#...but i haven't done anything with it yet

[olgasaysso]

The biggest lie majority of the fandom believes about Maomao is that she's unaware of how Jinshi feels towards her. That she's "oblivious".

Even some of my favorite creators who make content about tad seem to fall into that trap.

It's not true. Maomao might have been "oblivious" for a short time at the start of the story and it overlaps with Jinshi giving her his hairpin after finding out why she puts on freckles. She thinks "He's being real for once" because it was quite literally the first time when he showed his true self to her. So for a short period of time she's unsure about him and his feelings towards her.

But everything after? She knows. It's not that kind of knowing that's "definite" though. She pushes the possibility down, pretends it's not happening. But she's not oblivious or unaware.

In Light Novel 5 (spoilers, obviously) before he even reveals that she was his choice for a bride, she thinks this:

"The courtesans had a saying: once you know it, it’s hell.

But the men, too, had a saying: to know it was exactly why they went there.

That word, that simple four-letter word with its o and its e, was sometimes called vulgar, and sometimes turned out to be nothing more than a game—but some people said it was impossible to live without it."

No, she was not shocked and surprised or oblivious to what he was doing or how he felt. After she tells him he's good to marry Lady Lishu and the infamous scene, he says this:

"You can’t pretend you didn’t know that you were one of the candidates. As much as I’m sure you’d like to.” He wasn’t done, either: “Who was that man, anyway? I’m sure you’re not a dancer.”

So he had been watching them!"

And he's right. I think you can say she's unaware to a point (or rather pretends to be) where she doesn't want to presume anything and pretends like she doesn't understand how he feels towards her. But she's too smart for that. She noticed Jinshi watching her and Rikuson and pushed the possibility of him being jealous down.

Even the hairpin, as much as she acted like she thought it was Lahan who gave it to her, I don't believe she would wear a gift from him. She can't stand that guy and she knows him enough to know that he would be the type to confirm it immediately that the hairpin was from him.

Despite thinking that she's sell it all the time, she was weirdly fond of that hairpin in some moments and she noticed people looking at it. She knew. Or rather, she guessed who gave it to her, she just chose to pretend otherwise, even to herself.

And then again in LN5 before they kiss we have this part:

"They (Jinshis eyes) shone brighter than any star, and yet there was a subtle darkness to them. This was a man who’d had everything in life, and yet sometimes he seemed to hunger for something that he struggled to satisfy.

Why can’t he pick someone else?"

And the "why can't he pick someone else?" wouldn't be here if she was surprised by his intentions towards her. This was frustration. This is "I know whats been happening all this time and that he wants me but I haven't showed him the slightest sign that I want him back, so why can't he just give up already?"

[sweaterkittensahoy]

We're starting to see signs at the box office that people want original stuff. Sinners is a great example. I haven't seen Meghan 2.0 or Old Guard 2 yet, but the rotten tomatoes and audience scores aren't great, but I do wonder if some of that is the sequel fatigue that's been coming for the industry for awhile. I don't mind a good sequel, but there's been a LOT of legacy sequels that just don't hit because they're so fucking sterilized when you know the source material from ten or twenty or thirty years ago. Sequels that have been more of the same rather than an attempt to really do something different, which is what (in my opinion) makes a great sequel.

I remember watching Blue-Eye Samurai and being so fucking thrilled to have a story that wasn't a retread of something else. And it did huge numbers partly because it was something DIFFERENT after so many years of (at best) homages and (at worst) lazy sequels or remakes.

Oh, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which is clearly based on D&D but uses the tropes of D&D to tell a hilarious, heartwarming, and action-packed story that isn't based on anything other than the basic rules of D&D. It wasn't a major hit at the theaters, but it's done numbers on streaming.

so, you're telling me that a huge studio made a new animated movie with an original idea, stylized animation, actually good songs, and likable characters with depth and it was a hit?

wow its almost like that's what people have been asking for since they were drowning in sequels and remakes!

[lowkeycasanova]

Hear me out? The monster trio and Law (separately Of course) their girlfriend asks about showering together in the first month of them dating just to get a reaction out of them?🤭

Luffy

It had been a long, hot day. Between exploring, eating, and running around with that boundless energy of his, Luffy was practically radiating warmth. Now the evening had settled in and you spotted him stretched out on the deck, shirt crumpled beside him, skin faintly glistening under the light from dusk.

You wandered over and leaned down beside him, brushing your fingers through his messy black hair.

"You look like you melted." you teased.

"I did! It's hot." he groaned dramatically. "I need a shower bad."

You hesitated for a second, then casually said, "Well...I was thinking of taking one too. Maybe we could save time and go together."

He tilts his head, like he had just heard of this concept for the first time.

"Like, we'll both be in there? At the same time?"

You nod slowly as the gears seem to turn in his head. Suddenly, his eyes widen and his grin stretches from ear to ear.

"Ohh that sounds fun!"

And just like that he took your hand and tugged you along with a spark in his eyes that promised warmth and mischief. You laugh, genuinely amused at his reaction to the idea.

Zoro

Zoro had just finished his workout on the deck of the Sunny. With his shirt off and a towel slung over his shoulder, he walked into the hallway and found you casually leaning against the wall near the bathroom.

"Hey." you told him, a little too enthusiastic. "Wanna shower together?"

He paused mid-step, raising an eyebrow at you. "Huh? You serious?"

His tone was flat, like he couldn't tell if you were being serious or if this was another one of your teasing moments. You didn't laugh, although unbeknownst to him, you were fighting back a grin. You then stood upright and looked him straight in the eye, your voice a tad softer now.

"Yeah. I mean it. Plus, it'll save water, right?"

His brows furrowed a bit but you didn't miss the pink that arose on his cheeks. He looked away for a second, then back again with a low scoff.

"Tch...you really know how to distract a guy."

His eyes narrowed- not in annoyance- but in that sharp focused way when something really got his blood going. His towel slipped from his shoulder as he walked closer, catching it in his hand, eyes still on you.

"Fine by me." he murmured. "Just don't expect me to keep my hands to myself."

You tilted your head up and met his gaze, heart thumping.

"I wasn't expecting you to."

That earned a brief smirk from him. Those rare crooked ones that never stayed long. He grabbed your hand without another word, pulling you in and shutting the door with a soft click.

Sanji

The kitchen is warm and quiet now. Everyone else has long since cleared out, their laughter lingering like the scent of the meal Sanji made. You're perched on a stool near the counter, chin resting in your hand, eyes on him.

Sanji stands at the sink, sleeves rolled up, forearms glistening slightly with water as he dries the last of the dishes. His hair is a bit messy from the heat and motion of the day, but he still looks effortlessly handsome.

You smile to yourself. He hasn't noticed you staring yet- but you haven't said anything either. You're just...waiting. For him.

He turns slightly, reaching for another plate and catching your gaze.

"Have you been sitting here this whole time?"

You shrug playfully, giving him a tired smile. "Mhmm. Figured we could take a shower together."

That gets him. His expression flickers- flattered, touched, a little giddy. He turns back to the sink quickly to hide the way his smile spreads too wide.

"Why must you tempt me like this?"

He dries the plate slower now, dragging it out just a bit, like he wants to linger in your presence longer.

"I thought you'd be done by now."

"I would've finished faster if I had known there was a reward waiting."

He sets the plate down, drapes the towel over his shoulder, and finally turns toward you fully. His steps are easy, relaxed, and his eyes hold something soft. He stops in front of you, brushing a damp hand along your cheek and gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ears.

"Thanks for waiting, love."

He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, then one to your lips, full of tired affection.

"Now let me take care of you."

Law

The hum of the submarine surrounded him like white noise, low and steady. Law sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands folded. His hat was on the nearby desk, forgotten for once, and his hair was slightly tousled, as if he’d run his fingers through it too many times.

He wasn’t working. Wasn’t writing. Just… sitting. Staring at nothing. That distant, unreadable look in his eyes.

You leaned quietly against the doorway, towel slung over your shoulder.

“How long are you gonna sit there before you finally take a shower?”

His head turned slightly, just enough to catch you in his peripheral vision. His voice was low.

“Hm. Didn’t know you were timing me.”

You smirked. “I wasn’t. But you’ve been in the same position for the last hour. I’m pretty sure you’ve stared that wall into submission.”

He exhaled softly, barely a breath of a chuckle. “Maybe.”

You took a few steps in, your tone lighter. “So… when are you gonna get up? Or should I just drag you in there myself?”

He glanced at you again, eyes narrowing slightly—not in irritation, but curiosity.

“Why?”

Your mouth opened, then closed. You hesitated, suddenly aware of how close the question hit.

“I mean…” You shifted your weight to the other foot, trying to play it off. “We could shower together.”

The silence that followed made your heart thud louder in your chest. You tried to laugh it off, tried to keep your tone casual.

“Just a suggestion. To, you know… save water. Be efficient. Environmentally conscious.”

Now he was fully facing you, standing but saying nothing, just watching you with that sharp, unreadable stare of his. And even though he wasn’t saying a word, you could feel your skin warming under the weight of it.

You swallowed. Maybe it was too early. Maybe you’d just made it weird.

He stared at you for a beat longer, golden eyes unreadable. You could see it—the calculation, the war between his usual resistance to anything frivolous and the part of him that wanted to say yes just because it was you.

But then, finally, his gaze softened, just barely. Not enough for most to notice, but you saw it. A flicker of understanding, of amusement… maybe even interest.

You blurted, "You could relax, too."

That pulled something from him. A faint twitch at the corner of his mouth. “You want me to relax… by getting naked and boxed into a small space with you?”

You arched a brow. “You scared, Captain?”

That earned a small exhale—half laugh, half surrender. He stood, stretching his stiff neck.

"…Just didn’t expect it from you.”

He came around and stopped beside you, brushing your hand deliberately as he walked by.

“Well?” he said, already moving down the hall. “You coming?”

a/n: to the person that requested this, i am so sorry this took so long to get out!!

[ransomwrite]

Haiii!! If you have the time, and want to, would you be willing to write a Mitchell fic? Or an anything… with Parker !! I adore your writing btw :3

A Balanced Meal

Mitchell Linn x Reader

Summary: You haven't had a meal for far too long, so Mitchell makes you a proper one.

A/N: Thank you for the compliment!!! Sorry if this may seem a bit rushed?? I didn't have much time to proof read this one chat :P

✧.*✎~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~✎*.✧

The sun shines through the windows, the cat clock blinks and blares to indicate that it was time to start the day. You took your sweet time lying down on that bed before getting up and doing your daily routine.

You start the day by using the bathroom, touching up your face and hair, then put on the Dateviators.

Penelope reminds you of what needs to be done today, Dorian and Skylar tells you if there's anything happening around the house.

Suddenly, your stomach lets out an embarrassing growl that gives a reminder that you haven't eaten breakfast yet.

“Hey, Cool kid! How are you?” Freddy grins as you make your way towards him. “You didn't come around the kitchen much yesterday.”

“Well I was busy. Talked to Doug which took an hour, then played with Chance, Parker and Lux. Not the dream team to play with.” You ramble on, looking through the contents of your fridge.

After a long, eventful rummaging through Freddy, you grab some leftovers of a cold, lone pizza.

“You sure you wanna eat just that?” Freddy blinks at the cold food on a plate.

“I’m in a hurry, I'll just eat this cold.” You shrug him off and turn around.

“What do you think you're doing?” Mitchell's voice pops out of nowhere, causing you to jump back and almost drop the plate.

You gave a sheepish grin towards Mitchell. “Hey, just getting a snack.”

“For breakfast?” He gasps, taking the plate away from you and giving it back to Freddy. “No no no! Mon cheri, you only deserve the finest cuisines to sate your hunger!”

With no room for argument, Mitchell plops you down on a chair and sprints around the kitchen to find some nutritional things for you to eat.

“Aw, no need to do all this, Mitchell.” You try to assure him, but he is quick to stand beside you and go through his notes.

“Yesterday, you ate half of a leftover donut and a pack of m&m’s.” He sounded disappointed before flipping through once more. “The day before, you ate two nuts and drank a gallon of milk!”

“At least the pizza a while ago had some greens.” You try to retort.

“I think that may be mold, mon ami…” He sighs, putting a meal in front of you.

There was grilled salmon, a salad, mushroom soup and a blended fruit shake.

“Didn't even know we had any of these.”

“That's because you never cook for yourself.” He scolds

You don't argue with him, not remembering the last time you had a full balanced meal at your own home.

“I had to ask Daisuke, Stefan and Freddy to make these. They were all more than happy to oblige.” With that, you take a fork and slowly dig into the food.

A small hum escapes as you feel satisfied and suddenly grow hungrier by the taste. Mitchell smiles as he sees you finish most of the food.

“This is what I've been missing out on?” You ask with a mouth full of food, though a bit disgusted, the other couldn't help but chuckle. “You should try some!” You slide a plate of the fish towards him.

The two of you catch up while eating the food, before you rise up from your seat with a feeling of satisfaction.

“It’s been so long since we've got together to try food.” Mitchell wipes his mouth with a tissue and turns back to you. “Perhaps we can one day try reviewing restaurants again?”

“I'd love that.” You grin towards him. “How about tomorrow?”

Mitchell returns your smile and plants a kiss on your cheek. “Then it's a date, mon cheri.”

[genderkoolaid]

To be fair I would have just dropped it if you hadn't made the same argument that powerful artists have been using to get away with mistreating people for as long as fame has been a thing.

Like, I'm not saying Sabrina Carpenter specifically has done anything but we need to kill "but its Art" before we get in another round of praising Stanley Kubrik for chronically sleep depriving and screaming at people.

I have a close relative who works around famous artists and I worry that same argument will be used to shut them up someday. What they've told me about their job doesn't exactly put my mind at ease.

So you appear to be doing a guilt by association fallacy, in which you attempt to discredit a position bringing up bad people who happen to share that position. The problem with this is that a lot of, if not most of all (especially broad) beliefs can be used in harmful ways.

It was pretty clear to me that you are personally invested in the issue of art being used as a justification to hurt people. I don't and will never deny that this happens. However, there are real reasons why people are so protective over art, and throwing out any positions that are remotely similar to that argument does far more harm than good.

Exhibit A: you are using real cases of people weaponizing "artistic vision" to harm others, to argue for why a woman—and people in general—should not explore their personal lives, or anything that could be read as about their personal lives, especially as it has to do with sexuality. You admit Sabrina Carpenter hasn't "done anything," yet the only reason we are talking at all is because you sent these asks:

And I responded with:

Which is an argument I made because Sabrina Carpenter has not done anything to you by being sexual on her album cover, as part her art. If she had forced someone to be in a sexual pose on her album cover, I would say, "that is harmful and wrong and she shouldn't have done it." But because what she did is not remotely harmful, I feel there is not reason to expect her to limit her art sheerly for the comfort of others.

The reason that what Kubrick did is wrong is because it hurt people, not because he did something solely for artistic vision. I would suspect the reason that those famous people your relative works with use "but it's Art!" to shut down valid concerns is because they want to do something and don't care about how it could harm other people. Blaming their choice to harm people on the artistic justification is misguided, and the fact that you haven't engaged at all with any criticisms of your takes on Sabrina Carpenter, or artists' use of personal lives in their art, suggests to me that you aren't really thinking about this issue and your feelings on it critically.

[levigarden999]

Hii levigarden999!! I’m kinda new to your blog and just saw that your requests are open, so I thought I’d send one in hehe 😅 I’m not sure what your rules are, so I really hope this idea isn’t too bold or anything!

So I was thinking—what if the reader (who’s never kissed anyone before) asks the BLLK boys for help practicing how to kiss? 👀Soo like—they’re kinda caught off guard at first but go along with it hehe 😅 The kiss starts slow and gentle, super sweet… but then it gets a lil more teasing. And before you know it, they’re totally taking over 😳 One hand finds your waist, the other brushes up to your throat, and the kiss just keeps getting deeper and more intense. Your knees give out a bit, so they pull you onto their lap real quick—aaaand yeah… it gets heated fast 👀🫣 Just sayin’… things escalate 😏💋 Maybe it turns into a drabble—or if that’s too much, totally okay to just pick one character you like! I really don’t mind who 💗

Thanks for reading this! Your blog is super fun, and I’m excited to see more of your amazing writing 💕💋 Please take care and rest too!

practicing ⋆.˚ michael kaiser x reader

⋆.˚ notes : thank uuu anon (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) you brought a wild animal outta me cuz i think i went a bit wild with this lmao

⋆.˚ warnings : smut , +18 , dry humping , f!orgasm , virgin!reader , experienced!kaiser

for as long as you could remember, you had watched from aside as michael kaiser, your best friend, made every single girl fall for him. you two had been close for many years, so you knew his charm better than anybody.

however, you two were completely platonic. of course, kaiser was incredibly good looking and you knew it, but there was no attraction or anything between the two of you.

kaiser was currently lying on your bed while scrolling through his phone. you were standing there next to him, looking down at him deep in thought, not even realizing that you were just staring at him. it was nearly embarrassing to be best friends with someone who had so much experience with dating while you hadn’t ever done anything with anyone. no first kiss. no first time. you've barely hugged a boy.

”what?” he asked without raising his gaze, interrupting your zoning out session.

you flinched away from your thoughts. ”uh- nothing. just thinking”

you felt embarrassment already rising to your cheeks and tinting them to a shade of pink.

”thinking of what?” kaiser smirked as he placed the phone down on the bed now. he laid on his side, an eyebrow raised.

you pursued your lips together. you knew you had had this conversation many times before - the one where you whined about your lack of experience with boys while he tried to give you tips on how to get any guy you wanted. the tips hadn't worked, yet.

”the fact you get a new girlfriend every month while i practically haven’t even hugged a boy, ever” you stated with a sigh.

 he snickered and stood up as well.

”really? that’s what’s bothering you? lame, always the same shit” he mocked, obviously playfully.

you rolled your eyes brattily. ”not my fault i’m starting to think that no guy would ever want to date me because i have no experience in anything”

kaiser scoffed, an amused look on his face. ”i guess you have a point there. you haven't tried my tips?”

you huffed. "yes, i have tried your tips, mr. dating advisor. the thing is that they're shitty and they don't work! i guess i just need more confidence, which is tricky, because with no experience, i have no confidence"

he snickered again, obviously amused by your little breakdown. he placed a hand over his forehead, his stupid smirk widening.

"well, sounds like you're in a paradox situation. can't help with that, i'm afraid" he shrugged, while reaching back for his phone.

however, you weren't done.

"wait!" you exclaimed. kaiser turned back to you, and he was surprised to see the now determined, a little more hopeful look on your face.

"maybe i could... practice with you"

kaiser blinked. "what? practice what, exactly?" he asked, once in his life speechless and definitely caught off guard.

you felt the blush in your cheeks deepening as you shrugged. "well, kissing. if you... help me practice, maybe i'll get more confident and then i'll get a boyfriend. we're friends, it's not like it's weird or anything" you mumbled.

kaiser blinked again, but after his initial shock, a chuckle left his pretty lips.

"okay, genius. i'll practice with you"

kaiser stepped closer to you, a pale hand suddenly grazing against your soft cheek. your heart began to pound faster and you somehow felt the words getting stuck in your throat. were you really about to kiss your best friend?

kaiser’s blue, nearly seductive eyes looked into yours, that damn smirk sending shivers down your spine.

”you sure?” he asked, voice quieter, lower. you nodded.

before you knew it, kaiser’s lips were against yours. his mouth moved in a skilled, but soft and caring manner, not leaving you much opportunity to even try to dominate him. his thumb brushed against your cheek as his other fingers tugged your hair behind your ear.

you slowly felt yourself getting lost into the kiss. his lips were so soft and his mouth was so warm – the gentle yet firm movement of his mouth sending you someplace else.

”you wanna continue?” he murmured softly against your mouth, not exactly breaking the kiss. you simply nodded.

with that, kaiser continued. your lips slowly got used to the new sensation, and it wasn't as hard as you thought it would be. you just tried to match his movements as best as you could, and it started to feel natural. it felt... very nice.

however, suddenly you felt something wet poking against your lips. his tongue. you let out a soft yelp, a little surprised by the fact he wanted to take it further - but maybe it was part of the practice, right?

though kaiser pushed his tongue into your mouth, before you could even allow to let him in. it wasn’t a question – it was a demand, a need for him to feel your tongue against his. a soft moan escaped your lips as that warm wet muscle tangled against yours and twisted in your mouth, as if it was seeking to taste all of you.

your hands found his shoulders, your own lips becoming more and more passionate, trying to match his hunger and force. you had a hard time keeping up with him, but with the sloppy, smooth movements of his tongue and lips, you felt yourself melting. your body started to tingle, your every cell becoming more alert as the warm sensation spread through your every fiber.

the pleasure and pure lust of it all was making you feel weak. it felt like you were starting to nearly lose balance from the way he was making your head spin and thighs tremble. you had to clutch to his shirt.

”kaiser, i-” you began with a shaky breath.

however, as if kaiser knew exactly what you were saying, he grabbed your hips, sat down on the bed and swiftly pulled you onto his lap with your thighs straddling him.

”don’t worry, i got you” he groaned.

you felt his growing erection in his pants, throbbing and bulging and visible from the pants he was wearing. kaiser immediately continued to devour your mouth, his large hands finding your your ass under your tiny shorts, fingers grabbing and tugging on your flesh.

you whimpered, your hips involuntarily grinding a little and settling perfectly on his hard cock. he grunted as well, the warmth of your pussy making his cock twitch through the fabric of both of your pants.

you slowly, with trembling hips, began to grind. your clit subtly rubbed against his rock hard shaft as you looked for friction. you felt kaiser letting out a breath against your mouth, his kisses becoming a bit uncontrolled for a moment.

his hands found your hips again and he began to guide you, making your movements even greedier. a louder moan fell from your lips as you felt the friction and heat growing between you. you felt a wet stain forming in your panties, your untouched folds so slick the wetness would soon probably fall down your thighs.

kaiser’s lips left yours, now instead planting kisses on your chin, jawline, neck, then collar. you continued to grind against him, hands clutching onto his shirt harder.

he couldn't believe how damn addictive you felt against him. kaiser really wanted to just simply and innocently help you, he really had no intention to bring this this far. but since the first moment your clumsy yet eager lips tried to match his movements - kaiser knew he had lost. he felt himself wanting more of those soft whimpers you let, wanting more of that skin, those lips, that body, everything. he wanted to devour you.

however, for the first time, kaiser didn't mind losing. he very happily lost to this sensation if it meant having you. you were incredible, even with no damn experience. he was absolutely leaking and twitching right now from the way you moved.

”k-kaiser… i think i’m…” you whimpered, eyebrows furrowing in desperation as a trail of sweat fell from your forehead. you felt your thighs trembling, lungs asking for more air meanwhile your grinding became more frantic and uncontrolled. a wave of an orgasm was quickly forming in your abdomen.

”shh, i know, just keep holding me-” he murmured against your neck, teeth subtly grazing and biting on your skin as he kissed you there. you did as he asked – hands gripping his strong shoulders now as you whined his name.

only a couple seconds later, the orgasm hit you. your hips twitched, whole body trembled as you pathetically whimpered and hiccuped on top of him, coming undone from his mere bulge.

when you came down, your hips still did lazy, deep rolls against him, your body enjoying the feeling of your passed orgasm finally allowing your muscles to rest and mind to recover. your mind was dizzy as you finally looked down at him, your lips still parted and panting as you calmed down. you didn’t expect your first orgasm with someone else to be so intense – it made you feel like a horny animal who desperately needed the release to feel like a human again.

you felt satisfied, relaxed, a little drunk but good. and most of all, tired.

however, just when you were beginning to lift yourself off from kaiser, he grabbed your hips again, forcing you back down. you whimpered, the hard cock still poking against your now sensitive clit.

”confident enough to leave now, are we? you think i’m done with you?”

[mullermilkshake]

Regrets

Part 31 <- Part 32 -> Part 33

Jong-in and Hae-in are left at a stand still after Jinwoo's rightfully explosive exit. Without you, who is there to calm the storm?

Yandere!Jinwoo Sung x New mom!reader Tags - Jong-in x Hae-in, Dilf!Jong-in, New mom!Hae-in, Depictions of Blood/Death, Angst,

<<< For more Dark/Yandere content, click this link to go back to the Masterlist! >>>

<<< Or back to this fic's Master list. >>>

I have only watched the anime and haven't gotten round to reading the manhwa yet. Please refrain from spoilers. And please refer to the master tag list for the full list of tags + major tags, I'm updating it where I can.

TAG LIST RE-OPEN (The tag list is back up and open for a little while, if you'd like to be tagged, please let me know! 🤗)

Is it just me who thinks Jong-in is still a Dilf? 😂

Jong-in waited for Jinwoo to leave before slipping back into the hospital room where Hae-in stood by your body. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone else was here, but no one ever showed or revealed themselves. So he let it slide.

You were dead and Jong-in couldn’t believe it.

“How is this happening?” She said, holding In-ho close to her chest, eyes tearful and wet.

“I… I don’t know.”

He wanted to get close, to see you properly, to clean you up with dignity. His body did not allow it, it halted where he stood like Jinwoo’s condition created a physical barrier around you.

You were dead, and he wasn't sure if Jinwoo knew that fully.

Jong-in never said goodbye, he never came in to congratulate you on the twins who were missing.

I should have listened to Hae-in… I should have done more. I've never been more useless than I was today.

He did not believe for a second that the association was capable of this, of such cruelty. Snatching children from their mothers arms like Chairman Go previously mentioned, then rescinded. Was he actually behind this? He looked to Jinwoo like a son, a child protégée he never had despite Jong-in's public nickname. And then to order your murder? You were dead. Gone. Vanished out of existence.

In-ho was safe. His son. His little boy. But Jong-in didn’t feel one ounce of relief, not while your body laid on a hospital bed with more blood outside of your body than in it, and two newborn babies without their mother, their father. Alone and vulnerable.

Perhaps it was because of his paternal instincts kicking in the moment In-ho was born. Seeing his little tufts of blonde hair like his mothers, his grey eyes matching Jong-in’s like a cute little pair. He was perfect. 

And he shamefully had another child on the way.

Another shameful issue for another time. It wasn't how he saw his life heading.

The twins would be perfect too, no doubt. He’d know that when Jinwoo brought them back to your side.

“Take him, I’m going to clean her up.” 

Hae-in handed In-ho to him, being the most lucid she’d been in weeks. She waddled over to the sink and found a sponge in the little cupboard underneath, picking up a fallen bowl and filling it with what she could.

You didn’t look peaceful at all, never seeming like you were sleeping either, not like other hunters who’d perished would have. Your brows were furrowed, like you were laying in pain that medication couldn't fix, hair knotted and sticky on whatever skin it could find and cling to.

Still, you were beautiful. That would never change.

“You loved her, didn’t you?” Hae-in said, her lip trembling awaiting an answer she probably wasn’t sure she’d want the answer to.

She was right. Mostly.

“I uh…” Jong-in was taken aback.

He did. But he didn’t.

“To be honest? I never got the chance to.” He sat down in the chair in the corner, cuddling In-ho close to his chest. “I have these feelings and never acted on them... I uh... Well I always thought I wasn't good enough, despite everyone's view of me. So I decided to never do anything about it.”

Up until In-ho’s birth, Jong-in found himself thinking about what his life would have been like if he’d been paired with you. It wasn’t that he regretted his path with Hae-in and in honesty, he wished the association hadn’t pressured him to make more children.

He was happy being a dad and partner to one person. But it didn’t stop him thinking about you. In respect, he never even entertained pursuing anything, taking Jinwoo’s feeling’s into account.

Jinwoo was in love with you, that much was obvious before today, the engagement, even before you fell pregnant. You were just that oblivious.

Just like you were oblivious to Jong-in too, even when his excitement and disappointment was barely contained before and after the results came in.

Not that it mattered anymore…

"She was so hot headed, always trying to stand up for what she believed in. She would have made a great mother. I don't really know how Jinwoo will cope."

“Oh… Right.”

Hae-in sponged you down respectfully and started taking off the dried flakes of blood and grime off of your hands. Your body still slumped, still loose.

How long before she starts going stiff? Fuck, what must be going through Jinwoo's mind right now? What's going through mine?

“But, I love you, Hae-in. I know that much, and I'd like to make a go of things if you'd have me too. Once my second child is born, I’m stopping this. I’m not letting the association push me into any more decisions, not when I’d like to stay with you.”

"You love me..." She hesitated. Mouth closed. Then open. “Do you love her too?”

The other Hunter Jong-in slept with was someone he wasn’t keen on, she was in lack of a better word, high maintenance. Not meaning she wanted Jong-in’s attention, just the attention that came with his presence, like a massive human sized pawn. Jong-in attended appointments with her and nothing else. She kept to her own social circle and pretty much pulled him out for special occasions like a toy doll for company or fine china.

Jong-in, the ultimate hunter, pregnant with his baby.

Like he was even ultimate any more. He did nothing today to prove it when he should have pushed through his exhaustion, and did everything he could to protect his child instead of relying o someone else to do it. So fucking weak.

Hae-in was nothing like that, she didn't expect much form him in terms of his presence or social ability. She had poise, dignity, and Jong-in had ignored her ‘paranoia’ and it led to this. 

“No. She doesn’t feel anything for me either despite how she is during our public appearances.” 

She shook her head slowly, processing something, wiping your face down and ridding your skin of blood and red. “I’m not sure how I feel, Jong-in. My pregnancy was so difficult, I never felt seen.”

He disagreed like he was trying to make himself believe it more. “I saw you. I did. I do. The association have their way of getting under your skin, that doctor- the facility drummed it into me that you were just having a funny turn. I never thought anyone would be capable of stealing children away.”

“What if they come back? Or they take In-ho in the middle of the night when we’re sleeping? I can’t sleep knowing that.”

There was only one solution that Jong-in could think of that made logical sense and get out of the associations back pocket for good. “We move, we get out of here with In-ho and we leave the city- no, the country, if you want to.”

“What about your other child?” Hae-in moved closer to Jong-in on the other side of the bed to clean your other arm.

“She wouldn’t let me have full custody. I doubt she’d even want me around at all, not if I’m halfway somewhere else. She'd probably make it difficult, but I'll still try for some sort of a relationship. If not, then I’ll support her from afar and do my duty as the baby's father, but this is where my family is, in this room.”

Hae-in continued cleaning you, standing weak in the poorly strung hospital gown. “You really love me?”

“I do.”

It seemed like the best type of love, one that grew with time from nothing, a seed in the grown given enough love and care that bloomed into something beautiful. The love he felt for Hae-in versus you was entirely different. With you, it was almost instantaneous, and still he never had time to get to know you more like he wanted to. He learned little things about Have-in he never did with you. Her favourite colour was red. She did this little nose wiggle before she sneezed. And she was entirely more sensitive to sad films than she ever let on.

In the end, Jong-in was where he was supposed to be. With Hae-in. Just part of him didn't want to let you go even though he never had you in the first place, even your friendship fizzled out because it was just never meant to be.

It would take time, but he'd grieve it.

Have-in sniffled, cleaning your body with brief pauses to compose herself. “I can’t believe she’s dead… Jinwoo, he loved her too, and he’ll never get to again. How did this happen? His babies are missing. What if they were taken like In-ho almost was but he can’t ever get them back? He'll never be the same again.”

Jong-in would carry that guilt with him for the rest of his life, begging Jinwoo to help him and it put his own children’s safety at risk. Now they were missing and Jinwoo stepped into a war path he might not ever come back from.

Useless. That was the only word he could come up with. 

Useless. 

“How can he come back from this? I always saw the way he looked at her, he worshipped the ground she walked on. He was so intense, around her, but he looked at her with a softness I’ve never seen before. I think she was the love of his life... he's never looked at anyone else like that... and s-she's gone.”

Jong-in knew that look. “I know exactly what you mean. His intensity. Sometimes I noticed how he looked at me like he wanted to beat me up.” He chuckled sadly, knowing full well if Jinwoo did go for him, it wasn’t just a quick fight Jinwoo wanted, it would be blood.

Any blood.

All blood.

Someone to answer for your murder. 

Someone killed you, clearly. It wasn’t like you fell on something by accident and just died. Any idiot could see you were murdered.

“Jinwoo doesn’t want me around and I understand completely, but if there’s anything I can do to help find who did this, I’ll do everything I can. I’ll use the guild’s power and connections if I have to. Maybe the other guilds might help?”

“We’re in it deep, Jong-in... aren’t we?” 

Hae-in straightened your hospital gown and pulled the thin, and no doubt scratchy sheet over your lower half until the majority of the blood was covered. She placed your hands in a respectful overlap and softly stroked your hair as thought you really were sleeping.

Jong-in couldn’t even pretend. He couldn’t look at you for more than a few seconds without losing his breath.

“Yeah…” He nodded slowly. “We are. And I don’t know who to trust.”

The people he did trust were either storming off down the hill, dead, or hours postpartum. The list was small, thinning out and their lack of presence lately had Jong-in even doubting Baek, Tae-gyu and Dongwook’s positions on this.

“What do we do, Jong-in?”

“We do the best we can with what we’ve got. But no one is taking our child away from us, not again.”

Part 31 <- Part 32 -> Part 33

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DISCLAIMER - Crossposted from my AO3 - I do not own any of the characters or anything from the anime or manhwa. This is a work of fan fiction and is absolutely not representative of the views or intentions of the original creator(s).

Also please don’t post any of my work, thank you!

[fairydustttx]

One Thing.

Richie Jerimovich x reader

“Don’t care if you got another cause tonight I’m your only lover”

Warnings: Smut & language.

Word count: 2655

Summary: You and Richie have done well to keep your relationship under wraps—until now.

The hum of the fridge is the only sound in Richie's house as he kicks the front door shut behind the pair of you. It's quiet — not in a heavy, haunted way — but in that off-kilter, post-shift kind of silence, like the restaurant is still buzzing under your skin.

You hadn't planned on ending the night here. Not again. Not like this.

Not when you both promised — again — no more fooling around after work. Especially considering you both started early again the following day.

But here you are. Shoes kicked off. Apron stuffed in your bag. Richie's shirt stained with tonight's sauce and the telltale signs of a night that almost got away from both of you.

There's an empty LaCroix can on the counter, a Sox cap on the table, and the smell of leftover lasagne in the air. Richie hasn't even taken off his shoes. He's pacing like he's still fighting someone on the line — or maybe himself.

"You didn't have to show me up in front of everyone," he says, finally.

You lean against the wall, arms folded, a smirk playing on your lips. "You were about to serve a pork chop raw, Richie."

"I was testing it, babe. I had a system!"

You raise a brow. "Yeah? Was your system salmonella?"

He shoots you a pointed look, but it's not angry. Not really. There's a spark there. Something amused. Something warm.

"This is why we said no more work talk after ten," he mutters, tugging off his jacket and tossing it on a chair. "We start with pork chops, and next thing I know, you're calling me a dumbass while we're naked."

"That happened once."

"And yet... it’s pretty unforgettable."

Richie finally turns to face you fully, and for a moment, the energy between you shifts — softens. Like he's about to say something honest. Something real.

But instead, he takes a step closer, tilting his head.

"You keep lookin' at me like that," he says, voice low, "I'm gonna forget why I was mad in the first place."

You laugh, but it comes out more like a breath. "I'm not sorry for calling you out. But I am sorry that it happened in front of Tina and Fak."

He snorts. "You know Fak's been rooting for us since day one. You think he doesn't know?"

You hesitate. "You think he does?"

"Babe. Fak's got, like, sixth sense relationship radar. He probably saw us make the smallest amount eye contact and started shopping for wedding gifts."

You roll your eyes, trying not to grin. "So much for secretly dating."

Richie shrugs. "I mean, we haven't exactly been subtle."

You step closer, toe to toe now. "So what, Richie? You want to tell everyone?"

He looks at you and for a second, something flickers in his eyes. It's not fear. It's something quieter. Something like hope.

"Yeah," he says softly. “One of these days, it’s gonna be out there. No hiding it anymore. I’m actually fucking kinda ready for it."

You nod, your lips twitching up. “Okay."

Richie breathes out like you just took a weight off his chest. Then he smiles, that half-cocky, half-earnest grin that makes your stomach twist.

And then, suddenly — you're kissing.

It's not slow. It's not careful. It's Richie. It's messy and warm and fast, and he kisses you like he's waited all night to feel your mouth on his again. Like he's never had anyone love him this way — and he's terrified it's going to end.

Your back hits the wall, but it's more playful than anything. His hands are on your waist, tugging you closer, your fingers already tangled in his shirt.

"You're like the best fucking thing that ever happened to me, you know that?" he says into your mouth. "And I'm still somehow always tryna screw it up."

You pull back just enough to look at him. "You haven't screwed anything up."

"Yet."

"Then stop thinking about the 'yet.' Just... be here."

He nods, pressing his forehead to yours. "Yeah. Okay. I'm here."

And he is.

He touches you like he means it. Like he's still amazed you let him do this — that you want him. Clothes fall off in record time, more laughter than finesse. He trips over his own pants trying to kick them off and nearly knocks over a lamp. You both burst out laughing before falling back onto the couch, half-naked and flushed.

It doesn't stay very funny long.

Once you're straddling him, once he's kissing down your jaw and murmuring your name in that reverent, quiet way he never uses around anyone else — it shifts. It always does.

"You good?" he asks, brushing your hair back.

"Better than good," you whisper.

And you mean it.

He holds your waist like he's grounding himself, guiding you down onto him with a sharp breath. The stretch pulls a moan from your throat, and he stills, letting you adjust.

"Jesus Christ," he mutters. "You killing me over here."

"You love it."

"God help me, I really do."

He moves inside you with a steady rhythm — not rushed, not frantic. Like he's savoring it. Like every second is a gift. His fingers trail up your spine, into your hair, pulling you down into another kiss that's all tongue and heat and unspoken things he's too scared to say out loud.

You whisper his name. He groans your nickname into your shoulder. And when it builds — when it crests — it's not fireworks. It's a wave. A quiet crash. Like coming home.

Afterward, the room is thick with warmth and quiet. Richie's arms are wrapped tight around your back. You don't move. You just stay there, wrapped up in each other like the rest of the world doesn't exist.

Eventually, he speaks. Muffled. Soft.

"You think we're gonna fuck this up eventually?"

You look down at him, running a hand through his hair.

"We already are. That's the whole point."

He laughs — real, full, unguarded. And then pulls you down into his chest.

You settle there, hearts thudding out the last of the tension.

"He grins into your neck. "God, I'm so lucky. You like me, even when I talk too much."

"I love you," you correct. "Even when you talk way too much."

And for once — Richie doesn't say anything clever.

He just holds you tighter.

You're still lying on his chest, skin damp and flushed, when he breaks the silence again.

"Can I ask you something?" Richie murmurs, his voice quieter now, like he's not totally sure he wants to say it out loud.

You shift slightly to look at him. "Always."

He hesitates.

"You ever think about... I don’t know.Kids?"

The question lands soft but weighted — like a pebble dropped into still water. Not hard, but the ripples travel deep.

You blink slowly. "Are you serious?"

He nods, eyes not quite meeting yours. "Yeah. I mean — not, like, now. Not tonight. Obviously. Jesus. But, like... I don’t know. Just wondering if you've thought about it. Ever."

You take a shaky breath, slightly surprised by how fast the answer comes.

"I don't think I want them."

Richie's eyes flick up to meet yours, and for a moment, you brace for it — the discomfort, the shift, the subtle judgment you've learned to expect from people who don't understand why a woman might say no to that idea.

But he just nods. Like it makes perfect sense. Like he already knew.

"Yeah?" he says, voice even.

You nod. "Yeah. I mean... I've thought about it. I've really thought about it. But it's just not something I see for myself. Not now, and maybe not ever."

There's a long pause.

Then Richie exhales, smiling softly. "Honestly? That's kinda a relief."

You marrow your eyes. "Really?"

He shrugs, resting his head back against the pillow. "I love Eva more than anything in the whole goddamn world. I'd jump in front of a train for her. But... it's hard. And I think I messed it up, a lot of it. Being a dad, it's like—" he pauses, squinting toward the ceiling "—it's this thing I keep trying to grow into, and I don't always know how and I don’t ever think I will.”

You press your hand to his chest, fingers over his heart.

"You're a good dad, Richie."

He gives a half-smile, a little crooked, a little sad. "I try. But the idea of doing it again, starting all over? With someone I love this much?" He turns his face toward yours. "That's scary as fuck."

Your throat tightens at that. "Because you don't want to lose it?"

"Yeah," he says, almost a whisper. "Exactly."

You lean in, pressing your forehead to his. "Well, you won't."

He kisses you — soft, lingering. No heat, no rush. Just gratitude. Just you and him.

You sigh into it, letting yourself settle deeper into his arms.

"I like us how we are," you say quietly. "I don't need anything else."

Richie nods. "Yeah. Me too. You're already more than I thought I'd ever get."

The room is still and golden in the low lamplight. Outside, cars speed by like background music for your very weird, very wonderful life.

Eventually, he tucks you closer, murmuring against your hair.

"Can we stay like this for a while? Just... like this?"

You smile. "We've got all night."

And you do. Just the two of you. No screaming tickets. No line cooks. No fake-outs. No pressure.

Your life together isn’t perfect. It’s a little messy — the way the kitchen counters are always cluttered with coffee mugs and takeout menus. The house smells like late-night Chinese food and your lavender candles, you’d somehow convinced Richie to keep. There’s the Saturday mornings spent arguing over who gets the last pancake, the lazy Sundays wrapped up in a blanket on the couch binge-watching old movies. It’s the kind of life that’s full of noise and chaos and laughter, but always full of each other.

The room settles into a soft quiet, the kind that follows everything — the laughter, the kisses, the honest talks. You lie tangled in each other, warmth settling like a soft blanket.

Richie’s fingers trace circles on your arm, but his voice breaks the silence again, low and hesitant.

“Can I ask you something else?”

You hum tiredly, still pressed against him.

“If Eva’s okay with it... maybe you’d want to meet her?”

You smile, heart squeezing softly. “Yeah. I’d really like that.”

He smiles back, his eyes bright. “Me too.”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

The following morning the morning sunlight cuts across the prep station like a spotlight. The Beef smells like bleach, lemon zest, and burnt toast — classic — and everyone's still dragging from last night's double shift.

Everyone but you and Richie.

You're humming under your breath, sleeves rolled up, hands deep in a bin of herbs. Richie's at your side, close enough to brush elbows, rattling off a joke to Marcus that doesn't even make sense — but everyone's too tired to call him out.

You lean over to grab a container from the lower shelf. Richie moves behind you, his hand automatically sliding to the small of your back as he passes.

It's instinct. Casual. Familiar. Too familiar.

He doesn't even notice. He doesn’t even hesitate and keeps walking toward dry storage like his hand belonged there.

Tina pauses, mid-chop, eyes flicking up from her green cutting board. Ebra squints from the other side of the kitchen like he's solving a complicated math problem. Sydney goes still.

Marcus looks up from the mixer. "Wait. Did you see that?"

"See what?" you say, far too fast.

Sydney narrows her eyes. "Okay, now I know something's up."

Richie's already back a second later, reaching over you for a knife and doing it again — hand grazing your spine like he's tuning a radio.

He still doesn't notice.

Sydney drops her spoon.

"Okay," she announces, loud enough for everyone to hear. "What the actual fuck is going on?"

You blink. "What?"

"That's the third time he's touched your back in like ten minutes. Is that, like, a nervous tic? Muscle memory? Or is this, I don't know... foreplay?"

You cough.

"I touch a lot of backs," Richie says defensively.

"That's worse," Tina mutters without looking up.

Ebra nods. "Deeply concerning, cousin."

"It's spatial awareness," you try weakly, but your ears are already burning.

Fak appears from the walk-in just in time to catch Richie's hand resting — casually, intimately — on your hip. He stops in his tracks, mid-chew, holding what looks like a very expired granola bar.

"Wait. Wait. WAIT—" Fak points, his voice rising in excitement. "OH. MY. GOD."

"Fuck," you mutter.

"I knew it!" Fak cries, triumphant. "You guys are together! You've been secretly banging this whole fucking time!"

Marcus peeks over a stack of baking trays. "But you said they weren't."

"I was misled by their Oscar worthy acting," Fak says dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest like he's winded.

Sydney crosses her arms, smug. "I've known for weeks. Richie's been weirdly... soft. I thought maybe he had a brain injury."

"I don't do soft," Richie snaps, but his cheeks are red now.

"You rub her back like you're burping a baby," Sydney fires back.

Richie points at her, opens his mouth... then closes it. "Okay. That's fair."

Tina leans against the counter, smirking. "I knew something was going on. You been humming this morning, girl. Nobody hums at this job unless they're in love or on some really good drugs."

"I thought they were just co-dependent," Ebra adds. "You know. Like most people here."

"You're all being so dramatic," you protest.

"You kept it from us!" Fak gasps. "You kept it from me! I was gonna make you friendship keychains!"

"We weren't hiding it," you try to explain, glancing at Richie.

"We just... didn't say anything," he finishes, sighing.

"Didn't say anything?" Sugar repeats, appearing in the doorway with a clipboard. "Richie, are you serious?"

"Oh for fucks sake," Richie mutters. "Not you too."

"You kept this from me?" Sugar demands, pointing between the two of you. "Me?"

"I knew you'd react like this!" he shoots back.

"And you—" she spins to you, eyes wide "—you could've said something."

You shrug. "You could've asked and I may have told you."

Carmy, of course, chooses that exact moment to stroll out from the office, towel over his shoulder like a chef poster boy, calm as ever.

"I thought it was obvious," he says casually, walking past the group.

The room freezes.

"You what?" Sugar blinks.

Carmy shrugs, already halfway to dry goods. "I mean... Richie's been a extremely normal lately."

Richie scoffs. "I am never normal."

"Exactly," Carmy says without turning around.

Everyone loses it.

"Okay," Marcus says, through a grin. "Now I do feel betrayed. I thought we were your friends."

"You are," Richie says. "That's why we didn't want to subject you to my very real and terrifyingly powerful sex aura."

"Richie," you groan, wanting to crawl into the nearest hole and die.

"What?" he shrugs. "Babe. You knew what this was."

"Do not call me 'babe' in the kitchen," you warn — but you're already grinning from ear to ear.

And then — as if to hammer the point home — Richie's hand returns to your back again. Not thinking. Not performing. Just him. Just something he does without realizing. A soft, grounding rub between your shoulder blades.

It's not a secret anymore.

But somehow, it still feels like something private. Something just yours.

Sydney raises an eyebrow. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... I think I ship it."

Richie beams. "You hear that, baby? We're canon."

"Right I’m leaving," you say, flatly.

"I'm proud of you," Fak says, placing a solemn hand on Richie's shoulder. "Our little guy's in love."

"I will kill you," Richie says, playfully smacking his hand away.

But his other hand doesn't move from your back.

And you don't ask him to.

[journey-of-daydreams]

Mission Accepted [Rewrite & Reader] [Platonic]

Feeling particularly downtrodden today, you go to Rewrite in an attempt to distract yourself. Surprisingly, they notice and attempt to help. Well... They're not good at it, and it's kind of frightening, but they try.

Type: Oneshot Genre: Fluff/Attempt at Humor Content Warnings: None Stage: 3 Ring

[Link to Rewrite & Reader Masterpost]

───{⭕⭕⭕}───

You're in Green Hills. The sun shines above you, but there's a light fog in the far distance, giving it a slightly darker atmosphere. Wind gently blows around you, birds are singing, flowers are blooming. The green fields stretch far and wide. Occasionally, in the distance, your view is obscured by a cliff face or a rock. Yet, no one else is around.

Everything is so empty and lonely.

Today was rough. Your mind is buzzing with unwanted thoughts and feelings. Things you wish you could get away from. The thoughts swirl around in your head, unresting. You can't seem to get your mind to settle.

In a weird, backwards way, you want them here to fill the void. Their presence is often overbearing and overwhelming, yet sometimes... It's welcome. Maybe it would distract you. Maybe they'd make you laugh.

Maybe you just don't want to be alone.

You know they'd come as soon as you called their name. They've done it before; All you had to do to summon them was say their name. Sometimes when you accidentally mentioned them by name in conversation and they'd appear, which was always startling.

But this time was different. This time, there was a weight to it. This time, you

You take a deep breath to prepare yourself.

"Sonic?" You call out into the nothingness.

Without a moment's hesitation, as if they were already watching, they manifest directly in front of you with a pop.

"Hello, friend!" They wave so enthusiastically their arm disconnects from their body.

"You rang for a game? A picnic? Karaoke? A race?" They ask with a rhythm to their words, very clearly eager to get the games started, now that you've invited them.

"Oh, I'm up for anything." You remark, a little unenthusiastically. ...Anything to get my mind off this, your mind thinks, but the words go unspoken.

Rewrite goes quiet, exaggerating a tilt of their head that their whole body follows. They squint, looking you up and down.

"You look like a cat dragged you through the river, friend," They comment. "What's your deal?"

Your expression immediately drops. You were hoping they wouldn't notice. You're surprised they did, really. Normally, they don't.

"It's nothing." You dismiss, averting your eyes and hoping they wouldn't pry further.

"You're lying." The tone is oddly flat and serious. It catches you a little off-guard. "You don't have to lie to me. I'm your friend, remember?"

"Right." You acknowledge with a sigh. "I just... Don't feel good. Emotionally." You explain, tone now quiet and soft. "I didn't want to talk about it, just wanted to stop thinking about it."

"Is that why you called me?" They ask. You nod lightly.

"Oh!" They hum, their model flinching slightly as if surprised. Their hands then clasp together. "That's wonderful!"

You stare at them.

"What." You mutter, deadpan. You weren't sure what reaction you were expecting, but them calling your misery "wonderful" wasn't it.

"You want my help! 本当に私のことが好きなんだね！I'm so happy!" They start bobbing back and forth in a bit of an odd, excited dance. "We really are friends!"

You think about their words for a second. "Oh." You state, relieved that they're apparently happy that you're coming to them for help as a friend... Or something. That's way better than what you thought.

Your mind wanders to their last comment. Friends?

Now that you think about it, you haven't actually referred to them as your friend before. They've always called you their friend, but you've never returned the same sentiment. Before, you would have never called them a friend. But now...

They have been honestly trying to appease you and keep you happy. It feels like they've been trying to make up for their past. They don't like reminders of their past actions, you've noticed... As if they're ashamed about it, maybe? Maybe they really are trying to be your friend.

After some serious thought, you speak again. "...Yeah, I... I guess we are friends."

Rewrite immediately perks up at this. "You're so sweet!!" Their arms shoot over to you and wrap around you, pulling you into a hug. The sudden momentum knocks the wind out of you, but you still smile at their reaction. Did hearing you say that really mean that much to them?

"Now!" They exclaim as they drop you from their clutches. "You called me for my help, yes? You want Doctor Sonic to heal your sad mind, yes?"

You raise your eyebrow at the 'Doctor Sonic' comment. "I mean, that depends. How are you going to 'heal my mind'?" You question, genuinely curious what that means.

"Mission accepted! Be not afraid, I am at your service!" They throw you a wink and an enthusiastic salute. They then put a finger to their chin, and tap their foot in a "thinking" animation.

You blink at them. They didn't answer your question at all. Still, you give them an intrigued smirk. It looks like they're planning something. Knowing them, it will be interesting.

...It also could be another hide and seek game. Hopefully not.

Suddenly, an exclamation point appears over their head and they make an "aha!" gesture. They trot closer to you, gently grab your hand and move it into a palm-upwards position.

They're about to give you something. You watch, transfixed, and a little afraid for what it might be.

"Here! A gift!" They drop a scared, confused Flicky into the palm of your hand. It wobbles on its feet like a newborn, looking confused as if it was just summoned into existence.

"Ah-" You stutter in surprise, quickly moving your other hand to support it so it doesn't fall. You're not sure what to think about this unexpected gift at first... Sonic watches you with hands on their hips, apparently proud of their gift.

As you stare down at the bird, it meets your eyes and chirps softly.

"That's cute." You comment approvingly.

"So you feel better?" Rewrite questions immediately, not giving you a single second for your emotions to settle.

"Well, I-" You smile awkwardly, unsure of how to politely tell them this wasn't nearly enough time to feel better... And that a single bird really doesn't help your mental state much. And also you're not sure what to do with the bird now.

"I mean, I like the bird. I feel the same, just with a bird now."

"That's no good! My job here is not done!" They exclaim, "There's still some lingering degression in you!"

"Degression?" You question.

Rewrite stares at you for a second, processing your question.

"...Depression." They correct themself. "Shut up, don't correct me." They demand as they poke you in the forehead.

"I wasn't!" You insist with a lighthearted smile. "I swear, I was just conf-"

"Shhh." They abruptly interrupt you with a shushing sound, emphasizing it with a finger over their own mouth. "I'm focusing."

You close your mouth and furrow your brows in annoyance. Focusing on what? They're just standing there.

As if on cue, they hold out their palms upwards to the sky. A light shines down on their hands. Sparkles start to form from their palms, and an object begins to manifest. The twinkling gets more intense, and then:

From the center of the light, a single ice cream cone manifests.

Two scoops, and it's your favorite flavor...

They grasp the cone and hold it out to you as an offering, but the bird is still resting in your hands. You go set the bird down, but as soon as you do-

"NO!!" Rewrite practically yells with intense urgency, startling both you and the bird. You freeze, holding the bird more tightly so it doesn't fall.

"Wh-What?!" You ask, alarmed by the sudden urgency of their tone.

"The Flicky will lose its effectiveness if you stop touching it! Think! Think!!" They're still yelling and gesturing wildly.

"Well, I- I can't hold them both at once!" You stutter, confused by whatever 'effectiveness' means, but too scared by their intensity to even think about questioning it.

"Sit down!!" They order with a finger pointing to the grass. Confused, you do so without question, sitting criss-cross in the grass, still balancing the bird in your hands.

Rewrite then sits directly in front of you, takes the bird out of your hands, and swiftly places it in your lap. They place the ice cream cone into your newly freed hand.

"There." They state, their tone of voice now completely calm. They're completely relaxed now. Unlike you, you can feel your heart thumping in your chest.

That... was really jarring. You need a moment to calm down.

As you take a moment to breathe, Rewrite watches you, scanning your expression. Their eyes dart from your eyes to the ice cream you're holding, and you realize they're waiting for you to try it.

You lick it once.

"Do you feel better?" They immediately inquire.

You can't help but chuckle, mostly out of bewilderment. "You really need to give me a moment to relax first."

They squint at you, but go silent.

"Thank you." You acknowledge with a smile. They're doing as you asked: Giving you a moment of silence and rest. This is something you've managed to get them to do for you on occasion. You're frankly shocked they can manage to sit still and quietly for a period of time… Though, they're not always patient about it.

You start licking your ice cream in peace. At least, as peaceful as it can be with them staring at you. You decide to ignore it and avert your eyes. Them staring at you ceaselessly and very intensely is just normal for them.

Your attention is caught by the bird cheeping from your lap. You look down at it, and it's looking up at you expectantly. It cheeps again. You can't tell what it wants.

You give it a little scratch on the head. It closes its eyes at the touch, shifting in your lap and laying down. You smile at it… It seems to have settled down itself, after Rewrite's screaming.

...Honestly, that whole... Situation has distracted you from what was bothering you, even if just for a little. Though, you're pretty sure being startled out of your thoughts isn't actually helpful.

You wonder if Rewrite intentionally made that huge scene to try to distract you, or if they were really that worried that the bird would lose its "effectiveness" on you... Maybe both. They are pretty weird sometimes.

…Okay, actually, they're pretty weird most of the time.

You're licking your ice cream in thought when you notice Rewrite's head tilt at you. Slowly, they stand up... and wordlessly start walking away.

You watch them curiously. They walk to the nearest patch of flowers, stop over it, and start gathering them. They collect the flowers in their hand, and...

Your heart skips a beat.

They're going to give them to you? That's... actually really sweet.

You continue eating your ice cream as they work. They're moving unusually slow... Well, slow for Rewrite, at least. They're moving about as fast as a normal person would, which is unusual for them. They're usually very erratic and quick on their feet. It seems very deliberate, though you're not sure why they'd do something like this. Maybe out of respect for your quiet time.

...

After about a minute of just watching them, they snap their head in your direction and begin walking towards you, holding something behind their back. You perk up in anticipation.

"Tada!" They exclaim proudly once they reach you, whipping out their gift: A flower crown.

It's made out of sunflowers, daisies, and a single blue flower you don't remember seeing before. They must have created that one, just for this.

They gingerly place the crown on top of your head, as if you were the most fragile thing in existence.

Out of nowhere, they pull out a tiny, shrunken down version of the exact same flower crown, and place it onto the bird's head. It chirps approvingly.

"You both look wonderful!" They wink and give you a thumbs up.

You give an honest, warm smile at the sight. This is sweet. They are trying pretty hard, even if they don't understand.

You have to admit, it does make you feel nice inside. Despite everything, they're watching out for you, as best as they can.

Rewrite is standing over you, examining your reaction. You meet their gaze and smile up at them. They tilt their head back at you.

"Well? How about now?" They inquire once again.

Your eyes soften and you look down thoughtfully.

"Yeah... I do feel better now.

...Thank you."

From where they're standing, a victory jingle plays.

"Mission success!" They announce with a cheeky thumbs up.

[cozylittleartblog]

Columbo and the Knight (1984)

put me in the universe where Columbo ran through the 1980s and had a crossover episode with Knight Rider. I think they deserved it, and I am not just saying that because they're my two favorite Old Shows. @telebeast wrote a little fanfic blurb about it and I HAD to visualize it into a comic (which is also the longest comic I have finished thus far at five pages...), so writing credit goes to them.

Autism W!

[grey-viridian]

DTIYS for @tizeline

Congrats on 10k!!! (love your artstyle btw sooo soft and beautiful i wanna look at your art all day!)

The original outfit was perfect but I still felt like something was missing...

[coddda]

deleted L Change the WorLd scene tbh

[justabunchofdragons]

god i will never be over the delivery + the line "nobody at this hospital even LIKED amber" like i've blocked out as much of that episode and the aftermath as i can because it makes me feel unwell but that line just stuck with me. how amber was fired out of the blue and sobbed on the spot and no one ran to her (except wilson). how i had a visceral reaction (/negative) to seeing her wear wilson's jumper. how amber seemed to be toying with wilson but played along with the "house wants to share custody of me" and genuinely genuinely loved him. the parallels to house? in front of people he does everything for himself and on his own he does everything for other people. how she left the house in the middle of the night to get her boyfriend's best friend who was roaring drunk and might not remember who took him home. wilson breaking down in his office and giving up the hope of a last goodbye so she isn't in pain. everyone coming to see her and seeing it through her perspective. everyone in that big white room coming on the side where she can't see the machine keeping her alive. "i don't want the last emotion i feel to be anger." how i've convinced myself that that line made wilson not blame house. "nobody at this hospital even liked amber." but the way she died was horrible and avoidable and stupidly tragic and idk there's something to special so me about how house denies guilt but hallucinates her specifically. something something the show took you by the hands and looked you in the eye and said "no one deserves to die. look at me. it doesn't matter, none of it matters. she was human, therefore loved, and none of the rest of it mattered."

[qifreyplushie]

mu qing has come to regret being f-f-f-friends

(original meme under cut)

[johnnyshrine]

★ 086 // “Pastel Pencils”

[skyeisbored]

really just ignoring almost 20 years lol

inspired by this post