#Whenever I catch up with this show I am struck with fondness for both it and for Seth

[boombox-fuckboy]

I think many of you would enjoy Lost Terminal. It's future sci-fi, and hopepunk, and just, deeply kind.

There's an AI living in a satellite and he's very lonely. His name is Seth, he's inarguably a sweetie, and the Earth below him looks very very different to when he was first created. The climate has changed, the lights of cities have gone out, and there's a whole new ocean.

The only people who talk to him now are two other AI on the Earth: St. Petersburg, who was designed to predict the future and is now perpetually stressed because of it, and Antarctica, who was sent to the South pole in a massive research vehicle awaiting her crew, who never came.

Atypical to AI backstories, Seth's mother cared for him dearly, letting him choose his own voice, reading him stories, teaching him everything she could, and making sure he knew he was a real person. He similarly had good relations with the rest of his crew, who were never offered a way home to Earth.

The show delights in talking about all kinds of interesting things, like radio, seed vaults, radiation, orbital mechanics, sleep cycles, lunar photography, and of course, tabletop games.

One thing I value about it greatly is this sense, both in the story and from a meta perspective, of doing the best with what you have to help other people. In the show this often takes the form of community, sharing information and resources, being there to help where you can, and a theme of learning, both in terms of knowledge and just how to be. It doesn't pretend humans are perfect, but it also really believes that people will more often than not, help where they can.

Externally, this comes from some of the topics and representation in the show, which has plenty of queer characters, and an interest in mental health. A few of these feel as though they're not something the creator has much direct experience with, but that he's made an effort to research, understand, and give a simple but meaningful (and always kind) portrayal of. Asexuality, dissociative identity disorder, being trans, to name a few, and none of these characters are insignificant. I personally find it a comforting reminder that we always have allies out there, people who might know a lot or almost nothing, but who are still willing to listen and support. And that it's good to be someone who doesn't know, but is willing to learn.

There's transcripts for free on the Patreon, which come out with each episode, there's gorgeous original music, they've got simple but clean and effective soundwork (good for lab listening), Seth has a nice voice, there's no ads, and a new episode a week with surprisingly short breaks between seasons.

There's currently 12 seasons of 10 episodes each, and each episode is about 10-20 minutes. They aren't too heavy, and it's an easy podcast to pick up where you left off without feeling lost, if that number intimidates you.

I've adored this show since it was only a season long, and still do. It's worth the listen.

[cosmiclatte28]

Casual Intimacy (Mark Lee x you)

a/n : it’s my soft hours I guess? I made this sweet Mark Lee imagine (well for me this is sweet. I want a boy like this... if you’re that kind of man dm me 😜)

fluff, no warning, no suggestive content but kisses, and just Mark being a wonderful man for you. 

Happy Imagining Mark Lee as your s/o! 

People often ask you how you can hold on to your “plain” relationship with your current boyfriend. You seriously do not like them bothering you about your relationship life, but you need to deal with it considering the fact that the man you are dating is the famous Mark Lee of NCT.

He is dorky in camera, and in real life too. You pray day and night to the angels to make sure Mark is not tripping on some random stone or bump a pole. Guess your prayer works, when you see Mark always smiling in front of the camera coping up and working so hard with his endless job.

You yourself work in a famous two Michelin restaurant in Seoul. You’re not going to lie, you met Mark lee on your duty. NCT was holding their debut birthday and you were appointed as the chef to cook for their meal that night. Apparently, Mark Lee was super fascinated by your dish and he requested you to come greet the team when your job in the kitchen is done. Your head cook lets you leave your station once desert is prepared and the plates coming into the washing room is clean.

That was five years ago, Mark Lee got love struck by your simple but attractive persona. His eyes couldn’t leave you as you answer their questions on the dishes and you congratulating them. They’re glad when they learn that you listened to their songs and followed their schedules, just that you don’t have much time to be like the other wonderful fans.

Mark Lee looked so intrigued on you and as you bow to them bidding goodbye, he just returned from the restroom. With his long legs trying to catch his other brothers, Mark happened to slip his number on a piece of tissue paper to your pocket and gave you a genuine smile plus a “thank you”.

You earned a good pay that night and even better, Mark Lee’s number.

Well, he isn’t your bias but come on who doesn’t have Mark Lee in their bias list? Want it or not, conscious or not, Mark Lee is always in the list. So, that night when you finish showering and eating a light midnight snack, you gave the number a shot.

You thought your message will never be replied, maybe Mark will have his phone in silent and only opened up messages from his contact list. You’re lucky when your notification bleeped and from that night both of you learn more about each other.

He kept your number under your name, plain business people say, you also thought maybe he wanted to call you for another dinner party. But the chats he had been sending was far from platonic business. It involves jokes, puns, memories of living in Canada (well you graduated from University of Toronto, but cooking is your passion), and even deeper like late night talks.

The relationship got deeper when Mark Lee called you one night, asking if he can meet you in the restaurant. He said he needed a good meal to write a song he was assigned for. You found no correlation between a good meal and writing a song, but believe it or not, Mark Lee came with one  of the hottest selling song that month. Earning him a title of “King of Lyrics”

Since then, he called you again and again when he didn’t have the idea to write. You finally invited him over to your house when you got closer. Mark got to eat in your small dining table with a simple dish that was made with love and care that Mark said tasted better than any other dishes he ever had.

You laughed saying he is exaggerating, but Mark never exaggerates when he is with you.

“Be my girlfriend will you?” he one night asked after you teach him how to cook a proper egg. Despite him succeeding the challenge back in 2020, he still needs practice. He succeeded cooking eggs after knowing you for more than a year.

“Suddenly Mark? After you can make a perfect runny egg?” you giggle but nevertheless nodded your head.

His smile that night was even brighter than when he received any awards and praises. His eyes spark joys and emotions uncaptured by cameras. The world never knows how Mark’s true happy face looks like, but if his world is you, then the world knows!

For the first two year of dating, both of you are keeping it low. Dates happen in your house (your wage is enough to buy you a house). You always cook him foods, tried new dishes to him, earned a lot of complains on how the food is not “suitable for Korean tongue” which you always shrug off because he himself is a mix.

But thanks to his constant brave inputs, your dishes are perfectly blended and well known. News media and TV shows started to cast you in their weekend shows. You were offered a contract of a cooking show in a known broadcasting company.

Mark told you to go for it. He knew how happy you are about cooking, and his faith told him “if that is what was given for you, go for it.”

He was right. The internet loves you, they love your simple but tasty dishes. Your show was ranked the hottest that month, famous for helping college student eat a more delicious food.

NCT even did a special relay cam for it, each group were doing a challenge on following your recipes.

Mark was caught off guard on that live shooting day. His team consisted of him, Ten and Johnny.

And you may guess, things went wrong but in a chaotic fun way. When the three of them are together, they just speak in English and forgot all of the filters they should have.

Mark spilled his relationship when he accidentally said out loud “Of course I know how to do that, my girl has been teaching me that.” Mark boasted when Ten asked if Mark could make the egg benedict for their dish.

Johnny and Ten froze on screen, well the NCT members knew your relationship with Mark but they kept quiet. Mark realized what he has said was recorded and forever lives in the web. The comment section went wild and the fans are thrilled about the “mysterious girlfriend Mark has”.

He eventually spilled the truth on a press conference. You were there beside him when he faced the board director and when he sit in front of different mics and cameras flashes. No one knows but throughout the time, when your heart is beating faster than when you took your SAT and final tests, Mark Lee held on to your hand whenever you are answering a question directed to you.

The magazines are taking the favor of the rising topic, inviting you and Mark to take a photoshoot. When you were insecure about taking a picture with him (who has did countless shoots), he squeezed your arm when walking past you and gave a small proud smile as he went to change clothes while you start your personal shoot. No one saw that, but his quick reassuring squeeze boosted your confidence that day and the couple shoot was very nice! You could print that as your wedding pictures!

When the internet goes wild when they connect the theories and Instagram posts Mark and you both made (fans are the best in deciphering codes!), you now walk through the streets crowded by fans. All asking how is it like to date Mark, but not few also told you to screw off. One day when you both are going back to Canada for a winter break, the fans are crowding the way. You gulped when you have to walk pass them, but Mark looked so used to it. He just chuckled and landed a small hand on the back of your waist. With the manager hyung and bodyguard pushing to make way, you made it through the crowd with confident steps.

On the Christmas dinner, Mark was invited to your family dinner and vice versa. You had to attend their family lunch and to say you were nervous was an understatement.

“Mark, what if they don’t like me?” you asked on your bus ride to his house from the airport.

Mark laughed, he always laughed as his first respond, “Baby, it’s going to be okay. Trust me.”

You snorted, “You calling me baby is already suspicious, for three years we dated you “dude” me 70% of the time, “baby” was only like 10%”

He did the math, “Then what’s the remaining 20?%”

“You just call me “Bro” for the res of them.” You squeezed his cheek and planted a kiss there.

“I like it though, not too cheesy.”

He grew red. “Gosh I am having the Jaehyun syndrome. Why are my ears burning?!”

He was not 100% wrong, his parents were nice they grew fond of you especially when you helped his mother prepared lunch. Well you both arrived earlier and you decided to give a hand for the busy mom.

Mark sat next to you on dinner and when you were diving into a yummy Christmas pudding, his parents began asking you the “platonic questions asked to your partner”.

You almost chocked on your pudding when they asked “Are you seeing a future with Mark? Can you make our son happy and us too?”

You were not ready, you expected questions like where you work or where you live. They said “We can find all that answers in the internet, but not the answer to our question.”

Mark’s gentle kick from under the table by your side made you looked at him and he gave you that sincere smile only you have the privilege to see. He nodded slightly and shot his eyebrow to his parents side “Answer them… I am also curious of the answer.”

You grew red, it wasn’t the drink or anything, but his parent’s happy and relieved face when you nod your head and said “I am seeing a future with him, if I get both of your blessing.”

They love you and Mark was right. That night, you invited his family to join your dinner instead. The same question was asked from your parents to Mark and Mark was more than ready to marry you.

But your wedding bells did not chime that fast. He has his career and so do you, both of you just keep the stable relationship going on. Together facing the problems and obstacles in your relationship. Fights occur, bickering occur, threads of breaking up also happened once or twice… but both of you used that to build a stronger bond.

You always melt when Mark came home from a long day. After he showered and savored his dinner, he always ended up leaning on your shoulder in the big snuggle sofa both of you never regret buying. His head on your shoulder, his hand scribbling words to a paper and you whispering ideas to him which brought a big smile to his face.

Writing lyrics has been even easier for Mark, he blended your frustration with his, splattered some love words, and voila a masterpiece! People said his lyrics were relatable and both of you always keep it to yourself that “those happened in our life, no wonder it looked real.”

He always kissed you gently on your lips, tasting the faint cherry flavour of your lip balm. Mark’s lips tasted of medical lip balm, but you love it nonetheless.

You blinked and realized the flashing cameras in front of you. Oh right, someone from the hot magazine company is asking you a question.

‘Can you please repeat your question?” you asked politely to the lady holding out a mic.

She quickly nodded, “A lot of fans are wondering If you are still in a relationship with Mark. Mark was busy for the last months with projects and comebacks. And the interaction update from both of you are little to none. Fans suspected you were over with him, considering that Mark looked like he is the “plain” type in a relationship.”

You pressed a smile, hiding your urge to laugh out loud. Weren’t the fans always picturing Mark as their dream boyfriend? Why did they judge him as the plain boring type then?

You clear your throat and while looking through the crowds, you spot Mark Lee seated in the crowd with a mask and a hat, giving you a nod, and you turned your mic on.

“We’re still going strong; well I think love is not the type of grand gestures or explosive displays.” You started off and caught everyone’s attention.

“It’s made up of little things,” you felt your heart clench upon remembering all the small affections Mark always did to you. “It’s the little things Mark Lee did that say he is here, and he cared for me and that my life has intertwined so deeply into his that there was no need to think.” You take a pause to look at the audience.

Everyone looked impressed, but amongst them you catch one pair of gleaming proud eyes, the pair of eyes you’ve been waking up to for the last years, and the one you want to wake up to in the future years.

“It’s Mark’s casual intimacy that made us both stay strong and stronger.”

Applaud was heard through the room, you were holding your press conference because you were retreating from all the cooking shows and rumor has it you are going to marry Mark.

“Please pray for both of us, as we will be tying our bonds soon.” You leave the room after a bow and the man with mask and hat is already waiting for you outside the big crowded function hall.

His hand naturally makes its way to your waist and you never felt more sure to step into life with this man you love, Mark Lee.

“That was wonderful (y/n)~”

You smile, he did not dude you nor bro you nor baby you. “I love you Mark Lee,”

He leaned in for a peck behind the tinted black van window, “I love you most (y/n) Lee,” he winked and you rubbed your cheeks “Guess I have the Jaehyun syndrome now! Also I like it when you call me with that name.”

He quirked his eyebrow and smirked, “Don’t worry, you’ll be hearing that soon for the rest of your life.” He reached for your hand and kissed the knuckles.

“I met you thanks to your amazing handy work in cooking unforgettable dish.”

You rolled your eyes, “You were so amazed on my egg benedict Mark! How is that an unforgettable dish?”

He shrugged his shoulder, “I don’t know, something about you, cooking, and love made me this love struck and awfully amazed by simple things you did.”

the end

thanks for reading, put in comments for I’d love to interact with you on the story plot .. rant to me what you hate or like idc :D i want to talk with my readers! to thank you all for reading and spending some time here

omg i didn’t know if I made the right choice of making Mark Lee as this character, but I want it to be him.. I’ve been writing a lot of Jaehyun and Yuta fic and I guess Mark can be a refresher. Please let me know if someone else suits this better!

[weaponmistress]

"I’m easily excitable but definitely an ambivert, knowing when to bring myself down a level to match the room’s vibe. I’m definitely more hyper and outspoken than most, when I’m around friends or friends of friends. I can be a clutz and probably joke around too much.

Virgo

Panromantic

In a relationship I can be physically distant since physical intimacy leaves me uncomfortable sometimes. However I still try to give my partner enough physical affection and intimacy so they aren’t left feeling unloved. My particular love language is gift giving and also words of affirmation. I do my best to be my partners hype man, if you would.

I’ve played sports through my school years and I also play video games sometimes. In both instances I can get a bit competitive. (I definitely don’t wake my parents yelling at a screen at 2 AM)."

Requested By: @shoogarcube

I'm not the best at taking zodiac into account but I still try to incorporate some qualities of it so it won't just be discarded along the way.

I'm sorry this took a bit long, I was hesitant on reaching out to you because i'm a bit embarrassed about it. (´∩｡• 3 •｡∩`)

But here it is, I hope that you'll enjoy!!

Thank you so much for requesting! <33

Haikyuu Edition! Matchup Season.

I would pair you up with...

Kozume Kenma

🎮 Bb cat baby boi.

🎮 He doesn't mind that you're not into physical intimacy.

🎮 Respects your boundaries. (whatta man)

🎮 Kenma's the type to be distant too, so he understands you.

🎮 He shows his affection in small ways that a few of his friends, like Kuroo, knows that it isn't common of him to do a certain action.

🎮 "Let's play a ranked game."

🎮 As a pro-player in the gaming community, his ranks in several competitive games are his prized posessions. Nobody can tell me that he isn't a pro-player even way before he was introduced as one after the timeskip.

🎮 Isn't surprise that you're actually good at this one game he likes to play right after an exhausting game.

🎮 He wasn't holding back whenever he plays with you because apparently, you can see through him. He has this certain gesture he does that meant he was holding back.

🎮 You got too competitive that you actually won.

🎮 "Hey, I won!"

🎮 "I probably need to find a new game to play..."

🎮 Smiles when he sees your bright twinkling eyes when you won against him.

🎮 "Whoa...is it really going to be released earlier?"

🎮 He doesn't know that you have your way with things.

🎮 He occasionally gets his information from you about the early bird release of a new game that was fairly popular for their trial game.

"Can't believe that the employee in the game shop didn't told me about this..."

🎮 He can get hype when he sees you so hyper.

🎮 Sometimes whenever he goes on a weekend training with his team, you'd join in the training but most of the time you're on your own watching him from afar when they do a informal practice match.

🎮 Is so motivated to do works when you're there that it legits surprises his teammates to the core???

🎮 Only when they notice that you were his main source of hyperness will they start teasing him.

🎮 He doesn't get so worked up during practices, they remembered way before he met you and started seeing you officially, Hinata was the only guy on the court to give everything his best.

🎮 "Sh-shut up...go back to your position...!"

🎮 Durings official games, in volleyball or in gaming, he makes sure to look at you and respond back to your cheers and whoopings that's directed to him.

🎮 "NICE FEINT, KENMA!"

🎮 When he hears you cheer, he flashes you one of his shy smiles.

🎮 Gets flustered when Kuroo notices it.

🎮 "I just really want to acknowledge her cheers so it won't go to waste."

🎮 Gets so focused on the game because he didn't want to disappoint you.

🎮 Super motivated Kenma on full motion!!

🎮 He'd be super tired after the game though.

🎮 "You're so cool! It's so hard to do a feint that casually! You set so nice!"

🎮 His social battery just went a bit high because of your praises.

🎮 It can give him an ego boost, no one knows this except the two of you.

🎮 He's impressed when he gets some extra information from you about the next team they'll be facing against.

🎮 Strategizes with you that can help him and his team to overwhelm the opponents.

🎮 So thankful that he has somebody to point out some small errors of him or his teammates that he wasn't able to notice before.

🎮 "Ah, I didn't notice that a while back, thank you."

🎮 He's so grateful to have a s/o who knows how to match up with the vibe. He's pretty much a chill kind of guy who can't keep up with every exhausting activity,

🎮 Except volleyball, that's the only thing he'll exert extra effort,

🎮 You too, but he won't see you as exhausting to handle, just somebody who he'd want to show how he's so grateful for being there with him.

🎮 Plays volleyball with you, whatever position you're comfortable with, he'd likely adjust to you if you want to be in a certain position that him, being setter, isn't the best to play with you.

🎮 Would ask everytime if it's alright to you if he kisses you or hugs you just to make sure he doesn't misinterpret.

🎮 "Um...is it alright for me to...uh..."

🎮 He gets so shy and quiet the first time he asked.

🎮 Eventually, he'll get used to reading your small actions and would know when he can.

🎮 He thinks that kissing you on the forehead is affectionate and at the same time, a somewhat safe spot for him to kiss that wouldn't catch you by shock.

🎮 "Look, Kenma, kids!"

🎮 He inadvertently hides behind your back when a child comes up to you.

🎮 Doesn't hate kids but are kinda scared of them, He could imagine a kid running around in his house, eventually ruining his expensive build of his pc.

🎮 You help him interact with the kid and he do as you told him to do.

🎮 He won't grow fond of them even after years of being with you, but will try to not make the child cry because of him.

🎮 Will absolutely not babysit.

🎮 Actually knows how to cook, just not some complex meal.

🎮 "Ice cream!"

🎮 He likes seeing you all so smiley whenever he buys you some sweet desserts.

🎮 "You got some cream on the corner of your lips."

🎮 Chuckles when he sees you reach for it to lick it off.

🎮 Will eat the cherry if the order comes with one.

🎮 He could take some heat, what can spicy food do to him anyway?

🎮 He enjoys some spicy food, low to medium spiciness level, but unfortunately his stomach says otherwise.

🎮 Would feel his stomach growling in displease when he smells your food when you feel like eating something spicier than usual, the sharp spicy smell struck him.

🎮 "Ugh, you enjoy this...?"

🎮 "Of course!"

🎮 Has a pet cat only because you love cats.

🎮 He grows fond of it and doesn't mind too much when it causes some mess.

🎮 When he goes out to buy his games, he sees a particular game that you've been talking about for a week.

🎮 When he comes home, your presence welcomes him warmly.

🎮 It's been years since he moved out and settled in an apartment near the university he was attending. It was pretty lonely but he didn't mind until you came along. It feels more like home whenever you feel like crashing in his place. He feels that every time you're not in the apartment, it truly feels emptier than he remembered.

🎮 "I went to buy my game and saw this game you want, I bought you some spicy snacks on my way home too."

Bonus!

Second Pick: Akaashi Keiji

🏐 He is totally fine if you don't get physically intimate with him all the time. He sees you being affectionate in your own ways anyway, maybe people would judge but,

🏐 They're not in the relationship so???

🏐 He feels so special and loved when you tried to be intimate with him.

🏐 Same as Kenma, he'd ask you if you're up for some cuddle session, some kisses here and there. He'll eventually learn when you feel like receiving some too.

🏐Cooks you food especialy to your liking,

🏐 Asks you if you wanna make desserts with him,

🏐 "How about it, love?"

🏐 "Yes please!"

🏐 Encourages you to do your tasks but won't pressure you if you don't feel like it.

🏐 Helps you in anyway he can.

🏐 "If you need me to do something, don't hesitate to ask for my help."

🏐 If you feel like doing some of your hobbies and you decide to show the result to him, you know he'd look at it silently with starry eyes.

🏐 "This looks so pretty!"

🏐 Nicknames, he gets soft when you come up with a few cute nicknames.

🏐 he's a very soft bb.

🏐 When you tripped out of nowhere, his fast reflexes get the better of him, and will hold you to steady yourself.

🏐 If you get a scratch because of a random fall, he'll make sure to patch it up even if it's minor.

🏐 "Please be careful, alright love?"

Third Pick: Sugawara Kōshi

🏐 He cherishes every hugs, kisses, basically everything you give.

🏐 His hobby is to pamper you with a lot of things he bought.

🏐 Cooks you some spicy food!

🏐 The two of you can share because looking at Kōshi, he's full of surprises.

🏐 He can handle any spicy food, and could compete with you.

🏐 Probably eats something spicy to compete with your tolerance for spiciness.

🏐 "I bet that I can eat spicier than you can!"

🏐 Naturally competitive too, so your bondings would consist of little competitions here and there.

🏐 Would be bad in video games from the start,

🏐 but in the end, he's slightly better than before.

It's an improbement you have to say.

🏐 Always loses to you, but won't get all sulky about it.

🏐 Gets all fired up when you play on your own against some random strangers,

🏐 "YES, GO CRUSH THEM, HONEY!"

Fourth Pick: Shirofuku Yukie

🏐 Praises you on the regular.

🏐 Actually good at video games, but she turns humble,

🏐 "I'm not that good."

🏐 Actually wins with perfect scores.

🏐 Gets pretty competitive too when it comes to food, and protective of her food, but when it comes to you, she's going to give you a piece or two.

🏐 "You're lucky that I love you..."

[kallypsowrites]

I know we talk a lot about stuff the show screwed up from the book and like, I get it, stuff was bound to get lost in translation in any adaptation. But I wanna talk about a few of my favorite show-only scenes:

1. Cersei and Robert’s conversation in season 1

In this scene we have two non POV characters discussing the state of the kingdom and their marriage. We never get a perspective from Robert in the books and nothing from Cersei until book four. At this point in the books, Cersei is a pretty unsympathetic character. We know her relationship with Robert is pretty bad, of course, but it’s filtered through Ned’s perspective.

Here, Cersei and Robert have a rare moment of truce and we get some of the best dialogue in the series. They’re not fighting. They are...resigned. Cersei puts away her hatred of the Starks to admit that Ned is a good choice for hand and she recognizes that Robert shouldn’t have dismissed him. She asks about Lyanna, something she has avoided for a very long time out of spite, because “what harm can her ghost do to us?” Robert admits that he doesn’t even remember what she looks like, which reveals that his “love” for her was probably just infatuation.

And then my favorite set of lines--

Cersei: Was there ever a chance for us, ever a moment?

Robert: No...does that make you feel better or worse?

Cersei: It doesn’t make me feel anything.

Here, two broken people confront the mess of their lives and wonder if they ever had a chance to have something good. But they didn’t, because Robert has always been his stubborn, prideful self and Cersei is just as proud and stubborn. And Cersei is resigned to it. If it made her feel something once, now that feeling is numbed.

When I first saw this scene, a scene between two characters I didn’t particularly like, I was struck by the humanness of it. Humanness we did not get at this point in the books. And it informed how I saw her afterwards. For every terrible thing she did, I wanted to know more about her.

2. Tywin and Jaime

Our first introduction to Tywin in the books is Tyrion. Understandably, Tyrion and Tywin have a complicated relationship and Tywin is always much more of a dick whenever Tyrion is around. In the show on the other hand? We first see Tywin interacting with Jaime.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Tywin is still an asshole in this scene too. It is an inherent part of his character. But it is one of the most powerful character introductions for him, and one of the first humanizing moments for Jaime.

Tywin is skinning a stag in some wonderful foreshadowing of Robert’s death in that same episode. When Jaime tries his usual quips, which we have seen work well on others, Tywin shuts him down because he sees through them. Jaime is weaker here in the presence of his father because even if he can appear unbothered to the rest of the world. And we see how many expectations Tywin puts on Jaime which he does not want, because he is supposed to be the “golden son”.

More than anything, this is Tywin’s grand entrance. For all of the damage we’ve seen in the three Lannister kids, this is the motherfucker they got it from. So many of these kids insecurities and faults trace back to Tywin being a shit dad with the emotional availability of rock. You see this scene and you’re like...ah...yep...this makes sense. And of course, we see how differently Tywin treats Jaime (someone he has high expectations for) vs how he treats Tyrion (someone he has no expectations for).

3. Robert, Barristan and Jaime

I’m sorry but there’s more than one Jaime scene on this list. Obviously like him. But his season one scenes are great on rewatch partially because of what we learn about him in season three.

So in this scene, Jaime, Barristan and Robert tell war stories, mostly on the drunken king’s request. We see that Jaime is not at all fond of Robert but also some of his admiration for Barristan Selmy as he compliments his battle techniques. He starts to let down his walls a bit during this conversation because its talking about what he’s good at: fighting.

Then Robert asks about his killing the mad king and Jaime’s wall shoots right back up.

Robert: What did the mad king say when you stabbed him in the back?

Jaime: He said the same thing he’d been saying for hours...burn them all.

We don’t know the context of this last line but when you rewatch the scene you can see what Jaime is thinking. That he killed the Mad King and saved king’s Landing, but he has only ever been scorned for it. He’s very bitter. And his bitterness shows in the next scene (which I promise is the last Jaime scene)

4. Jaime and Jory

Jaime has a brief conversation with Jory, who tries to deliever one of Ned’s messages to Robert while he’s whoring. We see how Robert makes Jaime mind the door while he’s insulting Cersei with as many women as possible. But despite the Stark and Lannister animosity, Jory tries to make conversation about when they met during the Greyjoy rebellion. Jaime’s wall starts to drop again because talking about fighting is the one thing that makes him comfortable (which is why losing his hand so shatters his identity later). It seems the two men have come to some sort of understanding.

Then Jory brings up Ned and back comes the bitterness! Jaime resents Ned so much for judging him on that day for killing the Mad King and that bitterness all comes to a head later during the street fight. Again, we don’t know why he’s so bitter yet, but it all comes across so well in this scene.

5. Sansa and Shae

Sansa and Shae have many scenes together  and I really like their friendship. The show goes a long way to develop Shae more than George ever did (only to kill her in the same way but...we can’t all get what we want). Her more genuine relationship with Tyrion is okay, but it sours for me with the season four result. But it’s her genuine friendship with Sansa that I love. 

Shae becomes protective. She gives her advice. At first Sansa snaps at her because she doesn’t trust her and she is still traumatized but eventually the two become very close. I like so many of their conversations, especially in season two and three. And Shae never blames Sansa for any part of her marriage with Tyrion which thank CHRIST for that.

6. Arya and Tywin

Anyone who has talked to me for two seconds knows how obsessed I am with these scenes. Because they are...basically the only humanizing scenes that Tywin gets at all. The very smallest bit of vulnerability. I think it really shows how much of a people person Arya is, sort of without even trying. And she really holds her own with one of the most powerful men in Westeros. She’s smart and capable and she manages to slip under Tywin’s nose even though he could have used her as a valuable hostage if he figured her out. He was starting to catch onto her toward the end, but fortunately did not. Good scenes. Love them. Very good.

7. Catelyn and Tailisa

In season three, Catleyn tells Tailisa about the time she made a wreath for Jon Snow. Now I’m a very team Catelyn sort of person. I don’t think she abused Jon so much as she just ignored him. But I think this scene is very telling. Because despite Jon not being her son and also being a potential threat to her own son as bastards often were, despite Ned’s betrayal still being fresh, Catelyn fought to keep this child alive. She prayed for him and he lived. And yes, she didn’t treat him as a son afterwards because it was still a very complicated situation. But I think this goes a long way to show that Catelyn is not the evil, Jon abusing woman that a lot of people paint her as.

8. Ramsay’s new introduction

Ramsay has a great intro in the books, but his intro in the show genuinely caught me by surprise. He seems to be completely helpful to Theon and listens to him talk about his regret. He kills the people who are after him and he seems very genuine. But then, it’s all a ruse. This scene so perfectly illustrates how Ramsay uses mind games to toy with people. I thought the number of torture scenes in season three was excessive, but this one I thought was a GREAT intro to Ramsay.

9. Arya and Lady Craine

A lot of Arya’s Bravos stuff in the show is very meh. But I love her stuff with Lady Craine because it shows that Arya is not the ‘emotionless killing machine’ that the show sometimes tries to portray her as. Arya does not kill Lady Craine because she can see that she is innocent and she does not want to kill people who haven’t earned it. Later on, her kindness drives Lady Craine to help her and they share a scene in the woman’s house. It’s really sweet and it’s nice to see Arya smile again. Beneath it all, she’s still a child and a traumatized one a that. One who lost her mother and father in a brutal way. And lady Craine gives her just a bit of maternal energy again, before dying horribly because Arya’s life is a nightmare. Still, liked this character.

10. Varys and Littlefinger sass offs

Gotta love some Varys and Littlefinger and I do love how they dance around each other all throughout seasons 1-3. They’re the kind of enemies who respect each other but still want to see the other choke. And it also because clear that while one of them is a more neutral figure who doesn’t covet the throne, the other is driving toward it with his ladder of chaos. We got a great sense of both of them in these scenes and it was great.

Look, the show has some messy parts and even some straight up bad ones (thanks Dorne arc). But it also did a lot right and even some show original scenes are worth quite a lot in my mind.

[tarotdeckshuffle]

Half Astral Series: Prompto

I think that this piece turned out very well! I hope you all enjoy! 😊

Taglist: @idiotflowerex, @laststory1013, @sayaoqueen, @jophinabean, @mysme-already

If you like what you read, please consider supporting me on Patreon or buying me a Ko-fi!

Prompto

In the city, the air was just starting to chill. The once colorful leaves laid dry on the ground, serenading passers-by with the sound of late fall. But here, far above the city, deep snow sat comfortably in its mountain home. 

Prompto had brought you to a cabin in the clouds. He said that a friend’s family owned it, but all you cared about was that it would be a weekend alone for the two of you. 

Days spent in the thin atmosphere seemed dreamlike. The silence of the mountain forest was cut by the sounds of your giggles as you learned to snowshoe and ski. The only thing more beautiful than the clear night sky was the pink blush across Prompto’s glowing face as he smiled at you. 

Today, you had taken a snowmobile out to explore. Prompto knew about some “special place” he wanted you to see. You held onto him tightly as your motorized sled sped over the frozen landscape.

What your love had been so excited to show you was the sort of scene that inspired great paintings: a lake literally frozen in time. You didn’t think it possible, but everything about the massive feature was pure ice! What had once been water now sparkled in the sunlight. There was no snow on the surface, leaving it’s beautiful teal features exposed for all to admire. Even the waterfall looked frozen in time.

As the sun was high in the sky, you and Prompto found yourself stopping, once again, to admire the blue jewel of water before you. 

Your sunshine took a deep breath, soaking in everything about the mountain, as he stared out over the ice. He began to say something, but what it was, you would never know. 

If there was a god of mischief, they had gifted you with a wonderful idea!

Thwack! 

Your cold hands still threw with amazing accuracy!

Prompto stood in shock as remnants of a snowball slid from his cap. You gasped to regain the breath your fits of laughter stole from you. 

Your laughter also obscounded with your attention. 

Before you knew what had happened, you were faced with the catastrophe of icy crystals sliding down your back from the snowball that hit you in the head. 

And with the first casualty of your warmth, the snowball fight was on!

The two of you ran and slid through the white wonderland around you, throwing hastily formed snowballs like your life depended on it. Prompto had an amazing aim, but very little muscle to speak of, so his throws never went far. You had gotten the drop on him from above, heaving an armful of snow down on him. 

Now, he sought revenge! You hid behind a drift as he advanced, unaware of your position. This would be the moment of truth!

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he sang, tossing and catching a snowball as he walked. 

You peeped over the embankment, waiting for your opportunity. Suddenly, it struck! 

Prompto was distracted by something in the trees to his left! Every muscle in your legs sprang to life, lifting you from your hiding place to face your darling adversary! 

But the shot was never to be yours.  

In a slowed moment, you watched as Prompto’s head turned to lock eyes with you. Before you had a chance to pitch, the snow around you came alive with magic!

A dozen perfectly formed orbs of cold magic hurtled towards your love with sublime accuracy. 

Time resumed it’s running pace as you watched Prompto become bombarded in white. He fell to the ground as both of you stared at each other in shock. 

“Not fair,” he cried indignantly. 

“That wasn’t me!” You threw up your hands to prove innocence, hastily dropping the snowball in the process. 

“Really? Then who was it?” Prompto was starting to brush himself off. You dashed over to help him to his feet. 

Soon enough, he had his answer. You had just gotten him to his feet when you heard small giggles echo through the trees around you. 

Prompto grabbed onto your arm, panic written across his face. “Is that a...a ghost,” he whimpered. 

But you didn’t share in his fright. Your mouth contorted into an exaggerated frown as twelve scantily clad fairly like figures made their way out of the trees and rocks around you. 

“For the last time, mom, would you PLEASE put some clothes on!” 

The twelve fairies smiled as they converged into a blinding light. From the light emerged Gentiana. 

The elusive woman strode towards you, her eyes half closed, looking at her feet. As she reached you, she looked up and placed one icey hand on your cheek. 

“Greetings, darling.” She opened her eyes to gaze into yours. Her smile spoke tales of fondness, joy, and warmth that others who new the Glaceon would never know. 

Knowing everything was in good fun, you smiled back at her. “Hello, mother.” You had missed her. Her cool touch felt welcoming on your skin. In your heart, you knew it had been far too long. 

“MOTHER?!?” Prompto had returned to his senses, now crying out in confusion. He looked between the two of you, thoroughly distraught by what had just happened. 

Giantiana turned towards him, a smile of warm recognition mixed with a hint of mischief graced her perfect face. “Hello, Prompto.” Her voice was distinct against the sounds of the forest, yet still soft on the ears. 

And in a single moment, your darling sunflower lost all of his composure. 

He started blubbering, pointing to places Shiva had hidden in her diamond dust form, then at Giantiana, then at you. The only distinguishable words were “Shiva,” “Giantiana,” and “mom”. His face turned redder by the second. 

Finally, he stopped. His cheeks were crimson and his mouth hung open as he stared at you. Silence fell over the world. 

Before you and your mother turned to each other and started giggling. Prompto looked exasperated in his confusion at the whole situation. 

Finally, you regained your breath. With love filled words, you decided to straighten out the situation. 

“Darling, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” You paused to make sure he was listening. He nodded, open mouthed. You took a deep breath. “Meet my mother, Shiva.” 

It took many explanations mixed with frantic moments trying to calm Prompto as he hyperventilated, before you were able to fully explain the situation. As per usual, your mother was little help: she stood by silently, nodding and smiling whenever the moment suited her. 

Yes, Giantiana and Shiva were one in the same. And you?

You were a demi-god. Not by birth, but by blood adoption. You had been abandoned as a baby, too young to fend for yourself. Against the wishes of all other gods, Shiva took pity on you. She opted to adopt you and care for you as one of her own. When Bahamut threatened to destroy her newfound tiny mortal, she found ways to circumvent him. 

All it took was a single drop of her blood. 

She had fed you one drop of her blood, hoping with all of her godly might, that it would make you strong enough to stand against Bahamut’s rage and time’s fury. 

And it worked. 

You were now of her blood. You shared her powers and her grace. It allowed your life to continue seemingly without end and gave you the ability to move through time and space without a sound. 

After a mere 300 years of living with your mother, you decided to venture out on your own. For the last century, you had been wandering through the eras and landscapes of Eos. You had seen empires rise and fall, families be born and tear apart, and watched the trials of love. 

But this was different...

You had sent Prompto off, allowing Shiva a moment alone with you. 

“Is he worth it?” She asked in a soft tone, watching your love walk away beside you. 

You smiled. Your heart had always known the answer to that question but this was the first time you ever voiced it. 

“Yes.” 

Your mother looked into your eyes to test the truth of them. She smiled in satisfaction at the answer. 

“Then you have my blessing.” Her dark hair disappeared into a flurry of crystalline snowflakes before you. 

The sun made its way across the sky. Back in the cabin, you and Prompto snuggled by the fire to warm up. The time had passed in silence, with him simply staring into the flames. 

“Why?” He suddenly blurted. He was warming his hands on a mug of hot chocolate.

“What?” 

“Tell me why...this!” Chocolate spilled from his cup as he threw his hands up. HIs eyes looked fearful as he turned towards you. 

“This?” “Why me? Why are you here? Am I just your...current toy? What am I to you? I mean, I can’t be much! Look at you! You’re part god! You practically ARE a god! I don’t getwhyyou’dbewithmeand…”

With a single finger to his pink lips, you hushed your love’s panic. You held it there for a long moment, until he exhaled and allowed himself to relax.  

You removed your finger from his lips before giving yourself a moment to collect your thoughts. “I’m here because with you...with you everything is new again. With you, everything is beautiful and...filled with love.” You looked up to see him staring at you with a childlike awe. “With you, I don’t just see life, I EXPERIENCE it!” You searched his eyes, “Do you get that?” 

He shook his head, but wore a warm smile. “No, but if it makes sense to you, that’s good enough for me.” 

But his answer wasn’t good enough for you!

You grabbed his hand as you threw away the blanket over his lap. Your empty mugs lay discarded on the ground as you drug him to the front porch. 

In the cold outside, the sun was setting. The sky was painted with brilliant hues against the dark clouds. 

“Do you see that?” You asked blatantly, still holding onto Prompto, pointing towards the sky. He nodded in fearful shock. 

“Ofcourseyoudohowdoyoumissthefigginsunset...Ok, but have you ever thought about WHY?” The words seemed to spill from your mouth. 

“Why? Why the sun?” Prompto asked, not understanding. 

“No! Why the sunset is so beautiful! Why the sunset is so special to lovers…” You felt victorious in your discovery in the right words. 

“...no,” Prompto slowly began to shake his head. 

You pointed back to the colorful scene. “Just look at it! You helped me to see why! Look at those colors! You see the pink on the clouds? And the orange closest to the ground? And how the blue looks a bit more purplish in some spots than in others? Well, it’s different! Different from yesterday’s sunset!” 

You had to catch your breath from your last rant. Prompto slowly looked away from you to fix his gaze on the sunset. 

“Yesterday’s sunset wasn’t as purplish and it had more orange to it! It’s like love! It’s different each day, it’s different depending on where you are or how cold it is and...and a ton of other factors! But it’s always beautiful!”

“Love is different everyday, too! Sometimes you’re mad at each other, sometimes you’re so in love you feel like you’re going to burst, sometimes you’re scared FOR the other person, but you are ALWAYS in love!” You paused, out of breath from this marathon of explanation. Prompto stood beside you in contemplative silence. 

“Prom,” you paused for him to look at you. “I never knew that. Four hundred years and I never learned that. It took you to teach me that. And I love you for it...and so much more. I choose you, I want to be with you because...because you’ve taught me what love means.” 

He stared into your eyes with a look of realization in his eyes.

The kiss you shared in that moment was one of the most sublime things you had ever encountered. It was one of the purest and oldest forms of love, one the gods themselves would envy. But in that moment, none were present to witness it. For it was just the two of you, wrapped up in passion under a watercolor sky.

Stars started to peek out from the blue sky before you were able to return to your senses.

“Do you get it now?” You whispered towards the sky, wrapped up in Prompto’s arms. 

“I think so…” He began, staring out still. 

“Let’s do this, watch sunsets together, from now on! Just you and me! Let’s never miss a sunset! Or.. or anything else!” He burst, gazing down at you. “I love you, [Y/N]! And I want to see everything you see and learn everything you do! From now on!”

His outburst caught you by surprise for a moment, before you committed it to a loving memory. 

You smiled up at him. The future would come all to quickly, but for now, you would make the most of every moment. 

“That sounds...perfect.”

[babybarrie]

A Lover’s Lament

A very very long ago requested fic by @deepestfirefun

I’m so sorry I never got to this sooner! I hope you can forgive me. 😥 And I hope that what I wrote is to your tastes. I did my best to keep to your request.

Warnings: Minor angst? Some cute fluff at end.

Request: I stumbled upon this one song on YouTube and idea struck me. So Fili x reader (Dunedain) Everything was falling apart around you. Thorin had agreed to take you with them because of your experience in battles, you were one of the Dunedain race. But now Thorin has fallen into dragon sickness and is forcing everyone to search for the Arkenstone. Feeling exhausted and sad you slip away from the others and start walking through the halls of Erebor. You remember one particular song that your grandmother used to sing to you when you were little and started to sing. You don't know that Fili is slowly following you and listening to your singing. He is fallen in love with you but the sake of the quest, he has kept his feelings locked in his heart. But now when he sees your sadness and pain, he decides to tell you that you are his One. Lots of fluff 😀 song the Silmarillion "Luthien's Lament" by Eurielle

"A Dunedain you say?" Thorin slowly approaches you.

"Yes, that I am my lord." you bow

"What weapons are you proficient in? How many battles have you won? If any..." He muses. 

"Many and many master dwarf. If you don't want a woman in your company you should just say so Oakenshield..." You smirk as you lift the hood from your head.

A few chuckles go around the room and Thorin is embarrassed. 

"Oh, I like her." Dwalin remarks

"She is with us then." Gandalf states with a small smile

You weren’t always sure how to handle Thorin when he was his normal, grumpy self, but now?  Things were getting worse, second by second, hour by hour, everyone watched and feared as the noble king, Thorin became the gold-crazed fool of Durin. To you, it felt like Smaug’s greed never left the mountain with him. Instead, it took on a new appearance, one that none of the company were happy to see. You walk among the gold, gems, and stained treasures of Erebor. “Searching” for the king’s jewel in hopes that your “work” satisfied the sicken dwarf. Things were growing more and more bleak as Thorin grew more and more unhinged

"Lass you look lost and tired. Why don't you go and take a break? We'll handle it from here." Balin slowly rose from his crouched posture

“Are you sure? He’s been very...” You look to the masses of money at your feet, saddened by the reminder of what drowned the king in greed.

“We’ll be fine dear. Just go get some rest. Make sure he doesn’t see you though...I’m sorry.” Bofur tries to smile at you then goes back to rummaging through the gold.

“Ok...Please be careful friends...” 

You slowly tread across the large room, making sure that you don’t slip on anything. You head over to gold cover floor. The thought of drowning Smaug was certainly an idea but one that didn’t work in any favor. Now the town burns and the floor is covered in more gold. This isn’t what you wanted. Not your leader falling to such a state, not the town burning and humans losing their homes, not the company being in such disarray and panic of their own king, and not you fearing the on the coming war. This isn’t how you thought it would go. You know that there would be tough trials and hard times but this ending wasn’t what everyone deserved. 

“Grandmother...What will come of all this? This pain and fear.” 

You reminisce on the memories with your family. Your grandmother lying in her bed and singing to you whenever you were feeling sick or when you’ve had a tough day. Your mother rubbing your back and smiling. Your father outside smoking his pipe. and your adopted little brother curled up in your lap, slowly falling asleep to the soft voice of old song.

Oh great Mandos High among Valar I come to you in sorrow And with a broken heart

Long has been my journey That led me to these halls But now I kneel before thee As grief, my spirit calls

I seek a man named Beren Whom I bid await me here I pledged that I would find him Before he leaves this sphere

This man of whom I speak He gave his life for me But thence my soul grew weak And at last, it too broke free

So borne upon an urgent breeze I traveled to this place Where only one thing could appease The torment I now face

Oh tell me I am not too late To see my love once more For that would be too cruel a fate I beg him be restored

That we may take a little time To bid our last farewell And remember all we shared erstwhile Such joy no one could quell

For never was a greater love Than that within our hearts Once born, forever binding us E'en though through death we part

Once born, forever binding us E'en though through death we part

The voice echos in halls. Grief and an odd sense of confusion flow through your notes. Each note, another step you take, another horrid thought flashes through your mind. War, blood, agony, rage, battle cries dissipated to death, and the final blow of a horn. Clutching your arms as you hug yourself tight, nearly losing yourself in the song as each utter emotional definition splits through you.

A small choke of a gasp reverberates in the hallways, turning around you catch a glimpse of what looked like golden sunlight. Ah, your little lion has come for you to take you back to comb through those cursed coins and jewels.

“Do they need my help again little lion?”

You smile as you see Fili come out of the shadows and into the cold light that dances across the golden flooring cast by the large opening in the wall.

“No, I...I just heard someone singing and followed it...I’m sorry to disturb you.”

He’s fidgeting with his hands and feet. Looking down, embarrassed for hiding in the background like a creep.

“Don’t worry, I was just thinking back on my older days as a child. It is one of my favorite songs.” You smile thinking of your grandmother.

“For such a sad song, why do you favor it?”

His eye holds a curious look in them. But there’s more than just curiosity gracing them.

“Indeed it is sad... But it’s the memories that make it so special. My elder would sing it to us when we were young. It was her little way of telling stories. I used to enjoy them immensely.” You sigh with a breath of melancholy.

“I see. I take it that you have many fond memories like that too?” He smiles.

“Yes...Many...But not enough...”

You look down not wanting to press any further into your past. You miss her greatly but you treasure what she has given you. A gift. A blessing. A story to tell.

“I...May I hear that song again?” He gazes at you in wonder.

“Of course, sunshine.”

You sing and sing till you are near the end of the song. You feel calm, almost serene in a way. Being around him always did make you feel at peace. You wonder why...

“Wait...” He stops you before you finish.

You look at him with minute confusion.

“Please...I...I know that this may be sudden and perhaps not the right time but you must know. I have come to care for you these past times. I care for you far more than I will ever admit to anyone else. I always thought that there was something interesting about you aside from the fact that you bested uncle back in the Shire.”

You both chuckle at this recollection. He continues once you’ve calmed.

“But there is far more to you than being interesting. You...you are amazing. You make me laugh even when things are going awry and you make me feel calm even in the most crazed moments. You show kindness even when it shouldn’t be given, you hold a sharp tongue against those who wish to harm those who are important to you, you give the wisest words that even Gandalf would look on and ponder. There is so much about you that I couldn't even put into words.”

You gaze at him with adoration as he studies you with intense loving regard.

“You are everything to me...And I couldn’t hold my heart back from falling in love with you. Amralime. Please. I love you. You are my one and I would give anything and everything to be with you. I will love you even if you don’t return my feelings. I will not trap you with this but I only wish to be at your side for as long as you allow me to be. Protecting you would be an honor, even if you could take me down in one fell swoop.”

You smile and lean down to kiss his forehead and then his cheek. Resting your head against his,

“I return your feelings, love. And yes, I can take you down in one swing. But I’m sure that I could do other things to make you do as I wish.”

You both smirk at the thought and kiss one another.

“I love you, my one.”

“I love you, my little lion. Shall we get back to the company?”

Sighing he nods,

“Yes, we should. I’m sure uncle wouldn’t want us to be taking a break right now.”

Walking back to the treasury, hand in hand, you lean your head on his shoulder.

“We’ll get through this, love...I won’t leave you. I will make sure of it for both of us.”

[archivepolarisornah]

The meeting | Hayden

A walk around town always done him some good to regain control of his temper whenever he few off the handle. The incompetence of some of the men under the rankings almost astounded him if it didn’t already infuriate him to no end. Hayden slipped a cigarette into his mouth and sparked a match to light it, drawing in a deep breath in an attempt to soothe his damned soul. Passing the other establishments in town, he headed towards the social hub of Mount Olympus. He approached all sorts of commotions coming from inside and out of the bar and drinks flowing meant money was steamrolling in. Hayden finished his smoke and made his way through the parting sea of customers to the front of the bar.

James had a habit when it came to having a free day, and that was enjoying a drink. However, he couldn’t recall things being this busy last time he came to check out the club. Rather it was pathetically empty that very first time that he even ended up leaving early. This sudden change was both unexpected and unwanted. He found himself sighing as it took ten minutes to even get a bloody drink now. His patience was running rather slim.

Should have gone for a drink at home. He muttered to himself, inaudible throughout all the noise. As he turned, drink in hand his eyes crossed with a particular individual. He gave him a simple nod. He knew too well that respect is something earned, and it wasn’t like him to be impolite without reason.

Hayden walked straight behind the bar and was handed a drink by one of his lackys. He must admit, they’ve been trained well enough to give him something without him even asking. He stood back and watched the crowd growing around the bar. Drinks and money being exchanged like rapid on the stock market.

He spotted James and gave him a respectable nod. He had nothing against the man and they’re paths never quite crossed enough for them to ever become more than acquaintances but Hayden wasn’t going to burn bridges unless he had good reason to.

Deciding to step in and intervene, Hayden lifted up the side of the bar and motioned for James to come in. There was a separate space in the back for people that wanted to drink and socialise in peace without the drunken animals surrounding them. He figured he owed the guy the gift of keeping his sanity instead of leaving him around screeching customers and blaring music.

James couldn’t help but roll his eyes as the customers pushed and yelled and most of them were drunk way too quickly. He couldn’t believe that one of them just finished a beer and already clung to one of his pals as if they were love-struck teens. Oh lord.

He did, however, get distracted when Hayden returned the nod and James smiled, seeing he got a drink himself. Hayden had quite an air around him that just either scared you, made you immediately respect him or lured you in.

When he made a movement for James to follow, James did just that. Wondering if the air was also reflected in the way Hayden talked to others. It wasn’t as if he didn’t understand that air. But it certainly made him curious.

“Well this is certainly a lot more quiet.”

Hayden turned and leaned against the bar now that they were away from the rowdy crowds. “Yeah, this area is for business people and the fair few that I believe deserve peace and quiet to enjoy a drink.” he shrugged.

Reaching into this pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and lit one up, breathing out a cloud of smoke “Smoke?” he asked, holding out his packet to offer James one out of courtesy.

“So what brings you into my bar, its not often you’re seen around here. Those employees of yours finally drive you mad?”

“It certainly looks like a great place to hold discussions.” At the Neverland hotel, that would be his office, and that at times lacked the professionalism since Tina and Peter decided they could walk in at any time. He should consider putting a lock on that door. For his own sanity as well.  “Then I certainly am glad to have received the believe I belong to those people.” He smiled.

“Yes, though I smoked more when I was younger.” Age started to catch up on him and he’d try to lessen.

“You reading minds now?” He couldn’t contain an eyeroll but eventually had to nod. “Threw Tina in the pool so the tantrums are worse. Peter is well Peter.”

“Well you certainly put it to good use, it makes me want to expend my own office.” James couldn’t help but smile. Fun guy that Hayden, pretty easy champ to talk to huh? “Of course, ever since I was a child I knew that I had to earn money.” Not everyone got to knock on daddy’s door asking for help when in trouble. “Been with a certain crowd in my youth, you got to start somewhere.” Especially as an orphan.

“Guess you can do stuff like this as well.” He inhaled deeply just to blow out some smoke and to inhale it. “Back in the day that used to be a thing, smoke tricks such as the ghost inhale.” He rolled his eyes. “We don’t remain forever young but old habits don’t die easily.”

He rolled his eyes. “To be fair I could have done worse than throwing her in a pool while jumping along-” He could have dropped her alone. “And you know her she is a trouble maker. She thought she could flirt with me to turn me into an embarrassment. She was also pretty drunk.” He shrugged. “The water sobered her up quite quickly.”

“Smoke tricks. There’s a throw back that shows our age” he smirked “Nothing wrong with ageing. Whiskey and wine age well” he shrugged and motioned to his bartender to bring over the bottle and leave it next to them.

“Wait you jumped with her?” he asked “Why is she complaining, you jumped in too.” He didn’t see the problem but then again he also knew that if he did that to Megan that she would hit the roof “Trouble maker is a terms I’m most familiar with thanks to Megan.” It seems like James and himself had the same issue with trouble making staff “Well you were being considerate sobering her up.”

“Yes, we are officially ageing well.” James returned the smirk. “With age comes wisdom, after all, can’t say the kids at my place have plenty of those.” He nodded. “Can’t say no to a good whiskey.” He was more hard liquor than refined wine, but he could appreciate both.

“Didn’t know if she could swim.” He would have to jump after her if she couldn’t. “Because it’s Tina?” That should be reason enough, she could complain about anything if it included James. “How is Megan doing?” He didn’t care in particular but it wasn’t bad to keep this small talk going. “True, I’m a nice guy after all.” He wasn’t always but one could say he improved a little from the time when he was fresh out of the orphanage.

“Couldn’t agree more.” he said raising his glass “I can’t speak for you’re lot but I can assure you, mine definitely don’t.” he replied, taking a swig of his drink. He poured them both another glass and placed the bottle to the side of the table.

“You didn’t know?” he repeated, a smirk crossing his face. He wasn’t going to lie, it was funny. Hayden figured that it wasn’t James’ fault that Tina didn’t find it funny, but he sure as hell did. “Megan is Megan. Too sarcastic for her own good and a pain in my ass.” he shrugged. She was of no concern to him but the deal they had is what tethered them together. “Isn’t that what employees should thank their employers for after all. We’re considerate people.”

“Well, I can’t say I hate it when people agree with me. I feel like at work that’s a rarity. And one of the issues of the agreement is working in itself. I swear the amounts of times I want to kick out Peter is rather pathetic, but I can’t abandon the kid.” He sighed. “He got lucky to have a roof and food above his head without paying rent- I know if I request it from him he’ll just run away and I am not in the mood to chase his ass.” Honestly, if it wasn’t for Tina he wondered if he would have been this patient with him.

“I wasn’t sure no, and the little princess seemed like she was scared so, safety first I suppose.” She was as red as a lobster and cursed his whole being. It was fun, though the anger afterwards wasn’t. She could be so moody at times, and then she would surprise him by lowering her walls. “She is a trouble maker.” And yet he was fond of her. “Yeah, I found her phone number on the floor - seems like someone threw it away. Well, I suppose we both know the pain in our ass when it comes to working then?” A tiny smirk came on his lips.

“I couldn’t agree with you more, I’d say we are the most considerate people in the whole joint.”

“That’s true. The down side of working with idiots and kids.” he shrugged “Kids these days will never know the value of money and hard work. We didn’t get things handed to us and nowadays most of them expect everything to be given to them for free.” Hayden’s age truly showed at times, even he had to admit that.

“Fair enough. At least you cared enough to give a thought about the girls safety. That was more of a thought than I would have given about it.” To be honest, Hayden would have let anyone who annoyed him enough to drown but he figured that most people had a conscience. “I’d throw it away too” he muttered “What’s working if you don’t have one employee that’s a pain in your arse. Unfortunately all of mine are”

“Touché.” For a moment his guilty subconsciousness slipped to smee. Well, the issue with the man was he was way too gullible. “Sometimes I wished I had a new addition to the staff, someone who is both capable and you know doesn’t treat me like a villain simply because I’m an adult male. Seriously, for someone who pays these dimwits, they truly lack respect.”

“Of course I care, I lack staff so if she drowns that would seriously be an issue.” He rolled his eyes. It was because he fancied her, and he absolutely hated it, especially with her recent betrayal. He shrugged. “I wouldn’t be happy if my info was just laying on the ground honestly. And hey all of mine are as well, maybe Smee isn’t but he doesn’t make work easier.”

“Well if you find one, let me know when you start seeing pigs fly because that will be when the miracle happens that a new addition like that joins the workforce” he smirked “They all lack respect because they expect everything to be done for them or they expect to get to the top of the world with minimum amount of effort.”

“You’re not wrong there. Can’t be down a staff member this time of year” he shrugged “Idiots, James. They’re all idiots. We’re stuck having to spoon feed all these kids when its about time they grow up and take responsibility for their jobs and actions”

James couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I wouldn’t see why Neverland isn’t the most-” He couldn’t come up with the correct term. Fishy? He shrugged. “Well you do make a fair point, I don’t think we’ll get an addition to our staff anytime soon.” He sighed deeply. “They do. It’s like they think they owe the place yet when you threaten to cut their earnings they think it’s unfair. Though I wonder I’m just paying them for the work they do. One of my staff members takes a nap. Peter basically lives in Neverland sitting on his lazy ass. And smee, Smee gets seduced by Tina and the idiot falls for pretty much everything she says.”

He emptied the whiskey Hayden had poured in for him in one go. The burn felt nice against his throat. “They are. I didn’t become a boss so I could become a babysitter.”

[sxpiosexualx]

GoT Preferences

I was tagged by @tiny-little-bird​ tq for the tag <3

Do you watch the episodes when they air?

Unfortunately they air at 9AM for me, so I catch them online once I have the time. I woke up to watch the finale last season live though just so I could live tweet my reaction along with everyone else!

How often do you rewatch it?

I was on my second rewatch but I sort of forgot where I stopped so I’m definitely going to have to rewatch it one last time before S8. But there are certain episodes I’ve rewatched like four times, namely the final two of Season 6 because I was between flights a lot that year and they had those two showing. I love love love those episodes.

Do you rewatch the previous episode before the next one airs?

Nope! Not unless I plan to really absorb what happened for meta purposes.

One character that everyone seems to like that you don’t care much for:

Tyrion Lannister, I’ve dated someone like him and it put a sour taste in my mouth. Since I watched before I read, I admired him as much as anybody but after meeting him in the books I’ve since been disillusioned. Daenerys too, for obvious reasons that I’m sure I’ve made clear.

Your 3 favorite pairings:

Jonsa

Gendrya - I know people think they’re just a cute shippy pair, I did too but there’s more substance there than people give credit for.

Robb x Sansa - this is crack but I am a sucker for pre-asoiaf works on this pairing. Sansa grew up believing in knights and gallant men of valour because she had Ned and Robb to look to and it  k i l l s  me. There’s not much platonic works out there on this pairing but I don’t mind either way. Anything to fuel my Robb x Sansa depression hours are great lol. We love crack.

also Ned x Cat because it’s practically the only healthy ship we’ve seen on screen.

Favorite scene:

A tie between the Jon x Sansa reunion glomp, Sansa riding in with the KoTV when all hope was lost, and the forehead kiss. BUT, I very much love the entire wildfire sequence during Cersei’s prosecution, the music and cinematography is amazing! Sam seeing the Citadel library with Maester playing in the background was stunning too. Basically, the final two episodes of season 6 were packed with well-shot scenes, no thanks to Miguel Sapochnik. (I really couldn’t choose just one huh)

One character you wish got more appreciation:

Sansa Stark. I don’t blame people, when she’s first introduced to us there’s this bias because we’re seeing her through Arya’s eyes and we all know how Arya views her. But throughout the series I’ve had enough of people complaining that she’s done nothing, and yet come season 6 and 7 once she’s really standing up for herself and making decisions she thinks are right - people call her bratty and “out for herself�� like can you give her a break?

Also as much as I adore her on the show, and agree that had she been put through the Ramsay plot, it’s only natural she come to this progression: I very much wish people would have a read of her POV chapters. She’s not some “cold” power hungry bitch, she’s never been and never will be. Sansa’s a sweet young girl that got caught up in everything and yet despite it all, she’s still going. I admire her a lot and hope she survives and proves important to the endgame so all the disgusting victim blaming misogynistic haters can suck it once and for all.

Fanfic or nah?

I fuck with that. I’m still waiting on my AO3 account tho wyd AO3 lemme in I’m finna spread love to all the fanfic writers.

Favorite quote:

lol one quote? here are a few:

“Power resides where men believe it resides… It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall.” - Varys.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” - Jojen Reed.

”We look up at the same stars and see such different things.” - Jon Snow.

“Their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before Joffrey cut her father’s head off. Sansa pitied them. Sansa envied them.” - Sansa Stark.

”When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” - Tyrion Lannister.

“Words are like arrows, Arianne. Once loosed, you cannot call them back.” - Doran Martell.

Do you avoid spoilers?

Depends. If it’s brought to the Jonsa community for speculation then I consider giving it a look, otherwise I stay clear of YouTube suggestions because they’re always so... final? It’s like “Jon Snow’s death CONFIRMED,” or “BLACK WEDDING S8 CONFIRMED,” like shut up lol. Also the reddit script leaks... I don’t know? Sometimes they just seem completely like fanfiction, and not the good kind.

Favorite house words:

“Growing Strong.” - House Tyrell. It’s flowery, easy to be overlooked and underestimated and yet even roses have their thorns. Scheming, but with grace. Not allowing themselves to appear threatening so that they may make friends, and yet all together, the very words of “Growing Strong” alludes to a growing threat.

One character you’d bring back from the dead:

Robb Stark, definitely. He’s a powerful military man, he showed promise as a ruler and he’s not a total dolt. I remember reading somewhere that George had to kill him off because he wouldn’t have fit into the natural progression of the story, he’s made him too invincible. And look how many factors had to come to play to bring the Young Wolf down. He’d be a valuable asset, though that would mean sacrificing Jonsa. But I love him so <3

One character you’d kill, or kill sooner than they were killed:

Daenerys Targaryen, but even I understand she has a part to play in all of this as they all do so there’s really no point in this. It’d only disrupt the plot and I wouldn’t have it any other way(than what GRRM intended, not D&D).

Direwolves or dragons?

Direwolves, they’re loyal. Dragons can’t be tamed and are a threat.

Which was more satisfying: Ramsay dying or Joffrey dying?

Ramsay. They gave a satisfying wrap up by Sansa’s hands. Each punch Jon gave him felt so good too.

Wildlings or the dothraki?

Wildlings, but only because they follow no king and I can respect that. Their way of life, seeing each individual as a free man - I fuck with that.

Favorite Lannister?

Jaime, definitely. I quite like his chapters. He’s never been the quickest and I truly hate whenever that’s been used to snub him. I’ve heard it been said he can be considered as Jon’s foil, and I agree(actually I’d go as far as to compare him to Sansa’s romanticised ideas of the world, though Jon is the better fit in this case). They both started out naive, and Jaime never struck me as innately cruel. For instance, he thought he was being honoured by King Aerys with a white cloak only to later find out that it was to snub his father and rip him of his heir. He believed Cersei truly loved him, only to realise that’s not the case(Cersei’s infatuation with him is a tale of Narcisus falling in love with his own reflection, or rather what Cersei wishes she was). He saved the city, only for people to dub him “Kingslayer.” His tale thus far has been tragic, and out of all the three Lannister siblings, I think he’s most worthy of a redemption arc especially considering how Tyrion is headed to a darker path and Cersei is, well, Cersei. He’s quite the anti-hero. 

To be completely honest I’m not sure I read his arc as a “redemption story” either, it’s more like finally getting a POV for us to better understand how he came to be so jaded.

And me, that boy I was... when did he die, I wonder? When I donned the white cloak? When I opened Aerys’s throat? That boy had wanted to be Ser Arthur Dayne, but someplace along the way he had become the Smiling Knight instead.

- Jaime, ASOS.

His chapters to me, serve to humanise him, and I’ve decided I like Jaime Lannister.

Favorite stark?

Sansa, obviously, but I admired Robb and will always weep at how we lost him too soon, a boy who showed so much promise. Also, Bran is my baby boy and I love him dearly.

Would you rather be able to be resurrected anytime, but gain scars and all like Beric, or become a faceless man?

If I had to choose, I suppose resurrection though I don’t think I’d be fond of it at all. I don’t fuck with the faceless men because I don’t fuck with this idea of living life in servitude. I suppose we all do, but I’d hate for it to be that direct.

Would you rather have the rebellion tv show or the conquest tv show?

You’re asking me to choose between seeing the younger versions of Ned’s generation on screen vs. more Targaryen propaganda? Robert’s rebellion, anytime.

I tag @nutellaninja0001 @lilbreck @starkkingss @vivilove-jonsa @occupyvenus @lostlittlesatellites @riahchan @asilentfrenzy @hbicstark @twilight-sparx @qinaliel @fedonciadale @ladywolfmd @myrish-lace-love @viking-hel @trinuviel @itwasmycroftbbc @jonsasnow @thatfictionalgal @eximperial @thewindsofwolves @thecrowandthelittlebird @visenyastargaryen

and anyone that wants a go, really! Tell me I’ve tagged you either way because I’d love reading just about anyone’s preferences haha x

[kleinmemes]

Ours (Connor Murphy x Reader)

HOOO BOI,, it took me a long time to finish this but here it is!! an adorable anon requested “Connor x reader with 'Am I scaring you?' :))) thank youuuu”, and i was happy to do it. enjoy, anon and everyone <3 :^D

Summary: One day, (Y/N) is assigned to be partners with Connor Murphy for a history project. What at first seemed like a nightmare come true for them eventually becomes a close friendship for both, and blossoms into something else later on. 

Warnings: Swearing, a shitty huge time skip, possibly OOC Connor

Words: 2929 ((oh wow my biggest work just yet aha))

*Note: Text in italic corresponds to the Reader’s thoughts*

(Y/N) hurried their step. History class was about to start, and Mrs. Goldsmith had a zero tolerance policy for late students. Looking through the classroom door, they let out a relieved smile upon noticing the strict teacher hadn’t started the lesson yet. Hurriedly walking to the nearest free seat, the student let down their backpack and started unloading the materials on the desk. After finishing, they started to lazily stare around the classroom until Mrs. Goldsmith decided to start teaching the daily lesson. Eventually, their eyes landed on the kid sitting a few chairs from them. Hunched over the table, wearing an oversized black hoodie, dark locks falling all over his face, he quietly picked at his chipped nail polish. What was his name again..., they thought, Connor... something? Gosh, I just can’t remember. They had heard some... things about the boy. How he was an insane drug addict. And how he beat up a guy who accidentally bumped at him once. Or how he was caught trying to sell his sister on eBay to get more money to buy crack. That kind of stuff. Admittedly, he wasn’t the most popular guy around. (Y/N) honestly doubted those rumors, they thought Connor just didn’t seem like he’d do those things. But, again, they’ve never even talked before. The teen was shook out of their thoughts by the high pitched voice belonging to the history teacher beginning the daily lecture.

“As you know, in this class you’ll be required to do a project that’s worth 35% of your final grade.” She announced, and a few students could be heard groaning. “I know, I know, not an activity you are all fond of, but rules are rules. Now, you’ll be required to do this in pairs, which I will be assigning shortly.”

(Y/N) stifled a cry of protest. None of their friends had this class with them, and pairing up with any of their classmates sounded like an absolute nightmare. They nervously fidgeted with a mechanic pencil on their desk while Mrs. Goldsmith finished explaining what the project would consist on, and started announcing the pairs for the class to hear.

“Kevin Johnson and Martha Dean... Phillip Smith and Dennis Brown... Samantha Riley and Jane Madison... (Y/N) (L/N) and Connor Murphy...” she continued to announce the names, but (Y/N) wasn’t paying attention anymore.

Connor Murphy! Oh, so that was his name.Oh. Wait.

(Y/N) finally realized just what that new acquired information meant. Connor Murphy. Connor Murphy. They were assigned to make a project with Connor Murphy. The alleged drug addict, classmate beating, sister selling Connor Murphy.

“Poor (Y/N)... Wouldn’t want to be in their place. Sucks to be them.” They heard a classmate say.

“Word. That Connor guy is seriously creepy.” Other agreed.

It couldn’t be that bad. They are just exaggerating... right?

“Yeah... I heard that the last dude to make a group project with him ended up in the hospital after Connor beat him up for getting a bad grade.”

Shit.

Ok, (Y/N), calm down. These are just rumors. You can say anything about anyone, doesn’t mean that it’s true.

... But what if this is?

“Ok, everyone.” The teacher called out. “While I write the details for the project on the board, you may sit with your assigned pair and start discussing what you’ll do for it.”

Fuck. Ok. (Y/N), you gotta do this. Get up and walk over to Connor Murphy’s desk. Nothing bad will happen. It’s not like he can murder you right now, there’s tons of people here. Right?

They got up from their seat and nervously walked towards Connor’s. Picking up an empty chair and sliding it next to him, they cleared their throat.

“Uhh, hey. I’m (Y/N). We’re doing this project together, it seems...” They tried to start up a conversation.

Connor only grunted in response.

“Cool, so... I was thinking... W-we could... uhh...” They stammered, nervous with the boy’s presence. “M-maybe... meet up a-at my place? T-tomorrow? Gotta get started as soon as possible, yeah?”

Connor suddenly straightened his posture.

“What makes you think I’m going to waste my Saturday doing this stupid fucking project with you?” He growled.

“Umm... b-because... it’s worth 35% of your final grade? T-that’s almost 40%... which is almost 50%...” they rambled. “W-which means this project is b-basically worth 50% of your f-final grade...”

Connor scoffed.

“Now you’re just rambling nonsense.”

“I-it’s n-not nonsense!”

“Do you always stammer this much around people?”

“M-maybe...”

He suddenly slammed his hands on the table, successfully startling the student before him.

“I knew it.” He smiled bitterly.

“K-knew what?”

“Am I scaring you?” He got closer to them.

“Y-you... I-I...”

“I knew it.” He laughed dryly and got up, picking up his bag.

“H-hey, Connor, wait a second...”

“Mr. Murphy, where are you going?” Mrs. Goldsmith asked, seeing the boy walk away.

He didn’t even answer her while walking through the door.

———

Connor ran his hands through his hair, walking down the empty school hallways. He never talked to (Y/N) before, but they always struck him as... different. They never gave him dirty looks whenever he passed by, or took part in any of the gossip people spread about him. But in the end, they were just like anyone else. The boy couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed.

He was jerked away from his thoughts by the noise of someone hurriedly running down after him. He wanted to peek a look at whoever was there, but decided against it, increasing the speed of his steps.

“H-hey, Connor! Wait up!” He heard the person say.

... (Y/N)?

Against his better judgement, the boy froze. Even though all his brain cells were telling him to ignore his classmate and keep walking, he turned around in their direction. The student had just got next to him, catching their breath from running down the hallway.

“What do you even want?” Connor spat, rather rudely.

(Y/N) stood up straight.

“I wanted to apologize.”

“You... what?”

“I... wanted to apologize. For... being afraid... of you? I mean...” The student stammered.

Wow. Were they really apologizing for their behavior? That was nice. And people being nice to Connor was new.

“It’s just... I’ve heard these rumors about you...”

Nope, there it was. Same bullshit as always.

“... but I should know better.”

Connor raised and eyebrow. Well, that was new, after all.

“They’re just... There’s no way to know if they’re true, they’re just rumors, after all. And I should at least give you a chance to prove them wrong.” (Y/N) explained.

Connor stared at his classmate, mouth slightly agape.

“I personally don’t even believe they’re true... I mean, what kind of person would try to sell his sister on eBay?” They laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Welp, that was basically the only true rumor about him there was. Half-true, since he did try to sell Zoe on eBay once. But as a joke, not in an attempt to get money to buy crack. But yeah, the sister selling thing was basically real.

He averted his gaze.

“Anyways, bottom line is... I’m sorry. I let all the whispering and gossiping get to my head when I shouldn’t have let that happen. Can you forgive me?” They pleaded.

The tall boy stared at his classmate, conflicted. They really were being nice to him. No one was ever nice to him. Maybe they were different, after all.

“Oh, what the hell. I do forgive you, kid.” He said after a moment, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Really?” They beamed. “Oh, that’s great! I’m so glad. Thank you sooo much!”

Connor suppressed a smile. That was adorable. And he couldn’t believe he just thought that.

“Well... since that’s settled, can you give me your number? So I can text you the details for the project tomorrow.” (Y/N) asked.

“Sure.” He smiled.

———

Ever since that history project, Connor and (Y/N) only grew closer. Upon working together on it, the two found out how much they had in common, and in no time the tall boy found himself having someone to call a friend. A good, awesome friend, no other feelings involved. Or at least that was what he was telling himself.

The truth is, he fell for his classmate. Ever since that day where they showed so much sympathy, and treated him like he was someone, he couldn’t help but take interest in them. After some time, the fascination became a huge crush that Connor was not willing to admit was real. He kept saying to himself this was all just because of his extreme lack of human relations, that these feelings were made up by how much he craved a normal relationship with anyone, that he just fell what he did because (Y/N) was kind to him once. But, deep down, he knew his feelings were genuine. He loved his friend.

He really loved everything about them. The way they always tucked their hair behind their ears whenever they were embarrassed or nervous. How they bit their lip and frowned whenever the teacher said something they didn’t quite understand. The large smile they always gave to Connor whenever they se each other. How soft their hair looked, and how good they always smelled. Every little thing, every little habit they had mesmerized Connor like nothing else ever did. And he knew these feelings were dangerous, because in his head, there was no way someone like (Y/N) would ever want him.

The bell rung, signaling the end of the daily classes. Connor slowly packed up his stuff, thoughts about his classmate and friend filling his head, no matter how hard he tried to push those away.

“Hey, Con!”

Speaking of the devil.

“‘Sup, (Y/N/N).” He answered, not looking them in the eye, shoving his pencil case in his bag.

“I was wondering if you wanted to walk home with me today and... hang out for a bit, y’know? If you wanted to?” They smiled.

“... I’d really like that, actually.” He couldn’t help but crack a tiny smile too.

“Good! I’ll be waiting for you by the entrance, then. See you!” They waved him goodbye, skipping their way out of the classroom.

Connor slumped against his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. He couldn’t let these feelings get any stronger than they already were. It would just damage what was his first friendship in ages, and strain his relationship with the only person who was always open to listen him and try to help. Rubbing his face with his hands, he couldn’t help but feel his heart ache with the simple thought of not being able to have them near anymore, even as a friend.

“I’d rather have them as friends than not have them at all.” He muttered, shoving the rest of his material in his bag. "Better suppress those feelings for the sake of the friendship, I guess.”

Slowly, he got up and threw his bag over his shoulder. Not much time had passed since the bell rang, but school grounds were now significantly emptier. He dragged his steps towards the front of the school, where (Y/N) said they’d be meeting, crossing the huge glass doors. But he stopped dead on his tracks when he heard voices not that far away.

“He’s sooooo creepy.” One of them said.

“I disagree. Honestly? You should give him a chance. Connor’s a really sweet guy.” That was... (Y/N).

He felt guilty for eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help but hear what the object of his affections was saying about him.

“Yeah, right.” The other person scoffed. “I bet he’s just trying to gain your trust. Then he’ll kidnap you and sell you on those deep web sites when you least expect it.”

“Shut it, Samantha. You don’t know him like I do.” They almost sounded angry.

“Uhh, you’ve known him for months, tops.” The girl replied.

“Enough to know Connor would never do something like that. He couldn’t hurt a fly if he wanted to.” They sighed. “You guys seriously need to stop these pointless rumors and try to know him better.”

“Whatever, keep defending your little school-shooter boyfriend. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you when shit hits the fan. Toodles!”

“H-he’s not—! Ugh, nevermind.“

There it was. The definitive, concrete proof that he didn’t have even a slight chance of (Y/N) seeing him as anything more than a friend. Connor couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten. He really was hung up on them, wasn’t he? Shaking his head, he made his way to his friend when he thought it was safe to come out of his “hiding”.

“Hey, Con! You’re finally here!” They grabbed his hand. “Let’s go! Movie marathon awaits!”

“Yeah, can’t wait. Let’s.” He muttered, only focusing on the warmth of their hand in his.

———

“Oh, c’mon, don’t be stupid, stay away from the kitchen! The killer’s obviously hiding there!” (Y/N) muttered, stuffing popcorn into their mouth.

They and Connor were currently sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some trashy old horror movie the boy found on the internet.

“... annnnnd there it is. Boom, dead.” Connor laughed.

“God, how could anyone be this stupid?” (Y/N) let out a frustrated sigh.

“Hey, pause it for a bit, gotta make a bathroom run.”

“Done. Have a good time there.”

“I will, thank you.”

As the boy left the room, (Y/N) picked their phone up and began checking their texts to pass the time. After some time, Connor returned.

“Hey, who you talking to? Is it your secret lover?” He joked.

“Ha ha. You’re hilarious.” (Y/N) rolled their eyes. “It’s just Samantha pestering me again. Nothing important.”

“Samantha, huh...” The boy still remembered the conversation between her and his friend he ovearheard earlier.

“Yeah, what about her?”

Connor let out a sigh.

“I’m going to be honest. I may or may not have accidentally overheard she talking to you after school today.”

“Y’know, saying ‘may or may not’ does not really classify as being honest.”

“I’m trying to be serious here, (Y/N).” He ran his hands through his hair. “It’s just... are you sure you’re not... y’know... afraid of being seen hanging with me?”

“Why would I be?”

“The whole ‘Connor Murphy is a drug addict who tried to sell his sister on eBay to buy crack’ thing sounds like a pretty good reason. It could ruin your chances of making any new friends at that school.”

They grabbed his hands.

“Con, listen. I don’t care about what other people think. Who I hang out with is none of their business.” They squeezed his hands lightly. “And if people aren’t going to be friends with me because they’re being prejudiced against a friend of mine who they don’t even know, I don’t think I’m not losing anything big, really.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course I do.”

They smiled softly at each other, (Y/N) getting closer and hugging the boy tightly. God, they were so close to him right now. The scent of their shampoo intoxicated him, the warmth of their body pressed to his was driving him crazy. He was so in love with his best — and only — friend. They pulled away slowly, and Connor took the time to examine their features. The shape of their face, the way their hair framed it, their beautiful eyes staring at him, their soft, kissable lips...

Next thing he knew, he was pressing his lips to theirs.

“Connor—!”

He suddenly realized what he just did.

He just kissed the person he was in love with.

He just kissed his best friend.

He just kissed his only friend.

He started to panic.

“Fuck, (Y/N), I’m so sorry, I— I don’t know what came over me, I just...”

“Connor...”

“It’s just... you’re so... God, you’re wonderful, and beautiful, and nice, and one of the best people I know.”

“Connor.”

“And everything about you is so perfect, and — God, I love you. So much. There, I said it. I love you, (Y/N). I’m sorry.”

“Connor!”

“I know it’s never gonna happen because you’re... well, you. And I’m me. I don’t deserve you. Plus, people would stare, and judge, and...”

“CONNOR!”

He finally stopped talking and looked at the one he loved, sitting right in front of him. (Y/N)’s face was redder than the couch they were sitting on at that moment. But they were smiling.

“I love you too.”

“You... what?”

“I have for some time now. But I didn’t want to tell you.” They looked down, averting the boy’s gaze. “I thought that what you needed most right now was a friend, not a romantic partner. So I kept my mouth shut and bottled it all inside me.”

He stared at them, in stunned silence. After some time, he let out a small smile.

“I can’t belive this.”

“But it’s true. Aren’t... Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m... really happy right now. So fucking happy.”

Taking their face in his hands, he pressed their lips together once more. This time, they kissed back, tangling their hands in his dark locks. He stroked their cheek with his thumb, they kiss passionate but still chaste and sweet. He broke it up after some time, resting his forehead against theirs.

“You really want this? Be with me, I mean?”

“Of course I do.”

“Dating me is a whole other level than being just friends. You sure you’re up for it?”

“Who cares what other people think?” They pecked his lips sweetly. “ No one else matters. This love is ours.”

me @ me: haha nice old taylor swift song reference you piece of shit  ayyy thats it, i hope y’all enjoyed it!! sorry for any mistakes btw :^P anyway, ✨ friendly reminder i take requests for DEH and BMC  ✨have a nice life y’all

[persephone-andromeda]

Dusk Til Dawn (with extended ending)

Pairing: Ivar x reader

Warnings: Angst, happy ending

Word count: 1,334

Summary: Ivar is in love but the only problem is that his lover can only be with him from dusk til dawn.

A/N: I said I’d post this a while ago so I’m posting this now while I’m being productive. 

He was cold, he was cruel. He was everything that the stories had said he was. Yet, there was a softness underneath him. There was a small light in there, soft and gentle. It was just rare to see it.

It had been brewing for a long time but never had the proper chance to be seen. In the shadows of night, softest caresses of candlelight, Ivar could finally be the man that was not told in the stories about him and the woman who had given him the chance to be soft, soft without consequence.

It had crossed his mind that this was wrong of him to do. He was a ruthless Viking, conquering land after land, often coming home in blood. Yet underneath it all, here he was. He was in the arms of his lover, one that would appear to him at dusk and leave at dawn.

He crawled over the gravel, trying to be as silent as he could be so he wouldn't draw any attention to himself. Problem was, he was Ivar the Boneless, and he drew attention. But tonight, the gods seemed to be smiling down on him. He reached the door of her room and there was a crack, small enough for his fingers to slip through to push the door open the rest of the way.

It was dimmer than it usually was when he arrived. The wicks of the candles still carried flame but it wasn't as bright as it usually was. He peeked in but didn't see the form of his lover anywhere. He frowned a bit, crawling in into the middle of the door to look at the whole room.

Her quiver and bow were missing from the shelf on the wall. She must be hunting. He hadn't meant to take so long at the celebration, knowing that she wasn't one for attending loud events with drunk savages. She liked quiet nights of passion and the stillness of nights in the forest with her bow. Maybe that's why he was so attached to her. They were opposites.

A creak of the back door drew his attention to the door, knowing that she had returned. He moved himself up to the bed as she rounded the corner to look at him.

Smallest snowflakes lined the fur of her coat and her cheeks were tinged pink from the cold of the night. She still smiled at him gently at the sight of him.

"Eager?" She asked, teasingly.

He looked up at her as she moved her face from his view as she placed her bow and quiver back where it belonged.

"I didn't mean to take so long."

"I thought a Viking never apologized." She teased him again.

"Only to you, dove."

He knew that she was smiling at the nickname as she disappeared behind the screen that concealed her body from him. He heard the thud of her clothes hitting the floor as she disrobed, exposing her heavenly skin to the cool air of the room.

"It isn't your fault. You deserve the celebration, my prince. Besides, I knew you would come to me once you were done. I thought to occupy myself in the meantime."

"Did you catch anything?"

"No. I just brought it with me just in case. The skies were beautiful, my love. The gods opened the skies for my eyes tonight."

She came from behind the screen with a warm robe on to block her from the cold. He knew that it was pointless because it was just end up on the floor anyways.

She sat beside him and kissed his cheek.

"The gods blessed me as well. I got here unseen."

"We both know someone will see eventually. Will you be ready?"

"I will kill anyone who tries to take you away from me."

"Even your own brother's?" She murmured quietly.

He looked at her, the sadness seen easily. She wasn't always easy to read but she was in the pale light of the room. Maybe it wasn't the light from the candles but the light in her eyes that sparkled whenever she looked at him. She was full of life but so distant. So close to being his but the morning light reminded him of who she was bound to.

"I know you won't. You won't ruin an alliance for me. It wouldn't look good for you. I'd hate for a war to erupt over me. I'm just another woman."

He gripped a handful of the sheets between his fingers, angry at what she was saying. She had a point because a war would come over them all because of where his heart laid.

"You're not just another woman."

"You're right. I'm just Bjorn's. That's all I'll ever be."

She looked up at him then and ducked her head a little from him. Bjorn would be back soon to lay claim to what was his in celebration of the successful raid. He only had a limited window with her and it was closing quickly.

"I'll always love you, Ivar. You know my heart belongs to you. But you know that Bjorn will kill you if he ever finds out."

She wasn't the only one who he would kill. On instinct to comfort her, he kissed her gently and then looked at her once more. His fingers gently traced over the curves of her cheeks before tracing the lines of her throat, memorizing every line to detail.

"Before the gods, I will say that I love you."

She smiled a little and kissed the palm of his hand before moving it away from her skin. She gently cupped his cheek and laid a kiss to his lips, one last time.

"I'll be with you from dusk til dawn."

But the next morning when the light hit the fresh snow just right and he woke up alone once more, he knew that he would never again feel the warmth of his lover. It all sank in when a grand feast was held that night at the news of their child.

She looked radiant, beautiful. Bjorn's hand rested upon her stomach and he wondered if he would ever be with her from dusk til dawn ever again.

But the seer was the one who shattered the happiness. She saw in the runes that the child was born out of wedlock, for it was not Bjorn's. That's why she disappeared.

The seer couldn't see who the lover of his Bjorn's wife was and Ivar was safe. She wasn't sorry for what she had done, laid with another and so she suffered the consequences for love.

Bjorn was too fond of her to end her life, and he was showing mercy for the child. He banished her from the town and told her to never return. What struck him the most was that he wasn't able to say goodbye to her. It all happened so suddenly and with a battle planned, his lover and child were gone in an instant.

"From dusk to dawn, I will always love you."

He memorized those words, scratched them into his bones. He never forgot her, not for an instant. She was with him on the battlefield and in the darkness of night when not even the moonlight could pierce it. Not even the glimmer of her eyes when he was married to someone else and when the borning cry of his child made the whole town go into celebration.

She was there, in the little moments and the big ones. It was chance he was out in the woods that night, looking at how the gods opened up the skies for him. A twig snapped and he held onto his axe in hand.

"Eager, my love?"

He sighed in relief and he did not hesitate to hold her against his body when she ran into his arms. Tears glided down his cheeks.

"I told you, Ivar. From dusk til dawn, I will always be there. Always."

TAGS: @i-am-amora-the-enchantress @persephone-is-here-omg @lovelynemesis @erisjade Idk who else wanted to be tagged

[tgwltw]

Could you do like a Wally west and reader imagine where he's stuck in the speed force and the reader is pregnant. While she's cleaning out Wallys stuff he comes back??

Hi! Hope this is alright with you! Do enjoy~ 

.

When thedoorbell rang, you padded to the door, opening it. The smile on your facewidens just the tiniest bit when you see your best friend. You let him walkthrough and he stops momentarily, looking around the place. “Nothing much haschange, huh?” He asks though there was something in his voice that you justcould not quite place. You ignore it in favour of closing the door.

You turn tolook at your friend. “Thank you for coming by, Dick.” You place a hand on hisarm and he looks down at you. “I honestly don’t think I could have done italone.” You explain and Dick gives you a small smile before placing his ownhand on top of yours. He grips it lightly before looking around the place.

It has been awhile now since the incident had happened. Suffice to say you haven’t had thebest of times ever since it happened, nightmares were a constant presence toobut one morning, you woke up and had an epiphany: you should not stop livingjust because the love of your life did, especially not since he left you withmore than just a broken heart – a new life. You place your hand on your growingbelly – it has been five months now. You had not even known you were pregnantby then – it made you think how Wally would have reacted if he knew you were,would he have tried his hardest to come back to you?

“Are youalright?” Dick’s voice brought you out of your train of thoughts and youimmediately shove them to the very back of your mind. You nod your head.

“Of course.”Dick gives you an unconvinced look but you simply shrug it off – all of youwere hurting in different ways, some more than others but like you haveresolved, you are going to live for the life Wally has given you. “I have been puttingoff cleaning any of Wally’s belongings just because…” You trail off as the twoof you begin walking to the bedroom you had shared with Wally. As a matter offact, you have put off from even stepping in to the place you shared with himuntil a few days ago. “But I think I am ready now.”

Dick keepsquiet and simply follows you to the bedroom. It certainly looks like no one hasstepped in there since the last time it had been occupied. You maneuveredaround the place, picking up the shirts that were thrown about. “Wally is sosilly sometimes, you know.” You laugh as you stare at the couple shirt he hadbought for the two of you – seeing that shirt brought back all of the fondmemories from that particular night. “I honestly do not even know why I was sosurprised when he gave us this for our first year anniversary.” You turn toshow Dick the shirt.

He smilesbefore letting out a laugh as he takes the shirt from you. “Y/N, you have noidea just how much thought and effort he put in to this: he was even frettingabout it, thinking about what he would do if you hated it.” Dick shakes hishead, recalling the memory.

You laugh. “Wallyis seriously a worry-wart but it is endearing.” You tell him before going tothe closet. You open the closet and begin sifting through the countless ofshirts and pants Wally had managed to unfold. “Sometimes I wonder why I evenstayed with him – he messes up all of the shirts I folded for him on a dailybasis!” You grumble as you begin to take them out, folding them one by one.

Dick chucklesknowing despite your ‘complaints’, the two of you had been helplessly in lovewith each other. It was almost sickening to watch the two of you whenever youwere together. Wally always had a love-struck look on his face whenever hetalked about you and whenever you were around, Wally’s eyes would always followyou around.

“Where do youwant me to start, Y/N?” Dick asks.

“Can you helpme dismantle the bed? I think I might just give the entire thing away.” Youtell him, not looking up from folding Wally’s clothes. At that moment, you feelsad, disappointed, unhappy and all the negative feelings you can possibly feelbut you knew, deep down, that you had to keep living your life. Even if itmeans moving out of the place that shared much too many fond memories of Wallyand you.

This place ofyours had seen both the good and the bad of your relationship. It was alsowhere your little baby had been conceived too and honestly, you did not thinkyou would be able to handle living in the house for fear of having all of thesememories haunting you.

The two ofyou had quietly set to work, occasionally starting conversations when youremembered the silly things Wally did – like that time he went out of his wayto get you your favourite flowers because he had forgotten about your birthdayand promptly fell flat on his face when he didn’t forget about your birthday,he had forgotten about his own! – and Dick would share stories with you aboutwhen the two of them had been in the Young Justice team.

Your peacefulwork is interrupted the moment you heard someone ringing the doorbell. Youglance at Dick who is currently putting all the clothes you have folded in to abox and he stares at you.

“Are youexpecting anyone?” He inquires and you shake your head.

“Not that Iknow of.” You tell him but before you could even make the move to get up, Dickstops you. You stare at him.

“I’ll go andcheck it out.” Dick gets up and hands the box of half-filled box to you. “Justin case.” You nod your head, grateful for having Dick around. As much as youwould love to kick some ass, it probably would not be good for your baby andyou. You had minded your own business ever since Dick left to answer the doorbut when he called out your name, you frown.

Stepping outof the room, you had the box with you and promptly stops in your tracks. Thebox drops from your hand, causing the shirts to fall out unceremoniously to thefloor.

“Hey, babe.”Wally gives you a shaky smile.

Your breathhitches and you can feel your chest starting to hurt.

Wally takesone step towards you and you look away from him to look at Dick. He has a widesmile on his face and you could see the tears in his eyes. That is when youknow that this man standing right in front of you is none other than yourWally.

When Wallystops in front of you, his eyes fall on your stomach and that is when the tearsstart falling down his face. “Babe,” He resists the urge to wrap his armsaround you – as much as he wanted to, Wally is afraid of how you may react. “Babe!”Though he might have spoken too soon because not long after that, you hadpromptly fainted, falling forward. Luckily he had been close enough to catchyou in his arms.

Dick rushesto the both of you. “I think this has been a long day for all of us.” He stepsaway when Wally cradles you carefully in his arms. “I guess seeing you in theflesh might have been too much for her.” Wally lets out a shaky laugh, pressinga kiss on your forehead.

“I expectedsomething like telling me to go away – but not fainting, definitely not that.”Wally stands up, still with you in his arms. “Can we crash at your place?”

Dick smiles. “Dude,you didn’t even have to ask.”

[just-come-baek]

Fool Me Once

Pairing: Baekhyun x Reader (Kim Sunhee)

Themes: romance | smut | war | 1950 | gangs

Word count: 12,5k

Summary: Baekhyun is a Captain who likes the best in the world innocent women and shady dealings. Those two never go hand in hand, yet both seem to gradually ruin him.

Masterlist

21st May 1950

Byun Baekhyun had always loved corrupting innocent-looking woman. There was nothing sweeter in the world, than seeing a shy and well-bred woman moan his name at the top of her voice, begging him to spank her.

With his status and appearance, it was quite easy. Whenever he entered a tavern or a bar, everyone, regardless gender, looked at him. He was desired, and he took it to his advantage.

This day was no different.

As usual, when the clock struck late hour, he was seated in a leather booth with his two fellow friends—Jongdae and Minseok, playing with glasses of whisky in their hands.

“Has anyone caught your attention yet?” Jongdae asked casually before putting his alcohol on the oak table, and smashing his lips against hooker’s lips that condescendingly was sitting on his laps, grinding his crotch.

“I’m pretty sure all fairest maidens already sleep tight in their beds. Why would someone so pure and innocent show up here at such late hour?” Minseok chimed in, looking around the space, as there was no one who would actually fit Baekhyun’s preference.

The girl must’ve had long dark hair, so he could wrap the ponytail around his palm, and pull her whenever she would disobey him. The girl must’ve been shorter than him, so Baekhyun wouldn’t have any threat to his height insecurity. The girl had to have the warmest smile, so the inferior ones would envy her.

“The night is young.” Baekhyun replied casually, smirking. “I’m certain that at least one girl is going to show up. I just have to be patient and positive.” He added, and with a gleam in his eyes and a smirk upon his face looked around the tavern in hope of spotting a perfect catch.

“I prefer hookers.” Minseok spoke matter-of-factly, as he laid his orbs on the woman beside him, undressing her with his sinful and hungry gaze. “They’re much more skilled.” He commented a second before he shoved his tongue down the courtesan’s throat.

“And naughtier,” added Jongdae, slipping his hand under the woman’s undergarments.

“Maybe, you’re right, but you’re missing the most important point,” Baekhyun sighed, trying to explain what his friends were missing out on. “Prostitutes lay with you for money, while those innocent girls completely devote themselves to you. They fully trust you and allow you to do literally everything to them. There’s the special attachment which is absent with a courtesan.”

“For me, sex is sex. It’s good when I get my release, and not even once a hooker has failed me.” Jongdae replied, groping the firm bottom of his whore.

“You two are too simple-minded,” Baekhyun announced, as Minseok agreed with Jongdae’s statement. “With an innocent girl, you get complete control over her, while with a prostitute, you think you’re in charge but it’s just an illusion. Moreover, it’s never a challenge when you fuck with a whore.”

“We just don’t care. We don’t want to play mind games, we just want to fuck.” Minseok added, as he forced the woman off his lap, and gave her a firm spank. “And right now, it’s exactly what I’m craving.” He spoke, licking his lips seductively. “Let’s go upstairs. I am all hard for your tight cunt.” Smirking, Minseok stood up, and rushed his courtesan to the room.

“That’s a perfect idea,” Jongdae agreed, sending a suggestive smirk to his woman. “Let’s leave our Mr I-only-sleep-with-virgins here. Maybe, he’ll get lucky later.”

“There was no occurrence when I got unlucky.” Baekhyun replied with confidence, being completely positive he was going to find himself some company for tonight’s escapade. “You may settle for whores, but I prefer waiting for real catch.” He added, taking a sip of his whisky. “Peasants,” Baekhyun snorted under his breath, as Jongdae and Minseok left the booth to fuck their hookers.

***

It didn’t even take five minutes.

Baekhyun drank up his alcohol, and looked around the tavern for a waitress who would refill his glass with the original Scottish whisky.

“Good evening, sir. Is there anything I can get you?” A woman in a skimpy dress said, as soon as she approached him, and sent him a wide smile.

Surprisingly, she seemed to be a good girl, regardless of her sultry outfit. She was radiating with innocence and kindness, even if she had exposed cleavage. It appeared to give her some hard time, as every time it slipped down a little, she tried to pull it up and cover as much skin as possible.

Moreover, she perfectly fitted his type.

Her hair, her height, her body, her everything—Baekhyun knew he just hit jackpot.

“Yes, actually you can.” Baekhyun replied after a while, observing her body from head to toe, trying to spot any flaw. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he found none. No matter from what perspective he looked at her, she was perfect.

“Okay, may I know what I can get you?” She asked, as her client seemed distant.

“Let’s start with your name.” Baekhyun spoke nonchalantly, as he leaned backward, pressing his back against the backrest. “We’ll figure out the rest later.”

“I believe I have lots of clients to serve. Would you be kind enough to tell me what you wish to drink?” She said as politely as it was possible. Regardless Baekhyun’s social status, she wanted to bring him his order, and then serve other customers. That’s what she was being paid for; she couldn’t so simply neglect her duties.

Despite her comment, Baekhyun didn’t budge.

“It’s Kim Sunhee.” She answered, hoping it would speed him up. Unless she desired being scolded by the owner, Sunhee got to serve him swiftly and with professionalism. “Can I get your order now?”

“Kim Sunhee.” Baekhyun repeated her name, making it sound definitely better, as syllables seemed to be dancing off his tongue. “A very pretty name for a very pretty woman,” he complimented, sending her one of his signature smirks—whenever he used this on girls, it never meant anything good. “How old are you, Sunhee?”

“Twenty.” She simply replied, knowing that doing everything his way, would be undoubtedly the fastest way to write down his order and focus on other customers.

“It’s a wonderful age.” Baekhyun spoke as a matter of fact, and smiled at her, noticing her shyness. “And what made you work here? You don’t seem to fit in here.”

Sunhee had enough of this interview, yet she couldn’t tell him that. Her boss would be furious if she treated Captain Byun Baekhyun rudely. The handsome man in the uniform was ready to leave a fortune in the bar, and scaring him out of the tavern would bring her tremendous consequences, ergo, there was no other option for her but to suck it up and diligently answer all his questions.

“I work here to help my family. I have to provide for their well-being.” Sunhee confessed sincerely. Whenever a member of her family was in trouble, she would do anything to help.

“I see…,” Baekhyun sighed, “I would like another glass of whisky, and possibly a word with your superior.” He added, as he placed an empty glass on the table, and looked her in the eyes, wondering how they looked up close.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Sunhee nodded her head, and walked away, being perfectly aware of Baekhyun’s intense gaze on her bottom.

Baekhyun smirked, knowing she won’t be walking so easily once he has some quality time with her. Oh, definitely not.

***

“Sunhee, can I have a word with you?” Her boss, Shindong, asked her once he ended a little chat with Captain Byun.

“What’s the matter, boss?” Sunhee looked at her superior, thinking what he wanted to discuss with her.

“I talked with Captain Byun, and he said he would like to get to know you better. I understand you’re a new waitress here, but you must meet up with him. He’s waiting for you in the room upstairs.” Shindong explained, hoping she wouldn’t disobey.

“I am a waitress, not a prostitute.” Sunhee talked back, as she didn’t like the idea of sleeping with the man, regardless of his social status.

“I am aware, but we can’t afford losing such an important client. He’s a regular guest in my tavern, and he specifically requested for your assistance.”

“I can’t, I am here to serve guests, not to lay with them.” Sunhee corrected her boss, reminding him under what conditions she had been hired in the tavern. “You must send someone who is actually capable of satisfying his needs. I am afraid I can’t do that.”

“Listen,” Shindong grabbed her by her arm, and pulled her closer to him, forcing her to focus her gaze on him. “He doesn’t want anyone else. Captain Byun solicited for you, and I don’t care if he fucks your cunt, or asks you to suck him off, you’re going to do it regardless. I did you a huge favor hiring you here, and if you want to keep your job, you get to fulfill his every wish.”

Sunhee was almost in tears.

This wasn’t fair, but on the other hand, nothing could be done to change her situation. Shindong had made it very clear; she could either please Captain Byun, or fail her family. Sunhee detested both choices; they were equally wrong, but she would never bail out on her own clan. Right now, letting Captain Byun fuck her was the lesser of two evils.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Sunhee replied, sighing loudly. She wasn’t really fond of this idea, but she had to keep her waitress position, even if she had to put her pride aside and let Captain Byun do whatever he wants to do to her.

“Good girl,” Shindong whispered, as he tilted her chin. “You better not disappoint him. As I previously said, we can’t afford to lose him.”

***

Sunhee was standing in front of the doors. Captain Byun Baekhyun was waiting behind them, yet she couldn’t bring enough courage to walk inside. When she would enter the room, there would be no coming back. She still had the chance to back away.

Biting her bottom lip, she placed her hand on the knob, and twisted it hesitantly, pushing the doors open. As expected, she saw Captain Byun sitting on the bed and sipping his alcohol.

“It took you long enough.” He commented casually, setting his drink on the nightstand. “I knew you would come, though.” Captain Byun added, as he stood up and took a few steps towards her.

Unlike the male, Sunhee didn’t share such enthusiasm. She just stood there, being frightened to walk through the door.

“Don’t be afraid, I didn’t call for you to hurt you.” He announced the moment he approached her. “It’s going to be pleasurable for you as much as it’s going to be for me.”

Sunhee still wasn’t convinced.

“Come on in.” Baekhyun mentioned, but when the girl didn’t move an inch, he wrapped his hand around her wrist and yanked her inside of the room. Gentleness was absent, as Baekhyun was everything but mild. Rather firmly, he pushed Sunhee against the wall, as he kicked the doors close. “You’re going to love this.”

“Please, don’t do this. I can’t. I beg you, call for someone else.” Sunhee shamelessly pleaded, squeezing her eyes shut, being afraid to look at this face, forcing her tears back. She couldn’t embarrass herself in front of Captain Byun; she couldn’t sob right in front of him.

“I don’t want anyone else.” Baekhyun simply stated, as he took a step back, knowing it wouldn’t bring him any pleasure if he fucked her without her consent. Everything seemed he had to try harder if he wanted her to give herself to him. That was exactly a kind of challenge he had been anticipating for a very long time. “And please, call me Baekhyun.”

Sunhee was still in her place, while Baekhyun slowly strolled across the room. She was incredibly tensed; therefore Baekhyun sighed, wondering what he could do to ease her stiffness.

“Do you like music?” He asked suddenly, as he looked her in the eyes.

Baekhyun smirked as he noticed her slight nod.

“Should I ask for someone else? I am certain she’s going to give you much more pleasure than I do.” Sunhee carried on, trying her best to convince him to let her go.

“Nonsense,” he quickly replied, as he set a smooth music from the gramophone. “No one can satisfy my needs as you can, Sunhee.” He admitted, smirking at her. “Come closer, Sunhee.” Baekhyun spoke, but when the girl didn’t move an inch, he waltzed toward her, moving his hips in the rhythm.

“I am not experienced.” She said matter-of-factly, hoping it would discourage and disinterest him. “Please, let me get you someone better, Captain Byun.”

“It’s Baekhyun for you,” he corrected her a moment before he reached for her hands, gently holding them with his own. “Don’t fear; I won’t hurt you.” He whispered, leading her toward the bed.

“I don’t want to disappoint you.” Sunhee confessed being certain he wouldn’t like to sleep with her. She knew she wouldn’t be able to satisfy his needs in a way he desired. Sunhee had no idea how to please a man; so far she perfected only the art of serving guests.

“You would never.” Baekhyun admitted without any doubt, being sure she would be great if he showed her how to pull strings. He would teach anyone, and in his eyes, Sunhee seemed to be a fast-learner. “Will you let me taste your delicious lips?” Baekhyun asked, and Sunhee didn’t dare to stop him.

When Baekhyun didn’t hear any opposition, he smirked and his eyes gleamed with desire. Urgently, he leaned in, and pressed his lips against her, moving slowly across them. The kiss was gentle, as he wanted her to feel safe.

He meant no harm, and she had to know it.

Sunhee’s eyes were closed, as she tried her best to respond to him. With much hesitancy, she kissed him back. Physically, it didn’t seem bad, but knowing under what conditions he was stealing her kisses was more than simply wrong. He didn’t stroke her lips because he cared about her, he plainly wanted to fuck and she seemed to fit his preference.

She didn’t care about him either, but if she wanted to keep her job as a waitress, she had to fulfill Baekhyun’s every need.

It was wrong, but no argument was good enough to stop.

When Sunhee seemed to relax a bit more, Baekhyun put his hand in her hair, and held her close, deepening the kiss. Passionately, he slipped his tongue. It took Sunhee by a surprise, but she didn’t dare to draw back. Shindong had made everything pretty clear; either she allows Baekhyun to do anything to her, or she becomes jobless.

Gently, Baekhyun massaged her tongue with his, slowly exploring her indeed delicious mouth.

“It wasn’t bad, was it?” Baekhyun asked as he broke the kiss. His hand was still in her hair, making her look only at him. Innocent women were devoted, and right now, Sunhee needed some guidance. She got to see only him, as he was the only person who mattered. Only Baekhyun was going to fuck her, to make her moan, to help her reach her finest orgasm, and without devoting connection it was going to be much more difficult. “It didn’t hurt either.”

“I liked it,” Sunhee confessed, complying with Baekhyun. She would do anything to keep her job, even if it meant she had to make love with Captain Byun.

It could always be worse. Although Baekhyun seemed quite impatient to rip her clothes off and fuck her, he didn’t intend to rape her. He would slowly corrupt her into giving herself to him.

It was definitely more fun.

“Why don’t you lie on your back?” He proposed, gently pushing her onto the bed. Once again, Sunhee followed his orders, and leaned backward, landing on her back. “You enjoy it more than you can admit.” Baekhyun spoke as a matter of fact, as he angled forward, hovering above her.

Lying beside her, Baekhyun slid his hand under her thin blouse, and groped her breast, making her hiss in sudden pleasure. His palm was cold, but it didn’t cause any discomfort for the girl. “Have you ever done this before?” Baekhyun asked, while kneading her bosom.

“I have once. It was horrible.” Sunhee confessed sincerely, as she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him. Even if it was her secret, Baekhyun didn’t care enough to spread it.

“It’s not going to hurt this time,” he whispered, his words tickling her neck. “I promise,” he added, as he swung his leg over her frame, trapping her between the bed and his body. “Do you trust me?”

“No,” Sunhee replied without any hesitation. She did not trust him. Why would she? Did he do anything to make her perceive him as trustful?—definitely not! “I know you won’t abuse me, though.”

Baekhyun didn’t answer, although he really wanted to. Sunhee was innocent, but she surely knew how to talk back to him. It was more than plainly intriguing. She was hesitant, and didn’t relent. Despite his attempts to seduce her and convince her that she was going to be alright with him, Sunhee didn’t seem to be persuaded.

And even if Baekhyun didn’t dare admit that, it was admirable. Sunhee was strong and not easily fooled, and they were quite valuable traits. She even might be a great soldier.

“Just relax, and let me change your mind.” Baekhyun uttered, staring down at her. With his knee between her things, he leaned in, and captured her lips in another passionate kiss which started off rather slowly, gradually becoming needy.

Captain Byun was fascinated by the girl. There was something strange about her, but he didn’t mind. He actually found it amusing. He had never slept with a girl who, in his opinion, thought one thing and done another. It was something new, and God, he adored it.

Slowly, Baekhyun trailed his wet kisses down her chin to her neck, sucking on the soft skin. Normally, he would be against the idea of marking his courtesan, but Sunhee was special. It would keep bugging him unless he nibbled her neck, leaving a visible mark. Even if he had her only for tonight; she ought to understand to whom she belonged to until the dawn.

Sunhee gasped when Baekhyun’s hand slipped under the waistband of her long skirt and undergarment. She did not expect him to proceed so quickly.

“Relax Sunhee.” He breathed out, gently stroking her folds. “You like it, don’t you?” Baekhyun rasped, as he could feel Sunhee raise her hip to rub her clit against his hand. “Don’t worry, it’s just a beginning.”

Although Sunhee didn’t word her plea, Baekhyun knew exactly what the woman beneath him wanted.

Sunhee moaned when Baekhyun rubbed her clit, and the man could swear that such a simple sound coming out of a woman had never made him this proud. He barely touched her, yet she was already wet, yearning for more. Even if she didn’t admit it, her body language was betraying her big time.

“Not so dubious right now, I see.” Baekhyun teased, as he thrust his forefinger inside of her. She was so ready for him; he almost didn’t feel any friction when his digit entered her.

“Mm…” Sunhee purred, reacting to his rather swift movements. Baekhyun was pumping his finger in and out, and she found it more pleasuring than she thought. “Captain Byun—“Sunhee started, but her words were quickly eaten off her tongue as Baekhyun smashed his lips, shamelessly stealing another impassioned kiss.

“Call me Baekhyun unless you want to anger me.” He warned her, and kissed her once again. Her lips indeed tasted delicious, and when mixed with the whisky which lingered in his mouth, Baekhyun had really hard time focusing on his surroundings.

“It feels so good, Baekhyun.” She moaned, as she looked him in the eyes. Baekhyun smirked, knowing he was almost halfway through with corrupting the innocent creature that was already squirming in pleasure underneath him.

“I’m already hard for you, Sunhee.” Baekhyun confessed, as Sunhee looked down at his member poking against her thigh. “I want to fuck you, right now.” He added, as he jumped off the bed, and stood in front of her, trying to get out of his uniform as fast as it was possible. “I’ll join you in a second. In the meantime, why don’t you touch yourself just like I touched you a while ago?” He grunted, smirking when Sunhee’s hand traveled down to her folds, gently stroking her womanhood.

It had been a very long time since Baekhyun was this satisfied. Sunhee was a hard nut to crack, yet she obeyed and fingered herself right in front of him. Minseok and Jongdae should’ve really got enlightened what they were missing out on. Even if they could tell hooker what to do, it was Baekhyun who wield complete control over the situation.

As fast as he could, he stripped himself, and when he was completely naked, he leaned in to push down Sunhee’s skirt and undergarments.

“Take off your blouse; I want to see you undress.” He demanded, staring down at her with pure lust. The further they went, Baekhyun was more certain, she would comply with his order. And right now, she didn’t even nag, and just pulled her blouse over her head, letting her long hair cover her shoulders.

Baekhyun won.

“Good girl,” he commented before hovering above her with his wrists pinned against the mattress beside both sides of her head. “Are you ready, Sunhee?” He asked, as he grabbed his member, and gave it a few strokes.

“Fuck me, Baekhyun.” Sunhee moaned almost breathlessly, as Baekhyun rubbed the tip of his cock against her womanhood.

Her words rang in his head, as he couldn’t expect her to ever become so desperate and vulgar. She was a good innocent girl; such obscene words didn’t sound as if they just escaped her thin pink lips. On the other hand, Baekhyun once again felt victorious. Sunhee’s behavior after his little influence had greatly exceeded his expectations.

“Naughty,” Baekhyun smirked before he forced himself inside of her tight cunt. “Ah…, Baekhyun grunted as he slammed his cock in and out mercilessly, focusing only on Sunhee’s loud moans. He kept going, knowing how much blissful it was for her. “Don’t bite it back, moan my name as loud as you can,” Baekhyun encouraged her before he leaned in, and sucked on her skin.

“Baekhyun,” Sunhee hollered at the top of her voice, as Baekhyun was driving her crazy with his fast thrusts and wet kisses.

“Louder, they don’t hear you downstairs,” he tempted as he grabbed her long hair in his palm, and pulled it, forcing her to look at him. “I want everyone to know my name in this hellhole.”

“Ah! I can’t any longer. I am going to come,” Sunhee breathed, knowing her peak was approaching. Her walls tightened, engulfing his cock which not even the tiniest bit slowed down. Baekhyun was way too turned on by Sunhee to even think about fucking her slow. When a good girl was being fucked rough, she would lose that label forever, and in case of Sunhee, Baekhyun was sure she wasn’t going to ever be the same.

He shamelessly corrupted her.

Sunhee didn’t seem to mind, though.

Well…, no girl had even complained.

It was just the way sex with Baekhyun was.

Changing and unforgettable.

“Come for me, Sunhee.” Baekhyun whispered, as he continued to fuck her, advancing toward his orgasm, too. “Explode,” he ordered, pounding his hips against her core. The sound of skin slapping against each other was definitely louder, than the smooth music in the background, yet neither of them seemed to care at the moment.

“Baekhyun,” Sunhee screamed and dug her fingernails in Baekhyun’s shoulders, as she came. She felt as if small explosions erupted in every fiber of her body at once. It was overwhelming, yet Baekhyun didn’t stop thrusting, as he desperately chased his orgasm.

“Fuck!” Baekhyun hollered when he reached his high. Arching his back, he released himself inside of her. The orgasm was so strong; he couldn’t remember when he had so much fun fucking a woman. It was, without any doubt, one of his best fucks. “God, Sunhee, you’re so good. How could you think you’re not good enough?” He confessed, as he powerlessly fell on her, panting.

Sunhee didn’t answer him. She was too embarrassed to talk to him. How could she reply? He requested for sex, and with a snap of his fingers, Sunhee changed from a waitress to a courtesan. It hurt her pride, and even the greatest orgasm in her life didn’t make up for it.

“I didn’t know you could be both,” Baekhyun started as he pulled out, and rolled beside her. The slow music was playing in the background, as Baekhyun tried to catch his breath.

Sunhee had no idea what he meant by that, and she didn’t even want to question him.

After all, it didn’t matter.

They had sex just as Baekhyun wanted. She fulfilled her part of the bargain, and it was time to say goodbye. She wasn’t really keen on clinging onto him, and Baekhyun, of course, must’ve wanted her out of his room as soon as it was possible, too.

Normally, Baekhyun thoughts would precisely fitted into Sunhee’s expectations, but right now, he wondered how she could be so good and so naughty at the same time. It was strange but incredible at once. Either she was very devoted to him by his smooth advances, or Sunhee was never good to begin with.

Baekhyun would love to have a smoke and elaborate on the topic, but as soon as he reached for a pack of cigarettes without filter, someone knocked on the doors and barged in, not bothering to wait for his consent.

It was Jongdae.

“Captain Byun, we have a problem.” He announced, trying to buckle his belt in haste. “We just received a telegram from Lay. You must see this.” Jongdae explained quickly, looking very worried.

“Pardon me, Sunhee.” Baekhyun spoke, looking down at the girl, as he stood up, and reached for his pants. “Duty calls.”

***

21st May 1950

“Is it really that urgent?” Baekhyun asked, being quite annoyed by the fact that he was dragged out of the bed before he managed to give Sunhee a second round of mind-blowing sex. Normally, he would’ve helped his lover to reach her peak at least thrice, and right now, Captain Byun felt rather indebted to Sunhee. “I am certain this can wait an hour or two,” he added casually, while remembering Sunhee’s moans from just a moment ago.

“The telegram says Yixing wanted to arrange a meeting with you. He states that the situation between South Korea and North Korea is unstable. According to his words, the war may break out any time.” Jongdae announced, trying to maintain his poise.

“It doesn’t sound good,” Baekhyun commented casually before he raised his hand to his chin to rub it in a thinker manner. Soon, the war was going to be declared. Everyone expected it, though. There had always been some kind of sinister tension between the countries, so the bloodshed was just a matter of time. Thankfully, Baekhyun thought beforehand. “When Yixing is going to arrive to Seoul?”

“In accordance with the telegram, Zhang Yixing is going to reach Seoul tomorrow before noon.”

“Damn it,” Baekhyun cursed, running his hand through his tousled hair. “And I assume he’s going to want a report. I am fucked. Do you know how hard it is to talk to Minhyuk recently? The Kkangpae is very busy these days.” Captain Byun trailed away, wondering how he was going to reach the Korean mafia boss at such unholy hour. It definitely was more difficult than contacting the president.

“What about Pyo Jihoon and Kim Yokwon? They’re his closest accomplices; they ought to know something.” Jongdae proposed, trying to find a way to help his superior, even if he didn’t approve of their relations.

Baekhyun, Minseok and Jongdae were soldiers, and soldiers ought to have not made business with mafia. The two parties believed in two, entirely different, morals. While the army praised patriotism, bravery, reliability and devotion, the mafia worshipped money, loyalty, power and deception. Some things didn’t mix, and military and gangs were the best example. Baekhyun, on the other hand, did not yet understand it.

“I may try to reach them, but it shall not give the same result.” Baekhyun mused, knowing Yixing wasn’t going to be pleased with some second-hand information. “I’ll try to contact with Jihoon. And you my friend, rest a little. I am going to need you and Minseok in the morning.”

***

22nd May 1950

“Yixing, my friend, it’s so nice to see you.” Baekhyun greeted Zhang Yixing as he entered the Captain’s study. It was nine o’clock in the morning, and Baekhyun was not ready for the meeting. He barely finished writing the report, and he wasn’t prepared for his oration. He had to romanticize the facts, and without any prior practice it was going to be rather difficult.

“I wish I could say the same thing,” Yixing chimed in, stretching his hand to shake Baekhyun’s hand habitually. “Perhaps, it would be more pleasant if the circumstances were nicer.”

“War declaration is a real ice-breaker, don’t you think?” Baekhyun jested, laughing at his own joke.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Yixing spoke before he nodded his head and took a seat in front of Baekhyun’s desk. “And since the ice is already broken, why don’t we discuss what I came here for? May I see the report?”

Baekhyun smiled sheepishly at Yixing, as he handed him the papers. “Here you go,” Baekhyun started, but Yixing snatched the folder from his hands, and opened it in haste.

When the Chinese man was reading the report with his scrutinized eyes, Captain Byun had some time to observe him. His face seemed very calm and friendly. No one would accuse him of leading Triad. Yixing looked like a placid shop owner who wouldn’t be able to hurt a fly.

“I expected something better from you, Baekhyun. You’re lucky I can work with these. Otherwise, you would be already dead.” Yixing finally spoke after skimming through the report.

“I am risking my life here. Do you forget that?” Baekhyun reminded him. It was very dangerous, and if someone found out that Baekhyun was a mole in Korean mafia, Minhyuk would personally torture and kill him.

“I am aware, but it doesn’t justify your sloppy work, does it?” Yixing spoke coldly. “Anyway, once the war is declared, I want you to notify me Korean army strategy, and then I’ll make you a rich man. I need this information, especially when Kkangpae is going to supply weapons for them.”

“I will send you a telegram as soon as the general fills me in.” Baekhyun spoke after a short sigh.

“I am looking forward to hearing from you, Captain Byun.” Yixing said, and he rose from his seat, and stretched his arm to give Baekhyun another handshake. “Don’t disappoint me unless you want me to kill you myself.”

“I would never.” Baekhyun replied, and walked Yixing to the exit. “Have a safe trip.” He added before closing the doors.

Once Baekhyun was left alone in his office, he pressed his back against the doors, and let out a huge sigh. He was playing a risky game right now, and even if quitting seemed rather tempting, he couldn’t. He had to remain in the charade until the very end.

At first, he wanted to secure his life in case of war, but who knew it would escalate to the extent where he would be forced to spy on two gangs and betray his own country?

“Fuck,” Baekhyun cursed, knowing how much screwed he was at the moment.

He must’ve been foolish when he had agreed to this.

***

4th June 1950

“General Chung has sent a telegram. He wants to see you today in his office, Captain.” Minseok announced as he walked inside of Baekhyun’s study. “The rumor has it the war is going to break out really soon.” He added, as he placed the message on Baekhyun’s desk.

“Fuck, it’s earlier than I imagined.” Baekhyun cursed, and shook his head. The war was a real threat; everything reached the point of no return. It was inevitable, and Baekhyun couldn’t do anything to change his fate. He was going to fight against the North Korean army.

“I told Private Jeon Jungkook to prepare the vehicle for you. It must be waiting for you in front of the building,” Minseok added matter-of-factly. Whenever General Chung had wanted something, it must’ve been something of great importance, especially when he requested for an immediate meeting with Captain Byun. They couldn’t afford to waste any minute, so Minseok arranged everything as soon as it was achievable.

“Thanks Minseok, you’re irreplaceable.” Baekhyun deadpanned, knowing how much trouble he was right now. And on top of that, he couldn’t do anything to prolong the process of hearing the terrible news. He was going to hear the information much sooner than he expected. “And can you do me a favor?”

“Anything,” Minseok started with a genuine smile upon his face, having his entwined behind his back.

“Go to the tavern we’ve been recently, and please, ask for Kim Sunhee. I owe her something, so if you don’t mind that would be lovely if you could bring her to my apartment around eight tonight. I don’t think she’ll hesitate.” Baekhyun started, as he sat at the edge of his desk, and played with a piece of paper that Minseok had brought.

“She has had you hooked, hasn’t she?” Minseok teased with a wide smirk decorating his face.

“I wouldn’t put it that way, actually.” Baekhyun spoke, tapping his chin with his forefinger, thinking about her. There was nothing special about her; she’d just given up completely to him. “I was just dragged away from her before I wanted so. That’s it, so don’t read too much into it.”

***

4th June 1950

“Baekhyun, it’s always so nice to see you!” General Chung cheered when Baekhyun entered his office. “Here, take a seat.” He spoke, as he pointed at the chair in front of his desk.

“You wanted to speak with me, General Chung?” Baekhyun asked, wishing the General didn’t want to talk about war. It was nearly impossible the meeting was arranged due to different reasons, yet Baekhyun wanted to believe the hope died last.

“Ah, yes, I believe I have some bad news to pass.” The general stated, seeming a bit hesitant, as if seeking for the proper words to pass the message. “Despite politicians’ effort, the war is inevitable. The president has asked me to strategize our defense, and since you’re one of my best people within the army, I decided you and your squad, are going to defend the border. I will give you one thousand of the best qualified soldiers, so you could keep North Koreans for as long as it’s possible.”

Baekhyun was speechless.

He hadn’t done business with Korean and Chinese mafia to be in the center of the war! Having come up with such risky and dangerous plan, he wasn’t supposed to lead his men to death!

“It’s such an honor, Your Excellency, but are you sure I’m qualified to carry out so important part of the defense? I can bet you could find a person who would suit this position better in a matter of minutes.” Baekhyun replied as politely and humbly as he could. He would do everything to change the General’s mind. He didn’t want to die as a cannon fodder.

“Nonsense,” disagreed the General. “I thought this through, and you’re the most capable person to carry this out.” He admitted, smiling at the Capitan who was ready to beg. “This time, we’re putting the civilians’ safety above all, so we must stop the army just by the border. You must understand my decision. Soldiers must defend people who can’t defend themselves.”

That was very thoughtful and caring of General Chung. Unfortunately, right now, Baekhyun cared only about his own safety, which seemed to be non-existent, as he was going to die as soon as the war would break out.

“Right, we wouldn’t want that.” Baekhyun agreed, although deep inside he wished he was a civilian, too.

“I’m glad we agree. I always knew I could count on you.” General Chung spoke, sending Baekhyun a polite smile. “In this folder, you have all the details regarding the mission. My men are going to be sent to the border on the fifteenth of June, so please be ready to join them by then.”

“Of course, I am honored.” Baekhyun gritted, and thanked through his clenched his teeth.

***

Baekhyun paced around his apartment, trying to come up with an idea which might help him get himself out of the mess. Having ruffled his hair in annoyance, he looked at his wrist watch. He had screwed his life, and moreover, Minseok didn’t bring Sunhee yet.

Everything seemed that Baekhyun’s life was a path of constant disappointment and trouble with zero pleasure.

It sucked.

Suddenly, Baekhyun heard a knock on the doors. It didn’t even take him thirty seconds to answer them.

It was Minseok.

And he was alone.

“Where’s Sunhee?” Baekhyun asked, as he moved aside, so his friend could enter his apartment. “I thought you were supposed to bring her here? Where is she?” He repeated himself in hope that Sunhee was around, and she just had to brush her hair, or put a lipstick on.

“I have bad news, Captain,” Minseok started, as he sighed.

“Wonderful, all day I keep getting bad news. Does one more make any difference?” Baekhyun asked rhetorically, throwing his hands in the air. Sighing, Baekhyun rubbed his head, as he waited for the message to be delivered. “Are you going to tell me, or not?” Baekhyun rushed as it seemed that Minseok was hesitant about explaining the situation to him. “Just spill it out.”

“I went to the tavern just after you left.” Minseok started casually. It didn’t sound like a bad news at all, yet Baekhyun couldn’t wait for the plot twist. Today was definitely the worst day of his life, so why wouldn’t make it even worse? “And when I came in, I almost threw up. Someone turned the tavern into a slaughterhouse. Everything was red, painted with blood. The bodies were scattered all over the floor, everyone was killed—the owner, the employees, the customers. Everyone.”

Baekhyun was mortified. Why and who would do something like that to these people? They didn’t do anything wrong, and even if some of them weren’t saints, Baekhyun could bet the bloody massacre was quite an overkill.

“Are you sure that Kim Sunhee got killed, too?” Baekhyun asked, as whoever had done this might’ve taken her as a hostage. It was highly unlikely, but Baekhyun hoped nonetheless. She was too innocent to die so tragically. He hadn’t even corrupted her properly yet.

“I didn’t check everyone’s IDs, but I doubt she’s survived. You knew her better; did she seem she could defend herself?”

“No, she couldn’t.” Baekhyun sighed in resignation. Sunhee was innocent, gentle and mellow. She would never win against some lunatic who wielded a weapon. “Well… that’s very tragic.” He summed up, thinking of Sunhee. She’s dead, but she wasn’t anyone valuable to him, so he wasn’t going to mourn her.

“Sorry,” Minseok spoke, giving his poor version on consolation. “It seems you must find someone else to keep you company tonight.”

“I’m not in the mood for the chase tonight.” Baekhyun admitted truthfully. After the conversation with General Chung and the massacre in the tavern, Baekhyun mentally didn’t fancy leaving his apartment. For today, he was going to rest. For the rest of his days off, he was going to fuck as many women as he could. He’s going to die shortly after the war would break out, so he needed live to the fullest. “Tonight, my dearest whisky is going to keep me company.”

“Whatever you want, man.” Minseok smiled, and patted Baekhyun’s shoulder. “I am not going to stop you, but I need to go. Unlike you, I am not going to waste my time, being all locked up in the four walls.”

“Just go already; you give me a headache.” Baekhyun shook his head, showing Minseok the way out. If his friend wanted to hit the bar and fuck a hooker, Baekhyun wasn’t going to stop him, but for sure he wasn’t going to accompany him. The whole situation was a real bummer, and Baekhyun didn’t fancy chasing women into his bed right now. Only Sunhee was an easy prey, which still had some innocence left within her.

“See you in the morning, Captain Byun.” Minseok saluted, and exited Baekhyun’s apartment. Perhaps, Baekhyun was slightly attached to the killed girl, but Minseok wasn’t, so he didn’t plan on mourning. Once the war broke out, Sunhee’s going to be one of many meaningless victims, and Minseok couldn’t force himself to show Baekhyun that he cared. He was frank, and made it quite obvious that he couldn’t care any less.

Humming to a smooth song, Baekhyun reached for a whisky decanter and poured a drink for himself. Only alcohol would keep him company tonight, and he didn’t even feel the urge to complain. It wasn’t that bad, actually. He would pass out in the middle of the night, sleeping in the middle of a twister inside of his head.

Once he added a few cubes of ice, he sighed and took a sip.

It was just as bitter as his fate.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the doors, making him turn his head toward the entrance. Did Minseok forget something? Sighing loudly, Baekhyun placed the glass on the nightstand, and opened the doors.

“Sunhee,” Baekhyun hollered, as soon as he glimpsed at her. She was covered in blood and mud. She looked terrible; almost as if she fought the devil, and crawled out from hell by herself. “What are you doing here? Are you alive? How? I sent my protégé to bring you here, but he said that everyone was killed.” He asked many questions, but instead of waiting for her reply, he yanked her inside.

“I saw your friend, but I was still afraid that I may get killed, so I hid, and followed him here.” Sunhee confessed, trembling in front of him. It was really cold outside, and she was all drenched. “I didn’t know anyone outside of the tavern except you, Captain Byun. I hope that my presence here is not a burden.”

“Of course, it’s not. Actually, I ordered Minseok to go back to the tavern to bring you here.” Baekhyun confessed, taking a step back from her. Even if he pitied her for what she had experienced, he wasn’t going to let her stain his uniform. “Why don’t you take a bath, while I’ll try to get you something clean to wear, huh?”

“That would be lovely.” Sunhee smiled, and even if her face was very attractive when smiling, due to the dirt, it was mediocre. Baekhyun was indifferent about the gesture, which normally would make his heart flutter a little.

“And call me Captain Byun one more time, and I won’t be this nice.” Baekhyun warned her.

***

At this hour, every shop was closed. Baekhyun didn’t have women’s clothes in his apartment, either. Moreover, he couldn’t let Sunhee wear his clothing, even if he found it sexy, and the clothes were only a little too big; he wouldn’t do it. The only option left was visiting the apartment of a female officer. Baekhyun didn’t particularly like her, since she was too masculine for his taste, but at least, she had almost the same size as Sunhee.

Within thirty minutes, he was back in his apartment with a pair of olive green pants with a high waist, an ecru blouse with puffy sleeves, and a set of plain undergarments. Swiftly, he opened the bathroom doors. When he entered, Sunhee was out of the bath, wrapped in a towel.

“I brought you some clothes.” Baekhyun spoke, and stretched his arm, handing her the clothes.

“Thank you, Baekhyun.” Sunhee replied, and bowed at him, smiling. This time her smile was radiant, and if Baekhyun’s heart could skip a beat in such awful circumstances, it definitely would.

“I’ll wait outside. Just get out when you’re ready.” He said, and turned around, wanting to exit the room. However, once his hand was on the knob, Sunhee called him. Quickly, Baekhyun looked at her, trying to figure out what she wanted to tell him. “What is it?”

“All these people were killed in front of me, and I was wondering if you could hug me?” Sunhee asked, knowing it was shameless. She and Baekhyun were strangers, yet she couldn’t refrain herself. Sunhee needed comfort, consolation and warmth, and the only person who could fulfill her desires was Baekhyun.

Before Baekhyun managed to reject her plea, Sunhee ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head in the crook of his neck. Normally, Baekhyun would push her away almost instantly, but right now, he needed solace himself.

“Everything is okay, Sunhee. You’re safe now.” Baekhyun whispered, as he placed his hand on the back of her head, and pulled her closer. In the bright scenario, he had maybe a year of life left; it really wouldn’t hurt him to act as if he was in a relationship. It was just one night; with the sunrise, everything would come back to normal. “No matter who did this, he’s not going to get you here.”

“I know,” she agreed, and snuggled closer to Baekhyun. It was warm, and although the sensation didn’t erase the picture from her mind, she definitely felt better in Baekhyun’s embrace. “Is there something bothering you, Baekhyun? You seem sad, and I don’t think it’s entirely my fault.”

Only a fool wouldn’t notice the gloomy aura around him. Moreover, it was much more serious that Sunhee’s arrival. Something had happened, what ruined Baekhyun world, too. They both were going through darkness; perhaps, each other’s company might help find them a glimmer of hope?

“It’s nothing we can do to solve my problem. I’ll just have to live through it.” Baekhyun spoke, his voice filled with regret and anxiety. He found himself in this situation because of his choices, and right now, he got to stand up and take the punishment proudly. “Don’t worry your pretty head, though.” He added, as he placed his hands on both sides of her head, and forced her to look at him. “I’ll be alright.”

“You don’t sound like it,” Sunhee retorted, knowing that Baekhyun was struggling with some serious trouble. He wasn’t as carefree and confident as he had used to be.

“I know what would make me feel much better.” Baekhyun confessed before he smirked and grabbed the hem of the towel, firmly tearing the wet material off of her body and throwing it onto the floor. Slowly, his hand started to roam all around her bare back down to her bottom. “What do you say Sunhee?” He asked, while gently massaging her hips.

Her eyes were completely focused on his face; almost as if there was nothing else to look at. Right now, his sparkling eyes and curved lips were Sunhee’s whole world. Shyly, Sunhee licked her bottom lip, as she took a step forward, and pulled him into a chaste kiss.

She moved her lips against his slowly, devouring every single second of it. Baekhyun preferred rough kisses over innocent ones, but this one time, it didn’t matter. It felt nice, and he wasn’t going to change it into another meaningless fuck. He didn’t have much time left, and he got to experience everything he had been missing out on throughout his entire life.

“I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.” Baekhyun spoke when he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. “Or you just came here to get into my pants?” He asked, smirking. It would be better if the situation became a bit less serious. Instead of worrying what’s going to happen in a month or two, they should’ve cherished the present.

“You know it’s not like that.” She quickly replied, and smacked his shoulder lightly.

“Don’t act so prude, Sunhee. I think we’ve already passed that stage. You’re naughty, Sunhee. A kind of naughty I utterly adore.” He confessed, and pecked her nose before he hoisted her up, helping her wrap her legs around his hips.

“I am sure your sweet talk has stolen many hearts.” Sunhee admitted just before Baekhyun approached the bed and threw her on the sheets. “And panties, too, I bet you have lots of them in your drawer.”

“One night with me, and look what happened to you! You’ve become a textbook example of a sinner.” Baekhyun commented, looking at her hungrily. Sunhee was hot; moreover, she was completely corrupted by his sinful tricks.

“Oh, you have no idea.” Sunhee agreed with him, and strangely for her, she smirked at him, and even if she was a smile kind of a girl, it did turn Baekhyun on.

Quite impatiently, Baekhyun kicked off his shoes, and undid a few first buttons of his shirt before he climbed on the bed, finding his place in between her legs. “You’re beautiful, Sunhee.” Baekhyun complimented the girl, as he spread her legs wider. “You’re beautiful everywhere.” He added as he leaned in, and placed delicate kisses on the inner side of her right thigh.

Sunhee tried to close her legs when Baekhyun poked his tongue against her core.

“Relax, Sunhee.” He spoke, holding her legs apart.

Baekhyun continued to massage her folds with his tongue.

“Ah—“she moaned loudly, as Baekhyun started to suck her clit. Her toes immediately curled, the small explosions erupted in her lower parts when Baekhyun inserted his finger inside. “Baekhyun,” she gasped, and gripped the sheets. It was embarrassing, but Baekhyun knew exactly was he was doing. He barely touched her, and she already felt aroused.

“You’re so sensitive.” Baekhyun commented, smiling at her. “Do you want to touch me?” He quickly asked, hoping the girl would return the favor. Innocent girls had always been a bit hesitant about going down on a man, but Sunhee, being such a fast-learner, couldn’t disappoint him. He had a hunch she was naughtier than he thought she was; therefore she had no trouble sucking him off.

“I’m going to be terrible,” she said, observing as he plopped beside her. He sighed, lying down on his back, fighting with the rest of the buttons.

“Trust me; I’m not going to complain.” He added, as he sat up, and threw his shirt on the floor.

Hesitantly, Sunhee sat up as well, trying to ignore Baekhyun’s stares at her naked chest. “You better keep your word,” she retorted under her breath, before her hands reached to his belt. “Tell me if you don’t like it, and I’ll stop.” Sunhee added, when she pulled down his zipper.

“As I said, ‘I’m not going to complain’.” Baekhyun gritted through his teeth, trying to disguise his urgency. He desperately wanted Sunhee to touch him. He needed release, and starting off with a little blow job would definitely make the act way more pleasurable.

Slowly, Sunhee slid her hands under the waistband of his underwear, and pulled it down, along with the pants. Baekhyun’s length was still floppy, but it was up to Sunhee to get him ready.

Not really knowing what to do, she grabbed his cock around its base, and started pumping her semi-clenched fist up and down.

“Just spit on my cock.” Baekhyun instructed her, as he didn’t find it as enjoyable.

Thinking about his tip, Sunhee spat on her hand, and once again started to stroke his member. This time, it was much easier.

“Go a little faster,” Baekhyun commented, as he closed his eyes, and rested his head on his entwined fingers. “Ah—“he whispered silently, giving in to the pleasure. “Take it in your mouth,” he ordered, when his cock was finally hard. “Sunhee, please,” Baekhyun said desperately, being close to begging.

Sunhee was stressed. She had never done it, and she was genuinely afraid that Baekhyun wouldn’t like it. Furthermore, how would she feel if she couldn’t please Baekhyun after he had almost made her come with his mouth?

Hesitating, Sunhee leaned forward and licked his cock.

“Sunhee, are you teasing me?” Baekhyun hissed, as he felt her tongue moving across his length. “Just suck me off already before I fuck your mouth on my own.” He warned, looking down at her. Sunhee looked ridiculously beautiful in between his legs.

As being told, Sunhee wrapped her mouth around his cock, and sucked the tip, hollowing her cheeks. She knew that Baekhyun watched her, so she looked up at him in the eyes. Baekhyun seemed to be enjoying it.

Her head bobbed up and down even if she was swallowing only a half of his cock, while her hand stroked its base and balls.

Baekhyun was in the seventh heaven, but he just couldn’t come in her mouth. He wanted to feel her pussy, and come there. Nothing else gave him more satisfaction.

“Enough,” he hollered, making Sunhee stop immediately. “It was fantastic, but please, let me,” he stopped min-sentenced, as he tilted her chin with his forefinger, and enchanted her to near her face, so he could kiss her.

The kiss was impassioned, and the both of them got lost in the affection. Sunhee didn’t even notice his hand on her back, as he pulled her on the sheets and crawled on top of her. “It’s my first time fucking a woman slow, so don’t judge.”

“It’s my first time fucking a man slow, too.” Sunhee spoke matter-of-factly, making Baekhyun laugh at her silly response. “Why are you laughing? I’m being honest with you.” She added, but Baekhyun hushed her with a passionate kiss.

When Sunhee was engrossed with the kiss, Baekhyun guided his cock to her entrance, and gently rocked his hips forward, gliding inside of her pussy. She was tight, but he entered her without any trouble.

“No need to worry, you’re doing great,” Sunhee commented, as she pulled away from the kiss. Baekhyun moved his hips back and forth, delicately pushing his cock as deep as he could.

“I think I’ve created a monster,” Baekhyun muttered, knowing that Sunhee was growing very comfortable around him. She even dared to tease him!

“Why? Are you afraid that the student will become a master?” Sunhee retorted wittily.

Baekhyun shook his head, as he couldn’t believe that Sunhee just talked back to him.

“Shut up already. Why do you have to be so smart?” He smiled, and hushed by sealing their lips together. Shortly after, his hips found the perfect rhythm, and helped Sunhee hooked her legs around his waist.

Sunhee placed her hands in Baekhyun’s hair, pulling him closer, but when he buried his face in the crook of her neck, she dug her nails in his back, drawing red lines all over his skin rather painfully.

“I think I’m going to come, Baekhyun. Please, keep doing it,” Sunhee begged, feeling her orgasm approaching.

Baekhyun kept his pace, listening to Sunhee’s moans and their flesh slapping against each other. It was a perfect mix of devotion and lust, and when he focused on the sounds in the room, he was close, too. It almost made him forget about his sad fate.

“Ah—“she screamed at the top of her lungs when Baekhyun’s thrust pushed her off the edge, ripping her apart in the best orgasm of her life. “Fuck!” She cursed, panting.

“Hold on, I’m about to join you in the bliss soon.” Baekhyun commented and kissed her forehead, as he kept pumping his cock inside of her wet pussy. “You’re fucking amazing, Sunhee.” Baekhyun praised, as he reached his high, and fell on the bed beside her.

“You’re not that bad yourself, too.” Sunhee teased, as he looked at Baekhyun’s sweaty face.

They lay in bed for a while, trying to catch their breaths, regaining their strength. There was no way they would end this after only one time.

Surprisingly, Sunhee was the first one trying to sneak out of the bed, but when Baekhyun noticed her attempt to crawl out of the sheets, he quickly yanked her back even if he didn’t want to cuddle with her.

“Let’s talk,” he offered, making her look him in the eyes. “What happened at the tavern? Did you see who did it? Perhaps, I’ll be able to avenge your colleagues.” Baekhyun started, proposing his help. He was going to die in the war, why shouldn’t he, at least, have tried to make something right?

“There’s nothing really much to say. Kkangpae butchered everybody in there.” Sunhee announced frankly, while Baekhyun tried his best to hide his shocked expression. What, on earth, the Korean mafia had sought for in the tavern? They couldn’t have possibly looked for him, could they? If that’s the case, he was screwed far worse than he had thought.

“How do you know it was Kkangpae? It could be anyone.” Baekhyun asked, hoping she just misunderstood the situation. Perhaps, it was just a pissed supplier who just hadn’t been paid for the alcohol. The Korean mafia wouldn’t have bothered to slaughter a second-rate tavern.

“I know because I am a part of Kkangpae, and I killed them.” Sunhee confessed, and reached for Baekhyun’s gun which was inside of the nightstand. “They saw my face, they had to die.” She added, and pointed the weapon at Baekhyun, smirking.

***

4th June 1950

Baekhyun snorted at the view of Sunhee holding his gun, aiming at him. “Funny,” he mused, and shook his head in disbelief, as he got up and sought for his clothes. “I almost believed you, Sunhee. I almost did.” The Captain continued, as he buckled his belt and threw his white button-down on his shoulders. “It’s dangerous, Sunhee. Put that down before you hurt yourself.”

“Silly me,” Sunhee played along with him; it was irresistible. The role she had been acting in front of Baekhyun must’ve had a huge impact on his thinking, as her confession didn’t make any sense to the Captain. She even wondered how long it’d take for Baekhyun to understand that she wasn’t joking; she really was a part of Kkangpae and she really had killed these people in the tavern.

“As I said, it’s dangerous.” Baekhyun repeated himself, as he approached Sunhee and gently snatched the gun from her hands, placing it back in the drawer. “I’d never forgive myself if you hurt yourself.” He added, and cupped her cheeks, kissing her forehead rather fondly.

“If you continue to speak like that, I may think you’ve fallen for me, Captain Byun.” Sunhee admitted, and smirked at him, knowing he wouldn’t mind calling him so officially. Baekhyun could sense that her words were soaked with teasing, and they meant no harm. He understood she did it to tease him, not to signalize she wanted to return to being a military captain and a waitress.

“Who wouldn’t in my place? Sunhee, you’re beautiful and innocent, and you’ve turned into a true sinner in bed. You’re perfect,” he confessed, as he gently caressed her cheek, staring into her eyes. “I know I don’t know you, but you’re everything a man can wish. Unfortunately, I don’t think I have time for romance. If only I could stay here with you, I would without thinking twice.” Baekhyun confessed, and Sunhee felt flattered. She couldn’t fall for her target, but her heart skipped nonetheless. “Unfortunately, the war is going to break out soon, and regardless of what I have tried, I don’t think I am going to survive it.”

“Of course, you’re not going to survive it.” Sunhee stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I don’t understand how you could’ve thought treason would do any good to you.” She added, and Baekhyun looked at her, being mortified as ever. How the fuck did she know about it, he wondered. “Tell me, you didn’t think you could screw the Kkangpae over, did you?” She asked, smirking.

“How?” Baekhyun inquired, as he swallowed hard.

“I’ve already told you, Baekhyun.” Sunhee smirked, putting emphasize on his name which rolled off her tongue in a calm yet teasing manner. “I am a part of Kkangpae, and I was assigned to assassinate you.” She spoke, and pulled out a silver dagger, not breaking the eye contact with him.

“I don’t understand; you’re a woman.” Baekhyun spoke, his throat dry.

“Yes, I am.” Sunhee smiled softly at him. “It’s a rare occurrence, but it’s not impossible. Have you ever heard about the Golden Children?” Sunhee asked, and Baekhyun gasped.

“No, it can’t be. It’s just a myth.” Baekhyun said, as he couldn’t believe in Sunhee’s words. Everybody knew that it was just a legend. The mafia didn’t recruit children; it was just a tale, so offspring wouldn’t talk to strangers. There was no such a thing as the Golden Children. Sunhee had to be lying; it was just a bluff. It had to be.

“I am afraid it is not.” Sunhee sneered, running her finger across the blade. “Moreover, every legend wields a little bit of truth, don’t you agree, Captain?” She smiled, her legs swinging back and forth. “I was five when they found me. I was in the orphanage, as my parents had been taken away by disease. Even when I was a little girl, I was fast and smart; despite my sex, they saw my potential. As the myth says, I was being trained to become one of the deadliest weapons in the entire country, and right now, my assignment is to finish you before you manage to pass the strategy plans to our enemy.”

“Sunhee, stop it. It’s not funny anymore.” Baekhyun said, and maneuvered his hands as if wanting to calm her down.

“It was never meant to be funny, Baekhyun.” Sunhee continued, staring at the blade which was illuminating the moonlight.

“So this is true? You’re a part of the Kkangpae, one of the Golden Children, and you were tasked to assassinate me?” Baekhyun asked, and Sunhee nodded. Although he didn’t want to believe her, she seemed pretty serious. “Even if it’s true, you won’t. You can’t. You’re surrounded by my division. You won’t get out.”

“And you’re mistaken again, Captain Byun.” Sunhee smirked, as she jumped off the desk, pacing back and fro in front of him. “I am not alone. You must know the private Jeon Jungkook, right? Has it ever occurred to you why he was so skilled? He’s exactly like me. We’re both the golden children, and while I’m talking to you, he slaughters each and every one of your soldiers. We don’t leave any traces, but you must’ve figured it out by now.”

“You don’t have to kill me, Sunhee.” Baekhyun announced, as he sat on the edge of the bed, his head hung low. “I haven’t told anything Yixing yet. We may fool him. He doesn’t know that I work for Kkangpae. We may trick him, and win the war. You and I, together.”

Baekhyun didn’t know what he was doing. Although it was true, Sunhee couldn’t believe him. He had tried to betray the country once, so he would do it twice; all to his own benefit. He couldn’t be trusted, and even the sweetest words wouldn’t convince her. She had been trained her whole life; Baekhyun wasn’t capable of manipulating her.

“I don’t think so. This is not how it works.” Sunhee shook her head. “It doesn’t really matter. In my eyes, you’re always going to be a traitor, and we don’t value anything more than we do loyalty. You’re already a lost case; you had your chance, and you wasted it. You shouldn’t have played a game you couldn’t win.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“But I am.” Sunhee replied, as she sat on the bed beside him, placing her hand on his back. “This is the end, and I have no further intention to bargain with you. I really don’t want to lecture you, Baekhyun. I am going to follow my orders.”

“We can run away. I can see you’re not indifferent to my advances. You grew fond of me; just as I grew fond of you, Sunhee. You can’t just kill me.” Baekhyun confessed, but Sunhee only sighed. True, she liked him, but not to the extent of betraying her family and fatherland. Whether his feelings were genuine, or he just voiced them out, hoping they would get him out of that situation, Sunhee wasn’t going to change her mind and oppose her leader. No matter how lovely Baekhyun’s voice was, she knew better–Baekhyun wasn’t worth it.

He was a traitor, and he deserved to die.

“No, Baekhyun. If we met under completely different circumstances, it could’ve worked out.” Sunhee spoke, Baekhyun staring straight into her eyes, as if hoping she would melt under his loving gaze. “You’re a traitor, and I kill traitors. We are not meant to be.”

“Don’t say that.” Baekhyun said softly, cupping her left cheek, caressing her skin with his thumb gently. Sunhee closed her eyes, but her grip on the dagger as just as tight. He wanted to lure her into his trap, to seduce her. It would never work, though. “Sunhee, please; you don’t have to do this. You can let me go.” He added, and locked her lips with his, the kiss slowly turning into a more passionate one. He tried to pour his emotions out; to signalize her how much he cared about her. “You can run away with me. You don’t have to be their slave. You can be free, with me. We can leave this mess behind us; we’ll live a happy life.”

“How stupid do you think I am?” Sunhee asked, as she pulled away from the kiss, and pressed the tip of the blade against Baekhyun’s neck, grazing it gently, so a single drop of blood ran down his skin. “Baekhyun, everything is over. You ruined everything the moment you thought of betraying us. The damage is done; you can’t do anything to alter your future. I’m going to kill you, and your pathetic cries for mercy are useless.”

Baekhyun’s fate had been already decided; he couldn’t do anything to avoid the doom. By choosing to betray the country and the Kkangpae, he brought death upon himself.

“Please, Sunhee. There has to be a way!” Baekhyun yelled, as he snatched the knife out of her hand, and tossed it across the room. Normally, she wouldn’t let him disarm her so easily; it was her fault that she wondered what he could do to fight for his life. He didn’t stand a chance of persuading her, but the curiosity got the better of her.

“You have no shame, do you?” Sunhee inquired, tilting her head to the side. Baekhyun’s demeanor changed beyond recognition; almost as if a completely different person was standing before her. Captain Byun was confident, fierce and strong. Baekhyun, on the other hand, was weak and pitiful. “Actually, when I think about it, there might be a way.”

“I’ll do everything.” Baekhyun eagerly answered, staring at Sunhee, waiting impatiently for her to reveal whatever came across her mind. There was an escape route, and Baekhyun would do anything to get on the right track.

“It shall be enormously difficult, though.” Sunhee added, touching her chin, thinking of the best way to deliver the message.

“What is it, Sunhee?” Baekhyun asked, his eyes glimmering with hope. He had a chance, although Sunhee had been stating his case was helpless. Whatever it was, he wouldn’t waste it. If there was really a possibility for him to escape this horrible situation, he couldn’t quit.

“You have to kill me.” She spoke flatly. From her perspective, it was the only way. She wouldn’t let him leave the room, so the only option for him was to kill her. And if he actually managed to do that, he’d have to face Jungkook, too. “I can’t allow you to run away, and if you really want to survive, you have to kill me.”

Baekhyun was petrified. How could he do that? He didn’t love her, but he wasn’t entirely indifferent, either. There was something about her what would always draw him closer; he was genuinely fond of her, and if he got a chance to see her daily, he would undoubtedly fall for her. He just couldn’t kill her.

“You can’t be serious,” Baekhyun commented, but Sunhee continued to stare at him blankly. She didn’t look like as if she was joking. Nonetheless, Baekhyun didn’t like the solution. Sunhee was a woman, and Baekhyun just couldn’t fight her.

“Only one of us can leave this room alive.” Sunhee added, and Baekhyun cupped her cheeks again, and smashed his lips against her. His tongue immediately started to devour her mouth, making her whimper.

Baekhyun was a traitor, but Sunhee was different. The boss had assigned her to execute a task, and she was going to complete it. She wasn’t like Baekhyun; she would never bail out on the given order. They wanted Baekhyun’s head, and she was going to conduct the order to the very end, or she would die trying.

“Baekhyun–“Sunhee panted, as she drew back. The kiss felt amazing, but she would never betray her family. “Stop, it’s over.” She pushed him on the bed, and went across the room to pick up her knife.

Sunhee held it in front of her, and Baekhyun just stood up, the blade’s tip being pressed against his naked chest, almost cutting the skin.

“You won’t do it.” He whispered, placing his hand on top of hers, pressing the knife against him tighter. “I know we barely know each other, but the passion we have is something unique.” He added matter-of-factly, as he snatched the knife, and swirled her around, holding the weapon in front of her neck, the blade almost grazing her skin. “You don’t want to kill me.” Baekhyun murmured, nipping her ear shell gently.

“This isn’t about what I want; it’s about what must be done.” Sunhee retorted, and quickly twisted his hand around, so the knife fell onto the ground.

“They’ve brainwashed you; you don’t have to do anything.” Baekhyun replied, as he grabbed her wrist, and pushed her onto the bed, hovering above her a second later. “Run away with me. Fuck the Kkangpae, fuck the war. Let’s leave it behind; you and me, together.”

Sunhee couldn’t tell the proposition wasn’t tempting. Baekhyun’s words really sparked her interest, although she knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. She was a part of Kkangpae; they were their family. She couldn’t turn her back on them. They had taken her in when she was little and raised her as if she was their blood.  Sunhee would never betray them, especially not when they had given her so much when she hadn’t had anything.

Baekhyun’s proposition sounded amazing, but she would never give in.

“I can’t, and I won’t. They are my family, and one can’t betray one’s blood.” Sunhee spoke, pushing Baekhyun off her, so the man fell onto the floor. “You tried playing, and you lost; don’t drag me down with you.” She added, as she opened the drawer, and clenched her fingers around the gun.

“Sunhee, don’t.” Baekhyun raised his hands in defeat, as he stood up. “What do I have to do to convince you?”

“You can’t do anything.” Sunhee spoke flatly, holding the gun up, aiming at his naked chest. “Whatever you think, it wasn’t meant to be. You’re a traitor, and you’ll die as one.”

“Please,” Baekhyun murmured, a single tear rolling down his cheek, his voice breaking at the end of the word. “Save me.” He lowered his hand, and took a step forward. “Save me, Sunhee.” He spoke slowly, enveloping his arms around her, pressing her head in the crook of his neck. “You’re my last hope.”

Sunhee shouldn’t listen to him. She had been taught better. If a person betrayed, couldn’t be trusted ever again. It would take a lifetime to restore trust, and Baekhyun wouldn’t persuade her in one night.

“Baekhyun, don’t make it harder than it already is.” She pushed him away, taking her aim. He was susceptible, completely defenseless. “The decision whether you live or not is not mine; I follow orders, and I will always abide by them. That’s where we’re different. You betrayed for your own benefit, whereas I will execute the command even when my heart tells me not to.” Sunhee confessed, and ran her tongue across her lips, as she stared at him.

“So, this is how everything is going to end, huh?” Baekhyun sighed, and shook his head, looking down at his feet. “You’re really stubborn, Sunhee. Has anyone told you that before?” He stated, smiling at the girl. “I know it won’t change your mind, but I want you to know that I regret it. I shouldn’t have done what I did. It’s my mistake, and you’re right when you say I should man up and suffer the consequences. I wish I had met you before this whole mess. Maybe, I’d have behaved differently.”

“Goodbye, Baekhyun.” Sunhee spoke, staring at Baekhyun fondly.

“Goodbye, Sunhee.” Baekhyun replied, sending her a wide smile. “Live well.”

Not daring to blink, Sunhee pulled the trigger. She shot right through his heart.

Baekhyun was afraid of death. He had tried multiple ways to fool death. His precautions brought this fortune upon him.

Baekhyun was a good person; he only wanted to be safe.

Shortly after Baekhyun’s heart stopped beating, Jungkook entered the apartment. Sunhee looked at him, and smiled. Her mission was complete; they fulfilled the given orders.

“Come on, let’s go.” Jungkook spoke quietly, and stretched his arm, holding her hand gently. Sunhee didn’t hesitate, and quickly approached him. In silence, they exited the apartment, leaving Baekhyun’s corpse behind them.

Baekhyun wasn’t her first target; he wasn’t her last one, either.

It felt different, though.

Whenever, she pondered about it, she knew that killing him was the most difficult choice she had ever made. She didn’t regret it, but she would remember Captain Byun till the end of her days.

[chasingthecosmos]

Call Me But Love

Fandom: Doctor Who Rating: T Pairing: The Doctor/Rose Tyler, Twelfth Doctor/Rose Tyler (The Doctor/Clara Oswald, Twelfth Doctor/Clara Oswald) Chapters: 8/40 Read on AO3 here.

“‘Oh, dear. Looks like we might have picked up an extra passenger,’ the Doctor grumbled to himself. His gaze raised to Rose’s once more and she was struck by the sheer intensity of it and the way that he managed to look at once so familiar, and yet so different from what she was used to. ‘Best find something to hold on to,’ he warned her ominously.”

A Season 8 & 9 AU centering around Rose Tyler and her newly-regenerated Doctor as they both struggle to maintain their relationship in the face of some unknown force that seems to be drawing them together. Will they be able to solve the mystery of who is pulling the strings before it’s too late?

This is a direct sequel to “By Any Other Name” and might be a bit confusing if you haven’t read that first. Tags will be updated as I go.

"Tell me: am I a good man?"

Rose didn't quite know how to answer such a loaded question coming from a man who, for all intents and purposes, was still settling back into his own mind and personality. Unable to find the right words in the moment to respond with, she settled for filling the Doctor's thoughts with as much silent reassurance as possible, and waited to give him a solid answer until after they had gone into both the heart and mind of a broken dalek and stopped the thing from killing everyone onboard the futuristic space hospital that the Doctor had stumbled onto.

She made him wait until after she had showered, too - being in the literal belly of the beast was an experience that Rose hoped never to repeat again as the smell of the dalek's gastrointestinal system seemed to have permanently affixed itself to her clothes and hair.

When she finally reemerged into their shared bedroom once more and began the task of hunting down a set of clean clothes, Rose gently reached out over their shared telepathic bond and quietly sensed out the Doctor's mind. She could tell by the pattern of his grim thoughts that he had been brooding the entire time that she had been cleaning herself up, and she was eager to pull him from that particular train of thought before he managed to get too lost in it.

She beckoned him wordlessly, and she tried not to be too surprised when he followed her command without complaint. Rose was fully dressed again and toweling her hair dry when his tall frame finally filled the doorway before her, his expression just as dark and severe-looking as always. However, Rose was surprised to find that the furrowed brows were beginning to grow on her, and she flashed him a small, fond smile as she silently tugged against their connection once more and ushered him further into the room.

"I think I finally managed to get rid of the smell," she informed him lightly as she tossed her damp towel into the nearby hamper and let her wet hair fall down loose around her shoulders, "though I think the clothes were largely unsalvageable."

"That's a shame," the Doctor replied as he continued to watch her with an intent focus that Rose was beginning to realize might be yet another strange new trend with this body.

"Oh?" Rose prompted him curiously, raising her eyebrows in his direction as she waited for a deeper explanation.

"Isn't it? I don't know. They all look the same to me," he sighed wearily, finally crossing the threshold and stepping fully into the room, though he still hesitated near the doorway, not seeming to know where it was appropriate to position himself in the small space that they had once shared.

"Doctor ..." Rose murmured quietly, "you asked me before if you were a good man."

She watched patiently as the considering scowl on his face slowly melted into quiet surprise. He clearly hadn't expected her to return to the subject again, and he didn't say anything in response - he simply watched her appraisingly as she continued, "I don't even know if there is such a thing as a 'good man'. People are just people, no matter who they are or what they do. But, I think you try to be, and ... I think that's probably the point."

Rose bit her lip in nervous anticipation as she watched the Doctor's blue eyes grow warm and gentle in a way that she hadn't yet seen on this new face of his before. He opened his mouth slowly, but it seemed to take him a moment to get the words out as he glanced down at his hands and finally replied, "I ... made something for you."

"You what?" Rose asked, tilting her head at the Doctor in curiosity as he fidgeted awkwardly before her. The Doctor who she had married on her parallel world was always making her things during their life together - partly out of a necessity to stay busy and train his hands to productive work, and partly as a display of love and affection. However, Rose had had to leave all of those treasured memories and trinkets behind when she had come back to this universe, and the Doctor that she had married here - this man's previous self - had never exactly had a spare moment to craft very much during their many wild adventures.

"I made it a long time ago," the Doctor continued, still studiously avoiding her gaze as he stared down hard at his own hands. Rose realized belatedly that he was holding something within them, rolling the small object between his fingers as though testing the shape and size of it. "I just ... never had the chance ..."

Show me, Rose encouraged him gently, taking another step forward and silently beckoning him further into the room once more. Her mental urging seemed to finally draw his gaze back to her, and she could practically feel his blue eyes as a physical touch as the Doctor stared hard at her openly-curious expression.

"You don't have to take it, of course. Not if you don't want to," he muttered awkwardly. "It's really nothing special. I could make a better one, if you wanted. And it's not like it really means anything - not really - but, I just ... thought you might want it."

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose insisted, smiling up at him before she took another step closer and glanced down to the gift that he was concealing in his hands. There, she was just able to make out the band of a small, silver ring glinting in the light as it passed through his slowly twiddling fingers.

Rose gasped aloud as realization dawned on her, but the sudden, sharp noise seemed to freeze the Doctor in place as he instantly became one long line of nervous tension.

"It really is nothing, just something the old me put together one night when I was bored ..." the Doctor was still muttering dismissively as he tentatively held the small ring up for her approval. There was a large, clear, turquoise-colored gem in the center of it, surrounded by clusters of smaller white gems that twinkled like stars. It was very different from the ring that Rose's husband had made her back when they were living in their parallel world together, but it was no less beautiful and significant. She still wore the old brass ring that she had awoken in this body with on a chain around her neck at all times - a ring that was not her husband's, but still symbolized her love and loyalty to him even now after so much time and distance apart.

"Oh, Doctor ..." Rose sighed in breathless wonder. "It's beautiful ..."

"He would want you to have it," the Doctor replied gently. Then, forcing himself to meet her eyes, he added under his breath, "I would like you to have it. If you want it."

Rose flashed him a wide, ecstatic grin as she instantly filled his mind with yes, yes, yes! and tentatively reached for the small, priceless gift.

The Doctor hesitated for a moment before taking Rose's left hand in his own and sliding the delicate ring onto her third finger himself. Rose could sense that there was some great, complicated emotion sitting just behind the mental barrier that he still insisted on keeping between them, but she didn't prod him to share as she tore her gaze away from the gorgeous silver band and glanced up to catch his eye. She was still smiling like a fool as she silently filled his thoughts with all of her overwhelming joy and happiness and he rewarded her with that soft, crooked smile that she loved best as he gazed down at her in return.

"I hope you're not expecting me to make you something in return ..." Rose murmured with a small, self-deprecating shrug. "I'm rubbish with jewelry."

The Doctor breathed out a small huff of laughter through his nose as he slowly shook his head and raised his own left hand for her to see. "Already made something for myself, thanks," he replied simply.

"You're ... going to wear a ring?" Rose asked dubiously as she eyed the gold band with the pale green stone that was currently resting around the Doctor's third finger. Her husband back in their parallel world had had a wedding ring, of course - but he only ever wore it whenever he could be bothered to remember where he had left it, and Rose couldn't for the life of her imagine her Doctor in this world being much different.

"'Course I am," the Doctor replied with a baffled, indignant expression. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he silently added, Is ... that alright?

Rose had to fight very hard to respect the Doctor's wishes and maintain his small bubble of personal space as she felt the tingling sensation of his doubt and insecurities suddenly creeping into the back of her mind. The daft old idiot was still so unsure of her - unsure if she still cared for him the way that she used to, the way that she had sworn to always do - and she wanted nothing more in that moment than to throw her arms around his neck and prove to him once and for all that he was an absolute, ridiculous dolt.

She realized, suddenly, that he had given her the silver and turquoise ring as a memento of his old self - a vow of love and fidelity that he thought that she rightfully deserved. It was a gift from the man who had already come and gone, and of promises past. But he had made the gold and green ring as a gift from his current self, and a promise for the future. This ring symbolized an offer - an open invitation that he was completely and totally hers, if only she cared to claim him.

Rose reached forward and took his left hand in hers without hesitation, bringing the small gold ring up to her eye-level so that she could carefully inspect it. The single gem adorning it was a perfect circle that glittered different shades of jade and lime in the dim light that surrounded them. She didn't think that it was what she would have necessarily chosen for him, but it was certainly unique, and obviously eye-catching, which was a trait that she very much appreciated.

Rose made sure to meet the Doctor's gaze head-on as she slowly bent her lips to the green gemstone and pressed a lingering, deliberate kiss to its small surface. She could sense that the Doctor was holding his breath as he watched her, the glint in his new blue eyes making her heart flare with desire as she eagerly accepted his offer to display their relationship openly to anyone who cared to look.

She made sure that the Doctor felt the fire behind her deeply possessive thoughts as she muttered teasingly, Now I know your'e getting old - you're going soft, Doctor.

The Doctor's lips immediately turned up into a small smirk, which when paired with the look of his dark, blown pupils made Rose's heart stutter and skip a beat. Promise not to tell anyone? he teased gently in return as he took her own left hand and brought it to his lips to repeat her small gesture of fondness.

"You make an honest man out of me, Rose Tyler," he muttered aloud, his mouth moving against the sensitive skin of her knuckles as he spoke. "That can be a very dangerous thing." The Doctor's smirk only continued to grow as he quickly realized that the low tone of his voice and the way that he now rolled his "R's" was making her shiver uncontrollably.

"The world doesn't end because the Doctor dances," Rose reminded him with a dreamy, dazed smile. "It won't end just because he's married, either."

"Been married loads of times, me," the Doctor reminded her dismissively. Never had this, though, he added as he silently embraced their telepathic bond. He didn't have to give words to the rest of the thoughts and emotions that he couldn't quite bring himself to admit, because Rose felt them just as vividly as she felt her own: Never had you, never had connection, never had love.

"Me, too," Rose whispered gently as she stared up at him and slowly lost herself in those soft blue eyes of his. She absolutely adored this gentle, quite look that he was sharing with her because she knew that it was hers - something that the Doctor (and this face, in particular) would never share with anyone else, something that only she would ever get to see.

Rose silently mused over the many faces of the Doctor that she had loved over the years as she slowly let her gaze trail over the new features of the man before her. Her first Doctor had loved her in a shy, unsure way - his broken hearts making him both desperate and defensive as she taught him how to heal. Her second Doctor had loved her with casual affection - their shared confidence in their relationship making them reckless enough to test fate itself (a failed endeavor that reminded them both that they were not, in fact, invincible). Her third Doctor had loved her with wild abandon - the loneliness of being separated and the weight of his many mistakes making him needy and desperate for connection as he eagerly welcomed her back into his life and his mind again.

This Doctor, however - he loved her with quiet pride. He wore his ring (something that Rose would have never imagined the Doctor doing) as a badge of honor - a stoic promise to serve and protect, a silent vow of eternal devotion. He kept the rest of the world at arm's length, but he allowed her to see the things that he would never admit to anyone else, maybe even to himself.

And you accuse me of being old and sentimental, the Doctor muttered dryly into her thoughts, though the soft look still remained in his pale blue eyes as he watched her silently pondering him.

Just appreciating the view, dear, Rose replied teasingly as she reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek before he could startle away or force any more barriers between them. However, she was both surprised and pleased when the Doctor simply flashed her another one of his charming, lopsided smiles and pulled against her hand that he still held in his, urging her out into the hallway and back towards the console room.

"So ... where to next?" he called back eagerly over his shoulder to her. "Your choice - wherever, whenever ... anywhere in time and space."

Rose grinned wildly at the back of the Doctor's head as her mind immediately began racing ahead of her to the many possibilities that lay before them. She knew exactly where she wanted to go next, of course - she would just have to work on convincing the Doctor to hear her out ...

[readbookywooks]

The Medical Experts and a Pound of Nuts

THE evidence of the medical experts, too, was of little use to the prisoner. And it appeared later that Fetyukovitch had not reckoned much upon it. The medical line of defence had only been taken up through the insistence of Katerina Ivanovna, who had sent for a celebrated doctor from Moscow on purpose. The case for the defence could, of course, lose nothing by it and might, with luck, gain something from it. There was, however, an element of comedy about it, through the difference of opinion of the doctors. The medical experts were the famous doctor from Moscow, our doctor, Herzenstube, and the young doctor, Varvinsky. The two latter appeared also as witnesses for the prosecution. The first to be called in the capacity of expert was Doctor Herzenstube. He was a grey and bald old man of seventy, of middle height and sturdy build. He was much esteemed and respected by everyone in the town. He was a conscientious doctor and an excellent and pious man, a Hernguter or Moravian brother, I am not quite sure which. He had been living amongst us for many years and behaved with wonderful dignity. He was a kind-hearted and humane man. He treated the sick poor and peasants for nothing, visited them in their slums and huts, and left money for medicine, but he was as obstinate as a mule. If once he had taken an idea into his head, there was no shaking it. Almost everyone in the town was aware, by the way, that the famous doctor had, within the first two or three days of his presence among us, uttered some extremely offensive allusions to Doctor Herzenstube's qualifications. Though the Moscow doctor asked twenty-five roubles for a visit, several people in the town were glad to take advantage of his arrival, and rushed to consult him regardless of expense. All these had, of course, been previously patients of Doctor Herzenstube, and the celebrated doctor had criticised his treatment with extreme harshness. Finally, he had asked the patients as soon as he saw them, "Well, who has been cramming you with nostrums? Herzenstube? He he!" Doctor Herzenstube, of course, heard all this, and now all the three doctors made their appearance, one after another, to be examined. Doctor Herzenstube roundly declared that the abnormality of the prisoner's mental faculties was self-evident. Then giving his grounds for this opinion, which I omit here, he added that the abnormality was not only evident in many of the prisoner's actions in the past, but was apparent even now at this very moment. When he was asked to explain how it was apparent now at this moment, the old doctor, with simple-hearted directness, pointed out that the prisoner had "an extraordinary air, remarkable in the circumstances"; that he had "marched in like a soldier, looking straight before him, though it would have been more natural for him to look to the left where, among the public, the ladies were sitting, seeing that he was a great admirer of the fair sex and must be thinking much of what the ladies are saying of him now," the old man concluded in his peculiar language. I must add that he spoke Russian readily, but every phrase was formed in German style, which did not, however, trouble him, for it had always been a weakness of his to believe that he spoke Russian perfectly, better indeed than Russians. And he was very fond of using Russian proverbs, always declaring that the Russian proverbs were the best and most expressive sayings in the whole world. I may remark, too, that in conversation, through absent-mindedness he often forgot the most ordinary words, which sometimes went out of his head, though he knew them perfectly. The same thing happened, though, when he spoke German, and at such times he always waved his hand before his face as though trying to catch the lost word, and no one could induce him to go on speaking till he had found the missing word. His remark that the prisoner ought to have looked at the ladies on entering roused a whisper of amusement in the audience. All our ladies were very fond of our old doctor; they knew, too, that having been all his life a bachelor and a religious man of exemplary conduct, he looked upon women as lofty creatures. And so his unexpected observation struck everyone as very queer. The Moscow doctor, being questioned in his turn, definitely and emphatically repeated that he considered the prisoner's mental condition abnormal in the highest degree. He talked at length and with erudition of "aberration" and "mania," and argued that, from all the facts collected, the prisoner had undoubtedly been in a condition of aberration for several days before his arrest, and, if the crime had been committed by him, it must, even if he were conscious of it, have been almost involuntary, as he had not the power to control the morbid impulse that possessed him. But apart from temporary aberration, the doctor diagnosed mania, which promised, in his words, to lead to complete insanity in the future. (It must be noted that I report this in my own words, the doctor made use of very learned and professional language.) "All his actions are in contravention of common sense and logic," he continued. "Not to refer to what I have not seen, that is, the crime itself and the whole catastrophe, the day before yesterday, while he was talking to me, he had an unaccountably fixed look in his eye. He laughed unexpectedly when there was nothing to laugh at. He showed continual and inexplicable irritability, using strange words, 'Bernard!' 'Ethics!' and others equally inappropriate." But the doctor detected mania, above all, in the fact that the prisoner could not even speak of the three thousand roubles, of which he considered himself to have been cheated, without extraordinary irritation, though he could speak comparatively lightly of other misfortunes and grievances. According to all accounts, he had even in the past, whenever the subject of the three thousand roubles was touched on, flown into a perfect frenzy, and yet he was reported to be a disinterested and not grasping man. "As to the opinion of my learned colleague," the Moscow doctor added ironically in conclusion "that the prisoner would, entering the court, have naturally looked at the ladies and not straight before him, I will only say that, apart from the playfulness of this theory, it is radically unsound. For though I fully agree that the prisoner, on entering the court where his fate will be decided, would not naturally look straight before him in that fixed way, and that that may really be a sign of his abnormal mental condition, at the same time I maintain that he would naturally not look to the left at the ladies, but, on the contrary, to the right to find his legal adviser, on whose help all his hopes rest and on whose defence all his future depends." The doctor expressed his opinion positively and emphatically. But the unexpected pronouncement of Doctor Varvinsky gave the last touch of comedy to the difference of opinion between the experts. In his opinion the prisoner was now, and had been all along, in a perfectly normal condition, and, although he certainly must have been in a nervous and exceedingly excited state before his arrest, this might have been due to several perfectly obvious causes, jealousy, anger, continual drunkenness, and so on. But this nervous condition would not involve the mental abberation of which mention had just been made. As to the question whether the prisoner should have looked to the left or to the right on entering the court, "in his modest opinion," the prisoner would naturally look straight before him on entering the court, as he had in fact done, as that was where the judges, on whom his fate depended, were sitting. So that it was just by looking straight before him that he showed his perfectly normal state of mind at the present. The young doctor concluded his "modest" testimony with some heat. "Bravo, doctor!" cried Mitya, from his seat, "just so!" Mitya, of course, was checked, but the young doctor's opinion had a decisive influence on the judges and on the public, and, as appeared afterwards, everyone agreed with him. But Doctor Herzenstube, when called as a witness, was quite unexpectedly of use to Mitya. As an old resident in the town, who had known the Karamazov family for years, he furnished some facts of great value for the prosecution, and suddenly, as though recalling something, he added: "But the poor young man might have had a very different life, for he had a good heart both in childhood and after childhood, that I know. But the Russian proverb says, 'If a man has one head, it's good, but if another clever man comes to visit him, it would be better still, for then there will be two heads and not only one."' "One head is good, but two are better," the prosecutor put in impatiently. He knew the old man's habit of talking slowly and deliberately, regardless of the impression he was making and of the delay he was causing, and highly prizing his flat, dull and always gleefully complacent German wit. The old man was fond of making jokes. "Oh, yes, that's what I say," he went on stubbornly. "One head is good, but two are much better, but he did not meet another head with wits, and his wits went. Where did they go? I've forgotten the word." He went on, passing his hand before his eyes, "Oh, yes, spazieren."* * Promenading. "Wandering?" "Oh, yes, wandering, that's what I say. Well, his wits went wandering and fell in such a deep hole that he lost himself. And yet he was a grateful and sensitive boy. Oh, I remember him very well, a little chap so high, left neglected by his father in the back yard, when he ran about without boots on his feet, and his little breeches hanging by one button." A note of feeling and tenderness suddenly came into the honest old man's voice. Fetyukovitch positively started, as though scenting something, and caught at it instantly. "Oh, yes, I was a young man then.... I was... well, I was forty-five then, and had only just come here. And I was so sorry for the boy then; I asked myself why shouldn't I buy him a pound of... a pound of what? I've forgotten what it's called. A pound of what children are very fond of, what is it, what is it?" The doctor began waving his hands again. "It grows on a tree and is gathered and given to everyone..." "Apples?" "Oh, no, no. You have a dozen of apples, not a pound.... No, there are a lot of them, and call little. You put them in the mouth and crack." "Quite so, nuts, I say so." The doctor repeated in the calmest way as though he had been at no loss for a word. "And I bought him a pound of nuts, for no one had ever bought the boy a pound of nuts before. And I lifted my finger and said to him, 'Boy, Gott der Vater.' He laughed and said, 'Gott der Vater'... 'Gott der Sohn.' He laughed again and lisped 'Gott der Sohn.' 'Gott der heilige Geist.' Then he laughed and said as best he could, 'Gott der heilige Geist.' I went away, and two days after I happened to be passing, and he shouted to me of himself, 'Uncle, Gott der Vater, Gott der Sohn,' and he had only forgotten 'Gott der heilige Geist.' But I reminded him of it and I felt very sorry for him again. But he was taken away, and I did not see him again. Twenty-three years passed. I am sitting one morning in my study, a white-haired old man, when there walks into the room a blooming young man, whom I should never have recognised, but he held up his finger and said, laughing, 'Gott der Vater, Gott der Sohn, and Gott der heilige Geist. I have just arrived and have come to thank you for that pound of nuts, for no one else ever bought me a pound of nuts; you are the only one that ever did.' then I remembered my happy youth and the poor child in the yard, without boots on his feet, and my heart was touched and I said, 'You are a grateful young man, for you have remembered all your life the pound of nuts I bought you in your childhood.' And I embraced him and blessed him. And I shed tears. He laughed, but he shed tears, too... for the Russian often laughs when he ought to be weeping. But he did weep; I saw it. And now, alas!..." "And I am weeping now, German, I am weeping now, too, you saintly man," Mitya cried suddenly. In any case the anecdote made a certain favourable impression on the public. But the chief sensation in Mitya's favour was created by the evidence of Katerina Ivanovna, which I will describe directly. Indeed, when the witnesses a decharge, that is, called the defence, began giving evidence, fortune seemed all at once markedly more favourable to Mitya, and what was particularly striking, this was a surprise even to the counsel for the defence. But before Katerina Ivanovna was called, Alyosha was examined, and he recalled a fact which seemed to furnish positive evidence against one important point made by the prosecution.