#I do not remember these things for ANY show. at all. I don't have the memory for it

[grotesquevi]

sorry for giving you ANOTHER request but omg

remote controlled vibrator on academic rivals sub ellie during a final

BUSTINGGGG

eighteen+ content ahead, interact accordingly pls, first of all YES, she would try so hard to stay silent at first, forgetting the answers to her important test of ancient runes, leaving teeth marks on her hand cause she bite it too hard to keep her moans in, ughhhhh let me expand on this filthy thought cause turns out i’m not ovulating yet i’m just constantly horny, this is how 900 words of insanity looks like:

so it all starts when you keep fucking your vampire roommate, cause this one-time thing bullshit? it's almost funny to mention when ellie’s in your coffin lately, sharing her blood with you, closer than ever when she first suggests this competition of who got better grades until the semester’s coming to an end and time reaches the horrific finals week.

it’s healthy, isn’t it? this playful game even when it is the whole point of why she hated you for starters. one night sneaking out to a human town close to the campus and it’s enough to make ellie’s brain combust with new ideas — i mean, she has to give some credits to the pretty human you both managed to feed from in a secluded alley, she was part of it too when a ray of light shine upon her.

"if you got better grades than me before the finals begin, then you get to choose my dare. if i won, you're the one doing my dare instead, you up for that, leech?"

dare is a nice way to say punishment, cause that's what it seems for ellie when you show up with your papers a day before the ancient runes test and it only proves what she already knows: you have better grades than her. polished, constant, of course you have better grades than she does.

finals week is similar to doomsday, a contract that got her back to hell when she can see you walking down to ms. dean desk to hand out your essay and go back to your seat when she's not even halfway done with her own and fuck — ellie tries to give you a pleading look even, tries cause it fails in the process as you ignore her like she's not in the same room as you are.

a dare is a dare.

five, ten minutes. the gigantic clock in the very front of the class it's only a reminder for her growing anxiety: when are you going to fucking do it? there are fucking bats hanging in the ceiling watching her every move and you decided now was the time to use your dare? twist ellie's words to make them work your way?

it starts out slow. makes her grip her ink pencil too tightly for a moment when she can feel the subtle vibration between her legs in the worst moment. makes her look over her shoulder as you're already fixated on your roommate, in the tension that settles in her back and makes her muscles ache. you're too connected to her.

"stop this," ellie manages to mimic in silence, a mere movement of her lips going through the words cause she doesn't want to get caught. "leech. i mean it."

you don't look at her face at first. or if you do, you ignore anything that she could possibly say as you reply in the same silence — "fucking take it."

there's not a single sound in the room when ellie squeezes her legs together so tight, she has to bite her lip to avoid the pleasant sounds she threatens to make when the vibrator in her panties pushes against her clit. controlled by a little remote you keep in your hands, it seems designed to stay there despite any sudden attempt to make it to the side.

the elder futhark is the oldest runic system ever created. it evolved...

fuck's sake.

she can't remember exactly what she was so invested in writing seconds before as her entire concentration seems to melt away entirely to the floor. any coherent thought ellie held was replaced now by how good it felt in her neglected cunt, how she'd like to please herself instead of being obliged to bite part of her hand like it will prevent the moans that wanted to slip free.

a subtle buzzing fills the air as you turn on the level: you're going to fucking hear everything she has to say after the test is done. cheeks blushing, ellie's hips shoot forward seeking for more friction as her underwear sticks now to her folds, soaking wet as the vibrator keeps its hard work.

you're in so much trouble.

there's no need to breathe, but on your seat you can hear how she takes a big breathe as if to calm herself: she's anxious, the exam is too difficult and it makes sense she's nervous — another level and ellie swears she can feel the vibrations on her fucking brain, slammers against her swollen nub, pushing her stupidly quick to the edge.

cruel, she loves it when you have no mercy. the weight of your gaze makes her shiver as a low moan escapes from the back of her throat and her brows furrow together in need: you know she's close. after so many times seeing it first hand you know how her eyes blaze with a different kind of hunger at the moment, that needy look on her face that makes you kind enough to let her cum.

nobody cares cause everyone's too invested in their final test to notice the smell in the air you can recognize easily. resting her entire weight back on the seat ellie chokes for a minute; yet even then when she tries to hide her face from you, you can still recognize the red in her skin as she recently fed from fresh human blood: delicious safe heaven.

it's devastating isn't it? your roommate looks at you like you committed treason — but no. you don't give a single fuck.

that's what makes her blood boil at first. she cannot even finish her essay properly when she's asked for her exam as the time is done, and you, on the other side of the room keep the biggest grin on your face: was that a fucking tactic to ruin a perfectly good gpa?

you really are fucking dumb if you think ellie's going to let that pass.

[lizzieisright]

i really love the way you write abby it’s always so humanizing of her and her character and makes her feel all the more real!! could you write hcs about abby little quirks as a girlfriend

Thank you so much! ❤️❤️

I did the hcs thingy, guys!

Definitely had a "I'm so straight" phase.

Loves stand up comedy and will make you watch it with her. This woman will find comedians that no one has ever heard of and in a few months they will suddenly become popular. She has a sixth sense for it.

Lives under a fucking rock. She doesn't have tiktok or twitter, uses Instagram as her archive.

However. Abby loves insta stories. Yeah, she could post a thirst trap in the gym, but why would she if she can post a video of a hedgehog she came across? Or a weirdly existential poster she saw? Or you doing some stupid shit like trying to open a bottle of wine with a screw and pair of pliers? (You fail, and the next video is her opening the bottle)

Obviously a gym rat, hates going to the gym with someone (even you), unless she goes the separate ways with her company. However, if you're new to the gym, Abby will gladly show you around and will abandon her own workout just to take care of you. If you hate gym, it's fine too - again, she prefers to train alone.

Abby's care is quiet: she is one of these people who does things and never talks about them. There's a famous story about Yoongi (BTS) who gives his teammates water bottles without even looking at them - that's Abby for you. She doesn't ask or even draw attention: she gives you snacks, puts her jacket on your shoulders, washes the dishes after you've cooked, and all of this is just so natural to her she doesn't even recognise it.

Abby is not the person who gets into your hobbies, but she remembers everything you've told her and will let you talk her ear off.

The most hardworking person you've met. Even if she has her family support, she still tries to find some kind of job, or puts all her effort in her studies.

Abby hates all these healthy recipes, so she tries to come up with her own that won't taste like absolute shit. She is doing great, by the way, and tricks you into healthy eating with her cooking.

If you have any kind of ED, Abby will be the most supportive person ever. She will bite everyone's head off if they dare to comment on your eating habits, help you through recovery and never, ever judge you.

She doesn't like gossip, and is pretty private about her own life.

(this one is self-indulgent) If your hair needs any kind of extra care, Abby will help gladly. Brushing, braiding, hair care routines - she is there for you. She cares about her own hair and understands your struggles.

Abby is confident: not cocky confident but in a way that she knows there's nothing wrong with her and no one can tell her who she is or pretend to know her better than she knows herself. It's impossible to make her feel self-conscious.

So she really doesn't get it if you get self-conscious, especially around her: she sees you as a whole, complicated person and to her, you have nothing to be self-conscious about. It's just you, and you're perfect the way you are.

The woman of action - Abby never promises something she can't follow up on. If she tells you she will do something for you, she will no matter what.

Can't clock people for shit - for all her own confidence, she is oblivious as fuck. Has some bullshit detector built in her, but interpersonal relationships are not her strong suit. Didn't know Mel and Owen were dating for like four months, or that Manny and Nora were awkward around each other because they slept together and figured out they don't work sexually at all.

So flirt with her all you want, but she will think you're just bantering. She will flirt back shamelessly and still think it's just friendly banter. Idiot.

Combine her obliviousness and confidence and get Abby who uses her words all the time. She wants to ask you on a date? She asks, absolutely not scared of being rejected. She is straightforward as fuck and will ask whatever she wants to know.

Really appreciates if you can hold your own against her. Abby is not pushy, but she is more at peace knowing you will establish your own boundaries without fear.

She is an octopus when she sleeps. Her nose will be buried in your hair/neck to the point she will have trouble breathing, but she doesn't care. Holds you the whole night and genuinely won't let you go if you try.

Buys you flowers every week, and when you start living together, Abby starts buying house plants. Eventually your place looks like a greenhouse.

Loves gaming. Abby will seat you between her thighs and play her little games while you can nap or scroll down your phone. If she plays something with a good plot, you will watch it like a movie.

If you're into gaming too, then you'll be two nerds who fight over who gets to play some game first.

If you're a Sims 4 girlie like me - Abby buys every pack they release for you. Doesn't matter if you want it or not - she hears you watching announcements, she pre-orders it. Good luck with the Journey to Batuu pack.

+ nsfw

Abby is gentle and caring to her core. Very big on the consent, so if you find asking if she can do something annoying - too bad, because in the beginning your sex will sound like a very hot interrogation.

On the other hand, if you're into dirty talk - you're in luck. She sounds extremely hot and doesn't even know it.

She is a switch and her preference depends on her mood.

If Abby tops, she is 100% service top.

Everything you say will be weaponised and used against you.

You like how she kisses your neck? She will master it untill you start to shake just from the brush of her nose against your skin.

She is very thoughtful and goal-driven. (The goal is to have you half-delirious with pleasure)

Loves eating you out, can and will do it at every opportunity.

When Abby bottoms, she thinks she is pretty chill. In reallity she is so damn bossy, will tell you what and how to do.

If you want her to shut up and take it - your best bet is a strap. Abby turns into a whiny, sweet mess, and if she tries to talk you can always fuck her harder.

Abby is very open to trying out new things, does all the research and then nerds out to you about it. The most unsexy sex talker outside the bedroom.

The rule of thumb is: don't make her cum as long as you can, otherwise Abby will just have her orgasm and lose all her sex drive.

That's why Abby is the strong supporter of "sex is a journey, not a destination" philosophy. She likes sex for the intimacy and fun, not for the orgasms.

okay I'm stopping there otherwise I'll never finish

[archangeldyke-all]

heyy, I saw that you asked for requests, so I'm going to send a thought I had: reader and sevika have been dating for a few months, but the "I love you" hadn't been said yet, and then one day the reader is leaving for work and casually say Sevika she loves her, and Sev doesn't even get a chance to respond as the reader quickly leaves and spends the rest of the day thinking that Sevika hated what she said

CUTEEEE

men and minors dni

these past few months have been some of the best of your life. since meeting sevika, you feel on top of the world.

she's the woman of your dreams. she's always protecting you, caring for you, gently guiding you through the city streets with a hand at the small of your back.

she makes you laugh like nobody else, she's shown you sides of herself you know she rarely shows anyone, and when you're in her arms, you feel like you're flying.

when you go to sleep at night, the last thing you think of is sevika's pretty smile. when you dream, it's all about her-- her laugh, her grumpy face, her snores. when you wake up, the first thing that comes to mind is what sevika's up to on the other side of town.

you've already decided this is the woman you want to marry. you're already cooking up fantasies about the two of you growing old together. and you're almost positive that sevika feels the same way, if the sweet, unguarded looks she gives you are any indication.

so, when you're leaving sevika's apartment for work one early morning and an 'i love you' slips from your lips as you kiss her goodbye, you don't even notice it. honestly, you thought you'd already told her. it's pretty obvious you're in love with the woman, and it's more than obvious that she feels the same. no big deal, right?

wrong, apparently.

because while you're at work, convinced all's fine in the world, sevika's at home losing her mind.

did you just tell her you love her? for the first time? you left so quickly afterward sevika's convinced she must've misheard you... but then, what did you say? and do you love her? and why didn't she say it back? god, she's so fucking stupid, she's been in love with you since your first date and she completely froze at the chance to tell you. fuck-- you're probably at work panicking because she didn't say it back. you're probably worried she doesn't take the relationship as seriously as you-- that she doesn't love you back. fuck. she can't have you thinking that.

so after two hours of questioning if she heard you right, then another hour of hyping herself up to do something about it, sevika shoves on her boots and heads to the markets.

meanwhile, you're going about your day like it's any other. you're not even aware that you said the words, honestly.

so when sevika shows up to your lunch break with a dozen helium heart-shaped balloons and a bouquet of flowers bigger than her torso, you don't understand what's happening.

"sevika?" you ask, giggling as you approach your girlfriend. she looks like she's choking on her tongue. she looks like she's nervous. what the fuck? "what's going on?" you ask, kissing her cheek.

sevika gulps. "here." she shoves the flowers into your arms. you laugh.

"did i forget an anniversary, or something?" you ask, admiring the flowers. sevika huffs.

"n-no. don't you get it?" she asks. you frown.

"get what?"

"i-- you..." sevika trails off, blinking at you. "you don't remember?"

"...is it my birthday?" you ask, knowing that it isn't. but, maybe sevika's remembered the date wrong.

"what?" she asks. now that she's here in front of you, she's confused. you don't look like a woman whose girlfriend was too surprised to say 'i love you' back. you're not devastated enough. maybe you really didn't say 'i love you' this morning. maybe she really did mishear you.

...or maybe you're playing it cool, trying to act like nothing happened, give sevika an out.

but she doesn't want an out. she wants you.

"you said you love me this morning." sevika explains, the balloons in her hand bobbing in the wind.

you freeze in front of her, something like dread taking over the small smile on your face. "oh, fuck." you whisper.

sevika starts to smile, realizing what's happened.

you did say it. you just didn't realize it.

"and then you left my place so fast i wasn't even sure if i heard you right."

"oh, fuck." you repeat, hiding your face behind one of your hands. sevika giggles.

"and how the fuck was i supposed to go back to sleep knowing you were out here not knowing i love you back?"

"sevika, i'm so sorr-- wait." you cut yourself off, blinking at your girlfriend. "y-you..." you gulp. "what'd you just say?"

sevika grins and steps forward. she forgets about the balloons, wrapping her arms around your waist. you gasp as the helium hearts go flying into the sky, smacking sevika's shoulder and complaining about 'littering.' sevika's too enamored with you to care. "i said i love you too. so fuckin' much that i went across town to get you some corny flowers and balloons just to tell you. i figured you were at work panicking about me not saying it back, but it turns out--"

"that i'm just a fucking idiot." you finish for her. sevika giggles again.

"yeah, that." she agrees. you smack her shoulder again, ignoring the flurry of butterflies in your stomach.

"be nice to me." you demand. sevika snorts.

"i am nice to you."

you can't take it anymore. here she is, sevika, the woman you're going to marry, confessing her love for you with flowers and balloons because she was worried you doubted it. like she doesn't make it obvious with the gentle way she cradles your face before she kisses you. like you can't taste it in every bite of food she cooks for you. you surge forward and kiss her, crushing the flowers in your arms between your chests.

sevika sighs against your lips, pulling you even closer to you, her hands clinging to you like you're precious. you can feel the relief flood through her body, her shoulders relaxing under your hands. you giggle against her lips.

"we're so stupid." you say. sevika snorts.

"hey, wait a second. i went out of my way to do something romantic and sweet, you're the one who didn't even remember that you told me you love me." she defends. you giggle.

"you let the balloons go and the flowers are ruined!" you exclaim.

"okay. okay. we're both fucking stupid."

you laugh and pull her in for another kiss. "it's a good thing we found each other, then." you mumble.

sevika hums, her smile almost too wide to let her kiss you properly. "fuck, i love you so much." she sighs.

you giggle. "i love you too. and i promise this time i'll remember saying it."

"you fuckin' better. i spent fifty bucks on those flowers you just crushed."

kofi

taglist!!

@sevikas-baby @ghostscandys @runawaybaby3 @vikasfemme @lesbones

@chezze-its @lez-zuha @vikashoneybee @shanesevikasfuckdoll @imheadintothemountains

@ferxanda @helaenabugmom @spookymomfriendtm @mzkaylalol @fruitsnpebbless

@lonerslug

taglist!

@fyeahnix @lavendersgirl @half-of-a-gay @thesevi0lentdelights @sexysapphicshopowner

@kissyslut @chuucanchuucan @badbye666 @femme-historian @lia-winther

@lavenderbabu @emiliabby @sevikasbeloved @hellorai @my-taintedheart

@glass-apothecary @macaroni676 @k3n-dyll @sevsdollette @ellieslob

@xayn-xd @keikuahh @maneskinwh0re @raphaellearp @iamastar

@sevikitty @butchchase @nhaaauyen @notlores @theacedragon0w0

@veoomvroom @lushh-s3vik4s @katyawooga @strawberrykidneystone @vkumi

@fict1onallyobsessed @dvrkhcld @sweetybuzz25 @sluttysierraaa @snake-in-a-flower-crown

@ruiwonderz @flowersandsuch111 @raspberry-lava @blackgaladriel @nightlyconfusion

@dancingqu33n17 @losernb @p1nkearth @leeidk87 @cinnamowor1d

[rimzaaa]

Older Than You

Oneshot! (Request)

Pairing: Hwang Inho x Fem!Reader (y/n)

Summary: You’ve had a crush on your dad’s best friend for as long as you can remember. He tried to ignore it. Avoided your glances, dodged your teasing smiles. Always kept it respectful. But over the years, the air changed. And tonight — when you're left alone with him — the line you cross is one he doesn't bother fixing.

Warnings: 18+ Age gap (DBF dynamic, reader is mid-20s, In-ho late 30s/40s). Sensual smut. Power imbalance. Reader flirts openly. Slow burn tension. Tell me if I missed any.

Author's Note: Another anon request and I'm so glad for all the requests you guys sent me. And this request, AAAA give me more like these! Inho as DBF, I'm definitely going to write more on this. Don't forget to reblog 🫶🏻

Words Count: 1234

Tag list: Let me know if you want to get tagged in LBH fics.

@salesmancarddd @marymun @astronomicalastro-blog1 @filthygalli @thehellhaveubeenloca @yosoylaprincesa2004 @watasinekoru @nightlark100 @drewstarkeysrightarm @doodle-with-rhy @lunaryoongie @ilovehwanginho @yxluana @sammie217 @sammat97 @alex-17s-world @mObi4girls @maah-sama @grylian @hecticspice @manager016 @mxriesss @christmascoles @nosebeers

You’d always loved pushing him.

Ever since you turned nineteen — when you finally noticed how your dad’s best friend never quite looked at you, not the way others did — you made it a mission to make him uncomfortable.

Nothing overt.

Just quiet glances. Biting your straw a little too long. Sitting too close at the dinner table. Slipping compliments into conversation that made him stiffen in his seat.

He’d always respond the same way — a long sigh, averted eyes, and a low murmur of “Don’t.”

But he never really stopped you, did he?

Even when you started calling him In-ho instead of “Mr Hwang”

Even when your skirts got shorter every time he visited.

Even when you leaned in one night, lips a breath away, and whispered, “Do you ever think about me?”

He’d stood so fast he knocked over his drink.

“I’m not doing this,” he had said. And he didn’t come over again for months.

You thought maybe you pushed too far.

But then he showed up tonight.

And now, it was just the two of you.

When you opened the door and saw him standing there — tall, coat draped over his frame, your stomach flipped.

You couldn’t help but stare — not just at the way he filled out that shirt, or the way his forearms flexed under the rolled-up sleeves — but at the hair framing his face.

Dark at the roots, but streaked with silver at the temples.

Salt and pepper. Just like those film villains who made sin look like seduction.

He looked older.

Sharper.

Better.

And damn if it didn’t make you want him more.

“Your dad said we’d have drinks. Didn’t know I’d be greeted by trouble,” he said, voice low and dry.

“Hi to you too, handsome.”

You stepped aside. He hesitated, then walked in. Same scent — clean, dark cologne, like cedarwood and cold steel. You wanted to wrap yourself in it.

“He’s not home yet,” you said. “Guess you’re stuck with me.”

“Of course I am,” he muttered, but not unkindly.

You left the room briefly and returned with a glass of whiskey — his favorite. When you handed it to him, he paused.

“You remembered.”

You smiled. “I remember everything about you.”

That earned you a sharp look. The kind that said don’t start this.

But it was too late.

You sat opposite him on the couch, legs folded, body turned just slightly — just enough to let the silence stretch.

And then you said it.

“Your watch looks good.”

He glanced at it. Silver. A little scuffed.

“It’s older than you, darling.”

The word hit your bloodstream like fire. Your breath caught.

And this time, he didn’t take it back.

You leaned forward, resting your elbow on your knee.

“I like older things.”

“Do you?” His tone was unreadable.

“I’ve liked you for years.”

He didn’t speak. His jaw worked slowly, eyes tracing the curve of your neck, then back up. He drank. Finished it in one shot.

And when you stood — slowly — he didn’t stop you.

You crossed the room and stood in front of him.

“Say something.”

He looked up at you. Tired. Hungry. Controlled.

“You’re playing with fire.”

You knelt on the couch beside him, hand resting on his thigh.

“Maybe I want to burn.”

That broke him.

He reached up, fingers sliding into your hair, pulling you down to kiss him — and it was everything you dreamed it would be.

No hesitation now. No guilt. Just heat.

Your lips moved together with years of tension behind them. His hands found your waist, your hips, your thighs — firm, deliberate, like he had thought about this. Maybe more than you had.

When he broke the kiss, his forehead pressed against yours.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been trying not to do this.”

You smiled, breathless. “Then don’t stop.”

He kissed you again, deeper this time, hands sliding under the hem of your top — palms flat against your back. You gasped into his mouth as he pulled you closer, until you were straddling his lap, his fingers gripping your hips like he needed to memorize them.

You tugged at the collar of his shirt, buttons coming undone one by one. He let you, eyes half-lidded, watching you with quiet fire.

When your lips met his neck — when you whispered “I’ve wanted this since the moment I saw you in that suit” — he exhaled a laugh, dark and shaky.

“You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

“Then show me.”

And he did.

Gently, he eased you down onto the couch, hovering above you with a gaze that was nothing short of reverent. His hands were warm, slow, skilled — dragging over your skin like he had all night to learn the shape of you.

And when he kissed you again, it was slower this time. Less about control — more about worship.

Clothes fell away in whispers.

Fingers tangled in hair.

But the watch never came off.

He didn’t rush. Didn’t fumble.

He touched you like he knew what you needed.

His hands roamed your body with slow intent — knuckles brushing your ribs, thumbs sweeping over soft skin, palms skimming down your waist as if he were learning you note by note. Memorizing you.

When he pressed his hips down against yours, you gasped — and he smiled against your neck, low and dark.

“Feel that?” he murmured.

You whimpered.

“That’s what you do to me. Every damn time you walk into a room.”

His lips traced your throat. “Wearing those shorts. Calling me by my name. Looking at me like you’ve already undressed me in your head.”

He pulled back to look at you — eyes hooded, breathing heavy.

“Tell me you want it.”

“I do,” you whispered, arching into him. “I want all of you.”

“Good girl,” he growled softly. “Then take it.”

He kissed you again — hungrier now, lips parting yours, tongue sweeping past as his hand slipped beneath your underwear, fingers dipping down, teasing you open with slow, devastating precision.

Your back arched, and he watched you, completely transfixed.

“You’re already soaking,” he muttered against your jaw. “And I haven’t even taken you apart yet.”

Your head fell back, breath stuttering.

He leaned down, mouth brushing your ear.

“Let me ruin you.”

Your fingers gripped his shoulders, your chest pressed to his as you whispered, “Please…”

His voice was low and hot against your ear.

“Tell me you’re mine.”

“I’ve always been yours” you breathed.

That was all he needed.

With every deep roll of his hips, every whispered command —

“Keep your eyes on me.”

“Say my name again.”

“You’re mine now.”

—you fell apart for him piece by piece, dissolving under his body like melted silk.

There was nothing crude about it. Only raw, breathless worship.

He held you like you were breakable.

Took you like he’d waited years to.

And kissed you like he’d never forgive himself for stopping.

And when it finally broke — when the pleasure crested so high you could barely breathe — he buried his face in your neck, murmuring your name like a vow.

---

Later, your body curled against his, slick with sweat and flushed from the aftershocks, you whispered

“You didn’t hold back.”

He chuckled — low and dangerous. “You begged for it.”

“I’d do it again.”

“You will,” he said simply, brushing a kiss to your shoulder. “Next time in my bed”

[arthurmorganrp]

Arthur listened to the story, his eyes sad and compassionate for Cass under the shade of his hat. It was a sad story. A tragic one. "I'm sorry you had to go through that...and find the truth like that." He didn't seem impressed by Cass admitting he killed his own father, he just seemed sad a kid had to go through that.

"Thanks for...-" He adjusted his hat. "I'll gladly go on heists with you. And I'll gladly look after the animals as well." Arthur just wanted to be with him. It wasn't complicated. "I guess we had a similar start indeed. My father was a criminal, he would rob and use the money to buy alcohol and cigars, pay prostitutes- my mom and I weren't his priority. My mom often had to beg he would share some money, and when she started working, he hated it...- he would beat her up...he didn't want her to be free. He got arrested from time to time, it was when me and mom had some peace. But every time he got back...it was a nightmare. At some point I started fighting back, but he would only beat me harder. When mom passed, things got so much worse. I also lost my brother."

Arthur sighed and looked down. "He wouldn't just beat me up, he would also humiliate me. And I tried so hard...to win his acceptance, but nothing was enough. With time he would drink more and more until the point he barely had money to feed us or to pay the prostitutes to satisfy him- I think at some point not even them would accept that old man. He was so...ignorant and...aggressive. He would yell at me and say it was all my fault, that I shouldn't exist, that I was just a waste of money and..." He went silent for a while. "When I grew up a bit more, he started to look at me different....started to use me to....well...since there wasn't mom and...he couldn't pay...he..." Arthur scratched the back of his neck, feeling a mix of guilt and shame and whatever other emotions he didn't know how to describe.

"Then one day he got arrested while robbing- was gonna be hanged. And...I didn't feel a thing. Maybe just...relief. It was hard living on my own as an orphan. Eventually bandits broke into my house, beat me up and kicked me out. I started to wander on the streets, asking for food and money, asking if there was any job I could do- I sold some newspapers once, but eventually my clothes got too dirty and ragged...people would just kick me away from their stores."

He was avoidind eye contact, fiddling with the empty can of food.

"One day I got so hungry. I had to fight a dog for a piece of meat in the trash...- a guy saw me fighting the dog, thought I was mistreating the poor animal that was just hungry like me, he kicked my face, I cut my chin so bad. Hungry, despair came...and I tried to pickpocket...but I was so bad at it, I would either get caught or...the person would feel bad for me and gimme some money. I was...bad at everything. At some point, I would do anything for money, I even tried to sell some drawings, but it paid very little, I couldn't even afford the paper and pencils with what I'd get. I started accepting anything out of despair. So many times...these creeps would have their way with me...and not pay at all- once I told an officer and he laughed at me, told me I shouldn't say such awful things about fine citizens...and that I should stop being lazy and get a job."

He smiled sadly. "Then one day Hosea and Dutch showed up, took me in...taught me basically everything I know...and then, when I got to rob those damn shops and shoot those damn creeps...I didn't feel no remorse at all. I could see in their eyes that they knew they remembered me from somewhere, but just couldn't put their finger on it. Those shop owners that would kick me like a dirty animal, I took everything they had, all their money- a few of them, I even took them lives. And...each year I buried those memories more and more...and I became an outlaw. I became this...and I don't remember no more what got me this way. So many parts of my childhood just erased from my memory."

Arthur listened to Cass as he ate from the food cans, indeed, his life had been so harsh. "I also ended up at the streets when I was a kid. I was 11. Those were rough days. I was lucky Dutch and Hosea decided to take me in. They were like my parents." A glimpse of sadness in his eyes, as Hosea had already passed and Dutch had abandoned him to die. His eyes watery, but he tried to fake it.

"I'm sorry Ashe had to go through that. No wonder she's so strong like that. I guess she had to be." He smiled a little- Arthur admired her, that fierce stare, that explosive bossy way. She knew how to keep order and discipline and her willpower was insane.

"So the natives looked after you two. It explains why you seem so connected to them and to nature." He sighed, relaxed after eating, blinking slowly, a bit too heavily. "My father would be either in jail or being awful to me and mom at home. When she died...it was the worse. When he got hanged for his crimes, I felt....relieved. Being alone was better then being with him. At least I wouldn't get beaten every day, and the money I made was my own, and I could get food. But it was...dangerous. I...I survived somehow. Some people were...monsters...but some people were so kind. I think I'm alive because of them."

He scratched the back of his head.

"I don't know what I've would have been. Maybe a rancher, maybe an animal doctor. I entered this life because it was what Dutch and Hosea did for a living. I think I never....chose. But it was good enough. I was so stupid....I would do everything to impress Dutch...to feel accepted. I was so afraid of not being enough...- I was never enough so...I....-" He sighed. "I guess I became what he wanted...until the moment...I wasn't..."

[justmeinadaze]

Don't Be So Hard (Part 7) (Steddie X Plus Size Y/N)

A/N: I bare you this final chapter <3.

Enjoy!

Warnings: Older Dom (30s) Coach Steve Harrington/Older Dom (30s) Professor Eddie Munson & Young (20s) Fem Plus size Sub Student Y/N, SMUT, dirty talk, very light degrading (slut, dirty girl), P in V, intimacy between the boys <3, mentions of over stimulation, I think that's it. FLUFF, story starts angsty but ends fluffy <3.

ANGST, Chapter starts where the last one left off, Martin's dad drunkenly corner's Y/N and gets spicy. (Unlike what happened with his son, weight isn't mentioned. He's salty about Eddie and Steve), the boys come to the rescue.

Word Count: 6938

Series Masterlist/Donate to Me

“Fucking asshole.”, the dean murmurs under his breath as you all take a seat. “I’m sorry for that, Y/N. No matter what, Jared has no reason to speak to you or anyone like that. I was hoping when his son was expelled, I wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore but—”

His voice trailed off as he finally glanced up and noticed you were crying while Eddie tried to comfort you. 

“Yes…well, Steven, your father had a busy weekend. I guess you three were at his house and he called Mr. Click who in turn sent someone to follow Miss Y/L/N. They got some snapshots of her leaving your home…”

The coach growled as his fists clenched. 

“I shouldn’t have gone over there. I’m so stupid.”

“Are they in trouble?”, you ask in a small voice that has Steve sighing as your professor reached out to pet your head. “Please, they didn’t do anything wrong. It was all me and—”

“Technically they did do something wrong.”, he cut you off, exhaling heavily as he leaned back in his chair. “You know, the quake happened while I was a professor myself. I taught history of all things.”, the dean chuckles. “Before that though, the professors were put on notice about a murderer running around Hawkins and to be on alert…Just in case Edward Munson showed up on campus.”

The metalhead’s eyes fell and you felt Steve’s arm reach across your back to rub his shoulder. 

“I didn’t know you but I knew a Wayne Munson. He was a freshman when I was a senior in high school…Forgive me for showing my age… Wayne had this hard exterior but I remember he was always a good kid. Some of the teachers would treat him like shit because of your grandfather and father. Little Allen Munson seemed to be following in his father footsteps even though your uncle did what he could detour that. 

That was the first thought I had when news came out about you, Eddie. I truly believed you were innocent…and I still do. That’s why I hired you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Bill, I’ve known since about that time to and he hasn’t changed.”, Dean Gilman sighs in annoyance. “Still a little boy who needs all the attention he can get. You were headed down that path for a while, son.”

“Yeah…I decided I didn’t want to be an asshole.”

“Hm. Good choice.” He pauses and you feel his eyes scan you over before he continues. “Were you both planning on going with her to New York?”

“Yes.”, they both responded in unison before the coach followed with, “We were going to give you our resignation letters on the last day of the semester.”

“Found a job yet?”

They shake their heads. 

“There’s a football team at one of the universities looking for a coach…” Steve’s head shot up as the dean wrote something down and handed him the paper. “It’s not at NYU but I assumed you wouldn’t want to coach at the school she’s at. I already called and he’s anxious to meet you.”

“I-I-I…thank you, sir.”

“Mr. Munson, I’m afraid I don’t know of any colleges hiring professors but I can keep looking and I recommend you look to. I’d be more than happy to write a recommendation.”

“Wait…are—are we in trouble?”, you ask, completely thrown off guard by his kindness.

“Honestly, Y/N, I don’t see the point. I mean, is it consensual? They aren’t hurting you or forcing you into this right?”

“No, sir. I love them.”

“Good…good. If you weren’t leaving, I would HAVE to do something but…fuck them. You three have been through enough and you’re almost out of here. That doesn’t mean I want to see open PDA on campus or anything—”

“Oh, no, sir. We would never…”

“Ok good. Now get out of my office.”, he chides lightly before being thrown off guard when you run around the desk to give him a hug. 

“Thank you, sir.” Eddie and Steve beam your way, holding the door open for you as you happily bounce out into the lobby. “Oh my God. Is this really happening? Is everything really ok?”

“Yeah, baby, it is and even better…”, your professor pauses as he yanks on his partners hand to bring his lips to his own. “…I can do that. I can’t wait to do it with you, sweetheart.”

***

Steve grins as he watched his partner carefully packing his books nestled in his office shelf into the box at his feet. 

“Baby, they aren’t glass. They won’t break.”

“Says you, Mr. Harrington, but a lot of these are first or collector’s editions so you’re lucky I’m even putting them in a box and not like a protective dome that costs more than the book itself.”

Biting his bottom lip, the coach leans forward to grab Eddie’s waist and pull him onto his lap. 

“I love you, freak.”

“I love you to, asshole.”, the professor laughs, kissing his lips. “Come on, you’re supposed to be helping me.” When the man only hugs him tighter, the metalhead wraps his arm around the back of his neck and brings his head to his chest. “We still have to be careful, sweetheart. We aren’t out of here just yet.”

“I know but…”, Steve sighs as he presses his face into his boyfriend’s soft, cigarette smelling shirt. “10 years, Eddie. I spent 10 years hiding how much I care about you…Now that people know…now that my FATHER knows…it’s hard to reign it in.”

The long-haired man smiles softly as he tilts down to kiss his fluffy head of hair. 

“Have you heard from him?”

“No and I most likely won’t. It’s good for him because I want to fucking kill him for talking to Jared.”

“You know where my dad is?!”

At the sound of Martin’s exasperated shout both men hastily rose to their feet with Steve pushing Eddie behind him. 

“What are you doing here, Mr. Click? You’re not allowed on campus.”

“You mentioned my dad’s name. Do you know where he went?”

“What are you talking about—”

“Fuck! I came here to warn you because Y/N wasn’t in her dorm—”

“You’re not allowed anywhere near her.”, the professor growled, moving to position himself at his partner’s side. 

“I fucking know that but my dad’s been out of control since the dean kicked him out of his office and he found out you three aren’t in trouble. He tried to talk to her mom but she just slammed the door in his face…” 

Both men exchanged a worried look; you hadn’t told them that. 

“He’s been drinking non-stop and even missed work today—”

“What’s your point, Martin?!”, Steve shouted, his fear beginning to take over. 

“Fuck! I’m trying to tell you…I think he’s going to do something stupid! I told him to let it go especially since I heard you guys were leaving but he kept mumbling about how it’s not fair and Y/N should be reprimanded even if he has to do it himself.”

The boy barely got his last sentence out as they collected their jackets and pushed him aside to hurry towards the parking lot. 

“Where is she?”, Steve asked firmly.

“Diner with Theo.”, Eddie answered, climbing into the passenger side of the BMW before his boyfriend revved the engine and sped out away from the school. 

***

How were you back here?

How were back outside this stupid diner with a Click cornering you?

Thankfully you weren’t alone but you were also aware that with Martin’s father you were in a bit more danger than with the boy himself. 

“Go away, Mr. Click. You’re drunk and you’re not thinking straight…”, Theo pleaded with an authoritative edge as he kept you safely behind him. 

“No, I’m thinking clearer than I ever have. Jason Carver had the right idea 10 years ago. You have to fight back to get what you want especially in Hawkins. Unfortunately, he died and his killer is walking free. It’s not right…just like it’s not right that my son is expelled!”

“Me being with Eddie has nothing to do with what your son did.”

Jared’s eyes widen as he staggers forwards while Theo guides you backward away from him. 

“Of course, it does, honey. It’s all connected in a town this small and it always starts with a flaw…flaws like the Munson’s. Allen stole from everyone, conned everyone here scaring people into locking their doors and windows till he ended up in jail. Everything was fine till kids started getting murdered…till HE murdered them… He gets off and is set free…Pulls in a high member of societies son, one of his students…gets my son expelled…”

“What about Will Byers? What about the Hawkins Lab? What about the earthquake?!”, you shout, trying to step towards him but your protector won’t allow it. “You’re right, Jared. This town has flaws but it’s not people like Eddie. You can change the narrative to fit all you want but the flaw is people like you and Steve’s father. People who chased him down and tried to hurt him. People who can’t accept anyone that’s different!”

Martin’s father shook his head as he chuckled. 

“He’s got you brainwashed, little girl. Now, you are going to tell Hopper and the dean that you lied—”

“No.”

Jared took confident steps towards you, grabbing Theo and hitting him hard as the boy shouts for you to run. 

You don’t get very far as arms circle around you and lift you off the ground before you feel yourself suddenly falling sideways. 

You hear a grunt of pain before someone gets up to sprint away but a fast breeze whooshes past you as sneakers loudly hit the pavement. 

“Hey, look at me. Are you ok?”, Steve inquired as his palm ran down your hair and his eyes scanned your face. Your panicked irises flick towards Theo who begrudgingly took Martin’s extended hand to help him to his feet. “Y/N! Are you ok??”

“Yeah…yeah I’m…Where’s…?”

You both turned at the sounds coming from down the alley way and watch as Eddie delivers repeated blows to the man’s face. You quickly stand and wobble that way, catching your professor’s wrist as he raised his arm to hit him again. 

“Stop…Stop, Eddie, please…don’t…don’t let them win. We’re finally going to get out of here…and be happy…please.”

The metalhead grit his teeth as his shoulder’s deflated and you helped him up off the person beneath him just as Chief Hopper’s cruiser rounded the corner into the diner parking lot. 

***

Your mom exhales as she strides into the living room and tosses all the first aid supplies onto the coffee table. 

“Benefit of being married to a first responder. He always insisted we had stuff like this on standby. ‘You never know.’”, she mimed in a deep voice that had you smiling. 

Theo was the first to lean forward, grabbing the icepack and placing it on his cheek. 

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Theo, I’ve met you numerous times. You don’t have to be so formal.”, she sarcastically scolded as her eyes met yours before taking in both men on her couch. “Jesus Christ.”

Throwing her body down beside Steve, she grabbed the antiseptic and he winced as she began cleaning the cut on his face. 

“You have a lot of little scars, Mr. Harrington. How many times has someone hit you in the face?” His amber irises instantly snap her way. “Told you…married to a first responder…you pick up some things.”

“More than a few times…”

“Not by your asshole father right? Because I can talk to him if you—”

“No, no.”, he breathily laughs. “No. He would have had to have been there to interact with me at all, let alone…”

While they talked, you had begun to clean Eddie’s fingers and carefully wrap gauze around his knuckles. 

“You both saved my daughter again. Well three…I didn’t forget about you, Theodore.”, she praises and he scrunches his nose with a smile her way. “Thank you.”

Silently Eddie stood up and climbed the stairs turning into the first room he found with you following close behind. Steve closed the door behind you before flicking on a switch that illuminated the string of lights along the walls. 

“Is this your room?”

As soon as you nod, the coach starts exploring beaming at your posters of 90s celebrities along your wall and cassettes piled high with bands his partner had introduced him to. The desk by your window had a couple of scripts he assumed was from your high school days and notes on paper that had him craning his neck to read. 

“Oh, you don’t have to—”

“What is that?”, he asks with a small smile as you yank the paper away. 

Rolling your eyes, you smack it into his chest before kneeling to grab something and taking a seat beside Eddie on your bed. 

“Colleges? But I thought…”

“They’re colleges I thought Eddie would like to work at.”, you mumble with a shrug, your words causing him to finally meet your gaze. “I wanted to help. I found a few that have a really good English program that you’d love and they aren’t too far from Steve or myself.”

The corner of his lips twitch slightly as if he’s about to smile so you take the opportunity to open the album you were holding in your hands and positioning it between you both. 

The metalhead’s chocolate irises take in the different photographs of you in high school with Steve at his side. The coach grinned when he saw you on the track outside the gym and pointed at an image of you with castmates dressed for the play you had just finished. 

Flipping to the next page, both men held their breath as your prom photo appeared with you in a gorgeous dress hugging your dates side. 

“Jesus Christ…you’re so beautiful.”, Steve murmurs.

“Thank you.”

A tear falls down Eddie’s cheek that he quickly wipes away but you see it, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to kiss where it had been. 

“I almost killed him, Y/N.”, he whispers. “If you hadn’t been there to remind me that we’re almost out… it took all my energy… if he had hurt you…Hmm.” His lips form into a thin line as he hums, stopping himself from finishing his thought. 

“You protected me, Eddie. You and Steve.”

“But I almost became what they believe I am—”

“But you didn’t. Jared Click is the monster, Edward Munson, not you. I…” You pause to swallow the lump in your throat and he notices, craning his neck to face you. “I was scared of him…I’ve never once been afraid of you. You would never do what he just did.”

“Never, baby. Fuck, I can’t wait for us to get out of here.”

As he starts to sob, you pull him down onto your bed and hug his head to your chest while Steve curls up behind him, pressing his back to his chest. 

####################

One Year Later

“Alright, guys, good job!”, Steve claps, cheering on his team before checking his watch. “Ok, great practice. I want you guys to shower and head home. Enjoy Friday night and tomorrow we head for the semifinals.”

His team whoops excitedly and the man smiles as he starts to jog towards the university campus to get to his office. 

“Good work, Harrington.”, his assistant coach beamed as he tried to keep up. “Want to get a drink tonight to celebrate?”

“I wish I could, Mac, but I have a to go pick up Eddie for our date night tonight.”

“Oh yeah? Dinner and a movie?”

The man grins, swinging open his office door and taking the suit he brought with him off the hanger on his coat rack. 

“We’re actually seeing a play at NYU.”

“Yeah? That campus has some amazing productions and those actors are amazing. I’m never surprised when I hear some award winner got their degree there.” 

Steve’s smile widens as his eyes take in the photo on his desk of you, him, and Eddie making faces at the camera while you hold up the key to your new apartment in the city. 

“They’re doing something called Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf which I had never heard of till our…our girlfriend showed us the movie they made.” The coach blushes at his wording, loving the still foreign feeling of saying that word so freely. “She’s playing one of the leads.”

“Oh…Oh yeah? That’s phenomenal.”, the assistant coach stutters through, not wanting his technical boss and friend to feel uncomfortable. He knew Steve came from a small town and wanted him to know he was safe even though a relationship like his was a bit unorthodox. 

“Well, have fun and we’ll see you tomorrow!”

***

Eddie beams when Steve’s BMW skids into the faculty parking area as he shoves the papers he had been grading into the bag at his side.

“Baby, calm down. We still have an hour.”, the metalhead teases as his boyfriend greets him with a soft kiss before opening his passenger door for him. 

“I know but…”, he pauses as he jogs back around and climbs in. “With traffic and everything, I don’t want us to be late. Y/N’s been working extremely hard on this and—”

The professor’s lips on his cut him off and Steve’s shoulders visibly deflated as Eddie caressed his cheeks with his thumbs. 

“You’re doing that thing again.”, the long-haired man lightly scolds. “We’re fiiiiiiine, sweetheart.”

“I know. She’s just been working so hard on this and I know she’s nervous because this agent guy is going to be there. I want her to know we support her especially after everything she’s done for us.”

The metalhead nods, kissing him again as he intertwines his fingers with his own while the coach begins his short drive to your university.

“How was class today?”

“Oh my God, Steve, you have no idea how wonderful it is to be around students who are actually fucking interested in what I’m teaching and not my fucking background.”, he sighs happily. “Some of the kids noticed my D & D books in my office and asked me to host or sponsor or whatever a club for the school.”

“What? Honey, that’s fantastic! You have people you can be nerdy with.”

“Mhmm.”, Eddie chuckles, glancing out the window as the buildings slowly pass by. “I’m glad we came with her, Steve. I didn’t know it was possible to be this happy… If we had let her go… God, I don’t even want to think about that.”

“Then don’t.”, the man murmurs softly as he raises his partner’s hand to his lips so he could kiss the back. “I’m glad we came with her to. I love being able to tell people you both are mine.”

Eddie leans his head on Steve’s shoulder and in return the coach kisses the top of his curls. 

“Yeah, me to.”

***

“Knock ‘em dead tonight, Janet. Can’t wait to see it for myself when I come visit you guys. Don’t be nervous! You’re an amazing actress. 

Your Rocky, 

Theo.

P.S. Ciara says break a leg!”

You smile at the letter attached to the flowers that were sent to your little dressing area after your play had concluded from your friend and his girlfriend back in Hawkins. 

You were thankful when he told you about her, not wanting to leave him in that small town by himself. 

“Hey, Y/N, you were excellent as always.”, your theater teacher praised as she came up behind you to give you a hug. “You should go see your boys. They won’t stop bragging about you to people they hear talking about your performance.”

You giggle as you grab your (Eddie’s) jacket and sling your duffle bag with your clothes from that day over your shoulder. As you sneak out the side exit, you’re immediately met with the sound of the metalhead’s voice. 

“Yeah, she was running her lines over and over for the past few months. I have no idea how she memorizes all that but, God, she’s brilliant.”

“And beautiful to. Y/N just shines out on that stage.”, Steve adds with a tooth filled smile. 

“Absolutely. I apologize but how do you know her again?”, the man they were speaking to asks and you smile as you scurry up to their little circle.

“They’re my boyfriends. This is Eddie Munson who teaches a literature class over at the community college down the street and Steve Harrington is the head football coach at the college near Columbia.” Both men nod and extend their hands as you introduce them. “And I’m, um, I’m Y/N Y/L/N. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Wilson. Guys, this is the…agent…I was telling you about.”

“Oh, please, I know exactly who you are and you can call me Arthur especially after the performance you just put on.”

“Thank you.”, you continue to grin as your nervous eyes flick their way. 

“We’re sorry for talking your ear off. We just…we’re very proud of her.”, Steve praises, pressing his fingers into his eyes however when Eddie quickly follows up with, “So, you’re going to sign her to your agency, right?”

The man in front of you laughs as the coach smacks his arm and reaches into his pocket to pull out a card. 

“Come to my office Monday morning and we’ll sort out some logistics. I don’t want to get your hopes up but I may actually have a roll you’d be perfect for. After I sign you to my agency that is.”

“Oh my god…Mr. Wilson…I mean Arthur…I…Thank you! Thank you so much!”, you exclaim as you take the card and jump into his arms. 

“Whoa! Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your weekend. You deserve it.”

The moment he walks away, you turn to meet their ecstatic faces as Eddie wraps his limbs around your waist and hugs you tightly. 

“Sweetheart, that’s fucking amazing. We’re so proud of you.”

“Very proud.”, Steve grins, pulling you into his embrace as soon as his partner lets you go. “You did so well up there tonight, honey.”

“I heard you both clapping for me.”

“Yeah because you were fucking awesome.”, the metalhead swoons, taking your hand in his. “Come on, baby. We’ve got a whole celebratory thing planned.”

#################

While you were staring out into the New York skyline from your spot at the table on the balcony of the top floor restaurant they had brought you to, Eddie and Steve were staring at you. 

The wind blew your hair in just the right way and even with the metalhead’s jacket keeping you warm, it didn’t hide the gorgeous spaghetti strap, olive green dress that accentuated all your gorgeous curves. 

“It’s so beautiful tonight.”, you happily sigh, turning to grab your champagne glass and realizing what they were focusing on. “What?”

“You’re beautiful.”, Eddie compliments. “We were watching you up there on that stage and I thought… ‘Damn. That beautiful, talented, sexy, adorable woman…is ours.’”

Heat rises to your cheeks and both men chuckle lightly. 

“That right there has been my favorite part about being able to take you out on dates.”, Steve teases, pointing your way. “Seeing you get all shy and nervous like that.”

“Oh really, Harrington? Because you didn’t get all blushy on our first date or any dates after?”, the metalhead jokes, coming to your defense. 

“What was your first date?”

“Eddie was still kind of healing from being in the hospital and going through all the chaos with the legal system so I wanted to take him somewhere calming.”

“He took me to the observatory just outside of town.”

“Not because I was embarrassed or anything.”, the coach adds quickly. “It’s just cause Hawkins doesn’t have much to do and I didn’t want to do the normal ‘dinner and movie’”.

“We laid under the projection and just talked.”

“Did he make a move that night?”

“It’s Steve Harrington, baby, of course he made a move.”, Eddie laughed making his boyfriend roll his eyes. 

“Look, we almost died!”, the man defends before shrugging his shoulders and grabbing his glass. “I didn’t want to waste any more time not being with you.”

The metalhead smiles as he takes his partners hand and yanks him closer to softly kiss his lips. 

“Oh. I got you guys something. Well…it’s for all of us but…” Your words stumble out as you reach for your bag and dig inside, pausing to face them before hugging it to your chest. “So…I, um, ever since you guys told me about…you know…Vecna and everything…I’ve always thought about how much you two have been there for me…like truly been there…even before I met you.”

Their irises soften as they listen to you continue and the metalhead reaches out under the table to place his hand on your knee hoping to calm your nerves as you try to get your words out. 

“You two spent 10 years standing watch over an entire town to keep those assholes safe, you protected me from Martin and his father, and even here in New York I know you’re always watching out for me. I, um, I know you two knew each other before you met me and were together for much longer, but, um…”

“Honey, what are you trying to say?”, Steve asks, his own nerves starting to bubble in his stomach. 

“You know even though we were together before we met you, it doesn’t change how much we love you, right?”

“I know, Eddie, baby. I know. I just…” Reaching inside your purse, you produce a little rectangular box and place it on the table in front of them. “I know that if you two could have gotten married long ago you would have. Now if three people could get married, you’d do that to…I just…we’ve been here for a year and together for almost two and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

At your last sentence, the coach leaned across the table to take the box in his hand and slowly open it to show his partner the three black rings with gold lining the inside. A little smirk flickers on the long-haired man’s face as he pulls the one that’s nestled in the middle out of its place. 

“Y/N Y/L/N, are you asking us to marry you?” You cover your face in embarrassment as they try to contain their laughter at your cuteness. “No, no, baby. Come on. Continue.”

“I’m trying to say…! That if I could marry you…I would…and I wanted to show you guys that while saying thank you…for keeping me safe for all those years.”

Eddie grins as he nods, suddenly sliding down on one knee and taking your hand in his. 

“I’d die for you, princess, if it meant protecting you.”, he murmured, pushing the ring on to your finger and kissing the back of your hand before removing one of his to replace it with the one you got him. When he tries to guide his skeleton ring on your thumb, it easily slides off being too big for your hand.

Steve pats his shoulder, replacing his partners spot on his knee in front of you, and invades your space to unclasp the necklace around you, tenderly kissing your cheek as he does so. You and Eddie watch as he slides his boyfriend’s ring onto the chain before removing his college class ring to add to it.

Once the metalhead has it firmly attached to you once more, your palm touches the warm jewelry pressing it to your chest.

“You don’t know how much this means to us.”, he whispers, pushing his new ring onto his finger and taking your free hand in his. “You always talk about us saving you but, baby, you saved us. Thank you.”

You tilt towards him to kiss his lips and he lifts you out of your chair to hug you tightly. 

“I’d marry you both in a heartbeat.”

As soon as he sets you down, Eddie takes you into his arms and threads his fingers through your hair. 

“I’d marry you both to.”, he confesses, kissing the top of your head. “Then we could fly somewhere awesome for a honeymoon.”

Both men smile when you laugh. 

“Who says we need to fly anywhere for a honeymoon?”

***

Steve’s breaths heat your lips as he pants heavily above you pushed up on his palms as he steadily but firmly thrusts his hips, his eyes never straying from yours as he continues to build you towards another orgasm. 

“That’s it, baby, fuck. You look so sexy like this.”, Eddie whispered in your ear from his place on the living room floor beside you, his arm laying loosely across your sweaty chest as his thumb caressed your temple. “You said this was our honeymoon so you have to give us another one, sweetheart.”

Your eyes close as your head turns allowing you to be nose to nose with him and he hungerly kisses your lips. 

“If you cum again, we’ll let you take a break and you can watch Mr. Harrington fuck me.” At his murmured words, you loudly moaned as Steve’s head hung and he picked up his rhythm, slamming his cock roughly into your cunt. “Yeah? You’d like that? Fuck such a dirty girl. Still that little slut we met, right?”

“Ohma…God…”

“Still our slut.” Your eyebrows furrowed as Eddie’s fingers curled in your hair, holding your forehead to his as he watched you come undone. Your body shook as you whimpered, your pussy quivering around the man inside you who continued to fuck you through it. “Good girl. Very good. You’re alright, baby. Take a little break. Do you need water?”

“No…no, Sir. I’m…M’ok.”

Steve practically growled as he pulled out of you to climb on top of his partner, grabbing his hips and lifting him up onto his knees. Rolling onto your side, you smile with half lidded eyes as you watch the metalhead groan loudly as the coach shoves his tongue into his entrance. Eddie’s forehead presses to the floor as one of his arms reach between his legs to lazily stroke himself. 

“Fuuuuuck, I love your mouth, pretty boy.”

It surprised even you how fast Steve hovers over him, his chest pressed to his back as he grabs his hair and yanks it back. 

“Who am I?”, he grunts, the long-haired boy smiling defiantly as his boyfriend grinds his dick along his behind. “Who am I in here?”

“Mr. Harrington…fuck, baby…”

With his free hand, Steve grasped his cock and they both mewled as he carefully guided himself into the man beneath him. 

“That’s right.”, he breathed, his palm wrapping around his throat as he placed a kiss on his shoulder. “That’s fucking right. Open your eyes, little boy and k-keep them on her.”

When he does what he’s told, your lips meet his as the coach pushes himself up fully onto his knees and sets a rough pace while pounding his cock deep into the man he loves. 

“Shit…you’re just as much of a slut as she is…aren’t you?” When all Eddie does is nod, Steve spanks him hard. “Answer me.”

“I’m just as much—mmm—of a slut as she is.”

“As who?”

“Our girl.”

At his words, Steve grunted with approval as he chased his high desperate for a release after feeling you cum around him. Your hand slid under your former professor and wrapped around his length to stroke him. 

His eyes that had been glued to you, abruptly darkened.

“After he fills me up, Y/N, I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll be sore tomorrow. Everyone at his game w-will be looking at you and they’ll know…They’ll know you’re taken care of.” 

While Eddie spoke Steve’s pace had quickened to the point that the sound of skin slapping skin echoed throughout the apartment. A strangled moan left his lips as he fell flat against his partner pushing him fully against the ground and rolled his hips as he came; his fingers intertwining with Eddie’s as he panted into his tussled head of hair. 

You delicately patted his sweaty shoulder and without you saying a word, he fell to the side of the metalhead who didn’t waste a moment, scaling your body and lifting your legs around his waist before guiding himself into your sore and swollen heat. 

True to his word, he set an aggressive rhythm causing both of you to emit repeated ahs while his lips attached to your neck. You clung to his back as he sucked a mark into your skin, soothing it with his tongue while your pussy clenched tightly around him. 

“Please…please, Mr. Munson…I wanna…”

“Tell me.”

“I want to…feel you…cum.”

“I’ll—fuck—I’ll cum when you do.” You shake your head and he grumbles roughly, gripping your throat as his angry eyes meet yours. “I wasn’t asking, Y/N. I’ll give you my cum when your pussy is fucking begging me for it.”

Your legs started to fall as your back arched but his other palm hastily grabbed one of your thighs to keep at least one in place as your body began to tremble. 

“That’s it, sweetheart, g-give it to me.”

Collapsing on top of you, Eddie fully incased you in his warmth as your nails ran up his back to cling to his shoulders. Your orgasm washed over you like a freight train while you continuously garbled his name into the nook of his neck. As your core continued to quiver around him, you felt his momentum stutter before his release painted your walls. 

“Ow, ow…”, you whimper as he tries to delicately pull out of you. 

“I know, I know, baby. There we go…Good girl. Come on, let’s go take a bath.”

“I got her, honey. You go on ahead; the water’s already running.”, Steve coos in a soft voice as he helps the man he loves to his feet.

“Hey, maybe I need to be coddled to, mister.”

You smile as the coach smirks, lifting you effortlessly into his arms and following his boyfriend into the bathroom. After you kiss his cheek, he places you on the edge of the tub and lifts Eddie bridal style eliciting a small, surprised squeak from the professor.

“Well, don’t I feel special.”

“Mhmm. Do you need anything, my love? Water or some ice before we clean you both?”

Eddie theatrically sighs, throwing his head back as he whines, “Noooo, sire. I think I shall be ok but the princess and I will require a kiss or two.”

Rolling his eyes, Steve kisses his lips and lowers him carefully down in the warm, steamy water in front of where you had placed yourself before moving over to kiss you as well. Reaching behind him on the banister, the metalhead grabbed his pack of cigarettes and flashed them towards you, silently asking you if it was alright which you nod. 

“Fuck, man. It’s going to be snowing within a month or so I bet.”, Eddie relays after opening the nearby window and lighting the stick between his fingers. 

Hearing you hiss, his head immediately turns your way to see you grabbing the other man’s wrist as he cleaned between your legs. 

“Sorry. Hurts.”

Steve nods, kissing your temple as he murmurs into your ear, continuing to clean you as you hold his forearm to ground you. 

After blowing smoke out the window, the metalhead lightly grips your chin and tilts forward to softly kiss your lips. 

“I remember that first night, you winced like that and grabbed my wrist. You looked so small… I knew then I wanted to take care of you.”

“Oh? Is that why you two talked about being afraid to be with me?”, you tease causing both men to exchange a look. “I was drifting in and out so I only heard parts of it. Something about cake and me not wanting to be seen with ‘old men’.”

Eddie narrows his eyes your way but Steve’s palm tenderly reaching to clean him blindsides him slightly as he turns to face him and is met with his lips. 

“Some of the wording is mushed together but…”, he chuckles, their foreheads leaning against each other. “Eddie was afraid of the career aspect as well as our stupid little town. I thought maybe you’d wake up and realize you wanted more than a small-town life hidden away with bitter coach and professor.”

“I don’t get a negative adjective to?”, the metalhead jokes. “Former fugitive, pariah, trailer trash demon worshipper?”

“Stop.”, she growled a bit more forcefully than he meant to. “I never saw you that way.”

“And I never saw you as bitter.”

“Me neither. I never saw you both as ‘old men’ either. I just saw you as…mine.”, you shrug as your tone drops a bit. “That’s why what you said to me hurt so much but I never wanted to make things complicated.”

“Can’t really do that in our relationship can we, baby?”, Steve coos softly, standing to his feet so he can carefully lift you out of the tub and dry you off. “Alright, wait here while I go get the other baby.”

You giggle as you watch him from your bed swivel around to hurry towards Eddie who had already begun getting out of the water before the coach quickly wraps a towel around him and picks him up in his strong arms. 

“We saw you that way to.”, the metalhead adds as he pulls you to his side. “Ours.”

“I know. I heard you one day after rehearsal talking about how you wanted to spank me because of Theo even though YOU pushed me away—”

“Jesus, just a little eavesdropper, huh, Munson. Sounds like there’s a few punishments that need to be doled out.”

You smirk as he tugs one of his track shirts over your head and slides Eddie’s boxers up your legs. 

“Did you just interrupt me?”

Steve beams wide showing off all his teeth as he places his arms around your hips. 

“What are you going to do about it?” You bite your bottom lip before tilting to kiss his. “Did you need ice or anything?”

“Not right now, Mr. Harrington, thank you.”

Turning to focus on Eddie, he can’t help but roll his eyes as his partner bats his lashes his way. 

“Do you need ice or some water, honey?”

“No, Mr. Harrington, I’m all set.”, he teases in a high pitch voice, lightly mocking you while Steve pulls another pair of boxers up his legs. 

Just as he did with you, the coach circled his arms around the long-haired boy’s hips but leaned towards his tummy to place a soft kiss along his scars that has his features faltering slightly. 

“Thank you for always being there, Eddie. I love that now I can show you both off and I don’t have to hide how much I love you.”

Smiling, the man circles his limbs around his neck and kisses his cheek. 

“I love you to…but God why are you so obsessed with me.” After pushing his partner away, the metalhead focuses on you while Steve goes on the hunt for some shorts. “I love you to, baby. I agree with him. I’m glad we can show you off and take you on dates like tonight. Tomorrow you’re going to sit right next to me and I’m going to hold your hand all night. Or get handsy if you wear one of those sexy skirts. I’m only human.”

You laugh at his joke as you fall back against the pillows and pull him on top of you. Your fingers trace his cheek to his lips and he softly grins before laying down to rest his head below your chin. 

Steve comes out of the bathroom, pausing when he notices you both laying this way with your hand tenderly petting his partner’s curls. After turning off the lights, he climbs in beside you and brings the covers up over you three. 

“I’ve always loved how soft you are with him. Not that I’m not but…”, he whispers, kissing your shoulder as he pulls you both closer to his chest. “Thank you, Y/N, for being you.”

You smile at his groggy tone as your eyes watch him fall asleep. Eddie had already beat him to it, his steady breathing signally to you he was out. Since moving out of Hawkins, they both seemed at peace, not just out in the world but as they slept. 

Those first couple of months they did struggle; Eddie waking up screaming about someone taking you and Steve bolting upright to glare out the window to make sure “the sky isn’t red”. Slowly, the tossing and turning stopped followed by the nightmares. The first night they both slept peacefully, they woke up with bright eyes and a jovial energy, throwing some clothes on you so you three could get out to explore the city. 

They ate more, smiled more, and even opened up more than they thought possible. You were so thankful that you could experience this with them and see them grow after being stifled by a town that didn’t appreciate them. 

After a year so much had changed for the better and you couldn’t imagine what your future held. All you knew was as long as you with them, you were safe and happy.  

###############

@joannamuns9n @dckweed @corkadymu @lilaclazer @aol19 @myherometalhead  @debkk16 @micheledawn1975 @too-efn-old-to-be-here @eddiexmunsonlover @strangerthingsfangirling

@1deverland @checosbluespring @twirls827

[the-exiled-comic]

I understand what Fallenscar is going through but also like if Breezepaw crashed out over this I do not think I would blame them at all. I mean I don't think they should call Fallenscar a "fucking spoiled brat", because it isn't his fault Crowstar sheltered him and left him completely unprepared for all of this.

But. Like imagine the son of the woman who killed you(unintentionally or not, like you said, Crowstar should not have been hitting children. Certainly not hard enough that Breezepaw bashed their head off a rock) shows up and starts saying shit like "But she loved ME! Isn't that enough to redeem her of her horrible crimes?" IN FRONT OF HER VICTIMS???

I'm sorry but I would not have been that calm. I think Breezepaw actually reacted very well in only pointing out the gap in his logic- ("I loved my family. Wasn't that enough to let me live?")

(I think it actually says a lot about all the members of the rebellion that they're there when Fallenscar has not said a kind thing about any of them as far as I remember. To him, they're just heartless traitors who tried to murder his mother. But this is about Breezepaw)

(I think I saw both they and she used for Breezepaw in previous asks and wasn't sure which to use, so I used they just to be safe!)

breezepaw took the high road for an epic burn

she's a fun character to me i wish she was a little more relevant. we'll see more of her later tho :3

breeze does use she/her but is probably open to they/them idk i picture her to not think about gender very much. honestly could see her being like "no pronouns unless im related to you or have otherwise stated i like you. dont perceive me" lol

[anneapocalypse]

As a footnote, I do genuinely think wealth inequality specifically is something FFXIV as a whole seems uncomfortable engaging deeply with. I think Heavensward does do some compelling things with class politics and is remembered fondly in that regard for a reason, but it still leaves me with some dissatisfaction in that regard. I think "the scriptures and the version of history the people have been sold is a lie, and the truth of history debunks the aristocracy's rule by divine right" is a good dramatic conceit for a story, because it makes for exciting reveals and flashbacks, and also dragonfucking. And vore. It's appealing to think that you can dismantle a corrupt system just by uncovering one Hidden Truth, and once that truth is revealed society will automatically shift for the better. That kind of simple conspiracism is narratively appealing. (It's why so many reactionary movements utilize it in real life.) It also kind of accidentally ends up implying that if the High Houses did have the special pure bloodlines they claimed that their right to rule over the commoners would be legitimate? It's also just not... really how all that works.

I don't mean to downplay the genuine reforms brought about by the death of Thordan and the end of the Dragonsong War. Heavensward does have some genuinely interesting things to say about war as a tool of social control to concentrate power, and the narratives governments use to justify perpetual war because peace is harder to exploit politically and it's more difficult to maintain concentrated power in peacetime. The dissolution of the Archbishop's seat and the establishment of Ishgard's parliamentary system is a real and massive change for the better.

Nonetheless, I think the story is far less comfortable confronting the issues of wealth inequality and the fact that the establishment of the House of Commons does not make the High Houses any less rich. And if you look a little too closely, a lot of Ishgard's subsequent reform boils down to "convince the the nobles to be nicer to poor people." Hilda and her people will collaborate with and lend tacit approval to certain nobles so that we will accept them as "the good ones." Artoirel de Fortemps opines about the responsibilities of becoming the next Count so we understand that he's going to be "one of the good ones." The fact that Stephanivien de Haillenarte decided to enact his personal rebellion by giving commoners access to guns is not insignficant here.

In the Ishgardian Restoration, we have the follow-up: Francel de Haillenarte leads the restoration of the Firmament to expand housing for the lower classes, and Charlemand de Durendaire sees the error of his ways and starts volunteering at a medical clinic, in a storyline that ultimately boils down to "the solution to wealth inequality is for the rich to be nicer and do charity work." The game's narrative is very invested in showing us the Good Rich, and has been from the first.

And in Endwalker, we get the Sharlayan version of the Good Noble. Everyone who has commented in the tags of this post wondering where the Leveilleur money comes from is on my level. It's a question I've been asking since before I had even finished Endwalker. And it's a question the game is simply... uninterested in addressing. Louisoix Leveilleur is practically a saint figure in this world, revered by our core cast, some of whom literally pray to him. Fourchenault, initially an antagonistic character, is ultimately framed as being well-intentioned, just misguided. And to bring it full circle, we get our custom deliveries with Ameliance Leveilleur and her charitable work with foreign exchange students, carefully re-establishing House Leveilleur as an example of the Benevolent Rich.

This all ties into a lot of thoughts I have about the limitations placed on political storytelling by the game's rigid structure as a whole, and I think there's a lot of interesting stuff to be said there with regard to other states, such as Ul'dah and Ala Mhigo and Eulmore... but that's probably another post for another day. ;)

Every time I have to return to the Leveilleur estate to do custom deliveries for Ameliance I leave gnashing my teeth over the subject of wealth and class politics in Sharlayan. The game is pretty uninterested in exploring it but it's so in your face with the centrality of the Leveilleur family. Like this is a culture where taking the time and effort to make food taste good is considered extravagant and inefficient, meanwhile the Leveilleurs live in a mansion with a massive entrance hall almost entirely devoid of furniture, surrounded by miles of empty brick patio.

Compare this to like, the Fortemps Manor entrance hall, which is colorful and richly furnished. It's a display of wealth and status for sure! It's also a space where you can not only welcome guests but sit down with them by the fire. It's full of warmth and color. It has windows! In a city of cold gray stone, Fortemps Manor displays luxury through comfort.

The Leveilleur estate is nothing like that, yet it's also a display of wealth and status in its own way. Rather a display of wealth through comfort, it is a display of wealth through space that is kept to be used for absolutely nothing. There's barely a stick of furniture in that massive hall with its vaulted gold-adorned ceilings and sterile flower vases taller than you are. It's a place that's meant to be seen but not enjoyed in comfort. You are not meant to be comfortable here. The stone patio that encircles the estate is almost worse. There's a row of perfectly manicured trees out front and one tiny, lonely flower box on one side, and other than that it's just bare expanses of paving-stones.

Perhaps the deeper interior of the Leveilleur estate is more comfortably furnished... but we never see that. In Fortemps Manor I feel like I can easily extrapolate what the Warrior of Light's guest room might look like from the decor of the front hall. In the Leveilleur estate I'm left guessing. Our guest room in the Baldesion Annex is more interestingly furnished than anything we see in the Leveilleur estate.

The luxury of Ishgard's high houses is grotesque in contrast with the Brume and the desperate poverty of the lower classes. The luxury of House Leveilleur I find grotesque in a different way, because they are clearly sitting on a massive amount of wealth and yet nothing about their home even looks comfortable to live in, so what is it even for? We know that Sharlayan is a society that purports to value the pursuit and safeguarding of knowledge above all else. Fourchenault is supposedly a diehard believer in the principles of his country. Yet nothing we see in his home reflects those values. Where are the bookshelves? The glass cases showing off rare and valuable tomes and artifacts? The botanical gardens and greenhouses? If Sharlayan culture does not discourage generational wealth hoarding (which it clearly doesn't, even if it doesn't have a formal aristocracy), then shouldn't that wealth at least be displayed in a manner befitting the culture's values? But it isn't. It's just... empty, unused space.

We could certainly point to this as a failure of environmental design, or corners cut to avoid having to instance the entrance hall. I don't dismiss that as a possibility. But it's also grimly compelling to me to analyze it as a deliberate choice (whether or not it was). It might be said that Sharlayan values the appearance of austerity and efficiency, more than the actual thing. One of the richest and most powerful families in Old Sharlayan can sit on a massive amount of generational wealth and live in a mansion with more rooms than they could possibly use... so long as they do so sitting in uncomfortable chairs in underfurnished rooms, and don't season their food.

[mirai-e-jump]

Uchusen Vol.189 (Summer 2025) Ultraman Omega ft. Kondo Shori & Yoshida Haruto Interviews (other pages and translations below)

Publication: July 1, 2025 (before broadcast start)

Kondo Shori (Okida Sorato)

"We understand that it was a casting rather than an audition."

Kondo: I was in the middle of taking a break from filming a drama at the end of 2023. My manager said to me, "There's an audition for Ultraman coming up in abit." For the time being, I thought it'd be done in the format of an audition. The first thing I was told was, "You're just going to go and show off your face, so please do some research on Ultraman over the New Year's holiday." Instead of being happy, I had the feeling of, "Ah, really?" I was 29 at the time, and I was shocked as I thought, "How is it possible for a 29 year old to play the leading role in Ultraman?" So, I went to the audition in January of 2024 and was officially chosen during that month. I felt relieved and happy, but I also thought, "I'm going to be a hero……," and my mind went blank for awhile. I was very happy, but on the other hand, it was also a huge shock, so instead of doing a fist pump to celebrate, I felt dumbfounded.

"Do you have any memories or emotional attachment to the Ultraman series?"

Kondo: I was an only child raised by a single parent, so I often played alone at home when I was little. The toys given to me by my parent were sofubis of Ultraman and Kaiju. I'd play with them by making them fight. I personally consider myself as being part of the "Ultraman Tiga" and "Ultraman Dyna" generation, but there were multiple sofubis in the single box sets, and that included Ultraman that I didn't know of. I remember seeing a black Ultraman among them and thinking, "So cool!"

"Considering the era, it might've been the Ultraman Shadow included in the Immortal Ultra Warriors Set 3."

Kondo: I'm not quite sure about his name, but I really loved him.

"What was the response like after information was officially released?"

Kondo: As expected, there was alot. I received an incredible amount of messages from longtime fans, people who only just found out about me, and even foreigners just on SNS alone. Since alot of the content I've worked on has been aimed at foreign audiences, it wasn't unusual for me to receive messages from overseas, but now I'm receiving messages from different demographics. I've always thought about how I'd like to "work worldwide," so this has made me happy.

"What was your thought process for taking on the role of Sorato?"

Kondo: Since he's an alien who's lost his memory, I thought that I shouldn't deliver my lines with a fluent rhythm during the very beginning of the show, just as I'm doing now. When he's asked something, I'll ask it again in my head and then say the words. That's why his response ends up being a beat behind. I try to act as if I can't immediately understand what the other person is saying. And, I don't display alot of facial expressions. He'll gradually become better off in the future, but in the beginning, he'll stare blankly, and it's hard to tell what he's thinking. In any case, I put importance on that feeling of "being out of place." I'm prepared for people who didn't know about the alien setting to think, "This guy can't act, huh?," and that's okay.

"Comparing yourself to Sorato, are there any aspects that you can relate with?"

Kondo: Sorato is curious about all kinds of things. Especially in the first episode, since he has no idea about anything, he tries to touch a variety of objects and is stopped by Kosei. He's full of curiosity. I feel like that might be similar to myself. What's more, we both like to eat. I think that kind of innocent feeling just oozes out of me. I think it's because of me that Sorato's become the way he is. I feel that Sorato is a role that would never come out the same no matter who's playing him, as it's a role that can be interpreted very differently depending on how the person performing perceives him.

"What are your impressions of Kosei's Yoshida Haruto-san and Ayumu's Kudo Ayano-san?"

Kondo: Kosei's a hard worker. I get the feeling that he's always on his guard. I also have the impression that he's having a harder time than me. My energy levels are low, or rather, I'm more relaxed. It's also due to my role, since my character doesn't require needing to be full of energy (laughs). Still, that guy's role is one where he gets pushed around in a variety of ways, and always seems to be yelling. He's doing his best playing a role like this. I think he might've been "shifting gears" within himself. Objectively, that's how I see it. Ayumu is the most sane role. She's a woman with common sense and who works hard at the things she does. I'm sure Kudo-san was naturally worried in the beginning too. However, she's a very down to earth person. At first, Kosei and I were creating the set together until Ayumu arrived starting from episode 2, but her arrival didn't feel out of place at all. We all became friends quickly without having to be mindful, and I think that's a testament to her humanity. The vibes on set are also good. Things are harmonious, which I think is suitable for a set creating tokusatsu productions. Our jobs are to give children dreams, so I don't want us being awkward with each other. There was a feeling within me that didn't want filming to be difficult, so I wanted to shape us into a fun group. I believe that if we keep that in mind, we can naturally make the show an enjoyable one.

"Have you had an opportunity to talk with Iwata Hideyoshi-san, who plays the role of Omega after your transformation?"

Kondo: I've talked alot with Hideyoshi-san. I think for Hideyoshi-san, Omega is the production in which he's communicated with an actor the most as of recent. The schedule is set up in a way where they start filming the tokusatsu parts after the main drama scenes are finished, so Hideyoshi-san creates Omega's performance after watching my entire performance as Sorato. He's playing my role very respectfully. Especially this time, since the one transforming is Ultraman himself, Hideyoshi-san told me he wanted to communicate with me and has given me the opportunity to do so. I also visited the tokusatsu set quite abit in order to talk with him.

"The transformation scene is one of the highlights of each episode, but is it difficult for you?"

Kondo: I don't find the transformation pose difficult at all. The Slugger flies, circles me, and then I grab it, so it's all a matter of imagination. I used to perform in stage plays, so I've had many opportunities to act by looking at things I couldn't see, which is why I don't feel any discomfort or difficulty doing this. The only thing that was difficult was the scene where I transformed while running, which will show up inevitability. I had to run, stop at a specific spot, and strike my pose with precision. It was also decided beforehand that the camera would be set at a certain angle, so even if I was just alittle bit off, it would be no good. This was difficult. Our goal was a close up, which is why being even a few centimeters off would've caused me to be out of frame. Even after they said, "Alright, please stop at this spot," stopping there was still difficult because there were no clear marks. To memorize it I would imagine, "If I can stop so that this edge is aligned with this line on the camera, I might be able to get it," and repeatedly did countless takes while running to it. That was difficult.

"What's been some of the most memorable words from Director Takesue Masayoshi's direction?"

Kondo: Director Takesue is allowing me to work rather freely. He gives me detailed directions, but in general, what I want to do and what the Director wants to do match up, so there's been no major disagreements between us. Still, when it comes to the "fluffy" Sorato that I'm playing, he doesn't have the same amount of excitement one would normally feel when transforming, but he clearly told me, "This is Ultraman, so I need you to switch it up" and "I want you to instantly enter hero mode." He was also like, "I want a cool Sorato!" This was especially the case for the first episode.

"You also provide the post transformation action voices yourself, right?"

Kondo: I'm doing it. At the postrecording studio, I record while looking at a monitor with Ultraman on it, but when Ultraman moves within the monitor, I also do the same movements in front of the microphone while speaking out loud. After watching the entire thing through once and memorizing the number of punches and kicks, I'll say, "Okay, let's start recording," and I'll record each episode while punching and kicking alongside Ultraman.

"What impressed you most when you saw the finished footage?"

Kondo: That would naturally be the transformation! In the first episode, I was really moved by the scene where I transform into Ultraman, but I was especially moved by the scene in the grassy field, where the particles of light gather as the giant Ultraman transforms back into me. Transforming has been a dream of mine since I was little, so to see it become a reality really touched me.

"Please give a message to our readers while they wait for the broadcast to start."

Kondo: I think this is a new Ultraman that's never been seen before. Its appearance is innovative. The main character is an alien who doesn't really know Earth's language. I'm sure it's difficult for many of you to imagine what the story will be about. The show may initially feel awkward, or maybe it's the main character that's awkward, but I believe that gradually, the show and characters will become loved. While depicting Ultraman in a way that's never been done before, it'll ultimately turn into a show that makes you think, "As expected, Ultraman is cool." That's why I want people to continue to love the Ultraman series, and for that reason, I think we have to work hard on Ultraman Omega. And, it's because of the power of you readers and the people who love Ultraman that also makes Ultraman work hard. We'll be able to take on the task of protecting Earth, so I'd be happy if you gave us tons of support. _

Yoshida Haruto (Hoshimi Kosei)

"Please tell us how the role was decided on."

Yoshida: It was an audition. After the audition, I was told by my agency that I was still a candidate, but I had been frustrated in the past because I was always one step short after it was narrowed down between the last two or three candidates, so I was constantly worrying. When the decision was made, the president of my current agency called me to come to the office with, "There's some materials for a different production," and as I was reading this script at the office, the last page had "you've been cast to play Hoshimi Kosei" written on it. I was like, "……Eh?," and to be honest, it didn't really sink in right away, but gradually, I felt a rush of happiness. I started bawling my eyes out since it felt like all of the hard work I'd put in up to that point had finally paid off. At the same time, I felt pressured since I was "going to be carrying the banner of Ultraman's historic series," so I was on edge.

"What was the response like after your role was announced?"

Yoshida: Ever since the official release of information, I've received so many voices of support. I was able to once again feel the passion that Ultraman's content has, as well as the kindness of the fans. Among the people who've come to know me through this, there are alot who've even come to stage greetings for other productions I've appeared in. They were like, "We're here since we were curious." I'm grateful for that.

"Do you have any memories or emotional attachment to the Ultraman series?"

Yoshida: "Ultraman Zero," "Ultraman Ginga," and "Ultraman X" just to name a few, and they were apart of my life during my school days. I feel very honored to have my name added to a page in Ultraman's history and to be involved in this production. What's more, I never dreamed that I'd be controlling Kaiju to fight alongside Ultraman just like in Ginga and X, so I'm incredibly happy.

"When you were a child actor, didn't you appear in Ultra Zone's Kaiju Transfer Student episodes?"

Yoshida: Yes. I was among those students. We were in a classroom with the Kaiju and took lessons together, so it made me think, "What is this?" (laughs), but even though it had a different "taste" from the Ultraman I was used to seeing, the film shoot itself was alot of fun. The role of the teacher was also pretty outrageous, so it left a strong impression on me.

"How did you plan on playing the role of Kosei?"

Yoshida: Hoshimi Kosei is a character who's interested in a variety of things, and makes an effort to work on them, but none of them ever lasts long. He's exploring what he wants to do, so I think he's the kind of person you could find anywhere. Then one day, this young man meets and becomes buddies with an alien named Sorato, and they fight the Kaiju that appeared at the same time. I think that the way he grows through the memories and interactions he has with his friends who fight alongside him, his own sense of justice, and the emotional conflicts he faces are the things that viewers can most easily sympathize and empathize with. I think that Kosei's character is closest to the viewer's point of view, so I tried to create a role that would allow them to immerse themselves in the world of Ultraman Omega through Kosei as a medium.

"Comparing yourself to Kosei, are there any aspects that you can relate with?"

Yoshida: I'm also somewhat of a coward, so maybe we are closer than I thought. I'm also abit unreliable (laughs). Kosei's way of thinking and environment change drastically after he encounters Sorato. Thanks to the people he gets involved with, he'll find out what he really wants to do. I feel like that's something that overlaps with myself. My environment has changed ever since I joined my current agency, and the number of people I've gotten involved with through work has grown, which has given me so many opportunities to reflect on myself and my approach to my work as an actor. And then, I myself used to do track and field as part of club activities, so we also have that in common. There's also a scene within the show where Kosei's running track, but since I hadn't done it for such a long time, I was worried about performing as is, so I got one on one lessons from a former track and field athlete.

"Kosei is depicted multiple times making food for Sorato, but how about you Yoshida-san?"

Yoshida: To begin with, over the course of the various roles I've performed, I often find that the hobbies of those characters turn into my own hobbies. When I played the role of a cook in another production, I got abit too into it, and started cooking for myself in my private time. Kosei also has many scenes where he cooks, such as when he served the yakisoba that Sorato took and when he made curry, so I myself also practiced. I've been able to make use of past experiences, so I thought I'd pursue the depth of yakisoba even further through this production (laughs).

Kosei will also participate in battle as the operator of the MeteoKaiju, right?

Yoshida: When I first saw Rekiness, I thought it was "surprisingly cool." Despite its ominous appearance, it's very friendly. Trigaron has abit of a violent temper, and it tosses its enemies around using its agile movements. Each Kaiju has a different personality, so I also act differently for each of them, like when I give them different instructions, or in the exhaustion that comes with controlling them. The heated battle scenes where the MeteoKaiju and Ultraman Omega fight together is a major point to look out for. When I'm actually holding the MeteoKaiju, I feel more aware that I'm protecting the peace on Earth together with Ultraman. It actually makes me feel like I'm now in the world of Ultraman that I used to watch on TV when I was little. That's what those items mean to me.

"What are your impressions of Sorato's Kondo Shori-san and Ayumu's Kudo Ayano-san?"

Yoshida: As the leader of this production, Shori-kun is a "Kansai guy" who pulls us along while keeping the set organized. He's got a unique sense of humor and is a very cheerful person, so he's like a big brother who I can talk with about various things. We also share a hobby of playing card games, and we'll play against each other during breaks on set or during our private time, and we also go to card shops together. That was the spark that immediately brought us closer together. Ayano-chan is a goddess. On days when she's not on set, she's such a healing presence that some staff members will shout out, "Ayano-chan isn't here today?!" Ayano-chan's actual character is cute, and she's very level headed and easy to talk to. I'm also the same, and we'll talk about subjects such as our private lives and views on love. The three of us also go out for meals together when we're off set. Because of this relationship, we're able to have discussions on set like, "I want this part to be done more like this" or, "Let's do this like that," and I think these kinds of vibes are reflected in the footage.

"What's been some memorable moments from Director Takesue Masayoshi's direction?"

Yoshida: Director Takesue is an expert who's been working on this series for a long time, so his vision for Ultraman Omega was also very clear. To be honest, there were some directions to "change the nuance" or "increase the tension" in regards to our performance, but I think he respected what we brought to the test shoot before the real take. If I had to say, I got the impression that he spent alot of time carefully filming the transformation scenes and my reactions during the Kaiju battles, and that he really demands that the scenes are easy to understand and cool looking enough for the children watching.

"What's been the most difficult part about filming?"

Yoshida: The Summer heat. To begin with, filming took place during the Summer, and last year was especially hot, with record breaking heat, and not only were we outside alot, but my costume is a jumpsuit. It was incredibly challenging since I was sweating alot. I remember carrying a handheld electric fan with me at all times. If you really want to know, there are scenes where I'm running and frantically trying to control the MeteoKaiju, and they used the sweat on me during filming to their advantage. You'll be able to see my natural sweat during the broadcast (laughs).

"As it's standard in tokusatsu productions, did you have any difficulties with filming that required compositing?"

Yoshida: When we film scenes where we fight Kaiju, we're basically in an imaginary world. In reality, there's a stick like object that's standing in my sight, and I act by using it to estimate the height of the Kaiju's eye level and the distance between us. We're of course shown visuals of the Kaiju and other objects before we start filming, but during the shoot we can only look forward to seeing how it'll turn out. When I saw the finished footage, it looked as if the Kaiju was actually there, so I was like, "So cool!," and it brought back the excitement of my youthful days.

"Did you also see the tokusatsu team on set?"

Yoshida: I went to observe them! I think it was the first time I'd seen explosions, Kaiju fighting each other, and Kaiju fighting Ultraman right in front of my eyes since I was a child watching the live hero shows. I was insanely excited as I thought, "This is what's going on!" As mentioned earlier, to see the connection between my imagination on the film set and the sight I was witnessing right in front of me made me extremely excited.

"Please give a message to our readers."

Yoshida: My character Hoshimi Kosei encounters Sorato and "hits a wall," but is able to get through it. The highlight of the series is the "buddy drama" between these two. And, if you watch all the way until the end, you'll see that it's a story that connects to the core of the series while also exploring the grand theme of, "Why does Ultraman protect Earth?" This production can be enjoyed by children and adults all over the world. I hope that it reaches as many people as possible, so I look forward to your support after this!

[katethisisnotcutlery]

Wednesday Thoughts

So as promised, I said if I watched Wednesday I would post my thoughts, so here they are. All in all, I enjoyed the show, but I definitely had some issues with it. I do lean more positive than negative though! I'm going to elaborate, but I'm actually going to start with the negative before going into the positive.

The Negative

Some of the characters were so bland and unmemorable to me. I genuinely didn't remember Tyler's name until it was revealed that he was the Hyde. I only remember Ajax's name because it's unique. But Ajax, Tyler (pre-Hyde reveal), Xavier, and Bianca were very uninteresting to me, and added nothing to the show other than contrived high school drama.

Speaking of contrived high school drama, the episodes that focus more on that (which is episodes 2-4) were easily the weakest link. Those are also the episodes with the smallest amount of interaction between Wednesday and Enid, and their dynamic was the best part of the show. Without it, the show definitely falls flat at times.

Adding to that, I didn't care for any of the canon teen romantic relationships. Wednesday and Enid have infinitely more chemistry than Wednesday and Tyler or Enid and Ajax. I actually think that works for the former, because it leaves the idea in the viewer's mind that something isn't right. The lack of chemistry between Wednesday and Tyler works because we aren't supposed to trust Tyler. But it feels like Ajax is just there to give Enid a romantic interest when she has a perfectly good one right there!

The sequencing of events around the Gomez murder twist was a bit strange. They introduced the twist in episode 1, and I don't remember it being brought up again until episode 5!

Although they mostly did a good job with the Addams family characters, I didn't like how much they focused on Wednesday being concerned about becoming her mother. That is obviously a very common concern for young people, but the whole point of the Addams Family is that they don't follow the norms of society. The other familial conflict that Wednesday has works for me, but that specific one doesn't.

The attempt to make real-life parallels between the outcasts and real life marginalized groups feels a bit half-assed to me. There's something there, but they never give it its due diligence imo.

Alright, that may seem like a lot of complaints, but I do have quite a bit of positive stuff to point out as well!

The Positives

Firstly, I think one of the best things about the show is the acting. Most of the major characters (Wednesday, Enid, the other Addams family members, Eugene, Thornhill, Weems, even the therapist!) are really well performed. Enid in particular sticks out to me, Emma Myers really captures that bubbly, almost sickly sweet personality. And Jenna Ortega might secretly be Wednesday Addams.

I think they mostly got the Addams family dynamics right. Other than my one issue I mentioned in the negative section, everything else is pretty top notch. Their love for everything creepy and kooky, Gomez's undying affection for Morticia, Wednesday torturing Pugsley but refusing to let anyone else do the same, and Fester being the weirdo amongst weirdos. It's all perfect! The introductory scene of the show is basically exactly what I want from Addams Family, and something I hope to see more of in season 2!

Although the high school elements didn't always work for me, some of them definitely did! The set design in general was pretty good, but the school felt properly spooky. And when the teens were interacting with each other (other than the romantic stuff), I generally was compelled by it!

I've seen some critiques of the mystery elements from some critics, and while I was able to figure out Thornhill and Tyler being involved, I still found the mystery compelling! And the therapist was a decent fake-out, once they "revealed" that she was the one awakening the Hyde, I thought for sure it was true. So even though I suspected Thornhill, I was still a bit surprised by the reveal. Overall, the mystery was definitely aimed at a teen audience, but I still enjoyed it!

This is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, but it's properly spooky. I've always wanted the Addams Family world to include things such as vampires and werewolves, and they find a way to include those more supernatural elements without drastically changing the zany tone. Sure, the worldbuilding is a bit flimsy if you try to overanalyze it, but this isn't the kinda show you come to for rich worldbuilding. It's exactly as deep as it needs to be lol

I actually think Wednesday's arc is pretty solid! She has to learn that there's more to life than being a loner. I think it works for her character, it doesn't go against the Addams Family lore too much (because she rarely extends this philosophy to her family in the show, it's mostly about friendship), and Jenna Ortega performs those beats well!

I also like how they include Wednesday's psychic powers. There's definitely room to grow for this (which based on the season 2 trailer, they will at least try to do!), but I think for season 1 it's generally solid.

The best thing in the show, for me, is the relationship between Wednesday and Enid (Yes, I do ship Wenclair now!) The chemistry that Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers have is off the walls, and every scene they're in together is just... better. They were far and away the most enjoyable part of the show for me, and I can't wait to see more in season 2. Speaking of which...

Conclusion

Although I definitely had my issues with the show, I would say I enjoyed it more so than not. Ratings aren't everyone's cup of tea, but if that's something you're curious about, I'd probably give it a 3.5/5 (or a 7/10 if you prefer that rating scale). Not perfect, but I enjoy it more than I don't! I also watched the season 2 trailer, and I'm really looking forward to it! It looks like it focuses more on the things I liked (the Addams Family themselves, the spooky mysteries, and more of the Wednesday and Enid relationship!). Most of the characters that I found boring were absent from the new trailer as well, which I'm glad about. This was a very long post, so thanks for letting me be a bit self indulgent lmao.

[hheartsdramas]

a year of watching cdramas: my top 10-ish favorites

i discovered cdramas a little over a year ago after several years of mostly watching modern kdramas. i remember viki pushing the double a lot when it aired, so i clicked on it. and at first i was like, "wtf is this?" i mean, talk about a campy introduction. but before i knew it i was sucked in, finishing the series, and looking for another one. i've barely watched anything but costume cdramas since.

so in honor of a year-plus of cdrama watching, i thought it would be fun to make myself pick my favorites! this list could change and re-order depending on the day and on how much i love the next drama i finish (because recency bias is a thing, though i don't see my top 3 getting unseated any time soon).

honorable mentions

story of kunning palace: a natural follow-up to the double, and the first cdrama i rewatched more than once. i got...embarrassingly attached to xie wei. jiang xuening is also the kind of snarky i enjoy, and watching her constantly trying and failing to get away from the palace life was just too addicting. it's the drama that made me realize i can excuse a lot of red flags if i'm having a good time.

night of love with you: still holds the distinction of being the only romance-focused modern that i've finished. it's a sort of transmigration mini in which a career villain character ends up playing the fl in a standard ceo romance drama...but she ends up falling for the villain. fun, smart, and a delight if you're into stuff with a bit of meta.

a journey to love: the found family to end all found families, not to mention the first cdrama fl i truly fell in love with. i would rank this higher if not for the ending, which i have...opinions about. so i mostly pretend like those last few episodes don't exist and i can love ajtl unbothered.

top 10

10. the legend of shen li

a demon general who gets stuck in chicken form after trying to escape a divinely-ordered marriage. a god of the universe roleplaying a sickly human for funsies. one of the ultimate "burn the world for them" couples i've encountered so far. leads that actually feel grown up, believable stakes, communication, and a happy ending. it's practically perfect in every way.

9. legend of zang hai

i don't think this is necessarily one of the best-executed dramas on my favorites list, although it's much better executed than the trolls would have you believe. i just love a revenge quest that cares more about the people than about the revenge itself, and lozh is exactly that. plus xiao zhan is honestly hotter than i expected him to be in this and i got a stabby slinky fl.

8. lost you forever

i'll be honest: this one makes it into my top ten mostly because of one character. it's not that i didn't enjoy the drama as a whole (minus that dream fiasco at the end), because i very much did, but let's be honest: imo this is xiang liu's show, xiao yao is second lead, and the rest of them are there for color. i mostly only rewatch his/their scenes. i don't actually ship them as end game (jing was the right choice imo), but i'm still a xiang liu simp. he's just too damn tragic. but it's visually beautiful and the ost/score are magic. sometimes i listen to 爱之哀叹 (which google translate tells me means "love's lament") and 梅林同焚 (which google translate tells me means "merlin burns together" ???) when i want to feel something.

7. a moment but forever

do you like stories about broken people that question the meaning of loyalty, power, healing, and love? than boy oh boy do i have a drama for you! liu xueyi is a tour de force as the extremely traumatized high priest of the worst clan you've ever heard of, who learns to love the world again thanks to the no-nonsense goddess of craftsmanship who just won't leave him tf alone. i analyzed and meta-d more scenes in this drama than any other, i think.

6. the ingenious one

remember how i said i love revenge dramas that are interested in the human impacts of seeking vengeance? well this is probably the best version of that i've seen so far. a brainiac with no fighting skills is on a quest to avenge the massacre of his family, and along the way he meets one of my favorite fls in dramaland (stabby! sassy! grounded! complex! gets to grow!), as well as a cast of entirely lovable secondary characters that also get to be layered and real. i think this is extremely underrated and more people should watch it and talk about it.

5. under the moonlight

who needs flashy cgi or big traffic stars when you have such a down-to-earth heroine to anchor your drama? a former courtesan becomes a constable and crime-solving savant, but it doesn't feel too glossy or girl bossy. no one in this drama escapes their circumstances entirely, but it's so gratifying to watch how everyone goes about building a life they are happy to live. the main ship is also so well done, in the sense that i went from wanting to scream at the ml to melting into a puddle of goo every time the leads were on screen together. way too underrated for how good it is.

4. love in between

MY BABIES!!!! lib came out of nowhere to absolutely clobber me with feelings. believed-dead marquis's son living as a doctor reunited with the girl who gave him the will to live again when they were kids. they each have an agenda, but one of them is more willing to give theirs up than the other. two more perfect ships round out this angsty, intelligent story that made me scream and cry for all the right reasons.

3. the blossoming love

i thought i was signing up for some candy-colored silly fun. what i got was one of the smartest and tightly plotted xianxia that might exist. i love a chaos agent paired with a starchy mcstarcherston, but i love a chaos/starchy/emo shoulda-been-a-polycule even more. this one has all the tropes but uses them intelligently to weave a story that can unironically ask its characters: who are you? what is destiny? and is that paperwork really so important?

2. the untamed

i don't know what they put in this show. it's crack. it's now one of my most re-watched shows in any language and i only saw it for the first time last autumn. it's massively popular for a reason and it's not just because those boys are pretty (though they are, ridiculously so). i don't have much else to say except that if you haven't seen it yet a) where have you been and b) you should fix that.

1. joy of life

i still can't believe that the first time i tried to watch jol i dropped it after three episodes. i am constantly wowed about how this drama takes what seems to be a basic palace drama with fun characters and manages to create one of the most layered, complex, and human stories i've seen in any language or type of media. there's not a single character that doesn't get dimensions, to the point that you find yourself seriously enjoying spending time with the most twisted villains you can imagine. it somehow balances really dark shit with humor and sweetness. it surprises at every turn. it is killing me to wait for season 3.

think you know a drama that could bump something out of my top 10? i'm always open to being influenced...

[vangoghmusings]

BOARD GAMES | jinu x reader

author's note: hi! this is an introductory chapter so my only caution is for strong language. dm me if you would like to be on the tag list for future chapters. future chapters will be 18+ fyi.

wattpad link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/398018286-board-games-jinu-x-reader

word count: 1635

Gripping a stack of papers, she fanned her face, desperate to diminish the rabid perspiration trickling down her forehead. 

"Is it hot in here? Its definitely hot in here-" 

"Relax- I'm almost done." 

She nods, an effort to give some semblance that the world may not crumble beneath her feet in a mere moment. Dr. Ji's eyes peered over her small wire glasses while she set down the large stack of writing on her desk. 

"It's..satisfactory. Not stellar. But palpable." 

Y/N sighs, resting her palms on the top of her head, as if to keep herself from floating away in embarrassment. 

"What am I missing? I mean I only have a couple months left to revise my thesis- I need it to be perfect." 

"Luckily, you have a strong base. The content all checks out but there's nothing majorly substantial to make an impact in this field." 

Groaning, she drags her hands down her face and to her sides in defeat. 

"This is what I get for wanting to get a masters in Mythology and Folklore...what do you suggest I do?" 

Dr. Ji stood up, her short five foot frame hobbling from behind her messy desk to Y/N. 

"You're a good writer, the content is solid but no serious journal will publish this if you don't read like you love-", she pauses to read the title, "THE COEXISTENCE OF SUPERNATURAL FOLKLORE & MYTHOLOGY IN THE MODERN ERA".  Y/N slumps down in the office chair beside Dr. Ji, now at eye level with the professor. Dr. Ji smiles softly at her student before reaching out and patting her head gently. "Now my suggestion is for you to take the next couple of days and just look for the little things. Remember what got you most excited about your studies and research. Center yourself, be vulnerable and your love will show on paper." Y/N nods, trying her best to hold back the pain glinting in her eyes. 

Fall in love with research again? Easier said than done, especially when you're working part-time, studying full-time, and an all the time mess. 

"Thanks Dr. Ji. I'll see you for class on Wednesday?" 

Dr. Ji nods and shuffles her out of the office. 

"Yes, yes, now you go! Go, go fall in love!" For a tiny woman, her chants seemed to bounce off every surface of the humanities building. Y/N cringed and waved before scurrying out of the hall and out the building. 

Slinging her tote bag over her shoulder, Y/N looked across campus, breathing in the crisp fall air. Her eyes landed on the library building, the very one that made her fall in love with this campus and school. Before she even realized, her feet had marched right up to the front door, her hand ] reaching for the handle. 

"Here's to falling in love again." 

The stark smell of old books and pages that have been flipped between a thousand times over struck her nose- a smell of comfort and intrigue. She wandered through the aisles aimlessly, remembering all of her nearly all-nighters that had taken place. 

"Oh..." Before her stood a large wooden door, one that hadn't been there previously, or at least hadn't been noticed previously. 

"SHH!" 

Y/N jumped, turning to see Brenda, the stingy forever-freshman that worked in the library. If you could hear past the lisp from the intense orthodontics happening in her mouth or not end up getting smacked by her hip-length braid, she was actually alright. 

"Sorry Brenda," She whispered apologetically. "What's this door to?" 

"The restricted section, serious researchers only." 

"Well...I'm a serious researcher." 

Brenda rolled her eyes, pulling out a large key ring, the jingling ringing louder than any whisper in the entire library.

"Dr. Ji gave me a heads up that you might be stopping by cause your thesis sucks." 

"My thesis does not suck! Wait did she say it sucks?" 

Brenda snorts while opening the door. 

"Just make sure to check out with me if you're taking anything before you go. We close at 11." 

Y/N nods as Brenda walks off, the large oak door wafting the smell of books older than imaginable. Like a sensory ambrosia, she slowly walks inside, following her nose. The old floor boards creek below her feet, bringing her back to reality. The room looked original to the school's architecture but somehow felt like it had been here hundreds of years prior. A small oil lamp hanging from the ceiling was the only illumination in the space, casting a dim light across the tightly packed shelves. 

"That has to be a fire hazard..." 

Looking around she notices the varying titles of text: "ANCIENT PRACTICES & WITCHCRAFT", "CARIBBEAN BRUJERIA", "SPELLS OF THE FORGOTTEN WORLD". 

"This is some fucking Harry Potter shit." 

Amused, she keeps looking but not before stumbling on a lifted floor board. 

"Shit!" Flying forward she falls into one of the book shelves before landing on the floor, a couple books hitting her on the way down, adding insult to injury to the stubbed toe.  "Owww fuck fuck fuck," Y/N rubs her foot, waiting for the throbbing pain to dwindle. As the pain subsides, she picks up one of the books that went down with her: CONNECTING WITH MODERN MYTHOLOGY: BEINGS & BEYOND. "Oooh, you're coming home with me." 

She tucks the book into her tote and puts back the other fallen ones. She turns to see the corner of the lifted floor board sticking straight up. Pulling out her phone, she turns on the flashlight, a red light shimmering from beneath. 

"Oh?" 

Crawling towards the peaking red glow, she peels the floorboard up with ease to see a chest-like box sitting underneath. She pulls it onto her lap to examine the box more closely. It was narrow and appeared to be wooden with some leather binding and red gemstones stitched into the sides. 

"Sick," Y/N mumbled under her breath mesmerized by the mysterious box. 

"GOOD EVENING, THE LIBRARY IS GOING TO CLOSE IN 20 MINUTES. PLEASE MAKE ANY LAST MINUTE CHECK-OUTS AT THIS TIME, THANK YOU," Brenda's screechy lisp blasted into the room, making her jump. 

"Okay so they can put speakers in here but not a lightbulb? Got it." 

Y/N slips the box into her tote and pushes down the floor board with her foot. Giving the room one more glance, she heads out to the front desk to check out the book. 

"Just this one Brenda," she says sliding restricted book across the counter. 

Brenda narrow's her eyes suspiciously, eyeing her up and down. 

"Just this book? Nothing else?" 

"Uh nope just this." 

Brenda jots down the title on a notepad. 

"The restricted books don't have barcodes cause of aesthetics or whatever." 

Subtly wiping the not so aesthetic Brenda lisp spit that landed on her cheek, Y/N smiles weakly. 

"Thanks Brenda, have a nice night." 

Spinning on the heel of her foot, Y/N speed-walks out of the library, clutching her tote bag close to her chest. One foot after the other increasingly picking up speed, she runs across campus to her nearby apartment. Through the main entrance, up the stairs, down the hall and inside to her apartment at last.  

Opening her tote bag, she sets the box on the counter to examine it closer in the light. It looked otherworldly and yet for being under a dusty old floorboard, looked to be in excellent condition. The examination was cut short after a loud growl sounded from her stomach. 

"Food first, freaky ass box later." 

Y/N got to work making pasta. She poured herself a glass of wine while she cooked and flipped through the pages of her newfound book as the water boiled. By the time dinner was done she had downed two glasses and made it through the prologue and the first chapter. 

Chapter 2: DIRECT CONTACT 

Her brows furrowed at the title. Her eyes glazed over the page, confused, as it was completely blank. In fact, the entire rest of the book, was blank. Y/N flipped through the pages in disbelief. 

POP! 

Y/N jumped, whipping her head around to see the box open, the lid propped up to show a board inside. A black wooden board with red lettering carved into he surface with an arrowhead-shaped planchette resting on top. 

"No fucking way," she mumbled under her breath, pulling the board and planchette out from the box. "I'm gonna need another glass before I mess with this." 

After pouring a large glass, chugging about half of it, Y/N sat down in her living room. The board and planchette sitting in front of her, beckoning. She took one more sip of courage before taking the planchette and marking "HI" on the board. 

Instantly, the board began to glow, the red letters brighter than before. Soon enough the board and planchette began to vibrate with energy, clamoring against the coffee table. Y/N whined in fear, trying her best to hold back her fearful screams. A dark smoke began to fill the room as Y/N looked around frantically for the source- the box. Rattling and shaking on the counter, more and more thick smoke poured out, causing her to cough. 

"No no no no, this can't be happening," She cries, ducking under her arms for cover. 

And suddenly, silence. 

Y/N peels her arms away from her face, only to find that there wasn't any more smoke, but instead a man. Tall, devilishly handsome, and dressed in traditional Korean durumagi and large black hat. He crouches down to be at eye-level with her. He gives a charming smile, sharp teeth and yellow eyes peeking from under the brim of the hat.  When looking closer, there are noticeable iridescent markings covering his skin. Before Y/N can get a word out, the man smirks and takes off the hat. 

"Hi. I'm Jinu." 

[winterbornsnowdrop]

"Who do you like more - Me or Lumiere?" I am not the first person to talk about how this question is actually a sad one. His intent behind asking this question becomes clearer with the follow-up "While Lumiere is gentle and kind, I am apparently harsh and cruel?" Lumiere is a heroic figure. A knight in shining armour, swooping in to protect the world and his beloved whenever needed. However, Shen Xinghui the person is no hero, at least not in his own eyes. He failed to save his beloved in time despite giving it his all to find that protocore. He almost didn’t make it in time as Starfall Forest was consuming her. In that same life, he left her behind to rule over Philos, all alone. He lied to her and broke promises time and time again. So what he really asking is, "Which version of me do you like more? The perfect hero who appears to protect you everytime, or this flawed partner of yours?"

She didn’t fall for the heroic version of him first. She fell for the quiet, mysterious boy in the classroom, the one with sky blue eyes. She fell for the partner she dueled with. She fell for the colleague who also happens to be her neighbour.

"Do you think I am childish?" I think of this line from Misty Silhouette a lot, and the whole sequence that led to this line. Shen Xinghui is possessive and gets jealous easily. And he is aware of that. This side of him reminds me of myself. He fears losing her. He fears that maybe he is not special enough to her. In Misty Silhouette, what triggered him was when the bread guy invited her to go around bakeries with him and when the bakery guy said "You can join us and then we will be three." That means Shen Xinghui is losing his 'speciality' here. That's what he feared. Also it's the fact that this is how possessive people's thought process go "I NEED her. You don't. At least not the way I do. You have other people to do things with, but she is the only one I have…She is not as special to you as she is to me..." Other people who has basically nothing to do with her and do not have any history with her like he does, he hates their interference. He fears losing her to someone like that. "Shen Xinghui, why do you think I will leave you?" "You won't?" That line basically confirmed that he indeed thinks that way I just talked about. And it's heartbreaking that he thinks that way. It’s heartbreaking how insecure he feels.

In one life, she left him before they got the chance to even start anything. In another life, he was the one who had to leave her. In this life, who knows what awaits them? So this time, he wanted to make the most of their time together. He didn’t want anyone else taking that away from him or getting in the way of their time together

Possessive people often feel possessive not because they think they are the best choice for their partner, but in fact the opposite. They fear that the other person might be a better choice and their partner might leave them for that better choice. Yet, they try to cling onto their partner.

The fact that he had sex with her right after the bread incident, I personally interpret that as him trying to recover his 'speciality' by doing something with her that only he could do. Remember the first thing he did right after the conversation with bread guy? He opened her door using her passcode. That was a special privilege only he had.

Thinking about the other instances he showed his jealousy. One instance that comes to mind is when Frank the little kid wanted MC to be his partner. Another instance is when the racing car driver offered MC to be her partner in the off-road race and MC was impressed by her skill. See how in both instances, they touched something that's Shen Xinghui's 'speciality'? Yes, it is indeed childish, but I understand where he is coming from.

And when he asked MC that question after their intimacy, she confirmed that he was indeed special to her. He was the only person who knew her door code and the only person she liked. That was a confirmation he needed.

[wings-of-ink]

Rune SFW Alphabet

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Pretty average affection, at least physically. They are more likely to reciprocate physical affection than initiate, so if you're a cuddly sort, they won't shun you. They like to be of service or give things, even be entertaining.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Terrific, expect amazing conversation with good drinks and food. Ignites quickly, burns steadily.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Yes, and a believer that touch can be healing if you like it. They like to give massages, and would like you to lay against them.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

They do and would be pretty good at domestic living.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Unless something has been done to scorn them, they'll do it with a discussion. They won't just break up without trying to work it out first.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

They feel good about commitment, but it needs to hold up and stand the test of time so that both parties are sure.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Generally, they are pretty gentle; they try to be sensitive to comfort levels. Emotionally they can appear less gentle because of that "professional" aura they sometimes have.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Hugs are good, but they may not initiate without reason, such as someone needing comfort. But, if you want one, they can help. Their hugs smell like lavender tea and warm you like a hot drink.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

They're not in any rush, but they're not oblivious to their feelings. They will say it if they are sure even if the other party isn't.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Not very, on the off chance that they are, they may get a bit grumpy.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Long and slow, savoring – all over.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

They're good – firm but fair.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Trying to wake them up, they don't do mornings very well.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

They like quiet evenings with reading or talking, sometimes playing a game, or just enjoying some treats.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

They're slow to really open up.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

They are very patient and keep their temper cooled easily most of the time.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Quite a lot.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

That moment when they were watching you do something ordinary or silly and they felt that deeply endeared sort of love within and knew you were the one for them.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very. There's zero tolerance for an attack on someone they care about. Depending on the danger, expect a spectacular display of magical acumen or scathing words – maybe both.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

A good deal – it's all written down.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Often feels like they know better and may make decisions based on that.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Fairly vain. They know that they're considered quite eye-catching and it does make them feel like they need to maintain appearances. They also simply enjoy being "put-together" as well.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

After a while, yes.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Rune has come a long way already, but they have more to learn. They're still a little stuck in finding who they are or want to be at times.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Being controlled or manipulated for both.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Keeps their hair in a silk (purple) bonnet so it's healthy and always looking its best (and yes, they look terribly charming and they know it).

[sheithfictioncatalogue]

Hi!! I remember when the show first started airing there were all these fics about Shiro or Keith being put into a coma by an alien or plant, where one was dreaming that they were together and he had to fight the vision to escape and survive (cue lots of pining!)

I don't know how to tag this and so haven't been able to find many - do you happen to know any still out there? <3 much love for all you do!

There are a bunch that have the concept of one being stuck in a dream. These don't all have them dreaming that they're together - some have them already together - but they need the help of the other to get out of the dream.

The Road Not Taken - TruebornAlpha

Series. 31k. Gen-Explicit.

Shiro left for the Kerberos mission without ever telling Keith how he felt and he never came back. By the time they found each other again, Shiro was broken and scarred, a different person. But what if they had a chance to do it all over again? A story where Shiro and Keith get a second chance to correct all their past mistakes to create their perfect life together. But a perfect life isn’t always what it seems.

Searches - avidbeader

16k. Teen.

In honor of "Shiro loves you, baby"/#he is looking at keith Day, have my brainwave of what could happen at the start of S3. Shiro has disappeared. Keith isn't taking it at all well as he tries to lead Voltron.

Believe Me, For a Little While - unalignedant

8k. Teen.

Keith wakes up because a giant dog is licking his face.

while we were sleeping - bog gremlin

4k. Teen.

When one of Pidge’s experiments goes awry and Keith is trapped inside a lucid dream, Shiro submits to the same experiment in order to rescue him. But Keith’s dream is not what Shiro was expecting.

Sleep Perchance - zombiekitties

6k. Not rated.

“Must be,” Keith says agreeably. “Hey, I don’t have my datapad on me. What day is it? It’s hard to keep track, space to Earth time.” “Probably Tuesday,” Shiro laughs. Keith raises an eyebrow. “Sorry, just a private joke- it seems like every time I ask, it’s Tuesday. I must still be on space time too.” “Shiro.” Keith stops him, suddenly serious. “Do you ever feel… wrong?” Shiro frowns. “Wrong? What do you mean?” Almost unconsciously, Shiro’s Altean arm moves up to his opposite shoulder, fingers digging painfully into the joint. ~~ Or, Keith, Shiro, and a lovely little nightmare.

Parasite Dreams - NerdyNostalgia

4k. Teen. Contains: major character death.

Keith was sick, he was dying. A parasitic alien bug had latched onto him and sent him into a coma. No-one had been able to get him out and it was Shiro's turn to try. If they couldn't get him out of the dream then he would die. Could he do it? Could he reach Keith in time and save him?

Zero Hour - monstersinthecosmos

56k. Explicit.

“What do I know?” he whispers to himself. Focus. He remembers having surgery and getting a new arm, he remembers the trip to Earth. He remembers Sendak, remembers the lions crashing. Coma. But he thinks he remembers other things, too. The broken blood vessel in Keith’s eye, and the tender purple bruises. He remembers that Black called to him. Maybe she’s calling him now. ____________________ In which Shiro uses the Black Lion as a conduit to reach Keith in his coma and she encourages them to talk it out in the void.

Just Like Heaven - Cyan

16k. Explicit. Contains: major character death

Shiro had been having nightmares since his return from Kerberos. Something about aliens taking over the universe. It was nothing short of terrifying. Lucky for him, his life wasn't that exciting. It had been a day since the fight against Zarkon, and Shiro still hadn't woken up. Keith didn't know what to do.

[thesizeofyoursoul]

About Armand being Muslim or Hindu and my personal take (also a little bit about Assad and how he is/might be treated).

First of all, this isn't shade, I respect if you disagree, I just want to give my own two cents about things.

So, a lot of the arguments people used for Armand not being a Muslim is that he was impersonating Rashid, that he didn't pray the correct way, we haven't seen much of it, Arun is an Hindu name, that not all of Assad's characters are Muslims, etc and I wanna share what I personally think about all that. Also, I'm not Muslim, Hindu and don't have the same ethnic background as Assad, so I apologize, welcome, accept and appreciate if you correct me in case I accidentally said anything offensive.

I've seen both Muslim people say he was doing the prayer wrong and that he did it right, I don't really know what to believe. Still, maybe the reason for the innacuracy is because he only recently began reconnecting with his faith or reverted to Islam not that long ago.

It could be an accidental mistake in real life, made by Assad, the director, the cameraperson or whoever, like when Assad's accent slipped for a second on the Loumand fight. For example, if the problem is that he wasn't praying turned to Mecca, maybe it was because Armand was supposed to be in Dubai, but Assad wasn't and he forgot to adjust? I don't know where Assad shot that scene in real life, but it could explain it. Also, if that's not the actual problem, then just ignore this example lmao.

As for them not revisiting that, it could be because they haven't fully developed his arc. Rolin said he has a plan of multiple seasons for him, there's still a lot we need to see. And there's a huge religious plot on books 5 and 6 they can still explore.

Regarding Arun being an Hindu name: Armand was kidnapped, trafficked, emotionally/physically abused, raped, groomed, exploited, indoctrinated, brainwashed and developed severe amnesia on the books. Some of that has already been confirmed on the show. It's possible that his birth name wasn't Arun and his memory is cloudy, just like it's possible that the prayer was an act. That's open to interpretation, I guess. I personally think it's more likely for him not to remember his past (since vampires don't remember their human life that well and he already had amnesia as a human) than trivialize religion like that. I don't know why they would play with religion, OFF ALL THINGS, not to mention how tone deaf or straight-up offensive is to use a religion that's already so demonized (CHRISTINIATY was right there if they wanted to do that) for that, they know it's their very own actor's religion in real life too and how faith is a big part of Armand's arc and could've used literally anything else to show Armand was lying. I see it more as a seed they planted for the future (like Lestat using the Spell Gift on the soldiers) than a lie or just accidental, random and a coincidence.

Given the fact TVC has a lot of Christian references, it's possible that Muslim Armand would make more sense with the narrative since Islam is also part of the Abrahamic religions.

Assad might have played characters from different nationalities and religions before, but he did say Rolin let him give some input and use some of his own life experience. I assume if he had any saying in that, he asked his character to be Muslim and not Hindu.

The show is huge on intersectionality. Louis is a black, Creole and gay man. Claudia is a dark-skinned, black, sapphic woman. They could totally have a brown, South Asian, Muslim, queer man. All those sides can coexist on the show, just like they do in real life. They can even make him autistic(coded) as he is on the books, too.

Anyway, if we exclude prejudice, I believe we have more arguments for a Muslim Armand than an Hindu/not religious Armand. And now, more than ever, if they want to prove that they're really progressive instead of overlooking race, ethnicity, religion etc and other "complicated" and "controversial" stuff and they do respect their diverse cast, that's a great way to show support to Assad in the middle of such a prejudiced industry/world. That's not to say they can't have Hindu characters! The more representation the better! And religion and existential crisis are a huge part of the books, so to have different people from different backgrounds dealing with those on their own way would be interesting and a great contrast to explore (we even have a scene where Pandora said that the Christian God was never her God on the books and I love it). Still, there is a plenty of characters they can use/adapt for that, it's better to have Muslim people playing Muslims and Hindu people playing Hindu characters, respectively and not change what they have already teased with Armand.