#Moomin would take a long time to realize i think

[syndromestatic]

hello sillies. Moomin has a little crush!

[bregee13]

AAAAAA this is so good!!!! I love how supportive Snorkmaiden and Stinky(? Lol) are!

Also hhhhhhhh Muddler being there for his son! We love to see it!

Crud I somehow messed up an ask suggesting an invisible Sniff AU and now it doesn't work-

Anyway @bregee13 yes I am strongly considering it thank you

[multifandomxreader]

I heard you were looking for Bruno x male reader ideas 🤤

Ooo what about a Bruno x male reader where the reader is like a vagabond that comes to Encanto every year to hang out with the Madrigals? Kind of like a Snufkin and Moomin thing. Like they're kind of together/pining for each other?

One year that M!Reader returns he finds that Bruno isn't waiting for him because he's 'disappeared' so he travels even further in order to look for him, he still comes back every year to see if he's returned. After the events of the movie reader is reunited with Bruno and obviously he's super pissed but he's also so relieved that his favourite boy is back and alive.

Mayyybeeee they get married? uwu'

sorry you had to wait so long for this, hope you like it!

Bruno Madrigal x Male reader

With your backpack heavy on your shoulders, you finally arrived yet again at la casa Madrigal. All year you would travel, you slept in a tent, and made your money by playing the guitar. You made great friends along the way and got to tell all your amazing stories to anyone who would listen. Every year you hung out with the family for a few days sometimes even weeks. You had never been one to settle down but with the family Madrigal, you wouldn't mind staying in the same place forever. When you sprained an ankle or had back pain Jullietta patched you right up with her cooking. Delores would keep everyone updated on your whereabouts and well-being and when you were close to the village Luisa would meet you halfway to help carry your baggage and gifts with pleasure. The Madrigals were basically your family.

They loved to listen to your tales, especially Bruno who hung at your lips every time you spoke. Even when most people wouldn't really talk to Bruno you saw him as the highlight of your visit. After years of your annual visits to the Madrigals you realized your feelings for the dark haired man. You had a while to think about them on your travels. You were certain he would be the one to make you stay and settle down.

You arrived with Luisa at casita, Camillo and Mirabel ran in your arms. You entered casita with the little girl on your back and a copy of yourself. The other family members came to greet you one by one. Julietta welcomed you with a plate of arepas and Isabella gave you a beautiful flower crown as a welcoming gift. Felix welcomed you with open arms "Here comes my favorite visitante!" The weather was perfect and a big smile was plastered on your face as you chatted with Felix and Agustin.

You tried to keep calm but your eyes couldn't stop wandering over to the door of Bruno's room. Agustin noticed the way you looked around, waiting for that one special person. You turned back to him "Where's Bruno?" Suddenly the room went quiet and the faces around you grimaced. Abuela straightened her back and spoke "We don't talk about Bruno" you were so confused and everything felt wrong. Julietta's hand landed on your shoulder and lead you to the kitchen where she let you sit at the table. While making you a drink she told you how Bruno had disappeared without a note.

The following days felt wrong without his presence, you tried to find him but when you realized he really was gone you stayed alone in his room. Your heart ached as you thought about the last time you had seen him.

The dark eyes look at you with admiration as you sing about the things you had seen on your travels and then a goodbye song. Your song ends and you smile at Bruno "Will you write a song about me by the time you return?"  he asks. "Look in the future and find out." You wink. Bruno opens his mouth"I don't want to" You give him a confused look. He takes your hands in his "I don't want to ruin our future with a stupid prophecy." You give him an understanding look and hold his hands tighter. "I'll be back."

Years passed as you looked for Bruno, asking every person you meet if they had seen the small dark-haired Madrigal.

You didn't find him.

Still, you returned to the Madrigals every single year. The smaller Madrigals had now grown into teenagers and the town had been growing too. Even though it was a delight seeing the colorful family your mind kept turning back to Bruno.

It was your annual visit and you arrived at the spot where Luisa would usually wait. Instead, you were met with Bruno. Your Bruno. Maybe a bit older and with more grey strands of hair. But still yours.

You dropped all your stuff and ran over to him. Grabbing his shoulders to make sure he was real. "How the fuck could you do this to me? I was so worried! I- I didn't know what had happened to you..." Bruno kept apologizing while you teared up. You threw yourself into his arms and you hit the ground together. You hugged the air out of his lungs. "I'm just happy you're back" you told him. His hands cradled your face and wiped your tears. "Te amo" he whispered before passionately kissing you, this time it was him making you breathless. You melted into the kiss. "I still want to hear that song"

A few months later you held the most beautiful wedding the town had ever seen, Pepa didn't ruin it (only because Bruno was marrying you). The whole family worked together to make sure you had the best day. Isabella took care of the flowers, and Julietta cooked a heavenly buffet with delicious desserts... You couldn't stop smiling and every time you met his eyes your heart could beat out of your chest. You finally found your reason to stay.

[proxiimitysky]

I've been heavily considering moving my account and starting over. This post will be very long so if you don't wanna read it that's fine (I'll add a tldr at the end)

I started this blog back when i loved sky and just wanted a specific place to talk about it. It took me YEARS to slowly realize that i don't have the same love for it like i used to. Ever since season of moomin was announced i thought of it as an opportunity to just take a break and only play the game if i genuinely want to, and not just for the purpose of getting candles. I wasn't really that excited for the season to begin with probably because i dont know anything about moomin and i know i can just learn about it through the season but ehh idk man. Just my personal opinion i already thought the first quest was super slow and tedious as hell

Also not to mention some big criticism within the community is how expensive things are in sky and i agree. I think they're right when they say iaps are getting more and more expensive (inflation amiright) and they keep locking the cooler items behind the pass. I know the pass (for 1 person) is generally pretty cheap for what you're getting but i just don't think it's fair for people who simply don't want to spend money. Majority of the good stuff this season is behind the pass and i know the purpose of this is to convince players to buy the pass but it's just. Man i would love to enjoy a season and buy cool clothes without having to pay real money for it AGAIN

And before you say "sky is a social game. No one is forcing to buy anything stop complaining", i know no one is forcing me to buy things, but it sure feels like it. I've already made an ENTIRE other blog about this complaint and you can probably go look for it but can you think of anything in sky that's fun without spending money? That doesn't include talking with friends (which BY THE WAY still costs money just to unlock chat if you didn't friend them with a qr like? Why tf do you need to SPEND MONEY just to talk to someone???) almost everything in the game needs money to be enjoyed. You can enjoy the story sure, but you can't express yourself in a way that doesn't require buying SOMETHING

Also why does sky have so many bugs all the time. There is not a single update where something wasn't fucked up in the making. I know sky isn't perfect and I'm nowhere near a game development professional but how do you even do that

Anyways.. i just want a tumblr blog to start over completely and gain an audience that isn't so restricted to one interest. I like art, and that's way more broad than just sky art only because i VERY VERY VERRYYY rarely draw sky art. I for some reason don't find it super enjoyable to draw skykids (unless I'm getting paid for it which is why the majority of my sky art are commissions lmao)

Just judging by the attention my blogs and art received on here, i assumed the algorithm was a lot better than other apps. I felt like maybe doing an oc blog too would be beneficial since its something i actually enjoy and WANT to talk about instead of just. Occasionally mentioning sky just to complain about it lmaoo

If you made it this far thanks for reading!! Also if you're here for the tldr: i don't love sky as much as i used to. This blog is very restricting and i wanna start over with an art acc in general

Btw i may still blog about sky on my new blog (if i do make it) but i would more likely just blog about games i like in general when i feel like it. Only talking about sky is just... Ehhhh..

[dairydaycat]

☆Hey, I have Moomins OCs!☆

My first encounter with the Moomin universe didn't go very smoothly. The very first cartoon I saw was a Soviet puppet cartoon. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was extremely scared then! The cartoon was intimidating, obscure, mysterious. And with such a visual, it's not surprising!

I think I saw a series about a comet then. And I was extremely frightened by this atmosphere of the fact that something terrible and unknown is about to happen, with this music and some kind of echo in the voices of the characters. Since then, I vowed not to watch anything related to the Moomins, for fear of repeating that unpleasant feeling. However, then I met my beloved Jessie! She was familiar with the old cartoon in 2D graphics, which is considered a classic. I myself became interested, and, having nothing to do, since I was in the hospital at that time, I asked my cousin to bring me her book about Moomin. It was a collection of original translated and adapted stories that were quite interesting to read! And while I will always have this feeling of mysterious pressure deep down in my soul, I found this world extremely pleasant, as well as the animated series that I looked at later.

Sniff is my favorite character. I like his design and cautious nature, I think he is a nice guy! However, I didn't see any more Sniff-like creatures, so I decided to create my own! This is Scrap. He doesn't have the most pleasant personality. Rough, harmful, but with a soft and even sweet soul.

Meanwhile, my girlfriend came up with a little mumrik girl Yuta. She is the brightest, bravest and sometimes brazenest girl you can meet! She quickly became the focus of the forest she settled in, and was even able to befriend Scrap.

I also came up with other characters in this wonderful world. The Doctor is a rather strict and serious Moomin. He lives in the distance, leading a reclusive life. He likes peace and quiet, and therefore the sudden appearance of Yuta became a bright flash of fireworks! At first, he drove her away and grumbled, but, realizing that she was alone at such a young age, he took her in. The third character was Yuta's uncle, Juxafi. A fun-loving and playful adventurer, an easy-going sailor who brings his niece a bunch of gifts every time he sails by. Mumrik would like to take his niece with him, but Moomin Doc prevents this, saying that she is too young, and this klutz cannot take care of her. And finally...

 ¸.☆¸.♡.¸• Jakar • ¸.☆¸.♡.¸ 

I don't know why, but out of all of them, he's become my favorite. Cold and unsociable, he is the complete opposite of his brother and even his daughter. He prefers to spend time alone, enjoying the beauty of nature and the singing of birds. Jakar's legs are pulling him into uncharted paths because he can't just sit still. He is a wanderer who sometimes likes to return to familiar places. Who knows what is on the mind of this taciturn and mysterious mumrik? He can't stop, even for his own daughter.

I also have profiles for Art Fight, if anyone is interested in reading more! Jakar: https://artfight.net/character/3030088.jakar Juxafi: https://artfight.net/character/3031400.juxafi Moomin Doc: https://artfight.net/character/3031929.moomin-doc

Thank you for reading this incredibly long post about my silly characters!

[moominpapasfanficblog]

Tayberry Moves Out

On finding your place in the world

In the week following Titania’s grand tea party, Tayberry spent more and more time in the depths of Moominvalley’s forests with Sylvie. Finally, in the second week of April, she brought her entire family together for a family meeting in the front parlor of Moominhouse in the early afternoon of the Friday of that week.

“I’m moving to the forest permanently to be with Sylvie. When Winter comes, I’ll go to the South like Snufkinpapa used to do. I can only hope that someday Sylvie will want to come with me. It’s nothing against any of you, but there’s no real place for me in Moominhouse….right now. I still love you all very much, but I feel that I absolutely must do this.”, she said with determination and a hint of sadness.

“That’s fine, my dear, if that’s what you’re determined to do. Just know that the door to Moominhouse will always be open for you….and Sylvie. I will miss seeing you every day, though.”, said Snork Maiden, with tears running down her cheeks.

“Snufkin and I have already taught you all you need to know to make it in the wilderness. Just be certain that this is something Sylvie wants, too. You have to think of their feelings as well as your own. I didn’t think enough of Snufkin’s feelings for far too long and made us both sadder than we needed to be. If it’s meant to be it’ll happen eventually without you having to force it.”, said Moomintroll proudly.

“Well said, my darling Moomintroll! I know you can make your own way in the South, but if you ever want some pointers and directions, don’t hesitate to ask me.”, said Snufkin.

“What about you, Moomin? Don’t you have anything to say to me?”, Tayberry asked her sibling.

“You won’t listen to a thing that I say as usual, so why should I waste my breath! Not a lick of sense in your head! See if I care what you do!”, said Moomin, who immediately stormed upstairs to their room, weeping loudly.

“It’s alright everyone, I’ll see to comforting Moomin. Tayberry, don’t worry. Keep pursuing the answers you need in the way that you need to. Give Moomin plenty of time and space. They’re very tender hearted, just like their father. They never imagined that you would go off on your own this soon.”, said Moominmama, getting up from her chair and following Moomin upstairs.

Snork Maiden got halfway out of her chair and looked worriedly after Moominmama, crying openly now. Moomintroll put his paw on her shoulder and pulled her into his arms and hugged her tenderly.

“We have to trust Moominmama with this. Tayberry needs the both of us and Snufkin to reassure her that we won’t stop her or try to make her change her mind.”, he whispered in her ear gently.

Unexpectedly, the front door blew open and a wave of flower petals swirled into the front parlor. Standing in the doorway was Sylvie, looking more than a little frightened, but very determined. They came up to Tayberry and brought her gently to her feet, a loving smile on their face.

“Tayberry, THIS is how much you have come to mean to me in an astonishingly short time. I have been a part of the natural world since its creation. I have always stayed apart from the ways of so called “civilization” and protected and nurtured green and growing things. I have always had an eternity to carefully choose and nurture my friends. I realize that I don’t have that kind of time with you. I want to treasure every moment that I can have with you no matter how brief your time in this world is. Yes, I will accept you into my world. Yes, I will take you across this precious planet and show you all of its wonders, under my protection. I want to see this world through your eyes. Fear not, all of you here who are her precious family, she will be safe and loved as long as we’re together. We will visit you soon and often.”, said Sylvie. A blinding swirl of flower petals surrounded them and when it dissipated they were gone.

“By my everlasting tail!”, said Moominpapa in stunned shock, “Well, Mama and Moomin need to hear of this right away. Let’s go to them now. It’s going to take all of us to comfort Moomin now.” The others stood up and followed him upstairs immediately.

To Be Continued

[ethernetmeep]

i will try to write a timeline chronologically— from 12:20 to around 4:20, four hour event

first stop at the mall is barnes & noble. i…… [the visual of a businessman holding his hands on his hips, staring to the floor would be humorous here.] well, the first visual i see is that of a moomin stand, one i approach cheerfully. if im doing a dialogue, ill write myself as a multiocular o, to stay consistent with my past choices. besides moomin, the visual that pierced me was that of a display on the second floor. beforehand, i saw that of a dice in a dungeons & dragons container. roll to get a random book recommendation…? fascinating, but i only really liked the dice. said this aloud.

of course, i went towards the religion section (not because i partake in it, but because of dantes inferno!) & seeing…. well, theres no way to be vague about him, is there?

i see a display of james joyce above the section which i proceeded to make my friend take a picture of me pointing & making a soy face at.

there’s several layers as to why this is funny, but i’ll leave that discussion alone for the time being. i wander around & fill my friend in on who he is as a writer, as she is blatantly confused on who she is seeing. i put my words into the way which she would understand, which then leads to the term ‘haunted’ again….

[I PROCEEDED TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH WHICH SEEMED TO PROVE HER POINT. GODDAMN IT. MOVING ON.]

wondered if they had finnegans wake in the store. wanted to go ask someone, but realized that would be awkward. its not as if i was going to buy it & read it all soon, anyway. the only way i believe i could digest the content properly was by audiobook. even then, i am not insane; i have paces i set for myself. ill probably read it in a year, or something. before i die, at the very least. we went towards the calico critter section. bought blind bags… i bought two, c (we will call her c!) one. i realized its now technically a routine to buy my friends calico critters when we go to the mall together, as it first started with my other friend & continued here. bought a rainy day set; two critters in raincoats. so cute…….. i kept the panda & the umbrella which corresponded to my little fella; i also got to keep the little rain puddle! eeek!!!!!!!! im so happy…. so, so happy. they’re so cute…

while on the way back, passed by the philosophy section next to the religion section. stopped & talked a bit with c, her mostly talking. person seen in small snippets from before nearby. he comes up to me; compliments my shirt, i think. i compliment his; we strike up conversation. he looks for a book called les miserables; likes musicals, it seems. book looks long & out of order. we jest about a random LGBTQ book put along a display where it is not meant to be, shit on lore olympus, talk briefly about dantes inferno (he likes it, too!) & sort of all stand there messily. i bring up finnegans wake as he discusses novels which are treacherous to read; its fun being able to retell small things. we stand there for god knows how long, maybe thirty minutes, simply talking. he mostly talks, going on & on about les miserables. i pay for our things & we maneuver to the food court. oh yeah, the book he gets he doesn’t have enough money for— my friend pays for the rest, & then at the food court i pay for both her drink as an act of continuing the kindness & simultaneously pay for her doll she wants later. will discuss when it comes up.

he keeps talking, which is something ive learned from the last kind of talk in this caliber is something which annoys me very little. more sweet, than anything. he doesn’t know when to stop talking at times, and i find that rather… hmm, not humble, genuine. human. that’s the right word. while we talk, i realize he too is very much of a corrective sort of man— i make a joke about a character from the book being comically evil or something, to have him correct me. to some people, they view this as annoying— for me, it felt familiar. and, if my collected demeanor shows anything, i was not at all irritated by it. i was happy to be corrected if it meant he was happy & got to discuss his interests, & i didn’t take it too personally. he just wants correct information to be known, is all. i look at him when he talks, try my best to. i haven’t thought of an animal he’s like, yet. i do that with people i meet, usually. a small brown rabbit…. ah, anyway, i also tried the esteemed boba for the first time. pineapple & coconut bubble tea. i went with the option i knew id at least tolerate, if something bad were to occur. tried it; solid… 7/10? hmm, more so 6. very milky. unsure what i was expecting. boba tasted good, too.. the umm, bubbles themselves. drank half & offered the rest to c, which then gave it to her friend later on. avid saliva disliker, but i am no longer drinking it.

what next… enter target, talk with them both. f (inital of his name) talks for most of it, as per usual. very talkative. said his hat backwards made him look like the pillsbury dough boy… he laughed. there was more little things like that which occurred, but trying to move onward smoothly. talked about playground by aron beauregard (didn’t read it, however listened to a very in-depth review— respect myself too much to subject myself to reading) & how one kid used another as a, how does he say it, human skateboard. f stunned by this, asks me how. i explain both this & the idea— explain the book is essentially like saw but with children yet the same amount of gore. theres more to it, but i am not talking about that book right now. no thank you. c finds a monster high doll she hid; this is the item i pay for. draculaura! a very pretty doll, will see more once my friend shows it off on her instagram story.. i don’t use it often, but will indulge simply for her. looked cute from what i saw, though. i am always happy to pay for things— used gift card for it, along with sunscreen. hadn’t found any in my house, so its very much necessary.

afterwards, bought pretzels…. i ♥️ the pretzel bites from the mall. i’m a sucker for them! also bought a frozen lemonade… both c and f got one of the pretzel bites in my little cup :^) happily sharing with friends.. i got his number too, so that’s cool. we’ll likely talk later today. we’re different, but similar enough we can still click. i find this nice. he has to leave around 3, and we make our goodbyes. offer hug (which he doesn’t take, which is fine), then offer handshake which is awkward. we go with a high five. wave goodbye, head to meet (misspelled as meat) c’s friends. he pronoun used for me by one, which is still quite unexpected. never expect that…

when they arrive, i’ve realized the time has increasingly taken its toll. unused to so much time in a mall. f meets c’s friends, i say her friends as i am not quite as close. fascinating acquaintances. wave goodbye to f twice, move with acquaintances. let them go to a store they wish to go to whilst i go somewhere alone. a needed break. buy a pen & sanrio cards, along with a small pikachu figure. will show my friend who loves pokemon later. went back & entered the store, talked with c. saw a certain little frog man….

ꙮ, HOLDING THE SMALL COSMETIC ITEM LIKE A FRAGILE BEING: “HE REMINDS ME OF SOMEONE.”

C: “WHO?”

ꙮ: “W—WHAT?”

i say this aloud, accidentally. i do not answer her, as i suddenly feel embarrassed. luckily, she changes direction, which i will take in this case

C: “OH, HE REMINDS ME OF YOU.”

ꙮ: “AH, UH, THANK YOU.”

buy the small item. a keroppi lip balm… i already have lip balm, but the item in itself is cute. macaron shaped. i allow myself something silly. pay for an item she gets, as i assumed she had no money left. oops. she did, but she allowed me to pay. she then gave me a few ones. offered her to keep it, but she persisted. she doesn’t owe me anything, i state, but she still believes she does. whatever helps keep her sane.

we go back to a few different stores & what have you. while she’s talking with her friends, i take a seat & stare at the small item which i bought. i compliment a few strangers outfits & attire; i like being positive. we leave around 4:04. she gets home soon after. day at mall ends there.

that was.. quite a lot of writing. i will showcase a few items; it’s only fair, for someone that read all this mix of a tangent.

calico critters my beloved…

BONUS:

[removed the first photo with the fish as i realized someone accidentally was in frame & i don’t wish to expose them like that. twas of a decent sized fish tank with angelfish & the like.]

stared at the nail salon fish for ten minutes. i love fish

going to the mall with a friend today

[ask-lock-shock-and-barrel]

How does your reboot au differ from the movie, character and storytelling wise?

((So the fun thing about the movie is that it leaves us with so much open ended possibilities with what these characters' pasts and futures are like that honestly anything goes. The only things the movie really establishes as ~unchangable~ are that Jack is growing tired of Halloween, Sally is a creation of Finkelstein who likes Jack, Jack and Oogie don't like each other, and that the Trio work for Oogie up until he Dies In Minecraft.

There's not any set timeframe of how long these circumstances have been. And like I've said before, I do not consider the games canon.

So this 'reboot' still has those circumstances, but it takes place a good couple of years after the movie events. That allows character dynamics to shift and for other events to have happened inbetween the end of the movie and now. And since games are not canon, I can do what I want with past events and dynamics too.

For characters, Jack is more of the same, a charismatic leader who wants what is best for the town, but he is prone to messing up when he is too focused on his aspirations. And there is an aspect of misinterpreting the actions of others when it comes to his character too. Like in the movie where Sally attempts to warn Jack of her visions or he misinterprets the humans' fear of him as joy. This is a flaw of his that I implemented in my own storytelling, such as him not realizing Shock was wanting his help to stop Oogie, which resulted in bigger repurcussions than anything else.

Sally I personally see as someone who acts as the voice of reason like in the movie, but deep down she can be just as unhinged and impulsive as Jack or other townsfolk. The difference between her and them though is she has more than one working braincell and she's a lot craftier. Idk, I think Sally has the right to go nuts sometimes, and smash a chair over someone's head.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel, my three terrible children, get the biggest glowup because they deserve it. I always thought the games sort of mis-used them and didn't put any real consideration into developing them beyond repeating their role in the movie. And sure that can be fun, but I think in a reboot/continuation it would feel repetetive. The childlike villainy they have in the movie is cheeky and endearing, but for it to repeat itself without substance or development like in the games would result in them being in a flat 'evil sidekick' role that could easily make them come across as shrill and unlikable if done too long. And they're fun chaotic characters who deserve to be explored and allow that fun chaos to grow along with them. They're allowed to be nasty sometimes, and cause mayhem, but they're also allowed to be kids, who have feelings and worries and joys. Like if Little My from Moomin lived in Halloween Town? I think she'd be besties with them.

I more or less expanded on their few different traits from the movie so they could act as individual characters AND a trio of friends at the same time. In the movie, Lock is the self proclaimed leader and likes to be in charge but he's not the brightest. I expand on that by allowing him to be an absolute ball of chaos and energy and always big on ideas for nonsensical things, and the epitome of Gen Z shenanigans. To quote the inner 11 year old in my head: Lock is Cringe, like most kids. He's an airhead most of the time but convinced he's the smartest guy in the room, and he's quite the little ham. He's also got some big issues with loneliness as a result of being abandoned by his family and often acts out for attention, not genuine malice. Shock is the most cunning in the movie and a big know it all, and most lore seems to establish her as the oldest, so my incarnation develops those traits in her too. She's genuinely very smart, and whilst she is a bossy know it all, deep down, it comes out of love for her friends and she's their big sister. She's also dealing with serious growing pains as she's starting to process some of the terrible things she was exposed to years before, and realizing how much fear and terror had forced her into keeping her loyalties with Oogie for so long and keeping the other two in line with her. Barrel was always my favorite as a kid because they're so quiet but always seemed happier and more carefree than the other two. I thought that was the perfect grounds to make an emotionally intelligent, nonconformist, free-spirit of a child who could act like the Bugs Bunny to the combined Lock and Shock's Daffy Duck. Nobody expects the quiet weird kid to be a prodigy of sorts, but Barrel is a pint sized well of untapped potential and is much sweeter and empathetic than the other two. I also portray them as nonbinary because nonbinary can be anything!

In a reboot/continuation, these kids are a couple years older than they were in the movie, so their brains are bigger, and they've had a couple years to move on from the Oogie Boogie days. They're still all about causing mayhem, and are at various levels of coping from 'doing great' to 'sweet murgatroyd get this kid a therapist', but they're slowly and unconsciously allowing themselves to integrate into town society, and it's the care and guidance of Jack, Sally, and others who really help out with that.

As for other characters, like the Mayor or Dr. Finkelstein, their characters are more or less the same, but they have more room to live their lives and develop outside of a 70 minute movie. ))

[annzybwrites]

Epiphany, Part 4

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Good day, Moomintroll.

I’ll be in the waterfall’s cave for a few days. Join me if you feel ready for an apology and a chat.

Snufkin

Moomin stood by the entrance of the forest, right where Snufkin’s tent used to be, holding the small note in his hands. Snufkin had rolled it up and tied it to a nearby tree with a bright blue string just so Moomin wouldn’t miss it.

Snufkin often left notes like this if he’d packed up in the middle of the night to head to a new location, or if he went on a sudden journey. But they were usually a bit longer, and usually he signed the notes with some kind of epithet, like “Your dearest friend, Snufkin.”

He must be really, really upset. Not that Moomin could blame him.

Moomin rolled the note back up, taking a deep breath as he clutched it close to his chest. The fact that Snufkin was waiting for him in the cave that had started this whole mess didn’t exactly ease his anxiety, but he figured Snufkin must have his reasons. A small part of him wanted to wait until tomorrow to join him — the note said he’d be there a few days, after all. It would give him more time to prepare, and more time for Snufkin to cool down.

He quieted that part of him with a sigh, shaking his head. No, he shouldn’t put this off any longer. He’d made Snufkin wait long enough.

~~~

The sounds of rushing water filled Moomin with an odd mix of calming dread. Calming because being around water was usually very peaceful for him, but dread because of the conversation he’d soon be having.

He took a deep breath as walked further into the cave, the waterfall’s roaring becoming louder with each step. The sun’s rays were bright where they peered through the thin cracks in the ceiling, some of the stone below dazzling and sparkling under the light.

His heart lurched in his chest when he rounded a corner and saw a familiar, green tent. It was closed, but the zipper wasn’t all the way down; something Snufkin did when he wanted Moomin to know that he wasn’t inside it.

Swallowing, Moomin walked further into the waterfall’s clearing, his tail between his legs as he looked around. “Sn-Snufkin?” he called, swearing at himself for stuttering. “Are you… here, somewhere?”

“Look up.”

Moomin’s entire coat of fur bristled, his ears twitching. He walked a bit farther before tilting his head, his heart leaping at the sight of Snufkin laying on top of a large boulder, one of his legs dangling off the side. His hat was on his chest, and although he faced the ceiling Moomin could still see the dull frown on his face.

“I’ll be honest,” Snufkin hummed, not moving an inch, “I didn’t think you’d come until tomorrow.”

Moomin’s stomach twisted painfully inside him. He glanced down, admitting, “I thought about it.”

The two didn’t move.

Snufkin took a breath, grabbing his hat so he could sit up and turn to him, bringing a leg up so he could rest his chin atop it. But what was worse was that Moomin couldn’t tell what Snufkin was feeling, even when he looked into those bright, hazel eyes. Which is why his next words made Moomin’s own eyes widen in surprise.

“I’m sorry about last night.” Snufkin glanced down at his perch, frowning. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.”

“Snufkin, you don’t --”

“Let me finish.” Snufkin took a breath, closing his eyes now. “I meant what I said last year. I didn’t tell you I loved you because I expected anything to change, I simply wanted you to know. But, last night was just…” Snufkin clenched his teeth, his eyebrows creasing together. “It hurt, you not saying anything to counter them. But, when I thought about it more, I realized there was nothing you could have said, really. So, I’m sorry.”

Moomin already felt tears in the corners of his eyes as Snufkin finished. When the note had mentioned an apology, he had assumed Snufkin would want one from him, not the other way around. “Snufkin.” His voice cracked, so he swallowed before continuing, “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I’m the one who’s hurt you.”

Snufkin turned his face away, but not before Moomin saw the faintest wince cross his face. “I’m all right, Moomintroll.”

Moomin shook his head, arguing quietly, “But it’s not all right. It’s not all right at all, and I’m sorry I’ve been so cruel to you.”

Snufkin curled both of his legs to his chest then, resting his forehead against his knees. He mumbled something that Moomin couldn’t hear over the nearby waterfall’s torrents.

“Can I join you up there?” Moomin asked, already walking towards the bolder’s base. “It’ll be easier to hear you.”

Snufkin only nodded against his knees. Moomin felt his heart ache as he began to climb up, digging his claws into the smooth stone to quicken his time. Once he reached the top, he took a seat next to Snufkin, keeping a few inches between them as he dangled his legs off the edge.

“What did you say?” Moomin whispered. “I couldn’t hear from down there.”

Snufkin chuckled softly, lifting his head enough so Moomin could see the smile he reserved for strangers on his lips. “It doesn’t matter.”

Moomin’s heart clenched so painfully that he felt the urge to reach over and grab Snufkin’s hand. But he stopped himself by taking a deep breath and looking forward. “It does matter. You’ve been nothing but kind and patient with me, and… and the least I could have done was stand up for you last night. I could have said something vague, like we have talked about our relationship --”

“That would have just spurred more questions.” Snufkin sighed, his smile dropping as he shook his head. “And that sentiment isn’t even true, now is it?”

Moomin felt a stab to his heart, but a small part of him was glad Snufkin was admitting he was hurt by this whole thing. “You’re right,” he whispered, clasping his hands together. “It isn’t. So, I… I came here to fix that.”

Snufkin tensed, turning to him with widened eyes that were now filled with apprehension and fear. “You did?”

Moomin nodded, watching as Snufkin’s teeth clenched, his arms tightening around his legs.

“I appreciate you wanting to be clear now,” Snufkin whispered, facing forwards again, “but if you’re only talking with me because of the incident last night, then you don’t need to say anything. Your silence on the matter has told me plenty already.”

Moomin felt his mouth turn dry, wondering if his initial instinct had been correct; maybe Snufkin didn’t want to hear it if the answer was negative.

Or maybe his best friend was in more pain than he thought.

“I’m sorry,” Moomin started with, his voice barely louder than the rushing waterfall. “Because you’re right, I probably wouldn’t be talking at all right now if last night never happened. But… it did, and, and I -- you deserve to know what I think about this. What I’ve been thinking about this.”

Snufkin didn’t reply. He didn’t even move a muscle aside from the slow, even breaths he had to take.

Moomin turned his gaze forwards, swallowing once to collect himself. “The reason it’s taken me so long to say anything is because… I do love you, Snufkin, of course I do --”

“But,” Snufkin interrupted quietly, his wispy tone matching his empty expression far too well.

Moomin felt like his heart wanted to curl up inside itself and sink into his stomach. “But, I don’t want things to change. I… I don’t think we’d work -- I’m needy, Snufkin. I want someone by my side constantly. I want someone who wants to be by my side constantly. In spring, and summer, and fall, and --”

“Winter.” Snufkin sighed softly, burying his forehead against his knees.

Moomin was starting to feel choked up, so he swallowed again before muttering a hoarse, “Yes.”

Silence joined them once more, winding between them and making the waterfall’s roar even louder as more time passed.

“And,” Moomin banished the silence with a wavering word, hesitating before adding, “and I’d be absolutely thrilled if that was you. But, I… I know I can’t ask that of you. I don’t want to be that selfish.”

Snufkin took an audible breath, letting it out slowly as he kept his face hidden against his knees. Moomin got the distinct impression that he was trying not to cry, and it made him want to shrink down to the size of an ant and bury himself deep underground.

“I’m sorry,” Moomin whispered again, burning tears obscuring his vision. “Maybe if I was m-more independent, we could… I…” He sucked in a shallow breath, finding it difficult to take in air. “I’m sorry I’m so needy.”

He stopped talking when Snufkin grasped his paw, the mumrik slowly turning his head until his cheek was resting on his knees. As Moomin suspected, there were tears in his eyes, but he was surprised at the small smile his dear friend wore. “It’s not needy if it’s just what you need, Moomintroll.”

Moomintroll was shaking, everything in his vision becoming so blurry that he could barely separate the colors. He sniffled, wiping desperately at his eyes with his free hand, and hating how much he loved having Snufkin’s firm hand in his paw to ground him to the moment.

“I really shouldn’t be crying,” Moomintroll whispered. “You’re probably hurting so much worse --”

“Don’t do that,” Snufkin told him firmly, squeezing his paw. “Comparing pain is never a good idea. We can both be hurting at the same time, and it doesn’t detract anything from either of our experiences.”

Moomin closed his eyes, sniffling again. “Yet you’re the one having to comfort me, instead of letting your own feelings out.”

Snufkin’s hand tensed a bit before he slowly let go, leaving Moomin feeling just a bit colder. “Well… I have different coping mechanisms.”

“I know.” Moomin took a breath, using both hands to wipe at his tears now. Once he cleared enough away he opened eyes, spotting Snufkin curled up once more with just his eyes visible behind his knees. “But if you want to cry, you should also be able to. I’d like to comfort you sometimes, too, you know.”

Snufkin chuckled a little, his eyes closing. “I don’t think my heart could handle that right now.”

“Oh.” Moomin looked down for a moment, pressing his fingers against the tops of his legs. “Right. I suppose you’ll, um… need to go on a trip after this?”

“Probably,” Snufkin whispered, slowly opening his eyes again so he could glance at Moomin out of his peripheral vision. “I’ll see how I feel tonight.”

“Mm.” Moomin stared back at him, holding Snufkin’s dejected yet accepting gaze. His throat tightened at the desire to ask something else, not sure if he should say anything just then. But he needed to ask if he wanted to get any sleep tonight. “We’re still… friends, right?”

Snufkin’s eyes took on the tiniest crease to them as he lifted his head, turning to look at him with a sad but honest smile. “Why wouldn’t we be? We both still love each other, don’t we?”

Moomin felt his heart flutter a bit, but he didn’t look away. “I… I just thought...”

“I truly did mean what I said, Moomintroll.” Snufkin took a breath, facing forwards to continue his thought. “I didn’t tell you I loved you because I expected anything to change between us. Perhaps a part of me hoped for something to happen, but I’d never hold it against you if you didn’t feel the exact same way.” He stopped, his mouth still open slightly as his eyes turned shiny once more. He laughed softly, a bittersweet smile on his face as he whispered, “I only told you how I felt because I realized it was a truth that was never going to change.”

Moomin felt like his heart had been hollowed out; a deep chasm in his chest that tried to pull his ribs and stomach into a dark abyss.

The shine in Snufkin’s eyes turned to water, quick enough for one tear to roll down his cheek before he hastily wiped it away. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice cracking as he tried to laugh again. “I really do mean everything I’m saying, it’s just --”

“It hurts,” Moomin finished quietly, clasping his hands together. “I’m hurting you.”

Snufkin sniffled, using both hands to wipe at his eyes now as he shook his head. “Sometimes even our comforts cause pain. But that doesn’t mean we love them any less.”

Moomin gripped his leg fur between his fingers, watching as Snufkin kept wiping at his eyes. But he was either not moving fast enough or crying so hard that it didn’t matter, as tear after tear began to stain his clothes.

“Snufkin,” Moomin whispered, hesitantly placing a paw on his shoulder. He jumped a little when Snufkin shifted, wrapping his arms around Moomin’s neck and clinging to him like a newborn to its mother.

“Just,” Snufkin could hardly speak through his quiet sobs, his face buried against the crook of Moomin’s neck. “Hold me. Please.”

Moomin wrapped his arms around Snufkin’s waist, pulling him as close as could be. He felt the way that Snufkin’s small body jolted every few seconds with emotion, and he closed his eyes as more of his own tears came to him. He remembered what he had been told last year, when he had been crying much like Snufkin was doing right now.

You could never lose me.

He squeezed Snufkin tighter, returning the sentiment with a promise of his own. “I’m not going anywhere, Snufkin.”

Part 5

[discworldwitches]

ummm 1, 11, 22, 33, 44, because i'm an elevens bitch 🖤

who is/are your comfort character(s)? bertie from tuca & bertie; marceline & bmo from adventure time; r2d2 & obi-wan from stars wars; shizuku from whisper of the heart; zeniba from spirited away; giles from buffy; all the four hobbits from lotr; most of the moomins (incl. hemulen but not stinky. ninny the invisible child especially though!); coraline & the cat from coraline; and ed from cowboy bebop!! some of my book ones are more obscure but if you're curious lmk!

11. favorite extracurricular activity? i took dance for a long time but i didn't like taking classes lol. i did poetry/creative writing club & theatre when i was hs and i really enjoyed that.

22. what type of person are you? this is hard to answer w a dissociative disorder but inquisitive, compassionate, analytical, and creative.

33. the last adventure you’ve been on? ok so the last "adventure" i was on was probably when my friend and i got a ride to the beach up island where there is no cell service. we didn't explicitly agree on when we would be picked up and so she and i just sort of made our way back to the road when we thought our ride (my ex/friend) would be there. we waited for like 1 1/2 hours and then started to get worried so we walked down the road watching for cars until we found the bus stop for backpackers. we took the bus back into the nearest town and then panicked as we tried to call my friend. she had showed up at the beach right after us and just wondered into the forest bushwacking until she reached the sand. she turned around when she realized we weren't there and drove back to town because that's the only place with cell service. eventually we got a hold of each other and were able to get a ride back home but it was pretty stressful. i hope that counts lol

44. you get a free pass to kill anyone, who is it? it's not like a good idea and definitely i don't think this a solution but my first thought was the dude who assaulted me in uni

anyway thank u for the ask!! sorry it got a little dark and long there. i love 11's though my personal jam are 3's. 💜

[carriagelamp]

Weirdly enough, I often find myself reading less in the summer, since I have more time than I do during the rest of the year to do other things. Also artfight has been eating up more than a bit of my free time! But here’s a collection a graphic novels I sat around on the hammock reading, and some novels I finished up...

(Everyone go read All Systems Red, holy crow guys)

A Whale of the Wild

The “sequel” to A Wolf Called Wander, though it doesn’t actually connect to the previous novel except in the stylistic/thematic sense. A Whale of the Wild is very much a standalone novel. And a pretty decent one! Personally, I think I liked Wolf more, but this one was a pleasant, informative read, with just the right amount of crushing dread sprinkled in. It’s about a young orca called Vega who is learning to become a new wayfinder for her pod but who still has a lot to learn, especially in an ocean that is becoming increasingly hostile to orcas and the other sealife that live alongside humans. When a devastating earthquake hits, Vega and her little brother find themselves separated from their family, lost in a now horrifyingly unfamiliar environment, and fighting starvation as the salmon that sustain them become more and more unreliable. It’s a desperate fight for survival as they search for food and their missing family. This book is written for a middle grade level, and does a really good job of putting the current environmental crisis into an animal’s perspective while giving the readers something to hope for.

The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom

Every July I eagerly anticipate the next Adventure Zone graphic novel. This one is for their fourth arc, The Crystal Kingdom, in which Magnus, Taako, and Merle respond to a SOS from a floating laboratory that is gradually being consumed by crystals and which threatens the entire world should it fall into the ocean. Carey Pietsch’s art continues to be absolutely fantastic, so beautifully and hilariously expressive, and this one delivers some great Merle moments, lots of Carey Fangbattle, and, of course, Kravtiz. Kravitz, my beloved…

Anyway, I obviously always recommend these. If you’ve never gotten into The Adventure Zone, I totally recommend either trying these graphic novels — or even better, just go listen to the podcast because it really is both hilarious and creates a shockingly good and heart-wrenching story by the end.

All Systems Red

I’ve seen The Murderbot Diaries on my dash occasionally, and it always looked interesting, but a friend’s recommendation finally compelled me to read the first novella of the series. And holy shit y’all. Absolutely the best book I’ve read this month, it’s amazing. Mind-blowingly good. Also, if you’re like me and want a good audiobook, it’s a nice three-hour listen, very chill!

Anyway, All Systems Red is about a Security Unit, an artificially created being that’s part-organic part-mechanical and all-company-owned-and-controlled. However, self-named “Murderbot” has managed to hack into the system that suppresses its own will, and is now coasting along, doing the least amount of work its job requires not to be noticed, while preferring to spend all its time watching the hours and hours of soap operas it has downloaded into its brain. And it’s a tolerable if somewhat dull life, until the science team that it's currently rented to is attacked and the whole mission goes pear-shaped. Suddenly Murderbot has to scramble to keep its humans alive… while its humans scramble with the realization that their “SecUnit” isn’t actually a mindless robot like they had all believed...

This story is both gripping and hilariously funny. Murderbot has such a unique voice and perspective and it’s an absolute pleasure to follow its story. I reallly need to read the next book...

Asterix and the Banquet

A classic. I was startled when I realized I hadn’t actually read this Asterix story… but hell I’m not gonna complain, it lets me read one of the originals for the first time again! In this Asterix volume, the Indomitable Gauls and the Romans end up arranging a bet — the Romans intend to keep them under siege, trapped in their village, while Asterix is confident that he can easily evade them… and will prove it by going on a tour around all of Gaul, collecting iconic foods from each region in order to return and put on a fine banquet. So we get a fantastic adventure in which Asterix and Obelix run all over the country, pursued the whole way, while making cheerful stops at the various eateries along the way. Also the first book Dogmatix shows up in! All around, a wonderful read, fun like all the best Asterix comics are.

Beauty Pop v4

A less impressive graphic novel. The first Beauty Pop is one of my guilty pleasure manga because… it really is pretty stupid but in the best possible ways. I mean, the whole thing is framed around hairstyling battles, like a shojo sports manga without the sports. It’s bonkers. Unfortunately, the series does not really manage to hold up, and it really begins to feel repetitive and dragging as it continues… as a lot of series like this do. *shrug* Unsurprising but still kinda disappointing I suppose. The building three-way romantic tension is mildly interesting if for no other reason than the main character Does Not Notice and Does Not Care about any of it, which is amusing and refreshing.

FRNCK v5

Now this series only gets better and better as it goes. This is the first book of the second arc, and somehow the danger just seems to be ramping up and up and up. The cavefamily have lost their home… as well as Léonard and Gargouille. Heartbroken, shocked, and angry, Franck is the one who ends up shouldering the blame for their presumed deaths as the others mourn. Things only get worse when Franck finds himself separated from the family, and in the territory of another tribe, this one hostile and cannibalistic...

Haikyuu v5

I continue to read this series because it continues to be charming… though it is beginning to feel, maybe, just a little repetitive. Kind of an inevitability with sports manga. But so far it continues to be good enough to overcome that. I’m not sure what I can say about this series that I haven’t already, so I’ll simply say it continues to be one of the most impressive sports manga I’ve read, and the author does a fantastic job of creating engaging characters, fleshed out teams, and really compelling relationships. I do genuinely adore all the main members of Crows, along with a number of characters from the rival teams as well. And of course it has some kickass volleyball scenes that are just drawn so dramatically they can’t help but take your breath away a little.

M*A*S*H Goes To Maine

Meh. The original book of the series was actually quite good in my opinion. This one… considerably less so. The first part I enjoyed more, since it was about Hawkeye, Trapper, Duke, and Oliver Jones trying to set up the FinestKind Clinic and Fishmarket in Crabapple Cove (which… is just the best premise I could have ever asked for). However, the book spends most of its time describing the quirky lives and times of other people living in the area and I… just… don’t care. It was funny at times but… I just don’t care. I wanted to hear more about the main cast. Also I found this book felt more racist and misogynistic than the first which also put me off :/ Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Go read the first book instead, or better yet just watch the TV show which is an obvious banger.

My Heart’s in the Highlands

I have had this on my “currently reading” list for so long but I’m officially giving up. It’s a really good book in theory but my god I can’t get over the pacing.

It’s about Lady Jane, a woman studying medicine in Edinburgh in 1888, and who suddenly finds herself back in the Highlands in the 13th century. Lost and confused, Jane is now at the mercy Clan Donald’s hospitality while she tries to adjust to this new world and hunts for her broken time machine. Fortunately, this hospitality include a burgeoning friendship with a red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, who opens Jane’s eyes to the way the world could be.

Listen. It drives me nuts. This book should be completely up my alley, it has everything I like — IT HAS ALL OF ITS HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES CITED AT THE BACK, LITTLE EXTRA DETAILS ABOUT EVERY CHAPTER. THAT’S MY SHIT RIGHT THERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OVER HISTORICAL DETAILS?? AND WELL RESEARCHED FOOTNOTES?? And yet it doesn’t. Fucking. Work for me. It has a kickass Scottish warrior lady as a love interest! It has a badass lady doctor! It has fish-out-of-water culture shock! But it also has a completely meandering plot, no sense of building tension, and a romance that just happens out of nowhere and feels completely unearned and uninteresting.

I would genuinely just rather read Outlander again, which I know has its own host of problems, but at least Outlander felt exciting and interesting and tense and funny. The romance built in fits and starts, it was complicated, and kept me interested. That book had me hooked (and has me hooked every time I reread it) whereas this book I’ve been sadly picking at for months like its a plate of overcooked spinach. This felt like an attempt at a queer, historically accurate knockoff which I would normally be super into but which just could not stick the landing.

Moomin on the Riviera

My first time actually reading anything from the Moomin canon. I have zero idea how to feel about it! It certainly is as feral as I’ve heard described! Overall, I think I enjoyed it but it sure made me feel strange emotions I didn’t know existed. I’m not even going to try to describe it. Read it if you want a batshit insane anti-capitalist comic.

Surviving the City

This was good in some areas, less good in others. It had a very interesting indigenous perspective on life in the modern city, the foster system, and The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue, which I’ve never seen handled in a book before. Something about the pacing did not completely click with me and I found myself getting easily distracted, but it’s definitely worth the read just to experience it and look at the issues it deals with through the characters’ (and author’s) eyes. It did give me a lot to think about and wrestle with, which is sometimes the best thing a book can give you.

Torchwood: Pack Animals

A really fun read, more so than I had ever expected! If you like Torchwood and want more stories about the team before everything goes to shit, this is perfect for that. It includes the entire cast, an interest mystery to be unravelled, lots of slavering monsters, Rhys being really wonderful and sweet (which I didn’t know I wanted until I read this book), and all the humour I expect from Torchwood. I had to send a lot of quotes to my long-suffering girlfriend who a) does not watch this show but b) needs to tolerate it because I find it too funny to keep to myself. It was good enough to make me go out another book of the series since this was the only one my library carried.

[adorablele]

we’re just friends; l.dh

hello!!! can i request an imagine with haechan kinda like they were best friends in the past and then after a long time they meet each other again and he finds you really pretty? love all your writings!!!!! 💗💘💞💕 

↬ pairing; lee donghyuck x female!reader

↬  genre; fluff,, angst 

↬ word count; 3.5k+ (my longest fic yet pls don’t flop)

↬ summary; he put the wrong label on your friendship, just like how the grocery store labeled the aisle incorrectly.

↬ a/n; I thought the photo of hyuck was very nice which was why I used it as a header, but if anyone would like to make a header for this fic, I’ll give you virtual hugs <3 also, this is the FIRST TIME I’m writing an angsty ending so feedback is appreciated :)))) 

“excuse me.” someone tapped him on the shoulder.

seven year old donghyuck turned around, quizzically looking at you, “what?”

you made a face at his response. “you need to go to the back of the line,” your tone matched his.

“why?” he immediately asked, eyes boring into yours.

you stared back. “‘cause I was here first.”

“who says?” 

“I say!” you retorted, crossing your arms.

he snorted, “I was clearly here first, that’s why you’re standing behind me.”

you glared at the boy, “what are you a pig?”

he opened his mouth, but you cut him off, “and, the first person stands on the line. you’re in front of it, so I’m first.”

the clearing of a throat interrupted your argument. the two of you looked at the class know-it-all. 

“you guys are both wrong, I’m first.”

“who says?” both you and donghyuck asked.

having caused such a ruckus, the teacher booted the two of you to the back of the line. with a glare aimed at the smug little girl, the both of you followed the teacher’s instruction. 

on his way back, donghyuck spotted his friends, giving them a smile. they high-fived and allowed him to stand in front of them in line. you frowned at him, reminding him that ‘you can’t cut,’ before dutifully continuing your lonesome journey to the back of the line. donghyuck chuckled at your sulkily hung head and told his friends to save two spots at the lunch table. 

“she’s so annoying,” you mumbled, kicking the nonexistent pebbles on the floor, “she thinks she knows everything.”

“I know right,” the boy agreed, eyebrows raising when you jumped.

upon realizing it was him, your gaze went back down to the floor, “I thought you were up there with your friends.”

“the teacher told me to get to the back of the line,” he lied.

you looked at him for a moment. he simply looked back. you pursed your lips, crossing your arms and turning your head, chin up and away from him, “serves you right!” you then proceeded to march away, following the moving line. 

not hearing his footsteps, you peeked behind you. you sighed and fully turned around, placing a hand on your hip.

“are you coming?”

“it’s supposed to be there, not their,” he mumbled to you, reading over your shoulder.

“I’ll fix it when I revise and edit,” you dismissed, continuing to write your draft.

“there’s not supposed to be a comma after you,” he pointed out.

“again, I’ll just fix it when I’m editing,” you told him, thoughts halting because of the boy.

“you know-”

“oh my god, hyuck! just give me these comments when we peer review on thursday!” you exclaimed, glaring at the smirking 10 year old.

“don’t use the lord’s name in vain,” he tsked.

“how cute,” the waitress cooed, setting down the drinks on the table, “are you guys studying together?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” you muttered, annoyance laced in your voice.

the waitress arched a brow, leaning closer to donghyuck. “you like her, don’t you?” she loudly whispered.

he looked at her like she was crazy, not noticing the way your hand froze once the question was asked. “we’re just friends.”

with a slow nod, the waitress looked over at you. she chuckled when you quickly looked down at your paper. “whatever you say,” she shrugged, leaving to go serve other customers in the busy diner.

“what if we drift apart?” you sighed, sipping your juice box as he ate his sandwich on the picnic blanket.

we laughed, ‘we von’t brif abarph.”

you frowned at the boy, “chew your food.”

after a minute of silence, he spoke again. “we won’t drift apart.”

you didn’t say anything. he peered over at you, the loud slurping of the juice box catching his attention.

“I think it’s empty,” he commented, taking another bite of his sandwich. 

you pushed his shoulder, “hyuck, be serious! some friend drift away in middle school.”

he rubbed his shoulder, the crushed juice box gripped tightly in your hand. he sighed and leaned back. “life can’t tear us apart,” he looked up at the sky, “and even if they try, I won’t let you go so easily.”

he grinned at you, the muscles moving automatically upon seeing your sparkly gaze on him, “I mean, who else am I supposed to copy answers from?”

you rolled your eyes, “what are friends for, I guess.”

“you are not going to leave me to ride the bus alone on the first day of school!” 

donghyuck chuckled at the threat you told him the night before, the words somehow motivating him to get out of bed despite how much his blankets begged him to come back. when he arrived at the bus stop, you were pacing back and forth, eyes frantically looking around.

“the bus doesn’t arrive for another-” 

“where have you been?” you cried, hugging him, “I thought I was going to be alone!”

“well, I’m here,” he laughed, patting you on the back reassuringly, “still sleepy, but here nonetheless.”

he listened as you rambled away, nerves floating through your words as the two of you waited for the bus to arrive. you were silent when the bus parked in front of the two of you. he gestured for you to walk in first, and you did, planting down in the window seat. donghyuck yawned, slumping into the seat next to you. he didn’t waste any time, plopping his backpack on the floor next to yours as he leaned his head against your shoulder. 

he quietly counted to himself, hoping that he’ll help him fall back asleep. when he got to thirty, he felt your fingers brush through his hair. it caught him off guard, but eventually, he relaxed, continuing to count to sixty before he left to dreamland.

somewhere along the way, he stopped counting. he didn’t need to count, simply waiting until you played with his hair for him to feel relaxed enough to sleep. 

“hey, are you two dating?” a brown haired boy asked one morning. donghyuck recognized him, the guy sat two seats behind the bus driver. he believed his name had min in it or something.

however, donghyuck didn’t think much about the boy’s name, choosing to laugh at his question instead. you joined in not a second later. donghyuck stared at the boy like he was the funniest person in the world. 

“we’re just friends.”

the guy’s eyes flickered between the two of you suspiciously before he shrugged, “right okay.”

“hey jeno,” he called out waving over to his friend who was actively ignoring him, “jeno, come here! they’re not dating!”

jeno glared at his friend, quickly walking over to him, “why does that matter?” 

“because you-” jeno interrupted his friend, sending an apologetic glance at you and donghyuck, “sorry about jaemin, he’s stupid sometimes.”

you waved him off and gave a nod towards donghyuck. “it’s okay, stupid is his middle name.”

donghyuck gave you a side-eye, “I’m not the one who used soap as toothpaste this morning.”

“they’re both green!” you defended.

jeno and jaemin were easily forgotten, left to watch the two of you bicker away. 

jaemin snickered in jeno’s ear, “we’re just friends, they say.”

“I know you have it!” renjun yelled, keeping jaemin in a headlock.

“renjun, let jaemin go,” you sighed, setting down your lunch on the table.

“so abusive,” jaemin weeped, clinging onto you once he was out of renjun’s deadly arms.

“we don’t know if he was the one who took your moomin plushie, so calm down,” you told him. however, your words went to waste when jaemin stuck his tongue out at renjun, triggering the boy to lunge at him. you looked over at jeno, hoping he’d stop the fight, but jeno remained unbothered, finishing whatever he was writing. 

donghyuck silently sat there, the moonmin plushie hidden in his backpack. he went by unnoticed, his plan succeeding. a subtle, sly smirk rested on his lips, one that no one noticed. no one, but you. 

“hyuck,” you called out.

“yeah,” he smiled, feigning an innocent look.

“where’d you hide it?”

“hide what?” he asked, tilting his head.

you gave him a pointed look to which he responded with a shrug, “why are you- hey!”

renjun grabbed donghyuck’s backpack, digging through it like there’s no tomorrow. he lifted the plushie out of the bag, lips lined straight.

“aight, imma head out,” donghyuck coughed, bolting out of the lunch room.

“you’re so dead!” renjun screamed chasing after his friend.

donghyuck slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath. he was almost successful in framing jaemin for his mischievous act, keyword being almost. he shook his head, your careful eyes popping into his mind.

of course you figured it out, you always did.

“well, we have a month,” jaemin smiled.

“yeah, why don’t we start planning?” jeno suggested.

renjun pulled out his notebook, labeling the page as ‘donghyuck’s a coward - things to do so he’ll pee himself’. And while the three of them were busy brainstorming activities for the group to do before he left, donghyuck couldn’t help but focus on you. 

you were silent, mouth sewn shut ever since he dropped the news. you wouldn’t look at him, and after a few minutes of picking at your food, you excused yourself. he trailed after you, spotting you in a squatted position in the field.

“life can’t tear us apart, huh?” you laughed, plucking the dandelion from the ground. 

he squatted down next to you, staring at the dandelion twirling in your hand. 

“that’s still true.”

“you’re moving, hyuck.” your voice was soft, almost blending in with the whistles of the wind. you crushed the dandelion pedals, the tears starting to prick in your eyes.

he lifted your chin to look up at him. he wiped away the tears, cupping your face. 

“hey, hey, you’re going to be fine! you’ve got jeno, jaemin and renjun by your side,” he reassured.

donghyuck pulled you into a hug, the pedals in your hand drifting away in the slight breeze. he watched them slowly land a few feet away from the picnic blanket. his grip tightened, your tears streaming down your face.

“I won’t let you go so easily,” he promised. 

donghyuck wished he stuck to those words, but here he was, five years later, with zero attempts to contact you. he touched the chain around his neck, fingers trailing down to the jewel with your birthday engraved in it. 

(“you never remember my birthday,” you pouted, “so here’s your reminder!”)

subconsciously, he started to rub it, the fleeting thought that this could magically summon you passed through his mind. he shook his head, ignoring all the unpacked boxes surrounding him and deciding that it was a nice day to go walking.

following the familiar tune, donghyuck walked until he spotted the ice cream truck nearby. just as he was about to stand behind the line, a person cut in front of him. he blinked, shocked that someone, presumably an adult, would cut in front of him for some ice cream. what shocked him more was this unsettling feeling that this girl looked like you. 

“excuse me,” he said, tapping the person on the shoulder.

donghyuck couldn’t believe his eyes, even when he recognized that scar on your eyebrow from when he dared you to jump off the swing, teasing you that you didn’t have the guts.

(“you’re bleeding!” he cried, tears effortlessly falling down his face as you cried along with him.)

if he wasn’t so close, he wouldn’t have been able to see it. 

“yes?” you asked, tone way politer than it was back in first grade.

donghyuck almost forgot why he even approached you, distracted by how the sun created a halo around you. his heart sped up, maybe you weren’t y/n. he didn’t remember you looking this pretty.

“you need to go to the back of the line,” he finally said.

you furrowed your brows, head tilting. “why…” your voice trailed off, a hint in your voice saying that your question wasn’t applying to what he just said.

he grinned seeing the gears turning in your head. “‘cause I was here first.”

if possible, the sun shone brighter, acting as the lightbulb that went off in your head.

“donghyuck?” 

“are you sure you’re free today?” he asked, eyeing the basket in your hand.

you nodded, “yeah. I was planning to enjoy this meal in the park since it’s such a nice day out today.”

“by yourself?” he asked, raising a brow.

“can’t tell if you’re judging me, but yes, by myself.”

“I’m not,” he paused, “intruding on a date with yourself?”

you stopped walking, turning to look to your left like someone was there, “hey y/n, are you okay with this?”

you stepped to the left, looking to your right, “yeah, I’m good, what about you?”

stepping back to the right, you frowned to your left, “I don’t know.” you looked back at donghyuck’s amused eyes, “he hasn’t contacted us in five years, should he really eat lunch with us?”

for the last time, you stepped to the left, “just don’t give him the cake.”

with a nod, you stepped in front of donghyuck, “myself and I think it’s okay.”

“lee donghyuck!” three boys shouted, attracting the attention of the people trying to enjoy a peaceful day at the park.

his eyes widened, looking over at your cheeky smile. 

“maybe I lied,” you giggled. 

and before he could think about the butterflies that erupted in his stomach when he heard the sound, the aforementioned three boys attacked him with slaps on the backs, words overlapping each other. 

“where have you been?”

“you do have a phone, right?”

“why are you avoiding us?”

“did you move back here?”

“are you visiting?”

“guys!” you yelled, catching the attention of the boys, “whoever’s barbecuing might want to check on the food, it’s smelling a bit burnt.”

“and-” you interrupted yourself, laughing at the untold story.

donghyuck didn’t mind, he was busy processing the noise, still not used to the fluttering in his stomach. your laugh resonated in his ears and harmonized with the chirps of the birds. it left him with a stomach full of giddiness.

“it would help if you finished your story,” renjun pointed out, taking a bite of his food.

you waved him off, “I will, I will!”

you continued your tale, recounting countless shenanigans that he missed in the past five years like when jaemin got bombarded with pom poms because he accidentally walked into the girl’s locker room.

(“I guess that’s one way to get their attention,” you laughed.

“it was my first week there! how was I supposed to know they were lying to me?”

“maybe read the signs?” renjun suggested.)

or when jeno had to reject a guy because he slipped a confession letter into the wrong locker. 

(“what a heartbreaker,” jaemin tsked, receiving a glare from jeno. 

“the letter didn’t even have his name on the paper!”)

or when renjun almost blew up the school during chemistry because he refused to listen to his lab partner. 

(“he wanted to impress her,” jeno commented.

“spoiler alert, it failed,” you added.

“she thought I was dumb,” renjun frowned.)

or when you tackled a random stranger, thinking he was the one who pranked you.

“he’s my boyfriend, now.”

did he mishear that?

“right now,” you pouted, plushed  beautifully under the sun’s rays, “he’s abroad in europe.”

“he’ll be back in two days, don’t worry,” jaemin reassured you, patting you on the back.

your eyes held all the stars in the galaxy when you talked about pandas, your favorite animal, and donghyuck thought that that was the only time your eyes would ever put the stars to shame. 

he was wrong.

as you were spewing out stories about your boyfriend, your eyes made him think that he was looking through a telescope, staring up at the night sky. you held a shy smile, melting donghyuck’s heart to mush. 

but then those words echoed in his mind. 

he’s my boyfriend.

they swirled in his mind, traveling down his spine and coiling around his heart like a snake. it crushed him, leaving a pool of disappointment in his chest. he shouldn’t be disappointed.

he looked at your practically glowing figure. your cheeks were faint with red, your lips softer than the blanket on your lap, your hands looking too heavy for you to hold, but you weren’t his. 

“we’re just friends,” he breathed out, words blending with the wind. they were heavier than he remembered, bitter as he let it rest on his tongue. thankfully, no one heard him. except you, of course.

“did you say something?” you asked him, almost swearing that you saw his mouth move.

he blinked, “what?”

you furrowed your brows, “nothing, I thought you had something to say.”

donghyuck shook his head, heart palpitating with your eyes intensely analyzing him. he took a bite of his food, hoping that you wouldn’t bother him now that he was occupied with chewing. and you did, dropping the topic and continuing on about the adventures you had with jeno, jaemin, renjun and- he doesn’t know your boyfriend’s name. 

he scoffed silently to himself, he’ll find out later. he’s bound to hear the guy’s name again, anyway.

donghyuck found it funny how he left the picnic early to get his mind off of you, yet here he was, strolling behind you with the shopping cart filled with various junk foods. it was almost two in the morning, but he couldn’t say no to you, not when he could practically see your cute pout through the phone. 

you hopped on the colored tiles scattered on the floor, humming along to some tune playing in your head. your eyes roamed over the sweet treats on the shelves, and he chuckled when you pointed out that the aisle was labeled as spices. donghyuck thought it was unfair that you seemed to shine no matter the time of day, even under the dimly lit grocery store lamps. he sighed, especially under the dimly lit grocery store lamps.

with a gasp, you grabbed a box of cookies from the shelf, waving them in his face. “it’s your favorite cookies!” you teased.

he hated those cookies. 

“actually, I’m already going with someone to the dance.”

the girl shook her head, pushing the cookies back to him, “who-”

“you got me cookies?” you squealed, appearing out of nowhere and taking the box of cookies from him.

“actually-” his admirer started, trying to take back the gift from you.

you ignored the girl, ripping opening the box and stuffing one in your mouth.

“thanks hyuck!”

“is she the one your taking to the dance?” the other girl sneered, looking at you with a glare.

he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, smiling fondly at you as you giddily ate the cookies you knew he didn’t like. “well yeah, she’s my girl friend.” 

and you looked at him with a mouth full of cookies and cheeks flushed red. you nodded, “yep, he’s my boyfriend.”

he chuckled, his thumb wiping away the crumbs on your face. “you’re not going to leave any cookies for me?” he teased.

while he meant for the label to be platonic (simply a girl who’s a friend), donghyuck knew that his classmate took it romantically. and he almost went along with it, but when jaemin asked him if the two of you were finally dating, he laughed it off. ‘we’re just friends.’ he ignored the discontent in his stomach and how empty it felt when you shrugged off his arm.

regret clouded his mind, forcing another memory into his brain.

“my family is waiting for me in the car,” donghyuck chuckled, your arms locked in place.

“let them wait,” you frowned, words muffled by his shirt.

“I got to get going.”

your grip tightened and you told him three words that he acted like he didn’t hear.

“I love you,” he blurted.

your smile dropped, along with your arms. you stared at him with confused eyes and backed up three steps.

“remember when that girl told me that?” he quickly added, the seed of regret growing, continuously gnawing away at his heart with each second that passed by, “she made a banner and everything.”

silence.

you could see through him, you always did. that made his heart pound even more. you were just staring at him.

“I have a boyfriend.” your voice was level despite the wavering in your eyes and the tense scrunch of your shoulders. 

he swallowed, hesitant to speak. “I know.”

donghyuck clenched his jaw, he knew that. he didn’t need another reminder that he was too late. he didn’t need another reminder that he should’ve confessed to you before he left. he didn’t need another reminder that you moved on. 

“I...I have to go.”

you left him there, surrounded by boxes of sweet snacks in an aisle labeled as spices. 

[flowerbloom-arts]

Do you think Moominmamma has a thirst for thrills like Pappa? It’s certainly there, I imagine, but in a different form, sorted differently among many other priorities and wants.

I believe that while Moominmamma is very willing to go along with whatever Moominpappa drags her into and can handle them very well, I don't think she's much of a thrill seeker even in a less... intense extent. Well, except for possibly the 2019 version, but I much more avidly read the comics and books and watch the 90s series and so my perception of her is more attached to those. So if you're asking about the Mamma with a 3rd physical dimension, I would say yes. Other versions of her, however...

Moominmamma has always been very, very comfortable in her status quo, she doesn't particularly enjoy new experiences if they last too long for her comfort. She's a technophobe, she'd be the first person to want to go back home if something hasn't gone wrong yet (though she wouldn't say it outright), she never instigates the story or conflict unless it's due to her own anxiety (e.i. feeling pressured by Mrs. Fillyjonk to be a proper lady or joining every club in the Valley because she doesn't want to say no to people) with only one exception of wanting to go back in time because of her technophobia, or someone else is pushing the main conflict and she's the first victim.

Moominpappa will attempt whatever endeavor he finds desirable and she will follow holding him by the tail just so he isn't alone or disappear in the process. Moominmamma may enjoy it for some time, since Moominpappa would also enjoy it and much of what she's willing to do is to satisfy her husband's needs, but she will always completely accept wanting to go back once it's brought up OR, if they're stuck for a longer while, want to make their situation much more homely.

Moominpappa craves adventure because the thrill of almost dying in a frozen lake was the first positive feeling he's had after a long ✨misunderstood youth✨ and that stuck with him far more than he probably even realizes. Right after adventure his biggest craving is attention, quite literally stating something of this nature in his memoirs;

“One of my characteristics is wanting to make an impression at any price by awakening admiration, sympathy, fright, or, on the whole, any feelings that include interest. That's probably because of my unappreciated childhood.”

Moominmamma, on the other hand, doesn't bear desires like this. Her past is only very speculative; we know of her parents only by this line in Moominpappa at Sea:

He must try getting in the right mood, like his father-in-law used to do. All her life, his mother-in-law had gone round dropping things everywhere or leaving them behind and forgetting where she had left them. Then his father-in-law would turn on something in his brain. That’s all that was needed. He always found things after that. Then he used to say: ‘Here’s your old junk,’ but in a kind way.

We know her grandma possessed a book of special recipes for ailments and alike, Moominmamma once told them of a technique her mother used when breaking glass (90s: the Eclipse), and she had an obsession with appearance in her youth even after Moominpappa rescued her from the storm. We do have a family photograph of her family in Moominland Midwinter that was taken in 1878 in Helsingfors (the swedish name for Finland's capital, Helsinki) and the family itself seemed wealthy but rather unhappy.

We don't gets much further information but assuming that the book takes place roughly around the mid-late 1900s during which the series is written, one of the children in the photo could as well be one of her parents. In a Lars comic we also get to meet Moominmamma's great great grandmother via time traveling who was an upper-class woman named Clotilde, and lived with a man named Rufus who bore a monocle (about as rich stereotype as you can get, also both of them were moomins I'm not sure I have to clarify but just in case). All this plus her irrational fear of having maids (Moominmamma's Maid, Tove comic) leads me to believe she was rather well-off if not rich before she was lost in a storm, though she would've been quite sheltered if she didn't know what a theater was.

All this to say, while Moominmamma can get out of her way to do something exciting with her husband, she is tremendously comfortable living domestically and having a routine. I could list off some examples but this answer is already long as it is.

So, uh, tl;dr:

I don't think Moominmamma is a thrill seeker by any means, but she's willing to go along with her husband's thrill seeking. And it's honestly rather interesting to consider. I think her not being one doesn't necessarily make her boring, in fact, it makes her relationship with Moominpappa more interesting and gives more to consider when it comes to how she interacts with the world. Having such an intense and stubborn creature be with a more calm and flexible one can be really entertaining, but both of them have their own things going on, it's just that Moominpappa naturally pushes his issues onto others whether or not they ask for it and Moominmamma seems to withhold herself for the sake of others.

P.s. I forgot to mention in an English letter written by Tove as Moominmamma, she implies that Moominmamma dropped out of school once she got bored of it and says Moomins in general do that. So. Make of that what you will. Moominmamma definitely doesn't like boredom that much judging from that, perhaps another reason why she married Moominpappa.

[readyplayerhobi]

Favourite Fics of 2019

So...I thought that I’d give you all a list of my favourite fanfic’s that I read in 2019! I’ll include the description that was given by the author and then give a brief commentary of my own! Please make sure to not only read the fic, but give it a like and reblog! Give it some of your own comments and too, and follow/tell the author!!

Authors - I’ve got some authors repeated so you might have more than one fic here!

Readers - ...there’s a lot of fics here lol

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Welcome To The Underworld by @spookitokki​

; Demon/Radio Show Host!Jungkook x  Human!Reader

; Synopsis: In a dark little second-hand shop downtown, stuffed in an alleyway you only stumbled into because you were lost, you found a charming antique radio. When you turned it on, it began to play what would become your favorite radio show, “Welcome to the Underworld”

; My Thoughts: I rec’d this fic very recently but I still remember it well. Demon Jungkook is weirdly caring for her despite her being human and him being demon from the Underworld. The reader...well she has no sense of self-preservation honestly haha. I enjoyed everything about this; the smut, the world building, the characterisation and so much more!

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Matters Of The Heart by @hobidreams​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: it seems not even the passage of half a decade can diminish the hold of Mr. Jung’s charms on your heart. but the rumors that welcome you home speak of his imminent marriage to an heiress, one who bests you in every infuriating, ‘ladylike’ fashion. just how, then, are you meant to interpret the undeniable sparks of desire in his eyes?

; My Thoughts: I maintain that I LOVE THIS FIC SO MUCH. I think it’s probably like...in my top list of fics all year. It’s just...amazing. The writing feels authentic to the era and the reader is a delightful rebel that we all love from Victorian eras after all. And of course...Mr Jung is just a ridiculously attractive man that I would like very much. Rain is apparently making a follow up drabble AND I AM EXCITED!

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An Abundance of Scrunchies by @jhspetitegf​

; Single Dad!Hoseok x Kindergarten Teacher!Reader

; Synopsis: ❝hoseok is a hot single dad and you’re the new kindergarten teacher that likes to piss him off❞

; My Thoughts: This series of drabbles has completely stolen my heart. Dae is adorable and the reader is delightful in how she loves her kids. And then there’s Hoseok, the grumpy businessman who’s incredibly rich yet adorably dotes on his daughter and doesn’t get mad at her. It’s just...fluffy and angsty softness. I love it so much, and the smut was...oof. I can’t wait to read more!

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Polaris by @junghelioseok​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: somehow, someway, he always returns to you.

; My Thoughts: I MAINTAIN THAT I LOVE THIS FIC SO MUCH AHHH. It’s so unique and beautifully written, such a delight to read and I enjoy it every time I do. The mixing of the ages throughout the years and how Hoseok evidently has knowledge of their future together but doesn’t tell her. It’s so sweet and yet so organic how they come together. It could be weird and creepy given the difference in ages continuously but it’s not. He’s always a gentleman and it’s just...it’s just wonderful honestly.

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Faded Love by @jamaisjoons​

; Jimin x Reader

; Synopsis: he doesn’t need to say it. because you can feel your husband, park jimin, falling out of love with you.

; My Thoughts: Okay but like, I still feel the pain and sadness when I read this fic the first time :( the reader’s confusion and pain at being abandoned so thoughtlessly despite her efforts is so hard to read. I still hate Jimin for doing it, and I’m glad that he stopped and realised that he was making a mistake. But poor reader will never be able to fully trust him again and always be worried to some degree :(

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Lost And Found 01: Tick Tock by @fortunexkookie​

; Peter Pan!Hoseok x Captain Hook!Reader

; Synopsis: The only hope you had at ending your exile and earning your life back came in the form of an infuriating and uncatchable man: Hoseok. He seemed to love the endless game of cat-and-mouse you two played - so much, in fact, that you were unsure if you were the cat or the mouse. What he failed to realize was that there was a third player, and this one wasn’t after him. The Crocodile hunted you with an intensity that rivaled the way you chased Hoseok, but with one difference: the games he played were deadly.  

; My Thoughts: Okay so like...a lot of my favourite fics ever this year have been Hoseok based. You’re not surprised, I know you’re not. But this fic is just...I cannot WAIT for the second and third parts of it. The world is so richly realised and the characters have such phenomenal characterisation and development in just this one chapter. It’s so...involving to read, you just get lost in it. It’s truly a beautiful work of art that I can’t wait to see how everything goes!

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Jungle Park by @jimlingss​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: The equation is simple. Hoseok needs to hire someone. You need a job. Except like any actual equation, it’s not fucking simple at all! Not when you have to add the fact that he was forced to hire someone he doesn’t want in his office, he has little respect for your job in general, and oh yeah…once upon a time you might have—*CENSORED*.

; My Thoughts: I looooooved reading this fic. Jimlingsss is basically why I made Flower a once a week thing, because when I was reading Jungle Park, I was always SO EXCITED for Monday’s because it meant I got to read a new Jungle Park! It’s such a slow burn romance but it’s so delightful and rewarding watching this cold and moody lawyer warm up to his bright and bubbly HR person. And then you learn the backstory between them and...I just loved it all!

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Magic and Mysteries by @jimlingss​

; Jimin x Reader

; Synopsis: Everything’s okay….EVERYTHING’S OKAY, YOU’RE FINE. Look, you just have one tiny problem. It’s an itty-bitty issue. Not that big of a deal. So what if you don’t have a familiar and you’re about to take on the ENTIRE family business. Oh, you have a name to uphold? Everyone’s depending on you? Great. That’s just fantastic. But it’s fine. You’ll get your familiar and you’ll run the best damn potion shop the world has ever seen. Everything will be fine, right?

; My Thoughts: Again, another Jimlingsss story but honestly, they’re always golden. I particularly remember this fic because I read it when I was in Korea. It’s so delightful and fun, reminding me a lot of Kiki’s Delivery Service. Jimin is a little rascal but I love that he teases her because he genuinely cares. It’s all just a truly wonderful fic and story put together in one delightful package.

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Love, Guaranteed by @gukyi​

; Taehyung x Reader

; Synopsis: with the celestial ball quickly approaching, kim taehyung is horrified to find out that you, his best friend, are dateless. to remedy this, he initiates The Match Project, a matchmaking service designed to find the most optimal date. to you, it’s an opportunity to meet someone else so you can stop pining after your clueless best friend. to him, it’s an opportunity to finally, once and for all, tell you how he feels.

; My Thoughts: I do quite enjoy reading Hogwarts fics, and I particularly enjoying reading Hogwarts fics with BTS as students as long as there’s no smut in it. Gukyi’s Hogwarts series was such a delight to read and I remember reading this fic with a smile on my face. Wanting to scream at reader because POOR TAEHYUNG OBVIOUSLY LOVES YOU. Poor guy trying so hard despite everything :(

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Lovers’ Fuck Rule by @prolixitae​

; Jungkook x Reader x Hoseok

; Synopsis: jungkook is still new to your established relationship with hoseok, which means he needs a little help feeling competent sometimes. especially when it comes to sex. alternatively, the span of a poly relationship over inaccurate amounts of fucking.

; My Thoughts: Okay look, I don’t do shipping or anything but Junghope is one of the best friendships/combinations there is. And this fic encapsulates why. Jungkook is so nervous with her whereas Hoseok is just...so unbelievably calm and dominant about it all. He knows exactly what gets his girl off and it’s sweet how amused he is by Jungkook. You can feel the slight insecurity almost off Jungkook because Hoseok has been with her for years but you can also feel the genuine love the reader has for him, along with the friendship Hoseok obviously has too. I really enjoyed it all!

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Get Wet by @prolixitae​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: sitting in on your boyfriend’s dance practice is probably your biggest kink. it’s also the reason you asked to be so shamelessly fucked in the locker rooms of his dance studio, in spite of the pending consequences. note: this is not an idol-verse fic

; My Thoughts: You know I love Hoseok, and this smut was just...oh my god wow. Bizarrely, I explicitly remember reading it while in the cinema waiting for a film to start haha. TNS Hoseok is amazing though and I really love him. In this fic he’s even more amazing though and I just...god I want him so badly. Urgh, 10/10

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Eating For Two by @park-moomin​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: He’ll have a Large

; My Thoughts: ARGH GOD I REMEMBER READING THIS. URGH, what is it about Hoseok that makes the idea of oral sex with him just so...amazing? Actually just any sex. Any at all. I love the idea of him being so...eager and desperate to go down on his girl, particularly when she’s pregnant so that she can still get some pleasure and fun out of it. Also, him cumming in his pants is just...the cherry on top haha

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The Devil In His Details by @park-moomin​

; Jimin x Reader

; Synopsis: Evil comes in many forms. In this instance, it's a 5'8" pretty-boy with an even prettier dick. And you're the form you want him to come in.

; My Thoughts: Lawd, I remember this being one of the hottest smut’s I’ve read in a while and I still stand by that statement. It does make me laugh that this was supposed to be a 1k drabble cos...girl...this length reminds me of me haha. Still, I think Jimin got the blowjob of his life...probably every man’s life here. Well done Jimin, go back for more.

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Hot Rod by @kinktae​

; Greaser!Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: a 1950′s inspired fic where greaser hoseok can’t keep his eyes, or hands, off the new waitress at his and his boys’ favorite diner.

; My Thoughts: The whole Rewind series that Rose has been doing but you all know I’m a Hoseok hoe and HOOOOO BOOOOOY GREASER HOSEOK IS SOMETHING ELSE. Everything about this fic was just...wonderful and it felt delightfully 1950s. The lingo and outfits, the cars and everything. It was hot and Hoseok deserves everything. I still kinda hope there’ll be a drabble or something in the future but either way, read this as it’s soooo good!

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The Boyfriend Concept by @kpopfanfictrash​

; Pornstar!Jimin x Reader

; Synopsis: Win a Date with a Porn Star! You saw the sign when you walked in, of course, but you had no idea your friend dropped your name into the raffle. Fast-forward to later that day, when you actually win. You are horrified, of course, with no intention of accepting and setting yourself up for embarrassment. But then you meet Jimin, and decide this might be worth a shot. 

; My Thoughts: Shanna always writes some of the best fics on tumblr and this is definitely one of them. You’d think with it being a ‘win a date with a pornstar fic’ that he’d be a little weird or something about it (there’s nothing wrong with pornstars but you can imagine it’d be odd) but Jimin is just...so sweet and kind and polite! He’s just...the perfect boyfriend honestly. It just so happens he does porn too...I honestly loved this so much!

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Beneath The Boughs by @gimmesumsuga​

; Dryad!Namjoon x Reader

; Synopsis: For almost as long as you can remember, the tree stood opposite your apartment has been a part of your life. Countless memories have been made under the shade of its supple branches, but when its existence comes under threat, you soon discover that your favourite tree is more special to you than you ever could’ve known.

; My Thoughts: I still maintain that this fic is just basically Steph gushing about her love for Namjoon all over the page. It’s just...so sweet and soft. Namjoon makes the perfect dryad and I can easily imagine him being one. He’s such a delightful character who you just want to protect and teach about the world because he has that kind of delightful innoncence. I loved it so much!

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Sweeter Than Sweet by @gimmesumsuga​

; OT7 X Reader

; Synopsis: You never would have expected someone like Park Jimin to notice you. As handsome and beguiling as he is deadly, you’re enthralled from the very moment you meet. Addicted to his kiss and his bite, Jimin opens up your eyes to a whole new world of love, lust and seduction.

; My Thoughts: This is like...the OG OT7 fic. The one that EVERYONE should read. It’s so close to finishing and I’m kind of mind boggled that it’s going to finish. It’s just...perfection. Jimin is delightful and Yoongi is sweet, it’s just so perfect, I love it all. Namjoon is still a dick, sorry Steph. I also maintain that I’m secretly marrying Hoseok. Everyone go read it and strap yourselves in for a long ride!

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Bump In The Night by @fortunexkookie​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: You’d spent countless nights terrified of the beast that lurked in the shadows, but as it would turn out, the monster haunting your home wasn’t a monster all. He was just a boy, and the only crime he’d ever committed was daring to love a girl from a different world.

; My Thoughts: Arrrrghhhhonaeouthnoetahnouenth this fic is just....perfect. I love it SO MUCH. Hoseok is a genuine monster in this, not just someone who thinks he is. He looks like a monster. But he’s a monster who gets a best friend in the reader and who slowly falls in love with her. I SWEAR MY HEART DIED WHEN THE THING HAPPENED :( Poor Hoseok, my sweet boy. But then...the end! And I was like ‘waaah’ I mean, I don’t know how she’s gonna live there but...I have hope for this odd couple because their love survived a lot <333

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One Thing Right by @hobios​

; Jungkook x Reader

; Synopsis: “i’ve been wrong about a million times, but i’ve got one thing right.”

or, desperate to get your ailing mother into the best care possible, you ask your childhood friend turned enemy to marry you for his health insurance benefits. the only problem is it’s illegal. and he’s the sheriff. and you swore to hate him since the day he broke your best friend’s heart.

; My Thoughts: Ahh...this is such a well written fic and I enjoy it so much. Jungkook has such good characterisation in it and you can feel that the readers heart is in the right place! I really like it and it reads so well, like it actually reads like a legitimate novel tbh!

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Wall To Wall by @winetae​

; Pornstar!Hoseok x Pornstar!Reader

; Synopsis: Temporary popularity is the biggest threat to your career right now. Without a solid core fan base you’re doomed to be forgotten. If not now, then in a month or two, and if not then, surely by the end of the year. That’s how quickly the adult film industry cycles through their actors, especially when you’re a woman. Your agent comes forward with a proposition to help put you back on the map.

; My Thoughts: Okay look...this fic is just great. I’m eagerly anticipating the second part because the first was just written so well. It’s so unique in that the readers already has a boyfriend, Jimin, who is not only okay with her being a pornstar but is the one who films her! But then you’ve got Hoseok, the new guy on the block who’s ridiculously good. The sex is just...it feels so realistic and like it’s two people in a relationship having sex and not just being filmed on camera. God I want them together lol

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Club Zombie by @floralseokjin​

; Seokjin x Reader

; Synopsis: In a world overrun by zombies, you’d think everyone was a goner, but the reality is much different. A steady diet of brains lets a zombie exist as a fully functioning human. Just ignore the part where they’re technically dead… In fact, these days, the amount of zombies outweigh the humans. A lot jump at the chance to be turned. Beg for it.

Kim Seokjin controls the underground of Seoul. No one would dare cross him. That’s how most of the world goes these days. You wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of a zombie now, would you? However, you don’t quite see it like that. Spending most nights dancing at the club he owns, you catch his eye. It’s never the wrong side if you’re underneath him, right…?

; My Thoughts: Look...I still can’t believe I read a fic with zombie sex and that I actively WANTED to read a fic with zombie sex lol. But disregarding that, it’s still phenomenally written and the world is built up so well! I loved reading this and it didn’t feel as long as it’s word count. The characters were interesting with little tidbits being thrown out there that made you a little more interested in their history.

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Defining Heaven by @akinnie75​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: “If I try to fly, will I make it to heaven, or will I fall straight down? But what exactly is heaven?” It’s a question that’s been in Hoseok’s mind a lot after cutting ties with his parents and ending his relationship with his ex-girlfriend. Dreaming is his fear, but you tell him that it’s not as scary as he thinks it is. Even in the depths of his own despair, you reach your hand out, but will he take it?

; My Thoughts: At this point, I think I just love anything by this author. But this fic was so...real and beautiful. The connection between two people who want more from life and deserve from life, who are both stuck. Hoseok’s story is heart breaking and getting to see him slowly come to life and learn to care for himself again was beautiful, while seeing the reader getting to care for herself by caring for him was just beautiful as well.

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Florescence by @jincherie​

; Hybrid!Taehyung x Reader x Hybrid!Seokjin

; Synopsis: Okay, so maybe you’re lonely, and maybe there is something missing in your life, a void that you maybe want to fill with a companion that may or may not be of human origin… You’re perfectly content not doing anything about it though, until your best friend calls you in desperate need for your help and you suddenly end up coming home with not one, but two hybrids that may or may not have been on the way to the chopping block had you not taken them in. They’re more than a little rough around the edges, and the situation is less than ideal but… maybe the best things don’t always come in perfect, shiny packages. Maybe they just need a little time to bloom.

; My Thoughts: I love this story so much :333 it’s such an interesting twist on hybrid’s in that there are ones who get discarded because they’re ‘defective’. It’s horrible to think about and I just want to love both of them. Jin is so...sweet and he tries so hard, being the one to put himself out there with the reader because Taehyung is just a sweet and shy bub. Seeing them come to life slowly is so rewarding!

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 Moon Magic by @jincherie​

; Merman!Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: You’ve never paid much mind to the moon, but you quickly learn that even though you’ve never really thought of the her, she has always watched over you. What better to heal an grieving heart, than the luminous, rippling magic of the moon? And maybe a merman, or two. You know, for good measure.

; My Thoughts: I LOVE THIS FIC SO MUCH AND I KNOW THAT YOU WROTE FOR ME AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I STILL LOVE IT. Hoseok is such a sweetheart and it’s adorable that you can see he’s falling in love much faster than she’s falling in love with him :333 the world is so realised, even though it’s just an island and everything is just...so perfect!

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We Float by @lamourche​

; Massage Therapist!Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: Might as well get this over with. You sigh and raise your hand to knock, steeling yourself for patchouli and shell necklaces. The door opens. A face peers out at you. There’s no beard, no long shaggy hair. For a moment, you wish he did walk around shirtless. He’s handsome. He’s taller than you, with brown hair that almost falls into his eyes and undercut on the sides. Warm brown eyes and a cute nose. It’s fucking cute his nose. He’s wearing cargo shorts, a Hawaiian shirt and white crocs. Well, that’s better. He’s still handsome and his kind eyes make you want to confess some prior sin, but it’s easy to scowl at a guy in white crocs.

; My Thoughts: This is still such a wonderful and beautiful fic. Hoseok’s agoraphobia is dealt with tactfully and he’s not magically cured by the end, but it’s so lovely to see that he’s willing to try and combat it a little more because he loves her. And she loves him, accepting him as he is and not pushing for more than he’s willing to give!

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Tip 143 by @minflix​

; Hoseok x Reader

; Synopsis: Even though he is everything you find attractive in a man, your friend and co-worker Jung Hoseok is just exactly that - a friend and co-worker. For some reason, you have never found yourself attracted to him even though all the girls and guys around you go absolutely crazy for him.But that all changes for you one night while scrolling through Heart2Heart, a sex live cam website…

; My Thoughts: AHHHHHH I LOVE IT SO MUCHHHHH. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE HOSEOK FICS ON THIS WHOLE SITE. It’s so wonderfully written and I adore reading it, even re-reading it. Hoseok is so funny and just...so light hearted. He’s not hugely bothered about anything and the way he goes along wtih the reader and even helps her to film her videos, even going so far as to...well going for her ;). And yet they both just think that they’re friends when nope, you’re idiots because you LOVE EACH OTHER. I genuinely love it so much, always a favourite and will remain close to my heart <333

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See Both Sides Like Chanel by @minflix​

; Namjoon x Reader x Hoseok

; Synopsis: You, Namjoon, and Hoseok are inseparable. Three best friends that grew up together since you were all in diapers.But lately, Namjoon has been drifting away…

So on his birthday, you and Hoseok remind him just how inseparable the three of you really are.

; My Thoughts: This couple...is perfect. I love them so much, they’re so well suited to each other. Rich brats who despite being rich and snobby, all genuinely love each other so much. Poor Namjoon when he felt like he’d been left out. <333 it’s okay Joonie, they both love you. I read this while I was in Korea and it just...made an impact. I want them all to live happily ever after with each other x-x

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Euphoria by @btssavedmylifeblr​

; Jungkook x Reader

; Synopsis: At the end of your life, you are given one day to live again with the man you loved. A lifetime’s love story told in a single day. 

; My Thoughts: THIS IS THE SADDEST YET SWEETEST FIC EVER. Oh my god, it’s just...it’s so unbelievably bittersweet. Their love for each other and how she KNOWS that she’s dying and she’ll never see him again. How much she throws herself into the day with him and how much he clearly loves her. She knows they have their whole life set out for them and it’s just...wonderful...honestly.

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Off The Deep End by @boymeetsweevil​

; Merman!Yoongi x Reader

; Synopsis: Your new mermaid friend, Yoongi, helps you navigate the treacherous waters of love, sex, and National Geographic.

; My Thoughts: Ngl, the main thing I remember from this? It’s beautifully written and also fish dick lmao. But seriously, it’s a great fic to read and watching Yoongi get to experience the human world is a delight. It’s very unique in how it’s written and the biology and culture of merfolk. A definite recommendation for everyone!

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[jancmalandra]

Snufkin's Story

On finding your way back home

"Flint woke Moomintroll and myself up at the crack of dawn.", Snufkin continued, "The three of us snuck through the market district of the city and across one of the bridges over the canal. We found ourselves in a more luxurious part of the city. There were apartment buildings, high end restaurants, and hotels and shops close to the canal. As we moved through the alleyways deeper into the city we saw more and more large private homes.

The buildings began to be more and more ornately decorated. The Incan language of the Parnicons was the only one spoken in the streets and non-Parnicons were few and far between. Just as Flint and Hanabu had warned, the city guards became more serious and harder to evade. Two Mumriks and a Moomin really stood out despite our robes. We moved through the city clandestinely through the alleys, pilfering food from the restaurants as we had the need. We had several close calls with the city's guards and losing them was challenging and exciting.

Having to move so carefully meant that exploring this area of the city took the better part of a week. Each expedition we took became more risky as we became a particular target of the city guard. All three of us found the growing challenge thrilling, but we also found spending every night in the comfort of Flint and Hanabu's home to be a welcome refuge that was even better than the thrill of the chase. Frel and Mot were delightful children and they eagerly waited for us to come home each night to tell our stories of our adventures.

Hanabu was the perfect host and counterpoint to Flint's carefree nature. He took care of all of us by habit. Moomintroll offered to help him with dinner and to join him and the children in tending to the crops in the field on our second night at their house, but he politely refused.

'That's not necessary.', said Hanabu kindly, 'I can tell that the two of you are on an adventure. You should enjoy yourselves first and foremost. Besides, I enjoy taking care of others more than anything.'

The next morning Flint, Moomintroll, and I made our way carefully to the heart of the city. The central part of the city was surrounded by a massive fortified stone wall. Heavy iron gates that were set into the wall and guarded by watchtowers on either side blocked the broad avenue that led into this part of the city. The walls were decorated by intricate stone carvings and capped by statues of fearsome monsters. I looked at the iron gate that stood in front of us and the squadron of heavily armed guards watching over it. I thought that I would have wanted to defy it and them, overcome it all through cleverness, and see what lay beyond, see what the authorities didn't want me to see more than anything, but instead, I was suddenly overcome with sadness. I couldn't think of anything but the front door of Moominhouse and how it had no locks or latches.

'I'm sorry, Flint.', I said, surprised to find tears pouring out of my eyes, 'I need to go home. Thank you for everything. Come on, Moomintroll."

Moomintroll smiled at me through tears of joy and took my paw in his. We advanced towards the huge gate, extending our keys towards it. Flint waved goodbye, an understanding smile on his face.

'Don't forget to keep your family on their toes, Snufkin!', Flint said.

Before the city guards could react, the entire gate glowed with a blinding light and we were suddenly in the parlor of Moominhouse again. The furniture and chandelier were all swathed in dust covers as usual during Winter. I felt fully comfortable in Moomintroll's home for the first time.

'We need to make sure we wake up before everyone else this Spring.', I said to Moomintroll, 'I'll even help you make breakfast for everyone.'

Moomintroll simply kissed me and led me to my bed. I got undressed and Moomintroll hung up his robe on my coat hanger next to my hat. We curled up together under the covers and settled in for a long Winter's hibernation."

Tayberry and Moomin were so wrapped up in Snufkin's tale that it took them several seconds to realize that it was over and so there was a brief pause before they burst into applause.

"That was a wonderful story, Snufkin!", said Tayberry.

"Could the two of you please call me Snufkinpapa from now on....I mean only if you want to.", said Snufkin, blushing bright red.

"Of course we will, Snufkinpapa!", said the two children as they smothered him in a hug. Moomintroll sat back and watched with a big grin on his face. Getting everyone to sleep tonight might not happen, but he didn't mind at all.

The End

[wincore]

campfire + first kiss + renjun pleeease

theme: enemies to lovers!au, side college!au

You smack your head against the bark of a tree and immediately regret it. 

That was obviously not one of your best decisions. It’s late at night and you seem to be the only one awake in your suffering. You dust off the remnants of the upper layer of the bark and hiss at the scratch you find. Now, if only Jaemin didn’t rush this camping trip, you’d be having a much better time under a pale moon like this. You sigh, twisting your head to look at the sky. It’s almost miserable.

Ah yes, summer. The best time to find insects and other interesting creatures while struggling to sleep through the hot, humid night. When else could you have this wonderful a trip?

Right! When you’re not forced to live in agonizing turmoil with the one guy you cannot stand. You groan. You can put on repellent for the bugs. You can rely on the night to get cooler with time. But how on earth are you supposed to look him in the eye anymore? You refuse to the spend the night in the same small cramped tent as Renjun. 

Where does all the hatred come from? Good question, you don’t remember either. It’s been so long since you first saw him, in kindergarten, a shy boy offering you a red crayon. It’s different now, vastly—you barely exchange words without engaging in a heated debate and prolonged glares. There’s a lack of warmth in his eyes, uninviting and annoyed. 

You pause for a second at the sudden memory that interrupts. A dorm party bordering on too wild and an extremely drunk you after a tough week of assignments and projects—that’s the summary of it. But there’s more. Renjun was kind in that moment when he took care of you and you feel particularly embarrassed to admit it. He didn’t have to help you. Your friends were there. Jaemin was there. He didn’t have to make you overthink like this. He was so gentle that night—holding you firm all the way to your apartment, rubbing circles on your back when you threw up, medicine and a glass of water ready on your table by the morning without him. You remember all of that, although you’re sure neither you nor Renjun want to remember. You blush at the memory of your lips so close to his as he grasped your waist to get you to stand straight. You shake your head. Whatever, at least you didn’t end up kissing him.

The truth is, you don’t know why you seem to hate Renjun so much. It wasn’t always like this. You were almost friends once, many years ago. You just know the burning in your cheeks and a boiling pool of words stuck in your throat whenever he’s there in front of you, with that god awful confidence in himself. It’s not real. You know he puts up a front. 

But there’s something more, isn’t there? a voice speaks up in your head, sounding scarily like Renjun himself. You want to yell, just to get rid of it.

You stay there for a while, trying to catch a break from all the stress Renjun’s been giving you, especially after the party. Your cheeks feel warm again, and you pray to the night breeze to get cooler soon. 

Someone calls out your name. 

You spin around, the perpetrator of your thoughts standing in his classic striped sweatshirt, somehow resistant to the summer heat. Renjun raises an eyebrow as you look up at him, your heartbeat freezing up with all the heat run away to your cheeks. 

Just how long will you keep up this denial? an annoying voice pops up—no, it’s his voice again.

“Don’t hang around the edge like this,“ Renjun scolds. “It’s not safe.“

You think for a moment, a sly grin working up its way. “Ah yes, did you hear about the girl who died in these woods? I heard her spirit still haunts this place.”

“Th-There’s nothing like that!” Renjun says, but he straightens up visibly. “Don’t joke around!”

You giggle at his flustering, a sudden relief from your previous thoughts.

“What happened?” He clears his throat and points. “To your forehead, I mean.”

You tilt your head at his concern. You always do stupid things to get on his nerves. Hasn’t it always been this way?

“Never mind.“ Renjun sighs. “It’s something stupid, I know.”

Before you can refute it, he interjects, “I have some band-aids, I think. If not, I’m sure Jaemin has them. Come on.”

Was he always nice like this? You follow him nonetheless to the dwindling campfire and sit on the soft grass, waiting. The blood pumps through your veins softly, a sound calming yet terrifying. You half expect the forest spirits and the fireflies to pay you a visit when it’s so quiet like this.

There’s a moment when you lock eyes with Renjun as he gets the ointment and band-aids. You quickly look back down at your feet, flustered yet not knowing why. You’re so stupid, Renjun’s voice says in your head. I know, you think. 

You purse your lips, hesitant to let him dress the small cuts and scratches.

“It won’t hurt,” Renjun coaxes, “I promise.“

And so you let him take care of you a second time since adulthood.

Your hands are balled up at the sides as Renjun dabs wet cotton over your forehead, an inevitable pounding of your heart at the dawning realization. The band-aid Renjun uses is white and square, with moomin mamma over it. It’s undoubtedly his, a smile almost breaking out on your face if it weren’t for his eyes focused on you. His eyelashes are unfair, long and pretty, and his lightly colored lips are a little too close for your liking.

“You’re stupid,” Renjun says softly, finally pressing the band-aid over your forehead.

“I’m always stupid to you, Renjun,” you say airily.

“Oh, don’t pick a fight now.“ Renjun clicks his tongue.

“I’m not,” you whisper, looking away.

You both offer silence for the cicadas and the flames to fill up. There’s something unspoken that always stays in between, something tying you close. The wind is starting to pick up its pace, colder than it had been in the evening, when your thoughts were louder. It’s your problem to solve now. 

You’ve never hated Renjun. You’ve been jealous of him, sure, sometimes annoyed and angry, sometimes even blamed him for several things—but you’ve never hated him. You couldn’t bring yourself to do that to the only person who understood you.

There’s something unique about wanting Renjun; you long for him the same way you long for the stars, your distance between you making you long for them all the more.

Renjun breaks the silence with the same question as yours. “Can I ask you something?”

He leans back, letting you go first. His eyes look almost honey-like, by the flickering flames, more so distracting.

“Why did you take care of me after the party? You didn’t have to, you know.”

Renjun scoffs. “Of course I did. Do you know how many people you kiss when you’re drunk? And regret it later? It’s so annoying to see you wail around Jaemin and the rest.”

You feel the heat shoot to your cheeks, unable to answer. “Well, you didn’t have to be the one being oh so kind. Besides, you’re sort of ruining the thing we have that way.”

Renjun raises an eyebrow. 

“You know,” you explain, pointing your fingers at him and yourself, “The thing. We’re barely nice to each other.”

Renjun smiles at first, a ghost of a laugh escaping his lips. He’s so pretty like this, when there’s laughter in his eyes. He falls silent thereafter, eyes a little changed under the firelight. 

“Do you hate me? Like really hate me?” Renjun’s voice is low, the shadows of the flames dancing across his face to a patient symphony. He questions, but you don’t know how to answer. You’ve always played around your feelings, too comfortable in the relation, your hiding place, you’ve built with him.

There’s a dash of something foreign in his voice, an undertone daring enough to show hurt.

You shake your head. If anything, he makes you feel lighter. Every day at university would be so much more stressful without him. 

“I wouldn’t trade you for all the stars and planets,“ you whisper.

It happens in a fraction of a moment. A fraction of a moment is all you need. You lean in, your breath hot as it leaves your mouth, hovering a few inches from his as you wait for permission. 

His eyes flutter to your lips and back to your eyes, coming closer when you close the distance, your lips melting in soft mush against his. Did you ever think Huang Renjun’s lips would feel this way? No, you thought they’d be rougher, like his tongue and words. But they’re soft, warm, inviting—all the things you refused to believed Renjun was for a long time, for a thing as worthless as pride. 

When you pull apart, Renjun flushes a bright red, the campfire caressing the hue all the more as his fingers reach up to his lips.

“I’ve never- I’ve never…done that before.”

You pause, blushing all the same. “Wait. You mean you’ve never kissed anyone before?”

Renjun scoffs, looking away. You catch on to his smile, your heart fluttering at the sight the same way it does every time. 

“How could I? I’ve been in love with you this whole time.”