#I’ve put tiger as his associated animal

[frankenbuggee]

No one asked for it but I wanted to show how small Devious’ main subordinate is compared to him. Sergei is *checks notes* 5’6. Maybe 5’5 without heels.

Maybe that’s why Sergei is so mean. Because he’s closer to Hell 💀

[sweet-star-cookie]

ayup, question time!!

what can you tell me about solaris and lunaris? how are they relevant to the astral plane? and most importantly, you mentioned that they're a part of the chinese zodiac. are there any other chinese zodiacs besides the dragons? (the dragons look sick btw absolutely amazing)

looking forward to the onslaught of words!! /pos

Yaaaaay dragons, my favourite! And during the Year of the Dragon no less :D

Firstly, thank you very much for the compliment about their designs! I’ll be doing some design tweaks for them this year so stay tuned for that :’D You likely already saw the head drawings of both dragons but I’ll put them here again anyway.

In terms of their association with the Chinese zodiac, they take the form of whatever animal matches the year in the zodiac, and thus will transform together annually. I haven’t drawn all of the forms yet, as only a few of them appear in the main/side stories themselves, but here are the ones I’ve drawn so far (not to scale with one another)

They are capable of transforming individually should they ever be separated or one be hindered somehow during the annual switch, but only if absolutely necessary. They also cannot take any form that does not correspond with the current year. Each form is equivalent in power (as in they can wield their full power regardless of form) but their respective size varies depending on the animal. Even their smallest forms, however, are still significantly larger than their real-life counterparts. Their rat forms are not the size of actual rats, for instance.

They are considered two halves of the same whole, one cannot exist without the other and they share both their power and their pain. If one were to be injured, so would the other. They are at their most powerful when they are together, which is why Lunaris’s power is greatly diminished during the main story (more on this later). Collectively they are referred to as the Solunar Spirits (they/it pronouns), and their power makes them god-like to many on the Astral Plane.

As mentioned previously, they are the entities that gave the zodiac their elemental powers; Solaris gave earth and fire, and Lunaris gave water and air. They too wield their respective elements, and while the power level is still the same between forms, the “danger” of each one varies on the animal form they take and their size. As in, it’s usually a lot more intimidating to face them when they’re dragons or tigers rather than when they’re rabbits or rats, but you still don’t want to mess with them! They appear as dragons in the main story, and this form is the largest of them.

Notably, and unlike the constellations, they do not possess Light magic. This led some to believe that they would be immune to the corruption of Void magic, but Scorpio’s unintended corruption of his water magic proved this to be false. Despite their immense power, they too fear Void magic and the Voidlands as a whole, but the full extent of the reasons why are still unclear. Though the Solunar Spirits are sentient (as in capable of feeling and expressing emotion), they cannot communicate outside of whatever sounds their animal forms can make. They can understand speech, which is how Cassie is able to calm Lunaris at one point, but it can be otherwise difficult to find ways to calm them down if they start getting erratic or get any information out of them as to why.

It is also not entirely clear why they chose to give the zodiac their elemental power, and this mystery is ultimately what brought the zodiac closer together as a result, as they (eventually) agree to band together and use this power to protect the other constellations on the Astral Plane. Based on their own interpretation, the zodiac believes that getting this power was a way to augment their current abilities with Light magic, as many of the zodiac use both simultaneously in combat or otherwise. What this increased power is supposed to do is still somewhat unclear, and this extends to the Starglass as well.

At first, when Ophiuchus received the Sun Starglass, the zodiac believed that this was Solaris’s way to augment Ophi’s healing abilities, as the situation had gotten a lot more dire and he was one of the best spirits to help with that. That is until Lunaris sent the Moon Starglass to Earth sometime later, which only generated more confusion.

After things went awry with Ophiuchus, Solaris tried to stop him, and seemed to disappear alongside him. This caused the earth and fire signs to lose their elemental magic, but Lunaris and the water/air magic remained, leading to speculation that Solaris was not truly gone. Where it (and by extension Ophiuchus) ended up is one of the mysteries to be solved during the main story.

Though Lunaris remains, they now appear to be chained to something, and have suffered a great power loss. Thus, they retreat into the Solunar Spire (a large tower-like building where both usually reside) and fall into a deep sleep. No one is able to enter the spire at this point, not even the signs who share Lunaris’s power.

When Cassie first summons her sword, this reawakens Lunaris and she is taken inside the Spire, but Lunaris’s chains are not broken. Luckily for Cassie, this allows her to escape the dragon in time! Though it’s somewhat old at this point (2020 I think?) I made this painting with this part of the story in mind.

[theknightmarket]

I did a tier list of the Markiplier Egos, so I thought I’d share it here – and, yes, perhaps some of these ratings indicate who I like to write, sue me. So, bottom to top, here it is:

Actor: Super Hell

         I goddamn hate Actor, as you could probably figure out. He’s a prissy bitch, who deserved everything that came to him. Okay, that might’ve been a bit of an exaggeration, but Jesus Christ do I hate him, mainly for causing Damien’s death, plus everything else, but mainly that. He deserves less than Super Hell, but that is the bottom of the barrel.

E-Boy Mark: F

         Reminded me too much of my boy Bing, and I did Not like it. Plus, I have the same tiger pattern on one of my jackets, and I did not want to be associated with this E-Boy. So, F tier.

Ed Edgar: F

         I hate babies. Simple as that. Props for being a cowboy aesthetic, but that mustache knocked him back down into F tier.

Derek Derekson: F

         Need I say anything? He’s abusive and a bitch, and I care too much about my baby Eric to put him any higher. I would put him lower, but Super Hell is reserved for Actor. F.

Silver Shephard: E

         I haven’t seen anything about him, except for the skit with all the other egos, in which I also did not see much. Cool costume, but no clue. E.

Dr. Iplier: E

         Again, not much. To be honest, both of the Egos in the E tier are ones I haven’t seen much of but know about. Hence, the doctor is here. Nice catchphrase, E tier.

Yandereiplier: D

         The animation is cool, I’ve always liked horror-blood elements, and the pictures of Yandere have the red hair, which I am a fan of. However, the game itself is a point down, and he is only for the sim, so D tier.

King of the Squirrels: D

         A classic start to the Ego train, so points given, but points taken away because I am not a huge fan of peanut butter. Squirrels I love, though, so again. Hence, D tier.

Bill: C

         Okay, so I haven’t seen the video he comes from actually, but I did see one clip of him saying ‘Oh, honey, no’ and, boy, did I feel flustered, and I don’t even know why! It was just weirdly sweet and reflects the kinda stuff you see in my S tiered Egos. But, alas, he’s not all that common in videos, so C.

Bim Trimmer: C

         I don’t know either, man, he’s just a funny guy. The image I have for him is so stupid, and he’s Bim Trimmer??? C’mon. C tier.

The Colonel: C

         Being separate from Wilford, he’s kinda lacking in substance compared to him, but I get it. Cuckolded a dude, which isn’t a great start, but it’s Actor, so I don’t care. Says ‘bully’, which is fun, but he does kill the viewer, so points off for him, putting him in C.

Google(s): C

         Might be influenced by my having a fic in the works for him, but I am also a sucker for AI, android stuff. Plus, the fanart I see for him is always cute. Him being rude to Bing takes him down a notch, though, so C.

Heehoo: C

         The concept of this guy is so funny to me – like, Jesus Christ, the Markiplier runs into the wild, completely naked, save for maybe shoes, of all things, and is fine??? The long hair pushes it over D, but the lack of a voice keeps him in C.

The Nightguard: C

         It’s mainly for the musical itself, and that one moment when he leans in and says ‘I killed a guy’ because obviously. Not to mention it’s Mark singing. However, this one can be excluded from being an ego because it is basing off of a pre-established character. So, C tier.

Captain Magnum: C

         I haven’t gone through his ending yet in AHWM (sue me, I got Yancy first), but I do love pirates ;) but I don’t love beards. Personal preference, it just takes away from the face. Basically, the aesthetic alone brings it into C tier.

Annus: B

         Now, I did watch, uh, [redacted] – catch my favorite video being the A.I generated basically fanfictions – and I loved the whole concept of it! The ending, especially during covid, kinda helped me get used to death and the idea of having to die in the end. However, some of this does not extend to the ego of Annus. I feel like there was a lot more they could have done with both Annus and Unus, but I understand that most of the audience would not have wanted it to be fully cryptid and ARG-esque, so B is both the lowest and highest I can go with him. I do love suits, though. 

Eric Derekson: B

         I have seen next to nothing about this boy! And I love him :D! He’s just so cute in everything I’ve seen and read. Solid B tier for the cute side, anyway. 

The Jims: B

         Honestly, it’s a goof ego, and I like that. The stupid movements and the little side bit about WKM made me happy after the sad events, and I saw them in Space, so I’m happy to put them at B, as a collective, of course.

Monster Gulch Mark: B

         I’m a sucker for apocalypses, man. The casual murder plot caught my eye, and then the second song was a banger, too. I was super disappointed when nothing ever came out from Monster Gulch again, and I appreciate the running water thing, if you know what I mean by that. So, for both Mark in this and the musical in general, B tier.

God of Night: B

         Dope aesthetic and I am a sucker for deity-stuff. However, I do not have the attention span to watch a 3+ hour video where he is not in all of it, and was, maybe, recorded without a hard script? I don’t know, but I know I should watch it considering I have a fic queued for him. Cool concept, but I can’t watch so much of that in one go. B tier.

Noir: A

         You remember that I said I love suits, right? Well, this guy, in a disheveled suit, the noir aesthetic – one that I loved since I saw Into the Spider-Verse – and the voice over??? A tier, and I will take no comments. Also, there’s something to be said about how the lower tiers tend to have the cocky-know-it-all egos, and the higher tiers are soft guys. This, the A tier, is a weird exception.

Murdock: A

         No. 1, the murder – no. 2, the vibe – no. 3, the outfit! The moment I saw Murdock, I had to put the screen down and go for a walk. You’ve seen this man, you understand what I mean. A tier, for everything he’s involved in.

Dark: A

         This is probably lower than a lot of people would put him, and I’m still debating putting him higher, but A tier is the least I will go. Again, there’s the suit, plus, I’m a fan of the glitchy, multi-emotion thing he has going on. However, as many of you will remember, he did shove the viewer into a mirror and steal their body. Not great on his part, but he is against Actor, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Hence, A tier, plus he does stage himself sexily on that desk, so…

Engineer: A

         This guy is plain cute. He’s devoted, he’s hard-working, he appreciates the aesthetics! He really should be in A+ tier, considering I have a sticker of him, too, except for one tiny snag. Actor. He is the source of all my trouble and complicates things in the theory sense. Is Engineer actually Actor? We don’t know, and I don’t like to think I would put anyone related to Actor in A+. So, sorry, my dear boy, he has to be in A tier.

Bing: A+

         If you’ve seen my other posts, you may already understand why he’s here, but I will reiterate for every who doesn’t know. I don’t know what it is, but the dumb, skateboarder-bro, with a heart of gold is a thing I love. The glasses are cool, the orange I adore, and an android? C’mon, I can’t put him anywhere but A+. (I also have a sticker of him on the laptop I am currently writing this on)

Host: A+

         I had to go searching for Host after the sketch with all of the egos in it, and, boy, was I overjoyed to find him. The blind-fold and narrator bit, and a couple of fics I’ve read influenced this decision. A+ tier, but it’s a controversial one. (Another that I have a sticker of)

Wilford: A+

         Yeah, this is just where he belongs. S tier is reserved for two egos here, and so Wilford is a banger in A+ tier. The whole fruity-bisexual-timelord thing is amazing, and, as far as character design goes, oof, the fluffy hair, slightly unbuttoned shirt? I am swooning. A+ tier. (Also, a sticker)

Illinois: A+

         This guy has two belts. What a dude. And the flirty thing I appreciate, the whip cracks, as well. Him walking backwards through a bunch of traps is pique douche, but in an oh-my-god-he’s-going-to-get-himself-killed-better-help-him kind of way. Like pulling a drowning dog out of a pool and them shaking off. A+.

Can you guys guess who’s at the top of this list? If you can’t, lemme tell you. 

Damien: S

         Damien is my comfort character, and that sucks because – spoilers – he is dead. I forgive him for shoving the viewer into a mirror, solely for his adorable personality and all of the fics people have for him prior to poker night. The ‘little monster’ nickname has me squealing every time I hear it, and I could fully write an essay on his character. Fuck Actor for killing him, and fuck anyone who doesn’t think he’s amazing. Solid S tier, no questions. 

Yancy: S

         Objectively the best character. He was my first ending in AHWM, I love his song, he applied for parole??? Look at that man, listen to him talk – the accent omg – and tell me, genuinely, that you would not do anything for him. Look me in the eyes and tell me that he isn’t the light of your life. ‘Free as a buird’ – gods, he’s adorable, and a sticker that I have on the inside of my laptop, to boot!

And that’s it! Feel free to reblog or send me an ask telling me your opinion, but know that I will fight you if you disagree on my S tiers :D

Have a good day everyone!

[imthepunchlord]

Do you have any thoughts on how the guardian role is handled lore wise? Would you change much about being the guardian?

Oh yes I do and there's so much that I would change up.

The more we see of the Guardians, the dumber they are and the more pointless they are. To a point it's a wonder if they were worth the inclusion as they don't amount to much and are just useless. I'm putting this undercut as I just go off.

- Lore wise, they set it up that adults are naturally more powerful, so why did Fu pick two kids to fight his battles for him? Why not adults? Why did he leave them on their own instead of offering them some means to have an edge over HM?

- Of the Ladybug and Cat, we have yet to see anything unique that the Cat brings to these fights that the other 15 miraculi that Fu has with him couldn't do. You need a distraction that's going to mess up the akuma? Monkey and Fox. You need a protector/aggressor? Bee, Turtle, or Dragon. Ladybug is a must as its the only cleanser so far and has ML to boot, but Cat doesn't need to be out there, and as soon as HM had quite publicly stated that he wants LB and Cat, Fu should've reclaimed the Cat immediately to secure its safety and that HM won't get both. Another or two could go out to replace it.

- Why was picking Adrien a good idea? If Fu had just arrived in Paris, ok, but Backwarder reveals he's been living in Paris for a while. And with that, he's seen Adrien's face everywhere.s Adrien is potentially the most well known kid in Pari. Technically, for Fu's want of secrecy, why pick the most iconic face in Paris to get a miraculous? That sets up one of your heroes to always have attention on him. Fu picking Adrien doesn't make any logical sense.

- Why is Fu ok with endangering one kid but not the other? Why does Marinette get a test set up that risks her life and Fu's if it hadn't gone well and Adrien just helps an old man up, a common decency that most would do. It's like two extreme differences that don't work well in comparison as Marinette gets the risky test and Adrien it looks like he got his miraculous on a silver platter as he got the far easier one that takes the least effort to be a decent human being.

- Fu being a terrible mentor and hero picker in general and the whole shebang with Syren. If Adrien is not meeting his standards or if he doesn't trust Adrien at all, why is Adrien being allowed to continue as a hero? Or if he really wants Adrien to stay, why isn't he doing anything about Adrien? Why isn't he telling Plagg to encourage Adrien to step up and get serious? If he can take on the role of being Adrien's Chinese teacher, why not do that to try and guide Adrien to improvement so he can also be trusted with Guardian secrets too and truly help Marinette out. He's got two options when he doesn't trust Adrien or finds that he's meeting his standards: he takes the miraculous back or he addresses this issue himself.

- I also call big BS about him not doing anything at all when he comes upon Adrien detransformed on the roof with Plagg. Cause he's risking himself going out to find Chat Noir only to find him detransformed. That realistically should raise some brows and concern him. Adrien at least should've gotten a lecture or warning.

- Also the reveal that kwamis aren't allowed to know about their own power. that to me is off putting. It really stresses that kwamis are beneath them, these very ancient and powerful beings that have probably seen a lot. And canon validates it by making them children (which to me is the writers being lazy so they don't have to do complex characters).

- The whole thing with Fu's backstory. Dumbest backstory I've ever heard and it just paints Guardians in a really bad light, and by extension, real life monks. Monks didn't go to people's homes to take children. If they did take kids with them, those kids had nowhere else to go and offered them a place to stay until old enough to be on their own. And that test, omg, wtf. Ok, I can get the idea of a test of temptation, but there are other ways to perform it without starving a kid. Especially leaving said kid alone unsupervised with 19 powerful miraculi two of which have wish granting abilities. How would the Guardians even know if Fu used a miraculous as they left him alone with mriaculi. If Fu wanted to, he could've made a wish to never be picked.

- Fu didn't even do shit when he finally had a chance to face off against HM. He just sat in his damb ball and allowed himself to get knocked around. At least try and roll over him! Be a ping-pong ball! DO SOMETHING. Like, why did you even pick Turtle??? Turtle wasn't able to do anything against Butterfly! I thought it could as Fu had been ready to go in Origins, plus the 5 are based off Wu Xing, by set up, Fox and Turtle should have some sort of an edge over the Butterfly. But I guess that means there could be other options aside form LB and we can't have that, Marinette's miraculous needs to be the only thing to take on the Butterfly to really stress on the fact that it comes down to only her.

- The memory wipe thing that's an apparently must when you retire from being the Guardian. Honestly I think that should've been saved as a last resort if you're ever captured and could be forced to leak info, not when you retire. Doing so removes a valid source of advisement that a new Guardian can rely on. History is there to learn from it and this tradition removes a source of history to learn from, either from having guidance or seeing what the old did and how you want to change things. This also makes me concerned as I see Adrien taking advantage of an amnesiac Marinette.

- I went off about the NY Special revealing there's more Orders here.

- And lastly, Su-Han, the other Guardian to see aside from Fu. And with him, it solidifies how stupid they all are. When the Butterfly is being misused in Paris, why is someone aggressive and judgmental coming to Paris? Why is this guy even working with kids when he doesn't like kids? And the reveal that Guardians don't use miraculi at all. That just makes that test all the dumber with testers being unsupervised. And for Guardians not meant to use miraculi, how come Marinette gets a nice perk as LB that she can pull a miraculous out of her yo-yo? They're probably playing that she's "the first" to do so but realistically, I'm pressing x to doubt. In the long history of miraculi and when Guardians were around, you expect me to believe that Guardians never used miraculi themselves? What if there was no one to turn to, do they just the disaster happen? ...Well, based on how terrible canon is setting them up, I wouldn't be surprised.

SO.

There is a lot I would change up about the Guardians and for this, I'll adjust canon.

- Adrien gets the ring another way, maybe a gift from his mom or aunt or grandparents. Realistically, there's no logical reason for Fu to pick Adrien. He just has too much attention on him and Chat being an unexpected miraculous user can make him wary, adding to him only trusting Marinette.

- I'd have Fu be more present in Marinette's life, a customer who comes in a lot. This way he can offer advise when needed but not take away from Tikki. And this has him more closely keeping an eye on things.

- I'd change up Fu's backstory. He got separated from his family in a flood, the previous Turtle saved him, tried to help him find his family and with no luck, took him to the Temple, but only the section where other orphans are where they work to help take care of it, oblivious to the miraculous near them. After a year, Fu is one of the few selected to be entrusted with miraculous knowledge. He's surprised but not all that for it as he'd rather go find his family still. Idk how Temple falls but its not that. That was just dumb and avoidable.

- I wouldn't have Adrien meet Fu at all. In truth, it actually could've been cut out entirely as Adrien meeting Fu didn't amount to anything. He doesn't help with Guardian duties, doesn't help pick heroes, hasn't stepped up at all in his role as a partner. And he's not as torn up about Fu's loss as Marinette is. Adrien meeting Fu was pointless in the grand scheme of things. Nothing was progressed or changed from Adrien meeting Fu.

- I'd have HM ONLY getting an edge on Fu because Mayura was there to help him, catching Fu off guard. I want to see the Turtle truly in action, to see what else it can do cause sitting there to be smacked around was just unimpressive. And if Asstruck even did as much research as he could, he'd know that in Chinese mythology, the Turtle is a boss. It's the keeper of history and symbol of immortality, and it's up there with Tiger as an animal that can go toe to toe with the Dragon. And of the Four Symbols (associated with 4 seasons), the Black Turtle is also known as the Black Warrior. There should've been a lot more to Turtle than just sitting in your shell and allowing yourself to be knocked around.

- Su-Han I'd drastically change up. I'd keep in him being critical and stern, but he approaches things smartly and patiently. Before he dives into aggression and accusations, he wants to know what's going on. Why does this 14 yo have the Miracle Box? How was the Butterfly obtained and misused? And what the hell is going on??? How are these people so small and how did they get into this thin glass box?? Computer? What's a computer??? Essentially, have fun with the fact that Su-Han is essentially a time traveler and one great bonding experience to have with Marinette while also offering some good comedy is him learning about the modern time and her acting as his guide. Su-Han can give her guidance that Fu hadn't been able to give, and Marinette can offer her own in a way that Su-Han will need. Which by extension could remove Marinette having a near mental breaking point and revealing herself to Alya, and could avoid some of that drama of what's coming.

- Speaking of which, Adrien. I'd use Su-Han to finally address the issues with Adrien as a hero and partner. Su-Han prioritized Marinette as she has the Miracle Box, but Adrien is someone he'd take the miraculous away from. Adrien would get a very clear warning and call out for his actions and role.

[superherotiger]

Kindred Spirits (Soul Guide AU) // Ongoing Series

Main Series:

A Soul’s Best Friend: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

In a world where meeting one’s soulmate was never guaranteed, soulmates were gifted with Soul Guides; animal companions that represented the emotions and connection between the pair, ranging from small, meek rabbits to intimidating, scaly crocodiles. Regardless of what animal represented your soulmate, they would remain at your side through thick and thin to provide comfort and support when their soulmate could not.

And what a beautiful idea it was, to know your soulmate was always with you, even if it were in the shape of an undyingly loyal companion? Tony wouldn’t know, because he didn’t have a Soul Guide.

That was until one August morning in 2001 when Peter Parker was born.

I’ll Hold You Till the Morning Comes: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

Peter felt like he drifted in and out of reality for a while; like he was in a dream and a nightmare all at once. He hadn’t even really been able to think about the fact that he was Tony Stark’s soulmate the entire day, too busy trying to ignore it and everything associated with it, including Tiger.

The hairs on Peter’s arms stood on end.

Danger!

His eyes immediately shot up, expecting to see Tiger charging at him with claws at the ready, only to see something far worse. Tiger, bloodied and pinned to the floor on his back by an unseen attacker, was crying out not in rage, but terror.

And suddenly Peter realised that the alert from his senses wasn’t meant for him, it had been meant for Mr Stark.

“NO!”

…

(Soul Guide AU. The Siberia fight scene from Peter’s perspective.)

~~~

One-Shots/Requests:

Guard my Sleep, My Restless Soul: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

“Oh bud…” Tony sighed, an ache radiating out from his very soul as he gathered the trembling dog into his arms. He was getting older now, six years having passed by in the blink of an eye, but that never stopped Tony from embracing him as if he were still that bright eyed puppy that had barged into his life all that time ago.

And burrowing into his companion’s embrace without a moment’s hesitation, it seemed Buddy didn’t mind either as he pressed his muzzle into Tony’s neck and melted into his hold.

“My poor boy,” Tony cooed as he ran a hand down the dog’s pelt in soothing strokes. “You still having those nightmares huh? That can be pretty annoying, but… I’ve got you, alright? You don’t have to be afraid…”

Grumpy Cats and Late Night Chats: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

“Is everything alright Tony?” Pepper asked as he grumbled about yet another batch of paperwork that had landed on his desk. “You’ve been more irritated than normal.”

Tony shrugged his shoulders half-heartedly. “I don’t know. I really don’t. This morning I felt fine- great even, and then all of a sudden it just went wrong. I have no idea how or why.”

At that Pepper seemed to pause, glancing over at him sympathetically, before asking “Have you sat with Buddy today?”

“No. He’s been distracted,” Tony replied, hesitating when he noticed the bitterness that had seeped into his tone completely by mistake.

And as if confirming his fears, Pepper hummed and flashed him an amused smile. “Go spend some time with your dog."

Unspoken Agreements: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

Tony and Tiger rarely found themselves on friendly terms, but there was always one thing they could agree on; their love for their kid, Peter Parker.

Always Got Your Back(pack): (Tumblr) (Ao3)

The first time the press caught sight of Tony with the cushioned, ocean blue backpack hanging down his chest and not his back like one might expect, they were perplexed to say the least. After all, it didn’t quite fit the billionaire’s usual suave fashion, and it didn’t seem to have any practical purposes either since they had never seen the man put anything into it. It was just… there, and nobody could figure out why. At the park, down the street, even at a high-end weapons conference.

Wherever the billionaire went, the backpack seemed to follow, and the media continued to scratch their heads as to why.

But one clever reporter and a photo of Tony smiling down at some unseen entity in the backpack later and the papers had found a headline worth printing on every surface in the city.

'Tony Stark’s SOUL GUIDE REVEALED!'

And boy, was it effective

We’ve Got Each Other: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

The recent Mandarin attacks have thrown everybody into a state of panic of dread, but Peter knows so long as he has Tiger, everything will work out in the end.

Nothing to Hide: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

With the help of their soul guides, Tony can always tell when something is on Peter’s mind.

Patrol Playmates: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

Peter meets a new canine playmate while on patrol.

Sweet Dreams: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

Sleep deprived and refusing to leave his lab, Tony leaves Pepper no other option but to call in the big guns.

I’ll Know When You Need Me: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

When a patrol went wrong Tony was always the first to know. Not because of the numerous safety protocols he had installed into Peter’s suit or the panicked flash of the news as the latest tragedy was being covered, but because of the loyal dog that had been by his side for over fifteen years now. His soul guide. His direct connection to Peter and all that he represented.

When Buddy was happy, Peter was happy. When Buddy was hurt, Peter was hurt.

And right now, Buddy was paralysed, shaking from tail to snout with what Tony could only describe as abject horror.

You Know What It Meant To Love Him: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

“He would have been twenty this year…”

Tony didn’t know exactly why he said it, but when Tiger glanced over at him, there was nothing but solemn understanding in his eyes.

“He would have been in college by now… Can you believe that? Our Peter, our little Buddy- all grown up,” Tony added on with a stilted smile, only to hang his head when a new wave of tears began to burn through his vision. “Shit… he still had so much left to do…”

It hurt to say. Hurt to voice the thoughts that had haunted him for so long, but if anybody was going to understand, he knew it would be the part of his soul that had experienced it all alongside him.

Little Assistant: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

Tony struggles to focus on paperwork when his soul guide is being too adorable to ignore.

Sea of Red Roses: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

In an attempt to cheer up his young, grieving soul guide, Tony takes Buddy to a flower field of red roses.

Unmatched Gifts: (Tumblr) (Ao3)

It's Soul's Day, and Peter is struggling to find a gift that will show his soulmate just how much he cares. Thankfully MJ is there to save the day as always.

~~~

Art

Buddy and Tiger (Older)

A Summary of Tony and Buddy

Buddy and Tiger (Younger)

Puzzle Pieces

Fake Disney+ Original

Backpack Pals

Tears Left To Shed

What happens when Peter sits on the roof

Peter gets a dog plushie

Cuddle pile!

“That’s why I loooove, my soul guide! *scream*” [Animation]

Beautiful fanart by the amazing Milstrim!

~~~

Amazing Remix fic by Kingdomfaraway!

~~~

Soul Guide Tag, which includes many random cat and dog videos that my obsessive brain associates with this series hah.

[deci-doodles]

Hi yes welcome back to “no thoughts only Yanfei”. Today, we’re gonna be speculating for the nth time about what kind of illuminated beast Yanfei’s dad is while rambling about Chinese mythological creatures because why tf not

Putting a cut because it’s somewhat lengthy so...

Anyways today’s contestants are: Moon Carver and Xiezhi (and some reference images below)

Now immediately I’m gonna give MC the boot because no, he is not the father and here’s why: Moon Carver’s a fricking deer.

Now, yes, Yanfei has antler-like thingies on her head (interesting how the EN stream didn’t specify if they were horns or antlers specifically) however one thing to note about Chinese mythology is that a lot of its creatures are chimeras, literal mishmashes of different animals.

For instance, qilin in Genshin are depicted as these cute fluffy cloud creatures and while they aren’t wrong in the sense that they are truly benevolent and vegetarian creatures, when I think of qilin all I can think of is the description my dad gave when we were visiting a historic district in China: a creature with the head of a dragon, body of a deer and the scales of a fish.

As you can see, quite the contrast. Ofc the depictions of qilin have varied a lot from having two vs one horn (hence Ganyu’s constellation meaning Chinese unicorn since qilin is sometimes translated as such despite the two being very different) to how fluffy it should be and Mihoyo’s a Chinese company so I’m not gonna bash them for their take on qilin. The point is, deer aren’t the only creatures who have antlers in this neck of the mythology woods. Also Yanfei has scales on her hands, side and legs so yeah nah definitely not part deer adeptus.

(Credits to @lumie_lumie on Twitter for the references)

So does that make Yanfei half-xiezhi? And wtf is a xiezhi anyway?

Welp first off, it’s the most popular contestant that I’ve seen so far. A xiezhi is a legendary creature traditionally associated with justice and the law and could distinguish right from wrong (sound familiar?), many will point out how xiezhi used to feature on the uniforms of court officials. However one key thing about it is that it had a single horn (which it sometimes used to gouge people who did bad things but i digress-) and Yanfei, as we can see, has two.

And so this is where my personal opinion comes in because haha sike I saved it for last: Yanfei’s half Bi’an.

Behold, a toothy boi

Now in Chinese mythology, the Dragon King has nine sons (who sometimes barely even look like dragons) and one of them is called Bi’an (from what I could find, the name literally translates to two different and potentially archaic words for prison lol). Like the xiezhi, Bi’an could distinguish right from wrong and was heavily associated with justice and the law to the point where he’d often feature at the entrances of courts and prisons, always watching. He also had the appearance of a tiger/tiger-dragon hybrid but for now let’s say we went with the latter depiction.

Chinese dragons have two antlers and a long, scaley body so immediately that lines up.

Anyways, I rest my case but have some more rambling about Yanfei’s dad.

-

The steelyard balance he gave Yanfei’s from Rex Lapis himself and it’s basically said that he knows Zhongli’s true identity, so could it be possible that he fought in the archon war too? Then again we don’t know if he’s bound by any contract like the adepti are (although tbh he probably is, I’d have to check again). Zhongli’s voicelines on Honey Impact mention that currently he’s travelling and would more than likely be proud of Yanfei “should he return”, the last part being kinda odd to me because it also implies that he may not return at all darkly enough. However unless there’s a specific reason that’s keeping him on his feet, I doubt that he’d leave Liyue permanently since Yanfei grew up in a loving home and still speaks fondly of her father (her mother’s mortal however we don’t know who she is other than being a merchant so there’s a possibility she’s gone however I think that’s also unlikely since it would more than likely feature in her stories if that were the case). Anyways if he was a Bi’an I kinda wanna see him like a tougher (but still loving) version of Yanfei; Yanfei uses the law to help people and her dad uses it to protect them (ie. convicting criminals).

[ct-multifandom]

MLB ideas/hopes/predictions/prompts

Bunnix using her umbrella to fly like Mary Poppins

Ladybug coming up with an overly convoluted Rube Goldberg machine type plan with her lucky charm, but not having some of the components, so she just sends Pegasus to the store in the middle of a battle

Characters who are close slowly finding out about each other’s superhero identities in funny ways

Pigella picking up something massive and like 10x heavier than her and chucking it

I really want one of these heroes’ tools to be a comically large anime-style weapon, but alas I don’t think they’d do it

Season finale boss fight featuring all the new heroes, which is totally gonna happen at some point, but it would look really busy on screen to have them all running around at once, so I’d split them into smaller teams based on their skills to carry out specific parts of Ladybug’s Epic 36-Step Plan™️. It would make for a satisfying “oh yeah, it’s all coming together” montage and also give us some unique character interactions.

Ladybug picking unique combo teams of new heroes based on their skills to fight specific strong villains

Alya starting a school paper and getting the whole team in on it. I love the episodes where the class does one big project together, they’re so cute.

Someone/a group getting akumatized on purpose to disobey Hawkmoth and take advantage of their akuma’s power for a noble goal

Episode from the POV of a boring background character detailing how the life of the average Parisian is affected by LB and CN. Unreliable scheduling, monster traffic jams, the sheer embarrassment of getting got by an akuma...

I want an animal to get akumatized. Someone’s dog who feels lonely when their favorite human gets a new, demanding job and turns into a terrifying Cerberus beast or something.

Mayor Bourgeois allocates some taxpayer dollars into a LB bank account to support her, and she has to make the very important decision on whether to save it for a real emergency or buy 17 hamburgers.

Okay part of me doesn’t want to make kwami/future hero predictions in case I accidentally come up with something way cooler than what will really happen and then be disappointed, but the other part of me is like hee hoo predikshun. So don’t expect these to actually happen lol.

I won’t talk about Multimouse because we kinda know everything about her, but she looks cute and it’s nice to see two heroes who aren’t super skinny.

The silhouette of Minotaurox in the intro doesn’t offer a lot of insight other than his epic horns. I have no idea what his tool might be. His costume looks to be pretty simple/practical, though, which is in line with Ivan’s character. I heard a theory that his power will be increasing in size, and it makes sense looking at Stoneheart and the pattern of flipping the characters’ flaws on their head, but that sounds kind of boring to me, especially compared to all the other creative abilities.

Tigresse’s silhouette makes me think her design will be awesome. Her tail looks like it might be her tool. It kind of resembles Amethyst’s whip from SU so maybe she can use it to grab things like Ladybug does with her yo-yo. I heard a theory that her power will be invisibility which I support because it takes the flaw that turned Juleka into Reflekta (wanting to be invisible out of insecurity) and makes it powerful like the stealth of a tiger.

From the silhouette, Caprikid looks a bit like a beginner’s Trollhunters cosplay, but I’m sure he’ll be cool. I’ve seen people argue whether he’s Nate or Marc and I’m positive he’s Marc (making Nate CC) so if anyone asks for an explanation I’ll make the comprehensive post on why. He’s holding his tool, and I’ve seen debate over which direction it’s in. If he’s holding it pointed up it looks like a giant calligraphy brush, but I think he’s holding it pointed down and the “brush” is just a decoration on the end. I’ve heard a theory that it’s a shepherd’s cane which is my favorite one. Personal idea here: I’d make his power telekinesis. Pretty basic, but I can imagine it being very useful for the type of scenarios we see in the show without it being OP. I like the idea of using a cane to “shepherd” something through the air. This could reflect Reverser’s desire for control, but flip it to be more collected and useful.

I fully support Coq Courage’s ninja pants, they are simply Correct. It’d be cool if his tool was a bow and arrow, and that seems like a pretty popular theory. The shape to the left of his torso looks like it might be a quiver but it’s probably just his other arm. Thumb rings are used in archery, but what little we’ve seen of the miraculous (disguised on Marinette and Chloe) shows a different type of ring. Still tho. Also get ready for my crazy never-gonna-happen idea: the bow can turn into a hang glider. Roosters can fly, but not super well/freely, which could translate to gliding. It’d add some versatility to the way the heroes move around since a lot of the temporary ones can only run, and it would let him reach places LB might not be able to. I’ve heard a theory that his power will be supersonic voice which could contrast how Nathaniel is bad at communicating and quiet until he gets mad and blows up.

Orikko might be the kwami of illumination. Roosters are associated with the sun and Evillustrator’s power was sourced from light. At first I thought his transformation words might be “sunrise” and “sunset” but someone said the activation code could be “rise and shine” which sounds awesome.

Traquemoiselle, believe it or not, is actually in the intro, she’s just hidden at the very top and only a snippet of the head is showing. All we know is that she has round dog ears. Barrk is surprisingly one of the more fleshed-out kwamis as of now, having a few solid lines of characterization in Furious Fu. Kwamis are usually yin-yang to their holder, so Barrk fits Sabrina perfectly, being loyal yet independent while Sabrina is loyal and an absolute doormat. No clue about her tool. Her power is kinda in the name: tracking. Maybe she can track down some one specific thing of her choice, but maybe she can sniff out akumas. As seen in Dark Owl and Gang of Secrets, Hawkmoth can be creative with akuma placement, so she can probably save the team from some close calls.

I have no theories for the transformation words of the other kwamis. Ziggy or Stompp could include “horns” or “charge” and Roaar “stripes” but I can’t think of any phrase including those words that isn’t too similar to an existing one. There are some phrases based on powers, though, not the animal. Or maybe they’ll just give up and give us another iteration of “Sass, scales slither”.

I think the theme for one of these remaining new heroes might be “assertion”. A lot of them struggle with that as their civilian selves, and the animals that are left can all be associated with independence/dominance, not that the animal traits always play into what the heroes are.

Ok last one, long one: in season 3, Luka’s main traits were “cool and nice” which doesn’t make for an interesting, complex major character, and at first he seemed like the perfect love interest, but from an outside perspective the extent of his kindness is kind of disturbing. I’m hoping they can flip this around and turn it into a character flaw where he has practically no boundaries, and it turns into a problem. Maybe he could agree to run random errands for the background characters for nothing in return, and at first it’s just him being nice, but later people start seeing his help as an obligation. They get peeved when he’s unavailable one day and get akumatized into a “boss rush” of classic akumas, effectively trapping and forcing him to help them. Then Tigresse Pourpe comes and helps save the day, expanding on Juleka and Luka’s relationship. The resolution can teach kids that putting yourself first isn’t necessarily selfish, and that sitting back and letting people take advantage of your kindness isn’t heroic.

There’s probably some stuff I forgot which I can put in a different post later, but lmk if you want a separate post about any of these things in more detail! This was just me rambling out all my new hyperfixation thoughts. Also if anyone uses any of the hypotheticals/scenarios as a prompt I’d love to see it.

[alternateafterthought]

Golden Time - Part 10

> Pairing: Hybrid Jeon Jungkook x Reader

> Summary: Y/N has been rescuing and recovering hybrids her entire life. Now she has inherited her grandparents hybrid sanctuary. It was a normal rescue, get the hybrid, recover him and give him a choice, stay on the sanctuary or find a life for himself. Why was this one so different?

> Genre: Hybrid!au, romance, smut, angst, fluff 

> Word Count: 2061

> A/N: Hey guys... here is the next part of my Jungkook hybrid fic!! There are only 4 parts left of this fic after this one!! It’s finally coming to and end but there is still a bit for them to get through!! I really hope you are all enjoying this fic and will be with me until the end of it!! ALSO those who wish to be added to an eventual tag list, please leave a comment or an ask or message me!! Thank you so much for your support!!

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9]

Y/N waited, quietly watching as Lee and his guards pulled away. The smirk he left with stayed on his lips as he drove away into the distance. For a few more moment, purely out of caution, Y/N stayed where she stood before turning around.

Y/N saw Reyna standing next to Jungkook, talking to him softly, so he doesn't panic and run. Namjoon stood in front of Jimin and Taehyung, his eyes on Y/N, asking if everything was good. With a slight nod from Y/N, Namjoon moved to the side, to allow Jungkook to see Y/N himself.

Jungkook was quickly in front of Y/N, looking her over, sniffing around her to make sure she had no injuries. He frantically made sure she was safe. He tried to remain in control as he made sure she wouldn't run away from him. Now she could truly see the useless trouble he would bring her.

What surprised him was how calm Y/N was, how protective she was of him. Her hands stayed on his arms, holding him, keeping him calm. Her peaceful eyes making contact with his own.

"Are you okay, Kook?" Y/N whispered, moving her body closer to his own.

He shook his head, his level of honesty with Y/N being something he would always leave open. His hands moved to rest on her hips, wanting to touch her, wanting her to be close. Y/N let him pull her towards him, his head falling into her neck as he breathed deeply.

"We'll put these away for you." Reyna spoke softly, pointing at their groceries. "You just stay with him."

Before Y/N could protest, Jimin and Taehyung were packing their groceries into the back of her car. Namjoon and Reyna packing their own into their car a few spots down. In that moment, Y/N couldn't have been more thankful for her new found friends.

"Do you want to talk? Or just go home?" Y/N asked, giving him the option to stay in town or go home if he'd had enough.

"Home."

"Okay then. Let's help the boys so we can go home." Y/N gave the option, feeling Jungkook nod before standing to his full height.

"I'll help them." Jungkook rubs his chin on top of Y/N head before moving to Jimin and Taehyung.

Y/N smiled as Jimin and Taehyung immediately included Jungkook in helping. She grabbed her bag, quickly locating her phone and sending a message to everyone at the farm.

'Be on guard. Lockdown to everyone after the sun sets.

Unfortunately, it was something normal for the sanctuary. To lockdown the entire sanctuary because of a threat like this. To many hybrids had come out of bad situations and those humans had come looking for them. Y/N understood the nature of a hybrid, why they did what they did. It was humans who made her truly question the world.

After saying bye to the small family, with the promise of keeping in contact, and Jimin and Taehyung coming out to visit Jungkook, Y/N and Jungkook quickly made their way home. Packing their groceries away together, Y/N kept an easy vibe so not to make Jungkook panic. She watched him secure the house, making sure his territory was protected.

"Hey Kook," Y/N looked at him as they both finished putting the last of the groceries away. "I have to go and check on everyone around the property." Jungkook nodded in understanding. "I want you to stay with the Astor's until I get back." Jungkook was about to protest before she spoke again. "It will only take about an hour and a half, two hours at most to get all around and help everyone stay calm."

When Jungkook finally agreed, Y/N walked Jungkook to the Astor's front door before leaving to circle the sanctuary. Y/N didn't like that everyone was almost used to things like this. Used to the threat of a human who thought they had more rights just because their DNA wasn't part animal.

Y/N started with the inner parts of the houses, where the prey animals lives. Smaller ones like rabbits and mice and meerkats, gazelles, smaller birds, and more prey animals all seemed to be a lot more scared when something like this happens. But they also knew they were protected here on the sanctuary and were happy to see a familiar face like Y/N.

Moving out to the outer houses, and the predator hybrids, they were not as worried. They of course wanted to protect their home, protect the woman who cared enough for them to help them through anything they had been through. Each of them had made sure their own houses were safe, especially those with a family, and then some went out to patrol. Lions, tigers, even a bear hybrid lived on the sanctuary were all willing and ready to patrol.

Y/N got to the last house, the one house she needed to visit. Knocking twice on the door she could hear and excited voice and one trying to calm them down. She was always happy to come out here, she wanted to introduce Jungkook to them. But not until she knew he was happy and settled.

"Y/N!" Jung Hoseok, an excited beagle hybrid opened the door, crashing into Y/N. He hugged Y/N tightly as she peaked over his shoulder to see Yoongi behind him. "It's been so long. How've you been?"

"You stink of someone." Yoongi said from behind Hoseok.

"The new hybrid. The rabbit." Hoseok sniffed before stepping back. "He wants to mate you."

"You can smell all of that?" Y/N asked surprised, eyebrow raised.

"No, but word gets around pretty quick here." Hoseok laughed. "You and Jungkook, that's the name right, have been the talk of the sanctuary for a few weeks now."

"We have?" This was news to Y/N.

"Even I can tell you've fallen for him," Yoongi gestures for Y/N to come in. "Just put the poor guy out of his misery and tell him you love him."

"I don't think I'm in l-"

"Yes you are. I can smell it on you." Yoongi, a black jaguar hybrid, shut the door, cutting off Y/N. "Anyone on this entire property can smell it on you."

"That and everyone is always talking about how he watches over you." Hoseok sat next to Y/N as she sat on the couch. "Apparently his mannerisms are a lot more predator when he's protecting you."

"Is that why your here? To introduce him to us?" Yoongi asked, even though she knew they both knew why she was here.

"I'm here to make sure you all got my message. We're on lockdown until I deal with his previous owners." Y/N shrugged, but both could see the determination in her eyes.

"I already patrolled the land around us." Yoongi was comfortable in his chair. "I've checked and set up the cameras and everything. Hoseok is going to go out after you leave for another once over of the property."

"They won't be getting in or anywhere near you." Hoseok wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Not unless you give the okay that they can be on your property."

"It's your home too." Y/N smiled, bumping her shoulder against him happily.

"And we want our home, and our saviour, protected."

Y/N looked Hoseok and Yoongi. They were her longest friends. They were the first hybrids she, herself, rescued. She had been through so much with them and wanted them as safe as she wanted anyone here. She didn't want any of them to have to go through something like this, and yet, they lived in this type of world.

Y/N soon said her goodbyes, with the promises of bringing them to meet Jungkook. Soon Y/N was walking the well lit path back to her house. As she passed, she would wave to each person watching over her.

The night was peaceful, a soft breeze kept the sticky night heat from being overwhelming. She always loved the open air of the farm she had been raised on and lived. The night sky was always her favourite, a clear sky of the moon and the stars, it always bought her peace of mind. Breaking her out of the quiet walk, her phone started ringing. Thinking it might have been Jungkook or one of the Astor's, Y/N made the mistake of picking it up without checking caller ID.

"Hello?" Y/N answered at ease.

"Hello? I am calling for a Miss Y/N Y/L/N?" An almost too sugary sweet voice spoke through the phone.

"She is speaking." Y/N replied, on guard.

"Oh Miss Y/L/N," the person continued. "My name is Jeon Su-Jin. I was referred to you by a mutual of ours."

"Oh? And if you don't mind my asking, who might that have been?" Y/N asked cautiously.

"A Mrs Bonavich's." The name made Y/N's blood run cold. "She told me I could find a hybrid by the name of Jungkook with you?"

"Yes. I acquire him from her a few months ago."

"Oh perfect."

"May I ask why you called about him, Mrs Jeon?"

"Oh well, you see..." Her little pause seemed to be for some type of sympathetic reasoning, it wasn't going to work with Y/N. "My husband and I, Mr Jeon, have been so very fond of Jungkook for years. The Bonavich's and us have been friends since before I was married. And they got Jungkook and we treated him as if he were our grandson."

Y/N allowed her to pause again, it sounded like she was crying, well... trying to cry. The half choked up she got was picked up easily by Y/N.

"And when they sold him well... we were absolutely besides ourselves. It was like our own grandson had left." The woman sighed deeply. "I... We were wondering if we could maybe, buy him off you?"

Y/N stilled on the top step of her front porch. Y/N would never sell any of her friends she had made on this sanctuary. Much less sell anyone to someone who associated themselves with the Bonavich's.

"Oh, Mrs Jeon I am so sorry." Y/N spoke into the phone. "But I do not sell, nor trade, nor do I just give away any hybrids."

"What?"

The sweet voice of the woman had now gone. It was quickly replaced with the cold, dead voice of a woman who would not take no as an answer. Y/N could imagine she wasn't very happy to hear those words.

"You won't sell him to me?"

"I'm afraid not, Ma'am." Y/N turned on the porch, looking down the driveway to where the front entrance would be. "Once I have acquired a hybrid, I do not let them go back into someone's home they knew. Because the people they come from are not usually the best environment for them."

"Now, you listen to me," Mrs Jeon was angry now, and she wasn't even trying to hide it. "That hybrid is my grandson. My real biological grandson. And if you don't give him back, I will go to the police."

"The law clearly states that once a hybrid is put into the system and adopted, by law and in the eyes of any court, they are the hybrids family." Y/N knew the law, she had watched her grandfather help create those laws, she wasn't about to let anyone take advantage of her.

"He is my hybrid." She all by screeched into the phone.

"I thought he was your grandson?" Y/N raised an eyebrow, asking a question Y/N knew she wouldn't be able to answer. Hearing the silence Y/N continued. "Thank you for your call Mrs Jeon. I am sorry we could not work something out. Goodbye."

Y/N waited a few seconds before hanging up, giving her a few moments to change her mind. She did not. Pocketing her phone Y/N sighed, sad for the life Jungkook seemed to have.

But seeing him now, seeing Jungkook walk the path from the Astor's to her, she was glad he was here. Glad that Jungkook was now happy and healthy and safe.

"What are you smiling so much about?" Jungkook asked as he skipped up the stairs, his ears flopping.

On the last step, right in front of Y/N he stopped. Y/N placed her hands on his shoulders before leaning in. Jungkook's eyes were wide as her lips softly touched Jungkook's own shocked ones.

Y/N had decided. It was the best thing she had ever decided to do. And her decision was Jungkook.

"Come on." Y/N smiled as she intertwined her fingers with Jungkook's, pulling him towards the door. "Let's have something to eat."

Jungkook happily followed Y/N, opting to wrap his arms around Y/N as they walked into their home.

Tag List

@haven-raven012591 | @ariana-winchester95 | @jennyjq | @Iwannag0h0me-c0m | @cstobitk | @goldenbangtann | @patpus | @lorielulu7 | @bubbletaetaesstuff | @narcissism-iskey | @yoongisabby | @demonslunacy | @sana-b | @chanyeolol | @nanskidoodle |

[phis-corner]

wild

Another prompt for @jasonette-july-2k20​, also cross-posted on Ao3 under the name m3owww. The other prompt fills are also on there.

“We’re going to the zoo!” Dick announces. “Everybody is mandated to come. Otherwise, Oracle’s locking you out of all your devices for a month. And by everybody, I mean everyone who dons a costume at night to beat people up.”

Marinette groans. This is not going to go well.

Scene I: The Giraffes

“Hey, it’s the giraffes!” Steph exclaims. “Woah, those are really tall.”

“We would have to stack three Damians to reach the height of one female giraffe.” Tim remarks, clutching a large thermos of coffee.

Damian snarls. “Do you wish to die, Drake?” Bruce snatches Damian’s backpack from him before he can pull out his knives.

Jason pokes Marinette in the side. “Male giraffes are eleven feet. If you stood on my shoulders, we’d be around that height.”

“Yes, yes, I know. Call me short, Jay. But I could easily punch you in the groin if I wanted.” Marinette grumbles. She pointedly ignores the commotion next to her. 

Damian has tackled Tim, Dick is trying to pull him off, Steph is cheering him on, and Cass is happily watching the giraffes. Bruce is rummaging through Damian’s backpack and grimacing at the amount of weapons the child packed.

Go figure.

Scene II: Elephants

“Well, this kind of stinks.” Jason remarks, as the baby elephant in front of them decides to take a poo. They all collectively gag as the smell wafts their way.

“Let’s just move on.” Bruce decides, and the group starts walking, except for Damian.

“Five more minutes, Father.” The boy commands. “It is too adorable to leave.”

Marinette has never been more glad that she always brings face masks around. She hands one to Jason and puts the other on. At least this muffles most of the scent.

Bruce sighs. “Damian-”

“Five minutes, Father.” He hisses dangerously.

“Guess we’re stuck here.” Tim says sadly. “It’s going to be a long five minutes.”

Scene III: Reptile House

“Mari! Look here! It’s a Burmese Python!” Jason calls, pointing to a massive snake coiled in one of the terrariums.

Marinette shudders. “Eugh, these creep me out. Guess I use the mouse miraculous too much. I just hope we can move on soon.”

“This snake is beautiful.” Damian declares, gesturing at a King Cobra. “I wish to keep it as a pet.”

“Little D, this is a zoo!” Dick chastises. “Not an animal shelter with pets up for adoption!”

“Are you crazy? That’s the longest venomous snake in the world!” Tim shrieks.

Damian sniffs. “Precisely, Drake. I wish to train it to attack you, just as I have with all my other pets.”

“You- what?” Tim splutters. “That’s why none of the animals like me? I’m changing your Wifi password.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Steph walks up to Marinette and Jason, holding out a tub of popcorn. “Want some?”

“Thanks.” Marinette reaches for the popcorn, then freezes. “Wait. Where’d you get this?”

The blonde grins. “I have Cass on my side. Anything is possible.”

“Speaking of which,” Jason frowns. “Where is she?”

Scene IV: Butterfly House

Dick shrieks as another butterfly flaps past his head. “I swear, these things are trying to kill me!”

“Tt, don’t be stupid, Grayson. They are harmless creatures.” Damian scoffs.

Marinette hums thoughtfully. “I mean, most butterflies are, but if they’re actually the demonic purple butterflies sent by a crazy fashion designer with a magical brooch to prey on negative emotions and turn people into colorful monsters with ridiculous powers that I spent three years fighting, then we’re in trouble.”

Jason blinks. “Sometimes, I forget how crazy your life was.”

“Yeah, I wish I could do that.” Marinette sighs. “Gabriel was a dick.”

Tim raises his camera and snaps a picture of Steph giggling as a butterfly makes itself at home in her hair.

Bruce almost-smiles. “At least no one’s trying to kill each other here. Everyone is- wait.” He scans the house, frowning.

“Guys, have any of you seen Cass?”

Scene V: Penguins

As it turns out, Cass went off to buy a slushy. She joins them at the penguin exhibit and watches gleefully as Bruce tries to interrogate the poor birds. Tim is filming the entire thing on his camera.

“Have you ever had any association with the Gotham villain known as Penguin in the past?”

“Squawk.”

“What, exactly, is your connection to the criminal otherwise known as Oswald Cobblepot?”

“Squawk?”

“Answer my question!” Bruce growls at the birds.

Jason’s shoulders are shaking with silent laughter, and Marinette stifles a giggle.

“Father, these are-”

“Silence, Damian! I am interrogating the moles that Penguin planted at the zoo.”

One especially brave penguin waddles right up to Bruce, leaving only a few inches of space in between their faces.

They engage in a silent staring contest.

Then…

“SQUAWK!” The penguin screeches in Bruce’s face. Being the Batman, he doesn’t startle (very much) and simply growls as the penguin dives into the water, chirping happily.

“Get back here! I wasn’t done yet!”

Scene VI: Tigers

The orange and black-striped feline elegantly prowls towards the group, heading straight for Cass, who beams and reaches her hand out to press up against the glass. The tiger nuzzles into the wall between them, and Cass frowns.

Captive. She signs. Free?

“This tiger was born in captivity.” Bruce says. “She wouldn’t survive in the wild. And for future reference, none of you are allowed to free the zoo animals.”

Dick sighs. “Aw, come on B, Dami and I had our heist already halfway planned!”

“This tiger is beautiful.” Damian states. “She is graceful in a way that humans cannot master.”

“What about Cass?” Jason points out. “She’s just as graceful as the tiger.”

Cass smiles, pleased. Thank you, little brother.

“Marinette and Dick are really graceful when they’re in the air too!” Steph adds.

Marinette winces. “Key word being air. I’ve already tripped over my own feet six times, and another three times on Jason.”

Right on cue, as she moves to read another plaque, she trips over Jason’s foot and flails. He catches her in a dip like the good boyfriend he is and promptly kisses her- passionately.

Damian makes a disgusted noise, Dick sighs, Tim snaps a picture, and Cass smacks them both on the backs of their heads.

Children. She signs, and they both smile sheepishly. Two toddlers are staring, openmouthed, and Marinette counts five parents covering their children’s eyes.

“Oops.”

Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose. “You two can contribute to Alfred’s PDA jar when we get back.” 

“Aww, Bruce!” Jason complains.

“He has strict rules and you didn’t follow them.” Steph chirps. “You brought this on yourself.”

“Timbo, help me out here?”

Tim looks up from where he’s fiddling with his camera. “Uh, no thank you? You two have scarred multiple children for life. It’s only five dollars. You’ll survive.”

“No! Betrayed! By my own family!” Jason wails, and Marinette huffs.

“Mon oiseau, you are the son of a billionaire. Not to mention, all the money you make from your… extracurriculars. You can pay the five dollar fine.”

“It’s the principle of the thing!”

At the end of the day, all of them are tired and sweaty. They agree that maybe the zoo isn’t the greatest place for a family outing, except for Damian, who wants to return to kidnap (Animalnap? Zoonap?) the animals and set them free.

As they get out of the minivan one by one, Marinette, who is right behind Damian, spots something in his shirt move.

“Damian, what’s in your shirt?”

The boy snarls. “Nothing!”

“Damian…” Bruce sighs, and Damian reluctantly pulls out a green grass snake.

“It is non-venomous. Nobody will miss it.” He says defensively, and there is a chorus of groans.

“It’s a snake.” Tim points out. “That you stole. From the zoo.”

Damian sniffs. “I prefer the term liberated.”

Jason groans, and rests his chin on the top of Marinette’s head. She staggers underneath the extra weight. “I hate this fucking family.”

Marinette reaches up to poke him in the chest. “You know you love us. Why else would you wear a bat on your chest?”

“To piss Bruce off.”

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

[queensdivas]

Peonies Chapter 6

Finally getting to the good stuff because I have been waiting for these chapters!!! Like waiting for Chiara to get to this point and for the record. This chapter is very long. Freakin’ 15 pages on my google docs so just be ready for a long read. 

But!

+18 and older in this chapter!!! Smut alert (cause it’s spicy)!!!!!!! Once again +18 and older in this chapter!!! 

Other than that here we go!!! 

Next chapter 

Previous Chapter 

Masterlist 

HOLY FUCK FUCK FUCK!

GOD THIS IS FANTASTIC HOLY SHIT!

My fingers were yanking on his hair as I was riding him to oblivion! His nails dug into my back for the tempo to pick up even more. I could feel his teeth biting hard into my neck which made me squeeze even harder. I never thought that being bitten was such a wonderful feeling in my life! His teeth just clenching into my skin just made it so much better!

“Holy fuck Chiara!” He took in a huge breath of air as I pushed him down onto the ground.

“Scream my name!” I yelled as we were getting closer and closer to that sweet edge!

“GRIGOR AH FUCK!” My nails digging into his chest!

“Choke me.” I stopped to then looked directly into his eyes.

“Do you want me to say it in italian? Ti prego soffocami Chiara.” Holy hell. If that’s what he wants then who am to say no. Picking up my rhythm again as my hand reached down to his throat.

“That’s it...holy shit that’s it!” God I could feel him..Holy hell. My toes were curling from the pleasure as me choking him would fuck me harder! The way he’s moaning is just absolutely stunning and making it so much better! It’s so..fucking..beautiful! His moaning just sends shivers up and down my entire core!

Grigor's hands traveled up to squeeze my breast tightly for then his left hand to travel up to my neck. Oh god he’s going faster! Yes yes yes yes! I could see flowers blooming! Stars exploding before my eyes. I had to let go of my grip to collapse on his chest as he pounded into me.

God I want to stick my tongue down his throat fuck! Turning my head for me to start kissing the fuck out of him. Our tongues slithered around with one another till he basically took over for a few moments. Stopping the tangliging as he began diving into my neck to mark the shit out of me.

“Stick your tongue down my throat.” Pulling his head from my neck to start slamming my lips against him for our tongues to start twirling around with one another. God his tongue can make me come just from this Jesus. He stopped as the final penetration was arriving and it was so beautiful! Each thrust was hitting exactly where it needed to be!

“Grigor! Grigor..” My eyes rolled in the back of my head as we looked at one another. Just watching his facial expression change was just intoxicating!

“Cumming..CUMMING!” Grigors neck leaned back as I laughed since I’ve never seen him in such selief. After a moment he looked up to see that I..I..

“Did you not?” It cued for him as he pushed me onto the ground and got on top of me.

“I may not be able to finish you with my cock. But I know your pussy loves other things besides cock. Ride my face.” My entire body turned dark red for me to slide down and positioned myself on his face.

Dear...Ah...God...I can’t even describe on how. Ahhhhh. My hands began to touch my own breast for my head to lean back to almost fall backwards onto his body. His tongue was going round and round constantly.

My hand went down to start rubbing my own clit to make the sensation feel even more exquisite. Yes..YES! While my right hand was continuing on my clit my left hand began to pull his air. His two bare hands travelled up my sides to then give my ass a wonderful smack.

“Gri..Grigor..almost..almost..” He kept smacking which was the final push over the edge. A wave of electricity streaked through my body in the final moment. Yanking his hair as hard as I could for him to moan underneath my body.

This Russian coldness couldn’t even bother us at the moment from the large amount of body heat radiating off one another. Climbing off of him to then lay down on the cool grass. My chest was rising and falling as we both were staring up into the tree. The leaves are swaying in the wind that was allowing a cool breeze to rest on our naked bodies.

“Holy fuck.” I smiled as we turned our heads to face one another.

“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something like that…” He commented as I smiled.

“Our love making would’ve been the type you would see in great halls. The greek gods I believed experienced something like that before.” Grigor sat up to grab a glass of water. He took a large sip then for me to sit up and take a sip after him.

“Tell me my dearest do you always enjoy..” Motioning to his neck as he sighed.

“The Emperor told me once that it helps make this more pleasurable. Guess that’s the only time that he’s been right because holy fuck.” I guess so. He wasn’t wrong about that because that was fantastic. Wait..those are hand prints.

“Grigor..I left..” Oh shit. I left markings and more specifically my hand marks from too hard of choking.

“I’m so sorry oh my…” I feel horrible! My eyes drifted over to my shoulder where I had bite marks from what I could see.

“Barbarians we are.” He commented as he scooted closer to me and kissed his own bite marks. I leaned over to see that we still had some fresh bread and I am starving. Leaning over to grab a slice then spread a little jam.

“So when were you going to tell me you’ve been learning italian.” Taking a bite as he snuck in to take the next bite.

“Figured you would be more impressed. A tutor for the children was teaching them French and since French and Italian are very similar, it worked out perfectly.” He had a little jam on the corner of his mouth. Leaning in to lick it off he left a soft kiss on his lips.

“Thieves should be punished.” Laughing as I was extremely close to his face.

“Should I be?” My hand snuck up his chest

“Yes. But not at this moment.” Raising my piece of my bread to then scoot away from him. Grabbing a grape to put into my mouth to slow eat in front of him.

“You should try these grapes Grigor. They taste devine.” Taunting him with another grape as I could tell he wanted to get on top of me and ravish. But ah ah ah. He’s being punished for being such a thief. He took a grape from the vine scoot over towards me with it in his mouth.

“No reward for your Grigor. You’ve stolen from me.” Tapping the grape for him to chew it then kissing my finger.

“You’re too much for me Chiara.” Falling back onto the ground as I laughed at him for a minute. I enjoy a little torture in my life.

“When am I going to see those sketches on Grigor? You promised me.” Looking down at him as he smirked at me. Forming my puppy eyes to have him get up from the grass and onto the blanket.

Joining him on the blanket as he opened his sketching bag. He pulled out the first sketch as it..oh..why am I not surprised that it’s a naked woman. But the details are remarkable. To the smallest details on the naked bodies to small beauty marks.

“Grigor..Grigor this is scandalous.” Chuckling as I went to the next is that Svenska? Now the cold was catching up as I felt him place his coat around my shoulder. This is one of the most comfortable coats I’ve worn.

“How on earth did you persuade Svenska to get naked for you?” Asking him as he started to rub the back of his head.

“Costed a gold necklace.” Mhmmm.

“So you’ve slept with other people besides George?”

“Of course not! Before George yes but as I told you, all it costed was a gold necklace.” Well normally I’m not one for degrading fellow women in this world. But at least my nipples aren’t bigger than apples. I kept going through his artwork to see more than naked women, there was one of a wild elk with such gigantic antlers! I’ve never seen one with such large antlers and a tiger?

“That was my old tiger. His name was Maxim and was a wonderful cat till he ripped the arm off my old nanny. Other than that he was a wonderful pet.”

“You would enjoy Africa and all the wildlife there Grigor. You would be able see a herd of zebras and the elephants. Watch those wonderful Lions attack these prey and even better. Witness a cheetah running full speed at an ostrich!” Then reality kicked in. He wouldn’t come to Africa to sketch some wild animals. Truth be told I have been beginning to enjoy our time together. Even before the wild sex.

“Tell me more about Trento.” He asked for me to raise my eyebrow. It’s not like he’s ever going to visit there in his life.

“Why must I always talk about myself. I feel as if it’s all about myself without even knowing much about you. I know you obviously but I get old talking about myself.” Telling him as I handed him back his sketches.

“Rijn Van Rembrandt. My father took me to St. Petersburg for some business. When I was there I snuck off from the boring meeting to see an exhibition happening. His work Bathseba at her bath was on display and I just stood there. My father eventually found me and that is when he bought me my first sketching papers and pencils.” Kissing him softly to show a little gratitude

“Thank you for sharing with me Grigor.” Another kiss for him to place his hands on my cheeks.

“My mother surprisingly did not enjoy the idea of me drawing. Said it would lead to bad habits and wanting to seek out what is bad for me.” He took the sketches from my hands for his hands to travel up my left leg.

“You’re not imagining your mother are you? Catherine told me that the Emperor thinks about his mother when he does the deed.” I started laughing because Grigor fell back onto the blanket and laughed.

“My mother sadly loved me and always looked out for me in the end. Not to mention she treated me like a human being instead of a diseased child.” My eyes widened at his statement to pop another grape into his mouth.

“You really don’t enjoy him do you?” At this point this is starting to lay the seeds of the coup into the mind of Peter's most trustworthy associate. I’m not saying that all this time has been going towards the coup. Because I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve been spending together with one another. Trust me. But I also came here to help Catherine with the coup. Just took a little break because someone’s cock is marvelous. Oh that was too much.

“He’s a good friend to say the most. We do enjoy hunting together, drinking, and partying.” Not going to bring up George of course since it’s not my place.

“Hmmm. Must be interesting to see someone like Peter rule a country when he’s such a loose canon.”

“Well that’s where I come in my dear. I’m sort of that force that blocks those too mad for the country ideas. He’s tried to establish that the ladies of the court walk around in only robes and their hats. I then told him about the mysert that women hold and that they need to stay mysterious.” Wow. Who’d know that Grigor had such an important role. I’m not saying that he’s not important but he’s the barrier from all the bad ideas. Not all of them but tries his best I’m assuming.

Though reality striked that Grigor will be staying in Russia once I finally head back to Italy. I think that if we continue this sort of love relationship that he would want to come to Italy but I highly doubt it’s going to happen. He has grown significantly a part of my life in such an intimate way that it’s a little hard to imagine that possibly within a few weeks I’ll be going home and leaving this troublesome country.

Yet deep down in that hardened soul he wouldn’t leave his wife for some foreign Duchess because his home his here, his future children will be here, and I will be Italy. Eventually there will be a time that I will have to get married to some other Duke or Prince who the hell knows at this point. Eventually I’ll have to get married and bring some sort of child into this world and continue on the cycle of life. At Least I’m completely aware of this fact and if he wants to come to Italy he can if not then all I lose is a lover.

SHIT! I HAVE A MEETING WITH CATHERINE TO DISCUSS SPEECHES AND ABOUT WINNING OVER MORE THAN JUST THE LADIES OF THE COURT!

“Grigor I am so sorry but I completely forgot Catherine and I are supposed to have tea very soon!” Grabbing my shirt to stand up and slip it onto my body. I then grabbed my pants to practically jump into them. I finished getting dressed to see Grigor and watched me from the blanket the entire time.

“My darling. Come to my chambers tonight and we shall finish this sketch, with a lot of wine and cheese.” Ordering him but in a very seductive matter. Though this may not last forever, I might as well enjoy the time in the present.

“Add some oranges please, and peaches.” My hands moved around to then place my hand right underneath his neck.

“And make sure those peaches are extremely juicy.” Telling him as my lips hovered over his but didn’t kiss.

“Is that understood?”

“Yes m’lady.” He shivered and gave him one extremely long kis to the point I gave his bottom lip a quick suck and bite. He moaned for a moment as I got up from the ground and my boot knife since I forgot to put it in my boot.

“Ciao Grigor!” Swaying my hips a little more to know that he was staring directly at my ass. He is starting to grow on me and these unknown feelings that have entered my core are rather nice. Though this will not be a cliche story of where I just ignore my feelings and take months on them. I’m a little smarter than that.

Making it inside the palace to see Count Orlo walking up the stairs with rolled up maps tucked in his arms. Catching up to him as he turned his head to shake it at me.

“You missed the meeting.” He commented as I sighed.

“My apologies. You going to slap me on the wrist for missing?”

“No. Just you’re here to help, not sleep with the enemy.”

“Think of it as a way for me to help get closer to the enemy. What did I miss?”

“Catherine is going with Elizabeth to the front in order to bring up the moral with the soldiers. It’s a good tactic to get the military on our side and then the church afterwards.” They looked up maps underneath his arm?

“Are those maps Orlo?” He motioned me into the empty room.

We walked over to the big table for him to plop down all the rolled up papers he had tucked underneath his arms. Going through them till he found the one he was looking for. Opening it up to then place random tabletop places. The entire war map was displayed before me as I noticed that a lot of the Sweds were winning this war.

“The Swedish have taken control of Sosnovyy Bor. An important port but not as important as Vyborg where we’re keeping them completely out of.” Taking a look to see how close Sosnovyy Bor was to St. Petersburg and it’s closer than I could’ve imagined. At any time they could easily invade St. Petersburg and we lose the war. Though it would be a good way so that Peter can be bethrowned but now can head into Moscow then to us. I’m going to avoid bloodshed in this battle.

“Orlo. How much has Catherine learned from this map?”

“She told me that she would get all the information she needed when arriving at the front.” Great.

“Orlo. Let me have this map and I’ll go through my studies to see if I can find a solution.” I think I have an idea.

“What are you planning?” Rolling up the map for myself then smiling.

“Making Catherine look like a genius.” Walking away from Orlo to then head to my chambers.

This..this might work.

*The Next Morning*

Since I missed the meeting because of lust and sketches. Catherine came up with a brilliant idea (not sarcastic at all I promise) that we would go to the front to see the soldiers and how the war is going. This is a good learning chance on my military tactics that I was more than happy to accompany her to the front.

Now I understand what she’s trying to do and I’m here to help with bringing up the soldiers moral! But at such Godless hours in the morning. And macaroons? Bring them a feast with warm meat and vegetables! Not sugary sweets! Who knows maybe it will. Catherine does know what she’s doing...most of the time. Not that she isn’t smart but soldiers prefer victories over sweets, but we won’t know till we get there.

My hand was resting on Grigor's bare chest for me to open my eyes. I’m meant to go with Catherine and Elizabeth to the front for some moral and aid. On our way there I plan on slipping a little advice under Catherines greatness. Sort of passing a note in order to get the War moving on.

Scooting over to place a soft kiss on his cheek for him to still be asleep. Fernanda came into the bedroom with my clothes for the ride. She looked at Grigor then making sure that she wasn’t too loud.

“Heavy sleeper. We’ll be fine.” Telling her as I lifted the nightgown off for her to hand me my white shirt. The corset was next for me as I looked over at Grigor who was still asleep. Hopefully this doesn’t wake him up. Placing the corset on my body as I stood straight up to wait for her to start tightening it.

“Holy shit!” Whispering as she pulled a little to the tight. I think my lungs are coming out of my throat! Another quick tight pull for her to tie it up for Grigor to still be asleep. I finished getting dressed and he was still asleep.

“I’ll be going to the front of Fernanda. Let him know whenever he wakes up that I’m not sure when I’ll get back.” Telling her as she nodded. She handed me my belt and sword for me to tighten it. Then finally my boot dagger for safety measures. If I’m going to be with a bunch of men then I’m going to stay safe. I do need something to do on the ride so why not a book. The Spirit of the Laws by Montesquieu, seems fitting.

Walking back over to Grigor's bed side to place a soft kiss on his forehead. This must’ve woken him since he grabbed my arm softly. Opening his eyes slightly for him to get up from the bed and rub his eyes.

“Good morning.” Telling him as he yawned.

“Good morning. Where are you off to?”

“I’m going to the front with Catherine and Elizabeth for the day.” Kissing his lips for him to nod then widened his eyes.

“To the front? You’re not even Russian! So why do you care about the war?” Though he does have a point since they’re not my men, not even my country.

“You do remember that I’m here for Catherine. Where she goes I must go, and if she is to go to the front then I must go to the front.” Telling him yet he was still confused about my reasoning.

“I’ll be just fine. You know that I’m more than capable of handling myself.”

“Let me kiss you for a few more minutes please.” He begged to pull me on top of him and smashed his lips against mine. Sitting in his lap for him to place kisses all over my neck and face. His lips are wonderful and extremely intoxicating. But as much as I would love him to undress me and ravish me, I have to get going for our trip.

“Grigor..Grigor stop…” Laughing for him to stop and look at me.

“Must you go?”

“Yes. I promise I’ll be back this evening and you can tell me about that new trick you’ve learned.”

“Which one?”

“The seated wheelbarrow I think is what you called it.” Climbing off him to stand up next to him.

“Ciao Grigor.” He took my hand to place a soft kiss for me to walk away. I could hear Catherine coming towards the door from the other side. Opening it to see her all dolled up in her appropriate attire.

“Good morning Chiara.” Bubbly and excited in a sense for the front.

“Good morning Catherine. You are more ready than ever I see.” Telling her as we began walking down the hall.

“I’m very excited to see the front. It should be a very important learning experience for me and should help with the coup tremendously.” She told me as I nodded.

“Have you been keeping up with the war?” Asking her for us to start walking down the stairs to the carriages.

“Not really. Velementov can give me an update on arrival.” He won’t have time. He’s too busy trying to win the war!

“But you have to go in with some sort of plan Catherine. Even you would have something like that of the sorts going into it.” Telling her as she stopped walking down the stairs to turn to face me.

“This isn’t a tactic. And I imagine you are unaware of what’s going on in the war just as much as I am.” I love her confidence but this sort of idea that he’ll just tell her his plans. I think Catherine needs to understand the true situation.

“The Sweds have taken control of Sosnovyy Bor and will make their way up the coast to invade St. Petersburg. If they keep Bor they’ll use it as a city to regather supplies, the man power, and then they head to Saint Petersburg. If Velementov gets his head together he can invade Bor easily and push them all the way back to Hanko. Then from Hanko to Mariehamm, take over that group of islands and then the Sweds are back into their country. The war is over and we win. Only problem is that the Sweds have an extremely strong hold Hanko which will require even..”

“Catherine! Oh and Chiara I am delighted that both of you will be joining me on this trip. It’s quite lonely when I make this journey. Come come.” Motioning for us to follow her.

We stood next to the carriage as two servants placed two boxes inside the carriage. I’m assuming those are the macaroons. Elizabeth was first to climb in, followed by me then finally Catherine. What a weird way to bring morale up but if the boots fit then the boot fits.

“Chiara you have such a unique way of living.” Elizabeth commented for the carriage to start moving.

“Thank you?”

“I’ve heard stories like you Chiara. Women who go above the normal parts of society, always leads to such tragic deaths in the end. Poor Joan of Arc was burned at the steak, Artemisia of Caria who jumped from a tall rock in Leucas Greece.” I ummm. I don’t plan on leaping from a rock for the love of my life, and The Catholic church won’t burn me for heresy.

“No matter. Just know that it’s an exciting time to get to know you. For someone who only fucks one person you’re stronger than most.” Oh my god what is happening!?

I must say that Aunt Elizabeth is an interesting sort of woman who I think is as mad as a dog but smarter than most people realize. I believe that she uses her own sexuality to her advantage and sort of does what’s best for Peter. Which is understandable for she is his aunt. But there’s more to her than she’s letting on.

But to the front!

“It is nivering.” Elizabeth was messing with her cape as I was looking outside into the forest. Even though the Emperor is a sack of shit the landscape is gorgeous.

“A bit. But I’m glad you’ve allowed us to come with you on this experience.” I’m glad but I’m just exhausted.

“Oh I enjoy both of your company. You Catherine laugh at my jokes and you Chiara with your wit and spiteful tongue.” I wouldn’t call it spiteful. Maybe?

“Not to mention Catherines tales of German childhood are whimsical, and make me wish I knew what a kugelhopf was.” It’s a cake. Right?

“It is just a cake.” That’s what I thought. It’s a sort of cake that has raisins, fresh oranges, or lemons, and almonds. Mostly served at breakfast time if I remember correctly. They talked for a few moments till the mood changed within the carriage. Elizabeth sighed as she looked out the window.

“You should prepare yourself for a little unpleasantness on arrival.” It’s the front. I’m not exactly expecting a picnic on arrival.

“Yes. Of course.”

“So tell me then Elizabeth. What exactly is the attitude of the Russian army?” She looked at me with a small devilish smile.

“That we will not stop until every last Swedish soldier is dead. That is the attitude of the Russian army.” Leaning in closer to her as I was doubting that answer. On paper yes that would be the attitude, in the history books yes.

“Elizabeth. What is the..” The carriage stopped before I could finish asking her my question. I get that she understood what I was asking in the first place yet she has to put on a brave face to get ready for the front.

The carriage door opened for the smell of blood, vomit, gunpowder, and so much more to come swerling into the carriage. This is what war smells of. Blood and powder. I’m for certain that my great great Grandfather Sir Fabrizio would be proud of me finally experiencing some war. Even if it is just chatting with the Generals. Maybe throw in a few strategies I’ve studied through my entire life.

Catherine was the first one out as I noticed she was in a little star struck and blocking the door. Quickly moving for Elizabeth to come out and then followed by me. My boots sunk into the mud a little as it looked like a horrid place. War is horrid just remember this Chiara.

So many injured..so many dead. How can The Emperor who has been losing non stop allow this much carnage? The amount of lost lives alone, though war is war but you have to be aware when you’re on the losing side! Even I know that much! Wait Chiara. This is war and these men know that they might do for their country, for war is unavoidable.

“Ladies!” We turned our heads to see Velementov and his aids coming out of his tents.

“Empresses and Duchess. How wonderful that you’ve come. You are an inspiration to us all.” Diamonds in the rough are exactly what I would call us at this moment.

“Would you care for a macaroon? We’ve brought 300 for the men.” Ah yes. The Macaroons in order to bring up the moral of war.

“Do you mind if I take a couple?” He shoved two into his mouth and then a few into his pockets. Even I must say when I get back I’m going to stuff my face with panettones and delicious pastas.

“Please. Follow me.” Velementov instructed with his mouth full of food. Catherine looked absolutely disgusted and almost green before my eyes.

“What is that smell?”

“Bodies, mud, horse shit, smoke of cannons. It is not a place for women.” I feel offended. Joan of Arc and Khutulun were on the battlefield fighting alongside the men. Maybe not as much of the gunpowder and cannons but definitely the smell of blood and horse shit.

“If it is a place where Russian men die, then it is a place for us.” Elizabeth responded to Velementov’s statement.

“How is the war progressing General?” Asking Velementov for him to sigh a little.

“We have received some setbacks.” Some?

“But what the peevish Swede entirely lacks is our ferocious Russian fighting spirit. That in the end, always guarantees victory.” I think the Mangolians thought of that once but they successfully invaded Russia.

“So we’re losing?” Catherine and I asked and could immediately tell Elizabeth was burnt.

“Catherine! Chiara! Focus on the men. And only victory. They need hope.” Not my men. My men are in their warm beds with their family not fighting some war in order to prove that you’re just as good as your own father. Too soon? I watched as Catherine and Elizabeth began to pass around Macaroons to the men and put on a brave face. Bread and meat would be much better than macaroons but I understand the reasoning behind it.

“I’m told you’re prepared to pose for a battle painting.” A battle painting?

“Yes indeed General. Whatever will help fire the men’s morale.” A painting? Really?

“A grand victorious painting of the two of you is sure to do just that.” A painting!? So that the men could have a little time for themselves? Never!

“Tell me Velementov. What is your strategy exactly? From what I’ve read it’s been nothing but full head on attacks.” Stating as he took a macaroon from his pocket.

“The Emperor has ordered us to keep full on head attacks to the Sweds.” Catherine and Elizabeth were getting themselves ready for the war painting for me to start thinking about the strategies that have been taught to me from past Knights of my family.

“Velementov. I assume you’re away from the Norman Conquest of England in 1066?” Asking as I motioned for his aid to pull out a map.

“Williams' army contained 2,000 cavalrymen and 5,000 infantrymen with crossbows, bows, and swords. Williams only option was for a frontal assault in order to invade. After a no so frontal assault, William personally led a cavalry charge but was turned back by the Saxon defenses and the horrible weather of England. He was then defeated. Not to mention rumors of Williams death began going around, which we all know was a lie because he was seen alive, rallied his troops and renewed the assault. He ordered his soldiers to fire at a much higher angle instead of directly into the army in order to break their defense.” He looked annoyed as the map was opened for me to look at where exactly the war was going on.

“I don’t need a lecture on past military tactics. I might be a dishonorable general but not a moron.” That’s not what I’m trying to do exactly.

“That’s not what I’m trying to do Velementov. I know that the Sweds are held up in Sosnovyy Bor and from a reliable source that they might head into St. Petersburg.” Looking at a much bigger map to see that the Sweds had locked down Sosnovyy Bor.

“If you do not take Sosnovyy Bor back from the Sweds then you loose Saint Petersburg and then you might as well wave the white flag of war.” He knows and is aware of this. I think that the Emporer is too busy making stupid ideas and jokes that he doesn’t know that the Sweds are literally at his doorstep.

“What I’m saying is that you rain in from all different angles. You block them by the sea and by land to rain down on very different angles. There is only one road that the Sweds can use in order to escape and that’s an easy blockade to form as well. Attacking your own city may not be the best idea, but you save St. Petersburg from those damn Sweds. You then push them back to Hanko to surround them there.”

“You are a rare flower..a flower that blooms in the middle of a battlefield full of dead soldiers.” Velementov commented for me nod.

“One must have an understanding of war if one is to lead. Atleast I get the chance to actually understand tactics.”

“Whenever I am back at the palace. I might call upon you for more advice on war.” Picking my hand up to kiss it. Yeah this won’t be happening in a lifetime and even if he was the last man on earth I still wouldn’t sleep with him.

The carriage ride was dead silent before me. I could tell both Catherine and Elizabeth were beside themselves on having to stand on top of dead soldiers for a portrait. While I on the other hand feel extremely successful for sort of conducting my own first military tactic. Hopefully they can take back Bor and all will be settled.

“Stop!” Elizabeth ordered to bang her cane on the top of the carriage. We stopped as I looked up from my book.

Elizabeth climbed out of the carriage to stand in the middle of the forest. She began to hollar, kick, and looking like she was going to rip her own hair out of her body. That’s one way to deal with your problems and no wonder she’s kept herself sane. We looked at each other for me to wonder what that was about. Then back out to the window for a little more screaming. Only seconds later she gathered herself back together as Catherine and I watched her climb back into the carriage and place her poker face on to us. Catherine’s mood changed from tears into anger.

“Are you alright?” Asking both of them but definitely towards Elizabeth.

“Of course. Whatever it was is floating on the wind now. Do you need to? Both of you? We can stop.” Though I do feel the pain of these men. This is not my country and hasn’t affected my day to day life when I return home to Italy. This was only meant to wager Catherine in good favor.

“I need to scream. But not into the air, but at the world for allowing this to happen.”

“War is inevitable, since cavemen smashed each other’s faces in for control of the fire stick.”

“It cannot be. It is a choice.”

“Things that are built in our nature are not choices.”

“Such as our human need to seek companionship.” Commenting to look back down into my book. A macaroon sounds delicious. If a bunch of soldiers can have a macaroon then don’t mind if I do. Opening the box to grab a pink and blue macaroon to pop the pink one in my mouth.

I’m hungry. There’s no need to think that I’m some heartless woman because that is not the case. War is inevitable such as Elizabeth stated and there is no such thing as a permanent peaceful society. Eventually that society must go through blood in order to keep that peace. Both Elizabeth and Catherine watched me eat the blue one as if it was a crime.

“Can’t decide if I can stomach a macaroon or not.” Catherine took the blue box from the ground to then chuck it directly out of the carriage into the forest. There’s no need to waste macaroons, and these were delicious.

“FUCK!” She screamed for me to close my book and place it next to me.

“There you go. Let it out.”

“We have to object to this. We cannot subject men to this nightmare, their lives and hopes extinguished. Russia cannot continue on this path.”

“We will prevail.”

“At what cost?”

“Well, that is the trick to it. Knowing when the cost is still bearable and when it has tipped too far.” Though it is a certain matter that is meant to happen, eventually there is a time to call it quits. Unless you’re the Christians and Muslims and think it’s a great idea to have a war that lasts 780 years.

“That seemed too far.”

“I’ve seen worse. But I admire your heart and fire.”

“I am scorched by that, certainly and will not forget it.”

“What?”

“I hoped it would happen. You are becoming a Russian.”

I think Catherine and I need to have a long talk on ruling an Empire. War is inevitable, war is not a one time deal that goes away after a few days. It is only the continuance of politics but not solved in the halls until it’s too late.

Taglist: 

@mirkwoodshewolf @bonafiderocketqueen @johndeaconshands

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels @amethyst-serenade @radio-ha-ha @i-have-a-wonky-eye-too @deck-heart @actuallyanita  @the-baby-bookworm @ewanmcgregors​ @panagiasikelia​

[mae-i-scribble]

Random mdzs daemon au notes

In honor of the fic I’m going to be posting next week for the mxtx mini big bang I’m throwing out various worldbuilding notes about the daemon au I’ve had in the works for a hot minute because I love daemon aus so much. Can’t say anything about the actual fic I’ve written but I’m really looking forward to posting it! Worldbuilding tidbits: 

     -daemons can only travel about 20ft from their person before it starts to get painful, although the distance can be furthered to about 40ft with training. -swords are given the same day as courtesy names, so that the cultivator and daemon get their public titles at the same time        -cultivator’s daemons maintain the ability to transform into several forms by using spiritual energy while people without a developed golden core settle into one form when they are 17-20 years old. Transforming uses spiritual energy so usually the daemon remains in their settled form. Most often transformations are used as an intimidation tactic and when attacking another’s daemon. 

    -daemons are used on night hunts, but it’s considered gross and dangerous to let them come in direct contact with things such as fierce corpses. Since daemons are seen as a representation of the soul, contact with resentful energy is kept to a minimum. Some sects uphold this more strictly than others *cough the lan sect *cough, while others are more lax (the nie sect, wen sect).      -daemons have a connection to golden cores but are not made with spiritual energy, hence when jiang cheng’s core is destroyed  his daemon does not disappear but it’s severely weakened, unable to transform outside of it’s settled form.

       -daemons can interact with the world and with people, however touching someone’s daemon without permission is like, the biggest taboo and is likely to get the offending part cut off via sword or the daemon’s intervention.

      -daemons occupy this weird space in between being there and not quite there, they follow the size and movements of animals but also they're very floaty. Aquatic animals don’t need water they can just kinda fly around. All cultivator daemons have a golden glow to them, due to their connection to golden cores.      -daemons usually choose their own names and take on the last name of their person, wei ying’s daemon uses cangse due to an agreement they made after wei ying was orphaned, so that both his parents could be honored.

    -daemons don’t take on any gender in this, remaining completely neutral

      -Separation is possible but it is considered the greatest tragedy, and the people affected kinda get avoided out of fear bc what kind of person could you be if part of your soul was cut out (wei ying and his daemon get separated at the burial mounds out of necessity, needless to say it is very painful :))) How separation happens is generally unknown, but is often associated with large amounts of resentful energy. There are also legends that if a person and daemon are physically separated, the pair will spiritually separate as well. A separated daemon is no longer bound to one form, but they lose the golden shine (if they were a cultivator’s daemon). It’s well known that a separated pair usually dies young out of heartbreak.  Daemons and their humans:  (putting a keep reading bar here bc I went overboard in thinking of daemons for everyone)

     Wei ying- daemon takes the form of a vulture after the burial grounds, settled form was of a swift before. When in mxy’s body, they return to being unsettled before settling as a magpie  Name: Cangse Yin      Jiang cheng- settled as a crocodile, but also really likes to take dog forms. Name: Jiang Yi      Madame Yu- Pit viper. Name: Yu Fang      Jiang Fengmian- porpoise Name: Jiang Bo      Jiang Yanli- otter. Name: Jiang Lian

      Lan Zhan- settled as a clouded leopard, prefers a snowy owl form when flying. Name: Lan He 

     Lan Xichen- tibetan antelope. Name: Lan Bai

     Lan Qiren- siberian ibex (i’ll name them at some point)

     Lan Sizhui- unsettled, prefers smaller forms to avoid attention even if it feels really nice turning into a bear. Name: Lan Nuan

     Nie Huaisang- Shrike as settled form, can’t transform for long bc of huaisang’s low cultivation level when it does transform, often chooses small, unassuming forms, most notably a weasel. Name: Nie Zhi

     Nie Mingjue- settled as an ox, also loved to take a tiger form. Name: Nie Kai      Jin Guangyao- is widely believed to have settled as a raven but actually settled as a fox, they simply stay transformed when in public. Xichen is the only one that knows outside of Qin Su. Adopted the Jin name with Guangyao. Name: Jin Li

    Jin Zixuan- crane. Name: Jin Xiang

    Jin Ling- unsettled, likes to take wolf form to match fairy Name: Jin Chen

    Jin Guangshan- eagle. Name: Jin Fu

    Jin Zixun: carp

    Wen Ning- sambar (type of deer), after being brought back by wei ying his daemon remains unsettled, although often takes a tiger form out of remembrance. Is very protective of wen ning. The two were also separated upon wen ning’s death, his daemon goes into hiding when wen ning is captured so that it can’t be used to hurt wen ning. The two kinda have a distance between them after wei ying comes back but they still would do anything for the other. Name: Wen Su

Wen Qing- tiger Name: Wen Tai

Wen Chao- crow

Su She- Tufted deer, but likes to take big cat forms out of jealousy for you know who.

[nolongerwrites]

I feel really sick right now y’all I’ve had this in my drafts for a hot minute and I finally got around to finishing it bc I love him so much

Please please please listen to the song (translations in english) it’s so perfect and beautiful and I just-

Fukuzawa deserves more love in my opinion 😔🤘

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆

“𝐵𝑒𝑔𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓈𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔”

“𝒮𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓎 𝒹𝑜𝑔'𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓌𝓁𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝑜𝓉𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓅𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒢𝑒𝓉𝒶 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝓇𝒸𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝒾𝓇”

“𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑀𝒾𝓁𝓀𝓎 𝒲𝒶𝓎 𝑜𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝑒𝓇𝓈”

“𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝒶𝓃 𝓊𝓂𝒷𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓁𝒶 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝑜𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓈”

Some people say heartbreak truly is real. Pain will accumulate inside your chest and it’ll feel like your having a heart attack. They say pain is only something temporary. But is true pain only temporary? Can one really die of a broken heart? How much pain can a person take before it all becomes too much? It’s for these questions, you walk the snow filled empty streets of Yokohama in the dead of night. No sound could be heard. The white beneath your feet glows underneath the full moon as she lights up the night. Snow falls from the sky littering the ground around you and White flurries cascaded from the trees which danced with the wind onto your body.

With Your hair let loose, a midnight black kimono covered every inch of your body keeping the cold away. The purple dragon painted beautifully onto the lower end of the haori you wore stared down onto the pale streets ahead with its piercing emerald green eyes. Frosty winds blow past you, making the skin on your cheeks burn and your hair flow gracefully behind you. Your Fingers were tucked away into the sleeves of your kimono in an attempt to keep them warm. The winter winds made your body ache with pain; yet it was nothing compared to the pain inside of your chest that had been building up over many years. What was that saying again?

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず

If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You can't do anything without risking something. But what exactly were you trying to gain? There isn’t anything you hadn’t already risked and there wasn’t anything you weren’t willing to venture out for. Was it closure? Was it for nothing? These questions swam around in your head for years. But here, on this cold and dark winter night, you would wait for him to finally show his face again. His men had been taken down and so had yours. This fight had been going on for far too long. But tonight, you would finally get the answers you were looking for..

Even if it killed you.

“𝐼'𝓂 𝒶 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀𝓈 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽”

“𝒲𝒽𝑜'𝓈 𝑒𝓂𝓅𝓉𝒾𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝑔𝑜”

———————-

The silver wolf and the flower of carnage.

These were the nicknames they earned themselves many moons ago. The two greatest assassins the government had ever seen. They were praised. They were respected. They were feared. Anyone who dared to cross his or her path ended up dead before they even knew what happened. She was skilled and artful with any sword placed in her hands. He was wise beyond his years and his quick way of thinking is what truly led the duo to victory every chance they got. Their abilities were were unanimously praised by many.

Yukichi had first seen her back in their youthful years. They were both in martial arts training together when he first whitenesed the angelic way her hands would dance with the katana. He even learned a few tips and tricks from her after they introduced themselves. They developed a sort of friendly rivalry after the many spars and training they endured. After they bloomed into their adulthood, yukichi was quick to form an alliance with her. He had never seen a person work as quick and elegant as herself.

The two would go on and develop a partnership together and later on work as assassins for the government. Thus earning the names the silver wolf, and the flower of carnage.

Such as himself, she did have a soft side to her that only revealed itself on occasion. He had seen it many times when they lived together. Even a bitter cold killer had moments of tranquility. He had seen it on her face when their bodies were intertwined with each other. It was little things; her eyes would carry just a little more light when a stray cat happened to make its home in her garden, or when she would give him a small kiss on the cheek after a long passionate night.

They wouldn’t admit that they were lovers. But they did like to release pent up stress after a while in a way some would consider lovers. Every once in a while it felt nice to be held in someone else’s arms as their true emotions came to light. He had seen the scars and imperfections on her body many times. Markings of a dark past she wished to forget painted itself on the delicate skin of her limbs and back. He never asked in fear of her reliving it. He wondered countless times what could be going through her head as she stared off into nothing. Eventually as time passed, he would feel something a little more for her.

“𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈”

“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓃𝑜𝓌𝓎 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝑜𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝓃𝑜 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔”

“𝐼'𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓂𝓂𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝓋𝑒𝓃𝑔𝑒𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒”

“𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓂𝓎 𝓌𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒽𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝑔𝑜”

One day out of the blue, as they both laid on the grass in her garden watching the first blossoms fall from the Sakura trees around them, she decided to ask a question that had been on her mind for a while. “Yukichi, What’s your opinion on pain?” She said as she turned to look at him.

“Depends on what kind of pain.” He would reply without moving an inch from where he was laying. “pain in here” she put her hand over her heart before pointing to her head “and here..” he turned watched as she waited for a response. He thought long and hard about her question. He couldn’t say he had the answer because he didn’t really know what heartbreak felt like. There’s only one thing he knew for sure..

“Pain is only temporary.”

Slowly, day by day, they both started to change. You could see in his face and actions that the weight of having killed so many people was starting to catch up. She on the other hand, showed less and less remorse and emotion towards everything. She had became colder and colder by the day and He blamed himself for it. If he wouldn’t have decided to partner with her many years ago maybe she would have been a different person instead of the murderer she was now. For this, he decided to break it off between the two of them.

She didn’t argue, she wasn’t upset, but she did tell him that if he ever showed his face in front of her again it would be be either his or her last fight. And he accepted that. He left without ever telling her how he felt. He would go on trying to do good for the world rather than continue his work as an killer. As for her, she continued her work and eventually became the leader of a organization of elite assassins.

Her group would stand a huge problem for the city. Many of her men were corrupted and would do their own thing without her knowledge, Unknowingly causing chaos within other organizations. This would eventually lead to an all out war between all sides. But no matter who dared to challenge her, not one person could ever stand a chance at defeating her. There was only one person who could ever have a chance at stopping her reign, And he knew exactly what he had to do. After all, they were long time partners.

“𝒪𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒽𝒶𝓁𝒻 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝑜𝓁𝒹𝒾𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓎𝒶𝓁, 𝒾𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓃𝒸𝒾𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓋𝑒”

“𝒩𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉𝓇𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇”

“𝒫𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝒷𝓊𝑜𝓎𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝒶𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓋𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓈”

“𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓂𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓇𝑒𝓈𝑜𝓁𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒, 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓋𝒾𝒸𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎”

———————-

“It’s been a long time. I see you still haven’t really changed have you?”

Ah. So he was finally here. Your back faced him as he stood a good couple of feet away from you. You said nothing as you continued to stare up at the full moon in the sky and smile. The snow had stopped and the wind had ceased to roar. Your smile stayed as you finally turned to look at your opponent and long time friend. “I could say the same about you silver wolf.”

She was still as beautiful as ever. Even now as dark bags painted the underside of her eyes and small wrinkles were visible on parts of her face. He couldn’t help but think back to the many times you smiled at him and he thought you were the most gorgeous woman on the planet. “How’s that boy of yours? What was his name again?” You said as you untucked your hands from your sleeves. “I’ve heard about his ability from one of my associates.”

“Ranpo, and He’s not my son.” He replied as he chuckled darkly. “Unfortunately he has no ability. It’s all in his head”. There was a long pause before you turned back to the sky. “I see..” you whispered to yourself.

“Was that why you chose to quit the life you had?” You said as you turned back and took a step towards him. “Is he the reason you decided to abandon me as if we never knew each other? Like we hadn’t slain so many people in our years?” Your voice was laced with darkness as it echoed into the night.

His eyes widened slightly as he once again thought about what you said. “I had a change of heart you could say” he replied as he also took a step forward. The scilence returned after that. You both stared each other down like wild animals fighting for territory before you drew your katana slowly from your side. The eery sound of silver against wood rang out. The silver shone and reflected under the moonlight. You stared down at the blade, admiring the beauty behind it before closing your eyes and placing a small kiss on the hilt. You did this every time you held it unsheathed. He could recall the countless times you had kissed your blade before you started your routine.

He in return drew his out too. There was no room for a reunion right now. He reluctantly held it in your direction before taking a stance. It brought him back to the days you spent training, when you two would spar together. You opened your eyes and stared him down; your eyes clouded with a murderous gaze. “Are you ready yukichi?”. He took a breath and waited for the freezing vapor to disappear into the night before giving you the slightest of nods.

And once again, you started your winter dance. Swords clashed in a matter of seconds. You were swift on your feet as they danced around him. Hair and cloth flowing wildly as each swing you took collided with his blade. He knew your way of style, He was easily able to deflect almost every slash you threw at him. He pushed you back with his blade, making you jump a good foot away from him. You stared at him with the same murderous expression as a small cut appeared apon your cheek. The blood dripped slightly down your face and you rubbed it away with your sleeve.

“You surely have improved yukichi, I can say that much” you smirked as you straightened your katana. “I can’t remember the last time you actually laid a hit on me”. He clicked his tongue and swung his sword in your direction once again. You dodged and swerved as his blade came inches away from slashing your skin. On his last swing though, you had jumped up in the air before landing a kick into his side, making him fly into the building next to you in a cloud of rubble and dust.

“I can’t have you knowing all my secrets yukichi” she smiled as the bokken left bruises on his upper arms. She smirked at him as she held it over her shoulder with a hand on her hip. “Ready for another round? You still have a lot to learn from me” she said as she held her hand out for him. He returned the smile before grasping her hand...

He coughed and spit up blood as his body ached with pain. He had to think of something quick before you made your next move. You stood and watched from a distance as the dust started to clear up only for you to realize his body wasn’t even their anymore. Your eyes widened with realization before you turned around swiftly to block his blade as it came down from above. Your faces were inches apart as you both struggled for the upper hand. He stared at your face, which was illuminated by the moon in the sky, and he remembered back to all the times he would admire your beauty when you didn’t notice. Or maybe you did, he never really knew. Even now as you were dirtied and bloody, a small part of him still admired you.

He had a little bit of blood dripping from his mouth as he clenched his teeth, trying to pry his mind away from lingering thoughts. You continued to smirk at him even as you were desperately failing to fight back against his strength. He was a lot taller than you after all. “This bring back memories, doesn’t it? Remember all the times you tried to get me down and you couldn’t?” You said through your struggle.

Finally, his knee collided with your stomach before kicking you away from him. He used that time to slash your shoulder, cutting the sleeve of your kimono as crimson sprayed out. You let out a series of coughs before kneeling and holding the wound in pain. The freezing winds made it burn and hurt like hell. Yet not once did you take your gaze off of him.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent yukichi” she said as he wiped away blood from his mouth where she had managed to hit him. He glared at her from a distance as he straightened himself up. “Again”...

“I’m tired of playing games like little school children. It’s about time we ended this” he yelled at you from where he stood before he flung away the blood on his sword. He could see your breath in short puffs of vapor as you took your stance once again. You breathed out slowly before You twirled and graceful started making your way towards him like a leopard running to catch its prey. Each step you took was delicate enough to almost not leave footprint in the soft white underneath you.

Grunts and metal against metal echoed through the wind as it picked up again. You and him locked eyes for a split second, and for a moment, he could see the agony and despair behind them that he had seen so many moons ago. The pain of having to fight someone who meant so much to you had continued to weigh you down with time. It made his chest hurt. Everything felt like slow motion as you both raised your katanas one last time..

“𝐻𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝑜𝓂𝑒, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓏𝑒𝓃𝓈 𝓌𝒶𝒾𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”

“𝐼𝓃 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝒾𝑔𝓃 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓈, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓅𝓈”

“𝐼𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒”

“𝐼 𝒹𝑜 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉”

It hurt. Everything hurt. You swore you landed a hit on him as he swung his blade from above. Only he didn’t. He instead chose to bring it down right before you stepped in front of him causing the blade to pierce straight through your chest. He knew you probably had the same idea as him as your blade went straight through his shoulder instead. Maybe you meant to miss on purpose. He would never know.

“Say yukichi..” you whispered into his shoulder as you laid your head against his chest “do you still truly think pain is only temporary..?”. His eyes widened for a moment. He could care less about the pain his body was experiencing. Your voice was quiet and laced with a sense of tranquility once again. With a grunt, he pulled his blade from your chest in a swift motion. You did they same as the silver fell to the ground with a clank. He threw his katana to the side before catching your body right before it hit the ground. He cradled your head in his hand as he held your body close to his chest.

You looked up into his eyes before you placed a bloody hand to his cheek, staining the pale skin below your fingers in crimson. A cough rose from your chest, a dark sound following after as you gurgled one your own blood. “I’ve known pain all my life.. you knew that, more than anyone...” You wiped a tear from his eye that he didn’t even know they had accumulated. A weak smile plastered itself apon your freezing lips. “I think.. for once in my life.. I’m not in pain anymore... the pain in here... is no more. ” you whispered as you placed your hand to his heart. He held you tighter in his embrace as more and more tears fell from his face. He could care less about the blood pouring into his cloths and the wound in his shoulder. He wanted to so desperately tell you that he loved you. He should have done it so many years ago when he had the chance. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

You turned your head to look at the moon in the sky one last time. She watched you grow for many years. From the moment you were born into this world, to the very last moments you spent breathing. She watched you cry, smile, and kill. She took care of you and showed you light in the darkest of times. You silently thanked her before closing your eyes and letting out a shallow breath. And in your last moments, you also thanked yukichi fukuzawa for truly giving you something to believe in all these years. Giving you something to venture for. Giving you something to love. As the life drained from your body you couldn’t help but feel you were at true peace.

You finally got the answers you were searching for...

“𝐼 𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻𝒾𝓈𝒽𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹.”

“𝒪𝒽, 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝒶 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂 𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓃 𝒾𝓁𝓁𝓊𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃?”

“𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒿𝒶𝒾𝓁.”

[aion-rsa]

The He-Man Movie You Never Saw Would Have Been Like a Buddy Comedy

https://ift.tt/36Saz15

While Masters of the Universe: Revelation reignites Mattel’s toy-spawning fantasy franchise, the Kevin Smith-conceived Netflix animated series arrives in the recent wake of an ill-fated film project. Indeed, Sony/Columbia settled on up-and-coming directors Aaron Nee and Adam Nee to conjure new live-action exploits of He-Man in the land of Eternia, which progressed to pre-production and cast Noah Centineo in the starring role before the pandemic put an end to the endeavor. Interestingly, David S. Goyer, who wrote an early draft of the Masters of the Universe screenplay, reveals what would have been a rather unique dynamic at its center.

Contrasting with the potentially-controversial protagonist direction hinted in early reviews for Revelation, the driving concept for the long-planned Masters of the Universe live-action movie was to focus on the friendship between He-Man and his loyal giant green, orange-striped tiger steed, Battle Cat, as Goyer reveals to THR. Of course, most of the franchise’s various iterations present the narrative notion that Eternia’s sleepy slacker royal prince, Adam, secretly transforms into “the most powerful man in the universe” when he imbues himself with mystical energy from the Sword of Power, after which he directs said energy toward his cowardly talking pet tiger, Cringer, transforming him into the hero’s ferocious loyal steed, Battle Cat. However, Goyer reveals that—during his tenure with the script—the film would have broken precedence by putting a comically dysfunctional twist on the traditional hero/steed relationship.

“I legitimately liked the script that we did,” says Goyer. “We were going to do it as a feature at Sony. What I liked the most about it was that it was mostly about a friendship between He-Man and Battle Cat. The idea was there had always been He-Men and different recipients of the Sword of Power and that Battle Cat had always served at their side. And this was a new He-Man that Battle Cat and many people didn’t think was worthy of the sword.”

Contextually, while mainstream representations like 1983-1985 animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the 1987 Dolph Lundgren-starring Masters of the Universe movie mostly stuck to superficial backstories, the franchise’s deeper mythos—once canonically-inconsistent across the decades in its multimedia forms—has started to uniformly embrace the idea that Adam himself is merely the latest recipient of the mystical Sword of Power, which several generations earlier, was wielded by his ancestor and ancient castle namesake, King Grayskull, after which the sword—and the sublime power it yields—was passed down to various other “He-Men.” Indeed, even Revelation’s trailer showcases King Grayskull, implying continued adherence to the hand-me-down dynamic, and the possibility for time-travel-facilitated team-ups with previous versions of Eternia’s hero. Likewise, the concept was integral to Goyer’s screenplay, since Adam’s newfound role as He-Man would have come attached with an intimidating, seemingly-unattainable legacy, of which this wryer, more-critical version of Battle Cat seems acutely aware. Thus, Adam’s arc as an upstart hero would have hinged on earning the ornery Battle Cat’s stamp of approval, yielding buddy comedy style interactions.

Read more

TV

Masters of the Universe: Revelation – Kevin Smith Brings Ultimate He-Man Story to Netflix

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

Gunpowder Milkshake Review: Style Trumps Story in Netflix’s Neon Noir

By Kayti Burt

“So, it was a story of the character earning the sword, but, more importantly, earning the friendship of Battle Cat, who just thought this guy [Prince Adam] was a lightweight,” explains Goyer. “I really liked it. I thought it was a fun story. There was a lot of humor in it and it creeps up on you because Battle Cat sort of grudgingly accepts him, and it’s Battle Cat’s acceptance of He-Man that gave this version of the story heart.” Goyer’s comments seem to shed light on the reasoning behind the eventual casting of Noah Centineo (pictured just below), who—hardly the WWE-level jacked giant one would envision for the role—seemed set to convey Adam’s getting-by-on-good-looks slacker personality, having come from the realm of teen comedies, notably from his role as Peter in 2018 Netflix rom-com To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and its two sequels. Thus, it not only would have been interesting to see how a fully-transformed He-Man himself would have manifested in this live-action attempt, but how Battle Cat could have served as his shade-throwing foil.

Alex Israel

Unfortunately, fate would not favor this particular Masters of the Universe live-action reboot project, which saw several attempts—notably the Lord of the Rings/Game of Thrones-influenced version under director Jeff Wadlow. Those years saw several hints about the movie in the form of early versions of its logo and various social media-teased concept art designs, which revealed a motif that—perhaps in response to Marvel’s 2014 success with Guardians of the Galaxy—leaned into the space-esque sci-fi technology side of the franchise’s traditional amalgam with savagery and sorcery. Moreover, back in 2015, one of the project’s more enthusiastic early proponents, producer DeVon Franklin, tweeted a concept image of what the Battle Cat in question might have looked like—albeit as a CGI creation—in this particular live-action milieu. Yet, despite years of hype and even a projected, never-realized March 2021 release date, the project came to an ignominiously anti-climactic coda, notably affirmed this past April after Centineo reportedly exited the role from the COVID-stopped production.

@danmillerNY @TheOneHansen @Guardians I totally agree!!! pic.twitter.com/6g6W18D9J7

— DeVon Franklin (@DeVonFranklin) March 3, 2015

Regardless, Goyer, having made a monumental mark on the industry with The Dark Knight Trilogy amongst other heavy hitters, isn’t thinking about He-Man and Battle Cat these days, since his hands are currently tied with two lofty tasks as the credited creator of Netflix’s developing television adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and, more imminently, the Apple TV+ television adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s sprawling novel franchise, Foundation. However, Masters of the Universe, while still generally associated with ‘80s pop culture, has managed to exist in the periphery across the ensuing decades. Oddly enough, we’re living in a time in which the franchise permeates (not even counting Netflix’s recent animated series centered on He-Man’s estranged twin sister, She-Ra,) with two major animated series (one of which is a developing CGI series,) and several current toy lines, two of which are sold at retail stores worldwide. Thusly, Revelation could prove to be the iteration that truly brings it back to the forefront, perhaps leading to another live-action attempt—maybe by Goyer again.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

In the meantime, Masters of the Universe: Revelation will release the first part of its inaugural season on Netflix on Friday, July 23.

The post The He-Man Movie You Never Saw Would Have Been Like a Buddy Comedy appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3eJJiSA

[vanaera]

Love at First Snow (jhs)

Synopsis | It is during the first snow Hoseok first meets Y/N. It is also during the first snow he prepares to put a ring on her. Little does he know, fate has other plans. (OR: As Hoseok relishes in the spirit of the Holiday season, he cannot help but also reminisce how you two, though entire polar opposites of each other, ended up together. Characters | dance major (and “academically-challenged”)!Hoseok x Genius!female reader (College AU) Prompt | “You know, you remind me a lot of the Grinch. The only difference is in the end, his heart grows three sizes, but you stay an asshole.” Genre | Fluff, Humor, Angst Wordcount | 16.9k (I’m sorry, this ended up longer than I intended) Warnings | Discussions of verbal abuse from toxic families and mentions of panic attacks A/N | Hi Cristine! It is I, snowflake, your secret santa! This is my gift for @bts-poetry for @bangtanarmynet, and @btsbookclub ‘s Secret Santa 2019 event! I combined this gift with the prompt I claimed in @kwritersworld’s 2019 Christmas Event as my inspirations for both events have merged into one story hehe.

              Everyone has some titles to live by. “Well-versed lawyer,” “patient teacher,” “single mother,” “broke student”—one-liner characteristics and descriptions enough for people to summarize the entirety of one another. From each other’s greatest achievements to their itty bitty mistakes, any of them can be used to replace an identifier. After all, people always see what they want to see. It all depends on what title sticks out the most to the majority around them.  For Jung Hoseok, he lives up to the title of a lovable boyfriend and a rare one, too. As whenever people look at him, the first thing they see is the aberrance of how he ended up….dating Y/N.

              There’s nothing wrong with him, or Y/N for that matter. It’s just…they are the most impossible couple to end up together as they are the most literal polar opposites of each other.

             People remember Jung Hoseok as the golden dance major of the prestigious South Tigers University. He got into the Performing Arts program, Major in Dance by acing the laborious dance audition despite his unimpressive results in the written exam. Hoseok’s colorful background from his long-term dance crew, Hope World, and his countless wins in different hip hop dance competitions were more than enough proof to know he is indeed one of the top dancers of the university. With a body capable of executing each move ever known to humankind with such grace and precision, Jung Hoseok also has a stage presence that warrants everyone’s unbridled attention. Thus, it is without question he is the prided Most Valuable Dancer of his university’s varsity dance crew, Synergy. The long line-up of trophies Synergy has placed in STU’s hall of glory, all thanks to the competitions Hoseok led, are enough to say Hoseok is literally the modern-day Apollo.

             However, it is not just his talent or insanely god-like face and physique that makes Hoseok so “golden.” Because as if Apollo wasn’t enough, Hoseok also impersonated Helios. Jung, Hoseok is warm and kind and funny. He easily makes everyone want to be his bestfriend the moment they met him. Most people often speak of him first thing in the morning with another wonderful feat he pulled off. Hoseok is great in the things he does — playing as the great wingman for people who need the extra push in their romances or becoming the occasional teacher’s pet who goes to the professor and (easily) successfully convinces them to give the class a deadline extension for a requirement. Hoseok turns up every campus party into the happiest event anyone could ever be in and he is such an amazing, sincere friend who remembers everyone’s birthday and gives out the nicest of hugs. Hell, Hoseok even volunteers in long-inactive “dead” college organizations like the Campus Drunk Patrol, Environment Protection Squad, and Animal Welfare Group in his free time. Hoseok is the literal sun and anyone who knows him — which is literally, everyone — will never be unable to deny otherwise.

             So when Hoseok expressed romantic interest in Y/N in sophomore year, everyone around him was beyond bewildered. Most especially, his friends.

             “Y/N?” Jimin sputters, “as in…The Y/N, L/N from our batch?”

             “Well, yeah-”

             “Like the Analytical Physics major Y/N L/N?” Taehyung gapes.

             “Yeah, I mean,” Hoseok sends them a questioning look, “is there any other Y/N L/N?”

             Taehyung scratches his head. “Well, no…I just thought there’s a Y/N in another batch?”

             Hoseok gives him a pointed look, unamused.

             But Taehyung’s true sentiment is voiced out when Jimin half-screams at their table, “Why her?!”

             “Well, why not her?” Hoseok half-smiles, picking on the fries that were dropped scattered onto the table after Jimin unceremoniously pounded his fist on the surface in an act of over-exaggeration.

             Taehyung sends Hoseok a disgusted look but continues his friend’s argument, “Dude, she’s like, the entire opposite of you.”

             “And that is an understatement.” Jimin points a fry toward his direction, glaring at Hoseok.

             Hoseok huffs, “Oh c'mon, you’re all just going overboard. What happened to the golden rule ‘don’t judge a book by its cover?’”

             “First of all, Y/N’s not a book,” Jimin scoffs. “She’s like, the whole fucking library of science textbooks. Last sem, we’re busy doing a group project when Y/N suddenly spewed some SOHCAHTOA shit about the Bermuda Triangle. As if the things she said are already a whole level of weird, she even said them in a manner like Liam Neeson’s ‘I don’t know who you are but I’m going to kill you’ monologue from Taken. And second of all, the golden rule is ‘do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you,’ dumbass.”

             “Okay I got the golden rule wrong,” Hoseok groans, “but nevertheless, you’re still violating it by judging Y/N.”

             “In our defense tho,” Taehyung mumbles over the straw of his milkshake, “Y/N judged us first. I was watching Orange one time in the library and she came over and took a seat with me. And then she said some alien gibberish about how Naho Takamiya always fall stupidly on the stairs because she said, by verbatim, ‘according to basic logic and common sense, that’s not how projectiles work,’” Taehyung clicks his tongue and Jimin cringes. Taehyung continues, “Y/N said Naho wouldn’t fly to the hallway when she tripped on the actual steps. She even actually drew a diagram with computations of Naho’s fall and gave it to me before she abruptly got up and go. God, I’ve never felt so stupid and insulted both at the same time.”

             “And,” Jimin adds, “last December, I shared a meme on Facebook about turning on your brain instead of your heart this coming 2017 and guess what she did? She commented below “guess, you’ll just die of heart failure before 2017 even comes.” Jimin rolls his eyes, “She made me feel dumb as if I don’t know how heart failure works. So us judging her back is just fair and square.”

             “But you don’t actually know how heart failure works,” Hoseok retorts. He glares at Taehyung, “And dude, to be honest, Orange is overrated and Naho really flies whenever she trips, or gets tripped, on the stairs.” Hoseok throws up his hands in annoyance. “Seriously, are you two judging her for just…I don’t know, being smart?!”

             Taehyung sighs. “Okay, that’s a bit true, but the thing is, Hobi, our IQ levels are already a bit higher than yours—”

             “What’s that got to do with this?!”

             “—And if Y/N’s already treating us like the biggest idiots of the world,” Jimin continues Taehyung’s words, “then what chance do you have in having a decent conversation with her? Much less a more fruitful one that could end up in a romantic relationship? There’s like a 99.9 percent sure-ness she will make you more of an idiot than us!”

             “Yeah,” Taehyung nods. “Her thoughts are composed of quadratic formulas and science shit like ‘the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.’ While I’m not even sure you know what DNA stands for.”

             Hoseok gawks, “Of course I know what DNA stands for!”

             “Then say it,” Jimin cocks a brow.

             “Dual Nucleus Association—fuck, why am I even doing this—” Hoseok glares at his friends, “What do you take me for? An imbecile?”

             “Well, yeah,” Taehyung says honestly.

             “That’s why right now, we’re telling you to drop anything you’re feeling in that,” Jimin points to Hoseok’s chest, “for Y/N. Hell, how will you even click together? Y/N’s allergic to nonsense and emojis and your daily vocabulary is entirely nonsense and eggplant emojis.”

             Hoseok opens his mouth to argue he also knows about the clown emoji but before he can utter a word, Taehyung beats him to it.

             “Dude, we’re not telling you this to insult you.” Jimin snorts and Taehyung closes his eyes before he looks again at Hoseok’s eyes, “Okay, maybe we’re enjoying teasing you a little too much. But we can say this is just payback for you not letting us go home earlier yesterday because you said we ‘need improvement’ which I damn well think not, bitch.” Hoseok squirms and Taehyung claps his shoulder hard, making him wince. “Anyway, what we’re trying to say, Hoseok, is we just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

             “How will I get hurt?! Nothing’s happened yet. I’m just saying I like Y/N—”

             “That’s what we’re worried about, Hoseok,” Jimin cuts him. “Nothing’s happened yet but we know something already did.”

            “Like what?”

            “You like Y/N. That’s the problem,” Jimin deadpans. “Hoseok we know you like to take relationships seriously. We even know that when you set your heart on a girl, your imagination is already two steps ahead, playing your wedding in your head.”

            Hoseok gulps, a guilty sweat forming on his temple.

            “But you see, Y/N belongs to that type of people who have their what-will-you-be-in-10-years solidly planted in their heads. And it’s highly probable a relationship, much less a wedding, is written in those 10-year plans. Much more, art majors like us are stigmatized to bound for failure because society is still close-minded and deems art won’t feed us. And by the meaning of society, it’s the ‘almighty and noble’ science folks Y/N belongs to. For God’s sake, there’s a lot of movies that have already forecasted science and art don’t mix!” 

            “Well, I don’t remember any movies—”

            Taehyung looks at Hoseok, incredulous. “Dude, there’s like The Theory of Everything—”

             “That’s science and faith!”

            “Stephen Hawking’s ex-wife sang in a choir. And she also started writing after their divorce! So that’s still art!”

            Hoseok was about to retaliate when he feels Jimin clasp a firm hand on his shoulder. He looks at him. Jimin sighs, “Hoseok, we just want you to not regret your decisions in the end. Y/N belongs to those snobbish high-hat people who treat everyone below them like dirt. There’s plenty of other girls out there who are much nicer than Y/N. Nice just like you. For one, why don’t you try giving a chance to the girls who’ve been crushing on you since freshman year? I know a few and they’re actually sweet. Just anyone who’s not Y/N. Seriously, just trust us on this, Hobi.”

             Except Hoseok does not. If there is one characteristic to describe Hoseok other than nice and talented, that would be his hard-headedness. He didn’t listen to his parents when they tried to discourage him from taking dance as his major. Hoseok disregarded numerous peers’ suggestions to join a frat so he can “shine more.” He even disregarded the toxic masculinity fraternities promoted by rocking pink overalls with his sparkly ugly sneakers and multicolored acorn pouch (which Jimin told him was the bane of the entire fashion industry) at least once a week. He even changes it up with other colorful ensembles the fashion students make. Hoseok did not even listen to Taehyung when the former told him not to drink before taking their finals in World History because, "no Hoseok, the alcohol does NOT bring back memories.”

             And look where his stubbornness got him. Hoseok became one of the greatest dancers his university has ever handled. His sole talent is enough for him to get invited to teach classes in several prestigious art colleges in the country. Hoseok gained more fulfilling and growth-inspiring friendships than surface-level ones offered by frats. He enjoyed more substantial conversations than booze temptation and toxic, trivial fights over games and girls. Hoseok even accidentally created a modeling career with local brands after his viral modeling of a peach acorn-inspired outfit for the project of his fashion major friends. Although him disregarding Taehyung’s reminders was a big mistake as he totally flunked World History, that night actually made Hoseok learn his lesson not to drink before the finals (and also because he learned the alcohol does not bring back memories he actually needed for the exam. But memories of his most embarrassing moments — like the one where he ended up performing in a children’s party as a fairy godmother—complete with the rainbow gown, fairy wings, plastic crown, and wand—because he mixed up the location of the college’s Halloween party with his friend’s family get-together).

             So, why would Hoseok listen to Jimin and Taehyung when setting his eyes and heart for Y/N feels like the most right decision he has ever made in his life? Especially when Y/N’s nowhere the high-hat snobbiety concept Jimin put her in. Hoseok is sure about this because he started to see and know her more than anyone else could after the fateful night of the Science Majors’ last year’s Christmas party.

             “Is that Y/N?” Hoseok squints his eyes. The person walking towards him is clad in a black coat and indigo satin slip-dress that falls short on her mid-thigh. Her hair is a mess and her small glittery satchel is slipping off her shoulders even if she adjusted it again and again. Not to say she’s also limping on her two-inch silver heels. When the girl raises her head and sees him, her face falls into an annoyed scowl. Hoseok right then confirms it is aberrantly, and shockingly, Y/N. At the sight of recognition in his face, Y/N immediately runs away in the opposite direction. Hoseok finds himself already chasing after her before his mind could acknowledge that he is actually running after the campus’ excruciating goody-two-shoes in the ass'o clock of the night.

             Hoseok easily catches up to Y/N. He blocks her way, causing her to halt. Hoseok hunches as he breathlessly puffs, “Hey Y/N, why you so fast?”

             “No-none of your business Jung Hoseok,” Y/N turns away from him and crosses her arms. Hoseok almost smiles. It is amusing how she effortlessly pulls her usual “intimidator stance” even in such a weird scenario.

             “Well, it is my business if you’re wandering on campus grounds in the night and obviously not sober.”

             Y/N whips her head towards him, “I am sober. What are you even here for?”

             “According to my eyes, you’re clearly drunk. Look,” Hoseok points to her face, “you look red all over and you can’t even look at me straight.” 

            Y/N slaps his hand away. 

            Hoseok puts his hands back in his pockets, “You’re clearly doing some beautiful eyes challenge right now.” 

            Y/N cringes at him but Hoseok continues, “And for your second question, I’m patrolling for the Campus Drunk Patrol.” He smiles and points to the logo on his jacket.

             Y/N leans forward and squints at the logo. Seeing her raised brow, Hoseok explains, “We aim to help drunk students sober up before commuting home. We can also escort them to their dorm facades and notify their RAs to come and get them.”

             Y/N still has her brow raised, skeptical. Hoseok sighs, “Well, it’s a dead org so I understand why you don’t believe me. If I also learn some org that’s been inactive for five years has suddenly gone active, I will be skeptical, too. But trust me on this, okay? I’ll just walk you around until you’re sober enough to know how to go home. I heard you’re dorming here. I can help you get to your dorm if you want.”

             Y/N still looks unconvinced and Hoseok releases a sigh again. He juts his thumb and points to his back, “We have our Patrol Marshal stationed there by the campus gates. He can totes see us here and tell you’re one of the stubborn drunk students who refuse to cooperate with our protocol.” 

            Hoseok smugly puts his weight on his left foot.“You can refuse and go ahead. But because the marshal doesn’t let drunk people he already caught go home, he will notify the head RA and trust me when I tell you I’ve seen a lot of students end up in bigger trouble for not complying with our joint protocol with the RA Council. Or,” Hoseok smiles, “you could just make our lives easier by letting me help you sober up.”

             Y/N looks away, gnawing on her lip. When Hoseok hears a faint “fine” come from her, he has to keep his jaw from hanging open.

             Because, why wouldn’t he be flabbergasted?

             Y/N L/N, the fearsome Analytical Physics major, is not the sweetest star out there. With a resting bitch face, innateness to give cold replies, gift of the perpetual judging stare, and insensitivity to joke cues, Y/N is one of the hardest people to cooperate with. It is not entirely because she does not put in any effort. No one just found it easy, or tolerable even, to interact with her. Sure, Y/N’s smart, a genius in Hoseok’s eyes. However, what stuck to everyone’s memory is how she unconsciously belittles everyone around her. Y/N gives out unnecessary run-throughs of chemistry concepts about any movie or animation brought up in a conversation. She instantly goes grammar-nazzi on anyone who slips on the rules of English grammar, especially when people make errors concerning the Oxford comma in their papers. She even goes out of her way to explain to her fellow students the physics of how and why they drove or parked badly with their bike or scooter.

             But the pinnacle of Y/N’s negative reputation has to be her merciless removal of her senior’s name, Oh Sehun, from the case study required in Communication Media Theories. In her very first year in university, at that. Although her action is justified as Sehun did not contribute anything at all in the group project, this name removal caused outrage among every college student. Sehun, who is actually the college’s renowned quarterback, graduated late and was now behind of his original team who already got into the professionals. All because of Y/N. Hence, the people in the university have started to associate her name with the title “stuck-up-iest bitch to ever walk on Earth.” Some don’t even seem to remember her name. All everyone knew is that Y/N’s one hell of a condescending bitch.

             So having Y/N walk silently by his side, cooperating for the first time without reciting her rights based on the constitution with such accuracy in verbatim while passively and implicitly insulting him, Hoseok cannot help to be so shocked.

             Noticing the complete silence that has surrounded them two, Hoseok breaks from his trance and leads Y/N to the college’s cafe. It’s already closed, given the lateness of the night, but it has their outdoor metal chairs set-up outside. He lets Y/N plop down on one of the metal seats as he produces a coffee-in-can for her.

             “Do you just casually carry around canned coffees with you?”

             “No, just when I am on duty for the patrols. Caffeine is the best way to help people sober up fast.” Hoseok inserts an edible straw for her and she grabs the drink.

             “I don’t think so,” Y/N mutters, “Human body processes consumed alcohol on its own, thus, it’s processing speed is neither affected nor aided by any exterior substances. With this, there’s no such actual thing as 'sobering up fast.’ It just feels like that because caffeine is a stimulant and hence, counters the sedative effect of alcohol, making you feel alert and appear to be sober.” Y/N takes another sip, “Nevertheless, thanks for the free coffee.”

              Hoseok almost gapes. The people were not kidding about how Y/N casually spouts science shit wherever she goes. Although he’s supposed to get tipped off, Hoseok just finds this set-up oddly amusing. He leans forward in his seat and props up his arm on the table to cup his face. “Anyway, why are you out in the late of the night?”

                 Y/N gives him an unamused look, “Because I was obviously partying. Is there any other party in the campus right now than the Science Majors’ Christmas party?”

              “You’re right,” Hoseok chuckles, “but what I mean is, why are you already outside? The party doesn’t end 'til 2 A.M.”

              “I just decided I want to go home.”

              “Why?”

              Y/N drops her drink on the table, “Are you just gonna ask me 'why’ everytime?!”

              Hoseok tilts his head and smiles, “Talking with drunk people is part of our protocol in sobering up. So, yeah, I’m gonna ask why every time until the redness on your nose and cheeks subsides a little.”

              “Fine,” Y/N hisses. She gives Hoseok a steely glare, “This night is the first time I’ve done something so stupid such as going to a party in an attempt to expand my connections. It turns out everyone still irrationally hates me about Oh Sehun’s name removal and they refused to interact with me. They kept sending me glares  while I just pathetically stood in the corner of the room for the duration of the party, dumbly holding a cup of some alcoholic drink I just realized 30 minutes ago was what you call ‘spiked.’ These pretty heels I wore hurt my ankles and toes all for nothing.” Y/N covers her face with her palms, “God, I don’t even know why I’m opening up about these things with you when it’s just the first time I talked with you. Maybe it’s just because I’m just drunk, god, it’s so stupid–”

              “It’s not stupid,” Hoseok interjects and Y/N raises her head from her hands. Hoseok smiles, “When there’s too much alcohol in our system, we get to do stuff we never knew we can. And sometimes, they are things we really desire to do but dare not let out in the open, afraid of what others may think. And it may come off as stupid as you’re letting your heart do the talking instead of your brain. But you know what? You have to be stupid sometimes to acknowledge what your brain may be missing out on. Plus,” Hoseok stretches open his arms wide, “there’s just the two of us here so no one can really judge you because hey, I’m just all ears here. After all, I’m just an officer of the Campus Drunk Patrol helping you sober up.” At the sight of Y/N’s pursed lips and eyes set on the coffee beside her, looking as if she’s convinced (and it looks like it’s not like her to admit it), Hoseok smiles wider and leans forward. “Now, back to your story. Why did you decide to go to a party?”

              “Because,” Y/N sighs, “I don’t know, @keanu_reeves_is_the_real_daddy from Hoboken said in Reddit that going to parties is a great opportunity to make friends.” Y/N looks down at her hands and interlocks them, “I’m just–I’m just desperate to get some friends. I’m already in second year, and still, no one wants to be with me. I often talk about how I don’t care whether people like me or not. Most of the time, I really do not care at all. But sometimes...it also gets lonely when you feel everyone seems to hate you.”

              “Well, I’m not everyone.”

              Y/N looks up at him, frowning, “That’s a great joke, Hoseok. I saw you hanging with Jimin just yesterday and I heard my name as the subject and "stick-in-the-ass bitch” as the predicate in a couple of sentences.“

              "Hate to break it to you, sweetie, but it was just Jimin who talked bad about you. Did you hear me say your name and 'stick-in-the-ass’ in one sentence?”

              Y/N glares at him. She then rips her gaze away from him to set them back on her interlocked fingers. “What are you trying to imply, Hoseok?”

               "I’m trying to imply, if you want to have a friend, I’m willing to be one.”

               "But you already got lots of friends.”

               Hoseok smiles, “That doesn’t mean I have no room left for one more.”

              Y/N gives him that skeptic look again and Hoseok snorts. “Hey, I’m being serious here. I really want to be your friend if you’d like. And no, it’s not because I pity you.” 

              Y/N raises a brow at him in disbelief and Hoseok purses his lips. He raises his hands in surrender, “Ooohkay, maybe like 0.001 percent I do, but 99.999 percent I just don’t like how everyone hates you for something that is not actually your fault. I really want to get to know you if you’d let me.”

                 Y/N just stares at him and Hoseok, for the first time in his life save for the days he’s answering written exams, has literally no idea what to do. Is Y/N angry at him for blurting out those things? Or is she aggravated he seemed plastic? But Hoseok knows he meant every single thing he said because first and foremost, he cannot lie even if he wanted to. He’s a goddamn horrible liar that anyone will know he’s lying before he can even start to lie. Second, he always says the first thing that comes to his mind because, in the majority of his life, he is incapable of thinking first before doing something. And third, Hoseok really meant what he said. He’s always been curious about Y/N. Jimin and Taehyung always talk ill about her and from the numerous negative shits he hears from them, he can’t help but think that maybe, her reputation is just one big hell of a rumor. It’s just impossible that so many rumors and negative comments about someone who he rarely sees outside the university, to be true. 

              Hoseok knows because he also has his fair share of rumors he has struggled to disprove. Like how he “cheated” in dance contests because no one can’t believe someone is just so exceptionally talented that they can win every single competition they join. Or how he “slept around” with almost half of the female population in the university just because he has lots of female friends and he loves to joke around with eggplant and saliva emojis in his texts. It’s hard to be contained in such one definitive title, much more a heavily negative one. Hoseok knew what it felt and it feels it’s just wrong to stay as a standbyer while the entire university jeers on Y/N for such a trivial reason.

              “Do-do you really mean that?”

              Hoseok looks at Y/N and nods. “Yes, I do.”

              Something wet drops on his jacket and Hoseok looks up at the sky. The sky is pitch black, save for the white inklets dotting the atmosphere, lightening up the dark horizon along with the glow of sparkling snowflakes. He turns to Y/N and smiles, “Oh look, it’s the first snow.”

              Y/N returns his smile this time. She tells him she wants to stay for ten more minutes to appreciate the snow before going home. Hoseok grins at her and says he’s got enough time to spare before his duty ends.

              The next day, Y/N’s frowning at Hoseok as the latter awkwardly holds his lunch tray next to her table.

              “Uhhh, aren’t you standing by the wrong table? Your friends sit over there.”

              “No,” Hoseok quips. “Jimin and Taehyung are not seated anywhere here because their lunches are scheduled way later today. And, this, in my opinion,” Hoseok scoots to Y/N’s side and sits down beside her, “is the perfect table.” Hoseok digs in his lunch and grins at her, “You should probably start eating now, too, y'know? Your food’s gonna get cold.”

              “I–” Y/N bites her lip and look away before she refocuses a glare at his face, “Are you really taking seriously your joke last night?”

              “It’s not a joke,” Hoseok retorts, dropping his utensils. “I’m serious about everything I said." 

              "But I didn’t mean mine. I’m drunk, remember?”

              “If you really didn’t mean them,” Hoseok looks at her, “then you can just tell me to leave. I’ll do whatever you say.”

              Y/N stares at him, brows scrunched together as if conflicted. She looks down on her hands on her lap and sighs, “I…don’t really want you to…leave. I’m sorry, I just…thought you’re just playing with me. You know all of this is still new to me. I’m sorry.”

              “Hey, it’s fine,” Hoseok chuckles, “no need to be so serious. We can take things slowly as long as you’d like.” Y/N pulls up a small smile and Hoseok grins. “Let’s finish our lunches and then we can look at memes. Memes are essential building blocks in friendships.”

              “Really?”

              “Yeah. Taehyung and I became friends after we accidentally sent each other hilarious anti-government blinking man memes.”

              It is needless to say the entire university goes berserk later when they find Y/N, the campus bitch, and Hoseok, the university’s sunshine boy, guffawing over chemistry memes during lunch. Hoseok does not understand a thing, but he enjoys laughing with Y/N as she passionately explains to him each concept and why they are funny.

              It is true that Y/N wasn’t the dearest person in the world. Hoseok learned this after weeks of dealing with her unintentional snarkiness and unnecessary science lessons that may seem insulting and offensive to others. But through the time he got to befriend her, Hoseok learns Y/N is just too smart for her own good. Y/N always goes around like an encyclopedia because she doesn’t know what else to say when she wants to find common grounds with other people. It is just unfortunate that Y/N cannot speak of anything that does not involve quantum mechanics and chemical structures.  Meanwhile, her unintended snarkiness is always directed to people’s redundancy and anomalies in their speech. Hoseok found out about this as soon as February rolled in, that it has to do with the restrictive childhood Y/N had. This, he discovered when Professor Minyoung Park called for him after his Science 11 GE class.

              “Hoseok, I see you getting close with Y/N, these days.”

              “Yes ma'am,” Hoseok replies. He sits on the chair in front of her desk.

              “Oh, then you must have been familiar with how she can get,” Ms. Park leans forward, “not so…friendly around people. I know she and her mind of hers can be a little too much for others.”

              Hoseok’s forehead furrows. How did Professor Park know? Although Y/N’s bad reputation has easily spread like wildfire among college students, not many professors or any of the university staff have shown any interest in her life other than her impressive academic standing. Hoseok asks, “How did you know, Ms. Park?”

              The 40-year old professor leans back and smiles. “Would you believe I used to tutor Y/N L/N back in middle school?”

              “No way,” Hoseok’s jaw drops open.

              Ms. Park chuckles, “Yes, it’s true. I know, what a coincidence right?  I remember how that pretty girl used to be so insecure about her braces.”

              “Yeah, she must be so…adorable back then,” Hoseok looks away bashful. He’s not used associating Y/N with such adjectives. Saying them aloud feels too weird on his tongue.

              Ms. Park’s voice makes him turn back to her. “Until now she is. It’s just a shame how she did not outgrow her…usual speech style. But in her defense, it’s not entirely her fault.”

              Hoseok’s eyes widen. His curiosity is instantly piqued. “What do you mean, Ms. Park?”

              “Well, Y/N L/N is brought up in a home…quite not friendly for children growing up. The L/Ns is a prestigious family. Not for their wealth, but for their remarkable lineage of geniuses. Y/N’s great grandparents are renowned mathematician whizzes. Her grandparents own Fields medals for their remarkable contributions in mathematics. Moreover, Y/N’s parents are well-respected chemists in almost every pharmaceutical congregation. Even their relatives are families of renowned doctors and engineers. From over ten years of tutoring her, I noticed how expectations pile up upon the short shoulders of young Y/N. Every single school day, Y/N has to attend cram schools and private tutoring after her classes to ensure she stays on top of the overall batch standing. She also has to be exposed to upper-class parties at such a young age which I think does not help anyone at all. Especially a child. All the people ever do there is brag about their achievements, scour for new families to ally with or manipulate, and eye each other’s mistakes so they can prove publicly how better they are than everyone else.” Ms. Park looks at Hoseok in the eyes, “Believe me, I used to dream about attending such parties until I finally learned how they go when I’ve been invited by the L/Ns. And with Y/N being a single child, all eyes were on her. So any room for mistakes is non-existent. Her parents assured her to grow like the perfect daughter they wanted her to be by making sure her movements are always constantly monitored and kept in check. You think Y/N studied here because this is just a prestigious school? No. The L/Ns wanted to send her abroad. To Harvard. Y/N refused and convinced them instead she’ll study here because I work here. And her parents trust me that I can be their eyes to see Y/N’s progress.”

              Hoseok nods but he cannot help but let his mouth hang open at everything he’s discovering right now. No one really knew anything about Y/N. And suddenly out of nowhere, on some random Thursday afternoon, he is introduced into a pandora box of history where everything about her suddenly seems to make sense.

              Ms. Park must have noticed his troubled face so she reaches out and holds Hoseok’s hand. “Hoseok, I’m not telling you these to pressure you. In fact, I am happy Y/N finally found someone who can listen to her and understand her, instead of watching her like a glass-cased perfect doll. I’m just telling you all these not to excuse the mistakes she has done but for you to understand where she’s coming from, especially when interacting with her can be difficult sometimes. So I hope you won’t give up on her, Hoseok. I know you’re a good kid. I just want Y/N to finally enjoy herself like every other college student out there.”

              And Hoseok, with his ever characteristic stubbornness did not give up on you.

“What do you mean I cannot state the faulty quantum mechanics in Antman to Taehyung?!” Y/N scowls at Hoseok, fingers frozen on the book she has mid-taken away from the shelf.

“Because you will break Taehyung’s heart,” Hoseok purses his lips and steps nearer to her, almost cornering her to the back of the bookshelf. “And can you lower your voice? We’re in a library.”

“For the same reason you should also back up a bit as I do not fancy you borderline sexually harrassing me.”

“Sexual harassment?!” Hoseok whisper-yells, “I’m stepping closer to you because I feel the need to whisper louder for you to get my point that you should not explain whatever Antman’s faulty quantum shit to Taehyung because that will make him angry. And sad!”

“Why will he be angry?” Y/N sticks her nose up and crosses her arms. “Shouldn’t he feel grateful I am adding heuristic value to his existing knowledge?”

Hoseok drags a hand down his face, “Well, I didn’t say you cannot explain some facts to Taehyung. I’m just saying you don’t tell him those things in a matter-of-factly way you always do because he’ll think you’re insulting him for watching such movies.”

“How should I say them then?” Y/N quips back.

Y/N learns the answer to her question before she knew she already did it. She realizes it when she gets out of her film class and Hoseok, who has been waiting for her last period to finish, asks her how did it go.

“Well, I told him 'The film Antman is quite weird.’”

“And what did he say?”

“Taehyung grinned at me and high-fived me.”

“Well then, it was successful. Much better than how you initially decided to do it,” Hoseok grins.

“But still…I called Ant Man weird, I’m still perplexed why Taehyung is pleased.”

“Calling something weird is a common expression to us,” Hoseok starts and Y/N tilts her head. Hoseok explains further, “’Weird’ can mean as a good endearing weird or an insulting ‘weird.’ If you added statistics of probability and some laws with calling something ‘weird,’ it will sound like 'Hypothesis one is proven: the movie is confirmed to be bullshit because of unquestionable proof.’ And that will appear insulting because you are not giving room for others’ opinions to be valid. It will make you look you’re belittling them if you said it that way. But today, you did not. See?” Hoseok smiles, “you do not have to state 100 percent what you really meant. Just a bit of truth you find essential for others to know is already enough for a small talk.”

Y/N nods, her lips morphed into an amused “oh.”

Hoseok grins as he puts his hands on his waist, “Trust me on this. I became Mr. Congeniality last year for a reason.”

“What does it have to do with making small talk?”

“It means, I am the expert in making small talk.”

***

“C'mon, Y/N, let’s go to the spring festival. Please, please, please, pleaseeee.”

“No, Hoseok,” Y/N pulls her hand from his grip, “I have to study for our finals.”

“But, Y/N, it’s too early for that. The finals is yet to come 'til next month! Look at me, I do not feel any pressure to study yet.”

“But that’s because you do not have any academic standing to maintain.”

Hoseok’s face falls and Y/N immediately rectifies her mistake. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, Hoseok. Of course, I know you also value your class standing, given your program and all. I’m sorry I’m being insensitive again.”

Hoseok breaks into a laugh. “Oh my god, I’m just fucking around with you! You’re partially right though, I don’t have an academic standing to maintain but a performative one. Although I still have to keep my grades up so I can continue studying here. Anyway,” Hoseok grins at Y/N, offering his hand out, “I only accept apologies in the form of accompanying me to the spring festival.”

“Fine, Hoseok,” Y/N  begrudgingly accepts his hand. But Hoseok cannot miss the small smile forming on her lips.

“Don’t fret tho,” He boops her nose and she cringes at him, “we can  insert some Q&A sessions later so you can do a bit of studying if you’d still like.”

“How will we do that?”

Y/N learns the answer to that when she finds themselves screaming from the opposite ends of the giant boat ride.

“HOSEOK, DAMN YOU!”

The boat tips and her stomach drops but all she can hear is Hoseok screaming.

“WRONG, Y/N. The answer to the drilling ship which can dig 'til the mantle of the earth IS CHIKYU! NOW, off to the next question. What are CYANOBACTERIA?!!!”

              But Hoseok does more than just sticking by Y/N’s side and not giving up on her. He falls in love with her.

              Through the months he has become Y/N’s friend, Hoseok cannot help but be endeared by her. The things about her he never thought will come as close to what he calls cute suddenly grows on him. It grows too much that he lives off every single one of them. Even if it usually ends with him getting roasted. He used to get frustrated by Y/N’s never-ending witty comebacks. Now, his heart started singing during their bicker-banters that Hoseok even started to look forward to their bickering. Y/N’s smile that Hoseok used to think was a standard horror level of creepy is now all he could dream about when he’s asleep, and even when he’s awake. The way Y/N laughs at him, or smiles when she sees him were heart-warming. Until they upped 100 million levels and now they have become cataclysmic for his heart. The way Y/N patiently teaches him his lessons, or how her science-y jokes and memes become funny was something Hoseok used to overlook as trivial. Now, he couldn’t wait for the days he’ll bring his notebooks to the library and stare at Y/N’s face while she teaches him quantum mechanics and chemical structures. 

              Y/N’s small “tokens of appreciation,” as what she called it, like her handmade ‘thank you’ cards she gives Hoseok every month, or her invitations for Hoseok to accompany her to some street event or nearby dance event, or as uneventful as a new food stall that has opened in the university were something Hoseok never put much thought on. Now, they’re Hoseok’s source of both happiness and headaches as they make his heart fly and his brain ache for thinking too much into her actions. The way Y/N looks at him like never someone else has before—so attentive and focused in everything he says as if everything that comes from his mouth has so much worth listening to. Even if it’s a disgusting tale of how he almost shitted his pants before their science exam because he didn’t listen to Jimin when he told him to stop binge-eating spicy wings as a coping mechanism to stress, Y/N listens. This used to be something Hoseok treats as his special privilege as her friend. But now, it has become a national treasure he does not want to share with others. Especially with Namjoon, his roommate, whom Y/N managed to befriend because the former is a Biology major who’s on the same level as Y/N’s intellectual prowess. God, Hoseok cannot even count on his hands the number of times he’s been conflicted if it was jealousy on Namjoon’s effortless way to make Y/N laugh, or petty anger because he cannot even understand their jokes. 

              Hoseok doesn’t know how or why he suddenly felt all of these things for Y/N. It just happened. And so is how he accidentally blurted it out to her during one of their conversations, despite Jimin and Taehyung’s adamant warnings not to ask her out.

              "And whenever I use the microscope in my room, I’m always scared turning the coarse knob so much. It will be horrifying to see the objective lens break the slide and the coverslip.”

              “Y/N, I like you.”

              YN’s jaw goes slack and she stares at him, eyes wide. Hoseok almost feels perspiration dot his entire hairline for what feels like ten whole minutes in purgatory. Will Y/N leave? Will she scream at him, laugh at him even for his audacity? Will she reject him? Of course she will, what is he thinking? Taehyung and Jimin are right. Y/N is smart and he is too dumb for her to even fulfill at least an ounce of her standards. Y/N is respectable and he is a shameless clown–

              “I…am allowing you to be sexually attracted to me, Hoseok.”

              “W-what?”

              “I said,” Y/N looks straight into his eyes, “I am giving you permission to like me, Hoseok.”

              Hoseok balks. “P-permission? W-why do I need permission?”

              “Because, if you’re going to like me, I need you to know I am acknowledging your sexual attraction to me seriously,” Y/N stands up, putting her hands in the pockets of your coat. “It will be a waste if you do not want a long-term commitment. I do not have time to dwell on anything less than that.”

              Lucky for Y/N, so does Hoseok and he wastes no time proving it to her. For the course of six months, Hoseok courts her in the most possible best Hoseok-way. Y/N lived the majority of her life within suffocating walls surrounded by academics, titles, honors, and people waiting for her to fall. Hoseok wanted to take her with him on a break (and a possible future lifestyle) away from them all. So he takes Y/N to carnivals, dance events, and festivals–ranging from streets decorated in cheap glowing lanterns to grander events that have remarkable fireworks displays.

              Hoseok shows Y/N himself at his most vulnerable and strongest. He lets her watch him perform alone in practice rooms as he expresses the things muddled in his head, things he never dares to say to anyone else. Y/N’s been with him when he broke down due to his anxiety concerning his not-so-impressive acads. She was also with him in his embarrassing drunk adventures. Hell, Y/N even participated in his crew’s weird end-of-the-sem party. She let Hoseok dress them two like the two robbers from Home Alone–complete with the rageddy cut gloves and dirty face makeup. But, Y/N has also seen Hoseok’s crew’s successful university tours, the exclusive events he got invited to, and his dance recitals that got many theater and entertainment scouts crowding the room he’s dancing in.

              Hoseok shows all of himself to Y/N. Willingly and so transparently, that in turn, she started to show him her self, too. Y/N let him see her in her utter glory. She let him see her receiving awards from various electronics competitions and exhibitions, her creating the first demo of her portable printer and scanner machine that earned many positive reviews from numerous investors, and her getting featured in not just the university’s newspaper or any other school’s newspapers, but the city’s news for a composting machine she invented. And, Y/N also let Hoseok see her at her worst. She let him see her get told off by one of the people she had unconsciously insulted in the hallways, her failing her Communication GE classes, and her having a panic attack when her parents announced yet again another party of scholars who wish to see what she’s been up to lately.

              These things made Y/N realize Hoseok was serious about her and she, in return, has started to cherish the golden boy who would never leave her alone for the day until she’s crying from sheer laughter and happiness.

              However, it is the small things Hoseok does that really really gets to her.

              Hoseok remembers the small details Y/N slips in during their conversations.

“Hey, you are not supposed to eat that,” a fork clashes with Y/N’s own, preventing her from reaching the delectable dish.

“This pasta?” Y/N looks up at Hoseok.

“It has chopped shrimps. I asked Seokjin about it and he said it has prawns.” Hoseok grabs Y/N’s hand and leads her to the other side of the buffet. There, he gets her pasta with white sauce, this time, garnished in bacon. “Here, eat this, instead. It may not taste like the one with the shrimp but at least you won’t get allergies and you can enjoy the rest of the night instead of chilling out at the hospital watching sad re-runs of The Big Bang Theory.”

***

“Hoseok, you won’t believe how fascinating my yield turned out to be, like–Hoseok, what are you doing?

Hoseok pauses in his fumbling and blinks at Y/N. He looks down back at his bag and sighs. “I was hoping to keep this a surprise but oh well.”

He pulls up something from his bag and Y/N’s left gaping when he hands her a box of baked cookies. He rubs his neck, the tip of his ears reddening under her  gaze. “I remember you telling me it’s been a while since you ate cookies. My mom baked a lot for us so here, have some. I know you’re on some ridiculous diet your parents told you to take. But I hope you could give yourself a cheat day and just eat and enjoy the day. Your parents aren’t here.”

              Hoseok never fails to check up on her.

“Hey, how long have you been hunched over your desk now?” Hoseok’s voice blares from Y/N’s phone’s speakers and she sighs.

“About five hours now, I think?”

“Okay. Why don’t you take a break for ten minutes before going back to the grind? You told me your back is being an ass to you for two weeks now. Give it some rest. Also, drink some water.”

“Okay mom, will do,” Y/N chuckles over the line.

“Okay my daughter,” Hoseok sing-songs and she snorts. “I’ll call later and check up on you. Don’t dare to not take a break. I know where your dorm is and I’ll break into your window if I have to.”

“Okay, okay, will do, my personal health support system.”

“Glad to be of your service, ma'am.”

***

Y/N sighs as she throws her bag onto her bed. Today is a beat day. Mr. David was sour and he poured all his frustration on their class by giving out unnecessary lectures instead of teaching the new lesson. Y/N guesses she’ll have to self-study again for a quiz the prof has irrationally scheduled for tomorrow. And oh, Ms. Peterson also gave out a heavy paper late. It will force Y/N to cram for it in two days as submission date is just the day after tomorrow. Why is every deadline piling up today? It’s not yet even finals week yet!

Y/N plops onto her desk with a heavy sigh. She’ll end up having to do an all-nighter again — wait, what’s that doing there? There’s a pack of sandwiches in a clear food container sitting on top of her desk, beside her notebooks. Y/N doesn’t remember buying one or requesting her rommate, Jae In, to buy her one. Curious, she picked it up and turned it around. That’s when Y/N sees a yellow post-it attached on the plastic container.

“Hey Y/N. I thought of you today and decided to make you a sandwich. This is edible, I assure you. I asked my cooking mama friend Seokjin to come over and help me. Eat this snack before you do your work. I know you always start work right after coming home from your classes. I hope you eat on time and not skip on meals.

With super duper mega love,

Hoseok 😘”

              And Hoseok helps Y/N to the best he can, whenever he can, especially about things she’s passionate about but no one takes time to really understand.

"Hey Y/N,” Hoseok greets as he plops down next to her seat in the library.

“Hoseok?” Y/N glances up at him, eyes wide, “What are you doing here? You told me you have practice today.”

“Eh, the members cancelled on me today.  And also, I’ve missed you, so I figured why not visit you.” Hoseok grins at her and she momentarily forgets how to breathe. Y/N doesn’t know when Hoseok started to have that effect on her, it just happened. And although it is starting to be an inconvenience regarding how she becomes a nervous wreck under his gaze, she weirdly cannot find herself complaining against it. 

Hoseok leans forward, breaking her trance. “Now, what should we study today?”

“Uh-uhm, cellular mechanisms. I wanted to learn more about cancer cells.”

“Cellular mechanisms it is, then. Want me to help you make diagrams?”

Y/N nods and Hoseok grins, “I see the skills of artist Hoseok is not about to die anytime soon, eh?”

***

“How does that work, Y/N?”

“Well, it converts the mechanical energy from every step you take into electrical energy. It’s not yet finished so I’m still figuring out how many more parts I need for this to work. My previous demos have a lot of mistakes.” Right at the same time, a bolt pops off. Y/N runs a hand over her face, “And a lot of malfunctioning parts.”

Hoseok scratches his head. “I don’t know about any energy conversions but I know how to screw well?”

“Is that a question or a statement?”

“A-a statement. I can fix what we have for now while you revise your design. Whaddya think?”

“That sounds good.” Y/N turns around and heads for her blue prints. But before she can pick up her measuring materials, she turns back to Hoseok, meeting his gaze as he’s mid-picking up a screw driver.

“Thank you, Hoseok for assisting me on this. I know it’s just a personal project and I may be taking too much of your time when you should probably be resting at your dorm.”

“Pssh, you’re not taking too much of my time. I am enjoying my time with you. Also, it’s not just a personal project. It is a personal project so of course, it deserves to have gigantic importance to you. And it will turn out great because I know it will. Now go let’s get these revisions done so we can do another test run.”

              Hoseok has been a wonderful friend, an amazing supporter, and a sincere person who never feels ashamed of showing Y/N what he felt. That is all she needed for her not to doubt anymore and accept his confession.

              “Hey, Y/N,” Hoseok huffs, hands tucked deep in his red parka. “Why did you  tell me to meet up in the park? It’s cold out. Can’t it wait 'til tomorrow?”

              “No, it cannot,” Y/N faces the man, brows scrunched, her lips red from the number of times she has bitten it. “Hoseok, there’s something I need to tell you.”

              “W-what is it?”

              “I…am reciprocating yo-your profession of your sexual attraction to me.”

              “What?”

              “I said, I am reciprocating–” Y/N’ bites her lip and closes her eyes. When she opens them again, she gives Hoseok the most focused stare she can ever give. “Hoseok, I am accepting your love confession. I like you, too.”

              Hoseok stares at Y/N, eyes wide, mouth agape. And for too long that Y/N thought the cold must have frozen him all over.

              “Hoseok, why are you staring like that? I am telling you, I like you too–hmppf!”

              Hoseok is kissing her, his lips pressed softly against hers in a gentle peck. Before Y/N could process things in her head about what to do when the boy she likes started kissing her, Hoseok is already coaxing her lips to dance with his. And before long, Y/N is returning him a kiss with the same ardor as his. It’s not like her to suddenly make out with someone so publicly. Hell, it’s not even like her to kiss someone with such passion that the warmth she feels on her chest comes close as to the heat of the sun. But as Y/N stays in Hoseok’s embrace in the middle of the frosted park which contrasts their warm chests, everything just feels so right.

              So right, as if fate just planned this very night for the two of them. Because, as their kiss comes into an end, Y/N and Hoseok both jolt at the drop of wetness that land on their heads. Y/N looks up and sees the familiar soft white snow falling from the dark night sky. The first snow. Right then deja vu sets in of how it was just one year ago she met this giggling boy in front of her at the very same time of the year.

              “I guess the universe wants us to be together, too.” Hoseok smiles.

              Y/N grins at him and sinks deeper into his embrace. “As preposterous that sounds given that the universe is, literally speaking, a no-higher living being, it is more preposterous that I am finding myself agreeing to and blushing because of this.”

              “I can’t understand what you said but I think it means you like it too so I’m deciding this is one of the best blush-worthy moments I ever had,” Hoseok kisses the top of Y/N’s head, “and whatever you say won’t stop me from taking back what I said.” Y/N nuzzles her nose against his chest, smiling at the way she cannot tell her heartbeat apart from his–the beats beneath their chests in sync despite the incongruity in her words.

***

              Loving Hoseok is easy. He is charming, generous, understanding, and everything Y/N ever wanted. Even more, nothing really changed from their friendship, just the addition of cheesy pick-up lines, sweet kisses here and there, hot make-out sessions which more often than not escalate into passionate (and very amazing) love-making. And Y/N loves her relationship with him as well for this. Because even if Hoseok succeeds in making her a soft mush for him, she cannot live her life without having him be the best-est friend she could ever have in her life.

              But from all the things Y/N loves about Hoseok, her most favorite has to be his utter transparency. What she sees in him, is what she gets. Hoseok is unabashed in proclaiming his feelings for her. He does not get embarrassed in showing Y/N his love for her. And, Hoseok does not keep secrets from her. He just willingly tells everything about him to her, no euphemisms, no lies. Y/N guesses this is probably the reason why their fights never last too long. Moreover, this quality of his makes up for Y/N’s inability to effectively express her thoughts and feelings. He taught Y/N pure utter honesty that so many people have stigmatized for naivety, but actually felt so amazing. He also taught Y/N to trust and let down her walls for people so they can be able to love her. Hoseok inspires and motivates Y/N to become a better version of herself, not only for the sake of others, but also for herself, and she cannot be grateful enough for that. 

              Titles didn’t matter with Hoseok, with Y/N, and their relationship. What only matters is their labels for each other–boyfriend and girlfriend, lovers loved and in love. Hoseok does not encrypt his messages in a way that would match Y/N’s mental capacity – He just talks with her like the way he is, nonsense and eggplant emojis and all. Hoseok does not burden Y/N with heavy, unreasonable expectations. He just loves her and lets her be whatever she wants. He just stays by Y/N’s side as she freely learns from and works on her mistakes like every flawed human being. With Hoseok, Y/N knew what she deserves and she started to live her life the way she has always dreamed of–so flawed but so perfectly Y/N L/N who is unafraid of what the future may bring to her.

              However, not everyone cannot fully comprehend Y/N’s relationship with Hoseok. Loving Hoseok may be easy but the environment surrounding their relationship is an entirely opposite scenario. For Hoseok’s and Y/N’s disregard of titles, does not guarantee everyone else around their relationship will do the same.

              Y/N’s relationship with Hoseok spread throughout the campus like a Jeffree Star fight-controversy with another YouTuber in 2x speed. The entire university has gone berserk yet again, unable to fathom how someone who shines so bright like Hoseok can be together with someone like Y/N who dims other’s lights. And for other people, they cannot understand how such a happy-go-lucky academically-challenged student like Hoseok can even amuse such no-shit, genius brain of Y/N.

              Almost everyone has something to say about their relationship. And, most often than not, they are negative. It didn’t help anything in their relationship as Y/N is already insecure as to why Hoseok even chose her when he can have any woman he wished. Y/N knows she’s difficult to be with. She struggles with expressing her feelings and thoughts. She even feels like she’s making things too hard for Hoseok. You see, Y/N’s a safe player. In whatever grounds she’s in — academics, social life, family ties — she  always plays safe. Y/N finds it hard to not be so, especially when all her life, she has been groomed to be a person well-liked by everybody else — a person safe from any negative impression that may tarnish her reputation. So, when things get a little bit too hard with Hoseok, Y/N finds herself automatically heading for the exit.

              Just like in one Wednesday night in August. Y/N had her fair share of fights with Hoseok. From the difficulties that tie with his popularity, her inability to show her feelings to him that sometimes makes him question her love, his procrastination and occasional lack of care for his academics, her nature to obsess over her studies that she tends to forget herself and everyone around her, to his numerous female friends who have the audacity to still flirt with him even if they all know he’s dating her — Y/N and Hoseok have fought about them all within their seven months of dating. And sure, they were already pretty bad fights given that they were immensely serious with Y/N and Hoseok ending up screaming at each other, giving each other cold shoulders, and ignoring each other for at most (usually) five days. But this Wednesday night was not like any of ther previous fights. Because this time, Y/N told Hoseok she wanted to break up with him.

              “Will you stop for a second, Y/N?!”

              Y/N swiftly turns around, tears brimming her swollen red eyes, “What do you want, Hoseok? I already said what I need to say. I am tired of constantly being the bad guy whenever we fight. I am tired of this, of you. I want to break up.”

              “No, you don’t mean that,” Hoseok almost cries. He looks equally devastated as her — swollen eyes, pale face, trembling fingers. “N-no, you don’t mean that,” he repeats, this time, his voice breaking.

              “Of course I mean them, Hoseok,” Y/N spits, “I never say things I do not mean. You know me.”

              “I know you,” Hoseok retorts, “that’s why I am telling you right now you don’t mean telling me you’re tired of our relationship, of me. That you want to b-break up. B-because you’re Y/N,” he breathes out. “You seem cold but you actually care. You do not speak your thoughts or feelings aloud but act on them. Okay, maybe you speak them out, but you say it in a way most people do not understand so that still does not count. But, Y/N,” Hoseok reaches for her hand before she can even think of shaking off his hold, “I know you love me. Deep inside the deepest of your hypothalamus, like you said, I believe you love me. Or else, you wouldn’t stay when I told you to watch me dance alone, frustrated with the world. You wouldn’t put in effort befriending Taehyung and Jimin despite knowing what they all said about you in the past. You wouldn’t have told me you wanted to come with me to my hometown and meet my family for my dad’s birthday. And,” Hoseok looks down at his feet, “you wouldn’t have stayed with me this long knowing how annoying I can be and what everyone else has to say about us. So please, Y/N. Just please…stay. Let’s talk it out together. Don’t just break up with me. Please don’t just l-leave me alone.”

              When Hoseok looks up at Y/N, it is with his brows scrunched together, eyes glazed over, and form almost kneeling in front of her. He holds her hands so tight, but yet so gentle, as if afraid if he clasped her fingers tighter, it will be too suffocating that she’ll slip away from him. He just looks at her and she cannot help but return his gaze. Y/N realizes right then, it may have been a bad decision to do so. For all she could see in his eyes is her reflection. Her and only her. It even seems as if he’s trying to keep the entirety of her as vivid as a memory can be. And maybe it’s because it’s the way he unabashedly tells her everything he loves about her. Or the way he remembers every single detail about her. Or how he knows her so well despite their relationship blooming at such a young age. But, they are all enough for Y/N to hold his hands tighter and let him engulf HER in his arms.

              “H-Hobi–”

              “S-see? You even still call me like that,” Hoseok mutters above her head and Y/N bites her lip as she clutches onto his jacket tighter.

              “Hobi, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean them. I’m not tired of you. I’m not tired of u-us. I do not want to break up with you. Not at all. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Y/N lets out a sob and Hoseok hugs her tighter, running a hand over her hair, knowing it calms her down. “It’s just that everything’s been too much lately. The-the way your friends–”

              “What did they do?” Hoseok’s voice deepens close into a low growl. Y/N gulps. “Please tell me, Y/N,” Hoseok says softly as he cups her face in his warm hands. Y/N bites her lip and looks away. She does not want to be that type of girlfriend who instigates a fight between their significant other and their friends. She does not want Hoseok to have a bad blood with people he cares about. But then, Y/N remembers their fight two months ago. That night when she confronted Hoseok about the consecutive late nights he has spent in the practice room, neglecting his studies and even his own health for the past two weeks. The moment Y/N cornered him about it, Hoseok broke down and told her everything — how he lacked the motivation to perform well in his recitals and how his course adviser told him to pull his shit together before he fucks up the nearing international dance competition.

“She told me that I’m dating you right now but why can’t I even pull my shit together like you do. That she doesn’t understand why you’re even dating me when you can date far more competent guys. That sooner or later, you’re going to break up with me. Because,” Hoseok sighs and smiles, but it doesn’t reach his cheeks, a tear slipping down them instead, “look at me. I’m so sloppy. I’m such a loser—”

“No, you’re not!” Y/N interrupts him and Hoseok jolts. “You…you’re not a loser. Sloppy, yes, sometimes,” Hoseok winces and Y/N grabs his arms and pulls him toward her so she can hug him tight. “Hoseok, listen to me. I’m your lover. No one else’s but yours. I love you and I will not leave you. I do not care about other guys, if they are more competent or whatever. After all, competency is just a social construct designed to promote the societal standards that aim for conformity.” Y/N disentangles herself from him to cup his face in her hands. “Hoseok, you are not a loser. And, you’ll never be.  How can you be at least an inch of one? You were the one who led countless competitions which won our university so many awards. Almost ALL the trophies in our campus’ Hall of Honor were all thanks to you. You were the one who helped our fashion design majors  grab an opportunity with various labels after your runway a year ago became viral. You were also the one responsible for resurrecting countless dead orgs with actually good goals. They even received rewards from the local government because of the projects you arranged! You’re not a loser, Hobi. In fact, you are the opposite of loser. It’s just your prof is an ungrateful bitch, demeaning you like that when you’ve brought glory to her name as your program adviser. What a fucking asshole, I could have punched her in the face and—”

Hoseok detaches his lips from hers and smiles. “I can’t believe I’m starting to rub off of you. You just said your first curse word. Two even!”

“Damn you, Hoseok. I’m being serious.”

“And so am I. Thank you for cheering me up, Y/N. This is why I love you so much!”

              Hoseok has always been honest to Y/N and she decides it’s only right for her to do the same.

              Y/N looks up at him. “Nayeon, Sungyoon, and…Sara cornered me yesterday and I thought it will be about what you are recently up to. Why you were absent at yesterday’s practice. It turned out they did this high school toxic open-forum-like session where they told me all my shits and why I shouldn’t hang out you. They said you were no longer the Hoseok you used to be because I kept dragging you down. That I…do not deserve you and you should be with girls like you. And you know what, I thought so, too. Because, you have far better things ahead from you than tying you down here with me.”

              “No one can tell what you deserve or not, Y/N,” Hoseok retorts. “Only you can. And, I know what you are thinking right now maybe the opposite of what you really think about yourself. But if I could help, I think you totally deserve me. Even more than that, honestly. Because, Y/N, you are not tying me down anywhere.  In fact you are tying me up. Not literally but figuratively. Okay” Hoseok closes his eyes, “I know it doesn’t make sense—whatever I say doesn’t make sense on the regular basis, so what’s the difference—but, what I mean to say is, Y/N, you are keeping me afloat. You are keeping my head up from the expectations and shitstorms that is plaguing me. You are helping me stay alive and keep pushing through all the difficulties I face. And for that, I am eternally grateful for you. So,” Hoseok smiles, “do not let anything anyone else says about us get to you. Because, they don’t really know anything about me and they very much don’t know anything about you. They don’t get to judge. Not when they do not know how it feels to have the most amazing angel by your side.”

              Y/N scrunches her face at him but she hugs him tight nevertheless. “Must you always be this cheesy and cringey?”

              “Only for you, baby,” Y/N could feel Hoseok grin from the top of her head. “Also, I’m gonna have a talk with those girls so expect apologies coming your way. And if things go the other way,” Hoseok clicks his tongue, “expect a decrease in my friends.”

              However, everything Hoseok spouted is easier said than done. Because truth be told, Hoseok thinks it is him who actually doesn’t deserve Y/N. She is intelligent but so is she kind. She’s mature and it is usually her who does most of the helping and progressing in their relationship. Most of all, it is more realistic to say, Y/N is the one who has far greater things ahead than him. And it became clearer to him the night she took him with her to her family’s home for one of her parents’ parties.

              Y/N countlessly told Hoseok she didn’t need to attend it. She even highly advised him not to come with her. But Hoseok has forever been stubborn so of course when he told Y/N he wanted to meet her family, he did every bit of convincing that get him to where he is now — shaken and lost in the middle of a fucking science exhibit of a party. The night actually started out well.  He introduced himself to every member of the L/N family, even distant ones who stayed in the farthest, most unnoticeable corners of Y/N’s house. Y/N’s family members welcomed him with smiles and actively talked with him. Her parents even handed him his plate of food themselves and invited him to spend Christmas with them.

              It only started going downhill when it was time for the main event of the party—the what-have-you-been-up-to lately segment or what Y/N would like to call the “let the best bragger win.” Everyone started spewing their achievements for the year in a fashion that challenges the other party to disclose their far greater successes. Which, ultimately, insult the others for their lack of any. The party felt as if it was a battlefield with every member of Y/N’s family pitting their achievements against each other, no matter what context they are in—even if they are not of the same category to even compare. Next thing Hoseok knew, he was being dragged into the center of the conversation, with Y/N’s father asking him to tell his “revolutionary thoughts.”

              Hoseok tried his best. He really did. He had recalled every lesson he learned in his Science-related GEs and even tried to apply them in the academic journals he saw Y/N reading. That’s why he doesn’t understand why every single time he opens his mouth, Y/N’s entire family is laughing at him. Is the Dual Nucleus Association found in fingerprints that funny? Hoseok didn’t take too long to ponder on it, for the next second, a hand is pulling him to the front doors of the L/N house. It takes another second for Hoseok to register Y/N was the one who’s dragging him onto the street in angry stomps.

              “Y/N! Why did we go out?” Hoseok pulls on her arm, “We have to come back! It will be rude to your parents! I don’t want to leave a bad impression y’know–”

              “It doesn’t matter, Hoseok!” Y/N whirls around, distraught, and Hoseok only notices just now her glazed eyes. Y/N chokes out, “Leaving an impression on them doesn’t matter because we have to get out NOW.”

              “What? No, Y/N! That’s not appropriate! I–”

              “Then is it appropriate for my parents and relatives’ to blatantly insult you right in your face?”

                 Hoseok takes a step back, “What? But they were laughing at me there. I guess my jokes are–”

                 “Hoseok, they were mocking you in there. We both hell know the fingerprint DNA trivia you were telling them is not a joke.”

                “But your father said the Dual Nucleus Association I muttered was revolutionary and funny.”

                Y/N closes her eyes as she releases a staggered sigh, “Hoseok, ‘revolutionary’ in my father’s dictionary meant ‘stupid.’” Hoseok scrunches his brows and Y/N breathes out, wishing she could let out as well the aggravation and loathing for her parents she has kept inside for so long. “He was making fun of you, Hobi. DNA does not stand for Dual Nucleus Association. It’s Deoxyribonucleic Acid. My father fucking knew what this means because he took a PhD in Microbiology and he didn’t even have the heart to correct you. He even put you up in front of everybody else and humiliate you without you even noticing it.”

                “W-what?”

                Y/N sighs for the nth time as she reaches for his hands. “Hoseok, I’m sorry I left you alone. This whole time, I didn’t know you were in my father’s care. It’s just that my cousin came to me and asked desperately for help about the verbal abuse he experiences at home. The way he asked for my help, I knew he’s about to-to blow up sooner or later. So I immediately went to his aid. And I guess I got so preoccupied trying to make him calm without triggering his panic attacks that I…did not see where you stayed in the party. Worse, I didn't fucking even know you were with my parents. I know this is not enough of an excuse and I have been a shitty girlfriend tonight. So I’m sorry, Hoseok. I’m deeply so so sorry. And right now, I’m trying to make up for my mistakes by telling you we should leave. Now. I cannot let any of them insult you more,” Y/N’s voice breaks and she raises her hand to wipe a tear that has cascaded down her cheeks, “I cannot, Hoseok, for so help me God, I will march over there and declare I want to denounce myself as a L/N.”

                Hoseok doesn’t reply. He just nods at her and looks down at his feet. Y/N gulps down the anxiety building up in her larynx as she leads the two of them to the car he rented. She opts for the driver’s seat and hits the gas. Within minutes, the two of them are enveloped by the silent nightscape, a stark contrast to the cacophony of pride in her house.

                “Hoseok,” the man turns to the sound of Y/N’s voice. “W-what else did my father say to you?”

                Hoseok starts to fumble with the loose thread of his navy suit jacket. “Do you…really want to hear it?”

                “Is it that bad?”

                “Well, I-your dad questioned my ability to provide for you in the future. Because of my major and aspirations and all.”

                Y/N turns to him, aghast, “What?! Why would he even say that? What, he started to forget women’s abilities to revert back to the traditional patriarchal views?! Fuck him!”

                “I knew you would say that,” Hoseok says, chuckling softly. Y/N faces him again, this time perplexed as to why he is laughing. Hoseok reads her look and he clears his throat.

                “When you told me I was being insulted in the party, I will admit I am offended. But, before that, during an earlier talk with your father, I was not the least bit upset.” Hoseok meets your eyes. “That time, I was scared. Immensely shit-scared.”

                “I should have come to you first, not my cousin–”

                “No, let me finish first.” Hoseok purses his lips. He then looks out of the car window, at the scarce stars on the sky. “I knew we are far apart from each other. It was obvious even before we got together. Hell, I do not even get the memes you send to me when we first started out as friends. Sometimes, I even get insecure that even if you are not really bestfriends with Namjoon, he seems to get everything you tell me you found at the lab. Just by listening to our conversations, he understands them all. So effortlessly at that. I even have to plead him to tutor me and dumb-translate the science-y things you tell me, while I dry my brains out trying to understand them. But when I talked with your father, tonight, how he reiterated your status and skills and their difference from mine…I have never been this scared in my life.   Scared that what he said will come true—that you will realize how someone like me can never truly understand you ‘til the long run. That you will get tired of slowing your pace down for me…That you will eventually find someone more compatible with you–who also has a much more stable future ahead of just an aspiring dancer.” Hoseok turns toY/N and he reaches out for her left hand, her free hand. He clasps them in his hands and looks up at her, “But, I swear Y/N, I promise I will do my best. Your father may not be convinced but I want you to know. That I will do my best for you, Y/N. I will learn more for you. I will understand you more. I will improve my reputation into a much more respectable one. Hell, I can quit dance if I have to.”

              Y/N gives Hoseok a pained look. “No, Hoseok, you will not quit dance. I do not want you to quit dance. It will be too unfair for you and I know you will regret it.”

              Hoseok sighs and shakes his head. “Yeah…that sounds easier said than done.”

              “You don’t have to do those things for me,” Y/N squeezes his hand, making him look back to her. “I actually enjoy helping you learn. I love that you goof off the way you want because when you do that, I am reminded people like you still exist today — people who are not afraid of being themselves. Because of that, you inspire me to live more. I also love that you put in the time learning the things I’m saying because it means you genuinely are interested about my thoughts and you are not afraid of women being smarter than you — something most guys fail at. But that’s because most of them are misogynistic, prideful men on their high horses. And, I know you’re not like that. Most of all, I love it when you dance. Because through it you freely express every bit of your emotion. Because, you’re transparent, Hoseok. You’re an open book and I like it the best because you don’t leave me hanging, confused, troubled, and worried about what you’re feeling, especially when you know I am already bad at reading emotions. You are my stable ground, Hoseok. You make me feel safe. And despite the bad fights we’ve been through, I know you’re always doing your best. How can we stay this long if not for you being the brighter one between us when it comes to communicating, knowing that splitting because of things that can be solved will only result in one hell of a horrible mistake?” Y/N turns to Hoseok and he looks at her with his mouth agape, eyes blown wide. She smiles at this. “You have to know you’re more than enough, Hoseok. Like you said,” her smile grows wider, “no one can tell us what we deserve or not but ourselves. And with this, I know and feel that I deserve you, Hoseok. And you, me. What do you say?”

              Hoseok’s response to that was not of a verbal one but a physical one—one that involved a feverish kiss on Y/N’s lips, and her jawline that led Y/N to park the car by the empty gasoline station. Feather-light kisses, desperate hands to grab each other as close as they can be to each other, Y/N indulges in Hoseok and him in her in a passionate love that burned so bright it rivals the sun. The only words that transpire during that fateful night was “I love you’s” and for Y/N and Hoseok, they are more than enough of an anchor of him to her and her to him as waves of obstacles come in your way.

              All of these moments with Y/N have accumulated into Hoseok’s most wonderful memories in his life. And he still replays them in his head as another year of being her lover passes. Of course, problems never failed to arise as they manage their relationship. But, the ones caused by the comments of everyone in the university have lessened as Y/N and Hoseok have now graduated. Hoseok has left the university after he graduated, while Y/N stayed in the university as she applied for a Master’s degree in civil engineering. 

             Y/N still lives in her dorm for the convenience of teaching in the campus and studying after work. Meanwhile, Hoseok lived in an apartment in the city, close to the prestigious dance studio he works at. Their schedules are most often than not, amiss, and the distance between them can be sometimes frustrating. However, what remains the biggest obstacle is everyone’s opinions about the two of them. Sure, they were not as restrictive as what the two of them have experienced in the university. But it didn’t mean it hurt less when people say how they never thought someone as fun as Hoseok will choose someone so boring like Y/N, or how Hoseok’s intellect was a down-grader for her respectable reputation, saying she has a tasteless choice in choosing partners. Although these problems may get a little overwhelming, the two of them never let them get in between their relationship. 

              Hence, Y/N and Hoseok are still madly in love like the first year they have started dating. So in love that Hoseok felt it is now the time to propose to Y/N. For anymore day without her officially bounded with him, when you already own every piece of his heart, is something Hoseok cannot take any longer. He wants Y/N to be his partner for the years to come, his significant other for forever, and the only person he wakes up to and sees last in his day and nights for the rest of his entire life. Hoseok knows this and he has never been surer in his life.

              This is the reason why Hoseok is where he is today: clad in an ugly Christmas sweater and mismatched socks, with a troubled look on his face. Hoseok may have only realized he wanted to marry Y/N in late November, but he was able to make an intricate proposal plan to execute before this year can end. Today is Y/N’s free day and he has classes that have ended early. Lucky for him, Jimin is free to take her out for some last-minute gift-shopping in the afternoon so Hoseok can have ample time to decorate Y/N’s dorm with hearts and diagrams of the hypothalamus (because “No, Hoseok, we do not say I love you from the deepest corner of my heart, but from the hypothalamus. We do not feel from the heart. It just pumps us blood”).  Hoseok will have the gifts he bought for Y/N delivered that very same day to complete his decorations (and to also spoil her even more). He will cook Y/N her favorite dishes and make her hot cocoa even though he very much likes eggnog more, just because she likes the sweet chocolate beverage. He even requested his orchestra friends Yoongi, Jinyoung, Seokjin, and Sandeul, to play Jingle Bell Rock (“in cursive”) on the far side of the hallway so when Jimin drops Y/N off, she can have her favorite Christmas song as her background music when she steps inside her room and gets surprised.

              That is why when his heart and hypothalamus decorations actually looked shit, the arrival of the gifts was delayed ‘til tomorrow, and the meals he cooked looked inedible—not to say the hot choco looked like a mess too and totally un-aesthetic—Hoseok finds himself frozen in his place next to Y/N’s Christmas tree, looking as if he was constipated for ten days. Worse, his girlfriend is already standing by her door frame, kicking the door close like it was just any other day. 

              Y/N hangs her coat on the hanger and puts her shopping bags on top of her wide cabinet. She nonchalantly glances at him, “Hoseok, what are you doing there?”

              Hoseok feels sweat run down his face in waterfalls. If Y/N is surprised he was standing stupidly next to her tree, she did not show it. But right now, Hoseok’s concern is her seeing the decorations he made chucked in a large paper bag he hid behind the tree at the last minute. Of course, it is poorly hidden. He plays with the collar of his sweater “I…um, I–”

              “Nevermind. I guess this is one of our spontaneous date nights you ironically always plan. You should inform me next time, you know, so I can prepare for you as well,” Y/N smiles at him. “Come sit with me.” She walks to the sofa by the Christmas tree and pats the seat next to her. Hoseok scrambles to sit beside her and tries not to look like the dumbest fool in the world. Y/N did not get surprised, the orchestra’s music is barely heard inside as the cold wind of early winter overrides it, and he looks totally shit. How can he propose to her now, huh? All of his plans are ruined!

              “Di-did you eat already?” Hoseok asks, hands sweaty on his sweatpants. “I made you your favorite.”

              “Umm…yeah,” Y/N bites her lip, guilty. “I was already hungry before Jimin and I can finish our shopping and I really felt a great need to devour some pizza today.” She reaches for her small satchel and produces a folded paper bag. “I saved some for you. We can eat it later while we watch Netflix.”

              “O-okay,” Hoseok nervously laughs. His eyes land on the pink mug on the dining table. He looks back at Y/N, “D-do you want to drink something? I made you hot cocoa.”

              “Ooh, I’ll drink it later. I just had a sweet choco milkshake before I got here,” Y/N bites her lips again in guilt. “I’m sorry, Hoseok, I didn’t know you prepared these stuff for me. If I had known sooner I would have never even stepped out of my dorm today.”

              “It’s okay,” Hoseok pulls a smile and he tries not to look a tad bit upset about the failure of his plans, because he knows Y/N will immediately recognize that look.

              And, he wasn’t wrong. “Why, Hobi?” Y/N cups his face to make him turn to her, “did I do something wrong?

              “No,” Hoseok looks away. “It’s just, my plans…didn’t work out today.”

              “What plans?”

              Hoseok immediately feels his ass on fire. Did he just almost give himself away? He cannot just blurt out he wants to marry her! He wanted it to be special and he cannot have that happen in just her dorm with his shitty-looking outfit and almost-burned food. He wants Y/N to remember this day and he ain’t taking the risk of letting any bad memories mess up his proposal. And so, Hoseok sighs and decides he has to abort the plan and schedule it some other day. He’s just gonna make an excuse for now. “Well, I just thought we can make this random Thursday special y’know? Keep up with the aim of my spontaneous dates–good surprises making life much better without needing a reason to be. So I just made some food and stuff for the fun of it. It’s just a normal day surprise.”

              “Oh, then I’m glad today is really spontaneous dates today. I may have…foiled your plans, but look, I happened to have a surprise for you!”

              Hoseok tilts his head, “What is it?”

              Y/N grins at him before turning around and fumbles for something in her bag. Then the next second, Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe is suddenly blaring loud from her phone.

              “Y/N, did you seriously just play Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe in speaker mode?”

              “Oh, don’t be an in-denial bitch. I know this is your favorite Christmas song. A good song has to create the aesthetic and mood for tonight,” Y/N chuckles, “Here, Hoseok, my present for you.” She hands him a box wrapped in a fancy green sparkling wrapper with a red bow tied around it. It was medium-sized, enough for one of his favorite KAWS models to fit inside.

              “Present?” Hoseok asks, feeling both joy and guilt respectively swell in his heart and pit in his stomach. Joy, because Y/N is to add another model to his growing collection. And guilt, because he didn’t bring her anything worth the same as her gift. But as he tears open the box, another fancy green box just stares back at him. He looks up at Y/N with squinted eyes. “I see what you did there, sneaky missy.”  She just chuckles at him and Hoseok continues to unbox her gift, only to have another box inside. Hoseok wonders what made Y/N think of doing this infamous wrapping technique for her gift when she wasn’t even that much into wrapping gifts. She always just give him gifts in standard wrapping paper, messily taped all over around. Moreover, what even is her gift and how small does it have to be? Because now, Hoseok’s hands are getting tired of unboxing box after box and the gift is now currently the size of a stress ball!

              “Y/N, can you just tell me your gift? I’m getting tired. I can open it tomorrow instead and we can just get straight to Netflix tonight.”

              “No, Hoseok,” Y/N laughs, patting his shoulders. “Keep unboxing.”

              Hoseok continues forth with the unboxing and his heart starts to sink to his stomach as the box got smaller and smaller. This is probably a prank. One to get back at him for telling Y/N last year he bought her her favorite gift for their monito event with Jimin, Taehyung, and Namjoon. Only for him to arrive with nothing but a bow on his head and shamelessly declare to everyone that he is her gift. Nothing must be inside this box to contain a gift so small. The box in his hand is now just the size of a small toy car!

              Hoseok sighs as he opens the box. Another green box will appear and then he’ll see the paper saying “Pranked you, Hobi!”

              But it does not.

              For the box on Hoseok’s hand right now, is gaping open to him right now. And all he sees is a sparkling, silver ring embellished with emeralds that seem to form waves around the base of the band. A fucking ring is sitting right on top of his hand.

              Hoseok gapes and just stares. Far too long that Y/N decides to break the silence. “Surprise! I bought you an engagement ring! With green emeralds just like your favorite color.” She grins at him as she holds Hoseok’s hands in hers, making him turn to her while he stays jaw ajar. 

              Y/N suddenly feels self-conscious and unconfident. This is not the reaction she is expecting. She starts to fear if she’ll spend the coming Holidays boyfriend-less. Just by looking at Hoseok’s stupified face, it looks everything is happening too fast and too sudden tonight for her boyfriend. Nevertheless, she says, “I-I know this may come off as a really big of a surprise. After all, this is an engagement ring and right now I am trying to propose to you. Barely, even. So, of course, this is definitely a shocker. Especially when we only just spent two years dating. Still too early for a proposal to come, as what others will usually expect,” Y/N’s voice breaks. 

              She wrings her hands together, her feet trembling beneath her, and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to stop. “But, Hoseok, in these two years I have spent with you…I learned what it felt like to be loved and be in love with you. We fight, yes. Healthily usual even. But, at the end of the day, everything still feels worth it. And I guess,” Y/N  smiles, “I cannot get enough of it. I cannot get enough of you. Being your girlfriend no longer satisfied me. I now want to be your wife. I want to be the only person you’ll stress over science just to impress. I want to be the person who’ll be your home. The one you will come home to, wake up to, and sleep next to every night, every single day. I want to be your partner-in-crime, especially when we have kids and we’ll play some game I never heard of but will still enjoy in the end just because you like it. But only if you want kids, hehe.” Y/N laughs awkwardly and scratches her nape. “Hoseok, I know I am clumsy in saying my feelings for you. Today is my first time saying everything so honest and raw like this so I know this may shock you. God, you don’t know how many times I practiced this speech in my office. Other professors must already be thinking I’m going crazy—anyway, what I only want to say is,” Y/N reaches for Hoseok’s hand and kisses it. “Hoseok, I want to stay by your side for the rest of my life.” When she looks up at him, she says, “And it will only happen if you’d also love to be by my side forever as well. So what do you say?”

              “W-what, I will say?” Hoseok repeats, still shaken. However, he’s so happy he cannot help the wide grin splitting on his face. “Yes, Y/N, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Forever and ever and ever and ever.”

              “R-really?” Y/N’s releases a relieved sigh, fingers wiping the tears that have formed on her eyes. “T-Then, why did you look like as if you’re about to walk out on me when you opened the box?”

              Hoseok cups her face in his hands, wiping away the tears. “Because you remind me a lot of the Grinch. The only difference is in the end, his heart grows three sizes, but you stay an asshole.” Y/N scowls at this and hits his chest, hard. Hoseok coos at her as he hugs her tight and chuckles, “You’re an asshole because you headed out straight for my heart—hook, line, and sinker — and now I am completely blown away when I was supposed to be the first one to do so. Seriously, Y/N, I did not expect this to happen this way. Not when I also prepared a surprise for you tonight.” 

              Y/N’s brows raise in curiosity. Hoseok unzips his gym bag on the sofa and turns back to her, now with a red velvet box on his hands. 

              Hoseok pops open the box, a ring of the same design as the one she bought him stares back at her. But this one, instead of green emeralds, is embellished with blue emeralds, her favorite color.  Right then and there, Y/N wanted to cry.

              Hoseok rubs his nape. “I’m supposed to propose to you tonight as well. But you beat me right to it and now I forgot my speech.”

              Y/N chuckles at that as she wipes away the tears that have formed yet again on her eyes. Hoseok smiles as he squeezes her hand. “But, that doesn’t mean I’ll skip on this once-in-a-lifetime’s opportunity to propose to you,” Hoseok looks at her, “Y/N, I love you. And I know forever can be a heavy word and sometimes love cannot solve every problem that may come our way. But Y/N, what I said two years ago hasn’t changed. I will try my best. For you, I will. And we may be young but I know you and I are capable to make us work for as long as time can let us. Because you are Y/N, and I’m Hoseok. People may be against us but we know with each other, we are the best we can ever be. We deserve each other. We need each other. But most of all, we love each other. That’s all we need. Me and you. You and me.” After he breathes out, Hoseok cups Y/N’s cheeks and she leans forward and interlocks their lips in a soft kiss. 

              Y/N grabs onto Hoseok’s ugly green sweater and deepens the kiss, letting her mouth do the talking for her and him. For no words can be enough to express everything that is settling in their hearts tonight — euphoric bliss, the sweet feeling of triumph. Although Y/N can feel a tinge of the uncertainty of what may come to the two of them in the future grappling on her nerves, there resides in her heart the greater courage that despite the unpredictability of life, Y/N knows she can manage it with the constant she now has by her side — Hoseok. And for him, her. Because, Y/N is certain this is the most right decision she has ever made in her life: loving him. And, Hoseok proves it is the same for him as when the kiss comes into a close, he whispers on her lips, “Guess the déjà vu tonight is really working at its best. Fate really wanted us to be together.”

              Y/N grins at him, her forehead bumping into his, “And where’s your proof, future Mr. Y/N L/N?”

              Hoseok presses a kiss on Y/N’s forehead, on her cheeks, on her nose, then at the corner of her ear. He whispers, “Look outside.”

              And there outside, white droplets fall from the sky, lighting up the near-black horizon while frosting up the window panes. It is the first snow. Y/N smiles. What Hoseok said to her when she reciprocated his love confession doesn’t seem so preposterous now. It seems like fate really tied the two of them up together as she first met and started dating Hoseok when the first snow fell. There’s a saying that whoever you’re with during the first snow, you will be with that person for a long time. Y/N and Hoseok have already been living proof of that for being together in three years—friendship plus dating days combined — amidst whatever people say against them two. 

              And Y/N hopes, that as she and Hoseok promise forever to each other tonight, the saying will come true. Because she wants the two of them to be together for a very, very, very long time.  After all, Hoseok is right. She is  Y/N and he is Hoseok and together, they are the best they can ever be, titles and achievements be damned. The weather may be cold during these pinnacle moments of her and his relationship but their hearts are warm and cozy, and there is nothing more Y/N could ask for.

Epilogue:

“You know, Y/N, my original proposal was beautiful, I’m sure I’ll have you bawling tonight.”

Y/N gives him a look and Hoseok laughs, “Good thing they’re gone now. D’you know I actually wrote my entire proposal in my hands? They just got erased because my hands have become so sweaty when I chucked away the decorations I made for you.”

“What decorations?”

Hoseok pulls on the collar of his sweater, “Cut-outs of hearts and hypothalamus?”

“R-really? You remembered what I said to you three years ago?”

“Of course, babe,”Hoseok smiles, “It’s you. How can I forget that? But they’re not available anymore as I already threw them away. They looked like shit.”

“Where did you throw them?”

“In a paper bag….by your Christmas tree–hey, why are you picking it up?”

Y/N turns towards him, smiling, her hands gently holding the crushed hearts and hypothalamus cut-outs. “Because you made it for me, Hoseok. Of course they hold value to me. It’s you.”

“You’re really a Grinch, you know? You’re making me cry with your sweetness and beauty when I should be jumping up and down with joy right now.”

“….Do you always have to be cheesy like this?”

“Only for you, babe. And get used to it. You have a forever to experience this one-in-a-million love from the one and only Jung Hoseok.”

A/N pt. 2 | Hi hons! Sorry my Christmas gift for you all was late! My requirement deadlines in uni ended up until Dec. 16 and so for the majority of December, I was solely focused on uni stuff. I tried limiting myself from using page breakers in this fic, a challenge I put on myself to train my skills again in doing transitions in my writing. This story is inspired by the rivalry of science and art majors in our uni in my first year! Also! I hoped you guys appreciate my take on @kwritersworld’s prompt. I want to incorporate it in a very unexpected way, while at the same time, reflects my character in a way I‘ve never done before. OC here is a bit grumpy and lacks social skills to be friendly so I interpreted her as an everyday-Grinch hehe). Lastly, @bts-poetry, I really enjoyed doing mini Q&As with you! I hope you like this gift and I also hope we can talk more in the future!

All Rights Reserved 2019 © Vanaera. Reposts, modifications, and translations of content are not allowed without direct permission.

[supercasey]

This may be random, but if the tf2 mercs were animals, what animals would they be?

Don’t worry my pal, I’m all for answering an ask like this (though be warned, I’m sure a lot of these are popular headcanons for such AUs, so I’m gonna try to come up with at least 3 for each character) (Also, sorry for the late response)!

Scout: Gotta start with my fav, ya know? My top three picks for Scout are an Eastern Cottontail, a Kit Fox, and an Egyptian Mau. I like the Eastern Cottontail for Scout because I’ve always imagined him as a rabbit, what with them being very fast and having a reputation for driving people mad (mostly in cartoons). The Kit Fox could be a good fit as well because I hardcore headcanon Spy as a fox of some kind in Animal Crossing/Furry AUs, and I thought it would be nice if Scout was one too since Spy is his dad and all, so he’s a Kit Fox, which is a very small breed of foxes. And finally, I thought the Egyptian Mau would be a good fit, as it’s the fastest house cat in existence, plus I think Scout can act very cat-like with the others by teasing them so often.

Spy: Now for the dad in question. My top three picks for Spy are a Red Fox, a Fallow Deer, and a British Columbia Wolf. I like the Red Fox for Spy for pretty obvious reasons, seeing as Spy is very sneaky and tends to catch you when you least suspect it, all while still looking quite elegant and put together. Now, the Fallow Deer may seem like an odd choice, but I see deer as very regal and reserved, something I think fits Spy very well, even if the deer isn’t a predator (also, Fallow Deer are found in Europe). Finally, I like him as a British Columbia Wolf because, ya know, Spy makes for a great predator animal, and this breed of wolf has a very dark coat, which would be ideal for hunting at night.

Soldier: Oh boy, I freaking love this wild motherfucker! My top three picks for Soldier are a Rottweiler, a Red Squirrel, and a Bald Eagle. For those of you who are curious, Rottweilers are actually a pretty popular choice for military trained canines, and although I thought of making him a German Shepard, I though Soldier looked more like a Rottweiler (also, Soldier acts a bit like a dog when he’s excited, so who can blame me for making him one in an animal AU)? Next is a Red Squirrel, which sounds like an odd choice, but I thought it would be cute, seeing as I headcanon Soldier as pretty small and quick, so a squirrel might fit him well. Finally, I think a Bald Eagle is a very obvious choice for Soldier, seeing as he loves America so damn much!

Sniper: Let’s see how stereotypically Aussie this is gonna be. My top three picks for Sniper are a Red Kangaroo, a Harris’s Hawk, and a Desert Dingo. The Red Kangaroo is an obvious choice, as kangaroos are heavily associated with Australia (also, in this instance, I think Mundy’s folks would be koalas). I like a Harris’s Hawk for Sniper because hawks are very fast birds of prey, and attack with sniper-like precision and efficiency, so I really liked this idea for him. For my final choice, I chose a Desert Dingo, as dingos are yet another Australian animal, and lbr, dingoes are known for cleaning up other predators messes, much like every team’s sniper is.

Pyro: This is gonna be full of cute/scary answers. My top three picks for Pyro are a Holland Lop, a Siberian Tiger, and a Crow. I feel like a Holland Lop would fit Pyro because I see Pyro as a bit of a gentle giant, and a big ol’ bunny rabbit sounds like it would be right up their alley. Siberian Tigers, in all honesty, are my favorite animal, so I couldn’t resist using them for Pyro; plus, tigers are apparently associated with fire, much like Pyro is! Finally, I chose a Crow for them, as they’re closely associated with death, and seeing as Pyro is widely feared by their teammates in the Meet The Team videos... yeah, the shoe fits.

Medic: I am gonna struggle with this one, lads. My top three picks for Medic are a Peacock, a Black Rat, and a Siamese Cat. I like the Peacock for Medic because he’s gay and dramatic because I wanted a beautiful, sophisticated bird to be associating him that wasn’t just a dove. The Black Rat I thought would be cool, seeing as rats used to be used so often for medical experiments, and I think it would be ironic of Medic was one. For my last pick, I chose a Siamese Cat, which I think is a very regal and beautiful breed of house cat, something that I think would fit Medic (even if his doves are now in danger, lol).

Heavy: He’s such a gentle giant, I hope he won’t be as hard as Medic was. My top three picks for Heavy are a St Bernard, a Polar Bear, and an Elephant. The St Bernard was a pretty easy choice, because big dogs are such a Heavy-like animal, it’s hard not to imagine him as a big, lovable puppy! I think Polar Bears are a good choice too, and while I could’ve chosen any bear for Heavy, I chose the Polar Bear, seeing as it would probably do well in such a cold place as Russia. For the finale, I thought an Elephant might be good for Heavy, what with it being such a gentle giant and all, plus they’re known for being quite sweet, even to other animals!

Engineer: It’s time to use the power of my southern roots and terrible taste! My top three picks for Engineer are a Miniature Horse, a Border Collie, and a Beaver. The Miniature Horse was a fun thought, seeing as Engie is very short in canon, and he’s also a bit of a farm boy, so I thought a horse would be perfect for him! I’ll be honest, the Border Collie was just to please me, as my dad had a very loving one as a kid that was also very loyal, and his dog reminds me of Engie (plus, Border Collies are great for herding). Finally, we have the Beaver, the dam builder and repairman of nature!

Demoman: Watch as I make the worst decisions because I am unfortunately not as knowledgeable about Demo as I want to be. My top three picks for Demo are a Kudamundi, a Greyhound, and a Gray Wolf. For those of you who have no idea what a Kudamundi is, they’re a type of lemur found in Panama, where my dad was stationed in the military when I was a baby; the reason I chose this animal for Demo is because my dad usually saw these Kudamundi drunk af, as they would eat fermented fruit to get intoxicated... sorry for stereotyping, y’all. The Greyhound I chose for fun because apparently it’s one of the only animals to ever be knighted, and seeing as Demoman is apparently of royal descent (is this true or just fanon) I had to. Finally, there’s the Gray Wolf, another animal from Scotland, and seeing as I really like an AU I saw where Demo is a werewolf... I’m sorry, all my choices for him suck, don’t they?

And there we have it, a very long post of my terrible animal opinions. Again, sorry this took awhile, but I kept getting called away to do shit while working on this yesterday (plus, I wanted to do a bit of research on these animals)! I hope this was satisfactory. ((Not gonna lie, now I want an AU where everything is the same, but the mercenaries can change into these animals at will. However, seeing as there’s an Overwatch AU like that... oh well, not like I don’t already have way too many AUs on my plate to deal with rn.))

[a-simple-imagine]

The Absence Of Field

Synopsis: You haven’t known her very long but she’s about change your life forever

Pairing: Dolores Abernathy x fem!reader

Words: 2k+

A/N - I’m obsessed with Season 3 dolores so I decided to write about her. I don’t really expect anyone to read this but yeah!! It’s based off season 3 episode 3 of Westworld and shall be continued as such. 

Warnings - Swearing, kidnapping, guns and minor violence

"How long do you think this will go on?"

"Which?"

"The rain?" Heavy rainfall descends from the cloudy dark sky, hitting the window in a symphony of sound. The digital clock that sits on your bedside reads 3:00 A.M. Her toned arms were wrapped around your waist, pulling you snug against her torso. Soft lips ghost the back of your neck bringing a flurry of beautiful butterflies to your stomach. It wasn't the first time and surely not the last. She had that effect on you; it had been that way since you first met. A sigh leaves your lips as you focus on one drop of rain as it travels down the glass. It had been raining a lot the last couple of days; you didn't mind though. You quite enjoy the rain.

"Expect showers all week," It's impossible not to notice her absence all of a sudden; it's almost like your sense of comfort had been dragged away. The blonde was perched on the edge of the bed; her back to you and head down when you roll over to see her. Your brows furrow for a moment as you notice how hard her hands press into the mattress. The energy in the room shifts with the harsh silence.

"What's wrong?" She turns to you for a moment and you can't help but smile. She's always so put together so it's always a pleasure to see her just out of bed. The messy hair is a particular favourite. Despite your short time together there were little things you had come to notice and enjoy about her presence.

"Do you like the world that was made for you?"

Such a question had a vastly complex answer. Did you like the world that was made for you? What made her ask such a thing? "The world wasn't made for me," you answer quietly, rolling onto your back to stare up at the ceiling. When you were little you used to wish there were stars up there, painted or otherwise. When you got older you considered it; it was hard to see the night sky with all the lights and pollution but decided against it. You were too old or perhaps just too embarrassed. You had never felt any real attachment to the world and why would you? You'd been alone most of your life. Fighting for every little thing you had. Sure this place had its positives but for the most part, it was dripping with greed and corruption. You weren't unhappy but you couldn't exactly say you were happy either. You've read books on how things used to be before technology became the centre of the world. It was apparently just as ugly and corrupt but at least they had real animals like elephants and tigers; more than just your typical house pets. "I don't think it matters if I like it or not, I didn't exactly get a choice in being born?"

"You have a choice now."

"I suppose," you shrug. "I've never really thought about it that way. Why do you wanna know? Are you gonna ask me about the meaning of life next?"

The last part had been a joke but perhaps it had been a step too far as the blonde doesn't reply. She simply gets up and proceeds to collect the few items she left so neatly on the dresser. Fuck, had you screwed this up already? It must be bad for her to leave abruptly at three in the morning. You push yourself up into a seated position, "Did I do something wrong?" The blonde doesn't answer again so you decide to follow her.

"Dolores," Her name galling from your lips brings her to a stop at the door; hand lingering on the ugly doorknob your landlord wouldn't let you change. you're just a few paces away, tired and confused. You just wanted to go back to bed but with her. "... please don't go."

So weak and pathetic, the words didn't sound like your own. You had never begged someone to stay before but there was just something about Dolores. Something that made her special and it wasn't her beauty although she had a very pretty face.

"You're a distraction that I don't need right now." Her voice was firm; surprisingly cold. The doorknob squeaks as she turns it and the door slowly opens. "I suggest you lay low for a while."

~~

It's no mystery as to why you can't stop thinking about Dolores. She left you in the middle of the night with no explanation. You may not know each other very well but you liked her and you liked spending time with her although admittedly that time had been short. What exactly had you done wrong? Was she scared off by your slightly pessimistic outlook on society? Perhaps it was something else entirely? Maybe she just didn't like you. It didn't seem that way when you were together but looks can be deceiving.

It was really cold this high up; it didn't help that this building didn't have four walls, so it was nothing but the cold wind blowing against you. The entire building was empty for construction, so other than the two men who had you cornered between the barrel of their guns and the concrete below, you were completely alone. You were putting on a brave face but you were absolutely terrified. Their questions drowned out by the loud thumping of your heart in your chest. You felt like you couldn't breathe. You were sweating under the intense pressure despite the goosebumps from the chilly air. It wasn't even possible to answer their questions and yet they insisted on repeating themselves; getting more worked up as they go along. The two of them had conveniently bumped into you on the way home from work. They showed you a picture and offered you money. You could have really used the money, your crappy apartment wasn't cheap but you had to deny the offer. It seemed shady. The ironic part is that the picture was of Dolores. They wanted to know where she was? You wish you knew but you didn't. She hadn't told you pretty much anything other than her name. She looked different in the picture but you couldn't quite place why? Perhaps it was the blue dress she wore or the fact she had her hair down and it was longer. Either way when you didn't comply they dragged you to their car and that's how you ended up here.

You had lost track of time but it felt like you had been here for hours.

"I really hope she's worth all this trouble." The talker of the men grumbles. He wore a black suit; they both did. With a sky blue tie. The other had a red tie. This was business for them; their job if you will. You wonder why they're after Dolores anyway. She's just one girl, what made her so important.

"Why are you protecting her?" The other man asks. "Just tell us where she is and this'll all be over."

Had you known the answer would you give her up? It was the way to save yourself but was in terms of morals was it the right choice. "I- I don't know what you're talking about,"

You could hear the fear in your voice despite the stiff upper lip. Denying you know the girl at all seemed like the best option here, it seemed they were gonna kill you either way.

"Have it your way," One of them utters, a gritty laugh following. "Don't say we didn't give you a chance though,"

"Where the fuck is she?" His voice was higher than his associates. He was also a lot angrier.

"I'm right here,"

BANG! BANG!

You flinch at the sound of the gun expecting the impact that never comes. Losing your footing on the edge, a hand slaps around your wrist before you can plummet to your death. You feel like you could throw up when you spin around and see Dolores. It was more because you almost fell off the edge of a building but seeing Dolores again made you feel warm inside too. A grin spreads over your insanely dry lips as you wrap your arms around the woman pulling her flush against you. "Dolores..."

After a moment she hugs back, her hand running soothingly over your back. "I need you to come with me,"

Dolores' hand slips down your back and into your hand as you unravel from her. Using your free hand to brush away the stray tears. "Where are we going?" You ask as you stumble trying to keep up with her; looking back to the two men who now lay lifeless on the floor. They were dead. Dolores killed them.

"I'm taking you home."

Staying true to her word, she places you on the bed when you finally arrive home. The car ride was silent. You couldn't figure out what was going on and Dolores didn't seem in any rush to explain anything. You're head throbs as you replay the events in your head. You almost died today: if it weren't for the blonde you'd be a stain on the concrete right about now. Dolores kneels down before you, drawing your attention. One hand gentle brushes over your thigh.

"Look at me," she commands but you keep staring off; struggling to focus on anything. "Y/N, look at me."

You oblige this time, meeting her soft blue eyes. She offers you a gentle smile. "I'm gonna pack you a bag and then we can go get you something to eat, okay?"

"I... I don't... understand." You mumble out slowly. The sun was beginning to show its face through the gap in your curtains, casting Dolores in an angelic warm glow.

"Tell me what's wrong,"

"My... my head hurts," you admit quietly, that was all you could get out.

"Any other pain?" You shake your head causing the throbbing to intensify; eyes scrunching up in response. Dolores places a calming hand against your cheek, her thumb brushing gently across your skin. "My sweet girl," Instinctively, you lean into her comforting touch. She was always so gentle towards you; a strong contrast to the woman who just stormed an empty building and shot two people. "You shouldn't have gotten involved."

Your mind wanders to the first time you ever met Dolores as she leaves you alone in the bedroom. It was at a party. One you were much too poor to be at but you were working that night. Dolores has been a guest but instead of ignoring you like everyone else had, she seemed to notice you were, in fact, a real person. She had warned you not to get involved with her and maybe you should have listened. You should have just gone back to your painfully average life but now it was too late. You were involuntarily apart of something so much bigger than yourself. The blonde returned to hand you some water and two pills. "For the headache."

Watching Dolores wander around your room, shoving stuff into a bag was... weird. None of this has felt real. It was like you were stuck in some kind of dream? Or a nightmare may be a better choice of words. She didn't pack a lot of things and it was only now dawning on you that she was packing for you. What was the plan here? Why did you need this stuff? "Come,"

Your eyes drift to her outstretched hand, nothing short of confusion written across your face. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" She doesn't answer. You take her hand, squeezing a little as she helps you to your feet. "Dolores, please? I'm not just gonna run away with you."

"They'll be looking for you now too," she explains, hiking the bag further up her shoulder. "If you stay they'll kill you."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter who," with a heavy sigh, she hesitates before connecting your lips but only for a second in a surprisingly passionate embrace. You too surprised to even say anything and you think she knew that would be the case. "I need you to trust me."

NEXT