#I stole a line from Iron Man 3

[lovelyinconsistentices]

°˖➴ 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙵𝙾𝚁𝚃 𝙲𝚁𝙾𝚆𝙳 ⋆· ༘ *

‧₊˚ ꩜彡┆𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈 .ᐟ

Todd shows up at readers house in the middle of the night, still grieving over the situation with Wallace and needing comfort.

✎ᝰ.┆𝙶𝙴𝙽𝚁𝙴 .ᐟ

Oneshot and Third-Person, hurt comfort. Fluff and Mild Angst.

‧₊˚ ꩜彡┆𝙿𝙰𝙸𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶 .ᐟ

Todd Ingram X Gender-neutral Reader

✎ᝰ.┆𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙸𝙽𝚂𝙿𝙾 .ᐟ

Comfort Crowd by Conan Gray.

‧₊˚ ꩜彡┆𝚁𝙴𝚀𝚄𝙴𝚂𝚃 .ᐟ

Requested by anon, thank you for the request! <3

The first thing that was least expected when they opened the door to see who was knocking at the middle of night was Todd, he was a disheveled mess when their gaze had settled on him. His eyes brimming with tears, a bag of chips in hand as he stressed eat. They had heard a lot about what happened on set, with Wallace leading him on. It was expected when they learned him and the male were "running lines" in his trailer, as if Wallace would waste his time on something like that. They absolutely doubted it, he had a repetition as well for sleeping around.

The amount of times they've heard Stacy complain about how Wallace stole her boyfriend again as they waited for their drink was ironic at this point, Scott's roommate was bad news. They truly felt bad for Todd, the only reason they hadn't said anything was because they didn't want to hurt the male's feelings but he ended up getting hurt anyway. In the they expected the male to get over it quite quick, I mean he still had Envy after all. Which they had listened to her complain for hours once she had learned about it, seems she tried fighting Wallace as well. Amusing really, but it seems they were wrong about the male getting over Wallace fast.

Todd was a wreck as he blabbered about something that was incoherent to their ears, they let out a soft sigh as their eyes softened. Immediately parting their lips in response as they stood there, "Shh, slow down and breath. Come in, you know you're always welcome Todd." They stated as they moved to allow the man to walk in. Which he nodded in return, relieved that they weren't upset with him possibly waking them up so late at night. Making his way into the house slowly, immediately being greeted by the warmth of their home.

Now they were both on the couch together as Todd had his face buried into the crook of their neck, sure the male was known for being quite touchy but they weren't that familiar with this as they ran their fingers through his hair. They truly wondered what Wallace did to make him like this and where was Envy, after all they least expected him to come to them instead of his own girlfriend or well ex. He didn't even know if they were still together, though it seemed like she was more mad at Wallace than Todd. Thinking those thoughts over in their head truly did hurt more than they expected, after all they did have one-sided feelings for the male.

They were just glad to have him as a friend even if meant their feelings would never be returned, they'd just have to push them too the side for now or at least until they moved on. A heavy breath left their lips as they sat there, their arm still around the male as his cry's slowed down. His breathing still unstable but it seemed like he was starting to calm down, they truly didn't mind the silence. Deciding to not say anything as they didn't want to cause him to cry again, avoiding the topic of Wallace and him for now would be best.

"Feeling better now? If so we can talk about something to distract you or if you want I have some movies you can pick from to watch, you can stay the night or as how long as you need. I'll be right here if you need me, speaking of that I'm sure you're hungry. Junk food isn't fulfilling, you'll need a real meal. How about pasta?" They asked as they pondered on what to make, perhaps pasta salad and bread. Todd just nodded in response, perhaps not being able to manage words as he was tired or too embarrassed to say anything. He just stayed there, leaning his head against their shoulder before muttering a simple thank you that was soft and low.

It warmed their heart that they were able to help the male in the end, though they knew it was going to take a while before they got over their feelings for him. Continuing to run their fingers through his hair as they were lost in thought, it wasn't like it was anything new and at least Todd knew they were here if he needed them. His arms still wrapped around their waist as he let out slow exhales, soon the night would be shared with the two spending their time together in peace.

Todd picking out some old Disney movie from their stack as they made dinner, his mood slowly lightening up as he and them made small talk. The night ending with the two cuddled up on the couch as they watched the movie he picked out together, they were glad that Todd was feeling better now as they were able to finally go back to sleep in peace and this time they'd have the male by their side making it all even better.

[i23kazu]

i just love you so much! ( no, really. )

where kazuha just loves you so much!

characters: kazuha x gn!reader

warnings: mostly safe, but there’s a kiss scene at the end!

a/n: hi hori @kazu-sun !! surprise, i was the anon who asked you about your favourite daydreams with the your genshin favs! 😆 i wanted to do a little something teehees cutely anyways please reblog with tags and comments if you guys liked this <3

kazuha, to you, comes in the form of both ravaging waves and ironically, serene peace.

once you got to know the man, past the layers of his built walls, you fell for him and you fell hard. kazuha is your world. he’s unpredictable, wild, carefree — but the kaedahara clan’s beloved also carries himself with an air of elegance that first drew you to him.

you feel slightly embarrassed to finally realise that kazuha's hair is as red as the evening glow, as the sun starts to fall from its place. it is the same shade as the autumn leaves that fall around you as you walk hand in hand with him. autumn's days are welcoming for a walk around the rebuilt kaedahara estate, stone path slightly corroded after the months of you and kazuha walking along the same trail each evening.

on the other hand, the man of the household couldn't be more mayhem-inducing. it was always that stupid smile, you remembered, that made you fall hook, line and sinker for whatever stupid prank he was planning…

just like one incident that you swear would forever be etched into your memory.

“(y/n), how does your candy taste like?” kazuha gave you a sweet smile, face resting on his fist as he turned from thoma to look at the grimace on your face.

“it tastes like clay… it’s so bitter.” you scrunched up your face in disgust. who would have thought to make a clay flavoured candy?

“mine tastes like lemons.”

“do you think lemon clay would taste nice?”

before you knew it, kazuha’s face was millimetres away from yours, lips close to crashing together.

archons, kazuha was a good person to kiss.

he was gentle, and he tasted like autumn. like pumpkin spice, espresso shots, cinnamon, apples, hot chocolate — kazuha was autumn incarnate, and autumn incarnate had just kissed you.

oh, and kazuha also just stole the clay candy from your mouth.

when he broke the kiss, kazuha wasn’t even bothered, looking at your firetruck-shade face with your palms pressed to your cheeks, feeling the heat. you could still see him chewing your candy.

“did you just steal my sweet?” was all you could say, still breathless and in shock and awe of whatever the archons had blessed you with just now. kazuha grinned at you, a smirk plastered on his face — not unkindly.

“what can i say? i just love you so much.”

taglist: @tiredsleep @loptido @raincxtter @infinn-toru @ladyadii @soulsanta @solicider @sheiiy @genshinparty @eowinthetraveler @zuyoo @moonbyunniee @lemonswriting @legitnoi @lemontum (send ask to be added to taglist)

please reblog with tags and comments <3 and consider giving me a follow if you liked it!

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Ideas #33: Winter Roses, but make it Jon/Rhaenys

I've seen more than a few fics where Stannis manages to capture baby Daenerys on Dragonstone and Robert, seeking to dishonor her line, betroths her to baby Jon Snow. I adore them, as Robert inadvertently being the best thing to ever happen to House Targaryen is one of my greatest weaknesses.

But I've never seen a fic where it's Rhaenys that is captured and betrothed, unknowingly, to her half-brother. So I thought, what would it take?

Aka: The Aegon the Unyielding Fic

Just imagine it:

Queen Rhaella takes her granddaughter with her to Dragonstone. Elia and her Aegon still die in The Sack and Rhaella dies giving birth to Daenerys. Viserys and his infant sister are able to escape to Esso... but Rhaenys is lost in the chaos of storm and battle and is captured by Stannis' forces.

Stannis delivers the princess to the Red Keep on the same day Ned returns from rescuing his sister in Dorne. Robert initially wants to kill Rhaenys, then alights upon the idea of betrothing her to his eventual heir.

Surprisingly, it's Tywin that argues hardest against this, citing 1) Aerys' madness, 2) the fact Robert isn't married yet and may have several daughters before a son is born, and 3) having a half-Targaryen grandson on the throne would be akin to having the Targaryens win. It's eventually decided to betroth the girl to and raise her with Ned's bastard son instead, to 1) dishonor her line, 2) keep her far from court, Dorne, and the public eye, and 3) keep her under Ned's loyal and honorable eye.

And so Princess Rhaenys is betrothed to her half-brother Aegon, the hidden and legitimate heir to the Iron Throne by the man that stole it from him.

Rhaenys' first few years in Winterfell are... fraught. At 3, she's just old enough to realize that everything has changed for the worse and young enough not to be able to deal with it in any meaningful way. Catelyn doesn't help, resenting the granddaughter of the man that had Brandon killed being raised in her home and, somewhat contradictorily, hating that the bastard gets to marry the princess.

Rhaenys resents Jon too - at first. (Think Princess Mary being made her half-sister Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting after Henry VIII's remarriage.) All she understands is that he is responsible for her being in this cold place away from what family she has left. But her feelings eventually soften towards him, especially after she takes it upon herself to take care of the boy, because gods know Catelyn only allows the maids to do the bare minimum.

Jon and Rhaenys grow up close. Not quite codependent, but they are each other's closest friend and only confidant. Like her namesake, Rhaenys grows up kindhearted, graceful, playful, curious, impulsive, and given to flights of fancy - but with a sharp tongue she unleashes on any and all who insult her or her betrothed. Like his own namesake, Jon grows up charismatic and commanding when he needs be, but more than happy to let Rhaenys take the lead.

They marry in 295, when Jon has just turned 12 and Rhaenys is still 14. With this comes Jon's legitimization, ennoblement as Lord of Queenscrown, and new name - House Frost.

Now, per Robert's order Ned has kept Rhaeny's Martell relations from visiting (and fomenting rebellion), though there have been letters. With Jon and Rhaenys now at the very edge of the kingdom, far from royal eyes, Oberyn finally takes his chance to visit his niece and the barbarian she is married to...

...only to arrive and think did they dye Aegon's hair?

Oberyn only has suspicions, but they're enough for him to start reevaluating his plots to restore the Targaryens to the throne. He visits as often as he can without being suspicious, and comes to love Jon as another nephew.

Meanwhile, Jon at Queenscrown is doing just as much - if not more - to protect the North from the Free Folk as the Night's Watch. Eventually he starts asking the Free Folk he finds on his lands why they're heading south in such numbers... and learns about the Others.

Jon crosses the Wall, learns about the coming War For The Dawn, bonds with Cannibal - who is a non-Targaryen species of dragon - and allows the Free Folk to settle on his lands. He gets Ned, the North, and Dorne to help in the fight, but he's the final - unyielding - line between humanity and the Others.

Meanwhile, the rest of Westeros has been falling apart in a civil war, as the Lannisters are understandably wroth with Bobby B for declaring Cersei's children bastards; executing her, her brother, and her children; and marrying Margery Tyrell before the Silent Sisters had even finished collecting their bones.

Once the War For The Dawn is over (without much of Westeros ever realizing it happened), the forces of Dorne and the North head south, mop up the various factions, and install Jon and Rhaenys on the Iron Throne together as Aegon VII the Unyielding and Rhaenys the Resolute.

Bonuses include: 1) Elia's son is called Aegon the Uncrowned, having technically been king for an hour or so before being killed; 2) Jon and Rhaenys being absolutely, ridiculously, sickeningly in love. Theirs should be raised up as the perfect marriage and the perfect court - the Camelot of their day - so much so that later historians will think much of it was propaganda and relief the wars were over. But no, contemporary documents show everyone who saw them knew them to be happy and in love as well as fair and just rulers; and 3) Daenerys returns to Westeros with her dragons, is named Lady Paramount of Storm's End after marrying one of Robert's legitimized bastards, and is more surprised than anyone to discover that her dragons are all female after a visit from Cannibal yields several eggs from each.

And that's all I have. As always, feel free to adopt this bun. Just link back if you do anything with it.

Other Jon Snow Headcanons: Aegon the Unyielding | Aemon the Adventurous | Baelor the Brave | Lady Arryn | Lady Baratheon | Lady Lannister | Lady Stark | Prince Consort | Prince of Summerhall | Queen Mother

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[vicky82gargoylesfan]

My Thoughts on X-Men 97 Episode 10 Tolerance is Extinction part 3

The whole season has been absolutely fantastic, brilliantly well written and it hasn't even been predictable, I wouldn't never has guessed of what happened in Episode 5 and killing a major character off. They did so well not revealing spoilers.

Episode 5 - Remember it, is my favourite episode.

The voice cast were absolutely fantastic, especially Lenore Zann, she was amazing and deserves an award.

Rogue was my favourite in the original series and she's still is now, I just love her and she has been through so much.

This was a fantastic final, it was really intense and I was at the edge of my seat throughout the episode. The score was amazing, it gave me goosebumps a lot.

Spoilers

The episode started off with a flashback, I assume this is Vietnam. I noticed they used the song Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds in this.

Oh so this is not a flashback, Charles is in his head.

The power comes back on and there are so many cameo's, Silver Samurai again, Iron Man, Captain America again and he got his shield back. Also Daredevil and Dr Strange, who's using his power to perform surgery.

With the power back on, the Prime Sentinels are back on and they are now turning on humans.

More new cameos, they show Wakanda, Black Panther and Okoye. Cloak and Dagger, don't know much about them but I recognised them straight away. Omega Red, out of his containment tube and Dark Star, don't know who the other guy is. Finally we have Alpha Flight and Psylocke.

Oh damn, Cable admitted he tried to stop the Genosha Massacre 200 times and he's in tears, that's heart-breaking.

EEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!! The Phoenix!!!! Hmm, I wonder if this means that Jean and Madelyne were swapped after season 3.

Love Storm's little laugh.

Oh wow beautiful animation, love the imagery of the Phoenix.

The Phoenix stopped Bastion and the Prime Sentinels have been deactivated, hopefully they will be turned back to normal.

Oh wow!!!, she's stopped Sinister too by ripping out all the DNA he stole.

LOL at Morph mocking him.

Oh damn, Bastion is not stopped and has ripped out Cable's arm and uses it to change himself.

Oh wow, I love the design of Bastion new form.

Oh, so this is Bastion's Second Coming form, I haven't read the comic book story (which I will at some point) but I sort of know what happens.

Oh damn, so he's going to Asteroid M and use it to destroy earth.

Oh damn, Wolverine is poor shape, hopefully he will able to heal himself. Cyclops knows he likes Jean.

Charles has to repair Magneto's mind from his psychic attack, at least he doesn't leave him, like he did in the comics.

LOL, looks like a psychic zoom meeting here.

Aww Rogue, she's repeating the line that Gambit would of said if he was there.

"Odds may be bad, but the cards are always in the X-Men's favour"

Also

"His name was Gambit, Remember it"

Rogue's in tears while she says it, while beating the shit out of Bastion. this was awesome fight scene, love her doing the Thunderclap.

Oh no!! Bastion has the upper had and tries to strangle her. He seems to like strangling women, first Storm and now Rogue.

Oh thank goodness, Sunspot saves her, was really worried for Rogue.

Oh, so Black Panther is T'Chaka, not T'Challa.

In Magneto's mind we see Rogue, Scarlett Witch, Quicksilver and Polaris in a boat, So Magneto cares for Rogue a lot and be part of his family.

I was really worried that Bastion was going to kill Kurt.

Great fight scene, Nightcrawler, Jubilee and Cyclops fighting Bastion. Cyclops using his Optic blast at full power was amazing.

Oh wow, love the character development with Jubilee using her powers as a Catherine wheel (I think) that she was taught by Abscissa.

Oh wow, she really messed Bastion up, ewww he looks gross.

Awesome, Beast, Jean, Storm and Morph, arrive inside a Sentinel.

Cool, Morph turned into Sauron.

Oh damn!!!, President Kelly agreed to launch missals at Asteroid M, that's not good.

I doubt Bastion is dead, I bet he will appear again.

Oh Morph, you are Fantastic.

Oh no Jubilee falls out of the falling Asteroid but luckily Roberto saves her, erm I assume there in the atmosphere, otherwise they wouldn't be breathing.

Oh well done President Kelly, you basically destroyed the world.

Oh no!!! they going to sacrifice themselves to stop the Asteroid from hitting earth.

Scott saying goodbye to Cable was really emotional, I just love Jean using her powers to stop Scott's Optic blasts and let Cable see his eyes.

Oh my gosh!!! when Cyclops took his visor off to use his full optic blast at the asteroid, he was crying.

Oh my gosh!!!! this music, giving me chills.

ahh, Peter Parker and Mary Jane!!!!! He got her back then.

Awww, Morph admits he love's Logan.

Yesssssss, Magneto is fine and helps stop the asteroid.

look at Rogue's smile, she hasn't smiled like that for a long time, she deserved it.

Wait!!!! where did the asteroid go!!!!! it just disappeared. I'm so confused right now.

Oh wow 6 months later!!!! Graydon Creed is back and running for President!!!! I guess that means we will see him in season 2.

Oh wow!!! pictures of other characters.

Hmm Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are off world??? does being in live action MCU movies and FOX Movies count as being off world, lol.

Archangel is missing presumed dead, did he secretly get on asteroid m and got zapped to the past too, to finally kill Apocalypse, lol.

Jubilee, Sunspot and Cable are all AWOL, I wonder where they went

So we left with Colossus, Magik, Iceman, Havok, Kitty, Emma, Exodus and Dust (which I don't know much about them both). Will they appear next season and have a bigger role.

Bishops back!!!!

Oh wow!!! the X-Men have through gone through time.

Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, Professor X and Magneto are in Egjpt 3000 b.c. and encounter Apocalypse.

Jean and Cyclops are in the future 3960 and encounter Mother Askani (Rachel) and young Cable, so there doing the the Adventures of Phoenix and Cyclops comics where they help bring up Cable in the future.

I wonder where Storm, Logan and Morph are.

Love Beast's "Oh dear" at the end.

Ahh!!! Mid credit scene!!! Apocalypse is here in the present and he's holding Gambit's card, which means he's going to be resurrected as the Horseman of Death (still need to read the comic story)

Oh man season 2 is going to be nuts and possibly more emotional trauma for Rogue.

[thequietmanno1]

Thelreads, MHA 289, Replies Part 2

1) “Yep, just as bad as I would expect.”- Uraraka’s never once considered using her Quirk in a lethal manner, and is horrified it was done using her power, but from Toga’s perspective, it was Uraraka’s power and the connection between them that saved her that time, which is another reason she’s speaking to her now, wanting confirmation that it wasn’t just a “mistake” and all being in her head.

2) “URARAKA USED HER HOOKS, BUT SHE AIMED STRAIGHT AT TOGA, LIKE, SHE DID REALLY TRY TO STAB HER AFTER HEARING THAT

HOLY SHIT MAN

I MEAN, OKAY I UNDERSTAND, BUT I WASN’T EXPECTING A REACTION LIKE THAT FROM URARAKA OF ALL PEOPLE”- It is possible to wrap somebody up in the lines, but whilst Toga’s equipment is normally used for the intent of stabbing and draining blood, here, she only uses them to retaliate in kind after Uraraka attacked her in anger when she was bearing her heart out to her- badly, but still. 3) “OH NO NOT THE FLATSCREEN HOW ARE WE GONNA WATCH [insert popular tv series here]NOW?”- Cracks in the screen dividing the image, like the divide that grows ever deeper between these two girls over the misunderstanding. 4) “Uraraka just doesn’t understand what Toga is trying to get at, but we do. She is trying to get uraraka to understand her, to see who she is, to see her as person.

This is a desperate attempt from Toga to reveal who she is in the hopes that one hero will see her as something besides a monster.

And it’s not working.”- At her lowest, it was Uraraka’s power that saved her. Now, at her lowest, she turns to the girl herself for aid….and it doesn’t work out, convincing her the only sanctuary in this world rests with the league – what’s left of it, anyway. 5) “OH MY GOD TOGA THIS SCENE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SAD BUT I’M LAUGHING AT YOU RUNNING LIKE A KINDERGARTEN THAT JUST STOLE ANOTHER KID’S TOY”- A taste perhaps, of what their relationship could have been like if they’d grown up meeting each other before becoming a hero or a villain. 6) “OH OKAY BACK TO THE FUCKING HEARTBREAK I SUPPOSE THANK YOU HORIKOSHI FOR LETTING ME LAUGH FOR FIVE SECONDS BEFORE STABBING ME ON THE GUT AGAIN”- Toga tries to relate to Uraraka by bringing up something she also values just as much, but fails again to understand that she’s not explained to Uraraka that he’s dead and the connection they shared is gone, whereas Uraraka and Izuku’s is still intact. 7) “OH MY GOD SHE’S BITING IT BECAUSE THAT’S HOW SHE EXPRESSES LOVE HORIKOSHI PLEASE CAN YOU LET ME CATCH MY BREATH BEFORE ANOTHER BLOW?”- Getting a taste of the loving and stable relationship that she so craves, but can just never seem to get right. If she’d ever had a similar token from that kid who she first stabbed, I bet she’d have kept it on her all this time. 8) “Also, good for you, Elsa, but those feelings refuse to be shut down. They’ll strike when you least expect.”- Uraraka means she’s shut down the romantic feelings and attraction to Izuku in order to be a more effective hero who can support him, not that she’s gotten rid of them for good.  It stops her being an ineffective love interest ham stung by her emotions at crucial moments, as has been done in other manga. Yet ironically, it’s precisely those feelings that would have made her an effective hero to Toga here, able to relate to her somewhat and show that she’s not alone 9) “Oh okay, Toga seems to have like that particular point, I have a feeling she took that on a positive note, and I can kind see why, from what we’ve seen of her backstory she also repressed her feelings for a long time, before they burst forth and everything spiraled out of control.”- Toga thinks that Uraraka hates having to repress her true self, where in actuality, Uraraka would hate herself for being ineffective because of those same feelings in a crisis, unable to focus on saving people if she thinks/knows Izuku’s in danger. It’s born in part from Nighteye’s death during the Hassaki raid and feeling she maybe could have done more to help him, even if her emotions didn’t really impede her back then. 10) “Oh my god toga is so desperate trying to get Uraraka to understand but it just

doesn’t work

no matter what

they are talking about different things, they are worrying about different things”- Toga isn’t even wrong here really. Uraraka not facing her true emotions down and reconciling them with Izuku means they’re at risk of gradually growing underneath that repression, potentially resulting in another outburst when she can least afford it. But here and now, Uraraka’s feeling haven’t gotten that far yet, and she’s focused on the present chaos, rather than seeking a compromise with Toga that could lead to a happier future for her. In a way, this fight is a microcosm of the larger conflict between heroes and Villains, and how failure to communicate only deepens the conflicts and the escalation between both sides. 11) “I do agree with you Uraraka, but the thing that you don’t understand, that Toga was trying to make you understand, is that she is not doing it out of evil. She’s doing it because it’s how she expresses her love. That’s what makes it worse, she doesn’t want to cause pain, she wants to share her feelings, but the way she does it is completely incompatible with others

Toga needs to be stopped, that there is no doubt, and I’m sure you’re gonna do that, but I hope that when the time comes, you at least understand who she is.”- Toga gets battered by Uraraka’s satelites, because of how chaotic they are in the cramped space, but it also represents the final rejection of Uraraka getting through her naive hopes and directly hurting her with the harsh truth of the inevitability of them coming to blows, no matter how much Toga wishes it would be otherwise. 12) “SHE WAS FUCKING CRYING HORIKOSHI WHY YOU DO THAT TO ME YOU BASTARD”- And of course, it’s only when Toga gives up on the possibility of them understanding each other that Uraraka finally realises there was more to her words than her being a villain, or trying to taunt her like she thought she was. It’s only once it’s too late for reconciliation that the other side realises what they let slip through their fingers. 13) “Oh Toga is going back to them? that’s surprising, considering who’s there right now, but I suppose that she doesn’t blame Dabi the same way that we do. She does seem to be hurt about him not caring that much, but she definitely doesn’t blame him.

And, meanwhile, I feel like Uraraka has finally understood Toga, even if it was too little too late”- She really has nothing else, no other source of support or comfort from her pain, no matter how off-put she is about Dabi’s flippancy towards the loss of twice. 14) “AND THERE HE IS, RIGHT ON TIME

THANK YOU FOR THE HEADS-UP IDA, WE WOULD NEVER KNOW HE WAS ON ITS WAY”- The Rock, the Hard Place, and the poor saps stuck in between both. 15) “THE CARDS ARE STACKED, ALL THE MAJOR PLAYERS ARE HERE AND READY.THE GAME IS ABOUT TO BEGIN”- Not everybody will be walking away from this. Can you guess who’ll be left afterwards?

16) “There’s a lot to talk here. Mostly about Toga’s failed attempt to connect to a person she feel could understand her and realizing that no matter what she’ll always be seen as a monster no matter how much she tries to be understood.”- And the fact that she’s proved wrong about that only after she’d truly given up hope. Oh Cruel irony, you bite deep… @thelreads

[auros-writing]

Black Blade Aldwin

This was a ballad I wrote for a creative assignment. The entire piece is in tetrameter-trimeter, so each pair of lines is 4 beats followed by 3 beats.

One merry morning midsummer’s day

A fleet doth dock in landing

For King Edward’s great French campaign

Had come to a beginning.

The bright July sky-beacon shown

The port of which they met

The great men of Saint Vaast la Hogue

Who would see no sun set.

Bretons, Germans, Welsh, English,

Did Edward send to fight

Did take the port-town those great men

Who fought until the night.

What anger seethed under his skin?

What upset that great lord?

King Edward wanted Gascony

To stay upon his board.

And so he marched his many mounts

Down South into French ground,

And on he marched towards River Seine

To sack a lovely town.

From town to town they came and went

And burned down every home,

For Edward wanted Gascony

To keep an English throne.

In Caen they burned and drank and stole

And ate their own good fill,

They all indulged save one good man

Who not had the same will.

He stayed and watched from a distance

With disdain in his heart,

This Black Blade soldier, his good soul

Denied that he take part.

That great sword, Aldwin, held his hilt

He looked over the town,

And as the smoke poured into night

Could not he but look down.

“Not ye want to take your fill

Do not ye want indulge?”

Asked one soldier unto the Blade

So did the Blade divulge:

“I take no part, this vile game

Does not entice my soul.

Had I stolen and drunk my fill

My heart be not but coal.”

The soldiers sacked Caen for five days

Yet not did Aldwin once,

He led the capture of the town

Yet not he led the hunts.

The first of August did depart

King Edward’s many blades,

And leading the front of the march

The great Aldwin’s brigade.

Across the Rivers Seine and Somme

The English fought their way,

For they needed to feed themselves

And North they made their way.

Black Blade Aldwin led the charge

That broke the French’s line,

He was no knight nor man-at-arms

Yet still he spilled blood-brine.

Further North outside Wissant

As night blazed into day,

King Edward held a council meet

Which chose to take Calais.

“Hark here my good kin, listen close,

For we have decided.”

The great King spoke, his men agreed,

No opinions divided.

“We’ll siege their gates and block their ports

Deny them any goods,

We’ll cut off all their food and drink

Deprive them of their woods.”

And so as the leaves fell from high

And changed from green to brown,

Great Edward sent his hefty men

To rupture Calais’ ground.

The men-at-arms and cavalry

Went charging at the gate,

Yet Black Blade Aldwin led no charge,

He chose to lie in wait.

Calais’ walls were heavy wrought

With moats and marshy swamps,

The charging forces stood no chance,

Their boots no place to stomp.

So settled then did King Edward

A settled camp he built,

Dubbed Nouville did the English stay

Till’ Calais’ red had spilt.

Yet Edward came and bade of him

That fabled blackened Blade,

He asked for Aldwin’s swordsmanship

Under his small tent’s shade.

“Aldwin I come to ask of you

To lead one final line.

I wish to break Calais’ thick gate,

That great door’s armored pine.”

Aldwin sat and rest his helm

Upon his leathered knee,

He thought about it long and hard

A decision made he.

“Great Edward, sir, I will oblige,

I’ll take your final run,

But do not expect blackened blades

To glisten in the sun.

I honor thee with my own soul,

I offer it to you,

For loyalty to my great land,

I’ll birth my blade anew.”

And so he led his men in front,

He tamed that wild crew,

He manned Edward’s tough men-at-arms

And led them through cold blue.

Through water, mud, and embankments

He marched his plate and steel,

He led the knights and cavalry

To Calais’ wooden seal.

Aldwin came upon the gate

That blocked his return home,

To take down this final defense

He’d sacrifice his bone.

Unleashed upon great Edward’s men

Calais fired its volley,

And out came iron pike-bearers

Who led Aldwin to folly.

Fight hard to breach the walls did he,

Did Aldwin wish to fight,

Yet to the ground his left hand fell,

Sliced by a nasty pike.

The English slayed those pike-bearers,

And fended from the arrows,

Yet before they could make their way,

Calais’ entrance had narrowed.

Much longer did the English wait,

Yet not could they shed blood,

They kept trapped the town of Calais,

Encased in bloodied mud.

‘Twas a rough day for Englishmen

For a defeat they felt,

Still not could they breach those thick walls

Yet further, Aldwin knelt.

No longer could he join the fray,

No longer his sword swung,

That Black Blade soldier, now a knight,

Was sent to see his young.

He returned to his English town,

Far sent from his short home,

Yet the battle still followed him,

And came for his land’s throne.

King Philip wished to save his folk

And act as such did he,

He called upon those noble Scots

To venge that land of thee.

And so the Scots, noble in deed,

Did they choose to comply,

At Neville’s Cross King David came

To light ablaze the sky.

The English had very few men

To protect their homeland,

Yet outnumbered ‘round two to one,

Ralph Neville did command.

He led those men of Edward’s kin,

Struck Scots from far and wide,

And of those men who Ralph had led,

The Blackened Blade did ride.

Although he only had his right,

His left did still do work,

For a plate shield mounted his wrist,

Under a blade doth lurk.

Upon his hilt, that blackened blade,

As wrought as it was born,

He entered for the final time,

A battlefield long torn.

For countrymen and kinsmanship,

Aldwin chose to protect,

The slaying of his families

A concept he’d reject.

For country, honor, and the crown,

Aldwin did dedicate,

For just a man he truly was,

Yet death he’d aggravate.

For long did he with scratch and wound,

Continue on his steed,

Until the final Scotsmen fell

And David’s push would heed.

A sad day for the Englishmen,

Again did the skies gray,

For no longer did Aldwin breathe,

Nor live another day.

The next midsummer did arrive,

One morning they did go,

His family sought to honor him,

And flowers did they grow.

They took them to his burial

And laid them on his grave,

Then came a many men for him

They wished to do the same.

For honor, glory, rectitude,

For kinsmen and for young,

The great Black Blade gave up his life,

Brought silence to his tongue.

For honor, glory, rectitude,

For family with no strife,

Great Black Blade Aldwin gave himself

For his young’s gentle life.

[captainswanapproved]

An Indecent Proposal- Interlude- The Green Plot

A03,Prologue, Chapter 1,Chapter 2,Chapter 3, Chapter 4,Chapter 5, Chapter 6

Daemon x Rhaenyra Multichapter AU:

Daemon leaves Rhaenyra at her wedding feast. Rhaenyra marries Laenor. After a year of trying to do their duty and produce an heir, Rhaenyra writes to Daemon.

She needs a true Targaryen heir.

It only needs to be an arrangement of business, she says. And it would result in Daemon’s child one day taking the Iron Throne.

Daemon accepts the proposal and returns to court.

Only, ventures like these are never simple. As much as they would wish to, Daemon and Rhaenyra cannot let go of the past, or the feelings they once had for each other.

A/N: Here is a very short double update while I decide what comes next for Daemon and Rhaenyra, who do not appear in this chapter. (Sorry, I'll make it up to you later.) But this interlude with the Greens needed to be written, and it needed to follow Chapter 6.

The spy stole his way into the Red Keep, eager to bring what he had seen to his mistress.

He knocked on her chamber door only to enter with her permission.

Queen Alicent was resplendent in her green brocade gown. The spy removed his hood.

“What news do you bring me, Ser Criston?” Alicent asked. She held a glass of Arbor Gold, but from the look of it the wine was doing little to soothe her agitation.

“Prince Daemon visited the dragon pit, my queen.”

“Did he remove the eggs?” Alicent asked, her eyes flashing.

“Not that I could see, Your Grace. But he will be diligent in guarding them. We must tread carefully if your plot is to succeed.”

“Those eggs belong to my children. It is their birth right. Rhaenyra has no children of her own. Her marriage to Ser Laenor will yield no heirs.”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. “Who is it?” Alicent called.

“The Hand of the King.”

Alicent exhaled in relief and bade her father to enter. That relief disappeared when she noticed her father’s grim visage.

“I bring bad tidings, my daughter. Princess Rhaenyra is with child.”

The wine glass shattered against the stone wall. “Impossible. We know Ser Laenor’s tastes do not include his lady wife.”

“This would not be the first time the spoiled cunt had lured an unwilling man into her chambers, my queen,” Ser Criston said, with no small amount of bitterness.

Otto Hightower snorted. “I do not believe you were unwilling, Ser. You were happy enough to bed the princess and willing to abandon your position to whisk her away to Essos.”

“Father, Ser Criston has restored his honor in our service. Do not continue to condemn him for foolish mistakes. But certainly, any child she bears will be a bastard. Once the babe is born without Targaryen features, we can move against Rhaenyra. Aegon will be named the heir.”

“What makes you so certain the babe will lack the Targaryen features?” Otto said. “You recall the old rumors of Daemon and Rhaenyra’s dalliance. Perhaps he returned to court to play the part of her whore.”

Alicent scowled for a moment, thinking. “That would work to our advantage in the end. It would lead to enough evidence to convince Viserys to cast them both aside. It goes against all honor and decency for the Princess of Dragonstone to birth a bastard. And when Viserys realizes that only his brother could be the father, Viserys will send Daemon to the Wall.”

Otto looked uncertain. “Father, you must do what you can to poison Viserys against his brother. You have done it before with the use of the White Worm. Do so again. Ser Criston will continue to watch the dragon pit, and when the time is right, he will fetch the eggs and present them to my children.”

“Your cunning and wisdom has grown to match your beauty, Alicent. Your mother would be proud.”

“Mother always wished for me to be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, for me to establish a royal line of Hightower succession. I will not disgrace her.”

“No, my love, you are a credit to our house. We will light the way to a brighter future for Westeros.” Otto kissed his daughter’s forehead and left the chamber.

Ser Criston remained, his dark eyes burning in the flickering light. Alicent crossed the room to meet him, enfolding herself in his embrace. “Ser Criston, you love me, do you not?”

“More than anything, my queen.”

“Then prove it. Get me with child and make me forget my king’s foul touch.”

[martiszcz]

Iron Man’s Armor – 1960s

Iron Man first appeared in a story in Tales of Suspence #39 in 1963. The suit was this clumsy beauty.

Later Tony painted it gold to make it less scary.

His iconic red and gold armor appeared in 1963, in Tales of Suspense #48. Again, the change had a plot reason – Tony needed a stronger and more flexible armor. The construction and the elements were presented on three pages, ending with this image of the full armor.

The armor doesn't change much from this point. This model has some variations - belt buckle is sometimes red and the mask is drawn less and less spiky.

Although the biggest change came with the armor looking more and more human.

The few times when for plot reasons Tony wore his old armour it also looked more human than its first appearance.

In story from Tales of Suspense #55 from 1964 due to needing more power his suit got another upgrade and now he was riding around with basically two extra batteries (transistors) on his belt and no spiky faceplate. Once again, they took two pages to show him working on the upgrade and it ended with this image.

In Tales of Suspense #85 from January 1967 Tony again had to create new model of his armor. It is more powerful but looks basically the same.

The armor got redone in Iron Man #3 (looking exactly the same) but during Happy’s construction montage they showed some of it elements, like the chest plate. Considering how it looks on Tony this is a very stretchy metal.

The design even appeared in a museum from 400 years in the future where Tony travelled once. The archivist prepared it, so that the muscle lines on the chest plate were visible.

The biggest change in this look was that one time when his entire helmet was gold, or the circle was red (or someone stole his batteries).

Fun fact: the look in the middle is from alternative timeline version of Tony, who went from his full golden look to this in the span of few days.

In the 60s Marvel introduced a different Earth (665) in their own parody comic: “Not Brand Echh”. Among its heroes was Ironed Man, Bony Stark’s alter ego whose armor differs from Iron Man’s in few details. The most visible is the fact that each appearance shows a look inspired by a different device. My favourite is the phone one.

"Not Brand Echh" had also an alternative, middle ages version of Bony and his armor. It looks exactly the same, the newest thing was a toddler version of the armor (I have Questions).

[ridzmystique]

The Great Escape

In honor of @muttonthings​ uniting @jalebi-weds-bluetooth​ and I. Wrote this one a long, long time ago for a group of friends who wanted me to Close the Loop of what happened to Lakshmi/Mama/that one Prakash that faints when the family’s Ooh La La song starts. Enjoy the crack!

-----

It just isn't my day today.

I have gone around, looking for someone, anyone, that would understand me, and give me what I wanted, but so far, I had only ended up traumatizing herself.

Honestly, this family was so weird.

If anyone in Delhi knew what went on behind the walls of Shantivan, they would either faint, or write a book on it and become a millionaire. Or do both.

I wandered over to the room of the woman-cries-a-lot. Honestly, that woman had a water tank on her head. There was no way that a woman her size could carry the amount of water in her body, that was required to cry at the drop of the hat, or the sight of it...or even the mention of it.

I didn't know why I was here. Honestly, what could I expect from the woman-who-likes-to-touch-everyone? But she did have a tendency to leave laddus are jalebis around, and I was in the mood for some of those!

"You're here!" the woman-who-is-surprised-at-everything said. "Oh god. I have been looking all over the house for you! Everyone else took aarti and prasad, except you! Do you know that this is the fifteenth time I had to give aarti to Devi Mayya just so that I could give it to you as well?"

I was pulled over and seated before I could even utter a sound. A mountain of kumkum was dumped on my forehead and the aarti plate was rotated around and around and around until I was dizzy.

But I perked up when she fed me a jalebi. Say what one will about this house, but they had one of the best jalebis ever!

Before I could savor my food-of-gods, I was pulled away from it to go do pradakshina around Devi-Mayya.

Hain, Devi-Mayya!

I managed to escape just in the nick of time, and enter the room of Naniji. She truly was such an inspiration.

At her age, she had the energy and power to bring the entire family to their knees, rather than fall on her knees every two minutes, like the woman-who-could-be-killed-by-a-cough. Not to mention, her thumkas were legendary.

What an inspiration.

"Oh, you are here," Naniji said, with a smile. "I was thinking about going to a satsang. I should take you with me. It will be great fun!"

My heart stopped at the mention of satsang. Every time I was around her satsang friends, I was pulled this way and that, my cheeks were pinched and my beauty fawned over. As fun as it was the first time, I worried that one of these days, they would pull my cheeks right off!

Abort Mission!

When she turned around to look for something, I slyly made my escape.

Not knowing where to go, I wandered over to the door of the newly married couple...one of he newly married couple, I should say. The less interesting one.

"Aakashji," Payal said, shyly.

"Payalji," Aakash replied, equally bashfully.

"Aakashji," she repeated, whispering this time, blushing.

"Payalji," he said, his voice sounding like that of a teenage boy who discovered sex for the first time.

"Aakashji," there was a definite note of coyness this time.

"Payalji."

Since they knew each other's names well enough, I had to decide that they must be doing something decidedly naughty. Peeking in, I was stunned to see what was happening.

They were sitting on the bed, five feet apart, pointing at their wedding album, and mentioning each other's name every time their picture came up, and blushing like school kids.

To use ASR's favorite line, completely, What the f**k!?

Shaking my head, I move away from there before I catch whatever it is that they are infected by. PPP perhaps? Permanent Prepubescent Personality must be it.

Needing a breath of fresh air, I walk over to the gardens, hoping that the other PPP wasn't around. Perpetually Pissed-off Personality, this time.

But luck just wasn't with me today.

"Khushi," he said, breathlessly, moving towards her.

"Arnavji," she replied, blushing.

But unlike his brother, ASR wasn't a man of many words...or a man of the same word, many times.

He was about to bend and catch her lips with his own, when I made the mistake of stumbling over one of this beloved potted plants.

"What the...!?" he asked, as Khushi pushed his away at he noise, looking around consciously.

He turned his angry glare towards me and I cowered away.

Making ASR angry was NOT a good thing. That man could fry and eat me away, literally.

I run away from there as quickly as I can, and sneak into Mamaji and Mami's room.

"Hello Hi Bye Bye," I hear mami say. "I need to buy new makeupiya, for the tripya. I will be back later-ya?"

She sashayed out of there, and I saw Mamaji hang his head in defeat.

"I cannot take this anymore," he said, quickly getting up and starting to pack a bag. "I need to leave before she comes back. She drowns me off my money now, with her makeup and shopping. Imagine taking her to the US, I would run out of money and have to end up working as a taxi driver!"

I can feel you, I think sympathetically.

He completes packing a bag, and turns around, only to stop in his tracks when he sees me.

"You might as well come with me," he offers. "I am sure you had enough of the family as well."

I make a gesture that I hope conveys a nod, and trail after him.

On our way out of the house, through the back door, bending behind bushes so that we remain unseen, we bump into a figure.

Mamaji and I exclaim in shock, and the other figure does the same.

Mamaji picks up his bag in both hand, presumably to knock the intruder over the head, but is stopped by the next words out of the intruder, who turns out to be XP, Xtra Prakash's mouth, "Honestly, I hate working here," he says, his hands raised. "They are so weird."*

Mamaji nods and brings the bags down. "You can come with us too," he offers, out of the goodness of his heart.

XP gives a smile filled with gratitude and follows us.

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

3 Years Later

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

"That's our 10th million, in the bank!" MR explains.

No, not Manohar Raizada. It's Michael Romero now.

"Truly, there is no one of your caliber," XP nods.

You guessed it right, it stands for Xavier Pablo now.

"I can't believe a reality show with you as our star could make us millionaires," MR says, in disbelief.

But I knew.

I knew that LTOLS, "Lacksmi takes over Los Angeles" would take over the world one day.

I lean back in my pool-side chair, aviators on, and sigh out a "Baaa" in contentment.

Life was good.

-----

[xxlost-cityxx]

ABSOLUTELY NO MINORS

Ship/Characters: Top!Kirishima Eijirou, Bottom!Bakugou Katsuki

TW/CW: camming(Bakugou's a camboy), rough anal sex, anal fingering, choking, spanking, begging, crying, overstimulation, praising, degrading, enthusiastic consent

Summary: Bakugou's famous for being in the top 3 best doms for a camboy porn site, but as he tries to out rank an up and rising couple, his fans get to see the moment he realises he's a submissive bottom

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

Katsuk has been a camboy for a little over 2 years now, starting right off the bat once he graduated high school. As he was 18 and living on his own and with a low paying job, he quickly realized he needed another source of income to live even slightly comfortably in today's world. Then came a random ad that just so happened to catch his eye, a porn site catching a lot of popularity, a few cam stars seeming to live a life of luxury from simply filming themselves for anyone to see. 

Katsuki had to try it out. 

He's had his fair share of horny old men groping him out in public, so why not get paid for them to watch him instead? 

That plan was one of his best ideas yet. He rose to fame so quickly he choked on water after posting his 4th video ever, seeing that his rough, aggressive attitude turned a lot of people on. A lot meant 14,000 at the time. A month into camming and he was making over 54,000 yen a week! And now, with nearly 500,000 perverts at his mercy, it was much more. He started live streaming last year, and it went amazing. Until a new couple joined the camming business. Suddenly 'loving boyfriend rails his curvy brown haired slut' was all anyone wanted to see. This broccoli headed bitch stole half the damn site from almost every other cammer out there! 

So there was only one thing Katsuki could do now. 

He had to fuck someone on one of his streams. 

He blew up the first time he fucked a flesh light, degrading the inanimate object like no tomorrow, easily being labeled one of the best doms out there. So the only way to get back on top was to dom a real person. 

But he wasn't going to fuck one of his weird ass fans, god no. He needed to find someone close to him who would keep their mouth shut. 

After brainstorming and browsing the most popular porn categories, he got an idea. The best way to narrow down his options for what type of person he'd need is by his audience. He quickly went to his profile insights, his eyes narrowing as over 60% were females. He quickly smirked, easily going back to the most popular categories and filtering out what he didn't want to do and what his audience wouldn't be into. And the one that came out ontop, was gay shit. Katsuki was going to dom a guy. And if it meant coming out on top over all the useless cammers, he'd fuck the shit out of a twink. 

"Sorry man, I would've considered it back when we first graduated, but Hitoshi and Kyo would rather stab you than let me take your dick up my ass." Denki said, casually sighing and taking a sip of his coffee. The elders around the coffee shop gasped, giving nasty side eyes which Katsuki couldn't care less about. "What!?" He nearly shouted, Sero and Mina covering their mouths to prevent any laughter from coming out to the point their faces were turning red. 

"Why not ask Sero-" "-Oh hell no! I'm not letting Katsudon fuck me on camera!" Sero shouted, ignoring Bakugou's glare from calling him Katsudon. 

"You really need to fuck a guy for this? Why not stick to your usual content? No.2 is better than much else, right?" "Hell no! I'm the best and I'm going to prove I'm the fuckin' best! Denki's the only twink I know, so help me find another!" Katsuki yelled, a few families being rushed out of the shop. 

After going through everyone that fit Bakugou's qualifications. They had nothing. Bakugou was ready to tear someone's head off at this point. After doing so much research, he didn't have the final piece. 

"Hey Mina, you're a chick. What do you suggest 'suki do?" Denki sighed, folding in on himself. "I mean, we do love our gay shit man." He said in an inhale. "But why not get fucked instead? We know way more doms than we do twinks." She said, tilting her head. "Oh- Hell no!" Bakugou shouted, Sero wincing. "I'm the best fuckin' dom on this shitting porno site and I'm going to prove it!" "Sounds like a bratty bottom to me." Sero mumbled. 

After more shouting and arguing. Kirishima finally arrived. "Sorry, my last client had a lot of knots in their back and thighs! Took a lot longer than I expected." He said with his happy smile, still wearing his scrubs and smelling like coconut oil. "Eiji~! Gimme a deep tissue massage!" Denki whined, rushing over and jumping face first into the bed. "He just gave massages all day dude, give him a break.." Sero mumbled, shaking his head. 

And it was like a light bulb. His brain flashing to massage porn intro's being in the top 100 categories. "Kirishim!" Bakugou shouted firmly, standing up straight. Kiri froze, slowly turning to look at him with fearful eyes. "Y-Yes…?" "Let me fuck you for my cam stream." And it went dead silent. 

And that's how they're here. Setting up the ring lights, almond oil on the shelves and a small white towel for Bakugou to cover his ass with. The plan was that Eijirou would get handsy during the massage and Katsuki would turn around and start domming him. Kirishima is bigger than Bakugou in the height and muscle department, but that was only going to make the plot better. Eijrou definitely wasn't telling him something. After hesitating to agree in the first place, and only after Bakugou promised a share of the money, Kirishima was just so...unnatural at this situation, his movements starting off as more dominating until he took it down to a submissive level.   

Katsuki started the live, giving his quickly joining fans a cocky smirk before standing up, walking back and laying down on the black table. 

The comments were filled with surprise and questions as to who the red haired hulk was beside the table, but they went unanswered. 

Kirishima grabbed the bottle of almond oil, pouring some into his hands and quickly starting on Katsuki's thighs, gently rubbing into the muscles with experienced ease. 

Bakugou's eyes widened at the feeling, his core already getting hot with desire. And as Kirishima's fingers went under the towel to his inner thighs, he fought a gasp. Comments filled with perverted comments telling the redhead to get more handsy and to give the blond a hand job with all the oil. 

But as Eijirou put a knee on the table and nearly climbed over Katsuki to perfectly get his back, Katsuki started panting at the feeling. It wasn't the massage that was getting him. It was the feeling of Eijirou's crotch rubbing against the thin towel, his cock slightly hard underneath his black scrubs. 

As it was about time for the script to move onto Katsuki domming Kirishima, Bakugou was stifling whimpers of shock and embarrassment. His cock aching for him to fuck Kirishima…..actually. His body was aching to be fucked by Kirishima. 

As Katsuki was turned around, His eyes were teary, his fans taking quick, shocked notice and flooding the comments with surprise, degrading, perverted insults about how he looked like a twink instead. 

Kirishima's eyes slightly widened at the sight, and as Bakugou swallowed his embarrassment and shock, he focused on his arousal and his own perverse desires. "F-Fuck me….instead.." He whispered, his eyes slightly squinting and blurring with tears. 

Before he knew it, Eijirou was leaning over top of him with a slick hand around his neck. Bakugou couldn't help but moan at the pressure, his stream struggling to keep up with the influx of viewers and comments about the top 3 best doms getting put in his place by a rando. 

Bakugou's mind wasn't on the donations anymore, not on the follower count or his ranking at this point. He was gasping for air as Kirishima roughly kissed and bit at his body, keeping an iron grip on Katsuki's neck. "Oh fuck yes- Was hoping to god I would be able to fuck your tight ass one day-!" Kirishima breathed against his skin, licking up his nipple to his jaw and nipping at him. 

He suddenly ripped himself off the blonde, walking over to the camera and grabbing it, making a winky face at the viewers as he moved the camera to get a better view of Bakugou teary eyed, flushed and a line of red, darkening hickies and bites. 

He got back on the table, roughly gripping Katsuki's thighs and harshly pushing them apart, an action that would probably make some other guy pull a muscle. He wrapped his arms around his spread thighs, pulling his hips up to meet his crotch, the pale skin against his dark black scrubs finally letting Bakugou and the viewers know what the newbie was packing, and it was a lot. 

"H-Holy fuck-" Bakugou whispered out as his towel was ripped off of him, oil being grabbed off the table and the cap popped open. Kirishima paused, looking up to Bakugou, a silent plea for last minute permission. Katsuki's red eyes met crimson, and he swiftly nodded his head, accidentally earning more donations from the show of submission. 

Eijirou lathered his fingers in oil, tracing the blond's pink hole carefully, giving the camera another adjustment so the viewers could see his perfect view as well; a red faced, teary eyed dom with his tight ass being slicked up so nicely. 

The oil made Katsuki's muscle relax easily, becoming soft under the thick tanned finger, and as he swiftly plunged in the singular finger, Katsuki gasped with shock, his eyes going wide at the foregin feeling. 

Kirishima slowly pumped his finger, adding slightly more oil every time his muscle got a bit too tight, slipping in more fingers every time his rim was soft. It felt like such a short amount of time between preparing to dom his best friend to being finger fucked by him. Eijirou's forearm had veins slightly protruding as he slammed his fingers into his friend at a pace that made vibrators look pathetic. Katsuki's pretty little back was arched so nicely, his muscles flexing and his toes curling, tears falling from his eyes as moan after moan was ripped from him. 

"P-Please! I can't! I can't take it anymore!" He finally sobbed, shaking his head at the man's brutal pace, purposely avoiding his prostate after hitting it every couple times. 

Kirishima smirked, slowly sliding his fingers out only to slide his thumbs inside, stretching the soft muscle as he pleased, showing off the blond's perfectly hot pink insides, his swollen rim slick and twitching. "So nice and pretty for me, hm? You wanna take my fat cock for the first time? Expose how much of a slut you are for cock? For my cock?" Kirishima said seductively, moving the camera again. 

Katsuki nodded his head rapidly, his eyes glued to the hard to see bulge under his black scrubs. "Use your words, baby." Eijirou said firmly, palming himself. "Y-Yes- I want it-! I w-want your fat cock-!" He said, face flushing with embarrassment again. "Good boy~" He cooed, finally grabbing the hem of his pants and pulling them down. 

It was almost like he struggled to pull the front down far enough, his cock just kept following, and once it finally got over his tip, his penis sprung up to lightly slap against his stomach before it weighed itself down. The camera got Bakugou's surprise and shock perfectly, the comments finally going quiet, almost as if everyone had to take in what they were seeing as well. 

Kirishima grabbed the base of his cock, lifting it and letting it slap against Bakugou's hole, earning a slightly muffled whimper from the blond. He gently moved his hips, letting his cock slide smoothly against his hole, his tip teasing the smaller's balls. The comments were filled with encouragement and orders to get on with it. 

Kirishima chuckled darkly, letting his tip catch on the rim, slowly pushing in. Bakugou's eyebrows furrowed before his mouth dropped and eyes widened with the pressure. He let out a guttural moan, his legs starting to shake. 

As Eijirou bottomed out with a groan, Katsuki was shaking and whimpering, his own well endowed cock red and dripping precome. 

The redhead pulled out before slamming back in, the blond shooting up with shock only to be met with a hand on his neck again, pinning him down as the Kirishima harshly forced his way between Bakugou's legs even more, only giving the blond a couple seconds to adjust before he started snapping his hips into the smaller man's ass. Bakugou took in one breath of air before lewd moans poured from him, his voice cracking every time his skin was slapped with another brutal thrust. 

"Agh- P-Please-!" Katsuki nearly screamed out, Eijirou grabbing the back of his knees and pressing them back to meet his shoulders, effectively putting him in a mating press. "Please what, baby? Tell me what you fucking want!" Eijirou growled out, groaning as Katsuki's tight, slicked up boy cunt tried to milk him, pulsing and sucking him in with every movement. "I-I want it harder! Please- Please fuck me harder! Give me more!" Bakugou nearly sobbed, looking at where their bodies were connected with teary wide eyes. "Such a fuckin' slut-! Making all these people think you were a fucking dom, only to start begging for the first fat cock you see! Want it harder? Wanna feel my fat dick in you for days?" He growled, eagerly moving to grab Katsuki's ankles and awkwardly spreading them over Katsuki's head before turning him, ripping his cock out of his pillowy ass and nearly picking the blond up by his ass, grabbing the nape of his neck and forcing him on his knees with his head down. 

He slammed back in, the blond nearly screaming once again as he set another brutal pace. "Y-Yes! Please, god yes! Fuck me more! Don't stop!" Katsuki sobbed, drool and tears staining his lewd face. "Wouldn't fucking dream of it! You love having your little boy cunt fucked, huh? Love how I fucking ruin you on this dick?" Kirishima growled, slapping a hand down on his fat ass, groaning loudly at the sight of all the excess muscle and fat jiggle even more. 

Katsuki's ass slapped against Eijirou's abs every time he slammed into the boy, his back muscles looking so pretty at this angle. 

"Oh shit- I'm gonna cum! Please make me cum! Don't fucking stop~!" Bakugou moaned, arching his back and lifting his ass up higher so Eijirou could hit his prostate at the best angle. "Haven't even touched your cock and you're gonna cum? Fucking do it! Cum on this cock, make it yours and I'll fuck you every day!" Kirishima promised, sharpening his thrusts to where all Bakugou could do is claw at the padded table and scream, staring into the camera as his orgasm was building higher and higher. 

"I- Fuck! I'm fucking cummin'!" Bakugou screamed, his body shaking under Kirishima as his thrusts went unbroken, hurtling Katsuki into overstimulation. He started screaming for relief, but as Kirishima planted his hands into the curvature of Bakugou's spine, he started thrusting purely for his own relief. Groaning and growling above a sobbing Katsuki. "S-Stop! I can't! Slow down~ Please!" Katsuki begged, his cock trying to harden again. His body was on fire, every nerve fried with pleasure he'd never experienced, and Katsuki knew he was addicted. 

"Almost fuckin' there! Gonna cum in your ass- Claim you, make you mine!" Eijirou groaned out, his balls drawing up tight as his own climax ripped through him, filling up the man's stomach with his cum. 

He slowly pulled out, Katsuki in the same position even after Eijirou let go of him. He grabbed the camera, pointing it at Bakugou's gaping and cum filled hole, watching how he pulsed against nothing, forcing the cum to leak out of him despite his angle. 

Not only did Katsuki make absolute bank while taking monster cock like a slut, he took the No.1 spot by over a thousand followers and ratings. 

[hwasong]

#ᴀᴛᴢ | 𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗮!𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘇 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝗮𝗶𝗹

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: they get caught and you have to bail them out before the police find out they’re apart of a gang

ᴀ/ɴ: gn reader, implied violence

⤷ inspired by @lovesanmotion ‘s prompt from this headcanon <3

⟣ 𝗞𝗜𝗠 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗝𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗚

“Someone bailed you out” The guard announces as he sticks the key in the lock, scoffing as he meets Hongjoong’s eyes.

The guard continues, stopping Hongjoong in the doorway, a cocky expression crossing his face “Next time, you won’t have chance for a bail”

“There won’t be a next time” Hongjoong stares at the older guard with a belittling smile, eyes briefly meeting the mans before he’s brushing past him, shoulder bumping into the police officers as a simple sign of disrespect.

Unfortunately for Hongjoong, you don’t look as happy. No, you’re literally glaring him down with your arms crossed over your chest paired with an unreadable expression.

“Sorry to keep you waiting ba-”

“Just get in the car, Kim”

⟣ 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗦𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗛𝗪𝗔

Seonghwa had got caught the previous night in the middle of an exchange and was immediately ambushed with little-to-no time to escape. He was immediately put in handcuffs and had to rely on Yeosang to get the message of him being arrested to the group. Well, at least before they authorities realised who he is.

He heard some commotion, though, fellow “prisoners” in the bailing cells whistling or rattling the bars as what seemed to be a visitor walked down the halls, barely out of his line of sight.

“Alright, you’re very lucky your [pronoun]’s here to bail you out” He hears keys jangling and sure enough, you’re standing beside the taller officer with an unimpressed look on your face. You told Seonghwa not to go that night. You had a bad feeling from the second he volunteered to go but he ignored you.

“Oh. Thanks baby” Seonghwa smiles awkwardly, hand scratching the back of his neck as a sign of embarrassment or shame. A simply eyebrow raise concretes his feeling of guilt at the small movement.

“Yeah? You owe me £150”

⟣ 𝗝𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗬𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗢

Yunho is in charge of weapon exchanges and he was unfortunately baited by the authorities. The meet-up spot had been ambushed and the receivers had tattled to the police who then sat in a stake out. Luckily, it was only a regular gun and not a military grade one. Yunho would have definitely been thrown in jail straight away and not in holding.

He heard you though, making a commotion at the front desk, presumably slamming stacks of money down on the desk until the guard let him out. It worked of course! A good bribe always does the trick.

Yunho offers you a small smile when you appear in front of him paired with the expression of a kicked puppy. For a man who had been caught exchanging weapons, he looked eerily similar to a child who had been caught doing something they weren’t supposed to do.

“You’re going to make this up to me, you know that?”

“I’m already planning it..”

⟣ 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗬𝗘𝗢𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗚

Yeosang stole money from an ATM. Yeosang also got caught. Did I mention Yeosang, the notorious “H3H3TM0N” or “ATZ Pretty Boy” got caught using a fake card to steal money from an ATM, as a skilled hacker? No? Well now you know.

You’re undoubtedly pissed off, already having dealt with the other members barely escaping getting caught a few days prior and having scolded the boys earlier for their behaviour. You left Yeosang without supervision for an hour and now here he is in a holding cell with his head hung low.

“Just bring me to him” You sigh, rubbing your hand against your head as a sign of frustration, trying to wear away at your stress before you muster the strength to shout at Yeosang once again.

“This is why you don’t date thugs” The officer makes an off handed comment which you scoff at, ignoring him as Wooyoung runs over to the cell to begin mocking the hacker. ( Yes you brought Wooyoung. A little moral support wouldn’t harm anyone. )

Yeosang hangs his head in shame as he quietly walks out of the holding cell, offering his hand to you and you grab it with a little more strength than necessary.

“Hongjoong and I will deal with you”

⟣ 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜 𝗦𝗔𝗡

You knew that Choi San’s cocky attitude would always get him in trouble, and especially one day with the authorities. His ego and extreme confidence would only lead to his demise one day. Lethal or not.

He still smiles behind the bars, pearly whites on a display frame behind a perfect grin. His eyes sparkle under the lighting too - although the yellow lights surely does no one a favour here, he makes it work.

“Wipe that smile off your face, boy” The officer scowls as he aggressively jams the key into the lock, glaring at San’s positive attitude. San continues to smile though, throwing a hand out to gesture at your very displeased being.

“How can I not when my baby is here!” He almost giggles, charging past the officer and nearly knocking him off of his feet as he jogs over to you. You’re still frowning as San throws his arms around you and nuzzles his head against your own.

“Your baby ain’t happy to see ya” The officer observes as he walks past the two of you, raising an eyebrow at your position between San’s arms.

“My darling, I’ll make this up to you~”

⟣ 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗜

Mingi, although extremely tall, looks harmless with his boyish smile and soft eyes. No one would expect him to be apart of anything dangerous, so when he was caught with some suspicious items on his being he was thrown into holding and they contacted his ‘guardian’. Who knew his baby face would come in handy?

“Oh? I thought that you would be older..” The man sitting at the front desk observes as you inform him why you’re at the station. You simply hum though, waiting for him to receive the BFG. (ironic - really)

He comes out with a charming smile on his face, receiving a lecture from the man who still assumed that Mingi was a teenager about to participate in antisocial behaviour.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to ground him!”

⟣ 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗢𝗢𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗚

Wooyoung was caught due to his cockiness. Although his ego had been brought down a few pegs by yourself he still had his narcissistic moments. That was exactly why he got thrown into holding when he didn’t get caught through a crime, but when he mouthed off an on-duty officer.

The young man was only thrown in for about 10 minutes before he started causing trouble by singing obnoxiously, telling the officers working anecdotes from his days and by ratting his jewellery against the cell bars.

“Take him.” The officer practically begs you, almost throwing Wooyoung at you by the collar of his silk blouse. Wooyoung is of course himself, throwing his arms around you as he plants kisses and announces his love for you as you graciously “saved him from these evil men!”

⟣ 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗛𝗢

Jongho had thankfully only been caught speeding with some suspicious items on his being so he was temporarily thrown into holding while they examined his vehicle. They contacted his emergency contact and it turns out that because Jongho is Ateez’s baby, the whole squad pulled up along with you.

The officers seemed a little taken back with the eight of you crowding the front area but they still brought Jongho back out to the group who were currently teasing Jongho who was about to get scolded by not only the leader but his partner.

As the two of you settled into the back of San’s black car, you leaned over to Jongho and whispered harshly “You’re going to regret being so stupid Choi Jongho”

please give me feedback on this longer style of writing 💛

[the-broken-truth]

The dimitrescus, Donna and Mother Miranda x 👨 reader. Reaction when reader is working out shirtless? (Love your works by the way, can't stop reading all of it!💕)

Broken Truth (Looks at Ask): This is interesting...LET'S GO!!!

- Alcina Dimitrescu -

Alcina was walking around the castle, looking for her lover.

When she woke up - he was not in bed.

When she went to the kitchen - he was not there either.

She searched the garden (He loved tending to the flowers), the library (He would read there with Bela), the armory (Daniela loved showing her father figure all the weapons she had), and the study (He would pat with Cassandra) - he was not in any of those places and none of the girls had seen him.

Then she remembered that her lover had been having a hard time lately when Mother Miranda commented that he didn't look like much and wasn't worthy of being by Alcina's Side.

He spent most of his money on him - none of Alcina's - to purchase metal contraptions to 'become worthy of his wife'.

He had been in that room for hours on end for about 5 months now.

'He might be in there.' Alcina wondered as continued down the hall to her Husband's Workout Room.

The closer she got to the room - the door was open and the light was on the room - the sound of grunting and metal clanking together got louder and louder.

She ducked her head a bit and walked into the room - holding her hat to make sure it didn't fall off - and rose to her full height. She opened her mouth the speak but once her sight was no longer obscured by the brim of her hat, her jaw dropped, her face began to warm up, and her body tingled.

Before her - her husband stood: his back was to her and he was wearing nothing except his boxers - his very tight boxes; she would see his defined butt and it was amazing.

In his hands were large weights that he lifted and flexed his muscles - Alcina could see every muscle flex.

His skin was shining with sweat and the smell of his musk was driving Alcina crazy - she wanted to jump his bones. So very bad.

What she didn't know was that her beloved had developed a sense to detect her and knew she was watching him...so he decided to tease his Lady and Mistress.

He dropped the weights in his hands and raised one of them opened palmed to the sky before summer suiting forward and landing on that hand to where his feet were pointing to the ceiling before beginning his set of one-handed push-ups. This time - facing her.

Alcina's eyes widened at her lover's chiseled body - the drops of sweat flowing through the cracks of his abs and biceps...then she made the mistake of looking up and saw the large bulge in his tight underwear.

That's it - she had enough.

"Beloved." She called out, making the man look at her with a smirk - her face was bright red and she was biting her bottom lip.

"Alcina, My Love. When did you arrive?" He asked faking confusion.

"That doesn't matter. I need you to accompany me to our bed chambers. Now."

"Our Bed Chambers?" The man asked as he flipped him to stand upright. "It is breakfast time, is it not?" He raised an eyebrow as he walked closer to the tall woman - his scent flooding her nose.

"Well..." Her eyes glowed dangerously, "I'm having Blood Sausage for breakfast."

She grabbed his wrist and marched to their room with him in tow, locking the door, and refused to leave that room until she was pregnant with the Latest Dimitrescu Spawn.

- Bela Dimitrescu -

Bela was bored and in need of some cuddles so she went looking for her lover - the only man-thing her mother and sisters approved of.

She looked at the grandfather clock and saw it as around 9:45 - her lover would be in his workout room to burn off any extra energy before showering and going to bed.

She floated down the hall to her husband's workout room and walked into the room without knocking - it was her man and she could do whatever she wanted regarding him.

What she wasn't prepared for was the sight on the other side of that door.

Her Husband was boxing with the sandbag.

In nothing but his boxers.

She could see everything - from the singular drops of sweat that ran down his sculpted body to every single flex of muscle with every move he made.

If the sight didn't have her done it - it was his smell.

The room was filled with the smell of musk that he was giving off and it was intoxicating - it radiated power and it was making her hungry.

"Darling?" His deep voice returned her from her fantasies of all the ways she wanted him to rock her world but the fact she could see his imprint from his shorts sent her mind back into the gutter. "Bela, is there something wrong?"

"Do you always...working out like this at night?" She questioned as she walked slowly to her man.

"Yes, it's hard to move in clothes; I keep my boxers on just make sure I don't scar any maids."

"Scar Them?" Bela tilted her head with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well...the one time I worked out naked, a maid came in without knocking and she looked like she saw a ghost."

Bela was pissed.

"A maid saw you naked?!" She hissed. "Where is that harlot?!"

"Your Mother turned her into wine 3 nights ago."

'Good, I won't have to kill her myself. As for you..."

"NGH!" He clenched his teeth as Bela's hand wrapped around his throbbing manhood.

"You're going to learn to lock your door when in this room...and punishment for failing to inform me about that whore."

The Next Morning - Bela & [Y/N] weren't at breakfast.

- Cassandra Dimitrescu -

Cassandra would already be with her beloved because they were each others' sparring partners.

Cassandra would be doing push-ups while her beloved would be jumping rope.

She would look at him and smirk - she loved the way his body moved during intense workouts and the smell he gave off was perfect; it made her hungrier and hungrier with each passing moment.

When it would be time for the spar - her lover would use one arm to test himself more than he needs to for he wanted to be worthy of dating a Dimitrescu Daughter.

While sparring - Cassandra would try to pin him and have her ay with him - whether that would be drinking his blood or having him devour her like a full course meal.

This time - it was different.

She threw a punch at him but it was grabbed by his free arm and used against her to wrap around her neck, once he was behind her, he used his knees to the back of hers to make her fall to them and then lay on the mat.

Once his other hand was free, it snaked around her body and into her shirt, where it grabbed and twisted one of her nipples - making the girl squirm under him.

"D...Darling? What are you...?" She began but was cut off when his teeth locked into her neck.

"Every time we train, you make me submit to you. This time - you're mine, Cassandra Dimitrescu."

And his was exactly what he made her.

Daniela walked down the hall looking for her sister when she heard moaning coming from behind the door leading to the training room - she leaned in to listen and went to find her mother.

"Mother?"

"Yes, Dear?" Alcina asked as she looked up from the book she was reading.

"Why didn't you tell us Daddy was coming to visit & he brought presents?"

"Darling, you don't have a father."

"Then why did I hear Cassandra saying "More, Daddy! More!" in the training room?"

Alcina went wide-eyed as the glass in her hand shattered and the one thing she thought was...

'I'm too young for grandkids...'

- Daniela Dimitrescu -

CHOMP!!

"OW!!!"

She smelled something delicious and followed that smell to her lover's training room and found him completely naked with the exception of his undergarments, shadow boxing himself.

He looked like a full snack with the sweat making his body glaze and his muscles looking like beefcakes - he was just begging to be bitten and that's exactly what she did.

"Daniela? What was that for?" He asked her as he looked over his shoulder at his wife - who was clinging to his back like a koala with her fangs in his shoulder blade.

"I couldn't help it, love. Your scent was driving me crazy and I was in the mood for a snack." Daniela tried to say but her fangs were still in his skin.

"Dani, I was training, and as much as I would move to be your mid-morning meal; I need to get back at it if I want to keep the form you love so much."

"I love you for who you are - the body is just a plus. I don't want you to train, I want you to take me to bed and cuddle me."

"But..."

"Do you love me?" Dani asked.

"Yes, without a doubt." He answered.

"Would you do anything for me?" She asked again.

"Without question." He said.

"Then I want you to stop training and take me to our bedroom so that we can cuddle and make little vamp-babies."

"...Okay."

- Donna Beneviento -

Donna would be walking around Beneviento Manor - looking for the man who stole her heart. Who accepted her and her dolls and loved them all equally.

He wasn't in his normal spots but she did remember that he recently got interested in getting in better shape and asked her if there was anywhere in Beneviento Manor she would be alright with him making it into a workout room - she gave him one of the rooms on one of the floors under the house floor.

Donna walked down the hall without Angie as she followed the sounds of something grunting in effort echoing down the hall's walls.

She reached the opened room but didn't want to just walk in and disturb her love so she peeked around the corner and her eye widened while she let a gaspy moan escape her lips,

Her lover was laying on the weight bench with a long metal bar in his large hands - giant iron circles on each end.

She looked closer at the circles - 500 Pounds. That made her shiver - she knew he was strong but to be able to bench that much was...alluring.

She looked at his shining skin.

Listening to her man's grunts with each lift of the bar.

The define lines in his muscles with each movement he made.

It made her hot. She rubbed her legs together before she hid behind the wall completely and pressed her forehead against the cold wall.

She needed to get a hold of herself - she was like she had no control of herself but when she was around him, it was like she forgot all she was and wanted nothing more than her man.

She was so focused on keeping herself from relieving herself right then and there that she didn't notice she was no longer alone until a familiar weight pressed against her back and she was completely pressed against the wall.

"It looks like you have a very serious itch, My Love." his voice growled as his hand moved closer and closer to her throbbing organ.

"I...I can explain..." She blushed in her weak, gasping voice; she was embarrassed but having her lover so close with his body radiating power made her weak.

"Let me...help you with that, My Lady." He growled before one hand reached the buttons on the top of her dress and the other was cupping her womanhood while she bit her lip in hopes of being silent.

A few moments later - he had her on that same bench that was still drenched in his sweat and scent, her hands gripping the metal poles that held the long rod over her head' sweat dripping from her body as she was stretched apart.

She was pleading for him to continue to Beneviento Bloodline with her.

Begging him to make her family's bloodline stronger than it ever was before.

Crying for him to make her a mother.

Who was he to deny his lady what she wished?

- Mother Miranda -

Miranda stood n her lab, looking at the results from the latest experiment and possible host for Eva but once again - it wasn't good enough and it makes her angry.

Once again - so close but so far away.

"Miranda? Love?" A familiar male voice called out to her.

She looked up at was met with the shirtless, bare-chested, sweaty body that was the man she entrusted her heart to.

He stood there in the doorway with a towel around his neck while one hand used an edge of the towel to wipe the sweat from his face.

The Village Leader blushed but then looked away from him to keep from looking upon her face.

"[Y/N]. Darling. I thought we talked about you walking around the lair like that. It's rather...distracting." She said.

"I do hope you'll forgive me but I sensed that something was bothering you and I wanted to make sure you were alright." The man said as he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and pulling her back into his bare chest.

"Your...concern for me is welcomed, Darling, but I must return to work. Please, do prepare yourself for dinner; I shall be down in a moment." Miranda said as she reached for a book, only to her lover's hand to stop her.

"Miranda." He turned her to face him - worry and compassion in his eyes. "You've been working on this for over a week straight; you haven't taken any time for yourself...or for me." He was sad - afraid his lover had forgotten about him.

"My Love, I'm sorry I have made you feel this way but...I'm so close, Darling. I can return her to us and...MPH!" She was cut off by a deep kiss. She melted into it before he pulled away from her.

"Enough of this for one night, My Love. Let me take care of you...and make you see you don't need to Cadou for a child. Just...me" He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around him; submitting to his command and desire.

It would be a year later that Miranda would invite the Lords to meet Eva and Ethan Winters arrived in the village - only for his wife and child to be given back to him and escorted out of the village; never to be seen again.

[the-kingshound]

The third Arch Deleted Scene

The snippet here is a bit rushed at the beginning and in some other parts, as I did not want to go into even more spoiler territory. If you want to send me asks about this please be sure to advertise them as spoiler at the beginning, since not everyone will want to read them.

SPOILER

TW: blood, injury, poisoning, strong language.

3rd Arch – the seventh Trial

 Your stomach was knotted by dark swirling anxiety from the moment Arthur announced the diplomatic visit. You were familiar with the House, it kept being, after all, one of the most influent beside yours before and after the Emperor’s fall. This did not mean anything, though. Your homeland was beautiful but deadly, ready to swallow anyone whole to quickly digest them.

You promised yourself you were going to be at Arthur’s side at all times, and that’s precisely what you are doing now.

 Four days in, and the only major threat has been the amount of people wanting to interact with you. For the most part, Arthur smoothly deflects them to himself, for which you are endlessly grateful. You’re not in the mood to socialize, instead you keep on high alert, especially against the House leader and formal Ambassador.

You do not think he will pull anything while you’re here, after all you grew up together and you respected each other deeply, but one cannot be too cautious when the King is concerned – as demonstrated by the multiple scars that litter your body. You would go through all of it again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping your King safe, but all you can do for now is stay by his side and keep the risks at minimum.

For this reason, when the Ambassador proposes a meal together with both yours and his knights, you are instantly weary.

“I don’t like this one bit, Arthur.”

“Me neither,” agrees Evaine, all the while lazily making their dagger spin on the table.

“I don’t deny that is not an ideal situation. On the other hand, a wrong move on their part would jeopardise their own negotiation,” counters Arthur as Morien finally snaps, blocking Evaine’s wrist with a tight grip and hissing an irritated “stop fooling around, for God’s sake!”

Evaine pouts. Yniol ignores them in favour of the matter at hand “they are certainly going to outnumber us, but if they wanted to attack us head on they would have done so before now, there were better opportunities. MC?”

You really think it through before answering “I wouldn’t put it past the Ambassador to try something, direct or more subtle, while we’re so exposed and out of our physician. Lania is not the head of his House for nothing, but aside from that he was always particularly attached to the Empire. We can’t afford to underestimate him.”

“Yes, yes” interjects Morien, having by now freed Evaine’s hand and left the table, dismissing themselves from the meeting “I’ll be prepared in any case. I swear you manage to hurt yourselves everywhere we go.”

And so dinner begins. It is a boring affair, but you won’t let yourself relax until it’s over. You sip on your wine, closely inspecting the hosts for any sudden or unusual movement. You find none, but you stiffen and your brows furrows. There’s something strange in your mouth, something strangely… bitter.

Time seems to freeze in front of your eyes. With an uncoordinated, panicked movement you jerk on the table and bat away Arthur’s cup, spilling its content on the table.

You place your hand on the table to support you as you rise, your dilatated pupils numbly fixed on the red liquid that’s quickly staining the tablecloth. It feels like an hour but actually only a second has passed before you regain your senses.

“Seize them.”

Arthur and his Knights are no longer seated by now, but the Ambassador’s men have drawn their weapons as well and pointed them to your delegacy, effectively halting their movements. You see icy red and do not spare another glance at the man now placed on your back while you snarl in the envoy direction.

Placing your fingers on the hilt of your sword, you hiss an enchantment to track the magic residue and the culprit is revealed in front of your eyes. Ignoring the taste of iron on your tongue, you spit out another enchantment and the room’s door is locked close with a lout snap. They will not get away.

Unfortunately, you lack the ability to free Arthur and the Knights, you are now surrounded and painfully outnumbered, but you know they can hold on until you have taken care of the threat at hand. You cough blood and half crash on the floor, but you ignore the alarmed voices of your Knights and crawl in the Ambassador’s direction.

How dare he. How dare.

“My, Lord…”

“Let them,” a voice says to your back “they will not go far.”

“How dare you” your breaths are ragged, your intestines raw and burning, your voice rough for the acid that invades your throat. The Ambassador’s face is a mask of contempt and stony resolution. He watches, halting his men while they try to block you, as you half-crawl to him, gripping with iron strength the wooden chairs to keep yourself upright.

“I have the upper hand, King Arthur. I’m afraid you are in no position to make such demands.”

“Release us, and call a physician for my spouse, and I will consider letting this incident go without consequences.”

Arthur’s voice is steady, calm and there is only a hint of something sharper, at least for now.

You can’t see your King, but the sound of his voice sends shivers down your spine. They tried to kill him. The House you grew up to respect is full of nothing more than vile traitors.

As your strength start to waver, you lose your balance and crush to the ground with the chair you were pushing your weight on. Still, you get up again and you and fix your gaze on the second born, now Ambassador and traitor “I’ve had enough of you.”

You take a shuddering breath, your lungs filled with blood that’s now spilling over to your lips as you speak, but the pain you feel is nothing compared to the hot, blinding rage that’s consuming your every thought. Still, your voice is, as ever, cutting cold “you invite us here, offering a pacific discussion, and all you provide are poison in our drinks and weapons against my Knights and my King’s throat. You’ve exhausted my patience, Lania.”

You see him flinch at the use of his name. You remember a time long gone when you played together as kids, swearing you would be the ones to restore the Empire uniting your two Houses. Now these are broken promises and rotten friendships.

“MC,” the Ambassador says, “it’s over, you have to understand that.”

“Oh, you just wait,” interjects Evaine, almost immediately silenced by the Ambassador’s men.

You cough and choke on blood, and you can feel the physical weight of Arthur’s and the Knights’ worried eyes on your back, but you exhale and grip tighter your sword’s hilt. A wave of raw power invades your body and you are able to focus again.

“You know what I’m capable of, what I am willing to do for my King,” your voice is almost devoid of intonation, save for unforgiving hardness. His gaze falls on your non dominant arm and then on your throat, scarred by a thin horizontal line “I will gut you and feed you to my hounds. You’ll die like the backstabbing coward you are.”

They know as well as you do that you don’t make empty promises. There is a rustle around you that culminates in a sharp sigh from the Ambassador and swords pointed at your neck.

“Must we really do this, MC? I cared for you once, but you know that I will not hesitate to strike you down if you give me reason to do so.”

You don’t draw black nor move a single muscle, your eyes find Arthur’s blue ones and you find the King is dangerously immobile, his fingers brushing against Excalibur’s hilt in what could be mistaken for a soothing caress. When he speaks, his voice bears nothing else but firm command “you will not do that.”

Lania cocks his head to the side, appearing quite unbothered “oh?”

“How is your sister, Ambassador?”

At the same time as Lania stills, you blink. A violent cough than shakes your chest, and when your senses are fully back and you can breathe again Arthur has kept going with the same calm, calculated demeanor “I want to remind you that together with the Lord the wedded she’s now head of the Merthian feud, the nearer one to the south-eastern border.”

“What does it-“

“I am the one in control of the knights tasked with their protection. As per the arrangement we signed weeks ago, the border is under Camelot’s defence. But if I die, or if my spouse dies, my knights will retire, Ambassador.”

Oh, Arthur is not King for nothing. He is striking where it hurts the most – family – without even an drop of blood shed. You don’t hide a proud, feral smile at this. Almost immediately, blood invades your throat again, you can feel its taste on your togue, but you shove the pain back where it started in your burning stomach. You shiver. You love and hate seeing your King like this.

Lania swiftly unsheathe a long, curved dagger and you are immediately ready to bolt– swords to your throat be damned, you’ve had worse – but he makes no move in Arthur’s direction for now.

“Figured you had to hit low to get a reaction.”

“Release us,” Yniol commands, standing tall near the King.

“No” spits out Lania, his composure now fully broken “you stole our independence and our pride, Pendragon, you humiliated us and stripped our Houses of the opportunity to unite again. You are every bit of your father’s blood!”

He then turns to you, his eyes frantic, his expression pained and almost feral “I thought you were on my side!”

Blood rushes to your ears, a high-pitched whistle the only thing you’re able to hear at the moment. You feel sick. Sicker than before – sicker than what you’ve felt in years. You spit blood on the floor, your answer is weak and unnaturally subdued, “it was a- a long time ago.”

“We were like siblings!”

You can’t say anything, you only choke on your words. All that you manage to do is keep yourself upright only thanks to your sword.

“They are right, you really are your King’s hound, nothing more than Camelot’s bitch,” he tries the next word in his mouth like they were both foul and inevitable “the haghàn bajek*.”

Your vision is overcome by whit spots, your skin hot and freezing cold.

“Kill them all.”

You force yourself to focus. Protect your Knights. Protect your King.

After that it is pure, unbidden chaos. You tighten your grip on your sword, assessing where you’re needed the most. With the corner of your eye you spot Arthur, he’s a beautiful fighter, he is no match for – Lania.

Your magic flares alongside most of your nerve endings as you sprint in his direction, interjecting his blow with your own weapon. Unfortunately, the Ambassador is a skilled opponent and you’re already considerably weakened, all you can do is channel in your arms the strength of your steel determination to not let him reach your King.

“Stop trying to defend an enemy, MC!”

“Stop trying… to kill him.”

You are barely managing to defend yourself when Lania strikes back. You catch the dagger with your arm, it pierces through your skin just over your elbow but it won’t reach its intended target. No one will hurt your King while you’re still breathing. No one.

Pain paralyzes your arm, your breath is stuck in your throat together with a blood clot that feels intrusive and that fills you with panic. The finishing blow never comes, though. As you inhale again, you refocus on the room’s occupants and notice how Arthur’s Knights have the clear upper hand.

“Ah, and you thought you could beat the Round Table so easily,” Evaine all but purrs in a knight’s ear “that’s precious.”

“Stand down” Gawaine commands “you’re surrounded.”

You can hardly distinguish the shapes of your own knights, you’re nauseous, your stomach and throat are on fire. You fall down on your knees, exhausted and hurt. You feel like you’re going to throw up–

“MC’”

Where is Lania, where is –  

“Wh-where…?”

“Kai, get Morien here, please.”

Arthur’s voice is soothing, as ever, but tainted with worry. You can’t make his face out. There are arms supporting your weight, not his but equally familiar – Yniol?

“It’s going to be alright, dear.”

It’s the last thing you hear before the world goes black.

  *haghàn bajek = [REDACTED] traitor

[stellocchia]

This is part 3 of the Comprehensive Analysis of c!Tommy and c!Dream’s relationship during the Exile Arc

Part 1 -  Part 2

Here we go again! When I started this I did NOT think it would be this long or take this much time, that said the Exile Arc is very nice to rewatch. There are a lot of little moments I didn’t notice on first watch. 

Anyway, as always from here on out it’ll all be about the characters and we will be discussing some heavy topics so do keep that in mind!

We are now onte the 4th proper Exile stream: Tommy Is Holding It Together in Exile with Dream

This one peculiarly enough does not start with Tommy drowning. Also I want to mention that this is the second time during exile where Tommy mentions that he thinks he is allucinating. The first time it was in regard to seeing a group of mobs, this time it was in regard to Tubbo being on-line. Also at the beginning of the stream he finds a present left from HBomb consisting of 1 fire resistance potion 1 strenght II potion, Wait and a photo of the Queen, Tubbo and Vikkstar.

“We need to do something and quick today. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but every single day at the start of my stream Dream logs on uh... and I’m starting... *sigh* he said that Technoblade was over there” (moment when he decides to go scout out Techno’s cabin)

“Okay, what if- just- just to investigate it because I know- I know that big man Dream wouldn’t be too happy if he knew so...” (the manipulation is turning out to be quite effective)

By the way, the reason Tommy states for wanting to see Techno at this point is literally just too feel again like there was someone near (he did say “to smell” someone near, which does tie in with him saying he could “almost smell” Dream when he was searching Techno’s cabin when only Ghostbur and Tommy were there, which I’m sure we could analize further, but I won’t), not to team with him. Once again, :t no point was it Tommy’s intention for them to team up. 

“I’m very lonely out here heh, I’m very lonely back home” (casual use of “home” to referr to Logstedshire)

“I wanna go back, I wanna go back. I don’t like this no I don’t like this now we’ve been away for too long” (panicked speach patterns get worse the longer he is away)

“Friend??? No, horse” (Lmao)

“Dream wouldn’t want me going in here...” “Dream wouldn’t like it if I was here! Dream wouldn’t like it if I stole! He’d loose his shit, he’d loose his shit. Surely not...” *Dream joins the game* “oh Oh OH NO! I’m in deep fried shit!”

I want to point out that I personally think a bit of time has passed since last stream, mainly because of this progression. At this point it’s not only fear of physical pain prompting him to act a certain way, it’s also Dream’s conditioning: suddenly what Dream wants it’s extremely important and the same goes with what he would and wouldn’t approve of. And, if I remember correctly, this particular scene was quite the eye opener for a lot of the audience at the time. 

“Okay we run back we run back we run back we run back *screams* okay which way’s back? which way’s back? which way’s back? He [Dream] can’t know he can’t know” (panicked speach patterns once again, getting worse)

“I knew I shouldn’t have gone there, that was stupid that was stupid that was stupid” (self-loathing)

“Now how do I get home?” “No no, chat, we should just get home!” “We should probably get home quick” “Is anyone at home? Maybe Wilbur came home” (Logsteshire has now the title of “home”, but it’s definitely not safe)

“No!” *creeper blows up* “*sigh* I deserve that” (self-loathing)

“You know let’s clean up our land. What we need to do before... before He arrives. Maybe we should make a little safe spot, nah, there isn’t enough time today. You know I reckon after last night He is gonna be okay with us, He is gonna be much more...” (hard time speaking or thinking about Dream)

Tommy proceeds to seat down with the compass listening to Far and looking towards L’Manburg for a while. Then Tubbo (hallucination, which is quite worrying) comes out of the portal with the compass in hand and they stare at each other for a bit, after that he keeps seeing Tubbo (always hallucination) throughout the stream. 

“I actually just woke up Tommy and I came straight here, to visit you” “Why would you go stra- straight here?” “Because I wanted to see you~” “Why?” “Uh, because we’re friends” “Oh yeah... hi Dream!” “Hello”

Dream arrives and blows up Tommy’s armour and weapons (I actually did not remember about Dream taking the weapons every time as well, but it does make sense in Dream’s f*cked up way considering that his intent was leaving Tommy entirely defenceless so that he would be more dependent on him). This time though, Dream makes Tommy light up the tnt, with minimal resistance from Tommy at this point (he just says: “I don’t really want to”, but he can’t bring himself to resist more then that). 

I do find quite interesting that every time they seem to have the blowing up and insecurities part of the conversation at first and then basically re-start all over. It happened last stream as well. Also, Dream keeps accentuating 2 points to Tommy: how everything back in L’Manburg is better without him there and how, while it is basically effortless to come visit Tommy, he is the only one making the effort (even going as far as going to visit first thing in the morning). 

“I’ve had a little idea by the way, I want to know what you think” “Okay” “And also if I’m allowed” “Okay” “*sigh* Basically, I’ve been thinking, you know how we made our Big Path to get home?” “Yes, it’s been a little while” “Yeah yeah, I’m thinking: I throw a party!”

So, couple of things to talk about here: Tommy feels the need to constantly ask Dream for permission (because Dream just puts so many rules to this supposed “exile”), another indication of some time having passed since the last stream for them, considering that the last stream was literally the day before irl (I’m talking about the “it’s been a little while” part) and also this is when we are introduced to the idea of the party.

“I’m allowed? I’m allowed?” “Yeah, can I come?” “Of co- uh- yeah” “Okay, they’re allowed to come” (talking about the party)

“Well Dream, is it me or is it you that’s been left by themselves for about 13 days now?” (irl it’s been 4-5 days, though at least now we have a bit of a timeframe for them as well)

Ghostbur arrives with Phil (who gifts Tommy the Tommy Slippers, which are a pair of diamond boots, a stack of black wool, 8 iron blocks and a Friendship Emerald) 

“Guys are you- are you real?” “Am I real?” “Because I keep fucking seeing... I keep seeing Tubbo” (Tommy finally mentioning the hallucination to others, also Ghostbur pretends to see him, though it was confirmed later on that he wasn’t there)

“Dream’s here by the way, Dream’s always here” (now that’s kinda ominous)

“Dream, Dream I swear to Christ I think I just kept seeing Tubbo” “I didn’t see him, I never saw him once. Phil didn’t see him either, it was only you and Wilbur. Pretty sure he wasn’t here~” “My eyes are not the most reliable, I see lots of things” 

I’d say from here on out is when Tommy starts trusting Dream over his and Ghostbur’s perceptions of reality. After all, as I said at the start, this is not the first, nor the last time where he questions his own perception of reality and, as we talked about in the last analysis, it’s not the first time that Dream tries to assert himself as his main source of information (callback to him negating having ever destroyed any of Tommy’s belongings). Also Fundy came to visit giving Tommy an efficiency II fortune I diamond axe (may I point out now how Fundy is literally the one person, aside from Dream and Ghostbur, visiting the most and how he is the only one aside from Ghostbur always saying “hi” whenever Tommy logs on? Their friendship is so underrated). 

“I’m going- I’m going crackers...” “Hi Tommy! I think- I think I saw Tubbo as well” “Dream was Tubbo here?” “I did not ever see Tubbo, but I don’t know, I haven’t seen him” (confirmation of what I said before)

“Dream, now that you showed up everyone started to visit me again!” “Well I think it’s just because the- well, to be fair, are they here with you right now? They’re just running around, like, I don’t think they are here visiting you, they’re just visiting Logstedshire” “Oh” (Dream enhancing Tommy’s feeling of loneliness)

“He [Tubbo] told me he missed you” “Really?” “Well-” “Yeah! I gave him a compass that pointed towards you at all times and he siad ‘I really miss him'“ “Really?” “Yeah” (...) “I thought I saw the compass in a chest, like he threw it in a chest in the Community House, but I’m not- maybe it was a different compass, I’m not sure”

Ghostbur was actually a great support during Tommy’s exile. From pointing out the holes in Dream’s rules, to trying and reassure and support Tommy when he is feeling down, often going directly against Dream’s narrative, even going as far as creating a physical connection between Tommy and Tubbo through the compasses. It’s no surprise then that Dream tried to get rid of him right after this stream. Tommy builds his first girlfrend, “hot girl”.

“Hey Tommy, don’t you worry, I’ll be at the beach party!” (Ghostbur said, like a liar...)

“Wilbur did you burn my hit novel?” “No!” “I heard you did” “No!” “Did you know that that was the only book in history that sold better then the Bible?” “No! No! No! Didn’t do it!” (Ghostbur said again, like a liar...)

“Wilbur we need a chest room” “No I don’t really need one, I just go to L’manburg” “Low blow ghost” (Ghost [derogatory])

“I’m sleep deprived” (we’re back into character after the 20 minutes of them bullying Brand)

“I have a gift for you Tommy” *gives Tommy iron helmet, chestplate and pants* “Armour? For me?” “Yeah” “Oh thank you, thank you!” “You’re welcome”

Remember this part because Dream will use this as a point against Tommy when destroying Logstedshire, just like Techno does later on. In case anyone was wondering: if you give something freely to someone as a gift you have literally no right to then hold it over their head at a later date. That’s just manipulative as shit. 

This neds with Phil, Dream and Tommy making a cake for the beach party and deciding on the last few details, and:

“We’re getting better everyone. We’re getting- are we- we’re getting better. I guess- I guess we’re bonding... *sigh* I guess...”

I’ll leave this off by reminding everyone that Dream and Tommy called Dream blowing up Tommy’s armour and weapons “bonding”. 

[judyhopps934-mt-zd]

Thoughts on Miraculous Shanghai: The Legend of Lady Dragon

Warning: Spoilers! Other than that, have fun!

Also, if you want to watch the full English Dub, click here!

I love how we saw Fei's backstory as to how she became guardian of the Prodigious and how it was actually stolen because there are people who want money from her adoptive father's studio. It was also sad to see that the values her father implemented into her fade due to the circumstances they found themselves in. I speak for all of us to say that this girl needs a hug.

The intro as always is beautiful! Since it was not the first thing we saw, I was confused when looking through the episodes on YT.

I always enjoy Marinette's monologues, and this one was over how she looked forward to her holiday (it was like a vacation type thing). And how she looked forward to spend time with Adrien since his father was going to let him out. It was all perfect...

...until she went to deliver Uncle Wang's package and found out Adrien left for Shanghai at the last minute. But all is good though because she could go to Shanghai, deliver the gift personally, and see Adrien.

It hurts me to see that the writers made Marinette's purpose to go to Shanghai is to see Adrien when she can do that in Paris! It frustrates me that her character development goes back to square one, even as the protagonist of the show. People might point out this was before season 3, but I have a few points that say otherwise or that the writers are mixing things up. But first, the plot points and thoughts of everything else.

Also, I get that Marinette is 14/15/16 at the time of this episode, but how likely is it to send your child on their own halfway across the world??? On SHORT NOTICE??? I swear Sabine and Tom are too chill with this, but then again, there would be no story.

Also, I love how Ladybug and Chat Noir took the opportunity of their patrols without akumas to bond more. The Ladynoir in this episode I stan!

Gabriel you piece of trash! If you did not plan to spend time with your son, why take him to Shanghai when he was hoping to spend time with you?! And do not say "for business purposes" because even though Adrien is a face in the brand, at least don't give him false hope and that bs!

Nooro, thank you for trying to talk Gabriel out of it, but he is literally a wall (talking to Gabriel=talking to a wall)

I will say, the waiting for 15 years thing is very concerning.

Uncle Wang has been looking forward to see Marinette in person in Shanghai to learn more about her roots. He is ecstatic and its just heartwarming and heartbreaking when you think that part of Marinette's stay will be related to Adrien.

At least we see one thing that makes Marinette's stay not all about Adrien though: she is genuinely interested in her origins! Like when she asks about her family's traditional songs and about her mom, even learning her real name!

Speaking of which, Sabine's name is Xia Ping and only called herself Sabine when she started living in France. Also, I love her photo!

Bastille the bird that was around since forever is an icon!

Also, I can't believe Uncle Wang has not taken a break since Sabine moved to France, like what the hell??? Give this guy a break for goodness sake.

Thank you Gabriel for having one brain cell and allowing your son to leave the hotel! We still hate you for everything else though.

Its cool that Kwamis speak all of the languages. It is also the most logical thing because their wielder could be from anywhere. My question is are they taught the languages, does it form when a concept forms in the universe and they start existing, or like everything else is it magic?

Gorilla is iconic for two reasons: he is still a self care king, and he was willing to give Adrien some space to get action figures.

And now as I wrote that, this is where I am getting confused and start to believe this is post season 3: 1) Gorilla seems less anxious about being in a new place (unlike NY where he stayed in the hotel room the entire time), and 2) His obsession for action figures was shown in Party Crasher (season 3), which makes me wonder if the explanation is during season 3 or this episode hints at season 3. For the first point, it could be because Gabriel was not in NY to his knowledge.

Fei appears again and explains how she views the world and how she also uses that to help and take advantage of others.

She almost steals Adrien's phone and miraculous until Gorilla steps in. It hurts me because she is a good person but had to resort to stealing for a reason that we will explore soon.

Plagg, we always say your stomach causes trouble, but this time, you brought Adrien to Marinette's uncle...

...but also that ironically separated them as Marinette found them just as they climbed into the taxi.

This is also where Fei (wearing a disguise) crosses paths with Marinette and steals her purse. Then she went for the kwagatama and miraculous.

Things get worse for Fei as these boys that took a photo with Adrien earlier started chasing her. Then Marinette started going after them.

That is when she realized she was robbed and understandably, she was more horrified of losing her Miraculous.

Adrien shows up to Uncle Wang's home/restaurant. So many iconic moments happen.

1) Bastille says something about love between Marinette and Adrien. And Adrien responds with the line that makes us want to jump into the TV and talk some sense into him.

2) You say that "she's JuST a fRIenD" yet you stay over with her mom's uncle so you can surprise her lol. Adrien, you kill me and every other Adrienette fan with this contradicting statements.

Speaking of Marinette, she gets lost and has trouble communicating with others because she does not speak Chinese. And at some point says that she regrets not taking lessons?! Uh, what does this imply, that she refused lessons or that she did not have the opportunity for lessons??????? I NEED ANSWERS!

Can we say once again how talented and artistic Marinette is? Bad time? Moving on!

Uncle Wang is unaware of Marinette's tardiness, and Adrien just jokes about it. Considering that she is technically missing (reality is that she's lost), I don't think its time to joke about it.

The lady that gave Marinette some earrings that look like the Miraculous is so nice and bless her soul

The person from the pawn shop is the bad guy that we see at the very end of the NY special! And he knows about what happened to Fei's father! I am grateful that he sees no value in Marinette's stuff so he won't sell it for a lot, but I hate how he's greedy for money and was willing to exploit Fei's hunger for answers and Marinette needing her miraculous for personal gains.

Meanwhile, the boys from the photo with Adrien that chased Fei were trying to get Marinette's attention (they found her kwagatama when Fei dropped it running away and fighting them), but she thought they were gonna attack her. And then she bumps into Fei, who helps her escape.

Marinette finds comfort in Fei for being willing to "help" her (remember that she was gonna bring her to the pawn shop). She also finds Fei as a helpful, kind person who is brave: something that Fei does not see in herself, but does not have the heart to tell Marinette the truth.

Meanwhile, Chat has transformed to find Marinette and its the most endearing thing I've seen! Adrien, you blind oblivious fool! You care about her more than you think!

They arrive in the pawn shop, Tikki escaped the claw machine, and Marinette finds the earrings...for 100000 Yuan.

Fei, understanding what its like to have something entrusted to you be stolen, gets in a spat with the pawn shop owner in Chinese, accusing the owner for greed and accusing Fei for theft, while Marinette just stands her.

Also, when did Marinette become naive???????? I get that she's in another country and they are speaking in a different language that she does not understand, but based on the tone of their voices and shouting, I feel like she should have sensed something was off.

Fei swaps the earrings the lady gave Marinette and took the miraculous back. To the lady, this is why your soul is blessed. So bless your soul!!!

Apparently, Marinette realized what happened and said that Fei stole her earrings and feels bad for the man. Girl, you do not have to feel guilty for the man! He was about to destroy them before he thought about sentimental value! Also, he did not pay Fei anything for them! (Felt that this should be brought up because even though Fei was wrong in stealing her stuff, she was also robbed from potential cash and answers, therefore the man was owed nothing.)

The boys from Adrien's photo are actually vigilantes of Shanghai (and will be referred as such from now on), wanting to bring Fei to justice for stealing, which catches Marinette's attention, but not enough to ask any questions.

Also Marinette is not wanted as a criminal. She is missing as Uncle Wang called the police.

Fei still lives in the school, which has been in ruins. Despite not having much, she still offers Marinette a cup of what I believe is water (or tea?). See peoples, Fei is a good person at heart (if y'all aren't aware of it by now)

Gabriel saw and recognized Marinette. This is horrifying and if it is prior to season 3, we see why he tries so hard to target her. Or reasons why he targets her in season 4 along with everything else we know from "Truth".

Fei should have been given the chance to explain why she stole Marinette's things, but the pawn shop owner was like "you know, I might as well expose Fei myself"...

...and it really broke Marinette, who heavily trusted her. But she can't dwell on it for long...

...because AKUMA COMES FOR THE PAWN SHOP OWNER! AND HIS FAN SHOOTS KNIVES! AND HAS GREEDY MOTIVES! AND HELPED HAWKMOTH GET INTI THE CAVE WITH THE PRODIGIOUS!!!

Also, Nathalie was involved in obtaining the bracelet years ago. Again, the 15 years thing is concerning.

Marinette flees to transform, but not without telling Fei how she broke her trust and how she feels that Feinwas not genuinely helping her. It hurt me so much!

Ladybug transforms, hears Chat's voice-mail (to which she is swooned by the fact her kitty cares for her civilian self), and calls him. The best Ladynoir scene so far!

So the prodigious is like a jewel with powers, there is only one prodigious from what we see, and that one prodigious has multiple renlings that only the wielder can see. Oh, and the bracelet is like a key. Cool.

I don't like how Fei's Lady Dragon outfit looks whitewashed, but at least her hair is red instead of blonde (which still does not make this okay)

Epic Showdown between the akuma, Hawkmoth, Ladybug, and Lady Dragon. Hawkmoth corners Ladybug and Lady Dragon gets caught in some rocks.. All hope seemed lost...

...until Chat shows up and frees the akuma with the help of a basketball.

We learn something new folks: the same butterfly can create a different akuma. This is very frightening because...

The statue that determines who is worthy of the prodigious gets akumatized! The horror!

Also, if the statue says Fei cannot become the dragon because her intention to seek vengeance for her father is not noble and worthy, then what makes Hawkmoth think he will be successful in becoming the dragon??? Because it seems that his intentions are not pure or noble. Just saying.

Hawkmoth notices the akumatized statue heading to the city and all of a sudden remembers about Adrien. Confronting the statue, he gets turned into ashes(?).

CHAT, HAWKMOTH IN ASHES WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE BETTER IF THE STATUE DID NOT DESTROY SHANGHAI AND YOU WOULD NOT THINK AS SUCH IF YOU KNEW HE WAS YOUR FATHER! But I am not mad at you, just wanted to point out your irony.

ML WRITERS, WHY DO YOU KEEP KILLING OFF CHAT????? LADYBUG DOES NOT NEED ANY MORE TRAUMA AND THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY!!!! I AM SCREAMING INSIDE!!!!!

Fei is understandably upset and blames herself for what happen. I want to hug her so badly.

Marinette reassures Fei and forgives her, even though Fei felt that she could not be forgiven.

The structure they were standing on collapses and it was Fei as the Dragon who saved her, not Chat. Honestly, I love how it turned out as it strengthens their friendship, but I still prefer a Marichat alternative. WHERE IS THE MARICHAT PEOPLES???

Final showdown!

Poor statue guard was upset about the damage they caused as an akuma, but Miraculous Ladybiug fixes everything.

Fei learned an important lesson: let justice take its course, not enact revenge. But it was quite funny to have the pawn shop owner be flown away to court in a literal sense.

The bracelet has a renling-like creature, who is just so adorable, especially since they missed Fei and was waiting for the day they would be reunited. Aww!

Ladynoir version of the Moon scene from NYC! Except no dancing, just them challenging each other over who will get to Paris first if they traveled in opposite directions. No one shall ever know we were in Shanghai as civilians lol (Reminds me of my best friend when eating grapes during choral rehearsals)

Marinette, Adrien, Fei, and Uncle Wang enjoying a birthday (?) dinner was wholesome.

I love how Uncle Wang calls them boyfriend and girlfriend because of how they act around each other, yet Marinette and Adrien both deny it. Bruh, these children need to open their fricking eyes! I really wanted to jump through my phone screen!

The Shanghai Vigilantes came to return Marinette's kwagatama necklace. They are so precious even though we thought they were enemies in the trailer.

Even though they were at odds at first, love how the Vigilantes blushed when Fei played the accordion and she's just like "whatever". I stan an asexual queen.

Do I even want to know what Marinette accidentally said when she mispronounced "sister" in Chinese? Based on what Fei said, probably not.

Uh...NOW I WANT TO SEE MORE OF ADRIEN TEACHING MARINETTE CHINESE! While I do take some issue of Adrien (a white French boy) teaching Marinette her culture like most of us had issue with in "Kung Food", I also want to see them interact outside of school and hopefully bond. ML writers need to keep their word otherwise Adrienette stans will riot!

Love how the final scene turned out! Its just *chef's kisses*

Also, the hell with the business trip?? It was mentioned once again IN THE ENDCARD! It might not be as interesting, but I want to think that there was more truth to it.

Also, wifi troubles kept interrupting the show at crucial moments, but okay.

Overall, I live for the Shanghai episode! The animation is just as incredible as the NY special (which I also live for) and I love how this episode has a great focus on Fei and the prodigious. I mean, before the intro, she tells her story. And she has her monologues alongside Marinette's. In many ways, it's refreshing. Also, Ladynoir and Adrienette stans will be satiated with the scenes associated with each ship. Also, I love Fei's character development! And the final scene is wholesome!

I won't lie though: there are a few issues regarding whitewashing Fei's transformation and such. It is important to see these things and as a good friend of mine always says: you can enjoy something while also being critical of it. And that is very important no matter how devotive to something you actually are.

Anyways, we are being well fed with all the Miraculous content and I will see you all very soon! Also, get some sleep peoples! I know some of you aren't sleeping!

[gohyuck]

prologue | part 1 | part 2 | part 3

pairing: greaser!jeno lee x rich!reader; part of a collab by @neovisioned​

genre: greaser!au; runaways!au; criminal!au; angst/fluff/smut

word count: 10.4k

warnings: infidelity, miscarriages of justice, johnny’s a huge asshole in this i’m so sorry, a lot of straight up classism, explicit mentions of sex (fingering), vehicular manslaughter, armed robbery, general unarmed violence and fighting, pistol-whipping

a/n: so i know a lot of people loved the fact that my most recent long fic (surgeon jaemin!) focused on side characters, but i’ve made this fic pretty jeno-centric on purpose, and i hope it’s still as enjoyable as possible for readers! 

May 29, 1957

He’s always been easy on the eyes. 

It’s shallow, and a great part of him knows it. Still, as far back as he can remember, Jeno’s always had one thing, and one thing only: his looks. When he was 7 and starving on the streets, terrified of going back to a broken, lifeless home, he’d use his adorable face to elicit pity and pizza from the aging man who ran the local diner. When he was 15 and growing into himself, his blossoming attractiveness got the girl in his geometry class to give him her homework to copy off of, free of charge. When he’d first started working at the garage, a high school dropout at the age of 17, it was his ‘rugged handsomeness’ - review courtesy of the college girls who trailed their rich boyfriends as they searched for cheap fueling and car repairs - that called in tips by the handful. 

Jeno’s always had his looks. That’s why, even though he thinks it’s silly of him, he can’t help but look at you with eyes that are overflowing with apprehension. He grips the blond hair-dye just a little too tightly, fingers making what’ll be lasting indents in the plastic box. 

“Do I really have to do this?”

You arch an eyebrow, wrenching the dye out of his iron-grip as you do. Jeno watches, feeling more helpless than he has been this whole time as you shake its contents out into your hand. The bleach and the agent you mix it with fall into your open palm, followed by the barely darker dye. You read the instructions over once, twice, before finally looking up to meet Jeno’s trained gaze. 

It’s all you can do to heave a heavy sigh.

“You were framed for a robbery, and then you stole a car and accidentally kidnapped me, but the hill you choose to die on is dyeing your hair? Really? If you’re like this now, what are you going to do when we get tattooed?”

“I - We - Tattoos?” Jeno squawks, and you can’t help but sigh again before rolling your eyes. 

It’s going to be a long night. Amidst it all, you can’t help but think back to how everything started.

As Jeno keeps his glare trained on the dye, you can’t help but assume that he’s doing the same. 

♕ ♕ ♕

Day One: May 25, 1957

Cherry red lips, wanton giggles, a skirt that’s too short, even by what she calls her ‘very own tramp standards’. Jeno can’t get enough of it all - can’t get enough of her, he’s so intoxicated by her. It’s in the way her head falls back, her mouth falls open, her knees fall down, allowing her legs to fall wide. He leans over her, his well muscled arms making it easy to hover instead of collapse on top of her as he coaxes her release from her, two fingers deep in her spasming cunt while his thumb works away at her clit. Jeno’s close - so close - to what he wants, but he doesn’t dare to chase after it; instead of pressing his lips to hers and tasting that enticing lipstick for himself, he settles for pressing his forehead against hers, letting his soft breath land against the silent scream her mouth is currently displaying. 

Her chest heaves, her next breaths come out in gasps. As she settles down, Jeno can’t keep himself from dipping his head down, pressing a gentle and completely chaste kiss against the skin of her stomach between her belly-button and her underwear line. She squirms at the feeling of his warm lips against her now-hot skin, and he chuckles against her body before pulling away for good, though not before wiping his fingers on her thigh. 

“‘S that good, Jess?” He quirks an eyebrow, pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket for her to wipe the sweat across her forehead with. “There’s grease on that s- yeah, that’s the good side.”

“You sure know how to charm a girl, Jeno Lee,” The woman responds dryly, though he doesn’t miss the pleased smirk that crosses her features. She swipes at her inner thighs once before tossing the handkerchief - or, really, rag - at the mechanic, who catches it with ease and stuffs it back where it came from. 

“You’re the one who wanted to be fingered in the passenger seat of Johnny Suh’s car, filthy girl,” Jeno throws back, not surprised when Jess swats at his arm at the mention of her boyfriend. She loves Johnny, Jeno knows she does, but that doesn’t stop her from begging for Jeno’s fingers or tongue or, if she’s got time, his dick, whenever she stops by the City Motors garage that Jeno’s been employed at for the past two months. She always comes in driving Johnny’s red Chevy Bel Air convertible. He knows it’s bad of her and bad for him, especially if Johnny ever gets wind of it, but he can’t find it in himself to stop, not when it’s free spank bank material. 

Jeno’s probably a bad person for it. He doesn’t really care - after all, it’s just sex. If emotions were involved - and they never are, not for Jeno, not when it comes to getting his dick wet - it might be a different story. That, and it’s Johnny Suh’s girl. 

Jeno fucking hates Johnny Suh. 

“Say, speaking of John,” Jess says, seemingly sufficiently cooled down by now. “I keep meaning to and forgetting to ask - you’re the same age as his sister, aren’t you?” 

“(Name)?” Jeno asks, his brow furrowing when he gets a nod of confirmation. “Yeah, I mean, we were in the same homeroom and shit this past year. Why?”

“Just curious. You’ll probably see her a lot more often from now on, honestly - she got a job at the diner when they had that hiring spree last week.” Jess flicks her head vaguely towards Jeno, and he knows it’s because, if he turns around and looks out the window, he’ll be staring directly at Kim’s, what can be considered the only good eatery on this side of town. He tries his best to seem even vaguely interested at what Jess is saying - going so far as to crane his neck backwards in order to look at the same diner he sees day in and day out - but she calls his bluff easily. Instead of saying anything, she just rolls her neck out before finally shoving the car door open.

“Say ‘hi’ to her sometimes, y’know?” She asks, peering in once she’s standing. “For me. Forget that she’s a Suh sometimes. She needs to talk to more people, anyways.” Jess states, her gaze imploring. Still, Jeno can’t help but scoff at the last thing she says, prompting an affronted look from the woman who’s looking expectantly at him. 

“(Name)? Needing to talk to more people? Everyone adores her, she’s always with some new person getting into some bullshit. Honestly, she probably needs to talk to less people at this point.” Jeno explains himself so as to not garner anymore adversity from his fuckbuddy, though the way he squints in mild disbelief at Jess’ suggestion annoys her anyways. The mild petulance that comes through only serves to remind Jess that Jeno is, in fact, only 19 - and while her being 21 doesn’t change their dynamic much, it does bring about some slight difference in maturity. 

She tends to overlook it because the benefits seem to outweigh the detractors.

As Jess makes eye contact with Jeno, though, she knows he won’t listen to her friendly suggestion. She doesn’t know why she bothers, sometimes - even though she’s only in it for the sex, he’s really only in it for the sex. As far as anyone’s concerned, Jeno Lee does only two things, and he does them well: fix cars and fuck. Considering that he’s a high school drop-out with no plans of college or trade school, Jess supposes that he doesn’t have much else to do. 

“Whatever,” She finally acquiesces, not bothering to return the small smirk Jeno throws at her. “What’s the time?”

“It’s about 4:45,” The mechanic responds without even checking his wristwatch, though Jess doesn’t doubt that he’s right. “What time’s he coming by for his car again?”

“Couple minutes past 5. Got a smoke? I need one.” Jess is still peering into the car from outside, her expression making it seem like she’s waiting for something more than a quick cigarette break. Jeno holds her gaze steady for a beat, two beats, before he breaks away, pushing the door open on his side so he can finally get out too. After all, the car is honestly kind of cramped, and absolutely not ideal for what they’ve been getting up to in it… week after week after week. 

“You should tell your boyfriend to stop fucking up his car,” Jeno states simply, leaning over the fabric top of Johnny’s convertible. It’d been the left sideview mirror today, the transmission last week, the rims the week before. It wouldn’t surprise Jeno if Jess drives in four days from now with a crack in the windshield and her underwear already around her knees. Jess says nothing, only leveling Jeno’s stare. He waits, finally breaking it for the second time in a row once he’s sure she’s sweating a little bit in her new boots. The small smirk he allows himself as he beckons for her to follow him back into the garage is reward enough for him. There’s a pack of Camels set on his work bench, open in such a way that Jeno knows Jaemin must’ve taken one earlier when they’d started their shift together. 

“Help yourself, doll.” Jeno says, gesturing vaguely towards it after pulling a cigarette out for himself. He swipes the lighter off of Jaemin’s desk - his friend’s on a late lunch break at the diner right now anyways - and uses it to light up his own smoke before tossing it underhandedly to Jess. 

“Don’t ‘doll’ me,” She scoffs, her words muffled around the cigarette that’s now in between her lips. He admires her hands, her nimble red-tipped fingers as she lights it up, pulling it out from her mouth and letting it dangle between two fingers before setting the lighter down on top of the pack. “You know only Johnny’s allowed to call me that.”

“If he had that much of a handle on you, you wouldn’t be crying for my cock every week now, would you?”

“I don’t cry,” Jess protests, and Jeno finds both her sudden indignance, and the fact that this is the hill she chooses to die on, kind of cute. He has no feelings toward her, sure, but it doesn’t mean he can’t admire her for what she is: art. And someone’s gotta nail masterpieces against walls, right?

“You get the gist.” Jeno brushes her complaint aside with ease, blowing smoke out through one corner of his mouth before he speaks. “Tell him to watch where he parks so he doesn’t screw up his mirrors again. There’s gotta be some limit on daddy’s money.”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Jess throws back, and Jeno can’t stop himself from rolling his eyes.

“His highness won’t talk to a lowly greaser like me, obviously. Probably thinks I spend all my tip money on hair oil or some stupid shit. You really picked one for yourself, Jess. Outdid yourself on the asshattery of the last one. The fact that he makes you drop his car off when he’s the one who screws it up should be a red flag itself.” Even talking about Johnny has a pit of dread growing in the bottom of Jeno’s stomach, and he drops his half-smoked cigarette to the ground before crushing it under his work boots. He knows it isn’t the cig making him feel sick, but he suddenly has no appetite left for nicotine anymore. 

“You’re lucky our friendship predates my relationship, or I’d fuck you up for saying shit like that,” Jess warns, though there’s no real bite behind her bark. She drops her cigarette to the ground too, and Jeno steps on it so she doesn’t have to. 

“Can’t believe you’re deciding to keep some kind of allegiance to me based solely on the fact that our moms used to stick us together when they went to whore around downtown while our dads were being drunken good-for-nothings somewhere or the other,” Jeno scoffs in faux disbelief even as his eyes fold into half moons. Jess allows herself a small grin at the expense of their younger selves as well. They both know better than anyone that shared traumas can only make bonds stronger. “When’ll you tell your prissy, pompous, prick of a partner that you’re one of the lowlifes he hates so much?”

“He already knows that I wasn’t… well off before I got my job at the salon,” Jess replies carefully, doing her best not to incriminate her boyfriend in the eyes of someone who already loathes him. “Besides, he honestly isn’t that bad. He says shit sometimes, yeah, but he knocks it off if I tell him to. Shouldn’t affect whether or not you talk to (Name), anyways.”

Jess slips you into the conversation so easily that it almost gives Jeno whiplash trying to process what she’s said. When he’s done, it’s all he can do but to let out a confused query.

“The hell does (Name) have to do with this?”

“I mean, you’re the same age, and you kind of know each other. I just figured that...”

Suddenly, Jess’ motives dawn on Jeno. Judging by the way she trails off, ending her sentence both sheepishly and abruptly, she sees that he’s figured her out, too.

“Are you fucking trying to set me up with your scummy boyfriend’s sister?”

“He isn’t scummy! And, I mean, not necessarily. Maybe. Just a little, but come on! Isn’t it right for me to want two people I love and care for to find love and caring in each other?” Jess’ words come out harried, and she flaps her arms around a bit to try and prove the point she just can’t seem to hit on. Jeno’s brows furrow even more, and he can’t help his incredulous snicker.

“You, Miss ‘I just got fingered by a childhood friend in my boyfriend’s car for what has to be, like, the sixth time in four weeks’, want to talk about what’s right and what’s not?” Jeno points out, and Jess winces slightly. He knows it’s a bit of a low blow - yes, Jess is a cheater, and it’s completely terrible of her, and maybe even Johnny Suh deserves better than someone who’s unfaithful, but if Jess is the one committing the crime then Jeno’s aiding and abetting. He can see the hurt flash across his friend’s features, and he allows himself to soften for a moment before speaking again. “I’m sure (Name) is nice and all, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now. If I was, I wouldn’t be messing around with you, or anyone for that matter.”

Jess sighs, but it’s a sigh of acceptance. She glances down wistfully at the smushed cigarette she’d abandoned earlier, making no move to get another one. Jeno assumes she’s trying to cut back - the cost of a pack has gone up again. 

“I do love him, you know that, right?” Jess says, voice soft and sincere in a way that has Jeno’s eyes flicking up to meet her own. “I just - I can’t give all of myself to him, you know? Not yet, anyways. Not after everything that’s happened in my life. It isn’t justification, it’s just…”

“You’ve been dealt so many bad hands that you don’t know how to play poker anymore,” Jeno finishes, smiling gently at his friend. “Yeah, I get it. I’m just your pain relief, remember? You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Fuck first, friends later.”

“Pretty sure it’s the other way around,” Jess rolls her eyes, though she knows he’s just messing with her. They might use each other, but their friendship predates any sexual relationships either of them have been having with anyone. They both know that Jess doesn’t just drop by the garage to drop her panties, although that is what happens first and foremost every time. 

Before Jeno can quip back at her, the telltale thrum of a car’s engine draws his attention away from his friend. Both of them turn their heads simultaneously to see none other than Yuta Nakamoto pull up in his Thunderbird, Johnny Suh riding shotgun beside him. Jeno doesn’t miss the way Jess perks up, her grin dazzling as she spots her boyfriend. He can’t say the same for himself, not when his stomach drops at the sight of the two men. 

Yuta at least has the ‘decency’ to shoot Jeno a patronizing smirk. Johnny doesn’t even acknowledge the man beside his girlfriend, instead turning directly to appraise his fixed up car after giving Jess a quick peck on the cheek. 

“Funny,” Johnny remarks thoughtfully once he’s done with his once-over. “Are you sure you fixed this? It doesn’t reek of grease or anything. Maybe you underdid your hair today, kid, hmm?” 

Jeno’s suddenly hyper-aware of how slicked back his pitch black hair is, and his fingers twitch at how badly he wants to push it back again, both out of nervousness and anger. He says nothing, only clenching his jaw in response.

“Leave him be, John,” Jess speaks up, holding her hand out for her boyfriend to take. He grabs it naturally. “He’s a good kid.”

Johnny’s cocky, holier-than-thou grin slips a little at seeing his girl - his girl - defend someone he equates to the bottom of his shoe, and Jeno notices it. For a moment, it seems like there’s a rebuttal sitting on the tip of his tongue. His necessity to keep his girlfriend’s approval wins him over, though, and Johnny says nothing more, only asking Jess to hand him the key he knows she has. 

Yuta leaves first, though not before confirming their next whereabouts with Johnny. He slides back into the drivers’ seat of his Thunderbird, raises his eyebrow at Jeno through the windshield, and backs out slowly but surely. Jeno isn’t a big fan of Yuta, either, but at least the man respects his car.

The same can’t be said for Johnny. 

He slams the passengers’ side door shut once Jess gets in, and Jeno can’t help the wince he gives at the noise. In that moment, he feels deeply for the Bel Air, wishing he could jailbreak it from the hell it must be experiencing at the Suh household. Right before Johnny gets into the driver’s seat, he stops, eyes flitting towards Jeno as he digs something out of his pockets. 

Jeno watches as Johnny flicks a dime into the open tip jar they leave out on a rickety old stool, stands there and takes it as the older man shoots him the kind of wolffish grin that never reaches anyone’s eyes. 

“Buy yourself something nice,” Johnny says, smirking as he looks Jeno up and down. He takes in the peeling leather on the greaser’s workboots, the grease stains on his blue jeans, the way his white tank top is soaked through with sweat, his ratty leather jacket lying across his workbench. When he looks back up, eyes meeting Jeno’s, the latter can’t help but feel as if he’s just been searched.

“At least… if you even know what ‘nice’ means.” Johnny finally finishes, smirking maddeningly at Jeno. Before any rebuttal can be made, Johnny’s inside his car and turning on the ignition. Jess waves goodbye to Jeno, albeit sheepishly, who only raises a hand in parting. It’s only after they’ve disappeared, tearing down Central Street, that Jeno registers Jaemin leaning against the corner of the garage. It’s evident by the way his friend is standing that he hadn’t actually witnessed anything, and Jeno finds that he wants to keep his interactions to himself today. It’s also evident that, while Jeno has nothing to tell Jaemin, the opposite does not stand true.

“What’s up?” Jeno asks, picking up and tossing the Camels at Jaemin on what is, by this point, sheer muscle memory. He throws the lighter right after, and Jaemin catches them both with ease. This is unsurprising - before school, life, and work all became too hard to balance, Jaemin had been a catcher on the local high school baseball team. 

“There’s a new broad behind the counter at Kim’s,” Jaemin says, sticking the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it as he speaks, all with the kind of finesse that only comes from years of doing the same thing. “Looks familiar, ’m sure I’ve seen her before - pro’ly went to school together. Damn pretty, looks more your type than mine, though.”

Jeno doesn’t really care, frankly, but it’s Jaemin and he’ll always humor Jaemin. That, and they’ve got about an hour ‘til the next person with an appointment comes in, so he’s got some time to kill. 

“You wouldn’t know if you went to school with her, considering you only ever fuckin’ showed up to play ball. I don’t think I ever saw you in class.” Jeno scoffs, though he knows he should probably keep speaking when Jaemin throws him a scathing glare. “How can you be so sure that she’s my type?”

Jaemin takes the cigarette out of his mouth, waving it around aimlessly as he finally walks over to his own workbench, right beside Jeno’s. He’s got a couple of chairs beside it, and he shoves one towards Jeno before sitting down himself. Jeno, for his part, swings his chair around so he can sit down backwards as he faces Jaemin, folding his arms over the back of it and resting his chin on top of his forearm. Once they’re both situated, Jaemin finally speaks again.

“Pretty, but doesn’t remind me of any of the greaser girls or the rich girls, somehow. Guess she doesn’t fit in that way. Smart, either talks animatedly or doesn’t say shit at all. Seemed all bright-eyed but with sum’n dark behind them. Mysterious, just a bit. Paint a good enough picture for you, asshole?” Jaemin good-naturedly flicks some ash towards his friend, drawing forth a chuckle from the other man. 

“Sounds like you’re describin’ a book character,” Jeno throws back, causing Jaemin to roll his eyes even as he’s genuinely smiling. “Been spending too much time with Mark.”

“Maybe so,” Jaemin acquiesces, leaning forward in his chair to look Jeno in the eyes. He turns his head to the side, blowing smoke out through his lips before looking back. “Doesn’t change the fact that she’s good for you. Really, I think you two could hit it off. Even got her number for you.”

“You’re that desperate to pawn me off, huh?” Jeno raises an eyebrow, though he holds out his hand for Jaemin to drop a slightly-crumpled napkin into. He might not go for whatever girl it is romantically, but it might be good to go on a date or two just to keep himself from getting too rusty with the girls. That, and he has to admit that sitting at home, tinkering with the house’s clocks or yelling at Donghyuck not to use up all the hot water for the week is less appealing than having a nice night out (or a nice night in, depending on the girl). He supposes he’s mildly optimistic as he unfolds the napkin, even allowing himself a small grin at the idea of doing something outside of his ordinary, everyday, work to home to work to home life.

Jeno’s smile fades fast once he sees what’s scrawled messily on the napkin in black ink. 

(Name) Suh

XXX-XXX-XXXX ;)

He blinks once, blinks twice, before letting out a groan and allowing his head to drop onto the wood of the chair’s back. Jaemin, concerned, asks if he’s alright, but Jeno just ignores him, too busy wallowing in the cosmic irony of his best friend giving him the number of the one girl he would never get with. 

“Is this about the chick or is it something else? I saw Johnny Suh pull out of here, that motherfucker. If he wasn’t giving us so much business all the time I would’ve TP’ed his house by now. Is it him? Don’t let him get to you-”

“Jaemin,” Jeno interrupts his best friend, finally looking up from his reprieve in the chair. Jaemin quits rambling almost immediately, his gaze running over Jeno’s unreadable expression. Jeno looks down at the note, up at Jaemin, and then back down at your handwriting again before letting out a weighty, long-suffering sigh.

“Jaemin,” Jeno repeats himself, finally making eye contact with his friend. “We need to have a talk.”

♕ ♕ ♕

“You saw that her last name is Suh and you didn’t stop to think that she might be related to Johnny fucking Suh? Really? I know you’re dense, Jaemin, but for Chrissakes!” 

Renjun’s voice rings through the small, two bedroom house as he chastises Jaemin while the two of them cook dinner. Jeno’s sitting on the floor in the living room, fiddling with Donghyuck’s radio: he’s been meaning to fix it for weeks, now, but it’s only today that he’s really found the time. That, and he’s trying to avoid the ongoing argument that’s occurring while two of his friends are making meatloaf. He knows that he’s the reason for it, yes, but that doesn’t mean that he wants to be involved. 

It isn’t Jaemin’s fault, really, and Jeno knows this. He can’t stay mad at his best friend in general, but he’s doubly inclined to let Jaemin off the hook because the younger boy has no clue as to why Johnny Suh is so universally hated in the Lee household. Jaemin doesn’t even live with them like Renjun does, so he’s blissfully unaware of exactly how marred the relationship between Jeno and Johnny is. 

“I’m home, you fucks!” The front door swings open with abandon just as Jeno finishes straightening the radio’s antenna, and he winces at the screech of the door’s protesting hinges. He’s so startled that he almost drops the radio itself, but he manages to catch it in time. This is lucky - Donghyuck saunters into the living room at the right moment, seeing Jeno both fumble and save his precious radio. Jeno pretends like he doesn’t see the glare his cousin throws at him, instead waving in greeting to him before beckoning him over.

“They’re going at it in the kitchen,” Jeno says lowly once Donghyuck’s close enough to hear him. “I wouldn’t go in there just yet.”

Donghyuck mulls this information over in his mind for a moment before raising a single, perfect eyebrow. He snatches his radio from his cousin’s lap, securing it in his grip, and sits down beside Jeno before he chooses to respond.

“And what if I want to cause problems on purpose?”

“Didn’t you have a full day of doing that at work today?” Jeno asks rhetorically, causing Hyuck to roll his eyes over-exaggeratedly. 

“Which job?” He throws back, and Jeno can’t help but laugh. Donghyuck cracks a smile, too, though neither of them know why: it isn’t funny, especially not when Hyuck is speaking truth. He’s worked two jobs since dropping out of high school alongside Jeno a year prior - one close to the rich side of town in a quaint bookstore frequented by nearby college students, and one as a local plumbers’ assistant. None of the boys ever know where he’s at, which is concerning to all of them but something nobody bothers bringing up with Hyuck. 

Judging by the fact that he’s wearing jeans and a shirt that’s had the sleeves ripped off, Jeno feels as if it’s safe to say that Hyuck’s just gotten home from being under sinks and in cisterns. By this time, he typically would’ve washed the oil out of his hair and changed into his sleeping clothes. Jeno’s heart twinges at the idea that his cousin might have to go back out to work after eating.

“You gettin’ some sleep tonight?” Jeno’s query is soft-spoken, and Donghyuck can’t help but give him a sad smile before he slowly shakes his head no.

“On house call duty until 5 in the morning. I’ll be home to nap, have some eggs, and then get to the store, though. Maybe we’ll see each other then, brother.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Jeno sighs in a way that says he knows they won’t, and Donghyuck hits his shoulder with his own. They sit like that, in silence, listening to Renjun and Jaemin bicker for a few moments, wallowing in the harsher truths of their lives for a few short moments before Donghyuck, never one comfortable with the quiet, breaks it to ask the obvious question.

“What’s up with those two?” He tilts his head towards the kitchen, and Jeno sighs before dropping his head down and pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes.

“Jaemin wingman-ed me to one of the new hires at Kim’s.”

“That’s not so bad,” Donghyuck says, furrowing his brow at Jeno. “I mean, you’re a manwhore. Figured that isn’t something you’d particularly mind.”

“Shut up,” Jeno scowls, much to Hyuck’s amusement. “And that’s the pot calling the kettle black. It isn’t the act, it’s the victim.”

“The vic- the girl?” Donghyuck’s voice is incredulous now, and Jeno all but groans as he shakes his head in disagreement.

“No - I mean, maybe, considering it’s Jaemin she was talking to - but no, fuck. I meant me, I’m the victim.”

“And why is that?”

“Because the girl is - he got me (Name) Suh’s number, damn it. Of all the girls he could’ve talked to about me, it was her.”

Donghyuck’s teeth clench immediately at hearing the unholy last name, and the air leaving his mouth between his lips makes an odd, hissing noise. His grip on his radio tightens, the pads of his fingers whitening. It’s a beat, two beats, before Hyuck lets up on the thing he has in his hands, sighing with mild dejection.

“Jaemin only moved here right before high school,” Donghyuck rationalizes, though the darkness behind his pupils lets Jeno know that he isn’t happy about being reasonable. “And we never really talk about the thing with Doyoung. I guess he either didn’t register that they’re related or he thinks our hatred is only over the class bullshit Johnny pushes on us whenever he sees us. I’m surprised you never told him the whole story, though - you two are as close as brothers.”

“What, you jealous?” Jeno teases on instinct, mainly aiming his witticism at the last phrase Hyuck had uttered. His cousin rolls his eyes once again, nudges his shoulder once again. Jeno grins, dropping his gaze to his hands. 

“It isn’t that I wanted to keep it from Jaemin - it just never came up. He hates Johnny, too, but it isn’t in the same way as us. I guess I’ll explain it tonight - we’ve got an early shift at the garage tomorrow, as it is.” 

“Let me guess,” Donghyuck sighs. “You start at 5?”

“Damn straight.” Jeno smiles sadly. “We aren’t kids anymore, Hyuckie, are we?”

“No sir,” Donghyuck smiles back, running a thumb over the radio’s buttons. “But goddamn, does adulthood suck when you don’t even have time to be with your family. Speaking of, where’s that idiot older brother of mine?”

“I heard that, you asshat!” Jeno looks up just in time to see Mark box Donghyuck’s ears, albeit as gently as possible. Still, the youngest Lee winces in pain, whining at the sudden attack. 

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear,” Jeno notes, grinning up at his older cousin. “Didn’t hear you come in. How much did you hear?”

“Came in through the back. If you’re talking about whatever is happening in the kitchen, then nothing. If you’re talking about your explanation of whatever is happening in the kitchen, then everything. You two are not observant in any way, shape, or form - I’ve been here for a couple of minutes. I agree, by the way - you should tell Jaemin about it.”

“Tell Jaemin about what?”

Jeno, Donghyuck, and Mark all turn their heads simultaneously to see Jaemin and Renjun walk in, the former balancing the meatloaf on a tray and the latter holding a stack of plates, knives, and forks. Mark, who’s already standing anyways, leans over, grabbing some of the cutlery to ease up Renjun’s load. Jaemin sets the tray down on the floor after kicking aside the tools Jeno’d been using on the radio, and once he straightens up, he looks down at his best friend expectantly. 

Jeno meets Jaemin’s gaze, takes note of the annoyance that’s still etched across Renjun’s features, and sighs. He runs a hand down his face before looking up again, this time meeting everyone’s eyes individually. Finally, he asks what he thinks is most important of all before starting on his spiel.

“When are the kids getting here?”

♕ ♕ ♕

Chenle and Jisung have to convince their respective parents that, yes, they have in fact completed all of their homework and studied for all their upcoming tests, before they’re allowed to head over to the Lees’ house for dinner. Both boys - the only two still left in high school, both juniors - come over in no time at all, seeing as they live in the houses on either side of Jeno’s. 

“Why the fuck are we having family dinner?” Chenle asks, voice booming as he walks in without any prior announcement. Jisung, who’s trailing right behind him, quietly shuts and locks the door.

“Jaemin fucked up,” Renjun says, right at the same time as Mark responds with a “Because I said so.”   Jisung and Chenle share a look - each with an eyebrow raised in confusion and mild anticipation - before sitting down, Jisung on the right of Jaemin and Chenle right beside Hyuck. Jaemin immediately ruffles the youngest boy’s hair, pairing it with a ‘You’re doin’ good in school, right? Good with all those books ‘n’ shit?’, to which Jisung, as always, nods while trying to dodge Jaemin’s next loving attack. Out of the seven men and boys currently having dinner in the house, only Mark and Renjun have their high school diplomas.

Jeno was so close to living a different life. He does his best not to think about what could have been. Instead, he starts talking, commanding everyone’s attention in the way only he can. 

“We think it’s… time we talked about Doyoung.” Jeno lets the words settle, resting against their skin before seeping into their bones. He sees Chenle visibly shudder, Donghyuck resting a soothing palm against his younger friend’s upper back. Renjun lets out a heavy sigh, and Jisung bites at the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making the sad, choked noise he certainly was about to let out. 

Jaemin, for his part, says nothing, only waiting patiently in a way that’s become his signature. Jeno thinks there’s nobody in the world more caring than Jaemin, sometimes, and his best friend never ceases to prove him right. 

“Doyoung’s my older brother’s best friend - you remember Taeyong, right? Yeah, he’s Taeyong’s best friend.” Mark explains, looking straight at Jaemin once everyone seems to have recovered from the mild shock. It’s understandable, of course - they never talk about Doyoung. It’s been years, and not once has The Incident come up. 

There’s always a time for everything, Jeno supposes. 

“Does this have anything to do with why Taeyong’s in jail?” Jaemin’s question is tentative at best, but Jeno can see that he’s just piecing things together in his mind. All six of the other boys nods simultaneously, murmuring affirmative answers as they do. 

“About five years ago, Johnny, Taeyong, Doyoung, and, uh… what’s his name? Nakamoto, or whatever, him... The four of them were fucking inseparable, did everything together. Johnny’s parents are known classists and elitists and whatever other -ists exist, but Johnny never seemed to be that way. Doesn’t matter, anyways. Rich kids are all the same in the end.” Donghyuck speaks this time, shedding more light as the story unfolds. The bitterness in his voice is highly evident, but nobody can blame him - they all know what it’s like to be ridiculed, pariahed because of poverty. All seven of them had forsaken the idea of trust ages ago.

“One night, Johnny and Yuta went out and got halfway to blind drunk at some bar they weren’t supposed to be at. Yuta at least went and decided to walk home instead of driving his car back, but Johnny didn’t give a fuck. ‘Course, he hit something almost immediately after getting in the damn thing, but he was too fuckin’ pussy to check and see what had happened.” Renjun tacks on after Donghyuck, adding on the next part of the infamous, unfortunate tale. Chenle is the next to speak. 

“He was near a phone booth, so he called Doyoung to come help him. Doyoung and Taeyong both hurried to help their friend, figuring he must’ve gotten hurt, only to find that he’d- he’d…”

“That he’d hit and killed the son of the mayor at the time,” Hyuck finishes, noticing how Chenle hesitates to go on. “Johnny had called the cops right after calling Doyoung, and the pigs got there not a minute or two after my - Mark and my - brother and Doyoung did. They immediately assumed one of them had been driving, and then assumed that the car had been stolen from Johnny rather than being Johnny’s itself. Fucking Suh never clarified, only stood by while his friends got hauled off. They knocked my big brother on Grand Theft Auto. Seven years for a crime he didn’t fucking commit. Still, at least we get to visit him every week.”

“They took in Doyoung in on manslaughter - not even vehicular manslaughter. He pleaded guilty to it because he knew they’d charge Taeyong with it if he didn’t, and Taeyong was looking after the rest of us - Renjun included - at the time. We don’t have any fucking parents, and Doyoung knew it. He’s already done five years, but he’s spending the next decade of his life in a federal super max, and we aren’t allowed to see him. Poor thing - Taeyong ended up getting jailed, too. Doyoung couldn’t’ve have known. Don’t know if he knows now, even.” Jeno finishes the story, voice quivering with rage and the few unshed tears that always accompany his thoughts about the huge miscarriage of justice his family and friends have faced. Taeyong’s room is still the same as it was five years prior, untouched. 

“Johnny was a witness in both cases, and he took the stand against them, saying they really did do what the cops said they did,” Jisung finishes, voice soft but emotionally charged. “My mom and Chenle’s mom stepped in as best they could to take care of Mark, Renjun, Jeno, and Hyuck afterwards until Mark got grown, but I just know it isn’t the same as Taeyong.”

“Your moms are angels,” Mark responds, smiling kindly at the two youngest members of their ragtag group. “They saved our lives. Of course, they wouldn’t have had to do so if…”

“If Johnny Suh hadn’t ruined them first.” Jeno completes the thought, Donghyuck and Renjun nodding in agreement. Jaemin says nothing, only looking each of them in the eyes earnestly. 

He gets it, Jeno decides. The rest of them must see this as well. 

After dinner, when Jeno goes to the bathroom to brush before sleeping, he finds a thoroughly sodden piece of paper stuck to the bottom of the basin. It takes him a moment to realize what it is - the sharpie has bled into one large blob. Jeno smiles to himself before getting to work cleaning it up.

He scrapes your phone number off of his sink with his bare nails and sleeps easier that night than he has in a long while. 

♕ ♕ ♕

Day Two: May 26, 1957

Jeno’s always been good with time. It’s a gift, though it’s rare he acknowledges it: being able to more-or-less accurately tell the time without ever looking at a clock is hardly the kind of superpower people dream about. 

You leave work at around 3 p.m. - Jeno knows this because he’s out in front of the garage, sat on the hood of Jaemin’s rusty pickup truck nursing a ham sandwich when you walk out of Kim’s, unbuttoning your uniform’s top few buttons as you find your brother’s waiting car. He’s too far away to hear the words you exchange with Johnny, but he watches as you glare into the Chevy for an excruciatingly long amount of time before heaving a sigh and re-buttoning your shirt. 

Jeno doesn’t watch as the two of you drive away, but he doesn’t have to. Johnny always drives like he deserves more respect on the road than his car does, and it boils the younger man’s blood more than anything. After all, Jeno’s always been able to count on machines. People? Not so much. Cars respect him, so he respects them. 

He finishes the sandwich, immediately replacing it with an unlit cigarette. ‘Oral fixation’, Donghyuck had smirked at him one night ages ago, only to have gotten a shoe thrown at him by Renjun. Jeno can’t say that his cousin is wrong, but he’ll die before he lets Hyuck know that. He thinks back to the morning, when he’d left to come to work. He’d only seen Jaemin and nobody else, and that was just because Jaemin had been his ride. 

Speaking of Jaemin- he’d been right: you’re pretty. You’ve always been pretty, but Jeno tries to ignore it. Nobody related to the scum of the Earth Johnny Suh himself can be beautiful both inside and out - he’s never been more sure of anything. Such a thought process might be unfair, sure, but he reckons it’s better that he avoid you altogether rather than get caught up like his family members had. That’s how life goes: you hunt or get hunted. 

Jeno will be damned if he ever finds himself being the prey again. 

Jess drops by at around 4:15, no necessity behind her visit. They don’t do anything, not this time, though Jeno does have to force himself to stop imagining her lipstick leaving marks in places the sun can’t see, his fingers leaving bruises along her skin. Jaemin raises an eyebrow when he sees them talking, though he doesn’t say anything, only tossing Jess his pack of Camels. It’s only got one cig left in it, so Jeno lights it and puts it to her lips. She blows out a ring of smoke before he takes a drag from it himself, his fourth smoke of the day.

“You should apply for a dealership job or something,” Jess says at around 4:30, and Jeno’s now hyper-aware of her reason for visiting. He scoffs, handing the cigarette back to her for good. It’s suddenly the most unappetizing thing in the world. She notices his expression, but slogs on anyways, hoping that she’ll get through to him. “I’m serious! You’re smart, Jen, real smart. You could do worse than sellin’ cars to crackpots in suits. You’d make more cash, too.” 

Her drawl only comes back to her when she’s talking to her childhood friends, and Jeno supposes it’s an unwitting act of classism. They don’t ‘speak good’, as Jaemin would teasingly put it, but they have heart. It’s something that’s hard to find in people who have more money. Jess has grown up like them, yes, but in some ways she’s no longer part of the world Jeno’s forced to live in. It’s a world where he’s got family and friends in jail, where his own brothers - he almost never calls them his cousins, because they’re brothers if he’s ever had any - have to work two jobs just to make sure all of them get by, where their friends have to do the same. Jess has a stable job now - kudos to her - and a rich boyfriend. She’s set for as long as she can hope to be.

She’s okay with doing up the hair of ladies who sit idly and gossip about the ‘filthy poors’ in the south side of town. Jeno can hardly look rich folks in the eyes without gritting his teeth into dust. He’s well aware that they are not the same. 

“Why this sudden interest in my career?” Regardless, he only questions her coolly, unwilling to start an argument that won’t find an end any time soon. There’s no telling when a car will come in and Jess will have to leave so the boys can do their work, and, besides, this isn’t a discussion he wants to have. Not with Jess. Not with anyone. 

He’d been so, so close to going to college with a full ride. Jeno had dreams once. He’d been a fool to even think of possessing such intangible commodities. He doesn’t have any anymore.

“I just… you’re brainy as hell. It’s a shame seeing you as a grease monkey when you could do more with your life, is all. I mean well, Jen, you know I do.” Her eyes are wide in earnestness, and Jeno can’t help but sigh. It’s not Jess’ fault he’s a realist, that he’s lost opportunities before. Before he can say anything in response, though, probably breaking her heart just a little bit in the process, Jaemin pipes in. 

“If I have to drop him off at a dealership everyday in the hunk o’ junk I drive while he’s dressed up in a three-piece suit, I’ll hang myself using a chain of grease rags. Besides,” He chuckles, tilting his head at his best friend. “Who’ll keep my sorry ass company here at the shop?”

A corner of Jeno’s mouth lifts up immediately at the save, and it’s all he can do to shrug and gesture towards his best friend in agreement. Jess rolls her eyes before darting her gaze between the two men, and once she realizes that she really won’t get anywhere with either of them, she only sighs and shakes her head, dropping the idea for good… for now. 

“That’s not the only reason you came here.” Jeno states, keeping an eye out for any potential customers. It’s a Sunday, though, so he doubts many people will come by. Church hasn’t been out for long - he knows this for sure because Mark never fails to attend, no matter how heavy his university course load gets and let alone how many hours during the week he’s had to work. He’s the only one currently pursuing a higher education, and Jeno thinks that he might be the only one tenacious enough to do so. 

It’s a shame - Jeno’d been real smart in school. So had Hyuck. They both know Mark beats himself up everyday for being the only one of the Lees who’ll get a Bachelor’s, but they both also know that he’s least likely to jeopardize his education. If anyone deserves college, it’s Mark. 

“How’d you guess?” Jess draws the mechanic out of his thoughts, and he blinks rapidly before orienting himself back in reality. His smirk returns - Jeno thinks he might use it as a facade too much at this point - and he can only laugh. 

“I didn’t - it was a shot in the dark. What’s up?” 

Jess opens her mouth to speak, but is cut off by Jaemin, who doesn’t realize she’s about to talk. Jeno’s best friend tosses him the beat up truck’s keys in a perfect arc, throwing him a well-meaning grin while he’s at it. 

“We won’t get much work today,” Jaemin states as Jeno catches the keys nimbly. “I’ll walk down to Church today, haven’t been in a while. Might be nice.”

“If you’re gonna go every three months at most, what’s the point of goin’ at all?” Jess asks, only mildly peeved at having been interrupted. Her grin is sunny, though, and Jaemin knows that she’s just teasing. A friend of Jeno’s is a friend of his; the vice versa also tends to ring true. 

“Unlike this one over here,” Jaemin jabs a thumb out towards Jeno. “I still believe. That, and I figured I’d walk Mark home. Don’t get to see him too often, y’know?”

“Hey- “ Jeno starts, stopping immediately as Jess waves him off with one hand. 

“Don’t mind him, he’s just disillusioned with everything he can’t see. Catholic Church included. Of course, whenever his grandparents are in town, he still pretends.” Jess explains sagely, much to Jaemin’s amusement and Jeno’s disgruntlement. The latter rolls his eyes, raising the hand enclosing the keys in a wave goodbye as Jaemin pushes himself off of the wall he’s leaning against. 

“Funny how Mark’s a Protestant and so is Hyuck - kind of, I don’t think he’s super religious at this point - but you’re a Catholic.” Jaemin notes, and Jeno shrugs for the second time in one day. 

“Mark & Hyuck’s dad was a Pastor, my dad converted to Catholicism for shits and giggles when he was, like, 15. They might be brothers, but they aren’t the same. I was never the religious disgrace of the family, though,” Jeno notes, a small, sadder smile replacing his grin momentarily. “Not after Taeyong said he’s an atheist. Anyways, Mark’s probably on his way home already, if you leave now you might be able to catch him.” 

Jaemin knows better than to press, only nodding, raising an eyebrow for a split second, and turning on his heel before easing himself into a jog. He’s still dressed in his work clothes, and his hair is as shaggy as ever, and Jeno thinks churchgoers might faint upon seeing him. He also knows that Jaemin doesn’t mind. 

“Now you,” Jeno looks at Jess once Jaemin is out of sight. “What’s up?”

Jess’ shoulders droop immediately, and for a moment she looks so forlorn that she doesn’t even look like herself. The expression passes as quickly as it had come into view, and Jeno accepts the nonchalant smile she gives him like it’s what she means to project outward.

“John’s been secretive lately.”

She says so much more with her eyes than she does with her mouth. Jeno sighs, tilting his head as he does to survey his friend for a moment. Jess is conflicted, that much is evident, and Jeno doesn’t quite know why. Nevertheless, he’s always made sure to keep his head out of other people’s business. He won’t change now. 

“If you’re worried that he’s cheating, why don’t you talk to him about it?” Jeno says it like it’s easy, like Jess isn’t unfaithful to her own boyfriend. His eyes dart out towards the street again - nobody’s coming in for repairs. Jess lets out a huff of air, and Jeno realizes she must think his words are sarcastic rather than as earnest as he’s meant them to be. 

“I’m being ridiculous, I know, it’s just- I just… I don’t know. It isn’t even that he’s acting super different, he’s just being more… conspiratorial? With his friends? It’s more of a feeling than anything else, I guess. I must sound fucking insane.” She runs her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face even as she casts her eyes towards the ground. She may be trying to reassure herself that she isn’t seeing things, but it’s called a sixth sense for a reason. 

“You have good intuition,” Jeno rushes to assure her that she isn’t losing her mind. “I hope you’re wrong, but… maybe you and your boy toy need to have a good talk. From both sides.”

“Yeah,” Jess responds, not knowing what else to say. “Yeah. I just had to say it out loud to someone that wasn’t my reflection, I think. I’ll figure it out. Anyways, I have a couple regulars dropping by at the salon today, so I should probably- ” 

“Go to work,” Jeno cuts in, his smile forgiving. Of what, neither of them are sure. “We have all the time in the world to talk. Bye, Jess.”

“Bye, Jen.” Is the response he gets, and then Jess is on her way. The day is silent again, now that Jaemin and Jess are both gone, but Jeno finds that he doesn’t really mind it. It’s not so bad- with no customers, no coworkers, and no friends around, Jeno gets to sit and think.

That’s what he does best. 

♕ ♕ ♕

It’s 6:27 in the evening when it happens.

For once in his life, Jeno checks his wristwatch. He isn’t sure why the sudden compulsion to actually know the time overcomes him, but he chalks it up to ‘dying from boredom’ and thinks nothing else of it. After all, the rags won’t clean themselves and the shop’s workbenches are only as neat as their owners. Jeno isn’t the most put together person alive, but he’d be lying if he said he doesn’t mind mess. 

So he cleans, even when he’s the only one who’s doing it. 

He’s in the midst of organizing his wrenches in size order when a familiar red Bel Air glides into the diner’s parking lot, top down with Johnny Suh’s loud laughter audible even from across the street. The music blaring from his car radio is only almost as loud as he is, and that’s saying something, because Johnny takes up every space he’s ever in. Yuta Nakamoto is beside him like he always is, though he’s more reserved than usual. Jeno does his best not to pay them any heed, but it’s difficult when his own responsibilities are mind-numbingly boring at the moment. He’ll take any entertainment he can get, even if it’s Johnny fucking Suh being the true neighborhood nuisance once again. 

Funny how people look at Jeno funny when he walks down streets minding his own business, but they don’t say jackshit about a Suh kid blasting Elvis in public right before dinner time. 

But that’s neither here nor there. 

Jeno actually manages to finish his tool-sorting and is getting ready to finally, finally pack up when the music stops. Johnny must’ve parked. The burgeoning night is eerily silent, and the young mechanic pauses what he’s doing - making sure he has everything, mostly - because the world seems like it’s holding its breath. Just as he’s about to relax, slump his shoulders, and get back to his own work, he hears it. 

Of course he hears it. It’s impossible to miss. 

The scream shatters the silence into a million pieces, startling Jeno so hard he almost drops Jaemin’s car keys. He’s rushing out of the garage before he can think, and it’s moments later that he sees none other than Johnny Suh and Yuta Nakamoto rushing out of the diner, stuffing what look like pistols into the waistbands of their jeans. There’s cold, hard cash grasped in each of their hands, and Jeno cannot, for the life of him, comprehend what he’s seeing.

He makes brief eye contact with Johnny Suh, and the recognition in the older’s narrowed eyes freezes Jeno’s blood. There’s no time to ponder this, though - not when Johnny pulls out and rushes away within seconds, his car roaring to life on the town’s streets. Jeno’s just witnessed a robbery - a robbery by one of the richest and most powerful people in the area. Jeno’s just witnessed a robbery, and the criminal himself is aware of this.

As he watches the owner of Kim’s run out, hands on his head in panic and disbelief, all Jeno can think about is how Johnny Suh is going to try to shut him up. Jeno is now the star witness to a criminal act. There’s no way he’ll sleep tonight.

He leaves City Motors with duller eyes than he ever has, his workstation spotless and mind swallowed in darkness. 

At least now he knows why Johnny’s been weird towards Jess lately. 

♕ ♕ ♕

Jaemin drops Mark off at the Lee household with a parting hug, clasping their hands together in a high five before pulling each other into their chests and clapping each other on the back. Each other. Jaemin might be the ‘newest’ addition to their band of seven, but he doesn’t feel any different from the rest of them. They’re his brothers, and he’ll always have their backs. They’ll always have his.

Mark invites him inside, but Jaemin declines - he’s out of chewing gum, of all things, and he knows the sketchy convenience store by the alley near 7th Street always sells at half price on Sundays. He bids the older man goodbye again, throwing him a lax two-finger salute and a small smirk before turning on his heels and jamming his hands into his jean pockets, a stance that does nothing to help his already awful posture. 

He whistles all the way down to the store - Kun’s Konvenience - mostly because he can’t get the tune Hyuck is always humming out of his head, but also because he feels almost truly happy. Sure, his future looks like it’ll lie in the City Motors garage for the rest of his life, and sure, maybe he shouldn’t step foot inside Church - the dirty looks had been telling today - but that doesn’t dampen his mood. The sun is shining, the sky is a brilliant blue. Kun’s is selling gum for cheap, and Jaemin’s in need of it. He rounds the final corner and the short, squat red brick building he’s looking for comes into view. 

His hand is closing in on the handle of the store’s front door when another, slightly larger, hand places itself on top of his. 

Jaemin barely has time to step back when a fist connects with his jaw. Through his swimming vision, he sees Johnny Suh raise a pistol, and he doesn’t have the time to raise his hands before the butt of the gun collides with the side of his head. The last thing Jaemin remembers before passing out entirely is the ugly, ugly sneer across the older man’s face as he glares down at him. 

“Sorry. Blame your meddling friend.” Johnny spits out, placing a well-aimed kick in Jaemin’s side as his finale. 

 ♕ ♕ ♕

It’s 8:32 at night when the landline rings. Mark’s studying and both Donghyuck and Renjun are out at work, so Jeno’s the only one available to pick up the phone. Typically, he’d be wary of doing so - the neighborhood elementary schoolers have only recently discovered the cheap thrills that come with prank calling - but something compels him to hear out whoever’s on the other end.

There’s a crackling noise, and what sound like hushed whispers, and this goes on for so long that Jeno’s about to either yell something about working on homework instead of pranking or just hang up without a word when the other person finally speaks. Jeno sets down the dish he’s washing, pays no mind to the way it clatters into the otherwise-empty sink when Johnny fucking Suh finally opens his damned mouth. 

“Caught an eyeful down at City Motors today, didn’t you?” He asks, casually, as if there are no underlying threats hiding beneath his overly honeyed words. As if he isn’t the one who’s committed a crime, as if Jeno’s the one with the gun and the money he never earned. Bile rises almost automatically in the younger man’s throat, but he can’t bring himself to put the phone down anymore. It’s as if he’s stuck. 

“What do you want?” Jeno manages to hiss out when the urge to vomit recedes, and the way Johnny chuckles in response sends chills down Jeno’s spine. There’s something sickeningly sinister about the situation they’re caught in, and Jeno knows that he’s unprepared for when the other shoe drops. His mind can’t even work properly, not when there are so many ways for this to go. 

“Police will be at your door tomorrow morning, looking to arrest the Kim’s robber. I’ll have given them a helpful tip by then, of course. Wouldn’t be good of me to know who it is and not let the local law enforcement know. Also… left you a present in the alleyway by that one convenience store your kind go to. Think it goes by the name of… Jaemin?”

Jeno’s blood runs cold at the mention of his best friend’s name. Johnny doesn’t stop speaking. 

“He was real easy to drag by his feet after I got him in the head, though getting rid of the trail of blood by the store was a little harder. I’m about half sure I left him breathing, but-”

The landline slips out of Jeno’s hand, no active effort made to put it down. Everything suddenly feels as if it’s in slow motion, as if his muscles are made of lead and his tongue is made of sandpaper, but he hears himself calling out for Mark before his own actions register in his mind. He must sound frantic, because he can hear his older cousin practically sprint down the stairs even through the haze his mind is in. Jaemin. Jaemin’s hurt. Jaemin’s bleeding, Jaemin’s in pain. 

“What? What the fuck happened- Who was on the phone- Jeno? What happened?” Mark’s voice is panicked enough, rushed enough, to shake Jeno out of his stupor. His anguish moves aside, making way for rightly placed rage as he meets his family member’s eyes. When he speaks, his voice is choked, barely restrained and yet so, so pained. 

“We need to go to Kun’s,” Jeno states, swallowing the growing lump in his throat. He can’t cry, not now, not when a clock might be ticking. He hasn’t cried in ages. He can’t cry now. Jaemin needs him. He can’t waste his time crying. “We need to go to Kun’s.” He repeats.

“It’s Jaemin.”