#Romantic Rail Getaway

[hoyotunes]

Romantic Rail Getaway (II) from Encounter Frex, HOYO-MiX

[shitsndgiggs]

GREEK GETAWAY - LAMINE YAMAL

Enjoying a day out on the sea with Lamine

Lamine Yamal x fem! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

The gentle sway of the boat as it glides over the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea is almost hypnotic.

The sun casts a warm, golden glow over everything, making the blue of the water even more vibrant. Greece is more beautiful than I ever imagined, and being here with Lamine makes it perfect.

"Lamine, look at that!" I point to a small island in the distance, its white buildings and blue domes standing out against the lush green backdrop.

"Es hermoso, amor," he replies, his eyes sparkling as he looks at the island and then back at me.

We decided to take this boat trip to celebrate Spain's victory in the Euros. Lamine played an incredible tournament, and now we have some much-needed time to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

“Do you think we’ll see any dolphins?” I ask, leaning against the railing of the boat, feeling the sea breeze in my hair.

“Maybe, if we’re lucky,” he says, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. “But right now, I’m more interested in enjoying this moment with you, mi cielo.”

I turn in his arms and smile up at him. “You’re getting all romantic on me, Lamine.”

He laughs, a sound that’s become my favorite music. “Can’t a guy be romantic for his girlfriend?”

“Fair enough,” I say, reaching up to brush a strand of curly hair from his face. “You looks so handsome,.”

“Gracias, mi amor,” he says, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead.

After a while, we anchor the boat near a secluded cove. The water here is so clear that I can see the sandy bottom.

We change into our swimsuits, and Lamine helps me down the ladder into the refreshing water.

“This feels incredible,” I say, floating on my back and looking up at the sky.

“Almost as incredible as you,” he teases, splashing water at me.

“Hey!” I laugh, splashing him back. “Watch it, campeón!”

He grins and dives under the water, swimming towards me like a playful dolphin. When he surfaces, he’s right in front of me, his dark eyes shining with mischief.

“You’re so fast,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Years of practice,” he replies, pulling me close. “But you’re pretty fast yourself, sirenita.”

We spend the next hour swimming and playing in the water. It’s like we’re the only two people in the world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Eventually, we climb back onto the boat and lie down on the deck, letting the sun dry our skin.

“Hungry?” he asks, reaching into the cooler we brought.

“Starving,” I admit.

He pulls out a container of fresh fruit and picks up a slice of watermelon. “Open wide, princesa.”

I laugh but do as he says, taking a bite and savoring the sweet, juicy flavor. “Mmm, so good.”

“Eres un travieso,” I say, poking his side.

“Y tú eres mi todo,” he replies, his voice soft and sincere.

We feed each other more fruit, laughing and talking about everything and nothing. It feels so natural, so right, to be here with him like this.

As the sun begins to set, casting a golden glow over the water, I snuggle up to him, feeling his warmth.

“I don’t want this day to end,” I say quietly.

“Neither do I,” he replies, kissing the top of my head. “But we have so many more adventures ahead of us, mi vida. This is just the beginning.”

I look up at him, my heart swelling with love. “I can’t wait.”

“Me neither,” he says, his eyes filled with the same emotion. “Te amo, Y/N.”

“I love you too, Lamine,” I whisper, knowing that no matter where life takes us, as long as we’re together, it will always be perfect.

[cry4mina]

BloodRedRoses

(Chaeyoung x fem!reader)

Word count: 4.1k

Angst/Smut

Summary: Best friends to ???

TW: weed, blood, sex, cheating, Sana?, mentions of Jihyo. I think that’s it.

A/N: hey hi hello! Happy Chae day (early edition!) pls enjoy! :)

*edit* my dumbass forgot to tag @nr1chaedickrider for the pics! 🖤

—

The couch is cold, leather against your face as you lay there numb, eyes freely releasing tears. Sniffling into the emptiness of your living room, reliving memories of you and your best friend’s last night of hanging out together.

—

“Chae! Let’s gooooo!” screaming from the edge of the sand. It’s 3 in the morning, humid as hell but she wanted to go to the beach. Her stress from her schedules made it hard for her to relax and you just wanted to see her smile.

God, her smile? She radiated diamonds when she giggled. Glowing and sparkling, refracting pure joy into everyone who saw it. It melted you instantly every time and she knew that.

Chaeyoung runs from your car, black sweatpants too big for her and your hoodie swallowing her whole, catching up to you and linking your arms together. Now she’s the one tugging you to the shoreline as you find your spot on the rundown lifeguard stand.

Studying the carvings of initials into the salt-soaked wood, taking your pocket knife out and getting to work on a new addition while Chae lights the joint carefully, taking a long drag and then passing it to you.

“Do you ever think about what the future holds?” exhaling the smoke as she stares into the waves from her seat on the rickety railing.

Joint hanging out of your mouth, looking up at her in awh, trying to actually hear what she just said. You were mesmerized by her, always.

“Y/n? You okay?” Glancing over to you with concern in her big brown eyes, knowing you had something to say and giving you the opportunity to speak your mind.

Panic flashes through you, pulling from the joint and then passing it back to her, trying to figure out what to say as she pokes you to tell her why you’ve been stuck in your own head.

“Yeah I’m okay.” melancholy laced in your words, continuing to carve a heart big enough to fit initials in, almost dissociating into the deepened grain of the wood. Imagining what life would be like with her as your girlfriend, you sigh heavily and she catches that too.

“You’ve been off for weeks…are you going to tell me what's up? I thought we told each other everything…” looking down at her hands and watching the smoke cascade off the joint before snuffing it out to relight later.

“Chae…” looking up at her again, immediately enthralled by her soft expression towards you. The care in her eyes visibly tracing your frame, waiting for you to let out what you’ve been holding in.

“I…like you.” immediately shutting your eyes and returning your attention to the carving trying to escape the discomfort of having just told your best friend of years that you had romantic feelings for her.

Through your peripherals you see her rotate to face you, expression dripping with grief, watching you chip away at the heart with your blade.

“Y/n…I’m kind of…seeing someone.”

—

Tear after tear falling from your eyes, face not even contorting at them anymore. The night you stopped speaking to Chaeyoung flashes in your mind at least three times a day, so the sting isn’t new but reliving that night definitely rubs salt into the wound.

It’s 2 in the morning when you decide it’s time to go to your favorite getaway location for the first time in about a month, wanting to create a new memory there by yourself so you can heal that part of you.

Rolling a joint for your adventure as you set off, trying to escape the sorrow of the wound that keeps reopening.

—

Arriving at the parking lot and parking in your usual spot, you sit for a second. Sniffling and ruminating in the disdain you were feeling for the crisp ocean air, taking in the changes to the setting around you.

Hedges still line the sides of the parking lot, a few palm trees sway in the breeze, beach roses consuming the foliage even more than before, blooming in the moonlight.

Stepping out of the car and walking over to the flowers, you smell the rich sweetness they give off and go to pick one for yourself, only to be pricked by the thorns immediately.

“Shit!” dropping the flower instantaneously, thorns sticking out of your finger. Pulling them out one by one under the moonlight, dripping blood onto the rose on the floor, staining it with the sanguine colored liquid.

Putting your finger in your mouth to ease the bleeding, you head towards the tranquility of the beach and the familiar place, the lifeguard shack, to be alone with your thoughts.

Climbing the slope and viewing the graffiti, more initials than before etched into the frame of the small shack that was raised off the ground to avoid the water.

The heart you chipped into the paint a month ago has someone’s initials in it that you didn’t put there…suspiciously, they’re your initials.

Perplexed by this, you try not to assume who added to your art installation as you light your joint, attempting to burn the ends evenly so it doesn’t canoe. Something you were never good at, that’s why Chae was always in charge of the weed.

Pulling on the joint as you stare into the sea and think about how much you miss her. The long silly conversations, the meaningful moments, the way she always got you a little snack when you were grumpy, her knowing your coffee order by heart, and it was understandable she did. She was your best friend.

Always showing you unconditional love, even through telling you about her new boyfriend, your memories slip back into the night you last spoke.

—

“Y/n…I’m kind of…seeing someone.” whispered to you through the waves, words causing a small wind within you, taking in the information that makes you nauseous.

Humidity sticks to every part of your skin, hiding the sweat from the rush of adrenaline when your hands start to shake. Seeing someone? Who? She hasn’t mentioned someone to you…

Spiraling at the thought of someone else taking that place in her life. Why hasn’t she mentioned her? Why wouldn’t she tell you about seeing someone? Weren’t you important to her?

“Y/n?…can you say something?” eyes shifting down at the floor. She knows what you’re going to say, just needing to hear it from your own lips before she assumes your next course of action.

“…I don’t have anything to say…” through soft tears you were hiding from her. They drip against your will, unable to hold them back when she gets up to hug you from behind. Hands on your stomach, cheek on your back and eyes closed, sniffling with you through the sadness.

“I don’t want to lose you…please say something…” the crack in her voice ruins you, reflecting the fracture she just chiseled into your heart.

“Who is it?” reverberates through your torso to her ears.

Chaeyoung can hear how shooken up you are, lungs quivering as you try to keep your breathing slow. She’s known for a while you felt this way, choosing to ignore it because she didn’t want you to vanish from her life because she wasn’t ready, only to assume you didn’t feel the same way now.

“I don’t think you truly want to hear about him…” replied coldly, still holding you tightly, unwilling to release you.

Heartbeat now racing at the pronoun she just laid out for you, realizing she was gripping you so tightly so you would run away from her.

“Him?! Chae I thought you we-” unhooking her from your body with some effort so you can face her, eyes drowning in your tears without your consent. You wipe the streams on your face, emotionally exhausted and sleep deprived.

She winces as you do. She knew this day was coming.

“Y/n, please just let me explain.” somewhat begging for you to hear her out, pulling on your sleeves and looking up at you, peering into your soul, framed in sadness.

“I’m happy for you…Can we leave?” flatly falls from your tongue.

“Y/n, please…” begging for another moment with you.

“Chae, I want to leave.”

—

It rings in your ears.

“Y/n please…”

Hearing it clear as day in your mind. You haven’t heard her voice since that night and thinking about it just pulls at your heart strings, playing the melody of regret for words unspoken.

Back against the front wall of the guard station, sliding down slowly until you were firmly seated on the ground. Pressing the filter of the joint to your lips and pulling a huge drag before you ash on the floorboards, watching the breeze sweep away the dust of gray and white.

Calm quiet waves and the weed comfort you through the ache of not having her around. Chest always swelling at the thought of her, wondering if she was happy, wondering if she remembered to eat that day…does he treat her right?

Sighing into the darkness, another pull, another ash, another gust as you sit in the depths of your emotions. Allowing your brain to take you through your thoughts of Chaeyoung without resistance.

“i was hoping you’d show up here eventually…Is this seat taken?” cuts through your mind's eye like a cleaver, startling you. Looking over to see a pair of familiar pajamas and an oversized hoodie, black hair flowing down from under the hood.

Those big brown puppy dog eyes glancing down at you, seeing your disheveled state, studying the faint tear streams down your cheeks and the small wet circular water marks on the floor beneath you. Pouting at you…Chae always hated to see you so sad. Especially because of the decision she made to date someone that wasn’t you.

Unsure of what to say, you just raised the joint up to her- extending an olive branch, a peace offering.

This made her absolutely beam at you, taking her place next to you and happily puffing away at the joint, giving a satisfied shimmy of the events currently taking place before plopping down next to you in the wooden floor.

Unable to contain yourself, you giggle as your body finally lets you relax. She was here, everything was going to be okay…right? Even with a false sense of security her presence gave you, you wished you could shake the feeling of missing her.

Exhaling quickly and turning to face you, making sure to make eye contact as she nudges your shoulder playfully.

“I missed you, dummy.” through the smallest smile you’ve ever seen, she was just too precious and you were completely wrapped around her finger.

“I missed you too…how are…things?” hesitantly questioning how her life was going, worried about the answer.

“Better now.” pulling the joint again before handing it back to you carefully. You wished she wouldn’t do that. Implying that you improve her life when you know who she’s calling every night before bed.

Shifting your focus to anything but what she just said, fixating on her hands, tracing over her finger tattoos with your eyes before grabbing the joint between your own fingers, lightly putting it out.

Feeling her energy was almost enough, the decompression of your muscles from just being near her was substantial enough to push the devastation away, even if it was temporary.

“How is he?” reluctantly flows through clenched teeth, oozing jealousy and spite.

“He’s…good.” tapping her fingers against her knees as she curls within herself, knowing you’re only asking because you feel obligated to. Knowing you’re hoping for a different answer.

Nodding your head and biting the inside of your cheek, fiddling with the ankle cuff if your joggers and trying to keep yourself seated. Discomfort sneaks in, thoughts of her being happy with someone else being a wave of nausea, imitating sea sickness as you wobble a little in the feeling.

The signs of your care for each other was always there, you were just too nervous to face her about them and she was anticipating you making the first move. There were plenty of moments to do so and you just couldn’t bring yourself to say anything sooner. Locked in your own fear, ruining your own chance.

“Can I ask you something?” Chae's curious eyes peeked up at you while resting her chin on her knees, a pout placed on her perfect lips.

“Yeah.” refusing eye contact out of a familiar fear, wondering if she was going to ask where you were or where you’d been.

“Why’d you stop taking my calls?” cheek now resting on her knees, you can see how she’s trying to calm her breathing through the difficult question. Never being one to ask them, hating confrontation but she had to know why you took so many steps back from her. She just need to hear you say it.

A deep breath, eyes shifting anywhere but on her. How were you supposed to tell her the truth?

“I…uhm…didn’t want to talk to you.” little lies through your clenched teeth, grinding away at your heart like sandpaper.

“Don’t lie to me.” Chae’s brows furrow as she lets out a little annoyed shriek. It’s hard not to giggle at her when she makes what she would call her “angy” face at you. It’s too cute to be considered “angy.”

“Fine.” Sighing heavily and turning to face her, hands roughly running down your face as you prepare to tell her what she definitely already knew. Swallowing roughly, deep breath, and go!

“I stopped talking to you because it’s hard to see someone else making you so happy…I wanted it to be me…and with how we are or I guess were, with each other I thought that’s what you wanted too.” attempting to not sniffle as the tears trickle down your cheeks again, stinging your eyes and adding to the salt on your face.

Feeling a warmth on your right side and the pressure of a head resting on your shoulder, you lean into Chae and continue to silently cry a little harder.

Tears staining her hoodie as they fall, a hand reaches around you and holds your waist, lightly scratching in an attempt to comfort you.

“You’re right, you know.” matter of factly uttered through the breeze of the early morning hours surrounding you.

“About what?” lifting your head to look at her while she elaborates on what she means.

“That is what I wanted…I just didn’t think you wanted to try because you never said anything or reacted when I dropped hints” nervously from her shaky lips while her own tears fell, her face now matching yours in the same sorrow.

“What? When did you drop hints?” confusion layered your words heavily, racking your brain for Chae’s attempts to show her feelings, completely oblivious to any hints she might’ve dropped along the way.

“Come on, don’t pretend like you don’t remember. I would always hold your hand, cling to you, cuddle with you…we even made out a few times over the years.” frustrated at your lack of knowledge, even though she never blatantly told you the level of what she was experiencing.

“Chae, we were young…I thought you were just an affectionate person or that it wasn’t serious. Like how Sana is?” a weak attempt to defend yourself from not making a move or telling her sooner.

“Sana likes you.” cold, flat tone, maybe a hint of jealousy uttered from her lips, body language shifting to show a little discomfort.

“What?!” complete shock consumes you, trying to take in the overwhelming amount of data you just received.

“Yeah, that’s why I never invited her to hang out with us after the first time…I didn’t want her to be that close to you” grief weighs her voice down to a whisper, the confession fresh even after years.

“Chae why would yo-” hands cupping your face almost immediately. She presses her lips on yours, tears mix into a painful spiral of what could’ve been between you.

Stiffening at the contact, you aren’t really sure what to do at the moment. Fighting to not lean into it, but not wanting to pull away either. She pulls away for a second to look at your face before placing one hand on your hip, pulling you into her, laying her lip on you again.

Not being able to help yourself after years of pining, you melt into it, quickly turning heated as she slides her tongue in your mouth. Her hands feel so comfortable on your skin, wrapping around your waist under your shirt, fidgeting with the hem of your pants laid on your hips.

Pulling away to press her forehead against yours, her hand descends down into your underwear before she whispers into your mouth.

“Is this okay?” eye contact is absolutely excruciating, completely drenching you in the dream you were living. Nodding your head aggressively and pulling her back into you for more.

The passionate make out session she started completely derailing into a full blown hook up, moaning into her while she’s gathering your wetness on her fingers to make small circles on your clit, eliciting more of the sweet sounds she wished she heard years ago.

There’s no way you’ll get caught here, it’s almost 3 am and the sounds of the sea will cover any noise you make so you allow yourself to be loud for her so she can see how badly you need her and how badly you want her.

Chae slides a finger into you, eliciting a gasp that she swallows whole. Curling her fingers up, you’re grinding into her palm and chasing the pleasure she knew she was giving you.

Breaking from the kiss, laying her lips down your cheek to your jaw and then to your neck. Biting down on your pulse point coaxing more whines from you.

“That’s right, baby, let me hear you,” softly spoken into your ear before she ran her teeth over your lobe, tugging at the skin, and resting her chin on your shoulder before whimpering when she felt your hand rubbing into her over her sweat pants.

Suddenly pulling her finger out and replacing it with two, she takes your hand and pushes it into her harder so you can feel how wet she is under her sweatpants.

“Can I..?” half moaned, clenching around her digits tightly, pressing into her so the seam of her sweats hits just the right spot.

“Not yet, gotta take care of you first” whined into your neck, still pumping her fingers deep into you at a steady rhythm, you thrust into her hands as you feel the knot tightening into your stomach.

“Fuck, chae…I’m gonna cum” hips sputtering, let out a string of obscenities and moans out, next to her ear.

Chae immediately removes her hands from you, kisses you and stands up, unable to look you in the eyes.

“I’m sorry.” walking away and down the slope of the life guard tower, leaving you to figure out your feelings and question everything that’s ever happened between the two of you and wondering why she would fuck you just to leave you here feeling unloved and unwanted.

—

“Do you think dinner will be weird?” Sana asks from the passenger seat of your car as you pull into the parking garage in front of Jihyo’s apartment building.

“I don’t think so. At least I hope it’s not. It’s been a while since I have seen her, so I can avoid her through conversation with everyone else.” putting the car into park and looking over at your lovely girlfriend of a few months.

Her eyes soften, she knows the details of what happened that night at the beach. Sana knows how detrimental that memory is to you, but it was Jihyo’s birthday and you were a good friend. You weren’t going to miss it because of Chaeyoung.

“Alright, Honey. But if you get uncomfortable, please let me know. I don’t want you to put your own mental health at risk for the sake of a small party, okay?” Placing her hand on your cheek to make sure you keep eye contact with her.

Putting your hand on hers, you move it over and kiss her palm lightly. She giggles at you, before leaning in to lay her lips on yours.

“Thank you, baby.” smiling at her after pulling away, getting out of the driver's side door and walking around the other side to open hers, offering your hand out for her to hold while she steps out of the car, intertwining her fingers with yours and squeezing softly.

—

“Oh my god! Y/n! It’s been so long!” Jihyo runs at you and envelopes you in a bear hug before giving you a once over, taking in how you’re glowing and happy.

“You look good!” knowing the last time she saw you was when a week or two after the beach incident. You didn’t have to tell her what happened for her to understand who it involved and why you were distraught.

“I’m so happy to see you and that smile of yours again. Thank you for dragging her out of the house, Sana.” giving a wink and then passing you off to the others, giving them a chance to greet you.

Everyone gave a similar reaction to seeing you as Jihyo, except the one person you expected to barely interact with. A small wave behind an even smaller smile.

“It’s good to see you.” eyes on the floor, hands awkwardly fiddling with themselves, feet shuffling and biting the inside of her cheek. Her anxious tells were showing in full force and you weren’t the only one to notice it.

Sana places her hand on your lower back, rubbing small circles to soothe you through this uncomfortable exchange.

“Good to see you too, Chae.” before stepping away to gather with the rest of the girls to start the birthday festivities, finding you and Sana’s seats next to each other with Chaeyoung placed at the complete opposite end of the table.

—

Stepping outside for a second to get some fresh air, being too full to even think about the discomfort of Chaeyoung being within such close proximity. You lean against the railing of the patio taking in the calmness of the night sky when the door opens behind you and closes softly.

Without even having to look, you already know who’s present behind you. A long sigh expels from your lungs, you know what’s coming.

“We broke up… I broke up with him…I’ve been trying to get into contact with you since the night after…the beach.” stated before you could even blink.

Finding a place next to you on the railing, she pulls out a joint and lights it before trying to hand it to you. Politely declining, she takes a few pulls and then speaks again.

“After that night…I couldn’t get you out of my head. Every time he touched me, I wished it was you.” Glancing to see what emotions were present on your face, finding stoicism where love used to be.

“I blocked you that night, Chae…can we not do th-” she pushes your shoulder to open up your stance and takes a step towards you, getting close to your face trying to initiate something more than she should.

Tilting her head lightly and leaning into you as you take a huge step back from her, you tell her the absolute truth.

“Chae, we can’t do this. More importantly, I don’t want to do this. You had the opportunity and you wasted it. You used me that night at the beach for your own selfish gain and then left me there…alone. Cheating on your boyfriend and ruining our friendship on the same night…I don’t want to date someone like you.” stern in your words as you relive the night in your mind, again and again. Still grieving the past.

“I thought the love we had was pure and I’m trying to keep that memory alive so please, don’t remind me of what you did.” Stepping towards the door, pulling it open as fast as possible. You needed to get away from her. Now.

“I’m sorry.” muffled by her tears and the creaking of the hinges as you try to run away when she grabs your wrist and places something in your hands, not bothering to look at it before leaving her outside.

Not wanting to show your emotions to Sana, you rush into the bathroom before she can see the state you’re in.

Closing the door behind you and flipping the bright fluorescent lights on, you look into your hand and see a dried up beach rose that’s stained with dark crimson. You stare at it as you remember the thorns, looking at the tip of your finger where the scars were from that night.

Into the garbage it went as quickly as you saw it. Splashing cold water on your face, arms locked, leaning on the chilled porcelain sink trying to collect yourself so you can be present for the rest of the party when you hear a knock at the door.

“Baby? Are you in there?” the sweet voice warms your heart, as you turn the knob and crack the door to let Sana in.

“Oh, honey” immediately grabbing you to hold you while you silently sob into her. Rubbing your back and telling you that you were safe but you couldn’t help but keep wishing it was Chaeyoung. Always wishing it was Chaeyoung .

[idyllic-ghost]

title: sunday morning pairing: seungkwan x reader genre: fluff, comfort warnings: mentions of food synopsis: the comforting bubble of a romantic getaway by the beach was just what you needed to relax and recharge wordcount: 1.5k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz,

a/n: spring is coming and seungkwan is important to me. that's it, that's the post.

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The room is barely lit up by the first few rays of sunshine peaking in through the thin blinds, but they still manage to stir you awake. Reaching out to your side, you find it empty and cold. You open your eyes and look around the unfamiliar room, trying to find Seungkwan somewhere. He's gone. Just last night, he was laying close beside you and keeping you warm with his arms wrapped around you. He must have slipped away while you were sleeping. The clock on the bedside table says 5:13 AM. With a groan, you threw the covers off of you to go look for your boyfriend.

You never like waking up without him, but especially not when you are supposed to be on a romantic getaway together. With lazy steps, you walk around the room until you find Seungkwan's suitcase. He doesn't like it when you steal his clothes without asking first, but he would have to accept that now. You put on an old t-shirt of his, and find your own pajama shorts lying somewhere on the ground. The fabric was cold against your naked skin, but you pushed on.

Walking down the wooden staircase of the beach cabin is difficult when you aren't completely awake yet. The stairs are steep and you are still dizzy with sleep, so you clutch onto the railing as hard as you can. Each step creaks and croaks under your feet, and you have to keep your eyes down to make sure you don't miss a step. As you successfully reach the bottom of the stairs, you also succeed in waking up Bookeu.

Your search for Seungkwan continues, now with Bookeu walking around your legs. The beach house is small, and it doesn't take long before you've looked into every room - but Seungkwan is still nowhere to be found. Then, Bookeu must have heard a noise because he starts sprinting toward the door to the back porch.

When you slide open the door, you're hit with a nostalgic chill. It isn't cold, just enough for you to wake up properly. Spring is here. Peeking your head around the glass door, you find Seungkwan sitting on the bench lined up with the wall of the house and staring at the ocean. He's wearing a warm fleece and has a blanket pulled over his lap - a sense of calm washes over you at the knowledge that he's at least not cold. The sun is halfway up now, painting your lover with a golden hue. Bookeu runs out on the porch and up to his owner, silently begging him to lift him up. After doing so, Seungkwan looks over at you with tired eyes.

"Good morning," you say. "Do you want coffee?"

Seungkwan, looking solemn, simply nods a yes. You smile at him before heading to the kitchen. From the kitchen window, you can see the top of his head. It's slightly hidden behind a plant, so it's no surprise that you didn't notice it before. The coffee machine is old, and it takes long for the drip coffee to finish. Enough for the sun to have fully risen above the horizon. You wash a couple fruits in the meantime, setting them aside in a bowl before looking around for a knife. The day you have already spent here isn't enough for you to know where everything is.

When the coffee is finally ready you bring two cups of it, along with the bowl of fruit, out to the porch. There's a small table in front of the bench, so you put the things down there. Seungkwan is still just looking out over the water, and Bookeu is sitting in his lap. After handing him his cup, you just stand there. You hesitate to sit down, not knowing if this is supposed to be his alone time. He seems to sense your hesitation and quickly pulls the blanket up as an invitation for you to sit down. When you do, he puts the fluffy fabric over your legs.

"Good morning," he says. "Sorry for leaving you in bed."

"It's okay."

Seungkwan wraps an arm around your shoulder to pull you closer to him - and when you put his head on your shoulder, he puts his head on top of yours. Bookeu, who had grown a little bit antsy, jumps down from Seungkwan's lap and runs back inside. You can hear him run around the kitchen, his paws making happy little sounds against the wooden floor. You take the opportunity to hog a little bit more of the blanket, and Seungkwan lets you - pulling at it and making sure that both of your legs are covered properly. He's definitely noticed that you stole his shirt now, but he doesn't say anything.

"Why did you come out here so early?" you ask.

"I couldn't sleep," he admits, "and watching the ocean was comforting."

"You should've woken me up," you murmur as you snuggle closer into his side.

"You looked so peaceful, I just couldn't." Seungkwan presses a kiss on the top of your head before loosening his grip to put down his cup. "Why the fruit?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

"... no." He shuffles around in his seat, making you lift your head from his shoulder.

"Then it's for you."

You watch as he picks up the bowl, holding it gently in his hands. There are a few grapes, a couple apples and oranges, and strawberries. The knife balances on the edge of the bowl, and Seungkwan picks it up and hands it to you along with an apple.

"Can you peel it for me?" he mumbles.

Without another word, you take the items from his hands and start peeling the apple. Laying the sharp edge of the knife against the waxy skin of the apple, pressing down hard enough to break the seal but not to cut into its flesh. As steady as you can, you move the knife around the apple - creating a spiral of fruit peel. Seungkwan watches your hands intently, careful not to disturb the process.

The waves crashing against the shore in the background force you into a rhythm, only to be broken by Bookeu's high-pitch bark. You had only managed to peel half of the apple when the skin broke. Still, you held it up proudly to Seungkwan - and he ooh-ed and aah-ed at the spiral-shaped peel. With a small smile, you continued to peel- Seungkwan now had his chin on your shoulder, giggling whenever you messed up. His breath tickled against your exposed skin, as your shirt had its collar stretched out with age. His laughter made you giddy, only making it harder for you to peel the fruit in your hands.

Eventually, you had peeled the entire fruit. Its white flesh now laid bare for you, and you cut into it with the knife. Cutting out a big chunk of the juicy apple, you hand it to Seungkwan for him to eat. He takes it happily, bringing the piece of fruit to his lips and putting the entire thing in his mouth. You laugh as he grimaces at the too-big piece. Next time, you cut a smaller piece - which he chews with more ease.

You feel warm under the blanket, contrasted with the salty, chilly air. Nevertheless, you welcome the breeze as it gives you an excuse to get a little closer to the man next to you. You keep feeding him fruit, and he wraps his arms around your torso - keeping his head on your shoulder to watch over your hands, making sure that you're careful with the sharp knife.

When the apple is nothing but a skinny pit, you put it on the table, and pick up a strawberry from the bowl. Seungkwan presses a kiss to your cheek, his lips slightly sticky from the fruit juices but you don't mind. You carefully take off the hull before cutting the red berry in half. The halves look like hearts, and you happily show Seungkwan.

"Here." You give him one of the halves. "You can have my heart."

"You're so corny," he huffs but takes the strawberry anyway. "Then that's my heart, right?" He motions to the other strawberry half before putting his berry half in his mouth.

"Of course."

"Good." He sits up straight. "You better not be eating anyone else's heart."

You snort at his comment but eat the heart-shaped strawberry anyway. Its sweetness coats your tongue, and you close your eyes for a moment to savor it. When you open your eyes again and look over at Seungkwan, he's staring at you. His hair is a mess, he probably hasn't looked himself in the mirror yet today, but you only find it endearing. His hand finds yours, and you quickly intertwine your fingers with his.

"Thanks for sitting with me," he murmurs.

"Thanks for letting me," you say. "It's the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning."

Seungkwan nods, wrapping his arms around you again to steal some of your body warmth. The two coffee cups are forgotten, and are slowly getting colder and colder. You can't be bothered with coffee or fruit, when all you need is Seungkwan's embrace. The sun is far above the horizon now, and you can taste the strawberry on Seungkwan's lips when he kisses you. The kiss brings you more warmth than the sun ever could, and you feel so lucky to have your own bright star to light up your day.

[schrodingerscougar]

Note: Seriously, I have no excuse for the Toranaga fics. Here's a modern day one. Please, enjoy, then kindly point me in the direction of works from others.

..

Toranaga remained silent after Blackthorne finished talking and waited for Mariko to translate for him. You watched him with curious eyes, looking for small changes in his expression that would tell you what he was planning this time. Because you knew many things about him, one of them being the fact that he spoke English quite well.

Once the conversation was over, he asked Mariko to be with their guest for the rest of the day to help him communicate with others and get to know your customs better. After they left, he asked you to go to the roof with him so you could talk in private, away from the people who were dying to find out more about the outsider.

“Please, enlighten me. Why are you making the Englishman believe you don't speak English?” you asked Toranaga once you stepped next to him by the railing of the rooftop.

The man looked at you with a small smile as his fingers played with the small box he held in his hand. What it contained you didn't know, but something told you it was none of your business. “I believe I shouldn't make things easy for him just yet,” he said after a while.

You tried to resist, but your eyes kept falling on the box in his hand. It was a small and simple cardboard box, not something that would seem particularly precious. It was killing you that you had absolutely no clue what it was hiding, and why he had been playing with it ever since you joined him up here.

“You want to know what's inside, don't you?” Toranaga asked with a laugh as he opened his palm and held the box close to you. You shook your head without thinking, even reaching out to close his fingers around it, but he gently pulled your hand away and showed you the object once again. “Take it. It's yours anyway.”

“Mine?” He nodded with that kind smile still visible on his lips. So you took the box and opened it, only to find another box inside. But it wasn't another cardboard box, no. It was a blue jewelry box that had a beautiful white gold ring with a yellow diamond in the middle inside. “I don't understand, what is this?”

“I believe you already know. We've been together for long enough to understand what we want from this relationship. This is what I want,” he explained.

You didn't know what to say. These were trying times for all of you, a proposal wasn't something you could think about. There were people after him, his life was in danger, he had a strange Englishman as a guest, and he was thinking about this? If you didn't know any better, you would have assumed he went mad.

“You have nothing to say?” he asked, bringing you back to the conversation with only these five words.

“Why now in the middle of this mess?”

Toranaga decided to wrap an arm around your body and pull you into a kiss, probably hoping this would make you focus on his proposal instead of your fears regarding the future. His future. He was right as usual, you were terrified those idiots would get him killed.

“I want to hear you say yes before I die, that's all,” came his response as he placed a soft kiss on your cheek. “Don't you want to stay by my side as my wife?”

You flashed a delicate smile at him then put your arms around his neck to pull him against you. “That's all I want,” you whispered to him before burying your face into the crook of his neck.

People had warned you not to let him close, to keep a safe distance from this man who was way more powerful than you could handle. At first you followed the advice, especially because you saw what he could be like, how cold and scheming he was with others.

But then you saw a different side of him. A softer side, one he seemingly reserved for you, and only you. Gentle touches, romantic getaways, generous gifts; he did everything he could to sweep you off your feet. Maybe it was a trap, but maybe he was genuinely interested in you. Either way, you couldn't resist for long.

The two of you joined Blackthorne and Mariko for dinner in the evening, going to an excellent restaurant with a private room to talk a little more. Through the other woman, Toranaga asked a lot of questions about the Englishman's intentions. He assumed he came here looking for something that had been hidden a long time ago, a relic that held value only to a small circle of people.

You remained silent and listened. You weren't allowed to talk to the outsider yet because your fiancé wanted you to stay out of whatever mess he was here to cause. He would have rather thrown Mariko under the bus right now. It was cruel, but he was only protecting you, you knew that.

“Why don't you ask him about the relic? Go on, ask him about what object they've been hiding for a long time,” Blackthorne told Mariko once he had enough of the cross-examination.

She looked confused, hesitant to speak up at first. Knowing Toranaga understood everything made her more cautious and you couldn't blame her. Of course, Blackthorne didn't speak Japanese, so he wouldn't have understood what she said. But despite this, she was carefully choosing each word when she spoke up again.

“Lord Toranaga, the relic he's talking about… Is it real?” she asked.

“It is very much real, I can assure you,” he said before turning to his guest and switching to English. “I believe you are chasing a myth, Mr. Blackthorne. This relic went missing a long time ago.”

His lie made you nervous. What was he plotting this time? But the biggest surprise came from the other man whose jaw dropped upon hearing him speak his language.

“You bastard, you understood everything I said, didn't you?” he asked angrily before turning to you. “I bet you understand everything too.”

“Whether or not she understands you doesn't matter as I asked Mariko to translate, not her.”

Blackthorne laughed at this. “You don't want your lover to be involved? What are you afraid of? That she might realize what a manipulative piece of shit you are?”

Toranaga glanced over at you for a moment, then turned back to the Englishman. “You should learn to choose your words more carefully,” he warned him. “You saved my life, for which I'm grateful, and you are my guest, but I won't hesitate to get rid of you if you make the wrong choice.”

You shivered because of the way he talked to Blackthorne. This was the man people warned you about, the one who was usually nowhere to be found when you were around. He exchanged a few words with Mariko in Japanese, then stood up and extended a hand to help you up too. It was time to leave apparently.

Before you left the room, your eyes met Mariko’s and you couldn't hide your worry. She flashed a small smile at you then nodded to tell you she would be fine. You returned the smile then said goodbye and went after Toranaga. You didn't dare to resist.

[garbria]

Flufftober Day 8

Nyx sipped his coffee and leaned against the porch post of their rented cabin. He’d had never been a morning person, not even his years in the military had changed that, but if he woke up to this sight every day, he might have to change his mind. 

The air was crisp and clear, the slight chill foretelling the coming season, but not cold enough the warmth of the coffee couldn’t take the edge off. The trees were not the ancient jungle of Galahd, but the changing colors more than made up for it. Birds sang out as the sun broke through the leaves, drying the morning dew.

Another crack interrupted the birdsong as Nyx drunk in the sight of why he was really out here. 

The sight of Cor shirtless and weilding a bladed weapon was never to be missed.

“You could help, you know.” Cor wiped his brow and gave Nyx a flat look.

Nyx raised his coffee cup. “But I’m so enjoying the view.”

“It was your idea to come out here in the first place.” Cor placed the ax next to the pile of freshly chopped wood. “Something about a romantic weekend getaway.”

“And cuddling in front of a fireplace isn’t romantic?” Nyx smirked as Cor walked closer.

“I don’t know if you should get to reap the benefits when you didn’t contribute.” Cor kept his face stern as he closed the distance between them.

“I did make you breakfast,” Nyx retorted and leaned forward to kiss the frown on Cor’s face.

Cor hummed, and used one hand to pull Nyx closer while taking the coffee mug with the other and placing in on the railing.

Nyx closed his eyes and sunk into the warmth of Cor’s mouth.

Too soon, Cor pulled away. “I suppose that’s good enough. But you get to put it away.” 

Nyx laughed as he followed Cor inside. “Fair enough.”

[vynegar]

"Albie" (main story 11-21)

At the end of Episode 11 (Part 1), we find out that "Albie" is simply a name that Vyn made up on the spot when Rosa asked. He may have been inspired by his own birth name, Vilhelm Richard Albert de Haspran.

In Chinese, Vyn choose the name "阿明". "阿" is a prefix used to form nicknames, "明" can be a name but also means "bright, clear". In Vyn's Romantic Rail Getaway card "Food for Thought", he tells us the meaning of his name:

You can see the character 明 appear in the word 明亮 ("bright"), although 明 is such a common character that I wouldn't say that this Chinese text alone is enough is sufficient evidence to show the connection between the two names. It's the way that the "Albie" and "阿明" happen to coincide in the name "Albert", which made me take note of Vyn's "careless" choice in name.

If the Chinese name was intended to subtly reference "Albert", I can certainly imagine imagine this as one way to preserve that reference through translation, even if it becomes more obvious. We do have an example of the translation preserving plot-relevant wordplay in a name: Lowe Leare ("Lowly"), originally 萧仁 ("小人", both pronounced "xiao ren" but with different tones). However, there's also an incident of a plot-relevant name being missed through translation, though it was in an event (not the main story) that probably foreshadowed a distant plot point and had infamously bad translation issues.

Anyway, it remains possible that "Albie" is a coincidence. However, after Vyn and Rosa wrap up their conversation about Albie's name, the narration makes a comment on the importance of that moment:

It isn't until the whole case is settled that you are surprised to realize something... You had briefly touched on the key to cracking the case at this very moment.

...which at least gives me enough confidence to not feel silly writing up a whole post about it. We've only seen part of this case, and there's a lot of mystery still surrounding Vyn's behavior so I don't have any definitive hypotheses on why Vyn might have chosen his own name for Albie. Is there something that made Vyn seen himself in Albie? Did the delinquent's attitude remind Vyn of the cruel, stratified world that he was born in? Is he reminded of how people who have imperfections will be tossed aside and abandoned? I guess we'll see when part 2 of this episode is released.

[tirasamu]

last updated . . . august 2024

BUNGOU STRAY DOGS

everywhere, everything . . . ever since you joined the port mafia four years ago and met dazai, you have an unspoken agreement: you're each other's person. aka how you leave the port mafia with dazai and what happens afterwards.

untitled . . . dazai loves bragging about his girlfriend now that he has one. too bad no one at the detective agency believes you’re real.

synergy . . . the agency assigns you and dazai to investigate a murder at a beachside resort, but he’d rather take the opportunity to have a romantic getaway with his favorite girl.

see me like no other . . . dazai isn’t used to any of this: gentle touches, pure intentions, or bubble baths.

something borrowed . . . date nights with you were supposed to be easy except tonight, there’s a small velvet box in dazai’s pocket.

melting like gelato . . . dazai promised you he’d behave himself at the beach, but how can he help it when you look so cute in your little bikini? mdni

naked in yokohama . . . fwb!dazai, requited crushes. mdni

just for a minute . . . fyodor notices how much his absence affects you. he still can’t help but tease you for missing him.

JUJUTSU KAISEN

i don’t think i could love you more . . . satoru doesn’t understand what you don’t understand; you’re absolutely irresistible, even when you don’t think soー especially when you don’t think so. you could say the same to him. mdni

my other half is you . . . gojo talks to you when you sleep.

p.s.! ⊹ ࣪ ˖ to be added . . . blue lock, demon slayer, honkai star rail

[xitty]

Guess who had to pull until pity again for my boy Artem? Me, that's right. :')

Also, I'm annoyed with Tears of Themis EN version right now. Why on Earth did they release Artem's chapter 3.1 card (the pool playing one) before this, the chapter 3 card, only to then to follow up with this immediately? And Artem's birthday is in a month too. Why are they packing all his solo stuff in such a short period?!? And then we'll have a huge gap before his chapter 3.2 card. If they bother to stay in schedule with that one.

And this all reminds me that there's still no Japanese voice over for his Romantic Rail Getaway (Sunshine After the Rain) card story.

I know they've shuffled some other cards too, some events were flipped in order and MR schedule is all over the place but those haven't been as disruptive.

[dead-boys-club]

hello, everyone! DBC has decided to do a Christmas prompt list this year. Simple as always, just pick one of the prompts below and send it in with your character(s)* of choice! * I don't write just ships but I will write poly!

Currently writing for: Tokyo Revengers - My Hero Academia - Haikyuu!! - One Piece - Honkai: Star Rail - Genshin Impact - Demon Slayer - Jujutsu Kaisen.

There are two types of prompts: scenes and quotes. You can choose only one or you can choose one of each - up to you. When choosing scenes, please put an 'A' in front and for quotes, a 'B' ( ex: A13 / B24 )

Scenes:

1. Wrapping presents together (and failing miserably). 2. Getting caught under the mistletoe. 3. Getting lost at the mall. 4. Building a snowman with an unexpected twist. 5. Christmas shopping chaos in a packed mall. 6. A cozy movie marathon with holiday classics. 7. One person LOVES Christmas, the other… not so much. 8. First snowfall of the season. 9. Baking Christmas cookies that go horribly wrong. 10. Decorating the Christmas tree (and arguing about the topper). 11. Ice skating mishaps. 12. Getting snowed in together on Christmas Eve. 13. Sneaking around to hide the perfect gift. 14. A surprise Christmas confession under twinkling lights. 15. The annual ugly sweater competition. 16. Drinking hot chocolate by the fire and sharing secrets. 17. Christmas karaoke gets out of hand. 18. Waking up to the surprise of a White Christmas. 19. A holiday party that ends in complete chaos. 20. Exchanging handmade gifts. 21. One person forgetting it’s Christmas and rushing to make it special last minute. 22. Wearing matching pajamas (and someone hating it). 23. A romantic sleigh ride in the snow. 24. A snowball fight turns into something… more. 25. Lighting up the neighborhood with the most outrageous Christmas decorations. 26. Searching for the perfect Christmas tree. 27. A surprise Christmas getaway. 28. Christmas-themed game night (think charades or trivia!). 29. Losing power during Christmas dinner. 30. Decorating gingerbread houses and making a mess. 31. Staying up to see the Northern Lights together. 32. An anonymous Secret Santa gift leaves someone wondering who sent it. 33. One person being overly dramatic about hanging up lights. 34. Visiting a Christmas market together. 35. A cozy nap on the couch while snow falls outside. 36. Getting lost in the woods while searching for a tree. 37. Finding a stray animal in the snow and deciding to take it in. 38. Christmas Eve at a cabin in the woods. 39. Building the perfect holiday playlist. 40. Sharing a scarf on a cold winter night.

Quotes:

1. “I swear, if you eat one more Christmas cookie, you’ll turn into Santa Claus.” 2. “Do we really need a tree this big? Are we decorating it or climbing it?” 3. “You’re cold? Here—take my scarf. I don’t need it.” 4. “I didn’t get you a gift because I am the gift.” 5. “Who needs Santa when you have me?” 6. “I think the lights are tangled… and I’m stuck. Help.” 7. “That’s not how you build a snowman! You’re supposed to stack the snowballs, not throw them!” 8. “Hot chocolate tastes better when you steal it from someone else’s mug.” 9. “Are you crying? It’s just a Hallmark movie!” 10. “Is that… matching pajamas? For us?” 11. “No, you’re not putting a star on top. It’s going to be a dinosaur this year.” 12. “It’s snowing! Come outside with me!” 13. “This gingerbread house is structurally unsound, and it’s your fault.” 14. “Christmas isn’t about the presents… but if you got me nothing, we’re fighting.” 15. “You’re putting WAY too much whipped cream on that hot chocolate.” 16. “I told you not to eat the raw cookie dough, and now you feel sick. I’m shocked.” 17. “Why does this Christmas party feel like the start of a murder mystery?” 18. “I don’t care how cold it is. We’re staying outside until you catch a snowflake on your tongue.” 19. “This isn’t a snowball fight. It’s a war.” 20. “I don’t do Christmas cheer. But for you? Fine.” 21. “Santa doesn’t leave coal in stockings anymore. He just leaves bad vibes.” 22. “Stop shaking your presents! You’ll ruin the surprise!” 23. “I didn’t wrap your gift. I thought the bag was enough effort.” 24. “Christmas lights aren’t supposed to explode, are they?” 25. “It’s the most chaotic time of the year.” 26. “I made you a Christmas playlist. No, you can’t skip the Mariah Carey song.” 27. “This isn’t a holiday drink. It’s pure sugar and regret.” 28. “Tell me you didn’t just eat Santa’s cookies.” 29. “You can’t just use mistletoe as an excuse to kiss me whenever you want!” 30. “Who needs a fireplace when you have me to keep you warm?” 31. “It’s not a proper Christmas until someone burns the cookies.” 32. “You’ve got snow in your hair. It’s adorable.” 33. “What do you mean you don’t know the words to Jingle Bells?” 34. “You look good in the glow of Christmas lights… too good.” 35. “I didn’t decorate for Christmas. I decorated for you.” 36. “This gift is wrapped so badly. Did you use duct tape?” 37. “Mistletoe is overrated. You don’t need it to kiss me.” 38. “Christmas Eve isn’t the same without you.” 39. “Snow angels are overrated. Let’s just lie here together.” 40. “You’re my favorite Christmas tradition.”

[hoyotunes]

Romantic Rail Getaway (I): Adventure from Encounter Frex, HOYO-MiX

[salt-and-vynegar]

hey, hope bakerlon's treating you well! i just wanted to ask you since you usually note things like this, have you seen any references to LIs' card stories during the event gameplay? tbh i've been tapping through/speed reading some of it so i'm sure i've missed some stuff, but i did screenshot the "wordless love letter" mentioned in a crystal research task (artem's card iirc) and i think there was sth earlier in the event story about an organization that would leave a sign/calling card (luke's card)...? --vynegar

@vynegar

Heyo!

Thank you for the ask! :)

I wish I had better news about Bakerlon. The pulls haven't been going well on my end, but it's the nature of the game, unfortunately. I'm 60 pulls in, and the only SSR I got was Vyn's Romantic Rail Getaway card from over a year ago. lol.

I don't have enough to go any further, so I have to call it.

For the Bakerlon event, there are references to the other LI's card stories! Most of them are under the Crystal Research parts of the event. Due to storage issues and being unfamiliar with the general event card stories, I've missed a few of them, but I have caught a couple.

There's a creator on Hoyolab that has compiled the general screenshots where the event references the stories, and I'll link it here. I'll throw it under the cut in case of spoilers.

Many thanks to Michellexylee from HoyoLab for compiling all the complete screenshots.

Luke's card story reference (A letter with a Twifoil Mark. Accompanying this reference is an explanation from the librarian about the Twifoil organization.)

Marius card story reference (A piece of paper with the words: Eris International Trade. In addition, there's an additional piece of dialogue - "Miss [Y/N], interview for office secretary at 2pm at 10 Shaudik Street.)

Vyn card story reference (An old book pulled from the utility closet with the title: Tellus Travelogue. In addition, there's an additional piece of dialogue Rosa says, "If the destination takes me to an unknown world, I'm willing to accept the invitation."

Artem's card story reference (A card found in the utility room that has a blank front, but has a handmade sketch of a rose in the back corner, along with a line of illegible words. Talking with Dr. Miller reveals that the card is a wordless love letter, one of the most romantic expressions of love. Wordless love letters say nothing and everything at the same time.)

[outivv]

Okay, look. I found your post because it was in the ToT tag, and while I agree with the sentiment, it doesn't do the movement any favors to bomb all Hoyoverse Games overall. If lay people look at the movement and don't understand why it's being bombed, then all that's been done is drive people to their fandom corners.

This happened years ago. People who were with Genshin before over the anniversary debacle a couple of years ago did it too, but nothing changed except the large amounts of hate sent to people who were Themis players.

Change may happen, but only if there's a clear and concerted effort, and if it's clear to Hoyo why games are being bombed.

To that end, if you and other readers insist on bombing other Hoyoverse games like Themis, then I hope that the critiques made (and of the low rating itself), tie itself back to Themis, rather than Genshin or HSR to make a stronger argument to the devs of the game and lay people reading the reviews.

I don't know if the development team who work on Themis also work on ZZZ, HSR, or Genshin. Maybe these games share developers. Maybe they don't.

If the developers aren't shared among the different games, then a blanket bomb with no explanation or an explanation that only relates to a different game may not be taken seriously by the dev teams for the games.

In my opinion, I think it would be easier to drive people towards the movement against colorism in Hoyoverse games, by pointing out the colorism and tying it back to the game itself. (I.e. There's colorism in this certain part of the game, and it makes me feel uncomfortable, etc.)

With a nuanced review, people could read thoughtful reviews, understand what is being protested against, and then act as a warning for people who decide to download the game. In addition, I think it would be easier to make the game developers (for their respective games) take the issue more seriously. Not to mention, having a thoughtful comment also makes it harder to flag a comment for spam.

So in the case of Tears of Themis, for a good while, people have brought up the colorism that occurs in Themis when it comes to various past events. The biggest ones being Romantic Rail Getaway, and the Secrets of the Tomb - which are inspired by real life locations.

So for further reading and research, I would recommend checking out some of these posts so that any critiques of Themis stay grounded within the game itself and in service of the bigger picture of colorism in Hoyoverse games, rather than comments and critiques blanket bombing games.

[Regarding Romatic Rail Getaway in game event] https://www.tumblr.com/obei-me/668539823841263616/reading-mariuss-rrg-story-stuff-finally-catching?source=share

[ Regarding another in-game event, Themis put out called Electrifying Night] https://www.tumblr.com/sweetcinnamonlove/679939710597169152/sweetcinnamonlove-rant-and-me-just-rambling-it?source=share

[Regarding the Secrets of the Tomb in-game event] https://www.tumblr.com/joeyglowy/683004535124443136/the-problem-with-sott?source=share

No, no, I agree! That’s what I was trying to like kinda say, or if I thought it would be obvious that when reviewing a Hoyoverse game that you should focus on the individual game issues, because all of the games have their own issues, which I have talked about before multiple times so I’m not gonna do it again cause I am TIRED BAHAHAB.

Hoyoverse as a whole has been extremely racist and colorist, so it doesn’t matter if the independent dev team who works on ToT also work on zzz, hsr, and genshin- because it is a company issue overall, and like you said ToT has had issues with colorism and racism in the past with previous events. I stopped playing ToT a long time ago, but even I know vaguely about these things because it’s just a shared fandom space across all Hyv games.

The reason for the review bombing is to stick to Hyv games, target the individual game’s problems while bringing attention to the company that this is a company wide thing, and also to lower the rating of the games overall because that is what scares Hyv. They care when their rating goes down, and when they don’t make as much money- so that’s why boycotting and review bombing are such important things to get change from Hoyoverse.

I do overall agree, we should be organized in the movement, but I’m just a one man band- so it’s hard for me to organize people on tumblr, especially because a lot of the discussion on the boycott is on Twitter. I’m mainly focusing on just informing and educating, and discussing the issues with Hyv since most of my account is based around Hyv games. I recommend looking at #HYVboycott, and following @ HYVBoycott on Twitter, just for a lot of info and their petition!!

[galitzinefms]

If there was anything Nicholas was good at, it was acting - obviously. He wasn't a huge fan of the whole PR relationship thing, but he knew that it was just one of the many things in his line of work he'd have to deal with. Thankfully, Sabrina wasn't half bad. She was fun, easy to get along with, attractive too. Now, in the Maldives it seemed as good time as any to get their "relationship" out there. Headlines could read it as 'Nicholas Galitzine and Sabrina Carpenter take on the Maldives in romantic getaway' or some shit. Once they had gotten here, Nicholas took some time to explore and get a feel for the layout, all the places that the island offered and all of that. He knew the perfect place he could take Sabrina for their first date. One look in the mirror, fingers fixed some strands of loose blonde hair before he heads out of his villa and towards Sabrina's. It wasn't long before the blonde was outside her villa, fist rapped on the door with a few knocks before he leans against the railing ( thankful it wasn't weak and wouldn't send him barreling into the peaceful water below ) waiting for Sabrina to answer the door. @carpcntcrrr

[yumiyue07]

The Pavilion of Lost Dreams

Part 3

POV: You & Him

(Y/N = Your name, H/N = His name)

Part 1 | Part 2

Unbeknownst to you, a parallel storm raged within H/N as he stood alone in the pavilion, the echoes of your departure ringing in his ears like a mournful dirge. "Stay strong, don't turn around now," he urged himself, the weight of his decision heavy upon his shoulders.

When the sound of her footsteps faded into the distance, he unleashed a torrent of frustration, slamming his fist against the railing with a primal fury. "Damn it!" he cursed, the anguish of his choice etched into every line of his face.

There was no other way. He had to release you before you shattered completely, before the weight of his love became too much for your fragile spirit to bear. The sight of her tear-streaked face, your wincing, your silent suffering, had torn him apart inside, each moment a dagger to his already wounded soul. How desperately he longed to gather you into his arms, to soothe your pain with whispered promises and tender kisses. But he couldn't, he wasn't allowed to, bound by the cruel constraints of circumstance. "Please hate me, Y/N. Don't love me anymore," he whispered into the void, his voice choked with unshed tears. "It'll make it easier for you to forget me." The words hung heavy in the air.

It had all begun so beautifully. For H/N, it had been love at first sight, an inexplicable pull drawing him towards you amidst the throngs of people. He had seized the fleeting moment, desperate to capture your attention before you disappeared into the crowd forever. And when your eyes met, when your smile lit up your face, he knew he had found something truly extraordinary. Your smile had enchanted him from the moment he first laid eyes on you, a radiant beacon of warmth and joy that mirrored the feelings blossoming within his own heart. He couldn't help but smile in return, the weight of the world momentarily lifted from his shoulders.

In the blink of an eye, you were a couple, swept up in the whirlwind of love and passion that had consumed you both. It was here, in this pavilion, your secret sanctuary, where your love had blossomed and flourished. And it was here, amidst the echoes of whispered promises and stolen kisses, that he had shattered your heart forever.

With a raw cry of despair and anger, he struck the railing once more, the metallic clang reverberating through the empty space like a mournful lament.

As the memories flooded back, H/N couldn't help but reminisce about the beautiful moments you had shared, each one etched into his heart like a precious gem.

It had been your first anniversary, and H/N had spared no effort in making it a day to remember. The pavilion, your sacred sanctuary, had been transformed into a haven of love and romance, adorned with candles and heart-shaped balloons. He had taken care not to overdo it, knowing your aversion to tacky displays of affection. And as he waited nervously for your arrival, dressed in his finest attire, his heart raced with anticipation.

And then you appeared, a vision of beauty in your festive dress, your sweet smile and sparkling eyes lighting up his world like never before. Tears of joy welled in your eyes as you beheld the surprise he had prepared, and he couldn't resist pulling you into his arms, confessing his love for you once more. The romantic kiss that followed sealed your love, a moment of pure bliss amidst the chaos of life. But the surprises didn't end there. He had arranged a long weekend getaway, a chance for just the two of you to escape the world and revel in each other's company. The joy in your eyes as you embraced the prospect of uninterrupted togetherness filled his soul with warmth and contentment.   The trip had been a dream, each moment a testament to the depth of your love and the strength of your bond. And now, as he looked back on those cherished memories, tears welled in his eyes, a poignant reminder of the happiness you had shared and the pain of its imminent loss.

In the aftermath of your blissful getaway, a shadow fell over your relationship, casting doubt and insecurity where once there had been only love and trust. Rumors began to swirl within Y/N’s circle of friends, sowing discord, and suspicion between you but also leading to lose most of your so-called friends. Despite your attempts to brush off the malicious gossip, its insidious tendrils wormed their way into your hearts, poisoning the once pure wellspring of their love. As the whispers grew louder and more pervasive, Y/N withdrew into herself, seeking solace in the solitary confines of her own mind. Her once vibrant spirit dimmed, overshadowed by the weight of self-doubt and insecurity. H/N watched helplessly as the light in her eyes flickered, his heart breaking with each passing day.

He, too, felt the strain of your altered circumstances, the demands of his career pulling him further and further away from the woman he loved. Despite his best efforts to prioritize your relationship, the relentless onslaught of gigs and parties left him feeling adrift, longing for the simple joys of togetherness. Amidst the throngs of fake people vying for his attention, he found comfort in the authenticity of your connection. You were the only person whom he cared about, whom he valued and wanted to spend his time with. You were with him because you were genuinely interested in him as a human being, not in the glamor and glitz that surrounded him. You once told him that you would have chosen him even if he hadn't been a celebrity. He simply belonged to you, a missing piece of the puzzle that completed your world. And in your next life, you vowed to seek him out and choose him once again, and those words resonated deeply within him.

But it was Y/N's gradual transformation that pained him the most, your attempts to mold yourself into something you were not a heartbreaking reflection of the toxic influence of his environment. He had always seen you as the most beautiful of them all, your uniqueness and authenticity a beacon of light in a sea of superficiality.

Yet, despite his reassurances and unwavering love, the seeds of doubt had taken root in your heart, manifesting in obsessive behaviors and irrational suspicions. Each unanswered message on his phone became a source of anxiety, each explanation a painful reminder of the erosion of trust between you. And though he bore the brunt of your unfounded accusations with a heavy heart, his love for you remained steadfast.

He no longer recognized you. H/N's heart shattered into a thousand pieces knowing that your relationship, your love, was the reason for your gradual unraveling.

But as much as it tore him apart, he knew he couldn't stand idly by and watch you spiral further into despair. He had to set you free, to shield you from the relentless onslaught of pain and doubt that threatened to consume you whole. And yet, the thought of causing you even more pain was a dagger to his own heart. How could he do that without hurting you? If he told you the truth, you would fall deeper into the abyss, making all sorts of promises and placing yourself under even more pressure until you broke beneath the weight of it all. And he couldn't bring himself to introduce a new (inexistent) partner, knowing that it would only confirm your unfounded suspicions and deepen your wounds. There was simply no one else in his heart but you.    No, there was only one option left to him, no matter how agonizing it might be. He had to tell you that he no longer had feelings for you, to sever the ties that bound you together and set you free to find the happiness you desperately deserved. Yes, it would hurt you, perhaps more than anything else ever had. But in time, you would heal, find peace, and move on. For him, however, there would be no respite from the pain, no escape from the love he could never truly leave behind.

In the aftermath of the heartbreaking confrontation in the pavilion, H/N found himself overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions. As he sank to the ground, his head bowed in anguish, tears streamed down his cheeks. He wept not only for the pain he had inflicted upon you but also for the loss of the love you had once shared, now shattered beyond repair. In that moment of vulnerability, he longed to chase after you, to beg for your forgiveness and plead for one more chance to make things right. But he knew deep down that such a gesture would only prolong the agony, prolong the inevitable end of their once beautiful union. And so, he remained rooted to the spot, listening to the steady rhythm of the rain as it whispered its melancholic lullaby. How fitting, he thought, that nature itself should mirror the tumult of his heart.

As the rain finally ceased and darkness descended upon the world, H/N felt like he could move again. The half-moon cast its gentle glow upon the scene, offering a sliver of solace amidst the darkness. With a heavy heart and leaden steps, he rose from his place of sorrow and cast one final glance around the now-desolate pavilion. "Goodbye, Y/N," he whispered into the night, his voice a breath carried on the wind.

As he walked away, his footsteps crushing fallen petals beneath his feet, H/N couldn't help but reflect on the fragility of love, its transient nature laid bare by the storm that had torn through your lives. And though his heart ached with the weight of your loss, he knew that sometimes, love was as fleeting and fragile as the delicate petals scattered in a pond, destined to be swept away by the winds of time.

The End

Author’s note:

Hello lovelies,

Part 3—the final part— is out! 🎉 This tale, inspired by Stray Kids’ song “DLMLU,” is close to my heart, and I’m so excited to share it with you all.

How did you like this story? Leave some love and share your thoughts in the comments! 💬❤️

A new story is coming soon. Stay tuned!

Thank you for your support!

Love, YumiYue 🌙💖

Follow me on: 📸 Instagram: @yumiyue07 🎵 TikTok: @yumiyue07

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fan fiction inspired by Stray Kids’ song “DLMLU”. All characters and events are fictional and are not intended to represent real people or events.

All rights reserved. Please do not repost or reproduce this story without permission.

© 2024 LunaVerse - YumiYue07. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

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Tears of Themis (未定事件簿) Translations Masterlist

❖ Personal Masterlists (including birthday, exclusive, top-up, etc. cards):

Luke

Artem

Vyn

Marius

❖ Summer Breeze Event:

Luke 「Shape of You」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Entwined Fate」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Cool Summer」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Twilight Beauty」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Mysteries of the Lost Gold Event:

Luke 「Irisdescent Heartbeat」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Dreamful Melodies」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Heartfelt Suspense」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「In the Darkness」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Symphony of the Night Event:

Luke 「How I Remember You」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Fixated on You」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Between Good and Evil」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Fabulous Feast」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Romantic Rail Getaway - Witness to Love and Promises Event:

Luke 「Peaceful Place」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Will of the Trees」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Xmas Partyland Event:

Luke 「A Star in the Palm」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Por Una Cabeza」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Snowy Fairy Tale」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「All Through the Night」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ A Love Poem to Skadi Event:

Luke 「Twinkling Eyes」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Wandering Heart」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Blazing Colors」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Daytime Aurora」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Love in the Air Event:

Luke 「Companionship」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Artem 「Intentions」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Vyn 「Promise」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Marius 「Keepsake」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

❖ Romantic Rail Getaway - Treasured Time With Him Event:

Artem 「Sunshine After the Rain」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Food for Thought」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Electrifying Night Event:

Luke 「Through the Heavens」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Winning Ball」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Neon Melody」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Graffiti Vibrant」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Secrets of the Tomb Event:

Luke 「Overflowing Thoughts」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Echoes Ablaze」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Flickering Moonlight」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Dimly Lit」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Code of Flowers Event:

Luke 「Entrusted Feelings」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Artem 「Unwilling to Part」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Vyn 「Focused Gaze」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Marius 「Palpitations」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

❖ Blissful Fête Event:

Luke 「Under the Milky Way」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3

Artem 「Eternal Yearning」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3

Vyn 「Committed」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3

Marius 「Expression Through Art」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3

❖ Revisiting Youth Event:

Luke 「Love Between Pages」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「New Skies」Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Eternal Whispers」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Precious Mornings」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Dreams of Childhood Event:

Luke 「Persistent Wishes」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Heart Listener」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Eternal Whispers」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Precious Mornings」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Bewitching Night Rave Event:

Luke 「Moonlight Prisoner」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Artem 「Imitation」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Vyn 「Return to Night」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

Marius 「Sinful Lust」 Private Message 1 | Private Message 2

❖ Snowfallen Secrets Event:

Luke 「Lukewarm Fragrance」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「Masquerade Passion」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Aimed at Your Heart」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Love Berries」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Blizzardous Threads of Red Event:

Luke 「Dreamlike Drama」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Artem 「The Weeds」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Vyn 「Burning Embrace」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Mirage of You」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

❖ Cozy Couple's Getaway I Event:

Vyn 「Sunset-Dyed Sand」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6

Marius 「Wishing Star」 Story 1 | Story 2 | Story 3 | Story 4 | Story 5 | Story 6