#I will actually lose it if history repeats itself

[hummingbird-games]

Goodness 😵‍💫 brain fog was fogging, but this is just a blanket statement and a warning wrapped in one, so listen please:

Keegan is a trans black girl, uses she/her pronouns, and if I see any foolishness in the inbox or on future posts I make about Crushed concerning her, I. Am. Blocking. You.

(Find somewhere else to dump your transphobic/misogynistic/racist agendas.)

If I see people forgetting (AGAIN) that my current game characters are all minors, you’re getting blocked.

You need to have a long talk with your maker as to why all these 18+ indie titles exist but you’re harping on one little game where no one is legally able to give consent.

Basically…remember common sense, and if you wouldn���t say it to my face, don’t say it virtually.

I’m not reposting the filth from the ask box so if you’re a troll or otherwise attention starved, try Jesus not me!!!

[inun4ki]

i had a realization i don't like.

[bitchimasnake-sss]

I need a part 2 to ‘meddle about’😩 I loveee your writing

i was literally about to go sleep rn but made a conscious decision to ignore the needs of my body to write horny filth <3

☆ into you!

part 02 to meddle about! // in which the younger itoshi loses all inhibitions. //

synopsis: who knew being involved with itoshi rin would be such a headache? now, about 10,000 km away from home, you realize that you're stuck with him in barcelona. as distances between you two grow greater, the only thing that brings you closer is an... aphrodisiac?! pairing: afab!reader x itoshi rin [aged up.] wc: 5.5k cw: NOT PROOFREAD. WRITTEN CAUSE I LOVE DESPERATE MEN. MDNI. includes: A LOTTT OF PLOTTT!! dom-ish!reader x bottom!rin. one-room only trope (hehehehehhe), aphrodisiac, guided handjob, praise (m!receiving), overstimulation (m!receiving), rin cries so, i guess dacryphilia(?). they're both gonna piss you off and you're gonna love it. guess starring: rin's COMMUNICATION ISSUES 🗣️🔊 m.list

it took you exactly 45 mins sitting next to rin itoshi in a closed-off airplane to decide that either he was the dumbest man alive or he needed a guided lesson to understand social cues. or maybe, just maybe, he was such an entitled prick that he could just simply ignore a fuming woman next to him for forty-five minutes straight without as much as a worry-line on his pristine forehead.

you had huffed and huffed, and then huffed some more by the time rin finally asked you a question. the question? "are you cold or something?"

"no?" your eyebrows bunched at his question. could he not see the blanket you had draped over your lap as you had cozied in the seat he had paid for?

"then why are you making so much noise?"

"oh?" you scoffed, "if it is this hard to be seated next to me, then please get off on the next layover and catch a flight back home."

his answer came before you could even finish, "no, i'm good."

and then again, the cycle of silence repeated itself by dragging itself along it's sickening pattern. rin flipped through a magazine, locked in as if there was nothing more enticing to him than the history of airplanes and their mechanism, all while you fumed in your seat.

it's not like you wanted to talk to rin itoshi or something!

it's just the principle of the situation that pissed you off beyond belief! here you two were, sitting next to each-other in a metal contraception that was hovering several hundred feet above ground to land you in another continent — a process that was going to take several hours. there was absolute silence — most people dozing off, reading or watching a movie by themselves while enjoying the finer things in life like champagne and caviar.

if there was any place in earth to sort out miscommunications, then this was probably the top of that list! and yet, that raven-haired man lost himself in the world of airplane mechanics. like, what even?!

again, it's not like you wanted rin itoshi to apologize to you or something!

it's just shouldn't he atleast bother after trying so hard that day? i mean, it's not like you missed the way his hands felt or the expensive, well-curated fragrance of his car whenever he picked you up or dropped you, or whatever lopsided, half-baked smile he gave you every once in a while. no, it was the principle of the situation that was bothering you!

you sighed and rin gave you a side-eye without even turning an inch to face you. he cleared his throat, another question at the tip of his stupid — albeit, very skilled — tongue, "do you want to drink?"

"no." you spit out, almost impressed at how good he was at being wrong, "obviously not." actually, right now, with a headache next to you, some wine sounded delightful. "actually— i mean, wine sounds nice."

rin pushed the button to call the airstaff and you let go of any of your restraints. you turned towards him, body leaning into his physical space as if you needed to examine him up-close for brain damage, "do you really not know what's bothering me?"

"no." rin admitted seriously and your eyebrows furrowed at how sincere he sounded. you repeated, "you don't?"

he shrugged and you found yourself muttering, "seriously? you don't?"

"no," he turned his face to look at you and deadpanned, "either tell me what's wrong or shut up and go to sleep."

the audacity! here you were trying to communicate with him while he thought you should 'go to sleep'??? he should go to hell!

"fine." you clenched you jaw, turning around to wait for your wine in peace. under your breath, you muttered, "sae would probably never act like this."

"what was that?"

you turned to the pro-player, eyes narrowed and tongue venomous, "i cannot wait to see sae play in real life."

"thanks to me, yes." rin shrugged, "and his play isn't that impressive. the media just happens to make any lukewarm bullshit look good on tele."

"th-thanks to you?!" you spluttered, still not moving on from the first half of his statement, "i'm sorry but did i not refuse to come and you begged me—"

"—beg is a strong word."

"you begged me to come, rin itoshi." you bit back and rin turned to you with his own eyes narrowed, "i didn't beg you, i just didn't want you to think i took advantage of you."

"you literally, literally left me laying on the couch while you ran off to the bathroom for god-knows-what reasons!" you ranted, leaning in till your noses were inches apart and you two were all up in each other's business, "and then, next morning you left me all alone in your stupid penthouse—"

"i left you a text and food?" now it was rin's turn to act confuse. he inched forward daringly and the tips of your noses collided. eyes against yours in a heated dance, he hissed, "and i drew you a bath which you never even took."

"hah?" you scoffed, not pulling back lest he thinks he has won the competition against you, "that explains leaving me after we were done?"

"i rushed to the bathroom bec—" and then for the first time in his adult life, rin itoshi froze. because, tell me, how in god's name was he supposed to admit that just one look at your flushed, post-orgasm face had him spilling into his sweats as if puberty had hit him yesterday? just one split-second look away from your pretty pussy to your ruined face was enough for his to lose all physical restraint over his well-trained body? how could he let you see that, or even hear about it? it was embarrassing. worse, it was ego-threatening.

how was rin itoshi supposed to admit that he couldn't help but feel all types of things whenever you were around?

so, instead, he bit his tongue and made up an excuse — a bad one, but an excuse nonetheless, "i rushed because i remembered something."

"in the bathroom?" you repeated slowly and he nodded, hoping that the warmth of his cheeks wasn't on display.

"i— remembered that i needed to take a shower."

"immediately afterwards?"

"yes, sweat makes me feel gross." he nodded again, averting his gaze from you, "it's just one of those things."

"oh my god, you're such a fucking prick!" now, maybe those aren't the words you should be saying to the man who was paying for your flight to see your favourite player but he did just admit that he left you alone to take a stupid shower.

you two were only interrupted by the air-hostess bringing you a much-needed glass of wine. for the next nine hours till your next layover, you didn't even bother glancing at rin itoshi's stupid face.

but as you sat in silence, you realized that the upcoming days were going to be nice, atleast. you had planned an entire cozy itinerary without rin itoshi to meddle in your business, infact. the plan was simple: were going to land the next evening, and would probably stay-in that night to recover from the jet lag. the next morning you planned to visit some local areas, cafes, and such. and the third day was sae's match. then, you'd catch the flight home! fun!

so, you took in a deep breath, reminding yourself that it was only a matter of hours before you could get rid of rin. until then, all you had to do was ignore him. correct!

it was only after you had landed in barcelona that you interacted with rin — not too much though, only to thank him for the tickets and to avail you a taxi since he claimed he knew enough spanish to get around.

"what?" the pro-player cocked an eyebrow, dialing some number on his phone, "we're going to the hotel together, why do you need another taxi?"

"you paid for my hotel room?" your eyes widened, your grip on reality seemingly slipping as you realized that rin itoshi probably wouldn't book some cheap, 3rd-class hotel.

"yes?" he answered just as nonchalantly before answering the phone and sprouting out some spanish.

and there go your cozy vacation plans down the drain!

"you—" you were tongue-tied, so catastrophically shocked that you weren't even sure of what was happening and what wasn't, "why would you do that?!"

"well?" rin covered his phone half-heartedly, looking at you as if you were the one who had gone mad, "did you think i would just bring you here and leave you as it is?"

you stepped closer to him, voice hushed so as to not cause a scene at the airport, "i don't need more favours that you. i told you that."

"don't worry." rin muted the call with a quick swipe, "i am not gonna ask for any favours in return. this one's on me..." you almost missed the next few words, "cause i've been a prick lately."

you're not quite sure how it happened or why, but here you stood at the reception of a seven-star hotel while rin held a heated discussion with the staff in a foreign language.

many minutes passed by, following which the pro-player finally came walking back to you. his face fell, "they're saying they only have one room free."

"what?"

"i swear i booked two. i'm not playing around with you." you heard a mild panic in his otherwise cool tone and you held a palm up, "it's good — a sign from the universe! i should probably go, anyways. i'll find an accommadati—"

"no." rin was fierce. his face dipped lower, hot breath fanning across your face as he repeated, "you're not doing anything stupid like that. if anyone has to go, i will. you stay here."

"rin." you tried to argue but the receptionist called rin back for some reason. the next time rin came back to you, he was sickeningly pale.

"what did they say? someone has to go, right. i will—"

"—uh," the man looked at the polished marble underneath, his lower lashes so prominent as he closed his eyes, "they actually, kinda upgraded us to a honeymoon suite."

huh? honestly, this wasn't the weirdest thing that had happened to you this month. what's next? you're gonna go to the room and find a stack of condoms and a invitation for you two to fuc—

"—k me." you spoke aloud as soon as you entered the room. not only was it thrice the size of your studio apartment, and had a private pool in the balcony, but on the bed lay a stack of condoms, chocolates, cliche rose petals and an classy envelope with MR. AND MRS. ITOSHI printed on it.

rin picked the card up, opened it up and immediately went beet-red. you wouldn't be surprised if the card read "have a good time fucking!"

"i- i'll take the couch." rin stuffed the card deep into the pocket of his pants, ignoring the climbing warmth that painted his pale face uncharacteristically scarlet, "you take the bed."

"don't be ridiculous. i'm not taking the bed."

"there's no point arguing." he averted his gaze skillfully, hoping that the pink dusting his cheeks was not visible to you, "i... i'll take the couch. meanwhile, you can go wash up."

well, to be fair even the couches here looked better than your home couch but again, it was about the principle of the situation!

barcelona, day 01. evening.

truly, there was no point arguing with the rin itoshi because now, here you were ten minutes later, clearing the bed and throwing the chocolates and flavoured condoms in the side-drawer, never to be used by you two.

once done, you laid your clothes out and made your way to the shower. your footsteps were soft pitter-patters against the delicate rug and rin glanced back from the couch.

"shower?" he asked, and you nodded. at your curt answer, he pressed his lips into a thin line, "if you need something, call my name. i'll come."

you had slipped in the bathroom with nothing more than a soft nod to acknowledge him because... let's be real, why would you need him while showering? he could rest assured that there would no shenanigans happening on your end.

but now as the soft, luxurious soapsuds lapped against your skin so gently, the warm water of the tub slowly growing cold and leaving you devoid of any warmth in it's wake, you considered calling rin in.

closing your eyes, a dark, familiar curtain fell in front of your eyes and you tipped your head upwards. chewing on your bottom lip, you were divided whether the deal you and rin had once struck up still stood? and in that case, did you owe him something since he was responsible for your accommodation for the next three days here. but then again, he did act like a prick and maybe it was his way of making it up to you. but then again, he didn't act as much of a prick to repent by keeping you in a fucking seven-star residence.

you brought your hands over your face, the skin growing colder ever so slowly under the cruel stretch of time you were subjecting yourself to. then, some sort of peace washed over you. you dragged your hands down your skin, looking at the wooden door to the bathroom.

something clicked.

maybe, maybe this decision wasn't for you to take? maybe rin itoshi was the one who was supposed to decide if he wanted you or not?

"rin!" you called out, finally.

the doorknob turned almost immediately and you half-heartedly wondered if he had been standing at the edge, waiting for the echo of his name past your lips. of course not. but it was fun to imagine that rin itoshi wanted you so desperately.

on the other side, rin had been standing at the doorstep, listening to the soft cascades and waves of water as you took your sweet time in there. okay, maybe it was a bit pathetic for a pro-player like him to stand at the edge of a door waiting to be summoned but it's not like you'd ever know, right? right?

but as soon as he heard the shout of his name, his fingers found the cold metal and he stepped inside — and there you were. you had drawn up a flimsy towel to cover up your soaking body, soapsuds still clinging helplessly onto your legs as you stood at the edge of the humongous bathtub.

"ye-yeah?" rin commanded his attention to focus on the bathtub and not you. because if he looked at your soaked skin and hair, your perked buds against the soft fabric of the towel and the slightly rosy tint of your cheeks — rin was convinced he would either go insane from the idea or never having you again or do something that'll break the promise of being strangers.

"i, uh—" your gaze ran it's course from him to the vacant bathtub. a lone sweat droplet traveled down the ridge of your spine and you blamed the hotness of the enclosed bathroom for it. voice unsure, you asked, "i wanted to heat the water up. it got cold, so..."

"uhm," rin swallowed, brushing past you to look at the array of smaller buttons at the edge of the bathtub.

"this one." he pointed to a button which had hot written on it. "just press it till the temperature is to your liking."

"oh?" you leaned in, staring at the button next to him, "right." a nervous laugh rang out in that closed, hot room, "i don-don't know how in the world did i miss that."

rin turned around, avoiding to look at you, "s'okay."

you were so close that he could smell the fragrance of the expensive bath gel on your skin. the smell went straight to his head, intoxicating him and making him stutter in his usually confident demeanor. he wondered if he reached out and played with the wet strands of your hair, will you push his hand back or slap him?

but rin itoshi wasn't looking for the answer to that question, so he just asked, "anything else?"

you shook your head with a soft no.

"okay, then." rin took hurried step towards the door, never once looking back to you, "and hurry up, i- uh, i gotta wash up too."

"o-okay?"

he shut the door behind him with a surprisingly loud thud! and now, you stood in the previously occupied bathroom with a confirmed answer: rin itoshi did not want you. like... at all.

that's what his cold demeanor had told you, atleast. he had not even bothered to give you a look that lasted more than a spilt-second and then promptly left as soon as he felt it fitting. you sunk back into the cold water, half-annoyed at yourself for calling him and half-annoyed at him for being so fucking closed-off.

for the rest of the day, you both had minimal contact. he didn't bother you with questions, and you didn't annoy him with answers. rin was busy on his laptop, attending team meetings and answering sponsors about his sudden getaway to spain while you just sat on the bed, doomscrolling the rest of the evening away. somehow, within your silences, you both had found a comfortable pattern to just be.

that was until dinner.

"you're not going to bed?" you tried to ask, patting the pillows to fluff them up to your liking.

"no," rin didn't bother looking back from where he sat on the couch. a glass of wine pinched between his fingers, a monotonous expression on his pretty face, "i have some work to finish up. are you? going to sleep... i mean?"

"yeah." you nodded and a silence fell across the room. within the thick fog of silence, you could almost tell apart the strumming of your own heart. moments turned eternal and you held your bated breath for some kind of acknowledgement from him. when none came, you spoke up again, "are you sure you'd be okay on the couch?"

"mhm. don't worry."

"okay then," you pursed your lips, laying down on the godawfully soft mattress, "see you tomorrow... goodnight."

"g'night." he finally breathed out and you're not quite sure when exactly you fell asleep on the silken sheets, but you were awoken by the sound of someone showering once the sky was bright and clear.

barcelona, day 02.

rin didn't say anything to you as he walked out of the shower with his hair wet, nor did you say anything to him as you got ready for a day of tourist activities. he told you he was gonna stay in, said he had sponsor meetings and you bid him goodbye as you went out to see the place around. the day passed by in a blur of tourist activities and kind strangers, away from rin itoshi.

when you came back, he didn't ask you formal questions about how your day was, and you didn't tell him polite answers. you two stayed stuck in your cycle of silence. that was all.

that was all until it was far too late into the night, at least.

you stepped out of the shower, far gone to care about his presence in the room. it was clear that he held no desire for you, so you waltzing out of steaming shower with nothing but a robe was probably child's play to him.

hair wet, face flushed, you found your gaze drifting to the couch only to notice the absence of rin. eyebrows marrying, your gaze scanned the entire room carefully — from the empty couch to the dark balcony to finally, the least probable place: your bed.

and surprisingly, that's where you found him; face flushed, palms sweaty and limbs shaking as he met your eyes. what?

"rin?" instinct took ahold of you, steps rushing to reach the man who looked clearly unwell. you brought a steady palm up to his forehead, checking his temperature. your eyes locked against his dilated ones, words shivering under the intensity, "d-did something happen?"

"i—" rin almost gasped as you put your palm on his neck next to check for the temperature. voice growing gruff, he looked away, "'m fine. i jus' kinda feel— i feel weird."

"weird?" your brows bunched as you trailed a soft palm up to his cheek, and rin shivered under you. "weird how?"

"i dunno." his voice seemed to turn hoarser, as if it had gotten harder to speak with each wayward touch you planted across his scorching skin, "i- i ate their stupid chocolates and—"

"—what?"

"the ones you put in the..." he pointed to the side-table, "there."

you rushed to the side-table, clumsy fingers pulling out the heart-shaped chocolates only to turn them around to read if they said something. and oh boy, was there something they said. aphro—

"—odisiac." you breathed out the word, shaky vision travelling back to the pro-player who seemed to grow tenser and tenser with each passing second.

"rin," you called out carefully, taking a step towards him, "how many of these did you have?"

"th-ree, no, four."

"seriously?!" your voice squeaked, body turning towards him fully to take notice of the sweat beading at his forehead, the sheen plastered across the bridge of his nose and the apples of his cheek, his labored breathing.

he pulled at the collar of his t-shirt, trying desperately to dissipate the heat that his body seemed to torture him with "i feel hot, and—" rubbing his palms down against his sweats, he looked up at you, utterly helpless. "—what's happening to me? i- don't—"

"it's okay, it's okay." you cut him off, "take off your shirt."

rin followed your command blindly. nimble fingers pinched the ends of his t-shirt only to pull it off himself as fast as he could. underneath the material, his chest was flushed red to match his face.

"d-does it feel any better?" and rin groaned at your stupid question, "no."

the man shifted his pelvis, trying to pull at the waistband of his sweats when your gaze finally traveled to the tent in his pants. he looked pained, eyes frenzied and breath stuttering as he tried to figure out a position where his aching dick didn't drive him insane.

you stepped closer, and closer, and closer till you were standing a mere inches away from him. a finger under his sharp jaw, you pulled his face upwards to meet yours. a slow breath, "rin."

and he almost whimpered at the way you held him still, "y-yeah?"

"let me help."

at his feverish nods, you sunk to your knees. practiced hands tugged at his waistband and he complied all-too-excitedly to lift his hips up and free his cock of this endless torture.

his muscles visibly relaxed at your slow breathing against his heated tip — reddened, it oozed pre out that cascaded down his shaft. rin threw his head back, wet hair sticking to his nape as you placed a carefully calculated kiss to the tip. your tongue carefully pressed against his slit as you sucked on the tip and rin all but combusted.

"a-ah," his deep voice pitched up, hips squirming as you toyed with him, "fuck, fuck fuuhck—"

your hand pulled his towards his cock and he looked down at you, confused, "what..?"

your eyes stayed locked against him as you placed his own hand on the bottom half of his erection, hollowed cheeks still sucking on the tip. your hand encompassing his own, you guided him to slowly stroke himself as you kept toying with his flushed tip.

"fuck-ing god." rin breathed and for once, he didn't avert his gaze from you. your heated hold over his hand prompted him to pump himself faster. and although, his own touch was familiar, the way you looked up at him — all doe-eyes and sinful kisses — made his thighs shake.

"god—" his voice choked, head thrown back and eyes clenching shut in an effort to not cry at the way your tongue played against his silt, how your hand squeezed his, urging him, begging him to go on.

you let go of his tip only to pull his face downwards to look at you, "look at me. stop fuckin' running away."

and this time, a whimper did escape him at your words. lips wobbling, eyebrows bunched and lashline heavy with unresolved tears — rin itoshi was fuckin' beautiful as he stared down at you.

you pressed another kiss to the tip and his hand sped up under your command until— splash! his toes curled, body leaning back as his voice shook with desperate moans, and thick, white ribbons of cum painted his hand and your lips in a wretched pearlish glow.

rin huffed, eyes blown wide at the view of his essence on your lips and the way you seemed to pursue his taste with your tongue— cleaning him up so carefully that it made him hard all over again. shit.

a sudden strong hold on your arms pulled you upto him and his jittery fingers pulled at the belt of your robe to have you all to himself. as he tried to undo the knot with his shaky fingers, you raked a hand through his wet hair, travelling backwards till your palm was cradling the back of his head ever-so-softly.

and then, you pulled at the base of his strands and rin whined in response. the lewd sounds accompanied the driveling of his hips into the cold air, and with each strained rut, more of his cum oozed down his abused cock.

"fuck, rin." it was your turn to whimper, now. eyes blown and face heated, you looked between the man and his erect, throbbing, filthy cock. who knew rin itoshi could be so fucking messy?

eyes clenched, lips agape and breath stolen — rin itoshi was rendered useless and you pushed him backwards into the bed before disrobing yourself.

your naked body climbing over his, you pumped his overstimulated cock with a languid pace, using his own essence as a lubricant for his own undoing.

"fuck." his eyes stayed clenched, forehead drawn into lines as his body responded to each one of your endlessly torturous acts. he gasped as you kissed his neck, his jawline and then, his shoulder.

"you're doin' so well, rin." your voice was soft against his heated skin, and you kissed his jaw again, sucking slow enough for him to lose his mind. then, you repeated, "so fucking well."

and that seemed to be rin itoshi's kryptonite.

words pitched, moans obscene and muscles spasming under your touch, rin came again. and again, and again, and fucking again as you kept toying with him.

now, you're weren't sure if it were only a few minutes since he first came or hours, but as you tugged at his sensitive cock with the sensual drags of your palm, rin actually cried out.

"n-no more." more tears welled up in his eyes, cheeks so deeply flushed as he begged you, "p-please, i can't. i can't."

"you can, baby." you cooed, pressing your thighs together as his desperate pleas went straight to your throbbing cunt. ignoring your own swiveling desire, you pushed the man who once stood so tall to his limits.

"no, no." his hips jerked as you continued to drag your hands along his cock. teeth biting down into his bottom lips, tears fell down the plane of his face. clammy palms clenched and unclenched the silken sheets below as rin barely tried to stop his steady decline into deliriousness, "ple-please. i really can't."

"fine." you purred, hands coming to a slow halt against his heated erection, "i'll stop."

and just as you pulled your hands back to yourself, rin's wet eyes widened. despite his aching bones and jelly-like muscles, the man lunged forward to catch your wrist in his fingers.

"no," he breathed, eyes watering at the sudden lack of skin-on-skin contact. he repeated, this time with a bit of force in his voice, "no."

leaning forward, you caught his kissbitten lips against yours. cutting the kiss short, your words were soft against his, "you want it?"

and he nodded again, tongue rendered useless with how heavy it felt in his mouth. you drew a careful hand up his heated thighs, and he trembled under your touch, "say it out loud for me."

"yes." rin shook his head.

your lips trailed down to his jaw, featherlike kisses across his heated skin as your hand sped up yet again in that cruel, familiar pattern. his orgasm built like a crescendo, peaking higher and higher till he was shooting blanks.

when he was all spent out, rin itoshi shuddered and slumped against your arms. breath uneven, hair matted, skin sweaty, fiery and dusted pink as it made contact against your skin.

he looked up at you, half-lidded gaze still haunted by remnants of tears that clung onto his lashes. as if on instinct, you pressed a kiss to his forehead, soothing the searing skin under with your soft act. rin closed his eyes at the closeness, a gasp at the tip of his tongue because all of it felt so foreign.

he wasn't in control of his body — his trusty muscles felt lead-like, head hammering as if his brain would break-though his cranium, and heart thumping out a rhythm that sounded awfully like chants of your name. it was clear, rin itoshi didn't quite feel like himself as you cradled him so softly in your arms.

"you okay?" you asked far too softly, half worried that the wind will catch your words before it reached him. but to your surprise, rin nodded.

"i'll clean you up." you muttered, peripheral vision dragging along the sheets to see what a mess you two had made. his thighs and abs were painted white similarly to your hand, the fluid dripped down to the expensive sheets and stained them. you nodded with resolve, "rest up, i'll be done soon. yeah?"

a heavy croak stopped you. rin looked up at you, voice heavy and eyes watery as if one misstep and he would find himself losing control, "don't go."

maybe it was the finality in his voice that confused you, or the fact that he wanted you around. eitherways, you refuted with a soft shake of your head, "i- i really should, we've made a mes—"

"—don't go."

and so, you didn't. you let your body slump against the bedframe, scorched back against the cool wood and rin rested his cheek against your stomach, his arms pressed against your waist in an innocent hug. you raked your fingers through his sweaty hair before trailing them downwards to massage his nape and weary shoulders. his breath slowed down under your delicate touches and soon enough, he was asleep.

your hands stayed kneading at his muscles, gaze locked in at the man and the shallow rise and fall of his chest. with each soft inhale, the deep blush slowly eased away from his face, leaving behind the same stoic man you had known for a few weeks.

in this silence, you were starkly aware of two routes this relationship arrangement may go: 1) the most probable one: once the pro-player came to his senses, he will regret this — all that came before this, all that may come after this, you — and go no-contact. 2) the least probable one: he'd sit down and have a conversation with you, and then you both could figure out where things would go from here.

knowing rin itoshi though, you mentally prepared yourself for never seeing him again once this trip was over. it wouldn't be hard, obviously. how long did you even know the man? a few weeks, give or take. why would you mourn his presence when you never even quite had him?

you closed your eyes, fingers still softly playing with his tresses. you knew what was to come, knew that this was probably the end of him and you (or whatever it was between him and you), knew that him and you were just a series of favours for favours. and yet, your heart sank as you stared at his face for a moment too long.

rin itoshi was driving you insane!!

but however perceptive you may be, or however properly you think you knew rin — you miscalculated.

because neither did the man take the route of leaving you, nor did he talk things out with you. instead, here you were pinned against the wall in the supply closet. the supply closet of the very same stadium sae itoshi was playing at while rin stared down at you.

"a favour for a favour." he husked, "let me pay you back for last night."

rin itoshi was driving you insane.

a/n: love how i make everything into a three-part series :/ anyways, hope this was a fun enough read. i love men who are so emotionally unwell that it is borderline hilarious. what does that say about me? idk, nor do i wanna find out :) tagging: @ionlyhearnct @mortallyshadysoul @mindfulsreposts @mikaru0 @slutforitoshi @keiitamaa @loonalockley @ouraniaslyre @froggie-zusya23 @levcn @mimi-in-heaven i hope this was satisfying <3

[sandraharissa]

the problem for me with the Powder vs Jinx conflict or the idea of giving Jinx an arc where she realizes she's both or embraces both identities is that I never saw Jinx in s1 as someone who bought into the dichotomy, and I thought we the audience weren't supposed to either.

she was just playing into what her two caretakers who have drastically different ideas of who she is and what’s best for her wanted from her so that she would appeal to them/won’t lose them.

Jinx was just a grown up Powder, with certain traits that Powder already possessed becoming more prominent. and the crucial part here are her mental struggles.

post s1 it seemed universally accepted that Jinx's jinxiness comes from her trauma and mental illnesses not being taken care of and instead made worse bcos of many factors, but in the end Piltover was always the originator of all the problems.

Jinx could have had a line to Vi about how Jinx and Powder are the same person cos, for the sake of the sisters' arc, Vi needs to have that realization. but I never though Jinx needed that realization or that she needed to 'incorporate Powder into herself again' cos Jinx was always just a grown up Powder.

and so the way s2 handles Jinx ‘incorporating Powder’ or ‘going back to being Powder’ by waving away her mental struggles (and therefore also her jinxiness) was the only way they could have done it.

cos s1 was pretty clear that Powder vs Jinx was actually a Vi vs Silco conflict, and not a Powder=healthy vs Jinx=mentally ill conflict. and s1 finale was pretty clearly the point of no return, it was the final nail in the coffin, that she IS a jinx like she always was, which we saw in s1a1, cos she was always mentally ill. Her being jinx is inescapable (no matter how much she wishes this wasn't the case) just like severe mental illnesses are inescapable (and as s1 finale showcased not curable by the power of love or friendship).

this was already her do-over after the first tragic demise of her family, only for history to repeat itself. Hence the realization that she'd never be able to live a happy life in this hellhole. She might think there's smth inherently wrong or evil about her but the audience knows she just deserved basic human decency that Piltover failed to show to her and other zaunites, and so they created 'Jinx, the loose canon'.

what a brillinatly constructed tragedy and a tragic heroine. wish we saw her in s2.

[silent-stories]

𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 - 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Summary: When Noah was left alone to take care of his daughter about two years ago, he never thought he would find someone else he would trust enough to include in his little family. But things can change.

Series masterlist

Noah had been texting you all morning, starting with the apologies the moment you woke up and while you were getting ready to go to work.

Noah♡: Fuck

Noah♡: I’m so sorry about last night

His messages came through fast after that, each one more panicked than the last, like he thought you might ignore him entirely or you could never forgive him.

Noah♡: I didn’t mean to fall asleep

Noah♡: I feel like such an ass

Noah♡: Actually, I am

Noah♡: Fuck

Noah♡: Please don’t be mad

He was clearly rattled. You thought he might feel a little guilty about missing dinner but his desperation to make things right surprised you.

Noah usually was the kind of person who could laugh things off and move on. But today, he seemed to be so terribly scared you might be mad at him.

You reassured him right away, telling him that it was fine, that you weren’t upset, but the texts kept coming.

Noah♡: I really wanted to see you

Noah♡: I feel like I screwed this up

Noah♡: I'm so sorry

The more he apologized, the more you started to realize there was something else underneath his words. It wasn’t just about last night, there was a fear there, something deeper. The more he texted, the more you started to piece it together: he wasn’t just scared of messing up the "date", he was scared of losing you.

And you knew that this behavior of his stemmed from the fact that a few years earlier, he had returned home to find it a bit too empty.

Maybe that’s why he was so afraid of screwing things up now: he didn’t want history to repeat itself.

Now, you stood behind the counter of the café, phone buzzing in your hand, trying to figure out how to get him to relax.

You: I’m really not mad

You typed for what felt like the tenth time. But it seemed that, no matter how much you reassured him, he didn’t seem to believe you. He was convinced that this one slip-up would be enough to drive you away. It made your heart ache a little, realizing just how much weight he was putting on this.

You: Everything's fine, I promise. I was just worried something bad happened.

You: I'm glad everything's fine. I'm not mad.

You: What about you come to my place for dinner tonight?

You: Just us and Luna this time.

No new texts appeared on the screen for a moment, then he answered.

Noah♡: Yeah, I'd like that.

Noah♡: We'd like that*

Noah♡: thank you

You: No need to thank me

You: I love you.

The answer this time, came really quickly.

Noah♡: I love you too.

That’s when the bell above the door chimed, and you looked up to see Jolly and Folio stroll in. You smiled, recognizing them immediately as they wandered over, glancing at the menu as if they hadn’t already memorized it.

Jolly caught your eye and grinned. “Hey, thought your favorite costumers would stop by for a caffeine fix,” he said, already pulling out his wallet.

"Hey." Folio waved at you with a small nod in agreement, scanning the pastry case like he hadn’t already tried everything in there.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, my fave is Noah."

"He is not here now. You can stop lying." Folio laughed.

Soon, Folio and Jolly were sitting at the counter, the two of them quietly sipping your coffees.

Nick glanced at you over the rim of his cup, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You know,” he began, his voice casual, “we’re really glad Noah found you.”

You blinked in surprise, but before you could respond, Jolly chimed in, nodding. “Yeah, man. It’s been great seeing him this way. He’s… different now. Definitely happier.”

You smiled softly, feeling warmth bloom in your chest at the thought. “Really?”

“Definitely,” Folio repeated, leaning back in his chair. “You know, after everything that happened with Luna’s mom, he just sort of… I dont know, he blamed himself. He thought it was his fault she left. You are just doing good to him. He's happy now. He's happy when he's with you.”

Jolly nodded. “He felt like he failed. As a father, as a partner. And now... he's just happy."

You listened, realizing more and more how Noah must have felt when he thought you were mad at him.

Jolly took a slow sip of his coffee before setting the cup down with a thoughtful nod. “It’s been really cool to see. I mean, we’ve known Noah for years, and he’s always been the type to just keep going, no matter what’s happening in his life. But since you came around, it’s like he’s more at ease. You can tell he’s genuinely happy. And I know you are taking things slow and you have known him for like... a year? And he's still getting used to the idea that someone actually loves him and is not gonna leave him again. But he is happier now.”

You couldn’t help but smile at that, the thought of Noah feeling that way making your heart lift. “I guess I didn’t realize how much things had changed for him.”

Folio shrugged, his grin widening. “He’s not exactly the type to make a big deal out of it. But we can see it. The way he talks about you, or when he’s just hanging out with you and Luna. The man is just in love."

You nodded, your fingers tracing imaginary drawings on the counter. “I’m glad. I really care about him, and Luna.”

Folio smiled, giving you a knowing look. “We can tell. And honestly, it’s been good for him to have someone who gets that being a good dad is really important to him. You fit into their little universe in a way that just… works.”

Jolly agreed, his tone easy and genuine. “Yeah, it’s like you’re part of the family now. Noah’s happy, Luna’s happy, and, well, we’re happy for him. For both of you.”

You couldn’t help but feel a little lighter at their words, the reassurance settling in. You hadn’t doubted how much Noah cared about you, but hearing from his closest friends made it feel more real, more solid.

“Thanks,” you said quietly, smiling at both of them. “That really means a lot.”

Folio waved it off with a grin. “Hey, no need to thank us. We’re just telling it like it is.”

The conversation shifted after that, naturally flowing into stories about the funny things Luna said recently and the band’s new ideas. The three of you laughed as you served a couple of costumers and they kept sipping their coffees, enjoying the calm of the morning.

After many hours, you finished tidying up the café as the last customer left. It was strange to think it had already been almost three years since the café first opened. Every inch held a memory, from the faint coffee stains on the counter to the tiny plant you’d been struggling to keep alive since day one.

Grace grabbed her bag from behind the counter, giving you a quick, almost begrudging nod. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” you replied, locking up as the two of you stepped outside. The crisp late afternoon air hit you, a refreshing change from the café’s warmth.

You both walked toward your cars in the dimly lit parking lot, and as you did, Grace suddenly spoke up. “Three years, huh? Hard to believe.”

You nodded, smiling a little. “I know. Feels like we should celebrate or something, right? Three years is a pretty big deal.”

She glanced over at you, raising an eyebrow. “You really think people will care?”

“Sure, why not?” You shrugged, already imagining a little celebration. “We could do something small but nice. You know, like a free cookie with every order, or free candies, maybe put up some cute decorations to make it festive.”

Grace tilted her head, her mouth curving into a smirk. “I’ll admit, I’ve seen worse ideas. Might actually bring in some new people.”

You laughed softly, not entirely surprised by her pragmatic approach. “Well, I thought it could be nice to show some appreciation for the regulars too. They’re part of why this place has done so well.”

She crossed her arms, considering it. “Alright, free cookies and some decorations. But nothing too cheesy, okay? No bright streamers or those glitter confetti things that get everywhere.”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Deal. I was thinking about simple things, maybe a few extra plants or flowers around.”

Grace nodded approvingly. “Sounds reasonable. Let’s go over ideas tomorrow, though, after the morning rush.”

You agreed, feeling happy at the idea of adding a little extra warmth to the café. This place had become a second home, and celebrating that felt right.

As you each unlocked your cars, Grace gave you a rare smile, albeit a small one. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah,” you replied, returning her smile. “See you, Grace.”

With one last wave, you climbed into your car, thinking that before deciding what to do for the café anniversary you wanted to get ready for a perfect dinner with Noah and Luna.

That evening, in the kitchen, you prepped a simple but warm meal, setting the table with a couple of candles to make things feel a bit cozier - and because you always loved candles. You wanted everything to feel comfortable, something that would make Noah happy and put Luna at ease, being her first time at your house.

When you heard the soft knock at the door, you could already imagine Noah on the other side, probably looking a little nervous, one of his hands stuffed in his pockets, the other holding Luna's one, trying not to show just how much he had worried himself into knots all day as you knew he did.

Taking a quick breath, you opened the door to find Noah standing there with Luna next to him. She was clutching her little stuffed bunny, her eyes lighting up the second she saw you.

"Hi!" She waved at you, and you smiled.

“There they are,” you said softly, smiling as you stepped forward.

Noah’s eyes met yours, and he looked almost hesitant, as though he were still unsure if you were really okay with everything that had happened. Before he could say a word, you stepped closer, standing on your tiptoes and wrapping your arms around his neck in a warm, reassuring hug. He held on to you, his relief almost palpable as he relaxed against you. Leaning up, you pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Hey." He smiled.

“Hey. I know its been only two days but I missed you,” you whispered, pulling back just enough to look at him.

He looked down at you, a small, relieved smile finally spreading across his face. “I missed you too. I’m sorry again, I really—”

You placed a finger over his lips. “Don't be stupid and stop apologizing. Come in.”

You stepped aside, holding the door open as they walked in, Luna looked around with curiosity, and she waved her plushie around as if introducing him to the house too.

After setting her down, Noah glanced around, still looking a little uncertain, but with each second, he seemed to relax more and more. The smell of dinner filled the room, and he raised his brows, sniffing the air with an appreciative grin. “Something smells amazing.”

“I tried my best,” you said, leading them both to the dining table where you’d set everything up with warm dishes and cozy candlelight.

Luna, always observant, tilted her head and pointed a tiny finger at the flickering candles. “Look, daddy, magic lights!”

Noah chuckled, a soft laugh you hadn’t heard in only a couple of days and you realized iu missed more than anything. He leaned down to her level, nodding. “Yeah, they are. Careful though, okay? We don’t want to get too close.”

She nodded, her eyes still on the candle.

The three of you settled at the table, and Noah helped Luna into her little chair beside him. As you began to serve the food, Noah glanced at you, his gaze filled with appreciation and something softer, deeper.

For a while, you just ate, comfortable silence settling between bites, the clinking of cutlery and Luna’s occasional little gasps of excitement over the meal filling the room.

At some point, Luna’s face lit up with excitement as she remembered something important. She turned to you, her eyes wide and sparkling.

“Guess what?” she said, bouncing a little in her chair.

“What?” you replied, grinning at her enthusiasm.

“We’re going to the zoo tomorrow! With everyone from class! Daddy says there’s gonna be giraffes and elephants and…” She paused for dramatic effect, leaning closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. “And unicorns.”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, glancing at Noah, who was stifling a smile himself. “Unicorns, huh?”

Luna nodded, her expression serious. “Yes! I’m gonna find them. They’re hiding, but I’ll see them for sure.”

“Well, then, I guess you’ll have to tell us all about it tomorrow,” you said, giving her an encouraging nod.

She nodded eagerly, taking a determined bite of her food, clearly already planning her adventure. Noah reached over, a warm smile on his face as he ruffled her hair gently.

As you all continued to eat, Noah glanced at you, his hand resting on yours. “I was thinking,” he began, giving you a soft smile. “Since I’ll be dropping Luna off early for her big zoo day, maybe I could pick you up and drive you to work? Stay a bit and grab something? If your coworker is not gonna kick me out.”

Your smile widened, warmth filling you as you met his eyes. “That sounds perfect. Thank you. And I'll protect you from Grace, don't worry.”

Noah laughed.

“Daddy always puts his music in the car!” Luna added, rolling her eyes a little.

You stifled a laugh, glancing at Noah with a playful smile. “Oh, I see, someone’s got a bit of an ego, huh?”

Noah chuckled, giving you a mock-offended look. “Hey! I'm just trying to raise her with the right music taste, thank you very much.”

You all laughed together, the table filled with easy warmth and conversation as Luna continued sharing all the animals she’d meet.

Noah caught your eye, his smile still lingering as he shook his head, clearly taken by his daughter’s antics. It was a simple moment, but it made everything feel… right. Like this was exactly where you both were supposed to be.

After dinner, Luna clambered down from her chair and, wandered into the living room, where she promptly set herself up in front of the TV. She leaned back, her little legs crossed as you offered her the remote, and she started pressing buttons until her favorite cartoon appeared. Soon, her laughter and excited chatter filled the room as she became absorbed in her show, completely at home.

You started gathering the dishes, but Noah stood up, gently placing a hand over yours. “Hey, let me help.”

You gave him a soft smile, nodding as the two of you worked together. Once the dishes were done, you both found yourselves in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, a quiet calm settling between you.

He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck with that same, slightly awkward expression he always wore when he was working up to saying something important. “I don’t think I can say it enough, but… thank you. For tonight. And… for not being mad.”

You shook your head, reaching up to brush a few stray locks away from his eyes. “Noah, stop it. For real. You don’t have to thank me. I understand. You are a dad, a singer, a songwriter and a boyfriend. And sometimes you are just tired. I understand. That doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. You are great at all these things.”

His shoulders relaxed as he let out a soft breath, finally letting the guilt slip away. “I just… I keep thinking that I’ll screw things up somehow. And I know I shouldn’t. But I do.”

“I know,” you replied softly, your fingers tracing light circles on his arm. “But I’m not going to leave over one missed date, okay? You’re stuck with me. And it was not even a date. Nick would have probably kept talking about the first time he went to the coffe shop and I poured a whole cup on him by accident.”

He chuckled, his gaze softening. “Good. Because I don’t want to mess this up. You mean… you mean a lot to me.”

You stepped closer, slipping your arms around his waist as you looked up at him, your face inches from his. “I’m here, Noah. For you and for Luna. I’m not going anywhere.”

He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. You could feel his heart beating steadily under your cheek, his warmth seeping into you.

As the two of you stood there, wrapped up in each other, Luna’s cheerful laugh drifted in from the living room, and Noah glanced in her direction, his eyes softening with the quiet pride he felt whenever he looked at her.

He smiled down at you, his voice low and filled with a quiet sincerity. “You know… I like this. The three of us. Like now.”

You squeezed his hand, giving him a gentle smile. “Good. Because I like it too.”

The rest of the night passed in a haze of warmth and laughter. You joined Luna on the couch, letting her explain every plot twist of her cartoon to you with animated hand gestures and gleeful expressions. Noah sat beside you, his hand resting comfortably on your thigh, his thumb gently brushing against it.

Eventually, Luna’s eyelids started to droop, and Noah carefully scooped her up, cradling her against his chest as she mumbled sleepy goodbyes to you. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, murmuring soothing words as she settled into his shoulder with a content sigh.

Before he left, he turned to you, his face illuminated by the dim hallway light. “Even if you said I didn't have to thank you...thank you.” he whispered.

You nodded, pressing one last soft kiss to his lips before he stepped out into the night, Luna sound asleep in his arms.

As you closed the door behind them, you felt a sense of warmth settle deep within you, a sense of home that lingered long after they had gone.

The next morning, you waited by the door until you caught sight of Noah’s car pulling up in front of your place. The second you got in, he leaned over to give you a quick, gentle kiss, his eyes soft and warm, the early sunlight making the messy hair poking out from under the hood of his hoodie look even softer than usual.

"Good morning," he murmured with a smile.

"Morning," you replied, leaning in for one more kiss before he started the drive. You felt completely at ease, like the night before had cemented something new and wonderful between you.

“I wonder if Luna found the unicorns yet” you teased, breaking the comfortable silence in the car.

He let out a soft chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh, definitely. She was up all night practicing her ‘unicorn call’ just in case she needed it today. I think half the house is covered in glitter now.”

“She's dedicated, I’ll give her that,” you laughed.

As Noah pulled into a parking spot near the café, you noticed some activity across the street, where the old bookstore had been vacant for years. A couple of large moving trucks were parked out front, and people were carrying in boxes, furniture, and various pieces of equipment, and you couldn’t help but stare, wondering what might be going in there.

“Look at that,” Noah said, nodding toward the trucks as he put the car in park. “Guess someone finally decided to put that old place to use.”

“Yeah… wonder what it’ll be,” you mused, squinting to try and catch a glimpse of something that would give you a clue.

“Another cafè. To give you competition.” he joked, raising an eyebrow with a grin.

You rolled your eyes. “It’s a pretty big space, maybe it’s a gym or something.”

“Oh, please. This area’s too small for another gym. Maybe… a little art studio? Some kind of gallery, even?”

“Ooh, a gallery would be nice. You could go all broody, stare at abstract paintings, and pretend you totally understand what they mean,” you teased, nudging him.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Or, I could bring you along and make you explain the art to me. I’ll just stand there, nodding like I know what I’m talking about.”

“I’d pay to see that,” you replied, chuckling. “Though, I wouldn’t mind a new bookstore. I always liked the smell of all those old books in there.”

“Now that,” he nodded, “would be amazing. We could take Luna, let her pick out her own books.”

You could both easily imagine it: a cozy bookstore, shelves filled to the ceiling with everything from children’s books to novels. For a moment, you both stood there, imagining it.

Then, he glanced at you, a soft smile lingering on his face. “Whatever it is, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

With that, the two of you headed into the café. As you stepped inside, you flicked on the lights, taking in the familiar warmth of the place.

You moved behind the counter as you started getting things ready for the morning crowd. “So… I was thinking about an idea for the café’s anniversary. It’s been three years already, and Grace kind of agreed to a little celebration.”

Noah leaned on the counter. “Yeah? What did you have in mind?”

“Well, something simple. I was thinking free cookies or little treats, some decorations, maybe some plants or flowers around the place to give it a warm touch.”

He nodded, his gaze thoughtful. “Sounds perfect, honestly. And if you need help with anything, I’ve got some stuff I could bring to add to the decorations. Old fairy lights, purple and pink, they were in my bedroom once, and some stuff we don’t use anymore.”

You perked up at that. “Really? That would be amazing. I think it’d add a lot. This place could use a little extra magic for the event.”

He smiled, reaching out to squeeze your hand. “Consider it done. I can bring them tomorrow, and we can figure out where to put everything.”

“Thank you,” you said softly.

He shrugged, his thumb brushing lightly over your knuckles. “Anything for you. For this place too. It’s part of us, you know? It's where we met. If this place hadn't existed maybe we would never have met.”

You looked down, smiling softly as he held your hand, thinking about his words. “I don’t know about that,” you said, glancing back up at him. “Have you ever heard of the red string theory?”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Yeah. I haven't heard of it since I was a kid though.”

You nodded, leaning on the counter a little closer to him. “It's about people who are meant to meet—soulmates, if you want to call them that—that are connected by an invisible red string. No matter where they are in the world, that string brings them together eventually. No matter what happens.”

Noah’s expression softened as he listened, his thumb absently tracing gentle circles on your hand. “So… you’re saying that even if this café wasn’t here, or if we’d missed each other somehow, we’d still end up meeting? Just… somewhere else?”

You nodded. “Exactly. Maybe it would’ve been a random bookshop, or in line at the grocery store, or at one of Luna’s school events. But, one way or another, we would’ve crossed paths.”

He smiled, a warm, almost awed look in his eyes. “Mh. I like that."

“I like that too,” you said softly. “And I think it’s true, you know? Like, we may not see it, but I believe there are little connections and coincidences all around us, nudging us in certain directions, bringing us closer to the people we’re supposed to know.”

Noah glanced around the café, as if seeing it with fresh eyes. “So, if it wasn’t this place, it would have been somewhere else… but, somehow, we’d find each other. I like that,” he repeated, his voice a gentle murmur, "I like thinking I would have found you anyway. And you would have found me."

Your smiled at that, nodding.

Then, you started getting ready for the day, giving Noah his usual tea and changing the little sign on the door from "closed" to "open".

A few people came in as the morning rolled on, and every now and then, someone would recognize Noah, offering a friendly wave or a shy smile. He didn’t mind, casually greeting a couple of fans and even pausing to take a quick photo with one, all while chatting with you as you worked.

The thing you were sure of was that the days at work you spent with Noah sitting at the counter next to you were always the best.

Tags: @anything-more-than-human @ladyveronikawrites @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @fadingangelwisp @xmads-omensx @iwasntstable @thisbicc @pathion @mathfairchild1 @flowery-mess @into-the-grey @lma1986 @tosoundlessdarkistare @stardustsirenmelody @thewrstinme

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[thyme-in-a-bubble]

the pained peace treaty

fused with the foe, chapter one

a/n: oh wow, i have no idea how to introduce this beast of a story except to say hi, hello, welcome! i really hope you enjoy this story, as well as the rest of the trilogy, idk if i've ever gone as in depth and all out with any story as i have with these.

summary: “now, everything is already set into motion, so we don’t have time for any of your theatrics,” not looking you in the eye, he frostily told you, “you are to be married. A carriage has just arrived a few minutes ago to pick you up and transport you to Eflorr.”

warnings: king!steve rogers x reader, fantasy AU (monsters, but not much magic), original fantasy world, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, slow burn, innocent!reader, abusive father (like super bad. he is a garbage person), wedding, blood, injury

word count: 4813

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“Your majesty, I must warn you, if, gods forbid, our people come to discover the great lengths you’ve been willing to go in this disagreement over the past two decades, they might start an uprising. And if you keep going, then it’ll turn into a full-blown war and you know our kingdom wouldn’t be able to survive that, not with them. Our city’s walls may be high, high enough to keep out any beasts that may wander this far south, but it wouldn’t keep them out. You know better than most how people from Eflorr are. If you don’t wanna lose your crown, one way or another, then I’d strongly advise that we come up with some peace treaty.”

“I know, I know…” King Ivan leaned back in his gilded throne with a huff, the quality of his voice was as thin as his towering frame, “a trade I think should suffice.”

A different advisor then timidly pipped up, “but our mines ran cold ages ago, what could we possibly offer that would be satisfactory?”

Not lifting his cold gaze, the king stared at a fixed spot on the marble floor as he said, “I know one thing the king lacks that we may be able to provide for him… a wife.”

“A wife–,” both of the men’s eyes grew wide, “but do you mean–, your majesty, she is your only daughter, are you certain this is the fate you want her to have? Those people are barbaric! If one of the dangers that rule the north doesn’t get to her first, one of their citizens surely will. Sire, what if history repeats itself?”

“Then let it do so. In fact, perhaps this could have been her purpose all along and I just didn’t realise it. Couldn’t see past my own rage to grasp how useful she actually could be…”

Sharing a nervous glance, one of the advisors asked, “should we send for her? See if she agrees with the plans?”

“No, I’ll tell her when the time is right. Wouldn’t want her to do anything stupid and ruin the one good thing she could ever provide,” finally lifting his stony gaze, the king commanded, “make the arrangements, I’ll see to it that she doesn’t ruin it.” 

Deep within the opulent halls of the gilded palace, standing grand and safe behind Ingorn’s tall city walls, twisting up towards the clouds, up in a window in the western tower, there you sat. 

Book in your lap, you leaned back against the small pillow you’d propped behind you to make the wide windowsill more comfortable. Small paper butterflies hung from strings above and some dangled so low that the childhood craft that still decorated your window trickled the crown of your head. Flipping the page, your fingertips brushed down over the illustration that appeared in the agricultural tome you’d found in one of your brothers’ rooms. 

As long as you put it back before Angus returned then you’d probably be good. And if he were to somehow notice, then as long as he didn’t rat you out to your father then it would be alright. Both Angus and a few of the others that were closer to your age, Oliver and Francis respectively, were always a bit of a gamble whether or not they would do such a thing. They didn’t always have the same spirit as the eldest pair of your older brothers, Xavier and Callum. 

You missed them so much your heart ached. The older they got, the longer their diplomatic missions seemed to stretch out, making the quiet palace that much more lonely in your solitude. 

A knock then suddenly boomed at your door, causing you to jump edgily in your seat before you slammed the book shut and nervously stuffed it behind the firm pillow. 

“Come in!” you called out, swiftly straightening out your dress that had crumbled around your legs at the comfortable seat. As the door to your room slammed open, the figure that stood in it caught you by surprise, “Father–, oh, hello,” you straightened your posture that much further at his arrival. 

Skipping over any niceties, King Ivan simply stated, “you need to pack up your stuff.”

Your brows knitted into a fierce furrow, “what?”

“Not everything, of course,” he cast a cold glance around the room though didn’t take a step to enter it, “just the things you are particularly attached to.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” your head lightly shook from side to side, “where am I going?”

When his eyes finally gave you the time of day, it swiftly dropped to the floor as a heavy sigh flowed from his lips, “why do you have to be the spitting image of her…” the muttering was unfortunately just loud enough for your ears to catch. His disappointment was always just loud enough for your ears to catch. When he entered the room and you moved to get up, he swiftly said, “stay seated, Y/n,” before he planted himself next to you on the wide windowsill, “now, everything is already set into motion, so we don’t have time for any of your theatrics,” not looking you in the eye, he frostily told you, “you are to be married. A carriage has just arrived a few minutes ago to pick you up and transport you to Eflorr.”

“To Eflorr?” your gaze grew wide, “you wish for me to marry someone there?”

“Not just someone, you are to marry their king.”

“I–… I–…” your chest rose and fell rapidly beneath your rosy dress, “but father, you can’t–, I can’t go live with the people who killed mom.”

“We don’t know if they actually murdered her. But I do know that you did,” his glare locked upon you as he let himself seethe, “if you hadn’t been born then she’d still be alive,” the fact that the only thing he blamed more for his late wife’s untimely demise then the kingdom she’d perished in was you, remained a point that the sovereign had never been shy about sharing with you for as long as you could recall, “your duty is to protect and serve this land, this crown,” your eyes naturally fluttered up to gaze at the twisted gold balanced upon his head, “if you don’t go through with this, then those savages will come pillage and ruin your home. You are, regrettably, the very last hope this kingdom has of survival. You have no choice, Y/n. This marriage is the only thing that can stop a war we would never survive,” exhaling slowly, he then dominantly nodded in a concluding fashion, “pack your stuff, you have an hour.”

You felt tears sting your eyes as your bottom lip quivered, “an hour? But–, can’t we wait at least a few days before I leave? Can’t I get a chance to say goodbye to at least one of my brothers? None of them are home yet.”

Regret instantly washed over you as your father’s nostrils flared angrily. Seizing your arm in a bruising grip, he yanked you close as he hissed, “you listen, and you listen carefully, you little brat. You have been the bane of my existence ever since you took your first breath. You took away the love of my life. You don’t deserve a goodbye, you don’t deserve anything. Do you think I got a goodbye when your mother suddenly went into labour on that diplomatic mission? No. All I got was you. Not another son, but a living, breathing reminder of what I lost that day,” your eyes squeezed shut as your cheek tingled at the memory of his strikes, “now, be a good girl and go wet his prick, give him a few babies, do anything he’d fucking please, so that him and his barbaric army doesn’t come here and slaughter everything you know and love.”

“Your highness, are you cold?” the high-ranking warden sitting across from you in the carriage noticed the shiver that your body couldn’t seem to shake. 

Tearing your eyes off of the scenery along The Emerald Path that the narrow window granted you a view of, you glanced back at the warrior. The brown hair he had practically tied off at the base of his neck blossomed into a dark beard. A bare palm clasped over an inked one in his lap as you met his gaze and said, “no, I’m–…” in truth, you were scared, so scared that you were trembling like a leaf, but you couldn’t tell the foreign king’s advisor that, too much weighted on your shoulders, you couldn’t screw this up, “no,” glancing back out of the window, you only stared a moment at the sparse cottages that slowly came into view on the rolling hills before you turned your head again and let the nauseating nerves control your words, “pardon me, Barnes, is it?”

“Yes, your highness?”

“Sir, how much further till we get there?” your quiet voice echoed within the carriage, “it’s just–, it’s been days.”

“Oh, not long at all,” he shook his head lightly, “actually,” the knight leaned forward in his seat and cast his glance outside, “if you look out the window now, right there,” a small smile tugged at his lips as his finger shot up to point, “that river, that means we’re getting close to Borün city.”

As the river then suddenly curved before the dirt road, the clomping hooves of the horses that hauled the coach resonated as they trotted over a stone bridge. 

Twisting your head, you glanced out to your right and spotted farmlands curve over the rolling hills that swiftly blossomed into thickets and towering flora you’d only assume was the southern perimeter of The Noll Woods. Books about this kingdom had been banned in your homeland for as long as you could remember, but even though you were essentially going in blind, you still weren’t completely ignorant when it came to the dangers that called that sprawling forest its home, not that you were an expert in the slightest, but your brothers had from time to time told you tales of the monsters who dominated in this part. From giant and twisted insect-like creatures, to mischievous pixies, to even the rare dragon, those stories had always been your favourite. Apart from the rare occasion where Callum would share stories with you about your mother. Being the eldest, he was the only one who truly remembered her. 

Instinctively, your fingers fluttered up to fiddle with the opalescent stone that hung from a chain around your neck. In the middle of the milky jewel was a small rune engraved into it. You had no idea what it meant, but your fingers had still traced the carving countless of times before as it had hung from your neck for as long as you could recall. It hadn’t been till you were a ways into your teens that you’d come to discover that it had belonged to your mother. 

Casting your glance out the other side as you passed a tall watchtower, behind the wide city stables unfolded a port town so quaint that it surprised you. Over the small valley of gabled roofs towered a central tree, and beyond all of that, the sparkle of the sea caught your eye, a sight you’d never beheld before, haven not only stemmed from a landlocked metropolis, but also not haven been permitted to leave your room as much as your heart had desired. 

“This is Eflorr?” you asked as the carriage began to roll up the winding path to the stone castle that loomed on the cliff, granting you a new view of how the river that you’d crossed slid through the city and spilt into the ocean.

“This is Eflorr, your highness,” the corners of his lips twitched at the sight of how wide your curious eyes were. 

“It’s–… it’s–…” your stare danced over the lush ivy that climbed the solid towers, “not what I expected…”

“What did you expect?”

Tearing your gaze away from the window, you blinked, “oh, I didn’t mean–,” suddenly worried that your shock had come out sounding rude, “I just–… I don’t know a lot about this land,” in the few tales you’d heard about this place, there had been a running gag that the people of Eflorr had lived so close to the dangerous beasts that called this part of the continent their home that they too had turned into monsters, “it’s just different than I imagined.” 

Ascending the jagged hill and passing through the front gate, it opened up into a wide courtyard before you felt the carriage finally roll to a stop. 

The wagon creaked gently as Barnes stepped out first, though when his boots were firmly on the cobblestone, his frame twisted as he reached an outstretched hand back for you to grasp in support of your own exit. Ever so apprehensively, you slid your own palm into his as your other twisted in your long skirts before you slipped out of the carriage. 

Letting go of his gasp, the soldier's low timbre washed over you as your head tilted back to take in the vast stronghold, “his majesty, unfortunately, couldn’t be here for your arrival as there was a bit of a dryad problem further up north he had to take care of,” you gaze tore away from the fort and fell upon him, “but I assure you he should be back in time for the wedding.”

“Oh, alright,” you breathed, unsure if that fact made you feel better or worse about the entire predicament.

“If you’d like, I can give you a brief tour of the castle,” he offered as he led you towards the main entrance into the castle proper, “or if you’re exhausted after the journey, then I can just show you directly up to your chambers.”

Offering him a polite smile, you nodded, “a tour would be lovely, thank you.”

He only briefly went over the buildings surrounding the courtyard you’d entered into, as they were mainly designed as barracks and various other facilities for the local wardens, though the horses that stuck their heads out of the royal stalls in the corner did catch your eye before you moved on inside. 

Barnes’ voice echoed in most of the chambers he showed you in the castle’s western wing. The vast stained-glass windows that were in the ballroom for instance took your breath away as you saw how the light streamed through them and warmed up the room with glittering little rays of colour. 

Behind the great halls, squeezed in between and connecting the two major parts of the fort, there you crossed through a much more quiet and lush courtyard. The pebble paths that curved around the central fountain too curled around various topiary bushes that were trimmed to perfection like living sculptures. 

Though as your guide showed you the eastern wing that crested over the foaming sea below, your curiosity got the better of you. 

“Hey, Barnes?”

Slowing his leisurely stride, he tilted his head slightly, “yes, your highness?”

“What are dryads?” your brows knit lightly together, “you mentioned there was a problem with them, but what are they?”

“You don’t know?” he glanced over at you, clearly trying to mask his surprise as you shook your head, “oh, well, they are forest spirits, nymphs,” he explained as you roamed deeper down a broad hallway on the second floor, passing many private chambers both to your right and your left, “it’s not uncommon for them to wander and bother the folks who live further up the coast. Have you never encountered one? They are not as uncommon in Obelón as most of the other creatures that thrive this far north.”

“No, I’ve never seen one…” you shook your head as a low sigh flowed from your lips, “never really seen anything…”

“Not much of an outdoorsy person?” he guessed in a light-hearted tone. 

Forcing a smile, you replied, “you could say that…” as you hadn’t been allowed to be one even if you wanted to. Passing a set of double doors that stood wide open, the sight inside made you halt your steps, “is this the library?”

Shadowing you as your feet crossed the threshold, he nodded, “yes, it is,” then pointed back over his shoulder, “and your quarters are right down that hall.”

Numerous grand bookcases stood lined up all the way down to where a tall window allowed the sunlight in and let it stream through the rows. 

“Can I–… would it be alright if I read some of them?” 

“Of course, your highness.” 

“Would you mind showing me which ones I’m allowed to read?” you briefly peeked back at him as a bubble of anxiety fluttered in your belly, “I don’t wanna accidentally read something that I’m not allowed to.”

Barnes then blinked back at you a moment before he uttered, “your highness, you can read each and every one of them if you’d like. Why wouldn’t you be allowed to read whatever you wish? They are yours after all, or will be after the wedding,” the corners of your lips twitched upwards as he then asked, “would you like to peruse the titles now or do you want to see your chambers?”

“Oh, uhm,” you tore your gaze away from the tomes and turned back, “I’ll look later.”

“Alright,” he nodded, extending his inked arm to show you the way. As he pushed the heavy wooden door open to the room at the very end of the hall, his voice rang out once more, “this is the peacock suite,” following him inside, he settled to a stop near the exit for you to explore the space on your own, “you can, of course, change anything you’d like for it to match your taste.”

“Thank you,” you breathed as you slowly made your way deeper into the chamber. It was gently divided with a more formal area towards the front where both tufted couches and a crackling fireplace stood, as well as a set of doors that opened up to a quaint balcony. Towards the left, under a swirling archway, twisted a broad canopy bed up towards the tall ceilings, warm with blankets and furs, and in the corner, by a breezy partition, stood a deep cobber bathtub.

Haven not noticed that he’d moved, you then heard as Barnes creaked the doors to a close, “if you need anything, anything at all, I’ll be right outside.”

With a loud creak, the heavy double doors opened before you and revealed the grand hall. As soft music gushed out, you nearly didn’t recognise the space from your tour the other day as it was now decorated with vibrant flowers and flowing banners that dropped down from the high ceilings above, as well as being completely packed with a swarm of people. A thin path parted the giddy crowd right down the middle towards the opposing grand door that guards opened simultaneously to yours. 

A shaky breath filled your lungs as you stared at the man crossing over the threshold. The flickering candlelight caught the honeyed shine of the locks that came down to tickle the nape of his neck. A bit darker, his short beard was full and warmed up the bottom half of his gruff features. He sure looked like a man who could slay a kraken with his bare fists, as the soft fur cloak that draped over his shoulders did not conceal his bulky physic one bit. The neckline of his indigo tunic stretched low enough for you to see the concave of his fuzzy chest and the impressive battle scars that broke up the rippling flesh. 

You’d seen the portrait of the king that hung in the hallway that stretched up towards the throne room, but to see him before your very eyes, in flesh and blood and not precise paint, was something else entirely. 

The long and embroidered train of the blue silk kirtle you wore dragged across the store floor behind you as both you and the monarch slowly stepped into the chamber to join in the very middle. 

The enchanting music stopped as you reached one another and the parted paths to either exit slowly closed as the crowd gathered and enclosed around the sacred vow that was about to ensue. 

Parting the sea of people like a divine force, an elderly woman, with a braided grey mane so long that it hit the floor, stepped up beside the both of you. 

“People of Eflorr,” the crone’s calm voice boomed, “today marks a day of unity, a day of peace, and most of all a day of love. Like a seed planted in the soil, tonight we will all witness this relationship blossom and go on the journey of growing into a magnificent tree, with roots strong enough to endure any storm, to propagate new seedlings that will watch over and shade our kingdom when yours have fallen.” 

Looking to the king, she handed him a small dagger from her belt and spoke, “blade across skin,” and he reached out for your right hand, “strike out your seedling’s love line,” your breath hitched as you felt him slice the top of your palm. Crimson blood trickled down onto his own hand as yours rested atop it, “and claim it as your own,” he flipped the blade around and handed it to you, before presenting you his own palm, open in yours. He didn’t even blink as you hesitantly pierced the calloused skin and traced the line already adoring his broad palm, “weave your lines together, so they become the same,” he then moved to clasp your hands together, his wide grip engulfed yours completely. Your teeth sank into just the faintest bit of your bottom lip at the fresh sting of your wound as it bled into his, “and may this scar serve you as a reminder, of the vow you made on this momentous day.” 

And as the last of the matron's words flowed from her lips so did the roar of celebration that erupted throughout the crowd as the festivities of the night bloomed at an instant.

The feast had been nothing short of immaculate. Countless of dishes had been spread out on the crowded banquet tables ranging from the savoury braised legumes to the sweet and shiny pies. It was an impossible task to try and taste every one of them, but an excuse you still used to stay glued to your seat and not get up and mingle with the boisterous gathering of strangers. 

As a stark contrast, you thought you only noticed the king take two bites before he rose to greet some latecomers who had arrived. Laughing and chatting with the sea of people, he hadn’t offered you a single word, barely even a brief glance the whole night. Though your gaze still followed him from your seat up at the high table as he moved through the crowd like they were all his dearest friends. 

When the moon had floated up to be high in the sky, clearly visible on the other side of the stained glass, your head had dropped down into a propped-up palm as a deep yawn forced its way out of your frame. 

“Are you tired, your majesty?” a deep timbre suddenly found your ears, a specific tone that caused your spine to straighten out at once. 

Whipping your head to your right, your weary eyes grew wide as you saw the king again at his seat, “no, I’m alright,” you hastily coughed out, “I’m so sorry for behaving like that in your presence. This party is exquisite.” 

“It’s alright, you can yawn,” you suddenly felt the need to look away now that his ocean stare was finally fixed upon you, “it’s late, I was about to retire for the night as well, so I can only imagine how you must feel. If you’d like, I could escort you back to your chambers. I’m not sure how familiar you’ve become with the castle since you’ve arrived, but even I can still get lost when the corridors are this dark and I’ve indulged in perhaps one too many goblets of wine.”

A flutter of nauseating nerves rushed within your belly, but even so, you still pushed through and forced a smile, “if that’s what the king desires, then sure, you can escort me.”

It was your wedding night. You knew what was about to happen. 

Or, actually, you didn’t quite know what the marital act entailed, but you were sure a man such as Steve had enough of an understanding to take charge. All you knew was what little you’d been told. To strip down naked, not whine or scream, and do as he tells you. 

The soaring butterflies within you only grew more ferocious as you followed his long stride throughout the castle. Out of the ballroom and through a cold stone hallway, when you crossed the bridge that linked the two wings over a part of the cliff that descended dramatically, you nearly doubled over the parapet to empty your stomach over the town of Borün that blossomed below. 

But with a shaky intake of breath, your fist closed around the silk of your skirt as you settled yourself and forced your feet to keep moving. Even as you passed the threshold into the eastern part of the castle, you still shadowed the monarch up the many steps until his broad palm held the door to your chambers open for you to enter. 

The fire had been lit while you were gone, and the room was encased in the warm glow. 

“Did, uh…” you heard the door close behind you as the king attempted a bit of small talk, “did you have a nice time tonight?” 

“I did, your majesty,” you kept your answer brief out of fear that he’d hear the tremble to your tone. 

Slowly turning his back to you, his gaze washed over the room, “are you pleased with your bed chambers?” he settled to face the balcony, the door slightly ajar to let the night breeze seep through and rustle the sheer curtains, “because if you don’t like it, if you’d rather have a view of the town then the sea, then that’s an easy problem to fix.” 

“I think the view is just fine from here, but thank you,” you answered politely as you gathered up the last bit of your courage and reached back to undo the long row of buttons that went down the spine of the light blue dress. 

When the silky garment dropped to the floor, the quiet rustle was enough to draw the king’s attention.

First offering you just a quick glance over his shoulder, he then swiftly whirled around completely, “what are you doing?”

Weaving your fingers in the thin material of your chemise, you blinked back at his stunned features, “I’m sorry, am I doing it wrong?” sure that he could already see everything through the sheer, white fabric. 

His feet didn’t move as he asked, “what are trying to do?” before he averted his gaze to the stone floor. 

“Well,” you uttered quietly, “it’s our wedding night.”

“Oh…” was all he breathed. 

“To be transparent, I’m actually not quite sure what’s to happen, but I do know it’s something,” reaching up, you took the gold and twisted circlet, that crowned your head, off and carefully sat it down on the side table to your left, “I don’t know the details, I just know that I should strip down. Do you know what we’re supposed to do?”

“Fuck,” he cursed, briefly squeezing his eyes shut, “yes I do, but, your majesty, please, keep your clothes on,” his gaze flickered back to you as you slowly began to hike up the last layer. 

“Why?” your fingers froze, “isn’t it a tradition here for us to–”

“Well, yes, but–…” he let out a strained sigh before slowly stating, “I’m gonna go.” 

A chill crawled up your skin, “…oh, I see…” you uttered quietly as he crossed the room, “did I do something wrong?”

Halting in the doorway as he ripped it open, “no, you–…” but the rest of his words crumbled as his gaze settled upon you one last time, instead letting a low sigh flow from his lungs, “sleep well,” and added nearly subconsciously just before the door slammed shut, “goodnight, dove.”

Even though a wave of relief washed over you, a sting of hurt also followed suit as the king left. 

Had you done something wrong, or did he just find you that repellent, that hideous, that he refused to perform his marital duties?

© 2024 thyme-in-a-bubble 

[vigilskeep]

do you actually have a ranking or like. rundown of each love interest's particular brand of insanity re: tranquil beloved...? or if that's too big an ask perhaps the highlights.. i am sitting so attentively reading all of the ones you've detailed thus far

in no particular order

zevran: cruel to the end to ask him to have his love’s blood on his hands again, but if he believed it was what they would have wanted, it would be the gentlest, tenderest, of assassinations

morrigan: what power does a templar possess that is beyond her ability to reverse? she will claw the answer from the far corners of the earth and the furthest reaches of the fade before she abandons what is hers

leliana: once, the chantry sunburst was a comfort, a sign of refuge in a world of darkness. now she can only see the one burned into their skin, the wondrous gifts the maker gave to them stolen in the maker’s name, the cruellest game he has played yet. could she keep her faith through such a test? would she even want to?

alistair: there is a hollow in his life that can’t be laughed around. a sick weight in the stomach, remembering flipping his runic token between his fingers in distraction through every chantry lecture where they promised this was necessary. he’s angry. he’s beginning to think he might be a very angry person, really. he’s beginning to think he’s got good reason

fenris: he wonders if, when the lyrium was touched to their forehead, it burned the way his does. he thinks better of asking. there was a time when magic felt like a curse on them both that he couldn’t break. he wants it back

anders: history always repeats itself. there are certain inevitabilities, foregone conclusions, lessons the circle teaches well. you escape, you get caught. you love something, they take it away. you destroy the last thread tethering a mage to humanity—you’re that brutal, that cruel, that stupid—and all you’ll have left is an abomination

merrill: she never understood tranquillity until it was this close; she could never really believe it was possible. it doesn’t matter. her love’s not quite here right now, even as she chatters away to them, but it doesn’t matter. you can fix anything, as long as you’re willing to pay the price

isabela: it’s her own fault, really. her own fault, for taking a chance on someone so targeted, so foolish, so—brave. her own fault for believing them, when they promised she wasn’t going to lose them. she should leave. there’s nothing left for her here. but it’s gotten so hard to run away

sebastian: this changes nothing. his love is as cold as the portraits that line the halls of the palace in starkhaven, as silent and empty as the chantry statues that offer no guidance for what will come. he still kisses their cheek, takes their hand, walks at their side. he is still a husband; he still has his vows, and one more to add to the rest—to find who blackened the maker’s name with this, and teach them what His judgement truly looks like

[shadowcanine]

NATALIE “SAMANTHA” RUPNOW, AND WHAT WE KNOW.

This post is for informational / educational purposes only, I do not condone her actions. What she did is horrific, but we must learn from it in order to stop it from happening again. If we forget history, it will repeat itself.

Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow is the 15-year old assailant behind the December 16th attack on Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, WI, which left 3 dead (including herself) and 6 injured- 2 of whom are facing life-threatening injuries, but as of today (12/17) seem to be, at the very least, in stable condition.

At 11AM EST, Samantha brought a handgun (believe it was a .9mm) into a mixed grade study hall, and opened fire.

The deceased include a teacher at ALCS, a student, and Samantha herself- though the victims have not been identified yet. In a press conference, the mayor was asked to identify them, and replied with “Why do you really want to know? Leave them be.”

The school, ALCS, has been described by students, locals, and alumni as “extreme.” It’s a Christian school that teaches that evolution isn’t real, and local politicians are hand-picked by God himself. According to current students at the school, bullying is an issue, but it’s not very severe. I recently spoke to one individual who said “Samantha wasn’t bullied. She was quiet, and didn’t fit into any of the friend-groups here, but she wasn’t bullied.” I have proof this individual attends ALCS, but I have no way of actually confirming these specific claims, so take them with a grain of salt.

Samantha was a part of the TCC, even owning a replica of Eric Harris’ “HELL YEAH KMFDM” shirt- the one that he wears in the cafeteria video. Samantha clearly drew inspiration from Columbine, but Sandy Hook may have also been a factor- this year, the anniversary of SH fell on a Saturday. Samantha committed her act the next possible school day.

Her manifesto was posted onto her X, @postalbrained, but it was done on Google Drive- and Samantha did not make the document public. Her account has since been made private by a friend, but Samantha’s boyfriend has released the full 6 page manifesto to an influencer- it can be found on the X account @slatzism . I will not post it here for sake of not wanting to lose my account.

I have very little to say regarding her manifesto- this post isn’t one for my opinions, so I’m trying to keep it factual. Despite reading and re-reading, I cannot figure out a clear motive. She did state that suicide without taking anyone with her would be “a waste”- which may be a reference to the Zero Day (2003) scene, in which Calvin Gabriel says.. basically the same thing. This isn’t confirmed, but it would make sense, as she liked a lot of Zero Day content on Tumblr.

As far as her family goes, Samantha claims she didn’t have a good relationship with either parent, describing her father as “verbally abusive” and sharing a memory in her manifesto in which her mother ignored Samantha’s crying, because her mother would rather “spend time with her boyfriend.”

A lot isn’t known, so this post isn’t very long- and I will be updating it as I discover more, but while I have your attention, I’d like to clear up some misinformation:

- Samantha Rupnow, 15, and her boyfriend, 17- are both cisgender. Samantha is not trans, and never was- anybody who tells you differently is trying to push an agenda.

- Samantha was not a misandrist or radfem. This comes from an alleged “segment of her manifesto” that was leaked, but the photo has been proven to have zero correlation to Samantha. If anything, she was incredibly misogynistic, dedicating an entire section of her manifesto to slut shame women.

Here are all confirmed photos of Samantha Rupnow:

* note that the first photo includes her edited photo (left) as well as the original photo (right)

[yuki2sksksk]

Currently seeking for kny reincarnation fic, if anyone has a recommendation, please do tell. Anyway, a what if:

Yoriichi reincarnation au usually have him set in with the Kamado, but I keep thinking the 'what if' paths, wondering how it would be if he's with the Rengoku instead or the Tokitou...and then I decided to have him being with the Butterfly sisters.

Listen, listen, listen. Yoriichi hates conflict but understands the situation of push comes to shove. Though, among the Butterfly girls, he finds ways in helping with aiding the injured and providing medicine. He is still as strong as he was in his first life, so he's extremely fast and can carry multiple people at once to the Butterfly estate. He finds comfort in this way to help the corps.

But he, with his original strength and ability, believes that perhaps this is his second chance in destroying Muzan once and for all. Despite this, doubts and hesitations stop him from picking up a sword. The pain of knowing people suffer from his failure in defeating Muzan lingers, but he questions himself, what if he failed again and worsened the situation? What if history repeats itself?

One day Yoriichi spots Kanao about to sneak off to the Final Selection, both staring at each other in silence. He could tell Shinobu of this, or just turns a blind eye.

Or he could join Kanao in the test.

As for Uta with the Kamado...

I imagine she isn't actually biological related to the Kamado, but they raised her since she's all alone after a disease took over her old family (she awfully finds familiarity in the pattern).

Uta who acts like a mother to the Kamado siblings. (She doesn't know where the motherly instinct comes from.)

Uta who had a panic attack at coming back from helping Tanjirou selling charcoals in the town, seeing the other Kamado laying in their blood. (Her stomach throbs painfully.)

The sight of Nezuko attacking Tanjirou makes her freeze. (Memories flickering, she finds herself being in Tanjirou's place and an unknown demon in Nezuko's.)

Uta, who just receives her memory and wants to help returning Nezuko back to human. Uta, who takes longer in using breathing style because of the constant pain in her lower abdomen. Uta, who keeps freezing at the sight of demon attacking. Uta, who hates how helpless she is.

Uta, who sees Tanjirou and Nezuko as her children, and refuses to lose them.

This AU is still under work so I'll see if I should change some things.

[maybebi47]

listening to wbn ep 22 and im losing my actual mind because its always just suvi!! at the end its just suvi and her inaction and her regrets!!

one, two, THREE TIMES! something happens, suvi is given an order, she stays, they dont wait for her. one of them makes a choice, the choice is not suvi. they both leave.

and i keep thinking about her fear of history repeating itself, i keep thinking about "When I remember this part, this is the regret. That I wish I had said I love you back. I wish I had hugged him or climbed out of the cart and followed him and refused to not go with them wherever they were going. But I was so worried that I would start crying again, that I wouldn't be good, that I just sort of sat there and let all of this happen. And I didn't say anything or do anything." and about how that tiny little child was given an order and about how she will always follow the order before her own heart and about how that always leaves her all alone

[danielsarmand]

ok but actually let's circle back to this for a sec because it gave me A Vision of present day!DM and 70s!DM overlapping as they interact and i am losing my grip on sanity

like imagine daniel and armand are having an intimate scene of any kind and the moment keeps sort of glitching back and forth between them now and them back then in a “history repeats itself” type of way, so it visually does kind of create this threesome assad is yapping about. we could literally have it all and they WOULD be on board with it. i need them to risk it with the old man yaoi we can't be playing around here sorry

[riririnnnn]

I wonder if Ness is still going to blame Isagi for everything.

I kinda never understood Ness's obsession for Kaiser. Like, Reo's obsession for Nagi is rather understandable—there are very clear reasons for it, but for this magician, I can't see anything with clarity. Honestly, to be precise, I'm rather confused about whether Ness is obsessed with Kaiser or he is obsessed with the magic Kaiser brings into his life.

You see, after finding out about Soccer, this sport became synonymous with magic for Ness. And we all saw what happened in the BM's tryouts—he was on the verge of completely losing his faith in his magic when Kaiser came into his life as a knight in shining armour, which got me wondering if Ness actually fears that history will repeat itself if Kaiser isn't there with him anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the smartest person in the world—I never understood and still can't understand why was Ness even so pissed off with Isagi in the first place.

I've went back and forth through the chapter where Ness first said, "Damn you, Yoichi!" and I'm just not able to understand what ticked him off so much. Yes, I understand he said something along the lines of, "This is the first time Kaiser is so riled up because of someone other than me."

...and?

I mean, so what if Kaiser was riled up because of someone else? Why was Ness so mad about it? Was he fearing something? What was it? Did he think Isagi was going to take his place or something? But what Ness is to Kaiser is very different from what Isagi is to Kaiser.

I just can't understand.

Like, he praises and praises and praises Kaiser—he makes and keeps him like he's the top of the whole world.

But for what? Huh?

Why exactly does Ness need Kaiser so much in his life?

Without knowing the answers to these questions, I can never say anything with 100% confidence about this duo.

Also, I kinda found this weird:

Kaiser never said that Ness isn't enough for him—he simply said that he doesn't need him anymore. So, why is he trying so hard to show his abilities to him? Hm?

[arabellasleopardcoat]

Masterlist

Hi! This is so I don't lose track of my fics so far. I thank you all for your kind reviews and reblogs, they make my day. Main is blueredwrites. Feel free to drop your thoughts be it in the form of asks, replies or reblogs. 😉

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What am I working on?

✨️ Indicates smut.

🪆 Indicates possibly triggering.

🍂 Indicates angst.

🧸 Fluff.

House of the Dragon

Alicent Hightower

Oneshots

Crime and Punishment ✨️🪆

The Queen and you get along wonderfully. After all, the strongest friendships are based on shared interests.

Speak now

Alicent is not too sure of how she feels about you. Or about the fact you just proposed to run away. But she is sure about how she feels about the wedding. 

Cregan Stark

Mini series

Harwin Strong

Seasons of my love

As a Princess, you aren’t used to rejection. But Cregan, your husband, has vowed to only ever love one woman, and it isn't you. Right?

Oneshots

Win some, lose some✨️

Harwin and his wife have a disagreement over communication skills. The end result is exactly as the title says.

Lemon cake ✨️

Harwin’s wife is a tough crowd.

Aegon Targaryen

Oneshots

Daedalus

On the eve of Aegon’s coronation, both of you disappear. Your mother imagines a thousand scenarios. But were you really abducted by him or is it a simple coincidence?

Aemond Targaryen

Mini series

Death in four moves 🪆

Aemond and his new partner explore trusting again after SA.

Death in four moves 🧸

Whatever souls are made of 🍂🧸

MAD

Caught in the crossfire of your familiy's ploys, you never expected to catch the eye of the enemy.

Threads of fate

Muña✨️

In which you find yourself caught in a deadly game of tug of war between two dragons. Daemon, your husband, and Aemond, the man who promises to make you a widow.

Oneshots

Last man on earth ✨️

No one told King Aemond about the Song of Ice and Fire. As the daughter of Rhaenyra, you have one last mission left.

Categorical✨️

Aemond needs to blow off some steam, so you offer to verbally spar with him. 

Last word ✨️

Aemond instructs you on the importance of protecting your virtue.

Push and pull ✨️

You just love riling him up. Especially on his name day.

Bouquet of Violets 🧸🍂

You are happy in your marriage, even if your husband can be quite hellish. It all starts to go wrong when a secret admirer shows up.

The Seamstress ✨️

Prince Aemond is your favorite client.

We light the way

House Hightower does not have dragons, but they have a magic of their own.

No masters or kings🪆

Aemond has issues around sex. The thought of being married to you, an angel, it's not helping.

Unforgivable

Aemond and you are tired of being pawns. Instead of chess, you decide to play draughts.

Young Gods 🪆

History has a way of repeating itself. Ft. Hades! Aemond.

A Challenge

In which you are in a search for identity, and Aemond is in search for a way to prove his superiority to your father. Somehow, both of you find each other.

Daemon Targaryen

Oneshots

Honesty✨️

Daemon seduces his unwilling Lady Wife.

Mirror

Courting. Daemon's version.

Staring back at you✨️

Companion piece to Mirror. You have married Daemon. Now, it is actually time to bed him. You find out you have a few more things in common with your uncle than you thought.

Capital

You think you married the plainest woman on earth, and you look away for one second and suddenly she is not. Typical. At least, for Daemon.

A Thousand Words ✨️

You want to marry him. He wants to fuck you. The two things are not as incompatible as they sound. 

Violent delights 🪆

As a dornish princess, you live by one saying. All is fair in love and war. When Prince Daemon stumbles into your life, you start to reconsider your stance.

Lookalike

Inside the highest tower of the Red Keep, lives a girl with long silver hair...

Bestiary ✨️

Your husband and you do not speak the same language. During your wedding night, you find out that High Valyrian and the Common Tongue pale when compared to the way your bodies allow you to communicate.

Vūjigon ✨️

Companion piece to Bestiary. Daemon has been having sex without love his whole life. It's easy. Marriage should be more of the same, right?

The dragon has three heads ✨️

It's Viserys first day as a King. You and your twin see him off.

You wouldn't believe the things I have done for her ✨️

Daemon lives a dangerous life. You wish you could find a way to protect him, but you are too afraid of guns. Lucky you, Daemon has a plan.

Gold rush ✨️

Your whole life you have been Daemon’s voice of reason. Tonight, you choose to be the impulsive one. 

To conquer

Incest is common amongst Targaryens, Daemon assures you. Unfortunately, Alicent got to you first.

The girl with the pearl necklace ✨️

You marry Daemon to secure an alliance. But surprisingly, you find a haven in him.

Two ships

Two people who do not understand each other, but keep coming back together. Familiar much? It’s the tale you share with your brother, Daemon.

Clad in sea

It is not Harrenhal, what drives Daemon to the Gods Eye. It’s the memories of you and your daughter.

The Brave

A collection of first times with Daemon

Miniseries

Little lamb✨️

After the death of Viserys Targaryen, CEO of Targaryen industries, his heirs get into a legal battle over the validity of the will. It's a terrible time to start fucking your sister's brother in law. So of course, you do just that.

Divine intuition ✨️🪆

My take on modern reader meets Daemon

Threads of Fate

Pyrite✨️

A nefarious plot to place Princess Rhaenys on the Iron Throne leaves you, a handmaid, as the sole witnesses. Deciding to save an innocent life, you find yourself an unlikely protector. But Prince Daemon does not make favors lightly.

Helaena Targaryen

Golden Chains✨️

Helaena isn't yours, but you are always hers

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Oneshots

Baby teeth

Cousins. You love them or you hate them. And Rhaenyra knows exactly how she feels about you.

Three-headed dragon ✨️

Three times Rhaenyra marked you, and one time you did too. Or snippets of the love story I so wanted to tell but didn’t feel confident enough to write.

Doom of Ghis✨️

You decide to trick a Queen. It doesn't go quite according to plan.

Threads of Fate

Viserys Targaryen (Yuck)

The dragon has three heads ✨️

It's Viserys first day as a King. You and your twin see him off.

Events

Halloween

Useful writing things - Episodes.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Possession: a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley x Jimmy Uso fanfic.

Chapter 15: brooklyn love by lolo zouaï..

Rhea had woken up and slipped from Jimmy’s embrace, careful enough not to wake the older Uso. She exited his room and went to hers, grabbing some fresh clothes. She then made her way to the bathroom and started the shower. She undressed quickly and stepped into the shower and stood under the spray of hot water, letting it cascade over her face and shoulders as she leaned against the small tiled wall of the bus’s cramped shower. The steam filled the tiny space, but it wasn’t enough to clear her head. Her heart was racing again—not from passion, but from the whirlwind of thoughts that hit her all at once.

Did I really just do that? The question echoed in her mind as the events of the night replayed like a vivid, slow-motion reel. The feel of Jimmy’s touch, his words, the way he had looked at her—it had felt so intense, so real, and yet, she couldn’t shake the weight of what it all might mean.

The doubts came rushing back, sharper and louder than before. What if she had made a mistake? What if Jimmy wasn’t different? What if this was just history repeating itself in a cruel, twisted loop? She clenched her fists, trying to push the thoughts away, but they clung stubbornly, refusing to let go.

He said to let go, she reminded herself. And she had. For once, she had let her guard down completely, allowed herself to feel something she hadn’t felt in so long—safe, wanted, cared for. But now, in the solitude of the shower, the cracks in her resolve began to show.

She thought about Jey—about the lies, the betrayal, the constant feeling of being kept in the dark. She thought about the way he’d broken her trust, shattered the image she’d had of their relationship. And now here she was, tangled in something new, with his brother of all people. Was she walking straight into another storm, or could this actually be different?

Her hands came up to her face, rubbing the water from her eyes as she let out a shaky breath. “What are you doing, Rhea?” she muttered to herself. She wasn’t sure if it was a question or a scolding. Maybe both.

She thought about Jimmy—the way he had held her, the way he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in that moment. He wasn’t Jey, she knew that. Jimmy had always been steady, always the one who seemed to genuinely care. But still… people change, don’t they? And not always for the better.

Rhea shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. The water was starting to lose its heat, the cold creeping in as a stark reminder that she couldn’t hide in here forever. She turned off the faucet and stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself as the chill of the air hit her skin.

She caught her reflection in the small, fogged-up mirror and stared at herself for a moment. Her eyes looked tired, and her expression betrayed the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling.

As she dried off and got dressed, a small voice in the back of her mind whispered, What if you just let yourself be happy? But even as the thought crossed her mind, it was quickly drowned out by the louder voice of caution, the one reminding her of all the ways this could go wrong.

By the time she stepped out of the bathroom, she had made a decision—not a clear one, but one she could live with for now. She would take things one step at a time. No overthinking, no rushing ahead. She would try to stay in the moment, like Jimmy had said, but she wouldn’t let herself fall blindly. Not again.

As she walked quietly back to her room, she glanced toward Jimmy’s door. Her steps slowed for just a second before she kept moving, slipping back into her own space. She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window at the dark landscape rushing past.

She wasn’t sure where this road would lead, but for now, she would keep walking it—carefully, cautiously, but walking nonetheless.

Some hours later Rhea sat on the edge of her bed, knees pulled to her chest, staring blankly at the wall. The bus hummed quietly as it sped down the road, but it felt like the world outside her room didn’t exist. She had stayed hidden in here for most of the morning, avoiding everyone. Avoiding him.

There was a soft knock at her door before it creaked open, and Liv peeked her head inside. “Hey,” Liv said softly, her tone careful and warm. “You’ve been in here all day. Mind if I come in?”

Rhea sighed, running a hand through her damp hair. “Sure,” she mumbled, scooting over to give Liv room to sit on the bed.

Liv stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She sat next to Rhea, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight. “I don’t mean to pry,” Liv began, “but… you okay? You’ve been off ever since last night.”

Rhea let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “Off doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She rubbed at her temples, as if trying to push away the flood of emotions she had been avoiding all morning. “Seeing Jey interrupt the match last night…” Her voice cracked slightly, and she paused before continuing. “It brought back all this hurt I thought I’d buried. Like, I thought I was past it, you know? But when I saw him, it all came rushing back. And then I realized something I didn’t want to admit to myself.”

Liv tilted her head, concern etched into her features. “What did you realize?”

Rhea hesitated, her eyes fixed on the floor. Finally, she whispered, “I still have feelings for him.”

Liv’s brows furrowed, and she placed a comforting hand on Rhea’s arm. “Rhea…” she began carefully. “You know Jey only got with you to make Tiffany jealous, right?”

Rhea let out a dry laugh, nodding. “Yeah, Liv. I know that. But at one point, before all the lies, before the cheating… I was in love with him. I thought what we had was real, even if he didn’t. And now…” She trailed off, her voice trembling. “Now, I just feel so stupid. Like, how could I let myself fall for someone like that?”

Liv sighed, squeezing Rhea’s arm gently. “You’re not stupid. You were just… in love. And that’s not something you should beat yourself up over.” She paused before asking the question that had been weighing on her mind. “You’re not just with Jimmy to get back at Jey, are you?”

Rhea’s head snapped up, her eyes wide. “No,” she said firmly. “Some people might think that, but that’s not it. I don’t think I should be with any of them at this point. Not Jey, not Jimmy.” She exhaled shakily, her voice softening. “I just… I feel like I’ve been caught in the middle of this mess, and I don’t know how to get out of it.”

Liv nodded thoughtfully, letting Rhea’s words sink in. “You’re entitled to your happiness, you know,” Liv said gently. “Whatever that looks like. Whether it’s with Jimmy, Jey, or no one at all. You deserve to put yourself first for once.”

Rhea blinked, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “It’s hard, Liv. I don’t even know what happiness looks like for me anymore.”

Liv leaned in, wrapping an arm around Rhea’s shoulders. “You’ll figure it out,” she said softly. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. And whatever you decide, you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

Rhea leaned into Liv’s embrace, her walls slowly crumbling as she allowed herself to feel the comfort of her friend’s support. “Thanks, Liv,” she whispered.

Liv smiled, giving Rhea’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Anytime, Rhea. Anytime.”

Rhea broke the embrace from Liv, letting out a shaky breath. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake the lingering weight of her thoughts. “Where are we anyway?” she asked, her voice quiet but steady.

Liv stretched, glancing toward the front of the bus. “I have no idea, but Roman said we’re stopping soon for snacks. Thank God, because I’m starving.”

Rhea chuckled faintly. “Yeah… I could eat.”

Liv smiled at her, her tone light. “Good. Let’s go out there..” She stood up and turned to Rhea. “You coming?”

Rhea hesitated for a moment, still feeling the unease of facing Jimmy after the night they’d shared. But she couldn’t avoid him forever. Squaring her shoulders, she nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

Liv gave her an encouraging grin and walked out of the room first. Rhea followed a few moments later, stepping into the main area of the bus where everyone else was lounging.

The first person to notice her was Damian. He turned from where he was shuffling cards on the table and grinned wide. “Rhea! Perfect timing. Let me beat you in No Mercy Uno like old times!”

Rhea rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself. “You’re dreaming, Priest. You’ve never beaten me, and you won’t start now.”

Damian gasped dramatically. “Oh, it’s on!” He started dealing out cards as Rhea made her way to the table and sat across from him.

As the game began, the atmosphere was light and filled with laughter. Rhea found herself easing into the group dynamic, her usual banter with Damian and Dominik bringing out her competitive streak.

But despite the lighthearted mood, she could feel Jimmy’s eyes on her. Every so often, she’d glance up and catch him watching her from his spot on the couch. His gaze was steady, unreadable, and it made her heart race in a way she wasn’t ready to confront.

Liv leaned over from her spot next to Damian and whispered, “He’s been looking at you like that since you sat down, you know.”

Rhea shot her a quick glare, her cheeks flushing. “Shut up and play your cards,” she muttered under her breath.

Liv smirked knowingly but said nothing, instead tossing down a card that made Damian groan in frustration.

As the game continued, Rhea found herself relaxing more, though the weight of Jimmy’s gaze never truly left her. She tried to focus on the game, on the laughter and jokes being thrown around, but in the back of her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about the night before—and what it might mean for them moving forward.

For now, though, she decided to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the moment. Whatever was between her and Jimmy could wait, at least for a little while longer.

—

Roman leaned back on the couch, chuckling at a TikTok playing on his phone. The video of a golden retriever gleefully knocking over its owner had him cracking up. “Yo, look at this,” he said, nudging Jimmy with his elbow.

Jimmy barely glanced at the screen, his mind clearly elsewhere. His eyes were glued to the other side of the bus, where Rhea sat playing Uno with Damian and Liv. Her laughter echoed through the space, soft but genuine, and Jimmy couldn’t stop watching her.

Roman noticed. He set his phone down and shifted slightly, his expression turning curious. “Speak.”

Jimmy blinked, snapping out of his trance. “What?”

“Speak,” Roman repeated, his tone lower, more deliberate. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Jimmy replied quickly, avoiding Roman’s gaze.

Roman leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Uce’… what happened?”

Jimmy didn’t answer. His jaw tightened, and his eyes flickered back to Rhea. The silence stretched, and Roman’s sharp eyes picked up on every unspoken word. Finally, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“You guys finally did it?” Roman whispered, his tone teasing but not unkind.

Jimmy didn’t respond, but his body language said it all. His shoulders tensed, and he looked away, a mixture of guilt and uncertainty crossing his face.

Roman chuckled softly, leaning back. “I knew it,” he muttered under his breath. But then his tone shifted, becoming serious. He leaned in again, his voice low but firm. “I’m not gonna sit here and pick sides, Jimmy. But I will say this—be serious about her.”

Jimmy finally looked at Roman, his eyes conflicted but attentive. “What do you mean?”

Roman sighed, crossing his arms. “Rhea’s been through enough. With Jey, with everything. If you’re just messing around, or if you’re not ready to be all in, you need to stop now. Don’t hurt her more than she’s already been hurt.”

Jimmy nodded slowly, Roman’s words sinking in. “I care about her, Uce’,” he said quietly.

“Then show her,” Roman said simply. “Actions speak louder than words, Jimmy. Don’t make her regret trusting you.”

Jimmy nodded again, his resolve hardening. “I won’t.”

Roman studied him for a moment before clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Good. Now, stop staring at her like a lost puppy and help me figure out what snacks we’re grabbing when we stop.”

Jimmy couldn’t help but chuckle, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. But as Roman leaned back and returned to his phone, Jimmy’s gaze drifted to Rhea once more. Roman was right—this wasn’t just about him anymore. If he wanted to be with her, he had to prove it. No games, no hesitation. She deserved nothing less.

—

The gas station was quiet, save for the hum of coolers and the faint background music playing through tinny speakers. Rhea stood by the snack aisle, her fingers trailing over bags of peanuts as she pretended to focus. She felt someone approach before she saw him, the familiar warmth radiating off his presence.

Jimmy stepped beside her, his signature smile playing on his lips. “Figured I’d wake up next to you,” he teased softly, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Rhea froze for a moment, then let out a soft groan. “Ugh… I didn’t want anyone to see me sneaking back to my room.” She glanced around, her voice dropping to a whisper.

Jimmy chuckled, but his amusement faded as he noticed the way her fingers fidgeted with a bag of candy, her eyes darting away from his. Her body language screamed unease.

He stepped closer, his tone gentle. “Is everything okay?”

Rhea didn’t meet his gaze, quickly grabbing a random candy bar as if to occupy herself. “Yeah,” she said, her voice tight. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Jimmy tilted his head, his brows furrowing slightly. He wasn’t buying it. “I just figured… after last night…”

Rhea cut him off, her voice sharper than she intended. “I don’t think we should talk about it right now.”

Jimmy blinked, taken aback but not entirely surprised. He took a step back, giving her space. “Alright,” he said quietly. “But… we will talk about it, right?”

Rhea finally looked up at him, her expression a mix of guilt and hesitation. “Yeah,” she murmured, though her voice lacked conviction.

Jimmy nodded slowly, his jaw tightening as he tried to gauge what was really going through her head. “Okay,” he said, his tone steady. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Rhea forced a small smile, grateful that he wasn’t pushing. She turned back to the aisle, pretending to focus on the snacks, but her thoughts were racing.

As Jimmy walked away, giving her the space she seemed to need, Rhea let out a shaky breath. Last night had been everything and nothing all at once. It felt right in the moment, but now… all she could think about was Jey, and the fear of making the same mistake again.

She grabbed another random snack and headed toward the counter, trying to push the thoughts away. But deep down, she knew they’d resurface sooner rather than later.

As Rhea approached the counter, Damian and Dominik walked up beside her, each carrying a variety of beer bottles and cans. Roman, who had already begun paying for the snacks, glanced over at them, his brows furrowing slightly.

“I said I was paying for snacks, not beer,” Roman said, his voice filled with a playful but firm tone.

Damian shrugged casually, holding up the beers. “Relax, I got the beer,” he responded, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Roman rolled his eyes and shook his head, allowing a laugh to escape him as he handed the cashier the cash for the snacks. “Alright, you got it, but don’t drink it all before we even make it to Phoenix,” he said with a wry grin.

They made their way back to the bus, their arms laden with their respective purchases. As they walked, Jimmy caught up to Rhea and leaned in close, speaking in a low, private tone.

“Just come to my room,” he whispered, his voice carrying a weight of unspoken words.

Rhea glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat. She nodded in agreement, unable to find the right words to protest, and the two of them continued walking in silence back to the bus.

The bus doors closed behind them, and soon enough, they found themselves in Jimmy’s room, alone. The silence between them felt heavy, uncomfortable in a way it hadn’t before. Rhea stood by the bed, not quite knowing what to do next. Jimmy, sensing the tension, broke the silence first.

“So, like… what are we?” he asked quietly, his voice searching for something he wasn’t sure how to define.

Rhea hesitated, her chest tightening with uncertainty. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. Finally, she sighed, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly.

The weight of her words hung in the air, neither of them knowing what to say next. They stood there, the silence stretching out between them until Rhea finally gave in to the thoughts that had been swirling in her mind.

“I still have feelings for Jey,” she confessed, her voice breaking the quiet that had filled the room. Her heart felt heavy as she admitted the truth she had been running from.

Jimmy stared at her, his face unreadable. The tension between them shifted, and after a long pause, he spoke, his words sharp but not unkind.

“Well, that tells me all I needed to know,” he said quietly. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Rhea standing there, feeling stupid and exposed.

Rhea stood there for a moment, staring at the door Jimmy had just exited through. The weight of the conversation, of everything, felt too much to bear. She shook her head, frustrated with herself, and quickly gathered her things, deciding to leave the room and find some space.

As she walked back into the main area of the bus, she saw Jimmy sitting with Damian and Dominik, a determined look on his face as he joined in with their drinking. He didn’t glance at her, didn’t acknowledge her presence. His decision had been made, and now it was her turn to face the consequences of what had just transpired between them.

Rhea, feeling a mix of emotions, quietly walked over and sat next to Liv. Liv, sensing something was off, began speaking to her, but Rhea barely heard the words. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying the conversation with Jimmy and the revelation she had just shared.

She was torn—torn between her feelings for Jey, the guilt that lingered, and the unexpected connection she had felt with Jimmy. The weight of it all was suffocating, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was slowly losing control of everything.

Liv glanced at her, her voice soft and concerned. “Rhea, are you okay?”

Rhea forced a smile, nodding even though she didn’t feel okay. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… tired.”

But deep down, she knew it wasn’t just tiredness weighing on her. It was the confusion, the emotional mess that she wasn’t sure how to untangle. As the bus continued its journey toward Phoenix, Rhea sat silently next to Liv, her mind a million miles away.

—

The impromptu party on Roman’s tour bus was in full swing. The thumping bass of Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar filled every corner, making the bus pulse with energy. Shots were passed around like candy, laughter echoed over the music, and everyone seemed to be letting loose. Rhea sat with Liv and Damian, but her focus was anywhere but on the conversation in front of her.

Her gaze kept drifting toward Jimmy, who was laughing with Roman and Dominik by the front. His smile, his carefree energy—it all felt so distant from the weight she carried inside. Then, Jimmy caught her looking. His expression softened, and he gave her a subtle nod toward the back of the bus.

She hesitated. Her heart pounded as she downed the rest of her drink. Her feet moved before her mind could catch up, and when she reached the small bathroom, Jimmy was already there, locking the door behind them.

The tiny space felt even smaller with the tension between them. Jimmy leaned against the sink, his arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadable.

“Do you really mean that?” he asked, his voice quiet but sharp, cutting through the muffled noise of the party outside.

Rhea blinked at him, confused. “Mean what?”

Jimmy’s jaw tightened. “What you said earlier. About still having feelings for Jey.”

Rhea froze. Her breath hitched, and her chest tightened. She wanted to lie, to brush it off, but the truth had already been established. “Yes,” she whispered.

Jimmy’s reaction was instant. He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head in disbelief as he rubbed a hand over his face. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath. “Then we can’t do this.”

His words hit her like a punch to the gut. “Jimmy, wait,” she started, her voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to—”

He cut her off, his voice rising slightly. “Nah, Rhea. You don’t get it. I can’t be that guy. I can’t be your… your rebound or whatever the hell this is.” He gestured between them, frustration pouring out with every word.

“That’s not what this is,” Rhea argued, stepping closer to him.

Jimmy shook his head, his eyes filled with hurt. “Then what is it? Because last night… last night, I thought you were choosing me. I thought maybe—” His voice cracked, and he looked away, trying to regain control of his emotions. “But now you’re standing here telling me you’re still hung up on Jey.”

“I’m not hung up on him!” Rhea said, her voice desperate. “I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now.”

“Exactly!” Jimmy snapped, his eyes locking onto hers. “You don’t know. And I can’t be here, waiting for you to figure it out. I won’t.”

He tried to move past her to leave, but Rhea grabbed his arm, her grip firm. “Jimmy, please,” she begged, tears welling in her eyes.

He stopped, sighing deeply, but he didn’t turn around. “What do you want from me, Rhea?” he asked, his voice quieter now but no less pained.

“I want you,” she said, her voice breaking.

Jimmy’s shoulders stiffened. He turned to face her, his eyes scanning hers for any trace of sincerity. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it,” he warned, his voice trembling.

Rhea stepped closer, closing the small distance between them. Without thinking, she pressed her lips to his, hoping to silence the doubts, to prove her feelings. For a moment, Jimmy kissed her back, his hands gripping her waist like he didn’t want to let go.

But then he pulled away, gently pushing her back. “Stop,” he said, his voice cracking. “Stop messing with me, Rhea.”

“I’m not trying to mess with you!” she cried, tears streaming down her face now. “Last night was real, Jimmy. I felt something. I—”

“Then why are you still thinking about him?” Jimmy asked, his voice breaking as he stepped back. “Why are you still stuck on Jey? Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”

Rhea’s chest heaved as she tried to find the right words, but nothing came.

Jimmy ran a hand through his hair, his frustration spilling over. “You don’t get it, Rhea. Last night… I thought I was enough for you. I thought maybe you were choosing me. But now? Now I’m just some… some placeholder while you figure out your shit. And I can’t do that. I won’t.”

He reached for the door again, but Rhea blocked his way, her voice breaking as she said, “Jimmy, please. Don’t walk away.”

Jimmy looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and sadness. “I’m not gonna be second place to anyone, Rhea,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “Not even to Jey.”

With that, he unlocked the door and walked out, leaving her standing there, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

The muffled sounds of the party felt distant now, like they were coming from another world. Rhea leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her mascara was smudged, her face pale, and her eyes red from crying.

She felt the weight of her choices pressing down on her, suffocating her. The person staring back at her in the mirror looked like a stranger—a woman torn between her past and her present, and unsure of where she truly belonged.

—

Monday Night Raw, Phoenix, Arizona.

Monday felt like a weight, each minute dragging in anticipation of what was to come. The Elevated Bloodline gathered near the production assistant, each member scanning the shirt designs that would represent them for the night. Roman, as the ever-present leader, tried to hold the group together, though the rift between Jimmy and Rhea had become undeniable.

It was as if a chasm had opened between them, and neither one of them knew how to bridge it. Jimmy stood off to one side, his posture tense, avoiding Rhea’s gaze. Roman, with his usual stoic expression, quietly observed the growing tension, feeling the burden of trying to hold everything together—like a father trying to mediate between feuding siblings instead of the Head of the Table. He settled on a shirt design that read Elevated, the blood dripping from the letters paired with tribal patterns, a reflection of their shared heritage.

Rhea excused herself from the group, unable to breathe in the tense atmosphere any longer. She made her way toward catering, her mind racing. Her phone buzzed in her hand, but she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, her focus consumed by the mess she was tangled in.

Then, in an instant, she collided with someone.

She didn’t immediately look up, her eyes still on her phone, but when she did, she froze.

It was Jey.

He was standing there, his usual confidence replaced by a quiet intensity in his eyes.

She didn’t speak at first. The air between them was thick, charged with emotions that neither of them had been able to fully process. Jey was the first to break the silence.

“I like the black and red,” he said, his voice steady. “Looks good on you.”

Rhea didn’t respond. She felt her chest tighten, her breath shallow. She wasn’t sure what to say, if anything.

Noticing the shift in her energy, Jey’s gaze softened. “Can we talk?” he asked gently.

Rhea remained silent, her lips pressed into a tight line.

Jey sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know you’re pissed about everything. I get it. And I know what I say now can’t make up for what I did, but fuck…” He paused, taking a step closer. “I don’t even care about what you did with Jimmy. I just…” He exhaled deeply, his words hanging in the air between them. “I miss you. I love you.”

Rhea stayed still, her pulse pounding in her ears.

He reached out, his hand hovering just shy of hers, unsure. But she pulled back, taking a step away.

Jey’s eyes clouded with frustration, but there was something deeper there—guilt, regret, and a raw honesty. “Rhea, I still love you. Yeah, I’m gonna be honest… I may have gotten with you just to spite Tiffany, but that didn’t mean anything once I really got to know you. You… you were different.”

Rhea looked away, her breath catching.

“Do you remember our movie nights?” Jey asked quietly. “The dates? How I used to hold you when you’d have a bad dream?”

Rhea’s heart clenched at the memories. She remembered how safe she felt in his arms, the way he would whisper reassuring words when the nightmares came, the way his presence would calm the storm inside her. But those memories, those moments of warmth, felt distant now, like a life she’d once lived but couldn’t return to.

Unbeknownst to them, Jimmy had seen the entire exchange from a distance. He stood frozen, his fists clenched at his sides, watching as Jey reached out to Rhea. His heart ached in ways he couldn’t explain, jealousy and frustration swirling inside him.

Then Jey did something that made Rhea’s breath catch in her throat. He stepped forward, his arms wrapping around her in a tight embrace. Rhea stood frozen for a moment, before she felt her walls crumble. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the comfort of his touch, the way he would hold her when the world felt too heavy.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she felt them slip down her cheeks, though she couldn’t tell if they were from the pain of the past or the conflict of the present. Jey held her tighter, his voice barely a whisper as he said, “I’m so sorry, Rhea. I never should’ve hurt you. I miss you so much.”

Rhea’s chest tightened, her heart torn between the man she once loved and the man she was now with. The emotions were too much to handle, a storm inside her that she couldn’t silence.

“Jey,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I don’t know what to do.”

But before Jey could say anything else, a voice called out from behind them.

“Rhea…”

It was Jimmy.

Rhea pulled back from Jey immediately, her heart sinking as she turned to face him.

Jimmy stood there, his expression unreadable, though his eyes burned with a mix of hurt and anger. His jaw was clenched, and his fists were still tightly wound at his sides.

Rhea opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The weight of the situation was too much.

Jey looked over at Jimmy, his eyes narrowing. The tension between them was like a physical force, something neither of them could ignore.

Jimmy didn’t say anything at first, just stood there watching, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He finally spoke, his voice low.

“I don’t know what the hell’s going on between you two,” he said, his gaze never leaving Rhea. “But don’t expect me to sit around and watch you fall back into his arms.”

Rhea felt the sting of his words, the anger in his voice, and it cut deeper than she wanted to admit. She didn’t know how to answer. She didn’t know what to say to either of them.

“I’m done,” Jimmy added, his voice shaking slightly with emotion. He turned on his heel, walking away without another word.

Rhea stood there, her body numb as she watched him go. She wanted to call out to him, to stop him, but she couldn’t. She had no idea where she stood anymore—between Jey’s love and Jimmy’s pain, between a past she couldn’t let go of and a future she wasn’t sure she deserved.

Jey reached out to her again, but she stepped back, her mind too clouded with confusion to allow herself to fall back into his arms.

“I need time,” she said, her voice trembling. “I just… I need time to figure this out.”

Jey nodded, understanding but hurting nonetheless. He gave her one last lingering look before walking away, leaving her standing there, broken and uncertain.

The storm inside Rhea raged on, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was drowning in it.

—

The stage was set for an explosive match for the Women’s World Championship. Liv Morgan was defending her title against the powerhouse, Nia Jax, in what had already been an intense and unpredictable contest. The tension was palpable in the arena as Michael Cole and Pat McAfee called the action.

Michael Cole: “This match has been a true battle, Pat. Liv Morgan has fought with everything she’s got, but Nia Jax is dominating right now. We’re about to see who walks away with the Women’s World Championship!”

Pat McAfee: “Liv’s heart is unmatched, Cole, but Nia Jax is a wrecking ball, and it looks like she’s ready to finish this!”

The match had gone back and forth, but as Nia Jax hit the devastating Annihilator on Liv, the audience gasped. Nia immediately went for the pin, the referee dropping for the count.

One…

Two…

Just as the referee’s hand was about to hit three, the unexpected happened—Tiffany Stratton came rushing down the ramp, her Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. She slid into the ring and crashed the briefcase across Nia’s head, knocking her out cold.

Michael Cole: “What is Tiffany Stratton doing?! She just took out Nia Jax with the Money in the Bank briefcase! Liv Morgan is still the champion by disqualification!”

Pat McAfee: “The audacity! Tiffany Stratton just ruined Nia Jax’s chances and now she’s cashing in her contract!”

Tiffany handed the briefcase to the ring announcer, Lillian Garcia, and was ready to cash in. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as she climbed to the top rope, preparing for her signature Prettiest Moonsault Ever.

But just as she launched herself into the air, Rhea came from the crowd, hopping over the barricade. In one fluid motion, Rhea grabbed Liv Morgan and pulled her out of the way, saving her from Tiffany’s dangerous leap. Tiffany missed Liv completely, crashing into Nia Jax once again.

Michael Cole: “Rhea Ripley just saved Liv Morgan from Tiffany Stratton’s cash-in attempt!”

Pat McAfee: “And now Rhea’s going after Tiffany! This cash-in is over before it even started!”

Rhea jumped into the ring, furiously punching Tiffany, keeping her from cashing in the contract. Tiffany stumbled back, trying to escape Rhea’s wrath, but Rhea wasn’t letting up. Just as Rhea went to throw another punch, she felt hands grabbing her from behind. Turning around, she saw The Old Bloodline—Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa—surrounding her, pulling her away from Tiffany.

Michael Cole: “Oh no! Here comes The Old Bloodline! They are all here!”

The audience could feel the tension rising as Rhea backed away from the Old Bloodline. That’s when the unmistakable sound of Roman Reigns’ music blasted through the arena, causing the crowd to erupt.

Pat McAfee: “Oh my God, here comes Roman Reigns! The Elevated Bloodline & Judgement Day is in the house!”

Michael Cole: “And it looks like The Elevated Bloodline has come to back Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan! This is going to be an absolute war!”

Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio stormed down the ramp, rushing into the ring to even the odds. Roman’s presence was enough to send a chill through the Old Bloodline, but the tension was far from over.

Michael Cole: “The Elevated Bloodline, led by Roman Reigns, is here, and they’re standing tall with Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan!”

As Liv helped Rhea to her feet, the crowd was on edge, unsure of what would happen next. And then, suddenly, Jey Uso’s music hit.

The arena was hit with boos and cheers, but the atmosphere was thick with uncertainty. Jey Uso slowly walked down the ramp, his gaze shifting from Roman to Solo Sikoa. The crowd was unsure of where Jey’s loyalties lay. But the silence was shattered when Jey slid into the ring and, without hesitation, walked over to Tiffany Stratton, helping her up.

The crowd went silent as Jey leaned in and kissed Tiffany on the lips, a shocking turn of events that left everyone in disbelief.

Michael Cole: “What the hell?! Jey Uso just kissed Tiffany Stratton! What is happening right now?!”

Pat McAfee: “This is unbelievable, Cole! Jey Uso just made his choice, and it’s nothing what we were hoping for—he’s sided with The Old Bloodline and Tiffany Stratton!”

The Elevated Bloodline stared at Jey in shock, and Rhea’s face twisted in anger. She shouted, “Rip him apart!” pointing directly at Jey. The ring exploded into chaos as all the factions went to war.

Michael Cole: “This has turned into total mayhem! The Elevated Bloodline, The Old Bloodline, The Judgment Day—everyone is at each other’s throats!”

The brawl escalated quickly, with punches being thrown left and right. Tiffany tried to make her escape, but Liv pulled her back into the chaos, and the two women began trading blows. The crowd was on fire, chanting, as security flooded the ring in an attempt to break the groups apart.

Pat McAfee: “Someone needs to stop this, Cole! This is out of control!”

Dozens of security guards rushed in, trying to separate the groups, but the animosity between the factions had reached its breaking point, and the crowd knew this was just the beginning. The power struggle for control over WWE had just gotten even more complicated—and the lines had officially been drawn.

[hermanoga]

Ik the cosplay event is the only funny light-hearted moment we got from this trio in the otherwise traumatizing first episode but (I woke up in the morning and suddenly this came to my mind) - Lu Guang cosplaying may be a metaphor for something else too, it may have another significance.

Even if I don't talk about the meta-narrative of RanXi chronicles, Lu Guang cosplaying itself is a kind of 'meta-performance' of life. He impersonates someone who he may want to be (being together with a safe and sound Cheng Xiaoshi) not who he actually is. He is the coser of his own existence which got lost in the repeated loop of history, he performs, he conforms to the pre-written script BUT he is trying to re-write the history too. Let's take a look at the lyrics of Flash by Gorilla Attack :

Hmm, I can't believe that you were here I know I can't do it There's no chance to rewrite Our story ended long ago Trrr The time is coming now Blank I wake up blushing my- Just a loop A bored 'n loop Should I do this now 'til the end? Into the story As just an extra You are the reason I live But you don't remember me? Oh, can I be with you? It feels like comedy Contemporary dance Please lock me up with too many tasks to do Let me lose them off completely Always looking away Flash me, flash me Gotta get the power to rewrite I just wanna deny, I just wanna rewrite, yeah Clash it, clash it What a wondrous nightmare I just wanna deny, I just wanna rewrite The only thing that I got, just like a little lamp I gotta go in one-way smoke Resist the lifeless scenario Become the person The person I wished for that day The room like a coffin, too bright A groove that I lost faraway Blanket, I need a blanket Not a synthetic one Notice the regret engraved so hard Crying, don't let me go anywhere It is not 目に見え, fly out Babe, you don't see me Your shadow that only I got That only I got Flame out, flame out I don't care about it anymore Now I can fly Only I can fly Rush it, rush it You're just making sure I'm alone But I have the power It was undercover Flash me, flash me Gotta get the power to rewrite I just wanna deny, I just wanna rewrite, aye Clash it, clash it What a wondrous nightmare I just wanna deny, I just wanna rewrite The only thing that I got, just like a little lamp I gotta go in one-way smoke Resist the lifeless scenario Become the person The person I wished for that day Ah-ah That only I got That only I got

This is very tough for Ne to choose a single most favourite song from Link Click but Flash is a song that has an extremely special part in my heart. This song too is about someone who is desperate to re-write a history as someone who is constantly taking part in the history.

See how the first few verses actually start with the admission that "there is no chance to rewrite, our story ended long ago."

Then the denial strikes in with the raging desperation.

The only thing that I got, just like a little lamp / I gotta go in one-way smoke/ Resist the lifeless scenario/ Become the person/ The person I wished for that day

I know that the little lamp can be a general metaphor for hope but since it's our guang-guang I'm not gonna ignore the significance of his name here.

Also there is something about being and becoming. Even though it's a performance that's self-indulgent (!), there is an attempt to strike a delicate balance between hope, stubbornness and disaster. Now how successful that attempt is...

Idk man, it may be a side effect of reading too much Shakespeare and thinking too much about meta-theatricality and existentialism but anyway, I wanted to share this morning's enlightenment so yeah.

[nimcoconut]

the thing is, jegulus makes perfect sense to me genuinely. And I understand the gripes that people have with it, so i'm going to try and outline my thought process. i could talk about how good of a ship this is for HOURS.

• Regulus and James would have constantly been in each other's orbit at Hogwarts. Think about it. They're both on the Hogwarts quidditch teams (regardless of if jenes was a seeker or chaser ik it's up for debate) we all know how serious James Potter took quidditch. they would've been marking each other in games, taking notes of tactics etcetc. Plus with Sirius being James' best friend he would've been even more acutely aware of Regulus, like come on. If nothing else, then because of the arguments the black brothers would get into at hogwarts. And the stories Sirius would tell him in their first few years at Hogwarts, because hello, before Sirius went to Hogwarts who was his closest ally? who did he survive an abusive home life with? REGULUS. so james knew of him, DEFINITELY was introduced to him on the hogwarts express during second year (before slyhtherin sorting).

• James being Sirius' best friend and ultimately in Regulus' eyes, the person who replaced him as Sirius' best friend. He would've resented him, because before him and Sirius fell apart, they were all each other had and SUDDENLY sirius has this other rock, this but that he admires so much. You're telling me he wouldn't be raging at being replaced? On high alert of awareness, not only for his brother that he was steadily losing but on his best friend who replaced him???? the tension?? hello?? And once they got to know each other and he has that "oh so this is what he saw in you. oh wow" Moment??

•James potter, sunshine reincarnate, who believed in others even when it came to his own detriment would 100% try to save regulus. Believe he could. A lot of people say this doesn't fit James' character because he "wouldn't lie to his friends" But I think you guys are putting him in a box. I think he's just as capable of keeping a secret as anyone else. Especially when he thinks it's for a bigger purpose.

•I love the idea of a love greater than Regulus' loyalties to his families being what inspired him to take the horcrux. Like The symmetry of both Black brothers being guided by James into the light?? That his love saves them both in different ways?? How is it not the perfect ship.

Enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, regulus falling first but james falling harder, the COMPLICATED nature of it. how much of this is vindictiveness towards sirius and trying to take something away from him, of reclaiming and how much is just pure admiration for someone so good and selfless? How much is this about James' saviour complex? You anti jegulus people are not seeing the bigger picture.

ALSO HOW IS IT ANY DIFFERENT TO DRARRY??? Its the PERFECT foil to drarry. Because this truly is a world where history repeats itself. Pressured into the dark arts by his family's expectations but couldn't stomach pushing through when it actually came down to it? And his beautiful sunshine boyfriend who embodies the GOOD in the world despite everything. Give me 10 more of it right now.