#a whole gif set because i was obsessed with the first clip of him in the glasses? maybe so | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

scoonsalicious · 7 months ago

Note

Here we are ladies, gents, and the non-binaries. The long-awaited Chapter 27 which you've blessed us in FULL today. 8 parts??? what have I done to deserve this? And I've got so many thoughts I Literally had to stare at my screen to collect myself because where do I even start????? Well, first off, I can start with the fact that that was amazing and you're incredible, and thank you for this. I've got so many things to say but I'm literally short-circuiting so AAAH. okay. I'm doing it by roughly by parts so I don't miss a thing. And since you've given us 8 parts, expect this to be the longest essay yet (I'm not even kidding please I apologize this got away from me)

First off, the slow build-up was killing meeee. But then again, I do love seeing them having normal conversations (I mean, a dick in the garbage disposal isn't exactly normal but I digress because that part made me laugh) and seeing Bucky be so protective of her because he has a point. Jesse is out for blood and leaving Pocket alone would be a terrible idea (I mean, well, we obviously see this later). I love their banter too! The teasing and the joking and Bucky's smug lil "nothing I haven't seen before" like okay, pipe down. I love Pocket's stubbornness, arguing with Bucky that she can handle herself (which she can obvs) but I couldn't help but giggle when she *pouts* "I have a gun" *pouts* when Bucky told her that even Nat couldn't handle Jane in hand to hand ESPECIALLY when the unhinged snake is set out for the kill and a super soldier at that.

Now, the footage of Jacky in the Hydra base. That was….a lot. It honestly was so disturbing and scary. It's absolutely insane the way Hydra manufactured her obsession with Bucky. But it's also genius in the sickest way. Because THAT is how you make sure you get a mission done. A teenage crush turned obsession? I mean, have you seen one direction fans back in the day? They were unhinged and could hack anything and that's without training (I was a fan too and I saw it all happen online LMAO). Now we have someone who is a teenage girl with an obsession, who's fucked in the head with all that Hydra manipulation, has super soldier powers, a highly trained assassin and has been made to believe that she can get everything she wants? Who’s stopping that? She makes serial killers look sane. She's been set out to him before anyone even knew she existed. Honestly, that whole thing just had me sitting staring at the wall for a few seconds before I could continue because it's insaneeee. It's so scary, just thinking about someone like her existing in the real world. But that part where she was about to jerk off to Bucky's picture has me laughing and feeling distraught at the same time. But that hint of Bucky being uncomfortable about it followed by Pocket's comment about already sleeping with her, at first I thought he just felt guilty about it but after reading all the parts? A foreshadowing that he's never been comfortable in the first place? I see what you're doing. But god, massacring a whole Hydra base and just the image of her Carrie-style but with a proud grin. Chills. Get her away from me please I'm scared.

(on a side note, Pocket thirsting over Jesus Barnes in Wakanda please BIG MOOD. That really reallyyyyy short clip of him in Infinity War throwing that sack with one hand has me falling in line like, yes sarge, me next please. ANYWAY back to the story)

I'm glad they cleared up that whispering in the conference room when the whole below the paygrade comment. Because people keeping forgetting that were just in Pocket's POV and with that comes some unreliable narrating sometimes because we obviously won't get the full scope of what happened because we're only seeing her thoughts and her perception on the situation. Which is why I always think it's important to think on a broader scale outside what's shown on the text. But god, THAT much money? I'm still heartbroken for Chloe though because she didn't deserve that. But sigh, we just discussed not letting Pocket leave the safe house for her safety and then suddenly we're leaving her alone? Barnes? Really? Have you read any fanfics in your life? Anyway.

That whole commentary about the whole trafficking situation was so spot on. I have nothing else to add to that because you pretty much said it all. It's both sad and so enraging. BUT AH NO. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE POCKET SERIOUSLY. But she genuinely did think Dimitri was the least evil of them all so sigh. I already knew where this was going and I already had a hunch who this "Hydra" boss is waiting at the club. But lol the gasp I let out when I read her name. *insert that 'why am I gasping, I already knew that meme' here* Even just that hint of Jordan being so quick and strong since she's a super soldier, it really sets the tone how Pocket really can't get out of this through physical strength. And now the face off begins.

But damn. I honestly didn't think she'd get even crazier yet here we are. I even felt my skin crawl just knowing the amount of time Jerms spied on Bucky, Pocket, and them both together. She's literally been watching their every move even in the confines of their bedroom. And that gives her so much upper hand because all the fights, insecurities, weaknesses, all their trauma and past, what makes them tick as a couple, what breaks them down, she knows it ALL and she's obviously going to use that to her advantage. Well, she did and she did it well. Imagine playing a cheese game with someone who already knows all your moves. How can you win against that? Every time she says she "loves" him I have the urge to throw up. Like girl you don't. You’re obsessed with him. There's a huge difference. And God that she show here obsession and delusion and that really is the best play Pocket could make. Shattering that deranged fairytale she has in her head of Bucky ever wanting her.

That part, where Juno admitting to feeding Bucky all the things she'd been feeding him, especially the degradation parts. When you're so desperate to try and save a relationship, you really do become willing to try anything and take any advice even if it's not the best ones. And like I said many parts ago, she's smart so the way she manipulated Bucky (who's already so insecure and broken and such an easy mind to manipulate) was so calculated that it was always going to be a success.

Which brings me to the infamous video which was without consent, might I add. The way Jayla made it seem in her text when she recounted it Bucky was so far from what actually happened. She really was selling it as if they'd fuck like no tomorrow and Bucky turned into this feral sex god or something. But that's her delusions playing it up, making it seem like it was the best sex ever when in reality, that couldn't have been farther from the truth. That wasn't fucking, hell I don't even know what you call that. I mean, I could be pushing it here so please do correct me if I'm wrong, but that was SA in a way. An unenthusiastic yes is still a no and you could clearly see that Bucky wasn't into it, tried to stop it even. And with men, there's a different dynamic when it comes to SA because of patriarchal standards and toxic masculinity and this misconception that they always want sex etc. And it truly was pathetic on Josef's part claiming that they fucked because, dude, what was that? But it also left a bad taste in my mouth for Bucky. Because what I saw in my head was just him laying there while she took what she wanted, I guess. And yeah, he didn't push her off and there was a part of him that was so hurt and angry thinking that Pocket betrayed him that he wanted to get revenge but even then, he didn't seem that excited on the fact. I mean, the snake had to bring up the articles and Steve over and over and over again because that's the only way she could keep Bucky angry and hurt enough to not protest and just, let things happen. And she was feeding him lies and hitting exactly where it would sting with that purple push up bra because how could she have known that right? In Bucky's head, that was confirmation that she was telling the truth because he didn't know that Jenny had access to footages. She played her game well and she stabbed him exactly on where the stitches are so that was a lost cause on Bucky's part.

And God, I have all my reports saved in one doc and I really did hit it already did I. About me saying how Bucky probably let Russia happen as a way to punish himself too. And that Jayla truly did play into Bucky's insecurities with those articles because what fight does he have against America's Golden Boy? When he already believes Pocket deserves someone better and that someone took form into the person he's insecure about the most? How can you not spiral? I know I'm repeating myself but we truly can't just ignore what Bucky went through with Hydra in all of this. He's got such a fragile mind and self esteem that it's already easy to break him down if you truly think about it. Now, imagine having someone who knows EVERYTHING that made you crumble and has all the ammo and information to be able to say just the right words for you to trust them? And, well, speaking from experience, you really can't know you're being manipulated until you're out of it. I didn't realize how bad my experience was until I retold it to a friend. So I don't Bucky had an ounce of awareness as to what Joanna was doing to his mental state. It was the sickest most calculated thing what she did that I think even the most secure person could feel that security crumble even for a little. Now you have someone who's already fragile and insecure in the first place? He honestly stood no chance.

Obviously, it doesn't take away the fact that Pocket was still hurt and she has every single right to be. But I think she was more hurt that Bucky wasn't secure in their relationship and her love for him rather than the act itself. Because the way it happened really was kind funny and God I cringed at the way Jocelyn took so so long to even get him going and not even get him going at all because Bucky had to think of Pocket to get hard. And he truly only got himself going by imagining it was Pocket. I mean, he had his eyes closed!!! Beyond me how Juan was able to keep going since Bucky was practically screaming someone else's name so fucking obvious and loud and I have no doubt she heard it since she's a super soldier but she's a different level of delusional so I'm not even surprised. Taking what she could get probably.

I can't WAIT to see feral protective Bucky on the next part. And as much as I want to see all the action, I kinda want him to see him be so calm with his confrontation with Jude. Because you know what would truly break that snake? Bucky telling her over and over and over how he could never love someone like her in all the languages and all the phrases he could. Is it evil of me to want him to break her down on a mental level rather than physical? Because to me, that would be a much more worth it revenge with all the emotional and mental abuse she's done on Pocket and Bucky. Because yeah, Pocket saying those things already hit a nerve. Now imagine it coming from Bucky's mouth? The man she claims she "loves"? Either way, I have no doubt you're going to feed us well so I'm going to be happy not matter what happens. I CAN'T WAIT.

— Jnon 🤍

\y Beautiful Jnon,he 'dick-in-the-garbage disposal' line will live rent-free in Bucky's head for the rest of his life, lol. I like to imagine that it's a visual that got Pocket through a lot of tough times. I loved writing their banter (tbh, I love writing banter in general, lol). I just adore seeing them in a little bit of domestic fluff. And .Bucky has definitely seen it all before, lol. Literally nothing Pocket's got going on hasn't been exposed to his... intense scrutiny, lol. When it came to leaving Pocket alone, the safehouse was probably the safest place for Bucky to do it. I mean, Carthage knew about the Wiggle Room, but she didn't know where the safehouse was.

I'm pleased (which is weird to say) that the Hydra footage was disturbing-- it was 100% meant to be. Like, back in the '90s (the glorious '90s, which I miss with every fiber of my being), I was a HUGE Hanson fan. Like, so rabid I look back on it with embarrassment, lol. And I was thinking-- there's no one with greater obsessive focus than a teenage girl with a celebrity crush, you know? And it just kind of made sense to me that Hydra would harness that to ensure the greatest success to assure they get their asset back. And Jade's not a teenager, but she grew up in isolation, without peers her own age, so I see her as emotionally stunted. In a weird way, she has that in common with Pocket. They were both prevented from growing up in the natural order of things so they could serve the agenda of men. They're like two different sides of the same coin. And Bucky was so uncomfortable at the idea of seeing Jade get off to photos of him, because she did, essentially sexually assault him-- he was never comfortable having sex with her, and the idea that she was using his photo for sexual gratification long before he ever knew she existed makes him feel even more violated.

Let us discus Jesus Barnes. Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have had impure thoughts of a man, repeatedly, lol. But for real, if you're not familiar, please check out Rock Me, Sexy Jesus from Hamlet 2, which is literally THE ONLY thing I can think about when I see this:

Like, turn my water in whine, please. (I'm not even sure how that works as some kind of filthy entendre, but I'mma leave it 'cause I like how it sounds, lol)

I almost didn't include the bit about Bucky telling Pocket what he actually said to Jade during the mission briefing, but I realized I didn't want her thinking he divulged her secrets. He did some shit, but he didn't do that.

Bucky has not read any fanfics in his life, unfortunately, but this just gave me a hilarious idea for a oneshot where Pocket tries to get him riled up by reading a smutty Bucky Barnes fanfic to him, so thank you for that, lol.

Sad part is, Pocket trusted Dimitri. And I think he trusted her, too, which was why he was so betrayed when he found out she wasn't who she said she was. I did need Bucky to leave Pocket alone, but in his defense, the safehouse was the safest place he could have left her. I mean, Jade knew about the Wiggle Room, knew that she would be working there, but she didn't know where the safehouse location was. So, it seemed liked the safest place at the time, and it would have been if Dimitri hadn't shown up for her. Everyone wanted Pocket to kick Jade's ass, and I wanted it, too, but Jade's always been too strong and fast. All Pocket could use to beat her is her wits.

Having her spy on Bucky and Pocket was actually a late addition to the narrative, and I'm so glad I included it, because it really cements how messed up she is. And it gave her so much ammo to use against them. They really did not stand a chance with her having all that access. (Also, I know you meant "chess game," but you wrote "cheese game" and I am in so in love with that, I'm going to pretend you did it on purpose, lol). I also wanted to show that Jade wasn't just crazy, but she was smart, too, and resourceful, which is what makes her so much more dangerous.

And you're not wrong-- the Russia incident bordered on sexual assault. I don't think he would ever see it like that, being a man from the '40s, but it was. An unenthusiastic yes is just as bad as a no. She pushed and manipulated him so badly, he really had no chance. And once she brought up that purple push up bra? It was over. Without knowing she'd been spying, how could he not believe her?

I'm dying to hear your thoughts about Chapter 28! I can't wait! Love you!

#unwanted #jnon report

10 notes · View notes

cosmo-watches-movies · 1 year ago

Text

Gallowglass (1993)

Triggerwarning: Suicide, Physical Abuse, Violence

Summary: Joe (Michael Sheen) was just released from a mental hospital but his foster parents wont take him back home. Desperate and having nowhere to go he attemps to commit suicide but is saved last minute by Sandor (Paul Rhys). Joe is now devoted to his saviour, who uses this to his advantage by further manipulating Joe up to the point where he aggrees to help kidnap a young woman.

Spoilers beyond this

Starting off with a punch in the gut (litterally)

Found this a bit uncomfortable to watch. Not necessarily because its bad, but because is portrays a very abusive relationship between Sandor and Joe. It’s proper fucked up, so that is kinda the point. Joe is almost obsessed with Sandor, constantly excusing his horrible behaviour and actions. You very much believe that Joe would do anything for him. It’s genuinely scary to watch.

Sandor saves Joe

After they successfully kidnap the young woman they where after it turns out Sandor isn’t after a ransom, but is in love with her and wants to free her from her (as he thinks) miserable life. She rejects him which he, after some drama, accepts. However Sandor ends up killing himself the same way Joe tried to earlier, by throwing himself in front of a train. And because he’s a total bastard he does it right in front of Joe. (poor guy can’t catch a break)

Throughout the series are short clips of Joe explaining the events in hindsight This shows a very different aspect of the character it’s almost jarring. But in a good way. You very much get the sense that this whole story scarred him even further, but he also seems more mature and reflected. In the end we see that he might be talking to a therapist (maybe even in a prison?) so I like to think that at some point in his life he manages to set himself free from that past trauma. “Tilly said Sandor was bananas, off the wall, after lunch…there seem to be a lot of words for mad. I told her never to say it. He wasn’t mad, he was just in pain…I know all about that, don’t I?” - fucking shivers down my spine The way he delivered that line, fucking genius. If you dont wanna watch the whole series, watch this one scene it’s so good. (it’s somewhat at the 44 minute mark of episode three)

The performances of the lead actors are way more convincing than I expected, it’s the most interesting part of the whole series imo. Joe starts off already broken and by the end he’s absolutely fucked up. He gets completely corrupted by his saviour to the point of kinda assuming his persona after Sandor died. Thats a pretty interesting dynamic and it left me feeling a bit icky afterwards.

I havent read the book but even with the great performances of the actors something about the story didnt quite capture me. Like the suspense was built up, but the payoff wasnt quite there. Maybe the stakes arent high enough? Idk something about the overall story couldve been pushed a bit more…

Anyway idk if this was Michaels very first time acting in front of a camera, but considering this was very early in his career he did an exeptionally good job. Michael has this way of completely disappearing in his characters its amazing to watch. And it blows my mind that he could do this so well already when he was just like 24 I think?

Joe calls the woman they intend to kidnap "the princess", after a story Sandor told him

His acting combined with Paul Rhys gives a very convincing dynamic. If it wasn’t for them this would’ve been an absolute bore.

Would I recommend watching this? Maybe, If you don’t have a problem going through a few unconfortable scenes and a overall mediocre story. If you absolutely want to see Michael play a very broken, fucked up young man, sure! There’s some good acting in it so at least it isnt boring. Just prepare for violence and some uncomfy stuff.

(Horrible Hair dye job, Sandor)

#movie review #michael sheen #gallowglass #cw #tw sui #tw sui talk #tw sui implied #filmography

10 notes · View notes

8starflower · 2 years ago

Text

happy death day

summary: on the eve of your 22nd birthday, you find yourself stuck in a beautiful mountain villa with all of your past and current lovers — thanks to your best friend haechan. what could possibly go wrong?

tw: death, murder, stabbing, suicide, substance use, trauma, guns

wc: 8.3k

[you have to listen to this playlist while reading]

y/n hated surprises. a lot. but she adored her best friend even more.

here she was, unwillingly stuck packing for a birthday weekend she’d never forget. according to haechan, at least. he was clearly excited for what he had planned so she didn’t have it in her heart to tell him she really didn’t want to do anything special this year.

“you get to spend your birthday at a beautiful mountain villa and i have to stay here?! why don’t you just run me over with a car. it’ll hurt less.”

y/n scoffs at her roommate’s theatrics. “trust me, maria, i’d love for you to be in my place. haechan won’t even tell me who’s going. you really can’t come?”

maria shoves another chocolate kiss in her mouth. “i can’t, doc. i’m stuck preparing for the move to australia,” she says, getting up to throw the now empty bag of her favorite treats. “hey, you lose. i did finish the whole pack in one sitting.”

doc. y/n was now officially a doctor. it still felt surreal to her. everything was finally slowly falling into place – she had just passed the boards, she was finally in a relationship that allowed her to grow, and she was making that ca$h money flow. all at the age of 21 22.

“well, between that and your unhealthy obsession with fresh red pods, i’d say you’re well on your way to being my first patient.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

haechan had asked y/n to meet him at the airport. she had learned to stop prying him for more information on the trip because he was annoyingly committed to keeping everything about this birthday trip secret.

and y/n knew, more than anyone, that when haechan set his mind on something, it would be impossible to stop him.

“will patty be there?”

“no.”

“why not?”

“why don’t you ask her?”

“will hao be there?”

“he’s your boyfriend.” emphasis placed on your.

“so will he be there?”

“why don’t you ask him?”

a sigh leaves y/n’s lips at haechan’s clipped responses. “for all i know, you’ve invited everyone i don’t want there.” a mere chuckle leaves her best friend’s lips and y/n finds herself calling her friend patty for a better conversation than the one she was having now.

“birthday girl!” patty exclaims. “birthday doctor!”

“please tell me you’re on your way to a mountain villa for a few days to celebrate my birthday.”

patty gasps on the other end of the line. “well, now i wish i was! haechan didn’t say anything about a villa. but unfortunately, no, i am not. i’m stuck looking for a job. please promise we’ll celebrate when you get back, though.”

at this point, no one y/n knew or at least wanted to see was going to this birthday surprise. she glances at haechan, who is calmly scrolling through his instagram feed beside her. “yeah, let’s celebrate when i get back. i really,” she pauses to make her voice louder. “really would love to tell you more about the trip but i know absolutely nothing.” her best friend simply rolls his eyes.

“don’t worry, i’m sure it’ll be fun! i have to go now, but make sure to check the back pocket of your bag. i had maria slip something in for me. bottoms up.”

the phone call shortly ends and y/n reaches into her bag to wrap her hand around a steel can. finally, a smile forms on her face.

patty had gifted her a can of chiang beer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“what the fuck.”

“don’t be rude.”

“no, haechan. what the fuck.”

there were a million things y/n could’ve expected to see upon arriving at the villa, but nothing prepared her for this. standing before her were five faces she never would have wanted to see together in a single place. ever. yet here they all were, awkwardly standing around a poorly-decorated table wearing birthday cone hats. “surprise!” they had all screamed when she entered the room.

there was minghao – her current boyfriend, the one that challenged her to be a better person. he brought a sense of tranquility in the craziness of y/n’s life. in her fast-paced life, he was the one that helped slow things down.

there was yuta – her last lover. their love was passionate but extremely toxic. with him, there was no rest. there were only extremes. the highs were high and the lows were low. he had opened her eyes to how much good and bad life actually had to offer. but he wasn’t right for her. she wasn’t right for him. they simply weren’t right for each other. she had desperately wanted things to work out but some things just weren’t meant to be. it still hurt thinking of the love that should have been.

there was chanyeol – her first love. the one that joined the army and broke her heart. she had given so much of herself to him but he wasn’t willing to give as much of himself back. endless fight after fight, she couldn’t take it anymore. he had ruined her perception of love being worth fighting for.

and there was jackson – her childhood friend. the one that left her without warning. their friendship had been short lived because he had moved away, but it still meant a lot to her. she had him to thank for her abandonment issues.

“i’m sorry. i don’t really understand what’s going on here. what the fuck.”

different expressions shown on different faces. some excited, some nervous, and some clearly regretting they had come. she could relate most to the last category.

haechan nervously chuckles from beside her. “give us a moment. let me just talk to her.”

“haechan, what the fuck. i don’t know what sick joke you have going on here but this is actually sadistic. am i getting punk’d? is that what this is?” y/n says, the moment she is brought into the living room. haechan had a twisted sense of humor – that was what made the both of them get along so well – but this was too much, even for him.

“look, y/n. i just feel like now that you’re turning 22, it would be great to catch up with all of the people that have made a significant impact in your life. it would give both you and everyone else here closure. think of it as turning over a new leaf, if you will.”

“THEN WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?” y/n scream-yells.

haechan pauses to think. “hm. i didn’t think of that. my bad.”

she sees red. this is why she hated surprises. she didn’t care if the villa was everything she dreamt of. she wanted to get out immediately.

“y/n?” a voice comes from behind her. minghao. perhaps the only one she was glad to see.

“did you know about this?” y/n asks him, praying to a higher power that he wasn’t an accomplice to this. minghao makes his way over to the two of them and grabs her hand. “i actually thought it was a great idea. don’t you want to give it a try? just for dinner? if it’s that bad, then haechan agreed we could leave and call the whole thing off.”

she looks between the two men. one nodding reassuringly at her and the other simply smiling. she wishes she could wipe the smile off of his face. her best friend truly was something else.

“well, the food better be amazing and there better be a lot of alcohol here.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

dinner wasn’t as bad as she expected. the awkwardness was inevitable, but the food was divine and haechan was doing a great job at leading the conversation. he could breathe now that he had successfully made it past the only roadblock he perceived he had coming into this surprise: y/n wanting to leave even after he explained why he brought everyone here.

y/n was the most important person in haechan’s life. growing up, she was the only one that was always on his side and understood him. he knew he was more than capable of fucking up at times, but she always tolerated him and his silly antics. this was definitely a little over the top, but what could he say? y/n was entering a new chapter of her life and he wanted to prove to her that the best way to move forward was to make peace with the past. just like he had said earlier, it was like turning over a new leaf.

“jackson, it’s nice seeing you here. feels like the last time i saw you was right before you ghosted me.”

the man chokes on his food. “uh, it’s nice seeing you too, y/n.” he sets his fork down and looks around the table. “i didn’t think i was going to do this with everyone around, but now is as good a time as ever.”

y/n regrets it. she immediately hates bringing the past up. she knew, of all people here, jackson was the one who never got shy about anything. though she had to admit that the years away had done him good. he looked good. the once loud and immature boy she knew was now someone that exuded confidence and composure.

“i think you deserve an apology for that. i didn’t really know then how to deal with leaving and what it really meant, but that isn’t an excuse for how i acted. i know i can’t do much now but i’m sorry for not saying goodbye. you deserved more than that. I hope you could forgive me.”

silence envelopes the room for a moment but then y/n starts laughing. “you were always so serious. it’s fine, jack, we were young.” jackson starts laughing too and the atmosphere in the room has shifted. conversation and drinks flow easier. y/n doesn’t feel as on edge anymore.

“and remember that time you introduced wari to me? i’ve never been the same since.” y/n giggles, glancing at yuta from across the table. he was never the most outgoing person and they had more arguments than agreements, but it was a time in her life that excited her to no end. she loved how much yuta respected her but she hated how unsure she felt during their relationship. yuta simply smiles and raises his glass to her in response.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“alright, everyone. it’s almost midnight. let me just go prepare the cake.”

minghao gets up to prepare the cake and haechan offers to help him. y/n can’t help but be grateful that the two of them got along as well as they did. maybe this trip wouldn’t be as bad as it seemed.

a couple of minutes later, the lights shut off and a singular candle lights up the room.

“happy birthday to you,” haechan sings from where the light switch is as minghao walks toward her. “happy birthday to you.” the others join in unison. “happy birthday, dear y/n.” minghao sets the cake down in front of her. “happy birthday to you.”

y/n blows out the candle just as lightning strikes and for a second, the room is enveloped in darkness. “haechan, the lights.” sounds of a light switch flickering on and off multiple times are heard then a string of curses come out of haechan’s mouth. “guys, i think the power’s out.”

several groans can be heard from around the room but jackson stands up. “have no fear, i always pack an emergency light. you guys just keep drinking and i’ll go grab it.” he moves swiftly from the table, eager to make sure the mood doesn’t die along with the power. it was the least he could do to make sure y/n’s birthday wouldn’t be ruined. he nearly crashes into haechan when he bumps into the wall on his way out of the dining area and he doesn’t know if it’s because of the alcohol in his system or the lack of visibility, but everyone laughs at his antics and that was good enough for him to keep going.

and true enough, the night continues on as if the lights never went out.

“and you! you completely deserted me when you went to the military. i thought soldiers weren’t supposed to desert their posts?!”

minghao could tell y/n was one-too-many drinks in. chanyeol sighs as he begins to profusely apologize. maybe they were all one-too-many drinks in. “look, y/n. i have no words. you know what? i’m glad it happened though. because this guy,” chanyeol slurs and reaches over to clasp his hand on minghao’s shoulder. “this guy treats you way better than i ever could.”

“박수!” haechan exclaims, getting everyone to clap for chanyeol. the latter bows in response, waving a hand in the air.

“however, on that note, i am going to sleep. i guess i’m not as strong a drinker as i used to be.” chanyeol says, stifling a yawn. jackson and yuta agree. soon enough, everyone is saying good night.

y/n goes to sleep with a smile on her face. perhaps this would be a birthday to remember.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a blood curdling scream. that is what everyone in the house wakes up to.

y/n had gotten up early to start her birthday with a morning jog. walking through the hallway, she couldn’t help but notice one of the room’s doors left ajar.

as she enters the room, she immediately notices something is off. it’s ice cold and there’s an eerie silence in the room. the bed looks as if it had been stripped clean, with pillows and blankets messily sprawled all over the floor. she notices a body beside the bed. she takes a few steps forward towards the motionless figure on the floor. as she moves closer, her heart starts racing. he was still in the same clothes as the night before, except now they were stained with red. y/n’s breath catches in her throat as she notices a knife protruding from his chest and the surrounding pool of blood. it was jackson.

she could feel the blood drain from her face and her hands begin to shake. shock. horror. disbelief. fear. she didn’t know what to do. she didn’t know how to move. all she could do was stare at the lifeless body before her and before she knew it, she was screaming.

y/n doesn’t know how long she was standing there. it felt like hours. her brain was in overdrive, trying to process what was happening. she could hear the sound of hurried footsteps approaching but she didn’t turn around. she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the knife.

haechan cannot believe his eyes. “what the fuck happened here?”

just like y/n, he can’t tear his eyes away from the body in front of them. with how things ended the night before, he definitely hadn’t expected his day to start like this. he can feel y/n start to hyperventilate from beside him.

y/n turns to him, panic written all over her face. “who would do this? who would be capable of this? haechan, what do we do?!” her eyes are wild – she’s looking everywhere but at him. the other people in the house have not woken up yet. or they have yet to get to the scene.

“y/n, look at me,” haechan says as he grabs both of her shoulders. “i need you to calm down. i need you to breathe. we don’t know who did this or why they would do this, but we have to focus on what we do know.” y/n is hysterical at this point. she’s somewhere in between sobbing and laughing at the insanity of the situation.

“and what the fuck do we know, haechan? jackson’s dead! that’s all we know,” y/n whispers in frustration. “he’s dead and we don’t know anything else.”

haechan anxiously runs a hand through his hair. “what i do know is we,” he gestures in between the both of them. “can’t trust anyone right now. you need to be wary of everyone. for all we know, someone here is a murderer.”

y/n can’t process all of this. a murderer in the villa? why would anyone here want to kill jackson? was it possible one of them had come here with a hidden agenda? “but haechan, who would want to kill jackson? if i’m being honest, i’m the one with most reason to want to kill him. and i know i didn’t do it!”

“yeah, you aren’t really selling yourself that well here,” haechan snorts. at least y/n still had the ability to be funny at times like these. “but i believe you didn’t do it. you didn’t even know he would be here. do you think there’s anyone else here that might have something against him? or do you think he could’ve done this to himself?”

the last question haechan asked was something y/n knew could not be true. from the angle of the knife sticking out of jackson’s chest and the signs of struggle in the room, this couldn’t have been self-inflicted. “no. i don’t think he did this to himself. i probably did mention jackson and i’s falling out to the other three at one point in our relationships, but i can’t think of a reason anyone would want to do this.”

she feels sick to her stomach realizing what this all meant. she doesn’t want to admit it, but haechan verbalizes it for her.

“well, now we know that there’s a murderer in this house.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

gathering everyone in the living room was not an easy thing to do. y/n, still visibly shocked from everything that had just happened, could not move from the couch that haechan had left her on. she was trying to gather her thoughts on how to break the news to everyone.

haechan, on the other hand, had to be strong for y/n. the situation was just as unprecedented for him as it was for her – it wasn’t like he was used to dealing with potential murderers everyday. it was him getting everyone to come to the common area.

minghao had heard a scream in the morning, but he had chosen not to come out of his room. he had assumed y/n had seen a bug of some sort and from the urgency of footsteps from another room rushing towards the sound, he also figured haechan had gotten up to go help her. minghao had always known haechan had a soft spot for y/n. in fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that his girlfriend’s best friend was in love with her. that much he knew. that much both comforted and bothered him, knowing that someone else had y/n’s best interests at heart too.

what no one prepared for was the grave atmosphere that filled the room once the news was broken. the tension was almost suffocating, everyone dissociating and processing the gravity of the situation. chanyeol, specifically, found it hard to think straight. he wanted nothing more than to get out of the villa, internally cursing at himself for even having come at the first place. he had seen his fair share of death during his time at the military but it never got easier. he knew nothing good would come out of this.

“i think we can establish his time of death to be between 2am and 3am, based on what i’ve gathered from the state of his body.” y/n says after a long time, trying to pull herself together and think rationally. “we definitely do need to report this, so i think it’s best if we all stay together for now and look around for clues.”

chanyeol scoffs at the idea. “you want to stay together and look for clues? is this some kind of game to you, y/n? do you think this is a murder mystery party you see in the movies where we need to find clues? no. this is real life. someone got fucking stabbed. i don’t know about everyone else, but i just want to get the hell out of this place. i suggest we all should.”

“i think it’s a smart idea,” yuta pitches in from the corner of the room. he had been dead silent for a while, just observing everyone in the room. one of these people did it. one of these people killed jackson. “i don’t want to point any fingers but jackson was clearly killed. by someone in this room. one of you did this and there are five of us here. we should look around. it’s the least we can do to bring justice to jackson.”

yuta was someone who noticed the smallest of details, which probably explained why he was so convinced they would be able to find who did it. his money was currently on chanyeol, who seemed restless and shifty. but he couldn’t accuse him. not yet, at least.

“one of us?” haechan snaps. “you’re acting like you aren’t a part of this. for all we know, you killed him! i’m sure the rest of the group would like to hear all about your time in juvie. you nearly killed someone!”

yuta smirked at the story haechan had brought up. he had been in charge of hazing for his fraternity one year. it wasn’t his fault the weak kid couldn’t take a few punches. it wasn’t his fault he ended up in juvie because the kid was a fucking snitch. maybe the kid should’ve died. he found it hilarious that haechan wanted to use that as an excuse to accuse him.

“you guys are fucking crazy. i’m leaving.” chanyeol says, getting up.

“you can’t, actually. you’re currently a suspect to this crime, along with the rest of us.” minghao retorts.

“then we should all leave. am i the only one thinking clearly here?! one of you killed someone last night and everyone else is okay with being in the same place as a murderer?!”

y/n couldn’t think straight. not with everyone else beginning to argue around her. yuta and chanyeol were currently going at it, neither willing to back down from the point they were trying to make. minghao was currently sitting beside her, staring off into space. it puzzled her how calm he could be at a time like this. haechan was trying to mediate the two arguing.

“look, chanyeol, i think all of us would rather be anywhere than here. but like minghao said, even if we wanted to leave, we’re all prime suspects. and if no one is going to own up to it, we might as well make ourselves useful and try to find out what the fuck happened.”

chanyeol’s breathing is heavy and he’s clearly trying to compartmentalize the anger building up inside of him. y/n knew that he had anger issues. she sometimes got chills thinking about how intense he could be when he was blinded by rage. “fine. have it your way. i need some space. i’ll go get some flashlights so you all can go and think of your next brilliant idea.” he storms out of the room, presumably to go do what he announced he was going to.

“i wonder why he’s so angry,” minghao quips. “we’re all just as shaken. he’s acting like he expected this to happen.”

the underlying message of minghao’s words settle around the room.

“you think he did it?” yuta asks, studying y/n’s boyfriend.

minghao simply shrugs. “i’m not saying anything, it just feels like all he wants to do is escape. i don’t think i trust him enough to let him go off on his own.”

with minghao unwilling to leave y/n’s side and yuta’s passiveness, haechan takes it upon himself to volunteer to survey the house with chanyeol. he was just as afraid as y/n was, but he could probably take chanyeol on more than her if things went south. better him than her, he thought.

and so the search ensued. chanyeol and haechan had agreed to look inside the rooms together while the other three would look around the outside of the villa for any possible cases of break-ins. y/n was secretly hoping someone else had broken into the house instead of assuming someone in the group had done it. she still refused to believe that it was one of them.

“so tell me more about this chanyeol guy.”

y/n glances at yuta walking beside her. he’d always been someone that thrived in unusual situations. he always said it made life more interesting, which is why he gave medicine a try for a while. that was how y/n had met him – med school. until he felt it wasn’t for him. “well, the guy’s a hothead. we fought a lot when we were together, but he’s not that bad when you get past it. he was actually really nice,” minghao grabs a hold of y/n’s hand as she speaks.

“but?” yuta eggs on.

“–but he’s crazy. he acts before he thinks. last i heard of him before yesterday was that he was put in the special task forces in the army because he had a real talent for knocking people out. he was a natural at it, apparently.”

the three continue to converse in hushed tones, walking around the villa to look for possible entry points. the topic focused mainly on chanyeol and the general consensus of the three started leaning toward the possibility that it was him that had committed the crime. it was he and jackson that did turn in earliest the night before.

minghao had decided to head back to the villa to use the bathroom ahead of the two. he figured y/n and yuta wouldn’t mind since they were busy discussing what they could’ve done to help jackson if someone had found him earlier. talk of medicine and saving lives was never minghao’s cup of tea and the other two didn’t seem interested in his input on the matter anyway.

after an unproductive search for evidence, y/n and yuta decide to return back inside. as they near the front door, a loud crash from inside followed by muffled screams stop them in their tracks. they are suddenly frozen in place. yuta stares at the door. he takes off before y/n can – believing that his intuition was right. if he couldn’t save jackson, he could save haechan. he enters the living room, coming to an immediate halt. footsteps stop right behind him.

chanyeol. splayed out on the floor with a clear stab wound, blood rushing out of his neck. too much blood. even with his limited knowledge in anatomy, he knew, without coming too close, that chanyeol was gone.

“haechan!” y/n screams, rushing forward to his side. yuta realizes now that haechan has badly been wounded too. his white t-shirt now a disturbing shade of red. y/n shrugs off her coat, wrapping it tightly around haechan’s waist – a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

the younger man is clearly delirious and he is so close to the point of passing out. “y/n,” he struggles to get out. “i couldn’t… i couldn’t save him. he…” haechan glances behind her to see minghao watching with wide eyes. “i’m sorry.”

the three of them quickly bring haechan to his room. y/n turns to yuta as he checks on haechan’s state.

“both of you, stay here. yuta, watch him. i packed NSAIDs – these will knock him out but they’re good enough to reduce the pain and prevent blood clots.” it was times like these y/n was thankful she was a doctor. but it felt disgusting knowing her first patient would be her best friend.

it was time to make the call. y/n knew yuta had enough knowledge to help administer haechan’s medicine so she watched him as she focused her attention on the phone call she was making.

“detective lee speaking.”

“officer, i’d like to report a crime.”

“get in line, sister.”

y/n suddenly snaps out of her trance. she has to check the number she’s dialed to make sure she’s called the right place. “i’m sorry?” “i bet you are.” “look, i want to report two cases of murder. i don’t know what to do.”

the voice on the other end of the line pauses. “murder?”

“yes,” y/n states. “detective, my friends and i have just experienced two murders and one of our friends are badly injured. i’m a doctor. it’s difficult for us to get help because we’re stuck at mclaren mountain villas and there’s currently a storm.”

it had been a slow day for detective lee. no calls had come her way, if one didn’t count the two prank calls she received. one had been from someone apparently named hoshi, clearly a fake name, claiming he had been mauled by a tiger. the other from someone called dino, reporting stolen concert tickets to a ne-yo show. she had exactly ten minutes before her shift ended.

“and you’re sure these are all murders?” detective lee clarifies, beginning to trigger a code red throughout the precinct.

y/n was starting to feel impatient. “i know what i saw, detective. can you get help sent out here or what?”

“okay. i need you to stay calm and i need everyone in the house, including you, locked in your own respective rooms until our people get to you. aside from this line, do you have any other possible forms of communication with those in the house in case something else happens?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

y/n hated everything about turning 22. here she was, stuck barricaded in a really nice fucking room in this stupid fucking villa, feeling helpless as ever. after detective lee had asked her to recount the entire story of what had happened, it became a waiting game. she couldn’t check on haechan (although she was confident the meds would do their job), she didn’t know who to trust anymore, and all she wanted to do was cry. regardless of whether or not she was on good terms with the people in the villa, she still cared deeply for each of them. she never stopped. it wasn’t easy thinking about how their lives were all in danger. and on top of all this, the detective had also said to keep communication to a minimum. she was alone.

the intercom rings. y/n is frozen, willing the phone to shut up. she didn’t want to hear any more news or developments. she didn’t want anything else to happen. she just wanted to disappear.

“y/n?” minghao’s voice comes from the other end of the line.

“what is it? why are you calling?” she was on edge. she didn’t know what to expect.

this was minghao’s line of thinking after putting all he knew together. jackson and chanyeol were dead. haechan was severely injured. y/n couldn’t have done it. so that left yuta. or a rogue murderer still hiding somewhere in this huge villa. the latter seemed highly unlikely and he didn’t like the way yuta had been manipulating the conversation with y/n earlier when they went searching. he didn’t like the way y/n didn’t care much if he went to use the bathroom while she continued to speak to yuta about their theories. he didn’t like the way yuta seemed to have all of the answers. he didn’t like the way y/n had more to talk about with yuta on things like these. he didn’t like the way he felt when yuta was around y/n in general.

“i need you to listen and hear me out. since i know you didn’t do it, it’s just yuta left. i’m freaking out here and i think we need to take care of him before he can hurt any more people.”

y/n couldn’t believe her ears. what was minghao even insinuating? that yuta was the murderer? “hao, can you hear yourself? are you fucking kidding me? yuta’s literally been helping out this whole time.”

minghao’s eyes shut at y/n’s clear disdain for his idea. all he ever wanted to do was keep her safe. “i’m looking out for you. for me. for us. we’re in a house with a murderer and you don’t think that’s even slightly concerning?”

“no, hao, i just think-” y/n is cut off.

“what? are you still, like, in love with him or something? of course, your thrill-seeking lover can never do anything wrong. he’s so brave, after all. running straight into the crime scene so conveniently to be a hero.”

“what the fuck is wrong with you, minghao? you know what, fuck off. i can’t believe you’re even talking about this right now. i’ll see you in the morning.”

a million thoughts already running through her head and a thousand more make their way in after that concerning call. how could minghao even say that? how could he just blame someone so easily? how could he bring up something as stupid as feelings at a time like this?

she doesn’t want to consider the thought, but was it possible that hao was behind all of this? he had convinced her to stay when she wanted to leave, quickly pinned the blame on chanyeol when they had gathered in the living room, entered the villa ahead of her and yuta before they found chanyeol, and now he was pushing yuta into a corner. but no. it can’t be. minghao was a lot of things, but he wasn’t violent. he would never choose to harm anyone intentionally. it was against the essence of who he was an individual.

what he was, however, was unyielding. when minghao believed in something, he believed in it wholeheartedly. so if he believed that the person behind all of this was yuta, then he had good reason to do so. if it really was yuta… y/n shuddered at the thought. she knew how bad his temper could get and how crafty he could be. he often lied to her during their relationship, finding a way out of anything that could make him look bad. he knew how to get himself out of trouble. he knew how to save himself.

time passes by ever so slowly and y/n feels like she’s going crazy the longer she’s sat staring at the wall. until she hears the sound of glass breaking. all she can think now is: she’s next. she is going to die on her 22nd birthday without ever having have lived the life she so hardly worked for. she begins to laugh as she accepts her fate. life really was so funny. and the joke was about to be over for her …

… well, she could at least grab life by the balls before it grabbed her. if she was going to die, she would at least try to make sure haechan had a better chance at survival. that was the way it always was with the two of them – they would take bullets for each other. that was their thing.

with this newfound confidence (or enormous amount of stupidity, she couldn’t tell yet), she makes her way to the door to check on haechan. the police were sure taking their sweet time. she knew she couldn’t rely on that damn detective lee.

“minghao, what the FUCK.”

standing in front of her door with his hand lifted to presumably knock is minghao. “i heard something from the second floor – it sounded like it came from yuta’s room. i wanted to make sure you were okay,” he sheepishly says. “should we go check on it together? i was going to do it on my own but i didn’t feel comfortable leaving you alone here.”

y/n narrows her eyes at minghao, questioning his intentions for the first time. “why’d you think it came from yuta’s room?”

an exasperated sigh leaves minghao’s lips. “look, can we please forget about what happened a while ago? i just want to make sure everything is okay at this point.” and so they leave together, going up the staircase in silence. once they reach the landing, y/n stops in her tracks.

“i’m going to go check on haechan if he’s okay. you can go check on yuta.” minghao wordlessly nods and makes his way down the hallway to where yuta’s room is.

y/n reaches haechan’s door, pausing before entering. all she’s hoping for is to see him still passed out in bed, unbeknownst to the shitshow that is currently unraveling around them.

on the other hand, minghao prepares to enter yuta’s room, fully expecting to fight the man himself. he knew enough self-defense to last him a couple of rounds, but if this man was capable of taking out two and a half men, even he knew he’d have to be lucky.

y/n lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in when she sees nothing has changed inside haechan’s room. there, haechan was, still stuck in bed and clearly disheveled. a groan leaves his lips as the door shuts. “y/n?” he asks, glancing at the figure he was all too familiar with.

“it’s just me,” y/n whispers. “are you okay?”

haechan weakly nods back. “i’m fine, but i woke up to a huge crash. it sounded like glass breaking. is everything all good?”

“hao went to go check on yuta, but i wanted to make sure you were okay first.”

haechan’s heart starts beating quicker. in the midst of how shitty he overall felt, she still managed to put him first. it hurt him to say, but he had no other choice. whoever and whatever she found wouldn’t hurt her. “i don’t want to put you in any more danger, but i’m okay here. don’t worry. i think you should go check on the other two. if one of them is the murderer, then the other one is clearly in danger.”

that was haechan as y/n knew him to be. he always put others before himself. y/n quickly nods, moving towards the door. “i’ll be back,” she says. “whatever happens, i’ll be back.”

y/n makes her way down the hallway, everything eerily silent. no sound comes from any of the other rooms. if she was walking straight into a death trap, she wouldn’t know. but she didn’t care at this point. she just wanted the whole nightmare over with. she walks into yuta’s room silently.

there, in front of her, was a man standing over a body, holding a bloody knife. he looked crazed and agitated, and clearly someone had been hurt. she knew she had to act fast, but she also knew she couldn’t do it alone.

the man with the knife paced back and forth, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. he seemed to be in a trance, unsure of what had just transpired. she knew she couldn’t confront him, so she stayed by the entrance, silently dialing for help once more.

y/n felt crazy for noticing it at the moment, but the knife in his hand was clearly a work of art. it had an intricate design made of unique swirls and patterns on its handle. it was clear that every detail had been carefully considered, from the tiniest lines to the grander shapes.

it was the voice on the other end of the line that made her presence known.

“detective lee speaking.”

y/n froze in her tracks as wild eyes met hers. “y/n, it’s not what you think.” footsteps slowly step towards her as she slowly backs out into the hallway, the phone call now long forgotten.

“please,” y/n begs as she steps closer to safety. “stay away from me, minghao.”

it’s pure adrenaline taking over at this point. y/n rushes straight back into haechan’s room, slamming the door shut. locking it to make sure he wouldn’t be able to get in. how could this be? how could he do this? minghao wasn’t supposed to be the bad guy – he was supposed to be her endgame. but her eyes could not deceive her. it was clearly him standing over yuta’s lifeless body with a knife in hand. the same knife that probably stabbed jackson, chanyeol, and haechan.

“y/n! open the fucking door! get out of there right now!” what feels like endless pounding on the door continues as y/n tries to help haechan out of his bed. she’s screaming back at minghao, telling him to fuck off but it doesn’t matter. the banging won’t stop. all y/n knew was that she and haechan had to make it out alive. and by her estimations, a fall from the window in his room would only injure them. it would, at the least, buy them more time to potentially escape.

and just as she manages to guide haechan closer to the window, the door breaks open.

minghao had been trying so hard to break the door down. he had tried the doorknob, but it was clearly locked. he could hear muffled screams from behind the door, but he knew he had to act fast. he quickly rushes downstairs and grabs the gun he brought with him at all times, running back up the stairs to get to y/n. without hesitation, he backs up and takes a few steps forward, putting his shoulder into the door. he could feel the wood start to give, but it wasn’t enough. he steps back and puts all of his weight behind it, giving it a go once more.

with a loud crack, the door splintered and swung open. he rushed inside, heart pounding, and found y/n standing with haechan by an open window, tears streaming down her face. “minghao, you don’t have to do this. this isn’t you. please.” she begs as minghao raises his hand to point the gun at the two.

“y/n, stand back. i have to do this.”

she wasn’t going to make it out alive. she was going to die right here and now. as she hears the gun’s safety lock released, she shuts her eyes and steps in front of haechan. she was actually about to take a bullet for him – how dramatic.

but then it happens all at once. one moment, y/n is preparing herself for death. the next, a stray bullet has been fired and minghao is on the ground. a scuffle ensues and y/n can’t seem to open her eyes. she doesn’t know if she’s been hit. she doesn’t know if haechan’s been hit. but all she knows is haechan is gripping her hand for dear life and she’s gripping back twice as hard.

“you have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. if you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

it was like seeing the light for the first time. or, that was how y/n imagined it felt at least. the shiny name plate and badge on the officer’s left chest being the only thing y/n could make out in the midst of all the chaos.

DETECTIVE SAMANTHA LEE

“y/n, are you okay? this is detective lee. thank you for your help. we will take it from here. my fellow officer will guide you and your friend to safety. you’re safe now. everything will be okay.”

words and apologies tumble out of minghao’s mouth as y/n and haechan are assisted by another officer out of the room. his desperate pleas of innocence falling on deaf ears.

“you don’t understand, y/n! please believe me! it wasn’t me!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

it had been two weeks since the incident and life still hasn’t been the same since.

y/n makes her way up to haechan’s apartment, where she has been going every other day since the accident. could she even call it that when minghao clearly had it all planned down to the wire?

minghao had gotten justice served to him. he was sentenced to life without parole and he would be rotting in jail until death caught up to him. but it still didn’t feel like it was enough. it felt like something was missing. the innocent lives lost because these people were willing to make amends with y/n made her sick to her stomach. those lives were lost because of her. she couldn’t do anything to bring them back.

“i still don’t understand how he could do this, haechan. how could he just go and kill so many people who were really important to me? why would he want to kill you – or maybe even me too – with a gun when he stabbed the others? it just doesn’t make sense.”

haechan sighs from his perch on his bed. it had been two weeks and they were still talking about the same thing. he was still recovering from his wounds from the accident. turns out, he was really close to actually dying too. “i know, y/n. it’s terrible and minghao was crazy… but when i think about it, he was kind of right in the sense that they really weren’t good for you. maybe it’s best that they’re out of your life.”

y/n frowns from the side of haechan’s bed. murder was never acceptable, no matter the reason. there were things she couldn’t see eye to eye with haechan on, but this concerned her. “i think the meds are getting to your head. even if they weren’t good for me, i would have never wanted for what happened to them to occur. they had their own lives too.”

“yeah, that makes sense,” haechan nods. “i’m feeling kind of parched. would you be okay with making us some tea?”

y/n makes her way into the kitchen, ready to make tea. her last conversation with haechan playing back over and over in her mind. how could haechan seem okay with all that happened? how could he possibly humanize minghao’s actions?

she reaches up to open a cupboard to find the tea haechan usually stashes aside. wrong one. she moves to open the one right next to it, when she freezes in place. turning her attention back to the cupboard she initially opened, her eyes fixate on a beautiful set of kitchen utensils.

clearly a work of art. with intricate swirls and patterns on each handle. only a knife missing.

“you shouldn’t have opened that cupboard.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[epilogue] the letter

tyra,

i know you’ll never be able to understand why i did what i did, but i hope you know that i have always done everything for you. from the moment you came into my life, i knew you were special. you were so smart and so beautiful with a little darkness that made you less like a storybook and a bit more real. but more than that, you were always so kind. maybe a little too kind. people took advantage of your kindness, tyra, and you were too naive to see that. but i wasn’t. jackson abandoned you and never even gave you a second thought until i brought up your party. you forgave him so easily for all the hurt he caused you and i couldn’t stand for that, so i killed him. he moved away and left you all alone, so it was only fitting that he died alone. i knew that everyone would be a suspect in his murder and that would pose a problem. fortunately for me, chanyeol was an idiot and a hothead. i couldn't fathom what you ever saw in him, but it made pinning the blame on him all too easy after his little temper tantrum. i knew that killing him would be a challenge – what he lacked in brains, he made up for in strength. but i put myself in harm’s way for you, tyra. knowing that he would be out of your life forever gave me the push i needed to kill him. it took a lot out of me, mentally and physically, but it gave me the cover i needed to kill yuta. he was poison for you and i knew he had to go. i broke into his room through the window, killed him, and left the same way i came. it almost killed me, but i knew that you would be a better person without him and i would risk my life ten times over if it was for you. after all, we would take a bullet for each other. and so after that, all i had to do was wait for minghao to discover the body and for the police to find him. minghao was a nice guy, but he was jealous and insecure. he wasn’t good enough for you. if he really did love you, then he would have had the courage to do what i did. i know that you saw the murders as acts of violence, but really it was proof of my love for you. i thought that with time, you would heal and we could finally start our life together just as i always dreamed, but you couldn’t let them go. you questioned me and doubted me after everything i did for you. i realized that it was too late for you and for us - we had to start over. killing you was the hardest thing i've ever had to do, but i know that we’ll find each other in the next life. your death, and mine, are my final acts of love and the price i am willing to pay to be with you forever.

yours and ONLY yours,

3 notes · View notes

wickednerdery · 6 years ago

Photo

Title: Hoarfrost Hel: Captivated Author: @wickednerdery Fandom: Marvel Pairing/character: Loki (& multiple OCs) Rating: Mature Summary: “Unimpressive.” Notes: This is the second part of what’s shaping up to be a legit trilogy (the first is FrostBitten) - the master list is here. The story on whole is gonna be very dark, this piece itself includes violence, manipulation, and some manhandling of Loki. For consistency and length, it gets a “Read More”.

Every few feet the guards stop, stomp Loki under their boots, before moving on...by the time he reaches his final destination in the medical building his nose bleeds, eyes swell, and two ribs are broken. The men heave him into the room, kick out knees so he hits the floor, and one yanks the muzzle from his mouth so harshly it chips tooth. “Fucking piece of shit,” the man mutters, forcing Loki up, back on his heels. “Stay.”

He says nothing, does nothing, as they clip chain from his collar to an empty exam table. He takes the room in. The serpent woman, Malina, lays on an exam table with collar chained to its base as a woman with armor so fitted it could be skin looks her and nearby monitors over. A large portable instrument-table stands at the center.

Guards exit, some giving a spare kick as if for good luck, with the last whispering to the woman hovering by Malina. Loki catches a name - Root - as she nods.

“They tell me you are a fighter.” The woman’s voice is deep, detached. “Will you fight me, little Asgardian?”

Loki knows it best to stay silent or assure he’ll be no trouble. “I’ve no reason.” But his pride thinks ‘Yet” and the collar fires a shot, he winces and Malina jolts, groans.

“A thrall without a master is lost thing...” Root muses, turning to him. All along her hairline, framing her face, is blue that bleeds into her eyes, lips, and sections of her hair. Loki can sense her strength on instinct and realizes she is not one to battle in his current state. “It’s dangerous for them, they must listen to everyone. Obey every thing.”

Legs and thighs, ankles and feet, shake as he attempts to both keep his position and lean back in her approach. Eventually he tips, falls onto his back with only one good hand to protect him. Something about her, her stomping walk and hard stare, makes him uneasy while he’s in this state...this is the one entrusted to treat his injuries?

“You are remarkably...” Her lips spread in a grin as she stands over him, sets boot on either side and squats. Smile leaves. “Unimpressive.” Smile returns at his wince when foot taps shattered wrist. “You can heal yourself.”

“No.” The collar immediately reacts to the “lie” and he arches in the rabid shocks of the punishment...as does Malina. “I...I...Ah...Ah!!” Tears stream, jaw locks, as his eyes roll up away from Root’s critical ones.

“You will heal yourself.”

Seiðr works to obey faster than his brain registers the order, healing body from head to toe with its reserves. Loki’s eyes shut in exhausted relief from the waves of pain, the aches of muscles, he’s had since his last days on Asgard...all of twelve hours ago, by his calculation. Eyes reopen when the woman’s weight pins him at the waist.

“You’re punished, she reacts. Why?”

“I...I don’t know.”

Root stares, blinks, then suddenly pins Loki’s hand under her boot and jams a knife into the center of his arm. He screams as much in shock as pain, but she disallows him to pull away. Ignores his attempts to get her boot off as she turns back to Malina on the bed. She cringes, arm twitching, as vitals react in pain. “Heal yourself,” the doctor orders, pulling the blade out.

Loki does, keeping hand over healed arm, protecting it, while he watches the doctor go over to Malina. She calls to the woman to wake up and Malina does, as if the order itself determines whether or not she sleeps. She cradles arm and apologizes; Loki can’t fathom for what.

“You are tied to him. Why?”

“His brother ordered me to care for him, ensure he is not hurt.”

“He did?” Loki’s outburst comes from pure shock; Thor has not abandoned him...not completely.

Root’s attention whips back and his eyes go wide with worry; she takes a step forward before Malina calls her back. “Until I get a new master, I’m responsible for him.”

The doctor eyes the god chained to her table carefully. “His pain is yours.”

“Until a new master, yes.”

“Interesting.” She looks back to Malina.

The serpent-woman slides up on the table, gold eyes trying to entrance the other. “The thrall collars work in mysterious ways, as you know.”

“He will get you killed.”

“Help me.” The collar squeezes in. “Us...help us.”

“What will you give me?”

“What do you want?”

“I will have your venom.”

Malina’s attempt having failed she sighs with a nod. “Very well, get me the cup.”

The Kree woman selects a large plastic cup from her instrument table and hands it over. “Fill it.”

“I...I’m not...” Her collar presses in as she rides between disobedience and obedience. “...sure I can.” With everything her own body’s been through on Asgard, in transport and landing here.

“I don’t care.”

“...If I might,” Loki gives his most charming smile. “Perhaps I can offer something to make up the difference?” His mistake is clear almost immediately as the doctor turns to him.

“There is nothing of yours I cannot have.” Root only does pleasantries with Malina because she knows the slave knows her place. “And Malina will give me everything she can spare.”

Malina focuses so only her fangs appear, then sets them at the inner-edge of the cup and bites. Venom drips, dribbles, an amber gold similar to her eyes. Eyes that only catch Loki’s once and quickly look away before shutting completely. She’s been ordered to give up her venom countless times, but has yet to grow accustomed to it. Even though a slave all her life, knowing better, something about her milkings always feels...intensely private.

“You will stand where you are and remain silent as I gather information.” Root orders Loki, rolling tray-table as she approaches. He rises and opens mouth to agree, but can’t speak due to her orders. So he watches, eyes flicking to Malina now and again, but otherwise focusing on the doctor and her various instruments. Only when she smiles at the results of a blood test does Loki’s gut tighten. “You are not Asgardian...you are Jotun.”

In a split second Loki’s flattened under her once again, heart slamming adrenaline throughout his body as fight or flight kicks in. He tries to scramble out from under her, flip their positions, but she only reasserts and fists hair to force his face to hers.

“Show me your lines.” He tries to shake head, she slams it into the floor. “Show me your lines!”

Loki doesn’t understand why she wants to see them, why cold demeanor has turned into fiery aggression. Does she think the lines have significance? Has she made an enemy Jotun and wishes to identify him via designs? Whatever the reason, he refuses. He remains stubborn and panicked, fighting as discomfort leads to pain and strain turns to shock. He grits teeth and Malina begins to shake so that her own orders can no longer be followed. She winces, gasps, grips metal-table’s edge and cup both. If she could beg, she would, but the words fail as she tries to handle two punishments at once.

Root grabs his chin, forces his gaze to Malina. “You do this to her for what? Pride?!” She huffs amusement. “You cling to something you’ve no right to, Jotun slave. Now show me your lines!”

He can take the collar’s punishments still, he knows that, but Malina...she doubles over, shrinks back into herself. The cup crushes in her hand and she wails as her own venom burns her hand and collar doubles the punishment. That is his fault. Her failure, her pain, is his fault, and only he can stop it...With deep inhale Loki closes his eyes and lets Jotun lines fade into being.

Malina falls back onto the table with a groan as pain subsides; she pants attempts to catch breath. Her hand throbs, skin bubbles and blisters, but collar reads it as punishment enough for her failure to give Root the venom. She twists, sets forehead to cool metal, as she prays once more for a new master to come soon.

The god’s chin is released and he looks away, up to the doctor taking him in. Her eyes scan intently; hand goes to his tunic and yanks it up to expose stomach and chest, searching for something. Loki swallows urge to fight as muscles ripple, then twitch. He looks down, across lines he so rarely lets be seen even by himself, then back to the doctor. What in the nine realms is she looking for?

“The last time I had one like you under me it was most educational...” His shiver vibrates under her, her lips quirk up as fingers trace a section across sternum. “I never got to complete my research.” Nails dig in slightly, plucking at a now ridged line on his chest.

“Hey!” The voice comes from the doorway, quick and irritated. “You’re here to clear them medically, not...whatever the fuck you’re doing with that poor thing. You want that shit, you pay like everyone else, now fucking clear them already!”

Loki’s closes eyes in relief; sighing caught breath as his appearance returns to its most comfortable state. He doesn’t dare reopen eyes even after he feels Root’s weight leave him in a growl of displeasure.

“This one can heal itself, probably others as well.”

“Then have him do it and move the fuck on. We’ve got two more shipments coming in this afternoon.”

So Root has a history with a Jotun, but not Loki...you’ll find out more going forward because I think Root’s a little, haha, obsessive and will show up again. Not sure if the guy at the end who interrupted Root’s plans is friend, foe, or indifferent to Loki yet...my brain can’t decide yet lol! (You have a thought/opinion on it, feel free to share!) Next is either one more Loki or back to Ulfr - again, brain hasn’t decided yet, lol!

(Gif made by me via two gifs found on Google)

Tagged: @chibiyanai @lady-crowned-with-stars @moonfaery @annievvv7 @ladyfluff @holykryptonitekitten @lokilvrr @janebrownnie @lokis-little-kitten @alexakeyloveloki @theangelsfightwithdevils @the-blue-tiefling @lokis-lady-death @dangertoozmanykids101 @prometheasmother @vethrvolnir @wintertink @amethyst-dreams-and-candy-canes @drakonwild @starscreamloki @judas-nipples @hiddles-rose @the-lady-witchitery @galaxies-inside-my-head @jackheart180 @lukeevansandjdmobession @endlessstairway @lanabanana-86 @tom-fucking-hiddleston-1981 @lovekrystina @madoka73 @lokikingofasgardslover713 @partiallyinthecloset @ultrarebelheart @gravitational-anomaly @manip-loki @my-world-of-imagines @lowcarbgem @tarithenurse …Think that’s everyone from FrostBitten, if you want on or off, just lemme know! (Strike-throughs are those Tumblr refuses to tag properly)

81 notes · View notes