#I mean this post could be 20+ items long

[oakiyo]

Who is your favorite cc makeup creator?

Oh hands down @crypticsim - A little appreciation post; their makeup is consistently the best out there and it looks literally flawless on all skin tones. I think I have all of their content installed, I'm obsessed.

Eyeshadow 1 | Blush | Eyeshadow 2 | Eyeliner | Lipstick

[americas1suiteheart]

Had this idea a little while back and decided to go on with it! Tell me how you guys feel about it.

Kleptomaniacs

[Tangerine x Kleptomaniac! Reader]

[Summary; You've been working with the twins for a good while now, and all whilst knowing them you've bonded with them through similar interests. For Lemon, Thomas the Tank Engine, and on the other hand as for Tangerine and you - kleptomania..]

[Notes; You've got a code name, so there's no use of Y/n but know that your "Citron," (When I tried to post this after finishing it up, tumblr gave out on me and deleted it completely off the face of the internet so I had to write it again. Thanks Tumblr)]

[Warnings; Swearing, Stealing, it's a Bullet Train fanfic what do you expect?]

"God are you guys seriously fuckin' doing this shit again? You guys are gonna get caught one day doing that and you two are gonna be fucked y'know that right?" Lemon groans.

You and Tangerine made a game to see how much shit you could steal before chickening out. You can't do anything worse than killing people for money so you two figured, why the hell not?

"Fuck off Lem," You and Tangerine say at the same time dismissing him.

"Citron, I think you've officially spent too much time with Tan."

"Hey you can't say shit Lem, you've brainwashed Citron here into thinking of people in terms of fuckin' Thomas the Train characters you twat," Tangerine says, sneaking a pack of sweets into his suit jacket.

"Don't say shit about Thomas the Tank Engine, and dont call me a twat, you're the right fuckin' twat you ass," Lemon says, pointing a finger at Tangerine.

"Will you two stop acting like children? I spend too much time with the both of you, and you've both got qualities that are fuckin' annoying, the both of you are twats." You groan, taking multiple trinkets and small toys and shoving them into your pocket.

"Fucks sake mate, your taking the fuckin' children's toys?"

"I can take what I want Lem, piss off," You hiss.

This is typically how you three interacted with eachother. Lots of bickering and cussing at eachother, almost like teenagers that just learned a new cuss word

You'd figured with the boys it was just how they talked being that they were siblings and grew up together. I mean, you had siblings too but you never talked that way with them. Maybe it was just the way they were raised.

But with you, maybe you started acting like them and having the same behaviour after knowing them for so long. You hadn't acted like this before you met them.

You and Tangerine had finally gotten your rush from taking things and you three left the store, walking to your car given to you guys for the mission.

"Alright, start countin' everything you have," You say, getting everything out of all of your pockets and such.

"You guys have a fuckin' problem, I've said it multiple times and I'll say it again. You need to fuckin' see someone about that shit." Lemon shakes his head disappointingly at you two.

You and Tangerine ignore him as to not loose count of your stolen items.

The two of you finally finish, then looking at eacother and saying what you had in total. "32," You smirk, overly confident you had more.

But you already know you've lost when a cheeky smile appears on Tangerine's face, "47."

Your mouth hangs agape, staying quiet for at least 20 seconds. That's the most either of you had ever taken the four years you've known eachother so far.

"The worst part is that most of that shit is just sweets," Lemon says breaking the silence.

"Fuck off Lem," Tangerine hisses.

"Got a sweet tooth eh?" You chuckle, poking fun at him.

"I aint got no fuckin' sweet tooth, the sweets just so happened to be the easiest and least childish things to steal." Tangerine says, turning on the car.

Tan always liked to uphold this "tough manly guy," sort of figure. For example, when you're at a petrol station market and you and Lemon are over getting sugary drinks such as pop or juice, you best believe Tan would be getting water or a black coffee calling you two children.

"And sweets aren't childish?" Lemon raises his eyebrow.

"I didn't even get them for me you fuckin' bellend, I know you two like that sugary shit." Tangerine says.

"Wow, when did Gordon become an Edward," You say, giving Tangerine a cheeky grin.

Tangerine just sighs in defeat, knowing you and Lemon will end up teasing him just to mess with him the rest of the time regardless.

The ride back to the hotel was fairly calm, you and Lemon eating the stolen sweets and showing off the small toys you took as well, when you suddenly remembered something else you'd gotten for the both of them at another shop.

"Lemon, can you hand me that bag right there please?" You say, pointing to the small, blue bag next to him.

Lemon nods and hands you the bag from the back, you reaching over to grab it from his hands.

You take out a small plastic wrapped Thomas The Tank Engine phone charm and hand it to Lemon.

Lemon's face immediately lights up as he takes it out of its packaging, putting it on his phone and fiddling with it.

"Got this for you too, Tan," You say, turning to him and handing him a small satin bag.

"You steal this too?" Tangerine says, glancing at the bag before returning his eyes to the road.

"No, no. I actually bought that, I don't steal sentimental gifts I give, I'm not a fuckin' monster," You say, putting your hand on your chest in fake offense.

Tangerine gives you a judgemental glance.

"What is it?" He asks, still holding the small bag in his hand.

"Open it,"

Tangerine smiles and opens the bag with one hand, taking out a silver and blue colored star engraved ring.

"Its a promise ring. I saw it in a shop and figured we should get matching ones. I hope its your size, I kinda just guessed," You say, showing him your right hand that the ring was on.

"This is lovely, darling. Thank you.." Tangerine says with a loving smile, quickly putting it on his right hand with all of his other rings.

"You two are just right fuckin' sops for eachother it's sickeningly sweet," Lemon says, a cheeky grin on his face.

Tangerine mumbles something both you and Lemon couldn't hear, though by the tone it was very clearly not anything nice.

After a while longer, you three finally make it back to the hotel, Lemon checks all of you in and you all walk up to your hotel room.

As soon as you get in Lemon sets his stuff down and heads to the restroom for a shower, leaving you and Tangerine alone with eachother as you two unpack your bags.

"Tangerine?" You speak out, turning to look at Tangerine who was putting his clothes into the bottom drawer of the hotel room dresser.

"Yes, love?" Tangerine says.

"Thank you. For staying with me even when we go through all this shit. It's stressful and keeping relationships has never been easy for me with this job, you're the only one that's stayed this long and I want to let you know how grateful I am for it." You say, putting what you were doing aside so you could talk to him without any distractions.

Tangerine's head perks up a bit, then turning to look at you.

He smiles sweetly and walks over to you, pulling you into a bone crushing hug.

"Darling, you have no clue how happy I am that you've stayed with me the same. I know I can be difficult at times as well," Tangerine said, voice barely above a whisper.

You rarely ever get to see a softer side of Tan, but when you do you try to savor it as much as possible.

"You guys, are fuckin' disgusting. What I just saw there was right fucking nasty." Lemon says, standing in front of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Fuck off Lem."

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

[Quick Authors Note! Sorry I haven't gotten to these requests and other stuff these past few months, I've been busy and have had other stuff get in the way. I know this isn't much but I'm trying to clean up my drafts.

[lillaydee]

The Arrangement

Frontier! Joel Miller / Reader

Your life crumbled to nothing during a migration to Jackson, forcing you to agree to an arrangement just to survive.

NOTE: I know nothing of the period or the life during that time. Just running off my imagination here. So sorry if there are inaccuracies in advance.

WARNINGS: Protective Joel (The Last of Us), Ellie & Joel Bonding (The Last of Us), Good Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Soft Joel (The Last of Us), Joel is Bad at Feelings (The Last of Us), Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Hurt Joel (The Last of Us), Joel Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (The Last of Us), Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Fluff and Angst, Frontier Joel, Alternate Universe - No Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Virgin Joel, Virgin Reader, Minor Character Death, Period-typical Misogyny, Marriage of Convenience

SERIES MASTERLIST

PART 1

You climbed onto the driver’s seat of the family sized wagon and helped your mother up. She had the biggest smile on her face. A new start, she told you. She was so excited. After spending your entire life sharing a house with strangers, sleeping in one tiny room between the three of you, your father had finally managed to give your family a new life – a piece of land, in Jackson, Wyoming. Your family will have your own land to work on, your own house to live in, your parents will have their own room, and you, yours.

You were 20. An old maid, by the society standards. But you hadn’t wanted to marry. Your parents had you later in age, and they were not getting any younger. This move had been talked about for as long as you could remember, and getting married would mean separating from them, particularly if your hypothetical husband had a big family. You didn’t want that. Despite the possibility of being viewed as unwanted or defected by the society, you felt that you were thick skinned enough to face it, so long as you and your family were together.

And if this new life, in plot number three in Jackson, could bring you new adventures, or even a suitor, you wouldn’t fight it too hard.

Your father climbed aboard, taking the reins. You were seated on his left, your mother on his right. What little possessions your family had were all packed and arranged in the wagon, your two horses patiently waiting for his go ahead. The families you shared the house with gathered outside to say goodbye to you. Your father looked at the two ladies in his life and put his arms around each of you. Both you and your mother gave him a big, tight hug. His smile was infectious.

When he let go of the two of you, he took the reins in his hands again, tipped his hat at the gathered families, and clicked his tongue at the two faithful steeds. They began to move, and your family was off to start your new life.

It took two whole days to get to the next town, where the wagon train to Jackson would be gathering. Your family arrived very near night time, and your tired bones left no ability for any of you to do anything but to crawl into the wagon and shut your eyes.

**********

The sounds of a spoon being banged against the bottom of a pot stirred all three of you, still fully dressed from last night. You could hear the stream running nearby, quickly getting up and filling a bucket with some water for your parents’ morning routines, cleaning yourself as best as you could before bringing it back to the wagon. Your mother had already begun to prepare breakfast, your father having started a fire for her first thing.

He needed to meet with the organizers before breakfast, the aim was to move immediately once breakfast was over. He sent you to town for some quick supplies, and since time was of the essence, you took off running. You quickly got the items your parents had asked you to get, and hurried back to the meeting point, arms laden in packages.

You turned a corner and ran straight into someone. Your packages knocked off your hands, you off your feet, landing on your back, your skirt flying right over your head. You immediately got back on your feet, desperately trying to get your skirt back down, horrified that your drawers were out in the open. Alas, it was all to no avail. Your skirt had caught on to the pin on your hat and you couldn’t get it down no matter how hard you try. You were starting to panic, until a pair of hands stopped you, and a deep, low baritone told you to calm down.

Weirdly, while you realized that a man was speaking, you immediately calmed down. The man unhooked your skirt off the hat pin and lowered it immediately. Your sight was restored to him standing so close to you, having covered your modesty from public view with his own body.

“Are you alright Miss? I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

His eyes were averted from you, but you felt yourself blush. This man saw your drawers. You kept your gaze down, embarrassed by your own thoughts. He immediately bent down and picked up all your packages. You kept your eyes off him in your flustered state as he carefully placed them all back in your hands. You braved a glance at him.

He looked to be about your age. Tall, strong looking, broad as all hell. His strong jaw peppered with a rather unkempt beard and moustache. His brown eyes slightly veered away from yours. He was a good looking man. Good looking enough to make you avert your eyes again.

You mumbled a thank you and sorry, and quickly made your way back to your parents. You helped your mother pack the supplies quickly and got back up front into the seat. The wagon train began to move into position, apparently waiting for one more to join the group. You didn’t have to wait for long. The last wagon, a single one, came rolling around not a few minutes later.

And just your luck, the driver was none other than the man who saw your drawers.

The idea of travelling with him for two weeks was enough to make you retreat back into the wagon, just so that he wouldn’t see you. You could do that, right? He didn’t need to know you were in the group, right? It’s only two weeks, when you arrive in Jackson he won’t even know you exist. Surely, you could hope?

That hope was quickly squashed at lunchtime, when your parents decided to sit with him and his family. Apparently, he was travelling with his brother and his wife, and his two cousins. He seemed gentlemanly enough, not mentioning anything about your encounter. In fact, he didn’t mention anything at all. He didn’t speak. At all. His brother and cousins did the talking. His name was Joel, apparently, his brother, Tommy, travelling with his newly wedded wife Maria. His cousins were Will and Benny. They’re the Millers. The men were former soldiers, fresh out from the war, which was how they got their lands. Will and Benny were both engaged, their fiancées already living in Jackson, which was the reason they decided to move there. Tommy and Joel tried their luck and managed to secure lands for themselves, so here they were too.

This was when you discovered Joel’s land would be your family’s next door neighbour. Great, you thought. Any hope of staying away from him was now lost.

A cry from Joel’s wagon got him off his stool. He climbed on and re-emerged with a baby in one hand, a bottle in the other. Maria got up and tried to help him, but he shook his head. He walked away from the group a little, cooing at the baby who was hungrily suckling from the bottle. His family watched him, eyeing each other, worried looks silently exchanged. The baby, a girl, was barely six months old, Maria told you.

You didn’t know why, but the knowledge that he had a baby with him made you a bit sad. Would the mother be joining him soon? Or perhaps she was already waiting in Jackson like his cousin’s fiancées? He wasn’t wearing a ring, but then again, a lot of men didn’t. Wedding rings were not exactly cheap these days.

After the baby fed, she began crying. Joel immediately seemed flustered, rocking the baby back and forth, clearly not used to the situation at hand. The Millers got up and tried to help him. But the baby was still crying, the group seemingly clueless on what to do. Joel was getting more and more visibly distressed.

You mother immediately got up and gently asked for the baby from him. She tried to soothe the baby, burping her, rocking her slightly, but she was still crying. She then passed the baby to you, telling the others that you had more experience with babies, having taken care of the children at the house you lived in since you were old enough to change a napkin.

You immediately checked the baby for whatever may be causing her discomfort. Her napkin, her clothing, her hat, her tummy, and finally, you ran your little finger in her mouth. Her crying eased slightly. She was teething. So, you ran your finger on her gums, gently massaging them, easing the pain slightly, and before long, she fell back asleep. Your mother suggested that she ride with you, so you could keep an eye on her, but Joel quickly said no, quietly thanking you for helping, before taking her back into his wagon.

**********

The wagon train consisted of ten wagons altogether. The lead and final wagons belonged to the agency the travelers had hired to map out the journey, providing food and safety throughout. Four single wagons belonged to the Millers, while the other four were family wagons, yours being one of them. The other three belonged to two different families, the middle aged couple with their three children, and their elderly parents, who had another wagon of their own, and a childless couple, probably newlyweds.

The journey was long and slow moving, but everyone got the hang of it after a while. After about ten days on the road, there were only seven wagons left, the other three had left, having arrived at their destination, two towns before Jackson. You, your mother and Maria had gotten along swimmingly, spending time together on the breaks. Joel still didn’t talk much, only mumbling a few words whenever necessary, preferring to spend time with his daughter, whose name, you found out, was Ellie. He asked you to help him out every now and again whenever he couldn’t soothe her, but other than that, he kept to himself.

The other Miller men were friendly, simply the opposite of Joel. Will was a bit quiet, but nowhere near as quiet as Joel. Benny was a chatterbox, basically a puppy with too much energy, and indulged your father in war talks and politics.

Despite Joel’s reserved mannerism, the group actually got along well together, which was probably a good thing, seeing as you would be neighbours when you arrived. With your father getting older by the day, you were glad the Miller men were around. They seemed helpful, all of them, even Joel, very willing to help whenever needed.

During one of the quick stream baths you, your mother and Maria shared, your mother asked her about Ellie’s mother. Turned out, Ellie was not Joel’s daughter. Her mother had been his sweetheart, who came from a troubled home. He had planned to marry her when he came home from the war. But when he didn’t come back as planned, her parents had forced her to marry someone else. He got her pregnant, and made her life a living hell, coming home drunk, stealing from her, beating her half dead. When she went back to her parents for help, they turned her away, unwilling to bear the shame of having their married daughter run away from her husband, not to mention the added cost of having her back plus baby. He ended up beating her to death just after Ellie was born, claiming that she died in a robbery.

Joel returned from war two months later to the news that not only was his sweetheart married, but she was also killed. He was at the bar, drinking his sorrows away when her useless husband walked in, drunkenly bragging about sleeping with so many women who pitied him for his wife’s demise. He proceeded to inform everyone of his poor wife’s final moments, admitting to killing her himself. He got so rowdy, so belligerent that he was fighting half the bar for telling him to shut up. Joel was so close to killing the man with his bare hands when the sheriff himself arrested the man for being too drunk, as well as for murdering his wife.

By the next morning, his body was sprawled in front of the sheriff office, shot in the back, having tried and failed to escape jail.

Ellie’s grandparents didn’t want to keep her and was sending her to the orphanage. Joel quickly decided to adopt her, not wanting her to live unloved, the way her mother was. She was officially his two days before the departure.

This bit of news made you feel like you knew him a bit better, the kind of man he was, despite his stiff demeanor. You and your mother vowed to help him as much as you could, knowing that the man would need all the help he could get.

Two days before the scheduled arrival in Jackson, the train stopped at a valley for the night. The day had been a particularly long one, and everyone was tired. Joel was nodding off as he fed Ellie, Maria quickly taking her away from him, asking him to rest so he would be alright for the journey the next day.

Dinner was quickly had and packed away, and before long, everyone was sound asleep, save for the two security men from the company, who stayed up to keep watch.

**********

You were startled awake by a sudden shake of the wagon, muffled shouting and scuffling surrounded it. It was slightly light out, as if the sun was beginning to peek its head. You sat up quickly, finding your parents already awake. Your father quickly took the gun he had kept hidden and your mother, a big metal rod she had always kept as a weapon behind the door. They signaled for you to be quiet, and you worriedly nodded.

The sounds of silent fighting quickly evolved to louder ones, people running around, and before long you could hear full on shouting, the Miller men’s voices among them. Your father told your mother to stay in the wagon with you as he quickly jumped out. You peeked through the gap in the canvas and saw Joel fighting a man off Tommy, who was on the ground. Your father shot the man, and Joel quickly picked up his own gun off the ground, and suddenly there was a lot of gunfire.

Your mother placed her hand on your back, Ellie, she whispered. If Joel was out here, who was protecting Ellie? You quickly wrapped a shawl around your body, and snuck out the front, hiding between wagons and shadows to get to his wagon.

A man took hold of you, and you screamed. There were so many men around, the men in your train outnumbered at least two to one. You struggled to get out of his hold, when suddenly you felt him drop. When you turned, your mother was standing behind him, having struck the heavy metal rod she was holding directly on his head. Go, she told you. You ran to Joel’s wagon and got in, Ellie nowhere to be seen. You ran back out, going to Tommy and Maria’s wagon, where you saw Maria hiding under the built in bench, Ellie in her arms. She immediately gave Ellie to you before climbing out herself. You wrapped Ellie in your shawl, tying it to your front before running out into the bushes to hide with her, your mother right behind you, telling you to get Ellie to safety.  

The gunshots and fighting and screaming slowly got quieter and quieter as you got further and higher, and finally, you found a spot where the rocks were high enough and far away enough to hide the four of you.

But when you and Maria settled, the two of you turned to see that your mother was no longer behind you. You began to panic and got back up to get her, but Maria pulled you down just as several gunshots sounded again, one of them hitting the rock you were hiding behind. Ellie began to cry, but you pressed her close to your chest, and thankfully, she seemed to get the message, the smart child. You and Maria peeked through the rocks, and saw some men go into her and Tommy’s wagon, feeling thankful that the two of you had decided to vacate it.

You saw Joel go in after the men, Tommy close on his heels, and came back out with the two men pulled out by their collars, before both were shot dead by Will and Benny. The four men looked around before being joined by the agency people, minus the two who had stood guard the night before.

It was now light enough to see. Joel shouted for Maria and you, and the two of you quickly stood up before carefully making your way back down to the valley. Joel and Tommy ran up to meet both of you, Tommy hugging his wife, relieved she was alright. You quickly untied your shawl off your body, and Joel immediately took Ellie off your hands, smothering her in kisses, holding her close to his chest, his face the definition of a worried father. He then asked you if you were alright, to which you nodded, and he helped you down, Ellie firmly held in one hand, your arm in the other.

Will, Benny and the four remaining men from the agency were checking the fallen men. Raiders, Joel told you, they were trying to rob the train. To say you were relieved the train held four former soldiers was an understatement.

Your thoughts were suddenly struck by something else. Where were your parents? You looked around, running to your wagon to see if they were there. They were not. Your turned to look elsewhere, when Benny appeared before you, a look on his face told you what you didn’t want to know. You violently shook your head, and ran in the direction he came from, only to find the rest of the men standing over two people, seated on the ground, your mother being one of them, held tightly in your father’s arms. Both had their eyes closed, their bodies still, too still to be asleep.

And that’s when you clocked your mother’s dress, soaked in red, and your father’s pajamas covered torso, blood richly seeping from it onto the ground.

The ground was shaking and still at the same time. The world fell silent. There was nothing left in it. All had emptied. Your vision was spinning. Your head light. You stomach churning. You heard someone say your name, and before you knew it, your world had turned dark.

PART 2

[yawn-junn]

lmao i'm sorry i'm talking so much today 😭 but can i request for riize's anton with the 'let's go to the convenience store' prompt with wanna be yours of artic monkeys and/or anton bf headcanons?

anyways remember to take care of yourself and stay hydrated

ly

���Our Song - Anton𖤐

Special thanks to: @eumppappasgrippers , Riize

Note: I was gonna post this earlier today but I didn't realize it was Friday and it took a minute to write this because for some reason I'm dissociating more than normal (like every two seconds), but thank you for requesting I hope your also taking care of youself and keeping hydrated, lyt

TW: Yn being classic Yn : fluff : shy Anton : mentions of a creepy man : mentions of food and snacks : mentions of being in a food coma :

Words: 1009

Prompt: "Let's go to the convenience store" & "I Wanna Be Yours - Artic Monkeys"

8-18-23

It was around 2:30am when Anton brought up the idea of going to the convenience store. When you arrived at Riize's dorms earlier that day it was warm outside so you didn't bring a jacket not thinking of the temperature later in the night, thankfully Anton lended one of his hoodies to you. The scent on the hoodie smelt like a mixture of masculine and sweet, the hoodie was long on you as it went passed your pajama shorts Anton tried to convince you to either wear the pants you brought or borrow one of his.

But instead of doing what he asked you made the 'its not that cold' argument knowing very well how cold it was "Yn please just put on pants" Anton asked "it's not that cold outside Anton, I'll be fine" you replied putting your phone and Anton's phone in yours(his) hoodie pocket in response Anton sighed before lowering his hand holding the clothing item "it is that cold" he tried to convince you albeit you weren't listing "ok but what if some creepy man comes along and you look like your not wearing pants" he said

"You'll be there you can protect me" you said walking towards the door to leave his room "c'mon before the sun rises" you said walking out. Anton sighed and put the pants on his bed before following you "wait" you said causing Anton to turn and look at you "neither of us can drive-" you continued "yeah that's why I tried to get you to wear pants" he responded in a soft tone you shook your head "that's not what I mean" you paused "how far away is the convenience store from here" you asked "about a 10-20 minute walk depending on how fast you walk 5 if you run" he responded

You sighed before grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door "you got our phones right" he asked griping your hand tighter you nodded your head "may I see mine" he said holding his hand out in response you moved the pocket closer to his hand "grab it" you said, he hesitated for a minute before reaching his hand in your pocket pulling out a random phone "oh-" he said once he looked at the phone "this is yours" he said looking at you before moving to put it back "your fine you can use it for whatever unless you were going to text someone I don't have the number of" you said looking at the ground beneath your

He softly nodded his head and typed in your password you peeked over at your phone to see what he was doing "what song you wanna listen too?" He asked his head turning to you "whatever you choose I'm just going along for the ride" you commented hopping a little Anton giggled at your antics before looking back down at your phone pulling your hand closer in order to put both hands on the phone pulling out a pare of Bluetooth earphones from his pocket he handed you one, you gave him a questioning look taking the other ear phone out his hand "I grabbed them while you were looking through my closet for a hoodie" he said pressing play on the music

"I wanna be yours" by artic money's filled the comfortable silence you giggled and looked at Anton "..what" he smiled "you know what you did" you giggled "your right I do know what I did" he softly said pulling you Infront of him before you could quistion why let go of your hand and pulled you infrony of him you felt his arms wrap around your waist and push you forward to continue the path of the sidewalk "isn't it uncomfortable to waddle like that" you asked him you felt his head nod from your shoulder "yeah but your shivering and I can't have my girlfriend cold" he said the pout on his face evident in his tone

You smiled and shook your head the to of you listened to music and made jokes the whole way to the convenience store "aaannd were here" he whispered in your ear "finally!" You breathed out "my legs hurt" you finished walking into the store "oh calm yourself the walk wasn't that bad" Anton said you didn't respond instead you rushed Anton to the chip isle. Once the two of you picked out what you wanted to eat you headed to the cash register "oh my god Anton!" You said as you turned to him the look on his face held worry as he ran his eyes over your figure looking for an injury

"We forgot our cards in your room" you said he shook his head "no mines on my phone, apple pay" he said "yeah cool mines not" you said as you looked at the ground "no one said I was gonna let you pay anyway" Anton said grabbing your hand leading you to the register. No matter how many times you protested he didn't listen instead payed with apple pay "I'll pay you back" you said before you could ask for his Venmo he cut you off "I don't want your money but you could pay me back in cuddles and kisses" he said knowing he won't take no for an answer you sighed "fine" you said grabbing his hand that didn't have the bags

The two of you made it back to the dorm and put all your stuff in his room piled around the both you, you still in Anton's hoodie as you deemed it too comfortable to take off. You guys put on a random movie half way through your snacks (and Anton's) put you into a food coma as you were drifting in and out of sleep you heard Anton softly whisper sing in your ear "I wanna be yours~"

[kpopsexstories]

NCT MOST MEMORABLE SEX – Story #20: JAEMIN Pt. 2/2

A new story/member every Monday. Click here to view the posting schedule.

Story: NCT Jaemin makes a new friend in a fan, and ends up having sex with her.

Type: MEDIUM

Content: Blowjob, Sitting/riding, Missionary

Word Count: 5,119 (10,811 incl. Pt 2)

Members: Jaemin

Read Part 1 of Jaemin's story.

Story #20: JAEMIN Pt. 2 (of 2)

Sarah had taken her friend’s advice to be careful. In her bag, she carried three things specifically for protection in the unique situation she now found herself in: pepper spray, in case she needed to defend herself. Her phone, in case she needed to call for help. And condoms, in case the evening took a different unexpected turn. Whatever might happen, she was prepared.

Now that she had spent hours with Jaemin already, and they had shared intimate details about their lives with each other, she knew that there was only one of the items that might still come to use.

By nine in the evening, they stopped their deep talk and finally shared the food Jaemin had so lovingly cooked. It had long since gone cold, but of course Johnny’s friend had a microwave. They heated their plates and sat down to eat.

During the meal, their conversation took a much more positive direction. They talked and laughed, and suddenly it felt like all their troubles had gone away.

As a joke, Sarah found a lighter in a kitchen drawer and took a candle from the living room table. She placed it between their plates in the kitchen.

“You said you dreamed of a romantic, normal evening. Let’s make it happen, shall we?”

She gave Jaemin a playful smile as she lit the candle, and sat down and looked at him with warmth in her eyes. For a brief moment, it really felt like a perfectly normal date. Sarah had never had one either.

When their plates were empty they put them in the dishwasher. Johnny had provided detailed instructions. They didn’t need to empty it, just make sure they didn’t leave anything dirty behind. His friend wouldn’t be back for a week, but when they returned it was important Jaemin had shown respect to the place he had borrowed.

By ten o’clock, the date reached a point where they could have called it a night and headed in separate directions. Sarah already had Jaemin’s private phone number, and he had hers. Leaving now would not necessarily have meant the end of things.

But neither was ready for the evening to end, and so Sarah suggested the final activity Jaemin had previously said they might do on his dream date: something as simple as a movie.

Jaemin was immediately up for the idea, but not before he asked an important question. “Where do you sleep tonight?”

Sarah hadn’t thought that far ahead. She usually found her hotels first thing when she came to the next city. In this case, she had come straight to the house, without a thought on how she’d spend the night.

“Shit,” she said. “I don’t know.”

“What, you haven’t booked something?”

“No,” Sarah said.

This made Jaemin endlessly fascinated. Sarah felt like a free spirit, someone who didn’t mind travelling the country on a whim with just a backpack. Of course, he already knew that she had planned the trip a year in advance, and that she wasn’t as free as circumstances made her appear.

“Okay. It’s late, so does that mean you have to go?”

“No,” Sarah repeated. “I can just book something online, something with a night reception. Fuck it, I’ll find something later. Let’s not ruin our perfect night.”

Jaemin was genuinely impressed by her attitude. He didn’t press the matter further.

Instead, they left the kitchen behind and headed to the living room, where there was a big screen TV, a couch wide enough for three, and a dining room table with four wooden chairs. The lights were off, but the kitchen light and street lamps from outside a nearby window were enough to create a dimmed, cozy feeling.

They found the remote and sat down in opposite ends of the couch. Sarah observed her date and smiled as he tried to figure out how the TV worked. Soon enough, they were logged into Netflix and found something they could agree on. They quickly learned that they had different movie tastes, but settled on an easy romantic comedy.

Jaemin didn’t pay any attention to any of it. The moment they were settled, two seats apart but with their feet almost touching, his mind and heart were racing.

He glanced over at Sarah more than he pretended to look at the screen. She was completely into the story, and laughed at the terrible jokes. He found her quite cute and smiled to himself.

Only ten minutes in, Sarah caught him staring. “What?” she asked and giggled. “Do you want to change after all?”

“No,” Jaemin said. He felt warm inside, excited to be alone with and near such a sweet and beautiful girl.

“Well, you’re not watching it. What’s on your mind?”

The answer was clear in Jaemin's head. The thought of sex had crossed his mind multiple times already. He had already taken a lot of chances tonight, and shared so much with his new friend that he shouldn't have shared with such a die-hard fan. Now, he figured he might as well take another one.

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

Sarah was pulled out of the movie completely. She stared right at him, with a serious and distant expression on her face. For a moment, Jaemin thought he had messed up big time.

“Sorry,” he said and blushed.

“No, don’t be. It’s just that no one has ever said that to me before. Like, ever.”

And it was true. Sarah had dated many men, and had more experience in her teenage years than most had in a lifetime. But she had never been loved, or even cared for before. They all just wanted one thing from her, and romance was not part of it. She had never experienced sex as two people who genuinely cared for one another.

Even if sex had crossed Jaemin's mind – and Sarah was sure that it had – he was not at all like those men, and she knew that too.

Now that she was drug free, happy, and had a future to look forward to, a gentle man like Jaemin was just what she needed. Her friend’s voice echoed in her head: "Be careful," it said. But also, "you deserve the world." There was no right or wrong answer to what she should do next, but she knew what she wanted from the bottom of her heart.

Sarah had a unique opportunity in front of her – to get closer to her idol which in itself was insane, and to get the kind of sweet love she never got when she was younger. The opportunity was too good to pass up on, and so she quickly made a decision. She decided to allow Jaemin to take their casual flirting to the next level.

“I think you’re beautiful,” she said and giggled.

The words gave Jaemin a thrilling shock. He had thought about Sarah for weeks, since he felt the physical attraction between them when he first saw her in the audience. But there certainly was a connection beyond just the physical. She was a gorgeous woman, but also open, deep, funny and smart. She had an extremely positive aura about her, despite her troubled past.

They sat in silence for a while, deep in thought, the movie still playing but neither hearing a word of it. Sarah was suddenly questioning if she'd misjudged Jaemin's intentions. Then he said something that took her by surprise.

“Those men you mentioned… I’m sorry for what they put you through. Truly, I am. I want you to know that most guys are not like that.”

It was not the intimate direction she had anticipated, but it made her feel better inside than she ever had before.

Sarah already knew it though, that most men were more like Jaemin and less like those she had experienced in person. She had long since come to terms with the fact that the life of one-sided sex she used to lead was not the norm. Yet she saw a chance to tease her new friend, and to give Jaemin a push in the direction she wanted the rest of the evening to go in.

“Prove it,” she said with a smirk.

Foreplay starts here...

Jaemin didn’t respond at first. He wasn’t sure what the challenge meant, if he was supposed to give her another compliment. He also genuinely worried about what damage the men had done to the girl he now fancied so deeply. What were her limits?

“How?” he asked.

“Kiss me,” she said. “Kiss me like I’m the only girl in your world.”

“You are the only girl in my world,” Jaemin joked, but he quickly realized that now was not the time to be funny.

They looked at each other across the couch, and Jaemin’s mind was going wild. Could he really? He certainly wanted to. But did she really want the same thing?

Sarah sensed his hesitation. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she said.

Of course he wanted to. It was all he could think of in this moment. And so, something flipped in his head, and he decided to just go for it. Sarah was enormously happy and relieved that he did.

Jaemin suddenly sat up on the couch, and launched himself in Sarah’s direction. She laughed at the prompt and eager action, then stopped when he leaned in over her, a hand on either side of her waist. He stood on his knees, arms stretched, and stayed there hovering above her, withing for a sign.

Sarah stretched her legs on the couch in the dimly lit room. She put a hand on Jaemin's waist, and when he slowly lowered his face she was the one to raise her head and close the gap between them. It was a kiss they both longed for so desperately, and when their lips met it felt magical.

Sarah slid down on the couch, and Jaemin lowered his body on top of her. She spread her legs and sank deeper into the cushions as they began to make out.

“Do you want to fuck me?” Sarah asked.

Jaemin immediately stopped the kissing. It was such a direct question. He feared it was her history talking. Did she feel pressure to do this? Did she think she somehow owed him something, or that she had to pleasure him for him to like her? In this moment, he genuinely worried about her.

“I’m not like those men,” he said.

“What, you don’t want me?” Sarah asked.

“I do. I really do. But I can’t do this unless you want it too. If we have sex, how is that proof that not all men just want what those in your past did?”

Sarah smiled. She let her hand glide up and down Jaemin's back, and placed the other on his cheek. She caressed him gently while staring into his eyes.

Her soft touch felt amazing, and Jaemin’s heart almost stopped. It was at this moment a strange but lovely evening turned into his most memorable sexual experience.

”You forget one thing,” she said. ”We just spent an entire evening in that kitchen over there, talking about all our insecurities, traumas and flaws. I opened myself up to you in a way I haven't opened up to a man before in my life. And what did you do?”

“The same,” Jaemin said.

“Yes, but not only that. You listened. You asked me questions. You saw me, or at the very least tried to understand me. Despite all the trauma, you made me laugh, and cry, but in the best possible way.”

She paused for a second. Jaemin adjusted his position, his bulge pressing between Sarah's legs. He didn't know what to say.

“And not once did you come on to me, or pressure me into something I didn't want to say or do, or expect anything from me. I can see it in your eyes even now. You’re not them. If all that didn’t already prove to me that you’re different, then I don’t know what else you can do.”

Jaemin snickered and smiled wide. He hadn’t thought of it that way. It was true that he had a genuine interest in Sarah and her life. He cared a lot about her past and how it might affect her, but at the same time her past didn't matter at all. He liked who she was when they were together, and the feeling seemed to be mutual.

“So, what does that mean?” he asked.

Now it was Sarah who didn’t respond. Instead, she lifted her head and kissed him again, a long and loving kiss, like none she had ever given a man before. It made him melt inside.

At first, Jaemin merely let her. Then, he finally understood that all this was alright. Sarah wanted him, and he wanted her. There was no more need for talking.

As they resumed their love making, all boundaries had suddenly vanished. Jaemin pressed his pelvis down hard between Sarah's legs, and she spread her knees wider as he squirmed on top of her. She felt his body, from his skinny waist to the back of his broad shoulders. His body was powerful, strong and comforting.

Soon, Sarah pulled on his tucked t-shirt until it came out of his jeans. She pulled it higher over his back, and he raised his body briefly to release it from between their stomachs. When it was up to his armpits, he sat up and took it off.

His frizzy hair pointed in all directions when the shirt came over his head. When he lay back down, she ran her fingers through it and he began to kiss her neck. A jolt of arousal and happiness shot through her. I'm touching Jaemin, she thought to herself. The Jaemin. It was like a surreal dream.

Jaemin felt exactly the same thing. Sarah was not just any girl he had spotted in the audience. She was special. He had never before experienced the kind of attraction he felt when their eyes first met, and the closeness he felt when they opened up to each other. To be with the girl he had dreamt of since that first day made him feel incredibly lucky.

I don't deserve her, he thought when Sarah's hands explored his bare back. To be held by her made him feel warm inside.

Soon, however, the tingle between his legs took over. He wanted to feel more of her. And so his hand felt its way under her top, where her soft skin made him feel even hornier than he already was. It was time to take things all the way.

When his hand reached just below her breast, Sarah suddenly pushed him up. He pulled his knees under him and sat up straight on them. Still with her legs around him she joined him. In between kisses, she pulled the top over her head. He looked down at her breasts while she unbuckled her bra. When it came off, she threw it on the ground and lay back down.

Jaemin followed her. He held her waist and kissed her naked breasts. They felt great, warm and soft to the touch.

While he explored her body, Sarah unzipped her pants and pulled them down. Her underwear came down with them.

Eager to feel that part of her too, Jaemin reached down and began to unbuckle his pants. He pushed his ass up to get more space. With her pants down on her thighs, Sarah helped him. She undid the button and unzipped the jeans, then reached down into Jaemin’s underwear and felt his firm cheeks.

They both felt a thrilling and happy sensation as they undressed each other, but there was also a serious mood in the air. The mood would lighten up when Sarah pulled Jaemin’s pants and underwear down over his ass, and Jaemin suddenly stopped moving.

Sarah could almost read his mind. Simultaneously, they announced: “I have condoms.”

“Jinx!” Sarah exclaimed and burst out laughing. As did Jaemin, who buried his face between her breasts while Sarah threw her head back, giggling and smiling.

Sarah had come prepared for the sake of protection, just as she had promised her friend. Jaemin too had known that he had to be careful, but he had thought condoms were an unnecessary thing to bring. It was the boys who convinced him to take some with him just in case, and now, that decision proved to be the right one.

Jaemin quickly stood up. His hard cock was already out, and Sarah looked at it with interest as she sat up and took her own pants and sock all the way off. Completely naked, she lay back down and made herself comfortable on the couch, while Jaemin stripped the rest of his clothes off too.

When he was done, he smiled at his lover before he turned to walk to the kitchen. He could feel Sarah's eyes on him. It felt good to be admired.

“You have a swimmer's body,” she said.

“What's that?“ Jaemin asked, without stopping or turning around.

“You're very skinny, but you have broad shoulders. Your arms are big. Not just the muscles, all of them. They're soft but look firm. And daaamn, that ass!”

Jaemin laughed and turned to smile at her. His dick pointed straight out as Sarah admired his silhouette. Then he disappeared into another room through a door in the kitchen. He had thrown his backpack on the floor in the bedroom to keep it out of the way, and now he reached down into it in the darkness, feeling his way to the condoms.

When he finally returned to the living room, he was surprised to see Sarah standing by the dinner table. She had pulled out a chair and placed it in the middle of the floor, facing in his direction.

“What are you doing?” Jaemin asked.

Despite how shitty her past relationships were, Sarah had learned a thing or two from the men she had been with. “Sit,” she said and smiled.

Jaemin did as he was told. He walked over to the chair and sat down on it. The light from the kitchen reflected on his naked body. Sarah stood in front of him and took the condom from his hand. He admired her beautiful figure, bare breasts and cute face. Damn she's gorgeous, he thought, as blood pumped through his rock hard organ.

Blowjob & first sex starts here...

“Place your arms over the backrest and hold your hands behind your back,” Sarah continued.

Jaemin did as instructed once again. When his arms were stretched and hands locked behind him, Sarah spread his thighs and sat down on her knees. She gently took the hard dick in her hand, and began to lick the shaft.

Jaemin stared at her in disbelief. A sensational feeling rush though him.

Sarah pulled his foreskin back, kissed the head then took it in her mouth. Still with his arms and hands locked, Jaemin began to moan as she sucked him. He watched as her head bobbed up and down between his legs.

“You've got to stop or I'll come,” he said when he felt an orgasm nearing.

Sarah took the cock out of her mouth, and licked the tip rapidly in a circular motion, edging her lover. Another trick she had picked up. A second rush came over Jaemin, and his body suddenly jolted. Sarah stopped and let him calm himself, then repeated the act to tease his senses.

“Holy fuck!” Jaemin exclaimed when he jolted a second time. This time, he had to let go of his hands and held his arms in front of him, pushing Sarah's head away from his boner. “Where did you learn to do that?” he asked and panted.

Sarah didn't answer. Instead, she licked the shaft one last time, then unwrapped the condom in her hand. She placed it on the tip, and Jaemin moaned when her fingers rolled the silicon down his boner.

When she was done, she moved up Jaemin’s abs and chest. Her lips soon reached his mouth. While kissing the stunned man passionately, she spread her legs and sat on on his lap.

Jaemin put one hand on her waist and the other on a breast. Sarah reached down and grabbed the shaft. He explored her with his large palms while she lowered herself onto it.

Jaemin let out another groan as the head penetrated the edge of the vagina. When the shaft was swallowed whole, Sarah too let out a sensual moan of pleasure.

They began to fuck slowly. They kissed with passion as Sarah rocked her hips and ass back and forth. Jaemin let his hands feel every bit of her skin, moving rapidly from the waist and breasts, to her shoulders and down to her ass and thighs. She felt amazing in his arms.

As they picked up the pace, Sarah began panting softly. She stopped kissing and tilted her head back, with an arm firmly clutched around Jaemin’s neck.

Jaemin, in turn, buried his head between her breasts. He kissed them occasionally, but soon closed his eyes and simply let his wide open mouth rest against her skin. He panted and groaned as she rode his cock and felt his breath on her.

Her body looked small against his broad shoulders. His arms looked big around her waist and lower back.

Then suddenly, Sarah let out a single scream. She began to moan louder. Jaemin realized that she was having an orgasm when her body suddenly became stiff, and her thighs tightened around him.

"Oh yeah, Jaemin, you're so big!"

This turned him on enormously, and he began to fuck her faster. He rubbed his ass against the chair to match her rhythm, pushing deeper inside her with each thrust.

Then, almost as quickly as it had all started, he ejaculated. He grimaced and shut is eyes hard, and with a groan he came into the condom. He was perspiring, his shoulders glistening in the low light.

Sarah relaxed her muscles and sank down on top of her lover. She held him around the neck and pressed her breasts against his face and chest. She smelled his hair and moved her hips as he emptied himself inside her.

They panted heavily as they came down from their respective orgasms, and smiled lovingly at each other. Then they giggled happily, as the thrill of the sex rushed over them.

“Damn, you're amazing,” Jaemin said.

“So are you,” Sarah whispered softly.

When they had caught their breaths, she slowly stood up and the slack dick fell out of her.

Jaemin took off the condom and tied it together, and dropped it on the floor. They could clean up later, to leave no trace of their presence in the house.

“What happens now?” Sarah asked. It was late, the movie was still playing in the background, and their date could have ended here. But neither of them wanted it to.

“We could stay the night,” Jaemin said.

“I'd like that.”

Naked, exhausted and satisfied, they went back to the couch. Jaemin lay down on his side, and Sarah joined him in his arms. He held her body tight as he spooned her, occasionally kissing her shoulders from behind. They both watched the screen, spent and with a feeling of being loved, but neither paid any serious attention to it.

Foreplay & second sex starts here...

When the movie was over, Jaemin had recovered sufficiently to be horny again. As the credits rolled he caressed her breasts, which caused his organ to grow. When it poked her ass he began to move his pelvis softly, and Sarah felt the change in him.

She turned her head to see him through the corner of her eye. “Wanna go again?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jaemin whispered and smiled.

Now it was Sarah's turn to get up. She walked to the kitchen and hunched down next to her bag by the wall. Jaemin admired her slim, sexy body and began stroking his boner by himself. This all still felt unreal. But it was amazing.

When she returned, Sarah immediately put the condom on the shaft. Jaemin grinned wide while she worked on him. But then she suddenly backed away.

“Is there a bedroom?” she asked. “Are we allowed to use it?”

Jaemin giggled. “Actually, I didn't think it would ever come to this so I ignored it, but Johnny said that if we spend the night there's fresh sheets in the closet, and we just need to throw the old ones in the laundry basket.”

“He really planned this well for you, didn't he?” Sarah asked and laughed.

“I'm sorry,” Jaemin said. “I really didn't think this far ahead, I swear.”

“Don't worry. I'm glad he did.”

Sarah held out a hand. Jaemin took it. Hand it hand, horny and happy, they walked through the kitchen to the bedroom, where Sarah found a light switch.

She undid the bed and Jaemin crawled into it. He pulled her arm and she laughed as she fell on top of him. They rolled around and kissed for a few minutes, until Jaemin was on top of her and suddenly stopped.

“I'm really glad I met you,” he said softly, their noses touching. His wide body pressed her down into the mattress.

“So am I,” Sarah replied. She lifted her head and kissed him tenderly.

Jaemin began moving his pelvis slowly. Sarah reached down and grabbed his cock. It effortlessly slid inside her, and the final act began.

At first they fucked slow, panting softly as the cock went in and out in a calm but steady rhythm. Then, faster and harder while they kissed and touched.

Sarah spread her legs wide and Jaemin buried his head in her neck. His ass moved rapidly up and down as he thrust into her, and the mattress started shaking as he picked up the pace.

When Sarah grabbed his firm ass cheeks, the bed started bumping loudly against the wall. Jaemin panted heavily into her ear, while she held him tight and scratched his back. She even left a mark on him, one he would playfully show off to his friends when they pressured him about it.

It was clear to Sarah that Jaemin wasn't all that experienced. But damn does he feel good, she thought while clutching on to his muscular body.

For once in her life, Sarah lay mostly still. Not because she felt disgusted by the man on top of her and wanted it to end, but because she did not. She had never felt so loved, so desired, and as Jaemin filled her up physically, her heart was filled too.

This time she didn't orgasm, but she didn't need to. Jaemin, however, came with a loud groan faster than he intended to. He was incredibly aroused when Sarah suddenly shouted his name: "Ahh, yeah, Jaemin!" she exclaimed when he emptied himself inside her.

Wow, Jaemin thought. I've never had sex this good before!

Then he collapsed on top of his lover. His broad shoulders covered all of her, and she sank even deeper into the foam. His cock felt great inside her as it continued to throb.

To both Sarah and Jaemin, this became a night to remember.

*****

Sarah woke up with a jolt at 9 in the morning. Jaemin was snoring softly beside her, his chest moving up and down with each deep breath. The duvet was by his hip, and she smiled at his adorable face. She couldn't believe that their night together had been real.

She got up and went to the bathroom, then looked around the kitchen for food. She was sure they could replace whatever they took.

When breakfast was ready, she went to wake Jaemin up. “Sweetie,” she said. “You've got to go to work.”

Jaemin opened his eyes. He smiled when he saw the naked woman towering above him. He stretched his body and jawned. The duvet slid down as he moved his legs, and his hard cock was revealed.

Sarah giggled at the sight. “Oh wow, horny again?” she asked.

Jaemin looked down and smiled.

“I have another condom,” Sarah said. “Wanna go one last time?”

She didn't even need to ask. Breakfast could wait, as could work. Jaemin pulled her down, and they began to make love. Twenty minutes later, he came inside her a third time. The past twenty-four hours had included several of the most memorable sexual experiences of his life.

*****

When Sarah returned home weeks after she left, she was greeted with a violent hug. Her friend had genuinely missed her, and couldn't wait to hear all about the trip. She still considered Sarah crazy for what she had done, but could tell in an instant that it had been good for her.

Sarah was incredibly happy. She had done something amazing all by herself, worked hard for a dream and achieved it. Even if she had never met Jaemin in person, the trip itself was a major step toward a new phase of her life.

Jaemin had been a huge bonus. Not only did she now have his personal phone number saved, but their night together was an amazing memory. It was the first time in her life Sarah was with a man because she truly wanted to, and one that had treated her like a human rather than an object.

The two kept in touch over the years, but as friends and nothing more. Maybe they'd meet again in person – God knows Jaemin wanted to, on days when he felt particularly horny – but they didn't need to. Their shared memories were enough to make their lives a little better.

For Jaemin, the meeting was something extraordinary, and it changed him as a person. He didn't think of it as that time he had sex with a fan, but as a night that changed his outlook on life. Sarah meant something to him far beyond the physical attraction. He cared deeply about her. It was the first and only time he shared his insecurities with someone who wasn't a member or his family, and he felt that their meeting had helped her too.

Sarah was a stranger who quickly became a new friend. She gave him a fresh, modest view of humanity, and touched his heart in more ways than one.

Even if he'd never see her again he would remember her forever. There was no way he could forger the girl with the troubled past.

[ugotnojamzzz]

Rulers of Ruin

Chapter 3

Alright so I’ve been toying with this mafia!au fic idea for a long while and I guess it’s time to give it a whirl. I already have about ten chapters written out (I’m expecting it to be at least 20 chapters), but I want to test out the waters first. I’ll start posting more if some of you are interested in knowing what the hell is going on.

Genre: Mafia!au , Slowburn, Angst, Hurt, eventual smut, TW (it is a mafia!AU, after all)

Pairing: Mafia!Jungkook x reader

Synopsis: um, tf is going on??? Stay tuned for more chapters to come.

Disclaimer: English isn’t my native language. Also, don’t come for me over the theme, people. It’s an Alternate Universe, which means the bangtan boys are essentially what I like to call meat puppets to serve the storyline. This is obviously not a projection of their actual real-life personas.

Wordcount: 2.6k

Chapter 2

Masterlist

YN lay sprawled across the plush bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as she counted the tiles for the umpteenth time. For the past few hours, boredom had been her constant companion, proving far more excruciating than distress.

A soft ding interrupted her silent count—the distant sound of the elevator door sliding open. Her ears perked up, straining against the quiet that followed. The scrape of porcelain against silver floated through the air, and her heart quickened.

Someone was coming.

YN rolled off the bed, her movements swift and silent. She was on guard; every new sound or presence was a potential threat—or opportunity. Peeking through the slight gap in her bedroom door, her eyes narrowed on a figure maneuvering a trolley into the living area.

The visitor was a woman, short and stout, moving with an efficiency that belied her old age. She was quiet, her feet barely making a sound on the lush carpet as she pushed the laden trolley towards the table. The woman seemed unarmed and alone, an ID badge swinging gently at the side of her uniform.

There was something almost laughable about the situation. An old lady, really? YN thought wryly. You’d think Namjoon would at least have the decency to throw an actual challenge her way.

Still, here was an opportunity. The woman looked harmless, her back turned, fumbling slightly with something on the trolley. YN felt a pang of something akin to guilt—she didn’t particularly enjoy the thoughts crossing her mind, but survival in this world rarely came with the luxury of choice.

Meh, YN reasoned, she must’ve had a long-enough life, anyway.

Shaking off the hesitation with a cold snap of resolve, she slipped back towards her bed and grabbed a pillowcase. Simple, effective. It would have to do. Clutching it tightly, she stepped out of the bedroom, her presence as discreet as a shadow trailing across the moonlit floor, her movements honed by years of training to leave no trace.

The old woman’s back was still turned, her attention focused on arranging the items on her trolley with meticulous care.

Creeping closer, YN's hands tightened around the fabric, her every sense heightened. The soft rustling of the woman's uniform was like thunder in YN's hyperaware ears. Just a few more steps and she could reach out, seize control of the situation, and who knows, perhaps even secure her escape.

Just as she was about to make her move, a steady voice broke through the silence.

"Young lady,” the old woman spoke without turning around, “I would advise against whatever it is you’re planning on doing with that thing."

Stunned, YN halted in her tracks, her grip on the pillowcase loosening. "How d—"

“I’ve been weaving through the shadows of this house since before you drew your first breath, my dear,” the woman said, finally turning to face YN. Her eyes, a sharp contrast to her gentle demeanor, bore into YN’s. "And I have seen more than my share of young folks convinced they could outmaneuver their fate."

Once thing was clear: this was no ordinary maid.

“But you’re smarter than that, I’m sure.” The woman's eyes flickered to something behind YN. Following her line of sight, YN glanced at the security cameras mounted on the walls.

“You must be Mrs. Shin,” YN remarked with a resigned sigh.

“And you,” she replied, lifting the silver cloche to reveal a steaming plate of food, “must be famished”. YN's stomach betrayed her with a timely growl. She couldn't quite remember the last time she had eaten. Still, she remained rooted in place while the older woman arranged the tray meticulously on the table.

“It’s not poisoned,” Mrs. shin commented, catching YN’s hesitant glance, «if that’s what you’re wondering.”

YN maintained her silence, her eyes lingering on the food.

“In any case,” Mrs. Shin added, a twinkle of humor in her eyes, "I can assure you, wasting away from hunger is a far duller end. Still, the choice is yours."

Their eyes locked, a silent battle of wills. Finally, YN's resolve softened, her survival instincts kicking in. She seated herself slowly, her movements measured.

“Wise decision,” Mrs. Shin noted with a nod, her lips curling into a faint smile.

YN's eyes scrutinized the tray, noting the absence of any cutlery except for a single spoon. It seemed impractical, almost mocking in its simplicity. She met Mrs. Shin's gaze, an unspoken question hanging between them.

“Well, you couldn’t expect a knife and fork,” the woman said, her tone light but her eyes sharp. “And while we do usually allow chopsticks, Namjoon insisted on something less- pointy for now.”

“Usually?” YN echoed, her tone sharpening with curiosity, as she started digging into the food. “How often do the Kims bring outsiders into the family estate?”

Mrs. Shin looked back at her, amusement painting her features. "Who said anything about a family estate?" She sat down across from YN.

“It’s kind of obvious, isn’t it?” YN remarked, her mind flicking back to the meticulous arrangement of personal artifacts she had glimpsed in her brief walk through the house—distinctive heirlooms and portraits that seemed too imbued with sentimental value for a mere operational base.

“Still observant as ever, I see,” Mrs. Shin commented.

YN’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Still?” she asked.

“Ah,” Mrs. Shin paused, a knowing smile creeping across her face. "The eye of the raven with the memory of the goldfish—quite the combo you’ve been given."

YN’s response was an irritated scoff. She wasn’t accustomed to being on the less informed end of conversations, and Mrs. Shin’s insinuation chafed at her pride.

"I don’t blame you, really" Mrs. Shin continued gently, a thoughtful pause punctuating her words. "You must’ve been… 9 or 10, that day, always hiding behind your older brother," she added, her tone softening. A flicker of irritation crossed her features as she recalled, "That rascal," she muttered under her breath, "kept scraping his teeth on the silverware like a wild thing."

As YN processed her words, she absently glanced at the silver spoon in her hand, its tiger motif strikingly familiar. Mrs. Shin watched with a knowing expression as YN carefully traced the spoon's design with her thumb.

"I believe it was black sesame pudding," The old woman said nonchalantly.

Her words seemed to trigger a cascade of half-buried memories, recognition slowly dawning on YN’s features.

She finally spoke. "It was here," her voice barely more than a whisper. "wasn’t it?" she paused, looking up to meet the old woman’s gaze, “The Summit.”

Mrs. Shin didn't reply directly, but her lips curled into a slight smile as she rose from her seat and walked to the tea set. Her wrinkled hands gently lifted the delicate porcelain teapot, steam swirling up as she poured the fragrant brew into two matching cups.

Yes.

The Summit.

Once every decade since the Mutual Prosperity Charter had been signed, the five original clans—each a pillar of clandestine influence—would congregate to reaffirm their tenuous truce with an event known as the Unity Summit.

 It was nothing short of a grand ballet of diplomacy, a way to remind everyone of the precarious balance of power that held their world together. And, while the gatherings were designed to celebrate peace, they were also used as an opportunity for each clan to showcase its strength and splendor.

YN had been to just one such event in her youth, hosted by the Tigers—the Kim clan. Only now did she realize these were the same walls that had encircled it. She was astonished she hadn't realized sooner. Her recollections of that day were still crystal clear.

After all, it was the first and only time she’d met Namjoon before.

***

The grand hall itself was a testament to the event's significance, draped in rich banners and ancestral crests. Conversations dwindled into silence as YN, squeezed between the towering figures of her brother and father had walked in, their footsteps echoing through the vast space.

The crowd of dignitaries and delegates parted to make way, acknowledging the family's authority with nods and murmurs. Eyes filled with respect and a hint of fear turned in their direction as they strode towards their host.

Once they reached Kim Eungsoo and his wife, YN felt her father's grip tighten on her shoulder—a silent command for unwavering propriety. She straightened her back, drew in a breath, and lowered herself into a deep bow before the imposing figure of the Kim patriarch. Her eyes briefly met his, lingering on the nasty scar that ran across his stern face. A chill brushed her spine, and she quickly shifted her gaze down in respect.

Drawing herself up, YN’s eyes shifted to the boy who stood confidently besides the leader.

Only 12 at the time, Namjoon already carried the air of someone burdened with expectations, a seriousness far beyond his years coloring his features. Awkwardly caught between boyhood and the precipice of command, he was unusually tall for his age. His face was conspicuously smooth, freshly shaved, though there was no stubble to speak of, and his suit a miniature mirror of his father's. He was quiet. Focused. YN remembered seeing his eyes darting towards his father throughout the day, his young mind already threading through the maze of clan politics, yearning for a seat among the decision-makers.

YN had been similarly ensnared in the silent dance of expectations. Her hair was woven into a braid so tight it seemed designed to squeeze any hint of rebellion from her skull. The stern eyes of her governess loomed at the periphery of her vision, a silent sentinel ensuring her posture remained as straight as her lineage.

They both spent that banquet afternoon ensconced in the polite but distant company of the other clan leaders' children.

The Kang quadruplet daughters, with their sharp whispers and mean-spirited giggles, huddled together like a litter of scheming mice.

The Choi brothers were in their own world, it seemed, their boisterous energy manifesting in endless arm-wrestling matches, while their infant sister slumbered undisturbed, a serene island in a sea of chaos.

The Lee siblings stood apart, a trio of statuesque figures, their expressions unreadable and their poise as perfect as porcelain figures on a mantelpiece. They carried themselves with the regal aloofness of royalty mingling with commoners, watching the festivities with an air of superiority and detached amusement.

Amidst it all, the Park heir, YN's older brother, moved with newfound importance. At only 17 years of age, he had freshly been inducted into their clan's inner circles, earning him a coveted spot at the adults' table alongside the eldest Lee son. He wore his responsibility like a mantle, his young features set in determined imitation of their father’s grave expressions.

YN, from her distant vantage point, watched them with a detached curiosity, wondering about the weight of the conversations that included him and excluded her.

Overall, that day had been an absolute bore.

The one highlight of the day came when dessert was finally served, gleaming invitingly in delicate bowls accompanied by shiny silver spoons.

 Black sesame pudding.

She indulged with the enthusiasm only a child could muster, her lips and tongue turning a dark grey color. Her governess, less amused, delivered a swift reprimand—a slap that stung far more than the fleeting embarrassment of being scolded. Tears welled up, not enough to draw attention, but sufficient to send her seeking solitude.

Hidden away in a secluded corner, nursing her bruised pride more than her reddened cheek, YN was startled by a presence next to her. A lady had knelt beside her, eyes soft with concern. “Everything alright, little bird?”

***

YN glanced up at Mrs. Shin, who returned to the table, setting the teacups down with practiced ease.

“You gave me a sweet that day,” YN recalled, her tone casual yet pointed, as if to underscore the precision of her memory, “the chewy, ginger kind.”

“Never seen a teary eye that couldn’t be fixed by Jocheong taffy,” she replied warmly, pushing a cup gently towards YN. "Go on, now, drink up."

YN obeyed, the warm liquid sliding down her throat soothingly. She set the cup down with a deliberate clink, “So,” she broke the silence, her eyes hardening, “this is all Namjoon could muster?” she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism. “Send the meek, old lady to tame me?”

“I may be old,” Mrs. Shin retorted, her voice steady and her back straight, “but I am certainly not meek.” Her eyes flickered briefly to the faded clan tattoo peeking out from under her uniform—a relic from a past that whispered of untold stories and battles fought. Clearly, the old woman had earned her stripes one way or another.

“And Namjoon didn’t send me,” Mrs. Shin continued, her tone turning wry. “I changed that boy’s diapers. He knows better than to give me orders.”

“So, you volunteered?” YN’s eyebrows rose slightly, intrigued. “How sweet.”

“I must have a soft spot for outcasts," Mrs. Shin admitted, her gaze softening just a touch as she considered YN, seeing perhaps a reflection of someone else. “But truth is I’ve simply always taken care of the attic,” she added.

« Not exactly much to take care of, up there," YN sent her a confused look, “It’s an unoccupied suite.”

"Appearances can be deceiving," Mrs. Shin replied, her eyes twinkling, “you ought to remember that.”

"Oooooh,” YN mocked, a light laugh escaping her despite the slight heaviness beginning to cloud her mind. “Are there ghosts roaming around I should look out for?"

“I guess you could say that," Mrs. Shin said with a cryptic smile. “Of course, ghosts aren’t the only lost souls lingering up there.”

YN took another sip from her cup and tried to focus on Mrs. Shin’s face. The edges of her vision blurred slightly, and she felt a growing fog settling in her mind. "So… what-» Her words felt thick, her tongue growing sluggish.

YN's head began to feel heavy, her thoughts muddled as if fog was rolling through her mind.

Mrs. Shin tilted her head ever so slightly. "You’re looking a little pale, dear," Mrs. Shin remarked in a gentle tone that carried a steely undertone.

YN tried to focus, but the woman’s face seemed to blur and swim out of focus. She felt a strange heat rising through her chest and head and opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come out right. Her hands felt strangely detached from her body, her fingers tingling as she gripped the edge of the table. "W-what the fu-"

"I said we wouldn’t poison you," Mrs. Shin interrupted calmly, her words echoing through YN’s brain like a distant lullaby. "Not that we wouldn't- temper your spirit."

YN glanced down to the bottom of her teacup, her hand trembling. It was then she noticed a faint residue, something she hadn't seen when she first started sipping.

"Son of a bitch," YN muttered, her voice fading as darkness crept in at the edges of her vision.

Mrs. Shin’s tender voice echoed through her mind just as everything went black.

"Sleep tight, little dove."

--

Hope you liked it. If some of you are intrigued or interested in finding out more, don't hesitate to interact and I'll start posting some more chapters!

Chapter 4

Masterlist

Taglist

@princess-sunshyn

[doofus-and-dragons]

As promised, I'm back on my httyd bullshit. Here's a list of things that don't make sense unless you watch the shows (idgaf if they're cannon or not, they should be for the background of small details!!!)

1. Grump.

Grump is Gobber's Hotburple in Httyd 2 and 3. But not in httyd 1. So this begs the question: Where and when did Gobber get Grump? The answer? Race to the Edge S3 E12, "Last Auction heros." Gobber and Snotlout go to Viggo's dragon auction undercover, and Grump is one of the dragons for sale. Without that episode, Grump is just a dragon they shoved into the second movie for shots and giggles.

2. Inferno

Inferno is a blade that Hiccup created himself that lights itself on fire using monstrous nightmare gel and can eject and ignite zippleback gas. To the casual watcher, he just showed up with it in the second movie. But Inferno is ALSO from rtte! Inferno's first form comes from S3 E9, "Tone Death." Hiccup then works further on it, but Inferno as we know it is actually based on a version of the blade that VIGGO GRIMBORN, the villain for most of RTTE, made.

3. The Deadly Nadder(? Looks like a nadder) plushie

Although this is a small detail that is only seen in the background of the later Httyd movies, it is still a detail that first appears within the SHOW'S cannon lore. According to S1 E17 of Riders of Berk, the toy was made by Valka when Hiccup was a baby. However, tiny Hiccup was so scared of the toy that he threw it in the ocean. Trader Johann managed to get ahold of it, and the episode was about the riders trying to save with mystery item because something happened to Johann's ship. I don't remember what. Something about smoldering smoke breaths, I think.

4. Skull Crusher

Skull Crush is Stoick the Vast's Rumblehorn in Httyd 2 and 3, who is later inherited by Eret, son of Eret upon Soick's death in Httyd 2. But again, where and when did Stoick get Shullcrusher? Because it seems like he just appeared. Well, I have that answer! Skull Crusher first appears in S1 E8, "Crushing It." In the episode, the gang is tormented by a Rumblehorn who keeps destroying their camp. Hiccup asks his Dad for help, and his Dad is able to train and befriend the wild dragon.

5. Hiccup's flight suit

In Httyd 2 and 3, Hiccup has/is trying to perfect a flight suit attached to his armor. Now, this could just be seen as Hiccup being a silly inventor off-screen, but it ACTUALLY shows up in Race to the Edge! S1 E12 "The Next Big Sting" actually opens with Hiccup trying out his first design for the flight suit. He does it many times, each time having to be saved by Toothless before he crashes into some form of rock/sea stack (much like in Httyd 2).

6. Hiccup's aging

I saw a post either on here or on tiktok the other day where someone was complaining about how different hiccup looked between 1 and 2. In 1, he's like...what...13?15? Where as He's about 20-21 ish by Httyd 2. To fans who don't obsess over something and consume all the media like I do, this would be a bit of a shock. I mean, you go from this:

Immediately to this:

Where as fans of the shows had this progression:

Much easier to swallow.

7. The Bewilderbeast

This is, again, something that could be choked up to the writers wanting more than just 7 species of dragons. HOWEVER, this dragon is actually the center point of the last few episodes of Race to the Edge. We learn a little bit about the dragon over the corse of the last season, which takes place just a year or two before Httyd 2.

9. VALKA HERSELF

I watched Race to the Edge long before I watched Httyd 2, so I had 0 clue the Hiccup's mom was still alive or what her mask looked like. But in the last bit of the last episode of race to the edge, guess what we see?

VALKA TAKING THE BEWILDERBEAST EGG.

In conclusion, these show's should be considered cannon to the HTTYD universe just as much as fucking Homecoming should or what ever. These are amazing and fill in so many continuity

[gurggggleburgle]

throwing my hat into the should bingqiu be parents ring to say No. Neither of these adults should be parents but for wildly different reasons until they've had like 10 years post cannon to work shit out.

This is because these idiots have so much shit to work out between them and if you threw a kid in there any point before the story ends and well after I can't see this going well.

Reason 1) Have you ever met someone in their early 20s who has been in an on and off again mess of a relationship that clearly needs couples therapy? I have. Don't

reason 2) Everyone keeps being all Luo Binghe would be absolutely jealous of whatever baby ends up in their acquisition and I would like to say FALSE. Binghe's hatred of any babies is tangential to age and adoption vs weird mpreg vs where in the timeline. For example if Shen Qingqui acquires a baby pre abyss at 17ish and said child is in an age range of 7-15ish he's gonna be jealous because that's an age range where this kid could potentially compete with him any younger and you're bordering toddler territory which is about in the same range as literal baby. Where this kid could get his room. If it's a baby tho he doesn't hate the baby. It poses no threat. It's a bonding experience.

If anything he's absolutely more worried about the kid being a secret love child with Liu Qingge or some other threat.

The same applies also minus that last caveat if he ends up teen pregnant. This version of child snatching is weirdly the one I think they'd be the best with even tho they absolutely should not be doing that.

Meanwhile if Shen Qingqiu acquires or has Luo Binghe's kid while their in the abyss then Qingqiu is gonna be a mess of a parent if it is full straight up baby. The man has the domestic skills of a boiled potato. He probably is leaving most of this baby's care to Ning YingYing and Ming Fan by virtue of having to actually do his own paperwork now and other tasks. Like he loves the kid but.... like let's be real liking children and being nice to them does not a good parent make. He's probably panicking and demanding help every five minutes driving them all insane. Meanwhile if Binghe finds out about this kid and it's not his specifically he's gonna lose his shit because it means Shizun's got himself another malewife and he bets it's that whore Liu Qingge. And if Cucumber man let's it slip then Lou Binghe is never letting that child leave his sight. He is acquiescing that kid. And if that child is not a baby he will go into panic mode because that's his REPLACEMENT. Shizun got a new fluffy child to dote on.

Again if Luo Binghe somehow ends up pregers when he falls into the abyss I will say he will become the most disturbingly devoted parent possible and both cherish and resent the child and be absolutely feral about it. If he finds one down there he probably takes care of them and is kind because like Luo Binghe is a fucking orphan. He knows what it means to suffer without parents. If he sees a small demon kid named 4 balls (the long lost brother of 6 balls) or something he's not gonna abandon them to die.

Meanwhile if it's like new item obtained: small child! about water prison and after or one is found out to be mpreg.... I mean Luo Binghe would triple on his imprison Shen Qingqiu for the sake of the baby if it's him. For himself I think he would either tragically walk away and say the baby is all he gets as a piece of Shizun's love or it's like more desperately clinging and waiting for SQQ to cave. Any adopted child at this point is a threat. Our boy's brain is too far gone for that. Child's must be acquired before this point or risk softlocking your game. Also side note depending on where in the timeline Yuan gets pregnanté you can make an incredibly angsty but also comedic argument about abortion as that is certainly one way to take care of it.

Post cannon children can be acquired and this will not make Luo Binghe jealous. Man will see any kid as an extension of his and Shizun's love immediately post cannon. He's not jealous of the baby. If anything they're vetting the baby's playmates. He insists on breast milk long past it being required. You have to get a daypass to even look at this child. The baby has nappies worth more than your house. Man would be a disturbingly protective parent. He would be the one to spoil the kid rotten.

Our trust fund protagonist would have to be the moral compass on this and that is funny and terrifying

Reason number 3) they would be those hoa and pta parents. their kid would be the asshole child in the school who everyone knows they can't bully.

[gren-arlio]

When was the last time I did this? Oh well, welcome to Season 2, Episode 4 of Waku Puyo Translations.

(Have you seen this animal? This DWEEB?)

Heya guys, I'm finally back doing this funny nonsense since school has finally ended, or basically ended depending on when I post this. I have much more time to do stuff, and I'm hoping for a good summer.

I like doing these mock translations, and yeah, I figured out the word for the thing I do. They're not professional, but they're just a mock-up, a way to get the general information in for the people. And it only took me a whole...year to figure it out.

I'm a tad foolish.

For people who dunno, I just kinda do this stuff on my spare time. I do plan on making a big Google Doc about it sometime, revisions and all, but that'll be months and months of work. Since I got a new laptop, I can type these things a whole lot more quickly, at the cost of trying to figure out what the hell what PC Tumblr looks like. I'll learn within due time.

Well, in that case, here's the video in question:

Timestamps:

Door: (0:07)

Merchant Nonsense: (0:25)

MORE Merchant Nonsense: (1:40)

EVEN MORE Merchant Nonsense: (2:03)

Rulue Encounter 1: (3:05)

Schezo Encounter 1: (3:50)

Info Booth: (4:38)

Sasori Man Encounter: (8:00)

Schezo Encounter 2: (9:23)

Rulue Encounter 2: (9:58)

Cockatrice Midboss: (12:20)

Skeleton-T Encounter: (13:50)

Owlbear Boss: (13:50)

Info Booth 2: (19:04)

Lets see how this goes. Hope you enjoy.

And on a serious note, I'm so, so sorry this took so long. Life got super busy, and still sorta is, I even got myself a summer job. I'll try to continue these, I promise. I'll post more informational stuff too, I think people are getting really tired of my super casual posting, so I'll begin to balance them more. And I'm also going to stop putting the timestamp on the translations, since they're...already at the top.

Door:

Arle: Huh? What does it say here...?

Door: They who has 6 orbs, raise them.

Arle: ...6 of them? I mean, I have a few, but not six of them.

Carbuncle: Gugu?

------

Merchant Nonsense:

Fufufu: Welcome.

Arle: Oh, heya there.

Fufufu: Fufufu, you're here to buy something?

Arle: So you're a merchant as well, I assume?

Fufufu: Fufufu, well, I got a lot of interesting stuff for you.

[This opens up a menu for the shop, and I'll just go by page number rather than what the player here does. Some of the names might be wrong, my apologies.

Page 1: Rugged Stone Life Stone Soul Stone Ruby Sapphire Emerald Useless Wand (Could also just say Worthless. Either or.) Transforming Wand (I'd assume it does, since the text says it'd transform something, so it's what I'll be going with.

Page 2: Golden Wand Multi-trap Scroll Monster Scroll Cursed Scroll Super Cursed Scroll (It's basically still a Cursed Scroll, so I'll just call it this.) Forgetfulness Scroll Slowness Scroll Rotten Soup (Part of Medicine.)

Page 3: Poison Illusion Medicine Blindness Medicine Dizziness Medicine Sealing Medicine Sleep Medicine Forgetfulness Medicine Slowness Medicine

Page 4: Rotten Herbs Hunger Herbs Falling Herb (I asked like three people and we all pointed to this) Drain Herb Rotten Apple Poisoned Apple Explosive Apple

Page 5: Rotten Curry Plain Curry Rugged Book Heavy Book Difficult Book

And that'd be all the items here. These are easily the hardest things to do.]

Fufufu: Fufufu, I see you haven't learned to fuse yet. (In-game, it's sorta called Synthesize, but the gameplay mechanic is virtually fusion. So for clarity's sake, I'll call it Fusion.)

Arle: Fuse? I mean, you're not wrong.

Fufufu: Please bring me a Flame Ring (1) then.

Arle: So if I bring it, you'll teach me?

Fufufu: Fufufu, indeed.

-----

MORE Shop Nonsense:

Momomo: Welcome to the shop.

[...More Menus. Yay. So it says:

Rings <-

Amulets

Scrolls

Books

Medicine

Herbs

Food

Accessories

Page 1 of Rings:

Plain Ring Rugged Ring Flame Ring (1) Ice Ring (1) Lightning Ring (1) Thunder Ring (2) Supernatural Ring Rock-Punch Ring (1) (I'd assume this is from Rulue's Story.)

Page 2: Flame-Strike Ring (2) Ice-Strike Ring (2) Player buys a Flame Ring (1) and leaves.]

Momomo: Thank you for shopping with us.

-----

EVEN MORE Shop Nonsense:

Fufufu: Fufufu, welcome. Did you get the Flame Ring (1)?

[Menu pops up saying "Do you want to give him the ring?" We say Yes.]

Arle: Yeah, here ya go.

Fufufu: Now watch carefully, because something interesting is going to happen.

Arle: What're you gonna do?

Fufufu So, look at this Flame Ring (1) and Ice Ring (1). We combine the two, and...

Arle: Huh?

Fufufu: Look. Now we have the Thunder Ring.

Arle:

What!? How'd you do that?

Fufufu: Fufufu, you really want to know?

Arle: I wanna know, yeah! Can you tell me?

Fufufu:

Fufufu, you sure ask for quite a good bit.

[Arle has learned the Fusion skill. Now, you can Fuse your Rings and Amulets.]

Arle: Wow, thanks!

Fufufu: Fufufu, good luck on your journey.

-----

Rulue Encounter 1:

Rulue: Oh-hohoho!

Arle: ...What's up with you today?

Rulue: You don't have a VIP Ticket, huh?

Arle: Ticket? Hmm, so Rulue got one as well...

Rulue: Wait a second, you said "As well". Arle, where did you get a VIP Ticket?

Arle: Oh, from Sasori Man. I could ask you the same question, how did you get yours?

Rulue: Well, how I got it is not important at all!

Arle: Alright...But it's not fair for you to ask about my ticket, but not vise versa.

Rulue: Oh, can it! I don't need to be hearing this from you!

Arle: I didn't even do anything wrong! ...C'mon Carby!

Carbuncle: Gu...

-----

Schezo Encounter 1

Arle: Heya Schezo.

Schezo: What is it?

Arle: Did you know that there's more than 5 floors in the PuyoPuyo Dungeon?

Schezo: Oh, of course I did. That lady I spoke to wasn't my enemy, after all.

Arle: Lady? I dunno any girls who you're exactly close with. Oh right, I remember! You're here to pick up girls!

Schezo: No, I'm not! ...Wait, you didn't meet that perverted woman?

Arle: Pervert? But aren't you the pervert?

Schezo: That's enough from you...Just don't say another word.

Arle: And he's gone...Odd.

Carbuncle: Gu?

-----

Info Booth:

[I've done these so many times...

Menu appears saying:

Listen <- Rank Bulletin Back

Kiki says "What do you want to hear?"

More Menus appear:

About Completed Attractions About Rare Items <- Black Market Tales When in Trouble Back]

Kikimora: There's quite the number of items in these attractions. And with these items, there's also rare ones that can't be found in stores. These items change depending on which attraction you are at, so if you want anything specific, let us know. Think about the attractions you're entering before trying to find items. As well, at the store, when you sell the item, they'll always be in stock, so you can sell anything you want without much worry.

Arle. Huh. Neat.

[The player then goes into the Bulletin, where it says:

Horror House Wonder Jungle Merchant Fufufu Recommendations For Bottling Fusion Manual <-]

Incubus: Hello!

Arle: Hey, just teach me about Fusion.

Incubus: Of course! It's quite a long story, so listen carefully, alright honey?

Arle: Who's Honey...?

Incubus: Fusing is combing items in order to make new ones. It can only be things like rings with rings and amulets with amulets, so no mixing. Okay so far?

Arle: Mhm.

Incubus: Lets continue then. Fusing also drains some MP.

Arle: D-drains?

Incubus: Imagine it like using a spell, it'll also cost MP to use it. But once you do it, you gain EXP. Of course though, gaining EXP through other means also levels up your fusing ability.

Arle: Well, what'll happen if I level up?

Incubus: More MP is needed to fuse stronger and rarer items. But if you level up, you can fuse with less MP drain as well. If you're a low level, you'll just fail at fusing a lot. And even if you fail, you'll still lose that MP.

Arle: This all sounds really complicated...

Incubus: Come on, it's actually pretty easy. Higher leveled items are much more difficult to fuse than lower leveled ones. But the higher the level of the item, the stronger the combined fusion will become.

Arle: Ahhhha...

Incubus: Once an item is at its max potential, it'll say (EX) right next to it. It just means that it's at its strongest. Well, that just explains most of Fusion.

Arle: Woah...

Incubus: Ha! It's not EVERYTHING, I'll explain more when we meet again.

Arle: Wha!? There's more?

Incubus: The road to mastering Fusion is a very long and difficult road, you know. But see ya later! Buh-Bye~!

Arle: Err...

----- Sasori Man Encounter:

Sasori Man: Hey hey.

Arle: Hmm? What's up?

Sasori Man: I got one thing to tell you before you enter this place.

Arle: And what's that?

Sasori Man: It's about the big boss of Wonder Jungle.

Arle: And this guy...well, is he strong?

Sasori Man: What he lacks in power, he for sure makes up in technique. Here's the real kicker; Apparently he can read minds.

Arle: Wait...what?

Sasori Man: Yeah, he can read the minds of the opponent he faces and avoid the attacks they throw. Swords, magic, anything! It doesn't matter how strong your attacks are if they just miss. He's a real doozy. Be careful out there.

Arle: I'm not sure I can just be careful... I mean, if they just avoid my attacks, then it'd be impossible for me to win.

Sasori Man: Well, you're right on that.

Arle: Uhh...

Sasori: Sorry that I can't exactly help any further.

Arle: Nah, it's not that. If I just went in without a care in the world, I would've been beaten in a heartbeat. There just HAS to be some sorta way to beat him. I'll have to really think about it, though.

Sasori Man: Huh, I see. You got this, good luck.

Arle: I sure do. Thanks.

-----

Schezo Encounter 2:

Arle: Oh, Schezo!

Schezo: Arle! ...By any chance, are you planning to enter this attraction?

Arle: Mhm, you're right on the mark.

Schezo: ...Then I'll enter first!

Arle: I mean, aren't you familiar with the phrase "Ladies First"?

Schezo: Ladies first? Never heard that one before. And besides, I'd never do that thing to begin with, I'll never give up my own turn!

Arle: Isn't he a persistent one...

Carbuncle: Gu?

-----

Rulue Encounter 2:

Arle: We should go in soon.

Carbuncle: Gu!

Arle: ...Hm? What's this?

Minotauros: Lady Rulue, please wait...

Rulue: Hey, Minotauros! Move faster, will ya!?

Arle: It's hard to believe that this lady only two years older than me...

Rulue: And who's this "old lady" you're talking about!?

Arle: Oh, you heard that? ...And I didn't exactly call you an old lady, either...

Rulue: No excuses! I swear, I can't handle you sometimes. A girl like you can be unbearable to be around! (Not exactly what it says, but I'm deciding to just try and make it more cohesive.)

Arle:

...Growing up is a interesting thing. I wonder if I'll turn into a selfish, self-conscious meathead! ...That was just my Rulue impression, heh!

Rulue: I beg your pardon!? And WHO is this selfish and self-conscious person!? Oh, I'm just some idiot because I can't use magic, I see how it is! I'll remember that! (Rulue will remember that.)

Arle: ...Carby, I didn't say all of THAT, though!

Carbuncle: Gugu!

-----

Cockatrice Midboss + Defeat:

Cockatrice: Ca-CAW!

Arle: Huh? Is this chicken mad at me or something?

Cockatrice: CA-CAW! (You're nothing but a fool!) [The parenthesis is what they're actually saying this time, so heads up for that.]

Arle: ...Do I really need to fight a chicken, of all things?

Cockatrice: Ca-CAAAW! (Oh, you're SUCH a goner!) [Believe me, that's...basically all they say.]

[Blah blah, Cockatrice gets beaten, this is the most amount of attention they've gotten in months]

Cockatrice: Ca-caaaw...

Arle: ...Huh. What an odd animal.

----- Skeleton-T Encounter:

Arle: Oh, it's you!

Skeleton-T: Ochaaaa!

Arle: ... ... (Yeah same here Arle.)

Skeleton-T: Sorry, I'm all out of tea this time.

Arle: Eh?

Skeleton-T: I apologize for the inconvenience, I wish I could give you a cup of tea.

Arle: Errrr... You don't need to sound so...professional.

Skeleton-T: As an apology, I'll give you this instead.

Arle: And what's this for?

Skeleton-T: Well, what it's for is in the chest.

[He leaves]

Arle: Wonder what the thing exactly is.

(In the chest was just a book.)

-----

Owlbear Boss + Defeat:

Owlbear: Stop right there! You got some guts challenging me to a fight.

Arle: Huh?

Owlbear: And with that, I also want you OUT of here!

Arle: Hey, wait a second...

Owlbear: I WON'T wait! I don't have time to waste!

[He promptly gets his ass kicked.]

Owlbear: Forgive me...

Arle: Huh...That was a tough battle.

[During this time, Arle finds a chest.]

Arle: Oh, there's an orb in here! It seems to be the green one. Now I only need two more!

Carbuncle: Gugu!

-----

Info Booth 2:

[We're back at the booth, and this is the final stuff, THANK GOD. The player clicks on rankings, and clicks the "To the person who has a grimoire" bulletin.]

Bulletin: I've found I grimoire myself, and I got news for you. If you read the spell inside of the grimoire, you'll quickly see that it's stronger than most spells you might have. So I wonder if you'll return this grimoire I've oh-so-lost, since I'm the only one who can use the Meteor Spell. Oh-hohoho! From: A Talented Witch.

[And finally, the player clicks the "Don't just throw it away" bulletin.]

Bulletin: A blank scroll or plain water can often be seen as useless. As such, people tend to throw them away, and it's such a waste! You might as well use a different item, change the item itself. Or even just Fuse it. (I assume that's what this conversation was going for since it's a little vague.) From Sasori, Behind the Scenes.

-----

And for the first time in months, we finally finished an entire episode. Once again, I'm so sorry for the delay, life got the best of me and free time DOES exist, but I REALLY have to manage it well now. But still, thank you so much for reading this. I plan to make a Waku Puyo Extras about maybe cut content or even a game I probably haven't covered just yet, so who knows?

But that'll be all from me.

Adios.

[hermajestyimher]

Do you have any advice or tips for saving and budgeting?

Live below your means. Basically don't try to spend more than what you should in things that are pointless and vain, especially not if it's with the intent of impressing others on social media and the likes.

I live in Canada, the cost of living in this country is through the roof, and I oftentimes can't help but feel flabbergasted that many people my age don't have any investments (or at least plans to), or a savings account, mostly due to imbalanced priorities. Many people choose to rent places that take up over half of their monthly income and go every weekend to party and spend money on alcohol and Ubers. They pay $80 bucks each month on a phone plan and $40 on their iPhone bill, when they could get a cheaper plan and refurbished phone and save much more money.

There should be no reason why any grown adult should prioritize leisure over basic necessities, especially when their finances are strained. Investments and/or savings are a necessity. You will not be able to leave the money rat race unless you cement the foundations for your life in the future, and financial literacy is key to this. Sure, you only live once and our 20s shouldn't be used solely to work without taking times to relax and enjoy life, but one has to be mindful that every action has a consequence and nobody will come to rescue us from our bad habits and choices.

Some practical tips on budgeting and savings:

* Don't spend more than 40% of you post-taxed income on rent. Get roommates or stay with relatives if you must. Save as much as you can on rent.

* Some people may be triggered by this but I honestly don't care. Don't waste your money on alcohol or drugs.

* Look into opening a tax free savings accounts in your country of residency and put at least 10-20% of your monthly income there if you can. If you can't, any small percentage can help.

* Place your tax free savings on long-term, low-risk investments that can compound in the future. The S&P500 is a famous and safe bet, but I would consult and partner with a financial advisor for this as each person's particular financial situation will vary. As an adult independent woman, having a financial advisor should be a priority.

* Download a good Excel spread sheet with charts and fields to populate and track your monthly spending. These are easily found in many places online and are not hard to use. Give yourself a baseline of how much you wish to spend on a particular item monthly and try to stick to it as much as you can. This will also give you a rough idea of how much money you will have left to save and invest into your portfolio.

* Stop trying to compete with people's highlight reals and quit the superficial rate race of social media. The dumbest way to go broke is to do it trying to impress people who don't like you and who are not worth it.

* Finally, consume as much content as you can on financial literacy. There are tons of books and podcasts out there to help you with this. Having the right mindset when it comes to managing your money will be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your future self with thank you in the future.

[whyeverr]

Thus far, we haven’t strayed outside the (relatively) safe enclave of Port Promise. There’s always the possibility of running into trouble on the road when traveling, especially heading into any previously more densely populated areas—y’know, like residential neighborhoods. 

But Cherry’s right, you can’t find everything in a dumpster. (Mostly just a lot of bikes. And loose beakers of fabric dye. Soooo much fabric dye.)

So, what’s a post-apocalyptic scavenger to do? We can’t grow our own flour or sugar. And you can only eat so many salads. I’ve had “decide system for obtaining dry goods” on my to-do list almost as long as I’ve been playing this save. 

The good news is, I think I’ve finally settled on a system... 😳

Absolutely nothing groundbreaking here, but I’ve decided on rolling a (virtual) d20, where the roll determines the total number of items scavenged on the trip.

Example: If I roll a 7, I can choose to scavenge 3 bags of flour and 4 bags of sugar, or 1 bag of flour and 6 of whatever build or gameplay items the community wants/needs. Medicine, books, yoga mats... Anything that could be lying around in an abandoned house and still usable years after the collapse.

For the time being, while we’re just traveling to other neighborhoods in Evergreen Harbor via bicycle, I’ll be sticking with small objects, but eventually, once we unlock new worlds and “fix up a truck” or something to be able to get to them, larger items could be scavenged as well. 

Rolling a 1 means something goes horribly wrong—something gets lost, someone gets hurt, or maaaaaaybe we even lose one of our survivors. 👀 I mean, I am very specifically choosing not to make rolling a 1 = immediate death by townie, but y’know, never say never. 💀 

Inversely, of course, rolling a 20 of course means something amazing happens. So amazing, in fact, that it is altogether undetermined at this point. 😆 But, y’know, open to suggestions! 

[yellowhollyhock]

thinking about Donny developing a crush on Angel

Because I don't think it would be until after btts. There are moments in earlier seasons that are seeds to me, where I think they'd be in love looking back on it, if that makes sense? But when she gives him the best of the outfits in her intro episode and he enjoys dressing up more than we usually will see from him, I don't think it means anything at the time. Or in the Darkness Within when the creature makes him see her fall--I like best to read that as purely platonic in that moment. They don't know each other well yet--but it does tell us something about how deeply he values his friendships. And the fact that she comes to their Christmas party--okay she mostly seems to be there to help Raph torment Casey and April, but still, it shows some trust and level of effort that she's there. Because it's not like she can tell her grandma where she's going.

On my mind lately has been Donny, finally truly coming back to the present after getting Master Splinter back, wanting to move on quickly to the next big thing which he now knows is helping April start her own tech company, but he can't tell her that because 1) messes with the timestream and 2) she just got married. He needs to find ways to keep himself busy because when he doesn't have something immediate to deal with, he ends up having to deal with nightmares and shutdowns instead.

And then here's Angel, settling into her job as a hairdresser, just moved back in with Gramma because she needs help at home, trying to spend more time with the turtles because 1) they disappeared, that freaked everyone out, stuff is is always happening to them and this time she's not gonna miss it, and 2) trying to recapture memories because her life has gotten away from her so fast and now it's 9 to 5 and what ever happened to graffiti and beating up thugs? (she'll get those things back just dealing with early 20s time management struggle). She's not a very openly verbally affectionate person, she's always been super independent, she doesn't really know how to say 'hey i missed you guys, do you wanna hang out because sometimes if i don't see you for too long i get worried.' So she tries to feel useful. Invites herself on patrols with them. Hangs out a lot with Leatherhead learning first aid for mutants (lots of skills apply to both but he's the medical expert in their friend group of mixed creatures and given their various hobbies they could always use more friends who can help with injuries). And--most importantly for this post--brings things by that she thinks the turtles could use. Just little gifts. Fun accessories to help them blend ('trust me mismatched socks are cool, the sillier the better. No one's gonna be checking how many toes you have if you're wearing these'), her own art, extra screws and bolts upon noticing that Donny can always find a way to use them. It becomes a bit of a game, with her trying to spot things that could be taken apart and repurposed to see what he ends up doing with them.

Gifts are a big deal to Donny. Especially since, as noted above, without a crisis to deal with he's finding himself vulnerable as emotions he previously couldn't confront due to being in survival mode are coming to the surface. And now someone he already respects and cares deeply for is bringing him Items and taking an interest in what he does with them. I think this is the main thing that gets his attention. And once you have Don's attention you have All Of It because that's how his brain works what, projecting? me? . He's seeing how much she tries to take care of other people while trying to maintain this aloof 'whatever I'm just here for the free food' facade. Noticing that she likes to do her nails in colors that clash with her hair, when she does them, usually she keeps them plain. Taking an interest in human cosmetology (what an academically interesting subject). Finding her jokes funnier than he ever remembers finding Casey's even though they have a very similar sense of humor. Admiring how brave she is, heart swelling with warmth when she does little things to take care of her grandma, stomach fluttering when she comes over to play video games with Mikey and specifically asks him to join. Taking note of her favorite foods, taste in music, what types of games and movies she likes.

Slowly realizing that his feelings have evolved, trying to ignore it because he has no idea how pursuing a relationship would even work. And then one day as he's shaking himself out of his daydreams to refocus on fixing the dishwasher, realizing that more and more often it's her filling up his thoughts in quiet moments, instead of Shredder or Triceratons or Viral. Huh, cool. Maybe it's not a permanent solution, Master Splinter's been telling him he needs to allow these feelings to run their course, but--well, maybe he can apply that to the crush he's developed. That's something he has to deal with, too, and it sure feels nicer.

And then Angel (who is more observant and more confident than her friend group, mostly older than her, ever remember), asks him on a date. Now he has a big thing to focus on! And for the first time in what feels like ever, it's a happy thing. He's going to be the best boyfriend, Angel deserves to be so spoiled and he's good at that!

[gonelike-ach00]

Crazy Rich Idol | Doyoung

Chapter 1

chaebol! Kim Doyoung x chaebol! Original Female Character

Word count: 2,266

Summary: What truly goes on behind the lights, the stages and the performances? Kim Doyoung has lived his idol life quietly, getting ample exposure and being in a popular group. He was now fully independent and plans to continue his life in this direction.

Yet all things are easier said than done. Once his old life begins to creep up to him it was getting harder to escape and runaway. What does this humble and scandal free idol truly hide?

Genre: fluff, angst, arranged marriage, drama

Warning(s): eventual smut, violence, trauma, guns, blood

MASTERLIST | next

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Absolute fear.

That was what was written all over Doyoung’s face as soon as they stood in the lobby waiting to be called by the advertisement team. 

They were standing in the middle of a huge lobby inside of a huge building in the district where huge corporations stood proudly beside each other. Among these huge buildings with helipads at the top and their logo standing tall in the air, is a mere subgroup of the JBG group of companies, Jacks and Heels Clothing. One of the country’s most popular producers of clothing items, often found cheap in streets of the city. Rumor has it that the company popularized the style of clothing that Korea wears predominantly. 

Now, why was Doyoung all nervously chewing on the straw of his drink as soon as they entered the building. 

The elevator door opens and one of the interns of the advertisement team guides them into a huge room, which was already prepared for a shooting. There were nearly 30 people from Jacks and Heels, and 20 from their styling team. The dressing room was a bit further back, but before they could even walk back there they were to greet the person in charge of this project. 

She was sitting among the directors of the shoot, holding a folder in her hands. Even with her back against the group of young men, it was nearly impossible to miss her. Her low ponytail and clean look was her signature for as long as Doyoung could remember, that and her necklace, one that resembled the one he had around his neck. 

“Director Jung, NCT 127 are here.” The intern walks up to one of the directors of the company. 

Almost immediately she turns around and searches through the crowd of nine boys, one that landed on the boy at the back. She tries her best to control her emotions as soon as she sees him. The boys greet their signature greeting yet her eyes seem to mock the person at the back. As soon as all their heads were raised again, she reached out towards the necklace around her neck, one that she rarely took off in the 25 years she’s been alive. 

“I hope we all have a smooth shooting today,” she smiles at them before lightly bowing towards them. 

That was their cue before heading towards the dressing area, to get themselves ready. In all honesty, Doyoung thought he was safe, he made up all sorts of scenarios in his head about her needing to leave the advertisement team because of a meeting. He was trying his best to think about a convenient plot for him, one that involved her leaving before he shoots his solo pictures. Yet his mind also created scenes where things play out for the worst, one where Director Jung’s brother and father walk in while he shoots his stuff. 

Well, they would eventually see things when it gets posted.

“Doyoung?” One of the team members from JBG calls out his name, meaning it was time for him to shoot his part after getting all dressed up. 

In normal shoots he would stand in front of a mirror figuring out poses that would accentuate the products he was wearing, but today all he did was sit in the chair even after he’s had his hair and make up finished. All he did was stare at his reflection pondering about the infinite possibilities that could happen.

Walking towards the set, he saw the person he didn't want to see the most still standing behind the monitor and talking to the photography directors. He couldn’t even register why the company director was here, was this such a huge project that it required her presence? Or was she here for another agenda of hers.

“Alright,” just at that moment director Jung stands from her seat and walks towards the set, stopping right behind the photographer, “Dongyoung, focus on pants.” She instructs him using his birth name,causing those who were paying close attention to react to this interaction. 

He coughs as a response, yet he was in no position to retaliate. At this moment, it became very obvious what she was doing here even if she was the director of the company. 

Doyoung stands there posing using the props on set, while trying his best to accentuate the pants he was wearing. A few shots later, he stands in front of the monitor to check on the pictures that were taken. He checked if he looked well and his poses weren’t awkward, yet anyone could tell that he was a little more stiff than usual. 

“Dongyoung,” she approaches him once again, “can you calm down a bit?” Rather than as an instruction it came out in a mocking term. And it had everything in him to not turn around and roll his eyes at her. 

Instead he just nods his head, as she was standing rather close to him, and turns around back into the set. This time, he tried even harder to make her disappear from his sight, since the more knowledgeable he was of her presence the more difficult it became for him to not turn into a rock, or doll.

“Is this enough, Jinah?” He mutters to himself as he walks back towards the monitor to check on his poses.

Upon standing by the huge monitor, Jinah stands a little too close beside him, with their shoulders nearly touching. This time, unlike how it was a while ago, since they were preparing for the next person, there weren't a lot of people around them. The set was changing and his manager was busy calling out the next person to take photos. 

“Nice to see you again,” she crosses her arms over her chest and leans in a bit to make sure not a lot of people could listen into their conversation. 

“You’re here on purpose, right?” The photos were only passing by, but both their attention weren’t on it.

“Can you blame me?” Director Jung, who Doyoung has always simply known as Jinah, glares at him from her height. “We’re friends, why won’t I come rushing here when the friend who decided to cut all ties appears in front of me.”

“Us?” Doyoung points between the two of them. “Friends?” He audibly puffs at the thought. “You and I know full well that this isn’t the case.”

Jinah sighs. “Unlike you, I don’t determine our relationship by something the oldies decided upon.” 

“The necklace tells you otherwise.” 

“Seriously?” This time Jinah turns her whole body towards him, she then puts her hands on her waist. “I thought we agreed not to bring it up when it’s just the two of us?” 

“That was in high school, Jinah.” This was the first time he turned his head to face her. At that moment, it was like Dongyoung Jinah had known all her life was not there. There was no way Dongyoung was this attractive, it was as if he was a full blown celebrity already. “You know full well that we’re at the age where the moment I return home things would immediately flow the way they want to.” 

Jinah sighs, once again, and probably the most since she entered the company this morning. “What an amazing way to greet an old friend.” She turns her body back towards facing the screen and crosses her arms over her chest once again. 

“The fact that we’ve been talking to each other this long already,” he turns to look at his surroundings, “is going to make people think that we know each other.

Jinah slowly turns her head towards Doyoung. “But we do know each other!” 

“The daughter of the Jung family who own the JBG conglomerate, won’t just know anyone.” Doyoung was about to head back into the dressing room to change into the next outfit. 

“Is that why?” 

“That and knowing full well that you’re still in contact with my parents.” Doyoung’s honest response nearly made her want to hit him, but that would– in Doyoung’s words– make them appear as if they know each other. 

“You do realize that once the picture comes out, they would contact me about you, right?” She wouldn’t allow this conversation to end, even as he began heading towards the dressing room. 

“That’s why I didn’t want to be an ambassador in the first place.” Doyoung continued walking as he walked through the set. He knew well that people around them understood that they were– at least– acquaintances. “But no one could turn down a company as big as Jacks and Heels,” he stops right before he could stand right in front of the door, “this is an opportunity of a lifetime for my members.”

Jinah sighs again, much more than any other work day. She stands there not able to respond with his personality. Thus, Doyoung took this opportunity to slip into the dressing room to get himself ready for the next set of clothing. However, what he didn’t expect was Jinah to follow right behind him. 

“Dongyoung,” she calls out her name, this time in front of her teammates, using his birth name and making heads turn. The moment she smirked, he knew that she was up to no good. 

“What?” His frustrated reply, makes everyone nearly audibly gasp. Not only was he called out by director Jung by his birth name, but the way he was talking to her without honorifics threw everyone off. Even the way he was nearly stomping towards her. 

“Make sure you wear the necklace in the next shoot.” She teasingly tells him in a soft voice.

She walks out of the room soon after, acting all triumphant. The room was then enveloped in absolute silence. He then walked straight towards the dressing area, and not a word was spoken as he walked through the room. It wasn’t until he entered the dressing area that murmurs began to erupt. How could they not talk?

“NCT 127, let’s take the group photos,” the team breaks the awkward tension the moment she walks in calling on them to go on set. 

Since Doyoung knew he was the cause behind the tension, he decided to get himself out of the room first. He stood on the set waiting to be directed, and as he stood there, Jinah was standing at the back. Now all she was doing was merely observing them, with her arms crossed over her chest while she leaned back on the wall. Her collared shirt showcased the custom made necklace around her neck, one that looked exactly like the one around his. 

It didn’t take long for them to be all standing on the set and the people began directing them on where to stand and how they would level themselves. As it goes with group photos, it took much longer than individual shots, with hair and makeup retouches in between. 

During their last few photos, where Doyoung was now counting down the shots taken, he noticed Jinah standing upright staring down at her phone. It was as if she was ready to sprint out of the shooting area, but instead she came running towards the set. 

“Dongyoung!” Jinah called Doyoung again with his birth name, but this time there was no space for mischief or frustration, but it was in absolute fear. Everyone in the huge room turned their attention towards their director. 

“Director, is everything alright?” The overall manager of the project comes running beside her as soon as he begins running towards the set.

Jinah ran past the project manager, and barely stopped in front of the white set that was prohibited to be stepped on with shoes that were not for the models. “Dongyoung,” she called his name again and it looked like she was about to fall on her knees at that moment. 

Immediately in the huddled position that the director has placed them for their last poses, he sprints out and grabs both her shoulders. He grabbed onto her just before she could fall to the floor. “What’s happening?” 

“Your father,” she was trying her best not to cry, not in front of all these people, barely being able to stand was already something she had to deal with afterwards, “was shot.”

Immediately the whole place goes silent. 

The young adult holding Jinah up, nearly fell at the same time. Doyoung went through all the possible bad scenarios today, all that involved his family, yet he never imagined that this would be the scenario that he has to face. He gulps down and takes time before trying to take it in. The father with whom he grew up relatively close to, the same father who he decided to cut from his life has his own life on the line. 

“Where did they bring him?” That was the only line he was able to croak out. 

“Your hospital,” Jinah grabs onto the shirt he was endorsing, she was sure she was wrinkling it, but that was the least of her concerns. 

That was all it took for Doyoung to decide that he would be running out of that building and driving straight to the hospital. “You drove, right?” Doyoung slips his arm under her shoulders to be able to lift her with one arm. 

Jinah nods her head. 

That was all it took, he only released from holding her up, but never from touching her. They ran out of the huge shooting area hand in hand. Will this cause a scene? Yes. But did it matter? No.

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MASTERLIST | next

[dicesmasher]

Stop using spell slots! Alternative mana system for 5e

Lately I’ve been really getting into the idea of The Elder Scrolls as a TTRPG - taking my players through the lands of Skyrim and beyond in that rich, iconic setting. Thankfully, a 5e mod for this has already been made, called ‘Delvebound’ or ‘Unofficial Elder Scrolls TRPG (UESTRPG)’. I will provide a link in this post. Now, I ultimately decided not to use all of the mod, as it has a lot of design decisions I really disagree with. All I took for my own game were the races (which I modified to suit my own design philosophy) and the magicka system, which replaces spell slots. This is what I want to focus on in this post.

The magicka system is simple. Instead of spell slots, your spellcaster has a pool of magic points (MP) similar to their HP. This is drained when they cast spells of 1st level or higher, and different spell levels cost varying amounts of MP, as explained in the chart here: 'https://wiki.uestrpg.com/wiki/Spellcasting_Rules'. Just like in Elder Scrolls games, and most other video games that include spellcasting. It’s smooth, simple and elegant, and flexible. Using this system, you can cast additional lower-level spells if you wanted to, or forgo some of your lower-level spells to cast additional higher-level spells. You won’t get stuck with a handful of 2nd-level spell slots you don’t know what to do with.

It’s also an easy 1-1 conversion from base 5e. Your MP pool is determined by adding up the MP value of all the spell slots you would have under the base 5e framework, so in theory you could cast as if you were using spell slots, and nothing would change. Within the same game, some players could opt to keep using spell slots while others use MP, and nobody would have more or less magic than the others. However, the spell-slot users would still miss out on the flexibility of MP, and through MP there are additional opportunities I would prefer all my players to be able to take advantage of.

But before I proceed, I know what you may be thinking. Without some additional rules, this system would be horribly overpowered at later levels. A level 17 wizard starts his day with 107 MP. A level 9 spell costs 13 MP. Thus, I could cast Meteor Swarm 8 times in a day if I wanted to, and while I would forgo my ability to cast many other spells, I might not need to! However, the designers of Delvebound did account for this, with one more simple rule: You cannot cast a spell of level 6 or higher more than once per day in that slot. This lines up well with base 5e, as higher level characters only have 1 slot for levels 6-9 anyway, until you’re level 20 giving you one more 6th level spell slot. This does mean a level 20 character using MP is technically worse off this way, missing out on an extra 6th level slot, but you could easily just say ‘okay you can cast a 6th level spell twice per day now’. Or do yourself a favour and don’t play at level 20.

So what are these extra opportunities? Drawing from The Elder Scrolls, potions of magicka! Be wise with these, as the limit on spells cast per day is the main balancing factor for spellcasters who already are known to outstrip their martial colleagues, but on occasion, giving out a nice blue potion which restores a small amount of MP would be a really cool consumable magic item for your spellcasters. You could even roll for the MP restored, like a healing potion, say 2d4+2 which already restores juice for at least two 1st-level spells. At lower levels, depending on how often you give them out, they should be stingier than this (say, 1d4+1). You could also put a limit on how many potions a character can drink in a day without getting sick, especially if they are easily craftable or bought from shops.

Another opportunity I saw in MP was using this more simple and flexible system to handle interrupted long rests. If a long rest is interrupted by rude bandits or ghouls, should you get all your spell slots back anyway, or none of them? I believe RAW it’s none of them, but this seems too punishing especially if a character has already used up all their slots. A nice halfway solution is to restore half your spell slots, but how exactly? Well, I could use a somewhat complicated system where you break all your spell slots down into 1st level slots, add them all up, restore half of that pool, and allocate which slots you get back based on that budget (makes sense in my head but difficult to explain). Or, just get half your total MP back. Easy!

Using an MP system is also a godsend for DMs trying to use enemy spellcasters. Instead of keeping track of a monster’s spell slots (which most of us understandably don’t do anyway), we can keep track of the monster’s MP instead, in the same way as we normally keep track of its HP.

The main caveat of this system is that it’s not intuitive how much MP each spell level costs, so DMs and spellcasting players will need to keep the chart handy until they know the MP costs by heart. It also introduces additional mental maths that have to be done, with mistakes more easily leading to players using more or less MP than they’re supposed to. This is why there is no shame in making a calculator one of your tools at the table! Indeed, rather than making the game harder, I think the MP system might make it EASIER for new players to pick up spellcasters. The spell slot system isn’t the most intuitive thing in the world, especially when the word ‘level’ has distinct meanings between spells, slots, class levels and character levels, which don’t always align with one another. Newcomers coming from video games will find this especially easy, as most gamers already know what mana bars are, the same as health bars.

The second caveat is… this is all theory. I haven’t actually playtested this system very much as my Elder Scrolls campaign has only just started. The cleric and wizard of the party haven’t yet had an opportunity to cast many spells. I don’t foresee any major problems with using this system especially at low levels, but I’ll make another post if I do find them.

P.S. Warlocks!!! Their spell slots work differently to other classes as they always cast at the highest possible level and regenerate on a short rest. Using the MP framework doesn’t actually change anything here, as for balance reasons you should spend MP as if for your highest spell level even when casting a lower-level spell that can’t be upcast. For this reason, I recommend warlock players continue to use pact magic slots instead of warlock MP, and for multiclassers to track their MP and pact magic slots separately. If you’re going to use magicka potions in a game with warlocks, you should also think of a balanced way warlocks can use them, but that’s beyond the scope of this already too-long post.

[melancholiast-clair]

i wanna hear about sean/mo

OH MY GODS YES OKAY.

spoilers for whispered faith, a youtube series that has been out for far, far too long below!

so . i don't know if you're familiar with the 2000s-2010s slenderverse boom where there were just a shit ton of people creating youtube series based off of the slenderman images.

the basic idea of these series is that slenderman is hunting or haunting or just hurting the protagonists for some reason, and they are trying to defeat him or escape. sometimes slenderman just shows up briefly, sometimes he ends up being the main villain.

one of the smaller series is called whispered faith! this is where sean and mo as characters come from. whispered faith is based off the 2006 creepypasta 'the rake,' which talks about a pale humanoid creature that runs around on all fours and whispers terrible prophetic truths about the world.

some basic important stuff to know about whispered faith before i get into sean/mo specifically:

sean is the leader of a cult that worship the rake. it's unspecified in canon how long he's been part of this cult, but he is completely devoted to the rake to the point of destroying himself.

sean is ALSO the main character's childhood friend who went to high school with him. the main character, named lee, at one point goes to sean for shelter after a mysterious cult (oh hm wonder who that could be) invades his home.

mo is lee's best friend. mo spends almost the entire series being the only character with any fucking braincells and a normal moral code, which includes things like 'hey don't kill the guy. yes even if he hurt you we don't kill people.' and 'hey don't meet with the mysterious number texting you, that's not a good idea!'

sean kidnaps mo and attempts to trade with lee - items the family wants for mo back. it doesn't work - mo escapes and lee doesn't have to give up the item, but. yeah. sean also kidnaps lee, and during the time lee spends with sean and the family, sean ends up cutting off one of lee's fingers and mailing it to mo.

this series is two hours long in total and is written by college students and posted to youtube. it's not a wonderful series. it's not super well-written and they drop a lot of very important plot points and very compelling information and then do absolutely nothing with them ever again... so of course i am insane about all the ways i could make it better.

mo and sean die together in mo's basement, where sean has been held for ten months after lee and mo kidnap him.

SO. because there's so little substance to the characters in the original text - they've got basic characteristics, but most of the stuff we end up defining is all just... over-analysis of the same two hours of content.

in my mind, sean is a deeply tragic character. he's 20~ and part of a fictional cult. based on what little clues we get, sean has been in the cult for most of his life, meaning they likely picked him up as a young and vulnerable child. he's supernaturally addicted to the rake's prophetic predictions. he's so sure he's his god's chosen disciple, and then he dies in a dingy basement after staying there for ten months at the hands (claws?) of the creature he has been worshipping for most of his life. and he doesn't even get to die. because he's supernaturally connected to the rake, he ends up wandering forever in its endless realm of thin forest and empty air.

he drives me INSANE.

and so enter mo, this character who has this strong moral compass that tells him people are people, no matter what they do, and everyone - everyone - can get better. this character who has been hurt really fucking badly, has been stalked and watched and beat up and eventually killed by this cult. this character who spends the entire series focused on protecting lee as sean spends the entire series trying to hurt lee.

and i stick them together in a small space, especially post-death in the basement, and i go fucking WILD. one of my favorite spaces to explore them in is in the rake's realm, as if mo ended up there as well - i like the idea of the two of them trying to make a space together in there, sean struggling with being abandoned by the speaker and mo struggling with. well. sean.

i just think that as a pairing, as opposite characters - one who has no moral code, who has spent his life alone and intent on hurting, and one who has such a strong code, who has spent his life with lee and is shown to have several other friends throughout the series and with almost every action works to protect, they are SO fucking fun together.

anyways hahha . im normal about them. yeah. anyways.

[paperanddice]

Broodiken are vile little constructs, crude servants grown within a humanoid creature's body. One foot tall, with oversized heads and jaws filled with fangs, they otherwise resemble their creator, though if their creator had features such as wings or horns the broodiken gains decorative, ineffective versions that provide no mechanical changes.

Broodiken have little personality beyond a rough reflection of their creator's current emotions. They don't restrain their emotional show, growling and snarling if they feel anger and babbling happily if they feel joy. If sent beyond 100 feet from their creator, this lack of personality devolves into a helpless wailing, like that of an infant of their apparent species. The only time they can function further away is if given a specific target to hunt and kill. If their creator telepathically such a target, picturing it in their mind and sending that image to the broodiken, it will chase that target down without rest or distraction. Though they are poor trackers and cannot search effectively, so it's best not to rely on this as an assassination technique. As the broodiken cannot be recalled until their target is dead, if they lose the target and cannot find it again, they will hunt forever until destroyed.

Creating broodiken requires eating a specially prepared heart from a dead broodiken, a paradoxical means of creation that stumps sages as to the origin of this construct. Attempts to discover the first creator of the broodiken have led only to dead ends, and the occasional dead investigator, a fact that grows increasingly concerning to the small community intent on figuring out this mystery. Another unfortunate situation with broodiken is the fate of anyone who attempts to create a second brood while any members of their first one still live. As soon as the incubation starts the first brood furiously turns on their creator, attempting to kill them out of jealousy.

I'm not entirely convinced of the balance for the broodiken heart item, since giving a player a random collection of minions could be quite a swing in power, but given that the broodiken won't power up with the characters and will remain level 1 creatures I don't think it will be too big of a deal, at least as long as they aren't gained at really low level.

Inspired by the Tome of Beasts 1. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!

Pathfinder 2e

Broodiken Creature 1 Tiny Construct Minion Perception +5; darkvision Skills Stealth +7 Str -1, Dex +2, Con +3, Int -4, Wis +0, Cha -2 Bound to Creator If the broodiken is further than 100 feet from its creator, it cannot take any actions, and does nothing but cry loudly unless it has been given a target by Targeted Rage. If its creator dies, the broodiken loses its minion trait and attempts to attack the killer over any other target. If the broodiken can't see the creature that killed its creator, or that creature is dead, it simply attacks any creature it can see except another broodiken from the same brood. AC 14; Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5 HP 17; Immunities bleed, death effects, diseased, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet Melee jaws +7 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d10-1 piercing plus attach Attach When a broodiken hits a target larger than itself, its jaws attach it to that creature. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the broodiken moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The broodiken is flat-footed while attached. While the broodiken is attached, Strikes it makes with its jaws automatically hit the attached creature, but it can't make Strikes against other targets. Targeted Rage The broodiken's creatore can designate a single creature to be the target of the broodiken. The broodiken loses the minion trait, and can travel further than 100 feet away from its creator, but will not obey any orders until it kills that creature.

Broodiken Heart Item 7 Uncommon Consumable Magical Price 85 gold Usage held in one hand; Bulk L Activate [one action] Interact After you eat this seed, 2d4 broodiken begin gestating inside of you. They incubate for 1 month, during which you must consume a special blend of mud, ashes, and plants, which costs 5 gold per day for each incubating broodiken. During this time, you are drained 1, and cannot reduced your drained condition below 1. The broodikens must be cut out at the end of this gestation period, a process that deals 1d4 slashing damage to you per broodiken. If they are not cut out, they instead chew themselves out, which takes 1d6 rounds, plus 1 round per broodiken in the batch, and deals 2d6 slashing damage per round. This damage cannot be reduced by any means. The newly birthed broodikens are loyal to you, and obey your telepathic commands as long as they are within 100 feet of you. If you birth a second batch of broodiken, the first brood immediately become hostile, losing the minion trait and attempting to kill you. Crafting Requirements Supply the heart of a dead broodiken.

13th Age

Broodiken  1st level mook wrecker [construct]  Initiative +3 Gnawing Bite +6 vs. AC - 3 damage, plus 1 damage for each other broodiken engaged with the target. Bound to Creator: Choose one creature to be the broodiken’s creator. If the broodiken is far away from its creator, it is stunned and can do nothing but cry. If its creator dies, the broodiken enters a rage, gaining a +1 bonus to attack rolls, and will attack the enemy that killed its creator over all other targets. AC 16 PD 14 MD 10 HP 11 (mook) Mook: Kill one broodiken mook for every 11 damage dealt to the mob.