#also it was really astonishing to me how young they were

[hello-delicious-tea]

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Marrying Money

So, marrying money is a big theme in this book, like it is in a great many books from this time period. Annabella marries for money (she would have married Huntingdon if he hadn't spent most of his first), Helen is warned not to marry for money (alone, but certainly marrying no money at all would have been equally frowned upon), Eliza Millward tries to marry for what, for her, would be money, Esther Hargrave fights for years against marrying for money, Jane Wilson tries very hard to marry money and fails, much to the delight of our ever-so-delightful narrator.

There's a pretty clear virtue component to marrying/not marrying for money: Annabella, Eliza, and Jane are represented very negatively in the text, and Helen and Esther and, presumably, Rose, are represented positively. I genuinely can't remember how Milicent's husband is positioned - obviously he has some money, and he didn't waste as much as Huntingdon, but he definitely wasted some? Anyway, Milicent is represented positively.

However, marrying money, or marrying up, is not explicitly characterized as sinful/representative of a bad character; it is only when it is the PRIMARY reason for marrying that the text considers it negative. Huntingdon has a higher social class than Helen, it seems, and certainly USED to have more money; she's got a very small portion. Mr. Lawrence seems to have more money than the Hargraves, certainly by the time Mr. Hargrave is done with the family fortune.

Then there's Gilbert. He's a gentleman farmer - a minor landowner who doesn't have to work the fields himself, but not a man of leisure. He has a lot of responsibilities (which he regularly shirks in the first third of the book...), and they include direct supervision of labourers, which would not be what a proper gentleman did. So, marrying an impoverished widow, being more high in the instep than him, is a step up socially, but because she's poor, no one's going to directly accuse him of social climbing.

Then we find out that, since they were chillin' together, she has become very rich indeed! (Rich uncles abound in Brontë stories, I have noticed). He makes sure to learn where she stands before he goes to see her - when he finds out she's inherited, he plans to leave without seeing her. The social consequences of being thought a fortune hunter and marrying out of his class are enough of a negative, combined with the social disadvantage to Helen of marrying down, that he's disinclined to pursue it, even though he's sure they're soulmates.

We don't get a representation of how this actually pans out in the book - presumably people eventually forget about the scandal of it all - but Helen, once she persuades Gilbert that she's actually down to marry him, does insist that they take longer than the social norm to marry to persuade people that he's not a fortune hunter, and tells him that he needs to win over her aunt.

This is really interesting to me because we get so many descriptions of women being warned to watch out for fortune hunters in books from this era, but most of the time, it's the women who are on the make and the men who marry the portionless girls. I'm thinking Lizzy Bennet, Lady Audley, Jane Eyre (before the inheritance...). Wickham tries to marry Georgiana but fails. Socially, it's clearly considered a necessary evil for women to pursue men of higher status and wealth than themselves, but for men, it is an unnecessary evil--as a result of their ability to make a living independently, they have no business marrying heiresses. Heiresses, of course, have a duty to marry heirs or men of higher social class to continue to compound wealth.

I'm not sure I have a conclusion to this, just that it's surprisingly plainly laid out in this book that if you're a woman, you do what you gotta do, and it usually sucks, and if you're a man, you'd better not. I suspect that were Gilbert and Helen less inclined to their solitary walks and reading, and Helen less hardened to the social judgment of her class, they would have had a far harder time than they probably did.

[wandixx]

Christmas in Mount Justice

cartoon version of Young Justice, written instead of sleeping and I'll be honest, I kinda run out of steam at the end, but it'd take me until next year if I didn't push through, so here it is, and hopefully it's not quite visible where I started pushing through it, I hope you'll enjoy

words: 4633

“Since, hopefully, this is the last time we're seeing each other before Christmas–” Black Canary announced, stretching after finished training“ I wish you all merry and healthy and boring Christmas” she finished with a wide warm smile. Danny barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. This goddamn worst time of the year. He checked once more if his mental shields were up. According to M'gann, ghosts were really loud on mind reading wavelengths so he needed to keep them up most of the time. He wasn't an asshole to drown his friend in absolute hatred of Christmas.

“You too Black Canary!” Wally yelled, running like the earth was burning to get cookies M'gann baked “By the way, what are your plans?” he asked upon his return.

Did they really have to keep talking about it? Danny was half considering just dropping through the floor to escape this conversation but chose against it because he really didn't want to answer all the questions it would cause or hear a ‘you can't deal with all unwanted conversations by escaping them’ lecture again any time soon. He could and he would, the Freakshow incident was just one way to prove it.

“B and I have to attend some stuffy rich people party” Robin said with clear displeasure “I still need to plan what mess to stir there. Chandeliers swinging are banned and so is arson so I have to get creative.”

“You actually set something on fire?! That's sick as hell!” the speedster's enthusiasm didn't waver as he threw a few cookies at Danny. It was nice that someone remembered about Danny's slightly enhanced metabolism. They (both Young Justice and Amity squad) still didn't understand it completely but the working hypothesis was that he needed to eat more to make up for ectoplasm he couldn't consume in quantities big enough for his ghost side since it was poisonous to humans and he had to dose it carefully. Being a halfa was rough like that some(most)times. 

“Well, lighter is easy to sneak inside–” Robin explained and honestly Danny never expected to hear Gotham’s feared vigilante go over logistics of arson but he guessed it was his life now, he could use this info to do something about at least one Christmas tree in Amity or share it with Sam. She mentioned some upcoming rich people party too”–and amount of alcohol there is astonishing, really you'd think that people would try to stay sober on event like that but apparently–”

“I'm having dinner with my mom and some family friends–” Artemis interrupted “Can't wait spend God knows how many hours with all of them talking over each other and asking awkward questions” she tried to sound displeased but there was no way she could hide her fondness and wasn't that a wild thing to see. Seriously, he almost choked on a cookie. In theory Danny knew some people genuinely liked Christmes but–

Just like that? Just happy to–

Yeah, he knew but couldn't quite comprehend. Sam was exactly like that, found but trying to seem annoyed to keep up with her goth persona. Tucker was way more open about his delight.

For Danny Christmas was only too loud because everyone was singing badly and too bright because of lights and too stuffy and there was this damned argument about Santa and yelling and fe–

“Oh, me too! We also planned a movie night with Central Rogues, this time it's Cold’s turn. I wish he won't pick Die Hard again…”

Well, Danny guessed movie night with Rogues, that clearly meant an off evening since they wouldn't try to stir things up while watching the movie, sounded like a really nice idea. Personally he would do without people who try to turn him into a pulp every other day but apparently things worked differently in Central.

“King Orin wanted to introduce me to some surface celebrations as well,” Kaldur said with a warm smile and halfa forcefully stopped himself from giving their leader a weird look. Even him?! Betrayal, absolute betrayal! 

“Well, I don't really celebrate so I'm staying here, maybe training a bit, I'm not sure yet,” M'gann announced shyly and it took all his willpower to not hug her for being the only sensible person in the room.

“Yeah, I'm staying too. Apparently I'm not invited to family gatherings” Conner added bitterly. 

“Honestly your not missing much,” Danny muttered “It's just perfectly prepared and measured argument breeding space, believe me”

Wally tried to protest but one pointed glare and it dissolved through power of ‘don't make Conner feel about it any worse than he already does’. Danny felt a little guilty for using it to sooth his own hatred towards Christmas but not too much. He really wanted to reassure his friend and ways he went about it were no one else's business. 

“And what are your plans, Danny?” M'gann asked gently after he didn't continue. He really wished he didn't have to answer but keeping his emotions hidden meant nobody could see that something was up and say ‘you don't have to tell if you don't want to’ or other shit like that.

“Not sure yet. I think I will crash with you here honestly. If we believe this magic book we found, there is a Christmas truce in Zone, so there shouldn't be any ghost attacks and your company is always great,” he smiled sincerely.

“Wouldn't your parents ask questions if you just skipped Christmas, though?” Wally asked a bit cautiously but Danny waved his concern off with a vague ‘eh’ sound.

“Will you show us some Christmas traditions then? As a part of ‘earthly traditions’ course?” M'gann's eyes almost shone with excitement and Conner looked hopeful and it made him feel conflicted. The whole point of crashing in Mount Justice with two aliens was to not touch anything Christmas related with thirty feet long stick but alas M'gann asked nicely and was pretty. These were two big ideals fighting inside of him then and there while he tried to keep his face and outer mind blank enough to not bring any suspicion.

Betrayal to second, no third, power! He wanted to escape this hell of an experience! 

But well, he could shape the experience in a way that's the least painful and M'gann and Conner were really great friends…

“Sure”

He couldn't quite match her enthusiastic grin or even Conner’s bit smaller one.

He was going to regret it, wouldn't he?

***

“Guys, I messed up so bad…” Danny whined,  curling on Sam's enormous bed covered in fluffy blankets and nice pillows.

“What did you do this time?” girl asked with a smirk. Halfa was sometimes mad how well his friends knew him and didn't take his dramatics as seriously as he would like to.

“I wanted to have a sleepover at Team's HQ during Christmas, you know, to escape it. Only ones who will stay are Miss Martian and Superboy, aliens, so I thought it's a good idea. And then they asked me to show them ‘earthly Christmas traditions’ and I AGREED!” he yelled, his hands flying dramatically at the confession.

His friends, little traitors they were, just laughed.

He came to get some help, advice on either doing this introduction well because Danny Fenton was known for a lot of things but half-assing projects he agreed to do wasn't one of them (homework was obligatory without his consents ergo didn't count) or gracefully getting away from mess his idiocy brought onto him, not to be laughed at! He had enough of it at other times.

Though they got to work when they calmed down, making Danny revisit the idea of not talking to them ever again and throwing it out of the window.

“Alright,” Tucker started, preparing his note and planner apps before continuing “what do you want to show them? Gingerbread house?”

“Of course” Danny huffed because as much as he hated Christmas and its traditions, gingerbread house was decent one. Making one at Tucker's place three years ago when he had been introduced to the idea was one of his best memories related to the holiday. Even though it was cut short by trip to the ER because dumbass little Danny had wanted a little gingerbread man he set aside and he had eaten him still all fresh and 350°F hot and got severe burns in his mouth and throat because apparently his instinctual response to burning in his mouth was to swallow instead of to spit.

“Gifts.” Sam raised in a way that meant she was not taking any complaints and Danny didn't really want to argue. His track record with gifts from his parents wasn't too good ever since he had a brief just-like-dad phase and they didn't realize it ended after a month but other people knew how to fix it. The Voyager Lego set he got from Sam the year before still made him smile when his eyes landed on it. 

Tucker noted it down. “What else? Christmas tree?”

Danny winced but nodded. He wasn't too fond of it but it was too big to miss it.

“Ugly sweaters?”

“Superboy would actually develop laser vision if I tried it”

“Movie marathon? I can lend you some DvDs”

“Yeah, it's probably a good idea. Kid Flash mentioned it too.”

“Santa Claus?” Sam asked with a smirk and Danny threw a pillow at her.

“Who is Santa Claus? I never heard of him, must be a Rhode Island thing” he answered with a straight face, not knowing how many times he will have to repeat it.

**

Phantom: hey guys!

Phantom: want a Crisscross Christmas

Phantom: ?

Artemis: The what?

Phantom: oh, you know

Phantom: this thing were we draw aech othres names anf have to buy a gift

Kid Flash: you mena Secret Santa

Kid Flash: ???

Phantom: never heard of that

Phantom: thats a wierd naem

Phantom: but if rules match, call it whatever yoyu wnat

Aqualad: I like this idea

Robin: GIft drop-off on 27th is okay for everyone?

7 people liked this message

Robin: i take that for yes. 50$ budget?

Kid Flash: Robin, Rob, Bob, my best pal. I have 5$ and single slice of bubblegum to my name rn

Kid Flash: No, actually no bubblegum anymore

Kid Flash: 10$ is top I could spend

Phantom: Same

Artemis: Same

Aqualad: Me too

Miss Martian: I'm not sure if me and Superboy have any money, actually

Phantom: See Rob?

Phantom: just be a good samamritanina and give them 10$ instead og flaunting batmans money

***

"Important question. How do one pick a present?"

"You know, it's good if it's something personal, either in a way that it's something they want or need, a gag gift that'd be funny for both of you, or just something that made you think of them"

"Yeah, yeah, I read the mom blogs, none of this actually helps, what am I supposed to get for Artemis?!"

***

"Alright, so. I have a list of things I think you need to learn about Christmas. We're kinda late to the party, so I cut off some stuff because there is no way we would make it in time."

"Sounds about right, what do we start with?"

"Most classic of classics, the Christmas tree, Batman already greenlit it, so it's waiting outside"

***

"So, Christmas tree is evergreen plant, conifer, sometimes only branch or synthetically made model, that, if living, is cut down from Christmas tree nursery, and then put inside the house, usually in the living room or other space that is considered repre-"

"Danny, we live in society, we have basic knowledge on American traditions that is literally everywhere. We don't need it to be spoon fed to us in a voice more robotic way than Red Tornado, literal robot"

"Conner!"

"What?! I'm not wrong"

"Sorry. Let's get to decorating then?"

"If you want to ramble, we'd be more than happy to listen. It's obvious that you took a lot of care to learn everything."

"Speak for yourself"

"Conner!"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, with what exactly do we plan to decorate it?"

"Oh, this one is easy. I asked around people to donate some stuff, and Batman got us few things after I asked for permission for the tree. He even asked Justice League to drop us some things too."

"That's nice of them"

"Yeah, though I'm a bit worried about gifts from Arrows and Robin, y'know. They all had this type of smile that means either a gag idea, merch or exploding glitter and I'm not sure which option scares me the most"

"Glitter"

"Glitter"

"Yeah, you're right"

***

"Did… um… did Superman bring anything?"

"Yes, actually! He brought pretty big box of stuff and mentioned dropping of some food for Christmas in the morning or the afternoon of the first day. He said he was happy that you got the experience even if he isn't able to be the one to give it to you. I think he is coming around"

It was an interesting thing about Danny. He wasn't all that good with authority figures or frankly adults in general, and he never passed on the chance to tear in Superman for his treatment of Conner, if he saw the man, but in private he was surprisingly pro-Superman and tried to make them "see his perspective" with some pretty convincing arguments. Everyone else was still unimpressed but Danny never gave up.

M'gann still wasn't sure if in these circumstances she found it cute or annoying.

"Bullshit"

"If that's what you want to believe in"

***

"Oh, hello Megan! Red Tornado, would you like to join us in decorating the Christmas tree?"

"This… seems like a decent idea. What is the procedure of it?"

"We already put on the lights, so now we're placing baubles and other hanging decorations, before we finish off with paper chains and these fuzzy boas. We need them evenly spread out on all of the tree, preferably in a way, that things in similar colors aren't right next to each other, alright?"

"Yes, Phantom, instructions are clear"

"Great. Do we want some music in the background? My friends usually play some Christmas songs to get us all in 'the right mood' as he calls it?"

"Good idea, I'll play something."

"Thanks Meg"

"Just hear the sleigh bell jingling…"

"Is this… yeah, it's Carpenters, it's Jazz's favo- oh shit"

"Got it!"

"Nice catch Conner! Red Tornado, sorry I didn't clarify before, we're not decorating the side by the wall."

"Understood"

***

"We have only one last thing left then"

"Yeah?"

"The star at the top. The youngest child of the family usually get the honor. Conner, it's you time to shine~"

"Shut up already"

"How is he supposed to reach the top though? He can't fly"

"Step stool or someone has to hold him up lion king style"

"Lion king- Don't you dare! Keep those hands to yourself! Danny!

***

"So, what's next on your magical list?"

"Gingerbread house. It's a moment for you to shine Meg, because I'm absolute mess in the kitchen and I don't think Conner is much better"

"Actually-"

"blah, blah, blah, absolutely perfect, could be hired at Michelin star restaurant right this instant blah, blah, blah"

"Oh, you little-"

"I believe the arguments are supposed to start at the Christmas table and not before. It seemed to be consensus in my sources. Was I mistaken?"

Conner stopped dead in his tracks, as confused as M'gann at the question.

Danny laughed so hard he fell on the ground.

"Red Tornado, what does that mean?"

"There is no need to spread misinformation until we can get confirmation whether my sources were correct or not"

"Danny? Danny?! What does he mean?! Why are you laughing?!"

Danny just stayed curled on the floor, almost wheezing.

***

"So, we have all of the ingredients, right? Flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves-"

"I think it's still in the cabinet, let me grab it real quick"

"Alright, other than cloves, do we have salt, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, molasses, an egg- I mean, applesauce? Yeah? Let's hope it'll work. Okay, I think were ready"

"Ginger?"

"What?"

"Do we have ginger ready?"

"I don't think so, I'm pretty sure we've run out about a week ago? Why- oh wait"

"Did we seriously forgot to get ginger to make The Gingerbread House?! It's literally in the name!"

They all just stood in silence for a long moment.

"We're idiots"

"Well said, well said"

"I believe there are better names to describe you in this situation. Unfortunately, I cannot recall them"

"Thanks Red Tornado, that was helpful"

"Maybe we can still buy it?"

"It's 10:34 PM, December 23rd, M'gann, what shop would even be open?"

"Shut up Conner, it's actually not a bad idea. I think I've seen- yes, there is something open until eleven, about five minutes out if I fly"

***

"There was no ginger at the shop, but I got cranberry for later, if needed, and some chips to snack on"

"It's fine, we found unopened pack of powdered ginger in the back of the cabinet"

"That's great! Give me a minute to return this packet I liberated on my way home?"

"Danny!"

***

"Hey, M'gann!"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to invite your uncle to our dinner?"

"That's a great idea Conner, thank you!"

***

"Okay, wait, wait, wait, before you two get weirdly aggressive about it again-"

"We're not that aggressive and it's a serious matter"

"I don't have any ghosts to get of my misplaced aggression out on so I'm funneling it into cake decorating instead"

"M'gann, you literally are trying to choke him right now, Danny, even I know it's concerning and I have less than half a year of learning what is considered normal under my belt. Anyway, before you escalate it again, how about each one of us gets one side of the house and then we work in pairs on the roof?"

"I like that"

"But what about aesthetic integrity!"

"It's quite literally against the point of gingerbread house"

***

"Before we go to sleep, I believe it's a widespread tradition to leave milk and cookies for the Santa Claus on the Christmas Eve evening"

"Huh"

"What is it this time?"

"Nothing really, chill out Conner, I just never heard of that"

It was so clearly a lie it probably couldn't even be called that, but at this point everyone realized, that for some reason bearded man in red was a sore subject, and they stopped trying to learn why. Maybe some day he'd tell them.

***

"Sorry. This person is currently unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone."

"Hey Dani, it's Danny. Merry Christmas, please let me know when you get that. I'm celebrating outside of home, safe, with some friends, so if you want, I can give you an address and you can drop by. They're all more than okay with ghost stuff and have a history of accepting someone similar to you without any questions. I'm sure they'd love you. Let me know you're alright and if you want to join us. Sorry I keep calling, I'm at the worrywart stage. Love you, please stay safe."

Danny was doing pretty well with this whole "organizing Christmas". Really. M'gann did kick him out to breathe a bit of fresh air (and wait for the Superman and food he was supposed to bring in) because his hands were shaking too much, but other than that he was fine. Really. He was getting a bit panicky because he didn't hear a word from his sister in the past week and usually she let them know if she knew she would go somewhere where that could happen but she just as often didn't because she spontaneously decided to do something else. Trackers they made her wear showed she was fine.

It didn't really help, he wasn't sure if there was anything less than actually hearing or preferably seeing her that could reassure him.

It wasn't even talking about all of the trouble that was a bit closer to home, because Christmas never meant anything good for him, with or without his parents stirring up the Santa-fight. They weren't there and yet, he still couldn't make himself believe it could be any better this time. For Ancients sake, he made sure there was no Santa Claus in whole Mountain, nothing to remind him of how it always was and his brain still decided to be stupid about it.

So now he was standing in thin hoodie out in Rhode Island winter, in hopes that cold would shock him out of spiraling, trying to keep his breaths even and not fly away because it felt all like a little too much at the moment. he was standing in thin hoodie out in Rhode Island winter, waiting for a man who would awkwardly try to do the whole 'I'm an adult you can trust' routine and then treat him like messenger pigeon to contact the child that actually wanted and needed him. He couldn't entirely blame him but-

"Are you quite alright?"

"I'm fine"

"Are you sure? It's quite cold to be dressed like this and your heartbeat is quite erratic."

"I'm fine as old wine Superman, please say your piece before someone comes to see what took me so long"

"Danny-"

"I'm serious. Leave it alone and just give me the food"

Superman looked a bit conflicted, clearly considering all of the potential pros and cons of digging in further and choose wrong.

"You're worried about Dani"

"You're the last person I want to talk to about her," Danny spat out, anxiety quickly turning into anger.

"Of course, but-"

"Have two civil conversations with your clone before trying to tell me how I should handle mine" As soon as these words left his mouth, Danny regretted them, if only a little, but he kept pushing "I told you about her to explain why I'm willing to vouch for you. It doesn't make you someone I'll confide in. It doesn't make you someone I trust. It doesn't make me approve of the way your handling it. It just means I understand. But you're an adult man and experienced hero with stable job and adult shit figured out and I'm a teenager with home just safe enough for me to stay and family that'd question how third child just showed up. We are not the same."

Superman flinched away at some point during the rant, looking properly humbled. He avoided eye contact and just reached forward to pass him hard plastic case filled with food containers and smaller boxes wrapped up in nice Christmas themed paper.

"Alright kiddo. Get it inside before you turn into a icicle. And tell Conner I wish him Merry Christmas, alright? I mean, I wish it to everyone but…"

Damn, if the "never meet your heroes" person wasn't right.

"You're a coward Superman. Come in and tell him that yourself"

***

Conner lashed out, as expected, but it was far more subdued than it would be just few month before. To his credit, Superman stayed the whole time it went down and only left when boy mostly calmed down and wouldn't feel like he was being ignored. Man even tried to respond to some allegations, though he wasn't really heard. Conner ranted some more after hero left, but overall it went better than Danny thought it would.

Then they had dinner, which went… surprisingly well. Apparently, not having to worry about being attacked by the main dish did wonders to Danny's overall jitters (and didn't everyone get super weird when he mentioned it). Not having people start nonsensical fights also helped. He knew better than to mention that.

Also, turns out that Superman or whoever he got to make them food was freaking amazing cook, thank you very much. Danny wasn't necessarily fasting, not in a way he knew some people did in the period preceding Christmas or at least on Christmas Eve, but the tension of past few days made it hard to eat a lot. It definitely lessened now that the thing was happening and seemingly going well, so he was absolutely ravenous. To be completely honest, as far as he could tell, everyone else matched his enthusiasm.

There was a bit off moment at the beginning, when Martian Manhunter asked him if he shouldn't be with his family during holidays, but Danny quickly and subtly brushed it off and nobody mentioned that afterwards.

He may have overeaten, actually, for once in his live, which he may regret in the morning, but at the moment, it made him quite content.

Then came the gifts, which also went better than he expected. For once there was no need to act like he enjoyed the gift despite already planning on how to get rid of it. Even better, focus was almost fully removed from him, obviously, because it wasn't his first rodeo.

Conner looked so lost and confused with the gift he got from Superman's mom, it was almost heartbreaking. It was beautiful crocheted scarf, black and red, with his symbol on each end, and an apology note explaining that Mrs Martha Kent would give him something more note worthy but she learned about him way to late to make something better. There was also promise of more worthy gift in near future. Danny knew all that because Conner read it out loud, asking everyone to help him make sense of that. There was only so much they could do.

Other than that, he got some nice flannel shirts from M'gann, quite a few sweets. He also got a book from Danny (it was a sin he didn't read "The Martian" before) and concepts of new hero suits for him, that Sam somehow sneaked between the pages. It was certainly a lot to explain without making anyone angry.

M'gann got two different cook books, that unfortunately didn't include Fenton fudge recipe (Dad was really protective over it), some surprisingly obscure merch from "Hello Megan" and more sweets.

Red Tornado got an apron and few tokens of appreciation, that robot quite liked, as far as Danny could tell.

Martian Manhuter, due to how rarely he visited, was the hardest to pick presents for, which resulted in some general little trinkets.

Danny got night sky projector, which was really cool, and potted plant, for some reason, which, while also cool, because plants are cool (Sam would rekill him if he thought otherwise), he knew far too well, would not survive until July. It wasn't only because he could barely take care of himself, let alone whole ass plant (see also, that one time he either drowned or dried three cacti), but also because of the times ghosts (or home security) attacked him in his room. He was thankful anyway. Maybe it could push him into finally getting some contingencies against that, that’d actually work. After all, it was quite a pretty plant.

By the time they moved to the couch to watch “Die Hard” of all things (it was only DVD that Tucker provided that didn’t have Santa Claus as a prominent character, because of course that little traitor would do that), Danny had to admit that this Christmas was… nice. Enjoyable. Pretty amazing actually. Good enough that he could understand people waiting for it the whole year. He couldn’t tell that he joined their ranks, but he certainly could understand them.

It was also downright exhausting and at some point even dynamic fights of John McClane couldn’t keep his eyes open. It was fine though. He was safe, he was warm, almost squeezed against his friends. It was good place to just relax.

It’s been first time in a long time since he felt that on Christmas.

********

I'm not sure if I managed to properly Conner's... whole thing, if he turned out too hostile, let's just say he was still pissed about the whole "wasn't invited to Clark's family gathering" thing and it made him a bit more antsy.

I'm not sure how well I managed to handle it, but I don't want to bash neither Clark nor Conner. They're both victims in this situation and while the way Clark handled it was far from ideal, it's also far from worst he could do and I believe he deserves a bit more grace. In the end, on psychological level he is just human and humans don't always handle being baby trapped perfectly. Maybe I have more understanding towards him because my prefered way of handling conflicts is walking out and locking myself in my room, but idk. Maybe I'm capable of more coherent explanation when it's not 3:44 AM

Ginger shenanigans were inspired by my own Christmas preparation adventures, when I was making bread dough for the Christmas Eve and decided to add rosemary to make it more ✨festive✨ and got really attached to the idea. My mom agreed, then it turned out we didn't have any, then I went to the shop like twenty minutes before it closed at 11PM so at least one guy was there to replenish his alcohol suplies. My mom called to tell me to also buy some powdered garlic and beetroot. Turned out we had rosemary at home. At shop I only found garlic. I also brought energy drink, because I was tired but had more stuff to do and some snacks just because.

Bread turned out pretty good.

I sincerely believe if I was solely responsible of making gingerbread, I would forget to get ginger (or like, to fit with "it's in the name" thing, pepper, because in Polish it's "piernik")

I'm really sorry if the drop in quality by the end is noticable, if this thing stayed unfinished whole another year i'd do something I'd regret later.

[merthosus]

Desperation

Summary: After Five has gone to hell and back to prevent the end of the world and save his whole family, it drives him insane to do it a second time. Despite all his efforts not to let humanity go to ruin, it feels like an endless loop. After a long evening of martinis and some more martinis, he stumbles through the hotel door of a stranger. Not only is he surprised that the face behind the door looks familiar, but also the fact that she was just getting ready for bed.

Here a sexy poster from Five I fell in love with! With every purchase you automatically support me :) https://amzn.to/3yGK6Fm

"So her beauty would be never forgotten no matter in which timeline"

The terrible feeling of powerlessness made Number Five reach for the glass again and again. No matter how many times he tried, no matter how great his efforts, it was hopeless. The thought of giving up plagued him more than he thought. But he had to be strong, not for himself, but for his siblings. The only place where they still felt safe was this hotel, a collection point for criminals of all kinds who didn't want to be found so quickly. You met all kinds of people in the corridors. Be it the woman who treated her dog like a child or Diego's son, who left a trail behind him with his leaking ear, just like in Hänsel and Gretel. Behind every hotel room door was a different personality that you definitely wouldn't have expected.

It was relatively difficult for Five to stay on his feet, and not just this evening. The usually so dressed up Five stumbled from corridor to corridor, searching in vain for his bed. He actually had a good feeling for how much alcohol he could drink, but after having to return to his young body, he had forgotten that his liver was not quite the same as that of a sixty-year-old. His hair, usually so tightly pulled back, was disheveled and strands were hanging out. His shirt was anything but pressed and his bow tie hung loosely around his neck. The only thing he had in mind, was his cozy bed, waiting for him in one of this many bedrooms.

He didn't know exactly why, but he was drawn to a particular door, number 45. The door was no different in any way from the other 123 he had seen on his tour, but like a moth to a lantern, he was drawn in that direction. The temptation to simply walk past the wooden door without paying attention to it was impossible for Five. He wondered whether it was really his gut feeling or perhaps the few drops too many. He decided not to think about it any longer and took a step towards the door. His long, thin fingers gripped the knob and Five felt no resistance. The door was only ajar. This couldn't be a coincidence.

He opened the door as quietly as his alcohol-soaked body would allow him. Then he leaned against the doorframe. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him. His mouth was agape with astonishment, but also with admiration. His thoughts no longer had any self-control. The usually rational Five couldn't stop the thoughts flowing through his head. Y/n stood a few meters in front of him, his former colleague from the commission who had disappeared at some point. Five had never expected to see her again, especially not half naked. Still his mouth wasn't closed, admiring what was standing in front of him. She's lifting her long armed shirt, stretching her torso. He was leaving none of her body parts unwatched.

Her shining thighs, which doubled in size when she sat down. Oh God, how many times Five had had to sit differently to hide his arousal, how many times he had negotiated with the handler to go on missions with her instead of alone. Years of suffering, years of unsatisfied lust, years of concealed love. Five didn't move an inch to not draw attention to himself and scare her off. Five wondered how long he could hold out. He would stand at this very door for hours, starving, just to keep looking at her. Her stretch marks, which piled up on her like the waves of the sea. Her beautiful back which was covered in tattoos. Everything about her was as perfect for Five as the stone carved figures from Greece. Every time he looked at her, he remembered the beautiful figures and vowed to, one day, carve one of her. So her beauty would be never forgotten no matter in which timeline.

The more he focuses his thoughts on her, the less control he has over his body. He stumbles forward and barely manages to hold on to the Anden doorframe with his left hand. Suddenly, Y/n's head shoots up and she has just tried to pick up her T-shirt. Startled, she presses the scrap of fabric against her unclothed upper body. It feels like she is swallowing her air when she sees the drunken Five standing at the doorway. "Five…" she whispers to herself. "Mademoiselle Y/n," Five bows, trying in vain not to fall over. "W… what are you doing here?" she asks as she quickly pulls her T-shirt over her head. "You shouldn't be in this timeline," she mumbles to herself. Five laughs to avoid showing his true emotions. "So you're still working for the Commission. Funny, after you just disappeared like that," he says as he closes the door behind him and takes a step towards her.

"Five I needed to… It was this or killing you. The handler gave me no choice. You turned against her, what else was I supposed to do?" she asked. Five thought before walking towards her with quick yet shaky steps. He stopped just before her and tapped her heart with his finger. "You could have stayed with me. I can't believe it, after everything we've been through together," Five shakes his head. "Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about you, Five," Y/n confesses, looking at him. Despite the transformation back into his youthful body, Five was taller than her, Y/n struggled to look him in the eye. So much pain was reflected in them. "I've been looking everywhere for you Y/n," he breathes it out rather than saying it.

Thank you for reading love :)

[riverashifts]

@ MY BACKSTORY ᰔᩚ . ݁ 🎀 ͘ ࣭ 🎱 ⸰

⌗ 제이's GiRL : introducing my backstory—what i did pre-debut and how i became the idol i am known to be

˳ ׄ ⟡ ◌ ⃘ i want to do something splendid ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ｡‏‏‎ 𓏸𓈒 something heroic or wonderful that won't be forgotten after i'm dead. i don't know what 𖦹 ˚   ⊹   ♡ but i'm on the watch for it and mean to astonish you all ( little women 1868 )

⊹﹒EARLY CHILDHOOD

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ born in the same hometown as i was in this reality, i had a fairly normal childhood for the first five years of my life, i had a loving mother, and a father who would do anything for our small family ] — and then my mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness and passed on february 5, 2007

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ this caused several ripple effects for my father and i. my dad became a workaholic and took on jobs he never would've taken before ] — that's when he started taking on international jobs within the company, causing the two of us to move around a lot

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ first to seattle, then all the way to shanghai, then to toulouse, then to berlin, then to yorkshire ] — we only stayed in one spot for about a year or two before moving away as quickly as we settled in

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ during this time, i had to learn how to entertain myself because my father was always so busy with work. this is when i started really getting into music and wanting to become a singer myself ] — however, i was also really into reading—and when i heard they were casting young girls around my age for a role in the book-to-movie adaptation of one of my favourite books, i had to audition

⊹﹒FIRST ACTING ROLE

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ who would've guessed—i got the role!! filming took place in berlin, so for the time being i lived with my aunt and uncle on their farm near berlin. filming lasted for about just under a year—for me, at least, as i didn't have a very big role ] — thanks to this movie, i not only opened many doors to a career as an actress, i also met my first boyfriend, louis partridge, as he was one of my cast mates. we only started dating later on, though

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ gilded, the film, was released in 2012 and filming for the sequel, cursed, started quickly afterwards. the second movie released in 2014—and on the red carpet for the premiere event in la, i met sabrina carpenter, one of my best friends, who was there to promote her upcoming disney show "girl meets world"!! ] — meanwhile, my father was working in london, meeting my future step-mom and step-brother while i was out of the country

⊹﹒GROWING FAMILY

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ my (future) step-mom had recently divorced her husband and gotten a job overseas from korea in england, where my dad worked as well. they became close very quickly—but my dad would keep this a secret from me as i was still living away in berlin ] — when filming for cursed wrapped up, i finally moved back to england with my father, where he dropped the bomb that our family would be growing—they were to get married in a few months

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ i did not like my new family, especially the woman who would be replacing my late mother. i barely paid any attention to my future step-brother and i never even looked at my future step-mom ] — not only that, i was furious with my father for making such a big decision without consulting or even telling me. i wanted to escape

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ and then one day i came back home from school to my step-mom (after the wedding) preparing a meal in honour of my late mother—it was the anniversary of her death ] — from then, i realized that my new mom was not replacing my biological mom, but was stepping up to help heal our broken family. i no longer had any hostility toward them. instead, i started to learn to love them

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ it did not come to a surprise when my brother, hyunjin, started talking about missing korea, and in turn, so did his mother ] — so soon enough, we were packing our things once more and moving to korea as a new family

⊹﹒BEING A JYPE ACTRESS

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ sometime in 2015, hyunjin and i went out with our mom to do some shopping and ... we were scouted by jype recruiters!! ] — we were skeptical at first, but decided to give it a shot and auditioned for the company

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ we both got in. hyunjin as an idol trainee, and me as an actress. i was a little disappointed, to say the least ] — for years i had been wanting to join the music industry, and with this audition i had come so close, and yet they didn't want me to become an idol

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ still, i stuck around as an actress. i ended up starting with some minor roles in k-dramas, and eventually moving onto bigger things such as extracurricular and all of us are dead ] — but that's when i started to have enough. it had been years and i wasn't making any progress to becoming an idol. so, i quit

⊹﹒PRE-ILAND

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ i joined big hit soon after, and that's where i trained for the next year and four months ] — i was known as the "killer trainee" because i would always dominate the monthly evaluations—alongside heeseung, a good friend of mine

. ۫ ꣑ৎ ݁ 𓈒 ๑ [ things were going very well and i was making actual progress toward my dream. i was happy ] — and then the staff brought me together with two other girls (huh yunjin and aris young) and asked us if we wanted to join their upcoming survival show.... and of course we did

[noc1818]

A Score to be Settled - Chrollo X Reader Fanfic

Hey everyone! I've had this idea for a Chrollo fic swirling around in my head for a while now, where Chrollo wrongs the reader, who's also from Meteor City, during their childhood. This event impacts them so deeply that they’re willing to go to any lengths to seek revenge and settle the score. This chapter is just the backstory leading up to the main plot. If you're interested in reading more, let me know—I’m really enjoying writing it and have a lot more I want to explore! Plus, it’s a fun project to help me get back into writing again. I truly appreciate any support!

Also, this is mostly unedited because I was too excited to share, so feel free to let me know if anything needs fixing!

A few warnings for this piece: Dark themes, death, angst, and intense struggles for survival.

Chapter 2

Chapter One: The Debt

Meteor City - Residential Area, 1984

Digging through the scrap was a common occurrence in Meteor City. It was the only way to survive. It always astonished you that people would just throw out and dump some of this stuff without a second thought. Had they never had to scavenge for food or clothes? The idea of having a roof over your head and some form of food security felt like a distant daydream. But that was not your reality. Even at such a young age, the harsh truth of Meteor City was ingrained in your very being.

This had always been the case, at least since you could remember. Your first true memory was when you were five years old, hiding in a broken refrigerator with your little sister, Sumi, who was only two at the time, from some less-than-favorable characters searching the area. That was the reality for all the kids in Meteor City—except for Sumi. She was always a ray of light. Even in the darkest moments, she could spin a positive outlook, which, while uplifting, was sometimes a bit overwhelming.

Recently, she’d been going on and on about a group of kids, she’d met who performed shows for anyone willing to watch. Every day, she came back excited, telling you all about the latest show and its colorful cast of characters. You had promised her that one day you’d go with her to check out the performances. But the reality was that most of your days—hell, your entire childhood—had been spent scavenging and trying to make the best shelter you could for Sumi and yourself.

Still, if you were honest with yourself, your efforts were starting to pay off. You had gathered enough food and non-perishable goods to start a stockpile for the coming winter.

Not only had you been gathering food, but you had been saving Jenny, hoping to accumulate enough to get you and your sister out of the city. At thriteen years old, hidden in your makeshift shack and buried deep within an old metal tea kettle, you had quite a bit saved up. The reality was that it wasn’t much, but to a child with nothing, a hundred Jenny could change a life. Soon, you and Sumi would leave this scrap heap behind and start a real life. You’d be able to give her a solid foundation and a secure future.

As if on cue, scrambling down the narrow paths between the trash heaps, Sumi appeared. She ran toward you in her oversized pink sweater, patched and worn where the fabric had torn over time. She wore frayed blue shorts and dirty old sneakers. As she approached, you noticed her shoes were untied again and made a note to try to teach her how to tie them properly.

Upon seeing you, Sumi immediately called out, “Big Sis!”

Looking up, you gave her a warm smile and a wave. “Sumi, be careful running like that! You might fall!”

Hearing your call, she slowed down and made her way to your makeshift shelter. You had found a space between two scrap heaps, covered with metal sheets that mostly kept the rain out during downpours. You’d draped a cloth over the outside to help keep out the cold and block prying eyes from seeing inside.

Sumi walked over with a big smile, immediately hugging you tightly. “Big Sis, the show today was so cool! They were doing a musical.”

You hummed in acknowledgment of her excited ramblings. Your focus was more on her worn shoes and thinking how you might be able to get her a new pair. But Sumi bright, attentive eyes and her soft call of your name brought your attention back to the present.

“Y/N, are you listening?” she asked, tilting her head with a playful smile.

You nodded, ruffling her hair as you gave her your full attention. “Yes, I’m listening. Tell me all about the play. You said it was a musical, right?”

Sumi’s face lit up as she started rambling in detail about the play, the songs they sang, and the performances. It made you happy to know she had found something that made her so happy and allowed her to still be a kid.

Sumi’s gaze then shifted to the bread rations you’d found and set out for the two of you. She eagerly sat down on the dirt, ready to eat.

“Also, Big Sis, my friend from the play... Can she come over to eat sometime?” she asked, her brown eyes filled with hope.

Typically, you would say no. It was hard enough to feed just the two of you. But this was another kid—another kid from Meteor City—and she made your little sister happier than anyone else could. So, with a reluctant sigh, you nodded, saying, “Sure, but just her, okay?”

Sumi’s eyes widened, and she beamed. “Oh, good! She’ll be so excited when she gets back!”

That last part caught your attention—when she gets back. You wondered what Sumi meant by that, but rather than ask, you focused on the task at hand: getting something to eat. Hunger was often your main drive, having never truly been full your entire life. The two of you ate your bread and chatted the night away until it was time to sleep. You shared a torn-up mattress you’d found one day.

As your sister fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, you found yourself wide awake as always. The night was especially cold, even with the cloth covering the sides of your shelter. The cold air still billowed in, leaving you shivering to your core. Unable to sleep, you quietly got up and made your way outside.

Despite the chill, it was a beautiful night. The full moon illuminated the ruins of the city, casting a soft light on the heaps of metal scrap. The sky was clear—a rare sight since the smog usually made it nearly impossible to see the stars. But tonight, they shone bright and radiant, lighting up the darkness.

Little did you know, that on such a peaceful night, your life would change forever because of one mistake.

The sound of scrap being knocked over in the distance caught your attention. Despite your maturity for your age, your curiosity got the better of you. You crept toward the sound, the noise growing louder with each step. Expecting to find an adult out to cause trouble, you peeked cautiously around a corner. To your surprise, there stood a boy, slightly older than you.

He had his back to you, but you could make out his raven-like hair, which ended just above his ears. He wore a yellow-striped shirt and grey shorts, his sneakers as worn out as those of the other kids in the city. You also noticed his pale complexion. But it wasn’t just his appearance that caught your attention—it was the palpable anger radiating from him.

The boy was frantically searching every crevice in the piles of trash, looking for something—or perhaps someone. When a spot didn’t reveal what he was searching for, he would kick and throw things, sending the scrap tumbling down. But it wasn’t just his actions that struck you. There was an energy about him, an intense, almost suffocating wave of anger and despair that filled the air, making it feel heavy and thick with emotion.

You stood frozen, unsure of what to do. You had never encountered such a crushing presence before. The weight of his emotions was almost too much to bear. It took him a while before he realized someone else was there.

He turned toward you, taking a moment to process your presence. Even at his young age, it seemed like he was studying you, trying to figure out who you were. His expression was unreadable, but your silence seemed to provoke him. Without a hint of fear or caution, he started walking toward you. You weren’t surprised—after all, what could a bone-thin girl like you possibly do to a boy older than you?

As he drew closer, you noticed something you would never forget—his eyes. Steely grey, cold as steel, eyes that no child should have. They held a depth of pain, rage, and fear. It was as though his gaze could pierce through you, reading your every thought. The emptiness in them was unsettling, yet beneath that emptiness was an ocean of raw, unspoken emotion.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. His gaze remained locked on yours, unflinching. Then, in a voice that matched the indifference in his expression, he asked, “Why are you out here?”

You hesitated for a moment, processing his question. Finally, you answered in your quiet, almost inaudible voice, “I couldn’t sleep... it’s freezing.”

He listened, his eyes still fixed on yours, and after a brief pause, he nodded slightly. His tone remained flat, as if unaffected by the cold, the silence, or even the raw emotions swirling between you. “I suppose it is quite cold tonight,” he said.

You ask him the same question in return. “Why are you out here?”

Without hesitation, he responds, “I’m looking for someone.”

You raise an eyebrow, puzzled. Why would he be out here, so late, searching for someone? And what’s more, he’s dressed lightly, yet he doesn’t seem bothered by the cold. Curiosity laces your voice as you ask, “Wouldn’t it be smarter to search in the morning, when there’s daylight?”

A flicker of annoyance crosses his face, as if that option simply isn’t available. “Not possible. I’ll find her tonight.”

Normally, you would’ve dismissed him, turned away, and continued with your own business. But he’s another Metor City kid, and something in the back of your mind nags at you. He’s not dressed appropriately for the cold, and if he stays out here like this, he’ll get sick. You remember finding a man’s jacket a while back, one that was too big for you or your sister, and you think maybe it’s time to put it to good use.

“You’re going to catch a cold out here like that,” you say, a note of concern in your voice. “Come with me for two seconds, and I can give you a spare coat we have.”

Your tone is free of malice, just genuine care, and that catches his attention. He gives you a curious glance, eyebrows furrowing as if trying to decipher your intentions. Every kid in this city knows that nothing comes without a price, that nothing is truly free. So when he speaks, his words are cautious.

“I don’t need the jacket.”

His dismissal stings more than you expect, and you sigh, visibly irked. You take a few steps toward him, frustration settling into your voice. “Just take it. We don’t need it.”

At the word “we,” he raises an eyebrow. He’s perceptive, you realize. He takes a step closer, and you suddenly feel the suspicion radiating off him. “You have others with you?”

The question catches you off guard for a moment, but you recover quickly. “Yeah, my little sister, Sum.”

He pauses, his face unreadable, before asking, “You’re Sumi’s older sister? You must be Y/N, then.”

Your eyes widen in surprise. How does he know your name? You raise an eyebrow, and he chuckles, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Ah, my apologies. Sumi talks about you a lot. She’s always at shows with me and the others.”

That explains it. He must be one of the performer kids Sumi has befriended. You smile, relieved to understand the connection. “Oh! You’re one of Sumi’s friends. She never stops talking about all the shows you all put on. I hear about it all the time.”

“I’m glad she enjoys them so much,” he says with a chuckle. “My name’s Chrollo, by the way. It’s nice to officially meet you, Y/N.”

You extend a hand to him, offering a handshake. “Nice to meet you too, Chrollo.”

As you both shake hands, the conversation continues, and you press him once more to take the spare jacket. He doesn’t seem to trust easily, but the fact that you’re Sumi’s sister seems to put him at ease enough to accept the offer. You can’t let one of your sister’s friends freeze, after all. In your world, you cherish the small acts of kindness, especially when life is so unforgiving.

When you lead Chrollo into your home, you notice his gaze lingering on Sumi, who’s still fast asleep despite the chilly draft in the room.

“She sleeps like a rock,” you say with a smile, reassuring him. “Don’t worry, we won’t wake her up.”

Chrollo raises an eyebrow, then shifts his attention back to you. “Really? She always seems so happy, so it’s not surprising.”

“She’s always been that way,” you reply, a fondness in your tone. “She’s able to find the bright side of things. I’ve always admired her for that.”

“That’s an admirable trait, but a bit naïve,” he remarks, his eyes scanning the room. “And you, Y/N? Which side do you find yourself on?” His intense gaze meets yours, as if he already knows the answer, as if he’s searching for something more.

You hesitate before answering, taking a moment to collect your thoughts. “While I’d like to see things in the best light, it’s not always something I can afford to do. Life is tough, especially in the city. I’m sure you know that. I guess, if anything, I’m just realistic.”

Your words hang in the air, and you meet his gaze. Life hasn’t been kind, not forgiving, and you’ve learned to take things as they are—even if that means accepting a certain darkness. It’s how you survive. It’s how you cope.

Chrollo watches you as you pull the coat from the cooler you’ve repurposed as a storage bin. You turn to hand it to him, but before you can react, he’s right there, standing so close that you nearly jump in surprise.

“Oh, my—” you start, startled. “You surprised me, Chrollo.”

He chuckles lightly. “My apologies. It wasn’t intentional.” He accepts the jacket with a graceful nod. “Thank you for this.”

You watch him pull the coat on. It’s a bit oversized now, but in a few years, it will fit him perfectly. The jacket is a unique shade of royal purple, with white fur lining the neck and sleeve ends—definitely a one-of-a-kind piece.

“Well, Y/N, I have a search to continue,” he says, turning to leave. But before he pulls the sheet up to shield himself from the cold, he pauses and looks back at you.

“I’m also a realist,” he says, his voice quieter now, almost contemplative. “But there’s something so lovely about dreaming, isn’t there? I look at this life from both spectrums. Sometimes, I even think those dreams we chase so desperately can become our reality—if we push hard enough. Just something to think about.”

With those final words, he leaves before you can respond, disappearing into the night.

You stand there, staring at the door as his words linger in your mind. At first, you feel a sharp irritation. He didn’t ask for your opinion, so why did he offer unsolicited advice? And as for his belief that dreams could be turned into reality with enough force—that seemed utterly delusional, especially for kids like you, or anyone from Metor City. Hell, you’d be lucky just to make it to eighteen.

But something about what he said sticks with you, curling into your thoughts like a stubborn seed. You don’t dwell on it for long. You curl up next to Sumi, trying to shake the thoughts away, and drift into sleep. But as you do, you can’t help but wonder… what if, just for once, he was right?

 The next morning, you wake up to the sound of Sumi’s sobs, her distress pulling you from sleep. Instantly, you pull her into a tight hug.

“Shh, Sumi, it’s okay. Tell me what’s wrong. Are you hurt? What happened?” Your voice is steady and calm, a skill you’ve mastered over the years, both as her big sister and in moments of chaos. You’ve always had a knack for calming people in hysteria, and Sumi, in her younger days, gave you plenty of practice.

After a few minutes of reassurance and gentle prodding, she starts to calm down. She looks up at you, her eyes wide and teary, her lip trembling.

“Big sis, it’s… it’s all gone. Our food… our money… it’s all gone,” she says, before breaking into fresh sobs.

At those words, your heart drops. What does she mean? Gone? Your stomach twists with dread.

You pull away from Sumi for a moment, moving quickly to the cooler. There’s no way it could be empty. But when you lift the lid, your breath catches. The cooler is completely bare. All the food and supplies you had gathered for months—some even for years—are gone.

Frantically, you move the cooler aside, only to reveal an empty hole beneath it. The kettle where you kept all your jenny, your coins, your savings—also gone. There’s nothing left.

Panic rises in your chest. How could this happen? Who could have taken everything? Why didn’t you hear anything during the night? Your mind races with a hundred questions, each more frantic than the last. Beneath it all, though, a seething anger begins to bubble. How could anyone do this to kids who had nothing?

But then, Sumi’s sobs break through your clouded thoughts, pulling you back to reality. This is where you need to be the bigger sister. You need to calm her down, to give her the reassurance she needs, even if it means making false promises in the moment.

You pull her into another tight hug, patting her head in an attempt to soothe her. “Shh, Sumi. It’s going to be okay. I’ll figure it out. We’re going to be just fine, I promise.”

Your words, however, don’t seem to help. Sumi’s crying only intensifies, her distress deepening.

“No, Y/N, it’s not! It’s almost winter! I may be younger, but I’m not dumb. I knew it took you almost all year to gather what we had, and that was mostly lucky finds. This is my fault!” she says through ragged sobs, her nose sniffling.

“It’s no one’s fault, Sumi,” you reply, your own voice breaking slightly. You can feel the tears welling in your eyes, but you fight them back, continuing to hold it together. “We’re going to be okay. I’ll figure it out. Everything will be fine, I promise.”

But Sumi, seeing the tears in your eyes, crumbles further. “Big sis, you don’t understand. This is my fault! It was my friends at the play. They took our stuff. I shouldn’t have told Big Sis Sarasa where we live. She must’ve told the others. But I don’t know how—she’s been missing for a few days now!”

Your heart sinks, piecing together exactly what’s happened. It was Chrollo. He and his friends took everything. You allowed yourself to be blinded by the fact that he was another kid, someone you thought you could help. But instead, he took advantage of your kindness.

It takes everything in you to hide your shock. You can’t let Sumi see your own pain and disappointment. Instead, you swallow your anger and fear, and lie to her, thinking that protecting her from the truth is what’s best.

“Sumi,” you say, forcing a smile, trying to sound reassuring, “I bet your friends are just borrowing some food from us. Nothing to worry about. They’ll bring it back soon, okay?”

You can see the doubt in her eyes, but there’s a glimmer of hope there too. That spark—the same one she’s always had—begins to flicker. “Prove it, big sis. How do you know?”

You take a deep breath, hoping the lie doesn’t show in your eyes. “I just know, Sumi. I’ll make sure everything’s okay. I promise.”

Even though she doesn’t fully believe you, the fragile hope in her eyes is enough to make you cling to your own false reassurance. For her sake, you need to keep it together, even if it’s falling apart inside.

After Sumi had calmed down enough to be let go, you stood up, needing some space to think and to get some fresh air. You reached for the jacket you had thrown haphazardly over yourself the night before to stay warm, and as you put it on, a small white note fell from the pocket. Sumi, too absorbed in her tears, hadn’t noticed it before.

You hesitated for a moment, but your curiosity got the best of you. You unfolded the note, already knowing who it was from. It could only be one person—Chrollo.

The note read:

Y/N,I am sure you are angry, and rightfully so. It was nothing personal, of course—just my family needed it more than yours. Take this as a lesson and grow stronger from it. Never trust a stranger, no matter what they look like.Best of luck, and do take care of Sumi. Thanks again for your generosity.

As you read the words over again, the initial shock wore off, and a seething anger filled you. That bastard had taken everything—everything—because he could. And now he had the audacity to call it a lesson.

Your blood boiled. You would find him. You would make him pay.

In the midst of your fury, you didn’t notice Sumi, still sitting on the floor, glance over your shoulder and read the note with wide, curious eyes.

“Big sis? What does it say?” she asked, her head tilted, voice uncertain.

You froze for a moment, her question catching you off guard. Then, your mind raced. You knew Sumi couldn’t read—something that, under normal circumstances, would be a problem. But today, it was a relief. More than anything, you wanted to preserve that spark of joy in her eyes, to keep her from losing that innocence and hope.

With a forced smile, you turned to face her and lied through your teeth.

“Oh, it’s just a letter from your friends. They’re gathering more food and are going to bring it to share with us.”

At your words, Sumi’s face brightened. The sadness left her eyes, and joy returned to her expression as she beamed up at you. “Really, big sis? That’s great!”

You nodded, offering her a reassuring smile, though inside, your mind was still spinning with your plan for revenge. Sumi spent the rest of the day telling you about the shows and how amazing they were. You listened, but your thoughts were elsewhere, planning the next steps, knowing full well that your reality wasn’t one that relied on hopes and miracles. You would have to be ruthless to survive in this world—and you would.

Meteor City – Residential Area, 1995

Years later, you found yourself standing once again among the scraps of Meteor City, holding a small yellow daffodil. You gazed down at the modest grave, an unreadable expression on your face. Deep inside, though, the wound was still open and raw. The stone atop the grave was crudely carved with the name Sumi. Her grave was one of the few places in this wasteland where life seemed to thrive—a small patch of grass and flowers growing amidst the decay.

You offered a faint, sad smile, thinking that even in death, Sumi brought hope and life wherever she was.

Your mind wandered back to that brutal winter in 1984 when you lost your little sister. After the Phantom Troupe stole everything—your food, your money—you were left with nothing. For months, you scavenged, but it was never enough. The freezing nights and lack of food took a toll, and Sumi grew terribly ill. You searched high and low for medicine, anything that could save her, but the world wouldn’t help two poor kids from Meteor City. Every time you tried, you were chased away or kicked out.

As the weeks dragged on, one night Sumi’s fever spiked too high. You held her until she fell asleep, but then you heard it—those final, shallow breaths. That’s when you knew. Your sister was gone.

Now, standing over her grave, you reached into the satchel you carried and pulled out three items: a ticket to a masquerade ball, a key, and new identification papers. These were the tools you’d carefully acquired through a contact to forge a new identity—a whole new life in Yorknew City. They were your tickets to escape Meteor City, to avenge Sumi, and to strike at the heart of the Phantom Troupe. You couldn’t let them know who you truly were.

You had devoted your life to this, to rebuilding yourself and taking them down—especially Chrollo. He was the one responsible for her death. It was all for greed. But that was going to end now.

Looking once more at Sumi’s grave, you made a vow, your voice firm and steady.

“Sumi, I swear I’ll come back once the debt’s been repaid. After all, we’ve got a score to settle.”

With that, you turned away and walked towards the tinted car that waited to take you to the next step in your journey. The road ahead was long, but it was one you would walk with purpose. Chrollo Lucilfer—the leader of the Phantom Troupe—had no idea what was coming for him. You would make him pay, and you would not stop until you did.

[celaenaeiln]

Okay but you can’t just say “I'm not going to get into their brother relationship because that involves how Alfred treats Dick as a son rather than a grandson and is opening a whole new mansion of stuff so I'm going to wrap this up here” and not follow up with another post because that’s just cruel 😔😞 (aka this is me saying I really like & enjoy reading your interpretations and I need more of them HEHE)

😂😂😂😂😂😂

Thank you!!!! <3333

I love thinking about how Alfred treats Dick more of a son than a grandson because their relationship is different from Alfred's relationship with the other kids. Furthermore, it also explains a bunch of his actions.

First of, I know when everyone saw that Alfred had left Dick his entire inheritance they went "What the fuck." There were a bunch of jokes and questioning about why Alfred would do that and a lot of people have wrote it off as Tom Taylor's writing. But here's the thing. Tom Taylor has done a lot of stupid stuff in terms of characterization but he's done quite a few things right and one of them was adequately explaining Dick and Alfred's relationship.

I don't know how many people can read cursive but it says, "I invested much of this wisely and ethically...In fact, I planned to come to you for advice. Like Bruce, your mind is astonishing. You are a problem-solver and the world is full of problems." (There's actually panel during one of Dick and Slade's fight I have saved so lemme know if you or anyone is interested in Dick's innovativeness and how it makes his a terrifying opponent.)

Let me pause right there. This is Alfred's life savings. It's every piece of penny he's saved and every minute of his life is in that money. On top of what he says about Dick's intellect-and I agree and can prove it-he must've loved and trusted Dick an extraordinary amount to do this.

Alfred goes on to say, "I couldn't think of better hands to leave this fortune in. I believe you will see this, not as a personal gain, but as an opportunity. Because I believe in Dick Grayson."

He continues praising him and- HERE IT IS- "I am so very proud to call you my son."

DICK IS ALFRED'S SON.

This is the cleanest, clearest panel where he explicitly says it.

Hold on-this is the cleanest panel that says it? Wait a minute, let me retract that:

"Master Bruce was my son for a while. And then there was you."

THIS MOMENT HAS BEEN BUILDING UP ON US FOR YEARS. Tom Taylor wasn't doing lip service, he was just writing the inevitable!

I swear there's a panel where Dick refers to Alfred as his dad...

*Record scratch* WHAT DID ALFRED CALL DICK? WHAT DID DICK CALL ALFRED?

THIS IS WHY I LOVE THEM!!! THEY ARE GLORIOUS, BRILLIANT, UNDERRATED, AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THE FULL EXTENT OF EITHER OF THEIR ABILITIES, LOVE, OR DEPTH OF EMOTIONS.

THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

Take the Ric Grayson arc for another example.

Background context: Dick-Ric-was sleeping on the counter and all of a sudden he was startled out of a nightmare thus accidentally ending up bumping into the guy next to him who was drinking. Of course the guy doesn't mind only because it's Dick but anyways, here Alfred makes his entrance. Another thing I love about about this interaction is this is one of the few times Alfred has ever admitted to being in the military. The only other time I can think of him openly saying that is when he's slapping Bruce around.

The worry in the man's eyes for his wayward son...when Bea is snarking with Dick about his tab Alfred decides to pay for him instead.

LOOK AT HIS EYES AS HE SAYS GOOD NIGHT! THE AMOUNT OF EMOTION HE HAS IN THEM IS PURE PERFECTION. THE MAN JUST WANTS HIS SON TO COME BACK.

Not to mention, Alfred adores Dick in a way he didn't even with Bruce.

"For a long time I would dread coming down to this dark hellhole. But the advent of young Grayson has forced an alteration in my attitude. The masters have made much progress in these few short months. I was opposed initially to the recruitment of the lad in Master Bruce's self-appointed 'War on Crime.' But I am prepared to admit my error. Master Richard has mad a difference for the better to our lives."

This is HUGE. Coming from Alfred, this is massive because Alfred LOATHES Bruce's "War on Crime." How much?

So much that he slapped Bruce bloody for it.

The pseudo-father and son beat each other to pieces over it. So after years of Alfred hating Bruce for what he's done, for him to say he only accepts it because of Dick-because of Dick's personality-is enormous praise and accomplishment.

Alfred loves Dick in a way he doesn't love anyone else. And before I get flamed by people for suggesting Alfred loves Dick more than Bruce, I want to say he loves Dick as much as Bruce but in a different manner. He doesn't see Dick as a grandchild who needs to be coddled and softened, he sees Dick as a son he can spoil and cherish.

Him paying off the tab was not only an act of kindness, but it mimicks the way a rich father gives everything to his youngest son. Bruce was the first born he raised but Dick was the baby of their family. This also ties in with how Bruce doesn't see Dick as just him son like he does with the others. To Bruce, they are just as much brothers as anything else.

When Bruce fires Dick from Robin after two-face, Alfred couldn't take it lightly. Dick wasn't just the light of Bruce's life, he was the fucking sun to Alfred's.

I started crying when I read this because the emotions and the pain he's feeling is so visceral. A man who has been MI5 and SAS (Special Airforce Service), who has fought wars, who has fought his son, lost his best friends, is breaking down alone at the top of the stairs over not having Dick as Robin.

You might think that's not all that sad. Worse things have happened. You're overreacting.

Tears are literally streaming down my face as I'm writing this review. Rudolph nose and ugly bloodstained eyes complete with it.

Can you ever imagine loving someone so much?

Crying in silence with a steady voice to never let them know your sorrow?

But sure, sure, he's cried when others were killed like this so I'll go into other special things.

Some of his best moments are with Dick:

The pure adoration in his eyes as he watches his young son go 'flap' 'flap' 'flap' with his older brother's too big cloathes.

He's laughing! Do you know the only times he laughs or grins like that?

That's right-with Bruce! With his other son.

With Dick, he laughs, gets angry, and actually shows interest in things not related to people's health. Dick humanizes Alfred.

Who is the only other person Alfred has gotten mad at? Oh yeah. Bruce.

There's another panel where Alfred just sits by his bedside holding his hand.

It's the little things that matter is a lie. When it comes to Dick, Alfred does things in fighter jet air shows level of affection which he learned just for this during his SAS days.

Their shared interests & mutual understanding

People always think Dick and Alfred have nothing in common between them. Dick is excitable, bouncy, and some other adjective while Alfred is calming, stoic, and butler-y. They actually forget that Dick and Alfred canonically bond of plays. Dick, as I said before, is a massive theater nerd. He loves plays. He really wanted to see that shakespeare play and Alfred said he would take him because he knows people there and then went on to complain about how his brother didn't even drop by to see him. I love their interactions because Dick brings out a different side to Alfred.

Das Rheingold was a German musical drama that was performed as a single opera at the National Theatre Munich. This is the link if you're interested in reading a short synopsis of this complicated play by the Metropolitan Opera. It's like a mix of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Rings of Power."

Also the fact that Alfred is tying his tie like a father would tie his son's.

I know they make a crack out of it by using Bugs Bunny (Bugs Bunny is a fantastic cartoon! I grew up on it!) but Alfred knows that Dick loves opera and theater and is only asking if this particular play will suit his interests. Okay, great, we know Dick likes theater. You've said that and posted about it before. But how do we know Alfred likes it too and not just because he's British and posh and whatnot?

He has preformed at the London Theater, and this is another way he connects to Dick emotionally. When Dick complains about being Batman, Alfred is the one that tells him:

This is something Alfred understands about Dick that absolutely no one in the family does.

The two of them are show people. They know how to play the role they were given, and they know how to play it well. No one suspects Alfred the Butler of ruthlessly using firearms and no one suspects Dick the Light of the Universe to ruthlessly to manipulate allies.

Dick knows this about Alfred too and never presses for any answers. When Alfred's pulling out a bullet from Dick and performing high level medical techniques he should know nothing about, Dick asks him, "Where did you learn all this, Alfred." To which Alfred responds, "You would be amazed at what you can pick up by watching the Discovery Channel." Dick just gives a pained laugh retorts about his wonderful bedside manners.

They know.

What Alfred sees in Dick is a pure goodness that can't be emulated. He loves his son for how absolutely good he is and is devastated when Dick can't be with him. Of everyone, Dick is the one Alfred is closest to. Other members have their moments with him but no one continually seeks out his presence just for the fact they like him aside from Dick. The rest treat him as an important side character, not a parent. And Alfred responds to that devotion with overwhelming love of his own.

Alfred and Bruce's optimism comes bundled up in the form of Dick. It's stunning how it's always Alfred of all people who admits this. Alfred who isn't supposed to show favoritism or bias is the one that consistently acknowledges how important Dick is to the family and him. This solidifies the fact that Dick is Alfred's favorite.

Other moments that differentiate Dick and Alfred's relationship:

We're pretty familiar with this and many of us have laughed it off when Alfred scolded Dick (also Dick looks hot af here). But can you imagine even anyone else playfully mocking Alfred? THIS. BOY. IS. SPECIAL. Alfred doesn't even blink twice at the address, indicating how typical it is for Dick to act that way with him. You only do that to people you're best friends with.

Casual comfort, the two of them.

Dick and Bruce were brothers and how that ties into Alfred:

Adding to my "Light of Bruce's life" Robin Dick canon, Alfred told Dick that Bruce "would have self-distructed if he hadn't met me and learned responsibility. I made him laugh, and he was like the greatest big brother you could ever imagine...it was our town."

Bruce and Dick are so damn codependent.

Bruce would not have survived without Dick. That's all there is to it.

Robin Dick was the light shining through rain clouds, the glitter in the air, the angel with golden wings, the giggling sweetheart to Alfred and Bruce. He was sunshine, love, and joy and the men both adored, thrived, and cherished him for it.

And if Dick and Bruce were brothers then Alfred was Dick's father and he was Alfred's son.

[charliedawn]

Can the slashers meet Eddie Gluskin? I am just curious you don’t have to if you do not want to. And have a good day or night😊

Warning: MY KNOWLEDGE OF EDDIE GLUSKIN IS ALMOST NONE EXISTENT AND THIS IS AN INTERPRETATION OF WHO I THINK HE IS. PLEASE. DON’T COME AT ME.

Eddie Gluskin AKA "The Groom"

- 46 years old

- Patient with OCD and post-traumatic disorder. Obsessed with finding himself a wife. Abused physically and mentally as a child.

- Very tall and muscular man, middle-aged, with a black slicked back disconnected undercut hairstyle which is neatly combed down and light blue eyes.

- Eddie's face is covered with red scabs, skin peelings and he has a severe case of subconjunctival hemorrhage in both eyes, the right more so than left.

Face claim for him: Cillian Murphy.

VERY DANGEROUS. APPROACH WITH CARE.

Once you read his file, you frowned as you learned that Eddie Gluskin had been abused at a young age. You already felt bad for him. You knew that the first thing that man would need once entering St Louis was to have his personal space as patients with post-traumatic disorder needed to be handled with care—especially the first few days. Hence, you decided to keep his arrival a secret from the slashers at first, as to not frighten him. You were walking towards the entrance with General McCain and a couple of his men when you were made aware he had arrived.

"Be careful. He has already killed two guards in Mount Massive Asylum not a week ago. He is a tough guy."

You chuckled and shook your head.

"Don’t worry, James. I know how to handle tough guys…"

James nodded with a small smile on his face before he opened the door for you and you entered the room where a handful of policemen were waiting. They were surrounding a man who was chained down to the bench he was sitting on. The man was quiet and his eyes were facing down to the ground. You took a few steps forward before making your way through the policemen to reach the patient.

You stood before him.

"…Eddie Gluskin I presume ?"

The man remained silent for a while before he slowly raised his eyes to look at you.

"…"

He didn’t speak a word. He just started staring at you before you smiled and decided to introduce yourself.

"Y/N L/N. But, you can call me Nurse Y/N. Pleasure to meet you." You extended your hand forward and Eddie Gluskin stared at it for a moment. You chuckled awkwardly as you realised he couldn’t really shake it as he was chained up.

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that. I—" You were cut short when you felt a pressure on your knuckles and your eyes widened as you realised that Eddie Gluskin had just kissed your hand.

…

He then looked up at you with a smile and finally replied.

"Pleasure shared…"

You blinked twice in astonishment before you quickly retreated your hand and Eddie simply smiled at you. Little did you know…You had just unintentionally became Eddie Gluskin’s next 'wife'.

———————————————————————

First time meeting the slashers:

Freddy *appears wearing a wedding dress* : "Heard you were looking for a wife ?"

…What did you expect from the simp master himself ? Of course he would shoot his shot. Eddie is hot. In the way that he is tall, muscular and could rip Freddy to shreds…Of course Freddy would simp for him.

Eddie likes him, but only because he finds him amusing. Eddie chooses his wives upon various very strict criteria. Unfortunately, Freddy wouldn’t make the cut.

Freddy *looking at Author* : "Hey ! What’s that supposed to mean ?!"

When Brahms met Eddie, they both did not really talk much. However, after Eddie spent a little more time around Brahms, he started finding his company enjoyable…

Let’s be honest here.

Brahms would be the perfect bride for Eddie. Brahms is sweet, attentive and touch-starved. So, Eddie would surely like him.

But, I think Eddie would also see him as a child so maybe he wouldn’t try anything, but they would hit it off pretty quickly as two very distinguished gentlemen.

Alpha male standoff.

Eddie Gluskin is the same height and bulk as Michael, which means in Michael language: danger. Michael is like the daddy of the slashers. He protects them. So the first thing that would go through his head would be:

Should I be worried about that guy ?

And the answer is yes.

Eddie Gluskin also noticed the chain of power around St Louis and immediately noticed that all the slashers respected or didn’t mess with Michael. And you—his precious future wife—dared to spend a lot of time around Michael.

So, they wouldn’t really like each other.

Pennywise once pranked him by pretending to be you and Eddie kissed him. Eddie genuinely thought it was you and was so happy…until he opened his eyes and saw it was Pennywise.

…

He punched Pennywise in the face so many times that it took 6 nurses to get him off Pennywise.

Penny bit Eddie Gluskin’s arm because of what he did to his brother.

…

He liked the taste.

Jason met Eddie Gluskin when he was tending to his frogs. He was in the garden near the pond when Eddie came and sat down next to him. They started spending time together and Eddie even started helping him with his frogs.

They became friends—which is quite a feat considering Jason’s trust issues.

…Father Paul’s face after Eddie Gluskin came to him for the 11th time to ask him to officialise his marriage to you. (Give the poor man a break. 🤣)

Even though, A: You’re not aware of it.

B: Eddie Gluskin is mad.

And C: Father Paul is obviously no longer a priest.

But he still does it every time because A: He is bored, and B: Eddie doesn’t leave him alone unless he somehow convinces him that he would so…

[yutahoes]

Fanboy

Putting this out here before I disappear because of responsibilities. Second part of Fangirl, it is better to read this first before diving into this fic to have some context. The whole idea is from @a-place-filled-with-random I'm sorry this took too long to write. I forgot I had this in my drafts. I also tried to make it very platonic but how can I when it's Yuta Nakamoto?

Also, please imagine Mamamoo as the group and Y/N as Wheein. I'll try to make sense of it, I promise.

pairing:sunbae! idol! Yuta Nakamoto x rookie! idol! female! Y/N word count: 3.5k words genre: fluff summary: How do you have lunch with a fangirl of yours?

How do you have lunch with a fangirl of yours? 

Yuta had been asking that question to himself since he woke up that morning. No scratch that, he had been asking that question ever since he invited her to lunch. 

Obviously, he can't ask anyone from his group or he’ll just get their teasings. Why would he, a veteran idol, get so nervous with a lunch meal with a hoobae? His legs kept bouncing up and down under the table of a homey Korean restaurant, their usual hang-out place when their group wanted some privacy. This is so different from the confident Yuta on screen, Y/N might just get turned off. 

But his smile grew wider as he saw her enter the restaurant - in her hoodie, cap, dark sunglasses, and mask. The girl was crouching down, making herself appear smaller, but it still took some of the customer’s attention. Yuta laughed to himself, she’s very cute. A breath of fresh air.   

“I’m sorry,” she quickly said, pushing the cap closer to herself. “I don’t want to attract attention but…”

Yuta smiled, “You can ditch the disguise.” 

The girl lightly stared at him in disbelief and he nodded, smiling warmly. “Will you be alright, though?” She asked while removing the cap and glasses, she took off the mask while glancing around and he grinned. “I don’t want you to be involved in a scandal.” 

“It’s just lunch, Y/N.” He claimed then gestured to the server for the menu. “They never cared here.” Yuta glanced outside the small window, seeing her manager entering the car. “Is your manager not joining us?” 

The girl shook her head, “Oppa had to pick up leader unnie from a variety show.” She thanked the server who gave them the menu before looking at the selection of Korean cuisine. “Wow!” she exclaimed quietly then stopped herself when she realized that the person in front of her heard her. 

Yuta had to smile at that, she’s very endearing. “Please order whatever you want.” Her eyes were laser-focused on the menu. The guy was frustrated that there wasn't any information on what her favorite food was, the closest thing that he found about her was that she wanted to eat a home-cooked Korean meal. Luckily for him, he knew a place.   

She ordered kimchi jjigae and Yuta ordered galbi jjim. “That was the dish you cooked with Taeyong sunbae during NCT Life.” Yuta was surprised and she looked startled as well. “I’m sorry that sounds so stalkerish.” 

The guy shook his head, preventing himself from laughing. “You’ve been a fan for that long?” 

“Even during SM Rookies,” she claimed. “I first saw you at an Exo content. Was it Hope with Chanyeol sunbae?” Yuta covered his mouth in astonishment. That long ago? He was so young back then, a predebut video of him. He wasn't even that cool back then. “My classmates were Exo-Ls and I just saw the MV because of them.”  

“You’re not an Exo-L?”

She shook her head, “NCT is the first idol group I stan.” Yuta gave her a questioning look as if he could not believe her and she just nodded, smiling at him. “I was struggling to play guitar back then and I saw you in the MV.” 

Yuta closed his eyes in embarrassment, “You do know that I only know the basics of guitar and sunbae just taught me the proper position of fingers for C.” The girl laughed at that. “God, this is embarrassing.” 

Y/N shook her head, smiling. “I think you’re really cool, sunbae.” And that means a lot. 

The meal was great and Y/N obviously enjoyed it a lot. He didn’t know she could be a foodie like Jungwoo. Lunch dates with her would be great. 

Yuta shook his head. Did he call it a date? No, this is just a simple lunch. And dates? It would be a miracle to ask her out again. “Are you currently busy?” he asked. There had been rumors of their group making a comeback. Not that Yuta was watching their every action but he stumbled on the article when searching for her name. Again, it’s not watching her every action. He’s just nervous about the lunch date. 

He hissed at himself. Date? He must be out of his mind. 

The girl nodded, “We’re preparing for a comeback.” Then she sighed. “I think this is our make or break. President wants us to try something new.” Yuta then remembered the past two concepts they had, mostly of a cute image. And with the spur of girl groups doing the same concept, they don’t practically stand out among the competition. “It’s a huge shift, I’m scared I might not do great and the unnies would hate me for ruining this for them.” She stopped, realizing that she said a lot but the older one smiled warmly. “I’m sorry.” 

Yuta shook his head, “Is that the only trouble you have?” 

The smile on his face kept growing as she shared her frustrations about not doing so much for the group. She’s just the ‘maknae’ while the others have notable jobs such as the main vocalist, main dancer, and main rapper. She’s also scared that she’s the only one who was second-guessing the concept because she feels like she cannot do a huge shift like this. 

“More than being great at one thing, I think being good at many things is better. And you are immensely talented, Y/N.” Yuta claimed that made her shake her head. “I think you’re just too shy to step out of your comfort zone.” From the interviews and shows that he had watched, Yuta noticed how introverted she was. She would rather hide on the sides and when the spotlight is on herself, the look of panic is present on her face. It’s endearing for her young age. It’s cute. But the concept is not something she could keep in the long run. 

And with her shyness, she might just miss a lot of opportunities. “You are now an idol. You passed one of the toughest challenges which is debuting.” The girl listened intently, “And I’m pretty sure you have something special in you that completes your team.” A concept Yuta had learned late in his idol career. “Now, you have to work hard for your teammates and your fans.” 

The younger smiled, nodding while thanking him. “I’m glad I stanned you, sunbae.” Yuta had to laugh loudly at that. “Every rookie idol should have a cool sunbae like you.” His laugh grew louder at that. 

Y/N kept on insisting that she should pay for her share but Yuta kept on shaking his head, claiming that it was him who asked her to have a meal with him on her work off. It was a great lunch. Yuta was reminded of the time when he was a rookie idol and all the amazing sunbaes were treating them to a meal. Now, he wanted to return the favor to rookie idols. “Then, I’ll treat you to a meal on my first paycheck.” 

“Treat yourself first,” he claimed with a chuckle. “How about the fifth paycheck? I’ll keep my schedule open.” The girl giggled at that. “Thank you for making time to have lunch with me, Y/N. I appreciate it.” 

The girl’s eyes widened in surprise then shook her head while bowing down. “No, sunbae. I’m more grateful that you invited me out.” She reasoned out then bowed once again. “This is like the ultimate fan experience. Thank you, Yuta sunbae.” 

Yuta smiled. It is. 

After waiting for her manager to come back and greet the leader of their group, Yuta heads out to his own car with a wide smile on his face. He exhaled loudly once inside while opening the music player in his car, a ballad version of Kick It with guitar strumming can be heard. He sang along with the lyrics of the song, even stopping when the warm female voice stopped. He probably knows this version more than he knows their own song. 

The same with each and every song covers, he could still remember her username by heart. He first discovered it during his Vlives. She would always notice her username and comment about how cool he is or just a simple thank you. Then when he started Instagram, the same username would pop up in his comments with praises. He was curious if this was a genuine fan of his so he checked the profile and stumbled upon song covers of their songs. A female with a warm voice. A Czennie, no doubt. But what fascinated Yuta was the fact that she was also a Yutami. She even advertises his work better than the company. 

He had found a certain comfort in her covers that he started downloading it, even waiting for new releases every week. He wanted to hint to the agency about the gem he found and maybe they could scout her. Then it suddenly stopped, the weekly song covers were gone as well as the comments and her account. 

For some time, he even thought that maybe she was just his fever dream. But the saved audio files were his proof that this person was indeed real. He assumed there was no way he could see her again then Jaehyun showed him a video of a rookie idol who sent Yuta a confession which left him surprised. The girl from Instagram. Y/N. 

But the idol world is a huge industry so even though he was glad that she debuted as an idol, Yuta was worried that there wouldn’t be any chance to meet her, or even see her. 

A chance came when the elder members of NCT started doing a content in a nail salon. Yuta was fidgeting hearing Johnny and Taeyong talking to her so he just casually passed by. They were introduced and the first thing he thought was how she kept avoiding his gaze. Unfortunately, they had to move locations so they had to leave. 

It must be the faeries, Yuta thought, that he forgot his airpods in the nail salon so he had to come back and look for them. But as he opened the door, he saw Y/N crying on an older man’s shoulder. Gently, he closed the door while sighing hard. Is it because of him? Was he so cold that he scared her off? Great Yuta, she wouldn’t be your fangirl now! 

When ISAC came, another chance to see her, Yuta had to force the whole group to stay and watch the archery competitions. He even told Jaehyun about her looking so lost and looking for a chair to sit on. He didn’t expect the guy would just stand up and let her sit next to him. Now, he’s twice as nervous. All the teasing from his teammates doesn’t help as well that he only felt bad when she just left without looking bad. Maybe he scared her off once again. 

At a speed he never thought he’d ever experience, he dashed to the small booth by the back and ordered a sandwich. She did say she’s on a diet so this might be good. While waiting for the ahjumma to finish his order, he started scribbling on a piece of paper. A number that became his way to have this small lunch with an artist he admired the most. 

—--

All her worries about the concept of their new song were easily well-understood when the music video came out. (Think of this as the music video) It’s a huge shift, a cool mature concept. And what was that song with a lot of innuendos? But the sound is amazing for showcasing Y/N’s voice. She doesn’t need to strain her vocals just to sound cutesy. Instead, her voice sounds more fitting in these classy sounds. Yuta had to gasp when the middle of the song came up and the music video showed Y/N kissing the male model in the music video. So this was the concept they were going for? It really is a huge shift. 

He could easily message her and congratulate her for the comeback. But Yuta doesn’t know what to say. Should he ask her out and ask her what she thinks of their comeback? Maybe she liked it. It truly is their make or break. But in their case, the new song propelled their careers into a household name. Maybe it was the performance of the song that made it viral, they were singing live at festivals. And real well at that. Their performances were also very musical-like and they got wide recognition as a very talented group. Y/N could have gotten her first paycheck already. 

The first time Yuta had a chance to see her again was at a special episode of one music broadcast. Since they’re still promoting their song and NCT was invited as the main act, he’ll surely see her in one way or another. Maybe they can have a small chat and he could praise her for their amazing song. But Jungwoo was already greeting them before he could utter a word when their groups passed each other in the hallways. “Your song was really catchy.” The younger NCT member complimented as the girls giggled and thanked him. “I’m surprised when Y/N kissed the actor in the MV.” 

The girl shyly smiled. “She cried that time,” the leader of her group teased. Y/N had to whine, shaking her head. “She must have been too nervous.” 

“That was a huge shift,” Johnny claimed. “I’m surprised Y/N agreed to do it.” 

The rapper of the group lightly glanced at the youngest member of their group before the main vocalist held her hair, smiling widely. “The president promised that if she agreed to this concept, they’ll release her written song for our next comeback.” So, she was coerced into this? Isn’t that illegal? 

“Oh,” Jaehyun exclaimed. “And what is that song about?” 

Yuta didn’t miss her small glance his way before smiling shyly, “I’m still working on it.”     

The girl group was called before Yuta could have a chance to congratulate her. 

Maybe next time. 

But that next time took too long. Both their groups had been so busy with schedules that there wasn’t a chance to cross paths with her once again. Yet Yuta was glad that Y/N’s group was invited to one of the year-end award shows NCT is also invited. It was a sure sign, being in these award shows, that your group had done well in the charts which their group had been achieving currently. And Yuta was again proud that their group will be showcasing their next comeback single in this award show — the song Y/N wrote. 

Artists were on one side of the stadium, seated around round tables designated for each group. Before the girl group could have a performance, a staff came asking Taeyong if Y/N could sit with their group for their performance to which he nodded. The girl was apologetic as she came to the table with the staff, reasoning that among the groups in attendance, she was more at ease with NCT. Yuta smiled, that is great. At least his group comforts her rather than makes her awkward. 

“Congratulations on the new song!” Johnny claimed. “We’re excited to hear it.” 

She covered her mouth as she laughed, “Please don’t expect too much.” Then she shivered a bit. 

“Are you alright? Do you feel cold?” Haechan, who was sitting beside her, asked. 

The girl shook her head. “I was feeling under the weather.” Then she smiled. “We must go to Japan tomorrow so I must be better.” 

“You should go to the hospital first,” Yuta claimed, staring at her intently. She does look a little pale. And the very little clothing she has doesn’t even help with the cold. She should have worn thicker clothes with more fabric to cover her skin if she’s feeling sick. “Or at least drink some medicine.” 

“I’m fine, sunbae.” She claimed then smiled. “I’ll ask manager oppa to take me to the hospital later.” 

Before Yuta could mutter another word, the lights dimmed and the music for the song played. (Think of this as the performance) It was more upbeat, more funky. Both the leader and main vocal of their group started singing while interacting with the audience. They made their way to the artist’s section to pick up the rapper of the group seated at one of the girl group’s tables. The main vocal of the group was the one who held her hand out for Y/N as they were both shown on th screen with wide smiles on their faces. The group continued their singing while interacting with the artists. 

It was a really fun song, Yuta had to note. While the girls walk to the extended stage, facing the artist, that is when he fully grasps the meaning of the song. It’s about a guy. Is it a lovesong? Y/N started shouting to hype the crowd making everyone at their table giddily laugh. “She’s so cute!” Haechan commented while Doyoung leaned in to whisper, “He’s just like you, hyung.” 

When the chorus came and they talked about a guy with a pretty smile, Yuta was confused about why Y/N pointed at him. But his co-members obviously saw that and teased him about it. “Is the song about you, hyung?” Jungwoo asked. “And Y/N was the one who wrote it, right?” Taeyong continued.

Yuta shrugged before smiling secretly. It's not possible.

Instead of pondering over it, he was just in awe at how she handled all her adlibs while feeling sick. He’s more proud to see her professionally conquering the stage and even doing her best despite her condition. Her voice was so clear and notes in perfect pitch that made her so admirable. A true idol. Yuta can’t help but just be in awe at how talented she is.

But she should really see the doctor after this. With their busy schedule, she’ll probably just get more sick. The moment all the artists came to the stage for the last song, he noticed that she was missing from the group. Casually, he made his way to the leader of her group, inquiring about it. “Manager oppa asked her to take a rest.” She answered politely with a slight smile on her face. Yuta just nodded, thanking her then returned to his group. That was better, letting her rest. But surely, that’s not enough right? 

—---

“You’re crazy, you know that right?” Yuta’s manager asked as he wore the sunglasses. With a smirk on his face, he just nodded and held the four paper bags in his left hand and the album in his right hand. The venue isn’t as crowded as when their group is, but he’s somewhat glad their group is getting traction here in Tokyo. Since he had to chase their schedule, he was the last person in line for the fanmeet. The teenage girls in front of him were talking to themselves and he just greeted them politely. Maybe he had the wrong disguise. But it’s the classic black cap and facemask, and black sunglasses. Is it too much? 

The leader of the group was the first member Yuta interacted with. He handed her one of the paper bags before whispering to not alert anyone. The girl was just smiling knowingly and the second girl, the rapper of the group, was the one who claimed, “Y/N will have a blast seeing you here.” The main vocalist was also interacting with him and Yuta noticed how the youngest of the group was just focused on the person in front of her. Did she notice him already? 

When he sat in front of her, she gasped which made him giggle. “Sunbae, what are you doing here?” She asked then glanced at her groupmates who were just watching the two of them with smiles on their faces. “I didn’t know you’re also here in Japan,” she claimed after greeting him politely, covering her mouth in astonishment as she spoke. Yuta handed her the paper bag full of medicine and supplements that he got from an oriental hospital on the way then placed the album on the table for her to sign. 

“Are you feeling any better?” The girl nodded as she signed the album. “I’m glad.” The girl smiled before handing him the album. 

“This feels weird." He raised an eyebrow at that. "You, sitting in front of me.” 

Yuta laughed wholeheartedly. “Why? I’m a fan.” Y/N smiled shyly. “There’s a great seafood restaurant nearby. I can get you a reservation easily. Should I ask your manager?” 

The girl lightly glanced at the staff behind her and then at her groupmates. “Then sunbae, do you want to have lunch together?” Yuta was taken aback by the question. “I did promise to treat you for a meal.” 

He slowly nodded, considering the pros and cons of having lunch together in a foreign country. “Yeah, sure.” The sides of her lips curled up. “I’ll just wait for you to finish your schedule.” She nodded, thanking him once again before waving goodbye. 

Yuta went down the stage and walked into the backstage where the staff was attending to him. He removed his cap and mask before breathing hard. There’s only one question in his mind at this moment. 

How do you have lunch with an idol that you admire and are a huge fan of?  Author's Note: I really like Mamamoo's songs and whenever I hear 'You're the best', I am reminded of Yuta because of that "Guy with a pretty smile" and "Guy whose thoughts were dashing" line. Then Moonbyul's line "I'm your eternal girl fan" feels very fitting to the story. So this is very self-indulgent. But let me know your thoughts on this.

[fairydares]

loook i get why the idea of riding the "anti/pro" fandom disk horse makes people gag a little in their mouth and try to opt out entirely, but here's why i went from feeling exactly the same way to taking a firm profiction stance. I've been meaning to make this post for a while.

~10 years ago, I posted a fic for the first time and it got its own harassment campaign. The fic wasn't even sexual, and wasn't going to be (it remains incomplete). It was accurately rated T on fanfiction.net. Anyone in the Fairy Tail fandom will understand this: I literally got harassed for writing a "Lucy leaves the guild" fic💀.

After many nice comments, someone left a pretty nasty one. Hurt, I messaged them back. They acted super attacked that I'd responded (lmao) and after we argued, threatened to "rip my shitty story apart in the comments section" if I responded again. I told them "go ahead lol."

They went ahead.

Now know that it was a relatively small harassment campaign, but at the time, it was devastating. Right around then, I wound up in the hospital. After I got out, I went to excitedly check my fic, and found several reviews saying things I wouldn't repeat to my worst enemy. I was suicide-baited more than once, told "thank fuck you finally abandoned this shitty story, dumb cunt," stuff like that.

There were several accounts involved, and I can't say for sure, but I suspect at least a couple different people were involved, though probably at least half of it was one person.

All the other comments were screeching about how I hadn't updated, mostly. "NO UPDAAATEE WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS TO MEEEE??!!!" was one that stood out after I'd been miserable in a hospital for an extended period of time.

Idk what people think is going on when FT fic authors write this trope, and frankly I don't give a fuck. Because while I was partly writing the story out of some young, cringe feminist rage, I also did genuinely have a real story I was compelled to tell. I was inspired by another, popular fic I loved which used the trope to talk about how trying to shoulder our burdens alone really just hurts both ourselves and everyone who cares about us.

My own story was ultimately going to have similar themes, with more focus on strength, what it means, and in what contexts earning and having it actually matters. In retrospect, no wonder I wound up in hot water, because at the time "Lucy vs. Strength vs. Misogyny" was the FT fandom's Designated Nonsensically Activist Debate™. But that's partly why i wanted to write about it; engaging with the fandom had gotten me thinking about it 🤷‍♂️

Not too long after that, FFNet oh-so-benevolently granted us the ability to delete comments from our own stories (they never took my reports seriously at all, afaik). I deleted all or most of the harassers' comments (may still be a one or two up, and i'm fairly sure there's a couple comments defending my fic from the harassment) without saving screenshots, which I really regret now. I was just so mortified and full of self-loathing about the whole thing that i wanted to forget it completely. Something that had brought me joy at a very lonely, vulnerable period of my life had turned so negative, and i couldn't even tell the people closest to me about it without being made fun of for writing anime fan fiction.

I didn't understand why this happened at the time, but--after a period of trying to forget/bid out of it all with a slight anti lean (a common approach I see people use, and one which I'm not proud of adopting)--I just had to figure out What the Fuck Even Happened There. And I'm telling you, after years of reflecting, wrestling with both sides, and educating myself, that this "status quo of harassment" culture which pervades fandom goes way deeper than you think and comes out of a way darker well than you probably realize. An astonishing amount of this is, quite literally, TERF shit and evangelical shit.

Trying to be in fandom and take a stance of, "Anti/Pro shit? Ew, I'm Not Touching that," is like swimming in a heavily polluted river and being like, "Poison? Cringe. Not me lol."

You might be lucky enough to be in a less-polluted part of the river (AKA a relatively non-toxic fandom, in which case good for you!)...but tbh this rhetoric and peer-signalling will still seep in.

I can't stress enough that pro-fiction, AKA "proship", is the normal, leftist-about-art-and-sex opinion. Pro-ship is against all the horrible things you're against; in fact, pro-ship isn't trivializing real trauma by equating it with fictional trauma, or trying to apply literal evangelical/radfem solutions--which are proven not to prevent or help. Profiction/proship is literally just saying, "Fiction is fiction, reality is reality, and the two don't have a 1:1 relationship. And historically, trying to censor just things we've decided are bad has done nothing but get LGBTQ+ and POCs censored. Therefore, depictions of illegal things shouldn't be censored." That's it. "Proshippers all ship problematic ships," is a brazen lie. Many of them share other fans' disgust for those ships, they just don't believe in censoring fic authors over it.

It is also taking a stand against harassment because--and I hope my own story has helped drive this home--as with all groups who adopt ingroup/outgroup thinking, antis are defined by their tactics, not actual stances on real, serious issues. What happened to me was absolutely a result of anti, "it's okay to 'bully out' anything I just don't like" mindset pervading fandom. In a way, this was the mindset's final form. They didn't even feel the need to cite a reason the trope was "bad" or "wrong"; it annoyed them, and they viewed their own feelings as a valid enough pathway for policing to go right ahead and do so.

In the interest of offering solutions instead of just bitching about problems, I might make a "how to know if you've bought into these types of views"-type post sometime. Also might come back to this and provide some sources/citation.

[marveladdictjones]

Bedtime Tales

pairing: Wonka!Willy Wonka x literary nerd!gn!reader warnings/tags: Wonka spoilers!, just a lighthearted story, reader being a huge nerd totally not inspired by myself no... summary: reader finds out that not only has Willy never learned how to read, he was also never read to as a child, so they make a deal a/n: I'm lowkey obsessed with the new Wonka film, I can't even learn for major tests without seeing connections wc: 942

"What do you mean you can't read?" You asked in astonishment as you stare at the chocolatier in front of you.

"I just can't..." Willy said rather matter-of-factly, shrugging his shoulders as he took in the shocked expression on your face. "I never needed to, so I never learned it."

"Would've come in handy at zoo," Noodle muttered under her breath, "We nearly got eaten by a tiger."

"Keyword: nearly," Willy emphasised, "I've nearly been eaten by a lot of things, and they only got as much as a nibble."

"Okay, yeah, that's... that's not really comforting," You replied, shaking your head as if to process the thought, "So, you don't how to read... but at least you've been read to when you were a child, right? Right...?"

But Willy only shook his head, making your eyes widen more. "You've never been... right, okay, uhm... right, yes..." You're stumbling over your words, trying to form a coherent sentence and failing miserably. "Right, well... I'm sorry, but how has someone with so much imagination never been read to? Where do your ideas come from if not from stories?"

"I don't know, they just... form in my mind?" Willy answered, not sure how to respond to your questions. "I think you're making this a bigger deal than it has to be."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. the Chocolatier," You reply sarcastically as you look him dead in the eye, "I didn't realise that you were capable of such great things. Why would you even need to read? You already traveled around the world, so there's no need for you to immerge yourself into another."

"Are you sure she's still talking about my non-ability to read?" Willy asked Noodle, still confused but also slightly intrigued by your apparent affinity for reading.

"Hey, you pissed off the literature nerd, not me," Noodle simply answered before going back to her chores.

"Okay, you're exaggerating, I'm not pissed off," You clarify as you shake your head, "I'm just... baffled by the fact that you've never bothered with anything related to reading."

Truth be told, they could've gone around in circles like that forever if it hadn't been for Mrs. Scrubbit checking everyone's attendance and sending them to their separate rooms.

You leaned against the door and sighed, tired from yet another exhausting day at the bleachers. You sat down on your bed and let your head rest in your hands. Having been at the laundromat and bleachers for a few years now and still having several years ahead of you, you had given up on dwelling over your miserable predicament.

So instead, you got out a book from your suitcase, one of your very few possessions. Seeing as the lightbulb above your head kept on flickering and wouldn't provide much light, you moved over to the window, where the moon casted a dim glow over the pages.

After a while, you heard a soft psst coming from the window of the room across from yours. You looked up, only for your eyes to catch the gaze of the brilliant, illiterate young man.

"So, I had a talk with Noodle, and she offered to learn me how to read," Willy said, "She said it would be necessary if this whole chocolate selling operation works through."

"Well, that's a nice offer," You reply, "And I agree with her. You won't always be able to depend on others to do the reading for you."

"Now that you mention it, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing," He comments, "I mean, you seemed to be a advocate for being read to, right?"

You can't help but lightly chuckle. "There's a massive difference between having someone read for you and someone read to you, Mr. Wonka," You say, "One creates a depency, the other provides an escape."

"Well, if that's the case, let's hope that prisoners aren't being read to," Willy joked, lightly grinning when he saw a faint smile creep up your lips. "See, who needs to read when a clever choice of words can make even the most stubborn of people crack a smile?"

"Who are you calling stubborn, Mr 'My near-death experience doesn't mean I should learn how to read'?" You ask rethorically as you raise and eyebrow at him, "Besides, it's often a clever choice of words that makes reading so worthwhile."

"Well, I suppose you'll have to prove that to me in order for me to believe it," He argued, secretly hoping you'd concede.

"Oh, is that how it has to be?" In your mind, you were somewhat thrilled to indulge and with that, be able to share something you were passionate about. But what's the fun in simply saying okay? "Well, I suppose if you asked kindly enough I would think about it..."

"Alright, alright..." Willy said as he stifled a smirk while rolling his eyes. "Would you, please, read to me so I may realise at last what I've been missing out on?"

"Because you asked so politely and totally weren't forced to do so, I will indulge you, Mr. Wonka," You say, fighting back a smile of your own.

And so, you start to read, occasionally looking up only to find fim listening attentively. Right before the story reaches its climax, you shut the book.

Being surprised by the sudden halt, Willy snaps out of his hazy state of drifting off into the story and looks confused.

"Hey, why did you stop?" He asks in astonishment, "How am I supposed to know how the story ends?"

"I guess we'll find out another time," You say, a slight smirk forming on your lips. "Good night, Willy."

© This work belongs to @marveladdictjones, please do not copy this work to any other site or claim it as your own. Reblogs are allowed and appreciated!

[mika-no-sekai-blog]

Part V

Word count: 3000+

Warnings: none

Autumn themed divider by tsunami-of-tears

Part IV | Part VI

You woke up carefully tucked under warm covers in the bed even though you were certain you fell asleep on your usual spot. Soft light of the early morning filtered through the open curtains, changing every glass surface into kaleidoscope of colours. Maids drew curtains every evening, but you liked to watch the night sky and count stars, so after maids left for night, you always opened them again. Seeing those blinking lights, you didn't feel so lonely.

When your eyes got used to brightness, a clear blue sky without a single cloud greeted you, accompanied by colourful leaves dancing in a gentle breeze. For a while you just lay there and watched the show. It was comforting. Your thoughts were wandering until they stopped at a certain one.

Sighing heavily you rolled to the other side. You didn't want to get up. Maybe if you said that you didn't feel well, they would let you be. Just imagining that you would have to go to the garden today as well, made you feel sick. You were sure that you were supposed to take a walk and not to train for marathon. The other day you had to run for hours after the maids, so as not to get lost in this great labyrinth of corridors and winding paths. You didn't even have a chance to look around or stop to catch a breath. In the evening you were so tired that you fell asleep as soon as maids were gone.

With a groan you sat up, your entire body protested in pain. Whether you wanted or not, you had to get up. It was your husband's order. You couldn't ignore it, if you wanted him to notice you more in the future.

As soon as you limped to the vanity and with hiss took a seat, someone knocked. The doors opened and two maids walked in.

"Good morning, my Lady. How did you sleep?"

Astonished you looked up. Those were clearly not the maids who had been taking care of you until now. They were always very reserved and talked with you only when it was necessary.

"We are new here, madame. I'm Ellen."

"And I'm Irene. We are so happy to be able to serve you."

They bowed with wide smiles. You gaped at them, eyes wide. You weren't sure how to respond to such friendly greeting.

"I-.. It's nice to meet you," you blushed.

Their smiles only grow wider and they immediately got to work.

"You are so pale, madame. Are you sure you feel well? Should we send for healer?" Ellen asked as she carefully combed your tangled hair.

"That won't be necessary. I think I'm fine," you answered shyly.

Irene emerged from the closet with comfortably looking shoes that matched with the dress that they helped you to get in. "Hopefully the walk on fresh air will make you feel better, madame," she smiled kindly. "The weather is really nice today, it certainly will be a warm day."

It was hardly thirty minutes since they appeared, yet you already felt so good in their company that you dared to do a small talk with them. You were sure that the thing you were about to suggest, wasn't common and at home you would be severally punished for even thinking about it, but you felt uneasy every time these two lovely girls called you madame. There was also a chance that they would laughed you out. Nonetheless, you wanted to give it a try. You gathered courage, took a deep breath and let the words out before you could change your mind.

"You can call me Y/N," you whispered almost inaudibly.

Their eyes widened so much that they threatened to fall to the floor and roll away. "Are you sure we can, madame? Won't you mind it?"

You shook your head and they squealed happily in unison. They started chirping merrily about anything that came to their minds, trying to engage you in conversation even more than before. You, on the other hand, peeked at them curiously whenever you had an opportunity.

They both looked young, around your age, but they could be already century or two old. Ellen had dark brown hair that in waves fell to her shoulders and heart shaped face with soft green eyes. Irene was a bit taller than her friend, with light reddish brown hair combed into a ponytail, big brown eyes and a few freckles on her nose. They both were real beauties and seemed to be kind-hearted and cheerful.

Unlike the previous maids, they weren't in hurry once you left the chambers and made sure you get to know your surroundings and learn way back to your bedroom. Slowly walking down the hallways, they pointed out in different directions, naming and showing you the rooms and ballrooms that you passed by. It helped a great deal and you didn't feel so lost in this enormous castle anymore, even though you doubted you would remember it all on the first try.

As the huge glass double doors to the garden came to view, soldiers guarding there, friendly winked at girls, moved from their stances and opened them wide for you. The brisk air filled your lungs and cooled down your hot faces. Inside of the castle was nicely warm, but as you were walking around it became too hot and you almost started sweating. However now, you were grateful for the extra layer in form of cardigan that maids found for you.

"What a beautiful day," Ellen chirped with arms spread wide. "It's so nice to be outside and not have to worry that someone gets mad at me for that."

"And the smell," Irene sighed taking a deep breath. They seemed to be happy that they could get out of the castle. "I have aunt in Spring. Air there is sweet and full of scents of all kinds of flowers that bloom there, but nothing beats the smell of Autumn."

Imitating Irene you stopped and inhaled deeply. You didn't have time to notice it before, but the air was really fresh here, the earthy scent with pinch of sweetness calling you out. Maybe it wasn't a punishment after all.

"Hmm," Ellen pouted. "You are so lucky that you can travel to other courts. I'd love to see the world, too."

Stepping onto a narrow path between the flower beds, loose strands of your hair danced in the gentle breeze that brought a familiar scent of apples. With a hope you looked around finding nothing just flowers, trees and bushes, and your two maids discussing which Court they would like to visit and why. Shaking head at your naivity you looked up at the windows of the castle with a sad smile.

'Which one could be his,' you wondered. It'd been weeks since you saw him for the last time. If he didn't carry you to the bed every night, you would think that he even wasn't here.

You turned back to your companions who patiently waited for you with knowing smiles. You didn't even notice that they stopped talking. Caught in the act, you blushed fiercely, but they didn't tease you, only gave you a sympathetic look.

Irene and Ellen weren't in hurry like the other maids. They matched their steps with yours, letting you look around as long as you wanted, often stopping you to show you something they found.

"Y/N, look here," Ellen called you and pushed away the twigs of the bush. There was a bunch of delicate flowers blooming on long leafless stems in shades of pink and white. They were so lovely, sparkling as if dusted with glitter powder. Irene came closer, too.

"I didn't know that we have some nerines here, too. They are blooming mainly in southern garden."

"I discovered them by chance last week. I was looking for my favourite hair clip that I dropped somewhere around here. I haven't found it though," Ellen pouted sadly.

"Nerines?" you asked, studying the flowers and committing them to your memory.

"Yes. Do you have them in your Court, too?" Ellen was curious.

"I'm not sure," you flushed. "I wasn't allowed to go out."

"Oh," they both said in unison and looked at each other with raised brows. You tried to ignore their reaction. It was already quite embarrassing to admit your lack of knowledge about.. well, everything. They nodded as if they had just agreed on something even though they didn't say a single word. With kind smiles they turned back to you.

"They are also known as cliff lilies," Irene said and caressed one petal with a finger. "Every flower has some meaning. These, for example, symbolise connection, joy, freedom and security."

"And the affection," Ellen added with laugh. "The flowers are beautiful, but otherwise useless. It's pity."

"Useless? Why?"

"You know. Some plants or their parts can be used in medicine or cooking. However, this one is good only for decoration."

"I see," you bit your lower lip.

Useless.

Good only as a decoration.

You were called useless your entire life. And the worst was that it was true. You knew nothing about the world, you were lucky to at least be able to read. You were taught how to behave, how to serve to male, not how to live or actually do something useful. Your father raised you to be a decoration of a husband, a porcelain doll with nice face to be showed off and then destroyed behind the closed door. In a way you were alike. Only difference was that you could never be as beautiful and magical as this flower.

You smiled to yourself and stood up, leaving the beautiful nerines behind. Maybe your reasons weren't right, but it became your favourite flower. A tiny florets with layers of delicate, ruffled petals and radiant colours immediately caught your eye.

"What are these called?" you pointed at them.

"Those are marigolds," Irene answered in an enthusiastic voice. "My favourite."

"They are your favourite only because they remind you of a male you like. Even his hair colour is similar to these," Ellen teased her laughing and Irene stuck her tongue out at her, but she laughed, too. You watched them amused.

"Well, what if even so? I like them mainly because they represent power, strength and light inside of a person," Irene countered.

Ellen giggled. "Are you describing him or the flower? And don't forget about feeling of despaired love," she sang. "He is too important to notice you."

"Hush," Irene blushed. "I know he will never think of me in a romantic way, but girl can dream."

That day you learned a lot of new things and had so much fun. Your maids who you already liked dearly, taught you names, meanings and uses of flowers that bloomed in the garden and in the end you spent entire morning outside. When you returned for lunch, you were tired, but in a good way and not because you had to run.

The following morning you woke up with a bright smile and it grew even bigger when you found a pink nerine on a pillow next to you.

Joy and security.

That's what you had been experiencing since coming here. And you felt that all only thanks to your husband, Eris. You couldn't be more grateful. You'd never thought that marriage could give you this much of a freedom and allow you to experience new and especially nice things. You used to think that it would be just another horrible prison for you, one you would have to suffer in for the rest of your life. Just like your mother.

Your heart flipped as you remembered that this fairy-like flower symbolised also affection. You wondered whether Eris had left it here for you because of what it symbolised or just because he heard that you liked the flower. Whatever was the reason behind this surprising present, now you wanted to get to know him and spend time with him even more.

You carefully picked up the flower and nuzzled it to you chest right over the heart, tears stinging your eyes. This gesture however insignificant for others, meant a world to you. Now you missed only one thing - the person who gave it to you - and you would be completely happy.

Maids beamed when they found you playing with the flower later that morning and immediately knew exactly where it came from. Ellen gently picked on you with kind smile while Irene disappeared for a moment and returned with a small crystal vase for your treasure. You placed it on a coffee table between ottomans where you could keep an eye on it.

The delicate petals sparkled in the golden rays of sun as if they were enchanted by magic. It was such an spectacle that the three of you just sat there in complete silence watching it for a good hour.

After another interesting and very instructive walk, you were excited when servants appeared with the lunch on silver trays. You were so hungry that you ate more than ever before.

After the meal was over, Ellen had to leave to take care of something, so you were left alone with Irene. She was trying to teach you how to embroider some simple pattern when a knock sounded on the doors. Irene peeked out and blushing, backed back to the room. On the threshold stood Killian with wide grin and a package tucked under his arm.

Small flames danced in his amber eyes as he watched Irene to shyly smile at him, holding the doors opened.

"Hey, dove," he cooed as he walked past her and winked at her flirtatiously.

Irene flushed even more fiercely. It looked like she was about to pass out any moment now.

"Hey, sweet sister. How do you do these days? I hope you didn't miss me too much," he greeted you merrily and bent down to hug you and peck your cheek. You almost fell off your feet in surprise.

"I'm fine," you stuttered. "Thank you for asking. And you?"

"Your husband keeps me busy, you know, but it could be worse," he laughed and gestured to you to sit down. Then he took a seat next to you, his knee touching yours. You slightly jumped up, shocked. Unaccustomed to such closeness, you sat a little further, making a gap between you. He smiled at you apologetically, but didn't say anything.

"So," he dragged out the word, "what are your little strolls like? Do you enjoy it?"

"I have to admit I like it very much. The garden is full of interesting flowers," your gaze flew to Irene who couldn't take her eyes off of Killian with dreamy expression plastered to her face. You couldn't suppress it and had to chuckle. Now it was clear who she was in love with.

Killian's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Good to know you are enjoying it. I'm sure all the flowers are green with envy when they see such beauties like you two," he winked at Irene and she giggled like a little girl.

You couldn't help the laughter that bubbled to the surface and tried to stifle it with a hand. Your brother-in-law raised brows at you, but then he joined you. Hearing that rich, contagious sound, you started to laugh even more. His expression softened.

"I'm very pleased to see that your new company has a good influence on you and you are finally opening up," he leaned closer to whisper to you, his hand brushed over yours. "Your smile is the best reward for all my hard work."

"I guess that now, when you have seen at least a bit of your new home, you are fascinated with its beauty," he joked, but he couldn't be more accurate.

There was something about Killian and his easygoing, good nature that made you feel at ease and so you dared to tease him back a bit.

"You are right. I'm absolutely captivated."

He gaped at you, mouth slightly opened. It took him a few seconds to collect himself and then his trademark smile was back. "Well.. Was that a joke just now? Dove, did you hear it too? She joked with me! Mother's tits, I can't believe my ears! Eris won't believe me either when I tell him you joked with me." His eyes filled with pride.

You blushed but smiled nonetheless.

"Now that you are finally peeking out of that damn shell, I'd even more love to stay longer and chat with you, but unfortunately, I can't. Eris will kill me for real if I'm again late for meeting. I was supposed to only drop by to deliver you this and return. It's from him," he winked, handed you a parcel that he brought and he was already at doors.

Before he left, Killian quickly whispered something to Irene. She giggled and nodded. At threshold he turned for a second to wave you with a beaming smile and he was gone.

Even though the parcel was small it was quite heavy. Your fingers trembled as you untied the bow and carefully opened the paper. You'd never received a present.

Inside was a new looking book bound in leather. You took it out and read the title. Almanac of Plants of Autumn Court. You flipped through it frantically, noticing all the beautiful, detailed drawings on every page.

You gasped in surprise, your eyes lined with silver. With trembling hands you took the book and pressed it to your chest, allowing the tears to roll down your cheeks. How did he know that you would like to learn more about the flowers in the garden? How could he know you so well? Your heart squeezed painfully, its sound louder than any other one and even than your own thoughts. If you knew where to look for him, you would immediately run there to thank him.

At that moment you decided that you would stay up no matter what and wait for him to come to check on you that night. You wanted to see him more than anything else.

[eclairsnme]

♡ POV: Being The Itoshi Brother’s Elder Sister ♡

Part 1/ Part 2/ Part 3/ Part 4

An introduction to the oldest sibling

you are a very popular idol in Japan (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)

tags: idol!you, crack comedy, reunion, familial love, sfw

notes: well… being popular and also being the eldest of the Itoshi siblings, you are undeniably very dramatic, sassy and gorgeously demanding in every way.

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•

“Why isn’t he answering my calls!”

You scowled and threw your phone across the room, scaring your manager in the process.

“C-calm down,” your manager scurried to pacify your tantrum.

Pouting cutely as Mr manager massages your back with nervous peals of laughter, you complained, “Does he not love me anymore?”

You just completed your commercial shooting for the day and were looking forward to surprising your cute youngest brother. Why? Well, it is obviously not because you are the most loving sister but because you saw Rin and this blue lock thingamajig on the news by chance٩( ᐛ )و .

It just hit you that you’ve never really stayed in contact with your family members being so busy with your line of work. Being popular is no easy task sigh suffering from success ✌︎('ω')✌︎.

So, seeing your youngest brother in the news instead of yourself prompted you to feign the “concerned-older-sister” role.

In your Versace heels, you sauntered towards the strewn phone. Very bothered and annoyed by how Rin is not picking up the call, you continuously and unyieldingly called him.

And finally, the call went through.

“Rin-”

“WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING ME?! STOP IT!”

Your eyes twitched, “and who are you supposed to be?”

“YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CALLED ME, AREN’T YOU SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHO I AM?”

*BEEP*

The stranger on the other side of the call aggressively put down the phone.

Oh… you got the wrong number. After years of having no contact with Rin obviously, he would have changed his number. Ehe ~

Blushing at your silly mistake, you gripped your phone and quickly dialled another saved contact which you know will definitely be the right number… hopefully ╮(╯▽╰)╭

As soon as you pressed the call button, the other side of the line quickly picked up the call.

“Sister.”

How you missed that deadpan voice that brought you butterflies to your stomach so much that it hurts.

“How can you be so heartless to your sister, Sae,” you dramatically whined at him, “but it flatters me that you picked up the phone so quickly. I think I just fell in love! Aren’t you in Spain right now?”

A quick calculation on Japan and Spain’s time zone, Sae should still be asleep right now. Was it because he is always waiting for his deadly gorgeous sister to call him\(//∇//)\?

But his next sentence brought you out of your delusion.

“I’m in Japan right now, didn’t you see my text?”

“Oh,” you managed to blurt out. You definitely did not see that text. (・・?)

“Why did you call? You rarely call,” Sae broke the silence with a fact.

Yes, a FACT that you never bothered to contact either Sae or Rin since pursuing your dream of becoming an idol at the tender age of 12 years young. It’s been years since you have spoken to them, therefore it’s a fact that you have been a very absent sister.

That does not mean you were not aware of the inner workings and happenings of the Itoshi household. Be it the brothers having some drama between them or Sae finding success in Spain or whatever. You have your own sources, it only depends on how fast or slow news reaches you, an example being the ever-so-elusive Rin.

You quickly cleared your throat and proposed, “Let's go on a date to catch up since you are in Japan!”

At the very corner of the room, Mr manager stumbled upon the very word “date”.

“That’s impossible,” Sae said word for word leaving you extremely astonished.

“Why?”

Sae mentally sighed at you —his sister. He always knew you weren’t the brightest star in the sky but he did not want to explain that you being the most popular idol in Japan and him being the best football player in Japan casually hanging out together in public despite being siblings is just a present for the media —literally making it Christmas for them.

He could already imagine the headlines.

“Are you embarrassed by your sister, Mr hotshot,” Sae's lips drew a line at your overly dramatic tendencies.

“No… let’s just not meet in public,” he tried to compromise.

There was a silence on the other side of the line until you spoke up, “Alright then, 12:30pm at my house.”

“Ok. When- ”

“Today.”

Sae looked at his watch: 11am. He didn’t really have any plans today too.

“Ok.”

“I’ll send you the location!” With that, you hung up the phone.

Yet again, Sae let out another long mental sigh. He got some explaining to do to his manager.

You on the other hand, mentally cheered.

Whatever you want, you got it. Talk about being extremely demanding — thank goodness your little brother was extremely compliant.

~

Hearing the doorbell ring, you wasted no time opening the door and embraced the person in front of you not caring about personal space.

Sae could only stand still hands still on each side of his body — stood rooted on the ground.

“You’ve grown so tall!” You took a good look at Sae. Oh, what a handsome young man he has grown into! You wondered how many girl's hearts he has broken with his devilish looks, especially with that deadpan expression of his.

“That goes the same for you too.”

That is true, you were above the average female height making companies want to hire you to be their model. Perfect body, perfect face — the perfect recipe for being the most popular idol! ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

“Don’t you miss your sister?” You smiled cheekily awaiting his response.

“Not really,” as expected from your younger brother.

“Don’t be so cold~ I prepared some of your favourite dishes.” You led Sae into the dining room. The table was filled with delivery food.

She must’ve rushed to order all these, Sae thought to himself.

Despite being a cold and arrogant football player, Sae still knows how to respect his elders. He sat on the chair and slowly helped himself.

“Eat up!” You cheered.

You took a sit in front of Sae eyeing him as he elegantly ate the food with the most immaculate posture.

The reason why you called Sae out or more accurately over to your house was to obviously get Rin’s number.

You could have easily gotten his number from your parents but before your brain could get to that idea, Sae was already in front of you. So uh why not just ask him. (๑･̑◡･̑๑)

You wouldn’t consider yourself stupid, and some people might even call you a bimbo oh the audacity, but that’s beside the point!!

“Do you have a girlfriend?” That was your way to break the ice. Ehe~ ✌︎('ω')✌︎

“No time for that.”

“Does Rin have a girlfriend?”

“Sister.” Sae stopped and eyed you.

“So does he?” Ignorance was a blessing so you keenly eyed Sae waiting for his response.

“…”

“Can I have his number then?” You shamelessly took out your phone and gave it to Sae not caring if he was uncaring or not.

To be honest, you weren’t too sure if Sae had Rin’s number due to their damn drama going on but part of you were confident Sae had it. After all, he’s an older brother to Rin.

And true enough, he did have Rin’s number. Sae took your phone and inserted Rin’s number without referring to his phone, meaning he knew his number by heart.

Oho~

You took back your phone and smiled, “what a good brother you are.”

Sae did not say a thing to that.

“So where are you staying while you are here in Japan?”

“Hotel.”

Hotel? Hmmm, you could finally be a good older sister if you allowed him to stay in your penthouse. That is right! What a great idea from my brilliant mind!

“Come stay with me,” you offered, or more like you demanded, “Don’t reject me please, Sae.”

You held both of his hands with a good grip and looked at him with your best puppy eyes that won the hearts of millions. No way he can say no right? PLEASE JUST SAY YES.

Sae wavered and thought about it. He would immediately leave after the U-20 Japan vs Blue Lock match, so it’s just a temporary adjustment.

“Ok.” He surrendered.

Plus, he could never win against his only older sister.

-

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Rin looked at the unknown number and decided to ignore the call.

“Who was that?” Isagi, who was beside him doing yoga, asked him.

“Unknown.”

“What if it’s someone or something important?”

“If it’s so important then I would already have the number saved already, no?”

-

“Rin-” you sobbed (crocodile tears ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ), “he really don’t care about me anymore…”

It’s nighttime, and you are in your silk pyjamas still trying to get through Rin to no avail. Sae who is on the sofa highly entertained, listening to your ruckus like it’s a soap opera.

Then it really dawned on you — the realisation that what if Rin really hates you. But you quickly dismissed the idea.

Nah no way~ Rin doesn’t even hate Sae. He’s just being a tsundere, plus, he’s still going through puberty!♪(´ε｀ )

You looked over to Sae and asked him, “How am I supposed to get close to cute little Rin Rin?”

Sae thought to himself about the upcoming U-20 Japan vs Blue Lock match. He was about to suggest to you to watch them play, however, he soon realised that you aren’t just a normal person — you, Miss Top Idol, watching a football match. Let that sink in.

-

-time skip-

Murmurs and excitement filled the stadium on match day.

Although it’s not summer, you dressed in all black — black fedora, black jacket, black pants, black sunglasses and black mask — it was a portable sauna. All that trouble to disguise yourself to not garner attraction.

Breathing heavily under the mask, your sunglasses began to fog up. You swear you looked like the most suspicious person right this second.

Not only that, sweaty spectators were all around you. How could a renowned celebrity like you stand this kind of treatment?

You stared long and hard at the empty football field. Where are they?

This was taking too long and you were starting to get very impatient and uncomfortable.

Slowly you took out your fedora, letting out your silky dark hair to flow out of its restraints.

The next second, you took out your jacket. Underneath was a simple white shirt that revealed your smooth skin.

As the time ticked away, you also took out the mask — that to be very honest, was starting to annoy you, your sunglasses kept getting fogged up! (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)

Not knowing when the match was going to start, you tapped on the shoulder of the young boy right next to you.

“When is it going to start?”

The young boy turned and felt something stuck in his throat. The moment he laid eyes on you he thought you were a celebrity. Even though the sunglasses were hiding half of your face, he really thought you looked like someone famous.

“E-eh,” he stuttered.

“Eh?” You repeated after him.

“There! They are about to come out!” His attention was immediately drawn to the field.

The roars of the crowd erupted throughout the stadium as U-20 Japan and Blue Lock emerged to the field.

You squinted as hard as possible trying to take a good look at the players.

Sae and Rin then appeared in your line of sight, both of them in different jerseys.

SAE! RIN! You felt yourself feeling more excited than you should.

-

Sae’s eyes course through the crowd to your allotted seat (that he assigned you to). Rin, who was right beside Sae, followed his brother’s line of sight.

Rin found out that his brother was looking at a woman. She was waving at Sae (or someone else, it was hard to tell with the crowd) animatedly. But the more he looked at the woman in sunglasses, the more she looked awfully familiar.

“Sister?” Rin finally spoke up.

Rin momentarily reminisce the days when he would be in the warm embrace of his sister whenever he cried.

But before any sappy sibling reunion, the match between the two brothers was just about to start.

-

Aww~ Rin also grew up so handsomely, and to think he is taller than Sae. You thought to yourself, happy.

As the match went on, you were met with a conundrum. Which team should you be supporting?

When U-20 Japan scored a goal, you cheered. When Blue Lock scored a goal, you cheered.

The young boy beside you was also confused as to who you supported.

The match continued with great intensity. You continued with your cheering in spite of not knowing too much about football.

In the end, Blue Lock won and the crowd went crazy.

You saw Sae talking to Rin in the middle of the field. Sae looked impassive as usual and Rin, you noticed, had an expression on him that caused your elderly sister's instinct to activate.

-

Turns out, what you witnessed was the part where Sae was gassing up Isagi instead of acknowledging Rin’s growth as a striker.

“-and,” Sae continued, “your sister has been calling out for you. Don’t ignore her.”

Rin stared at Sae’s back as he parts from him.

True enough, when he turned back to the crowd, he saw you mouthing his name.

Rin jogged towards your seating area and as he approaches, his right hand rubbed the back of his neck feeling bashful.

-

Up top at the spectator's seat, you saw Rin jogging towards you.

You hasten your steps down the stairs and gave your littlest (and very sweaty) brother the warmest embrace.

“You did great,” you softly whispered.

No matter how big he gets, he is still a kid.

“H-hey, isn’t that the popular idol?” The murmurs in the crowd continued, interrupting your reunion.

The spectators soon became privy to the idol in the stadium.

How did this come to be?

Well, to put it simply, you carelessly took off your last remaining “cover-up” —your sunglasses— in the heat of the moment as soon as the match ended. ˚✧₊⁎❝᷀ົཽ≀ˍ̮ ❝᷀ົཽ⁎⁺˳✧���

To say the least, the very next day news began pouring out about the Itoshi Siblings.

☆〜（ゝ。∂）the end (for now) ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

<;no pairings yet! *evil laughing* I plan to create a blue lock harem>

Part 2

[blackdagger456]

Let's Talk About: MHA 430, How This Fandom Can't Read, How Leaks Ruin Chapters And While Imperfect This Finale Was A Good Sendoff

So, here we are.

Ten years. Ten years and 430 chapters we've been with My Hero Academia. Ten long years of excitement, fandom interactions and so many fics I won't bother to count saved, subscribed and bookmarked.

It's strange really. To be apart of this fandom for so long...and find out that so many still can't read.

Like holy cheeseburgers Batman, so many of my fellow MHA readers/fans can't read it's astonishing.

So, for what'll be the last time for this series, let's go over the latest chapter of MHA and allow me to inform you of what it means. Or at least, that was the plan before the leaks came out. Just with the added addition of going over how people have reacted to chapter 430 before it was even officially out, and we're going to start with the first stone that began toppling Dominos.

[Official Spoilers Below]

This. Oh god, this sentence has been nothing but a headache for me and so many others. Because of the leaks ,and subsequent mistranslations, being taken as fact the reaction to the finale started out as shit. This entire week leading up to today has been frustrating for me and many others as we tried to explain what should be obvious.

Firstly, none of this is coming from any official translation. What people were seeing before today were things fans and unlicensed translators are spreading around as if it's fact. This does NOT mean that they are correct and therefore these translations shouldn't be treated as such.

Secondly, in no way shape or form does Izuku imply or state that his friends abandoned him after he lost his powers. All he said, was that it was a bit more difficult to meet up regularly. Something that makes sense not only because they were working in different fields but also because work in general is like that.

It can be hard to meet up with the boys n girls for hang outs but that doesn't mean you don't talk. That doesn't mean you don’t call or text or keep in touch. Something which is easier to do when you've fought and lived through an entire war together!

His friends didn't abandon him. They didn't stop caring about him because he became powerless. Hell, the ending of the chapter proves this wrong if nothing else!

Now, is it a shame the ships didn't get officially confirmed? Yes. But I think the implications are more than enough to satisfy. Even if they aren't, there's no reason not have fun with things being open ended. It opens the door to so many fun possibilities OUTSIDE of this whole NTR trend people are trying to start. [Thankfully that's a small part of the fandom]

But moving on, lets go into what he's been doing since becoming OFA.

In what way shape or form does him becoming a teacher make him 'fall off'/make the Mc Donald’s meme become a reality?

 First off why are we hating on the man for enjoying his life without conflict after saving the world? We doing my boy like Gohan now? If he wants to retire to a teaching role, one he very clearly enjoys, let him. What do people think they can take him? Ya'll forgetting exactly what he had to do BEFORE he was able to get OFA in the first place. Izuku is still physically stronger than most normal people both in MHA and in reality.

But, I'm getting off topic. The point is Izuku has and continues to be an inspiration to those that will follow after him. Even to the point of mirroring his starting point with All Might when he inspires yet another young kid to become a hero.

Is he a bit sad he isn't an official hero? Yes. Is he frustrated or unhappy with where he is in life? No. Not at all. He's content. His goal was never to be the No.1 Hero it was to be like ALL MIGHT. To inspire and protect people like his mentor had.

He's done just that and for it---for it he's rewarded.

His kindness, his determination and his faith in those around him comes back to him in the best way for it was those people he spread said traits too that spent those eight years putting together the thing that would bring his dream back to him.

That would bring HIM back to standing by their side on the field of battle. For Izuku Midoriya never truly stopped standing by his friends. For they too had become their own inspirations to Japan and the world. But now, finally, their friend...their inspiration...their Deku could lead them on the frontlines once more.

They, and he, couldn't ask for anything less.

[potassiumivy]

PLAYBOY. | jjk

❥ mdni. fic masterlist.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ 004: SUPERMODEL.

✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞

MEGUMI KNEW THAT GOJO didn't forget about what he saw the day before. he also knew that his nosy ass would do anything to get an opportunity to ask you about it— such as convincing you to meet up with them and then promise you to argue with the higher ups to cancel the third year's suspension. 

the moment he saw you and that you explained about how gojo "pinky promised" you that he'll do something for hakari, he immediately connected the dots. and so, he made it his mission to keep his teacher away from you. throughout the whole tokyo tour, yuuji and nobara were thankfully glued to your side, not giving gojo any chance to pounce on you.

however, while the two idiots were busy fighting during the roppongi trick mission, the man-child wouldn't stop acting like a creepy fuck towards you.

"soooooo..." he started, tapping his fingers on his knees, "what did you do when you were in suspension?"

megumi sighed loudly, closing his eyes. 

"nothing, really. i just hung out with hakari and kirara." you weren't questioning gojo's weird behaviour. you were already aware that he had a couple loose screws up there so you didn't give it any thought. 

"nothing? my dear student didn't do anything when you had free time on your hand??" he cried out, dramatically clutching his blazer. "if i was you, i would've posed for a mag- ouch!" megumi elbowed him in the guts.

"shut up." his student said through gritted teeth. "don't be so obv—"

"well, we did go out pretty often! we had so much fun!" you exclaimed.

"yeah?" the corner of his lips curled up. "what kind of fun, exactly? did you-"

"gojo, stop." megumi interrupted him again.

you smiled sheepishly, rubbing your neck. "i guess you were always pretty good at figuring me out, gojo."

megumi furrowed his eyebrows. he had the feeling that you slightly misunderstood the situation, but he pushed it aside. 

as for you, you excitedly jumped on gojo, shaking his shoulders aggressively.

"IT WAS SOOOO GOOD! I COULD'T BELIEVE IT WAS HAPPENING!"

gojo couldn't focus on the gossip anymore. he could only admire the sight of you on his lap.

"AND HAKARI WAS SO SWEET TOO! HE ALWAYS REMINDED ME TO TELL HIM IF I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE."

"hmm? guess he's a pretty good friend to you, huh?"

you grinned at the mention of your friend, leaning back slightly to look at the sky. your chest was still pressed against gojo's, your arms around his neck.

"yeah." you sighed. "one of the best. kirara too. i wouldn't want it any other way."

megumi was definitely curious now. "are they the ones who got you into it?"

"yep!" you stood up from gojo's lap, sitting next to megumi. "i knew they were freaky, but not freaky freaky, you know?" you laughed, hiding your face behind your palms.

"didn't know they'd be into threesomes." 

megumi's eyes widened and gojo choked on his saliva.

"into what now."

*✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:

✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞

*✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:

to say that megumi was mortified was an understatement. he expected it, but it doesn't mean that he was ready for it. 

after the whole fiasco, you linked your arms with your two new friends as you all made your way to nobara's favourite sushi restaurant. you were humming under your breath, listening to their bickering. the three of you didn't even notice how gojo and megumi who maintained their distance from your little group. 

they were trailing behind, still astonished. gojo's eyes were wide open under his blindfold and he barely blinked. on the other hand, megumi kept checking the weather's app on his phone. 

they were still out of it even when they finally got there.

"hello!" an old lady approached them, "are you eating here or are you going to order some take-out?"

"yes." was gojo's only response.

"young man-"

"hello! we'll eat here please!" you answered cheerfully.

the lady smiled at your enthusiasm. "any special occasion?" she asked, leading you to your table. gojo and megumi were still unmoving so yuuji and nobara went back to drag them as you followed the waitress.

"yes! we're actually celebrating new friendships and my potential return from suspension!" you responded, which made the lady sweatdrop before she chuckled slightly.

"well, i hope you all have fun." 

"thank you! i'm sure we will."

as she was setting the table, she couldn't help but question you further. "if you don't mind me asking, why were you suspended exactly?" 

"oh! it started when my classmate beat up an old and very rude conservative."

"oh my! they did?"

"yes! then, my other friend spat in the old hag's face."

"really?!"

"uh-huh! and i took their side. but i didn't want to spit at them or anything cause it's kinda nasty outside of intercourse."

"it is!" she agreed.

hearing you two's laughter, the three first years simply watched the exchange both in amusement and bewilderment. you and the old waitress you just met were telling each other about your crazy sex stories, gossiping and laughing around like two high-schoolers.

"—and he barked at me!" she cackled, reminiscing her younger years.

"no, he didn't! no way." you were crying from laughter at this point.

gojo came behind his students, speaking in a low voice, "get used to it. she always befriends random ladies like that. she finds comfort in them."

"she has mommy issues?" nobara whisper-yelled. 

megumi glared at her. "what? it's a genuine question."

"her clan is mostly made of women, and they run everything there." he started. "by coming to the jujutsu technical college, she had to let go of everything she grew up with. she doesn't have that sense or familiarity very often anymore, especially since there's not a lot of female sorcerers outside of the l/n clan."

"that's why she was so happy to have you on board, nobara." gojo continued megumi's explanation. "she chose to leave her family so she can include them back in the jujutsu society, which is run by men. but by making that choice, she has to face sexism and misogyny everyday since her family can't shield her anymore." 

gojo looked at you with fondness, before looking back at his current students. "that's why she finds comfort very easily with older women. they remind her of her family."

nobara clenched her fists. 

"gojo-sensei?"  

he only hummed. 

"can the waitress eat with us?"

gojo looked back at you, seeing you glowing under the dim lights. 

your eyes were sparkling— just like the necklace around your neck. 

"of course she can."

*✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:

✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞

*✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:    *✧･ﾟ:

you were over the moon when the waitress took gojo's invitation and stayed with you. she told you that her son was the restaurant's owner, so he wouldn't mind her lazing around a little. 

everyone warmed up to her pretty quickly after seeing how she managed to carry the conversation fluently. she didn't seem to lack outrageous stories to tell, and neither did you. 

"there was that misogynistic ass." you started, already failing to keep yourself from laughing. megumi's ears perked up at the description.

"he asked me; what are you gonna do, slut? gonna suck me off?" you wiped your tears before continuing your story. "so i pegged him—" you cracked up, making nobara and the lady gasp loudly. 

you hushed them despite being loud yourself. your story wasn't finished.

"was it naoya?" megumi asked the question plaguing his mind. 

"IT WAS!" you were crying again, making megumi snort. 

"naoya? you pegged THE naoya?" gojo asked just to be sure, failing to maintain his composure. he was surprisingly quiet throughout the night, opting to attentively listen to your weird sexual adventures. 

you nodded, not being able to make a sound. 

"who is he?" yuuji managed to choke out, also on the verge of death despite not even knowing the guy.

"he was my upperclassman. he's such a little cunt, but he has a cute face so it makes up for it."

taking a deep breath you continued.

 "anyways, look... i had him moaning out; oh god! 'm your slut, only yours!" you imitated him.

"stop." megumi was letting loose too. he was biting his lower lip to keep himself from bursting out of laughter. just imagining his prick of a family member in such a humiliating state made him want to skip throughout the whole city in joy. 

"and what now?" gojo couldn't help but try to get more answers out of you. 

"he tracked me down when i was in suspension. guess he got pussy drunk." you shrugged, chuckling at the irony. "i kinda like him though. don't tell maki i said that. i think he's slowly getting his head out of his ass."

the night went on and more stories were exchanged. it was going pretty smoothly until—

"—when i went back inside my room, fushiguro shoved my magazine in his mouth!" yuuji revealed, which made megumi freeze. 

all the eyes were on him and he was starting to panick internally.

"yes! heh, as you see, our megumi is a little trickster!" gojo laughed awkwardly  before putting megumi in a headlock. "come on, megs, tell 'em that you were just feeling a little silly!" 

gojo's attempt to advert everyone's attention didn't work as planned.

"awn, that sucks. what was the magazine, yuuji? i read a lot of them so i can give you mine." you offered, trying to help the poor boy.

"thanks, but i don't think you'll have it... it was a deluxe edition of playboy." he pouted. 

megumi spat out his water and gojo's posture stiffened. 

"you're a pig." nobara deadpanned. 

"you are." megumi agreed, hoping to drag the conversation elsewhere.

"oh my god! i actually have it too! they're worth the price, aren't they?" you smiled, ignoring the chaos unfolding around you.

"HUH? well, on second thought, they don't seem that bad." nobara muttered to herself.

the old waitress was just listening to the conversation, quietly sipping on her sake. 

"they are!" yuuji nodded at you enthusiastically. "i was really excited to read it..."

"well... today's your lucky day, yuuji." you smiled mischievously. "cause i actually have an extra one on me!"

megumi and gojo couldn't look away from the scene. it's like watching a horror movie, knowing that there's going to be a jumpscare soon. 

you pulled the magazine out of your bag, throwing it on the table. 

everyone simultaneously leaned over to peek, while you sat back on your chair, folding your arms. 

same cover, same edition. same necklace.

yuuji's eyes widened the moment he saw it, looking back and forth between you and the magazine. 

"what is it yuuji?" you asked in mock concern, arching an eyebrow. you leaned over the table, your lips grazing his. only when his whole attention was on you, and on you only, you spoke against his lips in a hushed whisper. 

"want me to sign your copy?"

✞ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐘✞

next!!

©potassiumivy, 2024. all rights reserved. do not translate / modify / republish my works.

[alexatiu]

Do you believe in love at first sight? ୨ྀི୧

Satoru Gojo x F!reader || jujutsu kaisen

note: this is my first story so i’ll take any criticism, but please be nice ! this is also my first time writing in tumblr so i don’t really know how to use it.

this might be too rushed for your liking tho, so read as you want because this is only a random idea of mine (⁠ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿⁠)

english is not my first language, so please bear with me ! 🫶

slight angst, fluff, reincarnation, royal!au, not proofread! (was written during midnight) immortal!gojo

summary: lately, you’ve been experiencing dreams of this one particular man and till now you have been dying to know who that man is. until this one fateful day..

do you believe that your first love is your greatest love?

do you believe in reincarnation?

“satoru, why do you believe she will come back?”

“because she will. she will come back.”

I don't know how and why I agreed to come here in the first place. Was it because I was forced by my mother to try and seduce win over The Satoru Gojo?

Satoru Gojo was a handsome young man who loves money and power. His clan have been forcing him to choose young ladies all over the empire, why do you ask? Maybe because his “parents” do not want Gojo to waste his youth on going feral over money. I mean, can you blame him? If you had that money and power, you can basically rule over the empire.

That aside, I was already outside the palace where the Gojo clan resides. The “family” had decided to assemble a ball for the 3rd time this month! If only I had that kind of money..

I tidy up my looks and my elegant wine red dress that goes all the way down to my feet before going out the carriage that was prepared by my mother to monitor me.

“my lady, shall I accompany you inside the palace?” the butler that will attend the ball with me, spoke in a stern voice. his look does not falter even by being with me.

“we should go.” the only response that I have given him, not wanting to waste any more time. We both walked inside until we were greeted by the beautiful scenery.

The palace was astonishing, much more prettier inside. The ceilings were adorned with beautiful chandelier lights, noble men and women already chatting and gossiping in the corners of this place, a pleasingly alluring melody in the background.

“madam [y/n], I must go already.” the butler that is escorting me up to this point spoke with him bowing his head a little. “i was ordered by your mother to accompany you until here, but I was not ordered to watch you nor monitor you. So, do as you please, madam.” his head is still looking down and looks at me in the eyes as he gives me a mask for a masquerade ball. “is this really necessary?” I said, my tone of voice expressing distaste. He only nodded and smiled.

“i wish you all the best, madam [y/n].”

━━━━━━☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆━━━━━━━━━

So, now.. why are you here having eye contact with Satoru Gojo and asking you to have a dance with him?

His voice, his eyes, his face.. are prepossessing and irresistible.

I gaze deeply over his bewitchingly divine eyes. his lovely blue eyes that look like a sky were formed into his eyes.

Yet, why does it seem it is so hard to reject his offer? Why does it feel so wrong if I rejected him? Why does it feel like you know him?

His blue eyes.. his white hair.. his pale skin.. it seems all too familiar to not notice. Was he..? Was he the man you have been dreaming all along?

“hmm.. cat got your tongue, princess?” he spoke with his smirk present in his face. His hand were on your waist and the other were holding your hand as you both danced through the night with the nobles looking at the both of you like you two are made for each other.

Some nobles are mesmerized with the alluring and loving dance that you and Satoru shared.

Of course, we can't escape the jealous eyes. Some women are looking at you with anger in their eyes, they have tried everything yet you got Gojo Satoru that easy?

But mostly, people are in awe of both of you.

You both are the star of the night.

You are Satoru Gojo's most precious girl and nobody knows that.

Now, he finally has you in his arms again.. and he won't let you go.

You both stopped dancing when the music stopped, numerous people clapped their hands and some people started crowding the both of you.

After a few minutes, you both got away from the nobles with the help of the guards.

You both are sitting in the grass outside the palace, in his private garden, watching the night sky and the moon shine.

“don't ever leave me again..” his voice, so full of longing and sadness.

“what do you mean?” of course, you have forgotten everything you both have shared in your past life and only he remembers how you two loved each other and how he watched you die. He wanted to die so badly when you left, his one and only sun. Yet, the gods hated him so much that they gave him the power of being immortal.

Being immortal has its advantages and disadvantages, but once you get used to it.. all you can feel is being alone and lonely. Everyone left. Every person you loved died. Your love of your life died. And now you're all alone. right, Satoru?

you didn't know what to say when he suddenly hugged you, his face in the crook of your neck while you let him hug you. “are you okay?” even he can't help but feel his eyes water, hearing your voice after years of waiting for you.. he finally heard your pretty voice again.

You both stayed in that position for a while as he continued to ramble on. But all you can say is, you definitely loved him. You definitely knew him.

“i miss you so damn much, my sol de mi vida.”

Once two loving souls love each other, you will never be separated because souls don't meet by accident.

He will always belong to you..

Like how the sun

Belongs

To the moon.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Greetings! so I really like all kinds of wizarding objects in HP, like a marauder's map or a sieve. there's also popular hc that James and Sirius invented the mirror, but not for me, bc yk if they did invent it, Sirius would have mentioned it, and the map is actually a normal homunculus spell, so I like the fact that it's more that they thought of using it, and not the map itself but is still fascinating no doubt

but I wonder if there are magical inventions that you like in the HP universe? or maybe popular fanfiction trope like double-sided notebooks (protean charms)? if you were an inventor, what artifacts would you create? will it be magical copy of muggle invention or only wizard itself?

They way Sirius explains it kinda implies they didn't invent the two way mirrors actually.

This is a two-way mirror. I’ve got the other. If you need to speak to me, just say my name into it; you’ll appear in my mirror and I’ll be able to talk in yours. James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions.

(OotP, 858)

He says this is a two-way mirror like it's something known. Like this isn't the only pair of two-way mirrors out there.

My headcanon about it is that two-way mirrors do exist in general, but they are super rare and hard to make so very few people have them. And I think James and Sirius did make this pair of mirrors. Like, they didn't invent the concept, but they did make these specific ones. At least, in my head.

I also think the Mauraders Map is made with more than just a Homonculus Charm. It has a pretty complex Maapping Charm and as I mentioned in the past, I think the Mauraders Map actually has a bit of the consciousness of the Mauraders, like portraits in HP because of how it reacts to Snape calling himself a professor:

“Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.”

(PoA, 287)

This line implies it's not just a charm that makes them insult: "Professor Severus Snape" because that's how he introduced himself. It shows intelligence. That the map doesn't just have built-in insults with a gap for [your name]. This is an insult that is actually responsive and suggests sentience.

One of my personal favorite magical artifacts, if we're talking sentient artifacts are portraits.

I just find the magical portraits we see fascinating. It's like, a whole other level of leaving something from yourself after you die and I find myself disappointed Harry never encountered a Potter portrait. I mean, I'm sure Henry Potter (a pretty famous member of the Wizengamot back in the day), or his son Fleamont, the inventor of Sleekeazy's Potion have portraits somewhere. Like, James and Lily died young and I understand how they might've not sat down for portraits, but there's a whole Potter family out there that Harry could hear from. Grandparents and great-grandparents. Maybe even Iolanthe Potter (nee Peverell) has a portrait lying around somewhere (wherever Potter's manor is). Like, think how cool it could've been if in Deathly Hallows they learned about the Deathly Hallows from her. For Harry to have a little chance to connect to his family. (though she would have no clue where the Elder Wand traveled, so you could still keep Xenophilius in the book).

If I had to choose one magical artifact to invent... I guess it'll be either:

1. I guess an instant messaging system, like sending texts on your phone. Owls, as aesthetic as they are, are not very tactical for quick communication. It'll probably function like a more sophisticated version of the DA coins. And it wouldn't really look like a phone, so it could be marketable for wizards. The most difficult part would be to allow the Protean Charm to work for different artifacts.

Like, my best idea is like a magical phone book (but not really). Where each page connects to someone else. And it's like a small binder, so you could add and remove pages at will. Once you read something, the messages disappear from the page, allowing you to write more.

(This binder format also allows you to accidentally write to the wrong people, which I think is fun. Basically, this is how I'd do the fanon double-sided notebook concept. Though I don't think it exists in universe)

2. The thing I'd really like to invent and would probably be easier to do, is a search engine (though it'll be a spell more than an artifact). Now, I don't mean exactly like Google, what I mean is that, say, you walk into the Hogwarts Library and you could cast "accio books written in the 15th century about gnomes," and all these books that fit that description would fly at you. Except, instead of flying at you, they'd just glow or something (because a large amount of books flying at you could end up not great).

The reason I'm saying that's more easy is because I think accio could do this. I mean, "accio firebolt" works, so why not "accio books about dragons", you know?

"Accio" literally translates to "fetch" in Latin, so for my search engine spell, it would probably be something like "Reperio", which means "find" or "detect" (I like it because it would be confusing with "Reparo" and "Revelio").

But that's not really an artifact and more of a spell, but, still, I like this idea.

Honestly, I make up a lot of spells when writing fic sometimes. Because there are spells that are implied to exist but we aren't shown them (Arthur Weasley mentions Weather Charms once) or charms that are likely to exist because they fit in universe but we don't really know, so I just come up with an incantation for them.

What I'm saying is that I come up with charms and rituals more than artifacts.