#Video Review: Pastel

[millenialfanfictionaddiction]

New Girl At Nekoma:

Kuroo's Crush

Tetsuro Kuroo featuring Nekoma x female! reader (she/her pronouns)

Warnings: none

A/N: This is a request @times-new-roman-in-pastel! It's also this roosters birthday so Happy Birthday to our favorite Sports Promoter 🥰🥰

I apologize for being MIA for a while, poor mental health and general sickness have all but consumed my life but I promise I’m around 🖤

Oof YN 😬

Having to switch schools at the beginning of your third year 🫠

Honestly I don’t even know if crying will help at this point

Your guardian accepted a new job in Tokyo so of course you followed suit, moving from a small town to the huge city

It was a big change and an even bigger change looking at your new high school

Nekoma High School 🙌🏻

Honestly we love it

Well YOU don’t currently love it night but trust me you will soon enough 😏

Trust the process YN

You stand outside looking at the school as you take a deep breath and walk in

The halls are crowded and everyone is staring at you

Not only because you are the new kid but also because you are so pretty 🤩

Turning heads everywhere you go YN!

However right now it’s very overwhelming because, well once again, everyone is staring at you

You look around, trying to find your classroom but much to your dismay, it seems to not exist

But we don’t give up so easily! Oh no no

You mentally calm yourself, turning around to start over

Unfortunately when you turn around you turn smack into two boys

Subsequently you tumble to the ground, landing hard

“Are you ok?” An angelic voice chimes

You look up, seeing a tall boy and a shorter boy staring at you

“Yeah I’m ok, sorry for running into you,” you say as the shorter boy extends his hand to help you

“Sorry for knocking you down, ummm I’m sorry I don’t know your name?” The shorter boy says

“Oh I’m Yn, it’s my first day,” you say smiling and fixing your skirt and blouse

“Welcome to Nekoma YN, I’m Yaku and this is Kai,” the shorter boy says

“It’s nice to meet you,” you say smiling softly

Yaku and Kai smile back but before you can say anything

We hear an agitating, grading voice 😒

“Yaku!! Hey Yaku!”

You look over to see a very tall, white haired boy and a boy with a Mohawk approaching

“Yaku, hey I need your help!”

Yaku rolls his eyes as you watch their interaction, “Lev if it’s help with your receives, I’ll pass”

Lev 👉🏻 😱 offended

Meanwhile the boy with the Mohawk is just staring at you 👁️👄👁️

“For goodness sakes Yamamoto, stop staring at the new girl, it’s creepy!”

“Like you yelling that isn’t also creepy,” another boy says as he walks past with his head in a video game

“Hey are you really a new girl?” The tall boy known as Lev asks

You just smile and shake your head

“What in the heck are you all doing-” a tall, handsome dark haired boy approaches and halts as his eyes meet yours

You blush a little, smiling at the boy

Kai and Yaku be like 👀 😐😏

So now you have two guys staring at you as well as utter chaos ensuring around

Way to go Yn 👏 great job 🙄

“Umm hello, I’m Yn. I’m sorry for causing all this commotion. I’m new here and I’m afraid I’m lost,” you say

The tall, rooster haired boy 👉🏻😳

“What classroom are you looking for Yn?” Kai asks

You tell him as Yaku interrupts

“Hey Kuroo’s in that class, he can show you the way right captain?” Yaku says smacking Kuroo’s back

Kuroo👉🏻👁️👄👁️ umm yeah

“Thanks Kuroo, I appreciate it!” You say beaming

Please Yn, he starts blushing so hard 🥹

Yaku and Kai watch as you and Kuroo walk to class

“Heys making a fool of himself,” Kai says

“Isn’t it glorious?” Yaku laughs 😂

From that day forward, it was safe to say our precious captain cat developed a tiny crush on you

Well not really TINY

Man’s fell so hard for you Yn it’s unreal

He loved spending time with you, walking you to class and even eating with you

Subsequently, you became besties with the boys volleyball team

Your proximity to the team came with mixed reviews

Lev was rather annoying per the usual, Kenna acted like he normally did and Yamamoto essentially ceased all functioning when you were around

Honestly what I wouldn’t give to be a flu on that wall 🤣

You developed a closeness to the boys and soon found yourself in the current situation

“YN you should just be our manager,” Yaku blurted out one day at lunch

Kuroo 👉🏻 *literally choking* 👁️👄👁️ whet-

“I mean, she’s always hanging around so she should probably make herself useful,” Yaku shrugged

“Wow what an enticing invitation,” Kenna said 😐🙄

“Well I mean, Kuroo basically drools- HEY!” Yaku screeched as Kuroo jabbed him in the stomach

“I do actually know a little about volleyball! I use to be friends with the manager of the volleyball team at my last school!” You smile

“You mean, we could actually have a girl manager? Yamamoto exclaimed

“It’s up to the captain I think,” Kai said as everyone looked at Kuroo

Kuroo looked over at you as you beamed at him, how could he say no

He’s literally such a simp for you Yn and this was his chance to keep you close 🥰

“Well if you want to Yn-”

Before he can even finish, you fling yourself into his arms for a huge hug

Kuroo 👉🏻😐😳

You 👉🏻🥹 🫂

Yaku and Kai 👉🏻😏

Yamamoto 👉🏻 jealous 😠

Kenna 👉🏻🙄 📱

Please YN do less ✋🏻

As it turns out, you becoming Nekoma’s manager was both a good and a bad decision

Because now Kuroo would have to share you with not only his teammates but with the teams they played against

For example, someone’s always interrupting his nerdy jokes 😒

“Hey YN, why can’t you trust an atom?” Kuroo asks

“I don’t know why?” You say

“YN EMERGENCY HELP!” Lev screams as he runs in, Yaku hot on his tail

“LEV GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!” Yaku screams as Fukunaga, Yamamoto and Inuoka follow

“What happened?” You ask as Kuroo narrows his eyes 😑

“Yaku said Lev would never measure up to him and Lev said ‘but Yaku I’m already taller than you’ and Yaku got mad,” Yamamoto said

You 👉🏻😐 really?

“YN stop him from killing me! You need my height!” Lev screeches

“You suck Lev we can do without you,” Kenma says

We love it here 🤦🏻‍♀️

Meanwhile poor Kuroo is just standing there with the punchline to his joke, all deflated 😞

The punchline btw was “because they make up everything” 😩

Often times, Kuroo finds himself just watching you

kind of creepy? Yes but stay with me

“Why don’t you just tell her you like her?” Kai asked

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Kuroo says

“Really? We can all see how bad you have it for Yn, you are horrible at hiding it,” Kenma says walking past

Kuroo 👉🏻🥲

“Just confess to her,” Kai says

“I don’t know how and what if she doesn’t like me back?” Kuroo asks

For real?? Have you seen yourself Kuroo 🤔

“The training camp is coming ip next week, that’s the perfect time to confess!” Kai shouts

Kuroo thinks about it as he watches you

What does he really have to lose? I mean you’ve always been sweet to him and kind

Surely you like him too right?

Spoiler alert: you do 😍

Summer camp comes and Kuroo is so nervous

He has it all planned out perfectly

He will tell you how much he likes you and you will reciprocate and you will both live happily ever after 😍

Too bad that doesn’t happen 😃

“YN??? Is that you??” A voice booms from behind Nekoma

Karasuno stands there, their eyes wide as you stare back

“Holy crap! What are you guys doing here?” You yell, running towards them as Kiyoko appears

“YN HOLY CRAP IS THAT YOU?” She screams as you both hug

Nekoma is looking on, so very confused 🤨

“Uhhh YN?” Yaku asks

“These are my old friends! I use to go to Karasuno before I transferred here!” You smile

“YN we’ve missed you! It’s so good to see you!” Daichi says, hugging you

Oof Kuroo is seeing red right now 😡

“YN are you with Nekoma?” Suga asks as you nod

Kuroo stomps up to you, putting his arm around you as Daichi looks on

Kai, Yaku, Suga and Asahi 👉🏻👀🍿

“YN is my manager,” Kuroo says oh so confidently

“Our manager, idiot,” Kenma corrects, walking by 🙄

Daichi and Kuroo are in a staring match right now Kenma don’t interrupt!

“Come on YN let’s go,” Kuroo says, pulling you away

“Oh ok! I’ll see you guys later!” You say waving at your former school friends

As training camp progresses, Kuroo finds himself more agitated 😠

Seriously, on top of his team not letting him have a moment with you, now Karasuno is monopolizing your time!

“YN it’s so awesome to see you again!” Asahi says

“I can’t believe you’re working with these city boys now YN!” Tanaka scowls

Please Yn, smack him ✋🏻 🧑🏼‍🦲

“We all know YN really misses us the most,” Daichi adds, smirking at Kuroo

Kuroo 👉🏻🔥👄🔥

“Daichi knock it off-” you start to say, too bad you are interrupted by a certain someone 👀

“As a matter of fact, my dear Daichi, YN is SO much happier at Nekoma. She’s way to pretty and perfect to be stuck in some country bumpkin town!” Kuroo shouts

Kai, Yaku, Suga, and Asahi 👉🏻😳😲

Kiyoko 👉🏻😏

You 👉🏻😐😳🥹

“Tetsuro you think I’m pretty?” You say

“And perfect Yn don’t forget he said that too,” Yaku adds

Kuroo realizing what he said 👉🏻😐😳😰

“Ummm well yeah I do-” but before he can finish his sentence YN swoops in for a cheek kiss 😘

Kuroo 👉🏻😐🤯 YN I LIKE YOU ALOT WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME

Kai and Yaku 👉🏻😐🤦🏻‍♂️

Suga and Asahi 👉🏻 😃😃

Kenma 👉🏻 🙄 📱

“I like you too Tetsuro and I’d love to go out with you,” you say as Kuroo practically explodes and grabs you, swinging you around as you laugh

Yaku and Kai are probably whipping tears away 🥲

YN you are one luckily lady!

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

Oh No! Here Comes Trouble Character Meta: Guangyan

Your Honor, I have no excuse for any of this. I live by the meta and die by the meta, and the storytelling in this show is so phenomenal…the thing is, there is sooo much to look at in this drama. I’d like to thank @avenuex123 for her video talking about it, because it sold me on trying the show for the first time (she does amazing drama reviews if you haven’t watched her on YouTube yet). I wanted to start out with these characters by exploring Guangyan—to be completely frank, my favorite character—because I think that in a way he experiences the most development in the series; his whole life and worldview change, and he goes from prioritizing his identity as a standoffish and praise-seeking overachiever to being a loyal and empathetic friend to Chuying and soulmate to Yiyong.

(tbh the resemblance between Yiyong and Guangyan and Elphaba and Galinda in Wicked CANNOT be overstated, look at the lyrics from “What is this Feeling?” and “For Good” and tell me that’s not their arc right there)

Ahem.

Let’s explore Guangyan through his various identities in this show.

I want to be clear at the start that although the show is not explicitly written as a BL, I do see queer undertones in his relationship with Yiyong, and that does inform my meta. Regardless of any kinds of undertones, this relationship right here is the best development of the entire series.

The Medical Student

I start here because this is one of the first things that Guangyan introduced himself with, something that he initially thinks makes him better than Yiyong, and in the last scene where he and Guangyan actually talk, it’s the thing that he wants Yiyong’s advice on pursuing. You know how you consult your calligraphy friends for pre-med advice?

Confession: I get Guangyan’s whole attitude at the start of the show. I hate it but I get it. Because I’ve been that overachiever kid (right down to the clothes, swear to god) and it’s really tempting, especially if you are younger, insecure, and/or starting out somewhere, to define yourself by and remind everyone about your most successful identity, regardless of whether it’s something you care about. Anyone who’s worn a mask of their own accomplishments knows that it’s a double edged sword—it traps you in an image, a state of being, in the minds of others.

And that is why I LOVE Guangyan’s developing interest in Forensic Medicine near the end of the show— because this is something he didn’t just choose to look good or respectable or worthy of praise, this is a really long road (just looking at the years of school required in my country), this is something he’s choosing because it can help make a difference, it can help with investigations Yiyong and Chuying work on.

The Boy Next Door

Yes, this is where my queer meta begins and doesn’t end. Apologies to Chuying, she doesn’t get much mention in this post but she will get her own whole post soon.

So.

Guangyan’s relationship with Yiyong literally changes the course of his life. He is such a different person by the end of the series—granted, he’s still fussy and the pastel tsundere of the pre-meds, but he has actual friends, he is honest about what he’s feeling, he has dreams for the future, and he’s kinder, rather than just nice. I need season 2 for many reasons, one of which is that I need Guangyan trying to become a supernatural CSI.

But this “bully” turned neighbor turned friend had that effect on him. Yiyong never told him to change, but Guangyan changed himself through his interactions with Yiyong. He’s becoming someone who wants to help people in a career that won’t be as automatically praised as a doctor. Find yourself someone who challenges your ideas and makes you reevaluate your ego while still believing you’re smart and good at things.

Ah yes, the Simping for A Hooligan Smile.

But importantly, this very quick bit right near the end of the show, when Guangyan pays his respects to Yiyong’s father and grandfather and shows them one of Yiyong’s comics he has saved on his phone, which even Yiyong’s mother giggles over as looking stupid…and there’s the drawing he snuck away that Yiyong did earlier in the series, as his phone cover…and with that bit there’s this:

Give me one heterosexual explanation for that. ONE.

But like I said, in the bigger picture it’s about the growth that is really key to seeing what Yiyong and Guangyan have changed about each other.

The reluctant frenemy ally…

becomes this:

I love the idea that Guangyan is around Yiyong’s house so much now that he is this comfortable just chilling, and I love that he’s mirroring Yiyong completely here—he could be in a chair, he could be sitting propped against the wall, but he’s chosen to lie down next to Yiyong like they’re still sharing a bed.

The Denial Expert

The show handles it sooo well—it never outright says, “Guangyan has so bought into this serious student-image that he refuses to let himself have things he really wants,” but we see evidence of it in every single episode. Actions: he won’t get a taxi when he needs one, he won’t admit to Yiyong that he’s a fan, he refuses the big bedroom bc he claims his father needs it for remote work. Possessions: he loves the amusement park toy that Yiyong won for him and attaches it to his bag, he thinks the doll is cute, he even hides his sneakily acquired Yiyong comics. Taste: he is the only one to love the cupcake made by the evil baker, and it’s only when he’s supposedly “following the kidnapping suspect” during the amusement park date with Yiyong that he eagerly order a parfait for himself and debates getting himself ice cream. You know, to blend in.

Local Housecat Wastes Time and Money in Company of Exasperated Puppy

It’s the little things—getting a bandana hand-made for him, tagging along with Yiyong to the cemetery (he so didn’t need the walking stick, you just know it was for the adventurous aesthetic), even him slowly taking more of the blanket to share as he grows more comfortable with Yiyong sharing his bed—all these things that show his growth in these episodes.

Pu Yiyong’s Comics Fan

GOSH ITS ALMOST LIKE COMICS ARE A METAPHOR OR SOMETHING

(Sorry)

Anyway. It’s just so important that Guangyan is the only person to really see Yiyong as an artist. Like most things Yiyong cares about, he doesn’t talk much about this passion of his; in the scene where they are writing their career plans in school, we see Yiyong is hesitant to write “cartoonist.” But he loves it, it’s something he’s put time and effort into building. And Guangyan is quite literally the only person who likes—loves—his art. Even his friends only support his website to be supportive. Anyway, I’m hoping in season 2 (which has to happen please please please) Yiyong finally finds out about his fan.

[btsgotjams27]

this is us ~ jjk | 20

✨ title: this is us | (sequel to all grown up) ✨ pairing: jungkook x f!reader | ✨ rating: m/18+ | minors dni ✨ genre/au: drama, romance, angst, fluff, smut | est!relationship, age gap, best friend’s brother ✨ playlist | ✨if you haven’t read the prequel to this, please do so here! :) ✨ a/n: I'm not crying, you are. if you must know, I've been dreading this chapter because it means we're one step closer to the end 😭 but I do have some things up my sleeve hehehehe and you'll find out what it is after the epilogue 💖 we've come so far and thank you everyone for coming alongside their journey. i wouldn't be here without your questions, lovely comments and reviews. i owe so much to all my readers. one last thing, thank you to @erica2283 for helping with this chapter. we all owe her a big hug. ✨ a/n 2: remember, we have our little TIU celebration as well! i hope you'll all be around for it. and as always, i'd love to hear your thoughts, keyboard smashes, anything 💖 hehe we've made it!!

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] | next ✨ epilogue ~ us

chapter 20 ~ ending credits | wc: 9.2k warnings: language, drinking, someone is preggo (can you guess who?), oc is a supportive girlfriend, jk is such a romantic and oc gets easily embarrassed, references to 10 things i hate about you and inception (ofc), grumpy grandpa yoongi, also yoongi is just the sweetest friend, jk and yoongi finally meet, do i hear some kind of bells???, jk and oc are so in love it’s satisfying to see after all this time (we’ve come so far!), and also lots of fluff cause hello there is a 💍💒⚭🎉, be prepared for all the cheesy, romantic shi--💖, they're overly gross with their use of pet names smut warnings: slight exhibitionism?, oral (m & f receiving), fingering, spitting, cum swallowing

~ 2 months since moving in together ~

Light sounds of piano and saxophone filled the air as you had been laying on this bed for an hour, moaning and groaning, and not because of Jeon Jungkook.

Your masseuse was hitting all the right spots, getting every knot and kink in your wound-up body, and for that, you'd blame your boyfie.

Hyunie and Yuna wanted a girl's day without husbands, boyfriends, kids, or distractions. And who would say no to that?

"I don't know why we don't treat ourselves out more often," you said, turning to Yuna as she sipped her wine.

"It's been too long since we've all had a self-care day," Hyunie commented. You and Yuna agreed. "Oh my gosh! Your nails are perfect!" She pointed out your neutral beige nails topped off with lavender French tips and tiny jewels perfectly placed on each nail.

You wavered your fingers, letting your new manicure sparkle and glisten in the sunlight. Pastels and neutrals were your go-to. You were too much of a chicken to step out of your comfort zone.

“I think we need to do this once a month,” Yuna said, staring at her nails, which reminded you of Tiffany’s robin-egg blue.

“You both deserve it, mamas.”

Hyunie giggled, placing a hand on her growing belly. She was still in the early stages of pregnancy. At the start of this self-care day, she texted a sonogram photo to you as you were undressing for your massage. You screamed and started crying, practically scaring your masseuse.

“What are you and Jungkook up to this weekend?” Yuna asked before swirling the pasta with her fork.

“He wants to go to this gaming convention or something. It’s being held at this big arena.” You didn’t know anything about video games. You searched the internet to see what they even did at gaming conventions.

“Boring!” Hyunie cried out.

You rubbed your temple. “He wants to go, so I’ll go to support him.”

“You’re gonna be such a good wife—” Hyunie remarked before Yuna kicked her under the table. “Ow,” she muttered. “I mean, you’re such a good sport! Supporting your man like that.”

You blinked at your friends, wondering what was up with them today. You gave them the bombastic side-eye as they were pretty giggly and tightlipped.

Hyunie laughed off her comment, trying to play it cool. “Don’t mind me and my pregnancy brain. Also, remind me to kick my husband’s butt for knocking me up! I mean, there are some nice benefits.” She looks down at her chest. “But everything hurts already.”

“Welcome to the pregnant life, my friend,” Yuna jokes.

You chuckled. “I can’t believe Kim Taehyung is gonna be a dad.”

“Right? No, but I think he will be a good dad.” Hyunie hummed softly, rubbing her belly.

“He’ll be great, and I’m sure he can always ask Namjoon questions,” you said.

“Namjoon still doesn’t know what he’s doing half the time–actually, both of us,” Yuna laughed. “But that’s just parenting 101. There’s no guidebook or anything; you just google everything and hope your kid doesn’t turn out to be a turd.”

“Yuna—” You rolled your eyes.

“What? I’m not saying Indie will be, but I just want my kid to be a good human.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job raising your little human,” you say to Yuna, then turn to Hyunie. “You and Taehyung are going to do great, too. You have us if you need anything.”

You gripped Jungkook’s hand as he led you through the sea of people. The commotion of excited fans buzzed in the arena. Booth after booth of fan-made merch, the newest games, and sponsored goods were lined up like a maze. Your eyes wandered, scanning to see if anything interesting caught your eye.

Jungkook was in deep conversation with an old colleague from Netmarble, who was working on a new game set to be released. Your lips turned into a pout, and you turned around to see what could keep you busy as you let Jungkook do his thing.

“So, you’re telling me that this virtual reality game is like Inception? The movie?” You narrowed your eyes at the young man trying to sell you on this new game. Anything could be turned into a game, you supposed.

“The possibilities are endless,” he shrugged, continuing to go in-depth with this game.

You had been in conversation with this young man for twenty minutes and turned to find your boyfriend had disappeared. You sighed, “Great.” How were you supposed to find him now?

Checking your phone, which only had 5% left, you knew you should’ve grabbed the portable charger. Maybe you could somehow find Jungkook in this sea of fanboys.

A sudden screeching, humming noise made everyone grimace, covering their ears. The sound of someone thumping a microphone, followed by an ‘ah, ah, ah,’ went through the speakers.

“Everyone, we have an extraordinary presentation today. Would you please turn your attention to the screen?”

The lights dimmed, the crowd quieted, and everyone’s eyes were focused on the illuminated screen.

“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you.”

You froze, your heart thumping, and your stomach fluttered at the angelic voice. Hearing the song made you weak in the knees, wanting to crumble down to the ground. This scene from 10 Things I Hate About You was your second favorite to Kat’s monologue.

Jungkook is shown on the screen. He has a mic in hand and a grin plastered on his face. He’s putting everything into this little performance like it’s one of his late-night karaoke sessions, except this time, he was performing in front of thousands of people and a live broadcast instead of just you and Bamie.

“You’d be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much.”

The screen splits in half, and now your face is also shown in front of thousands of people; then you notice the space around you, along with the camera pointed directly at you.

You didn’t think Jeon Jungkook was one for grand gestures, but maybe you were wrong. Suppressing your smile, you closed your eyes and hid your face in your hands.

He continued singing, making his way over to you. The grin he’s sporting never leaves as he finally stands before you.

All eyes are on you and him.

You leaned forward and whispered, “What are you doing?”

Jungkook sets the mic beside you, and the music dies down. He wiggled his eyebrows, pulling out a blue velvet box.

He got down on one knee, staring up at you. “It is an honor and a privilege to love you, and I want to love you every day till I die. I can't promise there won't be difficult moments, but I wouldn't want to go through life with anybody except you.”

You sucked in your lips and licked them to keep your excitement at bay.

“If you allow me to, I want to choose you every second, every minute, and every hour. I’ll show you what devotion is and how it’s deeper than the ocean.”

Your eyes twinkled as you lovingly stared at your romantic boyfriend. “Yes–” you interrupted him, furiously nodding your head.

He knitted his eyebrows and pouted. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“Don’t need you to–”

He opened his mouth and closed it again. “Just–let me ask you,” he whined.

You huffed, giving him a deadpan expression. You figured he would only get to do this once in a lifetime. Maybe you shouldn’t take away his thunder.

Jungkook took the oval Alexandrite ring from its box. He rose to his feet. “Will you marry me?”

At this moment, you needed someone to pinch you and wake you up from this dream. Could this be a virtual reality like the Inception game from earlier? Would your totem fall over or keep spinning?

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” You cupped his face, eagerly kissing him, forgetting about the thousands of people watching you.

His bunny smile and dimple are on display for the world to see, and his starry eyes shined brighter than the gem on your finger. It’s the happiest you’ve ever seen him.

Cheers and screams echoed throughout the arena as you kissed him again. Your lips entwined, his hands threaded through your hair, pulling you as close as he could. The smell of his cherry chapstick filled your nostrils, becoming intoxicating.

Jungkook pulled away, peppering kisses on your face as you let out soft chuckles. “I can’t wait to spend forever with you.”

The first person you texted was none other than Min Yoongi. Since Hyunie and Yuna were in on the whole ‘pamper/self-care day,’ they already knew what was happening. Hence the secrecy throughout the day.

You 10:27 PM [ image attached of engagement ring ]

Grumpy Grandpa 10:30 PM 👍

You 10:31 PM That’s it? All I get is a thumbs up.

He knew how much you despised the thumbs-up emoji, but he told you it was the highest compliment anyone could ever get from him.

Grumpy Grandpa 10:35 PM 🎉

You 10:36 PM 😑

Grumpy Grandpa 10:40 PM Okay fine. 👍👍👍👍👍👍 Happy?

You 10:41 PM 😐 I guess

You 10:45 PM Anyway, will you come to our engagement party?

Grumpy Grandpa 10:50 PM You’re already getting married. Why spend more money on an engagement party?

You huffed and clenched your jaw as you sat in bed, staring at his message.

You 10:52 PM Because we’re in love and need to celebrate it a million times over and over until everyone is sick of us. 🥰💖🥰💖🥰💖

Grumpy Grandpa 10:54 PM I think I'd rather die a slow death…

You didn’t bother to text anything back. Instead, you tucked your phone underneath your pillow as Jungkook crawled into bed. You inched toward him, your back against his chest. He draped his arm around you, kissing your head.

“Hi, soon-to-be-wifey,” he chuckled, pressing himself into you.

“Hi, soon-to-be-hubby.” You wiggled back toward him.

“Who were you texting?”

“I was texting Yoongi to see if he’d come to our engagement party.”

“What’d he say?”

“That he’d rather die a slow death.”

Jungkook laughed, kissing your shoulder. “Oof–I like him.”

You turned around to face Jungkook. “You’d be okay, right? If Yoongi came to our party?”

His lips thinned, and his brows drew together. “Yeah, of course. He’s your friend. If you want him there, then I want him there.”

You hummed. “I love you.”

“Love you more.”

If there was one person you wanted Jungkook to meet, it was Yoongi. Honestly, you’d miss the banter and bickering relationship between you. But maybe Yoongi would be willing to accept Jungkook and possibly become friends. One could hope, right?

You 9:01 AM I don’t know if you planned to come, but we had to cancel the engagement party.

Grumpy Grandpa 9:15 AM Damn, he doesn’t wanna marry you already? I get it, though. I wouldn’t wanna marry you either.

You 9:16 AM 👊👊 Min Yoongi, I’m gonna pummel you!

You 9:17 AM If you must know, the place we wanted was overbooked, so we’re gonna cancel and save money for the wedding.

You don’t hear from Yoongi for another hour or so. He must be busy with an upcoming film or something.

Grumpy Grandpa 10:02 AM Don’t say I’ve never done anything for you.

You 10:36 AM 🤨

Grumpy Grandpa 10:55 AM My friend has a place you can use for your engagement party if you want.

You 10:56 AM You don't have to do that.

Grumpy Grandpa 10:57 AM The offer is expiring in 3…..2….

You 10:57 AM Ok! Ok! Where's the place?

Strolling through the home, you wonder what you did in your past life to have a friend like Min Yoongi. You crept through every corner of the house but couldn’t find him.

There was one last place you hadn’t checked: the terrace. Making your way through the kitchen, you saw him standing outside. The view was incredible, overlooking the ocean. This place was a few ways away but worth the drive.

The corners of your lips curved into a smile as you closed the sliding door behind you. You observed the grumpy grandpa in a fuzzy yellow cardigan looking at the scenery before you.

“Hey.” You stood, nudging his arm.

He turned and hummed, acknowledging your presence.

“Thanks for letting us use this place. It’s amazing. Better than anything I imagined.”

“It’s my friend’s place,” he quickly corrected you, sipping his iced coffee.

You leaned against the glass, looking at him, nudging him again. “Can you just accept my gratitude?” you pouted, sporting your best puppy eyes.

“Fine. You’re welcome.”

You giggled because you got your way. “Come on, I want you to meet Jungkook.”

He grunted, not moving an inch.

Tugging on his yellow sweater a few times made him give in. “Let’s go, grumpy.”

Jungkook and Taehyung were busy bringing decor and food in, and Yoongi had somehow disappeared from the terrace to the kitchen. You blame being the bride-to-be because everyone needs your input on where to place everything.

“You okay?” Jungkook asked, scanning your face.

You hummed, nodding your head, and broke out into a warm smile. “I’m good. Better than good, great actually.”

He raised his eyebrow, sporting a thin smile. “Okay,” his tone is hesitant, but he trusts you. “I’m gonna help Taehyung finish bringing everything in; then we can start the party, hmm?” He kissed your cheek before running off.

An arm wrapped around your shoulder, pulling you in for a hug. You turned to see a friend from your most recent TV show.

“Hi, Minji.”

She squealed, pulling you into a tighter embrace. “I can’t believe you’re getting married!”

You beamed a grin from ear to ear, enjoying the buzzing excitement. You watched as Yoongi appeared from one of the bedrooms, strolling toward the terrace again. You’d have to grab him to introduce him and Jungkook when you could.

“Let me see the ring,” Minji said, holding her hand for yours. “Oh my god. This is such a pretty gemstone. Does it change colors?” The ring sparkled and gleamed with every twist and turn. 

“Sometimes it can be a deep green to blue, sometimes even purple or a deep red depending on the lighting and angle,” you explained. It was one of the reasons why you preferred this stone over a diamond.

When you were looking through rings, you told Jungkook that if your wedding/engagement ring didn’t look like he went through a crazy journey and a cursed lake to get it, then you didn’t want it. It is a bit dramatic, but you wanted your ring to be special and unique.

“It’s so pretty and, honestly, so perfect for you.” She hugged you again. “When’s the wedding?”

“Soon—in a month or so.”

Minji’s eyes widened.

“Yeah—don’t ask me how wedding planning is going,” you let out a light-hearted laugh.

You and Jungkook didn’t see the point in waiting. You loved each other and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of your lives together. Plus, neither of you wanted a big wedding. You just wanted to celebrate with family and friends.

Throughout the night’s festivities, Yoongi opted for something stronger, a classic glass of whiskey, to be exact. He sipped on the drink with a hand in his pocket, watching the sky become painted with hues of coral and lavender. This was one of his favorite spots in this house.

“Hey, man.”

Yoongi turned to see the groom-to-be. He nodded, sporting a thin smile, before taking another sip of his whiskey.

“I’m Jungkook, by the way. I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, holding his hand.

Yoongi suppressed a smile. He thought it was funny how you’d spoken about him to your soon-to-be husband. “So, you’re the famous Jungkook, hm?” Yoongi switched the glass to his other hand to shake Jungkook’s.

He shies away from Yoongi’s comment. “Ah, I hope she didn’t bore you too much talking about me.”

Yoongi softly chuckled and wanted to respond but held his tongue. He’d be a good friend and keep your pain a secret.

Jungkook cleared his throat. “But I just wanted to say thank you.”

“For?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Letting us use this place. It means a lot to the both of us,” Jungkook paused, stuffing his hands in his pants pocket as he looked off into the horizon. “And thank you for being there for her in a way I couldn’t.”

He knew how important Yoongi had become in your journey when you and him weren’t together. And if Yoongi weren’t there to support you, maybe you and him wouldn’t be together right now. He wished there was a better way to show his gratitude.

“I didn't really do anything. I just listened to her ramble, watched her cry, eat, and drink a lot.”

Jungkook softly chuckled. “You did more for her than you think. Thanks again.” He held his hand out for Yoongi to shake once more. Yoongi stared for a moment before reciprocating.

Yoongi couldn't hate the guy you were about to marry despite the pain Jungkook had caused you. He was nice, handsome, and had a stupid death grip. Could probably beat him up. He even surprised Yoongi by taking the initiative to introduce himself first. Well, if that wasn’t the mark of a man who truly loved you.

He watched Jungkook walk over to you, hugging you from behind and kissing your shoulder. You wrapped your arm up to his neck, turning to kiss his cheek. You were happy, and that’s all Yoongi wanted for you.

The guests begin to dwindle, and you have some room to breathe. And you make it a point to talk to Yoongi before you leave. You felt like you hardly saw him the entire night. He was doing his own thing. Was he always like this in a social setting? You guessed you hadn’t seen him much outside of hanging out with Hyunie and Taehyung.

“Are you ready to go?”Jungkook asked.

“You go ahead. I’m just going to find Yoongi and thank him again. Is that okay?”

He nods. “Yeah, of course. I’ll be in the car.” He kisses you before leaving.

You wandered throughout the house, peering through each room. Yoongi was sitting in a darkened room, sipping on what you assumed was another glass of whiskey.

Standing in the threshold, you knock on the frame, getting his attention. “Hey, stranger. You’re not much of a party-goer, are you?” You chuckled, taking a few steps forward.

Both hands are holding his glass while he’s leaning forward in his chair. “Are you guys heading out?”

“Yeah, just packing everything up.”

He hummed. “Have a good night.”

You don’t move from your spot. Your hands are entwined, thumbs twiddling with one another.

Yoongi knits his eyebrows. “Everything okay?”

You flash a small smile. “Thanks for letting us use your place tonight.” Yoongi perked up. “You know how I knew?” You pointed at the cat figurines on the bookshelves and the desk. “You had the same ones in Phuket.”

He made a disgruntled noise, scanning the room at his little porcelain collectibles.

You chuckled. “You don’t have to lie to me, Yoongi, saying it was someone else’s place, but thank you again. You’re a good friend.”

Yoongi has always been the supportive one. He was there for you when you were at your lowest of lows, and you’d be forever grateful. And even if he would never outright announce to the world all the things he’s done, he cared for you in such a delicate, subtle way that was completely different from everyone else.

“You ready to go home?” Jungkook brought your palm up to his lips, pressing a kiss against it.

You hummed and smiled. “Home. I like the sound of that.”

~ one month later ~ ~ a week before the wedding ~

Bam sat at your feet while you were finalizing the seating chart. Jungkook passed out on the couch, lightly snoring away. He had been staying late because of all the late-night karaoke and cooking sessions.

You 11:56 AM Hey, I’m going through RSVPs, and I haven’t gotten yours. Can you let me know if you’re coming to the wedding?

You don’t hear a response from Yoongi for the rest of the day until a phone call comes in after dinner.

Grumpy Grandpa Incoming Call

“Hey.”

Hey, sorry, I just saw your text. My new film is shooting the next day after your wedding, so I might have to leave early depending on what flight I can book. But yeah, count me in.

“Okay, awesome. Are you bringing a plus one?”

He scoffed. “Yeah, no.”

“Okay, I’ll sit next to Taehyung and Hyunie so you won’t feel lonely or awkward.”

“‘Kay, sounds good. I’ll see you then.”

Jungkook walked in with Bam after their nightly stroll around the neighborhood as you checked off that Yoongi was coming on your planning app.

Bam wandered over to the pen, drinking water from his bowl, and Jungkook greeted you with a kiss.

“Whatcha doing?” He plopped right beside you, laying his head on your lap.

You card your fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp. “I was just talking to Yoongi. He was confirming that he’s coming to the wedding.”

“He’s a cool guy. I like him.”

Flashing a small smile, you continued running your fingers through his hair. “Yeah, he is.”

“He didn’t say much when we were at his place, but he just seems like the type of guy who quietly cares for his friends.”

You chuckled because that encompassed everything Min Yoongi was as a friend.

“He seems very open-minded and knowledgeable, probably about the most random things.”

“Have you been studying him or something?” you asked, continuing to play with his hair.

“No, I just—want him to like me.”

You chuckled at his comment. “You’re cute.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, pinching your arm. He sat up, shoulder to shoulder with you, nudging you.

“Yes?”

“I know we said we wouldn’t get any gifts for each other, but I couldn’t resist.”

You turn to him, narrowing your eyes. “Kook—”

“I know!” He lowers his head. “So, do you want it now or later?”

You closed your eyes, holding out your hands.

“Okay, okay! Hold on!”

Jungkook sprinted toward the bedroom, holding a box when he returned. Bam was passed out on his blanket, not caring what his parents were up to. 

He placed the box in your hands. “Open your eyes.”

You peek with one eye, and it’s a beautifully wrapped gift. It reminded you of the one that Hyunie wrapped your boudoir album in. Jungkook watches as you shake it from side to side.

“I’ll just—leave you alone.”

You purse your lips, raising an eyebrow at your soon-to-be-husband. He kisses you before leaving you alone with the gift.

You undo the twine and carefully remove the kraft paper. Lifting the top cover, there’s a photo album identical to the boudoir one you have.

Did Jeon Jungkook take risque photos for you?

Carefully, you take the album out, moving the box beside you. Your fingers ghost over the front cover before having the courage to open it.

The noise you made awoken Bam, but he ignored you and went back to sleep. You raced to the bedroom, shutting the door behind you.

“What is this?” you questioned, blinking at Jungkook. You held the album open to him, dressed in a tight white tee and leather pants. He looked like a 90s heartthrob, and you were scared to look through the rest, but you may have seen him shirtless in a blazer and jeans.

“You don’t like your present?”

You shook your head. “No, I didn’t say that.”

Jungkook giggled. He propped his arms on the bed, legs spread, a cocky smirk on display.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

He showed off his pearly whites and wiggled his eyebrows. “Is it working?”

You wandered over between his legs and nodded. “Yes.”

You wondered how it was your wedding, and you were still running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Hyunie and Yuna helped when they could, and you even recruited Minji to be your day-of coordinator so that you wouldn’t have to make all these decisions on your wedding day.

But after a hectic day, you were glad to finally rest and lay your head on the comfy pillow and fluffy duvet. The bed you laid in bore too many memories of you and Jungkook—the two of you getting high, being horny as fuck, and him getting it in the wrong hole. This cabin held many fun memories, and you were excited to add more.

You tugged on the string lamp, turning off the light. Digging deeper into the bed and pillow, you breathed a sigh of relief, ready to go to dreamland.

Just as you were drifting off, a buzzing from your phone awakened you, and when you lifted it to see who it could be—it was none other than your soon-to-be-husband.

You answered the video call but didn’t care to turn on the lights because he broke the rules you had placed for the wedding.

“Kook, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to be calling.”

He’s not wearing a shirt through the screen as the fluffy, white duvet covers him. “Says who?” His elbow props up his head while he’s staring at you.

“Says tradition.”

“Who cares about tradition—Come on, baby,” he pouts, causing a frown and puppy eyes.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s just for one night.”

“Let me talk to my girlfriend before she becomes my wife,” he pouted.

You chuckled. “It’s just a title.”

Jungkook’s offended and scoffs. “Oh, it’s so much more than just a title.”

“You’re going to call me your wife instead of your girlfriend. No big deal.”

“It’s a big deal, alright! I’m honored to be your husband.”

You rolled over on your stomach, propping the phone against the pillow. “Okay, hubby,” you cleared your throat. “Everyone—this is my husband.” You giggled. “You’re right. It has a nice ring to it.”

“See! What did I tell you?”

The both of you quiet down.

“We’ve come a long way, hmm?”

“Yeah, and you’re worth every single step.”

Rolling onto your back, you pick up the phone, then dramatically fan yourself. “Kook, save some words for your vows tomorrow.”

“I have a never-ending list of things I could say.”

“Are you just a boy filled with pure fluff and love?”

He shies away, covering his face with the duvet. “Why, yes, I am.”

You chuckled, furrowing your head further into your pillow. “It’s late, and we have an early day tomorrow. We’re getting married, remember?”

“How could I forget? I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, hubby.”

“Night, wifey.”

The hustle of decorating the cabin was finished the night before, and with Minji, Jimin, and his girlfriend’s help, everything was coming together. The only thing you had on your agenda today was getting married to the love of your life.

Your hair and makeup were in full swing as your makeup artist put the finishing touches on lipstick. You didn’t want anything too glam. Simple and minimal was your mantra for this joyous occasion.

Soft clicks from a camera could be heard from behind as Yuna helped tie your silk top. You and Jungkook opted to capture the wedding on film and digital. It would give it a nice touch of vintage vibes.

Hyunie whistled as she got a close-up of Yuna tying your top. “Wait until Jungkook sees you in this!”

“Stop–it’s just a dress.”

Hyunie shook her head no. “It’s not just any dress. It’s your wedding dress. Trust me. It hits differently.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “And it’s a two-piece, so whenever you wear these pieces separately, you’ll always have some wedding feels.”

You looked at yourself in the mirror, smoothing your silk skirt with the thigh-high slit. You wanted to be practical with your wedding dress. You didn’t want it wasting away in the back of the closet, never to be worn again, so you opted for classic pieces that you can wear again.

Yuna sets the veil’s comb into your hair, letting the tulle drape down. She stood beside you, tilting her head with a smile beaming from ear to ear. She took your hand, making you look at her. “Hey, sis.”

“God—Yuna. Don’t make me cry right now! We just finished my makeup.” The back of your neck began to warm up, and you could feel the tears forming behind your eyes. You fanned yourself, hoping it would stop them from falling.

“I can’t believe this day is finally here.” She dabbed the corner of her eyes, gently wiping away her mascara. “Okay—I need to go check on Indie. Make sure she’s all set. I’ll see you two later.” Yuna tightly embraced you before leaving.

Hyunie takes your hand. “Are you ready, my beautiful bride?”

You faced outward to the breathtaking landscape. The sun is shining, warming up your exposed skin. Closing your eyes, you inhale a deep breath, not taking this moment for granted. You want to savor it, keep it locked up to revisit.

Unbeknownst to you, Jungkook had been watching you from afar, enjoying this moment. Like you, he wishes he could put the world on pause so it could just be the two of you—a point in time where nothing else mattered but you and him.

Jungkook takes his time and chuckles when he sees you tired of standing, waiting for him.

He approaches, wrapping his arms around your waist, removing your veil to kiss your shoulder. He whispers a ‘hi,’ rocking you from side to side.

You leaned back, pressing into him. “Hi,” you repeat as Jungkook kisses your temple.

His kiss sends chills throughout your body. You close your eyes again, and your relationship with Jungkook flashes before you. An overwhelming sensation overtakes every fiber of your being. Your home wasn’t just four walls and a fridge. Instead, it was four limbs and lips to kiss. Jungkook was your home.

“Can we just stay like this for a little while?” He squeezed you tighter. “Before all the chaos?”

You giggled and hummed, turning around to kiss him. “I love you so much.”

It felt like an eternity to finally be standing before him, but the two of you made it–nothing was standing in your way, save for Namjoon, who was performing the ceremony.

Everyone had their turn down the aisle: Yuna walking with Jimin and Taehyung, and even Bam and Indie made the crowd laugh as the flower girl and ring bearer. Bam kept trying to eat the petals as Indie threw them. Yuna had to entice Indie with chocolates as she stood at the end of the aisle.

You were patiently waiting inside, your arm linked with Jin.

“This is your last chance to run,” he teases as you nudge your hip into his.

“I didn’t go through hell and back not to marry Jeon Jungkook.”

Jin chuckles. “Well, come on. Your groom is waiting.”

The acoustic guitar starts playing, ‘Everything’ by Kina Grannis through the speakers. Everyone turns toward you, watching as you descend the aisle with Jin. Camera clicks are heard in front of you as Hyunie snaps away.

You’re donning a silk two-piece, an open-back top with a tie, and a skirt with a thigh-high split. You opted for a dried flower bouquet of lavender and baby’s breath, and Jungkook had a matching boutonniere.

Your eyes focus on none other than Jungkook. He looks dashing in his classic suit. His soft curls frame his pretty face, and his hands are folded as he patiently waits for you. The corner of his mouth curved up into a grin. He shyly looks to the ground before flicking back up, dimple and bunny smile on display.

When you reach the end, Jin hugs you and whispers, ‘Go get ‘em, tiger.’ You chuckle and turn to Yuna, handing her your bouquet. Jungkook takes your hands, and you stand facing each other in front of Namjoon.

It’s like you have tunnel vision; no one else matters but you and him. You can see Jungkook’s eyes glistening as Namjoon continues his wedding script. Jungkook squeezed your hand a few times before you realized Namjoon was talking to you.

All eyes were on the two of you, ready to exchange vows.

You turn to Yuna to retrieve the vows you had prepared. “I was not expecting you. I was not even looking, but somehow, you came to me as if you knew what I needed. I used to believe that finding someone who would love me would be difficult. I know I’m not the easiest person to love. I’m an over-thinker and don’t convey my wants and needs well, but I’ve found someone who thinks they can take on the challenge.”

There’s light laughter among the guests. Jungkook grins, looking at the ground before flicking back to you.

“There may be times when I’m insecure and spiral into the abyss, but if you’re by my side, I know you’ll always be in my corner, fighting with me and helping me every step of the way.” 

You paused and flashed a soft smile, trying to hide your tears. “Jeon Jungkook, you are my dream come true, my world, the joy in my heart. Thank you for loving and accepting me for who I am, my flaws and all.”

You stopped again to dab the tears falling from the corner of your eyes. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life falling in love with you over and over again.”

A stillness remains after you finish your vows. Your eyes quickly glance at the crowd. There are smiles and tears of joy among them.

Namjoon takes the microphone from you, handing it over to Jungkook. He sniffles before clearing his throat and grabbing a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.

He unfolds it in his hands, and you can’t help but notice a slight tremble. “It’s easy for me to love you, which scares me. I’ve never wanted anything so much as I want to hold you every waking minute and every night while I sleep. The question I used to ask myself was ‘How do I love you?’ and now it has become ‘How do I ever stop?’”

“I’ll choose you again and again from start to finish. I’ll choose you when my heart is full, and I’ll choose you even when the days are hard. Maybe I’ve already loved you in a million different ways and through different timelines, but I’m so glad that we’re here now, and I get to love you in this lifetime.”

“There are no more what ifs, what could have been. It’s just you and me saying yes to each other forever. We deserve our happy ending.”

Jungkook looks up to see you holding a tissue, patting your cheeks from the tears. He sees past you and Yuna, also in tears. He lightly chuckles to himself.

The two of you have gone through enough, and Jungkook was right. You didn’t have to live with the what-ifs and the what could have been. This timeline brought you back to him. You could think of many things that could’ve happened—you not taking that meeting in LA, being unable to pick yourself back up, you and Jungkook not breaking up and trying to make it work. But ultimately, you knew you needed to grow, mature, and figure things out before you could be standing here today saying, ‘I do.’

Namjoon proceeds through the rest of his ceremony script by exchanging the rings and, finally, the last thing on the agenda.

“Jungkook, you may kiss the bride,” Namjoon announces.

Jungkook takes a few steps forward, cupping your face and staring into your eyes. “Finally.” He leans forward, closing his eyes. His lips find yours like a magnet.

Cheers from family and friends are boisterous, along with the music that cues up as the two of you are ready to walk down the aisle.

You stand with Jungkook hand in hand. He looks over to you and kisses you again. He lifts your arm, shaking it, yelling a ‘yes’ as the crowd cheers again.

Minji ushered you and Jungkook to a private bedroom, telling the two of you to eat before the reception festivities. But, of course, Jungkook had other plans.

He locked the door and eagerly pressed you against the wall, making you yelp. “Five minutes, that’s all I need.”

“You’re pretty confident, hmm?”

"I can't let this moment go to waste."

"Kook," you whine into his mouth. "Someone's gonna come looking for us."

"Good. I'll tell them we're coming," he grins before kissing you again.

Your hands are flushed against his chest as he trails kisses along your jawline and neck. His hand on the small of your back, pressing you into his growing bulge.

Your fingers tug on his jacket lapels. You're tempted to take off his blazer, but you're in the middle of your wedding celebration. You couldn't get carried away.

He kisses back up your neck, finding your lips again. Shifting your skirt to the side, his hand finds warmth between your legs. He palms against your clit, rubbing circles. He catches your moans with his kisses.

"We can't be so loud, baby."

You unbuckle his belt and pop the button on his dress pants, undoing his zipper. You cup your hand around his hard, clothed erection, stroking him. He gently grabs your hand, making you withdraw from him.

"You first."

He moves your panties to the side, his finger sliding between your folds, spreading your arousal.

"Are you ready for me?"

You loll your head back, jaw slack, making some kind of noise in agreement. He inserts a finger, his palm pressed on your clit again. He starts pumping in and out before adding a second finger. Your walls clench around him when he speeds up.

He squeezes your breast, then pinches your nipple. You're already crumbling, and it's been mere minutes, but your desire for him started long before this.

Jungkook drops to his knees. He gathers your skirt for you to hold. He pulls down your panties, making you step out of them. He flings it off to the side before relishing in you again. He attaches his mouth to your clit, licking and sucking, tugging your legs closer to him. He hurries down further, trying to get to your entrance.

Your hands thread through his hair as he reinserts his fingers. He looks up at you, eyebrows knitted, a stray hair falling as you bite down on your lip, holding in whimpers. Saliva is running down his chin as he continues lapping, trying his best to consume all of you. He pulls away, kissing your clit, nudging his nose into it. At the same time, he's curling his fingers, hitting the sweet spot. He lifts your leg onto his shoulder so he can get better access. He kisses your thigh before attaching his lips to clit again.

You're aching for a sweet release. Your heart is racing, and the fear of someone coming to look for you heightens, and you start rolling your hips, desperate to reach your climax.

"Mm, right here, Kook. Just like that."

His eyes meet yours, and he smiles, knowing he could make you cum quickly. He continues lapping and flicking, finger fucking you. The sensation is too much to handle, and you need to stabilize yourself. He sets your leg down, and his hand grabs the flesh of your ass.

Your skin heats up, hands curl tighter into his hair, the building pleasure causes your legs to shake, and your thighs are closing in on Jungkook. You're biting down on your lip, holding back the moan, desperately trying to escape. You're losing all composure when the tension finally snaps, and you reach your release.

He doesn't let go when you cum. He continues to overstimulate you until you have to push him away. You lean down to kiss him, your slick lingers all over him, and you have to clean him up before he goes back out.

"Fuck–you're so sexy," he says between kisses.

"Your turn."

Jungkook hums. "I'm not gonna last long."

"Then it'll be just like our first time again," you tease, remembering when you sucked him off on your couch.

"Baby–do you have to bring that up right now?"

You giggled and let go of your skirt, reaching to put your panties back on. You nodded, smirking at him. "You can never last long when you’re excited."

"Baby," he whines, letting out a huff.

You kiss him. "I love making you feel that way."

You play with the elastic on his underwear, tugging them down. Jungkook watches as you grin and grip his cock. It involuntarily twitches in your grasp. You have no time to waste. People are waiting for you both.

Kneeling before him, you wrap your hand around his shaft, pumping and twisting his length. Your thumb rubs the pre-cum dripping from him, and then he lets out a sharp hiss when you flick your tongue at his tip. Spitting on his cock, you spread your saliva up and down his shaft with both hands, stroking him.

You peer up at him, and his eyes never leave yours. He’s captivated by this pretty view. You take him in your mouth, swirling your tongue, moaning against him. Laying your tongue flat, it runs along the underside of his cock, following the prominent vein. Your lips are slick and swollen, trying to take more of him in.

“You’re doing so good, baby,” Jungkook bites his lip, gently thrusting forward.

Your lips part around his cock, only taking in the head. Your hand wraps the rest of his shaft, stroking him, and your free hand gently plays with his balls.

A breath is hitched in Jungkook’s throat, his eyes half-lidded, almost rolling back when you take him in inch by inch until your nose is pushed into him. 

There’s a knock on the door, and someone tries to open it. “Hey, are you guys almost finished eating?” Minji asked through the door.

The two of you look toward the door. You’re busy gagging on Jungkook’s dick, and he answers, “We’ll be right there.”

You return to sucking and stroking, more frantic than before.

“Fuck,” Jungkook curses a few more times, bucking into you. He cups your face, making you look at him. “Where do you want me to come?”

You quickly pop off, “Mouth.”

He visibly gulps, his cheeks burning at the thought of you swallowing his cum during your wedding. The muscles in his abdomen tighten, the building pleasure ready to explode. Lightning ripples through him, sending shockwaves throughout his body as he finally cums in your mouth. Jungkook groans when you continue to milk him for all he’s worth. The sweat forming on his head trickles down his face.

You wipe off the trailing saliva and swallow his cum. As you fix your skirt and top, Jungkook stuffs himself back in his underwear and pants. The two of you look at each other, smiling like idiots.

“I can’t believe we just did that,” you said, inching closer to kiss him.

Jungkook smirked, wrapping his arms around you. “I can.”

You cleared your throat. “We should scarf down our food and return to our wedding, hmm?”

Wedding festivities were in full swing—smiles, laughter, and chattering filled the outdoor patio. Delicious food in your bellies and mixed drinks coursing through your veins.

Jin walked to the area where the band was playing, his fingers tinkering on the glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Why, hello, beautiful people—and by beautiful people, I mean me.”

You and Jungkook make a face at each other.

“I’m kidding! Everyone here is dressed to impress, and ladies, if any of you is single, come find me afterward.” He looks at Jungkook, and he’s glaring back at his friend.

Jin clears his throat, “Anyway, I’ve seen the highs and lows of your relationship, and I’m honored to be standing here, witnessing how love can withstand so much as long as two people continue to fight for and fiercely love one another. I promise I’ll always be there to support the two of you as best as possible. And remember me when you need a god-parent for your kids.”

You and Jungkook look at each other, shaking your head.

Jin holds up his glass, proposing a toast. “To the bride and groom, may you continue to show us what true love is.”

Everyone raises their glasses, saying “Cheers,” clinking their glasses with one another at their tables.

Yuna stands, walks to Jin, and retrieves the microphone from him. “Hello, everyone. I’m Yuna, the bride's best friend and the groom's big sister. I’m sure some of you are wondering if I was okay with their relationship, and at first, it came as a shock, but as their relationship progressed, I realized how pure their love was for each other. They’ve even taught me a thing or two about love, and if you’ve seen them from the start until now, you’ll see how far they’ve come, and I can’t wait to see what their future holds. I love you both so much.”

Jungkook nudges you, handing you another tissue. Even though this relationship was hard for Yuna to accept, you’re glad she never gave up on you, on Jungkook. If she never trusted the two of you and cheered you on, it would’ve been another relationship you’d have to grieve. But you’re so glad it worked out.

Jin returns, speaking into the mic, “Now—there’s been enough crying for the night. It’s time for the first dance of the bride and groom.

Jungkook stands, holding out his hand for you. He leads you to the dance floor; you let the train of your skirt drape behind you. The piano intro of the chosen song comes on. His hand sits on the small of your back, pressing you closer to him, his other hand holding yours. You press your cheek against his, close your eyes, and breathe everything in—you and him now.

You love holding his hand. The softness of his fingers electrifies every nerve in your body. You love listening to him breathe; it’s a calm reminder for you to slow things down. You love the warmth radiating off his body and onto yours. You love looking into his starry doe eyes and feeling like everything will be okay.

Entwined, all that we are is defined By each others shipwrecked hearts and I Shiver to think what would have been if I wouldn’t have seen you in time Would we pass by?

“I love you,” Jungkook whispers, kissing your cheek.

A warm smile eases onto your face. “How long will you keep telling me that, hmm?”

He gazes into your eyes. “Forever and ever.”

You giggle. “I like the sound of that.”

Like parachutes and air balloons Or satellites and lonely moons We’d still be drifting far apart But thank the stars we are entwined

The two of you continue to sway to the song until it ends, and the next song comes on, and you just know that Kim Taehyung requested it. The full-on blaring horns and cymbal percussion filled the speakers on blast.

Yes (whoo, ow) It's so crazy right now Most incredibly, it's ya girl, B (yes) It's ya boy, Young You ready?

And the first person on the dance floor, dragging Park Jimin to the floor? None other than Kim Taehyung. 

You and Jungkook look at each other, bursting out into laughter. He had pre-gamed before the wedding even started.

“You wanna sit this one out?” Jungkook asked, raising his eyebrows, and you nodded, letting the rest of the crowd have a turn enjoying the reception.

You’re mingling through the tables and greeting friends. Jungkook has Indie in his arms; she’s giggling and squealing at the top of her lungs as she twirls around, and Bam circles and barks at the two. You love watching Jungkook with Indie, and it makes you wonder if you’ll get to have that with Jungkook one day. You’re hopeful and believing for the best.

Namjoon, Jin, Taehyung, and Jimin all take turns whisking you away from your mingling to dance with you. Throughout the night, you’ve been preoccupied with guests, and then you see the one person who hadn’t greeted you and Jungkook yet.

You walk over to Min Yoongi, who’s in a black suit and tucked in a white tee. This is the most you’ve ever seen him dressed up. He’s kept his hair long but put in some effort to style it.

Like clockwork, there’s a glass of alcohol in his hands. He’s looking elsewhere when he notices you. He’s focused on your eyes; then you see him explore your face and flash a gentle smile.

You hold out your hand. “May I have this dance?”

“I don’t dance,” he grumbles.

“Oh, you’re such a liar! I’ve seen you dance.”

“Yeah—when I’m drunk and I’m not drunk enough yet,” he whines.

“Come on. It’s my wedding day. You can’t say no to me.”

He blinks. “No.”

You roll your eyes and drag him by the hand. He leaves his glass on the table, fumbling after you.

“Just one dance, and then you’ll be a free man.”

Yoongi groans as he stands before you. Your hands are on his shoulders, and his hands are on your waist, and you’re both at a respectable distance from one another.

“See, it’s not that bad, is it?”

“It’s horrible actually. Think I’m allergic to dancing,” he teases.

“Shut up, stupid.”

“You shut up,” he spits back.

“You can’t tell me to shut up. I’m the bride.”

“Have you been using that excuse all day?” He narrows his eyes at you.

You show off a cheeky smile. “Yep!”

Yoongi shakes his head, and he beams his gummy-toothed smile.

“Did I get a smile out of Min Yoongi?” You gasp dramatically.

“Consider it your wedding gift.”

You roll your eyes again, and you smack him on the shoulder.

“Yah—” he frowns. “I was going to give you your actual wedding gift, but I’m taking it back now.”

“What?” Your eyes widen. “No, no, no! What is it?”

Yoongi steps back, reaching for something in his pocket. He pulls out a small rectangular box and hands it to you.

The music continues as you flip open the box, and in it, you see a silver titanium spinning top and a silver bishop chess piece, but just like in the movie, it’s hollowed out.

“There’s debate on Cobb’s totem being his ring, but considering you and Jungkook have wedding rings, it seems redundant.”

You chuckled to yourself at the gift. Only Yoongi would get you something like this. “What does it mean?”

Yoongi looks around, and your eyes follow him. His gaze returns to you, along with a soft smile. “This—you and Jungkook—it’s not a dream. It’s real.”

You turn away from him, your heart aching gravely, your eyes glistening from the silly but not-so-silly gift.

“Are you,” Yoongi pauses, “crying?”

You tut, still turned away, quickly wiping your tears. “No, I’m not crying.”

He tilts his head, waiting for you to turn to him. “Hey, what do I always say?”

“It’s okay to cry, just don’t cry alone,” you say monotonously.

He laughs. “Well, at least you remember something I’ve told you.”

You looked at him, your eyebrows knitted. “I listen,” you retort.

The song ends, and the DJ lets guests know only a few songs are left.

“Well, I have to head out. Early roll call tomorrow—you know the drill,” Yoongi says, stuffing his hands into his pants pocket.

You nod. “Thanks for coming. You don’t know how much it meant to me.”

“I wish you and Jungkook all the best,” he flashes a thin smile, and then he pulls you in for a hug, his cheek pressed against yours.

The unexpected display of affection catches you off guard. He’s not known to express affection, but you soften, giving into his embrace.

Yoongi withdraws from the hug, locking eyes with Jungkook as he waits for the two of you to finish. Yoongi gives a small smile, as does Jungkook.

“I’ll see you when I see you?”

The corner of your eyes crinkle as you smile, bidding him farewell.

Jungkook wraps his arms around you from behind, inhaling your scent. “Ready to go home?”

You hummed, nuzzling into him. “Let’s go home, hubby.”

A deep groan escaped your lips when you rolled onto your side, but Jungkook blocked the way, and you couldn’t move further. Your body ached in every nook and cranny. Jungkook did not go easy on you last night.

You sat up with weary eyes, staring at your husband, who was sound asleep, snoring away as if you had nothing to do today, but that was far from the case.

The two of you were setting off to the Maldives later tonight. Jin had taken Bam home after the wedding to dog sit while the two of you are off on your honeymoon.

You shoved Jungkook a few times, and his only response was grunts. “Kook, we need to get up,” you whined, kicking him a few times.

“Mm? Kook is not my name,” he said in a muffled tone as he faced you.

You huffed, clenching your jaw. “Husband, hubby, the love of my life.”

His eyes are closed, and he beams from ear to ear. “Yes, wifey?” He peeked an eye open before shifting into an upright position beside you. He opened his arm up for you to cuddle right in.

You shake your head at your silly husband, kissing his chest. He’s never going to grow old of you calling him that, is he?

“I love you.”

He giggled. “Is that it?”

You hummed.

“I love you more.”

Throughout your wedding day, you couldn't help but think of your relationship with Jungkook. You never expected to fall in love with your best friend's younger brother. You were on the rebound; he had just moved back from LA. It seemed like a lifetime ago that the two of you were sneaking around, getting caught by Yuna. It's strange how life works, how everyone gathers at life events, and this time, instead of a family reunion—like the one where you saw Jungkook again—everyone gathered for a more cheerful occasion, celebrating the two of you.

Chapter One of your life was never-ending, full of life and love. It was messy and complicated, but you felt like it was finally coming to a close, and Chapter Two would be the beginning of something much more beautiful for you and Jungkook.

✨ epilogue ~ us

[svtdarlingbby]

Let's Start Some Rumors- The8xidol!Reader - Part 1

pairing: The8 x reader genre: idol au warnings: occasional cursing word count: 1,189

Summary: You and Minghao are both releasing singles the same month. Competing for the spotlight is hard, but how about sharing the spotlight?

The past few weeks have been busy to say the least. It was the first comeback after your debut as a soloist; while your debut was even more successful than predicted you knew that meant you had to make your comeback even better. Running between the dance studio, music video set, and recording studio with occasional stops to get your makeup and costume done has been hectic. Even though you couldn't have asked for more, living the dream had you busy.

Through it all however your friend Minghao aka The8 from Seventeen had your back through it all. He was just as busy as you since he was also releasing his solo this month however he made time to review your performance and give you tips. Even the smiles you exchanged while passing by him in the halls as you two attended your respective sessions was enough to reassure you through the comeback process. In fact, he even found the time to watch you perform the final scene for your music video.

You finished the final note of your comeback song, smiling even brighter as you realized this was the last of the comeback prep you had to complete. The cheers from the staff also elevated your mood!

"Great job Y/N!" cheered your manager as she hugged you as soon as the camera cut.

"Thank you manager Lina!" you smiled as you hugged her back.

"I'll get in contact with the editor ASAP. Thanks for your hard work!" she said and scurried off before you could interject.

Looking off to where your manager ran off to, you were surprised to be suddenly faced with Minghao.

"Hey Y/N, don't forget about me! You did great! Your comeback is gonna be so successful!" he said as he held up a fist to you.

"Yo Minghao! I could never! Thank you for coming!" you said, fist bumping him back. "By the way, are you done preparing for your comeback?"

"I've just gotta review the music video with the crew and edit anything before it's published!" he said handing you a bottle of water which you appreciated. The set lights are hot as hell.

"That's great! I'm so proud of you too Hao! Although it's kinda weird that you're more prepared for your comeback even though mine is first," you mentioned as you two walked through the pastel set.

"Eh maybe it's just me who wants to get stuff done early as possible," he shrugged. "But you got this. I'm gonna make the boys stream your song"

"Oh my gosh they don't have too!" you laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder.

"Hey, don't think I don't have any conditions. You better be streaming my song 13 times more!" he smirked.

"Xu Minghao I cannot with you" you playfully rolled your eyes and walked away from him.

"Y/N come back!" he whined teasingly.

"My comback's not until next Friday!" you joked, picking up your pace.

"GODDAMMIT Y/N YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!"

You and Minghao's childish antics had the two of you erupting in laughter that echoed across the pastel music video set. You guys were just like teenagers, so full of life. That did not go unnoticed by your manager Lina and Minghao's manager.

Friday arrived faster than you expected and you felt all of the emotions. Your heart beat in excitement, nervousness, fear, and anticipation. How you wished your fans and listeners in general would fall in love with your new song you worked so hard to accomplish.

However, your hopes were shattered by the end of the day. You were thankful to have so many loyal fans buy your album and watch your music video, however numbers were still low. Lower than your debut. You found yourself glued to your phone screen that day, scrolling through various social media platforms to see what everyone had to say.

@Y/NsSmile: Y/N's comeback is sooo good! C'mon guys let’s stream their song!

@hater239: why would we stream a mediocre queen? yeah the song's okay but like her company sucked at promotion

@592luvY/N: first of all, fuck you. second of all I hate that I'm agreeing with you that HYBE could've done a better job at promoting Y/N :\

@Y/NsSmile: yeah I think the numbers would've been higher with better promotions like her debut but come on guys keep streaming!

@kpopstanrocks1244: wait Y/N had a comeback??

Interactions like these were pretty consistent through all of the social media platforms. Even the haters saw what was wrong. You weren't being promoted as much as your debut. Maybe HYBE thought the hype from your debut would carry over into your comeback? It looks like the complete opposite was happening. Feeling bummed out, you kind of isolated yourself aside from Tweeting your fans your genuine thanks for their consistent support. Just as you were about to try and sleep this feeling off, you received a text from Minghao.

Minghao: Hey Y/N, I'm so proud of you. Numbers aren't everything. Quality artists and their songs are more worth it, just like you

Despite your unhopeful mood, you felt yourself smile at his kind message.

Y/N: Hey Minghao, don't worry about it! Thank you so much for the support seriously. I hope your comeback doesn't flop lol

Minghao: bruh you're not gonna flop. it'll be fine. please take care!

Y/N: ur too kind Minghao, thank you

The short conversation ended there before you went to bed. You'd have to wake up early for some meetings and some more attempts to promote your song later tomorrow.

The next morning came quickly and you still felt groggy. The euphoria from your debut did not transfer to your comeback. Begrudgingly, you made it to the meeting room where your manager Lina told you to meet her and the higher ups. In all honesty, you wanted this meeting to end quickly since you knew you might be berated for the low numbers despite having no control over pre-comeback promotion.

"Hello-" you said as you entered the room but cut yourself off at the sight of Minghao in the meeting room.

"Good morning Y/N, take a seat" said manager Lina.

You sat down and the meeting began.

"So as we all know, Y/N's comeback did not perform as planned," said the head manager.

"Sheesh, isn't that the elephant in the room?" you thought but nonetheless tried to pay attention, averting Minghao's gaze.

"These numbers are appalling, however the comeback is still salvageable," said the head manager.

"How, sir?" asked manager Lina knowingly.

"Well, we know that Minghao's comeback in next week and we don't want the same happening to him. And we don't want to lose profit on Y/N's poor comeback. So we need publicity," said the head manager.

"Right, so Lina and the head manager have devised a plan involving both Minghao and Y/N," said Minghao's manager.

"What does the plan involve?" you asked as you glanced over at Minghao who seemed just as confused.

"We're going to create a dating scandal between Y/N and Minghao"

"WHAT?!!??"

part 2

[rabidrodent]

In a surprise move of "huh?" and "now?" and "really?" and "why?", Cup Noodle just put out a new commercial based on El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron... the obscure PS3/360 game from nearly 15 years ago.

(A history below...)

At E3 2010, a peculiar game trailer dropped, free from either Sony or Microsoft's big stage shows. It featured vague narration from a snazzily-dressed deep-voiced man, and gladiator combat from a seemingly airheaded prettyboy protagonist. It was barely comprehensible, but I suppose that was also its appeal...

For reasons beyond my comprehension, this trailer absolutely took off in Japan's internet culture, becoming a huge meme on Nicovideo, spawning numerous parody and remix videos.

This one was an old fave of mine, mashing up the trailer with a famous Puyo Puyo song. Also it loops endlessly, so you never have to stop watching.

There was even a goofy no-budget live-action remake of the trailer that's hit 1.5 million views...

El Shaddai eventually launched the following year in 2011. However, despite its early meme status, the game flew criminally under the radar. While it wasn't exactly a flop, and reviewed reasonably well, it just didn't quite leave the impact it probably should've.

Which is a shame, because it was one of the few genuinely ~artfully crafted~ big-shelf games for the big-boy consoles of the era. It donned a painterly style, using pseudo-cel-shading with pastel colors and a watercolor look. The story is esoteric, the environments are abstract. And it even dared to be a bit flamboyant! Wow.

It was essentially the polar opposite of where gaming culture was at the time. And as someone who was completely disillusioned with the direction games were going in that generation, it was one of the few games I really wished I could play. But unfortunately I couldn't...

...UNTIL...!!!

In 2021, a strange miracle happened. A surprise remaster of the game launched on Steam. It too seems to have flown under the radar. But it's still there, still buyable, still playable. And the port seems to be good.

A Switch version also exists if you're so inclined.

So do y'wanna talk about "hidden gems"?? Here's your PS3/360 hidden gem!! And it's available right now, on modern platforms, running well, with no strings attached!

Did I mention it was directed by a character designer who worked on Okami and Devil May Cry? Does that pique your interest yet??

Let's right the wrongs of the past!! It's finally El Shaddai's time to shine!! MONDAI NAI!!!

[gamergirljournalist]

Review: Gourdlets - The Best Game Tiktok Recommended to Me

RATING: 4.5/5 Stars Played on: AMD 5 5600X and RTX 3060 Ti 8GB

I'm on that side of TikTok where video game recommendations appear on my "For You" page. Out of all the titles that popped onto my screen, there was one game that caught my attention - Gourdlets. It's an indie island builder cozy title, developed by AuntyGames, who according to their TikTok, left their job to work on this game full-time. Full disclosure, I have been following Gourdlet's development since 2023 and let's see if it was worth the hype and the wait since I first saw it on my feed.

This entire game attempts to tick every single box in the "cozy game" checklist. From the pastel and soft pixel art design to cute music, and even the characters themselves, it's all there. When you start the game, players get to name their island and choose between three maps. From there, you will be introduced to the creatures of the games called "Gourdlets." They somewhat resemble the Pikmin creatures in the Pikmin franchise as they grow flowers above their heads. Each of these little critters has a name and you can easily find them using the ledger. You can even dress them up to your liking.

This game doesn't really have a goal. You build the cosy island of your dreams without worrying about how much everything costs. Also, there is no wait time, so all the buildings and items will arrive as you drop them onto the map. It's important to note that there is a limited amount of space you can play with, which is enough based on the available number of items. While there is no end goal, there are some achievements players can unlock on Steam, as well as special items that players can unlock as their island and Gourdlets continue to grow and develop.

The same can be said when it comes to decorating the interior of houses and buildings. You are given a selection of items to choose from and fill in these new homes and buildings based on your ideas. However, certain internal building structures make absolutely zero sense. For example, you'd think decorating a tent would be more thin with slanted walls or small tent-like space. Nope! It's the same interior as the small houses in the game. And don't get me started on the sewers. I thought they're just a floor decoration piece but they're thin homes for Gourdlets to live in. Teenage mutant ninja Gourdlets anyone?

While Gourdlets allow you to build your island to your heart's content, it does have some drawbacks. For example, if you were to say, put many of the same decorations in one area, you have to do it individually, not by group. This makes building forest areas a bit tedious due to the number of single-item placements. Also, there are not that many items to choose from, which is fine. But some furniture pieces, like the couches, look very similar to each other. Also, some items in question don't seem to work well with certain room ideas. Wish there were items like kitchen countertops, rather than using basic tables.

If there is one feature Gourdlets should be praised for, it's the idle window mode. As someone who does freelancing work at night, it does get lonely in the home office. So I enabled idle mode to see if would be a distraction and it wasn't. The game's window can take up a certain percentage based on your settings and the the music is soft enough that it isn't a hindrance. I have mine set at 20 percent and I'm able to watch trailers and promo videos without having to mute my game. It's a nice feature and something worth turning on the next time I begin my freelancing.

So with all that in mind, did the TikTok algorithm overlords recommend a great game? Yes, it did. Gourdlets is a game developed by a solo developer with big dreams. Yes, it does have the potential to do something more like add more content or items. But this is one person working on this title and it works. It's a place worth visiting, the creatures are cute, and it's a game with zero consequences. There are not that many games in the cozy space where you can build whatever you want without worrying about the cost or well-being of your visitors or residents. So it's great to see an indie title that fits the very definition of cozy.

Gourdlets is a game worth trying out. If TikTok can't convince you to give it a shot, perhaps this review would do the job. If you want to give this game a try, it's now available on Steam.

[raspberrybunnies]

What I watch while regressed

Youtubers

Nerdecrafter

-fidget toy,toy,craft kit reviews

-craft (mostly clay and resin) videos

LADB restoration

-asmr restoration videos the put me to sleep almost instantly

Old jacksepticeye

-gaming Channel but I bet you knew that

-undertale,fnaf,bully,and skate 3 play throughs

Moriah Elizabeth

-another craft channel but uses mostly pastels

-known for fixing squishies to make them cuter

-also does baking,painting,and thrift store makeovers

Lilsimsie

-makes only sims content but she’s absolutely adorable

8-bitryan

-another gaming channel (more kiddo friendly than Jack I think)

I also like to watch random Korean minimalist inspired room makeover videos

Tv shows

Courage the cowardly dog (4 seasons)

-little dog saves his family from spooky things every episode

The 13 ghost of scooby doo (1 seasons)

-scooby doo,shaggy,daphne,scrappy,and flim flam hunt down 13 ghosts

Max and ruby (7 seasons)

- sister and brother rabbit living life

Adventure time (10 seasons)

-12 year old boy and his dog going on adventures

Gravity falls (2 seasons

-2 twins dealing with a mysterious town while they live with their grunkle Stan

Teen Titans (5 seasons)

-group of teens with superpowers (minus the leader) save the world

The misadventures of flapjack (3 seasons)

-flapjack and knuckles hunt for candy island with bubby the whale

Movies

Scooby doo meets courage the cowardly dog

-scooby doo and courage go on an adventure

Matilda

-very smart little girl finds out she has powers

The littlest vampire (live action)

-human little boy helps saves his vampire friends life

Scary godmother (both 1 and 2)

-little girl makes friends with people from a spookier universe

All Alice in wonderland adaptions

-Alice chases the white rabbit and ends up in a strange world

I’ll probs update this when I find other things

[writingmochi]

what do ur moots remind you of?! (ex. places, color, song, etc)

lissie: hey anon! sorry for the late reply! I'll try my best to answer your question because this will be long...

@kookthief : the setting summer sun that is a body of ocean away going down beyond the horizon from where you can see from the beach. maybe because ellie has mentioned the summer i turn pretty tons of times, seeing photos of the sunset by a beach reminds me of her!

@ujunxverse: the strobing lights in a small concert venue where an alternative rock band is playing. viv's music taste and little mentions of music she listens to give me recommendations for more artists to listen to in the future. i also realize that our music taste venn diagram is more connected than i realized (cassiopea, have a nice life, radiohead, etc)

@heartandfangs: the narrow aisle of a warm-colored old bookstore. i think because of how amazingly P writes her stories it makes me think of that. one shelf is apocalyptic (the world ends with you) and another is erotica (i owe you and not if it's you)

@euphor1a: the smell of freshly baked vanilla cake in a pastel bakery on the corner of the street block. i mentioned to aleyna how she reminded me of sugar cookies before. with this, i'm expanding what i said before to the whole bakery :D

@jeongwins: an aesthetic-looking list on letterboxd. i know it seems random, but the way lin writes reviews for fics they recommend is how a film critic writes a review for a movie. in a way, it also shows the people what kind of fics they like and how others can expect from the fics by their reviews, just like how people on letterboxd make list for movies they like aesthetically or story wise

@s-ngh8n: open parasols on the sandy beach with the glittering waves in the distance. kinda like their name, lemon has a sense of freshness that i can't fully articulate using adjectives. so, here i am using a description to fully said what i meant

@boba-beom: xing fu tang's brown sugar boba milk tea. other than the boba theme being similar, smiles to me seems very refreshing and warm in the way she speaks and interacts with yours truly

@dim-sun: a cottagecore-themed pixel art. probably because zu had one of them for their banner one time, but every time i found a forest pixel art, it always reminds me of them...

@it-rains-blue: a rupi kaur-style book full of short stories. condensed yet emotionally rich, that is what the vibe of yerin's writing feels like for me. her range also contributes to it as short stories in one book can make you feel so many emotions; throwing the book against the wall or seeing tears fell on the pages from how it got you to feel.

@heart2beom: the smell of salted popcorn as you sit inside the cinema seats. another random one but jazmine makes me feel that way. i haven't read much of her work but i know that it'll give me a good time just like a good movie does.

@tyunlatte: a litter of kittens walking towards you as you sit on the carpeted floor of a cat cafe. seeing illustrations of cats reminds me of alex so much + the cafe aspect is definitely the kind of vibe if i open her blog. you're always in for a treat!

@lovejoshua: the colors: rose quartz and serenity. iykyk ;) but in all seriousness, i'm happy to see svt's content in my timeline from time to time because of ilem (literally every time i wake up and check the blr, it's gonna be either josh or seungcheol gifs. and i am in for that)

@junniieesbby: an emoji of a heart. as her previous moniker for her time as anon, every time i see a heart of any kind, both the symbol heart or a heart that looks accurate anatomically, it reminds me of angie!

@hanniejie: the song "can you feel the sunshine?" from the video game sonic r. using the sol as their aesthetic, lex gives of a very warm and optimistic vibe whenever i see their name or username, kinda like this song whenever i play them.

@txt-yaomi: ateez's yunho. ever since i learned that sof ults him, i kinda feel almost the same vibe between the two of them. both can be calm and excitedly chaotic at any time >.<

@talesofyuan: a shelf full of multi-volume manga series. remembering yuan's dream as a mangaka, every time i see a manga illustration, it always reminds me of her.

@choistick: the words "Musik" and "Kunst" . knowing where she comes from, thinking about saph really makes me want to revive my knowledge of the german language after not using it since i graduated high school lmao guten tag saph!

@robin-obsessed: txt's hueningkai being the ningdungie that she is, lee gives off the same vibe as hyuka whenever i think of her + her tumblr banner and discord username don't help either in making me think that she and kai are connected in some way...

[illfoandillfie]

2023 Advent: Day 18

So, for those who don't know, I watch a lot of book related content on youtube and at the end of November I was watching someone's TBR (to be read) game she was playing to pick what she'd read next. Partway through her game she asked her partner to help her and ya'll it was highkey giving some daddy dom vibes. So of course I had to write a blurb about it.

Big thanks to Lauren for helping me decide on Jack for this one.

Warnings: daddy kink, dom!Jack, sub!Reader, onlyfans, thumb sucking (not in a baby way), a lil degradation/humiliation, nothing especially explicit but references to bondage/sex toys/kink exploration/sex tapes/spanking/general kink stuff.

When you’d started making video content about books and what you were reading, you’d not expected it to end up the way it had. On OnlyFans. You’d had Youtube in mind, inspired by the people you followed there who reviewed new releases and the like. But Youtube had been harder to crack into than you’d expected and you had to be careful with how you spoke about certain topics or else your videos would be removed. Not ideal when spicy romance novels were your thing. In fact, it was after a video you’d made comparing language in a few different romance novels had been taken down, you facetiously told your boyfriend, Jack, you’d be better off posting on OnlyFans and then somehow it had stopped being a joke and you’d actually done it. And, to your surprise, got yourself something of a following. 

Your account had evolved a little since then. You still did the book reviews and chatted about what you were reading and upcoming releases that interested you. But you’d branched out a bit too. Now you also got your kit off. There were a handful of video demonstrations of literature themed sex toys like dragon dildos (perhaps a stretch to call literary) and the 50 Shades of Grey branded bondage equipment. You’d read books out loud whilst sitting on vibrators, modelled lingerie based on fictional characters, and discussed not only erotica fiction but also nonfiction about sexuality and kink. The overall theme of your content was smart is sexy and to emphasise it you always tried to dress the part, even when you were just talking to the camera, in an exaggeratedly sexy school uniform – microskirt, knee high socks, pigtails. Your dream was to be able to film something in an actual library or bookstore.  

Jack helped out and encouraged you. Mostly he stayed behind the scenes, helping with filming and lighting and even editing sometimes. But he also came in handy when you were making the more typically OnlyFans type content. There were videos where you recreated sex scenes from books, testing if the positions described were as easy to achieve as the novels would have you believe, and recently, you’d begun a weekly series going through The Art of Sex chapter by chapter. You’d give a brief run down on whatever position or kink the chapter of the week explored and then perform the act with Jack’s help. You weren’t quite sure what you were going to do when you reached the chapter on swinging but you were sure Jack would have an idea or two. Perhaps a role playing scene. 

One of your first series and one of your most innocent was your monthly TBR game. It was a concept taken straight from youtube. At the end of each month you posted a video where you’d draw out random prompts from a jar to help decide what books you’d read the next month. You filmed it sitting on the floor with a pastel pink cart full of books beside you, though of course wearing the sexy schoolgirl outfit. You opened the video discussing the books you’d read from the last TBR list. For every book you didn’t read, you earned five spanks which Jack was only too happy to give you. He hovered behind the camera waiting for his moment. Typically after that he wouldn’t appear in the video again. But, every so often, you needed his help.  

This time the prompt was too broad, and you were overwhelmed by choices. You sat there staring at your cart for much longer than you usually would, unsure what book to officially pick. It didn’t help that it was the first prompt of the video. You couldn’t even begin to guess what other prompts you might draw or which titles you might pick later. Jack normally only got to choose your books when the “Daddy’s pick” prompt was drawn but you decided this was a special occasion.  “Daddy,” you said, pushing yourself to your knees and looking at Jack who was standing to the side.  He adjusted the camera subtly to keep you framed nicely, “Do you need something darlin’?”  There was something about how he interacted with you during filming that made you switch into submissive mode. His tone of voice was so authoritative, and he was always fully dressed whilst you were so exposed and on the floor looking up at him. It made you go all little girly. “Which should I choose Daddy?”  Jack hummed and, to your surprise, stepped in front of the camera as he walked towards you. It made you tilt your head back further to see him and he took advantage of your position, stroking your cheek gently before laying his thumb against your lips.   It was second nature to draw it between your lips and suck as Jack hummed in thought.  “Pretty ironic that you tell everyone smart is sexy when you go completely stupid when you’re horny. Bet if I touched you now you’d be all wet from thinking about all these filthy books you read.” Jack examined the three books you’d pulled off your cart, his thumb still between your lips. Finally he tapped your cheek so you’d release him, bent over and picked up his choice. “I’ve decided to be nice and pick this one for you because I know it’ll be useful for a video you’re planning.”  You clapped excitedly, “I’d totally forgotten that Daddy, thank you!”  Jack chuckled, “Anytime darlin’,” He bent over to give you a small kiss before striding back behind the camera, “No go ahead and finish your game.” 

[her-satanic-wiles]

I was tagged by the beautiful @da-rulah and @sodoswitchimage to do this. I never do these because I end up having no one to tag, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose.

Last Song: Dawn by Dario Marianelli and Jean-Yves Thibaudet from the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack.

Favourite Colour: Blood red or emerald green, but pastel pink comes in at a close third given my entire house is that colour and navy blue lmao

Currently Watching Reading: I don't watch TV much, but I'm currently reading a Freya Marske book. I won't go into detail because we're boycotting Macmillan and St. Martin's Press for their employee's violently racist remarks about Palestinians, but we still support authors.

Last Movie: Insidious the Red Door.

Sweet/Spicy/Savoury: Love me something spicy, but I'm a slut for sweet shit, man.

Relationship: Single, and going back and forth between loving it and hating it lmao. Unless you count my delulu relationships with fictional men, in which case I'm currently dating Copia and Astarion at the same time, lmao

Current Obsession: Ghost (of course), Victorian fashion, tea, reading and sapphicism.

Last Thing I Googled: The publishing house of the, the Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper.

Selfie: I don't take selfies anymore, but I do make a bunch of videos for BookTok, so here's a screenshot from an unpublished review video:

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this and hasn't had anyone tag them yet. I tag you.

[thatonefangirlly]

Na- Nayeon 2nd Mini Album Review

Nayeon biases! I'm baaaaaack and buckle up because we're diving into Nayeon's solo debut with her album "Na"! As someone who isn't a TWICE fan and doesn't really seek out their solos or group songs, I was intrigued to see what this cheerful ray of sunshine (as my bestie would call her) could bring to the table all on her own. Here’s the lowdown on what went down:

Concept: 8.9/10 Nayeon's concept for "Na" is like a sugary shot of nostalgia mixed with a modern twist. She plays on themes of youthful innocence and heart-fluttering romance, which suits her image perfectly. It’s like stepping into a pastel wonderland where every song feels like a daydream on a sunny day. However, I would’ve loved a bit more depth in exploring different emotional landscapes beyond the usual lovey-dovey vibes.

Lyrics:9/10 Let’s talk lyrics! They’re cute, they’re catchy, and they stick like bubblegum to your brain. Nayeon brings her trademark charm with lyrics that are refreshingly honest and relatable. Whether she’s singing about crushes or the thrill of being young and carefree, you can’t help but smile along with her. But hey, a tad more poetic flair wouldn’t hurt to add some layers to her storytelling.

Beats: 7.5/10The beats in "Na" are where Nayeon really shines. They're bouncy, infectious, and tailor-made for those dance breaks in your bedroom. Each track has its own personality, from the upbeat pop anthems to the softer ballads that let Nayeon’s vocals soar. My only gripe? Some tracks felt a bit formulaic, like they were playing it safe instead of pushing the envelope.

Visual: 8/10Visually, Nayeon serves looks for days! The music video for ABCD is a feast for the eyes, with vibrant colors and whimsical settings that complement the album’s playful vibe. Nayeon herself is a total star, effortlessly blending cute and chic in every frame. It’s clear she’s having a blast, and that infectious energy leaps through the screen. However, a bit more experimentation with visual storytelling could have elevated the experience even further.

Overall Impression: In the end, "Na" is a delightful debut that showcases Nayeon’s undeniable talent and charisma. It’s a feel-good album through and through, perfect for those moments when you need a pick-me-up or a soundtrack to your sunny days. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it stays true to what makes Nayeon so beloved among fans: her infectious charm and killer vocals. Here’s hoping her next solo venture brings even more surprises and growth. While I do find it to be quite nice, I will still pick one or two songs out of the whole album. You know me... "Not a girly girl" and for me it's still a bit too girly. Until then, "Na:" will still be on my recommendation list.

So there you have it, folks! Nayeon’s "Na" album is a solid debut that’s sure to put a smile on your face. Grab your headphones, hit play, and get ready to dance like nobody’s watching and please for an opinion on your own!

Annyeong!

[bluecoolr]

My OCs as Influencers

inspired by @solmints-messyocdiary

The Todd Siblings

Darrell

mainly YouTube

has Insta, reddit, and tumblr but uses those mostly to lurk

content is mostly helmet cam footage of him driving through Devil's Peak and the surrounding highways

trail cam footage of the wild hogs, many of it grainy, black and white, and mildly unsettling

educational stuff about the hogs, shows off Jeb like a subway sandwich for views

"close encounters" videos with "supernatural beings" in the woods

DIY home repair and gardening tutorials

unintentional thirst traps, especially when he films himself changing clothes at a rest stop

Susannah

Instagram and tiktok

content is Southern Belle/cottagecore realness

posts the most beautiful pictures you've ever seen

selfies are always stunning

seamstress by trade and probably has an etsy shop

models all the clothes she makes

GRWM videos with the most soothing voice-over

gets loads of hate but is genuinely super nice

Nathan

YouTube vlogger

cinematic vids showcasing farm life

day in a life vids

informational vids about the crops, etc.

gained lots of attention because he's cute and looks hot in overalls

not above making thirst traps, unlike Darrell, he claims they were unintentional.

Judah

tiktok, insta and YouTube

dark academia content

posts playlists, book and fashion recs, and study with me/study tips

sometimes posts his poetry with accompanying music and visuals

very highbrow stuff

Salome

tiktok

videos about thrifting, plushie hauls, and art

sketchbook tours

draws strangers and random farm animals

reviews art supplies

does art giveaways

just does her thing and has one of the most wholesome comment sections

super easy to befriend

Darcellen

Youtube for her covers and original songs

a private insta for keeping in touch

not really an influencer, just someone who wants an outlet for her talent

Rex Hoskins

this old man? social media? Pfft

"influence? Influece what?"

too busy rounding up cattle

Stephanie

tiktok

mostly shows off outfits and gives styling tips

style is gurokawa ("creepy cute") and/or pastel goth

positive pov videos (like "if you're sad watch this")

probably collects monster high dolls and sanrio merch

Cheryl Catacutan

Cheryl Fear on YouTube

video essayist and aspiring filmmaker

focuses on horror, film analysis, real-life and internet mysteries, and urban legends

has an ongoing found footage horror series shot in first person

actually really good at acting and sound design

collaborates with "Clancy" for her soundtracks

has other socials that are completely empty except for when she uses them to promote her projects

goes on pinterest a lot for inspo

"Clancy"/"Pay Phone"

manages his band's youtube channel aside from being the lead singer

also has a bandcamp

heavy metal/doom metal

some of his band's music videos are directed by Cheryl

[pacifymebby]

if each of the boys had to get miss Groupie a present for Christmas, what would they get?

I've been thinking about this for the past few days since you sent it and its sprung up so many other questions haha so this is officially a groupie themed Christmas post <3

PS some of this is going to hint at future chapters sorry haha

Van

🌟 I feel like he'd be so grumpy about it, really snidey in the run up to Christmas

🌟 "Don't you leach enough off us already..." "Why the fuck would I get you a Christmas present y/n we're not even friends..."

🌟 but he'd know that if he doesn't get her a Christmas present he'll be the only one who doesn't get her anything

🌟 and he feels lowkey guilty for not getting her anything, doesn't know what to get her because the only things he knows about her are bedroom related...

🌟 so... She gets a Van Morrison CD, some leftover coke (literally just the little plastic bag with like a little bit left) and a red velvet choker with a heart on it (it's from Claire's accessories) it's got a pair of red velvet handcuffs to match (not from Claire's accessories) also a packet of cigarettes... When he watches her go through the little stocking he realises how shit his gifts are but shes giggling and actually is quite touched he got her anything at all

❤️ she gives him a beautifully wrapped little box, when he opens it there's a lump of coal inside

❤️ "seriously..." he's literally about to take the cocaine back when she bursts into a fit of giggles and shakes her head "no not seriously you fucking idiot" then she gives him his actual present which is a Strokes cd, some weed and a box of Jaffa cakes.

Bondy

🌜 they're actually besties so I feel like every now and then they really spoil eachother or do something quite sweet for one another...

🌜 Bondy definitely collects stuff throughout his travels and saves them up to give her for Christmas so it's always like a year in review, a little vintage slip dress he picked up in Japan, a rare vinyl from some record store in America, a book from one of those streetside stores in Paris.

🌜 always draws some wild illustration on her Christmas card, sometimes it's just a really inappropriate Christmas themed joke, sometimes it's a full story about how Santa fell into the tumble drier and it spat him out on mars where he discovered he was one of a billion santa clones created by Simon Cowell to control the children of earth etc...

🌜 treats her to things like week long spa getaways and stuff, books for them to go together and spend a week in some fancy spa way out the way of everyone else, takes her weekends away to Paris and stuff.

🌜 red wine, really, really pretty vintage jewelry pieces...deep red lacy bodysuit but to be totally honest he isn't going to be buying her loads of lingerie because he prefers it when she isn't wearing underwear...

❤️ She always struggles to know what the perfect gift for him is because she kind of feels like he already has everything anyway... But she tries to do the same thing and gather stuff over the year for him...

❤️ always buys him a book, tries to buy him a record that she thinks looks weird or has a really weird band name... She never listens to them first just chooses completely on vibes.

❤️ gets a picture of the two of them together that he can keep in his wallet.

🎄🦌 I think that before she met Sam she has spent almost every Christmas since her dad died with Bondy and his family. He probably invited her the year it happened and it's just become a habit for them now.

Benji

🪽 cute Christmas pyjama sets, lots of pastel pinks, white fluffy thigh highs.

🪽 video games probably

🪽 her favourite chocolates

🪽 one of his hoodies that she's always "borrowing"

🪽 new headphones (probably pastel pink)

🪽 very soft pretty lingerie sets, pink lacy thongs which fasten at the sides with ribbon etc... the most likely to buy her a sexy/cute little Santa skirt/outfit

🪽 would probably take her to Disney Land

❤️ always knows he's going to spoil her and she always wants to match his energy

❤️ something Lego star wars themed, honestly one year she probably bought him a lightsaber or something.

❤️ a totoro plushie

❤️ trip to the harry potter studios or something, I feel like that's something he'd probably enjoy?

❤️ draws him a Christmas card with him as an animal crossing character with all his favourite villagers

Bob

🍬 Would be so so nervous about getting her a Christmas present, he's newest to her whole vibe and he doesn't know the "rules" so he isn't sure whether he should be being sentimental or whether to get her something sexy...

🍬 in the end he kind of does both, he gets her a pretty slutty lingerie set... One of those lacy little thongs with a slit in the crotch...

🍬 he's probably the only one of the lads who knows what perfume she wears and she's really surprised and also touched when he gets her it for Christmas.

🍬 his only experience of buying gifts for "girl friends" is buying for his girlfriend so he's worried he's crossing lines when he buys her really fancy stuff, but that doesn't really stop him.

🍬 Swarovski tennis bracelets (you know the ones that are really simple but sparkly and gorgeous)

❤️ she has no fucking clue what to buy Bob but she's deeping it so much and in the end she begs Johnny to go shopping with her so she can find something for him...

❤️ he takes her to a music store and picks out some drumming "stuff" she doesn't know what any of it is but Bondys assuring her he'll be into it.

❤️ buys him a cardigan because she thinks he'd look pretty hot in a cardigan

❤️ she totally also gives him her nude Polaroids

Larry

☃️he buys her the ugliest Christmas Jumper he can find

❤️ she buys him the ugliest Christmas jumper she can find.

☃️ they exchange gifts and laugh at one another.

Sam

🐻 would spoil his baby girl rotten...

🐻 takes her to do loads of cute Christmassy things with him in the run up to Christmas, christmas markets, makes her come pick a tree with him, they spend an evening decorating it together, he puts her on his shoulders so she can put the star on the top of the tree.

🐻 lots of cuddling and snuggling watching Christmas movies together. They go to see a Christmas movie in the cinema,one of those ones with the massive recliner seats and he has her sitting in his lap the whole time.

🐻 a full on stocking of presents from him naturally, a little teddybear, doesn't give hugs quite as good as him but it'll make up for when he has to go on stage.

🐻 a really delicate little choker, it's got a little silver heart with his initial on it, so everyone knows she's his.

🐻 white lace underwear, delicate little lingerie pieces but lots of the white and soft pinks. He'd also buy her a Bruce Springsteen t-shirt to teach her the best music.

🐻 ear muffs, a white or pink faux fur coat with a hood, to keep her warm in winter.

🐻 one of those big Lindt chocolate teddy bears.

❤️ She probably also brought him a Bruce Springsteen t-shirt, buys him some stupid aromatherapy shit for his anxiety like lavender pulse point oil to help him sleep.

❤️ will buy him chocolate even though he's not supposed to have it.

❤️ gets him like a little friendship bracelet style thing but more couplesy, they each have one to wear around their wrist.

❤️ probably gets him something football related too

Eli

🌿 was literally just going to give her a candy cane but his dad forced him to also deliver a present from him which would probably actually be quite sentimental, an envelope with old pictures of him gigging with her dad back in the day, some of her dad's guitar plecs.

🌿 then Eli's got to apologise that his dad's such a sentimental git because y/n is trying not to cry

🌿 so he awkwardly thrusts the candy cane at her like "well anyway I was gonna give you this and I think it's much better than that old junk," making an awkward little joke so she doesn't have to ruin her "no feelings" reputation in front of him.

❤️ she'd feel a bit guilty cause she also has only got Eli a selection box and hasn't gotten anything for Eli's dad...

Okay these aren't very good because I'm still super ill and really struggling to make my brain work but... Hope you liked them xxx

[likealittleheartbeat]

was wary of bee and puppycat lazy in space because the pastel whimsy animation style has become so associated with the puritanical interpretations and fandom of St*ven Universe and the shows that followed in its footsteps. I expected the worst.

bee and puppycat is so much stranger and indirect than any of that, though. it’s pacing, it’s voice acting, it’s characterizations, all create really jarring dynamic frictions—seeming like a lofi music video one moment and then the next, a series of zany action-comedy schticks in space like a Looney Toon micro-dosing LSD. the closest thing that’s appeared on tv (although it quotes ghibli liberally with its visuals) are the episodes of adventure time involving the gameboy character BMO that explored existential concepts while sidelining all the angst usually associated those kind of themes—BMO nearly marries a bubble in one such episode, for example.

and the questions the show is interested in are economic and class-focused, but because it’s dedicated to honest (albeit bizarre) characters, lazy in space doesn’t offer easy answers—one character, for example, is a seven year old landlord who falls asleep next to his comatose mother every night as she cries magical tears that overwhelm him.

i recommend the show to remember what it’s like to feel confused, to stare into the face of absurdity without flinching like the main character bee.

there’s an underlying plot developing, which a lot of reviewers are keen to be more central and pick apart. a part of me, though, wants it to only look at the big overarching plot with indirect glances so that the show can retain this slow nearly episodic pacing. with a show about the pressures of purpose and employment, resistance to a culminating event that results in a four-part episode finale seems more meaningful, but it also feels like a show that could and is meant to inspire young adults to be able to appreciate meaning again through its off-kilter lens. idk and lazy in space makes me feel okay about that.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Miami Vice (Mann, 2006)

I last saw this movie nine years ago, when my awareness of the original TV series only was through parodies like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and a general consensus I’d encountered that it was just some cheesy ‘80s cop show. And at the time I was pretty taken with its arthouse action movie stylings, if I can glibly summarize what the movie’s trying to do. So I was long overdue for a rewatch, especially after I’d spent the second half of last year going through the series. And listen, there’s no way I can be fully objective about any comparisons between the two, given that I could not shut up about the show the entire time I watched it and in the months since, and how obsessively I’ve rewatched the first encounter between Crockett and Tubbs and the subsequent chase scene on Youtube, and the fact that I still regularly listen to Jan Hammer’s score. So there may be a tinge of “this isn’t the Miami Vice I remember” fanboy whining to this.

But while this is on the surface a different beast, I don’t actually think it’s as divorced from the original series as seems to be the consensus. Michael Mann obviously has certain interests that he returns to, and there will be similarities in how you explore international drug dealing wherein Miami is a nexus, even if the particulars of how such crime is conducted differs across decades. But the sense of mood I don’t think is actually that divorced from the series, with its iconic music-video style needledrops that let you linger in feeling, it’s just now the music featured is way worse. (I’m a musical luddite and don’t listen to much past the mid ‘90s, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I do think Mann’s taste in music here is substantially worse than it was in the ‘80s.)

Mann is applying a mumbly distanced arthouse style to the dramatics here, which is a novel choice given that action movies about drug dealers tend to be high on the dramatics. But quite frankly I’ve lost my tolerance for mumbly distanced arthouse style over the years, and I think it’s an especially bad mix with most of the performances here, which this time around I found bizarrely hammy. John Ortiz plays the main villain like he’s in an SNL sketch, and there’s an especially embarrassing scene where Naomie Harris and Eddie Marsan shout at each other in their respective shitty accents. Some of the actors seem to be channeling their TV counterparts but doing it way worse, like Colin Farrell doing a bad take on Don Johnson’s growl but also dropping it with every second line, or Barry Shabaka Henley trying to evoke Edward James Olmos’ minimalism and precision but instead coming off as a sleepy nonentity. The only good performances here are by Jamie Foxx, whose charisma survives Mann’s smothering dramatic style, and Tom Towles, whose unsavoury aura pierces through it not unlike how the better guest stars’ presences would emanate in the original series. Others seem to be taken with Gong Li’s performance, but I found her dialogue too stilted, and whatever emotion is supposed to be there between her and Farrell I did not feel at all this time around.

All that being said, the visual style did still work for me this time around. A lot has been said by smarter people than myself about Mann’s use of digital cinematography. I will point out collapsing effect of the digital image, both in its sense of depth (which makes the over the shoulder shots in the action scenes especially immediate) and in colour (with lights becoming bright smears and shadows crushing in their darkness) and the tension between the movie’s stylization and verisimilitude are summarized somewhat poetically in the dialogue. “Fabricated identity and what’s really up collapse into one frame.” And the art direction here is much more muted than in the original series (not a lot of pastel or neon here), but I do think the way the digital image makes the texture of the fabrics shimmer makes for a pretty interesting visual flourish.

[bonbonbunny]

Playing Through My Unplayed Games Library, Part 10:

Grow: Song of the Evertree

Many platforms, pick your favorite from here

I have more to say about this one, because it is significantly larger & longer (my final playtime was about 40 hours) than any of the others I've written up these little reviews for yet!

This one has lovely vibes, very soft & pretty color palettes and a theme of restoration. There's town management but it was nice and simple, not too complicated for me to manage at all, and I liked progressing from locale to locale and customizing each village with different themes (This one's pink and pastel! That one's blue with icy crystalline trees!).

Running and jumping around in the world (that you gradually uncover more of as you drive the evil darkness back) is very satisfying, with lots of treasure chests, hidden caves, and little puzzles scattered around for you to find and solve. Even the platforming is fun - "Can I jump up to the top of that big mushroom, if I hop onto this tiny boulder that's slightly jutting out? ...I CAN!!"

The bulk of your playtime hours end up being dedicated to cultivating the islands you plant from World Seeds. I loved the different themes & biomes of the world seeds, which are things like Forest, Icy, Desert, Mushroom, and PRINCESS! Which is a sparkly pink pastel world, which was great. I collected the coolest trees & plants from that one.

The reason you spend a lot of time on the World Seed islands is because the main gameplay element is repetitively pulling weeds, clearing debris, planting new stuff, and watering them every day. If your favorite part of Harvest Moon or other farming sims is the actual cleaning up of your farmland - all of the chopping stumps and hitting rocks to make room - then you will LOVE this game.

In my case, I DO rather like peaceful, repetitive tasks like that, especially seeing how the world gradually grows to show your efforts as the days pass. Seeing interesting little discoveries pop up as the World islands expand is exciting - will there be a new cave with puzzles and treasure today, or perhaps a little gnome's house?

This game is excellent for playing while listening to some other entertainment, such as a podcast, audiobook, youtube video series, or TV show if it's something you only need to half-watch. I settled into a cozy routine of watching twitch streams while playing this game, which made it even more enjoyable for me, because now I will always associate this game with being all snuggly on the couch and watching streamers satisfyingly react some of my other favorite games. 🌈

The other major game from this developer is called Yonder: Cloud Catcher Chronicles, and it seems from reviews and comparisons between their two games that Yonder is the "better" of them. Well, I liked Grow quite a lot, and if Yonder is even better then I am looking forward to checking that one out, too! 😊

Rating: 4 pastel crystal trees out of 5 🌳🌳🌳🌳 It comes just shy of a perfect score because if I didn't have other entertainment during the long hours of debris-clearing, I don't think I would be reflecting so fondly upon it. 😅