#And how knowing the other made them happier

[lemonlover1110]

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Sukuna

[Chapter 10] Authority

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Pairing: Trueform!Sukuna x f!Reader

Chapter Warnings: Smut, Vaginal Sex, Anal Sex, Double Penetration, Nipple Play, Lactation Kink, Biting, Creampie

Discord +18 - Twitter - Ko-Fi - Bluesky

Sukuna has grown softer, something you’ve noticed but would never say out loud. Anything you ask of him lately, he’ll do. There’s just one wish that he won’t fulfill, and it’s reuniting you with your family. No matter how many times you ask, his answer is firm.

One day you’ll get him to comply, if you’re insistent enough, he’ll listen. You’ve found a way to get him to comply with almost everything, and you hope that one day you’ll do the trick.

“Can we take a walk?” You ask Sukuna, who hums in response. He guesses a walk won’t kill you, and today is warmer. Plus, you always look happier after your walks so it won’t kill him to agree. 

“Where’s the stinker?” Sukuna questions, and you let out a low laugh. Sukuna, who you’re sure has seen and dealt with foul things, can’t stop talking about Yuuji’s bowel movements. He’ll have a rude awakening when he has to deal with his own twins.

“Hina is taking care of him.” You respond, making him raise his eyebrows. He knows what waits for him after his walk, and he isn’t mad about it. You’ve made it obvious by not having the stinker by your side.

You have Yuuji attached to your hip every day, every night. Whenever you don’t have the baby by your side, you have other plans. In other words, you’re planning to have sex with him. He doesn’t know if you think you’re being sly, but you couldn’t make it more obvious.

He accompanies you, your arms linking when you get outside. Sukuna is planning to cut the walk short, he doesn’t want you to spend too much time in the cold. 

“The babies will be here any time.” You comment, giving into the warmth that his body radiates. For such a cold individual, Sukuna is exceptionally warm. Sukuna’s eyes glance down at you, and you swear his eyes soften as she looks down at you.

“Spring, no?” He questions, and you nod in response. It is slowly warming up, your only saving grace is the never ending snow. He feels that you’re excited for it now, something which felt impossible a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, the stinker changed your mind– He guesses that your servants helped you as well. That one girl gave you the final push.

“Why do you like walking around here so much? There’s nothing to look at?” He’s looking around, trying to find something that catches his eyes, but there’s just snow. 

“I like the breath of fresh air. Even if it’s chilly.” You answer, and he gives you a subtle nod of acknowledgement. “I can’t wait for spring. The flowers here will surely look beautiful.”

“I’ll make sure they do.” He responds, a sheepish smile coming to your lips as he says that. He doesn’t even look phased. 

“Sukuna… Can I meet my family again in the spring?” You bring up, earning no response. He doesn’t like to argue about it anymore, so he chooses to remain quiet. The silence doesn’t signify a change of mind, on the contrary, it means that he’s standing firm on no. “I want them to meet our sons.”

“Our sons only need to meet us.” Sukuna responds, the answer crystal clear. You end up biting your tongue and looking at the ground in shame. He takes a swift look at you, loudly exhaling at the expression on your face.

You come to a stop in your tracks. You stop right at the spot where you asked him to plant flowers, and you can’t help but ask, “Will I see them bloom in the spring?”

“You will.” He answers, and you give him a subtle smile before turning back to go back inside.

Sex is entertaining, something that can keep him satiated for a bit. But it’s taken a turn lately. He can’t be satisfied. He doesn’t know what you’ve done to him, but this is what he’s been thinking about lately. Sex has never been something that he thinks twice about. It’s simple, he needs to be entertained and he’ll get that entertainment, but that isn’t the case anymore.

“Fuck, slow down.” You moan, throwing your head back as Sukuna moves his hips. You’re on top of him, since you insisted on riding him but that quickly changed. Your body has gotten harder to handle, but luckily that’s an issue that Sukuna can deal with.

His cocks fill up both of your holes, a feeling that was uncomfortable at first until it was the best thing in the world. It’s a bit overwhelming, you won’t lie, but it’s so good. He slows down a bit, per your request. He’s trying to keep control, but it’s hard when you feel so good around him. His hunger for you can’t be fulfilled, that’s what he’s realized lately. 

He lifts his head, mouth greedily attacking your breasts. Tongue circles around your nipple before lightly sucking. He drinks the milk that comes from your breasts, a type of indulgence that had never crossed his mind until now. 

“Oh, fuck–” Your eyes are rolling to the back of your head, both of his cocks hitting just the right spot. Your nails dig into the skin of his chest, too overwhelmed with your pleasure to notice just how hard you grip onto him. It’s not like he minds either way, or notices whatsoever. He’s too focused on sucking on your tits and drinking.

He’s humming against your breast, too engrossed to move. He gives slow thrusts, making you grind against him for more friction. A set of hands land on your hips, holding you down as Sukuna continues to attack your tits.

“Sukuna.” You whine, trying to move but he won’t let you. He licks up the milk that drips out before lifting his head.

“You told me to slow down.” He reminds you as he begins to move once again. Your hand goes down to play with your clit, making your eyes roll to the back of your head. Your orgasm slowly takes over you, the pleasure too much for you to handle.

“Keep it like that. It’s perfect.” You tell him, and out of spite he almost speeds up. But he chooses to listen. You sound cute when you moan his name, words barely comprehensible as your climax takes over you.

“Good job.” He praises you, words that rarely leave his mouth unless he’s in this exact situation. Words of encouragement as you take all that you can.

You quiver as you reach your climax, and you’re so caught up in the feeling of euphoria that you don’t even notice how he puts you on your back. He’s on top of you, head going down to wrap his mouth around your nipple. He’s picking up speed again, chasing after his own release. You swear he muffles your name, but his mouth is too preoccupied for you to understand.

Your hands are on his back, nails digging into his flesh while he tries to keep control. He bites down on your tit, making a loud cry escape your lips. Sukuna ends up unlatching, lips landing on yours, tongue entering your mouth. 

“You can handle it.” He reassures you as he pulls away, feeling his cum fill you up. The warm feeling that makes you feel euphoric. Sukuna gives a couple more gentle thrusts before pulling out, leaving you empty.

He lays down beside you, eyes landing on you. If you were anyone else, he’d leave. But he can’t bring himself to get up and leave when he’s beside you. He enjoys sex with you more than he’d like to admit.

It’s why he left Kyoko behind. What’s the point of the woman if someone entertains his whim and leaves him wanting more?

Sukuna likes what you have going on, but he isn’t sure if he should like it. Relying too much on one woman isn’t a good thing. It makes him vulnerable.

“Stop leaving me cold.” You whine as you get on top of him, searching for his warmth. If you looked up at him, you would see a slight smile on his face as he wraps his arms around you– But then you’d convince yourself that it’s all in your head.

Vulnerability isn’t always bad.

“Are you the same woman that throws a fit when I say no to going out in the cold?” He teases, and you bite his arm. You earn no reaction from him. 

“Your babies like to walk around.” You tell him, though you’re just appreciating the time you can get outside. You doubt that you’ll be able to walk next week, considering how swollen your feet are lately. The pregnancy is a hassle to say the least.

“Right, blame everything on them.” He answers, hand going to your bump. He tries to get them to move, but to no avail.

His sons only move whenever they want to move, but he can’t blame them. He doesn’t like to follow orders either.

He insists that you’re by his side at all times. Even when he wants to take favors once again, he makes sure that you’re right there. He takes away the freedom of doing whatever you want again, but this time you don’t mind as much.

“Uraume, bring them in.” Sukuna orders as you sit on his lap. Your head lays comfortably on his chest, fingers playing with his own. It’s annoying to him, truly, but he won’t stop your fun; not for something that he can easily ignore.

“When can I see Yuuji?” You ask him, already bored with your place. He used to do this on his own before your pregnancy, you used to catch glimpses of him with whichever peasant dared to appear before him. Then he stopped to focus on you again.

“You just got here, my queen. The stinker won’t go anywhere.” His words are followed by a low chuckle, a sound that is rarer than any gem. His hand lands on your bump while a pout comes to your lips. You don’t doubt that you’ll be entertained with whatever you’ll see today, but you would rather be with your baby Yuuji.

Uraume walks back inside with a woman that reminds you of yourself. Too scared to look up at what waits for her. You feel pity for her, while Sukuna glares down at her as if she were below him—Because she technically is.

If she has your luck, he’ll solve her issues but make her life more difficult in the process. Though you don’t have the same issues and worries that you did before, carrying two little monsters inside of you isn’t easy to say the least.

“What do you say?” Sukuna looks down at you, eyes softening at your face, and you’re scared to answer. What if he disregards what you have to say? Of course, he’s asking but you also know Sukuna doesn’t like to follow anyone’s advice.

Your eyes land on the offering, nothing that impresses Sukuna… Nor you at this point. But that’s everything to her. She’s willing to give everything she has to reach fruition.

“Will you help her?” You respond, lips softly pressing on his cheek. He acts annoyed, rolling his eyes before agreeing. He knows better than to ask you next time, otherwise every worthless human will walk by unscathed.

“You need to learn how to be tougher.” He tells you, squeezing your hand. But you’re not listening to him, your eyes try to peek at who might be next. You remember that you got Yuuji through one of these favors, at least that’s what you’ve been told. 

“Can we get another baby Yuuji from someone?” You ask him, and he rolls his eyes again. As if you aren’t carrying two of your own. 

“And what, woman? Set up an orphanage?” He answers, making you stick your tongue out at him. He lightly flicks your forehead before a sigh escapes his lips, “I’ll let you go with Yuuji soon. Don’t get any ideas of stealing babies.”

“Why are you always ruining my pl–” You begin, only for Uraume to come back to the room without a prior announcement. Sukuna glares at them for interrupting the moment, and he’s about to raise his voice but there’s this certain uneasy feeling around them.

“Lady Kyoko wants to speak with you.” Uraume lowers their head, and Sukuna frowns. You mimic him before looking back at him.

“You told me that she was a thing of the past.” You comment, and Sukuna nods in response. 

“Send her away.” Sukuna orders, but Uraume shakes their head. An action that they had never done before. No one refuses Sukuna’s orders, especially not Uraume.

“It’s important, my king.” Uraume answers, the uneasiness making Sukuna’s stomach churn. 

“Send her away.” You repeat, a hint of jealousy laced in your voice. Sukuna likes the answer, but he can’t. Uraume is insistent for a reason.

“Let her in.” Sukuna orders, and Uraume gives a subtle nod before turning around. You cross your arms and glare at him. He tries to calm you down by grabbing your hand and placing a gentle kiss on it. “She’ll be leaving soon, my queen. She’ll probably ask for goods for all her years by my side.”

“Are you going to give her anything?” You frown, and he shakes his head.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t get a single–” He begins before the door slides open again. Uraume walks in, quickly followed by Kyoko.

There’s a mischievous smirk on her face as she steps in, you immediately notice. You feel your blood boil at the sight, knowing that she’s up to no good. You’re bringing your lips up to his ears, but Sukuna looked absolutely stunned at the sight in front of him.

“What’s wrong?” You ask him, but Sukuna doesn’t budge. “Sukuna…?”

His eyes aren’t on how she looks, or how she so smugly appears in front of him. She doesn’t bow down because she doesn’t see a need anymore.

“Sukuna.” She so proudly calls him while he’s staring at her. “We have a lot to talk about.”

He can’t form a single word while she speaks to him, nor when you ask him what’s wrong. He can’t tear his eyes away from the smidge of cursed energy that’s on her stomach. 

He fucked up.

[urcoolgf]

what’s your deal? pt. 7

pairing. childhood bsf��rafe && reader

content. fluff

summary. just a cute fluff chapter of you and rafe getting used to being together (enzo will be dealt with in the next part, just give them this cutesie moment)

SERIES MASTERLIST

you and rafe had spent all day together. it was nice– things weren’t back to normal, they were better. you and rafe were currently curled up on the couch��� it was about 8pm, but your dad requested you don’t go out too late tonight because of his ‘family plans’ for tomorrow. you didn’t mind, and you didn’t think rafe did either. you had turned on some movie that was actually interesting– not to rafe though. all he could do was look at you, his right arm slung around you while his left hand played with the hem of your shorts.

sometimes his right hand would aimlessly explore your hair, running his fingers through your scalp. it felt nice– not only did you have your best friend back, but now it was something different. rafe just seemed… happier– like a weight had been lifted. you weren’t sure how long he had felt the way he did, but– sitting here, right now, curled into his chest while his fingers roamed all over you– you were glad he had confessed. you never expected this, but now that it was here, you couldn’t imagine it being any other way.

“y’wanna do somethin’ fun?,” rafe’s soft voice cut through the low hum of the tv, looking down at you.

“my dad wanted us to stay here tonight,” you replied plainly, not taking your focus off the screen.

“i know… but ‘m jus’ really in the mood for one of those soft pretzels from the gas station down the road,” that caught your attention– he knew those were your favorites, and you hadn’t even gotten one yet. your head snapped up to look at the mischievous smirk spreading across his face. a similar one took place on your lips because of it.

“okay fi–,” before you could even finish, rafe was off the couch. he reached down to grab your waist, and throw you over his broad shoulders, your soft giggles filling the air.

he finally set you down near the door so you could both put on your sneakers. both of you quietly walked out the door, careful to close it softly since your dad's bedroom was nearby.

—

the walk to the gas station wasn't too long– maybe 10 minutes– so, you pulled out your phone, shuffling your playlist titled 'Sounds like love'.

Disco by Surf Curse poured through the speaker of your phone. rafe just looked at you– wide smile on his face like he had never seen something more beautiful. you slipped your phone into his pocket, grabbing his hands, and beginning to move to the beat. you were walking backwards at this point, dragging rafe with you. he had no complaints– a genuine laugh left his lips, and you had never seen him so happy. it warmed your heart.

admire all of you

but fire burns me, too

can't stop that disco getting through

can't stop that disco wanting you

'cause there's nothing like it, locking my eyes with you

rafe held his arm up, spinning you like a dancer. your laughs were like music to his ears, and he swore life couldn’t get any more perfect than this. he motioned for you to jump on his back so he could carry you the rest of the walk. songs continued to play from his pocket until you arrived. you didn’t talk, just rested your head on his shoulder. your arms slung around his torso while he held you up by your thighs which were wrapped just above his hips.

you gave him quick kisses on his cheek or neck while he carried you.

“thanks for the ride, ray,” you whispered into his ear, giggling before you could finish your sentence.

“anytime, princess,” his signature smug smirk present on his face.

once you had finally made it to the gas station, rafe set you down easily, and the two of you made your way inside.

you grabbed the pretzels out of the mini heated carousel (i have no idea what they’re called), and then made your way over to the slushie machines. you never really got to have slushies except for when you were here. you and rafe had gotten them every vacation since you were kids– when you were little, rafe even taught you to mix the different flavors: cherry and coca cola to make cherry coke, cherry and blue raspberry to make… well you weren’t exactly sure, but it tasted good.

after rafe paid the cashier, you headed back outside. rafe wasn’t ready to let this moment go yet. he shoved the pretzel into his mouth, handed you his slushie, and motioned for you to get back on his back.

“rafe, you can’t carry me! you have a pretzel in your mouth, idiot. eat it first. then you can,” you laughed, scolding him like you were his mother.

“fine. but, if you don’t get on my back do you promise to follow me?,” he had a childish look on his face, like he was genuinely expecting you to promise him.

“follow you where?,” your brows furrowed together. you weren’t even supposed to be out now, and rafe wanted to stay out even longer?

“doesn’t matter. you can’t ask questions. promise?,” his hopeful face made you melt. you just couldn’t say no to him.

you nodded your head, raising your arm to tell him to lead the way.

you followed without complaints. eventually he finished his pretzel, and once again, wanted you to get on his back.

“fine! fine! you’re so weird,” you laughed, holding your hands up in joking surrender before hopping onto his back. his hands cold against your thighs from the slushie cup he was previously carrying.

you were only on his back a little longer. the sun was beginning to set just as you guys had arrived at rafe’s destination.

“here we are princess,” he said, plopping you back down on your feet. he had led you to the beginning of a forest of some sort.

“and where exactly is ‘here’?,” your puzzled expression made him chuckle slightly. he just took your hand in response, guiding you toward the path through the trees.

once you came out the other end, there was a tiny beach– it couldn’t have spanned more than 50 feet. it was clean, but obviously secluded. the sun cast a light right above the water, the pinks and oranges of the pre-sunset sky reflecting off the calm ocean.

“ray…,” you began, but you didn’t really know what to say. it was gorgeous.

“beautiful innit?,” he turned toward you, big smile on his face. the sun cast a perfect glow onto the side of his face. you admired him for a moment before turning back to the water.

“yeah,” you sighed, eyes glued to the image in front of you. you had seen many sunsets before, but something about this one felt magical. rafe moved to sit on the sand, patting the spot next to him, urging you to join him. of course, you did. he wrapped his arm around you, pulling you close to him.

the two of you watched as the sun set. the hand that was slung over your shoulder placed itself on the side of your face, making you turn your head towards rafe.

“hey,” he whispered, leaning in towards you.

“hey,” you whispered back, a small smile forming on your lips.

“‘m gonna kiss you now, ‘kay?,” he asked, but it wasn’t really a question– more of a warning.

“mkay,” you nodded lightly. a smirk took over his face before he leaned fully into you, colliding his lips with yours. it was so strange– not because it actually felt weird, but because it felt natural, as if you had done this for years. as if your lips had been made for his.

he pushed a little deeper, testing how far you would let him go, exploring new territory. you let him. his tongue pushed through your lips, making contact with yours and your world stopped. you moved your hands to the sides of his face, pulling him impossibly closer before moving them to the back of his neck. your manicured nails raked lightly against his warm skin.

you eventually pulled from each other, both staring as if you couldn’t believe what just happened. rafe leaned forward once more to give you a gentle kiss on your forehead.

“let’s go home, baby,” he said quietly. you just nodded in response, standing and dusting as much sand off you as you could. rafe grabbed your shoulders, forcing you to spin around so he could swipe the sand from the backside of you– he definitely just wanted to touch your ass, but you weren’t complaining.

you grabbed your phone out of rafe’s pocket, playing your music and slipping it back in his pocket before hopping on his back once again. he didn’t even have to tell you this time, you just wanted to.

a soft song began to hum through the air.

spring into summer, and the winter’s gone

i try to hold on to it, but the current’s too strong

somebody finds me in the state i am

love you like i mean it when i know i can’t

you rest your head on his shoulder the same way you did on the way to the gas station, taking in his scent, the feeling of his skin against yours, the lingering sensation of his lips.

hold it against me, cool to the touch

nobody knows what it’s like to be us

somebody finds me in the shallow end

love you like i mean it just because i can

“i like this song,” rafe said unexpectedly, turning his head slightly to try and look at you.

“yeah?,” you asked, a curious smirk on your face, “it’s ours then.”

“nobody knows what it’s like to be us,” he noted to himself.

“nobody knows what it’s like to be us,” you repeated, moving your head from his shoulder to place a kiss to his cheek, and move to wrap your arms over his shoulders.

by the time the song ended, you had arrived back home.

you took your phone out of his pocket, adding the song to a new playlist.

‘Feels like love’.

an: i didn’t realize it had been a few days since my last update on this little series– apologies! also not proofread…

© 𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐆𝐅. est. 2025

TAGS .ᐟ @yktayy9669 @drewsswifeyy @drewrry @frankoceanluvr11 @dearestmillls @icaqttt @lynoriax @hpboysslut2707 @stoned-writer @angvl3tears

[shy9-29]

Waiting For You ✶ [s.jy]

“I loved you in silence, while you kept running back to her.”

SOMAR𝒊O ─── A heartbroken friend silently suffers as the one they love keeps returning to the person who hurts him. 엔하이픈 제이크 𝐱 𝑓. reader ✉️ wc. 3.7k ✶ careful ! skinship, kissing, nicknames, jakes lwk an ass, cheating, heart break, not proof read 🔖 genre. romance, drama, angst, friendship, tragedy, unrequited love, emotional fiction

📕 a/n — omg I’m back after 500 years and yes I’m still writing lost in Seoul and I WILL FINISH IT I PROMISE.

Jake and you had been best friends for seven years, ever since that random high school orientation day where you two bumped into each other, both lost in a crowd of strangers. Since then, you’d seen the best and worst of each other—been there through every heartbreak, every triumph, every awkward phase. You were the kind of friends who knew exactly what the other was thinking, even when no words were spoken. He made you laugh when you wanted to cry, and you were the anchor he could always rely on when everything else felt like it was falling apart.

When Jake started dating Yunjin, you had seen the change in him. He was happier, more radiant. Yunjin seemed to be the perfect fit for him—smart, beautiful, and funny, with a sense of adventure that matched his own. Watching them together, you couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy—not because you wanted Jake for yourself, but because you could see how much he was in love with her. It made you wonder if you’d ever find that kind of connection.

But now, as you sat in your car on a quiet Wednesday night, your phone buzzing in your hand, you realized that your best friend had just been torn apart.

—

“Hey, you busy?” His voice came through the phone, sounding strained, like he’d been holding something in for a while. “Can you come over? I—I really need to talk.”

You didn’t even hesitate. You knew that tone in his voice. Something was wrong. You threw the car into gear, speeding toward his apartment.

When you arrived, the place was quiet, too quiet. The lights were dimmed, the kind of atmosphere that felt almost too heavy for a normal night. You opened the door slowly and called out for him, your voice echoing against the walls.

“Jake?”

He was sitting on the couch, looking smaller than usual, as if all the energy had been drained from him. His hair was a mess, and his usually sharp eyes were red and hollow, rimmed with exhaustion and something deeper. It looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Jake, what happened?” you asked, stepping into the room.

He didn’t answer right away, staring at his hands, then glancing up at you, as if he was seeing you for the first time in a while. His expression was empty, a ghost of the confident guy you had known for so long.

“Yunjin… she cheated on me,” he said quietly, his voice breaking on the last word.

You felt the floor drop out from under you, your body freezing. Yunjin, his girlfriend of more than a year? The girl who was always smiling at him, the one who made him so happy? It didn’t make sense. You couldn’t wrap your mind around it.

“Wait, what? How do you know?” You stumbled over your words, trying to make sense of the situation.

“I—I saw the messages. She was texting some guy, saying things… things that she shouldn’t be saying to anyone but me. I confronted her, and she didn’t even try to deny it. She told me it just happened, like it was no big deal. Like I meant nothing.”

The way he said it broke something inside of you. It wasn’t just the betrayal that hurt him. It was the way she had dismissed everything, made him feel like he wasn’t worth the effort. You wanted to say something—anything—to comfort him, but you couldn’t find the right words. How do you comfort someone who’s been told they’re not enough?

“I’m so sorry, Jake,” you whispered, sitting beside him on the couch. “That’s… that’s awful.”

“I don’t even know what to do anymore,” he admitted, his voice hollow. “I thought we had something real. I thought she was the one.”

You wanted to say that she wasn’t the one—that someone who would betray him like that didn’t deserve him. But you kept quiet, letting him speak, because deep down, you knew it wouldn’t matter. He had already made up his mind. He was in love with her. No matter how much it hurt, he would never stop caring.

“I just feel… empty,” he said after a long pause. “Like everything I thought was real doesn’t matter anymore.”

You wanted to pull him closer, to take all that pain away, but you knew you couldn’t. You had never seen Jake this broken, and the thought of him like this, unable to fix himself, made your heart ache.

“Jake,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “You’re not alone. I’m here. I always will be.”

He looked up at you then, his eyes full of emotion. He didn’t say anything right away, but you could feel something shift in the air between you. It was subtle, like a crack in the foundation of everything you’d known.

—

The days that followed were a blur. Jake spent most of his time holed up in his apartment, brooding and distant. You would text him, check in, but every conversation felt like pulling teeth. He wasn’t the same person anymore. He was angry, hurt, and confused, and he was taking it out on everyone, including you.

But then, after a few days, he started calling more. The first time, you answered quickly, hopeful that maybe he was starting to move forward.

“I don’t know what to do anymore, y/n,” he said, his voice a little steadier than before. “I don’t think I can let her go. I keep thinking that if I give it one more shot, maybe… maybe things will be different.”

Your heart sank, and something inside you recoiled. You wanted to scream at him, to tell him that he was better off without her. That he was worth more than this constant cycle of heartbreak. But you couldn’t. He was your best friend, and you couldn’t stand to see him hurting, even if it meant he had to go back to her.

“You don’t have to do this, Jake,” you said quietly. “You deserve someone who loves you for you. Not someone who treats you like… like this.”

He was silent for a long time. When he finally spoke again, there was a quiet, resigned tone in his voice.

“I know, y/n. I know. But I don’t know how to stop. I can’t just forget her. I don’t think I can move on.”

You didn’t have the strength to argue with him anymore. You could hear the pain in his words, and you knew he wasn’t ready to hear what you had to say. Maybe, deep down, you knew that nothing would stop him from going back to Yunjin. Not yet. Not when his heart was still clinging to the idea of her.

A week later, you received a text from him: I’m going back to her. I need closure. I need to know if this is the end or if I can fix this.

You wanted to scream. You wanted to beg him not to go. But instead, you just typed out a quick response: If that’s what you think you need… I’m here when you’re ready.

And so, he went back to her.

It felt like an eternity before Jake reached out again. You hadn’t heard from him in days, and you were starting to worry. You knew he had tried to mend things with Yunjin, but something inside you kept telling you it was a mistake. That he was only setting himself up for more heartbreak.

Then, one night, you got another message from him.

“She did it again,” the text read. “She cheated on me. She left me for good this time.”

You felt your heart break for him. You wanted to reach out, to pull him into your arms, to tell him that you had been there all along. But instead, you just stared at the screen, tears filling your eyes. He had tried so hard to make it work, but in the end, he was left with nothing but more pain.

When you saw him the next day, he was a shell of the person you once knew. His eyes were empty, his posture slumped. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, like he hadn’t eaten. You wanted to tell him everything would be okay, but the words got stuck in your throat.

“I’m sorry, Jake,” you whispered, your voice shaky as you wrapped your arms around him. He didn’t pull away. He just let you hold him, his body stiff and fragile against yours.

“I just… I don’t know what to do anymore,” he murmured, his voice raw with emotion. “I thought… I thought she was the one. But now, I don’t even know who I am without her.”

You closed your eyes, letting the tears fall freely. This wasn’t fair. He deserved so much more than this endless cycle of heartbreak.

“You don’t need her, Jake,” you said softly. “You never needed her to be whole. You’re enough on your own.”

But even as the words left your mouth, you knew it wasn’t true. You knew that Jake wasn’t ready to hear that. Not yet. Not when his heart was still so tangled up in Yunjin.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now, y/n,” he whispered. “I feel so lost.”

You held him tighter, but a part of you knew that no matter how tight you held on, it wasn’t going to be enough. Jake was always going to be searching for something that wasn’t there. He was always going to be looking for closure, for answers that would never come.

And you? You were always going to be the one standing in the background, waiting for him to see you. Waiting for him to realize that you were there, always there, even when he was too broken to see it.

But for now, all you could do was hold him, knowing that the person he needed most was never going to be the one he chose.

You loved him. But he would never love you the way you needed. And that was the hardest truth of all.

oh wow I never cried that bad while writing something! 200 notes for pt 2 | masterlist

[hollyoongs]

⤷ THANK YOU, SPIDEY!

시놉시스 ┆ tasm!𝙟ake, ─────⠀f!reader 𓂅 𝑤.𝑐: +4.5k ꒰ ⌗ fluff, angst and an attempt of crack ꒱ ↷⠀ ℰditoral ! 𓂂

It was one of those days where everything seemed to conspire against you; you knew it was going to be a rough day since you actually fell off the bed when your fifth alarm sounded, alerting you that you were going to be late. You watched your left wrist as you trudged through the bustling streets of New York City, sighing in relief as you noticed you still had time to arrive just in time.

Your camera bag felt heavy on your shoulder, but you blamed it on the fact that you couldn't shake off the feeling of exhaustion that clung to you like a stubborn shadow, in addition to the sweltering heat of the summer sun that only added to your irritation as you made your way to the Daily Bugle, where you were interning as a photographer.

Now, you actually liked your internship, despite the chaos that often unfolded around you. You have always liked capturing moments with your one and only camera, one that was a gift from your grandfather before passing away; he always told you that those pictures will always tell a story, freezing time with just the press of a shutter. But days like today tested your patience.

You finally entered the building, slipping past the crowded desks and skillfully dodging reporters that were frantically typing away at their articles; you could already hear Jameson ranting about something—but this time, it was someone. The new and masked hero in town, Spider-Man, was doing as he had usually done for the past 2 weeks.

Your possible future boss, Mr. Jameson, was notorious for his gruff demeanor and demanding nature, and today seemed to be no exception, as he barked orders at the staff. You adjusted the strap of your camera bag, rolling your shoulders as you approached your friend, Jay, who looked one bad headline away from quitting. When you sat on his desk, which was thankfully next to each other, he gave you a tired smile while handing you a bagel.

You gave it a bite and rolled your eyes in delight. “Don’t say anything; I brought another extra because I also skipped breakfast today.”

"You’re an angel… Rough already?"

"And it's not even 9 a.m." Jay spat in anger; you opened your bag to give him some of the jelly you always carry around. He took them slightly happier, tearing the packaging off and licking his lips before talking again. "He's now decided to put stupid challenges on everyone here. I spoke with his secretary, and she says he's getting jealous of the other newspaper company since they took the #1 place from us."

Jameson's screams got louder, and your neck turned to take a look at how he was walking to the employee launch. “Speaking of the devil.”

"Good luck." You raised an eyebrow at his words, looking back and forth at him and Jameson. “Hide the bagel.”

“What do you mean by ‘good luck’?” You whispered, but your expression spoke louder of the panic you started to feel.

"Ah, there you are," Mr. Jameson said. You braced yourself before turning to face him, a small smile plastered on your lips.

“Good morning, Mr. Jameson.”

"I've got a special assignment for you."

The word “special” itself was already making your brain think about any crazy options, feeling your heart sink at his words, knowing that whatever task he had in store would likely be thankless unless it benefited his pockets, just like Jay said in the past. But you nodded, steeling yourself for whatever was to come.

“May I know what you have in mind?”

"I want you to get me a picture of Spider-Man," he said bluntly, with no filter and zero emotions whatsoever.

Your jaw nearly hit the floor at his request. Spider-Man? The one that is the talk of the town? You opened and closed your mouth, struggling to form words that were nice. Jameson arched an impatient brow, his foot tapping against the tiled floor that was causing you a headache.

“Well? You got a problem with that?”

You glanced at Jay, who was suddenly very invested in his bagel, offering no help. Turning back to Jameson, you forced yourself to nod. “No, sir, just… How exactly do you expect me to find him? We have no—"

“You’re a photographer, aren’t you? Use your damn head! That wall-crawling menace shows up all over the damn city. He isn’t shy about swinging around like he owns the place!” After that screaming session, he rubbed his temple, as if you were the one giving him a headache when it was the complete opposite. “I don't care how you do it—just get me a photo clear enough for the front page, or you'll be out of your ear."

And just like that, he turned on his heel and stomped off, barking at another poor intern about coffee.

Jay let out a low whistle. “Damn, he really hit you with that assignment, huh?”

You exhaled sharply, running a hand through your hair. “What am I supposed to do? Just wander the city with my camera and hope Spider-Man swings by? Or maybe make an attempt of suicide to see if he can save me?”

“Wow, let’s not go that far, shall we?” He said, rolling his chair to your desk with a concerned face after seeing you actually think about your last question to attract the hero. “But I do think you just have to wait on the streets.” Jay shrugged, shoving the rest of his bagel into his mouth.

Sure, you’d seen Spider-Man in grainy photos on social media and extremely blurry clips on the news, but actually tracking him down? Getting a clear shot? That made a wave of panic wash over you.

The hours passed slowly, and 7 o'clock of the night finally arrived, which made you fly to the only place you were sure that you would be comfortable at the moment, Jake’s place.

More than his place, Jake has always been your safe haven, ever since you were kids. You still remember the first time you met—he was sitting alone in the playground, sniffling quietly while being bullied by a group of kids; the sight alone made you leave your friends behind for a moment to march right up to the ringleader and sink your teeth into his arm. You still remembered how Jake looked at you like you had just saved his entire world.

Since that day, you two became inseparable. He was the first person you’d call when you had good news and the first to show up when you needed a shoulder to lean on. He knew all your quirks, and in return, you knew him just as well. You knew the way he would start biting the straw of a drink he was having unconsciously, the way he always made sure you walked on the inside of the sidewalk, the way he’d drop everything the second he felt you needed him. Just like you need right now.

Work was way more stressful than usual, and that was reflected in your tensed shoulders that were screaming for a massage, but that would need to wait; the elevator reached the floor you picked, and you pushed the button to announce yourself. To your surprise, you found yourself with Ni-Ki.

“The del—oh, it’s just Y/N.” Before you could speak, he closed it again, soon hearing your name louder with a surprised tone, He opened the door again with a smile. You blinked at Ni-Ki, still processing the interaction. “Y/N! Hey! What are you doing here?” He leaned on the doorframe like nothing happened.

You squinted at Ni-ki, arms crossed. “Did you just try to shut the door at me?”

Ni-Ki let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “What? No, no. That was just… muscle memory!”

“Muscle memory?” You deadpanned, and he nodded.

“Yeah! You know there are these random people knocking on the doors to bother, and I just always happen to be here when that happens, and I just… close the door.” He did some mimicry to what he said, but you weren’t buying it.

Your eyes flicked past him, trying to catch a glimpse inside, but Ni-Ki moved along his head. “Is Jake home?”

“Uh, nope! I mean, yeah, but, uh… he’s doing… something. You should probably come back later.”

“Right.” You took a step forward, but he quickly blocked your path, his leg and arm on the other side of the doorframe. You sighed. “Nishimura Ri-Ki!”

“Yes, ma’am?” He said, his voice clear like he was a soldier as he stood normally.

“I had a horrible day at work to the point that I will actually cry myself to sleep today due to the amount of work I have to do plus an almost impossible task Mr. Jameson gave to me. I just need to talk to you two to make this day less miserable.”

“And this is why we will go out for boba, my treat!”

Your eyes narrowed further. “Ni-Ki. Move.”

“No can do.” He leaned against the doorframe again, arms stretched wide.

“I’m literally just here to see both of you and to take a nap.”

“And I’m literally just making sure you don’t—uh, I mean, that you’re comfortable. Jake doesn’t want visitors right now, does he?”

You rubbed your forehead, already having enough. “I come over all the time, and Jake’s never cared before. What’s really going-”

“He’s touching himself!” Neither you nor he expected that sentence, your eyes opening wide at the statement, your cheeks getting warmer as seconds passed by. It was Ni-Ki’s turn to open his mouth, but before he could come up with another excuse, a loud thud echoed from inside the apartment, followed by a very familiar voice muttering a string of curses.

“Ni-Ki! I came!” Ni-Ki looked back and then at you, red in his face as he made a small dance.

“Good job, Jake! Glad you came! We will be right back!” His voice got a little higher, and with a panicked face and awkward laugh, he closed the door even harder than before, startling you. Soon, the noise of things falling, more curses, and somebody hitting himself with furniture was the only thing that actually kept you sane.

"Hold on a second!" A few seconds passed, and Jake was the one who opened the door. He had his hair messy; he had grey sweatpants on and a hoodie that was bigger than his usual size. "Hey lensgirl! Wow, you look tired."

“Yeah, no thanks to Mr. Jameson,” you muttered, rubbing your temples. “I swear he’s actually trying to kill me with work.”

Jake fully opened the door with concern written all over his face, and that’s when you went for a hug, this time with tears going down, noticeably crying.

Jake was taken aback by your sudden display of emotion, immediately wrapping his arms around you in a comforting embrace. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he murmured softly, rubbing your back soothingly. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

You sniffled, trying to compose yourself as you entered the apartment. "It's just… work," you managed to choke out between sobs. "Mr. Jameson… He wants me to get a photo of Spider-Man for the front page, and I—I don't know how to do it. I'm so screwed, Jake."

Jake's expression softened with understanding, though you had no idea just how much he truly understood. "Hey, it's okay," he repeated, guiding you to sit on the couch. "We'll figure it out, okay? You're not alone in this."

“And you know what’s the most fucked-up part? Until this morning, I had 2 weeks to give the picture, and he randomly decided to change the deadline to Thursday. I have three fucking days.”

Ni-Ki, hearing the commotion, came to the living room, a package of donuts in his hands. He took one donut and placed the rest on the table in front of the three of you. It was a very brief moment of silence before Ni-Ki spoke after taking a bite of his dessert. "You know what? Jake can help,"

You looked up at Ni-Ki, the hand Jake had in your back getting tense. "What did you say?"

"Jake knows Spider-Man. You could get a picture like that." He snapped his fingers to emphasize the quickness, and that’s when you lost it.

"Since when?!" You practically shouted at him, and he gave a shy smile, which you loved, but not right now since your only thought at the moment was of him being friends with the hero and not telling you.

Jake shot Ni-Ki a deadly glare, but the younger boy just shrugged, taking another bite of his donut like he hadn’t just dropped the biggest bombshell of the evening after all the excuses. You looked at Jake, and for a moment, he got lost in your eyes.

“I wouldn’t say ‘best friends,’ but… yeah.” You sat properly; your hands were now on his shoulders.

“So you know Spider-Man?”

“Uh… yes?”

“And you never told me?”

“I—well—”

“Y/N, you don’t understand,” Ni-Ki cut in. “Jake and Spider-Man are like this—” He crossed his fingers. “—so the picture? You got it.”

"Hey, your face looks awful due to the crying; how about we continue this conversation right after you clean yourself? Go to the bathroom; we will go to my bedroom." As you were protesting, Jake obligated you to go inside. The boys went straight to the room and locked it, Jake basically punching Ni-Ki for opening his mouth.

"Are you being serious?! Why did you say that?"

"You know I'm fond of her, and I can't stand her crying. And also, I'm doing you a favor; you've liked her since forever, and with this, you can make a move. And you know that she loves Spider-Man. I consider this a win."

Jake's heart raced as he processed Ni-Ki's words. He couldn't deny the truth about them. He had developed feelings for you for what felt like forever, but he never found the courage to act on them, and because of the sudden powers he got after being bitten by a spider, the dangers were too much to the point he would rather die with the secret in order to keep you safe if they get to know you’re his… something. That's how much he loved you.

Jake groaned, rubbing his face with both hands. “This is not a win, Ni-Ki! This is a disaster!”

Ni-Ki flopped onto Jake’s bed, unbothered. “You’re being dramatic.”

Jake paced the room. "Okay, okay," he muttered, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "But we have to be careful. She doesn't know about this, Ni-Ki. It's too risky."

Ni-Ki nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I won't say anything else, I promise. Only you have to stay cool; you get too nervous around her. I'm surprised you're not right now," he assured Jake.

"Because someone opened his mouth."

"Stop crying and be grateful. I pulled a move that you couldn't make for the past 4 years."

The door of the bedroom opens to you with your face clean; you actually had to wash your face the moment you saw your mascara falling down your cheeks through the mirror. You took a seat next to Ni-Ki and once again looked at Jake.

“Please, Jake, I need to take a picture for the front page; otherwise, I’m fired. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me the name of the person, but please.”

Jake shot Ni-Ki a glare before sighing. He couldn’t say no to you, not when you looked at him like that. But he also couldn’t risk exposing anything.

“Fine,” he relented. “I will talk to him and text you later.”

Your face lit up, smiling right away and contagiously affecting Jake with it. “Thank you so much, Jake. Really.”

Ni-Ki smirked as he watched the exchange, mouthing a silent “you’re welcome” to Jake, who simply rolled his eyes with the smile on his face when he felt small kisses on his neck.

Two days have already passed since that weird conversation and the explanation of Jake being friends with Spider-Man. It was still so odd to you, although that didn’t matter anymore when you felt your phone vibrating because of a text he sent to you.

"He’s arriving in five minutes; be ready!"

And here you were, waiting next to the entrance of the alley that was near the agreed-upon spot; it was getting late, and you could feel your heart beating fast when you saw a few guys in there, cigars in their hands, their auras as bad as how they looked. You felt a presence behind you, and you tried to move, but a hand grabbed you with enough force to pull you inside the alley.

"Hey, sweetheart," one of them said, his grip on your wrist tightened, making you wince.

“Let go of me!” You snapped, trying to yank your arm away, but another one of them stepped closer, blocking your escape.

“Shhh, relax,” another one chuckled, exhaling a puff of smoke before blowing it into your face. “We just want to talk.”

Your heart pounded in your chest as you ignored the leering comments from the men in the alley. You clutched your camera bag tightly, feeling a surge of unease as you realized just how vulnerable you were in this dimly lit space.

Just as panic threatened to overtake you, a familiar sound cut through the tension—a whoosh of air followed by the distinct thud of impact. Before you could even process what was happening, Spider-Man descended from the shadows, landing gracefully in front of you with his trademark agility.

"Hey there, fellas," Spider-Man said, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement. "I don't think the lady appreciates your company."

The men scoffed, eyeing Spider-Man with defiance and uncertainty. "And who are you supposed to be, huh?" One of them sneered, taking a step forward. You started taking your camera out of your bag, setting it up for a good shot, and taking as many photos as you could as both men focused on the hero.

Spider-Man's demeanor shifted subtly, his stance becoming more assertive as he addressed the group. "Let's just say I'm the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and I'm not too keen on seeing people hassle innocent bystanders, especially this pretty girl," he replied, his tone firm.

The men hesitated, sizing up the masked vigilante before them. They could barely move as Spider-Man sprang into action, his movements a blur of speed. All his movements were well calculated, and so were his dodges; his combat skills were even more impressive up close than seeing them on TV; he was a superhero.

It didn’t take him five minutes to leave them groaning on the ground in defeat; he effortlessly dispatched the thugs, taking a deep breath before turning to you and lightly running to the place you hid yourself.

You watched in awe as Spider-Man, his masked eyes meeting yours—at least you think they did—with a sense of warmth and reassurance. You took your camera and looked at the pictures, so many good enough to be front-page material.

"Are you okay there?" he asked, his concern evident even behind the mask.

You nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over you in his presence and how he came to you for these pictures. "Yeah, I'm okay," you stammered, still trying to process the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded before you. You felt some drops of water falling on your face, looking up at the sky and wondering if more drops were falling. "Damn it, it's raining."

"Then let me take you out of here." Without a warning, his hand wrapped around your waist, both of your bodies covering the camera; you felt his grip tender. "Hold on tight, lensgirl," you frown at the nickname. There's only one person that could call you like that, but you couldn't think much of it as you held dear life to him as he swung you around places, screaming and closing your eyes due to the fear.

You ended up on your apartment building—on your balcony, to be more exact—and the roof kept both of you off the water. You went inside for a moment to leave the camera in your bed and return. He was hanging from the ceiling as you watched him, forcing you to believe that everything that happened in the past ten minutes was not a dream.

"Don't you want to stand up? So you don't get dizzy."

"I like it this way. Don't worry. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you."

"No problem; that's my job."

"Because you're a hero," the masked guy sighs in front of you. It was one of those that made you question if he was really tired of hearing the word or if he had something else on his mind.

"Some people don't think so." And it was true; all the articles were more fake rumors to paint him as a bad guy; even your boys wanted to paint him as an awful person, not even considering that they are writing about someone who just really wants to help everyone.

"But you are, at least I think that."

"It's nice to have a fan as pretty as you."

"Let me say thank you."

"But you already did."

"I meant the pictures, not you saving me and my job." You approached him more, feeling the raindrops falling on your face; the sound of the rain in the background gave the ambiance.

He didn’t stop you, giving you a green light and trusting you; you slowly took the mask, only revealing his lips. A shiver ran down your spine, but it wasn’t from the cold rain. Your breath hitched as you took in the sight before you—it was a shape you had seen countless times, normal, curved in a teasing smile and even forming words that had irritated and amused you several times.

Your fingers trembled as you traced his lower lip, your mind going wild. No wonder Ni-Ki and Jake got nervous; no wonder Jake was the only one that could help you with the hero; and there's no wonder why he called you "Lensgirl."

Your pulse quickened as you whispered a sentence with the name you had a sinking feeling was correct.

"Thank you, Jake," when you felt his body stiffen, you placed your lips on his. His tense body shortly after calmed, and he slowly kissed back the almost electrifying kiss, his lips moving against yours in a way that felt so familiar. His fingers touched your hand in a way to ground himself, as if this moment wasn’t real unless he could feel you.

Everything made sense; all that scandal was all because he was Spider-Man, the hero you had admired from afar, and now he was the man whose lips were pressed against yours.

Time seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the kiss, the world fading away until it was just the two of you tangled together on that rooftop balcony. The rain continued to fall, a steady rhythm against the loud city, but all you could hear was the pounding of your heart and the soft, almost shaky exhale Jake let out as he deepened the kiss.

The moment you decided to pull away, he rested his forehead against yours, your breath mingling in the space between you.

"Wait… how?" he steadied his voice before asking, his voice quieter now.

"You let out "Lensgirl," and I've stared at your lips too much to actually know the shape." Your lips curled into a small smirk; he finally dropped himself, taking off his mask completely, revealing his red cheeks and normal shy demeanor.

He actually searched your face for any sign of rejection. "I know it's a lot to take in," he said softly, his thumb brushing against your cheek. "But I wanted to tell you, not in this way; I've got to learn to also be more careful."

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you reached up to cup his face in your hands, sinking in his words. "It’s okay, Jake," you admitted, your voice trembling with emotion. "I just… I never imagined…"

Before you could finish your sentence, Jake leaned in to capture your lips in another kiss; this one was slower than the previous one. He pulled you closer with his hands on your waist; your hands rested on the back of his head. He pulled away this time, his gaze darting to the side like he used to do to gather his thoughts.

He went to your hands, holding them in front of his lips. “I wanted to tell you for a long time; I wanted to confess before all of this… Spider-Man thing. But then things changed. I changed.”

You stayed silent, giving him space to vent just like you were used to when it was your turn to be the shoulder he needed to lean on.

“I didn’t think being Spider-Man would be this big,” he continued, running a hand through his damp hair in frustration. “At first, it was just helping people—stopping small crimes, saving a cat from a tree. But then the bad guys started noticing, and suddenly, it wasn’t just me anymore. I’m part of the Avengers, and I had enemies. People who would do anything to get to me. And I would rather go to war than to put you in danger.”

“Jake…”

“You don’t know how many times I wanted to just blurt it out, but my mind simply remembered what could happen. What if they found out about you? What if they used you to get to me? What if they…” His voice cracked mid-sentence. Was he that terrified of you?

You forced yourself to let go of Jake's grip on your hands, this time putting your palms on his face and grabbing his face firmly. “I know what this means now, and I’m still here. I’ll be right next to you.”

“Are you sure? There’s no turning back.”

You nodded, “I don’t want to turn back.”

With a smile on your lips and love in your heart, you leaned into Jake's embrace, letting the warmth of his touch chase away the chill of the night as you watched the city skyline glitter in the rain.

“I don’t deserve you.”

You reached up, placing your hand against his chest, right on top of the spider in his suit. “You deserve to be loved, Jake. Not just as Spider-Man, but as you. And I’m glad that I love both of them.”

He gave you a smile before hugging you tightly. "Please write good news about me."

"Don’t worry, Jay is in charge of your paper, Spidey." You took the discarded Spider-Man mask on the floor and looked at it up close. “Wow, ‘Stark Industries.’ Fancy.”

“Give that back.” He tried to reach it; you were quick enough to put it behind your back teasingly.

“Come get it, Spidey,” you said, a smile on your face, not counting that his hand will go behind you to pull you closer for a quick peck. The sudden kiss caught you off guard, your breath hitching as Jake pulled away with a smug grin.

“Gotcha,” he murmured, snatching the mask from your hands before stepping back, twirling it around his finger.

“Cheater.”

He chuckles. “Nah, that was strategy. Plus I wanted to kiss you again.”

─── MY BABY IS OUT AND FREE! if you read something similar to this around april or may of last year, no worries, it was my work too and this version have way more stuff added (plus it's way better)

𓄴 𝐓aglist (mostly moots!): @hheeluv @awqken @taeghi @caratstick @021894s @hees-love @heechwe @intromortal @dollyyun @wwooyology @ja3yun @veilstqr @httpenhoon

[irenespring]

I am at this scene right now in my rewatch and it is DESTROYING ME like it always does.

Because one of Kerry's defining motivations is searching for family. Wanting to belong, to fit in somewhere, and to be loved. And she tries this in a number of ways, including trying to find her birth parents, her numerous failed attempts at entry into the ER found family unit, arguably her whole ambition that gets mistaken for pure Machiavellianism (that is a Much longer story).

Here she is literally trying to hire a father figure. She says she loves Lawrence like a father. In her mind this is the best thing ever to happen. She's still suffering from a completely self-caused social backlash (one of very few) in that deal she made with Romano, and here she can do what she always thought she could do but has never worked before and never will again: use her power to get people to love her! Her deal with the devil was worth it because now she can hire her dad! He can work with her! And now she isn't alone! She has someone in the building! Who cares about her!

And he says so. That is a huge deal. He tells everyone who will listen how great he thinks Kerry is and he tells her all the time he thinks she's amazing. He tells her fun little stories of their time working together. He compliments her intelligence and her leadership, and he respects her policies (even the goofy badge idea). Some of that is just to cover when he forgets things and needs her to focus on other stuff, but even then he means it. After years of constant mockery and constant rejection. Mockery and rejection from the people Lawrence is now praising her to. You can practically feel how elated she is to have him there through the screen. She has someone to talk to, someone who is always happy to see her. She really is just so happy. It's everything she ever wanted, going back to when she first hired that PI. She found a parent.

And then it crumbles. And she fucking grabs at the vanishing particles, the way she insists that no, it isn't possible, he isn't sick, he doesn't have to leave, please, don't make him, she needs him, please. Then, because the writers hate her and me and human decency, there's the knife twist that she has to fire him and he storms out on her. She is forced to wreck this relationship just like she has wrecked all her other ER relationships.

ER is supposed to be a found family. It hasn't been for Kerry, until Lawrence. Now she behaves exactly like the loved ones of patients who are going to die. Telling their clearly dying family members about miracle cures, telling them to hang on just a little longer. She can't let go. Because she was happy. More than that, she doesn't want to be alone again.

The suicide element, just as Kerry is working herself up about clinical trials and hope is a brilliant piece of writing. It is also fascinating given that Kerry is someone who is (or at least will be, I will probably write much more on this when I get to s8e1 because holy shit) periodically suicidal. Also the fact that the end of Lawrence's speech is "nobody coming to see me." This is also hell for Kerry. She understands this.

So the "I'll come and see you" is 1) True. When Kerry finds the woman she thinks is her mother in the nursing home, she cares for her arguably too well, beyond the woman's wishes. She sits by her bed. Talks to her. Spends every moment she can with her. Despite all evidence that woman: doesn't know where she is, who she is, doesn't know Kerry is there. Kerry will show up no matter what. 2) in Kerry's mind, enough. One person made all the difference for her these past couple episodes. Just to have one person there is a game changer.

There's something horribly ominous in the way the last scene of the episode isn't this scene but Jeanie packing up. I think it's supposed to be ending on a happier note, but it drives home that Kerry also lost HER ONE OTHER REAL FRIEND THIS EPISODE. She is now very isolated. She'll be pretty much alone facing the paradigm shift of season 7 (for the aftereffects of that, see my comment on s8e1).

In conclusion: The show loves to torture Kerry Weaver because it thinks it is either funny, moral, or standard-trope-so-who-cares to torture the neurodivergent lesbian, but this was actually very well done so it gets a pass. The tragedy here is peak.

[disguisedlurker]

Vi-Jinx, timebomb Reunion possibilities?

When I tell you that MV brought everything back full force, it really did. After watching the end of s2e9 again, I wanna kind of talk about the struggle I have both narratively and emotionally (lol) on a possible reunion in the future.

I think we all know Jinx is alive, so need to cover that, but she left mainly because of her inner conflict, even though the political situation of Zaun and Piltover is also something to consider.

This is why she doesn’t tell anyone she’s leaving, because she still believes she’s a ‘curse’, because there really isn’t a good reason she couldn’t let Vi and Ekko know before going off if anything else was the case.

Of course I’m excited to see what Jinx has in store for her in the future. With where her character is at now, you’d figure that in some future series it would show here figuring out who she is now, and what she wants in life. Have her start to believe she can get close to people without hurting them, so it will be definitely touching and great.

After this character arc, I start thinking about the possibility of there being a reunion. Before recently I tried (and failed) to made peace with the idea that Jinx, Ekko, and, Vi may never be on the same screen again.

There were many themes at the end of the show that made me believe this: “breaking the cycle” (of Jinx and Vi hurting each other), “walking away”, “to take a leap foward, means leaving a few things behind.”

It’s true that maybe what Jinx needs to be happy is to take that leap and leave Zaun behind for good, as in accordance with the shows themes. But then I think about if after she did complete this new character arc wouldn’t that still mean, somewhere deep inside, she believe that she is still a jinx if she never went back to at least tell her loved ones she’s alive.

I mean poor Vi. I was surprised she actually managed to crack a smile and give Cait that line about being the dirt under her nails, not that I blame her for being happy, of course, and maybe that also indicates that she’s allowed herself to be free of the constant burden she’s always putting on her shoulders which maybe undermines this point, but when I watched it again I was thinking how much Vi was gonna hate herself for what happened, and not listening to Jinx to jump to the other ledge (not that I blame her for that either, cause she’s always gonna try and reach her loved one, even crazy werewolf hybrids)

And Ekko too, who after years at each other’s throats, going to whole AU to understand her better, watching her kill herself like 4 times in front him, and helping her heal a little, has to go through losing her again.

It would be a good way to give some closure. Vi and Ekko knowing she’s alive and trying to live her life happily would be a huge relief for them, and they would be so happy and proud.

Jinx proving that she’s forgiven herself, showing that she doesn’t think she’s a curse to any of her loved ones by telling those close to her that’s she’s alive.

Of course both my Vi-Jinx, and timebomb heart hope they can stay together forever, but I think there’s a few things that get in the way.

Can she even really come back? Would Piltover grant her amnesty for saving them? I honestly don’t know. Vi would never leave for obvious reasons, nor would Jinx want her to. The only way I see Ekko leaving is if Zaun is in pretty good shape, but even then I don’t think he would leave the place he poured so much of his love and blood into.

Most importantly is Jinx just happier somewhere else.

So now I’m not sure how I think. The MV gave me hope for timebomb and the sisters because it felt so hopeful, and makes me think there can be a future together for all of them.

But thematically and practically then themes of: “breaking the cycle, “taking a leap forward”, the Piltover v. Zaun political situation, and maybe Jinx’s finding a home elsewhere, prevent any permanent reuniting.

[cheerfullycatholic]

Hi, sorry this might be a weird ask, but I’ve always liked your blog and I don’t really know who else to ask this. I went to a Catholic young adult group meeting last night, and I left it not sure if I even wanted to still be Catholic. For context, I’ve always struggled with my faith, and never really felt like I fit in in the Church. I thought this group might be a great way to connect with people — but when interacting with them, I felt like we had nothing in common at all. They were all extremely joyful and vocal about their faith — something I’ve never been (faith has always just felt sad for me). Many of them were married young and already had multiple children. It made me think of how badly I wanted a relationship, but have never had one due to being too lukewarm for Catholics, and too Catholic for secular guys. All of it together made me feel like I’m not a fit for Catholicism; that there’s something wrong with me, and I’d be happier away from the church if I didn’t have to struggle with all this doubt. It just brought all the doubts I’ve ever had about my faith to the surface again in an overwhelming way, and I really don’t know where to go from here….any advice or similar experiences from other people would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening, and sorry if this is kind of a lot❤️

I think feeling like you don't fit is more common than people talk about. I've personally never felt like I don't fit into Catholicism as a religion but I've felt a lot that I don't fit into many Catholic circles. It took me a long time to separate them both and realize that I don't have to fit in with people to be Catholic, that Catholicism is so much more than the people who represent (or misrepresent) it. It's Jesus's church, after all, he's the person who matters most, and he's for everyone. You should try to separate them, see which one you don't vibe with, and also read more into what the Church does and doesn't believe. That way you'll know if you actually don't feel like you're fit to be Catholic, or if it's the people that are the issue. Then, if it's the people, you could keep to yourself like I do, or try to find others who feel the same way you do, or something else. If it's the Church and her teachings, then you wouldn't have any doubts anymore (though I'd be sad to see you go. But I understand that it's your choice and I wouldn't hold it against you or anything)

[dsireland86]

YOU KNOW I'M REQUESTING SOMETHING 💗

I'm feeling I need some more Dad!Noah in my life. How about the reader is having her baby shower (she is more towards the end of her pregnancy). Noah shows up at the end with flowers for her, admiring her as she interacts with everyone. That night, the reader ends up going into labor. I just need to read some Dad!Noah. Him helping the reader through the labor, holding their baby for the first time, etc. I know you will work your magic 🥰

Author's Note:

As you can see, there are two requests attached to this one-shot. The first one is for a Tumblr bestie, and the second came in a few days ago, so I thought I'd tag team them both since they are a little bit the same yet a little. different. 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

Author's Note pt.2:

As I was writing this it took me back to the first Dad Noah fic I wrote; Beautiful Things, and the main idea of this new story kind of fits in well with that one. So I guess really, this is a part 2 to Beautiful Things. Thanks to my two lovelies who sent me both of these requests and helped me tap down deep into passionate fluff side of my brain. I'd been wanting to write something like it for a while.

You can read "Beautiful Things" HERE if you haven't yet 😊

The Unexpected

Tag list:

@philomenie @supersquirrel1996 @foliosgirl @angelmarie89 @fadingintothegrey @thisbicc @lacy1986 @dominuslunae @shayzillaaaa @mrsnoahsebastian @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @stardustsirenmelody @romanreigns-supreme @anything-more-than-human @into-the-grey @rumoured-whispers @myownthoughts12 @sister-sebastian @missduffsblog @bngurngheart @somebodyllelse @xxkittenkissesxx @dizzylmwahh @kenjipepsi1 @blackveilomens @chey-h @disappearintothegrey @jilliemiw86 @pathion @fear-its-beauty @an0mallly @potterheadquinn @alwaysfightforwhoyouare @montgomery-929494 @flowery-mess @bloody-spades @missduffsblog

If life had taught him anything in the past twenty-nine years, it's that nothing ever goes the way you plan for it to go. High school plans, college plans, job plans, personal life plans, family plans; none of it. Noah never intended on getting married so young, never intended on adopting a child before thirty and he never, ever thought that shortly after adopting their seven year old little girl, that his wife would get pregnant. They were told conceiving would be harder for them compared to most couples. But God had other plans and she did, and they were never happier than they were that day in the hospital as a family of three, watching the camera swirl over her bulging belly and seeing the beautiful little life moving around inside.

It was their creation, something that was made from the purest kind of selfless, passionate love that existed in the world. It was better than any music Noah ever wrote or any visual concept he came up with for a show. It was his and only his; the three of them. His two girls and... well...

"No, put that over there, it goes over on that table," the lady told Nicholas, who held the plate full of fresh fruit. He nodded and went straight to work, putting it in place and arranging the utensils and such around it accordingly.

"What about this?" Folio asked, hold up two bowls with what appeared to be tangled yarn and scraps of paper. The older lady smiled at him. "That goes over there on that table, dear. It's a game." She smiled again as Folio thanked her and headed over in the right direction.

"She called me dear," he gushed at Matt as he sat the bowls down on the table. "I think someone has a crush," Matt teased him. Folio turned around and looked back at the lady. She was still smiling at him then gave him a quick wink.

"Oh god! She just winked at you," Matt laughed, turning around quickly to hide his laughter. "Who winked at who?" Jolly asked, joining in on the conversation. "The lady over there who's probably old enough to be Folio's grandmother," Matt explained, still chuckling. Jolly looked over in her direction and grinned. "Well, if that's what grandmothers today look like, then sign me up. Damn!" Matt rolled his eyes. "Oh for god's sake," he groaned, no longer laughing.

"What's happening over here," her sweet voice rang out. The three guys turned and looked over at Noah's wife who was thirty-three and a half weeks pregnant with their new little niece or nephew. "Nothing Käraste," Jolly informed her, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Hmm? Doesn't look like nothing. Folio's cheeks are blood red," she pointed out with a smirk. Folio looked away even more embarrassed.

"How's this little one," Matt asked, placing a hand on the large bump, feeling the life inside move around.

"Still cooking," she sighed, taking a sip from her water cup.

"Hey, you, it's almost time for you to come out and meet your family. Hurry up so we can have your mommy back again. I need my assistant," Matt told the baby before planting a soft kiss on her belly.

"Is that all I'm good for, Matt Dierkes?" she chuckled.

"Well, that and cooking," he smiled.

"Oh, you dog!" she cried, punching Matt playfully in the shoulder.

After the adoption and the surprise pregnancy, teaching grew to be too much for her, so she took a temporary leave of absence from her job to focus more on her growing family. Nothing could've made Noah happier. He loved having his beautiful love near him everyday, where he could feed off her strength and support and not have to fight the monkey on his back that was hell bent on making his life hell. She was the constant flow of fresh water his soul needed. Then there was their daughter; a picture of pure resilience, strength, and sweetness. Her previous home life wasn't ideal, and there had been a lot of trauma involved, but after a few in-house meetings with her and the social worker, they both knew she was meant to be theirs. Luckily, the adoption process went smoother than any of them expected, another sign that it was meant to be, and in just a little over ten months, Noah and his wife were parents. A few months later they celebrated their little girl's seventh birthday, and nine weeks later found out she was pregnant. It was a whirlwind of events and all of it came and went so fast. But it was their life now. Their beautiful life.

"That was Noah," Nicholas said, once he was off the phone. "He said he tried calling you but you didn't answer."

"Typical," Jolly and Matt said in unison.

"Hey! It is not!" she cried in protest.

"Uh, yeah it kind of is," Folio agreed with a cheeky grin.

"Anyway, Noah said he's running late and to start without him. He's on the way."

Everyone nodded and dispersed, informing the hostess of the baby shower who was a co-worker and close friend of hers, of what was going on. She was nervous, thinking Noah wasn't going to make it in time. This wasn't just a baby shower. It was the day they revealed the gender of their sweet little one. She really needed him to be here with her for it. It was important, and Noah knew it. So, she took a breath and sat down, trusting in Noah to make it in time because he always did when it came to the important stuff. He never missed out.

Her daughter came skipping out of the house, following in the footsteps of her Uncle Brian, ready to help him take pictures. Photography was her new passion and with the small digital camera she got for her birthday, wherever Brian was with his camera, so was she.

The shower started and everything went smoothly. Noah made it in time, even managing to stop and get her a bouquet of her favorite flowers on the way. As he quietly walked through the house, past all the pictures on the mantle and walls, Noah stared out into the back yard with eyes searching for only one thing. Once he found his target, a wide smile sweeping across his face.

She never looked more beautiful to him than she did at that moment. Her hair was piled high on top of her head, she wore no makeup, and had the biggest, brightest smile on her face. She was graceful and kind, even though Noah knew how miserable she was feeling given the text she sent earlier, but the best thing about her was how she incorporated their daughter into just about everything she did. It moved Noah's soul, making his faith in God a little bit stronger. They still had crap to work out, but so far, he'd been good to Noah, and Noah was grateful. Matt stood behind her as the protector of her that he was, making sure she was safe and out of harm's way. Nicholas was right beside her taking the gifts as she opened them and Jolly was close by with a trash bag, collecting the wrapping paper as she handed it to Folio. Noah watched his family in sync with one another as tears filled his eyes. These unexpected, beautiful things just fell into his life, showing up at the perfect time and taking their proper places as puzzle pieces in the great puzzle of his life. He knew this was how his life was meant to be; a husband, a father, a brother, and a friend. If you had told him at fifteen when he left home that this would be his life thought, he would have laughed in your face and gave you the middle finger.

Her heart was racing. Noah wasn't here yet and it was almost time. The pain in her lower back wouldn't go away, giving her a lot of discomfort, and the pressure beneath her belly was a little stronger than it was an hour ago. Fighting the tears she continued smiling and being as gracious as she could be, but it was all starting to become a little too much. Nicholas could tell, from the look on her face and Matt could tell by her body language.

"You're not alright, what's wrong?" Matt asked, the concern thick in his tone.

"I'm not sure. But something is off. I need Noah. Like, I really need him. I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack," she whispered, taking a deep breath.

"Hey here he comes," Nicholas said, settling her fears instantly.

With Jolly's help, she stood up as Noah's arms caught her and swept her up in a strong, loving embrace. Noah breathed her in, burying his face against her neck. He whispered words of comfort and reassurance to her, instantly chasing away all the stress and fear that was rearing up inside her. He gave her the flowers, smiling when he saw the look in her eyes, and kissing her passionately. He felt the way her body relaxed, almost as if melting into him. She'd been needing him more than he realized and he cursed at himself for making her wait as long as he had. His daughter clung to his leg, begging for her daddy to pick her up, which he did, and brushed the loose brown curls out of her face. He kissed her cheek, giving her "daddy's funny kisses" as she called them, laughing at the way she wrinkled her cute button nose. Noah loved her laugh and hearing her call him daddy made his heart soar with so much pride.

Kissing his wife's forehead, they walked over to where the gender reveal would happen, placing his daughter down after telling her he had to help mommy. His wife leaned over some, clutching the lower part of her belly. The pain wasn't unbearable, but it was there, a slow, non-persistent pain that would come and go. She assured Noah she was fine, but he kept his arms around her just the same, standing behind her with his hands resting on her belly. She leaned back into him, knowing he was there to hold all of her weight and be her support. Noah wasn't going anywhere, and the thought made her cry. He was hers forever. This life they had built together was hers forever, and she felt like she had or never would love her husband as much as she did at that moment.

Jolly, Folio, Matt, and Nick did the honors of announcing the gender, with each one holding a covered confetti container. With Brian and their daughter ready to take pictures, they pulled the strings, and revealed the big secret; a girl.

He ran her a bath of hot water and helped her undress. After such an eventful day, she was past the point of exhaustion and still in a great deal of pain. Her lower back just wouldn't stop hurting, and the harsh pressure that was coming and going a little more rapidly now wouldn't let up. Noah said it was from being up and on her feet too much and pushing herself too hard, and he blamed himself for not being home to help her. He got in the bath first, then helped her in, slowly lowering her into the water. Even though he'd never helped or even been around a pregnant woman before, it seemed like Noah knew exactly what to do and how to do it for his wife. He slipped in behind her, pulling her back against his chest and feeling her entire body melt into him. The drastic difference of their skin was something Noah loved to see, her porcelain complexion against his dark, colored skin, making such a loud difference. Before he even touched her, he watched her belly move as the little hands and feet of his daughter moved so actively inside her mommy's tummy. When he touched her, though, the movements stopped, almost as if the baby had been begging to feel the touch of her daddy's hand.

She sighed, finally feeling a lot of much needed relief. Noah's hand traveled down beneath the water and over her sex and he grinned at the first little hitch in her breath that he heard. He knew what his wife needed and was more than willing to give it to her.

"Pull your legs up, princess," Noah whispered, and she did, full of eager anticipation for the much needed pleasure her husband was about to give her.

His hand found her sex, fingers floating over it slightly, searching for the one spot that would send her to heaven and back. Slipping a finger slowly inside her, Noah groaned deep within his chest at the slight gasped moan that fell out her mouth. Her head fell back against his shoulder as he worked her nice and gently, taking his time when slipping a second one in. His wife grinded against his fingers, desperately seeking for anything that was going to give her what she needed.

"You like that?" Noah asked quietly as she moved against him. Her hand found the back of his neck, and she gently pulled on the short locks that her fingers touched. "Mmm, god, you know I do, baby," she muttered. Her eyes were closed, completely focused on the feeling of her husband's fingers inside her, finding her g-spot so easily. "I love you so fucking much, princess," Noah groaned, feeling her clench and unclench her muscles around his fingers. Soon, he had her moaning beautifully, just for his satisfaction, giving him all the necessary will to make her have an orgasm. "I can't. It's not a good idea," she panted, wrapping her hands around his wrist. "Shhh, relax. It's totally safe, you know it is. You heard the doctor yourself, baby," Noah reassured her, kissing her temple. "Let me pleasure you, help you feel what a woman should feel like."

Noah thrusted his two middle fingers up inside her a little harder, and she made the sounds that only she could make that got him excited. His hands found her breast, so full and luscious, rubbing them just the right way that had her begging him not to stop. "You're about to cum, aren't you?" he asked sweetly, slipping his arm beneath hers then around the front of her chest to grip her shoulder. "Mmmhmm. Noah, please don't stop," she begged, digging her nails into the skin of her knees. "I won't," he promised, feeling almost at the edge himself. "Princess, keep moving against me like that. Don't stop," he muttered through gritted teeth and lips that were pressed against the skin of her neck. "Noah!" she cried softly, letting out a soft whimper as her orgasm swept over her. Noah kissed her neck, breathing her in deeply as he found his release, too, pulling her tight against his chest so they could chase the moment together.

He helped her out of the bath once he was dressed in a fresh pair of boxers and sweatpants. Noah's shy smile at her when she climbed out of the tub made her heart flutter, but that flutter turned into worry as he helped her dress into something comfortable. The tight pressure and harsh pain in her lower body returned, and she told Noah that something wasn't right. Doing her best to breathe through the pain, it hit her that she could possibly be in labor. Noah froze. It was still too soon. They still had two and a half weeks left. He shuck it off, suggesting maybe she just needed to lie down, so she agreed and took her husband's offered hand. But on her way over the bed, a sudden flow of water, almost as if she had peed herself, soaked her pants and made a small puddle beneath her feet.

"Oh god! Noah! I think my water just broke!

Noah flew like a bat out of hell to the hospital after waking their next-door neighbors and asking if they could watch their daughter. Noah was never more grateful for the kindness of others. He got her to the emergency room and told the lady at the front desk what was happening, and quickly, she called for help. This was it. This was the day Noah had only ever thought about, believing it could never happen for them. But it did, and as he watched his beautiful soon to no longer be pregnant wife, his heart exploded with joy. He held her close as they waited and wiped the few tears that slipped down her beautiful face when she looked up at him. Placing his hands on her belly, Noah got down on one knee and kissed it for the last time, knowing he was going to be holding the life inside shortly. The whole thing was too much for him and he found himself talking to his daughter as he cried softly and quietly. His wife watched in sheer bliss despite her discomfort, undeniably falling more in love with the man before her.

The nurses came, got her into a room, and helped her dress into the proper clothing shortly before the doctor came in. He checked her dilation and was pleased to say she was at a full nine centimeters, and it would only be a matter of time. Twenty-two minutes later, Noah watched his wife deliver their second child, bringing the third most beautiful thing to him into the world.

Pregnancy and birthing was a serious miracle that Noah would forever highly respect. It amazed him, watching his wife and child grow so fast in less than a year and nothing would ever compare to knowing what he knew about what a woman went through just to bring another life into the world. His wife was a force of nature, a warrior, and the bravest person he knew, and knowing he had three of the most powerful beings on the plant under his protection, he would never doubt his place or purpose in this world, ever again.

[violetjedisylveon]

Shadowpeach Angst AU, where after Lady Bone Demon is defeated...

Macaque does something he's planned to do since being revived; create a special potion that will make him forget Wukong and anything connected to Wukong (including MK)...

Macaque writes letters to MK + Mei + Pigsy + Tang + Sandy, as well as Red Son and his family... in the letters, Macaque apologizes to them, says he's gonna take a memory-erasing potion and says goodbye... (Macaque uses his shadow powers to sneak the letters into their homes)...

Wukong's letter says: "Be happy Wukong, you will never see me again..."

Macaque drinks the potion and forgets everything related to Wukong (but Macaque still remembers that he's a warrior, he owns a dojo and he has shadow plays)...

How would Wukong and the Others feel about these letters?

How would Wukong and the Others feel about a Macaque (who doesn't remember them) happily greeting them? ☺️

Oh I know the perfect way to twist this.

Erasing his memory of Wukong and everything connected to him ends up leaving him with very few memories from after meeting him, because once that, he stuck by his side and everything that happened to him was influenced by Wukong's presence.

So much of him is gone.

Unintended side effects of not thinking shit through clearly, dumbass.

Nothing was going to take away his dramatic theatre kid ass, that's in his bones.

He knows he's a fighter, a wanderer and a shadow user.

He doesn't know why his eye is fucked up, he figures it has something to do with being a fighter, and possibly something to do with the gap in his memory.

Macaque basically has memory repression, and the thing with that is patients know something is missing, they aren't actively avoiding the memories (that's memory suppression), and so they sometimes want to find out what's missing.

Given that no one but MK or Wukong really knew Macaque that well, it's kind of a half hearted apology and dodging the consequences of his actions.

MK is confused cause macaque did try to kill him and was an asshole, but he's good now, why's he doing this?

Wukong is extremely conflicted because on the one hand, it means Macaque won't attack his student anymore, and he did kill him, even if that was self defense and now macaque can be happier, and while he knows they could never get back what they had, now they can never even try to address their issues because of a reckless decision Macaque made.

Oh how the turn tables

MK and the crew are pretty chill when macaque shows up at the noodle shop after a day of theatre work, at first they think he's acting until they actually see him get upset at the thought of having hurt a kid, and quickly backpedal on that to just be confusing him for someone else, of course he's welcome.

They are all quick to recognize that this isn't the same person anymore, the Macaque they knew is functionally dead, so why punish this guy.

Happy times for the monkey man!

Macaque is doing great all things considered, sure he's got a massive gap in his memory, but he has a feeling it's all very unpleasant and he's okay like this.

Wukong is having the bad time because Macaque effectively died twice, once by his hand, and then by removing any trace of him. He lost him twice, but he's also happier without any memories of him, because he lost the majority of his trauma and has been reset to a happier more optimistic outlook on the world.

Sad times for the monkey man.

Macaque also doesn't know he is THE Six Eared Macaque, he assumes he's just a relative, or maybe a reincarnation if you wanna get really out there. He can't be that old, he doesn't feel that old.

Macaque is doing great and doing good things for the people around him now that all the baggage of his life has been taken out, and there aren't any side effects expect from the occasional bout of existentialism.

So for Wukong, the question becomes whether he tries to undo the memory spell, or just lets Macaque be with his fresh start, and also questioning if he has any right to do anything because this is a choice Macaque made, and he's ignored his choices enough in his life.

And now, maybe he could try to work on things with his ex-mate

If he ever got his memories back through someone making that choice for him, he'd be pissed, but if he choses to remember for himself, it'd be better, cause he gets to make a choice and have Wukong respect it and listen to him.

interesting one, thanks for asking!

[sonic-takeover]

Why do I get the feeling Egghead is gonna think of just the right thing to say to make nearly if not everyone at the table uncomfortable/offended.

*The dinner is awkwardly silent. The organic people are quietly eating their food while the mechanical people are watching. Alice is hanging out in the window outside the dining room, bored out of her mind. Rouge opens her mouth to say something, but Metal makes eye contact with her and she closes her mouth again*

.... Say, these croutons are magnificent! I really must compliment the chef!

Oh, thanks! They're storebought, though. They're um... the only part that is...

Oh! ...... How lovely.

*There's a long, drawn-out pause. The only sound is the clinking of silverware on plates*

.... Excellent work on the turkey, my dear. Did you do all of this yourself?

Thank you, heh.. Yes, I did.

I must know your secret! Is this your own recipe?

Well, I had a recipe, but I made some tweaks, so.. Sort of, yes!

Exquisite! I'll like a copy of that before I leave.

Sure! .......

*More awkward silence*

...Say, Sonic and Shadow!

No.

Congratulations on your new relationship! Still in the honeymoon phase, I see!

We started dating a couple days ago.

... Wow, so new! Have you heard about-

You and Stone's engagement? Yeah. We've heard. Congrats.

You simply must see the rings! Show 'em, Stone!

*They both put their hands out to show the gaudy rings. Rouge leans over the table to see closer*

Oooohhh~ How many karats is that?

Too many for you. Back off.

Hmph. *She crosses her arms, sitting back in her seat. She'll find a way to get those rings*

We couldn't be happier. Right, Doctor?

Yes, absolutely! We've achieved something no one at this table has done, which is commit!

Hey!

I've been in love with this idiot for years and never said a word. Know why? Because I loved him too much to risk losing him.

Awww, babe~

Yeah yeah, but you sure haven't put a ring on it, have you??

I will.

*Sonic grins, looking at Shadow* You will?

Yes. Now eat your food.

Not if I do it first~

.......Not yet. But challenge accepted.

Eheheh~

Oh great, everyone cares about them again. Hey! Did you know Stone and I are going to have the biggest wedding ever? It'll be oodles of fun! And none of you are invited! Hahahaha!

*Metal turns to face him* Father.

What!

Cease this attempt at starting a fight. You are making a scene.

I'm just being myself, Metal, isn't that what you wanted?

No. I wanted a peaceful meal with my family.

You have it. This is what it looks like.

*Metal stares angrily at him and Eggman stares back. Metal shakes his head and turns back to face the table. Amy takes his hand and he looks over at her. She looks worried. He squeezes her hand*

Jeez. Kids these days. Amiright, Shadow?

What the hell are you talking about.

.....Nothing, apparently. So Amy! What are your intentions with my son?

What?

Father, stop.

No, I'm serious! This is the whole reason we were all brought together, right?

Oh, um.. I guess so, yeah. I just.. assumed this conversation wouldn't be at the dinner table.. Um.. My intentions with Metal are to love him.

*Metal lifts his head, staring at her*

I want to be his companion and I want him to be mine. I want us to take care of each other and be there when the other needs a rock. I know it's a bit early to say this, but... I don't know if Metal wants to spend our lives together... But if he does, then I do too. *She looks over at him. His eyes have turned pink as he watches her. She squeezes his hand, smiling* ...I feel safe, loved, and supported when I'm with him.

....Well isn't that touching. Is he respectful to you? Does he open doors and such?

Hm? Oh, yes! He's the epitome of a gentleman, hehe! *She hugs Metal's arm*

Good. I was worried about that.

[larimared]

     "i   wish   i   knew   what   you   were   speaking   of."   catarina   gives   a   sad   laugh,   "i   had   an   older   brother   growing   up,   but   we   were   never   close.   even   if   they   get   on   your   nerve,   i   can   imagine   you   would   do   almost   anything   for   them?"   perhaps   it   was   the   benevolent   part   of   catarina,   but   she   always   hoped   to   see   the   greater   good   in   most   things.   her   childhood   was   not   wonderful,   it   was   not   a   dream,   and   catarina   had   come   to   terms   with   that   before   she   had   even   left   portugal.   what   she   did   not   have   growing   up,   she   tried   to   see   in   the   large   families   of   the   ton.   were   they   all   happy   with   one   another?   did   they   enjoy   having   an   abundance   of   siblings   to   confide   in   and   protect?      catarina   supposed   she   would   never   find   out   and   at   this   point,   she   was   as   okay   with   it   as   she   could   ever   be.      "i   am   very   glad   to   be   here,   lord   sinclair.   it   is   always   a   treasure   to   do   arrangements   for   the   ton.   you   all   have   such   beautiful   homes   that   can   only   be   made   better   with   the   perfect   flowers.   though,   i   hope   i   have   not   gone   too   overboard.   working   balls   are   always   a   feat   and   make   me   feel   like   i   must   give   a   fantastical   world   to   the   guests."   she   was   now   one   of   them,   something   that   still   did   not   seem   at   all   real.   "sometimes   i   do   detest   it,"   catarina   laughs,   "i   believe   it   is   the   taste.   i   much   prefer   wine   and   whiskey   over   any   others."      catarina   wonders   how   much   weight   he   has   to   hold   on   his   shoulders.   it   must   be   great   and   she   could   understand   to   some   degree.   she   was   the   only   woman   born   to   her   parents,   she   was   to   marry   rich   and   give   her   parents   money,   give   them   a   good   life.   there   was   always   a   world   of   expectations   for   her   to   be   a   certain   way   or   act   a   certain   way   and   in   many   ways,   catarina   felt   connected   to   atticus   because   of   this.   “then   i   must   echo   only   the   kindest   words   i   can   to   you.   it   might   not   work   and   if   it   really   does   bother   you,   i   will   always   stop,   but   sadness   is   not   a   good   look   on   anyone.”   her   whole   life   was   sadness   and   catarina   chose   to   do   something   for   herself.   to   try   and   be   happier.   it   did   not   change   her   life   completely,   but   it   gave   her   a   sense   of   purpose,   something   to   live   for.      atticus'   small   laugh   makes   her   laugh,   it's   a   gentle   giggle   as   she   takes   his   offered   hand.   catarina   had   not   danced   in   quite   some   time.   she   rarely   did   so   with   her   husband,   but   she   still   loved   it   all   the   same.   the   movement   to   the   non-existent   music   was   awkward,   however   catarina   would   always   do   her   best.   "average!"   she   scoffs   as   they   shuffle   around   the   balcony.   "if   i   were   your   dancing   master   i   would   be   so   very   impressed.   perhaps   i   am   it   tonight!"   her   delight   could   be   heard   from   miles.   "are   there   things   that   do   interest   you,   my   lord?   if   i   am   to   be   in   your   arms   for   this   dance,   i   am   sure   it   would   be   best   to   know   you   a   bit   more."

atticus thought back to the years where he was much younger, where his family was a little more...lively. the power of youth flowing through all of them. the youngest were children, just barely out of being babies. times of them calling him mean or angry. it was fitting for children, but he couldn't help but grow actually angry at them for that. now it was merely eye rolls and curt words at worst. he did very much love and care for all of his siblings. he was just awful at showing it. "they are as siblings are. constantly and without restraint. but i love them."

a shrug. "it is not untrue and i am very happy to have you here with all of your expertise. and your kind words," a small, almost thin, smile appeared on that. something a little more natural. her words would have normally made him stiffen up, grow colder. he would ask what she meant, how she could know despite having just met not long ago. but instead, atticus merely shrugged once more. "i can show you when i know myself why i detest it most days.

"you can try. but i just echo words told to me over the years." atticus sinclair was not made fun of very often. maybe when he was very small, but he had grown into himself from an early age. but those words were not insults. they were shared by staff, older family members, those who thought he wouldn't hear. or those who didn't care. his face was constantly locked into a position of impassive neutrality. and when it did smile, it looked forced. along with any joy or pain in his voice. "but no matter what, i do appreciate you trying. it is very kind of you to do so. really."

this comment made him laugh. breathless, quiet, immediate start and end. "one is from me, about the charms. the looks is from my brothers. i admit it is more of of a joke about the looks." a pause, eyebrows furrowed. "i...see no reason why we couldn't dance. but know. i do not mean i am bad at dancing. just that i am...am. it is perfectly average," but all the same he offered her his hand.

[theerurishipper]

Honestly, I do love Dick as Nightwing and Bruce and Dick's complicated relationship, but sometimes I like the old days when things were sweet and simple you know? When it was just them and Alfred and they all had fun with each other. Like when they blew off boring parties to go on patrol by using Dick's bedtime as an excuse. When Bruce let Dick go off on his own and said he was allowed "a little escapade" and ruffled his hair. When Alfred always brought coffee and "turkey sandwiches with Swiss cheese" to the Batcave while Dick and Bruce happily talked about their nightlife escapades. When Dick would make Bruce laugh regularly.

When they discussed Hamlet while riding in the Batmobile. When Alfred picked Dick up from school and dropped him off on dates and helped him go behind Bruce's back on cases. When Dick and Bruce would play fight with each other. When Dick made Batman's meetings with Gordon "more optimistic." When Bruce was being a helicopter parent and wanting to know why Dick would want to go to a public school. When Dick would sneak off with Clark when Bruce wanted him to stay back to finish his homework, and Clark did it for him before Bruce noticed. When Bruce teased Dick about his failed date, and they talked about it and their love lives. When Bruce apparently told stories about Joker to Dick during rides in the Batmobile. When Dick was actually the one who named the aforementioned Batmobile. When they would banter even in between a serious case. When Dick would cling onto Bruce to annoy him. When Dick was contemplating how alone he felt, and Bruce just showed up to catch him and do a routine on the trapeze with him. When Bruce would call Dick "kiddo." When Dick even called him stuff like "Bruce-ter." When Bruce used to call Dick "chum." I miss those days.

Yeah a lot of these are from Robin: Year One but that's just because it's the one I remember most. But there's a lot of them just having a good time and it doesn't feel like we see a lot of that anymore.

[numberoneanika]

Honestly the roleplay blogs are stronger than I am because if I saw a post where people were saying my blog was annoying and calling me corny I would jump in a large pit and rot away

[muu-kun]

marine serre

[pencilcult]

monday night i decided to rewatch poor things instead of sleeping and it is the best decision i've ever made in a long fucking while

[inkskinned]

the tradwife movement is the same as it has always been - back in the kitchen, back to breeding - it just has better branding.

when i was younger, i hated pink. i was not like other girls. this is now something i'm embarrassed of - this was not me being a "girl's girl."

but it was expressing something many of us felt at the time: i literally wasn't what girlhood was supposed to be. this is a hard thing to explain, but you know when you're not performing girlhood correctly. it isn't as easy as "i liked x when girls liked y" - because there were other girls that liked x, too - but i never figured out exactly the correct way to like x, or to be interested in y.

now there is the divine feminine. this is the same rhetoric it has always been: women are biologically driven to like pink and ribbons and submitting to our husbands.

the problem is that the patriarchy found a better PR team. because yes, actually, i want every woman to have the choice to be a homemaker. i also want her taken seriously for her legitimate home-making labor. i want her to be recognized as also having a job, just unpaid. i want men to have this opportunity, too.

but it is no longer "i made this choice and I love it." instead it is a sixteen-paragraph rant about how selfish it is that my generation isn't having kids. instead it's long videos about how if you feed your children processed foods, you're going to kill them. instead it is "this is what womanhood is supposed to be. i feel bad for any other choices you're making."

the shame spiral is just prettier. it is large houses devoid of personality. it is the implication: if you don't have this, you aren't happy. the solid, everlasting assurance: women are actually supposed to be submitting. this is the default. this is the natural state of things. all other attempts inflict suffering.

but you can no longer say i'm not like other girls. you can no longer reject this image completely. you cannot find it revolting, even if you know that the underbelly is toxic and festering. sure, it is the same repackaged patriarchy. but the internet does not have shades of grey. you should support and reward other women! your disgust is actually internalized misogyny. not because you are seeing a vision of yourself the way they're trying to train you to be. not because you feel her ghost pass within an inch of your earlobe. not because your father will eventually ask you - why can't you be like her?

because they figured out how to make it beautiful: women will sell other women on this idea, and we will find the singular loophole in feminism. sure, she's shaming you in most of her videos. sure, she implies that a different life is obscene. but she just wants you to be happy! you'd be happier if you were listening!

and the whole time you're sitting there thinking: i'd actually just be happier if i had that kind of money.