#Me when I remember existing around my best friend also means existing around his brother who I don't like

[everymadara]

Chapter 625

[julietsbody]

romeo meets juliet — luke castellan x reader : chess can be played in many different situations. 

tags : 18+!! loser!luke (hes actually such a loser im sorry), college setting, brothers best friend!luke, mutual pining, religious imagery(?), classic literature references, body worship, smut, luke is pathetically in love 

a/n : save me nerdy boy with sad eyes save me

luke didn’t acknowledge your existence at first, he stuck to himself, from his classes, to his dorm, maybe even the lunchroom if his roomate, your brother, convinced him to come rather than just making all of his meals in the dorm. luke and your brother were complete opposites, luke was studying literature, mostly classic,  he didn’t speak to many people unless forced to— and your brother was studying engineering, which also basically required him to join a frat, and he spoke to nearly everyone with cockiness prominent in his tone. 

one thing they did have in common, though, was chess. 

now, your brother could never tell anyone, especially not his frat brothers, that he played chess, let alone was in the university’s chess club— but he felt pity for luke, most of the time luke played by himself, which was somehow equally as frustrating as having to play against someone else. 

the only people that knew about your brother playing chess was luke, the chess club, and you. 

luke remembers the first time you came trotting in to the dorm, complaining to your brother about some argument you had with your parents about how your friends are distracting you from your studies. your brother only rolls his eyes, barely listening to your non - stop whining about how it’s ridiculous, “i mean— you’re the one in a frat! why aren’t they mad at you?” 

“because i actually do my work,” he mumbles, and luke breathes out in a silent laugh, moving a piece on his chess board. 

“you’re in engineering, you don’t even have any actual work,” you frown, and albeit the fact that you’re wrong, you’re still confident in what you said. 

“are you stu— whatever,” your brother waves you off, deciding to change the subject when he motions to luke, the boy in a nirvana t-shirt, currently moving to a different side of the chess board as he plays against himself, “this is luke, my roommate, obviously.” 

luke immediately freezes, fingers curling around the chess piece he was adjusting to move— his eyes are wide, and they’re moving to look at you, only to immediately flicker to some other part of the room when they meet your expectant gaze. since he won’t speak first, you pick up the slack, “hey, luke.” 

your brother notices how luke looks like a scared, lost puppy even by the slightest implication of having to speak to a woman, let alone be perceived by one, so he moves to whisper in your ear, “he’s like, deathly afraid of women, i’ve never seen him speak to one, ever.” 

and you from that you don’t expect a response from luke, until he mumbles a short, “hi.” 

that’s when your head tilts, noticing the way his curls fall over his brows messily, like he doesn’t pay attention to styling it, or maybe it’s on purpose, maybe he pays too much attention to styling it. the way he wore something so simple, yet so telling about himself, the way he awkwardly places the chess piece back on the board on the spot he wanted to. he assumes the conversation is over, so he moves to the opposite side of the board to make a move against his own. 

“are you in the chess club?” you take a step closer, and he perks up, hand ghosting over the piece once more. 

luke doesn’t say anything, his lips twitch around words that don’t come out. your brother speaks in his place, “he’s the president, he’s a fucking grandmaster.”

luke just awkwardly laughs, moving his hand to scratch at the back of his neck, eyes moving from the board to you, then to your brother, “i’m not like— actually the president,” another awkward, short chuckle, “i just— like.. um.. play a lot, i guess.” 

“you are the president, dude,” your brother corrects, being insufferable as he always is. 

but luke puts up with it, then you ask another question, “what do you major in?” 

“literature,” luke responds for himself this time, finally able to move his hand to make a proper move on the chess board, before mumbling, “mostly classic.” 

“you’re kidding, i am too, how have i not seen you before?” 

luke’s eyes finally meet yours, now, pausing on your eyes, then resuming down the shape of your face, memorizing each feature, the curve of your lashes, the shape of your lips— he swallows thickly. 

“i just— sit in the back.. and go to my dorm— as soon as class ends,” there’s that awkward, short chuckle again. 

“have you finished the paper?” 

luke nods, and that’s when your brother finally gets a bright idea. 

“you should help her, luke, with the work.” 

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

that’s how it all started, with a simple suggestion, that’s when you came to the dorm more often, when he began to notice that you were actually in his classes, and when you realized he had an awful staring problem. he thought he was slick with it too, letting his eyes move around the room for a mere.. twenty seconds before they finally snap to you, and from there, they stay, until you finally return the gaze and he’s immediately nervously looking away. 

he hardly speaks to you, unless your brother urges him to, and he’s always avoiding looking at you when he speaks, stumbling over words, pausing in sentences to catch his losing breath. he was a complete and utter loser, terrible when it came to socializing, even worse when it’s with girls. with you, it somehow seemed to worsen. 

“am i the first girl you’ve ever talked to?” you ask once, far too blunt for your own liking, you didn’t mean to really say it, it kind of just came out when seeing how much his leg bounced under the table with nervousness, nearly sweating himself to death under your gaze. 

sweat beads down his temple when his eyes flutter up to meet yours, moving from the romeo and juliet book in his hands. isn’t it so ironic that he had just gotten done reading the scene in which romeo says, “did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! for i ne'er saw true beauty till this night,” when seeing juliet for the first time? truly, it isn’t the first time he saw you, but it’s night, and you are beautiful. truly, utterly, “beautiful.” 

“what?” 

oh, oh my god. saliva bubbles in his mouth, sour saliva, and he gulps it down, hoping it would somehow be a form of poison that would wake him from this nightmare. does he say what he meant? that he was thinking out loud? that he thinks you’re beautiful? or should he deny it? deny. he bursts into awkward laughs, “what— what do you mean— i.. i didn’t even say anything.. ha, haha.” 

“why are you acting like that?” your brows furrow. 

“like what?” 

“like you’re hiding something.” 

his breathing only shakes anymore, “i’m not hiding anything.. that’s like— a wild accusation.” 

“it’s not an accusation, i’m just saying,” you frown at him. 

his adam’s apple bobs with another swallow, “okay but like—“ 

“why are you harassing him?” your brother sighs, tired how much you press luke. 

“i’m not— whatever, i was asking you— am i the first girl you’ve ever spoken to?” 

your brother barks out a laugh, and luke’s eyes fall back down to the book in his hands. did not having proper conversations with women make him any less? romeo grabbed juliet’s hand once, and the first words he uttered to her was a promise to redeem himself if his hand was too unworthy to be touching her holy one. parallels sear in his mind, and he just mumbles a, “not really.” 

he has spoken to women before, sure, small greetings, maybe even the slightest indulgence of conversation— but luke keeps to himself, and to be honest, he was a man used to running from women, as he did from his mother. he grew up being afraid of women, well, afraid isn’t the proper word, intimidated is better, and he just decided to avoid them as much as possible. 

though, no matter how much he tries to avoid you, you’re always there, in his sight, in his mind. maybe it’s a disgrace, like romeo holding juliet’s hand, for him to even be thinking of you, looking at you— you were a goddess that offered a man on his knees the slightest bit of your grace, and now he was hooked. 

it was pathetic, really, how he anticipated every time he suspected you would be over, how his eyes always found their way to you in class, how he made sure to purposefully walk past you in the lunchroom on the days he went, which was oddly more now. 

a man who is still a virgin to adore a girl far too good for him, he is hopeless. 

“it’s okay if i am,” you adjust, okay, there might be a little hope, “anyway, how do you like romeo and juliet?” 

“it’s pretty nice—“ he notices the way your face perks up in shock, “kind of, i don’t know.” 

“i think it’s a bore, i’m sure the movie is much better.” 

“we should watch the movie— um.. together, sometime.” 

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

if luke was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t entirely mean to say it, and as soon as you left the dorm, he nearly doubled over with shock at his own words, and even more shock at the fact that you agreed. not only did you agree, you actually came, and it was just you and him. your brother was off at some frat party, again, and he had left luke completely alone with you, even when luke begged him not to. 

“you’re kidding, dude, i’m like— horrified of her,” luke frowns at your brother. 

“you need exposure therapy, or some shit, call me your therapist.” 

“you’re a shit therapist,” luke sighs, rubbing his temples. 

“and you need to grow some balls.” 

so, your brother left him, and now luke’s awkwardly standing with you at his door - step, staring at him expectantly, his lips twitch around so many possible words, possible sentences, and all that comes out is, “hey.” 

he’s been staring for you for at least a minute, and all he can say is hey. your lips curve to an amused smile, “hi, luke.” 

“um— you can come in, if you.. want, ‘course.” he moves out the way to let you in, watching you step past him so he can close the door. 

“i wouldn’t be here if i didn’t want to,” you remark as if it’s the obvious, mostly because it is. 

when romeo stood underneath juliet’s balcony, he praised how captivating she was, considers her as glorious as an angel, a winged messenger above his head. in his own words : 

“one who makes mortals fall onto their backs to gaze up in awe as the angel strides across the clouds and sails through the air.”

consider luke on his back now, staring up at the stars in your eyes, the halo that shines above your head, the wings that flap with every stride you make— a goddess, an angel, venus incarnate, right before his eyes, staring at him like he had something deeply wrong with him. wait. he blinks a few times, and his eyes refocus onto your confused face. 

“are you okay, luke?” 

he quickly clears his throat, “yeah, yeah— duh, ‘course i am, uh.. we should,” he moves to the table in which his laptop was on, “watch the movie, yeah? ‘ts on my.. laptop, if you don’t mind.” 

“i don’t, at all,” you move to sit next to him on the couch in front of the table, watching the veins in his hands pulse, palms sweaty when he moves to open his laptop, shifting a few tabs and pressing a few keys until he mumbles a small okay and presses the space button. 

moaning. that’s all you hear, the sound of skin slapping, ah ah— oh fuck mmph you’re so b— luke slams the laptop shut. 

dear god, save him now. 

he can’t even bring himself to look at you, the sweat on his palms only worsens and spreads onto the top of the laptop as he smoothes his hands across it, replaying the scene a million times in his mind. to his surprise, you giggle, “you watch porn?” 

he’s quick to awkwardly scoff out a short laugh, “yeah— i mean, everyone does.. but like.. i don’t watch it— that much.” 

your finger moves to run along the vein on his arm, feeling him shudder under your touch, yet he doesn’t want you to stop, even the slightest touch makes his dick twitch in his pants, “are you a virgin, luke?” 

he inhales sharply, “y-yeah..” 

“do you want to have sex?” you lean the tiniest bit closer. 

he pauses, “yes.. of course—“ 

“with me?” 

“yes.” he responds quick, too fucking quick, it must’ve been at most a second after you said it for him to respond. the truth stings his tongue, to finally be able to say it out loud, how much he had fantasized about you in the late of night, even sneaking off to the bathrooms so his hand can dip underneath his waistband when he thinks about the times you’ve worn a tight shirt that frames your tits far too well. 

but it was wrong, wasn’t it? you were a goddess, on a pedestal, and he was merely just a man, staring up at your statue in the hopes that you would notice him one day. forbidden, possibly, but all those thoughts leave his mind when his eyes move from the finger tracing up his bicep to your neck, then your lips, then your eyes. 

“please tell me you’ve kissed before.” 

“yeah.. yeah— i have,” a playground kiss counts, right?

it seems to when your lips fall against his own, the kiss was so gentle, until he dared to kiss you back, then it got hungry, mostly on his end. he kissed you like a starving man, nearly devouring you but at the same time, being horrified to. your tongue finds it’s way into his mouth, and to your surprise, he whimpers against your lips.

his hands are hesitant, unsure of where to go, does he touch your arm? your shoulder? your waist? he doesn’t want to push anything, so the waist seems far too much, his hands awkwardly place themselves on your arm, in a very weird position. 

“have you touched a girl before?” 

his lips are flushed from the kiss, eyes glazing over the position of his hands, and he quickly moves them off, “sorry— well, i just.. um.. didn’t want to push anything.” 

“you can,” you reassure, but his hands still hesitate, the flesh of a goddess, to be touched by someone so inexperienced. was he really worth it? any of it? to even be in your presence was a blessing, and it was still taking him forever to register the fact that you had actually kissed him, prayers passed through your lips into his. 

“are you sure?” 

“‘course i am.” 

it still took luke some getting used to, having you straddle his lap, you knew so much, it felt like more than just an honor to have you so close to him. his eyes flicked from your own to your lips, then to your tits, the low v - cut showing off your cleavage perfectly. and he looked like a complete deer in headlights, staring at the flesh pushed together between the window of clothing. you smile at his lack of self control, feeling the way his dick throbs underneath his pants, right against your ass, “you can touch them.” 

“wha— nono, ‘ts okay— i just..” he trails off, sweaty palms moving past you to slide across his knees. 

“really, luke, you can— why don’t i just..” you move to take off your shirt, his eyes immediately catching on to the lace of your bra, the way your tits are practically spilling out of it, all until you take off your bra as well and they immediately fall out. 

his hand twitches around nothing, desperately wondering what it must feel like to have your flesh underneath his palm, fingers curling around the plush of it. it seems you must’ve heard his prayers when you move to take his hands, pulling them back to press against your tits. 

soft, that’s his first thought, sweat sticks to your skin when his fingers curve around the flesh, gripping it ever so gently. praises spill from his lips almost immediately, thoughts he had since the day he saw you, finally being spoken, “y’re beautiful— fuck, i’ve always.. always wanted to— do this..” 

you smile so sweet at him, nectar nearly drips off your teeth, “can i ride you, luke?” 

his eyes finally meet yours, brows furrowing for a mere second, “huh— oh, oh.. yeah, ‘course you can.” 

you didn’t expect him to have a big, no matter how cruel that sounds, you had heard rumors of nerds with big dicks, but sought to never believe it until you saw it, and good fucking lord you saw it. as soon as his dick springs out from the pants and boxers you were tugging down, luke’s hands mindlessly moved to your waist, your eyes widen. 

no fucking way. he has to be.. six? seven inches, at least. slightly girthy too, he wasn’t all just length, and precum was beading from his red tip. he immediately inhales sharply when your fingers graze his dick, nervous under your gaze, “is it too small— i.. i’m sorry—“ 

“too small?” you scoff playfully at his scared expression, worried of what you think, “this might be the biggest dick i’ve ever seen, luke.” 

“that’s— a good thing.. right?” 

“obviously, god, it better fit,” this is the first time you’ve ever been concerned about whether or not a dick will fit, luke stiffens when you spit on your palm, pressing it to his dick and wettening it as you jerk him off, his response is immediate, carefully gripping at your skin and pressing his lips together to muffle his whimpers. 

luke had jerked of many, many times, but it never felt as good as this. 

“fuck—“ he grunts out, already far too close from just a simple hand movements. 

you immediately stop, picking up on his nearing orgasm from the way his hips kept bucking up into your hands, pathetic whines slipping past his lips, but it was just so cute. the cutest thing, though, was his face when he got the first look at your vagina, he looked like a man staring at a piece of art he had admired. and this was art, sex was, you were, everything about you, it felt so sacred. 

his lashes flutter when you take his hand, guiding it to your sopping cunt, allowing him to feel the wetness that was nearly pouring from you. like nectar from a fountain, it coated his fingertips when he touched you, his eyes focused onto your face, making sure that he was doing it right. he notices the way you gasp when his fingertips brush against your clit, so he presses against it again, and again. 

he follows everything he has seen in pornos, spreading your folds, fingers grazing past your entrance, rubbing your clit— but he’s lost when you wave him off before he can finger you to prep you for his dick, wasn’t that something people did? “but don’t you…” 

“it’ll fit,” you mumble back, relying on how wet you are to make it easier. 

he watches the way your jaw falls when you move to press his tip against your entrance, allowing the tip to push into you and it’s already too big. his eyes widen at the feeling of your walls clenching around his tip, unable to hold back the noises that slip from his own lips. 

“you’re like— the.. the girl of my dr— fuck— dreams,” luke hushed out between his mess of moans and grunts, he wondered if romeo ever felt this way when he kissed juliet for the first time, the sort of electric rush that riddled his bones, it felt unreal. you were a dream incarnate, one luke was always haunted with, the woman that would show up when his eyes would close at night, and now you were on his lap, sinking down on his dick. 

“am i? really?” you question, inhaling sharply when you finally reach the base of his cock. for some odd reason, you didn’t believe you were all he was putting you up to be, and that made him sick— how could you think of yourself as any less? you were perfect, a vision, to be fair, luke would adore you even if you were an enemy, just like romeo and juliet. 

he would stand at your balcony, stare at you from across the ballroom, kiss your knuckles, kiss you— he would do it all. he might even drink poison just to spend eternity with you. 

“yes, yes— are you.. kidding? mmph.. fuck— you’re like.. a fuckin’ goddess,” it comes out like a prayer, as if he was on his knees at your altar, kissing your legs, and whispering worshipping words. 

to nobody’s surprise, luke doesn’t last long at all when you’re bouncing on his cock, no matter how much he tried to distract himself from his throbbing cock by pawing at your tits, or moving to kiss you, his orgasm was just too close. “‘m g’na.. please.. g’na cum.. mmphh.. fuck!” 

when he does cum, you had pulled off him, jerking him off, and he’s practically writhing, a whimpering and damn near crying mess. and once he’s helped you to your orgasm as well, you’re falling into his arms, finding a safe - haven in how he smells like old books, mint, and cheap cologne. 

two star crossed lovers, one capulet, one montague. 

“these violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder. which, as they kiss, consume.” — romeo and juliet, act two, scene six.

[veltana]

Buy my heart - 3

✦ Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Fem!Reader

✦ Word count: ~1,2k

✦ Rating for this part: Mature

✦ Warnings/tags: Alpha!Bucky, Omega!Reader, slow burn, eventual smut, pet names (little darling/darling), mentions of gambling addiction.

✦ Series summary: In a desperate attempt to rescue your family from debt, you decide to auction yourself off. The alpha who purchases you turns out to be quite different from what you imagined, leading to a marriage that exists only on paper. However, when an omega moves in with an alpha who hasn't experienced a rut in years and is determined to keep things strictly professional despite his instincts, complications arise.

✦ In this part: The clothes arrive and you have dinner with Bucky.

✦ Note: Reblogs, comments and asks are much appreciated!

Series masterlist

Masterlist | AO3

prev

The contract is long. Bucky claims it's thin. Sitting at the small table at a window in your room, you do your best to go through it. The formal language makes it hard to decipher but so far you've been able to figure out a few things.

Bucky only needs a wife on paper. As far as you can tell, the contract doesn't require you to share a life or even a bedroom with him. There's also no mention of having kids, which is a relief. You're not going to live like a wife and husband, or an omega and an alpha. But still, there is an exclusivity clause.

A small part of you was hoping that now that you're with an alpha you wouldn't have to spend your heats by yourself. It's torture to go through it with just a toy, making it an endless spiral of pain where there should be pleasure. The few times you've had company during heats it's been great, but that was many years ago and he was a beta.

Also, how is Bucky going through his ruts alone? Does the clause only apply to you?

You're interrupted by a knock on the door and when you call for the person to come in, Natasha steps inside. “The clothes arrived, is it okay if they hang them in the closet?” Standing up, you nod dumbly, not really understanding what she means but then she gestures behind her and a slew of people swarm into your room.

In no time things are hanging everywhere in your walk-in closet. More clothes than you've ever had throughout your whole life. When the people are done they leave, but Natasha stays behind.

“As I said before, I didn't know what style you prefer, and not everything will fit. Just put that aside and we'll send it back.”

You find yourself empty of words, and tears burn the back of your eyes as you stare at the opulence of fabric.

“Hey, are you okay?” Natasha sounds concerned. “Here, sit down.” She guides you back down into the chair and takes the one opposite to you. A few straw tears roll down your cheeks but you quickly wipe them away.

“It's just a lot,” you confess with a wobbly smile. “The clothes?” “Yeah, and this,” you tap the papers on the table. “And this!” You wave your arm around the room. “This is the size of our living room at home that I shared with four other people.” Natasha nods. “Feels big?” “And quiet! I can't remember the last time it was quiet at home,” you sniffle.

Natasha smiles at you. “You'll be okay. And just so you know, you can ask anything but I can't guarantee it won't get back to Bucky. He's my friend and my boss.” “Why doesn't he marry you?” you ask. She laughs at that. “Oh, he asked! But he's like a brother to me.” “But he's not your brother by blood?” “No, we grew up close though. Our families cooperated a lot.” “Then wouldn't it make perfect sense for you to get married?” you ask confused. “It would. But I don't want to, and neither does he. He asked out of desperation, not because of some hidden feelings.”

You nod and start chewing your lip. “Anything else?” Shaking your head you just say, “Thank you for all the clothes.” “Don't mention it, I got to shop up someone else's money, it was fun,” she winks and stands up.

She seems to hesitate for a second but then decides to say. “I know Bucky is brusque sometimes, but he'll be the best alpha you've ever known, just give him some time.”

After Natasha leaves you read the rest of the contract and then decide to take a look in the closet. Previously you've only worn hand-me-downs and cheap stuff from the thrift store. Your sense of style is nonexistent and you're not sure what to do with all the options before you. Most of it is neutral but there are pops of bright colors scattered throughout.

Carefully you grab a skirt and hold it in front of you. It's soft and flowy. Too nice for you. From another place, you grab a shirt. It looks weird together with the skirt. Instead, you pick out a plain T-shirt. It reminds you of something you've seen other women wear at the coffee shop where you worked.

“I think that would look nice on you.” With a yelp you drop the clothes and turn to the door, finding Bucky leaning against the frame. “Sorry, darling, didn't mean to scare you.” “Don't worry,” you answer and quickly pick the clothes from the floor. “Dinner is in an hour and I wondered if you wanted to join me or have it up here.” “I'll join you, if you want.” “Yes, I do.” He looks around and nods in approval before his gaze shifts back to you. “Wear something nice.”

Choosing something nice proves difficult since everything is much nicer than anything you’ve ever owned. In the end, you settle on a simple, one-colored dress.

The bathroom is stocked with makeup still in its packaging and various hair styling tools and you do your best to look presentable. Once ready, you head to the dining room Bucky showed you earlier.

After taking a wrong turn and having to double back you finally find the room where Bucky is waiting. “Sorry, this place is a maze,” you apologize before sitting down across from him. “You'll learn in time,” he says, holding up his glass. In turn, you grab yours and he lightly touches it, the sound filling the room for a second.

The liquid is bubbly and slightly amber-colored, you think it's champagne. Carefully you take a sip and your whole mouth is bombarded with tastes you've never experienced before. You understand why rich people drink this.

“That's amazing,” you tell him. “Never had champagne before?” It's such a stupid question you can't help your response. “Yeah, that's why my family had to put me up for auction, to afford champagne,” your voice is filled with acid. A moment too late you realize who you're talking to.

Across from you, Bucky is not impressed, his eyes dark and his face impassive. “Sorry,” you say, avoiding his gaze and sinking into the chair, pulling your shoulders up to make yourself small. “It's lovely. Thank you.”

He puts his glass down. “Tell me about your family.” You'd rather talk about anything else but you don't feel like you're in a position to deny him a request like that at the moment.

“I lived with my parents and two younger brothers just outside the harbor district. Dad works there. I have two older sisters but I don't see them much.” “You still lived at home?” With a sigh you take another sip, hoping the alcohol will grant you strength to go through the memories.

“Dad works long days and mom works sometimes. We used to have it better, live more uptown, but…” you take a deep breath. “Turns out mom has a gambling problem and she had racked up quite a bit of debt with some bad people. My salary went towards helping to pay it off and I couldn't afford my own apartment. But I'd do anything for my family.”

Right then the food arrives. It's soup in a very small bowl. If this is what rich people eat for dinner, no wonder they're all so stiff and unbearable. They must be hungry all the time!

To avoid having to talk more about it, you concentrate on the food. It's delicious. One of the best things you've ever eaten. It's a shame the bowl is so small because you could have easily eaten double. Too quickly it's gone and for the first time you look up, noticing Bucky is only halfway done.

This dinner is turning out to be a real embarrassment for you. For the third time since you entered the room, you apologize for your behavior, and you feel it won't be the last. “I'm not used to eating slowly,” you explain. Bet Bucky is starting to regret buying you right about now. Maybe you can ask Natasha for some pointers on how to blend in more quickly. The servers soon come back to collect the dishes and you're left alone in silence.

“I have a question about the contract,” you say after a moment, hoping it will save you from discussing the previous topic more. “I said you're welcome to talk to my lawyer about any questions.” “I think I'd rather ask you about this one.”

A curious expression crosses his face. “Go on.” Gathering all your courage, you ask about the exclusivity clause, though you still feel embarrassed to bring it up. “If I understood correctly, there is no requirement to sleep together, in any kind of way.” “Correct,” he nods. “We're also not required to share a life, except for appearance's sake.” “Yes,” “What about when my heat comes, or your rut?”

“I haven't had a rut in years,” Bucky says matter-of-factly, then shrugs. “As for your heat, I'll make myself scarce and you're free to nest in your room as you like.”

The next course arrives before you can ask more questions. It's a very small sandwich with something gooey on top. The server pours wine for you into another of your glasses. You've heard about pairing wine with food but never done it in your life.

As they leave you ignore the food and ask him, “Are you on suppressants?” “No,” he answers shortly, clearly not fond of the topic. You can take a hint and you drop it, turning to the small sandwich. It's just as delicious as the soup but the conversation doesn't pick up after that.

next

[teleit]

show!Rhaenyra is oatmeal with water and tears of book readers

My best friend was there when I wrote my opinion on Rhaenyra the Mother of Tastelessness, and she told me that I sounded like a mean bitch. I thanked her for the compliment, but realized I hadn't been specific enough.

So let me explain with examples why adult Rhaenyra kneels before young Rhaenyra's throne of supremacy, but remember that this is my opinion, which you may not agree with, but you can't convince me otherwise, so don't waste your time, okay?

Let's take two episodes of season one with adult Rhaenyra, one in which she was a morally good, boring piece of cardboard, and the other in which she gained some taste while being a disgusting person.

Episode 6 is dedicated to the suffering of noble and gentle Rhaenyra, a weak but good-natured princess who is mercilessly bullied by her evil stepmother. She meekly accepts every insult Alicent throws at her, and suffers from the weight of her obligations and duties. When Alicent demands to see baby Joffrey, Rhaenyra doesn't tell her to fuck off or to come herself if she wants to see the newborn so much. She gets up with a tragic face and crawls through the castle, leaving rivers of blood in her wake, even though no one asked her to do so. Yes, she may not want to part with the baby, and be afraid of what Alicent might do, but let's be serious, Alicent was standing in a room with the king and several guards, what would she do to Joffrey, even if she wanted to, in front of others? Accidentally-intentionally swing him like a tennis racket and slam his head into the wall?

In the books, Joffrey's birth was a joyous occasion, with everyone adoring mother and child and celebrating the arrival of the new Targaryen-Velaryon. Book Rhaenyra would never allow Alicent to treat her like that. She is the heir to the throne, not a powerless servant, and she does everything to make sure everyone remembers it.

And so it is throughout the episode. Rhaenyra is constantly humiliated, belittled, insulted - and she suffers with the face of the Virgin Mary from the icon. She has no right to snap, to protest, to complain to her father - all this is unworthy of Saint Rhaenyra, whose morality cannot be questioned, otherwise the audience will remember the end of Daenerys' arc and how the prophecy is the second most useless thing in Game of Thrones after the White Walkers themselves.

And then there is episode 7. Rhaenyra, who almost came close to my favorite version of her. She does one stupid thing after another, and become most terrible person in the room every minute of her existence, but she is AMAZING and i'm adore her.

Sleep with her own uncle while her husband tries to drown himself, grieving the loss of his sister, who, by the way, was also the wife of that same uncle? Rhaenyra, what kind of scum are you, did your crotch itch that much? Couldn't you hold it for a couple of days? Your uncle follows you around like a hound in heat, he won't go anywhere until he gets what he wants, but you, not respecting either your husband or your dead sister-in-law, abandoned your own children for a long-awaited dick. Ew.

Demanding to torture your own ten-year-old half-brother, whose eye your son gouged out, and then being a sassy bitch and thanking your father for indifference to his son's injury? Wow, even Emma theirself said that they cannot find an excuse for this level of gaslighting, you have sunk lower than ever, Rhaenyra.

Sucking on a new husband's tonsils while children who have lost three parents in a week or sum stand by and look at you two with disgust? Bottom has been reached, we are in a special circle of hell made just for you, Rhaenyra Targaryen.

But here's the interesting thing, each of these actions has a flip side. The disgusting lust? Yes, but also the yearning love that Daemon and Rhaenyra have cherished for many years, the passion and desperation that burns brighter than dragonfire within them. The indifference and agression to the crippled Aemond? Yes, but also the fierce protection of her own children, the desperation and fear of accusations that could lead to the loss of her rights and freedoms (let's not lie to ourselves, Viserys would never touch a hair on his girl's head, even if she said "well yeah, they're Strong, so what?", their lives and health were safe). The greed and stupidity of a hasty marriage? Yeah, but also the joy of connection, the awe of having your destined mate.

Just like young Rhaenyra. Troubled, ambiguous, morally gray, and existing not just to be pitied and admired, but also as a character with more than two or three personality traits, and not all of them from a list of kids' cartoon episodes about kindness, love, and caterpillars learning to wash their hands or some other dumb shit.

Writers, you need to stop praising and extolling Rhaenyra, please. This is becoming a parody of Game of Thrones, not a prequel. Give the woman a break, let her be vengeful, grieving, wrong, angry - give her something that turns a piece of narrative into someone to empathize with, rather than relying on those who read the book to automatically attribute the book character's qualities to the show!Rhaenyra. Pretend the source material doesn't exist - you'll be fine, you ignore book with the grace of a buffalo in a glassware store.

I've been pissed off for months on end about a dumb show just because the writers think I'm an idiot, my fragile ego can't handle it.

Ps. Still not native speaker and dgaf about mistakes, english can suck my imaginary dick

[rubyuji]

Fragments (Mingyu, Seungcheol) ˙ ✩°˖🫐 ⋆｡˚

“You know since we are just a few minutes away from landing, did I ever get the chance to thank you for being a huge blessing in my life?” 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐

Genre: Slight angst, fluff, romance

AU: University!au, Coming of Age!au

Pairing(s): (Short) Wonwoo x Afab!reader, Seungcheol x Afab!reader, Mingyu x Afab!reader (Reader is Jeonghan’s little sister)

Warnings: Cheol is toxic, nonchalant and doesn’t care for their relationship, a kiss scene (how shocking)

Synopsis: Growing up with someone you love isn’t easy, well at least for Seungcheol, he never expected to be a life-altering heartbreak for you either, and while he did wish for a second chance, that plan had only backfired on him when he received an invite to your engagement party with Mingyu.

Note: I’m finally done with the long awaited fic! I kept pausing and got busy in between, but overall I’d say that I’m satisfied with it. Thank you all for waiting and I hope you like it! Don’t forget to like + reblog as always to help support me and other writers, happy reading!

WC: 12k (exceeded my estimate omg)

Taglist: @nerdycheol @notevenheretbh1 (Thank you guys so much!)

Seungcheol remembered the first time he saw you. It was at his friend Jeonghan’s house, your nose crinkled adorably as you read some cheesy romance novel at sixteen on the cream sofa in the living room.

He had wanted to say something, but all he could do was smile as Jeonghan introduced him to your parents. Since then, he has been practically your family’s newest son besides Joshua, their other best friend.

When Seungcheol had received his fair share of confessions from girls all over the school in his senior year, he had always declined them politely because he was just never interested in any of them, except this time, it was different ever since the day Jeonghan had introduced you to him.

In moments wherein he would receive a confession from someone, he would see you walk by and forget the girl even existed, opting to call out your name instead and jog after you.

He would even walk you to your class or visit you in your classroom, using the ‘protective brother’s friend’ excuse, when in reality, he was only scoping out the potential guys who were interested in you in your class.

“Dude, do you like my sister? You look like a lost puppy following her around,” Jeonghan chuckles. Seungcheol raises his brow at his friend and turns to Joshua, who just shrugs as he agrees with Jeonghan.

“You hang around Y/n so much that there’s already rumors being spread of her being your crush or girlfriend,” Joshua says flatly.

“Guys, I’m just looking out for her, you know we all care about her like a little sister. Come on, I’m just a lot more proactive than Jeonghan” Seungcheol whined.

It was half true, he did want to look out for you because he cared, but also because he wanted to ward off any of the guys who were admiring you.

“You act like I leave her for dead, people probably think she’s your little sister instead of mine,” Jeonghan says, bored.

“Oh by the way, I honestly can’t believe she’s seeing this guy in the other class, his name was Jeon Wonwoo or something? He asked her out on Valentine’s Day,” Seungcheol whipped his head around and stared at Jeonghan, who was way too engrossed in his laptop even to notice the way Seungcheol’s brows furrowed.

Seungcheol felt his heart clench, no wonder you were starting to decline his invitation to walk home with him, Joshua, and your brother.

You had even started distancing yourself from them. It wasn’t that noticeable at first, but you were definitely around them less, opting to spend more time with a certain boy that he had seen with you way too often.

“So he’s buying her snacks and getting her flowers every morning? That’s crazy to me. I mean, Y/n is still so young, how are you letting this slide?” Seungcheol whined.

Looking back, he remembers you walking around hand in hand with a tall guy who had glasses on, and you were always smiling at whatever the guy said to you.

As Joshua was about to get another word out about how Seungcheol was probably going to cry about you growing up and becoming your own person with an identity, you suddenly walked into the living room and plopped onto the seat beside Jeonghan. Your brother scoffed and rolled his eyes as you accidentally knocked the laptop from his lap.

“I heard my name? Are you guys gossiping about me?” You say playfully.

Seungcheol felt his ears warm up at the sound of your voice, despite you being a mini version of Jeonghan, he still couldn’t help but fall for you as a person because of how charming you were.

“Yeah, I told them about the boy you’re seeing in the year above yours. Is he your boyfriend or is he just a crush?” Jeonghan runs a hand through your hair and you hum with a smile on your face.

“He’s my boyfriend, a super sweet guy. I never expected him to ask me out or even feel the same way, but I like him,” Seungcheol could hear the love practically dripping from your voice, and he wanted the green-eyed monster to simply swallow him whole.

“You’re so gross if he hurts you, we’ll be after his head. Please tell him as a reminder,” Jeonghan then flicks your forehead and you whine.

Seungcheol could never get tired of seeing the way you and Jeonghan interacted, the way you reacted cutely, and how your nose scrunched in the most adorable way possible.

Turns out, Jeonghan’s promise was going to come around way sooner than any of you would’ve thought.

As Seungcheol was there for your first boyfriend, he also ended up being there during your first heartbreak.

He clearly remembers the day you shuffled over to your older brother quietly and held onto his arm for support, Jeonghan opting to pull you close to his side instead. Your eyes were soaked with tears, the guys looking at you worriedly on the way home.

“We’ll head in, I gotta take care of the little one first. You guys go ahead,” Seungcheol and Joshua nodded, still worried about your current state, but decided to leave your actual older brother to it because he knew what to do.

That night, Jeonghan texted their group chat about how Wonwoo had broken up with you that day.

Some bullshit excuse like you guys weren’t meant to be, when in reality, Wonwoo had been seeing a different girl behind your back and didn’t know how to tell you that he fell out of love, something Seungcheol couldn’t fathom.

How could someone fall out of love with you? You had so much to offer and you had so much love to give.

Seungcheol cursed the kid out in his head and texted that he would deal with him, but before he could do anything stupid, Joshua had to talk him out of it.

He knew it was a bad idea to even confront Wonwoo for breaking your heart, but he couldn’t help it, not when he couldn’t stand the look of hurt that graced your pretty face, the way tears welled up in your big doe eyes.

But, Seungcheol also considered the fact that you wouldn't like it if he got into a fight either.

Your first heartbreak felt like a blur after a few years, and Seungcheol had found himself watching from the sidelines again as you grew up to be such an independent and self-assured young woman. However, he could’ve never expected to become the face of your second biggest heartbreak.

Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua were now in their third year of college, and you had just entered as a freshman.

With him and Jeonghan studying business management and Joshua taking the psychology route, you were now added to their little family as well, this time majoring in fashion design.

“Are you guys proud of me? I’m finally an adult! Can’t wait to rot away for the next three to four years while you guys only have a year left again,” You joked as you settled on the seat beside Joshua.

Jeonghan had offered you a place to live that was in the same building, and it was pretty affordable, while still being near campus. Seungcheol thanked whatever deity was up there for giving you the opportunity.

Though you guys weren’t apart for that long, albeit the guys visiting you during every break since they started living away from your hometown, it still felt like something was missing during their time in college.

You felt the same admittedly enough, and even though you enjoyed the solace that came with the silence of not having to have the guys around with their constant bickering and yelling, you couldn’t help but miss them dearly.

So, when your brother offered up an apartment in the same building as theirs, once you got accepted into the same school, you took it immediately.

“Hey, we’ll still live here until we get stable jobs after graduating, baby. You don’t have to sulk, you won’t be lonely and we’ll make sure of it,” Seungcheol chuckled.

You felt your heart beat faster at the sound of his voice, you’ve seen Seungcheol ever since you guys were teenagers, but you had to admit, college and becoming an adult was catching up to him.

Seungcheol looked broad, and it was the result of continuously working out and his efforts to maintain his body and health, but he also carried a different air around him, one that made you feel choked up and so small around him.

You held back from developing feelings for Seungcheol though, as he was your brother’s best friend. It was strictly sibling code, but Jeonghan didn’t seem to care if you dated any of his friends for that matter.

“I’ll take it,” You smile at Seungcheol.

You couldn’t help the fluttering you felt in your chest, but you also weighed your feelings for the man.

Seungcheol was handsome, and he had a charming personality to match, but would he date you? He most likely saw you as a little sister above all else, and he was Jeonghan’s best friend, your brother would never let you live it down.

You were so wrong though because not even a month after you had moved in, Seungcheol had asked you out on a date.

You were pleasantly surprised, not expecting him to ever look your way at all, but here you were as the man handed you a small bouquet, pink dusting his cheeks as he waited for your answer.

“Yes Cheol, I’ll go out with you,” Seungcheol’s eyes lit up as he picked you up and spun you around out of excitement.

You laughed once he put you down, and on the way home, he couldn’t help but announce it to both of his roommates. Jeonghan raised a brow at you, and you shrugged shyly under your brother’s gaze.

One date with Seungcheol turned into two, then three, until you finally agreed to be his girlfriend. Things got serious quickly between the two of you, given how long you’ve known each other, and Jeonghan and Joshua couldn’t help but laugh at their friend who was finally experiencing a relationship for the first time.

You were both acting like lovesick fools whenever you visited the apartment and within a year, your relationship had progressed into something deeper.

Seungcheol opted to move over into your apartment on the floor above, and you both even decided to adopt a puppy and name her Kkuma.

Life couldn’t have been better, especially when Seunghcheol took great care of you in all ways.

“Hi baby, I picked up some things at the store that we were running out of. How was your day?” Seungcheol kissed your cheek as he placed the groceries on the kitchen island.

You were currently cooking dinner for the two of you, and you turned gratefully toward your boyfriend. He is the most perfect partner you could ever ask for.

Communication with Seungcheol was easy, loving him was easy, and being with him was easy, but it was as if he had become an entirely different person once you were about to reach the two-year mark of your relationship.

Seungcheol started becoming more closed off, he spent more time at his new job, and he started lashing out at you, causing huge blowup fights between you both, resulting in you having to sleep at Jeonghan and Joshua’s place more often than not.

“I don’t understand what’s gotten into him, you know he seems fine at work, but now he’s raising his voice at you? Y/n, we know Seungcheol is our best friend, but his actions are already harming you, don’t you think it’s better to break up?” Jeonghan looked like he was pleading with you.

Your older brother knew better than anyone, and you bit your lip softly. Even Joshua and Jeonghan had started to notice the change, it was how Seungcheol even refused to spare you a glance at parties, or how he had started to leave you alone more often, even during his day off.

What ticked Jeonghan off though, was the fact that Seungcheol had already raised his voice at you in front of them multiple times.

He couldn’t stand to see his baby sister being taken for granted by someone who once cared about her so much, he wondered what on earth happened to the Seungcheol who vowed to take care of you.

The one who always doted on you and scolded Jeonghan for leaving you alone when you needed him.

“Hey, take it easy on her. Two years is a long time Han, so it’s not like Y/n can walk out on him instantly just like that. I have to agree with your brother though, Y/n. This isn’t healthy for you, and we’re willing to help you with whatever just to make things easier,” Joshua pulls you into his side on the sofa and you huff.

The Seungcheol you were with felt unrecognizable, and you just wished you could run away from him for once, so you decided to confide in the two about how your best friend, Mingyu, had offered to take you to Italy with him because he was going to model for a brand there, and how they loved your portfolio and wanted to take you under their wing as a senior fashion designer.

“Don’t you think it’s wiser to take the opportunity? I know you love Cheol, but Y/n, you can’t keep putting up with this. He’s only hurting you,” Joshua says softly.

You shake your head and let out a deep sigh. What would it take for you to walk away from it all? Leaving sounded tempting, yet all you could think about was how Seungcheol would feel if you left.

He could still change, but how much longer could you endure the pain he’s been putting you through?

“Look, we understand that it’s easier said than done, but you’re still so young and have the whole world to explore. Don’t chain yourself down to this relationship, Y/n. We promise to deal with Seungcheol if it makes you feel better, but for now, we think you should take the opportunity to go to Italy,” Jeonghan looks at you painfully, and the last thing you wanted to do was to hurt your brother, seeing as you being in pain was already doing just that.

“I—'ll go to Italy, but promise me that you both will take care of Cheol? I know he hasn't been the best lately, but he’ll need as much support as I do. It's been difficult, but you guys are right, I still have the world out there for me, and whatever happens with Cheol will happen. Find our way back to each other or not, I think I’m ready for a fresh start,” You declare.

Jeonghan and Joshua look at you fondly, as Seungkwan, their new roommate and one of your closest friends, walks into the room, eyes as wide as saucers.

“Wait, you’re taking Mingyu up on that offer in Italy? That’s amazing, Y/n! I’ve been waiting for Seungcheol to finally get his grip off of you so you can flourish!” You laugh awkwardly as Seungkwan crushes you in his embrace.

“Ugh, Kwannie! Mingyu said he’s supposed to leave next week, I think it’s finally time I give him the answer he’s been waiting for. Are you coming with?” You pout at Seungkwan. Your friend nods and gives you a wide grin.

“I’m coming along so I can get used to the environment, I can’t leave these two just yet you know? Besides, I’ll go tell my sister once I’m ready and I’ll be there with you both ok? Now come on, let’s head upstairs, I’ll help you pack!” Seungkwan pushes you out the door and you bid your brother and Joshua goodbye, promising to call them later.

You were happy you had Seungkwan to keep you company while packing your things, he kept your mind at bay knowing you still had to talk to Seungcheol about everything that was happening.

You couldn't just get up and leave without an explanation, it just wasn't who you were, and you felt like it would’ve been unfair for your boyfriend.

Once you finally zipped up your last suitcase of personal belongings, you didn't have much, to begin with, and Seungkwan lugged the rest of your bags down to their apartment, you heard the door open. ‘He’s home,’ you thought to yourself.

You walk out of your room and see Seungcheol walk into the apartment, his body language seeming a bit more apprehensive than usual, but you know you have to say something.

You were already leaving for Italy the next week, and this was probably going to be the last time you’d be seeing Seungcheol in a while.

“Cheol? Can we talk, please?” Your voice was timid, almost coming out as a squeak if Seungcheol didn’t listen hard enough. He turns to look at you, his gaze suddenly soft but still somehow holding anger.

“Can you make it quick? I still have something to do so I won’t be in the house for long, you don’t have to wait for me,” Seungcheol huffed.

Your heart broke at how you could barely even recognize the person in front of you.

This wasn't the same Seungcheol who constantly doted on you while growing up. The Seungcheol who was too scared to even raise his voice at you, knowing you hated it when people yelled at you.

How did his, “Hey angel, don’t wait up for me and get some rest, you had a long day,” turn into cold scoffs and constant eye rolls? Was he tired of you?

You finally gather enough courage to speak up about everything you’ve held back from him the past few weeks.

This wasn’t your Seungcheol anymore, this man was a stranger in your apartment, he was a stranger you once knew, a stranger whom you’ve loved with your whole heart, only for him to throw it all away. You finally had enough, it was time for you to choose yourself for once.

“You know what? Fine, I will. To sum it all up, I’m leaving you Seungcheol, this isn’t gonna be the same as some silly little sleepover at Joshua and Jeonghan’s. I’m leaving, I’ve had enough of dealing with your outbursts and I barely recognize you anymore. I’m sorry I had to end it like this, but I’m choosing myself this time,” a stray tear makes its way down your face and you hold in the urge to sob.

This was for your own good, and if leaving Seungcheol and bearing the pain was what it took, so be it.

You knew it would be hard to move on, but you also knew that making a choice for yourself and choosing yourself for your peace was what you needed right now.

“I’m letting go, maybe we aren’t meant to be, or we’ll find our way back, but I can’t promise anything. I’m sorry, you don’t have to tell me anything else because I leave next week. I have everything packed, and you can talk to my brother and Joshua about living arrangements, I’ll still pay the lease until the end of the month,” You choke out.

Your nose was starting to get stuffy and your vision started to blur, you couldn’t even look at Seungcheol as you told him everything.

“Y/n, please, don’t leave. I’m sorry, just give me time to fix everything, I know I fucked up. Why did you decide to drop all of this on me now? I– I can’t, Y/n, please,” Seungcheol was pleading with you.

You knew it was unfair, but after countless months of giving in to Seungcheol and settling with being the same understanding girlfriend you are, you couldn’t help it.

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you fix everything when you’re too late. I’ve given you countless chances to finally pull yourself together, even going as far as to leave you alone because I know how much you hate being bothered when you’re stressed, and this is what I get in return. I’ve been too understanding towards you that it’s starting to affect me, please, just let me have it this once Seungcheol,” You were now the one pleading as tears cascaded down your face like a waterfall.

Seungcheol’s heart ached as he looked at you. You were such a self-assured, independent, and strong young woman, he knew that since the moment he met you.

Jeonghan made sure you grew up not needing a man to take care of you but also made sure you still left a part of yourself where you allowed someone to take care of you once you felt vulnerable enough.

This wasn’t the same woman he had fallen in love with, instead, what Seungcheol saw in front of him was the same girl who had her heart crushed by a stupid teenage boy back in high school.

You looked so broken, so frail, as you tried to shield yourself away from him. Seungcheol couldn’t help but feel as if the world was closing in on him, had he been too neglectful the past few months?

Did he let his emotions get the best of him when he had promised you that he would keep a level head around you? Hell, he even promised your brother he would never hurt you, and look where it got him.

Seungcheol couldn’t even get another word out before you left the apartment, leaving him in the silence of a home that was once filled with the warmth of the love you had once before.

Ten minutes had passed and Seungcheol still couldn't believe that you had walked out on him, had he been too lax of a boyfriend already?

He knew he fucked up and he had been wanting to fix things between you both, but it ultimately ended in failure the moment you walked out of that apartment.

You hold the handle of your carry-on bag as Mingyu checks you both in while you are still taking in the atmosphere of the entire airport.

It felt surreal, a week ago you were in the apartment you once shared with Seungcheol, everything you withheld from him boiling over, and now you’re at the airport with one of your best friends in the entire world, ready to go to Italy and start life over.

“Hey, I got our boarding passes, let's head in and get past security so we don't have to deal with the hassle later. Also, you look tense, lighten up a bit, you need this reset,” Mingyu smiles at you gently while handing you your passport.

You nod and let out a breath, Mingyu was right, your life had been stagnant for too long, and this was something you deserved.

“Thanks, Gyu, for everything. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, I seriously feel like I’m indebted to you,” You joke, and Mingyu lets out a scoff.

“No need to thank me, you’re the most amazing fashion designer I know, and with the company liking your portfolio and telling me that they would like to take you under their wing immediately, you should give yourself more credit where it’s due. This was all from your hard work, Y/n,” Mingyu shakes his head and you both go through security while lugging your bags through the scanners.

After going through security, you and Mingyu bought food and chatted at the boarding gate happily while waiting for your flight to board.

“I’m glad you took the opportunity, I was starting to think you’d be stuck here forever, forced to live a boring life with Seungcheol. No offense, of course, it's just that you’re way too talented to not show your colors to the entire world,” Mingyu flushes and you grin at him sheepishly.

You met Mingyu through Minghao, who introduced you to the man because he knew you needed a male model because you ran out of options for your menswear class.

“Look, I know you love your brother and all, but this is our last final for the year, Y/n! Think about it, you already had Joshua model for the midterm, and Jeonghan modeled for us during the first semester’s finals, and our second-semester midterms.” Minghao gave you a pointed look knowing you had to do this for your sake.

You were too familiar with your brother and Joshua’s builds, and despite getting near-perfect scores on your projects, you still wanted to try something that was out of your comfort zone. Minghao then snaps his fingers and you look at him in confusion.

“I have this friend, you remember Mingyu right? He was my model during the first round of midterms last semester. I think it would be great if you practiced with him since you aren't used to taller and broader builds,” You raise your brows at Minghao’s proposition.

“I mean, you’re right about that. Give me his contact, and I’ll shoot him a message,” You smiled softly. Minghao handed you his phone with Mingyu’s contact as you input it into your phone.

You met Mingyu once for his measurements, saw his sweet smile once, heard him speak in his soft voice, and the rest was history.

Mingyu had turned into your rock, your other cheerleader who was there whenever your boyfriend wasn't. Now, you’re traveling the world with your best friend who is everything you could ever ask for.

“I appreciate the sentiment Gyu, I couldn't have gotten here without you being by my side. I guess I thought I was destined to just, you know, wait until I get offered a boring job at some corporate office that has nothing to do with my degree, then live with Seungcheol until God knows how long,” You laugh softly, looking back at what you had thought would be the rest of your life, but change is inevitable and it was time you accept it.

“Of course, you know I’ll always be by your side. It's my job to take care of you as your best friend, even if you insist that you’re completely fine on your own.” Mingyu pouts.

You laugh at Mingyu and heave a sigh of relief. You finally felt free after all these months.

From being too depressed to get out of the apartment, declining every invitation from your friends, to moving to Italy with both of your best friends and starting life over from scratch.

Your brother and your friends were right, even if you did love Seungcheol, some people just aren't meant to be in our lives for so long once they impact you negatively.

“Oh, by the way, did Seungkwan send you his flight details? I swear, he has do-not-disturb mode on more, these days,” You laugh as you come across a picture of you, Seungkwan, and Mingyu on your last trip to Jeju during Seungkwan’s birthday.

Mingyu hummed and nodded, showing you a screenshot that Seungkwan had sent to him.

“His flight is still later tonight, so he’ll probably arrive the day after us or like at night? I don’t know, time zones are weird,” Mingyu gave up trying to understand time zones and you laughed again at how cute your best friend was.

“I’m sure Seungkwan will call us once he’s there, so we don’t need to worry much. What we need to worry about though, is where we’re going to be staying once we get there first,” You laugh.

Mingyu shows you an email on his phone from the company, it said you were going to be provided with housing since Mingyu was a model, and you were a senior fashion designer.

“What? They’re going to provide us with housing? That’s crazy,” Your mouth gaped like a fish and Mingyu laughed at you.

“I know, that’s why I chose this company over every other one. The others only ever put your portfolio and resume aside, while the one we’re being hired to right now provided us both with opportunities. I thought it was only fair to bring you along since I did get scouted by big shots after uploading myself modeling in your pieces,” Mingyu smiled softly, his tone laced with gratitude towards you.

You wave off Mingyu’s remark dismissively. “You worked hard you know? I think my clothes were only a little bit of help when it came to your actual scouting, I think you should give yourself more credit,” You reply.

After an hour of talking, you and Mingyu were finally headed into your seats on the plane. Suddenly, everything felt so surreal as Mingyu lugged your carry-ons into the overhead bins.

“I can’t believe we’re moving to Italy, never in my life would I ever imagine hopping on a plane headed to work in Europe of all places,” You say to Mingyu, who is settled on the seat beside you.

“I think you should finally start believing it because you still might feel as though you’re dreaming the moment we land,” Mingyu chuckles and leans his head on yours, an action that makes you feel warm inside.

It felt nice having Mingyu around, he was healing a part of you that wished it was Cheol doing all this, but you knew better than to think of your ex right now because you were on the path of moving on from everything he put you through.

The flight was a breeze, and thankfully nobody was in the seat beside Mingyu, because he could easily slip into the restroom at any time, a luxury he didn’t usually have if he was placed in a window or middle seat on the plane.

“You know since we are just a few minutes away from landing, did I ever get the chance to thank you for being a huge blessing in my life?” You laugh as the plane is making its final descent.

“I knew you needed this opportunity because I saw how badly he was treating you, I had to give you this much because you deserve way better,” Mingyu replies gently.

Your heart blooms and you grip his hand, you are ready to move forward, and you know you have the right people by your side.

“Seungkwan, can you go pick up groceries at the Korean supermarket across the street? It’s your turn since you are mooching off me and Mingyu until you move in with Vernon,” You jokingly call out to your friend.

Seungkwan grumbles and you laugh before turning to him from the kitchen. “Yeah, don’t worry, I already know whatever is on the list before you need to tell me, I’ll be back in like twenty minutes,” he tells you on his way out the door.

It had been a few months since you had arrived in Italy with Mingyu and Seungkwan, and you all had settled into the country quite easily.

Starting work was a breeze because the company was very accommodating and everyone was friendly, and you found yourself moving on faster than you expected.

“Seungkwan’s finally moving in with Vernon huh? I can’t believe it’s already been a while since we got here. Now tell me, when are you going to give in to me?” Mingyu jokes as he wraps his strong arms around your waist.

You were no stranger to skinship with your best friend, but the veil between friendship and romance was starting to wear thin after moving in together after a few months.

Mingyu was just a stark contrast from who Seungcheol was, and you were starting to give in to him despite your fears of commitment.

It didn’t help that your best friend was just as hopeless a romantic as you are, so Mingyu naturally took his time with you. It was something you were immensely grateful for because he fully understood that you probably weren’t even ready to pursue another relationship.

See, Mingyu was naturally a soft-spoken man. During the entirety of friendship not once had he raised his voice at you, or anyone for that matter, even when he was angry or agitated.

Mingyu rarely blew up on people. You used to fear being yelled at because with Seungcheol, it was inevitable, and it only planted a fear of everyone raising their voice at you the moment Seungcheol had let go of all his reserve during a fight.

Even if Mingyu did raise his voice from across the apartment, he made sure it was at a reasonable volume that didn’t scare you, and on the rare occasion that you both would get into a fight, Mingyu would only communicate his feelings towards you in a calm tone.

Mingyu was also just full of love, he was always so considerate towards everyone around him. He made sure you and Seungkwan knew how grateful he was to have you both by his side because this was a big step for all of you.

The nights when the three of you would drink together, and Mingyu would pour out his gratitude towards you both, about how he felt so happy that the universe had given him some of the most amazing best friends in the entire world (also yapping about how much he missed Wonwoo, his old roommate, but that was for another time).

It was just a huge plus that Mingyu also willingly helped around the house, naturally because you knew it was in your best friend’s upbringing to keep the house in proper shape.

Even cooking with Mingyu was an experience because you both enjoy sharing recipes and want to try them out together, which meant Seungkwan was treated to a delicious meal every time you and Mingyu would find a new dish to try out.

Mingyu made you experience new things that you couldn’t when it came to your ex, and slowly, the feelings between you both unfolded.

Seungkwan couldn’t deny it to you either that you and Mingyu would make a great married couple, you both were pretty tame and low maintenance, something that was rare to find these days.

“I know you’re not ready to start a relationship or deal with feelings right now after everything you’ve been through with your ex, but trust me when I say this, Mingyu is the one you should marry. You both look so perfect together, and it’s a plus that he already likes you,” Seungkwan whined, and you laughed as he threw your other best friend under the bus.

Mingyu was out for an event with Minghao that night, and he wanted to bring you along but he also knew you hated huge events or loud places, so he opted to leave you at home with Seungkwan, promising to come back at a reasonable hour and to not drink so much.

It was a small action but it was something you felt grateful for, it showed that Mingyu still thought of you while having fun and living his life.

“I’ve never thought about dating Mingyu, let alone marrying him but, I mean, he’s not that bad. I’m already way past my ex anyway, so you’re right on that. Don’t throw Mingyu under the bus like that ever again though,” You giggle. Seungkwan clicks his tongue and sips from his wine.

“I wish you met Mingyu before Seungcheol or something, you two make each other so happy and you guys don’t leave me out at all. I love you and Mingyu so much despite everything we’ve been through,” Seungkwan smiles softly and holds your hand.

Moving to Europe definitely wasn’t an easy decision for the three of you, but you all found comfort in each other and got through hurdles together.

There were fights, and misunderstandings, one time you even walked out on them, but you all knew that at the end of the day, you all had each other no matter what.

Seungkwan’s words from that night echoed in your head as you snapped back to reality, Mingyu’s arms still wrapped around you with a soft grin on his face.

You wish you had met Mingyu before it all, maybe then you would’ve narrowly avoided one of your most life-altering heartaches, but now you were ready to move forward with Mingyu.

“What if I told you that you already had all of me?” You didn’t stop for a second and kissed Mingyu, who froze for a second, but immediately melted into the kiss.

You weren’t afraid to love anymore. Mingyu was all the proof you needed, knowing you deserve a second chance after everything.

When you both pulled away, Mingyu’s cheeks were dusted pink, his signature smile with his canines tugging at his lips.

“You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting for you to do that,” he breathed out cheekily, chasing your lips for more.

“You’re so annoying, you know that right?” You laugh and pull Mingyu in for another kiss, this time with your arms around his neck.

Suddenly, you both hear a crash by the doorway and hear plastic bags falling, only to find Seungkwan with his mouth agape and eyes as wide as saucers.

“I was out for twenty minutes, what the hell happened,” Seungkwan choked out.

It’s been years since Seungcheol had heard from you, and he was still a mess, except he was finally starting to get back up on his feet to help himself.

About a month after you had left, he had moved back in with Joshua and Jeonghan, and he didn’t understand why they still welcomed him with open arms, let alone Jeonghan of all people.

You were his younger sister, and he hurt you, shouldn’t he be cursing him out and telling him to go to hell?

“If you’re wondering why you seem like in our good graces, Y/n told us to take care of you until you’re back on your feet. You’re still our childhood friend Cheol, and even if we don’t tolerate what you did to Y/n, she told us to make sure that you weren’t going to do anything stupid. You need as much support as her, and who are we to deny when we care about you both?” Jeonghan says firmly.

Seungcheol felt his heart clench, even after he hurt you, you still cared enough to tell his two best friends to care for him.

You were an angel, and he took you for granted. You even went as far as to tell them that it was okay for him to move back in with them (granted Seungcheol also did twice as much housework compared to Jeonghan and Joshua because of how guilty he felt).

Now, three years had passed since you had moved to Italy, and you usually visited during the holidays, but Seungcheol was never around because it pained him too much to see you.

He had eventually gathered up the courage to try to move on, and while he is stable in his career as a form of distraction, he still had feelings for you deep in his heart.

You were his first love, and it wasn’t going to change any time soon because he wanted you forever.

Every day he wished he wasn’t immature enough to push you away, he silently prayed to every God above for him to give your relationship another shot.

Seungcheol was a changed man now, and he was willing to do everything in his power to be with you.

Seungcheol was hopeful, until he wasn’t, especially when Jeonghan had dropped the bomb that you had invited them to your engagement party in Jeju island.

“This has to be a joke, right?” Seungcheol could only laugh at how ridiculous it all seemed.

Were you engaged? It had only been a few years since you moved to Italy, he was sure you wouldn’t have found a boyfriend in that period, let alone a fiancée.

“Nope, you’re hearing it correctly. Y/n’s been bringing home her boyfriend, well I guess fiancée now, for three years already. I understand that it’s been rough ever since we started living separately, you wouldn’t visit as much as Josh whenever she was around, understandably so, but she’s moved on and he makes her happy,” Jeonghan sipped from his mug, and shrugged, making Seungcheol’s brows knit.

“I know exposure therapy isn’t the way to go, but Y/n means a lot to us despite everything, you know that. You can get the closure you need and you can finally move on, Cheol,” Jeonghan continued before putting his cup down on the desk, this was his second cup of coffee, he had to stop at some point.

Seungcheol was in an internal debate with himself, he realized that while he did need closure, was it worth all the pain of seeing you again?

He knew he had to, it was what he needed before he could fully move on, but something in him was still hanging on to what could’ve been between you both.

“I’ll go, maybe it is time. I’ll consider it,” Seungcheol slumps in his chair and stares outside the window of his office.

All the time he had spent building his company from the ground up so he could prove himself worthy once you came back, only for you to be engaged with someone else.

“You don’t have to force yourself though, just take it easy. Y/n will understand, you know she always does,” Jeonghan walks up to Seungcheol and leans by his desk, staring at the same city skyline in front of them.

Seungcheol’s hard work was undeniable, and it was all because of the effort he put in to forget you, but he just couldn’t, Seungcheol knew he needed proper closure instead to fully move on from your past.

“I’ll be fine Han, I can handle myself now,” Seungcheol says as his brows knit once more, looking back at the events of the past year.

He had started his own tech company and now he’s the CEO of a huge corporation, his career is now a reflection of all his hard work and dedication, but what was the use of all that money when he couldn’t share it with someone else? That someone who he desperately wished was you.

“I know you can handle yourself Cheol, but you were a wreck when you first moved in. Me and Josh had to pester you for you to get back on your feet for fucks sake, I wouldn’t hold it against you if had second thoughts about going,” Jeonghan says softly. As much as he knew that his friend could handle himself, he couldn’t help but worry.

Since then, two weeks had passed since that conversation and your initial invitation to your brother and his best friends to your engagement party.

Jeonghan calls you excitedly as they settle on the plane to Jeju, Seungcheol lugging the bags into the overhead bins, and Joshua already taking a nap as other passengers continue to board.

“Are you certain that we already have assigned rooms? Ok, I understand. Take care Y/n! We’ll see you at the airport,” Jeonghan hangs up before turning over to Joshua and Seungcheol beside him.

“You guys are sharing a room at the resort, and I’m going to room with Seungkwan. Y/n and her fianceé will be picking us up, so no funny business,” he continued.

Seungcheol clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. He's a jealous guy and he can’t help it, but you’re no longer his girlfriend and he knew he had to behave himself.

He couldn’t wait to see who your fiancée was, and he tried to make the most of it at least because you were still someone who’s considered family to him.

The flight was short-lived and they landed in Jeju in no time. Joshua stretched as they carried their bags from the conveyor belt onto the cart, and Jeonghan had received a call from you saying you were outside waiting.

Traveling with three bachelors felt like a nightmare for Seungcheol, it wasn’t like they weren’t capable of getting girlfriends, but rather, they were too busy for the dating lifestyle.

Seungcheol wouldn’t wish for it to be anyone else though, he was just happy to have Joshua and Jeonghan around as his support systems.

“Last bag, let’s head out so we have enough time to rest before the party tomorrow. Don’t wanna go on the plane with a hangover and a fuck ton of regrets once we’re headed home, just so we can mentally prepare ourselves,” Joshua breathes out. Though this wasn’t a wedding, it sure did feel like one.

The only reason you and Mingyu had even decided to have an engagement party was because you two were going to have your main wedding in Italy with your close family members.

The party served as a gathering for distant friends and relatives to congratulate you both since you couldn’t bring everyone to Europe with you.

As they headed out of the airport, Jeonghan could spot your figure and hear you calling out to them by your rental car.

Seungcheol had also caught sight of you and felt his heart skip, you looked more radiant since the last time he had seen you, granted it was probably because three years had passed, and he just couldn’t believe it.

You looked healthier now, you were no longer frail, and your smile had reached your eyes again, the same glint of happiness in them.

Seungcheol had forgotten why they were here the second he saw you, but it was only for a moment until he saw your fiancée standing right beside you, his form towering over yours.

Seungcheol recognized who this man was, it was Kim Mingyu, your best friend since college.

“Hi, guys! It’s been so long, I missed you all so much!” You say with a smile and hug Jeonghan.

Your brother grips you tightly while laughing, he missed you just as much, if not more.

Seungcheol smiles at the scene in front of him, he had always adored your interactions with Jeonghan.

Joshua then walked over to Mingyu as the taller man helped him with the bags. So this is who you were marrying, your best friend who Seungcheol had always worried about deep down.

“Hi Cheol, how was the flight? You must be tired, Jeonghan told me you guys were up early,” You greeted him softly, a smile still gracing your features.

Seungcheol blinked in disbelief, he never expected you to be so welcoming towards him, but years have passed and he understands that you’re over it by now.

“It was alright at most, I’m honestly just excited to relax at the hotel. How’ve you been?” Seungcheol smiled.

He looks over and sees Mingyu talking to Joshua about something while helping him with their bags, still weary about him.

“I’ve been great, Italy with Seungkwan and Mingyu was one of the best decisions I could’ve ever made. I know there were some things we avoided because of our past, but I hope you know that I’ve done some reflection since then, so no hard feelings on this trip ok? I want you guys to relax,” You lead Seungcheol over to the car and he sits in the back with your brother and Joshua.

The ride to the resort was comfortable, courtesy of you and Mingyu being easy going as conversations flowed naturally.

Seungcheol gauged that you were in good hands, but his heart was still calling out for you, something he wanted to keep at a minimum. You were going to marry someone else, there was no chance left for him.

“You have always had a good eye Y/n, this resort is beautiful,” Joshua compliments.

You laugh and brush off Joshua’s comment sweetly, but it was true, you always had a good eye for things in general (except boyfriends apparently, but Mingyu be damned because he did everything in his power to win your heart).

“I’ll bring you over to Seungkwan’s room since he’s staying across from me and Mingyu. Baby, can you lead Joshua and Seungcheol over to their rooms?” You turn to Mingyu, and Seungcheol catches the way your fiancée’s gaze is full of love for you.

His heart could only clench, was it genuinely worth the pain to support you? Seungcheol secretly wished for the ground to swallow him up whole.

“Of course, remember we still have dinner with everyone later, don’t forget to tell Jeonghan the details,” Mingyu reminds you.

You nod and wave them off, dragging your brother over to a happy Seungkwan, who stands by the elevator waiting for you both.

Joshua and Mingyu had been in their own world, talking amongst themselves while Seungcheol’s focus had been on his phone the entire time.

“Hey man, how are you? Jeonghan told us you were working hard to build your company up after we left for Italy,” Mingyu says in a friendly tone.

“It’s been great, it gets pretty lonely here at the top since the breakup, but it’s nothing I can’t handle,” Seungcheol says with a smirk, finding the entire situation so ridiculous.

Joshua eyes him and chuckles to alleviate the jab that Seungcheol had taken at Mingyu, but your fiancée takes it just fine and continues the conversation calmly.

“I hope you find someone to share your success with in the near future. I understand that we all deserve to be loved by someone. It’s just that some people we hoped to end up with aren’t meant to be, and it’s not our fault,” Mingyu replies, tone still friendly and calm.

Seungcheol felt ticked off but decided to behave himself as the elevator arrived at their floor.

“Here’s the key card, as I mentioned earlier, there is a dinner we’ll be having with the rest of the guests tonight, it will be at the restaurant by the beach. You can just give mine or Y/n’s name for the reservation if they ask, I’ll see you guys later! Rest up since you guys must’ve had a long flight,” Mingyu makes his leave.

Joshua turns to Seungcheol and raises his brow while unlocking the room.

“Behave a bit, I know it’s been a while but we’re here for Y/n and it’s about her, you don’t have to like Mingyu, but let’s not cause any fights. Mingyu’s good to Y/n, and you can talk to Y/n about everything tonight after dinner if you need to,” Joshua says firmly.

Seungcheol hangs his head low, Joshua is right, he promised to behave himself because he understands that he needs to move on.

You had every right to leave him back then, and he should accept it, he just needs his final bit of closure, even if it hurts.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more friendly toward Mingyu. I’ll keep myself in line, let’s rest so we can get ready later,” Joshua nods and smiles at Seungcheol, he was finally getting somewhere and it made him feel like a proud mom.

On the other hand, you were already being interrogated in your room by Jeonghan, Seungkwan, and your beloved fianceé because of Seungcheol’s appearance.

“You guys said it would be fine! Besides, I don’t have any hard feelings! He’s still like family Han,” You whine to your brother as you bury yourself in Mingyu’s embrace.

“He was already taking jabs at Mingyu when I told him to keep himself in line. Y/n, I need you to talk to him and give him the closure he needs tonight so that he doesn’t go mad tomorrow,” Jeonghan sighs.

You pout and Mingyu pecks your lips before taking your hand in his and rubbing it with his thumb as a sign of reassurance.

“I’m willing to do that, as long as we’ll be ok by the party. I’m sorry for causing problems,” You say sadly, now feeling guilt eat at you.

Inviting your ex was such a last-minute decision, but Seungcheol had been in your life for so long even before the breakup that you still felt the need to have him at such an important event in your life.

“Look what you’ve done, Jeonghan. Y/n, it’s ok to make these decisions, all he needs is to talk to you and you’ll be fine, we know you and Mingyu trust each other enough for you to make this decision,” Seungkwan tells you.

It was your brother’s turn to pout as Seungkwan jokingly slapped his shoulder. Seungkwan’s words instantly made your shoulders feel lighter and you looked up at Mingyu.

“I trust you. Look, you can talk to Seungcheol tonight after dinner and we’ll make sure that nothing will happen, alright? Don’t worry,” Mingyu says softly. You nod and look over at your brother, who gives you a smile and a thumbs-up.

Dinner rolls around and you’ve finished your makeup, along with your hair, all that’s left is your dress for tonight.

“Mingyu? Babe, can you come help me with the dress?” Your fiancée peeks from the bathroom and you giggle at his appearance.

“I told you to make the design simpler so you can put it on more easily, but then again, you’re Y/n. My favorite fashion designer,” Mingyu jokes while he zips up the garment and ties the corset in the back.

The two of you look in the mirror, and you take in your form. The dress was designed by yourself and it looked stunning in every way possible.

The sleeves were flowy and the skirt ended right above your ankles, the bodice had a built-in corset and the neckline was a deep v, along with a slit ran down the side until your upper thigh.

“I may not be the luckiest man in the entire world, but my god does the knowledge of me marrying you cancel all that out,” Mingyu says, his jaw slack.

You blush and cover your face with your hands, despite dating for two years and now being engaged, you could never get used to Mingyu complimenting and affirming you constantly.

“I love you, so much,” You kiss Mingyu and wrap your arms around his neck.

The two of you had also had it hard during your dating journey together, but it was nothing a bit of communication couldn’t fix, especially when you both put in the work to get to where you are today.

“I love you more than you could ever imagine, vita mia (my life)” Mingyu says in between your kisses and wraps his arms around your waist.

Before things could progress even more, Seungkwan slams the room door open and clicks his tongue.

“Nice to see you’re brushing up on your Italian guys, now if you don’t mind, we have some guests to get to. You guys have five minutes to go to the lobby,” Seungkwan huffs and shuts the door again.

It’s silent, until you and Mingyu start laughing.

“Shall we?” Mingyu smiles at you after a laughing fit and you take his hand in yours. It was going to be a long night, but you’re with the people you love and that’s all that matters.

At the restaurant, you were elated to see your family members and friends all gathered to celebrate your engagement.

“Mom! Dad!” You grin wildly and greet your parents, seeing Jeonghan following right behind you to greet them as well.

“Y/n, you look so beautiful tonight. I guess being with Mingyu is rubbing off on you,” Your mother jokes softly.

She had always been a fan of Mingyu ever since you brought him home, he was the epitome of any mother’s dream son-in-law.

“She’s always been so beautiful, mom, even more so since the Italian sun hit her skin. It’s lovely to see you tonight, have you seen my mother by any chance?” Mingyu wraps an arm around your waist securely, whilst smiling at your mother.

You were surprised at the display of affection since you two had been holding hands prior, but your eyes caught wind of Seungcheol and it clicked.

“I was just with her, she’s always running off to greet the rest of the family and guests. I’ll go look for her so we can settle at the table together,” Your mother giggles while dragging your brother away, who waves at you sheepishly.

It seemed like he had a few words of his own for you two, but it could wait apparently.

Mingyu led you over to the reserved area by the waist as you greeted guests who had also arrived. “Congratulations on your engagement you two, I wouldn’t have expected it from a mile away,” Minghao jokes.

“Wouldn’t be here without you, so we have to give you most of the credit,” You reply softly.

Minghao takes his hand in yours and looks at Mingyu with care in his eyes, he admires how well you both complement each other as a couple.

“I never expected anything further, but you two surprised me by a ton. Give yourself some credit for the connection you developed with one another, and Mingyu, if you hurt her, I won’t be as pliant,” Minghao continues, this time letting go of your hand and giving way for you and Mingyu to walk through.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Mingyu gives you his signature smile, canines looking as sharp as ever, before finally letting you sit at the table that was reserved for the two of you.

The beachside hall was starting to fill up with the rest of the guests, and you kept your grip on your fiancée’s hand.

“Hey, you seem tense. Breathe a bit, we’ll just say a few words and mingle with our friends, but if you do end up feeling a bit sick just tell me and we can go back to our room,” Mingyu caresses your hand with his thumb, and you feel more at ease with his assurance.

“Sorry, it’s been a while, I still haven’t gotten used to the fact that I’m your fiancée now and not just your girlfriend. I promise to ease up a bit, and I’ll let you know if I do end up feeling a bit under the weather. Now, don’t worry about me, and let us enjoy the dinner,” You squeeze Mingyu’s hand and kiss his cheek in the process, wondering what you did to deserve him.

What you failed to realize was that Seungcheol was watching the entire interaction happen right in front of him, jealousy boiling in his veins.

Seungkwan clears his throat awkwardly, which catches the attention of Seokmin, who is sitting beside him. Seungcheol gives Seungkwan an awkward smile, realizing that he was being way too obvious with his distaste.

Joshua chuckles and taps Seungcheol’s shoulder as a sign of reassurance. “Take it slow, you still have to talk to Y/n to get all that awkwardness out the door. You’re still just as important to her you know? Again, we won’t hold it against you if you can’t take how uncomfortable it feels being here Cheol,” Joshua uttered.

“I’m fine Josh, I did choose to come here. Once this dinner is over and we can have the conversation, I can finally move on with my life,” Seungcheol sighs, noticing you and Mingyu standing up all of a sudden.

“Hi everyone, a pleasant evening to all of you! First, me and Y/n would like to extend our warmest welcome and gratitude to everyone who has made it, we cannot thank you enough for your presence.” Mingyu’s voice boomed through the hall as everyone cheered.

“Also, thank you all for coming to celebrate our engagement with us. We sadly can’t bring everyone to Italy for the wedding, so we’re here in Jeju to see you all,” You were speaking with so much happiness in your voice, Seungcheol knew right then and there that he had lost. You were happy, he couldn’t do much anymore.

Throughout the dinner, different people dedicated a toast to your engagement. Seungcheol had fun listening to both of your families and their anecdotes, along with a few friends making heartfelt speeches.

You were extremely loved, it was undeniable with the amount of praises and stories being said about you.

“I’d like to dedicate the last toast, this is for both Y/n and Mingyu, because I wouldn’t be living my best life right now without their endless support.” Seungkwan stood up and held out his wine glass, catching everyone’s attention.

“As we all know, the three of us decided to move to Italy together for a fresh start, a new change of scenery. I went with the sole intention of a vacation, though, after a month of being there, I was hooked. There was only one problem, I hadn’t found a job just yet, but Y/n and Mingyu stayed by my side. They helped me get up on my feet, they offered me a place to stay, made sure I was fed, and helped me settle in, which is something I am extremely grateful for,” Seungkwan turns over to you and Mingyu, his eyes now glossing over with tears at you stared at him worriedly, but you knew he was in good hands with Vernon beside him.

“Sorry for becoming emotional, anyways, throughout the time I lived with them, I also watched their feelings for each other unfold. Mingyu was the first one to fall, he was head over heels the moment he saw Y/n cooking in the kitchen, it was so funny because I witnessed it all. He had to debrief how he felt, and I could feel Mingyu’s sincerity, it was sweet,” Seungkwan continued, this time Vernon holding his hand for emotional support.

Everyone swooned at the revelation of Mingyu’s feelings and how they had come to be, it felt different hearing it from someone who was there every step of the way.

“Y/n fell right after, and usually this girl isn’t someone who jumps to conclusions, so she was in denial, but we both knew Mingyu’s treatment towards her changed drastically,” the audience burst out laughing, Seungkwan was on point that was for sure.

“To cut this story short, they were two idiots mindlessly pining after one another, but they finally got together after I left to grab groceries on a random afternoon. I came home and Mingyu was eating Y/n’s face off,” it was Seungkwan’s turn to laugh as he recalled that fateful day.

It was sweet coming home to see the two of you together, but he was not a huge fan of the PDA that was displayed in front of him like a platter.

“I was not!” Mingyu whined. You giggle at your fiancée, squeezing his hand and landing a sweet kiss on his cheek.

“As I was saying, I’m still so grateful to you both to this day, and I feel lucky to have been the one to help you navigate your feelings for one another. A toast to the beautiful couple and a marriage of a lifetime!” Cheers erupted once again and everyone applauded Seungkwan for his speech.

Dinner felt lighter once a few sips of alcohol were shared, and Seungcheol found himself mingling with old friends from high school that you had invited.

“I genuinely thought you would be the one over there with Y/n, but life works in mysterious ways,” a drunken Soonyoung slurred to Seungcheol.

Seokmin cringed from beside him and hit his shoulder to shut him up, but everyone knew that once Soonyoung was drunk, his mouth was relentless.

Seungcheol could only offer an awkward laugh, Soonyoung didn’t know the details of your breakup three years ago, so he couldn’t exactly blame the younger man.

“Yeah, I’m just glad he’s taking care of her. I can’t offer much now, but she’s still our friend. I have no hard feelings knowing Y/n and I are better off as friends,” he replied to Soonyoung’s drunken ramble.

“I hope you find someone soon man, you also deserve to be happy. I think Seok and I are gonna head first since we’re both starting to feel the alcohol kick in, we’ll see you tomorrow,” Seungcheol offered a smile and nodded in acknowledgment.

Everyone knew of Soonyoung’s low tolerance for alcohol, it was understandable that he decided to retire himself before any chaos ensued.

Seungcheol was left at the table with Joshua, Jihoon, and Jeonghan until Minghao approached. He settled himself into the seat beside Seungcheol, smiling and greeting everyone.

“How’s the evening? Everyone’s been leaving slowly, but you stayed. I expected you to be one of the first people to leave, no offense,” Minghao started.

“I can’t blame you, having to sit through your ex’s engagement dinner sounds rough, but it’s been three years and we grew up together. Bonds like that aren’t easily dissolved, if you get what I mean,” Seungcheol chuckled while shaking his head, taking another shot of soju that he poured for himself.

“We can all sympathize, you are a kind man Cheol. I’ve seen you as Y/n’s boyfriend before Mingyu, and you treated her well. What I want to know is, why you started pushing her away last minute. Y/n had always confided in us with your problems,” Minghao’s curiosity had gotten the best of him, but it was in your inner circle’s best interest to find out what Seungcheol’s true intentions were.

“I mean, I was insecure, scared. Y/n has a good heart, she’s the best and if I could turn back time, I would, but I ran away because she deserved better than me. I couldn’t give her the love she desperately craved, we all know about her and those rom-com books,” Seungcheol looked down at his hands.

He felt stupid, and he was stupid, but maybe it happened for a reason.

Minghao felt sympathetic, Seungcheol was afraid to tell you because you were one of the most understanding people anyone could have ever met.

You truly were swamped with attention by your peers, but Seungcheol could’ve handled his insecurity better because you were happy to offer any semblance of assurance.

“I didn’t want Y/n to bend over backward to constantly adjust to my needs because she doesn’t ask for much in return, but I ended up hurting her instead. I’m just content with the fact that Mingyu can give her the love I couldn’t,” Seungcheol’s eyes trailed over once again to yours and Mingyu’s table, only to see you whispering to each other.

You looked tired, but it seemed that Seungkwan had overheard from beside you and gestured over to where Seungcheol was seated.

You bit your lip in hesitation, and Seungcheol instantly knew what was about to take place. Minghao seems to have caught the small interaction as well, and he pats Seungcheol on the shoulder to comfort him.

You squeeze Mingyu’s hand for assurance and your fiancée smiles at you.

“You can do this Y/n, trust that it will be over before you know it. Seungkwan and I will be right here, we can go straight to our room after if you’re too overwhelmed,” Mingyu says gently, holding your hand as if it were as delicate as glass.

“I’ll be back, I love you so much, thank you for trusting me enough to do this,” You mutter just enough for Mingyu to hear.

“I trust you, vita mia,” Mingyu kisses your hand once again and you’re off to the beach outside the hall. Seungcheol didn’t even need to get confirmation as he excused himself and followed you outside.

The cold air surrounds you, along with the sound of crashing waves, feet buried in the sand as you take in the salty scent.

You hear another pair of feet shuffle behind you, and you let out a breath. “Seungcheol,” You turn around and sure enough, you see the man behind you.

“You can go ahead, I understand you’re engaged and you look happy with him. I’m here to finally close the chapter that we never ended properly, and I assure you, I have no other ulterior motives,” Seungcheol is looking at you, his eyes only holding sincerity in them.

“I’m sorry I left, I poured it all out on you right after work because of my anger, I just need to know why,” You were avoiding his gaze and playing with your engagement ring instead.

It felt stuffy, and you were opening a dam that was locked up for three years, but you prevailed for the sake of your marriage with Mingyu.

“I was dumb, I was insecure and pushed you away because I was jealous. We were both so young yet successful, but you were surrounded by so much attention, specifically by men who I couldn’t even compare a fraction to, so I started pushing you away because of the nature of the industry you were going to work in,” Seungcheol poured out his feelings, his heart aching as he recounts the number of times he constantly brought himself down whenever he saw you with men who were models or in the same industry as you.

“I know you would’ve done everything in your power to reassure me, and I also know you would never ask for much in return, but I didn’t want you to suffer because of issues I had with myself. I’m sorry for hurting you, Y/n,” tears were streaming down your face.

All this time, you thought you were the problem, that you no longer made Seungcheol happy, but in reality, he pushed you away because he felt undeserving of you.

“I thought you no longer loved me Cheol, and I am apologetic you feel that way, but that was a thing of the past. We were stupid, and I hope you know that I loved you, yet I chose to leave because I allowed myself to choose my well-being. I wish you communicated to me that you felt that way,” You were open to communication, it was normal, and if Seungcheol wasn’t such a coward back then, the two of you would’ve been fine.

“Things happen for a reason, and I still love you Y/n, but I was a coward. I knew the love I gave you wasn’t even a quarter of what you deserved, you love reading romcoms, and you’re a hopeless romantic. I wanted to give you that love and I held myself to such a high standard, but that was until I noticed that the people that surrounded you did that effortlessly, and I felt angry,” You felt your heart crack, all this time he had left you clueless, and you were now forced to take in all the pain.

“That’s all I needed to hear, I can’t believe you’d do this to me, Cheol. You left me wondering like an idiot, and what you did for me at the time was enough, but I was left a fool. Things do happen for a reason, and I’d like to leave it here. Thank you for the closure we both needed, no hard feelings at the party ok? We throw all the negative feelings away, because we grew up together, and I don’t want to lose you as a friend,” Seungcheol agreed to your arrangement.

He couldn’t afford to lose you either, and after having the conversation with you, his heart felt lighter. The confession was long overdue, but getting it out is what matters.

��No hard feelings, thank you, Y/n. I only wish for the best between you and Mingyu, I also don’t want to lose you. This is overwhelming for us both, so I’ll head first with Joshua. Congratulations once again,” You and Seungcheol smiled at each other, and you turned on your heel to run over to Mingyu, who had been waiting for you the entire time.

Seungcheol’s heart felt lighter, and even if it did hurt, he was content with even being a fragment in each other’s lives. You were in good hands now, and he could see it in the way Mingyu held you close.

© rubyuji 2024’ -. no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any manner without the permission from the publisher.

[bellysoupset]

"Figured where do I know your face from," Vince said, sitting in front of Max in the teacher's lounge. Mr. Daniels was pushing the food around on his plate.

"Yeah?" he asked, uninterested, "where's that?"

"You broke my arm when I was 10," Vince glared at the other man, who let out a little snort, still staring at his plate. When Vince didn't chuckle too, he frowned and looked up.

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Yeah," Vince sat before him, eyebrows raised, "you're the big kid in the playground who bullied me when I moved here."

Max let out a groan, letting his fork fall back down on the plate, "aw man, I'm sorry. Middle schooler me was a shithead," he grimaced, "I don't remember breaking anyone's arm, though, I'm really really sorry."

Vince rolled his eyes, unimpressed, "well, but you did..." he frowned then, noticing Max waxy pallor, "what's wrong with you?"

"Generally? Right now?" the other man shrugged, quirking an eyebrow and causing Vince to let out an annoyed sigh.

"We've established you're a shithead generally, so I meant specifically at this moment," he clarified and Max let out a chuckle at that, scratching at his cheek.

"I think it's just a hangover," he shrugged.

Vince raised his eyebrows, on a Tuesday? Damn whoever said teachers didn't have fun.

"Shithead indeed," he sighed, getting up once more, "don't hold my kids back today."

"Sure, sure, I never do," Mr. Daniels waved him off and Vince wrinkled his nose with annoyance, before walking out of the teacher's lounge.

Most teachers ate in the lounge, but it wasn't a requirement, so Vince went to the parking lot and found a nice bench in the shadow, unwrapping his lunch and scrolling through his social media. It was a nice break after a morning packed with kids, to be reminded the adult world still existed out there.

Luke had already flooded his DMs with memes and there were two texts from Wendy, one being an outfit check of her in gym clothes that had his heart skipping a beat.

Vince typed a cheeky response to her texts, smiling at his phone, only to hear a snort.

"Well, hello, Mr. Monacelli," he would recognize his sister's voice anywhere. Sophia's hair was up in a ponytail and she sat next to him on the bench, "why are you smiling at your phone?"

"None of your business, now, is it?" Vince scoffed, "where's the rest of your mean girls pack?"

"Hurling up their lunches in the bathroom," Sophia said, jokingly putting her finger inside her mouth and Vince wrinkled his nose in distaste. He really couldn't understand how his middle sister had such an acid sense of humor, nothing like the rest of the family.

"That's horrible to say, Soph-"

"Yeah, yeah," she rolled her eyes, criss-crossing her legs, "you can't embarrass me in class."

Vince snorted, "embarrass you?"

"Yeah," Sophia glared at him, "none of your i'm-a-cool-teacher jokes, nu-uh. Don't even mention you're my brother, you're gonna ruin my reputation."

"I'll make sure to fail you, just so they know there's no special treatment," Vince turned back to his sandwich, "or maaaybe I'm gonna bring up your super embarrassing crush on my best friend."

"Are you never gonna let that go?" Sophia jumped up, glaring at him, her cheeks turning red, "I was a kid!"

"It was literally six months ago," Vince grinned, "get out of my sight, kid."

"You're so mean," she pouted, "I'm gonna leave you a terrible teacher review."

Vince rolled his eyes, chuckling as the girl stomped away. He loved her dearly and it was really nice to be back in her life, but Sophia was also the most annoying person he knew.

She was also a senior, which wasn't a good thing, because Vin was already struggling to make the older kids respect him and he knew it wouldn't be any easier if his influential little sister decided to make his life a living hell in the classroom.

Hopefully Sophia was just bark and no bite.

It was to no one's surprise when his last class rolled on and yet he met an empty classroom. Vince sighed, glancing at his watch. Fucking Daniels, again.

He was going to strangle that man.

Vince was already ready to stomp out of the room and forcefully retrieve his kids, when suddenly the door opened. He straightened up, ready to face the swarm of frustrated teenagers, as they always were after chemistry class, but instead it was just Sophia.

Alone, which was all the more worrying, her blue eyes were huge on her face.

"What's wrong?" Vince asked, talking over her as his sister said:

"Mr. Daniel's is really sick and we don't know what to do... Can you help?"

Oh great, Vince thought, stepping out of the classroom, "what happened exactly?"

"He was off all class, but we said nothing- And then like, just now he suddenly stopped talking and barfed everywhere and-" her voice dipped, switched to Italian as Sophia groaned, "it's so gross, Vin."

Vince sighed as he followed her down the hallways to the chemistry room, "why didn't you call up a nurse?"

"We didn't want to get him in trouble..." Sophia frowned, planting her hands on her hips, "you're not gonna get him in trouble, right? He's cool."

And hungover, Vince thought bitterly, but despite his feelings he nodded, "I'm not," he promised, "stay out here, I know vomit makes you sick."

She let out a grateful sigh, slumping against the hallway wall as Vince entered the room.

It was truly a sight to be seen, fucking spectacular. Vince had no idea how he was supposed to not report the fact that Mr. Daniels had somehow managed to puke on his own boots and in a large puddle in the middle of the room.

He was folded in half, bracing against one of the tables and most of the teenagers were pushed to the opposite side of the room, looking completely horrified.

"Alright everyone show's over," Vince said, gesturing to the kids, "you have history class now, go get some water and then to the classroom, shoo."

Despite his somewhat harsh words, most of them looked visibly relieved there was an adult in the room. Vince cringed as he saw some kids that were almost green with sympathy nausea, he just hoped he wouldn't have to deal with that as well.

Once the classroom cleared out, Vince approached the other teacher, who was still mute, save for a couple hiccups and little sniffles.

"Okay... So hangover, uh?" Vince couldn't help but say, touching the man's back and Max let out a loud groan.

"No," he rasped, "no way this is a hangover. I'd never- Not in front of them..." his voice trailed off and he shuddered violently, "my head is killing me."

That didn't really help his i'm-not-hungover case, Vince thought, forcing the shorter guy to straighten up. He immediately grimaced, realizing why Max had stayed in that position. There was vomit down his band t-shirt and clinging to his auburn beard.

Without thinking Vince touched his cheek, then forehead and let out a sigh. The guy was burning up.

"I have good news and bad news," Vince said, side stepping the beige mess on the floor and pulling Max to a clearer patch, before pushing him to sit down in one of the chairs.

The blonde fell like a ragdoll, spreading his legs and wrapping an arm around his stomach, "good news is that I didn't shit my pants?"

Vince scowled, "good news is that you're sick, so this means we can tell the nurse and you're not gonna get penalized for hurling in front of the kids."

Max let out a little huff at that, "terrible good news-" then he hiccupped and groaned, "get me the bin..."

Vince couldn't believe there was anything in the guy, after seeing such copious amount of vomit. He also couldn't help a wave of sympathy as he thought of how much Mr. Daniel's reputation was fucked after getting sick in front of the seniors.

He planted the bin in front of the guy and then crouched next to him, carefully pulling Max' curtain of blonde hair and tying it on the back of his neck, "you're gonna be fine for a minute? I'm gonna go get a janitor."

Max let out a sickly burp inside the bin, raising a thumb up.

Once Vince got back in the room, now followed by the janitor - Maurice, who was also a relic from his school years - Max had folded on himself all over again, both arms wrapped around his stomach, head resting on the school desk.

"Man, c'mon," Vince sighed, frustrated, "try and help yourself, the principal is gonna have your head..."

"Uhm," Max groaned, "I don't- I don't feel well..."

Maurice let out a snort, "you'd think he's feeling fine after throwing up everything he ever ate," the man teased and Vince couldn't help but chuckle at that, grabbing Max' arm.

"You'd think," he agreed, pulling the blonde up, "c'mon, nurse's office. You have someone who can pick you up?"

"What...?" Max's gaze was all dazed. At least he had managed to clear the vomit from his beard, probably with his hand and wiped on his jeans. Vince grimaced at the mental image.

"Someone to come get you?" Vince repeated, pulling the guy down the hallway, "you're out of it."

There were curious faces on the hallways, kids out for a bathroom break stopping to watch them and Vince sped up, causing Max to stumble and collapse against his side.

"I'm gonna hurl again," the man mumbled and Vince shook his head.

"C'mon, we're almost there-" he wrapped an arm around the other teacher's waist and pulled Max against him, making them walk even faster.

The minute they got inside the nurse's office, Max turned to the big flower pot and heaved, his whole back arching as he let out a deafening retch and brought up a mouthful of bile.

"Goodness heaven's, Mr. Daniels!?" the nurse exclaimed. Mrs. Doyle was elderly and never used to do anything back when Vince was a student but tell the kids to go back to class. At least now she couldn't tell them that.

"He's got a really high fever," Vince said, keeping a hand planted on Daniels' back, as the man braced against the wall and continued to heave, not a thought given to Mrs. Doyle's sad palm tree, "and he's been sick," a lot, Vin mentally completed.

"Uhm- Well, he can lie down in my office... I'll get him so gatorade, until he feels-"

"Just let me go home, for fuck's sake," Max groaned, his voice all raspy and Mrs. Doyle frowned at the swear word.

"I don't think I can release you when you're this sick, I need-"

"I'm not a fucking kid," Max turned to glare at her and Vince stepped between them, glaring at the man.

"Then don't behave like one. You can't drive like this, either let Mrs. Doyle call someone or sit in the office and wait until classes are over and I'll drive you," he said strongly, causing Max to raise his dazed eyes at him and scowl.

"There's no one to pick me up," he groaned and Vince sighed, dropping his shoulders.

"Then go lie down, I'm just gonna finish my class and I can drive you," he turned to Mrs. Doyle, who was stunned into silence, "he can stay, right?"

"Of course..." She frowned, "you're the Monacelli's kid? Little Vince?" she suddenly held her hand down to her hip and Vince blushed, while Max let out a raspy chortle.

Vince nodded, his whole face aflame, "I'm gonna go, I have a bunch of teenagers to calm down. Hopefully you're not contagious, otherwise our lives will be hell for the next weeks."

Max groaned, stumbling forward towards the nurse's office, "yeah, don't count on it."

[incomingalbatross]

Thoughts on Ghost Days by Jim Butcher (and possibly the earlier books, if they spill over into this post)

All of this is, as Harry observes, absolutely typical of his existence. Of course he can't just die, he gets sent back as a special unknown type of ghost to solve his own murder. And of course he shoulders like three different new obligations, makes a new friend, and adopts a criminal teenager within his first 24 hours of unlife.

Kinda love how quickly and understatedly he's incorporated the very latest familial revelation into his narration. He says something like "I'd lost the scar on my arm that I got while skinning a fish on my grandfather's farm" and it's so casual it almost slips by.

(Side note: I need to see his grandfather and his brother find out about each other now. I realize there has been no opportunity and these aren't exactly Harry's secrets to tell anyway, but please.)

Mort going "all cats can see ghosts, they just don't usually care" checked out completely, of course, but it was also perfect setup for Mister's "HELLO YOU'RE BACK MY HUMAN HI." Which. Oof.

Ways you can tell it's really Harry Dresden: 1) Mister hits him in the invisible shins, 2) he opens the conversation with a Star Wars quote, 3) he's talking a teenager into turning his life around.

Love all the Bob content in this one. Harry got to see how the other half lived and everything. (Though his amorality credentials are slightly tarnished by that heroic last stand of his. Which he'd better have survived.)

Everyone here seems like they're an inch from cracking, and I'm concerned for all of them, but they're DOING THEIR BEST. (Butters isn't an inch from cracking. He seems to be doing great, I'm very proud of him.)

Very glad and also a little amused that the Super Secret Safe Witness Protection Home for Maggie is... the Carpenters. I mean it absolutely should be, but it's also funny.

Of course Mouse exists equally in the physical and spirit world. I'd be more surprised if he didn't.

I DID have several moments where I went what about Thomas. why isn't your narration even mentioning Thomas, but the payoff of "I couldn't stand to face even the thought of what I'd done to him" made it make sense.

More general/Thematic thoughts:

Uriel and/or the narrative really said "You're going to take a good, hard look at the unintended consequences of your actions. And you're going to do it disembodied so you can process a little better."

There was something that really struck me at some points in the Lasciel period, and it's back again now: I love that when Harry crosses lines, not only is he capable of seeing it, but the reaction of the people around him is, "yeah you sure did cross a line! you did wrong. so stop doing it and get better, because you can. this isn't a slippery slope unless you decide it is."

He has! Free will! Contrition is always meaningful! Change is always possible! Harry is never allowed to write himself off. He is always told that he's capable of picking himself up and doing better - because he is. He's alive and human and that means he has as much hope as he chooses to hold onto.

That said, I also really appreciated the weight his choices in the last book are given here. It's so easy to just go along with "it was for Maggie, it was his JOB" (and it was his job), but this book made Harry and us stop and linger on both the lines he crossed and the unintended harm he caused.

(Though he is taking too much weight on himself. Martin maneuvered a lot of this into play, not to mention the ACTUAL Red Court. And there is something to be said for the SG-1 approach of "stop worrying about ramifications and just kill the ancient evil first.")

(Oh, now I remember! I was also thinking of Hunger Games re: this. Katniss and Peeta's defiance of evil was personally motivated and sparked a lot of unintended harm to others - but it was also the only spark that could have destroyed the machinery of evil. Not quite the same but made me think of it.)

ANYWAY. Speaking of crossed lines and harm caused: I was NOT prepared for the murder reveal.

It DOES explain so much about this whole book, especially in combination with the (not as shocking :P) reveal that he's only mostly dead. He NEEDED to know this. He needed to know and understand all the choices he made, and their results - and the lie that influenced him - if he was going to be allowed back to his body.

First, he needed to know there was no outside killer to worry about. He also needed to know that HE did this. All of it. Part of accepting culpability and facing his choices meant facing that there was a third murder on his account - because that is how he frames it - what he did to Molly and what he did to himself and everyone who loved him.

He also, most crucially, needed his free will reasserted, both by the manipulation being revealed to him and by Uriel balancing the scales.

Because a Harry Dresden who had given up on himself as the Winter Knight is a nightmare the world's not ready for.

Instead he's ready to give Mab new problems. :) She gets what she paid for.

Closing thought: If, when he finally gets back to the world of the living, he does not make at least one "mostly dead" and/or "really most sincerely dead" joke, I will be very disappointed in him.

[quitealotofsodapop]

OP. What you mean she had a twin?! OP

Prev.

Ah, you noticed.

Well you see... of the biggest divergent factors of the alternate Stone Matriarch world is the fact that Shihua herself was unexpectedly born a twin.

Twin girls; Shihua and Shihuan - their parents' little flower and joy. Thick as thieves, though the younger of the two was very much a tomboy compared to her more regal, feminine sister.

In the other world; where Shihua survived the Great Flood due to Flower Fruit Mountain being spared by a great magic shield.... Shihuan had been outside of it.

Shihuan's final words were to tell her twin sister that she would be back soon. She had been busy leading people from the outer islands to the Mountain to get them to higher ground. She was lost in the tide.

Shihou was named to honour his lost aunt. The fact he was born a twin was seen as a bittersweet blessing.

But why was Shihua born a twin?

Random chance.

First Princess Songzi's soul had planned to inhabit one body, but the egg that housed it, split into two.

Which is likely for the best, as Guanyin still needs to exist in some capacity.

Shihua and her sister are reunited during a fateful Peach Banquet;

Guanyin & Moksa: (*arrive late to the Peach Banquet. The palace is pretty much trashed, and the throne room is in chaos.*) (*before the Jade Emperor is a tiny monkey demon, screaming at her rowdy sons, while also pleading for the gods to spare them*) Moksa: "Umm... did we miss something fun?" Nezha: "Oh hi bro, you made it! So uh... the princes of the Stone Monkey kingdom have caused a lot of trouble. They invited all of their friends to the Peach Orchard and ate all the food for some kind of a protest. And now three of Lao Tzu's Pills are missing. Their mama is over there trying to reason with Xiwangmu and the Jade Emperor." Guanyin: (*recognises something about the Matriarch's soul*) Guanyin: "Hmmm... I believe I can sort things out." Nezha: "I hope you can. Lao Tzu was talking about putting both of them in the Furnace." (*Guanyin approaches the throne, the room quiets at her presence. The Jade Emperor and Xiwangmu have a mixture of confusion and joy on their faces*) Jade Emperor: "Ah, dear. You've finally made it. But I'm afraid that the Banquet will not go ahead this year." Xiwangmu, glaring at the monkey brothers: "All because of certain insolent cubs!" (*Shihou and Luzhen wince at the Queen Mother's glare & tone*) Guanyin: "I am aware of that. What I do not understand why you are treating my nephews so harshly." The Whole Court + Monkeys: "Nephews!?" Guanyin, sly smile as they approach Shihua: "Remember when I first met you all? You could not tell me apart from Songzi - my first life. It took my many days to convince you all that I was born of different flesh." The Imperial Court: (*nod and mutter in agreement*) Guanyin: "I've had suspicions since my enlightenment that I was missing part of myself. And I believe I have found her." Shihua, confused: "Excuse me, bodhisattva? I do not believe we know each other. Even in passing." Guanyin: "In this life no... but after I was Songzi, I was a stone monkey like yourself. One which shared everything with you... Even our egg." Shihua: (*covers her shocked gasp with her hand*) Guanyin: (*smiles as Shihua in a shockingly familiar way*) Guanyin, briefly possessed by Shihuan's spirit: "I told you I'd be back soon, jiejie." (*Shihua embraces the goddess as if she was her own flesh and blood, uncaring of the shocked shouting and questions flying all around them. Her sons are looking extremely confused but hopeful.*)

The reveal that the Matriarch standing before the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother was in fact, the missing half of their eldest daughter's soul; nearly sends the couple to the floor.

Mainly because they almost unknowingly sentenced their *grandcubs* to a terrible fate!!! And to a lesser degree, the Jade Emperor learning that his daughter was half-a-monkey now.

Shihou and Luzhen's sentences are quickly changed from Death, all the way down to Community Service. Guanyin doesn't care for the favouritism, but will invoke it to spare their spiritual sister any more grief.

Shihou is stuck cleaning the imperial stables for the next 500 years. With Luzhen as a cupbearer/jester.

(Xiwangmu still tries to spoil her spiritual grandsons when she can. She knows from experience with Guanyin that Shihua would likely not appreciate the doting the Queen Mother is known for giving her daughters.)

Shihua took some time to understand the context of what had happened. She was not well versed in how the Celestials view past lives/reincarnations, and part of her wanted to believe Guanyin's demonstration to be all a cruel but effective trick the Bodhisattva played on the court.

But Guanyin allows Shihuan to project her spirit many times afterwards so that the sisters can bond once more. Shihua figures that she now has not only her sister back, but another sibling as well. :)

[mustfindcreativeusername]

(maybe scroll past if you love love bbc sherlock)

Me: honestly i fucking hate bbc sherlock by this point i mean yeah i loved the first two seasons loved loved loved them but then it haaad to get so complicated but still i could live with season 3 but wtf was s4??? And why did they have to... Do. That. Why make me hate even one John Watson i love my Watsons why did you make him a piece of shit in the last season, texting another woman to the point he considers it cheating is one thing i mean depends on the texts but that's forgivable it was just texting after all, anyway that's one thing but he blamed Sherlock so much for Mary's death when she!! She!! Jumped in front of the bullet to save him. It was her decision (why did she have to be a mega spy? Why did she have to surgery-shoot Sherlock. It wasn't as safe as she thought he literally died and came back and if the ambulance had come a couple minutes later he would 100% be dead wtf and he forgave her too) it was Mary's decision to sacrifice herself for Sherlock and he blamed him to the point where he basically internalises that Sherlock killed her. And i understand needing time alone or whatever but mrs hudson said he's sick, john, pls come see him and he was like yeah whatever sure if you insist ig.

Oh and . Yeah. He fucking. Beat. Him .Up??? Not punch him -haha funny- not hit him once, or even twice. No. He fucking beat him up. With punches and kicks and stuff. While he was looking at him like. Not quite believing. That his friend, "best friend" would do that to him. And yeah him being on drugs would have contributed but he ended up in the hospital?? After john beat him up. I didn't watch that episode in a while but i don't remember john being extremely remorseful or worried afterwards. He saw that cd from mary and only then he was like, "oh no my friend". Your friend. Your friend who would do literally anything for you. Your friend who a couple days later hugged you while you were crying. Did you even hug back? Did you ever apologize? I don't remember. He might've. But i dont remember it. And sherlock forgave him. Just like that. Worse even. I don't really think that he was that mad at him in the first place. Heartbroken, yes. Did you see his face? When john was beating him up? He wasn't even in his right mind, mega on drugs and stuff, and he'd just had a 'that is not the person i met' moment, tma fans wink wink, he was not well and you beat him up. You're a doctor too. Ha. Your best friend, the one who would do anything for you, die, kill, make himself sick to save your mental health or whatever was going on in that episode. In the following episode, days later really, he's made to choose to kill either his brother, HIS BROTHER, or John, and both Sherlock and Mycroft immediately, instinctively know that he's not gonna kill John. He loves him too much. I never really got it the first time around, the first time i watched. It's insane - Sherlock's devotion to John. He literally loves him above anything else, including himself. And I'm not a shipper. Oh i am usually a johnlock shipper but not them. I do still think they belong together but man oh man i hope john groveled. Why did they have to do that. Make us, make me hate john watson. I loved him. In the first two seasons, i really really loved him, he was my blorbo, well, the word blorbo didn't exist yet but he was. And i have a list somewhere titled 'heartbreakingly raw lines' and it's honestly mostly about the delivery of those lines and  "no, he's my friend, he's my friend, please" is right there, nr 1. Nr 2 is close, it's from good omens, bookshop fire, also about a friend, you get it, and after these two there's a biig big big gap before the third. Those two are supreme, nr 2 is so so so heartbreaking but it did not even compete with nr 1. To this day if i recall that scene, those lines, "let me come through please, no, he's my friend, he's my friend, please " i feel sick. My stomach is twisting right now, as i write. I loved john. I loved their relationship. Friendship, whatever, autocorrect asked me if thats what i wanna say. Why ruin his character? Just to be edgy? Why would you make him beat up his best friend, that!! friend. Oh and then, once they did make him do that,  just gloss over the fact. I'm not even saying make Sherlock be mad at him. That bitch loves him to the point it's almost pathetic. But there are other ways. How can you just gloss over that. He punched him several times, he kicked him while he was down. I'm sitting here thinking "what a piece of shit, punch a wall if you're that angry, i get being heartbroken about your wife, and feeling guilty, and overwhelmed, but that is no excuse". Why do i have to call any John Watson a piece of shit. Hell, why do i have to call this one a piece of shit, i fucking loved him. 

That's the one thing i do really really hate about that show. They did a lot of other stuff, all the characters were edgy-ified and made a little worse, as opposed to the ones from the books (lestrade is fine actually) but it doesn't upset me too much, i just see it as its own show instead of an adaptation adaptation and yeah, really not that upset. And i didn't really notice at first but there was queerbaiting wasn't it. I mean there were just a little too many jokes. I guess. I did see it when i rewatched it. Still. I never really saw them together, yk? Like yeah, together forever, but not as a couple. Needless to say i was very happy when like two years after i first watched it i learned about QPRs. Like yeah yeah that's what i meant. So it had a lot of flaws i guess but stuff you could get past, yk. And the first two seasons really were amazing, i wanted to snort them. But i am glad i was only vaguely familiar with the stories when i watched it, i think i would've liked it a lot less. I mean acd Sherlock Holmes is such a nice man, he's a sweetie honestly, he giggles and rubs his hands together when there's a clue, and yeah he's got some 'get to the point' moments but he's not an asshole. He monologues about flowers at some point. I love bbc Sherlock (the character) too, i really do, but he can be a bit of a prick. Intentionally, not bc he doesn't realise it. Did he just decide one day he was a sociopath and leaned into it or what. That high functioning sociopath thing was just him being dramatic, we're not actually supposed to believe he was, right? God i haven't thought- really thought - about this show in a while. And i can't believe i thought for so long we were getting a s5. After how s4 ended? That was a "soo they had many more adventures but this is where we part ways with them, byyeeee" ending. Did you know, tv time had it listed as "to be continued"/ a running show for so long after s4 ended. So so long. After like 4 years i made my peace and I'm pretty sure even then it was listed as running. I checked on it again some time ago, a year or two ago and it was finally listed as finished and i felt both disappointed and relieved. Like if your loved one has been missing for years and years and you finally find out they're dead. You kinda knew that but.. deep down... But still, you're relieved to know. Well maybe not exactly like that. Tv time isn't the ultimate authority, but. No, you know what it felt like? Passing a corpse every now and then and one day seeing that they've been layed to rest in a grave. And maybe it's for the best. S4 did so much damage, I'm not taking good, owie my heart, damage, i mean ruining John, and... making the dog a boy??? I'm not gonna talk about the whole Eurus thing bc i did like one aspect of it (horrible labirinth with really fucked up decisions to be made. I never saw any saw movies [lol. Saw saw] but that's what they're like right?) but yeah just make her an actual supernatural force at this point. The fuck. So maybe it's for the best. Not getting a s5. I've made my peace a long time ago and as i said, I'm starting to feel like i harbour some sort of hate for this show. Not the "i wish I'd never watched it" kind, not the "tf what did i ever see in it" kind either (s1 and 2 my loves) but it is a hate nonetheless. I'm glad I've moved on from it.

People on the internet: omg they're talking about making bbc Sherlock season 5!

Still me: omg omg no wayyy yess pleaseee maybe everything will be fixed and nice and cute yesss gimme gimme 

[aishangotome]

Roger Barel: Chapter 1

Prologue 2

♡———♡

Fate we are born with, dreams we cannot fulfill, incurable diseases, war, poverty...

The list goes on and on.

This world is a bargain sale of despair.

And it seems that despair is called "despair" precisely because there is nothing we can do about it.

But I can't accept that.

If we can't overcome despair, then what is the meaning of our existence, of us humans being born?

That's why I live today, giving the middle finger to despair.

-

About a week has passed since the "sinful life" as a Fairytale Keeper began.

I thought the day when I would keep the secret and return to where I came from was not far off, but...

Darius: I'm so happy that you're holding a welcome party for us so soon after we arrived in England.

That night, a dinner party was held under the name of a welcome party...

Victoria's direct royal order organization "Crown" and the German Emperor's direct organization "Vogel."

The members of both organizations were gathered in one place.

It was only a few hours ago that they, Vogel, had arrived from Germany.

-

*flashback*

Victor: I hear Vogel is a research organization that advocates for cursed social contributions.

Victor: They will be staying in this palace for a few months as goodwill ambassadors.

Darius: "A better society through the power of curses." That is our motto.

*flashback over*

-

(They are friendly visitors and shouldn't be people to be wary of.)

But there was something that kept bothering me.

Harrison, who has the ability to see through lies, said, "Those guys are lying."

(It's better not to let my guard down until we know their true identity.)

Darius, who seems to be the leader of the three of them, the director of "Vogel," is sitting next to William and enjoying a conversation in high spirits.

(It seems like it would be better for me to keep a low profile and stay quiet.)

The table is filled with dishes that Victor has prepared with great skill.

(Even though it looks so delicious... I'm so nervous that I can't swallow my food.)

Nica: Hey, hey, robin. You're not eating at all. Well then, I'll pierce this cherry for you.

Ring: Nica, you'll get a stomachache if you eat food from a stranger you don't know.

Nica: What's with my brother, seriously cautioning me?

Nica: This is just an excuse to show that I want to be friends with you. Ring is so clueless.

Ring: ...Clueless.

I can't help but compare the twins, who have similar features, hair color, and eyes.

Kate: You're Nica and Ring... right?

Nica: Oh, you remembered our names? We also remember yours, Kate.

Nica: We just met today, but I feel like we could become good friends, don't you?

Nica: Hey, show us around the palace. Let's sneak out of here.

He wraps his arms around my waist with a practiced gesture and whispers in my ear.

(Wha...?)

As I tense up, someone pulls my arm from the other side.

Roger: Sorry to interrupt your flirting, but I have a prior engagement with Kate.

Kate: Roger!

Roger: Our Queen's Aide is the best at giving tours of the palace. He'll gladly show you around.

Roger: Victor, can I ask you to give the Vogel guests a tour of the palace?

Victor: Ah, of course! This Victor will show you every nook and cranny.

Nica: ..................

Nica looks at Victor with narrowed eyes, then gives a bright smile.

Nica: Vielen Dank.

William: Well then, it's time to call it a night, although it's a shame to part ways.

Darius: Yes, Lord Rex. We at Vogel want to be friends with Crown, like family.

Darius: If you have any troubles, please feel free to rely on us.

-

––This is a room inside the palace.

In the luxurious room prepared for Vogel, Darius sat deeply in a chair and smiled.

Darius: How was it, the social gathering with Crown?

Nica: It was great, I was trying to seduce the robin when the hunter interrupted me.

Darius: Hunter? Ah, you mean Roger Barel, the "Betrayal Hunter."

Darius: Hehe, how violent to snatch Little Red Riding Hood from the side.

Ring: ...So, Roger Barel and she... are they dating?

Nica: No, they're not. But it seems that Crown cherishes the robin very much.

Darius: Gathering information is important.

Darius: It will eventually become a valuable resource for achieving our ambitions.

Darius: Ring, Nica, continue gathering information about Crown and the robin, who might be useful.

Nica: Verstanden. / Ring: ...Understood.

Darius: ...Roger Barel. A former doctor who shows an abnormal obsession with "cursed ones," huh?

Darius: Is he worthy of being my "family"? -

After the social gathering ended, people started leaving the guest room one by one.

Before I knew it, Roger's figure had also disappeared...

(Oh, huh?)

I hurriedly went out into the hallway and saw his broad back.

Kate: Um, Roger, about the prior engagement you mentioned earlier...?

When I called out to him, his gaze turned back in the empty hallway.

Roger: You looked obviously troubled, was I mistaken?

--CHOICES--

Did you help me?

I was really in trouble.

You weren't mistaken.

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

Kate: Did you help me...?

Roger: Did you not need a helping hand?

Roger: I'm sorry for ruining your chance for a one-night stand with a foreigner.

Kate: What are you talking about? Your imagination is running wild!

As I thanked him again, a mischievous look appeared on his face.

Roger: Oh yeah, I didn't say it was for free, you know? I need to get paid for helping you.

(Huh?)

Roger: What, I was thinking of going to the pub in town with Ellis and Jude. You're coming too.

Kate: Eh, right now? Whoa... wait a minute, Roger!

-

Roger: Ah~~ Delicious. The first sip of beer is like a shot of blood to the veins.

Ellis: Hehe, you say that every time, Roger.

Jude: That's not somethin' a doctor should say. Well, it can't be helped, since yer a quack.

(I ended up being brought to the pub before I knew it.)

(I noticed it before, but Roger is a bit... no, maybe quite forceful.)

On top of that, it's a mystery why Jude, who seems like he would refuse this kind of invitation, is sitting there with a dissatisfied look on his face.

Red-haired Clerk: Here you go. Fish and chips, bangers and mash, and...

Jude: How much did ya order? You ate a lot atta' social gatherin'.

Roger: When I nibble on fancy food bit by bit, I don't feel like I've eaten anything.

Ellis: Are you full, Jude? I can still eat more.

Jude: Are ya guys growin' children?

The three of them are talking like close friends...

Kate: Hehe...

I can't help but smile, and Roger narrows his eyes with a beer in one hand.

Roger: Huh, you can laugh like that after all.

Kate: Huh?

Roger: Haven't you noticed that you haven't laughed once since you became a Fairytale Keeper?

(Oh... huh? Ah, but it's true, I haven't... for the past week...)

Roger: You don't eat much. Even when you do, you look like you're chewing sand.

Roger: Maybe... or rather, did you not even notice it yourself?

(To keep the secret for a month as a Fairytale Keeper, to write down the evil in front of me.)

(In addition to that... the sudden appearance of Vogel.)

I was so focused on getting through all of that, I gradually stopped laughing, eating, and doing the normal things that are part of living.

Like a plant slowly withering away.

Roger: I understand that you have things to think about, things to worry about, and anxieties.

Roger: But that's when you need to take care of yourself. Eat, sleep, play, laugh, and recharge.

Roger: If you don't, you'll easily be swallowed by despair in this darkness, lil' lady.

Kate: ...!

Roger's words pierce my heart.

(That's right, I... why was I being so weak?)

No matter how much I struggle, the anxiety will never disappear until I safely escape from this darkness.

I know that... but.

(The only one who can truly protect me is me.)

(I will never lose. ...I must not lose.)

Kate: ...You're right. There's no time to be weak, no time to despair.

As if to shake off my past self... I stab the steaming aged meat in front of me with a fork and stuff my mouth full of it.

Kate: Mmm... delicious.

(...It feels like I'm tasting food properly for the first time in a while.)

(The fact that food tastes good, that I'm alive, is a very happy thing.)

Roger: ..........

Jude: Hey, yer eatin' the firs' bite without any hesitation.

Kate: Ah, I'm sorry! I got carried away.

Ellis: It's okay, Kate. This rock salt potato is also recommended, please try it.

Kate: Wow, this is delicious too! It goes well with the alcohol.

Roger: Oh, you're a bold drinker, lil' lady. Barman! Two more beers, please.

Barman: Alright, two large mugs of beer, coming right up!

The golden beer and the food are delicious, and the sound of people's laughter reaches my ears clearly tonight.

(...Ah, this is fun. I feel like I'm taking deep breaths for the first time in a while.)

(It was forceful, but I'm glad I accepted Roger's invitation...)

I don't know to what extent Roger's actions are calculated and to what extent they are out of kindness.

But it's an absolute fact that I was saved by his forceful actions tonight.

(Maybe Roger is a sensible and mature older brother after all.)

While thinking such things easily, I ended up drinking one after another, letting myself be carried away...

-

––I woke up on a fluffy bed.

(Huh... I was drinking at the pub last night, and then...)

In the lingering lethargy and drowsiness, I groped for the warm linen...

Kate: Hmm...? ...??

(Wha... I'm not wearing anything!?)

I hurriedly wrap myself in the linen, only my face peeking out.

...And then, I notice something familiar lying next to the pillow.

(...Glasses?)

The black-rimmed, intellectual-looking frames are definitely in my memory.

(These glasses, could they be...?)

The moment I pick them up and gasp, the bed creaks with a squeak-–.

Roger: Hey, glasses aren't toys... Here, give them back.

The glasses in my hand are snatched away, and when I look up, I see Roger, half-naked, leaning over me.

Kate: ...Wh-Why are you here, Roger...?

As I open my eyes wide, he gives a wry smile as if to say, "You're asking that now?"

Roger: After that, you passed out drunk, and I carried you back on my back.

Roger: And I brought you here, but you wouldn't let go of me.

His words imply that I was clinging to him, and regardless of the truth, my cheeks heat up.

(W-Wait, I was holding on to Roger?)

(And then... or rather, more importantly than that...)

My eyes wander busily over his thick chest and abs, exposed without reservation.

(T-This is too stimulating...)

(I don't know where to look.)

Not to mention his bare chest.

His strong arms peeking out from his shirt, the raised lines of his body from his thick neck to his broad shoulders, his toned waist.

(But he's as beautiful as a sculpture...)

Before I knew it, my eyes were tracing his supple skin.

His well-developed muscles easily betray his intellectual features, and the gap alone is enough to make me dizzy.

Roger: ...Not bad, being looked at with those eyes.

Kate: Eh!?

Roger gives a devilishly wicked smile.

It seems I was unconsciously staring at his body, and my cheeks flushed even more with embarrassment.

Kate: I-I'm sorry...

Roger: It's nothing, it's cute compared to yesterday.

Kate: Did I do something... yesterday?

Roger: "Something," huh?

Roger gently closes the distance and whispers, as if to drive the point home.

Roger: ...Ah, last night was quite hot, wasn't it, lil' lady?

(W-Wait... me, with Roger?)

.

.

.

.

.

Roger Barel - Chapter 2

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

What's ur top five for the mclennon evidence tier

Depends from whose perspective, so I'm dividing them up

(and I feel this demonstrates why I have very different opinions on who had feelings for whom; if someone disagrees they're welcome to argue with me [I like that lol] but it really comes down to what type of evidence I find more convincing)

John

1. His Widow Literally Saying It? You know, THE quote:

From chance remarks he had made, she [Yoko] gathered there had even been a moment when—on the principle that bohemians should try everything— he had contemplated an affair with Paul, but had been deterred by Paul’s immovable heterosexuality. Nor, apparently, was Yoko the only one to have picked up on this. Around Apple, in her hearing, Paul would sometimes be called John’s Princess. She had also once heard a rehearsal tape with John’s voice calling out “Paul … Paul …” in a strangely subservient, pleading way. “I knew there was something going on there,” she remembers. “From his point of view, not from Paul’s. And he was so angry at Paul, I couldn’t help wondering what it was really about.”

2. 1972 Sandra Shevey interview:

I wanna be clear like. THIS is BY FAR the best evidence. I will list more, but nothing else really comes close to the above quote. There is zero interpretation needed (or room to take it as a joke) and it's coming from about as close a source to John as possible.

The only thing ever lacking in working with another artist and they were usually male - whether it was Stuart Sutcliffe (my art school friend) or Paul McCartney (my musical friend) - is that the relationship only goes as far as the front door and after that you are alone in bed. It's a plus not a minus. The plus is that your best friend, also, can hold you without… I mean, I’m not a homosexual, or we could have had a homosexual relationship and maybe that would have satisfied it, with working with other male artists. [faltering] An artist – it’s more – it’s much better to be working with another artist of the same energy, and that’s why there’s always been Beatles or Marx Brothers or men, together. Because it’s alright for them to work together or whatever it is. It’s the same except that we sleep together, you know? I mean, not counting love and all the things on the side, just as a working relationship with her, it has all the benefits of working with another male artist and all the joint inspiration, and then we can hold hands too, right?

3. David Sheff insanity feat. Yoko:

JOHN: Well, that’s rubbish, you know. Because nobody controls me. I’m uncontrollable. The only one that can control me is me, and that’s just barely possible. [Yoko laughs] But that’s what life is about. And that’s the lesson I’m learning. Because – nobody ever said anything about Paul having a spell over me, when I was with him for a long time. Or me having a spell over Paul. They didn’t think that was abnormal, two guys together. JOHN: Or four guys together. In those days? Why didn’t anybody ever say, “How come those guys don’t split up? I mean, what’s going on backstage? I mean, what is that Paul and John business? Why – you know, how can they be together so long?” YOKO: They might have. [laughs]

These next ones are again a tier below. The above three are eyebrow-raising independent of each other, but the below two sort of require the above three to feel like they've got argumentative weight IMO.

4. "It's just handy to fuck your best friend."

5. 1974 self-interview.

The last one is a good example of what I meant here. The self-interview could be much more easily dismissed as a joke if the above points didn't also exist.

Stuff like John marrying Yoko immediately after Paul married Linda is interesting when considering John having feelings for Paul, but I don't think it would constitute evidence in isolation. I think it's important to differentiate events which take on a very specific meaning when you make a (perhaps reasonable) presupposition from things which directly imply said presupposition. I also find the fact that there's an incredibly strong case for John experiencing attraction to men who are not Paul – while not evidence for McLennon per se – significantly increases the likelihood that the above quotes are pointing to real feelings for Paul.

(also notice how none of these are song lyrics lol – songs would almost always fall under that idea of something which might take on a connotation, given biographical context, but can almost never be seen as evidence of something on their own)

Paul

1. That "Maybe if I had been a woman I could have–" quote. I don't have the exact phrasing handy, but you know the one.

2. Generally how defensive Paul has historically been about John's sexuality. This is completely circumstantial, but I agree it's a reasonable reading of Paul's behaviour.

The above two points are by far the biggest arguments for Paul IMO though they are notably not as directly linked to the idea of Paul having feelings for John as my John quotes were (which doesn't mean Paul being in love with John is impossible, of course).

The next stuff doesn't really convince me at all but I still think it's the best:

3. His general reaction to JohnandYoko*

4. Paul going off about John's looks a lot.**

5. I guess lyrics lol. Dear Friend and However Absurd are probably the best ones. Honourable mention to the "I find my love awake" verse of Too Many People.

*I'm actually a fierce believer in the concept that a) JohnandYoko were not a normal couple so this isn't just a simple case of being upset at your bestie getting a partner and it's imo willingly obtuse to act like that's what was happening and b) even then, platonic jealousy is not unheard of. But I certainly recognize that it could be a sexually-driven jealousy.

**Gay men and straight women will fawn over women's looks and talk in much more sexually charged language than Paul about John. Sure, "it's different for straight men", which is why I'll grant it, but just something to think about as well.

The Paul stuff looks a bit half-hearted – because it is, but I did spend a lot of time trying to think of stuff. If you can think of something you personally find more convincing than any of these points, feel free to send it over and I'll tell you how I would "rank it" and why. It's possible I'm forgetting something that deserves to be up there.

Last point, but I actually think it's really important to be able to more or less rank evidence of one's own beliefs. And of beliefs one doesn't hold.

[youremyheaven]

buut one more thing, Jupiter women trying to be the dad they never had is so true, I've definitely noticed that. My MIL is Vishakha Moon & she's kinda like, the man of the house. She had a very abusive upbringing with super incompetent parents & she ended up having to take a lot of responsibility for her siblings even as a child.

Of course she ended up with a partner who is- lowkey incompetent. He has some good qualities and he does work and all that, but he is a menacee. He expects her to do eeeverything and acts like a big man baby- he gets mad at her if she doesn't untie his shoes for him when he gets home from work. She gets up every morning at 2am with him without fail, gets his lunch ready, makes him breakfast before he goes to work. She makes him coffee and tea at his whim. He will go to the bathroom to have a shower, not bring his towel, then yell her name out incessantly until she comes and gets it for him.

Tmi but he also has no uh, aim in the bathroom- it's really gross, like, really really gross. I had a word with MIL about it, and I was kinda just like 'yeah I'm sure he doesn't mean to do it but maybe you should have a word with him' and she looked scared and kept trying to change the subject and kinda just went 'I'll make sure I clean it up after he goes in'. Like bro is scared to tell her man child ass husband to clean up after himself 😭 poor girl.. I mean I think she's content with how things are because she grew up with so much worse, so in her mind he's the best, but I did read that Vishakha Moon women in particular can absolutely worship their husbands.

She is veryyy generous but to the point that it's a bit overbearing and I feel bad but like, I live with them all currently and I'm very grateful but sometimes she's doing too much. Like she will come home with a bunch of treats and knick knacks and I'm like- thankyou but where do I even put this?? I have no space because of all of the other things you already gave me 😭💟

Also @makingspiritualityreal made a really good post on here about how in Vishakha, the feminine is debilitated so she finds herself constantly in her masculine and never able to simply rest and be the receiver.

It definitely makes sense that this situation created two children with Venusian Moons.

your MIL's relationship triggered me so much, i've grown up seeing my mom be that way and its always disgusted me 🤮🤮🤮🤢and made me mad 😡😠😠

Vishaka women worshipping their partners is so true. Look at Beyonce, Vishaka Moon and how she seems to blindly love that crusty ass cheating man 🤮🤮

I also think it applies to Vishaka men because Will Smith, Vishaka Moon is also like that with Jada, even though she's literally an energy vampire

Generous to the point of being overbearing is soooo true about Jupiter women,, they be doing TOO much and it lowkey makes you feel guilty because you know that you could never be as giving or endure what they have and still come out without any resentment or bitterness

My friend's mom is Vishaka Moon (and her dad is Bharani Moon but idk his other placements but he seems like a Solar guy tbh) and her parents have a similarly toxic marriage. Her mom packs lunch AND puts it in his car??? before he leaves for work??? she also makes separate meals for her, her dad, her sister, their dog etc :// and everytime she spoke of her mom, it felt like her whole existence revolved around just serving everyone and it always made me sick to my stomach

I'll try to find that post you mentioned <333 tysm for letting me know <33

SKSJDJJDJDK "this situation created 2 children with Venus moons" IS SO REAL IM SHAKINGGG

ive mentioned him before but my Purvaphalguni Moon friend from college was a stereotypical Venusian man (he also had many Swati placements 🥰) and his dad was an alcoholic/generally incompetent guy who never did anything and quit working??? a long time ago??? (his elder brother provided for the family) and I remember how he often went grocery shopping or ran errands in the afternoon and sometimes rushed to go home bc his mom was waiting for him 😭😭🥺everytime he spoke to his mom on the phone, he became the softest guy ever and it made me feel so 🥺🥺🥺

unlike Lunar men who are complete mama's boys (prime example, Ranbir Kapoor, Shravana Moon),, Venusian men are more mama's little helper type dudes. The difference between Lunar and Venusian men (I'm mentioning these two specifically bc they're both Yin and benefic planets and known for being devoted to their mom) is that Lunar men kind of become extremely passive and dependent on their mom and Venusian men bend over backwards to provide for her and take care of her.

Two different reactions to having a loving mom

I once knew a Rohini Moon man who told me he hasn't been eating right for a few weeks because his mom had gone to stay with her family overseas 💀💀💀and I was like??? do you just not eat then??? and he was like "yeah I have no appetite without her feeding me" 💀💀💀and mind you he was 24 years old lmao and ik some of you will say "aww thats so cute" blah blah ITS NOT CUTE, a grown ass man starving himself (all he ate was bread apparently bc he didn't like eating out 💀💀) bc his mommy wont feed him IS INSANE EWWW. i ghosted him after that conversation lmfao bc i cannot stand that passive raja beta behaviour

In India, we have something called "raja beta syndrome" which is rooted in son preference (unfortunately sex selective abortions and female foeticide/infanticide is vvvv common in india) and most men grow up being treated like royalty (raja= king, beta = son). This is why Indian men are losers lmao because they've been spoonfed their whole lives by their moms/families and they expect their wives to also be doormats and serve them for the rest of their lives.

Lunar men give me raja beta vibes :///

I like my Venus men who grew up trying to make their moms lives easier and trying to give HER royal treatment because they want to be the one who treats her right<333 these are the only kind of mommy issues I'll accept <333 like oh you dont want me to run errands or pay the bills because your mom had to work so hard and it gives you trauma to think ill have to do that and make you feel like you've failed as a man?? dw king i gotchu <333 go get those errands done.🥰🤪😜

[books-are-my-life-stuff]

Happy 1106 day!

1106 is also known as the Adler dorm number for Rayne Ames (and his roommate Max Land), so November 6th is commonly celebrated in the Japanese fanbase as "Rayne Ames Festival Day".

As a celebration, I've roughly translated Rayne and Max's fan book profiles under the cut! It's full of interesting information about them as an individual character that doesn't manage to get explored much in the main series, so hope you enjoy it!

"A taciturn sword that sticks to his convictions, and a Divine Visionary that strictly speaks on one's back."

Rayne Ames

Quote: "You need to shut your mouth, before I shut it for you." (from Volume 13, chapter 117)

Small memo (near little Rayne and Finn image): A minimalist with a penchant for saving money, except for things related to rabbits and his younger brother.

A magician who becomes a Divine Visionary to change the Magic World from the ground up for the sake of his family. He's pursuing such a dream as he balances his work as a Divine Visionary and his responsibilities as a student. Profile (these have been translated in wiki and thus taken from there)

Birthday: March 3 Age: 18 years old Height: 175cm Weight: 67kg Dominant hand: Left Foot size: 27.5cm Family: Finn Ames (younger brother) Good subjects: Magic History, Magical Zoology Bad subject(s): Fortune telling Hobbies: Rabbit sucking, sewing Favorite food: Bean sprouts, vegetables Favorite words: Say what you want Favorite type of the opposite sex: Never thought about it Dislikes: Talking more than necessary Frequently visited school spots: Purchasing department How to spend money: Savings, rabbit breeding expenses How to spend holidays: Taking care of rabbits

Relationship Chart

Rayne to Mash: A troublesome junior Rayne to Finn: Must be protected at all costs Rayne to Kaldo: Thank you for taking care of my brother Rayne to Max: Only best friend Rayne to rabbit: *sighs softly* Rayne to Wahlberg: Old geezer who likes to boss people around

Magic: Sword Magic

A magic that can summon countless swords. The personal magic, named "Partisan", has a power level measured through percentages that can be adjusted, an average student usually can't even handle 10% of it.

The caption of Rayne calling out Partisan picture: It's one of the most deadly magic in the Magic World, but he brandishes it only for the sake of justice.

Divine Visionary: of Sword Cane, as well as one of the Directors of the Magical Items Department

All the magical items existing in the Magic World have very strict control. Newly manufactured tools are delivered to the Bureau of Magic to ensure safety. After carefully examining them and making sure the new items are safe, they'll be delivered to the citizens.

The caption of the Magic Mirror (used by Cell War against Mash): The loss of the Magic Mirror marks a great mistake for all of the directors of the department.

Pick-up: An Awkward Big Brother

Rayne, who rarely talks but always shows through his actions, makes people have a lot of trust in him, and many students follow his way too. However, his lack of words often causes many misunderstandings.

Quote for upper image: "I've always been really terrible at encouraging people." (Volume 6, Chapter 47)

Caption for upper image: He tried to put himself in the position of the junior who's taking reckless challenges.

Quote for left image: "I'll make sure that brazen kid, goes as far as he can go." (Volume 6, Chapter 46)

Caption for left image: He forced Margarette, who was after Mash, to retreat by using his Thirds.

Quote: "Words only have a meaning when paired with actions. If you can't act, it's the same as not saying anything at all." (Volume 6, Chapter 45)

Caption: This principle came from his late parents who passed away without words or promises. Since that time, he always lived up to his words.

Quote: "I still remember you used to come crying at me over the smallest things. You've grown up." (Volume 14, Chapter 119)

Caption for his moments with Finn: For the sake of his younger brother, he had always been shouldering many burdens. However, after seeing his brother's growth, he changed his mind.

Pick Up: A Genuine Rabbit Lover for Life

It all began when Max suggested Rayne, who was at that time aiming to be the Divine Visionary, to start having rabbits out of concern for Rayne's mental health's well-being. Now, Rayne has never stopped to pour an extraordinary amount of love for his rabbits.

The caption of Rayne surrounded by rabbits: This scene too is a display of Rayne's "survival of the fittest" between the strong and the weak (?)

The caption of Rayne's rabbit handkerchief: Should you ever find a lost rabbit-patterned goodies, please give it to Rayne first and foremost.

Mash's Room Corner (a corner to talk about gossip relating to the character, with Mash's commentary)

"I've been in the same dorm as Rayne since middle school but...that Rayne...there were quite a few times when the screws in his head were loose. He takes jokes a little too seriously, and because of that, I had to teach him lots of them." (from Max)

Mash: An unexpected side of a good person.

The Secret Story of Rayne as told by ***!! (a corner about various characters' opinions of a character, in this case, their opinions of Rayne)

Ryoh: I understand the feeling of pushing yourself away for your family's sake, but sometimes relying on others is what makes a man, Rayne.

Margarette: I saw Rayne trying to help a lost child in the city. However, he accidentally made the child cry even more because of his unfriendly looks and unsociability.

Brad: So you've become the Divine Visionary through hard work. Well, depending on Mash's hard work, my promotion might not just be a dream anymore.

Cell War: Since you're one of the directors of the Magical Items Department, it's really difficult to sneak in. Still, the staff canteen's foods are really delicious.

"Summarizing the Adler Dorm: Honest and full of conscience"

Max Land

Quote: "Let's solve this together!" (Volume 6, chapter 49)

Small memo (near the picture of running Max): His foot speed is number one! He also has a playful side when he pulls a prank and runs.

A third-year at Adler dorm who is open-minded and friendly. Since he is well-liked within the school, he often shares his wisdom and consults others.

Profile (these have been translated in wiki and thus taken from there with slight adjustment)

Birthday: November 19 Age: 18 years old Height: 168cm Weight: 64kg Blood type: O Dominant hand: Right Foot size: 26cm Family members: Father, Mother, Eldest brother, Older brother Good subject: Magic history Bad subject: Broom class Hobbies: Exploring the school while making his body smaller Favorite food: Deep-fried salamander Favorite words: 平凡 (Heibon: Ordinary or commonplace) Favorite type of opposite sex: People who have their own world Dislikes: High places Frequently visited school spots: Purchasing Department How to spend money: Book fees (mainly comic books) How to spend holidays: Going to Marchette Street with friends and taking care of rabbits when Rayne is away

Relationship Chart

Max to Mash: Junior Max to Rayne: You're so awkward I can't leave you alone Max to Finn: Like my own little brother Max to Carpaccio: Lately, when I look around, you're suddenly sitting next to me.

Magic: Size-changing Magic

This magic can change the size of people and objects. Up to 3 different people and/or objects can be resized at one time. This personal magic is very handy for support, as shown during the selection exam where he helped his ally.

Image caption: He made himself and Mash smaller to get away from the eyes of Deadervants.

Mash's Room Corner

I consulted with him the other day, but that guy has the face of an ordinary person but still manages to look handsome. It's plainly and doubly frustrating. (from Dot)

Mash: I feel sorry for Senior Max for being blamed unreasonably like that.

Pick-Up: A Selfish Desire as a Senior

He has a naturally caring personality who won't ever leave his troubled junior behind. But the truth is he just wants to "prove himself like a man", which he despises himself for.

Quote for upper image: "My premonition was right..." (Volume 6, chapter 50)

Quote for left image: "Say, Rayne. Did I do my best for the younger students?"

Caption for left image: Supporting the junior that Rayne is interested in.

The Secret Story of Max as told by ***!!

Tom: I invited him to join Duelo, but he declined because he is scared of heights. Senior Max, you're like a bamboo that's stuck on the ground!

BONUS (from the Q&A session with the original creator Komoto Hajime-sensei):

Q17: In the final chapter, are Rayne and Finn of the Ames brothers able to get along again?

A17: Rayne (addressed as 'onii-tama here) is a tsundere, but I think they're able to get along well!

Q18: Why does Finn call Rayne with "Nii-sama" instead of "Nii-san"?

A18: Because of the distance between them...

(A/N: In the original Japanese version, Finn does not call Rayne by name, but calls him "Nii-sama", this has a lot of meaning and nuances that unfortunately are hard to translate and doesn't have an English equivalent, hence the change. "Onii-tama" on the other hand is a baby talk version of "onii-sama".)

[punkeropercyjackson]

Summer Kent lore dump

Ages ago @mik3stuff asked me to tell him about my DC self-insert because he wants to make one too and the ask he sent me got lost in my drafts and i FINALLY remembered and got the motivation to make this!It's long and i do mean LOOOONG because they've existed since 2019 + I tagged canon characters for personal organization and i'm very sorry if that annoys anyone!! /gen /srs

Summer Kent was born Frankie Garcia,in Metropolis,to Mayerlin and Sebastián Garcia.His parents divorced when he was a baby with his mom getting custody of him and his dad neglecting him and they were abusive to him in the classic 'neurotypical cishet parents with a queer neurodivergent kid' way along with some racism on his mom's part since she was white and he grew up getting bullied at school and with no friends too.One of his first memory's is seeing Superman for the first time and being a huge fan of his ever since so when he realized how awfully his parents treated him,he started dreaming Clark would save him

On his 10th birthday,Lex did a rampage across the city in a Lexcorp robot and killed his parents by throwing them onto a building so hard they died on impact,immediately kidnapping Summer to experiment on him afterwards.The experiment in question was to inject him with the dna of the last Kryptofang,a kryptonian species that were basically Krypton's equivalent to dragons but with the addition of telepathy,as an attempt to train him to kill Clark.He was encloused to a Lexcorp lab for 3 days until Clark found him thanks to his and Lois' investigations on Lex's plans.Since Frankie wanted nothing to do with his birth parents,he told Clark his name was Summer when asked since that was the season where he discovered Superman

Summer and Clark instantly bonded so he had no hesitation when he found out about them wanting him to adopt them and this also made Lois his adoptive mom and baby Jon his little brother,along with Jimmy and Lana being his(nonromantically involved)honorary uncle and aunt.They became his sidekick under 'Sparks',both because of his pyrokenisis and his new family being sparks of hope in his life,and him and Lois pulled them out of school so they wouldn't get bullied anymore and Lana was their teacher thanks to her children's education degree she'd previously given up on using.Lex did a smear campaign against Sparks/Summer to detract suspicioun on himself and that made them become more angry and violent and pessimistic than ever combined with their fresh trauma(Clark,Lois and Jimmy did their best to spread good word of them ofc)

A year into his sidekick career,they met Jason due to Clark bringing him on a Justice League mission the same day Bruce did him and they butted heads because of their opposite personalities but were best friends by the end of the day,calling eachother 'Basket Case and Bird Boy' as insults turned affectionate nicknames.Through him,Summer also befriended Eddie and Jason dubbed them 'The Magic Trio' due to his belief that being Robin gave him magic,Eddie's demon theme and Summer's powers.Jason was a positive influence on Summer with his optimistic and peppy attitude and genuine belief in him and made him become more of an 'ideal' hero.Ironically,Bruce disliked him because he thought it would be the other way around

Sparks eventually gained the nickname 'Superpunk',much to his dismay because the Metropolis media meant it as an insult and he was also a goth tomboy both in and out of costume

Clark got Dick and Kory to mentor Summer and this led to them becoming Summer first crushes,with him being aware of the Dick one and throughly embarrased by how obvious they were with it against their will and confusing their's on Kory for jealousy over her being Dick's soulmate(but there was no pick me-ness on his part and instead they were always kind and supportive to eachother).His bi awakening happened when he was 14 and slightly unrelated but in this verse,Eddie was Jason's.An unofficial mentor and moreso intergenerational friend was Selina,who he gained his love of cats from

When Jason was 15,he realized he'd fallen in love with Summer and Dick convinced him to ask him out to a Gotham Academy dance as a confession but then Ditf happened and Summer shut down so hard he had to put the sidekick mantle on hold.On june 1st,he flew to Gotham to visit Jason's grave and got into a fight with Mr Freeze,who accidentally killed him via hypothermia and that made the ghost of the last Kryptofang manifest in his headspace along with his own ghost.They had a conversation that ended with him naming it 'Fantasma' and it convincing him to live again.Clark ressurected him with the Kryptonian Regeneration Matrix using a piece of his hair,Summer having lost three fingers by the time he came back to life and now living with prosthetics.Clark and Lois sent him to live with Jonathan and Martha in hopes of helping him cope and it worked as he learned how to do farmwork,diy and bake,was showered in kindness by his abuelos and got close to Fantasma who taught him Kryptofang things(which Clark also had with the info in the Fortress of Solitude but it had even better knowledge on them than him for obvious reasons)

A while later,Summer moved back to Metropolis after demanding to when he saw Superboy(Kon)and Supergirl(Cindy)on TV,wondering what the fuck was going on.Their relathionship had a rocky start to say the least but Summer still tried to be the best older sibling he could be to them once he saw how poorly the adults in their lives treated them and this led to them having a healthy if very weird dynamic and Summer himself got a new pseudo father-son relathionship in John while they worked on fixing the broken KRM.Jon had developed a love of video games while he was gone and got Summer into them too and over the course of these runs is when we get the arrivals of 4/8 the remaining Superkids:Mia,Chris,Laney and Match and since this was at the same time as Stephanie's and Cass' Robin and Batgirl eras,he teams up with them and they become a trio with Summer taking Babs place as their third while Babs is allowed to truly stay Oracle like she deserves-He was also much kinder to Stephanie than almost everyone else and this made it so they're the closest out of all the platonic World's Finest duos

The combo of his character development and constantly being around Kon and Stephanie who're both gnc trans people in their own ways made Summer's egg as a bigender and genderfluid transmasc crack and he got a new costume and official hero identity under 'Superpunk' for reclamation that only lasted 3 months until he switched to newER one under 'Ember' as he realized he's actually a pastel femme now,Kory and Dick helping him make the second costume.As Ember,he became second only to Clark on the beloved Metropolitan hero list thanks to how many feats he accomplished and his bubbly sweetness and humility and told his Papí he wanted a boy middle name so he gave him two:Valentino and 'Va-El',a kryptonian one to show him he saw him as much his son as he does his bio kids.While all this was going down over the years including the above part,he also had his first relathionship in Rose,dated Kyle(who is only a bit older than 90s YJ like him to avoid creepiness)and had a short thing with Eddie and befriended Natasha,Helena,Cassie,Bart,@insomniac-jay's Dahlia,Solana,Lilith and Daisy,@honeypotsworld's Onya and Lucille,@theautisticcentre's Mathew and Jennifer and @refrigeratedboombursts's Kahali.Kara,Mae,Karen and Krypto come in here too

In Utrh,Bruce calls him to Gotham because he has a feeling Red Hood is Jason but dosen't tell him that's why.Summer still resents him for not killing the Joker but Dick convinces him to agree and him and Jason get into a one on one fight where Jason recognizes him and unmasks himself.Summer is nearly shellshocked because they recognize him too now and he tries to go in for a hug while talking about how much he missed them and makes a joke phrased compliment on their current look and attitude but they fly off in heartbreak at their childhood best friend coming back only for him to be evil.Fantasma forms a mindlink between the two since it's tired of Summer's constant thoughts of him yet refusal to talk to him and this leads to them reconnecting and reforming their bond that was never really lost,including Jason coming to visit him in Metropolis,over the course of a whole year.He also regains his confidence in his love for them and starts shamelessly flirting with them and they're very flustered by it and pretend to hate it but they're secretly loving every second of it,as well as being convinced he's just messing with them instead of having actual feelings for them

Duke is the 5th Robin in this verse instead of Damian and We Are Robin still existed but like him they're elementary and middle school ages instead of high schoolers and Summer is an older sister figure to him,Mar'i is also canon here and two years younger than Lian and they grow up to date and Talia gets herself out of the man-driven narratives DC refuses to free her from by taking over Lexcorp and turning into a force for good by completely rehauling it and is a comphet lesbian happily in love with Selina

Summer becomes Damian's first real friend in their miniseries that takes place slightly before SOB which is about him befriending people his age specifically and regularly appears on Stephanie's Batgirl(60 issues here),Duke's Robin,Cassie's Wonder Girl and all the other Superkids' runs(Kon upgrades to Power Boy instead of the T-Shirt bullshit)and @jellyjays 's Blitz Cross,one of Summer's many found siblings,makes it's debut inbetween these time frames

Jason is an influence on him once again but this time in the opposite direction,making him become more sardonic and brutal as Ember and this causes the Metropolis media to frame him as 'evil all along' which hurts him so much he decides to finally join The Outlaws.The original trinity is Jason himself,Eddie and Rose and once Summer joins as 'Ignite' with a new suit he made and an additional black domino mask gifted to him by Jason to match him,they're 'The Dark Core Four' and @moonage-gaydream's Pepper is their Greta in the sense that she joined because of her crush on one of them-Summer,who she befriended before he ditched Metropolis and who liked her back.Thaddeus(who's a trans girl)is added to the team after they accidentally save her life and then come in order Kahali,Kyle,Artemis,Imani,Mathew,Lilith and Daisy simaultanously,Duke,Azriel(Created by Jay once again),Venus and finally Jennifer.Jaysumm are the Team Mom and Dad from the start AKA Dadhood and Supermom but Thaddeus legitimately views Summer as her mother

Their base is an old abandoned but still functional mansion of Bruce's that they call 'The Fortress',Rhato is 120 issues lasting 3 years in-universe,the Outlaws are a crazy ass and morally gray found family,Mathew is the token cis and Pepper is the token allistic and they've disbanded by the end but on good terms and keep in touch.During it,Jason Summer and Mathew are briefly Lanterns(Star Sapphire/Violet,Black and Green respectively),Rose leaves back Ravager to become Willow,Kyle upgrades to White Lantern,Thad realizes she's a girl mid-way through,Kahali gets killed and ressurected just like his didi Summer and Duke gains reality warping in addition to light and darkness powers.He's actually the reason the N52 exists so he's God actually.Summer takes some detours later on in the run as Outlaw bussiness gets him tangled up with the Gotham Academy kids and starring in the Lumberjanes crossover

Canon couples other than Jason and Summer are Eddie/Lilith,Rose/Imani or Rose/Pepper,Tim/Kahali,Kyle/Venus,Artemis/Daisy,Mathew/Jennifer,Duke/Luna(my Aquafam oc i made to be his love interest)and Thad/Azriel.There's also some mix and match verse's in there,including an adult Outlaws polycule

Jaysumm is finally canonized in this series via Summer one day being especially stressed out and missing the Superfam to boot and Jason comforting him which turns into a makeout session and them sleeping together and agreeing to be fwb because Summer somehow STILL dosen't realize Jason is literally in love with him and they're now a couple in every way but going on dates until Summer has another intense missing of the Superfam day on halloween when he wants to take Jon trick or treating so Jason and him sneak out in a werewolf and fairy costume respectively to do it together,with Jon wearing an Ember costume because he missed his first brother just as much.They have a great night and Jon and Jason still get along like they did when he used to babysit him as Robin and after they drop him at home when they finish,they stop by the fast food restaurant Summer used to work at for late dinner and that's when he finally has his Jason love epiphany.He goes through several stages of emotion over the next hours and blurts out a confession when they make it back to the Fortress because it's killing him and Jason confesses back and they have a long session of different kinds of kisses as they go to Summer's room to sleep

Post-Rhato,Summer goes back to Metropolis with Jason in toe due to their dating status at the same time Clark ends up in a coma thanks to saving Jon from Ultraman so Summer takes up the Superman mantle in the meantime since he's the eldest Kent sibling.Kenan,Carol,Jane,Laura and Lucy are Superfam members by now and Summer,Lois,Martha,Kara and John make his Superman suit together as a bonding activity and his hero work is better than ever,the effort he puts into it being to redeem himself from what he did as vigilante.Also,Talia makes him his own Krypto equivalent with kryptonian technology named 'Kryptona',a robotic female supercat who can speak english,spanish,arabic and kryptonian and has pink hearts for pupils

He also mentors Damian's team,the All New Teen Titans,because Jon is a part of it and so do Jason,a newly Batwoman Stephanie,Duke codenamed 'Eris' and Cassie who's now 'Wonder'.The members other than Damian(Shadowbird)and Jon(Superboy)are Maps(Robin),Maya(Nobody),Suren(Fang),Kathy(Beacon),Colin(Abuse),Irey(Thunderheart),Bobby(Wonder Boy),Nell(Batgirl),Keli(Teen Lantern)and Laurel(Supergirl + A trans girl variant of Jon instead of a genderswap and Earth 11 is generally very different here).75 issues,their Titans Tower is in Brooklyn and the ships are Damimaps,Jonay,Mayakathy and Surnell but only Mayakathy is explicit and the rest are just implied since they're all so young.Stephcass and Cassiegeorgia are canon too

Two years pass until Clark wakes up and by then,Metropolis loves Summer so much that when he announces he's been Ember,son and daughter of Superman,the whole time and is going back to it they do multiple kinds of grand apologies to him for their mistreatment and Jason also gave him a domino mask again but this time a baby pink one to symbolize him finally embracing all parts of himself and Summer adds on a pastel trans flag colors Superfamilia battle jacket and pink demonias for the final touch.Them and Jason have officially settled down together as they buy a house and have Metropolitan and occasionally Gothamite adventures and end up having four kids:October,Gus and Zane(identical twins)and Thea.Summer opens up his own bakery called 'Summer's Desserts' but stays Ember and Jason becomes a librarian when he's not Red Hood

[feyres-divorce-lawyer]

um anyways so my brother is watching *shudder* fate and made the grave mistake of calling it a good show within my presence (honestly did he learn nothing from shadow and bone🙄) so of course i had to follow him around the apartment for seven minutes and rant about the gross, grotesque even, disservice netflix did to winx club.

first off, the world. what the fuck happened to magix? netflix what did you do to my house?! the best appeal to winx club was fairies and magic existing in a technologically advanced world that is usually almost always found in sci-fi. magix having flying cars and hover bikes and phones that make earth tech look ancient (thx tecna), and fucking laser guns subverted bloom’s expectations! she thought she would see dragons and wands and wizards because that’s what fairy tales consist of on earth AND IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE EARTH’S MAGIC WAS DEPLETED BY THE WIZARDS OF THE BLACK CIRCLE AND FAIRY TALES WOULD REMAIN THE SAME WHILE THE REST OF THE DIMENSIONS ADVANCED! they took away magix for some harry potter, dark aesthetic vibe FOR WHAT!? where’s the color! where’s the joy, the whimsy?! bloom had fun when the girls took her around magix because it wasn’t what she expecteeedddd! the otherworld (how creative😒) is just like every other run of the mill magical world with dark secrets, cold stone castles, and mind-numbing rigidity. alfea was blue and pink and bright, and ya killed her for some hogwarts copycat, thx a lot.

next up, the most heinous crime in my opinion, bloom and stella’s relationship. ooooh i’m bout to tweak in this bitch. i watched the show’s like first 3 eps and remember nothing but bloom and stella’s relationship is not at all the same. they’re the best friends ok. the best friends. bloom saved stella from knot, she transformed for the first time thinking she was saving stella’s ring from the trix, stella was the one who introduced her to everything. they’re each other’s defenders. stella helped bloom when she was struggling becoming domino’s princess. if bloom committed murder via arson stella’s helping her hide the body. and what did netfucks do to this beautiful friendship? made them adversaries over a guy😐 sky of all ppl, that bland blonde, “mr. i’ll pursue a relationship with a girl that knows nothing about intergalactic politics and won’t know i’m engaged” ALSO keeping on track with their “change things that subvert expecations” netflix made stella into the exact type of character winx did not. this popular princess, fairy of the sun, is a mean bitchy girl? oh who would’ve thought, no one saw that coming. netflix you owe me compensation

NEXT! um where are my magical girl transformations😐 winx club the magical girl show, with magical girl transformations and banger music (harmonix has the best song fight me). what is this hand waving magic in civillian clothes nonsense. GIVE BLOOM HER SPARKLY BLUE CROP TOP AND GOLD WINGS NEOWWWW. glad the show is cancelled now tho cuz i don’t wanna see how they would’ve butchered enchantix

NEXT! the trix. oh my favorite witches. why why whyyyy would they make all three of them into one person and then apparently (according to my brother he’s terrible at describing shows tho so idk) SHE BECOMES GOOD? NO! the trix are meant to foil the winx. how neither group gives up but one fight to save the world while the other fights to destroy it. how both groups are sisters if not in blood. icy darcy and stormy did not serve cunt in season one to get meshed into some frankensteinian mess because netflix wanted to reboot a beloved kid’s show and then took way all the things that made it beloved😐

and finally, valtor. yes valtor or baltor depending on which version you grew up with. um what they did to him. who the fuck is sebastian and why is he in a baseball cap. valtor terrorized the world in a purple coat and luscious hair that he maintains with his carefully curated 22 step routine. he would NOT wear plain bland clothes with a baseball cap. BLASPHEMY!

anyways, yea netflix i hope you’re haunted by the dragon flame

[loopstagirl]

Legacy and Destiny

For @janetm74, who requested this. It's kind of an added scene to my Thunderbirds/Merlin crossover found here.

-x-

Resting his elbows on the railing, Scott stared out to sea.

Events of the last few days were… baffling, to say the least. The island invasion by itself was enough; the fear of realising potential hostiles had snuck aboard Thunderbird Two.

But everything else?

How was he supposed to say two people from legend that weren’t supposed to exist had turned up on their secret island? Or Virgil seemed to possess gifts that were impossible? Or even how-

No.

He wasn’t going there.

Thinking about that damn sword made him shiver. He was scared of it. He’d handled enough weapons in his time, that wasn’t it. It was because he wanted it. His hand clenched on the railing. Even now, it called to him…

“Am I disturbing you?”

Scott looked around. Arthur was hovering in the doorway, albeit casting the sliding doors a suspicious look, not quite figuring them out. Scott shook his head, and the legendary ex-king, once-dead monarch of a mythical kingdom, stepped out to join him.

For a moment, both men stood in silence. Arthur stood with his hands clasped behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart. Scott smiled. It had taken him a while to stand at ease after he’d left the USAF, instinct making him slip into parade rest. Constant teasing from his family had cured him of that.

But then Arthur relaxed. It didn’t take long for him to mirror Scott’s position, elbows resting on the railing, also looking out to sea. Scott’s gaze returned to the rhythmic movement of the ocean.

“I remember when my father explained to me what being a prince meant.” Arthur’s voice was soft and Scott glanced over. The man continued to look out to sea.

“That it wasn’t just a title and status and didn’t mean I could do whatever I wanted.”

There was an embarrassed lilt in his tone. Scott had picked up enough from the jibes between Arthur and Merlin to know that even by the time Arthur had grown up, he still expected to get his own way.

“But that it was a responsibility. It wasn’t just my future; it was my kingdom’s future.”

“That’s not how our world works anymore,” Scott said. He felt he knew where this conversation was going and wasn’t sure he was ready. This was his home: he was the one in charge here. Yet he’d never felt so out of his depth.

“Where are the others?” He was deflecting. His brothers usually took the hint, but Arthur only looked at him.

“Merlin’s showing your brother some more tricks.” He was trying to shrug it off, as if it was no big deal, but Scott heard the respect in his tone. Arthur, who had lived in a world where magic was real, was impressed.

How was Scott supposed to feel?

“I understand,” Arthur said.

Scott raised an eyebrow. “Understand what?”

“How’re you’re feeling.”

Scott snorted. “No offence, but no, you don’t.”

“I didn’t know he had magic. My father taught me to believe it was evil. Every time I tried to challenge my beliefs, tried to see it differently, someone proved me wrong. Then I find out my manservant is one of the most powerful sorcerers.”

Arthur trailed off, and Scott glanced at him. There was an old hurt in his voice. Something he’d dealt with, come to terms with, and still got hit with the emotions when he was least expecting it. He didn’t sound so sure of himself any longer.

“I understand what it feels like to have everything you’ve ever known turn on its head.”

“Your best friend kept a secret from you. That’s not the same.”

“He’s not-,” Arthur sighed, then rolled his eyes. Not at Scott though; more at himself. As if there was no point denying it. “That wasn’t what I meant. I died. I finished my fight. Then I’m in this world where nothing makes sense. Where everything I knew and understood has faded into stories. My kn- my friends are with us. We’re all here. But nothing is the same.”

Scott turned, resting his elbows on the railing instead and looking towards the house. It meant he could see Arthur better. He’d never considered it like that: the feeling of being thrust into a brand new world. If he suddenly dropped into Camelot, Scott was certain he wouldn’t last very long.

“Even after all I’ve seen and learnt, this world is strange to me.”

“I don’t think that goes away,” Scott said with a smile. “We’ve seen things too; seen how low humanity can fall, and how high they can raise themselves when disaster strikes. The strangeness of the world makes it worth living in.”

He flushed. John was the one for speeches, not him. But there was something about Arthur… Maybe it was standing in the presence of someone who had once been a king, a ruler in a way so absolute that it made his father as CEO look childish.

Or maybe it was because the magical sword that had caused this entire mess had looked into their souls and seen them as equals.

Arthur made a sound of agreement, then sighed. “Learning what it meant to be my father’s heir was hard,” he continued, returning to their previous topic. “What was expected of me; what people wanted from me; how most would only see me as a prince, not a man.”

Scott jolted. They came from different worlds – but he understood that. As soon as his father had risen in the business world, there’d been a hidden pressure on him. He was Jeff Tracy’s eldest: he had to set the example to his younger brothers, shield them from the press and the questions by taking it on himself. Once the money started coming in as well, he had to protect himself – and them – for those who were only interested in his name.

He'd been prepared to dislike Arthur, wanted to hate the man who’d snuck into his brother’s ‘bird and caused all this chaos. He didn’t expect to understand him, much less like him.

“Why’re you telling me this?” he asked softly.

Arthur straightened. Their heights were identical.

“The sword chose you, too. It saw in you everything it takes to be a great leader.”

Scott couldn’t hold his eye. “I told you, this isn’t how our world works anymore. Being my father’s heir doesn’t me this will all fall to me. It’s not like that these days.”

“Isn’t it?”

Scott frowned.

“You wouldn’t take on the mantle of leader to protect your men – sorry, your brothers – from having to make those calls? Not shoulder the responsibility of dealing with everything that’s related to your name so they could live a life free of that burden? You wouldn’t lay down your life for them?”

Turning, Scott looked back at the ocean. He couldn’t look at Arthur. It was unnerving how right he was. These were the decisions that he’d been making since he was fifteen-years-old.

“I don’t inherit a kingdom,” he said. His tone sounded desperate. That damn sword had got in his head. It wasn't his destiny to become a great ruler. He was supposed to save the world; someone else was supposed to run it. Someone like his dad.

“You inherit a legacy,” Arthur said. His tone was soft. He took a step closer and, to Scott’s surprise, put a hand on his shoulder. Arthur didn’t strike him as the type of man to initiate contact.

Scott looked at him. How could a man who was out of his own time be taking this calmer than he was?

“Don’t make my mistakes,” Arthur said. “Don’t do it on your own.”

“He’ll never be on his own.”

Both men turned. Virgil was standing in the doorway. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, but his eyes were full of excitement. Scott knew his brother was trying to look serious because of the conversation he’d just interrupted, but was bursting to tell him something.

“What?” Scott sighed, although a small smile was tugging at his lips.

“Nothing.” Virgil tried to look serious. Scott rolled his eyes.

“Tell me.”

“Look what I can do!”

Virgil’s expression was one of apt concentration. A shimmering glow filled his eyes, making Scott uneasy. His brothers all had different skills to him, but he didn’t usually worry about them being dangerous (Alan and his racing was another matter). But this? Magic? It was so far beyond him, beyond any logical explanation, that he was uncomfortable.

“It gets easier,” a voice murmured.

Scott glanced over to find Arthur was watching him.

“After a while, you start to see a certain beauty in it. And it’s uses.”

“I’m not using him like a tool! Or a weapon.”

“It’s not your choice to make. He won’t give you that option.” Arthur was no longer watching Scott. His gaze had focused beyond Virgil, and Scott saw Merlin standing in the shadows.

When nothing seemed to happen, Merlin stepped forward and whispered something in Virgil’s ear. The artist nodded, then exhaled, regulating his breathing. Suddenly, one of the small plant pots that lined the balcony rose into the air. It hovered for a moment, then shot skywards.

Virgil gasped. Before Scott could react, a wave of power rolled over him as Merlin’s own eyes changed colour and the flowerpot settled softly back in its spot.

“Still working on it,” Virgil said sheepishly. Scott just shook his head. Half wonder; half bemusement. If someone had told him 24hours ago, he’d be watching Virgil do magic – real, powerful magic – he’d have said they’d had one too many.

“Impressive,” he said, truthfully.

Virgil wiped his forehead, his excitement fading now as he’d done what he wanted to do.

“I meant it,” he said, as if he hadn’t just levitated a flowerpot using magic. “He’ll never be doing this on his own.”

“See what I mean about choice?” Arthur muttered, but Scott could hear the smile in his voice. The king turned to face him.

“Embrace your legacy, your destiny,” he said, tone serious. Scott had to fight to keep his expression neutral at the formality of the words. “It was who you were born to be. The sword knows that. Only the worthy can pull it free.”

“Huh?”

“Long story.”

If Scott wasn’t mistaken, Merlin was shifting uncomfortably behind Virgil.

Arthur stepped forward, heading back inside. Scott called him back.

“What if I’m not worthy?” If anyone other than Virgil was present, he’d never dare say it. “What if it’s wrong?”

To his surprise, Arthur smiled. "That you think so shows it’s chosen well. No one who deserves power chooses it.”

Merlin suddenly snorted, ruining the moment, and Arthur rolled his eyes.

“How did you bring it back down?” Virgil asked Merlin. It seemed an abrupt change of topic, but Scott knew his brother. Or, rather, Virgil knew him. He was giving him space to process his thoughts, taking the attention off him for a few moments.

Merlin glanced at Arthur.

“May I?”

“May you what?”

“Show him.”

“You’re asking permission?” Arthur sounded incredulous and Merlin shrugged.

“Feels like the right thing to do after that speech,” he said, the glint in his eye having nothing to do with magic this time.

“Since when has it mattered to you if I give you permission or not? You never do as I say, never have.”

“I do, too!”

“Name one time you did what you were told.”

“When you threw me out of your rooms when Bayard came to Camelot after you were crowned.”

Arthur snorted. “You weren’t doing as you were told: you wanted a day off.”

“Which you never gave me.”

“You did no work to warrant one.”

“I was too busy saving your life!”

“Of course you were.” Arthur’s tone was dry. “Being the youngest First Knight of Camelot counted for nothing, then?”

“Not against magic, it didn’t.”

The pair moved inside, still bickering. Scott caught Virgil’s eye, and as soon as his brother’s lips twitched, laughed. Virgil came to join him, resting his forearms on the railing and staring at the ocean.

“Okay?” he asked causally. Scott mirrored his position.

“Says the guy who just floated a flowerpot with nothing more than his mind.”

Virgil shrugged. “That’s new and exciting. You’re dealing with something that you’ve always known and never wanted to accept.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re our leader, Scott. Sure, Dad’s our commander, but it’s always been you we’ve followed, ever since we were kids.”

“That’s what being a big brother is all about,” Scott said. “You know that.”

Virgil just smiled at him. “It’s more than that, and you know it.”

Scott didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. He had always known in. He’d taken the lead when they were children, blaming it on being the eldest. But then he’d become a captain in the USAF with his own team, slipped into the role of Field Commander when International Rescue was established…

Arthur had a point. Being his father’s heir didn’t mean inheriting a kingdom like it might have done in the past. But it meant something. Something he planned to live up to.

“C’mon.” He pushed away from the railing and headed back inside. “I’m not sure we want those two running loose around the island.”

It wasn’t about trust. It was more that one had powerful magic Scott didn’t understand, and the other was a strong king who had no idea how a microwave works.