#I thought I'd read up on some drama and some comments

[jodeliejodelie]

I'm very out of the loop, but what's with all of the spam on the Simsecret Dreamwidth? Is that just the result of allowing anonymous comments, so all of the bots and bored people flock to the page?

[coolyiooo]

BSD Men Dealing With Your Mood Swings

parings: Dazai, Fyodor, and Chuuya

First time writing something other than smut 😶🔫

🖤DAZAI🖤

You were having a bad day, not only because you started your period but also some drama was happening between some friends of yours, so you were ranting to your boyfriend while driving. He was being the passenger princess.

"And then she was all like ' that's none of your business ' "

"Oh shit-" he said with a hand over his mouth, actually invested with your tea

"I know! And I was like-"

You suddenly heard one of your favorite songs playing on the radio

"Hold on- babe, this song is my jammm"

You started to vibe with the music and sing long with it, completely forgetting about your drama you had earlier in the day.

Dazai was a bit baffled but he started to laugh at how your mood just did a whole 360. He actually started to vibe with the music with you.

Another day, another pain of suffering of cramps, hormones, and blood 🤢 you were mad, annoyed, disgusted, and sad all at once. You literally just arrived at the ADA office and immediately said, in a monotoned voice

"I'm going to hang myself" And sat down

Everybody in the office was a bit worried and confused, they all faced Dazai to see if he'll comfort you and be a good bf but all he said was

"I'd never thought I'd hear you say those words" he had stars in his eyes.

Everybody gave him a disgusted look and he could feel it. He chuckled nervously and said

"I- I mean why don't I go to the store to buy all the snacks you want!"

" Aweeee thanks babe!"your mood immediately changed.

Dazai mentally gave himself a high five.

When work was over you were comfortable in the couch, covered in blankets, heat pad on your stomach, and reading your book. Everything was perfect when suddenly your boyfriend came in. You gave him an intense side eye and he immediately noticed.

"Uh- what's wrong, princess?"

"I need you to leave" you said straight up with no remorse.

For a second he looked a bit shocked, wondering if he did something. You felt bad but suddenly saw how pretty he was, so you used that as an excuse to let him down easy.

"your distracting me with your beauty" You went back to reading your book

He was baffled once again but then was flattered and smiling to himself. He left the room to yourself. He was a bit taken aback by the aggressive, flirting comment but a win is a win.

He'll try his best to comfort you during these times. I feel like sometimes he's the reason your mood is just sky rocketing all over the place, but he'll make up for it.

💜FYODOR💜

You were literally being a couch potato. Covered in blankets but also chips, crumbs, and snacks.Fyodor came in the room and saw the mess you surrounded yourself in.

"My dear, is it too much to ask for you to clean up after yourself?"

"Shut up your anemic" you retorted back with no sympathy.

Nikolai was in the same room as you two were in and tried his best not to burst out laughing . You realized what you just said and immediately began laughing. Fyodor was slightly taken by surprise by your bold comment but his face showed no emotions except for 'you better stop if you know what's good for you'.When you noticed his face, you immediately stopped laughing. Fyodor then walked towards you, you were starting to get scared

"w-wait! I'm on my period I'm sorry!"

He stopped in front of you "yes, I can see my love"

"I- ...I'm sorry" you said timidly

He looked back at you with dark eyes "just clean up after yourself, darling" he kissed your forehead and left the room.

"Your lucky he loves you" Nikolai commented

Later that same day you were laying your head on Fyodor's lap as he was petting your hair, reading a book. You were staring at his legs and randomly said

"You have very pretty legs, they look like they belong to a woman"

He immediately stopped what he was reading and looked at you. You stared back at him.

"I meant that as a compliment of course. I mean your just very beautiful"

He stared back at you with a hint of concern, but then reverted back to a straight face

"My dear, just go back to sleep" he said, gently scratching your head

Next day you were sitting on the bed, late at night, reading a book. Fyodor came in and stared at you. He was just surprised you were still awake but you felt judged.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You said in a bratty tone

"Am I... Really that ugly?" You asked with curiosity and started to feel a bit down

He closed his eyes and deeply sighed "of course not, my love. Your more than beautiful" he sat next to you on the bed

"How so?" You pouted

He gently stared into your eyes "Your captivating, enchanting, and even pulchritudinous"

(Yes, that's a real word)

You didnt even know what that last word meant but since it sounded pretty, you felt flattered. You hugged his arm and kissed his cheek.

"Ugh thanks, Fedya. I love you" you had a smile on your face and snuggled close to his chest.

He smiled slightly "I love you more" he said, kissing the top of your head.

He usually doesn't take whatever you say seriously during these days just because of your mood swings and how this isn't what you'd normally do or say, but he'll still try to make it bearable for you and a little for him as well. You should definitely give him a thank you for dealing with your bs.

🧡CHUUYA🧡

He already knew you started you period. He low-key seems like the guy to track it down and stuff so he bought you a bunch of snacks. Usually when your on your period he cuddles with you so when he arrived at your shared place he went to go look for you. He found you laying flat on your face on the bed.

"Hey babe, how are you feeling?"

You responded by soft groaning

"Awe I'm sorry baby, I got you your favorite snacks. I hope that makes you feel better" he laid the bag down on the night stand.

He saw that you weren't moving, and out of sympathy, he touched your head.

"Don't touch me" you mumble in a strict tone

Normally he would probably be concerned but he understands that it's just your period talking and understands you probably just want to be alone.

"I'm sorry, let me know if you need anything" He said before making his way out the room

You lifted your head up looking back at him "wait, where are you going?" Your tone sounding sad "don't go"

He was confused but then you reached your arms out to him.

"I change my mind please cuddle with me" you said almost as an order

Your change in tone and mood startled him. He didn't want to make it worse by disobeying your order so he cuddled with you. You started playing with his hair and scratching his head. His thoughts were that he's the one supposed to help you relax not the other way around but the more you looked at him the more you realized just how literally gorgeous the man was.

"Chuuya, your so prettyyy" you said while kissing his cheek

He was starting to blush "the more I look at you the more breath taking you get" you then smothered him with kisses.

A moment ago you were literally not wanting any physical touch and now look at you, you can't keep your hands off him. Not like he's complaining though, but he's definitely struggling to keep up with your mood swings.He was about to respond back to you with compliments, but you then stopped your kissing and said

"now let me sleep I'm tired" you patted his chest gently and rolled out of his arms. Now he was just dazed.

He'll try to make you the happiest he can during your days of the month overall and you should definitely give him your gratitude for being a good bf

[onebourbon-oneshot-onetear]

Lilla Solen- Eric Northman x witch!reader

Just another Eric oneshot. This could be a sequel to Familiar, but you don't have to read it. Although I'd be happy if you did...

I'm just now starting season 4 so if this isn't accurate to the show's timeline then I'll get there eventually :)

It had taken me weeks and weeks of trying, and failed spells, and damn near blowing my house up before I had even caught a glimpse of success. But a few weeks ago my plans had just started to come together and since then I’ve been working night and day until I’ve finally got it right. 

A few months ago I had been dragged into another one of Sookie Stackhouse’s overly complicated situations. Typically I liked to stay neutral in these things, but after Eric had asked, if not begged, for my help, I could hardly say no. It wasn’t until Eric and a so-called vampire king started drinking from Sookie and stepping outside that I actually realized just how much shit I was about to be dragged into. 

I’ve never had a heart attack, but the way my heart was pounding out of my chest as I watched Eric on the security cameras stepping into the sun for the first time in a thousand years, I really thought I was in the middle of one. Pam and I were both glued to the screen and we couldn’t take our eyes off the screen. Her because she thought her Maker was dying, and me because I couldn’t stop looking at the serene look on his face as he closed his eyes and faced the sun. Until he started burning, then I thought he was dying. 

The events following that day were, well hectic would be an understatement, and for the weeks that followed, the thing that stuck out to me the most was Eric’s face. I couldn’t imagine not being in the sun for a week let alone a thousand years. So, I made the inane decision to try and bottle up the sun. Well, not the actual sun, but a close enough replica. I wasn’t even sure I was a powerful enough witch to make this happen, but after hundreds of hours of pouring over spell books and journals, I had the basis to create the spell. 

It took another hundred hours until I got a breakthrough. Then another dozen before I almost set my kitchen on fire. Then a couple more dozen until I had finally gotten it, and was able to replicate it safely.  

The whole process was a killer, especially keeping it away from Eric. After he had been burned by the sun, I had given him some of my blood to help heal him. Now that we had a blood connection, he could sense every bit of panic that I was feeling, which often led to numerous nights where he sprinted over here just as I extinguished some flames. While he demanded answers, I just had to tell him that I was working on some witch stuff. Which wasn’t a lie. Now I just tell him beforehand when I’m working on some tricky spells so he doesn’t panic. 

I was finally at a point where I felt comfortable showing him my work. I texted him around noon telling him I had something to show him, and was just waiting for him to wake up and make his way over. The sun was about to set as I made some last minute adjustments to the kitchen, cleaning up little things here and there. I had always fiddled with things when I was nervous, so this was making me go into overdrive. Usually I wasn’t a self conscious person, but this was making me worried. Such a gift seemed almost intimate, and while there were feelings on my end towards Eric, we had never labeled it. I didn’t even know if he felt the same. 

I had known for a while that my feelings towards Eric weren’t just platonic. He was a good friend, and we had spent many nights in this kitchen or at Fangtasia just talking and reminiscing about our long lives. But Eric was a very closed off vampire, and never showed too much emotion. The closest I had ever gotten to knowing what Eric was thinking was when Pam made a small throwaway comment about how I was Eric’s “favorite little witch”. Granted, the woman loved drama so who knows if she was being serious or just stirring a pot. 

The familiar woosh of air at my back door and the associated knocking pattern told me Eric was here. Despite him being allowed inside whenever, he was usually a gentleman and knocked first. The few times he just barged in he had made me drop quite a few mugs and glasses. He felt bad enough that he started routinely knocking. 

I walked across the kitchen and opened the back door. He turned and threw me a dashing smile, his eyes looking me up and down slowly. “Hey,” he said. 

“Hi,” I answered, opening the door enough for him to come in. Eric always seemed to relax when he was here. He mentioned before the low light and herbs reminded him of home, and it always warmed my heart that I could give him that level of comfort. 

“You said you had something to show me?” He asked, tugging off his jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his long sleeve shirt. 

My eyes trailed up his arms as I watched him roll his sleeves before shaking myself from the not-so-wholesome thoughts that had started to form in my head, mainly involving his hands and where he could put them. 

“Yes, please, come sit down,” I said, gesturing to the living room. Much like my kitchen, the living room was small and quaint. Outfitted in older furniture, warm colors, too many candles, and just as many drying flowers, it looked more like a room out of a storybook. Which, to be fair, was the vibe I was going for. “I’m sorry if I pulled you from something important.”

Eric sat down on my couch, folding his hands on his lap. “No, nothing is more important than you.” He grinned as the blush spread across my cheeks. Sometimes I couldn’t tell if he just liked seeing me blush, or if he actually meant what he said. 

“So, over the last couple of months I’ve been thinking,” I said, sitting on the floor opposite of Eric so I could use the coffee table. “When you drank from Sookie, and you stepped outside, you looked so peaceful, and so comfortable being able to see daylight. So I made you something.” 

I pulled out the enchanted jar and placed it in the middle of the coffee table. The jar was empty except for a few sparkles glimmering in the candlelight. Eric’s eyes crinkled in confusion as he looked between me and the jar. 

“You got me a mason jar?” He asked. 

I rolled my eyes, “No, Eric. Just watch.” I closed my eyes and lightly touched the glass of the jar. I whispered the incantation, the latin rolling off of my tongue. Behind my closed eyes I could see the orange glow from the jar, and my fingertips felt the jar getting warmer. 

I opened my eyes, the little ball of light inside the jar glowing as bright as a sun, giving off a beautiful light. I looked at Eric, who at first seemed tense, like he was expecting to burn, but after a few moments he closed his eyes and sank into the couch and the light. He had the same look on his face as he did that day outside of Fangtasia. 

I couldn’t fight the grin on my face even if I wanted to. The hours of burning my fingertips and frustration were worth it just to see the serenity on his face. I slid the jar to the side of the table so we weren’t blinded. At the sound of the glass sliding on the wood Eric opened his eyes and stared at me in awe. 

I stood from the floor and sat next to him on the couch, his blue eyes, brighter in the sunlight, never left my face. 

“How?” was all he could ask. 

I shrugged, “I created the spell. I used some different variations of magic, made sure the jar wouldn’t break, temperature control…It’s simple in theory but harder in practice.” I said. Eric’s staring was only broken by him glancing at the jar every few seconds. “It only lasts for about an hour before I have to say the incantation again, and only I can activate it, but other than that it’s all yours. It follows the cycle of the sun, so when it’s close to going out, it deepens into a sunset.” I finished, twisting my fingers together nervously. 

We sat in silence, him staring at the jar as I watched him. I just took a mental snapshot of the look on his face. He was a fairly hard man to read but I knew him well enough to see where his mind was going. He was figuring out how hard it was to do this, the time and effort it took for me to do this, and then the reason why I would do this. See, that’s where he got confused. That’s what he couldn’t understand. Why I would care enough to go through all the trouble. 

“Eric?” I quietly asked. He had reached out to the jar, running his finger up and down the warm glass. His eyes reflected the light coming off of it, drinking it in. 

“I don’t really know what to say,” He mumbled, dragging his eyes from the jar back to me. “Thank you, for starters.” 

I shrugged, “It’s not that big of a deal.” 

Eric moved closer to me, our knees now touching. “You have no idea how much it means to me,” he said. His mouth moved but no words came out until he finally mumbled, “I’m actually speechless.” 

Now my blush had overtaken my neck, cheeks, and ears. “You don’t have to say anything. Honestly, I just wanted you to be happy. This is well worth it,” I mumbled. 

Eric grinned, leaning forward and cupping my cheek. “Y/n, I honestly don’t know how to thank you. This means so much to me, you have no idea.” Eric glanced down at my lips and my blush only deepened. “What do you call it?” 

“Lilla Solen. It’s swedish, for-” 

“Little sun,” Eric finished. I nodded. 

“Yeah, I thought it was fitting.” 

“Y/n”, Eric whispered, running his thumb on my cheek. Eric had slowly started to lean forward until we were only a breath apart. 

“Eric,” I whispered back. My eyes closed as he gently pressed his lips to mine in a chaste kiss. He pulled away and I opened my eyes, a grin stretching across my face. I grabbed his collar and pulled him back in for another longer kiss. 

“It’s about time,” I whispered when we broke apart again a few minutes later. Eric chuckled, swiping his finger over my slightly swollen lips. 

“I’d say. Pam said if I didn’t kiss you soon she’d lock me in the basement,” He said, rolling his eyes. 

I laughed, knowing the woman was serious about that. “That reminds me,” I said, pulling a smaller jar out of my pocket, “I made one for her too. It just isn’t as powerful.” 

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” Eric said, taking the jar and putting it next to his. Eric wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards him until we were both leaning back on the couch, facing the jar. 

I was tense for a moment before I relaxed into his hold, snuggling into his chest. Eric ran his hands up and down my back tracing little shapes. This was all very new behavior that I could very much get used to. 

“I didn’t know you spoke Swedish,” Eric said. 

“I don’t, but I just looked up the translation. I figured if I’m creating something new, the name should be enjoyed by the person I’m making it for.” I answered. 

“How long have you felt this way,” He asked, quietly. 

I took a moment to think about the answer. “Quite a while now. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to make things awkward between us. And I never knew how you felt.” 

“I should have told you sooner,” Eric said. 

“It’s alright. At least we know now.” 

Eric was silent for a moment, “You know, this really does give me an excuse to keep you around. To light this thing every night,” He said. I could hear the grin in his voice. I looked up and he was giving me his classic Eric smirk. 

“Did you really need an excuse to keep me around?” I asked. 

Eric’s grin got wider and he leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead. “No, I was gonna keep you around anyway,” He mumbled. 

I laughed and lay my head back down on his chest, basking in the glow of the jar, and in Eric’s embrace. Yeah, this was definitely worth it. 

[goldfades]

✮ 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦?, zegras' have more fun

♡ ─ summary | stass' new photo dump on instagram (plus imsg drama??)

♡ ─ warnings | nothing just some cussing, jack being a flirt and lukey being a simp LMAO

♡ ─ taglist | link to my taglist!

♡ ─ ev's notes | oooooo more drama???? again, PLSSSS SEND IN SOME THOUGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEGGING ON MY HANDS AND KNEES PLEASE.

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stasszegras ann arbor, michigan

Liked by trevorzegras, briesbagels, jackhughes and 10,013 more

stasszegras | live laugh love barcelona (sry jude bellingham) tagged: briesbagels, friend1, pchandler68, chloegrace333 octber 12th, 2022

View all 3,971 comments

briesbagels | is this a soft launch parker??

↳ pchandler98 no it is not.

↳ chloegrace333 oh okay...

↳ trevorzegras bro has absolutely 0 game HELP

↳ stasszegras why is bro copying me?? since when do u say HELP

↳ pchandler68 shut up trevor

umichwsoccer | thats our girl🫡

↳ stasszegras 😤

nolan_moyle | future manager supports barcelona!!!!!!!! (whatever the hell that means)

↳ stasszegras ur funny but no, also barcelona is a club

↳ nolan_moyle wdym club

↳ trevorzegras bros gotten hit too many times in the head by a puck

↳ stasszegras this is why im not managering the hockey team

jackhughes | whos jude bellingham??? why are you sorry????

↳ stasszegras sigh...

↳ trevorzegras its her husband... duh

↳ jackhughes UR MARRIED???

↳ briesbagels 🥴🥴

fan01 | can anyone tell me if jack and her are actually dating?

↳ fan02 i think everyone is just being weird af they're just friends

↳ fan03 i personally think shes dating luke cus it makes more sense

↳ fan01 help she wants the entire family

↳ fan02 can u blame her?????? 🤭🤭

lhughes_06 | photo creds for the last pic🤑

↳ pchandler68 BRUHHHHHHHHHH

↳ lhughes_06 its the rizzler guys 😌

↳ stasszegras FUCK NO HES NOT....... HES 5'8???

↳ jackhughes i'm 5'11 if that helps 🥰

↳ trevorzegras hey what does rizz have to do with height??? umm... 🥸

↳ lhughes_06 im 6'3 if that helps 😮‍💨😮‍💨

↳ stasszegras ... 🥰🥰 oh nothing, trev!!!

↳ briesbagels help 😶😶

↳ jackhughes ???????

avazegras | okay miss heartbreaker 😮‍💨😮‍💨 i see u

↳ trevorzegras hey whats that supposed to mean??

↳ griffinzegras hey i hold the title of heartbreaker of the family.... so this is kinda awkward...

↳ stasszegras STFU AVA UR NOT HELPING AT ALL😭😭😭

↳ trevorzegras did i miss a chapter???????

↳ lhughes_06 yea u did [deleted]

↳ griffinzegras ... damn 💀💀💀

iMessages

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

hi soo why did u comment and then delete that???

luke 🥸🥸

wdym????

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

luke u know what i mean, i saw the comment

luke 🥸🥸

i was just joking around but i thought it may come off weird so i deleted it

luke 🥸🥸

sorry, stass

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

it's fine its just if u have a problem i'd rather u just text me then comment on my post 😭😭

luke 🥸🥸

noted

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

its fine lukey, im sorry about the party if i came off to harsh or anything. i just miss our friendship before that stupid trip

luke 🥸🥸

no I'M sorry, i shouldn't keep bringing it up. and its back to normal, i promise 🫶🏼🫶🏼

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

ur the best luke, thank you 🫡 and between us, ur my fav hughes rn read 11:37

mini z ✊🏼💅🏻

you screenshotted that didn't u

luke 🥸🥸

YUPPPPPP😗😗😇😇

-> make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated! <-

thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[peacheeeliz]

019. "sohee!" we all say in unison (wc: 1k)

“Heyyyy Yuyu,” you draw out, leaning back in your chair with a bright smile. You brought your knees up to your chest, wrapping yourself up in a thin blanket. Aside from the shuffling you could hear coming from Yuyu's mic and the soft music you were playing, your apartment was quiet. Sungchan was still out with his friends, filming his next YouTube video, leaving you alone and bored in your shared apartment.

“Heyy,” he responds, a soft laugh leaving his lips. “I saw everyone's posts. I'm guessing you're feeling a little bored?”

“Ah, you can read me so well,” you say, sighing. “I was going to just sit back and watch some drama, but then I remembered I had a lovely friend who I could talk to.”

“Flattered that you thought of me,” he begins, cheeks heating up just slightly. “Disappointed that I was second to dramas.”

“No one can beat Song Kang, sorry,” you tell him, shrugging.

“Or Yunho?” He adds, prepared to blush even more at your response.

“Oh my God, not even Song Kang can beat him,” you gush, giggling. “So, all in all, you probably fall into… third place?”

He has to stop himself from laughing again, “ouch. Third place, really? You wound me, Y/Nie.”

“Don't worry, you're the first in my heart of guys I've actually talked to,” you tease, despite the fact that your heart skipped a beat at the nickname.

The blush spreads to his ears, and he resorts to hiding in his hands. “You wouldn't leave me the moment you met Yunho?” He questions, testing the waters.

“Depends on how quickly he can pass the NDA,” you joke, hearing the man choke on his laugh. “Kidding, kidding. Of course, I wouldn't leave you, or anyone else, for that fine specimen of a man.”

He's able to calm down from his coughing fit, brought back by the sound of your own light laughter. “You should go to one of their performances, then,” he starts. “Maybe he'll see you in the crowd and just fall head over heels for you.”

“Yeah, I wish,” You scoff, shaking your head. “I even flew to LA to see those guys at Coachella, and still, nothing. Thanks for fuelling my delusions, though. You're a real one for that.”

“Wait, you flew all the way over there to see them?” He questions, surprised this is the first he's hearing about all of this. He earns a quiet ‘mmhmm,’ in response, allowing him to continue. “That's crazy that you'd fly all that way just to see them.”

“Well, it was a good excuse to get everyone together and to see all those artists,” you explain, smiling fondly at the memories of you and your three friends traveling to the States. “I did it for their Summer Sonic performance too. That was just before we met, I think? Yeonjun, Sungchan and I flew up and met Giselle for the festival.”

“You must be a super ATINY or something,” he comments, almost hearing the bright smile playing on your lips as you respond.

“Something like that, yeah,” you let out, cheeks reddening at the realization of the topic. “Enough about me and my obsession, please talk about something else.”

He finds your pleading endearing, “it's alright. I think it's cute,” he tells you. “But, if that's what you want, then of course,” he pauses, thinking of another topic. He goes quiet for a bit, before continuing. “You talk to a lot of streamers, right?”

“I mean, kind of, yeah?” You answer, pulling forward to rest your chin in your hand. “I talk to you and the other guys the most, but I still interact with a lot of other streamers. Why?”

“What if one of them were to be, I don't know,” he pauses again, taking in a deep breath. “A celebrity?”

“A celebrity?”

“Yeah, like not streamer celebrity, because that'd technically be all the streamers you talk to,” he continues. “I mean like, idol celebrity.”

You take a moment to respond, really thinking your answer through. “I guess I'd be excited, yeah,” you tell him, letting out an awkward laugh. “I don't know, really, that's such an odd question to ask.”

“You wouldn't be mad at them or anything?” He asks, eyes shaking as his questions continue. “Like if their identity as a streamer was a secret but you found out? Or something like that…”

“Of course not, no,” you answer truthfully. “Their identity was obviously a secret for a reason, and if anything, I should be honored that they'd share their identity with me. It means they trust me enough.”

Yuyu stays silent as he takes your answer in, a small smile playing on his lips. He takes another deep breath, not too sure what to say next.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” You tease, wondering why he would bring all this up in the first place.

Before he can say anything else, Sungchan bursts through your bedroom door. “We’re home!”

You jump right out of your blanket cocoon, and you can hear the shuffle of Yuyu jumping out of his chair through your speakers. “Jesus Christ, Sungchan,” you pant, your hand covering your beating heart. “A little warning next time.”

“Sorry, Y/Nie,” he smiles softly at you. Sohee joins him in the door, sending a bright smile your way. “Sohee's here.”

“Hi Y/N,” the shorter boy says, waving quickly at you.

“Hi Sohee,” you return, your eyes softening at the boy's smile. “How ‘bout you two start dinner? I'll join you guys in a bit, okay?”

The two boys nod and leave you be, but you can still hear their bickering as they make their way to the kitchen. You let out a sigh, turning yourself back around to your computer.

“Sorry about them, Sungchan brought a friend over,” you tell Yuyu, shaking your head. “As much as I love them, they sure have a lot of energy.”

He lets out a light laugh, “you should go and join them. I'm sure the boys here are going to want some dinner soon, as well.”

“Oh, uh, sure yeah,” you say. “I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow then?”

He smiles softly, “Yeah, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Have fun with the boys.”

“You as well,” you tell him, and the call goes dead.

Yunho leans back in his chair, his smile faltering as he stares up at the ceiling. “Fuck.”

synopsis ⤏ you're trying to peacefully build your starter house on the empires server when your neighbor so rudely (accidentally) kills you, starting the biggest war on the server just one day in.

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

Honestly the way Mephone's contestants react to him in general and them realizing "Oh this guy is kind of messed up" is so funny to me. Because as much as Mephone tries to hide it through the host persona he pushes onto himself to seem normal, it really doesn't work.

Even before everything (This was in 2016, for reference! -- And this is one of my favourite things ever -- Fan, on his blog, wrote what is essentially a Mephone4 Fanfiction (The link is here: it's on his blog! If you care to read it in full..... https://www.tumblr.com/inanimateinsanityfan/150341850210/fan-blog-confessions-i-confess-i-forced-someone?source=share) (sorry the link doesn't actually work when you click on it) And one of the lines was: "M: Alright.  I just kind of have trouble verbalizing what I really want to say?  So a lot of my thoughts just come out as these little attacks." Continuing into "M: Yeah... they’re just so second nature to me, I say them to fill in the gaps... otherwise I wouldn’t really know how to chime in."

And I think its genuinely so funny that Fan read him that well. Be it fanfiction and projection or not, Fan is right here! Mephone has trouble verbalizing and complimenting others. (Probably because he himself wasn't often complimented by Cobs--) and it leads him to ruining potential relationships. He stokes flames of distrust between him and other people to keep himself safe and entertained, and then gets upset when he's all alone because he can't build meaningful relationships with people.

And people realize this really quickly. For another example, take Mepad. Who quickly comes to see Mephone is wrong in his judgement towards Toilet and in his treatment of the contestants. Or Suitcase, who comforts Mephone multiple times-- I'd have to lag my computer into oblivion to get the exact quote/s, but she's very keenly aware that Mephone isn't alright at that time, and she verbalizes that. The final 4 of season 2 AND season 3 all seem to be aware of Mephones mental health declining.

And again, he DOES try to hide this. When he's upset over Mepad quitting / doesn't know how to handle it, he jumps into his obnoxious host persona to hide his true feelings on the matter. He pushes and shoves and lights a ring of fire around himself, sacrificing his relationships in return for the safety of his host persona.

Right out of Meeple, some of his first memories of freedom, ARE of being a host. He was basically immediately (unknowingly) enlisted by Cobs to be a host. In escaping Meeple and the persona he had to take on to appease Cobs, he fit himself right into another persona. Another set of rules to follow on how to behave to, in his eyes, stay safe.

It fucks me up so bad because the entire personality he constructed for himself ruins so many of his relationships and thus sinks him into a deeper pit of loneliness. At its core, it's self-sabotaging, and I think it's clearest in "Truth or Flare" (S2 E15) when Mepad quits. I mentioned this before!! But GOD it hits so hard. The way Suitcase says she legitimately hates him and he justs stands there stupidly grinning "I'm a scamp for drama!" No sir you are a scamp for ruining your relationships!

All of this rambling is to say Mephones persona is really one of his undoings. Forcing himself into the mold of reality show tv host isn't... Good for him. And it becomes his safety net when it really shouldn't. It hurts me, to see him so earnestly playing it up when we see him interviewing Box. Trying to seem like a seasoned professional, unbothered, but perking up when complimented. But as the series goes on, that host persona becomes a much more angry and unlikeable person. Hardly any good comes from his insults and comments. And he ruins many of the chances he has to make genuine connections with people-- which is something he so desperately needs.

Sorry if this is a little unstructured! I didn't begin this thinking it'd get so long, so it's a bit all over the place. Can you tell I think about Mephone a lot? Anyways, good night! -2G Anon

.

[markantonys]

bridgerton s3 part 2 thoughts! full spoilers for the whole season, and i will also discuss some book spoilers relating to the future siblings - i haven't read the books and never will, but i know the main points of most of the siblings' stories due to Existing Online. haha i also briefly discuss some wheel of time book spoilers because i was reminded of a certain WOT couple at one point in these episodes!

first things first: I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE GOT NOT ONE BUT TWO (2)!!!!!!!!! CANONICALLY QUEER BRIDGERTON SIBLINGS!!!! AND MY TWO FAVORITES, AT THAT!!!! but i will save that for discussion at the end of the post because it is BY FAR my favorite aspect of these episodes.

but even with that aside, i definitely liked this half a lot more than part 1! screentime felt more balanced and it didn't feel like the sideplots were eating up as much time as it did in part 1.

penelope and colin storyline

they were Fine to me in part 1, but their story was more compelling in this half since we moved on from bland run-of-the-mill childhood-friends-to-lovers and into the meaty and much more unique emotional drama of how penelope being lady whistledown affects their relationship. just as i'd hoped for! and i thought the pacing of this was pretty good too because colin found out early enough that he had enough time left in the season to react properly and work through it, rather than it being some 11th-hour reveal that's hastily swept aside to make way for the HEA. it was juuuuust when i was starting to feel that the "colin makes a hater comment about LW in front of penelope, causing her to look ill with anxiety" shtick was getting old that he found out the truth, so, pretty good timing.

colin was more interesting in this half due to wrestling with the whole "penelope is LW" reveal, but overall, in the season as a whole, he was kinda giving us nothing. they really dropped the ball on him because he just never at any point felt like the co-lead character of the season. for daphne & simon and kate & anthony it felt like a pretty balanced exploration of both characters as individuals on top of the romance, but this season it was 100% the penelope show and colin felt basically like a prop. and penelope's a great character and had great stuff this season, so i enjoyed all the time spent on her, but we needed more for colin to go along with it. after 8 episodes, i still don't feel i know much about who he is as a person besides that he's nice and loyal. although on the flipside, i have no problem with male characters whose entire personality is loving their wives haha i love that shit! so a warm welcome for colin into the Wifeguy Club!

speaking of wifeguys, time for my WOT connection, which is that penelope and colin were SO gawene-coded in a couple scenes that it actually killed me! colin's lil arc of feeling kinda jealous of/intimidated by penelope's power as LW at first and most importantly his "what use can i ever be to her when she's so self-sufficient and doesn't need anything from me?" worries, culminating in him realizing "if the only thing i do in my life is love and support such an incredible woman, i'll be completely satisfied" (paraphrasing), i was like, that is soooo TOM gawyn with egwene being amyrlin!!! and when penelope had that line to him about like "i don't need you to take care of me, i never loved you because of what you can do for me, but because you're kind" (paraphrasing) i gasped and clapped my hand to my forehead because it was almost exactly what i had egwene saying to gawyn in my fic chapter that i posted mere days ago!!!!! literally shook to my core haha i was the leo dicaprio pointing at the TV meme x10 in that moment.

eloise and cressida storyline

wonderful to see eloise and penelope's friendship mended! i thought that whole arc was really well done this season, and especially in this half when eloise is dealing with her ex-bff being engaged to her brother who doesn't know she's LW but eloise knows and feels caught in the middle, just lots of messy, complicated emotions in that whole situation and they did a great job with all that.

i really enjoyed cressida in the first half of the season, but in this half it felt like she got a bit too much time. she also kinda reverted back to her mean girl ways (though out of desperation rather than malice), which was less interesting than the different, softer side we saw from her in the first half and made her time in this half feel like more of a drag. but overall, she's a very layered character and the actress did a fantastic job with her, and in this half of the season i always understood why she was doing what she was doing and sympathized with her. it can't be said that she didn't fuck around and find out, but i still felt bad for her in the end! i really liked the moment when colin with his rose-tinted glasses was like "but your family will forgive you and all will be well!" because that's what family has always been like to him, and cressida was like "ummm no, some of us have shitty families and you bridgertons are too naive to realize that", it was a very good moment.

(i will also say, i know this is a highly unpopular opinion for a queer bridgerton fan to have, but i was never on the eloise/cressida train haha i can 100% see the vibes that others picked up on, but they just never did anything for me for whatever reason! i know eloise was the "obvious" choice for a wlw bridgerton but i personally am so SO thrilled that they went for francesca instead, i guess just because i connect so deeply with her character in a way i never have with eloise. also, now that i'm thinking about it, i think eloise vibes the most like aroace to me, i struggle to picture her having a relationship with *anyone* of any gender.)

other storylines

i'm so happy for violet and marcus!! crossing my fingers that we'll see more of them in s4 since their romance is only just budding; it would be so interesting to see him interacting with her kids and getting integrated into the family dynamic (and for us to meet his kids too! though i acknowledge we don't need MORE side characters haha). and i loved the danbury siblings scenes and them getting to the root of their childhood issues and working them out. and of course, violet and lady danbury continue to be THE best duo of all time <33 i adore their friendship so so much, i can't even describe how much!

we got more time with kate and anthony in this half, and all of it was perfect. they're gonna be parents!!!! though alas, it seems like they've made their final exit from the show with them going off to live in india for a while. sad to see them go, but not surprised at all. i see lots of book fans whining about the prior leads leaving and how it's weird for daphne to not be at her own brother's wedding etc, and i do agree that the show/family is gonna start feeling kinda empty as the older siblings & spouses exit, but that's just a necessity of this medium. you can't have main cast be contracted for 6 more seasons just to show up for 2 lines of dialogue per season and hang out in the background of wedding scenes. you can do that in a book, but you can't do it in a tv show. just something we have to live with! and a lot of the complaints take such a "how DARE these actors want to move on with their lives and do other projects instead of dropping everything to prioritize having a minor role on bridgerton for the rest of this decade" tone, which stinks of Fan Entitlement.

i am curious about what might become of penelope, because it sounds like she's kinda continuing whistledown but just as herself and in a more responsible manner that won't hurt people (tho idk how a gossip column can possibly NOT hurt anyone haha the whole "penelope shouldn't give up LW because it's Feminist and Empowering and Gives A Voice To The Voiceless" narrative kinda had me going X Doubt). update: i just saw an interview with the showrunner where she confirmed that penelope will be in s4 and have a storyline. nice!

the featheringtons had much less in this half which i was glad about and they were taken more seriously and not just treated as comic relief, and portia had some really good scenes with penelope.

there was also much less of the mondriches, which i was fine with; i'm very fond of them and enjoyed their stuff this season, but it felt appropriate that they took more of a backseat in this half. i was sad will had to give up the club though! it felt like he had to fully capitulate to the ton and give up his own work that he's passionate about in order to win the esteem of snobby aristocrats, which was a bummer. the showrunner interview mentioned we'll be seeing them again in s4 and will be seeing some more of will's friendship with benedict, so i'm happy about that!

NOW ONTO THE GAYS!!!!

we've all been yearning for bi benedict ever since s1, and i can't BELIEVE it actually happened!!!! i'm over the moon!!!! and i'm so glad i watched the episodes straightaway without having seen any spoilers first so i got to experience the "holy shit, are they............are they going where i think they're going????" adrenaline rush completely pure and unknowing. it was the absolute most wonderful surprise!!! i'll give a lil summary here for those who are curious about how much queer content there actually is.

so, in episode 7 (or maybe it was the end of 6?) benedict gets invited to dinner with his female FWB and her male friend, who turns out to be her other FWB. AS SOON AS this invitation was extended i was like "oho, is benedict going to be needing 3 tickets to challengers?" so imagine my delight when it turned out that indeed, the 2 FWBs invited him in hopes of a threesome! benedict has a very brief moment of connection with/attraction to the man, and then he gets propositioned, but he's flustered and leaves. he returns to talk to his own FWB the next day and she explains to him about bisexuality and he's like icarly interesting.jpg and says that he's met men who like other men in the past but that he himself has never felt attracted to a man "before" (implying that last night, he did, for the first time). he does some soul-searching and then leaves his own brother's wedding reception to go have a threesome, which is extremely biconic of him. (at the wedding he also gives eloise a nice speech about how love is infinite, in the context of her worrying that colin and penelope marrying each other means they'll have less time for her, but it vibed to me like benedict is poly as well as bi, but who knows if that will go any further than this FWB threesome situation; i'd imagine his endgame will still be a monogamous relationship, but you never know!)

this storyline concludes with the female FWB admitting that she's caught feelings for benedict and wants to become serious (and monogamous) with him, but he politely turns her down because he feels "free" for the first time and wants to keep exploring life and isn't interested in a serious relationship right now, and might not ever be. my only gripe with the storyline is that i wish the male FWB had been introduced an episode or two earlier so we could watch benedict building a connection with him and feeling a budding attraction for an episode or two before the initial threesome proposition occurs to trigger him to actually acknowledge that attraction; as it is, it all happens kind of abruptly and our boy speedruns his entire bi awakening in the span of a single episode, bless him lmao but i'm assuming neither FWB will appear in s4 (they felt like one-season characters to me), so if so, it's fine to not spend too much time developing those specific relationships. the Point of the storyline was for benedict to realize he likes men too and likes non-conventional relationships, and that was accomplished with flying colors!

later on there's reference to "next year's masquerade ball" and i know a masquerade ball is where benedict first meets his endgame love interest in the books, so it seems just about guaranteed that s4 will be about benedict's book. i'm super curious about what direction it will go in! in the book, it sounds like their trope is Forbidden Romance, with the forbidden aspect being class difference (he's an aristocrat and she's a servant), so adding some kind of queer element as an additional reason for why it's Forbidden feels like a viable option, especially after s3 took pains to establish that benedict is interested in queer/non-traditional relationships.

but what form might that hypothetical queer element take? a monogamous m/m romance with genderbent sophie? or could we see trans or genderqueer sophie, in line with the cinderella metaphors about masquerade and disguise and identity and presenting differently in different environments? or might they go for some kind of poly or open relationship endgame for benedict? i don't know! there's so many options! it's also entirely possible that sophie will remain a cis woman and benedict will have a monogamous endgame with her, which i would also welcome because it is actually VERY rare to see rep of bi people ending up very happy in monogamous different-gender relationships, while still remaining firmly bi (most of the time bi characters end up in same-gender relationships, or end up in different-gender ones while dismissing their prior same-gender attractions as just a phase, or are chaotic sluts who cheat because they aren't content with only being with one person).

now on to francesca. we know for 100% fact that her love interest has been genderbent into a woman, because she was introduced at the end of the final episode! so francesca's endgame love story is guaranteed to be wlw, which is so exciting! (for context, her book endgame love interest is john's cousin michael stirling, and in the show she met john's cousin michaela stirling, so that's how we know with 100% certainty.)

taking it back a bit to the rest of her story this season, we see her and john courting, then getting engaged and married in a small wedding at bridgerton house with just the family, because they both hate being the center of attention. it was all incredibly wholesome introvert4introvert content and i adored it!!!! kept going "this is literally my ideal marriage" during so many of their scenes haha

but there is somewhat of a question of, is francesca actually attracted to john/men in general? throughout the season and even after the introduction of michaela stirling, i assumed yes; francesca clearly adores john and states that she loves him, and her body language around him seemed to me to show attraction. but after finishing the season and reading discussion online, i saw people saying that francesca seemed disappointed with kissing john at their wedding (which i'd interpreted as her just feeling shy about kissing him in front of people) and that it was a marked contrast to how flustered and interested she is when she meets michaela. so for me, the jury's out on whether she's more bi-leaning or lesbian-leaning; now that i know canon wlw francesca is a thing, i'd need to rewatch the season again to analyze her behavior with john more closely to decide what vibe i'm getting there! because on first watch it wasn't even on my radar to consider that maybe she's not actually attracted to men.

i will admit, i would be kinda disappointed if she *isn't* truly in love with john, just for the fact that i found it so delightful and refreshing to see a quiet romance that's so different from the loud melodramatic ones, as is discussed many many times during francesca's storyline this season. and i did notice that francesca tripping over her words upon meeting michaela is exactly what violet had said she did when she first met her late husband, and violet was bringing this up to say "but your way of loving john is different from that and that's valid". so i definitely CAN imagine that maybe they're making a deliberate point here that, actually, the reason why francesca's love for john looks so different from other characters' for their spouses is because she does NOT in fact have spousal love for him, but rather platonic love that she's misinterpreted as romantic. but i would just be mildly annoyed if The Point turned out to be "actually, violet is right and True Romantic Love must always be flustering and tongue-tying and dramatic" lmao but that's a personal gripe for me as a very quiet person who loved seeing the type of romantic relationship i would prefer depicted with francesca and john; i can also see the counterargument that a storyline of a repressed lesbian trying to untangle her actual feelings from comphet and societal expectations would be very powerful and important! and particularly interesting to explore in this regency context.

now on to some bigger book spoilers. so from what i understand, in the books, john dies, leaving francesca as a widow, and her love story with michael is about dealing with grief and learning to open herself up to love again after loss. i've seen the argument that francesca actually being a lesbian who wasn't genuinely in love with john would cheapen this storyline, and i can see that point for sure, but otoh it's abundantly clear that she does have a very deep care and love for him regardless of whether or not it's romantic/sexual, so i think no matter what, we will still see her being very affected and pained by his death and struggling with guilt about falling for someone else (his cousin! a woman!) etc.

what i'm most curious about here is the timing! there was some leak that michaela's actress is allegedly booked as a small part in s3 and a main role in s4. i'd been wondering if maybe they would start combining books, but in the interview i read, the showrunner confirmed that the plan is still to do only one book/sibling per season, so it seems that s4 will only be benedict's book. which makes sense, because i believe in the books francesca is married to john for 2 years before he dies and then it's another few years before she starts romancing michael, so i'd guess s4 will just see francesca develop a friendship with michaela and then maybe john dies towards the end of the season, then we do a timeskip between seasons and s5 is about francesca and michaela. but then there's still eloise to contend with, maybe she would be s5 and francesca not until 6.

i really really hope we'll get some francesca-benedict bonding next season (or s5/6 depending on the timing of francesca having her gay realization; it seems still subconscious for her as of now) since they are officially The Queer Siblings!!! i need to see them find this out about each other and talk about it together and be confidants for each other. it will also be so fascinating to see violet & the other siblings react to a queer bridgerton endgame romance. violet wants her kids to be happy, but she sometimes struggles with realizing that what happiness looks like to them may not align exactly with what happiness looks like to her, so i could definitely see her needing to take a moment to readjust her perspective and realize that francesca not being able to legally marry michaela in a public manner known to all of the ton and have biological kids with her doesn't mean they can't be just as happy as her straight kids and their partners. (on that note, i remember that in the past people have suggested francesca could be a great candidate for a wlw bridgerton because her status as a widow allows her a lot more societal freedom than a never-married woman, so i love that the show went with her! i can totally see her endgame being that of a respectable widow living peacefully in the countryside with her Dear Friend.)

i remember straightaway francesca set off my gaydar in 3x01 when she was reluctant about entering the marriage mart and dismissive at the idea of finding True Love and going ??? when people asked what qualities she wanted in a husband, and there was a scene of her talking with other debutante girls and i went "man i would love it if she got a girlfriend" but never in a million years did i actually think that was a real possibility! so i'm SO thrilled that they're going there, and like i mentioned before i quite like that they went with the polite introvert sister instead of the outspoken rebel sister to be the gay one because it just feels like a subversion of expectations and stereotypes for me, and because all season i'd been seeing so much of myself in francesca and then, finding out she's gay like me!!!! cherry on top!! and then for michaela, in the books i believe michael is yet another rake, which the show sets up for michaela too with her joking about being even more scandalous than john's stories might make her out to be - the rake is the backbone of the regency romance genre, so getting to see a wlw version of the trope with a female rake is going to be SO much fun!! esp with the setup that francesca is fairly society-conforming as of now; michaela broadening her horizons could be something interesting to explore.

wow this post got super long lmao i'm just so excited! canon queer bridgerton siblings singlehandedly turned this show from "i casually enjoy it as a few hours of fun which i forget about soon after it's over" to "i'm literally frothing at the mouth i need the next season NOW" and That is the power of representation, baby!

[k-s-morgan]

Hey! I want to thank you all for supporting me, and I have great news - I found a new job! My interview on Thursday went well and I got the offer. I should be starting on Tuesday. Additional *huge* thanks to those of you who supported me through Patreon and PayPal. While I was lucky enough to find a new position quickly, I'll be still lacking a part of my monthly income due to the pause, so your help was absolutely invaluable.

I'm focusing on my fics again now! Will be finally updating soon.

Meanwhile, I'd like to share a rec for a show that someone suggested I watch. It's called The Devil Judge and I think a lot of my readers might end up loving it: it has Tomarry vibes + some Black Butler atmosphere and elements. Kang Yo Han reminded of Tom Riddle in some ways, but he's also a mix between Sebastian and Ciel. Kim Ga On, on the other hand, is closer to Harry: impulsive, naive, brave and determined.

One symbolizes darkness, another symbolizes light, and they both affect each other to the point where one begins to reach out to sunlight, finally experiencing simple human happiness, and another understands that some darkness can occasionally be necessary. Obsession, drama, arguments, forgiveness, manhandling, unhealthiness, their relationship has a lot of the things I love so much in fiction. While the show is not officially a romance, based on the show itself + the comments of crew and cast, it's pretty much that :D Oh, and Kim Ga On resembles Kang Yo Han's dead brother yet the sparks between them fly from the start, so you might feel bothered by it. I don't consider any incest to be involved here, I think Yo Han was simply enamoured with the ideal his brother represented, which made him initially zero in on Ga On, but still, I thought I'd warn about it in advance.

The ending is technically open/hopeful, but I read it as happy. The plot itself appealed a lot to me, considering the times my country is facing. Maybe you'll enjoy it, too!

And here's a fan video in case you're like me and prefer to get a glimpse into the dynamic between the characters right away) There are some minor-to-mild spoilers here, nothing really specific.

[zhuoyichenpretty]

ep 24 commentary (brain fried edition)

my head is a little empty after ep 24 tbh!! brain is not braining after all the zyc hurt no comfort (-:

some scattered thoughts here and there, painstakingly corralled like cats out of my vacuous brain and into a list (spoilers):

ZYZ is really emo this episode poor dude like he is having a hard time keeping it together it seems. Every other word out of his mouth is depressing as shit, which is saying a lot considering how depressing he usually is already (': I kind of wanted this episode to pick his brain more, give him room to emote in the aftermath of all that. But it almost feels like the character refuses to be alone, like he might spiral if he has too much time to get in his own head. I'm still so curious to know, though, what he thinks about the state of their promise in light of how far ZYC went trying to save him. “He has us,” ZYZ said to WX. When the time comes, I wonder how he'll reconcile that with what he’s asked of ZYC.

PSJ and Ying Lei bonding! shenanigans! I did laugh thank you guys. Also, not that the team didn't operate separately before, but I really get a sense of how much ZYC held things together with how apparent his absence is. It's obvs heartwarming seeing how hard everyone is working to save him (PSJ especially for me bc I love their mutual tacit trust and respect and all the ways they're alike and different), but ultimately it's still so angsty (':

Kind of love the couple instances where ZYC has been referred to as fragile/weak/of delicate constitution (depending on how you wanna translate it) like that's a very interesting quality to assign to basically the tank of your team. Even if the comments are made facetiously, it just reminds me of how often we witness his mortality, and of course how everything about the styling, aesthetics, and content of the flashbacks to his childhood reinforce a characterization of vulnerability at the very heart of him. I saw someone mention how the Cloud Light Sword responded to ZYC's tears and to that vulnerability rather than brute strength, and I totally agree. I love how this "fragile" characterization plays into the whole fate weapon deal. ZYC's strength is (imo) unconventional, and it is his sensitivity, his compassion, and his deep capacity to feel that the sword acknowledges, resonates with, and empowers. Almost like it protects his tender heart rather than making it something he needs to overcome to get stronger.

One thing I will never get over is how incredibly they styled TJR as baby!Yichen, adult ZYC, and Bingyi. What do you mean this is all from one drama and not three separate productions. Insane. I'm out of my mind with how gorgeous every change in costuming is.

A tangential note is I've seen people mention (paraphrasing very much here) ZYZ's demon form being nicely subtle in its eerie inhumanity and tbh I have a similar feeling even just about human adult ZYC imo. Especially when his hair is down and he's got that thick eyeliner on and we get a close up of his contacts, if you told me from the start that he's half-demon half-human or something I'd believe it. Along the same vein, baby!Yichen reads completely human to me, and Bingyi of course completely demon. Something something the Cloud Light Sword bridges the gap something. This point is unintelligible and not narratively based but I had to make it because I've been thinking "wow ZYC elven" for days now.

Saw a tag about yuanyi getting us through some dark times but man they are PUTTING me through some dark times rn help?/

Been trying to put off talking about the baby Yichen scenes because wow I cried immediately. Well, no, I was like "yay! I love seeing baby Yichen!" and then they crushed me into demon dust lol. And then WX had to tell that absolutely precious story about when she got sick and ZYZ had to go like "actually ZYC was probably lonely as fuck" and yeah that's fine I didn't need my heart anyway.

Ending on this point so I can put a pretty screencap here: There is so much gravity to just the short scene of Bingyi removing his mask and dropping to his knees with that anguished and fatigued expression. TJR's acting is the gift that keeps on giving (me angst).

so sorry if anything here didn't make sense, i currently have the same thousand-mile-stare as Bingyi the more i think about how this all might end and how long I'm gonna have to wait to find out.

[enlitment]

d'Alembert's Dream (and why you should read it)

I feel like I need to put my (very scattered) thoughts down.

Don't expect much academic value, the text absolutely deserves an in-depth analysis but it's currently so hot in Prague and my brain is just running off on iced coffee & vibes

it also a sort of continuation of this post which finally pushed me to start looking more into Diderot! (thanks to @frevandrest for kick-starting the interesting thread ✨)

Few gems (indiscreet jewels?) from d'Alambert's Dream in no particular order:

It reads like a philosophical dialogue between to equal partners one of whom is a woman

Another feminist brownie point for Denis? It does get a tad bit mainsplain-y at times, but not more than any texts that would be published in the 21st century.

The majority of the text is a dialogue is between a doctor and Mme l'Espinasse, who is consistently portrayed as curious and intelligent. She asks interesting questions, understands what the doctor is talking about almost immediately most of the times and she even comes up with one of the central allegories/metaphors (the spider one!) than then runs through the text.

It was honestly refreshing to read.

The doctor also tells a story about a woman overcoming her mental health issues with regular training and pure strength of will, all on her own! (I'm not saying it's realistic or that it's not often necessary to seek help but purely on the gender discussion level, you can see how a story like that grants women a lot of agency, right? Love to see it!)

2. The format is hilarious

So I've long held the opinion that it's a real shame that most contemporary philosophy feels very dry in comparison to past centuries when they just wrote some of their deepest thoughts in the most bizarre format imaginable.

This one follows a dialogue format that can be perhaps best described as 'I argued with my friend too hard about philosophy the night before and now he's having a weird nightmarish experience. Let's have this doctor record him talking in his sleep. Oh, and Mme. l'E is also there for some reason.'

(plus it canonically features d'Alambert in a sleeping robe and a night cap!!)

3. Not only not that sexist but also Gender™?

It's only one paragraph and of course, it's a product of it's time but still, it does talk about blurring the lines between the male and female biological sex in an interesting (though outdated) way. Don't let anyone convince you that discussions about gender are a 21st century invention!

4. I'd also lovingly describe the text as an 'epistemological discussion with palpable erotic tension', aka:

No honestly there's much more tension between the Doctor (a very obvious Diderot self-insert) and Mme l’Espinasse than in your average Netflix wannabe period drama.

It features gems such as:

a passage in which they discuss bodily sensations and the sense of touch in which the doctor proceeds to asks Mme. l'E about female orgasm. Or something very close to that. In a very hush-hush 1700s coded language kind of way, but still?

she also says something that the doctor deems to be really smart, after which he asks for a permission to hug her (weird. but yay for consent?), at which point d'Alambert wakes up, sees the two hugging and comments that it is 'very much like him to do something like that'

There's also links to mental health and interesting parallels between the text and my thesis! Also Voltaire mentions, because of course.

I read it in Czech but I should be able to look up the receipts... I mean textual evidence upon request if anyone happens to be interested!

[dinarosie]

Hi! I found your post on the growing hate toward Snape really thought provoking. Just curious are you planning to write a second part? I’d be super interested to see where you take it.

Hey! Thanks so much for your message.

When I first started writing this post, I actually planned for it to be a four part series. I wanted to go into how Snape’s genuine, pure love turned into an obsessive and somewhat dark emotion, or how he went from a strict, harsh teacher to someone whose behavior borders on criminal mistreatment of children. But honestly, I think there are far better posts out there that explain these transformations with much more clarity and depth. Since these shifts are often influenced by cultural perspectives, I worry my explanations might not come across as clearly. For instance, the concept of an 'incel' isn’t something commonly understood in my culture, so it’s hard for me to frame it accurately.

However, if you're interested, I did briefly touch on this in a reblog of this post, where I talked about how what was meant to represent Snape’s innocence, loyalty, and his ‘light side’ has, over time and with cultural shifts, been interpreted differently.. I came across a comment on Reddit under a post I wrote about Snape's hate, which I thought was really interesting, and I'd like to share it here as well:

u/WhisperedWhimsy: I think this is true. I read the books circa 2000 and then as they came out. I had internet access simultaneously. There was significantly less Snape hate during that time but also the quality was different. People hated Snape for his actual behavior and flaws and not exaggerated or made up things. And some people just loved to hate on him because mean teacher dungeon bat with his billowing cloak and drama is so easy to make a caricature of for laughs though I don't think those people in particular hated on him very seriously. And most telling about the time was that people who hated on Snape didn't automatically like Sirius, James, or Remus. Many people hated all across the board or maybe only liked 1 marauder but not the others and that was usually Sirius, sometimes Remus, but never James. I think we also need to consider the emergence of incel as a term widely used followed by social justice warriors and edge lords as part of internet culture and then more recently the anti v pro culture which is particularly targeted towards fandom. These shifts in perspective have over time influenced the fandom significantly imo. Particularly fans who are 30 and under seem most influenced in this way. Snape hate went from "I really don't like him but you do you" to vocal attacks on him as a character in a performative moral clout grabbing way similar to the SJWs with the mix of "he's an incel so he must be every possible kind of bigot and very creepy and a threat to women". The Rise in James' popularity felt very edge Lord when it started of bad faith arguments for why a guy who very obviously isn't so great is actually great. And then with the Anti v pro ship drama that is in every single fandom now it has become the norm to chalk certain questionable characters up to being pure evil and anyone who likes said characters is clearly also a horrible person and a predator.

[steppingonyourshadow]

Complete Q&A from Elle September 2024

Elle: When you're on a break do you think about things that happened on set?

XZ: Of course. I remember dreaming about it a few days after we had wrapped, that we were still shooting and I was there talking to the director about how we'd say those words, how we were going to deal with that scene.

Elle: Do you miss the atmosphere on set?

XZ: I really like it, I like the feeling of everyone creating something together, all pulling together to do the same thing really well.

Elle: When you first became an actor and during the time when your popularity grew really fast, you said it felt a bit unreal, magical. But now you seem pretty relaxed. How did this change come about?

XZ: Rather than it being unreal, magical, after all these years I think back then I hadn't gotten used to such a fast pace, and when I woke up each day, I'd barely know where I was and what I was doing. I think it's a process, like how everyone's so excited when they first enter employment, "I'm here, please take good care of me", "this young master is coming through, out of my way", "I can do it, I am good". [laughs] But after you've experienced a lot, you'll realise that everything needs long-term planning.

Elle: In several interviews you mentioned that you like to play characters that "can transmit energy". Why is that?

XZ: Because I think that's the life of a character. When I say "transmit energy", I don't mean just the usual, basic sense of positive energy. What I mean is being able to provide nourishment in a subtle way - like spring rains sinking silently into the dirt. I believe that every character has at heart a complete storyline, this is something I really like. If you dig deep, they can all move people. I don't like to label antagonists as "bad guys", as if you've already decided from the start that they're not good. But that's not right - he might have his own difficulties.

Elle: It sounds like "transmitting energy" is only an umbrella term, actually it's understanding different types of people through performance.

Xiao Zhan: That's right. If we break it down to each character, they all transmit different things. But if we make them into "good guys", "bad guys", I think that makes it less interesting.

Elle: So do you consider performance a method of communication?

Xiao Zhan: Yes, you could say that, I like that. Performance is a bridge connecting the actor and the audience. Like how when my shows are on, I'll read a bit of audience commentary and analysis and feel that their reactions to the work are really complex. When I see comments that coincide exactly with my thoughts when we shot it, I find that really magical, like we really connected along this bridge. In life we might not know each other, we've never spoken, but all of a sudden because they got what I was thinking at the time, it makes me feel that performance is a really wonderful, magical thing.

Elle: Do you watch or read science fiction?

XZ: I do, I liked Three Body. Recently I've actually been watching some sci-fi, like the American drama Constellation, and also Dark Matter, they're both multiverse, alternative universe shows. Because I think maybe there really are parallel universes. Each of your choices creates a new splinter alternative universe.

Elle: Do you think about the Xiao Zhan of those alternative universes?

XZ:  I really do. For example, is he still an actor? Maybe he is, then is he shooting right now? Is he still singing? Or is he still a designer? Is he still an employee or has he become the boss? [laughs] Really, I do think about it.

Elle: What about the future, what do you think it'll be like?

XZ: Woah, I actually think at that point the world might revert to its origins, maybe it will be more wonderful, with interpersonal communication returning to a more natural form.

Elle: That's really interesting. Why do you think that?

XZ:  Actually, at least at the moment I'm a bit sick of the internet being ever-present. When we were kids and we didn't have cellphones, we'd chat during meals, all the kids would be called downstairs from their apartment blocks to play together, doing hide and seek and other games. Those times were really precious.

Elle: Will actors still exist in that future?

XZ: I think so. I believe that so long as life continues, theater will exist. Because we need a form of expression, to experience empathy, and to have emotional sustenance, whether it's in images or sounds. So I think even if the world was destroyed, so long as people still exist, theater will surely still exist.

[sapphoshands]

Hi! Hope you're having a lovely day. I was wondering about your take on the line “Are you hiding evidence?” in AAA episode one. You used it in one of your fics, and I find it a very curious line in context. I can't decide if it's another instance of Rio diving back into the cop drama for comfort, or giving Agnes an opportunity to open up, or something else. It's also delivered a bit brusquely from what I remember, and the response "you're only lying to yourself" is a bit odd too. My theory is that actually Rio asked something else ("do you still love me" or whatever), and the evidence line is just what Agnes heard -- like when Billy says something in episode 6 and we know Agatha heard something completely different, related to the cop show. Haven't really seen much discussion on that particular exchange, and I was curious about your thoughts about it and how you intended it to be interpreted in your fic (which was awesome btw, another banger!)

ooooh, this is a great question! and you're right, i do have a take on it!

i love the idea of the theory you suggest - that what rio is saying isn't always what agnes is hearing - and i'd love to write a rio-POV agnes story at some point and dig into that. i do think that for the most part, rio is playing along with agnes, though, because we see rio reframe several times when she says something that breaks through the spell enough to leave agnes confused.

in this case, the way i read and wrote it is that rio is asking agnes a question to which rio already knows the answer. rio's absolutely been watching agnes before and outside showing up as agent vidal, and i'm sure she knows that agnes has found agatha's brooch. she's trying to figure out how deep 'agnes' goes, which is partially why she asks 'do you remember why you hate me' - that and she just can't help herself. and she gets an answer that shakes her. this version of agatha is so different that she doesn't remember what tore them apart hundreds of years ago? really? or is agatha still fucking with her?

to figure out if agnes has any tells when she's lying, or the same tells as agatha, rio asks a bait question. however agnes answers, it'll give rio some information. and then agnes says no, and the way she answers is so different - it's clear that she actually thinks about the first question and reflexively lies her face off for the second. that tells rio that agnes was being honest with her first answer.

if anything is so pat that i wonder if it's the spell talking, it's rio saying 'you're only lying to yourself,' because i think by that point rio knows that this is something external and not self-imposed. if i were writing it from rio's POV, i think she might actually say something completely unguarded there because she would be genuinely shocked - and she doesn't know that agnes is hallucinating poor dead nicky's room, you know? so to her, agnes saying she doesn't remember why she hates rio is also agatha saying she doesn't remember nicky. it would be a really destabilizing moment! and i would like to dig into that more.

thank you for the lovely comments on the fic :D i had a lot of fun working around the constructed reality-actual reality elements of it and i do want to do more.

[tatumrileyslover]

Beneath Still Waters

A Stain On Summer [1]

Summer at Mason's Creek Summer Camp: where ghost stories come to life and campers vanish without a trace. As bloody clues surface and dark secrets emerge, a counselor finds herself at the center of a terrifying mystery. In these woods, trust is a luxury she can't afford - because the next victim could be her.

🏕 jungkook x reader x jimin

🏕 word count: 6.0k

🏕 warnings: not a lot of major warning for these first few chapters. Some blood mentioned. A little bit of jealousy. the horror element aren’t present in these first few chapters but be aware if it’s not a genre you like reading that the story contains murder and gore in later chapters <3

🏕 notes: I came up with this idea while replaying the quarry, which really inspired me to write this because I don’t think I’ve seen anyone write anything like this yet so please enjoy <3 also please comment to lmk if you guys actually liked this or not :P

previous / masterlist / next

The bright rays of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of pine trees, casting long shadows across the well-worn path to the amphitheater. (Y/n) who struggled to wrangle a stray group children, her arms full of scripts and prop lists, paused for a moment to breathe in the crisp morning air. Four weeks into her stint as a counselor at Mason's Creek Summer Camp, and she still found herself in awe of the natural beauty surrounding her. Sure, it was still almost impossible to hear the birds chirping over the constant chattering of the children, but being out in nature had a calming effect like no other.

The amphitheater, a rustic wooden structure nestled in a small clearing, not too far from the camp itself, came into view as (Y/n) rounded the final bend. Weather-beaten benches arranged in a semicircle faced a makeshift stage, where a group of eager campers were already gathering. Their excited chatter filled the air, a stark contrast to the serene forest backdrop.

(Y/n) smiled, adjusting her load as she approached. "Alright, thespians," she called out, her voice carrying across the clearing. "Who's ready to bring some Shakespeare to life?"

A chorus of enthusiastic responses greeted her, and (Y/n) felt a familiar thrill of excitement. This was why she loved being the Arts and Performance counselor. The energy, the creativity, the sheer joy of watching these kids discover their talents – it never got old.

Some of the bright faces talked happily among themselves, prepping for the morning activities, while others scoffed down the remaining remnants of breakfast - which (Y/n) had missed out on. She had been holed up in the Camp Director's Office since the sun began to rise, stuck to the ancient printer that wheezed and groaned with each page it reluctantly produced. Getting all the scripts in order had taken longer than she'd anticipated, but she was determined to have everything ready for the day's drama workshop.

As she began distributing scripts, her eyes scanning the excited faces of her campers, (Y/n) caught sight of a familiar figure jogging towards them. Jimin, his silver hair catching the morning light, waved as he approached. A small group of young girls near the edge of the group erupted into giggles, nudging each other and stealing glances at him.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, slightly out of breath. "Hoseok needed help with a last-minute change to the afternoon activities."

(Y/n) felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Jimin, I almost thought you weren't going to come. I was starting to think I'd have to manage this bunch alone."

He grinned, slapping her shoulder playfully. "And leave you to fend for yourself? Not a chance. Is that what you think of me?"

"Can you help some of those girls with their lines? They're still struggling with Act Two." She slapped a script to his chest with a smile.

As Jimin moved to assist a group of eager campers, who giggled as he approached, (Y/n) couldn't help but smile. There was an ease to their partnership, a natural rhythm they'd fallen into over the weeks. She couldn't have been more relieved that they had promised to help each other out before camp had started, not wanting to think of how she would deal with the hyperactive children by herself. She watched as he patiently guided the kids through their lines, his enthusiasm infectious.

After setting the older campers to work on their scenes, (Y/n) made her way back to where Jimin was sitting. She plopped down next to him, their shoulders brushing.

"How's it going over here?" she asked, nodding towards the group of kids now animatedly acting out their parts.

Jimin chuckled. "I think we might have a few future Broadway stars on our hands. Did you see the dramatics earlier?"

(Y/n) laughed, the tension from her hectic morning melting away. "Oh, it was Oscar-worthy for sure."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the campers' enthusiastic, if slightly chaotic, performances. Without thinking, (Y/n) leaned her head on Jimin's shoulder, a gesture born from years of familiarity.

"Thanks again for coming to help," she said softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you here."

Jimin's reply was warm. "Always, (Y/n)."

As they watched the impromptu performances unfold, trading quiet jokes and observations, (Y/n) felt grateful for this moment of peace amidst the usual camp chaos. She caught sight of Jimin's little fan club stealing glances their way and suppressed a smirk. However, their quiet companionship was soon interrupted as one of the younger campers approached, tugging on (Y/n)'s sleeve needing assistance with some props. 

The sound of laughter drew (Y/n)'s attention back to the stage, where two campers were attempting an overly dramatic interpretation of a scene from "Romeo and Juliet." She stifled a chuckle, moving closer to offer guidance.

As the rehearsal progressed, the forest around them grew darker, the shadows deepening between the trees. (Y/n) found herself glancing at the tree line more frequently, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach. Maybe it was the ghost stories Taehyung had been telling at the campfire the night before, or maybe it was something else entirely, but she couldn't shake the sensation of being watched.

The forest seemed to press in closer, the spaces between the trees now pitch black. She shook her head, trying to dispel the creeping sense of unease. It was just her imagination, she told herself. Just the power of suggestion after too many campfire tales.

But as the rehearsal continued, (Y/n) couldn't quite convince herself that everything was as it should be. Something had changed at Camp Mason's Creek, a subtle shift in the atmosphere that she couldn't quite put her finger on. 

The Arts and Crafts cabin stood as a haven of creativity amidst the bustling camp grounds. As (Y/n) pushed open the heavy wooden door, she was greeted by the familiar earthy scent of wet clay that permeated the air. The midday sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the room, casting long shadows across the worn wooden floorboards and illuminating specks of dust dancing in the air.

(Y/n) paused for a moment, taking in the scene before her. The large, open space was filled with tables of various sizes, each covered with plastic sheets to protect them from the inevitable mess. Shelves lined the walls, laden with an assortment of finished and half-finished projects – a testament to the campers' creativity over the weeks.

"Alright, everyone," (Y/n) called out, clapping her hands to get the attention of the excited campers filing in behind her. "Find a spot and we'll get started on our pottery project."

The room quickly filled with the sound of chatter and scraping chairs as the children settled into their places. (Y/n) moved between the tables, distributing lumps of clay and making sure everyone had the tools they needed.

"Remember," she said, raising her voice to be heard over the excited murmurs, "we're focusing on hand-building today. For those of you who want to try the wheel, we'll have time for that later in the week."

As the campers began to work, (Y/n) circulated the room, offering guidance and encouragement. She paused at one table where a young girl named Mia was frowning at her lump of clay.

"Everything okay, Mia?" (Y/n) asked, crouching down beside her.

Mia looked up, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I can't get it to look right," she said, gesturing at her misshapen attempt at a bowl.

(Y/n) smiled reassuringly. "That's okay. Remember, pottery isn't about perfection. It's about expressing yourself." She reached over, gently guiding Mia's hands. "Try pressing here, and smoothing it out like this."

As Mia's face lit up with renewed determination, (Y/n) felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Max, one of the older campers, holding up a blob of clay that vaguely resembled a face.

"Miss (Y/n), is this good enough for a self-portrait?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

(Y/n) bit back a laugh. "Well, Max, I think you've captured your essence perfectly. Maybe try adding some more hair, it looks like you're balding."

The room was soon filled with the sounds of laughter, concentration, and the occasional frustrated sigh. The whir of some of the pottery wheels added a rhythmic backdrop to the creative chaos. (Y/n) found herself lost in the joy of it all, moving from table to table, offering a word of advice here, a helping hand there.

She was in the middle of demonstrating how to attach a handle to a mug when a knock at the door caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Jungkook leaning against the doorframe, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Archery finished early," he said, stepping into the room. "Thought I'd come see if you needed any help."

(Y/n) raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile. "Help, or make a mess?"

Jungkook clutched his chest in mock offense. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent potter. A modern day Michelangelo with clay."

The younger campers perked up at his arrival, excited whispers rippling through the room. (Y/n) couldn't help but notice the way some of the older girls suddenly became very interested in their work, stealing glances at Jungkook when they thought no one was looking.

"Alright, Michelangelo," (Y/n) challenged, gesturing to an empty wheel. "Show us what you've got."

Jungkook rolled up his sleeves, confidence radiating from every pore as he sat down at the wheel. "Watch and learn, kids. This is how you make a vase."

What followed was possibly the most disastrous attempt at pottery (Y/n) had ever witnessed. Clay flew in all directions as Jungkook struggled to control the wheel, his "vase" looking more like a formless lump with each passing second.

"Oops," he said, grinning sheepishly as a glob of clay landed on his cheek. "I meant to do that. It's abstract art."

The campers giggled, thoroughly entertained by the spectacle. (Y/n) shook her head, unable to keep the amusement off her face as she moved behind him.

"Here, let me help," she said, reaching around to guide his hands. "You need to center the clay first."

The moment her hands touched his, (Y/n) felt a jolt of electricity run through her. She was suddenly very aware of how close they were, of the warmth of his back against her chest. Jungkook turned his head slightly, their faces inches apart, and for a moment, the rest of the room seemed to fade away.

"Like this?" he asked softly, his voice sending a shiver down her spine.

(Y/n) swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus on the clay. "Y-yeah, just... gentle pressure. Let the clay guide your hands."

As they worked together, (Y/n) became aware of the hushed whispers and giggles from the campers around them. She caught snippets of their conversations - "They're so cute!" "Do you think they like each other?" - but she was too distracted by Jungkook's presence to pay much attention.

Finally, they managed to shape something vaguely resembling a vase. (Y/n) stepped back, her cheeks flushed. "See? Not so hard."

Jungkook grinned up at her. "I had a great teacher. Maybe next time you can show me how to make a bowl?"

(Y/n) rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her smile. "Maybe next time you should stick to archery."

As Jungkook stood up from the pottery wheel, (Y/n) noticed the smear of clay still on his cheek. Without thinking, she reached out, her hand cupping his face gently.

"Hold still," she said softly, using her thumb to wipe away the clay. "You've got a little..."

Their eyes met, and (Y/n) suddenly realized how intimate the gesture was. Jungkook's skin was warm under her touch, his gaze intense. For a moment, they both seemed to forget where they were.

"There," (Y/n) said, her voice barely above a whisper as she lowered her hand. "All clean."

Jungkook's lips curved into a slow smile. "Thanks," he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers.

The spell was broken by a giggle from nearby, reminding them both that they were surrounded by campers. (Y/n) stepped back, her cheeks flushing as she turned to address the class, acutely aware of Jungkook's gaze still on her.

The rest of the session passed in a blur, with Jungkook moving around the room, charming the campers and occasionally catching (Y/n)'s eye with a wink or a smile that made her heart skip a beat. He proved to be surprisingly good at helping the younger kids, patiently guiding their small hands and offering enthusiastic praise for even the most misshapen creations.

As the session wound down and the campers began cleaning up, (Y/n) found herself both relieved and disappointed that it was over. She watched as Jungkook helped some of the younger kids wash their hands, marveling at how good he was with them.

"Thanks for your help," she said as he approached her, wiping his hands on a towel. "Even if you did turn the place into a war zone."

Jungkook laughed, running a hand through his hair and leaving a streak of clay behind. "What can I say? I'm a man of many talents. Some of them are even useful."

Before (Y/n) could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of shouting outside. Looking out the window, they saw a group of campers arguing over a football.

Jungkook sighed. "Duty calls. Can't let them have all the fun without me. See you at dinner?"

(Y/n) nodded, watching as he jogged out to break up the fight. As she turned back to oversee the final cleanup, she couldn't shake the lingering warmth of his touch, or the way her heart raced when he smiled at her.

As the last of the campers filed out, clay-covered masterpieces being shoved in a windowsill to let dry out. (Y/n) began the task of cleaning up. She moved around the room, wiping down tables and organizing supplies, her mind replaying the afternoon's events. She thought about the way Jungkook's eyes had crinkled when he laughed, the gentle pressure of his hands under hers as she guided him on the wheel.

(Y/n) sighed, tossing a clay-covered rag into the sink. It was just a harmless flirtation, she told herself. Nothing more. But as she locked up the craft cabin and headed towards the dining hall, she couldn't quite convince herself that was true.

The smell of dinner wafted across the camp, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest and the lingering aroma of clay on her clothes. Eden took a deep breath, pushing thoughts of Jungkook to the back of her mind. There were still hours left in the day, more activities to oversee, more campers to look after.

But as she walked, she couldn't help but look forward to dinner, the smell of food made her stomach rumble as she realised she hadn't eaten anything since last night's dinner. Quickly, she locked up the cabin and made her way to the mess hall that ushered in hoard of ravenous children.

The mess hall buzzed with excitement, a cacophony of laughter, clattering utensils, and animated chatter filling the air. Long wooden tables stretched from end to end, their surfaces scarred with years of summer memories carved by eager campers. Overhead, strings of fairy lights twinkled softly, complementing the warm glow of the setting sun that streamed through the large windows.

The aroma of tonight's special dinner - barbecue ribs, corn on the cob, and s'more brownies for dessert - wafted from the kitchen, eliciting eager anticipation from campers and counselors alike. It was a feast to mark the halfway point of the summer, and the excitement was palpable.

(Y/n) sat at the counselors' table, Jimin on one side and an empty seat on the other. She couldn't help but notice Jungkook's absence, probably still being held up by the children fighting over the football. Her gaze drifted across the room, taking in the scene.

At the far end of the table, Yoongi sat slightly apart, picking at his food and occasionally glancing up at the chaos around him with a mix of amusement and mild exasperation. Jin and Namjoon had their heads together at a small table near the kitchen, deep in discussion about what (Y/n) assumed were camp logistics.

"So," Jimin said, his voice snapping her out of her trance, a hint of something in his voice, "I heard Jungkook paid you a visit during arts and crafts."

(Y/n) felt heat rise to her cheeks. "News travels fast around here, doesn't it?"

Taehyung leaned in, eyes sparkling with interest. "Oh? Do tell!"

"There's nothing to tell," (Y/n) insisted, perhaps a bit too quickly. "He just stopped by and made a mess with the pottery wheel."

"Uh-huh," Jimin said, his tone teasing but with an undercurrent (Y/n) couldn't quite place. 

"So," Taehyung cut in, leaning across the table with a mischievous glint in his eye, "who's ready for some ghost stories tonight?"

Hoseok groaned dramatically, dropping his fork. "Come on, Tae. You know those stories give me nightmares."

"Aww, is our Hobi scared of the big bad ghosts?" Taehyung teased, reaching over to pinch Hoseok's cheek.

Hoseok swatted his hand away, pouting. "I'm not scared! I just... appreciate a good night's sleep, that's all."

Jimin chuckled, nudging (Y/n). "Maybe we should pair Hoseok with some of the older kids tonight, yeah? For protection."

(Y/n) smiled, about to respond when Jungkook finally arrived, sliding into the empty seat beside her. His hair was slightly damp, and he smelled faintly of grass and sweat.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, flashing a grin that made (Y/n)'s heart skip a beat. "Had to settle a dispute over the last soccer ball. Looks like I missed the ribs, though." He eyed (Y/n)'s plate hopefully.

"Don't even think about it, Jeon," (Y/n) warned, but she was already pushing her plate towards him.

As Jungkook settled in, his arm brushing against (Y/n)'s, she noticed Jimin tense beside her. The silver-haired counselor's knuckles whitened around his fork.

"Well," Jimin said, standing abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I should go clean up some of the swimming equipment. Make sure they're all ready for tomorrow."

(Y/n) frowned, watching him leave. "Is everything okay with Jimin?" she asked, turning to the others.

Taehyung waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, I think our Jiminie is just feeling a little... left out." He called after Jimin's retreating form, "Don't forget to bring your teddy bear to the campfire, Jimin-ah!"

Jimin's only response was a half-hearted wave without turning back.

As the meal progressed, the excitement among the campers grew. Younger kids bounced in their seats, their voices rising in pitch and volume. The older campers gave an air of cool nonchalance, but (Y/n) could see the anticipation in their eyes for the afternoon's festivities.

(Y/n)'s gaze drifted across the mess hall, taking in the scenes of summer joy. But in a far corner, she noticed two older campers with their heads close together, whispering intently. The girl – Rose, one of (Y/n)'s drama students – glanced furtively around before leaning in even closer to the boy, Jason.

Frowning slightly, (Y/n) stood up, intending to check on them. But before she could take a step, Jin's voice cut through the chatter.

"Attention, everyone!" he called out, standing at the front of the hall. The room gradually quieted, all eyes turning to the camp director. "As you all know, tonight marks the halfway point of our summer together at Mason's Creek Summer Camp."

A cheer went up from the campers, and Jin smiled, waiting for quiet to return. "Tonight's campfire is special. For the first time this summer, all of our campers, from the youngest to the oldest, will gather together around the fire. It's a chance for us to come together as one camp family, to share stories, songs, and maybe," he glanced at Taehyung with a wry smile, "a scare or two."

More cheers and a few nervous giggles rippled through the crowd.

"So," Jin continued, "in fifteen minutes, we'll all meet at the big fire pit. Counselors, make sure your groups are accounted for and bring extra blankets. It's going to be a chilly night!"

As Jin finished speaking, a flurry of activity erupted in the mess hall. Campers began clearing their plates, chattering excitedly about the night ahead. Counselors moved between tables, organizing their groups and answering a barrage of questions.

(Y/n) felt a hand on her arm and turned to find Jungkook looking at her, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Ready for all these scary stories?" he asked, his voice low and playful.

She felt a flutter in her stomach but managed to roll her eyes, as she pushed her finger against his chest. "Just try not to scream too loud when Taehyung starts his ghost stories, okay?"

Jungkook clutched his chest in mock offense. "Me? Scream? Never! I'll have you know I'm very brave."

"Uh-huh," (Y/n) teased, "Is that why you slept with your flashlight on after last week's zombie story?"

Their laughter mingled with the excited voices around them as they began to herd their group towards the door. As they left the warmth of the mess hall, the cool evening air nipped at their skin, carrying with it the promise of a night filled with mystery.

As the campers began to file out, (Y/n) noticed Rose and Jason lingering behind, still deep in conversation. She made a mental note to keep an eye on them during the campfire.

The path to the fire pit was alive with excitement. Younger campers skipped ahead, their voices carrying through the darkening woods, while the older ones walked with an air of cool nonchalance that didn't quite hide their anticipation.

The sun had begun its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink as (Y/n) and Jungkook led their group of campers down the winding path to the campfire. The excited chatter of the kids filled the air, punctuated by the occasional hoot of an owl or rustle in the underbrush.

As they approached the clearing, the smell of woodsmoke mingled with the earthy scent of the forest. The campfire came into view, a beacon of warmth and light in the gathering dusk. Campers were already spreading blankets on the ground and arranging themselves in a wide circle around the flames.

(Y/n) did a quick headcount of her group, frowning slightly when she realized Rose and Jason were missing. She was about to mention it to Jungkook when Taehyung's group burst into the clearing, their counselor wearing an elaborate headdress made of leaves and twigs.

"Make way for the forest spirits!" Taehyung announced dramatically, earning giggles from the younger campers and eye-rolls from the older ones.

"Tae, you look ridiculous," (Y/n) laughed, momentarily distracted from her concerns.

Taehyung struck a pose. "Ridiculous? I'll have you know this is the height of woodland fashion."

As they helped their campers settle, spreading blankets and passing out s'mores supplies, (Y/n) found herself swept up in the excitement. The sun sank lower, the sky deepening to a rich purple. Soon, the only light came from the roaring campfire, casting flickering shadows that danced at the edge of the woods.

(Y/n) couldn't shake a feeling of unease as she glanced at the dark line of trees surrounding them. In the daylight, the forest was a place of adventure and discovery. But now, with the flames throwing strange shadows and the darkness pressing in, it felt almost menacing. She shivered, pulling her jacket closer.

"Cold?" Jungkook's voice came from beside her, startling her out of her thoughts.

"No, just... the woods seem different at night, don't they?"

Jungkook nodded, his eyes scanning the treeline. "Yeah, it's like they're hiding secrets."

Before (Y/n) could respond, Taehyung cleared his throat loudly. "Gather 'round, campers and counselors alike! It's time for a tale of terror!"

The campers hushed, leaning in eagerly as Taehyung began his story. His voice dropped to a dramatic whisper as he spun a tale of a killer who stalked the woods, preying on unsuspecting campers.

As the story progressed, (Y/n) found her attention wandering. Her eyes drifted over the circle, taking in the reactions of the other counselors. Hoseok was visibly uncomfortable, jumping at every dramatic pause. Yoongi seemed unimpressed, occasionally rolling his eyes at the more outlandish parts of the tale.

Her gaze settled on Jungkook, and she found herself admiring the way the firelight played across his features, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes as he listened to the story. She quickly looked away when he glanced in her direction, feeling a warmth in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the fire.

It was then that (Y/n) noticed Jimin's absence. She frowned, wondering if he was still upset from dinner. Knowing Jimin, he had probably thrown himself into work, losing track of time. She made a mental note to check on him after the campfire.

As her eyes scanned the group again, she realized Jin was missing too. It seemed odd that the camp director would leave without saying anything, but she reasoned he might have quietly informed Namjoon and slipped away to avoid disrupting the story.

(Y/n)'s gaze drifted back to the woods, the vastness of the darkness beyond the fire's glow drawing her in. As she stared into the gloom, a movement caught her eye. For a moment, she thought she saw a figure among the trees.

Suddenly, Taehyung's voice rose to a shout as he reached the climax of his story. He threw something into the fire, causing it to roar up with a burst of sparks. (Y/n) jumped to her feet, her heart pounding.

Jungkook looked up at her, startled. "Whoa, (Y/n)! Don't tell me Tae's story actually scared you," he teased, but there was a note of concern in his voice.

(Y/n) barely heard him. Her eyes were fixed on the edge of the clearing where a figure had emerged from the woods. "Rose," she whispered, before breaking into a run.

Rose stumbled into the firelight, soaking wet and shivering. (Y/n) reached her just as the girl's legs seemed to give out, catching her and wrapping her in the blanket she'd grabbed from the ground.

"Rose! What happened? Where's Jason?" (Y/n) asked, her voice tight with worry.

Through chattering teeth, Rose explained how Jason had pushed her into the lake as a prank. She'd gotten lost trying to find her way back, wandering the trails in the dark. "J-Jason's still down there," she said, a mix of anger and worry in her voice. "I didn't want to see him after what he did, but... what if something happened to him?"

As (Y/n) comforted Rose, she overheard Namjoon instructing Taehyung and Yoongi to do a quick sweep around the lake. The other counselors began ushering the confused and worried campers back to their cabins.

In the midst of the chaos, Jimin appeared, looking slightly disheveled and... wet? Eden noticed but couldn't dwell on it, focused on getting Rose warm and dry.

"Come on," she said to Rose, guiding her towards the cabins. "Let's get you into some dry clothes."

In (Y/n)'s cabin, she turned up the small heater and helped Rose change into warm, dry clothes. As she helped the girl towel dry her hair, Rose spoke softly.

"I really liked him, you know? Jason. I thought... I thought maybe he liked me too. But then he just pushed me in and laughed." She looked up at (Y/n), her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Is that what love is supposed to be like?"

(Y/n)'s heart ached for the girl. "No, sweetie. That's not love. Someone who cares about you would never purposely put you in danger or make you feel bad."

After making sure Rose was okay, (Y/n) walked her back to her own cabin, her mind whirling with worry about Jason and confusion over the events of the night.

(Y/n)'s mind was still reeling from the events of the night as she made her way back to her cabin. The path, usually so familiar, felt alien in the darkness, every shadow seeming to hide potential dangers. As she approached, she saw a figure sitting on the porch steps, hunched over with elbows resting on knees. Her heart skipped a beat before she recognized Jungkook's silhouette.

"Jungkook?" she called softly, quickening her pace.

He looked up, relief washing over his features as he stood. "(Y/n), thank god. I was getting worried."

As she climbed the steps, (Y/n) could see the tension in his jaw, the worry etched in the lines of his face. "Any news?" she asked, though she could already guess the answer from his expression.

Jungkook shook his head, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Nothing. We can't find Jason anywhere. We've done a preliminary search of the lake shore and the nearby trails, but there's no sign of him."

(Y/n) felt her stomach drop. "What about the other counselors? Jin?"

"Jin's still missing too. Namjoon's trying to keep it quiet to avoid panicking the campers, but..." Jungkook trailed off, his eyes meeting (Y/n)'s. The unspoken worry hung heavy between them.

(Y/n) sank down onto the porch step, suddenly feeling exhausted. Jungkook sat beside her, their shoulders touching. The contact was comforting in the face of the night's uncertainties.

"What happens now?" (Y/n) asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook sighed. "Namjoon's organizing a more thorough search. We're going out in pairs to cover more ground. He thinks it's best we stay with our usual partner"

"Pairs?" (Y/n) echoed, a mix of relief and anxiety coursing through her. The thought of searching the dark woods alone was terrifying, but with a partner...

"Yeah," Jungkook nodded. "Safety in numbers, you know? Plus, it's easy to get turned around in the woods at night."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation settling over them. In the distance, they could hear muffled voices - other counselors organizing search parties, no doubt.

"I can't believe this is happening," (Y/n) said, shaking her head. "Just a few hours ago, we were all laughing and telling ghost stories. And now..."

"Hey," Jungkook said softly, bumping his shoulder against hers. "We'll find him. Jason's a smart kid. He probably just got lost and is too embarrassed to call out for help, you know how he is."

(Y/n) wanted to believe him, but the nagging worry in the pit of her stomach wouldn't subside. "But what if it's something worse? What if-"

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Jungkook interrupted gently. "We don't know anything for sure yet."

(Y/n) nodded, trying to take comfort in his words. She looked at Jungkook, really looked at him, and saw the determination in his eyes despite the worry creasing his brow. It made her feel a little braver.

A ghost of a smile flickered across Jungkook's face. "Ready to head out?"

(Y/n) took a deep breath, steeling herself. "As ready as I'll ever be. Where are we searching?"

"Namjoon wants us to take the trail by the creek," Jungkook explained as they set off, flashlights in hand. "The one that leads down to the lake.The other are covering different areas."

They walked in silence for a moment, the sounds of the camp fading behind them. The beam of their flashlights cut through the darkness, creating eerie, shifting shadows among the trees. (Y/n) found herself drawing closer to Jungkook, the warmth of his presence a comfort against the chill of the night.

"It's so different out here," (Y/n) murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't shake the feeling that speaking too loudly might disturb something better left undisturbed.

Jungkook nodded, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. "Yeah, it's like the whole forest changes after dark. Everything familiar becomes... strange."

They continued down the path, the crunch of leaves and twigs under their feet seeming unnaturally loud in the quiet of the night. The distant gurgle of the creek grew louder as they approached, the water a ribbon of silver in the moonlight.

"You okay?" Jungkook asked softly, noticing (Y/n)'s unease.

(Y/n) hesitated before answering. "Just... a little scared, I guess. I keep thinking about Jason out here alone. And Jin... where could he have gone?"

Jungkook's arm slipped around her shoulders, a comforting weight. "Hey, it's okay to be scared. I am too. But we're together, and we've got this, alright? We'll find them."

His warmth and steady presence helped ease some of (Y/n)'s fear, but she couldn't shake the nagging worry in the pit of her stomach. "Do you think..." she started, then paused, unsure if she wanted to voice her fears.

"What?" Jungkook prompted gently.

"Do you think something bad might have happened to Jason?" she finally asked, the words hanging heavily in the air between them. "I mean, Rose was so upset, and for Jin to disappear too..."

Jungkook was quiet for a moment before responding. "I don't know," he admitted. "But let's not assume the worst just yet. Jason could just be lost and scared, like Rose was. And Jin... well, he's probably out looking too, he probably realised the two of them were gone and went to find them."

(Y/n) nodded, trying to take comfort in his words. "You're right. I'm probably just letting Taehyung's ghost stories get to me."

Jungkook chuckled softly. "Those stories would make anyone jumpy. Remember the first week when he told that one about the vengeful spirit in the lake? I swear, half the campers refused to go near the lake for a week."

The memory brought a smile to (Y/n)'s face, easing some of the tension. They continued their search, calling out Jason's name every few minutes, their voices echoing strangely in the still night air.

As they neared the lake, the trees thinned out, revealing a stretch of a sandyshore. The water was a black mirror, reflecting the starry sky above. In daylight, this was a place of laughter and splashing. Now, it seemed vast and unknowable.

"Should we head back?" Jungkook asked, his voice low. "We've covered a lot of ground."

(Y/n) was about to agree when something caught her eye. A flash of white against the dark rocks at the water's edge. "Wait," she said, pointing. "What's that?"

They moved closer, their flashlights focused on the spot. As they approached, (Y/n)'s breath caught in her throat. Snagged on a jagged rock, fluttering slightly in the night breeze, was a piece of fabric. Even in the dim light, she could see the dark stains marring its surface.

"Is that..." Jungkook started, his voice trailing off.

(Y/n) nodded, a chill running down her spine. "It's a torn shirt. And that's... that's blood."

They stood frozen, the implications of their discovery sinking in. The peaceful night sounds of the forest seemed to fade away, leaving only the pounding of (Y/n)'s heart in her ears.

Jungkook's arm tightened around her. "We need to tell Namjoon. Now."

Taglist: @jungkooknippleanddicksucker

[figs-and-cigs]

Been having a lot of thoughts lately. My last post was about watching some of my friends going through break ups, and my views on why Hierarchy is important to me.

Another thing that's coming to mind is my thoughts on the Relationship Cycle (I made a post about that a long while back) and thinking about how it relates to my recent break up - and wondering how it might relate to the unfortunate situation my friends are going through.

I just read a post about a married couple who jumped into a triad (🙄 a terrible poly tale as old as time). They'd been with the new girlfriend for 4 months. The couple planned a dinner date with a family friend, whom the new girlfriend doesn't like. The new girlfriend demanded the couple cancel and spend time with her instead. When the couple didn't cancel their dinner plans, the new girlfriend became angry and withdrew and seemingly expected they make amends for this perceived slight.

One of the comments said something along the lines of, "4 months is too early to have a full blown relationship with someone. I would still be in the vetting and dating phases. It's really important to get to know someone before integrating them into my life to prevent problems like this from happening. It's wild for someone I just met to think they have any say in who my friends are and who I make dinner plans with."

One of the first things my ex had asked of me when we started seeing each other was to call her everyday. While I stated that I'm more of a texter and not a fan of phone calls, she insisted it was important to her. I really liked her and was feeling so much NRE (new relationship energy) I agreed I'd try to call her everyday. The only issue I saw with this, at the time, was when I missed a day. I had a high chronic pain day, and then having a kiddo to take care after school, I just didn't think about it on spoonless days. Her immediate response when I called the following day was, "I'm disappointed you didn't call yesterday." I explained my lack of spoons and forgetfulness on pain days, and how I'm not a phone person. "Aren't I allowed to be disappointed?" Uhm... well yes...

She and I had two dates a week, Weekday coffee, and Saturday nights - we also saw each other at two weekly meet ups every week. So needless to say we began seeing each other a lot. I had said from the beginning Saturday nights were temporary. When my Hubby's schedule changed, he and I would have Saturday nights as that's the best night for a babysitter. She's still likely see me at events on those nights, I could arrange occasional overnights on Fridays. She brushed off the conversation repeatedly, and when the schedule did change it all came to head and she responded very oddly. I don't need to dive into that again but the relationship ended.

So a few days back in talking to my poly friend who is going through a divorce. One of the reoccurring themes in her drama is how her husband prioritized his two newish girlfriends over her (and child). While she insists it's because they're ethical and non-hierarchial it often felt like the one girlfriend had a lot of control and decision making for the husband's life.

In my own thought organizing rant to my husband I shared that it baffles me that people look down on hierarchy so much. But even in a non-hierarchial situation, the thought of someone new coming into someone's life and imposing huge changes on an established relationship, their schedule (especially with children concerned), and their day to day life is alarming.

It then dawned on me how manipulated I felt after some time processing my break up. I had agreed to do something I wasn't entirely comfortable and fully capable of. Calling someone on the phone every day. My husband very thoughtfully said something along the lines of, "she really set you up to put forth a lot of effort in the beginning and to integrate yourself into her life. Not just with the daily phone call, but the insistence that you plan for multiple dates every week. Especially without the consideration of your unpredictable chronic health issues, and your family."

I had to take a lot of deep breaths to ponder that. Only a couple years ago I had put the breaks on a relationship because he was moving too fast. Within three weeks it felt like he was acting like we were married and wanted information on every bit of my day to day life, my health issues, my daily struggles. There wasn't any fun to be had there with a new relationship - and more so, I realized I didn't KNOW this guy and he assumed he KNEW me. It was three weeks, we didn't know each other.

And in the 4-5 months of dating that girl, I don't think we knew each other either. Yet she has become so integrated. She met my family, she knew most of my friends. She came to a speaker event I did. She was part of my day to day. Yet at the end it was clear she couldn't even attune to my way of communicating. While I felt I had made a ton of effort, attempts to fit molds of her requests, and flexed my boundaries... I don't think either of us really knew who we were or if we aligned.

I'm not angry at her. I'm more frustrated with myself for not seeing this until months after the relationship ended.

And I see it all the time in relationships! Poly and Monogamous alike. People jump into each other's lives so wholly and completely without taking the very important time to get to know each other and build a foundation. With my husband I had waited 6 months before allowing him to meet my kid. We waited 2 years to move in together. We took time before integrating our finances, and eventually marriage.

Circling back around to the topic of Hierarchy. Again, we are not hierarchical in the sense that we have rules for other relationships - those relationships can progress emotionally in any way they happen to. Even during my chaotic months long stent with "HER" my husband said nothing against it. When we talk about being each other's Primaries, it's in regard to the fact that our lives are so fully integrated with each other. We're raising a kid, we share a home and bills, our schedules need to work FOR the relationship and kiddo and laundry, and car repairs, and medical issues and bills.

While there's plenty of room to love and enjoy other people, the agreement is that we can't allow those relationships to negatively impact our overall family needs. After all, we have years long foundation. That's not a guarantee things will never change, things are unpredictable and things can happen - but there's at least some definitive clarity in how things work.

I read and posted an article recently. One of the interesting points the author made was that they felt secure when dating someone in a hierarchical dynamic. They knew what to expect and how their relationship was defined, how integrated they could be in their lives. While dating someone who isn't hierarchical or even relationship anarchist - there's less clarity in those roles. Certainly some food for thought.

I know from my own experience I can often look at the relationship cycle and see where things went wrong. Most often a huge step is missed. The "vetting" portion of things. Initiating and Experimenting. Instead of taking the time to build a foundation it's easy to jump into intensity and integration. It's becomes assumed we're bonded and the moment one person tries to differentiate the entire things implodes.

This isn't meant to devalue new relationships or people at all. Just a recognition of the differences between them and established relationships. The importance of taking time to establish a relationship before it has input on your day to day life and more major things like finances, schedules, and other relationships.

With poorly formed triads, we see this so often. The couple claims there is no "couples privilege", that the new partner (unicorn) is on completely equal footing. Yet clearly everyone is in denial. A couple with years of communicating, living together, intertwined finances, maybe children, is ultimately going to have more establishment in it's function than a third thrown on board. The newbie rocks the boat, understandably so if they're told they have equal power in all aspects, and the couple becomes resentful or defensive when there hasn't been any establishment of how to proceed with such things.

The benefits of stating that I'm hierarchical and have a primary means there should be less confusion about how my relationships are defined. (Less, not eradicated). A new partner should know that they don't make decisions regarding child care, or financing a new car, or paying the bills. They also know that I won't agree to plans that could interfere with those things - "I can't afford a 10 day road trip and it would negatively impact my kid." It helps avoid unreasonable expectations. "I want to plan a date for Wednesday." "Hubby and I have to attend a parent teacher's conference. I clarified with him that he can stay home with kiddo another night this week." "I think we should buy a pet together!" "That's not a responsibility I can take on, but I support you getting a pet and will snuggle it when I come over." Etc. etc.

Per usual I rambled on more than I intended. I procrastinated on cleaning long enough by typing out these thoughts. I have no idea how much sense the made and will likely dive to writing more convoluted poly nonsense another time.

[phr3ia]

Love Game (Toji Fushiguro x Fem!Reader) [Chapter 04 : Day Off]

[A few days later...]

You yawned widely, stretching your arms above your head and arching your back, relishing the sweet freedom of a day off. The sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the living room where you stood. Your eyes fell on the newspaper Toji had left on the kitchen counter, and you picked it up, flipping through the pages.

"Mmm, this is some interesting news..." You muttered under your breath, unaware of Toji's presence. Suddenly, you felt a chill run down your spine, and you whirled around, nearly dropping the newspaper.

"Jesus Christ, Toji! You scared the hell out of me!"

He chuckled, leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Been here for five minutes, just enjoying the view. Literally." He waggled his brows, gesturing towards your backside.

A blush crept up your neck, and you spun back to face the paper. "You're sick, you know that?" You snapped, feeling helpless against his teasing.

Toji walked up behind you, slipping his arms around your waist, and nuzzled your ear. "I'm just keeping you on your toes, Buttercup. Otherwise, you'd get bored."

You stiffened, trying to push his hands away without making it obvious. "Get off me, Toji. I'm trying to read."

He squeezed your waist, making you squirm. "A woman who reads, how delightful. It's a shame you're not interested in me, though. You'd be perfect for me."

You rolled your eyes, pushing his hands off you, before moving to the couch. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not interested in a man-whore like you."

Toji followed you, sitting beside you and flashed you a roguish smile. "Man-whore? That's harsh. You're just jealous."

You ignored his comment and said. "And I'm sure you're busy enough, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't bother me with your nonsense while I'm trying to relax."

Toji chuckled, grabbing a handful of pistachios from the coffee table. "Relax? You mean brood. Don't worry, I'll lighten the mood. Tell me all about your work this week. What exciting cases do you have?"

You groaned, running a hand through your hair. "Nothing exciting. Just the usual dealing with human traffickers and drug cartels. Nothing that would interest a blood-thirsty assassin like you."

He snorted, throwing a pistachio at you. "Gotta love your imagination. But tell me, have you ever thought about switching careers? I bet you'd be a natural at taking down Jujutsu Sorcerers."

Your jaw dropped, and you stared at him in disbelief . "Are you insane? I barely tolerate working with regular criminals. Why would I want to go after people with actual power?"

Toji shrugged, munching on another pistachio. "The thrill is intoxicating, the adrenaline. It's addictive." He leaned in close, his breath tickling your ear. "Plus, you'd have me to teach you a thing or two about handling cursed tools."

Your cheeks flushed, and you pushed him away, clearly uncomfortable. "No, thank you. I'm perfectly happy with what I'm doing."

Toji grinned, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I see I can't sway you. Now, go on, tell me more about your boring, drama-free life."

You sighed, resigned to his teasing, and began sharing stories of your work. It wasn't long before Toji started adding his own embellishments, making the tales more outrageous than they already were.

As you exchanged stories, Toji suddenly paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "You know, I'm kind of glad you didn't consider becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer. I can't stand them, and I don't want to end up hating you too."

You scoffed, crossing your arms. "So, you'd hate me if I become one? Interesting. How about I just hate you for being an asshole?"

Toji chuckled, unfazed by your jab. "Ah, but it's such a fun kind of asshole. Besides, it's not like I can help it. It's in my blood. And let's not forget, you're stuck with me either way. So, you might as well learn to deal with it."

His words managed to annoy you further, and you huffed, scooting away from him. "Yeah, yeah. I thought I made it clear that I don't want your nonsense in my life."

Toji grinned, clearly enjoying your irritation. "You keep saying that, but you never really tried leaving me."

Your eyes narrowed, and you gave him a warning look. "It's my apartment. Why would I leave? So, save the shit-eating grin for someone who cares, Toji."

He winked, reaching over to ruffle your hair. "You're such a sourpuss, but I like you anyway."

You swatted his hand away and stood up, unable to take his teasing anymore. "Whatever, Toji. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take a shower to wash off your stench."

Toji laughed, watching as you stormed off to your room. "Always a pleasure, Buttercup."

Truth be told, you came from a family with cursed energy yourself. Growing up, you saw your fair share of cursed spirits. Yet, you consciously avoided pursuing a career in Jujutsu. You knew well that such a path would only bring you more trouble.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

You locked yourself in the bathroom, taking your sweet time to shower and get dressed. When you emerged, you were clad in a tight red dress that hugged your curves, Toji's eyes widened. "Whoa, Buttercup. Where are you going all dressed up like that?"

You glared at him, clearly irritated by his presence. "None of your business. I'm going out, that's all."

"Any special occasion? Or do you have a date?" Toji teased, drawing you closer to the edge of your temper.

"I am NOT going on a date, and there's no special occasion. I'm just going to enjoy myself for once, and I don't need your permission or approval."

Toji arched a brow, smirking. "So, you're going out alone? Seems like a lonely day for you. Why don't you let me tag along? I'm free today, and I could always use some company."

You crossed your arms, glaring at him. "I'm going out to have a drink by myself. I don't need your company. Go back to your one-night stands. I'm sure they'd welcome you with open arms."

Despite your rejections, Toji seemed undeterred. "Oh, come on. I'm a great wingman, and I'm sure you could use one. No need to feel lonely." He sauntered closer.

You pulled away, annoyance thick in your voice. "You're not needed, Toji. Stay away from me. I'm going out by myself, and that's final. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving."

Ignoring his continued protests, you marched towards the door, determined to enjoy your night of solitude. Little did you know, Toji had other plans.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

End Of Chapter 4 🥀....

@meowforluv @miizuzu