#But she’s just annoying and overhyped to me

[severussnapemylove]

I just…my brain hurts… I made a comment on a post about how Lily isn’t shown actively defending Severus until it’s too late, i.e. SWM. And someone came back with “just because it’s not said in the book, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen”.

????????

What are we supposed to go off then, if not the books? A great many things could fly under that explanation. Fact is, everything I see tells me that Lily was not a good friend to Severus. A true best friend would be after bullies with a baseball bat. Not trying to justify the bullies behaviour and coming out with the attitude of “you should be grateful one of the bullies draws the line at murder”.

[sonknuxadow]

seeing that new post from the official sonic account like Oh new espio art how ni AHHHHHHHH TAYLOR SWIFT JUMPSCARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[varietysky]

something in b*nksie's spirit doesn't sit right with Me, and I felt that way during the girl group challenge but my feelings were confirmed with the newest episode. Even tho I agreed with her in that argument, idk...

Cara is a better person than me. No way someone will flip me off and tell me to fuck off and I just let them walk away like HUH??? England is truly built different

[edenesth]

5 Steps to Losing to You

Pairing: student council president!Yunho x vice president!fem!reader

AU: high school au (enemies to lovers)

Word Count: 7.5k

Summary: The student council president of KQ High had five simple steps to surviving his vice president: outshine you, outsmart you, outlast you, annoy you, and — definitely — never fall for you. Too bad every step brought him closer to late-night arguments, unexpected truths, and one unforgettable confession under the fireworks. Somewhere between enemies and uneasy allies, Yunho took five steps too far — and ended up losing (his heart) to you.

Genre: romance (duh), comedy

A/N: Thank you, @itstheghostofmypast, for giving me the urge to write another high school AU. This one's heavily inspired by one of my favourite animes of all time, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.

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Do you ever meet someone for the very first time, and somehow, without a single word exchanged, you just know — from the very core of your being — that you can't stand them? No logical reason. No past history. Just pure, gut-level irritation.

That was exactly how Jung Yunho felt the second you stepped into the student council room, your posture straight, your expression unreadable, exuding the kind of effortless confidence that set his teeth on edge.

You were the new transfer student — the one the teachers haven't been able to stop raving about, the one who somehow landed the coveted vice president title before even learning the school layout. And now, here you were, standing beside him, the council's golden boy, as if you belonged there.

"Dude, that's her? Oh, they weren't lying when they said she'd be eye candy," Wooyoung, the council treasurer, whispered with a smirk, elbowing Yunho's side. Yunho didn't even glance at you. He just scoffed, nudging Wooyoung back hard enough to make him stumble. "Yeah? Well, too bad a pretty face isn't enough to survive my council. I give her two weeks before she runs back to wherever she came from."

He said it loud enough for you to hear — on purpose — just to see if you'd flinch. But you didn't. You only lifted your chin slightly, eyes flicking toward him for a single, scathing second. And in that moment, you hated him just as much as he hated you.

Because from the moment you locked eyes, you knew exactly who he was — the adored, untouchable president who had everyone wrapped around his finger. The boy who carried himself like the school was his kingdom, and every student his subject. And now you were supposed to serve under him?

Absolutely not.

You hadn't transferred here to play second to anyone — least of all some arrogant, overhyped, self-proclaimed king. Back at your old school, you were always at the top: top grades, top leadership positions, top of every ranking that mattered. You weren't just a vice president — you were a future president in the making.

If Yunho thought you were here to play a supporting role in his perfect little reign, he was dead wrong.

You weren't here to make friends.

You were here to take his crown.

────

Yunho leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he watched you skim through the thick binder of council documents that Seulgi, the council secretary, had just handed over. His eyes narrowed slightly, studying you like you were some kind of unwelcome intruder trespassing on his territory.

"Hope you're not too overwhelmed," Yunho said, voice dripping with fake concern. "Student council here isn't exactly… beginner-friendly."

You didn't bother looking up, flipping another page instead. "Don't worry, President," you replied, tone sweet but sharp. "I've dealt with more organised councils before. This is nothing I can't fix."

The room went still for half a second — just enough for Seulgi to glance between you both like she was watching a fuse being lit.

Yunho's smile sharpened. "Fix? That's a bold word for someone who hasn't even seen our term plan yet."

You finally met his gaze, leaning forward just slightly over the table. "Oh, I've seen it. Last year's records were so charming, especially the part where half the events went over budget and the spring festival had a typo on the banner. Spring Festivel, was it?"

The muscle in his jaw twitched, but his grin didn't falter. "Funny. You talk big for someone who just transferred here. But I get it — new girl syndrome. All ambition, no clue how things actually work."

You rested your chin in your hand, elbow propped on the table. "And you talk big for someone who's clearly too comfortable sitting on his throne. Guess we'll see who adjusts faster — me to this school, or you to having actual competition."

The president's smile froze in place. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being challenged — especially not by someone who hadn't even been here a full week.

Seulgi cleared her throat awkwardly. "So! Uh, why don't we go over this semester's goals together? You know… as a team?"

You and Yunho didn't break eye contact. Neither of you smiled.

"Can't wait," you said.

"Neither can I," he replied.

And like that, the war had officially begun.

────

To the outside world — to teachers, students, and anyone not trapped in this cursed room — Yunho and you were the dream team, the picture-perfect president and vice president duo. Smiling side by side during assemblies, coordinating in perfect sync during meetings, and even exchanging polite nods in the hallway.

But inside these four walls, away from the prying eyes of your adoring audience, it was an entirely different story.

It started small. The first time Yunho reached for the meeting agenda, it was mysteriously missing from his file. "Alright, let's get started with today's agenda—" he paused, flipping through his folder, only to find the neatly printed schedule gone. His eyes snapped up, narrowing instantly at you.

You sat across from him, filing your nails with deliberate slowness, not even trying to hide your smug smile when he had to wing the entire meeting from memory. "Looking for something, President?" you asked sweetly.

Wooyoung watched the exchange from the corner, whispering to Seulgi, "That's the second time this week. If this keeps up, he's gonna staple the agenda to his forehead."

The secretary sighed, already immune to the madness. "At least they're creative."

Then there was the presentation. Monthly council update in front of all the teachers, a perfect opportunity for the president to shine — until Yunho confidently clicked to the next slide… and instead of student council statistics, the screen flashed an embarrassingly tragic childhood photo of him mid-sneeze, teeth crooked, hair tragic.

Gasps filled the room. His eye twitched. From beside him, you covered your mouth, the picture of shocked concern, while under the table, your finger rested innocently on the laptop's trackpad.

"Oops," you whispered sweetly.

"You're dead," Yunho mouthed back.

The teachers would later praise your teamwork for handling the "technical difficulty" so gracefully.

The coffee war escalated next. Yunho, ever the gentleman, brought you coffee before morning meetings — extra bitter because he knew you hated it with a passion. You retaliated the next day, handing him a cup that smelled amazing but was actually salted beyond salvation.

Wooyoung took a cautious sip from his own drink, eyeing both of you. "This is why I only drink from the vending machine now."

"Smart," Seulgi muttered.

When it came time to make festival posters, the battle turned artistic. The school festival posters were a joint project — one half handled by you, the other by the president. What should have been a cohesive design turned into visual warfare.

Yunho's side was classic and professional, clean fonts and crisp colours. Your side? Bold, flashy, practically neon — and just slightly crooked, making his side look off-balance.

"It's like watching a couple divorce through graphic design," Wooyoung whispered.

"Except they were never married," Seulgi muttered. "Thank god."

The final straw — at least for that week — came during the morning announcements, when the president confidently read out the list of upcoming events — only to realise someone had swapped his script. Instead of the council's official calendar, he was now announcing a fake bake sale where Yunho himself would supposedly be dressing as a bunny mascot to promote sales.

His death glare found you through the broadcast window. You waved back cheerfully.

The students roared with excitement. "Bunnyho!" they chanted.

Seulgi buried her face in her hands. Wooyoung filmed everything.

And yet, the moment those council doors swung open, you both snapped back into your roles like pros. Smiling in sync at the cameras, cutting ribbons together with practised grace, even finishing each other's sentences when teachers asked about the upcoming festival. It was a performance so convincing that even Wooyoung — who knew the truth — found himself applauding.

"It's terrifying," the treasurer started, watching the two of you gracefully cut the ribbon at a new club opening ceremony. "They look like they actually… get along," he whispered, equal parts horrified and impressed.

"Tell me about it. They're scarily good at this," Seulgi agreed, clapping along with the crowd. "It's like they're starring in a romcom where only they missed the memo."

If only they knew.

If only the rest of the school knew.

If only anyone knew that beneath all the staged smiles and synchronised speeches, it would only take five steps for the mighty president and his infuriating vice president to lose — not to each other, but to something neither of them ever saw coming.

────

Step One: seeing each other.

It started like any other day in the student council room — a battleground polished to perfection.

You arrived first, flipping open your notebook, already plotting your next move. Yunho followed shortly after, shooting you a glare so subtle no one else would notice, but you caught it. You always did. The latest round in your ongoing war had been yours — you'd managed to replace his entire project folder with a stack of fake documents detailing a made-up proposal for a "Student Council Talent Show," featuring him as both host and performer. He'd spent an hour in front of the principal before realising the whole thing was a setup. You were winning.

So when Yunho swept into the room, you were already bracing for his retaliation. And sure enough, it came — a stack of freshly printed minutes from the last meeting placed squarely in front of you. Except every instance of your name had been replaced with "Her Royal Highness, The Vice President of Perfection".

You stared at it. He smiled, all teeth and zero remorse.

"Thanks for the edit," you said coolly.

"Anything for my vice president," he shot back.

But that wasn't the real blow. The real sabotage came during the club funding review later that afternoon. It was your turn to present the approved budgets for each club, a dry, boring task — until Yunho, in a voice far too innocent, asked, "By the way, Your Highness — didn't your old school have a fencing club? You were captain, right?"

You froze for half a second. It was microscopic — no one noticed. Except for Yunho. Of course, he noticed.

"Yeah," you said, flicking through the papers like the question meant nothing. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering why you transferred out so suddenly. From what I hear, you were practically royalty back there, too."

You knew what he was doing. Fishing. Trying to unearth whatever dirt might be hiding under your perfect exterior. You forced a smile. "It was boring," you lied. "Needed a challenge."

He hummed, unconvinced.

Later that evening, you found your chance to return the favour. You'd overheard a conversation between Wooyoung and Seulgi, something about Yunho always leaving in a rush after school, barely staying long enough to clean up. So you set a trap — a simple one. You "accidentally" scheduled a last-minute meeting that ran late, forcing him to stay behind.

You expected him to blow up at you afterwards. You were ready for it. What you didn't expect was to follow the tall and lanky boy out — purely out of curiosity — only to watch him walk straight to the convenience store down the street, throw on a part-time apron, and start restocking shelves.

You stood outside, stunned, watching the golden boy student council president clock into a job like any regular kid. Except he wasn't just any regular kid, was he?

For the first time, you saw him without the shine — no polished uniform, no cocky smirk, no sharp words ready to fire at you. Just a boy with his sleeves pushed up, quietly stacking instant noodles, stopping every so often to check his phone like he was waiting for a message.

And when his phone finally buzzed, you saw him smile — small, tired, real.

You didn't mean to see the text, but you did.

Mum: Yunho-yah, don't forget to bring home eggs if they're on sale.

You stepped back before he could notice you watching, heart thudding with something you couldn't quite name.

That was the first crack.

The next day, Yunho found a neatly folded discount coupon for eggs tucked into his student council folder. No signature. No note. Just a coupon.

He stared at it for a long time.

For once, neither of you said anything.

But it didn't end there.

Later that week, Yunho caught sight of you outside the school gates, long after the council room had emptied. He hadn't meant to linger — in fact, he had every intention of ignoring you like usual — but something about the way you stood there caught his attention.

You weren't scrolling through your phone or chatting with anyone. You just stood there, posture straight, hands clutching your bag like it was the only thing keeping you upright. A sleek black car pulled up, polished until the surface gleamed, and a middle-aged man in a pressed suit stepped out to open the door for you.

He scoffed quietly to himself. Of course.

Princess treatment. Figures.

But as you slid into the back seat, something about the way you moved made him pause. Stiff. Formal. Like you were stepping into a stranger's car, not your own. He caught a glimpse of your face through the tinted window before it rolled up — your gaze fixed straight ahead, unfocused, mouth pressed into a thin line. You looked... distant. Detached.

Not proud. Not smug.

Not like someone who had it all.

Just... tired.

Yunho frowned, stuffing his hands into his pockets, muttering under his breath, "Must be nice to have everything handed to you... so why do you look like you've got nothing?"

He didn't have an answer. And that unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.

That night, he lay awake, staring at the ceiling, the memory of your empty eyes lingering longer than they should.

Neither of you knew it yet — but the game was already changing.

────

Step Two: the unexpected rescue.

The rain came down hard — the kind of storm that soaked you to the bone in seconds, drumming against the pavement with no mercy. You stood just outside the school gates, shoulders hunched slightly under the awning, arms crossed tight as your phone buzzed non-stop in your hand.

Driver (5 missed calls)

Driver: Stuck in traffic. 15 minutes.

Driver: 20 minutes.

Driver: Sorry, Miss. It's a mess out here.

You exhaled sharply through your nose, locking your screen before shoving the phone into your pocket. This was typical — your family's staff was always prompt when it came to your father, but for you? Delays. Excuses. You were used to it. Didn't make it any less irritating.

The rain intensified, and you took a careful step back, just barely avoiding a splash from a passing car. That's when you saw him — Yunho, already halfway down the sidewalk, hood pulled up, backpack slung over one shoulder.

He could have kept walking. You expected him to. Hell, you would've preferred it.

But he stopped.

He stood there for a second, back still facing you, before you saw his shoulders rise and fall in what looked suspiciously like deep, begrudging contemplation. Then, without a word, he turned back, marched toward you, and thrust his umbrella out with one hand.

"Don't make it weird," he muttered, hood shadowing half his face. "I'm not leaving my vice president to drown. People would talk."

You stared at him, dumbfounded, before slowly stepping under the umbrella's cover. Your shoulder brushed his — just barely — but it was enough to make the air between you heavier than the rain itself.

"You're still an arrogant ass," you said, mostly out of habit.

"And you're still annoying," he shot back.

But neither of you moved away.

The walk to the nearby bus stop was silent, save for the rain pattering against the umbrella's canopy and your synchronised footsteps on the wet pavement. The silence should have been awkward — it always was between the two of you — but this time, it felt... almost easy.

At the stop, he held the umbrella steady over both your heads until the bus pulled up, wiping rainwater off his forehead with his sleeve.

"Don't think this means I like you," he said, voice quieter than usual.

You snorted, climbing up the bus steps. "Please. I'd be more worried if you did."

But when you found your seat by the window, you caught a glimpse of him outside — standing there in the rain, umbrella still in hand, watching the bus pull away. Neither of you knew why this moment stuck so firmly in your minds. You just knew something had shifted.

The next morning, you were absent.

Yunho should've been pleased. A day without your sharp tongue, your constant presence, your infuriating need to challenge his every decision — it should've felt like a vacation. But instead, an uncomfortable unease gnawed at him from the moment he entered the council room and saw your usual seat empty.

He shouldn't care. He knew that. But for some reason, his mind kept circling back to the night before — the rain, the bus, the fleeting glimpse of your tired face in the window.

Did you even get home safely?

He scowled at the thought. Not my problem. I already did more than enough. But no matter how much he tried to shake it off, that knot of regret just sat there in his chest, stubborn and unrelenting.

By mid-morning, his irritation boiled over. Slamming his pen down, he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Where's Vice President Pain-in-the-Ass today?" he asked, tone far too casual to be casual.

Wooyoung's eyebrows shot up — before a slow smirk stretched across his face. "Why? Miss her already? You two were so cute sharing that umbrella last night."

Yunho's chair scraped violently against the floor as he sat up straighter. "What?! Who said— That's not— I'm only asking because I was expecting her to submit the student committee reports today!"

"Suuure," Wooyoung drawled, dragging out the word until Yunho was ready to fling a stapler at his head.

Seulgi, ever the peacekeeper, stepped in with a sigh. "She called in sick. Probably caught a cold from getting drenched yesterday."

The president's stomach did an uncomfortable flip, though he masked it with a disinterested shrug. "Serves her right for not bringing her own umbrella," he muttered.

But later that night, during his shift at the convenience store, he nearly rang up a customer's items twice — his mind completely elsewhere. Each time the door chimed, he half-expected to see you storm in with some ridiculous complaint about student council policies. He hated the way that thought made his chest tighten.

He hated it even more when, the next morning, he found himself at his kitchen counter — brewing herbal tea.

When you returned to school the next day, you dropped your bag onto your desk, only to pause, brow furrowing. Sitting there, completely unassuming, was a flask of warm herbal tea. No note. No explanation.

You glanced around the empty room — only one other person was there this early, and of course, it was him. Yunho, head down, pretending to be engrossed in a report he had already read twice.

You nudged the flask aside and pulled out your notebook instead, determined not to play into whatever weird game this was.

Across the room, his pen froze mid-sentence. After a few beats of silence, he huffed, loud enough for you to hear.

"For heaven's sake, it's not poisoned," he said, still not looking up. "Drink it if you want to actually recover."

You narrowed your eyes at him, suspicious — but curiosity (and the faint scratch in your throat) won out. You unscrewed the lid, steam rising in a gentle curl. It smelled... comforting. Soothing. Like something homemade.

Reluctantly, you took a sip.

"...It's good," you admitted quietly.

He didn't respond, but when you looked up, you caught him — just for a second — sneaking a glance at you over the top of his file.

Again, neither of you said another word.

────

Step Three: forced vulnerability.

For a while, it seemed like the umbrella incident and the flask of tea never happened. Whatever fleeting kindness had passed between you both was quickly swallowed by your usual dynamic — sharp words, constant one-upping, and a relentless need to prove the other wrong.

That fragile truce didn't stand a chance.

It all came to a head after yet another brutal fight — the kind that had papers flying across the table, voices raised loud enough to make the underclassmen passing by the council room door wince. Seulgi had to physically step between you, arms stretched out like a human barricade.

"You always have to hog the spotlight, don't you?" you seethed, finger jabbing toward Yunho. "President this, President that — it's like you can't function unless the whole school is watching you."

"And you're any better?" His voice came sharp and fast, eyes blazing. "You waltz in here acting like you're saving us all, like this council should be grateful to breathe the same air as you. Spoiled little princess who can't handle not being number one."

The silence that followed was deafening. Even Wooyoung, who usually lived for drama like this, suddenly found his folder of expense reports incredibly fascinating.

You stormed out before anyone could see the flicker of hurt flash across your face. No way were you going to let Jung Yunho of all people make you feel small.

You walked blindly down the hall, fury pulsing in your veins, until you froze at the sound of his voice — quieter, softer, so unlike the boy who had just ripped into you moments ago.

"…No, Mum, I can't cover that shift. I already stayed late for council." A pause. "It's fine, really. I'll figure it out."

The reminder hit you hard. Yunho, the golden boy, the president everyone envied — was working part-time jobs after school. The same boy who seemed to have it all was just another kid juggling too much, carrying more weight than he let on. You didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you couldn't move either. Something about the edge of exhaustion in his voice made you stay.

Suddenly, the arrogant bastard didn't seem so untouchable after all.

A few days later, the roles reversed.

Yunho had gone to the library to grab an old council binder when he spotted you tucked away at a corner table. You weren't working — just sitting there, blankly staring at an open textbook like the words weren't even registering.

Next to you, a small pile of letters lay scattered — some still sealed, others torn open, the papers inside slightly crumpled like you'd held them too tightly. He didn't need to read them to know what they were. Letters from parents who cared more about achievements than feelings, words dressed up as 'encouragement' but laced with disappointment underneath.

He hadn't meant to stop, but something about the way your shoulders curled inward — that tiny, defeated slump — made him pull out a chair across from you without a word. He opened his own notebook, flipping through pages like he had a reason to be there.

The silence stretched, but for once, it didn't feel awkward.

Eventually, Yunho broke it.

"Not everyone's parents show up for them either, huh?" he said quietly, still pretending to read.

Your head snapped up, startled by the unexpected understanding in his voice. But he didn't look at you. He just kept twirling his pen between his fingers, as if the words had been said casually — like it wasn't the first time either of you had ever acknowledged this shared emptiness.

You didn't answer, but you didn't push the letters away either.

And just like that, things further shifted.

For the first time, you both saw each other — not as rivals or enemies, but just two kids quietly drowning under the weight of expectations neither of you had asked for.

────

Step Four: defending each other.

It happened so fast, you didn't even have time to think.

You were passing by the courtyard on your way back to the council room when you heard them — two students sitting on the low wall, voices pitched just loud enough to be overheard.

"I heard she only got vice president because her family donated a new wing to the school."

"Yeah, everyone knows Yunho's the real deal. She's just there to smile and look pretty. Riding his coattails the whole way."

Your hands curled into fists, steps already veering toward them — but someone else got there first.

The sharp thud of a bag hitting the ground made the gossipers jolt upright. Yunho stood there, shoulders squared, eyes dark with something dangerously close to fury.

"Say that again," he said quietly — and somehow, the softness of his voice was far more terrifying than if he'd shouted.

The students stammered, scrambling for excuses, and he didn't even spare you a glance as he slung his bag back over his shoulder and walked off, leaving you standing there — stunned silent.

Because for all the times you had accused him of being full of himself, Jung Yunho had defended you like it was second nature. Like the idea of anyone else insulting you was unthinkable.

You didn't know what to do with that.

The universe, however, was nothing if not fair. Because just a few days later, the rumours shifted — this time, about Yunho.

"Did you hear? Student council president's working at some convenience store. Imagine seeing him behind the counter after school, bagging snacks for pocket change."

"Golden boy's not so golden after all."

The words grated against your ears so sharply, you were standing in front of them before you even realised you'd moved.

Arms crossed, chin lifted, you gave them a smile so sweet it made your words all the sharper. "Funny. I didn't realise students who can't even pass basic math had opinions anyone cared about."

The stunned silence that followed was delicious. You didn't wait for their response — just turned on your heel and walked off like they weren't even worth your time.

That should've been the end of it — except Yunho was waiting for you by the lockers later that afternoon, arms folded, gaze unreadable.

"I didn't ask you to defend me," he said, tone somewhere between exasperation and confusion.

"Yeah, well." You shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "Couldn't let my rival's reputation get dragged through the mud before I beat you fair and square."

He stared at you for a long moment — long enough that you felt heat creep up your neck. And then, to your utter disbelief, he smiled. Just a little.

"You're insane."

"You're welcome."

Neither of you admitted what was really happening here.

Neither of you wanted to.

Because rivals didn't protect each other like this — right?

…Right?

It was supposed to be a one-time thing.

That's what you both told yourselves. Yunho stepping in when people ran their mouths about you? Just defending the council's reputation. You shutting down rumours about his part-time job? Basic professional courtesy. Nothing more.

Except it kept happening.

You noticed when he looked more tired than usual, dark circles smudged under his eyes like he hadn't slept a wink — and then you caught yourself caring. Which was ridiculous. You didn't care. You were just making sure the president didn't screw up his responsibilities because he couldn't handle his personal life. Right?

And Yunho? He wasn't watching out for you. No way. He just… happened to notice when you didn't eat lunch (because of course a spoiled princess would be picky), and maybe that's why he tossed a protein bar onto your desk without looking at you. Totally normal. Not thoughtful. Just practical.

The mental gymnastics you both performed to justify each and every concern were Olympic-level.

When you caught the president absently saving you the better seat during meetings, you told yourself he was just being tactical — easier for you to see the projector, of course. And when Yunho overheard you grumbling about forgetting your calculator before a math quiz, and then somehow one appeared on your desk five minutes later, you were definitely not touched. It was probably a spare he didn't need. Nothing more.

Wooyoung and Seulgi, meanwhile, were losing their minds — because the two of you were so deep in denial it was physically painful to watch.

"She just snapped at him for using the wrong pen colour for the event banners, then turned around and gave him the last slice of cake at the meeting," Seulgi whispered, wide-eyed.

"And he's been pretending to hate her handwriting, but I caught him saving one of her post-it notes in his folder," Wooyoung whispered back.

"Should we help?"

"Nah. Let them suffer."

Because to everyone else, it was painfully obvious: the two of you cared, far too much, and it was eating you both alive.

Neither of you could sleep without replaying your arguments, wondering if you'd crossed a line. Neither of you could look at the other without searching for signs — were they okay? Were they pushing too hard? Were they... thinking about you too?

Of course not.

You hated each other.

That's what you told yourselves.

That's what you needed to believe.

────

Step Five: the breaking point.

The final planning meeting for the year-end festival — the crown jewel of student council events — was supposed to be smooth sailing.

Supposed to be.

Instead, it turned into a sudden crisis and full-blown disaster. Miscommunications piled up like wreckage, schedules clashed, vendors were double-booked, and somehow, two essential permits vanished into thin air — all thanks to the endless assumptions of he'll handle it or she'll settle it.

In truth, the entire student council had been stretched too thin. With final year exams looming and everyone juggling revision sessions alongside festival planning, it was inevitable that details would slip through the cracks. Messages were missed, notes went unshared, and somewhere along the way, every member — even you and Yunho — had trusted that someone else would catch the mistakes.

No one did.

And now, with barely a week left until the biggest event of the year, it was all on the verge of collapse.

The council room was a war zone by the end of the day, with papers scattered across every surface, and half-eaten snacks abandoned next to rapidly-drained cups of instant coffee. The rest of the council had long since been sent home after nearly combusting from secondhand stress.

That left just the two of you — sworn enemies, or at least that's what you both kept telling yourselves — sitting across from each other in the wreckage, sleeves rolled up, hair undone, exhaustion written into every breath.

Somewhere between fixing the vendor placements and rewriting the schedule for the third time, you both cracked.

Laughter. Actual, delirious laughter. It started small — you snorted at something he mumbled under his breath, and he stared at you like you'd grown a second head before dissolving into laughter himself. The kind that made your stomach ache and your shoulders shake, the kind fueled by stress and sleep deprivation until it was impossible to stop.

"This is actual hell," you groaned, collapsing onto the table, cheek smushed against a poorly drawn map of the festival grounds.

"Yeah," he leaned back, arms hanging off the back of his chair, head tilted to stare at the ceiling. "But at least it's not boring."

You turned your head to look at him — hair sticking up in every direction, tie loosened, shirt wrinkled, sleeves unevenly rolled, and yet somehow still the same Yunho who drove you insane. Except, right now, he wasn't the 'golden boy president.' He was just… a boy. One who was just as tired, just as human.

"Yunho," you said softly, surprising even yourself. "Why do you hate me?"

His laughter faded. He didn't look at you right away — just exhaled long and slow, fingers tapping against the table.

"Because you make me feel like I'm not enough," he admitted, voice low, like a confession dragged straight from his chest. "And I hate feeling that way."

The honesty knocked the air from your lungs. Because it was exactly how you felt too — and you'd never meant for him to see you like that, just like you never thought you'd see him like this.

"I never wanted to hate you," you whispered, voice small. "I just wanted to beat you."

He finally turned his head, gaze meeting yours — and for the first time, there was no sharpness, no competition, no battle lines drawn between you. Just understanding.

And maybe, just maybe, something softer underneath. Something neither of you were ready to name.

"It's late. We should go," he murmured.

The air was cool, the sky stretched inky black above you, and the silence between you wasn't exactly uncomfortable — just unfamiliar. After months of snapping and snarling at each other, the absence of sharp words felt almost too quiet. Too fragile.

The two of you walked side by side down the empty street, your steps slower than usual, like neither of you wanted to be the first to break the strange peace that had settled over you.

But eventually, you couldn't hold back.

"…Are you okay not making your shift tonight?" you asked softly, glancing at him out of the corner of your eye.

He took a moment before answering, the faint scrape of his shoes against the pavement filling the gap. "I'll just work a double another time," he said with a shrug, like it was no big deal.

It made something pinch in your chest — this casual acceptance of overworking himself like it was second nature. You hesitated, then asked the question you realised you'd never actually known the answer to.

"Why do you work so hard?"

He didn't answer right away. His hands slid into his pockets, shoulders hunching slightly under the weight of the question. But eventually, his voice emerged, quieter than you expected.

"For as long as I can remember, it's just been me and my mum," he said. "She works really hard, but money's always been tight. When I was old enough, I took as many jobs as I could — bagging groceries, tutoring, working at that convenience store. And I kept my grades up because… I just wanted to make her proud. Wanted to give her a life where she didn't have to worry anymore."

You slowed your steps, turning your head to look at him properly. And once again, you saw him — not as your rival, not as the frustrating golden boy — but as a son. Someone's son, trying his best.

"You're a good son, Yunho," you said softly, with a smile that felt more genuine than any you'd given him before.

He smiled back — just a little — until you added, just as softly, "Can't say the same for myself though."

Yunho's footsteps halted. You stopped too, eyes falling to the sidewalk beneath you.

"You wanted to know why I transferred here, right?" you asked, voice quieter now.

Without waiting for an answer, you bent down and pulled up the edge of your right sock, revealing a thin line of surgical scars tracing across your ankle. The streetlight caught on the pale skin, glinting faintly.

"One bad match," you said, almost to yourself. "One opponent who played dirty during championships. That's all it took."

His brow furrowed, but he didn't interrupt.

"Like you said, I used to be fencing captain. Top-ranked in my old school." You let out a soft, bitter laugh. "And after the injury, I couldn't compete. I fell from first place — took months off to recover, missed exams, missed everything. To my parents, that was all it took for me to become… a disappointment."

You let your sock fall back into place, hands brushing down your skirt, voice tight with forced cheer. "So, they sent me here to start over. To rebuild whatever glory I lost. To make me their perfect trophy again."

The president didn't say anything right away. And for once, you didn't try to fill the silence either. You just stood there together, in the middle of a quiet street, under a flickering streetlamp — two students who had spent so long trying to outshine each other, only to realise they were both just chasing shadows.

When he finally spoke, his voice was softer than you'd ever heard it.

"They were wrong."

You glanced up at him, blinking.

"They were wrong to make you think you're only worth something if you're perfect."

Your throat tightened, and you had to look away — because if you didn't, you might actually cry, and you weren't ready for that. Not in front of him.

"Come on," he said gently, nudging your arm. "We still have to survive this festival. One tragedy at a time."

You laughed — watery, but real. And without thinking, you bumped your shoulder into his.

For once, he didn't bump back harder.

────

Five steps later, you were finally here.

The festival had somehow, miraculously, come together — the chaos you and Yunho had wrestled into order was now a blur of glowing lanterns, flashing booth lights, and bursts of laughter floating up into the night air. From the rooftop, you could see it all — your shared battlefield turned into something beautiful.

You should have felt victorious. But instead, your chest ached with something you couldn't name.

Footsteps behind you.

You didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Shouldn't you be down there soaking up the praise, President?" you asked, arms folded across your chest, voice deliberately casual.

He stepped up beside you, hands stuffed into his pockets, gaze flicking down over the festival before settling on you. "Shouldn't you be down there taking credit, Vice President?"

You side-eyed him, lips twitching up despite yourself. "I thought you hated sharing your spotlight."

"I do," he said — quieter this time, almost too honest. "But… maybe I don't mind sharing with you."

You froze.

This wasn't the usual banter. There was no smirk, no teasing edge to his voice. Just Yunho, standing there under the open sky, the glow of the festival washing a soft colour over his face.

"I spent this whole year trying to beat you," you admitted softly, your fingers curling around the cool metal railing. "Trying to prove I was better."

"Same," he said — too quickly, like he'd been holding it in. Then he shook his head, a breathless laugh slipping out. "But every time I thought I was close to finally taking you down, I just… ended up liking you more."

Your heart stuttered. "Liking me?"

"Yeah." He exhaled hard, like saying it out loud physically knocked the air from his lungs. "I hated you so much I couldn't think straight, and then somewhere along the way, I just wanted to know you. All of you."

The first fireworks burst overhead, painting the sky in red and gold. The light caught in his hair, in his eyes — and you realised you'd been staring at him this whole time.

"You're such an idiot," you whispered, even though your throat was suddenly tight.

"Why?" He turned toward you fully now, his shoulder brushing yours. "Because I confessed first?"

"No." You took a step closer — close enough that the heat of him bled into your skin. "Because I've liked you too. For longer than I wanted to admit."

Another firework cracked, sending sparks raining down like stars.

Neither of you looked at it.

Yunho's hand found yours on the railing — the touch hesitant at first, until your fingers curled back around his. His thumb traced along your knuckles like he couldn't believe this was real.

"I still want to beat you," you said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Good." He leaned down, forehead almost brushing yours. "I wouldn't like you if you didn't."

And then — under a sky exploding with light — he kissed you.

It wasn't sweet or shy. It was a clash of everything you'd ever felt for each other — every argument that left you breathless, every late-night meeting where silence spoke louder than words, every sharp-tongued insult meant to cut but only carved deeper into longing.

His lips were warm and urgent, tasting faintly of festival cotton candy and the mint gum he always chewed when stressed. His hand slid up, fingers threading into your hair before settling at your jaw, his thumb tracing a line along your cheekbone so softly it left your skin tingling.

He pulled you in like you were something fragile and precious and dangerous all at once — something he couldn't risk breaking, but couldn't stand losing.

You kissed him back just as fiercely, hands fisting in the fabric of his blazer, tugging him closer until there was nothing between you but heat and heartbeats. You could feel the tremble in his breath, the subtle shudder that ran through him when your fingers brushed the back of his neck. His heart hammered so loudly against your chest that you could swear it was echoing your own.

The fireworks painted streaks of gold and crimson across your closed eyelids, but none of it compared to the colour blooming beneath your skin — the dizzying warmth curling low in your stomach, the ache of every unsaid word bleeding into every touch.

When you finally broke apart, panting slightly, foreheads pressed together, you both laughed — breathless and dazed — like you couldn't believe it took you this long to get here.

The fireworks were beautiful.

But they were nothing compared to this.

────

The following Monday after the festival, the entire school knew.

Some claimed they'd caught glimpses of you and Yunho sneaking off together just before the fireworks, while others swore they saw his arm casually draped around your shoulders during the late-night cleanup. And, of course, the boldest rumours came from those who witnessed you both at the council table, sipping from the same straw like it was the most natural thing in the world.

But none of that was the real giveaway.

The real giveaway was how you two fought — exactly the same as before, except now he called you baby in the middle of arguments, and you shot back with a saccharine sweetheart, both said with enough venom to curdle milk. The council meetings were still battlegrounds, but now they were laced with something sharper — affection disguised as irritation, fondness hidden under barbed words.

"We should focus on next month's fundraiser," Yunho declared, tapping his pen against the table.

"We should focus on midterm review sessions first," you countered, not even looking up from your notes.

"You just want to show off how perfect your study guides are," he accused, eyes narrowing.

"And you just want to procrastinate so you can rewrite your precious 'president's welcome speech,'" you fired back.

"It's called leadership."

"It's called an ego trip."

The room went silent — council members exchanging wide-eyed glances, already bracing for the explosion.

But instead of storming off like you used to, Yunho just leaned back in his chair, tilting his head with that infuriating smirk. "I'm still your boss, Vice President."

Your smile was too sweet, too dangerous. "And I'm still the one who covers your ass when you forget deadlines, President."

Somewhere in the back of the room, Wooyoung silently started a betting pool: kiss or kill — which would happen first?

Together, the two of you became the undeniable, unstoppable force of the student council — a perfect storm of brains, charisma, and sheer chaos. When Yunho's charm and golden-boy smile couldn't win over the principal, your cold logic and flawless presentations sealed the deal. When your sharp tongue and brutal honesty made freshmen tremble, his easy grin softened the blow. Together, you raised more funds, pulled off bigger events, and terrified more slackers than any council duo in school history.

And yes — you still argued like your lives depended on it.

But now, the fights ended with lazy kisses behind closed doors, fingers brushing under the table during meetings, and softly muttered threats of "I'm still going to beat you at this" whispered like a love language.

Some days, he walked you to your chauffeured car, fingers laced with yours despite the stunned looks from every passing student. Other days, you waited at the convenience store until his shift ended, pretending to browse the snack aisle while secretly watching him work — admiring the boy who once drove you insane, and now, somehow, made your heart ache in the best way possible.

And every night you walked home together, sharing an umbrella or splitting a can of soda, your shoulders bumping softly in the dark.

"We're still enemies, right?" you asked once, voice quiet under the stars.

He grinned, tugging you closer by the waist. "Always."

Then he kissed you again — and just like that, the fight for power had never tasted so sweet. Because somewhere between rivalry and romance, between every clash and compromise, you both realised: there was no winning without each other.

If you've watched Kaguya-sama: Love Is War and are also a fan of it, just know that I love you. The way Wooyoung was initially going to take Miyuki's role, but on second thought, Yunho seemed more well-suited for it. Wouldn't you agree?

Also, I hope y'all liked the rooftop kiss🙈

And if you haven't watched the anime, I love you too! For taking the time to read this, I genuinely hope it was enjoyable hehe I know I had a lot of fun writing this.

As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

General ATEEZ Tag list:

@blueberrychan @marievllr-abg @itsvxlentine @minghaoslatina @huachengsbestie01

@evidive @weedforthoughtz @minkiflwr @cheolliehugs @ho3-for-yunho

@the-kpop-simp @itstheghostofmypast @vantediary @green-agent @skzline

@sharksandminhos @writingwieny @heyitsmetonid @tinyteezer @hollxe1

@pandabur666 @vampzity @tournesol155 @lilactangerine @oddracha

@haven-cove @idfkeddieishot @vic0921 @vnessalau @apriecotte

@bangtannie7 @vtyb23 @khjoongie98 @scuzmunkie @anxiousskylar

@bunny4yungi @zl-world @quailbagutte @astudyoftimeywimeystuff @cixrosie

@cristy-101

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[bjhlvr]

soft kisses and warm latte

synopsis! she kissed you on a first date.. how cute

NON IDOL! karina x CRUSH! reader GENRE! fluff, non!idol au, idiots in love, crack TW! kisses, not proof read, super short, poor language ( probably ) NOW IS PLAYING! . . about love by red velvet

you two went to a popular coffee shop to get some of their famous latte and strawberry cheesecake. you were actually so exited because after almost three months of talking and getting to know each other as friends you and jimin finally moved to a situationship phase and now, after few more months, you were on a date with her. you asked her first when you saw an opportunity to do so, because you thought jimin was giving you hints and oh! you were right. jimin wanted to go on a date with you as much as you did and she suggested to go to this popular cute coffee shop. it was actually so pretty inside and you have seen a lot of photos from this place in your instagram.

“are you nervous?” jimin chuckles as she looked at your face. to be honest, yes, you were hella nervous. jimin looked so pretty.. well she always does, but today. you can clearly tell she was dressed for a date, her cute outfit and this brown warm scarf.. she looked adorable.

“what? no.. no im not” you shook your head and obviously jimin didn’t believe your words and just smiled of how cute you looked being shy and awkward like that. you took a sip of your coffee and smiled slightly because it was good. this place definitely weren’t overhyped. “it’s so good, how did they manage to make my simple latte so delicious?”

“i guess they did it because you’re so cute” jimin said and you almost choked on air when you hear that. oh she was such a tease today, why would she say that? your cheeks went red almost immediately.

“can you stop?” you whined almost annoyed because of her behavior. you were getting flustered by every second and that was embarrassing.

“whyyyyy” jimin laughed and kissed your cheek quickly. it was such a small kiss, you barely felt her lips on your skin but it felt so soft and sweet.. you couldn’t help but want more.

“you.. just kissed me?” you looked at jimin with your wide opened eyes and red cheeks. you couldn’t hold back you smile.

“oh, it was just a cheek kiss! nothing special” jimin continued teasing you and rolled her eyes playfully.

“then kiss me on the lips”

you were getting bold after she kissed your cheek, it almost felt like she gave you her confidence. now it was jimin’s turn to be shocked and shy. she smiled awkwardly and moved her hand to your cheek where she kissed you a moment ago and gently stroked it.

“anything you want” she said before her lips touched yours. oh you would be a fucking liar if you say that it doesn’t felt like heaven. because it did.

[onlyangel4]

tay tay. grayson waller. smau.

grayson waller x wife!reader

synopsis: grayson waller thought he was doing you a favor. you’d been talking about the eras tour nonstop, and when he surprised you with tickets, he played it cool, filming your shocked reaction for his story and claiming he was "taking one for the team" he was all snark and smirks, joking about sparkly outfits and overhyped lyrics.

but from the moment you walked into the stadium, dressed in your diy outfit, glowing with joy, something shifted.

he wasn’t just there for you. he was in it. with you.

faceclaim liana liberato

you had no idea why grayson was acting so weird that morning.

he wasn’t subtle, grayson waller was never subtle. he kept looking at you like he was waiting for something. he’d hover around the kitchen, phone in hand, suspiciously casual. you were sitting cross-legged on the couch in one of his oversized shirts, scrolling through eras tour fan edits with a little ache in your chest.

the ache you’d been pretending you didn’t feel every time you saw another glittering stadium full of fans singing along to taylor. You had tried to get tickets when they dropped. tried again during the resale chaos. it hadn’t worked out. you told yourself it was fine. you'd just stream the movie again and make friendship bracelets in your pyjamas.

you didn’t notice grayson filming until he cleared his throat dramatically.

"oi" he said, with that grin he always wore before he was about to be annoying. "babe, you still crying over that glitter concert or whatever?"

you didn’t even look up. "it’s the eras tour, and no, i’m not crying. i’m emotionally processing."

"that right?" he asked, moving into your line of sight, holding out a small envelope. "here. for your emotional processing."

you blinked. "what is this?"

grayson was already recording.

you took the envelope, cautiously, your eyebrows drawing together. He said nothing, just filmed. when you opened it and pulled out the printout, your brain stalled.

the ticketmaster logo stared back at you.

then the words.

eras tour. two tickets. three weeks.

you looked up. "are you serious?"

grayson didn’t answer, just kept the camera on you as your jaw dropped, then snapped shut, then dropped again.

"grayson, are you serious?"

"deadly serious", he said, laughing now. "although i better get a damn medal for sitting through three hours of breakup songs and glitter explosions."

you tackled him before he could keep up the bit, nearly knocking the phone from his hands as you wrapped your arms around him. he groaned like it was a burden, but his other arm came around you without hesitation.

"babe, c’mon," he said into your hair, though you could hear the smile in his voice. "you’re gonna ruin my tough guy rep if you cry all over me."

"i’m not crying", you said, eyes absolutely misty. "shut up."

the video ended with that, your face pressed to his chest, both of you laughing.

he posted it to twitter within minutes.

🎥 @graysonwallerwwe

"taking one for the team. i better get a title shot and a damn sparkly friendship bracelet for this.” #ErasTour #HusbandOfTheYear

it blew up.

within an hour, you were on swifttok. Someone had already reposted the video with the caption, "the way she looks at him?? i’m unwell."

another TikTok edited the moment to lover with your gasp timed perfectly to the lyrics.

fans tagged grayson in themed outfits, suggesting looks for each era. he pretended to hate it.

you knew he secretly loved it.

you were going to the eras tour. with the man who teased you about taylor swift but secretly paid attention to everything you loved.

and the whole internet knew it.

y/ninsta posted a story

written: it's eras night

y/ninsta posted a story

written: swifties please trade with me tonight

celebsaterastour posted a story

written: grayson waller and his wife have arrived at sydney night one, following the viral video of him surprising her with tickets

y/ninsta posted a story tagging graysonwaller

written: it's all happening

graysonwaller posted a story

written: time to see what all the fuss is about

it was halfway through the set when it happened, when grayson stopped pretending.

you’d been on your feet since the lights first went down, screaming right alongside the rest of the crowd. somewhere between "cruel summer" and "fearless", your voice had gone scratchy, your makeup a little smudged, and your feet definitely sore. and yet, you’d never looked happier.

you were in a dream.

grayson had mostly played along up to that point. he made snarky commentary between songs, rolled his eyes when the girl in front of him tried to guess the surprise song again, and filmed you like you were the show, not the one on stage. but now?

now, he wasn’t just watching.

you were twirling under the pink glow of stage lights, a glittery fringe jacket swishing around your hips as you shouted the bridge to "enchanted." your hand reached back, blindly searching for his, and without thinking, he laced his fingers through yours.

you didn’t look at him right away.

but he looked at you.

your eyes were closed, a soft smile on your face like you were thirteen again, reliving a moment you’d always dreamed about. you sang every word like it was gospel, like this song had once saved your life. maybe it had.

he didn’t know every lyric. he didn’t get why a stadium full of people were crying about cardigans and mirrorballs. but he got you. and in that moment, that was enough.

he pulled out his phone, capturing a short video, just a few seconds. you, eyes closed, arm raised, mouth moving with the words, backlit by twinkling lights. then he turned the camera to himself, only slightly, and whispered into the mic, almost sheepish:

"she’s the happiest i've ever seen her."

he posted it to his story without tagging you.

it didn’t need context. it was the context.

you turned to him a moment later, breathless, glowing. "did you see that? did you hear that?!"

grayson grinned, tugging your hand to his chest. "yeah, baby. i saw. i heard. I’m here."

you wrapped your arms around him mid-song, swaying like you were slow dancing in the kitchen instead of in the middle of a stadium packed with 70,000 people. you kissed his cheek, glitter and lipstick and sweat be damned.

he kissed the side of your head in return.

and just like that, grayson walle, sarcastic, cocky, trash talker grayson, melted. not because of the lights or the music or the hype.

but because you had joy in your eyes and taylor swift in your lungs.

he wasn't just enduring the concert anymore.

he was falling in love with it, because it was wrapped around you.

graysonwallerwwe

liked by y/ninsta, reallaknight, austin_theory and 320,911 others

tagged: y/ninsta

graysonwallerwwe: took my wife to her little glitter cult and now i think i’m a swiftie.

view all 7,224 comments

user1: now i need to know what y/n's favourite song and era is

y/ninsta: midnights! you're on your own kid has gone triple platinum in our house

y/ninsta: thank you for making my dreams come true and experiencing it with me

graysonwallerwwe: it was worth it just to see how happy you were

user2: we see you, mr. waller🫶 welcome to the club.

user3: when ur tough guy husband gets converted by the power of taylor

user4: imagine being loved like THAT. you won life ma’am.

[olderthannetfic]

I keep getting ads for "woobles" crochet for beginners. Little animal plushie things. As someone who knows about knitting, how legit/useful do those look to you. I'm both tempted, annoyed by the repetitive ads, and wary of bad overhyped products that won't actually work for a complete novice.

--

Funny you should ask! I have the dinosaur one sitting next to me right now. I haven't cracked it open yet, but I'm hoping it will kickstart my relearning of crochet.

The reason I bought it was that I was at my local yarn shop, and I overheard one of the employees telling someone that she was skeptical since she's already a good crocheter and they're kind of pricey, but then she tried one of the kits and was impressed by the instructions. She recommended them both for novices and more experienced people.

Now, was she right? IDK. But it's the kind of indie yarn shop where the employees are fiber arts nerds and don't need to shill for whatever crap sponsored a youtube video.

[Side note: Has anybody tried those subscription boxes that just sponsored last week's episode of EVERY SINGLE FIBER ARTS YOUTUBE CHANNEL? Are they as bad as all other subscription boxes?]

I do keep seeing Woobles everywhere, which always sets off my overhype alarm bells, but the fact that the price point is obnoxious is actually a plus here, to me: it means the thing they're doing is charging too much for something basic rather than passing off hot garbage as something basic. At least, that's my read on it.

I guess I should open this thing up and have a look.

Well, it's definitely supposed to be for total beginners.

The contents are what you'd expect: some yarn in the colors you see on the front, stuffing, a hook, and a packet of the little stuff and the instructions. They've included 3 safety eyes. The darning needle is good quality. That adorable sticker sealing the little packet is a cute bonus.

The yarn is okay. I'm sure it's appropriate for this kind of project. It feels all right on my hands but not great.

The instructions are a little card with Fred on one side and a URL and password on the other.

I was wondering what they meant by "already started". Turns out, this little thing was tucked up inside the green skein.

According to the yarn store person, the good bit is the video tutorials. I'll have to see what I think.

[mrspiastri]

for your valentines event, lando with prompt #17 please?

lando norris x reader

prompt 17. “I used to think Valentine’s Day was overrated. And then I met you.”

💌💌💌

Y/N never cared for Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t just that she found it overhyped or commercialized—it was that it had never meant anything good to her. While other kids in school had received love letters and flowers, she had sat through the day unnoticed.

When she was older, the holiday only seemed to remind her of how disposable she had always been to the people in her life. It was easier to dismiss it entirely than to admit that deep down, a small part of her wished she had ever been someone’s first choice.

And then there was Lando.

He was the human embodiment of warmth—laughing too loud, smiling too easily, making even the dullest moments feel golden. And for reasons she couldn’t fathom, he had made it his personal mission to get her to like Valentine’s Day.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered as they walked through the bustling streets, Lando’s arm draped over Y/N’s shoulder. The city was drowning in pink and red, couples strolling hand-in-hand, flower vendors pushing overpriced bouquets. It was suffocating. “I told you, I don’t do Valentine’s Day.”

“You say that every year,” Lando grinned, adjusting his beanie as he glanced at her. “And every year, I take it as a challenge.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, tucking her hands into her coat pockets. “And every year, you fail.”

“Not true,” he countered, nudging her playfully. “Last year, you actually let me buy you chocolate.”

She scoffed. “That was because I was hungry, not because I enjoy this ridiculous holiday.”

Lando only chuckled, undeterred, before leading her toward a small café tucked into the corner of the street. The warm glow from the windows was inviting against the cold February air. He held the door open for her, and the scent of coffee and cinnamon filled her senses as she begrudgingly stepped inside.

She settled into a seat by the window while he went to order. She watched as couples exchanged gifts, whispering soft words, fingers intertwined like they belonged together. She had never experienced that kind of love. She didn’t believe she ever would.

“Here,” Lando said, placing a mug in front of her. “Extra whipped cream, just how you like it.”

She frowned slightly. “I never said I liked whipped cream.”

“You didn’t have to,” he said with a smug smile. “I pay attention.”

She hesitated before taking a sip. Warmth spread through her, but it wasn’t just from the drink. It was from the way Lando was watching her, like he had just accomplished something important.

“You’re annoying,” she muttered, but there was no sharpness in her tone.

“And yet, you keep me around.” He leaned back in his chair, his grin softening. “I must be doing something right.”

She hated that he wasn’t wrong.

As they left the café and walked toward her apartment, the streets were quieter, the world settling into the kind of hush that only came late at night. Lando was still talking, his voice animated as he recounted stories from his latest race. He was always so full of life, like he had never known loneliness, like he had never spent years wondering if he was enough.

She found herself smiling without meaning to.

Then, just as they reached her building, he stopped abruptly. “Wait, before you go inside—” Lando shifted on his feet, suddenly looking a little nervous.

She frowned. “What?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, neatly wrapped box. “I, uh, got you something.

Y/N blinked. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” He handed it to her, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know you think Valentine’s Day is stupid, but I figured… you never really got to enjoy it properly. So, consider this a redo.”

Her fingers hovered over the ribbon before finally untying it. Inside was a delicate silver bracelet, simple yet beautiful, with a small charm in the shape of a tiny race car. She swallowed hard, her throat tightening in a way she wasn’t used to.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she whispered.

“I wanted to,” Lando said softly. “Because you deserve to know what it’s like to have someone care about you today.”

Her chest ached. No one had ever done something like this for her before—not because they had to, not because they wanted something in return. Just because they cared.

She let out a slow breath, her fingers tightening around the box. “I used to think Valentine’s Day was overrated,” she admitted, her voice quieter than usual. “And then I met you.”

Lando’s expression shifted, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. For once, he didn’t have a quick reply. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing against hers before intertwining them fully. His touch was warm—steady, like he had been waiting for this moment all along.

“Guess that means I win this year’s challenge,” he murmured, giving her hand a small squeeze.

She exhaled a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head.”

He smiled, tugging her a little closer. “Too late.”

And for the first time in her life, Y/N thought that maybe, just maybe, Valentine’s Day wasn’t so bad after all.

[spahhzy]

Beacon Academy-Goodwitches combat class.

Glynda: Would Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee make their way down to the arena.

Yang: Don't go too hard on him, Weiss.

Weiss: Nope. Full throttle. Arc has been very annoying as of late, what with his constant flirting and repeatedly asking me out.

Weiss: This match will do the one thing that should have been done from the beginning, and that is ending the idea of their ever being a thing between me and Jaune!

Ruby: Hey, come on, now be nice to Jaune...

Weiss: Until he learns some things like barriers, and when no means, forget it, this will be the end of one of Beacons' most over hyped, over valued, and over privileged hunstman.

Blake: Sheesh... just don't overdo it, Weiss.

Weiss 'hmphs' at Blake as she entered the ring with Jaune and annoyed look on her face as Jaune just awkwardly waved, as the rest of Jaune's team could be heard cheering him on.

it was an embarrassing slaughter for Jaune so much so that tensions against the rest of Team JNPR and Weiss were dicey, luckily Jaune calmed his team down much to the relief of Weiss...but funny enough she think Jaune got the message cause she hadn't gotten asked out by him or given an attempted flirt ever since than.

-

EverAfter.

CatJaune caught Weiss blade with very little effort, the action causing the tired Heiress to weakly attempt to free her sword.

CatJaune: You know, before I strike you down, I'm going to say a few words...on behalf of my poor Jaune, and tell me if you get Deja-vu.

CatJaune: This match between us will do the one thing that should have been done from the very beginning, and that is ending the idea their ever being a thing between Jaune and Weiss!

Weiss gasped as her heard her own voice play in the back of her mind, the harsh words that her Beacon self said almost two years ago.

CatJaune: This will be the end of Beacons' most overhyped, overvalued, and over privileged huntresses in all of Beacon Academy.

And before Weiss could say anymore, she saw the gleam of Crocea Mors enter her view, while only a single thought crossed her mind.

'I'm sorry, Jaune'

[eww-y-tho]

okay...

I loved this season. I decided to watch it with part 1 fully and I got the direction and flow they were going for.

I agree with most when I say that I would have liked more polin, and I think especially the Mondrich plot was very dull and uninteresting and I don't like how much time was wasted on it.

I did think it was a bit crowded.

But I still loved how each plotline was handled (except for Cressida, because I still wanted to at least know what happened to her other than assuming she's leaving.)

I loved the flow of the season and part 2 was a great helping of angst that I enjoyed to see from polin, despite all of the people saying otherwise.

I do mourn the polin sex montage and I do think the cuts to Benedict were a bit tone-deaf. I personally didn't need as many sex scenes as you other people, though. I think the amount of tension and angst was just right for the story and the amount of sex scenes reflected that.

But I would have enjoyed at least a longer make-up sex scene.

The structure of the story felt right and the only thing that made me a bit iffy was Colin reading the letters because I would have appreciated something like a series of flashbacks to the previous seasons and finally the memory of their meet-cute with some child actors.

But Colin's jealousy arc?

Completely makes sense.

We love canon bisexual Benedict and Francesca.

We love Michaela Stirling.

We love Portia's (kind of?) redemption arc.

We love the Lady Danbury, Marcus, and Violet thing going on, even though it felt a bit excessive.

We love Penelope and Colin dancing to You Belong With Me and their Pride and Prejudice moment.

We adore the mirror scene.

We love Kanthony being cute and their fun moments.

We love the polin wedding.

We love Colin crying (even though that sounds weird.)

We love the epilogue and polin winning the baby race.

We love Colin writing a book and Penelope going by Penelope Bridgerton.

We love Penelope revealing herself as LW and owning it.

We love Queen Charlotte.

We love the nod to Penelope and Lady Danbury's book relationship.

We love Colin's last episode confession and they made me cry multiple times.

We love Hyacinth for being a sunshine child in her support for polin.

And despite Eloise kind of annoying me constantly, we love how Penelope and Eloise made up.

AND I'M SAD JULIE ANDREWS IS MOST LIKELY NOT COMING BACK 😭😭😭😭

People are shitting on this season WAAYYYY too much from what I've seen, and I think it's in part because people, again, overhype things. I was expecting a good season and some great moments, but I think the general vibe was that people were somehow going to see perfection and that's just the wrong mindset to have.

Was is mind-blowing? No.

Was I wanting more polin? Yes.

Was I hating it? No.

Was it a hell of a ride? Yes.

9.3/10

Would and will watch again multiple times.

Like, calm down guys.

[pruneunfair]

Tears on the withered flower is one of those overhyped dark fantasy romance cuz it has ONE OR TWO realistic points: being the asshole sexist ex and the innocent mistress who was lied to and tricked, funny enough they're the hated villains, the husband I can get, but the mistress Ari, yeah ppl don't realize that this is an actual thing that happens right now, somewhere in this world, a woman is being tricked by an asshole cuz his wife can't do her job right

Listen, I don't have issues with protagonists being problematic, it adds depth to characters and not everyone in real life is a joy to be with, but when the Protagonists are severely overhyped and you became too much into them, when that magic wears off, you feel so Empty, it's like how I was with Navier, now I'm just a stranger to her cuz ig I was seeing her through the rose tinted glasses too much

That's the exact same thing with Tears on a withered flower, I get it, it works well for a dark wish fulfilment, it's like a dark appetite for something bitter, but again I don't think it's doing really good at that, a real wish fulfilment to ME at the very least give the characters some basic traits besides being pity party and crazy hottie cuz that shit is real old and honestly watching a "woe is me" character can be so fucking annoying and exhausting

Also the attitude from die hard fans when we have issues with the weird ass anatomy meant to be overly sexy is because we just hate conventionally beautiful or sexiness, I literally read smut most of the time, it's not about the boobies or the unrealistic overgrown muscles, it's the fact that y'all can't even try to look deeper into your characters and are acting like we're the mean bullies who ruin their perfect romance story that's viewed through their pink lens and can't think further than that

Not to mention the clear bullshit that a 30+ woman FL can't even look like she's in 30s and a weirdly grown teenager, I saw her teen girl version, the only difference is her body looking a Victoria secret model and ofc some random guy who's obsessed with FL off the street is the good guy here even though there's a million ways he can go wrong and no one thought he was just using her like her ex-husband did, but since he's hotter that's okay, ughhh

Tears on a withered flower has such a weird relationship with me because when it wants to be, it is actually realistic when it comes to relationships. The latest chapter is Hae Soo telling Tae Ha that their relationship is just physical and he got all sad about it cause he had sex with her and everything guys 🥺

As of Hae Soo didn't just get out of an abusive relationship and is now being rushed into a new relationship with some guy who we STILL don't know why he is so obsessed with her. Plus so far, Hae Soo seems to acknowledge what we were all thinking: That their relationship is literally just lust and I agree because so far it's just been him cornering her or having sex with her, a few dates here and there but it's still must physical sex.

[makib1tch]

ummm all of them 😅

OKAY OKAY THISLL BE LONG BUT ILL TRY

the character everyone gets wrong : Alnst Luka. LIKE I GET THAT PEOPLE DONT LIKE HIM BUT HE ISNT THE VILLAIN. THE ALIENS ARE THE FUCKING VILLAINS. Like I lowkey feel like he doesn’t understand that what he’s doing is wrong. Like he wants to survive. Thats how the alien taught him too. DONT GET ME STARTED ILL RAMBLE WAY TOO FUCKIN MUCH

a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom: uhhh my fav is Aventurine and I see him as a switch sooooo….idk 🥲🥲🥲🥲.

screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr : uuuuuuh idk sorry

what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person? : idk if it counts but like I had a friend I vented to her and told her I $h and she started to insult me and yea I was having a panic attack and blocked her

worst discord server and why : I’m never on discord so idk

which ship fans are the most annoying? Not all of them (I sometimes ship it too) but aventio/ratiorine/call them what u want idc. Like. There are ratiorine shippers who are like "OOOOHOOHH AVENTURINE IS SUCH A HORNY BOTTOM WHOREEE AND RATIO IS A HORNY DOM EUZKZKALALAL" and then they go and ruin the entire fucking characters. Like I like the ship when it’s done right. When they respect the fuckin characters. Not when they ship them out of pure horniness. BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. Oh and it’s the same for Ruikasa (pjsk) shippers.

what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them? : I used to hate Ratio. Because of the weird ratiorine shippers.

common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about : THAT LUKA FROM

ALNST IS THE VILLAIN

worst part of canon : idkidkkdk

worst part of fanon : idk too sorry im shit at ask games

number of fandom-related words you've filtered : none

the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them : Alnst Luka. Again with him. HES SUCH A FUCKIN INTERESTING AND COMPLEX CHARACTER ILOVE HIM

worst blorboficiation : the fuck is that?

that one thing you see in fics all the time : in x reader like "you have blue eyes and black hair" THEN NO THATS NOT AN X READER

that one thing you see in fanart all the time: aaaaaahh idkk I see way too much fanarts everyday

you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc) : Hyuna x Luka. I don’t understand. They’re so toxic like

there should be more of this type of fic/art: anyone comforting aventurine. My baby needs comfort. I love him. I want to hug him

it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on... : i don’t think people have been sleeping on but idk she still doesn’t get enough credit everyone go read @aventurineswife ‘s fics they’re so fuckin good.

you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like... : those x reader fics that are written out of straight up horniness. They be having the most obscene and devious devilish things.

part of canon you found tedious or boring : the whole xianzhou luofu quest ig. Expect for Tingyun I love her. But like idk I was kinda bored in it. Maybe it’s just me idk

part of canon you think is overhyped : Himekos death in csm. Like I saw people being super sad but like…idk. I didnt feel sad for her. I felt bad for Aki since he was sad yeah. But Himeko like her death didn’t do anything for me.

your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores : AAAAAAAH IDK IM SORRY

ship you've unwillingly come around to : Ratiorine, I used to hate it. Now I like it. (I’m not sure I understood the question lmao)

topic that brings up the most rancid discourse : The hospital scene in the End of Evangelion. I don’t have to explain. I think just no one should talk about it.

common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing : "Denji is a dumb pervert."

OK FINALLY FINISHED I TOOK WAY TOO FUCKIN LONG TO ANSWER THIS

I’m shit at ask games sorry lmao

[jjhhuibhhhj]

Unpopular opinion…

It seems as if everyone is annoyed at Bryce for not immediately sharing every detail of her world with the IC. Bryce did not read 5 ACOTAR books or know these people as we do. Her experience with Fae (rightfully) show that they are horrible. These people overthrew her enemy which must mean they are dangerous.

Although they do not physically torture her it is EXTREMELY CLEAR not just by their actions but actual DIALOGUE that they do not trust Bryce

Also, the IC just finished a war and for the first time in most of their lives are experiencing peace. We know from ACOTAR that Rhysand and friends will do all that is necessary to keep their world save even if that includes killing Bryce which could upon a portal for the big bad “Daglan/ Asteri”

Bryce realising she needs to escape and being reckless is understandable she left her mate and family behind and she doesn’t have time to win the IC’s trust. They clearly view her as a prisoner not a guest and have disarmed her. Bryce does not have one reason to trust them or even expect to them to be trustworthy.

I feel the people who feel let down by this crossover are let down by the fact that the CRESCENT CITY book centers around the CRESCENT CITY characters and isn’t more batboy smut.

There are definitely plot points that could have been dealt with better such as the information from Silene, everything about Ithan. The biggest issue I have with Bryce is her seemingly having this golden hamster wheel in her mind which happens to make perfect conveniently timed plans. Bryce does feel like a moderniser attempt at Aelin’s character. That being said constantly drawing comparisons between the FMC takes away from them so it isn’t something I feel I should do.

Ithan is so annoying to me especially his inability to stay on track or have any logical thought process. I don’t understand his undying loyalty to the wolves who abandoned and betrayed him. Sigrid tried to KILL HIM as well but he still yapped on about her and had no respect for his friend Cormac by not even protesting against the idea of resurrecting Sophie just to use her power to make himself feel better. He should have focused on the friends that are loyal to him which he even called his pack.

Also ENOUGH with the sunball references. Only so much benefits can be drawn from sunball which directly correlates with any real world benefit.

Tharion just feels like one big yap fest (lack of a better explanation to convey the boredom he perpetuates in me). Aidas and Appolion also could have spoken up about EVERYTHING about two books ago or at least in all their little encounters with Hunt.

Jesiba Roga and Fury 🤝 Mor and Amren

(Overhyped and underperforming)

I have religiously read every Sarah J Maas and all things considered I really enjoyed this book it might even be my favorite in the CC universe.

I enjoyed it more than Tower of Dawn, ACOSF and ACOFAS but I will not read the next book if it is about Ithan or Tharion.

I suspect Azriel is linked to Hel but Sarah definitely still has alot of loose threads surrounding him which is starting to feel redundant and an elaborate attempt at making him seem mysterious.

Things I would like so see in the Maasverse: the parasite being removed from the water and the Midgardians tapping into their raw power, better understanding of Bryce and Hunt joint ability. I also think Sarah could become one of the best fantasy writers of all time if she focused more on how the multiverse works (time differences, abilities (technicalities of it all). I would like to know what happened to Erilea because all the evidence points to it being a conquered world which will honestly just be depressing but we see that Prythian and midgard follow the same time sequence so perhaps Erilea is joined in on that time scape and Aelin falling through still happens relatively “recent”.

And I agree on how annoying the term “alphahole” is but lets focus on the real enemy “his luxurious length”. That just reminds me of ms Perky in 10 things I hate about you and Reginalds quivering member.

Let’s move away from the smut which was excellently balanced out in TOG in my opinion. I do think that Sarah amortised her credibility as a fantasy writer between TOG and ACOTAR by focusing more on the smut scenes and not the plot point. I am ready to be hated but I DON’T care about what Lorcan did or Cassian and the stupid headboard. I DO care about how the time differs between the universes, the different gods in all the worlds and how they link, each string on the harp and the different heritages.

[ourlastbastion]

I actually really like how Alastor got beaten so easily (And I say easily, because it took Adam one hit to put the man on the brink of death) in the finale.

The fandom often overhypes how powerful Alastor is, and I've lost count of how often I've seen stans claiming Alastor could beat the Goetia and Sins, how Alastor is more powerful than Lucifer.

Adam being the first of mankind, no longer a mortal soul (by implication of golden blood and him saying a 'mortal soul' is no match for him), and leader of the Exorcists, it's clear he's very powerful. He took out Alastor's shield in a single punch.

Compare him and Charlie. They both got a few hits in, but Charlie's were the only ones that actually hurt Adam. She made him bleed, and Adam was clearly surprised by it, "like what the fuck, a demon managed to hurt me?" While Alastor got two hits on Adam, neither seemed to do more than annoy him.

Alastor was only able to fight him through overwhelming numbers; the tentacles and minions, which again, weren't doing much beyond keeping him occupied and away from the main fight. Which was good, don't get me wrong, keeping Adam occupied for a few minutes bought the others time to cut down the angel army's numbers. Alastor kept throwing things Adam's way to keep him on the defensive and unable to actually attack back. The few attacks Adam did manage to go after Alastor with were normal, non divine ones. Just slashing at him with his guitar-axe, which would be easy enough for anyone used to fighting to dodge.

As soon as Adam had a moment to make a serious attack, when he got sick of Alastor's games, the Radio Demon was fucked. One hit was all Adam needed for Alastor to retreat (technically two, actually. One to disarm, the other, as Alastor said himself, he barely survived) . And I love that. It shows that Alastor isn't as powerful as fans, or as the others in the hotel, think, and it shows just how much more powerful Adam was. It's humbling for Alastor to be knocked down a few pegs, and for the part of the fandom that thinks Alastor could beat God in a fistfight, it shows them that, no, Alastor isn't unbeatable.

Adding to; He wasn’t even using any angelic weapon/angelic steel when fighting Adam. The one thing confirmed to be able to kill an angel and he thought he could take Adam on without it. My man was way too overconfident in his abilities.

[essenniiaa]

Miraculous S6 Hot Takes..

The new miraculous season is getting so overhyped by the tumblr miraculous community… 

Look, I know I’m just a nobody tumblr user, but when I was scrolling through all the posts I was just looking for someone who had the same opinion as me. (And made me stop feeling like I was crazy.) 

The animation was okay, definitely not as world-breaking as everyone was saying, since there were glitches in the animation like in Alya’s hair in the beginning scenes. At some points,, I was joking to myself, “How much did the budget get cut?” I’ll give kudos to the representation that everyone was commenting about, I guess you win some you lose some. But, the gimmick with the new season that the new holders are responsible for themselves and can go on and about whenever they’d like (“for the greater good”) is so dumb to me. There were instances when Kagami went to go put out a fire or when Mylene went to go fetch a freaking ball like normal kids can’t just reach their arms for the ball?? Firefighters don’t exist? What happens to a town that has a fire, a ball under a bus, or a cat stuck in something simultaneously? They all die because these “heroes” aren’t there? I get it, I would be stoked if I got miraculous.. But it feels so unnecessary as a viewer because Ladybug or Chat Noir would never have transformed for these petty excuses. (But I guess Ladybug did this time to escape Adrien). Another critique I have is making Marinette sooooo awkward and quirky because last season it did genuinely feel like she matured. They baby her so much it makes me want to pull out my hair. And hey. I’ve been a Marinette defender since day one.. But it does get tiring going right back to square one. I guess it's reintroducing the previous dynamics to a new audience, but the way it does it is by undermining all the progress that the show already endured. Why is Adrien such a pushover and why does Marinette think that ditching him will solve anything? The inconsistencies are so annoying, I thought there were to be no more cars ever since the mayor banned them, but here they are.. And the bus/train scene. Who were they trying to fool when Adrienette tried masking DJWifi from all the other pedestrians? And the way that they did solve the issue.. I can’t even go into detail because it felt so stupid. The design for the villain felt so ugly and its power was unoriginal because I distinctly remember other villains who also happened to be able to draw and create whatever they’d like.

As a recap.. I just wish things would have been handled differently than how they are. (And I’m tired of people glossing over the things I found annoying.) You don’t have to agree with me but I just wanted to get my point across. 

[xo-zozo]

my ranking of tig characters+explanations

jameson hawthorne. he’s just pookie (but guess what… i have more reasons than just that for liking him 😨) so first of all, he’s hilarious… like that has to count for something, he’s also hot so yk but besides that, he cares so much for the people that he loves and he’s just sndhdjhdhd anyway yeah. he’s like anything anyone could want and he’s a consent king (unlike some people) and like ik hes had his moments of treating avery like a game but yk if we can say grayson is the way he is because of emily and stuff i think we can also say that for jameson (also the fact that he was like bullied by his grandpa…) and yet he still manages to be night to people

avery grambs. she’s a really good fem mc and i think that jlb did a really good job of making her someone that people can relate to and making her normal. she’s smart and she’s kinda just trying her best and i love that for her

xander hawthorne. buddy is so funny like he’s also who i feel like i would be the most likely to be friends with/date irl. like the book BOUQUET?? he’s super nice and he likes scones AND he’s smart what nots to like

gigi grayson. me and her are literally the same person tbh like i actually love her so much and i feel like we would be really good friends irl because she’s such a cutie patootie

max liu. she also reminds me of myself… like the strict parents, the personality and the inability to curse is so me tbh. ik people find her annoying but i like her so wtv

libby grambs. i think everyone loves her… the way that she’s managed to stay so positive when she’s been through so much is like incredible to be tbh and she can bake so

nash hawthorne. he’s really great and all but like we don’t get to see much of him but i still love him fr

savannah grayson. she’s a baddie and i love her but again we just haven’t seen enough of her for me to like LOVEEE her if you know what i mean

rebeca laughlin. she’s nice and stuff but like at the same time sometimes she was a little bit annoying and made me mad… like the way she was always clinging to thea annoyed by yk 😭😭

thea calligaris. never liked her that much?? like she was better at the end but she was so mean to avery for like no reason and it annoyed me

grayson hawthorne. VERY strong feelings on him as most of you know but my main points are that he’s dull and people only like him because “he’s pookie” and blonde so it’s like he was so overhyped to be a gentleman and a “golden retriever” that when i actually read the book and he only made like five appearances a book to be mean to avery and then kiss her on live tv (when there were many other ways to make her shut up btw) and then yeah he was also just so caught up on emily and every time he said “evie” it made me wanna throw up. and then um also when he acted like he was better than avery because he grew up rich was 🤔🤔 and um the way he was granddaddy’s favorite child and still managed to like make that about how horrible his life is 😭😭 and yeah i would be upset too if my inheritance was taken by some random girl but GOD DANG. you don’t just going around accusing people like that

eve blake. BRUH. NO ONE LIKES HER I DONY EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN

anyway this took forever don’t cancel me bye 😻