#I may just have to make another post about it

[delicateperspective]

Glastonlarry 2025 Breakdown

Before I begin, I want to emphasize the importance of critical thinking when engaging with content like this. Timelines are incredibly helpful for seeing the broader picture, but they’re not infallible—I may get details wrong or unintentionally leave something out. It's essential that we all take responsibility for doing our own research, verifying sources, and not accepting any narrative at face value, no matter who it comes from.

Also, keep in mind that everything I’m about to share is unfolding in real time. There will likely be updates, shifts, and new information emerging in the days ahead that will add more depth or context to this timeline. But as of the final day of Glastonbury, here’s where things stand.

The Lead-Up

December 21st, 2024 - Harry follows Doechii February 9th - Harry follows Alaina Haim February 21st - Louis follows Nova Twins March 6th - Glasto official line-up drops March 7th - Louis follows Beabadoobee

Wednesday, June 25th

2:59 PM - The first picture appears of Louis with Oli and Tommy

An article in Variety later talks about Louis being in a great mood - "'Glastooooo! a stranger yelled behind me as I checked into the hospitality campsite at Glastonbury Festival on Wednesday. Only, it wasn't really a stranger: it was Louis Tomlinson of One Direction fame, lugging a huge rucksack and getting hyped with his friends for the five days of music and partying that lay ahead. Without stopping to ask for a photo or whispering about who he was, several festivalgoers around us echoed his call, reveling in the excitement to come."

3:28 PM - Harry is seen walking around London in a vintage Olympics windbreaker

Around 5PM - Pleasing launches a 21 hr countdown for "Happy Accident" with an email campaign that says "Sorry to bother you, but I think this is yours"

Later that night - Harry goes to the ballet

Thursday, June 26th

12:30 PM - Michael Blackwell and Lou Teasdale both post that they on their way to Glasto (seperately)

1:15 PM - Zara's pannel starts

3:00 PM - Another Pleasing campaign: Perfume with a plot twist, inspired by seemingly wrong turns turned out quite alright. Excuse me, you dropped something. Reimagining mistakes as moments of oppurtunity and leaing into the messiness of everyday life. A trip to someplace joyfully unexpected.

3:53 PM - The first pictures of L and Zara emerge with a body guard.

5:10 PM - The Sun runs an article showing L watching Zara's panel. People on site say he was only there long enough to get the video (rumor).

Friday, June 27th

10:00 AM - Sam (Lou T's sister) and Tommo Campbell post that they are on the way to Glasto

12:07 PM - An article saying that L has a tent for himself and one for alchohol but Zara staying off-site. “Louis is determined to make it a weekend to remember and has planned everything with military like precision - including making sure enough booze is available. He has his own tent - and one just for the drinks.”

1:00 PM - Oli, Lou's sound engineer, posts that he has arrived at Glasto

1:00 PM - Anne posts a video about an elder lesbian wedding where they are so happy to not have to refer to each other as their cousins anymore.

1:00 PM - Simon Jones arrives at Glasto

1:14 PM - Lottie posts an Instagram photo of herself, Lewis, and Louis.

2:15 PM - Lou, Zara, Michael, Bodyguard, Lottie, Lewis, Oli, and Tommy watch the Inhaler set. Tommy is wearing a shirt with 2011 One Direction on it.

3:47 PM - Chris Frewin (not in any pictures with Lou) posts a story from Kneecap's Glasto set

3:51 PM - Zara posts about her apparel brand

5:31 PM - Harry is first seen at Glasto with the video and article breaking via The Sun before any fan videos drop. With Kidd Harpoon and Rob Stringer. Harry Styles sparks hopes of mini One Direction reunion at Glastonbury as he’s spotted backstage in tiny shorts. His pal Louis Tomlinson was seen on site supporting girlfriend Zara McDermott

Around this time - Harry seems happy, dancing to music at a food truck with Kidd Harpoon. He is also spotted talking to Emma Corrin.

5:36 PM - Lottie posts with Lewis and Oli and Zara and Lou in the background. She also posts a picture with just her and Louis.

5:43 PM - Zara posts a selfie with Oli

9:13 PM - Simon Jones posts from The NYC Downlow in the Block 9 section of Glasto

11:48 PM - Anne posts a rainbow image "While you're overthinking and doubting yourself, someone else is looking at you wondering how you do it all. Keep going"

Though it is rumored that Harry was at The 1975s headlining set, there are no pictures or videos. In fact, there are no pictures or videos of EITHER OF THEM from any time after the inital hour of Harry arriving.

Saturday, June 28th

12:00 PM - Zara's best friend Jade arrives at Glasto with Harry's "ex" Nadine Leopold

3:29 PM - Zara gives an exclusive interview to The Sun. Addressing their awkward pitchside head-to-head, Zara insists: “The only thing in my life that's worth writing about is the work I do. “I see some of the things that are written and I'm like, ‘Why do we focus on the non-existent drama?’ Sometimes that can be frustrating, but I suppose it’s all part of the industry.” ... “I spend my day job going out and filming with really vulnerable people. And it’s shaped me so much as a person that it's made me not sweat the small stuff any more, “ she explains. “I don’t care about social media as much as I used to, or about the aesthetic or the image. I value so much real relationships and real support around me, and being that to other people. “I'm a totally different person to the one I was when I was 21 years old and stepped into what appeared to be a glitzy world of showbiz. My day to day life is not at all glitz and glamour.”

8:00 PM - Louis and crew watch Raye from GA while Simon Jones watches from VIP area

8:16 PM - Lottie posts a video of her and Lewis, Tommy, Lou, and Zara

8:46 PM - We get an article based on that social media post. Zara McDermott cuddles up to Louis Tomlinson’s sister at Glastonbury as romance gets family seal of approval.

9:07 PM - The Sun publishes "Harry Styles parties ‘incognito’ in the Glastonbury crowds until 6am – with another One Direction star there too" The former One Direction man was hard at it until around 6am yesterday at the Somerset festival’s happening party district Block9.

At some point this night, Harry orders two chicken wing meals and we get video of him at a food stand with what looks suspicously like a rainbow bear attached to his bag.

After 8PM there are no more pictures of either of them currently reported.

Sunday, June 29th

12:21 AM - The Telegraph posts an article saying "There will be quite a few sore heads among the A-list set this morning, since I have heard reports that a topless Andrew Scott, Rita Ora, Ncuti Gatwa, Tilda Swinston wearing a stick-on moustche and someone who looked suspiciously like Harry Styles were key players on the dance floor at Riotous gay club NYC Downlow last night.

2:30 AM - A video is taken of a 12-second kiss between Harry and a mystery woman.

7:00 AM - Louis likes a romantic reel on Instagram of Harry giving him a loving look with the caption "the way harry looks at him" and a song by Bruno Mars saying "if the world was ending I'd want to be next to you"

8:30 AM - Louis unlikes the reel

8:30 AM - Lottie posts a video of a dark club with an insect sculpture.

8:30 AM - Lottie removes an eariler video of Zara from her stories

10:24 AM - Zara posts photoshoot of her in the walkway at glasto from the day before. Tabloids report this as a bad move.

10:25 AM - Lloyd posts from vacation (clearly not at Glasto) and tags Glasto

11:17 AM - Pleasing posts about Happy Accident again. "Smells like Sweet depositions and sunny outlooks" "a little whoops-that-actually-worked" "Pardon us, but we beleive this is yours"

8:00 PM - Zara posts from the Nile Rogers set and tags Lottie and Lewis. Lewis then posts a video showing all of them including Louis and Zara. Louis is wearing a shirt with heart eyes and the back says "hopless romantic"

9:55 PM - Eleanor Calder sips tea unbottherd in Abdu Dhabi on her insta story

10:00 PM - The Sun posts the video of Harry kissing someone at 2AM. BEST SNOG EVER Watch Harry Styles passionately snog mystery woman as ‘sparks fly’ in packed Glastonbury VIP area. One onlooker said: “Harry only had eyes for this woman and sparks were flying as soon as they were together. “Harry turned up with a few of his mates but as soon as she got there, they were almost inseparable. “She kissed him on the cheek three times before he took her hand and led her to the dancefloor. “Just short of an hour after they arrived, they kissed in front of loads of other people and didn’t seem to care who was watching.

(this is the same headline "Best Snog Ever" that they used for their other super exclusive kiss pictures from CR just a few months ago. The ones with Louis and Zara.)

Notes/Observations:

Again, details and photos/videos should slowly roll out over the next week or so that might fill in some gaps in this timeline, but for now this is what we have through Sunday night.

The Sun has now identified the woman as a London-based producer believed to be named Ella Kenny.

There are a small handful of people at The Sun which appear to be deeply ingrained in the reporting of the ZMc "relationship" and this weekends events. I won't name them, but they're not exactly being subtle or quiet.

As of the close of Glastonlarry 2025, the events of the weekend speak volumes—not just through what was shown, but through what was deliberately obscured. For the first time in years, Louis and Harry were not only confirmed to be in the same place, but surrounded by coordinated press coverage and strikingly synchronized personal signals. A single like on Instagram—just one reel of a loving glance, paired with romantic lyrics—said more than any interview ever could. If we’ve learned anything from tracking these timelines over the years, it’s that what isn’t said often reveals more than what is and when we don't see them is often just as important as when we do.

[recklessghostart]

Guys- Y'all (The Anon) sound SO entitled. Art is work. Valid work. A real job for many. Meanwhile Doody and Maru are making Full fledged, colored and shaded, comics for FREE. F R E E. And We ain't talking your standard free webtoons (Which no shade to, I love a good webtoon) where a good chunk of the art is pre-made brushes patterns and faces they can slap on to make their work faster (yes that's how a lot of them can upload weekly + working in advance to their seasons). And even they have a way where you can pay the app to see their Finished work a couple of weeks early. And lets just say they decide one-day that no, they want to hide some of their art fully behind a paywall. Not even DDVAU Comics, just art like what this Anon was complaining about. So-fucking-what? It's their art. They can do what they want with it. And supply and demand is a thing- there 100% are people who would pay to get to see it. You know hat people used to have to do to get to see art? Buy it. Or pay to go to a museum. Or like- literally anything but open up their phones that didn't exist back in the day. And ontop of that- the art that they may or may not be gatekeeping behind a paywall (Which a reminder, they post a week later for Free. but lets again, just say they don't for sake of argument)- its not even the COMIC! It's just art of the sillies. You still get the full story- FOR FREE. You know what you should do? Go to your local Barns and Noble. Look around- See how there is manga and comics on the shelves, books that you couldn't finish in your stay there at the store. You know what you have to do to read them? PAY FOR THEM. Art can be free- If the artist feels like they wish to upload and share it that way. But never expect someone to do hard work for your enjoyment for free. Art can be tipped, such as with ko-fi, and maybe- just maybe, you will receive perks for being nice to your artist, like getting to view the art early. Art can be payed. The artist can tease their work and tell people "Hey if you want to see it, buy my book! Sub to my site! Give me money to see my Work." And they should NEVER be shamed for wanting to get payed for what they do, If you ever think to yourself "Wow, I am upset that someone spent hours on something that I would like access to, and would benefit me in one way or another (IE: make you happy). How dare they not give it to me for free!" Then check yourselves. This is how you lose everything you enjoy in life. Because one day, it won't be worth it (Likes don't feed you or pay the bills) and all the artists you love will just stop. (or at the very least slow down). Then the market will flood with things like even more AI and all the art, comics, shows and movies you used to love will become lifeless boring slop. That's not a world I want. Support your artists.

I think it's quite annoying that you place some art behind a paywall. I could understand if it was extra comics or prints or art requests but just a drawing? Art should be free and accessible for everyone...

No offence to you of course. I don't want to come across as rude. Do what you want to do.

But I'm a huge ddvau fan, and part of the appeal of it is that it's free to read online. Having extra art of it that many people will never see just because they can't spare the money goes against that. And teasing it doesn't help.

I'm sorry but this comes out as rude. Currently the workload of the comic is a full time job, making 16 to 25 pages each month is truly demanding with the level of my capacities and resources, and kofi is an optional support so I can keep working on it and keep the monthly schedule without the need of constantly open commissions, cuz other way it would be impossible to me to make this a constant series with reasonable updates. All of the art IS free to access, because I post all the art a week later, for free, on my socials. And I keep the price of the kofi to 1 dollar so it's accessible for the people who wish to support me economically. I'm sorry but artists needs to eat, and this is the small ways i can help out myself and my family doing what I love without exploiting myself in the process.

[randomfandomworks]

Huntrix (Separately) x Famous!Reader

Synopsis: Headcanons involving the Huntrix girls falling for you and what kind of fame you possess

A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this! I’m still working on general dating Headcanons for these three but I might end up doing more with this concept because I really ended up enjoying it.

Rumi with another Idol

★ You and Rumi had met on several instances though most were because of award shows

★ Often times you and Huntrix would perform at the same venues it was only reasonable that after some time you’d get to know one another

★ You became friends quickly, bonding over shared experiences and tribulations

★ At some point you become a feature on one of Huntrix’s new songs

★ A collaboration that the fans end up absolutely loving which only leads to more moments together

★ Joining them at interviews and shows as the song runs its course of popularity

★ You and Rumi naturally became closer over time, meeting up for things unrelated to your careers until eventually you both started to fall for each other

★ For a while you both tiptoed around the feelings

★ You knew how your fans were, how they’d react knowing two of the most popular idols were together

★ But one night you corner Rumi after one of her shows and everything comes crumbling down

★ After that you start dating in secret

★ It becomes a careful song and dance; avoiding topics that may lead to exposure of your relationships but still risking it to see one another perform

★ You help one another when it comes to singing, finding the right transitions for sets, making sure the notes get hit right and the lyrics are clear

★ And after you’re done being idols for the day you relax into one another allowing it to become simply you and her, nothing more or less

★ Rumi only falls for you harder when she sees that side of you, the comfortable side you keep away from everyone else

★ After a while the fans get suspicious

★ Rumors and theories spread like wildfire over both of your fanbases

★ Catching onto the quick looks you give one another or how you’re always attending each other’s shows

★ You let them have their fun

★ Watching as people make countless posts about the evidence they can find and what they think is happening behind the scenes

★ And when it’s gone on long enough you make it official

★ Which causes social media to absolutely blow up with responses some saying they called it, others believing it to be a trick, a few completely against it

★ Yet neither of you cared

★ You didn’t need people online to tell you who to care about or date, you had one another and honestly the truth was better than any speculation online

Mira with a Model

★ Mira learns about you through Bobby, who’d been trying to find some bigger names to promote the new Huntrix merchandise

★ He reached out to your agency leading to a deal where you and some other top models would do a shoot for them if in turn they got to meet the members of Huntrix

★ And that was that

★ She’d spotted you as soon as they entered the venue

★ You carried yourself differently

★ Some of the models were nervous, others in over their head, or bored out of their minds

★ But not you

★ You had a smile on your face as a new intern directed you, showing you around and what you’d be modeling

★ You didn’t question the photographer even with the strangest of requests

★ And you helped Bobby when no one else listened

★ You were just, different

★ Even when meeting them you didn’t freak out

★ Didn’t scramble for an autograph or a photo

★ You waited patiently for your colleagues chaos to end

★ Introduced yourself with a smile and thanked them for the opportunity

★ That moment made a place in Mira’s mind, one she thought back to even weeks after the interaction

★ Up until she messages you herself, reaching out to just talk to you

★ And even online you were kind, patient, and polite

★ And Mira didn’t know what to do with the fact that she started falling for it, falling for you

★ She invited you to one of their shows, a backstage ticket, per Zoey and Rumi’s advice

★ She couldn’t help the warmth that overtook her when she saw you

★ You lit up when you came face to face

★ Smiling and congratulating her on a show well done

★ And something about it all changed for Mira; she asks you out soon afterwards wanting, needing, to see you again

★ It doesn’t take long before you start dating

★ No one knew besides a select few

★ Many suspected, especially after Mira made an appearance for your agency, but Mira had made a name of standing up for herself and not tolerating rumors so no one questioned it

★ And behind it all, back stage or behind the camera there was just you two

★ And that’s all you needed

Zoey with an Actor

★ You and Zoey knew of one another long before meeting

★ You were a star in one of her favorite K-dramas and you obviously loved Huntrix’s songs

★ The two of you finally get the chance to meet one another when the director of your show begs Huntrix to write a song for the upcoming season

★ They agree, mostly because Zoey would’ve probably lost it if they didn’t, and are invited to the premiere because of it

★ Your first interaction comes up because of a photo

★ Several reporters wanted a picture of you and your co-star with Huntrix

★ Which led to you all posing together and eventually talking after the press has had their fun

★ You and Zoey hit it off almost instantly, the two of you silently freaking out over meeting the other

★ You end up sitting together, talking after the screening and through most of the night, laughing together as though you hadn’t just met

★ And when your managers finally drag you away from one another you still keep in touch

★ Messaging online and meeting at more events over time

★ Neither of you is shocked when you start to fall for the other

★ The admiration existed long before you met

★ Though something more had found its way through

★ Maybe it was always responding to one another, no matter how late, or the smiles across the room at events

★ Whatever it was it wasn’t a surprise

★ The real shock came from the admission

★ Realizing you’d both been running circles around one another to not ruin anything when in truth it was exactly what you’d both been needing

★ It isn’t long afterwards that everyone knows

★ You never say anything but you openly post each other and willingly mention one another in interviews

★ Not to mention you frequenting all of Huntrix’s performances and her sudden guest appearances in your shows

★ Though whether or not the fans know has never concerned you

★ In fact most of your concerns recently are of Huntrix’s latest song releases and the date you’re planning with Zoey to go see your new movie

[vanillarosekiss]

simon riley x teacher!reader

lowk kinda shit but enjoy after 2 months of no posts (which btw i've gone thru a tragic failed talking stage recently that's been making crash out, so i'm thinking writing hella smut may fix that..? we'll see).

content warnings: vanilla (sort of but not really), fingering, praise kink, sliiiight degredation, mean simon but only playful, time skip cuz i'm lazy like that!

word count: 1.4k

Often, parent-teacher conferences were the bane of your life. Excruciatingly painful hours spent (after an already long day) talking to the children's parents, some of whom were particularly difficult in nature. Still, it had to be done, and it was just another part of your job that needed doing.

However, you did enjoy seeing the parent's faces lighting up when you spoke well of their child, pride becoming one of the most common recurrences in your classroom as most of the kids were perfect. One little girl in particular had a (secret) special place in your heart. The girl in question, Emma Riley, had been an absolute delight to have in class.

She shared her crayons. She said "please" and "thank you". She hugged everyone good morning. That kind of kid made teaching feel like bliss. So naturally, even when you were slightly apprehensive on the night of parent-teacher conference, you were excited almost to meet who had raised such a polite little girl. You expected someone gentle. Maybe a bit shy. Probably the kind of man who read bedtime stories to her every night.

What you weren't expecting was him.

He walked into the tiny classroom with heavy boots and a quiet kind of weight. Broad, muscular shoulders stood out the most on him, and the black hoodie that was layered under his jacket made him seem even bigger. The skull print balaclava peeking out from his pocket wads enough to make you blink twice. Interesting.

"You must be Mr. Riley," you said, standing quickly and offering a smile. "Thank you so much for coming."

His gaze flicked over the cheerful posters on the wall, all hand-made and coloured by the children, before it landed on you. Soft lavender knit sweater, pastel yellow painted nails, and a small dainty necklace resting on your chest. You looked like you belonged in a picture book.

"I try not to make a habit out of it," he said dryly shaking your hand, "But Emma insisted."

That made you laugh. "Well, she's very persuasive. And, honestly? A complete angel. One of the sweetest kids I've ever had."

Simon raised a mock brow. "Emma Riley? My kid?"

You pulled out a folder of drawings. "She helps everyone, always cleans up after herself, she even wrote the cutest story about a unicorn who makes sure everyone is included at lunch. Would you like to see it?"

He stared at the glitter-covered paper you gave him, silent.

"She's such a sweetheart to have in class, really. You must be doing a wonderful job with her. And her mum too, of course. I'd love to meet her one day..?"

A tightness set in around his mouth, something that shifted his expression. "I do my best," he muttered. "Emma's mother hasn't been in the picture since she was a couple years old, so you won't be meeting her."

You paused, unsure how to respond, fingers still brushing over the glittered corner of the drawing you had taken to put back into the folder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to assume- "

He shook his head gently, the edge of his mouth lifting. "No s'alright. Just... not something I talk about much."

For a moment there was quiet, the kind that lingered. Then his eyes found yours again. A little softer, less guarded.

"She talks a lot about you, y'know. My kid. You've certainly made an impression."

That made you smile, a warmth blooming inside your soft cage of bone. "She's a special one. Honestly, I feel lucky."

There was a brief look he gave you, unreadable, before his mouth twitched into qa small smirk.

"You really are sweet, aren't ya?" His tone dipped. "Almost too sweet."

You blinked at him, like a deer caught in headlights, caught off guard. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Simon leaned in slightly, teasing and curious. "Just noticing. Makes me wonder if you're like that all the time... or just in a classroom full of six-year-olds."

You felt your face go warm, heart skipping a beat, as a warmth spread past your core and downwards to somewhere much more private.

"I- well-"

His eyes dropped to your mouth for a second too long. "Mm. That's what i thought."

—

The last thing you had ever expected from the conference was to end up back at Simon's house later that evening, tucked underneath him on his sofa as his daughter slept soundly upstairs.

Arching into every touch, gasping at his hands on your skin. You were so utterly sweet about it. No attitude at all, just soft whimpers and wide doe-eyes like this was the first time someone had ever really handled you.

"Let me walk you back in here like a little lamb, didn't you?" he murmurs. "Didn't even ask what I'd do to to you. Just nodded and followed."

"I trust you," you whisper out into the room.

He chuckled softly. "That's the stupidest part, sweeth'art."

"You're clearly so vanilla, it hurts. S'pathetic how turned on you get just from my voice," he says, hand dipping into your panties, disregard to the skirt that he'd slipped off of you earlier (that was now crumpled up on the floor). "You wanna be used a little, don't ya?"

You moaned, nodding helplessly.

"Course you do. You're too soft to ask for it. You want someone to make you dirty instead."

He was kissing you all over, drawn to your lips over everything, hands moving effortlessly atop your pearl making you gasp in an unexpected pleasure.

"You walk around all day giving stickers out and singing songs, actin' like you've got a single thought in that head of yours that isn't being touched like this."

He was being mean in a playful way, and you knew it.

'Si-" you whimpered out, eyes closed and breathless.

He grabbed your jaw with his free hand, gently but firm, tilting your head to make you look him in the eyes.

"No." he said. "Don't get shy on me now. You're the one who let me bring you back home with me. You're the one who begged me with those pretty eyes."

Your lips trembled slightly in the feeling.

"You knew exactly what you were doing. All soft and innocent like some little doll. And now look at ya. Letting me pull you apart string by string like it's the first time anyone's made you feel good."

You let out the tiniest noise as your thighs clenched together with his hand almost trapped in between. You felt another gush leak from your slit, a wave of embarrassment hitting your cheeks in a pinkish blush.

"Fuckin' hell sweeth'art. You're soaked" he teased, curling his fingers back into something reverent.

You were so utterly embarrassed. Laying on the sofa you even resorting to panting now you were that desperate. But he didn't rush. He didn't stop, either.

"God, you're so fuckin' soft. You don't even fight it do ya? Y'just give in." Simon leaned in closer, his free hand now stroking your side, grounding you as he kept you on edge.

"Don't you dare close your eyes."

You looked at him, barely, tears brimming out of pleasure with your pupils expanded wider than ever.

"Good girl," he whispered, breath hot against your lips. "There she is."

He sped his movements up, not much, but enough to just tip you over the edge with enough pressure to make you gasp and try to twist away from him. But his grip held you firm.

'Ya gonna come for me pretty girl, hm?" he asked tauntingly.

"I- I can't-!" you gasped, hips jerking upwards.

"Yes you can," you said, voice firm and reassuring. "You're doing so good, love. So fuckin' good, just let go. I've got ya."

And just then, like his words were the key to your soul, you broke.

Your whole body arched as you called out his name, softly but with an intensity only Simon could cause. You clutched at him blindly, pulling him in as waves of pleasure rolled over your body.

Simon held you through it, murmuring soft filth against your temple.

"That's it lovie."

"Fuckin' perfect."

"Look how pretty you are when you come for me hm?"

As you collapsed back against the sofa, heart racing and legs trembling, Simon kissed your temple again.

"Did so fuckin' well f'me," he murmured. "Messy little thing. Bet you'll be thinking about this next time you're handing out stickers in that classroom."

You let out a breathless laugh, burying your face in his neck.

"Shut up."

"Mm," he hummed, smug. "Didn't seem to mind me runnin' my mouth five minutes ago, love."

Tag list 𖠋: @punkkture @slut-lmao @sebastianstans-slut @ilikeoldmen @g1rlfa1lure0 @queenoflaflames @tmartin0918 @kkloubee @patricksoulmate @writingandsins @mxnii777 @bruisedfig @mlthree @cupidswan @siphon07 @decaffeinateddelusionbread @kiss4tell @kylies-love-letter @catssmirkingrevenge

[twopoppies]

GINA HAVE YOU SEEN THE POSTS ABOUT HARRY PARTYING AT NYC DOWNLOW LAST NIGHT AT THE SAME TIME AS TASH (WIFE OF LOUIS’ CREW MEMEBER) WHO POSTED ABOUT A NAKEY POPSTAR BOTTOM AND MIXED WITH THAT ARTICLE ABOUT HARRY PARTYING IT UP WITH ANOTHER ONE DIRECTION MEMBER BECAUSE I CANNOT BE NORMAL ABOUT THIS???? I AN AWARE THIS MAY BE A REACH BUT LIKE ALSO LOGICALLY COULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE INFORMATION! AND LIKE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING THE LAST TWO WEEK IT FEELS SIGNIFICANT AND I NEEDED TO SHARE IT (originally seen: https://x.com/notastrwbrysng2/status/1939332530601447667?s=46 )

Side note: it’s weird they didn’t use Louis name in that first article and just said “another one direction memeber” but also named other celebrities fully in the same sentence??

That is totally weird. “Another One Direction member?” Louis was the only other one who was seen at Glasto. And “nakey pop star bottom” sounds like Harry Styles’ alias. 👀

But also, is that Tash the same one who Harry made that hilarious video for at her wedding?

[shypotatoes013-blog]

To be Rafayel’s Wife:

I can’t stop thinking about the wedding! Even better…the honeymoon. This may be a touch self indulgent. 🤏

MDNI - 18+ only: Nondescript acts, Slight angst + Comfort, Romantic feelings, gender and appearance not specified, not proofread

Rafayel has been waiting for this for millions of years. Not just 800, besties.

After your private ceremony, which is intimately just the two of you, he is enamored by you, your shape. It’s not as if he wasn’t already enraptured in love by the sight of you in a wedding dress, and exchanging sacred vows with him.

He carries you into your shared room, peppering kisses all over your face and lips. Ever so gently, like the fool in love, he is, he lays you down and admires you -truly- admires you, his muse. To him, it’s like he was living in a haze up until this point. Everything that happened led to this perfect moment in time and he is so grateful that he is afforded this chance to be with you once more.

His eyes never leave yours. He reaches a hand to gently caress your cheek as if confirming this is real and not a dream, but the moment his fingers make contact with your skin…his resolve crumbles. His lips crash to yours, desperately clinging to you to keep you from slipping away as you once had.

His touch is reverent with undercurrents of desperation and yearning he has held back for centuries. Lithe fingers make quick work of your garments and with every bit of skin exposed, he worships with his hands and mouth. Your skin left with slight teeth indentations and blossoming bruises from his craftsmanship.

Rafayel wants to take his time, but you're simply too stunning for his mind to comprehend. The way the air catches in his throat when he sees you on full display with your post-wedding glow is enough to have him awestruck. Naturally, he immortalizes every minute detail to later paint, but he feels that he will never be able to encapsulate this moment- your ethereal splendor, even if he tried.

Rafayel's patience is wearing thin, and his love is bursting at the seams. Carefully, he sheds his clothing and returns to your side. The press of his hand at the junction of your thighs is enough to pull a gasp from your throat and he repeats until you're a complete and utter mess.

When Rafayel has given you pleasure and is reassured you're satisfied, only then does he give himself what he needs, still taking his time, and gauging your reaction, to warm up to the soft intrusion.

He spends many hours into the night reaching the finish line with you. Hand in hand, entrenched in the scent of one another. Two hearts, two minds, two bodies, and two souls entwining in the eternal dance. The room rises in temperature from the heat your bodies emit, the soft candlelight flickers and the scent of passion is thick in the air.

As the night tarries on and your body is spent, he treats your sore muscles to a soothing bath. He hands you water, snacks, and anything else you may request while he ensures you have something clean to return to. He does join you eventually and will hold you until you're ready to leave.

Don't even dream of lifting a finger. You are his wife now. He is about to show you even deeper depths of his devotion as your husband and partner for eternity.

[jisungsdaydreamer]

Anti-Romantic | CHAPTER FOUR | 18+

«GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

P.R.O.M.

"It’s like I was drowning, and you were a breath of fresh air."

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Pairing: Hyunjin x Fem!Reader Genre: Non idol au, fluff, smut, romcom, drama, opposites attract Chapter Warnings: explicit sexual content, masturbation (f), heavy dom/sub dynamics: dom!reader & sub!Hyunjin, oral sex (f & m receiving), rough sex, unprotected sex, also i'm in a rush to post sooo prolly many typos IGNORE EM Word Count: 18k 😪

P.S. ♡ If you like my work, please consider giving me feedback in the form of reblogs, comments, and asks! ♡

You hate monotony. You can always feel it swarming into your being and morphing you into another one of the robotic sellouts working in corporate America. You wake up at six. Shower, and another drab blazer. A bowl of cereal. The seventeen minute drive to work. The seventeen— or twenty, with afternoon traffic— minute drive back from work. Sleep. By the millisecond, it kills your creativity, along with all of that chaos that personifies you so truly, no matter how many problems said discord might cause you. Because you like color, you like danger. So, even though it’s an aspect of your daily life, you hate monotony.

But as you sleepily blink your eyes open, adjusting to your new surroundings, you can’t help but yearn for every other morning in your life to be exactly like this. An arm thrown over your waist, hugging you close. Covers carelessly cast over your body. Light shyly creeping through the part in the curtains. The feeling of belonging somewhere.

You turn your head slightly, focusing on the person nestled against you. Even in the morning, Hyunjin is gorgeous, with tousled hair flopping over his forehead, skin glowing where it has been kissed by the sun rays. His eyes are fluttered shut, and soft snores escape his lips. Your heart squeezes tight, and this time, it’s not of yearning, but of love, of how much you adore him. Corporate America may not be so bad, not if your days begin next to a sleeping angel on Earth. 

You watch Hyunjin doze for a little longer, reminiscing about the night before. Confessions that were returned, by the grace of some higher power deciding to have mercy on you. Calls up to said higher power in the urgency of pleasure. Hyunjin taking you home, torturing you with his teasing during the drive. Heated kisses between his sheets that smelled so overwhelmingly and perfectly like him. Closing your eyes knowing that you didn’t have to go to bed alone, for the first time.

You drifted off last night thinking that you’d wake up to real life, but now that the new day is here, your reality is much better than any dream you could have ever conjured up in your head. Cautiously, you try to lift Hyunjin’s arm off of you so that you could move to find your phone, but his hold on you subconsciously tightens, trapping you.

“And where are you going?” Hyunjin rasps into your ear, a tickle of breath against your skin. The flirtatious edge to it makes you flush, and you realize that neither of you are wearing any clothes, separated merely by a few flimsy folds of cotton. 

“Nowhere now,” you reply, looking into the eyes that are now wide with alertness, taking you in. And it’s true— there is nowhere else you would ever want to go, when you’re tucked in Hyunjin’s embrace. “Good morning.”

“‘Morning, beautiful.” Hyunjin leans in to give you a dizzying kiss, one that sends a little tingle through your limbs. He reaches his hands up to cradle your face in his palms, before pulling back to give you a tender look. “Sleep well?”

“Better than I have in ages,” you say, unable to keep the giddy feeling from bubbling up in your chest. You’re in the arms of Hwang fucking Hyunjin, and he just asked you if you slept well. What was life before him, anyway? “How about you?”

Hyunjin grins, pecking you softly on your lips. “Ditto.”

Both of you don’t say anything for a moment, just basking in each other’s warmth. The tips of Hyunjin’s fingers caress the line of your hip, simply exploring you in the light of the morning. You instinctively clench, his touch far too racy for it to be innocent. 

“Hyun,” you murmur, feeling the embarrassingly prominent arousal already pooling in between your legs. 

“Mm?” Hyunjin looks at you innocently, but you don’t miss the hint of a smirk on his face. His hand trails down even further, now tracing nonsensical patterns on your thighs. 

“Don’t start things you can’t finish.” You capture his wandering hand and bring it up to your lips, kissing it softly. “It would be really mean of you, especially when we both have work in just a few hours.”

Hyunjin groans dramatically. “Let’s just stay in bed. I don’t want to go.”

“Me neither but today is Thursday, the week is almost over, and Mark will have my ass if I bail. And I would not love it if Wonyoung murdered you either, so,” you laugh, thinking of Hyunjin’s secretary furiously spamming his phone, demanding his ETA to the office.

“Fine,” Hyunjin grumbles. “But I get to make you breakfast before you go. And we shower together first.”

“I guess I could clock in a little late.” You bite back a smile, carding your fingers through his hair. Hyunjin nuzzles into your neck, waiting for your answer. “But only if you swear to behave.”

“Scout’s honor.”

Hyunjin pulls back, expression so somber that you almost get surprised when he corners you in the bathroom just moments later, crescent moon eyes crinkling smugly when you let him have his way with you. Hyunjin makes you come with the shower head twice, whining that he just had to see if the water pressure was good enough, and that you were just the best way to check. You see straight through his lies, but you can’t complain, not when he diligently runs a soaped washcloth down your trembling legs afterward, praising you for being so forgiving. 

Hyunjin then takes his time taking care of you, shampooing your hair slowly and massaging your scalp, and before letting you do the same to him. For a blissful period, it’s just the both of you, enveloped in a cloud of lavender-scented intimacy. But the feeling doesn’t run out when you turn off the tap, and Hyunjin wraps you in a fluffy towel, leading the way out back into the bedroom, where you shiver in the blast of air.

Despite your numerous protests that you could just wear your clothes from the night before, Hyunjin insists on you wearing something of his. Of course, he ends up winning, when you walk out of his closet donned in a “silk Versace pantsuit,” the only words you remotely understood when Hyunjin had used a plethora of high fashion jargon to describe the androgynous beige number. 

He just chuckles, obviously pleased with his work. “You look ready to ruin corporate lives. Just stunning.”

The genuine compliment has you heating up, with how you were never good at accepting them in the first place, but especially now, when it comes from the most gorgeous person you know. 

But before you go overthinking, a tiny ball of fluff barrels into Hyunjin out of nowhere, exploding in a fit of tiny barks. Hyunjin holds the puppy up, letting it snuggle into him while it sizes you up over his shoulder. 

“Who’s this?” You nearly melt as the puppy wriggles out of Hyunjin’s hold and tentatively approaches your hand, sniffing before launching itself at you. 

“My best friend, Princess Diana.” Hyunjin laughs as she cuddles you, licking your neck curiously. “You know, Diana’s usually very suspicious of new people. But it looks like she likes you a lot.”

You smile, letting Diana go and run off to whatever she was doing before greeting you both. His words touch you, and make you realize something else. Hyunjin makes you feel special. You love who you are when you are around him. And you want it all, Hyunjin, Diana, and the feeling of being home with him. 

Hyunjin leads you into his kitchen and seats you at one of the high stools at the island, leaving you to do nothing but keep him company. You stay quiet for a second, just observing him exist, completely in his own element. He may be in the kitchen now, pulling bell peppers out of his blindingly shiny Samsung fridge, but the way he confronts the day and every task it brings with so much ease reminds you of how he is when in professional mode over at SeoulSpark. 

It’s no secret that you admire how his confidence resonates within everything he does, but what really strikes you is that other side of him, the one he’d bared to you the night before, in that stretch of vulnerability. It’s the part of him that he keeps hidden the most, the inevitable messiness of life. Knowing that makes you feel like you’re looking into a warped mirror everytime you think of Hyunjin; your problem has been that you’ve always been too quick to act on your convoluted emotions, too impulsive, while Hyunjin just seems to repress it all. When not staggered by your own thunderstorms and error codes, you feel like you can read him better than a simple parsing script in Python. And you love it, and him, for everything that he openly is and pretends not to be. 

“What are you thinking about?” Hyunjin asks you, looking up at you while whisking a ceramic bowl of eggs. 

You snap out of your thoughts, shrugging. You’ve decided that one day, if you allow this seed between you both to blossom, you’re going to tell him what you really think: how loved Hyunjin really is. But for now, you’ll take a page out of his book and deflect. “Just that you're a real life Barbie.”

He gives you a quizzically amused look, now folding chopped vegetables into the egg mixture before expertly tipping spoonfuls into a skillet. “Meaning?”

“I really can’t think of one thing you cannot do.” You gesture at the stove and wave your hand lightly, trying to convey how wonderful you find the spicy aroma that has now diffused into the air. “On top of everything, you have skills to rival the hopefuls on MasterChef.”

Hyunjin bursts out into laughter. “Well, I can think of a billion things I can’t do. I don’t know how to code like you. I really suck at juggling. And you will probably never win if I’m on your team for trivia night.”

“Okay, then. Maybe not Barbie.”

“Personally, I have always felt more aligned with Raquelle, seeing as we’re both Asian and have great style.”

Hyunjin gives you a cheeky look that has you giggling and blushing on the inside, but he doesn’t need to know that. You follow him to the dining nook that he has set up adjacent to the kitchen, helping him carry everything over. In the shadows of the night prior, you couldn’t take in Hyunjin’s penthouse, but now, you allow your eyes to roam.

Like any other average twenty-something working an average job, you feel that initial punch to your spatial ability while witnessing the abode of a clearly above-average lifestyle. The painting on the wall that’s definitely worth more than your mortgage. The crisp, ninety-degree angle to every piece of furniture in sight. The entire city of Los Angeles sprawled out below the gigantic windows. It’s jarring, witnessing the scarily pristine quality of Hyunjin’s place. It is very cool, of course, but it doesn’t feel real— at least, not at first.

However, you don’t skip over those quintessentially Hyunjin touches to the apartment, the add-ons that anyone else could miss if they don’t look close enough. The garishly pink chick flick CDs wedged in between the minimalist decorative books. The pack of strawberry jolly ranchers peeking out of the bowl of fruit on the coffee table. The crayon sketch of a llama that’s stuck on the fridge with a pizza-shaped magnet. 

Hyunjin follows your gaze to the last one, explaining before you can ask. “One of my client’s kids made that for me during art class. He said it’s a portrait of me as a spirit animal. Can you see the resemblance?”

You swallow down the urge to swoon at how fucking adorable he is. Any day, you prefer these little stories in item form, these quirks that represent Hyunjin. “Totally.”

Hyunjin beams and places a beautifully cooked gourmet omelet onto your place, sprinkling on a few green onions and coriander for a garnish. “I hope you like it. I know you do love eggs.”

You frown. “Wait. How do you know that?”

“You might have told me when you were drunk.”

You turn red, suddenly vaguely remembering a nonsensical rant about your favorite breakfast foods. Well, shit. At least, you can ponder over the fact that he’s remembered that miniscule detail about your tastes. “You really didn’t have to do all this, Hyunjin. I have a stash of granola bars inside my desk at work.”

He shakes his head adamantly. “Absolutely not. What kind of a monster would I be if I didn’t at least make sure you ate well before work? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

You relent, digging into your plate. “In any case, thank you.”

An easy silence follows, in which both of you just take the time to savor your food and each other’s company. But the unpleasant inevitable that you’ve been putting off for long enough works its way out of your mind. “So, we should probably talk now, though. About us.”

Hyunjin wipes his mouth with a napkin before setting it down, a determined look on his face. “I agree. I should begin with saying that I don’t regret a single thing.”

“I don’t regret anything either,” you respond softly, still taken with how steadfast he seems to be in his feelings for you. “I know I never actually came to you for therapy, but you were my counselor, before I transitioned fully into relationship coaching.”

He nods. “I know, it’s complicated. Since you are my client as well, there are some ethical guidelines that now might be jeopardized, and we’ll have to take a couple steps to prevent any potential conflict.”

“What kind of conflict?”

Hyunjin sighs, thumbing the edge of his plate. “Hypothetically, if we broke up, and you felt like you were taken advantage of in your counselor-client setting, you could sue for damages. And I wouldn’t be the only one bearing the lawsuit— it would be the entire company board for SeoulSpark, which is why they’re always skeptical of any romantic relationships with clients.”

“Seems ironically anti-romantic, taking into consideration what SeoulSpark does.” In spite of the ball of stress now accumulating in your stomach, you shoot Hyunjin a dry smile that he returns. “But if we did pursue a romance, I would never break up with someone like you. Never.”

That momentary passage of honesty has got the both of you surprised, Hyunjin flustered a little bit. A cute flush spreads across the apples of his cheeks, as he clears his throat. There’s a slight fragility to how he looks at you now, beyond that charming cockiness and suave exterior. “Do you really think so? You don’t know what the future holds. I- I feel like I still don’t deserve you, like I’m going to disappoint you somehow.”

“Never. Since forever, I’ve never felt like I was seen for who I was. You see me, you always have. And you don’t try to change me. What you’ve done for me transcends the abilities of a dating coach. Hyunjin, you are the best part of my days.”

“I am so whipped for you.” Hyunjin shakes his head a little, and it almost seems as if he’s speaking to himself, to affirm it out loud. 

You press your lips together in one last ditch attempt to not melt into a puddle right there. “So, we’re giving us a try, then?” 

“Yes,” Hyunjin confirms firmly. “We’ll take it slow, because I don’t want to overwhelm you. I’ll have to meet with H.R. and the board, but first, we’ll go on a few dates, get to know each other better.”

You sigh happily, practically glowing with relief. “Sounds good. Does this mean my contract with SeoulSpark is over?”

Hyunjin gasps dramatically, clutching at his heart. “Are you breaking up with me? Again?!”

You roll your eyes in a lovingly exasperated sort of way, smile widening nevertheless with Hyunjin’s theatrics. “Don’t worry. I’d rather have Hyunjin over the Love Doctor anyday.”

Hyunjin beams sweetly, reaching across the table to clasp your hands in his. “You have to let me take you out tomorrow night. Please?”

“That would be perfect,” you say, lightly running your thumb down the side of Hyunjin’s hand. “I can’t wait.”

You help Hyunjin clear and wipe down the table, trading comments on controversial fashion trends to your top artists on Spotify while doing the dishes side by side. The whole picture of you both, just talking about anything while trudging through the mundane, feels so beautifully and achingly domestic to you, something you never thought you would have.

After you both finish cleaning up— the reward of which was a solid nine minutes spent making out against the kitchen counter— Hyunjin gives you a disarming smile and subsequently pleads with you to let him drive you to work. 

“It’ll be so cute when I drop you off, and I definitely won’t linger around the NCT office building, trying to scope out the competition.” Hyunjin shoots you a sad set of puppy dog eyes that has you raising your eyebrows suspiciously. 

“What competition?”

“Well, I can’t have some handsome fool crushing on you,” Hyunjin scoffs, completely serious in a way that’s almost comical. “Gotta make it known from the beginning that you’re mine.”

The possessive address automatically makes you sigh dreamily inside, before you take care to assure Hyunjin that he has absolutely nothing to worry about. “Trust me, Hyunjin, the majority of the guys at the office are fools, but nowhere near handsome.”

“Sorry,” Hyunjin mumbles, a sheepish grin playing upon his lips. “I guess this is the part where I tell you that I am a very dramatic person when it comes to relationships. This is your time to run.”

“Not a chance.” You seal your promise to stay by leaning in for a kiss, which Hyunjin happily obliges you with. 

Giggling together like teenagers who have just done it for the first time, you and Hyunjin head down to the parking garage, lost in your own bubble. To anyone, it could seem like you were both obviously in the honeymoon phase of your budding relationship, that this phase would pass, but you know in your heart that life with Hyunjin could never lose its luster. 

Today, you forgo your morning NPR fix to sing along to Hyunjin’s playlist homage to one of his favorite artists, some funky underground band called Lost Children. You’ve always been more of a classical person, but the upbeat hip-hop music seems the most fitting when you look over at Hyunjin laughing at some dumb joke you’ve made, his hand casually slung over your thigh. The moment feels like a frame stolen out of a movie, something that you still can’t fathom to be your real life. 

Because on a dime, everything has changed. You used to walk into NCT with your gaze trained on the ground, trying to block out the world around you with your cheap headphones. Now, the dopiest smile known to man is plastered on your face, frozen in place even minutes after Hyunjin has dropped you off at the office; he had refused to leave until you kissed him goodbye, and subsequently, you watched him drive away until the convertible became a speck in the distance. Because little does Hyunjin know that he need not ask anything of you; for as long as you can, you’ll try your best to give him everything he could ever even dream of. 

Friday evening doesn’t come fast enough. But when it does arrive, Hyunjin feels like there is barely enough time to prepare himself. One second, he’s glumly sitting in his office, counting down those torturous minutes that he has left before he can see you. In the next, he’s flying around his penthouse at 5:36 PM, getting himself together in a panic. Shit, he has to pick you up soon; dinner jacket thrown onto his back. 5:37 PM. Crap, his hair looks too pretentious; sea salt leave-in product sprayed onto his hair, to texturize and style. 5:38 PM. And fuck, he’s missing something; a spritz of cologne on his neck. 5:39 PM.

Hyunjin nearly cries in relief when his reflection finally satisfies him, before he’s grabbing his keys and scrambling down to get into his car. He gets to your apartment exactly three minutes before six, and he was even able to afford a speedy stop at the florist, a bouquet of pink carnations now perched in the passenger seat. After checking his breath (minty and good-to-go) and using his rear-view mirror to scan himself one last time, Hyunjin gathers the nerve to knock on your front door. 

You open the door almost immediately, slightly out of breath like you had dropped everything just to dash over. After adjusting to that initial moment of awe that overcomes him whenever he lays eyes on you, Hyunjin takes his time admiring how beautiful you look. You’re wearing a wine-colored gown that hits right above your knee, a flash of your soft skin an insinuation to where exactly you’d want Hyunjin’s hands to wander. Your hair, tumbling over your shoulders like a waterfall, just begging Hyunjin to pull on. Dark red lips to bite onto, kohl lined eyes to gaze into. And a lovely smile that spreads across your face when you realize that it’s Hyunjin at the door, all for him. 

“Hyunjin!” you exclaim, and before he can say anything else, you’re pulling him in by his tie, kissing him deeply. That distinct smell of vanilla and gardenias invades his senses, and for a second, he’s temporarily debilitated by it.

You both pull apart for air much too soon, but he embraces you in a hug, because he’s too greedy to let you go, even though you’ve promised yourself to him this evening. 

“It’s great to see you too,” Hyunjin giggles, that warm feeling in his belly now spreading throughout the rest of his body. No matter the weight of it, love feels nice. “And these are for you. Not as beautiful as you, obviously, but a guy can try.”

“Pink carnations are my favorite flowers, thank you.” You accept the bouquet and stare at it in astonishment, making Hyunjin wonder if that asshole Park Jisung had ever once brought you flowers. But Hyunjin shakes the simmering fury away when you step to the side, beckoning for him to come inside. He’ll find every damn pink carnation in the world and lay them at your feet, to treat you as you deserve to be. 

After you finish placing the carnations inside a vase to adorn your dining table, you grab Hyunjin’s hand, pulling him out the door.

“So, where are you taking me?” You ask Hyunjin as he opens the car door for you. 

“It’s a surprise.” Hyunjin smiles when you playfully roll your eyes at him. “You’ll just have to see.”

You put on your seat belt and use the sun visor mirror to fluff out your hair, while Hyunjin just watches, completely smitten. 

“You going to start the car anytime soon, Hyunjin?” You eye him, propping the visor back into place and effectively snapping Hyunjin back into reality. “Or are you going to keep staring at me?”

You barely ever have to do anything to make Hyunjin fold, but here you are, putting in the extra effort to mess with him. Just like magic, you’ve switched into this flirty woman who speaks to him in a deliciously degrading way, and Hyunjin loves it. God, you know what you’re doing. And of course he wants to choose the latter option, to keep admiring you for as long as his heart desires, but he ends up glaring straight forward and jamming the key into the ignition. 

“It’s become a bad habit. I can’t look away from you,” Hyunjin mutters, a little mortified that you’ve caught him. The universe might as well stamp “SIMP” on his forehead in big, bold letters. He messes around with the touchscreen stereo in an attempt to keep himself occupied with anything other than you, flipping through the radio stations until he lands on a neutral jazz mix. 

You tilt your body towards Hyunjin, so close and yet too far. “I don’t think it’s bad… I like it when you look at me. It does things to me, you know.”

By now, Hyunjin’s knuckles that are gripping the steering wheel are bone-white. He needs you, and he needs you to use him now, damn it. And you’re not helping. But what is he, if not a glutton for pain? 

“What kinds of things?”

“You’ll just have to see,” you laugh, copying Hyunjin’s words from earlier and falling back onto your seat comfortably. Before Hyunjin can say anything else, you suddenly turn to the window, pointing at the sunset excitedly. “Oh my god, Hyunjin! Look!”

Hyunjin nearly misses it, the distinct green flicker that appears transiently above the setting sun’s upper limb. But he doesn’t, catching it before it fades in an instant. “Wow, I never thought I’d see one of those.”

You glance over at him, a dreamy look in your eye. “The green flash. The atmosphere makes the sun refract into different colors, and the one our eyes perceive is green. A lot of people think it’s a hoax. But it’s real. It’s just rare.”

“West Coast wonder,” Hyunjin says, taking your hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “It’s fate that we just happened to see it.”

“Hmm. It might be the coder in me, but I think it’s logic not fate.” You thread your fingers in through the gaps in Hyunjin’s. “Good things happen when I’m with you. I’m with you. And this is something good.”

Hyunjin doesn’t say anything, just taking you in. The idea of being meant to be has always resonated within him, but perhaps you really are right. Hyunjin is well aware that he’s somewhat of a hypocrite, always encouraging others to be happy and be themselves, while the entire time, he would package his emotions deep inside, maintaining his facade of perfection. Even at home, when he was all alone, he would never truly be comfortable in his own skin, instead obsessing over routine that never did much to ease him on the inside.

Eat, sleep, work, train, repeat, until a certain variable threw his life off its borderline neurotic train tracks. Just like that, he felt like he could feel again. It was messy and hard to comprehend, but there was feeling. You make Hyunjin feel human, keep him tethered to Earth no matter how sky-high his defenses might be. You bring out the best in Hyunjin— you are the best thing that has happened to him. 

And here you are now, with a boundless smile that is Hyunjin’s own West Coast wonder. He’ll just have to try his hardest to keep it from ever fading away. There’s a breeze in the air that ruffles your hair, and the last of the sun’s rays shine onto you like a halo, dousing your skin a molten gold shade. The sky is a warm periwinkle stricken with pink and orange, the backdrop to the masterpiece that is you. Hyunjin can barely register the melodious croon of Adele above his heart beating to the roaring rhythm of the ocean hitting the jagged shoreline rocks below. 

Miraculously, Hyunjin has the capacity to park the car in the cramped lot hidden behind his destination, a charming restaurant called Moonraker that sits on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the inky sea. By now, the dainty colors in the sky have given way to a stormier front, ominous clouds already moving in, charcoal slashing through pale pink. But this little brick haven covered in rose vines perseveres, the thrum of lively chatter inside blocking out the roll of thunder in the distance. 

“Reservation for two, under Hwang Hyunjin?”

You don’t let go of Hyunjin’s hand the entire walk to the table, only separating to sit down. Hyunjin had specially requested this table for tonight, where it is situated on the far end of the restaurant. Here, the rustic red brick walls give way to a sleeker, glass paneling that curves inward like a makeshift gazebo. The design gives a perfect view of the ocean and the moonlight that is soon to illuminate it, as well as the gentle fall of raindrops onto the see-through half-domed ceiling. A suspended bird cage full of lit steel doves serves as a charmingly offbeat chandelier, and along with a small cluster of centerpiece candles, it provides enough light that Hyunjin can discern your features from across the table. 

“Hyunjin, this place is gorgeous,” you remark, taking in your surroundings with astonishment. “It seems so obscure, but it’s such a gem. How did you find it?”

“Remember Jin?”

“How could I ever forget Mr. Worldwide Handsome?”

Hyunjin tries and fails to cover up a snort. “His family owns Moonraker, and he actually works here as the executive chef. Dr. Jeon, his half-brother, works with us, and he suggested this place for a business dinner a few years ago. I fell in love with this place right then, but I never came again until now.”

“Why not?” 

“I wanted to enjoy it with the right company. And now I’ve found her,” Hyunjin says quietly, the urge to be honest winning over his inner critic who cringes at his sappiness.

You bite the corner of your lip. “Well, thank you for bringing me here, Hyunjin. And just so you know, I really, really like you.”

I love you.

“I really, really like you too.” Hyunjin reaches forward and takes your hand again. 

The waiter arrives to pour your drinks, a selection of Moonraker’s finest red wine, and leaves to give you both some time to decide on what to order. 

“What do you recommend here?” You duck your head into the menu, still unable to see the apples of your cheeks flushed that beautiful color. You’re prettier than any sunset. “Everything looks good.”

“The tangerine and pesto burrata is the best appetizer I’ve ever had. You have to try it.” Hyunjin flips through his own menu, scouring the various entrees. “And the lemon shrimp fettuccine? Life-changing. I think I may end up getting that again.”

“I’ll get the pasta too, then,” you say happily, setting down your menu. 

Hyunjin takes a small sip from his glass, reveling in the cherry and cocoa notes of the alcohol. That buzz finally sets in, enveloping the both of you in your own lovely world, any remnants of first date nerves vanquished. Hyunjin asks you about work, and you do the same, sparking the kind of conversation that Hyunjin would be fine partaking in for hours on end. There’s no break in your words, a new question or anecdote coming up everytime a potential lull could manifest, and Hyunjin is sure that he’s found his match. After all, he could listen to you talk forever, try to piece together your thoughts to the best of his abilities. 

“It’s called programmable read-only memory, or as I like to call it, P.R.O.M. It’s a type of computer memory, which is used to store programs for digital devices.” You hold out the microcontroller in the palm of your hand, showing it off to Hyunjin. 

“And you carry this around everywhere you go?”

You laugh, slipping the chip back into your purse. “Once it’s programmed, the information written is permanent and can never be deleted. It’s almost kind of beautiful, in a way. The power of forever, in your hands. And I know it’s kind of silly, but it’s just a tangible reminder of how much I love tech. Nothing can be erased forever. My good luck charm.”

Hyunjin shakes his head. You captivate him beyond anything else, and he’s not sure if at this point, he’s getting intoxicated on the wine or you. Probably the latter. “No, I think it’s cute. I have a heart-shaped plushie hidden in my office drawer, something to remind me of how much I love my job, especially when I’m stressed.”

“Really? In that case, we’re basically the same person.” You clink your glass against Hyunjin’s.

“Cheers to that.”

You laugh, tossing a loose piece of hair over your shoulder. The action should be inconsequential, but Hyunjin can’t help but be drawn to it, focusing on the smooth skin of your now exposed clavicles. His gaze follows the nearly scandalous cut of your dress to settle on the thin gold necklace that you’re wearing, but he doesn’t dare look down any further to find the pendant. You, however, have no idea of Hyunjin’s thoughts, so when you lean forward to grab the salt shaker, he receives the perfect view of your cleavage, so enticingly nestled in your bodice. 

Hyunjin swallows harshly, looking up at the ceiling as the waiter sets your desserts down on the table. After collecting the check, he goes quickly, leaving you both to dig in. Hyunjin doesn’t move for a moment, just hopefully watching your reaction to one of the best dishes he has ever tasted. He gets more than he bargained for when you take a bite of the tiramisu and close your eyes, making a small sound of pleasure.

Hyunjin clears his throat, trying to calibrate himself back to getting a fucking grip. He picks up his spoon in an attempt to be normal, but he can’t bring himself to eat, not when there’s something else he is absolutely starving for. And the new hard-on that the universe just gifted him with definitely isn’t helping either. 

“Hyunjin.”

“Yes?”

“Is there something you want?” You raise your eyebrow at him knowingly.

Hyunjin inhales deeply, closing his eyes for a moment to convince himself to make a pass at maintaining his dignity. “I, um, sorry. That was inappropriate.”

“If it makes it better, I like your chain too. You’re good.” You smirk at Hyunjin, toying with your fork before deliberately dropping it onto the floor right underneath the table. “Oops. I really am so clumsy.”

Hyunjin shivers in his seat, shaking his head. “Oh, you’re trouble, aren’t you?”

“Would you be here if I wasn’t?” You smile sweetly at Hyunjin, even though your intentions are anything but. “Can you get that for me, darling?”

Without even bothering to take a look around and check for unwanted guests, Hyunjin pushes back in his chair and drops to his knees. Without breaking eye contact with you for as long as he can, Hyunjin lifts the tablecloth before crawling under the table. 

He has ideas, so many ideas, of what things he might do to you on the journey to retrieve the poor fork, but he doesn’t anticipate you facilitating it all for him; you aren’t wearing anything at all underneath your dress, your core bared to his unexpecting gaze. As if you notice how Hyunjin has automatically freezed, you spread your legs even further, completely exposing the sheen of arousal that decorates your inner thighs.

But before he can touch you, your cruel agenda manifests when you snap your legs closed. Hyunjin just knows that this is your plan, to play with him and have him going insane; he can picture the smug look on your pretty face, at having won this round. 

Clenching his jaw, Hyunjin pushes himself back onto his feet, haphazardly letting the stupid fork fall from his palm onto the table with a loud clatter. “Are you having fun?”

“Loads.” You smile sweetly, gaze dropping from Hyunjin’s face to where he’s already hard with frustration. “What’s gotten you all worked up?”

“You’re really something, aren’t you?” Hyunjin tries to sound serious, but his voice is thick with affection, and he can’t help but smile.

“Let’s have the rest to-go.” You purse your lips, eyes sparkling. “Take me home.”

Hyunjin opens the door to his apartment somberly, a maddening contrast to his breakneck speed on the highway, one that was augmented with the feeling of your hands all over him. He hears you shut the door behind yourself, and he doesn’t say anything, just closing his eyes in a minute of contemplation.

Reckless, that’s what he’s been. And he doesn’t care anymore. He’s been falling for you since the moment you stepped into his office, and this is his beautiful repentance. He’ll let you take complete control of him tonight, and maybe tomorrow, and the day after that. He just wants you to keep him for as long as you want. It’s why he turns back to look at you all of a sudden, every bit of desperation that he thought he had hidden from you manifesting in his expression.

“I want you to do whatever you want to me. Anything, I’ll listen.” Hyunjin takes your hands in his, placing a chaste kiss on your knuckles to make up for what is about to follow. “Please, darling.”

Your lovely features twist in a fleeting moment of surprise, but the feeling is soon replaced by an ecstatic mischief. “Alright then.”

You move closer to Hyunjin at a tantalizingly slow pace, but just when your lips are but a hair’s breadth apart, you pull away with a devious grin that has Hyunjin’s knees going weak. You pat his shoulder softly, giving him a patronizing little look as you start to saunter around the penthouse with ease, delicately trailing your fingers on walls. 

“Where are you going?” Hyunjin stutters out, a pit of arousal building in his stomach. 

“Take off all your clothes and meet me in the bedroom.” You look over your shoulder at him, a small smirk curving the corners of your lips. “And leave the chain on.”

Hyunjin scampers to strip himself completely, finally kneeling in front of you in his room, shivering from both the air conditioning and the way your gaze slowly traces over every inch of his body. 

But what a sight you are, with your lipstick smudged from the kisses stolen at each red light on the road, hair tousled by the evening breeze. You lean forward and hook the chain hanging from Hyunjin’s neck with your index finger. You bring him closer to you by your grip, your lips brushing ever so slightly.

“You’re eager, aren’t you?”

Hyunjin inhales deeply, feeling himself harden immediately, knowing that you’re aware of it too, and yet, doing nothing about it. “Yes.”

“Good.”

You reel him in completely, grinning into the kiss as you playfully nip at his lower lip. Hyunjin prays you’ll deepen the kiss, but of course you never relent, pulling away with a laugh. 

With your hold on his jewelry, you bring Hyunjin up to his feet, guiding him back until his calves hit his bed. You push him back, and Hyunjin lands rather clumsily on the sheets, nevertheless raptured by you.

Because there you stand, tall and strong and breathtakingly beautiful. Hyunjin watches as you slip out of your dress, leaving nothing but a thin chain that circles your waste, flirting with the dip of your navel. That, combined with the fact you’re otherwise completely naked, has him going crazy. 

Hyunjin is nothing but awestruck. He knew you would have him at a loss for words with just a bat of your eyelashes, but you seem to outdo even the closeted thoughts he has of you, every single time. Before you, there had never been someone who could even cold a single fucking candle to the kind of woman you are. And Hyunjin realizes now that there never will be. 

From the elegant dip of your clavicles, Hyunjin’s eyes fall to lovely, full breasts that demand his hands and mouth all over them, to be lovingly reddened with his teeth. The curves of your hip look like they crave to be sculpted, to be captured in stone forever, twins to the delicate stretch marks that frame your pelvis. The dark curls of hair that cover your pubic bone are just the final touches to the last shreds of Hyunjin’s sanity, hiding his most favorite place from him.

“Fuck me,” Hyunjin accidentally says out loud as you turn, showing off the delectable curve of your backside.

You face him again, giving him a derisive smile. “I’m getting there, but someone’s in a hurry. So greedy, aren’t you?”

“I’m sor— holy fuck,” Hyunjin breathes out as you bend over more than you need to, picking up your dress. You brazenly flash your pussy from the back, perhaps completely aware of the dreams Hyunjin has had of having you in a position like this. 

“What do you think?” You carelessly toss your dress onto the armchair in the corner and give Hyunjin a knowing look, taking a step closer to him.

“I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” he murmurs, running his hand through his hair. “Just look at you.”

You chuckle at his praise, placing your hands on his shoulders for support as you sit down on his lap. The feeling of you is overwhelming, from the seductive scent of your perfume to your heavy locks ensnaring Hyunjin in a silky curtain as you kiss him slowly. 

“Baby,” you sigh in between kisses, a sound that goes straight to his cock. “I’m going to get myself off now, and you’re going to watch. Okay?”

Hyunjin nods in anticipation, waiting for you to sprawl out on the bed, to spread your legs open for him and touch yourself. Instead, you straddle his thigh tightly, wrapping your arms around his neck. Hyunjin’s ears start ringing when you let out a soft whimper at the feel of his hard thigh against your clit, as you start to roll your hips against him. 

Hyunjin can feel all of you, how dripping wet your cunt is against his skin, how you’re completely soaking his entire leg without any care. Hyunjin places his hands on your lower back to help you gain friction, as you claim his mouth in a deep, lush kiss. Wet, hungry, and fucking starving for each other. 

As your movements quicken, Hyunjin can properly sense how slick and hot you are, how maddening your sensitive core is against his bare skin, like every part of you is a live wire. He lowers his hands to your hips, facilitating the way you shamelessly grind on him. 

“Spit on it,” you instruct Hyunjin, directing your gaze down at your pussy as you lift your hips higher. Obediently, Hyunjin leans down and does what you ask, letting you ride him with even more ease and fluidity than more. You moan at the sensation, and Hyunjin feels so free and unhinged at the sound. 

This time, Hyunjin’s the one initiating a kiss, sucking on your tongue as you work your cunt even harder against his skin. Wet, lewd sounds fill the room, complementing your breathy sighs like a symphony, and he moans into your mouth, digging his nails into your ass and helping you go faster. 

Hyunjin tilts his head back when your lips attach to his neck like a promise to refresh the marks gifted in your previous rendezvous. He can tell you’re close, with how your clit throbs with desire and a fiery warmth spreads from your core and out. You curl your toes as you bounce on Hyunjin’s thigh, your orgasm looming closer. You grip the nape of his neck and kiss him hard, gasping at the feeling of your body tipping over the blissful edge of euphoria.

You hold onto him as you climax, shaking and writhing, hips not letting up as you come. You cry out his name, burying your face into his neck and inhaling his scent, finally calming down as he raises his leg, massaging you as you come back down from your high. So devastatingly gorgeous.

You lift yourself off of Hyunjin, who whimpers at the sight of your essence all over him. You slide down to your knees to slot yourself between his legs, staring up with lulled eyes. 

“You’ve been so good for me.” Your cheeks and chest are flushed from your orgasm, your breathing heavy. Your baby hairs are stuck to your temples with perspiration from your valiant solo efforts. “You deserve something special.”

Without any warning, you lick a bold stripe up Hyunjin’s cock and suck at the head, wrapping your perfect lips around the tip. Hyunjin moans uninhibited, deep and from his chest, only spurring you on. You take him in further like you love his taste, how he pulses against your tongue. Hyunjin’s hips shift against the bed as you work your mouth all the way down, until your nose is pressed into the light dusting of hair at the base. 

"Fuck,” he curses under his breath. "Please—”

Hyunjin’s words cut off as your hand comes up to his stomach, smoothing over his chest and feeling the muscles ripple under your palm. You push his torso back fully onto the bed, smiling before kissing the base of his cock. Hyunjin lets out a low whine, tangling his fingers through the ends of your soft, soft hair, pulling you back onto him.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” you sigh against him, the vibrations of your words flowing through Hyunjin’s nerves. Your lips travel up in teasing kisses, and Hyunjin nearly stops breathing, as everything else disappears. 

Hyunjin can feel you work him rapidly, keenly watching his thighs flex and shake as you take him deep. Hyunjin lets out a guttural sound— a sound that should be embarrassing but he can’t find it in himself to be— when you unexpectedly fondle his balls in your hands. He can feel it in his cock, intensified by the wet heat of your mouth wrapped around him. He’s losing his mind, and it’s all because of you. 

He cries out once more, twisting your hair in a way that is sure to have caused you pain. But you pay it no mind, Hyunjin’s legs caging you comfortably as you continue. Your rhythm is steady, with how you close in on him as well as your can, slightly gagging around his width and creating a delicious friction that has Hyunjin bucking up his hips. Your hand moves at a feverish pace to make up for the difference, and Hyunjin is a mess above you, groaning and head empty of everything except for your hot, wet mouth around his most sensitive area. 

“I’m close,” Hyunjin gasps as you run your tongue over the underside of his cock, before kissing his stomach.

You hum in agreement, pulling your mouth up his shaft one last time, as you momentarily release Hyunjin’s body from the tension you’ve put him through. You give the tip a wet, filthy kiss, and stand, tall and serene. 

“Good.” You take Hyunjin’s cock in your hands, working him with your fingers, and Hyunjin notices how you squeeze your thighs together to contain yourself. You’re just as turned on as he is, and there’s no hiding that. 

Hyunjin’s fingertips tingle in that last wave, a film of sweat forming across the expanse of the back of his neck. You get calmer and faster at the same time, and Hyunjin can’t bear to keep back his sounds of pleasure, louder and even more desperate as the pressure in his coursing through his body builds. He sees stars in the shape of your eyes behind his eyelids, and the air is thick and the room is on fire with his undoing. He can’t hold on anymore, letting go at last and unloading his release all over your breasts in hot spurts.

In the aftermath, he looks up at you in a mixture of fear and arousal, chest rising and falling raggedly. “I’m sorry.”

You grin, like you knew this would happen. “It’s okay to make a mess as long as you clean it up.”

Hyunjin doesn’t waste any time lowering his head to your breasts, licking all over your skin to clear up his own come. It’s filthy yet incredibly erotic, especially when he starts to circle his tongue around your nipple, sucking at the sensitive bud. You thread your fingers into his hair, hugging him close while he’s more thorough than he needs to be. He meets your eyes while looking up, giving you a mischievous smile before he lightly nips at the bud before kissing it innocently, finally releasing it with a wet pop. Immediately, you drag his head away from you, mock irritation all over your features. Your eyes sweep over his form, narrowing on his pitiful cock, where he’s getting hard again. 

“Baby, please,” Hyunjin can’t help but moan, taking your hands in his. "I need to be inside you.”

"I like the way you say that," you smirk. "Please. Say it again.”

"Just fuck me. Let me make you feel good. I love how fucking wet you get when you come for me. I want to fill you up and make you drip all over me." The words tumble out of Hyunjin’s mouth, yearning and desperate, mirroring every fiber of his being.

You click your tongue, tapping your finger against your chin in wait. "Where's that please?"

"Please. You're all I can think about, please, my darling. I'll get on my fucking knees if I have to, pleas-"

You kiss him, silencing him effectively because at this point, you have heard enough to give you both what you want.

“Take it.” Your control, your body, your pleasure.

Hyunjin flips you over and throws you back onto the bed, your giggles melting deliciously into the air. He runs his hands over your body, cold, firm hands against soft, warm skin. Over the smooth dip of your stomach, the valley between your breasts, that beautiful gap between your shoulders and collarbones. Every touch pulls Hyunjin further into the heaven you offer, your sighs his creed and your hips his altar. 

“Look at you. You take my breath away every time, don’t you know?”

You say nothing, doe eyes staring up at him with heavy-lidded lust. Hyunjin has officially lost every other thought that does not involve you. He squeezes your breasts once, before cupping your face, nothing but pure affection dripping from his tone. You are by far the most precious thing to him, and he’ll thank the higher powers for as long as eternity if it means he gets to keep you.

You scoot back a little, leaning up on your elbows and bending your knees, feet flat on the bed. Like a magnet, Hyunjin’s eyes are drawn to your core, where you’re shiny and soaking wet. You are absolutely beautiful, and he’s dizzy again, unable to function on anything but the thought of how much he wants you, even if he might have you right now. 

You run your hand down your body at a tantalizing rate, all the way down, sliding one finger over your lips, spreading yourself apart slowly, with how you’re still sensitive from the last time you came. Hyunjin watches in amazement like it’s the first time again, and he can’t help himself in that moment, even though he’s been promised something else. 

After all, that magnetic pull is stronger, and his hands slide under the bend of your knees so perfectly, like a missing puzzle piece. His head is already lowering towards your heat, where you smell like sex and peaches. Your fingers, which had continued to stroke over yourself, disappear, and your hips twitch up toward him. You are open, waiting, impatient. It completely clouds Hyunjin’s brain, and his only desire now is to put his mouth on you.

And he has to force himself to pause, with his face centimeters from your pussy, to absorb the sight of you, breathe you in, before pressing his mouth against you. You taste like a ripe mango dusted with salt, sweet with the slightest hint of something tart and heady. Hyunjin slowly slides up, gliding his tongue flat over your folds, lips lightly brushing over your clit, and you gasp, freezing.

Hyunjin smiles, letting out a wicked breath over your nub and flicking his tongue against it once more. He rotates the tip of it around your clit, and you choke out a moan, pulling at Hyunjin’s hair at even the tiniest movement of his tongue. 

The hot, balmy Californian air floating through the windows seems to make you shake as well, breathy moans mixing with the breeze like music. Your thighs grip his head, legs thrown over his shoulders, and Hyunjin’s breathing skips for a moment, a groan of satisfaction escaping his lips. 

And you love this, arching your back as your hips press even more up against him, and Hyunjin practically devours you, holding your thighs in a vice grip and licking deep into your delectable cunt. 

It almost sounds as if you’re in pain, but then your body melts into the bed, letting go of everything. “Don’t fucking stop.”

Even if Hyunjin had his own will in this matter, he’d obey your command. Hyunjin builds a rhythm, tracing patterns against the hood and your walls, his nose brushing against your clit. This is enough, when you rock against his face, your moans getting higher in volume and pitch. The pressure he exerts builds up to crescendo, and after some time, you quiet. 

Hyunjin opens his eyes, looking up at you, and you are the very image of sin. Your long hair is fanned around your body like a frame harboring art, body shining with a thin veil of sweat, back arched, head towards the ceiling. You still shake, chest heaving as you struggle to breathe, and Hyunjin slows down a little, taking in the moment. His own hair is a mess, clumped together in places from both the sweat of his effort and your arousal. Hyunjin’s cheeks are warm and red, and everything feels hot.

He pulls off for a second, teasingly, before diving back in, licking you through your pleasure. He drinks in your cream, thick and sweet, as you pulsate when the feeling washes over you like a riptide, crashing into you like a tidal wave. Against your pussy, he chants your name over and over like a prayer to mirror the way you do to him, and eventually, you slow the roll of your hips, releasing your hold on him.

Hyunjin gives a few more gentle licks across your cunt, cleaning you up even as you twitch in sensitivity. He kisses your thighs and your stomach, then both of your breasts, finally heaving his body up the rest of the way and pressing his nose to yours. You both giggle deliriously as he kisses you again.

“I’ll go get a condom really quick, it’s in my bedside—”

“Don’t.” You give him a sharp look that has him crumbling. “Take me raw.”

When he finally inserts himself inside of you without any barriers at all for the first time, it’s painfully slow, sliding out and back in. But even with how spent you are, there are those sharp intakes of breath and the small noises of pleasure, as if you’re surprised and confused by the ecstasy you’re feeling for the umpteenth time in the night. Hyunjin tries it again, and your pleasure sounds stronger, more sure of itself and its place. He does it once more, a bit faster, and something overtakes you. You are all desire, all-consuming, all hands in his hair, legs around his hips, and pulling him closer.

“More,” you whisper against Hyunjin’s lips, and he is all too happy to give it to you.

Hyunjin keeps himself steady at first, before working it up further, groaning into your neck, biting at your shoulder. He bends a bit, shifting the angle, and suddenly you are crying out louder, nearly screaming.

“There!” You cry out, eyes screwed close. “There, oh god, right there, please, again, again.”

Hyunjin obeys, giving harder thrust than before, and he lets out a ragged breath and picks up his pace. He latches onto you, hands in her you, on your skin, arms around you, marking himself on your neck. Your nails claw down his back, sure to leave fiery trails of the evidence of your activities, but it doesn’t matter. Your teeth drag along his jaw, his earlobe, and Hyunjin nearly crumbles.

“That’s my good boy,” you sigh into his ear, in a low, husky tone that goes straight to his cock. “My sweet boy, so good for me, so perfect.” 

It’s the most dirty, seductive thing you have said all night, dipped in sugar and coated in spice. Hyunjin is right there on the edge, bound to tumble over any second.

“Please, baby,” he huffs into your neck. “I need to...I don’t think I can for much longer.”

“Yes you can,” you encourage, breath tickling his ear. “I know you can.” Another moan disrupting your train of thought. “For me. Just a little bit longer. Do it for me. You can hold on for me.”

Hyunjin can feel you tightening up too, your sounds higher, quieter, and he knows you’re right there, your walls clenching against his cock.

“Let go now,” you order, and Hyunjin can’t hold himself back any longer, now that you’ve given him the agency to release.

And he is gone, shaking as the pressure is released into you, but he is still going, moving frantically inside of you, moaning your name into your neck. And you’re arching up into him, unable to keep your composure because you are so desperate for more even when your pleasure is already spilling over and out of you. Hyunjin knows you can feel him twitching, pulsing inside of you, and it only makes his orgasm that much stronger, and in turn, he holds you tighter, pounds into your cunt with everything he has. It’s an avalanche, a tsunami, a thunderstorm, the ultimate explosion of your desire, the ultimate connection between them.

Eventually, the lust gives way to exhaustion, and the strong thrusts transition into steady, slow rolls, which also subside to nothing. In a daze, Hyunjin lifts his head to press his forehead against yours. You both smile dumbly, and you laugh. Hyunjin, however, doesn’t know how he managed to even lift his head, because when you naturally shift your hips, and he tries to pull out, it’s as if he doesn’t have any muscles at all; pushing himself up above your body is nearly impossible. So he stays in that position, still inside of you, and you let him.

You hold him steadfast, one hand on his back and the other stroking his face. Hyunjin pillows his head on your chest, tucking it under your chin. His hands stay content on your breasts, thumb grazing your nipples softly, in a self-satisfying kind of way. There, he just basks in your warmth and the steady rise and fall of your chest. 

“Thank you,” Hyunjin whispers, drawn out long. For letting him come, for letting him love you like this, for letting him be here, for the meaning you’ve brought into his life. You combs your fingers through his hair again and kiss his forehead, and he hums in delight.

“No, thank you,” you say. “Hyunjin. Baby, you were so good tonight, so perfect.”

Hyunjin smiles at the praise, hazy, loopy with happiness. Your words drift in and out of his brain, sounding more present and coherent than he feels, and he sinks deep into it.

This state of being, this space he’s in, is heaven— it must be. Nothing can be more perfect than this. He loves you. And maybe, you might love him just as much. He is yours. And you are his.

“Mine,” he whispers into the darkness.

“Yours,” you return. “Always.”

“This is going to change everything.”

“Uh huh,” Minho mutters, toying with the little cat plushie perched on the corner of his desk. “I believe you.”

“I’m serious! I emailed the event committee. I’m not planning it anymore, given that I just burned my job to a crisp, but it’s still happening. The party is two weeks away, and they will do everything to prevent me from entering it, but I’m going to pitch my idea no matter what. Somehow. I’m going to find a way.” You frantically pull out the hard copies of your outlines for the ITEM revival, spreading them out in front of Minho. “You’re one of the most talented engineers I know, and I can’t see anyone else taking the role. I need to know if you’re with me.”

Minho makes a show of scanning the documents while humming in deliberation, prompting you to roll your eyes in exasperation. But before you can scold him, pipes up. “The opportunity to get out of this hellhole working under Mark is too enticing. Imagine the look on his face when I tell him, ‘I’m ITEM Tech’s Chief Technology Officer. I quit, you S.O.B.!’ I’m so in.”

You give him a weary smile, the tight ball of stress in your stomach loosening a little. “I’m glad to hear that, but don’t be hasty to quit your stable job when we don’t know what’s going to happen with ITEM. Anyway, now that I have you, there’s only one other I need to get on board.”

Minho whistles. “Who?”

“Chan, my old classmate. The person who created ITEM Technologies with me.” You hum in thought, tapping your fingers against your arm. “I can’t move forward unless I have his permission. And his support would be even better, because he really was such a damn good strategist.”

“Did you reach out?”

You pull out your laptop and show Minho your empty inbox. “Yeah. I emailed him a few days ago, but no response yet.”

“I must be a good luck charm.” Minho glances up from the screen and shoots you a shit-eating grin. “‘Cause you’ve got mail!”

“What!” You exclaim while snatching the laptop back, expecting another one of Minho’s vastly unfunny jokes. But lo and behold, he’s not lying; there sits an unread message from the target sender. 

You scramble to open the email, nearly dropping the machine in the middle. Ignoring Minho’s snicker, you somehow regain enough coordination to read it carefully, taking in every word. 

From: Chan Bahng <chbahng97@gmail.com>

To: Y/N Y/L/N <yn05@gmail.com>

Subject: RE: ITEM Proposal

Dear Y/N,

How have you been? I was so happy to see your email… we haven’t talked in ages. I apologize for the delay in responding, there’s been a lot going on recently. 

But I loved working with you, and I am interested in hearing more. I still live in L.A., so it would be great to meet up with you in-person. I know you’re here too, and I am so stoked to hear about all of your work at NCT Corp!

This is also kind of an impromptu plan, but how about meeting up for lunch at noon? I’m actually going to the Indian place on 700 Ave, if you want to join me. Remember doing physics homework and brainstorming over their butter chicken? Good times. 

Anyway, if it doesn’t work out for you today, I totally get it. Let me know when you’re available, and we can find another time. I’m pretty much free these days. I cannot wait to see you!

P.S. My new phone number is 424-639-4922. It’ll probably be easier to communicate over cell. 

Cheers,

Chan

Minho tries to peer into your screen. “Well? What did he say?” 

“He’s asking to get lunch. In twenty minutes.” You hesitate, glancing over at Mark’s closed door. He would definitely strangle you if he found out that you skimped on work for just a lunch break. The horror!

Sensing your uncertainty, Minho pats your arm. “Don’t worry. This is important. I’ll cover for you.”

“How? Mark may be vile, but that man is very thorough and will murder both of us if he finds—”

“I’ll just tell him you got diarrhea. No one ever asks follow-up questions.” Minho cackles, while you watch him, unimpressed.

“Ugh, fine. Are you sure it’s alright?”

“Positive.” Minho nods solemnly, dropping all humor from his disposition. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t find out. Just take notes and ask all the necessary questions. I’m rooting for you.”

You exhale in relief. “You are a lifesaver. The actual best.”

“I know.”

After you dismiss Minho’s ludicrous escape plan that involves parachuting off of a nearby construction crane, you unceremoniously exit through the main entrance, thanking your lucky stars that Mark doesn’t manifest out of nowhere from behind a decorative plant.

You quickly get into your car and hightail out of the building garage, navigating out of the corporate hub and into a more breezy, down-to-earth sector of the city. After paying a terrible price for parking and checking your watch, you slow your pace while walking, just taking in your surroundings. The young, bustling crowd alive in the streets remind you of the days you would frequent this place, trying new activities with friends or just soaking in the zest of your life. As you near the Bombay Bistro, you realize that you’ve missed this, just enjoying the moment you’re in. 

You follow the delicious, spicy aroma into the little restaurant. For a minute, you just gape around at the place, remembering everything. The rounded chairs with the fraying upholstery, the beautiful paintings of lithe dancers and bengal tigers, the sound of some old Bollywood song playing over the chatter of everyone dining. After you collect yourself, you scan the interior for Chan, but fail to spot him, even though it’s already six minutes past noon. 

You: Hi Chan, I’m here. Where are you?

Chan: Hey! I’m in the back, at our usual table

Chan: I see you!

You look up from your phone, squinting your eyes at the dining area in confusion, before your gaze lands on a man sitting at your favorite booth. At first, you remain utterly perplexed at why this complete stranger keeps waving at you wildly, but vague recognition kicks in as you make your way towards him. 

“You haven’t changed at all, have you?” Chan stands up from his seat to give you a hug, while you just stay there in place, frozen.

The Chan that is standing in front of you right now looks nothing like the awkward, shy kid you knew during your college years; he looks confident and has finally grown into himself. The heat damaged side part that he once sported has been traded for a luscious head of his natural curls, to go with a freshly aligned smile that nearly blinds you. And obviously, he must have gone premium at his gym, judging by the look of his biceps in that black compression shirt. In your entire time you had known Chan, you never saw him out of his daily uniform of khakis and a collared shirt that was far too big for him. 

“And you changed… a lot,” you let out an astonished sound. “How are you, Chan?”

Chan gestures for you to sit down. “Let’s just say we have a lot to catch up on. You look amazing, by the way.”

“Not as much as you,” you say automatically, before immediately clamping your hand over your mouth in mortification.

He laughs, and you’re transported back into senior year, to the midnight study all-nighters and early mornings tinkering in the lab. Deserting your friendship instead of turning to it, when you both needed it the most, was one the few things that you truly regretted about the past few years. At least that laugh hasn’t changed, and neither has his accent, an homage to his western Sydney heritage. 

“I missed this. Feels like old times.” Chan grins, the dimples on his handsome face deepening. 

You both give your orders to the waiter before you sigh, shaking your head. “Chan, I shouldn’t have left things like that. You deserved a better goodbye than some lame text and me just dipping. I’ve been so ashamed of myself that all this time, I didn’t reach out. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, don’t say that.” Chan reaches across the table, taking your hand in his. “You were going through a lot back then, and I’m just happy that we can go back to the way things were.”

“Me too.” You smile at him, hope blossoming in you. “Does this mean you considered the proposal?”

“More than considered. I’m accepting it.” Chan grins, leaning over your mango lassis like you’re both in on a secret. “No one could be the COO to your CEO like me.”

“That’s true.” You both clink your glasses together, and you sip your drink, reveling in the delightfully fruity flavor that has suddenly turned a thousand times sweeter. “Welcome back, Mr. Bahng.”

“We can iron out the details maybe this weekend, since you basically planned most of our presentation for the event. So for now, let’s just enjoy ourselves. Spill everything on NCT, go.”

The next few minutes are spent discussing your not-so-dream job over appetizers, and you have to admit, talking in detail about NCT is not your favorite thing to do at all, but it’s worth it to see Chris’s expressions as you speak. Indignance at Mark’s machinations, delighted curiosity at the mention of Minho, and sympathy for your carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of being overworked.

“And what about you?” 

Chan turns serious, the light drowning out of his expression. He starts picking at the slice of naan in front of him, tearing it into little pieces and arranging it on his plate. Another old trait that never died. “You know that swanky restaurant on the fifth? The Terrace?”

You raise your eyebrows, your thoughts going straight to the Golden Trio. How could you not know the place, after haunting it every Saturday afternoon for years? “Mhm.”

“Well, I was working there, until last night.”

“Wait, what?” You sit up in surprise, mind flashing back to the last time you visited the restaurant. Sana had left the table to go annoy one of the staff that she had her eye on. You didn’t recognize him back then, but you remember now. “Oh my god, you were the bartender that Sana was obsessed with? Chris?”

Chan winces, nodding. “The funny thing is, Sana didn’t remember me from college. Back then, I was just another nerdy loser to her. But then again, even you didn’t know who I was, all those times you walked past the bar. Like you said, I changed.”

You shake your head slowly, trying to digest his words. “Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

“Well, I was a little hurt, and far too proud to talk to you first. And I haven’t exactly been my best self, all this time.” Chan swallows harshly, looking away.

“Chan… what happened?”

“JYP had given me an offer that I accepted before graduating, but soon after everything that happened with CODA, I was laid off. I mean, JYP was going through a merger, and I guess I just didn’t seem like a special asset anymore, after the losses incurred with ITEM.”

“But… but you could have found another job.” You stutter, the guilt manifesting like a pit. “You’re one the smartest, most capable people I know. You’re so much better than me.”

“I’m going to write down that you said I’m better,” Chan chuckles, but there’s no real humor in his voice. “Y/N, you know how oversaturated this industry is. And especially with helping Mom recover from her relapse, I just couldn’t keep up with it anymore. It took me forever to find a job in retail, and that was only after I changed my ethnic name to something more socially acceptable. Hence, Chris.”

“I’m so sorry about everything, Chan. CODA. The job. And Mrs. Bahng too. I didn’t know. I— is she okay?” You say, chest hitching as you think of Chan’s lovely mother. She had treated you like her own, bringing you homemade meals because your parents lived far from campus, throwing you a party when you got that one summer internship you’d been stressing over for so long. 

“It’s not your fault, stop apologizing.” Chan squeezes your hand. “And the cancer is long gone, she’s good now.”

“But it is. It is my fault. If I had just gone to CODA and secured our funding—”

“Y/N, I promise I don’t blame you. I never did,” Chan cuts you off firmly. “But we get a second chance now. I quit that terrible job and now I’m ready to find my passion again. Let’s make the most of it.”

Chan always had a way of getting you to agree, to accept his word like a decree. It wasn’t that he was particularly forceful or persuasive with his rhetoric. Rather, even in his most determined rants, he had a certain warmth to him, like you could trust him. And you do.

You secure your revived relationship with another lassi toast, and any remaining tension fades away when it’s time for dessert. The waiter sets down twin cups of saffron rose ice cream, and you both dig in, the mood returning to something friendly and lighthearted.

“Hey, this might sound crazy,” Chan says between mouthfuls of the ice cream, prompting you to look up. “But, would you maybe want to get dinner sometime? Someplace nice. And in a non-work-related way. No pressure at all, of course.”

“You mean…” You blink in surprise. “Like, a date?”

“Yeah.” Chan shrugs with a smile. “Figures I’m shooting my shot years later, but I need to get it off of my chest if we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other now. I’ve always had a giant crush on you, I thought you knew.”

“Chan, I’m flattered, and you’ve always been so sweet to me.” You set your spoon down. “However, I’m actually already with someone.”

“Oops, never mind. Crush deactivated.” Chan jokingly lifts his hands up as if in surrender, and you sit back. You like how easy things are with him, how he always laughs it off. “So, who is he? Boyfriend? Or, husband?”

“His name is Hyunjin. And um, it’s pretty new, so definitely not at the latter stage. Or really, any? I don’t know, we haven’t really put a label on it yet.” You explain, a little flustered, a little dazed, at the thought of Hyunjin. “But it’s good! It’s really good. He makes me really happy.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You deserve someone who makes you happy.” Chan gives you a genuine smile. “I’d love to meet him one day.”

You return it. “Thank you. And yes, you definitely will.”

But there’s now something else that pulls at you. The fact that you and Hyunjin still haven’t made things official between you both. Does he not feel as serious about you, as you are about him? You shake the thought away, focusing on something else. “Can we circle back to how you had a crush on me? I had no clue!”

“I thought I was making it obvious—”

“It’s all about the eggs,” Hyunjin says, turning the knob on the pasta machine as you watch him. “You have to make sure they're at room temperature, or else they won’t mix well with the flour.”

“I’ve never had homemade pasta before,” you reply. “Delicious.”

Hyunjin looks up from the machine, smiling at you. The tip of his nose and tops of his cheeks are dusted in flour, and his flowery little apron is covered in splotches of pesto sauce. For the past twenty minutes, you’ve been perched on the counter, leaning on your elbows and following Hyunjin’s every movement, just enraptured by him.

“I’m honored to be your first,” Hyunjin quips, making you roll your eyes in mock irritation at the innuendo. “How was your day?”

“Pretty good. I met up with my old partner over lunch to get him on board the ITEM proposal. And he’s accepted, thankfully.” 

Hyunjin places the strips of dough into a pot of boiling water, before turning around with his eyebrows raised. “Partner, huh?”

“Okay, okay. It’s not like that. Chan and I never had anything between us going on, never will. Purely platonic,” you explain. “I mean, he did admit he had a crush and asked me out, but I rejected him. Still on friendly terms though, obviously.”

Hyunjin sighs, wiping his hands. “Well, I can’t blame the poor guy for liking you. But you did tell him you’re taken, right?”

“Yes, I did, but…” You purse your lips in thought, thinking back to what had bothered you earlier at the bistro. “Hyunjin, can I ask you something?”

He sets the pan of sauce back down on the stove, the space between his eyebrows crinkling in concern. “Of course, darling. You can always talk to me, you know that.”

“Well, when Chan and I were talking, I didn’t know how to describe us. I just want to know, what are we?” You bite your lip nervously, deciding to just continue rambling on, judging by the surprised look on Hyunjin’s face. Oh god. “I Googled when couples should go from dating to making things official, like, ‘boyfriend girlfriend’ official, and most forums say that it’s a minimum of nine dates. We’ve gone only on one official date, two if we’re counting this one. And you don’t have to answer any of this, obviously.”

“Has anyone ever told you how cute you are?” Hyunjin walks over to you, an amused little smile spreading across your face. “First of all, I’ve been wanting to make things official since before we even had our first kiss. I just didn’t want to scare you away. I’ve always wanted you, and only you.”

“Oh,” you breathe, relaxing your shoulders from their tense position.

“As the Love Doctor, I think I’m qualified enough to say that we are free to be whatever we want. Like I said, our lives, our rules. I know you, and you know me. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want to be with you. And I’m ready to make things official when you are.”

“I’m more than ready,” you say quickly. 

“Are… are you sure, love? I don’t want you to feel rushed, or anything.” Hyunjin earnestly looks at you. “And I know you saw Jisung the other day, like you told me, so if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, or if you’re having mixed feelings about this—”

“Hyunjin. Seriously. You are a dream come true, but can you seriously not see how completely gone I am for you?” You stroke the side of his face lovingly, realizing how clearly you two are so alike. “I’ve been stressing over this for so long, because I felt the exact same way. I didn’t want to blindside you with how I felt, but I want this too. I want to be with you only, too.”

“Oh yeah?” Hyunjin grins, kissing you sweetly on your lips. “Soo, will you be my girlfriend then?”

“Yes.” You giggle. “I like you very much.”

“Well, not as much as I like you.”

“That’s not possible.” You bite back a smile, as Hyunjin corners you against the island, caging you in with his arms.

“Wrong, I can prove it to you.” Hyunjin smirks mischievously, before leaning in.

As you kiss each other fervently, Hyunjin lifts you with extreme ease and places you on the counter. The candles that he so painstakingly lit are blown out with your harried motions, and the dinner set on the table, along with the lychee sorbet in the freezer, is long forgotten, in favor of a different kind of sweet satisfaction. Hyunjin roughly pulls off your cardigan and unzips your dress, accidentally knocking over the half full glasses behind you. Neither of you care, however, saving the mess for tomorrow morning.

“This one.” Hyunjin holds up a slinky black dress that looks like it would cost you a whole year of rent. “Show stopping.”

“Hyunjin, we only stopped by the mall because you said you wanted to look at the perfumes, and only the perfumes.” You playfully chide him, fingering the sequined material. “Besides, I already bought a dress for the party with Yeonjun. Remember? I sent you a picture.”

“I know, I know.” Hyunjin sighs. “I just can’t hold myself back though, this vintage Valentino would just look gorgeous if it was on you.”

“You just know how to talk to a woman, don’t you?” You grin, grabbing his hand. “Either way, I wouldn’t have anywhere else to wear the dress; it would just wither away in my closet.”

“We’ll see about that,” Hyunjin says mischievously, prompting you to suspiciously look him in the eye. 

“...What are you planning?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see!” Hyunjin thrusts the dress into your hands. “Come on, just this once! Then we’ll leave, I promise. Please?”

You smile, shaking your head in defeat. “I can’t say no when you ask me that.”

“It’s one of my talents.” Hyunjin quips, pulling you over to the dressing rooms. 

But then maybe you should have really kept your foot down and hightailed it out of the store when you had the chance, because you see her, strutting around the shoe displays like some kind of a top model gazelle. 

“Irene.” Her name leaves your lips before you can help it, but the charred disdain in your voice is completely intentional.

She looks up, surprised for a moment, but then she smooths out face, pursing her blood red lips and sizing you up. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. How have you been?”

You hesitate for a moment, unsure of what to say, before Hyunjin takes your hand in his, quietly reassuring you. You clear your throat, deciding to be honest but reserved. “I’m great, actually. And what about you?”

Instead of answering your question, however, Irene turns her gaze over to Hyunjin and then down to where his hand is clasped in yours; this time, she is unable to conceal her shock. “Dr. Hwang? Why are you here with Y/N?”

Hyunjin shoots her a seemingly charming smile, but you’ve mastered his body language enough to see the contempt hidden under it. “It’s a beautiful day, Ms. Bae, why would I not be here with my girlfriend?”

If the revulsive look tainting Irene’s perpetually poised, rehearsed exterior wasn’t enough for you, Hyunjin’s words, filled with confidence and ease, are enough for a warm feeling to spread throughout you. You don’t at all sense the frigid blast of mall air conditioning, but rather, feel like you’ve just downed the sweetest, toastiest hot chocolate known to man. 

“G-girlfriend?” Irene chokes out, clutching her mother of pearl necklace rather comically.

“Yeah. We just started dating.” You giggle, glancing over at Hyunjin, who matches your gleeful expression. “Isn’t he so cute?”

“Aw, baby. We’re so cute.” Hyunjin plays along, slipping his hand out of your grip so he can completely engulf you in a big bear hug. Usually, you’d be averted to such a touchy public display of affection, but you absolutely enjoy it at this moment.

“Explain, now!” Irene snaps loudly, causing a few other shoppers to look up from their browsing in irritation.

You frown in mock confusion. “But Irene, you don’t seem very happy for us. After all, you’re the one who recommended me to visit Hyunjin.”

“I told you to get an appointment and fix yourself, not to fuck Dr. Hwang!” Irene retorts, rubbing at her temple frustratedly in a way very unlike herself. “But then again, I don’t expect any less from an ungrateful brat like you. Here you are again, embarrassingly whoring yourself out to another man, just like you did with—”

“How dare you speak to her that way—” Hyunjin starts, voice full of fury as every last ounce of playfulness melts away. But before he can finish, you calmly cut in, placing your hand on Hyunjin’s elbow.

“Hyun, it’s okay.”

“But—”

“Don’t worry, I got this.”

Hyunjin looks like he wants to say something else, but he stops, nodding as he moves aside. You take a deep breath, looking Irene in the eye. “I have nothing to be grateful to you for, except for showing me that I deserved better than people like you. I met Hyunjin as a result, who saw and accepted me for who I am. I’m thanking you for this one thing, for giving me the push I needed to leave you and find him. Otherwise, I have nothing left to say to you.”

Irene scoffs, crossing her arms across her chest. “You have changed, haven’t you?”

You just smile, looping your arm through Hyunjin’s once more. “Goodbye, Irene.”

You and Hyunjin finally make your way over to the dressing rooms, leaving behind Irene and your past. Before, you may have lost every time when it came to her, but this was the only win that really mattered to you, anyway.

“That was… wow.” Hyunjin looks down at you with wide eyes. “How do you feel?”

You shrug and smile. “Liberated.” 

“And… you meant it all?”

“Every word. Her one redeeming quality is that she’s the one who led me to you. Or maybe it was fate. Either way, I have you now, and nothing else matters.” You lift Hyunjin’s hand up to your lips and kiss it.

“You’re so cool, you know that?” Hyunjin shakes his head in awe. “I’m your biggest fan.”

“And just for that, maybe we can stay here a little longer.”

After you try on the dress and buy it— no, you did not end up paying, not when Hyunjin wrestled your credit card out of the cashier’s hands to replace it with his own black card— you both leisurely stroll through the mall at your own pace, basking in the moment, before you suddenly have an idea.

“Hyunjin?”

“Hm?” Hyunjin turns back to look at you. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing at all. There’s just something I really have to do.” You smile, taking his hand in yours. “Can you please drive me back to work?”

The adrenaline from your big confrontation is maintained as you burst through Mark’s office door, gearing up for another one. Mark immediately lifts his head from his computer, eyes filling with surprise and irritation at your interruption.

“Well, good afternoon, where the hell did your manners go? Usually, you knock before coming inside.”

“Save it, Mark.” You take a seat in front of Mark, crossing your legs pompously. “I quit.”

Mark scoffs skeptically. “Yeah, and I’m the tooth fairy. How dare you blast into my office, and so arrogantly—”

“Oh, shut up.” You roll your eyes, laughing with no mirth at all. “I’m so over your childish games, your constant need to put me down to feel good about yourself. I’m done, and I have better opportunities than this job.”

Mark’s expression turns sour, like he’s just bitten into a piece of moldy bread. You’d be amused right now, if you weren’t so serious. “You have no prospects at all. Nada. You’ll be nothing without me.”

“Screw you. Just wait and watch me bring you to shame.” You give him a venomous smile, slapping your resignation letter on his desk, which makes him cower back a little. “You’re nothing without me.”

You stand and walk over to the door, but before you can leave, you hear Mark’s voice over your shoulder. “If you think your position will remain unfilled, when you come crawling back to me, you’re sorely mistaken.”

You chuckle, not even glancing back. “Goodbye, Mark.”

The door slams shut behind you, and you can hear the muffled sound of something being thrown across the room inside Mark’s office. You triumphantly march over to your desk, boxing all of your belongings and preparing to get the hell out of here, and never look back. 

“Damn, I always knew you were my evil twin.”

You look up from where you’re crouched under your desk, rolling up your charging cord, to see Minho standing in front of you, arms crossed. “Please, you are one-hundred percent the evil one in any scenario. And what do you mean?”

“I’m quitting too.” Minho chews on a Twizzler, as you nearly fall back on your backside, hitting your head under the desk. “Surprise!”

You lift yourself up with a groan, tossing the wire into the box. “What? Minho, you didn’t have to.”

“I want to. I can put all my effort into ITEM with you now.” Minho shrugs. “Either way, from now on, I have to be a good example. I can’t stay at a job where I don’t feel fulfilled.”

“A good example? For who?”

Minho clasps his hands together loudly, making you jump. “Oh right! I didn’t tell you the secret yet. We’re having a baby!”

A couple people look up from the tops of their cubicles in curiosity, and you turn back to Minho, reeling back in shock. “Probably not a secret anymore! And your wife is pregnant?!”

“Yup.” Minho nods proudly, and you notice he’s a little teary-eyed. You decide not to call him out for it, just this once. “I’m going to be a father.”

“I’m so, so happy for you, Minho.” You shake your head in disbelief. “But I can’t let you do this. You can’t quit, not with a baby coming. And your wife is still a resident. We don’t even know if ITEM is going to succeed—”

“Oh, brother,” Minho laments dramatically. “I already quit, first of all, after having a long talk with the missus. And would you look at that, she believes in you almost as much as I do.”

“Minho.” You close your eyes, trying to find the right words to articulate yourself. But you can’t, so instead, you just grab your friend in a giant hug, hoping that would be enough to express your gratitude. “You’re going to be the best dad.”

Minho makes a show of squirming in your hold for a moment, before he properly embraces you in return. “That means a lot to me, thank you.”

You pull back, swiping at your eyes. You notice Minho trying to inconspicuously do the same. “Are you getting all soft on me, you menace?”

“Shut up,” Minho bites back, with no real malice in his words. “Besides, after my lovely, amazing, smart wife’s residency is over, she’s going to make bank as an attending surgeon. So if anything does go wrong with the company relaunch, I’ll just become a house husband. Easy.”

You elbow Minho, to which he responds with a silly bow. Minho helps you carry the rest of your boxes out back to your car, packing them up for you in the trunk. 

“Thank you, Min, really,” you tell him in full earnest. “I’m so glad we’re friends.”

“Ugh, I’m not.” But with the way he smiles at you, eyes crinkled at the edges, you know he feels the same way. “And for the record, I was wrong. About Hyunjin.”

You cock your head at him. “Hyunjin?”

“A few months ago, when I told you that he was probably just some temporary thing.” Minho sighs, looking at you apologetically. “I was wrong. You really love him, and I can see that now.”

“It took me a while to figure it out myself, but I really, really do.” You get into your car, rolling down the window. Minho watches quietly, kind eyes crinkling with understanding. “See you tomorrow, Minho.”

And with that, you drive away to the one person you really want to see right now. 

The lobby of Oasis, with its expansive marble walls and grim receptionist, feels imposing until Hyunjin waltzes in, lighting up the room like the sun. 

“So? How was it?” He scoops you up into his arms with a smile, kissing you without a care for any distaste on the faces of uppity passersby. 

“Amazing. I shouldn’t have waited this long to tell off that jerk.” You laugh, humming against Hyunjin’s lips in contentment. “Thanks for driving me back to work, by the way. That was the best ever use of my lunch break.”

“Of course. I’m just happy it all ended up working out and that you can now focus all of your energy on your pitch. You got this.”

You melt into Hyunjin’s touch as he offers his hand to you, leading the way back up to his place. The short journey up to his penthouse has now become familiar, filled with stolen touches in the elevator, pressed up against the metal panels in short yet heated kisses, giggling in the hallway as you both dodge curious glances. 

People wonder who you are, you know that. To them, you are simply the woman who had suddenly taken up this space in Hyunjin’s life, manifested out of nowhere. To them, you don’t belong here, your clothes clearly snatched out of clearance and the deep circles around your eyes a testament to the luxury facials you never received. 

One unfriendly neighbor had even ventured so far as to directly question Hyunjin in front of you one time, as you both happily hugged in the lobby. 

“What is this?” The Upper Side Karen tossed her platinum blunt bob in the air, reprovingly thrusting a sharply-manicured finger in the space in between you and Hyunjin. “Girlfriend? Hook-up?”

For being so seemingly affluent, it was definitely a cheap thing to ask. Classless, for sure. But how could you care at all, when Hyunjin basically ignored her, flashing you the widest smile in the world. He answered her question as if he was speaking to you, his eyes staying on yours. 

“I’m her boyfriend.”

God, you’re utterly besotted.

It’s evident in the way you know you look at him; you feel the fondness in your gaze as he now pulls you closer to him, dramatically guarding the space between his door and you. 

“Close your eyes.” Hyunjin grins wickedly. 

You close your eyes, smiling. Days of allusion building into what you are sure has finally come to a reveal. Hyunjin swings the door open and carefully leads you in, buzzing with anticipation. It’s something sweet, for sure. Maybe a little silly, but oh-so-very lovingly and quintessentially Hyunjin. A wall of flowers. Hot air balloon tickets. The limited edition Birkin that Hyunjin was rambling about. 

So perhaps you both have very differing tastes, but that doesn’t erase the meaning or intention behind whatever Hyunjin is about to give you.

“Can I open them now?” You huff jokingly.

“Almost,” Hyunjin trills, the sounds of him puttering around punctuating his excitement. “Okay! You can now!”

“Finally…”

You open your eyes gingerly, prepared to see something probably worth a year of rent, but you’re met with an unexpected surprise. Rose-colored streamers dangling from the ceilings in delicate, swirling streams. Glowing, silver confetti lies on every surface in sight. A literal disco ball hangs in the center of the living room, casting all colors of the rainbow throughout the apartment, the spots bouncing off of the walls. 

It’s extravagant, for sure, but in a different way. 

Hyunjin rapidly taps on the screen of his phone, and immediately, a playlist that you recognize as the top hits that dominated your final year of high school. “Adore You” by Harry Styles blasts through the speakers in the penthouse, and you look at Hyunjin in awe, your expression conveying your question. 

Hyunjin clears his throat, turning the music down so that it lingers as a pleasant buzz in the background. “It’s um, your high school prom.”

“My prom?”

He shrugs, trying to be nonchalant, but you can tell he’s stiff. “I remember you saying you never got to go.”

“I know, but you didn’t have to do all of this.” You take his hands in yours, relishing how warm he is. “I’m over it, I promise. It’s not a big deal.”

Hyunjin frowns, and it’s so endearing that you just have to smile. “It is to me. I hate how you’ve been treated before, and in a way, this is to make me feel better about it. I want to fix all of the ways you’ve been wronged, no matter how cheesy and stupid it might be. I’m recreating your prom, because you deserve to feel cherished in all aspects of your life— past, present, and future.”

“Hyunjin—”

“And you know, I really took what you said the other day seriously. Back at Moonraker. I may not understand tech like you, but I think it’s safe to say that the way I feel about you is my version of a P.R.O.M. The thought of you will never be erased from my mind. I can’t ever go back to the way I was. And I don’t want to.” Hyunjin blushes, turning his gaze up to the ceiling. “Except, maybe, I wouldn’t mind losing these cheesy metaphors. My mind just goes so blank whenever I’m around you. And—”

You finally break his nervous ramble with a kiss, looping your arms around his neck and forcing him down to your level. “Thank you, Hyunjin.”

“Really? You’re not completely cringed out? I didn’t do too much?” Hyunjin whispers, still in a daze from the kiss.

“Absolutely not.” You press another kiss onto his soft, soft lips, trying your best to support your words. “You could never be too much. I love how much you care, how seen you make me feel. When I’m with you, I feel so safe, yet free. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

Hyunjin chases your lips, and you’re only too eager to oblige. “Really?” 

“Really,” you murmur as Hyunjin’s kisses trail down from your lips to your neck.

“I feel the exact same way. I think I was a shell, an empty husk, before I met you. My life was great, yes, but it never felt enough. Something was missing. And then you walked into my office, and everything suddenly clicked. It was always you.” Hyunjin lets his lips linger over your pulse, kissing you there.

“I still don’t understand,” you say, closing your eyes. “Why me? There must be so many pretty girls you see everyday.”

Hyunjin pulls back, cupping your cheeks gently. “You know, I’m probably one of the most neurotic people on this plan. I have— had— a daily routine that I never strayed from. Wake up, work, eat, sleep. It was fine, and most people would call it healthy. Maybe it was. But it was barely a life, when at the end of the day, this terrifying emptiness would haunt me. My clients all end up finding love or some kind of satisfaction in their lives, something I ironically never had. I tried covering it up, but I couldn’t.”

“And then what happened?”

He laughs softly. “I met you. You were unlike anyone I had ever met. A sun shower, an aurora. Most people put me on a pedestal— apologizes if I sound conceited. They either expect me to solve their problems or want me to spectacularly fail at it, proving that they’ll stay miserable forever. It’s the typical woes of someone who’s in my line of work, I suppose. But this is what my entire life was, I didn’t have any balance. There was no authenticity.”

You purse your lips, unsure. “You were like, the most secure person I had ever met.”

“Secure? Sure. But that’s it. Secure. Stable. There was just no spark. And I have friends— lovely, wonderful friends. But I never had someone who I was so wholly devoted to. And I won’t lie, I also felt chemistry. I’m inexplicably drawn to you. But I feel so human, around you. I can be normal. I feel normal. I know you came into SeoulSpark with a goal, but I never felt like you had these expectations for me. In a way, I felt like you were supporting me, not the other way around. With you around, I started having fun. Real, true fun. Like there was a new reason I had to live.”

You shake your head in disbelief. “No one has ever spoken to me like this. You make me seem so valuable, Hyunjin. There is no way. All I’ve caused is problems for you, I’m sure.”

“Oh for sure, you have caused many problems in my life,” Hyunjin teases, eyes playful. “You’ve made me chaotic and messy, and I’m all over the place, but in the best way. My life before? Stuck, stagnant. It’s like I was drowning, and you were a breath of fresh air. Maybe you might not understand now, but I don’t mind, because it only means I have all of this time to prove myself to you.”

“I look forward to it,” you accept, pure, unadulterated joy spreading throughout your limbs. He’s like your liquid sunshine, impossibly brightening up every dark room you walk into. He’s like a clover in your palms, a fortune that you can’t even fathom stumbling upon. But you have. This is your reality.

It’s why you let Hyunjin tug you into the living room for a dance. He pulls you into his arms to the croon of “Lovesong” by Beabadobee, your head resting comfortably on his chest. It’s a little clumsy, but you both fall into rhythm, rocking together slowly. 

The tune encasing the room is a little melancholy, the fondness in Bea’s words tinged with sorrow, the fear of the unknown. It should be a sad song, but it doesn’t feel that way. Because maybe this is what it means to devote yourself to someone. To always be a little afraid of what might happen, of being a fragile object in someone else’s hands. But loving them anyway, having faith in spite of it all. Persevering and trying, anyway. 

It’s terribly romantic knowing that, as you feel the beat of his heart against you. Sun and moon. Two doves sitting on a windowsill. Twin flames. You never much believed in soulmates, but maybe you were meant to be intertwined in some way or the other, in this universe or the next. 

“Hyunjin?”

“Mm?” He looks back down at you, eyes shining with a world’s worth of affection. It powers you to be brave, to say what you’ve been keeping down for so long. 

“I lo—”

Your declaration is cut short by the shrill ring of your cell phone. You want to ignore it, so bad, but it’s an incessant sound, one call after the other. 

“Someone is very desperate to reach you,” Hyunjin jokes, unaware of what you were about to say. “You should answer it. I don’t mind.”

You really don’t want to. But Hyunjin steps away, smiling, saying that he’ll go check on dinner. With a sigh, you pull your phone out of your pocket and hastily answer it. 

“Hello?”

“Y/N!”

You make a confused noise. “Chan? What’s up? We’re still good to meet tomorrow to discuss the plan, right? Is everything okay?”

“We’re more than good,” Chan says, and the tension dissipates, leaving just curiosity. You tune in properly. “You know that huge networking party you told me about? I finally found us a way to pitch our proposal that doesn’t require James Bond level antics to sneak in.”

“Really? How?” You grip your phone tightly, bubbling with excitement. 

“My friend is on the organizing committee, and I gave him the draft of the proposal that you first emailed me. He thought it was incredible and that we deserved a fair shot to present.”

“But, the committee hates me, especially after I quit under a month before the event.”

“Well, they did hate you.” You can hear the grin painting Chan’s accent over the phone. “But you know how charming I can be. We have another chance.”

“Chan.” You inhale, barely containing yourself. “This. Is. Insane. You are insane!”

“I know, right?” Chan laughs. “So have a good night’s rest. Because tomorrow, we’ll be working like dogs to finalize this presentation. And I also want to introduce you to a buddy of mine. He’s one of the best computer engineers I know, and I think he’ll be a fine fit for our team.”

“I don’t even know what to say,” you sigh, completely overwhelmed with everything.

“‘Goodnight, see you tomorrow’ works.”

You chuckle. “Goodnight, see you tomorrow, Chan. Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t mention it.”

You hang up the phone, still shocked. One less thing to worry about. One big thing that has been removed from your gargantuan checklist. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. You can feel that familiar excitement coursing through your body, that old passion you had for your work that had festered inside you for so long, untouched for so long. 

Hyunjin sneaks up behind you, caging you in a hug as he nuzzles into your shoulder. “Was that Chan Bahng?”

“Calling about work,” you clarify, smiling at the envy in his tone. 

“Hm.” 

“He got us a slot to present at the party in two weeks. It’s all coming together. ITEM is coming back, it really is.”

Hyunjin beams softly. “I’m so proud of you, darling.”

“I’m just so happy.” You say gleefully, letting Hyunjin twirl you in his arms. “It really does seem like only good things have happened since I’ve met you.”

“That’s probably not true. You’re just the coolest person I know, and good things are bound to happen to you. But I’m not going to shy away from the compliments. Let’s celebrate.”

To match the mood, Hyunjin whisks you away to his closet, where he dresses you in a show stopping lavender Atelier Versace gown, your “prom dress,” in his words. He dons a matching suit, and it’s one of the many things you admire from across the table while you eat dinner. Unabashed flirting over spicy vodka pasta and fancy little bruschettas, all that Hyunjin has cooked himself. You both drink too much wine and giggle as you stumble into the living room, tripping over each other’s feet while attempting a round two on Hyunjin’s makeshift dance floor. 

And then the inevitable. But it’s different this time, the way in which you both have each other. Hyunjin leads you into the complete privacy of his room, and he strips you of the dress, dragging the zip down with a maddenly slow pace. He places kisses onto every new inch of skin exposed, making up for the tease. And he lays you down on his bed, velvety rose petals tickling your back, both of you completely bare. Hyunjin gazes down at you, the flickering candles placed around his room casting shadows on the planes of his lovely face.

This time, he makes love to you slowly, cherishing nothing but the presence of just each other. The hunger is still there, with the way he sinks into you so deeply, with the heated kisses peppered lovingly over your skin. But it’s quiet, giving you the space to just enjoy the moment. There’s no rush at all, as he whispers promises and earnest praise into your hair. He touches you like he has all the time in the world, but looks at you like you’re the last thing he’ll ever see. 

You both finish at the same time, sighs washing over each other like morning mist. And you both fall asleep at the same time, cloaked in the heady scent of belonging so intimately, matching smiles on your faces, before the night steals you and Hyunjin away.

«GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

AUTHOR'S NOTE Hi guys 🤡 I know I always say I'll update but I never do... but at least I did this time! But on a serious note, thank you so much for bearing with me and being patient. I really, really appreciate your support. I love writing so much and I missed it even more! This year has been really stressful for me (i.e. school, family, friends, LIFE), so I just never had the time. But I'm back for real, and I really will try the best down the line to update. I can't say when I'll release the finale, but I'm hoping it'll be sometime in July. I will let y'all know if that plan changes! Anywayyyy... about the actual chapter! This all so disgustingly domestic that it hurts my own head. The fact that I'm about to turn 20 and I'm STILL single is terrifying; maybe I write romance because I'm trying to fill the void :P This chapter was comparatively uneventful, because I wanted to deeper explore the relationship dynamic and tie up some loose ends before the finale. And that brings me to the next chapter, the LAST CHAPTER?! I can't believe it. But I'll save the waterworks (for now). I'll just go stream Lost Children and be emo for the rest of the day because I have terrible post-concert depression (yes I finally saw skz live, no I'm not okayyyy). Please leave your thoughts, I really don’t mind if you leave a whole essay ;) -Dreamy

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NETWORKS @kflixnet @k-films

©jisungsdaydreamer 2023 | All rights reserved. I do not condone translations or transfers of my work onto other platforms such as Wattpad, AO3, etc. Tumblr is my only platform. Acts of plagiarism are strictly prohibited.

[sylvieserene]

Not really. There is no implication for this ship in a romantic context mainly because the korean dialogues are written in a platonic tone. At best, it's left ambiguous. However in Korean version, there is nothing much to suggest they had a "romantic" relationship. All the available material points to a platonic but close relationship. Nothing intimate just close.

Firstly, EF merely offered her guidance when she needed it the most. He is way too older than her, older than her ancestors even, saw the creation of Earthbread, has the ability to foresee future. He def even saw the ancients coming into power or taking birth in their forms, their journey etc. There's a reason he allowed them all in his kingdom just like WL cuz he knew the kingdom would need saving from someone like her. That is exactly why I also feel it's platonic and at the end, a Father-Daughter relationship because EF offered her something that no one did.

Understanding and guidance.

He intentionally tried to withhold information from her just so she doesn't push herself to destruction because he knew.

Second of all, as I said, this is MY take on it. Third of all, the post isn't about this.

It's about serious issues inside the fandom community which involves misogynistic views towards WL and objectification of her.

It is also weird to me that you came to point about your ship instead of talking about the literal attacks and toxic mentality ongoing in this fandom which is the main point here.

Anw, as said in the post itself, Im not bashing anyone. I'm coming off from what the translations told me and a few other folks who were unbiased in their translations (whom I consulted) cuz often times, the translations circulated amongst fans have a biased take in them such as the midsummer night declared as a story which isn't romantic but when I talked with two other native korean speakers on the actual korean texts, they made it clear that the texts don't just have romantic undertones but it's outright romantic story. Infact it's mutual because both of them understand that they can love eachother but only for a night. The story is written via an unreliable narrator. It is not clear if PV really is high or its what the faeries think trying to make sense of his attitude towards the Queen's story.

I feel like more ppl need to understand that just because a character cares for another character doesn't mean they love them romantically.

This basically:

Platonic love exists.

It's ShadowVanilla situation pretty much. PV is offering to help SM not because he developed feelings but because he genuinely wanted him to get better. Same situation here. EF wanted to help WL because he cares about her and didn't want her to do something stupid that may harm her which is why he gave her a moonstone as a back up.

Still, feel free to believe whatever you like. Live and let live. Feel free to share your views but don't force your views on others. This was simply my take from what I've learnt first hand on a post not about it. The point of bringing that was even with that mentality, I still would never say that my ships/takes are more "meritous" or "superior" than the rest, let alone go out of my way to wishing someone bad things or even threatening them because they don't agree with me.

That's it.

Something weird I have noticed in the CRK fandom when it comes to ships ESPECIALLY Purelily

I recently saw a tweet on twitter talking about Elderlily and ShadowVanilla on how people should give new ships a shot instead of shooting down them down instantly which IS a valid point BUT the problem starts when they assert the fact that these two ships hold more "merit" and "intimacy" than "other ships" (which in comment section they directly agree it's aimed at Purelily)

This is a HUGE problem I see both in the Elderlily fanbase + ShadowVanilla fanbase. The sheer hate for Purelily.

Like have a look:

Pure Hatred and unwillingness to accept that opinions can co-exist.

Unwilling to see reason when tried to be shown. Only answering in hatred.

Further more...

From starting with generalising Purelily shippers to accusing all Purelily shippers to misinterpret/misrepresent/mischaracterisation PV and WL to accusations of the entire fanbase being bigoted, homophobic, misogynistic or accusing the entire fanbase of being bad including whataboutism posts stating "oh yeah? I wonder which shipper base sent actual death threats and doxxed someone?"

For the record, Im gonna say yes, a few people from specifically the purelily base have done these BUT generalising the entire shipping community as bad and labelling them as problematic is NOT okay.

THE ACTIONS OF ONE HORRIBLE PERSON DOESN'T DEFINE THE ENTIRE FANBASE!

Misrepresentation/Mischaracterisation/Misinterpretation of characters have happened in ALL of CRK shipping communities. That very much includes ShadowVanilla and Elderlily.

So accusing one fanbase of doing those and pretending that it doesn't exist in your space is kinda hypocritical I believe?

No fanbase is exempt from controversy. Every shipping space has had atleast ONE problematic individual (Eg: N*zi ShadowVanilla controversy from Twitter) but now if I start saying "*gasp* I wonder which base drew those horrific things?" Would it make any sense? No. Cuz one person doesn't define an entire fanbase.

So let's make one thing clear, none of the shipping communities are "pure" or "innocent" of anything. All of them have problems and individuals with issues depending on how far you're willing to dig.

So accusing a single shipping community of being horrible while saying others are not is not okay.

Not all ShadowVanilla and Elderlily shippers are good people, same as Purelily shippers.

Which brings me to the point, "It's 2025, grow tf up and stop shipping purelily" mentality which also brings me to my original point lol

These were sent to a purelily artist on Twitter (redbeanyearnin).

Their crime? Shipping purelily.

Look at the civility, ladies and gentlemen! /s

This is also a side of shippers who actually aren't purelily shippers 😊 how naive and innocent messages 😍❤️ /j

But this is the great evidence on how all of these shippers aren't angels. They are the same people accusing Purelily shippers and the ship itself as being horrible.

Im not gonna comment more on this.

But this just proves my point on how no shipping base is angelic. All of them have screwed up individuals.

Anw...

What does year/time have anything to say about what you ship? I see this comment thrown across very frequently in the fandom which does confuse me quite a lot but seriously um why? Is there some sort of subscription that's getting over in these recent years which denies me the right to enjoy something niche? Or I MUST ship what the popular ship is atm?

Just why....? Where does this mentality come from?

More importantly, why does one ship has to be "superior" or have to had more "merit" than the other?

Just why?

Why can't we simply accept our differences in preferences and move on?

Like...I personally don't ship mutual ShadowVanilla, I find the one sided part more compelling but that doesn't mean I will say it's "better" than the mutual one. I can appreciate the mutual one too. Same for Elderlily. I see it as platonic, a familial sort of relationship between a Mentor and Mentee or yes I'm gonna say it Father Daughter.

Personally, I find their age difference extremely uncomfortable which is why the moment I learnt this guy was older than her ancestor's ancestors, I shipped it as platonic. Same for ShadowVanilla cuz age is a factor for me personally but I won't blame others who look past it cuz firstly these are fictional characters and secondly, all of them are immortals so I can understand it although I find it uncomfortable myself.

But even with that, I would NEVER say that Purelily is "superior", has "more merit", better "intimate writing" than said ships irrespective of if they are popular/canon or not.

If you ask for respect towards your shipping preferences, the least you can do is GIVE that respect to others as well. If you don't, then how come you keep the expectation that your opinion will get respected when you can't peacefully co-exist with another part of the fandom who may hold different views than you?

In simpler words, I kinda find it highly disrespectful and hypocritical that some people out here can't keep themselves from attacking others for shipping things differently than them? Like...why?

Why can't we all ship whatever we want instead of shooting down each other's ships and calling one more superior/inferior than the other?

Like for me as an example, I don't like a lot of ships but I either don't share my opinion on it or tend to ignore it instead of going "omg MY ship better! HUH HOW DARE YOU SAY MY SHIP IS BAD"

At the end, Shipping is subjective and we're all here to have fun so instead of playing the blame game on who is worse, who has done more horrible things, why can't we simply focus on the positives?

All ships have merits and demerits. All of them have issues. Heck, even the characters aren't perfect and they also have a plethora of issues.

WL isnt a perfect person, she's morally grey and a highly complex character. PV isn't a baby or a simp who gets jealous everytime someone breaths in WL's direction. EF isn't obsessed with WL as people in the fanbase make him to be. Just like PV, he chose his job over following WL and even when he knew he had a choice to revive her, He didn't instead he kept guarding the tree. SM isn't a good person and has caused several wars, genocides, torture and murder.

NONE of them are as perfect as people make them to be. NONE of the fanbases if considered in majority truly get them.

So it really makes zero sense when ppl say "PV should stay the hell away from WL", "WL is getting between them!"

People really need to stop objectifying these characters just cuz they don't fit their shipping preferences/agendas.

All of these characters and their ships have certain merits and demerits to them so why must we say that one is better than the other?

Why can't we all enjoy what we simply like?

Why can't we just agree to disagree instead of shitting on other's tastes?

Why must ONE particular shipping fandom get the brunt of it?

So tldr, I just wanna say, While it is true, people shouldn't shoot down new things without even giving it a shot but that doesn't mean the new thing is "superior" than the old thing suddenly just cuz one likes it more. If you find it great, that's fine but Idt anyone has the right to say that one thing is more inferior than the other.

Please give the respect to others that you expect. If you get insanely defensive about your own ship but shit on other's shipping preferences then expect to get that back.

You can't be like "Nooooooo don't say bad about my ship! You're a hater" and then be like "damn your taste in shipping SUCKS. This ship is so trash. MY ship is SOOOOO much better :)"

Sorry for this rant. I just find the entire situation of the fandom highly frustrating.

[str4wb3rrym1lk9]

After Scott posted his misadventures episode with the murder party and Cambam had that special assassin skin I had thoughts

Another Cambam x Scott misadventures and empires adjacent AU idea yay!

Cameron the assassin is sent to kill the second prince of Rivendell, but he keeps getting distracted by how pretty he is and gets caught every time. Every attempt he ends up learning a little bit more about the prince. He takes pride in his appearance, he's close with his older brother, he has a silver tongue he uses to get out of trouble with his parents, he's very affectionate towards his friends and family, he's an excellent singer, when he laughs hard enough his face turns a pretty cherry red, and everything he learns just makes him more and more enamored with his target.

At some point Scott catches on and has a bit of fun with it. Puts a little extra effort into his makeup, shows off his archery skills with a little more flair, throws the love-struck assassin a little wink when they meet eyes, purposefully calls him cute while talking about him when he knows hes in the room, and maybe one day he'll finally grow a pair and take him out (In the romantic sense? In the murderous sense? You decide!), but for now he's having plenty of fun messing with the cute dirty blonde with the stupid dopey smile and strange amount of resilience that may or may not make his heart flutter every so often

[bookscandlesnbts]

Candles that Remind Me of Jikook

As promised, this post is dedicated to candles in my collection that remind me of Jikook with some backstory as to why on each of them.

I also did some math. I have been a loyal customer of this candle brand for 8 years. I receive their subscription candle every month and also purchase candles from their season drops.

I have always been obsessed with smell even as a little kid. So it makes sense that two of my collecting hobbies are candles and perfume.

I’m not picky about candle scents but I do have favorite scent categories and honestly spring and summer scents are my favorite. Fall scents are usually my least favorite because there isn’t much variety, and I only like to burn fall scents (add winter too) during those times of year. I burn other scents year round.

Without further ado, here is my list. I will also include if these candles will be available for pre—order tomorrow for retro day and I’ll post her website link. She does ship around the world :)

1. Solar Eclipse ☀️🌙

For obvious reasons, this subscription candle made me think of Jikook instantly. And it smells so good. 🤤. This one is available for retro day! I instantly thought of the iconic Black Swan Jikook pas de deux with the eclipse intro when I saw this candle. I would post an image of it, but I think I’ll hit my image limit before I show the other candles!

2. Love Letter 💌

This was the February Subscription candle release from last year, and I instantly thought of and then listened to Letter 🥹 fun fact: that cursive is also the owners handwriting! And she’s super cool and always donates to charities every month and has good politics and is vocal, so I love supporting her candle company even more. Sadly, this one won’t be available for retro day, and this is the last one that I have. I’ll probably burn it when AYS season 2 premieres.

3. Partners in Crime 🫆

This was a Valentine’s Day main collection release from last year, and it smells like an expensive perfume. I believe it’s a dupe for one actually, but I don’t want to misspeak. Anyway, our all nighter buddies, getting into shenanigans. Role playing during Run BTS, smacking asses. Yep, this candle reminds me of them too. This one is sadly not on the retro day list.

4. Love Birds 💕

This candle smells so incredibly yummy. And what better way to describe Jikook?! Lovebirds indeed. This was another Valentine’s Day collection release. You’d think as an aro-ace that I would have 0 interest in Valentine’s Day themed candles, but usually at least one reminds me of Jikook, and the scents are usually really good too. I’m so sad this one isn’t on the Retro Day list.

5. Golden Hour 🌅

This is a stock photo from the website because I don’t have this candle right now, BUT it is a retro day candle so I will be preordering it tomorrow. This was a summer collection release. And knowing what we know about AYS 2 and how much Jikook love a good romantic sunset?! Bye, I need it.

6. Heart Eyes 😍

Another stock photo because I don’t own this candle at the moment. This is an older Valentine’s Day Collection release (due to it having the older label style). I love the new labels more, but this one is just perfect for Jikook. I’ve never seen two people have more heart eyes for each another than they do. If I added photos as proof, I would reach my photo limit for sure. This one is available for retro day tomorrow.

7. Star Crossed Lovers 💘

This is a wonderful smelling candle from a subscription month that reminds me of Jikook from the caption saying “together against all odds” which may be hard to see in the picture. We know how much BS Jikook have to put up with on a daily basis from antis and toxic ass people, and one of my favorite things about them is that they choose each other all the time regardless. This one isn’t a retro day option unfortunately.

8. Head Over Heels 🥰

This one is very Jikook from the way that they move and orbit around each other. The intimate glances. The small touches. Very head over heels behavior from each of them indeed. Not on the retro day list :(

9. Adventure Awaits ✈️

This one is more of an honorable mention, but with the announcement of AYS Season 2, I will definitely be burning this candle when I watch it. And, I love to burn it close to when I’m going on a trip. This one is available for retro day.

And that concludes my post 😂 sorry that was so long and probably a little silly. If you have any questions further about scent notes, I can try to answer them!

Also, I will include a link to the website in case you want to check out retro day candles (there are 65 options 😱) or just her standard candles on the website. But shhh she can never know that I’m this weird 🫣

[just-xylia]

Deep dive into the Bench scene with Tomoko in P5X

So Motoha makes sure Tomoko has some time to speak to us alone after finding out Tomoko was curious about us. Yet the first thing She talks about, and the only thing she talks about is Motoha.

Tomoko, A girl who has been by Motoha’s friend for most of her life is saying that Motoha has been Selfless to the point of self negligence. The first thing Tomoko talks to us, a complete stranger, about is how worried she is about her friend. THis must have been a struggle for so long if Tomoko seems eager enough to just freely give this info to someone she barely knows. 

So, Motoha and Tomoko have a history, yes, but we see a bit more here. We see how Tomoko views herself. Her self esteem isn’t exactly the highest, especially when she compares herself to Motoha. Yes she is absolutely singing her friends praises, but to start with “Unlike me”? She lacks confidence in her own skill, which she clearly has especially when just a scene prior we learn that she is scouted for her talents. Yet even then she compares herself to Motoha. 

This line, especially this line is one I wanted to talk about. “I used to love listening to her talk about.” Goodness, that is just a whole lever of adoration and love to have to love hearing someone talk about something. Like, This is something that Motoha loves. Baseball and her dream in said sport are so so important to Motoha and Tomoko is clearly so important to her as well. Honestly all I can think about with this line is Tomoko staring at Motoha with a dreamy look as she yaps on and on about baseball. 

And there is the source of Motoha and Tomoko’s grief. This incident that caused Motoha to quit. Of course we find out about that incident later in the story but it isn’t important to this deep dive, what is important is that Motoha blamed herself for something that was in no way her fault, and she quit her dream over it. Her choice was so self-deprecating and all Tomoko can do is watch as her friend spirals downward. 

Then we have Tomoko’s new dream. Her new dream does not feel like her own at all. Tomoko had to watch one of her favorite people go from actively and excitedly chasing her dream to quitting and that must have been painful for Tomoko to watch. It seems like Tomoko cares more about Motoha than she does herself, so she’ll achieve Motoha’s dream as her own, because doing something else would feel like abandoning someone she treasures. 

Ok let's talk about this keychain. It’s very clearly mirroring the relationship between the two and how they view Motoha’s dream. Motoha gave her keychain to Tomoko as a way of saying, “I’ve given up on this dream but I know it's still so important to you. Please don’t give up for my sake.” Meanwhile Tomoko sees it as Motoha placing her dream onto Tomoko’s shoulders. Like, if she lets go of either of their dreams it will be like she is letting them both down. It seems to Tomoko that achieving Motoha’s dream became so important that she may not even know what her own wants and desires are anymore. All it has been for so long was to live for someone else's dream.

Motoha’s kindness is a parasite to her own mental health. She cares so much to the point she’ll take on other people’s pain. She will keep as much of her own struggles hidden behind a mask because a kind person isn’t selfish in her eyes, and her trying to seek any help would be selfish. Tomoko’s love (Platonic or otherwise) has always been more for those important to her than it has been for herself. Motoha and Tomoko are the closest people the other has, yet between masks hiding true pain, and chasing empty dreams that aren’t one’s own, they have become so distant from one another in a way that they are they cannot clearly see. 

This one scene has lived rent free in my head so apologies for the wordy post. In any case I hope you enjoyed my rambling.

[autismcatboy]

has anyone talked about how similar mk and macaques leitmotifs are especially compared to mk and wukong and what this says about their characters or am i going to have to write the essay myself

no like actually. go listen to macaques and mks leitmotifs. they are VERY similar, from the notes (macs skips a few) to the primary AND backing instruments. wukongs is much more different.

mk and macaques themes both use strings, have a similar vertical progression and have deep backing tracks. its especially noticable in the scenes from season 2 where wukong is hiding info about his vacation.

wukongs theme uses winds and vocal chants/choral notes.

you can hear this contrast especially in the fight between wukong and macaque in season 1 episode 9 (timestamp 7:30) and the fight between wukong and nezha (though bits of nezhas theme are in there too)

i think mac and mk having similar themes is a really interesting choice because despite mk and wukong having a lot of similarities and ties, wukong doesnt have the same struggles with insecurity like mk. he says it to his face: he doesnt have confidence, hes just loud. this is ultimately what leads mk to training with macaque in the first place and we see remnants of that when his theme plays during his astral projection talks with wukong in season 2.

we know the insecurity in his abilities and his faith in wukong is a big part of what also leads him to dumping his feelings (albeit unknowingly) onto macaque in shadow play (s2e7) and it just is another point of highlighting how mk and macaque are more similar that youd think at first glance. especially when macaque says something along the lines or "its good to talk to people, not that i ever do that. i should." right before he reveals himself! cut to season 4 and into season 5, we see mk do that same behavior. he bottles things up ("im comParTmeNtaliZing") but dumps it on the least suspecting person.

kind of like both mk AND macaque in shadow play, huh? people joke about "me when im in a traumadumping competition and my opponent is macaque" but i think it just highlights their similarities! both of them struggle talking to the people that matter most with them and its easier to talk to someone you either dont like or dont know that well.

and now i may have to actually make a character analysis post referencing their leitmotifs with what weve seen of their arca and dynamic in the show.

[binnabanina]

ᯓ★ WELIVE UPDATE

*live started : 9:05 pm EST*

"hi carats!!!!" binna greets excitedly, makeup already removed from whatever event she was attending today. at this point in her career, binna's schedule had just blurred together into one series of unfortunate - and somewhat fortunate - events. it was clear she was slightly tired, but this live would be the energy boost she needed to get through the rest of the day. "my makeup is already off, the acne goes crazy, I'm sorry!"

comment : girl what acne your skin is GLOWINGUH

binna covered her chin slightly, chuckling at the compliment. "girl, you are too nice. I have been lacking on my skincare recently so I'm glad everything still looks okay on camera." this was true, binna hadn't had much time for self-care lately. with more and more things getting piled onto the groups schedule, it can be difficult to have the motivating to keep up your daily routines, which in turn made binna feel a tad insecure, however she was grateful the fans still found it in them to show her kindness.

"this past who even knows how long it's been, has been so tiring for me." she says, brushing her hair back a bit. "not physically - y'all know I'm a stud - but just mentally, ya know?"

"still, here I am, just for you tonight... I'm divored, beheaded, live-e-e-e-e!" she sang, referencing SIX : The Musical. carats could tell she was not as high energy as she could be, but they also knew better than the average joe, that's just how binna is.

binna approached the camera, looking closer at comments. nothing seemed to strike her interest, until she saw what deep down, she was waiting for people to mention.

comment : binna. queen. baddie. explain THE photo dump - you know the one.

she looked beyond the camera, at seemingly another person in the room, although carats couldn't tell who. she snorted, and fans could've swore they heard a deep laugh in the back, though they couldn't place it.

"y'all are quick, huh?" she said, debating whether or not to dodge the question, but the messiness inside her told her to do otherwise. "just give me a second."

binna took out her phone, typing up an absolute storm. she was messaging two people, one being her manager. people could see the slight bit of worry etched onto her face - like she was about to do something she knew she wasn't supposed to, but was inclined to do it anyway.

the voice in the back spoke. "you don't have to say anything." carats were able to make out the words being said, but not much else. binna shook her head, smiling reassuringly. "nah, gotta give the people what they want, right?" she said, shrugging. "besides, I already posted the photos."

she took a deep breath, finally putting her phone down. she looked at the camera with anxiety, but her posture was more confident. "now, I ain't saying everything, but I will say - whatever anyone is thinking, you are probably right."

comment : ok so WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN??

comment : may this live mark the start of the binhan vs. binhui saga

comment : bro thinks she's being mysterious but we see right through you (it's jeonghan, right?)

comment : chat just leave the girl be

comment : BINHUI IS COMING OUT OF HYBERNATION

comment : girl no it's so clearly jeonghan

comment : this isn't wattpad, binhui stays winning

comment : these comments have me wheezing

binna sat there, internally losing her shit at the comments. suddenly, almost going unnoticed, joshua had appeared the live as well, which carats assumed must've been the voice in the back. they couldn't look at eachother, or who knows what wild thing would come out of the others mouth.

"I don't know about you, but I ain't reading all that." binna said, making joshua cover his face. he shook his head, seeming to more about this situation than he was letting on. he gave binna a look that said, "you have done it now. you officially started a fan war."

one comment finally made binna stop laughing.

comment : binhui fans are dumb asf. it's so clear he's not that into her.

joshua must've spotted it too, because he immediately placed his hand on binna's shoulder. she looked tensed, though carats didn't seem to understand why.

"here's what I'll say," binna began. "it's just a photo. I get the speculations - I'd do the same thing - but at the end of the day, you guys don't know what's going on."

"oh, don't hurt em now."

binna gave joshua a side-eye that rivals seungkwan's, almost letting her angry bravado slip. it was difficult for her to keep any amount of chill around joshua without internally explode with laughter.

"easy, white chocolate." she retorted back, and she immediately covered her hand, as if she actively cussed him out on live video.

joshua locked eyes with the camera. "do we wanna keep going?"

"to be so honest, no."

joshua nodded, but not before getting a glimpse of the last couple comments.

comment : idc what anyone says, junhui and binna would be THE it couple

comment : fuck the haters, your stunning either way, keep shining diva

comment : ik jun is rolling around looking at these comments, if he's watching like a good bf should

joshua chuckled, looking at binna who was locked in on her phone. he got closer to the camera, whispering something before ending the live.

"if only you knew how right you guys were."

[avsanderoth]

Writing Techniques #2: Exposition

Beware!! This post is ridiculously long!! I am very sorry!!

Exposition is an element you will need to incorporate more and more depending on how rooted your story is in reality. A work set in someplace like New York isn’t gonna need to bother explaining the cuisine or transportation means or what local terms like “dollar”, “health insurance” and “gabagool” mean. 

But what if those things are all uncertain? What if your city is your own construction, and it has aspects to its infrastructure that can’t be shown through the environment alone? Some dread it, some might enjoy it - exposition is the key. 

To expose or not to expose

Before you get into writing the two-page long text blurb that’s screaming to be let free of your mind, consider whether or not the element you want to convey actually needs to be communicated as factoids. 

If you want to establish, for example, the communal transport means in your city, maybe have your characters see as a bus (or even a magic bus!) accepts passengers and take them somewhere? This is easiest done with elements that are recognizable in human society, but anything is possible with the right storytelling. 

Picture this: your main character wakes, alone, in some strange place. The world they exist in is a world of magic, and that they know for its wiles fill them - sparks travelling ‘twixt their fingertips, or singes left in the grass they rest their hand upon, or winds that help them to their feet. Here lies a secondary means of semi-avoiding exposition: intuition. Your character doesn’t need to be told something if they can figure it out on their own, kinesthetically, and this can supply your protagonist with a sense of belonging, having them interact with the world’s systems by simply existing. 

The same thing can be done for just about all magic, but, like every technique, there’s no guarantee it’ll fit in your story. Maybe magic is an ancient, nigh-forgotten thing that cannot be navigated without antique guides - then, it hardly makes sense for it to be explored via sheer intuition. Still, if the opportunity presents itself, you can easily grant the audience understanding by granting your protagonist understanding. 

The information ambush

Okay, now that that’s out of the way… Actual exposition! 

There are a few things I would consider absolutely integral to proper exposition, such as taking care to not overwhelm the reader! It’s one thing to introduce a new fantasy system to your world, like magic or similar - it’s something else entirely to explore its every facet in the same section. Every bit of information you provide needs time to digest in the brain of the reader, and that time will change drastically depending on how much information is supplied at once, how often that information is actually relevant, and whether or not sufficient weight is placed upon it. 

If you have a lot of information to convey in a single scene or section of your book, you need to pace it out! Consider the rough example below:

Emma Seen is led to a chapel belonging to a group of scholars by an acolyte. When she arrives, their leader tells her of a force inherent to the world she now finds herself in: magic. They talk about its origins, known or unknown, then its applications, then its concerns, then its relevance to her - maybe they do a little spell at some point for demonstration - and she gives fairly vague reactions throughout. Then, she is lead into the catacombs, where she may seek council on what to do from another member of the scholar group.

Emma Seen awakes in a clearing of charred trees in the middle of a thunderstorm. One has fallen atop her, pinning her across the abdomen. In her delirium, she sees someone in robes adorned with crests approach from the side. Their hands reach from long, comfortable sleeves, patting at the earth and suddenly rising - with the motion, so does the tree lift from her hovering above and falling down on the clearing’s opposite side. They seem exhausted by the effort, but step to her all the same. She is picked up by this stranger, who introduces themselves as Seid Karika Tear, or just Seid for short. They walk across an old stone path, and Seid mutters something, makes weird symbols with their hands again. Emma realizes they’re chanting something like a poem, this one vying for “Downpour’s amnesty”. Immediately, the sensation of raindrops hitting her already soaked clothes ceases. She looks up, and sees the rain bounce against a barely-visible barrier of some sorts. Seid leads her to a chapel, which they describe as their home. There, she is lead inside, and meets Seid’s instructor, in a sense. They ask if she’s alright, but she steers the topic elsewhere: what is all this? How did Seid lift that tree, or protect them from the tree? Smiling, the headmaster tells her she better focus on getting rest, but does say that the world she now walks is controllable through words - that those who know how to flatter the laws of reality can make them bend, if only for a little. Then, she is given a room, and time to think of what has happened - of what it means, of what she has left behind in being shoved into this world, of whether or not she feels the buzz of magic picking at her. 

I will admit this example is longer than it needs to be, but I want to exemplify the difference that pacing your exposition can make. The first example is largely featureless, failing to describe this world’s magic as anything more than a concept. There is no concrete showing of it, no spectacles great or prevalent enough to convince the reader this is important. 

In the second scene, I have done my best to rectify that. Before Emma even speaks to the headmaster, she knows that:

There is magic

It is taxing on the body when used to great lengths

It consists of poems in the honor of what the user wants to achieve

The design upon Seid’s robe may have given her some insight on what their order believes in/believes is important

The headmaster then clarifies some of these things, but does not immediately reveal the whole puzzle. In fact, they introduce a new mystery - remarking on her being new to this world, though they had not been told so by her or Seid. What does the headmaster know that they aren’t sharing, and why?

Maybe come morning, the headmaster gives her a basis for understanding magic, but does not continue for fear of overwhelming her in such a state. You can create excuses to delay exposition through these kinds of means, not saying more than necessary at once due to time constraints or poor health for central characters or otherwise. 

Wow! Woah! Crazy!

My examples tend to go back to magic, and that’s not because these tips are only applicable to that one element of exposition, it’s just the most universal topic I can think of for this subject. 

Another extremely important aspect to exposition is the energy in which you convey it. Think back to the early Harry Potter books (NOT J.K. Rowling or any of her bullshit just THE BOOKS). Hagrid smashing down that door after the buildup of more and more unnatural things happening to Harry’s “family”, and then that reveal. Through the lens of Harry as a child and Hagrid’s joyful demeanour, magic enters the story as something grandiose, but in a way that Harry can understand. 

What I’m trying to say is that grandiose elements deserve reveals that give them appropriate respect. Maybe your magic system has a forbidden school, dark magics or the like: introducing it with some guy the MC finds in a bar just saying “oh, yeah, dark magic’s bad man wow” won’t work out! The reader needs reason to remember and think about elements you introduce, and you create that reason by having characters speak of dark magic in hushed tones, looking over their shoulders for fear of listeners, swearing the listener to secrecy lest terrible things ensue. 

Ultimately, exposition is not something you should compromise on, at least in your final draft. Once you get the hang of it, seeing what’s wrong with your exposition is fairly easy - fixing it is the hard part, something I know very well. Still, that effort will pay itself off by making your fantasy elements pop like nothing else.

The End

Thanks for reading! Again, sorry that this post got so bloated - I overestimated myself and thought “Oh, yeah, I don’t have to split the next writing techniques thing into multiple parts like with characterization, nothing has that many components!!” Alas, my hubris has got the best of me, and here we are…

If you’ve read this far, you might be thinking to yourself “wow! This individual is so cool and well-versed in literature!” if that’s you, feel free to check my profile for the pinned post that describes my awesome review-and-analysis service, where I read your text and give advice you can actually use! Thanks, and goodbye!

[t34-mt]

do you have a comparison chart for the size differences between the species? im curious about the average size differences between them, and maybe some of how that might effect them socially or culturally? since you said somewhere that many modern buildings are usually made to accommodate for all sizes

Text posted in july 2025

I do have one! The height conversion in feet may be off since it isn't a metric I use.

When I say buildings accommodate both, it's not a worldwide thing yet. Species cohabitation between mierthri and kyhuines have a longer history as they share connected biomes where contact was established earlier on. So kyhuine and mierthri settelment and homes having spaces for both is an older concept, thus more spread out. Kyhuine homes, in the inland south near the biome mierthri originate from, have more perching porches, landing platforms for mierthri to land on and glide to another. The home often has what would be translated as "Harpy/angel's window", a platorm over the main entrance of the house with a little circular window that can be opened. Miethri lands there and opens it to enter the house, the little visitor. Homes are very often a generational thing across cultures, especially in kyhuines, considering how their family structure and social groups are formed with around 20-100 members. They're homes where you live and die in, and they find it more convenient as it keeps the younger generation in the same place as the elders. These homes will often not be rebuild because a new family member is a maanul and cannot fit in the, for example, mierthri home. But homes can be expanded, and things can be built for the newcomer in the family if they're able to do so. If not, they will live separately but nearby. In the case of the smaller sophonts living in maanul's home, they fit in obviously, but will need special furniture to make their lives easier in those environments. In cultures where people are expected to leave their homes once in their adulthood, or when married in, then homes can be built to accommodate the three more easily. Although sometimes they will just be built like the older homes with few changes, it depends on the population. A colony that only has kyhuines and barely has a maanul pass by will not have its homes revolve around accommodation. if you wish to invite them over as a kyhuine for tea, or mierthri in this image specifically, you'll have to take out the table and seat outsides.

Most commonly, what people have is furniture to accommodate others. Like a seat, but it mostly revolves around dishes, as it is more convenient to acquire. In maanul's, people will re-use furniture destined to younger family members if they have someone of the other species coming in. Tho when the furniture has childish patterns, it can feel insulting for the other party. But forgiven for places where they're isn't a high population of kyhuine/ mierthri to begin with. In high mixed areas, furniture for the other would be seen as a universal thing to have, so it can be intentional to give the bowl destined to a toddler to the invited if you wish to disrespect them. Food is used as a welcoming gift there, and can be reduced in size as an insult too. A wealthy kyhuine inviting a maanul in, who can give them a plate and portion adequate to their size because they have the resources, but chooses against it, is a sign of disrespect. Kaar'kchir love having many ways to tell someone they are not welcome without using spoken or written words. Preparing meals for an invited guest requires knowing their diet. There is widely known safe food around, but getting more specific with whatyou wish to cook would require deeper knowledge on what the other can eat and digest well. Again, for kaar'kchir it is seen as rude to ask what the person cannot have, as people deem you are to know it all in advance. Each eats differently sized portion, for the sister cities people get portions that correspond to their species' requirement. But in the northeastern coasts, Puy'ul, a maanul is to give an invited of the opposite species, something as large as what they would have even if the person is incapable of eating it all. The gesture itself is wishing prosperity for the invited. For the opposite, a maanul invited to a kyhuine home will have as much food as they require, but the kyhuines will also have the same portion as the maanul. Again same significance. Keep in mind that this isn't something the average person is usually able to present. This is a more common gesture in regions where there isn't social insecurity and food scarcity going on too. For somewhere like in Juan region, western coasts, that is currently undergoing wars where civilians may go through famines and have their overall food be cut in half, they cannot afford to give someone a large meal. Thus, a maanul getting a small portion when invited in will not be seen as insulting in these situations. Regions where the culture used to be to give as much as possible, that are now going through food scarcity, have their culture changes to just give the minimum, without anyone making an announcement about it, the rules shift quietly in the common people. When food was scares but became abundant, the rules changed to serving plenty for celebrating the current prosperity. Ect.

in Kaar'kchir, in districts that were built once maanuls were in the picture, the buildings are large enough to fit in all three species. they may still be a bit cramped for maanuls sometimes, especially older ones. As kyhuine constructors who didn't have maanuls supervising the plans, they underestimated how large the spaces should be. But they can still enter them at least somewhat easily, at worse they may need to squeeze in some turns. Traditional maanul homes are very large, someone used to living in one and visiting their cousins in kaar'kchir may not enjoy the smaller given spaces. Maanuls who are used to it find it normal, and for kyhuines they enjoy cramped areas, mierthris usually resides in homes built on top of maanul and kyhuines for their needs and access to open spaces whenever.

But Kaar'kchir is old, and other old inland metropolises sometimes do not have pathways for mierthris or maanuls in the old districts of it, as kaar'kchir itself was a kyhuine settlement that expanded until centuries later it became what it now is. For mierthris in those districts, they instead climb onto people and jump from a person's back to another if they desire to travel around. As walking in the common street would get them pushed around if not accidentally hurt by being stepped on. Maanuls simply cannot go in the tight old streets, there may be recent tunnels made for them to pass by though. Kaar'kchir wishes not to change the older district much for historical preservations, even if it means making parts of it non-accesible to 2 species. Civils will modify places completely in response, losing some historical parts that could be preserved, but still fit for every sophont. This is a topic people love to discuss, sometimes argue about in a literal public discussion, a bunch of people debating at the fountain, where anyone can join in or watch the topic of the day. Metropolis will require a permit for people to start building, but the paperwork is sometimes intentionally confusing if you're not familiar with how it is there. It takes so long that many will just do it without one, because if they apply, they might not even be guaranteed a yes. Civils will turn a blind eye and pretend nothing is happening when seeing someone build something for their own specie's comfort. Snitching would make you an asshole to the neighborhood. Usually, its mierthri will expand homes onto other sophonts' walls and roofs. People live on top of each other in cities. Pathways exclusive to mierthris are built by mierthris wanting a faster, safer way to a destination. Again, built on peoples rooftop, sometimes its with their accord or not. They use scrap materials for it. Some routes get "owned" by certain families or group of people as they were the one to build it. Tho sometimes people will fight over ownership, or have several owners. The so-called "path owners" may charge people a small fee before they can pass through. Usually a coin, or three. Most scandalous prices range from 5 Kamas to asking for a sugar cube. Sugar is a type of currency among civilians because of its production cost. Children and teenagers claiming they own a path may ask for silly prices, usually, a snack from the nearby granny appeases them to stop.

The size difference does impact some people's view on one another, like how infantilization is common towards mierthris. Inconsiderate people are getting the idea that you can just pick and grab them because of how small they are, without asking to do so first. This behavior is more common than one might think. People don't usually recognise themselves in "grabbing a mierhtir" type of guy, but it's because it is the extreme form of it. They will subconsciously walk over mierthri's boundaries in subtle ways, it isn't done maliciously, but it is still an issue to correct people about.

There is the idea that their small size doesn't have to be accommodated to as much because they can just figure it out themselves, "if they can fit in every space, then they can manage the rest fine," sort of deal. Yes, they will find a way to, because they're pushed to build things intended for their comfort in places that didn't think of them being included in the picture. They get the image of stoic people who work through it all, that they're not that bothered by something not made for them, because you always see them make it through without asking people anyway.

I think this post is long as it is, i yapped about things here and there and went off rails. much of the focus was on mierthris for today but i will sprinkle out how the others are impacted by their height socially in other posts. Thank you for reading!

[bird-in-the-space]

Bayverse Version (Part 18)

After winning the fight against the cons, you feel more confident in yourself. The cons, however, find a new way to obtain you from the Autobots' hands.

(Author's note: I'm afraid I will be putting this series on a break because I suddenly lost motivation, and I'm unsure how the next chapter should go. I start posting more chapters once I figure it out. )

Warnings: (making some stuff up again) and the cons plotting something

------------------------------------

After getting back to Diego Garcia, Ratchet shared what had happened with Optimus and the other Autobots since the situation was solved before they could send backup. He then put you through a check-up even though you didn’t get badly hurt. When you insisted enough, he checked himself since he was the one who got most beaten up. Luckily, he didn’t sustain any life-threatening injuries or anything he couldn’t fix. 

You then received compliments from the bots for standing your ground against the cons.  They did give you a scolding for not following the evacuation protocol, but otherwise, they were rather positive about the whole thing. 

Ironhide smacked you in the back with a grin on his face. 

“Good job, kid. I knew you had it in you,” he said. “And if you keep hitting back, I believe the cons will stop coming after you.” 

You smiled back, hoping it was an outcome that would come soon. 

“But don’t think this means your training's over. Now that you won your first fight against those punks, I think I can push you a bit harder until you’re combat-ready, “ Ironhide added. 

Your smile fell into an awkward one, the thought of more difficult exercises making you feel scared. “Okay, but please not too much,”

You then glanced at Lennox and Optimus. “But how did the cons know we were there? It was like they were waiting for us?” you asked.

“Excellent question,” Lennox said. “We already checked and reconfigured our entire communication system. It should be safe,”

“Well, just to be sure. We should check again—maybe you missed something, or the Decepticons have become more brazen in their spying,” Que said, pressing buttons on the computer.

“Or maybe they’re not spying on us through our communication system,” he added thoughtfully.

“Whatever the cause, we must proceed with caution. Starscream may resort to more brute forward methods to retrieve their intended targets,” Optimus stated. 

“With pure energon in our storage, we’ve made significant technical advancements. I believe that we will be able to develop technology that will grant us a greater advantage over the Decepticons soon enough,” Que revealed.  

“But due to its rarity, and that we don’t have a large supply of it,” he continued. “Perhaps we could try to find another pure energon source.” 

“With enough pure energon, I could refine it in a way that we do not have to worry about refuelling ourselves for months,” Que then looked toward you. 

“(Name), would you be up to hunt down another pure energon source?” he asked. 

“I can try, but I can’t guarantee it would be found, even with my ability,” you replied.

“Perhaps we could narrow our search by observing through the Earth’s natural temperature flow," Que turned back toward the computer, pressing buttons. "I found out that while ordinary energon emits a cold energy signature, pure energon radiates an energy signature that is much warmer."

"By mapping those temperatures and combining the energon signatures, we could pinpoint their locations more accurately," Que then made a map appear on the screen. It was colored in blue and red, and at some points it had blue dots.

“I guess that would work…” You shrugged.

“Let’s not get too over our heads. The cons might have backed off this time, but there is no guarantee they won’t try again,” Ratchet said. “And I would prefer that (Name) does not have to fight to defend herself,” 

Even though you felt a bit confident in yourself, you agreed with Ratchet. 

“Perhaps more security would be in order,” Que suggested. 

“How about we come back you up this time?” Mudflap said as the twins stepped in.

“Yeah! Can’t let the newbie have all the fun,” Skids added.

“Uhm…” You looked at them, slightly baffled. “No offense, but… can you guys do much against the Decepticons?”

“You forget—we’re veterans at kicking Decepticon ass,” Skids said, pointing at himself.

“Yeah! We beat ’em before you even notice they’re there,” Mudflap added, and the two gave each other a high five.

You glanced at Ratchet, who returned your uncertain look.

“How about we add a third one? Just to be safe?” your dad suggested. 

“Yeah. Good idea,” Lennox said.  “You feel like you're up to hunt down pure energon, (Name)?” he asked you.

“I guess…” You shrugged your shoulders. 

“Excellent. The more pure energon we can secure, the better. “ Que said. “I'll pinpoint a possible location for you once I've gone through the map,” he added and started working on his computer. 

Ratchet turned toward you. “How about you go recharge? I think I feel more comfortable that you will leave the base with all your energy levels at the maximum,” he said. 

You smiled. “Okay. I’ll go do that. You rest too. You came back from a fight yourself,” you said.

He brushed you off. “I will be fine. Now go,” he said as he left to do his own thing.

You then looked down at your dad as he stood next to you.

“I’m not sure what to say. One moment you came back from kidnapping yourself, and now you are brave enough to fight them yourself,” he said.

“When did you suddenly become so strong and self-sufficient?” he smiled, his tone laced with a hint of pride.

You smiled. “I’m pretty sure I’ve just been lucky,” 

“Honestly, I’m surprised I even dared to do so,” you stated. “I’m glad, though, since it means my training has paid off. But I’m afraid Ironhide is gonna train me harder,” 

Your dad chuckled. “You got this far. You’ll be fine.” 

“Who knows, maybe you had potential for the army all this time, just like your brother?” he added. 

You smiled before thinking about your brother. “How is Nick, by the way? It’s been forever since I last heard of him,” you said.

“He’s safe. Maybe a few more deployments, and I might invite him to join the NEST,” your dad replied.

“Are you sure you want him to join the NEST?” you asked.

“Not really. But the high-ups are looking to recruit new people, and I’m afraid Nick could become a possible candidate,” he said. “I don’t really want both my kids fighting aliens, especially when you became part alien.”

“Yeah, he’ll probably shit his pants if he saw me right now,” you stated.

Your dad chuckled. “No doubts about that one. Though you are finally big enough to win any fight with him since you used to be so salty about losing every wrestling match with him,”

“Oh, now I’m tempted. Too bad he doesn’t know about NEST and alien robots,” you said.

“And I'd rather keep it that way for a while. How about you go rest?” your dad said. “I think Que will be done pinpointing the energon locations by tomorrow.” 

“Okay. See you later,” you said, going your separate ways. 

While walking, many thoughts raced through your mind. You felt proud for standing your ground against the cons. Doing so might have saved Ratchet’s life. You’d kind of grown attached to the grumpy bot, so you weren't sure what you would have done if he had died trying to buy you time to escape.

More importantly, you managed to face your fear of them. If you hadn’t, maybe you’d be running from them the rest of your life.

Perhaps, from now on, you’ll be a little less afraid to stand your ground.

Out in Earth’s atmosphere, Soundwave, the Decepticon’s communication officer, listened to Earth’s communication lines while being attached to one of Earth’s satellites. He monitored the talk on the Decepticon’s own communication channel.

In Cybertronian, the cons sent to capture you spoke.

“The mission was a failure. The whelp fought back and managed to have one of our own killed,” Long Haul reported. “I think the Autobots have been training them.” 

A growl echoed through the channel.

“This will bring more trouble than good. We need that little bot’s ability, “ Starscream growled. “We need to find a weak spot, something that will give us an advantage and perhaps make the whelp come to us instead. “

Soundwave began reviewing the recordings he had saved after hacking into the Autobot liaison Galloway’s cellphone. The human had neglected to use NEST’s secure lines, allowing Soundwave to easily breach the device and have it record every conversation it heard.

He went through the voice recording Galloway’s cellphone recorded during his visit to the Autobot base. 

He skipped through useless conversations he had heard and the ones that revealed your next location for energon mining operations. 

“I doubt that. I’m here because I read your reports and found out that you handed a fragment of the Allspark to a civilian. Care to explain that brilliant decision?” came Galloway’s voice. 

Soundwave stopped and listened. 

“Really? That’s funny,” came your voice. “Because just a moment ago, you didn’t seem to hear a thing when Que explained why they couldn’t sever the Allspark fragment’s connection to my best friend, and thus why she’s under Autobot protection,” you responded in the recording. 

Soundwave fixated on the terms ‘civilian’ and ‘best friend’. He went through the human databases. He found your old social media and a status that claimed you were deceased to society. Investigating through your old social media platform, he found similar occurrences where someone named Emily was your friend on each one

He then fixated on finding all the files on Emily, her social media, and her files. He even found several pictures of you together, figuring out her status of being your ‘best friend’. 

“Soundwave to Starscream: target’s weak point identified. Emily Walkerson. Revealed to carry a fragment of the Allspark,” Soundwave reported to Starscream, sending him the files. 

“Interesting,” Starscream mused through the communication channel. “An Allspark fragment has imprinted on a human—meaning the Autobots have no choice but to let the human carry it for them.”

“This changes everything.”

“Excellent work, Soundwave,” Starscream said. “Decepticons, prepare for a retrieval. Locate and secure a human female by the name Emily Walkerson.”

“If I may ask, Starscream—what purpose does the human serve?” Long Haul inquired.

Starscream let out a sinister chuckle.

“For bait.”

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