLEAR THE FLOOR IN HELL. yes, i agree that michael should have been punished for his rebellion plan, but… he already has his wing cut off. now he’s stuck in hell, with no way out and is he supposed to learn his lesson? this is cruel. instead of this the entire season could have been centred on him – his journey to self-acceptance, learning how manipulating someone is toxic and starting to realise how to be a better person. at the end he could have become god (because amenadiel is such an obvious choice), which would create a beautiful connection – michael in heaven and his twin in hell.

- lucifer doesn’t feel like being god and that’s cool. damn. people died for him to win this place and he’s like “actually you know guys i’m not the right person bye”. while i believe that anyone should step out if they have a reason, but at the same time lucifer should have faced any consequences of his decisions. falling frog and kool aid in the river are not enough.

- adam’s plot feels just quickly sketched, not actually written. i really appreciate this take on toxic masculinity but it all felt too fast-paced. it’s good that they show this idea of “strong and not-showing-any-feelings man” kind of attitude, but it is impossible for ANYONE (especially The ManTM) to change their mind in a matter of a few days. it takes weeks, months, years even, especially given that adam is like a gazillion years old, he should have especially taken a long time to process this.

- carol is just too pure to exist. he’s also one of the most boring, plain and one-dimensional character i’ve ever seen. i feel like they gave him a problem with alcohol because the writers were like “hmmmmm he has to have some weakness. LET’S MAKE HIM AN ALCOHOLIC”. we don’t see any signs of his everyday struggle, why did he fell into this problem, how did struggle. it just feels like a dull plot device to show that he has flaws. oh and also he’s so pure that he doesn’t mind ella BREAKING INTO HIS HOUSE. acceptance should have boundaries and violating someone’s personal space isn’t right.

- why did they forget about trixie again? yes, i know that scarlett estevez had another project but this does not justify the bad writing. the girl lost her father and we only see her crying once because of that. no signs of this affecting her everyday life, not showing any consequences of her relationships with other people, not  glimpse of any change in her behaviour. oh and also she loses lucifer too because time travel! great idea, writers! losing another close to her person would have been soooooo good for her psychic for sure.

- i also hate the idea that suddenly rory becomes the only child they care for. where is trixie when they spend their day on the beach? where is she when her mother dies? did writers forget about her as well as they did about michael?

- amenadiel being a police officer is… problematic. i was looking forward to this thread, i was kinda scared too and it turned out… meh. i’m white and not American, so this of course does not involve me at all, but i felt like this was not enough. harris basically said that there is nothing they can do to make it better for black folks. even though chloe and amenadiel want to make everything more just, we don’t actually see any change. the only thing is that harris becomes a detective (right? i’m not sure if i understood it correctly, so correct me if i’m wrong, please) which is a total contradiction of what she said before. suddenly she does not have to protect people anymore?

- in season 5 they stated that heaven and hell need to be fixed, as the system is unfair and unjust. at the end we don’t see any change, the only thing that is different is lucifer helping damned souls. it doesn’t help at all! these people still go to hell, they still suffer and there’s nothing that changed here! plus there is also this thing, that a sociopath who murdered people in cold blood goes to heaven (because he does not feel any guilt) and a person abused by her parents/partner/whoever goes to hell (because have been manipulated to feel guilt).

- dan making amends with trixie while… there wasn’t really anything to make amends about. like, most of the parents make mistakes while upbringing their children, but does this make them unworthy of heaven? i would have preferred dan to slowly regain his self-consciousness, how he positively affected the lives of people around him and by doing so – through conversations or maybe reliving some of the memories, he could have proved to himself that he is worthy of love and redemption.

phew, what a ride. i really liked dan being reunited with charlotte (it went just as i imagined) and mazeve dynamics. i even felt like they are finally a real life relationship – with people hurting each other by not understanding each other, but then talking and seeing other’s perspective. generally though, i’m very disappointed.

sorry for any mistakes, lacking commas etc. writing a text this long in not my native language was not easy.

[darkesttimelinejeffparker]

I totally understand you saying “I could have done better.” I always feel the same way when I post something because I know how often I jump the gun with a lot of my fics. I’m a very “rough draft last draft” kind of person. I don’t usually change anything at all. So I think that it’s fair of you to say that for yourself, too. But I also want to say that I LOVED that fic! I read that post you made before reading and was actually very surprised at the detail. I also really liked the premise. I can totally see the concept that Hangman has anger boiling right beneath his skin and getting in trouble because of it. Very good fic very nice 🥰💙

Thank you so much, Emi! This means so much. Everyone has been really kind about the story and I appreciate that. I am definitely the same way when it comes to rough draft = last draft and it’s easy to feel kind of “meh” sometimes after I’ve hit the post button and doubt if it was as good as I could have made it. It’s why I usually only go back and look at my stories for continuity or to remember if I used one of my many dialogue ideas/plot bunnies somewhere already.

But it means a lot that people enjoyed it. Even though I haven’t written Adam as often as I’ve written other people, I really enjoy it. But it’s also harder. I think it’s because not only do I adore him, but I feel like I relate to him. And so I have distinct voices for like — the Jeffelo Parker’s and Young Bucks and Ricky Starks and MJFs who I observe and maybe just have a few things I can relate to but spend more time building on the character already in place from tv and stuff. But everything from Hangman’s sense of humor to his anxiety to his approach to friendships and stuff — I feel so much of that and so I worry I am like projecting more than building a story and staying true to how I’d like to write him. I don’t know if that makes sense.

This is also very rambly because I have slept 0 minutes since waking up on Sunday due to Sunday scaries. 😂

But thank you! I am excited to read the story you mentioned you were working on, too. I know you had to wake up early today so I hope you have a great day and good coffee.