#Best womens gi
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umairrizwan1 · 1 year ago
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Are there any recommended alterations for women's BJJ gis?
Introduction
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. As the popularity of BJJ continues to surge worldwide, the demand for specialized gear, particularly BJJ gis, has grown significantly. However, while the market offers various options for women's BJJ gis, many practitioners find that off-the-shelf options may not always fit their unique body shapes or preferences perfectly. This article aims to explore the recommended alterations for women's BJJ gis, considering both performance and comfort factors.
Understanding the Importance of a Properly Fitted Gi
In BJJ, a properly fitted gi is not just a matter of aesthetics but also crucial for optimal performance and comfort during training and competition. Ill-fitted gis can impede movement, cause discomfort, and even affect one's ability to execute techniques effectively. For women, finding a gi that fits well can be particularly challenging due to variations in body shapes and sizes.
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Recommended Alterations for Women's BJJ Gis
Sleeve Length Adjustment: Many women find that standard gi sleeves are too long, leading to excess fabric that can interfere with grips and movement. Shortening the sleeves to the appropriate length can prevent this issue and provide a better range of motion.
Additionally, altering the circumference of the sleeves to ensure a snug fit around the arms can help prevent opponents from gaining advantageous grips.
Jacket Waist and Torso Adjustments: Women with narrower waists and broader hips may find that standard gi jackets are too loose around the waist, leading to a sloppy fit and potential vulnerability during grappling exchanges. Tailoring the jacket to cinch in at the waist can provide a more secure and comfortable fit. Similarly, adjustments to the torso area can address issues related to excess fabric or tightness, ensuring that the gi conforms to the body without restricting movement.
Pants Length and Waistband Modifications: Pant length is a common concern for women, as standard gi pants often come in lengths that are too long, requiring hemming to avoid tripping hazards and unnecessary fabric bunching. Additionally, alterations to the waistband can address fit issues for women with smaller or larger waist sizes, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit without the need for constant readjustment during training.
Shoulder and Back Width Alterations: Women with narrower shoulders may find that standard gi jackets have excess fabric in the shoulder and back areas, which can restrict movement and feel cumbersome. Tailoring these areas to fit more closely to the body can improve overall comfort and mobility. Conversely, women with broader shoulders may require adjustments to prevent the gi from feeling too tight or restrictive in these areas.
Fabric and Stitching Considerations: In addition to alterations to the fit, women may also consider the type of fabric and stitching used in their BJJ gis. Lightweight and breathable fabrics can help regulate body temperature and prevent overheating during intense training sessions. Reinforced stitching in high-stress areas, such as the sleeves and pant seams, can enhance durability and longevity, ensuring that the gi withstands the rigors of regular training and competition.
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Benefits of Customized Alterations
Customizing a Womens BJJ gi to fit individual body types and preferences offers several benefits:
Improved Performance: A properly fitted gi allows for better range of motion, grip control, and overall mobility, enhancing performance during training and competition.
Enhanced Comfort: Tailoring the gi to fit snugly without being restrictive minimizes discomfort and distractions, allowing practitioners to focus fully on their technique and training goals.
Increased Confidence: Wearing a gi that fits well and flatters one's body can boost confidence and self-esteem both on and off the mats, contributing to a positive training experience.
Long-Term Investment: While custom alterations may require an initial investment of time and resources, a well-fitted gi is likely to last longer and provide greater value over time compared to off-the-shelf options that may need to be replaced more frequently due to fit issues or wear and tear.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, recommended alterations for women's BJJ gis can significantly improve performance and comfort by addressing fit issues and accommodating individual body shapes and preferences. Whether it's adjusting sleeve length, jacket waist, pant length, or other key areas, customizing a gi to fit well can enhance the overall training experience and contribute to greater confidence and success on the mats. As the popularity of women's BJJ continues to grow, the demand for tailored gear solutions is likely to increase, underscoring the importance of recognizing and addressing the unique needs of female practitioners in the martial arts community.
FAQ’s:
Q1. Why is it important for women to customize their BJJ gis?
A: Customizing BJJ gis ensures a proper fit that enhances performance and comfort during training and competition. Off-the-shelf options may not cater to the unique body shapes and preferences of female practitioners, leading to fit issues that can impede movement and cause discomfort.
Q2. What are some common fit issues that women experience with standard BJJ gis?
A: Women often encounter fit issues such as excessively long sleeves, loose jackets around the waist, pants that are too long, and excess fabric in the shoulder and back areas. These issues can affect mobility, grip control, and overall comfort during grappling exchanges.
Q3. How can alterations to sleeve length improve performance in BJJ?
A: Shortening the sleeves of a BJJ gi prevents excess fabric from interfering with grips and movement, allowing for better range of motion and control during techniques. Additionally, adjusting the sleeve circumference ensures a snug fit that prevents opponents from easily breaking grips.
Q4. What are the benefits of custom alterations for the waist and torso area of a gi jacket?
A: Custom alterations to the waist and torso area of a gi jacket provide a more secure and flattering fit for women with narrower waists and broader hips. Cinching in at the waist prevents the jacket from riding up or shifting during grappling exchanges, reducing vulnerability and distractions.
Q5. Why is it important to address fit issues with pant length and waistband adjustments?
A: Proper pant length prevents tripping hazards and fabric bunching, while waistband adjustments ensure a secure and comfortable fit without constant readjustment during training. These alterations contribute to overall mobility and confidence on the mats.
Q6. What considerations should be made regarding fabric and stitching in women's BJJ gis?
A: Choosing lightweight and breathable fabrics helps regulate body temperature and prevent overheating during intense training sessions. Reinforced stitching in high-stress areas enhances durability and longevity, ensuring that the gi withstands the rigors of regular training and competition.
Q7. How can customized alterations to a BJJ gi benefit female practitioners in the long run?
A: Customized alterations may require an initial investment of time and resources, but they result in a well-fitted gi that lasts longer and provides greater value over time. Improved performance, comfort, and confidence contribute to a positive training experience and long-term success in BJJ.
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aloysarrow · 1 year ago
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This is not a popular take, I guess, but Ei wasn't a horrible and irredeemable archon. If I've got the lore right (I did play the archon quest but it's been a while), she was an archon who put a puppet in her place but that puppet just more or less ruled normally I think? The vision hunt decree didn't even start until one year prior to the traveler's start at the beginning of the game and even then she genuinely thought it was for the best for her people. And when presented with evidence, she was rational and changed her mind away from rigid "eternity." Like she's not thoughtless. And even with Scaramouche/Wanderer, she decided to not use him because he had sentience? So like, good? Or at least neutral, yall can be mad that she essentially abandon her son but Albedo was abandoned by his creator too and yall aren't frothing at the mouth over his mom.
I don’t hate Venti (I don't care about him, really), but if crimes are crimes, bro literally allowed human trafficking, slavery, and human sacrifice to exist in Mondstadt while he fucked off for a few hundred years. Idc that he was sleeping lol, I think that's the story, dude is a god and he just abandoned his nation. Crimes are crimes right?
Like be equal in your hate for the genshin archons or just say you hate her personality lol. You don't have to like her personality lol
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charmedimsure · 3 months ago
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Hello! Can I order a Dae Ho one-shot? about the reader who comes to the game pregnant and meets Dae Ho there and they have some kind of connection and he tells her that when they get out of there he would like to be with her and the baby.
thank you and happy new year <3
*slams bell* ORDER UP! (im sorry that was so cringey)
THE THREE OF US || kang dae-ho
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pairing: Kang Dae-ho x f!reader
summary: Trying to make it out of the games with both you and your baby's lives, you meet a man who is determined to help.
word count: 6.3k (i did not expect it to be this long thats what she said)
warnings: pregnancy, guns, death, blood, squid game stuff
A/N: i love jun-hee, but the reader replaces her in this fic. reader has no connection to myung-gi (333). if you find any mistakes no you didn't <3
Part 2: After the Games
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The second game is about to start, and time is running out for you to find a team. You've approached a few groups, but have been turned away by all of them. Turns out most groups don't want women on their team.
Out of the corner of your eye you spot the man who had won these games before, along with the man who beat up those other players the day before. Figuring you might as well take a shot, you approach them.
Just as you get to them, a handsome man comes running over, pulling a player along behind him. "Sir! I got someone! He'll definitely risk his life to win."
The man he brought salutes the others. "Victory at all costs!"
The shorter man in the group, player 390, smiles and salutes back. "Hey, were you in the Marines?"
"Class 946, sir!"
Player 390 laughs. "Boy, with three ex-Marines, we'll be invincible." He turns to players 001 and 456. "What do you think? I like him."
Great, you think to yourself. Now they get to pick between an ex-Marine and a woman who can barely stand for more than 20 minutes at a time. Still though, this is a good team, and you'll be damned if you don't at least try.
"Excuse me," you say, getting the group's attention. "Please let me join your team."
Player 390 speaks up. "Sorry, we've already got five people."
Fuck it. Time to pull out the big guns.
"Please help me," you plead, leaning back a bit and putting your hand up to your swollen belly. "I'm pregnant."
All five men grow silent as they look down to your stomach.
<>
"Time for team selection is up."
You can feel the stares of your new team on you as the second game is announced. You just look forward, trying to listen to voice.
"The game you will be playing is Six-Legged Pentathlon. You will start with your legs tied together. Each player will take turns playing a mini-game at every ten-meter mark, and if you win, the team can move on to the next one. Here are the mini games. Number one, Ddakji. Number two, Flying Stone. Number three, Gong-gi. Number four, Spinning Top. Number five, Jegi. Your goal is to win all the mini-games and cross the finish line in five minutes. Please decide players for each mini-game."
Player 390 turns to his friend. "It's good that we got a woman." He turns to you. "You can play Gong-gi, right?"
You give him a sorry look as you shake your head.
His smile falters. "Don't girls play Gong-gi anymore?"
You look down at the sand. "I've played it, but I was never good at it."
You can see the disappointment on his face as he nods.
Player 388 takes a deep breath as he turns toward 390. "Actually, I can play Gong-gi."
390 gives him a confused look. "You? And ex-Marine?"
You give 390 a weird look. Is it really that hard to believe that a military man has played a kid's game before?
388 gets embarrassed. "I grew up with four older sisters. I used to play it with them from time to time."
You smile, thinking it's sweet that he used to play games with his sisters.
390 claps him on the back. "That's right. There's nothing a Marine can't do."
Player 456 leans forward to look at all of you. "Everyone else, what game are you confident playing?"
You take a deep breath. Jegi was the game you were best at growing up, but you don't think you'll be able to play it in your condition. You lean forward as well. "I can play Ddakji. At the subway station I flipped the guy's on my first try."
390 nods. "Okay. Miss 222, you can play Ddakji. I'll play Flying Stone. I was a pitcher for my baseball team. I'm good at throwing."
As 456 and 001 decide who will play Jegi and who will play Spinning Top, 388 turns to you.
"Did you really beat him on the first try? It took me at least eight."
You breathe out a laugh and give him a small smile. "Yeah. I probably could have paid off my debt if he had let us keep playing." Your smile falters as you rest your hand on your swollen stomach. "It would have been safer for the baby."
388 frowns sympathetically and scoots a bit towards you. "We will get out of here. And after that, we will go home. You and your baby will be safe."
Although you don't completely believe him, you still give him a smile and thank him for his kind words.
You feel movement in your stomach and let out a small yelp at the unexpected feeling, looking down towards your hand.
"Are you alright? What happened?" 388 asks, concern clear on his face.
With a smile, you lift your head to look at him and the others who have directed their attention to you. "I felt the baby kick."
Player 388 breaks out into a smile as he looks to your belly, seemingly fascinated by what is happening inside of you.
Player 001 lets out a loud laugh. "The baby wants to play Jegi."
You let out a chuckle as the men laugh. You made a good choice asking these players for help.
"All right guys, bring your hands together," 390 says, sticking his hand out in front of him. "All together now."
You need to scoot over a bit, but you put your hand on the pile on top of 388's, who gives you a shy smile.
"On three, we go, 'Victory at all costs.' One, two, three..."
"Victory at all costs!"
<>
The walls open and forklifts are brought in holding boxes with pink bows on top. You watch as the bodies of both teams are separated from each other and placed into each box. One team had made it past the fourth mini-game, while the other had only just finished the second. Both teams were executed.
The bodies are eventually cleared out, but the blood remains on the track. The second team lines up and you recognize the sweet old lady who had given you her egg this morning, as well as her son. Shit, you really hope they make it.
The gun fires and they're off. The first girl, player 095, looks so nervous I'm worried she won't be able to throw the Ddakji. Her first three attempts fail, and she looks as though she won't be able to continue. Player 120 whispers something to her and she nods. She picks up the Ddakji, turns in over in her hand, and smacks it to the floor. Success.
The group celebrates as they move on, and you make a mental note of that little trick for when it's your turn.
Next is player 007, the son. He throws the stone and misses. Instead of panicking like the past groups, they quickly grab the stone and move backwards to the line, saving lots of time. As 007 is preparing to throw the stone again, his mother whispers something to him. A look of anger washes over his face.
"That asshole ruined my fucking life!"
A perfect hit. The entire crowd cheers as they advance to the next mini-game. You smile to yourself. They can do this.
Next is the mother playing Gong-gi. She drops her first two tries. You're guessing it must be at least a few decades since she last played.
"Old hag! What are you doi-"
Player 120 puts her hand over player 044's mouth to shut her up.
You watch as 007 speaks to his mother. With a new look of determination in her eyes, she blasts through Gong-gi until she needs to make the final catch. You and player 388 sit on your heels to get a better look. Her son speaks to her again, and face turns to one of rage.
"Rotten bitch!"
All five pieces end up in her hand.
"She did it!" Player 390 says, getting to his feet, 388 following after him. You try to get up but fall back as you lose your balance. Player 388 notices and holds your arms to help you up, keeping a hand on your back to keep you steady as you stand to watch the next game.
044 fumbles the top as she's wrapping it, but quickly retrieves it and tries again. She fumbles a few more times before stopping. Her team freaks out as she stands there mumbling to herself.
A gasp rings out through the crowd as 120 slaps 044 twice, picking up the fallen top and pointing it threateningly at 044's eye.
"Oh shit," you say under your breath.
Player 044 wipes away the blood streaming from her nose and tries again the wrap the string around the top. She gets it on her first throw and the crowd screams in joy as they move to the next one. Everyone is standing now to watch, chanting along to each step.
Player 120 is handed the Jegi and requests that everyone turns around. Not wanting to mess them up, everyone turns without hesitation. The room is silent besides the sound of the Jegi hitting 120's shoes.
Once. Twice. Three times. Four times. Five times.
It's done! They did it!
The rooms bursts into screams as the team crosses the finish line at the last second. You turn and hug 388 in pure joy as he jumps up and down. He quickly pulls away so he doesn't do anything to harm the baby, but keeps his arm around you as he celebrates with 390.
The teams keep going, with everyone celebrating the wins and wincing at the gunfire until it is finally your turn.
As you walk to the starting position, a hand gently grabs your wrist and you turn to see player 388. "Make sure to be careful. Take it easy and don't strain yourself."
You nod with a small smile and thank him, taking your spot in the outer ring of the small track. You take deep breaths as the harnesses are secured around your ankles.
"It's a little sad that we have no audience, isn't it?" 390 says, worry in his voice. He nudges 388. "Hey, are you scared?"
"No sir!" 388 yells, making you jump a bit as you were not expecting it. "It's quiet and easier to focus without anyone watching."
390 looks towards the other team. "Hey guys! We'll see you again at the finish line! Victory at all costs!"
The other team yells back their thanks and support before the pistol is fired and you're off.
When you approach the first mini-game, you take the blue tile and turn it over in your hand to match 095's. Throwing it hard at the floor, you yell in delight as the red tile flips over.
You move on to the next game, holding your stomach as you walk.
As 390 takes the stone, 388 yells out "Let's get this done the first time! I believe in you!"
"When I played baseball, my pitches might have been slow, but I had excellent ball control." You watch as the stones collide and yell out in victory as you move to the next one.
388 takes the Gong-gi pieces and you all crouch down.
390 faces him. "Dae-ho, stay calm. Even if you mess up..."
Player 388, or Dae-ho, puts his finger over his mouth to shush him before facing the board, rolling his wrist a few times and dropping the pieces. As quickly as he can, Dae-ho flawlessly gets through the game and catches all five pieces. You and your team members look at each other in awe of what you just watched. It seems that even Dae-ho can't believe he did it.
He lets out a scream as the guard confirms that he passed.
"That was amazing!" Player 390 yells. "Dae-ho, my boy!"
As you move to the fourth mini game, Player 390 looks down at you. "You're expecting, so be careful."
You nod but try to keep your pace, leaning on the small green table once you get to where you need to be.
As player 001 wraps the string around the top, Dae-ho bounces excitedly. "We might get through everything on the first attempt!"
Player 001 throws the top and it falls lazily to the floor as you all frown.
"It's okay, we have enough time," 456 says. "Let's go pick it up. Ready, go."
You all move forward together to grab the top. "No fun passing everything without a hitch," 390 says.
"That's right," 388 confirms. "You can't grow without failure, right?"
You guess he's right, but it would've been nice to pass everything easily. At least you still have three minutes left.
001 grabs the top and you move back to your spots. On his next throw you watch helplessly as the top flies behind your group. You would have laughed in any other situation.
Player 001 apologizes and you move back to grab the top, with 001 taking his sweet time to pick it up. To save time, he tries wrapping it as you walk forward again, but he breaks out of the arm link in frustration. This time he throws it as soon as it is wrapped. It doesn't spin, but at least it lands directly in front of him so you don't have to move again.
Player 456 picks up the top as 001 sighs in frustration. "What the hell is wrong with me?" He screams and you gasp when he starts slapping himself and calling himself an idiot.
456 takes his arms to stop him. "Try to remember the times when you had fun playing this."
001 nods and takes the top and string again. You take the time to look at the clock and feel a wave of worry wash over you when you see that you have less than a minute left. This time, 001 throws the top with his left hand and it spins perfectly on its axle.
You yell in joy as you quickly links arms again and move to the last game. Player 390 checks on you again as you move, and you just wave him off. The stress can't be good for the baby, but it's definitely not as bad as a bullet.
456 grabs the jegi and moves the pink soldier out of the way. He throws it up.
One hit. Two hits. Three hits. Four hits...
You watch in horror as the jegi flies in front of 456. Quickly, 001 kicks his foot out, making you all almost fall as the jegi lands on top of 456's left foot.
"Pass."
You all yell out victoriously and quickly move, crossing the finish line with a second to spare.
As you're all hugging each other, you flinch at the sounds of gunshots coming from the other side of the room. The other team didn't make it.
The main room is oddly quiet as you walk in. As happy as everyone was to see people pass while watching the games, they don't seem to be very happy about it now. Player 390 next to you waves at someone, and you look in the direction to see the woman and her son.
"That sweet old lady," he says with a smile. "I miss my mom."
You smile at the lady and bow your head to her as she gives you a big smile and two thumbs up.
As you sit down to rest and wait for the pink soldiers, 001 speaks up. "I'm sorry about earlier, everyone."
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have made the last kick," 456 says and you nod.
001 looks at you. "Player 222, are you feeling alright?"
You nod. "Yes. Thank you all for letting me be on your team."
Dae-ho smiles shyly and nods.
"She smashed that ddakji and flipped it on her first try, that was impressive," 390 says, making you smile at the praise. "She did great, even while carrying a baby. We were lucky she joined our team."
Dae-ho nods. "What about your Flying Stone play? You hit it with one shot! With an underhand pitch at that! Bam!" You let out a small laugh as he reenacts 390's throw. "You were like Kim Byung-hyun."
"And you?" 390 says. "Was Gong-gi the only game you ever played?" He quickly moves his hand around to imitate Dae-ho. "I could barely see your hand. It was like a martial arts movie."
Dae-ho laughs. "I'm the only son for two generations. My mom only let me play at home with my sisters."
"And yet they let their precious son join the Marines?" 390 questions.
Dae-ho hesitates. "My father's idea, he wanted me to be more of a man. He fought in the Vietnam War, you see."
"He sounds like a great man," 390 says and Dae-ho nods. "Was he a Marine, too?"
You can see the discomfort on Dae-ho's face and he quickly excuses himself from answering the question, instead standing up to face everyone. "Listen. Perhaps we should learn each other's names. I still don't know your names, gentlemen." He smiles a bit more when he looks to you. "Or your's, Miss. I'll start. I'm Kang Dae-ho. 'Dae' means 'big', 'ho' means 'tiger'."
"'Big tiger.' Cool name," 390 says. "My name is Park Jung-bae. 'Righteous' and 'twice'. My parents wanted me to be twice as righteous."
You go next, stating your name for the group. "I don't know what it means, though."
001 says your name, getting your attention. "When you get out of here, go see a doctor right away. You've been under a lot of stress. You need to get yourself checked out."
You nod. "Okay."
"I'm Oh Young-il," 001 says. He points out how it sounds like his number and the group laughs at the coincidence. Young-il turns to 456. "Oh, Gi-hun, what's your last name?"
"My name is Seong Gi-hun," Gi-hun says.
"'Seong' literally means 'last name'," Young-il laughs aloud by himself.
A loud buzz is heard and the guards enter the room. After revealing the results of the game and announcing the next vote, your team turns to each other.
You look down at the red X on your track suit, and look up to see the blue 'O' on Dae-ho's. He sees your gaze and frowns down at his patch.
"I'm telling you, we'll get out this time," he says to the team, though he is mainly looking at you. He looks down at his patch again and curses under his breath. "A Marine should think strategically and know when to retreat." He puts a hand on Jung-bae's shoulder. "Isn't that right, brother?"
"Yeah, you're right," Jung-bae says weakly. "Marines aren't invincible. We should get out." Despite saying this, the look on his face and the nervousness in his tone contradict his words.
"We have to end the games here," Gi-hun says. He turns to look at you. "I will help you guys when we get out. Please trust me and support this vote."
You smile and nod in thanks.
"Guys, all huddle up again," Dae-ho smiles as he sticks out his hand.
"Victory at all costs."
<>
You frown as the buzzer goes off one last time. There had been some... complications during the voting. This lead to the final vote being 116 for X and 139 for O. Standing next to Dae-ho, you don't miss the look of betrayal on his face as he looks over to Jung-bae with the blue patch on his chest.
Dae-ho lets out a loud sigh as you eat your bread. "Brother! Brother Jung-bae!"
You can see Jung-bae tense up from his spot behind the beds.
With a sigh, Dae-ho stands up and approaches the man. "Hey, just come back here."
"No, I'm good here," you hear Jung-bae answer. You roll your eyes.
"Oh, come on." Dae-ho grabs Jung-bae and drags him to face the group.
He stops and stares at you all before speaking. "I'm sorry. I borrowed some emergency cash, and the creditors are harassing my ex-wife and kid. If I play one more game, I think I'll be able to settle my debt."
"Jung-bae," Young-il addresses the man sadly. "You of all people shouldn't have done it. It's not twice as righteous." He sighs before continuing. "But, looking at the results, even if you had voted against, we would still have been outvoted."
Jung-bae jumps at this. "Right? It's not entirely my fault."
"Alright," Dae-ho steps up. "To be honest, I understand why you did it. The money isn't enough for me either, so when I went up to vote, I did think about playing one more game."
Jung-bae hugs the man. "You did?"
Dae-ho pushes him away. "I said I get it."
The shorter man turns back to the group. "Thank you for understanding. But I voted in favor partly because I feel confident. We did so well as a team, didn't we? If we stick together one more time, I'm sure we'll be fine." He turns to you. "I'll make sure we survive the next game-"
"'The next game'?" Gi-hun cuts him off. "In the next game, we might have to kill each other."
There is silence before Young-il speaks up. "Gi-hun, that's a bit much. There's nothing we can do now, so let's try to stay positive. We should eat, pull ourselves together, and try our best again." He picks up his milk and hands it to you. "Here, you can have mine too. Hang in there until the next game."
You shake your head. "No, that's okay."
"Take it. I don't drink plain milk."
You thank him as you take the milk.
Jung-bae takes the bread out of his pocket. "Have my bread, too. I don't deserve to eat."
You smile as you take it. You have been feeling hungry and one piece of bread would definitely not be enough for you, so you're grateful for the men around you.
"I'll take your milk then," Dae-ho says to Jung-bae.
Before you can stop yourself, a loud laugh escapes from your mouth. The others smile before laughing along as well. You look over to Dae-ho to see a blush covering his face as he smiles.
<>
"Pass it to me."
The guys hand each other mattresses as they move them to under the beds. You had been put in charge of collecting blankets and pillows so you wouldn't strain yourself.
"Is this really necessary?" Jung-bae asks. "I don't like sleeping under there."
"Once the lights go out, somebody might attack us," Gi-hun says as he pushes another mattress under a bed frame.
"What?" Dae-ho asks. "Who?"
"The prize money still goes up if we kill each other. It's part of the game they designed."
"Gi-hun, I think you're overreacting here," Young-il says. "Even if that were true, people wouldn't do that."
Gi-hun turns to face him. "In the previous games, dozens of people killed each other at night. Right here. You have no idea how people can change in this place."
Young-il apologizes and you hand the blankets in your arms to Jung-bae.
"We need to take turns keeping watch after lights-out," Gi-hun says. "I'll take the first, you should decide the order for the rest."
The order decided was that Jung-bae would take over after Gi-hun, then Dae-ho, then Young-il would be last. You tried to volunteer to keep watch but they immediately shot you down, saying you needed the rest more than them.
<>
After a trip to the bathroom with players 149 and 120, whose names you still did not know, you come back to find Dae-ho keeping watch. You try to quickly wipe the tear stains from your cheeks as you walk back to the makeshift shelter. You give a quick nod to Dae-ho before trying to move past him, but he calls out your name, making you stop and turn to look at him.
He looks up at you with concern. "Are you okay?"
You put on a smile and nod. "Yes, I'm fine." As you try to walk away you feel his hand gently grab your wrist to stop you.
"No you're not," he says. You sigh, upset that you've been caught. He moves to the side to give you space and you sit next to him, figuring you're not gonna get out of this. "What happened? Was it the baby?"
You shake your head, feeling tears start to well up again. "It's everything." You put your head in your hands. "I never should have played Ddakji with that guy, I never should have called the number, I should have just stayed at home and prepared for the baby."
Dae-ho gently rubs your back as you cry into your sleeves. Even though you really only just met, he feels connected to you. Maybe it's just because you survived the second game together, but he cares for you and doesn't want anything bad to happen to you. He was stunned when you had walked up to the group before the game and asked to join, immediately regretting picking anyone besides the beautiful stranger that was standing in front of him.
"What about your husband?" Dae-ho asks. "Does he know that you're here?"
You shake your head. "I don't have a husband. I don't even have a boyfriend. It's just me and the baby." You turn to look at him and although he's too kind to ask you how you got knocked up, you can see the question all over his face. "My ex-boyfriend is the reason I got into so much debt. He made a lot of bad investments and when he ran out of his own money, he started using mine. When I told him I was pregnant, he freaked out and left. Didn't even say anything, his stuff was just all gone one day."
Dae-ho feels himself getting angry at this. If he found out a man had done this with one of his sisters, he would do something to him that would probably land him in prison. It takes two people to make a baby. Just because the mother is the one that carries it doesn't mean that the father isn't responsible for the child.
"He's a fucking coward," Dae-ho says, making you snort a small laugh. "And he's an idiot to leave you."
"It's for the best, though," you say. "He wasn't a good boyfriend, I knew that even while we were dating. But he was my first love, and we all do stupid things the first time we're in love." Dae-ho nods, watching as you bring your hand to rest on your stomach. "I only wish that my child would have a father in their life."
"They will have an amazing mother, though," he says, making you smile.
"I hope so," you rub your swollen belly. "Hey, Dae-ho, can I ask you something?"
Dae-ho nods, looking at you with intrigue.
"Earlier you told Jung-bae that you had thought about voting to stay. Why didn't you?" You ask.
The man takes a deep breath. "Honestly, I thought of you. You and your baby. When you told us that you're pregnant, it really hit me that I'm not the only person in here, that there are other lives at risk. If you died, it wouldn't just be the end of your life. Your baby doesn't deserve that. You don't deserve that."
You can't help the smile that blooms on your face at his words, as well as the small blush. "Thank you for thinking of me. You're a very sweet person, Kang Dae-ho." You watch as he gives you a shy smile, a light dusting of pink on his face. "What about you? Do you have a girlfriend waiting for you back home?"
He shakes his head. "No, just me." You give him an incredulous look and he chuckles. "Dating wasn't easy while in the Marines, and I guess I just never found anyone that interested me enough after."
You let out a small laugh. "Sounds like you have high standards."
He chuckles. "I'm just waiting to find the one. They say that when you know, you know."
"That's going to be one very lucky girl," you say, watching as the blush on his face deepens. "I hope you find her soon."
"I can't explain why, but I feel like I will." He smiles down at you with a look that makes your heart skip a beat. After a few moments he takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry I've kept you up for so long, you should get some sleep. You'll likely need your energy for tomorrow's game."
You nod, standing up. "You're right, I've been up too long." You start to move towards your mattress, but stop. "It was nice talking to you, Dae-ho."
He smiles at you. "Goodnight."
You smile back. "Goodnight."
For the rest of his watch, Dae-ho sneaks peaks at your sleeping form, a warm feeling running through him when he thinks about your words.
<>
You awake to the feeling of someone shaking you. Groggily opening your eyes, you see Dae-ho leaning over you.
"The next game is starting soon, we need to get up," he says.
You hear the classical music that has played before every game and nod, allowing him to help you get out of bed. "Nothing to start the day off like a sadistic game and fearing for your life, huh?"
Dae-ho lets out a chuckle as you make your way to the doors. He walks behind you on the stairs to make sure you don't fall, and stands right by your side as the curtains are opened to reveal the game room.
"Welcome to your third game. The game you will be playing is Mingle. All players, please step onto the center platform. When the game starts, the platform will begin to rotate, and you will hear a number. You must form groups of that size, go into the rooms, and close the door within 30 seconds."
"Oh, this game?" Jung-bae says. "We used to play something similar on school trips. We formed groups by hugging."
"I played it too," you say. "But we would hold hands instead."
Together you set up a strategy. If the number is five, you'll all go together. If it's more than five, you'll grab however many people we need. If it's smaller than five, you'll break off into groups. When your strategy is done, you put your hands in the center.
"Victory at all costs."
<>
"Let the game begin."
The platform jerks as it starts rotating, and you almost lose your balance, but Dae-ho is there to grab you and steady you on your feet.
"Ten."
Everyone starts looking around like mad as they try to find ten players.
Gi-hun looks to a player behind him. "How many are you?"
"Four," the woman replies. You recognize her as one of the women who came to the bathroom with you last night.
"That makes us nine!" Jung-bae says.
A man from another group comes running over. "Are you five? We need five!"
Before any of you can answer, another player yells back. "We have five people! Come with us!"
The two groups go running off towards a door.
"We have to hurry!" Gi-hun says.
"There's no time, Gi-hun!" Young-il tells him.
"We need one more!" the tall woman yells. She spots someone by herself near the center of the platform and grabs her. "We have ten!"
"Room 44! Green door! Hurry!" Young-il yells, already running off in the direction of the door.
You run as fast as you can towards the door as Young-il holds it open for everyone to get inside. You feel Dae-ho's hand on the small of your back the entire way to the room. Before you get the chance to even think, the clock runs out, and the lock clicks on the door.
Screams and gunshots can be heard from behind the door, the sad fate of those who didn't make it in time.
Dae-ho turns to you, putting his hands on your shoulders. "How are you feeling? Is everything okay?"
"A bit out of breath, but I'm okay," you say, and he nods. Taking the chance to look around the room, you see that the other five is the first group that passed the pentathlon the day before.
"You're alive thanks to me!" Player 044 yells out, making you jump. She looks over everyone before stopping on you and stepping closer, making you take a step back. Dae-ho holds you close to him as the woman looks down at your stomach. She then looks up at Dae-ho and gives him a knowing smirk before leaving to speak to Gi-hun.
You look up at Dae-ho, who is still holding you to his chest. He watches the woman walk away before look down at you, your faces so close that your noses are only a few inches apart.
Once the bodies are removed from the playing area, you're let out of the room and make your way back to the center platform. The next round is four people to a room, and Young-il goes off on his own to find three more as the rest of you run to a room with a purple door.
Once you're let out, Dae-ho and Jung-bae yell for Young-il before a voice calling Gi-hun's name grabs your attention. You look over with relief to see Young-il jogging up to your group.
"I knew you were going to be okay!" Jung-bae smiles as he pulls Young-il in for a hug. "I knew it. You're not just anybody."
"I was worried," Gi-hun says. "I'm glad you made it."
Young-il smiles. "I'm a likable guy, so I'm good at games like this." He turns to you. "Are you feeling alright?"
You nod with a smile. "Yes, I'm alright. I'm glad you're back."
Young-il gives you a smile, but his face turns serious. "Wait a minute," Young-il says, "if the next number is six, we won't need anyone else, will we?"
"Why not?" Dae-ho asks.
After a moment, Jung-bae laughs. "Oh, in her tummy?"
Dae-ho lets out a loud laugh. "Right, that makes six."
You smile as they joke around, looking down to your swollen belly.
The next round is three, so you, Dae-ho, and Jung-bae run to a room with an orange door. With every round, you can feel yourself growing more and more tired, and your feet are begging for relief from so much standing and moving.
Once you get out of the green room with Dae-ho and players 120, 095, 007, and 149 (you make a mental note to ask for their names once you're back in the main room), you feel exhausted. As you step onto the platform, Dae-ho grabs your arm to support you.
"Now, the final round will begin."
The platform begins to rotate and you lean on Dae-ho to keep yourself upright.
"What do you think it'll be this time?" Jung-bae leans forward to ask Gi-hun.
"Two," Young-il answers, getting our attention.
"Why?"
"There are 126 people left, and there are 50 rooms. So there won't be enough rooms for everyone, only 100."
"Are you alright?" Dae-ho asks you, concern on his face.
You shake your head. "I don't think I can run anymore."
The platform stops and the lighting dims.
"Two."
Before you can tell what's happening, you are lifted off the ground. You hold on tightly to Dae-ho as he sprints to the nearest door with you in his arms. Once inside, he places you on the ground and moves toward the door, pushing his weight against it to keep anyone else from getting in and pushing you out.
You keep your gaze on the man. He saved your life. He saved your baby's life. Without hesitation. Hell, he even voted to leave for you yesterday. This man who only came into your life a day ago has shown you more unwavering loyalty than anyone else has before.
Then the realization dawns on you: you don't want to do this without him. You don't want anything to happen to him. You want to protect him, just as he is protecting you. Not just in the games, but always.
The lock on the door clicks into place and screams are heard from the other side of the door. Once the screams finish, Dae-ho kneels beside you.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
You shake your head, still in awe of the man in front of you. You examine his face and a surge of confidence rushes through you.
"Can I do something really stupid?"
Dae-ho gives you a confused look. "What?"
You grab his zip-up and pull him to you, planting your lips against his. You feel him stiffen and worry that you've made a terrible mistake, but before you can pull away, you feel one of his hands slide into your hair as the other moves to cup your cheek.
For a perfect moment, you're not in this crazy place. There's no debt, there's no death, there's no fear. There's just you and Dae-ho.
You pull away first but Dae-ho chases your lips, giving you a peck before resting his forehead against yours as you both try to catch your breath.
"I promise you that I am going to get us out of here," he whispers to you. You feel his hand move down to your stomach. "The three of us. If you'll let me."
You gasp at his words, tears forming in your eyes as you nod. This time, you believe him. Dae-ho pulls you in for another kiss and you smile against his mouth, feeling him smile as well.
The sound of the door unlocking gains your attention and Dae-ho pulls away. Voices can be heard beyond the door.
Dae-ho stands up and holds out his hands for you to take, helping you to your feet. He wipes the stray tears from your cheeks and plants a kiss on your forehead before lacing your fingers together and leading you out of the room.
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Dae-ho tags: @whatthefuckeryfuckityfuck
Lmk if you want to be added to the Dae-ho taglist!
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celestiamour · 3 months ago
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‧₊˚✧ ❛[ stick with me ]❜
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━━━ .°˖✧ requested by anonymous ˚₊ ⊹
ft. kang sae-byeok x f! reader — squid game
╰₊✧ finding out you’re also participating in the games & staying by your side throughout┊1.6k words
contains: mentions of canon-typical violence, open ending, season one spoilers, headcanons mainly, established relationship, sunshine (& kinda naive) x grumpy trope, sae-byeok being protective & the best gf, all of this is a little rambly like word vomit i hope you don’t mind
➤ author's note: squid game felt so empty without her like i adore all of the new women in season two but i missed her so much T-T
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╰₊✧ even if she doesn’t show it through her expressions, she’s really upset to find you in this situation— not because she’s mad at you, but because she’s mad at herself. she wonders what kind of awful girlfriend she must be not to have noticed you were struggling through debt like she was. now that she thinks about it, she realizes how painfully obvious it was with your strange behavior when it came to working any freelance job you saw a sign of (you weren’t a pickpocket like her, you would never commit any crime intentionally), and being overall stingy when it came to spending money on yourself. she might unintentionally give you the silent treatment for the first few hours simply because she feels terrible about it all but still doesn’t want you to leave her side despite that.
“are you mad at me because i didn’t tell you?” you whined, sticking by her side like a baby duckling with its mama and gently holding on to her arm because she wasn’t looking at you. “sae-byeok… i just didn’t want you to worry about me when you already had so much on your plate…”
she merely blinked in response, stone-faced like usual, making it impossible to determine what was going through her mind. there was a sinking feeling in her chest, the feeling of failing one of the few people she cared about.
“it’s okay… i get it… i’ll give you some space— just come look for me when you wanna talk, i’m going to talk with some of the other people here…” 
she suddenly grabbed you by the hand and dragged you back before you could move away, wrapping her arm around your waist in a protective manner, “no, i’m not mad at you, i promise. just stick with me, okay? i wouldn’t trust anyone here if i were you.” yes, the majority of people here seemed to be middle-aged people who were simply down on their luck. no, she didn’t believe there weren’t any bad ones who would easily take advantage of your kindness in such a large group of people.
you didn’t seem to quite understand what she meant in the last part, but you still cheerfully pulled her in for an embrace once she confirmed she wasn’t upset as you always did when a miscommunication was cleared up. (you didn’t see it, but she cracked a little smile when she hugged you back.)
╰₊✧ pushes you away the second she spots deok-su and quickly tells you to stay away while he confronts her about a past you didn’t know much about, making a scene in front of everyone and progressively getting more aggressive towards her. of course, once he makes his first swing, you immediately run in and start yelling at him to leave her alone when there were clearly more pressing issues at hand. when gi-hun interrupts because he wants to also confront her about something, you had to restrain yourself from pushing him away because you were a pacifist at heart and had been taught to respect your elders no matter what all your life. 
╰₊✧ later when you two join the little alliance gi-hun formed, she makes them keep an eye on you if she has to part from you for any reason. she knows that bastard would make a beeline for you the second he sees you alone, and that bastard isn’t above playing dirty by hurting you or holding you hostage to get leverage on her. the guys find this to be so goddamn adorable and frequently tease sae-byeok for her obvious soft spot towards her girlfriend because they can tell she’s flustered despite how indifferent she may look. listening to you talk about her reminds them that she’s just another young woman who is trying to care for her loved ones and not the shady thief who works with gangsters they once thought she was. they also defend you guys from anyone being homophobic and swear that they will attend your wedding once they get out alive, noting they likely won’t have money for gifts after all the reward money goes toward paying off debt, but you tell them you would appreciate their presence anyway!
╰₊✧ after the first game when they vote all go home, she wants to make you swear on your life that you don’t ever go back to that dangerous place, but she knows how unrealistic that is. she now knows about the crippling debt you both have and it wouldn’t be long before the loan sharks will hunt you down to force you to do terrible things to pay it back. so on the last day of staying on the korean mainland, she coughs up the money to pay for a nice last date before the two of you willingly enter what you believe to be the closest thing earth has to hell.
╰₊✧ instead of the dangerous, loner vibe she has in the original, when she has you by her side, she has the aura of a mama bear— which is fitting considering you’re like a little cub. she’s very protective of you and gives everyone a look that says “hurt her and i’ll kill you” to shut down any possible schemes before they start and helps you out during all of the games because she doesn’t want to risk anything happening to you. it might feel a bit infantilizing to you, but she’s just so terrified at the concept of you getting injured or worse.
red light, green light - keeps you behind her at all times, verbally reminding you not to panic even though she can sense you freaking out. might even hold your hand and guide you through it all, telling you to close your eyes and ignore the sound of bullets as she pulls you through the finish line. 
sugar honeycombs - tells ali to keep you company while she goes into the bathroom to sneak around the vents (he’s your best friend, by the way, the energy is immaculate) and immediately has you pick the triangle shape when lining up (there isn’t too much she needs to do because it’s one of the easier games for you to do).
special game (night of murder) - wants you to hide under the bunkbeds at first, a good idea until people started tipping them over. it’s difficult to find you with the lights flickering and with deok-su after her, so she has you met up with everyone else at gi-huns bed to protect each other. this battle is also likely the first time you cause bodily harm to someone else in self-defense, which will probably fuck you up especially if they are found dead later on. you’ll have some minor injuries, maybe a fractured rib or some cuts, but you’re still alive and that’s all that matters to sae-byeok.
tug of war - might look annoyed at your optimism to win with all the women and the old man on your team, but trust me, she really appreciates it since she wouldn’t know what to do with herself if you suddenly shut down and because you seem to keep their heads ups with your infectious smile. there’s not much she could do to help you out here as it’s a team effort, but she was half-tempted to bribe you into a team with all men just in case (and also because you looked like you were about to start a fight with sang-woo over him insisting that they needed more men and wanting to kick ji-yeong off the team) yet ultimately decided against it which turned out to be the best decision. 
╰₊✧ the games strengthen your relationship through all of the blood and trauma, sticking together through it all and taking care of each other in the lowest moments. you two often share food and sometimes even sleep in the same bed if the other needs comfort, which would be very cute if your hands weren’t constantly trembling from fear and your skin didn’t have little specks of dried blood all over. sae-byeok is tough and has seen her share of violence, but it was all things she was trying to hide from you and keep you safe from ever since she entered this relationship with you. no matter how much you try to assure her that you can handle it, the sinking feeling of failure never leaves her.
“i’m… i’m really scared…” you sighed, cuddling yourself into her side. the barracks were so quiet you could hear a pin drop, yet there was the almost suffocating looming fear of death haunting the place knowing so many souls died within these walls. it always felt so cold even under the blankets with the powerful air-conditioning, but the warmth radiating off of sae-byeok’s body felt like a sanctuary. 
“i know, i know,” she assured. there was a part of her that wanted to admit that she was scared too as she rubbed circles into your back to ease you to sleep, she didn’t dare to even think of her biggest fear in case it manifested into reality. she wouldn’t know what to do with herself in case it came true, so she chose to bury the thought of it deep down where she prayed it would never show itself again.
she dreams of winning these games with you, using the money to pay off all your debts, helping her mother escape north korea, to go towards her brother’s future, to helping the both of you start new lives where you both were accepted— all things she thinks of to push back all of the dark thoughts and help her sleep in your arms, forever by your side.
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request was [ Please could you do something about saebyeok x gf!reader? where they both went to the games 😪😪]
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daeholuvs · 26 days ago
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“You’re Beautiful”
Cho Sangwoo x fem!reader
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚
Warnings: none idk? Age gap (legal) reader is in 20s sangwoo is in his 40s
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Note: hey… so like this is just me fulfilling my fantasies so if you don’t like it feel free to scroll!!
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆༘ *
“Hey baby have you seen my t-“
Before your husband could finish his sentence you had already handed him his tie. That was the dynamic between you and Sangwoo, you both knew each other like the back of your hands, your actions becoming predictable to one another.
“You’re a lifesaver” he says as he gives you a loving kiss on the cheek
You continue getting ready, finalizing your makeup and touching up your hair. You slip into your beautiful floor length gown, the colour of the dress not only complements your skin tone but is matching Sangwoos tie. Something about you guys matching makes you feel fuzzy inside, it makes events like this feel more personal.
You make your way down to the driver that Sangwoo had hired. He’s a man with money, so why not treat you like a princess.
As you got closer to the gala you could feel your anxiety creeping up on you. You start to feel overwhelmed and your husband noticed as well.
“Y/n, my love, you have nothing to be worried about. You know all my colleagues from the office, and not to mention that they all love you”
You let out a sigh and turn to face Sangwoo. “It’s not that, it’s just all the women in the office look like super models”
“Sweetheart, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I could get lost in your beautiful eyes, your lips so perfect, so plump I could kiss them all day he says as he kisses you, oh and y/n that ass of yours just wow-“
“Sangwoo!” You say giggling and taking his hand in yours
“I’m just kidding, but I do love your ass just like I love everything about you” he says placing another kiss on your lips.
The car comes to a stop, you have arrived to the gala. You step out into the cool air
“Come on sweetheart, let’s go enjoy our night”
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚
The place was packed. There had to be at least 200 people there. You walk in side by side with Sangwoo. You look at the seating chart and go to your assigned table.
“There he is, Mr. Boss man accompanied by Mrs. Boss man” said Gi-hun, one of Sangwoos best friends from childhood and new work colleague.
“Give it a rest” Sangwoo chirps back, playfully punching Gi-Huns shoulder.
As the night goes on you become more and more bored. Not that you didn’t like attending these events with your husband, it’s just he’s been preoccupied by investors for majority of the night. You hear an exaggerated laugh, a women’s laugh. You peak up from your seat and notice an older woman clinging onto your husband like a leech. she must be around Sangwoos age.
You don’t even remember standing up but next thing you know you’re standing next to Sangwoo, grabbing onto his arm.
“Hey, who’s this?” You ask, a fake smile spread across your face as you stare at the woman in front of you.
“Oh y/n this is Seo-yun an interested investor, Seo-yun this is y/n, my-“
“Assistant! Oh it’s so nice that Mr. Cho takes you to these events, he must be an excellent boss. You don’t see many CEOs taking their assistants to fancy places like this”
“Uhm no actually I’m his wife” you say through gritted teeth, trying not to smack a bitch
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry I didn’t realize that you were his wife
What did she mean by that comment? That someone like you couldn’t be loved? That you weren’t good enough for Sangwoo? You felt a wave of sadness crash over you. Your whole demeanour shifts as you stand there awkwardly.
“Yes, we uh just got married last spring” he says clearing his throat trying to lighten the mood. He snakes a hand around your waist, tracing patterns to help reassure you.
“Oh… well congratulations” Seo-yun says as she walks away.
“Hey I think I’m gonna head out, but you stay and enjoy your night, please”
“No you know what, I’m coming with you”
“What? No this is supposed to be your night, stay and have some fun and-“
“Nope. Don’t do that, no one speaks to my wife that way and expects me to do business with them. I’m calling the driver now”. Sangwoo was fuming.
You couldn’t help but feel relieved that Sangwoo decided to go home with you. Although a little bit of guilt lingered in the back of your mind, making your husband leave his event, a night that creates new work opportunities you felt horrible. But Sangwoo always put your needs first, he loved you so much that he would probably sell his company just to put a smile on your face.
“The cars outside, let’s go honey”
“Mr. Cho why are you leaving”
“Mr. Cho we don’t get to talk yet”
“Mr. Cho if you could just spare a minute”
He ignored every single investor that tried to stop him on the way out. He promised his wife a great night, a night of fun, but unfortunately that didn’t go as planned. He felt furious. How could they mistake his precious wife, someone so beautiful, so kind, and so genuine as his assistant. He wished the world around you guys could be more mindful, as all he wanted to do was show you off.
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚
“Do you wanna talk about it?” Your husband asked, getting into bed
“No no it’s fine” you say quietly
“Y/n, baby, I’m so sorry”
“Sangwoo you have nothing to be sorry about, it’s not your fault”
“C’mere” He says, patting your side of the bed and making grabby hands like a child
You couldn’t help but laugh as you climb into bed next to him. He pulls your body towards his, your head resting against his chest.
You both lay there for a while, just enjoying each other’s company. Until Sangwoo decides to break the silence.
“My pretty girl. I’m so sorry about tonight. he says and kisses the top of your head.
You nuzzle into his neck, breathing in his scent and leaving reassuring kisses. Sangwoo starts to play with your hair while whispering sweet nothings into your ear, occasionally nibbling on it.
“I never want you to feel like you’re anything less than perfect. You’re beautiful my angel. My perfect baby. The world doesn’t deserve you, you’re much too graceful”
“I love you so much sangwoo” you lean up to kiss him
“I love you more y/n. Get some rest, I’m taking you on a very special date tomorrow”
You fall asleep to the beating of your husband’s heart, excited for what he has planned for you guys tomorrow.
ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚ ༘ * ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ⋆·˚
Hey so… don’t judge me😃😃😃
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imliterallyf7ckin9crazy · 2 months ago
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꧁⋆°𝓢𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓭 𝓖𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼°⋆꧂
Specifically the men :>
Characters: player 001 (in-ho), player 230 (thanos), and player 124 (nam gyu)
Warnings: squid game shit, gn reader, includes general head canons and relationship ones. Some are more toxic than others…. This is also to help understand the characterization I use for the characters in other fics lol
ᎮᏝᏗᎩᏋᏒ 001
- I have few appropriate things to say
- first off, we all know this man has money and thus I feel like he would have a large car collection that he just doesn’t get around to driving
- rarely able to get drunk. Not that he can drink, it just takes a lot to get drunk
- manipulative without even trying. Though he knows danm well what he’s doing it’s effortless for him.
- has no empathy. Or it’s complicated, he has empathy but it’s conditional. He can seem like cares but chances are it won’t last long, and wasn’t very genuine in the first place
- this is random but I think he is a morning person. Not just a normal morning person, a 4 am wake up person. A time he will likely not be bothered, a time he can take his time. Think about all the things he has to do. The planning, the hiding. He finally gets real time to think.
- CLEARLY obsessive. He be staring at gi hun like he want that cookie so damm bad. Season two squid game was built for him practically by in-ho. meticulously. 
- safe to say once he wants something he gets it.
- unfortunately he obviously sees the poor as less than. I think it would take a nearly impossible life changing event for that to change.
Relationship wise:
-evil.
- let’s be so real here, he is not the best choice. Very attractive and silly, but terrible as a person
- he says himself he knows he’s a likable fellow, he’s willing to use that. To worm his way right into your heart. Make you think “wow, how charming” or “man, he’s so kind”. He knows how to use his seemingly harmless nature to root himself in your mind
- will buy you anything. One of his ways of manipulating you. He will yell at you, prioritize his “work” over you, scare you… just to make it up by a luxurious trip where he is finally nice to you. And you think “maybe he’s changed. I’ll give him another chance”
- you don’t even realize how many times you’ve said that.
- it’s not like you have a choice to leave anyway. He’s possessive. If you were to leave him, he wouldn’t let you. If you manage to get away he’s finding you and dragging you back. He will have you until he can’t anymore, you do not have much of a say. He’s woven himself deeply in your life.
- has his people watch out for you and protect you. Has people Solve problems for you before you recognize there is one. And you never even know
- let’s you sit on his lap while he watches the games.
- you have no friends, rarely talk to family, your life is basically his. And you have to be okay with that (or not)
- all his workers know you and you have full access to whatever you like (as long as it’s not interfering or messing up anything he has planned
-he work would probably come before you. Not to say he doesn’t care…. Just he has weird priorities
ᏢᏝᎯᎽᎬᏒ 230
- my dear thanos. Where do I begin
- clearly he has a drug problem. Serious pill addiction.
- goes into public absolutely GEEKIN off who knows what and insists no one can tell (they can)
- tried to be a plug but kept arguing abt prices with his clients so they stopped buying…
- as a famous rapper you know he has bitch AND hoes. A player who leaves a trail of broken hearts. Women and men bc I say so
- and also he just gives that vibe
- can’t manage money. Even when he wasn’t in debt bro cannot keep his dabloons in line. Drugs don’t help with that
- physically pretty strong. He can fight but it’s not like he’s gonna win every time
- actually really passionate about music. It truly means a lot to him and he worked for it. However over years he’s gotten frustrated with never having true privacy as a non celebrity would
Relationship wise:
- contrary to how I see people write him I personally think he wouldn’t be as mean in a relationship as some of the others
-and I think he would actually value you.
- I think he’d be pretty respectful with the ladies. He clearly appreciates a pretty girl.
- respectful might be a stretch. I mean verbally he wouldn’t like say crazy vulgar things. Nah he’d call you “flower” like that one girl or something
- he might be a bit rougher with the fellas out there. He’s pretty handy with his “bros” I’ll tell you that much.
- would write songs for and about you. They’d be cringe… in a nice way. Stupidest title and lyrics but hey! He made it just for you :3
- pre debt he’d definitely spoil you. Post losing all his money you’ll have to compromise. He sucks at telling you no so if you ask for something he might just steal it.
- people try to say he’d try to keep you from his drugs. I don’t think so. Realistically you’d probably end up doing some illegal substances with him
- might cheat in the early stages. Let’s be real. Those famous boys are almost never loyal. Butttt I think after he wouldn’t. Threaten to leave and he will see he really needs you
- never said he was perfect <3
ᏢᏝᎯᎽᎬᏒ 124
- MY SHAYLAAAA. Idc so many ppl hate him. I know, he’s objectively terrible. However I don’t care I think he’s silly so there
- another addict. Honestly heavier than thanos. He’s tried nearly everything under the sun. However as shown in show, herion is his vice.
- he’s a shady night club worker so I’d say he could probably fight.
- I see him as an introvert 90% of the time u til he’s around a close friend. He seems like he has some sort of manners and keeps to himself until he met thanos. And even then he didn’t really talk (nicely) to anyone else besides min-su (sometimes)
- can clock a bitch like no other. Will read you to filth. Be prepared to gain new insecurities around him
- seems like a cat guy. I feel it in my soul he pets every stray cat ever.
- has jitters. Be it he’s anxious, thinking, happy, or withdrawling his hands are constantly on the move.
- laughs at nothing. Do not do anything amusing in the area if something even slightly serious is happening. He’s ruining the mood and will not stop giggling abt it after.
- he does the sweater paws. Not a head canon just a viable fact but it needs to be said. Yes I know he’s a grown man with a dick and balls but it’s very baby girl of him
- has quite the violent streak. Was probably the worst bully in highschool. I can smell the semester suspension radiating from him
- would do probably anything for some drugs. Like anything. He’s seen and done some shit.
Relationship wise
- MY SHAYLAAAA
-evil lowkey
- he’s definitely difficult because he’s always on some H and it actually can make you more aggressive.
- still cares though I swear it’s just harder for him
- touchy asf. Constantly playing with your hands, poking your face, touching your hair. Bro MUST touch.
- possessive and jealous type. Will lash out about it. Or just start being mean to the people you talk to.
- kinda about that life. Because he’s in the night club scene he has definitely witnessed some real gang shit. Maybe even participated
- will protect you if you’re walking out in the street.
- has moments at night where he’s genuinely calm and able to talk about normal things. Not worried about work, scared about money, itching from drugs. Just him and you.
- you’re his safe area. Shit goes wrong he comes to you. He had a bad day? He’s coming to you. Bad trip? He’s with you.
- will care for you if you are going through a bad trip too. Or just scared, he gets it.
- kinda toxic sorry not sorry
- clearly a selfish guy, wants what he wants and tries to take it. He manipulates with saying cruel things with an angles smile. Might yell at you, lash out, etc. probably wouldn’t hit you though
- but he cares. In his weird, clingy, mean for no reason but doesn’t mean it way. He will stick with you. You both will yell and scream and cry at each other but at the end of every day you lay in each others arms. Very much a “us against the world” type relationship.
Yeah that’s all. This should help elaborate on future things I will write mwah ha ha.
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meadowfics · 6 days ago
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child support
ex-husband!hwang jun-ho x f!plussize!reader
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this is a long awaited request, thank you for your patience to the person who requested<3
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you never thought you'd end up here, not in a place like this wearing a green tracksuit with your number 234 stitched across the front like a brand.
you could never imagine standing in a line of people who are just as desperate, just as scared, all clinging to the slim hope of survival and a cash prize that felt more like blood money than salvation.
you joined the games because you were running out of options.
bills piled up fast. food didn’t stretch the way it used to. your son deserved more than the constant cycle of "maybe next week" and rationed heat. this all happened after the divorce.
your ex-husband, hwang jun-ho, had checked out long before the papers were signed. he became obsessed with his missing brother. constantly disappearing at night, always paranoid, always chasing shadows.
he never told you the full truth, never gave you a chance to understand what he was really after. he just drifted further and further until you were raising your son alone.
you had done your best. god, you had done your best.
however, the world was cruel to women like you...women who weren’t skinny enough, being a single mother on top of that. you had always been on the thicker side, and people judged you for it, underestimated you, talked to you like you were weak. you weren’t weak. you were just tired and exhausted.
you didn’t come here to be a hero. you came to survive for your son.
you left him with mrs. han, your elderly neighbor who had known you since you first moved into the building. she adored your boy, and you trusted her more than anyone else.
you told your son you’d be gone for a little while, just a short work trip. he believed you and hugged you tight and kissed your cheek like he always did.
he asked if you’d bring him back a toy.
you smiled through the ache and said yes.
now, after four games, your nerves were frayed. you had seen too many bodies and too many people reduced to numbers on a screen.
your clothes were soaked in sweat. your legs ached from running, dodging, surviving. you hadn’t cried yet, not really. you had to keep it together for your son but it was getting harder.
before the fifth game started...rumors swirling about a massive pinball machine in the middle of the game room, whatever that meant...the air shifted.
an alarm blared, but it wasn’t the usual pre-game tone. this one was harsher, urgent.
people started shouting and guards moved faster. a minute later you heard it...gunshots. close.
you froze. your heart thundered in your chest. the whole room shifted into chaos as armed men in black stormed the game site from above and below, taking out guards, yelling commands you couldn’t hear over the noise.
you ducked low, your hands over your head, bracing for anything.
suddenly, someone called your name. not just your number, your full name. a voice you hadn’t heard in almost a year.
you looked up and saw him.
jun-ho.
your ex-husband was pushing past fallen guards and players, eyes wide as they locked onto you. he didn’t look at anyone else. not the chaos around him, not gi-hun who stood just feet away. he only saw you. your chest tightened. the disbelief hit first, then anger, then something softer.
he ran to you and dropped his gun. he pulled you into him like he thought you might vanish if he waited one more second.
“are you okay?” he asked, breathless. jun-ho's hands were on your face, checking you, brushing away dust and dried blood.
“are you hurt?”
you opened your mouth, but nothing came out at first. he looked at you with loving eyes which caused a broken sob that shattered whatever wall you’d been holding up.
your knees buckled and you collapsed into him, clutching his jacket as the tears came hard and fast. your body shook against his, and he just held you. arms wrapped tight around your back, grounding you. you felt his heartbeat. fast. frantic.
“i was so scared,” you whispered through sobs, “i thought i was going to die in here and leave jae behind.”
jun-ho's voice cracked, “i’m so sorry. i didn’t know.. I- i didn’t know you were in here.”
you pulled back slightly, wiping at your face, trying to breathe, “you never told me about any of this. this was what you were looking for???? you disappeared. you left us.”
“i know,” he said quietly, guilt heavy in his eyes, “i thought i could find my brother and come back to you both. i thought… i thought i’d fix everything.”
“you didn’t fix anything,” you said, not angry—just tired.
“our son...he kept asking about you. every night.”
jun-ho’s face crumpled, “where is he? is he okay?”
“he’s safe,” you said, voice softer now, “he’s with mrs. han who is my next door neighbor.”
he nodded slowly, like the relief physically hit him. it didn’t last long... his expression shifted into one of pure guilt. he looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
junho looked around at the players before he turned to look down at you, really looking at you.
your face, your eyes, your body that had endured hell for the past however many days. he saw your pain, your fear, your strength.
“once this is over,” he said suddenly, voice low, “i want us to go back to being a family.”
you blinked, “what?”
“i mean it,” he said, stepping closer, his hand brushing your cheek again, “i never stopped loving you and our boy... not for a second. i thought about you every night and hated myself for everything i did. everything i didn’t do.”
you shook your head, tears still slipping down your face, “jun-ho…”
“i’m serious,” he whispered, “i know i don’t deserve a second chance. i know I left but if there’s any part of you that still… that still believes in us, i want to come home. i want to be there. for you. for our son. i want to fix this.”
you couldn’t stop crying but your hands reached for him anyway. you wanted to be angry. you wanted to push him away.
the truth was… you missed him and you never stopped hoping.
“okay,” you breathed, voice breaking again.
“okay… we’ll go back to being a family.”
he leaned forward, kissed your forehead with a kind of gentleness that shattered you all over again because he found you in this hell and this time, he will stay.
masterlist
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nick-writes-stuff · 6 days ago
Text
Back in Hell
Hwang In-ho x spouse!reader
(reader is mostly gn but is called señorita and uses the women's bathroom, so they could be impliedfem!)
Summary: You and your husband reenter the games to watch over Gi-hun and the brewing rebellion. Things take a turn after you are injured during the brawl in the bathroom.
warnings: canon-typical violence, injured/dying reader, pushy flirting?, mildly suggestive at one part, mentions of drug use, discussions of trauma/grief, hospitals, nightmares
It was an incredibly hard decision for In-ho to make regarding your safety while he went into the games to watch Gi-hun. He didn't want you anywhere near them. He knew you had played in them before, but he didn't like the idea of you going back in.
And you were okay with staying as far away from them as you could. You were hardly involved with the games at all. You avoided watching them. It all reminded you too much of your own experience.
You didn't win your games with physical prowess. You stayed off to the side, never taking too much attention from the other threats. You stayed unassuming, watching the others for weaknesses. Then to finally end the torment, you used it against them. You hated being forced into that situation. Your actions still haunted you to some extent. It was necessary for your own survival, but you didn't think you would ever get rid of the guilt.
You both knew that if it came down to it, you would be able to defend yourself in the games. There were many risks, but staying on the compound wasn't much better. The power struggles in the control rooms were starting to get concerning. He didn't fully trust the Officer. He wouldn't put it above him to try to seize control of the operation. Involving you would make that very easy. In-ho would do anything for you, even giving up his role. While he would still be unable to stop the Officer's plan, at least he would know you were safe from his machinations. Weirdly enough, being in the games was more safe than staying out for you. You didn't want to go back in, but you knew it was probably for the best.
In-ho planned to observe Gi-hun closely, while you watched from afar. He wanted to be able to connect with Gi-hun and learn about what makes him tick. You were meant to watch for anything Gi-hun would try to hide from him.
You were supposed to be distant, but Gi-hun had a habit of taking in strays. You were sitting alone after the first vote, quietly observing the others when the man walked over to you. You assumed your red badge drew him in. You hadn't done anything else to make yourself known.
“You know, you're welcome to join us if you'd like.” He offered.
You looked up at him before shaking your head. “No, I wouldn't want to intrude-” You began before getting cut off.
“We don't bite, I promise.” One of them called out, the younger man with long hair.
The others laughed, but you weren't sure if that was meant to reassure you or not. Your eyes flickered to In-ho who was in their group. He gave the smallest nod.
You nodded. “Okay.” You agreed. He gave you the slightest smile, something that actually shocked you. From all the surveillance you had done on him in the past few years, he was never close to smiling. It put you on edge a bit, just since it was so out of the ordinary.
You integrated into their group rather well despite your attempts to distance yourself. You wanted to seem distant, like you were protecting yourself emotionally from something. Despite this, the rest of the crew welcomed you warmly.
Gi-hun had invited you in because you reminded him a lot of Sae-byeok. You were highly observant and quick-witted, but you were reserved and guarded from others. You hadn't made that connection, but he had realized it almost instantly. There had been this gnawing guilt in him that thought if he had just reached out to Sae-byeok earlier, if he made more of an effort to befriend her, then maybe she would have walked out of there with him. Maybe she would have told him of her injury sooner. He didn't want to make that mistake again.
Talking with In-ho around the others was rather awkward. It felt like what couples did to spice up their romance, meeting up and pretending they don't know each other. It didn't help that you needed to call him by a different name. The only moments you truly felt comfortable were the few moments you both were alone. You would be able to talk freely with the short amount of time you had.
You never got to talk for long. You mostly shared whatever information you thought was vital for the other to know. Sometimes you would make a joke about something that had recently occurred, and In-ho would try to redirect the conversation without showing you he found it funny. He was just trying to keep focused on the task at hand.
If you were sure you were alone, you would try to steal a kiss from him. The first time you did it, In-ho was more flustered than you ever remembered him being. But he returned the favor the next time you were alone with a kiss that nearly swept you off your feet. He then immediately walked away from you, a smirk creeping onto his lips. After having to go back to the others without alerting them to your flustered demeanor, you decided to forgo your private displays of affection.
-
The first main wrench thrown in your plans involved Thanos and his promoter who you never caught the name of. Nam-su maybe? It was after the six-legged pentathlon when they approached you.
You had been sitting in your bunk eating your dinner when you noticed the pair moving toward you. You didn't acknowledge their presence intentionally, hoping they were going to someone else. They weren't.
Thanos leaned forward so he was somewhat into the space of your bunk. “Hey, señorita.” He drawled.
You finally looked up, seeming unenthused with his attempt at flirting. “Can I help you?” You asked.
“Wow, cold as ice.” Nam-gyu muttered under his breath.
Thanos ignored him, a smirk playing at his lips. “You know, I'm offering a one-way trip to Thanos World. It's free for a pretty thing like you.” He said.
You didn't react much at all. “And why should I?” You asked. Your tone wasn't outwardly negative, but it was enough for Nam-gyu's gaze to harden. He glared at you, but Thanos was still trying to work his magic.
He smiled, playing up his charm. “I saw you hanging out with some of those geezers back there,” He said, nodding toward Gi-hun, Dae-ho, Jung-bae, and ironically your husband. “They won't be able to appreciate someone like you.”
You tried not to laugh. The irony was killing you. Your husband was back there, the man couldn't appreciate you more. Plus, Thanos was implying they were considerably older than you, which wasn't the case. You were definitely a bit younger than In-ho, but it wasn't a drastic difference. But you doubted that the two in front of you were sober at the moment. Their perception was probably clouded by whatever substance Thanos was able to sneak in. It was hard not to notice them taking pills from the cross necklace Thanos had tucked under his shirt.
You decided to try to let this interaction end peacefully. Key word being try. “Um, I think I'm good. Thank you.”
Nam-gyu chuckled, covering his smirk with his hand. His gaze turned to Thanos, waiting for his friend's reaction to you.
“You know, we could have a great time together if you would switch out that badge for a blue one.” He said. He reached out to grab the X patch off your jacket.
You leaned back to evade his grasp. “Can you just back off?” You said, instinctively raising your voice. The room started to quiet down at the commotion. These two frightened you. They were unpredictable and that scared the hell out of you.
“What an ungrateful bitch.” Nam-gyu spat, glaring daggers at you.
You stood your ground. “Go fuck yourself.” You shot back, gaze hardening.
Thanos was livid. You moved back toward the wall. “That's it, I'm-”
Before he could finish his threat, he was yanked to the ground, and Nam-gyu fell back with the sound of a fist hitting his flesh.
Their forms were replaced by In-ho. He nodded toward the others in your group before turning to continue to teach them a lesson. You didn't hesitate to comply, walking behind some of the beds to get away from the fight.
When you rejoined them, you watched In-ho closely. You had faith in his abilities of course, but the two of them made you nervous. To be frank though, they got their asses handed to them. In-ho had the purple haired man pinned to the ground with a hand on his throat. He contemplated bashing his head in, but he relented and walked off toward you. The VIPs would probably get more entertainment if he was alive.
In-ho was still on edge as he returned to your group. You looked over at him, giving him a bow. “Thank you, Young-il.” You said softly, a hint of relief in your voice.
He looked over to you. “It was no problem.” He said curtly. You could see that the confrontation got under his skin, but you didn't have a way to comfort him while remaining in character.
“Y/n?” Dae-ho asked to get your attention. You turned to look at him. “What happened over there?” He asked.
You sighed. “Just two assholes not taking no for an answer.” You muttered. He gave you a knowing look.
“It was about time someone knocked them down a peg.” Jung-bae added with a chuckle. You agreed with a nod, but you didn't seem comfortable with the conversation topic.
Gi-hun noticed your anxiety. “Well, you can just stay with us from now on, okay? In the meantime, we should try to figure out what the next game could be.” He said, trying to lead the conversation elsewhere. You gave him a slight smile of gratitude
-
Later that night, you had moved into one of the empty bunks near the others. You were very close to where In-ho was sleeping, or at least you would be if he was actually sleeping. He was sitting with Gi-hun and talking under the pretense that he couldn't sleep. You couldn't either, so you didn't have anything else to do but listen in.
He told Gi-hun the story about his first wife, how she got sick while she was pregnant. Most people would probably feel uncomfortable in this situation, their current partner talking so highly about their ex lover. But you never saw it that way. From stories you have heard, she seemed like a lovely woman and a caring wife. He still grieved her and so did you in a way. It hurt you to know that he lost someone who was so important to him. You wish you could have met the person who made him so happy.
You still got a bit emotional yourself whenever he told the story, mostly on his behalf. You knew how much it pained him to remember her passing. You soothed him from the nightmares he had. You could tell he was getting emotional again. You weren't sure if it was genuine or just for show, but it was probably a mix of both.
“That's why I need the money. She is my second chance at happiness. I can't lose her. I-” He started, stopping for a moment to collect himself.
You felt your own eyes watering at his words. You knew he was talking about you with that statement and it was touching. You stayed quiet as he moved back toward his own bed.
Later on that night, you had awoken from a nightmare, jerking up like you expected someone to hurt you. That was about to happen in your dream. You had relived an experience from your games, but with Thanos and Nam-gyu replacing the players who usually haunted your mind.
“You okay?” Gi-hun asked, sitting up in his bed. You jumped slightly at the unexpected sound.
You nodded. “Yeah. Sorry if I woke you up.” You murmured softly. You didn't want to talk about it.
There were a few seconds of silence. You thought Gi-hun had gone back to sleep until you heard his voice again. “You know, I get nightmares too sometimes.” He said.
You didn't know how to respond. You were somewhat annoyed that he tried to shift the conversation topic to himself. That was just like him.
“What do you usually do to help them?” You asked. You didn't know what else to ask. You already knew what they were likely about.
He sighed softly. “You don't. Unless you have a time machine, you can't undo the events that haunt you.”
You furrowed your eyebrows. “That's awfully bleak.” You said. You were almost baiting him there. You wanted to see if he would agree with you.
“The world can be that way. The trauma never leaves you, but that's not always a bad thing. It fuels me to make a difference.” He said.
You hid your disgust for the cheesiness of his statement. Of course that's something he would say. But you'd be lying if you said there wasn't a part of you that didn't find his reckless optimism inspiring. But that optimism was exactly what made him a threat.
“Hm… I never thought of it that way.” You murmured. You sighed softly. “Thank you.” You added before rolling over and begging any higher power out there to let you get some sleep.
-
Mingle served as a sign for what was to come. It was one of the most chaotic games ever included. The turnstile in the center was one of the biggest engineering projects the operation had seen. It was a horrific experience overall, and it was ironic that you and In-ho were going to be forced to endure it.
You both knew the order of the numbers in the room. There had been a protocol prepared for the occasion in case the two of you would be eliminated. Your elimination could be announced and you either would get escorted from the main game hall or the room itself depending on the situation.
It went swimmingly until the second to last round. The speakers announced the number was three. You, In-ho, and Jung-bae made your way to a yellow room. You all entered and Jung-bae slammed the door shut. But there was another man in the back of the room.
“Get out, now!” Jung-bae ordered him.
The man protested. “I was here first. I shouldn't have t-”
He was cut off by In-ho's arm around his throat.
Jung-bae yelled out, “Quick, throw him out.”
In-ho shook his head. “Shut the door.” He ordered. He tightened his grasp as he slid down the wall as the man lost consciousness.
You looked away, unable to watch the act. It reminded you too much of what you had been forced to do to survive in your games. You heard the door click shut.
You never really watched the games with In-ho. While you loved him, you never liked the brutality of the games and never got involved in them. In your time here, you had seen dozens of people die, but this was different. This was too personal. You tried to keep yourself calm, but you whimpered when you heard the sickening pop of the man's neck.
Jung-bae watched in horror, eyes wide. No words were exchanged. In-ho stood up, leaving the dead man on the ground. You all knew it needed to be done. Jung-bae looked horrified, you were in shock, and In-ho seemed indifferent.
The former marine left the room first. You looked over to your husband, exchanging a wordless glance. You both knew the next part of the plan. The next number was 2, and you both would get the room together.
You met up with the rest of your group. It didn't seem like Jung-bae had told anyone else about what happened in the room. Maybe he accepted it was necessary.
Gi-hun spoke first. “What number do you think is next?”
“Two.” In-ho answered.
You looked over at him, trying not to seem too concerned. Did he really just give that information up? “What makes you say that?” You asked, the slightest warning in your voice.
He didn't seem phased. Maybe he had done it on purpose to seem smart, or maybe he was just good at improvising.
“There's 125 people now. There's 50 rooms. They must want an even 100 for the next round.” He said.
Gi-hun seemed a bit confused with that explanation, but no one had the chance to question him as the merry-go-round started to spin. The music blared over the speakers. Could they have picked a more annoying music track?
When the number 2 was announced, In-ho grabbed your hand without hesitation. The two of you made haste toward a room, narrowly closing the door before another pair were planning to force their way in.
One the doors were locked, you wrapped your arms around him, taking a shaky breath. He embraced you almost instantly, resting his chin on the top of your head.
“I can't do this anymore, I can't.” You said, trying not to lose all of your compawosure. You flinched in his arms when the gunshots echoed through the game hall.
He shushed you quietly. “We're almost done, okay? We're set to get out of here before the next game, remember?”
That wasn't soon enough for you and he knew that.
You took in his presence for a moment longer. It had been so long since he was able to comfort you like this. As Young-il, he was limited in what he could do because everyone else thought he had a wife at home, not at his side currently. You took a deep breath before pulling away with a nod.
“I love you.” He said quietly, like the words were only meant for you to hear.
“I love you too.” You murmured.
The doors unlocked and swung open. Any feelings lingering from your outburst were left in the room.
You tried to believe him. This was all almost over. All that was left was the voting, right?
You thought that was the case until Gi-hun had mentioned his plan to take over the games. You exchanged a nervous glance with In-ho. You both knew it was a possibility. There was a plan in place, but there were a lot of variables to consider, mostly the other players.
In-ho seemed to be on board with Gi-hun's plan, willing to do what it takes to stop the games once and for all. In reality you knew it was so he would be able to get out of the dorms and back into the control rooms.
You meanwhile were a bit skeptical, but you didn't voice your concerns about it. Your plan in case of a coup attempt had always been to find a way to sneak out after the main group leaves. You didn't intend on aiding them at all, just getting your way to the staff only section of the building as soon as possible.
You eventually stood up, saying that you were going to go use the restroom. In reality, you were just going to go clear your head. You just needed a second to breathe and remind yourself of the plan in place. You needed a clear head for this.
Any chance you had at composing yourself was gone once you heard the commotion in the men's room. It sounded like the whole room erupted into fighting and screaming. You heard a loud crash that you were unsure of the cause of.
As much as you wanted to just hide in the bathroom, you decided that was probably a mistake. You had already put a target on your back ever since you stood your ground when Thanos was bothering you. The Os did not like you whatsoever. If one of them saw you had gone in there alone, you were stuck in there. The only exit would be easily blocked and you'd be trapped.
Running out of the room would be just as risky. You didn't know what you were walking into or who would be waiting for you. But it was also the only chance you had of getting back. You took a shaky breath and tried to shake the tension from your limbs. Your hand trembled slightly as you reached for the know. Now or never.
You swung the door open and took a step outside of it only to be met with an already bloodied O player. His face was splattered with blood and his hands were covered in it. His face contorted into a sick grin upon seeing the red badge on your jacket. You moved to evade him but he shoved you into the wall.
Before you could make a sound, the man drove some sharp implement into your lower abdomen. You let out a restrained scream before the man in front of you was stabbed in the neck with one of the forks from your dinner. Another X player pulled the fork out of him, causing some of his blood to spurt out of the wound and onto your skin. Each drop felt like acid as you realized what just happened. “Go on, go!” Your savior had yelled before getting attacked himself.
You looked down at your wound, seeing a shard of the mirror sticking out. The crash you heard must have been the mirror shattering. It wasn't a very wide piece, but it appeared to be rather deep. Blood oozed from it slowly, likely hindered by the glass itself closing some of the blood vessels.
You zipped your jacket to hopefully hide the wound from most of the players in the dorms. You entered the room with a blank expression, walking toward your group as normally as you could manage.
You probably could have hid it too if players weren't following you out of the hall, yelling about the brawl in the bathroom.
In-ho watched you closely, concern growing with every moment. Your breathing was shallow as every breath felt like the shard was plunging deeper. Your arm was pressed against your side, hoping to conceal the wound from the other players.
Once you got close enough, In-ho spoke. “Hey, are you okay?” He asked. He knew the answer. You obviously weren't okay. He could see the tears welling in your eyes.
You shook your head slightly, biting back tears. Your hands shook as you grabbed the hem of your jacket and shirt, lifting it with a grimace. You exposed the wound to them, the cold air stinging somewhat.
There were different reactions from each of the members of your alliance. In-ho was seething. You could see that he wanted to find whoever did it and make sure they were dead. But he didn't. He couldn't. If he reacted that strongly, it would seem out of place. People would question him and he couldn't lose their trust if Gi-hun was going to attempt to carry out his plan.
Dae-ho seemed almost queasy. He had seen so many others die in these games, but there was something different when it was someone close to him.
Gi-hun's eyes seemed far away. He wasn't seeing you, he was seeing the scared young girl that had been haunting his mind. Your injury was almost identical to hers. You hadn't recognized the comparison until you saw his reaction.
Jung-bae and Jun-hee were concerned and were starting to think about ways to help you. You couldn't observe their reactions much longer as you felt your legs start to give out underneath you.
In-ho was at your side in an instant, strong arms wrapped around your form to keep you upright. “Hey, it's okay. Let me help you down.” He murmured. He was restraining himself from spilling out all of the words on his heart. He lowered you gently, sitting you on the ground.
Jung-bae was grabbing a bedsheet to help pack the wound as Jun-hee offered a piece of advice. “Should we take it out?” She asked, referring to the glass shard.
Every other person disagreed quickly. She sheepishly muttered an apology. In-ho tried not to seem annoyed by her. He knew she was trying to help, but he couldn't help but be frustrated.
What annoyed him more was Gi-hun trying to get them to hide under the beds. You, Gi-hun, and In-ho all knew the protocol. They would allow just enough bloodbath to be entertaining without taking out too much competition, then they would storm the room.
In-ho turned to snap at him, to tell him that now wasn't the time, but you stopped him by grabbing his wrist gingerly with your hand. You looked up into his dark eyes. There was a storm of emotion flooding through his mind.
“Young-il, it's okay. Jun-hee can help me. They need you out there.” You said softly. Your words had multiple meanings. You weren't talking about the players, although the others would assume that. You were talking about the soldiers that needed his direction to deal with this situation. There had never been a crisis of this caliber. Not since Jun-ho, but even Jun-ho's infiltration of the compound was harmless compared to what Gi-hun was planning. They needed the frontman more than you needed your husband.
He didn't say anything. He couldn't. The only words that wanted to leave his lips was I love you and he couldn't. It was killing him. At least he felt like it was. He felt like someone was crushing his lungs. He couldn't breathe. Panic was surging through his veins but he needed to hide it.
What if you died? What if he left you here and you succumbed to your wound? He didn't think he could live with himself. He couldn't lose you too.
He stood up without a word, but it killed him inside. Every step he took was another pile of dirt over your coffin in his mind.
Gi-hun's plan was appearing to go smoothly. You knew it wouldn't be for long. The soldiers who went into the room were given very limited ammo in case a player would get hold of their guns.
They had soldiers waiting for their signal to crush the rebellion quickly. There were hardly any soldiers in the halls. They wanted to give Gi-hun some false hope. A sense of security. Just to watch it crumble.
Every decision Gi-hun made was something they had prepared for. It didn't matter what they did. This was predetermined to fail from the start.
-
For what it was worth, Jun-hee was trying to help you as much as she could. She was nervous to do much of anything with your wound. She let you hold the sheet against it, not wanting to hurt you at all.
Some of the others who you had associated with briefly were flocking to you. Most of the room had their eyes on you. You tried not to allow it to make you nervous, but it did. Being injured in the games was basically a death sentence. If you didn't die from the injury itself, you were likely going to be picked off since you were now an easy target. Even worse, right now your greatest protectors were nowhere near you. You had to rely on people you barely associated with before Mingle at all. They seemed nice, but you were wary.
You didn't want so much attention. You wanted to be able to slip out of the room undetected. You wanted to be able to get to the staff halls to get the help you desperately needed.
You got your chance to do so when Dae-ho ran back into the dorms for the second time. He was inconsolable, panicking about whatever was happening. You knew it was probably trauma from his time in the Marines. While attention was on him, you forced yourself to stand up, whimpering at the pain it caused.
The older woman heard you. She moved toward you, hand resting on your shoulder gently. “What do you think you're doing? You'll only hurt yourself more.” She fussed, her motherly nature shining through.
You shrugged her off, starting to walk toward the door. “They need that ammo.” You said through gritted teeth.
“Are you insane? You're injured enough. Sit.” She demanded.
You ignored her, her protests only filling you with more determination. You needed out of here. They wanted you to stay because they thought it would be saving you, when it was going to kill you. They didn't know that you had a five minute walk to some of the best doctors in Korea. You could feel your blood start to soak through your clothes. You didn't have enough time for this.
“Y/N, wait!” Jun-hee yelled, voice breaking slightly. You turned to look at her. You did feel bad for the girl. She deserved better than to be here. Her and her unborn child. You knew you were one of the last of her main allies in the room. You'd be leaving her alone.
You took a shaky inhale before speaking. “I'm gonna die here anyway. I may as well try to help the cause.” You said, voice cracking with a sob. You were crying from the pain and frustration. They were stopping you from getting help, and you were getting annoyed even though they had no idea.
No one said anything. They knew you were right. You took your leave.
Your pulse pounded in your ears as you made your way through the halls. The neon colors blended together as your vision started to blur. Fuck. You didn't have time for this. You stumbled over the makeshift bag of ammo. You had half the notion to take it with you so they couldn't have it at all, but you didn't think you could get back up if you bent down.
You kept one arm pressed to your wound while the other helped you keep your balance by trailing along the wall. Your sleeve was covered in blood. The warm liquid made the fabric cling to your skin. You could smell the metallic scent of your own blood and it made you sick to your stomach.
Your vision started narrowing as you neared the staff exit. “No, no, no.” You murmured, words slurring slightly. You can't die here. You can't do that to In-ho. He didn't deserve that. It would crush him. You desperately tried to resist the impending doom of losing consciousness.
You took a deep breath before sliding down the wall, sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around your middle. You leaned your head against the wall.
You hoped he would forgive you.
-
In-ho maintained himself the best he could in the situation. The panic was still there, but he was able to push it down for the time being.
He was just so sick of dealing with the players right now. His annoyance caused him to be even colder once he officially gave up the act (if that was even possible).
He killed the two players with him without hesitation, using the radio to taunt Gi-hun and make it sound like Young-il died with them. Watching the man take his last breaths while revealing his true identity was exhilarating, but he didn't have time to revel in it.
He made his way to the control room. He didn't pay too much attention to the other guards and soldiers. He needed to finish this without thinking about anything else. If he lost focus, he would break down.
His hands fumbled with the mask as he put it on. The mask made him feel suffocated, like he couldn't breathe. He wanted to rip it off and forget it ever existed and leave to find you, but he still had a role to play here.
He didn't think to tell the managers to find you, because he thought you were still in the dorms. He couldn't have them go into the room and escort you out, that would be a huge violation of policy. He would figure out how to get you out of there soon, but right now he needed to quell the rebellion.
And that he did. With a few remarks to Gi-hun and a bullet for Jung-bae, the rebellion was officially taken care of. The soldiers with him restrained and took Gi-hun to a safe place. There the VIPs could decide what to do with him. It was of little concern to In-ho now.
He made his way into the control room as quickly as he could. On his way, he began to hear elimination announcements over the loudspeaker. He knew your number wouldn't be called in that scenario, but it still put him on edge.
When he returned to his rightful place, the announcements had slowed. He started to scan the cameras of the dorms, hoping to see any sign of you, any sign that you were still alive. But he didn't find that from the camera.
“Sir,” someone called out from the sea of square masks, “There's another player in the halls.”
He turned, walking over to the man's monitor. It was you.
He would have rather seen you in the dorms. Blood had smeared down the wall as you slid down it, so he at least knew you didn't fall. He couldn't even tell if you were conscious. If you were alive. Were these pixels on the screen going to be the last time he sees you alive?
“Send a medical team there. I'll explain to them.” He said, turning on his heel to leave the room.
“What's the point? Just kill them like the rest.” One of the circle guards muttered.
The thudding of boots on the tiles stopped suddenly. In-ho turned, the blank eyes of his mask boring holes into the man's soul.
One of the other guards with him muttered something like “You fucking idiot.” They had all been told. They all knew that you were to be protected in the games. Whether his comment was genuine forgetfulness or disdain, it still pissed In-ho off.
His gloved hand hovered over the holster for his pistol. He hesitated for a split second. He wanted to end him right then or at least a lecture to make an example out of him. If he hadn't been around to correct the mistake, the guard could have killed you.
But his concern for you overpowered his thirst for vengeance. He didn't have time for that. The guard wasn't worth it. If you died and he had wasted even a second, he would never forgive himself.
He continued walking, taking long paces through the halls. He knew where he was going even after seeing just the view of the camera. He knew this place like the back of his hand.
He was kneeling in front of you in an instant, fingers fumbling with his mask to take it off. He didn't want that stupid mask to possibly be the last thing you ever see.
His hand reached out to touch your arm gently. “Love, wake up. Please, wake up.” He said, voice trembling slightly. He was just so scared. His heart was pounding in his chest with an intensity he had never experienced before.
He didn't want to shake you to wake you up. That would probably hurt like hell. His shaking hand moved from your arm to caress your cheek. “Open your eyes, please. I need you to wake up.”
He thought he imagined the flutter in your eyes for a moment. When it happened again, he knew it was real. “Hey, there you are. Open your eyes for me.” He said. His voice felt raw, like he could barely make out any words.
Your eyes slowly opened, looking around lazily until you comprehended he was with you. He pulled his hand away, almost like he hurt you.
Your eyes welled with tears. You were scaring the shit out of him and you knew it. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't-” You stuttered out through your tears.
He shushed you quietly. “Hey, hey, you're okay. You're fine. You're gonna be okay.” He said, his voice soft as if the words were only for you to hear.
You couldn't stop yourself from crying. Your hands were covered in your own blood. Your head felt fuzzy, like you weren't fully there. It terrified you. Were you dying? No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't fight off the feeling forever.
“Where's those damned medics?” He muttered, glancing up and down the hallways. He was going to have a stern talking to them after you were patched up. Because you had to be patched up. You were going to be fine. His mind couldn't accept it any other way.
Your vision started to blur once again. You were so tired. “I love you.” You said, your voice seeming far away from you.
His eyes darted back to you. “No, don't say that. You can tell me later when you get better. You aren't going anywhere.” He said, voice almost frantic. You weren't going to die. You couldn't. His breathing grew shallow.
You shook your head. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't.” You murmured.
He felt a tear roll down his cheek. When did he start crying?
You lifted your hand, holding his face in your hand and wiping the tear with your thumb. It left a slight smear of your blood with it. “I love you.” You said stronger, like you were forcing the words out.
He took in a shuddering breath, leaning into your touch. “I love you too.” He said softly. Saying it felt like he was giving up. He felt like he was almost giving you permission to die now that you had said your goodbyes.
But he would have never forgiven himself if he hadn't told you. He needed you to know that.
He heard footsteps, faint at first but then almost thundering. Or maybe it was the pounding of his heart echoing in his ears.
“Sir.” A square guard called. He looked over instinctively without the mask. When he realized and looked back to you, your eyes had fluttered shut.
His instinct was to fret over you, to beg you to come back. But his rationality overpowered that. You needed medical attention and he knew that.
He took a deep breath before pulling his mask on and standing up. “They have a shard of glass in their stomach. It's been there since the Special Game.” He said curtly. He couldn't say anything else. He just let the doctors take control of the situation.
-
He wasn't sure how he ended up in the suite. He didn't even know how long it had been since you had been picked up by the medics. There wasn't any alcohol involved either, just the torment of his own thoughts distracting him from reality.
He had been sitting on the couch in front of the screens that typically showed a live feed of the games. He had shut them off, however. Fuck the games. He couldn't give less of a shit. You were dying because of the games and it's his fault. Everything is his fault.
With them turned off, he was left alone in the dimly lit room. The only light was the pale moonlight bleeding through the blinds on the windows, but he couldn't bring himself to close them nor turn the lights on.
He was trapped in a cycle of torture from his own thoughts. He went from denying there was any chance you wouldn't make it to grieving your seemingly inevitable death and giving up hope.
He was spiraling hard although no one would be able to tell by looking at him. He was quiet and still, staring ahead at the blank screens before him. But you could see the storm in his eyes as his mind waged war against itself.
This was all his fault, wasn't it? He killed you. He may as well have been the one to stab you. The games were his doing. He never should have dragged you into this. That applied to re-joining the games as well as introducing you to the behind the scenes realm. You didn't deserve this kind of life.
The only thing that had pulled him out of his spiral was the shrill sound of the phone cutting through the silence.
His feet moved without him realizing. He answered the phone wordlessly, just picking up the receiver and holding it up.
“Sir?” A voice came through.
“What?” His voice rang hollow.
He could hear the guard clear his throat, unsure of how to react. “They are stable. You can come see them in the medbay wh-”
He put down the receiver without warning. He grabbed the polygonal mask that had sat forgotten on the coffee table. He slipped the mask over his face. The only good thing this facade could achieve was hiding the distress and grief that seemed to be etched into his face.
-
When you woke up, you found your husband asleep in a chair by your side. His head was tilted back against the wall. He looked almost peaceful. You had half the notion to find your phone to take a picture. Despite the circumstances, it would make an adorable lock screen.
From looking outside the small window, you could tell it was early afternoon. By your best estimate, the Special Game and subsequent revolution happened around 10:30 at night, so you had clearly been out for a while.
You looked back over to him. He looked like he really needed sleep, so you decided not to wake him up. You really didn't want to move, so you sat there in silence. The only noises were the faint beeping of the heart monitor you were hooked up to and the soft breathing of your husband beside you.
After a few minutes, you noticed his muscles tense up. You could see his jaw clench as his breathing grew shallow. He was clearly having a nightmare.
“In-ho?” You called out. Your throat was sore, like your voice had been left unused. You knew it was likely due to a breathing tube for surgery. You called out his name once more with no response.
You took a breath, preparing yourself for the stupid decision you were about to make. You leaned toward him, grimacing at the pain in your side as you did. You tapped his shoulder a few times until you saw him stir.
You said his name again, and as he woke up, your voice flooded him with relief. You were okay. You weren't dead. Seeing you like this, in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV and heart monitor, it shook him to his core.
You reminded him of her.
He remembered when he got a call from the hospital while he was on patrol. He remembered rushing into the emergency room in a panic, hardly being able to articulate his words. He was led into her room to see her unconscious in the bed. After the games, he came back to find her and their unborn child dead lying in that same bed.
The image was burned into his mind. He felt like he could see her whenever he closed his eyes. He could see her in the faces of some players as they lay motionless on the ground, just betrayed by someone closest to them.
Now her image began mixing with yours. He felt like bringing you into this world was a betrayal itself, but he didn't think the guilt of leaving you behind in the dorms would ever dissipate. The grief he felt for her, that he still feels for her, bled into the current situation and overwhelmed him.
“What are you doing? Lay back.” He scolded you slightly, just worried about your injury. It was just his nature to fret over you.
You laughed slightly as you leaned back in the back. “I thought you'd be happy to see me.” You said, a slight smirk flickering across your face.
He seemed unamused by your statement, rolling his eyes, but you could see the smile breaking through his facade.
You had plenty of questions. About your own condition, about your former allies, and about the games in general. But you felt there was a more pressing issue.
“Am I allowed to eat? I'm starving.” You complained. Neither of you had eaten anything substantial in days. The games started with some decent food on the first night, but the last few meals had just been milk and bread for the most part.
He smiled slightly. “I had the kitchen staff already gathering the ingredients for your favorite.” He started to stand up, intending on heading down there himself to retrieve it.
“Do you have to go?” You asked. The words were left unsaid, but you didn't want to be alone right now. You were in pain and still somewhat in shock from the experience you had.
He paused, turning toward you. “I'm just going to step out to make a call to get someone to bring it up.”
You narrowed your eyes slightly. “Why can't you do it here?” You pressed. You were mostly joking with him.
He sighed as if he had been found out. “I was also going to surprise you with a juice box from the staff fridge. Is that a good enough reason?” He replied, voice staying neutral but you could tell he was playing along.
You pretended to think for a moment. “Yeah, that's fine. Don't worry, I'll still act surprised.” You said.
He laughed, a sound that gave you some semblance of calm at the moment. You hadn't heard it much in days.
He shook his head as he walked toward the door. You were going to be the end of him someday.
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falciesystemessays · 5 months ago
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I honestly think that Dizzy's entrance to Guilty Gear Strive should be as much of A Moment for plural systems as Bridget's was for trans women. The character's not out yet, but every bit of promotional material for the character points in a very promising direction. So for people who don't go here, or who have only played Strive, allow me to tell you why a character trailer for a three-year-old game put me on the verge of tears.
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For some quick context, plurality in a person is essentially the state of having multiple entities in one's head. The most commonly known form of this comes from having dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personalities. But plenty within the plural community (including me) have a broader umbrella for the term. The main terminology you'll want to know for this is that a "system" is a group of entities within one body (I for example am part of the Fal'cie System), and "aspects" are entities that aren't quite separable from the host, because they're the manifestation of specific parts of them. For the record I am very aware of how buckwild this sounds to an outsider, and I frequently get existential about it. A lot of characters in anime and games are incidentally plural due to their layers of fantasy nonsense. Some examples of this in action are Yami and Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh, Sora gaining Ventus's heart in Kingdom Hearts, and the explicit dissociative identity of the Storyteller System in Ace Attorney.
Now then! To sum up Dizzy's backstory real quick, Dizzy is a Gear, basically a living weapon, and the daughter of original antagonist Justice. Most of her character up until this point has been desperately trying to cover that and live among humans, to... mixed avail. In the series' story mode she manages to start a family with the human deuteragonist Ky Kiske, who loves her a lot despite formerly being one of the best Gear-slayers. Ky is such a wonderful character, because throughout the series we see him go from hating Gears to tolerating a few of them to having a kid with one and actually becoming a little bit Gear himself. But this essay isn't about Ky Kiske.
In actual gameplay, as in the 1v1 fighting game battles, the main thing stopping her from relative normalcy is her two wings, Necro and Undine. The reason I say this character is a plural dub is because these wings are actually aspects of Dizzy, Necro being her rage and Undine her compassion. A lot of Dizzy's attack animations in Guilty Gear XX (the one where I've played Dizzy a lot) actually have Necro doing violent things while Dizzy herself is either distracted or afraid. This continued in Guilty Gear Xrd, where her instant kill move (every character gets one) has Necro unleashing a fuckoff gamma ray while Dizzy begs him to stop. Worth noting also that gamma rays are one of the moves her mother Justice used. Dizzy and Necro have clearly not been getting along, and while it's fun as a fighting game character bit, there is a certain level of sadness to it.
But in Strive? Oh my god, she looks so happy now! So at peace with herself and with her system. Lemme just rattle stuff off right now.
-Dizzy's attack animations all put her in control. Necro and Undine do a lot of fighting still, but never without Dizzy's control. They are fighting in tandem.
-Dizzy's victory animation has her hold out two hands. Undine naturally puts her whole hand onto one, and Necro finally puts a single finger on the other with a smile.
-Their super move, Gamma Ray, starts out with Necro and Undine firing a beam, and Dizzy getting scared. But after glancing at them and realizing it's okay, she joins in on the beam attack.
-She has a new move now, Michael Sword (Pronounced Mik-hai-ull), a full-screen slash that Justice used to have, indicating that she's come to terms with her origins and wants to use them for good.
-God, her opening animation and taunt where she communes with the animals like a Disney princess. Her new beautiful design. Her new theme song! She has never been this happy in her life!
The thing is, right, I can imagine people saying that this character growth isn't remotely the same kind of moment as Bridget's, because Dizzy's whole thing is based in sci-fantasy that could never be real in the same way that like, dissociative identity is real. Plenty more would deny that plurality exists at all outside some deluded roleplayers. And, I mean, was series director Daisuke Ishiwatari really thinking about people like me when choosing to take the character this way? I don't know, honestly. But I do know that Dizzy's character arc is authentic, to me. If there's one thing Guilty Gear Strive's story is really good at, it's giving long-suffering characters some well-earned peace. And if this is how Strive Season 4 is starting, I can't wait to see what they do next.
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umairrizwan1 · 1 year ago
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How do I choose the right size for a women's BJJ gi?
Introduction:
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is not only a martial art but also a way of life for many practitioners around the world. As a female practitioner, finding the right BJJ gi is essential for comfort, mobility, and performance on the mat. However, selecting the perfect size can be challenging, given the variations in body shapes and gi brands available in the market. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the factors to consider and step-by-step strategies to help you choose the right size for a women's BJJ gi.
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Understanding BJJ Gi Sizing:
Before diving into the specifics of choosing the right size, it's crucial to understand how BJJ gi sizing works. Unlike regular clothing sizes, BJJ gis are typically sized using a combination of height and weight ranges. Additionally, some brands offer specific size charts tailored for women, considering differences in body proportions.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Size:
Body Measurements: Start by taking accurate measurements of your body. Key measurements include height, weight, chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, arm length, and leg length. These measurements will serve as a baseline for selecting the appropriate size according to the manufacturer's size chart.
Gi Brand and Model: Different brands may have variations in sizing, fit, and shrinkage rates. It's essential to research and familiarize yourself with the sizing charts provided by the brand of your choice. Additionally, consider trying on gis from different brands if possible to determine which one fits your body shape best.
Style and Preference: Consider your personal style preferences and intended use of the gi. Some practitioners prefer a more tailored fit, while others prefer a looser, more relaxed fit for comfort and mobility during training or competition. Additionally, take into account any specific features or design elements you prefer, such as collar thickness, sleeve length, or pant style.
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Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Right Size:
Refer to Size Charts: Start by consulting the size chart provided by the gi manufacturer. Look for specific sizing options designated for women if available. Match your body measurements with the corresponding size ranges to identify the most suitable size.
Consider Shrinkage: Keep in mind that most BJJ gis are made from cotton, which has a tendency to shrink after washing. Check if the manufacturer provides information on pre-shrunk or shrink-to-fit gis. If unsure, consider sizing up slightly to accommodate potential shrinkage, especially if you fall between two size ranges.
Seek Expert Advice: Reach out to fellow female practitioners or instructors for recommendations and insights on sizing, especially if they have experience with the brand or model you're considering. They may offer valuable advice based on their personal experiences and preferences.
Try Before You Buy: If possible, try on the gi before making a purchase. Visit a local BJJ store or attend events where vendors showcase their products. Trying on different sizes will give you a better understanding of how each size fits your body shape and allows you to make an informed decision.
Read Reviews: Research online reviews and testimonials from other female practitioners who have purchased the same gi model. Pay attention to comments regarding sizing, fit, comfort, and durability. This feedback can help you gauge whether the gi runs true to size or if adjustments need to be made.
Evaluate Comfort and Mobility: Once you've selected a size and tried on the gi, assess its comfort and mobility during movement. Ensure that the gi allows for a full range of motion without feeling too restrictive or overly loose. Pay attention to areas such as the shoulders, sleeves, and pant legs to ensure a proper fit.
Consider Alterations: In some cases, you may find that the gi fits well overall but requires minor alterations for a perfect fit. Consult with a tailor or seamstress to make adjustments such as hemming pant legs or taking in the jacket for a more tailored look.
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Conclusion:
Choosing the right size for a Womens gi BJJ is a crucial step in ensuring comfort, mobility, and performance on the mat. By considering factors such as body measurements, gi brand and model, style preferences, and shrinkage, you can make an informed decision that suits your individual needs. Remember to consult size charts, seek expert advice, try on different sizes, and evaluate comfort and mobility before making a final purchase. With careful consideration and attention to detail, you'll find the perfect fit that enhances your BJJ experience.
FAQ’s: 
Q1: How do I measure myself accurately for a BJJ gi?
A: To measure yourself accurately for a BJJ gi, you'll need to take several key measurements, including height, weight, chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, arm length, and leg length. Use a measuring tape and follow guidelines provided by the manufacturer to ensure precision.
Q2: Do BJJ gi sizes differ from regular clothing sizes?
A: Yes, BJJ gi sizes typically differ from regular clothing sizes. They are usually based on a combination of height and weight ranges, rather than standard numerical sizes. Additionally, gi sizes may vary between brands, so it's essential to consult each manufacturer's size chart for accurate sizing information.
Q3: How do I know if a BJJ gi will shrink after washing?
A: Most BJJ gis are made from cotton, which has a tendency to shrink after washing. Check the product description or label for information on pre-shrunk or shrink-to-fit gis. It's also advisable to size up slightly to accommodate potential shrinkage, especially if you're between two size ranges.
Q4: What should I do if I fall between two sizes on the size chart?
A: If you fall between two sizes on the size chart, consider factors such as shrinkage, personal preference for fit, and feedback from other practitioners. It's generally recommended to size up if you're unsure, as you can always make minor alterations for a better fit if needed.
Q5: Are there specific size charts available for women's BJJ gis?
A: Some BJJ gi manufacturers offer specific size charts tailored for women, considering differences in body proportions. These size charts may provide more accurate sizing options for female practitioners, taking into account factors such as chest and hip measurements.
Q6: What should I do if I can't try on the gi before purchasing it?
A: If you're unable to try on the gi before purchasing it, research online reviews and testimonials from other female practitioners who have bought the same model. Pay attention to comments regarding sizing, fit, comfort, and mobility to gauge whether the gi runs true to size.
Q7: How can I ensure that the gi fits comfortably and allows for mobility?
A: When trying on the gi, assess its comfort and mobility during movement. Ensure that it allows for a full range of motion without feeling too restrictive or overly loose. Pay attention to areas such as the shoulders, sleeves, and pant legs to ensure a proper fit.
Q8: What should I do if the gi requires alterations for a better fit?
A: If the gi fits well overall but requires minor alterations for a perfect fit, consult with a tailor or seamstress. They can make adjustments such as hemming pant legs or taking in the jacket for a more tailored look, ensuring maximum comfort and mobility on the mat.
Q9: How do I care for my BJJ gi to prevent excessive shrinkage?
A: To prevent excessive shrinkage, follow the care instructions provided by the manufacturer. Wash the gi in cold water and avoid using high heat when drying. Hang dry the gi whenever possible, and avoid wringing or twisting it to maintain its shape and size over time.
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degenerata69 · 2 months ago
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Months before leaving for university, Gi-hun and Sang-Woo were drinking Soju and smoking cigars in a park, talking about their future and aspirations.
Gi-Hun asks him why he never had a girlfriend in all these years, given that he is such a great guy.
Sang-Woo brushed it off. He hasn't found "the one" yet.
Then, out of the blue, Sang-Woo asks:
"What do you think about homosexuals?"
"Well, they are like anyone else, you know, love is a beautiful thing, and people find it, even in the most unexpected places, as long that they are happy, it's good"
"Would you date a homosexual?" Sang-Woo asks, inhaling nervously at the cigarette in his hand.
Gi-Hun seems to be taken back by this. He hasn't questioned his sexuality, and he has been lucky with women for all this time, and he wants to have a family one day, so he gives it a thought.
"Well, at long as they are pretty." He laughs, grabbing Sang-Woo by the shoulder, while the younger one looks down at the floor.
"Am I pretty, Hyung?" He asks, fidgeting at the cigarette nervously.
"What type of question is that?"—Sang-Woo's heart sank, he should have stayed quiet, but his anguish is soon broken by the man who caused it.
"You are the most beautiful man I've seen in my life, such a pretty face. You'd be such a great model. I'm sure once you are in SNU, you'd find a SNU girl who meets your expectations"
Sang-Woo felt relief; Gi-Hun didn't get the hint. And while he hoped to come clean about his feelings before leaving, maybe it was best to keep it hidden, he knew Gi-hun wanted a family; he couldn't provide that, he couldn't steal that for him. He'd get over his feelings and focus only on his success.
"Yes, a girl..." responded Sang-Woo, meeting Gi-hun eyes.
"A SNU girl."
"Yeah, that."
They kept drinking, enjoying each other's company, and the view the lake in front gave them.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Wait a minute..." Gi-hun says outloud, finally connecting the dots, Sang-Woo looked like a deer. He wanted to run, scream, tell him it was all a misunderstanding. Instead, he was kept in place, looking at him quietly, like he always did.
"You..? me...? But... but I am... I'm not like you... I'm such, I don't know, average. You deserve great things"
Sang-Woo's face was red, but he was determined, he fucked up and couldn't back from it now, might as well just take his shot, feel at least for one time in his life, how it feels to be loved.
He gently grabbed his friend's jaw and pressed his lips against the eldest.
It was soft, warm, and so addicting. They stayed like it for a few seconds. Their eyes met, both unsure of what they should do now.
"Hyung, I don't want your life to stop because of me. You deserve to be happy, you deserve to have a wife, and you deserve kids of your own. I can't give you that."
Gi-Hun was still in shock. He still couldn't believe he'd cause such an effect on the pride of Ssangmun-dong.
"I don't want you to ruin yourself because of me, you are destined for greatness, I am not great"
"Don't say that. You are too harsh on yourself. You are better than you think, trust me."
They drank again. They both knew that even though their feelings were mutual, they had different aspirations in life that were not compatible.
"Well, you are leaving in a few months. What do you think if we make some fond memories in the meantime? Then, we'd go in our ways. You'd conquer the world, and I'd be a regular guy. " Gi-Hun proposes, brushing Sang-Woo's hair.
Sang-Woo gave him a sweet smile, something he didn’t do often, melting his heart.
They leaned on each other again, meeting their lips, this might not last forever, but at this moment, they couldn't perceive time. They were happy and in love. It is all that matters
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sleepingkittiesworld · 2 months ago
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What if instead of the Love Hotel, Gi-hun buys a Strip Club?
Gi-hun—paranoid, guilt ridden, traumatized—needs a place to hide. A place to stay. Somewhere he’d never be found.
He never meant to own a place like this.
But then again—he never meant to win, either.
It had been an accident.
A thought that spiraled into a plan that didn’t even feel like his own.
Because after the Games—after the money, after the blood, after the funerals he didn’t attend, after the calls he didn’t return—
He had to disappear.
He had to hide.
Because they were watching.
The ones who ran the game.
The ones who made him play.
The ones who were waiting to see what he’d do next.
And fuck,
He couldn’t let them find him.
Couldn’t let them know what he was planning.
Couldn’t let them think, even for a second, that he was still a threat.
So he did what they wouldn’t expect.
He became something else.
Something unremarkable.
Something shameless.
Something that didn’t look like a man desperate for revenge.
He bought a strip club.
Because no one would look for him there.
Not the Front Man.
Not the recruiters.
Not even the few people he still had left in his life.
It was the perfect cover.
Sleazy. Loud. Indulgent.
A place full of sex and smoke and neon lights, a place that screamed greed, a place where no one asked questions.
A place where he could pretend to be just another rich man wasting his fortune on vices instead of thinking about what he had done.
And it worked.
At first.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
Because no one came looking.
No one followed him.
No one dragged him back to that island.
But then he had to run it.
And fuck, fuck, fuck—
That was worse.
Because he didn’t belong here.
Because he wasn’t like the men who came here every night, the ones who slid cash under garter straps with easy grins, the ones who could sit back, relaxed, comfortable, drinking in the sight of beautiful women with no shame, no hesitation, no guilt.
Gi-hun wasn’t like that.
Gi-hun sat in his office with a whiskey he barely touched.
Gi-hun signed the checks and avoided the floor, avoided the women, avoided the temptation of hands trailing over his shoulders when they called him ‘boss’ just to watch him flinch.
Because that’s what they did.
They teased him.
Because it was easy.
Because he made it easy.
Because they had never met a strip club owner who was so fucking awkward.
So easily flustered.
So jaw-clenchingly tense every time someone got too close.
And they loved it.
Because this was the man who owned them?
This nervous, sweaty-palmed idiot who still averted his eyes when they adjusted their tops?
This man who sat stiff-backed in the VIP room, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, gripping his drink like it was the only thing keeping him from running out the door?
It was hilarious.
So they pushed him.
Sat in his lap, just to watch him go rigid.
Traced a finger down his shirt collar, just to see his pulse jump.
Called him ‘boss,’ said it all slow and sultry, just to make him swallow too hard.
And you know he’d be the best boss too.
Oh, absolutely.
He would be the best fucking boss.
Because he respects them.
Because he knows what it’s like to be used, to be treated like a commodity, to have your body be nothing more than a means to an end.
And he hates it.
So he runs things differently.
No one gets forced into anything.
No one has to put up with a client they don’t like.
No one gets harassed, no one gets shorted, no one gets treated like they’re disposable.
Because he won’t let that happen.
Because he can’t.
And fuck, fuck, fuck—
The dancers notice.
They realize pretty quickly that he’s different.
That he’s not like the sleazebags who usually own places like this.
That he actually listens when they have complaints, actually throws out men who cross the line, actually makes sure everyone gets paid fairly.
And God, God, God—
The first time he threatens a customer for one of them?
The first time he grabs some asshole by the collar and drags him out into the street, voice low, dangerous, promising that if he ever comes back, he won’t be leaving with all his teeth?
They fall in love.
Not literally.
(Okay, maybe some of them.)
But suddenly, they stop teasing him just to mess with him.
They start teasing him because they actually like him.
Because he’s not just some awkward, blushing idiot anymore—he’s theirs.
Their boss.
Their protector.
The one man in this world who treats them like they matter.
And he doesn’t even realize it.
Doesn’t see the way they soften around him, doesn’t notice how they trust him in a way they don’t trust other men.
Doesn’t understand that no matter how much money he has, no matter how much guilt he carries, no matter how much he wants to disappear—
He’s already found a place where he belongs.
It was supposed to be temporary.
A means to an end.
A cover.
A place where he could hide in plain sight, where no one would ask questions, where no one would look for a man like him.
He hadn’t expected to care.
Hadn’t expected to give a damn about the girls who worked for him, about their lives, their safety, their happiness.
Hadn’t expected to become someone they trusted.
Hadn’t expected to become theirs.
But fuck, fuck, fuck—
He did.
He cared too much.
Because it was them.
The women who worked here, the ones who laughed too loud, teased him too much, flirted with him just to watch him squirm—they were good.
They were strong.
They were sharp, quick, clever, resilient.
And he knew what this world did to women like them.
So he made sure it never touched them.
Made sure they were safe.
Made sure they got paid fairly, that they never felt like they had to do anything they didn’t want to, that they never had to put up with a customer who made them uncomfortable.
He took them seriously.
He listened to them.
He bought them whatever they asked for.
If one of them wanted a new stage built, he paid for it.
If one of them wanted a better dressing room, he had it remodeled.
If they wanted better security, better wages, better lighting, better anything—
He made it happen.
Because he could.
Because money meant nothing to him.
Because he didn’t deserve it, because he had killed for it, because it sat in his account like a weight around his neck, because if he couldn’t spend it on the people he actually gave a damn about, then what the fuck was the point?
The first time one of them called him in the middle of the night, crying, scared, needing help—
And he didn’t hesitate.
He was out the door, in his car, tracking down the man who had hurt her before she even had to ask.
And that night—everything changed.
Because they knew.
They knew now, without a doubt, that he was one of them.
That he was theirs.
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kiraridertime03 · 3 months ago
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We need to free the Weasel
A brief discussion about the way that Creature Commandos uses politics in its narratives.
Spoilers for it and everything else James Gun DC up to this point though, below the cut.
Also, it is a busy post, content warnings for discussions of white supremacists and cops, as it is necessary.
With the release of the trailer of James Gunn's Superman film, hype for his grand DC Universe has kicked into high gear, and for good reason. That trailer, no matter the quality of the final film, is a goddamn work of art. A piece of film that understands Superman better over the course of 2 minutes and 20 seconds than Zack Snyder did over the course of 3 overlong movies. That mixed with his solid back catalogue of Superhero films. However, slightly more obscurely, this universe has already started with the animated series Creature Commandos, and especially with the fourth episode, which released hours before Superman's trailer, shows the kind of skill and thought Gunn and co. are putting into this new universe.
At its front, Creature Commandos feels very... blunt, in a lot of ways. It's like The Suicide Squad but with Creatures! It's big and raunchy, being an animated series with blood and swearing and sex and whatnot. And, when it comes with its politics, some of the early villain's mooks are a bunch of weird incels, and one of the main characters constantly advocates for killing Nazis. It is a work that immediately shows its hand, making the type who would decry the wokeness of modern movies and games or whatever. However, with these early examples, it can feel like a bit too much, maybe. I love it, don't get me wrong, I'm the type to really enjoy blunt earnestness. Though, given the more comedic approach that many of these elements take in the early episodes, it can feel a bit like it's only there for the bit.
Where the series really starts to excel, though, is when it starts integrating its flashback segments. As a whole, even outside the point of this post, the flashbacks feel like a wonderful decision. A way of fleshing out our characters while giving each episode a distinct feel, justifying the series as, well, a series rather than just one long movie. However, here, I want to discuss some of its political ideas, and how they integrate. Because, for these, they integrate more thematically, being an undertone to each character's own story.
For the bride, her story is centered around this idea of the objectification of women. I mean, it makes sense. She was literally made to simply be the bride of Frankenstein, an object of his affection. However, as she gained her own independence, the masculine figure who feels he is owed her hand in marriage breaks out into a rage, harming her and the person she actually loves. This story is what gives her the cynical edge she gains in the series proper, giving her an interesting, sympathetic story while using the elements of said story to say something about how many men perceive woman. A strong enough parable that acts as an undercurrent for her character.
Then, we get to G.I. Robot's episode, a real tear-jerker of a thing about a silly robot character, the exact thing to set my brain off in all sorts of ways. Much of this story is designed to set up his tragic past, so that we can feel catharsis once he gets his big moment, then feel the tragedy when he gets brutally murdered. However, it again is saying a lot of complex things. Many have discussed the PTSD angle for GI, which I do see, however, in GI's story specifically, I see the way that the American state treats veterans. Like, think about it. This being who was forged and created for the purpose of making war, goes to war, then once the war is over, they are, best, used for spectacle on live TV (Where they are unable to properly adjust to the tone of peacetime, accusing the audience of being Nazis themselves), studied not to help them, but to make the next generation of soldiers even more efficient at their goal of warcraft, then thrown to the side when they are no longer useful. The man selling GI to the collector literally says he slipped through the cracks. It, again, is a wonderful metaphor that takes advantage of what GI is, and uses it to emphasize these issues in a more literal way. It is a lot easier to show a robot who was programmed in a specific way weird the room out than the rocky adjustments a veteran may have to go through. It then, also, shows the kinds of people who really benefit from this warcraft, those it appeals to. The collector who buys GI turns out to be a part of a White Supremacist group in America, a group of people who gladly use Nazi iconography, identify with it, and gladly push it. Those also happen to be the types who want to buy old war memorabilia. Obviously, not all war collectors are Nazis. But these are people who see this kind of might makes right ideology that America so often employs with its military, and latch onto it. GI, rightfully, finds this appaling, and kills them on sight. It is this wonderful moment from this delightfully twisted series.
However, even that could be seen as a tad blunt. Again, GI is very clear with his words, he doesn't hide much. So, where I see this series going from good to great is with Weasel's flashback segments. This begins when a lawyer, a member of a nonprofit, demands she see Weasel, as she is putting on a case for him. In essence, she states that, at least to her and her organization, he was unjustly prosecuted. To both Rick Flag and us, this seems absurd, as we have a lot of predisposed biases towards Weasel. You see, he is one of the few pre-existing characters in this cast. Weasel was previously seen in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, though only briefly. There, as a member of the Decoy Team, he makes weird, gross noises, they make a joke about him having killed 27 kids, then have him promptly drown before the mission even starts (Though, in the post credit, it turns out he survived, because that's even funnier). Even if you hadn't seen that film (Which you should if you haven't), they reestablish all that in this series in the first few episodes, portraying him as a stupid, vulgar, violent creature who isn't worthy of rights. However, expertly, this is all a front.
In the flashbacks, we learn that Weasel only interacted with about 8 kids, a bunch of students left at an after school program. Contrary to what we had been told, he really just played around with the kids, chasing around a ball. They eventually get inside the school and, while messing with stuff they shouldn't have, start a small fire. However, some antics are afoot. While he is playing around, an old senile man sees this and, rather than asking about what's going on, decides to run back to his home, call the cops about what is a clear, if odd, misunderstanding, then grab his gun to try to take things into his own hands. And, as he does, shakily trying to shoot Weasel, he makes the problem of the small fire worse, shooting a gas canister behind them, turning the small fire into a school-destroying explosion and fire. Then, the cops show up. Many of the kids are already dead, seemingly, but one survived. So, as he pulls her out of the wreckage, what do the cops do? They start shooting. Throughout this whole sequence, the cops do nothing but shoot and get in the way of things. It all culminates in the final shots, where Weasel has dropped the kid after being shot. And, instead of either of them going to get the kid, they both pin Weasel down, try to pull him out. This leaves the young girl to be crushed.
This is a massive tragedy, a game of tragic misudnerstandings that gets kids killed. However, again, it does this by hiding its politics into a genuinely moving character based story to make them more effective. It is a story, in part, about our predisposed biases. I mean, the narrative literally sets this up. Characters around Weasel say things about him without him being able to have a say. Because he's a Weasel. Then, our characters make judgments based on what they believe and what they've heard from secondhand sources over what they actually see. Even when Weasel is his most violent (taking down Circe in episode 3), he does it to protect his teammates, and he doesn't actually kill her. In his backstory, characters make rash decisions based on their misinformed judgments in hopes of "protecting the kids," when all they are actually doing is harming them. They get 8 kids killed all because Weasel is a little freaky.
Then there's the cops themselves. It so masterfully uses showing rather than telling. The most it tells us is of the trail at the start, and again, this is moreso used as setup, playing into our dispositions. However, when it is time to actually depict the injustices, it shuts the fuck up. It doesn't just say that cops are bad with a couple of clear shitheads and moves on. It shows how cops are bad. Their only answer to this situation is violence. They don't actually serve their community, in this instance the children stuck in the fire, their only answer is to start shooting things. Because they have no other answer than state sanctioned violence. And they did this all with an episode about FUCKING WEASEL!
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Now, imagine what they can do with Superman. It doesn't even have to be political, like these previous examples. However, to me, this shows that he can do what, to me, some of the best storytellers do. They weave every element of their story together with deliberate choices that strengthen each other. If anything, more than any well edited trailer, it is that that excites me about everything James is working on. Of course, he is doing this with a team, but James is the type to surround himself with smart people who understand these things inside and out. That one David Corenswet quote about the shorts proves that to me in shades. That's what gives me hope about these works. That they will be movies and shows that mean things. Which seems like a low bar, but hey, so many fail at it that it's kind of impressive.
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prettypynklemonade · 3 months ago
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Torn: A Reacher Story
by PrettyPynkLemonade
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Author's Note:
Hi friends! This is a Reacher fic feat. a black original character. It's an AU, but definitely fits into that world. There will be at least 5 parts. This is my first story that I've posted since 2016ish, so please be nice.
We only accept compliments and CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms.
Proofread by @trippinsorrows
cw/tw: dark humor/sarcasm, violence, blood and injury, child abuse, emotional abuse/trauma, strong language, threats of violence, abandonment themes, and romantic tension. (If I've missed anything, please let me know and I'll edit to add)
Word count: 1.1k
October 13th, 2024
Reacher was a man of few words. If he wanted something handled, he didn’t make assumptions; he’d assess the situation, come to a quick determination, and acted with efficiency to protect those around him without regard for his own well-being.
Everyone who knew him, and there were few that really did, knew he operated by a strict code of conduct. There was no one in the world that was an exception to his rules. And his penchant for freedom was unmatched. If it wasn’t a toothbrush and money for the bus, it wasn’t a necessity. He travelled from city to city, slept where he could, ate when he could and kept it pushing.
Of course, there were a few unsavory moments here and there that couldn’t be avoided. How could he know he’d see a kid assaulted by her own father on his way to the bus stop? Of course he couldn’t just walk away. Not without kicking the little girl’s father in the jaw, throwing the weak man up a tree, and calling the cops to handle the rest. He was a man with values, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be involved. He handed the kid a Clark Bar, patted her on the back, and continued his way. Knowing that he was now covered in that hillbilly bitch of a man’s blood he needed a new wardrobe. Anything that drew attention to him was an immediate no-go.
All Reacher expected when he walked into the quaint thrift store in the middle of the town was to buy a new pair of clothes and donate his current one. He didn’t have a way to get rid of the unsavory bloodstains, but that was for the store to deal with. He walked in, kept his head down, picked up the first pair of clothes that could fit and went into the dressing room. After he tried on the new clothes and was walking to the register, he already had a plan in his head, and it was the same plan he always had when he was ready to leave a place that had worn out its welcome: He’d move onto the next city, wherever that may be, and continue his wandering lifestyle.
But fate, or perhaps the devil, had other plans for him.
Behind the counter, wearing a scowl to rival a lioness’s, stood one of the most beautiful women he’d ever known. Although, the last time he’d seen her, she wished that he would crawl into a hole and die. She hadn’t been given the opportunity to say anything to him yet, as she’d been too preoccupied with two other customers in the store, but he knew she’d noticed him. Adora James was someone who noticed the smallest of details and she probably saw him as soon as he walked into the tiny, but beautifully decorated store.
He was kind of hard to miss after all. Standing at 6’5, weighing 250 pounds, and with the build of a GI Joe action figure he was typically noticed whether he actually wanted to be. With their torrid history, he was sure that his presence was the opposite of a present to the woman who couldn’t hide the way she wished death upon her enemies, and he was number one on that list.
He knew that this discomfort they felt wouldn’t be rectified until they talked so he did what he did best; he assessed the situation, waited until her customers left the register, established his next steps, and acted.
Reacher placed his old clothes on the counter, waiting until she was restocking the loose clothing. "Good to see you, Adora." "Not good enough." she shot back, quick-witted as ever. Without pausing in her work, she kept hanging the clothes behind her, deliberately avoiding his gaze. "What are you doing here, Reacher?" she sighed, the exasperation clear in her voice. "I thought I made it crystal clear—the last time I saw you was supposed to be the last time I ever saw you."
He couldn’t lie and say that Adora avoiding his gaze wasn’t hurtful, but he’d heard worse from her. Reacher knew that backing down would mean defeat, and he wasn’t ready to give up on this again. “Fate,” he suggested with a small smile. “Or destiny.” “Or maybe it was Maybelline,” she supplied bluntly, finally turning around to meet his gaze. “Be fucking forreal. You’ve never once in your life believed in destiny. What about seeing me in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere makes you think this could possibly be fated?”
Reacher rubbed his hand over his face while thinking how could he possibly answer her question without upsetting her even more. He knew she had every reason to be frustrated with him, he left her with bullshit answers and reasons for abandoning her, and fixing this situation wasn’t something he was going to accomplish in a thrift store.
“Look, how about I buy what I’m wearing, give you these to sell, and we can meet at the diner on Main Street to talk about what happened?” He hoped this offer would buy himself time to figure out his next moves. Reacher knew all too well why he made the excruciatingly difficult decision to walk away from the best woman he ever met, but the excuse seemed irrelevant in her presence. He saw the wrinkle in her forehead while she was deep in thought and observed the cute dimple in her cheek as she bit the inside of it.
To be honest Adora wasn’t certain she wanted to sit down with Reacher, it was risky. He was almost too beautiful for words and while he didn’t speak many of them, the ones he said carried weight. If he was willing to give her closure, she’d take that chance. With a resigned look in her eyes, she replied “Okay. I’ll entertain you. You’ve got 30 minutes of my extremely valuable time starting at 8pm. If it’s not satisfactory, I’ll make sure you won’t be giving anyone answers ever again.” She gave him his few pieces of change while ignoring the blood on the clothes, knowing that whoever pissed him off probably deserved it.
With the change in his hands Reacher nodded and turned to walk out of the store. He knew that she meant what she said, she could kill a man with her bare hands, and she had. As he looked back at the Thrift Store, all he could think was You don’t mess with the Special Investigators! and he’d already broken that promise once.
Taglist: @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @trippinsorrows @proceduralpassion @wwecrazed2010 @beas-mind @hotsauceeater @reacherfan @reignsboy19 @shitt-imfinished @jayjayem1999 @yana3sworld @dumbasswhorebug @prettyvampofsorrows
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snazzilystoopid · 2 years ago
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Kai Smith-Jiang Headcannons!
Here's Kai next! Enjoy!!
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Starting off, I headcannon that he's Chinese and Polynesian
He's definitely gym buddies with Cole but just can't be bothered to commit to working out all the time
The guy's lazier than you think lmao 😭
He's got burn marks up his arms, and he also has a high pain tolerance, especially when it comes to burns
He loves spicy food
You can literally cook stuff on his skin
Great to be around during winter, not so great during summer
Dating Skylor Chen, but they always argue over the pettiest things most of the time
Don't get him wrong though, he loves her sm and they usually make up like 15 minutes after because Kai craves her attention lol
He's bi, he actually was commonly asked out alot by both men and women
Pro at skateboarding
Nya's his no. 1 best friend and he'd do anything for her
He didn't actually have a proper education, because he had to look after Nya in the absence of his parents
He goes through half a tub of gel every couple days
Most famous ninja, he's an influencer and probably has half of Ninjago following him on Chirp
Lloyd is like a little brother to him, and he always looks out for him
If anything ever happened to Lloyd or Nya, Kai would instantly blame himself
He has two ear peircings on each ear, one of them always matches with Skylor's
This man will swear in almost every sentence he speaks, he's just so pissed at everything all the time
His favourite thing to do is just ride around on a motocycle just for the feeling of wind in his face and hair.....no he doesn't wear a helmet
And YES he legit thinks that he's a movie's main character and everybody else are just extras
He owns a leather jacket that used to belong to his dad, Ray, and he'll wear it literally everywhere when he's not wearing his ninja gi
Thanks for reading !! <33
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umairrizwan1 · 1 year ago
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Discover the Ultimate Women's Jiu Jitsu Gi Selection
Introduction:
Jiu Jitsu, a martial art form that originated in Japan and gained immense popularity globally, has seen a surge in participation from women in recent years. With more women joining the mats, the demand for high-quality women's Jiu Jitsu Gis has skyrocketed. These Gis not only serve as a uniform for training but also play a crucial role in enhancing performance and comfort during practice and competitions. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just starting your Jiu Jitsu journey, choosing the right Gi is paramount to your success on the mats.
Understanding the Importance of Women's BJJ Gi
The significance of a well-fitted and durable Jiu Jitsu Gi cannot be overstated. It's not merely a uniform; it's an essential piece of equipment that affects your mobility, agility, and overall performance during training and competitions. For women, finding the perfect fit is even more crucial due to differences in body shapes and sizes.
Key Factors to Consider
When selecting a Womens BJJ Gi, several factors come into play:
Size and Fit: Finding the right size is the first step towards comfort and mobility on the mats. Women's Gis are tailored to accommodate the unique contours of the female body, providing a snug yet flexible fit.
 Material: The material of the Gi greatly influences its durability, weight, and comfort. Most Gis are made from cotton or a blend of cotton and polyester, offering a balance between breathability and durability.
 Design and Style: While functionality is paramount, many women also consider the design and style of the Gi. Whether you prefer a minimalist look or vibrant colors and patterns, there are options to suit every taste.
 Price: Budget is another important consideration. Fortunately, there are women's Gis available at various price points, ensuring that you can find a high-quality option within your budget.
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Exploring the Best Women's BJJ Gi Options
Now, let's delve into some of the top women's Jiu Jitsu Gi options available in the market:
Lightweight and Durable: This Gi is crafted from premium cotton fabric, making it lightweight yet incredibly durable. Its reinforced stitching ensures longevity, while the slim-fit design offers maximum agility during training sessions. Available in a range of sizes, this Gi caters to women of all body types.
Stylish and Functional: Combining style with functionality, this Gi features a sleek design with vibrant accents. Made from a breathable cotton blend, it provides excellent moisture management, keeping you dry and comfortable even during intense training sessions. The tapered fit offers a flattering silhouette without compromising on performance.
Budget-Friendly Yet Reliable: If you're looking for a high-quality Gi that won't break the bank, this option is worth considering. Despite its affordable price tag, it boasts durable construction and thoughtful design features. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, this Gi offers excellent value for money.
For further information, you can check out this article Best Womens jiu jitsu gi.
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Conclusion
Choosing the right women's Jiu Jitsu Gi is essential for comfort, performance, and confidence on the mats. By considering factors such as size, material, design, and price, you can find the perfect Gi that meets your unique needs and preferences. Whether you're aiming to improve your skills or compete at the highest level, investing in a high-quality Gi is a decision you won't regret. Explore the diverse range of options available, and embark on your Jiu Jitsu journey with confidence and style.
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