#a little brother to brother pep talk after the wedding

[azzie-beastbinder]

Late Night Musings

“...Umezawa, are you awake?”

“I was about to ask you that, kid. But yes. What’s wrong?”

“...”

“Come on, kid. I’ve known you since you were a baby, you can talk to me.”

“I know. I just...I don’t know. I’m...faltering. I can feel it. Everything is just too much, and...”

“...And it feels like you’re going crazy.”

“I can hear scissors talking, Satoru.”

“Okay, so you’re literally going insane. So what? You’re still Koda. You’re still my little brother. You’re still the Dokuchi boss.”

“For how long, though? I’ve only been in this position for five years and I’m already burning out. Even fucking Boss Mazene kept her position for six years. What did she do that I couldn’t?”

“Well for one thing, she was already in her fifties when she took the position, and everyone hated her to the point where my gang’s ancestors were hired to kill her. For another, she took her position because she killed Boss Puddlepaw, who wasn’t much better and only led for a year longer than she did.”

“...How do you remember my gang’s history off the cuff like that?”

“I remember everything Ayame taught me. She was the best teacher I ever had. And that’s saying something, considering I’ve gone through the Imperials’ enforcer academy three times now.”

A snicker. “You have, haven’t you?” A sigh. “I don’t know if I can live up to her example.”

“You don’t have to. I don’t go through my life trying to live up to my father, and he was the boss before...well, technically there was a guy between me and him, but you get the point.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to follow up on Ayame Hayashi. It’s like...everyone looks at me like they assume I’ll do incredible things just because I’m her son. Everyone acted like it was already set in stone that I would be the Dokuchi boss even before Boss Mei stepped down-”

“Koda. You’re spiralling.”

“...Right...”

“Look at it this way, kid. In five years, you’ve done more for the Dokuchi Reckoners and people beyond Kamigawa than pretty much everyone since Setsa did. You actually care about your gang and want to keep them safe. You’re a good boss, Hayashi.”

“...I wonder what things would have been like if I never became the boss...”

“I don’t see the point of wondering about it, but sure, let’s play this out. Let’s say you never became Boss Mei’s second-in-command when you were seventeen. Goldenscar wouldn’t have accepted no matter what Boss Mei asked her to do. Ghostmark would still have been sixteen, so he definitely wouldn’t have been in the running, even with him learning under Tsuji.”

“Right...which means Okino probably would be the next one, since she was twenty at the time. And she’s the best of us.”

“Quit putting yourself down, Hayashi. But sure, Yuriko as boss. Since she wouldn’t be a movie star, since we both know she can’t handle two big things all at once, that means the Dokuchi would be in an even worse state, financially speaking.”

“Yeah, because she’s the one keeping the orphanage funded now...”

“Right. So regardless of how good of a boss she would or wouldn’t be, that part of the Dokuchi Reckoners would still be suffering in a way that it isn’t now.”

“...Yeah...”

“You’re a good guy, Koda. Towashi’s done its damnedest to break you at every turn, but here you still are. Your first reaction when someone is suffering is to help them. Your first reaction to injustice is to right it. You’re a better person than I was at your age, and you’re still a better person than me now.”

“...Thanks, Satoru.”

“No problem, kid. Now get some shut-eye. We’ve got one hell of a hike in a few hours.”

[watchtowerindistress]

the empath and the eldritch horror (3/5) - sparrow!ben x empath!reader

Summary: This was truly the end of the world. Both families chose to band together to get rid of the ball of lightning in the basement. Allison is showing her true colors, affecting Eight. And Ben is trying his hand at pep talks.

Word count: 6.8k (*cough* don't look at me)

Warning: language, angst, Eight's mental health (or powers?), violence, Eight's self-esteem, mention of smut, mention of drugs, Eight has a very specific tattoo

Author's note: This is the chapter I was most looking forward to 🎉🤗 If you know the gif, you'll know which episode this is set in. The last chapter will be then after the wedding shenanigans.

Full disclosure, when I first watched this season so many years ago, I felt like so many others, truly angry at Allison. It's why I didn't want to do a re-watch, but now I have a more balanced approach. Not to mention, yes, Eight is deeply affected by Viktor and Allison, but ... at the same time, she gets it in a way, so she's more neutral about it. I think the next chapter delves deeper into that.

This chapter is so long because I included the whole episode (almost) from start to finish. You're welcome. 😘

Please please please write a small comment or reblog this.

Series masterlist

The absolute impossible happened. Who knew that both Hargreeves families could get over their petty squabbles and band together to defeat a common foe? This time around they chose to acknowledge that the Kugelblitz signaled a more pressing matter in spite of the egos of some people itching to kill the others.

Ben followed after Fei by sauntering into the sitting room as soon as some of your siblings had arrived to start off the family meeting and to deal with the next cataclysmic event.

Ben frowned impatiently at Fei’s inquiry about Diego’s hand—it was probably half curiosity and half a morbid way of making friends by feigning interest. “We don’t have time for idle chitchat. Everyone, sit down.”

Diego decided to be his typical brotherly self. “Please would be nice.”

His partner in crime (as you lovingly called her in your head) called Lila chuckled at his antics.

Ben barely turned his head in his direction when he uttered with a serious, “No.” With a frown, he tilted his head, scrutinizing the guests with a subtle glimpse. “Where’s the Empath?”

Casting his suspicious gaze onto Ben, Diego narrowed his eyes at this fascination. Maybe this was the overprotective brother in him who didn’t like the idea of this version of Ben being mesmerized by you—for whatever nefarious motives. Since he didn’t want to imagine anything else going on there.

Stretching his arm against his thigh as he leaned forward, Diego demanded with an accusatory voice, “Why do you care?”

Ben waved a hand, smirking widely to get under his skin. “Maybe I’d rather appreciate the presence of the sensitive sibling rather than the knife guy bashing his head through the fucking wall.”

“You little-” Diego hissed.

This was the moment when you arrived at the Academy. “I heard someone requested my being here,” you sang, hoping to de-escalate any frictions with your arrival.

The tension in Ben’s shoulders dissolved. You reminded yourself to appear as easy-going as possible when you passed Ben. Trying to disregard the intense gaze he sent you over your shoulder. You picked the seat in the middle of the couch, between Diego and Five, just in case Diego and Ben decided to butt heads.

Mildly curious, Diego grumbled, “How can you even stand the guy?” while waving a hand in Ben’s general direction as a gesture of irritation.

This was just your idea of a good time. To be subjected to being the woman in the middle trying to mediate between two pig-headed guys.

You sat down with a sigh, sending Ben a teasing expression. “Sometimes he reminds me of you.”

Their reaction was instantaneous.

Ben’s face contorted into a grimace. “Don’t insult me.”

Simultaneously, Diego added, “Not funny.”

Fei and Lila’s chuckles eased the tension in the room. But this appeared short-lived.

“Are we done now with the little stand-up show? Can we get on with it?” This time, Ben branded you with his dark stare.

You exhaled heavily, choosing to grant Ben this small amount of silence and Luther the opportunity to say his part, due to him bringing everyone together. The absence of Klaus and Viktor was starting to concern you. It was the not knowing part which bothered you, especially since there was this specific tradition in this family to not tell anyone anything. So, the chances of being absorbed by the Kugelblitz or being kidnapped were equally high. Or they just didn’t care to show up.

As soon as your gaze wandered around the room, the darkness emanated from Allison like a cloud, prompting you to slowly turn your head. Wisps of dark smoke encircled her being more and more by every second.

When Allison’s gaze almost found you reluctantly, you mouthed, “You good?”

The coldness in her eyes froze you in place, when she muttered, “Never better.”

Luther distracted you from your anxious mind when he stood up to face the families. “So, uh…” He cleared his throat. “This is kinda nice, right? All of us here together. One big happy family.” Luther chuckled before he bent down towards Sloane who was sitting in a chair across from you. “I feel like I’m sweaty. Am I sweating?”

“No, you’re fine.” Sloane whispered back reassuringly.

“Look, I know there’s been bad blood between us,” Ben admitted with a carefree voice, like everything which transpired between the families was just water under the bridge already. “Whatever. Bygones, right?”

Faking a smile to speed up the process, Ben pointed at Diego as soon as he raised his hand. “Question?”

“Yeah, if I kill you, do we get our Ben back?” He said, prompting Fei to snicker in jest.

You sighed, leaning back against the back of the couch. Diego must have sensed the grim expressions on Ben’s face and yours when he added, “Hypothetically.”

“Guys,” you admonished your brother. You felt the itch in your fingers before you finally relented and nervously nibbled on of the snacks which was laid out on the table like a small peace offering or a more strategic distraction. Knowing you would need the food to get you through the rest of the meeting.

“Keep talking, and your hand won’t be the only thing bleeding,” Ben hissed through gritted teeth.

“Okay, if the testosterone twins are done,” Five interrupted before a fight could fully break out between the Twos, “I’d like to get back to a plan.”

The sudden appearance of Viktor was a welcome distraction. But that was before you detected the yellow tendrils of fear wafting around him. Viktor rushed in, demanding answers while alternating his gaze between Allison and Ben. “Where is he? What did you do to Harlan?”

Ben had the good instinct to sneakily take a seat between Five and you. You were grateful that you functioned as a buffer next to Diego. He picked up the tub of cheese balls from the table and placed it in his lap, watching (and relishing) in rapt fascination the drama unfolding. You felt an altercation between Allison and Viktor about to boil over, not knowing whether to step in or letting it play out. Judging by Allison’s pain, you felt concerned if it could be contained for long.

“They didn’t do anything. I did. I killed Harlan,” Allison stated without emotion in her voice.

You knew better though. Allison’s eyes told you how this deplorable action wasn’t as easy for her as she wanted to let on.

The longer you remained in their vicinity—especially when Viktor was added to the mix—an almost deafening sensation grew in your ears. You tried to keep your emotions in check, afraid of what would happen if you would let it erupt. Sometimes you hated being this vessel of empathy. Like you were just along for the ride or were some sort of empty glass while the emotions of others filled you with water, making it a part of you. Leaving you to yourself while you tried to stop it from overspilling.

Sensing the overflowing feelings of rage and vindication from Allison’s side and the pain and grief on both sides, you experienced their conflict at parts like some sort of tunnel vision.

“Because he didn’t deserve to live,” Alison avowed, expecting it to be a given.

Uncomfortable silence prevailed the longer Allison and Viktor remained in their stalemate.

You tried to get your breathing under control and focused on anything else than the clashing of ideologies. Needing to distract yourself, you tried to hone in on Ben’s mischief taking over.

“Twenty bucks on the little one,” Ben whispered to Five before munching on his snack.

“I’ll take that action,” Five agreed quietly.

“I know Harlan killed all of our mothers.” Allison’s statement pulled you back after only listening to their voices halfheartedly.

Your siblings erupted into shocked reactions at that turn of events. “What?”

“Yeah, but he didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” Viktor attempted to appease the rest of his family, despite Five and Diego’s vexation slowly taking over. “He—I knew him. And he was sweet and kind until I made him like us. Okay? So, I screwed him up. And if you need someone to blame, I’m right here-”

Yet, Allison didn’t care for any redemption of Viktor. She turned confrontational while she was burning for a fight. “What makes you think I don’t?”

Your eyes widened anxiously at Allison’s aura shifting into a mixture of a darker red and almost black.

“This wasn’t about saving the world. This was about hurting me. Payback for-” Viktor grunted lowly.

Gingerly, yet menacingly, Allison moved to her feet. “Go on. Say her name.”

With your eyes closed, you clenched your hands into fists. “Can we please stop?” You mumbled quietly. The provoking words of your siblings echoed shallowly while your breathing was turning heavy.

Ben shifted his head in your direction at the shift of your breathing pattern. The tunnel vision was still happening when you felt Ben’s hand covering the edge of your back, but thankfully without touching the sliver of skin. Just letting his hand linger in place. His warmth was perhaps one of the only things keeping you centered in the moment without going insane. Or at least without releasing an exaggerated amount of energy to protect yourself.

“To what? Help me grieve? God, this whole family is so quick to tell me to suck up my pain and so worried about fixing yours! Somebody had to pay because you never seem to. Destroy the world, kill Pogo, almost kill me, and for what? So we can all run around and clean up your mess? I’m sick of it.”

You could feel Diego’s concerned gaze dwell on you. “Take it easy, Allison,” Five interjected.

“This isn’t helping,” Diego added, knowing that Allison wasn’t exactly known for respecting the boundaries of others when she felt attacked as a person.

Ben shushing at both siblings, and anyone who were trying to get between Allison and her thirst for vengeance, reminded you he was still being an asshole. Even if he was being nice when no one was looking.

You sighed, rejecting his offered touch by leaning forward. Ben’s grumpiness was more than obvious. If you didn’t already sense it growing in him, then it was the small grumbling noise he made while leaning back.

As soon as Viktor tried to say his part, Allison yelled, “Shut your mouth!”

From across the room, you felt Viktor choking from Allison’s power upgrade. But this didn’t end there when Allison kept screaming, “Every time I build a new life for myself, you end the world and take it from me!”

Feeling angry for Viktor’s sake, Luther jumped into action. ��All right, that’s it. Knock off the power shit, Allison. It’s not okay!”

The gratification grew around her when Allison delivered one last blow. “We should have left you in the basement.”

The unrest of your siblings broke out when she crossed the line. Diego jumped up from the couch with the others, commanding resolutely, “Whoa! Allison, all right!”

Viktor finally had enough when he slapped her in the face with the back of his hand. After being asked about her well-being, Allison assured them, “I’m fine. Let’s continue.”

You wished it was that simple.

With his footsteps departing, Viktor shook off his hand with rage.

“Sweet. You guys fight just like us,” Ben commented with a smug grin on his face.

There was sadness and disappointment in Diego’s voice when he elaborated, “Nah, man. We don’t fight like this.”

Once the air felt clearer with the absence of Viktor—or at least without a face for Allison to get mad at—you managed to breathe normally again. Your body still felt shaky when you stood up, needing a moment to come to your senses again.

Luther seemed to have read your intentions correctly, when he said, “Hey, Y/N, where-”

Blinking wearily, you murmured hoarsely, “I need a moment. I think everyone could use a bit of a break,” before walking around the couch.

Unfortunately, that meant crossing the path of Allison who eyed you with apprehension. As much as you wanted to avoid the confrontation. Allison’s arms were crossed when she faced you.

She smirked crookedly, tilting her head. “Have you decided to manipulate my emotions? Take my anger away?”

You felt too tired for any sort of conflict to arise again. As much as there was a lot unsaid between you two. Unlike her, you didn’t believe in manipulating other people.

Inhaling deeply, you gathered your strength. Truth be told, you had no intention of hurting her. With that in mind, you still couldn’t stop the pain from showing on your face. “I thought you knew I don’t force myself onto others,” you said almost in disappointment before leaving the sitting room and any of that lingering darkness behind. It felt way too obvious when the air you breathed seemed cleaner, less of a struggle.

You barely walked a few steps down the hallway when you heard slow footsteps follow behind.

“Where are you going?” The voice of Ben inquired expectantly behind you.

You sighed before you slowly turned around to face him. “I need some fresh air. Going up to the roof.” You smiled sarcastically. “Sorry I can’t enjoy the show.”

Ben looked over his shoulder to keep track of where the others were. The glittering in his eyes revealed his intentions before he even spoke. “You want to see my room?” Ben’s idea of flirting entailed him placing his hands in his pockets and letting the muscles in his arms flex.

As much as his concept of fun would serve as a nice distraction, you still couldn’t help the little awkward smile on your face. “You think the air’s better there?”

The earnestness in Ben’s eyes couldn’t fully diminish the mischief he had in mind when his eyes wandered up the stairs. “Well, it’s definitely secluded. No one’s going to bother you there.” His suggestion turned into something more teasing. “You could see how it looks in broad daylight.”

Leave it to Ben to try to cheer you up while the situation was so dire.

You chuckled. “Sure. No ulterior motives at all.”

Ben covered his chest in mock hurt. “Moi? What do you think of me? I’m just a nice guy who’s offering his private quarters as a small sanctuary for you.”

You nodded, pursing your lips. Remembering how he could stir some trouble when it was fun for him before choosing to go in a completely different direction when it suited him. “Sure, nice guy.” You braced your hands against your waist. “Would you also give that offer to Diego?”

Ben’s face remained blank. “Right. Are we talking about the guy with the stupid hat or with his knife kink?” When you didn’t rise to the bait, he continued, “Don’t worry, I don’t care about their names. My hospitality does have its limits after all. Besides, you’re one of the few people I don’t mind being up there. You know, maybe I could help you take your mind off of things.” Ben offered, stroking your arm through your clothing.

It was with reluctance when you pulled away. “As much as a distraction would be appreciated, I need to be alone right now. Unless you still want that anxiety attack while being around me.”

Nonetheless, the reminder made him smirk. “Promises, promises.”

“Whatever you guys decide, I’m all for. Clearly you don’t need me for it.”

You still had your eyes closed when you heard the door on the rooftop slide shut. With your hands on your stomach, you were lying down on the cornice and enjoying some peace and quiet. The sensation of the familiar aura reached you, instantly letting you know who it was that joined you.

You breathed in deeply, thrumming your fingers against your abdomen. “I wasn’t aware that I gave off the impression that I wanted company?”

“I was being more than generous by waiting five minutes before coming out here,” Ben hissed, like it went without saying that he would show up.

You smiled serenely. “What a gentleman,” you whispered teasingly. Ben seemed to be in one of his moods. Judging by that, you surmised he met another of your siblings or one of his own who soured his attitude.

The auditory perception of a city burning from the assimilation of the Kugelblitz rang in the distance. The only thing out of place in this universe. With you lying on the cornice it felt like the good ol’ times … if you tried to ignore the abuse and trauma being inflicted on by Reginald.

Ben placed his arms next to your head and leaned his body against the waist-high parapet, exhaling loudly.

You cleared your throat, deciding to take his bait. “Something on your mind?”

Ben didn’t need more prompting when he just as quickly replied, “You know, your emo brother is really something else. I mean, being stubborn just to stick it to someone or because they didn’t get an apology? Talk about pathetic and spiteful.”

So, it was frustrated Ben who needed to vent.

You sent him a small smile, watching him upside-down. Or more like to the side. “Yes, because you could never be spiteful.”

Ben waved a hand in vehement agreement. Humor was shining in his eyes when he smiled. “Exactly. You really get me.”

He eyed the bricks in the low wall. “Sloane, Lila and Christopher are going to work together to contain it. Viktor, as well, if he finally gets off his butt.”

“That’s good.” You blinked at him, feeling like he was reluctant to tell something else. Which didn’t feel like Ben.

“I came here because I told the others they would need your help in beating this thing.”

Astonishment filled your belly with uncomfortable heat. The blood rushed to your head despite you slowly sitting up. Your feet dangled at the sides of the wall. “Why would you do that?” You said with a husky voice.

“You have all these abilities at your fingertips, you just won’t use them.”

You shrugged your shoulders, surprised by Ben’s insistence. At feeling enraged on your behalf. Especially since he only knew you less than a week. “I’m just an Empath. I can’t control stuff which … probably isn’t even human.”

“You’re not—you’re not just one thing. Do you even see what you’re capable of? I’ve seen it. I mean, converting energy? Projecting illusions? And you’re supposed to be Number Eight? What the hell?”

“The numbers don’t really mean anything. I mean, Viktor is like Number Seven.” Even you could hear that your arguments sounded feeble. After so many times of being told to be one thing by Reginald Hargreeves, it felt like second nature to tell Ben you weren’t what he said you were. It felt surreal to have someone other than Diego in your corner claiming you were more than you wanted to acknowledge.

Ben shook his head. “In another universe, you could’ve been a Sparrow. I mean, what just happened in there?” He pointed back to the Academy. “You could’ve influenced everyone in there and be done with this shit.”

“That’s not me. I do that to people who hurt us. Not my own family.”

“No, that’s not it. You know what I think? You’re just so scared to show your true potential. Show them what you can do. I’ve seen you. If you were able to blast me away by creating a shield of kinetic energy, you should be able to hold something else in place.”

You narrowed your eyes at Ben’s advocacy on your behalf, feeling overwhelmed by his mere presence. “Why are you so adamant in analyzing all of my powers? Is this your plan to recruit me? You already gained Luther. What else do you want?”

“I’m trying to help you. You could be so much more than just the girl who feels stuff around her,” Ben said with utter passion in his voice, making the veins in his neck protrude.

“Wow, I’m being psychoanalyzed by you because I’d rather not take care of a ball of lightning? So, tell me, what else am I supposed to be afraid of?” Yes, you were being defensive, but maybe a small part of you actually wanted to hear someone state objectively—more or less—that you could hold your own to someone like Allison or Viktor.

Well, Viktor was kind of a big deal. You favored the possible outcome of at least standing firm against him for about five minutes or without instantly dying.

“You’re terrified of losing them. How they would react to the magnitude of your true self. You think everyone is like Dad. But they’re not. Screw everyone else if they are.”

Wow, resilient Ben was something else. Especially if he defied—at least mentally—someone like his father. Knowing it would be a long time coming before he would actually turn away from him.

You remained silent, trying to process his analysis before you finally found your voice again. “Did you give Viktor the same pep talk when you tried to rouse his participation?”

Ben smirked at the memory. “You know I can be very inspiring.” He sighed heavily, offering his hand. As if it took a lot out of him to even provide the gesture. “Come on.”

Your heart was beating wildly in your chest. After some hesitation, you exhaled and reached forward until you felt the warmth of his hand. Trying to pretend you didn’t sense Ben’s respect for you once you touched his bare skin. He helped you down from the cornice.

You sighed, knowing that time was of the essence. “Let’s just do this.”

As soon as Ben and you headed down to the basement, you noticed how both families were already gathered.

Five turned around, with his arms crossed. “Nice of you to join us. Wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

Diego wearily rolled his eyes. “Five’s just being Five. He didn’t have his coffee yet. We could use your magic touch, you know.”

Truth be told, Five always felt like a dark horse to you. And someone who behaved like an old man when he finally blinked back. Sometimes you just wished that you could actually get to know him. Not just the stories of legendary status about the outlier of the family who first defied Reginald. It felt like this was the only thing keeping you from truly becoming a part of this family. As much as you yearned to be. Running from one apocalypse to the next didn’t make you feel like Five even had the time to get to know the newest member of the family.

“You okay, kid?” Diego asked quietly, appraising your eyes for any mental harm shining through.

You nodded calmly to cease him from worrying too much. Something else caught your eye though. With wariness you scrutinized the Kugelblitz in the center of the basement. “So, that’s the thing, huh?”

Fei stepped forward. “If you mean the entity which is responsible for the collapse of micro black holes absorbing everything around it, then yes.”

“And absorbing billions of people so far. I don’t think we have a lot of time,” you said anxiously.

“No time like the present then.” Ben clapped his hands once, ready to get rid of the universal threat for good.

“Okay, how do we start?” Viktor inquired with a curious mindset.

Sloane did the honors of explaining. “Have you ever moved a nest of bees? You can’t just pick it up. You have to keep the nest calm while you build a box around it, and then you trap it.” Her eyes met yours. “Ben said you could contain it. Keep your shield over mine.”

You merely nodded in understanding.

“One of those black holes inside is vibrating at a different rate,” Fei continued.

“I can feel them.” Viktor nodded.

“Good. Whatever happens, don’t let them speed up or change, or everything will blow.”

“Don’t shake the bees. Got it,” Viktor replied to Fei.

He started it off by becoming paler and controlling the vibration frequency, with Lila mimicking his actions. As soon as Sloane used her gravitational powers to condense it, you pushed forth a telekinetic shield from within to keep the entity contained.

Grace’s voice spoke faintly from the stairs. “You didn’t tell me you were building a prison for God.”

“Mom?” Diego asked confusedly.

“The day of vengeance was in my heart and my year of redemption hath come,” she said ominously before pointing a flamethrower towards anyone standing in her way.

You kept one hand focused on the ball of lightning while stretching out your other arm, using an encircling shield to keep them safe. Inadvertently, the flames started to lick Grace’s skin. “Does anyone mind? Not good at multitasking here,” you said while keeping your eyes set on this universe destroyer.

Five had the good sense to blink her away before Diego would have to take care of his surrogate mother himself.

The moment when everything was calm again, Christopher disintegrated into smaller cube pieces, containing the Kugelblitz. You watched in suspense, feeling Ben move closer to you.

Sloane held Luther’s hand. “Next Kugelwave in three, two, one.”

Everyone held their breath. Counting the seconds after the destruction was supposed to take place. Almost like you expected something wrong to happen.

You were studying Christopher when the sentient box released a fart.

Exhaling a breath of relief, you looked at the others while chuckling.

You could swear you even heard him utter audible sounds which sounded close to, “Oh, was that me?”

The Sparrows certainly knew how to party and have a good time. Once the Kugelblitz had been dealt with, Sparrows and Umbrellas alike danced and drank together. Diego was a good sport by cutting off the top of champagne bottles with a katana before Ben poured the alcohol into the flutes of any willing participants.

You had the perfect view from the couch while Ben was getting sloshed and kept on filling Five’s champagne glass. It was actually hilarious to witness.

Diego was having fun dancing while balancing the longsword and jostling Ben from behind every time he tried drinking straight from the bottle.

You eyed the approaching company joining your lonesome self.

“Is someone having fun?” Fei asked with a smile.

You lifted your glass for show. “Already did. This is me relaxing and enjoying myself.”

“I saw that. You and Sloane seem close.”

You narrowed your eyes, remembering you dancing with Luther, Diego and Sloane at times. Your relationship to the Sparrows was slightly less tense than you were used to. But due to the power struggles within that family and maybe some hesitation in your own family, you still decided to keep your distance from Ben.

Despite the dark-eyed stares he was sending you from across the room. You remembered the few times when he leaned his body against your back while playfully filling up your glass when it was starting to empty. Ben’s body language was more than obvious that he wouldn’t mind a few dances with you. But you also knew he would never do that, especially with his family members watching.

“Well, of course, she’s a sweetheart. Not to mention, Luther’s lady love.”

Fei hummed. “So, you like solitude, huh?”

“Sometimes. Keeps me calm.”

“Well, Allison just left, so your mood should definitely increase by not feeling her presence.”

You shrugged. “As long as Viktor and Allison are not in the same vicinity, sure.”

“That was some good work you did in the basement. It really makes me wonder though … the fact that your family didn’t advocate your skills in the first place. I mean, why would my brother throw your hat in the ring? He seemed really certain … that you would deliver.”

Fei’s suspicious mind being disguised as interest didn’t put you at ease. “What do you mean? He just wanted this entity out of his basement. The sooner, the better. Now he has one less thing to worry about.”

“Just curious about his involvement, that’s all.” Fei braced her arm against the backrest of the sofa and leaned closer in a secretive manner. Giving off an impression which bordered on threatening and being your best friend. “Sounds very altruistic. The problem with that is, Ben isn’t the selfless kind, he always has something else in mind. I mean, he mentions your name and instead of sending one of your brothers, he’s getting you himself? Sounds interesting, don’t you think?”

Your eyes caught Ben who was already staring at you and Fei with a frown. You gazed speculatively at Fei again. “Is there still some internal power struggle I should know about?”

Fei threw her head back to cackle, like you had said the most entertaining thing ever. “Isn’t there always?”

You bit your lower lip and stood up. “Why the curiosity?”

Fei remained seated when she looked up at you. “Someone has to keep their guard up. I’d hate for you to turn into my enemy,” she said monotonously, so matter-of-factly.

“Ditto.” You checked your surroundings to watch out for the remaining guests. Noticing how Lila just followed after a departing Diego. Maybe it was time to slowly hit the road while things were somewhat amicable. “You know what? I think I’m going to hit the kitchen if that’s okay. I need to get some food into me.”

She waved a hand to indicate her consent. “You do that.”

~ Ben POV ~

The moment when you left the room, Ben was certain something had happened. The strange look you sent him before was the first clue that something was off. He grabbed Fei’s arm when she was about to cross the room. “What did you do, Fei?”

She smiled innocently. “Do? I didn’t do anything. Just had a little chat with your Empath.”

Fei calling you by that nickname left an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Ben spoke through gritted teeth, “About what?”

She tilted her head to stare straight at him. “You, of course. You’re quite fascinated with her, aren’t you?”

Ben let out a scoff before smirking. “So, you can’t see it? What she’s capable of? Someone who can control the feelings of others? Unlike you, I see the big picture. Proves why you’re not Number One, huh?” He turned his head, knowing that the party was winding down. “You’re saying she left already?”

Fei crossed her arms and enunciated, “Your little Empath was just hungry.”

Absentmindedly, you appreciated the cold taste of Rocky Road in your mouth while sitting at the kitchen table.

“So, this is your idea of celebrating?”

Not realizing you were being watched since you were so distracted from your wayward thoughts, you looked up to see Ben leaning against the doorjamb. “This is me eating my fill.” You let your scoop-filled spoon hover in the air and smiled giddily. You glanced down, taking out another spoonful. “You know, since I’m having a taste of you.”

Ben tilted his head, huffing with small laughter. “Sounds hot.”

You rolled your eyes at that dirty mind of his and moaned, letting the frozen dessert melt in your mouth. “Not like that. You guys even have an ice cream brand and actually keep that stuff here.”

“Right.” With that, he stepped forward into the kitchen.

“I mean, it’s alright. Probably way too overpriced.” Your enthusiasm awakened and you turned your head to look at Ben. “Wait, does Christopher have a flavor?”

“Birthday cake.”

“Huh, not what I expected. Weirdly fits,” you muttered under your breath and shook your head to clear your head. “Anyway, just decided to have something to eat, otherwise I would just fall asleep. Fei said it was okay.”

Ben wandered to the cupboards, opening and shutting drawers. “There is still a bed, you know. Still hasn’t changed.”

You chuckled, pointing with your thumb behind you without looking. “Behind me.”

He pulled out a spoon and arrogantly waved it around. “Right, I knew that.”

You nodded, pursing your lips at his make-believe. “Sure you did.”

Ben got himself a taste after sitting on the bar stool diagonally across from you.

You slid the tub closer to the middle of the wooden table. “Besides, don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He didn’t seem to agree when he frowned in confusion. “Why is that?”

You laughed, like it should’ve been obvious. “Because of your sister? She probably has her crow spies everywhere. Especially after today.”

Ben chuckled to himself and widened his eyes sarcastically. “Wow, get over yourself, you’re not that special. Was just offering a bed. Purely platonic.”

“Don’t be such an asshole.”

“Told you, I’m nice guy Ben.”

His statement made you observe him silently and place your fist under your chin. “Sure you are.”

“I heard the two of you had a conversation. What did Fei want to talk about?”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m not getting in the middle of whatever it is the two of you are playing.”

“Can’t change the nature of people.” Ben licked the cold treat from his lips. “Still didn’t answer the question. What made you want to flee for the kitchen?”

Sarcasm made your eyes light up. “A healthy appetite.”

“If you say so.”

“Not going to divulge more, in case you want to further examine the details of my powers into your Eight dossier.” Sometimes you had to catch yourself from saying more. Since you had been seconds away from straight-out telling him that overexerting yourself just made you hungry in general. And if it was a good enough excuse to evade Ben’s sister, then so be it.

Narrowing his eyes in incredulity, Ben felt disgruntled for your sake. “Is that such a bad thing wanting you to expand your powers?”

“Not if it’s just your intent to gain some sort of upper hand.”

Ben’s eyes darkened seductively when he pointed his spoon at you. “You’re saying I still can’t persuade you just a little bit to join our little ragtag group of Sparrows?”

You leaned your body forward mischievously. “Are you saying I can’t appeal to you to join our band of misfits instead?”

Ben scoffed loudly, straightening up in his seat. “Hard pass.”

A self-assured expression lingered on your face when you spoke with a dry tone. “Right. Who knew our families could work together after all?”

“Oh please, only a few of them are bearable.”

With warmth in your cheeks, you felt yourself gush, “Look at you making friends. I’m so proud of you.”

Ben smirked mockingly. “You’re hilarious.”

Your mind went back to the party, remembering the unusual side of Ben just having fun. “Were you trying to get Five drunk?”

Ben chuckled. “Someone’s got to keep the old man in line.”

“Priorities, hmm?” You sighed, looking outside the window above the sink and noticing how dark it already was. “Anyway, I have to go. You know, not to overstay our welcome. Thanks for the dessert.” You closed the lid of the tub and jumped down from your seat.

He smiled sardonically. “I wish I could say ‘Anytime’, but, you know, still got a reputation to uphold.” Ben copied your stance, staring directly at you under the dim lighting.

Willing to play his little charade, you smiled softly. “Of course you do,” you retorted, wordlessly taking the spoons and placing them in the sink. You heard Ben stash the ice cream back into the freezer before he closed the refrigerator with a dull thud. You could feel your skin getting warmer the longer he was watching you intently.

You tilted your head in concentration and felt your eyes light up when Ben’s emotional state came in waves towards you. “Why the curiosity?” You turned around until you were gazing at Ben.

With a rough and quiet voice, he twirled his finger while muttering, “Turn back around.”

Pursing your lips with a humming sound, you followed his request and looked through the window which oversaw the courtyard. “You don’t expect me to tell you where the knives are, do you?”

Ben snorted at your imagination. “You think this is an elaborate ploy to stab you to death?”

“I don’t know, Brutus. Could be an interesting endgame.”

“Then tell me, what do you feel right now?”

You closed your eyes, breathing in deeply to center yourself. “Your playfulness, your curiosity.” You opened your eyes again when something else reached you. “Oh wow, you can’t wait to touch me, huh?”

Exasperation was added to the mix when he stepped closer. Ben exhaled heavily before you could feel his presence behind you. His warm breath tickled the back of your neck and his fingers danced around the nape of your neck, gently brushing your hair to the side.

“Are those goosebumps?” Ben purred.

You chuckled, watching Ben’s reflection through the window. “To spare your ego, I think I’m gonna have to decline to answer.”

“What’s that?” He asked, stroking the ink on the back of your neck.

You licked your lips almost in anticipation. “It’s called a tattoo. I don’t know if you guys have that in this universe.”

Ben ignored your amusing nature when you threw him a sassy look over your shoulder. “What’s it stand for?”

“What makes you think it stands for anything?” You whispered, getting lost in this intimate atmosphere.

Frowning in concentration, Ben analyzed the tattoo. You already knew what he was looking at. The base of two pyramids overlapping and facing each other, with a respective line drawn horizontally beneath the apex of both triangle shapes. His fingers carefully traced the shapes before he spoke slowly, “For sure. Very intricate lines. You probably picked this because you thought it looked cool, right?”

“I made the draft. Klaus was the one who held the needle.”

“And Klaus is … who?”

“The guy you punched?” When Ben showed no further reaction, you continued, “When we arrived?”

“Right. For a second I confused him with knife boy. Since, you know, mentally, I punched your knife brother-”

You rolled your eyes and interjected, “Diego.”

Like you hadn’t said a thing, Ben continued, “Countless of times in my head.”

You sighed, remembering the pure form of testosterone being released every time they faced each other. “You two shouldn’t even be in the room together.”

Ben’s voice turned mockingly lighthearted. “Oh, you promise?” It shifted into something mildly curious. “Keep going.”

You teasingly asked, “What do you think it means?”

“Putting me in the spot again? Alright. If it’s coming from you, they’re probably … the alchemy symbols for the four elements?”

He already knew.

You huffed, lightly shoving him back with your shield of energy. “Fucking asshole.” You turned your body. Despite your furrowed brows, an astonished smile still lingered on your face. You had to respect him for the hustle he was playing while pretending otherwise. Or at least his subterfuge as a way to touch your skin.

Ben braced himself against the jostling chairs with his hands while one tentacle shot out to keep his balance. Slightly taken aback by your vehement reaction, he chuckled, letting pure joy shine in his eyes. “Wow, was this as hot for you as it was for me? I like this version of you.”

You chose to ignore his idea of flirting. “I can’t believe you were trying to screw with me.”

The tentacle retracted into his stomach again. “I wasn’t. Well, not totally. Doesn’t explain the reason behind it. Why the four elements?”

“I figured after Reginald forced this tattoo on us, I should choose for myself what I really want to do with my body. And I learned while Klaus and I were experimenting with his recreational stuff-”

You appreciated the small moment of real and unguarded whimsy in Ben’s eyes. Something candid than just the sarcastic kind.

“I learned that my powers would enhance when I was connected to some of those elements. Like some sort of physical conduit. Showed me that everything was connected around me. That my mind could settle when everything around me was calm.”

His body language shifted into something more calculating with his next words. “Maybe you should just influence your environment, so you can finally calm your mind.”

“That would be more like a temporary solution.”

“Perhaps you should just stick with me. This way I can show you a better perspective than what your family is offering you.” Ben placed his hands in his pockets. “It could help you sleep better at night.” Almost like he was reminding you of his proposal, he widened his arms. “Offer still stands, you know.”

You chuckled. “Maybe next time,” you said, merely delaying the inevitable. With a small sigh, you advanced towards him until there was barely any distance separating the two of you. With delicate motions, you touched his neck, letting warmth wander through your fingertips.

His skin started to glow dimly under your hand. Wordlessly, he covered your hand with his. A part of you wanted to believe that he wanted you to burrow yourself deeper into him.

Ben inhaled deeply. “I’ll hold you up to that.”

Tagging: @cherryinsalemverse @mellowstatesmanhandsempath @ravenmoore14 @blackmagicwoman @lelaamela @kit-k4t @callsignwidow

[danikamariewrites]

Coronation Day

Eris x reader

Summary: Eris is nervous about being crowned. As his wife and soon-to-be High Lady you calm his nerves with a loving pep talk. @erisweek2023

Warnings: none

Eris anxiously twisted at the gold rings on his fingers as he paced over to the mirror to check his appearance for the thousandth time. You watched him from a crack in the door before you decided to enter. You wanted to catch him at a calm moment, but it didn’t seem like he was having one.

You lightly knock on the door, pushing it open just enough to slip in the room. Eris gave you a bewildered look, “What are you doing here? I thought I’d meet you in there.” You rolled your eyes at your husband, giving him a small smirk. “Eris, you’re acting like this is our wedding day. I can see you before crowning you know.”

Eris gave you a tight lipped smile while flexing his hands to calm his nerves. You rest your hands on his biceps, “Eris. It’s ok. Come sit, let’s talk.” You guide him over to the love seat in the middle of the room. Adjusting your train and pushing your open sleeves back so your arms are free. You fold your hands over Eris’s in his lap, giving them a light reassuring squeeze. “What’s wrong, my love?” Eris exhales deeply, leaning his forehead on yours. You look into his russet eyes, finally noticing all the pent up emotions of the last few weeks.

“I’m afraid, y/n. Afraid they won’t accept me or that I’ll turn into my father. Am I even worthy of this title?” You couldn’t believe he was questioning himself right now. After the hundreds of years of hard work and sneaking around no one deserved this more than him. Eris made sure this family kept it together. He was your protector. The protector of this court. How could he fail when he’s been doing this for years.

“Listen to me, you have done so much for so long. You’ve been picking up the broken pieces your father left behind since you were a boy. You are going to make an amazing High Lord, Eris.” He closed his eyes. A single tear escaping down his cheek. You tenderly wipe it away, kissing his cheek softly. “Thank you spark. You’re going to make the best High Lady. I can’t thank you enough for staying by my side.”

You giggle at the pet name. He said that you are the wild spark that ignites his flames. You pushed him to be his very best, and you’d keep doing that for eternity.

“Come on. Let’s get this over with so we can get to the fun stuff.” You pat his thigh and guide him to stand.

Standing outside the doors of the throne room you adjust his doublet making sure he looks perfect. “Now you’re sure you want to be crowned at the same time?” Eris raises an eyebrow at you, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, spark.” You both face the doors, taking in a deep breath and exhaling together.

Two sentries open the doors, music sounds and you plaster a smile on your face. You and Eris walk hand in hand toward the dias where your new thrones sat.

You could see Eris taking in the room as you went. His mother smiled brightly from beside the thrones. His brothers, even Lucien, stood waiting for him. The other High Lords and their courts were seated among your court members. Eris saw your family. Your brother and sister smiling at you with your parents in the front row.

The two of you kneel in front of the dias, facing your people. You and Eris share a small loving look before the priestess starts speaking. Her words go by quickly. Before you know it the golden leaf crown is being placed on Eris’s soft firey locks. You can’t help the grin that breaks out on your lips. It’s official. He’s going to make his home safer. Make Prythian safer.

You startle a little when the priestess lays a matching crown on your own head. Your eyes never leave Eris. The priestess announces you as High Lord and Lady and the room erupts into applause as the two of you stand.

Eris looks at you with a triumphant smile. He couldn’t wait to start this journey with you. It felt like your lives were just starting.

[strangeracrossthestreet]

time to be really silly on main

ahem, ahem

gestures Is this a Lenore song? Is it an Annabel song? Yes. The animatic is in my head, it's real and I'm going to take you into my mind:

Now the BEGINNING half of this song is Living!Lenore to a T.

All is forgiven, baby! Come on, get dressed You're my date to the pep rally tonight!

PEAK reunion line after what Annabel said to her.

You chucked me out like I was trash For that you should be dead But, but, but Then it hit me like a flash What if high school [your marriage problem] went away instead? Those assholes [suitors] are the key! They're keeping you away from me! They made you blind, messed up your mind [concerning the breakdown Annabel suffered in front of her and how she doesn't want any of what "marriage" has in store for her] But I can set you free!

Being absolutely livid after Annabel leaves her BUT! She's fucking obsessed with her, so I guess we're burning a house down instead. Concocting the Plan of all Plans™

You left me and I fell apart I punched the wall and cried Bam, bam, bam! Then I found you changed my heart And set loose all that truthful shit inside

After how many years stuck in a drugged up haze and drowning in guilt over her brother, Annabel's a breath of fresh air; she's everything.

And so I built a bomb Tonight our school is Vietnam! Let's guarantee they never see their senior prom

Metaphorical bomb in this instance, the "bomb" being the ring. Let's guarantee no other suitor gets to trap you in a marriage you don't want!

I was meant to be yours We were meant to be one Don't give up on me now Finish what we've begun I was meant to be yours

"Finish what we've begun" Annabel being reticent to the entire plan and Lenore coaxing her into opening up to the idea etc etc. (Spoiler alert: she succeeds)

So when the high school gym goes "boom" with everyone inside Pkhw, pkhw, pkhw! In the rubble of their tomb We'll plant this note explaining why they died

Annabel: You could have killed people in that house fire! Lenore: Skill issue.

We, the students of Westerburg High Will die Our burned bodies may finally get through To you Your society churns out slaves and blanks No, thanks Signed the Students of Westerburg High "Goodbye"

This bit is a transition bit. This bit playing during a quick little sequence of their life and the wedding and the absolute chaos that ensues, leading to both of them dying and then waking up on Nevermore's shores right on the "Goodbye" line.

And NOW the rest is all Dead!Annabel, teehee:

We'll watch the smoke pour out the doors Bring marshmallows We'll make s'mores We can smile and cuddle while the fire roars!

SEAMLESS transition from Annabel's dead corpse, to Annabel during that moment in the Garden Scene when she's being ridiculous and funny. This is just a Dream, why care about anything? It's only them, they can have FUN with it, can't they?

I was meant to be yours We were meant to be one I can't make it alone Finish what we've begun You were meant to be mine I am all that you need You carved open my heart Can't just leave me to bleed

"I can't make it alone" Lenore's everything to her. "Finish what we've begun" Annabel echoing Lenore's own words. "You carved open my heart" Chased her down, made her feel loved (special), made her TRUST for once in her life, made her think anything is possible.

Veronica, open the, open the door, please Veronica, open the door Veronica, can we not fight anymore, please?

Tentative Arboretum scene after Lenore got mad at her for "replacing her with Ada" during the Maze scene

Can we not fight anymore? Veronica, sure, you're scared I've been there, I can set you free!

THIS bit makes me particularly crazy because Annabel is talking about her life. She WAS scared before, scared of how people would perceive her, scared of being labeled as "mad". She's always been scared, until Lenore. And now she's trying to do what Lenore did for her before.

Veronica, don't make me come in there! I'm gonna count to three! One! Two! Fuck it! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Oh, my God No! Veronica! Please don't leave me alone You were all I could trust

couch cough Garden Scene COUGH

I can't do this alone Still, I will if I must!

Annabel being stubborn about the promise they made and how she won't give up on it.

-

SLAPS DESK musicals, my beloved

[jinnie-ret]

ep.3: the first weddings

ratings: fluff

warnings: mentions of ADHD, alcohol

running time: 2k words

summary: the first two weddings are under way, how will the oldest and youngest grooms of our singles react when they meet their wives for the first time?

SKZ MAFS EPISODE LIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍

We put these two together because they both have such open hearts, yet they seek acceptance. They'd be a great pairing because they can give that to each other. Without even meeting each other there is so much love to be given, I can't wait to see how this one goes.

"Oh wow, Rori... you look stunning," Aurora's best friend Isabelle gasped as she saw the red head do a little spin in her white gown. The dress rested off the shoulder, a daring plunging neckline accompanied by a sheer quality to the dress as it flowed downwards, flowers cascading across the skirt of it.

"Thanks Belle," Aurora hugged her best friend tightly, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, careful not to smudge her light pink lipstick. She went for a glowy natural look, which made her fair skin stand out even more in contrast to her bold hair colour. "Lu, what do you think?" she saw her younger sister, Luna, barely able to hold back her tears.

"I-i..." Luna trailed off, not knowing what to say as she stared at her gorgeous older sister.

"Aw, don't go soft on me now, Lu, you never cry," Aurora held her hands gently.

"I'm just so proud of how far you've come, it's so nice to see you happy again, full of life," Luna spoke sincerely. She had seen what her sister went through and couldn't bare for her to be in that dark place ever again.

"Bless you, come here," Aurora cuddled her, before pulling away, "wait where's Oliver?"

"Your mum's looking after him, don't worry," Isabelle reassured the bride, all of them chattering in the dressing room before guests began to arrive.

C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍

"You got this hyung!" Lucas, Chan's younger brother and best man ruffled his hair. Despite their big age gap, it was the younger than inherited the height genes, so he had no trouble looking down at the groom and teasing him.

"Aish! Stop, stop," Chan giggled, trying to adjust his hair but giving up, as his dad stepped in and did his best to help out.

"We're all so proud of you, Channie, I know we weren't sure of this experiment at first, but you've got to go with your gut, ok? Whoever walks down that aisle-" Chan's dad began speaking, before Chan cut him off, having already had this speech/pep talk a lot of times.

"-deserves all the love I can give. And I deserve the same back. I know, dad, I know," Chan smiled and nodded, looking in the mirror to see one strand of his black hair flying loose but it actually looked quite good, in his opinion.

C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍

Soon, more and more guests pulled up to the venue, your classic church. It was tall in stature, and had beautifully presented stained glass windows not only seen from the outside, but from the inside too from where you sat. People filled the seats on both sides, white flowers lining the edges of the pews. The guests whispered excitedly as they heard the first pair of footsteps confidently walk down the aisle.

From Chan's side of the church, he saw his mother and sister, Hannah, for the first time that day, and they were smiling at him encouragingly. His mum did seem quite emotional too at the same time. As he turned to his bride's family, he gave a friendly wave and a smile.

"Hi, I'm Chan," he grinned, a lot of women sat near the front especially, one lady in particular who he assumed was the mother of his bride returned his actions, warmth and approval in her smile.

Then came the next sets of footsteps.

Arm linked through her father's arm, Aurora, kept a big smile on her face yet took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was excited, sure, but she needed to make sure it stayed that way. She wouldn't let herself talk her way out of this one.

The Bahng family muttered amongst themselves, Aurora blushing lightly as she heard lots of 'wows' and some gaps too.

Time stopped when the couple's eyes first met. Her ginger hair drew in Chan immediately, her chocolate brown eyes, rich and smooth in colour. Aurora smiled at him brightly as she stood opposite him, nose scrunching up as she did so, half in disbelief at how handsome Chan was and that she was about to marry him. His black hair gelled to one side, one strand elegantly astray. What nearly made her laugh was the way his mouth was hung open slightly, cheeks sucked in by the smallest amount and showing off his dimples.

"Well, hi," Chan laughed breaking the silence. Both families watched on with smiles, happy with who their relative had been paired with.

"Is this real?" Aurora laughed and shook Chan's hands in her own as they both let their nerves slip away.

"I think so-" Chan went to nod back at her, before a small, young boy came running out of the aisle, and tugged on Aurora's dress.

"Mummy! Mummy!"

J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍

Now this pairing will certainly be interesting, I can't wait to see how this dynamic plays out. Dallas has a lot of energy and has been open about her ADHD and needing a calm presence with her, and Jeongin is exactly that. He knows what he wants in a relationship and he wants to do all the cute dating stuff, he wants to experience love again, this could really tick all of Dallas' boxes.

"I don't know why I'm so nervous all of a sudden," Dallas had her leg jolting up and down, her mum gently holding her hands to stop her from wanting to bite her nails.

"Calm down baby, you look great, you are great and your husband will be great too, yeah?" her mum tried to reassure her.

Just then the makeup artist came back to redo some eyeliner after Dallas had been so shaky and fidgety that it had smudged across the side of her face earlier on.

"Come on, baby, deep breaths, yeah? He's gonna love you, that's what marriage is all about. You may not be doing it the conventional way but that love won't chance, he'll be a lucky man," Dallas' mum calmed her down further, holding onto her daughter's shoulders from behind as the makeup artist got to work. Her hands gently traced circles into the lace details at the top.

J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍

"Ahhhh!" Jeongin whined throwing his body weight back into the chair as he realised what he had just done. Having a glass of wine before walking the aisle was his idea, yes, but maybe he shouldn't have drank a glass of red when he has his white shirt on. There was bound to be something going wrong.

"Bro... Aish what are you like? Good thing I brought a spare shirt for you," Jeongin's older brother pulled him out of his seat and shoved the fresh shirt in his arms. "Now, get dressed, better yet, finish that glass before you out the new shirt on, you're so clumsy," he chuckled.

And Jeongin nodded, laughing along too. He slipped his stained shirt off and quickly downed the rest of his glass, pulling a satisfied smile after as he shrugged on his new shirt and buttoned it up quickly.

"You're a lifesaver, hyung," Jeongin sighed in relief, relaxing back into his original chair.

"I know," his older brother smirked.

"Yah!"

J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍

The venue Jeongin and Dallas got married at was stunning. There were fairy lights all lit up under a huge, white gazebo. It was pitched up next to another one which everyone could only assume was for their fine dining later on in the day. There was a clear path up the aisle, and as each person arrived and took their seats, they found a small gift in the mini bouquets prepared by the bride herself, Dallas. What better way to show a piece of who she is from the very start?

Once Jeongin had made it up the aisle, he was stood nervously, unable to make eye contact with Dallas' family and he could only clasp his hands together tightly and stare down at his shiny shoes. Her family didn't mind though, they could tell he was sweet and had kind intentions.

Dallas began to walk up the aisle, doing such a great job on her own until she stumbled a bit, managing to catch her balance but feeling bashful as she covered her cheeks.

"They're perfect for each other," Jeongin's older brother laughed under his breath as he observed that his sister in law was clumsy as well.

The two singles grinned shyly as they made eye contact, and Jeongin grinned widely, eyes starry.

Dallas on the other hand was trying to hold back her words from tumbling out, she had just met him and already had so much to say.

"Oh wow, you're gorgeous," Jeongin however, was the first one to get his words out, making Dallas follow immediately after she made a cute squeaky sound.

"Ah, wow, umm, thank you, you too," she blushed and bounced on her toes excitedly.

C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍 C.A 🤍

It was now time for the vows, and back at the church, it was a tense moment, Aurora going pale as she didn't quite know when she was going to bring up the fact she had a son, and now, that had been done for her. She saw the way Chan's eyes widened and she debates running out of the venue. That was until Chan crouched down.

"Hi little one," he grinned as Aurora's son peeked round the side of her dress and waved shyly at Chan.

"That's Oliver," Aurora said shakily, and Chan could see she was nervous and knew exactly why, squeezing her hands.

"It's ok, it won't change anything, ok?" Chan calmed her down, making Aurora feel relieved as she nodded feeling reassured, and she picked Oliver up, gave him a kiss on the head and sent him off to sit with his grandmother, her mum.

The priest made sure everyone was listening before getting the pair to read out their vows.

"I promise to support you and be by your side in every moment of our future together. I promise to be the support you may need throughout our lives in sickness and in health, through thick and thin. I will give you my all, as long as you give me all of you too, because that's all I could ever ask for," Chan sweetly said his vowels, speaking the traditional words after as he placed a ring on Aurora's finger.

"Before in my life, I've found it hard to trust the right person, but I come here with open arms, hoping you'll be the reason I won't have to worry anymore. I want to be that person for you too. I've already got one boy to take care of, and he's very important to me," Aurora paused gesturing to her son with a wave before continuing, "so I hope you have space in your heart for the two of us, just like we've already made some room for you."

J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍 J.D 🤍

Back in the gazebo, Dallas couldn't help but request to speak first.

"Ok, so, umm, I promise that if you're around me, I'll always try to make you smile. Even though sometimes I may be a lot to handle, I will authentically be myself around you. If you're struggling through hard times, I will be there for you, with my happiness, my care, and hopefully my love," Dallas quickly shoved away the piece of paper she read from back into her dress, and placed a ring onto Jeongin's finger.

"I'll do my very best to be the husband you've always wanted, and I hope that I can make you happy. We've only just met each other, but from here on out, I will take care of you, and stay by your side, and you'll have me fighting in your corner all of the time," Jeongin promised Dallas, before slipping the other ring onto her finger.

C.A 🤍 J.D 🤍 C.A 🤍 J.D 🤍 C.A 🤍 J.D 🤍

You may now kiss the bride.

Aurora and Chan had gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before sharing a sweet kiss, lasting a couple of seconds. Jeongin and Dallas, however, had been more shy despite their excitement, and quickly picked each other on the lips and looked away with smiles on their faces.

These pairs are a match made in heaven. How long will they last together in the experiment?

<-- previous ep watch next ep -->

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[achitka]

Day Seven: Storm

Do you really need context? Just asking for a friend... and there is none actually

Day Seven: Storm

“So, Pepa, why are we all up here?” Julieta asked as she too looked up into the tree.

Pepa sighed and turned away as she replied, “Fog.”

Her siblings looked at one another and Bruno said, “As I recall, Pep, that never went well.”

“I know that, but I want to try again. Mamá is set on retrieving those kids tonight, so we’re gonna need some kind of cover and a storm would just be dangerous.”

“Oh, so you mean that fog,” Bruno said, sounding a little more nervous than he was when he’d gotten there.

“Okay,” Julieta said, “Don’t do anything, I’ll be right back.”

“You don’t have... to…” Pepa trailed off as her sister stepped out of view back into the tower.

“You know she always wants to be prepared, Pep,” Bruno said as his eyes wandered up to the dark cloud forming over her head.

Pepa nodded, and the cloud winked out of sight. She probably should have told Julieta what she was thinking, but she was almost afraid she wouldn’t come. That was ridiculous because Juli was always there for them.

When Bruno vanished after Mirabel’s failed Gift ceremony, they all knew that their mother would beg Bruno to do a vision, maybe see what it meant. Julieta was concerned, but Bruno had gotten into the habit of going missing for weeks sometimes. His door had been wavering a lot, but still Bruno always came back, and each time their mother would chastise him. And each time it would affect Bruno a little less. When he did not come out of his tower the following day for meals or anything, Julieta went to the tower stairs and could see the magical glow had left his door. Juli confided to Pepa once after he’d been missing for more than a week that he was getting up the courage to leave completely. After several days, she and Julieta made the long journey up those stairs, only to find the rope bridge had been cut. He really was gone this time, and they both cried for a long time as they sat on that ledge most of the day, looking at the door to that vision cave.

Pepa realized now what she had not back then. Just like Dolores, Juli always knew that Bruno was nearby and was choosing to be apart from them. This was something Bruno often said would happen one day. She also couldn’t tell Pepa because their Mamá now saw Pepa as the difficult one. Pepa also knew she would have likely outed her brother, as she was forced now to find ways to placate their mother. Though Julieta was saddened by the fact that Pepa went along with the whole not talking about Bruno thing, she did not judge.

Julieta, however, continued to mention their brother, though it was always in passing. As if to remind their mother that wherever he was, he was probably happier. That had led to Pepa’s senseless anger at the mere mention of his name, how dare he leave her here to deal with their mother alone. But of course, she was never really alone, Julieta made sure to remind her of that whenever the opportunity arose. Félix was her joy. He had given her three perfect children. So, it wasn’t until the house fell, and their mother returned with both Mirabel and Bruno, she felt the first pangs of regret.

What’s the first thing Bruno said to her after ten years in the walls? An apology for her overly wet wedding day. That meant he heard everything she'd said to Mirabel as she and her family tried to reinforce the no talking about Bruno rule.

Pepa looked over at her brother, he’d moved closer to the edge of the glade and was once again looking out over the town. Was he always that tiny? She walked to the edge of the glade, put an arm around him giving him a gentle squeeze. Bruno quirked a smile, and together they stood silently waiting for their sister to reappear.

[ipkkndlovescenes]

Arshi Poolside moment

Arshi Poolside moment 1/ Epi 18

Disclaimer: All images and writing belong to Mysticaldivine. Do not use without permission...

Tu Hi Bata Mere Maula

Tu hi bata mere maula, tu hi bata mere rabba  Tu hi bata mere maula, tu hi bata mere rabba

Faasle milaun ke hain, dono hain alag hi dishan Kabhi yeh mil payein ge, nahi kisi ko hai pata  nahi kisi ko hai pata

Tu hi bata mere maula, tu hi bata mere rabba  Tu hi bata mere maula maula maula re, tu hi bata mere maula

Ik baat us mai bhi hai, to ek baat us mai bhi hai Hai dhoop sa woh agar, woh chandni raat si hai

 Mill payein kabhi yeh dono, kya teri is mai hai raza, kya teri is mai hai raza '

Tu hi bata mere maula, tu hi bata mere rabba  Tu hi bata mere maula, tu hi bata mere rabba

Tu hi bataaa ... Na paas a sakein, na door ja sakein Na paas a sakein ho, na door ja sakein  Agar pyaar inko ko keeche, taqraar inko roke Agar pyaar inko ko keeche, taqraar inko roke

Rabaaa '

Yun to barhe hain inke kadam Inhe rasta tun hi dikha .. inhe rasta tun hi dikha

Tu hi bata mere maula maula, tu hi bata mere rabba Tu hi bata mere maula maula, tu hi bata mere rabba Tu hi bata mere maula maula, tu hi bata mere rabba Tu hi bata mere maula maula, tu hi bata mere rabba

Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon '. ? Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon ' ? '

Four transitioning images, young hearts getting into young thoughts, very intimate with their own dreams, desires, and hopes, along with some hidden fears, hesitations, and restrictions. The beauty in this is that the transitions mingled into each other show us the expressions of each state of mind and their habits. There were no words besides "Mere Maula."

"Jab wo tumhari zindagi main ayegi, tumhain pata bhi nahin chalega aur wo tumhari zidagi ka hissa ban jayegi"

 You won't even realize it when that girl enters your life, and she will become a part of you,

His sister knew that he was looking for someone else, not Lavanya...Mr Raizada is smiling!!! With a slight upward tilt of the lips... a delightful smirk...with an amused indulgence listening to the revelation of her sister's pep talk of romance and all. At this moment, he does not believe that this will ever happen to him, but he will be the one who will confess later to his sister the same words...

"Wo larki Khushi hai di...jiske bhgair mujhe lagta hai meri sansain ruk gaye hain..."

That girl is Khushi, without whom I can't breathe,

A beautiful evening across the breezy poolside. He was immersed in his sister's words, a deep thought... Shaadi nahin karni ya Lavanya se nahin karni? [ You don't want to get married, or you don't want to get married to Lavanya?" 

A question he might never have thought about before from this angle. His face is stern with the poker-faced, kinda, austere person, standing while leaning onto the side of the door. Being immersed, focused with folded arms among the blue ambience of the water and the wind.

While transitioning to a smiling face, a carefree, sitting and enjoying her victory to let ASR know that he was wrong and even today, he is wrong about her, she carries a winning attitude, to go and get done kind of spirit. She signed a contract without putting two cents about the consequences, but she will do whatever it will take to prove him wrong and give him back his 25000 rupees. Her smile never left her face as the wind tickled her to incite a strange feeling around her aurora. Well, Dupatta was playing a role here as well...

Two sisters were enjoying the weather under the open sky. The wind, thunder, a little drizzling and their intense contract chat turns into a wedding..."Kyon na hum un larko se shaadi karain jo bhai hon..."Let's get married to the boys who are brothers..."

Not much from Payal about weddings as she went through a lot after her first breakup...but Khushi thinks marriage is the most important thing in life. A naive, simple girl will meet the reality later during her forced marriage.

A nice foundation for the upcoming story. Well, Khushi had no idea that Payal had met Akash sir today, who was the brother of her Sanky...paagal boss.

Another love was developing and weaving its own path. Akash was smiling and thinking over his meeting with Payal. He bought her favorite dupatta as well and, of course, daydreaming about her. How ironic is that Akash's mother is looking for his bride, and he has already found one. A brother-sis moment where Anjali catches Akash with that pink dupatta..." mujhe bana rahe ho," you're making me fool?" 

Wasn't this dialogue reflecting that someone out there was making her fool?

Hai dhoop sa wo agar to wo chandini raat si hai [ He is like a sun and she is like a moonlight] fit here.

It feels as if Khushi was witnessing a miracle, as ever so slowly she raises her eyes towards the moon, watching herself drinking in sight, sensing the flood of memories she's unleashed and wanting nothing more than to let him know that she can do it, she will do it.  But instead, he stood where he was and stared up at the moon as well. And for the briefest instant, it almost feels like they're together. Two silhouettes in the moonlight.  The bewitching power of moonlight incites dark passions like a cold flame, making hearts burn with intensity.

The presence of the elements of intimacy like clouds as a soft murmuring feeling in their hearts, drizzling rain as the first rain on dry land like the meeting with this strange desire for the first time, a little striking light, as igniting the fire within them, in and out of moonlight in between clouds, trying showing them ways to each other, and the wind, taking and receiving unknown messages.

His eyes searched into the sky, probably looking out for his mother in between stars, moon, clouds, and everything while she was the same. She believes in Stars as her parents are stars. She smiles even though she misses them, thinking of them looking at her while he wants his mother to look at him with questions.

Is she happy seeing him?

He will ask this question later, and Khushi will show him the way to this belief...

“The moon is the reflection of your heart, and moonlight is the twinkle of your love.”

― Debasish Mridha

Amid the moon and the stars, amid the quiet night, amid the magnificent silhouette of the moonlight, he was intoxicated by the pellucid beauty of innocent Khushi whose words circled him. 

"Hum yahan se kahin nahin jayengey kyuonke hum galat nahin..."

I won't go anywhere because I am not wrong...

The blue and cold rays of the moon paid him absolute tribute tonight. He was a buffet of muscles and corded strength of his world, and she entered there with a unique attitude. Undoubtedly, she was different among vintage books, more like a pale moonlight, exotic thing, forbidden love and rainy night. 

He felt that jolt strongly...oh yes, he did...

What should I name this love?

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Love at First Set Book Review 🦇

💜 Read If You Love: 💜 🏋️‍♀️ Women who lift 👰‍♀️ Runaway brides 👀 “Oh no, my best friend’s sister is hot” 🧘‍♀️ Flirting during partner yoga 🎟 Cheesy county fair dates 😬 Awkward pining 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 Sapphic swooning

🦇 For Lizzie, working at a gym isn't just a job; it's her home. For now, she's only the check-in girl (and occasionally, the owner's punching bag), but one day, she could manage her own. When her bestie (and emotional support himbo) and boss's son James asks her to play plus-one at his sister's wedding, she agrees, hoping to find a chance to talk to his parents about a promotion. One drunken pep-talk later and the bride-to-be, Cara, realizes she doesn't want to get married after all. It doesn't help that Lizzie is crushing on her HARD—or that Cara decides to stay with her brother while getting her derailed life back together. Afraid his sister plans to set him up on a blind date, James urges Lizzie to keep her distracted. Can Lizzie girl the hell up AND keep her crush under wraps?

[ Find my review below or on Insta | Storygraph | Goodreads ]

💜 Lizzie is a beautifully realistic mess and knows it. Growing up with an unreliable, emotionally-abusive mother taught Lizzie she could only rely on herself, while her economic status triggered some serious self-esteem issues. Though her self-reliance and independence are strengths, her unwillingness to trust others also becomes a weakness.

💜 Jennifer Dugan (@jl_dugan) heard the phrase "queer pining" and understood the assignment. Lizzie's insta-crush on Cara spurs some hilarious self-talk that puts the "com" in this queer rom-com. The constant, silent, somewhat reluctant pining is intense, raw, and real, but her sass and sarcasm never let it get overly sappy. Though Lizzie can't see it, Cara's obvious crushing is equally intense, making these two lovesick, bisexual messes the perfect match.

🦇 Unfortunately, everything I loved in the first half of the book becomes exhaustive by the second half. Lizzie allows both James and Cara to manipulate her into favors that benefit them too often. Her self-proclaimed cowardness spurs the story's internal conflict a little too much. The self-depreciation that was once funny became painful enough to become cringy, too.

🦇 While I love a slow burn, Lizzie and Cara's relationship is too focused on showing physical development, but not the emotional development. We don't see the pillow talk or hidden moments between them that lead to them falling in love with one another. The external conflict—Cara's mother—is written as a two-dimensional antagonist. Her motivation for keeping the women apart is status, but why (did she grow up in poverty, or feel shamed by a group with higher social status at one point in her life)? My biggest pet peeve is a plot powered by miscommunication (in this case, a complete FAILURE at communicating from the start), and this story relies on it all too much to reach an unsatisfying happy ending that's tied up in a LITERAL bow. The writing was so strong and held so much promise in the beginning, but I'm afraid the third-act break-up, blow-up dinner scene, ultimatum, and ending didn't do it for me.

🦇 Recommended for anyone who loves a pining and scheming of Shakespearean proportions. This sapphic rom-com will be a sweet if not chaotic addition to your TBR.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 👟 Sapphic Rom-Com 👟 Bi Visibility 👟 Gay Best Friend 👟 Economic Classes 👟 Shakespearean Miscommunication, Pining, and Scheming 👟 Self-Esteem Issues

❝ "Queer chaos trumps moral fortitude, especially when making out is involved." ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your preferred workout? ❓ ❝ "Don't sit behind the gym counter of your life when you're meant to be in front of it." ❞

[tracks-and-raoul]

I’m just gonna jot this rough idea down here while I’m thinking about it but

-Tracks and Raoul having a place hidden away in the pine barrens where rogue or lost cybertronians can get cleaned up and replenish their energon reserves, some stay for a while others leave at the soonest convenience but, they take care of everybody,

- Reflector and Horri-bull are the two main ones that stick around, obsessed with the idea of the little camera guys having a big crush on their very pretty hosts (if you’ve read ‘The play of light’ by Iron on AO3 u know why)

-Raoul empathizing with them cuz he knows what it feels like to be stuck someplace that just wants to get rid of you and wants to make it easier for them to survive.

-Tracks while apprehensive at first because he didn’t want themselves to be caught and arrested by GHOST, then realizing that maybe this could help him find his brother who he hasn’t been in contact with since the war on earth and who he’s desperately wanting to find especially if the rumors about cons going missing are true

-Needlenose would be caught in a similar fashion to tracks where his comms/ locator would be busted after a run in with ghost or mind controlled cons or a bad run in with humans

- and While the relationship with his brothers conjuncx is strained tracks manages to keep things professional in regards to their combined search as he has a reputation to uphold as a co-founder of one of earths very few safe houses

- scene with Tracks giving Horri-bull a pep talk before following another lead giving his brother in law a pack with medical supplies and a box that he explains shouldn’t be opened until after needlenose is found and they’re safe

- the box in question contains an apology gift of two handmade wedding bands that double as locator chips for the pair that will help them locate eachother if they get separated again in a little note in the (also handmade) box that promises he can’t track them using the bands stating that he’s meddled in their affairs enough and that he’s content with them

Ok that’s all I got but if u have asks about this send them my way I don’t bite ❤️

[dreamingsushi]

Till the End of the Moon - Episode 26

I’m back from vacation, so now is a good time to get going with this series. I’m kind of anxious, because it started off so well and the last few episodes, we lost a little bit of that character consistency that made it so good to me in the beginning and it has been very frustrating. Hopefully it’s going to keep steering in the right direction and I won’t be too disappointed by the following 15 episodes.

She starts it up quite strongly. She asks Tantai Jin to marry her and make her his empress. Ye Qingyu disagrees with Tantai Jin agreeing to it. He says she needs to go back home and face what she has done, but Tantai Jin says that he doesn’t want to trouble her before the wedding and that she wants to cut ties with the Ye family, so her name should be erased from the family records. Tantai Jin wants to proceed with the wedding as soon as possible and ends up choosing an inauspicious day for it. Ye Xiwu acts cruelly towards her brothers. Ye Qingyu says she’s changed. And on to the wedding.

Tantai Jin’s coat looks like it’s covered with grass. I think... this is going to be the first costume design that I highly disagree on. The wedding starts. When he reaches out his hand for hers, she doesn’t take it. This sounds bad. We also discover that she got all of the nails when she asked him to marry her (but they’re already married, so I don’t get it). Anyways. It starts snowing. He offers his hand again and this time she takes it. Overall, she’s really off, but I guess he’s too drown in happiness to actually notice that she behaves extremely WEIRD!

While waiting for the husband to come to the bed chamber, she gives herself a pep talk that she did all of this for this day. She notices that Tantai Jin must be very happy. She’s super awkward, I wonder how he does not see anything of it. Or I hope he’s pretending? So she was missing one nail. When she kisses him, it created the ninth one and her eye turns purple. I forget about the jade she took for him. She admits that her goal was to kill him and that’s why she came back. After stabbing him with the first three nails. He says he still loves her, but she tells him she never loved him. Why? What’s the help to your mission in saying that? Especially when like 5 episodes ago before you left to free Xiao Lin you were thinking you could spend your life with him as your lover and prevent him from becoming a demon. But when she’s about to send the last of the three nails, the dragon scale protects him. The nails desintegrate. Nothing protects the evil bone/essence anymore. He asks her why she lied to him, but they both fall down together.

Ye Qingyu finally realized that Ye Xiwu cut ties with her family because she knew all along what she was going to do. He tries to convince his dad to leave, but he won’t abandon his daughter.

Tantai Jin has three years left to live. They can’t remove the six nails from his chest. Nian Baiyu is very sad. He wants Tantai Jin to rest, but the king wants to get changed and go see Ye Xiwu. And he’s wearing his wedding clothes, with the grass. Why? So blabla, you betrayed me all the time, I was still nice to you, loved you blabla. I failed, there’s no point to live, kill me. No, let’s suffer together, since you didn’t want my love, here’s a serving of my hatred. And that’s how she made him become a demon god. She shouldn’t have meddled to begin with. But at some point it’s interesting to see that sometimes, the supposedly “good ones” are actually awful people too.

Ye Qingyu gets the permission to go see Ye Xiwu. However, Ye Bingchang is there already. She reveals how she poisoned the porridge. Ye Xiwu blames her for Xiao Lin’s death. Then Ye Bingchang tries to strangle her. Meanwhile... She thinks of the past. Qingyu and Pianran comes just in time. Pianran tosses away Ye Bingchang while Qingyu tends to Xiwu.

And that’s it. I don’t see how they’re going to manage from now on. I don’t see anything. My mind is totally blank. I’m confused. Did she resent him for the death of her granny and Xiao Lin and that’s why she decided to act finally and stopped hesitating? I don’t know.

[calamityandme]

It’s been a good day!

I have some pep in my step today. I slept in, which sometimes dooms me to be in a bad mood, but today it didn’t. I felt well rested.

When I woke up I used the last of my money to get food. I had a reward on a food app so I got some free fries and paid for a sandwich. With the last $6 I had I got a small frozen coffee from a local coffee shop. Not the healthiest breakfast, but it was fun to treat myself.

After that I came home, took a bath, and waited for my mom to get off work so I could “shop” at her house.

When I got the text that she was on her way I met her at my childhood home.

She gave us a good amount of food. I left her house with two reusable bags full of a variety of extra food that the family wouldn’t eat. I love that my mom still takes care of me even though I’m 25. I didn’t go into detail about our bills and financial stuff going on, I just told her we’re broke and it’s a few days before pay day.

I talked to my mom a bit about wedding decorations before I left. She seemed pretty worn out from work. She recently got a promotion, which is good, but it means she’s working more and it’s a little more stressful it seems.

I can’t help but think my mom is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met. She just has so much love to give, and she has adopted all my and my brothers’ close friends. Her soul is beautiful but she also is a very pretty person. It makes me sad that she doesn’t see how amazing she is.

I left my mom’s house and had Danny help me carry groceries in. We got some frozen meals, cheese, chocolate chips and even some pre-mashed frozen bananas so I can make banana bread! We can probably wait until Saturday to get groceries now if we needed to.

My life feels so much more stable now than it did a week ago. We are still worried about our utility shut off notice, but CAP should be able to cover all of it. We gave them Danny’s old work separation letter they insisted on yesterday. Our shut off is either the 19th or 20th. Worst case scenario is we are without electric a couple days. That shouldn’t happen though. My partner gets paid on the 21st so we will hopefully be okay.

Oh I forgot to mention something: I didn’t clean today because I ended up cleaning most of the house yesterday.

[honeyhenry]

Tiny

it had been the scariest moment of your life, easily

the culmination of henry’s birthday had led to a very welcome pregnancy, with you being coddled and adored by your husband as you grew your sweet unborn child

your unborn baby boy - as you’d found out only a couple of months ago - had been growing really well, on track to be a healthy 7-8lbs (3.5kg)

the doctors had noted the babe’s size, but after the first time Henry walked through the door at the 12 week scan, they realised what they were dealing with

it actually all started to make sense

but the scariest part, was that your sweet boy, due for the end of February had began his mission into the world 6 weeks early, during the first week of the coldest January on record

luckily you had both Henry and Kal at home to rush to your aid while you’d thought you were experiencing braxton hicks contractions

but it wasn't that. it was the real deal

you’re already in active labour when you get to the hospital

you’d held your husband’s hand and wept, not only in pain but with the fear of being “too early, he’s too early Hen”

all he could do was wipe your tears and reassure you that everything was going to be okay. even if he couldnt be certain himself

Baby boy Cavill comes in at 4lbs 4oz (2kg) and is whisked away after you spend just a brief moment with him

he gets some checks, all under Henry’s watchful eye as you make him promise to stay with your son, whose tiny lungs help him to scream and cry out at the suddenly bright, cold world

you’re both alright, but they want to keep you and your son in for a couple of days to make sure he’s stable

Henry has had to call a few people, only the important ones, to let them know the news, doing so quickly so that he doesn’t have to be away from you or his baby boy for long

everyone had said that your baby would be chunky, given your husband’s size, but when you see them in the little hospital crib, they’re so little

it hurts your heart to see how small and fragile he is, but both you and Henry know that he is in the safest place he can be

he’s given a little red knitted hat to wear so that the nurses and doctors know he’s one of the little preemie babies on the ward, and thus needs some extra care and attention

you lean over him in his little box crib, gazing at him all the while, lifting him out to hold and feed when allowed

as soon as you’re given the green light, he is in your arms for hours, settling down and just existing peacefully and contently

Henry is just SO big, particularly when leaning his body over the crib, using the tip of his finger to hold his little man’s hand

he likes to have small conversations with him

“Already repping our rugby team with that hat, son”

Henry’s held him as much as he can already, sitting in the big chair by the bed you lay and rest in, having some skin to skin cuddles

you get a lot of visits from the nurses when he does that

you’ll doze off and wake up to Henry chatting away to the little boy on his chest, a fistful of chest hair in his grasp

“you are lucky you’re cute and brand new because this is quite sore for daddy”

his son is the size of his hand, and between his large palms he’s fragile and little and just the apple of his eye

all his nieces and nephews have been upwards of 7 pounds

so now Baby Boy feels even smaller in his massive arms.

His forearm is bigger than his baby - he can’t believe the little miracle that is his boy

his strong little man

all the clothes you'd brought in the hospital bag swamp him so you need to take a couple offered from the hospital and a pack from the hospital gift shop until you can get more preemie clothes

yes, even newborn size is too big and it makes your heart ache

Henry picks up some Winnie the Pooh items from the shop, and a little stuffed Pooh Bear for his baby boy

after three days you get the all clear to take him home. He’s fine, just tinier than you and Henry - and your families - had anticipated

you walk out happily, still a little in pain but choosing instead to revel in the delight that your sweet boy is okay

Henry has the hospital bag and the car seat with baby in tow

He is minute compared to the large clunky car seat. Somehow he looks ten times smaller and even more precious, holding his own little hands with a soft pout on his lips

he looks just like Henry when he sleeps

you watch Henry click the car seat in expertly, knowing he’s practiced in the garage many times already. He’d always wanted to make sure his sweet boy is safe

Henry drives home ten miles below the speed limit

“it feels like we’re stealing a child from the hospital” “well this one came out of me so i think it’s okay”

the car finally rolls into the drive and stops carefully outside the grand house, and you squeeze Henry’s hand

Baby is sleeping soundly, having not even moved through the duration of the car journey despite you feeling every stone and pothole the car drove over, worried for his safety

Henry carries him into the house in the carseat, resting it gently on the floor in the hallway of your home

for now, it’s just you three, as Kal will arrive later with a very excited family member who you’re grateful to for taking Kal while you’d left in such a rush a few days ago

Henry pulls you in close for a hug, resting his head on yours and wrapping his whole being around you

the past few days have been possibly the scariest in his entire life

but they’ve also been the happiest, up there with your wedding, and the time you took him to his favourite restaurant that was a 3 hour drive away, on his only cheat day that month

after a quiet moment in each others’ embrace, silently feeling each and every emotion together, flooding with relief as you rest on each other for support and love, your son is unpacked from the car seat

he’s like a soft tiny starfish and you coo at his sweet, sleepy face

you carry him because Henry feels like a “clumsy giant” holding his boy, especially when not in the comfort of a large chair where he can remain stable

you hold him and look at his little foot tag from the hospital

“and here we thought we had an extra few weeks for his name...he needs one soon though, he can’t be Baby Boy Cavill forever”

“can’t he?” you hear Henry’s deep voice from over your shoulder and you catch a glimpse at him looking ever so adoringly at your son, as you tear your eyes from the sweet newborn for only just a moment

it’s then that you confirm that your boys definitely have the same face 

Baby boy has his daddy’s eyes and chin and you are in love

“you know he will grow up one day. We can’t keep him this size forever. i wish we could though, he smells so good”

to which Henry chuckles and smells the baby’s head, in complete agreement

later on, baby boy lays on his father’s chest. Henry holds them delicately in place, as though they were made of glass

he can nod his head and smell that wonderful baby smell, and know that this little mass of human perfection is completely healthy, and all his

and should he hear a little squeak, as he adjusts his son to stay comfortable for another hour, his immediate reaction is a soft “oh son, it’s okay. Daddy’s here” 

with you curled up beside him, falling asleep with ease after such a strenuous labour and prolonged stay at the hospital, Henry realises he will always get to feel this lucky with his little family by his side

he just doesn't know what on earth he’s done to deserve it

and Kal will be such a wonderful big brother, he can already tell. Him and baby are going to be best friends

Baby takes milk like a champ, they’ll be happy and healthy and plump in no time, especially thanks to Henry’s pep talks during feeds or the baby massage sessions he insists on implementing with his large, gentle soothing hands

a few days later, it is decided that Baby boy Cavill is called Will - you’re adamant on Will not William - but he’s often called Junior by Henry, and always Baby Boy to his loving mama

[vegaelettra]

Records of a Different Story

Like Ripples in a River - Chapters Summaries

You can find the fanfiction on AO3!

Since I’m not the best at posting chapters regularly, I thought it may be helpful to have little summaries of the chapters for references purpose ❤

Obviously, this may contain spoilers if you didn’t read all posted chapters (or didn’t watch the KDrama Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung on Netflix)!

Under the cut because it’s long XD

UPDATED: 15 March 2025

SSC=Second State Councilor (Min Ik-pyeong) - QD=Queen Dowager

💙💙💙 1st lunar month 💙💙💙

Ch1 - The Night Where Everything Changes (Ep1.1)

The SSC finds out about The Story of Ho Dam and decides that leaving Goo Jae-gyeong alone is too risky. On the night he exposes the dangers of the book to his allies, Jae-gyeong is “offered” the chance for his sister to marry Min U-won. Fearing a refusal would make the SSC suspicious, he’s forced to accept.

Ch2 - Veritable Rumors (Ep1.2)

On the day the SSC talks alone with the King, Min U-won finds out that his father is arranging his marriage and is unable to make him change his mind. A few days later, even SSC’s allies try to make him see how unsuitable Goo Hae-ryung is, but to no avail. On the night the requisition of banned books is going to start, Min U-hui goes to her brother to verify the rumors and realizes how powerless she is to help him.

Ch3 - Of Banned Books and Unusual Betrothed (Ep2.1)

Instead of working on the banned books, Officer Yang complains about his misfortune but ends up somehow defending U-won once his colleagues start to complain about him. When U-won goes to check the burned books, he meets a stubborn woman who accuses the King of being wrong and then finds out she is his bride-to-be. Later, Hae-ryung is told by her brother that he found her a husband.

Ch4 - Musing About Marriage and Historical Petition (Ep2.2)

Yi Jin visits Yi Rim in Nokseodang, feels guilty that he can’t protect him from SSC, and decides to consider the possibility of female historians. In the same days, Hae-ryung starts to prepare with little enthusiasm for the wedding and thanks to Seol-geum finds out that the officer of the burned books is her groom-to-be. After the declaration of the exam, U-won meets Yi Jin and they talk about his colleagues’ reactions.

💙💙💙 2nd lunar month 💙💙💙

Ch5 - Matters of Leverage (Ep2.3)

The SSC meets with the King to discuss Yi Jin’s decision and on the best way to deal with the matter of women inside a government office. Before leaving, he asks for his daughter and Yi Jin to assist to U-won’s wedding. One day later, Song Sa-hui tries to convince her father to let her take the exam. Faced with his refusal, she takes advantage of his relationship with SSC to get her chance and her shot at freedom.

Ch6 - A step Into the Unknown (Ep2.4)

On the eve of the wedding, Hae-ryung meets by chance U-won who was out with his colleagues. She tries to make him call off the wedding but, faced with the consequences that the people she cares about may have to endure and his promise to care for her, she gives up on that and accepts it. The morning later, Hae-ryung gives herself a pep talk just before the ceremony, which ends with U-won and her as husband and wife.

Ch7 - Behind the Mask

After the ceremony, U-hui meets Hae-ryung and is caught off guard by how easy it’s to like her, making her realize that she’s another SSC’s victim. Shortly after, Sa-hui offers her family congratulations (and Jang-su’s flowers) to Hae-ryung, hopeful that their friendship might be more than a charade. In the evening, Yi Jin meets U-hui and, while they don’t reach common ground, he starts questioning his prejudice against her.

Ch8 - Getting the Wedding Night Out of the Way

An annoyed Hae-ryung waits in her room for U-won to join her for dinner. When he finally shows up, they’re interrupted by the arrival of the drunk historians who tries to peek inside and are chased away by Seol-geum. After eating and exchanging a few words, they take off the wedding clothes and go to sleep on the opposite sides of the bed. While Hae-ryung falls asleep, U-won is overwhelmed by Dan-yeong’s memories.

Ch9 - Well Began is Half Done

Hae-ryung shares a heartfelt goodbye with her brother and leaves for the Min household. There, she meets the SSC, who gives her an awful first impression. The next day, she offers him the first greeting (of an indefinite number) where he starts asking about her past. In the evening, after having dealt with his colleagues’ awkwardness, U-won finds out that his father is trying to use Hae-ryung to make him quit his job.

Ch10 - Caught Between a Marriage and an Exam

Hae-ryung gets the chance to leave the house and hopes to find a way to change her situation. In the bookstore, she finds out about the exam for female historians and blackmails the owner to learn more. Upon returning from work, U-won finds Hae-ryung waiting for him. Once in his room, she asks him to let her take the exam. Realizing she would do it either way and that he doesn’t want to order her around, he gives his consent.

Ch11 - Stubborn as an Ox, Courageous as a General (Ep3.1)

On the day of the exam, Hae-ryung manages to leave the house undetected and runs to its site. There, she meets another married woman, Park Yeong-suk, and together they take the exam. During the evaluation, U-won involuntary recognizes Hae-ryung’s answer as the one that outraged everyone. In the meantime, just before the results are out, Hae-ryung finds out that her new friend is a historian’s wife too.

Ch12 - How to Become a Female Historian (Ep3.2)

Sa-hui finds out that Hae-ryung passed the exam and decides it’ll be impossible for her to pursue a true friendship with her. Later, at the interview, the Crown Prince’s sincere interest in her opinion catches her by surprise. U-won has a similar reaction when Hae-ryung is really among the selected candidates. In the end, Yi Jin selects four candidates and, at the proclamation, confirms that one of them is U-won’s wife.

Ch13 - Aftermath (Ep3.3 - Part1)

Officer Yang waits eagerly for the results but is appalled when he reads that one of the female historians is U-won’s wife, even more, when he doesn’t manage to explain how absurd it is to his friend. After dealing with resentful seamstresses, Hae-ryung finds out that her lunch was her brother’s idea and that the book with her fabricated memories of the past was misplaced. Out of the gate, U-won is waiting for her.

Ch14 - Aftermath (Ep3.3 - Part 2)

Hae-ryung and U-won walk together to their house. He tries to warn her about the difficulties she’ll encounter working in the palace. After a bit of teasing, she says that she’s glad that they’re becoming friends. At the house, they’re welcomed by Gwi-jae threatening Seol-geum and by the SSC (secretly pleased by how the exam went) who makes a scene and scolds them harshly for acting behind his back.

Ch15 - Royal Questions (Ep3.4)

A few days after the exam, Yi Jin meets with Yi Rim to gift him a chance to leave the palace and ends up asking his opinion on how to deal with U-hui. The next morning, Yi Rim tries to convince bookseller Kim to reveal the fake Mae-hwa’s identity, but he only learns that she has married into a powerful family. Days later, U-hui receives Yi Jin’s unexpected visit and equally unexpected offer of an alliance against her father.

💙💙💙 3rd lunar month 💙💙💙

Ch16 - Apprentice Goo Hae-ryung (Ep3.5)

Hae-ryung savors her newfound freedom, meets her fellow colleagues at the palace, and is teased by them about her relationship with U-won. Still opposed to the employment of female historians, Officer Yang misdirects the apprentices to show them how unwelcome they are. When they arrive at the office, he keeps being hostile to them and is pleased that U-won doesn’t try to protect them.

Ch17 - One Step Forward, Three Steps Back… and a Reckless Jump (Ep3.6)

Seol-geum is disappointed when Hae-ryung’s first day at work doesn’t end with a romantic dinner with U-won and is appalled when she tells her she’ll keep working. A few days later, Hae-ryung and U-won manage to have a brief exchange in the library but that’s cut short by the apprentices’ request for a hazing ritual. When the apprentices leave, U-won ends up being the one bearing the brunt of his colleagues’ indignation.

Ch18 - How to Survive a Hazing Ritual (Ep3.7)

The hazing ritual starts smoothly, so much that U-won ends up in a secret drinking competition with Hae-ryung. When drunkenness and competitiveness turn it into a ruthless and lawless showdown, Hae-ryung wins after drinking Officer Yang under the table. Sent home his colleagues, U-won deals with a very drunk Hae-ryung (who falls asleep on his shoulder) and wonders if it would be better for her to stay at arm's length from him.

Ch19 - Working Women (Ep4.1)

Dealing with the hangover, Hae-ryung sleeps in late and realizes it only when Seol-geum brings her breakfast, which forces her to run to the office. That evening, Sa-hui reaches her colleagues but leaves before they can see her, even if she still defends them when some girls mock them. The QD plans her next moves in light of the new developments (the unknown SSC’s spy; Yi Jin and U-hui’s encounters) and shows interest in meeting the female historians.

Ch20 - The Ones who Enter the Palace (Ep4.2)

The Queen Dowager invites the female historians for tea, reflects on their presence in the palace and, to test them, leaves Lady Choe free rein. After the apprentices go missing, U-won and his colleagues are forced to take action when they find out about the court ladies’ interference. Hae-ryung and her friends are lured into a trap and, while the latter deal with the court ladies’ harassment, the former barely manages to keep her tag and not be kicked out of the palace. Saved by the historians’ arrival, the apprentices have finally the chance to bring up their own grievances.

Ch21 - Things Left Unsaid (Ep4.3)

Jae-gyeong struggles with guilt and the necessity to keep his distance from Hae-ryung. An impromptu visit from the SSC and the realization that her fate is linked to that of her father-in-law force him to accept a new position. Holed up in the library, the apprentices cope with what happened. At the end of the day, Hae-ryung leaves the office with U-won and tries to clear the misunderstanding between them, only to be faced with the fact that their friendship may not be feasible.

Ch22 - Officer Min’s Troubles (Ep4.4)

Hae-ryung is escorted to the palace by Seol-geum, where she and the apprentices receive their first sacheak. Then, thanks to U-won (who thus manages to intrigue Hae-ryung), they attend the Royal Audience. In the meantime, Yi Rim’s last attempt to find out if the fake Maehwa became a female historian is thwarted by Sam-bo. In the ensuing quarrel, her identity as Officer Min’s wife is revealed, leaving him with oddly mixed feelings.

Ch23 - Roads Paved with Good Intentions (Ep4.5)

Yi Jin clashes with the Royal Council when a letter arrives from a province and is sent away by the King. In Nokseodang, he tries to weasel out from answering Rim about the audience and the Crown Princess before Vice-Chancellor Jo brings news about The Story of Ho Dam. That night, Yi Rim finds himself face to face with an assassin, to whom he reveals his identity, and is saved by an unknown archer. He passes out and when he wakes up from a nightmare, he finds out Hae-ryung brought him to an apothecary and runs away.

Ch24 - Of Stitches, Duty and Lies (Ep5.1)

At the autopsy, Hae-ryung and Yang argue on her wish to see the stitches of a prisoner. When her attempts fail, she pretends to have forgotten a meeting with U-won to leave the other apprentices and go back there. Along the way, she finds Maehwa being threatened by Gwi-jae and has to help him. Meanwhile, left the office, U-won heads to the Bureau too but, before that, meets A-ran and Eun-im who, guilty-tripping him despite her lie, reveals that Hae-ryung left them to go back to the Bureau.

Ch25 - Under His Father’s Shadow (Ep5.2)

With curfew just around the corner, Hae-ryung rushes back to the alley where she assisted Maehwa to find more clues on what happened between him and Gwi-jae and recovers both the sword and an arrow. In the meantime, SSC finds out about Prince Dowon’s presence and prepares a letter to Chancellor Hong, informing him of the news and his intention to visit U-hui. Not finding Hae-ryung at the Bureau, U-won heads to Hae-ryung’s brother’s house but finds her in an alley. With Hae-ryung adamant in finding answers, tension between the two grow until, just outside their house, U-won offers to investigate in her stead.

Ch26 - Out of Thoughtful Consideration (Ep5.3)

After a night spent tossing around in guilt, Yi Jin survives the morning Royal Lecture only to receive the request of Chancellor Hong for an unscheduled private meeting. Due to the outrage of women entering Injeongjeon, he requests to send them in the Inner Palace. Against it at first, Yi Jin accepts hoping it would help Yi Rim’s standing and demands for U-hui to be included. In the meantime, U-hui has an uncomfortable breakfast with the Queen, ecstatic by the prospect of an heir. The salving excuse comes in the form of SSC who has requested to see her. In a tense confusing meeting, she manages to convince him he might have the chance to use him against Yi Jin. Even if it leaves her with many doubts too.

Ch27 - Consequences and Coincidences (Ep5.4)

After Hae-ryung manages to convince Seol-geum that “nothing” happened the previous day and ignoring the uneasiness of all the people watching around the house, she is humiliated by SSC for the lateness of the night before. Then, she leaves for the palace with U-won, who urges her to hide better her emotions and ask her to wait for him to investigate about the sword. Arrived late at the office, U-won leaves for the Royal Lecture and Hae-ryung goes back to her usual chores. In the first free moment, though, she goes to check Grand Prince Dowon’s identity in the Record of Appearances. Finding nothing, she has soon the chance to go to Nokseodang thanks to the royal order sending the apprentices in the Inner Palace. There, she comes face to face with the fact that Maehwa is in fact Yi Rim.

Ch28 - Secrets and Records (Ep5.5)

Already aware of the upcoming changes for the Office of Royal Decrees, Sa-hui volunteers to be sent to the QD, to start spying for SSC as payment for her debt to him, and suspects Hae-ryung of similar reasons when she asks to go to Nokseodang. At the Daebijeon, she’s barred entrance until her threats to record this event grant her the permission. Inside, she witnesses the meeting between the QD and an unknown court lady about the latter’s “deceased relative”, who she later identifies as the eunuch Heo Sam-bo’s wife. In the meantime, Hae-ryung struggles with the impossibility to ask Yi Rim explanations for the previous evening. Resigned to leave empty handed, she’s stopped by him who ends up thanking her for the previous night (while hiding the truth). Back in the office, she and the other apprentices are berated by Officer Yang for their ineptitude. Then, she’s helped by U-won to put away books, something that makes her regret not being able to be wooed by his kindness.

Ch29 - Shadows of the Past (Ep5.6)

While dealing with the changes brought by the promotion “offered” by SSC, including the misguided congratulations for his bright career, and the necessity of staying away for Hae-ryung, Goo Jae-gyeong crosses path with someone who he thought dead: Mo-hwa. For his part, SSC has found a more discreet way to meet the King, who calls for him to criticize him for meeting U-hui without following the proper etiquette. After a perfunctory ask for forgiveness, SSC reveal to the King that his investigations are bearing fruits: Mo-hwa is alive, and they just need to wait for her to reveal herself. In the meantime, Mo-hwa, worried that Goo Jae-gyeong might snitch her presence to SSC, prepare herself to the worst outcome. When someone knocks at her door, though, it’s a grief-stricken Goo Jae-gyeong who asks her to continue his work. Hold back by their happier memories, Mo-hwa threatens and sends him away when he reveals he has something more important to protect. Only to confirm that he’s indeed the author of The Story of Ho Dam.

Ch30 - The Subtleties of Grin and Bear (Ep5.7)

U-hui waits anxiously for the chance of Hae-ryung finally being the female historians sent to her rooms. Their meeting, though, is made awkward by the sachaek and soon cut short by the arrival of Yi Jin who invites U-hui to assist at his shooting practice. While thinking at first it was just a perfunctory invite to gave credibility to their plan, she discovers that he invited U-won too. And, while feeling pity for Rim’s bad archery, she awkwardly endures Yi Jin’s cheerful attempts to make them look even closer. In the meantime, roped inadvertently in his brother’s plan, Yi Rim has to deal with Yi Jin’s using his book to “flirt”, seeing Hae-ryung and “cold-hearted” U-won exchange stolen glances, becoming the laughing stock due to his poor archery skills and being defeated by Hae-ryung herself. At the end of the archery practice, while U-hui, U-won and Hae-ryung are walking, he stays with Yi Jin and the two teases each other. In the end, though, he decides that the happy memories out-weight the embarrassment even if it’s written in the sachaek.

Ch31 - The Role of a Woman

Hae-ryung finds out that she needs to organize a dinner for the historians’ wives, task she accepts even after Officer Min offered a way out (since Officer Yang forgot to tell her earlier). On the evening of the dinner, she endures Seol-geum’s beauty treatment and greets her guests. Things go without much of a hitch, until Officer Hyeon’s wife decides to insult Hae-ryung, Officer Kim’s wife and the other apprentices. Hae-ryung sends her away and gets Officer Yang’s wife’s respects. On the day of the Sericultural Rites, U-hui secretly enjoys the noblewomen’s awkwardness due to Hae-ryung’s presence, but still has to endure the request, masked as worry, of concubines for Yi Jin. At the end, thanked Hae-ryung, she crosses path with Yi Jin, a meeting that leaves even more confused. On the day of gyeongsin, after the apprentices (on Officer Yang’s petty order), Officer Min and Officer Kim stay at the office to work, Sa-hui has to endure her colleagues’ theatrics and the impromptu reading of Maehwa’s romance novels. After A-ran and Eun-im fall asleep, and the two historians go back to work, Hae-ryung asks her why she chose to become an historian. The question is an echo of the one Yi Jin asked her on the day of the Sericultural Rites, and she replies coldly to Hae-ryung.

Ch32 - Just How Things Work

During the still imposed morning greetings, Hae-ryung finds out that her highly anticipated stipend is going to be collect by someone sent by SSC. And get called naïve for thinking it would’ve been anything different. Her mood soured, she doesn’t manage to get excited with A-ran and Eun-im and turns down their invite to go pick their stipends and go celebrate together. Soon after they have left, though, she regrets her decision and decides to join them. In front of the Gwangheungchang, though, she catches up with a dejected A-ran who not only reveals they didn’t get paid, but also that Eun-im has gone home to deal with loan-sharks. Together, they rush to her house and, thanks to A-ran’s quick wit and Hae-ryung’s position, they manage to send them away. Invited to stay for dinner by the grateful Oh family, Hae-ryung finds out corruption is widespread in how pays are supplied and collected and realizes she has to do something to stop such injustice.

Ch33 - The Weight of Personal Relationships

SSC receives the first report from Sa-hui, making him consider the possibility of her being a contingency plan if U-hui doesn’t birth an heir. Reading her notes, he starts suspecting both Eunuch Sam-bo’s wife being Mo-hwa and the QD’s disinterest for a concubine for Yi Jin. And, finding out Goo Jae-gyeong let Hae-ryung have a western-influenced education, he decides to remember him his place. In the meantime, Hae-ryung cannot sleep and decides to write a petition against the corruption of the clerks, but she doesn’t manage to show it to U-won, who she sees talking with Sa-hui.

🧡🧡🧡 4th lunar month 🧡🧡🧡

U-won is invited at Hae-ryung’s morning greeting to SSC, during which they are informed they’ll be spending a few days in the Goo household as tradition demanded. Leaving alone, U-won starts to feel guilty of having to yet talk with Hae-ryung about the sword. After the Royal Lecture, he meets Hae-ryung in front of the office who asks his opinion about the petition. Before he could say anything, Officer Jegal barges in and humiliate her, in front of all their colleagues. Asking to talk with her alone, he doesn’t manage to explain himself and is overwhelmed by guilt by the realization of how Hae-ryung is being hurt by their wedding.

Ch34 - What’s Wrong with Apprentice Goo?

Yi Rim waits with thinning patience the arrival of the running late apprentice, wandering around Nokseodang and hoping it isn’t Hae-ryung. When it’s indeed Hae-ryung who arrives, he tries to act nonchalant only to notice her tears and leave her alone to cry. Outside, he finds out what happened and his anger goes to Officer Min and his inability to not let her cry. To cheer her up, he comes up with the excuses he wanted to walk around the city. His attempts, though, aren’t well-received by Hae-ryung called to nurse her feelings while baby-sitting the energetic Yi Rim. Between swindling merchants and expensive snacks, they see Gwi-jae searching for a woman who, according to a blacksmith’s words, Hae-ryung suspects being the same one who healed the prisoner with stitches. On their way back, they cross paths with two kisaengs who disclose new details about the hazing ritual, much to Hae-ryung’s embarrassment and Yi Rim’s annoyance. Back at Nokseodang, Yi Rim asks Hae-ryung to be friends and she accepts.

Ch35 - The Most Untimely Only One Bed

Cheered up by the impromptu stroll through the city with Yi Rim and motivated by new clues about what Gwi-jae is searching for, Hae-ryung comes back to the office dead set to face the consequence of her poorly received draft of petition. Both on the route there and inside the office, she realizes that all the clerks are now furious with her. More than their petty attitude and Officer Hyeon’s childish digs, though, what irks her more is noticing that U-won seems completely unfazed by their previous argument. At the ring of the bell, they leave to stop at the Min household to receive the last advices of SSC and then leave for the Goo household. During journey, Hae-ryung keeps getting angry with U-won and with herself. At home, she is finally able to hug her brother again, but their meeting is cut short when a mysterious call (that she surmises must be from SSC) makes him leave. Left with U-won, they decide to go to sleep only to have to deal with Seol-geum’s attempts to facilitate a steamier night. Left with their awkwardness, Hae-ryung struggles to sleep, even more after U-won reveals nothing came from his investigations on the swords. Later, U-won still awake take a walk outside to get enough tired to ignore his sense of guilt and of inadequacy.

Ch36 - Of Marital Quarrels and In-law Bonds  ✨✨✨ NEW !!! ✨✨✨

[writer-akihiko]

I can’t tell if ur open for Ikevamp requests but ima try anyway😅 I was wondering if you could do Mc as a descendent of one of the boys and them watching Mc falling in love with someone

IkeVamp Boys + Descendant!MC

This work is labelled as #slightly not family friendly because of implied innuendos

This work only includes the boys who have canonically had a wife. Also, Reader’s ethnicity is still your ethnicity, but there might be parts mentioned where you, Reader is also part [ethnicity] of a certain suitor.

I was so glad to bring back the IkeVamp Wife AU [although, it’s not in angst form this time] and this gave me some wholesome family prompts to write! Thank you for always sending really interesting and nice requests to me.

Napoleon Bonaparte

You did know that Napoleon was one of your ancestors, well, at least on your European side

At first you were uncomfortable so you disclosed it to Comte

Sooner or later Napoleon found out, and he connected the dots himself since you reminded him of his wife so much

From that day on, Napoleon acted as an older brother to you, making sure you're comfortable in the mansion

The other residents were mostly aware and if they weren't a flirting mistake could lead to overprotective brother Napoleon

You were fine with being referred to as his sister or cousin on occasions where it was difficult to explain your familial relationship with him

Additionally you had also gotten close to Jean, Napoleon's sparring partner and close friend

Napoleon could see the romantic shyness that bloomed around you two

Once you were gone with Sebastian, he confronted Jean

"Do you like YN?"

Jean himself was at a loss for words. He wanted to say yes, but he also didn't want to burden Napoleon with a son-in-law such as him

"Jean, I believe that you're a wonderful man for her, but it's YN's decision to accept you as her partner."

Napoleon's pep talk to Jean got Jean to confess to you

You two had a very loving and healthy relationship, and Napoleon himself had the liberty of walking you down the aisle

"Jean, YN, I wish you the greatest happiness."  

Arthur Conan Doyle

He had this odd feeling about you, because he wasn't his usual flirtatious self around you

Instead, you two would engage in deep thoughtful conversations

Comte eventually dug up some records because Arthur felt like it was a mystery the he couldn't solve

After the revelation of you and Arthur being related, he treated you as a sibling to him

He did become a little overprotective in terms of you travelling outside, but he trusted the residents enough so that you could go out with at least one resident accompanying you

He loves to spoil you most of the time with whatever money he had left to spare

He also loves to take you to town just to see your eyes glimmer of the town

Theo would also accompany you two much to his reluctance

Well, Arthur deduced that Theo was reluctant following you two because of himself but he caught Theo's glances to you

A small drinking game exposed Theo's feelings towards you, particularly about how adorable he thought you were

"Well Theo chap, you're a good man I'll give you that. I'll tolerate you being her lover."

Theo was unfortunately too drunk to remember his confession, so matchmaker Arthur sent him with you in your pretty outfits he got for you on a date errand

Theo eventually got together with you, and Arthur didn't mind much except when you two were being a tad bit too loud for his liking

"Theo you better not be ravaging her too much!"

He eventually gives you two privacy

As a whole, he may not agree with Theo on certain things but he'll let it slide since you were so happy with him

He was shamelessly bawling uncontrollable tears at your wedding

Dazai Osamu

Oh? What's this? You say that you're his descendant?

At first, Dazai seemed quite nonchalant about it, but you felt like something was bothering him by how brash he was with you

You decided to ask him then. "Dazai-san, did I… offend you?"

He shook his head. "No, although I'm afraid I accidentally offended you. If you remember our family history…" He drifted off. "I was a horrible person to your ancestral mother. Please accept my apology."

You smiled. "That's all I needed to hear."

Dazai took on the role of a more caring brother than he'd like to admit

You two weren't necessarily close together, but he does like to take you on mini-adventures

It's either that or he teases Apple-kun, which you had to witness

Ah, but what's this? Apple-kun isn't blushing at his teasing, but he's blushing… at you?

What a turn of events!

Of course Dazai goes to Arthur and tells him of his interesting discovery

Needless to say the teasing does escalate than Isaac would prefer

"Oh, so you took a liking to my pseu-daughter? Apple-kun, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree~"

"Okay fine I like YN! Now please stop it!"

Right on cue, Arthur brought you to the parlour where Dazai was teasing Isaac

You were blushing for sure, so you called out to Isaac.

"Isaac? Do you mean it?"

Dazai himself couldn't help but chip in. "Apple-kun, I don't mind you wooing my pseu-daughter but I don't know how to feel if I got apples as grandkids…"

"CAN'T YOU READ THE ROOM?!"

After rescuing Isaac from his intense embarrassment, Dazai and Arthur left you two lovebirds alone

Theodorus Van Gogh

What's this? +1 big sister?!

Is this heaven?

Well, that's how he perceived it anyway. He was glad to see how his wife handled herself, but he did admit a tiny regret of his where he left her behind

He now has a new sibling, and he does spoil you and Vincent very much so

You turned out to be slightly concerned of his syrup consumption

On days he was busy, you would accompany Vincent to visit William

He was not happy when William shows up at the mansion's door with a bouquet of flowers addressed to you

"Fine, I shall take my leave," Will said

He did not expect William to climb the rose wall

"YN! YN I'm here for you~" He said, waiting for you to open the balcony door

"Will! What are you doing?!"

"Theo won't let me see you through the front door~"

Theo ran out the front, threatening to throw a brick at Will for his attempts at wooing you

He didn't threaten he just grabbed the nearest brick and hurled it at William

You were a little worried about Will, so you decided to pull a power move

"William! Will you go on a date with me?'

Despite his bruised shoulder from the brick, he tosses you the bouquet with a grin on his face. "YES MY LOVE I SHALL!"

In the end, Theo was in tears on the ground

"Now now Theo, YN can choose her lover for herself…"

"Broer! Our precious zuster…"

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

He had the suspicion about you the moment he saw you

Comte's introduction of you only confirmed it

He had this soft smile around you, and would always go out of his way to make sure that you were comfortable in the mansion

You would always help him clean up in his piano room and he'd always tell stories of his married life when you were around

He was fairly quiet with other residents however, and you somehow understood all his moods

You did meet Jean and befriended him. Mozart was usually busy with his compositions, so he makes Jean accompany you

You didn't spend most time outside, so most of the time you assisted Sebastian with the chores

From his balcony view, Mozart could see the way you two were enjoying each other's company

He summoned Sebastian to his room once, and asked him.

"What do you have to offer YN?"

"Herr Mozart are you alright?"

He looked Sebastian up and down, slightly scrutinising him

"If she finds interest in you, I'll allow it."

You were a little surprised to walk in on those two, although you had to admit that you were blushing when Mozart confronted Sebastian about your relationship

"I have no idea what you're talking about Herr Mozart."

Sebastian saw your head peak through the door

You walked in, taking Sebastian's hand in yours and looking at Mozart

"Mozart, we're um.. Childhood sweethearts," You explained. "Even in the future. We broke apart ever since Akihi- I mean, Sebastian left with Comte but we have gotten back together."

Mozart was quite stoic at this revelation, but he certainly shed a few tears when Sebastian told him of his plans to marry you

"I'll… I hope you're good to her Sebastian."

Comte Saint Germain

Comte himself knew who you were, but he wasn't sure if you yourself knew

He had a chat with you, briefly explaining your family history

"Your grandfather, a dhampir, married a sorceress, your grandmother. Your grandfather was my grandnephew… Such a shame he passed so early…"

"Does this mean I have any special abilities?"

He shook his head, quite doubtful. "The humans that married into the branch of the family decreases your chances. You might live a little longer in human years, but I'm unsure if you're semi-immortal like your grandfather."

You didn't keep this a secret from the other residents, but you were also new to the mansion

You worked diligently in Comte's stead, handling the household affairs and sharing chores with Sebastian

Leonardo would often chat you up in return for him to share his knowledge of the vampire world

Comte didn't like that you were getting close to Leo, for many reasons

Leonardo was genuinely interested in you, so he disclosed his awareness of Comte's dislike to his attempts at charming you

You had to admit that Leo was quite an amiable man and you would consider a relationship with him

You appreciated Comte caring about your well-being, but you did want to stay with Leo

"Comte, I love him and nothing can change that."

"Well said cara mia…"

He wasn't happy about it, but seeing you happy gave him enough reassurance

"Leo, if you hurt her I will shoot you at your wedding."

"Oh, so you approved our wedding! How wonderful!"

"Sebastian! Fetch me my gun…"

William Shakespeare

He was a little surprised when Comte introduced you to him

You wanted to live with William as it comforted you with the thought of a relative being nearby, no matter how many decades you two are separated by

You would praise him daily, especially in his writing and he would tell you stories of his life before he was a vampire in return

When a knock on the door was heard, William left you, and with him he brought a gentleman named Vincent

Well, it wasn't any regular Vincent! It was Vincent Van Gogh!

You were a little nervous being in the presence of another famous historical figure…

William left to fetch some tea, but late on you found out that Vincent was an angel

Vincent himself found you to be quite charming and elegant himself, so when William returned, he asked William if he could paint a portrait of you

You did agree to being a model for Vincent, but you wanted William's approval since you'd be going out more often

"As long as someone accompanies you to the mansion, and as long as you take Puck with you to play with Brush. I'll allow it," He said, patting your head

He did notice you returning with a romantic grin on your face, and he was quite intrigued about it

"YN, do you like Vincent?" He simply asked, grinning

You turned away, muttering a slight 'maybe'

He decided to call on Vincent at the mansion, and the residents were having breakfast at the time

"Vincent! My friend… I have news for you!"

Theo and Leonardo weren't happy at his arrival, so William made his announcement quick

"YN is interested in you, so please court her wholesomely!"

With that, he ran off but he still relished in the sound of Arthur spitting out his coffee and Theo choking on his pancakes

Vincent took up on his offer, and you two lead quite the quiet, peaceful relationship

William was eccentric enough, so you two were glad to lead a quiet life

William did try to make your wedding quite jubilant, but he also couldn't help himself from acting a tragic scene when Vincent claimed you as his bride

"Should you stop him?" Vincent asked, as your guests watched on as William blurted out his sonnets of sorrowful marriage

"I'll leave him," You said. "He doesn't truly mean those words… I think."

[demonoflight]

In your headcanon, when the Digidestined married their spouses, while couples had a Western-style wedding? Which couples had a Japanese-style wedding? And which couple just went to the ward office and filled out the paperwork?

Oh boy, wedding headcanons! Fun~ Let's see.

Yamato and Sora: Traditional Shinto temple wedding, as expected of the daughter of an iemoto and a Japanese folklore professor. Yamato and Sora decide on that of their own accord, though, as they like the idea of a more private and spiritual ceremony. I do headcanon that they marry after both their kids are born, so it's not all that traditional! The kids are a bit small for the ceremony itself, but they have free rein of the reception and get photos with their parents in the traditional wedding garb. Yamato and Sora get just a little misty eyed during the day, but Gabumon, Piyomon and Takeru all cry full on tears of joy at various points.

Ken and Miyako: Irreligious western-style wedding in a banquet hall. It's the wedding of Miyako's wildest childhood dreams, with Ken indulging her every request and only gently suggesting alternatives when her dreams were a bit too lofty. Every alternative is happily approved and rewarded with a kiss on the cheek. Miyako is a bit of a nervous wreck the morning of, but Hawkmon, Mimi and her sisters all give her a really good pep talk, and the wedding itself goes without a hitch.

Taichi: Chapel wedding and reception. Taichi really rocks that white tux and makes bowties look good. Yamato gives an amazing speech during the reception that makes Taichi want to bury himself in the ground from embarrassment but also very grateful for Yamato's friendship.

Koushirou: Fills out paperwork at the ward office because even now, being the center of attention is not his favorite (and his significant other feels about the same). His and his SO's parents serve as witnesses, and naturally Tentomon is also in attendance crying his sweet little bug eyes out, though he's not quite a legal witness - they're still workshopping the regulations on that by the time Koushirou gets married.

Jou: The only Kido brother to have a Shinto temple wedding. Jou and his significant other are happy enough to just fill out paperwork, but they have the full ceremony and reception mostly because Gomamon gets really excited about the prospect (and it gives their parents peace of mind, but let's be real it's mostly about Gomamon's happiness).

Mimi: Chapel wedding followed by an extravagant reception just outside New York City. The buffet is a very international and varied affair, there's a lot of dancing, and Mimi wears a total of three dresses and four pairs of shoes (she breaks one pair) over the course of the event. She somehow manages to check on every single guest and make sure they're having fun while never taking a break from dancing.

Takeru: Chapel wedding immediately followed by a month traveling in Europe for the honeymoon. They stop in Paris for three days to have a party at Takeru's grandparents' place (in which Patamon learns he can't handle his champagne), and have a big dinner with family and close friends when they return to Japan.

Hikari: Chapel wedding and reception. She just really likes the aesthetic. Her wedding dress is very cute and blush colored rather than white.

Daisuke: Once he gets the coveted "yes", he almost arranges for an immediate city hall wedding from sheer excitement, but his significant other quickly convinces him to do an irreligious ceremony and reception with all their family and friends. Ken and V-mon are his best men.

Iori: Shinto temple wedding. Considering his upbringing, he just can't think of any reason why he should go for anything else. He surprises himself by getting very emotional during the ceremony.

[buttybarnes1917]

An Unexpected Party

AN: There probably wont be any smut in this story, it just doesnt feel right; however, I am PROBABLY going to make this an AU because nerdy!bucky has my whole heart and I am OBSESSED with the characters that are creating themselves out of this whole story.  

Chapter 4

Honestly?  Bucky was REALLY fun.

You went to dinner on Monday, lunch on Tuesday, and bowling with Wanda, Vis, and Yelena on Wednesday night.  He surprised you with coffee before work on Thursday, and that night, you had plans to watch a movie. Bucky was very excited to show you a cult classic, The Room.  You were a little confused on the premise, but Bucky promised you it was supposed to be bad. For people that were fake dating, you spent a hell of a lot of time together.  You were actually happy with him, and were perfectly fine ignoring your growing feelings for the man.

That was, of course, until you got a call from Tony.

“Heya kid, you busy?” you heard as soon as you picked up your phone. “Just kidding, I don’t care.  When am I meeting this new boyfriend of yours?  He’s been all over your Instagram.  I’m assuming you’re bringing him to my wedding.”

“You mean Pepper is still marrying you? God, I would have thought she had been sick of you by now,” you sighed as you loaded the dishwasher.  “Why do you need to meet him, anyway?  Does it matter to you?”

“Matters to me if there’s gonna be drama at my wedding, seeing as my best man is your ex-boyfriend.”

“Your best man broke up with me for no damn reason, and I have every right to date someone new, just like he’s doing,” you snapped, not able to hold yourself back, and Tony was quiet for a minute.

“So you know, I reamed his ass for that,” he said quietly.  “I have your back on that one.  What Steve did was wrong.  One hundred percent.  I just wanna make sure that Pep has the best day she can.  I know she’s nervous about… people seeing people together.”

“I understand that, Ton, but I am not gonna start anything.  Promise.”  You pulled out the cookies you were baking from the oven.  “Plus, Bucky is just a friend.”

“What kinda guy goes by the name ‘Bucky’?” Tony grumbled.

“A very sweet guy,” you say, unable to stop your voice from going a little softer.  Tony definitely noticed—you could tell by the silence—but thankfully he didn’t say anything.

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy,” he said softly.  

“Thanks Tony.” You said softly. “Anyway, the wedding is almost here,” you changed the subject, and Tony knew better than to push you.

“Sure is.  Only one more night,” he chuckled softly.  “Dad’s not coming,” he added quietly and you sighed softly.

“Can you blame him, Tony? You remember Christmas—”

“He insulted Pepper—”

“Because you kept pushing about the government contracts and upsetting mom, and you know it, Tony.” You said quietly.  “Both of you took things too far.” Tony grumbled on the other end of the line.  “Have you tried calling him?”

“I’m the one getting married,” he pointed out, and you stayed quiet.  Tony heavy sighed. “Fine.  I’ll call him.”

“And apologize?”

“I said I’d call him.”

“And apologize.”

“Y/N.”

“Tony.”

“…fine. And apologize that he’s such a self-righteous dick—”

“Anthony Edward Stark—”

“And I’ll apologize for being a bitch, okay?” Tony sighed. “God.”  There was a shuffling on the other end and you heard Pepper’s soft voice calling Tony to bed. “Ball and chain is calling.” He said teasingly and you heard Pepper snap at him giggling

“Call her that again and I’ll slap you during the ceremony,” you retorted laughing.

“Yeah yeah.  I’ll see you at the rehearsal tomorrow, kiddo.  Feel free to bring your… friend to the dinner.”

“Thanks, Tony.  I’ll see if he wants to go.  Sleep well.”

Tony hung up and you leaned on the counter, looking at your phone.  You heard a knock at your door, then the door swung open.

“Babe, you gotta make sure to lock the door,” Bucky laughed as he walked in, carrying a bottle of wine and a thin wide box.  “Anyone could just walk in here.”

“Sorry,” you giggled a little.  “Force of habit.  My ex always forgot his key.” You smiled as he pressed a kiss to your cheek, placing the wine in the fridge.  “Hey, I have the rehearsal tomorrow… my brother wants to know if you want to come to the rehearsal dinner afterwards.”

“Do I have to wear a suit?” he sighed dramatically.

“Mmhmm,” you giggled softly and wrapped your arms around his waist.  “But I’ll have to wear a dress, so it’s even.”

“Well, can’t say no to free food.” He chuckled softly.  “Anyway, I made your brother a wedding present,” he said a little nervously.

“Oh?” you asked in surprise.

“Yeah, you mentioned that you, and your brother and your parents would go upstate,” he said. “Ya know, before school started again?  Well, you kept talking about how pretty it was and… I guess I thought it would be nice for you to give your brother something that reminded you both of a happier time,” he said a little sheepishly, and pushed the bigger thin box he had brought in across the bar.  You glanced at him, then slipped it open.  Inside was a canvas with a beautiful dark wood frame. Painted on the canvas was a beautiful scene of a family of four, canoeing across a lake, the trees a gorgeous mixture of red, yellow, orange, and brown.  You covered your mouth, your breath catching in your throat.

Somehow, Bucky had gotten the exact memory you had described to him.

“Bucky this is…” you breathed out, tears pricking your eyes.  

“Fuck I'm sorry,” he mumbled, reaching for the box. “I’m sorry, it’s not good enough, I shouldn’t have caught you off guard, you don’t have to give it to him—"

You cut him off by rounding the side of the counter, cradling his cheeks in your hands, and kissing him deeply, pressing your body against his.  He groaned in surprise, stepping back a bit, his hands on your hips to steady himself.  You felt your eyes drift shut as he kissed you back, his lips working against yours, and for a second, time seemed to stop.

It never felt like this with Steve.

You slowly pulled away and he opened his eyes, looking down at you, his cheeks flushed pink.  “What did I do?” he asked chuckling a little.  “So I can be sure to do it again?”

“That was… the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me,” you said softly. “Or for a family member they’ve never met.” You touched his cheek.

“I…Really?” he said softly. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

“I think it’s perfect,” you said softly.  “You painted it yourself?”

“And made the frame,” he blushed, and you kissed him again, pulling him closer, your fingers slipping through his hair.  He shivered almost immediately and panted a little as you pulled away.  “Okay so, making things equals kisses.  Got it.” He chuckled a little. “I’ll furnish your whole apartment if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t want you to come to the wedding as my fake boyfriend,” you said quietly and he nodded, after a second’s hesitation.

“How about… as your real boyfriend?” he asked hopefully and you nodded, grinning. His face lit up and he kissed you again, pulling away, then pressing kisses all over your face as you giggled.

“Real boyfriend sounds much better to me.” You whispered.  

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