#I know it’s a triangle I am looking at the shape

[dozing-marshmallow]

HENRY HOTLINE X OPTIMISTIC! READER ONE SHOT

“Oh hello Henry!” you waved,“I’m doing some origami, would you like to join me?”

“No.” yet he still watched over your hands,“What is this anyway?”

“Oh! It’s the art of paper folding that originated in Japan and there are so many shapes you can do!” you explained, putting down the one you were working on to proudly hold up a few that you’ve done recently,“This one is a star, and I made this duck and these rabbits a couple of days ago.” you showcased, now going back to work on the current one, though on the next step, it came out irreversibly wrong.

“Ah, looks like I messed up a step there. I guess I’ll have to restart.” you admitted, scrunching up the paper and discarding it in the bin.

“Too bad you won’t have that option next season.” Henry was very encouraging.

“I know, that’s why I’m going to try make all the mistakes I can.” you agreed, grabbing a new piece of A4 paper,“Though every time I do these things, I always think this is the one.“

“So you purposely set yourself up for such high standards? It must be so devastating when things take a turn away from them.” he assumed pessimistically.

“Not at all. Life goes on and so do I.” you folded diagonal triangles on each side of the paper and unfolded so the dents were perpendicular.

“Not for long.”

“And that’s what makes it more important!” you chirped, folding smaller triangles,“I really thought being in here would crush my spirits. I’m not happy about having grown used to seeing dead people on display, but I guess that’s all part of the motivation. The inflated possibility of death facing me everyday, it...it forces you to acknowledge the delicacy of life. You think you’ll be here long, but no, anything can happen.” more triangles in the centre,“We take for granted even being able to feel.”

In his disagreement, Henry prompted you,“And what if the feeling was agonising?”

You repeated the steps on the other side of the paper, not taking your eyes off,”Every day is a day worth making to. If we really had everything we wanted by the snap of our fingers, would the point of living really exist?”

“You sound like a cartoon.” Henry sneered, grabbing one of the rabbit origami you made and squeezed it in his fist,“And I hate cartoons.”

You saw what he did, but weren’t offended. You could always make another,“That’s okay too. We can’t please everyone, can we?”

Henry stuttered at your response,“How do you find it in you to still be so untroubled?”

You thought for a moment. The minds of human beings were inclined to stay in the bad, mysteriously needing more good to cancel out one bad,“I might have trained myself to. No matter my failures, rejection, I...just think oh well. That’s that. It’s not in my control to worry about. My responsibility is to focus and move on, do better next time. Even if things don’t improve immediately, the fact I take action, is still progress. If I give up now, I’ll truly guarantee nothing.”

“The only thing you’ve guaranteed is death.” sneering, the ruined work in his hand now descended back to the table.

A chuckle falls under your breath,“It may seem that way. Focusing and mourning about mistakes, failures of the past, won’t do anything for me. Yeah, a lot of the past influences my present, but it doesn’t mean it’ll influence my future.” you hummed thoughtfully up to him,“There’s this saying that goes, the temptation to give up is usually right before success.”

“Then I’m assuming you either never had the strong temptation...” he began, now looking into your eyes,“Or you’re simply in the rare unusual.”

“Who’s to say? How much do your dreams mean to you if you gave up at a few setbacks?” you asked, smiling at your progress, adjusting the shape,“Woohoo! That’s the second box done!”

Henry paused,“I forgot we were discussing this filth.”

You frowned,“You’re free to go, you know.” 

“I am, but it’s been so long since I could talk to a contestant, let alone a winner, and  they like doing this.” he pointed a sharp finger at the table like it really was unbelievable.

You grabbed the other paper box,“And so what? I could believe the sky is purple and the moon really is made of cheese, does it do anything to you? Does it hurt you or anyone else?”

His wired neck yanked his head back,“It hurts to watch.”

You put the ends of the long rectangular paper through the gaps on top of both of the boxes,“Then that just means you haven’t learnt to appreciate having fun for yourself. When you do, you would find that comments like that don’t mean much.” you replied, rotating the origami from all angles before throwing a fist of victory in the air,“There! I finally finished. You can have this one, Henry.”

He caught it when you tossed it and he examined it.

“From what I’ve heard, origami is typically given as a gift of healing and hope since a plain piece of paper can transform into something beautiful.” you grabbed a new piece of paper, planning on recreating the rabbit one,”At this rate, I’m not sure if I’ll see the day where I reach that, but I’m happy I got to do something.” you grabbed a new piece of paper, planning on recreating the rabbit one,“You can destroy that one if you want,” yet he shoved it in his interior pocket.

[insanityislife101]

POV: fucking geometry

he's so fucked up

[thedistortionshallways]

We as a fandom talk a lot about loving or hating twink bill but I feel there's a bit of a lack of love towards uncanny valley bill, he could be twinky or a bear or just an old man I don't care I just wanna see a guy where you go "that's a human... Wait no the fuck it's not?????????" I want to see your bill cipher x The Stranger from the Magnus archives crossovers, I mean he already removes his skin COME ON GUYS HE'D BE PERFECT FOR IT

[the-deadlock-south]

as pleased as i am that we're getting a new support hero, i can't help but be disappointed that she looks like d.va's and tracers's models just got mashed together (i literally thought it was just a new skin for either of them for a sec). i kinda want to know what the lore behind her is, but... at the same time i lost interest in new characters lore after bap :( let us know if she's at least fun to play when you get a chance to test her out!

i havent been interested in OW lore since like. idk maybe ramattra: at this point i am just here to see if the chara plays nice and if they look nice while liking the old ones LOL juno looks real fun to play with the space theme, so i'm optimistic she'll be a joy :^)

regarding juno about her appearance, i don't think she looks too much like a mash up of dva/tracer like some of the gal heroes usually do (kiriko genuinely does just make me think of tracer sometimes, for instance)..

...but i do like her 'preview' model before. at the very least, her eyes made her stand out with how sharp the lashes were coupled with her smaller face

in the model we have now, they like. nerfed her lashes LOL??? i could be coping but her old eyes looked more 'rectangular' than the rounded shape we have now also. if they kept the eyes from before, i think that would've helped make her stand out, at the very least the lashes. they have a particular style to them that just isn't translated into the in-game model now

[krysmcscience]

Did somebody say Bill shouldn't be allowed to swear? I think somebody said Bill shouldn't be allowed to swear. Thanks to that, have these retooled The Good Place jokes:

The "powers that be" can refer to either the Theraprism staff, the Axolotl, or just. Ya know. Disney in general. Or all three! Whichever you think is funniest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The "party" Bill's referring to is Weirdmageddon, of course. He was quite the ashhole to everyone back then.

Ford has probably gotten pretty good at the 'tune out your psychopathic ex with dank memes' challenge.

It must be very cathartic to be able to make Bill shut up whenever you want with just the press of a button. I'm sure Ford doesn't abuse this ability at all.

Oh, sure, 'Not now,' he says, before he immediately backs out of the newly-made hole in the Theraprism wall. 🙄

Don't worry, Bill doesn't get far.

also yeah i know this one doesn't have an attempted swear - i just wanted to use the joke because of the massive stink-eye involved in it because it makes me laugh

⬇️ More goofs beneath the brief ramble if you wanna skip it lmao⬇️

Why is Ford even there, you might ask? Well, he either decided he preferred to watch Bill suffer in person over being distantly and repeatedly harassed with the same evil desperation book for the rest of his life, or he got roped into some kind of contrived community service for 1.) all his many counts of interdimensional thievery, and 2.) his ignoring all the very clear warnings to NOT summon Bill in the first place (which I like to imagine is also illegal). Theraprism staff were just like, 'Wait, this guy matters to Bill? Ooh, we can USE that! It might be the only thing that can help him want to get better!' It is not considered that throwing Ford at Bill so soon after Weirdmageddon could instead make them both WORSE - in new and altogether special ways! :D

Anyway, I'm calling it the Community Service AU, and I am most likely not going to do anything else with it beyond appropriating these silly Good Place jokes. So, feel free to adopt the concept if y'all wanna??? Just make sure that Bill is still not allowed to swear, no matter what, full stop. It's gotta be a real linguistic corkblork of a situation for him, is all I'm sayin'.

Finally, have these bonus Good Place jokes, but with Handyman!Bill this time:

'Opposite tortures' doesn't sound so bad...at least until it's an all-powerful chaos entity known for torture saying it.

you may think i forgot mabel's cute pink cheeks but the truth is that i did in fact forget but then immediately stopped caring which makes it okay, SHHHHHHH

And, finally:

lmao this is shit

True facts, if you cram Season 1 Eleanor Shellstrop and Michael into a singular triangle shape, they turn into Bill Cipher. This is science, look it up. Or don't, and just trust the source that is me, bro.

Anyway, I should be in bed, y'all have fun with these, I guess. Tune in after like a week or so and maybe I'll have an addendum to my comic about how Bill was drawn naked for karaoke night. Because him actually being naked was not the only thing I considered as a plausible explanation. XD

Also if you see any inconsistencies or errors in any of these comics, No You Do Not :D

Also also, reblogs are rad as hell and I appreciate every single one, just don't repost, please and thanks. Every time a repost is made, an artist somewhere cries. :,)

[tossawary]

I've been toying with a "third transmigrator" AU for SVSSS in which the third transmigrator is a teenage girl who ends up in Luo Binghe. This teenage girl tried to read PIDW because someone else liked it, but didn't get far because she didn't like it.

Disinclined to follow the plot, the teenage girl decides to transition, because fuck it (crying breakdown), she doesn't want to be a guy. Ning Yingying is initially the only one in on it (and then some Qian Cao Peak people). This new Luo Binghe knows JUST enough about the plot of PIDW to avoid Shen Qingqiu's attention as much as possible and so swears Ning Yingying to secrecy regarding the transition. She intends to hide it until the Transmigration System lets up on the missions and restrictions a little.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan is like, "How am I supposed to improve my relationship with the protagonist if i never see him? Did he just jump out a window to avoid me?! Also, hmph, the bullies are all calling him 'Luo-Shimei' now? Just because he's pretty??? I had better go tell them off for it!"

(Shen Qingqiu, please, your students are getting the impression that you're transphobic!!!)

If Luo Binghe's transition comes out before the Immortal Alliance Conference, Shen Yuan is going to 1) think it's his own fault somehow and 2) be more than a little weird (and a little transphobic) about it.

Shen Yuan (internally): "Oh, shit, NOT abusing the protagonist turned him into a girl??? How does that work???"

The endgame relationship here is a messy love triangle between Luo Binghe, Ning Yingying, and Ming Fan. Ming Fan is like, "What do you do when the shidi you hate falls down the stairs and nearly dies, and then apparently can't remember you used to bully him and expects you to be a good shixiong, and becomes best friends with the girl you like but also starts turning into a cute girl too??? But you can't tell Shizun any of this otherwise the girl you like will kill you???" Ning Yingying is like, "I was so caught up in the thrill of makeovers and having a new sister that I forgot to examine why, when she's approached by guys, I want to tear their throats out with my teeth. Ming-Shixiong is not good enough for A-Luo!!!" And Luo Binghe is like, "Wow, Ning Yingying is such a good friend. And so pretty. I could stare into her eyes for hours. Ming Fan is kind of a jerk sometimes, but he's cute, I guess. He needs to shape up if he wants to win Ning Yingying's heart someday! She married a guy, so she's definitely into guys."

This third transmigrator isn't paying too much attention to their own love life partially because they're too busy 1) trying to survive, 2) trying to do right by their friends, and 3) trying to figure out if Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge are in a "toxic yaoi relationship" and, if so, which one of them tops more frequently and where Yue Qingyuan fits into things.

If you haven't guessed yet, this third transmigrator is actually Shen Yuan's younger sister, who transmigrated at like 16 years old at the oldest. This identity reveal comes out at the Immortal Alliance Conference, seconds before disaster (the push into the Endless Abyss), and no earlier. It does not go well. The Transmigration System is mostly to blame.

Live Shang Qinghua Reaction: "Oh, fucking yikes, bro."

This Luo Binghe hands a lot of control over to Meng Mo to get out of the Endless Abyss. An inadvisable amount of control, really, even if Meng Mo is soft on the girl. Afterwards, they sort of stumble into the arms of Huan Hua Palace. Shen Yuan's sister did not read far enough to know pretty much anything about this sect, especially not that it's a terrible idea to be here while being both a Heavenly Demon and (post-transition) looking like even MORE of an identical clone of Su Xiyan.

(Tianlang-Jun and Zhuzhi-Lang ARE both going to be kind of awful and weird about it, yes, at least initially.)

Gongyi Xiao, after showing basic kindness to this poor young woman: "Hey, why are those two Qing Jing Peak disciples glaring at me like they want me dead?"

[try-set-me-on-fire]

They’ve got the little window over the sink open and Bobby keeps calling through it, asking for ingredients, utensils. Eddie clatters around the cabinet by the fridge.

“Third shelf,” Bobby says again, elbow on the sill. It doesn’t help any more than the first time he said it.

“I don’t even- Bobby, I don’t know what I’m looking for. Just- you can’t just use a normal spatula?”

“The flexibility and sharp edge of a fish spatula,” Bobby says, also for the second time, with a strained sort of patience, “Is perfect for sliding under-”

Buck’s arm reaches over Eddie’s shoulder and plucks a long slotted spatula from Bobby’s elaborate and baffling collection. “Got it.” He kisses the side of Eddie’s head as he keeps moving, lips catching the top of his ear. “It’s better for-”

“Pancakes, fritters, any sort of delicate patty, yeah, yeah, I heard.”

Bobby and Buck grin at him with identical raised eyebrows, it's kind of uncanny. “He’s not hopeless after all.”

“I do my best,” Buck says, smacking Eddie on the back and heading towards the door. “He’s come a long way.”

Eddie crosses his arms. “I don’t have to keep handing you shit. We’re not at work. I could make you walk inside every time.”

Bobby grins wider. “And I could give you all the burnt tater tots.”

Eddie pouts. “I’m reporting you to HR for unfair retaliation in response to labor concerns.”

“We’re not at work,” Bobby says, serenely. “Hand me the tenderizer.”

Eddie was sent in here, originally, like half an hour ago, to cut up the two giant watermelons Hen and Karen had brought direct from the farmers market, but he’d only got the knife halfway through the first one when the side quests started coming. He finally returns to the cutting board as Buck and Bobby’s voice drift further away, towards the grill. He cuts the thing in half and then stares at it so long he jumps a foot in the air when Maddie suddenly appears next to him.

“Woah,” she laughs. “What secrets of the universe does that watermelon hold?”

Eddie coughs out a chuckle. “I was just- debating the best shape to eat.”

She hums thoughtfully. “Big choice. Little cubes? Little cubes are nice. Or, like, slices?”

“I’ve always been a fan of a nice wedge.”

Maddie makes a triangle shape with her hands. “It is a classic.”

“Kind of makes your plate top heavy, though.”

“You’ve got two watermelons,” she points out.

“Wedges and cubes,” Eddie nods. “I like your way of thinking.”

She grabs a bowl from a different cupboard — why does everyone know this kitchen so well already? This is the new Grant-Nash residence house warming party, Eddie’s got lost on the way to the bathroom like three times since he got here — as he cubes the first melon. “How was the movie?”

“Hm?”

“Didn’t you and Buck go see Conclave earlier? The trailer looked interesting.”

“Oh, yeah.” Eddie scoops the cubes into the bowl and rinses his hands off before starting in on wedges.

Maddie laughs behind him. “… and how was it?”

“Oh! Uh- yeah, I mean- you know, horror movies, they’re fun.”

Maddie tilts her head. “Wait, wasn’t that one a drama?”

“Uh-”

“Wait.” She wrinkles her nose. “Were you just- were you making out with my brother literally the whole time?”

Eddie, hands up, gives her a bare teeth grimace of a smile as she cackles and whacks him with a towel. “Hey- I mean, I kind of looked up once, they were in some sort of- I don’t know, a theater or something? It was really dark in there? It looked kind of creepy.”

“Oh my god.”

“There’s a lot of Catholicism themed horror movies,” Eddie weakly tries to defend himself. “How was I supposed to know?”

“By watching it!” She laughs. “Why spend the $12?”

“My air conditioning is broken,” Eddie says sheepishly. “And it was 10 AM on a weekday, the only other person in there was 80 years old and snored through most of it.” He frowns. “Which also makes more sense if it wasn’t- I don’t know, I thought it was like The Conjuring?”

She laughs again, helpless giggles while she covers her face. Her daughter laughs the same way sometimes. “Don’t you have catholic guilt? Wasn’t that a thing?”

Eddie shrugs. “My abuela always says once I commit to something I never do it by half.”

“So, making out all through a movie about the pope?”

Eddie points at her. “Gay making out all through a movie about the pope.” He frowns again. “Damn, it was really about the pope? Okay I’m not- look, I’m not feeling guilty about that but, uh, if you ever talk to my grandmother or Pepa, uh-”

“I don’t think it would come up,” she says, patting his shoulder.

“They’re not- it’s- they wouldn’t like me making out with a girl during a pope movie, either, it’s not the gay thing.”

“I know, Eddie,” she says, more kind than teasing. “Everybody’s really happy for you,” kinder still.

“Oh.” His cheeks are probably bright red. “Uh. Thank you.” His ears burn as he busies himself with the watermelon again. “You know- I wouldn’t’ve got here, without Buck.”

Maddie comes close, presses their elbows together until he looks back up at her. “He deserves someone who doesn’t commit to things halfway.”

It makes Eddie laugh with soft edges, because: “I think… I’ve always been all the way, with him.”

She smiles so wide her nose crunches. “I know.”

There’s a tap at the window, and there he is, Buck himself. His nose is a little pink from the late October heat, he’s smiling real big. “Hi.”

“What do you want now?” Eddie’s tone is snappy but he’s sure his face is pure mush.

Buck sticks a thumb at Maddie. “Chim’s threatening to, and I quote, ‘eat five hundred tater tots,’” Buck pauses, presumably in service of Chim’s love of dramatic effect, then continues, “‘and then fall into a coma.’ So, like, if you wanna do something about that you might wanna get out there.”

“W-” Maddie starts to ask, and then shakes her head. She grabs the cube bowl. “At least he should have some fruit, too.” She flashes them a grin as she walks out the door, their laughter following.

When Eddie looks back at the window Buck has his chin in his hand, smiling at him. “What?” He laughs, ears hot again.

“Admiring the view,” Buck says, with the combination of flirtatious and earnest that Eddie has come to expect but is never prepared for. “Food’ll be up soon. Come and join us?”

Eddie leans forward over the sink. “Cap doesn’t need anything else?”

Buck shrugs, very close now. Eddie almost laughs wondering if he’s on his tiptoes in the dirt out there. “He can get his own shit. I’ll eat your burnt potatoes.”

Eddie closes the last half inch of distance and does laugh, right into Buck’s mouth. “We can share,” he says, magnanimous, because Buck’s always been all in, too. He can go halfsies, it’s only fair.

There’s shouting outside, Buck pulls back, drums on the windowsill. Smile, wink, turn. Eddie grabs the wedges, and hurries out the door.

(Ao3)

[gay-dorito-dust]

wahhhh reading that hurts me 😭 could you please write a part 2 where they all find out that it was bill who possessed reader?

Tag list: @babypeapoddd @i-am-tiredd @sly-thou-pookie @x-seyaa @sweetlumpkinseedlin @kawaii1369 @roo024 @lightmaren

Part 1 right here

‘What?’ Ford asked.

Bill cackled. ‘For someone as smart as you sixer, you sure are stupid as not to notice the obvious signs of whenever I’m possessing someone. I mean out of everyone you should know better.’

Ford clenches his jaw. All this time he had thought you had betrayed him when in actually you had been loyal to him and his family, up until he and his brother ostracised you even more then you already were for the past thirty years. He made you feel like shit, and he could tell that Stanley felt the same amount of guilt as he clenched his fists in silent anger; Ford then levels Bill with a glare. ‘You possessed y/n! My assistant!’ He roared at his once muse.

Bill only chuckles. ‘Correction!WAS your assistant Stanford! And pushed you through the portal whilst wearing the face is someone you cared for,’ Bill then gasps as he looked at the guilt ridden faces of the Pines Family and feeling the joy bubble up in his triangular body, the look of defeat and realisation was all too sweet, ‘Oh wait! Someone you once cared for before throwing them out like they were nothing to you, not once letting them the space to explain what had happened and how I tricked them into making a deal with me.’ He finished by pretending to wipe a tear from his one eye after cackling some more at the hilarity of the situation.

Humans loved to cause more problems within problems they didn’t fully handle properly as they stockpiled on top of each other, giving him the leeway to get what he wants without issue or confrontation from the pathetic family.

Possessing you during a brotherly squabble was perfect! Ford had cut all ties with him and decided to call upon his idiotic brother- as though that would’ve ever worked in any timeline- to help hide his work but when things didn’t go Ford’s way, they fought. You were trying to stop the fight and bill took advantage of that by claiming he could help you stop the fight, fat chance, he was going to make it worse and leave you to be his scapegoat! It was a brilliant plan to make up for multiple set backs thanks to Ford’s sudden realisation of his hermit tendencies, everything was out in place for the ultimate betrayal by the hands of Ford’s assistant; you!

Bill found that Tragedy was at its finest when the betrayal comes from someone you love and it did.

‘They didn’t-‘ Ford began.

‘Say anything?’ Bill interrupts, causing Ford and Stan to glare at him as the demon cackle as he got in close to their shared triangle shaped prison, staring them down with his one eye, unblinking. ‘You and your piece of shit brother over here didn’t even let them speak! Never less believe them when they were telling the truth!’ He roared, ‘and now you don’t know whether they’re even alive so that you can apologise to them!’

Mabel slams against the bars of hers and dippers prison. ‘they’re alive!’ She shouts and Bill now looks at her, amused.

‘How can you be so sure shooting star? For all you know they could be dead, cursing your grunkles names as they die with an unsatisfying end.’ Bill mocked her as she falters in her resolve, he was right, how could she be certain that you were alive when Gravity Falls was literally on fire and demons from another dimension were running amok? She couldn’t and that’s what upset her the most.

‘Because we know our great aunt/uncle better than you bill and we know they’re alive!’ Dipper pips up this time as he laid a reassuring hand on his sister’s shoulder, smiling at her as she smiled back at him in thanks for having her back. Bill looks at the twins, hating their optimism and hope that you were okay and decided to destroy this by reaching into thin air and producing a realistic illusion of your unmoving body before them.

‘Are you so sure now pine tree? They don’t look very much alive to me!’ Bill exclaims as Mabel, Dipper, Stan and Ford could only look up the body that Bill claimed was yours in disbelief and shock. This couldn’t be how it ended, could it? They still had to apologise to you after all for everything and make it up to you however you wished!

‘No, no this is some foul trick of yours bill!’ Ford screamed as he threw himself against the bars, forcing himself not to cry at the sight of your body while seething with rage and a need to avenge your supposed death. ‘You sick son of a bitch!’ Stanley joined in as he felt even more useless than ever, he felt the most guilt out of everyone as his eyes seemed to refused to move from your supposed body. You couldn’t be dead, he refused to believe such bullshit lies, you were still alive and fighting with the rest of them! He knew it, deep down in his heart he knew it to be true!

‘No.’ Mabel cried as she tried to reach out to you as Dipper held her while silently crying himself, vowing to take down bill now more than ever as he tugged his hat down to cover his eyes. You were the most encouraging person he’s ever met and now you were gone, you asked him and Mabel to trust you when contemplating to stay with Stan, and they did believe and they never regretted doing so because you were right! You were always right and yet in the end you died thinking they hated you more than anything; which wasn’t true! Far from it and now…now they can’t make it up to you, they had lost their chance.

Bill had won over the pines family once again.

[6okuto]

gn!reader fluff | “y’see somethin’ you like?” osamu asks, barely glancing at you as he shapes the rice in his hands into a triangle.

the stool beneath you wobbles as you lean forward—he really should get a new one—and smile, palm resting on your cheek. “yeah, i like watching you work.”

your eyes follow the veins on his hands to his forearms, up to his biceps and his chest barely hidden by his stupidly well-fitting black uniform shirt.

he hums. “well, that’s nice t’hear-”

“i love watching you make croissants.”

osamu pauses.

he looks at you, but no eyes meet—yours focused on his hands that move to wipe themselves clean on a towel before resting on his hips. maybe if you were stronger, you’d notice the smirk on his face. “what colour’s my shirt?”

a smile tugs at your lips. “red?”

fingers flick your forehead before you can wave them away. “ack- god, ’samu!”

he snorts and pulls you off the stool, forcing your head into his chest and muffling your groan while he pinches your cheek. “i should kick ya outta my kitchen for harassin’ the chef.”

“but he’s so hot and handsome, what am i meant to do?” you huff.

“at least don’t say i’m making croissants. am i french?”

“woah,”—you push away from his chest—“take that back right now. you know i’d never date a french man.”

“then why’d ya say croissants?”

“i don’t know, it was the first pastry i thought of! i love, i don’t know, macarons—”

amusement lights up his face as his arm takes you back into a head lock. “macarons? the also french desert—”

“fuck, stop, wait, oh my god, please,” a sound between a laugh and cry escapes you.

osamu cackles when you smack his chest with one hand, covering your face with the other. the onigiri is forgotten on the counter as he pulls it away to uncover your face, fingers threading through the spaces between yours.

your laughter dies down, and after using your free hand to pick a stray grain of rice off his shirt, you pout. “whatever, not french man. are you gonna kick me out of the kitchen for ogling you now?”

he only rolls his eyes. “no, it’s not like y’don’t already ogle me outside of the kitchen.”

another smack comes to his chest as you scoff. “wow. okay, it’s because i love you, you know.”

“yeah, yeah, of course you love the hot, handsome guy who cooks for you,” osamu brushes off your defense and picks up the last finished onigiri.

motioning to the stool and pretending you can’t see the blush that paints his cheeks, or smile on his lips, he huffs. “now sit back down so you can taste test this for me.”

[earlysunshines]

read your mind

kim minji x fem!reader

synopsis: minji nearly slices your head off upon your first meeting and it creates this weird unspoken tension that somehow draws you two closer.

warnings: wolverine!minji ; jean grey!reader ; xmen au ; blood, violence, trauma, fighting... everything that comes w x-men ; angst if u squint ; minji is still a loser in this one ; only some of this (very little) actually correlates to the x-men plot i just twisted everything LOLLL ; pacing iffy but lowk slowburn ; anything else i didn't mention ; not proofread!!!

a/n: had pneumonia three months ago, rewatched four x-men movies in two days, created this, ghosted, then decided to continue lololol ALSOwe’re going to ignore the fact that jean grey and scott r canon and that whole triangle bc this is MYY spinoff and MYYY fic…

minjeong and wonbin had brought in a girl, barely conscious, her body limp as they laid her on the lab table. metal blades protruded from her knuckles, glinting ominously under the fluorescent lights. as you watched, the blades retracted back into her skin, leaving behind deep cuts that healed almost instantly, the flesh knitting together as if nothing had happened.

gosh, you think, brows knitting at the sight.

you stood beside the bed, a syringe in hand, brow furrowed in concentration. the girl on the table had clearly been through hell—minjeong and wonbin had found her unconscious, battered and bruised—but the way her body had healed so rapidly, so unnaturally, left you with no choice but to sedate her. if only to prevent her from doing more harm to herself, or to others. you hesitated for a moment, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest, trying to reconcile the delicate features of her face with the lethal power hidden beneath her skin. taking a deep breath, you carefully lowered the needle toward her arm.

minji’s consciousness flickered in and out, the world around her a blur of shapes and sounds that made no sense. her senses were overwhelmed—the cold touch of metal on her forearm, the sharp, sterile scent of antiseptic filling her nose. her muscles tensed, every fiber of her being screaming at her to fight, to protect herself, even as her mind struggled to make sense of what was happening.

just as the needle grazed her skin, minji's eyes snapped open, wild and feral. in an instant, her hand shot out, gripping your wrist with a force that made you gasp, pain shooting up your arm. the syringe slipped from your fingers, clattering to the floor, forgotten as you were yanked forward.

before you could react, minji had you restrained, her arm across your neck, cutting off your air. she pulled you close, her breath hot against your ear, the pressure of her forearm against your throat tightening as the blades from her knuckles sprang out again, glinting dangerously in the corner of your vision. they were mere millimeters from your neck, close enough that you could feel the cold metal against your skin, close enough that you dared not move.

her breathing was ragged, her chest heaving as she held you against her, her eyes wide and unfocused, caught somewhere between fear and anger. she didn't speak, but the threat was clear in the way her muscles coiled, ready to strike. every instinct in your body screamed at you to struggle, to get free, but the sharpness of the blades against your throat kept you frozen in place.

“who the hell are you and where the hell am i?”

you look terrified for a moment, only a second or two before you adapt to the situation, tensing when the blades press more. 

“maybe if you get your goddamn knives away from my throat, then i’d tell you.” minji hears, but the thing is, you haven’t opened your mouth at all.

she looks at you close, hearing the choked-out breath before letting go of you completely. you fall to the ground and cough out as she runs off, catching your breath.

minji has no idea where she is. she’s run out the room, but where exactly? she doesn’t know. the place is too bright, the lights glaring down at her from the ceiling. the halls are empty, eerily so, with a cold, metallic sheen to everything around her. it feels sterile, lifeless, like a lab from some dystopian nightmare. 

she looks down and realizes she’s only in a sports bra and sweats, her skin prickling at the chill in the air. small tabs are stuck to her body, wires hanging from them. without thinking, she rips them off, the adhesive pulling at her skin but she doesn’t care. she’s more focused on figuring out where she is, what’s happened to her.

scanning her surroundings, minji’s eyes dart around frantically. she spots something in the distance—suits, like the kind you’d see in a high-tech facility, lined up behind glass. her heart pounds in her chest as she walks cautiously toward them, every nerve in her body on edge. as she moves, something catches her eye—a little shelf with a zip-up hoodie on it. she snatches it up, slipping it on quickly, desperate to cover herself, to feel even a little bit more secure.

she continues down the hall, her eyes flicking from side to side, taking in every detail of this strange, sterile place. the walls, the floors, even the ceiling—all the same dull metallic gray, reflecting the harsh light in a way that makes everything seem flat and lifeless.

“where are you going?” a voice suddenly asks, cutting through the silence—a different one this time. minji flinches, her breath catching in her throat. she doesn’t recognize the voice, and it sends a jolt of fear through her. without thinking, she retreats deeper into the corridor, ducking behind a small entrance area, peeking out cautiously to see if anyone’s coming. 

her heart races, the fear pounding in her ears as she scans the hall, but it’s empty. no sign of anyone. she’s about to move again when a door behind her slides open with a soft hiss. she jumps, spinning around just in time to hear a faint voice:

 “over here!” 

minji hesitates, then steps toward the open door, curiosity and fear at war within her. she peers into the small space beyond, a strange room she doesn’t recognize. it’s not much, just a small chamber, but something about it feels… inviting. cautiously, she steps inside, and the door closes behind her with a soft click. 

when the door opens again, minji steps out, and the environment has completely changed. she’s no longer in the cold, metallic hallway. instead, she’s in what looks like an old mansion, the kind you’d see in old movies, all dark wood and faded carpets, and the air thick with the scent of old books and polished wood.

“where are you going? over here…” the voice whispers again, closer this time. minji’s fear spikes. she looks around, eyes wide, trying to find the source of the voice, but there’s no one. she bolts, running down the hall, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she searches for a place to hide. she hears voices up ahead, the excited chatter of children, and she panics, diving behind a wooden pillar to avoid being seen. 

her breathing is heavy, her body trembling as she presses herself against the wood, praying they don’t find her. she peeks out from behind the pillar, watching the group of kids pass by, their voices growing fainter as they move further down the hall. when she’s sure the coast is clear, she darts out from her hiding spot, sprinting down the hall toward a door in the distance.

her heart hammers in her chest as she reaches the door, yanking it open and slipping inside without a second thought. she turns, pressing her back against the door, her breath coming in short, frantic bursts as she listens for any sign that she’s been followed. 

it’s only when she finally looks up that she realizes where she’s ended up: in a small classroom, the kind you’d see in an old boarding school. a few students—eight or so—are seated at desks, their attention fixed on a teacher at the front of the room. the teacher pauses mid-sentence, turning to look at her with mild surprise.

minji freezes, her heart skipping a beat as every pair of eyes in the room turns to her. she stands there, caught, her mind racing as she tries to figure out what to do next. she has no idea where she is, who these people are, or how she’s going to get out of here, but one thing’s for sure—she needs to move, fast.

“ah, minji.” the teacher says, “right, please have your homework done by tomorrow. please determine the velocities using the problems in the textbook, see you all tomorrow.”

minji watches the students leave, one of them catching her off guard, walking through the door as it closes before she can make it. she looks back at the teacher—the professor, eyes slightly widened.

“where am i?” she asks demandingly.

“two hours from seoul.”

“what am i doing here?”

he stares at minji, seemingly examining her before she hears the door behind her opening, snapping her head to see two unfamiliar faces.

“minji, i’d like you to meet minjeong—also known as storm.” the professor’s voice is calm and authoritative, drawing minji’s attention to the girl standing a few steps away. minji’s eyes narrow slightly as she takes in the girl’s striking white hair, so stark against her youthful features. there’s something powerful about her, something that makes minji’s instincts prickle, but she doesn’t say anything, just watches her closely.

“and this is wonbin, also called cyclops.” the professor continues, gesturing to the guy next to minjeong. wonbin steps forward, extending a hand toward minji, his expression friendly, if a bit cautious. the red lenses of his glasses catch the light, a faint glow emanating from behind them.

minji stares at his hand, her gaze cold, unblinking. she doesn’t move, doesn’t acknowledge the gesture. there’s a tense silence as the seconds stretch on, minji’s eyes flicking up to meet wonbin’s. her jaw tightens, a muscle jumping in her cheek as she clenches it. wonbin hesitates, then slowly lowers his hand, understanding that the handshake isn’t going to happen. he scoffs under his breath—minji hears it.

“they saved your life, you know?” the professor’s voice cuts through the silence, his tone gentle but firm. he looks at minji, as if willing her to understand, to see the gravity of the situation. but minji doesn’t respond, her expression hard, unreadable.

just then, the door opens, and someone else walks in. minji’s eyes flicker over, her features softening just slightly at the sight of you. you move quietly but confidently, your expression calm, composed, not betraying any of the distress or turmoil that might be lurking underneath your skin. minji’s gaze follows you as you pass by her, her attention completely captured, like you’re the only thing in the room worth noticing or thinking twice about.

you don’t say anything, don’t even glance her way, but minji can’t take her eyes off you, something about you making the tension in her shoulders ease, if only by a fraction. as you turn around, she takes in your features, soft and delicate, yet there’s a strength there too, something in the way you carry yourself. it’s captivating, almost disarming, and for a moment, minji forgets to be on guard.

“this is y/n,” the professor says, breaking the spell. “i believe you two have already met.”

minji’s gaze remains fixed on you, her thoughts racing, trying to piece together how she knows you. then it hits her, you’re the person she almost sliced earlier.

“right, y/n, if you could get her situated into one of the spare rooms for me.”

you make direct eye contact with minji, jaw tightening before you smile softly at the professor. 

“of course.”

–

“i think you’ll find it comfortable here,” you say softly, turning on the lamp. 

minji observes closely, looking around the room quickly before her eyes redirect back onto you as you turn on another lamp.

“where’s your room?”

“down the hall with wonbin.”

“four eyes?” she questions rudely. “is he always so… petty.”

you turn around, looking at her and raising a brow. 

“how judgy you’ve only just met him…” you start, turning on the last lamp. “he’s just not willing to put up with people who don’t greet him properly—people who nearly slice someone’s head off.” you add calmly, tightening your jaw.

“i wasn’t going to cut your head off.”

“with the way your blades were against my neck? i figured that would’ve been my last breath.” you scold, meeting her eyes coldly. 

minji stiffens, breaking the eye contact and looking down.

“are you always so… dense?” you ask minji, tilting your head slightly, a hint of challenge in your voice. minji stiffens, the doors behind her clicking shut on their own, the sound sharp in the tense silence. her eyes widen as she looks at you, caught off guard, claws out without thinking.

“did you do tha—”

“or are you still shaken up from being knocked out by jyp’s men?” you continue, your tone casual, but the words strike a nerve. you glance at her blades, the same ones from earlier. “gonna slice me for real this time?”

“i’m sorry?” minji’s voice is laced with confusion as her claws retract. her brow furrows as she tries to make sense of what you’re saying.

“people like us,” you say, your voice dropping into something more serious. “a lot of people aren’t fond of the gifts we have. and hearing about the way they reacted to your claws… they’re definitely more hostile to what you’re capable of.”

minji’s eyes narrow, her mind racing as she processes your words. “and what’s your gift?” she asks, a trace of skepticism in her voice. “you can move things with your mind?��

“you’re observant,” you reply, a touch of sarcasm coloring your tone. “you’re right on that. i also have telepathic ability.”

minji raises an eyebrow, the tension between you crackling like fireworks. “like the professor? you can get into my head or something?” she steps closer, almost sizing you up despite being only two or three centimeters taller.

“you say that like i’d willingly get into yours.” you reply sharply, your voice steady, but there’s a flicker of something in your eyes—hesitation, perhaps, or uncertainty. “like there’s even anything in a brain so hollow.”

“what, scared?” minji questions, her voice low, daring. she huffs, amused, “are you even able to?”

“what?” you blink, taken aback by her sudden boldness. after what happened earlier, you’d expect her to keep her distance, but here she is, practically taunting you, her lips curling into a slight smirk that sends your heart skipping a beat. there’s something about her—something infuriatingly compelling as much as she is irritating—that makes you sigh in defeat, unable to resist the pull of her challenge.

“i can do things that you wouldn’t even be able to comprehend,” you look down at her necklace, reading the characters out loud, “minji.”

her eyes narrow, and yours do too before they soften just barely.

with a reluctant exhale, you raise your hands beside her head, your fingers hovering hairs away from her temples. closing your eyes, you focus, the world around you fading into the background as you reach out with your mind, slipping past the surface of her thoughts. 

minji watches you intently, her eyes fixed on your face as she listens to your steady breathing, notices the slight tremor in your hands. as you delve deeper into her mind, your expression shifts, your brows drawing together as you begin to see what lies beneath the surface.

suddenly, your eyes snap open, shock flooding your features. you stare at her, wide-eyed, your breath catching in your throat as you struggle to process what you’ve just seen.

“what did you see?” minji’s voice is quieter now, the cockiness replaced by something more subdued, almost vulnerable. she holds your hands, looking at you expectantly.

you hesitate, the images still flashing through your mind—minji being beaten, restrained, shot, stabbed, over and over again. the pain, the fear, the relentless violence—it’s overwhelming, a flood of horror that you can barely comprehend. and yet, you’ve only had a brief glimpse, a fraction of it, a sliver of what she’s been through.

“i saw… a lot,” you finally say, your voice barely above a whisper. there’s no need to elaborate—minji can see it in your eyes, the weight of what you’ve witnessed, the gravity of the memories that haunt her. and for a moment, the space between you feels more like a shared burden, there’s a quiet understanding of the scars that neither of you can ever truly erase.

the door opens and you look over to see wonbin looking at the two of you, minji’s still holding your hands—you shake them off quickly as if they’re molten lava.

“wonbin.” you sound surprised as you catch his pursed smile. you avoid minji’s eye contact, keeping your eyes away from her. “goodnight, minji.” you add finally, glancing at her once more before leaving the room. 

minji turns to catch wonbin looking at her intensely, making her smirk subtly. her claws extend out of her knuckles slowly again, voluntartbis time. her eyes drill into his.

“scared of me near her?”

“not at all.” he responds, “just looking out for her.”

“right.”

“she’s been through a lot, it seems like you’ve shaken her up more than before. you nearly sliced her head off.”

minji gulps, claws retracting. “i didn’t— i wasn’t going to.”

“right.” wonbin says unconvincingly. he looks at minji closely before letting out a small sigh. “keep your distance from my sister. keep your claws away. you’re dangerous, you know?”

“sister?” minji questions, and wonbin shakes his head at the fact that it’s the only part of his response that she listened to.

“don’t get too close, minji.” wonbin steps forward, tensing his jaw as he looks down. “you’ll see what happens when i take off these glasses.”

—

it seems like you’re drowning, with your senses overwhelmed by freezing cold water. 

opening your eyes stings you, you can’t even see through the blur of the water. your limbs feel heavy and your chest is tightening up by the second.you’re submerged, trapped in some suffocating abyss, and something sharp pierces through the murk—at least from what you can see. 

long, gleaming needles approach, their edges catching a flicker of light and it all becomes much more terrifying—they’re heading straight for you. 

you try to scream, but the water swallows it, muting your fear. the needles dig into your skin, injecting something searing and molten. you feel another sharp pain coming from your knuckles, and when you look down your eyes widen—there are claws coming out of your skin, slicing right through it. and then, just to make everything worse, the burn from whatever had been injected starts to spread through you like a wildfire, almost as if your bones were in flames. 

oddly enough, you can’t seem to use your powers. it’s almost as if they never existed. the pain consumes every nerve, and the pain—it’s unbearable. your body twitches, jerks, and convulses, but there’s no escape. 

and then the burn reaches your core. it feels like you might explode in seconds.

…

you sit upright, gasping for air, sweat dripping down your face. your chest heaves like you’ve just surfaced from drawing, and your vision is all blurry, the room darker than you could process.

“y/n! y/n, hey—look at me,” wonbin’s voice is urgent, his hands gripping your shoulders. he’s shaking you lightly, trying to break you out from whatever frantic episode you’re in. “it’s okay, i’m here. talk to me.”

as you blink, your breath slows, your mind racing to piece everything back together. “i-i’m fine,” you mutter, voice shaky. but the pounding in your head, the ache in your chest—it contradicts your response.

the sound of murmurs reaches your ears; hushed whispers, footsteps, and a few shadows catch your eye. you turn towards the door to glance at all the students—wide-eyed, worried, confused. they’re lingering, peering into your room—afraid to step closer.

wonbin’s features furrow, you can just barely see the flurry of emotions through his red shades. “you shook the whole house,” he says, his voice lower now but still laced with tension. “everyone felt it.”

you breathe out shakily, rubbing your face in your hands. shaking your head, you then wipe the sweat from your face with the back of your hand. “it’s nothing,” you lie, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. 

but then, out of the corner of your eye, you see her—minji. she’s standing in the doorway, not quite inside but not leaving either. she’s much bolder than the rest, clear in your vision rather than just a forehead and eyes. her eyes are locked on you, dark and intense, like she’s searching for something beneath your carefully composed exterior. there’s something else there too. care. concern. maybe even fear. 

her gaze is scrutinizing.

your breath catches, and for a moment, you can’t look away. her gaze feels like it’s pulling you apart—slow and grueling—like she can see through you. 

“y/n?” wonbin’s voice brings you back, he brings his hands over to your shoulders and you turn to face him. his eyes are glossed with worry, brows upturned just a bit. 

“it’s fine, i’m fine.” you repeat, more firmly this time, brushing him off as you swing your legs over the side of the bed. “i just need some fresh air.”

he second guesses, watching you closely. you can tell he doesn’t believe you for a second, but he doesn’t push. instead, he glances toward the door, toward minji. when you follow his gaze, she’s still there, still observing.

you stand and gulp, ignoring the weight of her stare—everyone’s stare. you walk past without a word, trailing down the hallway as its cool air hits your skin. despite the chill in the air, heat still courses through you. the memory of the dream, of the fire, of minji’s eyes—it all lingers, and you can’t shake it.

you step outside, only clad in a t-shirt and pajama pants, so the wind sends a shiver down your spine.

making your way down the stone steps, you catch the pond in the distance, rushing over as you try to compose yourself fully. then you sit down on the bench, staring out into the water that’s illuminated by the moon and lamps nearby. 

a short breath escapes you, you cling onto the edge of the bench.

the dream was so surreal, so vivid, so much pain, so much terror—and the fact that it’s all a memory from minji leaves you uneasy.

when you read her mind, the scenes went by in a flash, but each one still gave you goosebumps. it was bad enough as is, just getting quick glimpses, but the dream made you relive it—though just briefly. it made your eyes shut, trying to bury everything; how could someone go through all of that?

you lean forward, elbows on your knees, trying to steady your breathing as it grows heavy again. the dream—no, the nightmare—still clings to you, wrapping around your chest and taking your breath away. your hands shake, but you close them shut in an attempt to hide the tremor, even though no one’s around to see it.

at least, that’s what you think.

then you feel it—a presence. familiar, unsettling. your powers react before you can think, a rough, fist-sized rock lifting from the ground, hovering midair. it glides quickly, stopping a breath away from its target.

minji freezes, her eyes flickering to the rock floating just beside her head. “seriously?” she says, voice low but sharp—almost wary too.

you let out a heavy breath, the rock clattering to the ground as you force it down. “sorry,” you mutter, barely glancing at her.

she sits down anyway, keeping a noticeable distance between you. her posture is calm, her hands resting on her thighs, but you can feel the tension radiating off her. it mirrors your own. neither of you says anything at first, the silence filled only by the faint rustle of leaves and the occasional chirp of a cricket. 

“you scared me,” she says eventually, her voice softer now, almost reluctant. “when the house shook, i didn’t know what was going on. everyone ran in one direction, i followed, and then… i realized it was you.”

you glance at her, then back at the water, the reflection of the stars shimmering on its surface. “yeah, well. wasn’t exactly intentional.”

her eyes linger on you for a moment before she looks away, exhaling slowly. “i didn’t know you could do all of that. i didn’t know you could be so… vulnerable, i guess.” 

the words hit harder than they should, and you can’t decide if it’s an insult or something else. either way, you don’t respond. instead, you take a breath, forcing yourself to ask what’s been bothering you since you woke up. “the dream. the memory,” you begin, hesitant. “i saw you in it. kind of. do you, do you remember?”

“remember what?”

you rub your face with your hands, then relax against the bench as you stare up into the sky now. “needles, pain, water, burning in your bones…”

her brows furrow, and she shakes her head. “i— i wish i could. it’s all… bits and pieces. blurry. i can’t recall…”

you nod, but something about her answer stings. how could someone simply forget something like that? you don’t know how. you’re not sure you want to. 

“must be hard,” you say quietly, more to yourself than her.

“yeah,” she responds, equally quiet. her voice lacks the sharpness it usually holds when she talks to you. instead, there’s something almost vulnerable about it.

the tension between you both feels lighter now, less suffocating. it’s not gone, but it’s better. manageable. 

the distance between you stays as you sit in silence again, staring out at the water. it’s strange, the sudden wall that crumbled between you two. being with her is uncomfortable but not unwelcome. maybe it’s progress. maybe it’s just exhaustion. maybe you two just had a rough start.

“you almost killed me with that rock, you know,” minji says suddenly, breaking the quiet.

“you’d recover in a second,” you huff a dry laugh, the corner of your lip tugging just barely. “besides, you almost sliced my head off yesterday. i think we’re even.”

“doesn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt…” she argues lightly, and for the first time, you catch a hint of a smile. it’s faint, and fleeting, but it’s there. you don’t know what to make of it, but you let it sit between you, like the space you’re both finally starting to bridge.

you huff again, rubbing your eyes as you stand.

“i’m going back to bed.” you announce quietly, brow twitching as you observe her. she’s still staring out, but offers you a gentle nod.

—

two weeks into her new place of stay, she relearns that the whole world is out for her. 

mutants, as they say. the claws that strike out her knuckles indicate that she falls into this category. 

if you’re different from the average human, and not just some simple difference, something that makes you dangerous—being able to shoot lasers from your eyes, move things with your mind, change the weather in seconds—that’s what a mutant is. 

she’s already well aware of this, but after two weeks of being enrolled in some ‘mutant’ academy, she’s forced to know it down to the bone. this means she’s reading textbooks, watching documentaries, and even sitting through lectures; she never signed up for any of this.

though two more weeks—a month now—into being at the academy, things are much… different. the sharp edges of that initial hostility have dulled, but they’re not gone. and the other students don’t treat her like an outcast (as if they weren’t ones themselves), instead, she’s accustomed to everything. 

she still has that cocky edge, the attitude that makes you roll your eyes on instinct, but there’s something else too. a steadiness. she’s settled, not entirely comfortably but not bristling like she was in the beginning. most of this is the result of her spending one-on-one time with the professor, getting to know him for who he is and surprisingly growing quite fond of him. he’s the only person who’s shown so much devotion to someone like her after all.

you see her often—too often, maybe. often enough to see her change. training sessions, group drills, late-night strategy meetings where everyone’s half-asleep but still pretending to listen to the mentors. you two are paired up more often than not, and while the bickering hasn’t entirely disappeared, it’s lighter now. less venom, more banter.

wonbin isn’t happy about it. every time minji’s name comes up—whether that’s during late night talks when you two can’t sleep, during meals, or even when you two are sparring—his expression hardens, his jaw sets.

“i don’t trust her,” he says one evening, standing in the kitchen while you grab a bottle of water. he leans against the counter, arms crossed, looking every bit of the overprotective sibling. 

he’s not your actual brother, but when two orphans grow up together nearly tied to the hip—he might as well be. he’s been in your life since the head professor took you in, he’s the first person you’ve let in your life. you know him like the back of your palm, love him like you two share blood.

“you don’t trust anyone,” you reply, taking a sip. “except minjeong, maybe.”

“i do have some trust for others. not including that girl with the claws.” he shoots back, his tone pointed. “she nearly killed you. i still think about the camera footage here and there. my sister, three blades held against her throat.”

you sigh, setting the bottle down with a little more force than necessary. “it was an accident, wonbin. and it’s been a month. she was new… woke up in a lab, and was scared. it’s reasonable for her to almost kill me, i mean, who knows what she’s been through? maybe you should let it go.”

he glares at you, but there’s worry in his look that’s buried beneath the annoyance. “just… be careful, okay?”

you don’t answer. instead, you grab the bottle and head out, needing to clear your head.

—

a day passes, it’s three in the afternoon and minji is dodging a sharp jab near her ribs from you. she swings back and her thumb just barely grazes your ear, making you back up just a bit. 

it’s empty in the training room, each sound and movement apparent to both of you. you circle each other on the mat, it’s a routine now—intense, focused, and a little too competitive to be entirely practice.

she moves again, quick and calculated, aiming low with a sweep kick. you dodge once more, your body twisting fluidly as you counter with a strike that she deflects easily. her smirk is there, keen and familiar, and it drives you to wipe it right off.

but she’s good—too good sometimes for someone who’s been at the school for just over a month—which is why you’re often sparring with her or wonbin, two of few who match your level.  every step, every move, feels like a challenge, a reminder that she’s no ordinary opponent.

until she slips.

or maybe you just catch her off guard, but your hit lands square in her back, sending her stumbling forward and down onto the mat. she groans, rolling onto her side, shooting you a glare that’s more annoyed than angry.

“lucky shot,” she mutters, pushing herself up to sit.

you hold out a hand, and after a moment, she takes it, letting you pull her to her feet. “you’re slacking,” you tease, using your power to grab a towel from the bench and make it float toward her.

she huffs, grabs the towel in the air, wipes the sweat off her forehead, then smirks. something about it is weirdly infatuating. you blink—why would you think that?

“keep dreaming.” she scoffs.

the session winds down after that, both of you cooling off in the aftermath. she sits cross-legged on the edge of the mat, and you drop down a few feet away, chugging water from your bottle.

“your brother hates me,” she says suddenly, her tone casual but mordant like she’s been holding it in.

you pause mid-sip, lowering the bottle to look at her. “he doesn’t hate you,” you say, though the words feel repetitive, like you’re defending him more for the sake of it than anything else.

she raises an eyebrow, her expression incredulous. “oh, come on. he looks at me like i’m one bad day away from murdering everyone in this place.”

her response makes your lips twitch into something near a frown. “okay, so he’s… wary. wonbin is like that.”

“wary?” she echoes, laughing lightly as she leans back on her hands. her shirt tightens around her torso and it doesn’t go unnoticed. you glance back at her lips as she adds, “that’s a nice way to put it.”

her gaze shifts, her usual sharpness softening into something more thoughtful. “i don’t blame him, though. i mean… i didn’t exactly make the best first impression.”

you shrug, mirroring her stance and leaning on your hands as well. “wonbin’s protective. it’s his thing. give it time.”

“time doesn’t fix everything.” she says so quietly that you couldn’t guess she was talking to herself.

you glance at her and she looks away. the vulnerability in her voice surprises you. it’s rare for minji to let her guard down, and you’re not sure if it’s the exhaustion from sparring or something else entirely. 

“no,” you agree softly, “but it helps.”

she looks at you then, her eyes lingering like she’s searching for something. whatever it is, she doesn’t find it—or maybe she does, because she nods slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

she stands up now, running a hand through her hair to tuck back strands that fell out her ponytail. “you’re annoyingly optimistic, you know that?”

you grin, using your power to ball up your towel in the air and fling it at her chest as you stand. she grunts and you chuckle lightly, “only for you.” 

minji softens at the response, eyes meeting your back when you turn to walk away, leaving her there just standing like an idiot. she shakes her head, rolling her eyes at you.

—

the night is quiet, the kind of stillness that makes you aware of every creak of the walls and breeze of the wind. minji’s room, dimly lit by the faint glow of the boon filtering through the blinds, feels like a cage. her breathing is uneven, her body drenched in sweat as she jolts awake, the vivid images from her nightmare still gripping her.

it was all too real, as if she were reliving the memory of her cousin getting taken away right in front of her eyes again. it’s one of the memories that isn’t vague in her mind, the most painful one that stabs her heart deeper each time she’s reminded of it.

hyein’s face lingers in her mind—fearful, pleading, and then gone. the “mutant killers,” what her and hyein used to call them, their cruel laughter, the sound of a life being taken too soon. minji grips her sheets, her claws outstretched instinctively, the pain sharp but grounding. she stares at her hands, trembling, the metallic sheen of her claws catching the faint light.

“just a dream,” she whispers to herself, though the ache in her chest tells otherwise. 

she covers her face with her hands, breathing in and out to regulate her breathing. the air in her room feels suffocating, so she swings her legs over the side of the bed and stands, still shaky. the rain pattering against the window soothes her just a bit, the steady rhythm just barely snapping her out of it. she heads for the kitchen, hoping water, a snack—really anything might wash away the lingering dread.

as she steps into the darkened room, she halds. the kitchen isn’t empty.

you’re there, sitting by the window in a wooden stool with your knees hugged against your chest. you stare out with earbuds in your ears, the wires stretching down to the phone on your table. only the light from the storm and candle on the table illuminate you, casting a slight shadow across your figure and features. minji pauses mid-step, unsure whether to stay or leave, but the slight tingle in the air—a strange pulse of energy—betrays her presence.

“it’s late.” you nearly whisper, but it’s loud in the silent area. you turn around, the slight shuffle cutting through the stillness.

minji stiffens, caught off guard. “how did you—”

you pull one earbud out as you glance over your shoulder to see her. “you’re not that subtle. plus… you’ve got that thing about you.” you rest your chin on your knee, eyes on her claws—out in the open and— “hard to miss.”

her claws retract as she moves toward the sink, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. “sorry if i uh, interrupted,” she mutters, her voice quieter than usual.

you shake your head, turning to face her fully now. “you didn’t,” you assure, gaze sharpening slightly. there’s a tension in her shoulders, and a little gleam of sweat on her forehead. “bad dream?”

she freezes mid-sip, grip tightening on the glass. “what makes you say that? are you reading my mind?”

you shake your head, then shrug. “just a feeling.”

her laugh is short and humorless—forced—as she sets the glass down, sitting in front of you. “yeah. something like that.” she doesn’t elaborate, but the weight in her voice says enough.

you don’t push; instead, letting the raindrops in the background fill the silence. it’s steady, and soothing, and for a moment, minji feels like she can breathe again. she sighs, leaning her head against the wall beside her as she looks out the window.

“you okay?” you ask finally, your tone soft but probing.

she looks at you for a split second, her walls still up but not as impenetrable as before. “i will be.” she hesitates, then adds, “it’s… an old memory. nothing i can change now.”

“i get it, it’s the same with me.”

“really?”

“it’s why i’m here instead of asleep.” you smile weakly as you mirror her posture: head against the wall and eyes on her instead of the window. “memories are tricky like that. they never really go away. always popping up in your dreams, flickering through your mind while you eat, before you sleep… the latter.”

she nods, her gaze landing on you. 

another silence settles, not as heavy this time. the rain continues falling in a rhythm, following its own dance against the glass. it’s a quiet backdrop to the unspoken understanding between you two. 

“does it hurt?” your voice breaks the quiet, low and curious, almost hesitant as if you’re asking her to reveal her darkest secret.

her brows furrow slightly, her gaze meeting yours. “does what hurt?”

“when your claws come out,” you clarify, tilting your head. your expression is unreadable but there’s genuine concern in your tone. “it looks… painful.”

minji exhales, another soft, humorless laugh escaping her lips. “always.” she lifts her hand slightly, as if to gesture toward the faint lines on her knuckles where her claws emerge. “i’ve gotten used to it, though. at least, i’ve tried to. it’s only for a second.” 

something about her tone tells you she’s lying, but you don’t pry. you frown at her response, the weight of her words sitting heavy in the air. leaning forward, you reach out, gently grabbing her hand. your thumbs brush over her knuckles, brushing over the bumps of her knuckles. her hands are warm and soft, which contrasts the nature of her mutation.

“you’re great.” you tell her, voice barely above a whisper. your gaze doesn’t waver, locked on her hand, the sincerity impossible to ignore. “you’re tough.”

minji looks way briefly when you look back up at her. her expression is caught somewhere between guarded and vulnerable. “thanks,” she murmurs. after a moment, her lips quirk into a faint smile. “you are too, you know.”

you tilt your head, the faint movement on her skin from your thumb halting. your brows knit. “me?”

“mhm,” she hums. “everyone here has been through their own thing. this place is full of… survivors. and you—” she hesitates, the faintest crack in her voice betraying her usual confidence that’s accompanied by banter and teasing. “i’m sure you’ve had your fair share.”

your weak smile mirrors hers as you nod, her words striking deeper than you’d care to admit. you don’t say anything at first, instead letting your thumb continue its slow, soothing motion across her knuckles. the movement is grounding, a small but significant gesture that seems to carry its own special weight. you can’t help but blush, unable to fight a bigger smile and admiration for minji.

“we’ve all got our… trauma.” you finally say.

“maybe,” she replies, tone lighter but still carrying a noticeable weight. “that doesn’t make us weak.”

you both fall into silence that feels less tense, more comfortable now. the rain continues to patter against the window, which offers a nice soundtrack to the moment. 

her hand shifts slightly beneath yours, her fingers curling just the tiniest bit, as if testing the waters of whatever you two have. it’s subtle, almost imperceptible, but you feel it—and for now, it’s enough.

you hold four of minji’s fingers with your own, letting them sit gently against each other. you swallow shallowly before reaching for your earbud, putting it back on and staring out the window as something quiet plays. 

minji closes her eyes, head still against the wall as her breathing slows into a relaxed pace.

—

the day has been long, with training focused on everyone’s specific power/mutation. you, minjeong, minji, and wonbin have your own space down in the floors below, away from everyone due to the intensity of your abilities.

later on in the day everyone gathered for dinner, with you sitting next to wonbin and minji chatting here and there with minjeong in between bites. you steal glances at her, she steals glances at you. neither wonbin or minjeong let this go unnoticed. 

the dining hall is quiet after everyone is finished, the sound of chatter and dishes clinking replaced by the scrape of chairs being pushed in and the occasional clatter of plates. wonbin and minji are the last ones left, tasked with cleaning up after dinner. the air between them is tense, heavy with unspoken words.

wonbin works in silence, wiping down the long table with precision, while minji collects plates and stacks them onto a tray. the tension finally snaps when wonbin speaks, his tone low and clipped.”

“i don’t know what your deal is, but i’m watching you,” he says suddenly, not looking at her. 

minji freezes for a moment, then slowly turns to him, a plate still in her hands. “excuse me?”

he sets the cloth down, finally meeting her gaze. “you’ve gotten closer to my sister. fine. but don’t forget how things started, the hostility, your attitude. don’t think for a second that i’ll let my guard down around you.”

minji’s jaw tightens, her grip on the plate firm. “you think i’m going to hurt her? if this is about sparring then don’t be an idiot. you act like i’m going to kill her—is that what this is about?”

“i’m just saying,” wonbin continues, his voice colder as he stares at minji’s knuckles, “if you so much as—”

“give me a break.” she interripts, setting down the plate with more force than necessary. “i’m not going to kill her, wonbin. stop worrying your head off like i’m some ticking time bomb. besides, y/n is more than capable of protecting herself.”

his eyes narrow. “you don’t get to decide what i worry about. she’s my family.” 

“and what? you think i don’t know how much she means to you?” minji snaps back. “you think i don’t know what it’s like to have someone you want to protect? because guess what. i used to have someone too, but that’s not the case anymore. you treat me like i was placed onto earth with these claws willingly just to be a predator. i’m not an animal.”

the room feels charged, the weight of their words hanging in the air. you step into the doorway just as minji’s voice rises, catching the tail end of the argument.

“i don’t care whether you trust me or not. if you don’t? so be it. but don’t stand there and act like you know me, like i’m a threat.” she says, her voice tight with frustration.

wonbin’s mouth opens, but whatever he’s about to say dies on his lips when he notices you standing there. minji follows his gaze, her expression hardening when she sees you.

“great,” minji mutters, brushing past you with the tray of dishes. “enjoy your lecture.”

the door swings shut behind her, leaving you and wonbin alone in the now-awkward silence. you sigh, crossing your arms and leaning against the doorframe.

“really?” you groan, your tone equal parts tired and exasperated.

he frowns, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows before beginning to wipe the table again—as if it’ll distract him. “i’m just looking out for you.”

“wonbin, she’s not the enemy.” you reply, stepping closer. “she’s trying, and you’re not making it any easier for her. it’s been a few months and you’re holding on a grudge from first impressions.”

“those goddamn claws are always so close to you!” he hits his fist against the table. “always out and— hell, not everyone can get hurt and heal in less than ten seconds—”

“yeah, i know,” you cut him off. “and she knows too. believe me, she’s not proud of it.”

his wiping slows, and for a moment, he just stands there, gripping the cloth tightly. “i don’t trust her.” he mumbles under his breath, hands harshly running through his hair and gripping at the roots.

“i don’t care. i’m not asking you to,” you say, your voice softening. “i’m asking you to give her a chance. she’s not the same person she was when she got here. none of us are—she’s part of our team now. she’s a mutant, she’s one of us.”

“there’s mutants that want us dead.” he finally looks at you, his expression conflicted. “i just… i don’t want you to get hurt. i lost my blood-brother, and i can’t risk losing my sister too.”

“i know,” you say, placing a hand on his arm. “but you can’t protect me from everything. and you don’t have to. i’ve got everything under control, you do know that my powers aren’t limited to making a napkin move anymore, right? i’m not a child.”

he sighs out heavily, nodding slightly. “fine. but if she steps out of line…”

you smile faintly, giving his arm a light squeeze. “you’ll be the first to know. i can get into your head from a city away.”

the tension eases, and for the first time all evening, the room feels calm again. but in the back of your mind, you wonder if minji heard any of what you said—or if she’s decided to keep her distance.

—

the jet hums beneath your feet as the five of you prepare for landing. the professors—minho, namjoon, and hyeri—stand at the front, briefing everyone one last time. you and your peers, the strongest and oldest of the bunch, have been preparing and preparing for the day to come, for a mission like this. it never seemed like it would be real, something so significant.

wonbin has been sent before to find “mutants fighting destructively and wrecklessly in the mountains thirty minutes away from the city,” which was apparently one of the more risky feats. wonbin came back with a cut on his arm and lip, and he never gets hurt. he also came back with an exhausted minjeong, with messed up hair and a fragile body. of all the mutants that he met there, each one being equally as dangerous, he came back with one that changed things for the better: minji.

and now you’re scratching your pointer finger with your thumb, staring at the ground as you think about what might happen on this mission. tension in the air is thick, the weight of the mission pressing down on you and your teammates. 

the task at hand was to rescue a group of mutants held by a militant anti-mutant organization, the same organization that had to do with minji being unconscious the day you met her: jyp’s men. they’ve been raiding mutant-safe zones and capturing young mutants, using them as bait to draw out larger groups of mutants for extermination—some of the people supporting this were mutants themselves.

your breath shakes just thinking about it—everything.

you glance over at minji, whose face is a careful mask of calm as she looks out the window of the jet. then you look at wonbin and minjeong, who are both looking equally nervous as they do determined.

“stay focused, and remember your training,” professor hyeri says, her gaze sweeping over the group. “trust each other.” 

her words urge you to glance at wonbin, then at minji. wonbin makes direct eye contact with you, then looks away, tensing his jaw. minji stays unbothered, but her thumb scratches her skin the same way you had been doing.

the jet door opens, and the cold night air rushes in. you descend into the dense forest where the intel suggests the young mutants are hiding. 

everything starts fine. the group moves in formation, sticking close and covering each other as instructed. but soon, things aren’t as simple.

blasts of energy light up the darkness as the mutants—ones against their own kind—ambush you all, their powers as unpredictable as they are destructive. you dart behind a fallen tree, barely avoiding a fiery projectile aimed your way. minjeong retaliates with a frost barrier, her hands trembling as she colds a harsh breeze in place, but steadying as she encases an attacker in a compact wind.

“watch out!” wonbin shouts, tackling you before you get hammered by a henchman running towards you. he quickly recovers, turning his head and taking off his glasses as beams shoot from his eyes, completely blowing the guy back. 

wonbin puts his glasses back on, then puts a hand on your neck. he looks at you worriedly and you place a hand on his, “thank you,”

“you could’ve died.”

“i was going to send him flying,” you giggle lightly to lighten the mood, which is ruined again when a piece of wood is hurled towards you two. without looking, you lift your hand, making the wood stop and split into pieces in front of you. 

wonbin rolls his eyes, then gets up. “stay safe, you’re an idiot sometimes.”

“whatever.”

the next few encounters were manageable—stunning blows, deflected strikes, and coordinated attacks as you worked seamlessly as a team. but the situation quickly spiraled when more mutants appeared, armed with advanced weaponry designed specifically to neutralize mutants.

chaos erupted from there.

one blast sent you flying into a tree, a sharp pain radiating through your shoulder and arm as you hit the ground. you gritted your teeth, using your powers to fling debris at the attackers whil simultaneously pulling out a chunk of wood from your forearm. the strain on your injury made your telekinesis falter. wonbin widened his eyes at the sight of you, running over and crouching next to you as a powerful optic blast from his eyes knocked several men back.

“stay down!” wonbin shouted through the chaos, but his voice wavered with concern as he noticed the blood staining your sleeve. “y/n, y/n jesus christ…”

minjeong was a blur, lighting shooting from her fingertips as she immobilized one of the attackers. her hair whipped wildly around her face, the storm she summoned cracking ominous above her.

amidst the disarray, minji became the anchor holding you all together. while you all lingered in the same area, she moved across the terrain with brutal efficiency. her claws tore through weapons and disarming attackers with practiced ease—the same way she made her way through the dummies back at the school, but much quicker. she looked angrier than you’ve ever seen her before, blood staining her knuckles and stabbing mercilessly. 

but then, one of the men aimed a specialized weapon—something lethal and glowing with energy in your direction, meaning it’d not only hit you, but also wonbin and minjeong. 

minji looks over, quickly taking her hand away from some man’s chest she’s just stabbed. her eyes widen, she hurries over, huffing and biting down as she pushes herself physically.

“get down!” she yells, throwing herself in front of you all. 

you watched in horror as the shot hit her squarely, wonbin’s shoulder covering a bit of the image from the way blocked you. she staggered but didn’t fall, her claws retracting for a second. they emerge a few seconds later and she grits her teeth, looking down at you as she endures the pain. 

wonbin looks up as well, flinching. a sharp gasp of surprise slips from him as a second shot follows, and then another, but minji didn’t budge. her body served as a shield, each hit accompanied by a guttural groan that made your chest tighten painfully.

“minji, stop!” you cry, trying to reach out for her as panic seizes you. the sight of her taking the brunt of the attack was almost too much to bear.

“stay down!” she snaps, her voice sharp despite what she’s enduring. there’s agony etched into her features, earning tears from you. 

her claws extended fully as she leaped forward, taking down two men in quick, fluid movements. wonbin’s blast took out another attacker as he continued to hold you, while minjeong’s storm surge sent the remaining men scattering.

“minjeong,” wonbin starts, looking at the destruction, and especially at minji. she’s limping, breathing hard, the sleeve of one arm torn off. “gather any of the young mutants you can find—the refugees. i’m going to check on minji.”

“you are?” minjeong says, surprised as she looks between both of them.

but before wonbin can move, you push him off with your power, making him roll off of you and on the ground. he grunts as he pushes himself up, watching you run over to where minji is.

he calls out for you, but you push it in the back of your mind—what matters the most is minji. 

she’s clutching her shoulder, on her knees, and soon falling back onto the ground. she lies there for a moment, staring up and groaning. you rush over to her side, pushing her hair away from her face and cupping her cheeks as tears flow. because of her powers she’s not bruised, there aren’t any cuts, but just the memory from before and her pure exhaustion are enough to have you ignoring your injuries.

“minji? minji, minji please.” her blinking gets slower as she looks up, then she looks over to you and smiles. “minji, are you okay? minji please…” you shake her, hands moving to the side of her neck and then her shoulders.

her blinking slows down until her eyes close fully for a moment. she smiles softly and brings her hand over to place it over yours. her claws are still out, but they retract slowly into her skin.

“ouch,” she groans, “hurts a lot.”

you choke out another cry and put your head down on her shoulder, tears staining the sleeve that hadn’t been blown up or torn. she brings her other hand over to rest on your head, fingers digging into your scalp just a bit.

“i’m fine, y/n. i just need a good nap…”

“still,” you say, voice light and airy and full of worry. “i can’t see you getting hurt like that again, i can’t.” 

“why?” minji asks genuinely, watching you pull away to look at her through glossy eyes. “you know i don’t get hurt like everyone else.”

“i know, i just—” you close your eyes, sighing. “i care about you so much. seeing you hurt i just, i—”

“wow, you look really pretty right now.” minji mumbles, hand on your cheek now. “the dust and moonlight and… blood,” she giggles with a mix of pain and admiration, “really brings out your eyes.”

“you idiot,” you say quietly. your brows twitch as they furrow, from her words and also the sudden pain everywhere in your body. 

“y/n?” minji asks as you go weak and collapse on her, breath shaky. “y/n?” she says again, voice much more worried as she tries to get up. 

“i’m glad you’re okay, as long as you’re okay.” you sigh, feeling minji’s arms around you.

“y/n? y/n—” minji feels blood seeping through your suit and onto her, looking down to see a slight stain that leaked onto her skin. 

—

minji stares at the floor of her room, her hands balled up into fists and pressing into her thighs. her thoughts are a loop, they’ve been a loop ever since the mission had ended. the endless memory of you being thrown into a tree, the look on your face that she managed to witness, and the blood—so much blood. 

in the moment she had wanted to run to you, even before wonbin did. she wanted to pull you up, to do something, but the mission hadn’t allowed for hesitation. there had been too many enemies darting at her and four young mutants on the line. although she wanted to run up and protect you, she knew better.

but still, she thinks about how if she were faster, stronger—she could’ve maybe taken down the man that hurled you.

guilt festers, pressing heavily on her chest until she’s breathing heavier, and she pushes herself out of the room and onto the rooftop of the school. the night is still, the stars faint behind the clouds, and the chill of the air bites against her skin. she sits with her legs dangling off, staring at the sky like you’d do with her when you both couldn’t sleep. 

it’s been almost twenty-four hours since you fell unconscious, twenty-four hours since the moment where minji had to watch wonbin carry you with tears in the corners of his eyes and your blood staining some of his forearm.

“minji.” professor minho’s voice breaks through the stillness, calm but firm. he looks out at the moon past minji, not opening his mouth as he telepathically says, “she’s in much better condition now, blinked a few times before returning to her state before.”

minji doesn’t think, doesn’t hesitate. her body moves on its own, programmed to sprint at the mention that you’re conscious again. she’s rushing down the stairs and through the hallways until she’s outside the infirmary door. she pauses, her hand hovering just above the doorknob, suddenly unsure. she takes a steadying breath before stepping inside.

wonbin is seated by your bedside, his large hand wrapped around yours protectively. his expression softens slightly when he sees minji enter, though the tension in his shoulders doesn’t fully ease. minji doesn’t say anything, just pulls up a chair across from him and sits down, her gaze locking onto you. 

you’re pale, your arm and torso heavily bandaged. every rise and fall of your chest feels like a fragile promise, and minji’s stomach twists at the sight. she doesn’t know how long she stares before wonbin’s voice cuts through the silence. 

“thank you,” he says, his voice quiet but sincere. it’s the first time he’s spoken with so much vulnerability to her. minji looks up, surprised, and sees the way his grip on your hand tightens slightly. “for doing all of that—protecting all of us out there. i mean it.”

minji nods, her throat tight. “i couldn’t protect her,” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. “not enough.”

“we both tried our best. it was hard out there.” wonbin shakes his head. “you did more than enough for her, for all of us.” he hesitates, his lips pressing into a thin line before he goes on, “look, i know we’ve clashed… and i haven’t been… well, the best. to you, i mean. but i do appreciate what you did. thank you.”

a silent treaty—something like that—is signed. close enough.

minji nods again, the tension between them easing ever so slightly. they sit in silence, the faint hum of the machines monitoring your vitals filling the room.

minjeong walks in a moment later, her presence bright but subdued as she glances between the two of them and then at you. “she’s okay?” she asks softly, her gaze lingering on your face as she walks over to place a hand on your tummy softly.

“she’s tough,” wonbin says, voice steady. “she’ll be fine.”

minji stands, the chair scraping softly against the floor. she steps back, giving minjeong space as the other girl sits next to wonbin. minji’s look lingers on you for a moment longer before she turns and leaves the room.

she’s halfway to the door when she hears your voice—not aloud, but soft and clear in her mind. 

thank you minji.

she freezes, her fingers hovering over the handle. her pulse quickens, the room suddenly feeling smaller, like it’s folding in on itself. slowly, she glances over her shoulder, her gaze locking onto your still-unconscious form. your lips are slightly parted, you’re still pale, and still. minji knows she’s not imagining it. the connection between the two of you hums faintly, along with the soft sound of your breath, fragile but unmistakable. 

you didn’t have to do all that, but you did. you’re an idiot, you know? 

your voice continues with the same warmth as always.

even if you are… i’d like to… i don’t know, spend some time together?

minji’s grip on the handle tightens, the weight of your words settling in her chest. she turns fully now, minjeong and wonbin perking their heads at her. her gaze softens as it rests on you. “you don’t owe me anything, only the promise that you’ll rest up.” she mutters, her voice slightly louder than wonbin’s clothes shuffling as he moves his arm a bit. “just take it easy, okay?”

there’s no response, only the steady beeping of the machines beside you. but as minji observes, she catches the faintest twitch of your lips—a subtle movement, tugging into something that’d be a stupid smirk if you were your normal self. it’s barely there, but enough to send a flicker of something unfamiliar through her.

she watches you for a moment more before leaving, not turning back. minjeong and wonbin look at each other, confused, before brushing it off and paying attention to you again.

—

a few days pass, and you’re finally on your feet again. the first steps are unsteady, your legs wobbling like they’re testing the idea of holding your weight, but you manage. besides, the pain in your upper body is worse. 

still, wonbin hovers like a shadow, always within reach. his presence is both comforting and stifling, his sharp eyes darting to every movement you make as if you might topple over an second.

(which, you might. you’re not going to admit it though, he wouldn’t let you have the end of it.)

it’s not just during the usual times either. at lunch he’s seated right next to you, arms crossed and jaw tensed. occasionally, he glances toward minji whenever she approaches, staying in your peripheral as you two laugh over something he doesn’t know the context of.

the hallway is no different; as you and minji exchange casual remarks, he lingers a few steps behind, clearly within earshot. minji’s talking about how training is a bit rough after being shot multiple times from the event despite her healing, and wonbin’s behind listening—but not prying. 

even in your room, when minji stops by with a book she claims might “keep you from getting bored,” he’s sitting on the floor against your bed, staring at minji through his frames and folding his arms like some overprotective sentinel.

neither of you mind it for now. minji spares him the occasional smirk or side glance, clearly aware of his hovering, but doesn’t press. sometimes she tries to get him engaged in your conversations, even if it’s about something stupid like ice cream toppings and food arguments. you’ve come to accept his protective streak, considering it exposes him to the minji you’ve grown to care for a lot.

a few days later, though, you’ve had enough. sitting on the porch with wonbin, you watch him from the corner of your eye as he fiddles with his phone, pretending not to be monitoring your every breath. you sigh and turn to him, your tone as light as you can make it. “won, i’m fine. seriously. i’m not going to collapse or break apart.”

he looks up sharply, his brow furrowing. “you’re still recovering. flimsy isn’t fine.”

you laugh softly, shaking your head and rolling your eyes. “flimsy is better than useless, and besides, i need to get back to normal at some point. hovering like a drone won’t make me stronger. you’re like some… medieval guard—that has lasers coming out his eyes.”

his frown deepens, but it’s slightly more playful. for a moment it seems like he might argue, but then he sighs, leaning back against the railing. “i just… i can’t have anything like that happening to you again.”

you reach over, patting his hand briefly. “i know. and i appreciate it. but trust me, i’ve got it. okay?” your fingers link with his and he softens just barely.

he nods reluctantly, muttering something about keeping an eye on you anyway, but you can see the tension in his shoulders start to ease further. a win is a win, you think with a smile, as the two of you sit in comfortable silence before you ask wonbin about how his aim has been getting. he responds with a groan and you chuckle.

—

dishes clinking against each other fills the quiet in the air of the kitchen. you and minji work together to clean up after dinner, the soft hum of the school settling into its evening lull. your movements are methodical, each plate and glass wiped clean and set aside, but your thoughts are anything but calm. every now and then, your look flickers to minji, catching her in the soft glow of the overhead light, her expression focused, her hands steady.

you’re halfway through stacking a set of plates when the words slip out. “i was scared to death,”

minji freezes, her hands pausing mid-reach for a plate. she turns her head, her gaze meeting yours with a hint of surprise. 

you place the plate you’re holding down on the counter and step closer, your heart pounding harder with each step. “when you were on the ground… when they blasted you with those shots and we all had to watch, i though—” your voice wavers, and you swallow hard. “i thought i was going to lose you.”

minji straightens, her eyes softening as they search yours. “you know my abilities,” she says quietly, her tone careful. “i heal. i always heal. shoot me and the bullet will be pushed right out, stab me and the cut will close. those blasts hurt, they weakened me yeah, but i’m in one piece.”

you shake your head, taking another step closer. “i know. but still… seeing you like that—acting like a shield and taking all of that—i just… i didn’t know what to do. i was terrified.”

her eyes widen slightly, and for a moment, the air feels heavier, more charged. you’re standing so close now that you can see every faint scar on her hands that were left when she was younger, the tension in her shoulders.

“you weren’t the only one,” she says softly. “during your recovery… i kept thinking thinking about it, about you. i couldn’t do anything to protect you. it killed me seeing you like that.”

your chest tightens at her words, and before you can think, your arms move on their own. you pull her into a hug, your grip firm but careful. she stiffens for a brief second before she melts into you, her chin resting on your shoulder as her arms trap you tightly. her heartbeat thumps against yours, quick and uneven, matching your own.

“we’re both fine now, at least. that’s all that matters.” minji’s chin moves just a bit against your shoulder as she says it, “as long as you’re with me.”

when you pull back, your hands linger, fingers barely grazing each other’s arms. you stare into her eyes, and something shifts—there’s something in her eyes that wasn’t there before, or maybe you just never noticed.

minji’s cheeks are dusted pink, her lips slightly parted as she takes you in. she thinks you’ve never looked more radiant than you do in this moment, eyes filled with so much care it makes her heart swell.

you, on the other hand, see her in a new light entirely. she’s glowing to you even in the dimmed area. it feels like something undeniable is pulling you towards her. your hands reach over hesitantly, fingers brushing against the skin of minji’s cheek before you hold her there. her ears and brows twitch ever so slightly before she sinks into you, tilting her head into your hand and humming softly. 

“minji, i think i—” 

then, the sound of the door creaking open snaps you both out of it. professor minho steps in, his warm smile immediately taking in the scene. you two pull away, taking two steps back in one motion as you clear your throats. minji feels as if there’s a warmth missing on her cheek.

“i’ll take care of the rest,” he says, his voice calm but knowing. “you two go rest. there’s a lot of action packed recovery and training tomorrow.”

flustered, you make your way out quickly, coughing awkwardly. “yes, of course. thank you professor.” you shoot minji a quick, bashful smile before excusing yourself, your heart still racing as you leave the kitchen area.

minji stays behind, glancing down at her hands before returning to the dishes, her mind replaying the moment over. and as she stands by the sink, she keeps scrubbing the same plate like it’s the only thing she’s programmed to do while her thoughts swirl around in her head.

her heart beats too fast and her cheeks are still too warm.

professor minho watches her with quiet amusement as he picks up a small, dry rag. the comfortable silence lingers for a moment longer before he clears his throat, drawing minji’s attention. 

“you know,” he starts, his tone casual but laced with curiosity, “you’re not usually this distracted.”

minji glances at him, her lips pressing into a thin line as if trying to play it off. “just tired,” she mutters, rinsing the plate and setting it aside before accepting the rag he hands her, drying her hands after.

minho doesn’t press right away, but his knowing look stays fixed on her, patient. finally, he speaks again, softer this time. “how do you feel about y/n?”

the question catches minji off guard. she freezes, her grip tightening on the rag she’s holding. her first instinct is to brush it off, but the weight of everything has her too raw to hide. and plus, the professor doesn’t need to use his powers to read her, or any of the students for that matter.

“she’s,” minji pauses, struggling to find the right words. her voice is quieter now as she leans against the counter with a hand on her face. “she’s the first person i’ve cared about this much in a while.”

minho’s expression softens, his small smile doesn’t fade. “i can see that.” he says simply.

minji looks at him, surprised by his lack of judgment or teasing. “you can?”

he chuckles lightly, nodding as he starts to clean the next few dishes. “i’ve known y/n for a long time. took her in when she had no one else. i’ve seen her grow, especially with wonbin, and struggle and learn and—the latter. she’s been and fought through things that most people wouldn’t spring back up from.” he pauses, his tone growing more thoughtful. “i know how much she cares, how deeply she feels for everyone around her—even if she doesn’t always show it. her and minjeong, wonbin, the professors, the rest of the students… but she cares for you in a very interesting way. she looks at you differently.”

minji’s heart skips a beat, her eyes widening slightly. “how she looks at me?”

minho nods. “it’s the same way you look at her.” he lets the words hang in the air before continuing, putting a dish away as he says, “whatever this is between you two—whatever it becomes—i think it’s good. for both of you.”

minji frowns slightly, her brows furrowing. “wonbin doesn’t seem to think so.”

minho laughs quietly, shaking his head. “wonbin is quite protective,” he explains, “he’s always been that way with y/n. they’ve been through a lot together, and he sees it as his job to keep her safe. but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you.”

minji looks up at him with skepticism painted in her features. “he barely tolerates me.”

“he did,” minho admits, “but ever since the mission, that’s changed drastically. you protected all of them—you protected him and the person he loves most. he sees that now. and whether he’s able to admit it or not, he respects you greatly for it. he even likes you… to an extent.”

minji raises an eyebrow, doubtful but not entirely dismissive. “you’re sure about that?”

minho smiles knowingly. “i’ve known wonbin a long time. trust me, if he didn’t like you, you’d know. the fact that he lingers around while you and y/n are talking? that’s his way of easing into it—and because he doesn’t trust his sister enough while she’s not fully recovered.”

“it’s just…” minji sighs, “i don’t want to make things harder for y/n. she’s been through so much already. i can’t be another scoop of worry on her plate.”

minho finishes washing the last of all the plates, getting lazy and deciding to scrub the silverware with his mind. the spoons behind him lift up and the sponge scrubs on its own in the air as he turns to face minji, leaning against the counter.

“minji, you’re not making things harder for her. if anything, you’re doing the opposite. y/n doesn’t let just anyone in, you know. she’s cautious, careful about who she trusts—and yet, she trusts you. that’s quite remarkable if you ask me.”

she doesn’t respond immediately, her mind replaying the way you had looked at her earlier, the softness in your voice when you spoke. it felt… different. 

“i know both y/n well enough to see when something—or someone—means a lot to her.”

minji meets his gaze, her own uncertain but searching for reassurance.

“you think i mean that much to her?” she asks, almost hesitant to hear the answer.

minho smiles, a small, knowing smile that feels like the answer she’s been looking for. “i don’t think minji. i’m certain. and from what i’ve seen, you feel the same.”

she doesn’t deny it, she can’t. instead, she looks away, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

minho places all the silverware on the drying rack with his mind as he walks over to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “whatever this is between you two, don’t make it more complex than it is. just let it happen, don’t think too far ahead, don’t think too much. y/n doesn’t need perfection—she needs someone who cares. and you’re already doing that.”

she stays silent for a moment, taking in his words.

“and don’t worry about wonbin. he’ll come around fully sooner than you think. i think he already is. he’s just stubborn.” minho assures, taking his hand off of her before grabbing another rag to dry off her hands. “now, you should get yourself to bed. as i said, lots of training tomorrow.”

“right, yes. thank you professor.” minji says, nodding at him before pursing her lips into a smile. 

“anytime, you’re my student afterall.”

minji nods once more before heading to the door. everything falls quiet again, she makes her way down the hallway as her thoughts swirl. it’s only when she gets to her room and closes the door, thinking of the way you’d looked at her earlier. she lets herself smile, just a bit, maybe more than that. 

(she’s grinning from ear to ear)

she thinks that maybe, just maybe, this could work.

—

you and minjeong are paired up for sparring the next day, grinning as soon as the matchup is made. she huffs before raising her fists up, ready to fight. professor hyeri gives you the green light, yelling at the top of her lungs.

there’s the echo of punches meeting gloves and the occasional smack of a body hitting the mat. you and minjeong square off, circling each other. there’s a glint in her eye today—a little more focus, more drive.

it doesn’t take long before you find yourself flat on your back, blinking up at the ceiling with her smirking down at you.

“okay, maybe i’m still not fully recovered,” you groan, the sting to your pride a little heavier than the soreness in your muscles. you take her outstretched hand reluctantly, letting her help you up.

“or maybe,” minjeong leans in just slightly, her voice low enough so that only you can hear, “it’s the girl with the claws.”

heat rises to your face immediately. your grip on her hand loosens, and you shove her playfully as you step back. “you’re out of your mind,” you huff, shaking your head as if you’re dismissing her.

she shrugs, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips as she steps back into position. “am i?”

you roll your shoulders and raise your fists, ready to go again. punches fly between you—sharp jabs, swift swings, and quick dodges that nearly graze skin. despite the physical focus, the conversation doesn’t stop.

“you’ve been different lately,” minjeong says before moving her head to the side to dodge your punch. she aims a kick towards you that you narrowly block.

“i have not,” your tone is just as defensive as your stance.

“there’s something there. something you’re not saying,” she presses, her voice teasing but curious.

you focus on the sparring, refusing to meet her gaze, but it’s getting harder to ignore the way her words chip away at you.

then it happens; minjeong slips. not physically, but her guard falters as she glances at you, and it’s all you need. with a quick step, you sweep her off her feet, pinning her down as you hover just above.

“you’re distracted. maybe less talk, more fight?” you say, breathless but triumphant.

she groans, lighting hitting the mat and rolling her eyes in frustration. there’s no real annoyance in her expression—just a mix of surprise and admiration.

before either of you can say more, your eyes flick to minji, who’s sparring with wonbin a few feet away. her movements are fluid, rapid, and sharp. something about the way she moves, so uncontrollably but with precision at the same time pulls at you.

minjeong notices the shift in your expression immediately. “see? there it is.”

you glance back at her, your grip on her wrist getting weaker as your face heats up again. 

“maybe… something,” you mumble, the words slipping out before you can stop them. 

you’re standing above her, but a quick meeting between her hand and your ankle sends you falling on the mat beside her, making her laugh. another groan slips from your lips, but you smile as you get up when she does, rolling your eyes.

she sits back, watching you with an infuriatingly smug smile.

“i hate you sometimes, you know?” you grumble, shaking your head as you get up.

“you’re welcome!” she says with a light and teasing tone. “water?” she suggests.

“please.”

as you glance at minji one more time, catching her wiping sweat from her brow and laughing softly—surprisingly so—at something wonbin says, you realize minjeong isn’t entirely wrong.

—

by the end of the week you and minji haven’t spent too much time together—not alone at least. just the two of you and comfort in the air.

but now, you and minji sit on the schools rooftop, her legs dangling off the building as the moon shimmers. minji's in one piece, but your arm still has a suture covering a deep cut that’s almost fully healed—plus, there's a scratch still on your neck and pain lingering here and there.

it’s silent for a bit, your shoulders grazing then fully pressing against each other. that is, until minji breaks that quiet of the night.

"i wish i were more like you." minji states plainly, eyes angled down at the ground.

you look at her strangely, then mutter, "what?"

"sometimes i wish i could just figure out what you're thinking of sometimes." minji shrugs, “i’ve been wishing i could just make sense of things. if i could read minds and all that… maybe i could.”

"people who can't hold themselves back from doing that aren't the right ones to have my power, minji."

“i have self control, you know?” she chuckles and you raise a brow. she just shakes her head and smirks, looking back up at the moon in the sky. "i wouldn't pry into minds like that."

"sure you wouldn't." you scoff, dangling your feet.

"have you ever read my mind? other than... when i asked you to?” her voice is softer now.

"i don't like reading people's minds without permission, consent isn't just physical."

“so you haven’t…?”

“minji, i wouldn’t. not unless you ask me. i wouldn’t read any minds unless explicitly ordered, or something.”

minji turns to face you now, smiling at you. "what, you're afraid you'll like it if you read me?"

"ugh." you move your hand just a bit, your fingers softly land on top of minji's knuckles. she tightens her jaw and you smile. "you're an idiot."

"read my mind y/n." minji insists lowly, her voice near a hum. she shifts herself closer, your noses are half a finger apart. your fingers slide past her knuckles and up the back of her hand, your nails press against her just barely. "c'mon, you have my permission."

“there’s nothing in that hollow skull of yours.”

“hey!”

“am i wrong?”

“yes! just read it.”

looking at her, you shake your head lightly. minji’s smiling at you, her eyes moving from your own eyes and down to your lips here and there. she looks at you like that and you think that whatever you feel for her isn’t just maybe, it’s been a big certainly. and maybe it’s always been there, maybe she was always so nice to look at, talk to, and really just someone you were completely attracted to in the end. 

the moon shines perfectly, the wind rustles her hair just a bit, and everything falls into place.

you lean closer, tilting your head and making minji grip the edge of the rooftop. your lips ghost over hers and your eyes are half-lidded before you murmur, "i don't need to use my powers to read your mind, to know what you want.”

minji feels lips pressing against her own, immediately reciprocating and cupping your cheek with her free hand. your hand grips hers tightly as she deepens the kiss, the hand on your cheek sliding towards the back of your head and the nape of your neck.

you pull away, smiling bashfully and turning away to hide your face. minji giggles, the sound echoes in the air and makes you smile harder. her hand is still on the back of your neck and you feel her pushing your head towards her so she can press a light kiss in your hair.

when you finally turn back to meet her face to face, she's smirking smugly, the look she gives you is enough to let you know that she’s about to tease the life out of you, so you use your powers, bringing two fingers up, bending them towards you to make her gasp as she involuntarily moves forward. you kiss her lips again to stop her before some snarky remark leaves her mouth.

she manages to pull away mid-kiss to sneak in a quick, "cute," before you pull her back in by the collar of her t-shirt.

—

minji stays the night in your room, you couldn’t bear being a few rooms away from her after knowing what her lips feel and taste like.

she watches you stretch, run a hand through your hair, and sigh as you flop onto your mattress. you stay there, breathing in, out, and open your eyes just barely to look at minji, who’s still standing.

“come, don’t stand there like an idiot.” 

minji chuckles. “coming.”

she strips out of her crewneck sweater and sweatpants, to which you enjoy the scene greatly before she’s just in a tank top and boy shorts. she rubs her face before getting in bed with you both of you beside each other for a moment on yours sides, eye to eye.

you pull the blanket to cover both of you, especially minji.

“you know, i hated you so much when you first got here.” you admit, your eyes trailing down the curve of her nose and to her lips. “you almost killed me.”

“sorry about that.”

you smile, sighing contentedly. “i think getting to know you more made up for it.” you nearly whisper, then shuffle closer to kiss her lips briefly. 

minji wraps her arm around you, keeping you close to her and humming. you close your eyes, finding comfort in her warmth.

“i think i love you.” minji’s voice is practically a breath.

“i think i love you as well.”

—

the sunlight is filtered by the window, which leaves a subtle glow on your face and minji’s cheek. minjeong pushes open your door, her footsteps are a little loud as she steps inside, ready to wake you up annoyingly. 

you’re not one to sleep in, you’re actually the early bird who’s waking her up. but it’s nearly nine and training is at ten and breakfast has been ready and—

she freezes in her tracks when she sees the two of you.

you and minji are tangled together in your bed, still deep in sleep. minji’s head rests in the crook of your neck, her breath steady and warm against your skin. one of your legs is draped loosely over hers, while her arm curls protectively around your waist. the rise and fall of your chests follow after each other without any rush. slow and steady. there’s an undeniable sense of comfort in the way you’re both nestled so cozily together.

minjeong hesitates, her lips parting slightly as she takes in the scene. there’s something tender about it, something so peaceful that she almost feels guilty for intruding.

is y/n awake? 

the familiar voice of professor minho echoes in her mind, pulling her back to the moment. she grimaces slightly, knowing she’ll have to explain—and not just to the professor.

“um… not exactly,” she replies out loud, tone laced with uncertainty.

what do you mean, not exactly?

minjeong glances at the bed again, biting her lip before responding. “well, they’re still asleep. both of them. together.” she pauses, “them being y/n and minji. minji’s… kind of clinging onto y/n. really closely.”

there’s silence on the other end, a notable pause that stretches long enough for minjeong to start second guessing herself.

finally, minho’s voice cuts through again, calm and composed. 

let them sleep in. i think they need it.

minjeong blinks, slightly surprised by his response, but she can sense the faint warmth and smile in his tone.

“are you sure?” she asks, her gaze flicking back to the two of you. neither of you has stirred, both lost in the serenity of the moment. 

they’ve been through a lot. they deserve the rest, minho replies simply, the weight of his words settling over her. and you haven’t finished breakfast. ah, also, you should go and explain things to wonbin, he’ll take it fine—i would assume.

“right,” minjeong nods to herself, stepping back quietly. she closes the door with care, leaving you and minji undisturbed. when she turns around, she’s met with wonbin, who’s a few steps from your bedroom door.

“is she awake? and where is minji?” he questions, tilting his head.

“how do i explain this…”

“...what?”

“just… look into her room.”

wonbin raises a brow before stepping past her, slowly opening the door to see the same sight minjeong saw before: you, minji, and coziness etched into your features and painted in the way your limbs meet.

he doesn’t know what to say, or do. he simply stares, observing the expressions. 

“are you mad?” minjeong asks in a hushed whisper.

wonbin doesn’t respond for a moment, instead, tensing his jaw like he always does. he sighs, exhaling deeply.

“i don’t think i’ve ever seen her sleep that well.” he murmurs, “she looks so… peaceful.”

“minji does too.” minjeong peeks in, agreeing with him.

“i’m not mad,” he finally answers the question, “as long as my sister is happy.”

he smiles when you turn just a bit to throw your arm over minji, pushing her closer to you as if she were a teddy bear. you mumble something incoherent and sleepily press a kiss into minji’s hair subconsciously. 

wonbin’s smile grows just a bit, then he steps out with minjeong and closes the door as quietly as he can. he starts walking towards the stairs, with minjeong catching up and walking beside him as he puts his hands in his pockets, looking ahead of him.

wonbin sighs, a mix of content and something joyous. 

“i can’t be mad when my sister’s that happy.”

[twptwp]

How do you feel about Bill Ciphers 'canon' human form Alex Hirsch drew on stream? I am conflicted because it seems to equate facial / body differences with villainy but it also might also be over the top enough for it to nullify

Hubba hubba!! THAT'S a good question!!!

Big discussion under cut

While this design does indeed exaggerate features a lot it does rather work for the character itself as opposed to being a villainization of those features on their own which I believe makes it good.

He is actually triangle shaped for one, Bill is The Triangle he kind of needs that for me. This guy is old and 'imperfect' and has a "weird eye" which is exactly how he is as a triangle. I don't think he looks bad, he just is really old and his human body reflects this. Spindly hair reminds me of his spindly limbs. He has displayed several big mouths in the show which make the big mouth in the design make sense too.

I know a lot of people just think of it for its "shock value" but as a humanization for Bill it works well. If more Bill humanizations leaned into him being fat old weird triangle with facial deformity in reference to his eye deformity in Euclydia maybe I would like them more haha!

I rather him be deformed and strange than conventionally attractive, because as a character... He IS deformed and strange, at least in his home dimension, so it makes sense to transfer these things over to the third dimension too. He is different and that's okay, that's not what makes the guy bad.

The discussion of the villainization of unique body features is one to be discussed when it comes to villain character designs. Villains are allowed to be ugly, but it becomes a problem when people center on that and make that a key "bad thing". If you look at "canon human Bill" and think the design itself is what makes it evil do reconsider and think about it; that's not great.

In conclusion...

I like it ( ⊙ )👍It's one of the better examples for direct humanization of a character and while he does have many unique features they all roll well with who Bill Cipher himself is. Bill Cipher is a unique guy, I think it reflects him well.

[anomaly-hivemind]

We’ll meet again || Double penetration in one hole and public w/ Bill cipher x fem reader

Word Count: 1993

Masterlist

Tag: Double penetration in one hole, vaginal sex, Exhibitionism, public, Overstimulation, dubcon

Note: The reader is slightly black-coded. Nickname is Dimples or honey lips

You got a full time job at this mystery shack in the middle of the forest. You had been working there for maybe a total of three months with little to no issues, until it became the start of the summer. Then came two young kids and all the oddities that seem to have started when they got there. Staying with their Grunkle which was also your boss, you got to know everyone well.

“Hey Y/N do you mind watching over the shack for me for a few hours, I’m taking Mable and Dipper out for a bit” Stan said while already basically out the door so you just nod. It was a long slow hour of nothingness, maybe an old lady or two but nothing interesting to make you pay attention to anything.

“So one save me from this boredom,” You groan and rub your forehead. You could only play with pens and paper clips for so long. You heard a ring and turned to face the door, but there wasn’t anyone around as far as you could tell.

“I’ve only seen you around recently how fun” A voice behind you makes you turn to it with wide eyes and you lean against the register. A guy who didn't really seem all there was standing behind the counter with you. ‘Where did this bum come from, how the fuck did he get behind you in th first place.’ You thought with a panic as you looked at the unnatural yellow glow in his eyes and felt like he was peering into your soul nonconsensually might you add.

“Sir you can’t be behind the counter” You try to keep a kind voice in hope to not upset the potential crackhead that had wandered into the mystery slack.

“BuUt I came to answer your pleas of boredom dimples. definitely not to find something of importance. ” He spoke dramatically before mumbling something under his breath.

“My what now.. Sir please just set back into being in front of the counter.” Instead of doing what you asked, he took a step closer and unfortunately for you that ass of yours was not moving any closer to the register than you already were.

He moved his arms on both sides of you and smiled an uncanny smile that made you shiver. Next thing you know you are moving onto the counter to escape his attempt to trap you. Like hell were you gonna get murdered by some random probably drunk stranger for drug money. You liked it here but not enough to get yourself killed and mutilated for it.

“That tremble of yours is pretty cute Honey lips, filling my head with all kinds of things.” you make a run to the door but before you could open it the yellow eyed guy stood in front of the door blocking the fastest exit out.

The room felt cold and shaped all of sudden and you felt like you were a deer in headlights. You couldn't move anything but move your head which is what tipped you off that this was no normal paralysis.

“What the hell did you do to me!” You yelled at him in a concerned voice. The guy uses your stuck body to lean against your shoulder.

“You have a pleasing meatsuit Dimples.” he whispered in your ear.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?!” your voice got shaky as you tried to keep the confidence you definitely didn’t have right now.

“Name’s Bill! But you can call me your new lord and master for all of eternity!” The guy’s body drops to the ground in front of you and out comes a bright yellow triangle with one eye and a top hat pops up in his place floating around. “Oh so i’m tripping balls right now, inhaling the wrong type of air that's what going on right now.”

“I am very real despite what that simple brain of yours thinks.” he rolls his eye at you as he flies around you in a close circle.

“You are nuts.” you shake your head, who would have thought that your mundane need to cure your boredom would lead to… well whatever this was right now.

“Well it's not my fault your corrupt mind brought my attention, so what was it you wanted Dimples.” you don't answer so he speaks again.

“Entertainment was it, well honey lips consider me willing to entertain…But in exchange you gotta entertain me.”

“How would i do that” you felt dumb even entertaining this Dorito thing.

“How ‘bout I reverse the functions of every hole on your face.” his eyes smiled or so that's what you think his face was doin at least.

“How about no.”

“No fun boo, mhm how about something we both can enjoy” He had his hand in front of his face where his chin would have had if he wasn’t, well if he wasn’t a triangle.

“Like what?”

“You'll just have to take the chance and Trust me.” There was a slight giggled that came from his lip face. his hand lit up in a blue fire and you realized you could move again.

“But why are you doing this?” you tried to ask but he only gives you a cryptic answer.

“Boredom is my worst enemy, so I'm here to save you,” he said loudly.

You were definitely going to regret this lapse in judgment you were about to have. You raised your hand and shook the demon's hand with great hesitation. ‘Was I fucking stupid, i gotta be brain dead to shake the hand of a demon who gave me vague information of his probably dangerous arrangement i agreed to already. Sign my life way I guess.’

He snapped his fingers and your clothes were gone, you let out a shrill as you covered the important bits the best you could.

“No amount of gold on earth can buy originality…but you're come close enough.” Move your arms away.

You felt very exposed, you were naked in your work space in front of this triangle being of unknown origins. You were in the middle of the room and anybody could come inside the place, hell Stan and the kids could come back at any time then next thing you know it you’re a register offender. You could only hope that what this chip shaped man demon thing had in planned for you wouldn’t last that long.

In a flash Bill grows a body and keeps his triangle head that has changed into a pyramid. He was also equally as naked as you are, Plus he looked Hot to add to it. You look him up and down but your eyes get stuck on a thing well two things actually. Two dark cocks that were long and thick at his base, erect and twitching. You were staring at them and you were drooling a bit. It was embarrassing.

“This form pique your interest?” He stroked himself slowly as if he was giving a show for you. You don’t catch yourself nodding to his question and before you know it he is up against you, dick touching you everytime he curves it in a stroke. He moved you closer to the counter, your bare ass touching the desk.

“Let's get started, Honey lips.” he rubbed the tips over your fold and let out a funny happy sounding noise.

“So wet already~ who would have thought you could be so needy and wanting.” he pushed one of his veiny cocks into you, all the way to in until kissed it on your cervix. You let out a loud squeal like moan as you arched your back. There was no way you were going to cum, not from him just sliding into you…right.

“Feel free to cum at any time, I'm super giving Dimples.” he started to move his hips, your pussy regards no shame as it makes wet squelches as he tickles your g-spot. Your hole sucking in him it's making you feel like a slut.

“Fuckin… Ah~” you feel your legs start to shake from his mean pace inside of you. Bill starts to push his other cockhead and you clench around them. You cum around them as soon as he pushes the other one all the way inside as well. Stretching you out like never before, it felt like you were touching stars.

You have no time to recover from his movement because he doesn't stop, letting out a groan and mumbling to himself about how snug your pussy felt around him. Your ears burn as he teases you for cumming so fast and mentioning how he was just getting started with you. He starts to push almost all the way out before ramming back into out then repeating. Your eyes start to water as you reach another climax right after the other.

“You are mighty easy to please Honey lips.” he groaned and pushed you over on the counter, you were now laying back on the cold desk in a daze as he held your legs up at his waist. Your walls flutter around the girth of the two dicks of his inside of you.

“I can’t take it!” you whine as you feel an orgasm number who knows you're not keeping track start to approach you.

“Limits only exist in the mind.” Bill rolled his hips at an odd angle that it was almost like his dicks were moving at different times. He gives a squeeze to your breast and you shiver.

He kept moving his hips in this devious way that was starting to make you spasm and moan. Bill moved his hand down your body and he started to play and tease your clit, the whole action makes you choke out a cry as you feel a pool of wet hit yours and his thighs. ‘Did I just?!’

“YOU DID?” He answers your thoughts with an overly happy tone that was embarrassing. He kept thrusting his hips into you and circling your clit and you impulse your legs shut. You didn't think you could cum anymore but this DEMON has proved that to not be true in the slightless.

“Can you try not to lose consciousness, it won't make me stop.” He spoke through breathy groans. Bill’s words make you clench around you again, you could see the specks of darkness forming in your vision but you try to shake them off.

He slammed his hips into you at a breathtaking pace, his was slower and harder and it literally took your breath out of your lungs with each thrust. You could feel him twitching in you, a dead give away that he was close to coming. His pace brought you back to another painful yet pleasuring orgasm, his hand went back to your clit to run a slow tight pattern on you.

His hips sputter and he comes in heavy thick ropes of cum, filling you up like a pie. Pools of his seed dripped out of you when he pulled out of you a bit too fast for comfort. You let out a quick whine.

“Your a fun time Dimples, really know how to keep up with me.” he changed back to his triangle form. You try to get up but the sudden movements make your ears ring and thighs send you any single they can. You look up at Dorito demon as he watches you struggle a bit.

“We’ll meet again, Honey lips.” his eye curls as his way of a smile, then he poofed out of nowhere.

Now you need to get some clothes before anyone sees you like this…And to wipe the cameras.

[kajaono]

„Don’t get invested in a love triangle, Zetian“

Zetian: „don’t you know basic physics? A triangle is the most stabile shape“

Zetian: *keeps on bringing up that argument and dates two boys*

Xiran Jay Zhao really looked at this 👇 and said: hold my beer, I am gonna reference that in my book“

[rootspiral]

Agatha All Along deep dive: episode 4 part 5

(Wandavision entries: [1][2][3])

(AAA entries: ep1 [1][2][3][4] ep2 [1][2][3][4] ep3 [1][2][3] ep4 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][+1] ep5 [1][2][3][4][5] ep6 [1][2][3] ep7 [1][2][3][4][5][6] ep8 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] ep9 [1][2][3][4][5][6])

alice so hesitant at the piano

lol even the harpy thought it was shitty for agatha to snatch the main role

✨emoting through the pain✨ you know this dramatic bitch is living for it. and isn't it funny how she knows all the lyrics to lorna's ballad? oh wait not funny I meant painful and devastating.

rio honey it's just cymbals, you're not at coachella

no who am I kidding. you're doing amazing sweetie!!

GIRL.

I know this is cathartic for alice and all, but maybe they could have found a way to make it a tad less dramatic? help her out a little bit? huh, agatha????!?!

that's what I'm saying!! lol she's playing the triangle now

I told you rio can see it!

did I make a separate entry for the song so I can screenshot all the funny faces patti's making? yes, yes I did

and then alice just naturally replaces agatha at the lead? and her voice is so beautiful?? and she's crying and putting all her immense heart and soul into it????

my heart

patti at the maracas!

what in the george a. romero is that

you could go to therapy to learn how to recognize and fight the trauma that shaped your life. or you could do whatever this is.

ooh mama's angry

oh she's fierce. is it just me or is it hot right now? not talking about the literal fire

so cheesy. i llllove it

lol agatha was on the floor doing a grand finale and nobody watched it because alice was outperforming her. and lilia with the tambourine

and this kids is why you tell your mom right away about the gaping wound you got from a metaphorical harpy and you don't let it bleed until you pass out

just... look at agatha in all her deep seated trauma

the way she barks at lilia

the way she begs, she literally begs rio. don't take him away from me again.

and rio looks at her. intrigued, surprised. hurt. and she takes a step back.

"vulnus ab aqua curare", curing the wound with water. when nicky died, agatha was alone. she didn't have a potion witch with her. nobody had ever taught her any healing spells.

“Three of swords.” heartbreak, sorrow, grief. future!lilia witnesses the most devastating tarot yet

the way she looks at jen when the spell works

lilia's soft, oh so soft voice when she says, jennifer, look what you did.

a healer being a healer, no matter what.

the way agatha looks at rio, who didn't take the boy. not this time.

pointing at the saddest most pathetic soaking wet rat of a character: there she is, the love of my life

you guys know what comes next. see ya tomorrow!

go to episode 4 part 6

[colorfullyminded]

TLDR

Okay I cannot believe I'm about to go off like this, but this has been bothering me for awhile, and it's only making me more spiteful. I have been enjoying the influx of Billford art lately. Amazing, great wonderful. What I have Not been enjoying, is the absolute vitriol the Billdip fans have been getting since the influx of TBOB. I was a billdip shipper for awhile. Hell I was a billdip shipper when I was a Parapines shipper-- I liked shipping Dipper with boys. I was also like 14 or 15 at the time. Obviously, if you follow me now, you'll probably notice what my main ship for Dipper is. I grew out of Billdip, and moved on to Pinescone. I have been shipping Pinescone for 10 years. However, not once did I go around saying "Lol, glad I matured and became a better person and shipped something healthier", nor did I post in the billdip tag, condeming people for a fictional ship! And saying mine was better because it was less problematic.

"I'm really glad people stopped shipping Bill and Dipper together. Bill is a 1000 year old triangle demon, and Dipper is 13--" Stop. Repeat what you just said.

"Bill is 1000 year old triangle--"

Repeat that last word to me. "....triangle?" TRIANGLE! I'm sorry what?! This ship is already completely wild enough. You're getting mad at this fictional age gap-- AND BILL IS A FUCKING SHAPE! A FUCKING SHAPE! This ship was weird from the moment GO! And Billford isn't any better. IT'S STILL A SHIP WITH A FUCKING SHAPE! And you're going to sit on your high horse and look down on the Billdip community. On top of it-- they have an age gap too! Bill is still thousands of years old or whatever-- however long it's been, who knows? And Ford was in his 20s or so when he met Bill. That's still a huge, ridiculous age gap-- that Bill could easily use and manipulate; which he did....and then also caught feelings and became a sad ex, but that's beside the point~ Both of these ships are still insane. And again, the bigger thing I think people are just ignoring about these ships--is that Bill is a TRIANGLE! THREE LINES CONNECTED TOGETHER! And this is the hill you're going to die on? ...Cause apparently it's mine. First of all-- as many people pointed out-- Ford Pines did not exist until the second half of the final season. People couldn't ship Fordbill because there wasn't any Ford to introduce.

"Well, even before Ford, I never shipped Billdip! I always disliked it." ...Okay, that's totally fine. Not everyone needs to like or agree on the same ship. Lord knows there's probably people who don't really care for Pinescone either. There's a lot of popular ships that I can't stand. But I'm don't go into a ship tag I don't like, screaming to a void for self validation. I don't go around mocking other people for ships that they had in 2014-- or even still today! It doesn't matter! I did that when I was a kid-- and then realized that was rude, and it was better to just ignore the ships I didn't like and enjoy the ones that made me happy. And grow a community of kind, like minded friends. And listen, I am all for safe spaces and being able to block things that make you uncomfortable. I am not saying people who find the BillDip ship uncomfortable to be idiots or babies or overly sensitive-- or anything like that. I think if something makes you uncomfortable, that is okay and I think it's perfectly fine to blacklist a tag that you don't want to see. I also think it's imperative that people tag things as accurately as they can so people looking at your work can know if one of your pieces has a thing that they don't like-- and therefore can avoid. What I don't appreciate is the fanhate for this ship that is sprouting up like weeds. You can not like something, you can be disgusted by it (I have my Gravity Falls ships I can not stand, nor do I feel comfortable with), but attacking real people for a FICTIONAL SHIP-- two characters who are drawings on a piece of paper and can not be affected mentally, physically or emotionally by fanwork; who still retain the same shape after everything we put them through-- to the point that you send death threats, or threaten to Doxx, or just harass relentlessly, I have always found that more childish and disgusting. You are causing real world pain to people. Me fucking up Dipper Pines is not going to do anything to him-- because he doesn't actually exist. He's a cartoon character. I could squash him and stretch him in Wonka's taffy machine--- I could throw him mock speed at a wall and watch him explode on impact-- but he still exists. He's not dead; I can pick him up and dust him off, and If I wanted-- I could decide that eh, 'Not a scratch on him'. And I'd be right. Because he is a cartoon character, and I am just a fangirl. I can not change anything about him-- I have no ability to make anything I headcanon canon. And even if I was the original artist-- it doesn't change the fact that Dipper would still be nothing more than a creation. A construct of shapes; he can not be hurt or traumatized in a way that leads to real life consequences-- because he is not real. I am not a cartoon character. My friends are not cartoon characters. Artist and Writers who stay in their lane...are not cartoon characters. If you hurt us...it will linger. It will leave a scar. If you can not tell the difference between Fiction and Reality, then I think maybe media might be too much to handle-- and I think you need to really reevaluate yourself.

And just to vent some other things that i keep seeing that are frustrating: You can't claim the twins are only 13-- and then on August 31st go "Happy 20-something Birthday Mabel and Dipper!" And then proceed to drop a picture of them as adults. Well which is it? Do they age or not? Because Gravity Falls showed them canonically aging. If you think the twins age-- then you can't suddenly turn around and go, 'no you can't ship them-- Dipper is a child!' but you drew him as an adult. So sorry, it looks like you can't draw the twins grown up anymore. You claimed they're 13, so better draw them 13 forever--. Aged up stories and works exist for a reason, especially for a fan who grew up on the series. The characters might have grown up alongside them. It's not unlikely for a person to ship Billdip when Dipper is much older.

And on that note, for people who are like 'well older billdip is fine-- it's just people shipping him during the show that deserve to die.' Okay... and like I said, this rant is coming from a recent influx of Billford shippers spitting on Billdip shippers. You know? The TOXIC Old Man Yaoi!

You're still shipping something that is problematic. You are still shipping something twisted and wrong. And I am not judging you. I am here for this divorced arc. I am thriving. But you can't just pick and choose what is and isn't okay. And let me first off explain; if there is something that personally triggers you about a toxic ship, and you want to avoid that-- again, perfectly understandable. Perfectly reasonable. You are the makers of your content space. And I am not judging anyone for that. I want people to be safe. I want people to have a good time in fandom spaces. I want people to not have to deal with the things that upset them or frighten them, or disgust them. But you can not say one is fine, and one is not. They're both bad! They're both toxic. In real life, these ships would both be charged with serious crimes! And yes, there are some crimes that are worse than others, and if you asked me what I thought was more problematic-- I'd say Billdip-- but both of these ships are extreme, and severe in their problematic content. You are still consuming problematic content. If it's a personal thing, that's fine; avoid it. But don't sit there throwing stones from your glass house.

[jamsterrr]

N. RIKI . . . MY BIGGEST HEADACHE: BET CHAPTER ⭑.ᐟ

ni-ki. assistant coach. tears. “ why are you so offended over a dare? ”. dickhead. annoyed. arguments. hugs and cuddles.

description. eventually after you found out about being a dare, you were crushed. you didn’t know what to do or even want to show your face. but when ni-ki refused to leave you alone, even after you made it clear you were done, what will happen?

words : 3.6k

ni-ki x female!reader

contains. ‼️ ; sap , cussing , face slap , mentions of depression , betrayal , plot twist ( let me know if i missed anything ! )

part 1: my biggest headache | part 2: mbh: bet chapter

link to my masterlist . . . !

tag list : @honey-bunnysweet , @aniasproblems , @da1e3e , @chaeugwi , @prkhoonlvr , @im-yn-suckers , @en-chantedtomeetyou — couldn’t tag everyone! hopefully y’all can find this !

here we are! the long awaited part 2 ! i hope everyone enjoys it as much as i did writing for it!

⊱ ━━━━.⋅ εïз ⋅.━━━━ ⊰

You didn't know what to feel. You were so hurt and betrayed. Being as you were basically just a joke to the whole basketball team that you put so much time and effort into. It was also the fact that your best friend was in on the "dare". You cried your eyes out that night, your tears soaking your pillow. Were you seriously just something for them to laugh about? Something for them to joke about?

Why should you even care what they thought about you in the first place? It wasn't that you cared, - who are you kidding, you cared. You didn't like being played as a joke. Why should you even be crying about it?

You heard the front door open, finally letting your body sit up, but you stayed in bed. All you wanted to do was sleep, was that so bad? Glancing over, you checked the time. It was a little past - 2 am. Good thing you didn't have school tomorrow. You heard a pair of footsteps coming up the stairs, your door slightly ajar. Heeseung poked his head into your room, his face immediately dropping with concern. "Y/N, what's wrong? Are you crying?" he spoke, stepping into your room. His clothes were changed into something comfortable; you shook your head. Not wanting to bother him with your problems after the amazing day and game he had.

Bu he wasn't giving up that easy. The male made his way into your room, his eyes softening as he looked at you. "I know something's wrong. Who do I have to beat up?" he asked seriously.

A slight smile spread across your face as you sighed and looked at him. Being thankful that you had a brother like him. But - if only he knew.

"It- It's nothing" you stuttered out, but his face knew you were hiding something from him. "Y/N." He said but you shook your head, taking your brother's hand, looking at him, tears brimming in your eyes. "It's just hormones, I'm on my period." you laughed, joking but hoping the male would take the hint that you didn't want to talk about it. Hell, you couldn't even find the words even if you wanted. You were blind about the situation. Only having one piece. Heeseung just nodded and sighed. "Maybe we could both get some sleep hm? Talk about it tomorrow maybe?" he asked and you nodded, wrapping your arms around the male, taking a deep sigh.

Hugging him always comforted you, he was your safety net. Something you needed in a time like this. "Okay." you said simply. The two of you reluctantly pulled away from the hug before he got up. "Night Y/n, see you in the morning" he said, giving you a heart shaped smile before he made his way out your door and to his room. You sighed deeply and got up, shutting the door and getting back into your bed. You pulled out your phone and went to Sunoo's contact as you saw the picture of the two of you together. They were photobooth pictures, one's the two of you adored. His hand was on your cheek, his big smile and eye smile evident. Your smile bright and hands behind his, shaped in triangles to represent fox ears.

The day brought back memories as the tears brimming in your eyes fell, falling onto your phone as you quickly wiped them away, hesitating a little as you pressed the ' block this caller ' ID. You couldn't understand why he would even participate in such a thing like that. It was horrible.

You quickly discarded your phone to the side, sniffling as you hugged your knees. Feeling a piece of your heart breaking. Why you.

Finally, the tears had stopped, and you drifted off to a deep sleep, something you needed. You didn't even hear the alarm that was sounding, a grumbling Heeseung walking to your room, poking you, shaking you. "Y/N, turn it off." the male griped as you groaned and slapped your phone, turning off the alarm.

"Thank you." He mumbled, making his way back to his room.

"Shh~" you shushed the male. Falling back asleep.

--

"I don't want to go today!" you pleaded with your older brother who was grabbing you by your foot, dragging you off the bed, your grip on your bed rails tight. Heeseung groaned. "Y/n, you can't skip school again." He emphasized, sighing as he let your foot go.

The weekend went by fast. You got your parents to let you stay home on Monday. On Tuesday you complained about your throat hurting. "Sunoo, has been asking me about you ASAP, and the boys at practice. You need to come to school." He said sternly. "Fuck them, I don't care. I don't want to go." You groaned and frowned, puffing out your cheeks.

"Okay, well. If you're not going, then I'm not going. I'm going to stay right here in your bed. With you. All day." the male said, starting to take off his shoes. "What?! no." You replied, standing up.

"Yep." "Why do you care if I go or not!" You whined and crossed your arms. "Because I know there is something you're not telling me. And I don't like it. I know you're not sick, so don't even try it. Since you won't tell me or let me at least try and let understand, then I have no choice, but you be by you" Heeseung explained as you groaned. "Fine, I'll go to stupid school."

"I'm glad you see it my way" the male smiled and put his shoes back on. "I'll be waiting." and with that, the male went downstairs, waiting on you as you got dressed, mentally trying to prepare yourself for school, hoping it would run smoothly, but just with your luck, who knew how it would go?

--

After you got dressed, Heeseung and you made it to the school with you frowning. You truly weren't ready to face whatever it was that was going on. Why were you a dare? Is the question that kept running through your mind.

"Whatever it is you're going through, you can get through it." Heeseung spoke as he shut off the car and got out, locking the doors after you exited the car. You made your way inside the school building. A wave of shock hitting your body as you stood, looking down the halls. "Just do what you need to do, and leave." you repeated to yourself as you walked down the halls, hoping to not bump into anyone as Heeseung split with you, walking down the hallway with his arm wrapped around his girlfriend's waist.

You walked to your locker, putting in the pin as you saw an envelope fall out, carefully bending down, you picked it up. All that read on it was, "Y/N, open."

You sighed, taking a deep breath, deciding not to entertain whatever messed up game they were playing with you. You were the main character, right? So, this should be how you want your game to go. Not theirs.

Shutting the locker, you were met with a familiar face. The bright smile of your ex best friend to you, Sunoo. "Oh my god Y/N, why haven't you been at school? I've been worried sick, and you haven't been answering any of my messages, what's going on?"

Just hearing his voice that used to bring you calmness, made you boil with anger. You started to speak as you looked at him, a bit of anger and heartbreak evident in your eyes. He gently placed his hands on your shoulder and looked at you. "You can tell me anything, What's wrong. You look hurt..." he mumbled as you scoffed.

You clenched the envelop tightly that you held in your hand, glaring at him. "Are you really going to sit in my face and look at me like that? Like I'm some kind of joke. I know what you did Sunoo." You spoke coldly as he widened his eyes. You could tell there was a hint of guilt evident as you scoffed. "Wh-what are you talking about?" the male stuttered and you rolled your eyes, tears brimming in them. "You made a bet. A stupid dare, on your best friend. How could you?!" you asked the male, hurt in your eyes as you felt a pang of heartache in your chest.

Sunoo looked at you and shook his head. "No, Y/N please, I promise it wasn't like that. I didn't know what i was betting on or getting into." He spoke, reaching out and taking your hands, brushing his thumb against your knuckles. You wanted so badly to pull your hands away. "What do you mean?" you asked curiously, not sure if you should trust anything he was saying to you. Sunoo sighed and started speaking...

( Sunoo's POV )

The male walked down the beautiful brick walkway of the campus, a soft " wave to earth " song playing his headphones as he was going to meet you, spotting Sunghoon, Jake, Jungwon, Ni-ki and Nicholas sitting by the waterfall, he stopped lightly as his eyes bounced from each boy who seemed to be having a grand time. "Ew." he said in his mind, a slightly judgmental look.

Their laughter growing louder and louder, making the male grow more annoyed. He knew he didn't have to stand there and listen, but something about the situation wasn't right. Sunoo sighed before attempting to walk away but was soon called over once he was spotted by Sunghoon, a sly smile coming from the male's lips. Sunoo sighed before he crossed his eyes and made his way over to the males, removing one side of the headphone as he stared down at Sunghoon.

Sunghoon looked at the male and smiled. "We gave Ni-ki a dare, want to put a bet in?" he asked with a coy smile. "No." Sunoo groaned and looked at the male. Sunghoon pouted his lips out before grabbing Sunoo's hand. "Why not. It'll be fun." Sunghoon spoke. "What's the stupid dare? And why do you want me to bet on it so bad?" Sunoo asked, him gently pulling his hand away. "We can't say." Ni-ki smiled and Sunoo laughed, scoffing. "Then why should I put money in?".

"Because I'll go on a date with you Sunghoon smiled and stood up, towering over the slightly shorter male. Sunoo could feel his cheeks heating up as he cleared his throat. "Fine.. What's the starting bid?" Sunoo asked and Sunghoon smirked. Nicholas spoke. "$70, for yes. $80, for no". Sunoo sighed and took out his phone, sending Ni-ki $70. "I hope whatever you're betting on. You all lose." Sunoo glared and stomped off.

He looked at you with soft eyes, a bit of pleading in them. “Please believe me, I would never ever hurt you on purpose with something like that.” He spoke, his eyes searching your face for a possible answer. “It was stupid for you to bet on something you didn’t even know about.” You frown, your voice breaking. A but of relief from your shoulders. Feeling bad for even doubting Sunoo in the first place. Looking at him as tears escaped your eyes. Sunoo’s thumb gently wiped the tears that escaped, pulling you in for a close hug. You wrapped your arms around him, smiling and sniffling a little. You were relieved that your bestfriend didn’t participate in the bet on purpose. Does it make what he did right? No. But is this a start to forgiveness? Yes.

The two of you separated from the hug. A but of silence between the two, the only noise being heard was the students walking through the hallways; talking — laughing — whining and their footsteps. The bell rung for you two to get to class. "Sunoo wait." You grabbed his hand as he made his way to his class. "What's up Y/N?" The male asked.

"I need you to tell Ni-ki to go to the locker room at the end of the day. Say anything to get him there." You said, your eyes filled with determination as Sunoo nodded, a small smile on his face. "Anything for you. But what are you going to do?" the male asked, and you hummed "You'll see." Is all you said before making your way to your class, a sinister smile appearing on your face.

--

Sunoo hummed as he sat in class, his eyes darting over to Ni-ki and Jungwon who actually seemed to be focused on classwork and the task they were assigned at hand. Sunoo hummed and got up, taking a seat next to the two. "Hey Ni-ki?" he started as Ni-ki smiled and looked over at him, humming in response. "Can you meet me behind the bleachers afterschool?" Sunoo asked. "Oh Sunoo, and here I thought you were interested in Sunghoon all along" the male teased, Jungwon snickering. "Trust me, it's not like that" Sunoo said rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious. I need to talk to you about something serious." Sunoo lied. The male laughed and nodded. "Okay fine, I'll be there" He spoke. Sunoo grinned and made his way back to his original seat, going back to focusing on his work with a smirk. "What do you think he wants?" Jungwon asked and Ni-ki just shrugged. "Probably not something serious, maybe he just wants to play with me." He said, scribbling on his paper.

"Are you gonna go?" Jungwon hummed, looking over at the males scribbling. Ni-ki nodded. "Yeah, why not."

--

You were anxious, you couldn't wait for the end of the day. It was time to get the payback you needed, to let Ni-ki know that you weren't the one to be played with. Like before. You are the main character of your story. Not the other way around.

Staring at the clock you wished the time could go by faster and before you knew it. It was 2:15. The final bell of the day sounded as you headed to your locker. Once you opened it, the envelope that you had earlier fell out as you picked it up, opening it as you shoved your bag into the locker, taking a deep sigh before opening the envelope. Inside was a picture of you and Ni-ki sharing a kiss in the car, but the photo was from outside the car, near a bush by your house. "Sick." You thought to yourself. A small frown and anger boiling over you. "God."

Ni-ki made his way to the bleachers, ducking as he stood under them. Waiting for Sunoo. "Hey." You said sternly, looking at the male. Ni-ki wouldn't be lying if he said he was shocked to see you. "Oh, hey Y/N" he spoke with the same cold tone that you gave him. You scoffed. The nerve of this dude.

"What do you want?" The male asked, staring down at you. You looked up at him. Keeping your face on. There was no way you were letting this dude belittle you. Not after the embarrassment he put you through. Though it wasn't spread throughput the school. You just couldn't get over the fact that you were a bet. Why? "What was your bet between you and your friends?" You asked boldly.

"Bet?" He questioned, laughing a little. "What bet?"

You raised your eyebrow. Was this dickhead seriously acting like he didn't know?

"Ni-ki, no offense. But don't fucking play with me.": You groaned. Honestly sick of him and his attitude.

“Look Ni-ki! I don’t have time for your games.” You snapped, balling your fist. “You’ve been such a dick to me ever since I’ve became the assistant coach. What the fuck is your problem?!” You shouldn’t, stepping closer. The male furrowed his brows, glaring down at you. “Calm your attitude Y/N. You’re getting mad at the wrong guy” he growled at you as you swung your hand back, slapping the male, your hand flying to your mouth.

You expected for the male to hit you back, maybe even push you down but he just looked at you with a sinister smile. Rubbing his cheek slightly. “Damn, you have a nice tight hook there.” He smiled and gently backed you against the back wall. Pinning you against it as he leaned down, whispering in your ear, his hot breathe pushing against it. “Want to know what happened?”

Even though you were pissed, you couldn’t stop how your body shuddered as the male leaned over you, whispering into your ear.

‘I hate attractive people’ you thought as you pushed the males chest. It sadly was one of your weaknesses. “What happened..?” You asked, standing up straight and straightening your posture.

Ni-ki began to speak humming softly as he leaned against the rail.

--

The male walked into the empty classroom, removing one of his headphone, looking up at the male. “What’s this about? Thought practice wasn’t until Thursday?” Ni-ki spoke, twiddling the headphone in-between his fingers.

“Yeah, I know I said that. But I need you and the guys to do something for me. Can you?” The male spoke and Ni-ki hummed. “Yeah sure.” He spoke, looking at the back of the males head. “What is it?” Ni-ki asked curiously, sitting on a desk.”

“You have something against Y/N?” The male asked and Ni-ki shook his head, laughing a little. “Nah. She’s actually pretty cute. When she doesn’t look like you.” Ni-ki hummed and spread his legs slightly. “What is it you want me to do hyung?”

“I need you to record you kissing Y/n, I bet you $300 you couldn’t get her to kiss you.” The male spoke. Ni-ki laughed. “Are you serious??” The male nodded. “Get the others to bet in.”

“Oh this is going to be the easiest $300 dollars of my life. Maybe even more. The others are sometimes idiots.” Ni-ki hummed and stood up. “But why?”

“Let’s just see, I like to see her rattled up. Freshman scare yeah?” He chuckled and looked at the male. Ni-ki laughed and nodded. “Damn, that’s cruel. She’s gonna hate you. But okay I got you.” Ni-ki hummed as he turned around, beginning to walk out before the voice told him to stop.

“Hm?” Ni-ki turned around and looked at him. “Get Sunoo to bet too.” Ni-ki just shook his head and laughed. “Get ready to pay me my money.” And with that, he walked out of the room and towards the water fountain where he met up with a Nicholas, Jungwon, Jake, Sunghoon and Jay.

“You won’t believe what hyung just asked me to do” he said, placing his bookbag down and hanging his headphones around his neck. “What?” Jake asked, popping a couple of shrimp chips into his mouth.

“He wants me to get a video or picture of me kissing Y/N.” He laughed. “What?! There’s no way she’ll do it. She can’t stand you” Sunghoon laughed. “Yeah, you are a bit of a jerk to her” Jungwon laughed with Sunghoon and hummed. “She will! Put in your bets now.” Ni-ki spoke as the boys laughed. “Okay, sure.” Sunghoon said. “I’ll bet $70 she doesn’t kiss you.” Sunghoon smiled. “I bet $100 she does kiss him!” Jake raised the bets. Soon the boys put in their bets. Sunghoon spotting a staring Sunoo and bringing him over. Soon the bet was over $600 dollars, split into Ni-ki not getting kisses by Y/N, the others agreeing she would.

--

Such an innocent bet, disregarding your feelings about the whole thing.

You looked at him, still confused slightly. Your mouth agape. A bunch of assholes.

Ni-ki smiled. “Think with that pretty brain of yours..” ’can you ride home with Ni-ki? I won’t be home until later’. It echoed in your head. Suddenly something made it all clear, the bounce of a basketball into the gym as you looked at Ni-ki one last time, before seeing who it was. A swish was heard and it clicked. It was Heeseung.

That’s why he wanted you to ride with Ni-ki home that night. That’s why he was so adamant on getting you to school. *He was the first person to introduce you to Ni-ki. Your brother was the lead person on this bet.

You felt hurt and betrayed. What the hell was wrong with them.

He. Was your biggest headache.

You gritted your teeth before storming out of the gym. Passing by his girlfriend.

Heeseung’s girlfriend came to him and smiled, gently kissing his cheek. “Can I talk to you?” She spoke quietly before the male smiled and tossed the basketball to Ni-ki. She led him to the bleachers and smiled, humming before pressing a kiss to his lips, deepening it. The male wrapped his arms around her waist as the two pulled away.

The woman drew her hand back and slapped Heeseung. “We’re fucking over! I saw you kiss that other girl earlier. You cheater!” You said, tears in her eyes before pushing the male. Ni-ki winced as he witnessed the slap. A shocked Heeseung widening his eyes.

“Wh-what are you talking about?!?” He spoke as he watched his girlfriend storm out the gym. Her tears falling down.

--

You smiled as you hugged the woman, “oh my god! You did so amazing Hina!” You shouted.

“Yeah, maybe I should become an actor?” She laughed. You pulled out the $600 dollars you swiped from Ni-ki and divided it between you, Sunoo and Hina in three ways. The three of you high fived and grinned.

“Thought they could get over on it. We did it!” You shouted, the three of you hugging.

Now.

You were THEIR biggest headache.