#Idol of their own Wrath

[bmpmp3]

and another thing about vocal synth fans: we will always find some adult male voicebank to turn into a funny little clown for our amusement. some guy to communally bully in our talkloids, the miserable straightman to the shenanigans, the sad little freak punchline to our jokes. it happened to kaito. it happened to gakupo. it happened genbu. it even happened a bit to kevin (although he seems to have looped around somehow). and it will happen to you too, frimomen. it will happen to you too.

[kissies4jiwon]

a new addition ? 은채 x reader

synopsis › eunchae is admiring a new girl at school and how pretty she is, not knowing shes actually joining her group.

a/n › uhm first time writing in a while how are we feeling..

pairing › hong eunchae x idol/trainee!reader

warnings › gay people eek! /j

word count › 722

eunchae sat cross-legged on the floor of the dormitory, her phone resting on her knees as she doom scrolled through social media. the room was filled with her members: yunjin, kazuha, and sakura, chaewon who were scattered around, engaged in their own activities. their talking filled the room mostly being yunjins and chaewons.

ever since the new school year started, eunchae found herself daydreaming more than ever during math class, catching herself having these daydreams even in practice. with her busy schedule with idol duties and with the annoyance of tests, there was one reason that kept drawing her back to school: y/n. every time she walked into the classroom, her heart would skip a beat at the sight of y/n sitting by her desk, her beautiful face lit by the morning sun streaming through the window. the way y/n would occasionally glance at her, catching her staring, it all made eunchae’s heart race.

eunchae often found herself skipping practice just to catch a glimpse of y/n during the day. she knew she shouldn’t, especially with a comeback looming and chaewon’s wrath if she catches her skipping, but the thought of missing out on seeing her was unbearable. as much as she loved being an idol, she couldn't help but feel a pull towards this new girl. math soon became a blur, the numbers and x’s on the board fading into the background as she focused on the girl who had caught her heart. her mind would often wander to scenarios where they she would hear her sing, complimenting her dancing. she hoped the new girl would share her dream, but it always ended with her returning to reality—realizing that she had to balance her dreams with her idol responsibilities.

"uhm guys, theres this new girl at school—" eunchae spoke up, her eyes lighting up with excitement and nervousness. she put down her phone and leaned forward, eager to share the details. "her name is [y/n], and she’s really— absolutely gorgeous. school actually doesnt seem that boring with her in math, for once."

yunjin looked at eunchae, intrigued. she always bragged about not going to school, not wanting to go. "really? what does she look like?"

eunchae's cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke. "she has these beautiful pins and cute pencils and the prettiest eyes. i saw her in the hallway today, and i couldn't take my eyes off her! she seemed so kind, too she—"

kazuha, who had been quietly listening, chimed in. "do you think she’s into music or dance? you could invite her to karaoke or something."

sakura nodded, a calm smile spreading across her face. "it would be nice to have another friend your age except kyujin. plus, if she’s as pretty as you say, i can see why you’re so captivated, eunchae." the eldest added with a wink.

eunchae giggled, her excitement bubbling over with all her members support. "i just think she’s really unique! i hope i get to talk to her someday.. i just see her in one class."

just then, the door swung open, and their manager stepped in with a smile. "girls, i have a big announcement"

the members turned their attention to the manager, curiosity etched on their faces. eunchae’s heart raced—she couldn’t help but think it might be something related to the new girl she had been talking about, or she hoped.

"we're going to be adding a new member to le sserafim!" the manager announced, and the room erupted with a mix of glances and excitement.

"wait, really?" yunjin exclaimed, her eyes wide. "who is it?"

eunchae’s heart skipped a beat as she felt a strange sense of anticipation, were her dreams answered? could it be?

the manager continued, "the new member is y/n l/n. she’ll be joining us after this comeback, but she will training along side you—"

the mangers words fell to the background all eunchae heard was y/n. eunchae's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "wait, are you serious?! that’s the girl i was just talking about— shes in my math class"

the eldest eyes sparkled with delight for eunchae. "no way! that’s amazing eunchae. we have to make your classmate feel welcome."

eunchae's mind raced with thoughts of how she would introduce herself to y/n. she wanted to make a good impression, especially now that they would be part of the same group.

as the excitement settled in, eunchae couldn’t help but smile. maybe this was fate. she would have the chance to get to know the girl she had admired from afar. her heart fluttered at the prospect of spending more time with y/n, and she felt a new sense of determination to make her feel at home in lesserafim.

[rainbowolfe]

Ooohhhhhhh

"Are you to be a vengeful false idol, or a merciful coward?"

Tears of the Vengeful Father and Tears of the Merciful Mother

A patriarch without clan and a mother without child. Two entities that lack a community of their own. Or perhaps had that community taken from them.

A blessed father and a damned mother. "The blessed" is how Crown Bearing deities are referred to. "The damned" is how demons are referred to. (Or otherwise, those consumed by sin) The mother's tears are the color of ichor.

A false idol and a coward. The symbol for false idols is a tree and a bush, so the father is associated with nature (if not specifically Darkwood) and decorations (i.e. Possessions). The mother would be connected to the Rite of Wrath, as that's where the Coward trait comes from.

Baal and Aym. Baal (tied to the father) is associated with healing but wears a black heart. He wields a sun staff and is capable of melee combat. Aym (tied to the mother) wears a white skull—the exact one that's used for the Fleece of the Diseased Heart. He wields a moon staff. He seems to be sick, or otherwise suffers adverse effects from doing magic. As an extension of Baal and Aym, the father is Light (In order to gain, one must first give) while the mother is Dark (Nature's law demands creation spring from destruction).

Spirit Hearts and Diseased Hearts. The father turns love (faith?) into temporary life. This exchange is one for one. The mother turns love/faith into corrupt life. This exchange is two for one.

...

The Phoenix and the Turtle Dove.

[sepublic]

            It really feels appropriate that TOH’s entire conception sparked from spiteful defiance towards misogyny; Towards a peer’s misogynistic claim that nobody would be interested in a story about an older woman and her young female apprentice.

            There are plenty of prominent female characters of different arcs and motives and backgrounds. The story is about a young girl meeting this older woman whom society hates, because she doesn’t conform to their expectations. Eda’s someone whose age does not disclude her from being viewed as attractive, as a response to the misogynistic double standards of older being being seen as gray foxes, while older women are decried as hags. Eda is clearly proud and open about her sexuality and isn’t shamed for it; She’s had past exes and while the exes themselves are embarrassing, Eda herself is described as flirty and someone Luz looks up to.

            It’s fitting that in the first episode that establishes the themes and conflicts of the show, Luz and Eda go up against this controlling creep who immaturely hates anyone and anything that’s different, who presents himself as serious with his mask, but when it falls off he’s revealed to be just as freakish as everyone else, while also betraying a sniveling core beneath it all. And of course Warden Wrath is a misogynist, not literally because of the setting, but his actions blatantly represent these ideas; He is entitled towards Eda and demands he can control her.

            Meanwhile you have Jacob Hopkins who is the blatant precursor/foreshadowing to Belos; He’s an ineffectual Belos, but still dangerous because of that idiocy. The way he puts his hand on Camila’s shoulder, and her having to move it away, speaks volumes. He spends his time on conspiracy sites. Men who are racist are so often misogynistic. He is from our world, where these values exist.

            The villain foreshadowed by these characters had his start as a white boy who, in order to feel better about himself, idolized his community’s violence against women; Make no mistake, while the show acknowledges that witches are gender-neutral, and this does apply to the Salem Witch Trials, the witch hunts were still misogynistic with their statistical skew towards women. In S3, the writers make a point that Gravesfield’s witch hunters had the same motives and targets as IRL witch hunters.

            A young girl not much older is targeted for violence by the community as an outsider, and by the boy because she chose to fall in love with his brother; An expression of romantic agency. Philip falls back on an ideology that validates white men such as himself as superior and in charge of all others, while framing even a child like Evelyn as an evil temptress, because to rob children of their status as children is a form of dehumanization. His misogynistic violence furthers when he sees that Evelyn has also expressed sexual agency in having a child with Caleb, and wants to kill Evelyn and her soon-to-be-born child (and Caleb as well) to violate a mother’s bodily choice.

            But the whole time, Evelyn got away; She chose to go back to Gravesfield even if in secret, because she had someone she wanted to be with. She didn’t let anyone or anything stop her from loving, even post-mortem, because Evelyn got revenge by beating up Philip so badly he never confronted her again out of trauma. She got to raise her child, who lived a full life of their own, and spawned a lineage that resulted in other characters as mentioned. Evelyn Clawthorne was a young girl who expressed agency, who took initiative in exploring another world, and ultimately set up others to do the same, especially Luz.

            The Emperor is a patriarchal figure who Luz even suggests a similarity towards with Warden Wrath. The need for control and domination, the desire to kill monsters, is a way of asserting his manhood; Philip’s statue shows him as scrawny within his brother’s shadow, implying an insecurity over his masculinity that he compensated for in punishing women and minorities, just like any incel.

            And this would even extend to jealousy in killing Caleb and subsuming his masculine identity via his coat; Not because he’s secretly GNC but because he wants to be a macho man. His effeminate voice likely brought him shame, and he grew his scraggly beard out. Despite this, Philip almost exclusively resorts to underhanded means when fighting people, such as hiding behind a hostage, possessing/manipulating others, lowering their guard, etc. Philip flees against an actual challenger like Evelyn, and the only ones he menaces directly are literal children and even they end up outsmarting and humiliating him.

            Lilith has to deal with the petty hatred and spite of Belos, who refuses to comprehend that what she did to him was in any way warranted; Of all his atrocities, across his entire life, his only remorse is for fellow white men, whose abuse he’s not even truly repentant about. Lilith escapes her abuser, using her experience to warn Luz before delivering retribution upon the man who harmed her. Like her sister, Lilith avoids the ageism towards women like her; She doesn’t care for love and her main friend is Hooty, but she’s treated with full dignity and respect, not as some crazy cat lady, but as a middle-aged woman who’s just as capable of turning her life around and finding new meaning in it, as anyone else.

            Against Belos, Luz is accused of having her sense of reasoning being messed with by the witches; Thereby undermining Luz’s agency by calling her insane, gaslighting the girl as essentially hysterical. Otherwise, he claims that all of Luz’s decisions are mistakes that just harm people. Belos is entitled towards Luz, believing he should be able to control Luz, her decisions, how she lives her life, etc.

            When Luz refuses, he immediately defaults to killing her with sadistic glee, and only relents when she convinces him that he genuinely needs her; Not because it’s the right thing to do or Luz plans to change her mind, because her wellbeing was never his consideration. It was just control, as the Titan puts it. It’s this entitlement that has Belos insinuate to Luz repeatedly that she is helping him, that this is her intended role by his side, to support him.

            And in the end, Luz asserts her agency; She does not owe Belos anything. He is not entitled to anything about her. She will not grant him time, sympathy, or understanding. She will let him be laid bare for what he really is, and let him slowly, painfully die in humiliation as he pleads for mercy. Her rage against this patriarchal figure is a triumph, as is that of Eda, who is the successful descendant of the girl who got away with it; She gets to murder this man with her child and nonbinary lover.

            Older women like Gwen and Camila are present and humanized. Kikimora, for all her vicious and pathetic flaws, is recognized as another victim of Belos, and one who successfully gets revenge on her abuser by undoing his entire life’s work and catalyzing his eventual demise. Amity and Boscha start off as cruel and mean, but are allowed to be more than shallow Popular Girl archetypes, having their own motives and vulnerabilities. Willow frets over being a caring, borderline maternal figure, and this crisis reaches a climax with Hunter, who rejects his uncle’s teachings by taking responsibility for his emotional hostility and relieving Willow of her burdens.

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

ok but what is it with the recent dumb-sidekick-ification for grover underwood. grover was probably one of the most logical and sensible characters in the pjo series. a lot of the times he saved the day, or at least helps in saving the day.

but in the tv show, he's this comedic relief guy who doesn't do anything. he comes in ten minutes later and he's like "are you guys done yet??". he oh so conveniently lost his pearl. he does all the manipulation tricks to ares only to arrive at a wrong answer, basically proving his tactics as useless. in wrath of the triple goddess, he just drinks a strawberry potion even though everyone told him not to, basically potentially messing up his best friends future (but this is not a solid point since we don't know the full plot yet).

it would have been really cool if he had his reed pipes and played a role in all of the adventures. it would have been cool if he had started suspecting luke, but not told percy and annabeth after seeing how much they idolized him. I really hope that in wotg, it's revealed that there was some manipulation behind grover drinking the potion.

one of the many reasons why pjo was kind of great was because rick used the generic tropes of comedic relief sidekick for grover but made him powerful in his own ways. and I hope he keeps that in mind all the time.

[7ndipity]

“Like Crazy”

Jimin x Idol Reader

Summary: Jimin asks you to fill in as his dance partner for a Like Crazy performance

Warnings: not proofread

A/N: Thanks to the lovely anon who requested this! I hope you like it!

Masterlist

Requests are open

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“Ok, let's take five and then we’ll go again!” The choreographer called.

Gratefully, you slumped down to the floor, letting your head rest against the wall as you took a few deep breaths. Comebacks were always exhausting, but this new choreo you’d been working on was really kicking your butt.

Letting your eyes fall shut, you made a mental note to try and make the next single be something slower, only to be jolted out of your train of thought by the sound of your phone.

Quickly digging it out of your bag, you couldn’t help the small grin that crept across your face as you read the caller ID. “💖Chimmy💖”

“Hey you.” You answered.

“Hey, uh, I have a huge favor to ask, and I need you to not hate me.” Jimin said quickly, sounding stressed.

“I would never hate you.” You replied.

“Would you be my dance partner?”

“What?” You blinked.

“Jinsol’s sick, and we need someone to fill in for this weekend's performance.” He explained. “I know it’s short notice, and you’re doing promotions right now too, but you’re one of the only other people who already knows the choreo.”

“Would the company be okay with us doing that?” You asked. Although it wasn’t a secret that you and Jimin were ‘close’, the exact status of your relationship was, and you knew that performing like this would inevitably stir up rumors.

“They said they could make it work, if you agreed.”

You considered it for a moment before speaking again. “Which days would you need me to cover?” You asked.

“Just Saturday.”

You sat up a little straighter. “Jimin… That’s Music Bank.” You said, stating the obvious.

“I know.”

“I’m also performing on Music Bank?”

“I know.” He repeated. “You can say no, it’s totally okay, I just had the thought-”

“No, I’ll do it.” You said quickly. The chance to actually perform with your boyfriend was not one you were keen on passing up, however sudden and hectic it might be.

“You will?!” He exclaimed.

“Yeah, sure.” You replied. “The managers will probably hate it, But what the hell?”

“Ah, Y/n, thank you!!” He cried through the phone. “I’ll find a way to pay you back for this, I promise!”

“You better,” You giggled at his enthusiasm. “I’m risking the wrath of army here.”

“They’ll behave, don’t worry.” He said. “I gotta go and update everyone, I’ll call you again later. Love you.”

“Love you too.” You replied, hanging up and taking another deep breath.

Well, this weekend just got more interesting…

The next two days were filled with ducking between rehearsals, wanting to make sure you had the choreo for ‘Like Crazy’ down perfectly. Jimin had taught you the main portion of the dance a couple months ago as he was getting ready for promotions, but you still had to get the hang of dancing with the group for the other sections.

Now, as you were weaving through the crowded backstage area to catch up with the rest of Jimin's team and quickly change outfits, you were beginning to feel the pre-show nerves settling in, despite having just finished your own performance.

As soon as Jimin caught sight of you, he tackled you in a tight hug.

“You did amazing out there!” He said excitedly, giving you a squeeze before releasing you.

“You watched?”

“Of course I did!” He said, cocking his head at you. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t support my amazingly talented partner?”

Before you could come up with a retort, you were all being called to the stage. You and the others watched from the side as Jimin went out and greeted the crowd, thanking them all for coming and expressing how he hoped they would like the performance.

As the lights went down and you and the other dancers moved to your places, you heard a couple surprised shouts of your name, making you bite back a grin as you glanced back at Jimin. He shot you a quick smile and thumbs up before turning away.

As the music started, you took a deep breath, your earlier jitters quickly dissolving as you let everything else fade away, focusing only on following the others and Jimin.

When you reached the solo part of the song that was just you and Jimin, you had to bite back another smile as the two of you made eye contact as he sang, sending him a quick wink before you spun behind him, hearing the slightest waver in his voice as he fought back a laugh.

The rest of the dance went smoothly, and almost too soon, you were back in the starting position as the final notes of the song faded out, only to be immediately replaced by the crowd’s thunderous cheers.

Everyone quickly ducked off stage and headed back to the dressing rooms in flurry, you and a couple of the other dancers talking and complementing each other on the performance. After a few minutes, Jimin managed to pull you off to the side, pressing a quick, enthusiastic kiss to your lips.

“Thank you so much.” He whispered.

“You’re welcome.” You said. “Although, you know you’re gonna get in trouble for making moves on your dancers like this.”

“I can’t help it,” He whined. “You were too cute out there.”

“Do you think the fans liked it?”

“I hope so, I know I did.” He said.

“I’ve noticed.” You giggled as he tried to kiss you again, only to be interrupted by the sound of your names being called as your teams tried to find you.

He groaned. “We’d better go. Can I come over later?” He asked.

“You better, you still owe me payment for today, remember?” You teased.

“I’ll have to come up with something really good.” He grinned before slipping out the door ahead of you.

“Can’t wait.”

[hypnos333]

Changing Fate

Eros x Goddess reader

Synopsis: Fate had it easy for you as you were a goddess of fate until you got in the away with another’s fate

You were the daughter of Hera and Zeus, you were the third born after Ares and Hephaestus. Of course your parents adores you especially your mother. Being the goddess of Fate was easy then one, two, and three.

You were as beautiful as Aphrodite but you were no goddess of beauty.

“U-Uhm ___?” Eros called out holding your golden paged journal.

“Oh my Zeus! Thank you so much Eros” You said excitedly holding the book with delicacy. His wings flutter in shyness.

“Of course my cupid” He said back making you blush before hold the journal close to you.

“I should be calling you that Cupid” You flirted back making him blush again. He always haded feelings for you and since you lost your fate book you didn’t see that his fate now changed.

“So what should I call you? Oh! How about my love?” he asked excitedly making me agree instantly

“Whatever you like my cupid but right now I have to do my job” you said your goodbye. “Bye my love” Eros said back dreamily making you giggle as you turn back to your mansion.

You reread the journal to make sure everything was in shape in normal but it wasn’t….

See with the journal you can see everyone’s fate even gods or goddesses with Eros it holds a sparkling pink thread around his fate. It’s fading…. And not for the right reasons it should.

Eros fate is about love…

A king and queen has three daughters, all three of the girls are attractive but one of them is absolutely gorgeous- Phyche was her name. People would come all over to check out how beautiful she was. neglecting the proper worship of Aphrodite, instead prayed and made offerings to her. It was rumored that she was the second coming of Venus, or the daughter of Venus from an unseemly union between the goddess and a mortal. Venus is offended, and commissions Cupid to work her revenge. Cupid is sent to shoot Psyche with an arrow so that she may fall in love with something hideous. He instead scratches himself with his own dart, which makes any living thing fall in love with the first thing it sees. Consequently, he falls deeply in love with Psyche and disobeys his mother's order. Although her two humanly beautiful sisters have married, the idolized Psyche has yet to find love. Her father suspects that they have incurred the wrath of the gods, and consults the oracle of Apollo. The response is unsettling: the king is to expect not a human son-in-law, but rather a dragon-like creature The transported girl awakes to find herself at the edge of a cultivated grove. Exploring, she finds a marvelous house with golden columns, a carved ceiling of citrus wood and ivory, silver walls embossed with wild and domesticated animals, and jeweled mosaic floors. A disembodied voice tells her to make herself comfortable, and she is entertained at a feast that serves itself and by singing to an invisible lyre. Although fearful and without the proper experience, she allows herself to be guided to a bedroom where, in the darkness, a being she cannot see has sex with her. She gradually learns to look forward to his visits, though he always departs before sunrise and forbids her to look upon him. Soon, she becomes pregnant.

One night after Cupid falls asleep, Psyche carries out the plan her sisters devised: she brings out a dagger and a lamp she had hidden in the room, in order to see and kill the monster. But when the light instead reveals the most beautiful creature she has ever seen, she is so startled that she wounds herself on one of the arrows in Cupid's cast-aside quiver. Struck with a feverish passion, she spills hot oil from the lamp and wakes him. He flees, and though she tries to pursue, he flies away and leaves her on the bank of a river.

The rest of his fate was faded

You stood there shocked, this never happened before… this should’ve never happened. Why is it fading?

The ink was supposed to stay as it should so why is his fate changing?

You couldn’t say that you were glad his fate was changing, you were falling for the cupid after all but that did not mean he couldn’t be happy.

All she could do was watch the ink disappear like his fate was never there, and hope a new fate can appear for him. You slammed the book shut and rush to make sure Eros was safe.

When you saw him getting an apple from a tree you immediately rushed to him with a hug. Eros almost fell from the rush of someone.

“Woah My love, are you alright?” he asked gently not wanting to trigger you.

You put your hands on his cheek to make sure he has no injuries. “Of course, Are you okay?” you asked worriedly.

“Yeah? ___ we saw each other ten minutes ago, what’s wrong?” he asked making you hesitate on the question it’s self. It’s not like you can hide his dying fate from him but know something could be wrong is killing you.

“Y-Your fate changed and I couldn’t do anything about it and I thought something was wrong” You admitted making him nod.

“My fate with a human girl?” he asked making you instantly nod.

“Yeah a-and wait how did you know?” You asked making him chuckle awkwardly before clearing his throat to explain.

“W-Well I look in the journal and saw how my fate went and honestly I don’t want that to happen because ___ goddess of fate i’m in love with you” He confessed making you blush in shyness.

“W-What?” You whispered.

“I got approval from you family especially Ares and Zeus even though they’re scary as hell but I was willing to do it for you and I have been falling for you for decades but you were to busy in your work” He explained

“Well Eros of love and sex I will happily be yours” You said making him spin you around in joy.

“I’ll definitely make you the most happiest goddess in this earth my love” he stated making you hum as you leaned in as you both kissed passionately.

[me-uglypretty]

my brother's wife

Pairing:  Carol Danvers x F!Reader

Summary: Carol faces the conflict of war, and the love of her life or more accurately, the sister of a man she married.

Warning: (18+), fluff, mention of battle/war | 4k words

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The most confident, bravest, strongest, and coolest hero—spoken with enthusiasm by the honest words of Kamala Khan—was revealed as the heavily adored Princess of Aladna. Captain Marvel, a genuine royalty among her cheerful people. A princess that roused such joy and smiles from those around the symphonic planet.

“That’s so cool! You’re a princess!” Kamala had exclaimed after the moment of revelation had passed. “Oh my god, my favourite…my idol…my captain is also a princess,” she mumbled to herself, eyes widening at each word, and the absolute look of shock on her face when she stared adoringly at Carol.

On the other side, Monica appeared equally bewildered of the infamous hero’s newly revealed title. Carol tried relaying the reasons for her status at the planet, and only received teasing remarks that made her both annoyed and flush at their comical reactions.

Distraction soon arises for the two to further their teasing when the music begun playing. Aladna’s adored couple, the prince and princes dancing together dreamily, voices blending into the other to spoken words of a coming war.

Prince Yan was quick with his reaction, immediately directing them towards a guest room to prepare themselves for battle. Furthering their planning as he spoke privately with Carol then dismissing himself as the three were left assembling their own plan of action for Dar-Benn’s attack.

However, their conversation came to a halt when hushed voices were heard from outside their room. The sounds had diverted their attention towards the closed door, several seconds passed before the wide door was pushed open forcefully and someone entered in a rushed manner, scaring both Monica and Kamala while Carol merely reacted to the sudden intrusion.

“You’re here,” was spoken first, voice conveying brazen anger and eyes staring straight into those visibly cowering. “And you brought guest.”

Carol had flinched. Those words fell harshly from a mouth always sounding so sweet, someone she missed dearly and greatly from the unpleasant time apart. But when her own wide eyes met those orbs seemingly glimmering in pure wrath—she had smiled, dissolved was the sudden fear of what may happened, forgotten was the war that would soon arrive.

It was you, wasn’t it?

Why wouldn’t Carol smile at the sight of you?

It’s foolish to simply overlook the clear irritation on your face, but Carol had always reacted as foolishly possible when it came to you. Her eyes linger on your form, trailing from the strict look on your face to the hues of your clothes that appeared different from the occupants of Aladna. A sort of darkness looms in tinge of yellow, surely making you recognisable in the crowd. Though, that was undoubtedly the truth when you appeared in any places. A beauty like yours, and Carol crumbles at the sight.

You were there. Carol was there. A border that separated two was the upcoming war. Perhaps, it was the continuous voices that sang to their hearts desire, rarely disturbed by anger and unlike how a certain flair of anger seems stuck on your face.

But you’re…you.

“Why…why is Carol smiling?” Kamala whispered, nudging her elbow to Monica’s side at the question. The oldest between two simply shrugged, far too invested to know of her aunt’s new drama.

It was true. Carol was smiling at the sight of you, a stranger simply stood by the closed door. Hands fisted by your side, a frown settled deep on your face as your eyebrows furrowed and round eyes stared in her direction, anger that seems to slip gradually into confusion as your eyes examined the strangers in the room. Then, almost as if the realisation had settled when you noticed the younger girl, your glare was fixed back on Carol with madden intensity.

Carol cleared her throat first, mouth parted to say something then deciding on approaching you instead. “I know what you’re going to say—”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

Those words carried an unpleasant silence through the thickening tension. Carol’s approach was blocked as you swerve around her and walked towards the two guests.

Kamala takes an uncertain step back, seemingly pressing her body closer to Monica. Her wide eyes, those pools of soft brown swirls with an expression of fear, confusion, and adoration.

You lifted your fisted hand, extending towards Kamala and revealed a piece of pink candy in your palm. The puzzled look on her face fades seconds as she accepted the candy and uttered a soft thank you. After the minimal interaction, you glance towards the older woman stood beside her. Monica doesn’t offer a smile of any sort as your eyes squints at her like you found her familiar, before nodding your head at her.

“If you need anything, let me know. I’ll be waiting outside this room,” you stated sternly and spun around to make an exit.

Carol’s hand almost reached for yours but dropped by her side with a tired sigh as a hand was raised in her direction, silencing her from uttering anything else. The warning look remained on your face as you opened the door and closed it behind you.

It was almost too quiet till the sound of soft steps reached Carol’s side.

A hum was followed by the question, “So…who was that?”

Carol seemed to had awaken from her swirling thoughts. The clear curiosity was on Kamala and Monica’s face, neither gathering a reasonable answer for the slightly awkward and entirely too conflicted situation. The oldest of them had choose to ignore the questions looming in utter confusion and gestured for them to prepare for the upcoming battle.

It's you, it’s her, and it’s time she set aside her personal matters for the sake of their safety.

Out of the various disastrous occurrence, you weren’t prepared for the forced warfare in your peaceful planet. A home that was always glowing in hues of bright colours, people sharing the sounds of their love and embracing each other tenderly. Despite the conflict that arise at some point that made you dim, it was nothing alike the beliefs that your parents had taught you, and it wasn’t alike the absolute chaos you had witness.

Now, you were stood by the window that exhibited a view of the unexplored galaxy and you were fuming at the sight. A single foot taps rhythmically on the metal flooring, it was a song that your mother used to sing when nights were far too dark and worry expands in your chest. The kind of agony that carried forward as you grew older and when you were forced into the space ship with her.

It's for the best, your brother had claimed and pushed your body towards the hovering ship. The best of his decision was questioned in sake for you or for him. You assumed the latter was the obvious answer.

“How are you doing?” the tender voice asked and instantly, you smelled the slightly burnt aroma that carried through the air. “Coffee?” was offered soon after with a friendly smile.

When you accepted the offer, instantly did the warmth from the mug spreads to the width of your palms. A soft hum resonates through your throat as you sipped the bitter drink tentatively, the warmth doesn’t settle the ache in your chest but offer a sort of comfort from the chill that surrounds the unaccustomed space.

A gentle whisper of a thank you, and seconds after, your gaze met those of dark brown eyes swirling with sympathy.

“We weren’t formally introduced…but I’m Monica,” she introduced herself after offering the beverage. “That’s Kamala,” she pointed her thumb back, and you followed her gaze towards the young girl sat at the edge of the desk, kicking her feet absently then waving shyly in greeting at realisation that the attention had diverted to her.

You nodded your head first, followed by the confession that seemingly pulled her attention entirely on you. “I know…you,” and timid smile was revealed on your face.

Monica’s eyes seemingly widen at the revelation, eyebrows furrowed and mouth parted with questions lingering in her mind since your appearance. A taunting sense that hasn’t provided her with an idea of you.

Though, the wanting conversation was abruptly stopped by sounds of metal clattering to the ground, echoing throughout the shared space. Grumbles of sort was heard moments after, and Monica smiled, an apology lingering at the tip of her tongue as she hastily walked towards the urgent noise.

It left you alone, or at least, with the youngest among them.

Kamala’s face settled with an expression of utter concentration, the lines over her eyebrows more prominent as she squints her eyes and in return, you followed the reaction that seems to flutter out of nowhere. A moment shared between two at an hour that wasn’t great to neither, and it was the sign of a slight smile curling at her lips that warmth your heart. The commenced of a staring contest that you knew of well, a game that you had experienced with the children of Aladna.

It takes approximately ten seconds after that your façade dissolved into a smile that pulled at the muscles of your cheeks and laughter which carried happily in the air. Kamala snorted at the reaction, almost dropping the bowl of snacks in her hands from her uncontrollable laughter.

The rush of innocence in that moment, grasped at your heart and hers, which later you assumed. It seemed foreign to experience something so childlike. Life had become nothing but a period of attending to trivial occasions or listening to orders that enforced your presence far from significant discourses. The thought itself makes you feel strange. Did life really succumb into such dullness? If so, and life has truly met the worst then was that why a young child like her had become intertwined with a growing war?

Few minutes after, when neither you or Kamala was at the start of another childlike act, the young girl made a sound alike a hum.

“I like your scarf,” Kamala pointed out, her head nodding towards the fabric that was tired firmly around your wrist. “It’s pretty…like you,” she added faintly as a shy smile appeared on her face.

The mention of said scarf; an iridescence like maroon fabric which surface is scattered with a phrasing that looked faded, and the seams of the fabric was woven with embroidery of flowers in shade of gold and silver. It was one of the many fabrics made in your home planet, though, this article of clothing carried a significant meaning.

It's special, you would explain as a conclusion.

You placed the coffee in your possession by the window before untying the scarf around your wrist. Taking gentle steps forward, a tender smile curls at your lips as you glance at the fabric in your hand then meeting Kamala’s curious gaze. “Here, you can have it,” you said, and waited for the young girl to extend her hand.

A soft gasp was heard when the scarf was entirely in her touch. The sudden glow that resurfaced wasn’t unusual as you smiled at the sight. It was always a special fabric, and you believed that—Kamala is even more special.

“It’s glowing! Oh my…” she exclaimed, excitement seemingly losing an understand of what she was saying as you chuckled at her reaction. “Really?” she asked, after settling with a wide grin on her face. “Thank you!” she rushed to warp her arms around you as returned the show of affection.

“It’s a special scarf,” you spoke fondly of it. “Promised to guide in time of trouble…” you briefly explained, and witness the young girl inspecting the scarf intriguingly then her eyes, round and wide, stared into yours with questions that you waved off. “No, it’s not going to help you in every situation. It comes and goes, you’ll feel it when it does,” you wiggled your hands to emphasis it’s magic.

You wouldn’t exactly utter the word of magic. It’s not a trick. It’s just, that, something special and only worthy to those of pure heart.

“What’s that?”

The question was rushed, hand grasping your wrist that was once tied with a scarf. It doesn’t occur to you of Kamala’s sudden interest till the next question dropped from her mouth in utter surprise.

“Is that a glowing tattoo?”

You hastily pulled your hand away, and feign obliviousness as you shrugged. “Don’t know.”

The lie that slips from your tongue feels customary. It was a part of you that you hid well. The very emblem that stirred your chest with such rage, waiting for moments after another to erupt in sheer bloody wrath, and express the very notion that made you feel lost. At that same instant, where those feelings roused in such situation, the reason appeared in lurid steps.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Carol’s voice carried warmly through and her body inched closer, while yours visibly retreated with a livid scowl on your face.

Carol has always been the reason.

And there, she crossed her arms. “Are you serious? You’re still mad about what happened?”

Anger flash in your eyes, widening in sheer frustration and irritation. All those crimson flush that seems obvious to her, and you hoped for the least that she reconsiders her next choice of words. You take that step first, forcing your body into her proximity. A single finger pointed at the centre of her chest as you spoke the next line in blazing fury and in a tone that surely left everyone close stunned.

“No. You don’t get it, Carol. You got the prosperous ending with my brother, the chance to leave and continue your beautiful life in space. You had that, just pick up everything and leave to your lonesome like you always do,” you glance around her space ship to emphasise her isolation. “But I didn’t. I faced the backlash for not choosing the right person, for not— you promised that it will always be me and you.”

The breath released after your admission, it pulled at your chest and settled a heavy there. It doesn’t improve when your eyes started into hers, those spheres that you once compared to the sun.

Carol—she was the person you fell so hopelessly for—and she felt that same too, at those hours spend conversing of everything to nothing. You were sure of it. Those eyes of light brown held a heavenly like adoration for you. The mundane act of life, where her hands always find yours or the crimson flush on her cheeks when your hand rest firmly on her thigh. Carol always held a look in her eyes that others would express of how you perceive said person who painted the starts specifically for you, only someone loves you truly would go beyond to achieve that.

She speaks of it too, the love that she holds for purely for you. It was never doubt that she would have seize every colour in the universe for you. The promise that sealed her lips over yours at the first night you presumed her as another space adventurer. She wasn’t, that she swore upon.

It was love. You were confident of it.

Why must she had done everything against it?

You haven’t found the answers. Carol had left you abandoned while you still saw her face everywhere you turn and your brother’s satisfied smile at the mention of his wife.

It wasn’t fair to you—to your aching heart that stayed, still waiting for the glow of the night to appear and to see her smile. You waited for Carol every night till your mind settled with an end.

She could never settle herself for something permanent.

“You have always been so good at leaving, Carol Danvers,” you uttered with finality, and immediately walked away from her.

Pretence slips instantly. You ignored the look of disappointment on Monica’s face or the sounds of shock from Kamala at the revelation. Life was always like this; pretend, speak of every hurt, and pretend again.

Carol acknowledged the mistakes she made from the first that she remembers to the expense of the last. It takes saving the world with such reckless actions before and after, and the most horrible parts of it for her to finally understand. It was the same route that leads for another mistake.

Her heart ached with knowing that neither could compare to the shame that bathe her at leaving you in such state, and the absolute betrayal of accepting the marriage proposed by your brother. It was a documented act to solve a conflict. Merely an act, a performance for the politics that blurred heavily between social construct of Aladna and the heir of the throne.

“She’s very angry with you,” Kamal mumbled nonchalantly which ultimately directed Carol’s attention to her. “But she’s very pretty…” she trailed, momentarily getting distracted by the transparent screen which possessed classified information. “Actually, I think every beautiful woman…hates you,” and with that, she gasped dramatically at the realisation.

Carol argued with the brewing thoughts in the younger girl’s mind. “That’s not— stop, not every woman hates me.”

“Okay,” Kamila answered sarcastically. The utter shock of seeing her idol had fade into confidence if she was speaking like this without a worry, and it kind of made Carol wish back for the early stages of meeting Kamala.

A tired sigh emits from her throat, her hand brushed the blonde strains that fell to her forehead. “Kamala, she doesn’t hate me.”

Kamala scoffed at the statement. Carol’s eyebrows furrowed, and she titled her head, a look that made the younger girl raise her hand in surrender. It was followed by soft mumbles of apologies.

“She’s not happy with me right now, and I understand her,” Carol claimed, confidence wavering at each word after the tense and one-sided conversation with you. “Anyway, why do you even think that?” she questioned, before pushing the younger girl’s hand from messing with the buttons close by, and a cheeky smile soon resurfaced on her face.

“Because she gave me her scarf, she helped before and after the fight, she’s really nice…then you appeared and suddenly, I feel like a child of divorce…” Kamala expressed with a pout.

Carol’s mouth parted in shock, open and closing as though she was trying to comprehend the way to breath or find a suitable way to response. Ultimately at her speechlessness, Carol huffed and turned around, swiftly leaving the young girl giggling in her dismissal of the subject.

How could Kamala have assumed that, as if, the relationship shared between two was obvious to everyone. Carol knew you enough and that served as the only motive as search for you in the space ship.

It hasn’t left her mind since the night she had left. The circulating questions on if your brother was aware of the relationship that brew between you and her. Did the proposal of marriage arise after knowing the truth or was it proposed at the state of unknown?

Then she heard your voice, reaching her ears to where her mind drones the questions and her chest soothe with a warmth from a voice she had missed. You sounded so you, so gentle, so affectionate, and so unliked the voice that spat angrily in her direction.

You were sat by the monitors with Monica. A conversation flowing easily between two people who had never met before this. Carol was careful as she stood behind the wall, enough to stay hidden and still eavesdrop which she knew was a bad thing, but she couldn’t hinder her curiosity.

“Carol talk about you,” was the revelation that shifted Monica’s attention entirely onto you and deserting the classified information she was reading through. “There was so many stories that it felt like I knew you…but you’re obviously not a kid anymore and I don’t think your Aunt Carol had accepted that yet,” you teased at the end, resulting in chuckles from the other women.

“Our relationship feels weird,” Monica admitted, a sort of comfort disclosed in her posture as she shared her thoughts with you. “It’s been years since I last saw her and…” she paused with a tired sigh.

You nodded your head understandingly. “Regardless of what had happened in the past, I know very well that Carol misses you and she loves you so much,” your hand rested comfortingly on Monica’s arm as you continued, “I really do believe that she wants to try and make this better.”

The conversation fades into the background when Carol turned away from it. After all she had done, the absolute heartbreak that was vivid in your eyes, and you still spoke of her so kindly with someone sharing the same angry for her leaving. It wouldn’t make sense if someone else heard this, but Carol knows your compassion goes beyond.

You were rooting for her relationship with Monica to heal. It felt like your anger as fated at her, but never around what she was for everyone else.

Carol wishes and hopes that she could have the chance to fix the mess she created, and to hear your voice speak sweet to her.

The feeling of something horrible occurring—that ache which drew the most horrifying scream from your chest, your throat burns from the sheer strength it took, your hands trembling, your eyes blurry as tears shed—and the aftermath of it.

To witness someone, not just anyone, but the love of your life confined in a battle that doesn’t present an idea of who would survive. To ready your heart for the worse rather than the good, as the later hasn’t transpired for years, and you were always expecting the worse when it was intertwined with you.

Carol was, is intertwined with you.

The reality of a dreadful battle had disregarded the resentment which stirred in your chest at the sheer mention of her. Betrayal of such, wasn’t promised forgiveness. A part of you knew, forgiveness materialised in your heart when you first saw her on the dance floor, despite her close embrace with your brother.

Everything that you felt was dismissed completely at the sight of her, alive and breathing as she stood just steps away from you. Carol frowned, cheeks crimson and skin gleaming of sweat. It takes one move for her mouth to part, and for you to leap into her arms as she held you close. They won, and she was alive.

In the heat of such reunion, you pushed yourself back slight, your soft eyes gazing into hers and like nature pursuit the sun’s shine, your mouth hovers over hers—

And you kissed her.

One kiss after another, mouth pressing into the other as though air was transfer in that way, her touch melting you into a puddle of love for her.

Carol was stunned and hoped the forbidden wake from a dream wouldn’t ruin this moment with you. It doesn’t happen, not when your hands grasped her face or when her hands fell to your waist. You were kissing her so fondly that the smile on her face the only reason you stopped.

“You kissed me,” Carol whispered, her minty breath fans over your mouth, and you used to tease her for her habit of eating mint candies when she was stressed. “You kissed me.”

You hummed. “And you kissed me back.”

However, the sweet reunion of love was interrupting by a cough. Carol shifted her head slight, looking over your shoulder to see Monica stood there with an unamused expression. You tenderly turned around in her embrace, back pressed into hers as Carol rested her head on your shoulder.

It's perfect, she confessed to her heart. The bad was resolved, and you still love her. You love her enough and haven’t left her side since the start of this unavoidable war.

She doesn’t need any other proof of love than the way your hand grasps her wrist and hold her closer. The glimpse of a mark on your wrist proof of it more, a matching emblem of love that glows warmly on her skin and yours.

“So…you forgive her for being problematic?” Monica teased, and instantly raised her hands in feign surrender when Carol glared at her. “Okay, calm down, Aunt Carol. I was just…stating the obvious.”

A groan trembles through your shoulder at Carol’s annoyance. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Where’s Kamala? Go take care of her, please,” Carol plead in the end, and Monica smiled, waving her hands at you as she walked away.

Carol turned your body around, facing you entirely as the smile on her face widens as you were smiling at her too. It’s unreal, she thought, as her fingers trace the curve of your lips and you lean into her touch.

You felt the texture of her skin, the print of her birth and the ones occurred from her life filled with action. She wasn’t a fragment of a memory that made you curse and cry the night away. Just knowing she was there with you, lessen the ache that was so persistent in your heart.

“I’m sorry for messing up,” Carol whispered, her hand grasps your jaw tenderly. “I shouldn’t— I should have never left you. It’s my fault, and I would do everything to fix this, fix us.”

You simply listened or more, admire the little furrow of her brows as she spoke, the line that drew over forehead which appeared more prominent when she was frowning, and the way her eyes visibly softened, it’s not the look of a warrior but of someone blooming with sympathy. Your body seemed to react first as you pressed your mouth firmly over hers, lips completely shutting her from her rambles of apologies.

“I forgive you,” was whispered as another kiss was followed by, “But you have a long way to fix everything,” you pointed, and she chuckled, nodding her head in agreement.

This was entirely the way either of you expected for rekindle of a relationship, but she was there, you were there, and safely together. Life, rough as it always had been, but it would eventually resolve into better thing. You accepted this at once as her eyes gaze into yours, the tender touch of her hand, and the sweet smile on her face.

You kissed again—just for her.

“But you are divorcing my brother or this,” you pushed yourself back, creating a gap between bodies. “Would never work out,” you stated as you removed your hands from hers and patted her chest softly.

The response that came after was the sound of your distant steps, and Carol’s eyes followed your figure retreating to where the rest were surely waiting.

“Wait! Stop!” Carol shouted suddenly, realisation dawning on her after completely losing her state of consciousness from your touch. “We got married on papers to solve a conflict! It’s not real, hey!”

The laughter that echoed through the space ship was shared among those surviving another formidable battle. You were laughing with Monica and Kamala while Carol was trying her hardest to justify her political marriage, and the slight appearance of a smile when she realises that this is her family. Loneliness doesn’t dwell at each corner of this floating ship, but the warmth of friendships, and rekindled relationships.

hi! if you enjoyed this, do consider getting me coffee 💜

[brawngp2009]

"a hundred watchful eyes"

seb/nico, gen, 750 words. early 2010's, based on a prompt "53: Wings/supernatural body features", written for @25points.

In the public eye looks were everything, and if you had wings they were everything too. A lot of people said that Nico was really lucky; he's got both: angelic looks and gorgeous snow white wings, like a swan, like his father. But whenever he saw Sebastian a pang of envy pierced right through his chest.

Sebastian’s wings didn’t compare Nico’s – smaller and absolutely not as gorgeous. His wings were of golden ochre colour with white specks and black dots, like eyes. Always in control and also sort of angelic, but in a biblical sense, with righteous wrath. And where Sebastian’s wings lacked beauty; they made up for in skill, they were precise and moved silently.

Sebastian’s father didn’t have wings, no one from his family did, but everybody knew he was going to be one of the greatest because his wings were so similar to Michael’s. This was another source of Nico’s woes alongside being a son of champion, amongst other things. Sebastian was so similar to Michael in ways Nico could never be.

Nico finished third that day, Malaysia 2010, which felt amazing. Standing on the podium always felt so. And it was the first time he did it with Sebastian. Nico’s racing was always technical and consistent and he felt like he could do better than Michael even if he still scared him off track. But whilst he was about to surpass the idol of the olden days, he could sense that Sebastian was on the rise and Nico couldn’t keep up.

“May I touch your wings?” he asked quietly, when they found themselves alone in the corridors set behind the podium walls. It was not an ordinary thing to ask a fellow driver, but if Sebastian declined, Nico thought, he would just apologize and move on with his life the best he can.

“Sure!” the smile on Sebastian’s face could illuminate a night race. “But only if I can touch yours,” he chuckled, unzipping his overalls.

Managing the wings as a racing driver was a whole another ordeal. They looked frail, much like the racing cars themselves, but as well as the cars they were actually very sturdy and most importantly very powerful. Not all drivers even had wings, but most of the champions did, and it was an unspoken rule of sorts that the champions have wings. Simple as that. Out of champions who raced alongside Nico only Lewis didn’t have them.

Every driver who had wings coped in different ways, and as Sebastian took the top half of his overalls off, Nico could see the slits cut neatly in his nomex undershirt and his little ochre wings threaded through them and folded neatly over his back. There were no restraints other than overalls.

“You don’t tie them to your body?” Nico asked, watching Sebastian roll his shoulders as his wings twitched and unfolded in front of him. A hundred watchful eyes staring right into Nico’s soul.

“No, why would I?” Sebastian laughed, and the golden feathers shuffled as if his wings were laughing too. “You can touch them, they are nothing special,” the wings calmed down as Sebastian waited for the touch.

The feathers were firm, but soft and seemed almost warm to the touch. They were tucked in very neat rows and Nico could tell that Seb takes very good care of them. He hummed as Nico stroked the feathers slowly and carefully. Sebastian didn’t tie them and they didn’t bother him. How strange, Nico thought. His own wings were often causing more trouble than he’d like to, shifting and wrestling their way out, and that’s why he had to tie them to his body sometimes with extremely soft custom made belts.

“Thank you,” Nico said quietly, taking his hand away, even though his fingers still longed for the touch. They are very beautiful,” he added, rubbing his palms together to get rid of the soft sensation, to forget how the touch of Sebastian’s wings feels.

“No problem,” Sebastian smiled at him, but kind of shy this time, not a blinding beaming smile, but still illuminated and glowing. “They are not a match to yours though,” he chuckled, watching as Nico undid the zipper of his overalls.

“Yeah, they are not,” Nico answered as he went through the ordeal of taking the top half of the overalls and nomex undershirt off and proceeded with undoing the belts that kept his wings close to his body. And maybe it was never about the wings.

[aernx]

꧔ UNDER THE RADAR — ! ❪엔하❫

secret relationships w enha hyung line (separate) non idol! university au （ maknae line ver ）

꒰ warnings ꒱ none i think, mentions of strict parents in jakes part

001. lee heeseung — ❪이희승❫ ᝰ

Subtle glances, quiet “i love you”s as you bumped into each other in the hallway becomes a daily routine for you and Heeseung. Decided to keep your relationship under the radar, you two had no other options but remain intimate behind closed doors. Heeseung has always been an avid believer to PDA and it killed him to not be able to hold you in the eyes of public. But he knew that there were consequences held under his name.

Being the ace of the university’s football team meant being the talk of the university, and you weren’t pleased at the thought of unwanted attention. You love your boyfriend, you really do. But with him being the centre of what’s happening around your university, you can’t help but feel unease if your relationship had been under the lights.

Though, that doesn’t stop Heeseung from loving you any less and vice versa. You know that out of all the attention and support he receives from the public, only yours matters. And in a crowd full of people chanting his name, his eyes will always be on you, only you.

002. Park Jongseong — ❪박종성❫ ᝰ

Jay looks at you with stars in his eyes and his friends wonder how people around you never seem to notice. With you sitting two seats away from him in your economy lecture, it’s hard to pay attention to the professor speaking in front. Especially when the middle seat amidst you, remains vacant.

It took all of his self control to not move over and sit next to you. Holding your hand through the lecture as his other free hand jots down notes of the subject. It was unfortunate that your relationship was kept in the dark, or Jay would be calling your name every time scores a goal for the university’s soccer team.

It’s not that you care about other people’s thoughts that’s why you decided to keep it a secret. But with you being the student council president and him the star player of your university’s soccer team, you both didn’t want to start any unnecessary rumors.

After all, PDA has never been a subject that strongly matters to you and Jay. And you both preferred the privacy. With your relationship being known only to your closest friends and relatives, you feel secure and out of pressure. Away from the prying eyes of others, and the heavy weight of responsibility under your positions.

003. Sim Jaehyun — ❪심재휸❫ ᝰ

The love Sim Jaehyun has for you outweighs any love he has for his grades and for sports. The thought of holding you hand as you both venture the hallways, sitting next to you in lecture halls and in the cafeteria, and overall public display of affection made him giddy to the heart. But he knew better.

He knew it wasn’t possible due to your strict parents. Your parents that loved their child so much that they try so hard to shield you from getting your heart broken by guys. Too bad you were a bit of a rebel.

Jake was your highschool academic rival. And it didn’t change now that you guys are in college and are dating. You knew that if news of your relationship spilled throughout your university, it’ll reach the ears of your parents. After all with your father being the chancellor of the university you both are studying in, it would be hard to keep something like this away from him.

The wrath of your parents was something that you and Jake needed to take count. If your parents ever found out, you fear that they will force you two apart or worse—they will take away Jake’s scholarship.

So you both agreed to keep things lowkey. Only being able to express the love you have for each other behind closed doors. Behind all the cameras set in every hallway in your university, behind the close watch your parents have all over you. Just you and Jake, alone in your own world.

004. Park Sunghoon — ❪박성훈❫ ᝰ

Your friends think that it’s obvious. His accidental shoulder brushes, his occasional glances, and the way his head snaps when he hears your name, it’s painfully obvious.

It’s not as if you guys are trying that hard to hide it anyways. With your position as the star player of the girls basketball, and his as the star player of the boys basketball, you guys can’t really avoid each other that much.

And unfortunately for you, Sunghoon can’t stop straining his eyes on you (not that you mind). It was a silly mission to keep your relationship from your team captains (and the others). The two of you bet on each other that whoever’s captain figured out the first will win and the loser will treat the other for ice cream.

It pains Sunghoon to see that his leader isn’t catching up to his little mission. Whereas on the other hand, Jungwon just shrugged him off thinking that his Sunghoon hyung was just being his odd self.

This bet went over for the span of two months before your captain figured it out. And gosh, Sunghoon doesn’t even care about the ice cream anymore. He’ll buy you all the ice cream you want if it means he’ll be able to hold you in public. If it wasn’t for you being stern on continuing the bet, he would’ve just given up in the middle. But now that it’s over, he can finally embrace you freely, before the news of your relationship spread like a wildfire.

© aernx 2023 / do not steal, copy, translate — hope you enjoy my works! let me know if you have any suggestions ! comment ur thoughts, reblogs n likes wld be appreciated <3

[girlactionfigure]

The Jewish Queen

Esther was a Jewish orphan who became Queen of Persia and risked her own life to save her people from genocide.

After losing both her parents at a young age, Esther was raised by her older relative Mordechai. A beautiful young virgin, she was selected for the harem of King Achashverosh. Esther was forced to leave her home and community and move into the palace. Mordechai warned her not to reveal her Jewish identity. Each day King Achashverosh selected a different woman from his harem to spend the night with, and after Esther’s turn came, he was so smitten with her that he elevated her from concubine to queen.

Even in a non-Jewish environment, Esther found a way to live as an observant Jew. She became a vegetarian so she didn’t have to eat non-kosher meat, and she survived largely on fruit and nuts. Queen Esther arranged to have seven maids, each one working on a different day, so she could keep track of the days and observe Shabbat.

Desperate for news of Esther, Mordechai started hanging out right outside the palace gates. He overheard two guards plotting to assassinate the king. Mordechai told Esther and she told the king, enabling him to thwart the plot.

Meanwhile Mordechai incurred the wrath of grand vizier Haman, who was descended from Amalek, the mortal enemy of the Jewish people. Haman demanded that all subjects of the king bow down to him but Mordechai was the only one who refused to do it. Haman wore a pendant around his neck depicting an idol, and as a Jew Mordechai knew that he was absolutely prohibited to bow down to an idol. He took his orders from the King of Kings.

Enraged at the insult, Haman convinced King Achashverosh to kill all the Jews, and the king promptly selected a date for the genocide. Mordechai came to see Esther and pleaded with her to use her influence with the king to save her people. Esther explained that she is not allowed to approach the king unless she is summoned by him, and she hasn’t been summoned in 30 days, which indicated that she may have lost the king’s interest. It was the law that anybody – including the queen – who tried to speak to the king without an invitation is instantly put to death. Mordechai told her that the whole reason for her to become queen may have been for this moment, but if she didn’t step up, the Jews would find salvation from someone else. With the fate of her entire tribe on the line, gentle young Esther showed she had a backbone of steel. She said, “I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” She told Mordechai she would approach the king, and asked him and the Jews of Shushan to fast and pray for three days.

Clever and discreet, Esther knew how to handle King Ahashverosh. Instead of rushing in with her demand that the decree against the Jews be rescinded, she invited him and Haman to a party. At that lavish event, she invited them both to another party. Before the second party, Haman arranged for a huge gallows to be built, on which Mordechai would be publicly hanged. That night, the king had insomnia and was reminded that he never rewarded Mordechai for saving his life. He told Haman to parade Mordechai around town, dressed in royal finery, riding the king’s own horse.

At the party, Esther revealed her Jewish identity to the king, and begged that her people not be slaughtered. Haman desperately begged Esther for mercy and threw himself on her, but the king thought Haman was trying to assault the queen, and he ordered that the vizier be strung up on the gallows he had prepared for Mordechai. The king told Esther that unfortunately the edict could not be repealed, but after she cried from the depths of her heart for her people, the king allowed her and Mordechai to create a royal statement that gave Jews the right to defend themselves and kill anybody who tried to attack them. The statement was sent to all the provinces, and the Jews fought and defeated all those who rose against them.

Esther is a role model to Jews, especially those in the diaspora. Her story teaches that Jewish identity is eternal and internal. What happened to Esther is a Jewish parent’s worst nightmare – a young girl kidnapped from her home and her community, forced to marry outside her faith, trapped for the rest of her life in a non-Jewish environment where she was unable to eat kosher food, celebrate Jewish holidays, observe certain Jewish rituals or pray in community. Yet her Jewish identity remained so strong that she was fully ready to lay down her life for her people.

God is never mentioned in the Book of Esther, but it’s clear that the amazing “coincidences” in the Purim story are part of the Divine plan. Esther’s own name comes from the word Astar – hidden – because God is hidden, just as He often seems to be in our world today.

For maintaining her Jewish identity and saving her people, at great risk to herself, we honor Queen Esther as this week’s Thursday Hero.

Image: “Esther Before Ahaseurus” by Giovanni Andrea Sirani, c. 1635

[bowlofsoob]

THANK YOU, NEXT

˗ˏˋ soobin and friends ´ˎ˗

choi soobin — most popular vocalist under hybe, known for being the most boyfriend material. takes idol life very seriously and tries his best to appease his fans. to him his fans’ happiness >> over his own. stays out late practicing and yeonjun and beomgyu have to drag him back to their place. absolutely despises the idea of soulmates, believes it’s dogshit and refuses to write any songs about it. adamantly believes he doesn’t have one and anytime an interview brings it up he’ll go on a five minute rant. there’s a million ‘soobin going off on soulmates for 10 mins’ compilations.

choi beomgyu — most popular producer and vocalist under hybe, helps produce yeonjun and soobin’s albums. just along for the ride, his pr team is in shambles every week from the tweets he posts. adores the idea of soulmates like this man has written so many albums on it.

choi yeonjun — most popular dancer under hybe, helps choreograph beomgyu and soobin’s performances sometimes. also loves to model. the eldest of the trio but acts like the youngest. laidback about being an idol, he loves it but he’s not as strict with himself like soobin is. doesn’t care if he has a soulmate or not he’s happy as he is.

extra info — all under hybe entertainment as soloists and live together in a luxury apartment. have been idols for four years and counting. they used to tour as a trio when they were newly debuted but now they’re branching out to create their own music. they all swing both ways #inclusivity

ᝰ✧ — masterlist — prev | next

notes; this is all you get for now since i need to plan out the plot a bit more, pls don’t ask for updates xx

୨୧✧ — synopsis; in a universe where you and your soulmate swap bodies on your twenty-first birthday and every birthday after that. world renowned soloist soobin is set to have a concert on the day of your guys’ shared birthday, a firm believer he doesn’t have a soulmate and wants nothing to do with them. you, a college student who hasn’t listened to a single one of his songs, swap bodies with him on the day of your final exam and his big concert. you’re now under the public eye for ruining his career and soobin has to deal with your wrath since he failed your exams. he must also process the fact that he does in fact have a soulmate, one he couldn’t care less about.

ᝰ✧ — [1/3] taglist is open! @jungwonderz @bubblytaetae @goldennika @zzzavid @astrozuya @odisdad @destairea @iwaplant @itssaturdaytoday @hoodiebangtan @sunseeking-cryptid @outerspace02a @buttersmama @luvtyunn @vianna99 @matcha-binz @doumachi @pinghyuka @soobsdior @binluvsu @tyussday @xavi-in-kpopland @bervaose @birdie-vhs @hearts4huening @reyarain @gyubatuu @tridentgumfreshy @rjsmochii @ckline35 @mochiixsstuff @bluuswanrina @beomnioa @bluxjun @yelsuki @gugggu6gvai @thesassy-mia @222brainrot @itswinteress @cindywasneverhere @kimgyuuu @fatoompie @haohyo @jongseongslvr @soobinsman @wolfytae-exe @ener-energy @malarign @tocupid @phtogravi @cartierfiles

[euphoricfilter]

always forever

pairing: jungkook x f.reader

genre: angst || hints of fluff || hurt with minimal comfort ? || non-idol au

summary: you're right there

word count: 2.1k

tags/ warnings: it's just kinda angsty, not exactly a happy ending? but not exactly a sad one, very much open for interpretation, grief, alludes to insanity, and slight slight slight yandere themes towards the end

notes: made the end a little less angsty than originally intended because i too like soft endings :D also got the idea while listening to ‘exit music (for a film)’ by radiohead, that’s kinda the vibes for this

navigation for my masterlists

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.

It will always be a strange phenomenon, how anger will almost always equal shouting. Such a human response to such an ugly human emotion.

Anger is such a raw feeling, bubbling, burning beneath the skin that you need to let it out, release the pressure that rage had built. So many words you had never thought to even say spilling past your teeth before you even know what’s being said. Never enough time to bite down on the bitter tasting filth thrown at someone else. Not a thought behind such horrible language, tearing your heart up, because surely if they’d hurt your fragile emotions then it was only fair you did the same to them?

It had been an accumulation of things leading up to this moment. Jungkook hadn’t realised his patience was wearing so thin to the point his unbridled anger had been directed at you. A bad morning, cold shower, no one to help him at work and too many people complaining when really their issues were never his faut. It had rained and he had no umbrella, and the bus was running late. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Just too too too too much for his fragile human brain to handle.

“Why won’t you fucking say something?” it comes from his chest, throat scratching, his own voice ringing inside his head at how loud he’d gotten.

A pitiful mix of desperation and wrath mingled, clawing its way up his throat, digging into his mind, slowly pulling him apart until he doesn’t even recognize his own voice as he shouts at you. Doesn’t even recognise the words as his own.

“One thing I asked you to do, and you couldn’t do it?” a rush of air fills his lungs, burning slightly as he swallows down his growing upset.

He wanted you to shout back, tell him how horrible he is. How terrible of a boyfriend he was calling you names, horrible things that he knew you weren’t because you could never do any wrong in his eyes. Picking you apart of the little things you’re scared of.

The days the both of you had sat down, you handing him your heart on a platter for him to cradle to his chest as he’d told you how he’d always be there. Your secrets, your insecurities, all locked away within a small box, trapped in his heart, protected by his ribcage. Thick layer of skin and muscle and other gross bodily things encasing your hurts and worries. So many things he’d kissed away and locked within himself to help you hold the burden of your hurting.

His words are venomous as he tries to rile you up, anything to get you equally as mad as he was. Logic long gone, tucked away in the far crevices of his mind.

Somewhere beyond him, he doesn’t even remember why he was so upset in the first place, words being thrown around, eyes rage filled as he just watches you sit there.

And then he sees it, something almost like pity painted behind your eyes.

“Say something!” he cries, your face blurring over as tears glaze across his vision.

“What do you want me to say?” you ask him, the first thing you’d said to him since he’d gotten home, the first words he’d really let you have. Having exploded the moment he’d seen you lounging in his room.

He opens his mouth, words almost there before he flinches. Loud knock on the door to his bedroom.

He sees you turn towards the door, your eyes flickering back over towards Jungkook when there’s a second of silence, thick as it coats the room. Lost words thrown around seeping out of the walls now that it was quiet, a silent witness to what had just happened.

“Jungkook?” Jimin calls from the hallway, “Jungkook?” he calls again, palm of his hand smacking against the door, rattling the wood; vibrations shaking the walls.

He hadn’t expected his roommate to be home, shame slithering up his spine as he takes one more look at you before trekking over towards the door. It wasn’t often the both of you argued, let alone with people being there to hear what was happening.

He yanks the door open, anger still fizzling somewhere within him, annoyance coating his tone as he comes face to face with his older friend.

“What?” he almost barks, reeling himself in, chest shaking as he takes in a long breath. Edging himself to take a calmer approach.

Jimin peeks into his room, eyebrows furrowing a little.

“Who are you shouting at? It didn’t sound like you were playing any games, are you okay?” Jimin peers over his shoulder, eyes falling on Jungkook’s computer; switched off, plug pulled from the wall.

Jungkook swallows, “Sorry”

Jimin shakes his head, meeting Jungkook’s eyes.

“It’s fine, I was just a little worried…”

Jungkook looks back at you sat on his desk chair. Your eyes meeting his instantly, though you don’t make a move to open your mouth, eyes telling enough of how you were feeling.

“You don’t need to worry hyung… me and y/n just had a disagreement” he tugs a smile onto his face, evidently forced, though he can only hope Jimin doesn’t point it out.

Jimin’s eyebrows furrow a little deeper, forehead creasing.

“Right, baby?” Jungkook pulls the door open a little more so his roommate can see you. He motions for you to answer, eyebrows raising a little as you keep your mouth shut.

“Jungkook?” Jimin says, tone ever so careful.

Jungkook turns, eyebrows creasing at the concern on his friend’s face.

“What…?” he asks, “We’re really okay, right y/n?” he turns back towards you, desperation growing.

You smile over at him, gentle as he stands there. Eyes locked with your own.

“Come on, don’t be quiet now. Tell him we’re okay” he almost laughs, “We’re always okay, just me and you remember? Forever”

Jimin’s eyes flicker between Jungkook and the empty chair.

“Jungkook…” he presses a hand to his shoulder, tugging his friend towards him, “you haven’t forgotten, right?” he asks, catching sight of his friend’s eyes. Eyes wired and feral as he turns towards him.

“Forgotten what?” he asks, glancing back at where you’re sat. Just as pretty as the day he’d met you. Jungkook’s rage simmering out into confusion as he looks between you and Jimin.

It briefly crosses his mind, how awful he had been to shout at you, just pretty you sat like a dream in his room. And what a piece of shit he’d been to even raise his voice at you, a vow he’d made to never do. One he would spend the rest of his life proving to you that this was one little slip up. That he would never have reason to shout at you again.

He thinks it must be desperation, your silence stretching out for too long. He wanted to hear your voice, for you to tell him it was okay. That the both of you were okay. Just like always. Just like it’s supposed to be.

“I’m sorry” he steps towards you, shrugging Jimin’s hand off his shoulder.

“No—” Jimin’s fingers wrap around his arm, “Jungkook no. She’s gone”

Jungkook stops at that, muscles locking up. Cogs of his mind cranking back into action, hazy thoughts clearing for a moment at what he’d just heard.

Ever so slowly he turns towards Jimin, eyes narrowing.

“Pardon?” he seethes.

“Look!” Jimin points to the chair, “It’s empty. She’s not there. No one’s there. You’re imagining things Jungkook, you need help”

“What?” Jungkook turns back to look at you, “She’s literally right there!”

He points to you, frantic, “tell him you’re here. He can see you, you’re literally right here”

He pulls his arm from Jimin’s hold, feet dragging against the carpet, “Come on, baby. You’re right here” he kneels before you, warm fingers slipping through yours. Desperation seeping from every pore as he holds onto you.

Jimin watches, slipping his phone out his pocket to message one of the older roommates, concern shrouding him as he watches Jungkook whisper to nothing. Your name slipping off his tongue like it were the only thing he knew.

“Tell him” Jungkook whispers, pressing his forehead to your knees.

Your fingers slip from between his own, gentle as they brush over his hair. How many times the two of you had been in this position, or the roles swapped as he pampered you with his love.

“Jungkook” you murmur, hand running over his cheek. Your thumb brushes over a tear, swallowing as you call his name again.

He looks up at you through wet lashes, “I’m sorry” he whispers.

“I know you are” you nod, “But I’m gone”

He shakes his head again, hands running up your legs, fingers digging into your skin.

“I can feel you, see?” he laughs, wiping his cheek with the sleeve of his hoodie, “You’re right here, we’re together”

You blink down at him, slow as your arms snake around his neck. You slip off the chair to sit with him on the floor.

He pulls you closer to his body, arms wrapping around you, cradling you like you were the most precious little being, so fragile and small and all his.

“I’m not here anymore” you whisper, “You know that too”

He shakes his head, “No, because if you were dead then I would be too. I can’t live without you”

“Yes, you can” you look up at him, “I’ll always be here” you press a finger over his heart, “Here too” that same finger pushes against his forehead.

You notice Jimin’s absence from the doorway, eyes flickering back to Jungkook who had been looking at you. Scratching the image of your face into his mind. Regret finally settling over him as he catches up with what he had said earlier, a million apologies lined up on his tongue.

“I’m the only one that can see you?” he murmurs, fingers tangling into your hair, “Just me?”

Your tongue runs over your bottom lip, “I suppose”

Jungkook wipes his cheeks, mouth pulling into a wide smile as he pulls your body closer to his, “Then we can really be together forever?”

You press your cheek to his shoulder, nodding. Unsure what else you were supposed to do.

“It seems so” you whisper, eyes closing, knowing it would only take so long for Jimin to get someone. Gentle peace between the both of you only lasting so long before they come and break Jungkook apart.

You wonder what they’ll do. You can only assume he’d fall into hysteria the more they tell him you’re dead. Remind him of what happened, how you lay six feet under, flowers he’d brought you rotting over your grave in that exact moment. Decomposing along with your body.  

Your eyes peek open, catching sight of the last photo you and Jungkook had taken together, pinned beside his bed. A good omen he’d told you, so that on the days you would sleep at your apartment, at least you’d be looking over him. There even if you weren’t.

It was a small beach house the both of you had rented out for the summer. The final photo before you’d taken the long drive home, his fingers interlaced with yours, sweet smelling sea air slowly fading out the longer you drove. With the promise that you’d come again next summer, just the two of you.

“What about the beach?” you pull away from him a little, his eyebrows furrowing in question.

“The beach?”

You nod, “To be together forever” you watch his face, careful of his reaction.

“They’ll take me away from you”

“They?” he asks, “No one’s taking you away”

You glance back at the door, “Your friends… they’ll make sure we’re never together”

Jungkook follows your gaze, silence stretching out between the both of you. Faintly you can hear Jimin on the phone, too far away for you to catch any of what he was saying.

Jungkook turns back towards you, “The beach…”

You nod, gentle smile toying at your lips. Because even in death, there would never be a day you’d want to watch him suffer. Any excuse for him to escape and for you to trail along behind him, truly in his shadow. Nothing more than an bodyless being that only your lover would be able to see.

Your arms wrap around him tighter, pulling him a little closer to you until his face is pressed into your neck.

Jimin can’t see you when he comes back upstairs, can’t see the lack of expression on your face as he worries about his friend. Blissfully unaware of the little seed of hope planted in Jungkook’s mind.

[thesummerstorms]

So in my personal version of an Annabeth Wayne AU, I see Annabeth as being very wary of Bruce.

I don't think he ever physically hurt her, even knowing those panels with Dick, etc, exist.

But I think he hurt her emotionally pretty badly and between that and everything she's endured from Athena she finds it very difficult to approach him again.

She definitely trusts him less than either of the older brothers she knew as a child.

She wasn't around for Jason's disastrous return, so she still knows him as Robin!Jason who teased her and fought with her but loved and looked out for her all the same.

Dick is still the older brother who pushed away from her (and everyone) to find his independence but was also the first to hold her, to comfort her. Who was the idolized Eldest and a buffer between her and Bruce when Bruce got his head up his ass.

But Bruce -

How much is Bruce like Athena? How much is she overreacting to them both? How much is she supposed to allowed to reasonable to feel and what is illogical, unwise, irrational. (Like Minerva and her wrath, like Athena and her pride...)

How much of the hurt did they mean? How much do they care? Will they do it again?

How much is she projecting on Bruce because of her mother because of all the things her mother loved Bruce for, that made them the same and how much of her anger or fear is justified? And vice versa?

She quite literally does not trust her own perception of any of it anymore, and that puts her even more on edge with Bruce than if she knew what to expect for certain.

And I actually think it would be interesting to see what Percy makes of that on a subconscious level. Because we know he's actually very observant, not to mention incredibly protective of Annabeth.

Not that he generally sees her as unable of protecting herself, but that anyone who threatens or hurts her still immediately earns his deep-seated wrath. He was angry that Arachne died without suffering enough for how she hurt Annabeth.

And then you add in his own background with him and his mom and Gabe.

And while I think he would follow her lead, whatever she asked of him, I think it would be really interesting to see how he reacts more at a subconscious level when around her and Bruce versus her and her brothers.

The Bats already read on an instinctual level like a threat and then Annabeth is subtly throwing all these little distress cues and moments of hesitation.

Cue him unconsciously putting himself just a little bit between Annabeth and Bruce. Eyes lingering a little bit too long when Annabeth agrees to talk to Bruce alone. Getting tense around him to a level he doesn't with Dick or Jason because Red Hood is terrifying but Bruce Wayne is who scares Annabeth.

He doesn't mean to be overprotective. He knows it isn't useful, that it's all Annabeth's call. He just can't help it.

[sincerely-sofie]

If you’re willing to share, would love to hear the Parallels!

(referencing this post)

Obligatory disclaimer that this is tricky to write because I’m trying to come at my own religion from the perspective of an outsider, but ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE!

The depiction of God in the Old Testament is particularly vengeful and regularly performs massive displays of might— the Noachian Flood, the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah being some notable examples. The Radiance successfully destroyed all but the dregs of Hallownest through the plague of New Light. 

The Israelites are God’s chosen people. The Moths are the Radiance’s. 

God in the Old Testament warned His people of idol worship, and they frequently encountered people who practiced such things and would at times begin worshiping their deities. The Moths fell away from worshiping the Radiance and followed the Pale King, whose kingdom is filled with idolatrous depictions of him— everything from statues and sculptures right down to literal King’s Idols.

The depiction of God in the New Testament, while still immensely powerful and very present, is noticeably less physically present— at least compared to the Old Testament. The Pale King seems to be much more removed from the kingdom he rules compared to the Radiance, spending time almost exclusively in his Palace.

In the New Testament, God sacrifices His perfect, beloved Son in order to save mankind. The Pale King and sacrifice of the Hollow Knight is a fairly direct analogue for that. 

Christ takes on the ultimate consequences for the sins of the world in order to free humanity to live better lives both now and in the Eternities. The Hollow Knight takes on the Infection to free Hallownest from the consequences of the Radiance’s wrath.

As many parallels as can be drawn from Hollow Knight to Christianity, there’s dozens more plot points inconsistent in the comparison— the fact that the Hollow Knight was unable to fulfill the Pale King’s plan as the Pure Vessel, the Pale King abandoning Hallownest, the decidedly tragic and villainous roles that the Radiance and Pale King take in the narrative to name just a handful— and the presence of the Lord of Shades further complicates things so that a direct allegory can’t be drawn in the slightest. But there’s a lot of fun lines to draw between Christianity and the lore of Hollow Knight even so!

[the-real-sasuke-uchiha]

How come you don't like Naruto but you like Itachi??? Itachi literally murdered the clan and ruined Sasuke's life and is the biggest konoha bootlicker????

Hi there, anon.

I don’t know if it is exactly “dislike” what I feel for Naruto. I think it is more like disappointment. I don’t want to bore you, since this has been stated so many times before by people way more eloquent than me. But, in summary, Naruto had the opportunity to meet many victims of the Shinobi system and Konoha in particular, and he merely dismissed them with what turned out to be empty promises in the end. I can’t stand his “friendship will solve everything” approach. Or his strategy of talking people into giving up their very legitimate rage just in exchange of his happy words, while justice is never served and nothing really changes in the end.

I can’t stand that he just expects people to endure, give up and trust him. I don’t hold it against him if he was naïve during his youth, if he couldn’t understand Sasuke’s legit wrath towards Konoha or if he failed to identify his heroes as the genocidal criminals that they were in reality. But I expected more (well, something) from the adult man that became Hokage. You know, it is fine if a child dreams about becoming ninja ruler to gain popularity, but an adult should have deeper goals.

I don’t think Naruto and Itachi are in the same dimension to be fairly compared. You don’t hold a random person to the same standards as a figure of authority. Let alone a powerless child and an adult with political power. You will never see me defending what Itachi did. Yes, he murdered his family, there is no denying that, there is no way we can pretend his decisions were right. He was a 13 year-old child, brainwashed, groomed, burdened with too many responsibilities, traumatized by war and trained only on violence, convinced he could trust nobody. He did not decide to kill his family on a whim, he was threatened with the death of his baby brother. And yes, with a sane mind, from a situation of safety, we might think of other choices he should have followed. Of course. But this was not the case for him.

He was a proud disciple of the will of fire. There is no doubt about that. Still, he was ready to betray Konoha and let hell break lose if something were to happen to his brother. Still, he never idolized the kage or any of Konoha’s leaders the way Naruto did. He was not trying to be popular or gain any position of power or privilege from his actions. In his distorted, disturbed mind, all he wanted to do was to save his brother, to save people, to avoid more violence. Yes, it makes no sense to execute a genocide to avoid casualties. Still, that was, canonically, the way he reasoned. He was used by Konoha and he never got any personal benefit for what he did. It is very different, you know, defending an ideology because it benefits you in your position of privilege, and defending an ideology because you were brainwashed into doing so to facilitate your own oppression. The first one is a perpetrator and the second one is a victim. And I can’t see Itachi as anything other than a victim from the Shinobi system and Konoha. A victim of the people whose paintings are hanging from Naruto’s Hokage office, by the way… How can I blame the child that was coerced into doing the dirty job by the government, instead of the government that ordered him to do so and benefited from it?

What Itachi did was deranged and cruel, and he did that instigated by the government of Konoha. Since this is so obviously monstrous and horrifying, how come this was not acknowledged by dear ball-of-sunshine Hokage, like, ever? How come this was all swept under the rug, how come the enabler of the massacre is still respected and glorified?

I hope this answered your question, anon. Thank you for reaching out and have a nice evening, day, or whatever it is at your end. Take care!